side dish

Smoky Eggplant Dal

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

I recently posted a recipe for a delicious Butternut Squash Curry, pictured above. My husband absolutely loved it. And I served it along with basmati rice and this Smoky Eggplant Dal. Both recipes came from Jamie Oliver‘s fertile mind. While neither dish is a completely authentic Indian dish, they definitely pay homage to the wonderful variety of South Asian cuisine.

The trick to making this dish special is properly blistering the eggplant. This technique also makes for the best Baba Ghanoush you will ever eat. If you do not have access to a gas stovetop or grill, this can be prepared in a broiler. It will still be delicious – just a bit less so, since that smokiness will not be as present.

Smoky Eggplant Dal can be made ahead and will keep refrigerated for a week. It reheats beautifully. Served with rice and/or naan and this is a healthy protein-rich, vegan meal of its own. Photos of dal do not even begin to do justice to the taste. So if you are a fan of Indian cuisine, there will not be any need to convince you to try this. And if you are either not familiar with dal, in general, or think that you dislike eggplant, please give this a try anyway. I hope that you will be pleasantly surprised.

Blistered eggplant transforms the fruit’s (Yes, Virginia, this is technically a fruit) texture to a creamy, rich, almost spreadable wonder. In this dal, you are not aware that is it there – only that this tastes delicious. And if you don’t wish to do an entire Indian dinner, this dal also makes a wonderful side dish to any roasted meat.

While I have listed amounts, don’t get too bogged down. A little more of the eggplant or the beans and the dish will still be wonderful.

RECIPE

YIELD: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 large or two smaller eggplants (also called aubergine in many places) (Look for eggplants with a good skin and not too fat. Many eggplants we get these days have a lot of seeds, so try for an eggplant that weighs about a pound to 1.5 pounds.)

1 chilli of choice – serrano, jalapeno, Fresno etc.

2 large cloves of garlic, peeled

1 medium red onion (although yellow onion works as well)

2 cardamom pods – preferably black cardamom, which additional smokiness, but you can use green if that is all you have

1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds

1 teaspoon black or brown mustard seeds

1 sprig of rosemary (I know, but it works!)

1 Tablespoon of red wine or apple cider vinegar

1 400g or 15 oz. can of black beans (DO NOT drain)

200g of lentils (Pardina, du Puy, brown, Beluga)

1 large cinnamon stick

DIRECTIONS

Prick the eggplant all over with a fork. This will prevent it from exploding. If you have a gas stovetop or a grill, place the eggplant directly over the flame as pictured above, using tongs to turn it frequently. Do this until the eggplant skin is blistered all over and the eggplant begins to collapse on itself. If you do not have a gas flame, place the eggplant on a baking sheet and put it under the broiler for 30 to 40 minutes, turning frequently. When done, move the eggplant to a cutting board.

Once the eggplant has cooled a bit, carefully peel off most, but not all of the blistered skin and set aside.

Halve the chilli lengthwise and remove the seeds. If you like things spicy, you can leave the seeds, but I do not. If you have never worked with hot chillis, a word to the wise, wear gloves and DO NOT touch your eyes afterwards! Peel and finely slice the garlic, then peel and finely chop the onion. Crush the cardamom pods in a pestle and mortar and remove the outer shells, then pound up the seeds. (If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, you can use a rolling pin, meat tenderizer or cast iron pan to whack it. I would place a towel as a cushion under a board to spare your countertop and ears.)

Place a large (10 to 12 inches) non-stick frying pan on a medium low heat with 1 Tablespoon of neutral olive, Avocado or other neutral oil. Add the cumin, cardamom and mustard seeds.

Strip the rosemary from the stem and add that to the pan as well. Allow the herbs and spices to sizzle and infuse the oil for a few minutes. Then add the chilli, garlic and onion and cook for 5 minutes or until softened, stirring regularly. Chop the peeled eggplant into 1-inch chunks and add it, along with any bits of blistered skin, to the pan as well, with 1 Tablespoon of red wine or apple cider vinegar.

