Our Veggie Kitchen

Kheema is a dish with ground meat with delicious masala spices.  Seviyan is a thin vermicelli noodle.  I've got a particular photo in one of my Indian cookbooks that I find every time I open my cookbook.  I finally veganized it.  I packed it full of vegetables and substituted the Indian vermicelli with cut the cut spaghetti noodles I use for my Rica Roni.  This makes a ton of food.  It's great for potlucks, family gatherings or just dinner and leftovers.

Tofu Kheema Seviyan
Saute:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seed
1 red onion
1 lb tofu, drained
1 tbs ginger, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Serrano peppers, seeded & minced
6 oz seviyan (vermicelli) or cut spaghetti noodles
1 1/2 cups water

Vegetables:
1 red bell pepper
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed

Spices:
1 cinnamon stick
1 dozen curry leaves (optional)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tbs ground coriander
1/4 tsp asafoetida

Stir In:
6 tbs soy yogurt
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 tsp garam masala

Heat the oil in a large nonstick satue pan over medium-high heat.  Add the cumin seeds and cook and cook until they begin to pop.  Add the crumbled tofu and onion.  Saute, stirring occasionally until the tofu begins to brown in places.  Add the garlic, ginger, chili peppers and spices.  Saute a couple more minutes, until aromatic.  Add the vermicelli and saute a couple more minutes.  Stir in the bell pepper, corn and peas.  Saute until the bell pepper is  soft.  Add the water and bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes, until the pasta is soft and the water is absorbed.  Stir in the soy yogurt, cilantro and garam masala.  Bring back to temperature and serve.

 6 Servings:  387 cal (15g fat, 44g carbs, 20g protein)

I went into the kitchen today with a plan to roast some squash. I decided I'd roast the squash and aromatics and decide from there what flavors were talking to me. The blended squash had a sweet and roasty flavor and was screaming for mustard. I sizzled some mustard and ginger in oil and blended in the last batch. This is an easy soup to make and the sweet squash with subtle hints of ginger and curry powder are perfect for a rainy fall day.



Roasted Squash Curry Soup
Roasted Veggies:
3 tbs vegetable oil
1 large butternut squash (about 3 lbs), cubed
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic
Other:
15 oz can chickpeas, drained
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp amchur (dried green mango) or 1/2 small lemon, juiced
Tarka*:
1 tbs vegetable oil
1 tbs brown mustard seed (yellow is fine too)
1 tbs ginger, roughly chopped
1 tsp curry powder

Roasted Veggies:
Add the vegetables and squash to one or two 9x13 casseroles and drizzle with vegetable oil.  Cook in an oven preheated to 400 degrees.  Bake until the the veggies begin to carmelize in places.  Remove from the oven and add the can of chickpeas to the veggies.  Blend in batches with enough water to keep the blender going.  Pour into a soup pot.

Tarka*:
Heat 1 tbs of vegetable oil in a small frying pan.  Add the mustard seed until it sizzles, then add the ginger.  Fry just until the ginger becomes aromatic.  Remove from heat and stir in the curry powder.  Add to the blender with some of the pureed soup.  Pour some water into the fry pan and swirl to get the last bits of spice.  Pour into the blender.  Blend thoroughly.

Add the salt and amchur or lemon juice to taste.  Heat to a boil, remove from heat and serve.

8 Servings:  337 cal (9g fat, 67g carbs, 8g protein)

Note:  a tarka is a cooking method used to flavor Indian dals.  At the end of cooking, spices are fried in oil, then folded into the dal.  This worked great for this recipe.  You can adjust the flavors by adding bits of the last blended batch at a time until you get the flavor you want.

I've been reading about Sri Lankan cuisine lately. I tried a couple recipes and finally decided to take the plunge and make something myself. This curry is a fusion of different influences. I wanted to use marinaded, fried tofu. I would be using a lot of oil to fry the tofu, so I used soy yogurt instead of coconut milk to save calories. I added coconut water to get a little of the coconut flavor and some sweetness. Finally, I added cabbage to the stir fry. The sweetness of the cabbage and the yogurt's tartness nicely complemented a very pungent curry powder. Sri Lankan food is traditionally very hot. This is not.



Marinade:
1 lb tofu, drained & sliced (4 or 5 slices)
1 1/2 cup soy yogurt
3 tbs Sri Lankan Curry Powder
1/2 tsp salt

Stir Fry:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp black mustard seed
1 onion, halved & sliced thin
1 lb large mushrooms, sliced thick
1/2 small cabbage (about 1 lb total), sliced
1-2 inches ginger, cut into thin batons
1/2 cup coconut water (or 1/4 cup apple juice & 1/4 cup water)

The day before, mix together the curry powder, soy yogurt & salt. Place the tofu slices in the marinade, making sure the top has a slurry of marinade. Leave in the refrigerator overnight, turning a couple of times.

