Kabocha Squash in Indian-Style Curry

Pin It

I've been contemplating what to do with this confection kabocha squash that we found in our local farmer's market. In most instances, I would roast it and have it as a side. But that's so BORING! A squash this beautiful with such unique sage/slate gray skin deserves special treatment. So I decided to make an Indian-style curry with this squash and it turned out great. The delicate sweet flavors of the squash mellowed out the spicy curry, making it a balanced and flavorful dinner.

You'll need:

• 1/2 kabocha squash, seeded, peeled and diced (note: squash can be tough and hard to peel. I find that if you chop it to large wedges and microwave for 2 minutes, the squash will soften, making it easier to peel. Also, this will allow the squash to cook faster in the curry.)
• 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled
• 3 Thai chilies, roughly chopped
• 1 15-ounce can whole or diced tomatoes
• 1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon dried ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon tumeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1/4 teaspoon dried mango powder (optional)

Begin by adding onion, garlic and ginger into a food processor. Pulse until the vegetables are well mixed and chopped. In a medium, heavy lidded pot, heat up canola oil until it shimmers. Add cumin seeds and brown mustard seeds. The seeds should start popping immediately. Stir in onion, ginger and garlic mixture. Gently stir and allow mixture to cook. In the meantime, pulse whole/diced tomatoes with juice in food processor until tomatoes are chopped. When the onion is softened and translucent, stir in ground cumin, ground coriander, ginger powder, garlic powder, tumeric, ground cardamon and garama masala. Stir until fragrant, about a minute or 2. Stir in tomatoes. Gently cook until most of the liquid evaporates and the mixture turns into a paste consistency. Season with salt. Stir in garbanzo beans and diced squash. Add 2 cups of vegetable stock. Bring stock to dimmer. Cover and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or until squash is completely cooked. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Stir in dried mango powder (optional). Serve over rice or with naan.

Mystery Produce of the Week: Thelma Sanders Sweet Potato

Pin It

It's not a sweet potato! Originating (apparently) from Missouri, this squash looks like an elongated acorn squash that has an attractive canary yellow flesh and thin skin. It is less sweet and creamy than butternut squash, but it's nice, light and has a slightly crunchy texture. We found this oddly named squash at our local farmer's market last week. Just. Can't. Resist. Mystery. Produce! Of course we bought one, along with a gray skinned Kabocha squash. Still trying to figure out what to do with that.

So, for dinner, I diced up half of the squash and made a risotto along with some roasted chestnuts that we also bought at the farmer's market. I've never worked with chestnuts before and they were hard to peel and generally a big pain in the butt. But the chestnuts were creamy and sweet and paired very well with the light and slightly crunchy squash. I essentially duplicated my farro risotto recipe but switched out some ingredients.

Congee (粥)

Pin It

Congee, to me, is comfort food. My mom made it for me whenever I got sick. It seems like a very simple dish -- nothing but water and rice. But the tricky thing about congee is getting the right consistency. The rice must release its starch until it disintegrates but not so far along that congee turns into glue. The secret is the water to rice ratio, which should be 10:1. I used 1/2 cup of rice with 5 cups of water. The other secret is patience -- stir often for a long period of time, about 2+ hours. Place water and rice in a large lidded pot and bring water to boil. Stir often. Turn heat to low, just barely simmering. Keep the lid slightly ajar so it doesn't boil over. Cook until the mixture is thickened.

The best part to congee is the toppings! Here, we have pickled cucumbers, spicy pickled radish, seitan with peanuts, chopped green onions and thinly shredded ginger. But there are so many options, including shredded dried pork and thousand year old duck eggs. I thought about getting the thousand year old eggs, but they come in a package of 4 and I'm sure VB won't help me eat them. Maybe next time...

Vegan Jambalaya

Pin It

I don't know why, but I'm really into eating rice recently. I'm not usually a big rice eater, but the idea of an one-pot-wonder appeals to me. And rice is the perfect carb for it. Here, we have a vegan jambalaya and it is delicious. I tried yet another meat substitute -- Trader Joe's Beef-less Ground Beef -- and it adds some texture and flavor to this dish.

