Arugula Quinoa Citrus-y Salad

I tend to sound like a broken record at times here - but, I do love the rice cooker. I use it a lot and not just for cooking rice. Anything from cous cous to polenta, millet, kasha, steamed veggies, kichdi, and quinoa, I trust my rice cooker to help out. Of course, the first few tries of any new item is experimental, until I figure out the amount of liquid needed and whether one regular cycle is enough etc.

Quinoa comes out perfectly in the rice cooker. I buy quinoa in bulk. Per cup of dry quinoa, I use 1 cup of liquid - either stock or water. Typically, I soak the quinoa in warm water for about 5 minutes and drain the stuff that floats to the top. Rinse and repeat washing a couple of times. And then I am ready to measure out the water and cook it in the regular cycle of the rice cooker. And to keep the grains from getting clumped and sticky, I like to add a small amount of olive oil (or any favorite oil). Rice cooker is particularly helpful for making flavorful brown rice and pilaf (pulao/pulav), of course.

The Berry Sweet Citrus Dressing is something I came up with for this salad as I was in the mood for it. This recipe here yields about half a cup of this delicious dressing. I tend to dress the salad on the conservative side for serving; however, I also serve extra dressing on the side.

Berry Sweet Citrus Dressing:
2 Tbsp Raspberry Red Wine Vinegar (I use Pompeian™)
1 tsp agave nectar
1 Tbsp fresh orange juice
1 tsp black raspberry jam
1 tsp sambal oelek (less if preferred)
½ tsp Italian seasoning herbs
⅛ tsp salt (optional)
⅛ tsp smoked paprika powder
½ tsp freshly grated ginger
4 Tbsp Olive Oil

Simply whisk all the ingredients together, taste and adjust as preferred.

For the salad:
¼ medium red onion, sliced thin
¼ medium red pepper, sliced thin
1 or 2 sweet mandarin oranges, peeled and sectioned
¼ cup julienned cooked beets
2.5 oz Arugula, cleaned and ready to use
1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled to room temperature
Slivered almonds (optional)

Toss the salad ingredients together, reserving the beets, almonds, and the orange slices as topping.

Tamarind Flavored Crunchy Roasted Bitter Melon

Almond + Flax meal being a favorite alternative to bread crumbs, many dishes come into existence just because a thought popped into my head about combining a few favorites...

Bitter melon (Chinese Fu Gwa) is a cucumber-shaped fruit which has a lighter skin and thicker flesh than the Indian bitter gourd which is typically smaller, darker, more ridged and textured and quite intensely bitter.

I like bitter melon for some dishes and bitter gourd for some others.

To reduce the bitterness, salt the chopped bitter melon and leave them on a towel to drain for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the almond meal as in Almond + Flax meal encrusted chicken nuggets recipe.

I like the concentrated goodness of tamarind in this rich dark Tamicon™ tamarind paste and I use it in many Indian recipes. Alternately, for a milder tamarind flavor, try the Vietnamese Sour Soup Base sold in most Asian stores.

The sourness from tamarind and sweetness from agave nectar, combined with the crunchiness from the almond meal makes this a wonderful side for an Indian meal of brown rice and pippili rasam.

Ingredients
1 or 2 bitter melon, Chinese Fu Gwa
½ Tbsp Tamicon™ Tamarind paste
½ Tbsp Blue Agave nectar
salt to taste
1 Tbsp oil

Preparation

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400°F
2. Chop the bitter melon into rings (remove pulp and seeds) and sprinkle salt on them and lay them out in a single layer on a towel for 15 minutes; rinse and drain; then, toss them with tamarind and agave nectar and par cook them in the microwave - still firm, not mushy, but turns translucent
3. Press the par-cooked bitter melon rings into the almond+flax meal mixture
4. Lay them out on a greased pan in a single layer, drizzle or mist some oil on top
5. Bake in a 400°F oven for about 12-15 minutes, checking part-way and turning the pan if needed

Remove from oven and serve warm with a favorite dipping sauce. I love it as-is. Even got the kids to try it. 

Turkey and Soy Bean Meatloaf

Mostly turkey, chicken, fish. Probably once a week. No beef or pork or other dark meat. So, not much meat consumption. Yet, there are some standard favorites. And this turkey meatloaf is one of them.

