Recipe: Vietnamese Sandwiches with Tofu (Banh Mi Chay)

Vietnamese Sandwiches with Tofu (Banh Mi Chay)

I must be a sandwich, 'cuz I'm on a roll. Ba dum dum. Yeah. Anyhow, when I last wrote about Vietnamese sandwiches  (banh mi), it was to tell you where to find them in Seattle. Until last night I'd never made them at home.

Considering that they retail for under $2, there isn't much reason to make them yourself unless you don't have access to them or you want to vary the ingredients, which was my motivation. I thought I would use the outstanding tofu from Thanh Son Tofu on 12th Ave, and add avocado and mint leaves. I picked up the rolls from Seattle Deli. (Which is also a fine place to have a sandwich, but you have to ask them not use fish sauce if you want a vegetarian one.)

My Banh Mi turned out decent, but I think it could use more of a bump in flavor next time. Some ideas would be to flavor the mayo intensely with a chili sauce and/or citrus, marinate the tofu, or add some drops of chili-flavored sesame oil.

For the baguette rolls, you want ones that are about 10" long, seriously crusty on the outside, and fairly soft in the crumb. I believe the Vietnamese ones are made with part rice flour, which would add to the crispy crust, but if you can't find those, the best French baguette you can find will do well.

Vietnamese Sandwiches with Tofu (Banh Mi Chay)
Vegetarian, vegan if you omit the mayo
Serves 4

• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into small batons
• 1/2 daikon radish, peeled and cut into small batons
• 1/2 c. water
• 1/2 c. white vinegar
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1/2 English cucumber, cut into small batons
• 1/2 white onion, sliced thin
• 1 or more jalapeno or other hot pepper (to your taste), sliced thin
• 1 avocado, sliced
• mint leaves
• cilantro leaves
• 1 pound firm tofu, sliced into 1/2" thick slabs
• oil for pan--frying
• mayonnaise to taste, seasoned with sriracha or other flavoring as desired
• 4 crusty baguette-style rolls

1. Marinate the carrot and daikon in the water, vinegar and sugar.
2. Pan fry the tofu in a small amount of oil until nicely browned on both sides. Drain, pat dry with a paper towel, and season with salt and pepper.
3. Cut the baguette part way through. Dress it with mayo. For my taste, rather heavily.
4. Fill each sandwich with all of the ingredients, and offer additional sriracha sauce on the side.

Recipe: Sabich - Iraqi Jewish Eggplant Sandwich

Sabich - Iraqi Jewish Eggplant Sandwich

So I'm at that Men Cook event I've been telling you about, and my friend Aaron starts telling me about this amazing sandwich he'd had in Israel. He had me at fried eggplant and hardboiled egg, and I missed the rest because I was too busy drooling and scheming when I was going to make it. I'd been in Israel this past fall, and was heartbroken that while I'd eaten untold falafel, I'd had nary a sabich.

I did a little web research on sabich, but was waylaid by the fact that I'd need to buy or make a pickled mango condiment named amba. A few days later, Sarina and I were in a Middle Eastern grocery in Bellevue, and there was an enormous jar of it! So I snapped that up. It is the bright orange stuff you see in the back of the picture. And actually the jarred stuff wasn't that great, kind of harsh for my taste. Maybe a small amount, but this recipe sounds better.

And then, not more than a few days later again, I'm skimming Food and Wine as usual, and here it is again. Some chef in Philly has been traveling in Israel, training up on dishes for his new place and sabich is high on his list. Something is clearly alive in the global food consciousness, and I want in!

From what little I've been able to glean, sabich is a popular sabbath food for Iraqi Jews, and when they emigrated to Israel and set up a community in Ramat Gan, the sandwich came with them. It has since gained widespread popularity, and of course in typical Israeli fashion spawned N variations and N * 2 arguments about which one is better.

Above you can see my first try, which I'm not too modest to say tasted damn good. There is something about the creaminess of the egg and the fried goodness of the eggplant that work really well together, and then the garnishes of Israeli salad (tomatoes and cucumbers with a bit of lemon juice) hummus, onions, pickles, parsley and amba give your mouth the full workout of sweet, spicy, sour, herbacious, smooth and crispy.

A quick note on hardboiled eggs. Mine have gotten drastically better since I read How To Hard Boil an Egg. The basic summary is: eggs in enough cold water to cover, covered pot, bring to a boil, remove from heat, sprinkle in a little salt, leave covered for 20 minutes, drain, ice bath, peel, enjoy. Read the site for more tips, but that has been working great for me. They say 30 minutes but I find 20 is perfect. Nice and soft and absolutely no green around the yolk (see the picture above).

Here's the sabich recipe:

Sabich - Iraqi Jewish Eggplant Sandwich
Vegetarian; vegan if you omit the egg; gluten free if you omit the pita and serve as a salad
Makes 4 sandwiches

• 4 pieces good pita bread
• 4 hard boiled eggs (see note above), peeled and sliced
• 1-2 large eggplants, peeled and sliced 1/4" or so thick
• vegetable oil for frying
• 2 roma tomatoes, finely diced
• 1/2 English cucumber, finely diced
• juice of 1 lemon
• hummus (bought or make your own)
• prepared tahina (bought or make your own)
• 1/2 flat leaf parsley
• 1/2 small white onion minced
• 1/2 c. pickle, cut into small slices or cubes
• amba - mango pickle, or failing that, hot sauce of your choice - harissa maybe?

1. Make a simple salad of the tomatoes, cucumber, and lemon juice, with salt to taste.
2. Fry the eggplant in batches until thoroughly tender and browned; drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt.
3. While the eggplant is frying, put each of the other ingredients in bowls so everyone can build a sandwich to their own specifications.
4. Toast or grill the pita bread.
5. Serve it forth, preferably with cold beer, make yourself a gigantic sandwich, and chill.

New Category For Vegan Recipes

Thanks to Ruth of the Perfect Blood Sugar blog for the excellent suggestion to have a category for recipes that are vegan, or easily modifiable to be vegan. I've gone back through the last 50 or so posts and added the vegan ones to that category, and I'll try and do the rest soon. Let me know if there are other categories you'd find useful.

