Beetroot, Leek and Walnut Salad

I do tend to eat more soups than salads during the cold months, but this is a substantial and nourishing winter salad not to be missed and I see no reason why it shouldn't appear on menus all year round. Robust and earthy beets are gently tossed with a tangy and nutty vinaigrette that is balanced and enhanced by some sweetness from the presence of tamarind and a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds. The contrast of flavors and textures in this dish make for one fine dining experience and your guests will never guess just how easy it is to put together. Simplicity is often the most gourmet feature of the meal.

This is adapted from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottalenghi. Ottolenghi is a true genius and master in the kitchen, and the freshness and graceful simplicity that are a signature of his creations make for some of the most creative and pleasing additions that often adorn my table. This book, and his other releases, are a must have for aspiring and accomplished cooks alike, and they do look so beautiful on the shelf and the coffee table for that matter.

Beetroot, Leek and Walnut Salad

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from Jerusalem: A Cookbook Published on January 22, 2013 Sweet and earthy roasted beets tossed with leeks and walnuts in a tangy tamarind vinaigrette Print this recipe Salad: 4 medium beets, trimmed 4 medium leeks, trimmed and cut into 4-inch pieces 1 cup arugula leaves 1/4 cup fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds (optional) Dressing: 1 tablespoon tamarind pulp or paste 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes 1/4 cup cider vinegar 2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar or 1 teaspoon regular balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon walnut oil 3 tablespoons olive oil sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste Instructions: Begin by roasting the beets. Preheat an oven to 425°. Scrub the beets, wrap in foil, and roast for 45 to 69 minutes or until they are fork tender. Set aside to cool. Once the beets are cool, peel and cut into bite-sized wedges. Transfer to a bowl. To cook the leeks, place in a medium saucepan with enough salted water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes or until the leeks are just tender. Drain and rinse with cold water, then cut into smaller pieces and transfer to another bowl. Meanwhile, soak a tablespoon of tamarind pulp or paste in 1/4 cup of hot water for 20 minutes. Strain, reserving the liquid. To make the dressing, combine the walnuts, garlic, chili flakes, vinegars, oils, 2 to 3 tablespoons of the reserved tamarind water. and salt and pepper to taste. Let stand at room temperature to combine the flavors. Gently toss the beets with half of the dressing and the leeks with the remaining dressing. To serve, place some of the arugula onto serving plates, top with a few beets, followed by more arugula and some leeks, and then a few more beets and some more leeks. Scatter the fresh parsley or cilantro over top and garnish with pomegranate seeds for an extra special burst of fresh flavor. Makes 4 to 6 servings

More beet recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Shredded Beet and Dill, Coconut Salad
Lentil Pomegranate Stew with Beets and Spinach
Haloumi, Beetroot and Greens Dressed with Tahini and Lemon
Roasted Beetroot with Toasted Walnuts and a Yogurt Dressing

