Cauliflower Hummus

Posted on September 19, 2014 by Sala @ Veggie Belly

This creamy, yet light cauliflower tahini dip is like a hummus, except it uses cauliflower instead of chickpeas! I spice the dip with some ground cumin, coriander and lemon juice and then garnish it with a big sprinkling of chopped cilantro. This is a great, healthy dip to enjoy with vegetables and some bread or crackers.

I like to steam the cauliflower, but you can also toss it in olive oil and roast the cauliflower before making this dip. Serve this hummus-style healthy cauliflower dip with vegetable crudités (carrot, celery, bell peppers etc) and warmed pita bread or crackers.

I use who coriander and cumin seeds, that I gently roast on a skillet and then powder in a spice grinder. There is nothing like freshly ground spices to make a hummus (or anything other dish) flavorful! But if you want a short cut, simple use ground coriander and ground cumin instead.

Cauliflower Hummus with Tahini Recipe

Serves 6 as a dip

Ingredients
1 lb cauliflower florets (about 1 small head of cauliflower)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon coriander seeds. Substitute with ground coriander.
1 teaspoon cumin seeds. Substitute with ground cumin.
1/4 cup tahini
1-2 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt
2 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro or parsley

Method
1.Place the cauliflower florets in a steamer apparatus, cover and steam until the florets are very soft, about 15 minutes.
If you don’t have a steamer, place the cauliflower florets, along with 1/2 cup water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer the cauliflower until it is very soft, about 10 minutes. If all the water evaporates before the cauliflower is soft, add 1/4 cup water at a time. If there is any water remaining in the pan at the end, remove the lid, crank up the heat to medium-high and let it boil away. Make sure the cauliflower is not water logged or too wet before proceeding

2.While the cauliflower is steaming, work on the spices. Place the coriander and cumin seeds in a small skillet. Toast on medium-low heat, shaking often until the spices are lightly golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Let the spices cool a little, then powder them in a food processor or mortar and pestle. If you are using ground coriander and cumin, skip this step and go to step 3.

3. Place the steamed, cooled cauliflower, and all other ingredients except the cilantro or parsley in a food processor, and blend into a smooth puree. If the dip is too thick, add water a few tablespoons at a time until your desired consistency is reached. If you want the hummus more creamy add more tahini at this point. Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley.

Hatch Chile Macaroni and Cheese

Posted on September 8, 2014 by Sala @ Veggie Belly

I roasted a big bunch of hatch chiles recently. So I’m using them to make macaroni and cheese. Hatch chiles are a type of green chile from New Mexico. If you don’t have freshly roasted hatch chiles, just go ahead and use canned green chiles. I love a spicy mac and cheese , and hatch chiles (or green chiles) are a great way to spice up macaroni and cheese. Feel free to use extra chiles if you like!

How to make the perfect mac and cheese

1. Make sure the pasta is al dente. That is, not over cooked. The pasta should have a little bit to it. Cook it 1 minute less than what the package says
2. Salt the pasta water. This is the only opportunity to give the pasta some salt and flavor.
3. Add cheese a little at a time to the sauce. Make sure a batch of cheese completely melts into the sauce before adding more. This will help the sauce get nice and silky.
4. Add the cheese on low heat. If you add cheese when the sauce is too hot, it will clump up.
5. Make sure the cheese is finely shredded, it will melt better.

Most mac n cheese recipes will have you sprinkle bread crumbs on top and bake the whole thing in an oven. I usually never have patience for that! So I mix the cheese sauce with the pasta and eat it right away!

Hatch Chile Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients
½ lb pasta (elbow macaroni, spiral or cavatappi)
2 tablespoons butter
½ an onion, chopped
1 ½ tablespoons flour
2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup chopped roasted hatch chiles or green chiles. Freshly roasted or canned.

