Oh my Dal-ing: My Best Dal

This takes about 45 minutes to prep and cook -- most of it is cook time. No need to soak the lentils. Great with Naan or basmati rice. This recipe makes 3 generous helpings with a small leftover bowl or 4 smaller helpings. I recommend doubling it for more than 3 people.

1 cup red lentils (do not substitute for green or brown lentils)

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, smaller dice

5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced or minced

2 inch knob of freshly grated ginger 

1/2 heaping tsp ground turmeric

1 heaping tsp ground coriander

2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 heaping tsp ground cayenne pepper

1-2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbsp tomato paste from a tube

15 oz can petite diced or crushed tomatoes (undrained)

13. 5 oz can coconut milk (can use reduced fat, but dal will not be as rich)

2 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)

1 Tsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice

Fresh, chopped cilantro leaves (for garnish)

1. Rinse lentils in a fine mesh strainer until water runs clear. Then set aside to drain.

2. Heat olive oil in a heavy pot with a lid. Add onions to hot oil and cook until they become tender. Add garlic and grated ginger and cook about 2-3 minutes until onion is very tender and slightly browned.

3. Stir in spices and toast until fragrant. Add tomato paste and mix together. Watch carefully so it doesn't burn.

4. Add tomatoes and allow to come to a boil. Cook a few minutes to reduce liquid. 

5. Add broth and coconut milk. Let it come to a boil and simmer for a short time.

6. Add lentils and still well. Let liquid come to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover the pot with a tight lid, stirring periodically to avoid having lentils stick to the bottom of the pot. Cook for about 20-30 minutes or until the lentils break apart and it becomes a creamy, thick mixture. You will need to stir often so feel free to take off the lid when it starts to thicken.

7. Add lemon juice and cook about 5-10 more minutes or until the dal thickens to desired consistency. I like a thicker dal, so it might take more time. Taste and adjust seasonings.

8. Serve with cilantro on top and a side of hot naan. I like to have a salad with this too.

This can be stored 4-5 days in the refrigerator and reheated in the microwave or stove. You can also freeze dal for about 2 months -- just thaw, heat and eat. 

Green Curry Coconut Shrimp and Noodles

12 oz. dry linguine pasta

2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 Tbsp oil

5 green onions, thinly sliced, separate white part from green part

1 chili pepper, minced (I used jalapeño)

1/2 sweet onion, sliced and chopped into 2 inch pieces

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced 

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 can unsweetened coconut milk (I used lite)

2-3 Tbsp green curry paste

1 1/2 Tbsp fish sauce

2 Tbsp lime juice

1 Tbsp light brown sugar

1-2tsp chili pepper flakes (optional)

1/2 cup chopped cilantro 

Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add whites only of green onion and chopped chili pepper. Brown until crispy. Remove onion and peppers but leave oil in the pan. Save the onion-pepper mixture for later.

Meanwhile boil water and cook  linguine to al dente stage. Keep 1 cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.

Add red pepper and sweet onion to pan and cook until tender crisp. Add garlic and stir 30 seconds until fragrant. Add green curry paste and stir into the veggies. Then add the coconut milk, fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar snd chili flakes. 

Bring mixture to a boil, then add hot, drained noodles. Cook snd stir until noodles are covered. Add pasta water (maybe 1/2 cup) if not enough liquid. At this point, turn heat to medium to make sure it’s hot. 

Add shrimp to pan and submerge into the noodles and liquid to cook. This should take about 3-4 minutes. Add the cilantro and mix. 

Sprinkle with onion- peppers you set aside and the green part of the green onion. 

Serve with your favorite side or none at all. Makes 4 hearty servings. 

Chicken Curry with Zucchini, Broccoli and Mango

 This recipe is so delicious. If you like it spicy, up the spice by adding cayenne pepper in addition to using hot curry powder. You can use chicken breast in this, but the thigh makes it tender and juicy.

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp Coconut Oil

1/2 onion, chopped finely

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thigh, cut into bite-sized pieces

1-2 Tbsp hot yellow Curry Powder (I used Pepper Palace brand)

1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional) - use sparingly or not at all if you don't like spicy

1 inch fresh ginger root, chopped finely

4 large garlic cloves, pressed or finely minced

Salt & Pepper

2 medium zucchini, sliced into half moons

2 cups broccoli, cut and separated into bite-sized pieces - use both stems and florets

1 red bell pepper, sliced

14 oz can coconut milk (not low-fat)

1/4 cup ground cashews (use a mortar and pestle)

1 heaping cup fresh or frozen mango, cut into small chunks

zest and juice of one lime

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

Cashews

 

Melt butter and oil in a large stock pot. Add onion and cook until very soft and browned. Add chicken and cook until pink disappears. Add garlic, ginger and spices. Salt and pepper as needed.