Recipe: Atayef - Syrian Ricotta-Filled Dessert Pancakes

Atayef - Syrian Ricotta-Filled Dessert Pancakes

I took one look at the picture of these atayef in Poopa Dweck's spectacular cookbook, Aromas of Aleppo, The Legendary Cuisine of Syrian Jews and knew imediately that I had to make them. I served them at a recent Men Cook event for dessert, after a meal that also included her red lentil soup (shurbat addes) and spiced yogurt cheese (labneh).

If the picture of the atayef didn't get me, the description surely would have. First you make a thin pancake batter, and cook off small, crepe-thin circles, but only on one side. Then you fill the undercooked pancakes with ricotta cheese, seal them up, and deep fry them. Then you drench them in rose water-scented simple syrup, and dip the end in finely chopped pistachios. Over the top? I'd say.

The results were just as terrific as the description, and in spite of all the steps they aren't really difficult to do. Allowing for a few that burst or otherwise turn out ugly, the recipe will make about 40 two-bite desserts, and the average person will probably want three of them, so you can easily serve 12. If you don't need this many all at once, you might as well still make them and then freeze the rest before the deep frying step.

The syrup sub-recipe will also yield more than you need but will keep well in the fridge. You could use it to make interesting cocktails!

Shira (Rose Water Scented Syrup)
Vegetarian and vegan
Yields 2 cups (keeps well; could also use in cocktails)

• 3 c. white sugar
• 1 c. water
• 1 t. lemon juice
• 1/2 t. rose water or orange blossom water

1. Boil the sugar, water and lemon juice for about 15 minutes. To tell if it is thick enough, grab out a teaspoon (carefully!) and let it cool a bit, then see if it is close to the consistency of honey.
2. Allow to cool, then add the rose water or orange blossom water, and refrigerate. (The book has you add the rose water during the boiling, but I think it is better after).

Atayef - Syrian Ricotta-Filled Dessert Pancakes
Vegetarian
To make vegan substitute egg replacer in the pancake and silken tofu fin the filling, or do a filling of chopped walnuts and apples)
Yields about 40, enough for at least 12 people

• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1 T. sugar
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 c. fresh ricotta (I prefer Colabro brand)
• 1 c. cold shira syrup (above)
• 1 c. shelled pistachios, chopped fine in a food processor

1. Mix together the dry ingredients. Stir in the egg, then add water until you have a thin pancake batter, about like a crepe batter.
2. Heat a griddle or large frying pan to medium and grease lightly.
3. To make the pancakes, spread on 1 T. of batter and use the back of a spoon to quickly form it into a 3" circle. Cook until bubbles just appear on one side. Do not flip, just remove it from the heat and place in a single layer on a baking sheet or work surface. Your goal is only to make the crepe firm enough to be filled, you don't need it to be fully cooked. Do as many at a time as you can handle without overcooking. For me that was only about 4 at a time but they go quick.
4. Fill each pancake with 1 teaspoon of ricotta. Do not overfill! Fold in half and seal with your fingertips. You can freeze them in a single layer at this point until you are ready to use them.
5. For the final cooking, heat about 3/4 inch of oil in a smallish saucepan. Fry the atayef in small batches until deep golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, douse with the shira syrup, and dip the tip in the pistachios. The shira should be very cold to prevent it from ruining the crispiness of the pancakes.
6. Serve immediately, while still hot, and experience joy!

Recipe: Syrian Vegetarian Red Lentil Soup (Shurbat Addes)

Syrian Red Lentil Soup (Shurbat Addes)

This recipe, and the next couple that I post, are adapted from Poopa Dweck's spectacular cookbook, Aromas of Aleppo, The Legendary Cuisine of Syrian Jews.

Aleppo was home to a major Jewish population from the time of the Babylonian exile (600 BCE). They experienced golden ages under the Byzantines and Ottomans, and remained there until the horrendous pogroms of 1947. Their Aleppo Codex is the oldest surviving document of the Old Testament other than the Dead Sea Scrolls, and resides at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. Much of the Aleppan community has resettled in New Jersey. Aleppan Jewish cuisine contains elements similar to those found in the other Sepharic cultures, with strong Middle Eastern and Levantine flavors.

I tend to favor cookbooks that have a particularly strong individual point of view, and Aromas has that in spades. Dweck's book reminds me of those wonderful church, mosque or synagogue cookbooks that every immigrant congregation seems to put together after the first generation is well established, to ensure that their kids can carry on the traditions. Only this one somehow got printed in a gorgeous coffee-table sized hardback with world class photography and an outstanding historical introduction. If you like to cook with Middle Eastern flavors, it deserves a proud place on your shelf.

This particular soup is awfully easy to do. Basically you  just boil red lentils until they puree themselves, add a seasoning sautee and a quick garnish. I prefer to make it a little bit thinner than Dweck's version, so that it serves as a relatively light first course, but it also works in a larger and thicker portion as the main dish of a simple meal.

Ingredient notes

Red lentils are available at any natural food or health food store; do not substitute brown/green/black/french lentils. Aleppo pepper is a red pepper that is specific to Syrian food, and is quite hard to find in the US. One source is ChefShop.com. Instead of the cumin and Aleppo pepper, another great garnish alternative is dukka, a spice blend from Egypt that is available from World Spice Merchants.

