Aloo Matar

While I pretty much always choose chana masala when it comes to making or ordering Indian food, there are times when something different is in order.  Last week we made Aloo Matar: a saucy, somewhat spicy Indian dish with potatoes and green peas.  The dish was easy to make and very filling when served over brown rice; plus, it's full of beautiful colors that brighten up any meal. 

Aloo Matar served over brown rice.

Recipe:     
Aloo Matar

• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 onion, diced 
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 - 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced 
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• a dash of each of the following spices: cinnamon, cumin, coriander, black pepper, cloves, and nutmeg (or use 1/2 teaspoon garam masala in place of these spices, if you can find it)
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 2 large potatoes, cubed and boiled
• 2 cups frozen peas 
• salt, to taste

First, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  When the oil is hot, add the cumin and bay leaves and cook, stirring occasionally, for a couple minutes. 

Then add the onion, green pepper, garlic, and ginger; cook for about five minutes or until the onion and pepper begin to soften. 

Next, add 1 cup of the crushed tomatoes, the jalapeno, and the remaining spices.  Stir together and cook for another three minutes.  Add the remaining crushed tomatoes, potatoes, and peas and cook for two minutes. 

Finally, lower the heat, cover the skillet, and simmer for about 10 minutes. 

Salt to taste and serve hot over brown rice.  Yields 6 servings.

Comments:
Taste:          

We all enjoyed this dish, but we found different elements to be noteworthy.  Rachel commented on how spicy it was (which I didn't notice).  I particularly enjoyed the ginger flavor.  Simon wished there were more vegetables involved, so next time we might include spinach. 

Accessibility:       

This recipe calls for several spices, and it can get expensive to buy them all just for this recipe.  But don't worry: most of these spices are pretty standard in Indian dishes (or other cuisines!), so any spice purchase will be worth your while. 

 Ease of Preparation:         

This is a pretty easy recipe, but it does require some attention to timing.  To make dinner preparation go more smoothly, make sure you boil the potatoes the day before, or as the first thing you do before chopping everything else.  You can also cook the rice while you're cooking everything else.

Non-vegan friendliness:        

Aloo Matar is a vegetarian dish by design, so there's nothing lacking in this version.  Plus, the potatoes really fill you up. 

Rajma Masala with Spinach

While I do still find time to cook in between applying for jobs, blogging has fallen by the wayside.  I made it a point to blog about the delicious red kidney bean dish we made last week, though.  We made Rajma Masala with Spinach--a creamy, filling Indian dinner. 

Rajma Masala served with rice and a samosa wrap.

Recipe:     
Rajma Masala with Spinach

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 red onion, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 heaping teaspoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons coriander
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala (or just add equal parts ground black pepper, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon)
• 1 red chili pepper, seeded and minced
• 1/2 cup unflavored tomato sauce
• 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 - 15.5 ounce can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  
• 1 - 15.5 ounce can light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 - 9 ounce bag fresh spinach (or more or less, to taste)
• salt to taste
• 1/4 cup vegan sour cream

First, heat oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat.  Add onion and sauté until it begins to brown.  Then add the ginger, garlic, and 2 tablespoons water; cover and cook for two more minutes, stirring frequently.

Next, add the turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili powder, garam masala, chili pepper, tomato sauce, and cilantro. Cover and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently.  Then add enough water to get a saucy consistency.

Finally, add the beans, spinach, and salt and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until spinach has wilted and flavors have combined. Remove from heat, mix in sour cream, and serve immediately with rice.

Serves 4-6

Comments:

Taste:       

The creaminess of this dish was definitely the highlight.  Rachel was pleasantly surprised that we were able to bring the smooth texture that she loves about Indian food to a vegan dish.  The dish wasn't too spicy--especially when combined with rice--but it still had a rich, complex flavor. 

Accessibility:    

At first glance, this dish might seem unmanageable.  Between the fairly unusual spices and the vegan sour cream, this recipe loses some of its accessibility.  However, we were able to find all of these spices and the vegan sour cream (Tofutti brand) at our usual grocery store.  You might be surprised what you can find quite easily these days.

 Ease of Preparation:        

This is a pretty straightforward recipe.  The Rajma Masala doesn't take too long to make, but rice can take a while.  Just be sure to start the rice before beginning this recipe.

Non-vegan friendliness:       

As I mentioned, we all loved the taste and texture of this dish.  Even though it was filling, we all wanted more.  I wrote that it serves 4-6 because it barely got the three of us through 2 dinners!

Curried Quinoa Salad

What better way to celebrate summer than by using fresh fruit in a salad?  We made this Curried Quinoa Salad with nectarines and snap peas the other night when a friend came over for dinner, served alongside Simon's Spicy Corn Pakoras.

There are so many delicious components in this salad.

