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Singapore Rice Noodles Recipe

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I love Singapore rice noodles – pan fried thin rice vermicelli with curry powder and turmeric. But most the ones you get at restaurants have fish sauce and or meat. So I make my own vegetarian Singapore rice noodles. Funnily, this dish is not Singaporean –  you won’t find it in Singapore. It is most likely an invention of Hong Kong chefs. Irrespective of its origins, this is a great vegetarian noodle dish!

I use S&B Oriental Curry powder for this recipe. For more about curry powders, read this post.

And the mushroom flavored soy sauce I use is Healthy Boy brand. If you cant find it, substitute with regular soy sauce.

Tips for perfect Singapore rice noodles

  • Don’t over soak the noodles. Read package instructions and make sure the noodles aren’t sitting in water longer than needed. Drain the noodles well. If you land up over-soaking the noodles, try to rescue them by spreading the drained noodles on a large platter and placing them under a fan, this should dry them out a bit.
  • Don’t over cook the vegetables, they will get soggy.
  • Use medium-high heat, this will ensure that the vegetables and noodles don’t get soggy.
  • Work quickly. Have all the ingredients prepped before hand, and then work quickly. Don’t let the vegetables or the noodles sit in the wok for too long. When you add the noodles and sauce to the wok, if you feel you are taking too long (over 2 minutes) to mix everything well, take the wok off the heat, and mix the noodles. You can then re-heat the noodles before serving.
  • Remember that every curry powder is different. Some are spicier/hotter than others. You may have to use more or less depending on the curry powder you use. Taste the noodles at the end, and add more curry powder and soy sauce if needed, then re-heat.
  • The taste of Singapore rice noodles develops over time (because of the curry powder), so it tastes even better the next day!

Singapore Rice Noodles Recipe

serves about 4


Ingredients
6 oz rice sticks, also called rice vermicelli or rice noodles
For the sauce
2 teaspoons curry powder, I recommend S&B Oriental curry powder
½ teaspoon turmeric
Crushed dry red pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar, optional
½ teaspoon vinegar, optional
1 tablespoon mushroom flavored soy sauce (available in Asian markets), substitute with soy sauce

For the noodles
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 heaping teaspoon garlic paste (use a mortar and pestle or grate in a microplane)
1 heaping teaspoon ginger paste (use a mortar and pestle or grate in a microplane), optional
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
1 cup cubed fried tofu, available in Asian markets
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 heaping cup beansprouts
3 scallions, chopped
4 lemon or lime wedges
Chopped cilantro for garnish

Method:

  1. Soak the rice noodles according to package instructions. (This usually involves soaking them in warm or cold water for 2-5 minutes).Drain well and set aside in the colander.
  2. Whisk together all ingredients for sauce, along with 3 tablespoons of water. Set aside.
  3. Heat oil in a large wok, that is atleast 12 inches wide. Add the ginger and garlic and let them sizzle on medium heat, till fragrant and lightly browned.
  4. Pour in half of the sauce. Work quickly, and mix everything together, breaking up any lumps with a wooden spoon. Cook till the sauce starts to bubble, about 20 seconds.
  5. Throw in red peppers, carrot, cabbage, and tofu.
  6. Crank up the heat to medium-high and sauté till the vegetables just start to wilt, about 2 minutes. Don’t over cook the vegetables.
  7. Add the soaked, drained rice stick noodles to the vegetables. Also add the remaining sauce. Working quickly, and using two spoons or tongs, toss and combine everything till the noodles are well coated in the sauce.
  8. Turn off heat and add sesame oil, bean sprouts and scallions. Toss well.
  9. Serve immediately garnished with chopped cilantro and lemon or lime wedges on the side to squeeze over the noodles.

Triple Smoky Mac and Cheese Recipe from Herbivoracious Cookbook and a Giveaway

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When I received a review copy of my friend Michael Natkin’s new cook book Herbivoracious: A Flavor Revolution with 150 Vibrant and Original Vegetarian Recipes, I was so thrilled and so hungry. Thrilled because Michael is my favorite vegetarian blogger and his site is full of creative vegetarian recipes. Hungry because Michael’s book is one of the best vegetarian cookbooks around, and all the recipes look delicious. Whether you are a vegetarian or an omnivore, you are going to love this book. And it has plenty of vegan and gluten-free recipes as well.

