Hello everyone! In case you missed it we are, in fact, beginning an entirely new year. 2011 to be exact. And, as you have probably figured out by now if you browse through this blog, I am from the south (south-east, Appalachia to be precise), and I had to celebrate this new year in Southern style...black eyed peas and collard greens! Black peas are a traditional New Year's meal in this region, and symbolize good luck and prosperity for the new year. Greens, eaten along with black eyed peas, symbolize folding money, and enhance the prosperity capabilities of the peas. This tradition has apparently been in this area for about 300 years, though black eyed peas have been eaten throughout India and Africa for thousands of years. So, there you have some history and magic, now, onto the recipes!!
Hoppin' John
Ingredients:
1 pound dried black-eyed peas
2 medium onions, minced
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 cup long-grain white rice
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1-2 chile peppers, diced
1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, minced
3-4 teaspoons Cajun or Creole seasoning
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 green onions, sliced
Liquid smoke (4-5 dashes)
Directions:
Prepare your dried black eyed peas by soaking them in water the night before, or by covering them in water and boiling them for 2 minutes, simmering for 15, and then letting them sit for 1 hour. After they have soaked for 1 hour, drain and rinse them, then return them to their pot, cover them in about 1" of water, boil them for 2 minutes, and then let them simmer for 2-4 hours (until they are soft). Or you can purchase canned or pre-soaked black eyed peas.
Now:
In a pan, heat some oil and add the minced garlic and onions. Let this cook for a few minutes.
Add the black eyed peas, cover in water (only slightly) and let them boil for about 20 minutes.
While they are boiling, prepare your rice (boil 1 cup of rice in 2 cups of water, then let it simmer on low until the water is gone)
Once most of the water has boiled out of the peas, add the rest of your ingredients, seasonings and the rice. You may add more or less of anything according to your taste. Let them simmer a couple of minutes longer, and then serve.
You may find a recipe for collard greens here.
Now, you will need some delicious cornbread to finish off your meal. Below is a recipe that I found once upon a time, and cannot remember where it is from. But it is vegan, amazingly moist, and always makes the perfect cornbread.
Vegan Jalapeno Cornbread
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup of soy or almond milk
2 tsp of lemon juice
1 2/3 cups of flour
1 cup of cornmeal
4 tsp of baking powder
3/4 tsp of salt
1 jalapeno, minced
2 cups of sweet cream corn
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
1/2 cup of syrup
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375
In one bowl mix the soy/almond milk and lemon juice.
In a separate bowl, mix flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and jalapenos
Mix 1 cup of sweet cream corn with the syrup, then add the soy/almond milk mixture to this.
Now, mix in the flour mixture, and stir well.
Grease a baking dish, and bake for about 25 minutes.
Spread the remaining 1 cup of corn on top of the cornbread, and bake 5-10 more minutes.
(note: baking time may be longer, the first time I made this cornbread I had to bake it about 45 minutes, as it turns out very moist, the second time took only 30, so check the consistency with a toothpick after 25 minutes and decide how much longer to bake it from there)
Let it cool for about 7 minutes, then cut and serve!
Wishing wealth, health, luck, and good will to all! Happy New Year!
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Sunday, December 12, 2010
A Cold Winter's Soup
I haven't really had soup this year. As in, I mean that I have not even had soup once this entire year, as best as I can recall. So when it started to get really cold outside and a facebook friend of mine posted a link to a recipe entitled "Chickpea and Bread Soup," I was thoroughly intrigued and decided it was time I ended my unintentionally anti-soup diet and try it out.
Below you will find my tweaked recipe, taken from this website: Bitchin' Camero
Vegan Chickpea and Bread Soup
Ingredients:
oil for frying
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup of onion, chopped
1 can of chickpeas, drained
1/2 cup of sweet dumpling squash, peeled and cut up
1/2 cup of freshly diced tomatoes
3 cups of vegetable broth
sage, thyme, parsley
1 cup of vegan bread, toasted and chopped into cubes
Directions:
In a pan heat oil, add garlic and onions, saute for about 2-3 minutes.
Add chickpeas, let them toast well on all sides stirring about every 4 minutes or so
Add vegetable broth, squash, tomatoes, and herbs. Bring to a boil.
