Tag: brassicas

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

Vegan Sauerkraut Soup

Spring is here in California!   Golden yellow poppies, the gorgeous state flower, are blooming everywhere and wildflowers are having a wild season this year due to the heavy winter rains after years of drought.   Meanwhile my leg is still healing and I have barely ventured for a walk in to my neighborhood to enjoy the burst of color in everyone’s gardens.  V has promised to take me on a drive this coming weekend.  Keeping fingers crossed for a sunny weekend, as it has started raining again.

On the kitchen front, this year has been about keeping recipes simple, and ingredient lists minimal – a direct influence of our awesome trip to Italy over the holidays.  V and I learnt to appreciate and relish each ingredient for its quality and freshness.  Keeping this in mind, we continue on with Veggie Sutra’s series on brassicas.   This time, the series features the humble cabbage, the most iconic of all cruciferous vegetables.

 

 

Sauerkraut, or sour cabbage or fermented cabbage is itself very simple to make, and a fermented staple in many parts of the world. Cabbage.  Salt.  Time.  That’s all it takes.  In our earlier series on Fermentation, we posted a foolproof recipe for making sauerkraut.   The recipe was inspired by the basic technique for fermenting any vegetable from Sandor Katz’s “The Art of Fermentation“.

Sauerkraut has become a staple in our kitchen, just like lemon pickle is a staple in any South Indian kitchen.  Aside from eating it as a side at any meal, you can stuff a sandwich with sauerkraut or even make a warm steamed broccoli salad which will totally hit the spot in this gloomy, rainy weather.   And so will the warm chunky sauerkraut soup we made last weekend.

 

 

Sauerkraut soup is popular in eastern European cuisine.  Poland, Ukraine, Slovakia and even Germany, each have their versions of sauerkraut or cabbage soup. All of them, as far as I have seen, call for adding some meat to the soup, and some heavy cream at the end (presumably to dull the sourness).  I have left the meat and the cream out to create a totally vegan version of the recipe, but feel free to add cream or coconut cream at the end.

Recipe for Vegan Sauerkraut Soup

[Printable Recipe]

Inspired by the traditional Polish recipe for “Kapusniak” gleaned from various websites

Serves 5 generously

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 medium potatoes cut in to large cubes
  • 4 medium carrots cut in to large pieces
  • 2 cups tightly packed sauerkraut (home-made or store-bought), juice reserved

Method:

  • Heat the oil in a pot and add the cumin seeds
  • When the cumin seeds are fragrant, add the onion and saute until translucent on medium heat
  • Add the minced garlic and sauce for a minute
  • Add the potatoes, and carrots and 2 cups of water and bring to a boil
  • Lower the heat, close with a lid and simmer for around 7 to 10 minutes until the potatoes and carrots are cooked
  • Add the sauerkraut and some of the reserved juice (depending on how salty/sour you want it to be)
  • Add some more water if the soup is too thick
  • Close with a lid and again simmer for around 5 minutes and turn off the heat
  • (Optionally add heavy cream or coconut cream to the soup at the end if you do not like it too sour).

 

 

 

Sauerkraut soup with some crusty bread is all you need for a hearty, healthy meal.   Heating the sauerkraut will destroy some of its probiotic benefits, but all the other wonderful nutritional benefits remain. So, ladle in to a bowl and slurp it up!

by Veggie Sutra

Kale Tacos

Life is about the small, little decisions we make at every minute, every day, isn’t it?  That Sunday, late in the day, when V and I decided to go hiking after finishing all our weekend errands, we did not realize that darkness would fall upon us so soon.  After all, it had been a sunny, beautiful weekend after a very stormy week. Accidents happen, but I am glad it wasn’t bad. It bothers me a bit that I cannot walk, run or hike and am looking forward to getting back to it soon.

 

 

On the positive side, I have time in the evenings now to organize my music, try new recipes, or just chill with my legs up on the couch!   I have also picked up a new passion in the kitchen.   Brassicas!    V got this informative book of the same name for our recipe book collection and it is a keeper.   Almost all the recipes are vegetarian (and mostly vegan) and most of them are simple and delicious.

Brassicas, commonly known as cruciferous vegetables, or more commonly known as vegetables related to cabbage, include cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale, and some interesting ones I did not know were part of the family, like radish, watercress, and arugula.

