more indian deliciousness! oh yes, and Pemmington the foster dog!

this past sunday we enjoyed another array of indian deliciousnesses. while these dishes didn't require as much time as last week's extravaganza, they were just as gloriously good! dan absolutely adores potatoes and so the hara bhara kababs (potato-spinach-pea patties) were made with him in mind. there's some frozen okra in the freezer that's been there for a while, hence the bhindi sabji (spicy okra & tomatoes), and the chickpea-red bean rajma (bean curry) was created out of our mutual love for red beans & chickpeas. mmmmmmmmmmmmm! all together on one plate, topped off with a little green chutney, and served over turmeric basmati rice for the ultimate in awesomeness. perhaps every sunday should be reserved for cooking & enjoying indian eats, i'm think'n. ;)

ingredients for the hara bhara kabab (potato-spinach-pea patties):
4 medium sized potatoes, cubed & boiled until done
2 cups fresh spinach
½ onion, chopped
½ cup peas (thawed, if frozen)
3 green onions, thinly sliced & chopped
3 cloves ‘o garlic, crushed & minced
½” fresh ginger, peeled & grated
small handful of cilantro
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp safflower oil
2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted & ground
1 tsp ground roasted coriander
¼ - ½ tsp sea salt
a few pinches of black pepper

what you’ll need:
- food processor
- large mixing bowl
- potato smasher
- large skillet
- lightly oiled baking sheet

what’cha gotta do for the hara bhara kabab:
(traditionally these little patties are fried, but when you live with a fire fighter and are a bit of a noodle bowl (goof) in the kitchen it’s better to bake them. if you’d like to fry ‘em please do so – but they’re ever-so lovely baked. )

heat 2 tsp oil in the skillet on medium heat. sauté the onions, garlic and ginger until the onion beings to soften. add in the spices, stir well, and cook for another minute. toss the spinach into the skillet and cook until wilted completely (about 3 minutes). transfer the awesome onion-spinach concoction into the food processor - add cilantro and whiz into a paste. smash the potatoes in the large mixing bowl, toss in the pureed onion-spinach-cilantro mixture along with the green onions, peas, and lemon juice. combine well & adjust seasonings to taste. refrigerate mixture for at least an hour (i made ours in the morning so it chilled for about 8 hours). form patties with your hands and place them on a lightly oiled baking sheet. bake on 350 for 40 minutes, gently turning them over halfway through the cooking time. that's it. drizzle on a little chutney & gobble up!

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ingredients for the green chutney:
1/3 cup raw cashews
1/3 cup plain unsweetened almond milk (any plain plant milk should work well) + a few tbsp (to achieve the consistency you love the most)
1 green onion
1 small clove of garlic
1 tsp agave nectar (we used raw agave)
large handful of fresh cilantro
1 tsp red chili flakes
1 tsp white vinegar
a few pinches of sea salt

what you’ll need:
- blender

what’cha gotta do to make the green chutney:
puree everything together in your blender until well combined. adjust seasonings to taste and get your drizzle on!

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ingredients for the chickpea-red bean rajma (bean curry):
2 cups cooked chickpeas
2 cups cooked kidney beans
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
½ bell pepper, finely chopped
1 cup veggie broth
1 cup tomato sauce (we used an 8 ounce can)
6 cloves o’ garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, de-seeded & minced
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp roasted ground coriander
½ tsp garam masala
pinch of turmeric
1 tbsp safflower oil
small handful of cilantro, chopped
juice from ½ a lime
a few pinches of sea salt

what you’ll need:
- blender (optional, you can always use a potato smasher instead)
- large pot + lid

what’cha gotta do to make the chickpea-red bean rajma:
heat oil in the large pot on medium heat. add the cumin seeds and sauté (stirring constantly) until very fragrant. add onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic and sauté until the onion & peppers begins to soften (don’t let them brown). stir in the tomato sauce, coriander and garam masala and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring frequently. add the beans & cook for another minute. stir in veggie broth, bring everything to a boil, then cover & reduce to a simmer, cooking the stew for 20-30 minutes. transfer about 2 cups worth of the stew to your blender and puree. add the puree back to the pot, stir in the lime juice, fresh cilantro, and a few pinches of sea salt. adjust seasonings to taste & you’re g-t-g (good-to-go). serve over basmati rice or rosti potatoes.