Allow everything to sizzle for a couple of minutes, then pour in the black beans, with their liquid and 600 ml (A little more than 20 oz.) of water. Now here’s the slightly tricky part. Set one end of the cinnamon stick on fire and then place it in the center of the pan. Quickly cover the pan with a tight lid. This will add smokiness as well to the dal. Cook the mixture on a medium low heat for about an hour until it thickens, stirring occasionally. Add splashes of water, if necessary (I didn’t need to) to loosen the mixture and to keep it from sticking. Season with salt and pepper. Now enjoy!

Cannellini Bean Roasted Pepper Dip

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ 1 Comment
Cannellini Bean Roasted Pepper Dip

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Cannellini Bean Roasted Pepper Dip should be your new go-to dip or spread. Liven up your crudité platter or sandwich with this zippy, zesty cousin of hummus. It just might become your new favorite way to get your beans! The beautiful, vibrant color will be a welcome addition anywhere you would eat hummus. That color makes it such a happy dish!

Don’t get me wrong – I love a good hummus and we eat it weekly. However, sometimes it’s nice to shake things up a bit. So don’t think of this as saying goodbye to hummus, but rather as a BIG HELLO to a zestier cousin.

Cannellini beans are a particular favorite of mine. When cooked, they are creamy and delicious and a wonderful addition to so many soups, salads and pastas. And they are easily available in both canned and dry options. The robust seasoning of this dip is a perfect foil for the creamy texture of the pureed beans.

Despite the list of ingredients, this is very easy to make in a food processor and is quick to whip up when unexpected guests show up. Cannellini Bean Roasted Pepper Dip will last several days in the fridge in a well-sealed container.

Cannellini Bean Roasted Pepper Dip

Recipe

Yield: About 3 cups

Ingredients

2 cups of cooked cannellini beans or one 15.5 ounce can, rinsed and drained beans

2 roasted red peppers, rinsed and patted dry, plus a slice for garnish

1 large clove garlic

3/4 to 1 teaspoon of kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon Rajasthan (Mathania Chillies) chilli or cayenne (Rajasthan chili has such a lovely complex flavor with just enough heat. I highly recommend trying it. It can be readily found online or in South Asian markets.)

2 T Evoo plus more for drizzling

2 T tahini paste

Juice of one very juicy lemon

Optional garnish: Coarsely chopped parsley or cilantro

Directions

Place all of the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor. Blitz until the mixture is smooth and silky. When you are ready to serve, plate the mixture, drizzle it with some EVOO and garnish with chopped cilantro, parsley or a slice of roasted red pepper.

Vegan Mushroom Walnut Pâté

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Vegan Mushroom Walnut Pâté

Vegan Mushroom Walnut Pâté makes a delicious addition to your holiday table. Once upon a time I used to make a vegetarian mushroom pâté. It wasn’t beautiful, but it was delicious. Frankly, it was a bit of a pain to make in the pre-food processor days. However, it went very well with roast turkey or chicken and was worth the extra effort for holidays and special occasions. And it was especially yummy in sandwiches the following day. But those of you who follow my blog know that I am trying to prepare more vegan dishes. I initially got interested in vegan cooking because my godson was deathly allergic to eggs AND his family keeps kosher, which means they won’t mix milk and meat – among other things. So finding – or developing – great vegan recipes became an imperative.

Now, though, I try to cook vegetarian and vegan meals for me and my husband several times a week. While my reasons are for better health as well as the welfare of the planet, I wouldn’t do it if I couldn’t make meals that were delicious and satisfying. It doesn’t hurt that my favorite cuisines are Mediterranean/Middle Eastern and South Asian, both of which have a rich heritage of vegetarian and vegan dishes.

You certainly don’t have to be vegan to enjoy this Vegan Mushroom Walnut Pâté. It’s a wonderful make-ahead side or appetizer that can be enjoyed by anyone – unless allergic to mushrooms or walnuts that is. So if you are looking for something a bit different to try for the holidays, give this Vegan Mushroom Walnut Pâté a go. It still isn’t pretty (but what pâté is?) and it still is delicious! Spread it on crackers or some Melba toast and enjoy it with a Crackling Vermentino or other sparkling wine. Mmmmmmmmm!

