Author Archives: Sala @ Veggie Belly

Acorn Squash Soup with Chipotle Cream Recipe

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I am still getting used to all the rain in Portland. I figured my best defense against a foggy, rainy day is a good, thick, creamy soup. My neighborhood food co-op had some great looking acorn squash and I decided to use them for this acorn squash soup with chipotle cream.

You can use any kind of winter squash in this soup – butternut, kabocha, delicate etc. Just make sure you get the squash browned and soft in the oven.

I had bookmarked Virginia Willis’ brilliant Acorn Squash and Sweet Potato soup featured on the beautiful Tartelette blog, and used the recipe as an inspiration. Virginia adds a ‘brilliant touch’ to her soup – a dollop of heavy cream whipped with rum, lemon zest and thyme.

Here, I top my acorn squash soup with cream and chipotle peppers. I love using chipotle in winter squash recipes, like in my brown sugar and chipotle baked butternut squash recipe. You can make the chipotle cream a day ahead. You could even make extra and use the cream over burritos or Mexican rice.

The lime zest cuts the creaminess of the soup and balances out the chipotle peppers well. You can also use orange zest instead.

Acorn Squash Soup with Chipotle Cream recipe

Serves 2-3

Acorn Squash Soup Recipe

Ingredients
1 acorn squash
1 teaspoon + 1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2  medium onion, diced
A dash of cinnamon
3 cups vegetable stock
Salt
1/3 cup chipotle cream, recipe below
1/2 teaspoon lime zest

Method
Pre heat oven to 350f

Cut the acorn squash in half, along its equator. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and fiber. Brush 1 teaspoon oil on the cut sides and inside of the squash. Sprinkle with salt. Place the squash in a baking

sheet and bake till it is browned and very soft, about 1 hour.

When the squash is done, remove from oven and let it cool a little. When it is cool enough to handle, removed the skin from the squash and discard.

Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in a skillet. Add the onion and sauté on medium heat till onions are soft. Add the baked, peeled squash, cinnamon, vegetable stock, and salt.

Boil for about 5 minutes or till the squash is soft. Then puree the soup in a blender. Be careful when pureeing hot liquids in a blender – make sure you vent the lid a little.

To serve – Pour the hot soup into 2 or 3 bowls. Top each bowl with about 1 tablespoon chipotle cream. Sprinkle lime zest on top.

Chipotle Cream Recipe

makes about 1/3 cup

Ingredients
1/3 cup cream
2 teaspoons minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
Salt

Method
Place everything in a blender or food processor. Blend till the cream thickens a little, about 4 minutes. Make sure you don’t over blend the cream, otherwise it will separate.

Taste the cream and adjust salt if needed. If you want it spicier, add some of the sauce from the chipotle can.

Scrape out chipotle cream into a bowl and set aside.

Thenga Manga Pattani Sundal Recipe

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A Guest Post for Shulie of Food Wanderings

Like me, if you are from the state of Tamil Nadu in India, you know the famous thenga manga pattani sundal you get on the beach in Madras. I see the city growing every time I visit – the buildings get taller, and the cars get fancier. But one thing remains the same – the thenga (coconut) manga (mango) pattani (peas) sundal on the beach. Young boys sell these from huge stainless steel buckets. I hope the tradition of beach goers buying a newspaper bundle of thenga manga pattani sundal on Marina beach never goes away.

For a recipe for this easy sundal, head over to my friend Shulie’s blog, read my guest post there and follow her on twitter.

A Vegetarian Road Trip Across America. What I’m Seeing Doing and Eating Part3 and a Giveaway

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Its official, I am a Portlander now! I completed my cross country trip and arrived in Portland, OR 2 weeks ago. Phew! This is the final post of my road trip series, and was written during the last leg of my journey. This is a bandwidth intensive post because there are lots of pictures. If you have trouble loading the pictures, please email and let me know veggiebelly AT gmail.com

If you havent already, read part1 and part2 of my vegetarian road trip across America.

Notes from the Road

Total miles traveled – 3,791
States covered so far - Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Oregon
Cities visited - Cleveland OH, Chicago IL, Madison WI, Wisconsin Dells WI, La Crosse WI, Sioux Falls SD, Rapid City SD, Sheridan WY, Cody WY, Jackson WY, Boise ID, Portland OR
Mood – tired, eager to get to Portland, but feeling rather triumphant that I will be completing a cross country trip soon
Most Memorable Moment – watching the Old Faithful geyser erupt at night into a star studded sky
Most shocking thing I saw – a highway billboard that said “Help manage our wildlife populations. Wear fur.” Wyoming.
“I am not in DC anymore” moments – 1.seeing atleast 15 taxidermist shops 2.seeing a drive through liquor store 3.facing no traffic at all at any time of the day 4.staying in a house with a real wood burning fireplace
Best meal so far – Homemade idlis that my dear friend Sandhya bought when she visited me in Yellowstone. They were the softest idlis I’ve ever had! Such a treat to picnic with them by Lake Yellowstone. The fries at the Boise Fry company were insanely good. Not a meal technically, but it was so superb!
Craving – curd rice, a veggie bowl from Chipotle

A Magical Weekend at Yellowstone National Park

 

The Old Faithful Geyser erupts every 90 minutes or so.

Geyser basins at Yellowstone.

The Old Faithful Inn, Yellowstone

The Old Faithful Inn, built in 1903 using wood from Yellowstone National Park was the most unique, cozy hotel I’ve ever stayed in. Their historic dining room, gigantic stone fire place and rustic log cabin type rooms were all so warm and charming. I spent the evenings sitting on one of their cozy sofas overlooking the lobby, sipping herbal tea, and listening to the cello playing in a distance. It was like being transported back in time.

The mesh box like thing with the long iron handle above is an old pop corn maker. Back in the day, they put popping corn in it and put it in the fire place at the Old Faithful Inn.

Above: The historic restaurant at Old Faithful Inn.

My good friend Sandhya, author of the blog Vegetarian Nirvana, joined me for a few days on this leg of the trip. It was wonderful to share my Yellowstone experience with her. Like me, she is also vegetarian, and came well prepared for her trip.