Method
1. Boil the pasta in plenty of salted water. When it is al dente, drain it and set aside. Make sure the pasta is not over cooked.
2. While the pasta is cooking, work on the sauce. Heat butter in a medium sauce pan. Add the onion and cook until it is soft, about 2 minutes.
3. Sprinkle the flour onto the butter and stir well. Cook on medium-low heat for about 1 minutes, stirring constantly. The flour should not brown. Now slowly pour in the milk, whisking constantly. Let the sauce cook and come to a boil while whisking it constantly.
4. When the sauce has thickened, reduce the heat to low. Add one small hand full of the shredded cheese. Stir until it is completely melted into the sauce. Now add another hand full of cheese and stir it. Keep adding all the cheese one hand full at a time and making sure it is completely incorporated into the sauce before adding more.
5. Fold in the cooked pasta, green chiles and salt. Increase the heat and cook just until everything is hot.

How to Skillet Roast Hatch Chiles (and Freeze for Later).

Posted on September 1, 2014 by Sala @ Veggie Belly

Hatch chiles are a type of green chile from Hatch valley, New Mexico. They are in season now and I picked up several pounds on sale. I’ve home roasted the hatch chiles on a skillet and frozen them, so I can enjoy them year round. Hatch chiles are generally mild, although you may get a hot one every now and then. And they smell heavenly when roasting. My kitchen was filled with their smoky aroma all day. I use roasted hatch chiles for all sort of things – on burgers, in pasta, in stews, in quasadillas, eggs…the possibilities are endless.

Hatch chile season is short. So go buy some now and roast them right away; you wont regret it!
I like to use a cast iron skillet for roasting Hatch chiles, because it is heavy and conducts heat evenly. But any heavy skillet will do.

Roast the hatch chiles in a single layer until they are charred on both sides.

Make sure most the surface is charred.

Put the charred chiles in a ziplock bag. Close the bag. The chiles will steam in the bag. And the steam will loosen their skins, making it easy for you to peel.

Let the chiles sit in the bag until the skins loosen and they are cool enough to handle. Then peel away and discard the skin. You will now have succulent, home-roasted Hatch chiles.

Should you seed roasted Hatch chiles or keep the seeds? That’s up to you. The seeds contain some heat. So if you want things to be mild, seed the chiles. To do this, cut the chile vertically in half. Scrape away and discard the exposed seeds. Now chop up the chiles.

I love the flavor and heat of hatch chiles seeds, so I keep all the seeds!

Once chopped, spoon the chiles into smaller freezer bags. (Make sure the chiles are completely cool before feezing!). Gently press out the air. Seal the bag well. Date and label the freezer bag, and place it in the freezer.

How to use Hatch chiles

Green Chile Breakfast Quesadillas from New York Times. A comforting, Santa Fe style brunch dish.
Hatch chile apple cobbler from Homesick Texan. Apples, cinnamon and chiles?! Yes please!
Hatch Chile Pesto from AZCentral. Full of fresh herbs and a great spicy twist to regular pesto.

How to Roast Hatch Chiles in a Skillet

Ingredients
Hatch Chiles

Method
Select fairly straight chiles. The curved and twisted ones will be difficult to evenly char.
1. Heat a heavy bottom skillet on medium-high. Arrange the chiles in a single layer on the skillet. (You may have to do this in batches depending on how many chiles you have).
2. Let the chiles cook on medium-high heat until most their surface is charred and black.
3. At this point, flip the chiles over using tongs and let the other side char as well. If there are any large parts that are still green, use your tongs to gently press that part onto the surface of the skillet so that it gets some char.
4. When the chiles are well charred (its ok if there are little uncharred parts left), place them in a thick zip lock bag and close the bag. This will help steam the chiles and loosen the skin.
5. Keep putting the chiles in the zip lock bag as and when you are done roasting them.
6. Let the chiles steam in the closed Ziploc bag for about 15 minutes, or until the skins get lose and the chiles are cool enough to handle.
7. Now, using your fingers, peel away the charred skin and discard the skins. Place the peeled chiles on a plate or cookie sheet and let them cool completely.
8. Chop the cooled, roasted, peeled chiles. Place them in freezer bags and freeze for later.

