Category: Side dish

by Veggie Sutra

Braised radishes

As we are wading through the dog days of summer, lethargy has set and I have not posted in a while.  Veggie Sutra’s passion for brassicas has however continued unabated, and I even baked some savory broccoli muffins to take along with us for our July 4th road trip to Truckee and North Lake Tahoe.  I clicked pictures but forgot to write down the recipe.  Well, next time!

 

 

Speaking of Tahoe, aren’t we lucky to live in California where one really does not have to go very far to get away?  Due to the enormous amount of snow we were blessed with last winter, the Sierras were absolutely gorgeous.  Year after year during the drought, my heart would sink when I saw dead brown trees all over the mountain-scape.  Within one winter of good rains, the whole place has transformed in to a beautiful lush, green forest.  As we drove past the breathtaking scenery, we saw black specks teeming on the white slopes – people skiing in 80 degree weather presumably in their shorts!

 

 

Coming back to the blog, last week I finished reading “Culinary Intelligence – The Art of Eating Healthy and Really Well” by Peter Kaminsky.  And that is what kicked me out of my lethargy / writer’s block / whatever.  The book is a tantalizing ode to all cooks everywhere, and plea to everyone to develop basic cooking skills for the sake of one’s health.

Peter Kaminsky assures us that we do not have to eat bland, unappetizing foods to stay healthy, rather with a little culinary skill and an understanding of flavors, one can eat well and live well.   I do highly recommend reading the book. Though a lot of Peter Kaminsky’s observations seem obvious (like avoiding processed foods), he peppers it with fun stories from his career as a food writer which makes those obvious facts memorable.  Once he establishes what an important role cooking plays in staying healthy, he moves on to the topic of breaking down cooking in to a very simple process, starting with getting the best ingredients.

To summarize, Culinary Common sense is listed as follows in “Culinary Intelligence”:

  1. Don’t eat processed foods.
  2. Buy the best, most full-flavored ingredients you can afford.
  3. Make those ingredients even better by cooking

Speaking of ingredients, a bunch of beautiful round radishes always makes my heart sing.  Radishes are part of the brassica family and there are a few dozen varieties of radishes, all with a distinctive characteristic and flavor, some biting, and some mellow.

 

 

Daikon radish, the most commonly found radish in the markets in California, also available pretty much year round in the farmers markets, was featured in an earlier post in an Asian-flavor inspired Daikon radish salad.  This week, I chose round red radishes because their small size lends well to braising whole or halved.  V was upset that I did not serve these beauties raw, in a salad, as I sometimes do, and instead subjected them to heat and flame.  But in the end, life is about variety and these braised radishes make a rather beautiful side dish.

 

 

Recipe for Braised Round Red Radishes

[Printable recipe]

Serves 4 as a side dish

Ingredients:

  • 3 bunches of round red radishes with the greens
  • 3 Tbsp butter
  • 2 small onions / shallots, minced fine
  • water
  • Salt and white/black pepper to taste

Method:

  • Separate the greens from the radishes leaving a bit of stem on the radishes.   Wash the green thoroughly by dunking in a few changes of cold water.  Chop the greens roughly and set aside.  Snip just the tail of the radishes and scrub them.
  • If the radishes are small, you can leave them whole.  If not, half or quarter them.
  • Heat the butter in a wide saute pan.   Add the minced onion and saute for 5-10 minutes until slightly browned
  • Add the radishes to the pan and toss to coat.
  • Add about half a cup of water and bring to a simmer.   Add salt and pepper.  Then lower the heat all the way down, cover and cook for around 10-15 minutes until a knife goes through the radish easily but it is not falling apart.
  • Add the greens and cook with lid on for 3-5 mins until the greens have wilted.
  • Remove with a slotted spoon as much of the radishes, onions and greens as possible in to a serving dish, just leaving the liquid in the pan
  • Increase the heat and simmer for a few minutes until the liquid reduces to about half the quantity
  • Add a splash of apple cider vinegar optionally and pour over the radishes
  • You can serve the radishes over grains like brown rice or quinoa as well to make a complete meal

 

 

 

by Veggie Sutra

A Simple Cauliflower Curry with Grated Coconut

I finally finished reading Personalities on the Plate: The Lives and Minds of Animals We Eat by Barbara J. King, a touching book about the sentience of animals ranging from octopuses to chimpanzees.  She says “In the end, pain is pain” whether or not animals feel the pain exactly as we do.   In each chapter, she focuses on one animal – insects, fish, octopuses, chicken, cow and so on.   Of all the chapters, the one that fascinated me the most was the one on octopuses.

