This is a classic vegetarian Indian dish for all those eggplant lovers out there.
4 large Eggplants
Vegetable Oil
50 ml Ghee or Vegetable Oil
5 g Cumin Seeds
1 medium Onion, chopped
3 Kashmiri Dried Chilies, halved (or other mild dried chilies)
3 Green Chilies, minced (or as many as you can handle - I used one)
10 g Garltic Paste
10 g Ginger Paste
5 g Turmeric Powder
4 small Tomatoes, chopped
60 g Plain Yogurt
50 g Frozen Peas (or more if you like)
Salt, to taste
1/2 bunch Cilantro, washed and chopped
1/2 Lemon, juiced
1) Poke some holes into the eggplants, coat them in oil, and roast at 375F until wrinkled and very soft, about 1 hour.
2) Remove the skin from the eggplant and chop roughly. (It's best to do this while they are still warm, but not burning hot. Cut the top off the eggplant, then cut in half. Set the eggplant on flat surface, skin down, then use the back of a knife to gently scrape the flesh from the skin. Discard the skins.)
While waiting for the eggplants to cool, start the sauce:
3) Heat the ghee or vegetable oil in a large pot. Add cumin seeds and toast until they just start to crackle.
4) Add the onions and Kashmiri chilies, and cook until the onions are lightly golden brown. Stir constantly to prevent burning.
5) Add the green chilies, garlic, and ginger. Cook briefly (approx 15 seconds).
6) Add the turmeric powder and cook briefly to get rid of the chalky texture (approx 15 seconds).
7) Add the tomatoes and cook until softened (approx 5 minutes).
8) Add the yogurt, frozen peas, and eggplant flesh. Cook for 5 minutes to incorporate flavors.
9) Add salt to taste.
10) Finish with cilantro and lemon juice.
Showing posts with label Vegetarian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vegetarian. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Dal Panchratan
This is 5-lentil dal curry. It goes really well with chipatis or naan bread.
50 g Mung Dal
50 g Red Dal
50 g Split Yellow (chickpea) Dal
25 g Urad Dal
25 g Split Green Dal
50 g Ghee or Vegetable Oil
5 g Cumin Seeds
1 medium Onion, chopped
(pinch) Asafoetida powder
10 g Garlic Paste
10 g Ginger Paste
2 Green Chilies, minced
5 g Kashmiri Chili Powder or cayenned (TO TASTE)
5 g Turmeric
2 small Tomatoes, chopped
Salt, to taste
Garam Masala to taste
1/4 bunch Cilantro, washed and chopped
1/2 Lemon, juiced
1) Rinse the lentils under cold water. Put them into a pot and cover with roughly 3" to 4" of fresh water. Add some salt, and some of the turmeric. Bring to a boil, and simmer until tender (past the grainy point, but before the total-mush point).
2) Heat the Ghee in a large pan, add the cumin seeds. When they start to crackly, add the onions and asafoetida powder, and cook until golden brown.
3) Add the garlic, ginger, and green chilies, and cook briefly (15 seconds).
4) Add the Kashmiri chili powder, and turmeric powder. Cook for up to 2 minutes, to get rid of the chalky texture of the powder.
5) Add the tomatoes and cook briefly.
6) Add the sauce mix to the lentils, and cook for 5 minutes.
7) Adjust seasoning, and add garam masala to taste. Finish with cilantro and lemon juice.
50 g Mung Dal
50 g Red Dal
50 g Split Yellow (chickpea) Dal
25 g Urad Dal
25 g Split Green Dal
50 g Ghee or Vegetable Oil
5 g Cumin Seeds
1 medium Onion, chopped
(pinch) Asafoetida powder
10 g Garlic Paste
10 g Ginger Paste
2 Green Chilies, minced
5 g Kashmiri Chili Powder or cayenned (TO TASTE)
5 g Turmeric
2 small Tomatoes, chopped
Salt, to taste
Garam Masala to taste
1/4 bunch Cilantro, washed and chopped
1/2 Lemon, juiced
1) Rinse the lentils under cold water. Put them into a pot and cover with roughly 3" to 4" of fresh water. Add some salt, and some of the turmeric. Bring to a boil, and simmer until tender (past the grainy point, but before the total-mush point).