Heat the oil in a large fry pan over medium-high heat. Add a little more if it doesn't cover the pan. Scrape the yogurt off of the tofu slices and fry in the oil, turning once until both sides are browned. Remove the tofu, cut the slices into cubes and set aside (preferably in a warm oven).

In the same oil, add the mustard seed. When they begin to sizzle, add the onion and saute until soft. Add the mushroom and continue sauteing until the mushrooms have given off most of their moisture. Add the ginger batons, stir fry for a couple minutes, then add the cabbage. Saute just until the cabbage wilts.

Stir in the yogurt marinade, coconut water and the tofu. Bring just to a boil and simmer until the tofu is heated. Serve over rice or with naan, chapatis, etc.

4 Servings: 319 cal (19g fat, 16g carbs, 14g protein)

This is a mix of several Sri Lankan Curry Powders.

Sri Lankan Curry Powder
2 tbs whole coriander seed
1 1/2 tbs whole cumin seed
1 tbs whole fennel seed
1 tbs whole fenugreek seed
1 tbs peppercorns
4 dried red chilies
1 small stick cinnamon
6 cardamom pods
6 whole cloves
30-40 curry leaves (2 sprigs)
3 tbs uncooked rice

Spread the whole spices on a cookie sheet and heat in the oven set to 200 degrees for about an hour. Stir once or twice while cooking. Allow to cool, then blend the spices in batches in a coffee grinder.

My sister was in town last weekend and I wanted to treat her to a nice Indian meal. Since she detests anything spicy hot, I went with Moong Dosas, roasted potatoes, mango chutney and Channa Saag.  I love cumin and spinach together and the spices and textures blend perfectly together in this dish.

I make this quite often when I'm planning an Indian meal. It's pretty quick to make, it reheats well and it tastes really good.  Except for a few grams of fat, it's also quite healthy.



Channa Saag
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 jalapeno peppers, seeded & minced
4 cloves garlic
2 tsp cumin seed
3 tomatoes, grated
3 10 oz packages spinach, thawed, drained & chopped
15 oz chickpeas, drained
1/2 tsp salt
2.5 oz coconut milk (1/2 of a small can)
1 cup soy yogurt

Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seed and cook until the seeds begin to pop. Stir in the onions and saute until they begin to caramelize. Add the peppers and garlic and saute until the garlic is aromatic. Add the remaining ingredients (salt to taste), and bring just to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer

6 servings: 246 cal (10g fat, 29g carbs, 10g protein)

A week in, and I'm already behind. That just means I've got lots to post. I'm making 'turkey' gravy, I've got a condensed mushroom soup recipe I need to get written up, and my kids' new favorite burger recipe. And I've got a cookbook give away to start. . . and I'm already drooling over some of the recipes. And on to today's post: Italian Indian food!

A while back, I made cabbage kofta in a delicious sweet curry sauce. Kofta are tasty for sure, but they're a little bit of work and they're deep fried. So, they're kind of a treat. I've been working on a baked spinach kofta so I could avoid the deep frying. In the mean time, here's that same sauce paired with linguine. It's a flavor you don't expect with pasta . . . or a pasta you don't expect with curry. And I really like this curry sauce. If you're doing kofta as well, double the sauce.



Linguine in a Sweet Curry Sauce
1 lb linguine
2 tbs vegetable oil
1/2 tsp cumin
2 tsp fenugreek seed
2 tsp mustard seed
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 tbs ginger
2 Serrano peppers, seeded & chopped
4 cups shredded & chopped mustard greens (3-4 ribs)
2 1/2 cups plain soy yogurt
1/3 cup almonds, ground
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp amchoor (or a squeeze of lemon juice)

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Drain in a colander, reserving some of the water. Add the pasta to boiling water about the same time the onions are done cooking.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan, over medium-high heat. Add the fenugreek and mustard seed and cook until they begin to pop. Add the onion and saute, stirring often until the onion caramelizes and turns brown. Add the garlic, Serrano peppers and ginger. Cook until aromatic, about half a minute. Add the mustard greens, a handful at a time, and continue to cook until they are wilted. Stir in the ground almonds, turmeric, chili powder and amchoor, then stir in the soy yogurt. Bring just to a boil, stirring to incorporate the yogurt and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, adding water to the sauce, if necessary. Salt to taste.

