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Zereshk palaw ba gusht

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 19:46:00 +0000

Rice and Lamb with Chickpeas and Barberries

¾ cup dried chickpeas, soaked

Lamb Braise
2 Tbsp. oil
1-pound boneless leg of lamb, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
2 ½ tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
½ tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cardamom
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
¼ tsp. ground saffron threads dissolved in 1 Tbsp. orange-blossom water (optional)
Zest of 2 oranges
1 ½ cups water

Rice
Water
2 Tbsp. salt
2 cups basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes, drained
½ cup oil or butter

Barberries, Raisins, and Almonds
Water
Oil
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1 ½ cups dried barberries or cranberries, picked over, soaked in cold water for 15 minutes, drained, and rinsed thoroughly
1 cup raisins
¼ cup sliced almonds

Garnish
¼ cup sliced pistachios
¼ cup dried rose petals

1. For the lamb braise: Heat the oil in a medium-size cast-iron pot over medium-high heat. Add the lamb, onion, and garlic and sauté for 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown and all the juices have been
absorbed. Add the chickpeas, salt, pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, tomato paste, saffron-orange-blossom water, and orange zest and sauté for 2 minutes. Add 1.5 cups water and give the pot a stir. Boil, simmer, cover, cook 1.5 hrs until tender.

2. Rice: In a large nonstick pot, bring 6 cups water and salt to a boil. Add the rice and boil for 6 to 8 minutes, until all the rice rises to the surface. Drain and rinse with 2 cups tap water. In the same pot,
pour ¼ cup oil (or butter) and ¼ cup water and return the rice to the pot. Pour another ¼ cup oil (or butter) and ¼ cup water over the rice. Wrap the lid with a dish towel and cover tightly. Cook for 45 minutes over medium-low heat.

make rice and add 2 tbsp butter

3. For the barberries: Heat ¼ cup water and 1 Tbsp. oil over medium heat and sauté the barberries for 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
4. For the raisins: Heat ¼ cup water, 1 Tbsp. oil, and 1 Tbsp. lime juice over medium heat, sautéing the raisins for 1 minute. Transfer to another bowl and set aside.
5. For the almonds: Wipe out the skillet and heat 1 tsp. oil in it, sautéing the almonds for 1 minute, until lightly golden. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

6. To serve: On a large serving platter, gently place alternating layers of rice, lamb, and chickpea braise to form a pyramid. Garnish with barberries, raisins, almonds, pistachios, and rose petals

Source: "Dining with the Sultan: The Fine Art of Feasting" by Najmieh Batmanglij from LACMA

Sarma

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 19:14:00 +0000

Sarma (stuffed cabbage)

60 oz jar of sour cabbage leaves (like sauerkraut but all big leaves, not chopped)

1 lb ground beef or fake beef

2 cups cooked rice

3 onions, chopped

1 14oz can crushed tomatoes

1/2 head garlic, minced

1/2 package bacon or tempeh fake bacon, cut into small pieces

1/4 bunch parsley

salt, pepper

coriander

smoked paprika

Fry onions and bacon. Add garlic and beef, mix until browned. Add tomatoes, parsley, rice, salt, pepper, coriander. Roll this mixture in each cabbage leaf, put in a big baking pan. Heat a little paprika in oil and drizzle it across the top. Add about 2 cups of water to the pan. Bake at 425, covered with foil, for 45 minutes, then remove foil and cook for 10 more.

Source: Gordana Vlahovic

Meatballs

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 16:42:00 +0000

These are totally fine meatballs. Nothing fancy, but if you have some meat and want to make meatballs, they work.

1 lb ground meat (ideally beef, veal, and pork, but whatever; impossible/beyond meat works fine too)
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
1 eggs
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoons chopped parsley
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 cups bread crumbs from stale Italian bread
3/4 cups lukewarm water

Mix everything but the bread crumbs and water. Then add bread crumbs, then water a bit at a time until the whole mixture holds together. Form into meatballs, fry until browned or roast in the oven (not sure how long).

Source: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/40399/the-best-meatballs/

Mapo Tofu

Mon, 13 Jun 2022 04:46:00 +0000

2-4oz ground beef (or pork, or mushrooms)

1lb soft or medium tofu, in 3/4 inch cubes

2-3 tbsp doubanjiang (fermented chile bean sauce, toban djan)

1 tbsp douchi (fermented black beans)

2 tsp ground red pepper (this is pretty spicy; less if you don't want it too spicy)

1 tbsp chopped ginger

1 tbsp chopped garlic (optional)

1 tsp soy sauce

1/2-1 cup stock or water (can be the steeping water from the tofu)

4-5 green onions, cut at an angle

2 tsp cornstarch + a little cold water

1 tsp ground Sichuan pepper

Steep tofu in hot water for 15 min, then drain. (optional)

Cook meat until browned, then add doubanjiang, douchi, red pepper, ginger, garlic, cook about 2 minutes. Add soy sauce, then tofu, and water/stock, cook about 3 minutes. Add green onions, then cornstarch slurry, then Sichuan pepper.

You could add a little sugar along with the soy sauce, or a little sesame oil at the end, but this seems rare.

Source: Every Grain of Rice by Fuchsia Dunlop, The Mala Project by Taylor Holliday https://blog.themalamarket.com/chengdu-challenge-10-mapo-doufu/, Let's Cook Japanese Food by Amy Kaneko (I know), Andrea Nguyen at NY Times cooking https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021459-mapo-tofu, and my friend Meagan

Saag Paneer

Fri, 15 Apr 2022 03:13:00 +0000

2 tbsp oil

1 red onion, thinly sliced

6 cloves garlic, chopped

4 slices ginger (2in x1in, chopped)

2 tsp untoasted garam masala

1/2 tsp turmeric

2 tbsp tomato paste

8oz spinach leaves

8oz mustard greens or kale

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 lb paneer, in 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 tsp garam masala

Fry paneer in oil, set aside.

Heat oil, add onion, garlic, ginger, stir-fry 8-10 min. Remove from heat, add garam masala and turmeric. Add tomato paste and 1/4 cup water, blend, return to skillet. Add greens, cover, steam, cook 10-15 min. Blend again (optional). Add salt, paneer, cream, garam masala, simmer 5-8 minutes.

Source: 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Kheema Mutter

Fri, 15 Apr 2022 03:10:00 +0000

2 tbsp oil

2 tsp cumin seeds

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

2 tbsp chopped fresh ginger

3-5 chilies, chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 cinnamon sticks

2 bay leaves

1 lb ground beef

2 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 cup frozen peas

2 tbsp cilantro leaves

Heat oil, sizzle cumin seeds 5-10 sec, add onion, 5-10 minutes. Add ginger, chilies, garlic, cinnamon, bay leaves, 5 minutes or until caramel-brown. Add ground beef, brown 8-10 min. Add coriander, cumin, salt, turmeric, simmer medium low 10-12 min. Add 1 cup water, peas, and cilantro, simmer 5-8 minutes.

Source: 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Fresh matar paneer

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 02:30:00 +0000

1 1/4 lb paneer, in 1/2 inch cubes

6 cloves garlic, crushed

1 lb plum tomatoes, chopped

1 1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground red pepper

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

1 lb green beans, snow pea pods, or a mix

1 1/2 c peas

Fry the paneer, remove to another plate.

Fry garlic for a couple minutes, then tomatoes for about 6 minutes, then all the spices, remove from heat.

Boil beans and peas for a couple minutes until just barely done. Drain and dry.

Mix everything.

Source: Fresh India by Meera Sodha

Chengdu Zajiang Mian

Sun, 18 Mar 2018 19:53:00 +0000

Pork topping for 4-6 servings (scale as you want):
1 lb ground pork
3 tbsp sambal oelek or 3 pickled medium-hot red chilies
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 1/2 cups water
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp tian mian jiang/sweet wheat sauce

Sauce per serving:
1 tsp melted lard (optional)
2 tbsp chili oil with flakes
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp chicken broth
1 tsp zhenjiang black vinegar
1 tsp runny Chinese sesame paste
1/4 tsp or more roasted ground Sichuan pepper
2 tsp thinly sliced green onions

4 oz dried noodles per serving
bok choy and/or fried egg (optional)

1. Make pork topping: Saute pork until beginning to brown and juices are mostly cooked off. Add pickled chilies and garlic, cook, mix with pork. Add water, soy sauces, wheat sauce, simmer about 15 min. Add more water if necessary - you want it to be kinda wet. (It'll probably be wet anyway.)

2. Mix the sauce.

3. Cook noodles, adding bok choy towards the end to cook it too.

4. Each bowl: noodles, sauce, pork topping, bok choy, egg.

Source: Taylor Holliday, The Mala Project, https://blog.themalamarket.com/chengdu-zajiang-noodles-zajiang-mian/

Gong bao ji ding

Sun, 27 Aug 2017 00:30:00 +0000

Kung pao chicken

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, or about 2/3 lb, cut into about 1/2 inch cubes
3 cloves garlic, sliced
about the same amount of ginger, also sliced
5 scallions, white parts only, chopped
peanut oil
at least 10 dried chilies, cut in half and seeds discarded
1 tsp whole Sichuan pepper
2/3 cup roasted unsalted peanuts

Marinade:
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp Shaoxing rice wine or medium-dry sherry
1 1/2 tsp potato flour or 2 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp water

Sauce:
3 tsp sugar
1 tsp potato flour or cornstarch
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp light soy sauce
3 tsp Chinkiang vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp chicken stock or water

Marinate the chicken. Make the sauce.
Heat oil in the wok. Add chilies and Sichuan pepper, stir fry until crisp, spicy, fragrant - careful not to burn.
Add chicken and fry on high, stirring constantly. As soon as it's separated, add the ginger, garlic, scallions, and for a few minutes.
Add the sauce, then the peanuts, then serve.

Source: Land of Plenty by Fuchsia Dunlop

Fu qi fei pian

Sat, 26 Aug 2017 22:56:00 +0000

"Man and wife lung slices"

1lb lean beef, like flank steak (or a mix with innards like ox heart, tongue, and stomach)

To cook the beef:
2 inch piece of fresh ginger, unpeeled, slightly crushed
1 tbsp peanut oil
2 tbsp rock sugar, crushed
1 quart stock
1 1/2 tbsp salt
2 scallions, white and green, cut into thirds
1 tsp whole Sichuan pepper
1/2 a cinnamon stick
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 star anise
4 cloves (you can make a little bag of all these spices)

To serve:
3-4 celery stalks
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1-2 tbsp chili oil with chile flake
1/2 tsp ground Sichuan pepper
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
2 tbsp roasted unsalted peanuts, crushed
cilantro to garnish
Boil water, blanch beef for 10-20 seconds, throw away water and rinse beef.

Heat peanut oil with half the rock sugar, boil until it's a rich caramel brown. Throw in a little cup of cold water (look out for steam!) and stir to incorporate. Add the rest of the "to cook beef" ingredients. Boil, then add the beef, simmer gently for about an hour and a half until tender. Remove beef and cool. Save cooking liquid.

Slice the celery thin. Thinly slice the cold beef too, lay it on top of the celery. Combine 4 tbsp cooking liquid with the soy sauce, pour over meat. Drizzle with chili oil, Sichuan pepper, sesame seeds, peanuts, cilantro.

Source: Land of Plenty by Fuchsia Dunlop

Chen Dailu's Spicy Sesame Noodles

Sat, 26 Aug 2017 22:49:00 +0000

Sauce:

2 tsp sesame paste

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1/2 tsp dark soy sauce

1/2 tsp Chinkiang vinegar

1 tsp chopped garlic

pinch of sichuan pepper

1 1/2 tbsp chili oil with sediment

1/2 lb Chinese wheat or buckwheat noodles (can use udon or soba too)

handful of pea shoots, bok choy, or choy sum leaves

1 tbsp finely chopped spring onion greens

Combine the sauce in a bowl. Cook noodles, toss greens in for the last minute to blanch. Drain noodles and greens, add to bowl, scatter with spring onions, mix and serve.

Source: Every Grain of Rice by Fuchsia Dunlop

Hui Guo Rou

Sat, 26 Aug 2017 22:46:00 +0000

Twice-cooked pork

1/2 lb boneless pork belly, with skin
6 baby leeks, or Chinese leaf garlic, trimmed, sliced diagonally
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp douban jiang (Sichuan chili bean paste)
1 tsp sweet fermented sauce
2 tsp fermented black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
a few slices of fresh red chili or bell pepper for color (Dan's note: you can put in a whole bunch of red bell pepper, it's good too)

Boil/simmer pork until just cooked through, about 20 min. Fridge for several hours to cool. Slice it thin (each slice having a little skin on it).

Saute pork slices until slightly curved and some fat has melted out. Add douban jiang, then sweet fermented sauce and black beans, then add soy sauce, sugar, and salt to taste. Add leeks and pepper and stir fry until just cooked and serve.

Source: Every Grain of Rice by Fuchsia Dunlop

Vegetarian chili from J Kenji Lopez-Alt

Thu, 02 Mar 2017 01:52:00 +0000

3 whole sweet dried chilies like Costeño, New Mexico, or Choricero, stems and seeds removed
2 small hot dried chilies like Arbol or Cascabel, stems and seeds removed (optional)
3 whole rich fruity dried chilies like Ancho, Mulatto, Negro, or Pasilla, stems and seeds removed
1 quart water
2 whole chipotle chilies in adobo sauce with 2 tablespoons sauce from can
2 (14-ounce) cans chickpeas
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes packed in juice, mashed up with your hands. Or diced tomatoes.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane grater
1 1/2 tablespoons cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon marmite or vegemite
2 (14-ounce) cans dark red kidney beans, drained, liquid reserved separately
2 tablespoons vodka or bourbon
Kosher salt
2 to 3 tablespoons masa

1. Toast the dried chiles in a big pot, until slightly darkened, 2-5 minutes but not smoking. Add the chipotles and 1 qt water, blend until smooth.
2. Drain chickpeas (save water), pulse in a blender a little bit.
3. Add tomatoes to chickpea water.
4. Saute onions until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, oregano, cook 30 seconds. Add pureed chilies, soy sauce, marmite, cook 30 seconds. Add chickpea water and tomatoes, chickpeas and kidney beans, stir.
5. Simmer 1 1/2 hours. Add kidney bean liquid as necessary to keep it from drying out.
6. Add vodka or bourbon, salt to taste, and whisk in the masa in a steady stream. Cool, serve with cilantro, onions, scallions, avocados, lime, tortillas, whatever.

Source: http://www.seriouseats.com/2012/01/best-vegetarian-bean-chili.html (there is plenty more info there.)