Zhug – a Yemeni Cilantro Sauce

Posted on August 18, 2014 by Sala @ Veggie Belly

Zhug, also called Skhug, or Zhoug is a spicy hot sauce used in Yemeni cuisine. Yemenite Jews bought zhug to Israel, and it is popular in the country. I had zhug for the first time when I visited Israel and loved everything about it – the color, the simplicity and the freshness. There are two kinds of zhug – red and green. Red zhug is made with red chiles and green zhug is made with green chiles. This recipe is for green zhug.

I use 4 Thai green chiles in this recipe. It makes for a spicy zhug. If you want it milder, use less chiles. Alternatively, slit the chile open and scrape out and discard the seeds, this will get rid of most the heat. Then use the chile in this recipe.
Some zhugs use half cilantro and half parsley. But I like the all cilantro version. I am greedy about cilantro and always buy more than I need. So this is the perfect use of excess cilantro for me!

Zhug is very easy to make. All you have to do is simply blend all the ingredients together! It will keep in the fridge, in a airtight container for about a week. Traditionally zhug is made in a mortar and pestle. I use a food processor and grind the zhug to a coarse paste.

How to use Zhug:
Think of zhug as a pesto or chutney. Here are some delicious ways to use this incredibly versatile condiment.
- Stir it into soups
- Spoon it over eggs
- Serve as a dip with vegetables, and pita bread
- Mix it into cooked rice or quinoa
- Use as a sandwich spread; its great mixed with some hummus and slathered on a sandwich!

Zhug Recipe

makes about 2 cups

Ingredients
2 bunches cilantro (leaves and stems), chopped. (About 3 cups when chopped)
4 Thai green chiles, or according to taste*
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
Salt

*This will make a spicy zhug. Change the quantity of green chiles according to your taste.

Method
1. Place all ingredients, along with 2 tablespoons of water in a food processor. Blend into a coarse paste. Store the zhug in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Masala Coated Corn Cobs

Posted on August 11, 2014 by Sala @ Veggie Belly

I look forward to the fresh, sweet corn cobs in the summer. I usually roast them on a grill and slather them with butter and chili powder or with miso butter. But this time, I wanted something different – like a corn cob curry. So I decided to make a masala paste with browned onions, tomato, cumin, coriander and chili powder and then toss the corn cobs in it. This recipe will be a perfect summer accompaniment to an Indian meal.
Use a sharp knife to cut the corn cobs into chunks, and be very careful that the corn cob doesn’t slip when you are cutting it. I like to cut it into large chunks. But if you prefer smaller corn cob chunks, go ahead and cut it smaller. But however you cut it, this corn cob masala is best eaten with your hands!
Serve this masala corn cob as an accompaniment to an Indian meal.
I suggest rice or roti, dal and raita.

Masala Coated Corn Cobs

Serves 4-6 as an accompaniment

Ingredients
4 roma tomatoes
4 tablespoons oil
1 small red onion, minced
3/4 tablespoon ginger paste, or grated ginger
3/4 tablespoon garlic paste, or grated garlic
1/4 of a cinnamon stick, optional
1 small bay leaf, optional
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon chili powder or according to taste
3 corn cobs

Method
1. Core the tomatoes and puree them along with 1/2 cup water. Set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large sauce pan. Add the minced onion and cook on medium heat until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Now add the ginger and garlic pastes, and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
3.Add the cinnamon stick, and bay leaf if using and cook for another minute.
4. Now sprinkle the garam masala, coriander powder and chili powder. Stir for 10 seconds. Pour in the pureed tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Remove the husk and silk from the corn cobs. Trim off the top and bottom ends. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut each corn cob into 3 or 4 chunks.
6. Add the cut corn cobs, salt and 1/2 cup water into the sauce pan. Stir well. Let the corn cobs cook, stirring occasionally, until all the water boils away and the masala paste coats the corn cobs. Fish out the bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Pinch off a corn kernel and test it for doneness. If it isn’t fully cooked, add a little more water and continue cooking until the corn kernel are cooke through.
Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Kimchi Fried Rice

