IN PROGRESS

This Goan style cashew curry is made of whole cashews cooked to a delectable, toothsome tenderness with potatoes in a spicy coconut sauce. Serve over steamed rice.

Prep Time15minutes mins

Cook Time30minutes mins

Soaking time for cashews30minutes mins

Total Time1hour hr 15minutes mins

Course: Main Course/Curry

Cuisine: Goan, Indian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 336kcal

Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

Equipment

• Large saute pan or Dutch oven
• Blender

Ingredients

• 129 g raw cashews
• 10 ml avocado oil or any neutral oil (divided)
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 3 cloves
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 1 black cardamom pod (optional)
• 5 g coriander seeds
• 2 g cumin seeds
• 1 large onion (finely diced, divided)
• 2 large tomatoes (finely diced, divided)
• 3 g mustard seeds
• 1 heaping tsp ginger garlic paste
• 2 large potatoes (cut into ½-inch cubes)
• 2 g Kashmiri chilli powder (or cayenne or paprika, if desiring less heat)
• 1 g turmeric
• 2 sprigs curry leaves (optional)
• 2 tablespoon cilantro (chopped)
• 237 ml full-fat coconut milk
• Salt to taste

Instructions

• Soak the cashews in warm water for 30 minutes. Strain out all water before using the cashews.
• In a wide saucepan or Dutch oven heat a teaspoon of oil over medium heat. Add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, bay leaves, green cardamom pods, optional brown cardamom pod, cloves and bay leaves. Saute for a couple of minutes until the spices are very aromatic.
• Add half the onions, saute for a few minutes until they begin to brown, then add half the tomatoes. Cook the tomatoes until they are very soft. Remove everything to a plate and let it cool to room temperature. Add 1 cup water and blend to a smooth paste. Set the paste aside.
• In the same pan, heat a teaspoon of oil. Add mustard seeds and, when they sputter and crackle, add the remaining onions and a bit of salt. Saute the onions until translucent.
• Add ginger garlic paste, stir it in for a minute, then add the remaining tomatoes and saute until soft and pulpy.
• Stir in the potatoes. Add turmeric, Kashmiri chilli powder or cayenne and garam masala. Mix well.
• Add the blended masala paste to the pot, then add the cashews and mix. Add up to another cup of water to thin the sauce if it’s too thick.
• Cover and cook the curry for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the herbs: the optional curry leaves and cilantro.
• Add the coconut milk to the pot, mix and bring the curry to a boil. Lower heat and let the curry simmer for 10 minutes. Add salt to taste. Garnish with more cilantro, if you wish, before serving.

Slowly cooking my way through this cookbook, and this recipe is, as always, loosely based on the recipes in that book. In this case very loosely. Why lazy-ass? Because the main ingredients (Brussels sprouts, big white beans, and quinoa), all came from the freezer. The Brussels sprouts bought frozen and, more importantly, trimmed, and the beans and quinoa already cooked and frozen in smaller batches.

400 g Brussels sprouts, trimmed

2 tblsp oil or ghee

2 tsp mustard seeds

Half tsp asafoetida

Dried curry leaves

2 large-ich red onions, sliced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tblsp ginger, chopped

2 green chilies, deseeded and chopped

1 tsp turmeric

Chopped coriander

3 tblsp chopped hazelnut

Sizzle the onions and the mustard seeds in the oil or ghee till the mustard seeds start to pop.

Add asafoetida and curry leaves, stir, and sizzle for a moment.

Add ginger, garlic green chili, and turmeric and mix well.

Add the Brussels sprouts and a pinch of salt and sauté for a couple of minutes.

Add the big white beans, cover and cook for another 2-3 minutes on low heat till the sprouts are tender. Sprinkle with water if needed.

Add the quinoa, chopped hazelnuts (and another two cloves of garlic, but that is just me – I love relatively fresh garlic and I do believe in the nutritional benefits) and sauté for another minute.

I also add nutritional yeast to a lot of dishes now, since I have been told to up my B12 levels but not via supplements.

Loosely based on recipes in Rohit Ghai: Tarkari: Vegetarian and Vegan Indian dishes with Heart and Soul.

Coconut chutney

2 tblsp fried gram

200 g coconut flakes

50 g coriander leaves

1 tblsp ginger

1 green chilli

Salt

Blend with water till the desired consistency. Can be frozen in small batches.

Chickpea (besan) flour pancakes

250 g besan

Half tsp ajwain

Half tsp turmeric

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp grated ginger

1 large-ish finely chopped tomato

1 large-ish finely chopped red onion

A handful of coriander leaves, chopped (in this case, I forgot to buy fresh coriander, and did not have much on the balcony yet, so I used mostly rucola, and a bit of young kale.

Totally unauthorized (except perhaps by my ayurvedic nutritionist friend) I also threw in some curry leaves and tukmaria seeds for added nutrition.

1 green chili, finely sliced

Mix besan, ajwain, turmeric, salt and pepper well.

Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Add water little by little to make a thick batter which can be ladled onto a pan.

Bake on an oiled pan for a couple of minutes on each side till cooked completely with golden spots.