For an alternative Vegan Mushroom Pâté that is not baked try:

Mushroom Walnut Pâté

You can’t go wrong with either one.

Recipe

Vegan Mushroom Walnut Pâté

Yield: About 10 servings

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons EVOO

1 pound of mushrooms, white, cremini or baby bellas, quartered

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted in a dry pan

1 shallot, peeled and chopped

1 cup chopped fresh fennel or celery

Handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1.25 cups fine, dried bread crumbs – plain or seasoned

1 pound silken tofu

1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon each: dried thyme, basil and oregano

1.5 teaspoons kosher salt

generous pinch of cayenne (Optional)

Directions

Oil or use a cooking spray to coat an 8 X 4-inch loaf pan. Line the pan with cooking parchment and oil that as well. Cut a piece of parchment large enough to sit on the top of the pâté mixture in the pan. Set the pan aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat the EVOO in a large sauté pan and add the chopped shallot and fennel or celery. Sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt. Sauté until the mixture begins to soften. Then add the chopped parsley and bread crumbs. Stir through to moisten everything. Turn off the heat.

While the vegetables were sautéing, place the mushrooms and silken tofu in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse the mixture until everything begins to break down. Add in the nutritional yeast, dried herbs and the veggie/breadcrumb mixture. Pulse until smooth.

Add in the walnuts and just pulse 3 or 4 times quickly. If you prefer not to have bits of walnut in the finished product, you can pulse the mixture a few more times, until it is smooth throughout.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Add the oiled parchment on top of the mixture so that it is right against it. Give the pan a tap on the counter to make sure that everything is even and there are no air bubbles. Place in the hot oven and bake for 1.5 hours. Allow to cool completely.

Vegan Mushroom Walnut Pâté

If you are not going to serve it as soon as it is cool, refrigerate it in the pan. Remove the pan from the fridge about an hour before you are ready to serve. Carefully remove the piece of parchment that is on top and invert the pan onto your serving plate or board. Peel off the remaining parchment paper. Garnish as desired.

Farro Salad

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

It’s been a long winter and a rather dismal spring. Coronavirus aside (okay, is there REALLY anything “aside” about COVID-19?), the weather here has been chilly, damp and most of all – gloomy. I definitely need something to perk me up that has bright colors, loads of flavor and is easy to make. My shopping has changed thanks to COVID-19 and I am at the end of my two weeks since my last delivery. That means that fresh vegetables are sparse. But the idea of a dinner without some great veg dish is unthinkable. Farro Salad makes the perfect side for any grilled or roasted meat, poultry or fish. And since farro is a grain, one dish serves a dual purpose.

This Farro Salad is perfect as I made it, but don’t get too bogged down in specifics. If you don’t have red onion, use shallot, yellow onion or scallion. If you don’t have parsley, use cilantro, basil or even chopped spinach. Need to turn this into more of a main dish? Add some crumbled feta or queso fresco and chickpeas. And if you don’t have farro – well, I can’t help you there. Actually, that’s not true. Use another hearty grain like freekeh, barley or wheat berries. If you have none of those, try this with orzo. The important thing is to cook whatever grain/pasta that you are using according to the directions given on the package until al dente (With some “bite.”)

Farro comes in three forms: pearled, semi-pearled and whole. They each cook for different amounts of time and it is suggested that you soak the whole farro overnight. Any one of the types will work here. And if you are looking to stock your pantry with something other than beans and pasta, you can’t go wrong with farro, which is also delicious hot.

So even if you are living in a sunnier clime, we can all use every bit of the brightness, color and flavor we can get. Try this soon.

Recipe

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

1 cup of uncooked farro, cooked according to directions

2 Persian or mini-cucumbers, diced (If you don’t have these cucumbers, English cucumbers are a good replacement.) (Radishes would also work.)