Posted on August 7, 2014 by Sala @ Veggie Belly

Kimchi or Kimchee is a Korean side dish made by fermenting cabbage, along with Korean chili peppers and spices. It is a spicy, pungent dish that people either love or hate. I am very much in the former category! If you like strong cheeses and such, you will definitely love Kimchi. And this fried rice is a great introduction to kimchi, if you haven’t had it before. This kimchi fried rice recipe is quick and easy to make and uses just six ingredients!
Kimchi is touted as one of the world’s healthiest foods. It is loaded with vitamin C and probiotic bacteria. Did you know, in Korea people say “Kimchi” instead of “cheese” when posing for photos?!

Kimchi is easily available at Asian markets. Some store bought kimchis have fish (and some don’t). So read the ingredients label before making your purchase. Alternatively, you can make your own kimchi at home.
Day old, cooked rice works best for this recipe. That’s because old rice has had a chance to dry out and wont get mushy when you make the fried rice. If you already have left over rice on hand, use 3 cups of that for this recipe. If not, cook 1 cup of jasmine rice (this will yield about 3 cups cooked rice), spread it our in a platter to cool and then refrigerate it over night before using. I like jasmine rice for this kimchi fried rice recipe, but any kind of rice will work. Just make sure its not over cooked.

Kimchi Fried Rice Recipe

serves about 2

Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoon oil
1/2 a yellow onion, sliced thin
1/2 a small green pepper, sliced thin. Optional
A pinch of crushed red pepper or according to taste. Optional
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup thinly sliced cabbage kimchi, available in Asian markets
3 cups cooked, day old jasmine rice*
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 scallions, chopped. Optional
2 eggs. Substitute with 1/2 cup of cubed, sautéed firm tofu.

*Any kind of rice will work for this recipe; but the amount of water needed and cooking time will vary depending on the kind of rice you use. Just make sure its not over cooked.

To make day old rice – place 1 cup jasmine rice and 1 1/2 cups of water in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Stir well. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and let the rice simmer for 10 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and the riced is cooked through. The rice must be fluffy and separate, not mushy. Spread the rice out on a platter or large plate. Let it cook completely. Then cover refrigerate it over night.

Method
1. Heat the oil on high heat in a wok. Add the onion, green pepper if using, crushed pepper if using, and garlic. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Add the sliced kimchi and cook for 1 minute. Then add the rice and soy sauce. Stir on high heat until everything is well combined and some of the rice is lightly brown. Taste the fried rice for salt. If you’d like it more salty, add more soy sauce and stir. Sprinkle chopped scallions on top.
3. Heat a small skillet with a few drops of oil on medium heat. Carefully break open an egg onto the skillet. Let it cook undisturbed, until the white is set, but the yellow is still a little runny. Carefully slide the egg on top of the rice. Repeat with the other egg.

Blueberry Lime Lassi Popsicles

Posted on August 5, 2014 by Sala @ Veggie Belly

Last week, we went blueberry picking in Blue Bee Farms in Sauvie Island, Portland. It was a wonderful, relaxing evening picking blueberries with friends and enjoying the Portland summer. Before we knew it we had picked 50 pounds of blueberries! Blueberry recipes were already starting to pop up in my head! I thought I should make lassi, an Indian fruit and yogurt drink, with a batch of blueberries before I froze them for later use. Then I got a better idea. Blueberry lime lassi popsicles! They are easy to make and a unique frozen treat for a warm day.
If you don’t have popsicle molds, you can still make these popsicles. Simply the pour the lassi into paper cups and freeze them. Then when they are half frozen, stick a spoon in the middle. When you are ready to eat, tear away the paper cup, and wrap the spoon in a paper towel so it doesn’t get too cold to hold.
I cooked the blueberries in sugar briefly. But this step is optional. You can also simply puree all ingredients, uncooked, and feeze them. See the recipe below for the no-cook variation. I’ve tried a dairy-free version of this recipe, using coconut milk instead of yogurt and that was very tasty as well.

