rice with chickpeas, currants, and herbs

2/3 cup wild rice (optional)
2 cups basmati rice
4 cups water
3 tsp curry powder
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp fennel seed
two pinches of ground fennel
2 cans chickpeas
2/3 cup currants (or whatever dried fruit you have)
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
4 tbsp olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Place wild rice in small saucepan covered with plenty of water. Bring to boil and reduce heat to low simmering for 35-40 minutes until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Bring water to boil for basmati rice
In medium saucepan and 1 tbsp of olive oil and heat over high. Add the basmati rice and 1/4 teaspoon salt and toast. Slowly add water on very high heat, bring to boil, cover, and turn heat down to low.
After basmati rice has cooked for 15-20 minutes, remove from heat, fluff with fork, and let sit for ten minutes.
In the meantime while rice is cooking ready chickpeas. (You can do this in two batches if you have a small pan.)
Place 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil in 12 inch skillet and heat over high heat. Add 1 can drained and rinsed chickpeas and stir to coat with olive oil.
Add 1 1/2 tsp each of curry powder and cumin, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp fennel seed. Stir quickly to coat. Cook for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
Assemble salad, add both types of rice, chickpeas, currants, and herbs. Stir to combine, taste and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

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from here

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I left out the wild rice (it’s so expensive!) and substituted a mix of dried cranberries, cherries, and raisins for the currants. This was delicious and elegant in its simplicity. Some who like being smacked with flavor may not love it, since the flavor is on the subtle side. Dinner guest said, “Well, at least there’s dried fruit in it.” I’ll definitely be making this again, but not for picky eaters. I served it with peanut mint chutney, and it added a great kick. Cheap, easy, healthy, fresh-tasting rice dish. Try this one!

ram laddoo with chutney

1/2 cup dhuli moong dal/ yellow lentils

1/2 cup chana dal/ bengal gram

salt to taste

oil for deep frying

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grated radish

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Wash and soak both the lentils separately for 3-4 hours. Decant the water completely and grind the lentils to a coarse paste.

Mix the lentils and then beat them till the mixture attains a white color and becomes light and fluffy. I used my beater to beat and it took almost 3-4 minutes to become light.

The mixture should have a dropping consistency like that of a cake. Heat oil and using a spoon put the laddoos in the oil. The oil should be hot enough (use medium flame) so that when the laddoos are put they immediately rise to the surface. Deep fry from either side till golden in color, in batches of 7-8 laddoos per batch and remove on a kitchen towel.

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chutney ingredients

1/4 cup mint leaves

a cup of coriander leaves

3-4 tbsp onion

2 cloves garlic

5-6 green chilies

a tsp lemon juice

1 Indian gooseberry/ amla chopped

1/4 tsp rock salt

salt to taste

1/8 cup water

Grind together all the ingredients using water.

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Serve hot with green chutney and grated radish.

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from foodelicious

green olive and lentil dip

1/2 c dried lentils
1/2 c olives
a few lacto-fermented peas or other veggies
2 T. lemon juice
1 clove lacto-fermented garlic
1 T fresh oregano
1 T olive oil

cook lentils in 1 cup water. drain. combine with everything else in food procesor.

adapted from the detox cookbook by snowball

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the book doesn’t discuss it, but i’m willing to bet this is a KILLER sandwich spread.

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months later, i just tried a bunch of olives in my bean dip for the first time, along with a mess of raw onion and herbs. highly recommended!

gene’s beans and rice

i just made this up today.

“gene’s”?
named after my favorite sausage shop of all-time.

shrug.