Because I am so engrossed in the book, I will posting brassica recipes for the next few weeks, some adapted from the book and some original.   Today’s brassica is curly kale.  It is in season now in mid-winter and is as fresh and bright as can be.

 

 

Recipe for Kale Tacos with Sweet Potato

[Printable Recipe]

Adapted from Brassicas: Cooking the World’s Healthiest Vegetables: Kale, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts and More

Serves 3 people with around 3 tacos each

Ingredients:

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes
  • 2 medium red or white potatoes
  • 1 medium bunch kale
  • 5 cloves of garlic
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp black or white pepper
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • Salt to taste
  • Store-bought taco shells

Method:

  • Wash and scrub the skin of the sweet potatoes and potatoes. Peel (optionally) and cube them
  • Wash the kale thoroughly. Then remove the center stem and shred the kale leaves roughly with a chef knife
  • Smash, peel and mince the garlic
  • Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the sweet potatoes and potatoes.  Saute until they are cooked on medium heat with a lid, stirring every now and then.  It should take about 10 mins
  • Add the garlic and stir
  • Stir in the kale a little at a time.  Sprinkle some water, close with a lid when all the kale has been added and cook on low heat for about 5 mins
  • Open the lid and add the cumin powder, pepper, turmeric and salt to taste and stir well
  • Warm the taco shells in the oven, fill with kale sweet potato filling and serve

A simple, filling, and delicious lunch.  V called it “classy”.  That must have been the store bought tacos!!   I added the turmeric because I need its anti-inflammatory powers after my injury.  I always end up adding turmeric when I am cooking vegetables, as do most Indian cooks.

 

 

How lucky that kale grows right here in Northern California.  This has been a very wet winter, as if the rain god suddenly realized she has been ignoring us all these many years and wanted to wipe the drought of 5 years in just one year!  Despite all the damage across the state, it is a good thing for our farming communities.  Here’s hoping for more years with rain, not quite this much!

by Veggie Sutra

Roasted Cauliflower Slabs on a Bed of Cauliflower Puree with Truffle Oil

Welcome to 2017!  Yeah, it did feel like most of us got sucker-punched in the stomach towards the end of last year and it has taken a bit of time to recover from all that.   Well, we must put that behind us and soldier on, right?

So, in other news, V and I took a long-awaited trip to Italy towards the end of last year.  Rome and Florence are huge open-air museums, aren’t they?   While it tickled me to bits that I was walking on the same cobblestone pathways in Florence that Michelangelo and Da Vinci once stomped, V got quite a kick out of grand old Rome, being the history buff that he is.

And of course, the food (and drink) had quite a big role to play in rectifying our sour mood from 2016.   How could it not?  This is Italy we are talking about!  Food and wine are everything.  And then there is coffee – which is above everything!

 

 

 

Now, let me just say with all humility that it is not easy to impress a palate accustomed to the eclectic, fresh cuisine of California.  Also, the Mediterranean climate in CA yields approximately the same type of produce as the Tuscany region in Italy.   But food in Italy did reveal some secrets.

  • Ingredients in dishes are typically very few, but as fresh and seasonal as can be. Basic ingredients like olive oil and black pepper are good quality and fragrant.  Artichokes were in season when we were in Florence and the little purple beauties were different from the variety from coastal California.
  • Truffles are ugly little things with amazing flavor. Also, they are hugely pricey but totally worth it.  In fact, I have never seen V lap up a plate a pasta like he gobbled the truffle pasta in Florence.  The white truffle used for the sauce and shavings came from San Miniato in Tuscany, although different kinds of truffles grow all over Italy.
  • V and I are not in to wine, but gosh, we died for the espressos and macchiatos. You pay less than a buck to get a shot at a “bar”, you gulp it down standing at the bar (perhaps with a cantuccini to dunk) and go on your merry way.  You do not dawdle and nurse that cup until the cows come home as we do here in the States.  (Yep! Bars serve shots of coffee in Italy and cafes serve food and wine!)
  • However, you do dawdle and take your time at a meal. In fact, the check never came to our tables in restaurants until we asked for it.  We found small restaurants off the main tourist streets to grab quick, light and cheap meals.
  • And on a sweet note, the gelato, like the coffee, is to die for. In fact, my motto during our visit was not to let a day go by without a shot of espresso and a scoop of gelato!
  • And finally, we did not have any problems traveling as vegetarians.  The restaurants were willing to customize anything on their menu to accommodate us!

