Sambar: It's what's for dinner!

As some of you may already know, Gerry and I will be moving to Iowa in a few weeks (with a brief intermission of 3 weeks in Thailand -more on that later). The past month or so has been a whirlwind of activity and excitement, trying to squeeze in extra classes and trips before we move. The best things to come out of this crazy couple of months (imho) are some wonderful new friendships :) I met a fellow health-foodie (that's you Erika!), and I have been having a blast exchanging recipes and hanging out with her - as well as having a date night with our guys. Gerry and I have also made some new friends from southern India, and we have thoroughly enjoyed spending time with them and exchanging delicious homemade meals. This has inspired me to try some new recipes....which led to tonight's meal : Sambar, a delicious dish filled with powerful spices and super-healthy legumes.

I am hoping to improve this dish with some tips and tricks from our new friends, but in the meantime this version is pretty good :)

Many ingredients in this meal will likely require a trip to your local Indian grocery store, but you'll also likely save mucho $$$ over other stores, so grab a friend and have fun exploring!

Masoor Paruppu Sambar

Ingredients:

1 tsp tamarind paste
1 cup split red lentils (aka masoor dal, masoor paruppu)
*(these are my favorite lentils because they cook quickly and are easily digestible)
3 cups water
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne powder
1 Tbsp virgin coconut or olive oil
5 whole dried Thai chilies
10 fresh curry leaves (these smell A-mazing and are essential to the dish)
2 large shallots or 1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds (aka methi seeds)
2 Tbsp sambar powder (homemade is best, but store-bought will work too :)
1/4 cup cilantro leaves (aka coriander leaves, as our Indian friends know them)
1 cup chopped carrots
1 large tomato, chopped
salt to taste


Ingredients for homemade sambar masala powder:

1/2 cup firmly packed fresh curry leaves
1/2 cup whole dried Thai chilies
1/4 cup chana dal (can substitute toor dal or yellow split peas)
1/4 cup coriander seeds
2 Tbsp cumin seeds
1 Tbsp fenugreek seeds (aka methi seeds)
1 Tbsp black mustard seeds
2 (4 inch) cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces
1 Tbsp olive oil


I found the recipe for homemade Sambar Masala in a wonderful book called The Indian Slow Cooker: 50 Healthy, Easy, Authentic Recipes by Anupy Singla. I made a few changes to the original, substituting olive oil for sesame oil and leaving out 1 Tbsp white poppy seeds (I couldn't find any).

fresh curry leaves:

coriander seeds:

fenugreek/methi seeds:

To make the Sambar Masala:

1. Combine all the spices in a bowl. Drizzle the oil over them and mix well

2. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the chana dal and spice mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until curry leaves brown and curl up and the other spices brown (~3 to 4 minutes)

3. Immediately transfer the mixture to a plate and allow to cool for about 20 minutes. Once the mixture is cool, grind it in a coffee grinder reserved for spices. Store in an air-tight container for up to 2 months.

Now that we have our sambar powder, lets make dinner....

1. Rinse the lentils and allow to drain, then add to pot along with turmeric and cayenne powder.

2. Add water and bring to a boil. Stir once, lower heat and cover, simmering for 15-20 minutes or until lentils break down (different types of lentils will take different amounts of time)

3. Meanwhile, heat coconut oil over medium heat and then add carrots, mustard seeds, chilies, fenugreek seeds, and curry leaves - sautéing for 2 minutes. Add shallots and brown lightly, then add tamarind paste and garlic, cooking for 1 minute longer. Add mixture, along with sambar powder and tomato to lentils and cook 5-10 minutes or until desired consistency. (I like my red lentils "mushy", but some may like a firmer texture)

4. Add salt and possibly more cayenne to taste and serve, topped with cilantro, over warm basmati, brown basmati or other long grain rice.

*for this meal I also served japanese sweet potato (steamed for ~20 mns and seasoned with salt and pepper)


This meal turned out pretty yummy, but I might pre-steam the carrots next time just to make sure they are soft, and I need work on balancing the heat:salt:tangy ratio in my sambar, but we'll definitely be having this again!

बोन अप्पेतित    
(Bōna appētita!)

