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Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Spicy Kale Crisps



Lightly coated chickpea and rice flour provide the perfect crunch for this favorite snack of Kale Crisps.

Adjust the seasoning and spices to taste. Sometimes I use cumin and coriander powder with a hint of paprika for the seasoning, and sometimes just plain kale with no flavors or flours except a sprinkling of salt.


Ingredients
5 packed cups coarsely chopped kale leaves
¼ cup rice flour
¼ cup chickpea flour
1 tsp chili powder
1 Tablespoon olive oil
salt to taste

Preparation

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F
  2. Wash the chopped kale and drain; place in a large enough container
  3. Drizzle the oil, then sprinkle the flours and seasoning; toss well till a thin layer of the flours adhere to the kale leaves
  4. Place the coated kale leaves on a greased roasting pan and roast in the 350°F oven for about 12-15 minutes
  5. Check partway and flip the kale to crisp uniformly; turn the pan if needed; if the kale is not done to desired crispness, leave it in the oven for another couple of minutes; watch closely so as not to char
  6. Remove and serve warm; or, allow to cool completely in a rack and store in an airtight container


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Monday, February 17, 2014

Opo Squash + Kale Koftas & Patties

Opo Squash Kofta Kale Koftas  Patties Appakaral pancake puffs maker Curry Indian Bottle gourd


Call it Bottle gourd, Calabash, or Opo Squash, this fairly bland but versatile vegetable lends itself well to cooking many interesting dishes.

Opo Squash Kofta Kale Koftas  Patties Curry Indian Appa Karal pancake puffs maker Bottle gourd


Koftas is a favorite in my kitchen, served with some flavorful sauces. Typically koftas are balls, but, sometimes I make them into small flat patties.

In this recipe, grated opo squash and kale with some onions and garlic forms the core of the koftas and patties. A bit of rice flour and chickpea flour with seasoning is used to bind the vegetables so they can be shaped into balls and patties.

Opo Squash Kofta Kale Koftas Appa Karal pancake puffs maker  Patties Curry Indian Bottle gourd


Rather than baking, I fried the kofta balls in a pancake puffs maker a.k.a Appa Karal as I was making just a small batch of koftas. The patties were cooked in a cast iron skillet of medium low heat till cooked through on the inside.

appa karal pancake puffs maker


Ingredients
1 medium opo squash
½ cup finely chopped kale leaves
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 Tablespoon grated ginger
1 tsp finely minced garlic (optional)
1 tsp crushed red pepper
½ medium yellow onion, finely diced
salt to taste
¼ cup chickpea flour
1/3 cup rice flour

2 to 3 Tbsp oil for cooking patties and  kofta balls


Preparation

  1. Peel the opo squash, remove the spongy core and seeds, and grate it. Squeeze to press out as much water as possible from the grated opo squash.
  2. Combine the kofta ingredients to make a thick yet loose/pliable dough. Add a little flour at a time till desired consistency. Add more flour as needed, in case the grated opo squash has retained too much water even after being squeezed out
  3. Shape the dough into even-sized balls that would fit in the Appa Karal or Pancake Puffs Maker
  4. For Kofta Balls: Heat a small amount of oil in the Pancake Puffs Maker or Appa Karal, drop the shaped balls of dough and cook over medium heat till done on the inside and crisp on the outside; alternately deep fry if preferred
  5. For Patties: Heat a tablespoon of oil in a cast iron skillet, flatten the balls into patties and cook over medium heat, flipping as needed to brown both sides and cook the insides
  6. Sauce: The sauce this time is a simple tomato-based one. But, either Jalapeno-Cilantro Sauce or Spicy Beet Sauce or Creamy Chard Sauce would be wonderful with these Opo squash & Kale koftas


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Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Opo Squash & Carrots Goan Soup

goa cuisine curry leaf spicy soup indian vegetarian goan spices


Incorporating flavors from the cuisine from Goa, India, is always a favorite. Much like Chettinad style flavors from South India, I adapt it for curries or soups that I make on and off.

