Japanese Curry

Japanese curry is its own food category, different than Thai or Indian curries. It is a revelation in easy home cooking--just don't fight the packaged-food-ness! The "secret" is to follow the directions on the package. Serve with good white rice and Japanese pickles (all these things can be found at United Noodle).

The curry comes as solid blocks (like a chocolate bar) that you break into your curry pot. There are many brands, such as "Java", "Vermont", and "Golden Curry"...all seem to be good, and "hot" is not hot at all, so get that one if you want a slight heat. I made the batch in the photo with tonkatsu, but it can be accompanied with any protein or just eaten plain.

As you can see, pickles are a large part of the appeal for me, but don't worry if you can't find them.

1/2 package of Japanese curry blocks
3 large potatoes
2 large carrots
1 medium onion
1/2 c. water
Something like that...just free-form it! Follow the directions on the box. It should take about 30-40 minutes if you keep it simple. Either add the meat to the curry itself, or put it on top like the pork cutlets in the picture. A whole recipe makes a TON, so only do that for 4 or more people. Let go and enjoy!

Vinegret - Russian Marinated Vegetable Salad

This is a wonderful salad made with cooked vegetables and a zingy dressing. It's great as a side dish and keeps well for several days. It's also colorful and well-suited to Minnesota vegetables! Try to cut everything into 1 cm cubes (except for the peas of course).

I probably could have diced these better--but taste was outstanding!

Vegetables

1 can beets (or 1-2 beets cooked and peeled)
2-3 red potatoes, skinned boiled just until cooked
2 carrots, boiled until tender
1/2 red onion
1/3 cup dill pickle or cornichons
1/3 cup frozen peas
3 green onions
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill
Salt and pepper to tate

Dressing

3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar (or pickle juice)
1 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. whole grain mustard
1/4 cup safflower oil or light olive oil

Soak the diced red onions in cold water for 30 seconds and drain (to lessen the bite). Combine cooked, cubed vegetables with, peas and dill. Add dressing and salt and pepper, and toss gently. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Chana Masala - Spicy Chickpeas

I'm posting this as an add-on to Alex's Kushari recipe--it's really good on top of kushari, but it's also a great side dish in general. This is for a dry style chickpea with Indian spices. It is also dirt cheap!

Chana masala on top of kushari.

1 can of chickpeas
3 Tbsp cooking oil
1 Tbsp black mustard seeds
2 tsp whole cumin seeds
2 tsp minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced OR 1/4 tsp hing powder
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, to taste
 Optional: chopped cilantro

I recommend doing this in a non-stick pan. Don't allow the spices to burn, or they will taste bitter.

Start by draining the chickpeas so that they have time to dry on the outside. You can pat them dry further with paper towels.

Heat the oil until very hot. Add the black mustard and cumin seeds until they begin to pop, stirring occasionally. Add in the hot pepper flakes, ginger, and garlic (or hing) and allow them to sizzle, but take care not to burn. Add the turmeric and black pepper and stir. Add the chickpeas and cook, tossing frequently, so they are coated with the spice mixture and begin to get toasty on the edges.

It's that simple! Toss with fresh cilantro if desired.

Koshari

This is a very simple and easy recipe for when you either have lots of leftover rice, or when you have almost nothing fresh in the house but a full pantry. It's a traditional, cheap Egyptian dish, and while I still haven't visited Egypt, I'm told I make it pretty close to the original. It's a pretty complete meal, it's tasty, and it makes a lot with little effort. I'm giving the recipe as if you're making it from scratch - if you already have one of the ingredients leftover, just add it in towards the end, so it can absorb some of the heat from the other ingredients.

Ingredients:
1 c. brown lentils
1 c. white rice
1 c. elbow macaroni
(Optional: 1 can chick peas, cooked a little to soften further OR use Chana Masala for extra spice!)