Add zucchini,broccoli, red pepper, and stir. Then add coconut milk. Cover for about 5-10 minutes to bring out liquid in veggies. Uncover to cook the rest of the way. Add ground cashews as a thickener. Cook for about 20 minutes, until veggies are tender and chicken is done. Add mango chunks (if frozen, stir and make sure it is thawed and warm), lime zest, and lime juice. Adjust seasonings.

Serve over cooked basmati rice and top with fresh cilantro and extra cashews. Delicious with naan to soak up the yummy juices.

This recipe serves 6 and makes delicious leftovers!

Masoor Dal (Curry Red Lentil Stew)

Very flavorful and spicy, I tried this for the first time with red lentils I found in the bulk department of the grocery store. Don't substitute other lentils for this as the red lentils cook up creamy and are much smaller in size than regular green or brown lentils. They also look amazing with the rich colors you get from making your own curry spice blend. The sweet potatoes add a touch of sweetness and nice rich orange/red color as well.

If you don't like spicy hot, cut back on the chili pepper by at least half if not more.This is a wonderful dish to make on a cold, rainy or snowy day. It only takes about 30 minutes to make and less than 5 minutes of prep time. As the onions and sweet potatoes are cooking, measure out the spices in a small dish so you can just add them all at once. Breathe in the aromas from cooking the spices. I'm convinced even that will make you feel healthy! :)

2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
3 cups (about 12-15 oz) small dice sweet potatoes, peeled (I used organic garnet)
1 Tbsp (heaping) minced fresh ginger
2 large cloves minced garlic
1 Thai red chili OR 1 1/2 tsp ground Thai Chili pepper or cayenne pepper
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp ground corriander
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground turmeric (can use fresh if you want, finely diced)
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp Penzey's Sweet Curry powder
1/2 tsp Penzey's Hot Curry powder
A pinch of both ground cloves and ground cinnamon
1 cup canned diced tomatoes or 2 plum tomatoes diced
1 1/2 cups red lentils, rinsed well
4 cups liquid (chicken, vegetable broth or water)
1 tsp salt
Lemon juice (about 2-3 tsp)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
shredded unsweetened coconut
Mango-ginger chutney

In a large pot, melt oil and saute' onion, sweet potato, ginger and garlic until onion is soft and a bit caramelized (about 5 minutes). Add the mustard and cumin seeds and saute' until fragrant and mustard seeds start to pop. Add the rest of the spices and saute and blend until a nice color appears and you can smell the deliciousness coming from the pan. Be sure not to burn spices, so stir frequently to coat the sweet potato and onions.

Add the tomatoes and scrap any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Then add the liquid and the lentils. Stir well and bring to a boil. Turn to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 20 minutes. You can also cover it, but lift cover several times to stir and to make sure the lentils don't stick to the bottom of the pan. Keep an eye on it, as it will thicken. Add salt to taste (I added about 1 tsp). Continue to cook until stew is thick and lentils are soft. It will take about 25-30 minutes total. Cover it and turn off heat once it is thick and lentils are soft to keep it warm. Mash up the potatoes and lentils a bit if they are a little chunky to make this more of an amalgamated dish.

Serve with a sprinkle of cilantro, coconut and a small spoonful of chutney on the side. You can eat this with warm naan, basmati rice or without any additional starch. It can be served as a main dish or as a side dish to any meat or fish you might want with it. Very flavorful and spicy. If you don't like spicy hot, cut back on the chili pepper by at least half if not more.

Makes 4 dinner sized servings. Each serving is about 480 calories. If you serve as a side dish, this will serve 8 at 240 calories.It is loaded with potassium, fiber, protein, vitamin A and iron. You can cut down on fat by using half the coconut oil and trimming 30 calories per serving.

Note: You can also stir in 1/2 cup of coconut milk at the end to make it more creamy. I didn't do this, but I might try it that way next time.