Recipe:     
Curried Quinoa Salad

• 8 ounces frozen sugar snap peas or snow peas, thawed
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons curry powder, divided
• 2.5 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2.5 tablespoons store-bought mango chutney
• 2.5 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 nectarines or peaches, each cut into 10 wedges
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cups baby spinach leaves

First, prepare the quinoa.  Bring a medium pot of water to boil over medium-high heat.  Stir the quinoa and 1 tablespoon curry powder into the boiling water and cook for about 14 minutes, or until the quinoa is tender, stirring occasionally. 

While the quinoa cooks, whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon curry powder, vinegar, chutney (try to avoid the chunks in the chutney, using the saucy part only), and oil in a small bowl.  Set aside.  Then toss the peas, nectarines, onion, and spinach in a separate large bowl and set aside. 


Once the quinoa is done cooking, drain it, rinse it under cold water until cool, and drain again.  Add the quinoa and dressing to the salad bowl and toss until everything is well coated. 

Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and enjoy.  Serves 4. 

Comments:

Taste:       

I would gladly eat this unique salad on a regular basis.  The sweet and slightly spicy dressing is a great bridge between the quinoa and the rest of the ingredients.  The inclusion of nectarines really brightens up the dish, and the subtle mango flavor is like icing on the cake. 

Accessibility:    

We couldn't find fresh snap peas in our grocery store, so we used (thawed) frozen snap peas instead.  It worked quite well: just pop the bag of peas in the fridge when you get home from the store so they can thaw without cooking.  We've had trouble finding quinoa at non-specialty grocery stores in the past, though for the first time this week we actually found it at Giant!

 Ease of Preparation:        

While this dish certainly takes longer to prepare than other salads, it's still quite simple to make.  Prepare, toss, eat!

Non-vegan friendliness:       

As far as salads go, this dish is substantial, interesting, and visually pleasing.  We served this as side dish rather than as a one-pot meal. 

Spicy Corn Pakoras

Simon here - guest blog time ! Do you remember the kerfuffle about the KFC Double Down? The epitome of American gluttony - Chicken stuffed with pig product and cheese. We should be eating something more refined, like this high-class part of French cuisine. In a similar way, hushpuppies are fried, fatty foods, while the dish here, pakora, is an authentic ethnic treat. 

Fried goodness. There were not this many on the plate at the end of the meal...

Recipe:     
Spicy Corn Pakoras

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup fine cornmeal
• 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (fresh preferred, though we defrosted frozen)
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• Additional vegetable oil, for frying
• Mango-tamarind chutney (we used store bought, I thought it was pretty delish)

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and turmeric. Set aside.

In a food processor, grind corn kernels to a rough purée. Add purée to flour mixture and stir well to make a stiff batter

Put 4 tablespoons vegetable oil in a small pan over medium-high heat. Add mustard seeds. When seeds are lightly toasted and begin to pop, add cumin powder and pour mixture into the batter. Add cayenne, cilantro and ginger, and stir well. 

Pour vegetable oil into a cast-iron skillet to a depth of 1 inch. Heat on medium-high until oil looks wavy. Using two large soup spoons, create fritters about the size of a rounded credit-card, working in batches if necessary. Brown gently on one side, about 2 minutes. Turn pakoras and brown on other side, about 2 minutes more. Remove with a slotted spoon or spatula and blot on paper towels. Serve hot with mango-tamarind chutney.

Makes 10-15 pakoras

Comments:

Taste:            

The corn provides a sweet touch to the savory nature of these fritters. A spicy latke/hushpuppy hybrid, they were a great side dish. I think our frying technique is underdeveloped (I'm sure our arteries thank us), so the crispiness was not quite right. They could have also used a bit more spice, I think.

Accessibility:     

The basic ingredients - flour, cornmeal, and oil are at every grocery store and probably on hand. Ingredients like mustard seeds may not be worth the special purchase, but you can adjust the flavor to what's in your spice rack if you'd prefer.

 Ease of Preparation:         

The recipe is pretty straightforward. The hardest part is frying, which can be temperamental. Watch out for hot oil popping onto your arm. 

Non-vegan friendliness:        

No adaptations necessary for this recipe, and who doesn't like fried things?

Chana Masala

On Tuesday, in honor of St. Valentine, Simon and I made some delicious Indian food.  (Never mind the regional incongruity...)

Cooking Chana Masala

We made a version of Chana Malsala, the tomato-based chickpea dish that I always order when I'm at an Indian restaurant. 

Recipe:
Chana Masala

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 - 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• black pepper, to taste
• crushed red pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter

First, heat the oil and garlic in a skillet over medium high heat.  When the oil is hot, add the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes or until the onions become soft and begin to brown.  Next, reduce the heat to medium and add the curry and tomato paste.  Stir and simmer for about 2 minutes.  Then add the chickpeas, water, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and simmer for about 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.  Finally, add the crushed red pepper and margarine, stir and simmer for about 5 more minutes, and serve over rice. 

Yields 2 or 3 servings.

Comments:
Taste:      

I love this dish.  Simon rightfully points out that it's a pretty one-dimensional dish; but, while there may not be tons of ingredients involved, the flavor is still really nice.  The lemon juice brightens up the flavor so it's both spicy and light.