 

 

Back to 2017.  The year is off to a good start, weather-wise in California, yielding its fair share of winter rains and snow in the Sierras.   It has been cold unlike the past few winters which were rather temperate.   The ideal weather to turn on the oven!  So, armed with the bottle of truffle oil that we got from Florence, I switched on the oven!

 

 

Roasted Cauliflower Slabs on a Bed of Cauliflower Puree with Truffle Oil

[Printable Recipe]

Ingredients:

  • 1 head medium to large cauliflower, thoroughly rinsed under hot running water
  • 2 medium white potatoes, washed and scrubbed
  • 1½ to 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1½ to 2 Tbsp Truffle oil
  • 4-5 cloves garlic
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 375F
  • Pull the extra leaves at the base of the cauliflower, and clean up the end by slicing off a sliver, while leaving it whole. Cut the cauliflower in to slabs, including the stem, starting from the center.  You will probably get 3-4 slabs, depending on the size of the cauliflower before it starts falling apart.   Cut the rest of the cauliflower in to small florets
  • Toss the cauliflower florets with 1½ to 2 Tbsp olive oil and a tiny pinch of salt and black pepper
  • Layer it on one cookie sheet and put it in the oven
  • On another cookie sheet, place the cauliflower slabs. Brush both sides well with the truffle oil, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and put it in the oven.  Throw the garlic cloves as well, skin and all, on this sheet
  • Bake for 25 to 30 mins, turning over the slabs once in the middle
  • Bring ¼ cup water to a boil in a saucepan.
  • Cut the potatoes into small pieces, throw them in the boiling water and cook on low heat with a lid until the potatoes are done
  • Remove the roasted cauliflower florets from the oven. Remove the garlic cloves and peel.
  • In a blender, puree the potato, cauliflower and garlic with a little water if needed. Adjust salt and pepper to taste
  • Spoon some of the cauliflower puree on a plate. Dot with a few drops of truffle oil.  Place one of the cauliflower slabs on top and serve.

 

 

A simple and elegant dish inspired by the minimalist ingredient concept we encountered on our trip to Italy!   The idea behind keeping the recipe simple, especially devoid of too many aromatics, is to make sure that the dish is all about the wonderful fragrance of the truffle oil!

I am glad 2016 is behind us.   I went back and reviewed some of the eating rules I had jotted down at the beginning of last year.  Those still look great for this year!

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!
by Veggie Sutra

Revisiting Fermentation: Red Cabbage Sauerkraut

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.  Words to live by!  I felt quite happy that I had saved all the mason jars and glass bottles over time from store-bought honey, sauces and so on.  I ‘reused’ them to start off a few things to ferment in my kitchen.

Sauerkraut and Kefir

New York Times has made a short, visually appealing, wonderful documentary on Sandor Katz, the fermentation guru, aptly named “Sandorkraut: A Pickle Maker“.  After watching him digging with his bare hands in to a vat of sauerkraut, I was somehow moved to start my own batch.

Before this in Veggie Sutra’s fermentation series, I have attempted various fermented recipes, like shrubs, fermented salsa, South Indian lemon pickles, idlis, kefir and so on.  However, the most basic of fermented stuff, sauerkraut, the traditional fermented staple of Europe, had not make my list.  (It could have been because we have an excellent sauerkraut vendor in our local farmer’s market!)

Red Cabbage Sauerkraut

The sauerkraut recipe in Katz’s book, Wild Fermentation, was really simple.  All I did was to cut up a whole medium-sized red cabbage, massage it with salt to release juices, and pound it into in to a small bottle using my wooden buttermilk churner.   I promise to share notes after a few days when I have tasted it to see how it has turned out.  I also made a bottle of chopped cucumber pickle in approximately the same manner.  And a bottle of kefir is bubbling away in a corner as well.