Green Curry Chicken with Zucchini and Red Peppers

Thai food is so delicious and healthy. This is a meal I love to make when we need a little bit of spice and coconut oil in our diets. You can use almost any vegetable in this recipe. I used zucchini because it reminds me a little bit of Thai eggplant, but if you have access to Thai eggplant, by all means, buy them and use them instead! You can use regular eggplant, broccoli, green beans or even cauliflower instead of the zucchini. You can also make it much spicier by adding more hot chili peppers. I just love Thai basil too, but if you can't find that, use fresh Italian basil as it gives it a delicious fresh flavor that only basil can impart. It's a very quick meal -- maybe takes a half hour at most to prepare. I hope you enjoy it!

2 Tbsp good coconut oil
1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, cut into 1/2 inch squares
1 jalapeno, diced
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
3 Tbsp green curry paste
1 can coconut cream
1 can light coconut milk (or you can use two can's coconut cream)
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
1/2 lime, juiced (about 1-2 Tbsp)
2 zucchini, cut in half and then sliced into 1/2 inch slices
1 pound chicken breast, cut into thin strips
20 large basil leaves (Italian) or about 1/4 cup Thai basil
Optional: 2-3 Thai chilies (for extra heat)

Heat oil in a large stock pot. Add onions, red pepper and jalapeno and saute until tender crisp. Add ginger and curry paste and stir until fragrant and well mixed. Add coconut cream and coconut milk and stir well. Bring to a boil, then stir in the remainder of ingredients. Simmer until zucchini is tender and chicken is cooked.

Serve over Jasmine rice.

Vegetarian Indian Curry Stew

One of our favorite meatless Monday meals.

2 rounded Tbsp. coconut oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 inch knob fresh ginger, finely chopped (about 2 Tbsp)
1 Tbsp. dried corriander
2 tsp. dried cumin
1 tsp. dried turmeric
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 cups homemade chicken broth (or vegetable broth to make this a true vegetarian meal)
14 oz can coconut cream (or can use light coconut milk)
1 1/2 - 2 cups chopped carrots (chop in 1/2 inch rounds)
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes, seeded and core removed
4 cups cauliflower, broken into 2 inch flowerettes
4 cups red garnet sweet potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
6 oz. bag of baby spinach, washed (preferably organic)
1 tsp. lime zest
2 tsp. juice of 1 lime
2-4 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro leaves

In a large Dutch oven, heat coconut oil. Add onion and cook on medium high heat until soft and begins to brown - this will take 10-15 minutes. Stir to keep onion from burning.

Add ginger and garlic and stir fry about 1 minute. Add spices and brown for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add tomato paste and stir to mix to keep from burning (turn heat to medium or medium low) for about 1 minute longer. Add cinnamon stick, salt and pepper, chicken or vegetarian broth and stir to scrape up any bits of brown on the bottom of the pan. Add coconut cream and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes or longer. If you simmer longer, cover Dutch oven with a lid and turn down to a slow simmer.

Add carrots, tomatoes, cauliflower and sweet potatoes and bring to a boil. Cover Dutch oven and reduce to a simmer. Simmer/steam vegetables until tender - about 20-25 minutes. Add spinach and chickpeas, stir until spinach wilts or place cover on top and allow to steam about 4-5 minutes. Give it a good stir to mix ingredients, being careful not to break apart the vegetables.

Just before serving, Add lime zest, lime juice and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve in bowls with brown rice or jasmine rice. Also can serve with warm naan bread instead of rice.

This is already a pretty spicy dish (if you don't like spicy food, only add a pinch of red pepper), but if you want more "heat" add more cayenne pepper or serve with Siracha. You can also sprinkle with chopped peanuts for an additional crunch.

Great for warming up on a cool or cold day. Makes great leftovers too! I've eaten the leftovers for breakfast! :)

Thai-inspired Shrimp and Rice Soup

This is easy and so tasty. If you can't find green curry paste, you can use red curry paste instead.

2 cups cooked Jasmine rice (1 cup uncooked)
3 Tbsp. butter, divided
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup sweet onion, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, sliced (include seeds and ribs for extra heat, otherwise, remove seeds and ribs and dice the pepper instead
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1-inch fresh ginger, minced
1 small stalk fresh lemongrass, grated (optional)
2-3 Tbsp. green curry paste
2 (12-oz) cans coconut cream milk, unsweetened
1 quart vegetable broth or stock
1/4 c. chopped Thai basil
1/4 c. chopped cilantro
1 medium lime, juiced

Cook rice and set aside if done before you need to add it. Meanwhile, melt 2 Tbsp butter in a large stockpot. Salt and pepper shrimp to taste and cook on medium-high heat until shrimp turns pink, about 2-3 minutes. Remove shrimp to a bowl.