We all justify what we eat using cultural, social, health and sometimes religious reasons.  And having being brought up a vegetarian, and not a vegan, it is hard for me to eschew yogurt and ghee, two ingredients which are near and dear to every South Indian’s heart.  While I now know how cows are treated on commercial dairy farms (yes, even those that carry the “organic” label), it is still hard for me to completely give those up.   So far be it from me to stand on my soapbox to preach, however Barbara J. King puts it quite well when she says that her book “is an invitation to see clearly who we eat, and our connections with animals who, in their different ways, experience the world with awareness and intention.”   A reducetarian movement – consciously reducing one consumption of animal products, would greatly benefit the animals, the planet, and ultimately us, she says.

 

 

After finishing that rather intense book, I was in no mood to cook anything elaborate for the series on brassicas.  So this recipe is a rather simple South Indian style stir fry curry.   Most South Indian vegetable curries are rather simple compared to the North Indian counterparts which usually involve some form of dairy, aromatics like garlic, and heavy spices.   For South Indian vegetable curries, all it takes is a touch of oil, some mustard seeds, turmeric, and grated coconut for garnish.  This general recipe can be used with a variety of fresh vegetables, like green beans, broad beans, okra, cabbage, and even vegetables not typically found in South India like broccoli.

 

 

I used a combination of cauliflower, potatoes and peas – cauliflower being our featured brassica this time.  Contrast this method of preparation with the typical “aloo gobi”  that is found on menus of Indian restaurants across the US, a rather heavy preparation with onions, garlic and various spices.

 

 

Recipe for a Simple Cauliflower Curry with Grated Coconut

[Printable Recipe]

Serves 3 people or 2 people generously as a side dish

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil or regular vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • Optional – 1 sprig Curry leaves (you can find fresh or frozen curry leaves in an ethnic Indian grocery store)
  • 3 small potatoes, washed and cubed
  • 1 medium cauliflower, washed and cut into bite-sized florets and pieces (don’t waste the stem)
  • 1/2 cup frozen green peas
  • 1 tsp organic turmeric powder (I buy mine from the spice bin at Whole Foods)
  • 1 tsp red chili powder / cayenne powder
  • Salt to taste
  • 4 Tbsp grated coconut (you can find freshly grated coconut in an ethnic Indian grocery store in the frozen foods section – alternately, use dried unsweetened shredded coconut)

Method:

  • Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat and add the mustard seeds
  • When the mustard seeds start sputtering, lower the heat and add the curry leaves if using
  • Add the cubed potatoes and toss to coat in oil.  Then sprinkle a few drops of water and close with a lid
  • After about 5 minutes, add the cauliflower and frozen peas, then add turmeric, toss and cover with a lid
  • It may take another 10 minutes for the cauliflower and potatoes to cook.  But test after around 7 mins to make sure the vegetables are not over-cooked by inserting a sharp knife through a small piece of potato.
  • Once the vegetables have cooked, add the red chili powder and salt to taste and mix
  • Switch off the heat
  • If you are using frozen coconut, add it to the pan, close with a lid and allow it to thaw in the heat of the pan and then mix.  If using fresh or dried shredded coconut, simply mix it in
  • Enjoy hot as a side with rice

 

 

Growing up, vegetable preparation like this was featured very often on the plate, alongside rice and a lentil-based stew.  Yogurt also was part of the plate always.  Comfort food to me even now is white rice mixed with yogurt with a piece of lemon pickle on the side, as it is for millions of South Indians.  (Fortunately for V, he is not very much in to it).   Giving up yogurt was not easy, but I have greatly reduced our consumption of yogurt and milk.   Barbara J. King quotes Michalel Pollan in her book and he captured it best when he says “Eat Food.  Mostly Plants.  Not Too Much”.

by Veggie Sutra

Broccoli Frittata

“The mountains are calling and I must go.” – John Muir

It has been a pretty sunshiny week and weekend after a long time!   And since Friday was V’s birthday, which he shares with John Muir (patron saint of the majestic Sierra mountains of California) it only felt appropriate to play hooky from work and hit the local hills.

