Whole Cabbage Stuffed with Coleslaw

If you want to impress your dinner guests, then you simply must try this coleslaw that is served in a hollowed out cabbage. Adapted slightly from one of my favorite Indian cookbooks, Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking by Yamuna Devi, you would surely not go wrong if you brought this to a potluck or picnic. I was inspired to make this for a friend who had a hankering for coleslaw as he had fond memories of coleslaw from his childhood. It is not necessary to serve the coleslaw in the hollowed out cabbage, but I could not resist the presentation.

I particularly like this salad not only because it is a bit spicy, but also because it does not contain mayonnaise, as most traditional coleslaws do. If you want a coleslaw with a twist, then this is the recipe for you.

This is my contribution to this month's No Croutons Required Challenge, if I am not too late! The theme this month is carrots.

Whole Cabbage Stuffed with Coleslaw

1 large cabbage (savoy or any large green or red cabbage
4 medium carrots, shredded
3 hot green chilies, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons of fresh dill, chopped (or fresh coriander)
sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
1/2 cup of yogurt or kefir or buttermilk
1/2 cup of heavy cream
juice from 2 fresh limes
2 tablespoon of ghee or sesame oil
1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds

Trim the rough leaves from the outside of the cabbage and cut off the base so the cabbage sits flat. Cut off the top third of the cabbage with a large knife and set aside. Hollow out the center of the cabbage and shred enough of the cabbage to roughly equal the shredded carrots (nibble on the remains of the raw cabbage- it's good for you).

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, chilies, ginger, dill and salt and pepper. Toss well to mix.

In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt and the cream. Continue to whisk and pour in the lime juice. When the dressing is creamy, pour it over the carrots and cabbage.

In a small frying pan or pot, heat the ghee or oil over medium heat. When hot, toss in the black mustard seeds and fry, stirring occasionally, until the mustard seeds turn grey and begin to pop. Pour the fried seeds into the salad and toss well. Scoop as much of the salad as you can into the cabbage shell and serve cold or at room temperature. Any remaining salad can be served in a separate serving dish.

Serves 6 - 8

You might also enjoy Creamy Coleslaw from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen

Other summer salad recipes you might wish to try:
Mexican-Style Potato Salad With Avocado and Jalapeño
Quinoa and White Bean Salad with Wasabi and Roasted Asparagus
Lazy Summer Cottage Cheese & Fruit Salad
Potato Salad with a Blue Cheese Dressing

On the top of the reading stack: Encounter by Milan Kundera

Audio Accompaniment: Bach, a light rain, and no doozers

Black-Eyed Pea Salsa

This unusual chunky black-eyed pea salsa is a delicious medley of flavors and textures, with the soft and earthy black-eyed peas combined with tangy tomatoes, sweet crunchy corn, black olives and a blend of fresh herbs and spices. Try it with nacho chips or alongside fresh cooked homemade cornbread for a unique and tasty summer meal.

Black-Eyed Pea Salsa

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Mexican Published on August 16, 2010 Unique chunky salsa with earthy black-eyed peas, tangy tomatoes, sweet corn, fresh herbs and spices — a delicious medley of flavors for serving with nacho chips Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 cup dried black-eyed peas (3 cups cooked or 2 14 oz cans) 1 small red onion, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, crushed 2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped 1 medium tomato, seeded and finely chopped 2/3 cup cooked corn 1/2 cup marinated sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped 1/2 cup black olives, chopped 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped juice from 3 limes (1/3 cup) 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 teaspoon ground cumin pinch of chat masala (optional) pinch of cayenne 1/2 teaspoon sea salt fresh cracked black pepper to taste Instructions: Rinse the black-eyed peas and soak for 6 hours or overnight in several inches of water. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with several inches of fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the beas are soft. Drain and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Combine the other ingredients with the black-eyed peas and gently mash a portion of the salsa with a potato masher or fork. Taste for seasoning. Serve with nacho chips or toasted pita wedges, or refrigerate and serve within 1 to 2 days. Makes 3 cups

More black-eyed pea recipes from Lisa's vegetarian kitchen:
Black-Eyed Peas with Herbs and Spices
Black-Eyed Peas with Fresh Dill
Curried Black-Eyed Peas

On the top of the reading stack: Pan by Knut Hamsun

Salem Thattuvadai Set/Nippat Sandwich

Thattuvadai set is a most popular street food in Salem,Tamilnadu.Being a Salem girl,I used to have this snack at least once in a week before my marriage.Last week i went to my mom's place and bought few thattuvadai set for my family.I captured the making at that time and added a video here.I asked the guy about the chutney ingredients.He told the recipe roughly & he said this chutney stays good only for 3 hours.So make it fresh and serve.Based on his recipe,i tried it on my own. It came out well. If u buy a packet of readymade thattu vadai , making this set would be very easy and quick. But I prepared everything by my own including thattu vadai. So i found it a bit time consuming. Finally i was very much satisfied with the outcome

Salem Thattu Vadai Set Recipe

How to make Salem special thattu vadai set with video !

