abdoogh khiar (5-minute cold cucumber yogurt soup)

Looking for a very healthy and very fast snack to add to a healthy meal? Maybe you have the heat cranked up and you’re pretending it’s summer. Maybe you just have something summery to celebrate. Maybe you worked up a sweat shoveling snow, and you want to cool off. Or maybe you need something cold and refreshing to enjoy with a spicy, hearty stew.

This Persian cold soup, from aashpazi, looks like a delicious variation of an Indian raita!

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Just dice 2 cucumbers into 1/2 cup shredded walnuts, a ton of fresh herbs (they recommend tarragon, mint, basil, and chives, but whatever you have in the house will be good,) and 1/4 c raisins. Stir in 2 cups of yogurt and 6-8 ice cubes, with water if you prefer. Season with salt and pepper. Top with dried mint and rose leaves. (or not.)

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adapted from aashpazi… check out the photos of the rose petals on top!

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goan coconut sauce

Another great recipe from tarladalal! This recipe is for a paste from Goa, in India. You can thin it into a sauce for veggies, fish, meat, or whatever you can imagine!

2 whole medium sized onions (unpeeled)
1 tbsp oil
2 tsp poppy seeds (khus-khus)
26 mm (1″) cinnamon (dalchini)
3 cloves (laung / lavang)
4 black peppercorns (kalimirch)
2 tsp whole coriander (dhania) seeds
3 whole dry kashmiri red chillies, broken into pieces
3/4 cup freshly grated coconut
7 to 8 cloves of garlic

Roast the onions on a open flame till they turn black in colour. Cool, peel, discard the blackened/ charred layer and slice the onions. Keep aside.
Heat the oil in a kadhai, add the poppy seeds, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, coriander seeds and red chillies, mix well and sauté on a medium flame for 5 minutes.
Add the coconut and sauté on a medium flame for another minute. Keep aside to cool.
Combine the above mixture, sliced onions and the garlic and blend in a mixer to a smooth paste, using ½ cup of water.

Use this gravy on the same day to make recipes of your choice.
Don’t use fresh coconut if you want to freeze the leftovers. Instead, cool the gravy completely, add 1 tsp vinegar and mix well. Pour in food-grade zip lock bags or airtight containers and freeze. While making vegetables using the stored gravy, thaw and use it as per the recipe. Towards the end, add 2 tbsp coconut milk instead of freshly grated coconut.

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adapted from tarladalal

corn relish (fermented!)

I CAN’T WAIT to try this recipe from Sandy Katz!

4 ears fresh sweet corn, kernels cut off of the cobs (or about 2 cups canned or frozen)
4 hot and/or sweet red peppers, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 pear, cored and chopped, or other seasonal fruit
2 teaspoons salt

1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Use your hands to squeeze them with some force for a few minutes. This will bruise vegetables and release juices. Do this until the mix is moist enough that when you squeeze a handful liquid drips down, as with a saturated sponge. Taste and add salt as necessary.

2. Stuff vegetables into a wide-mouth quart jar or other vessel. Seal the jar loosely so carbon dioxide pressure that will build during fermentation can escape. Ferment about two days in a warm environment, three or four days in a cooler spot. Once fermented flavors have developed, move to refrigerator until ready to serve; if you let it continue fermenting, sweet flavors will disappear altogether and the relish will become extremely sour. If surface growth develops (unlikely in a mostly full jar), skim off, discard, and enjoy the relish beneath it, protected from the mold.

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recipe by Sandy Katz, published in the New York Times

dahiwale achari baingan (eggplant in spicy yogurt sauce)

Yet another recipe that looks amazing from ãhãram! Aubergines, baingan, eggplant – whatever you call it, it’s one of my favorites.

Baingan or Aubergines – 250 gms
Onions – 2 Large
Dahi, Curd or Yogurt – 1 Cup
Ginger-Garlic Paste – 1 tbsp
Chilli Powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric – 1/2 tsp
Saunf or Fennel Seeds – 1 tsp
Jeera or Cumin Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Kalonji or Nigella Seeds – 1 tsp
Rai or Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Methi or Fenugreek Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Green Chillies – 2
Garam Masala – 1/2 tsp
Amchur or Dried Mango Powder – 1/2 tsp
Hing or Asafoetida – A Large Pinch
Oil – 2 tbsp + 1 tsp
Salt to Taste
Method

In a large vessel, create a marinade by mixing ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder, turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp oil.
Cut the eggplant into 1/2″ pieces.
Mix the eggplant pieces well with the marinade.
Set aside for 10 minutes.
Peel and slice the onions into thin long pieces.
In a wok or kadhai, heat 1 tbsp oil.
Add the marinated aubergine pieces and stir-fry till the aubergine just starts to turn soft.
Take out the aubergines and set aside.
To the same wok, add the remaining oil.
Add mustard, fennel, nigella, cumin, and fenugreek seeds.
Stir-fry for a minute or till the seeds start to pop.
Add the sliced onions and slit green chillies.
Stir-fry till the onions are transparent & turn off heat.
Add asafoetida, garam masala and amchur powder.
Mix well.
Beat and add the yogurt to the fried onions.
Mix & add remaining ingredients.

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from ãhãram!

dal fry (lentils punjabi-style)

This recipe is from from ãhãram!

