Spicy Cauliflower with Braised Tomato
Snowy cauliflower and ripe tomatoes marry their colors and flavors over gentle heat until the cauliflower is butter-soft and the tomatoes are reduced to a seasoned glaze. The only liquid is the juice from the tomatoes, so the dish must be braised slowly. The result is a dry-textured, succulent everyday dish that can be featured on any lunch or dinner menu. Preparation time (after assembling, ingredients): 10 minutes...
Zesty Mashed Potatoes
Mature potatoes large russets or Idahos, mealy and dry-fleshed, are ideal for mashing. Bake or boil them, mash them while hot, and season, allowing a little “heat” from the green chilies. I sometimes imitate ash-baked flavor by adding a sprinkle of smoked salt rather than using all sea salt. This is a good place to introduce Ginger Ghee or flavored butters. Preparation time: (after assembling ingredients): a...
Tender-crisp Sprouted Urad Beans in Sesame-Yogurt Sauce
Whole urad or muth beans are the traditional favorites, but you can also use sprouted chick peas, aduki or mung beans in this dish. Sprouted beans are bursting with nutrition because they are a living, growing food. When left raw, their flavor may be unpalatable to the newcomer. In this dish, however, flavor is obtained without sacrificing the nutritive value of the sprouts. Preparation time (after assembling ingredients): 10...
Zesty Grape Juice Cooler
Homemade juices are more pure and fresh in flavor than their store-bought counterparts. Concord, emperor and cardinal red-purple grapes yield outstanding juice. Even if you do not have a juicer, it is relatively easy to pass the fruit through the fine disk of a food mill or simply puree it and press it through a fine sieve. Both methods produce a juice puree that takes well to the addition of sparkling water. Preparation...
Munchy Chickpea Flour Spirals with Sesame Seeds
This snack could easily become as popular as pretzels. It is a crunchy spiral, made from roasted chickpea flour and rice flour, shaped by forcing soft dough through a star-shaped nozzle or disk. A seviya machine is used to shape this and several other fried snacks in this chapter. It is available at Indian grocery stores. Because any star shape will do, you can also use a pastry bag fitted with a 5-star nozzle or a...