 

Long Ridge Open Space Preserve, La Honda, CA

 

The rains here in Northern California have been torrential through the first part of April.  The good news is that the tiresome drought was finally declared to be over.   The other good news is that the parched trees and dry hillsides of California have been revived, and it did my eyes and soul good to see the lush greenery.  And since good news comes in threes, the third piece of good news is that my leg is progressively getting better and I am able to do short hikes which are not too strenuous.

On the food front, we are continuing to incorporate brassicas in our diet in different ways.   For V’s birthday lunch, I made a simple arugula salad to go with a vegetable sandwich stuffed with red and green bell pepper and onions and grilled with truffle oil.   And yes, arugula is indeed a brassica.

 

 

Continuing on with Veggie Sutra’s series on brassicas, the brassica of choice is the much reviled broccoli, used to make a frittata.  The recipe is adapted from the book V got me called Brassicas – Cooking the World’s Healthiest Vegetables by Laura B. Russell.  The book has very basic recipes that are easy to make even for a weeknight dinner.

 

 

I used my trusted 12″ Lodge Cast Iron pan which I could directly pop in to the oven.   I strongly recommend getting one, even though it is a quite a workout to lift the pan in and out of the oven.   If not, you may cook the broccoli in a regular saute pan and then transfer to a approximately 13″ casserole or baking dish.

 

 

Recipe for Broccoli Frittata  (*not vegan)

Adapted from Brassicas – Cooking the World’s Healthiest Vegetables by Laura B. Russell.

[Printable Recipe]

Makes 8 slices (8 servings)

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 5-6 cloves garlic, minced fine
  • 4 packed cups broccoli florets chopped in to bite sized pieces (save the stems to make a hearty soup)
  • 1 cup grated pepper jack cheese
  • Red chili flakes (optional) for heat
  • 4 Tbsp ground flax seeds
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 Tbsp whole milk
  • 1 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper
  • Salt to taste

Method:

  • Pre-heat the oven to 400F
  • Heat the oil in the cast iron pan, add the garlic and lower the heat
  • When the garlic is fragrant, add the broccoli and saute for a few minutes
  • Sprinkle some water on the broccoli, close with a lid and let the broccoli soften for around 5 mins
  • While the broccoli is cooking, whisk the eggs with a pinch of salt, black pepper and a tablespoon of milk
  • Open the lid, sprinkle some salt, flax seed powder and red chili (if using) on the broccoli and mix
  • At this stage if you are not using an oven proof pan, transfer to a casserole or baking dish.  Lightly pat the broccoli to make an even layer at the bottom of the pan or baking dish.
  • Sprinkle the cheese on top of the broccoli
  • Pour the eggs on top and cook for around 2 minutes until the eggs start to set around the edges
  • Transfer the cast iron pan to the oven and cook for around 10 minutes, until a knife inserted in to the frittata comes out clean
  • Remove from oven, and wait for it to cool a bit
  • Slice and serve with some hot sauce

 

 

The broccoli frittata made for a very convenient, filling and healthy breakfast dish, which was super easy to  make ahead for the week.   You could also serve it as the featured dish at lunch with a green salad on the side.

by Veggie Sutra

Very Spicy Fresh Chili Relish

It took the spicy goodness of fresh chilies to kick me out of the writer’s block I have been facing as I am battling with redesigning the blog site.  Ready or not, I decided I was just going to post about this awesome relish.  Just a whiff of it is guaranteed to spice up your meal!

