Vegetable Pakoras

Okay, I know I said "No more curry," but I found this when I was looking for a recipe to use up some sweet potatoes and cauliflower. We had tons of leftovers in the fridge, so this was meant to be a nice little side dish, to accompany the curries and chilis that have been lingering for a week. So, basically, this was an easy recipe, that kind of reminded me of a veggie latke. I had a few problems with the flavor, though. Basically, these were kind of bland. I didn't quite follow the recipe as directed, because I made an attempt to cut down on the peanut oil, and I used egg whites instead of a whole egg. I didn't really think this would affect the flavor, but it most definitely did. This is a habit with me - I always try to trim the fat out of recipes, and then I am disappointed when they don't have a fabulous flavor. So... these had the potential to be great, and next time, they will be. I take full credit for the fact that these didn't make it to 4 bowls. They were pretty good, but they needed that mango chutney boost, to really taste great. I will try these again, when my fam is in the mood for curry!



3 Bowls. I should have followed the recipe as directed...

Vegetable Pakoras

These Indian fritters get their intensity from Madras curry powder. A hit of chutney cools the palate.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 pakoras and 1 tablespoon chutney)


3 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2/3 cup)
2 teaspoons Madras curry powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup (1/4-inch) diced peeled sweet potato
1 cup (1/4-inch) pieces cauliflower
1/2 cup finely diced onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 jalape�o pepper, finely diced
3 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
6 tablespoons mango chutney

1. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, curry powder, cumin, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Combine 1/3 cup water and egg, stirring with a whisk. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; stir until smooth. Cover; let stand 10 minutes.

2. Place sweet potato in a small saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until just tender. Drain and cool to room temperature. Add sweet potato, cauliflower, onion, cilantro, garlic, and jalape�o to flour mixture; stir until well combined (batter will be very thick).

3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to pan, swirling to coat. Drop 2 tablespoons batter into pan, and flatten slightly with the back of a spoon. Repeat procedure to make 6 pakoras. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove from pan; drain on paper towels. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and batter. Serve with chutney.

CALORIES 198 (30% from fat); FAT 6.5g (sat 1.2g,mono 2.9g,poly 1.9g); IRON 1.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 35mg; CALCIUM 26mg; CARBOHYDRATE 30.9g; SODIUM 393mg; PROTEIN 3.5g; FIBER 1.9g

Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2008

Thai Veggie Chili

I hesitate to call this a chili, because it is clearly a stew, but whatever...

When I tried this chili, my first reaction was, "Wow, this tastes really unique. The flavors are so different, considering a lot of the ingredients are the same ones I use all the time."

Kevin's first reaction was, "This tastes sort of generic. I mean, it tastes similar to a lot of things you make."

Hmph. Really? Were we eating the same thing?

Anyway, we both loved it. Well, actually, all four of us loved it, with the ultimate winner being Jonah, who couldn't tear himself away from it. I took this recipe from the the author of Veganomicon, who adapted it from an "Eating Clean Magazine" recipe. I really liked this dinner. It has a sweet and spicy flavor, with a really nice, subtle coconut curry undertone. It's a nice, thick stew, and it went beautifully over a bowl of brown rice. I will definitely be making this again. Soon.







This is a vegetarian hot pot of yums. Make it. 4 Bowls.

Red Lentil Thai Chili

Olive oil (1 teaspoon to 2 tablespoons, however much you feel like using)
1 large yellow onion, diced medium
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced medium
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 ½ lbs sweet potatoes cut into ¾ inch chunks
1 cup red lentils
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups vegetable broth
2 15 oz cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
1 15 oz can lowfat coconut milk
28 oz can diced tomatoes
½ cup fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish
Limes for garnish (optional)

Preheat a 4-quart pot over medium heat. Saute onions and pepper in oil with a pinch of salt, for 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and saute a minute more.

Add chili powder, sweet potatoes, lentils, salt and vegetable broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Let it boil for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. When lentils are cooked and sweet potatoes are tender, add the remaining ingredients and heat through.

Taste for salt and seasoning, top with cilantro and lime and serve!