You'll need:

• 1 cup of white rice, rinsed and drained
• 1 green bell pepper, small diced
• 1 yellow onion, small diced
• 2 celery sticks, small diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 sprigs thyme, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 3 Bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (add more if you like it spicier)
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup water or vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 package ground meat substitute (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

In a heavy, preferably non-stick pot, heat up olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add red pepper flakes. Stir in chopped celery, onion and bell pepper. Sweat until vegetables become soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, dried oregano, paprika, cayenne pepper, and Bay leaves. Cook gently until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add rice, tomato sauce, tomato paste, water/vegetable stock and ground meat substitute (if desired). Season with salt and pepper. Bring liquid to simmer. Turn the heat all the way down. Cover and cook for about 45 minutes, undisturbed. After 45 minutes, stir then cover. Turn off heat without removing the lid. Allow the rice to steam for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve.

Caribbean Rice and Beans (and Soy Chorizo)

Pin It

I tried my hand at making some rice and beans with a bit of Caribbean flare. I made some rice infused with coconut juice and aromatics like ginger, garlic and thyme. The rice was fluffy and sweet and the kitchen smelled so amazingly fragrant. And then I screwed it all up by adding Trader Joe's Soy Chorizo. Don't get me wrong -- the end result was delicious. But not because I did anything particularly magical or imaginative. In the end, all I tasted was the spices in soy chorizo. I'm still posting this recipe because it was pretty tasty, but I suspect that you'd get a similar result if you just combined some plain white rice with a can of beans and some soy chorizo.

You'll need:

• 1 cup short grain white rice
• 1/4 cup coconut juice
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 jalapeno peppers, finely diced
• 1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 package of soy chorizo, casing removed
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• salt to taste
• wedges of lime (optional garnish)
• chopped scallion (optional garnish)

Cook the rice with coconut milk mixed with 1 1/2 cup water and a pinch of salt. If you're using a rice cooker, more power to you. If not, bring a pot containing coconut water mixture and rice to boil. Once the liquid boils, turn the heat way down. Cover and simmer undisturbed for 15 minutes. Turn the heat off and set aside, covered, for 15 minutes.

Begin by sauteing onion in canola oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, jalapeno peppers and grated ginger. Continue to cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Mix in soy chorizo and saute until browned. Once the rice is cooked, fluff with fork and stir in soyrizo mixture and red kidney beans. Serve with a wedge of lime and a sprinkle of chopped green onion.

Curried Lentils and Rice

Pin It

Lentils and rice -- possibly the most perfect combination of legume and grain -- can be the base for many creative dishes. Together, they provide the carbohydrate and fiber that are essential to a balanced meal. I've also come to appreciate the two together because they provide contrasting textures that make the dish more interesting. The biggest problem with cooking lentils and rice together is the timing -- rice gets cooked more quickly than lentils. So if you try to cook them together, you'll either get mushy rice or tough lentils. After testing the recipe a few times, I think I've got the solution to this problem.

To make this curried lentils and rice, you'll need --

• 1/2 cup lentils, rinsed and picked over
• 3/4 cup brown Basmati rice, rinsed
• 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add lentil and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in rice and simmer for another 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. At this point, lentils and rice are not completely cooked. In a large nonstick pot, sweat onion in canola oil until softened and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric and ground cardamom. Stir in lentils and rice mixture. Bury cinnamon stick and Bay leaf in the rice and lentils. Add about 1/4 to 1/3 cup water. Cover and turn the heat way down. Leave undisturbed for 20 minutes. Discard cinnamon stick and Bay leaves and serve.

How to dress up this curried lentils and rice is totally up to you. I topped my curried lentils and rice with chopped pineapple, jalapeno peppers, mint, parsley, peanuts and baked tofu. Then I drizzled everything with a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, lime juice, minced garlic, jalapeno, and shallots. I like the combination of sweet, spicy, salty, and sour -- all the taste buds are fired up and having a good time.