Of course, lot of beans, lentils and vegetables, with quinoa and brown rice, plus delicious salads do make it easy to present a good variety as the 500+ recipes I've shared here so far reminds me...

For texture and flavor that it brings, I prefer adding the cooked soy beans. I buy dry soy beans in bulk, soak and cook them and freeze them in small portions. Thaw overnight in the fridge and use as needed.

This is a make-ahead dish that lasts almost a week especially if I just serve a slice each every other night or so.

Ingredients
20 oz ground turkey
½ cup cooked soy beans
1 cup finely minced/chopped vegetables - red cabbage, bell pepper, onions
2 Tbsp Chipotle Pesto
2 Tbsp tomato sauce
1 Tbsp Bragg™ Liquid Aminos
1 tsp Wright's™ Hickory Liquid Smoke
½ Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp paprika powder
1 egg
1 tsp oil
¼ cup Steak sauce

Preparation

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375°F; Grease a loaf pan and keep it handy
2. Heat the oil in a skillet and sauté the vegetables
3. Coarsely grind the cooked soy beans into thick paste
4. Combine all the ingredients except the steak sauce and mix well
5. Pack it into the greased loaf pan, brush the top with the steak sauce
6. Cook in a 375°F oven for about 35-40 minutes, checking once or twice, till firm and cooked through
7. Brush on more steak sauce mid-way, if preferred
8. When internal temperature is 170°F, remove from the oven, allow to rest for a few minutes

Ruby Chard, Green Chickpeas, Eggplant and Tofu

Swiss Chard, Ruby Chard, Rainbow Chard... they have good flavor and go well with other vegetables.

I had about half a long Chinese eggplant, a bunch of chard, some cooked green chickpeas and some marinated baked tofu. They came together to make a wonderful chunky and colorful dish that is just juicy enough, rather like a stew.

The dish is flavored it lightly with some garlic cloves, coriander powder, paprika, sautéed in olive oil.

Add the chard, green chickpeas, and eggplant chunks, some salt and water/stock. Cover and simmer till vegetables are done to your liking. Top with marinated pan-fried tofu chunks and serve warm.

Baked Mushrooms with Chipotle Walnut Pesto

Being the sole mushroom-lover in the family, I don't get to eat it often. And when I do, it is an indulgence, taking the trouble to make it just for me.

My favorite is Portabella mushrooms; and the Baby Bella/Cremini as well. Just a touch of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper baked in a 425°F oven for about 10 minutes makes it perfect, depending on the size of the baby bella.

This Chipotle Pesto is quite versatile - stir in a little into ground turkey to make baked meatballs or croquettes, use it as a spread for falafel pita pockets, or as an interesting alternative 'pizza sauce', or even just a humble sandwich or bagel spread....

Chipotle Walnut Pesto
2 chipotle chilies  (canned in adobo sauce) + 1 Tbsp adobo sauce
2 Tbsp chopped sundried tomates packed in oil
½ Tbsp chopped garlic
2 Tbsp canola oil or olive oil
¼ cup chopped celery leaves, tender stalk
½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
salt to taste

Combine the ingredients and blend to paste - as smooth or as coarse as preferred. If it is too thick, add a bit more of oil as needed.

The Chipotle Pesto can be stored in an air-tight container for up to a week.

Shahi Paneer Korma

Paneer is the only cheese I had during childhood. It is a simple bag cheese made by curdling warm milk with some lemon juice. It is more common in North Indian cuisine so I didn't get to try it much in the typical South Indian meal my mom cooked.

Shahi ("Royal") Paneer Korma is rich and creamy and fragrant and flavorful, befitting its name, or should I say, hence its name...

It is rather easy to make if paneer is readily available. Else, plan ahead to make the paneer first. It is fairly easy but takes time.

As always, fusion cuisine being my signature, this is not an 'authentic' recipe. When I open a can of chipotle chilies in adobo sauce I find ways to incorporate it in other recipes. And that's how it found its way into this Shahi Paneer Korma recipe, adding a wonderfully interesting flavor.

