Community Dinner - July 24th 2012

Potato and Cauliflower Pakoras

1lb cauliflower florets
10oz russet potato
3 1/2 cups chickpea flour
2 1/2 cups buttermilk
3 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped
3 tbsp ground coriander
3 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp mango powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 red onion, sliced lengthwise
oil for frying


Wash cauliflower and allow water to drain completely - if it's left
too wet it will make the batter runny. Peel and wash potatoes. Cut
each potato in quarters and cut thin slices. In a large bowl mix the
chickpea flour, jalapeño peppers, cumin, coriander, mango powder,
turmeric. Slowly add the buttermilk to make sure you get a paste. Mix
in the onion, cauliflower and potato. The batter should stick to the
vegetables.
Spoon out small amounts into a frying pan with hot oil (about 1/2 inch
deep in oil).

You can make the batter ahead of time and keep in the fridge but the
batter will become runnier


Cilantro-Mint Chicken Curry

Cilantro-Mint Chutney

3 cups chopped cilantro
2/3 cup chopped mint leaves
2 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups red onion, chopped (about 1 large)
1 tbsp chopped ginger
1/3 tsp asafoetida
1 cup of water (approximately)


Mix all ingredients, except water, in a bow. Pour 1/3 of the bowl and
a 1/3 cup water into a blender and purée until smooth. Mix in the rest
and blend everything until you have a green chutney. Reserve while you
prepare the curry. (You can make this ahead of time and just keep it
in the fridge)

Curry

1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/2 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
3 tbsp crushed garlic
1 tbsp salt
1 cup of plain yogurt or 3/4 cup whole-fat buttermilk
3lbs chicken thighs with bone-in

Heat oil in a pan with a tight-fitting lid for about 1 min on medium
heat. Add cumin and coriander seeds and allow them to sizzle for 30
secs. Add garlic and sauté for about 3 min or until golden brown. Turn
off the heat and after 2-3 minutes add the yogurt or buttermilk (I put
in a little bit of both). Add chicken and stir well. Turn the heat to
medium, cover and cook for about 25 min, stirring regularly. Remove
curry from heat and cool for about 20 minutes. Transfer the cooled
chicken to a bowl and peel the meat off the bones - size does not
matter but do not shred. Discard bones and stir chicken back into the
curry. Stir in the cilantro-mint chutney. About 15 min before serving
bring the curry to a boil on medium heat. Turn down the heat to simmer
and cook uncovered for about 10 min or until the chicken is well mixed
into the curry.

Serve with basmati rice


recipes from Vij's Indian Cuisine cookbook

Pao de Queijo

This is a Luana classic...thought it would be good to post it up.. :)

Pao de Queijo

1 lb Tapioca flour
160 ml water
100 ml oil
salt (to taste)
2 eggs
4 oz grated cheese (any hard cheese)
1/4 cup yogurt

Add salt to the oil and water and heat it to a boil in the microwave (45 seconds max.). Mix it with the flour until homogeneous (the flour will have a wet appearance). Add the eggs, yogurt, cheese and mix with your hands. Shape it into small balls and either bake or freeze.

Baking (fresh or frozen) - pre-heat the oven to 350F and bake cheese balls for 25 minutes or until the buns are golden.

Enjoy! :)

Luana - CD March 25th 2009

Chickpea Falafel with Cilantro Dip
Serves 4
14oz chickpea can, drained
6 scallions, finely chopped
1 egg
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 garlic clove, crushed
4 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
oil for deep-frying
1 small fresh red chile, seeded and finely chopped
3 tbsp mayonnaise
salt and freshly ground pepper
sprig of cilantro for garnish
1. Put the chickpeas in a food processor or blender. Add the scallions and process to a smooth puree. Add the egg, turmeric, garlic, cumin and about 1 tbsp of chopped cilantro. Process briefly to mix, then season with salt and pepper.
2. With wet hands, shaped the mixture into about 16 small balls
3. Heat the oil for deep-frying to 350, or until a cube of bread added to the oil browns in 30-45 seconds. Deep-fry the falafel in batches for 2 -3 min. or until golden. Drain the falafel. Place in a serving bowl and keep warm.
4. Stir the remaining cilantro and the chile into the mayo. Garnish with cilantro sprig and serve with the falafel.
Spicy Chickpea and Eggplant Stew
Serves 4
3 large eggplant, cubed
1 cup chickpeas, soaked overnight (or use canned)
1/4 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 large onion, chopped
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground coriander
3 x 14oz can chopped tomatos
salt and pepper


for garnish2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, sliced
sprigs of cilantro
1. Place the eggplant in the colander and sprinkle with salt. Set the colander in a bowl and let it sit for 30 min to allow the bitter juices to escape. Rinse the eggplant with cold water and dry. *Add some weight on the eggplant
2. Drain the chickpeas and put it in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 - 1 1/2 hours, or until tender. Drain
3. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic and the onion, cook until soft. Add the spices and cook stirring for a few seconds. Stir in the egg plant and cook for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chickpeas and season with sat and pepper. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. To make the garnish, heat the oil in a frying pan and, when very hot, add the sliced onion and the garlic. Fry until golden crisp. Serve the stew with rice, topped with the onion and garlic and garnished with cilantro.
Serve with Rice or Quinoa or any grain you like! :)