Yu xiang rou si

Sun, 15 Jan 2017 19:51:00 +0000

Fish-fragrant pork slivers

A small handful of dried cloud ear mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 30 min
10oz boneless pork loin (~2 chops) with a little fat, cut into 1/8 inch slivers
2/3 cup bamboo shoots or 2 celery stalks
salt
peanut oil
2 tbsp pickled chili paste
1 1/2 tsp finely chopped garlic
2 tsp finely chopped ginger
2 scallions, green parts, very thinly sliced

Marinade:
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp potato flour or 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water
1 tsp Shaoxing rice wine

Sauce:
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp Chinkiang or black Chinese vinegar
3/4 tsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp potato flour or 1 1/8 tsp cornstarch + 3 tbsp stock or water

Mix marinade, add pork.
Blanch bamboo shoots in boiling water for a minute, rinse in cold water, then cut in fine strips to match pork. Or cut celery into thin strips, salt, wait 15 minutes.
Mix the sauce.
Heat oil, stir-fry pork. As soon as the strips separate, push them to one side, and put the chili paste into the wok. Stir fry briefly, then add garlic and ginger. Stir fry 30 seconds, until aromatic, then add bamboo and mushrooms and stir fry briefly until just hot.
Add the sauce. Add the scallions, serve.

Source: Land of Plenty by Fuchsia Dunlop

Pumpkin Kootu

Fri, 15 Apr 2016 04:28:00 +0000

1/4 cup kala vatana (dried black peas)
salt to taste
2 1/2 cups chopped red pumpkin
1 tbsp coconut oil (or any other refined oil)
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp urad dal (split black lentils)
5 curry leaves

To Be Ground Into A Smooth Paste:
3/4 cup freshly grated coconut
8 whole dry kashmiri red chillies, broken into pieces
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 cup water

Soak the kala vatana overnight. Drain well. Cook them: if you have a pressure cooker, combine the drained kala vatana and 1 cup of water in a pressure cooker and pressure cook for 4 whistles. Otherwise just cook them for a while.

Grind the paste ingredients together, set aside.

Add the pumpkin, 1 cup of water and salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 8 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
Add the prepared paste, mix gently and cook on a medium flame for 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally. Keep aside.

For the tempering, heat the oil in small pan and add the mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds
Pour this tempering over the curry and mix well.

Source: http://m.tarladalal.com/Pumpkin-Kootu-Curry--Pumpkin-and-Kala-Vatana-Subzi-32830r

Chettinad Curry

Fri, 15 Apr 2016 04:25:00 +0000

Chettinad Masala:
1/2 cup freshly grated coconut
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 whole dry red chillies, broken into pieces
3 cardamoms
1 tsp fennel seeds
3 cloves
1" cinnamon
1 tbsp oil

2 tbsp poppy seeds
2 tbsp broken cashewnuts
1" piece ginger
6 garlic clove
3 tbsp oil
1/2 cup chopped onions
3 tomatoes, blanched and grated
salt to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
4 to 5 curry leaves
3 cups boiled mixed vegetables (cauliflower, peas, french beans)
1/2 cup coconut
Method

Heat the oil in a pan and fry the chettttinad masala ingredients till you get a roasted aroma. Keep aside.

Soak the poppy seeds and cashew nuts in hot water for 5 minutes.
Drain, add the ginger and garlic and grind with the roasted chettinad masala and ¼ cup water to make a fine paste. Keep aside.
Heat the oil in a kadhai, add the onions and saute till the onions turn translucent.
Add the tomatoes, salt, turmeric powder and chilli powder and cook till the tomatoes are well blended with the masala and the oil separates from the sides.
Add the ground paste and curry leaves and saute for 2 minutes.
Add 1 cup of water and vegetables,cover and cook till the gravy thickens.
Add the coconut milk, mix well and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve hot.

Source: http://m.tarladalal.com/Chettinad-Curry-(-South-Indian-Recipes-)-32925r

Mutter Paneer

Thu, 30 Jul 2015 05:54:00 +0000

or Matar Paneer

1 small red onion
3 slices ginger
3 cloves garlic
1-2 fresh chilies
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 bay leaf
1 cup tomato sauce
2 tsp untoasted garam masala
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
1/4 cup heavy cream
8oz paneer
cilantro

Blend or process onion, ginger, garlic, chilies.
Heat oil, add cumin and bay leaf, cook 5-10 seconds. Add the onion blend and stir-fry until light reddish brown, 5-7 minutes.
Add tomato sauce, garam masala, salt. Lower heat, simmer 5-10 minutes.
Add 1/4 cup water and the peas. Simmer until they're olive green, 8-10 minutes.
Add cream, paneer, cilantro. Simmer until warmed, 5-10 minutes.

Source: 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Fish Tikka

Sun, 11 Jan 2015 01:12:00 +0000

1 lb boneless white fish pieces (Trevally/Jack/Parai meen/Pomfret (Sauvik's favorite)/whatever)
Oil for pan frying

Marinade:
Curd / Thick Yogurt - 1 cup
Chilli powder - 1 tsp or to taste
Garam Masala powder - 1 tsp
Pepper Powder - 1 tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Lemon Juice - 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves - 3 tbsp finely chopped
Mint leaves - 3 tbsp finely chopped
Corn Starch - 3 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp

Mix the marinade ingredients, add fish, marinate at least 30 minutes.

Put the fish pieces on skewers, pan fry, rotating until cooked, about 15 minutes. Or oven cook at 450F in a foil lined baking tray for 10-15 minutes, flipping skewers halfway through. Skewering isn't really even necessary.

Remove from the heat and serve hot with some lemon wedges.

Source: http://www.yummytummyaarthi.com/2012/11/fish-tikka-made-on-stove-top-tikka-made.html

Gosht Do-piaza

Sat, 26 Jan 2013 20:48:00 +0000

"Meat with twice as many onions"

1/2 c. light vegetable oil
2 tbsp garlic
3 tbsp ground, grated, or crushed ginger
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp red pepper
2 lb lamb, in 1-inch cubes
2 1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 large onions (about 2 lb), peeled, sliced into 1/4 inch

Heat oil in a big heavy-bottomed pan, add garlic and ginger. Fry over medium until light golden. Add turmeric and pepper, fry 10 seconds.
Add meat and mix. Reduce heat to low, cover tightly, let meat cook in its juices for 15 minutes or until the moisture is absorbed (leaving oil behind); it'll look dry. Stir often so it doesn't burn.
Add salt and 2 cups boiling water. Stir well and simmer, covered, until very tender and liquid turns into a thick sauce. About 1 hr or 1:15. (can set aside or freeze at this point.)
Add onions, mix. Put heat to high for 15 seconds, then turn off heat. Let steam, undisturbed, don't uncover, for 5 minutes. Check for salt and serve with bread.

Source: Classic Indian Cooking by Julie Sahni, pg. 166-168

Malai Kofta

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 16:46:00 +0000

Malai ~ "cream", Kofta ~ "dumpling". This same sauce can be used to make a lot of dishes- just add to chicken or boiled vegetables. Or paneer: with a little cream and butter, you get Shahi Paneer. Or use it for Malai Kofta.

For sauce:

250g onions

1.5 tsp ginger garlic paste

200g tomatoes, pureed

1/4 tsp red chili powder

1 1/2 tsp meat masala

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp cinnamon mix (50g cinnamon sticks, 1/4 piece nutmeg, 20g green cardamom, crushed together)

1 1/2 tsp sugar (only for Malai Kofta)

2 serving spoons pumpkin seeds

2 serving spoons poppy seeds

handful of cashews

5 serving spoons oil

1/2 glass milk

For kofta:

4 medium skinned boiled mashed potatoes

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp corn starch

250g paneer

4 tsp coconut powder/dried coconut

1/4 tsp cinnamon mix

1 1/2 tsp sugar

handful raisins/cashews

1 spoon fresh cream

- Make onion paste: chop onions, cook in oil 8-10 minutes until brown. Add 1 cup water, simmer 10 minutes. Cool and blend.

- Make white paste: mix the seeds and cashews, add 1 cup water, soak 1/2 hour, puree.

- Make the sauce:

1. Heat oil. Add onion paste. Cook 2 minutes.

2. Add ginger garlic puree, cook 2 minutes.

3. Add all spices: red chili, meat masala, salt, garam masala, cinnamon mix, sugar. Cook 2 minutes until onil separates.

4. Add white paste. Cook 2 minutes on low until oil separates.

5. Add tomato puree. Cook 4 minutes.

6. Thin with milk (or stock, if adding meat), bring to boil.

- Make the kofta:

1. Mix paneer, coconut, cinnamon mix, sugar, raisins, cashews, cream into cheese balls

2. Mix potatoes, salt, cornstarch into balls

3. Roll a ball in cornflour, make it into a cup shape, stuff cheese inside, close it up, maybe add a bit more cornflour.

4. Deep fry for a short time, maybe 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Pour the sauce over the kofta. Awesome.

Source: Nisha at Taste of India cooking class, McLeod Ganj, India

Pla pau bi makrut

Sun, 17 Jul 2011 21:57:00 +0000

Grilled fish with lime leaves and lemon grass

4 trout or mackerel fillets (Dan’s note: or salmon)
2 cloves garlic, sliced
8 kaffir lime leaves, shredded
3 stalks lemon grass, 2 inches each, peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp vegetable oil

dipping sauce:
2-3 red chilies, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp sugar

Mix everything but the fish in a shallow dish. Add the fish and marinate for 1 hour, turning once or twice. Heat a grill on high, place the fish on a foil-lined rack. Grill 8-10 minutes, turning once, spooning marinade over fish. To make the dipping sauce, grind the chilies and garlic, and add the lime juice and sugar.

Source: Real Thai by Terry Tan

Magadip

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 22:33:00 +0000

Aromatic Chicken

1/4 c. thin-sliced onion
2 tsp salt
1 c. water
1 tbsp coriander
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 2-inch cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 slice ginger (about 1 tsp)
One 3 1/2-lb chicken, cut into frying pieces (Dan’s note: or just chicken cubes, or lamb cubes)

In a blender, make a smooth sauce of the onion, salt, and 1/2 c. water. Mix the spices (not the ginger) in a dry saucepan. Toast lightly over medium for about 2 minutes. Add the onion sauce and the rest of the water (1/2 cup) to the pan, along with the ginger and the chicken pieces. Cook over medium for 45 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and half the sauce has evaporated.

Source: The Indonesian Kitchen by Copeland Marks with Mintari Soeharjo

Lapis Daging Bogor

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 22:30:00 +0000

Sliced Steak Fry

1/2 lb flank/sirloin steak, sliced thin
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c. thin-sliced onion
1 clove garlic, sliced thin
1 tbsp butter
1/4 c. water
1 tbsp sweet soy sauce
1 1-inch cinnamon stick
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 c. coarse-chopped tomato

Coat the steak slices with the egg. Fry the onion and garlic in the butter for 2 minutes. Add the steak, fry for 2 minutes more, or until the pink color begins to change. Then add the water, sweet soy sauce, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, and tomato. Mix well, continue to fry for five minutes, or until sauce has thickened.

Source: The Indonesian Kitchen by Copeland Marks with Mintari Soeharjo

Mangut Ikan

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 22:27:00 +0000

Palembang Fish in Coconut Milk

1 lb Sea bass or other similar fish, cleaned, with tail and head intact (Dan’s note: I’ve used salmon fillets too)
5 tbsp peanut or corn oil
1 tsp dried red hot chili
1 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp turmeric
2 kemiri nuts, crushed
1/4 tsp shrimp sauce/paste
1 1/2 c. coconut milk
1/4 c. sliced onion
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 c. sliced red/green peppers
1/2 c. fresh/canned pineapple cubes
1 salam (bay) leaf
1 piece of laos (galangal)

Fry the fish in 1/4 c. oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes on each side, or until crisp/brown. Remove and set aside.
In the blender, prepare a sauce of chili, coriander, cumin, salt, sugar, turmeric, kemiri, shrimp paste, and 1/2 c. coconut milk. Fry the paste in the remaining 1 tbsp oil for one minute.
Add onion, garlic, peppers, pineapple, salam, laos, and the rest of the coconut milk. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring well.
Add the fried fish to the sauce and cook, basting frequently, for 5 minutes. Sauce will thicken.

Source: The Indonesian Kitchen by Copeland Marks with Mintari Soeharjo

Tahu Kering

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 22:23:00 +0000

Soy bean cake fry

4 chinese tofu cakes
1/2 cup peanut or corn oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 c. sliced onion
2 semihot red chilies, sliced thin diagonally
1 salam (bay) leaf
1 piece laos (galangal)
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp tamarind, dissolved in 1 tbsp water
1 tbsp sweet soy sauce

Cut the tofu, 1/4 inch thick and 3/4 inch square. Fry in oil for 5-7 minutes or until light brown and dry. Set aside.
Remove all but 1 tbsp oil. Fry garlic, chilies, onion, salam, and laos until brown. Add tofu slices, sugar, salt, tamarind liquid, and sweet soy sauce. Fry for 5 more minutes, or until all the liquid has evaporated and the flavors are distributed.

Source: The Indonesian Kitchen by Copeland Marks with Mintari Soeharjo

Sayur Lodeh

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 04:31:00 +0000

Eggplant Stew
1 red pepper, cubed
1/4 c sliced onion
1 clove garlic, sliced
1 salam (bay) leaf
1 piece galangal
1/4 tsp shrimp paste
1/2 tsp tamarind in 1 tbsp water
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 kemiri nut, crushed
1 cup chicken or beef broth
1 cup coconut milk
1 lb eggplant, in 1-inch cubes

Put everything except the coconut milk and the eggplant in a saucepan, boil, cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the eggplant and the coconut, cook 10 more minutes, basting frequently.

Source: The Indonesian Kitchen by Copeland Marks with Mintari Soeharjo

Green Curry 2

Thu, 30 Dec 2010 17:29:00 +0000

1 tsp green chili paste

1 kaffir lime leaf, crushed

1 slice galangal, crushed

1 inch cut lemon grass

1/2 cup coconut milk

1 handful vegetables (like eggplant, green bean, squash, carrot, onions)

6 tbsp water

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp sugar

3 tbsp coconut milk

chopped mint and/or thai basil (3-4 leaves)

Fry the chili paste. Add everything up to the vegetables (but only half of the coconut milk), cook until thick. Add water, soy sauce, and sugar. Add the rest of the coconut milk and mint/basil.

Source: May Kaidee's Thai vegetarian and vegan restaurant and cooking school, May 2010

Massaman Curry

Thu, 30 Dec 2010 17:26:00 +0000

Chopped carrot, onion, tomato
1/2 tsp. red chili paste
1 tsp. curry powder
3 tbsp water
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
1 handful vegetables, like steamed sweet potato or pumpkin
1 tbsp tofu
1 tsp lime juice

Fry the carrot, onion, tomato, chili paste, and curry powder in a wok. Add a little water to stop it from burning if necessary. Add water and most of the coconut milk, cook until thick. Add the soy sauce, sugar, vegetables, and tofu, mix well. Add the rest of the coconut milk and lime juice.

