Vegan Indian Cauliflower Mash, or Aloo Gobi Mash

Happy Monday! To those of you that celebrate Easter I hope you had a lovely holiday. To those of you, like me, that don't celebrate Easter, I hope you had a great weekend. Today I have a vegan recipe that is great as a main dish or as a side dish. It was actually inspired by Veggie Test Kitchen. She participated in February's YBR and submitted her Madras Mashed Cauliflower. As soon as I saw her photo and read her post I knew I had to make it immediately. Well immediately came a little later but I did finally cook it.

I hope The Veggie doesn't mind if I quote her blog as to how she came up with this dish. She says that this dish is a spin on the classic Indian Aloo Ghobi. Aloo Ghobi translates to potato cauliflower and it is a eaten throughout the country, India. She goes on to explain that Aloo Ghobi is chunks of potatoes, cauliflower florets, onion, garlic, ginger and spices. But she made her own version by mashing the potatoes and cauliflower and topping with sauted shallots and a few other things. The Veggie gives some great tips so please stop by to read her whole post. Trust me you will want to make it immediately.

When I went into my kitchen to prepare her recipe I didn't have all the spices in her recipe so I improvised. This is my version of The Veggie's madras mashed cauliflower. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. I served it a part of our vegan/vegetarian dinner along side some flat bread and a couple other small sides. It was so delicious and filling with a little quick to it. Remember though you can always adjust the chile amount to your own taste. Enjoy and thank you The Veggie :)

Indian Cauliflower Mash, or Aloo Gobi Mash
Based on and inspired by The Veggie, Veggie Test Kitchen, Madras Mashed Cauliflower .

1 cauliflower head, cut into large florets
4 small potatoes, peeled and cut into large pieces
small piece of fresh ginger, ginger and finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 red chile, finely chopped
11/2 tbsp. garam masala* (my recipe is here)
1 tsp. ground turmeric
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
extra chile powder, optional *

salt & ground black to taste
finely chopped chives, chiles and/or fresh cilantro to top, optional

* Adjust to taste

1. Boil the cauliflower and potatoes until tender. Drain and set aside. Heat the oil and cook the onion until soft and translucent. Add the ginger, garlic and chile and saute for another 3 minutes. Place the boiled cauliflower and potatoes into the pan. Add the remaining spices to the pan. Use a potato masher and mash until the vegetables have broken up into a thick mash. I left a few chunks of both the potatoes and cauliflower for a chunky texture. Stir to combine all ingredients well, and cook for another 10 minutes.

Serve with Naan bread or other Indian flat bread.

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Lost In Translation. Savoy Cabbage is not Kale, D'oh!

D'oh! For the past 8 months I've been cooking what I thought was kale. Hah! Jokes on me! No wonder those "kale chips" didn't quite turn out like they were supposed to. This tale of D'oh begins one day over the summer of 2010. Many trips to my local produce shop used to include a couple of minutes of weirdly eyeing a firm head of leafy vegetable called kapusta. I already knew kapusta meant cabbage in many Slavic languages. But in Czech cabbage is called zeli, and there are different types of zeli. One day I finally came home to double check the word kapusta. My little Czech dictionary said cabbage and when I looked it up online the translation was kale and cabbage. Kale is a type of cabbage so I said, oh cool it's Kale! And I happy danced because it was on our list of veggies to try.


Eight months ago when I looked up kapusta I also did a Google images search. I somehow, idiotically, convinced myself that the kale variety available here is a bit different from the varieties on Google images. The kapusta was firm, green(ish), and curly, which also describes kale. My excuse is that it was a hot summer day and my brain was too hot to do further research and went on a long holiday. It's my story and I'm sticking to it, don't judge. Last night as I sat down to type this recipe and gather some nutritional information about kale, I did the proper research I should have done 8 months ago. It became apparent that this kapusta was not kale but in fact savoy cabbage. Get ready for it... D'OH! And an expletive that I'll exclude here!

Now I'm too tired to look up and give you nutritional information for savory cabbage, perhaps another time. But what I will tell you is that savoy cabbage rocks! It's a bit firm, won't wilt too much but I found it to be versatile and delicious. I've used it as a side dish, in soups, in stuffing, in curry, as kapusta chips, well you get the picture. Here's my recipe for Not Kale Savoy Cabbage Spiced with Homemade Garam Masala, it's really good and you'll love it. By the way I think this recipe would also taste great using kale. Those of you kale experts would you agree?