Boil for about 7-10 minutes, until squash is soft, stirring occasionally.
Turn off heat and stir in bread.
Enjoy!
Below you will find my tweaked recipe, taken from this website: Bitchin' Camero
Vegan Chickpea and Bread Soup
Ingredients:
oil for frying
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup of onion, chopped
1 can of chickpeas, drained
1/2 cup of sweet dumpling squash, peeled and cut up
1/2 cup of freshly diced tomatoes
3 cups of vegetable broth
sage, thyme, parsley
1 cup of vegan bread, toasted and chopped into cubes
Directions:
In a pan heat oil, add garlic and onions, saute for about 2-3 minutes.
Add chickpeas, let them toast well on all sides stirring about every 4 minutes or so
Add vegetable broth, squash, tomatoes, and herbs. Bring to a boil.
Boil for about 7-10 minutes, until squash is soft, stirring occasionally.
Turn off heat and stir in bread.
 |
| Soup about to boil |
Enjoy!
Southern Savory
So, despite my absence from posting recipes as of late, I am, in fact, still eating. In fact, eating so much that I haven't had time to post blogs. It is the holiday season, after all. Really, though, what else is there to do when you have a blizzard brewing outside? There's only so many books you can read, presents you can wrap, and house to be cleaned. Therefore, I've been cooking up something of a storm (as us fine Appalachian folk would say). To rekindle my blogging inspiration this post will describe a deliciously savory holiday-style southern feast, complete with a perfectly holiday squash dessert crisp. So grab your pots, pans, baking dishes and enjoy!
Savory Vegan Nut Roast with Hearty Mushroom Gravy
Roast Ingredients:
Oil for frying
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of flour
1 1/4 cup of vegetable stock
1 1/2 cup of finely chopped nuts of your choice (I used almonds, walnuts, and cashews)
3 cups of breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon of soy/tamari sauce
1/2 teaspoon each of sage, thyme, parsley
1 cup of mushrooms, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
extra flour to coat
extra vegetable stock to baste
Directions:
Fry onion, garlic, and mushrooms.
Sprinkle flour on top of this, add vegetable stock, and boil.
Turn this down to a simmer, stir in nuts, breadcrumbs, soy/tamari sauce, and seasoning herbs and salt and pepper
Shape into a loaf on a floured board, then coat the top with flour
Place in a baking dish and bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes, basting with additional vegetable stock about every 10 minutes
Mushroom Gravy Ingredients:
(note: this recipe comes from an AMAZING book called "Country Wisdom and Know How: Everything You Need to Know to Live Off the Land." In fact, it is so useful that everyone should have a copy of this book.)
3 tablespoons of butter (I use vegan butter)
1 small onion, diced
2 1/2 cups of mushrooms, chopped
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups of vegetable stock
garlic salt
liquid smoke
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Melt the butter in a pan, then add onion and mushrooms.
Saute for about 2-3 minutes
Add flour and mix well
Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring frequently
Remove from heat, and add half of the gravy over the nut roast in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Serve the rest on the side for additional gravy
Southern Style Mashed Turnips
1 large turnip (you can find some really good, large turnips at your local farmer's market!)
salt and pepper
3 strips of Vegan/Vegetarian bacon
liquid smoke
Directions:
Wash and cut the turnip up into small cubes
Boil for about 10 minutes, or until tender
While the turnip is boiling, heat some oil in a frying pan and add your veggie bacon
Season the bacon with salt, pepper, and liquid smoke (on both sides)
Once your bacon is well cooked, remove it from heat and set it aside.
Once your turnips are soft, drain them, and mash them. Add the bacon, salt and pepper, and liquid smoke to taste.
You can find additional Southern-style side dishes here. In this meal, I also had collard greens, but really you could use any side that you want.
Now, time for a savory winter squash dessert:
Savory Fall Crisp
Ingredients:
2 apples, washed, peeled, and sliced
1 cup of pumpkin , peeled and cubed (note: do not used canned pumpkin or pumpkin mush, you will actually have to buy a whole pumpkin and cut it up yourself, on the bright side this will give you plenty of seeds to start your pumpkin patch with next year)
1/2 cup of sweet dumpling squash, peeled and cubed (farmer's markets have a great selection of local sweet dumpling squash!)