On the top of the reading stack: the newspaper

Audio Accompaniment: Lux by Brian Eno

Rava Upma Recipe - Sooji Upma | Easy Breakfast Recipes

Rava upma is one of the most popular South Indian breakfast/dinner recipes.It’s a bachelor friendly dish as it is fast to cook and easy to make.I am not a big fan of rava recipes but Sendhil loves anything made with rava/semolina.He likes rava upma if its fluffy( uthir uthiraa) whereas I love it with small lumps here and there (Undaium urulaiumaa).The consistency of this upma is completely dependent on the quantity of water.Before marriage,my mom makes rava upma only in weekends.My dad & sis enjoy it adding grated coconut. I hate that combo. So my mom makes dosa especially for me by reserving some batter,how sweet. Now i crave for my mom’s rava upma and coconut combo.So this time I added some grated coconut in my upma plate and enjoyed a lot.After marriage tables turned .I am making rava upma or kichadi at least once in a week for Sendhil’s breakfast as it is his most favorite. My MIL makes different types of upma and she is a pro in making rava upma. When I was new to cooking,I struggled a lot to get soft & flavourful upma. Usually i don’t roast rava properly and the end result would be a sticky, hard upma . I have even tried with store bought roasted rava.But it was also a super flop show.Then Sendhil taught me how to roast rava properly,quantity of oil,water etc.When he was a bachelor,he used to prepare this rava upma very often and he is an expert too.Now after many successful attempts, i thought of posting the recipe here. Of course making rava upma is not a big deal for most of u.But for beginners, its always a night mare and most of the time it will be with lumps.This post is purely for beginners and bachelors .We love to have rava upma with sugar, so i don’t make chutney or sambar.It makes my job very simple.This upma stays soft for some hours. So i pack it for my hubby’s breakfast when he leaves to office early from home.But it tastes the best when served hot . U can make rava upma in microwave and add some vegetables like carrot,potato and peas to make it healthy.Sometimes I add tomato too as u see in the above picture.Soon I will share wheat rava upma.
Check out my Rava Kichadi , Khara bath, Masala Rava kichadi ,Rava Dosa recipes too !

Here is a full video of making rava upma :))

Rava upma recipe

Rava upma/Semolina upma - Easy South Indian breakfast recipe !

Cuisine: South Indian

Category: Breakfast/Dinner

Serves: Serves 2

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 10 Minutes

Total time: 20 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 200 ml Semolina / Rava – 1 cup Water – 2.5 cups ( Add 2.25 cups for fluffy upma) Salt – As needed To temper & saute Cooking oil – 2 tbsp Mustard seeds – 1 tsp Urad dal – 2 tsp Chana dal – 1 tbsp Big onion – 1 no ( slice cut) OR Small onions – 1/2 cup ( chopped roughly) Tomato - 1 small ( optional) Green chillies – 4 nos ( for less spice,add 2 nos) Curry leaves – few Ginger – 1 inch piece Coconut oil – 1 tbsp ( Must add)

METHOD

Dry roast the rava in a kadai in very low flame for 5-7 minutes without changing the colour. Keep on mixing well to avoid discoloration in certain areas.Remove & keep it in a plate. In the same kadai ,heat oil , splutter mustard seeds , urad & channa dal . After the dals turn golden brown , add the sliced onions ,green chillies, curry leaves & ginger bits. Saute well till onion turns transparent .Add tomato and saute till mushy(Optional step).Finally add the required water , salt. Cover it and allow it to roll boil for 5 mins. Now simmer the flame completely and add the rava in one hand and mix well with a ladle using other hand ( Use a whisk to mix if u have). This step is very important to avoid lumps. Stir till the mixture becomes thick and all the water is absorbed by the rava. Close the kadai with a lid for 5 minutes. Open the lid and mix well and again close it for 2 minutes. Rava will be well cooked , switch off the flame & add the coconut oil.. Mix well and serve hot immediately!! Check out my Rava Kichadi , Khara bath, Masala Rava kichadi ,Rava Dosa recipes too ! NOTE Adding small onions instead of big onions gives a nice flavour & taste. The amount of oil mentioned here should be added to get the softness & flavour. Roasting rava without changing color is very important to get a white colored upma. Otherwise it will be slightly yellow.Upma looks yellow even if you add tomatoes. Please add more water if u want mushy upma. If u r afraid of getting lumps , this step can be followed. ie , switch off the flame after the water starts to roll boil. Remove the kadai  , add the rava little by little by stirring in one hand slowly . Mix well and make sure there are no lumps. Then again keep it on the stove and mix well till all the water is absorbed. This method can be followed for making sweet kesari too.  My FIL likes to have this upma adding little lemon juice.It also tastes great.U can also add lots of grated coconut before eating to make it more rich & tasty. My sister loves this combo a lot : ))

Enjoy this easy breakfast/dinner recipe with coconut chutney or sugar !