For Penang curry, replace the curry powder with cumin powder.

Source: May Kaidee’s Thai vegetarian and vegan restaurant and cooking school, May 2010

Pad Thai 2

Thu, 30 Dec 2010 17:17:00 +0000

Chopped carrot, onion, tomato, tofu
Minced garlic
Minced chili (optional)
1 beaten raw egg
Chicken/seafood (optional)
3 tbsp water
1 portion of presoaked noodles (soak for a couple hours, or just pour boiling water over them)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp mixed bean sprouts and chopped green onion
1/2 tbsp crushed roasted peanuts or cashews
1 tsp chili flakes
Juice from 1/4 lime

Fry the carrot, onion, tomato, tofu, garlic, and chili in a wok. Move them to the side of the wok, then add the egg to the bottom. When the egg is nearly cooked through like an omelette, flip it, break it into pieces, and push it aside. Add the noodles and the water, mix well. Add the soy sauce, sugar, sprouts, green onion, and nuts. Add the chili flakes and lime juice.

Source: May Kaidee’s Thai vegetarian and vegan restaurant and cooking school, May 2010

Thai Fried Cashew Nut with Chicken

Mon, 27 Dec 2010 04:18:00 +0000

Fried cashew nut with chicken

50 g. chicken
50 g. cashew nut or almond
30 g. jelly mushrooms, sliced into 1 cm. width
2 baby corns, diced
1/2 large onion
2 tbsp. spring onion
1 tbsp. chopped garlic
5 g. dried chili, sliced
1/2 tbsp fish sauce or soy sauce
2 tbsp. oyster sauce or mushroom sauce
1 tsp. sugar
2 tbsp. oil

Stir-fry cashews, remove. Fry garlic, then chicken, then mushrooms, onions, baby corn, dried chilis. Add oyster sauce, fish sauce, and sugar, then green onion and fried cashews, stir until cooked.

Source: Baan Thai cookery school, Chiang Mai, May 2010

Larb

Mon, 27 Dec 2010 04:17:00 +0000

Larb (minced meat salad)

150 g. boiled minced chicken, pork, or mixed wood ear and king oyster mushrooms
1/2 tsp. ground chili
2 tbsp. roasted rice powder (or dry breadcrumbs, but roasted rice is a lot better.)
5 thinly sliced shallots
3 sliced green onions
1 tbsp. fish sauce or soy sauce
2 tbsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. sugar
7-10 mint leaves
2 tbsp. sliced cilantro leaves

Combine minced chicken, chili, roasted rice, shallots, green onions, fish sauce, and lime juice, toss gently. Add mint leaves and cilantro, toss again. Serve with lettuce, Chinese cabbage, cucumber, long bean, and spring onion.

Source: Baan Thai cookery school, Chiang Mai, May 2010

Pad Thai

Mon, 27 Dec 2010 04:16:00 +0000

Pad Thai

250 grams rice noodle
50 grams chicken
3 tbsp oil
20 g. chinese chive or green onion
1 tsp. sugar
2 tbsp. fish sauce or soy sauce
2 tbsp. oyster sauce or mushroom fake-oyster sauce
1 egg
30 g. bean sprouts or cabbage
1 tbsp. chopped garlic
50 g. tofu, diced
1/2 c. water

Fry garlic in oil, then chicken and tofu, stir until the chicken is cooked. Add egg, scramble around. Add noodles and water, stir until tender. Season with sauces and sugar. Add sprouts and green onions, serve with fresh vegetables and/or lime juice, peanuts, and ground chilis.

Source: Baan Thai cookery school, Chiang Mai, May 2010

Green Curry

Mon, 27 Dec 2010 04:15:00 +0000

Green curry

200 grams chicken or tofu
1 tbsp green curry paste
2 thai eggplants, cut quarter
2 baby corns, carrots, or broccoli, diced
2 c. coconut milk
10 leaves sweet basil
2 kaffir lime leaves, tear the stem off
1 red chili
2 tbsp. fish sauce or soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
3 tbsp. oil

Put the oil in the wok over low heat, fry the curry paste until fragrant. Add chicken and 1/2 c. coconut milk, stir until chicken is cooked. Add the rest of the coconut milk, boil. Add vegetables, then fish sauce and sugar, then basil, lime leaves, and chilis.

Source: Baan Thai cookery school, Chiang Mai, May 2010

Makhlouta

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 07:01:00 +0000

Makhlouta

4 oz red kidney beans (about 1 cup)

4 oz large white beans (1 cup)

4 oz garbanzo beans (chick-peas)(1 cup)

4 oz lentils, preferably brown (green OK)(1 cup)

4 oz bulgur (needs to be thick bulgur-can substitute another whole-grain)(1 cup)

4 oz wheat berries (optional)

2 large onions

1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil OR replace by lamb fat if doing the meaty version

Spices: salt, pepper, ground cumin (2 teaspoons or more)

3 Tablespoons of pomegranate molasses

1/2 cup of tomato paste (optional)

3 or 4 lamb chops (optional)

VEGETARIAN VERSION:

Soak the beans overnight separately in at least one quart of water.

Drain and rinse the beans the next day. Place all beans in a large pot, add 3 quarts of water and simmer for about two hours until well cooked.

Place the bulgur in a bowl, cover with water and soak for about 15 minutes, then drain.

If using meat, get a few lamb chops (3 or 4) and rub them a bit with half a lemon and set aside in a bowl. Heat a large soup pot, add a tablespoon of olive oil; pat the lamb chops dry and throw in the pot to brown for a few minutes on both sides. Remove from the pot.

Otherwise, heat the olive oil and fry the chopped onions in the oil until browned (not burnt! careful!)

Cool the onions a bit and puree them in a food processor. Add them to the beans. Add the tomato paste if using.

About 30 minutes before the 2 hours are up, add the lentils and the wheat berries (if using). Cook the lentils for about 15 minutes, then add the bulgur and the pomegranate molasses. Add the spices. Cover the pot and cook for 20 minutes or so, until the bulgur is cooked and soft.

Uncover the pot. If it is still too wet, cook a few minutes more; it will firm up upon cooling. Serve hot or at room temperature. The makhlouta needs to be thick and rather dry.

If using meat, place the lamb chops on top of the makhlouta.

Source for the recipe: Mijotons de Micha Sarraf, Fragrance of the Earth by Nada Saleh, The Rural Taste of Lebanon by Chérine Yazbeck. Also, used some suggestions from Haj Makari and Hashem who advised me to use pomegranate molasses.

via: http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/2010/01/the-hacker-dish-makhlouta/

Orak arik jagung

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:46:00 +0000

Scrambled corn and assorted vegetables

2 tbsp thin-sliced onion
2 cloves thin-sliced garlic
1 tbsp peanut or corn oil
1/4 lb small shrimp
1/2 lb ground beef
1 green semihot chili, sliced thin
1 c. shredded cabbage or broccoli, in 2-inch pieces
2 scallions, sliced thin
12 oz corn (or a few ears’ worth)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 c. carrots, cut in matchsticks
2 eggs, beaten

Saute the onion and garlic in the oil for 1 minute. Add shrimp and beef, fry for 3 minutes or until beef browns.
Add everything but the eggs, fry for 5 minutes. Add the eggs, fry for 3 minutes more or until dry but not overcooked.

Source: The Indonesian Kitchen by Copeland Marks with Mintari Soeharjo

Sambal Goreng Ati

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:41:00 +0000

Chicken Livers Saute with Snow Peas

1/4 lb fresh snow peas
1 lb chicken livers
2 c. water
1/4 c. thin-sliced onion
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1 tbsp peanut or corn oil
1/2 red sweet pepper, sliced thin
1 c. coconut milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp shrimp paste
2 salam (bay) leaves
1 piece of laos (galangal)
1 tsp tamarind, dissolved in 1 tbsp water
1 tsp dried red hot chili

String and refrigerate the peas in water, drain.
Boil the livers in water for 2 minutes. Drain and cut into lobes.
Fry onions and garlic for 1 minute, add the sweet pepper and fry for another minute. Add everything else but the peas. Cook 5 minutes, basting to distribute flavors. Add peas, cook for 2 minutes more.

Source: The Indonesian Kitchen by Copeland Marks with Mintari Soeharjo, p. 91

Nasu Dengaku

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:16:00 +0000

Eggplant Dengaku

4-6 small eggplants, or 2 medium eggplants
vegetable oil
red and/or white dengaku miso toppings

Cut eggplants in half (or slices if they’re big). Cross-cut score surfaces, brush with vegetable oil, grill or saute on high. Apply topping to one side, garnish, serve.
Note: you can use tofu or meat instead.

Red/white miso topping:
1/2 c. red miso + 3 tbsp white miso, or 1/2 c. + 3 tbsp white miso
2 egg yolks
2 tbsp sake
2 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp sugar
7 tbsp dashi
One of the following seasonings: ground toasted sesame seeds; grated yuzu, lemon, or lime rind; mortar-ground kinome leaves, fresh ginger juice

Mix all but the dashi and seasoning, heat in a double boiler, slowly add dashi, stir until thick, then add one seasoning.

Source: Japanese Cooking, a Simple Art, by Shizuo Tsuji, p. 194

Tara Chirinabe

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:26:00 +0000

Cod and Cabbage Pot

2 lb cod fillets, with skin
6 leaves Chinese cabbage (Napa does not work so well)
1/2 lb spinach
10 sprigs chrysanthemum leaves (shungiku/kikuna, optional)
6 fresh shiitake mushrooms
6 Japanese long onions (naganegi) or 8 leeks
2 cakes grilled bean curd (yakidofu)
Ponzu sauce
4-inch square konbu, slashed with a knife
some of the following: 6 tbsp finely chopped green onion, 2 quartered lemons, 6 tbsp red maple radish (daikon with red peppers, grated), 4 tbsp grated fresh ginger

Fish:
Cut fish into 1-inch slices, put in colander, pour boiling water over them, rinse, drain, refrigerate.
Cabbage rolls:
Parboil cabbage, rinse, trim thick stems. Parboil spinach. Wrap spinach in cabbage to make rolls, wrap in plastic or a towel and refrigerate.
Other stuff:
Cut stems off chrysanthemum sprigs, wash, drain, cut in half. Cut mushrooms in half. Wash onions/leeks, cut diagonally into 1 1/2 inch lengths.
Arrange:
Put all pieces (fish, cabbage rolls, chrysanthemum, mushrooms, onions, tofu; cut to same size) on platters. Put the kelp in the water, bring just to a boil. Add fish first, then vegetables and tofu, simmer until just tender. Put ponzu/condiments in bowls, dip food in them.

Source: Japanese Cooking, a Simple Art, by Shizuo Tsuji, p. 432-433

Polenta Tart

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 05:41:00 +0000

For the topping:
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp olive oil
1 green pepper, chopped
6-7 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped, or a 28oz can tomatoes, drained
pinch sugar
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, oregano, thyme, mixed
salt and pepper

For the polenta base:
3 1/2 c. water
1 tsp salt
1 c. yellow cornmeal
2 eggs
1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
olive oil

Cook onions and garlic in oil until soft, add the rest of the sauce ingredients, simmer 30 min until quite dry. Set aside.
Bring water and 1 tsp salt to a boil, pour in cornmeal in a slow stream, stirring. Continue stirring for 15 minutes. When dry, cool slightly, stir in eggs, spread into a pie pan. Pat and smooth with wet fingers until it forms a thin pie shell. Place tomato topping in it, sprinkle with parmesan and olive oil, bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Source: Summer Food by Judith Olney

Okonomiyaki

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 20:43:00 +0000

Okonomiyaki (Japanese Pizza) Recipe

Leeks are notoriously gritty. To clean them well I typically slice them lengthwise and then submerge them in a big bowl of water - where I rinse and swish them to loosen up any dirt. Drain and repeat if needed. Then chop/slice.

2 cups cabbage, finely shredded
1 cup leeks, well washed and chopped (see head notes)
2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or all purpose flour)
a couple pinches of fine grain sea salt
2 eggs, beaten
1+ tablespoon olive oil

Garnish: toasted slivered almonds, chives/ herbs

Combine the cabbage, leeks, flour, and salt in a bowl. Toss until everything is coated with a dusting of flour. Stir in the eggs and mix until everything is evenly coated.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a generous splash of olive oil. Scoop the cabbage mixture into the pan, and using a metal spatula press it into a round pancake shape, flat as you can get it. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the bottom is golden. To flip the okonomiyaki, slide it out of the skillet onto a plate. Place another plate on top and flip both (together) over. If you need a bit more oil in your skillet, add it now, before sliding the okonomiyaki back into the skillet. Again press down a bit with a spatula and cook until golden on this side - another 3 -5 minutes.

When you are finished cooking, sprinkle with toasted almonds and chives, and slide it onto a cutting board to cut into wedges. Enjoy immediately.

Serves 1 - 2.

Source: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/japanese-pizza-recipe.html

Shahi Sabz Korma

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 05:48:00 +0000

(Royal Braised Vegetables in Cardamom Nut Sauce)

2 medium potatoes (about 1/2 lb.)
2 medium turnips (about 1/2 lb.)
1 carrot (about 1/4 lb.)
12 tbsp vegetable oil
Paneer from 4 cups of milk, or another potato (about 1/4 lb.)
2 c. finely chopped onions
1 tbsp. finely chopped garlic
1 1/2 tbsp. finely chopped ginger
2 green chilies, seeded and minced (dan’s note: I used cayenne)
12 green cardamom pods
1 stick cinnamon, 3 in. long
24 cloves
5 tbsp. ground blanched almonds
1 c. plain yogurt
1/4 c. peas, fresh or frozen
1 tbsp. salt
1/4 c. heavy cream

Peel and dice potatoes, turnips, carrot. Put into a bowl of cold water to prevent discoloring.
Heat 3 tbsp oil in a big heavy pan. Add paneer, saute (with a lid handy), remove to a bowl.
Add the rest of the oil, onions, garlic, ginger, chilies, increase heat to high, fry until light brown (~10 min.), stirring constantly to prevent burning. Add cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and fry 5 more minutes. Add almond powder, stir, fry for 2 more minutes.
Add the yogurt, 2 tbsp at a time (add more when evaporated). Keep stirring a lot so it doesn’t burn.
Drain and add vegetables. If peas are fresh, add now. Add salt, 1 1/2 c. hot water. Boil, simmer, cook (covered) until tender but still firm, about 30 min. Add paneer, cream, and peas if frozen, cook (uncovered) 10 minutes. The sauce should be thick. If it’s too thin, simmer it some more; if it’s too thick, add milk or water. Season, serve. Stores well, tastes better the next day.

Also, check it out: to make Shahi Sabz Biriyani, cook 2 cups basmati rice, add, put in the oven for 30 minutes at 300.

