Carrot Kootu | Carrot and Lentil Curry
by Jiya Jesh ·
Carrot Kootu – comforting South Indian style stew of carrots and lentils in a coconut based gravy.
Ingredients
1 cup chopped carrots
1/3 cup toor dal ( split pigeon pea / thuvaram paruppu )
1 onion small
1 tomato medium-sized
2 large garlic cloves
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
5 tbsp grated coconut
1-2 green chillies
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp split urad dal (without skin)
A few curry leaves
1 tsp oil
Instructions
Wash toor dal and soak the dal in enough water for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile peel the skin of carrots and chop them into small cubes. Also, finely chop onions, garlic and tomatoes.
Grind the grated coconut along with chopped green chillies to a fine paste by adding little water and set this aside.
Drain the soaked water from dal. Pressure cook the soaked dal along with chopped onions, garlic, tomatoes, carrots and turmeric powder with 1 cup water for 2 whistles on a medium flame.
Once the pressure gets released from the cooker, remove the lid of the cooker and mash the dal slightly.
Heat oil in a kadai or pan. Add mustard seeds. When the seeds splutter, add urad dal and curry leaves.
Once dal turns brown, add the cooked dal-vegetable mixture and mix.
Add the ground coconut paste and salt and mix well.
Add 3/4 cup water and let the gravy simmer on low heat for 4-5 minutes.
Once the gravy thickens to desired consistency, remove from heat.
Carrot kootu is now ready to be served.
Notes
The curry will thicken with time. So cook to consistency required.
Carrot kootu tastes great when served with rice and a dollop of ghee. Add ghee when you are serving to kids. It tastes good when served with rotis / chapathis too.
Radish Greens Dal | Mullangi Keerai Kootu Recipe
by Jiya Jesh · Updated on August 16, 2022 Curries/ Gravies
Radish greens dal recipe is an easy Indian style curry of radish greens with lentils. Radish greens and split yellow lentils / moong dal come together in this simple dish.
I was able to get hold of some radishes with their leaves and got to make this curry. This dish can be served with rice or rotis / chapathis.
Radish leaves are edible and have a peppery taste. They remain fresh for only a couple of days in the refrigerator.
They are nutritious as they are a great source of vitamin C and vitamin A. These leaves are also a good source of calcium and are low in calories.
Radish greens do have a slightly bitter taste. Combining them with lentils does mask the bitterness slightly. So next time don’t throw away the radish leaves and instead try this delicious dal.
Category:Side Dish
Cuisine:Indian
Author:Jiya Jesh
Serves:2-3
Prep Time:10 mins
Cook Time:15 mins
Total Time:25 mins
A simple and healthy recipe of radish greens with split yellow lentils ( moong dal ).
Ingredients
2 cups chopped radish leaves
1/2 cup moong dal / split yellow lentils / pasi paruppu
1 small onion
1 small tomato
2 green chillies
1/2 tsp finely chopped ginger
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds / jeera
A few curry leaves ( optional )
1 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Instructions
Wash the radish leaves thoroughly. Then finely chop the washed leaves and set aside.
Wash moong dal. Pressure cook the dal with 1 1/2 cups water along with salt and turmeric powder for 2-3 whistles.
Once the pressure gets released, mash the cooked dal slightly.
Meanwhile, finely chop onions and tomatoes. Slit the green chillies lengthwise.
Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds splutter, add cumin seeds.
When cumin seeds start to crackle and slightly change color, add in the chopped onions, chopped ginger, slit green chillies and curry leaves.
Saute till onions turn light brown in color.
Then add in the chopped tomatoes and fry for a minute.
Add the chopped radish leaves and salt.
Cover with a lid and cook on medium low flame for 2 minutes.
Now add the cooked dal along with 1/2 cup water.
Let the dal cook on a medium low flame for 4-5 minute or until the gravy reaches desired consistency. Remove from heat.
Radish greens dal is ready to be served hot with rice or rotis.