Accessibility:        

These ingredients are all pretty standard and inexpensive.       

 Ease of Preparation:   

This is a simple recipe to prepare.  It doesn't take long to make (especially when using canned chickpeas).  If you're serving it over rice, you should be able to start the rice first and prepare this dish while the rice is cooking.         

Non-vegan friendliness:   

This dish holds its own.  Compared to some other vegan dishes (or other Indian dishes), it has a pleasantly substantial mouthfeel.  You can really take a bite of Chana Masala, while that might not be the case with lentils, for instance. 

Spicy Potato Curry

Tonight I made an old favorite--Spicy Potato Curry.  It was about time we made some more Indian food!
  

Smooth and spicy.

Recipe:
Spicy Potato Curry

• 2 potatoes, cubed
• 2 sweet potatoes, cubed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 5 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 - 1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 2 teaspoons salt (or more to taste)
• 1 - 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 - 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 15 ounces frozen peas
• 1 - 14 ounce can coconut milk

First, cook the potatoes.  Place the potatoes in a large pot, cover with water, and add 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Bring to a boil over high heat; then reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer until tender (about 12 minutes).  Drain.

While the potatoes are cooking, add the oil and garlic to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat.  Once the oil is hot, stir in the onion and cook for about 5 minutes or until onions become tender.  Stir in the spices, ginger, and salt and cook for 2 more minutes.  Finally, add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a simmer, and simmer for 10 minutes before serving.  

Yields 6 servings.  

Comments:

Taste:     

This is a consistently great curry recipe.  The spiciness blends nicely with the smooth coconut milk to create a deliciously layered flavor.  I really like the way the peas sort of pop when you bite into them, providing a bit of a crunch to every bite.   

Accessibility:        

This recipe includes fairly basic ingredients.  I like to use both sweet potatoes and regular potatoes, but you can use just one or the other if you like.  Feel free to add other vegetables, as well. 

Ease of Preparation:   

This dish doesn't take too long to prepare and there isn't too much chopping involved.  Once you get the potatoes going you can chop and prepare the remaining ingredients, so the timing works out well.     

Non-vegan friendliness:   

Rachel described this as an Indian version of chili--mainly because it's so hearty.  This is a very satisfying dish and I'm confident that non-vegans would love it, too.   

Butternut Squash Saag

Rachel and I made Butternut Squash Saag tonight--an Indian inspired dish.  Again, it's great to have something spiced and warm to eat on a cold, rainy day.  You could also use pumpkin or some other squash in this recipe, depending on your preferences.   

I've decided to start incorporating pictures into my blog, so here's the final product!

I'll have to keep working on my food photography since food is notoriously difficult to capture on camera; but, I think this picture captures the beautiful colors in the dish quite nicely! 

Recipe:
Butternut Squash Saag

• 1 butternut squash
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or peanut oil
• 1 large onion, diced finely
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1.5 teaspoons garam masala (if you don't have this, mix together cumin, coriander, cardamom, pepper, cloves, and nutmeg--this will come close!)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cup water
• 1-inch cube fresh ginger, peeled and minced finely
• 10 ounces fresh spinach (approximately 2 bunches), washed and chopped coarsely
• juice of 1/2 lime

First, prepare the squash.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Using a strong knife and a careful hand, cut the squash in half lengthwise.  Remove the seeds and seed-goo with a spoon.  Place the squash cut side down in a baking dish and fill the dish with about an inch of water.  Bake for 45 minutes, until you can easily insert a fork into the flesh.  Once the squash is baked, let it cool completely before peeling away the skin and chopping it into 1-inch chunks.
Next, move on the the rest of the dish.  Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and sauté for a couple more minutes until everything is lightly brown.  Add the squash and continue cooking for a few minutes until the mixture is heated through.  Add the spices, salt, and ginger.  Stir the mixture and add the water.  Continue cooking for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  You can mush up the squash a bit if you'd like smaller pieces, but do leave some pieces chunky.  Add the spinach in batches, stirring well between additions.  Cook for about 10 more minutes, stirring frequently.  Add the lime juice, and enjoy! 

Comments:
I had never had Butternut Squash Saag before, but it was worth the try!  The dish wasn't spicy (though you could add more cayenne to change this); instead, it was pleasantly spiced and gave off a nice aroma.  Plus, as I mentioned before, the colors were great.  This dish appeals to many senses!  We didn't serve the saag over rice, though you could do so to add more bulk.

Rachel was also pleasantly surprised by the saag.  She thought the flavor combination was unexpected and unlike other dishes she has had in the past.  She (and I) thought we could've cooked the squash a bit longer, but that is easily remedied.

Time-saving note: I cooked the squash one day in advance to avoid a really extended prep time tonight, and I think that was a great move.  If you decide to cook the squash in advance, just make sure you let it cool, cover it in plastic wrap or put it in a sealed container, and refrigerate it.