1 large can diced or crushed tomatoes (28oz)
2 Tbsp diced garlic
2 Tbsp white vinegar
Crushed red pepper to taste
S&P
(Optional: squirt or two of  vodka to bring out the flavor of the tomatoes)


1 large onion, cut into thin ribbons
Oil

In a deep saucepan, add the lentils and water to cover, then cook until they are getting soft (~20-30 minutes). Add the white rice, and if necessary add more water (I just eyeball this), and some salt (~1 Tbsp). At the same time, boil water for the elbow macaroni, cook, and drain.

In a wide, deep skillet, start heating the tomatoes.  Add the garlic, vinegar, crushed red pepper, S&P (and vodka). Simmer until it begins to thicken. Adjust seasonings.

At the same time, heat oil in another skillet on medium, and cook the onions to desired crispiness, increasing the heat towards end if necessary.

You can assemble the rice, lentils and macaroni in layers, or you can just whomp them together. Top with sauce and onions.Tada, dinner is served, and it costs like 20 cents a serving.

Saffron Cauliflower and Chicken curry

This was inspired by a dish served at a local Indian restaurant, and then based on techniques from this very different curry. I'm still developing it, but it turned out so well I thought I'd post the version I made tonight.

Ingredients

• 1/2 onion, minced
• 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds (optional)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1.5" segment of ginger root, peeled

• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
• 4 cardamom pods

• 1/4 c. blanched, peeled almonds
• 1/4 c. roasted, unsalted cashews
• 1/2 c. water 

• 1 can coconut milk 
• 1 large pinch saffron, soaked in 1/4 c. warm water

• 1 cauliflower, cut into small flourets

• 2 chicken breasts, cut into thin pieces

Smoosh the garlic and ginger root together - I did this in a mortar and pestle, you could probably achieve a similar effect with enough mincing with a knife. Blend the almonds, cashews and water in a food processor until it makes a smooth liquid.

In a mix of 1 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp. oil, sweat the onions and mustard seeds on medium-low heat until the onions begin to turn transparent. Add ginger and garlic mixture, and cook for about a minute until the garlic starts to mellow. Add the dry spices (cumin seeds, turmeric, pepper, cayenne, cardamom pods), and cook briefly until they start to smell amazing. Add the nut-juice and cook about 5 minutes, then add the coconut milk and saffron w/water. Stir until mixed, add the cauliflower, and then simmer until cauliflower starts to break apart. Taste and add salt as needed. Add the chicken, and cook until no longer pink, about ten minutes. Serve with rice.

Indian cucumber salad

I just made this salad up, but it turned out so well as an accompaniment to Indian food that I thought I should post it. It's quick and easy to make, and for those who don't like American cucumbers, you can often get the "burpless" smaller varieties at Middle Eastern and Indian grocery stores.

Ingredients

• 1 large cucumber, skinned and cut into thick slices (halved depending on cucumber size)
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 Tbsp warm water
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp minced fresh cilantro

Grind cumin seeds and black peppercorns in a mortar and pestle. Pour in vinegar, water, sugar, and mix. Pour over cucumber slices, and garnish with cilantro.

Beef Empanadas

These are truly a labor of love, but the payoff is delicious (also, they freeze well). You could make these with any meat (ie shredded chicken) or even just potatoes or cheese. This uses hot water pastry crust, which rolls out like a dream and holds up well to chunky fillings. The dough I used for these is slightly different than my previous version, so I will post the full recipe.

The yellow pepper paste (ají amarillo) I used adds a very nice medium spicy flavor to the filling. I found it at Sun Foods, and it is probably available at most Latino markets.

Makes 50 6" empanadas

Beef Filling

2-3 lb beef chuck roast
4 medium red potatoes
1/2 c. frozen peas
6 green onions
1c + 2 c. beef bullion
2 packets unflavored gelatine
1/4 c. chopped parsley
1/4 c. aji yellow pepper paste (optional) OR
2 Tbsp. tomato paste + 3 Tbsp. hot water + 1/2 tsp. cayenne
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
2 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. black pepper
Optional additions:
Hard boiled egg slices
Black olives
Raisins

Sear the chuck roast on the edges in hot lard or oil. Add 1 c. beef bullion and pressure cook for 45 minutes. Remove and shred. Place in the fridge while you complete the next steps.

