Desi Chickpea Recipes — with my comments and changes

 

Showmethecurry.com’s Kala Chana Curry
I just made this Kala Chana or Black Chick Pea Curry and loved it – but that was with some changes. So here’s how I changed their recipe to make the dish we loved:

• Instead of using a pressure cooker to cook the black (whole) desi chana, I used the crock pot method described on the Mendosa page (see yellow highlighted box, “Preparing and Seasoning Chana Dal” found at bottom of the webpage.) Note: Since in this Desi Chickpea recipe, we are cooking the whole bean, not the split bean (chana dal), I prefer to soak the desi chickpea overnight in cold water, drain the water, and then cook the soaked desi chickpea per the directions given for cooking in the slow cooker on the Mendosa website.
• I used twice as much: asafoetida, ginger, and garlic.
• I used 4 times as much turmeric (1 teaspoon instead of 1/4 teaspoon) and I added 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. (For why turmeric and black pepper should always be used together, see Monamifood: Why turmeric and black pepper .)
• I used 1/4 more garam masala (1 1/4 teaspoons instead of 1 teaspoon)
• I used half as much salt.
• I used canned organic diced tomatoes instead of pureed tomatoes, and when I added the tomatoes to the dish, I smashed the tomatoes with a potato masher. It worked fine.
• I did not cook the tomato mixture down “until the oil separates from the mixture,” because I thought I might burn the mixture and my pan, so I just cooked it down until there was very little liquid left.
• Note: The showmethecurry.com recipe calls for chili powder, but they must be referring to red chile powder (ground red chiles), not chili powder (a mixture of ground spices used to make American style chili).

At the table, we passed chopped fresh tomatoes, chopped fresh onions, and chopped fresh cilantro so everyone could mix these into their curry as they liked. This mixture of cooked and fresh ingredients made the dish superb.

• Note: Early in the harvest season, onions are relatively sweet and when they have been stored a long time, they become sharp. If you want to take the edge off of sharp onions, just soak the chopped onions in cold filtered water for 15 minutes and then drain well.

I like serving this desi chickpea curry with (or over) steamed kale and along with slices of baked sweet potatoes. If you want rice, then a little brown basmati rice would be my choice. I also like to serve this with Monamifood’s Cilantro Sauce (chutney).

Vegetable Platter Blog’s Chana Dal Tadka
This is a really delicious dish! I will definitely make it again!

I made this recipe with the following changes and specific ingredients:

• The green chiles I used were green finger hot chiles (a chile that’s common to Indian cooking).
• I used the seeds of 2 green cardamom pods (not the whole pods).
• The cinnamon stick I used was Ceylon cinnamon (which is soft and can be ground up as specified in the recipe).
• Instead of cashew nuts I used walnuts (because they are a good source of the pre-cursor to omega-3 fatty acids).
• Instead of ghee I used canola oil.
  I used less red chile powder (only 1/2 teaspoon) instead of 2 teaspoons red chilli powder (by which I think the recipe writer must have meant red chile powder).
• I added freshly ground black pepper because I always use it in combination with turmeric.
• I “ground” the mixture in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. And next time I make this recipe, I will be sure to process the mixture until the pieces of cinnamon have become tiny. (I left a few big pieces this time and just removed them before serving.)

Enjoy and be healthy!

~Leni

SPINACH AND ONION CRUSTLESS QUICHES

After creating the recipes for Egg White Puffs and for Carmelized Onions and Roasted Spinach, it suddenly dawned on me that I could combine the two recipes and make Spinach and Onion Egg Puffs – now fondly known as Spinach and Onion Crustless Quiches.  Wow! They turned out great and my family and I have been enjoying them for breakfast, lunch, light dinners, and snacks ever since!

SPINACH AND ONION CRUSTLESS QUICHES ( aka SPINACH AND ONION EGG PUFFS)

Makes 6 crustless quiches (each one the size of a muffin)

If you would like to see a video showing how this recipe is made, just click on this link for the YouTube video that I made with the help of my friend Ludo Van Vooren, who served as my director and film editor, and my husband, Charles Nazare, who cheered me on. Also a big thanks to my friends Shelley and Fred and cousin David who looked this video over and told me it was good enough to share. I had my doubts, but I’ve swallowed my pride and learned to live with the fact that I don’t look as young as I used to when I made my other videos…and I’m out of practice, besides. But making this video was fun, so I plan to do more of them for this blog in the future. I hope you enjoy viewing the video.

Ingredients

• Extra virgin olive oil (for greasing the inside of each muffin cup)
• 6 tablespoons caramelized onions, prepared according to the post, Monamifood Caramelized Onions & Roasted Spinach
• 6 tablespoons roasted spinach, prepared according to the post, Monamifood Caramelized Onions & Roasted Spinach
• About 1½ teaspoons ground turmeric
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  
• Aleppo pepper or any mild red pepper, such as paprika (not the hot variety). The purpose of the red pepper is to give the quiche a nice warm color.
• fresh thyme leaves (or dried thyme leaves or dried oregano – or a mixture of these), to taste
• 1, 16-ounce container of liquid egg whites
• 1 tablespoon shredded or grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Equipment Prep Step

• If you are going to cook these quiches in a microwave oven, you will need a 100% food-grade silicone muffin pan (for regular, not mini size muffins).
• Unfortunately, in a microwave oven, the food in a muffin pan does not cook evenly. (The food closer to the walls of the oven cooks faster than the food farther from the walls of the oven.)  So using a pair of kitchen shears, I cut my silicone muffin pan into 6 muffin cups as you see below. Now I can arrange the muffin cups in a circle for even cooking.
  