 

fresh chili relish 2
Super Spicy Fresh Chili Relish

 

Now that V and I have started going regularly again to our local farmers market for fresh produce, I feel more in my zone.  During the period when we were not able to go to the market, I signed up for the CSA box .   The box was delivered right to our home and all the vegetables (rainbow carrots, shishito peppers, red cabbage, et al) were super-fresh and good, but somehow I was not satisfied.  I have come to the conclusion that I need to touch and feel the vegetables and talk to the farmers to make it a personal experience.  Still, I guess I should be thankful I have the option to get the CSA box if I had to.  One of the several perks of living in California!

Last Saturday, V and I walked 3 miles to the farmers market and walked back with a big chili bush with green, orange and red chili peppers poking out of V’s backpack like a super cool bouquet.   I was skeptical about buying the plant, but V was enamored with it, and the whole plant cost just a dollar and he said he would carry it back, so I gave in!   Luckily we got a call from our super resourceful foodie friends (who are also great cooks) the next day, and within a minute, I got my recipe idea!

 

chili art

 

If you cannot handle any heat at all, I suggest you skip to the next post, because this one is SPICY!!   Eat just a bit with each meal.  This relish will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks.  In South India, it is often eaten as a side for white rice mixed with plain yogurt – the starch from the white rice and the coolness of the yogurt compliment the heat of the chilies in every way making for the perfect comfort food!

Recipe for Very Spicy Fresh Chili Relish

[Printable Recipe]

Courtesy of our friend, V S and Dakshin, Vegetarian Cuisine from South India

Ingredients:

  • About 500 gms or 1 lb fresh green, orange and red chilies (use a thin long spicy and fragrant variety like Thai, Indian or Cayenne)
  • 2 Tbsp pure organic sesame oil
  • 4 Tbsp rapadura sugar or powdered jaggery (available in ethnic Indian grocery stores)
  • 4 Tbsp tamarind extract (Use 2 Tbsp mixed with warm water if using a concentrate – again available in ethnic Indian grocery stores)
  • Kosher salt to taste

Method:

  • To prepare the tamarind extract from fresh tamarind, take a ping pong ball sized amount and soak it in warm-hot water for 10 minutes.  Use fingers to extract pulp and discard the skin and fibers.  If using concentrate, simply mix with warm water.
  • De-stem and wash the chilies and dry them.  Slit them lengthwise without splitting them fully apart and set aside
  • Heat the sesame oil in a wide saute pan
  • Add the chilies and cook on medium heat while turning them occasionally until they blister well on all sides (about 15-20 mins)
  • Add the salt, tamarind extract and jaggery / rapadura sugar and cook on low heat until the tamarind cooks down (about 30 mins).  Stir occasionally to make sure the bottom does not burn
  • Switch off, bottle and store in refrigerator

Notes:  Based on the spiciness of your chili peppers, you may need to adjust the amount of tamarind and jaggery up or down.

 

fresh chili relish 1
Super spicy fresh chili relish

 

The tamarind adds a wonderful tangy note, while the jaggery / rapadura sugar adds the caramelized sweet notes, but don’t be fooled, even a slight whiff of this relish will let you know that it is hot, hot, hot!    Consume just a bit with lot of starches like plain white rice or plain cooked lentils or with rice and yogurt for a flavor punch!

by Veggie Sutra

Roasted Asparagus with Basil-infused Olive Oil

Nothing sings spring like asparagus.  Our markets are full of fresh, tender, bright green asparagus now.  This early in the season, when the asparagus is tender, I mostly just roast the asparagus in the oven and we eat it as a side or toss it in a salad.  A little later, around June, when the stalks become a little more mature, I make sautee’d dishes, like the Edamame Spaghetti with Asparagus that I had written about last June.  I also sometimes make a yummy asparagus pesto with olive oil, a couple of cloves of garlic and some pine nuts.

Fresh spring Asparagus

Before we get in to the recipe for roasted asparagus, I wanted to throw in an odd question.  How many of you have felt threatened by hummingbirds in your garden?   I hang out in the garden a lot during the weekend, either line-drying my laundry, or puttering around with my plants.  If I am anywhere close to the patch of the bright pink alstroemeria flowers, this little hummingbird with a red neck flies close to my face flutters around as if to threaten me for intruding into its territory.  I read somewhere that hummingbirds are the Aztec God of War and are actually very fierce creatures.  V simply does not believe me when I say I am being threatened by a hummingbird in our garden!   Thoughts, anyone?

