Thursday, April 23, 2009

Channa Masala with Curried Naan

Masala again.

I made an ass-load of this dish because it is so damn good I could eat it for days. So here is my take.

Channa Masala with Curried Naan




Channa Masala

6 cups cooked chickpeas
4 potatoes, cubed cooked
1-2 onions, diced
8 cloves garlic minced
1 32 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
2 cups broth or chickpea cooking liquid

1/2 cup canola or coconut oil
2 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tbsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp mustard seeds
2 tbsp black pepper
2 tbsp cardamom
2 tbsp cumin
3 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp turmeric
2 tbsp chili powder
4 tbsp cilantro
4 tbsp ww flour

Bash up all your spices in a mortar and pestle. Make sure you toast the mustard, fennel, and mustard seeds first. Pour oil in a pot. Cook all the spices until fragrant. Add onions and garlic. Cook until translucent. Add tomato paste and flour. This helps to thicken the gravy. Cook for about 5mins, stirring constantly, then add tomatoes and juice from the tin. Season intelligently with salt. Add chickpeas and potatoes, cook for 15 minutes, then mash up some of the chickpeas and potatoes and cook for about 15 minutes longer. Serve with naan or rice and some vegan yogurt.


The naan is just a yeast leavened whole wheat dough with coconut milk and curry powder. Cooked in a scorching hot oven, then nicely rubbed with vegan butter.

Here is the recipe.

Curried Naan

3 cups flour, plus more
1 can coconut milk
1 package instant yeast
1 tbsp salt

Mix all this together until dough forms. Knead for about 9 minutes. Let rise in warm area for an hour. Get your oven roasting hot at like 500 with a pan in there to preheat. THen punch down and roll into balls, then roll flat. Put a little oil on each naan piece and through on your hot hot pan and bake for about 5 minutes for each side.

It should get puffy and delicious.

Enjoy.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Catsup

This post is just me playing catch up (where the title comes from, who spells it like that anyways, obviously its with a k). So I will keep the intro short and sweet. I think this is probably how I will be doing all my posts actually.

Chili Rellenos, BBQ Seitan, Sweet Potato Salad

Chili Rellenos

1 poblano chili, roasted over a flame, skin removed
chunk of cashew cheese, or other vegan white mild cheese

1/3 cup cooked brown rice
1 scallion, minced

1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp cayenne
salt



Prepare the roasted chili. Saute scallion, or onion, in oil for a few minutes, add garlic, cayenne and salt. Cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in rice.
Stuff the pepper with rice and grated vegan cheese.
Stick in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes, so the cheese gets melty.

Put a bit of vegan sour cream on top.



BBQ Seitan

1 cup gluten flour
1 tbsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp nutrional yeast
2 tbsp tamari
3/4 cup water

2 tbsp nut butter or tahini
dash of liquid smoke

Mix all dry ingredients together. Mix all wet ingredients together. Mix both wet and dry together. Knead for a few minutes. Cut into manageable pieces. Simmer in veg broth for about 30 mins. WHen its done, slice, fry and add favorite BBQ sauce. I prefer some sort of maple-chipotle version. Sweet and smoky.





Sweet Potato Salad

7-8 baby sweet potatoes, roasted for about 30 minutes at 400F until done
lots of fresh herbs (parsley, dill, cilantro)
2 dried chilis, sliced
salt
olive oil
pepper
lemon juice
vegenaise

After potatoes are done but still warm, make dressing by mashing up all the ingredients to taste in a mortar and pestle. Dress sweet potatoes, and let salad cool.










CHICAGO Style Deep Dish Pizza

Pizza Crust, made with a bit of cornmeal
Vegan butter, obviously, for rubbing down the baking pan

FOR THE BOTTOM
1 package italian sausage ( i use this one, or homemade)
3/4 package mozarella Teese or FYH Monterry Jack
1/2 small onion
2 cloves garlic
italian seasoning dried herb blend
salt pepper

FOR THE TOP
tomato sauce
vegan parmesan

Saute onions and garlic. Add sausage. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add Italian seasoning.
Layer crust, made much thicker than usual of course, about 1/2- 3/4 in thick, with vegan cheese, top with sausage mixture, then top with tomato sauce and Parmesan. Bake at 400F for about 35 minutes. I use a cast iron skillet for mine, and it worked great.









Lemon Dill Seitan Sandwiches with Chipotle Aoli and Baked French fries (on homemade whole wheat bread mind you)



for the seitan

follow the recipe above, except sub vegan chiken broth for water and oil for nut butter. omit the liquid smoke. COok the same. Except after you slice it, fry the seitan strips in oil, then in the last minute, after they are browned add fresh lemon juice and dried dill.

Chipotle Aoli

2 chipotles in Adobo sauce, 2 tsps sauce
1 box silken tofu
4 cloves roasted garlic
3-4 tbsp olive oil
salt, pepper
squeeze of lemon juice

Mix all ingredients except oil really well in blender or food pro. Graudually add oil. Should be mayonnaise like texture.

Build sandwich with tomatoes, avocado, and lettuce. SO good.

Serve with baked fries according to this recipe.





This is a salad. No recipe. Just a salad. It has pea shoots, cashew cheese, baby lettuces, shaved zucchinis, olive oil, lemon juice, chilies, and mint. So eat more salads and vegan food. We will all be happier if you do.