About 1/2 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved and coarsely chopped

10-12 Kalamata or other flavorful black olive, chopped

Zest of one lemon

Juice of one lemon

1/2 of a small red onion, chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Kosher or sea salt to taste (I used about 1 teaspoon)

Cracked black pepper, to taste (Or Aleppo pepper if you have it)

A generous 1/4 teaspoon of ground Sumac (optional)

About 4 Tablespoons (1/4 cup) good EVOO

Rounded teaspoon preserved lemon paste (Optional but delicious and great to have around!)

Directions

Cook the farro according to directions, but add the preserved lemon paste to the water if using. I added my salt to the cooking farro, but you can add it after the salad is pulled together. Drain and cool the farro.

Add the farro to all of the other ingredients and serve in a pretty bowl at room temperature. Left-overs can be covered well and left in a cool place overnight. You can refrigerate left-over salad but fresh tomatoes are never as good once they have been refrigerated.

Swiss Chard Sauté

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ 1 Comment

Swiss Chard is an under-rated vegetable. There, I’ve said it. But once you have tried this easy-to-prepare Swiss Chard Sauté, you will become a convert.

So what is Swiss Chard? It’s a green, leafy vegetable that is high in vitamins A, K, C and E as well as the minerals magnesium, manganese, iron and potassium. Young plants can be eaten raw in salads and more mature plants (what you generally see in the produce section of your grocery store) is best eaten sauteed. In Turkey and Egypt is is often cooked into soup or broth. I love the slightly peppery taste and the contrast of the somewhat crunchy tender stems along with the softer leaves. It can be blanched and added to quiche instead of spinach or kale for a more flavorful accent. But this Swiss Chard Sauté is probably the simplest way to prepare it and something my son enjoyed even as a young child.

Great as part of a vegan meal or as a side to grilled fish, chicken or meat. I like left-overs with scrambled eggs for breakfast the next day. However, you enjoy it, be sure to pick a bunch with shiny, unblemished leaves and the tenderest stems. Chard comes in different varieties – green, rainbow and red – but they all taste pretty much the same and any could be used in this recipe, which can be easily be doubled. This version comes from Jane Brody’s Good Food Cookbook, a great source of delicious and nutritious recipes.

Recipe for Swiss Chard Saute

Yield: 3 to 4 servings

Ingredients

Mangold or Swiss chard 'Rainbow' leaves isolated on white

2 teaspoons EVOO or good vegetable oil

2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic

1/2 cup sliced leeks (white part only) or 1/2 onion, halved and thinly sliced

2/3 cup thinly sliced celery

1 Tablespoon broth (vegetable or chicken) or water

1 good bunch of Swiss Chard, coarsely chopped, including thinner stems

Freshly cracked black pepper and kosher salt to taste

Directions

Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok, preferably non-stick. Add the garlic, leeks or onion and celery. Sauté the vegetables, stirring them for about 3 minutes.

Add the broth or water and the Swiss Chard. Season with salt and pepper, stirring the ingredients to combine them. I find that using tongs works best here. Cover the pan and simmer/steam the mixture, stirring occasionally over low heat for about 5 minutes or until the chard is just wilted and tender.

Quinoa with Peas and Herbs

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Satisfying Side or Vegetarian Main course

I am not a huge fan of quinoa. There, I’ve said it. However, when I came across this recipe in 2011, it changed my mind. Don’t misunderstand, quinoa still is not my favorite grain. But when I prepare it this way, I happily gobble it down. I eat it with grilled meat or fish as a side or with a salad for a main course.

What is Quinoa?

Quinoa has become pretty ubiquitous and is often seen in Buddha Bowls and in veggie-centric meals. This “Ancient” grain originated in the Andes Mountains of Bolivia, Argentina and Peru. It is high in protein, dietary fiber, Vitamin B and dietary minerals. And because it is also gluten-free, it is well-tolerated by almost everyone. Quinoa comes in different color varieties, but white quinoa is best with this recipe.

Vegetarian or Vegan

While I use plain yogurt or sour cream, you can veganize by simply using a non-dairy sour cream. The peas, Dijon mustard, herbs and tartness of the lemon juice make this grain into a zippy and bright dish. In order to maximize on the bright colors of spring, the quinoa is best eaten fresh.

