KARE-RAISU (Japanese Curry with Rice)
Ingredients:
2 large potatoes, cubed
1 large carrot (or equivalent in baby carrots), chopped roughly
1/4 head cauliflower, chopped roughly
1/3 onion, chopped roughly
1 package Golden Curry brand Japanese Curry*
vegetable oil for frying
1 cup rice, steamed
Method:
Chop all vegetables. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add potatos and onions, frying until they begin to brown and soften. Add carrots and cauliflower and enough water to cover the potatos. Break Golden Curry into mixture and simmer, for 15 minutes or until vegetables are soft and curry sauce is of desired consistancy. Serve hot over steamed rice.
CUCUMBER SALAD
Ingredients:
1 large cucumber
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
Method:
Peel cucumber. Cut in half and then in to long, thin spears. Place in shallow glass bowl. In a small saucepan, boil water, vinegar, and sugar to a boil until sugar is completely dissolved. Pour vinegar mixture over cucumbers and add salt. Let sit for 15-20 minutes before serving, stirring occasionally.
EDAMAME
You can find edamame (soybean pods) in the frozen vegetable and/or frozen ethnic foods section of most grocery stores. Simply boil or steam until thawed. May be served plain, or (as Carrie preferrs) drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt and black pepper.
NOTES
*You can absolutely make your own curry, if you've got the time and inclination. A quick Google search offers up plenty of recipes. However, pre-packaged curry is quick, easy, vegetarian, and guaranteed to give you the right blend of spices every time.
VERDICT
Although it took a while to chop and cook all of the vegetables, this meal was quite easy and turned out really well, I thought. There was more than enough for both of us at dinner, and it all tasted just as good for lunch the second day. As you'd expect from a whole bunch of vegetables on a plate, it doesn't necessarily stick with you for hours, but it's a tasty and filling light meal.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
Polenta and Asparagus
Recipes: polenta, asparagus
Polenta--
Ingredients:
1 cup milk
1/2 cup cream
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 sprig rosemary
1/2 cup polenta corn meal
Salt
Oil for frying
Method:
1. Combine the milk, cream, garlic and rosemary in a heavy bottomed pot on medium heat, and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for a minute or two and then remove the rosemary and garlic from the milk. Slowly add the corn meal, a little at a time, stirring constantly, until it’s all in.
2. Reduce heat to low, and add a touch of salt. Keep stirring with a whisk or fork until the polenta thickens. Continue stirring for a bit longer. It will get really thick, and start to pull away from the pot.
3. Remove heat and spread the polenta out in a casserole dish, to between 1/2-inch or 1/4-inch thick. Cover and let cool. You can keep it refrigerated like this for up to two days.
4. Once chilled, use a cookie cutter to cut out rounds, or simply slice into triangles, and carefully separate.
5. Heat enough oil to just cover the bottom of a griddle or frying pan on medium-high heat. Just before the smoking point, add the polenta pieces. Fry on each side for about 1 minute to brown. Carefully remove, and drain on a paper towel. Repeat with the rest of the pieces.
Asparagus Gratin--
Ingredients:
1 bunch asparagus (1-2 pounds)
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup coarsely grated Fontina
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup low-sodium broth (chicken or vegetable)
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350F and put the rack in the middle position.
2. After rinsing the asparagus, snap off and discard the tough bottom ends of the asparagus spears. (They will naturally break at the right spot.) In a small bowl, toss together the bread crumbs, oil, Fontina and pepper. Set aside.
3. Arrange the asparagus in a casserole dish large enough to hold them in a single layer. Pour the heavy cream and chicken stock over the mixture. Cover with foil and bake until tender, 14-18 minutes. Remove the asparagus from the oven and preheat the broiler.
4. Uncover the asparagus spears and sprinkle the bread crumb and cheese mixture over them. Broil, watching closely, until the mixture is brown and bubbly, 3-5 minutes.
I would recommend that you make the polenta before hand, then fry it up as you throw the asparagus in the oven. I also needed to cook the asparagus for about 20 minutes to get it as soft as I would like.
Looking back, it was a heavy meal. I think next time, I would grill the asparagus with olive oil and black pepper, then broil with the breadcrumbs and cheese to get the crust. I would make a cream and broth sauce and pour it over in the end. That would be lighter and then the sauce could also be used over the polenta.
Because I wasn't sure about the gratin sauce, I sauteed shallots and butter and added a touch of cream to pour over the polenta. It was good, but the method I described above would tie the whole meal together more compeletly, I think.
But, onto the meal--it was delicious. In my head I don't like asparagus, but I do like it. Even better with cheese! The polenta was pretty amazing, though I would add a few chili pepper flakes in the beginning to give it a little more...substance? Body? A bit of a kick. That would also help offset the creaminess (which I love, but in moderation).
I drank a few shandy lagers with it and it was the perfect meal for a night of Lost and the Office. I think it would make a great outside dinner party meal and I really want to try it again with my new ideas.
This could be gluten free, if you found glueten-free bread crumbs, were careful about the corn meal you picked out, and watched your broth.
Also, I love polenta.
Polenta--
Ingredients:
1 cup milk
1/2 cup cream
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 sprig rosemary
1/2 cup polenta corn meal
Salt
Oil for frying
Method:
1. Combine the milk, cream, garlic and rosemary in a heavy bottomed pot on medium heat, and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for a minute or two and then remove the rosemary and garlic from the milk. Slowly add the corn meal, a little at a time, stirring constantly, until it’s all in.