Melt 1 Tbsp. butter to pan, add onion, red bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, and cook until the onion is translucent. Add ginger and garlic and lemongrass if using, and cook about a minute or until fragrant. Add green curry paste to the pan and incorporate it into the vegetables until well-mixed. Add vegetable broth and stir well. Then whisk in coconut cream milk, one can at a time until blended.

Bring to a boil and simmer about 5 minutes. Add cooked rice and shrimp and heat an additional 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro, basil and lime juice. Serve in large bowls for a meal, or smaller bowls to go with a salad or sandwich.

Makes 4 hearty servings or 6 side-dish servings.

**I'm going to try substituting rice noodles for the rice for a Thai noodle soup.

Cheesey Broccoli Soup

4 cups fresh broccoli crowns, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 c. minced white onion
1 large clove garlic, minced (optional)
4 Tbsp. butter
1-2 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste
7 Tbsp. flour
6 cups 2% milk (see variation below - I've started using whole milk and it works great)
1/2 tsp. sweet curry powder (see variation below), optional
3 cups shredded sharp or extra sharp cheddar cheese

Cook the broccoli in a large covered Dutch oven on the stove in a small amount of water until broccoli is tender, but not falling apart. Drain and remove from Dutch oven and set aside. Rinse out the Dutch oven and dry.

Melt the butter in the Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic and cook until tender. Add salt and pepper and stir. Slowly stir in the flour, incorporating it into the butter one tablespoon at a time. Once the flour is all added, it will be a thick paste.

Add two cups of the milk and whisk the butter-flour mixture until no lumps appear. Add the remainder of the milk and stir well. Continue stirring until milk-flour mixture comes to a boil, Do not boil. At this point, the mixture may be a thinner, but remove from heat. Add the curry powder if using and shredded cheese. Cheese should melt quickly. Stir until all melted. Return to the heat and turn burner to low or medium low. Add the cooked broccoli. If you like it chunky, do not chop the broccoli -- if you want smaller pieces, just chop the broccoli before adding to the cheese soup base.

Heat mixture, but do not boil. Always stir the soup so it doesn't scorch the pan. Adjust the seasoning and serve soup with a sprinkle of freshly grated cheddar cheese on top. This soup tastes great if made ahead and reheated. If you reheat the soup, remember to stir it constantly. It will be very thick when it is cold, but it will liquify once heated. Serves about 6-8 people if you only eat one bowl of soup!

Variations:
Replace 1 1/2 cups of milk with a 14.5 oz. can of low-sodium chicken broth. Use the chicken broth first and then add the milk. You can also replace the 2% milk with whole milk or half and half when you use the stock to make a richer, creamier texture.

Spice Variation: Replace the curry powder with nutmeg.

Note: you can also add cut up carrot with the broccoli (I used about 1/2 cup). This cheese soup base also works for any vegetable, including potatoes, mixed vegetables, cauliflower, etc.

Curry Chicken Salad

Use leftover roasted chicken to make a delicious lunch sandwich or a quick sandwich when you have little time to fix a full meal. There are many varieties so change things up and enjoy!

1/4 leftover roasted chicken (I used 1/4 breast and a leg and thigh), chopped in small pieces
1 1/2 stalks celery, chopped
2 green onions with tops, chopped
1 tsp (give or take) curry powder
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/4 c. or so Hellman's mayonnaise
1-3 tsp. sweet pickle juice

2-3 Tbsp. finely chopped sweet pickle (I used about 10 baby midgets)
1/4 c. toasted sliced almonds (I buy these alreadytoasted from Trader Joe's)

Chopped Lettuce
Whole Wheat Pita Bread

Combine the chicken, celery, onions, and spices in a medium bowl. Add mayonnaise so it sticks together, but not dry. Add pickle and juice to loosen it up a bit and add the sweet element to the chicken salad. Fold in the toasted almonds. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Serve in a half pita and top with lettuce. Makes about 3 half pita sandwiches which is enough to feed 3 people.

Variation: Use chopped sweet apple and/or golden raisins instead of sweet pickles.

Variation: Use toasted pecans or walnuts instead of almonds.

Variation: Substitute pineapple and its juice for the sweet pickle and pickle juice.