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yellow lentils/tuvar dal/pigeon peas/gandules – 1 Cup
Tomato – 1 Medium
Onion – 1 Medium
Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 tsp
Green Chillies – 2
Red Chilli Powder – 1/2 tsp
Turmeric – 1/8 tsp
Ghee – 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Salt to Taste
Fresh Coriander for Garnish

Boil 1 c lentils in 2 c water. Or, soak the Tuvar Dal in 2 Cups water for about 30 to 60 minutes and pressure cook the dal for 4 whistles.
With a heavy ladle, mash the dal completely.
Chop the tomato into fine pieces.
Chop the onion into 1/2″ pieces.
Chop the green chillies into fine pieces.
In a heavy bottomed vessel, heat the oil.
Add the mustard seeds and wait till they splutter.
Add the onion pieces and fry till transparent.
Add the tomato pieces and stir fry till the tomato pieces are soft.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for 2 minutes.
Add the green chillies, red chilli powder, and turmeric.
Stir fry for 2 minutes.
Add the mashed dal, salt, and 1/2 cup water to the onion-tomato mix.
Mix well and let cook for about 5 minutes.
Garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve hot with jeera rice or rotis.

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from ãhãram (great blog – highly recommended)

doubles

this is the quintessential trinidadian street food.

savory, sweet, hot, filling, and wonderful.

doubles consist of two (hence the name) flat pieces of fry-bread called BARA filled with a chickpea mixture.

it is also agreed throughout the recipes i checked out that the chickpeas and bara themselves are not the sweet, spicy, and sour flavor doubles are known for. this flavor comes from the condiments. see below for toppings!

it is the kind of street food that people in trinidad don’t really cook at home (source) but if you have a craving like i do, you can try to make it at home.
the doubles i got at trini-gul in a west indian neighborhood in brooklyn were one of the best foods i’ve ever had in my entire life.

i hope to make them at home and have them taste even half as good.

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bara

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 T baking powder
1 teaspoon yeast
1/3 cup warm water
1/4 tsp sugar
Oil for frying

place warm water, sugar, and yeast in a bowl until foamy.

knead ingredients together until dough is smooth.

pour a bit of oil over the top, cover the bowl with a kitchen towel, and rest until dough doubles.

oil or wet your hands – dough is sticky. make two-inch balls. flatten to the size of your hand.

fry, at about forty seconds per side or until puffy and done.

adapted from trini gourmet, simply trini cooking, and chennette

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chickpeas

heat 1 T oil in a heavy bottomed pot or pan. add a chopped onion. when soft, add 1 t curry powder, 1 t turmeric, three cloves of garlic minced, 2 t ground cumin, 2 t salt, 1 t pepper, 5 leaves chadon beni (bandhania/culantro/long cilantro, or substitute cilantro,) and 1 t trinidadian pepper sauce. stir-fry until fragrant. add 2 c chickpeas and a cup of water. simmer until chickpeas are soft.

adapted from trini gourmet, simply trini cooking, amazing trinidad, and chennette.

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you MUST top with grated or preserved cucumbers or cucumber chutney, mango kuchela (trinidadian sweet&sour chutney,) and tamarind sauce to get that flavor!

melitzanosalata (greek eggplant dip)

this vegetarian, gluten-free, paleo, and super-healthy dip from lemon and olives sounds very much like a tahini-free baba ghanouj. it doesn’t get much more healthy than this.

2 medium sized eggplants
⅛ cup chopped parsley (optional)
1 garlic clove, grated
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ cup olive oil (or desired amount)
Salt and pepper to taste

Pierce eggplants with fork a few times and place in broiler until soft (and turns black) OR on BBQ for 10-15min turning every few minutes.
Remove and let cool.
Remove outer skin (black part) by hand.
Cut the eggplants into pieces.
Place in a large bowl and add parsley and garlic
Slowly add olive oil and lemon and crush with fork.
Mix in salt and pepper.
Serve with bread!

OR

simply roast eggplants til black, strip skin, and throw all ingredients into food processor or blender.

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from lemon and olives

malaysian spiced chicken

this recipe is from the book lobel’s meat bible by stanley, evan, mark, and david lobel.

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1 cup thinly sliced shallots
1-inch piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 T ground coriander
2 t ground turmeric
2 t ground cinnamon
2 t ground fennelseed
1 t ground cumin
1 t black pepper
1/2 t cayenne
1/4 t ground clove
1 T kosher salt
2 t sweetener of your choice
1/2 cup coconut milk
3 lbs chicken thighs, cut in half across the bone (you can ask the butcher to do this if you don’t have a good knife)

mix everything but coconut milk and chicken in food processor or mortar and pestle.

combine everything and marinate in fridge for 3 to 24 hours.

remove from fridge 1 hour before cooking.

fry in an inch of oil at 365 degrees, or cook however you like.

if frying, chicken will be a very dark brown when done (but not burnt)

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from lobel’s meat bible

thai salad with crispy tofu over greens

can’t wait to try this one from veggie and the beast feast.

1 chopped red bell pepper
1 chopped carrot
1 cup frozen shelled edamame
1 tablespoon olive oil
salad greens
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 green onions, sliced
¼ cup raw cashews, chopped

tofu:
1 14-ounce container extra firm tofu
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon reduced sodium tamari
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons cornstarch

dressing:
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons unseasoned brown rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon tamari
3 tablespoons honey
3 garlic cloves
1-inch square piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 tablespoons light coconut milk

toss red pepper, carrot, and edamame in olive oil and broil for 5-7 minutes, stirring/shaking the pan 3 times and checking frequently to keep the veggies from burning.

remove from oven and lower to 400 degrees.

let tofu drain, or press to remove moisture.

slice tofu and add the sesame oil and tamari and sesame seeds.

bake for 25-30 minutes, flip once.

combine everything. drizzle with dressing just before serving.

dressing: food process or blend ingredients.

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modified from veggie and the beast feast

minted cabbage salad

1/2 lb savoy cabbage, core removed, finely shredded
1/3 c watercress leaves
1/2 c mint leaves
juice of 1 lemon
1 large clove garlic crushed w 1 t salt
3 T evoo
1 t dried mint
salt and pepper

combine and serve