2. Reduce heat to low, and add a touch of salt. Keep stirring with a whisk or fork until the polenta thickens. Continue stirring for a bit longer. It will get really thick, and start to pull away from the pot.
3. Remove heat and spread the polenta out in a casserole dish, to between 1/2-inch or 1/4-inch thick. Cover and let cool. You can keep it refrigerated like this for up to two days.
4. Once chilled, use a cookie cutter to cut out rounds, or simply slice into triangles, and carefully separate.
5. Heat enough oil to just cover the bottom of a griddle or frying pan on medium-high heat. Just before the smoking point, add the polenta pieces. Fry on each side for about 1 minute to brown. Carefully remove, and drain on a paper towel. Repeat with the rest of the pieces.
Asparagus Gratin--
Ingredients:
1 bunch asparagus (1-2 pounds)
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup coarsely grated Fontina
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup low-sodium broth (chicken or vegetable)
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350F and put the rack in the middle position.
2. After rinsing the asparagus, snap off and discard the tough bottom ends of the asparagus spears. (They will naturally break at the right spot.) In a small bowl, toss together the bread crumbs, oil, Fontina and pepper. Set aside.
3. Arrange the asparagus in a casserole dish large enough to hold them in a single layer. Pour the heavy cream and chicken stock over the mixture. Cover with foil and bake until tender, 14-18 minutes. Remove the asparagus from the oven and preheat the broiler.
4. Uncover the asparagus spears and sprinkle the bread crumb and cheese mixture over them. Broil, watching closely, until the mixture is brown and bubbly, 3-5 minutes.
I would recommend that you make the polenta before hand, then fry it up as you throw the asparagus in the oven. I also needed to cook the asparagus for about 20 minutes to get it as soft as I would like.
Looking back, it was a heavy meal. I think next time, I would grill the asparagus with olive oil and black pepper, then broil with the breadcrumbs and cheese to get the crust. I would make a cream and broth sauce and pour it over in the end. That would be lighter and then the sauce could also be used over the polenta.
Because I wasn't sure about the gratin sauce, I sauteed shallots and butter and added a touch of cream to pour over the polenta. It was good, but the method I described above would tie the whole meal together more compeletly, I think.
But, onto the meal--it was delicious. In my head I don't like asparagus, but I do like it. Even better with cheese! The polenta was pretty amazing, though I would add a few chili pepper flakes in the beginning to give it a little more...substance? Body? A bit of a kick. That would also help offset the creaminess (which I love, but in moderation).
I drank a few shandy lagers with it and it was the perfect meal for a night of Lost and the Office. I think it would make a great outside dinner party meal and I really want to try it again with my new ideas.
This could be gluten free, if you found glueten-free bread crumbs, were careful about the corn meal you picked out, and watched your broth.
Also, I love polenta.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Enchiladas Two Different Ways
(Recipes by Seven.)
SPINACH ENCHILADAS
Ingredients:*
-4 flour tortillas
-1/3 cup onion, minced
-1 1/2 cups spinach**
-1/4 cup sour cream
-handful of Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
-salsa verde/green enchilada sauce
-salt and black pepper
-vegetable oil for frying (not olive oil!)
Method:
1. Fry onion, stirring regularly, until it becomes soft and semi-translucent.
2. Add spinach. If using fresh, just cook until it wilts. If frozen, until it's completely thawed. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Assemble enchiladas by putting some of the spinach and a generous dollop of sour cream in each tortilla.
4. Roll up and place side-by-side in glass casserole dish. Cover liberally with cheese and salsa verde.
5. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until cheese has fully melted.
CHEESE AND BLACK OLIVE ENCHILADAS
Ingredients:***
-4 flour OR corn tortillas (I used flour, just for convenience's sake)
-1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
-1/2 cup Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
-about 10 large black olives, pitted and sliced
-1/2 tomato, chopped
-red enchilada sauce (not chunky salsa!)
Method:
1. Assemble enchiladas: add a generous helping of cheddar, several slices of black olive, a few chunks of tomato, and a bit of Monterrey Jack to each tortilla.
2. Roll and place side-by-side in a glass casserole dish. Cover liberally with enchilada sauce and cheddar cheese.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for twenty minutes or until cheese melts.
Notes:
*I actually did not measure any of my ingredients at all, because I'm one of those ridiculous people who cooks by eye if it's something I've made before or know how it's supposed to turn out. So these measurements are a rough estimate at best. Just a warning.
**You can use fresh spinach, of course. I find that whenever I buy it fresh, the majority of it goes bad before I can use it. Frozen tastes just as good and lasts forever. Buy it in bags, though, and not bricks or you run in to the same problem of having a whole lot of un-thawed spinach on your hands and nothing to do with it.
***Seriously, making the numbers up. That's the great thing about cooking things like this, though. Just add stuff until it looks right! You can't really go wrong here!
Serving suggestion: I served them with refried beans and slices of fresh avocado on the side, which I thought complimented the dish well. A fancy lime-and-agave-flavored beer made it just about perfect.
Verdict:
I love enchiladas but had never actually made them before, so I was really pleased with how well these came out. I don't think Carrie was thrilled by the spinach version, but I liked them both quite a lot. Ridiculously easy, not terribly labor-intensive, potentially modifiable in any number of ways...I'll definitely be making these again.
Carrie Says:
They were good. It seemed easy for Seven to make them all by herself and I enojoyed them. Seven--I did like the spinch ones, but maybe we could use ricotta instead of sour cream, or more of a mix? I don't know. Anyway, it was a good meal. Not fantastic, but good.