Red Curry Chicken with Coconut Milk

3 tablespoons butter
1 medium onions, chopped
1-inch piece Penzey's dried ginger, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
6 oz. can tomato paste
1 tablespoons curry powder
1 Tbsp. garam masala 
1/4- 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (15-ounce) cans unsweetened coconut milk (do not use reduced fat)
2 cups chicken stock
1 cinnamon stick 
1-2 roasted jalapeno peppers, with seeds
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 lbs chicken tenders
1/2 lemon, juiced

Heat butter in a large Dutch oven. Add the onions, ginger, and garlic and cook slowly until the onions are very soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste, curry powder, garam masala, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until a rusty brown color appears. At this point you should smell the rich scent of the curry mixtures.

Pour in the coconut milk, chicken stock and add the cinnamon stick and jalapeno peppers (taste to determine how many to add - this is a very spicy dish). Simmer for about 20 minutes. Add tomatoes and chicken and continue to simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. 

Add the lemon juice and simmer until it reaches the desired thickness. If too thin, combine 1 Tbsp. flour with cold water and add to curry to thicken. Taste and adjust the seasoning with lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Garnish with fresh, chopped cilantro if you have any. Serve with rice and/or naan bread.

Chicken Curry with Eggplant

3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 c. chopped sweet onion
3-4 cloves chopped garlic
1 small eggplant, chopped, salted and rinsed and drained
1/2 c. fresh mushrooms, sliced
3/4 pound chicken tenders, cut in smaller pieces (remove tendons)
3 Tbsp. curry powder (I used a combination, but I recommend Penzey's hot and sweet curry powder or if you can get it "Coco's curry" from Okinawa - use half this  and half sweet curry)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. garam masala
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. fresh ginger root, chopped finely or dried ginger root, crushed (can also buy this from Penzey's)
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. ketchup (or if you have it, tomato paste)
1 can light coconut milk (I used Trader Joe's)1 tsp. sugar (try brown sugar for variety)
1/2 c. golden raisins
1 6 or 8 oz. carton plain yogurt
Small handful of fresh basil, sliced thinly

Cooked Jasmine rice

Heat half the oil in a large skillet. Saute onion until lightly browned. Add mushrooms and garlic, browning, but being careful not to burn the garlic. Remove from pan and drain on paper toweling. Eggplant should be cut and salted to remove some of the bitter flavors if you have time. Be sure to wash off the salt and drain well before adding to the pan. Add more oil and the eggplant. Cook and stir until softened, but still firm. Remove from pan and drain on paper toweling. Add a small amount of olive oil and chicken tenders. Brown on all sides, but not cooked through. When browned sufficiently, add curry, cinnamon, garam masala, paprika, ginger root, bay leaf, salt and pepper to taste. Add more olive oil so spices don't burn. Stir until fragrant. Add ketchup and coconut milk, stirring to mix the spices. Add raisins and sugar. Bring to a slight boil and then turn down heat to low. Mix in plain yogurt until smooth. Add onion, garlic, mushrooms and eggplant back into the pan and mix until well stirred. Simmer for 15-25 minutes, making certain chicken is done and eggplant is soft. Add basil and simmer until basil is limp, but still green.

Adjust seasoning as desired. Be sure to start with less hot curry -- you can always add more heat by adding some cayenne pepper too. Serve over rice.

Moroccan Lentil Stew

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 diced onion
4 carrots, sliced
1 inch piece of ginger root, peeled and minced
1 1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8-1/2 tsp. hot curry (I used Coco's from Japan)
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed**
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed**
1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
15 oz. can diced tomatoes
3-4 c. chicken or vegetable broth
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat oil in Dutch oven. Add onion and cook just till translucent. Add spices and cook until fragrant and well mixed. Add tomatoes and cook a bit longer. Add remaining ingredients. Cook about 30-40 minutes or until lentils and carrots are tender. Can cook longer. If you don't like spicy, cut back on cayenne or eliminate altogether and don't add curry.

Serve over cooked rice.

**Note -- if using dried beans, soak 2/3 cup dried beans overnight and then cook stew until beans are tender. This will usually take at least 1-2 hours extra.

Thai Red Curry with Beef and Vegetables

This is Thai curry and the red curry sauce is homemade. I found my inspiration from another website, but did not care for the method of how they made the dish, so I made changes based on the original recipe. I think it will taste even better next time I make it!