Syrian Red Lentil Soup (Shurbat Addes)
Vegetarian and Vegan
Yields 8 cups, enough for 8 appetizer servings or 4 main course servings

• 2 c. red lentils (see note above)
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 t. coriander seed
• 1 T. kosher salt
• 2 T. olive oil
• Garnish: fresh cilantro, ground cumin, Aleppo pepper (see note above) or chili flakes, lemon wedges

1. Rinse the lentils, pick them over for stones or other miscellaneous material, and bring them to a boil with 2 quarts of water. Lower to a simmer. Stir occasionally to make sure they aren't sticking in a large lump on the bottom, otherwise they may scorch. Simmer for about 40 minutes, until they have dissolved into a puree.
2. While the lentils are cooking, grind the garlic, coriander seed and salt in a mortar and pestle or a small food processor into a coarse paste. Fry this paste in the olive oil for about 1 minute, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add to the soup and let simmer a bit longer.
3. Taste and adjust first for texture first (by adding water). I like it moderately thin, but thick is good too. Then add salt as needed to make it flavorful.
4. Serve in individual cups garnished with a sprig of cilantro and a pinch of the cumin and pepper, and a lemon wedge on the side.

Recipe: Raw White Asparagus Salad with Watercress and Romano - Vegetarian

White Asparagus Salad with Watercress and Romano

I'm starting to test recipes for my first Herbivoracious dinner party. My first event is going to be an asparagus tasting menu, a celebration of Spring coming to the Northwest. It isn't for a few weeks, and neither is local asparagus! I'm having to test with California spears for now.

(By the way, the first dinner is full, but if you are interested in attending a future event in Seattle, drop me a line at herbivoracious [at] gmail [dot] com, with "dinner" in the subject, and I'll keep you posted).

This salad has been marinating in mind for a bit. No pun intended. I wanted to do something with thinly sliced raw white asparagus, which has a nice vegetable sweetness and crunch to it. In this version I paired it with watercress, cipollini onions, aged pecorino romano, and a grapefruit vinaigrette. Everything worked really well, but the vinaigrette needs some work to bring out more of the citrus flavor. Grapefruit is a lot less acidic than lemon, so that makes sense to me. I think next time I will try using more of the zest and a little bit of a neutrally flavored  vinegar.

Here's an approximate recipe:

White Asparagus Salad with Watercress and Romano
Vegetarian
Vegan if you omit the cheese
Serves 1 - multiply as needed

• vinaigrette: 2 parts good olive oil, 1 part fresh squeezed grapefruit juice, 1/2 t. grapefruit zest, salt to taste
• 2 spears of thick white asparagus
• a few paper thin slices of cipollini onion or shallot
• handful of watercress, arugula, or mache
• 4-5 paper thin slices of pecorino romano, or parmigiano reggiano
• salt and pepper

1. Drizzle and whisk the olive oil into the lemon juice vinaigrette to emulsify, then add the zest and salt to taste.
2. Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus, peel, and slice very thinly on a diagonal bias.
3. Cut the cheese with a vegetable peeler.
4. Just before serving, toss the asparagus, onion, and greens with the dressing, arrange on plate and top with the cheese and a bit of finishing salt and black pepper.

Recipe: Vegetarian Urad Dal Patties (Vada) with Black Pepper

Urad Dal Patties (Vada) with Black Pepper

Vada (also spelled Bada) are a species of Indian fritter or cake made with various types of lentils (dals). This particular dish is made with urad dal, which is readily available at any Indian market. While you are there, stock up on chana dal, toor dal, moong dal and all the other delicious pulses that aren't used enough in Western cuisine. If you can't find them locally, you can also order them from Amazon.

The basic technique for making vada is to soak the dal for a few hours, blend it into a coarse paste with spices, and then shallow fry. They can be made in various shapes, but here I just made simple patties.

The recipe I followed comes from the wonderful (and freshly reprinted) Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking by Yamuna Devi, which is a wonderfully written, 800 page tome of the food favored by the Hare Krishna (ISKCON) community. Devi (born Joan Campanella) spent 8 years as the personal cook for Srila Prabhupada. The book includes traditional foods from all over India, but they are generally on the mild side. The version below has the spices amped up to suit my pathetically overstimulated palate.

I served these vada with red quinoa which you can barely see peeking out from under the roasted cauliflower and caramelized onions, a bit of creme fraiche (but yogurt would be good too), and a quick grilled half of a Meyer lemon. On balance, yeah, this plate has a lot of brown to golden-brown hues! But it was just a quickie dinner, whaddaya want, Picasso?

Urad Dal Patties (Vada) with Black Pepper
Makes about 12 patties; 2 or 3 make a nice serving
Vegetarian, vegan (if you don't garnish with dairy), and gluten-free

• 3/4 c. urad dal (without skins), available at any Indian grocery
• 2 tsp. coarse freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. asafetida powder or 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• oil for frying (or ghee)
• garnish: Maldon or other finishing salt, creme fraiche or yogurt (optional)

1. Pick over the dal to remove any foreign material, and rinse thorougly. Cover with plenty of water and leave to soak for 4-6 hours.
2. Drain the dal. In a blender, grind half of the dal with 6 tbsp. of water until thoroughly smooth and fluffy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Remove from blender.
3. Put the other half of the dal in the blender with 5 tbsp. of water and grind briefly, until it is a coarse paste but retains some texture. Add to the first batch of dal in a bowl.
4. Mix in the pepper, asafetida, cayenne and kosher salt. Taste and adjust seasoning.
5. Heat a frying pan with enough oil or ghee to fill about 1/2" deep to a temperature of about 340 F.
6. Carefully drop in portions of the dal mixture and lightly press with a spatula to form patties. About 1/4 c. will do fine.  Put as many as you can in your pan without crowding them to close. Fry until golden brown on one side (maybe 4 minutes), then flip and brown the other side. Remove from the pan, drain on a paper towel, and hit it with some finishing salt. Hold hot while you fry the rest and serve them forth. Like anything fried, they are at their best minutes after leaving the oil and deteriorate rapidly, so be ready to chow!

Recipe: Beet Greens with Pumpkin Seed Oil and Cherry Vinegar

Recipe: Beet Recipe: Greens with Pumpkin Seed Oil and Cherry Vinegar

Devra Gartenstein over at the Quirky Gourmet got me thinking about how many good odds and ends of produce I waste with this article about how she uses chard stems. I was boiling beets for a salad tonight, and resolved for once not to toss the greens. Now I adore beet greens (and every other kind of leafy green), but usually I just have a handful and they don't seem to fit into what I'm making, so they end up in the trash or compost.

