BACK STORY: Another from the article on Meera Sodha, this also caught my eye because of the lime kale - and I thought I could use the leftover kale from the salad with roasted tomatoes last week. And I knew I had cardamom pods, always a plus to actually have the real ingredients on hand.
NOTES: This says it will take 55 minutes but it was almost an hour and a half by the time it was done - I made it on a Saturday to allow plenty of time to cook. Soaking the lentils made the water frothy so I'm glad I did it, though I don't know if they soaked enough. I used ground mustard instead of seeds and skipped the chilies since I didn't have any fresh. The onion fry mix was delicious and could be eaten with just the kale and no lentils, frankly. The lentils are delicious but the real stand out was the lime kale, which added the right zing to the dish. I would make that part again for a warm salad in the winter. STARS: 2 out of 5. Time intensive and other than the kale, not much different from other dals I've made, but requiring more ingredients. RECIPE:
¾inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated (about 1 tablespoon)
2green finger chiles or Serrano chiles, stemmed and finely sliced
Scant 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1large bunch kale (about 9 ounces)
½teaspoon mustard seeds
2tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
2teaspoons kosher salt
1lime, juiced
7ounces (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) canned coconut milk
Yogurt, for serving
Rice, for serving
Nutritional Information
PREPARATION
Wash the lentils in a strainer in cold water until the water runs clear, then place in a medium bowl, cover with water and set aside. Bash the cardamom pods with the side of a knife so they crack open.
Put 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil into a large pot over medium heat. When hot, add the cardamom pods, cinnamon stick and cloves. Fry for a minute, then add the onions. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are browning and soft. Add the garlic, ginger and green chiles and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove a third of the mixture from the pot and set aside. (Leave the cinnamon stick behind.)
Drain the lentils and add to the pot, along with the turmeric and 4 1/4 cups of hot water. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Once they are boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft and creamy.
While the lentils are simmering, chop the kale into thin strips and discard the thicker stems. Put the remaining tablespoon of coconut oil into a lidded frying pan (keep the lid off for now) over medium heat and, when hot, add the mustard seeds. When the seeds begin to pop, add the reserved onion mixture and fry for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the kale, shredded coconut and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Stir-fry for 1 minute, add 1/4 cup of hot water and put the lid on to steam the kale for 2 minutes, or until soft and tender. Add the lime juice and stir.
When the lentils are soft and creamy, add the coconut milk and remaining salt and simmer for 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat, and pick out and discard the cardamom pods and cinnamon stick. To serve, ladle into bowls and divide kale over the top. Serve with a side of yogurt and rice.
BACK STORY: In an article in the New York Times (the actual paper, not my daily digest) about Meera Sodha's new cookbook "Fresh India." I thought both the broccoli and dal recipes sounded delicious. NOTES: This was quite good but I think I had too much of the cheesy filling and not enough broccoli. I only used one head but 2-3 would be just right to balance the heaviness of the cheese. I ate this both warm (from the oven) and cold (as leftovers at my desk) and it was divine. I would make it again and use it as quesadilla filling or a side with tofu or eggs. STARS: 4 out of 5. Once I make it again with more broccoli I may change the rating! RECIPE: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018935-roasted-broccoli-with-almonds-and-cardamom-malai-broccoli
INGREDIENTS
1 ⅔pounds broccoli florets (from 2 to 3 heads of broccoli)
8ounces cream cheese, softened
4tablespoons Greek yogurt
1teaspoon kosher salt
1teaspoon ground black pepper
½teaspoon ground cardamom
¼teaspoon ground or freshly grated whole nutmeg
¾cup ground almonds
3tablespoons lemon juice
Nutritional Information
PREPARATION
Heat the oven to 400 degrees and line 2 large baking trays with parchment paper. Break the broccoli into bite-size pieces. Place all the other ingredients into a large bowl and mix well, using a spatula, spoon or electric mixer to combine. Add the broccoli and mix using clean hands, making sure the mixture gets into all the nooks and crannies of the florets.
Divide the broccoli between the 2 baking sheets and roast for 10 minutes. Turn the pieces over and return to the oven for another 10 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender, crunchy and charred in places. Pile into a bowl and serve.
