Spicy Indian Cabbage and Green Peas

Cabbage is one of those vegetables I buy without knowing what I'm going to do with it and then look for a solution. Fortunately this vitamin C-rich vegetable is widely used around the world, so there's no shortage of ideas. And if you like Indian spicing and green peas as much as I do, then this bandhgobhi hari matar tarkari that I've adapted from Yamuna Devi's Lord Krishnas Cuisine is the cabbage idea for you.

A specialty of the Amritsar region, this fragrant and spicy cabbage and pea dish is made with a very aromatic spice blend unlike any other I've come across, and is typically cooked in clay pots over open fires. But since most of us don't have that luxury (!) this recipe has been adapted for modern stovetops and ovens. Serve over white rice, on its own, or with a dollop of yogurt on top as an accompaniment to any Indian meal. If you're planning on eating this dish over more than one day, you might want to reduce the spices slightly as the heat in the vegetables increases over time.

Spicy Indian cabbage and green peas

Spice blend:

1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
6-8 black peppercorns
5 whole cloves
1 teaspoon cardamom seeds

Vegetables:

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 small cabbage, about 1 pound, cored, trimmed and finely sliced into shreds
1 cup fresh or frozen green peas, defrosted
4 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt

Combine the spice blend ingredients in a spice mill or coffee grinder and grind to a powder. Set aside.

Preheat an oven to 325°. Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the tomatoes, half of the spice blend, turmeric, paprika and cayenne, and cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes or until the tomatoes are reduced to a thick sauce. Add the cabbage and stir to cover the vegetable with the sauce.

Remove the cabbage and sauce to a large casserole dish. Cover and place in the preheated oven. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice. If you are using fresh peas, stir in the peas after 15 minutes. Otherwise, stir in the defrosted frozen peas only in the last 2-3 minutes, along with the dill, salt and remaining spices.

Toss to mix and serve hot. Serves 6-8 as a side dish.

Japanese-Style Quinoa Salad and Tamari-Ginger Dressing

Judging by the number of requests I've received for quinoa recipes, it seems that this ancient staple food of the Andes, otherwise known as Inca rice, is enjoying a surge in popularity these days. And with its unique delicately sweet and nutty flavour as well as a nearly perfect amino acid balance rare to plant foods, it's a popularity that's well deserved. Toss in a good source of fibre, protein, iron, calcium, phosphorus and vitamins B and E, and it's a wonder that everyone's not eating quinoa.

I'll often cook 1/2 cup of quinoa in a cup of water in the manner I've described below and dress it with some toasted sesame seeds and a little tamari sauce if I just need a quick and easy grain side dish for dinner. But it's always nice to try something different, and this simple and hearty quinoa salad takes only a little more time and is not only very hearty and healthy, it's absolutely delicious!

I use red cabbage here to give the salad colour, but green or Chinese cabbage will taste just as good. Another option is to add a 1/4 cup of slivered almonds.

Japanese-style quinoa salad with tamari-ginger dressing

Salad:

1 1/4 cups quinoa
1/2 small red cabbage, chopped
5 large white mushrooms, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
3 scallions, thinly sliced, both green and white parts
3 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted

Dressing:

3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
juice of 2 lemons
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated with a fine grater

Scrub the quinoa under cold running water over a very fine strainer, then soak overnight in 2 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover, letting simmer for 20 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Remove from the heat and fluff thoroughly with a fork. Set aside in a large salad bowl to cool to room temperature.

Shake together the dressing ingredients and set aside in a cruet to let the ginger permeate through the dressing.

Fluff the quinoa again after it's cooled and add the rest of the salad ingredients. Serve cold or at room temperature with a splash of the dressing, shaking the cruet a little before each serving.

Serves 8 to 10.

Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

When I saw a recipe for Roasted Red Pepper Hummus over at The Budding Cook, I instantly had a craving for some. Of course, it's easy to buy a small tub of good quality hummus in London, but it's much more satisfying to experiment in your own kitchen, especially if you are like me and want some hummus with a spicy kick. Originating in the Middle East and now popular throughout the world, hummus is a thick dip or spread consisting mainly of ground chickpeas, tahini, garlic and lemon juice. This versatile blend of flavors can be enhanced with an infinite combination of herbs, spices and vegetables.