2) Heat the Ghee in a large pan, add the cumin seeds. When they start to crackly, add the onions and asafoetida powder, and cook until golden brown.
3) Add the garlic, ginger, and green chilies, and cook briefly (15 seconds).
4) Add the Kashmiri chili powder, and turmeric powder. Cook for up to 2 minutes, to get rid of the chalky texture of the powder.
5) Add the tomatoes and cook briefly.
6) Add the sauce mix to the lentils, and cook for 5 minutes.
7) Adjust seasoning, and add garam masala to taste. Finish with cilantro and lemon juice.
Vegetable Pulao
Pulao is the Indian style of Rice Pilaf. This one's full of aromatics and tasty little gems. A fine and lively accompaniment to any Indian dish.
50 g Ghee or Vegetable Oil
2 carrots, cut into 1/2" dice
1/2 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
30 g Frozen Peas
30 g Frozen Corn
1 medium Onion, sliced across the grain and salted
3 g Cumin Seeds
2 pc Cardamom Pods
2 pc Whole Cloves
1 pc Bay Leaf
1/2 stick Cinnamon
3 whole Peppercorns
2 medium Tomatoes, diced
450 g Stock or Water
Salt, to taste
300 g Basmati Rice, washed and soaked
1/2 bunch cilantro, washed and chopped
1) Heat half the ghee or oil, and lightly saute the carrots, cauliflower, peas, and corn. Remove and set aside.
2) Heat the rest of the ghee or oil, and saute the onions until golden brown. Remove from oil and set aside (keeping excess oil in the pan).
3) In the same pan, add the cumin seeds and toast until they begin to crackle. Then add the whole garam masala (cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon, peppercorns).
4) Add half of the onions, and the tomatoes. Cook briefly (1 minute).
5) Add the stock or water and the sauted vegetables, season to taste, and bring to a boil.
6) Add the rice. Cook on medium heat, stirring gently, until most of the water has been absorbed. Then cover and remove from heat. Allow for the rice to absorb the rest of the moisture - do not disturb.
7) Fluff the rice with a fork, and garnish with the rest of the fried onions and the cilantro.
50 g Ghee or Vegetable Oil
2 carrots, cut into 1/2" dice
1/2 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
30 g Frozen Peas
30 g Frozen Corn
1 medium Onion, sliced across the grain and salted
3 g Cumin Seeds
2 pc Cardamom Pods
2 pc Whole Cloves
1 pc Bay Leaf
1/2 stick Cinnamon
3 whole Peppercorns
2 medium Tomatoes, diced
450 g Stock or Water
Salt, to taste
300 g Basmati Rice, washed and soaked
1/2 bunch cilantro, washed and chopped
1) Heat half the ghee or oil, and lightly saute the carrots, cauliflower, peas, and corn. Remove and set aside.
2) Heat the rest of the ghee or oil, and saute the onions until golden brown. Remove from oil and set aside (keeping excess oil in the pan).
3) In the same pan, add the cumin seeds and toast until they begin to crackle. Then add the whole garam masala (cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon, peppercorns).
4) Add half of the onions, and the tomatoes. Cook briefly (1 minute).
5) Add the stock or water and the sauted vegetables, season to taste, and bring to a boil.
6) Add the rice. Cook on medium heat, stirring gently, until most of the water has been absorbed. Then cover and remove from heat. Allow for the rice to absorb the rest of the moisture - do not disturb.
7) Fluff the rice with a fork, and garnish with the rest of the fried onions and the cilantro.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Aloo Gobi
This is the best Aloo Gobi I've ever made, and quite close to the classic dish you'd get at a restaurant.
1 head Cauliflower, cut into florets
3 large Potatoes (eg Yukons), cut into 1/2" cubes
50 ml Oil
5 g Cumin Seeds
2 medium Onions, chopped
10 g Garlic Paste
10 g Ginger Paste
2 Green Chilies, minced
10 g Coriander Powder
10 g Turmeric Powder
5 g Kashmiri Chili Powder (or less - to taste!)
2 Bay Leaves
4 medium Tomatoes, chopped
1 cup Water
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1 Lemon, juiced
1/2 bunch Cilantro, washed and chopped
Precooking the Cauliflower and Potatoes:
1) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and add some of the 10g of Turmeric.
