Month: November 2025

Cabbage Curry

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Cabbage Curry takes the humble, budget-friendly cabbage and transforms it into a silky, creamy and utterly delicious curry. I know that some of you only associate cabbage with coleslaw, sauerkraut or the steamed, stuffed rolls that many of us grew up with. But the relatively slow cooking of the cabbage turns this ubiquitous and inexpensive vegetable into a star.

About the only vegetable that I am not wild about is okra. So when I came across the Cabbage Curry on Rainbow Plant Life, it didn’t take any persuading to get me to try it. I didn’t think, however, that I would be making it as a Shabbat dinner. But accompanied by salatim, the Cabbage Curry made for a lovely, delicious and festive meal. An added bonus for me was that no animal had to die so that we could celebrate this weekly holiday.

I have always thought that Middle Eastern/North African and South Asian food complimented one another. So having the main dish be a curry and the sides be Middle Eastern, with everything accompanied by my husband’s wonderful challah worked beautifully. When making another culture’s food, I try to be respectful, but I’m also not afraid to play around a bit.

Whether you make this Cabbage Curry as a weeknight dinner or as part of a holiday meal, you won’t be disappointed. And no one will think that you skimped on the meal just because you used this budget-friendly main course. So in one dish, you tastebuds will sing and so will your wallet. You can’t ask for more than that!

For more wonderful Vegetable Curries:

Butternut Squash Curry

Cauliflower Spinach Tofu Curry

Pea and Cashew Curry

Roasted Cauliflower Lentil Curry

Potato and Green Pea Curry

Kidney Bean Curry (Rajma Paneer)

Thai Style Yellow Curry with Sweet Potato

Chickpea Spinach Curry

Tofu Coconut Curry

For Chicken and Fish Curries:

Chicken Curry Punjabi-Style

Chicken Curry with Spices

Bene Israel Fish Curry with Fresh Ginger, Tamarind and Cilantro

RECIPE

YIELD: 4 to 6 generous servings, depending on sides

NOTE: Have everything prepped before you begin cooking!dd the serrano pepper and garlic

INGREDIENTS

2 Tablespoons of a neutral oil (I like Avocado)

4 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

1 to 3 serrano pepper, de-seeded and finely chopped (I’m happy using one)

8 cups green (also called white) cabbage, core and tough outer leaves removed, shredded or thinly sliced (I used 3/4 of a 2-pound cabbage)

Kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal) and freshly cracked black pepper

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder (I LOVE the slightly smokey, gentle heat from this pepper and use it on so many things. It is easily available online if you don’t have access to an Indian grocery store.)

1.5 teaspoons rounded ground coriander

1.5 teaspoons rounded ground cumin

3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

8 ounces ripe tomatoes, seeds removed and finely chopped (You could use canned if ripe ones aren’t available or you don’t have any on hand.)

About 400 ml of a full-fat coconut milk

4 cups of cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 Tablespoons unsweetened almond or cashew butter

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 lime, juiced

1 cup of fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, chopped

DIRECTIONS

Mix together the cumin, turmeric, coriander, Kashmiri chili and tomato paste. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large (12-inch) deep skillet or Dutch oven until shimmering. Add the serrano pepper(s) and garlic to the hot oil and stir almost constantly for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Do not allow the garlic to brown.

Next add the cabbage. Using tongs, try to coat all of the cabbage with the oil, garlic and pepper(s). Season with a 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring frequently for 12 minutes. You can add a splash or two of water if things look as if they are dry or might stick to the bottom of the pan. The cabbage should become silky and have some browning spots appearing.

Once the cabbage has reached the yummy stage, add in the spice mix, stirring to coat the cabbage for about 2 minutes. If things are looking a bit dry, add a few more splashes of water.

It’s time to add in the tomatoes. Mix through and cook for 5 minutes until they are softened and almost melting into the cabbage.

The curry is ready for the chickpeas, almond butter, coconut milk and another 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt. Mix everything through and cook uncovered for 18 minutes, stirring every few minutes. The sauce will thicken, so if you have left-overs or are making this ahead, you will likely want to add some additional coconut milk or water to reheat the curry.

Add in the garam masala and juice from 1/2 of the lime and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes. Give things a taste and adjust with more salt or lime juice if necessary. (I didn’t add anything.)

Just before serving, add in the chopped cilantro, reserving a little to sprinkle over each serving for presentation.