Ingredients : ( 3-4 servings )
half head or 500 grams/about 1lb. fresh savoy cabbage
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cm or 3/4 inch piece fresh ginger, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp. sunflower oil or ghee
2-3 tsp. Garam Masala (I used my homemade recipe, spice according to your taste)
1/2 tsp. salt
pinch ground black pepper
pinch of cumin seed
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric

water

1. Cut the cabbage in half then quarter each half and separate the layers. Run the savoy cabbage under cold water to clean thoroughly and set aside. Heat the oil in a large and deep pan. Then add the onion and saute until transparent, next add the ginger and garlic and saute for another 4 minute.

2. Sprinkle half the Garam Masala over the onion mixture and stir well. Start placing the cabbage in the pan and layering it if need be. Lastly sprinkle the remaining Garam Masala and spices over the cabbage. Cover and turn heat to medium low. Once the cabbage begins to soften you can stir it to better distribute the spices.

I added a little bit of water at a time to the pan to prevent the cabbage from burning and not having to add any more oil. Check on the cabbage often to see if it needs a little more water. The cabbage cooked for about 20 minutes before it became soft and wilted, the texture I wanted. Cook the cabbage until you are satisfied with the texture or crunchiness.

Serve as a side dish.

Obviously I've never seen kale in person nor tasted it so I didn't know kapusta from kale, until know. I think. If I'm still wrong about this being savoy cabbage let me know please.

I forgot to tell you that you can also find my Garam Masala recipe on page 6 of my cookbook. On that note I would like to tell you about Lynn's giveaway. Her blog, Seasoned & Stirred is marking it's 1st blogiversary. Congratulations Lynn and here's to many more blogiversaries! To celebrate she is hosting her first giveaway, a copy of my cookbook. Please stop by Seasoned & Stirred for your chance to win a copy of An Epiphany of The Senses and say hi to Lynn.

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Colorful Vegan Turmeric Rice for the IIP

Ever wondered why many curries have a dark orangy-yellow color? Why is American mustard so yellow, or how commercial chicken broth gets a its yellow tint? Turmeric. Turmeric is a rhizome, the stem or roots of a plant that grow underground. Turmeric and ginger are in the same rhizome family. They actually look pretty much the same on the outside until you cut into it and see the ginger is a very light yellow and Turmeric is a vibrant orange color with a hint of yellow. WHFoods describe it as having a "peppery, warm and bitter flavor and a mild fragrance slightly reminiscent of orange and ginger," I find it to have a very mild smell and taste and therefore a great spice for culinary uses. Turmeric is used as a natural textile and culinary dye, as a spice, and has been used for centuries in Indian and Chinese medicines for its healing properties. This vibrant spice doesn't only give food a striking color but it also has so many health benefits.

- natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent
- anti-inflammatory, so used as a natural treatment for arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
- detoxifies the liver
- shown to be affective in fighting Alzheimer's
- natural painkiller
- may help in weight management
- used to treat depression
- used to treat multiple cancers
- antioxidant
- can be used as a Saffron substitute
And the list goes on and on, I suggest you read the WHFoods website for further information. A very fascinating spice indeed!
Today I have a simple recipe that can turn an ordinary rice dish into a vibrant and beautiful dish. I often prepare it as a side dish for curries, tandoori chicken but it can also be served as a side dish with any other type of food. I use long grain rice but you could also use basmati rice and adjust the liquid amount as needed.

Serves 2-3 side dish portions
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups (275 grams) long grain rice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
1 inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh Ginger, finely diced
1/2 tsp. Cumin seed
1 tsp. Turmeric powder
1 tbsp. sunflower oil (or ghee, but it will not be a vegan dish)
2 cups (500 ml) vegetable broth, low sodium & no MSG*

*You could also use chicken broth for a carnivore version.

extra broth if needed
deep cooking pan or pot

(The little purplish specks on the rice are blue poppy seeds. A little something extra to make the presentation more interesting.)

1. Heat the oil and once it's warm add the onion and saute until transparent, next add the ginger and garlic and saute for another 4 minute. Stir in the rice to the mixture, then sprinkle the cumin seed over the rice and fry for about 5 minutes. Next stir in the Turmeric and stir to distribute the spice throughout the rice. Pour the vegetable broth into the deep pan or pot and stir.

2. Cover and over medium high heat bring the rice to a boil. Once the rice has boiled turn the heat to low heat . Leaving the pot partially covered, allow a small crack for a little of the heat to escape. Continue cooking until rice is soft and cooked through and all of the broth has been absorbed. This should take about 15-20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.