Ingredients
2 Tbsp. oil, divided
1 1/2 pounds sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
1 medium zucchini, cut into logs (see photo)
Eggplant (same amount as zucchini), cut into logs
1 onion, cut into wedges
1 cinnamon stick
3 bay leaves or kaffir lime leaves, if available
2 cups fresh tomatoes, diced (divided)
1/4 c. cilantro, chopped










Red Curry Sauce
1/4 c. shallot, chopped
6 cloves garlic, sliced in half
3 Tbsp. lemongrass, finely chopped (use fresh over jarred, if possible)
3 Tbsp. fish sauce (can substitute soy sauce)
2 Tbsp. ketchup
1 Tbsp. ground coriander
1 Tbsp. cumin
2 tsp. cayenne pepper...or if available fresh cayenne chilies, minced
1 Tbsp. brown sugar (heaping)
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 cup (from a 15 oz can) coconut milk (NOT low-fat), save the rest for later
OPT: 2 Tbsp. chili powder (I would leave out as it doesn't add much and gives it a Mexican flavor which I did not like)

Combine all curry sauce ingredients  in a blender or food processor and blend until completely mixed and smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. It should be spicy, but not "burn your sox off" hot!

Heat half the oil in a large wok over medium high heat until sizzling. Add half the beef  and stir fry just until done. Remove from wok and add other half of oil and stir fry the remainder of the beef the same way. Remove from wok and set aside.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and stir fry eggplant for a few minutes, add zucchini and onion and continue to stir fry until veggies are tender-crisp. Add curry sauce, 1 cup fresh tomatoes, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves. If you don't have a cinnamon stick, add 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon. Heat to a gentle boil and then lower heat and simmer covered for about 7-8 minutes. If sauce is too thick, add 1-3 Tbsp. of water or broth.

Take off cover and check for tenderness of vegetables. If necessary, continue to cook veggies until fork tender. Add the other cup of tomatoes and the rest of the coconut milk (about 2/3 cup).

Taste the sauce. If not salty add more fish or soy sauce or salt. If not sweet enough, add more sugar and if you want it spicier, add more red pepper. If too spicy, add a little more coconut milk or plain yogurt.

When veggies are tender, add the beef and give it a good stir, making sure beef is not overcooked, but heated.

Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and serve over Jasmine rice.

Red curry sauce can be used with chicken, shrimp, or pork (or lamb if you like lamb, I don't).

Vegetable Indian Curry Stew

This dish may seem complex, but it is very easy to make and has complex flavors of Indian curry. Excellent for cooler weather and the best thing is that it is made in one pot, so clean up is easy. For meat-eaters, try it with chicken or seafood. It is one of those meals that will warm your soul!

3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
5 minced garlic cloves
1/2 Tbsp. finely minced ginger piece
1/2 Tbsp. ground coriander seeds
2 tsp. ground cumin
3/4 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2-1 tsp. cayenne pepper (use sparingly - start with a 1/2 tsp)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
14-1/2 oz can chicken (or vegetable) broth
13-2/3 oz. can coconut milk (for fewer calories use light)
1 cinnamon stick (about 2-3 inches)
4 cups cauliflower, separated into 1-2 inch florets
3 cups sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 cups tomatoes (if fresh, seed and coarsely chopped) - can use 14 1/2 oz diced, drained
1 1/2 c. carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch rounds
15-1/2 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
6 oz bag baby spinach (about 4 cups tightly packed)
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tsp. finely grated lime zest
2-3 Tbsp. fresh, chopped cilantro
1/4 Tbsp. chopped nuts (peanuts, cashews, almonds, etc.)

In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat until it ripples. Add onion and cook, stirring periodically, until brown. Reduce heat to medium low and continue to cook until onion is very brown, about 6-7 minutes longer. Add garlic, ginger, and stir to blend. Next add the spices (coriander, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne, salt and pepper. Toast for about a minute, until highly fragrant and then add tomato paste and stir until very well blended and spices fill your home with a lovely Indian-spice scent!

Add chicken broth slowly and blend the spice-tomato paste mixture until incorporated. Pour in coconut milk and add cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.

While simmering, cut up sweet potato so it doesn't turn brown-black. Cut up any other veggies and then add cauliflower, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and carrots to the pot. Heat to medium until it comes to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to simmer and cook until vegetables are tender. The veggies may not be completely covered with liquid, but don't worry, the water from the veggies and cooking will cover them. After 25 minutes, check to see if veggies are tender.

Once veggies are tender, add lime zest, lime juice, and chick peas and mix completely. Just before serving, add the baby spinach and cover to steam the spinach (about 3-4 minutes). Remove cover and garnish with cilantro and nuts.

Serve over Jasmine or basmati rice and naan, if desired. Makes enough for 6 generous servings.