Finding vegetarian food at Yellowstone wasn’t difficult, but our choice was limited. We had the packaged Indian food Sandhya brought along from Trader Joes for a few meals. Dinners were usually at the grand, historic restaurant at the Old Faithful Inn where we were staying.

Above left is a hottle filled with hot water for tea. To the right – dinner at Old Faithful. A roasted vegetable stack of zucchini, red peppers, portobello mushroom and a disc of crispy polenta.

Every moment at Yellowstone was magical – from the stunning rainbow that greeted me just as I entered the park, to Sandhya’s delicious homemade idlis we snacked on sitting at a picnic table by lake Yellowstone. The idlis were sauteed with lots of mustard seeeds, green chillies and asafoetida. Just how I like it. I was in idli heaven, floating on a fluffy idli cloud.

Wyoming - They Have Real Cowboys!

 It was just like in the movies (or like on Pioneer Woman)! I drove by cowboys on horses, rounding up sheep. And the cowboys were wearing chaps, and cowboy hats and all other stuff cowboys wear. They even tip their cowboy hats and say “howdy!”. I was unmistakably in the wild west!

Beer bread mix in a bottle and Chocolate covered huckleberry fudge cupcakes.

Lunch at Bridge Creek back country kitchen & wine bar in Red Lodge, Montana – soba noodles with plum coconut ginger sauce. They werent real soba noodles, but still very tasty.

I want!

Lotus Cafe, Jackson WY

The wonderful Lotus Cafe in Jackson, WY. We stumbled upon this while walking around town. And we knew instantly that the word “lotus” promises healthy, vegetarian food.  The food was excellent; great atmosphere too.

They have a very interesting list of teas, smoothies, and organic cocktails. I had the navigator tea, whch is meant to “open the heart and release..gently cleanse on many levels. Linden leaf, roasted dandelion root, jasmine flower, St Johns wort, hawthorne berry, elder flower, lotus petal”.

Next we had a thai green curry with brown rice. And a blackbean and veggie burrito, mole sauce and blue corn chips.

If you are ever in Jackson, WY, the Lotus Cafe is a must visit for vegetarians and vegan. You will love it.

The Boise Fry Company - When You Are in Idaho, You Have to Eat a Potato!

I have to thank my car’s GPS for pointing me towards the Boise Fry Company. Their fries were phenomenal and what better place to eat deep fried potatoes than Idaho! I love their fry bar concept. You pick what kind of potato you want, what kind of cut, and few minutes later you get a bowl full of amazing fries. You then have a choice of about 25 kinds of salts and sauces for your fries. It was so much fun and so cheap!

We had a regular cut purple potato fries, curly cut laura potato fries and po’balls which are like tater tots. We doused each one in different combinations of salts and sauces. I loved their smoked hickory salt and their rosemary garlic salt. I still think about these fries!

Commonly Asked Questions About My Road Trip Across America

I already did an FAQ about this trip in my previous post. I’ve received more emails with questions, so here is another installment.

How did you take pictures of yourself when you were alone?
I put my camera on a tripod and triggered it using a remote control. Or I hand my camera to other people to take a picture of me.

What kind of music did you listen to on your drive?
I knew I’d need a lot of music for this trip, so I made playlists on itunes before leaving. I mostly listened to Indian music. I am a huge fan of A.R.Rahman and had his Hindi and Tamil songs playing a lot. When I didn’t feel like listening to music, I switched to Bill Bryson’s audio book, “Notes from a small island”. I also tuned in to local radio stations once in a while for information on weather and traffic.

How do you stay healthy on long trips?
I try to drink lots of water to stay hydrated; it also helps digestion. I like to eat as much fresh fruits, salads and vegetables as I can. I have a tendency to catch colds easily, so I take a high dose of vitamin C, like Airborne, every other day when im traveling. I find that the vitamin C really helps me.

Any tips for girls traveling alone?
-          Use common sense and instinct. If something doesn’t feel right to you, don’t do it.
-          Wear a wedding ring, even if you aren’t married.
-          Talk about a husband, even if you don’t have one.
-          Walk with confidence even if you are lost.  
-          Split your money in 2-3 places – like an inner pocket, your purse and your suitcase. That way if one gets lost, you still have money in other places.
-          Lock your car.
-          Always keep an eye on your belongings. If you have to put your backpack or handbag down, between yours legs is the best place.
-          Trust people. Most the people you will meet in your travels and good human beings. Interact with them for a richer experience.

For more FAQs see my previous post.

 

 

Road Trip Giveaway

I’m Sharing the Goodies I Picked Up Along the Way!

One randomly picked lucky winner will receive the following things I picked up in various states on my trip:

1.Woodenknife fry bread mix. Marketed by the Lakota tribe, this mix makes it easy to make your own Native Indian fry bread or Indian tacos. I had the fry bread made from this very mix in South Dakota, and it was delicous. Read more about my fry bread experience here.
2. The Cheese Factory Restaurant Cookbook. The best vegetarian cookbook I’ve seen! I ate at the Cheese Factory Restaurant, and the food was superb. The recipes in this book are easy and so full of flavor that you will love it!! Recipes include rattle snake tofu, their famous mushroom stroganoff, split pea and smoked seitan soup, Mexican “ouchies”, kasha and brown rice pilaf, dal, Greek eggplant salad and much much more.
I’ve eaten their food, so trust me when I say this is the best vegetarian and vegan cookbook you will lay your hands on!
3.Wild Huckleberry Pancake Mix
4.Yellowstone Pink and Yellow Spoon Rest 
5.Kick Butt Hickory Spice Rub – great on tofu! 
6.Wild Plum Jelly 
7.Wild Black Rice – Minnesota style super long grain black rice
8.Wall Drug cook book – put together by the people at the Wall Drug store. Not a vegetarian cookbook, but there are tons of fun recipes like cheese puffs, quick coffee cake, whole wheat zucchini bread, brownie shortcake, vegetable burritos, noodle garden salad etc 
 9. Corn Meal Wasna – buttery corn meal candy with sugar, raisins, cranberries and chocke cherries.
10. Chokecherry Tea

How to enter the giveaway

‘Like’ Veggie Belly on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Subscribe to my RSS feed

Do one or more of the above. Then come back here, post a comment and let me know that you have.

If you are already following me through facebook, twitter or RSS feed, just leave a comment telling me so and you are entered in the giveaway!