Back to spring and asparagus, basil is yet another spring necessity I cannot live without!  We always have basil growing in the garden during spring and summer and sometimes it even survives the winter.  The basil smelled so lovely when I was out in the garden today that I decided to make a basil-infused olive oil to roast the asparagus with.

Roasted Asparagus with Basil-infused Olive Oil

Recipe for Roasted Asparagus with Basil-infused Olive Oil
[Printable Recipe]

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup packed basil leaves
  • 1 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 lb asparagus stalks, trimmed
  • Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Method:
To make basil-infused olive oil
  • Wash and dry the basil leaves on a kitchen towel
  • Blend the olive oil with the basil leaves thoroughly
  • Gently heat the blended oil in a pan for 5 minutes
  • Remove from heat and let it cool
  • Strain the oil through a fine mesh stainless steel tea strainer in to a bottle and store
To make roasted asparagus
  • Pre-heat oven to 350F
  • Toss the asparagus with 2 tablespoons of the basil-infused olive oil, and nice big pinch of salt and black pepper
  • Place on a cookie sheet in the oven and roast for 10 minutes (maybe 5 minutes longer if the asparagus is not as tender)
  • Remove from oven and use as a side, or toss it with pasta or a salad
Roasted Asparagus with Basil-infused Olive Oil
As V and I have been busy on Saturday mornings with a class that we are taking, I have unfortunately not been able to go regularly to our local farmer’s market.  I need to find a different one that is open on Sundays.  I am curious to see what vegetables are available this spring after the first rainy winter in four years! 
by Veggie Sutra

Mint chutney – A versatile herb spread

California in spring!  When was the last time I raved about my beautiful state?  It’s been too long – the punishing drought really had me down for a while there.   Well, we had some decent rain this past winter and are still getting a few interspersed spells, so hopefully we are slowly making it out of the drought.

Lower Yosemite Falls, Spring of 2016

As further proof of slow conquest over the drought, the waterfalls in Yosemite are gushing with gusto this spring!  We were there last weekend to celebrate V and amma’s birthdays and got really lucky. After unrelenting rain and snow on Friday, it cleared up beautifully on Saturday to allow us to enjoy the grandeur of Yosemite.  It is a very humbling, solemn experience to be surrounded by the towering granite monoliths and unimaginably powerful rivers and waterfalls – Every single time I am there, I am reminded of how small we humans are in the large scheme of things.

Mint chutney on breakfast cracker

Back to spring in California!  It is my favorite time of the year to hike – right after the rain has washed the trails clean, the golden poppies are in glorious bloom and baby deer, baby rabbits and baby birds are taking their first steps.  I also get excited about planting my vegetable garden for the year and go crazy trying to decide what to plant in my tiny patch.  Amma helped me decide on tomatoes, basil, bell pepper and okra this year.

Mint bush in the sunlight

Of course, we have mint in the garden all year round.  Mint is pretty hardy and will keep coming back as long as it has plenty of water.  It also spreads like wild so it is better to plant it in a large pot.  With the recent rains and beautiful California sunshine, the mint in our pot grew lush green and fragrant and was begging to be picked and eaten. One fine day, amma made a mint chutney that was so good that I have made it twice since.   V and I love to eat it with everything!

Mint chutney
Mint is pretty versatile and can be used in a number of ways.  It is supposed to good for digestion and stomach aches and I drink a lot of mint tea as I have a pretty delicate stomach.

