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A Delectable Vegetarian Recipe: Green Beans and Potatoes
We made this dish for a cooking class I just taught last night. It was a birthday celebration and the ladies wanted to learn some South Indian style dishes. We cooked the coconut chicken curry and the potatoes and green beans.
I am from North India and anything cooked in mustard seeds and curry leaves reminds me of a South Indian dish- so when I was trying to come up with a menu I thought of the potatoes and green beans simply cooked in mustard seeds and curry leaves. The dominant flavors come from these spices and the lemon juice enhanced it even more.
The dish took all of half an hour to make and results were wonderful. Everyone enjoyed the dinner. This vegetable dish complemented the chicken really well. They both have similar flavors but yet tasted very different.
This dish is perfect to cook with a roast chicken or even for Thanksgiving. It’s that time of year and the big feast is already on my mind. This would be ideal for the big dinner, especially since it is so easy to make. It is very versatile and will go with any kind of cuisine. Definitely a keeper.
Well, I think the ladies really enjoyed all the dishes including the carrot pudding… it was a successful class and a fun evening.
- 2 cups green beans, chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 3 large red potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1 inch squares
- 2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds
- 7-8 curry leaves
- 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ cayenne pepper
- Juice of half a lemon
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
In a wide frying pan, add the olive oil. Add the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Saute on medium high heat till the seeds begin to sizzle. Add the green beans and potatoes- mix well and sauté high heat. Add the coriander powder, salt and cayenne pepper. Mix well and lower the heat and cover with the lid. Cook on low heat for 20 minutes or till the potatoes are tender. Take the lid off and check for seasonings. Add the lemon juice and cilantro, mix well and serve.
Coconut Cabbage with Peas
After getting back from Italy it took us a while to get back into our usual routine. We all love Italian food but once we got back, we craved other cuisines. We went to our favorite Chinese restaurant the next day and ate some Indian food out of the freezer for dinner.
I soon filled the fridge with groceries and started thinking about cooking again- it’s very hard to get back into it… Pasta kept coming to mind but I knew I wanted to make some vegetarian Indian food. We had consumed quite a bit of meat including salami and prosciutto and wanted to take a break.
While I was in Trader Joes, I picked up a pack of shredded cabbage. I usually never buy the packaged kind but then I get too lazy to buy the whole cabbage and shred it myself. My husband loves cabbage made a specific way with mustard seeds and curry leaves. I never end up making it because of my laziness. So, when I saw the packed cabbage, I picked it up and decided to make him happy.
It’s a very simple dish- the flavor is wonderful with the mustard seeds and curry leaves. I added some shredded coconut to give it a nice crunch and sweetness. I also added frozen peas to give the dish color. It took all of 20 minutes to make. I plan to serve it with lentils and freshly made rotis (Indian bread).
It is great to go on vacation and experience a different culture but it is fabulous to come home and eat food that reminds me of childhood….
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Apple Gelato-A Healthy Treat
So, this is one of the things I did with the fabulous apples sauce I made the other day. I am amazed at the versatility of this apple sauce- as I write this I am preparing a pork loin dinner with a savory apple sauce (recipe will be posted soon) and potatoes.
I loved all the gelati I made in the past based on the corn starch ice cream recipe by Mark Bittman. I loved the idea of making healthy gelato. I have made chocolate cinnamon, pistachio cardamom and walnut saffron gelati in the past (amongst others). All of them have come out delicious.
As we approach this delicious fall season- my favorite time of year, I have been making treats with pumpkin and apples. So while I had these ingredients in my head- gelato came to mind… I thought I could make apple gelato, especially once the apple sauce was made. I thought I would make vanilla gelato and once the frozen treat was done churning, I would mix the homemade apple sauce to it.
That is what I did and it turned out very delicious! The gelato part is sweet with an amazing taste of the vanilla bean I used. The apples bits are sweet and tangy at the same time and complement the vanilla really well. It would actually be yummy on top of a slice of pumpkin pie. I love the apple and pumpkin flavors together- I am definitely going to experiment with the two some more…
- 1 cup apple sauce
- ½ cup evaporated cane juice (sugar)
- ½ vanilla bean, split in half
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- 2 tablespoons whole milk to mix in the cornstarch
Ice cream maker
In a medium saucepan, heat the milk, sugar and the vanilla bean on medium heat. Once bubbles begin to form on the edges, add the cornstarch mixed in with 2 tablespoons milk. Cook till the mixture begins to thicken, about 2-3 minutes and forms a custard consistency. Remove from the heat. Strain and refrigerate overnight or at least 2 hours.
Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturers instructions. Take out in a bowl and mix the apple sauce. Freeze the gelato for at least an hour once it is done.
Homemade Baked Apple Sauce
This is first time I have ever made apple sauce. I never understood why someone would make iy- what is the point? You either eat them raw or use them in a dessert or maybe even cook them on the side with pork or duck.
Then I started writing this blog and apple season came along. Well, I had to come up with a few apple recipes- and I did.. I made the apple cranberry bread, which by the way is delicious. I was thinking what else to make when an apple ice cream came to mind. I was of course going to make my healthy gelato- but what else should I was I going to add to it??
That is when apple sauce came to mind. I looked for different recipes and that is when I came across Ina Garten’s apple sauce recipe- I just love her recipes- don’t you want to invited to her house for a fabulous meal?
I adapted her recipe and came up with this. After the big saucepan came out of the oven and I tasted the results- I understood why people make their own apple sauce. It was absolutely delicious! Fresh, yummy and just the right sweetness and tartness. The wheels were turning in my head- all the things I can do with this- dessert topping, with a pork loin, on top of pancakes- sky is the limit… I can’t wait…
Try this recipe- it’s really good. I will be testing the apple sauce gelato tomorrow and posting the recipe soon- stay tuned.
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Brown Lentils with Fennel Seeds
I love making lentils. At the Indian stores, there are at least 20 different kinds of lentils lined up on the wall. It can be quite confusing and overwhelming trying to choose which ones to take home. I have about 5 or 6 that I make constantly.
These brown lentils are one of my favorites. I am always looking to cook them in a different way to change it up a bit. I like making them as they are particularly creamy and delicious. They cook fairly quick and are a perfect weeknight meal.
I made this dish with fennel seeds. I added them at the very end to give the dish a very fresh and delicate flavor. The half and half made the lentils even more creamy- really delicious!
My daughter loves all sorts of lentils and eats them happily with rice. I usually make rice with peas and serve it with the lentils- it is a complete meal. Whenever I am confused about what to make or don’t have much time, I go into my pantry and look at the lentil shelf. It is great to be able to make something at a moments notice without having to go to a grocery store.
This dish was delicious, creamy and very aromatic. We had it with rice and a big bowl of raita!
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Raspberry Gelato
Okay, this is another really easy, healthy and a yummy treat to make. I love coming up with such desserts- I don’t mind how often Sia eats it. I love having healthy breads and such desserts in the freezer. My daughter has a big sweet tooth- gee, I wonder where she got that trait from?
Since my daughter is always looking for something sweet after a meal, I feel compelled to come up with healthy things for her to eat. She loves ice cream- and prefers to eat it outside. I made this at home and gave her a bite and her eyes lit up! I can’t say that she only eats ice cream at home now but it’s a good start. She loves raspberries and it has just enough sugar for her to think this is a real treat.
Fresh raspberries are still available in the stores and farms right now, so it’s a great time to make this easy dessert. It’s delicious with a drizzle of chocolate sauce or just by itself. As the weather changes, frozen raspberries can be substituted- although the fresh ones give the gelato a more intense flavor. Strawberries or even apples can be used. Speaking of apples- I think I will try a gelato for the holidays. Maybe one with cinnamon and nutmeg- like an apple pie! I will keep you all posted…
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Zucchini Risotto with Arugula and Steak Salad
Family was visiting from Austin and wanted to eat something delicious, different and gourmet- what the heck was I supposed to make??
Risotto was discussed briefly and so I started thinking about arborio rice. How should I cook it and what should I serve with it? When I am coming up with a menu- I try to include a vegetable and a protein with the starch. I am thrilled to include all the food groups on one plate.
My husband reminded me of the zucchini pesto in the fridge- “maybe you can add that to the risotto”, he said. Wow, I thought – all this cooking is rubbing off on him as well. What a great idea- that is what I did. I made a simple risotto with chicken broth and folded in some velvety zucchini pesto.
What about the protein? We were in Trader Joes and my idea was to buy the marinated, frozen rack of lamb. It is delicious and very easy- just roast in the oven and serve. Turns out that some of them didn’t care for lamb- so it was back to the drawing board. I was walking around Trader Joes and came across tip steak. I decided to marinate the steak and make a salad with the arugula and serve them on top of the hot risotto.
Well, the combination was delicious. I love cold salad on top of anything hot. In this case the bitter arugula was fabulous with the garlicky steak and the creamy risotto. It was a big success and everyone loved it. We drank a wonderful merlot with the meal- it is great spending time with family!
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