Boil the potatoes in salted water and then cool and peel. Dice into 1/4" cubes.

Slice the green onions into small rounds and add to the beef. Mix in the potatoes, peas, parsley, and spices. Dissolve the gelatine in 2 c. warm beef bullion and stir into the beef mixture. Adjust seasonings to taste. Allow to cool overnight or at least while making the dough (cold filling will load easier).

Hot Water Pastry Dough

9 c. all purpose flour
1 c. lard
4 eggs (reserve 1 yolk for egg wash)
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
2+ c. hot tap water

Heat lard in a saucepan until almost smoking. Place the flour in a very large bowl and slowly pour the hot fat over the flour a few tablespoons at a time. Mix in well with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. the fat should be hot enough that it sizzles when it hits the flour and browns slightly. Continue pouring in the fat and mixing, until the flour has a granular, sandy texture (some lumps are ok). Once the flour/fat mixture cools enough to touch, beat together the eggs, sugar, and salt. Pour into the flour and mix in well. Mix 2 c.hot water and vinegar. Pour the water gradually over the flour and mix until a dough begins to form. Add more hot water as needed to form a soft dough. Turn out onto a floured board and knead for 3-5 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Let sit, covered, for 10 minutes at room temperature before using.

To roll out, cut off pieces of dough about the size of a softball. Roll to 1/8" thickness on a floured board. The dough should be elastic enough that it will not stick to the board. Cut into circles using a large biscuit cutter or sharp-edged bowl (tupperware works well). Each handful should make eight or nine 6" rounds. You can re-use the dough from between the circles, but it will make tougher pastries (so I usually throw it out).

Assembly

Heat the oven to 500 F and line several baking sheets with parchment or tin foil. Beat 1 egg white with 2 Tbsp. milk, 1/2 tsp sugar, and a pinch of salt.

Place ~3 Tbsp. filling on a 6" pastry round. Add egg slices or olives now. Wet the edge of the pastry with water and fold over, ensuring that no filling breaks the seal. Press the edges together gently with your fingers. Crimp the edge with a fork (I used the bumpy edge of a meat pounder). Prick each empanada with a fork.

FREEZER DIRECTIONS: If you are freezing some, place on a flat surface in the freezer until frozen through. When hard, place in a ziploc. To cook, bake frozen pastries according to the directions below, adding 1-2 minutes baking time.

Place on the baking sheet and  bake for 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with the egg wash mixture. Return to the oven for 5-7 minutes, until a slight amount of filling bubbles through the top holes and the pastry is beautifully golden brown and crisp. Allow to cool slightly and eat! Very good with aji sauce, which is almost identical to cilantro chutney and similar to chimichurri.

Harira

This is an essential element in Moroccan cuisine, especially during the festive month of Ramadan, when it is used to break the daily fast, following dates and perhaps milk. This is a hearty tomato-based soup with considerable versatility, depending on the ingredients that you have on hand and the flavors that you prefer.

Ingredients:

- olive oil

- 1-2 onions, diced

- parsley and cilantro, a handful of each, minced (these can be stored in the freezer to keep them on hand)

- celery, if on hand, about one stalk diced

- tomatoes (I like to use at least 28 oz. canned crushed tomatoes for convenience. If you prefer to use fresh tomatoes, then remove the skins first, and then dice them. To remove skins, I would drop tomatoes in boiling water for about a minute, until the skins start separating by themselves.)