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ingredients for the bhindi sabji (spicy okra & tomatoes):
4 large tomatoes, diced
3 cups chopped okra (thawed, if using frozen)
½ yellow onion, finely diced
½ bell pepper, finely diced
1 jalapeno pepper, de-seeded & minced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed & minced
1 tsp red chili flakes
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander power
2 tsp safflower oil
1 tbsp fresh lime

what you’ll need:
- large skillet & lid

what’cha gotta do to make the bhindi sabji:
heat oil in the skillet. sauté garlic, peppers (bell & jalapeno), and onions until everything begins to soften. add the tomatoes and cook until they being to break down (about 5 minutes). add all the spices and the okra. combine & cover with lid. let the bhindi sabji simmer for about 30 minutes then stir in lime juice. give it a taste, adjust seasonings if needed, & enjoy!

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and last, but never least, we wanted you all to "meet" our foster dog, Pemmington! we’ve started foster caring for Richmond Animal League last week and i’m so excited to be foster caring again. a few years back i worked for the Richmond SPCA as a medical technician – over the course of 3 years we fostered about 100+ animals in that time. after leaving the SPCA we took a break, but missed it since and i’m glad we're helping out again. julie’s doing great with Pemmington and he’s adjusting well in his temporary home with us. he’s awesome with other dogs, LOVES to play fetch with his ball, he’s all about his squeaky toys, long walks, and cuddling up on the couch. he’s not the best with cats or small children (he doesn’t have the best manners when it comes to them), but he’s such a fantastical little dude. i'll be taking him to the Metro Richmond Pet Saver Adopt-a-thon this saturday to show him off and (hopefully) find him his forever home! fingers crossed!

indian eats extravaganza!

knowing this week was going to be another crazy one we spent a couple 'o hours in the kitchen this past sunday cooking up a ridiculous amount of indian eats for one crazy delicious dinner and enough leftovers to carry us well through wednesday. (run on sentence, anyone?!) on the menu: malia kofta, kittee’s saag (another ever-so-make-you-go-mmmmmmmm gloriously awesome tester recipe!), red lentil dahl, cilantro-corn fritters, spicy turmeric basmati rice, pickled red onions, and a mint-chile sauce. whew - and yay, yay, YAY!

it took us a bit in the kitchen to crank everything out (we also made gluten-free naan for moi and glutenous naan for dan. not photographed because we ate it all before i could think about it), but the flavors, textures.....the goodness of it all was oh-so worth the time. indian eats are pretty darn cheap ‘n easy (insert “your mom” joke) to create, and this smorgasbord of deliciousnesses was just that - cheap 'n easy to create. all the awesome we enjoyed (and are still enjoying) was well worth the epic cook-off. are you ready for a few of the recipes?!?! okay.....let’s go!

ingredients for the malia kofta balls:
3 small russet potatoes, boiled until cooked through
½ yellow onion, diced
3 cloves o’ garlic, crushed & minced
¼“ ginger, peeled & chopped
3 green onions, very finely chopped (white & green parts!)
big ‘ol handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
2 slices ‘o gluten-free bread
¼ cup raw cashew pieces
2 tsp safflower oil
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp garam masala
pinch of cayenne pepper

ingredients for the malia kofta gravy:
2 large tomatoes, finely diced
6 mushrooms, finely diced
3 big cloves o’ garlic, crushed & minced
½ yellow onion, finely diced
½ bell pepper, finely diced
½ cup veggie broth
¼ cup coconut milk (or any non-diary milk)
2 tbsp chickpea flour
2 tsp safflower oil
1 tsp toasted ground coriander
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp turmeric
¼ tsp sea salt
juice from ½ a lime
handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
handful of fresh parsley, chopped

what you’ll need:
- food processor
- large mixing bowl
- medium pot + lid
- 2 skillets/saucepans (small & medium-sized)
- baking sheet
- cooking spray