Choose Your Own Adventure Soup

Hola! I am back home and starting to settle in after ten fun days in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Before we left I was looking forward to fish tacos (and had some great ones!), but I was amazed and inspired by the variety and abundance of great food in the area. Besides delicious "local" Mexican food, we were lucky to find wonderful Mayan, Cuban, Argentinean, and even Italian food steps from our hotel. I unfortunately had a sore throat most of the trip, but that gave me an excuse to try something I might not have thought of on a hot day in Mexico: Sopa de Lima. I tasted a few versions, each a little different and all of them delicious! One thing they all included (besides lime juice) was the spicy kick of fresh habanero peppers. This Minnesota girl prides herself on gradually (we're talking years folks!) increasing her "heat" tolerance, but habanero has never been a pepper I have "enjoyed." Well, the riviera maya has forever changed me. I have a new appreciation for the flavor (not just the heat) of habanero - and the combination of fresh habanero and lime is a match made in heaven!

My favorite bowl of soup was served "choose your own adventure" style - a bowl of chicken and freshly chopped veggies in broth alongside a plate of "goodies" including lime wedges. I loved being able to "customize" my own soup and I realized how easy and fun it would be to make at home. Well, today was a warm day (96F) and instead of craving ice cream I craved sopa de lima, so I found a recipe online and changed it up a bit. I made mine vegetarian but as the name implies you could easily change that :)

 I was disappointed that H.E.B. didn't have any fresh habaneros today, but Rotel "hot" seemed to work well in a pinch..... *warning* this soup may make your upper lip sweat and your nose run!

Choose Your Own Adventure Sopa de Lima (serves 4 +)

Ingredients:
2 quarts veggie or chicken broth
2 Tbsp virgin coconut oil
3 cups diced veggies (I used 2 cups white potatoes, 1/2 cup carrots, 1/2 cup turnips)
suggestions: celery, zucchini, bell peppers
1 medium yellow or red onion, finely diced and divided in half
3-4 scallions, chopped
6-10 cloves garlic, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice or 8 allspice berries (if you don't mind "fishing" them out later)
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 tsp cumin
2 small or 1 large avocado
2 cups fresh cilantro, divided: 1 cup chopped and 1 cup whole leaves
20 Mexican key limes or 5 large limes, plus 1/8 tsp lime zest
1 fresh habanero, stem and seeds removed, finely diced (wear gloves!)
15 oz can diced tomatoes (may substitute Rotel "hot" or "extra hot" if not using fresh habanero)
salt to taste

This is the Sopa de Lima "experience" I was trying to recreate. I didn't think to snap a photo until I had already added the ingredients  and started eating - I was a hungry monster ;)

I chose potatoes, carrots, and turnips because that's what came in this week's harvest basket.

1. Heat the coconut oil in a soup pot over medium heat, add half the white/red onion and cook until translucent.

2. Add habanero and garlic, cook for ~1 minute and then add chopped veggies, cooking until tender.
(If "heat" is an issue, you could serve the habanero on the individual "goodie" plates - with a safe handling warning of course)

3. Add diced tomatoes (or Rotel), broth, lime zest, allspice, cinnamon, cumin, and the chopped cilantro. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer at least 10 minutes (mine simmered 2 hours since Gerry got called for a contract job at supper time :)

4. While the soup is simmering, prepare individual "goodie" plates each with 2 cloves diced garlic, 1/8-1/4 cup diced yellow/red onion, several lime wedges (at least 5 key limes per person), 1/8 cup scallions, 1/8 cup cilantro leaves

5. Just before serving, slice avocado and add 3-4 slices to each plate.

6. Remove the cinnamon sticks (and allspice berries if used) and serve soup with plates of "goodies." Each person can add whatever they like for a truly "custom" experience. I personally add LOTS of lime, garlic, and cilantro. Gerry squeezed all the limes, dumped the whole rest of the plate in, and asked for more limes ;) We both loved this meal and I hope you do to!

Meatless....Superbowl Sunday!

I apologize for taking so long to post. I started this blog right before the spring semester started and sort of had to hit the ground running with my classes....especially General Chemistry II (blech!). We have had a crazy week with ice storms, snow storms, and Superbowl weekend in Dallas. It was so nice to finally get out of the house and head up to the big D to hang out with the football crowd... Congrats to the Packers! We live only 30 minutes from Arlington - that would have been a great game to see at Cowboys Stadium if we had 4 grand + to spend on tickets :)

Every year Gerry makes his "famous" Superbowl Nachos and we sit and home and stuff our faces while we  watch the game. This year we continued the tradition with a little "twist." We left out the ground beef, made a couple additions, and they were (surprise, surprise ;) still really good!