Giveaway ends Wednesday, October 26th 2011, 9pm PST.  One random winner will be picked. I will ship anywhere in the world.

This giveaway has ended, winner is comment #19, Betty!

Mishti Doi Recipe – Yogurt Set with Caramelized Sugar

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..a guest post by Pavithra of Dishes from my Kitchen

I have just completed a cross country drive across America (read about it here and here!) and moved to Portland, OR. While I’m settling in, I’ve asked my good friend and talented blogger, Pavithra to guest post today. Pavithra and I made an instant connection because we are from the same city in India. And I have followed her beautiful blog and seen it grow into a hugely popular destination for Indian food lovers. You are going to love this sweet yogurt recipe! Take it away Pavithra.

First of all I should say thanks to Sala for giving me an opportunity to do this guest post. I am truly honored! Who can say no when your favorite blogger friend asks you to guest post?

I am here today with very rich dessert but really simple to make. Mishti Doi is a Bengali dessert. Bengal is a part of East India and Bengalis are very famous for their sweet preparation. Mishti Doi is among their well known dessert, I have enjoyed having them from my childhood days. Whenever my dad visits Bangalore he will never miss to have them, similarly whenever he takes us to Bangalore we used to enjoy them in a cute earthen pot in a famous Bengali sweet shop.

Mishti Doi is a sweet yogurt. It is made with milk and sugar. A part of sugar is caramelized to give lovely caramel flavor. This is a very popular dessert. Earthenware is always used as the container for making this because the gradual evaporation of water through its porous walls not only further thickens the yogurt, but also produces the right temperature for the growth of the culture. Very often the yogurt is delicately seasoned with a hint of elaichi (cardamoms) for fragrance, but this is absolutely optional. I some times make with Saffron, elaichi or just with caramelized sugar. You can prepare the way you like.

I am giving you two ways of preparing this delicious and flavorful yogurt. If you have evaporated milk and condensed milk handy then go for ver I else you can do the ver II.

Mishti Doi Recipe 1

makes about 4 cups

Ingredients
 1 can (12 oz) Evaporated Milk
 1 cup boiled whole milk
1/2 can (7 oz) Condensed Milk 
2 tablespoons Sugar
1 tablespoon Water
1/3 cup Yogurt

Method
Preheat the oven to 175 degree Fahrenheit and switch off the oven.

1. Pour the evaporated milk and whole milk in a vessel.
2. Heat them until it is above body temperature.
3. To this add the condensed milk.
4. In the mean time heat 2 tbsp of sugar in a pan on low heat until the sugar is caramelized to nice golden brown. Turn off heat. Now add 1 tbsp of water and stir with a spoon.
5. Add this caramelized sugar to the milk mixture.
6. When the milk mixture is warm add the yogurt and blend well.
7. Pour them in individual serving containers.
8. Close with lid or foil. Let the yogurt set overnight in the preheated oven (dont turn on the oven!)
9. Then refrigerate set yogurt for at least few hours before serving.

Mishti Doi Recipe 2

If you don’t have the condensed and evaporated milk called for in recipe1, no worries here is another recipe for mishti doi without using condensed milk or evaporated.
Makes about 4 cups

Ingredients
3 cups whole milk 
3/4 cup Sugar
1/3 tablespoon Plain Yogurt, whisked
1 tablespoon Water

Method
1. Heat the milk in the heavy bottom pan. Reserving 1/3 cups of the sugar for caramelizing and add the rest to the hot milk. Let boil and reduce to half the quantity.
2. In the mean time heat reserved 1/3 cup of sugar in a pan on low heat until the sugar is caramelized to nice golden brown. Turn off the heat. Now to that add 1 tbsp of water and stir with a spoon.
3. Add this caramelized sugar to the milk and stir until well blended.
4. Let the milk cool just until it is warm (but not hot). Then add the yogurt and mix well.
5. Pour in serving dishes/ pots and set overnight in a warm place*.
6. Once the yogurt is firm, put it in the refrigerator for few hours before serving.

Notes
- Mishti Doi taste’s best when served in earthen pot but it’s optional. But we love making them in earthen pot it really comes out very creamy its my personal experience.
- *Using the warm oven is optional, if the weather is really hot just put the pot in a cool dry place and let them set overnight. If the weather is very cool then opt for oven method to set the yogurt.
- If you want to flavor the yogurt using cardamom or saffron, just omit the caramelization part of sugar. Instead add less then 1/4 tsp of cardamom powder or Saffron (mixed with hot water) to the milk mixture before the yogurt is added

Aloo Gobi Tart Recipe

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..a guest post by Radhika of Food for 7 Stages

I have been reading Radhika’s mouth watering blog,  Food for 7 stages right since its inception. I am excited to invite her to guest blog today, because her recipe for aloo gobi (Indian potato and cauliflower curry) tart is ingenious. We usually eat al00 gobi with rotis, but radhika puts this classic curry on a puff pastry shell to make it a spicy, decadent meal.

And make sure you read my travel posts, about my vegetarian road trip across america part1 and part2

You need inspiration and then some motivation to pursue a task. When it comes to blogging I draw the inspiration from bloggers like Sala of Veggie Belly. Her eye candy pics, storytelling and her love for traveling makes me feel connected with her though I don’t know her personally. But that is what a good blog and good blogger do to you.

When I came to know that Sala was looking for bloggers to guest post whilst she was traveling across the country, I immediately wrote to her. And she graciously accepted my request to guest post in her beautiful blog. Though it is hard to express my gratitude through words, I thank Sala wholeheartedly for giving me this opportunity to write this guest post in Veggie Belly. 

The tree in front of my home warned us well ahead of time about the changing season. Though I am happy to see those bright orange leaves am not really prepared to face the  aftermath. The thought of unpacking the long forgotten boxes filled with our jackets and winter clothes makes me nervous. I couldn’t believe that one brutal winter can change my love for this season. However, I have to accept the fact and move forward. Before the temperature drops further I have to move all my plants indoor, paint our deck and rearrange my home. Sigh. 