- red pepper, black pepper, salt, ginger, cinnamon (optional: saffron, cumin, turmeric, ras al-hanut Moroccan spice mix)

- chicken, beef, or lamb (optional - you can add a vegetable or other broth if you prefer, and you can adjust the ratio of broth, water, and tomatoes according to your preferences)

- water to taste

- chickpeas, if on hand

- lentils and/or rice, if on hand

- capellini pasta, if on hand

Method:

1. Pour olive oil into pressure cooker. (Alternatively, one can use a pot or dutch oven, but it will need to cook longer.)

2. Soften onion in pot. Add parsley, cilantro, and celery. Then add tomatoes and seasoning. Allow to cook about 10 min. on medium heat.

3. Add meat if desired. Add water and/or broth to cover all. Bring to a boil, and leave to cook about 15 min.

4. Add handfuls of chickpeas (I don't add any more than 1 cup), lentils, or rice. (I use about 1 c. of lentils, and I don't use rice. Some people do, and some people add eggs or beans too!) Close pressure cooker, and leave about 45 min.

5.  Uncover pressure cooker, and turn heat to low if everything seems to be sufficiently cooked. Add pasta (I add about 1 cup). To thicken, you can add some flour mixed with water, and then stir constantly for about 10 min.

6. Cook about 30 min. more with occasional stirring.

7. Serve hot, in a soup tureen if possible. You might like lemon slices on the side.

* Please feel free to post variations for accommodating particular dietary preferences.

Roasted Cauliflower Yogurt Dip

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower (2 lb), cut into florets

2 Tb olive oil

1/4 tsp whole cumin seed

salt

red pepper flakes

1 cup plain yogurt (I use Greek yogurt)

1 Tb lemon juice

Method:

1) Heat oven to 425 F. On a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle florets with oil and sprinkle with cumin seed, salt, and red pepper flakes.

2) Roast, stirring once, until golden brown and tender, about 25 min. Let cool.

3) In food processor, purée cauliflower with yogurt and lemon juice. Season with salt.

4) Transfer to serving bowl. Garnish with red pepper flakes. Serve as dip with radicchio or endive (separated), carrot sticks, crackers, etc.

* This dip only gets better as the flavors meld. Store in refrigerator for about five days.

* Nutrition Information: This recipe serves 4. Per serv. 142 cals; 8 g fat (2 g sat fat); 5 mg chol; 13 g carb; 135 mg sodium; 6 g protein; 4 g fiber

Hatomugi Porridge - aka Boatmeal

I've been bugging mom for ages to give me this recipe, only to find out a) it doesn't actually involve hatomugi, and b) it's super simple and easy.

Combine the following ingredients in a slow cooker, set to cook for 10 hours or so overnight:
1/2 part barley
1/2 part oats
4 parts water (maybe a little more depending on cooking time, mine got a little dried out sitting on warm for an extra few hours)
Salt

Serve with brown sugar in the morning. Really sticks to the ribs.

Sweet and savory kale

This sounds a little weird perhaps, and there are some haters out there who can't abide sweet with savory. But haters gonna hate, and this side dish turned out really well - I served it with roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, and it added that sweet element you get from cranberry sauce without being quite as overwhelming.

Ingredients

1 head kale, coarsely chopped

2 shallots, minced

1/4 onion, minced

2 medium cloves garlic, split into 2 pieces each

2 Tbsp olive oil for sauteing

1/2 cup chicken (or veggie) broth

1-2 Tbsp sweet-tart berry preserves to taste (I used blackcurrant because that's what I had)

1-2 Tbsp dried cranberries

2-3 Tbsp red wine vinegar

S&P

Preparation

In a heavy bottomed pan with a tight fitting lid , saute the shallots, onion and garlic over a low flame until soft. Add kale and broth, jam, cranberries, vinegar, S&P. Cook until kale is tender, 30 minutes or so, adding water if needed to keep it from burning to the bottom of the pan.

The ingredients aren't listed in exact quantities because they'll need to be adjusted based on your tastes. I ended up adding more jam because it wasn't originally as sweet as I'd hoped, but be aware that a little goes a long way. The type of jam will change the character of the dish - strawberry I think would be way too sweet, though cherry might work. Rhubarb jam would be fantastic, and sweet jalapeno would probably be out of this world.