Michael and I, with Michael holding the very first copy of his cookbook! Exciting!

Michael has been a vegetarian since he was 18. When his mother fell sick, he started cooking her macrobiotic meals at home. Since then, Michael has been a devoted vegetarian. And his passion for food is so evident in his uber successful blog, Herbivoracious (same name as the cookbook!).

The blog is an encyclopedia of information, filled with recipes and tips. How does polenta with pan roasted porcini, tomato confit and chevre sound to you?! My personal favorite Herbivoracious blog recipe is the chickpea, spinach and tomato soup – simple yet packed with flavor.

When I received Herbivoracious, the cookbook, I had great trouble deciding what recipe I should make for this post. The chickpea and olive tagine with ras el hanout ( a North African spice mix) sounded yummy. As did the blackbean soup with orange jalapeno salsa, 10 minute chickpea salad with feta and basil, grilled tofu and pepper tacos, red curry delicata squash, and..well..pretty much all the recipes in the book!

I finally decided to make the triple smoky mac and cheese. Because its cheesy, spicy and comforting – exactly what I needed on a cold, wet Portland evening. It’s the best mac and cheese I’ve had. It was easy to make, and tasted like it came from a high end restaurant. Meat lovers are sure to love this vegetarian mac and cheese. It has so many great smoky flavors going on, my husband thought it had bacon in it! Michael says you can either use smoked cheddar or smoked mozzarella in this recipe. The smoked cheese, plus smoked paprika and chipotle peppers make this mac and cheese wonderfully smoky.

Enjoy Michael’s recipe, and then make sure you enter the giveaway. The book will be out in May and the publisher, Harvard Common Press will send out a copy to one lucky winner as soon as Herbivoracious is published! You can also get your own copy on Amazon through this link Herbivoracious: A Flavor Revolution with 150 Vibrant and Original Vegetarian Recipes

Triple Smoky Mac and Cheese Recipe

A recipe from Herbivoracious Cookbook. Reproduced with permission.
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

1 pound elbow macaroni (Sala’s note: I used penne because thats what I had on hand)
6 tablespoons (3⁄4 stick) unsalted butter
1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
Half an onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, minced
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced, or
1⁄4 cup Frontera brand chipotle salsa
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg (preferably freshly grated)
8 ounces smoked cheddar, grated, or substitute regular cheddar if you can’t find smoked cheddar
8 ounces mozzarella (substitute smoked mozzarella if you’re using regular cheddar), grated
Kosher salt
1⁄2 cups Homemade Bread Crumbs made with 2 cloves minced garlic added. Recipe in the book.

Method

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the macaroni according to package directions, draining when it is just becoming aldente. This will bake more in the oven, so don’t overcook it. Drain, transfer it to a bowl, and toss with 2 tablespoons of the butter.

2. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. (Sala’s note: I baked the mac and cheese in a cast iron skillet instead of a baking dish)

3. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk pretty constantly for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Add the onion, smoked paprika, rosemary, chipotle, oregano, and nutmeg. Bring to a gentle simmer and keep cooking, whisking occasionally, until the sauce begins to thicken, about 5 minutes.

4. Reduce the heat to low. Whisk in the grated cheeses, a handful at a time, stirring each addition of cheese until melted. It is important to do this gradually, to avoid graininess.

5. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning to your preference. It will probably need just a little salt, depending on the cheeses. Add more chipotle if you’d like it hotter. Remember that the sauce should be pretty intense, because it needs to flavor a full pound of pasta.

6. Stir the macaroni into the sauce. Pour the macaroni into the baking dish. Scatter the bread crumbs evenly over the top.

7. Bake until you can see bubbling around the sides and the bread crumbs are nicely browned, about 30 minutes. Let the dish rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

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A Chance to Win Michael’s Herbivoracious Cookbook!

Be One of the First to Receive a Copy!

The awesome people at Harvard Common Press are giving away a copy of Herbivoracious to one lucky Veggie Belly reader!