These pancakes can be refridgerated, and even frozen, so I made extras in order to have something to take with me, along with some chutney) on walks in stead of being tempted to buy much unhealthier sandwiches on train stations.

Scrambled eggs

3 eggs 2 tblsp ghee or olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 knob ginger, chopped

Pinch of chili powder or flakes

Pinch turmeric

Pinch garam masala (I am still lazy and using storebought, but there is a recipe in the book mentioned above which I am definitely going to try one of these days)

Totally unauthorized (except perhaps by my ayurvedic nutritionist friend) I also threw in some methi leaves for added nutrition.

1 large-ish deseeded and finely chopped tomato (plus the seeded parts from the tomatoes above)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Beat the eggs at length till frothy.

Sizzle onions, garlic, ginger and chili for a while, then add the rest of the ingredients, and keep sizzling.

In the meantime, beat the eggs at length till frothy.

Add to the mixture in the pan and scramble till desired texture.

Caramelized five-onion dip

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large sweet onion (such as Vidalia – the “flat” one), quartered and thinly sliced
• 1 medium-size yellow onion (what I call the “normal” ones), quartered and thinly sliced
• 1 medium-size red onion, quartered and thinly sliced
• 4 medium shallots, halved and thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 6 spring onions, thinly sliced
• Approx 225 g cream cheese, softened
• Approx 3 dl sour cream
• The original recipe says 230 g mayonnaise, but unless I can be bothered to make some vegan mayo, I will skip that since I can’t stand conventional mayo)
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder (I think I will use fresh garlic – not a fan of garlic powder)
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Black pepper, to taste

Heat oil and butter till the butter melts.

Add all the onions, except the spring onions, and salt, simmer, stirring occasionally till they start to soften and turn light brown at the edges, about 12 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are caramelized, about 35 minutes.

Add the spring onions towards the end of the cooking time.

If it starts to stick to the bottom or become too brown, add a bit of water.

Transfer mixture to a large bowl and let cool before stirring in the cream cheese until it is incorporated.

Add the rest of the ingredients, season with salt and pepper, chill. Can be made a day ahead.

NOTE: One of them is definitely vegan, and the other one can be made vegan by using vegan yoghurt.

Also note that I add spices such as ground cloves, cardamom, and fenugreek seeds – to add flavour and because spices are healthy :-).

Bread number 1 (on the right):

4,5 dl cold water

20 g yeast

20 g yellow flea seed shells (Flohsamen)

2 tsp salt

2 tsp molasses (can be left out – I forgot once and nothing happened)

2 tsp cider vinegar

80 g whole buckwheat

50 g sesame seeds

50 g pumpkin seeds

60 g linseeds

150 g sweet potato

150 g whole-grain rice flour

70 g buckwheat flour

70 g quinoa or teff flour

Dissolve the yeast in the water and add the flea seed shells. Mix well and let sit for about five minutes.

In the meantime, mix all ingredients except rice flour, buckwheat flour and quinoa flour well, and add to the mixture. Mix thoroughly.

Mix the three flours well and add to the dough. Mix thoroughly and at length – up to five minutes.

Let sit for five minutes, then mix thoroughly again, and let sit for another five to ten minutes before adding it to a well-oiled or baking-paper lined form. Add seeds on top, and let sit for 1,5-2 hours.

Place in a 230 C oven and immediately reduce to 200 C. Bake for an hour and 15 minutes to 1,5 hours. Let cool completely before cutting into the bread. Keep refrigerated. Freezes well.

Bread number 2:

20 g yeast

4 dl cold water

20 g yellow flea seed shells

1 heaped tblsp melasse (can be left out – I forgot once and nothing happened)

3,5 dl vegan quark or yoghurt or skyr

150 g whole rye

75 g pumpkin seeds

125 g chia seeds  

300 g glutenfree oats

20 g salt

100 g hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water and add yellow flea seed shells. Let sit for a moment till it thickens.

Add melasse and vegan yoghurt or whatever you are using. Mix well.

Add all other ingredients except the hazelnuts, and mix well for several minutes.

Add the hazelnuts and mix well.

Press the dough into a well-oiled or baking-paper lined form and smooth out the surface.

Let sit for an hour at room temperature.

Place in a 230 C oven and immediately reduce to 200. Bake for about an hour and ten minutes.

Let cool completely. Keep refrigerated. Freezes well.

I try to eat spinach one way or another at least twice a week, and since apparently, raw spinach is not than healthy, I am always looking for variety in ways to cook it.

Here is one way:

One bag of spinach (for example 100 g baby spinach, in this case from Rewe) (of course always bio), rinsed and dried in the salad spinner

1 tsp sesame oil, toasted or regular

1 tsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp miso paste

2 garlic cloves, minced or very finely chopped

1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Mix the miso paste, the soy sauce, and the garlic together.

Gently heat the oil and stir in the spinach. Add the miso paste mix and stir gently till the spinach starts to wilt.

Sprinkle with toasted, black sesame seeds before serving.