My silcone muffin pan after surgery to separate the muffin cups

Directions (Microwave cooking)

Note: Oven cooking directions are given below the microwave cooking directions.

• Using a pastry brush and olive oil, lightly grease the inside of each silicone muffin cup with olive. (You may not need to grease these muffin cups. If you find that your little quiches slide out of their cups without greasing the muffin cups, that’s great; just skip this step.)

• If you can, remove the glass “go round” inside your microwave oven and place it on your kitchen counter. (If you can’t remove the glass “go round” from your microwave, then just use a large round microwaveable platter.) Arrange the 6  individual greased silicone muffin cups in a circle on the glass “go round” or round platter. Try to make sure that each of the cups is about the same distance from the outer edge of the glass “go round” or platter.
• Put 1 tablespoon of caramelized red onions inside each of the muffin cups.
• Put 1 tablespoon of roasted spinach inside each of the muffin cups.
• Sprinkle a scant ¼ teaspoon of ground turmeric into each of the muffin cups.
• Sprinkle a little freshly ground black pepper into each of the muffin cups.
• Sprinkle a little Aleppo pepper into each of the muffin cups.
• Add as much fresh thyme as you like to each of the muffin cups
  
• Shake the container of egg whites (as it says on the carton). Pour the liquid egg whites into the partially filled muffin cups, filling each cup almost up to the top. You will use – or almost use – the entire container of egg whites.
• Using a small spoon, gently mix the contents of each muffin cup to distribute the veggies more evenly.
• Place the “go round” or platter with the filled muffin cups into the microwave oven.
  
• Cook on high for 3– 4 minutes or until outer half of each of the mini quiches is starting to look slightly cooked (not so runny).
  
• Carefully rotate the each muffin cup 180 degrees so that the inner edge becomes the outer edge.
• Cook on high for another 2-3 minutes or until there is no more liquid remaining on the top of each quiche. In the final minute or so as they cook, you see them puff up high above the top edges of the muffin cups and then drop back down when they’re done. It’s dramatic and fun to watch!
• If desired, top each little quiche with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese, and heat for another 10-15 seconds to melt the cheese.

• When the muffin cups are cool enough to handle comfortably, remove them from the oven.

One muffin cup with a Spinach and Onion Crustless Quiche inside

• Invert each muffin cup and the little quiche should slide right out. When you turn the quiches  right side up they look beautiful — and, I think you will agree, taste GREAT!

Directions (Oven cooking)

• To cook these mini quiches in a regular (not microwave) oven, follow the directions given above, but bake at 350 degree F — either in a silicone muffin pan or in regular metal muffin pan. I made three little quiches in my toaster oven (using cut-up silicone muffin cups) and they were ready after baking for about 20 minutes. It should take around that long to cook these in a metal muffin pan, too.
  

Notes

• After posting this recipe (and that was after making it at least 25 times), I discovered that adding fresh thyme made the little quiches even more delicious. And, since thyme is an anti-cancer food in its own right, (as explained in my earlier post, Roasted Grape Tomatoes and Thyme), go ahead and add plenty of thyme. Just buy (or grow) fresh thyme, wash it, dry it, and store it in your freezer. Storing in your freezer will make it easy to remove the leaves from the stems (as explained in the Roasted Grape Tomatoes post) and it will still taste fresh.
• If you are out of fresh thyme, no problem. Use dried thyme or dried oregano leaves. Oregano and thyme (as well as rosemary, basil, and mint) are members of the terpene family and have anti-cancer properties.
• These Crustless Quiches do not freeze well. But you can store them in your refrigerator for a few days.
• By using a silicone mini muffin pan (cut up into individual cups), you can make mini quiches. (And, if you don’t want to cut up all your silicone bakeware, use the pan as is and take out the cooked mini quiches and return the pan to the microwave to cook the rest.) I served these mini quiches at a party not long ago and they disappeared!
• I learned the hard way that if I follow the manufacturer’s direction that came with my silicone muffin pan: “do not place in the dishwasher,” then the muffin cups remain non-stick and I do not need to to grease the muffin cups.
  +++++++++++++++++++++++

And here’s another Crustless Mini Quiche recipe from Monamifood: Updated Crustless Mini Quiches. The newer version does not require silicone muffin pans. And it is easier to make. However, it does not include turmeric. I now use turmeric (including fresh turmeric) in a lot of other foods I cook, so I don’t mind not having some for breakfast.

Enjoy and be healthy,

~Leni

ONIONS & SPINACH: Caramelized Onions and Roasted Spinach

Why onions?