Vegetarian West African Stew

My friend, Jayme, sent me this recipe last week. It had been handed down to her, and she thought of me and passed it along. I was immediately skeptical about this recipe, because it calls for peanuts. Kevin have always been less than thrilled with nuts in his food, despite the fact that he likes nuts. In the past, when I've crusted things with almonds, or thrown cashews into the rice, he has shown obvious dislike. That being said, I've been anxious to try cooking with peanuts, and Jayme assured me that it didn't have a peanut-heavy flavor.

Anyway... Fast forward to Tuesday evening, when I whipped up this stew. First of all, this is so easy to prepare. Even grinding the peanuts is fun, though I'm sure you could just use organic peanut butter in its place (I think if you use JIF, it would be a little too sweet and salty for the stew). The end product is positively delicious. It has a smokey, salty, sweet flavor, and the peanuts lend a subtle, nutty flavor. The stew definitely doesn't have a strong peanut flavor, but the peanuts are absolutely essential to the deep flavor. The other thing to note about this stew, is that it makes a TON of food. We have leftovers scattered throughout the fridge, and every time I open it, I am excited to see more chickpeas. Weird? Perhaps. But I guess that's the sign of a good meal, right?




Make this! It's a delicious, vegetarian, super healthy meal, that will last a week! 4.5 Bowls (it takes a lot to be a 5 Bowler, know what I mean?)!

Vegetarian West African Soup


This hearty one-dish meal is packed with fiber and can be ready in less than an hour.


Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)


2/3 cup roasted peanuts
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 cups chopped onion
6 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled sweet potato
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans vegetable broth
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
Flat-leaf parsley sprigs (optional)

Place peanuts in a food processor; process until smooth (about 2 minutes), scraping sides of bowl once.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; saut� 7 minutes or until lightly browned. Add peanut butter, potato, and next 6 ingredients (potato through tomatoes); bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes or until potato is tender. Garnish with parsley, if desired.


CALORIES 477 (18% from fat); FAT 9.4g (sat 1.3g,mono 3.5g,poly 3.3g); IRON 3.2mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 110mg; CARBOHYDRATE 89.7g; SODIUM 904mg; PROTEIN 13g; FIBER 13.1g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2002

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Empanadas

Make these. They are great for a party, and the leftovers are a great substitute for a sandwich at lunch. I give them 4 bowls. Kevin gives them 3, but he isn't into pastry crust. Insane, you say?? Hmmmm...

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Empanadas

Mild sweet potatoes and black beans take on smoky, spicy tastes from cumin and chiles. These pies are great served hot at a party; leftovers also make a tasty room-temperature snack.

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1 empanada)


9 ounces all-purpose flour (2 cups)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup canola oil
1/4 cup cold water
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 poblano chile
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 cup mashed cooked sweet potatoes
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg white, lightly beaten

1. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine canola oil, 1/4 cup water, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and egg in a medium bowl. Gradually add oil mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Knead lightly until smooth. Shape dough into a ball, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for 1 hour.

2. Preheat broiler.

3. Place poblano on a foil-lined baking sheet; broil 8 minutes or until blackened, turning after 6 minutes. Place in a paper bag; close tightly. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel chile; cut in half lengthwise. Discard seeds and membranes. Finely chop.

4. Preheat oven to 400°.

5. Cook the cumin seeds in a large saucepan over medium heat 1 minute or until toasted, stirring constantly. Place cumin in a clean spice or coffee grinder; process until ground. Combine cumin, poblano, sweet potatoes, and next 5 ingredients (through 1/2 teaspoon salt) in a large bowl; mash with a fork until almost smooth.

6. Divide dough into 10 equal portions, shaping each into a ball. Roll each dough portion into a (5-inch) circle on a lightly floured surface. Working with 1 portion at a time (cover remaining dough to keep from drying), spoon 3 level tablespoons poblano mixture into center of each circle. Moisten edges of dough with egg white; fold dough over filling. Press edges together to seal. Place empanadas on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cut 3 diagonal slits across top of each empanada. Bake at 400° for 16 minutes or until lightly browned.