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Sweet

Serves: Serves 4

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 30 Minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 200ml

FOR GREEN CHUTNEY Mint leaves - 1/2 cup Coriander leaves – 1/2 cup (optional,He told to use only mint leaves) Green chillies – 2 nos Tamarind – Small berry size OR use few drops of lime juice Salt & water – As needed. FOR RED CHUTNEY Cooking oil - 1 tbsp Tomato - 3 nos Red chilly – 5 nos Salt – as needed Water – As required. Roasted gram – 1 tbsp (pottukadalai),optional FOR FILLING Finely chopped onions – as needed Grated carrot – as needed Grated beetroot - as needed ( i din't use as it was out of stock) Chopped coriander leaves – a handful Grated mango - as needed ( used during mango season) Lemon – 1/2 no

METHOD

Saute the tomato,red chilly adding salt in a tsp of oil.Grind it to a thick paste adding required water.Add pottukadalai/fried gram if u wish.You can also saute one big onion and 4 garlic cloves along with tomato. Prepare the green chutney by grinding all the ingredients given under “ Green chutney” to a fine thick paste. Grate the onions,carrots,beetroot and chop coriander leaves.Mix well and set aside.Cut the lemon and keep it ready. Take 2 thatta vadai/Nippat for making one set.Apply red chutney on one side of thattai and green chutney to one side of other thattai. Keep little filling in between like a sandwich.Sprinkle lemon juice and close the sandwich. Serve immediately. I enjoyed it with coffee :) Enjoy !

Fresh Cherry Buttermilk Scones

Cooks who enjoy sweet and savory treats can never have enough recipes for biscuits and scones. I probably make such quick breads at least once a week. I couldn't resist taking advantage of the cherry season and I whipped up a batch of these for friends and family. They certainly did not last long. The only drawback is the laborious task of pitting the cherries, even though I have a cherry pitter. Make sure you don't wear a white shirt when working with these most delicious of fruits, or at least you might want to wear an apron.

Fresh Cherry Buttermilk Scones

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from The Best Quick Breads: 150 Recipes for Muffins, Scones, Shortcakes, Gingerbreads, Cornbreads, Coffeecakes, and More Published on August 8, 2010 Simple, moist and delicious buttermilk scones with fresh sweet and tart cherries — great for breakfast or snacks Print this recipe Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups unbleached white or spelt flour 1/4 cup rolled oats 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon cream of tartar 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces 1 cup fresh chopped cherries 1 large egg 3/4 cup buttermilk 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla Instructions: Preheat an oven to 400° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Cut the butter into the mixture with a pastry cutter or fork until the butter resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the cherries and make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk and vanilla. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Knead a few times and shape the dough into 1-inch rounds. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, leaving an inch between each scone. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on a baking rack and serve. Makes 12 scones

Other quick breads you will be sure to enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Whole Wheat Blueberry Tea Biscuits with Dried Cherries
Cherry Blueberry Muffins
Cherry Vanilla Ricotta Muffins
Raisin Cranberry Tea Biscuits

On the top of the reading stack: Pan by Knut Hamsun
and
The Man Who Laughs by Victor Hugo

Audio Accompaniment: Quiet City by Pan American

Here is an image of our street under construction a few weeks ago during the weekend when we had a downpour. What a mess. Thankfully, the doozers take the weekend off as that gives us a break from the noise at least.

Roasted Beet Salad with Pistachio Pesto and Goat Cheese Served over Fresh Arugula

This is a flavourful summer salad that I came across recently in a newspaper. I didn't wait long to make it, as beets are one of my favorite vegetables and though it was a hot and humid day, I went ahead and roasted the beets anyway. I can tell you that my kitchen was certainly extremely hot, as was I. It was worth the effort though, and this unique dish is really rather simple to prepare. I enjoyed it on the deck with my sweetie in the evening when it wasn't so blistering hot. I also had an opportunity to share some with a special friend who simply adores beets too.

Roasted Beetroot Salad with Pistachio Pesto and Goat Cheese Served over Fresh Arugula

3 pounds of beets, trimmed and unpeeled
1 tablespoon of olive oil
juice from one small lemon
a generous bunch of fresh arugula
4 Clementine oranges, peeled and separated
300 grams of goat cheese, cut into pieces or slices

For the pesto:

1 cup of shelled pistachio nuts
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley
2 tablespoons of fresh mint
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of lemon zest
juice from one lemon
1/2 cup of olive oil
1/2 cup of water

In a preheated oven, at 400 degrees, roast the beets until fork tender - roughly 60 - 90 minutes depending on the size of the beets. Let the beets cool until you can handle the without burning your fingers . Peel and slice into small rounds. Toss the beetroot with lemon juice and olive oil.

To make the pesto:

Place the pistachio nuts, parsley, mint, sugar, salt, and lemon zest in a food processor. Blend until you have a coarse mixture. Now add the lemon juice, olive oil, and blend. Add roughly 1/4 cup of water and blend until you have a pesto that you can drizzle over the beets.

Arrange some of the arugula on plate, top with beets and pieces of the orange. Top with some goat cheese and then drizzle with pesto and serve at room temperature.