Red Cabbage Sauerkraut

In other fermentation news in our home, V has become a huge fan of my shrubs.  He loved the Ginger-Mint Shrub and the Ginger-Chili shrub.  Last weekend, I started off a huge batch of Strawberry-Mint shrub, strawberries being so abundant now.  The shrub is right now in the last stages of fermentation.  I will post the recipe in a week if V approves of it!   But doesn’t it look delicious already?

Strawberry-Mint Shrub

Do visit Veggie Sutra’s Fermentation Series for all the recipes we have tried before.  However, to learn the basics of fermentation, get your hands on Sandor Katz’s The Art of Fermentation.  He is the guru and his is the go-to book for all things fermented.

Strawberry Mint Shrub

Don’t miss out on the amazing health benefits of fermentation.  And if you are already enjoying delicious fermented stuff regularly, do share your experiences!

by Veggie Sutra

Tandoori Roasted Cauliflower

We have talked about the wonderful year-round Sunnyvale Farmers Market in an earlier post.   The seasons have changed now and the early onslaught of summer has brought a burst of color to the market.  The drought apparently has made the fruits sweeter, small consolation prize for the brown hills and dry waterfalls in California for the fourth year in a row.   Being an eternal optimist, I do hold fervent hope that the coming winter will be a really wet one, but we have 5 more months to go before that!

Sunnyvale Farmers Market

Meanwhile in this warm weather, strawberries, peppers and tomatoes are abundant in the market.  So are fresh flowers like these beautiful sunflowers.

Sunnyvale Farmers Market

V and I are continuing to do intermittent fasting every other week as it is known to provide several health benefits.  On the day of fasting, we eat steamed or lightly saute’ed vegetables for lunch and a fruit salad for dinner.   This week, the menu featured a rather special dish.  Isn’t there something about roasting cauliflower that brings amazing layers of flavor to this simple vegetable?  The deep caramel notes and the sweetness just isn’t there in steamed or sauteed cauliflower.

Roasted Tandoori Cauliflower

We got this lip-smackingly good recipe from the gentle, erudite Dr. A, who is an excellent cook in addition to being one of the most caring human beings we have known. Her dinner parties are always warm, cozy affairs, and I remember that the conversation on that day veered towards my laments on the unaffordability of housing in the San Francisco Bay Area which is driving all the artists and teachers away.  Dr. A’s beautiful daughter, who currently lives in London, told us about council housing in almost every neighborhood there.  I wish they would do something about the housing in the Bay Area, otherwise what a fine, uncultured mess we would be in without teachers and artists.

Roasted Tandoori Cauliflower

Coming back to the dinner, I have learnt from Dr. A that dinner parties need not be elaborate affairs with several complex dishes, but can feature two or three dishes that go well together served with a staple such as rice or bread.  One can truly savor the individual dishes more, and not be overwhelmed with too many tasting choices.

Roasted Tandoori Cauliflower

Recipe for Roasted Tandoori Cauliflower
Adapted for a vegan kitchen from Dr. A’s original recipe
[Printable Recipe]

Ingredients:

  • 1 large cauliflower
  • 1/2 can of coconut milk
  • 2 Tbsp tandoori masala (or regular garam masala) (You can also find either one at an ethnic Indian grocery store)
  • Salt to taste
  • About 4 Tbsp of coconut oil for basting (Trader Joe’s carries an organic coconut oil although I haven’t tried it yet)
Method:
  • Cut the cauliflower in to large florets and place in a large pyrex bowl with a lid
  • Combine the coconut milk, tandoori masala (or garam masala) and salt to taste and pour it over the cauliflower
  • Shake to coat all the florets evenly and place in the refrigerator to marinate overnight or at least for a few hours
  • Remove the florets one by one from the marinade and place on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil making sure they don’t overlap as much as possible.  (You may have some left over marinade at the bottom of the vessel, add it to a stew or use it to make an aioli.)
  • Dot the florets generously with coconut oil
  • Bake at 400F for 30 mins until browned
  • Just before serving, put it under the broiler on high for 3-5 minutes for the char
Note: Use yogurt instead of coconut milk, and ghee instead of coconut oil if you are not vegan as in the original recipe.  Optionally add a tablespoon of ginger-garlic paste to the marinade as well.
Roasted Tandoori Cauliflower

The cauliflower along with another sauteed vegetable dish filled us up quite nicely on our intermittent fasting day.   What method of fasting would you go for?