Recipe by Naomi Pomeroy

Yield: 4 servings as a side or 2 as a main course

Ingredients

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed 
1/2 teaspoon and pinch salt 
2/3 cup water 
1/4 cup and 1 tablespoon olive oil 
1/3 cup yellow onion, diced**
3/4 cup snap or snow peas, ends trimmed and halved crosswise on the bias**
3/4 cup shelled peas, fresh or frozen 
2 tablespoons sour cream 
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard 
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar 
1 tablespoon lemon juice 
1/2 teaspoon sugar 
1/3 cup fresh mint, torn**
1/4 cup parsley, chopped**

Directions

1. Place quinoa in a small saucepan with a pinch of salt. Cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, until tender, about 18 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff grains. Leave lid ajar, and let cool.

2. While quinoa cooks, set a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Swirl in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in snap peas and shelled peas. Sauté for 2 minutes, or until peas turn bright green. Remove from heat.

4. Mix sour cream, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, sugar and ½ teaspoon salt together. Whisk in ¼ cup olive oil.

5. Stir quinoa into the pea mixture and set pan back over medium heat. Cook until just warmed through and add dressing. Remove from heat.

6. Stir in mint and parsley. Adjust seasoning with lemon juice and salt, if needed.

NOTES: ** I have given the suggested amounts of onions, herbs and peas, but I generally am much more generous when I make this. I love fresh seasonings and lots of additional veggies. Remember balance when you are putting together a dish. You can always add more of something but once it is in there, it is difficult to impossible to remove.





Eggplant Pâté (Bharta)

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ 8 Comments

I have been making the Middle Eastern roasted eggplant pâté, both with and without tahini for years and I love it. However, I saw this recipe in an Indian cookbook and decided to try it for some variety. In Hindi bharta means a mishmash of sorts. This version uses ingredients from the peasant community in the northwest region of India. It is redolent with that smoky eggplant flavor and is wonderful as a side dish or spread on toasted baguette slices to go along with cocktails. Try it over smashed avocado for an even deeper dish. Eggplant Pate8While traditionally made with ghee (clarified butter) it can also be made with a neutral vegetable oil to keep it vegan. No matter how you try it, the result is wonderful and the recipe can easily be doubled or tripled if you are making it for a crowd. My husband LOVED this.

Eggplant Pâté (Bharta) from Indian Cooking Unfolded by Raghavan Iyer

Yield: About 2 cups

Ingredients

1.5 pound firm purple eggplant without blemishes

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1 rounded Tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger (I admit that I use the stuff from a jar)

1 fresh green chili, stems discarded, finely chopped (The recipe suggests using a Serrano chili, but that is a bit too hot for my taste so I used a jalapeno. Since it was quite large, I only ended up using half of the jalapeno.)

1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 Tablespoon ghee or Canola oil

1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds

Juice from 1/2 of a small lime

1 Tablespoon, chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

  1. If you are grilling the eggplant, place it on the grill grate, cover the grill and cook, turning it periodically to ensure even grilling. Cook until the skin is evenly charred, about 25 minutes. If you are broiling the eggplant (which I did since I don’t own a grill), position the broiler rack so the eggplant will be about 6 inches from the heat. Place the eggplant on heavy duty foil directly on top of the rack and broil it, turning it midway until the skin is evenly charred. This takes about 30 minutes.
  2. Place the grilled eggplant in a bowl large enough to easily hold it and cover the bowl with plastic wrap to sweat the eggplant. This will take about 15 minutes. Once the eggplant is cool enough to handle, peel the eggplant skin away over the bowl using a soup spoon, discarding the skin and stem. Retain any of the liquid that has pooled in the bowl. Eggplant Pate6
  3. Smush the eggplant with a potato masher or your hands. Add the onion, ginger, chili, salt and turmeric and stir to mix well.
  4. Heat the oil or ghee in a medium skillet over medium heat. Once the oil or ghee begins to shimmer, sprinkle in the cumin seeds. They will instantly sizzle and perfume the air. This only takes about 5-10 seconds. Add the eggplant mixture and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the skillet to make sure that nothing sticks. Cook for about 15 minutes until the flavors have mingled and are irresistible. Eggplant Pate2
  5. Stir in the lime juice and serve it warm with the chopped cilantro.