2) Boil the potatoes until al dente (approx 10 minutes). Remove with a spider, and set aside.
3) Boil the cauliflower until al dente (approx 5 minutes). Remove with a spider, and set aside.
Making the Sauce:
1) Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the cumin seeds and toast until they start to crackle. Add the onions and cook until golden brown.
2) Add the garlic, ginger, green chilies, and cook briefly (15 seconds).
3) Add the coriander, turmeric, chili powder, and bay leaves, and cook briefly (15 seconds).
4) Add the tomatoes. Cook briefly, then add the water. Cook down into a rich sauce.
To Finish:
1) Add the potatoes and cauliflower to the sauce pan and cook until done. (You may need to add some more water to get the sauce to cover the potatoes and cauliflower. Cook off excess water.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2) Finish with lemon juice and cilantro.
1 head Cauliflower, cut into florets
3 large Potatoes (eg Yukons), cut into 1/2" cubes
50 ml Oil
5 g Cumin Seeds
2 medium Onions, chopped
10 g Garlic Paste
10 g Ginger Paste
2 Green Chilies, minced
10 g Coriander Powder
10 g Turmeric Powder
5 g Kashmiri Chili Powder (or less - to taste!)
2 Bay Leaves
4 medium Tomatoes, chopped
1 cup Water
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1 Lemon, juiced
1/2 bunch Cilantro, washed and chopped
Precooking the Cauliflower and Potatoes:
1) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and add some of the 10g of Turmeric.
2) Boil the potatoes until al dente (approx 10 minutes). Remove with a spider, and set aside.
3) Boil the cauliflower until al dente (approx 5 minutes). Remove with a spider, and set aside.
Making the Sauce:
1) Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the cumin seeds and toast until they start to crackle. Add the onions and cook until golden brown.
2) Add the garlic, ginger, green chilies, and cook briefly (15 seconds).
3) Add the coriander, turmeric, chili powder, and bay leaves, and cook briefly (15 seconds).
4) Add the tomatoes. Cook briefly, then add the water. Cook down into a rich sauce.
To Finish:
1) Add the potatoes and cauliflower to the sauce pan and cook until done. (You may need to add some more water to get the sauce to cover the potatoes and cauliflower. Cook off excess water.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2) Finish with lemon juice and cilantro.
Butter Chicken
In the vegetarian Indian class, we recently did Paneer Makhni - butter chicken, but with paneer instead of chicken. Of course, this recipe works well for making the classic Butter Chicken.
Interestingly, butter chicken is not an authentic Indian dish - it was invented in Britain by an Indian chef who wanted to make a dish for the European palette.
400 g Chicken or Paneer
Marinade Paste:
175 g Yogurt
15 g Garlic Paste
15 g Ginger Paste
10 g Coriander Powder
10 g Tandoori Spice
5 g Chili Powder
5 g Cumin Powder
5 g Turmeric
1 x Lemon Juice
10 ml Vegetable Oil
Salt and Pepper
Pinch of Orange-Red Colouring Powder
Sauce:
100 g Butter
1 Large Onion, chopped
Garam Masala - TO TASTE
5 g Sugar
500 g Canned Tomatoes, crushed
500 ml water
50ml (approx) Cream (35%)
5 g Kasoori Methi, lightly toasted
Salt, to taste
1/2 bunch Cilantro, chopped
To prepare the chicken or paneer:
1) Mix together all ingredients for the marinade paste. Combine with chicken or paneer and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2) Preheat the oven to 400F. Cook the chicken or paneer approximately 10 minutes until lightly crisped (or until cooked through for the chicken).
To prepare the sauce:
1) Heat the butter in a large pan and saute the onions until golden brown.
2) Add the garam masala and sugar, and cook briefly.
3) Add the tomatoes and water. Simmer until slightly thickened and less tart.
4) Add the cream, kasoori methi, and adjust seasoning. It may need more Kasoori Methi, Sugar, or Cream - adjust accordingly.
5) Blend the sauce until smooth
To Finish:
Add the chicken or paneer to the sauce pan. Bring to a light simmer for a few minutes, and finish with cilantro.
Interestingly, butter chicken is not an authentic Indian dish - it was invented in Britain by an Indian chef who wanted to make a dish for the European palette.
