Mixed Vegetables in a Basic Ethiopian Kulet Sauce

If I were to host a dinner party with friends, Ethiopian might just be my first choice, next to Indian cuisine of course. What is so refreshing about both cuisines is that it really is a communal dining experience. If there enough dishes on the table, everyone gets to try some of each.

I've only been to Ethiopian restaurants a small number of times, but it's always been a unique and pleasurable experience. Typically the diners are presented with an array of dishes of their choosing, served over a large round of injera bread (a spongey sourdough bread usually made with teff flour). You scoop up bits of the dishes with parts of the bread and can try whatever suits your fancy.

Having Indian meals with friends is very much enjoyable for much the same reason. Order more dishes and have a taste of everything, alongside rice and savory flat breads.

I cooked up this simple dish of mixed vegetables simmered in a hot, tangy and fragrant Ethiopian tomato and berbere spice sauce and served it up with some Ethiopian-style hummus and injera bread.

Notes: Feel free to use any variety of mixed vegetables on hand. Just remember to add the vegetables that cook quicker later on in the cooking process. You can even add cooked beans if you like. Kulet is a basic sauce that goes well with so many different foods.

Mixed Vegetables in a Basic Ethiopian Kulet Sauce

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from Teff Love: Adventures in Vegan Ethiopian Cooking Cuisine: Ethiopian Published on July 22, 2015 Mixed vegetables cooked in a hot, tangy and aromatic Ethiopian tomato and spice sauce Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 small red onion, finely chopped 1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed 1-inch piece ginger, minced or grated 2 to 3 tablespoons berbere powder, to taste 1 tablespoon paprika 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves 1 tomato, diced 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste 6 cups mixed chopped vegetables (I used a large potato, diced, 2 medium carrots, cut into strips, a generous bunch of green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces, and 8 oz (225 g) button mushrooms, sliced) 1 1/2 cups water or vegetable stock 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper, or to taste Instructions: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onion and sauté until softened and it begins to turn golden on the edges. Toss in the garlic and ginger and stir for another few minutes. Add the spices, stir for about 30 seconds until fragrant, and then add the tomato and salt. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer for another 3 to 5 minutes until the tomato is thickened but still chunky. If using potato or carrots or other root vegetables, add these and pour in the water or vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the potatoes and carrots are just tender, stirring occasionally — about 15 minutes. Add the green beans and mushrooms or any other vegetables you are using, and continue to simmer until everything is tender, roughly another 10 minutes or so. Add more water of stock if the sauce is too thick. Serve this dish anyway you please, over cooked grains or injera bread, or along with slices of avocado. The possibilities are endless. Makes 4 to 6 servings

Other mixed vegetable dishes to try from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Mixed Vegetable and Avocado Salad with Almond Herbed Flatbreads
Miso Noodle Soup with Mixed Vegetables and Paneer
Indian Mixed Vegetable Soup - Contemporary Style
Chickpea Mixed Vegetable Poriyal

On the top of the reading stack: Vegan Richa's Indian Kitchen: Traditional and Creative Recipes for the Home Cook

Tomato Garlic Chutney Recipe-Easy Side dish for Roti,Paratha

Yesterday I went to Bahubali movie-Telugu version with my school moms friends.Even though I don’t understand the language properly,I enjoyed  & loved the movie a lot.Then we went to SLV restaurant and had a good lunch there.We spent a good time after so many months.After coming home,I was not in a mood to cook.So I thought to make roti/Chapathi with a quick side dish for our dinner.I reminded about this easy tomato garlic chutney which my MIL makes very often for roti and stuffed paratha. It’s a very simple and easy chutney recipe with just 3 main ingredients & a good option to cook on a lazy day.The flavor of raw garlic would be dominant in this chutney.Try this recipe if u like the taste of raw garlic.We usually make this chutney for chapati and Aloo paratha.You can try this for idli,dosa too.Its your choice finally.Ok,Lets see how to make this quick and easy side dish recipe for roti,idli & dosa.
Check out my 35 chutney recipes for idli,dosa if you are interested.