Blueberry Lime Lassi Popsicles Recipe

makes 4 popsicles

Ingredients
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup sugar
1/16 teaspoon (tiny pinch) ground cardamom, optional
A pinch of salt
1 cup full fat yogurt
Juice of 1 lime

A popsicle mold that can hold 4 popsicles
4 wood popsicle sticks

Method
1. Place the blueberries, sugar, salt and cardamom if using in a heavy bottom pan. Cook on medium heat until the berries are soft and mash easily, about 4 minutes.
2. Let the berry mixture cool to room temperature. Then pour it into a blender, along with the lime juice and yogurt. Blend until very smooth.
3. Pour the lassi into popsicle molds and freeze until semi-solid, about 1 hour. Now insert the popsicle sticks half way into the mold. Return to the freezer and let the popsicles freeze solid, about 4 hours.

No-Cook Version
1.Blend all ingredients in a blender until very smooth. Pour the lassi into popsicle molds and freeze in the freezer.
2.When the popsicles are semi-frozen, about 1 hour, insert the popsicle sticks half way. Freeze until the pops are solid, about 4 hours.

Soy Curls Taco

Posted on July 21, 2014 by Sala @ Veggie Belly

Vegetarian Soy Curls Taco

I first discovered Butler soy curls about 6 years ago. Since then, this soy curl taco has been my favorite dish using soy curls. I take back a bag of soy curls for my parents when I visit India. They use it to make masala coated soy curls dish and love it! Soy curls absorb flavors easily and are meaty and satisfying – the best fake meat ever! Even the meat lovers will love this vegetarian, vegan recipe!
soy curls and peppers for taco filling rehydrating dried soy curls in boiling water rehydrated soy curls
Rehydrating soy curls is easy. Just add hot water to them and soak for about 5 minutes. Then drain. When the soy curls are cool enough to handle, squeeze out as much water as you can. Your soy curls are now all reconstituted and ready to jump into the taco filling! For the filling I used peppers, onions, Mexican oregano and chili powder.
soy curls peppers and onions with mexican spices Corn tortillas, mexican oregano and chili powder for taco filling
I prefer using corn tortillas over flour. But feel free to whatever kind of tortilla you like – corn, flour, whole wheat – its all good. Use whatever toppings you like for the tacos as well. I topped my soy curl tacos with salsa, shredded cheese and shredded lettuce.

Soy Curls Taco Recipe

serves about 2-3

Ingredients
1 cup soy curls
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red or green pepper, sliced into strips
1 small red onion, sliced into half moons
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
1/2 teaspoon Ancho chili powder. Substitute with regular chili powder or paprika.
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Juice of half a lime
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Half a lime cut into wedges
6-8 small sized corn or flour tortillas

Toppings – pick what you like
Salsa
Guacamole
Sour cream
Grated cheese
Shredded lettuce

Method
1. First rehydrate the soy curls. Boil water in a kettle. Place soy curls in a bowl and pour enough boiling water over them to completely submerge the soy curls. Let the soy curls soak in the hot water for about 5 minutes or until they are soft. Then drain them in a colander. When the soy curls have cooled enough to handle, squeeze out as much water as you can and set aside.
2. Heat the oil on medium-high heat in a large wok or skillet. Add the sliced peppers and onions and sauté for about 2 minutes.
3. Then add the rehydrated soy curls, ground cumin, oregano, chili powder, garlic powder, lime juice and salt. Saute for another 2 minutes. Sprinkle chopped cilantro on top.
4. Just before serving, wrap the tacos in a stack, in a kitchen towel and microwave them for about 20 seconds. Keep the tacos covered to prevent them from drying out.
5. To serve, fill a warm taco with the soy curl filling and top with your choice of toppings from the list above. Serve the lime wedges on the side.