1/2 cup of raisins
1 cup of flour
1 cup of oats
1 cup of white sugar
3/4 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of butter (as always, I use vegan butter)
1/4 cup of water
cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice
Directions:
Place the apples, pumpkin, squash, and raisins in a lightly greased baking dish (make sure to mix them up well)
Mix about 1 tablespoon of flour with the white sugar, add cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice (to your preference) and then place this over the apple mixture in the pan.
Add the water, making sure it is spread evenly over all of the apples/pumpkin/squash
Now, in a separate bowl mix the rest of the flour, the oats, and the brown sugar. Cut the butter in, until it is well mixed and has a crumbly texture.
Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the apples/squash/raisins and bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.
Enjoy!!!!
Savory Vegan Nut Roast with Hearty Mushroom Gravy
Roast Ingredients:
Oil for frying
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of flour
1 1/4 cup of vegetable stock
1 1/2 cup of finely chopped nuts of your choice (I used almonds, walnuts, and cashews)
3 cups of breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon of soy/tamari sauce
1/2 teaspoon each of sage, thyme, parsley
1 cup of mushrooms, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
extra flour to coat
extra vegetable stock to baste
Directions:
Fry onion, garlic, and mushrooms.
Sprinkle flour on top of this, add vegetable stock, and boil.
Turn this down to a simmer, stir in nuts, breadcrumbs, soy/tamari sauce, and seasoning herbs and salt and pepper
Shape into a loaf on a floured board, then coat the top with flour
Place in a baking dish and bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes, basting with additional vegetable stock about every 10 minutes
Mushroom Gravy Ingredients:
(note: this recipe comes from an AMAZING book called "Country Wisdom and Know How: Everything You Need to Know to Live Off the Land." In fact, it is so useful that everyone should have a copy of this book.)
3 tablespoons of butter (I use vegan butter)
1 small onion, diced
2 1/2 cups of mushrooms, chopped
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups of vegetable stock
garlic salt
liquid smoke
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Melt the butter in a pan, then add onion and mushrooms.
Saute for about 2-3 minutes
Add flour and mix well
Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring frequently
Remove from heat, and add half of the gravy over the nut roast in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Serve the rest on the side for additional gravy
Southern Style Mashed Turnips
1 large turnip (you can find some really good, large turnips at your local farmer's market!)
salt and pepper
3 strips of Vegan/Vegetarian bacon
liquid smoke
Directions:
Wash and cut the turnip up into small cubes
Boil for about 10 minutes, or until tender
While the turnip is boiling, heat some oil in a frying pan and add your veggie bacon
Season the bacon with salt, pepper, and liquid smoke (on both sides)
Once your bacon is well cooked, remove it from heat and set it aside.
Once your turnips are soft, drain them, and mash them. Add the bacon, salt and pepper, and liquid smoke to taste.
You can find additional Southern-style side dishes here. In this meal, I also had collard greens, but really you could use any side that you want.
 | |
| Roast, turnips, and collards! |
Savory Fall Crisp
Ingredients:
2 apples, washed, peeled, and sliced
1 cup of pumpkin , peeled and cubed (note: do not used canned pumpkin or pumpkin mush, you will actually have to buy a whole pumpkin and cut it up yourself, on the bright side this will give you plenty of seeds to start your pumpkin patch with next year)
1/2 cup of sweet dumpling squash, peeled and cubed (farmer's markets have a great selection of local sweet dumpling squash!)
1/2 cup of raisins
1 cup of flour
1 cup of oats
1 cup of white sugar
3/4 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of butter (as always, I use vegan butter)
1/4 cup of water
cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice
Directions:
Place the apples, pumpkin, squash, and raisins in a lightly greased baking dish (make sure to mix them up well)
Mix about 1 tablespoon of flour with the white sugar, add cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice (to your preference) and then place this over the apple mixture in the pan.
Add the water, making sure it is spread evenly over all of the apples/pumpkin/squash
Now, in a separate bowl mix the rest of the flour, the oats, and the brown sugar. Cut the butter in, until it is well mixed and has a crumbly texture.
Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the apples/squash/raisins and bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.
Enjoy!!!!