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1 link smoked sausage, ~1 cup, cut into chunks and skinned (i used hungarian spicy sausage, but it’d be great with anything)
1 sweet pepper
several tomatoes from the “dollar bin” at the veg shop, with the moldy bits sliced off

a squirt of garlic-dijon mustard
a few yellow mustard seeds
a hearty scoop of horseradish
two cloves of garlic
three sundried tomatoes
a small pinch of bouillon
a dash each paprika, caraway seed, thyme, smoked salt / seasoned salt (NOT MUCH! i oversalted it, forgetting the sausage is salty), black pepper, nutmeg, Worcestershire sauce

a heavy splash of white cooking wine
a heavy splash of apple cider vinegar

three cups water
a cup and a half mixed rice and urad dal (black lentils; use any cooked bean or pea, or uncooked pulse or lentil)

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fry mustard seed and minced fresh garlic in a tiny pat of fat, then add everything else and a lid and boil.

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topped with thick yogurt and tomato sauce, and kraut if you have it

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i was going for polish, but it kind of tastes like hungarian cajun food. really. like sauerkraut-caraway-seed jambalaya.

tlacoyos (pupusas) (gf stuffed corn dough pockets)

on the hunt for quick masa recipes, i found these – a mexican version of salvadorean pupusas

these fried corn cakes are stuffed with whatever you like.

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tlacoyos

1 cup masa harina (corn flour; much more finely ground than cornmeal. very inexpensive.)
3/4 cup water, more if needed
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lard, bacon fat, or oil

filling (try simple beans with just salt and a pinch of cumin and oregano, garlic, onion, cheese, veggies, meat, hot peppers, or any combination)

salt
oil
garnish (ideas? lacto-fermented condiments like giardinera or salsa, chopped onion, cilantro, mexican-style sour cream…?)

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1

In a bowl, combine the masa, water, and salt. Form into a ball so that all the flour is incorporated. Add more water if needed to make a moist dough. Set aside.

2

In a skillet, heat the lard, bacon fat, or oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until soft, then add the garlic. Cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes until starting to color. Add the beans/veggies/meat and raise the heat to high. Cook for a couple minutes, then mash roughly with a spatula and remove from the heat.

3

Divide the masa dough into 4 pieces and flatten them between two pieces of plastic wrap using a heavy skillet or tortilla press. Lay them on a cutting board and divide the beans and cheese among them, then carefully fold over and pinch to create a half-moon shaped pocket.

4

Heat the frying oil in a large skillet over high heat and add the pockets (cook them in two batches to avoid crowding). cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden, then drain on paper towels. Serve with the salsa and garnishes.

gujarati dal dhokali

250 grams tuver daal (lentils)
200 grams wheat flour
3 green chilies
3 tbsp green chili paste
50 grams peanut
25 grams cashewnut
1 tbsp turmeric
1 tbsp black mustard seeds
3-4 cloves
small piece of cinnamon stick
2 tomatoes
1 T Tamarind water from soaked fresh tamarind (or water down tamarind paste)
100 grams brown sugar
1 T Garam masala
1 tsp Ajama (ajwain)
4-5 tbsp. oil
2 T Red chili powder
asafetida and salt to taste
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
3-4 T ghee

Preparation:
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mix flour, salt, turmeric, ajama, red chili powder. Mix well. Add oil and knead the flour to roti-like consistency.
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Wash tuver dal and pressure cook it for three whistles. (or partially cook it over the stove)
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Cool and remove the dal. Heat oil and ghee in a pot, then put cloves and cinnamon and then add mustard leaves. When they crackle add curry leaves, green chilies and a pinch of asafetida. Pour over dal.
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Mix tamarind water, brown sugar, cashew nuts, groundnut, garam masala, and chili powder and mix well.

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Add tomato, turmeric, salt and 2 cups of water. Boil the dal. roll out big rotis and cut them into pieces and add these pieces in boiling dal.

• Boil for 10 minutes and remove. Serve the dal dhokli warm. Sprinkle cilantro leaves.

or prepare kachori of green peas or of any other vegetable or coconut and add in boiling curry.