Tomato Garlic Chutney Recipe

Tomato garlic chutney recipe - Easy side dish for roti,idli,dosa

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Side dish

Serves: Serves 2

Prep time: 2 Minutes

Cook time: 5 Minutes

Total time: 7 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

Tomato - 2 nos (I used Bangalore tomato) Red chillies - 2 nos (Add 4 for more spiciness) Garlic cloves - 15 nos Gingely oil/Sesame oil - 3 tbsp Salt & water -as needed

METHOD

Grind the tomato, chopped garlic cloves,red chillies adding salt and enough water. Do not grind it too watery. Heat gingely oil in a kadai till its smoking point.When the oil starts to smoke,simmer the flame and add the ground paste.Mix well and switch off the flame.Flame should be off.Let the chutney be in the hot oil for sometime.The color of chutney will change and it will thicken slightly. Remove in a bowl and serve with roti,stuffed paratha or idli,dosa as per your choice. Enjoy !

Note

You can add more garlic cloves based on your liking. We don’t season this chutney.If you wish,u can temper with mustard seeds and urad dal. Gingely oil is must here.It should be smoking hot to get the nice flavor in this chutney. Check out my 35 chutney recipes for idli,dosa if you are interested.

    

Make this easy chutney recipe for roti on a lazy day and take rest !

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Ethiopian-Style Hummus

Hummus is a delight any time of year, but when it's hot outside it appears much more often because it's so quick and easy to make and a pleasure to enjoy on the patio on a lazy day. This particular recipe was a bit different as it has an Ethiopian twist. I made up a homemade batch of a hot and aromatic spice blend, berbere, that is often the key ingredient in Ethiopian cooking. I don't have a lot of experience with Ethiopian cuisine, but my background in Indian cooking certainly made the introduction easier than expected.

Berbere is spicy, but not overly so. It adds a distinctive blend of chili and aromatic spice flavor to this hummus. But it's not just the berbere that gives this hummus a unique taste. Classic hummus is made with tahini in addition to chickpeas, but this version uses toasted ground sunflower seeds ground to a butter instead of tahini. The sunflower seeds provide a wonderful rich nutty flavor behind the hot and fragrant berbere.

The inspiration was a recent cookbook that I am happy to add to my expanding collection. Teff Love: Adventures in Vegan Ethiopian Cooking by Kittee Berns is certainly an inspiration with a vegan approach besides. I have made only a few recipes from the book thus far, but already I have bookmarked a great deal of ideas. I've always wanted to make my own injera bread — a sourdough spongy crêpe that is the foundation of most Ethiopian meals. It is most commonly made with teff flour. I was surprised to note that teff doesn't figure all that much in this book, except as flour and in the bread that serves as the platform for so many of the dishes, but that tiny grain has so much flavor that is best served on the side or used as a flour. Nonetheless, my overall reflection on this book is yum. Basics, entrées and even a few desserts are featured along with some fine photos selectively inserted. Overall, the book is inspiring, with helpful tips for those that are new to Ethiopian cuisine. There are enough healthy recipes in the book to keep me going for a long time and not enough time in a day to cook up the Ethiopian feast I dream of.

Note: I received a copy of this book for possible review. As always, the opinions expressed here are my own.

Ethiopian-Style Hummus

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from Teff Love: Adventures in Vegan Ethiopian Cooking Cuisine: Ethiopian Published on July 20, 2015 An Ethiopian-style chickpea and berbere hummus with a rich nutty flavor from ground roasted sunflower seeds Print this recipe Ingredients: 3/4 cup dried chickpeas (2 1/4 cups cooked) 1/2 cup raw (or roasted and unsalted) sunflower seeds 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste 1/3 cup water 1 tablespoon olive oil + more for garnish 1 clove garlic, minced zest from 1 lemon (1 teaspoon) juice from 1 lemon (3 tablespoons) 1 1/2 teaspoons berbere powder + more for garnish 1 green chili, seeded and finely chopped Instructions: Rinse the chickpeas and soak for 8 hours or overnight in several inches of water. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the chickpeas are tender — 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Drain and set aside until cool. If using raw sunflower seeds, toast them in a dry unoiled skillet or saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until they are golden — about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a food processor, setting aside a teaspoon or so for garnish. (If using roasted sunflower seeds, skip the toasting step and transfer directly to the food processor.) Process until the seeds are reduced to a fine powder and begin to release their oil, scraping down the sides of the bowl often. This should take about 5 minutes, or a little longer. Essentially the goal is to reduce the seeds to a butter. Add the chickpeas and salt and process until the mixture comes together. Add the water, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, berbere powder and chili. Process further until everything is well combined, adding a bit more water or oil as desired. Mix another few teaspoons of olive oil with a pinch or two of berbere powder. Transfer to a serving bowl and make a well in the center of the hummus. Drizzle in the oil and berbere mixture and garnish with the reserved toasted sunflower seeds. Serving possibilities are endless. You can scoop it up with flat breads, lightly baked pita breads or fresh raw vegetables. Or you may want to consider serving the hummus up in pinwheels. To do that, lightly toast classic injera bread in a preheated 300° oven for about 8 to 10 minutes until the edges are slightly crispy. Brush the bread with olive oil mixed with a 1/2 teaspoon berbere powder and cut into strips. Spread hummus over the strips, roll them up tightly, and cut them into bite-size rounds. Makes 4 to 6 servings