SPINACH ENCHILADAS
Ingredients:*
-4 flour tortillas
-1/3 cup onion, minced
-1 1/2 cups spinach**
-1/4 cup sour cream
-handful of Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
-salsa verde/green enchilada sauce
-salt and black pepper
-vegetable oil for frying (not olive oil!)
Method:
1. Fry onion, stirring regularly, until it becomes soft and semi-translucent.
2. Add spinach. If using fresh, just cook until it wilts. If frozen, until it's completely thawed. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Assemble enchiladas by putting some of the spinach and a generous dollop of sour cream in each tortilla.
4. Roll up and place side-by-side in glass casserole dish. Cover liberally with cheese and salsa verde.
5. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until cheese has fully melted.
CHEESE AND BLACK OLIVE ENCHILADAS
Ingredients:***
-4 flour OR corn tortillas (I used flour, just for convenience's sake)
-1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
-1/2 cup Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
-about 10 large black olives, pitted and sliced
-1/2 tomato, chopped
-red enchilada sauce (not chunky salsa!)
Method:
1. Assemble enchiladas: add a generous helping of cheddar, several slices of black olive, a few chunks of tomato, and a bit of Monterrey Jack to each tortilla.
2. Roll and place side-by-side in a glass casserole dish. Cover liberally with enchilada sauce and cheddar cheese.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for twenty minutes or until cheese melts.
Notes:
*I actually did not measure any of my ingredients at all, because I'm one of those ridiculous people who cooks by eye if it's something I've made before or know how it's supposed to turn out. So these measurements are a rough estimate at best. Just a warning.
**You can use fresh spinach, of course. I find that whenever I buy it fresh, the majority of it goes bad before I can use it. Frozen tastes just as good and lasts forever. Buy it in bags, though, and not bricks or you run in to the same problem of having a whole lot of un-thawed spinach on your hands and nothing to do with it.
***Seriously, making the numbers up. That's the great thing about cooking things like this, though. Just add stuff until it looks right! You can't really go wrong here!
Serving suggestion: I served them with refried beans and slices of fresh avocado on the side, which I thought complimented the dish well. A fancy lime-and-agave-flavored beer made it just about perfect.
Verdict:
I love enchiladas but had never actually made them before, so I was really pleased with how well these came out. I don't think Carrie was thrilled by the spinach version, but I liked them both quite a lot. Ridiculously easy, not terribly labor-intensive, potentially modifiable in any number of ways...I'll definitely be making these again.
Carrie Says:
They were good. It seemed easy for Seven to make them all by herself and I enojoyed them. Seven--I did like the spinch ones, but maybe we could use ricotta instead of sour cream, or more of a mix? I don't know. Anyway, it was a good meal. Not fantastic, but good.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Greek Feast
(Recipes: hummus, tzatziki, Greek Quorn)
Hummus-
Ingredients:
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup water
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed well
1/2 cup tahini
salt and cumin to taste
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
extra water to soften if needed
Method:
Throw it all in a blender, add more water if needed. Also, start with this recipe, then add more lemon juice, salt, or garlic to taste. I would also recommend chili powder, cumin, chopped olives, rosemary, or oregano if you want to change it up. (But not all at once, please)
Tzatziki-
Ingredients:
1 pound (1 pint) plain yogurt (whole milk or low fat)
1 cucumber
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon)
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh dill
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
Method:
1. Place the yogurt in a cheesecloth or paper towel-lined sieve and set it over a bowl. Grate the cucumber and toss it with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt; place it in another sieve, and set it over another bowl. Place both bowls in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours so the yogurt and cucumber can drain.
2.Transfer the thickened yogurt to a large bowl. Squeeze as much liquid from the cucumber as you can and add the cucumber to the yogurt. Mix in the sour cream, vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, dill, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. You can serve it immediately, but I prefer to allow the tzatziki to sit in the refrigerator for a few hours for the flavors to blend. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Greek Quorn-
Ingredients:
2 Quorn cutlets
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 med. onion - minced
1 clove garlic - minced
14 1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes - undrained
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
salt and pepper - to taste
1/2 cup Greek olives - halved, pitted
1 Tbls. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
Method:
1. Brown the Quorn slightly in olive oil (for looks and a crispy 'skin'). Set aside.
2. Saute onions and garlic. Add Quorn back in once done. Keep on low temperature. Cook for about 5 minutes.
3. Mix tomatoes, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper together in another bowl, then add to the pan.
4. Add olives. Simmer for about 5-7 minutes.
5. Add lemon juice and parsley. Cook for about 2-3 minutes.
All I wanted tonight was Greek food. I wanted to make the pita bread fresh, but realized that it was a yeast-recipe and it was only two hours until dinner time.
This hummus recipe is amazingly simple and perfect. I really wouldn't add any of the other flavors. It's creamy and great with cucumbers or toasted pita bread. Tip--always serve your pita bread warm, with just a slight crisp to the outside. It makes everything taste better.
I cheated on the tzatziki, because I didn't let everything drain overnight, but it still came out good, just a little wet. This recipe was easy, and grating the cucumber saved about ten minutes and I couldn't tell the difference in the final product. The recipe asked for it to be un-peeled and de-seeded. I took off the peel but left the seeds. Call me a rebel.
The Greek Quorn was good. I'll make it again, but it wasn't fantastic or anything. But, I think if you make everything but the Quorn, throw it on some bread with cheese and panini it, you would have a fantastic sandwhich. I just served it over rice. But next time!