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from here

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recipe 2

For The Dhoklis
1 cup whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta)
1 1/2 tbsp besan (bengal gram flour)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
1 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
salt to taste

For The Dal
1 cup toovar (arhar) dal
2 tbsp ghee
1 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
1/4 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4 tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
5 curry leaves (kadi patta)
2 cloves (laung / lavang)
2 sticks cinnamon (dalchini)
1 bayleaf (tejpatta)
2 round red chillies (boriya mirch)
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
5 kokum , soaked
5 tbsp jaggery (gur)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
2 green chillies slit green chillies
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp grated ginger (adrak)
2 tbsp boiled peanuts
salt to taste

For The Garnish
4 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)

Method
For the dhoklis

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and knead into a firm dough using enough water.
Divide the dough into 5 equal portions and roll out each portion into thin chapatis [approx. 200 mm. (8”)].
Heat a non-stick tava (griddle) and gently cook each chapati till light brown spots appear on both the sides.
Cool and cut each chapati into diamond or square shapes and keep aside.

For the dal

Clean, wash and drain the dal.
Combine the dal and 1½ cups of water in a pressure cooker and pressure cook for 3 whistles.
Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid. Remove and blend it till smooth using a hand blender and keep aside.
Heat the ghee and oil in a deep kadhai, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, cloves, cinnamon, bayleaf, round red chillies and asafoetida, mix well and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.
Add the dal, 3½ cups of water, kokum, jaggery, turmeric powder, lemon juice, green chillies, chilli powder, ginger, peanuts and salt and mix well.
Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes while stirring once in between. Keep aside.

How to proceed

Just before serving, boil the dal, slowly add the dhokli pieces one by one, and mix gently.
Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
Serve hot garnished with coriander.

Handy tips:

Add the dhoklis one by one into the dal, otherwise they could coagulate to form one big lump.
Add more water if the dal thickens while simmering.

from here

sweet and sour gujarati tuvar dal

gujarati food is the best: sweet, sour, and spicy! this recipe is easy and fast!

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1 cup toordal
1/2 cup yam chopped (optional)
2 Tbsp. peanuts
2 Tbsp. ghee or vegetable oil
1/4 tsp. cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4 tsp. mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. asafetida (hing)
a few curry leaves (optional)
3 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp. ginger paste
1 jalapeno chopped
1/4 tsp. chili powder (optional)
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder (haldi)
salt to taste
1 Tbsp. jaggery (gur)
juice of 1/2 lemon
4 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

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1.Pick through the dal and then wash it. Drain the water. Add 4 cups of water to a heavy pot, add the dal, peanuts, yam, salt to taste. Boil the dal. Reduce heat and let it simmer.
2. As dal is simmering, heat ghee in a small sauce pan and fry the cumin and mustard seeds till brown. Add the asafetida, curry leaves, tomatoes, ginger, jalapeno, chili powder and fry the seasonings for 2-3 minutes.
3. Pour the seasonings into dal and let it continue to simmer on low, until the grains and vegetables are soft and cooked. Add lime juice, jaggery and cilantro. Adjust the water so that the dal has the consistency you like (from soup like consistency to thick soup)

Serve with yogurt, any steamed or panfried veggies, rice or flat bread and a choice of pickle.

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recipe from here.

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i made this for a group of people for a potluck, and it was well liked.

the best chili recipe EVER.

this one is cincinnati-style. if you’ve never tried making chili like this before, you’re missing out. it’s vegan. it’s hearty. it’s filling. it’s healthy. and it’s jam-packed with flavor. this one’s a crowd-pleaser, and really easy, too. basically, you just boil things. did i mention that it’s really, really cheap to make?

this recipe is a combination of my trial and error and suggestions from kathy, who went to school in ohio.

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beans:
i like a combination. mostly red kidney with a few other kinds thrown in as well. try anything. black-eyed peas are always a favorite. white beans and black lentils are another favorite. but anything works.

quick-soak them.
(that just means: boil lidded for about a minute in tons of water, leave the lid on, and soak for an hour.)

drain. in same pot, fry onions in a heavy fat (coconut oil or leftover meat grease are both great).

add fresh water and beans, and begin boiling again.

add whatever veggies you have, roasted together (garlic and fresh hot peppers, for instance!)
add a can of whole tomatoes, or a mess of fresh tomatoes, and a few scoops of tomato paste.
add a bay leaf.
really don’t leave out the roasted garlic.