But today I was feeling a little snacky anyhow, so while I was boiling the beets, I quickly stripped the greens, rinsed 'em, and tossed them in the boiling water too. Five minutes later I pulled them out, gave 'em a quick chop, and dressed them with:

(this recipe is vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free)

• pumpkinseed oil
• cherry vinegar
• Maldon salt
• quick-toasted fennel seeds
• a few strips of lemon zest

Man that was good! It would make a perfect side dish anywhere you might conventionally think to serve spinach or kale. This is one of those dishes that mainly comes together by using those nice ingredients, more than any real skill of the chef. Speaking of which, over at ChefShop.com they have a listing of my "Herbivoracious pantry". The Maldon salt is in there, and the oil and vinegar will be there soon. (This isn't an affiliate deal for me, I just like what they have to offer.)

Recipe: Crostini with White Beans and Basil

Crostini with White Beans and Basil

This is the last of the three crostini toppings I did for the recent Kavana Men Cook event, and it is admittedly similar to the other white bean dip I posted awhile back with grilled onions. This version is pared down further, focusing simply on clear flavors from the Meyer lemon and basil. Garlic and/or chili flakes would be appropriate additions, and you could use fresh parsley, tarragon, or oregano instead of the basil.

Crostini with White Beans and Basil
Serves 6 as an appetizer
Vegetarian and vegan

1 baguette

1/4 c. peppery olive oil

one 15. oz cans cannelini, drained and rinsed (or cook your own)

juice of 1 Meyer lemon

1/3 c. basil, chiffonade

1 t. sea salt

1/2 t. fresh ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Lightly mash the beans and mix in 2 T. of the olive oil, the lemon juice, basil, salt, and pepper. Adjust seasoning as needed.
3. Slice the baguette thinly, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. and brush with the remaining olive oil.
4. Toast until golden brown, and serve immediately.

Recipe: Crostini with Spanish Green Olive Tapenade

Crostini with Spanish Green Olive Tapenade

This is the second of three crostini toppings I made for our Kavana Men Cook event. This one has straight ahead Spanish flavors with the green olives, orange zest, and smoked paprika. It goes together in just a minute in a food processor. This tapenade is on the thicker side and works better as a crostini or bruschetta topping than as a dip.

One small trick here is to soak the olives in hot water for a few minutes to remove some of the saltiness. You can do the same with black olives or capers in similar recipes.

Crostini with Spanish Green Olive Tapenade
Makes 1 c. for use as a crostini topping
Vegetarian and vegan

• 1 oz. roasted red peppers (or better, piquillo peppers) drained
• 1 c. high quality pitted green olives
• zest and juice of 1/2 orange
• 1/2 t. chili flakes
• 1/2 t. smoked paprika (like pimenton dolce)

1. Soak the olives in hot water for 5 minutes or so and then drain them.
2. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until it holds together but is still somewhat coarse.
3. Taste and check seasoning.

 

Recipe: Citrus Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette

This is the salad course we did for the Kavana Men Cook event. We used a combination of arugula and mache, two very flavorful greens that have the slight bitterness to combine well with the bright citrus fruit. The blood oranges and grapefruit supremes looked great, and the sharp sherry vinaigrette brought the whole thing together. A few thin slices of red onion seal the deal.

When I use raw onions like this, I like to keep the slices in ice cold water until just before serving. The cold keeps the sulfur compounds from being as volatile, so the onion tastes sweeter. Just drain them well before plating.

Citrus Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette
Serves 4
Vegetarian and vegan

• 2 T. sherry vinegar
• 1/2 t. dijon mustard
• 6 T. olive oil
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 2 blood oranges or mandarins, cut into supremes
• 1 grapefruit, cut into supremes
• 1/2 small red onion, cut in to paper thin slices
• 4 handfuls of arugula and/or mache, trimmed, washed and thoroughly dried

1. Chill the serving plates in the refrigerator.
2. Combine the sherry vinegar and dijon mustard. Whisking continuously, add the olive oil drop-by-drop at first and then in a thin stream until it is emulsified. Add salt and pepper to taste. The dressing should be highly seasoned.
3. Prepare the citrus, onions, and greens.
4. To serve, toss the greens with the dressing and place them on a cold plate. Top with the citrus and onions, and a final sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper.

 

Recipe: Chana Chaat in a Papadum Bowl

Chana Chaat in a Papadum Bowl

Chaat (or chat) is a whole family of delicious Indian snacks, served either as street food or in shops that specialize in these treats. and generally cold or at room temperature. They aren't very popular in America, but you can sometimes find a few items on a menu, especially at a South Indian restaurant.

I believe Udupi Palace in Bellevue, WA has Pani Puri, which is one of the all time great chaat items, though I don't see it on the online menu. Those of you lucky enough to live in the Bay Area can visit the legendary Vik Distributors in Berkeley, where you can load up on Indian groceries and have some of the best chaat snacks in the country. When I got a chance to travel to India, my coworkers Delhi Treats and Ayusman, among others, took me to some of the best chaat places in Delhi and I think I left my heart there, or at least my palate.

If you know of a great chaat emporium elsewhere, please add a comment below!