Serves 6 - 8.

Other beetroot recipes you may enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Beetroot rasam
Haloumi, Beetroot and Greens Dressed with Tahini and Lemon
Beetroot and Quinoa Salad with Feta and Olives

On the top of the reading stack: The Man Who Laughs by Victor Hugo

Audio Accompaniment: construction, as usual!

Black-Eyed Pea Sambar

My readers can expect many more recipes for black-eyed peas in this space as I have a dear friend who could probably eat these delightful legumes everyday. This recipe was made with homemade sambar powder. Sambars are typically the first course in a South Indian meal. Thick and spicy, often made with tamarind, I made mine with cooked dals. Serve over basmati rice for a most satisfying summer meal or any time of year. Such a staple food is sure to be enjoyed by all who appreciate the creative blends that make up Indian cuisine.

It is a civic holiday here in Canada, and that means the doozers took a day off. What a relief for the neighborhood.

Black-Eyed Pea Sambar

1/4 cup of toor dal
1 teaspoon of turmeric
1 cup of dry black-eyed peas
1 small onion, chopped
1 large tomato, diced
2 tablespoons of ghee, or a mixture of butter and oil
1/2 teaspoon of asafoetida powder
2 - 3 whole red dried chilies, broken into bits
1/2 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds
1 teaspoon of urad dal
2 teaspoons of sambar powder
1 1/2 teaspoons of sea salt
1 5.5 ounce tin of tomato paste
1 small clove of garlic, crushed
1/2 cup of corn
1/4 cup of fresh coriander or parsley, chopped

Soak the black-eyed peas in enough water to cover overnight. Drain, transfer to a medium-large pot, along with 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric, cover with water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover and cook until the beans are tender - about 40 - 60 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium-large saucepan. Add the toor dal and a 1/2 teaspoon of the turmeric. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover and cook until the dal is creamy - roughly 20 - 30 minutes. Set aside without draining.

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. When hot, add the asafoetida, red chili peppers, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds and urad dal. Stir and fry until the mustard seeds begin to pop. Add the onion, garlic and tomato to the pan, along with a dash of turmeric powder and the sambar powder and salt. Stir well and add the tomato paste, again stirring well to combine.

Now add the cooked toor dal and the liquid, along with an addition 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and add the black-eyed peas. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for roughly 5 - 10 minutes to blend the flavours. Stir in the corn and coriander (or parsley) and simmer for another few minutes. Add more water if you want a thinner sambar and simmer for another few minutes.

Other black-eyed pea dishes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen you will be sure to enjoy:
Black-Eyed Peas with Spices and Herbs
Black-Eyed Peas with Fenugreek and Tomatoes
Black-Eyed Pea and Quinoa Croquettes
Black-Eyed Peas with Mustard, Cumin and Curry Leaves

On the top of the reading stack: The Man Who Laughs by Victor Hugo

Audio Accompaniment: Lawn mowers (no peace from noise!)

VEGETABLE MANCHURIAN RECIPE

I had an eye on this veg manchurian for a long time. I’ve tried Gobi & baby corn manchurian so many times but never tried this. Last weekend i prepared this along with fried rice & peas gravy.I followed Tarla dalal’s recipe.It was very nice. . I’ll will post the fried rice & peas gravy soon.Now comes the manchurian,

Ingredients 

FOR THE BALLS

• Cabbage – 2 cups ( shredded finely)
• Carrot – 3 nos (grated )
• Onions – 1 no (finely chopped)
• Garlic flakes – 5 nos (finely chopped)
• Green chilly – 1 no (finely chopped )
• Ajino motto – 1/2 tsp
• Soya sauce – 1/4 tsp
• Maida – 5 tbsp
• Corn flour – 2.5 tbsp
• Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
• Salt & water –As needed.

FOR THE SAUCE :

• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Capsicum – 1 /2 no (finely chopped)
• Onion- 1 no (Finely chopped )
• Green chilly -  1 no (-do-)
• Garlic flakes -  5 nos (chopped )
• Ginger – 1 inch ( chopped )
• Corn flour – 1/2 tbsp ( dissolve in little water )
• Ajino motto – 1 /4 tsp
• Tomato sauce – 1 tbsp
• Red chilly powder – 1 /2tsp
• Salt & water – as needed.

Spring onions /Coriander leaves & stem – to garnish
Method:

• Take all the ingredients mentioned under “ for the balls “ in a wide bowl .
• Mix everything well and add water for binding if necessary .Make a dough .
• Take lemon sized balls and deep fry in oil.Drain in an absorbent paper.
• In a kadai take some oil and add the onions , capsicum , chillies , ginger , garlic and saute well.
• Then add the red chilly powder , Ajino motto , soya sauce , tomato sauce and salt.Mix well and simmer for few mins.
• Lastly add the corn flour paste , a pinch of sugar and required water.
• Allow it to boil & thicken. Just before serving add the prepared veg balls in the sauce and bring to boil .
• Serve hot !!

Note :
If the sauce is too thick , add some water to thin down..