what’cha gotta do to make it all happen:
start with the potato balls: in one skillet toast up those cumin seeds & cashews on medium heat. set aside. place the 2 tsp of oil in the other skillet and heat to medium and sauté the onions and ginger until the onions become clear. add the garlic to the onions and sauté for another minute. add the remaining spices for the malia kofta balls and let it cook for another minute. remove the spiced onion mix from the stove & transfer to the food processor. add to the food processor those toasted cashew pieces & cumin seeds, slices of gluten-free bread, and cilantro. whiz it up until it’s pretty well combined then transfer the whole mess o’ yum to the large mixing bowl (which you could use to smash up those potatoes) & add the smashed potatoes & green onions. combine well & adjust seasonings to taste. form a bunch ‘o walnut sized balls and place them on the baking sheet that’s been spritzed with a little cooking spray. bake the malia kofta balls on 350 (no need to preheat) for 20 minutes. turn them over & bake another 10. while your balls are baking get your gravy on!

in the medium pot, on medium heat, sauté the onions, bell pepper, mushrooms & garlic until the onions become soft (don’t let them brown). add in the spices & sauté for another minute. toss in the chopped tomatoes & veggie broth. bring everything to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat – simmer for 10 minutes. uncover, add the coconut milk, and whisk in the chickpea flour. toss in the cilantro, parsley and lime juice, adjust seasonings to taste, and set aside.

to serve: ladle gravy over malia kofta balls & enjoy!

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ingredients for the red lentil dahl:
1½ cups red lentils, rinsed until the water runs clear
1 big carrot, finely diced
½ yellow onion
½ cup veggie broth
1 tbsp olive oil
1” ginger, peeled & grated
3 cloves o’ garlic, crushed & minced
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp turmeric
just from ½ a small lemon
sea salt & black pepper to taste

what you’ll need:
- large skillet
- medium pot

what’cha gotta do:
place rinsed red lentils & enough water to cover them + 2” in the medium pot. bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until soft (about 10 minutes). drain and set aside.

sauté the onions, ginger, and carrots on medium heat in 2 tsp of oil until the carrots are almost tender. stir often as to not let those onions get all brown on ya. toss in all the spices and garlic – sauté for another 2 minutes. add the cooked lentils and veggie broth – cooking everything on low for another 5-10 minutes. stir in the lemon juice, adjust seasonings to taste, and gobble it up!

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ingredients for the cilantro-corn fritters:
2 cups o’ frozen corn, boiled for 2-3 minutes & drained
3 green onions, finely sliced (white & green parts)
3 cloves o’ garlic, crushed & minced
2 shallots, minced
very large handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
a few pinches of cayenne pepper
2 tsp safflower oil
¼ cup chickpea flour
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper

what you’ll need:
- food processor
- large skillet
- large bowl
- baking sheet
- canola oil cooking spray

what’cha gotta do:
in the large skillet heat 2 tsp oil on medium heat. sauté shallots and garlic for 2-3 minutes then add the cooked corn & a few pinches of cayenne pepper. sauté for about 3 minutes and transfer to the food processor. add cilantro, sea salt, and pepper – whiz it up until no whole corn pieces remain and the mixture is smooth-ish (we say “ish” because it is rather lumpy, just not chunky – if that makes any sense). toss the whizzed up corn ‘n garlic mixture into the large bowl and add chickpea flour & green onions. mix well. cover the bowl & refrigerate for at least an hour.

once your fritter mix is good 'n cold clean up the large skillet, spritz with a generous amount of canola oil cooking spray, and heat to medium-high. in batches, drop generous spoonfuls of fritter batter into the skillet & cook for a minute to two (or until the bottoms are well browned). flip them over and cook for another minute or two. transfer the fritters to the oil-spritzed baking sheet & bake the fritters on 350 for 10 minutes. flip & bake for another 5-10. remove from heat & squeeeeeee! these are awesome with a little chutney or chile-mint sauce (mint + red chili flakes + lime juice + water + sugar/agave nectar).

almost forgot about those pickled onions! combine 1 cup white vinegar + ¼ cup sugar + 1 tsp red chili flakes + ½ tsp mustard & cumin seeds in a jar along with 1 thinly sliced red onion. refrigerate for about 8 hours and your g-t-g (good to go)!