Anyhow, I was longing for those flavors, and I had the idea to see if I could do a slightly upscale presentation. The main trick here was to make a bowl out of a papadum. All you have to do is cut a pie shaped wedge and put it on top of a ramekin, then toast it in the toaster oven and carefully press down on it until it forms a partial bowl. I topped that with spicy chickpeas, yogurt and cilantro, and on the plate we've got a bit of tamarind gel and slices of crystallized ginger. Here's the recipe:

Chana Chaat in a Papadum Bowl
Serves 4
Vegetarian, vegan if you skip the yogurt

• 2 T. tamarind concentrate
• 2 T. boiling water
• 1 t. agar-agar powder
• 2 t. sugar
• 1 black pepper (or other flavor) papadum, cut into 4 wedges
• 2 c. cooked and cooled (or opened, rinsed, and drained) chickpeas
• 2 T. chaat masala (or mix your own)
• 1/2 c. high quality yogurt
• 1 t. mild chili powder
• sprigs of cilantro
• 4 pieces of crystallized ginger, sliced thin

1. Stir together the tamarind concentrate, boiling water, agar-agar powder, and sugar. Taste and add more sugar if needed. Cool in refrigerator. When gelled, whisk vigorously to make a viscous liquid.
2. Working one piece at a time, put a papadum on top of a small ramekin and place in a toaster oven. Toast for a few minutes until golden brown and blistering, occasionally and carefully applying slight pressure to form a bowl shape. Remove from oven and leave in ramekin for a few minutes to cool.
3. Mix chickpeas with the chaat masala. You could also add diced cucumbers, potatoes, or onions.
4. To serve, put a few drops of tamarind sauce on the plate with a medicine dropper, place a few slices of the ginger, add the papadum bowl and top with 1/4 of the chickpeas, 2 T. of yogurt, and a bit of the chili powder and cilantro.

Recipe: Grapefruit And Avocado Salad

Chef Janine over at Cafe Flora showed me the other day how to cut sections of citrus fruit properly. Technically these are called "supremes" as in in "we need to cut grapefruit supremes". I've tried to do them before and always had a lot of trouble, with bits of pith leftover and broken segments and frustration.

Anyhow, I had always tried to go in with my knife on both sides of the membrane between the segments. The way she showed me, you go in on one side, flip your knife around, and come back towards you on the other side, maybe leaving a bit of "meat" behind. Works like a charm, you end up with clean segments and a beautiful cup of juice too. If enough folks are interested maybe I could put up a video of the technique.

So I was itching to try this new found skill at home, and we had a grapefruit and an avocado just begging to become a salad. There is a famous crabmeat version of this salad at Etta's, which I'm sure is great. And we have one with these ingredients at Cafe Flora too, but with an Asian-inflected twist of shiitake mushrooms and a ginger-miso dressing, all on greens. Delicious.

My take is below. Possible variations would be to use different citrus (blood oranges!), or add feta cheese and/or cilantro.

Grapefruit And Avocado Salad
Serves 2
Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free

• 1 grapefruit, cut into supremes over a bowl (see discussion above)
• 1 ripe avocado, cubed or sliced
• 1/4 red onion, sliced paper thin
• 1/4 c. best quality extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 t. kosher salt
• 1 t. prepared dijon mustard (like Grey Poupon)
• black salt and black pepper for finishing

1. Squeeze the leftover bits of grapefruit and the juice gathered while cutting the supremes, and measure 1/4 c. of it. Drink the rest, cook's treat.
2. Mix the 1/4 c. of juice with the olive oil, kosher salt, and mustard in a jar and shake intensively to emulsify. Taste and add a little good vinegar if it needs more acidity. Leave it underseasoned so you can finish with the black salt.
3. Arrange the grapefruit, avocado, and onions on a plate, either individually or on a platter. Just before serving, drizzle on the salad and sprinkle with the black salt and black pepper.

Fun With Isomalt

I've been hearing for awhile about this product called isomalt, which is a modified sugar. It has the interesting property that it can melt and form into thin sheets like caramel without turning brown. It is only about half as sweet as table sugar too, so it is easier to use in savory applications.

Advanced molecular gastronomy wizards can make isomalt into paper thin vessels filled with liquids, and I had hoped to make a sort of creme brulee capsule at some point. But for my first foray, I thought I would make some simple croquants (think: peanut brittle) with various spice mixtures. The idea would be to garnish a dish with them, allowing the eater to snack on them directly or crumble over a dish.

You can see the results above and below. The top one has black mustard, fennel, and coriander seeds, suitable for use with an upscale Indian presentation. You don't need to toast the seeds in advance because they cook in the oven along with the isomalt. In the future I'd use less mustard because the flavor was a bit overwhelming.

In the pictures below I tried different flavors and forming three dimensional ribbons.  The one in the upper left is sesame and Maldon salt, and the one in the upper right has Japanese chili powder, black sesame, and pink Hawaiian salt.

The basic technique is:

• melt the isomalt in a saucepan to 260 degrees F. while stirring as little as possible
• pour out onto a silpat lined baking sheet and let cool - at this point you will have a thick, hard sheet of candy glass
• break into manageable chunks and grind to a powder. I used a coffee grinder.
• on a fresh silpat, create a stencil of the shape you want. I just laid down two chopsticks to form a rectangle
• sift the isomalt powder into the stencil. you can play with how thick or thin a layer to use.
• add the seeds, salts, or other flavorings
• melt in a 300 degree F. oven
• as soon as it turns clear, remove from oven
• (this is where it gets dicey) let it cool just a few seconds and then VERY CAREFULLY peel the shape off the mat, trying to neither burn yourself nor destroy the shape. Then, working quickly, apply any twists or shaping you want and set on a cool plate. If it cools before you can shape, try a very brief reheating.

There seem to be a whole host of more advanced techniques to try, including grinding in spices or other seasonings with the powder, adding some table sugar, doing a much more lacy, thin sprinkle, forming tubes or spheres, spinning, etc. I'll let you know if I have any success with them!

If you'd like to experiment yourself, you can purchase isomalt powder from ChefShop.com.

Recipe: Kaffir Lime Dipping Sauce

This simple sauce is similar to a vegetarian version of Vietnamese nuoc cham, suitable for serving with spring rolls or or pouring over a rice bowl. I've been wanting to find a good way to get a strong flavor of kaffir lime leaf, and this really worked out great.

I should mention that kaffir lime is considered an offensive term, although it is by far the most commonly used name for this plant. Makrut lime is more acceptable. But I've never actually heard it used. The leaf infuses a big, round citrus flavor without any acidity. The closest substitution would probably be normal lime rind but it is by no means the same. You should be able to find it at a good Asian specialty market, especially one that offers a Southeast Asian selection, or an Indian grocery.