Monday, November 22, 2010
Panang Curry Tofu
I happen to be a pretty big fan of Thai food. I love (and I mean love) Thai iced tea. I love Panang curry. In fact, I really enjoy most Thai curries. However, I really don't like leaving the comfort of my home to go out to eat (unless there is some rational behind it). Thus, on Friday night, when my partner and I were all settled in (and it was really cold outside) we decided that we were not going out and that we would, in fact, make Thai food in our own home. Below is the recipe for Panang curry that I had jotted down in my recipe journal long ago and from who knows where:
Ingredients:
1 lb. block of tofu (frozen, thawed, and cut into smallish cubes)
1 teaspoon cumin, turmeric
2 teaspoons tamari/soy sauce
1 cup of onions
1 tablespoon red chili paste (recipe below) (includes: red pepper flakes or red chili peppers, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and peanut sauce/peanut butter)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 clove of minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced ginger
1 lime peel, grated
Juice from 1 lime (about 1/4 cup)
1 cup of water
1 can of coconut milk
1/3 cup of peanut butter
1 carrot, diced
Directions:
After you have cubed your thawed tofu, heat some oil in a frying pan, add cumin seeds, onion, and tamari/soy sauce, and let the tofu fry (flipping it consistently) for a few minutes, until it is nice and crisp on the outside. Set aside the fried tofu and sprinkle it with the turmeric.
To make the red chili paste combine red pepper flakes, or diced red chili peppers, with a dash of rice vinegar and soy/tamari sauce, and a teaspoon of peanut sauce or peanut butter in a blender/food processor and blend for several seconds until all the ingredients are incorporated.
Now, on medium heat, add the garlic and ginger to the pan (with the oil and onion etc. still in it) and let it cook for a couple of minutes. Now add peanut butter, red chili paste and water to the frying pan, stir until the peanut butter has dissolved (a couple of minutes)
Now add the brown sugar, coconut milk, lime juice, lime peel, and carrot. Stir well and let cook about 5 minutes.
Now add the tofu, making sure to cover each piece completely with the sauce. Cover and let cook about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve with rice. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 lb. block of tofu (frozen, thawed, and cut into smallish cubes)
1 teaspoon cumin, turmeric
2 teaspoons tamari/soy sauce
1 cup of onions
1 tablespoon red chili paste (recipe below) (includes: red pepper flakes or red chili peppers, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and peanut sauce/peanut butter)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 clove of minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced ginger
1 lime peel, grated
Juice from 1 lime (about 1/4 cup)
1 cup of water
1 can of coconut milk
1/3 cup of peanut butter
1 carrot, diced
Directions:
After you have cubed your thawed tofu, heat some oil in a frying pan, add cumin seeds, onion, and tamari/soy sauce, and let the tofu fry (flipping it consistently) for a few minutes, until it is nice and crisp on the outside. Set aside the fried tofu and sprinkle it with the turmeric.
To make the red chili paste combine red pepper flakes, or diced red chili peppers, with a dash of rice vinegar and soy/tamari sauce, and a teaspoon of peanut sauce or peanut butter in a blender/food processor and blend for several seconds until all the ingredients are incorporated.
Now, on medium heat, add the garlic and ginger to the pan (with the oil and onion etc. still in it) and let it cook for a couple of minutes. Now add peanut butter, red chili paste and water to the frying pan, stir until the peanut butter has dissolved (a couple of minutes)
Now add the brown sugar, coconut milk, lime juice, lime peel, and carrot. Stir well and let cook about 5 minutes.
Now add the tofu, making sure to cover each piece completely with the sauce. Cover and let cook about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve with rice. Enjoy!
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Squash Casserole
At almost every holiday get together my sister makes this amazingly delicious squash casserole. It is always the first dish to disappear, and everyone is always asking for more. So, after acquiring some adorable yellow squash from the farmers' market a couple of weeks ago, I absolutely had to try to make this casserole. I called my sister, got her recipe, and then tweaked it to the ingredients I had at home. Below is what I created, and it is delicious. You might want to make two, just to be safe.