As there is always a blessing in disguise, it is the right time to turn on my oven and get started with baking again. The nip in the air made me crave for something hot yet spicy and I got reminded of the gluten free fusion tart I baked few months ago. Though I was not very happy with the tart crust as the sweetness of almond meal was overpowering the better half seemed to like it. And Aloo Gobhi tart it is. This time I wanted to whip up something real quick and I didn’t have patience to make the tart crust from the scratch. Ding… The idea of using puff pastry popped in my mind and viola I had a delicious savory tart to share it with you all. Flaky buttery crust forms a perfect base for this spiced Aloo Gobhi Masala and I would never think of using another crust recipe. Yumm.

There are very few vegetables that marry well with each other. Cauliflower (Gobi) and Potatoes (Aloo) are the right candidates for this perfect marriage. When these two vegetables are blended together with the right spices they create wonders and Aloo Gobhi is one such popular dish from India. The very thought of combining this popular curry with flaky puff pastry makes me weak at the knees. If you are a savory lover like me, go ahead and make this Aloo Gobi tart. I am sure you will enjoy this fusion savory tart as much as my family did. 

Aloo Gobi Tart Recipe

serves 2-3

Ingredients
2 cup Cauliflower florets
2 Potatoes (medium size)
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
1/2 cup finely chopped Onion
1/4 cup finely chopped Tomato
3 teaspoon Canola Oil (or any cooking oil)
1/4 teaspoon Cumin Seeds / Jeera
2 Cardamon pods
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder
1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri Chili Powder or red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon Cumin Powder
1/2 teaspoon Coriander Powder
1/4 teaspoon Garam masala
2 teaspoon Yogurt
2 cup + 4 teaspoon Water
Salt to taste
1 Puff Pastry Sheet (preferably Pepperidge farm), substitute with home made or store bought pie crust
1/4 tablespoon Butter (Optional)
2 tsp Dried fenugreek leaves / Kasuri Methi (Optional)

Method
 Preheat oven to 400 F.

Line a baking tray with wax/parchment paper or foil. Brush it with butter/oil. Place 1 frozen puff pastry sheet on it and allow it to thaw.

Wash cauliflower florets. In a sauce pan, add 2 cup of water, 1/2 tsp salt. Bring it to boil. Turn off and add the cauliflower florets. Let it stand for couple of minutes. This step will cleanse the cauliflower.

In another sauce pan, boil Potatoes until it is 95% cooked (fork tender). I prefer to steam the potatoes. I cut them into equal size chunks and put it in my steamer for 5-6 minutes.

In a wok/kadai, add oil. When it is hot add cumin seeds and allow it to sizzle. Add cardamon, finely chopped ginger. Add onion. Saute until it turns translucent, for 2-3 minutes on medium flame.

Then add tomato, 1/2 tsp salt and saute for another 3 minutes or until it becomes mushy. Add turmeric powder, chili powder, kashmiri chili powder, saute. Add 2-4 tsp water to prevent it from sticking.

Add cumin powder, coriander powder and saute. Add 2 tsp yogurt, potato and cauliflower. Mix well. Adjust salt as per taste.

Then add garam masala, mix and close the kadai with a lid and let it simmer for couple of minutes. This will allow the flavors to marry well. Do not forget to stir in between to avoid sticking to the pan.

Open the lid, if there is any liquid left cook for couple of minutes until the water evaporates. Turn off and allow it to cool.

Place the baking tray in oven and bake the puff pastry sheet for 10 minutes. Remove it from the oven and reduce the temperature to 350 F.

Spread the Aloo Gobhi Masala on the tart. Add few swirls of butter and bake for another 10-15 minutes.

Serve it hot.

A Vegetarian Road Trip Across America. What Im Seeing, Doing and Eating Part 2

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It has been an awe inspiring, eye opening trip so far and I am seeing so many breathtaking sites. Above is a picture of the magnificent Badlands in South Dakota. I wasnt expecting great vegetarian food driving through this part of the world, but I landed up discovering superb restaurants and some very unique vegetarian foods. Read on to see everything I’ve been eating and ‘cooking’ on this cross country drive.

If you’ve missed it, make sure you read part 1 of this trip first.

Notes from the Road

Total miles traveled – 3,001
States covered so far - Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
Cities visited - Cleveland OH, Chicago IL, Madison WI, Wisconsin Dells WI, La Crosse WI, Sioux Falls SD, Rapid City SD, Cody WY, Jackson WY, Idaho Falls ID, Boise ID 
Mood – awestruck and inspiried by what I’ve seen and experienced so far..
Observations –  Human directions are better than GPS directions; your GPS is not human.
I’m falling in love with America all over again. What a beautiful country! And driving across it is such a great way to see it
Best meal so far – vegetarian Native Indian taco at a tiny mountain cafe in Cheyenne Crossing, SD. Recipe below
Craving – Curd rice and hot masala chai
National parks and monuments visited – Badlands, Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Custer State Park, Devils Tower, Yellowstone National Park, Grand Tetons
Entrance fees paid for the above - $103
Wildlife spotted - praire dog, fox, bison, elk, pronghorn, deer, lots of birds and creepy crawlies

Cutest Thing I Ever Saw

Custer State Park in South Dakota is home to the cutest donkeys ever. These little donkeys are called begging burros because they come up to passing cars and beg for food. Sometimes they wont let you go untill youve fed them. I took some bread from my hotel for them. They eat anything – donuts, pretzels, crackers. Cutest things ever!

Vegetarian Food on a Cross Country Road Trip – What I’m Eating

 I knew I was driving through the blackhills and would have to pack lunch that day. I had bought along a few Dr McDougalls vegan soup cups. The tortilla soup tasted decent.  All I had to do was add hot water to it and put it in my thermos. The soup plus and apple was a nice light lunch. What was even better was that I picnicked along a creek in the spearfish canyon, surrounded by breath taking fall colors.

The beautiful Spreafish Canyon, SD

Another time I made myself a quick vegetarian lunch on the road was in Wyoming. I was driving about 300 miles that day and was starving by early afternoon. I opened up a bag of spring mix I’d bought earlier in the city, tossed in some canned sweet corn, seasoned salt, sun chips and olive oil.

Then I drove by smallest town I’ve seen - Emblem WY, population 10 people!

I was also eating out during my trip ofcourse. A memorable meal was at the Phillips Avenue Diner in Sioux Falls, SD. I skipped the deep fried twinkie on their menu..gross. But the Salty Dog shake was heavenly – it was vanilla icecream, caramel syrup and beer nuts all blended together. It was caramely, salty and sweet.