Today I relished it adding grated coconut.It was yum !

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No Croutons Required - Leftovers

The theme for January was to get creative with your leftovers and come up with a soup or salad to grace your table. A hearty thanks to everyone who found the time to submit their recipes. I will announce the most popular submission at the end of the month with input from friends and family. Please vote for your favorite via email or in the comment section to help us come up with the winner for this month's challenge. Neither my submission, nor Jacqueline's, is eligible for the vote.

Our first entry is from Sarah of Dinner with Crayons with a most tempting Sprout Coleslaw With Cranberries and Pecans. This creative use of leftover vegetables from Christmas is easy to toss together. Brussels, celery, onion, mushroom, sage leaves, dried cranberries and pecans are dressed with mayonnaise, white wine vinegar and horseradish. It's a raw salad, and even her young son tried some after helping his mommy in the kitchen. I couldn't resist this wholesome combination.

Next up is Lisa of We Don't Eat Anything With a Face with this elegant Spiced Parsnip and Carrot Soup. Adapted from one of my favorite veggie cookbooks, this soup is a great way to use up leftover root vegetables and to introduce parsnips to the table too. Onion, parsnips, carrots and potatoes are spiced up and pureed with ginger, cumin, freshly cracked black pepper and served with a swirl of heavy cream just before serving. Yes please - satisfying on it's own but especially when accompanied by some crusty bread.

Ren, who shares her cooking adventures at Fabulicious Food, serves up a gorgeous bowl of Butternut, Coconut and Hazelnut Soup. This paleo-friendly dish is not only good for you, but surely absolutely delicious too. Onion and celery come together with butternut squash, stock, coconut milk and then sprinkled with leftover chopped hazelnuts before serving and drizzled with some avocado oil if desired.

Johanna of Green Gourmet Giraffe needed to find a way to use up an excess of spring onions and she comes up with a winner here with this Spring Onion Soup adapted from one of my favorite cooks that leaves me even more eager for spring than I was before reading her post. The onions are fried up and then pureed with garlic, bay leaves, peas, zucchini and lots of fresh parsley. Stir in some grated Parmesan and yogurt, garnish with fresh mint and and lemon zest and you are in for a satisfying bowl of bliss. Certainly worth all of the chopping.

My contribution this month is a Mixed Vegetable Coconut Curry that was fairly mild by my spicy standards but full of flavour and goodness and a perfect cure for the winter chills. I had plenty of fresh vegetables on hand that I need to use up and combined cauliflower, potato, carrots, green beans, peas, spinach and fresh dill with a coconut paste made up of poppy seeds, chilies, ginger, coriander, turmeric, cumin, chili powder, cayenne, asafetida, cinnamon and cloves. Serve hot with fresh cooked rice and your favorite Indian savory flatbread for a satisfying and nourishing vegetarian meal.

Karen of How to Cook Good Food enters this month with a lovely Spiced Carrot, Cardamom and Orange Soup. Vegetables and fruit leftover from Christmas grace the table. Carrots, leeks, harissa, cardamom, stock and freshly squeezed orange juice are blended together and served up with a few swirls of cream. Easy to prepare and a wonderful use of carrots that won't fail to please vegetable fiends. Graceful simplicity is often just what we want for dinner, especially when we are pressed for time but don't want to sacrifice nutrition or taste.

Clevergirl of Don't Forget Your Shovel shares her Wintertime Beet Soup and beet fan that I am, I could not resist a bowl of this that surely would warm the toes and spirit. Clevergirl is clever indeed and freezes her beet greens and beet stock so she can whip up a nourishing meal with those prized leftovers. In this case, she uses a microwave to speed up the process but you could do it on the stovetop. The beet greens and stock come together with mushroom soup, caraway seeds and lots of freshly cracked black pepper.