Squash Casserole
Ingredients:
5-6 small to medium yellow squash, sliced (you can add zucchini too if you want)
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 cup of vegetable broth
1 8 oz bag of cheddar cheese
2 cups of Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup of crushed crackers (any of your choice, I used herb and garlic wheat crackers)
1 cup of onions
1 teaspoon each of sage, garlic powder, onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Pre-heat your oven to 350
Heat some oil in a pan on med-high heat for a few minutes (maybe while you are dicing your squash) and then add about 1/2 of the onions, let them cook for a couple of minutes, then add the squash. Cover and let cook for about 6-7 minutes (stirring occasionally)
In a small pan, add a little oil, heat it on medium heat, then add breadcrumbs, the rest of the onions, the sage, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir well and then let this cook for a couple of minutes, until it is slightly browned and the onions are cooked.
In a baking dish pour the mushroom soup and vegetable broth, mix well.
Add the cooked squash, and then add about 1/2 of your breadcrumb mixture in this and mix well
Now add the cheese, on top of the squash
Add the rest of the breadcrumbs and your crushed crackers
Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes
Uncover and bake for about 5-7 more minutes, until the topping is browned
Enjoy!!!
Squash Casserole
Ingredients:
5-6 small to medium yellow squash, sliced (you can add zucchini too if you want)
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 cup of vegetable broth
1 8 oz bag of cheddar cheese
2 cups of Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup of crushed crackers (any of your choice, I used herb and garlic wheat crackers)
1 cup of onions
1 teaspoon each of sage, garlic powder, onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Pre-heat your oven to 350
Heat some oil in a pan on med-high heat for a few minutes (maybe while you are dicing your squash) and then add about 1/2 of the onions, let them cook for a couple of minutes, then add the squash. Cover and let cook for about 6-7 minutes (stirring occasionally)
In a small pan, add a little oil, heat it on medium heat, then add breadcrumbs, the rest of the onions, the sage, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir well and then let this cook for a couple of minutes, until it is slightly browned and the onions are cooked.
In a baking dish pour the mushroom soup and vegetable broth, mix well.
Add the cooked squash, and then add about 1/2 of your breadcrumb mixture in this and mix well
Now add the cheese, on top of the squash
Add the rest of the breadcrumbs and your crushed crackers
Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes
Uncover and bake for about 5-7 more minutes, until the topping is browned
Enjoy!!!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Mexican-Style Casserole
Friday night we decided to have some friends over. Since we're all homebodies now, after graduating from college, this was a really big deal. We planned everything out, decided on tequila for drinks and, to complement the drinks, Mexican-style food. Our friends offered to bring tequila, and I baked a Mexican casserole on the fly. This is what I came up with:
Mexican-Style Casserole
Ingredients:
2-3 cups of crushed blue corn chips (crushed them with a potato masher)
1 box of "fantastic world foods" brand vegan taco "meat" mixture
1 can of black beans
1 can of whole kernal corn
1 cup of salsa (any kind you like, I make my own with summer tomatoes, I will provide the recipe below)
1 cup of tofutti brand vegan sour cream
1/4 cup each of fresh diced tomatoes, onions, and jalapenos
1 8 oz package of Mexican-style cheese (this is optional, you can leave off the cheese for a vegan casserole)
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350, and in a baking dish crush your corn chips up
Prepare the taco "meat" as directed on the box (I also add a little cumin and garam masala to add some extra flavor and spice to the mixture)
Layer the taco mixture over the corn chips
Next, layer the sour cream over the taco mixture
Place a thin layer of salsa (about 1/3 of a cup) over the sour cream
Next add a layer of black beans
Add another 1/3 cup layer of salsa
Add a layer of corn
Now add the rest of the salsa
On top of this place the fresh cut tomatoes, onions, and jalapenos
If you are using cheese place the cheese evenly on top
Bake for about 30 minutes, until the casserole is all nice and bubbly
Enjoy!
Homemade Salsa
(disclaimer: This is a salsa I make out of summer garden ingredients, and mostly I randomly throw things together in a food processor and see how it comes out, but this will be my best attempt at listing an official recipe for this salsa. It's a great salsa, a little like pico de gallo, a little spicy, and can keep for a long time in the refrigerator. Play around with it to find a taste you like the best.)
Ingredients:
2-3 tomatoes, diced
1 cup of onions, diced
1-2 green chili peppers, diced
1 spring of mint, chopped up
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2-3 tablespoons of cilantro, chopped up
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 tablespoons of vinegar
1 tablespoon of agave nectar
3-4 tablespoons ketchup
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Place all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until you have a smooth, but chunky mixture, place in a sealed container and refrigerate. Enjoy whenever!