Most Indian cuisine involve a combination of toasted spices powdered as well as some ground paste to make up the aromatic and mouth-watering masala base.

In this recipe, similar technique is used: turmeric, curry leaves, black pepper, cumin, coriander, dry red chilies, poppy seeds are toasted and ground to a powder. Grated ginger, minced garlic, grated coconut, tamarind concentrate and tomatoes are ground to a fine paste. Then the two are sauteed in oil to release the flavors and used as the base flavors for this soup.

Ingredients
Opo squash, peeled, pulp removed and diced
Carrots, peeled and diced
1 medium onion,  diced
4 cups vegetable stock or water
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups coconut milk

For the masala powder:
1 Tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 tsp black pepper
2 to 3 dry red chilies
1 tsp turmeric powder
6 to 8 curry leaves

For the masala paste:
¼ cup grated coconut
1 tomato, chopped
2 Tbsp grated ginger
4 garlic cloves finely minced
¼ cup tamarind water/juice* OR 1 tsp tamarind concentrate

*If using tamarind fruit pulp, seeded, then soak it in hot water and extract the water. For about a walnut size tamarind pulp, add about 2/3rds cup hot water, allow to soak for 5 minutes and extract the juice

Preparation

  1. Toast the masala powder spiced till they bloom; then powder it
  2. Grind the masala paste ingredients to make a fine paste
  3. Heat oil in a pan, add the masala powder and masala paste and sauté till aroma releases, about 4 minutes in medium heat
  4. Add the veggies and stock/water and simmer over medium heat till veggies are cooked but not mushy
  5. Taste and adjust salt 
  6. Stir in coconut milk and garnish with cilantro if preferred
  7. Serve warm

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Monday, February 03, 2014

Crock-pot Green and Red Cabbage Rolls in Sauce

Crock-pot Green and Red Cabbage Rolls in Sauce delectable victuals

Cabbage rolls are quick and easy to make in a steamer or pan. But sometimes, just the sheer joy of starting it early and having it ready hours later makes me turn to the electrical crock pot for this.

Red cabbage leaves are notoriously crispy and not pliable to facilitate easy rolling. Use slightly old red cabbage that feels wilted a bit, yet good for consumption. Outer leaves with thick ridges don't work as well, of course. Also, I prefer to par cook it in the microwave with some water to make it softer and easier to roll up.

For a quick filling, ready-made frozen veggie patties are perfect. Either TJ's Pizza Veggie Burger patties or Black Bean Chipotle patties are the current favorites at home. Simply cook the patties, crumble them to make the filling.

Start some tomato sauce with corn and onion cooking in a crock pot. Assemble the cabbage rolls: simply fill a layer of cabbage large enough to make a roll, roll like a burrito wrap or dolma, place gently in the crock pot with the sauce. Cover and cook for  5 to 6 hours till desired doneness. I start this in the morning before going to work, and it is ready for dinner that evening.


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Sunday, February 02, 2014

Crock-pot Chicken Stew

slow cooker crock pot chicken chunky hearty vegetable stew delectable victuals


I am a big fan of Electrical Slow Cooker and Crock Pots. It makes winter night meals a breeze if planned ahead and started early. Warm, hearty stews and soups, vegetables, casseroles, and even fall-apart chicken breasts come out just fine, given a little time, requiring minimal effort.

Marinated chicken breasts were started on the crock pot one Friday night, and allowed to slow cook for about 12 hours; then, in the morning, when the chicken breasts were fully cooked, I added some chopped onions, bell peppers, kale, carrots, tomato sauce, spices/seasoning and continued to cook through the day Saturday, possibly another 4 or 5 hours.

By dinner time Saturday night, aromatic chicken and vegetable stew with flaky, juicy, fall-apart chicken was ready. Served with some home-made biscuits, it was a wholesome winter night meal.

Of course, I don't care much for chicken, so this batch was consumed by the rest of the family. For myself, I like to omit the chicken and double the vegetables, adding cauliflower, chick peas, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, winter squash, edamame and marinated tofu to make a There-Can't-Be-Too-Many-Veggies stew.


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