I served this over rice and with a dollop of homemade yogurt. To keep the dish vegan, either don’t add any yogurt or use a plant-based yogurt. Since we eat a lot of South Asian food, I had 3 chutneys on hand, including my own cranberry orange relish that I make for thanksgiving! If it hadn’t been Shabbat, I would have also made naan to accompany the curry, although the challah was actually perfect. The sweetness of the challah played off beautifully with the curry spices and the soft bread was perfect for soaking up every last bit of the delicious sauce.

Stir Fry with Soy Curls

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ 1 Comment

Until recently I had never heard, much less tried soy curls. But now, I’m a believer. These shelf-stable meat substitute are easy to cook, have a great texture and absorb whatever flavors you choose to use. And while we eat plenty of gluten, they also happen to be gluten free. My Stir Fry with Soy Curls is beautiful to look at, tastes great and is absolutely riffable.

A favorite niece gifted me with a book titled I Cook in Color by Asha Gomez. While this recipe doesn’t come from the cookbook, although she has many great recipes, the title resonated with me. Most of us eat with several of our senses – how something smells, looks and of course, tastes. So when I cook, I always try to keep the visuals of the dish in mind, particularly in a vegan or vegetarian recipe. How can you look at this gorgeous stir fry and not want to taste it?

Below, I will give the ingredients as I made it, but feel free to substitute vegetables and spices depending on personal taste and availability.

Because like almost all stir fry recipes cook fairly quickly, you should have everything prepped before beginning to cook. Vegetables can even be prepared the night before and refrigerated. While the soy curls require soaking before they can be cooked, it is brief. Should easily be able to have this meal on the table in under an hour – and I have no lightening knife skills. Serve it over rice or noodles for a delicious and satisfying meal.

While I love soy curls, you can, of course, substitute cubed tofu or real chicken if you wish to go those routes. I couldn’t easily find Butler Soy Curls in my grocery stores, but they are readily available online. They keep for months and are a terrific pantry staple for those of us who choose to eat less meat.

RECIPE

YIELD: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

For the sauce

3/4 cup vegetable or vegan “no chicken” broth

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos

1/4 cup agave, honey or maple syrup

1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil (If you really like spice, you can use the “Hot” toasted sesame oil

2 to 4 teaspoons Sambal Olek or other hot sauce (how much you use depends on you tolerance of spicy food)

1 Tablespoon of Garlic Chili paste (readily available in most grocery stores)

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

For the Stir Fry

4 ounces of soy curls (1/2 a bag)

Hot tap water to cover

1 Tablespoon Better than Bouillon vegetable or non-chicken

2 Tablespoons avocado or other neutral oil

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

2 baby bok choy

About 2 to 3 cups of cauliflower or broccoli

1 large carrot, cut on the bias into pieces about an 1/8 of an inch thick

8 ounces mushroom, sliced (I used Shitake for maximum meatiness but really any mushroom you like and can find will work)

1 bell pepper, cut into large dice (I used 1/2 of a red and 1/2 of a yellow pepper for the visual effect)

4 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

1 Tablespoon grated or minced fresh ginger

1/2 cup roasted cashews or peanuts (with or without salt)

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS

Place the soy curls in a medium bowl. Add 1 Tablespoon of Better Than Bouillon and hot tap water to cover. Stir things around to dissolve the bouillon. Make sure that the soy curls are submerged. Let them sit in the water for about 10 minutes. Then drain the soy curls and using your hands, squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Set aside.

While the soy curls soak, prep your veggies and sauce. This can even be done ahead.

When you are ready to cook, add 1 Tablespoon of the oil to a wok or large, deep frying pan – preferably non-stick. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the drained soy curls and stir fry for about 5 to 6 minutes or until they begin to brown. Then remove the soy curls to a plate or bowl.

Add another Tablespoon of oil to the hot wok or pan. Add in all of the vegetable EXCEPT for the garlic and ginger. Start to stir fry the vegetables, tossing them through the oil. I then added about 1/4 cup of water to the pan, covered it and steamed the vegetables, stirring a few times for about 7 minutes or until the veg were just tender.

Then remove the lid and add the ginger and garlic and stir constantly for 1 minute. Add back the soy curls and toss the mixture to evenly distribute everything. Stir the sauce mixture with a fork or whisk to loosen the cornstarch and to mix it through. Pour the sauce over the vegetables and give a stir. As soon as the sauce starts to thicken (about 30 seconds to a minute) add in the nuts and sesame seeds, if using. Now enjoy!

Chickpea Squash Tagine

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Flavorful, visually striking and nutrition-rich this Chickpea Squash Tagine is perfect for these chilly fall nights. Using pantry staples, it comes together in about an hour.