More hummus recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Avocado Chickpea Hummus
Spicy Indian-Style Hummus
Marinated Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus with Olives
Lemony Basil Hummus

Pakistan Biryani Recipe-Ramzan Special Mushroom Biryani Recipe-Sunday Lunch Recipes Series 24

  

I tried Pakistani style biryani recipe for the first time on account of Ramzan festival.I hope all my Muslim friends and readers had a great Ramadan celebration by relishing chicken & mutton biryani feast.Actually I had planned to make this post on Ramzan day but I couldn’t do it as I had an unexpected guest at home for lunch.So I made this biryani yesterday to share it here.I have tried and shared many non-veg biryani recipes replacing chicken or mutton with soya chunks/meal maker,potato and other vegetables.Its been years since i shared mushroom recipes in my blog.So I took this as a chance and tried Pakistan Chicken biryani using mushrooms.I referred this recipe and made it..It came out really well.I loved it to the core.The procedure and the masala used in this biryani is very similar to Hyderabad DUM biryani  but with a small twist.Just scroll through the ingredients list to see it.It would be unique & interesting. 

Please check my other Sunday Lunch Recipes Series recipes here.

Pakistan Biryani Recipe

Pakistani style biryani using mushrooms - Vegetarian version

Cuisine: North Indian

Category: Lunch Recipes

Serves: Serves 3

Prep time: 30 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 50 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

Basmati rice - 1 cup ( 200 gms,India Gate) Water -  6 cups Whole garam masala – 1 each(cinnamon,cloves,cardamom & black stone flower) For marination Mushroom – 6 nos  Fried big onion slices- few Raw Papaya paste – 1 tbsp( I used fruit paste) Curd – 1/4 cup G&G paste – 1/2 tsp  Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp Salt - as needed For the gravy Cooking oil -  3 tbsp 1 cinnamom,2 cloves,1 cardamom,1 bayleaf Big onion - 2 no ( 1 to fry) Tomato - 1 no G&G paste - 1 tsp Red chilli powder – 1/2 tsp Dhania powder – 1 tsp Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp Sugar – 1/2 tsp Salt & water - as needed Saffron soaked Milk - 1/4 cup Coriander leaves & mint leaves – 2 tbsp

METHOD

Wash and soak the basmati rice for 30 minutes.Cook the rice in 6 cups of water adding whole garam masala,a drop of oil and salt.Remove the rice when it is cooked 3/4 th.Keep in a plate and let it cool. Wash and clean the mushroom.Please check this link for cleaning procedure.Chop into cubes.Marinate the mushrooms using all the ingredients given under”to marinate”. Mix well and set aside for 30 minutes.Slice the big onion and fry using 3 tbsp of oil in a kadai.Remove when it is roasted well.Add few onions to the marination mixture and keep the remaining aside in a plate.   For the gravy,use the onion roasted oil. Saute the whole garam masala and onion.Add g&g paste and mix till raw smell leaves.Lastly add the tomato and saute until mushy.Add the red chilli,dhania,garam masala powder.Mix well.Add the marinated mushroom mixture and add a cup of water.Let it boil till mushroom cooks well. After the mushroom cooked well,boil the mixture till gravy becomes thick.Make sure there is very less water in the gravy.Now spread the cooked basmati rice and sprinkle the roasted onions,soaked saffron milk and chopped mint+coriander leaves. Add a tbsp of oil. around the sides of kadai.Close the kadai with the lid tightly and simmer the flame completely.Let it be under DUM for 15 minutes till u get a nice masala smell. Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Serve hot with raita ! Enjoy !