Seven says:
The hummus was amazing! I'd never had home-made hummus that was as good as what you get in a Mediterranean restaurant/deli, but this absolutely was. My mind always boggles a little at how many people have never had hummus before. If you fall in to that category, you are missing out on life and should go make some immediately! Using this recipe!
The tzatziki was also delicious, of course. But I'm a sucker for Greek yoghurt.
Again, if you've never had real yoghurt, go buy a little container of Greek and put it on EVERYTHING. Put a dollop of jam or honey in it for breakfast, use it instead of milk when cooking boxed macaroni and cheese, throw it on salads or vegetables. It is truly a god of foods.
The quorn dish was not as olivey as I had hoped it would be, but decent. And like Carrie said, would be great with cheese in a panini.
Because I have to: the hummus is vegan, the tzatziki and quorn dish are obviously not.
Hummus-
Ingredients:
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup water
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed well
1/2 cup tahini
salt and cumin to taste
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
extra water to soften if needed
Method:
Throw it all in a blender, add more water if needed. Also, start with this recipe, then add more lemon juice, salt, or garlic to taste. I would also recommend chili powder, cumin, chopped olives, rosemary, or oregano if you want to change it up. (But not all at once, please)
Tzatziki-
Ingredients:
1 pound (1 pint) plain yogurt (whole milk or low fat)
1 cucumber
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon)
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh dill
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
Method:
1. Place the yogurt in a cheesecloth or paper towel-lined sieve and set it over a bowl. Grate the cucumber and toss it with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt; place it in another sieve, and set it over another bowl. Place both bowls in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours so the yogurt and cucumber can drain.
2.Transfer the thickened yogurt to a large bowl. Squeeze as much liquid from the cucumber as you can and add the cucumber to the yogurt. Mix in the sour cream, vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, dill, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. You can serve it immediately, but I prefer to allow the tzatziki to sit in the refrigerator for a few hours for the flavors to blend. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Greek Quorn-
Ingredients:
2 Quorn cutlets
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 med. onion - minced
1 clove garlic - minced
14 1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes - undrained
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
salt and pepper - to taste
1/2 cup Greek olives - halved, pitted
1 Tbls. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
Method:
1. Brown the Quorn slightly in olive oil (for looks and a crispy 'skin'). Set aside.
2. Saute onions and garlic. Add Quorn back in once done. Keep on low temperature. Cook for about 5 minutes.
3. Mix tomatoes, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper together in another bowl, then add to the pan.
4. Add olives. Simmer for about 5-7 minutes.
5. Add lemon juice and parsley. Cook for about 2-3 minutes.
All I wanted tonight was Greek food. I wanted to make the pita bread fresh, but realized that it was a yeast-recipe and it was only two hours until dinner time.
This hummus recipe is amazingly simple and perfect. I really wouldn't add any of the other flavors. It's creamy and great with cucumbers or toasted pita bread. Tip--always serve your pita bread warm, with just a slight crisp to the outside. It makes everything taste better.
I cheated on the tzatziki, because I didn't let everything drain overnight, but it still came out good, just a little wet. This recipe was easy, and grating the cucumber saved about ten minutes and I couldn't tell the difference in the final product. The recipe asked for it to be un-peeled and de-seeded. I took off the peel but left the seeds. Call me a rebel.
The Greek Quorn was good. I'll make it again, but it wasn't fantastic or anything. But, I think if you make everything but the Quorn, throw it on some bread with cheese and panini it, you would have a fantastic sandwhich. I just served it over rice. But next time!
Seven says:
The hummus was amazing! I'd never had home-made hummus that was as good as what you get in a Mediterranean restaurant/deli, but this absolutely was. My mind always boggles a little at how many people have never had hummus before. If you fall in to that category, you are missing out on life and should go make some immediately! Using this recipe!
The tzatziki was also delicious, of course. But I'm a sucker for Greek yoghurt.
Again, if you've never had real yoghurt, go buy a little container of Greek and put it on EVERYTHING. Put a dollop of jam or honey in it for breakfast, use it instead of milk when cooking boxed macaroni and cheese, throw it on salads or vegetables. It is truly a god of foods.
The quorn dish was not as olivey as I had hoped it would be, but decent. And like Carrie said, would be great with cheese in a panini.
Because I have to: the hummus is vegan, the tzatziki and quorn dish are obviously not.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Mercimek Koftesi
(Recipe from the Vegan Society by way of BBC Food.)
Ingredients
200g/7oz red lentils
200g/7oz bulgar wheat
Olive oil for cooking
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste (I used tomato sauce, because that's what I had)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
6 spring onions, finely chopped (I used leeks, because I still had a lot left over from my last meal.)
Lettuce leaves for garnish
Method
1. Wash the lentils and cook in four times their volume of water for 20 minutes until soft.
2. Near the end of the cooking time add the Bulghur wheat and cook for 2 more minutes.
3. Turn off the heat and allow to stand for 20 minutes
4. Fry the onion in the olive oil, add the tomato paste and remove from the heat.
5. Combine all the ingredients together and allow to cool
6. Shape the mixture into walnut sized balls and serve on a bed of lettuce.
Notes
I fried these, because...frankly, I could. It didn't really add anything to them, but it didn't take anything away, either.
Served over a salad of lettuce and tomato with Texas ranch dressing (I bought it on a whim one day at the store--it's sort of a cross between thousand island and ranch, and actually far more tasty than that description would lead you to believe.) and with hilariously unleavened Italian herb bread on the side that I made from a box.