Lisa’s Au Gratin Potatoes

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Au Gratin Potatoes

Chicago has been experiencing bitter cold for the last couple of weeks. But that hasn’t stopped my husband and me from taking long walks. If you know how to dress properly, it can be rather invigorating and I’ll take it over the heavy snow that hit the East coast of the United States last week. The extreme cold, however, does make things very dry despite the use of humidifiers and lotions, so during this weather I allow my cooking to be a bit heavier on fats. This recipe (really more of a guideline than a hard and fast recipe) is pure comfort food. It’s fairly pliable, adapting well to personal tastes and ingredients on hand. Next time I might add some chopped chives and skip the prosciutto. Here is my version.

Lisa’s Au Gratin Potatoes

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

5-7 medium Yukon Gold potatoes

3-4 ounces prosciutto, cut into large dice and crisped in a frying pan (You can use bacon, if you prefer. This is what I had on hand and it’s also less fatty than bacon.)

8 ounces extra sharp cheddar, grated

1/4 cup grated Parmesan, Romano or Asiago cheese

About 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1.75 cups of skim milk (You can use whole if you prefer or part skim and part half & half)

2 large eggs

2-3 Tablespoons butter (I used garlic butter because I had Amish garlic butter that we received as a gift from Frances’ parents.)

2 Tablespoons Panko bread crumbs

Hungarian Paprika

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Generously butter an oval or rectangular pan with 2-inch sides. I like my heavy Le Creuset oval gratin pan, but a glass pan will work as well. The pan should be big enough to fit the all of the ingredients. If you are making this for a crowd, you will need a bigger pan.
  2. In a large pot, cover the potatoes with 2-3 inches of water. Bring it to a boil and simmer for 8 minutes. Remove the potatoes after 8 minutes and run under cold water to stop the cooking. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them about 1/4 inch thick. (I leave on the skins unless the skin starts to come off. In that case, just peel that extra skin away.) 
  3. Line the buttered pan with the potato slices, over-lapping them slightly. After you have one layer of potatoes, take half of the crisped prosciutto and scatter it across the top of the potatoes. Do the same with half of the cheese mixture. Repeat this entire process with one more layer.
  4. Mix the eggs with the milk and add salt, pepper and nutmeg. Whisk to mix well. Pour the mixture over the potatoes. Sprinkle the top with the Panko bread crumbs and the paprika. Dot the top with more butter. Au Gratin Potatoes3
  5. Place the pan, uncovered in the oven and bake for about an hour. This can be made ahead and loosely covered. When you are ready to serve, uncover the pan and place it in a 350 degree F oven for about 10-15 minutes. Ovens vary but you want the top looking browned and crispy and the potatoes to be tender. Au Gratin Potatoes2

 

 

 

Punjabi Chana Dal

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Punjabi chana1 (2)

According to Wikipedia: Cultural appropriation is a concept in sociology, dealing with the adoption of the elements of one culture by members of another culture.[1] Cultural appropriation, often framed as cultural misappropriation, is sometimes portrayed as harmful and is claimed to be a violation of the collective intellectual property rights of the originating culture. This is a hot-button issue these days, particularly on college campuses. While I generally try to stay away from terribly controversial topics in this blog, I want to say that especially where food is concerned, this is complete bollocks. If I were limited to cooking and eating foods which were theoretically only within my cultural competency, I would likely die of boredom or worse. So I say “guilty as charged” that when it comes to food – and jewelry – I practice cultural appropriation and am proud of it.