CALORIES 209 ; FAT 8.4g (sat 0.7g,mono 5g,poly 2.3g); CHOLESTEROL 18mg; CALCIUM 32mg; CARBOHYDRATE 29g; SODIUM 359mg; PROTEIN 5.1g; FIBER 2.9g; IRON 2.3mg

Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2010

Tandoori Chicken Sate with Broccoli Saute

I am a big fan of one pot meals. Usually, we eat something that incorporates veggies and grains, and mix it all together, in one, big, comforting bowl of warmth. On Monday night, I decided to create a meal that didn't consist of a bowl of mush. What a concept! I started, by buying a giant box of sweet potatoes at Costco. We never eat baked potatoes, so I was excited to make them. I also marinated chicken breasts in a yogurt marinade. The chicken was supposed to be cooked on skewers, but I didn't have any on hand, and honestly, unless I am entertaining, I don't really see the point. This marinade is really delicious. It's not exactly like the type of tandoori chicken you get at an Indian restaurant (which I adore), but it is definitely tasty and unique. I have a feeling that the tandoori you eat at a restaurant has sugar in it, and this recipe is spices, ginger, garlic, and yogurt. I wonder if adding a pinch of brown sugar, would transform it into the tandoori chicken of my favorite Indian hot spot - Taste of India, in West Hartford. It was really a hit among my whole family.









dMake this, but keep your eye on the broiler! It easily gets tough! 4 Bowls!


Tandoori Chicken Sate


Yield: 24 servings (serving size: 1 skewer)


1/4 cup coarsely chopped onion
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon chopped peeled gingerroot
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 garlic clove
6 (4-ounce) skinned, boned chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
Vegetable cooking spray
Lemon wedges (optional)
Cilantro sprigs (optional)

Place the first 11 ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth, scraping sides of processor bowl once. Combine yogurt mixture and chicken in a large zip-top heavy-duty plastic bag. Seal bag, and marinate in refrigerator 2 hours, turning bag occasionally.

Remove chicken from bag, and discard marinade. Thread chicken strips onto 24 (6-inch) skewers. Place skewers on broiler pan coated with cooking spray, and broil 6 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Arrange skewers on a serving platter, and garnish with lemon wedges and cilantro sprigs, if desired.


CALORIES 27 (20% from fat); FAT 0.6g (sat 0.1g,mono 0.3g,poly 0.1g); IRON 0.2mg; CHOLESTEROL 12mg; CALCIUM 5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 0.2g; SODIUM 27mg; PROTEIN 5g; FIBER 0.0g

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 1995

The funny thing about this meal, is that the biggest star, was the sauteed broccoli. I was going to roast it, but then I realized that my oven would be baking potatoes and broiling chicken, so I wouldn't have enough space. I searched for a recipe that involved broccoli on the stove top, and I found this Food Network recipe, that had gotten excellent reviews. It is pretty basic, but tastes absolutely delicious - nutty, spicy, sweet, light. I will definitely be making this again. It's kind of a mix between sauteed broc, and steamed broc. If you are a broccoli lover (like me), you'll love this one.

Make this! Easy peasy, and 5 Bowls!

Sauteed Broccoli
Ingredients

* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
* Pinch red pepper flakes
* 1 bunch broccoli, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
* 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Heat the olive oil, garlic, and pepper flakes in a large skillet of medium heat until fragrant and garlic begins to brown, about 30 seconds. Stir in broccoli and cook until the broccoli is bright green, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and season with salt and pepper and cook until just tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Serve.

Sweet Potato Latkes

I made latkes about a week before Hanukkah, and figured I'd done my latke duties for the year. Then, on the first night of Hanukkah, I came down with tremendous latke guilt, and decided to make them again. This time, I had a big bag of sweet potatoes on hand, so I opted to do a little sweet tater/Yukon Gold tater batch. I took a recipe from Epicurious, and one from MyRecipes, and married them together, to create a lovely, sweet potato and scallion pancake. These got terrific reviews at my house. I'll admit - I skimped on the oil/frying a little, so they didn't have quite the grease factor that typical latkes have, but they were delicious, nonetheless. A mild sweetness from the sweet potatoes, with a nice, subtle bite, from the onions. Next time, if I'm more prepared, I'd like to add shredded carrots and zucchini to the mix. I think I have latkes down to a science. This batch was much neater and easier to assemble than last time. This recipe is a keeper. If you have a food processor, and an extra helper for clean-up time, I'd strongly suggest you try this one!



Make these. Even if you don't celebrate Hanukkah. 4.5 Bowls (had to remove a half bowl, for a couple of slightly underdone latkes!)