To enter the contest, just leave a comment and tell me why you’d like to be the one to win this book.

Contest ends Wednesday, April 4th 2012. US & Canada shipping only.

One randomly picked lucky winner will receive a copy of this book when it is published in May!

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED! The randomly picked winner is comment #7, Cat!

Smoked Eggplant Curry

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This is the easiest method to smoke something. I learned this method from Sanjeev Kapoor’s new book, How to Cook Indian (scroll to the bottom of this post for a chance to win a signed copy of the book!).

I was intrigued by Sanjeev Kapoor’s koyla (charcoal) chicken recipe in the book. He makes a chicken curry and then smokes it by placing a bowl with a smoking hot piece of charcoal in the curry. The smoke gets into the curry, making it all smoky and wonderful. I’ve adapted Sanjeev Kapoor’s smoked chicken curry by using eggplant and creating a great vegetarian smoked eggplant curry recipe.

How to smoke the eggplant curry

Heat charcoal till its red. Then put it in a small bowl, and place it over the curry.

Pour a little oil over the hot coal. The coal will now give out smoke, that will flavor the curry.

Cover the skillet to trap the smoke. Let it sit for a few minutes so that the smoke infuses the eggplant curry.

When choosing charcoal, make sure you buy all natural charcoal. Don’t buy anything that has chemicals or petroleum added to it or is ‘self igniting’.

Watch Sanjeev Kapoor making his smoked koyla chicken curry. His method of smoking and my adapted recipe will work well for zucchini curry, mushroom curry, or use paneer or mock meat in this recipe.

Smoked Eggplant Curry Recipe

 

vegetarianized from Sanjeev Kapoor’s Koyla Chicken recipe from his book, How to Cook Indian

Serves 2

3 medium tomatoes
6 whole cashewnuts
1 tablespoon butter, ghee or vegetable oil
½ lb American or Indian eggplant
1/2 teaspoon ginger paste
1/2 teaspoon garlic paste
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
¼ teaspoon or to taste, chili powder
1 teaspoon lemon juice, you may need more or less depending on how tart the tomatoes are.

For smoking the curry
1 lump of charcoal, about the size of a large lemon
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Boil a medium pot of water, and drop the tomatoes in whole. When the tomato skins start to blister, drain them and let them cool a bit. Then peel the tomato skins and discard. Core the tomato. Place the skinned, cored tomatoes in a blender along with the cashew nuts and puree. Set this aside.

Cut the eggplant into 1 inch cubes. I peeled the skin first, but that’s optional.

 Heat butter, ghee or oil in a medium skillet. Add the eggplants, and let them brown a little on medium-high heat, about 4 minutes. Then add ginger and garlic. Stir on medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add the garam masala and chili powder and cook another 30 seconds.

Pour in the tomato puree and salt. Boil for 7 minutes or till the eggplant is cooked and the sauce has thickened a little. If the sauce gets too thick, sprinkle some water over it.

Turn off heat. Taste the curry and add lemon juice, if using.

Now comes the fun part – smoke the curry!

Hold a piece of charcoal, using tongs, over an open flame. You can do this on an open gas flame, or an outdoor grill. Heat it till it becomes red hot. (Be careful, the hot coal may give out sparks, turn on your ventilator or exhaust). Now you need to work quickly. Place the red hot coal in a small bowl.

Immediately place the bowl inside the skillet with the eggplant curry. Pour the oil over the coal, so that it smokes. Quickly place a lid over the skillet. Let the smoke from the charcoal infuse into the covered curry for about 6 minutes. The longer the charcoal bowl sits in the skillet, the smokier your curry will get.

Remove the bowl from the skillet, and discard the charcoal. Serve the smoked eggplant curry with rice, roti or naan.

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This giveaway has ended, the winner is comment #65, Shil!

Win a signed copy of Sanjeev Kapoor’s new book,

How to Cook Indian!

This book has more than 500 classic Indian recipes for the modern kitchen.

To enter the giveaway:

Leave a comment below and tell me whats an Indian dish you havent tried at home yet, but would love to try and make.

Giveaway ends Friday June 3rd 9pm EST. One random winner will be picked.