My husband and I eat very little meat these days and I pretty much save it for Shabbat and other holidays. However, this past Shabbat I just didn’t feel like going to the grocery store and nothing in my freezer excited me. I asked my husband if he minded if I made a vegan Shabbat and thankfully (as I knew he would) he responded that if I was cooking that was fine with him.

This Chickpea and Squash Tagine originated from the Rainbow Plant Life site, but with some changes of my own. I keep a well stocked pantry and had recently bought several different winter squashes, so I knew that I could make this dish without a trip to the market. Now I could have used canned or jarred chickpeas, but when I can my preference is to soak and cook my own beans. They are superior, although there are a few quality chickpea brands available and I will use them when I haven’t thought ahead or am cooking last minute.

So what is a tagine? A tagine is a clay or ceramic cooking vessel commonly used in Moroccan cuisine. It also refers to a kind of stew that you cook inside the tagine. Fear not, an actual tagine is not necessary to make this tagine or any other that you might want to try. I have never owned one and have done just fine. You can use a Dutch oven or I love my Staub All-Day Pan with Domed Glass Lid with an enameled over cast iron base. It’s a fabulous pan and I use it constantly. The pan can be pricey but look for it on sale. You won’t be sorry.

Both the tagine as cookware and the Staub pan trap the steam in the food you are cooking. With a minimal amount of liquid, the shape of the pan and lid allows the meat and/or vegetables to cook slowly and retain all of their moisture. The final dish is flavorful, with the components ending up tender and juicy.

I used Red Kuri Squash this time, but almost any winter squash will work. I admit that cutting up and peeling squash can be a bit tedious and depending on how you are cooking the squash, the skin can be left on in some cases. Many supermarkets at this time of year sell pre-chopped squash (generally butternut) in the produce section. So if you have neither the time nor the inclination, by all means, go this route. Butternut squash is ubiquitous and it’s also delicious.

Winter squash are nutrient dense and fairly low in calories. There are dozens of ways to use them in everything from soup to desserts. So if you haven’t used squash before, now is the perfect time to add this to your meals.

There are some meat tagine recipes available on my blog as well:

Chicken Tagine with Almonds and Apricots

Lamb Merguez and Chicken Tagine

Lamb Shank Tagine

Crockpot Chicken Tagine

Lamb Tagine with Chickpeas and Cilantro

Tzimmes Chicken

RECIPE

Yield: 6 to 8 generous servings with a grain (I used rice this time but couscous is classic)

INGREDIENTS

2 to 3 Tablespoons of Avocado, EVOO or another neutral oil

1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped

1 medium red pepper, chopped into large dice

6 fat garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1 cinnamon stick

2 cups of vegetable broth

4 cups of peeled and chopped winter squash (Butternut, Red Kiri, Kabocha, Honey Nut etc.) Try to keep the pieces about the same size as the chopped bell pepper.

4 cups of cooked chickpeas (But you can get away with using 2 (15-ounce) cans, drained)

1 (14.5-ounce) can of crushed or diced tomatoes (I used fire roasted)

6 large Medjool dates, with the pits removed and coarsely chopped

5 to 6 large pitted prunes or dried apricots, halved

Spice Mix (I mostly use rounded measurements when using spices. And when you can, grind your own. It takes seconds and the difference is amazing. Also storing whole spices keeps them fresher longer.)

1 Tablespoon Ras el hanout (These days this is available in many grocery stores and online. Great with any winter squash.)

2 bay laurel leaves (dried or fresh)

1 teaspoon ground coriander

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/8 teaspoon of ground cloves

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of ANY of the following: Aleppo Pepper, Rajasthan Chili or Cayenne

Kosher salt (I used a broth that was unsalted and added 1.5 teaspoons of Diamond kosher salt to the entire dish. You can always add salt at the end after you taste the dish.)

DIRECTIONS

Prep everything BEFORE you begin to cook. It will make your life so much easier.

In a small bowl, mix together the spices for the spice mix.

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cook until the onions are golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Stir occasionally and add a splash of water or broth if the onions look as if they are sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Add the bell pepper, garlic and cinnamon stick and cook, stirring frequently for about 3 minutes.

Add the Spice Mix, stirring constantly for 1 minute to bloom the spices.

Now add in the remaining broth, squash, chickpeas, bay leaves, tomatoes and dried fruit. Mix everything through to evenly distribute the ingredients.

Bring the pan liquid to a boil, then cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 40 minutes or until the squash is tender and the aroma is intoxicating.

Serve over rice or couscous and top with some lightly toasted chopped almonds and some chopped fresh herbs and lemon zest. If you or your guests want to add a little extra heat, I suggest a little Rose Harissa.

Now dig in!