And them something happened that every road tripper should dread. My masala dabba (Indian spice box) spilled itself all over my car’s trunk. That meant I had to take out my 2 suitcases, 7 boxes, 3 bags, 1 comforter, and 1 computer and then vaccum the whole car. Ugh! Such a pain trying to suck up all those little mustard seeds. Lesson: when you travel with a full masala dabba, tape up the damn thing!

Finding Vegetarian Food in the Land of Bison Meat

 

I was asked several times in South Dakota if a vegetarian eats chicken and fish. Seriously. This is the land of meat and potatoes and often that meat is bison. So how was I going to find tasty, healthy vegetarian food in South Dakota? At a restaurant that specializes in local meats ofcourse! I have nothing against non-vegetarian restaurants. They are afterall, the majority. If I can find a well constructed vegetarian meal at a Bison meat place, I am happy to eat there.

The Corn Exchange is a beautiful fine dining restaurant in Rapid City, SD that specializes in cooking with local, organic meats and produce.

Locally Grown Buffalo MeatI met acclaimed Chef and owner MJ Adams at the restaurant and chatted with her before dinner. Here are some things I asked her. (Photo of MJ with bison courtesy of The Corn Exchange.)

Sala: What is your food philosophy?
 MJ: I take what is in season and worship the food. Somewhat like Alice Waters’ philosophy. I like to take seasonal stuff and prepare them in the simplest way possible.
 

Sala: I know there isn’t a big vegetarian culture here in South Dakota, but you always have one vegetarian entrée on your menu. How do you design your vegetarian dishes?
MJ: I try to make it exciting. We use local vegetables like eggplant, english peas etc. We care about food and want to create dishes that people havent had before. We treat vegetarian dishes like any other entree and try to add wonderful components to them.
 

Sala: What are some of the vegetarian dishes you have served at the restaurant?
MJ: Right now we have a vindaloo of fresh tomatoes, cauliflower and zucchini. I like doing Indian inspired dishes. We’ve previously had organic garnet yams in a coconut green curry. Another vegetarian dish at the Corn Exchange was a polenta with roasted summer vegetables like asparagus, peppers and zucchini all drizzled with basil oil.

The vegetarian entrée of the day was a fresh vegetable vindaloo topped with seared tofu. It sounded interesting, and I sat down to order it.

First came some nice bread with grass fed butter sprinkled with a touch of Hawaiian red sea salt – what a nice idea!

Next, I had a beautiful turnip soup. The turnip was local; and Chef MJ Adams sautés onions, carrots, celery, adds some sage, potatoes and turnips and cooks the soup in water. I loved the unadulterated turnip flavor of the soup.

The entrée was 2 seared tofu pieces sitting on a vindaloo of tomatoes, cauliflower and zucchini. The dish was light, and had a hint of ginger, garlic and cumin.

Native American & Other Food Finds

If you are ever in Rapid City, SD make sure you visit the Praire Edge Gallery. Their Native American art collection and souveniers are unique and interesting.

Michael, who owns Praire Edge gave me a ton of information about Native American food. One of the staples is a dried turnip (above left) that is reconstituted by boiled and eaten with meats. Wasna (above right) is a kind of Native American meat and berry patty.

Below are some more interesting food finds from my road trip..

 

How to Make Indian Tacos

While driving through the Blackhills of South Dakota, I stumbled upon the  Cheyenne Crossing Café. I was really hoping this charming little café (the only food place I had seen in over 50 miles of driving) would have  some vegetarian food. Not only did they have vegetarian food on the menu, they had a veggie version of their famous Indian tacos! AND they showed me how to make them!

Read on to see how the Cheyenne crossing café makes their  Indian tacos.

An Indian taco is a piece of Indian fry bread, topped with beans, meat, lettuce etc. Fry bread is the official state bread of South Dakota. It was introduced to the Native Americans by European settlers and is now a common food.

Fry bread is basically flour, baking powder and salt kneaded together with water. The dough is then rolled out and deep fried into soft, golden pillows.

Cheyenne crossing café was kind enough to let me into their kitchen and show me how they make their famous Indian taco.

The cafe uses Woodenknife fry bread mix. But you don’t need a mix. Making Indian fry bread is very easy, you just knead together flour, baking powder, salt and water. Take a look at my friend Michael’s excellent recipe for fry bread and vegetarian Indian tacos on his site, Herbivracious. 

 Chef Carol at the Cheyenne Crossing Café kneads a big bunch of fry bread dough.

Then she rolls it out into a big round.

She deep fries it in canola oil untill it is puffy and golden.

The fry bread is now ready to become an Indian taco. My vegetarian Indian taco had beans, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, cheese and sour cream on top of the fry bread.

Eating my Indian taco – fry bread, beans, cheese, sour cream, lettuce. Really good and really bad (for you) at the same time!

Commonly Asked Questions About My Road Trip Across America

I’ve received many emails with questions about my road trip. People I meet along the way also seem to have similar questions for me, so I thought I’d do a little FAQ.

Are you driving alone?
Mostly. My husband came with me up to Chicago. A friend met up with me and rode with me for a few days. Other than that I am driving alone.

Are you scared?
No. I am being careful and sensible (for the most part!). There is nothing scary about driving in the US as long as you practise common sense. I dont drive at night, and I dont stay in shady places. I feel safe doing this trip. And I am having a tremendous amount of fun.

What if your car breaks down?
I drive a good, safe car that is tuned up and taken care of. I really dont expect car trouble. But I got myself a AAA membership before my trip. So if I was ever in trouble, I could call them and they will come out and help me.

Where are you staying?
A combination of hotels, friends homes, and Couch Surfing. Couch Surfing is a great idea – it connects travelers with locals who host them in their homes. I’ve hosted and been hosted several times around the world, and it has always been a wonderful experience.

Are you getting internet everywhere?
Pretty much. When I cant find a network, I use the Sprint MiFi my husband gave me. Cell phone service however, has been patchy in the moutains.

How are you processing your photos on the road?
I have my laptop with me. But my laptop doesnt have photoshop, which is the editing software I usually use. So I use Picasa to edit my pictures on my laptop for now.