Verdict
Eh. I'm glad I tested it out and it was certainly edible, but overall I wasn't a huge fan. I'm sure I could tweak the recipe and make it better, but I just didn't like it enough that I feel like it's worth trying to perfect. Oh well. Can't win 'em all.
Now, what to do with almost an entire bag of bulgar wheat...?
Ingredients
200g/7oz red lentils
200g/7oz bulgar wheat
Olive oil for cooking
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste (I used tomato sauce, because that's what I had)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
6 spring onions, finely chopped (I used leeks, because I still had a lot left over from my last meal.)
Lettuce leaves for garnish
Method
1. Wash the lentils and cook in four times their volume of water for 20 minutes until soft.
2. Near the end of the cooking time add the Bulghur wheat and cook for 2 more minutes.
3. Turn off the heat and allow to stand for 20 minutes
4. Fry the onion in the olive oil, add the tomato paste and remove from the heat.
5. Combine all the ingredients together and allow to cool
6. Shape the mixture into walnut sized balls and serve on a bed of lettuce.
Notes
I fried these, because...frankly, I could. It didn't really add anything to them, but it didn't take anything away, either.
Served over a salad of lettuce and tomato with Texas ranch dressing (I bought it on a whim one day at the store--it's sort of a cross between thousand island and ranch, and actually far more tasty than that description would lead you to believe.) and with hilariously unleavened Italian herb bread on the side that I made from a box.
Verdict
Eh. I'm glad I tested it out and it was certainly edible, but overall I wasn't a huge fan. I'm sure I could tweak the recipe and make it better, but I just didn't like it enough that I feel like it's worth trying to perfect. Oh well. Can't win 'em all.
Now, what to do with almost an entire bag of bulgar wheat...?
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Malai Kofta
(Recipes: Malai, Kofta)
Malai (Gravy)--
Ingredients:
Onion - 2 medium
Tomato puree - made from 2,3 tomatoes
Gingergarlic paste - 1 tablespoon
Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1 tablespoon
Chilli powder - 1 tablespoon
Garam masala - 2 teaspoon
Cream - 1 cup
Method:
1.Cook sliced onions in 2 cups water. Once it is cooked, drain the water completely and grind the onions into a smooth paste. ( I cheated and used a blender. It was easier and saved a lot of time, but in the end, you really don't get the right texture)
2.Heat oil in a pan and saute onion paste. After 5 minutes add ginger garlic paste and saute for 2,3 minutes. Add all masala powders and stir for 5 minutes or until the oil starts forming a layer on top.
3.Add tomato puree and once the puree is mixed well in the gravy add the cream. After 5 minutes, remove from gas.
4.Spread prepared koftas in a plate and pour the gravy over it.
Kofta (Potato Cheese Balls)-
Ingredients:
Paneer (cottage cheese) - 200 gms
Potato - 1 medium - big (boiled & mashed)
Crushed pepper - 1 tablespoon
Garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon
Cornflour - 1-2 tablespoon
Salt
Oil - for frying
Method:
1.Mix all the ingredients (except oil) together.
2.Take small amounts from it and make small balls.
3.Deep fry in oil & serve hot with sauce of your choice.
This a favorite of both Seven's and mine at our local Indian restaurant. Feeling brave, I decided to try it on my own. It is very labor intensive, especially the first time because you don't know how to line up everything. I was also pressed for time due to working late, so I chose the simplest recipe I could find in five minutes. Many other recipes call for more complex spices and vegetables that I did not have on hand, but I would like to try those one day to see.
Okay--first, the sauce. I think I just about had the right flavor. The texture was wrong and the color too yellow. The sauce was a little mellow, but I held back on the chili flakes/powder just to be safe. Next time, I'll add more. It was really good over rice and I'd make it again.
The koftas--well, for some reason, mine just wouldn't fry. I went through three pans and four or five methods before giving up. I ended up just making pancakes...that were mushy. It tasted good but it wasn't the same. We'll see how it goes next time...
Seven says:
So it didn't look pretty, that's for sure. (Reminded me quite a lot of the time I tried to make lovely little bubble and squeak patties and ended up with fried mush, actually. If anyone has tips for neatly frying mashed potato-based food, I'd love to hear it.) However the dish tasted just about right, which was pretty impressive. I do love malai kofta.
Malai (Gravy)--
Ingredients:
Onion - 2 medium
Tomato puree - made from 2,3 tomatoes
Gingergarlic paste - 1 tablespoon
Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1 tablespoon
Chilli powder - 1 tablespoon
Garam masala - 2 teaspoon
Cream - 1 cup
Method:
1.Cook sliced onions in 2 cups water. Once it is cooked, drain the water completely and grind the onions into a smooth paste. ( I cheated and used a blender. It was easier and saved a lot of time, but in the end, you really don't get the right texture)
2.Heat oil in a pan and saute onion paste. After 5 minutes add ginger garlic paste and saute for 2,3 minutes. Add all masala powders and stir for 5 minutes or until the oil starts forming a layer on top.
3.Add tomato puree and once the puree is mixed well in the gravy add the cream. After 5 minutes, remove from gas.
4.Spread prepared koftas in a plate and pour the gravy over it.
Kofta (Potato Cheese Balls)-
Ingredients:
Paneer (cottage cheese) - 200 gms
Potato - 1 medium - big (boiled & mashed)
Crushed pepper - 1 tablespoon
Garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon
Cornflour - 1-2 tablespoon
Salt
Oil - for frying
Method:
1.Mix all the ingredients (except oil) together.