You should check on the rice to make sure that it is softening and if all of the broth has been absorbed but if the rice is still raw you can add a little more broth at a time and continue to cook until softened.

This is my submission to Penny's (Jeroxi- Addictive & Consuming) International Incident Party or IIP. This month the theme was color, anything colorful. Make sure you check out Penny's website for the roundup of all the participants. It's always a fun event to join, and there are always so many great dishes submitted. Go on check it out!

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Banana Lassi ( Indian Yogurt Drink)

A Lassi is a very popular yogurt based drink that originates in the Punjab regions of India and Pakistan. They somewhat resemble a milkshake or smoothie and are made the same way, by blending the ingredients. There are savory or salted Lassi and sweet Lassi made with fruits. The salted Lassi are made with yogurt , water , salt and can have some spices and even rose water added. The sweet versions are made the same way as the salted versions just omitting the salt and adding fruit and a sweetener. You may have noticed that at most western Indian restaurants Mango Lassi is typically found in these restaurants. And it's no surprise or coincidence, The reason is that they are the perfect drink to have when eating spicy dishes. The yogurt neutralizes the acid and heat in the spicy dish and so your mouth will feel completely cooled after biting into your Vindaloo. Trust me I know from experience about this because even if I don't drink a Lassi with dinner and instead have a yogurt for dessert after a spicy meal I feel completely cooled down. ( More tips on how to enjoy spicy foods coming in another post. )

While the Mango Lassi is probably the most well know sweet Lassi to us in the west, I have also found variations of all sorts on line. I think the Lassi is one of those drinks or recipes that is about customizing it to your own palette. (If any Indian readers or Lassi experts out there think otherwise leave me a comment and educate me a little :) ) With that in mind I have experimented with both the amounts and with different fruits. So feel free to experiment and have a little fun with your Lassi. I'm no Lassi expert but I do know that they taste phenomenal and are also a great thirst quencher. Don't feel so "guilty" about the calories ( if you are a calorie counter) a Lassi is still lower in calories than a Chocolate Milkshake. Oh and don't forget Banana's are nature's perfect food and extremely good for your body.


Your Ingredients : (2-3 servings)
1 cup plain white yogurt
2 large banana,peeled and sliced
pinch ground cardamom

cold water (optional)*see note
honey to taste (optional)
ice cubes (optional)

*Note* You can add some cold water to thin out the Lassi if you like and that's if you are using full fat yogurt. But I suggest if you are using fat free or thinner yogurt that you skip the water or the Lassi will be too watery.

1. Peel and roughly slice the banana then place in a blender. Next add the yogurt, cardamom and the honey if using, blend until the banana is completely broken down and ingredients are well blended. At this time you can check the consistency of the Lassi and see if you would like to add water to thin out, then blend again for a minute.

Serve straight away with a few ice cubes.

Another way I've experimented is on a really hot Summer day I use the ice cubes by adding them at the beginning of the blending so they break down and blend well with the other ingredients. This makes a very cold and refreshing Lassi too.

Ah yummy memories of earlier today as I sat by the window enjoying my book and cooling off with my Banana Lassi on a beautifully sunny and hot summer day, this is the life!

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Indian Curry - an epiphany of the senses

One of my favorite things in the world is curry, both making it and of course eating it. I love different types from many different countries like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand and Japan. Which did I miss?, well these are just the one's I've tasted so far. My favorite curries are Indian curries. Why?, because of the complexity and mélange of all the different tastes, textures, sounds, smells, and colors.

Often times you will hear a Chef or passionate foodie describe food or eating a truly delicious meal as an awakening of the senses. For me the awakening came with this curry.

Touch~ the roughness of the cloves,cumin,cardamom,pepper corns and fennel,the ridges of the bay leaves, the silky velvety touch of cinnamon,turmeric and nutmeg.

Sound~the pestle pounding and grinding the spices against the mortar, the oil gently popping as the ingredients cook.

Smell~the individual aromas of the freshly ground spices as they gently meld together.

Sight~the intriguing color palette, the simmering brilliant red sauce as it turns a creamy red when adding the creamy coconut milk.

Taste~ you take the first bite; a burst of flavors. You can taste coconut,a bit of sweetness, you feel like your are tasting all the ingredients individually and at the same time all together. Then; the spiciness it's the last tingling sensation at the back of your tongue.