Here’s a list of 10 recipes you can make with mint:

  1. Dry the mint leaves in shade or sun and store for later use (to make tea or to add to stews)
  2. Make a tea out of fresh mint by pouring hot water over a small bunch of mint in a glass. Let it steep for 5 mins or more before drinking
  3. Use the leaves and sprigs as a pretty garnish for dessert
  4. Mint icecream!  (Thanks V S for leaving the comment below.)
  5. Add sprigs of mint to a fresh vegetable salad with cucumber, tomatoes, etc. or a summer fruit salad with berries and melons.  (Watermelons and mint make a deadly combination!)
  6. Make a tabbouleh salad with couscous or quinoa and finely chopped mint and parsley
  7. Serve a herb plate on your table (like Persians do) with mint, cilantro, basil, parsley, dill and any other leaves or herbs
  8. Make a mint pulao, a delicate rice dish flavored with whole spices and mint sauteed in ghee. (Amma makes a great mint pulao and I will share the recipe one of these days)
  9. Stock up on fermented ginger-mint shrub to make a cooling drink in the summer with sparkling water
  10. Make a mint chutney (recipe below) which can be used as a spread for sandwiches or eaten with plain white rice
Mint chutney

So here’s the super-easy recipe for amma’s mint chutney.

Recipe for Mint Chutney
Ingredients:
  • 1 Tbsp vegetable oil plus another 1 tsp for tempering
  • 3 Tbsp split black lentils/split black matpe beans (urad daal in Hindi, uluththam paruppu in Tamil)
  • 2-3 dried red chilies
  • 2 cups (loosely packed) mint leaves, washed and patted dry
  • 2 Tbsp of tamarind paste (to make a paste from fresh tamarind, soak it in hot water just to cover for 30 mins.  Squeeze with fingers to remove pulp from fibers and seeds)
  • 2 cups (loosely packed) cilantro sprigs, washed and patted dry
  • 1 green chili, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Pinch jaggery or brown sugar (optional)
  • water for grinding
  • For tempering:  1/4 tsp mustard seeds and 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
Method:
  • Heat the oil in a wok, add the lentils and lower the heat
  • When the lentils turned golden brown and fragrant, add the red chilies and saute for a minute
  • Add the mint leaves and saute for few minutes until the mint shrivels. Add the tamarind, switch off the heat and let it cool
  • Throw in everything except the tempering ingredients in a blender and grind in to a thick smooth paste adding as little water as you can get away with
  • Heat oil in a small pan and add the mustard seeds.  When they sputter, add the cumin seeds and switch off the heat in a minute.
  • Add the tempering to the chutney
This spread will keep for a week or more in the refrigerator.  We took it with us on our trip to Yosemite, and used it as a spread for pita sandwiches on the road as well as a spread for our breakfast crackers.  It was a pretty handy condiment to take along!
Mint Chutney
How else would you use mint?
by Veggie Sutra

Multi-colored Turmeric Sauerkraut

Veggie Sutra is back after a hiatus of over a month!   Life has a way of throwing unexpected curve balls at us while we are busy making other plans, if I may filch the famous quote.  At the end though, every event is a chance to learn and grow.   V and I got a nice reminder that it is important not to accumulate stuff and to always value people and experiences over stuff.

And as always, we strive every day to eat good, healthy, clean food with each other and in the company of friends and family.  Looking back at Veggie Sutra archives from a year back, we were deep in to the fermentation series and did a post on making a South Indian-style fermented lemon pickle, which turned out to be very popular.   This year, we go to another part of the world for a fermented staple, sauerkraut!

Multi-colored sauerkraut

I had limited success with sauerkraut in the beginning, but since then have mastered making basic sauerkraut both with red and green cabbage.

But first – what is sauerkraut and why?  Sauerkraut is basically fermented cabbage.  Fermented foods offer rich probiotic enzymes which are beneficial to our digestive system.  Fermenting also makes nutrients more bio-available to the body.  The Wikipedia article on sauerkraut has a long list of other scientifically-proven benefits.