I will ship anywhere in the world!

I met Sanjeev Kapoor at a book signing, and had an extra copy signed just for this giveaway. The signature says “Veggie Belly Reader, Happy Cooking! Sanjeev Kapoor :) ”

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Portobello Mushroom and Zucchini Rellenos with Ranchero Sauce and Mexican Yellow Rice

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A traditional Mexican chile relleno (stuffed chile) is usually a poblano chile stuffed with meat and cheese, dipped in batter and deep fried. My Portobello mushroom and zucchini relleno recipe is a little different. It is a lighter, simpler, vegetarian, vegan relleno, and it requires no frying. This recipe can get even simpler if you use store bought ranchero or enchilada sauce.

Ground annatto gives the rice its brilliant orange-yellow color. Annattos are the red seeds of the Achiote tree, often called ‘lipstick tree’ because of Annattos coloring properties.

This is a good make ahead recipe. You can make the ranchero sauce and the Mexican yellow rice ahead of time. Simply cook the vegetables the day of, heat up the sauce and rice and assemble everything!

Watch this video to see how to make Portobello rellenos stuffed with peppers and rice. It’s in Spanish, but the method is simple to watch and follow :)

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Portobello and Zucchini Rellenos in Ranchero Sauce with Mexican Yellow Rice

Serves about 4

For the ranchero sauce
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 cloves over garlic, minced
½ jalapeno, or according to taste
½ teaspoon scant, ground cumin
½ teaspoon dry oregano
One 14 can crushed tomatoes OR 2 cups fresh chopped tomatoes
Salt

Heat oil in a medium saucepan and add the onions. Cook on medium heat till they are soft. Add the garlic, and jalapeno and stir 2 minutes. Then add cumin, oregano, tomatoes, and salt. Cook the same on medium heat for about 3 minutes. If you are using fresh tomatoes, they will take longer to cook.

Serve the sauce chunky or puree it in a blender. I pureed it.

You can make this sauce up to 3 days ahead.

For the vegetables
6 small portabello mushrooms (weighing about 8oz total)
1 teaspoon + 1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dry oregano
1 large zucchini, cut into small cubes
½ cup cotija cheese (feta, grated pepper jack or cheddar will also work)*
Salt

* I didn’t use the cheese

Wipe the portabellos with a paper towel. Then using a small spoon, gently scrape out the dark gills. Using a small, sharp knife, remove the stem.

Brush a little oil all over the mushrooms.

Heat a skillet on medium high, and cook the mushrooms, gill side down, in a single layer for 2 minutes. Then flip the mushrooms and cook the other side another minute or till cooked through. While the second side is cooking, sprinkle salt and half the oregano over the mushrooms cavities.

In a same skillet, heat a little more oil, add the zucchini and remaining oregano. Saute on high heat for about 2 minutes or till the zucchini is tender but still a little crunchy, and not mushy. Sprinkle salt, and the cheese.

For the yellow rice
1 large or 2 small vegetable bouillon cubes*
2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon achiote powder, also called ground annatto (substitute with ¾ teaspoon turmeric or saffron)
1 cup long grain rice
Chopped cilantro for garnish

*I used 2 small Herb Ox brand vegetable bouillon cubes; they are tasty and have no MSG. Maggie or Knorr stock cubes will also work.

Dissolve the bouillon cubes in warm water and set aside.

Sauté the onions in butter or olive oil in a medium saucepan. When the onions are soft, add the Achiote powder and rice. Stir on low heat for a minute.

Pour in the bullion water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low, cover the pan, and let the rice simmer for 10 minutes or till the rice is cooked, but the grains are still separate, and not mushy. Cooking time may vary depending on the rice.

Fluff rice with a fork. Garnish with cilantro.

To assemble and serve
Spread ranchero sauce on a platter. Arrange the mushrooms, gill and stem side up, over the sauce. Spoon a little zucchini and cheese into the mushroom cavities.

Serve the yellow rice on the side, along with sour cream (optional), extra cheese and extra chopped cilantro.