Substitution Notes: Amchoor is powdered green mango and imparts a tart flavor. You can substitute lemon juice, if you wish. Fenugreek adds a distinctive flavor to the sauce. If at all possible, use fenugreek. If you can't, you can substitute curry powder. Use mustard greens, other greens will not substitite well.

5 Servings: 513 cal (15g fat, 79g carbs, 18g protein)

Last weekend, I bought a big hubbard squash.  I made a batch of squash casserole, chopped some more up for the freezer and saved some for a curry this weekend.  I thought the sweetness from squash and sauteed onions would go perfectly with hot, pungent curry spices.  I ended up a bit pressed for time and just used plain ole curry powder, but it turned out really good, and, in the end, a pretty simple meal.   My favorite use of tempeh is simmered in coconut curry, so it was a natural complement to the squash.



Squash Curry
2 tbs vegetable oil
2 medium onions, halved & sliced into half rings
1 tbs ginger, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups winter squash (hubbard, butternut, etc), peeled & diced into large chunks
12 oz tempeh, cubed
1 small can (5.5 oz) coconut milk
3 cups water
1 1/2 tbs curry powder
1 tsp hot chili powder (I used 3/4 tsp chili powder & 1/4 tsp cayenne)
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick cinnamon (3-4 inches)
4 cardamom pods
1 cup soy yogurt

Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onions, stirring frequently until they have browned. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute, until aromatic. Pour in the coconut milk, water and spices. Add the squash and bring to a boil. Then, gently stir in the temeph. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally (gently), for about 20 minutes, until the squash is tender. Stir in the yogurt and bring back to a boil. Remove from heat and pick out the cardamom pods and cinnamon stick and serve, poured over rice.

5 servings:  370 cal (22g fat, 32g carbs, 18g protein)

 A series of coincidences seemed align in my kitchen last week.  First, I've been working on this yogurt sauce and felt last time that had it perfected.  It's got a wonderful curry flavor and, after trying spinach, and curry leaves, I decided that mustard greens were the perfect fit.  Second, I just bought a bag of ajwain seed.  Ajwain adds an exotic flavor, a little similar to thyme, and I just love it with cabbage.  And, finally, I noticed that Manjula's monthly contest could be done with yogurt and cabbage, and there was only a week left.  So on Sunday afternoon, this dish was the outcome.  I don't normally deep fry, but this was special and fried koftas are always a treat.  And dinner was really good.



Cabbage Koftas in Yogurt Sauce
Cabbage Koftas:
1/2 tbs vegetable oil
1/2 tsp cumin seed
1/2 tsp ajwain seed (or thyme, cumin or a mix)
1 Serrano pepper, seeded & chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups shredded & chopped cabbage (1/2 small head)
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1 large tomato, grated
1/2 cup cilantro, loosely packed, chopped
1 1/2 cups chickpea flour
Oil for frying
Yogurt Sauce:
2 tbs vegetable oil
2 tsp fenugreek seed
2 tsp mustard seed
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 tbs ginger
2 Serrano peppers, seeded & chopped
4 cups shredded & chopped mustard greens (3-4 ribs)
2 1/2 cups plain soy yogurt
1/3 cup almonds, ground
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp amchoor (or a squeeze of lemon juice)

For the Koftas: 
In a saute pan, over medium heat, add the oil.  Once heated, add the cumin and ajwain seeds.  Cook until they begin to pop, then add the Serrano and garlic.  Stir a couple times, then add the cabbage.  Saute, stirring often, until the cabbage has wilted and all liquid, if any, has cooked off.  Add to a large bowl, along with the chickpea flour, red onion, tomato and cilantro.  Knead the mixture to combine.  It should be moist, but should hold together.  If necessary, add a little more chickpea flour or a little water to adjust the texture.

Pour oil into a  pan for deep frying.  You should have a couple inches, enough to cover the koftas.  Bring the temperature to 350 degrees.  Wet your hands.  Take about a tablespoon of the mixture at a time and form into a ball.  You should have about 30 small balls.  In 2-3 batches, add the kofta to the oil and fry until they are golden brown, about 3 minutes.  Remove and drain.

For the Sauce:  
Heat the oil in a large saute pan, over medium-high heat.  Add the fenugreek and mustard seed and cook until they begin to pop.  Add the onion and saute, stirring often until the onion caramelizes and turns brown.  Add the garlic, Serrano peppers and ginger.  Cook until aromatic, about half a minute.  Add the mustard greens, a handful at a time, and continue to cook until they are wilted.  Stir in the ground almonds, turmeric, chili powder and amchoor, then stir in the soy yogurt.  Bring to a boil, stirring to incorporate the yogurt and add the koftas.  Simmer for about 10 minutes, adding water to the sauce, if necessary.