Why are you driving cross country?
Read Part 1 of this series to learn more.

Rice Noodles and Vegetables in Soy Cilantro Broth Recipe

I was in Wall, a tiny little town in South Dakota. I really couldnt find any vegetarian options that I liked in town. So I decided to make myself something quick using my kettle and the vegetables I had in my cooler. Vary the amount of noodles, vegetables and seasonings however you like.

serves 1

Ingredients

8-10 pieces of dried shitake mushrooms
a handfull of rice noodles or rice sticks
2 handfulls of baby spinach
1 small carrot, chopped tiny
3 tablespoons sweet corn
1-2 soy sauce packets (saved from take out)
2 tablespoons cilantro paste (from a tube, found in the salad section of grocery store)
Red chili flakes
Garlic salt
A drizzle of sesame oil

Method

Reconstitute the mushrooms – boil water in a kettle, pour it in a bowl with the mushrooms, cover and let it soak till the mushrooms are soft. Fish out the mushrooms and reserve the soaking liquid.
Then Boil about 3 cups of water in a kettle. Place all ingredients in a large bowl, including the reconstituted mushroom. Pour boiling water over. Cover and let it sit about 12 minutes or till the rice noodles have softened. For extra flavor, add some of the mushroom soaking liquid.

Bisi Bele Bath Recipe

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..a guest post by Radhika of Just Home Made

I am driving cross country at the moment, and I’ve just seen Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota! As I trek across America, I am posting a series of essays about what I’m seeing, doing and eating. Read the first one here – A Vegetarian Road Trip Across America.

While I’m traveling, I’ve asked my friend Radhika to guest post today. I cant think of anyone more qualified than Radhika to share this Bisi Bele Bath recipe with you (one of my top 10 favorite Indian foods). Radhika is a brilliant cook, and her pictures are stunning. Make sure you check out her moutwatering creations on Just Home Made. Over to Radhika for her prized bisi bele bath recipe and a post full of tips, trick and clever shorcuts..

Guest posting for Sala has been on my mind for a while. When I learned of her cross country road trip and her need for guest posts, I jumped in to email my intentions. When she replied with a ‘Yes”, my joy knew no bounds…

Sala’s blog with perfectly lit beatiful photographs had me at the first look and I was hooked ever since. She has been a virtual guru to me right from my initial days of blogging even without her own knowledge. In fact, truth be told, the very first time I shot my DSLR camera in ‘Manual’ mode (for my Ghee post) was after I read her tutorial post on “How to take food photos with a bright, white, seamless background“

I am ecstatic and honored more than that to be guest posting for you, Sala.. In the words of revered saint and composer Sri Purandara Dasa’s ”Kereya neeranu kerege chelli” (kannada) which translates to “Spilling the pond water to the pond”, I dedicate this post to you..

I couldn’t have suggested a better dish for this guest post than Bisi Bele Bath recipe. Until she responded with “I Love Bisi Bele Bath, I’d kill to get the recipe!”, I had no clue she likes it that much. What more do I say than Bisi Bele Bath it is?

Don’t ask me. But if you do, (we) Kannadigas take pride in our Bisi Bele Bath (also spelled bisi bele baath, bisi bele bhath, bisi bele bhaath) recipes which we undoubtedly consider as the queen of one pot meals. As with any authentic recipe, the perfect Bisi Bele Bath is quite elusive to many.

The recipe I am sharing with you here is the answer to my own quest for the perfect Bisi Bele Bath with an intoxicating aroma and a lip smacking taste after a lot of trials and nips and tucks to a number of recipes combined into one. Be prepared to lick your fingers!

Even though the ingredient list seems long, fear not – I promise you, a tiny bit of kitchen slavery will be well worth its value in gold when this trademark signature dish of Karnataka is done..

Did you know?

Byadagi Chilli is named after the town Byadagi in Haveri district of North Karnataka. Guntur is named after the city Guntur in Andhra Pradesh. Notice how both these red chillies come from places that have hot climates averaging at least 40° C ? (about 104°F)

Mace and Nutmeg come from the same tree; nutmeg is the seed of the tree whereas mace is the delicate lacey outer orange-red covering of the seed.

 Marathi Moggu (meaning bud in kannada) comes from the buds of silk cotton tree? Wonder why it is named after Marathi though?

What you won’t find in the authentic version

  •  Aromatic/Basmati rice - Like I have said for Pongal, stick to non-sticky short grain rice. Unlike Pulao or Biryani, we do not want rice to take center stage, but rather blend in with the lentils.
  • Veggies like brinjal, okra or radish – Feel free to add any veggie of your choice. If in the name of Bisi Bele Baath, you get to incorporate different veggies into your food I’d gladly say yes. But, when you make it for a guest or a friend, stick to the list to preserve authenticity. 
  • Cumin seeds in the seasoning
  • Cilantro
  • Onion
  • Ginger/garlic

Notes:

  • Byadagi red chillies aren’t available in all the Indian grocery stores. Substitute for Byadagi – any high on color and mild in heat variety will do. For Guntur- any high on heat (usually low on color) variety will do.
  • For larger quantities, remember lentil : rice - 1.5 : 1 and rice to water ratio of 1: 4 or 5
  • Mace (Javithri) much like cloves is best appreciated in small quantities. Use it more and it can overpower the aroma and taste of the spice mix
  • Some like to add potatoes. But, I’d rather not as potatoes tend to absorb all the spices, neutralize them and impart their raw earthy taste.
  • If you want to skip making the spice mix from scratch or don’t have the ingredients, store-bought MTR Bisi Bele Baath powder is good enough for instant gratification.
  • Marathi Moggu (Kapok Buds) are not available even in Indian grocery stores where I live, so I brought a small stash on my India visit. However, I recently found that they are sold online.
  • Before peeling Chayote squash, slice of the ends; rub the cut open end with the chopped slice until the white froth ceases. This takes away the bitterness, if any. 
  • Store leftover Bisi Bele Baath mix in an airtight container either in the refrigerator or in the freezer to keep the aroma fresh.