Source: Classic Indian Cooking by Julie Sahni, pg. 269-271, 381-382

Matar Paneer

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 05:37:00 +0000

Matar Paneer, or "Green Peas and Indian Cheese in Fragrant Tomato Sauce"

Paneer from 8 cups milk (or 1 block of paneer)

4-6 tbsp ghee

2 onions, finely chopped

1 tsp garlic, minced

2 tbsp ginger, minced

2 tbsp ground coriander

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp red pepper

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp paprika

2 c. chopped or pureed tomatoes, or 1 15oz can diced tomatoes

1 1/2 c. peas, or 10 oz. frozen peas

2 tsp salt

2 tsp garam masala

4 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves

If possible, let paneer dry for 1/2 hr. Heat 3 tbsp ghee in a big heavy (optionally nonstick) pan. Add cheese. (it'll splatter) Fry until lightly seared, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Add the rest of the ghee, turn heat to high, add onions and fry until light brown (~5 min), stirring constantly so they don't burn.

Add ginger and garlic, cook 2 more minutes.

Add coriander, turmeric, red and black pepper, and paprika.

Stir for a moment, add tomatoes. Cook until it thickens and the fat separates, about 10 minutes, stirring often.

Add 1-2 c. hot water, boil, simmer 20 minutes. Cool briefly, puree in a blender, leaving it a little coarse so there's some texture. Return to the pan, add peas, salt, cheese, and 1/2 c. water, boil, simmer until peas are cooked.

Let it rest an hour before serving, then reheat, add garam masala and cilantro, and serve.

Source: Classic Indian Cooking by Julie Sahni, pg. 266-268

Lemony Chickpea Stir-fry

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 05:29:00 +0000

Lemony Chickpea Stir-fry Recipe

2 tablespoon ghee or extra-virgin olive oil
fine grain sea salt
1 small onion or a couple shallots, sliced
1 cup cooked chickpeas (canned is fine, if you don’t want to cook up a pot of dried chickpeas)
8 ounces extra-firm tofu
1 cup of chopped kale
2 small zucchini, chopped
zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon

Heat 1 tablespoon of the ghee/olive oil In a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in a big pinch of salt, the onion, and chickpeas. Saute until the chickpeas are deeply golden and crusty. Stir in the tofu and cook just until the tofu is heated through, just a minute or so. Stir in the kale and cook for one minute more. Remove everything from the skillet onto a large plate and set aside. In the same skillet heat the remaining tablespoon of ghee/olive oil, add the zucchini and saute until it starts to take on a bit of color, two or three minutes. Add the chickpea mixture back to the skillet, and remove from heat. Stir in the lemon juice and zest, taste, and season with a bit more salt if needed. Turn out onto a platter and serve family style.

Serves 2 - 4.

Source: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/lemony-chickpea-stirfry-recipe.html

Mock Creamy Tomato Sauce

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:58:00 +0000

INGREDIENTS

16 ounces colored rotini pasta
1 (16 ounce) jar roasted red bell peppers
9 ounces low-fat, firm silken tofu (Dan’s note: just use regular silken tofu.)
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (Dan’s note: not sure what exactly is in an “italian season” mix. I used thyme and oregano.)
1/2 onion, chopped
10 spears asparagus, sliced diagonally
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon hot chile paste (optional)
ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

In a large pot with boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente. Drain well.
Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor puree roasted red and yellow peppers, tofu, tomato paste, vegetable broth, balsamic vinegar, and Italian seasoning. Set aside.
Coat a medium saute pan with cooking spray. Cook onion, garlic, and asparagus over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add water if necessary to prevent sticking. Stir in mushrooms; cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender and soft. Stir in tofu sauce, tomatoes, black pepper. Add hot chili paste, if desired. Reduce heat to low, and heat through.
Toss pasta with sauce, and serve with Parmesan cheese.

Serves 4

Source: http://recipe.aol.com/recipe/pasta-with-mock-creamy-tomato-sauce/1689

Dan’s note: This author is all about low fat, which I suspect is why he/she put in tofu. I bet it’d be great with cream. But it’s interesting to note that it does work with tofu too. Oh yeah, and oh my god, use a bunch of olive oil, don’t “coat a pan with cooking spray.” For crying out loud.

Fruit stuffed pork tenderloin

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 17:21:00 +0000

2 pork tenderloins, spiral cut, (or just with a pocket in it)

2 apples, peeled, small diced
6 prunes, small diced
6 apricots, dried
2 tbsp walnuts, minced
1.5 oz. brandy
1 tsp nutmeg
2 egg whites, whipped slightly
salt and pepper, to taste

Ground caraway, salt, pepper to taste

2 tbsp shallots
1 oz. brandy
2 c. brown sauce

Spiral cut or pocket cut tenderloin to produce a flat sheet. Cover with plastic wrap, pound to an even thickness, maybe 1/4".
Combine all stuffing ingredients (apples to salt and pepper), mix. Season pork, then spread filling in a thin even layer over the pork, then roll it up to form a tight cylinder. Truss the tenderloin with string to hold its shape. Sear in a hot skillet (not nonstick) on all sides. Remove pork to a roasting pan, cook at 350 to an internal temperature of 145.
Meanwhile, sweat shallots in the pan you seared the pork in. Deglaze with brandy, add brown sauce, simmer 10 minutes.

Source: Pennsylvania Culinary Institute “Oktoberfest” enthusiast class, Chef Art Inzinga, October 14, 2006

Bigos

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 23:00:00 +0000

Bigos (Polish hunter’s stew)

1/4 c. dried mushrooms
1 c. pitted prunes
8 oz. lean pork
16 oz. chuck steaks
8 oz. kielbasa or other polish sausage
1/4 c. flour
2 onions, sliced
3 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 c. dry madeira wine
2 lb. sauerkraut, rinsed
4 tomatoes, chopped
4 cloves
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. dried dill
2 1/2 c. chicken stock
1 1/2 lb. sweet potatoes
1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper

Cover prunes, dried mushrooms in boiled water. Let stand for 30 minutes, then drain.
Cut all meats in 1-inch cubes, put in ziploc bag, add flour, close bag and shake.
Saute onions in oil until soft, remove.
Brown meat on medium until just browned, not fully cooked, remove and set aside. Add wine, simmer for 2 minutes, stirring.
Return meat to pan with onion, sauerkraut, tomatoes, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, dill, mushrooms, prunes. Pour in stock, season with salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover, simmer 1 1/2-2 hrs. Uncover for the last 20 minutes to let liquid evaporate.
In the meantime, peel and cut potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Boil in water until tender, drain and toss with parsley. Add potatoes to bowl, top with stew, sprinkle with parsley.

Source: Chef S. Culp, PA Culinary Institute, Polish Enthusiast course, 11/6/07

Eggplant Parmesan

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 21:07:00 +0000

2 cups flour
2 oz. milk
4 eggs
4 cups panko bread crumbs
2 eggplants
1 c. marinara sauce
1/2 lb. mozzarella cheese
2 oz. parmesan cheese
1 oz. chopped parsley
oil as needed

Peel and slice eggplant, lightly salt each slice.
Mix egg and milk.
Bread each slice: flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs, place on a parchment-lined sheet.
Heat oil in skillet, pan fry eggplant until golden brown on each side. (a few minutes on each side, a lot of oil)
Top with marinara and mozzarella, bake at 350 until cheese is melted, garnish with parmesan and parsley.

Source: Chef S. Culp, PA Culinary Institute, Vegetarian Enthusiast course, 2/16/08

Monica's Vegetable and Seitan Stew

Thu, 22 May 2008 18:22:00 +0000

Monica’s Vegetable and Seitan Stew
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Monicas-Vegetable-and-Seitan-Stew/Detail.aspx

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 cup uncooked brown rice
* 2 1/2 cups water
* 1 quart vegetable broth
* 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with garlic
* 1 (8 ounce) package seitan
* 1 cup cauliflower
* 2 carrots, chopped
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh green beans
* 1/4 cup sliced green onions
* celery salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a pot, bring the rice and water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 45 minutes.
2. In a separate pot, bring the broth to a boil. Stir in the tomatoes, seitan, cauliflower, carrots, green beans, and green onions. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Season with celery salt, and serve in bowls over the cooked rice.

Dan’s note: good brown rice makes this a lot more interesting

Turkey chili

Thu, 22 May 2008 18:20:00 +0000

Turkey Chili
6 servings

1 lb lean ground turkey
1 cup chicken bouillion
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cans chunky tomato sauce
1 can (6oz) tomato paste
1 can (6oz) water
2 cans dark kidney beans
2 tbsp lite soy sauce
1.5 tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp brown sugar

Brown turkey in a little broth in a large pot. Separately, saute onion, pepper, and garlic in more broth. Add all ingredients together. Simmer 1/2-1 hr.
Dan’s note: this is not spicy at all. Also, instead of 2 cans of chunky tomato sauce, I’ve used 2 cans of diced tomatoes. Or I’ve just left out the tomatoes, that works too. I think I left out the chicken broth too.
Source: Mom

Tuscan Stir Fried Vegetables and Potatoes Pesto

Thu, 22 May 2008 18:20:00 +0000

Tuscan Stir Fried Vegetables and Potatoes Pesto
Chef Christopher Sotkovsky, CEC, CCE, from PA Culinary Institute
Yield: 8 servings

3 potatoes, boiled in their skins
2 cloves minced garlic
1 medium eggplant, cut into small cubes
1 yellow squash, sliced 1/4" thick
1 green pepper, in 1/8" strips
3 tbsp olive oil
Tuscan Spice Mix to taste
1/4 cup pesto sauce
4 sun dried tomatoes, cut into thin strips
3 tbsp chicken stock or water

After cooking potatoes, slice into 1/2 inch rounds
Heat oil in a wok, fry potatoes for 30 seconds
Add garlic, eggplant, squash, peppers, saute a few minutes, season to taste
Add pesto, sun dried tomatoes, chicken stock, toss and cover to finish cooking (about 2 minutes)
Taste and season if necessary. Serve with crusty bread and olice oil.

Tuscan Spice Mix (20 servings):
1 tbsp dried parsley flakes
2 tbsp dried or fresh rosemary
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried sage
1 tbsp dried garlic flakees
2 tbsp kosher/sea salt
1 tbsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes
Place herbs in coffee grinder, pulse to chop into fine pieces. Add salt and pepper, mix well.

Dan’s note: good flavor. I liked it.

Chicken and Vegetable Cashew Stir Fry

Thu, 22 May 2008 18:17:00 +0000

Chicken and Vegetable Cashew Stir Fry
Chef Christopher Sotkovsky, CEC, CCE
Yield: 4 servings

2 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp miso paste or oyster sauce
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth (low sodium)

2 tbsp safflower or canola oil
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 tsp garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup scallions, sliced thinly
8 oz-1 lb chicken or tofu, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 cups vegetables, sliced thin (any vegetables, and/or baby corn and water chestnuts)
2 cups sprouts and shoots, fresh
1/2 cup roasted cashews

Mix first 7 ingredients in jar, shake until smooth.
Heat wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within 1-2 seconds of contact. Add 2 tbsp oil. When oil begins to smoke, add ginger and garlic, and stir-fry 5 seconds, then add scallions and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add chicken, stir-fry 30 seconds. Add rest of vegetables and stir-fry until softened, 3-5 minutes.
Shake broth mixture, pour into wok and stir-fry until sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Return mixture just to a boil, top with cashews, toss and serve.

Three-cup Chicken

Thu, 22 May 2008 18:17:00 +0000

Three-Cup Chicken
This is a traditional Taiwanese dish that we always order in our favorite Chinese restaurant. I begged the chef for this recipe and he very reluctantly gave it to me! I just made it for dinner tonight and couldn’t wait to post this to share it with all of you!
1/3 cup sesame oil
20 garlic cloves, minced (yes, twenty!)
10 slices thin fresh ginger
2 serrano peppers, thinly sliced with seeds
2 lbs chicken breasts or chicken thigh pieces, cut up into bite-size pieces
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup rice wine
3 tablespoons sugar
2 cups Thai basil
1 cup of 1-inch sections scallions

1. Heat up the sesame oil in a wok or a large skillet on high heat.
2. Add garlic, ginger and serrano peppers, stir fry until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the chicken pieces and cook until it’s white in color, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir together the soy sauce, rice wine and sugar in a bowl, pour over chicken.
5. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium.
6. Let cook, uncovered, until sauce thickens, about 30 minutes.
7. Turn heat back up to high and add basil and scallions, cook for another 2 minutes.
8. Serve over steamed rice.

Dan’s notes: also works with tofu and tempeh (particularly good with tempeh). Maybe a little too sweet. Reduce the sugar a bit and it’s great. Fast too.

Southwest-spiced Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Thu, 22 May 2008 18:15:00 +0000

Southwest-spiced Roasted Pork Tenderloin

1 whole pork tenderloin
1 tbsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp black pepper

Heat oven to 425. In small bowl stir together all ingredients except pork to make 1/4 cup. Season tenderloin with 2 tbsp. of rub. Place meat in shallow pan, roast 35 minutes or 155 degrees. Let stand 5 min. and slice.

Red Chili Chicken Enchiladas

Thu, 22 May 2008 18:14:00 +0000

Red Chili Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

Ninety-five percent of the time when we have enchiladas, it is my mom’s (amazingly good, incredibly awesome) cheese enchiladas. Once in a while however, she’ll make chicken enchiladas. With chicken enchiladas she often uses a red chili sauce which is spicier than the green chiles of the cheese enchiladas. Sometimes she uses canned enchiladas sauce, sometimes she makes it from scratch. Sometimes she coats the tortillas in sauce before cooking them, sometimes she doesn’t. Every time she cooks it is an improvisation, so it can be difficult to pin her down on any one method or another. I’ve presented here her basic methods, with the variations.

1 small onion, chopped (about a cup)
Vegetable oil - grapeseed or olive
2 small cloves garlic, minced
1 14.5-ounce can tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted if you can get it
2 Tbsp red chili powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup to a cup of water

12 corn tortillas
Grapeseed oil, peanut oil or canola oil - a high smoke point vegetable oil such as one of these

2-3 cups of cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
Salt
2 cups grated cheese (about 1/3 lb)

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2 Prepare the sauce. Coat a large skillet with oil and sauté the onions on medium heat until translucent, a few minutes. Add the garlic for a minute more. While the onions are cooking, purée the canned tomatoes in a blender. Add the tomatoes to the onions and garlic. Bring to a low simmer. Start adding the chili powder, one teaspoon at a time, tasting after each addition, until you get to the desired level of heat and chili flavor. For us that’s around 2 Tablespoons. But it depends on your taste and how strong the chili powder is that you are using. Note that the tortillas and chicken will absorb some of the heat, so allow for that and let it be a little bit spicier than what you want in the finished dish. Add a teaspoon of sugar if necessary to cut down on the acid from the tomatoes. You want more of the taste of the chili and less of the tomatoes for this sauce. As the sauce simmers, dilute it with water to keep it from getting to thick as it simmers. Remove from heat.