Mexican-Style Casserole
Ingredients:
2-3 cups of crushed blue corn chips (crushed them with a potato masher)
1 box of "fantastic world foods" brand vegan taco "meat" mixture
1 can of black beans
1 can of whole kernal corn
1 cup of salsa (any kind you like, I make my own with summer tomatoes, I will provide the recipe below)
1 cup of tofutti brand vegan sour cream
1/4 cup each of fresh diced tomatoes, onions, and jalapenos
1 8 oz package of Mexican-style cheese (this is optional, you can leave off the cheese for a vegan casserole)
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350, and in a baking dish crush your corn chips up
Prepare the taco "meat" as directed on the box (I also add a little cumin and garam masala to add some extra flavor and spice to the mixture)
Layer the taco mixture over the corn chips
Next, layer the sour cream over the taco mixture
Place a thin layer of salsa (about 1/3 of a cup) over the sour cream
Next add a layer of black beans
Add another 1/3 cup layer of salsa
Add a layer of corn
Now add the rest of the salsa
On top of this place the fresh cut tomatoes, onions, and jalapenos
If you are using cheese place the cheese evenly on top
Bake for about 30 minutes, until the casserole is all nice and bubbly
Enjoy!
Homemade Salsa
(disclaimer: This is a salsa I make out of summer garden ingredients, and mostly I randomly throw things together in a food processor and see how it comes out, but this will be my best attempt at listing an official recipe for this salsa. It's a great salsa, a little like pico de gallo, a little spicy, and can keep for a long time in the refrigerator. Play around with it to find a taste you like the best.)
Ingredients:
2-3 tomatoes, diced
1 cup of onions, diced
1-2 green chili peppers, diced
1 spring of mint, chopped up
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2-3 tablespoons of cilantro, chopped up
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 tablespoons of vinegar
1 tablespoon of agave nectar
3-4 tablespoons ketchup
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Place all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until you have a smooth, but chunky mixture, place in a sealed container and refrigerate. Enjoy whenever!
Friday, November 12, 2010
Sweet Potato and Chickpea Koftas
I have this vegetarian cookbook that my mom bought me when I was about 14 (I'm sure she was hoping I would take the hint and learn how to cook. It only took about 10 years for me to get started on that.) Recently, though, I have been flipping through the book, trying to figure out some new recipes to make, and I stumbled across a recipe for koftas made from sweet potatoes and chickpeas.
Now, in the past I have attempted to make Malai Kofta, a delicious Indian dish with vegetable balls made from potato dough served in a delicious spicy, creamy tomato sauce, but failed miserably. When I stumbled across this recipe for sweet potato and chickpea koftas, I was intrigued by the author's technique, and as I had sweet potatoes on the verge of going bad and some chickpeas in my cabinet, I decided I needed to make myself some koftas. Below you will find the recipe (slightly tweaked, but otherwise unaltered) for these sweet potato and chickpea koftas, additionally I am going to list a recipe for some good raita (an Indian yogurt-based dip/sauce) which goes along well with the koftas, and, if you prefer to turn them into a curry, I will also include my recipe for malai kofta gravy.
So, without further adieu, the recipes:
Sweet Potato and Chickpea Koftas:
(taken from Vegetable Heaven by Mollie Katzen)
Ingredients:
1-2 medium sweet potatoes
1 1/2 to 2 cups of chickpeas (or 1 can, rinsed and drained)
1 large clove of minced garlic
1 tablespoon of minced ginger
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
pepper to taste
6 tablespoons flour
1 cup of peas (optional, I did not use these)
oil for sauteing
Directions:
Peel and cut your sweet potatoes, then boil them for about 10 minutes until they are soft, and mash them.
In a blender/food processor mix sweet potatoes, chickpeas, garlic, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, lemon juice, and pepper, blend until the mixture is well mixed and smooth (this may take a little bit, as the potatoes are thick).
Transfer mixture to a bowl, add flour, and stir well.