Sweet Potato Latkes
Adapted from Epicurious and Southern Living recipes

2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and grated (or a mixture of sweet and Yukons)
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 green onions, sliced
1/2 - 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 tsp of black pepper

Preparation

Stir together potatoes and flour. Stir in eggs, green onions, and salt; blend well.

It is a good idea to line a collander with paper towls, and put the end mixture in it. You need to drain latkes extremely well, before frying, or they fall apart. Mark my words! As you create the patties, you need to squeeze out the liquid from each pancake, individually, as well.

Pour vegetable oil to a depth of 1/2 inch in a large heavy skillet. (I just heat 2 tsp of oil at a time - no deep frying in our house!) Drop potato mixture by tablespoonfuls into hot oil; gently flatten latkes with back of a spoon. Fry, in batches, 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately.

Indian Spiced Chicken with Tomato Chutney and Chile-Garlic Roasted Sweet Potatoes

As I've mentioned previously, my husband despises dairy, but mostly cheese. In case you are wondering, he is not lactose intolerant (everyone asks this), he just hates the taste, texture, and smell of dairy. Of course, I love cheese, so this definitely puts a damper on my cooking/eating style. Sadly, I can't make anything Italian, because it almost always contains cheese or milk/cream. I do miss lasagna and stuffed pastas, but I mostly just miss tomato sauce. Oh, how I love Italian dishes with tomato sauce. You may have noticed that I cook a lot of Indian food, which my family really enjoys, so I decided to try a new spin on tomato sauce - tomato chutney. This dinner was a marriage of 2 recipes - one from Cooking Light, and one from allrecipes. Basically, the CL recipe for "Indian Spiced Chicken with Tomato Chutney" looked delicious, but the chutney recipe was full of ingredients that I didn't have on hand. Instead, I searched on allrecipes for a substitute chutney recipe, and I found a very simple one, which didn't call for so many ingredients. The end result was really great (despite the fact that my timing was truly out of whack on this one). The chicken itself is nicely spiced, but very mellow and simple. Once topped with the chutney, however, it was incredibly flavorful - both sweet and salty, with a really subtle, tangy, ginger flavor. As I was eating it, all I could think about, was, "What else can I make with this chutney?!" It was the simplest component of the dish, but definitely a big winner. The Chile-Garlic Sweet Potatoes recipe is from Eating Well, and it is really simple and quite delicious. It also allowed me to use up some leftover taters and butternut squash, and it was a really lovely side dish with the chicken. These 3 recipes came together beautifully, and, served with steamed broccoli, made for a really well rounded, simple Fall meal.




Make this one. It's a keeper. Kevin's rating: 4 BOWLS

Indian Spiced Chicken with Tomato Chutney

Chutney:
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1 teaspoon minced seeded serrano chile
1/4 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup coarsely chopped seeded tomato
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
**Or, you can make the chutney my way (see below)!

Chicken:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray

To prepare chutney, heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and serrano; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add ginger and garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring frequently. Add tomato, vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer 5 minutes or until mixture is thick. Set aside, and keep warm.

Prepare grill.

To prepare chicken, heat 2 teaspoons oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add coriander, curry, cumin, and black pepper; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Brush mixture evenly on both sides of chicken; sprinkle evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Serve chutney over chicken.

CALORIES 268 (30% from fat); FAT 8.9g (sat 1.9g,mono 4.7g,poly 1.5g); IRON 1.8mg; CHOLESTEROL 108mg; CALCIUM 36mg; CARBOHYDRATE 4.3g; SODIUM 687mg; PROTEIN 40.6g; FIBER 0.9g

Cooking Light, AUGUST 2006

Tomato Chutney
Adapted (a lot) from allrecipes.com
Ingredients

* 2 cups chopped tomatoes (Use a can - it's easier!)
* 2 teaspoons ginger (Use the refrigerated prepared kind - easier!)
* 1 teaspoon minced garlic
* 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (Meh, skip it!)
* 2 teaspoons chili powder
* 1 tablespoon white sugar (I used 2 tsp instead - it was perfect sweetness.)
* salt to taste

Directions

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the tomatoes, ginger, garlic, cilantro, chili powder sugar and salt. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until thick and saucy, about 10 minutes. I used my immersion blender, to make this smooth, because my fam isn't into super chunky tomato sauce.