Alternatively, use a prepared canned enchilada sauce, which can be perfectly fine.

3 Mix in 1/4 cup of the sauce with the cooked chicken, and a 1/4 cup of the cheese. Sprinkle with a little salt. Set aside.

4 Prepare the tortillas. There are 2 basic ways to prepare the tortillas - the traditional way of dipping them in the sauce and heating them individually, and my mom’s way when she is trying to cut down on the fat.

First the traditional way. Heat a small light skillet on med-high heat. Add a teaspoon of oil (high smoke point oil as indicated above, we use grapeseed oil) to coat the pan. Dip a tortilla in the sauce to coat the tortilla with sauce on both sides. Place the tortilla in the skillet and heat for a few seconds, until the tortilla begin to show some air bubbles. Use a metal spatula to flip to the other side for a few more seconds. Set aside on a plate. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Proceed to the step 5.

For my mom’s low-fat method of heating up the tortillas, she places a small amount of oil in the skillet to coat the pan. Add a tortilla, flip it to its other side. Then add another tortilla on top of the first to soak up some of the excess oil. Flip them both together and add yet another tortilla. Keep adding them wherever there seems to be some excess oil. The idea is to heat the tortillas and soften them with the minimum amount of oil. As the tortillas become soft and heated, remove them to a paper towel to soak up even more excess oil. If you find you need more oil in the pan, add it. With this method, you do NOT get the chili flavor infused in the tortillas. It is a matter of preference. I prefer the first method, excess oil or not, because it has a much richer and spicier flavor. But as my mom says, “Anything goes. This is just a guideline; do what you want."

Note that because we made this batch the low-fat way, the following photos show tortillas not coated in chili sauce, but the method is the same for if you did.

5 Assemble the enchiladas. Use an 8x12 inch pyrex baking dish. Place a couple spoonfuls of the chicken mixture in the center of a tortilla and roll it up. Place in the baking dish and repeat until all dozen of your tortillas are neatly placed in rows in the casserole dish. Cover the tortillas rolls with the remaining sauce.

Sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese. Note that I recall often eating these chicken enchiladas with very little cheese on them. Instead we had probably 2/3 cup of chopped fresh onion that had been soaked in vinegar sprinkled over the top. (My mom, bless her soul, has no recollection of the chicken enchiladas without the sprinkled cheese. But she’s in her 70s and sometimes doesn’t remember these things. Or she remembers later and doesn’t remember that she ever forgot them in the first place. But heck, I’m in my 40s and my memory isn’t what it used to be either.)

6 Place in the oven and cook for 10 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.

Use a metal spatula to serve.

Serve with thinly sliced iceberg lettuce that has been seasoned with vinegar and salt (no oil), guacamole or avocado slices, and sour cream. Garnish with cilantro.

Serves 4.

Dan’s notes: Make more sauce- maybe double the recipe. The first way of frying the tortillas is easier.

Pork Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Thu, 22 May 2008 18:13:00 +0000

Pork Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Can be prepared in 1 1/2 hours.

My old neighborhood in San Francisco used to have a fabulous Hungarian restaurant where I loved to go for pork stuffed cabbage rolls. The restaurant has since gone out of business, but my love for the dish remains. We made these cabbage rolls again this weekend, for Some Pig Blogging Weekend, a food blogging event in honor of San Antonio Abate, the Patron Saint of farmyard animals, who’s feast day is January 17th.

2 lbs sauerkraut
1 large head green cabbage
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onions
1/4 tsp of finely chopped garlic
1 lb ground lean pork
1/4 cup rice, cooked in boiling salted water (yielding 3/4 cup cooked)
2 lightly beaten eggs
2 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
1/8 tsp marjoram
1 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper
1 cup water mixed with 1 cup tomato puree
1 cup sour cream

1 Wash the sauerkraut in cold water, then soak in cold water 10-20 minutes to reduce sourness. (Make sure you don’t skip this step!) Squeeze dry and set aside. In a large saucepan, bring to a boil enough salted water to cover the cabbage. Add the cabbage, turn the heat to low and simmer 8 minutes. Remove the cabbage and let it drain while it cools enough to handle. Pull off 16 large unbroken leaves and lay them on paper towels to drain and cool further.

2 In a 10-inch skillet, saute the onions and garlic in olive oil, until the onions are lightly colored. In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork, rice, eggs, paprika, marjoram, the onion-garlic mixture, salt and a few grindings of black pepper. Mix well with a fork or wooden spoon.

3 Place 2 tablespoons of the stuffing in the center of one of the wilted cabbage leaves and, beginning with the thick end of the leaf, fold over the sides, then roll the whole leaf tightly, as you would a small bundle. Repeat with more leaves until all the stuffing has been used.

4 Spread the sauerkraut on the bottom of a 5-quart casserole and arrange the cabbage rolls on top of it. Add the water mixed with the tomato puree. Bring the liquid to a boil, then cover the pan tightly and cook the stuffed cabbage over low heat for 1 hour. Transfer the rolls from the casserole to a warm plate. Stir in the sour cream to the sauerkraut. Simmer another 5 minutes. Lift the sauerkraut onto a serving platter with a slotted spoon. Arrange the cabbage rolls on the sauerkraut and pour some of the sauce over them. Serve the rest of the sauce in a sauceboat.

Serves 4-6.

Dan’s note: The sour cream is unnecessary. It can be hard to get enough big enough cabbage leaves, so make sure to put a big spoonful in each one. Other than that, I’m a fan.

Moussaka

Thu, 22 May 2008 18:11:00 +0000

Greek Moussaka

This is the most delicious Greek moussaka recipe that I have come across, and being Greek born I have tryed many different recipes over the years. I make this often, it is a family favorite at my house, I have even served this many times to guests for a dinner party, everyone loves it, I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
2 medium eggplants
vegetable oil
1 lb lean ground beef
2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic (or more if desired)
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tsp dried oregano (or to taste)
1 tsp salt, divided (or to taste)
black pepper
2-3 tbsp butter or margarine
2 tbsp flour
1 cup half-and-half cream
1 egg
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (can use more)

Peel the eggplants, slice 1/4-inch thick.
Brush cookie sheet with oil.
Coat each side of sliced eggplant with oil; place on cookie sheet; broil under the broiler until brown; turn and broil the other side, brushing with oil if needed; repeat with all eggplant slices.
In the bottom of a greased 9 x 9-inch baking pan, arrange half of the eggplant slices.
In a large skillet, combine beef and onions; cook, stirring until the beef is no longer pink, and the onions are soft; drain fat.
Add in the garlic, tomato sauce, oregano, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper to taste; pour mixture over eggplant slices.
Arrange the remaining eggplant slices over the beef mixture.
PREPARE THE CHEESE SAUCE: Melt the butter in a saucepan, whisk in flour, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper to taste; gradually stir in half and half or milk, cook and stir over medium heat until thick and bubbly.
In a small bowl, beat egg; stir in some of the hot sauce, then add egg to sauce mixture, mix well; add in Parmesan cheese, and stir again.
Pour the cheese sauce over mixture in baking dish.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven, for 45 minutes.
Cut into squares.
Note: If doubling this recipe (to serve 8), it is best to make two separate casseroles, instead of one larger one.

Dan’s note: also make sure your pan isn’t too big; otherwise everything gets too thin.

Moroccan Vegetable Stew with Couscous

Thu, 22 May 2008 18:10:00 +0000

Moroccan Vegetable Stew with Couscous

Recipe By : Jump Up & Kiss Me/tpogue@idsonline.com

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion – chopped
6 cloves garlic – minced
2 whole red potatoes – diced
1 cup carrot – diced
2 teaspoons cardamom – ground
1 zucchini – cut in half and sliced
1 yellow squash – cut in half-moons, sliced
1/2 cauliflower florets
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper – ground
1 teaspoon cayenne – ground
1/2 cup raisins or currants – soaked 15 minutes in warm water to plump
16 ounces tomato – diced
15 ounces tomato sauce
2 tablespoons honey
15 ounces garbanzo beans
6 cups water
3 cups couscous – uncooked
1/2 cup dried figs – coarsely chopped
1/3 cup almonds – sliced
1 pint plain yogurt – for garnish
1 bunch fresh mint – chopped, for garnish

In a heavy stockpot, heat the olive oil and saute the onion, garlic, potatoes, carrots, and cardamom. Stir until fragrant, then add the zucchini, yellow squash, and cauliflower. Add curry powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne and stir. Drain the raisins and add to the pot along with the tomatoes, tomato sauce, honey, and garbanzo beans. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender, adding up to 1 cup of water if the stew appears dry.
While the stew is cooking, bring the water to a boil in a saucepan and stir in the couscous. Cook for 1 minute, then cover and turn off the heat, letting the couscous sit for 10 minutes. After the couscous has sat for 5 minutes, stir the figs and almonds into the stew.
To serve, fluff up the couscous with a fork. Spoon a mound of couscous on each plate and form a well in the center. Ladle a portion of stew into the well. Garnish with several tablespoons of the yogurt and fresh mint. Serve the remaining yogurt on the side.

NOTES : The Jump Up and Kiss Me Spicy Vegetarian Cooking by Jennifer Trainer Thompson was called to the attention of the Food/Wine group by Brenda Adams. Thanks Brenda, it’s a wonderful cookbook published by Ten Speed Press of Berkeley, CA.

Serves 6 to 8
Moroccan food is startlingly aromatic. Perfumed with the fragrance of cardamom and accented with the sweetness of currants, one bite of this spicy stew will have you thinking you’ve just arrived in the city of Fez for a culinary adventure. It’s delicious served with Fennel Salad

Dan’s notes: Good stew! It’s perfect amount of spicy, and the figs make it the perfect amount of sweet. The mint and yogurt really add something too.

Moroccan Chicken with Lemon and Olives

Thu, 22 May 2008 18:09:00 +0000

Moroccan Chicken with Lemon and Olives

A month ago or so I bought a tagine, an earthenware cooking and serving pot, with which to experiment. My first foray into cooking with the tagine was with this Moroccan chicken dish which turned out beautifully - succulent, tender, and full of flavor. This recipe is pulled together and adapted from various sources including the New York Times, The New Basics Cookbook, and recipes by Le Souk Ceramique, the maker of my tagine. Preserved lemon is traditionally called for in this dish, although I know of people who just add thin slices of lemon and don’t bother with finding or making preserved lemon.

2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon tumeric
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 chicken, 3-4 lbs, cut into 8 pieces (or 3-4 lbs of just chicken thighs and legs, the dark meat is more flavorful)
Salt

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped

The peel from 1 preserved lemon, rinsed in cold water, pulp discarded, peel cut into thin strips
1 cup green olives, pitted
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup raisins

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 Combine all the spices in a large bowl. Pat dry the chicken pieces and put in the bowl, coat well with the spice mixture. Let the chicken stand for one hour in the spices.

2 In a large, heavy bottomed skillet, heat the olive oil on medium high heat. Add the chicken pieces, sprinkle lightly with salt (go easy on the salt, the olives and lemons are salty), and brown, skin side down for five minutes. (If you are using a clay tagine, you will skip the browning step, heat only to medium heat and use a heat diffuser on the heating element to prevent the tagine from cracking.) Lower the heat to medium-low, add the garlic and onions. Cover and let cook for 15 minutes.

3 Turn chicken pieces over. Add the lemon slices, olives, raisins, and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer on medium heat, then lower the heat to low, cover, and cook for an additional 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and quite tender.

4 Mix in fresh parsley and cilantro right before serving. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Serves 4 to 6. Serve with couscous, rice, or rice pilaf.

Dan’s notes: Needs flavor. “Marinate” in the spices for at least an hour. I made it with boneless chicken breasts, maybe the dark meat is better. I used lemon rind, too- grate it so you don’t get a big chunk of lemon rind.

Mojo Stir Fry

Thu, 22 May 2008 18:03:00 +0000

Mojo Stir Fry
Chef Christopher Sotkovsky, CEC, CCE, from PA Culinary Institute
Yield: 4 servings

Cuban in origin, I have adapted this sauce to be used in combination with your favorite meat and vegetable combinations. You can make a large batch of this sauce and whip up a market basket stir fry, using the best fresh local seasonal ingredients.

Sauce:
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 limes, juiced
2 oranges, zested and juiced
1 tsp chili garlic paste
2 tbsp Maggi seasoning, or Kitchen Bouquet
1/2 cup water
3 tbsp molasses
1 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp smoked spanish paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp cornstarch

Stirfry:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb beef, pork, chicken, or shrimp, sliced thin
1 lb vegetables- onions, peppers, zucchini, etc
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp cilantro, minced
2 tbsp parsley, minced

Mix all sauce ingredients in a quart-size mason jar with lid. Can be stored in refrigerator for up to one month.
Prepare meat and vegetables. Heat a wok until very hot. Add half the oil, fry meat, remove from pan when browned. Add remaining oil. Reheat pan, add garlic and vegetables. Stir fry a few minutes, then add chili powder. When vegetables are tender and crisp, add meat. Shake up sauce and pur in enough to coat the meat and vegetables. Heat to thicken, serve with rice, cuban flat bread, and hot sauce.

Dan’s note: very good. I might go a little easier on the orange juice in the sauce- it gets a little thin and citrusy.

Hutspot

Thu, 22 May 2008 18:02:00 +0000

Hutspot

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup margarine or butter
2 pounds braising meat, sliced 1/2 inch thick (large chunks)
2 cups cold water
3 pounds carrots, peeled and diced or a mix of diced carrot and turnip
12 ounces onions, diced (about three medium)
3 pounds potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 or 2 Dutch smoked sausages (Simon de Groot or other)

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the fat in (what else) a Dutch oven or crock pot until brown.
Sear the meat on both sides til brown. Add water to just cover the meat
and simmer (covered) for approximately one (1) hour.
Add carrots, onions and potatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
Cover and simmer for about an hour more. Add the Dutch sausage on top
during the last 15 minutes of cooking. Remove the meat and veggies;
if there is enough liquid left, make gravy. Mash the vegetables
together and put on plates. Put meat and sausage slices on top and
serve with gravy. (Serves four to six)

Many Thanks to Brenda Sharpe for this recipe

Dan’s notes: Tasty! Make sure you have a big pot.

Irish Beef Stew

Thu, 22 May 2008 18:02:00 +0000

Irish Beef Stew Recipe

“Have I got the best recipe for you!” my friend Tomas announced, upon his return from a recent trip to photographing vineyards in Italy. “It’s an Irish beef stew,” he added, “and it’s the best thing I’ve ever had.” Apparently the chef at one of the wineries Tom was visiting prepared this stew for Tom, based on a Bon Appetit recipe, with the main difference being the substitution of Guinness (a very dark beer) and excellent red wine for some of the beef stock the recipe called for. Always eager to try new recipes with friends, I made my way to Tom’s house and we cooked this up together for his family. As I suspected, the addition of Guinness and red wine makes all the difference.