Caramelized Brussel's Sprouts with Wild Rice

Pin It A lot of food blogs out there are offering advice on how to prepare a delicious Thanksgiving meal. I only have one piece of advice, but I'm sure you'll find it very valuable -- GO TO SOMEONE ELSE'S HOUSE FOR THANKSGIVING. I've never cooked a Thanksgiving dinner, but I've had fond Thanksgiving memories. That's probably because I didn't do any of the cooking.

Seriously, it looks stressful and awfully difficult. I'm doing a good job at Thanksgiving dinner stress avoidance again this year by going away for the weekend. But I will have lots of turkey, so it's all good.

Back to easy cooking -- this is a simple dish that happens to be very healthy and easy to make. So easy, in fact, I'm not going to write a recipe. That and also I may have ripped this off Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. I can't remember and I'm not going to bother checking the book. Sorry, Mark.

In any event, prep Brussel's spouts by slicing them in half. Place them cut side down into a hot oven proof skillet that has been liberally lubed with olive oil. Once the Brussel's sprouts caramelize, turn them over and stick them (pan and all) into a 400 degree oven and roast for 20 minutes. While still hot, drizzle with some Balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Serve over a bed of wild rice.

Ta-da! Easy, huh? So delicious and wonderfully seasonal. And! It's nutty and sweet (like me!) and very healthy (not like me...).

The Everything Chili + Announcement

Pin It It's been a busy few days around here. I feel like I've been running around all weekend. You see, we are moving.

Yes. Again.

It's the second time in a 10-month period and we must be outta here in a week or two. Over the weekend, we found a new place to live (with a big kitchen!) across the Bay. We're slowly packing some stuff into boxes and purging others. The cats know something is up and are wary about what will happen next. Frankly, so am I. I feel like a fugitive running from the past and blindly into the future. I sincerely hope our second stint in the Peninsula will be better than our first. Really, it couldn't possibly be worse.

*Fingers crossed*

In the meantime, blog updates will be sporadic until our lives are back to normal. For now, priority number one in the kitchen is to pack food into our tummies so we have less to carry with us. Unfortunately, we have a particularly stinky food project that we'll have to take with us. But that's for another day, another post...

I made this chili so that I can basically throw some produce and pantry staples into one big pot and eat it for a few meals. It's simple and festive. I love the combination of sweet crunch from the fresh corn and savory creaminess from the kidney beans.

Goodbye, East Bay! I'll miss you, at least a little. Maybe not at first, but someday... eventually... I think...

Broccoli and Edamame Risotto

Pin It

For the first time in a long time, our fridge is nearly empty. I went home last night to a fridge with a quarter bottle of cheap white wine, a head of broccoli, and a small sorry-looking sprouting onion. It's hard to do a lot with so little, but I tried my best. I made a risotto with what little ingredients I had in the fridge, freezer and pantry. The result was surprisingly good.

You'll need:

• 1 cup of amborio rice
• 1 cup of dry white wine
• 1 yellow onion, diced small
• 1 1/2 cups of frozen edamame
• 1 head of broccoli, florets removed and stem peeled and chopped
• juice from 1 lemon
• 6 cups of water
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1/4 cup of grated Pecorino, plus more for garnish
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• sliced almonds for garnish (optional)

Begin by boiling 6 cups of water. Add chopped broccoli stem and salt. Boil until broccoli stem softens, about 5 minutes. Add broccoli florets. Cook until florets turn bright green, about 4 minutes. Reserve a few florets and shock in ice cold water. Using a blender, process florets and stems with about half of the water until the mixture becomes a bright green soup. Set aside. Reserve the remaining 3 cups of water.