Notes
Moong dal gets cooked fast. So instead of pressure cooking moong dal you can even cook it with enough water and then use in the recipe.
Butternut Squash Lentil Curry
from Dishing Up the Dirt
1 cup dry brown, or red lentils
1 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed (1 inch pieces)
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 tbs coconut oil
1 cup vegetable broth
1 1/2 tbs red curry paste
2 tsp of curry powder
1/2 tsp tumeric
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
dash of cinnamon
dash of pepper
1/3 cup full fat coconut milk
Preheat the oven to 400. Place the squash cubes on an oiled baking sheet and drizzle with a little oil salt and pepper. Roasted for about 20 minutes. Or until fork tender. Remove from oven.
Cook the lentils in a large pot of boiling water for about 20 minutes (or until tender). Drain and set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat saute’ the onion in the coconut oil. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add the cooked squash and vegetable broth. Let the mixture simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Reduce heat. With an immersion blender blend everything together. (you can also use a blender for this).
Add curry paste, curry powder, tumeric, cinnamon, salt, and coconut milk to the pan. Mix well to combine. Add cooked lentils.
Serve over your favorite rice! Adjust seasonings to your taste.
Quick and Easy Pickled Daikon Radishes
Author: Joyce | Pups with Chopsticks
Prep time: 20 mins
Description
Sweet & tangy pickled daikon radish recipe with a crisp crunch! Quick & easy to make and requires no heat, just a refrigerator!
*Scale up or down as necessary, depending on how many radishes you have
Ingredients
Daikon radishes (approx half a pound)
1 tablespoon salt
1 clove garlic (Optional)
1–2 birdseye chili or 1/2 tsp chili flakes(Optional)
Vinegar Brine
1/2 cup white vinegar or rice vinegar
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons hot water
1/4 cup sugar (optional, but the sweetness really does contribute to the overall flavor)
Instructions
Preparing the Daikon Radish
Wash and peel the daikon radish
Cut the daikon radish to the shape you prefer (see above photo) - thin match sticks, thick sticks or cubes- and put it in a med mixing bowl.
Add 1 tablespoon of salt and massage it into the freshly cut radish. Let the radish sit for 15 minutes while it draws out the bitter water.
Once 15 minutes is up, rinse the daikon well with cold water and set aside
Making the Brine
In a separate bowl, mix together all the ingredients under the ‘Vinegar Brine’ and set aside. Taste the vinegar solution to see if it is sweet or tart enough for your preference.
(Optional) Peel and smash 1 clove of garlic to flatten it and release the juices and put it in the brine
Putting it Together
Add the daikon radish into glass jars and cover with vinegar brine until the daikon is fully submerged in it. If you want it garlicky or spicy, add in the optional smashed garlic and whole chili peppers into the jars as well.
Seal well and let it sit in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours but preferably 24 hours.
Enjoy!
Notes
Add a slice of beet for pink coloured pickles! A little beet goes a long way, a small slice of it will be more than enough.
You can also add carrots in addition to the daikon radish to this recipe as well.
If you need more pickle juice, double the pickle juice portion of the recipe
You can store these for up to 2 months, but they taste best within a month
Creamy Celery Soup
Excerpted from “Six Seasons” by Joshua McFadden (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2017.
45 mins
Makes 4 servings
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 head celery or 10 stalks of celery, cut into 1-inch pieces, leafy tops chopped and reserved
1 small onion diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups vegetable stock or water
1 cup heavy cream
For the garnish:
1/2 cup roughly chopped, lightly toasted walnuts
1/2 cup raisins, plumped in water for 15 minutes and drained
1 teaspoon celery seed
Extra-virgin olive oil
Put the butter, celery and onion in a large pot over medium heat. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook the vegetables slowly until they have begun to soften and release their juices, about 8 minutes. Don’t let the vegetables brown at all.