Bisi Bele Bath Recipe

served about 4

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
1/2 cup Rice (sona masoori or any short grain rice)
3/4 cup Pigeon Peas (Toor Dal)
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 large Chayote Squash or Kohlrabi (Knol kohl) peeled, small diced
1 large Carrot, peeled, cut into 2″ long, 1 cm thick pieces
handful Green Beans, ends removed and broken into 1″ pieces
1/2 cup Double beans or Butter beans or green peas or a mix
1/2 large Green Bell Pepper (Capsicum), seeds removed and small diced
1 small tomato, diced
lemon sized seedless tamarind (adjust as per taste)
1-2 tsp Rasam powder* home made or store-bought
3 tbsp Bisi Bele Bath powder (recipe follows)
2 tbsp grated dry coconut (copra) or desiccated coconut
4 tsp peanut oil
salt

Ingredients for seasoning
2 tbsp Ghee or peanut oil or a mix of both
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
1/8 tsp asafoetida or hing
1/4 cup peanuts or cashews
4 curry leaf stalks

Ingredients for the Bisi Bele Bath Powder
12 Dried red chillies – Byadagi
4 Dried red chillies – Guntur
2 tbsp Coriander seeds (dhania)
1-1/2 tsp bengal gram (chana dal)
1 tsp black gram (urad dal)
3 kapok buds (marathi moggu)
2 cloves (lavang)
1″ piece cinnamon (chakke)
2 green cardamom (elakki)
1/2 ” piece – mace / javitri / jai patre
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/4 tsp white poppy seeds (gasa gase or khus khus)
2 tbsp grated dry coconut (copra) /desiccated coconut

*optional: If you dont want to use rasam powder as listed above, dry roast these as well:
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp whole black pepper
3-4 curry leaves

Method
Wash and soak tamarind in warm water for 10-15 mins. Skip this if using tamarind concentrate.

Wash rice well until water runs clear, drain and let soak for 10-15 mins. Soaking ensures rice to be cooked soft. When soaked, wash lentils until water runs clear. Cook lentils with turmeric and double the amount of water and rice with 2.5 times water in the pressure cooker for 3 whistles. Put lentils in lowest container. Alternately, cook lentils and rice on stove top separately until well cooked.

Meanwhile cook cut vegetables covered in a medium pot with just enough water. Add salt mid way and switch off when the vegetables are almost cooked but hold their shape well.

Squish soaked tamarind (if using) to a pulp. Discard leftover seeds and fiber.

While veggies, rice and lentil cook, in a kadai / thick bottomed skillet over medium heat, dry roast all the ingredients listed for the Bisi Bele Baath spice mix except fenugreek, poppy seeds and dry coconut, until fragrant and lentils turn golden brown. Remove onto a plate. Reduce the heat to low and dry roast fenugreek seeds and poppy seeds until fenugreek seeds turn golden brown. This will happen fast, so pay attention. Pour onto the plate with the other roasted ingredients. Switch off and dry roast dry coconut in the retained heat of the skillet until golden brown. If you are not using Rasam powder as listed above, optionally dry roast mustard, cumin and black pepper until mustard and cumin crackle and curry leaves crisp up. Remove onto the same plate and let cool. When roasted ingredients are cooled, grind them to a powder in a coffee grinder or a mixer and set aside. Do not open the lid, to keep the fresh aroma of the ground spices intact.

When cooker has cooled, whisk through the cooked lentils to mash well.

Heat oil in a heavy bottom pot and sauté diced green bell pepper. Add salt, diced tomato, stir and cook covered until bell pepper is cooked. Add the cooked vegetables along with the water, mashed lentils, rasam powder, salt, tamarind pulp and bring to a boil. Add rice to this and keep stirring to make sure it doesn’t burn at the bottom. Add more warm water to adjust the consistency if required.

Now add the freshly ground Bisi Bele Bath mix, stir well to break any lumps and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Check for taste and adjust tamarind, salt and spice mix. Switch off, sprinkle dry coconut on top and keep aside. Store the remaining Bisi Bele Bath mix in an airtight container.

For the tempering (seasoning), heat ghee/oil in a small kadai or saucepan over high heat. When the oil is hot enough, add mustard seeds. When they splutter, reduce heat to medium, add peanuts and stir until they crackle and turn a light brown. Now add asafoetida (hing) and curry leaves and sauté until curry leaves are crumbly crisp. Pour the tempering over on the piping hot Bisi Bele Bath, cover immediately to preserve the aroma and keep aside.

Serve hot drizzled with ghee and potato chips or Khara boondi on the side. Bisi Bele Bath tastes even better after several hours of making, which makes it a good candidate for a make-ahead meal.

Bisi Bele Baath shortcut method

Heat oil/ghee in the pressure cooker over medium-high heat and follow seasoning steps. Strain the peanuts and curry leaves and keep aside. To the seasoning, add diced bell pepper and turmeric and sauté for a bit. Add the remaining veggies and sauté, add diced tomato, salt, washed lentils, washed rice and stir well until rice turns opaque. Add tamarind pulp, rasam mix, Bisi Bele Baath mix, 5 cups of water and give it a good stir. Shut the cooker closed and cook for 2 whistles. When cooker cools, serve hot Bisi Bele baath with the fried peanuts and curry leaves. The only downside to this is some of the aroma is lost in the pressure cooking.

A Vegetarian Road Trip Across America. What I’m Seeing, Doing and Eating Part 1

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A week ago, we rented our house in Virginia, packed our stuff into our car, and began a 3,000 mile road trip across America, to move to Portland OR. My husband is working on a project there and we have decided to make use of the opportunity to move and explore the west coast.

In a series of posts in the next couple of weeks, I will be sharing with you pictures of what I’m doing, seeing, and most importantly – eating.

Before I tell you all the yummy things I’ve been eating and cooking (yes, make shift cooking on the road!), here are some notes photos from my travels.

Notes from the Road

Total miles traveled – 1,628
States covered so far – Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota
Cities visited - Cleveland OH, Chicago IL, Madison WI, Wisconsin Dells WI, La Crosse WI, Sioux Falls SD, Wall SD
Mood – grateful and excited
Random thoughts – South Dakota is huge and empty. Cruise control is your friend.
Best meal so far – Mushroom stroganoff at the Cheese Factory restaurant, Wisconsin Dells, WI
Craving – nothing

Madion capitol building, Wisconsin

A gigantic Marylin Monroe statue in Chicago

The bean cloud, Chicago

Chicago river

Le Colonial French Vietnamese restaurant, Chicago

Vegetarian Food on a Cross Country Road Trip – What I’m Eating

I’m eating at some amazing restaurants across America. Here is a sampling.