In a large skillet, sweat chopped onions in olive until softened, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add rice. Stir to coat the rice with olive oil. Add white wine and lemon juice. Turn heat to medium-low and cook until most of the liquid is reduced. Stir constantly. Add 1 cup of broccoli boiling water. Continue to cook and stir until the liquid is reduced. Then add 1 cup of the broccoli soup. Continue to cook and stir until the liquid is reduced. Repeat by alternately adding water and broccoli soup 1 cup at a time. After adding 3 cups of liquid, stir in frozen edamame. You'll use about 4 to 5 cups of liquid.

When the risotto is almost ready, stir in a tablespoon of butter and 1/4 cup of Pecorino cheese. Just prior to serving, stir in some broccoli soup for the nice bright green color and garnish with florets, sliced almonds and more Pecorino cheese.

The risotto was creamy yet refreshing at the same time. It had a classic flavor with a nice crunch from the almonds. I thought it was an interesting and delicious take on a classic risotto.

Beet Risotto with Kale

Pin It

Recently, I haven't been able to update the blog as often as I like. I've been clocking in at a temp job in the city during the day, but I can assure you that I think about food all the time. Another project at home has also been keeping us busy. It's a secret... for now, but hopefully we'll have a grand reveal soon.

I have been cooking a little bit here and there. As much as VB wants to, we can't order pizza every day. A couple of days ago, I made this devilish looking beet risotto with kale. I really like beets and wanted to put them in something other than salads. The result is this flavorful and visually stunning dish that is sweet and refreshing.

The recipe is from Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. Initially I had doubts about this dish, but I've never tried a recipe from that book that I wouldn't make over and over again.

Vegetable Gumbo with Mustard Greens

Pin It
If there is one advice that I can give to newbie vegetarians or carnivores who need more veggies in their diet, I would say: "keep it interesting." I like to cook different styles of food, experiment with new ingredients, make a vegetarian version of a classic dish. For example, a couple of days ago, I made Indian food with curry leaves and mustard seeds -- two ingredients that I have never used before. Yesterday, I made a vegetable gumbo with mustard greens, which is another unfamiliar ingredient. The variety keeps me interested and excited about vegetables. Otherwise, I'd probably be eating the Baconator for dinner. Every night. Mmm... bacon.

The inspiration for this gumbo came from Friday Delights. You can find the original recipe here. I took the idea of a vegetable gumbo and made my version of it. You'll need:

• 3 tablespoons of flour
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
  
• 1 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 ribs of celery, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
  
• 1 bunch of mustard greens, ribs removed and chopped
  
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of dried oregano
  
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 15-ounce can of red kidney beans
• 1 22-ounce can of diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup (about 1/2 of an 8-ounce can) of tomato sauce
• salt and pepper to taste
• chopped parsley (optional garnish)
  

In a large pot filled with water, boil mustard greens until softened, about 5 to 10 minutes. In the meantime, cook flour and olive oil together in a Dutch oven over medium low heat. Whisk constantly until the roux turns dark chocolate brown. Stir in onion, celery, and bell peppers. Cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, Bay leaf, jalapeno pepper, oregano. Stir and cook for another minute. Add tomato sauce, diced tomato, kidney beans, cooked mustard greens and 1 cup of the mustard greens cooking liquid. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Garnish with parsley. Serve with white rice on top.

The one thing that I will do differently next time is to add some okra. I was kicking myself for not thinking of it earlier, but okra would be a great addition to this dish. Even without the okra, this is a delicious and hearty dish. Yay for trying new things!

Vegetable Paella

Pin It
Recently, I've been testing recipes with mixed results. Some, like this vegetable paella, came out great. Others...well, not so much. One "not so much" recipe was Ina Garten's butternut squash and apple soup recipe. I know, it came as a shock to me too. Ina has never failed me before. But this recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of curry powder, which is way too much. I only added 1 tablespoon and it tasted like mushy curry soup with no butternut squash or apple flavors. I think the cause of the problem is the curry powder itself. Different brands of curry powder have different proportions and mixes. I'm sure I used a different curry powder as Ina, that's why the recipe didn't work for me. For now, I'm sticking to my butternut squash soup recipe with turmeric and ginger.