Serve over rice.

Substitution Notes:  Ajwain seed, to me, tastes like a cross between thyme and cumin.  You can use thyme, or a little more cumin as a substitute.  Amchoor is powdered green mango and imparts a tart flavor.  You can substitute lemon juice, if you wish.  Fenugreek adds a distinctive flavor to the sauce.  If at all possible, use fenugreek.  If you can't, you can substitute curry powder.

5 Servings:  528 cal (28g fat, 57g carbs, 18g protein)

Last May, I made an amazing batch of Tomato Chutney (recipe here). It was so good, that I ate a bunch of it over plain rice and even a few spoonfuls straight while leaning over the sink. I knew at the time that I needed to find a way to make it into a main dish. I remembered this as I was eating Aloo Gobi at a local Indian restaurant. This dish was simmered in a spicy tomato sauce and I knew a similar batch cooked in the tomato chutney would be perfect. . . and it was.

I used 4 serrano peppers and this batch was very, very mild. I've been fooled by mild peppers before, claiming that this Rajma recipe was mild (it was the first time), with each successive batch being fiery hot. So, what I would suggest, and did with this batch, is to simmer the peppers, then, to control the heat, mince some or all of them and stir them into the finished dish.



Aloo Gobi
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon black mustard seed (yellow is OK)
1 tbs ginger, grated
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric
Pinch of asafetida (hing) (optional)
2 medium potatoes, diced
1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets
1/4 cup water
6 medium tomatoes, diced
4 serrano peppers, with slits cut down the sides
1 tsp cornstarch
2 tbs sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup cilantro, minced

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a stock pot or deep saute pan. Add the cumin seed and mustard seed and stir until the cumin begins to sizzle. Stir in the ginger, bay leaves, paprika, turmeric and asafoetida. Cook for just a minute or so, then stir in the potatoes and cauliflower. Add 1/4 cup of water, stir to coat the veggies and cover. Cook for about 5 minutes, just until the potato begins to soften. Add the tomato and peppers. Cover again and simmer, stirring occasionally, for around 15 minutes, until the potatoes and cauliflower has softened and the tomatoes have released much of their liquid.

Mix together the sugar and cornstarch with a little water. Stir into the sauce and add the cilantro and salt. Allow to rest for a couple minutes before serving.

4 Servings: 212 cal (8g fat, 34g carbs, 6g protein)

One of my favorite blogs, Manjula's Kitchen, has been having monthly contests and I've finally joined in on one. This month's contest is for rotis or parathas. I learned the art of the paratha from her blog and, when I've got the time to spare, I love to make parathas stuffed with cauliflower or spinach. When I'm a little short, I go for simpler rotis. Tonight, I thought I'd try to combine them, by mixing the filling right into the dough.

The dough was a bit on the fragile side and the rotis didn't puff much as they cooked, but it was a success nonetheless. I adjusted my technique a bit and, by the end, I had a colorful flatbread, with slight pockets of air and a wonderful flavor and aroma. My wife and I ate the entire batch, with bowlsful of Aloo Gobi.



Spinach Roti
(inspired by Manjula's recipe)

Dough:
1 1/2 cup atta (chapati) flour or whole wheat or a mix of wheat and A/P flour
3/4 cups water
3/4 tsp salt
Filling:
1/2 tbs vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seed
1/2 tbs ginger, minced
1 serrano pepper, seeded & minced
1 bunch spinach, washed & chopped
pinch asafoetida
1/4 tsp salt
For cooking:
about 1/4 cup flour, spread on a small plate
about 1 tbs vegetable oil, in a small dish

For the filling, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seed and cook until they begin to pop. Add the ginger, serrano pepper, spinach, asafoetida and salt. Cook, stirring often until the spinach has wilted and most of the liquid has cooked off. Scoop the spinach onto a small plate, cover with another plate and press to drain. Allow to cool somewhat.

For the dough, mix together the flour, salt, spinach mixture and most of the water in a large mixing bowl. Knead the dough (I do it right in the bowl) until the dough is soft and pliable. Add water as needed so you have a tacky, but not sticky dough. Divide the dough into 8 balls, cover and let the dough set for a few minutes.