The idea with this sauce is to get a nice balance of sweet, sour, spicy, salty, and the citrus. Once you mix it up, give it a good taste and adjust any of the components to get exactly what you want.

Kaffir Lime Dipping Sauce
Yields about 1 cup
Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free if you use a wheat-free soy sauce

• 3/4 c. water
• 1.5 T. sugar
• 6 kaffir lime leaves
• 2 t. salt
• 1.5 t. chili flakes
• 1/4 c. rice vinegar
• 1 t. tamari or soy sauce

1. Bring all of the ingredients except the rice vinegar and tamari to a boil in a small saucepan and remove from the heat.
2. Allow to steep for 15 minutes, then remove the lime leaves and allow to cool.
3. Stir in the vinegar and tamari.
4. Taste and adjust the seasonings. You should be able to clearly taste all of the components except the tamari.

Variations: you could add some or all of finely sliced scallions, ginger, garlic, or cilantro. The rice vinegar could be replaced with a coconut or citrus vinegar. The chili flakes could be replaced with a minced fresh chili of your choosing.

Recipe: Lemony White Beans With Grilled Onions

Lemony White Beans With Grilled Onions

I made this for a Seattle food blogger brunch put together by the Keren Brown, aka The Savvy Savorer. She told me her husband was making his lachooch (a delicious, slightly spongy Yemenite flatbread that reminded me a lot of Ethiopian injera, only thicker). I can't find anything about it on the web, Keren care to provide us with a recipe?

Anyhow, I figured it would go well with lemony beans, so I came up with this simple white bean salad. The flavors are basically Italian, but I snuck in a bit of preserved lemon to add a Middle Eastern twist. If you don't have preserved lemon handy just add another fresh lemon. I love the flavor of preserved lemon but you want to go easy with it for general audiences - some folks may feel it tastes like Lemon Pledge in large quantities!

Grilling the onions adds another hit of flavor. You could do that on a barbeque if it is convenient, but you can also use a grill pan or cast iron skillet.

White bean salads like this are very versatile. You can bring them as a potluck dish, use them as a side salad, have them as the main even of a light lunch, smash them a bit and offer as a dip, or even serve them hot as the base layer of an entree plate.

This recipe is vegetarian and vegan.

Lemony White Beans With Grilled Onions
Serves 12 as a side dish
Vegan and gluten-free

• 6 c. cooked white beans (such as cannellini)
• 1.5 large sweet onions
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
• zest and juice of 2 lemons
• 1/2 preserved lemon, interior only, chopped fine
• salt to taste
• 1 t. black pepper
• 1/4 c. packed sage leaves, chiffonade
• 1 T. minced rosemary leaves
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 2 yellow bell peppers, diced small
• 1 handful flat leaf parsley, minced (reserve a few leaves for garnish)
• 1 handful chives, minced

1. Cook the beans (or open a can), and drain thoroughly. Heat (or cool, as the case may be) the beans to a very warm temperature so they absorb flavors.
2. Slice the onions into thick circles and grill until fairly charred (see note above), then dice.
3. Combine all of the ingredients thoroughly and check for seasoning.
4. Serve warm or at room temperature. This will keep for a few days in the refrigerator and the flavor will continue to improve.

Recipe: Brussel Sprouts with Seeds and Toasted Coconut

By the way, check out my page on tastespotting.com for a visual index of all the photos from the site. And be sure and press the "*" button on the pictures if you like them, so other folks will find 'em too!

This is the season for great brussel sprouts, and I've seen lots of great recipes for them. I decided to take my sprouts in an Indian direction the other night. It is pretty simple, I just shredded them and pan fried them with black mustard, black caraway, and cumin seeds, and toasted coconut. This dish is vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free. I served it with basmati rice, aloo gobi (potato and cauliflower curry), cucumber raita (yogurt sauce) and papadums.

Mustard and brussel sprouts are both in the brassica family, so the seeds really complement the flavor. The key, as always with anything in the cabbage world is not to overcook them, otherwise you will bring out unpleasant sulfury flavors.

Fresh green chilis, ginger, garlic, or onions would all be welcome additions to this dish.

Brussel Sprouts with Seeds and Coconut
Serves 4 as a side dish
Vegetarian, vegan if you use oil instead of butter, and gluten-free

• 3 c. brussel sprouts, trimmed and sliced thin
• 2 T. ghee or 1 T. butter and 1 T. oil
• 2 T. urad dal (optional)
• 1 T. black mustard seeds
• 2 t. black caraway seeds (regular caraway is ok in a pinch)
• 2 t. cumin seeds
• 1/2 c. shredded unsweetened coconut, toasted to light brown (I'm sure fresh would be even better)
  
• 2 t. kosher salt
• 2 t. jaggery or brown sugar
• 2 t. garam masala
• fresh lime or lemon juice (to taste)

1. Microwave or steam the brussel sprouts for 4 minutes so they are nearly tender.
2. In a large skillet over high heat, melt the ghee or butter and oil
3. If you have ural dal (a type of Indian split pea) available, fry it until it starts to turn reddish brown (a couple minutes). This adds an additional crunchy element.
4. Add the mustard, caraway, and cumin seeds and fry until the mustard seeds pop for a few seconds
5. Add the brussel sprouts and stir-fry until cooked through (2 minutes)
6. Add the remaining ingredients, toss, and check seasoning

 

Recipe: Roasted Purple Cauliflower with Sherry Vinaigrette and Fried Capers

Yep, purple cauliflower. We were invited to a somewhat impromptu potluck the other day, and I was going to make an orzo gratin with a saffron cream sauce to use up the pasta from Thanksgiving, but then Sarina told me that the host was making pasta. I got off work at 2:45 and we wanted to leave for the party about 4:30, so I needed to find something I could put together relatively quickly. I ran by the closest grocery that has some decent produce, and saw four heads of this beautiful purple cauliflower that I had never worked with before.