Chile-Garlic Roasted Sweet Potatoes

4 servings, about 3/4 cup each | Active Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients

* 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, scrubbed (and peeled, if desired), cut into 1-inch wedges or pieces (I just used 2 huge sweet pots, and probably 8 ounces of butternut squash - way more than the recipe suggests)
* 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil or canola oil
* 1 tablespoon chile-garlic sauce (see Note)
* 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
* 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

Preparation

1. Position rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 450°F.
2. Combine oil, chile-garlic sauce, soy sauce and white pepper in a large bowl. Add sweet potatoes; toss to coat with the seasoning mixture.
3. Spread the potatoes evenly on a rimmed baking sheet.
4. Roast, stirring once or twice, until the potatoes are tender and browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving : 177 Calories; 5 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 4 g Mono; 0 mg Cholesterol; 31 g Carbohydrates; 3 g Protein; 5 g Fiber; 348 mg Sodium; 586 mg Potassium

* Note: Chile-garlic sauce (also labeled chili-garlic sauce, or paste) is a blend of ground chiles, garlic and vinegar. It can be found in the Asian section of large supermarkets and will keep for up to 1 year in the refrigerator.

Fall Vegetable Curry with Basmati Pilaf

We obviously love curry dishes in our house, and this one boasted a quick cooking time, so I thought I'd give it a try tonight. I rarely cook vegetarian dinners that aren't soup, so I was looking forward to trying this one. The recipe recommended serving it with Cashew Rice, but I decided to try a rice pilaf recipe that looked really interesting. The flavor of both recipes was great. I loved the curry. It was a nice blend of sweetness from the potatoes, and salty spiciness, from the curry and chickpeas. The only problem with it, was the cooking time. It seemed to me, that everything needed to be cooked longer. The onions still had a bit of bite to them, and the potatoes were a tad toothsome as well. It was frustrating, because it was pretty uneven - some of it was cooked to perfection, while parts of it seemed underdone. I loved the flavor, however, so I'd like to try this one again.



Fall Vegetable Curry


Other Time: 30 minutes minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup curry and 2 tablespoons yogurt)


1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup diced peeled sweet potato
1 cup small cauliflower florets
1/4 cup thinly sliced yellow onion
2 teaspoons Madras curry powder
1/2 cup organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt

1. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sweet potato to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Decrease heat to medium. Add cauliflower, onion, and curry powder; cook 1 minute, stirring mixture constantly. Add broth and next 3 ingredients (through tomatoes); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with cilantro; serve with yogurt.

CALORIES 231 ; FAT 3.9g (sat 0.9g,mono 1.6g,poly 0.9g); CHOLESTEROL 2mg; CALCIUM 106mg; CARBOHYDRATE 40.8g; SODIUM 626mg; PROTEIN 10.4g; FIBER 8.6g; IRON 2.5mg

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2010

The rice dish was interesting, because it called for both rice and vermicelli in the same dish. I had a lot of green onions in my fridge, so it was a good way for me to use them. I've never used my Calphalon pots in the oven, so I was a little nervous about how this one would come out. I was supposed to cook it in a dutch oven, but I don't have one, so I had to settle for my soup pot. The rice came out underdone, though it had absorbed all the liquid and was stuck to the bottom of my pot. So, basically, it seemed like it, too, needed more cooking time, and more liquid. Once again, parts of it were fine, while parts were toothsome. I loved the flavor though, and the parts that were well cooked, tasted delicious. This might have happened because I didn't use a dutch oven. Perhaps there's a reason it didn't call for making it in a giant pot. Hmph. Anyway, this one was a keeper as well, but it needs some refining, if I want to make it in my big pot again. Or... I may just have to break down and buy a dutch oven.
Basmati Pilaf with Vermicelli and Onions


This is a version of arroz con fidellos (rice with pasta). Fidellos is a thin Sephardic pasta similar to angel hair or vermicelli.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)


5 teaspoons olive oil
3/4 cup chopped Rio or other sweet onion
2 cups uncooked basmati rice
3/4 cup (2 ounces) uncooked vermicelli, broken into 2-inch pieces
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped green onions

Preheat oven to 350º.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 3/4 cup sweet onion; cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add basmati rice and pasta; cook 2 minutes or until rice is opaque, stirring frequently. Stir in chicken broth, salt, and black pepper; bring to a boil. Cover and bake at 350º for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Let stand 15 minutes. Uncover; stir in parsley and green onions