Wasabi adds a nice kick to this Thai soba noodle curry

4 scallions, chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon pickled ginger (or 2-inch piece fresh ginger)
3 teaspoons wasabi paste
1 Serrano chili, sliced and seeds removed
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 bunch cilantro, both leaves and stems
¼ cup Thai basil leaves
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
1, 13.5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
2 bunches coarsely chopped baby Swiss chard
1 lime, juiced
Kosher salt
1 package soba noodles

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a food processor, pulse scallions, garlic, ginger, wasabi, chili, turmeric, cilantro, Thai basil, and 2 tablespoons water until coarsely ground. With the motor running, stream in the coconut oil and process until pretty smooth.
2. In a large pot or saucepan over medium heat, cook the green chili paste, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk, lime juice, and 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until reduced by half, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Add the Swiss chard and cook until wilted and tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and season with plenty of salt.
4. Meanwhile, cook the soba noodles according to the package directions. Drain and divide evenly with the curry. Top with more herbs for garnish.

As far as I am concerned, cauliflower tastes of absolutely nothing and ranks among the world’s blandest food.

But now I am stranded with a head of cauliflower. I am not sure whether I ordered one by mistake or whether Rewe Lieferservice delivered one by mistake, but I hate food waste, so, never mind, I am fully aware of its nutritional value and am going to eat it.

With this recipe: I hope to add some flavour to make it go down a bit more easily:

https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wprm_print/38380

IN PROGRESS

This vegan lentil sweet potato tagine evokes the voluptuous flavors of Morocco, with a tantalizing interplay of sweet, spicy, salty, tangy and savory. Serve it over a bed of couscous or quinoa for a cozy, nutrient-rich meal!

Prep Time15minutes mins

Cook Time25minutes mins

Total Time40minutes mins

Course: Main Course/Stew

Cuisine: African, North African

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 143kcal

Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

Equipment

• Dutch oven or large saute pan

Ingredients

• ½ cup dried brown lentils (or one 14-oz can of brown lentils)
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 medium red onions (thinly sliced)
• 6 cloves garlic (minced)
• Salt to taste
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• ½ teaspoon cayenne
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 medium tomatoes (diced)
• 1 heaping tbsp tomato paste
• 1 large sweet potato
• 2 tablespoons parsley (chopped, for garnish)

Instructions

• If using dried lentils, place lentils in a saucepan, cover with two inches of water and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and let the lentils cook until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Strain the lentils before using, but reserve the cooking water.
• Place the onions and garlic in olive oil in a large saute pan or Dutch oven. Add a pinch of salt and ground black pepper. Saute over medium heat until onions soften, about 3-5 minutes.
• Add the spices to the pot: ground cumin, turmeric, cayenne, paprika, ground cardamom and ground allspice. Mix and saute for another minute or until the spices are very aromatic.
• Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste.
• Add the sweet potatoes and drained, cooked or canned lentils to the pot along with 1 ½ cups of the lentil cooking liquid or vegetable broth or water.
• Mix and bring the tagine to a boil over medium heat. Cover the pot, turn heat down, and let the tagine simmer until the sweet potatoes are very tender, about 15 minutes.
• Check for salt and add more if needed. Sprinkle parsley over the tagine. Serve hot or warm.

First posted almost two years ago, this is so delicious it deserves a remake (and perhaps some better photos, and I WILL give that a try, but my pathetic food photography skills have not progressed in the meantime :-)).

• 300 grams whole black lentils (aka urad dal)
• 100 grams kidney beans
• 3 tablespoons ghee, alternatively olive oil or coconut oil
• 2 large red onions, chopped (most recipes probably call for yellow onions but I find those too sweet, so I ever only have red onions available)
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 15 cloves garlic, crushed or grated
• 1 large knob ginger, grated
• 2 tins tomatoes, pureed with a tablespoon tomato concentrate
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 5 cloves
• 5 green cardamom, slightly crushed
• 3 black cardamom, slightly crushed
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 5 Indian bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds, ground
• 1 teaspoon, or to taste, red chili powder or cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg or ground nutmeg powder
• Vegetable stock or water as required
• 4 tablespoons whipping cream (this is optional, if you ask me – I find cream in savoury dishes quite unappetising and I would normally have no use for leftovers, so I leave it out. If I have ghee or goat yoghurt available, I may add a tablespoon or two.
• Salt, as required
• Chopped cilantro for garnish
• Julienned ginger for garnish (optional)
• Cream for garnish (again – optional – if anything, I use some of the goat yoghurt I often have available)

Preparation

• Soak the beans for at least eight hours. Drain and discard the soaking water.
• Cook the beans for one hour. Drain, preserving the cooking water.
• Fry the whole spices in the ghee for a minute till they sputter and become fragrant, then add the onions, sautéing on medium heat till they soften and become light golden.
• Add the ginger-garlic paste and sautée, stirring, then add the chopped green chili.
• Add the pureed tomato and mix well.
• Add the rest of the spices, mix and sautée.
• Add the cooked beans, mix and add stock or water as required.
• Simmer on low heat for at least half an hour, adding water if required.
• If you wish, mash some of the beans in some of their cooking water in order to achieve a creamier texture.