400 g Chicken or Paneer
Marinade Paste:
175 g Yogurt
15 g Garlic Paste
15 g Ginger Paste
10 g Coriander Powder
10 g Tandoori Spice
5 g Chili Powder
5 g Cumin Powder
5 g Turmeric
1 x Lemon Juice
10 ml Vegetable Oil
Salt and Pepper
Pinch of Orange-Red Colouring Powder
Sauce:
100 g Butter
1 Large Onion, chopped
Garam Masala - TO TASTE
5 g Sugar
500 g Canned Tomatoes, crushed
500 ml water
50ml (approx) Cream (35%)
5 g Kasoori Methi, lightly toasted
Salt, to taste
1/2 bunch Cilantro, chopped
To prepare the chicken or paneer:
1) Mix together all ingredients for the marinade paste. Combine with chicken or paneer and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2) Preheat the oven to 400F. Cook the chicken or paneer approximately 10 minutes until lightly crisped (or until cooked through for the chicken).
To prepare the sauce:
1) Heat the butter in a large pan and saute the onions until golden brown.
2) Add the garam masala and sugar, and cook briefly.
3) Add the tomatoes and water. Simmer until slightly thickened and less tart.
4) Add the cream, kasoori methi, and adjust seasoning. It may need more Kasoori Methi, Sugar, or Cream - adjust accordingly.
5) Blend the sauce until smooth
To Finish:
Add the chicken or paneer to the sauce pan. Bring to a light simmer for a few minutes, and finish with cilantro.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Chana Masala
This is a take on the classic Indian dish that I learned at George Brown.
50 g Ghee
5 g Cumin Seeds
1 medium Onion, chopped
20 g Garlic-Ginger paste
4 Green Chilis, (optional, or to taste)
5 g Chili Powder
10 g Coriander Powder
200 g Tomatoes (canned, crushed)
250 g Chickpeas (canned, rinsed well)
1 Lemon's Juice
1/2 bunch Cilantro, chopped
5 g Kasoori Methi leaves
5 g Garam Masala (or to taste)
Salt, to taste
1) Heat ghee in a pot, add cumin seeds until it crackles, then add onions and saute until lightly brown. Add ginger-garlic paste and green chilis (if using) and saute for 30 seconds.
2) Add the chili powder, coriander powder, and heat for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes.
3) Add cooked chickpeas and saute for 5 minutes. Add enough water to cover the chick peas, bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add lemon juice, cilantro, kasoori methi, and garam masala to taste. Adjust seasoning.
50 g Ghee
5 g Cumin Seeds
1 medium Onion, chopped
20 g Garlic-Ginger paste
4 Green Chilis, (optional, or to taste)
5 g Chili Powder
10 g Coriander Powder
200 g Tomatoes (canned, crushed)
250 g Chickpeas (canned, rinsed well)
1 Lemon's Juice
1/2 bunch Cilantro, chopped
5 g Kasoori Methi leaves
5 g Garam Masala (or to taste)
Salt, to taste
1) Heat ghee in a pot, add cumin seeds until it crackles, then add onions and saute until lightly brown. Add ginger-garlic paste and green chilis (if using) and saute for 30 seconds.
2) Add the chili powder, coriander powder, and heat for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes.
3) Add cooked chickpeas and saute for 5 minutes. Add enough water to cover the chick peas, bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add lemon juice, cilantro, kasoori methi, and garam masala to taste. Adjust seasoning.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Dal Tarka
This is an excellent recipe I got from Peter Mosher, a good friend from the Centre of Forensic Sciences. I'm not sure what the cookbook is:
"Dal is the collective name applied to a variety of pulses which form the staple diet for millions of people in the Indian sub-continent. Many are vegetarians, and these pulses - with a high vitamin content - are an important part of their daily food intake. The most common dal in the Western world is masoor or lentils, although many other varieties are available in Indian food shops. Be careful when making the tarka - sesame seed oil reaches a higher temperature than most other oils.
Mix the spices and seasonings to a paste with the vinegar. Wash the lentils thoroughly and drain. Melt the ghee in a heavy pan, add the onion and garlic and fry gently until soft. Add the spice paste and fry for 3 minutes, stirring. add the lentils and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Stir in the water and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until a yellow broth is obtained, adding more water if necessary.