Today I would like to share a delicious Indian chicken curry recipe that is not difficult to make. (In a previous post I gave you my recipe for freshly ground Garam Masala, or you use what you have.) The recipe makes a big portion for 3 to 4 people.

Your ingredients:
1 lb. (500 grams) chicken breast,bite sizes

1 red onion,chopped

4 garlic cloves (1 tbsp. minced)
2 tbsp. fresh ginger finely chopped(1/2tsp ground)
1 chicken bouillon cube

1/2 cup warm water Or chicken stock

2 tbsp. Garam Masala*

2 tsp. whole coriander seed (1 tsp ground)

2 tsp. cumin seed(1 1/2 tbs. ground)

1 tsp. Turmeric powder (aka curcuma)

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. hot chili/cayenne powder *
1 can stewed tomatoes (14 oz. or 400grams)

Coconut milk 1 2/3 cups ( 13.5 oz. or 400 ml)

* to start with and you can adjust to your liking as you go*

1. In a large pan add a couple of spoonfuls of vegetable oil, once it's warm add the chicken and saute until it's cooked. Next add red onions and cook for about 5 minutes or until it has become soft, then add minced garlic and ginger cook for 2 minutes. Add all of the spices to the pan, and stir continuously for about 3 minutes, the spices will release their aroma.

2. Make sure the stewed tomatoes are in small pieces, then add them to the pan,combine thoroughly. If using bouillon cube dilute it in the water and add it to the chicken and spices, or just add the chicken stock. Stir the mixture and cook for another 5 minutes, then reduce heat, and add the coconut milk. Under low heat cover and let it cook for another 10 minutes.

3. Almost finished, taste your curry, does it need a bit more salt or more spices? I always double the spices and triple the chili given above, because I like my curry very fragrant and spicy. But this is up to you, every one's taste is different. The more you cook with spices you'll learn to use them by feel, you won't pre-measure anything. I did, and I had to stop to measure these just so I could do this post:)

Once you've tasted and if you added anything else you should cover and let it simmer a little longer.

That's it, super simple and ready in about 30 minutes. Serve with steamed white rice or vegetable spiced rice and or some naan bread, (recipes for the rice and eggplant in photo will follow) Now the best part.....

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Garam Masala ~ Indian curry spice

Spices are the most important ingredient in Indian cuisine. One of those spices or rather spice mixture you'll come across most often in Indian recipes is Garam Masala. I've come across so many variations that I get the feeling that every family or region has their own unique recipe. These days you can find ready made mixtures in virtually any store. But the commercially prepared doesn't even come close to the aromatic freshly ground home made Garam Masala. Ground or crushed spices don't have the same aromas as their whole counterparts, ground spices have a shorter shelf life than whole and generally whole spices are cheaper. Also some of the lower quality curry brands will substitute cheaper spices for the more expensive ones like cardamom or nutmeg.

This combination of 9 spices is what has worked best for me, and since it doesn't include chili it works well for people that don't want spicy curries because you can decide how much "kick" you want it to have later.

Spice you'll need:

2 TBS. coriander seeds

4 TBS. cumin seed

1 TBS. black peppercorns

1 tsp. fennel seeds

1 tsp. whole cloves

2 cinnamon sticks or 1 TBS of ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

2 tsp. green cardamom seed(measured after you remove the shell)

2 bay leaves

You will also need a pan, a mortar and pestle or coffee bean grinder or spice grinder.

1. Warm the pan on the stove over medium low heat, then add all of your whole spices to dry roast for a couple of minutes. Just until the spices start to release their fragrance be careful not to burn them.

2. Then you will transfer the spices from the pan to a dish to cool off for a few minutes. Now you can peel the cardamom and throw out the shells.

3. Add all of your spices to your mortar or coffee/spice grinder. I like to use a mortar and pestle to easily control how fine I want the mixture. Now time to use those muscles and start grinding the spices.

You've just made your first Garam Masala and by now your kitchen and house will come alive with all the wonderful smells. The slight sweetness from the cinnamon, the spiciness of the pepper and cloves, a hint of citrus from the coriander seeds, a little lemony scent from the cardamom. Go ahead taste it, now tell me that doesn't taste 100 times better than the prepackaged stuff?, not even a comparison.

You'll get hooked on making your own mixture, once you see the difference in your curries. You can double , triple or quadruple this recipe to have extra to store ~ just remember the ground spices will start to loose their freshness. Lots of curry recipes coming ......

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