I'm not one to boast, but I can honestly say the recipe I came up with yielded some of the best hummus I have tasted to date. I added a bit of cream cheese to my hummus, but I'm thinking goat's cheese would work just as nicely and plan to try it next time. Adjust the amount of olive oil you use to achieve your desired consistency. If you want to roast your own peppers instead of using the jarred variety, detailed instructions can be found here.

Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

1 1/2 cups of cooked chickpeas (about 3/4 cup dried chickpeas)
1 medium red pepper, roasted and chopped into small bits
1 habanero pepper, roasted and chopped into small bits
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon of paprika
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne
1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 heaping tablespoon of tahini
2 - 3 tablespoons of cream cheese
juice from one lime
2 - 3 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 - 1 teaspoon of sea salt

Combine the peppers, garlic, spices, tahini, cheese and lime juice in a small bowl. In a food processor, blend with the chickpeas, olive oil and salt until smooth. If necessary, process the mixture in batches. Serve with flatbread, such as pita, crackers and vegetables.

Makes approximately 2 cups of hummus.

Lentil Soup with Prunes and Apricots

With the Fall weather upon us here in Southwestern Ontario, I've been inspired to make more warming soups of late. This sweet and sour soup is adapted from a unique little cookbook entitled Small Bites. Once the chopping is done, it simply simmers on the stove top, allowing you time to prepare the rest of your meal. I served it with Polenta and Mushroom Ragout. It's a fairly thick soup, especially if you serve it the next day, so feel free to add more stock to suit your tastes. If you are not using vegetable stock, increase the amount of salt and add a few teaspoons of celery seed. If desired, garnish with pomegranate seeds.

Lentil Soup with Prunes and Apricots

3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 - 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 inch piece of ginger, grated
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper
6 pitted prunes, roughly chopped
8 dried apricots, roughly chopped
1 heaping teaspoon of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
6 cups of vegetable stock
1/2 cup of red lentils
1 1/2 cups of green lentils
1/4 cup of yellow split peas
juice of 1 lemon
small handful of mint leaves, chopped
small handful of parsley, chopped

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add the onions, carrots, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper, and saute for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened. Add the dried fruit, ground spices and cinnamon sticks. Saute for a few more minutes and then add the stock or water. Stir in the lentils, bring to a boil, and immediately reduce the heat to low. Simmer, covered, for about 1 hour or until the lentils are very soft. Stir occasionally.

Now add the fresh herbs and lemon juice and taste for seasoning. Puree a small portion of the soup if desired. Serve hot, and garnish with some parsley. This recipe yields 6 - 8 servings and can be frozen if desired.

Baked Gingered Chickpea Stew with Eggplant and Spinach

A variation of this textured chickpea stew can be found in every kitchen in North India, where it is a favourite for Sunday dinners. Very much like a baked chana masala with eggplant and spinach, kabli chana baigan tarkari is almost always served with pooris, but it is also very delicious served on a bed of rice with a green salad or a potato dish on the side. Like so many other Indian dishes I've come to love, this version is one I've modified from Yamuna Devi's Lord Krishna's Cuisine, a book I cannot recommend highly enough as an essential guide to authentic and delicious Indian cooking.

Baked gingered chickpea stew with eggplant and spinach

3/4 cups dried chickpeas
8 tablespoons ghee, or a mixture of butter and olive oil
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
handful of green chillies, to taste, seeded and minced
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida powder
2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 cup water
1 pound fresh spinach, trimmed and coarsely chopped
small handful fresh coriander or parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
fresh ground black pepper

Soak the chickpeas overnight in water with a drop of yogurt whey or lemon juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour or until the chickpeas are tender. Drain and set aside.