Jacqueline is up next with this tempting and creative use of leftover cauliflower and broccoli with cheese sauce that she transformed into a creamy Cauliflower Cheese Soup with Broccoli. Steamed cauliflower and broccoli is combined with a cheese sauce made up of infused milk, bay leaves and garlic and then stirred into a butter and flour mixture. Everything is whizzed together with veggie stock and then served with some freshly cracked black pepper, cayenne and sprinkled with fresh chives. How eloquent and mouthwatering is that?

Janet of the Taste Space comes up with a stunning use of leftover sweet potatoes that I simply must try, soon. Feast your eyes on this Carrot Ginger Lime Soup with Sweet Potato Hummus. You can just use leftover roasted sweet potato of course, but for something extra special and easy too, use your leftover sweet potato hummus in a soup for some additional protein, flavour and nourishment. The hummus (a combination of sweet potato, chickpeas, sesame oil, tahini, curry powder and lemon juice) is blended together with carrots cooked in almond and soy milk, and fresh ginger, lime juice, garlic and garnished with fresh cilantro before serving.

Karen of Lavender and Lovage offers up a multi-layer luscious Leafy Green Winter Salad with Fennel and Parmesan inspired by Nigel Slater. Certainly greens are a must year round and this comforting and substantial salad has winter greens a plenty dressed with tarragon vinegar, egg yolk, olive oil, Parmesan, fennel, dijon mustard and is adorned with a generous number of homemade croutons made from some leftover homemade French bread. The blend of flavors and textures here is sure to please - just looking at the photos makes me feel healthy.

From Shaheen of Allotment2Kitchen we have another warming and nourishing soup. I too hate wasting food and this White Bean, Leek and Potato Soup is pure comfort, especially if you get snowed in and don't have much on hand. Leftover mashed potatoes are used in a creative way combined with sauteed leeks, vegetable stock, white beans and some seasoning. There is some incentive to make more mashed potatoes than you need.

Tasty Curry Leaf goes with a Middle Eastern theme with this wholesome Chickpea, Broccoli & Tahini Salad to use up some leftover chickpeas. Chickpeas, red onion and steamed broccoli are dressed up with tahini, olive oil, garlic and tamari. I would enjoy this 'hummus-style' salad anytime of year as it incorporates some of my favorite flavours and it is easy to make too and filling when served with crisp toasted bread.

And that concludes the roundup this month. Jacqueline will be hosting the February edition of No Croutons Required. Check back at the beginning of the month for the theme.

Curried Parsnip and Wild Rice Soup

Now and then I purchase a vegetable that I enjoy eating but for some reason rarely ever cook with. The vegetable may sit around for a while, but the challenge of using it gives me occasion to find inspiration. In this case, the vegetable was a bag of parsnips and the inspiration was a soup submitted to our own No Croutons Required roundup from two years ago by mangocheeks of Allotment2Kitchen.

I'm delighted that I came across it again! Parsnips are surprisingly sweet when cooked and puréed, but retain their characteristic and unique flavor that's enhanced with a judicious seasoning of mild curry spices. And adding wild rice lends a wonderful nutty flavor and chewy texture that makes this creamy, warming and nourishing soup a real winner. It's beautifully simple too and likely to win over even the staunchest parsnip critics.

Curried Parsnip and Wild Rice Soup

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from Allotment2Kitchen Published on January 20, 2013 Thick, sweet and creamy, and warm and nourishing blended parsnip soup with wild rice and mild curry spices Print this recipe Ingredients: 1/2 cup uncooked wild rice 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, chopped 1 lb (450 g) parsnips (about 4 large), diced 1 tablespoon curry powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon turmeric 4 1/2 cup vegetable stock 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste fresh ground black pepper to taste large handful fresh parsley, chopped Instructions: Bring 1 1/3 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the wild rice, reduce the heat to low, and cover. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until the grains are just tender but not falling apart. Remove from heat and drain off any excess liquid. Set aside. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and stir for 3 to 5 minutes or until the onion starts to turn translucent. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add the parsnips and stir to coat the vegetables with oil. Toss in the curry powder, ground cumin and turmeric, and stir to coat the parsnips with spices. Pour in the vegetable stock and raise the heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 30 to 40 minutes or until the parsnips are tender. Remove from heat and purée the soup with an immersion blender or in batches in a countertop blender until smooth, adding water or more vegetable stock if you want a thinner soup. Return to the stove and add the wild rice and half the chopped parsley. Simmer gently for 5 to 10 minutes to warm the soup, then season with salt and pepper. Serve hot or warm garnished with the remaining chopped parsley. Makes 4 servings