On the drive home I started to think about what to do with it. I didn't want to do a gratin with cheese or cream because I wasn't sure what the pasta sauce was going to be. I love the flavor of roasted cauliflower and my mind was still going in a Spanish direction. That set me to thinking about capers, and then the famous fried capers in the Cafe Flora Caesar salad, and then I remembered I already had a nice vinaigrette in the refrigerator that I could add sherry vinegar to.

A plan was set in motion, and I ended up with the recipe below, which I think tasted good. It definitely had big flavor, and the purple cauliflower really retained its color. At serving time I garnished it with a lot of whole flat parsley leaves for contrast and a fresh herbal hit.

Roasted Purple Cauliflower with Sherry Vinaigrette and Fried Capers
Serves 8 as a side dish
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Vegetarian and vegan

• 4 heads cauliflower, preferably the purple variety
• 1 c. jarred roasted piquillo peppers or red peppers, sliced thin (or roast them yourself if you have the time)
• 1/2 c. small capers
• 1/2 c. canola or other vegetable oil
• 1 1/4 c.  top quality extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 c. sherry vinegar
• 2 T. lemon juice
• 4 cloves fresh garlic minced or pressed
• 1 c. homemade or bought breadcrumbs
• kosher salt
• pepper
• parsley

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and use convection if you have it.
2. Take apart the cauliflower into large bite sized florets. Up to you if you want to use the stem or not.
3. Toss the cauliflower with 1/3 c. of the olive oil and a few pinches of salt, and roast in the oven. You should use two pans, but one of them can be the one you will ultimately serve in. They will shrink a lot during roasting. Check and toss them occasionally. Roast until they are quite tender and have significant brown spots. You don't have the real roasted flavor until you see those caramelized bits.
4. Meanwhile, rinse the capers, dry them in paper towel, and carefully fry them in the canola oil. Watch out for spattering! Fry until quite dark but not burned, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.
   
5. Make a vinaigrette in the usual way with 2/3 c. of the olive oil, the sherry vinegar, lemon juice, and half of the garlic. Season highly with salt and pepper.
6. Toss the breadcrumbs with 1/4 c. olive oil and the remaining garlic.
7. When the the cauliflower is done, let it cool for a few minutes. Add the capers and red peppers. Start tossing with the vinaigrette, a little at a time until you reach your preferred level of dressing. I'd like it to be highly flavored but not drenched. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
8. Put back in a nice, broilerproof serving dish and cover with the breadcrumbs.
9. To serve, run under the broiler long enough to get the breadcrumbs nice and toasty, then garnish with lots of parsley.

Recipe: Delicata Squash Stuffed with Orzo in a Sage Brown Butter Sauce

Delicata Squash Stuffed with Orzo in a Sage Brown Butter Sauce

This is the vegetarian entree I brought to our family Thanksgiving celebration at Sarina's folks' house. It was based on an early version of an entree that my friend Kit was testing at Cafe Flora. The first time I had a bite of it, it just said "Thanksgiving" to me, with the warm flavors of squash and brown butter. Kit's final dish ended up with an intensely flavored tomato sauce with lots of orange zest, which is also fantastic. I chose to do this one with sage, pumpkin seeds, and dried cranberries to maximize the late autumnal flavors.

The recipe below calls for delicata squash, which is really nice to work with because it is relatively small and the peel is delicate and edible (thus the name). One half of a squash is a perfect entree size, or one quarter would be a good side dish. If you can't find delicata, you could use acorn or any other winter squash.

Full disclosure: I made this by guesstimating amounts and without writing anything down as I went, and I did 16 portions, so the recipe below isn't precise. But it should be close enough that you can fine tune it to your own preference. You can do most of this recipe a day or two ahead and just heat and garnish when you are ready to serve them. Don't be put off because the recipe has 12 steps, it actually goes together pretty quick.

Delicata Squash Stuffed with Orzo in a Sage Brown Butter Sauce
Serves 4 as an entree
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Vegetarian, vegan if you use olive oil instead of the brown butter, gluten-free if you omit the breadcrumbs

• 2 delicata squash
• 10 T. unsalted butter
• 3 leaves fresh sage
• 6 oz. orzo pasta
• 1 T. lemon juice
• 1/2 c. dried cranberries, halved
• 1/2 c. pepitas (green, hulled pumpkin seeds - or substitute chopped almonds)
• 1/2 c. breadcrumbs (preferably homemade; not panko)
• handful of fresh pomegranate seeds
• italian parsley
• salt
• pepper

1. Carefully halve the squash, remove the seeds (a tablespoon or ice cream scoop works well), rub with oil and roast in the oven at 375 degrees until thoroughly tender. When they come out, rub the inside with a little butter.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 8 T butter and allow it to keep cooking until it develops a nutty / caramel aroma and light brown color, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Taste (carefully), it should have a caramel flavor as well. If not, you haven't cooked it long enough.
3. While the butter is still hot, tear the sage leaves and add them in, allowing them to steep for awhile.
4. Boil the orzo according to package directions, being sure to leave it al dente.
5. Drain the orzo. Strain the brown butter, add the lemon juice, and toss with the orzo. You may not need all of the butter. If you have some left, try it on popcorn or brussel sprouts.
6. Toast the pepitas in a skillet, toaster oven, or oven until slightly browned and smelling good.
7. Add the cranberries and pepitas to the orzo.
8. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Mound the orzo into the squash.
10. At this point you can refrigerate them for later use, or serve immediately.
11. To serve, sprinkle on a good layer of breadcrumbs and heat in oven. If reheating from cold, start covered with tinfoil and remove for the last few minutes.
12. Garnish with the parsley and pomegranate seeds, a good finishing salt (such as Maldon), and a grind of black pepper.

Note: an even better way to do this ahead would be to make the orzo mixture without the pepitas, and wait to add them and fill the squash just before heating. That way the pepitas will retain their crunch.

Recipe: Warm Winter Greens and Bread Salad

Warm Winter Greens and Bread Salad

This morning I had leftover braised greens in the fridge, from a dish I tested last week at Cafe Flora. They became one of those delicious breakfasts that kind of get composed while the frying pan is already heating, and you don't really know what you are going to eat until you stick a fork in it.

