Thanksgiving Dinner - 2009

Menu:

Hot And Sour Soup
Hara Kabab (basically spinach cutlets)
Polenta with Tomato Sauce
Pasta Bake with Eggplant
Pad Thai
Baked Potato
Fruit Salad with Custard and Vanilla Icecream

Yum!

Vegetarian Hot And Sour Soup

I adapted this from: Vegetarian Chinese Cooking by Wendy Lee

4 Mushrooms (reconstituted from Dried Shitake mushroom or similar kind)
1/4 tub of Firm tofu, diced into thin strips
1 cup canned bamboo shoots (optional) cut into thin strips
2 cups of veg stock and 1 cup of water
1/4 cup peas (optional)
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp vinegar (rice or white wine)
2 tbsp cornstarch
salt and pepper
sesame oil to garnish (optional)

o Boil 1 cup of water; take off heat and put mushrooms in it; soak for 25 mins
o Later take mushrooms off and cut to thin strips, removing the stems in the center
o reserve the mushroom liquid; Reconstituted mushrooms give out huge amount of umami in the liquid
o Bring stock and water to boil
o Add mushrooms, bamboo shoots, tofu and peas; simmer for 5 mins
o Mix soy sauce, vinegar and cornstarch and add 2 tbsp mushroom liquid
o Stir into soup with mushroom liquid; bring to a boil
o Add plenty of pepper and salt to taste; optionally add 1 tbsp sugar; taste the soup as you season; simmer for 2 mins
o Serve in bowls with drops of sesame oil in each

The soup comes out quite good comparable to the soup from chinese takeouts. Mushroom's umami makes it very tasty. You can also make it without mushrooms but the taste will be different. Similarly you can also omit the stock. But these steps remove flavor from the soup. This spicy soup is very good for cold wintery evenings. Good amount of pepper can clear sinus. Tanginess of the vinegar can invigorate the palette.

Vegetarian Tamales

I made tamales after learning enough about making them from Alton Brown's show.

Filling: This can be made before and kept aside. You can be creative in choosing the ingredients for filling. Any good curry will work actually as long as it is somewhat dry. I made my filling using carrots, potatoes, kidney beans which give a sweet flavor.

Filling

* 1 or 2 potatoes diced
* 2-3 carrots diced
* 2 tbsp oil
* 1 large onion, finely chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, minced (optional)
* 1 tsp chili powder
* 1 tsp oregano
* 2 tablespoons kosher salt
* 2 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
* 2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1 can kidney beans
* 1 cup veg stock
* 1 tablespoon chopped jalapeno pepper (1 pepper seeded and diced)
* 2-3 tbsp tomato paste (optional)
o Heat oil and saute onions and garlic;
o Add cumin powder and cayenne pepper and chili powder and oregano
o Add carrots and potatoes and cook well
o Add Kidney beans and salt and tomato paste
o Add veg stock and cook until veggies are well done

Masa

* 3 1/2 cups Masa Harina Flour
* 1 tablespoon kosher salt
* 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 cup veg shortening (or you can freeze olive oil and use it instead)
* 2 to 4 cups vegetable stock
* You can mix these with hand in a mixing bowl

Tamale:
* Soak corn husks in hot water for 1/2 hour or so
* Take one husk, scoop 1/2 icecream scoop of masa and flatten masa with your palm
* place 2 tbsp of filling in the center of masa and roll up the husk
* Tie 3 tamales into a bundle using cotton twine
* place them on a steamer and steam for atleast 1 hour
* You can look at the tamale rolling instructions in the web or in alton brown's episode on Tamales.

It came out pretty good. I am plannning to use a curry based filling next time and also try out sweet versions of Tamale.

Enjoy!