More root vegetable soups that you will enjoy from my well stocked vegetarian kitchen:
Caribbean Sweet Potato Soup
Cream of Potato and Turnip Soup
Curry-Laced Pumpkin and Potato Soup
Potato Cauliflower Soup with Brown Rice

On the top of the reading stack: more newly arrived cookbooks

Audio Accompaniment: howling wind

Chickpea Mixed Vegetable Poriyal

This is an easy and rather mild South Indian chickpea and vegetable curry — at least according to my standards of mild as regular readers who visit this space know that I do enjoy fiery dishes. It is an ideal addition to meals anytime of year, a delicious solution for using up leftover vegetables, and if you happen to be having it on a winter day, an effective cure for those cold weather chills. This is my idea of comfort food.

Poriyal or palya are dry-textured vegetable curries that make for an elegant starter or side dish, usually tempered with aromatic seeds and spices. This one is rather substantial because of the addition of plump chickpeas and I served it as a main. All you need to balance out the meal are some savory rice and urad dal pancakes, or hot fresh cooked basmati rice and perhaps a lightly dressed leafy green salad and some pleasant background ambience to complete the experience.

Chickpea Mixed Vegetable Poriyal

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Indian Published on January 18, 2013 Simple, nourishing and delicious lightly spiced chickpea and mixed vegetable curry Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 cup dried chickpeas (3 cups cooked or 2 14 oz cans) 2 tablespoons oil or ghee 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds 2 to 3 fresh chilies, seeded and finely chopped 1 teaspoon sambar powder 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon turmeric pinch of asafetida 4 medium tomatoes, finely chopped 3/4 cup dried grated coconut a few handfuls of dried curry leaves, crumbled slightly 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste 1 large potato, cut into 1-inch wedges or cubes 1 cup fresh cauliflower, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces a few handfuls of green beans, chopped Instructions: Rinse the chickpeas and soak in several inches of water for 8 hours or overnight. 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 1 hour or until the chickpeas are tender. Drain and reserve 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid. Set aside. In a large saucepan, heat the ghee or oil over medium heat. When hot, toss in the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds and stir for 30 seconds or until the mustard seeds turn grey and being to splutter and pop. Add the chilies, sambar powder, chili powder, ground coriander, turmeric and asafetida, and continue to stir for another minute. Now add the tomatoes, coconut, curry leaves and 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Cook for another five minutes, stirring often. Now add the chopped vegetables, stir, and pour in the reserved chickpea cooking liquid. Cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in the chickpeas and cook for another 5 minutes or so, adding a little water if it is too dry. Taste for seasoning and add more salt as desired. Serve hot with Indian flatbreads and / or steaming hot fresh cooked rice. Makes 4 to 6 servings

More chickpea dishes from Lisa's spicy vegetarian kitchen you are sure to enjoy:
Chickpeas with White and Wild Rice, Cranberries and Spices
Chickpeas with Toasted Pita Breads and Yogurt (Fatteh)
Tamarind Chickpeas
Chickpeas in a Tomato and Tamarind Gravy with Spices

IDLI MILAGAI PODI | IDLI PODI RECIPE WITH GARLIC

I love idli podi a lot and that too with sesame seeds. But my husband & my daughter likes idli podi with garlic.I learnt this recipe from my mom.When i was in school and college, i used to carry mostly idlies or dosas with this podi for lunch . I love to eat this more than rice varieties. My doter is also the same like me . I’ll soon post my favourite sesame seeds/ Ellu version with dal . Please refer notes section for variations..

INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 250ml

White round urad dal – 1/2 cup Chana dal – 1/4 cup Red chillies – 15-20 nos Hing/Asafetida – 1/4 tsp Garlic cloves – 12 nos (Peel the skin & chop into small pieces) Salt – As needed Cooking oil – 2 tsp

METHOD

Heat a kadai with 2 tsp of oil and roast the dals adding hing till u get a nice color & aroma..Remove the dals and in the same kadai , roast the red chillies. Keep on roasting the dals & chillies in medium flame to get it done correctly..Make sure u don’t burn them. Once everything cools down , grind it to a coarse powder running twice. Then add the salt & peeled ,chopped garlic pieces.Grind it again to make a slightly coarse powder. ( please do not grind it nicely. U should get some urad dal pieces while eating ).. Store in an air-tight box and enjoy with idli/dosa !

Garlic flavoured idli podi is ready !! Add sesame oil while serving.

NOTE

• Adjust the amount of red chillies based on ur taste.
• Garlic pieces will be ground well even when u add at the end. If u want u can add it along with dals & red chillies.
• My mil makes the same podi adding hing alone. It also tastes good. Try for variation.Add more hing when u try this version.
• Sometimes i add few curry leaves while frying the dals which gives a nice flavour.

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Chipotle Pinto and Green Bean Corn Succotash

This is about as quick and easy a supper idea as you can get, especially if you have a pot of beans cooked up ahead of time or if you use canned beans. Five minutes preparation and ten minutes cooking, and you have a delicious, zesty and nourishing simple supper or a terrific side dish for a Mexican-themed dinner.

It's an especially appealing idea if you're like me and have plenty of ears of fresh corn and green beans on hand during the summer but other seasonal vegetables can be substituted … even squashes or grated root vegetables in the winter. Of course if it doesn't have fresh corn it's not technically a succotash, but on the other hand a truly traditional succotash has lima beans and lard instead of pinto beans and olive oil and you can use frozen or canned corn. I don't imagine that your diners or dinner partner, or yourself for that matter if you happen to be dining alone, will be debating the technicalities as the meal is enjoyed. The most rewarding thing about cooking is coming up with new and innovative variations on classics and showcasing and eating the results.

Chipotle Pinto and Green Bean Corn Succotash

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Mexican Published on January 16, 2013 Quick and easy chipotle-seasoned pinto bean succotash with corn and green beans Print this recipe Ingredients: 1/2 cup dried pinto beans (1 1/2 cups cooked or 14 oz can) 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 ears fresh corn or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn 1 cup green beans, chopped 2 green onions, chopped 1 clove garlic, crushed or minced 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped 1 medium tomato, chopped 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste fresh ground black pepper to taste Instructions: Rinse the pinto beans and soak for 8 hours or overnight covered 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 1 hour or until the beans are tender. Drain and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the corn, green beans, green onions, garlic and jalapeño, and sauté for 4 or 5 minutes or until the vegetables start to soften. Add the tomato, spices, oregano and salt, and stir for 3 minutes or until the tomato starts to soften. Mash some of the beans with a fork and add to the skillet. Stir for 1 or 2 minutes or until the beans are heated through. Remove from heat, add black pepper to taste, and taste for seasoning. Serve hot or warm. Makes 2 regular servings or 4 side servings

Other quick and easy meal ideas you might enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Zesty Black Bean and Avocado Salad
Black and Green Bean Corn Hash
Vegetarian Stove-Top Calabacitas
Baked Avocado and Egg with Miso Butter

On the top of the reading stack: cookbooks - catching up on drafts and recipe ideas

Audio Accompaniment: Lauki