Tea Eggs

These should really be called dinosaur eggs! These are a beautiful and simple accompaniment to a meal. They can be stored for several days. Make them with Congee to add some protein if you are feeling under the weather.

Looks beautiful after 1.5 hrs simmering! They would have been darker if I let them steep overnight.

Eggs with delicious congee. Perfect when you need something comforting and easy to digest.

This is a simple recipe but it takes time. Scale up as needed for more eggs.

6 eggs
2 Tbsp. of black tea leaves(I used pu-erh)
1/4 c. light soy sauce
2 pieces star anise
1 small stick Vietnamese cinnamon
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
Plenty of water

First pre-cook the eggs: Place eggs in saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then put the lid on turn the heat off. Let sit, covered, for 11 minutes if eggs were room temperature or 13 minutes if they were cold. This will make PERFECT hard boiled eggs with pure yellow yolks (no green!)

Cool the eggs in cold water. Remove from saucepan and use the back of a knife to crack them evenly on all sides. Do not crack so much that the peels come off. Return the cracked hard boiled eggs to the empty saucepan.

Fill saucepan with remaining ingredients, and top off with water. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 1-2 hours. Eat now or leave eggs in dark water overnight for more color. Store peeled eggs in a tupperware to eat all week.

Finnish Pulla Bread

This recipe comes from the illustrious and Finnish-American Natalie Johnson of Twin City Barbell. While protein is important for building muscle, carbs are essential for powering your workout--so what better than some tasty, home-made bread? This is essentially challah, a rich egg bread, with the added deliciousness of cardamom.

Don't fret about the braiding--it will look and taste delicious no matter what. Well, except if you accidentally use salt instead of sugar, which Natalie can tell you all about ;)

The best flavor is achieved by using whole cardamom pods. Remove the green husks and save the brown, irregularly shaped seeds from inside. Crush with a mortar and pestle (or in a ziploc with something heavy).

4 ½ to 5 ½ cups unsifted flour
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon crushed cardamom seeds
1 package active dry yeast
2/3 cup milk
¼ cup water
½ cup (1 stick) butter
4 eggs (reserve the white of one egg for egg wash later)
2 Tbsp milk
2 tablespoons sugar
Slivered blanched almonds
Approximately 3 1/2 half hours

In large bowl, thoroughly mix 1 ½ cups flour, ½ cup sugar, salt, lemon peel, cardamom, and undissolved yeast. Combine 2/3 cup milk, water and butter in saucepan. Heat over low heat until liquids are warm (butter does not need to melt entirely). Gradually add to dry ingredients and beat for 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixture (or by hand), scraping the bowl occasionally. Add the eggs, and ½ cup flour, or enough flour to make a thick batter. Beat at high speed for 2 minutes, scrapping bowl occasionally. Stir in enough additional flour to make dough soft (1-2 cups).

Turn out onto lightly floured board. Knead for 8-10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic, adding more flour as needed. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover. Let rise in warm place, free from draft, for about 1 hour, until doubled in bulk.

Punch dough down. Turn out onto lightly floured board. Divide into 4 equal pieces. Set 1 piece aside. Shape remaining 3 pieces into ropes. Braid ropes together, pinch ends to seal. Place onto a large greased baking sheet. Divide remaining dough into 2 parts. Roll into ropes. Twist together. Pinch ends to seal. Place on top of braid.  Cover. Let rise in warm place, free from draft, for 1 hour, or until  doubled. Brush loaf with 2 Tbsp. milk beaten with 1 egg white. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar and almonds.

Bake in 350°F oven for 30 minutes, then in 5 minute increments, until the loaf is deep golden brown and 180-190°F internally (took 40 minutes in my oven). Remove from baking sheet and place on wire rack to cool.

Amazing with butter and honey on top. Or goat cheese and apricot jam. Or practically anything.