Gerry's Meatless Superbowl Nachos

1 bag extra thin tortilla chips

1 can black beans

1 can corn

2 roma tomatoes, chopped

1-2 shallots, finely chopped

6 green onions, thinly chopped

shredded mexican style cheese

Juice of 1 lime

cumin

chili powder

paprika

salt

Place oven rack on lowest level and set temp. to broil.

Drain beans and corn, then mix in bowl with lime juice cumin, chili powder, paprika, and salt.

Spread chips in 9x13 baking dish or cookie sheet.

Layer shallots and beans/corn mixture on chips.

Top with cheese.

Bake until cheese is melted.

Remove from oven and top tomatoes and green onions.

....and if you're crazy like Gerry dump a whole bunch of cayenne pepper on top!

Just another manic (meatless) Monday...

Today is my last day of winter break before hitting the books. I'm glad I made a shopping list for the next few nights' meals yesterday because today I was somehow in a last-minute rush at the grocery store ;) I adapted a recipe from the book Pot Luck by Mable Hoffman. I have made this several times and always wondered how it would taste without the ground beef. Turns out it doesn't need the meat, especially with all the extra spices I added...

1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes (or 2 med tomatoes, chopped)
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 Tbsp turmeric
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 15 oz can black beans (I think I'd add another can of beans next time)
2 medium sweet potatoes (yams) peeled and thinly sliced (I left the peels on)
1/3 cup chopped raisins
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
1/2 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 9 x 11 baking dish with olive oil. Spread beans in even layer in dish and sprinkle with half of the cumin, chili powder, turmeric, cinnamon, and salt. Layer the potatoes over the beans. Sprinkle with the raisins, tomatoes, and onion. Sprinkle with the other half of the spices. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour or until sweet potatoes are done. Serve hot.


I think this would be really yummy served over basmati or jasmine rice.

Pasta Puttanesca

I heart puttanesca -- it is my favorite pasta sauce. I've been experimenting with my own "semi home made" version to replace the $6 jar at the grocery store and I think I've finally done it! Tonight was a true test for this recipe since the husband opted for no meat this time (must be on a roll! :), and after a few bites he said "I don't even miss the meat." I feel like I'm on a major winning streak after a chili disaster last weekend. It turns out the "secret" ingredient in perfect puttanesca is red wine! I used Cabernet Sauvignon since it is supposed to have a higher concentration of the anti-cancer and heart-healthy antioxidant resveratrol than some other red wines. It also doesn't hurt that it tastes delicious!

"You won't miss the meat" Puttanesca:

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 15 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (with juice)
1/2 cup cabernet sauvignon
4 cloves garlic - finely diced
1/2 red onion - finely diced (red onion has more color, therefore more phytochemicals)
1 Tbsp capers
1/3 cup pitted, chopped kalamata olives
1 small zucchini, chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
2 Tbsp Italian seasoning (rosemary, oregano, thyme, and basil)
salt and black pepper to taste


Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a medium skillet and add onions, garlic, and zucchini. Saute until tender.

In a medium saucepan add remaining 1 Tbsp of oil, both cans of tomatoes, capers, olives, and wine.

Add onions, garlic, and zucchini and simmer on low heat for 1 hour.

Salt and pepper to taste.

 Serve over whole wheat pasta with a nice dark-leafy green salad and enjoy!

I think next time I might add a couple of anchovies and some red pepper flakes to the olive oil before sauteing the onions, garlic, and zucchini because I like really strong flavors and the husband likes the spice.

Links and Labels

A quick note to anybody who happens to read my blog: I think it is very important to independently research any statement made online, especially some random person's blog ;) To make this easier for readers, I will include links in my posts to abstracts of articles published in peer-reviewed journals. Most of these will can be found on pubmed, an excellent resource for anyone interested in educating themselves about current issues in health and medicine. If you follow the links, I encourage you to dig further and use links on the site to sources and related citations. The information is out there for the public and it's up to us to inform ourselves! Stepping off my "soapbox"...