To cook, Preheat a heavy bottomed frying pan to medium-high. Brush with a little oil. For each roti, dip the ball of dough into the flour and press down. Flip so both sides are dusted with flour. Roll out into a circle, about 6 inches across. The dough won't wand to roll out as much as regular roti, and will tear if you roll it too thin.

Peel off the dough and stretch a bit in your hands. Add to the fry pan and shake the pan a bit to prevent sticking. As soon as the roti begins to dry in the middle, dip a spoon in the oil, brush the roti with the back of the spoon and flip. Dip the spoon again and brush the partially cooked top. Using your fingers or a spatula, rotate the roti as it cooks. The surface contact will cause the roti to form air bubbles as it cooks, but will not puff up completely. When the roti has browned in patches, flip and finish the other side. Remove and cook the next roti.

Mussaman curry evolved with the emigration of Indian Muslims into Thailand. So it began with infusion of a North Indian pallet with Thai ingredients and technique. It is usually associated with beef and potato curries and its especially good with root vegetables.

For this soup, I brought the flavors closer to India by using amchur (dried green mango) instead of lemongrass and lentils instead of beef. Duh! The flavors blended so nicely with elements of sweet, bitter, hot and creamy. And it is neither Indian nor Thai.



Mussaman Lentil Pumpkin Soup
1 tbs vegetable oil
Whole Spices (see below)
1 cup shallots, chopped
1 tbs galangal, chopped (you could use ginger)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tbs amchur (dried green mango powder) or 1 lemongrass stalk, chopped
1 small pumpkin, peeled and cubed (about 5 cups)
2 quarts water
4 cups potatoes, cut into large cubes
6 carrots, diced
1 cup lentils
1 bunch spinach, stems removed, chopped (or 1 package frozen & drained)
11 oz coconut milk (2 small cans)
1/4 cup golden mountain sauce (or soy sauce)

Whole Spices:
3 dried hot chili peppers (I used arbol), seeds removed
1 tbs coriander seed
1/2 tbs cumin seed
4 cardamom pods
2 whole cloves
1 tsp peppercorns

Heat oil in a cooking pot over medium heat. Add the whole spices and saute for a few seconds, until the cumin begins to pop. Stir in the shallots, galangal and garlic along with the turmeric and amchoor (or lemongrass if using) and saute until soft. Add the pumpkin and water, bring to a boil and simmer until soft. In batches of about 2 cups each, thoroughly blend. If you don't blend in small batches, it will be difficult completely blend the whole spices.

Return the blended mixture to the cooking pot and add potatoes, carrots and lentils. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, stir in the spinach and simmer another 10-15 minutes, until the potato, carrot and lentils are tender. Stir in the coconut milk and golden mountain sauce and bring back to a boil. Remove from heat and serve.

6 Servings: 448 cal (15g fat, 68g carbs, 16g protein)

When fusion is done well, it can be beautiful. I made Indian moong dal dosas with a spicy spinach filling, based on my saag recipe, and added a savory Provencal red pepper sauce. The flavors were an amazing abundance of sweet, spicy, and savory engulfing an earthy crepe. Every aspect of tonight's dinner was satisfying.



Red Pepper Sauce
2 Red Bell Peppers
2 Tomatoes
2 small shallots (2-3 tbs total)
1 clove garlic
2 tbs chopped basil
1 tbs agave nectar
1 tbs vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbs olive oil

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut the red pepper in half. Remove the stem, and seeds and lay face down on a baking sheet. Cut the tomatoes into quarters, remove the seeds and lay face down on the sheet. Cut the shallots in half and place the unpeeled garlic and shallots on the baking sheet as well. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the pepper skins have charred. Allow to cool and remove the skins from the peppers, tomatoes, garlic and shallots. They should peel right off. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend into a creamy sauce. The sauce can be made ahead of time and reheated. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

5 Servings: 82 cal (6g fat, 8g carbs, 1g protein)

Spinach Filling
2 tbs vegetable oil
2 tsp cumin seed
1 large onion, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded & chopped
4 cloves garlic
2 tomatoes, grated
2 bunches spinach, washed & chopped (or 2 packages frozen)
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz tofu, crumbled

Heat the oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and cook until they begin to sizzle. Add the onion and jalapeno and cook until they begin to brown. Stir in the garlic and cook a minute more. Add the grated tomato, salt and spinach. Increase heat to medium high and cook until the spinach has wilted and the moisture from the spinach and tomato is cooked off. Remove from heat and stir in the crumbled tofu. This can also be made ahead and reheated.

