Category: Indian

Red Kidney Bean Curry (Rajma)

1/3/2020

Happy New Year!

Have you heard of Veganuary? No? It's a 30-day challenge of eating plant-based foods. Won't be doing it straight for a month, but two-three times per week is great. [Ed. note: Through the NFL playoffs? Are you insane, woman?]

This red kidney bean curry (a.k.a. Rajma) is like a vegetarian chili, but with Indian spices. Adapted from Smitten Kitchen, this super-easy-to-make (20 minutes, start to finish), freezer-friendly and budget-conscious dish is fantastic served with rice, quinoa or naan bread. Great veggie sides include roasted yams, roasted cauliflower or sauteed greens like spinach, kale, or chard (if you're trying to be low carb).

Full disclosure, I was a little hesitant to offer this to the BF. Not because he doesn't like vegan meals, but because he's not a huge chili fan; he likes, but doesn't love beans. So I can't tell you how surprised I was that he loved this. I mean, really, really, truly inhale-a-bowl-and-ask-for-more loved this. [Ed. note: You tricked me! Curses!] #Winning

NOTES:

Several ingredient quantities were changed, as was a bit of the method. Very adaptable recipe. You can adjust to your preferences.
If you want less heat, leave out the serrano or jalapeno and cut back on the cayenne. You can always have minced chili that you can sprinkle on your own curry bowl.

Adapted from: Smitten Kitchen
Number of servings: 6

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger (if you're adverse to ginger, use 2 tablespoons)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 plum tomato, de-seeded and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large serrano or jalapeno chili, minced (optional, if you can't take the heat)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds (if you don't have cumin seeds on hand--leave out)
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon cayenne (less if you want less heat)
8 ounce can or 1 cup of tomato sauce
3 cups cooked red kidney beans or 2 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed
2 cups vegetable broth (original recipe calls for water, I like broth, either works)
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro (or parsley, if you prefer)

Suggested Sides and Toppings

Rice, quinoa, naan bread
Roasted cauliflower or roasted yams
Sauteed greens (spinach, chard, kale)
Yogurt

Directions

Heat oil in a deep sauce pan over medium heat for one minute. Add ginger, garlic, onion, green chile, and let sizzle for one minute. Add dry spices and cook over medium low heat for five minutes, or until onion is softened.
Add the tomato sauce and cook for an additional five minutes, stirring frequently.
Add red kidney beans, 2 cups vegetable broth or water, and diced tomato. Bring it to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and let cook uncovered for 10 minutes.
Remove from heat. Garnish with cilantro.
Serve over rice or with naan. A dollop of plain yogurt (if not keeping the dish vegan) on top is heavenly.

Should Old Acquaintance be forgot, ang nefer took da treat...

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Grilled Naan with Mango Chutney Pork, Chili & Yogurt

9/25/2018

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"Autumn has caught us in our summer wear."
–Philip Larkin, British poet (1922–86)

Sans takeout, there is not an easier meal than this. Took some inspiration from a recipe in the now defunct Donna Hay Magazine (sniff). Please note, you can sub ground beef or turkey if you don't eat pork. If you don't want the carbs, throw this over shredded cabbage.

In other news, the BF alerted me The Old Farmer's Almanac states Saturday, September 22 was the first day of fall, or the autumnal equinox, also called September equinox. Mornings and evenings have definitely been crisper, but the days are still pretty darn warm, unlike our dear friend in Washington State who is already harvesting apples and pears from her orchard. Alas, I'm counting down the days until sweater weather.

Until then, our Marlowe wishes everyone a Happy Fall, y'all.

PS: One year ago, the BF delved into his past life as a music journalist, and somehow we worked Alien Ant Farm into a recipe for Peanut Butter Scotcheroos...
www.moveablefeast.me/blog/peanut-butter-scotcheroos-20

Adapted from : Donna Hay, Issue 97, Feb/Mar 2018
Number of servings: 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 pound ground pork
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
¼ teaspoon sweet curry powder (optional)
2-4 tablespoons Mango Chutney (I used 2 tablespoons, adjust to your taste)
1 tablespoon lime juice
Crushed red pepper, to taste (optional, although I recommend as a contrast to sweet chutney)
½ cup Greek-style yogurt
4 store-bought naan, grilled
1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, thinly sliced
Mint and/or microgreens, to serve
Pickled onions (completely optional, but I love it here)

Directions

Heat oil in a large non-stick sauté pan over high heat.
Add pork, garlic, ginger and curry (if using) and cook for 4-5 minutes, breaking up any large lumps with the back of a spatula or wooden spoon.
Add mango chutney, lime juice and crushed red pepper (if using), cook for 1 minute. Set aside.
Grill naan. Spread yogurt over naan.
Top with ground pork, jalapeno/serrano, mint and microgreens.

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Warm Indian Spiced Avocado Dip

1/27/2018

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It was about seven years ago that I started to like avocados. I know. I was in the minority. Wouldn't touch guacamole. Didn't understand the draw of "nature's butter" on sandwiches. It truly puzzled me. The BF can take it or leave it.

Now I love them and can't get enough. Will plan entire meals around a ripe avocado I have hanging out in the kitchen. When my sister visits, avocado toast for breakfast. Every. Single. Day.

Guacamole? [Ed. note: The late George Carlin used to say, "That sounds like something you yell when you're on fire."] All the time. And god help me if I don't have spare avocados to top tacos.

Years ago I fell in love with this warm Indian spiced avocado dip from Heidi Swanson's cookbook Super Natural Every Day. She is also known for her blog 101 Cookbooks.

Serve this dip at room temperature, or warm with sesame rice crackers, fresh veggies, toasted naan, pita or tortilla chips. My current favorite scooper is parsnip chips from Trader Joe's.