Note

Adjust the quantity of spice powders as per your taste. Adding papaya paste gives a nice flavor. You can also replace garam masala powder with biryani masala powder.

Try this Pakistani style biryani for a change.U will love it.

I served with raita and desserts

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Sweet Potato and Chickpea Patties with Avocado and Tomato Salsa

I enjoy little bites, and summer time is especially suited to savory cakes and patties. My preference is usually to bake most varieties in the oven because it cuts down on oil and time too as the whole batch will usually fit on one sheet. My latest experiment in savory little bites has everything you need for a complete meal — sweet potato, chickpeas, oats and seeds. They are mildly spiced, with a slightly crusted exterior and a soft and succulent middle. Golden and packed full of protein and fiber, this will not be the last time they appear on my table. I've no doubt that even the carnivores at the table won't be complaining about the lack of moo in each bite.

The serving possibilities are endless. You can serve them in tortilla wraps, pita pockets, buns, or just as they are with some salsa and a side salad. My choice was to serve them up over some baby kale and then top with a spicy avocado and tomato salsa, with some goat cheese biscuits on the side. Filling and refreshing, it's pretty much a trouble free meal, but wonderful anytime of year.

Sweet Potato and Chickpea Patties with Avocado and Tomato Salsa

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on July 16, 2015 Baked sweet potato and chickpea patties with oats, seeds, herbs and spices — a complete nutrient and flavor-packed meal in one colorful burger Print this recipe Ingredients: 3/4 cup dried chickpeas (2 1/4 cups cooked) 1 large sweet potato (about 1 1/2 cups) 6 sun-dried tomatoes 1 cup rolled oats 1 small red onion, diced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped juice from 1 lemon (3 tablespoons) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon turmeric pinch of cayenne 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste 1 tablespoon ground flax seed 1/2 cup hemp seeds 2/3 cup green peas, fresh or frozen and defrosted 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped 1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped baby kale, spinach or other greens for serving Instructions: Rinse the chickpeas and soak for 8 hours or overnight in several inches of water. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until soft — 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, preheat an oven to 425°. Scrub the sweet potato and roast until fork tender, about 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool, remove the skin, transfer to a medium bowl, and mash with a fork or potato masher. Stir in about 3/4 cup of the oats and set aside. (If you roast the sweet potato the night before, cover this mixture and keep refrigerated until needed). Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in hot water for 30 minutes, then drain and chop. Set aside. Drain the cooked chickpeas and transfer to a food processor. Add the sun-dried tomato, onion, garlic, jalapeño, lemon juice, olive oil, paprika, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, salt and black pepper, and process until the mixture is blended but still a bit chunky. Add the sweet potato and process for another few seconds. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Whisk the ground flax seed with 3 tablespoons of warm water and stir into the sweet potato and chickpea mixture along with the hemp seeds, green peas and fresh herbs until well combined. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of oats and let the mixture chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour so that it firms up and is easier to shape. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat an oven to 400°. Brush a little oil on your hands and shape the sweet potato and chickpea mixture into roughly 12 2-inch patties. Brush your hands with oil as needed so the mixture doesn't stick too much. Bake the patties for about 30 minutes, flipping them over after 15 minutes. When they are lightly golden and slightly crisp, removed from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes of longer before serving. Serve over greens, as part of a wrap, or as a burger patty with fresh avocado and tomato salsa or your favorite accompaniments. Makes 12 2-inch patties

Other patties and cakes to enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Potato Patties Stuffed with Spiced Green Peas (Aloo Matar Tikki)
Chickpea Patties Smothered in Vegetable Gravy
Quinoa Goat Cheese and Parmesan Cakes
Chickpea Quinoa Pumpkin Burgers