season with tons of:
paprika
cumin
coriander
garlic or garlic powder
molasses
powdered unsweetened cocoa
red wine, red wine vinegar, or a red cooking wine (apple cider vinegar’s good, too)

a bunch of, to taste:
oregano
allspice
cinnamon
cayenne

and just a few pinches of:
clove
nutmeg
mace

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serve on spaghetti with cheese on top if you like it cincinnati-style. or top it with plain yogurt and have it with a salad.

other variations?
sometimes i throw in a few scoops of leftover cooked veggies, or any number of other partially-roasted veggies. roasted peppers, of course, are great, but be creative! zucchini, eggplant, green beans, cauliflower: anything works in chili!
if you have anything roasty or smoky, like smoked sea salt or smoked pepper, roasted coriander, or bits of smoked meats or fish, throw those in! the smoky flavor works perfectly with beans.
meat-eaters can cut up bits of pork belly or smoky bacon to fry with the onion in the beginning. ground meat, of course, is traditional, but i rarely put meat in chili. why? it’s delicious just like it is!

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chili is not scary! if you’ve never made it, do it now, before it gets too hot outside!

roasted masala chickpeas

rinse chickpeas

toss in:
red chilli powder
coriander powder
turmeric
garam masala
chaat masala
salt
lime juice
olive oil

bake at 400 for 15 minutes, stir, and bake another ten. let cool ten minutes.

add fresh cilantro.

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recipe taken from here

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EDIT:

somewhat.. uh.. not gross exactly, but not the crunchy and delightful snack i’d anticipated. somewhat rubbery. the flavor was good, but the texture was not awesome, bordering on gross. not recommended. the search for healthy, crunchy gluten-free snacks continues…

crunchy bean salad four ways

vegan!
ready in less than five minutes!
healthy!

the base:
cooked beans (canned or not, doesn’t matter)
(for a party, i’ll use 1 can red beans, 1 can black beans, 1 can white beans, and 1 can garbanzo beans. a crazy amount of food for under $5!)

one trick?
you want a lot more dressing with a bean salad than a green salad, since beans are sort of bland on their own. don’t skimp on the sour if your stomach doesn’t handle vinegar very well! any sort of lacto-ferment brine, citrus juices, or homemade fruit vinegars work awesomely.

one more trick?
say you gave it the sour and salt it requires, but it’s still missing that extra something and doesn’t taste like your grandmother’s? a spoonful of sweetener, same as pasta sauce.

recipe 1 – crunchy sherry beans

rice wine vinegar
soy sauce
cooking sherry (if drinking sherry, add salt)
crushed-up peanuts
raw bean sprouts
raw sugar snaps or other fresh small pea still in the pod, snapped in half
minced fresh onions
(opt.) sprinkle of cabbage or kraut
(opt.) powdered or fresh ginger
(opt.) ground anise, clove, or chinese 5-spice powder
(opt.) powdered or raw garlic
(opt.) hoisin
(opt.) brine from a lacto-ferment, homemade fruit vinegars, or any sort of citrus juice

recipe 2 – crunchy dilled bean salad

balsamic
dill (rosemary’s good too, or really any herb)
crushed-up almonds
a splash of burgundy cooking wine
olive oil
garlic
snap peas in pod, raw, snapped in half
(opt.) brine from a lacto-ferment, homemade fruit vinegars, or any sort of citrus juice

recipe 3 – crunchy cilantro bean salad (normally black or pinto beans)

apple cider vinegar
lime juice
cilantro, with stems chopped coarsely
cumin
garlic
raw onion
raw corn
(opt.) raw avocado
(opt.) lime pickle
(opt.) brine from a lacto-ferment, homemade fruit vinegars, or any sort of citrus juice

recipe 4 – crunchy lacto-fermented bean salad

any lacto-ferments you have lying around (i personally like coarsely chopped green bean or snap pea pickles, minced garlic pickles, and lime pickles in some combination)
any herbs