Sauerkraut with black peppers

So, here is the recipe for basic sauerkraut with some interesting variations at the end.  The basic steps outlined in the post on making lemon pickle still apply.  To recap from the post on lemon pickle:  In its simplest form, fermenting vegetables just involves submerging vegetables in salty liquid and leaving it alone to let the wild bacteria do its work.  Sandor Katz, in his excellent book The Art of Fermentation, which is regarded as the bible of fermented foods, lists the following steps:

  1. Chop or grate vegetables
  2. Salt the vegetables (and squeeze with clean hands for some vegetables to release liquid)
  3. Pack the vegetables in a jar tightly
  4. Wait
Really, it is that simple!  
Recipe for making basic sauerkraut and Variations with turmeric and pepper
Ingredients:
  • 1 medium green cabbage and 1 medium red cabbage, washed and dried (I had around 4.5 lbs total)
  • 3 Tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 Tbsp whole black peppers (optional)
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder (optional)
  • 2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Equipment:
  • 2 Wide Mouth Ball Jar, 32-Ounce.  I used 2 40 oz jars that I specifically purchased for making sauerkraut.   Alternately you can use a crock with lid or ceramic jar with lid
  • Sharp 10″ chef knife and clean cutting board
  • 2 Pyrex glass mixing bowls
Massage salt in to the cabbage until limp and juicy
Method:
  • Save a couple of the outer leaves of the cabbage, and shred the remaining cabbage using a sharp chef’s knife in to fine strips
  • Store the red and green cabbage separately 
  • Take about half the green cabbage in one large pyrex bowl, add 3/4 Tbsp salt and massage with hands for 5-10 minutes (depending on how tender your cabbage is) until cabbage is limp and has released a lot of briny liquid
  • Do the same with the red cabbage in another bowl.  Red cabbage tends to be crisper than green cabbage and may need more massaging up to 15 mins
  • Layer the red and green cabbage in to one jar tamping down with your fist or with a flat spoon or potato masher as you go.  The salty brine should start submerging the cabbage 
  • When you have reached within the top 1 inch of the bottle, stop and use the saved outer leaf to cover the top and press down
  • Repeat with the other jar
  • Weigh the cabbage down with a smaller bottle that will fit in the mouth so the liquid covers up to the top of the bottle, or just keep pressing down every day until the cabbage is fully submerged in the liquid
  • After 2 weeks, do a quick taste test and refrigerate if it has fermented to your liking.  If not allow it to ferment some more.  Sauerkraut should be sour, pungent and very crisp.
Optional variations:
  • Black Pepper:  Use a mortar and pestle to coarsely crush around 1 Tbsp of whole black peppers.  After each layer of cabbage, sprinkle some crushed black peppers.  Allow it to ferment.  We love the peppery taste combined with the sour taste
  • Turmeric and red pepper flakes: After massaging each batch of cabbage with salt, add about 1/4th tsp of turmeric and 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes and mix.   Then follow steps above to layer in to glass jars.  Allow it to ferment.  I am trying out turmeric for the first time and am not sure if the antibacterial properties of turmeric will prevent lacto-fermentation, but V says the bacterial will always win in the end!  Will keep you guys posted!
Turmeric sauerkraut

We eat sauerkraut as a side with any meal (usually breakfast) or use it as a filling in a sandwich   We also add it to salads, like our broccoli salad, or to scrambled eggs or tofu. Some cuisines also make a warm soup with sauerkraut.  Do note that cooking sauerkraut will reduce the probiotic benefits, although other benefits remain.  
by Veggie Sutra

A Super Nutritious Snack for Super Bowl – Spinach Kale Bites

Every year V settles down to watch Super Bowl, with me at his side cheering on enthusiastically….. for the ads and the half-time show!  It bothered V to no end that I did not follow the game itself.  This year though, I was prepared!   I knew the rules of the game, I knew the teams playing, I was even rooting for one of them (the one that won of course)!   V, I think, was suitably impressed.

 

 

On the food front, there is an interesting tradition we follow every year on Super Bowl day.   We always cook a vegetable rice dish (which could be Thai fried rice or Chinese fried rice or Indian biryani or pulao) and eat it with kettle-fried potato chips with salt & pepper, and buttermilk.  I am not sure how this tradition came about but we follow it quite religiously. This year, as Amma is visiting us, we made biryani rice with green beans, carrots, red and green bell pepper and peas, seasoned with cardamom, cinnamon and cloves.  Yummy as always, when watching Super Bowl!

For a healthy snack before the meal, I decided to make a egg-free version of the Spinach & Kale Bites from Trader Joes as amma does not eat eggs.  I was surprised how easy it is to make this yummy finger food.