Preheat an oven to 325°. Meanwhile, heat 6 tablespoons of the ghee or butter and oil mixture in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the eggplant and fry, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes or until the cubes are well-browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the remaining ghee or butter and oil to the pan. When hot, add the ginger, chillies and cumin seeds and fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until the seeds turn dark brown. Toss in the asafoetida, wait a few seconds, then stir in the tomatoes. Add the coriander, paprika, cayenne and turmeric and cook until the tomatoes reduce to a thick sauce, about 10 minutes.

Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the chickpeas, eggplant and spinach. Remove to a casserole dish, cover, and put in the preheated oven. Cook for 30 minutes. Stir in the parsley, garam masala, salt and pepper before serving.

Serves 4 to 6.

Blueberry Ricotta Cheesecake

One of the items on my ongoing list of recipes to make is a baked cheesecake. Until recently, I had never made a cheesecake of any sort, though cheesecake is certainly one of my favorite desserts. I have fond memories of the no bake cherry cheesecake my mom used to make for me. I don't often have dessert, as most of the meals I make are quite satisfying, but when I found this recipe for Blueberry Ricotta Cheesecake I simply could not resist. It's a fancy looking cake, but it's actually pretty easy to make and needless to say, absolutely heavenly to taste.

Blueberry Ricotta Cheesecake

1 pound of cream cheese
1/2 cup of sugar
1 pound of smooth ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
grated lemon zest from one small lemon
2 teaspoons of vanilla
wee bit of salt
4 eggs
1/3 cup of unbleached white flour
1 cup of blueberries

Butter a 9-inch spring form pan and set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer set to medium until smooth. Add the ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla and salt. Blend until well mixed. Add two of the eggs, beat for a minute and then add the remaining two eggs and beat for another minute. Add the flour, and beat on low speed until well mixed. Fold in the blueberries and transfer to the prepared pan. Bake in a preheated 300 degree oven for about 80 minutes, or until the the cake is set and golden. Turn off the oven, open the door slightly, and let the cake sit for another 20 minutes.

Transfer the cake to a wire rack and let it cool completely before removing the sides of the spring form pan.

Blueberry Sauce

2 cups of blueberries
1/3 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 heaping tablespoon of corn starch

Combine the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice and corn starch in a medium saucepan. Over medium heat, gently bring the mixture to a boil. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat, let cool for about 15 minutes. Spoon the blueberry sauce over the top of the cheesecake.

Cranberry Wild Rice Soup

Inspired once again by the top quality recipes provided by Chef Jules, I made another one of his nourishing soups. This time around it was a rather unusual soup that appealed to me because of the unique blend of flavours and the colourful presentation. It's as good as it sounds and looks and it's really easy to prepare besides. I've made a few minor modifications, but essentially just followed the original recipe. Add more salt and a few teaspoons of celery seed if you are not using vegetable stock.

Cranberry Wild Rice Soup

4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 stalk of celery, finely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green onion, chopped
3 tablespoons of unbleached white flour
3 cups of vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups of cooked wild rice
2/3 cup of dried cranberries
1/2 cup of milk
1/2 cup of yogurt
2 tablespoons of robust red wine
1/4 teaspoon of dried sage
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

parsley for garnishing

Prepare the wild rice ahead of time. Simply wash 2/3 cup of wild rice in a strainer. Bring the rice to a boil in roughly 3 cups of water, reduce the heat to low, and cover and simmer for 30 - 40 minutes, or until
the rice puffs open and it loses it's crunch. Drain and set aside.

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the carrot, celery and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the carrot is tender - about 8 minutes.

Add the flour and stir until smooth. Gradually stir in the vegetable stock, whisking as you add it to prevent lumps from forming. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir until the soup is thickened, about 5 minutes.

Next add the rice and cranberries. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries are soft and plump (roughly 10- 15 minutes). Stir in the sage, milk, yogurt, wine and seasonings. Cook for another few minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve in soup bowls, and garnish with parsley.

Makes 4-6 servings.

I've submitted this recipe to a upcoming Garden Cook event featuring cranberries.