For a more meaty dish -- try adding peeled and deveined shrimp or cooked chicken. My boys even mentioned adding bacon, but that just doesn't seem right! :)

ENJOY!

Creamy, Cheesey Eggs Over Toast

Creamed eggs taste great for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner! It is an easy, high-protein meal that is great for anyone looking for a budget meal. So many variations on this recipe are available, but today, I made this for breakfast and it was a hit!

4 Tbsp. butter
1/4 c. flour
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
4-6 pieces of bread, toasted (I use whole wheat)
Sweet Curry Powder or Sweet Paprika

In a heavy pan, melt butter, slowly sprinkle and stir in the flour until bubbly and slightly thick, add salt and stir. Slowly add the milk and stir completely (using a small wire whisk works great). On medium heat, heat milk mixture, stirring constantly (and I mean it -- don't walk away or you will scorch the bottom of the pan!). As it heat, the mixture will thicken and eventually start to boil. When it comes to a boil and is thick, turn off the burner and add the cheese and eggs. Add more cheese if you like it cheesier.

Put one piece of toast on your plate (can butter toast, but not necessary), spoon about 1/5 of the mixture on top, sprinkle with curry or paprika if desired.

Variation: crumble crispy bacon on top or you can put 3-4 stalks of cooked asparagus on top of the toast before putting the creamed eggs on top. You can also saute 1/4 cup of finely chopped sweet onion in the butter before adding the flour.

You can also serve this over biscuits or English muffins. Use your imagination!

Japanese Curry

This is a recipe from "Chef Dru" -- my sister and guest for today. The photo below has chicken, eggplant, onion and mushrooms. The curry level is hot, but not burning. It is a very tasty and fragrant dish. I would use a good Garam Masala spice.

Ingredients:
*Chicken and/or vegetables to serve number of people (Or whatever meat or vegetable you choose such as eggplant, mushrooms, spinach, hamburger, pork, beef, shrimp, crabcakes, fish, omelet) Cook as desired: shredded, fried, breaded - in Okinawa it is usually fried
*Cooked rice to serve # of people-1/2 to 1-cup of rice per serving
*1 medium onion thinly sliced caramelized in oil just prior to beginning the roux.
*Ingredients for Roux (see below)
*Shredded cheese, if desired.

To prepare recipe in Photo:
Begin by preparing the rice.
Chicken
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut 1.25 pounds of boneless-skinless chicken breast into 2” pieces and dip in 1/4 c. flour mixed with salt and pepper and cinnamon, then in 2 eggs (scrambled with a little water) and finally in 1 cup Panko bread crumbs. Fry in 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil until partially done turning just once until crispy (will not be cooked through. Transfer to an oven safe pan with cover or put foil over. Put in oven to finish cooking while you make the roux.

Vegetables
Eggplant - cut one small eggplant into large jullienne strips, dip in the flour and fry in olive oil until cooked, but still firm, place in oven proof pan and cover to keep warm.
Mushrooms - slice and fry 8 oz baby portebellas in olive oil until browned, place next to eggplant in the pan and keep warm.
Onion - thinly slice and fry in oil until translucent and just a touch of brown
Keep all vegetables in separate piles in a covered oven-proof pan and place in oven until ready to serve.

Roux
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 1/4 cup flour
* 3 tablespoons garam masala (or curry powder)
   Dru used 2 Tblsp garam masala +1 Tblsp of CoCo’s curry
* Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste
* 1 tablespoons ketchup (or tomato paste)
* 1 tablespoons tonkatsu sauce (or Worcestershire sauce)
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (add less if you want it mild or more if you want it spicy or eliminate it altogether if you are serving this to young children)

Melt the butter in same pan, when melted add the flour then spices stir in the ketchup and tonkatsu or Worcestershire sauce until aromatic. After the roux becomes a bit crumbly slowly add 3-4 cups of water and whisk to smooth. Cook until hot and a bit thickened. It will resemble a medium thick brown gravy.

To serve:

Put rice on half of the plate, line chicken and eggplant along the edge of rice, add mushrooms and onions on other half of plate then ladle roux gravy over the onions and mushrooms. As you eat, mix the rice and roux and dip the chicken into that lovely, fragrant gravy!

Enjoy!!


Easy Garam Masala
"This recipe produces a quick version of Garam Masala, the aromatic blend of spices often used in Indian cooking."
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 1/2 teaspoons ground pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Directions:
1. Mix cumin, coriander, cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a bowl. Place mix in an airtight container, and store in a cool, dry place.