6 Servings: 109 cal (6g fat, 9g carbs, 6g protein)

I developed this in an attempt to make a lentil dish that was easier to digest, because my body likes lentils so much less than I like lentils This is packed with veggies, and I've added asafoetida, fenugreek and turmeric, along with a host of other spices. You may substitute store bought curry powder for mine (listed at the bottom), but if you have it, add a little asafoetida. It's pungent aroma is a great addition to dals, and it's supposed to make them easier to handle in the end. (literally!)



Sabzi Dal
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 tbs ginger
3 cloves garlic
10 curry leaves
1 tomato, grated
1 bunch spinach (or 10 oz frozen), chopped
1 cup soy yogurt
1/4 cup chickpea flour
1/2 cup lentils
2 medium potatoes, diced
1 small head cauliflower
2 tbs spice mixture (or curry powder)
4 cups water
1 1/2 cup frozen peas

Heat the oil in a medium sauce pan set to medium-high. Add the onion and saute, stirring often until the onion begins to brown. Add the garlic and ginger and curry leaves, cook for a minute, then add the grated tomatoes and the spinach. Cook until the spinach has wilted and most of the liquid has cooked off. Stir in the yogurt, chickpea flour and spice mixture, then add the lentils, potato, cauliflower and water. Cover and simmer until the lentils and potato are soft, about 45 minutes. Remove the curry leaves (or left in as garnish) and stir in the peas and cook just until the peas are warm. Serve over rice or with naan or roti.

4 Servings: 400 cal (10g fat, 63g carbs, 19g protein)

Curry Spice Mixture
This spice mix is probably a bit hotter than your store brand, but not overly hot. It also has a goodly amount of pungency from the fenugreek and asafoetida. It's perfect for lentils, pulses or beans. You can substitute regular curry powder with a touch of cayenne and, if available, asafoetida.

Ingredients
2 tbs coriander seed
1 tbs cumin seed
1 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tbs black mustard seed
1/2 tbs fenugreek seed
6 cloves
2 arbol chilies, including seeds
1/2 tbs paprika
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp asafoetida

Heat a small fry pan over medium heat. Break apart dried chili peppers and add the whole spices. Dry fry, stirring constantly, or shaking the fry pan until the spices take on a slightly toasted aroma. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Add to a a spice or coffee grinder, along with the paprika, turmeric and asafoetida. Grind into a fine powder. Makes about 5 tbs.

I think the Urud Dal is the most common dal used dal for dosas.  It's got a difficult to explain flavor that I often don't like.  But in these dosas, the flavor is more subtle and is perfectly paired with fenugreek seeds.  If you can't find fenugreek and urud, both available at an Asian or Indian grocery, you might try the moong dosa that I posted this week.  Also look at my dosa introduction for substitutes.  Serrano or other hot peppers make a nice addition blended into the batter also.  One or two won't be hot, but will add a little depth.



Urud Dal Dosa
1 1/4 cup white rice
1/2 cup urud dal
1/4 chana dal
1 tbs fenugreek seeds
3/4 tsp salt
6 tsp vegetable oil

Add beans, rice, fenugreek and lentils to a bowl. Add enough water to cover by a couple inches and soak overnight. Drain and rinse. Add to a blender, along with the salt, and pour in just enough water to cover. Blend thoroughly, adding a little water, if necessary to keep the blender going. you should end up with a thin pancake batter. Leave on a counter to ferment for a few hours to a 24 hours, or not at all. I prefer the flavor after a few hours of fermentation. Once fermented, you can store in a refrigerator, but the fermentation won't completely stop.

To prepare, heat a large fry pan over medium-high heat. Pour the oil into a small dish. Dip a paper towel into the oil and coat the pan. Pour about half a cup of batter in the center of the pan. With the back of a large spoon, quickly spread the batter outward. The batter should thinly cover the pan. When the batter dries around the edges and air bubbles begin to form, dip the back of a clean spoon in oil and brush the dosa, paying attention to the edges. Flip the dosa and with your fingertips or a spatula, twist the dosa as it cooks. Remove and cook the next dosa.
Makes about 6 dosas.

I found this how-to video to be very helpful from Manjula's Kitchen.

12 Servings: 138 cal (3g fat, 24g carbs,5g protein)

A dosa is an Indian crepe made of a combination of pulses, lentils and rice. Moong Dal dosas have a more delicate flavor and more body than urud dal dosas and I found a greater variety in recipes ranging from mostly rice to mostly dals. After some testing, I added just enough rice to give the dosa a slightly crispy texture.

I filled these dosas with fried potatoes & onions and soy yogurt chutney.