West Side Market, Cleveland Ohio

Peruvian blue potatoes featured twice at the Mexican stall.

Tons of vegetarian pastas! We got a carrot, celelry + apple juice at the juice stall.

I was drawn to the Mexican stall at the market, and got these portobello and caramelized onion enchiladas for lunch.

Doing crepey things in the car. Strawberry+nutella=heaven

Farmers Market & the Best Vegetarian Meal I’ve Had. Madison, Wisconsin

The farmers market outside the capitol building in Madison was just lovely. The whole square was buzzing with activity.

Clockwise from top left: fresh ginseng, pom pom mushrooms, cheese curds, more cheese curds..drool!!

I am no longer a cheese curd virgin! I tried my first cheese curds at the farmers market in Madison. Oh my god, they were so tasty. Chewy, and incredibly flavorful. I also tried deep fried beer battered chees curds (below) at the Old Fashioned restaurant in Madison, they were great but I think I prefer the plain cheese curds.

The best soup I’ve ever had – Wisconsin beer and cheese soup garnished with pop corn. What a great idea! Whoever thought of putting beer and cheese together in a soup is a genius.

Brandy vinaigrette for my salad – creamy, tangy and unique.

They put mac and cheese on a pizza! I didnt actually eat this piiza, but I walked by a family who were enjoying it and asked to take a picture becasue ive never seen anything like it before!

After an amazing meal at the Old fashioned restaurant in Madison, we walked around sightseeing, and then headed north to Wisconsin Dells in search of the Cheese Factory restaurant. Rachael Ray has been here and a lot of sources highly recommend it. I wasnt disappointed at all. I had the best meal of this trip here – a mushroom stroganoff – satisfying, and full of umami. The restaurant has a nice homely feel to it, the food is hearty and the flavors are clean.

I HIGHLY recommend the Cheese Factory Vegetarian restaurant in Wisconsin Dells. It serves some of the best vegetarian food I’ve had recently.

I started with the rattlesnake tofu – two fingers of marinated tofu, grilled to a smokey flavor, served with spicy beans and fresh homemade barbeque sauce.

..and this my friends was the best dish I’ve had recently – an incredibly flavorful mushroom stroganoff full of super fresh mushrooms. I am drooling now just thinking of it!

Chicago – Stunning Architecture and Elegant Restaurants

Frontera Grill in Chicago was everything I imagined it to be. I loved the food and decor. I am a huge fan of Rick Bayless, and was so excited to eat at Frontera! Above: I’m digging into my wood fired mushroms, achiote rice, guacamole, home made corn tortilla, tomatillo salsa and tomatillo and roasted chipotle salsa. To the right is my drink, agua de jamaica (hibiscus juice) and nuts (peanut, pumpkin, fava beans) roasted with guajillo chile. 

Hongos chipotlados at Frontera – wild mushrooms, smoky creamy chipotle, squash and fried kale. All served with the softest homemade tortillas I’ve ever had.

More mushromy goodness at Frontera – wood fired mushroom tacos with achiote rice and guacamole

Our dinner that night was at a beautiful little French Vietnamese restaurant in Chicago called Le Colonial

Vietnamese rice paper rolls and plum dipping sauce

Banh Pho Xao – Rice noodles with soy sauce, chili garlic oil, tofu, and bean sprouts

They had a whole vegan vegetarian menu, I was beyond thrilled!

We ended this wonderful meal with a coconut macaron and vanilla ice cream.

I have never met a deep dish pizza I’ve liked. But I couldnt come to Chicago and not try a deep dish pizza pie. This Chicagoan delicacy in a very thick pizza with a ton of cheese, topped with another crust and then pizza sauce. Its sort of like an inside out pizza.

We ordered take out from the famous Giordanos pizza, because we were tired from a day of walking around and wanted to eat in our hotel room.

It was ok, and I dont see whats so famous about it. Maybe the pizza didnt taste as good because it was take out. But I didnt like the cheese, crust or the sauce. Besides it was too heavy. I prefer my thin crusts.

Making Vegetarian Meals on the Road – How I Prepared

As you can see, I’ve found some incredible places to eat all across America. But I don’t want to live on outside food alone while I’m traveling, so I am also making myself fresh, simple meals on the road – need to keep that digestive system happy!

I could drive across this country and live on pizza and fries. But I’d be miserable if those were my only vegetarian food choices while traveling 3,000 miles. So I decided I should eat as much fresh, tasty vegetarian food as I can on this road trip. And sometimes that means making it myself.

There have been some places on this trip where the only vegetarian food I could get at local restaurants was a salad. There have been other times where I have driven 400 miles and stopped in the middle of nowhere, tired and starving. At these times, I was able to open up my cooler and easily make myself a quick, healthy vegetarian meal or snack.

A few things that I packed:

- Cooler and some gel ice packs so I can store salad, baby spinach, fresh fruits etc. I’m so glad I did, because this cooler has come in very handy!
- Snacks and nuts (great on their own or in a salad made with cooler contents)
- Condiments and seasonings like sesame oil, pesto and Italian seasoning
- Soy sauce, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper packets all from take out. Their little size is perfect and far less messy than using a huge bottle of soy sauce in a rest area
- Couscous,  it cooks in no time and all you need is boiling water
- Rice noodles,  all it needs is a soaking in boiling water
- Instant rasam paste to satisfy that Indian food craving on the road
- A kettle so I can quickly make couscous, rice noodles or instant soup or rasam
- Disposable plates, cutlery, napkins
- A thermos for taking instant soup in the car

Salad Wrap – On the Road Snack Recipe

makes 1 wrap

We were driving in Ohio and stopped at a rest area where I quickly made a few of these wraps for a snack. We ate this along with some carrot and celery sticks, cheese cubes and pretzels

Ingredients
1 stone ground wheat wrap or tortilla
1-2 tablespoons hummus
1 tablespoon pesto
A few olives
2 hand fulls of salad leaves

Method
Spread the hummus and pesto on the wrap. Scatter some olives on top. Then add the salad leaves. Roll it up.

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