To make the tarka: Heat the oil in a small frying pan (skillet) until on the point of smoking, then immediately add the remaining ingredients. Fry until the garlic has turned black [golden brown], pour into the hot dal and serve immediately.
Serves 4"
I've made this one a whole bunch of times. It's best to use a fast-cooking lentil like split red lentils, as opposed to brown lentils which never seem to soften. The browned garlic in the tarka really makes this dish, so I use LOTS of sliced garlic.
Peter also recommends making basmati rice as an accompaniment:
"Best and easiest way to cook basmati rice - 1 cup rice to 1 3/4 cup water, bring to boil. As soon as it comes to a boil, stir it, put on a really tight-fitting lid, take it off the heat, put it on the counter or a chair and wrap the whole thing in a big towel to keep the heat in and forget about it. It will stay hot for a couple of hours that way, and you don't need to watch it as you would if you left it on the stove to finish cooking."
"Dal is the collective name applied to a variety of pulses which form the staple diet for millions of people in the Indian sub-continent. Many are vegetarians, and these pulses - with a high vitamin content - are an important part of their daily food intake. The most common dal in the Western world is masoor or lentils, although many other varieties are available in Indian food shops. Be careful when making the tarka - sesame seed oil reaches a higher temperature than most other oils.
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 cup lentils
- 2 oz ghee [I use vegetable oil]
- 1 large onion, peeled and sliced
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and sliced
- 2 cups water (approximately)
- 1 Tablespoon sesame seed oil
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced [I use 4 or 5 at least]
- 1 green chili, sliced
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
Mix the spices and seasonings to a paste with the vinegar. Wash the lentils thoroughly and drain. Melt the ghee in a heavy pan, add the onion and garlic and fry gently until soft. Add the spice paste and fry for 3 minutes, stirring. add the lentils and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Stir in the water and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until a yellow broth is obtained, adding more water if necessary.
To make the tarka: Heat the oil in a small frying pan (skillet) until on the point of smoking, then immediately add the remaining ingredients. Fry until the garlic has turned black [golden brown], pour into the hot dal and serve immediately.
Serves 4"
I've made this one a whole bunch of times. It's best to use a fast-cooking lentil like split red lentils, as opposed to brown lentils which never seem to soften. The browned garlic in the tarka really makes this dish, so I use LOTS of sliced garlic.
Peter also recommends making basmati rice as an accompaniment:
"Best and easiest way to cook basmati rice - 1 cup rice to 1 3/4 cup water, bring to boil. As soon as it comes to a boil, stir it, put on a really tight-fitting lid, take it off the heat, put it on the counter or a chair and wrap the whole thing in a big towel to keep the heat in and forget about it. It will stay hot for a couple of hours that way, and you don't need to watch it as you would if you left it on the stove to finish cooking."
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Lentil Curry
From: 'Vij's Elegant and Inspired Indian Cuisine'
Masala:
I made it with much less water... perhaps 4 to 5 cups... if I had used the suggested amount, it would have had a creamier texture, but would also have had to cook longer. Unfortunately I didn't have any asafoetida powder; that would have been a beautiful addition. All in all, I would make this one again. It goes well with fresh chipottie breads.
- 1/2 cup moong dal (green mung beans)
- 1/2 cup masur dal (red lentils)
- 7 1/2 cups water
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp salt
Masala:
- 1/4 cup ghee
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida powder
- 1 Tbsp cumin seeds
- 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 Tbsp finely chopped ginger
- 3/4 cup finely chopped tomatoes
- 1/2 tsp cayenne
- 3 oz baby spinach leaves (optional)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
I made it with much less water... perhaps 4 to 5 cups... if I had used the suggested amount, it would have had a creamier texture, but would also have had to cook longer. Unfortunately I didn't have any asafoetida powder; that would have been a beautiful addition. All in all, I would make this one again. It goes well with fresh chipottie breads.
Black Chickpea Curry
From: 'Vij's Elegant and Inspired Indian Cuisine'
Soak 1 cup of dried black chick peas in 3 cups of water with 1/2 tsp of salt overnight. Then boil it with fresh water until softened, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, prepare the masala. Mix it into the chickpeas (don't drain all the liquid) when they're ready, and simmer for a further 10 minutes to get the chickpeas to absorb the flavors.