Cream of Corn Soup

I made this today after tweaking Tyler's Corn Chowder recipe:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/corn-chowder-recipe/index.html

Ingredients:

o 5 ears of corn removed from the cob (fresh corn is better)
o 1 medium onion, diced
o 1 medium potatoes, diced
o 1/2 tsp powdered thyme (or dry thyme or fresh thyme)
o 1/4 cup flour
o 2 tbsp butter
o 1 1/2 cup cream
o 2 cups water
o 6 cups vegetable stock
o Salt and pepper to taste

o Heat butter in a soup pan; Add onions (and optionally diced garlic) and sautee for 5 mins
o Add diced potatoes and sautee for another 3 mins
o Add flour to coat the veggies and leave in med heat for 2 mins until flour turns slightly brown. Add thyme at this point.
o Add 6 cups of vegetable stock and boil at high heat for 5 mins
o Meanwhile in another vessel boil water and then add cream and corn to it and boil for 10 mins until the corn is soft.
o Now mix the two and boil for 2 mins
o Use a hand blender to puree the soup. You dont have to cool the soup for this. You can put the soup pot in the sink and use blender.
o Return soup pot to medium heat. Add some water to dilute.

This soup came out very delicious.

Things i am planning to try further
o Try the same recipe with milk instead of cream
o Try to simply the steps to make it a one pot recipe.
o Find a way to make it a bit more spicier.
I will paste the results once my experiments succeed.

Chana Masala Recipe

This recipe from recipezaar is adapted from Madhur Jaffrey's recipe. I tried this and came out very well and it is also very easy to make. This makes quick and easy vegetarian curry dinner. This is very delicious with bread or sourdough bread. Just toast the bread with some butter and scoop channa masala on top of it. Ofcourse it goes very well with chapati/roti, naan and you can also have it with pita or middle eastern flatbreads. This is also an excellent accompaniment to Basmati Rice. Just make some quick raita (or just plain yogurt) to balance the heat of the dish. With the protein of channa and the carbs from the bread/rice it makes a well balanced meal.

http://www.recipezaar.com/Channa-Masala-17471

This is how i make it:

The key ingredient is chana. I use canned Garbanzo beans. I like the garbanzo well cooked meaning, they should have a soft texture, so they almost break down if you press them. Some of the organic varieties come with firmer texture and dont soften even after long cooking. You can also make your own garbanzo by soaking the beans in water overnight and then cooking them either in pressure cooker or in water for 1 hour. If you have the right ingredients handy, this recipe is so simple to make and can be made in about 15 mins.
I also use canned tomatoes for this as the canned varieties develop the sauce with a very deep flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions (peeled and minced)
• 1 clove garlic (peeled and minced) (optional if you dont like garlicy flavor)
  
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 cup diced canned tomatoes
  
• 1 cup water
• 4 cups cooked chickpeas or

  1 can of garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

• 1 tablespoon amchoor powder (optional)
• 2 teaspoons paprika (or 1/2 tsp red chili powder)
  
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 lemon (juiced, optional)
• 1 fresh, hot green chili pepper (minced)
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• Cilantro for garnish.
  

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet.

2. Add onions and garlic and sauté over a medium heat until browned (3-5 minutes).

3. Turn heat to medium-low.

4. Add the coriander, cumin (not the roasted cumin), cayenne and turmeric. Stir for a few seconds.

5. Add the tomatoes. Cook the tomatoes until browned lightly.
   

6. Add a cup of water. Use a hand blender to blend the tomatoes.
   

7. Add chickpeas, add amchoor, paprika, garam masala, salt and lemon juice.

8. Cook covered for 10 minutes.

9. Remove the cover add the minced chili and ginger. Cook for 30 secs

10. Add Cilantro for garnish.

(For a larger portion, i made the recipe using
1 large canned tomatoes
3 cans of garbanzon beans
and adjusting the spices accordingly. No lemon necessary
)

Good Article about Aromatics in Soups

Good details about cooking techniques for soups

http://www.timesoftheinternet.com/absolutely-scrumptious/what-are-aromatics/

Tomato Leek Basil Soup

This is so simple to make and has simple and clear flavor. Using Leeks instead of Onions keeps the flavor without the pungency.