To replace the egg, I used a trick that I had read in a vegan cookbook a while back.  I had to look up the recipe again online.  To replace 1 egg, mix 1 Tbsp of powdered flax seed with 2.5 Tbsp of water and set aside for 10 mins to thicken.  Use for baking as you would use an egg.  I have not tried making muffins or cookies with this technique but do intend to give it a try soon.
Recipe for Spinach & Kale Bites
Inspired by the Trader Joes frozen snack
[Printable Recipe]Ingredients:

  • 1 bunch curly kale, stemmed and chopped (came to around 10 oz chopped)
  • 10 oz fresh spinach
  • 2 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed up
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese or Gruyere cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs
  • 3 Tbsp powdered flax seed
  • Salt & pepper to taste

 

Method:

  • Preheat oven to 375C
  • Process the chopped kale in a food processor and add to a large bowl
  • Steam the spinach for 5 mins with about a tablespoon of water until wilted.  Cool.  Then process in a food processor and add to the bowl with the kale
  • Mix in the mashed potato, grated cheese and 1 cup of bread crumbs.  (Save the remaining bread crumbs to coat)
  • Mix the powdered flax seed with about 8 Tbsp of water.  Set aside for 10 mins to thicken.  Then add to the bowl.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste and mix all the ingredients in the bowl well.
  • Line 2 cookie sheets with foil or wax paper
  • Form small ping pong ball-sized balls with the mixture and roll well in the remaining panko bread crumbs to coat.  Flatten in to hockey puck shapes and place on the cookie sheet
  • Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown on both sides turning them over once in the middle
This recipe makes around 20 balls, enough for a party of around 6 people.  Serve warm and crisp with a hot sauce or ketchup.

The experiment to make an egg-free version of this super-nutritious snack for super bowl was quite successful.  Again, V, I think, was suitably impressed!Update: I made this recipe again the following weekend to take with us for a potluck.  I made some variations such as adding potatoes and omitting the onions.  I also flattened the balls out in to hockey pucks and turned them over once in the middle of baking.  It tasted much better than the first time!  So I have updated the recipe accordingly and included one picture I shot indoors in the dark.

by Veggie Sutra

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Stone Ground Mustard and Lemon Wedges

The changing season and freezing nights has brought new produce to our markets here in Northern California.  I am really not sure if brussels sprouts are supposed to be in season now, but we definitely have been finding great brussels sprouts in our markets.   Today’s write up is about those tiny cabbage-like veggies which pack a huge nutritional punch!
V was not at all fond of brussels when I met him but over the years I have converted him to a lover with a variety of preparations.  The simplest dish I make is a quick South Indian stir fry with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chilies and salt.   Amma makes a killer fried rice that V loves as well.  But, in the winter, when I am looking for any excuse to turn on the oven, I typically end up roasting the brussels sprouts in the oven.
Brussels sprouts like cauliflower, cabbage, kale and the like belongs to the brassica family of vegetables that are known for their high nutritional value.   I have heard that some men (yes, only men curiously) find brussels to be slightly bitter.    Maybe that is why V did not like them!  But these days he gobbles up whole bowl-fulls of roasted brussels.
Recipe for Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Stone Ground Mustard and Lemon Wedges
[Printable Recipe]

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb of brussels sprouts, washed, outer leaves removed and sliced in to halves
  • 4 Tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp stone ground mustard
  • A pinch salt to taste
  • 2 medium lemons, sliced in to wedges
Method:
  • Pre-heat oven to 400F
  • In a large bowl toss the brussels sprouts with oil, mustard, and salt
  • Layer in a baking pan and distribute the lemon wedges on top
  • Bake for 45 mins to an hour until the sprouts have charred slightly and caramelized – the caramelizing helps remove the bitter taste
  • Serve warm
 The roasted lemon rind adds a slightly bitter contrasting flavor to the sweetness of the caramelized brussels sprouts and the spiciness of the mustard.   All in all, this recipe will prove to be a crowd pleaser and is a great side dish to serve for holiday dinners!