1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/4 pounds stew beef, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 large garlic cloves, minced
6 cups beef stock or canned beef broth
1 cup of Guinness beer
1 cup of fine red wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 7 cups)
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups 1/2-inch pieces peeled carrots
Salt and Pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add beef and sauté until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add beef stock, Guinness, red wine, tomato paste, sugar, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, then cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

2 While the meet and stock is simmering, melt butter in another large pot over medium heat. Add potatoes, onion and carrots. Sauté vegetables until golden, about 20 minutes.

3 Add vegetables to beef stew. Simmer uncovered until vegetables and beef are very tender, about 40 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Tilt pan and spoon off fat. Transfer stew to serving bowl. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. (Can be prepared up to 2 days ahead. Salt and pepper to taste. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before serving.)

Serves 4 to 6.

Lasagna

Thu, 22 May 2008 18:02:00 +0000

Lasagna

1 lb bulk italian sausage
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp basil
1 1/2 tsp salt
6 oz water
1 15oz can tomatoes
2 6oz cans tomato paste
10 oz lasagna
2 eggs, beaten
3 cups (24oz) cottage cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 tbsp parsley flakes
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 lb mozzarella, sliced

Saute sausage and garlic over medium heat. Drain fat, if any. Add basil, salt, water, tomatoes, tomato paste.
Boil, drain, rinse lasagna.
Mix eggs, cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, pepper in a bowl.
Layer in a 13x9 pan: 1/2 noodles, cheese mix, cheese slices, sauce. Repeat. Bake at 375 for 30 min.

Source: Mom

Ginger Chicken with Almonds

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:59:00 +0000

Ginger Chicken with Almonds

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1 1/2 - 2 lbs. total)
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger plus 1/4 cup julienned fresh ginger
4 teaspoons grapeseed oil or other high flash point oil such as canola oil
2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoond kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 large scallions (or 6 small), trimmed
1/2 cup mango chutney, large pieces chopped
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1 Slice chicken crosswise into œ-inch-thick pieces. Toss with ground coriander, grated ginger, 2 teaspoons oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Marinate at room temperature 15 minutes (or longer, or overnight, in the refrigerator).

2 Thinly slice white parts of scallions. Julienne green parts; set aside.

3 Stir together chutney, broth, and garlic in a small bowl.

4 Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet (or wok) over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites and julienned ginger; stir-fry 30 seconds. Add chicken and stir-fry until thoroughly cooked, 4 to 6 minutes. Add scallion greens and chutney mixture; cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Transfer to shallow bowls with hot cooked rice (or without rice, for low-carb version). Sprinkle with toasted almond slices and serve.

Serves 4-6.

Chicken Enchiladas

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:57:00 +0000

Chicken Enchiladas

3 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 cup chopped onion
¼ cup margarine or butter
¼ cup unsifted flour
2 ½ cups hot water
1 tbsp chicken flavored bouillon cube or 3 cubes
1 (8oz) sour cream, at room temperature
2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
1 (4 oz) can chopped mild green chilies, drained
1 tsp ground cumin
10 (8 in) flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 350. In medium saucepan, cook onion in margarine until tender. Stir in flour then water and bouillon; cook and stir until thickened and bouillon dissolves. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream. In large bowl, combine 1 cup sauce, chicken, 1 cup cheese, chilies and cumin; mix well. Dip each tortilla into remaining hot sauce to soften; fill each with equal portions of chicken mixture. Roll up. Arrange in greased 13 x 9 baking dish. Spoon remaining sauce over. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 25 minutes or until bubbly. Garnish as desired. Refrigerate leftovers.
Source: Aunt Jill and Uncle Marc

Chicken and tasso jambalaya

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:56:00 +0000

CHICKEN AND TASSO JAMBALAYA

Seasoning mix:
2 whole bay leaves
1 teaspoon ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons white pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 pound chopped tasso (preferred) or other smoked ham (preferably Cure 81), about 2 cups
3/4 pound boneless chicken, cut into bite-size pieces, about 2 cups
1 cup chopped onions, in all
1 cup chopped celery, in all
1 cup chopped green bell peppers, in all
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup canned tomato sauce
1 cup peeled and chopped tomatoes
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups uncooked rice (preferably converted)

Combine the seasoning mix ingredients in small bowl and set aside.

Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over high heat. Add the tasso and cook until meat starts to brown, about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add chicken and continue cooking until chicken is brown, about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently and scraping pan bottom well. Stir in the seasoning mix and 1/2 cup each of the onions, celery, and bell peppers and the garlic. Cook until vegetables start to get tender, about 5 to 8 minutes, stirring fairly constantly and scraping pan bottom as needed. Stir in the tomato sauce and cook about 1 minute, stirring often. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup each of the onions, celery, and bell peppers and the tomatoes. Remove from heat. Stir in the stock and rice, mixing well. Transfer mixture to an ungreased 8x8-inch baking pan. Bake uncovered in a 350° oven until rice is tender but still a bit crunchy, about 1 hour. Remove from oven. Stir well and remove bay leaves Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

To serve, mold rice in an 8-ounce cup and place 2 cups on each serving plate for a main course or 1 cup for an appetizer.

Makes 4 main-dish or 8 appetizer servings.
Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Louisiana Kitchen
April 1984
Paul Prudhomme
Morrow,William & Co

Dan’s note: Don’t use instant rice, it splits and gets soft again. Still very good though. Original recipe said 2 tsp red pepper- it’s spicy enough with 1.

Chicken Curry with Cashews

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:56:00 +0000

CHICKEN CURRY WITH CASHEWS
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/CHICKEN-CURRY-WITH-CASHEWS-231358

In this recipe adapted from Charmaine Solomon’s Complete Asian Cookbook, ground cashews thicken the curry and give it a rich, nutty flavor. Both roasted and raw cashews work well, so use whichever you prefer.

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
2 medium onions, finely chopped (2 cups)
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
3 tablespoons curry powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 (3 1/2- to 4-lb) chicken, cut into 10 serving pieces
1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3/4 cup cashews (1/4 lb)
3/4 cup plain whole-milk yogurt

Accompaniment: cooked basmati or jasmine rice
Garnish: chopped fresh cilantro

Heat butter in a 5- to 6-quart wide heavy pot over moderately low heat until foam subsides, then cook onions, garlic, and ginger, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add curry powder, salt, cumin, and cayenne and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add chicken and cook, stirring to coat, 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, including juice, and cilantro and bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 40 minutes. (If making ahead, see cooks’ note, below.)

Just before serving:
Pulse cashews in a food processor or electric coffee/spice grinder until very finely ground, then add to curry along with yogurt and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring, until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.

Cooks’ note:
Curry, without yogurt and cashews, can be made 5 days ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Reheat over low heat before stirring in yogurt and ground cashews.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Gourmet
January 2005

Dan’s note: Excellent. Really good. I used I think 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, it was fine.

Bean Bourguignon

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:53:00 +0000

Bean Bourguignon

2 cans (15 oz. each) great northern beans, drained and rinsed
8 ox. Mushrooms, quartered
1 onion, chopped
1 large or 2 medium potatoes, unpeeled, cut into ½-inch chunks
2 carrots, sliced into ½ inch rounds
2 celery ribs, sliced ½ inch thick
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cup dry red wine
6 oz. can tomato paste
1/2 cup water
Place beans, mushrooms, onions, potatoes, carrots and celery in a 4-quart
crock pot. Sprinkle with garlic, thyme, salt and pepper; add bay leaf. Stir to coat vegetables.

Pour wine over mixture in crock pot. In a small bowl, mix tomato paste and water; pour into crock pot and stir.

Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or high 4-5 hours, or until vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaf and serve.
Source: Aunt Jill and Uncle Marc

Apple cider chicken

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:51:00 +0000

Apple cider chicken

2 chicken breast halves
1 can cream of chicken soup
3/4 cup apple cider
3 tsp worcestershire sauce
4 tbsp onion flakes
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 2.5oz jar sliced mushrooms, drained

Source: Mom
Bake at 350 for 1 1/2-2 hours, basting after 1 hour. Serve with rice.

Veal sambal

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:49:00 +0000

Veal Sambal Recipe

http://recipes.epicurean.com/recipedetail2.jsp?recipe_no=23213

Ingredients:
2-lbs. lean veal stew meat cut into 1-inch cubes
3 cups water
1 tsp. salt
2 carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 carrots, peeled, sliced into thin sticks
2 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 stalks celery, sliced into thin sticks
1/2 large red onion, quartered
1/2 large red onion, finely chopped
8 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 large can diced tomatoes, undrained
4 large fresh Jalapeno peppers, seeded, finely chopped
2 large fresh fingerhot peppers, seeded, finely chopped
2 thumb-size pieces of fresh ginger, peeled, finely chopped
1 tbs. lime juice
2 tbs. soy sauce
1 tbs. molasses
2 tbs. dark sesame oil
1 large mango, pureed
1 large bok choy, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 box of your favorite Oriental noodles, or spaghetti, cooked al dente.
Garnishes: cilantro sprigs, chopped peanuts, mango slices, tangerine
segments

Directions:
In a 4-quart pan, place the veal, water, salt, 4 cloves garlic, and large pieces of the celery, carrot, and onion. Bring to boil and simmer covered for 1 hour. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat and chill until needed.

Strain the broth, discard the veggies, and wash the pan. Return the broth to the pan and reduce the volume to one cup.

Cook the pasta, drain, and add one tablespoon sesame oil to the noodles and toss to coat. Return noodles to the pot and cover until needed.

In the same 4-quart pan with the broth, add all of the remaining ingredients except the veal, sesame oil, mango, bok choy, and noodles. Stir well and adjust seasoning to your taste. Cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients except the noodles and toss the bok choy in the hot sauce until it is just wilted. Cover, and heat for a few minutes until the meat and sauce are hot.

Add the noodles to a large pasta serving bowl. Add the finished stew to the pasta and toss well. If desired, garnish with any or all of the above selections. Serves 4-6. Enjoy!

–
A stew featuring a fusion of Thai and Indonesian flavors. The very spicy Indonesian sambal sauce is tempered by a Thai tomato-mango base.

Dan’s note: good. A little watery, but not really. If you just add the noodles (I used penne) to the broth, it just makes a big soup. But yeah, all the flavors work together well. And I didn’t even have any sesame oil or molasses!

Tahu dan Tempe Bumbu Rujak

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:46:00 +0000

Tahu dan Tempe Bumbu Rujak
(Indonesian tofu & tempeh in spicy coconut sauce)

Yield: 4-6 servings
6-7 shallots, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, crushed
3-5 tbsp Sambal oelek
5-6 candlenuts or almonds
1 tbsp tamarind pulp
1 tsp turmeric powder

2-3 tbsp oil
3 stalks lemongrass, white part only, crushed with a mallet or knife
4-6 Kaffir lime leaves
1" piece Galangal, sliced into thin discs
1 lb tempeh, cubed
1 lb tofu, firm, cubed
2 cups coconut milk
2 tbsp sugar
salt, to taste

METHOD
Basic Steps: Puree ? Sauté ? Simmer

Place the shallots, garlic, sambal oelek, nuts, tamarind and turmeric into a blender or food processor and puree. Add a little water if necessary to bring the ingredients together.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan or wok over medium high flame. Add the shallot puree and sauté till fragrant, 3-5 minutes. Add the crushed lemongrass and lime leaves and sauté 1-2 minutes more.
Add the tempeh, tofu and coconut milk. Season with sugar and salt, reduce heat and simmer until coconut milk has thickened, 15-20 minutes. Serve with rice.

VARIATIONS

* The cubed tofu can be deep-fried first if you like. Pre-fried tofu cubes can be found at many Asian markets.
* One medium-sized white onion can be substituted for the shallots.
* Use all tofu or all tempeh if you prefer.
* Ayam Bumbu Rujak: Use one chicken, about 2 1/2 lbs and cut into serving pieces, in place of the tofu and tempeh. The chicken can be browned first in hot oil if you like.
* Telur Bumbu Rujak: Use 6 or 7 hard-boiled eggs in place of the tofu and tempeh.

NOTES

* This simple vegetarian dish uses tempeh, a fermented soybean cake, that is popular in Indonesian cuisine.
* The lemongrass, lime leaves and galangal are for seasoning and are not meant to be eaten. They can be removed before serving if you like.
http://whats4eats.com/recipes/r_ve_tahutempebumbu.html

Dan’s notes: I forgot the galangal. The lemongrass and lime leaves made it very lemoney, and that wasn’t so good; I’d cut down the lemongrass.
It is good with one stalk of lemongrass and only a couple lime leaves, and all tofu, no tempeh.

Satay 3

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:41:00 +0000

Chicken Satay

Satay of course is originally an Indonesian/Malay dish, but it has been in Southern Thailand for a very long time. This is a Thai version.

You can of course also make the same recipe with chunks of beef or pork, or large prawns (if you can get the very large ones [3-4 per pound] then they are usually deheaded and the skewer threaded lengthwise down the body.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon coriander seed
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
about 1 pound chicken breasts, skinned, boned, and cut into bite sized pieces.
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon curry powder (Thais use a mix called “phom kari”, but an Indian style Madras curry powder is fine)
pinch turmeric powder (it’s only a colorant, so very little!)
8 tablespoons coconut milk
3 tablespoons palm sugar

Method

The chicken is beaten flat, using the flat of the blade of a heavy cleaver (or using a meat-tenderising mallet, or the ‘sahk’ of the mortar and pestle (i.e. the grinding piece, not the bowl :-) – in Thailand these are usually granite. You could also use a rolling pin…)

The coriander and cumin are toasted and then crushed in a mortar and pestle or food processor (coffee grinder…) The ingredients are then combined to form a marinade, and the chicken is marinated overnight.

The pieces of chicken are then threaded on the 8" satay sticks, loosely folding them in half and piercing through the folded meat to form a loose gather.

The completed sticks are then grilled, broiled or barbecued on fairly high heat (they taste best done over charcoal, as they absorb the smoke). Turn them regularly and brush them liberally with the remaining marinade. Cooking should take between 5 and 10 minutes depending on the heat of your cooker.

Regards

Colonel Ian F. Khuntilanont-Philpott
Systems Engineering,
Vongchavalitkul University,
Korat 30000, Thailand

Dan’s notes: This is probably the best Satay. Maybe the best chicken I’ve made in a long time. Pounding + marinating = super tender. Plus, the flavor is awesome.