BACK STORY: Despite the heavy presence of kale, this seemed like a pretty easy recipe to make and I had all the ingredients. Plus anything with fresh tomatoes this time of year is perfection! NOTES: I did not roast the kale and coconut separately; I layered them on top of the tomatoes and let it all wilt and cook together. (I figured it would all be going together later in the bowl anyway.) The dressing calls for a lot of ingredients I didn't already have - tahini and miso for starters - but the blended flavors were fantastic and I'm glad I actually followed the recipe instead of trying to make an alternative. I did use a brown miso paste from a bag instead of the white the recipe calls for - but since I don't know the difference in flavors, it was still delicious. STARS: 3 out of 5. Incredibly delicious but rather time-consuming to roast the tomatoes and kale and make the dressing. Worth it for the flavors, but not an every-day meal. RECIPE: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018114-warm-kale-coconut-and-tomato-salad
INGREDIENTS
12ounces cherry tomatoes, approximately 1 pint basket
3 to 4tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
2 to 3limes, well scrubbed if waxed
12ounces green or purple kale, approximately 2 heads, lower stalks removed and leaves torn into pieces
¼cup unsweetened dehydrated shaved coconut
1tablespoon soy sauce
1inch fresh ginger root, peeled and grated, approximately 1 tablespoon
1tablespoon white miso paste
1tablespoon tahini
1tablespoon honey
1red serrano or jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
Nutritional Information
PREPARATION
Heat oven to 425. Rinse the tomatoes well, dry with paper towels and cut them in half, then place on a sheet pan. Dress with 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, pepper, the zest of 2 limes and the juice of 1 of them. Roast the tomatoes until just blistered and beginning to take on color, approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix together the kale, coconut shavings and soy sauce, and place on another sheet pan. Roast these in the oven next to or below the tomatoes for approximately 5 to 10 minutes, or until the kale has begun to crisp at its edges.
Make the dressing in a small bowl, combining the grated ginger root, the miso, the tahini, the honey, the pepper, the juice of the second lime and the remaining olive oil. Adjust seasonings to your liking – you may wish to increase the amount of lime juice with a third lime, to thin the dressing.
Put the tomatoes and kale into a large serving bowl, and drizzle the dressing over the top, a few tablespoons at a time; you may not need all the dressing if the tomatoes are particularly juicy. Serve warm.
BACK STORY: Another New York Times recipe, easy and fast tofu recipe. I actually had all the ingredients for once, and it was a quick and easy meal to make. NOTES: I made this with Trader Joe's extra firm tofu, which seared nicely in the wok. Instead of fish sauce I put in extra soy sauce and used lime juice from the container because I didn't have any fresh. The peas and scallions were perfect and I sauteed them together with the tofu for a few extra minutes to get a crispy texture. Ate over brown rice. STARS: 4 out of 5. Easy to assemble ingredients and quick to cook, but not as much flavor as I would have thought. I think I maybe cooked the sauce too long, so I added a little more soy sauce and TJ's green dragon sauce to the leftovers. RECIPE: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014774-hot-and-sour-seared-tofu-with-sugar-snap-peas
INGREDIENTS
1(14-ounce) package extra-firm tofu
4large garlic cloves, grated
2small jalapeño chiles, seeds and veins removed if desired, thinly sliced
1 ½tablespoons soy sauce
1 ½teaspoons grated ginger root
1 ½tablespoons fresh lime juice, more to taste
1 ½teaspoon toasted (Asian) sesame oil, more for drizzling
1 ½teaspoons Asian fish sauce
1teaspoon honey
2tablespoons peanut oil, more if needed
6ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed and thinly sliced
3scallions, thinly sliced
Sesame seeds, for serving
Cooked rice, for serving
Chopped cilantro or basil, for serving
Nutritional Information
PREPARATION
Drain tofu, wrap it with a clean dish towel or several layers of paper towels and place on a rimmed plate; top with another plate and a weight (a can works). Let drain further.
Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a small bowl, combine garlic, chiles, soy sauce, ginger, lime juice, sesame oil, fish sauce and honey.
Unwrap tofu and cut crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Pat slices dry.