Put about 1/4 cup of oil in a frying pan, turn it on med-high heat, and leave it until it gets hot
While the oil is heating up, pat out your dough mixture into little balls
Once oil is hot, place the koftas into the oil, flipping them consistently, until they are golden brown on all sides.
Remove them from heat, sprinkle a little cumin and cinnamon on top, and they are ready!
For a good snack, you can eat them with this Raita:
1 cup of yogurt
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup of chopped walnuts
1/2 cup of golden raisins
1 teaspoon each of cinnamon, cumin, tandoori powder, thyme
Mix all of the ingredients together and serve
If you would prefer to use the koftas for a meal, try them in this Spicy Malai Kofta Gravy:
Ingredients:
2-3 large tomatoes, diced
1 cup of diced onion
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of ginger, minced
1 teaspoon each of red chili powder, garam masala, cumin, and red pepper flakes
1/4 cup of heavy cream or milk
1/2 cup of chopped cashews
1/2 cup of golden raisins
Directions:
Puree everything in a blender, except the onions, milk, cashews, and raisins. In a saucepan, heat a couple tablespoons of oil and add onion, cook until transparent (about 2 minutes). Place the puree mix in the sauce pan and bring to a boil on med heat, then stir in the cream/milk, whisking for about 2-3 minutes. Add cashews and raisins. Cook for another 5-7 minutes on low heat.
Place you koftas in the sauce and enjoy!
Now, in the past I have attempted to make Malai Kofta, a delicious Indian dish with vegetable balls made from potato dough served in a delicious spicy, creamy tomato sauce, but failed miserably. When I stumbled across this recipe for sweet potato and chickpea koftas, I was intrigued by the author's technique, and as I had sweet potatoes on the verge of going bad and some chickpeas in my cabinet, I decided I needed to make myself some koftas. Below you will find the recipe (slightly tweaked, but otherwise unaltered) for these sweet potato and chickpea koftas, additionally I am going to list a recipe for some good raita (an Indian yogurt-based dip/sauce) which goes along well with the koftas, and, if you prefer to turn them into a curry, I will also include my recipe for malai kofta gravy.
So, without further adieu, the recipes:
Sweet Potato and Chickpea Koftas:
(taken from Vegetable Heaven by Mollie Katzen)
Ingredients:
1-2 medium sweet potatoes
1 1/2 to 2 cups of chickpeas (or 1 can, rinsed and drained)
1 large clove of minced garlic
1 tablespoon of minced ginger
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
pepper to taste
6 tablespoons flour
1 cup of peas (optional, I did not use these)
oil for sauteing
Directions:
Peel and cut your sweet potatoes, then boil them for about 10 minutes until they are soft, and mash them.
In a blender/food processor mix sweet potatoes, chickpeas, garlic, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, lemon juice, and pepper, blend until the mixture is well mixed and smooth (this may take a little bit, as the potatoes are thick).
Transfer mixture to a bowl, add flour, and stir well.
Put about 1/4 cup of oil in a frying pan, turn it on med-high heat, and leave it until it gets hot
While the oil is heating up, pat out your dough mixture into little balls
Once oil is hot, place the koftas into the oil, flipping them consistently, until they are golden brown on all sides.
Remove them from heat, sprinkle a little cumin and cinnamon on top, and they are ready!
For a good snack, you can eat them with this Raita:
1 cup of yogurt
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup of chopped walnuts
1/2 cup of golden raisins
1 teaspoon each of cinnamon, cumin, tandoori powder, thyme
Mix all of the ingredients together and serve
If you would prefer to use the koftas for a meal, try them in this Spicy Malai Kofta Gravy:
Ingredients:
2-3 large tomatoes, diced
1 cup of diced onion
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of ginger, minced
1 teaspoon each of red chili powder, garam masala, cumin, and red pepper flakes
1/4 cup of heavy cream or milk
1/2 cup of chopped cashews
1/2 cup of golden raisins
Directions:
Puree everything in a blender, except the onions, milk, cashews, and raisins. In a saucepan, heat a couple tablespoons of oil and add onion, cook until transparent (about 2 minutes). Place the puree mix in the sauce pan and bring to a boil on med heat, then stir in the cream/milk, whisking for about 2-3 minutes. Add cashews and raisins. Cook for another 5-7 minutes on low heat.
Place you koftas in the sauce and enjoy!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)