Now, onto the good news. This vegetable paella is delicious and has so many vegetables and pretty colors. The saffron and paprika really add fragrance and color to this dish. It does take some time and patience to prep the vegetables and to cook the rice thoroughly, but it's well worth it. One note about this recipe, I cut back the amount of rice to 1 1/2 cups for practical reasons -- I am out of rice and my pan isn't big enough. But the amount turned out just right and it was properly cooked. It's a decent and flavorful substitute for seafood paella. You can find the vegetable paella recipe here.

Asparagus and Artichoke Risotto

Pin It
Sometimes, I'm just too lazy to run out to the market for ingredients. Today is one of those times. So I looked to my pantry and freezer for dinner ideas.

• 1 cup of arborio rice
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  
• 1 cup of dry white wine
• 10 pieces of frozen artichokes
• 6 spears of frozen asparagus, chopped into 1-1/2 inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  
• zest of 1 lemon
• juice of 1 lemon
  
• 6 cups of vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup of parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup of scallions, chopped
• 1/2 cup of Pecorino cheese, grated
• salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, saute onion in olive oil over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir for another minute. Add rice and stir to coat rice with oil. Add dry white wine and cook uncovered until the liquid evaporates. Add lemon zest and stir. Add 1 cup of vegetable stock. Partially cover the pot and turn heat to low. Allow the liquid to simmer until it evaporates. Stir frequently. Then add another cup of vegetable stock. Repeat the process.

Along with the third cup of vegetable stock, add frozen artichokes. Cook, partially covered, until liquid evaporates. Repeat the process. Add asparagus pieces along with the fifth cup of vegetable stock. Add lemon juice with the sixth cup of vegetable stock. After the sixth cup of vegetable stock evaporates and the rice is al dente, stir in Pecorino cheese, scallions and parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with more parsley, scallions and/or Pecorino cheese on top, if desired.

Even though most of ingredients came from the pantry or the freezer, the herbs and lemon add freshness and balance to this dish. And I didn't have to trek out to the market for this satisfying meal.

Baked Risotto with Artichoke and Parsley

Pin It
Despite cutting back on expenses during the Great Depression 2.0 (a.k.a. Clusterf*ck to the Poor House), I splurged on a couple of food related items. First, I finally broke down and bought a Le Creuset Dutch oven after months of lusting. Second, I bought The Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook by Jack Bishop. I'm happy to say that they were money well spent.

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 11 ounce jar of marinated artichokes, chopped
• 1/4 cup of parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup of Pecorino cheese, grated
  
• 1 1/2 cup of arborio rice
• 3 cups of boiling water
• salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion in olive oil using casserole dish or Dutch oven over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add arborio rice and stir until rice is coated with oil. Add water, artichoke, parsley, Pecorino cheese, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Cover the casserole or Dutch oven and bake in 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes until the water is absorbed. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Add additional cheese or parsely if desired.

This risotto does not have the gummy sticky texture that most risotto dishes have. I thought it could use some acidity. Maybe a little lemon zest or lemon juice to brighten the flavors next time.

Mushroom Pea Risotto

Pin It
Along with the fennel leek soup, we're also having mushroom pea risotto.

• 1 cup of arborio rice
• 2 shallots, minced
• 6 dry shiitake mushrooms, soaked and chopped small
• 1 1/2 cups of frozen peas
  
• 3 cups (give or take 1/2 cup) of vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup of dry white wine
• juice of 1 lemon
• zest of 1 lemon
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• a pinch of saffron
• 2 tablespoons of butter
  
• salt and pepper to taste

Soak saffron in lemon juice and set aside. Saute minced shallots in melted butter until softened, about 5 minutes. Add rice and dry white wine. Cook using low heat until wine is absorbed. Add lemon zest, lemon juice with saffron, thyme and 1 cup of vegetable stock. Cook until liquid is absorbed, then add 1 cup of vegetable stock at a time until the rice is cooked through. Stir in mushrooms, peas, salt and pepper to taste.