Satay 2

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:40:00 +0000

Satay #2

Marinade for Chicken:
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts

Spicy Peanut Sauce:
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon red curry paste, or mussamun curry paste
2 teaspoons roasted chili paste (nahm prik pao; optional)
1/2 cup chicken broth or water
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon palm sugar or brown sugar
1/4 cup chunky peanut butter or very finely ground peanuts
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice or tamarind liquid

About 60 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes
Tangy Cucumber Pickles

Quick & Easy Thai
by Nancie McDermott from Chronicle Books

This dish looks inviting, tastes fantastic, and is fun to eat. To make in advance, marinate the meat, put the cucumber pickles together, make the sauce, and then cover and chill. Let your first guests skewer the meat and get it grilling while you gently reheat the peanut sauce. This way you will have time to make a quick batch of the traditional satay accompaniment: toast! Thais often serve satay with a side of toast points, the better to enjoy the fabulous peanut sauce.

Combine the coconut milk, fish sauce, brown sugar, and curry powder in a large mixing bowl and stir well. Cut chicken thighs into generous, bite-sized chunks, and cut breast meat lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips. Add the meat to the marinade and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or as long as overnight.

To prepare the peanut sauce, bring the coconut milk to a gentle boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the curry paste and roasted chili paste and cook 4 to 5 minutes, mashing and stirring occasionally to dissolve them. Add the chicken broth, fish sauce, palm sugar, peanut butter, and lime juice and cook 1 minute more, stirring well to make a smooth sauce. Remove from heat, transfer to a small serving bowl, and set aside to cool. The sauce can be served warm or at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate, reheating gently just before serving time.

Thread meat onto tips of bamboo skewers, and cook on a lightly oiled, hot grill or under a broiler, turning often, until browned and cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Serve at once with the peanut sauce and Tangy Cucumber Pickles.

Dan’s note: the peanut sauce is very good. Don’t need the water, though, I don’t think.

Sambal Goreng Telor

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:39:00 +0000

Sambal Goreng Telor

A traditional Indonesian egg dish served with a meal.
Ingredients:

5 Eggs
2 Tablespoon Oil
3 Shallots
2 cloves Garlic
1/2 teaspoon Trassi
1 red pepper
2 1/2 cm Galangal root
1 Bay or Salam leaf
1/2 teaspoon Tamarind paste
2 teaspoons Sugar
1/2 cup Coconut milk
100 gr. Shrimps
Preparation:

Hard boil eggs for 10 minutes. Heat oil in Wok or frying pan.
Fry diced Onion, Garlic, Trassi, Pepper and Galangal slowly for 10 Min.
Add Bay leaf, Tamarind, sugar, Coconut milk and œ cup of water and cook for 5 min. Add shrimps and slow cook for a further 5 min. Peel the eggs and heat through in the sauce. Slice eggs in halve lengthwise and arrange on dish.
Pour hot sauce over eggs and serve.

Dan’s notes: Tasty, but nothing special. Tastes like the sum of its parts.

Satay

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:39:00 +0000

Satay

For marinade:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 onion, (cut in large pieces)
1 tbsp ginger powder
2 garlic cloves (minced)
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp Ketjap Manis- sweet soy sauce (thicker and sweeter than regular… found in an Asian grocery store. Or you can try to substitute something like 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp molasses, 1 tsp brown sugar, and 1 tsp water)
2 tbsp water

For peanut sauce:
2 tbsp oil
2-3 tsp cumin
1 onion
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1 cup peanut butter (300g)
1 cup ketchup (300g)
milk or water
1 tsp ginger powder
Sambal Oelek (or other spicy pepper sauce) to taste

Slice the chicken into little chunks. Mix the marinade ingredients and marinate overnight, or at least for a couple hours. Grill the chicken on skewers, or just saute it if you don’t have a grill.

To make the peanut sauce: heat the oil, add the cumin, then the onion, garlic, and 1 tsp Sambal Oelek. Cook for 5 minutes, add the peanut butter, cook for a few more minutes, and add the ketchup. Add some milk or water if it’s too thick. Add the ginger and mix well.

Serve the chicken with the peanut sauce. You’ll probably have a lot of peanut sauce left over. Eat it on just about anything- it’s pretty good. Or just make less peanut sauce.

Rendang Daging

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:36:00 +0000

Rendang Daging
(Indonesian beef simmered in coconut milk)

Yield: 4-6 servings
3 tbsp oil
1/2 cup onion or shallots
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
3-20 chili peppers, minced
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
2 lb. beef, chuck or round, cut into thin slices

4 cups coconut milk
2-3 rounds ginger or galangal
2 stalks lemon grass, bottom 3-4" only, pounded flat
1 tbsp sugar
salt, to season

Blend the onion, garlic, chilies, turmeric and salt to a puree in a food processor or blender. You may have to add a little water.
Heat the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high flame. Add the onion puree and sauté till fragrant and excess water is cooked out. Add beef and continue to sauté till meat is lightly browned.
Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 1 1/2 to 3 hours, until beef is very tender and sauce is reduced to a thick gravy. It will be necessary to add a little water now and then if the sauce becomes too dry before the meat is tender.
Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and sugar and serve with steamed rice or ketupat (rice cakes).

VARIATIONS

Rendang Kambing: use lamb instead of beef.
Rendang Ayam: use boneless chicken breasts or thighs.
Rendang is typically made fiery hot with chilies. Adjust the amount to your liking.
The onions and garlic can be eliminated. Simply mix all the rest of the ingredients together, skip the sautéing step, and simmer till the meat is tender.
The following ingredients can be added with the onions and garlic if you like: toasted, shredded coconut, 2 tsp cumin, 2 Tbsp coriander.
One or more of the following ingredients can be added with the coconut milk if you like: 3-4 kaffir lime leaves, 3-4 whole cloves, 1 tsp cinnamon, curry leaves, 1-2 Tbsp tamarind paste, 2-3 crushed kemiri (candlenuts), 1-2 slices ginger, 2-3 bay leaves.

NOTES
Rendang is a “dry” meat curry that originated in the Padang cuisine of west-central Sumatra. It has become popular throughout the Indonesian archipelago as well as in Malaysia and Singapore. This intensely flavorful dish is often served on special occasions. The ingredients used to season it vary widely from region to region. Pick and choose as you like.
The oil will probably separate from the coconut milk and rise to the top of the dish. While rendang is typically served fairly oily, you can skim excess from the top. Some cooks hold back half the coconut milk and stir it in toward the end to minimize oiliness.

Dan’s notes: This is great. I added a couple cloves and a bay leaf. When it simmered way down it was really flavorful. It is really oily, though. I skimmed off a bunch of oil and it was still oily.

Rempah

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:33:00 +0000

Rempah
http://www.indochef.com/indo_07.shtml
Beef and Coconut patties Indonesian style.
Ingredients:

200 gr minced beef.
100 gr desiccated coconut.
1 garlic clove.
1 teaspoon coriander.
1/2 teaspoon cumin.
1/4 teaspoon laos powder.
1/4 teaspoon blanchan.
1 egg.
50 gr cornflour.
100 gr. peanut oil.
Preparation:

Moisten the coconut with about 4 tablespoons of hot water. Add all remaining ingredients except cornflour and oil. Mix until ingredients are well blended and smooth.
Make mixture into 12 to 16 small balls. Roll through cornflour, shake of any excess and fry in hot oil for about 5 min.
Serve hot.

Dan’s notes: good, but sort of bland. They just tasted like plain fried meatballs (whatever you imagine that to taste like)

Gulai Masin Ikan

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:26:00 +0000

Yellow Fish Curry

(Gulai Masin Ikan)

SERVES 4-6

This dish epitomizes the cuisine of Indonesia: earthy, wild, lush and vibrant. This recipe can also be made with mackerel, perch, or squid.

1 stalk lemongrass
5 shallots, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1" piece ginger, peeled and chopped
1/2" piece fresh or frozen and thawed
turmeric, peeled and chopped
3 shelled candlenuts, chopped
2 tbsp. peanut oil
2 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
20 green bird’s-eye chiles, stemmed
1 1 1/2-2-lb. whole red snapper, cleaned
2-3 kaffir lime leaves
Salt

Bruise lemongrass with dull side of cleaver or large kitchen knife, tie it into a knot, and set aside. Crush together shallots, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and candlenuts with a mortar and pestle to a smooth paste and set aside.
Heat oil in a wok or medium wide pot over medium heat. Add shallot paste and cook, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes. Add coconut milk and chiles and bring to a simmer. Add fish, lime leaves, and lemongrass and cook, gently stirring and occasionally basting fish with sauce, until fish is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Remove and discard lemongrass and lime leaves just before serving. Serve at room temperature, with Steamed White Rice, if you like.
First published in Saveur, March 2002

Dan’s notes: This is great! And easy! (once you clean the fish…) the chiles are awesome; actually do put 20 chiles in, because once you cook them in the coconut milk and stuff, the flavor is just right, and then when you eat one, it’s fiery but not painful.

Boeboer ajam

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:23:00 +0000

Boeboer Ajam

This dish is best described as a savoury “rice-pudding”. It makes a tasty lunchtime dish, or, if you’re one of the converted, a nice breakfast dish to see you through the rest of the day.
Ingredients:

1 Chicken (approx. 800 gr.)
1 1/2 Ltr. water.
400 gr. Rice.
2 Tbs. Chinese light Soy.
2 Tsp. Garlic Powder
salt & pepper to taste
Garnish:
Chopped Parsley or Coriander leaf.
Omelet strips (made from 2 eggs)
Bawang goreng. (deep fried Onions)

Preparation:

Quarter chicken and put with water on low flame for 1 hour to make stock. Remove
chicken. Put the crushed shells from the eggs used for the omelet in the stock and
stir well, on low flame, for a minute. Pass stock through a muslin cloth to clarify.
Wash the rice and boil in the stock for œ hour until done. (must be sticky and thick). Add the soy, garlic, salt, pepper and shredded chicken and simmer for a further 15 Minutes.
Decorate with omelet, onions and parsley or coriander. serve hot.

Dan’s notes: easy and great! When it says “sticky and thick” it kinda means “soupy, like risotto-style, but almost done”. Didn’t pass stock through the muslin cloth, it turned out fine.

Ayam Panggang

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:21:00 +0000

Grilled-Chicken Curry

(Ayam Panggang)

This recipe has been passed down through generations of the family of Ibu Rohati, a Padang native we met while exploring Indonesia and the ancient Minangkabau culture. Check your local Asian market for Indonesian ingredients.

1 stalk lemongrass
1 tbsp. tamarind pulp
3 shallots, peeled and chopped
3 red holland chiles, stemmed and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1" piece ginger, peeled and chopped
1" piece fresh or frozen and thawed galangal,
peeled and chopped
1/2" piece fresh or frozen and thawed
turmeric, peeled and chopped
4 shelled candlenuts, chopped
1 tbsp. whole coriander seeds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp. peanut oil
1 3 1/2-4-lb. chicken, cut in half
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

Bruise lemongrass with dull side of cleaver or large kitchen knife, tie it into a knot, and set aside. Dissolve tamarind pulp in 1 cup hot water. Strain through a sieve, pressing pulp through with a rubber spatula. Set liquid aside and discard seeds.
Crush together shallots, chiles, garlic, ginger, galangal, turmeric, candlenuts, and coriander seeds with a mortar and pestle to a smooth paste. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add spice paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 3-5 minutes. Push paste to outer edge of skillet, add chicken, skin side down, and cook until skin begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Turn chicken, then stir in tamarind liquid and lemongrass, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid reduces by one-quarter, about 10 minutes. Add coconut milk and simmer, basting chicken frequently, until it is cooked halfway through, about 10 minutes more. Transfer chicken to a plate and continue simmering sauce until thickened and pastelike, 7-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat grill. Grill chicken over medium-hot heat, basting with sauce and turning halfway through, until completely cooked, 15-20 minutes. Serve at room temperature, with Steamed White Rice, if you like.
First published in Saveur, March 2002

Dan’s notes: tasty! I cooked it with the bone in (except the breasts) and then cut it off the bone and served it as shredded chicken with the sauce. The breasts dried out a little bit, so maybe keeping them on the bone would be a good idea too. Second time I made it (grill and everything) it wasn’t so good.

Springtime Pasta and Sausage

Thu, 22 May 2008 16:57:00 +0000

Springtime Pasta and Sausage

8 oz uncooked spaghetti
2 cups sliced mushroom
12 oz Italian turkey or chicken sausage, thinly sliced
1/3 cup chicken broth
4 Italian plum tomatoes, chopped
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
2 garlic cloves
4 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 oz (2 cups) fresh sugar snap peas, trimmed, or 9 oz package frozen sugar snap peas, thawed
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

1.Cook spaghetti in large saucepan. Drain. Return to pan. Cover to keep warm.
2.In large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook sausage, fennel and garlic until sausage is no longer pink. Drain and remove from skillet
3.Add sugar snap peas, mushrooms and broth to skillet. Heat until bubbly. Simmer 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in tomatoes and onions. Cook and stir over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add sausage mixture and parsley. Cook an additional 1 minute or until hot.
4.Add to cooked spaghetti. Toss gently until well mixed.
5.Serve with Parmesan or Romano cheese.

Source: Aunt Jill and Uncle Marc

Pannenkoeken

Thu, 22 May 2008 16:47:00 +0000

Pannenkoeken (with meat filling!)- Dutch pancakes

Source: http://www.hollandsepot.dordt.nl/pannenkoek/pannenkoeken.htm
and http://www.hollandsepot.dordt.nl/dutch/dutch.html

Pancakes:
250 gram (1/2 lb) flour
15 grams yeast
2 tsp sugar
1/2 liter (2 cups) milk, room temperature or a little warmer
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
grated rind from 1/2 lemon

Filling:
4 tbsp. butter or margarine
1/3 cup flour
2 cups stock or bouillon
salt
pepper
nutmeg
lemon juice to taste
2 cups cooked meat, ground or minced
1/2 cup canned mushrooms.

Preparations:
Mix the flour, yeast, and sugar. Make a well in the middle, the usual, add half the (warm) milk. Let it rise for 30 minutes. It will get big and airy. Add the rest of the milk, the eggs, salt, and lemon rind. Let it rise again. It will probably get huge. It’ll be wet, though, like a batter. Cook like pancakes: butter the pan, put in a big scoop of batter, cook it until there are a lot of bubbles, flip it, cook it until it’s the right color. Makes about 4 or 5 big pancakes.

For the filling (can be done in advance; probably a good idea) Make a thick brown sauce of butter, flour and stock: add seasoning, keep stirring and mix with meat and mushrooms. Keep hot but care that it does not boil, or meat will get tough. Filling can be made in advance.

Dan’s notes: I used probably 1 cup of chopped fresh mushrooms and sauteed them first. Also, I added 1 onion. Rich, but good!