Add the stock, adjust the heat to a simmer, and cook until the celery and onion are completely tender, about 30 minutes. Let the soup cool a bit, then process in a blender to make a smooth puree. You might need to do this in batches.
Meanwhile, toss together the reserved chopped celery leaves, walnuts, raisins and celery seed in a bowl and moisten with a few drops of olive oil.
Return the puree to the pot, add the cream, and bring everything to a low simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes to soften the raw cream flavor. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Divide into serving bowls and top with the walnut-raisin mixture.
Note: This soup is so simple and pure in flavor I often serve it unadorned. Make a simple topping with a few torn croutons, a grating of Parmigiano, or a swirl of extra-virgin olive oil, or go all the way with the unexpected sweet and nutty topping.
Celery Salad With Dates, Almonds and Parmigiano
our favorite way to enjoy celery — delicious in any season!
Excerpted from “Six Seasons” by Joshua McFadden (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2017.
“This is one of my favorite dishes. It’s so simple, but the combination of ingredients creates a wonderful, intriguing aroma. Try to use really good olive oil for this salad.” — Joshua McFadden
Prep time: 15 to 20 minutes (excluding almond-toasting and celery-chilling) | Very easy
4 servings
Ingredients
8 celery stalks (leaves separated and reserved), tough fibers peeled off, sliced on an angle into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
4 Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
1/2 cup roughly chopped toasted almonds (see below)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dried chile flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved into shards with a vegetable peeler
Extra-virgin olive oil
To prepare
OPTIONAL: Put the celery in a bowl of ice water and soak for about 20 minutes to heighten the crispness. Drain and pat dry, then pile into a medium bowl.
Add the celery leaves, dates, almonds, lemon juice, and chile flakes and toss together. Season generously with salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add the Parmigiano and 1/4 cup olive oil and toss gently. Taste again and adjust the seasoning so you have a lovely salty, tart, sweet balance.
Serve cool.
Toasted Almonds
You can toast nuts and seeds a number of ways — in the oven, in a dry skillet, with high heat or low heat (or brined and roasted) — but your goal is to go from raw, bland, and soft to fragrant and crunchy. The color should be just a few shades darker than the raw nut or seed and should be even, not simply dark around the edges.
Quantity is up to you
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread the nuts on a pan in a single layer. For a small quantity, a pie plate is good; for more, use a rimmed baking sheet.
Bake until you smell the nuttiness and the color is deepening slightly, 6 to 8 minutes for most whole nuts.
When the nuts are done, transfer them to a plate so they don’t keep cooking on the hot baking pan.
Determining doneness can be tricky because the final texture won’t develop until they’re cool, so at this stage, you’re mostly concerned with color and flavor. To be safe, take them from the oven, let cool, taste one, and if not done enough, pop them back into the oven.
Recipe from “Six Seasons: A New Way With Vegetables” by chef Joshua McFadden
Eggplant Recipe:Early Autumn Ratatouille & Polenta Bowls
recipe adapted fromDishing Up the Dirt
Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Serves: 6-8
Ratatouille (we have made this recipe without eggplant (sub more zucchini) and still find it DELIGHTFUL!)
1 large heirloom tomato, roughly chopped-- 0 miles
2 cups chopped tomatoes, or cherry tomatoes left whole
3 Japanese eggplants or 1 large Italian eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (no need to peel)-- 0 miles
2 zucchini or summer squash, cut into 1/2 inch moons-- 0 miles
1 large sweet pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped-- 0 miles
1 yellow onion, chopped-- 0 miles
4 large cloves of garlic, roughly chopped-- 0 miles
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes -- 20 miles
1/3 cup olive oil-- 105 miles
2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar-- 105 miles
1 1/2 teaspoons salt-- 157 miles
freshly ground black pepper -- not sure of the milage
Minced parsley for serving-- 0 miles
Polenta Bowls
4 1/2 cups water or stock
1 cup corn meal-- 125 miles (roughly)
2 tablespoons butter-- 81 miles
1/2 cup freshly grated cheese--39 miles (you can use any hard cheese)
hefty pinch of fine sea salt-- 157 miles
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400F. In a large roasting pan, toss all the veggies with the red pepper flakes, oil, vinegar, and salt. Stir well. Season the mixture with a few good grinds of black pepper and bake it for 45-55 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned, and the tomatoes have released their juices. Stir the veggies halfway through cooking.