Southwestern Black Bean and Brown Rice Burgers with Roasted Poblano Sweet Corn Salsa

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Please make this recipe, its incredibly delicious. Thats all I can say. I was going to make this recipe and freeze half of it, but we’ve eaten it all. The brown rice in this burger is filling and adds great, chewy texture. The black beans are luscious and creamy. And taco seasoning in the patties takes this to a whole new level of yumminess. Pair the burgers with my chilled sweet corn and roasted poblano salsa and you will be in heaven. Make this NOW!!

Also check out Alanna’s black bean burger recipe, and this southwestern brown rice and black bean burger recipe on feed the moose.

To roast poblanos, place them over an open flame. Keep turning till they are charred all over.

Keep roasted poblano wrapped in foil for about 5 minutes. Then using a paper towel, wipe off the charred skin. Roasting poblanos gives them great flavor which is wonderful in this roasted poblano sweet corn salsa.

Serving suggestions for vegan southwestern black bean and brown rice burger patties:

Serve with your choice of chipotle mayonnaise, avocado slices, sour cream, ketchup, barbeque sauce, tomato slices, red onion, pickled jalapeno, lettuce, lime wedges, roasted poblano and sweet corn salsa ( recipe below)

- as a southwestern veggie burger with toasted burger buns

 - as a sandwich with bread slices
- as a tortilla wrap
- in pita bread pockets
- my favorite – in a salad with shredded lettuce, carrots, roasted poblano and sweet corn salsa (recipe below) and my cumin vinaigrette recipe
- lettuce wraps- serve burger patties and salsa with large, un-cut pieces of iceburg lettuce

I like RiceSelect brand’s Royal Blend brown and red rice for this recipe. Its nutty, chewy, and just perfect.

Vegan Southwestern Black Bean and Brown Rice Veggie Burger Patties Recipe

makes 8 patties

1/2 cup brown rice, uncooked. I recommend RiceSelect Royal Blend brown & red rice
One 15 oz can black beans

sauté
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 small red (or green) bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon store bought taco seasoning (substitute with 1/2 tablespoon cumin powder + 1/2 tablespoon paprika or red chile powder)
salt

to cook the patties
1 tablespoon corn starch
6 tablespoons olive oil

In a large pot, bring plenty of water to boil. Generously salt the water. Add brown rice and cook uncovered till the rice is done, about 20 minutes. Rice should be cooked through, but still chewy and not mushy. When done, drain the rice, run some cold water over it to stop the cooking. Make sure the rice is drained very well before using. Spread it on a kitchen towel to absorb moisture if needed.

Drain the canned black beans. Again, make sure it is drained very well.

While the brown rice is cooking, work on the satueeting. Heat a large non-stick skillet with the oil. Add onion and red pepper. Cook till onions are soft. Add garlic, stir for about 30 seconds. Add taco seasoning and drained black beans. Stir on high heat for about a minute. Turn off heat. Add salt (remember store bought taco seasoning already has some salt).

Using a potato masher or fork, mash the black bean mixture. Mash roughly, so that some black bean pieces remain. Add cooked, drained brown rice. Using a spatula, mix everything together. Taste and adjust salt and taco seasoning.

When the black bean brown rice mixture is cool enough to handle, divide it into 8 equal portions. Dust your hands with corn starch and make 8 balls. Flatten the balls down to shape into burgers. Dust a little corn starch on the patties; not too much, just a sprinkle. (You can freeze the patties at this point in a single layer in air tight containers).

Heat about 1 tablespoon oil in a non-stick skillet.  Place 2 burger patties on the skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes on medium-high heat on each side. Remove when a crispy golden crust forms on both sides. Add more oil to the skillet and fry up 2 more patties at a time. Repeat till all patties are cooked.

Roasted Poblano and Sweet Corn Salsa Recipe

 enough to serve with about 4 burgers

1 poblano pepper (substitute with bottled roasted red pepper or sauteed jalapenos or canned New Mexican green chile)
1 can drained sweet corn
1 cup chopped tomatoes
zest of 1/2 a lime, optional
2 tablespoons lime juice (juice of about 1 large lime)
1-2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
salt and pepper

Roast the poblano pepper over an open flame either on your stove or an out door grill. Char the pepper on all sides. Then wrap it in foil and let it sit for about 5 minutes. When the pepper is cool enough to handle, open the foil and peel off the charred poblano skin. Wipe off any remaining charred skin with a paper towel. Remove the seeds inside. Dice the roasted poblano.