o 2 or 3 cans of canned tomatoes (or fresh ones)
o 2 or 3 dried chilies, chopped very well
o Salt and pepper as needed
o 2 tbsp olive oil
o 1/2 cup of chopped basil; 1/4 cup chopped parseley
o 1-2 cups of vegetable stock or broth optionally
o 3 cups water

o Dice the tomatoes very well as they have to release all of their flavor to the soup.
o Clean and dice the leeks
o Add oil to a hot soup pan and add chopped garlic optionally
o Add leeks, sautee for a few minutes and then add the diced tomatoes and then the chopped chilies
o Cook for 5-7 minutes; Then add broth or water
o Then add basil and parseley reserving some for garnishing the soup.
o Cook for 15 mins. Then take off the heat and use hand blender to puree the soup
o Then add water to desired consistency. The key is to taste the soup and add water so that the soup is not too thick but it is not too diluted to lose it's tomato flavor.

o You can garnish with herbs and sour cream, avocados, as needed
o If you serve this with toasted crusty bread, even day old bread, this becomes a hearty meal by itself.

Saag Paneer

Recipe from Milk - Surprising story of milk through the ages by Anne Mendelson

12 oz chhenna (made with 3 qts of milk + 1/3 cup lemon juice)
6 tbsp ghee (or veg oil)
2 lb fresh spinach or leafy greens (or two 10 oz frozen leaf spinach, thawed)
2 inch ginger, chopped
1 green chile, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp mustard seeds
1 med onion, chopped
1 ripe med tomato, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garam masala
3/4 cup well drained, creamy plain yogurt
3/4 cup heavy cream

o Press Chhenna firmly and cut into cubes and fry in ghee or oil
o Cook greens for 3-4 mins
o Drain and dry by squeezing water away and chop or puree in blender
o Mince garlic, chile, ginger into a paste
o Heat ghee or oil (3 tbsp), add cumin and mustard and when they pop add the above paste
o Add onion and cook for 10 mins
o Add tomato and cook for few more mins and then add spinach
o Add garam masala and cook uncovered for 20 - 25 mins
o Add Paneer to the sauce and cook 5 mins
o Finally add Yogurt and heavy cream

Serve with Naan or Basmati Rice

Malai Kofta

Recipe from Milk - Surprising story of milk through the ages by Anne Mendelson


Sauce:
masala:
Seeds from 15 cardamom pods or 5 black cardamom pods
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp black peppercorn
3 whole cloves
(heat the above spices in a skillet and grind in spice grinder)
1 tbsp each: raw cashews, pista, almonds
(separately heat the nuts, grind along with spices and set aside)

1 inch ginger minced
2 green chilies minced
3 - 4 garlic cloves minced
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
10 curry leaves
3 med onions chopped
3 plum tomatoes; peeled, seeded and chopped finely

o Heat 3 tbsp ghee in a skillet; add cumin and mustard seeds
o After they start popping, add ginger, chillies, garlic; leave for 2 mins
o Add onions turn to med heat and fry for 10 mins; Then take away and let it cool
o Add onions, nut masala and plum tomatoes in a blender and puree
o Add 2 tbsp ghee in a skillet over med heat and when it sizzles add puree
o At this point you can start making kofta balls
o cook for 20-25 mins


For the croquettes(kofta)
12 oz chhenna (made with 3 qts milk)
1 tbsp each of cashew, pista, almonds
1 tbsp raisins
1 or 2 dried apricots
1 lg potato, boiled and grated
1/4 cup chickpea flour (besan)
1 tsp cumin and 1tsp coriander powder sifted into besan

o Chop nuts, raisins and apricots in a coffee grinder
o Mix potato, 1 tsp salt and chhenna into a soft dough
o Oil your hands, Pat dough in your palm and spoon nut/fruit mixture in the center, then roll it into a ball or into bullet shape
o Mix besan, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tbsp veg. oil with water to make a batter
o Dip kofta ball into batter and Fry in oil
o Lift and dry on paper towels
o Drop it into the sauce

Serve with Naan or over basmati rice

Chhenna / Paneer - Indian Cottage Cheese

I found instructions for making Chhenna and Paneer from the book: Milk - The surprising story of Milk through the ages by Anne Mendelson.