CALORIES 140 (19% from fat); FAT 3g (sat 0.4g,mono 2.1g,poly 0.3g); IRON 0.6mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 10mg; CARBOHYDRATE 25.2g; SODIUM 289mg; PROTEIN 3.1g; FIBER 0.8g

Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2006

Sweet Potato Fritters with Smokey Pinto Beans, and Spicy Honey Brushed Chicken Thighs

I'm disorganized in the kitchen. Making 2 things for dinner, makes me feel like a hot mess. So, last night, I decided to make chicken for dinner, with these Sweet Tater Fritters on the side. The thing is, I honestly don't know how to make 2 things, like this, and get them to all be ready at the same time. I think double ovens would help, and Kevin cleaned as I cooked, so that helped too... But still, it was messy, and I felt both dishes were only okay, in the end.

I've made this chicken many times, and it goes over really well in my house. It's super easy, and Maya loves it, too. the only issue is that it requires broiling, so you can't really use the oven for anything else, when you make this. It's really tasty though. I'm not a big fan of chicken thighs, but this recipe is a keeper. It's perfect when you don't have much time to cook, and it's a nice main dish, and it really goes well with any side dish.




The fritters came from the new issue of Eating Well Magazine. I had very high hopes for them, because the Corn and Basil Cakes were so delicious. Well, these were, in a word - okay. They were easy to make, and I loved all the ingredients. I did tweak the recipe a bit, to lower the oil content, but nothing major. The end result was a dense, sort of doughy fritter, that really seemed a bit low on flavor. The fritter itself is basically a sweet potato dough with onions and peppers, while the topping is a pinto bean mixture. Well, the topping was terrific, and every time I got a bite of the topping with the fritters, I loved it. The fritter itself? Meh. It needed something. I don't know what. Maybe some garlic? Maybe I should have used a poblano pepper instead of a bell pepper? Maybe more oil? Perhaps using white whole wheat flour was the problem, and accounted for the density? I'm not sure. I want to try these again, because the idea of them sounds so delicious....

Sweet Potato Chicken Curry

We had a dinner guest on Wednesday, and, though it was meant to be a casual family dinner, plus one guest, I was excited to make a delicious dindin. Kevin has raved about this dish before, but I had never tasted it, since I was not eating chicken at the time. I made this on Wednesday, as per Kevin's request, but did it a tad differently, because I felt the need to double the recipe, due to having an extra man at the table. The recipe supposedly serves 4, but I know that Kevin loves it, and eats a lot a dinner, and I hadn't even met Mike, so I wasn't sure if it would be enough. The problem with doubling a recipe like this, is that it's a stew of sorts, so by doubling it, you double the meat, spices, and the liquid, which makes it into more of a soup. That's fine, but it wasn't meant to be a soup, so I'm thinking it was a little too... soupy. Anyway, next time, if I intend to double it, I will double the meat, but I will only 1.5 the broth and spices. I probably need to play around with the proportions. Any suggestions?

Anyway, despite all that, it was quite delicious. It has a distinct Indian food flavor, but is not overpowering. The chicken comes out perfectly cooked, juicy and tender, and the sweet potatoes are such a nice contrast to the salty, curry flavor that coats the chicken. The last minute addition of peas, make this dish beautiful in so many ways. If you are having a dinner guest that you know loves Indian food, this is a keeper. I served it over rice, with a nice green salad and the pretty rolls I posted about yesterday. I just wish my family could appreciate it (curry haters!)... It's really good. The only problem with this recipe, is that it is very time consuming. Basically, it takes 2 hours, and quite a bit of it is active time. I have become very good at prepping my veggies in the morning or during my kids' nap time, so that makes it a lot easier, but I can see how this would be an intimidating dish for many!



The Critique
I was eating some of these leftovers at work and some of the nurses asked if my wife was Indian. Her food is that authentic. This is amazing. It's one of my favorite things that my wife makes and this was no exception. This tastes so professionally made and has the perfect amount of seasoning in it. The chicken is cooked so nicely that it's like the chicken got into a boxing match and got the crap kicked out of it before getting butchered. That's how tender the meat is. Oh, it's nice. But this version was not as good as previous ones, probably because she doubled the recipe and it was a bit watery. So, this get's 5 bowls based on its historical significance, and even when it's not at its best, it's THAT good.

5 bowls