Onions are a member of the alliaceous family (along with garlic, leeks, shallots and chives).  “The sulfur compounds of this family…reduce the carcinogenic effects of nitrosamines and N-nitroso compounds, which are created in overgrilled meat and during tobacco combustion. They promote apoptosis (cell death) in colon, breast, lung, and prostate cancer, as well as in leukemia.” (David Servan-Schreiber, Anti-Cancer, page 123).

Why spinach?

“…all the bright-colored fruits and vegetables (orange, red, yellow, green) contain vitamin A and lycopene, which have the proven capacity to inhibit growth of cells of several cancer lines, including brain gliomas.” (David Servan-Schreiber, Anti-Cancer, page 122).

CARAMELIZED ONIONS & ROASTED SPINACH

The process of slow roasting the onions and spinach cooks down the veggies so that each spoonful of cooked veggies is equal to about THREE spoonfuls of raw veggies! This means that you can sneak a lot of veggies into your meals by adding just a few tablespoons of these great roasted veggies!

Here are a few of the foods to which I often add caramelized onions or roasted spinach – or both:

• Hummus
• Rice
• Beans
• Quinoa
• Cottage cheese
• Egg whites (Just add this mixture to the recipe for Egg White Puffs)
• Soups (Just mix into almost any soup!)
• Pasta sauce

Also, the mixture of caramelized onions and roasted spinach makes a great side dish for chicken, fish, or grass-fed lean beef. For more flavor, just add any herb and spice combination that you like – even just a dusting of freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of salt!

Ingredients

• 2 pounds red (or yellow) onions, chopped
  • After posting this recipe calling for yellow onions, I tried it with red onions, and found that it was even better with red onions.
  • I didn’t specify organic onions. That’s because, of all vegetables and fruits, regular (non-organic) onions have the least pesticide residue, according to the Environmental Working Group.

• 2 pounds frozen chopped organic spinach
  • I specified organic spinach. That’s because regular (non-organic) spinach comes with a fair load of pesticides, according to the Environmental Working Group.
  • Whole Food’s 365-Brand frozen Organic Chopped Spinach is the frozen organic spinach that I use most often.
  • I don’t bother with fresh organic spinach for this recipe because the frozen version saves so much time.

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions (Note: Total baking time is 1 hour and 15 minutes.)

• Cut the onions into chunks. For example, if you have medium-size onions, cut them into quarters and then again in half, so that you have eight chunks.

• Place about 2 cups of the onion chunks into the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Using the pulse function, pulse for 4-6 times, or until you have small, but not tiny pieces of onion, as you can see here:

just some of the chopped onions

• Empty the food processor and process the next two cups in the same manner; then repeat until all the onions have been chopped.

• Take a rimmed baking sheet and line it with aluminum foil, parchment paper, or a silicone baking mat (for example, a Silpat mat that covers the entire pan, size 11 5/8 X16 ½-inch mat made for 13 X 18-inch sheet pan; US half size.) Place the lined baking sheet inside another rimmed baking sheet. (This creates an air pocket and keeps the onions from burning.)

• Place the chopped onions on the lined baking sheet and drizzle half of the olive oil (¼ cup) over the onions. Mix the onions and olive oil to distribute the olive oil.

• Using your hands (if you don’t mind them smelling like onions) or a non-metal spatula, spread the onions out evenly over the entire pan; set aside.

• Take a third rimmed baking sheet and line it with aluminum foil or a silicone baking mat.

• Pour 2 pounds (2, 1-pound bags) of frozen chopped spinach onto the lined baking pan.  Drizzle the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil over the spinach and mix the spinach around to distribute the olive oil.

• Place the pan of spinach on the middle rung of the oven and the pan of onions on the lower rung of the oven.

onions and spinach going into the oven

• Turn on the oven and set the temperature for 400 degrees F.  Note: In this case, I don’t preheat the oven, because it would just waste energy.

• After 45 minutes, open the oven door –  WHILE TURNING YOUR FACE AWAY — so that you don’t get a blast of hot steam in your face. Take one pan out of the oven.

• Use two spatulas and mix the more cooked veggies (those on the sides of the pan) with the less cooked veggies (those in the center of the pan). Then pat the veggies down so that they evenly cover the entire pan. Put the pan back into the oven on the rack it came from.

• Remove the second pan of veggies from the oven. Use two spatulas and mix the more cooked veggies (those on the sides of the pan) with the less cooked veggies (those in the center of the pan). Then pat the veggies down so that they evenly cover the entire pan. Put the pan back into the oven on the rack it came from.

• Let the pans of veggies bake for an additional 30 minutes.

• Turn off the oven and remove both pans from the oven. Use the non-metal spatulas to mix the veggies in each pan around and then spread them out so that they can cool.

• When cool, place the caramelized onions and roasted spinach in glass containers; refrigerate.

• Of course, if you like, you can also freeze both the caramelized onions and the roasted spinach in – you guessed it – silicone mini muffin pans to make “flavor cubes” for use later. . (For more on the technique of freezing in silicone mini muffin pans, see Monamifood Basil Pesto Flavor Cubes.)

Enjoy and be healthy!

~Leni