2 Quarts milk (whole milk works the best. Non-homogenized aka creamtop milk is the best option).
1/4 cups freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice (strained)

o Pour the milk into a heavy bottomed saucepan, bring to a boil over high heat while keeping the milk stirred.
o When it starts boiling, remove from heat and add lemon/lime juice
o The milk should rapidly separate into clouds of white curd and greenish/yellow whey.
o Let stand for 8 to 10 mins;
o Line a strainer or colander with tight-woven cheesecloth or cotton cloth and put curds and whey into the cloth
o Tie the cloth and let it drain for a few mins
o Then put some weight (like can of soup/bean) on top of it and let drain for some more time
o This keeps for 3-4 days

Paneer
o If you press chhenna for 1-2 hours it becomes more densely packed.
o Then cube it and fry in ghee for a few mins; this is paneer

Brownies

Recipe from my friend Nogah Shmeltzer who credits this to her friend Bob Carroll

I have not tried this myself yet, but the Brownies that Nogah made using this recipe tasted very good.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 4 oz unsweetened chocolate
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375 deg F
2. grease and flour 9x12 pan
3. Melt butter and chocolate; set aside
4. mix well eggs and sugar; add vanilla extract
5. combine melted chocolate and eggs mixture
6. add flour and mix well; add walnuts and chocolate chips
7. bake for 25 minutes
   

Lentil Dal recipes from nytimes

I found these lentil dal recipes: dal and soup from nytimes. I haven't tried them yet though.

Homemade Tomato Soup

Adapted from:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/michael-chiarello/homemade-tomato-soup-recipe/index.html

Ingredients

• 1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups vegetable stock
  
• 1 yellow onion or 3 shallots, diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Strain the chopped canned tomatoes, reserving the juices, and spread onto a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, to taste, drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil and roast until caramelized, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat remaining olive oil over medium-low heat. Add shallots and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the roasted chopped canned tomatoes, reserved tomato juices, veg stock, bay leaf and butter. Simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add basil and cream, if using. Take the bay leaf away. Puree with a hand held immersion blender until smooth.

Okra Curry / Okra Raita

Okra Curry / Okra Raita

Okra Curry is a regular fixture in South Indian Vegetarian households, almost like cheese sandwiches in American households. This is a recipe that i sent to my son's class for a multi-ethnic recipe collection activity.


Ingredients

• 1/2 lb okra (full okra is preferable instead of the frozen ones. You can get them in Indian or Asian grocery stores at a lesser price and better quality than in supermarkets)
  
• 1 1/2 cups yogurt (non flavored variety). (optional)
  
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp oil (veg oil will do)
  
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds (you can get them in indian grocery store. They are black in color)
  
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 dried red chilli crumpled or 1 tsp red pepper flakes (adjust according to desired spice level)
• 1 pinch asafoetida. (optionally)
  

Cooking method

• Wash okra before cutting (or it becomes gooey).
• Remove the stem part of the okra, the one that looks like a knob. Cut to 1/2 inch pieces
• Heat Oil in a sautee pan just until it starts smoking.
  
• Add mustard seeds. It will soon start cracking up in oil. Add Cumin seeds and chili pepper.
• Add okra pieces and start frying. The heat will caramelize the sugars in okra and make the vegetable nicely fried. Take off the heat when it is done and slightly crispy.
• You can add salt at the end.
• At this point , you can serve this as a side dish. It goes well with steamed rice or flatbreads like pita, tortilla, naan, roti etc.
• Raita:
  
• Optionally you can add yogurt to the okra and make raita which is a condiment or sauce that is similar to the greek tzatziki sauce. Raita should be served cold ideally and room temperature serving also works.
• Okra Raita can be used as a dip or you can use it in wraps or as a side dish. It goes well with a spicy dish as the yogurt balances the heat of the spicy dish.
  

Cooking Time - 10 minutes
Preparation Time - 15 minutes
Serves 4.