Ingredients
For the Korma:
¼ cup raw almonds, soaked in water for ½ hour and peeled
1 small red onion, chopped
1 Tbsp grated ginger
4-6 garlic cloves, crushed
2" Indian cinnamon bark
3 cardamom pods
2 Tbsp coriander powder
3 chipotle chilies in 1 Tbsp adobo sauce
½ cup stewed tomatoes
salt to taste

Paneer cubes
1-2 Tbsp oil

Optional: heavy cream or evaporated milk

Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a pan and pan-fry the paneer cubes till browned on all sides but not crisped
2. Combine the korma ingredients and blend into a fine smooth paste
3. Stir in the korma blended sauce with the pan-fried paneer and simmer at medium low heat till the rawness of the onions and garlic are gone; add up to a ¼ cup water at a time if the korma looks too dry
4. Add salt to taste and allow to simmer till flavors meld, about 20-25 minutes
5. Stir in heavy cream for extra richness, or some evaporated milk; I usually leave it out
6. Serve warm with home-made naan or paratha or plain brown basmati rice

Turkey-Stuffed Red Pepper

Stuffed peppers are easy and sumptuous. I prefer the red or the orange peppers for their mild sweetness, rather than the green peppers. And the stuffing depends on the mood and what's available.

Purple peppers were the rage for a while if I could find it at the farmer's market. (Incidentally, Lesson Learnt: not wise to rely on free sites to host my pictures. Most of my food photos from the infancy of this blog are lost; and, I don't have a copy as I never did regular back-ups back then and my old laptop died... well, a series of unfortunate events, as they say, but quite propitious as I get to take fresh pictures when I make them again these days!)

The usual cranberry-pine-nut-rice stuffing like for dolma would be good for the peppers as well. But, to satisfy the protein cravings of the nicer half, these red peppers are stuffed with ground turkey.

Ground Turkey Stuffing:

1. Finely chop some red onions, red cabbage, carrots, celery, flat-leaf parsley, garlic 
2. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan, add the ground turkey, a sprinkling of salt, taco seasoning, and paprika and cook till done
3. Stir in the finely chopped veggies, cover and cook a few more minutes till veggies are tender yet crisp

Stuffed Peppers:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 425°F
2. Cut the bell peppers in half, brush with olive oil, sprinkle some salt and bake in the 425°F oven for about 5 minutes; turn down the oven to 375°F
3. Remove pepper halves from the oven, stuff with the prepared stuffing, cover the stuffing portion of the peppers with a small piece of aluminum foil
4. Return the stuffed peppers to the 375°F oven and bake for another 8 to 10 minutes till peppers are tender

Top with toasted pine nuts, chopped scallions and parsley or cilantro, and serve warm.

Chimichurri Sauce with Baked Chicken

Chutneys were ubiquitous during my childhood. There were so many variations to the basic formula. Either coconut-based chutneys with toasted lentils, or tomato-based chutneys with ginger and red chilies, or purely herb-based chutneys of which my favorite was this cilantro-mint-chutney with tamarind and green chilies... the possibilities were endless. Despite almost-same ingredients, I am quite amazed at how many different flavorful chutneys came about in my mom's kitchen.

Anyway, as a result of this chutney-immersion, I've always been partial to coming up with sauces, dressing, dips, not to mention chutneys.

This South American-inspired Chimichurri sauce is so much like my favorite "green chutney" - full of fresh green ingredients.

Served with Dosai or Adai or Dokla or even Idlee, the chimichurri sauce adds pep and bite to bland dishes, especially when I get generous with Serrano peppers. The spring onions and oregano came from my garden, plus some cilantro and parsley and green chilies is all it takes to make this sauce, roughly in the proportion the picture indicates.

Almond-meal-Flax-meal encrusted marinated chicken breast tenders served with Chimichurri sauce and a large greek salad turned out to be a sumptuous weekend dinner.

Of course, most of the meat dishes here are much relished by the rest of the family while I top my roasted vegetables with the same sauces and dips and chutneys.

A recent favorite combination of roast vegetables for me is: red cabbage wedges, asparagus, broccoli stems (no florets), baby bella mushrooms, red onions and eggplant. Sounds like an odd combination, but, as I lay them out in a single layer on the roasting pan-- separate, not tossed together, I can almost taste the individual flavors as they come out of the oven in batches.