2.Take small amounts from it and make small balls.
3.Deep fry in oil & serve hot with sauce of your choice.
This a favorite of both Seven's and mine at our local Indian restaurant. Feeling brave, I decided to try it on my own. It is very labor intensive, especially the first time because you don't know how to line up everything. I was also pressed for time due to working late, so I chose the simplest recipe I could find in five minutes. Many other recipes call for more complex spices and vegetables that I did not have on hand, but I would like to try those one day to see.
Okay--first, the sauce. I think I just about had the right flavor. The texture was wrong and the color too yellow. The sauce was a little mellow, but I held back on the chili flakes/powder just to be safe. Next time, I'll add more. It was really good over rice and I'd make it again.
The koftas--well, for some reason, mine just wouldn't fry. I went through three pans and four or five methods before giving up. I ended up just making pancakes...that were mushy. It tasted good but it wasn't the same. We'll see how it goes next time...
Seven says:
So it didn't look pretty, that's for sure. (Reminded me quite a lot of the time I tried to make lovely little bubble and squeak patties and ended up with fried mush, actually. If anyone has tips for neatly frying mashed potato-based food, I'd love to hear it.) However the dish tasted just about right, which was pretty impressive. I do love malai kofta.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Quorn with Ginger, Chilli, and Leeks
(From Vegetarian and Vegetable Cooking by Christine Ingram--a really great vegetarian cook book I picked up when I lived in England. I definitely recommend it, if you can find it. It has a lot of great information about vegetarian ingredients, and the recipes all have multiple pictures showing different steps of the process.)
Ingredients
8 oz Quorn cubes (I used cutlets that I then cut in to cubes myself.)
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp dry sherry
2 tbsp clear honey
2/3 cup vegetable stock
2 tsp flour
1 leek (The recipe says '3 leeks', but I think they mean 3 leaves of leek, as this was PLENTY and more than it looked like in the photo.)
1 red chili - seeded and sliced (I used two small dried chilis)
1 inch piece fresh root ginger - shredded
salt and black pepper to taste
vegetable oil for frying
Method
1. Toss the Quorn in the soy sauce and sherry until well coated and leave to marinate for about 30 minutes. (What I did? Pulled the Quorn cutlets out of the freezer, laid them out in a glass baking dish, poured some extra soy sauce and sherry on them, microwaved them for a minute until they were thawed enough to cut, and cubed them. In the microwave, they sucked up most of the soy sauce and sherry.)
2. Strain the Quorn from the marinde and reserve the juices in a jug. Mix the marinade with the honey, stock, and flour. (Since my Quorn wasn't marinating, I just used new soy sauce and sherry.)
3. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan. When hot, stir-fry the Quorn until it is crisp on the outside. Remove Quorn from pan and set aside. (This is where that baking dish comes in handy again.)
4. Reheat the oil and stir-fry the leeks, chili, and ginger until they are just soft. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
5. Return Quorn to the pan, together with the marinade, and stir well until the liquid is thick and glossy. Serve hot with rice or noodles.
Notes
Took about half an hour to make from start to finish. The recipe says it serves 4, but as we were both really hungry, it was good for the two of us.
I served this over rice and with cabbage (lightly sauteed and seasoned with a little soy sauce and black pepper) on the side. It was really good, but I think broccoli might compliment it slightly better.
Additionally, if you've never tried Quorn, it's a fantastic vegetarian alternative to chicken in many dishes. (Although it is NOT vegan--it contains egg white.) It's made of mycoprotein instead of soy, and so has a completely different taste and texture that many find more palatable. Carrie, for example, is not a fan of tofu but buys Quorn products for herself.
If you made this dish with tofu instead of Quorn, it would be vegan.
Verdict
I will definitely be making this again. It was a little spicy (right at Carrie's threshhold and medium-high to my taste) but I did technically put in more chili than the recipe called for, and that's easily regulated if we want to try it a little more mild next time. And served with some sort of vegetable, it's a ridiculously filling and well-balanced meal.
Carrie Says:
I liked this alot. It was at the very upper limits of my spice-threshold, but I still ate two plates. I love Quorn, because it absorbs all the flavors. Seven made it with soy-sauce cabbage, which I love, but she was right--didn't quite compliment the dish as well as some brocolli would have. I would definitely make this one again and again.
Ingredients
8 oz Quorn cubes (I used cutlets that I then cut in to cubes myself.)
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp dry sherry
2 tbsp clear honey
2/3 cup vegetable stock
2 tsp flour
1 leek (The recipe says '3 leeks', but I think they mean 3 leaves of leek, as this was PLENTY and more than it looked like in the photo.)
1 red chili - seeded and sliced (I used two small dried chilis)
1 inch piece fresh root ginger - shredded
salt and black pepper to taste
vegetable oil for frying
Method
1. Toss the Quorn in the soy sauce and sherry until well coated and leave to marinate for about 30 minutes. (What I did? Pulled the Quorn cutlets out of the freezer, laid them out in a glass baking dish, poured some extra soy sauce and sherry on them, microwaved them for a minute until they were thawed enough to cut, and cubed them. In the microwave, they sucked up most of the soy sauce and sherry.)
2. Strain the Quorn from the marinde and reserve the juices in a jug. Mix the marinade with the honey, stock, and flour. (Since my Quorn wasn't marinating, I just used new soy sauce and sherry.)
3. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan. When hot, stir-fry the Quorn until it is crisp on the outside. Remove Quorn from pan and set aside. (This is where that baking dish comes in handy again.)
4. Reheat the oil and stir-fry the leeks, chili, and ginger until they are just soft. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
5. Return Quorn to the pan, together with the marinade, and stir well until the liquid is thick and glossy. Serve hot with rice or noodles.
Notes
Took about half an hour to make from start to finish. The recipe says it serves 4, but as we were both really hungry, it was good for the two of us.
I served this over rice and with cabbage (lightly sauteed and seasoned with a little soy sauce and black pepper) on the side. It was really good, but I think broccoli might compliment it slightly better.
Additionally, if you've never tried Quorn, it's a fantastic vegetarian alternative to chicken in many dishes. (Although it is NOT vegan--it contains egg white.) It's made of mycoprotein instead of soy, and so has a completely different taste and texture that many find more palatable. Carrie, for example, is not a fan of tofu but buys Quorn products for herself.
If you made this dish with tofu instead of Quorn, it would be vegan.
Verdict
I will definitely be making this again. It was a little spicy (right at Carrie's threshhold and medium-high to my taste) but I did technically put in more chili than the recipe called for, and that's easily regulated if we want to try it a little more mild next time. And served with some sort of vegetable, it's a ridiculously filling and well-balanced meal.
Carrie Says:
I liked this alot. It was at the very upper limits of my spice-threshold, but I still ate two plates. I love Quorn, because it absorbs all the flavors. Seven made it with soy-sauce cabbage, which I love, but she was right--didn't quite compliment the dish as well as some brocolli would have. I would definitely make this one again and again.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Beaker's Vegetable Barley Soup and Grilled Cheese
(Original recipe from here. I didn't add the things I didn't like.)
Ingredients:
1. In a large wok, saute onions, bay leaves and garlic with a little olive oil. Slowly add in carrots and celery. Then the tomatoes. Finally add salt, pepper, parsley, sugar, curry powder, paprika, and Worcestershire sauce.
2. Pour in the vegetable broth. Finally add the garbanzo beans and the barley. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 90 minutes. If it is too thick, add a little more broth. Remove the bay leaves and serve.
Grilled Cheese:
Goat Cheese (something mild and soft)
Shredded Provolone and Mozzarella (it's easier to use pre-shredded)
Very thinly sliced bread (Peperridge Farms has a white-wheat thing that is available)
Butter
Method:
1. Heat a pan.
2. In a bowl, use a fork to mix the chevre and the shredded cheese.
3. Butter the bread, fill with the cheese mix and grill it like normal.
Ingredients:
- 2 quarts vegetable broth (I used this base)
- 1 cup uncooked barley (best from the bulk-food section)
- 2 large carrots, chopped (I did two baby carrots, because I don't like cooked carrots)
- 2 stalks celery, chopped (I added more)
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
- 1 zucchini, chopped (ick, there was NO SQUASH in my soup)
- 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained (rinse them to get rid of starchy ick)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder ( I used chopped garlic in oil, tastes better)
- 1 teaspoon white sugar (I don't know why, but I did it)
- 1 teaspoon salt (be careful with the salt)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon curry powder (add a little extra)
- 1 teaspoon paprika (I think this is mostly for color...)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1. In a large wok, saute onions, bay leaves and garlic with a little olive oil. Slowly add in carrots and celery. Then the tomatoes. Finally add salt, pepper, parsley, sugar, curry powder, paprika, and Worcestershire sauce.
2. Pour in the vegetable broth. Finally add the garbanzo beans and the barley. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 90 minutes. If it is too thick, add a little more broth. Remove the bay leaves and serve.
Grilled Cheese:
Goat Cheese (something mild and soft)
Shredded Provolone and Mozzarella (it's easier to use pre-shredded)
Very thinly sliced bread (Peperridge Farms has a white-wheat thing that is available)
Butter
Method:
1. Heat a pan.
2. In a bowl, use a fork to mix the chevre and the shredded cheese.
3. Butter the bread, fill with the cheese mix and grill it like normal.
This soup was pretty amazing. A nice spiciness that wasn't expected and really filling. The next day, I melted some of the cheese mixture over it and it was very good, too. I love barley soups, but I usually make beef or creamy and I wanted to try something new. I really don't like squash, and I was afraid I'd miss something by eliminating it and cutting back on the carrots, but the soup still tasted great.
The grilled chesse was just fun. All I wanted all day was tomato soup and grilled chesse, so I just made everything fancy to fit the theme. I really love the cheap mozerella and provolone melted with a sharp, creamy goat chesse. And the thin bread made it more delicate so it was about the cheese. Also a great thing to dip in the soup.
The recipe page, you may notice, says that coarse cracked pepper will ruin the soup. I didn't read that until well after I added the pepper, and I don't think I ruined it at all. But next time, I'll make it with fine-ground, just to see.
Seven says:
I really REALLY like this soup. We had enough of it that I was eating it for the next few days, and it was fantastic. It would be a really great fall or winter stew, as it's very thick and filling. (If the pepper or lack of squash ruined it, I certainly didn't notice.)
I'm not as huge a fan of goat cheese as Carrie, but the sandwiches were tasty as well, if not quite as smooth and melty as I'd like a grilled cheese to be.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Vegetable Biryani
(Original recipe from BBC Food, completely mucked around with by Seven.)