Adapted from: Super Natural Every Day
Number of servings: 2 cups

Ingredients

2 ripe avocados
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon clarified butter or extra virign coconut oil
1 teaspoon black or brown mustard seeds
1 small yellow onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon Indian curry powder
1-2 serrano chiles, minced (depending on desired spice level)
Black sesame seeds (optional)

Directions

Cut each avocado in half, remove the pits and scoop the flesh into a small bowl. Add lemon juice, salt, and most of the cilantro.
Mash avocados a bit with a fork, but don't overdo it (you want the mixture to be quite chunky). Set aside.
Heat clarified butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add mustard seeds. Keep a lid on hand because the seeds will scatter as they pop. When the spattering stops (after about one minute), stir in the onion and saute for 2-3 minutes, until translucent.
Stir in garlic, curry powder, and chile. Count to ten, and then remove from heat. Stir in avocado mixture, but just barely, and transfer to a serving bowl.
Sprinkle with black sesame seeds. Serve warm or at room temperature.

4 Comments

Baked Yams, Crispy Tandoori Chickpeas & Tahini Lime Drizzle

11/1/2017

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I'm writing this post on Halloween morning and it's the first cool day of fall (always pleased when it's sweater weather). Know you're seeing this the day after, and hope you had a fun evening with the trick or treaters.

Roasted yam wedges are common fare in our house, usually lightly slicked with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkled with salt, Aleppo pepper and coriander powder, and roasted until crispy like fries. Makes for a terrific side dish. Even "Supergirl" Marlowe (see pictures below) loves them.

However, this satisfying entree fits the bill for a meatless meal while having enough flavor, heft and protein to satisfy our carnivore tastes. It's also perfect for the cooler weather we have coming.

Servings: 2-3

Ingredients

2 large red-skinned orange-flesh Garnet yams

Crispy Tandoori Chickpeas

1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas
1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon curry
¾ teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
¾ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon turmeric
Pinch or more cayenne pepper
Kosher salt

Tahini Lime Sauce

½ cup Tahini
¼ cup warm water, or more if needed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 limes, juiced
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
Salt & pepper

Toppings

2-3 scallions, green and white parts, minced
2 tablespoons cilantro
Toasted sesame seeds and black sesame seeds

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 °F. Scrub yams and dry. Poke a few holes in yam with a fork. Place yams on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for approximately 40-60 minutes. Yams are done when knife penetrates easily. Keep warm and set aside. Keep oven on.
Rinse and drain chickpeas, then dry by rolling them around in a kitchen towel (very important that chickpeas are dry or they won't get crunchy). Combine the oil, curry, smoked paprika, cumin, turmeric, cayenne and salt in a large bowl. Add chickpeas and toss to coat evenly. Transfer chickpeas to a foil-lined baking sheet and spread out in a single layer. Bake until crispy, 25-35 minutes. For super crunchy chickpeas bake for 40 minutes. Shake tray every 10 minutes.
While chickpeas are baking, make the tahini sauce. Whisk tahini, ¼ cup warm water (or more if needed to make a drizzle sauce), 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, lime juice, grated garlic, and salt and pepper (to taste) until well combined.
Cut yams in half. Spoon tandoori chickpeas over yam. Sprinkle with scallions, cilantro and sesame seeds. Drizzle with tahini sauce.

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Vegan Garam Masala Carrot Soup

10/4/2017

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The countdown begins: twenty-seven days until Halloween. The pumpkins have found a rightful place in the house. Pumpkin lights are up and dare I say cinnamon-apple-cider candles are lit and wafting their collective fragrance throughout the house. The boyfriend is asking for caramel apple cheesecake—which is a sure sign that autumn is here (at least inside our house). He does not get as excited as I do for fall to arrive [Ed. Note: Perhaps it's the annual fall reminder of how aged I have become, but I digress], but does enjoy the autumnal foods and cute costumed kids ringing our doorbell on the 31st.

Although this post is not a pumpkin recipe [Ed. Note: Spoiler alert--next week], it's the perfect transitional dish through the end of our regular bay-area Indian summers, when the Oregonian in me is chomping at the bit for crisper "soup, sweater, boot" weather.

In the meantime, enjoy this healthy, flavorful soup.

Adapted from: A Beautiful Plate
Number of servings: 3-4 (makes 4 cups)

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds medium carrots, trimmed, peeled, sliced lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium yellow onions, chopped into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons (liquid state) coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons ground garam masala
small pinch of ground cayenne pepper
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1 can (13 or 14 ounces) full-fat coconut milk (or light)
juice of half a lime
freshly ground pepper
microgreens, for garnishing (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 °F with rack in the center position. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Place carrots and onions on sheet pan, drizzle with coconut oil (or extra virgin olive oil), ground garam masala, cayenne pepper, and salt. Toss vegetables with your hands to evenly coat. Spread into an even, thin layer.
Roast carrots and onions until lightly caramelized and very fork tender, tossing them halfway through, about 25 to 35 minutes.
Place the coconut milk (reserve about 1 to 2 tablespoons for drizzling and garnishing the soup) and 1 ¼ cups boiling hot water in a high capacity blender. If using a smaller blender, you may need to do this step in batches. Using the foil, transfer the roasted carrots and onions to the blender. Add lime juice. Puree until very smooth and creamy. If soup is too thick, add a few tablespoons of hot water at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Season the soup to taste with salt, pepper, and additional lime juice (if desired).
Serve soup hot from the blender, garnishing with a drizzle of coconut milk, olive oil, and fresh microgreens as desired.
NOTE: in the past, I used a hand-immersion blender for convenience, but I urge you to use a blender as the soup has a more velvety texture to it.