This dish is a wonderful example of a basically humble food (the chickpea) that is elevated to an incredibly flavorful and satisfying dish. It is eaten as a snack by itself or with Basmati rice as part of a meal. If you are vegetarian, just add a vegetable dish and if you are an omnivore, it is wonderful with grilled meats or chicken. It can be garnished with a dollop of yogurt or eaten as is. This dish is not vegan because traditionally it is made with ghee (clarified butter), which is how I make it, however, if you wished to keep it vegan, using a neutral-flavored vegetable oil should work. It can be made ahead and gently reheated when you are ready to serve it.

Punjabi Chana Dal from the Flavors of India by Shanta Nimbark Sacharoff and tweaked by me   

Yield: 6 servings, although if I’m eating it the recipe only serves 3!

Ingredients

1 cup whole dried chana (chickpeas or garbanzo beans) The chana is a little smaller and softer than the garbanzo, but either would work.

1.5 teaspoons Kosher salt

2 Tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)

1/2 cup peeled onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger (I use the stuff in a jar)

1/4 teaspoon each: garam masala, ground turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste (optional)

Juice of one lemon or more, to taste

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional garnish)

Directions

  1. Soak the chana overnight in 3 cups of water.
  2. When the chana has finished soaking, drain and rinse them. Place 4 cups of water in a 4 quart pot and bring to a boil, adding 1 teaspoon of the salt. When the water has come to a full boil, add the drained chana. Allow the water to return to the boil. Then lower the heat to a simmer, cover the pot and cook the chana for 45 minutes.
  3. Drain the chana into a colander over a bowl. You will be using some of the reserved liquid later.
  4. Place the ghee in a large frying pan with a lid over low heat. Add the onions, garlic and ginger and stir until the onions just begin to brown. Then add your spices and the additional 1/2 teaspoon of salt and stir through for about 1 minute. Now add the well-drained chana and mix through the spices and onion mixture. Saute for 7 minutes. The smell will drive you crazy – it is sooooooooooooo good.
  5. Now add 1.5 cups of the reserved chana cooking liquid. Stir through. Raise the temperature to high to bring the mixture to a full boil. Cook uncovered for 2 minutes.  Punjabi chana4 
  6. Now cover the pan, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes. Most of the cooking liquid should have been absorbed and the chana are tender but not mushy. [I have never had to add more liquid or cook the chana for longer, but depending on the chickpeas that you used it could take a bit longer to cook. If necessary, add a few more tablespoons of the reserved liquid and cook for another 10 minutes to get the chana to the right consistency.]  Punjabi chana8
  7. Add the fresh lemon juice and enjoy.Punjabi chana5

Holiday Coleslaw

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IMG_4211 (2)

I could make the same thing every Thanksgiving and no one in my family would complain. But I would be unhappy and bored. So each year I try to keep all of the favorites but I then add some new element. Occasionally, like this year, one of the new things fails and ends up in the garbage before it ever makes it to my holiday table. However, I also had three successes and they are foods that would be delicious anytime. This is the first of those items and with the availability of pre-shredded slaw, it is a snap to put together. I used a colorful mix of kale, Brussel sprouts, carrots and cabbage which held up beautifully so that even with some left-overs, I could enjoy it a day later. While it added that satisfying crunch and lightness to my holiday meal, this slaw would be equally good with burgers (veggie or otherwise) or grilled meat, chicken or fish.

Holiday Slaw from kitchn and tweaked by me

Yield: 10-12 servings

Ingredients

For dressing

1/3 cup EVOO

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 Tablespoons maple syrup

4 teaspoons Dijon mustard (I used a wonderful walnut Dijon mustard)

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 of a medium red onion, finely chopped

Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

For the salad

Two 14 ounce bags of mixed slaw or about 2.5 pounds of green cabbage, shredded (about 10 cups)

3/4 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted

3/4 cup dried cranberries

One bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Directions

  1. Whisk all of the dressing ingredients together. I made this the night before and refrigerated it. Make it at least 30 minutes before to allow the flavors to meld properly.
  2. Put all of the salad ingredients together in a large bowl. Toss with the dressing. This can be tossed at least two hours ahead and should be tossed at least 30 minutes before serving for optimal taste.