Meanwhile, prepare the polenta by bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Slowly add the grits to the boiling water and whisk vigorously until their are not more clumps. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the polenta thickens up a bit. Cover the pan and cook for about 30 minutes (the time will very depending on the brand of grits you use so see package directions for times) and use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture every 5 minutes or so until the polenta is creamy and the individual grains are tender. Add the butter and cheese and stir to combine.
Divide the polenta between bowls and top with the ratatouille. Sprinkle with minced parsley and additional grated cheese.
Notes
*Use this recipe as a guide and adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary *Cooking times will very from kitchen to kitchen
Vegan Southern Mixed Greens
Recipe adapted from sweetpotatosoul.com
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Total time: 45 mins
If you like your collards to have a "pot gravy" or broth, add about ¼-1/2 cup of water to the cooking greens, and season with 1 tablespoon more tamari.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
2 tablespoons grapeseed or olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 juicy ripe tomatoes, diced or ½ 15-oz can of diced tomatoes
1 large bunch of collard greens and/or turnip greens (you can use either of these greens, or even mix them together); wash greens and remove any extra fibrous stem parts, otherwise the tender parts of stems are fine to eat; thinly slice the stems and leaves
sea salt
2 tablespoons tamari (or normal soy sauce)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika + more to taste
Instructions
Warm oil on medium heat in a large heavy-bottomed pot.
Add the garlic, and sauté on medium-low until it begins to turn golden.
Stir in the tomatoes, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes.
Add the chopped collard greens and a sprinkle of sea salt, and stir well. Reduce the heat to low, and cover the greens. Cook until tender, about 30 minutes, or longer depending on your preference.
Turn off the flame, then stir in the soy sauce and smoked paprika. Season to taste with more soy sauce if necessary.
Roasted Eggplant Hummus
from Dishing Up the Dirt
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Serves: 6 servings
1 medium-sized Italian eggplant, sliced in half lengthwise
2 cups cooked chickpeas, if from the can rinsed and drained
1/3 cup tahini
1/4 cup water
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/3 cup loosely packed fresh parsley, tough stems removed
1/8-1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (add more or less depending on spice preference)
2 Tablespoons olive oil + more for serving
salt and pepper to taste
Garnishes:
Minced parsley
extra olive oil for serving
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the eggplant slices cut side down on a prepared baking sheet and roast until fork tender and slightly charred on the skins. Anywhere from 30 -45 minutes. Start checking eggplant after about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it slightly cool.
Scoop out the eggplant flesh and place in the bowl of a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients and whirl away until smooth and well combined. You may have to stop the processor a few times to scrape down the sides. Taste test and adjust seasonings as necessary. If the mixture is too thick add a little more oil or water. Season to taste with plenty of salt and pepper.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Zucchini Fritters
Zucchini Fritters — we love these in the summer time, and they’re kid friendly too. We dip them in mayo mixed with finely chopped basil and fresh lemon juice/zest. yum!
Yield: 4 servings
prep time: 15 minutes
cook time: 10 minutes
total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds zucchini and/or summer squash (including patty pans), grated
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large egg, beaten
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions:
Place grated zucchini in a colander over the sink. Add salt and gently toss to combine; let sit for 10 minutes. Using a clean dish towel or cheese cloth, drain zucchini completely.
In a large bowl, combine zucchini, flour, Parmesan, garlic and egg; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Scoop tablespoons of batter for each fritter, flattening with a spatula, and cook until the underside is nicely golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side, about 1-2 minutes longer.
Serve immediately.