Mushroom and Spinach stuffed peppers

Thu, 22 May 2008 16:45:00 +0000

Mushroom and Spinach stuffed peppers

From Farmer John’s Cookbook by John Peterson

4 quarts water
4 bell peppers, tops sliced off, seeds removed, flesh around the stem saved and chopped
1 tbsp salt
1/4 cup butter, divided
1 large onion, minced, divided
1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
1/2 lb mushrooms, chopped
1 cup finely diced celery (~2 ribs)
1/4 cup finely diced carrots (~1 carrot)
1/4 cup fresh or frozen corn (~1 ear)
1 large handful spinach, chopped
1 tsp minced fresh ginger (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
dash cayenne
1 tomato, peeled, seeded, diced
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided, plus more to taste

Preheat oven to 350.
Boil water in a big pot, add peppers and 1 tbsp salt. Cook until almost soft, 3-4 minutes. Remove from water, drain in a colander (Dan’s note: douse in cold water to stop cooking), let cool. Save cooking water.
Heat 2 tbsp butter in a skillet, add half of the onions, saute ~5 minutes. Add rice, cook about 10 minutes until it gets golden. Add 3 cups of the peppers cooking water, boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until absorbed, 12-15 minutes.
Melt 2 tbsp butter in a big skillet, add pepper tops, onions, mushrooms, celery, corn, spinach, ginger, garlic, cayenne, and saute until tender, about 10 minutes. Salt to taste.
Combine rice and vegetables, add tomato and half the cheese, season with pepper.
Fill peppers, add cheese, add the rest of the filling on the side. Bake about 20 minutes.

Dan’s note: pretty good, but still not too flavorful. A lot of cheese helps.

Gumbo Z'herbes

Thu, 22 May 2008 16:39:00 +0000

Gumbo Z’herbes
CHOW
http://www.chow.com/recipes/10906

TIME/SERVINGS

Total: 1 hr 40 mins

Active: 45 mins

Makes: 8 to 10 servings

By Regan Burns

Gumbo z’herbes, a smothered greens dish, is traditionally served on Good Friday during Lent. It’s a great way to use up vegetable greens such as beet or carrot tops, though feel free to experiment with different combinations—original versions contained seven different cooking greens for good luck. The roux base adds so much depth, you won’t miss the meat. In fact, this gumbo was the most popular among our kitchen staff, beating out shrimp and tasso and chicken and andouille versions.

Level of difficulty: Intermediate.

Read more about gumbo.
INGREDIENTS
For the greens:

* 5 bunches greens, such as collard greens, chicory, dandelion greens, mustard greens, spinach, parsley, beet tops, carrot tops, or turnip tops (enough to equal about 3 pounds)
* 3 cups water

For the gumbo base:

* 2/3 cup vegetable oil
* 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 medium yellow onion, medium dice
* 1 bunch scallions, white and light green parts thinly sliced, green tops reserved for garnish
* 1 large green bell pepper, medium dice
* 4 stalks celery, medium dice
* 1 large garlic clove, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
* 2 cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth
* 2 teaspoons kosher salt
* 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (either purchased or homemade)
* 2 whole cloves
* 3 allspice berries
* 2 dried bay leaves
* 1 tablespoon minced marjoram leaves
* Green Tabasco

INSTRUCTIONS
For the greens:

Rinse and trim greens, removing any dried-out parts or tough stems that don’t break easily. If you are using collards, remove the tough inner rib that runs up the center of each leaf.
Fill the sink with cold water and submerge all greens. Leave undisturbed for about 5 minutes, then lift from the water and place in a colander. (Don’t drain the sink with the greens still in it: Soaking the greens allows all the sand and grit to settle to the bottom of the sink—if you drain it, your greens are left sitting in the silty stuff.) If necessary, repeat this process.
Chop or tear greens into large pieces and place in a large saucepan or pot with a tightfitting lid. Add water to greens and season generously with salt; place over medium-high heat. When the water in the pot begins to simmer, tightly cover and reduce heat to medium low. Cook greens, occasionally turning with a pair of tongs, until they are very soft and wilted, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Strain greens, being sure to reserve the cooking liquid. (You should have about 3 1/2 cups.) Allow greens to cool slightly, then chop into 1/2-inch pieces. Take about 1/2 of the chopped greens and purée them in a food processor or blender (if greens will not blend, add a little of the reserved cooking liquid to help them along).
For the gumbo base:
In a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. When it is hot, slowly sprinkle in flour, stirring constantly with a wire whisk to prevent any lumps from forming. Reduce heat to medium low and cook roux, stirring constantly (and taking care to scrape out the corners of the pan), until it is a nutty brown color (the color of peanut butter) and emits a toasted aroma, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Use a wooden spoon to stir onion, scallions, bell pepper, celery, and garlic into the pot. Season with a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are softened and garlic is no longer raw-smelling, about 5 minutes.
Add reserved cooking liquid along with vegetable broth or water, stirring well to incorporate. Increase heat to medium high and bring mixture to a simmer. Stir in salt, Cajun seasoning, cloves, allspice, and bay leaves and simmer, stirring often, until gumbo base is soupy and thick and vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
Stir in chopped and puréed greens and marjoram; cover the pot and simmer 10 minutes. Add Tabasco to taste and serve over cooked white rice, garnished with thinly sliced scallion tops.

Dan’s note: it’s good. Less oil or more flour for the roux.

Green Curry Chicken

Thu, 22 May 2008 16:38:00 +0000

Green Curry Chicken

Ingredients:
2 medium zucchini or 2 long purple Asian eggplants
1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
2 to 3 tablespoons green curry paste
3/4 pound boneless chicken thighs or breast, cut in big, bite-sized pieces
1 1/2 cups chicken broth or water
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon palm sugar or brown sugar
6 to 8 wild lime leaves, torn or cut in half (optional)
A handful of fresh Asian or Italian basil leaves, plus basil sprigs for garnish

Source: Quick & Easy Thai by Nancie McDermott from Chronicle Books

Green curry gets its name from the profusion of fresh hot green chilies fortifying the curry paste, rather than from the color of the finished curry. Some say it is the hottest of all Thai curries, but curry heat depends both upon how a given curry paste is made, and how much of it the cook stirs into the curry pot. The classic green curry uses chicken with lots of golf-ball-sized Thai eggplant, known as makeua poh, along with a flourish of the tiny, fragrant eggplant called makeua peuang, which adds a unique herbal note to the curry. I like it with chicken thighs cut into generous chunks and zucchini or yellow squash, or some of both. Long purple Asian eggplant makes a fabulous alternative. The lime leaves and basil are lovely, but not essential to a great green curry.

Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and then crosswise into 1-inch chunks; set aside. In a medium saucepan or heavy skillet, bring 3/4 cup of the coconut milk to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until it begins to thicken and becomes fragrant. Add the curry paste and cook 2 to 3 minutes, pressing and stirring to dissolve it into the coconut milk. Add the chicken and cook 2 minutes more, tossing to coat it with the sauce.

Add the remaining 3/4 cup coconut milk, the chicken broth, zucchini, fish sauce, palm sugar, and about half the wild lime leaves, if using, and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to maintain a lively simmer and cook, stirring now and then, until the chicken is cooked and the zucchini is tender but still firm, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining lime leaves and the fresh basil leaves. Garnish with a few sprigs of fresh basil and serve hot or warm.

Dan’s notes: If you don’t add the broth, and you have all the ingredients, this actually works… you may have to cook things a little longer. The zucchini gets a little soggy.

Falafel

Thu, 22 May 2008 16:22:00 +0000

Falafel
http://www.gomideast.com/articles/recipes/falafel2.htm

About one can of chickpeas, aka garbanzo beans, drained
1 chopped onion
1/2 full (mashed down) cup parsley, slightly chopped and with the stems off
Garlic - you be the judge, 1 or 2 cloves should be enough
1 egg
Cumin - 2 teaspoons
Ground Coriander - 1 teaspoon
Salt - 1 to 1.5 teaspoons should do
Black Pepper - about the same amount as the salt
Cayenne (Red) Pepper - 1 teaspoon, more for a little kick
Lemon Juice - Tablespoon
Baking Powder - 1 teaspoon
Olive Oil - Tablespoon for taste
Dried Bread Crumbs - 1 full cup
Olive Oil for frying (either in a pan or a deep fryer)

Mash up your chickpeas using the back of a large spoon, or a masher, in a bowl.
Use a food processor to pulse the onion, garlic, and parsely until they are a tiny mash of elements.
Spoon this mixture into your mashed chickpeas and stir together completely.
In a separate container mix together the raw egg, cumin, peppers, salt, baking powder and lemon juice and slowly stir into the chick pea mixture. Add the tablespoon of olive oil and keep stirring.
Put in the bread crumbs, not all at once but very slowly, stirring all the time. You can use more or less bread crumbs but just make sure that the entire thing is somewhat dense and will make patties easily.
If you are making your falafels in a pan, you want them to be like small hamburgers, somewhat flat, for easy cooking. If you are throwing them into a vat of oil, keep them in a ball shape, about the size of a golf ball.
When they are browned, either on both sides or their entirety, take them out and cover them with a paper towel to drain the oil.
Eat with hummus, tabouli, tahini or as a side dish to shawarma or any meat dish.

Cheese, Rice, and Vegetable Strudel

Thu, 22 May 2008 15:45:00 +0000

Cheese, Rice, and Vegetable Strudel
from Jill Ricker

1 c. long grain rice
2 tbsp butter
1-2 leeks, thinly sliced
12 oz. mushrooms, sliced
8 oz. gruyere or cheddar cheese, grated
8 oz. feta cheese, cubed
1/2 c. chopped almonds or hazelnuts, toasted
2 tbsp chopped parsley
10 oz. packet frozen filo pastry, thawed
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
2 tbsp currants

Cook rice in boiling, salted water for 10-12 minutes until tender. Drain, rinse under cold running water, and set aside. Melt the butter and cook the leeks and mushrooms for 5 min. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
Add the well-drained rice, the cheeses, currants, toasted nuts, parsley, and season to taste (careful with the salt as the feta is very salty)
Preheat the oven to 375. Unwrap the filo pastry. Cover it with a piece of Saran wrap and a damp cloth while you work. Lay a sheet of wax paper and brush it with oil. Lay a second sheet, overlapping the first by 1 inch. Put another sheet with its long side running at right angles to the long sides of the first two. Lay a 4th sheet in the same way, overlapping by 1 inch. Continue in this way, alternating the layers of two sheets so that the join between the two sheets runs in the opposite direction for each layer.
Place the filling along the center of the pastry and shape it neatly with your hands into a rectangle approximately 4"x12".
Fold the pastry over the filling and roll it over, with the help of the greaseproof paper, so that the join is hidden underneath.
Lift the strudel onto a greased baking tray and tuck the edges under, so that the filling doesn’t escape during cooking. Brush with oil, bake 30-40 minutes until golden and crisp. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

Dan’s note: very tasty, rich, the filo pastry is good but I’m not sure how exactly you’re supposed to wrap it all up.

Cheese enchiladas

Thu, 22 May 2008 15:44:00 +0000

Cheese enchiladas
source: http://www.chow.com/recipes/11370

Cheesy Enchiladas
CHOW
Difficulty: Medium

Total: 1 hr 25 mins
Active: 50 mins
Makes: 24 enchiladas

By Adela Jung

Enchiladas are made in both Mexico and the States, but their similarity stops at their name and the fact that they’re rolled tortillas filled with stuff. While Mexican enchiladas are made by dipping the tortillas in sauce, frying them, and filling them only with meat, the Tex-Mex versions are filled with cheese or meat and topped with lots more sauce (a.k.a. gravy) and cheese. This recipe was a big hit here at CHOW: Every time we made it the staff ate it up in a matter of minutes.

Game plan: If 24 enchiladas are too many for you to consume at once, just save some for later. Make the enchiladas through step 3, then cover with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. At this point, they can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 weeks. To finish, heat the oven to 350°F, uncover and place in the oven while still cold or frozen, and bake until cheese is melted and centers are warm, about 20 minutes for the refrigerated enchiladas or 40 minutes if frozen.

This recipe was featured as part of our Super Bowl for a Crowd menu.

INGREDIENTS

* Chile Gravy
* 3 cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese (about 10 ounces)
* 3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 10 ounces)
* 1 cup vegetable oil
* 24 (6-inch) corn tortillas
* 1 cup finely chopped white onion (about 1/2 medium onion)

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat oven to 350°F. Evenly coat the bottom of 2 (13-by-9-inch) baking dishes with 1 cup of the gravy each. Mix cheeses together in a large bowl until evenly combined, and line a baking sheet with paper towels; set aside.
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking, about 5 minutes. Test oil temperature by carefully dipping the edge of a tortilla in the oil—it should bubble vigorously. Once oil is hot, use a metal spatula to carefully submerge tortillas one at a time until bubbles form around each, about 5 to 10 seconds. Flip and fry an additional 5 seconds, or until edges of tortilla are slightly crisp but not browned. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and arrange in a single layer. Repeat with remaining tortillas, separating layers with paper towels.
Blot tortillas with paper towels to soak up any excess oil, then fill each with 2 heaping tablespoons cheese mixture and 2 teaspoons onion. Roll to enclose filling and set tortillas in the baking dishes seam side down, placing 12 enchiladas in each dish. Evenly distribute remaining 1 cup gravy over both baking dishes and top with remaining 2 1/2 cups cheese.
Bake until hot and bubbly, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes before serving.

Chile Gravy
CHOW
Difficulty: Medium

Total: 25 mins
Active: 25 mins
Makes: 3 cups

By Adela Jung

This chile gravy is a Tex-Mex staple. Serve atop enchiladas or nachos, blend up a few margaritas, and invite some friends over.

What to buy: Ancho chiles are a smoked and dried poblano (a.k.a. pasilla) chile. The chiles and powder can be found in the Latin section of most grocery stores or in Latin markets. If you can’t find anchos, you can substitute chiles mulatos, though they are often more difficult to find.

This recipe was featured as part of our Super Bowl for a Crowd menu.
INGREDIENTS

* 3 whole ancho chiles, seeded and stemmed
* 3 cups vegetable broth
* 1/4 medium white onion, coarsely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
* 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 4 medium cloves garlic, minced
* 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
* 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
* 1 teaspoon dried oregano

INSTRUCTIONS
Place chiles in a small saucepan and cover with 1 1/2 cups of the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until chiles have softened, about 5 minutes.
Pour chile mixture (with cooking liquid) and onion in a blender, cover the lid with a kitchen towel, and blend on high until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add remaining 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth and blend to combine.
Heat oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat until hot but not smoking, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until soft and tender but not browned, about 1 minute. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until flour smells toasted but garlic remains pale in color, about 2 minutes more.
Whisk in ancho chile powder, cumin, and oregano, then slowly pour in chile mixture. Whisk until chile mixture is completely incorporated, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and season well with salt.

Dan’s notes: the corn tortillas make this more “authentic” tasting. And the chile gravy. Could use a little more heat, in my opinion, although I used regular chile powder instead of ancho chile powder. Could use a little more cheese too. I put beef and peppers in them as well. I found dried ancho chiles at the Market District Giant Eagle.