Mix together the roasted poblano and all other ingredients. Refrigerate till ready to serve.

Easy Israeli Couscous with Roasted Peanuts. Ready in 10 minutes.

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I am blessed to I have friends whom Ive known since childhood. These are the people I can be myself with and I know will support me through anything.

One such friend is Vidya. As children, Vidya and I hung out in each others’ houses all the time. We’ve shared much, and had a lot of fun together. And through the years, no matter where in this world we were, we’ve kept the close friendship going.

A few winters ago, Vidya drove up from North Carolina to visit me. She came bearing a tub of marinated olives and a delicious merlot. We sat in my kitchen late that night, talking, eating, drinking and watching the snow fall. We were warmed by friendship and wine.

Vidya then made us a midnight snack – Israeli couscous with cumin and roasted peanuts. We chatted and sipped wine as Vidya cooked the nutty, chewy, cumin scented dish. There we were, old friends, in the middle of a winter’s night; cooking, laughing and enjoying the sisterhood of a 20 year old friendship.

Thankyou Vidya, for so much more than just this recipe.

Vidya’s recipe for israeli or pearl couscous is a shortcut version of Indian sabudana or sago kichdi. The traditional recipe uses sabudana (tapioca pearls). But I like Vidya’s version with israeli couscous, its easy to make and you really cant mess it up. This is a great, 10 minute vegan snack or side dish.

Israeli couscous, also called pearl couscous or mograbiah or ptitim is a type of pasta from the Levant region. If you dont have pearl couscous on hand, sustitute with cooked orzo or tapioca pearls.

Check out this curried Israeli couscous (mograbieh) recipe on gourmet sleuth. Vegan Yum Yum has a simple, vegan recipe for lemon pearl couscous.

But its this  couscous and mograbhia (israeli couscous) recipe on Dana Treat that really reminded me that I havent made this israeli couscous recipe in a while. Dana said she has a big load of israeli couscous and is always looking for recipes. Dana, this is for you :)  

I use 1/2 cup peanuts in this recipe, which is on the peanutty side. Thats how I like it. If you feel this is too much, reduce the amout of peanuts to upto 1/4 cup.

Israeli Couscous (Pearl Couscous or Mograbiah) with Roasted Peanuts Recipe

serves about 4 as a side

for the couscous

1 tablespoon oil
1 cup israeli couscous or pearl couscous, uncooked

for sauteing

1 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
a few curry leaves, optional
2 green or dried red chillies (or according to taste), chopped. Use jalapenos instead if you dont want it too spicy.
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, crushed lightly (this will be on the peanutty side, reduce the amount of peanuts if you wish)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
salt

Heat oil in a large non stick skillet. Add couscous. Stir the couscous on low heat till it turns color and becomes light brown. Add 2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover the skillet and simmer till all the water is absorbed, 5-7 minutes. Couscous should not be mushy. 

While, couscous is cooking, take a wok, heat the oil and add cumin seeds. When they start to sizzle, add the curry leaves, and green or red chillies and cook for about 15 seconds. Add the cooked israeli couscous, peanuts, lemon juice and salt. Stir well. Turn off heat. Adjust lemon juice according to taste. Add cilantro. Serve warm.

Tandoori Grilled Broccoli and Cauliflower Kebabs

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A tandoor is an Indian clay oven. Marinated meat, cottage cheese (paneer) or vegetables are skewered and cooked in the oven. The result is smoky, charred skewers of tandoori yumminess.

 

Make sure you soak the skewers before grilling, otherwise they will burn on the grill. If you dont have a grill, you can place the skewers in the oven and broil them till brown and slightly charred. Then flip the skewers and broil the other side.

The tandoori marinade recipe I give you is very versatile, you can use it for paneer, tofu, potatoes, even seitan.

I like to blanch the broccoli and cauliflower before marinating. This reduces grilling time and also makes it easier to thread the skewer into the broccoli and cauliflower.

