Category Archives: Recipes

Curried Pumpkin Soup

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  • 1 large onion, diced
  • ¼ c. butter
  • 1 tsp. curry powder
  • 2 ½ c. chicken broth
  • 3 c. pumpkin puree
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 2 c. half and half
  • sour cream (optional)
  • fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

In a large saucepan over medium heat, saute diced onions in butter until softened.  Sprinkle in curry powder.  Pour mixture into blender or food processor and puree until smooth.  Return to saucepan and add chicken broth, pumpkin, salt and half and half.  Heat through over medium heat.  Do not bring to a boil or soup will curdle.  Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and chopped parsley, if desired.

Serves 4-6.

From Portland’s Palate.

Curried Cauliflower and Potatoes

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  • 2 green chiles, seeded and cut into long slivers
  • ½ inch piece of ginger, julienned
  • 1 tsp. cumin seeds
  • ½ tsp. black mustard seed
  • 4 Tbsp. ghee or a mixture of vegetable oil and butter
  • 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into spears
  • 1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 2 medium red or green tomatoes, quartered
  • ½ tsp. turmeric
  • 2 tsp. ground coriander
  • ½ tsp. garam masala
  • 1 tsp.; brown sugar
  • 1 ¼ tsp. salt
  • 3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro or parsley
  • Lime or lemon wedges

Combine chiles, ginger, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds in a small bowl.  Heat the ghee or oil-butter mixture in a large nonstick saucepan over moderate heat.  When it is hot, but not smoking, pour in combined seasonings and fry until mustard seeds begin to pop.  Drop in potatoes and cauliflower and stirfry for 4-5 minutes or until vegetables pick up a few brown spots.  Add the tomatoes, turmeric, coriander, garam masala, brown sugar, salt and half of the fresh herb.  Stir well, cover and gently cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. You may want to sprinkle a few tablespoons of water over the vegetables if they begin to stick.  Stir gently to avoid mashing or breaking them.  Serve garnished with remaining fresh herb and lime or lemon.

Serves 5 or 6.

From The Best of Lord Krishna’s Cuisine by Yamuna Devi.

Curried Carrots and Lentils

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  • 1/2 c. dried lentils (red or brown)
  • 1 1/2 c. water
  • 3 carrots, cut into pieces
  • 1/2 c. chopped onion
  • 1/4 c. raisins
  • 2 T butter
  • 1 t salt
  • 3/4 t. curry powder

Combine the lentils and about 1 c of the water in a saucepan, cover and simmer, until the lentils are just cooked. Add the carrots, the rest of the water and all of the other ingredients. Cook until done. Might need to add a bit more water. (The directions for this are actually for a microwave, so I do it on the stove and if the truth be known, I’m not  very good about measuring carefully.)

Adapted from The New Basics Cookbook .

Curried Cabbage

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  • 1 Tbsp. canola oil
  • 1 ½ tsp. curry powder
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 4 cups shredded cabbage
  • 1 ½ tsp. lemon juice or 1 Tbsp. lime juice
  • 2 Tbsp. plain yogurt
  • Salt to taste

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add curry powder and cook just until fragrant, 30 seconds.  Stir in onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until just wilted and soft to the bite, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in lemon or lime juice and yogurt.  Season with salt.

Makes 4 servings.

From Eating Well Feb./Mar. 2006.

Cucumber and Fennel with Orange-Mint Dressing

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  • 1 cucumber, peeled and diced
  • 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and finely slivered
  • 1 Granny Smith apple, sliced
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp. toasted walnuts, chopped

For the vinaigrette:

  • 2 Tbsp. orange juice
  • 2 Tbsp. walnut oil
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh mint
  • 1 Tbsp. cilantro
  • 1/8 tsp. paprika
  • salt and pepper to taste

Combine salad ingredients except walnuts in a salad bowl and gently mix. In a small bowl, whisk all vinaigrette ingredients until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper and pour over salad. Serve immediately or marinate, covered in fridge, for 1-2 hours. Before serving, toss and garnish with toasted nuts. From Yamuna’s Table by Yamuna Devi.