Moong Dosa
1/2 cup mung beans
1/2 cup white rice
1/4 cup red lentils
1/4 tsp salt
3 tsp vegetable oil

Note: The original post had 3 tbs vegetable oil. This was a typo, 3 tsp should do.

Add beans, rice and lentils to a bowl. Ad enough water to cover by a couple inches and soak overnight. Drain and rinse. Add to a blender, along with the salt, and pour in just enough water to cover. Blend thoroughly, adding a little water, if necessary to keep the blender going. you should end up with a thin pancake batter. Leave on a counter to ferment for a few hours to a 24 hours, or not at all. I prefer the flavor after a few hours of fermentation. Once fermented, you can store in a refrigerator, but the fermentation won't completely stop.

To prepare, heat a large fry pan over medium-high heat. Pour the oil into a small dish. Dip a paper towel into the oil and coat the pan. Pour about half a cup of batter in the center of the pan. With the back of a large spoon, quickly spread the batter outward. The batter should thinly cover the pan. When the batter dries around the edges and air bubbles begin to form, dip the back of a clean spoon in oil and brush the dosa, paying attention to the edges. Flip the dosa and with your fingertips or a spatula, twist the dosa as it cooks. Remove and cook the next dosa.
Makes about 6 dosas.

I found this how-to video to be very helpful from Manjula's Kitchen.

6 Servings: 109 cal (3g fat, 18g carbs,4g protein)

I've made a couple attempts at dosas over the years, and nothing had ever turned out like the light & crispy crepe that a good dosa should be.  So I scoured the internet for tips and recipes, soaked every conceivable ingredient overnight and began blending up test batches and playing around with technique.

I found two very helpful sites in my quest were Holy Cow! and Manjula's Kitchen These are my absolute favorite Indian blogs and the first stop whenever I'm trying anything new. Holy Cow! had, it seemed, 1001 posts about dosas and I used Manjula's amazing yogurt chutney with the filling of my dosas. If you have any interest in Indian cooking, these blogs are a must read.



Dosa Observations
Dosas take some forethought, as much as three days, as you have to soak the beans, then, possibly, ferment the batter. The batter, in most recipes, is composed of a primary dal, usually urud or moong and a secondary lentil that is combined with rice and blended to form a batter. I tried several combinations and this is what I found:

Primary Dal:

Moong Dal - has a very faint 'pea' flavor and a strong green hue. It has more body than the urud dal. Many recipes use only moong dal, even excluding rice. It doesn't need a secondary bean. The dosa color is a bit strange, though. Adding red lentils or chana might help balance the color.

Urud Dal - I don't like urud dal, but don't be put off by the flavor. It makes a nicely flavored dosa. Fenugreek seed is the flavor perfect complement and the urud flavor fades into the background. It will, however, require more salt than moong beans. I used whole beans for both. The black, urud dal makes a nicely colored dosa.

Secondary Dal:

Chana Dal - This was my preferred choice for the secondary pulse, especially with the urud dal. They gave the batter some needed body and a golden, buttery hue.

Red Lentils - I liked the flavor of the red lentils and they add body, as with the chana dal. I expected a stronger hue, but it was still appealing. I would be happy with either chana dal or red lentils.

Brown Lentils - Plain lentils were dull, with an unenlightened flavor. Use if you must with urud dal, it needs the body, but I greatly preferred both chana dal and red lentils.

Rice:

Brown Rice: I expected a greater color difference. Brown was actually quite similar. Brown rice was not quite as crispy and the flavor wasn't as 'pure.' If you want to add some fiber, go ahead. I wouldn't use more than 50% brown, thought. The dosas will crisp better with white.

White Rice - This had the best results. The rice flavor came through more than with the brown and the dosa was crispier. I will use all white rice in the future.

Ferment:

Many recipes called for up to 24 hours of fermentation, by leaving the batter out an extra day after blending it. This drastically altars the flavor. I made batches completely unfermented, fermented for a few hours and fermented for a whole day. I prefer a few hours of fermentation, but not much more.

I soak the beans overnight, then blend them in the morning, for use in evening. This works well. For a different schedule, I would suggest fermenting for a few hours, then putting the batter in the fridge. Also, the taste is so different, it might be worth trying a fully fermented batter. I think the flavor is a love it or hate it taste. You might love it.

Technique

After a few dosas, I got the technique down. It is important to spread the batter out thinly and quickly. I found that a large soup spoon worked well. I used another spoon to spread oil over the half cooked dosa. I'll post my recipes for Moong Dosas and Urud Dosas this week.