We usually eat these grilled kebabs with either brown rice, rotis or pita bread and some raita. Here are some recipes on Veggie Belly that will make great accompaniments to these kebabs:

Walnut raisin rice

My grandmother’s multicolored raita

Tamarind Jelly

Tandoori Grilled Broccoli and Cauliflower Kebabs Recipe

serves about 2 as an entree

4 bamboo skewers (about 10 inches long)

1 small head of broccoli
1/2 small head of cauliflower
1 small red onion, cut into 4 wedges
1 large tomato, cut into 4 wedges

for marinade
3 tablespoons chickpea or garbanzo flour (besan)
1/2 cup yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
Salt

Soak bamboo skewers in water for atleast 30 minutes, to prevent them from burning on the grill.

Cut the broccoli and cauliflower into large florets. You should have 6 florets (about 2 cups) each of broccoli and cauliflower.

Bring water to boil in a medium pot. Add plenty of salt. Add the broccoli and cauliflower florets. Bring back to a boil. Cook for 20 seconds. Then turn off heat and drain the broccoli and cauliflower. Rinse under very cold water to stop the cooking. If the tap water is not cold enough, dunk the broccoli and cauliflower in a bowl filled with water and ice cubes, then drain. Pat dry with a towel. Make sure the vegetables arent wet, if they are they will dilute the marinade.

Whisk all marinade ingredients together in a bowl. Add the broccoli, cauliflower, tomato and onion pieces to the marinade. Mix gently so the marinade coats all the vegetables. Cover and refridgerate for about 30 minutes.

Heat an out door grill to 400f. Skewer the broccoli, cauliflower, onion and tomato pieces. Place on grill and cook till one side of the vegetables is slightly charred, about 1 minute. Then using tongs, flip the skewers and cook the other side. If you dont have a grill, broil the skewers in the oven.

My Grandmother’s Multicolored Mixed Vegetable Raita

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My two grandmother’s could not be more different.  One has a PhD, was a career woman and takes pride in the fact that she ‘cant boil a kettle of water’. She is a connoisseur of fine food, but never enters the kitchen herself. My other grandmother works miracles in the kitchen. She can effortlessly turn out simmering pot after pot of the most delectable sambars, kuzhambus, rasams, poriyals, and kootus. She instilled in me a love for cooking; and not a week goes by when I’m not on the phone with my grandmother asking for recipes, techniques or clarifications. As different as they are from each other, both my grandmothers are remarkable women, and I continue to learn so much from them.

 My grandmother (the non-cooking one!), grandfather,  father and aunt. Late 1950s

 

 

 When its too hot to cook, I always turn to this mixed vegetable raita. Its cool, refershing and there is no cooking involved. I am happy just eating a huge bowl of this for dinner. But this colorful raita will be a great accompaniment to and Indian dinner of rice, roti and curry.

Its easy to remember this recipe – just remember the 6 Cs- cucumber, capsicum, corn, carrot, curd, cherry tomato. Then add pomegranates. Thats it! I didnt use pomegranate seeds in this recipe because I couldnt find any; but I highly recommend you use them!

My grandmother adds salt to the raita only just before serving. If you add salt any sooner, it will draw out the moisture from the vegetables and make your raita watery. And make sure you let the raita sit in the fridge overnight, it tastes much better than eating it right away.

My Grandmother’s Multicolored Mixed Vegetable Raita Recipe

serves about 10 as a side dish

1 large seedless cucumber, the kind with the plastic wrap or 4 small cucumbers (about 3 cups when chopped)
3 medium carrots (about 1 1/2 cups when chopped)
1 small green pepper (about 1/2 cup when chopped)
1 small orange pepper (about 1/2 cup when chopped)
1 cup cherry tomatoes
2 cups drained canned sweet corn
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (I didnt use, because I couldnt find them)
3 cups yogurt
salt

Peel the cucumber and carrots, and chop into very small pieces. Chop the peppers into tiny pieces as well. Cut each cherry tomato into 2 or 3 pieces.  Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl, except salt. Place the raita in the fridge. Raita tastes better if it sits over night. Add salt just before serving and stir well. Serve chilled.

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