Ingredients
1 cup Basmati rice
small handful peas
small handful green beans - chopped
1 medium (or several baby) carrot - cubed
1 small potato - cubed
1 tsp tomato paste (or a dollop of tomato puree)
tsp salt, red chili powder, garam masala, turmeric to taste (I got lucky just chucking things in, but start with small amounts.)
55g/2oz finely chopped onions
4 roasted chopped cashew nuts (Steal from trail mix at work, if you don't feel like buying just 4 cashews.)
Method
1. Rinse and cook the rice until just soft. Drain well. OR throw into a rice cooker and forget about it until it's time to put everything together.
2. Cube the carrot, potato, and beans and cook with peas in a saucepan of boiling water until soft. Add tomato paste, salt, chili powder, masala, turmeric and onions to the vegetables.
3. In an ovenproof dish, press half of the rice down on the bottom of the dish, spread the vegetable mixure on top of that, and top with the rest of the rice. Make sure everyting is spread evenly.
4. Sprinkle the top with chopped cashew nuts, pinch of salt and red chili powder.
5. Cover with foil and warm through an oven at 140C/275F for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
I served this as it was, with an aloo paratha on the side (bought frozen from a local Indian store) and it was pretty good. However, it was extra delicious the next day with a bit of vegetable oil (not olive oil!) drizzled on and some Greek yoghurt on top. Yoghurt, of course, makes it not vegan.
This made enough food that Carrie and I could have had two servings each, although in the end we went with two large portions for dinner and I stole the rest for my lunch the next day.
Verdict
A good meal, very easy to make, and nice because we had all of the ingredients lying around the house already. (Enormous bags of frozen vegetables are so great.) Not my favorite of all time ever, but I'd make it again.
Carrie Says:
I liked it. I agree that it would have been nice with a little more oil to loosen things up. Just be careful with the garam masala. Seven seasoned it perfectly, but because recipes always call for so little, it is easy to want to put more. Don't. If it's any kind of decent, it is very strong and just a little is just enough.
Ingredients
1 cup Basmati rice
small handful peas
small handful green beans - chopped
1 medium (or several baby) carrot - cubed
1 small potato - cubed
1 tsp tomato paste (or a dollop of tomato puree)
tsp salt, red chili powder, garam masala, turmeric to taste (I got lucky just chucking things in, but start with small amounts.)
55g/2oz finely chopped onions
4 roasted chopped cashew nuts (Steal from trail mix at work, if you don't feel like buying just 4 cashews.)
Method
1. Rinse and cook the rice until just soft. Drain well. OR throw into a rice cooker and forget about it until it's time to put everything together.
2. Cube the carrot, potato, and beans and cook with peas in a saucepan of boiling water until soft. Add tomato paste, salt, chili powder, masala, turmeric and onions to the vegetables.
3. In an ovenproof dish, press half of the rice down on the bottom of the dish, spread the vegetable mixure on top of that, and top with the rest of the rice. Make sure everyting is spread evenly.
4. Sprinkle the top with chopped cashew nuts, pinch of salt and red chili powder.
5. Cover with foil and warm through an oven at 140C/275F for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
I served this as it was, with an aloo paratha on the side (bought frozen from a local Indian store) and it was pretty good. However, it was extra delicious the next day with a bit of vegetable oil (not olive oil!) drizzled on and some Greek yoghurt on top. Yoghurt, of course, makes it not vegan.
This made enough food that Carrie and I could have had two servings each, although in the end we went with two large portions for dinner and I stole the rest for my lunch the next day.
Verdict
A good meal, very easy to make, and nice because we had all of the ingredients lying around the house already. (Enormous bags of frozen vegetables are so great.) Not my favorite of all time ever, but I'd make it again.
Carrie Says:
I liked it. I agree that it would have been nice with a little more oil to loosen things up. Just be careful with the garam masala. Seven seasoned it perfectly, but because recipes always call for so little, it is easy to want to put more. Don't. If it's any kind of decent, it is very strong and just a little is just enough.
The who and what.
Carrie is a history major working as a nanny, Seven is an art major working in a sign printing shop, and both of us moonlight as film producers and band managers. Or we pretend we do, at least. We live in Austin with a small menagerie of animals and a frightfully large collection of dorky television shows.
No, we're not lesbians. However, we do have weekly 'business meetings', take our dog on long walks in the park, and now--we cook dinner for each other. We're starting this blog to talk about the recipes we try and tell you all about our culinary adventures.
So that's it. We're just two normal people who shop at normal grocery stores on a normal budget and make (hopefully) delicious food. As one of us is a vegetarian and one of us is an omnivore who doesn't much care for tofu, all of the recipes we use will be vegetarian AND meat-eater friendly, with dalliances into vegan, gluten-free, et cetera. Because we don't like them, no mushrooms allowed.
Seven cooks on Tuesdays, Carrie on Thursdays. Enjoy!
No, we're not lesbians. However, we do have weekly 'business meetings', take our dog on long walks in the park, and now--we cook dinner for each other. We're starting this blog to talk about the recipes we try and tell you all about our culinary adventures.
So that's it. We're just two normal people who shop at normal grocery stores on a normal budget and make (hopefully) delicious food. As one of us is a vegetarian and one of us is an omnivore who doesn't much care for tofu, all of the recipes we use will be vegetarian AND meat-eater friendly, with dalliances into vegan, gluten-free, et cetera. Because we don't like them, no mushrooms allowed.
Seven cooks on Tuesdays, Carrie on Thursdays. Enjoy!
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