Ingredients
For the Chimichurri sauce:
a large bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley
cilantro
green chilies
scallions
oregano
olive oil
salt to taste, a splash of lemon juice or red wine vingar

Grind the ingredients together into smooth sauce, adding olive oil a little at a time.

I don't have exact measurements for the ingredients, but the rough proportion of mostly parsley and just a little bit of oregano with enough cilantro and scallions works for me. 

Collard Greens and White Bean Casserole

Greens. What's not to like about them, right? Packed with important nutrients and readily available, greens seem like the obvious choice for daily consumption. Of course, the tough part is learning which greens to eat, how best to cook them, or should we cook them at all, and is it true that eating greens raw is always better...

Mature collard and kale and mustard greens and radish tops and such are so much tastier after steaming or light sautéing, and I'd rather not eat the woody stems. But, tender dandelion leaves, arugula, and baby spinach are wonderful raw, especially in salads.

Radish tops, Beet tops, Pea shoots, Turnip tops, Sorrel, even small Dandelion leaves- I relish them all as much as the usual Chard, Kale, Collard, Mustard, Spinach greens plus the everyday varieties of lettuces and cabbages.

Anyway, enough expounding on the virtues of the greens... This Collard greens casserole recipe is quite simple and lends itself to many possibilities. If I feel indulgent, I cook it much like the traditional Green Bean Casserole recipe with the French fried onions adding the crunch. Sometimes the sauce is creamy and cheesy, and at other times it is full of flavorful herbs in a tomato base. Sometimes it is layered and baked much like Eggplant Parmesan or Lasagna; and sometimes, collard greens are thrown together with other vegetables and finished off with a layer of melted cheese on top.

I don't have exact measures for this recipe - that's the nice thing about casseroles, it is hard to get them wrong.

Ingredients
Chopped collard greens, steamed till a bit tender
Cooked white beans or black-eyed peas or Mayo Coba beans
Andouille chicken sausage (optional), cooked, diced
small red and orange bell peppers, diced
Onion, chopped
Garlic minced
1 Tbsp oil
Tomato sauce
salt to taste

herbs/spices: lemon pepper, paprika, cumin, parsley

Cheese for topping: Colby Jack, Mozzarella, freshly grated

Preparation

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375°F
2. Heat the oil in a pan, sauté the onions, garlic, bell peppers; add the tomato sauce, cook for a few minutes
3. Combine all the ingredients in a casserole dish, and stir in some of the grated cheese, reserving the rest for topping
4. Bake in a 375°F oven for about 20 minutes, checking once or twice
5. Top with the rest of the grated cheese and cook for another 5 minutes or so till the cheese melts

Baked Chipotle Turkey Croquettes in Lettuce Wraps with Tahini Dip

Fried vegetable croquettes are a favorite once-in-a-while weekend snack. Any combination of finely chopped or grated vegetables and meat can be shaped into small 'fingers' and breaded and deep fried and presented as fancy croquettes with various dips and sauces.

Rather than deep frying, these Spicy Chipotle Turkey Zucchini Ginger croquettes are baked. And, rather than the usual bread crumbs these turkey croquettes are 'breaded' in seasoned almond meal.

The chipotle chilies in adobo sauce is a favorite flavoring for stews and beans. I wanted to use it for the turkey croquettes, but also carried it into the sauce/dip.

Ready within 20 minutes including preparation time, this dish can be a quick snack or a light meal, especially when wrapped in crisp lettuce leaf.

Ingredients
10 oz ground turkey
1 tsp Bragg™'s Liquid Aminos
½ medium zucchini, grated finely and squeezed to remove water
1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 pimento cherry pepper chopped finely (optional)
2 Tbsp finely chopped chipotle in adobo sauce (less if preferred)

Almond meal: combine about 1/3rd cup of raw almonds, 2 Tbsp parsley (finely chopped fresh, or dried), 1 tsp curry powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika, and grind to crumbs for breading

Oil Mister/Sprayer/Spritzer: Table top oil spritzer is handy- not just for cutting back on oil usage but also for eliminating the use-and-throw store-bought cooking oil spray cans.