Although I had it for breakfast, in retrospect I think it would be really nice served as a warm salad for a wintry meal. A winter panzanella if you will. Add a soup and you would really be in business.

You can put this salad together in just a few minutes of active time, and of course it is amenable to any number of flavor variations - different greens, different bread, lemon zest, caraway seeds, whatever suits your mood and pantry. Here's today's version:

Warm Winter Greens and Bread Salad
Serves 1 as a main course or 2-3 as a side salad
Vegetarian, vegan if you omit the parmesan

• 2 big handfuls of winter braising green mix (or a single green of your choice)
• 2 slices rustic white bread
• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 T. lemon juice (or 1 T. olive oil and 1 T. any good vinaigrette)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1/2 t. chili flakes
• parmesan for grating

1. Remove coarsest stems from the greens, rinse, and put in a large covered pot with 1/4 c. of water and a pinch of salt. Cook over high heat for a few minutes and then reduce to a simmer. Check occasionally to make sure there is still a bit of water, you don't want them to scorch. Cook until they are thoroughly tender.
2. Carefully (don't burn yourself) squeeze most of the water out of the greens and chop them to bite-size.
3. Put the bread on to toast, rather darkly for maximum flavor.
4. In a skillet, heat 1 T. of the olive oil over a high flame. Add the garlic and chili flakes and sizzle for a few seconds. Add the greens and toss to coat with the oil. Season lightly with salt.
5. To serve, tear the bread into bite size chunks and put in a bowl. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and lemon juice (or vinaigrette). Top with the greens and toss lightly. Garnish with grated parmesan, a grind of black pepper, and a nice finishing salt (such as Maldon).
6. Eat right away, before the bread gets soggy.

Eat Ethiopian Tonight (Including some Seattle Recommendations)

When time turns to thoughts of lunch (for me, that is usually before breakfast), one of my first dreams is always of a good Ethiopian combo plate. If you are a vegetarian and haven't tried this cuisine, you should run, not walk! It has everything you could want: it is crazy cheap, filling, nutritious, super-tasty, and there are lots of 100% veggie options.

The basic starch of Ethiopian food is a bread called injera. It is traditionally made from teff flour, not wheat so it could be good for folks who don't eat gluten - but be sure and ask because apparently some restaurants substitute part or all wheat. The dough is fermented and then baked into big, holey, spongy and slightly sour flatbreads which can be served warm or at room temperature. As you can see in the picture above, one injera is always served under the food, as a sort of delicious plate that soaks up the flavors and is savored last. A bunch more injera are served on the side to scoop everything up.

Ethiopian food is almost always served family style, with a big plate in the middle, and you eat with your hands and the bread. Of course if you really want individual entrees and a spoon to eat with, I'm sure they'll take care of you, but a lot of the joy is in the communal meal. Naturally kids love this. The grownups are eating with their hands! Customarily you use only your right hand to eat (reserving the left for less sanitary purposes). Believe me, that is much easier to do with nice soft injera to tear than it is in India, where the nan requires a deft maneuver

As to the dishes themselves, the basic vegetarian items are usually a few types of lentil stews (wots), some mild (alicha) and some deeply spiced, long-cooked greens, cabbage and potatoes, and a salad. There are usually a few other vegetable choices, and maybe a different salad of torn up injera and tomatoes which is a type of fit-fit that can be quite nice. At least until you become familiar with the dishes, you should go for a veggie combo plate. Individual entrees are usually around 8 bucks, but the combo plate you see pictured above (at Assimba) is $11 and is easily enough for two meals (or to feed two people at one sitting).

I believe the vegetarian dishes and the injera are all vegan as well, but if that is important to you, be sure and ask.

Many US cities have concentrations of Ethiopian immigrants and their restaurants. Seattle is especially lucky in this regard. On and near Cherry Street between say 12th and Martin Luther King are at least eight options. Below you will see my current favorites. The food is great at all of them. Ras Dashen is the newest and has the nicest decor. Meskel has a lovely deck for eating outside in the summer. Assimba has great flavors and is really fast, and Cafe Selam across the street is tiny and homey, with really warm folks running the place. They also do breakfast, which is another realm of deliciosity with fascinating bowls of fool beans with eggs and tomatoes and crusty french rolls. But I digress!

Recipe: How to Make Fluffy Couscous

Fluffy Couscous - just steam it in a casserole instead of a pot

I make couscous all the time, whenever I want a break from rice or pasta, or when I just need something that cooks super quick with minimal attention. I know there is a proper way that it is prepared in its native lands, involving multiple steamings in a basket over boiling water, followed by breaking up with your fingers and steaming some more. I'm sure this is fantastic but I've always contented myself with the quick "package directions" version where you simply add the couscous to boiling water, turn off the heat, cover, wait 5 minutes and fluff. It isn't bad but it isn't all that fluffy or delicious either.

Joyce Goldstein's wonderful book Saffron Shores (about the foods of the Jewish diaspora in the southern Mediterranean) just showed me a much better way. Hardly any more work than the quickie version. The trick is that you pour the boiling water over the couscous in a low flat casserole so that the weight of the grains and water doesn't keep it from expanding. I was blown away at how much fluffier and tastier the results are. I'll never do it in the pot again. Here's the schtick:

Fluffy Couscous
Serves 6
Vegetarian and Vegan

• 3 c. couscous
• 4.5 c. boiling water
• 1 t. salt
• 1 T. olive oil (optional)

Add the salt and oil to boiling water. Spread couscous evenly in the bottom of a large  casserole so that it is in as thin a layer as possible. Add the water and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Wait until all the water is absorbed (about 15 minutes), then fluff with a fork. Enjoy! Here's a picture of it topped with a simple spicy chickpea stew with cauliflower, potatoes, and leeks.

Spicy Chickpea Stew Over Couscous

Recipe: Rice Bowl - Your Stir Fry, Elevated

I think many vegetarians have a stir-fry as their go-to dish when they need something hot, fast and nouris