Masala:
Soak 1 cup of dried black chick peas in 3 cups of water with 1/2 tsp of salt overnight. Then boil it with fresh water until softened, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, prepare the masala. Mix it into the chickpeas (don't drain all the liquid) when they're ready, and simmer for a further 10 minutes to get the chickpeas to absorb the flavors.
Masala:
- 1/2 cup ghee
- 1 1/2 Tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 lb chopped onion
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped garlic
- 1 large juicy tomato, finely chopped
- 1 large jalepino, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp garam masala
- 1/2 Tbsp mango powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ground fenugreek
- 11/2 Tbsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cayenne
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup cilantro
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Bulgur With Swiss Chard, Chickpeas, and Feta
I got this off the New York Times website...
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 2-quart baking dish. Toss the cooked bulgur with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and spread in the baking dish in an even layer.
3. Add water to a steamer pot, and bring to a boil. Place the Swiss chard in the steamer (you can use a pasta pot with an insert for this), and steam until it wilts, about four to five minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and squeeze out the excess water with your hands. Chop coarsely and transfer to a bowl.
4. Heat another tablespoon of the olive oil in a small frying pan. Add the garlic. Cook, stirring, just until fragrant and translucent, 30 seconds to a minute, and scrape into the bowl with the chard. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the chickpeas and dill. Season with salt and pepper, and toss together.
5. Lay the chard mixture over the bulgur. Top with the feta, and gently push the feta cheese down into this mixture. Bake 30 minutes or until sizzling. Serve hot.
Yield: Serves four to six."
I followed the instructions, using parsley instead of dill. It's full of nutrition, and has some nice ingredients, but I think it should really be made as a cold salad. It desperately cries for a flavorful dressing. I tried it with soy sauce, which worked well.
- 1 cup bulgur (medium or coarse grade)
- Salt to taste
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound Swiss chard, heavy stems removed, washed well
- 4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
- One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill or parsley
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 ounces feta cheese, crumbed or cut in small squares
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 2-quart baking dish. Toss the cooked bulgur with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and spread in the baking dish in an even layer.
3. Add water to a steamer pot, and bring to a boil. Place the Swiss chard in the steamer (you can use a pasta pot with an insert for this), and steam until it wilts, about four to five minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and squeeze out the excess water with your hands. Chop coarsely and transfer to a bowl.
4. Heat another tablespoon of the olive oil in a small frying pan. Add the garlic. Cook, stirring, just until fragrant and translucent, 30 seconds to a minute, and scrape into the bowl with the chard. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the chickpeas and dill. Season with salt and pepper, and toss together.
5. Lay the chard mixture over the bulgur. Top with the feta, and gently push the feta cheese down into this mixture. Bake 30 minutes or until sizzling. Serve hot.
Yield: Serves four to six."
I followed the instructions, using parsley instead of dill. It's full of nutrition, and has some nice ingredients, but I think it should really be made as a cold salad. It desperately cries for a flavorful dressing. I tried it with soy sauce, which worked well.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Baked Beans
I saw this recipe in Michael Smith's 'The Best of Chef at Home.' I love baked beans, so I decided to give it a try... I didn't have some of the ingredients (like maple syrup)... in the spirit of Michael Smith, I free-styled it. Here's his recipe:
Strain the beans out of their soaking water and give them a good rinse. No nutrients are lost in the soaking and rinsing; instead, the beans rehydrate, which will speed up their cooking time.
Toss the beans into a saucepan and cover them with cold water. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer until the beans are tender, about 45 minutes.
Drain the beans and place them in a 4 quart ovenproof baking dish with a tight-fitting lid. Add the maple syrup, bacon, onions, ginger, mustard, worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper. Add as much or as little of the reserved bacon fat as you care to.
Cover and place in the oven and bake until the beans have absorbed most of the liquid and are tender, about 1 hour or so.
Stir in vinegar just before serving."
I used freshly minced ginger, regular hot dog mustard, no maple syrup, a dash of molasses, some brown sugar, a bit of tomato paste, pickle juice (instead of vinegar), and no worcestershire.