Spicy Chipotle Sesame Sauce/Dip:
1 or 2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
1 Tbsp sundried tomatoes packed in oil
1 Tbsp Tahini
1 Tbsp Olive oil
½ Tbsp Pomegranate Red Wine Vinegar
water as needed

Combine the ingredients and blend to a smooth dip consistency adding a little water at a time as needed.

Preparation

1. Pre-heat the oven to 425°F.
2. Have the almond meal ready for coating
3. Knead the turkey and the rest of the ingredients and shape into long thin cylinders
4. Coat with the seasoned almond meal
5. Arrange in a roasting pan and spray some cooking oil
6. Bake in 425°F oven for about 15 minutes, till internal temperature is 170°F

Wrap each croquette in a crisp piece of lettuce - I prefer Romaine, but the bland Iceberg work well for the kids. Sprinkle with finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and/or cilantro. Serve with any other favorite dip or sauce or dressing.

Cabbage & Zucchini Slaw with Spicy Citrus Dressing

Until a few years ago, when I stared this food blog, I hadn't bother to ponder on the origins of some of the culinary terms, especially the names of some of the common dishes enjoyed today. One of the first ones that stuck in my head is this: colis → koolsalade → koolsla → cold slaw → cole slaw, nicely summed up in See The Globe.

Cabbage salad, cabbage borscht, home-made sauerkraut, home-made baechu kimchi, cabbage paruppusili, cabbage arachu vitta sambar, cabbage koottu, cabbage molagoottal, cabbage coconut-chili poduthuval... this antioxidant-rich, nutrients-packed, fiber-filled vegetable is consumed in many forms in our house.

As I was debating posting yet another cabbage salad recipe, it occurred to me that this Spicy Citrus dressing thrown together on a whim yearns to be shared. Especially with its crisp and crunchy freshness and zesty orange flavor, the salad definitely has earned its own post.

Ingredients
1 cup julienned or shredded zucchini and carrots, combined
2 cups red cabbage, shredded
2 cups green cabbage, shredded
1 jalapeno, seeded and julienned or slivered thin (optional)
1 tsp orange zest for garnish (optional)

Spicy Orange-Citrus Dressing:
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
½ Tbsp orange zest
½ Tbsp blue Agave syrup/nectar
½ Tbsp crushed red pepper flakes (less if preferred)
½ Tbsp all-natural creamy peanut butter
½ Tbsp pomegranate red wine vinegar
½ Tbsp distilled white vinegar
½ Tbsp Bragg™ Liquid Aminos
½ Tbsp pure Chinese-style sesame seed oil

Combine the dressing ingredients and whisk to a thick consistency. Pour over the veggies. Marinate for at least 15 minutes before serving, longer the better. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Sweet Potatoes & Green Bell Peppers with Long Pepper (Pippali) and Vinegar

Bell peppers, especially green bell peppers, seem to pair so well with mushrooms, eggplant, and summer squashes that I have come to take them for granted. Green bell peppers go well with sweet potatoes as I've come to appreciate in the last few years, especially in this dish which is quick to put together and can be served warm or cold.

Chunky-diced red onions, green bell peppers, and sweet potatoes come together for this mildly flavored side-dish which can be served as a warm salad. Or chilled and served over a bed of lettuce as a salad-meal.

To save time, I cook the peeled and diced sweet potatoes in the microwave - a few tablespoons of water, covered, and cooked till done - firm but not mushy - takes about 4 minutes on high power in mine.

Meanwhile, sauté the onions and green bell peppers (I also used some jalapenos, seeded) in some olive oil with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder.

Stir in the cooked sweet potatoes, stir well over high heat, allowing a few belle peppers to get that deep brown charred flavor. Then, splash a bit of Bragg™ Liquid Aminos (or, apple cider vinegar), sprinkle some freshly ground long pepper, and serve warm.

Ingredients
Bragg™ Liquid Aminos or Apple cider wine vinegar
1 tsp crushed or ground long pepper (pippali) (or, black/green pepper, or red pepper flakes)
½ tsp urmeric powder
salt to taste
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 each of jalapeño, green bell pepper, sweet potato, plus about half a small red onion, all diced