Dal Using Bob's Red Mill Whole Grains and Beans Soup Mix

Adapted from various recipes in Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking by Yamuna Devi.

Combine in a soup pot:

• 2 cups Bob's Red Mill Whole Grains and Beans Soup Mix
• 8 cups water
• 3 tsp chopped ginger
• 4 tsp ground coriander seeds
• 2 tsp ground turmeric (or chopped fresh)
• 2 dried red peppers
• 2 or more fresh hot peppers, chopped

Bring to the boil and then reduce to simmer and cook until soft, an hour or so.

Mash as desired (or not).
Add:

• 4 ounces fresh spinach
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 Tbs fresh cilantro, chopped

Cook over low heat as desired.
Now, we make the chaunk.
Heat to medium high heat in a small frying pan or kadhai:

• 3 Tbs oil

Add:

• 1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek, slightly crushed
• 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1 1/2 Tbs sugar or brown sugar or jaggery
• 4 or more dried red peppers, whole

Stir fry until sugar caramelizes to a deep red brown.
Add:

• Pinch of asefetida
• 6-8 curry leaves or a few bay leaves

Within a few seconds, remove from heat and add chaunk to the dal.
Add to dal:

• 1 Tbs fresh lime or lemon juice
• 1/2 Tbs fresh cilantro, chopped

Let stand a while so the ingredients get to know each other before serving.

Spicy Skewered Vegetable Kebabs

Adapted from Vegan Fire and Spice by Robin Robertson

3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup canola oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 tsp hot pepper powder
1 medium onion quartered
1 red or yellow bell pepper cut into 1 inch pieces
1 medium zucchini cut into 1 inch chunks
2 cups mushrooms cut to a size you like
1 pint cherry tomatoes

Whisk the garlic, oil, lime juice, cumin, coriander, salt and hot pepper powder in a big bowl or casserole dish until well blended.

Add all the other ingredients and toss until coated.

Let stand about 30 minutes.

Preheat broiler or grill.  Thread the vegetables onto skewers, ending with a tomato on each skewer.

Broil or grill, turning once or twice until browned.

Hash Browns

Ingredients:

1-2 Tbs Olive oil
Potatoes, grated
1/4 lemon, squeeze
Black pepper, cracked
Any, none or all of the following, chopped, sliced, diced or...:
Onion
Bell pepper
Hot pepper (like jalapeno)
Celery
Parsley
Garlic

Heat olive oil in black iron skillet to medium heat.
Mix all other ingredients in a bowl.
Add in a flat layer onto skillet and cover.
Cook until browned.
Remove cover, turn and cook until browned.

Black Bean, Corn and Tomato Salad

Adapted from Black Bean, Corn and Tomato Salad -- "Joy of Cooking" 1997 edition.

This is a standard for us to take to community potlucks.  There's never any left to take back home.

Boil in water to cover for 1 minute:

• 1 1/2 cups corn kernels (cut from 3 ears corn) [or from can :-)]

Drain and rinse under cold water.
Whisk together in a small bowl:

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/8 tsp salt
• Ground black pepper to taste

Gradually whisk in:

• 5 tablespoons [Tbs] olive oil, or to taste
• 1/4 cup snipped or sliced fresh basil

Toss with most of the dressing in a serving bowl:

• 3 cups cooked black beans (about 1 cup dried) rinsed and drained if canned

With the remaining dressing, toss the corn along with:

• 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup chopped red onions [or green onions (scallions), yellow onions, we've never used red onions]

Stir gently into the beans. Serve garnished with:

• Fresh basil leaves.

Lentil Salad

Adapted from Alice Waters’s The Art of Simple Food.

SERVINGS 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup lentils (French green [Puy] lentils or black Beluga lentils are the best varieties to use for lentil salads because they have lots of flavor and they hold their shape when cooked.)
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• Salt
• Fresh-ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions or
• 3 tablespoons finely diced shallot
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper sometimes

PREPARATION

1. Sort and rinse the lentils. Cover with water by 3 inches and bringto a boil. Turn down to a simmer 

and cook until tender all the way through (adding more water if necessary), about 30 minutes. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

2. Toss the lentils with the red wine vinegar, salt, and fresh-ground black pepper. Let sit for 5 minutes. Taste and add more salt and vinegar if needed.

3. Add the extra-virgin olive oil, scallions or shallot, and parsley. Stir to combine. If the lentils seem dry and are hard to stir, loosen them with a bit of the reserved cooking liquid.

VARIATIONS

Add 1/2 cup diced cucumber.
Dice very fine 1/4 cup each of carrot, celery, and onion. Cook until tender in a couple spoonfuls of olive oil. Cool and stir into the salad in place of the scallions or shallots.
Garnish with 1/2 cup crumbled goat or feta cheese.
Toast and crush 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds and add to the salad.
Substitute cilantro for the parsley.
Dice 1/4 cup flavorful sweet peppers, season with salt, and let stand to soften. Stir in with the scallions or shallots.

Vegetarian Chili with Puy Lentils

Adapted from "Vegetarian Chili" in Joy of Cooking (2006 edition) <http://www.thejoykitchen.com/>

8 servings [Cornbread goes well with chili.]

Heat in a large saucepan over medium heat:

• 2 Tbs olive oil

Add:

• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped onion

Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.  Stir in:

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1, 2 or more fresh green chili peppers (jalapeno, etc.) seeded and finely chopped
• 1 Tbs chili powder (Our most recent batch is Swad brand Resham Patti or Reshampatti from Patel Brothers Indian Grocery in Decatur, GA.  It makes all the difference in taste and is just wonderfully rich and tasty hot, currently 14oz for $2 at <http://www.patelbrothersusa.com>.)
• 1 Tbs ground cumin (Get fresh cumin seeds and grind fresh, makes a big difference in taste.)

Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to sweeten garlic and peppers and to roast seasonings, stir in:

• 1 28 oz. can tomatoes, coarsely chopped with their juice (I use the no-salt-added variety)
• 1 1/2 cup Puy aka French green lentils aka lentilles du Puy, dry (Got them in bulk at Your Dekalb Farmer's Market <www.dekalbfarmersmarket.com>)  These lentils hold together well over re-heatings and are damn good.  I've also used other dried lentils and/or canned and dried pinto, black, kidney, white, masoor, mung, urad, ... beans.
• However much water you think will be needed to be absorbed by the lentils and still retain the sauce level you like.
• Tomato paste in whatever amount you desire.  (I had 8 oz. around last time I made it and it worked fine.  Sometimes I don't add any.)
• Salt to taste (I don't add any salt :-)

Bring to a boil.  Reduce the ehat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally and adding more tomato juice or water as needed, until the lentils are done and the flavors are blended, at least 45 minutes.  Ladle into bowls and serve with any or all of:

• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• Sour cream
• Cheese
• Saltine Crackers

Peanut Butter Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Combine in a good pan over medium heat:

1 stick butter
2 cups sugar
3 Tbs cocoa
1/2 cup milk

Over low heat, melt and combine.
Over medium high heat and stirring constantly, bring to boil and boil for 2 1/2 minutes, adjusting heat to keep just at the boil.

Quickly mix in and combine until mixture begins to thicken and harden:
1/4 cup peanut butter
3 cups oats
1 tsp vanilla extract

Quickly spoon cookie-sized dobs onto wax paper or lightly greased cookie sheet.
Allow to cool and harden.
Eat.

The time at boil and then waiting for the hardening to begin before spooning are key to getting these to properly harden (not too much that they crumble, not too little so they are a gooey mess).