Cubed Potatoes with Fresh Fenugreek

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  • 1 1/2 lbs. new potatoes
  • 5 Tbsp. oil or ghee
  • 1 tsp. cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp. black mustard seeds
  • 1 1/2 c. fenugreek greens
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne
  • 1/2 tsp. turmeric
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. garam masala
  • 2 tsp. lemon or lime juice

Wash potatoes and boil them in their skins until just fork tender.  Do not over cook.  Run under cold water and peel.  Cut into 3/4 inch cubes.  Heat the oil or ghee in a heavy frying pan.  Saute the potatoes quickly until they begin to brown, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Add the cumin and mustard seed to the hot oil and fry until the mustard seeds turn grey and sputter.  Stir in the fenugreek greens, cayenne (substitute paprika if you wish a mild dish), turmeric and a sprinkle of water, cover and reduce heat to moderately low. Cook for 8-10 minutes, then add the potatoes, salt and garam masala.  Shake the pan or gently toss to mix, cover and cook until the potatoes are heated through.  Sprinkle with lime or lemon juice before serving.

From The Best of Lord Krishna’s Cuisine by Yamuna Devi

Crisp-Baked Acorn Squash Rings

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  • 2 eggs, beaten lightly
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1 1/2 cups fine fresh bread crumbs
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 small acorn squash, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds and seeded
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a shallow dish, whisk together the eggs, milk and honey. In another shallow dish, stir together the cornmeal, bread crumbs, and salt and pepper to taste.  Dip the squash rings into the egg mixture and then into the crumb mixture, coating them well and patting the crumbs on well. Generously butter 2 rimmed baking sheets. Arrange the squash rings in one layer on the sheets and drizzle with the melted butter. Bake for 30 minutes, turning once halfway through, or until they are tender. Sprinkle the squash with salt to taste and arrange on a heated platter. Makes 6 servings.

From Gourmet magazine, November 1985.

Creamy Celery Root and Barley Soup

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  • 1/4 cup pearl Barley
  • 1 large celeriac
  • 4 cups water
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup half-and-half
  • 2 Tbs butter
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 leek or onion

Cook barley with 3 cups of water and salt until tender.  Drain and set aside.  Peel celeriac and dice into 1-inch cubes.  Mince leek including tender portion of greens.  Melt butter in heavy saucepan, add leek and celeriac.  Sauté until color changes slightly (3-4 min.).  Add broth and remaining cup of water, bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered until celeriac is tender (15-20 min.).  Remove from heat.   Roughly puree half of the celeriac/leek mixture, return it to the pot.  Add the barley, milk and half-and-half, stir well and heat to serving temperature. Do not allow the soup to boil.

Cream of Green Tomato Soup

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Base:

  • 3 onions
  • 10 green tomatoes
  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
  • 4 Tbs butter

For each 2 cups of base, add:

  • 1 ½ cups half-and-half
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt

Cut onions and cook slowly in butter in a large heavy pot.  When they are soft, add cut, cored but not peeled tomatoes.  Cook slowly for 30 minutes, cover pot and cook an additional 30 minutes.  Add broth and pass the soup through a strainer or food mill to remove the seeds and skin.  This is the base of the soup, which can be frozen for later use.

When ready to use, stir in half-and-half, sugar and salt.  Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.  Serve hot or chilled topped with a Tbs of sour cream.

From Classic American Food Without Fuss by McCullough and Witt.

Cream of Cucumber Soup

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  • 2 lbs. Cucumbers
  • 2 Tbsp. butter
  • 1/3 c. chopped onions or shallots
  • 5 c. chicken broth
  • 1 Tbsp. wine vinegar
  • ½ c. chopped dill
  • ¼ c. farina or ½ lb. Cubed potatoes
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 c. sour cream

Peel and roughly chop cucumbers, reserving ½ a cucumber to slice into paper-thin slices.  Melt butter, cook onions or shallots until wilted.  Add chopped cucumbers, broth, vinegar and 1/3 c. of the dill.  Bring broth to a boil, whisk in farina or add potatoes.  Cook until soft.  Puree.  Before serving, reheat and thin if necessary with water.  Whisk in half of the sour cream, garnish with cucumber slices and a sprinkling of dill.  If you wish, this can be served cold, chilling instead if reheating.  Serve remaining sour cream at table as a garnish.

From The Victory Garden Cookbook by Marian Morash.