Cheesey Vegetable Soup

My sister Dru gave me this recipe and I have tweaked it. Tonight I made it with cauliflower and broccoli and added a couple of shakes of hot curry powder to it. Oh my goodness...it is one of those soups you don't want to stop eating!

Ingredients
1/4 c. finely chopped onion (I recommend a food chopper)
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 1/2 cups whole milk (divided)
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2-3 cups cooked fresh veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, etc.)

Cook onion and garlic in butter until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper and blend. Slowly add TWO (2) cups of milk and stir until thick and bubbly. Turn heat to low and add cheese to melt. Warm up the remainder of the milk (1 1/2 cups) and add the two bouillon cubes to dissolve.

Add warm milk to the cheese soup and stir until blended. In the meantime, cook veggies in the microwave or on the stove, making sure the veggies are tender. Drain well. Add cooked veggies to the cheese base and stir. Make sure the chunks of veggies are not too large.

For a different flavor, add 2 shakes (about 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp. of  Hot Curry Powder).

Serve soup with additional shredded cheese on top or homemade croutons or chopped green onions for garnish.

Curry-Garbanzo Couscous

Served with Jamaican Jerked Pork Tenderloin & Oven-roasted garlic-broccoli

1 c. chicken broth

1/2 c. water

1 chicken bouillon cube

1 carrot, cut up in small pieces

15 oz. can garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained and rinsed

1 tsp. Hot Curry Powder

1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley

1 c. uncooked whole wheat (or regular) couscous

Cut up carrot and partially cook in water on the stove or microwave until tender crisp, drain. Combine all ingredients, except parsley and couscous in a pan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add couscous and cover. Let stand for 5 minutes or until liquid is completely absorbed. Stir in parsley. Serve with your favorite food.

Alternate spice: replace hot curry powder with cumin powder. Serve with middle eastern food!

Country Captain

Country Captain is a delicious curry dish that came to America via British captains who traveled to the port of Savannah, Georgia. Others say a Philadelphia chef first made it and it became a southern dish when he moved to South Carolina. Apparently served to FDR in the 1940's, the dish became a popular dish all over the USA at that time. As a "Northerner" I had never heard of this dish. I decided to try it when I purchased delicious curry powder from Penzey's Spices.

I adapted Emeril Lagasse's recipe to create a delicious meal in around 30 minutes. Using Penzey's curry powder is the secret. Don't use cheap curry powder! If you like it hot, use all hot curry. I made this with half hot and half sweet. Next time I will try 100% hot curry. I cannot believe how tasty this is! The family gave it a resounded thumbs up!

3/4 c. flour
3/4 Tbsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1.25 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter (divided)
1 c. onions, chopped
1/2 c. green bell pepper, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 c. celery, chopped (about one stalk)
1 large bay leaf or 2 small ones
1 Tbsp. HOT or SWEET Curry Powder (or half and half) (add more or less to taste)
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 Tbsp. crushed garlic cloves (about 3 large cloves)
28 oz. can petite diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 c. chicken broth (plus more to add during cooking)
1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar (not packed)
1/2 c. golden raisins
Toasted sliced almonds
Jasmine rice

Cut chicken into 1-2 inch chunks. Combine flour, paprika, salt and pepper in a dish. Dredge chicken thoroughly into the flour mixture. Heat olive oil and 1 Tbsp. butter in a large frying pan. Add chicken to hot oil and brown on all sides (about 5-7 minutes total). Remove from pan and place on a paper-towel lined plate to drain. Chicken will not be cooked completely at this point.

Add 1 Tbsp. of butter to the pan to melt. Add onions, pepper, celery, bay leaf, curry powder, thyme, and crushed red pepper. Cook until vegetables are tender. Add garlic and cook about 1 more minute until you smell the garlic. By now, you should smell the wonderful curry scent wafting through the house!

Add tomatoes with the juice, the chicken broth, and brown sugar. Bring to boil and taste to adjust salt and curry amounts. Then add the chicken. Turn to low and simmer for about 15 minutes. At this point start your rice. Chicken should be tender and completely cooked. Add more chicken broth if it gets too thick. Add raisins and cook another 10 minutes. Serve over Jasmine rice and sprinkle with sliced, toasted almonds. Can serve with naan bread for mopping up the juice!

To make Jasmine rice, be sure to rinse the rice 3 times before cooking. It will make the rice nice and fluffy!

Makes about 6 servings.