On the top of the reading stack: 660 Curries

Vegetable Spring Rolls Recipe-Baked-Airfryer Recipes

Recently I won a Bajaj air fryer in Mother’s recipe contest and shared the pictures on my Facebook & Google plus pages.Some of my readers told me to post some airfryer recipes.I tried french fries,Bitter gourd chips,Lady’s finger fries and bread rolls in my air fryer.Everything came out very well but I couldn’t post them here as everything vanished even before I click.Yesterday evening I tried vegetable Spring rolls using store bought spring roll pastry sheets for the first time.I baked a few in air fryer and deep fried the remaining to compare the results.I prepared a simple and easy vegetable stuffing using cabbage,carrot and capsicum.I made everything quickly and finished clicking before Raksha and Sendhil came home.Believe me,I loved the air fryer version more than the deep fried ones.Air fried ones were very very crispy compared to the other.Moreover its crispness was maintained for long time.Sendhil came 2 hours after I made the spring rolls.Even then they were crispy.I think you can make the same using convection oven too.

I was very happy that I served him a low calorie,oil less evening snack recipe.Friends,if you have any plans to buy an air fryer,just go for it without any hesitation.I am sure you won’t regret for the buy.These spring rolls can be served as a starter for small birthday parties and family functions.Everything can be prepared ( including rolling) well in advance and refrigerated.So here you go,my first recipe using air fryer – Crispy Veg Spring rolls !

Vegetable Spring Rolls Recipe

Vegetable Spring rolls recipe - Yummy starter recipe!!

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Starter

Serves: 8 nos

Prep time: 15 Minutes

Cook time: 25 Minutes

Total time: 40 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

For Stuffing Shredded cabbage - 2 cups Carrot - 1 big Big onions - 2 nos ( optional) Capsicum - 1/2 no Ginger - 2 inch piece Garlic - 8 nos Sugar – a big pinch Pepper powder - 1 tbsp Soya sauce - 1 tsp Salt - as needed Cooking oil - 2 tbsp Spring onion – to garnish For the sheet Spring roll sheet – 10 nos Corn flour or maida – 2 tbsp Water – as needed

METHOD

Take out the spring roll sheet from the freezer and keep it outside for 1 hour.In the mean time,prepare the stuffing part. Grate the cabbage thinly.Chop the carrot and onion into thin strips.Slice the capsicum thinly.Chop the ginger and garlic very finely.Make sure everything should be of same size and thickness.Try to chop them as thin as possible to ensure quick cooking. Heat oil in a kadai and saute all the chopped vegetables adding some salt and sugar. Sugar helps to maintain the color of veggies.Saute in high flame continuously for 2-3 minutes.Veggies would get cooked and reduce in quantity.Lastly add the soya sauce and pepper powder.Mix well and switch off the flame.Garnish with finely chopped spring onions if u have.Stuffing for the spring roll is ready. In a wide bowl, take the maida or corn flour and add some water to make a cream like paste. Now the spring roll sheet must be ready to use.Take a sheet and cut into 4 if you want to make small sized spring rolls.Cover the remaining sheets with a wet cloth to avoid drying.If you want big spring rolls as in the picture,no need to cut the sheet. Place a tbsp of stuffing in one corner of the sheet.Roll it tight and fold the sides as shown in the picture.If you don’t roll it tight,spring roll becomes flat. Apply the corn flour paste in the other corner and stick it.Repeat the same process with all the sheets and arrange them in a plate. Heat oil to deep fry.Put the spring rolls and cook them in medium flame till they turn golden brown.Turn it whenever needed.Remove in a tissue paper and serve with tomato sauce. Enjoy ! AIR FRYER VERSION Preheat the air fryer in 180c for 5 minutes.Roll the sheets as mentioned above and arrange them.Brush the spring rolls with some oil.Place the sheets in the Air fryer basket. Set the timing to 20 minutes and temperature to 180c.Bake it for 10 minutes.Remove the basket and flip the spring rolls to bake the other side.Bake for the remaining 10 minutes and check the color of spring rolls.If it remains white,bake it for another 2-3 minutes or more.Remove and serve hot ! It stays crispy for long time.So you can store the baked spring rolls in the air fryer basket till you serve.

Note

Do not keep less stuffing and roll it tight.Keep the stuffing according to the size of sheet. To make the stuffing more spicy ,add some chilli sauce. Jain readers can skip the onions,garlic and use more cabbage.There won’t be much difference in taste.

Pictures of deep fried vegetable spring rolls 

Try this kids friendly starter recipe this weekend and enjoy your tea time !

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