Yesterday's post talked about the yummy vegetarian chili I cooked up for Meatless Monday. Besides being delicious, the meal turned out to be educational. As we sat scooping up our über healthy, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory chili and shoveling it into our faces with saltines, my husband decided to read the nutrition label on the saltines sitting on the table. I have recently started buying an organic brand, more because they taste much better than our usual crackers than for any nutritional reason (since after all a processed food is a processed food).

Well, according to the nutrition label our "healthy" crackers are not so healthy after all ;) A serving size is 4 crackers and contains 60 calories, 20 of which come from fat. They contain no dietary fiber and 1 measly gram of protein. This got me curious so I pulled out the box of "regular" saltines. A serving size of those is 5 crackers and contains 60 calories, 10 of which come from fat. I don't general worry too much about fat intake and since neither types of cracker had trans or saturated fats, but all-in-all neither cracker is providing much nutritional benefit. And I don't know about anyone else, but my husband and I can easily polish off at least 12 crackers each with a bowl of chili. That's 144-180 "extra" calories added to our otherwise nutrition-packed meal. It wasn't enough to make us switch back from our buttery-tasting saltines to the old kind, let alone quit enjoying saltines with our chili, but it did stop us both from reaching into the box for a second helping.

I don't currently count calories or even worry too much about them, but this was a good reminder that it is important to read nutrition labels and plan a meal accordingly. Serving sizes can be deceptively tiny so munching "blindly" from the box might not be the best idea. I also might try to find some whole grain saltines with at least a little dietary fiber next time - we'll see ;)

Meatless Monday

I finally have a reason to blog about something! My 2011 resolution is to put into practice some of the many dietary and exercise changes I have been researching. Step 1: Eat a plant-based diet. Right now I am not vegan or even vegetarian, but the more research I read about nutrition the harder it is to ignore how heavily meat-based my diet is. Even switching to grass-fed and pastured meats doesn't seem to be a big enough step to reap the greatest health benefits - I still need to replace a good portion of meat with MORE vegetables. I sometimes choose vegetarian meals at restaurants (I had some delicious sautéed pumpkin and eggplant last night at Afghan Grill in Dallas) but as a relatively new cook my home meals tend to be traditional American and meat-based. I love Thai food, Indian food, Greek, Lebanese, and now Afghan food and I am excited to incorporate some of these cooking styles into my meals. The best part is that many of the dishes I love are packed with anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer vegetables, fruits, herbs, and spices!

My wonderful husband who loves these same foods (but is hesitant to cut back on meat consumption much) is finally open to trying a fully vegetarian meal tonight: vegetarian chili. My challenge will be to serve a spicy, hearty chili that tastes as good or better than my usual ground beef version. Neither of us is into meat "substitutes," but luckily chili doesn't really need that anyway and we both love beans in chili :) I also want to incorporate some potent ant-inflammatory spices such as turmeric and cinnamon, and some dark chocolate since we both love molé.

Here is the recipe I am starting with. It was adapted from a Whole Foods recipe. I may change it slightly when I make the chili and I'll update how it turns out.

Ingredients

3/4 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed and drained (or kernels from 1 ear corn)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium eggplant, peeled and diced (about 3 cups) (I left the skin on)
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 medium white onion, peeled and chopped
1/2 jalapeño pepper, minced, more or less to taste (Add if you like more heat)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon smoked or regular paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Sea salt and black pepper
2 (15-ounce) cans no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can fire roasted or regular diced tomatoes with juices
1 cup gluten-free vegetable broth
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method

In a large heavy skillet, roast corn kernels over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove and set aside. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet over medium heat and cook eggplant with a pinch of salt until golden, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat remaining tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in jalapeño, cumin, cinnamon, coriander, paprika, chili powder, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in tomatoes, beans, vegetable broth and lime juice. Bring to a simmer. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in corn and eggplant. Add chocolate and stir just until melted. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately.


Update:

Success!!! This chili was delicious! I made a few changes to the recipe above: I doubled the cumin and tripled the chili powder, used 1 Tbsp of cocoa powder instead of the chocolate chips, added 1 tsp of turmeric, and left out the paprika (I was out). I left the eggplant skins on and they were a little too chewy, so next time I will either peel the eggplant or use zucchini instead. I didn't use a jalapeño and my husband missed the heat, but once he added about an eighth cup of cayenne pepper (as he does to everything) he gave it an 8 out of 10. That's about as good as I could have hoped for!