Tonkatsu - IMPROVED!

My original tonkatsu recipe has been tested many times, and I've learned a few things. Mainly I have improved the salad dressing. Also I include a more detailed description of how to make the cutlet.

Not pictured: mochi ice cream. Ganbatte!

Improved Salad Dressing

The key to the improved salad dressing is the miso. Hint: even if you are using the pre-packaged instant miso soup, you can repurpose one of the packets for the salad dressing.

2 Tbsp. white miso
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
1 dash roasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp. roasted sesame seeds

Combine all ingredients and toss with lettuce and finely julienned carrots, daikon, and red onion. Sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds. I like to let it rest while I'm cooking the other things so that the veggies marinate a bit.

Grated Daikon

This forms the bed for the cutlet. I have found that if you grate the daikon, then squeeze out the water, sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt, then in a few minutes squeeze out more water, you get the best result. The salt miraculously cancels out any bitterness. You can also use finely slivered napa cabbage.

Pork Cutlet

Could also be made with chicken or turkey. You can use any oil that tolerates heat well, but peanut gives it a nice flavor. You can use half peanut and half something else.

4-6 thin-cut pork chops
2 Tbsp. salt
1/2 c. flour
3 eggs
3/4 c. panko breading crumbs
3-4 c. peanut oil

Trim the chops so that only meat remains. Pound flat into cutlets ~1/4" thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt. Heat the oil to 350°F. Place the oven on warm and ready a platter with paper towels to drain the cooked cutlets as you work. Beat the eggs together until smooth.

Arrange 3 shallow pans (ie pie tins) in a row next to the stove for the dredging operation. Place flour in one, beaten eggs in the next, and then panko crumbs in the last. Dredge each cutlet in flour, then dip in egg, and last in panko before placing in the hot oil. Take care not to overcrowd the oil--you will likely only be able to fry one cutlet at a time. Fry each cutlet for 2-3 minutes on the first side, then 1-2 minutes on the second side, or until they are golden brown and crisp. Keep the cutlets warm and crisp in the oven. Chop into narrow strips (for easy chopsticking) just before serving. Drizzle with tonkatsu sosu or "Bulldog Fruit and Vegetable Sauce". It is essentially a sweetened, more mild Worcestershire sauce.

Made with real bulldogs!

Afghani Pumpkin Chunks

To be honest, I was inspired to make this based on a menu item I didn't actually order at an Afghani restaurant - something called a Kaddo Bouarani, sweetened pumpkin with Afghani meat sauce. Since Lillian already has a wonderful recipe for the latter, I decided to try making the pumpkin half, especially since pie pumpkins are easy to find in the store these days (and cheap - my 3# pumpkin was $1). There are various recipes online - some call for more of a candying process, but I wanted something a little faster and less indulgent, so I based my recipe on the one here.

The actual cooking of the pumpkin is easy, but skinning is kind of a PITA, so you might save this for company. However, the flavors mix fabulously well, so it is worth it to make, and I think that the pumpkin might also go well with a more Italian meaty marinara sauce.

Afghani Pumpkin

1 medium pie pumpkin

2 Tsp oil

1/3 c. sugar

A couple pinches/shakes cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.

Remove the stem of the pumpkin, then use a peeler (like for potatoes) to peel it - the Y-shaped ones probably work better, I had the normal swively kind. You'll find what works best with your peeler - I found a sort of half-moon motion peeled more quickly. 

Once peeled, cut the pumpkin in half, clean out the seeds and interior gunk, then cut it into 3-4" square chunks. In a large cast-iron skilled that you can put in the oven, brown the pumpkin chunks in oil for about five minutes. Remove the chunks from the pan, and toss with sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl. Return them to the pan, and cook for about thirty minutes, or until quite tender. Serve with Afghani meat sauce and yogurt dressing (make sure to add mint to the dressing, it really helps the flavor)

Pumpkin chunks

With meat sauce and yogurt