It seemed alright at the time, but it's really quite unpalatable... the mustard and ginger are especially wrong. If I try to make baked beans again, it will be a totally different recipe, probably something that involves a tomato-based sauce.
- 2 cups dried navy or white beans, soaked in lots of cold water overnight
- 2 cups of water
- 1 cup of maple syrup
- 6 slices of thick-cut fried bacon, diced, fat reserved
- 1 or 2 large onions, peeled and diced
- 1 tablespoon of powdered ginger
- 2 tablespoons of any mustard
- a dash or two of Worcestershire sauce
- a sprinkle or two of sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon of any vinegar
Strain the beans out of their soaking water and give them a good rinse. No nutrients are lost in the soaking and rinsing; instead, the beans rehydrate, which will speed up their cooking time.
Toss the beans into a saucepan and cover them with cold water. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer until the beans are tender, about 45 minutes.
Drain the beans and place them in a 4 quart ovenproof baking dish with a tight-fitting lid. Add the maple syrup, bacon, onions, ginger, mustard, worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper. Add as much or as little of the reserved bacon fat as you care to.
Cover and place in the oven and bake until the beans have absorbed most of the liquid and are tender, about 1 hour or so.
Stir in vinegar just before serving."
I used freshly minced ginger, regular hot dog mustard, no maple syrup, a dash of molasses, some brown sugar, a bit of tomato paste, pickle juice (instead of vinegar), and no worcestershire.
It seemed alright at the time, but it's really quite unpalatable... the mustard and ginger are especially wrong. If I try to make baked beans again, it will be a totally different recipe, probably something that involves a tomato-based sauce.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Wild Rice with French Green Lentils
Picked up some beautiful Green French Lentils today. Unsure of what to make, I went to the trusty epicurious website and found this recipe:
It starts off with the rice. Because I didn't have enough wild rice, I used half wild rice and half basmati rice. I brought 2 1/2 cups of water with 1/2 tsp salt to a boil, added the rice, then simmered, covered, until al dente.
The recipe says to stuff the cloves into the onion, to sautee the veggies whole, and remove them later. I thought that would be a waste of nutrition, texture, and colour, so I diced up part of a red onion as well as the celery and carrots, sauteed them with the cloves, then added (minced) garlic and sauteed a little longer. Added the pancetta, fried for a few minutes. Added the lentils with 2 cups of water + a bay leaf, brought to a simmer, and cooked it until the lentils were cooked through but not mushy. Finally, the cooked rice was added to the lentil pot, seasoned to taste, and garnished with freshly chopped parsley.
All in all a pretty tasty dish - hearty, aromatic, savory. I wasn't particularly impressed by the pancetta, though that might be due to the fact that I used a low grade pancetta. Either way, I think this could easily become a healthier vegetarian dish by replacing the pancetta and water with mushroom broth.
- 4 1/4 cups water, divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 1 cup wild rice (about 6 ounces)
- 2 whole cloves
- 1/2 onion, peeled
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium carrot, peeled, halved crosswise
- 1 celery stalk, halved crosswise
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 4 ounces 1/4-inch-thick pancetta (Italian bacon), cut into 1/4-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup dried French green lentils*
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
It starts off with the rice. Because I didn't have enough wild rice, I used half wild rice and half basmati rice. I brought 2 1/2 cups of water with 1/2 tsp salt to a boil, added the rice, then simmered, covered, until al dente.
The recipe says to stuff the cloves into the onion, to sautee the veggies whole, and remove them later. I thought that would be a waste of nutrition, texture, and colour, so I diced up part of a red onion as well as the celery and carrots, sauteed them with the cloves, then added (minced) garlic and sauteed a little longer. Added the pancetta, fried for a few minutes. Added the lentils with 2 cups of water + a bay leaf, brought to a simmer, and cooked it until the lentils were cooked through but not mushy. Finally, the cooked rice was added to the lentil pot, seasoned to taste, and garnished with freshly chopped parsley.
All in all a pretty tasty dish - hearty, aromatic, savory. I wasn't particularly impressed by the pancetta, though that might be due to the fact that I used a low grade pancetta. Either way, I think this could easily become a healthier vegetarian dish by replacing the pancetta and water with mushroom broth.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)