Heat a large skillet over high heat until very hot, about 5 minutes. Add peanut oil and let heat for 30 seconds, then carefully add tofu. Don’t touch tofu for 2 to 3 minutes, letting it sear until golden brown. Flip and sear for another 2 to 3 minutes. Move tofu to one side of pan (or stack pieces on top of one another to make room in pan), then add sugar snap peas, scallions and, if needed, a few drops more peanut oil. Stir-fry vegetables until they start to soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Add sauce and stir well, cooking until peas are done to taste, another minute or two. Spoon sauce all over tofu, unstacking it if necessary.
Sprinkle sesame seeds over tofu and vegetables and serve over rice, sprinkled with cilantro or basil.
BACK STORY: Another New York Times recipe, this one combines my favorite roasted veggies in sauce with almonds. Sounded easy and like a perfect recipe for a cool rainy night. NOTES: The recipe calls for anchovies but I added capers, otherwise I followed it exactly. The roasted almonds added a subtle smoky flavor which was unexpected and good. I would cut out some of the oil - adding a bit more to roast the veggies, and very little in the dressing. I also used an onion instead of shallot, and a full lemon. STARS: 5 out of 5. Easy to assemble ingredients, quick to put together, and the flavors were delicious. I ate it plain but bet it would be delicious on top of couscous or other grains, or as a side with a veggie burger or tofu. Can't wait to make again! RECIPE: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11350-roasted-cauliflower-and-broccoli-with-salsa-verde
¾cup whole shelled almonds
1large head broccoli, cut into florets (about 1 pound florets)
1large head cauliflower, cut into florets (about 1 pound florets)
10tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1teaspoon salt
½teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for dressing
1shallot, minced
2tablespoons red wine vinegar
3anchovy fillets, minced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley leaves
Nutritional Information
PREPARATION
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread almonds on a baking sheet and toast until brown and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Leave oven on. When almonds have cooled, chop coarsely.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss broccoli and cauliflower with 4 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread on two baking sheets and roast until tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix shallot and vinegar and set aside for 5 minutes. Whisk in anchovies, lemon juice, remaining 6 tablespoons olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in almonds and parsley.
Remove vegetables from oven, add to bowl and toss with sauce. Taste and add more salt, pepper, vinegar or lemon, if needed. Serve warm or at room temperature.
BACK STORY: Another New York Times recipe, I misread this as a slow cooker black bean soup. I don't have a pressure cooker so needed to make a ton of edits, but it still sounded simple and delicious. NOTES: Brought this to Dylan and Rachael's to eat and meet Calvin! I made this on the stove and with canned beans instead of dry, to accommodate not having a pressure cooker. I used Trader Joes soy chorizo, and simmered the soup for about 30 minutes. The avocado salsa was delicious as a topping and I also made it with the yogurt/cumin/lime juice mix from Smitten Kitchen. STARS: 3 out of 5. Could be super easy with a pressure cooker but the stovetop version was also fairly simple and came together quickly. RECIPE: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015847-pressure-cooker-black-bean-soup?mcubz=1
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE SOUP:
1tablespoon olive oil
1cup coarsely chopped onion
1tablespoon mild or hot chile powder
1 ½teaspoons whole cumin seeds
1 ½teaspoons dried oregano leaves
7cups water
1pound (2 1/2 cups) black beans, picked over and rinsed
4ounces diced Spanish chorizo
4 to 6cloves garlic, minced
2bay leaves
Salt to taste
FOR THE AVOCADO SALSA:
1large, ripe Hass avocado, diced
2large plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
⅓cup chopped red onion
¼cup chopped cilantro
1jalapeño, seeded and diced (optional)
2 to 3tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Salt
Nutritional Information
PREPARATION
In a 6-quart or larger stovetop pressure cooker or an electric pressure cooker, heat the oil over medium-high heat or using the sauté function. Stir in the onions, chile powder, cumin and oregano and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to soften, about 1 minute.
Add the water, beans, chorizo, garlic and bay leaves.
Lock the lid in place. Over high heat, bring to high pressure. Reduce the heat just enough to maintain high pressure and cook for 30 minutes. If using an electric pressure cooker, cook on high pressure for 30 minutes.
Turn off the heat if using a stovetop cooker, and allow the pressure to come down naturally, about 15 minutes. Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow the steam to escape.
Stir well. Discard the bay leaves and add salt to taste. The soup will thicken on standing.
Just before serving, prepare the avocado salsa by tossing the ingredients together in a bowl. Ladle the soup into bowls and top each portion with a large dollop of salsa.