I've made this a couple a couple of times and it's fast becoming one of my favorite soups. It's not spicy hot, but the blending of colors and flavors is beautiful and the spinach adds a welcoming texture to this creamy soup.



Curried Tomato Soup
3 tbs vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp brown mustard seed (or yellow)
1 large onion, chopped
6 red jalapeno peppers, seeded & chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbs ginger, chopped
1 cup red lentils
1 tbs curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2 lbs tomatoes, chopped (about 5 cups)
5 cups water, divided
6 oz tomato paste
4 cups fresh spinach, chopped
3/4 cup plain soy yogurt

In a large sauce pan, heat the oil over medium high. Add the cumin and mustard seed and cook until they begin to pop. Add the onion and jalapeno and saute until the onion begins to caramelize and turn brown. Add the ginger, garlic and red lentils and saute until the ginger and garlic become fragrant. Stir in the curry powder, salt sugar and tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes begin to soften. Add 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered for about 45 minutes, until the lentils have turned to mush.

In batches, blend the soup and set a side. In the now empty sauce pan, add 1 cup of water and the chopped spinach. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until the spinach is fully cooked, about 5 minutes or so. Add the blended soup and wisk in the soy yogurt. Bring the soup just to a simmer, then remove from heat.

5 Servings: 335 cal (11g fat, 49g carbs, 14g protein)

Here's a nice curry recipe. I was originally shooting for a 30 minute meal, but decided that adding some diced potato was worth the extra 15 minutes in cooking time. This is a somewhat mild curry (depending on the peppers) that's easy to make. If you like it hotter, add a little cayenne. Serve over rice.



NOTE: I've made this a couple times since this post. The first time, with 4 peppers, the dish was very mild. Batches that I made later on were hotter, one was quite spicy. One way to control the heat is to cut slits into the peppers and simmer them whole.  Then, at the end, mince them and add some or all of the minced pepper back into the dish. For those that were surprised by a not-so-mild batch, I apologize.

Rajma Chawal
2 Tbs vegetable Oil
1 tsp cumin seed
2 medium onions, chopped
4 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs ginger, minced
1 tbs coriander
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
2 cans (15 oz ea) kidney beans
4 tomatoes, chopped
2 smallish potatoes, diced
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup soy yogurt

Add the oil to a saute pan over medium heat. When hot, add the cumin seeds and cook until they begin to pop. Add the peppers and onion and cook until the onion begins to brown. Add the garlic and ginger, stir until aromatic, then add the spices. Stir to combine, then add the beans, tomato and potato. Saute until the tomato begins to soften. Add the water, cover and simmer until the potato is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Stir in the yogurt and cilantro, bring back to a boil and remove from heat and serve over rice.

4 servings: 394 cal (9g fat, 66g carbs, 16g protein)

I made this cilantro & mint chutney last week, knowing that I would be making a bunch of Mexican food. Hispanic food shares many of the same spices as Indian cuisine, but I wasn't sure how it would go, given that the base is yogurt. I ended up using it on Chipotle Tempeh Burgers, tofu quiche, corn chips and, of coarse, plain rice. I think you'd be able to use this in place of any salsa and be happy.



Cilantro Chutney
1 bunch cilantro, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 cup mint, chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 serrano peppers, seeded and chopped
1 lime, juiced
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup soy yogurt

Add everything except the cilantro and mint into a blender. Add the cilantro and mint in batches sufficient to not clog the blender. Blend until you get a uniform consistency that still has flecks of leaves. It's worth it to coax your blender into blending this mix as is. If necessary, add a little water.

Makes about 1 cup

8 Servings: 20 cal (4g carbs, 1g protein)

If you like cabbage, you'll love this. Heck, judging by the feedback I got this weekend, if you don't like cabbage, you may love this anyway. Sabzi is just a vegetable side dish. And the flavor is nicely Indian. Mostly, it's sweet tasting cabbage with just an undercurrent of warming spice.


Cabbage Sabzi

1 medium head cabbage, shredded
2 tbs vegetable oil
2 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp mustard seed
1 onion, sliced into half-rings
2 tbs ginger, minced
4 cloves garlic
3 serrano peppers, slit down the sides
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large saute pan. Add the mustard and cumin seeds and cook until they pop, just a few seconds. Reduce the heat to medium and saute the onion until it begins to brown. Add the ginger, garlic and peppers. Cook until aromatic, then add the cabbage, turmeric, salt and water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the cabbage is cooked and the water has mostly boiled off. Remove the peppers if desired.

6 servings: 97 cal (5g fat, 13g carbs, 3g protein)