All posts by Sam

Classic Umami Gravy

November 29, 2020 Sam

This gravy works really well and can even tolerate some improvisation. The key components are here though, so don’t alter it too much. You really do need the fennel and celery seed to give it a nice sausage-like flavor, and the miso helps add important umami.

Print Recipe

Classic Umami Gravy

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Ingredient, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Southern

Keyword: Sauces

Servings: servings

Calories: 56kcal

Ingredients

1 small yellow onion minced
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tsp fennel seeds crushed
1 tsp celery seeds crushed
1 pinch cayenne pepper
2 tbsp flour
¾ cup vegetable broth
¾ cup milk
1 tbsp miso
1 tsp good-quality soy sauce or tamari

Instructions

Melt the 3 tbsp butter in a saucepan. Sauté the onion until it softens, about 3-5 minutes. Add the spices (fennel, celery seed, thyme and cayenne) and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
1 small yellow onion, 3 tbsp unsalted butter, 2 tsp fennel seeds, 1 tsp celery seeds, 1 pinch cayenne pepper
Add the 2 tbsp flour and mix constantly for 4-7 minutes until the color turns medium brown.
2 tbsp flour
Reduce the heat to medium low. Add the vegetable broth, miso and soy sauce and stir until smooth and thickened, a few minutes.
¾ cup vegetable broth, 1 tbsp miso, 1 tsp good-quality soy sauce or tamari
Drizzle in the milk slowly and mix well to ensure it all incorporates well. Stir until somewhat thickened, about 5-7 minutes. It will thicken more as it cools.
¾ cup milk
Remove from the heat. Taste and add salt, pepper and other seasonings as needed.

Notes

Makes 10 servings

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Classic Umami Gravy

Amount Per Serving

Calories 56 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 11mg4%

Sodium 177mg8%

Potassium 52mg1%

Carbohydrates 4g1%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 179IU4%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 33mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Pressure Cooker, Projects

Bean Sausages

November 24, 2020 Sam

Jump to Recipe

I’ve made this several times, including just recently for the first time in a while. The recipes takes quite a long time, but it’s not very difficult and some of the time is inactive, so you can prep other side dishes or do the dishes along the way. Given the cooling time to really make this great, it is probably best made in the morning for an evening dinner, or even the day before.

This makes 6 sausages, and the serving size is probably 2 per person, if you also serve it with sides and bread, for example. You may want to double the recipe, like I usually do, to really get the most out of the time spent on it. You can’t really more than double it and still have it fit into the pressure cooker for the final step.

If you forget to soak the beans, you can quickly soak them as you prep the other ingredients for the first cooking and turn the cooking time to about 12 minutes (for black-eyed peas) and add a total of 1 cup water or vegetable stock (instead of 1/2 cup) and it will work great. Just be sure to drain off extra liquid before mashing the beans.

I have switched up the spices a few times and it has worked great. Don’t go overboard with spices – never more than about 1 tsp of anything aromatic and less than ½ tsp of hot spices (i.e. chipotle). You don’t want to overwhelm the other flavors. The crushed fennel seeds are pretty much mandatory – it gives it a recognizable sausage flavor that’s really delicious.

Print Recipe

Bean Sausages

Delicious, healthy homemade bean sausages.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 30

Total Time1 45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Vegetarian

Keyword: Dry Beans, Substitutes

Servings: sausages

Calories: 151kcal

Equipment

Pressure cooker
Steamer basket (for pressure cooker)

Ingredients

First Step

¾ cup black-eyed peas or other mashable bean, like black or garbanzo, soaked and drained
1 cup shiitake mushrooms diced
1 red onion small, diced
½ cup vegetable stock or water or 1 cup, if beans are unsoaked

Second Step

⅓ cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp wheat gluten or 2 tbsp ground chia or flax seeds
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar or tamari
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce vegan – this can be replaced with 1 tbsp miso, or maybe 1-2 tsp amino acids, or another 1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp Italian seasoning or up to 1 tbsp of some or all of the following spices: basil, oregano, marjoram, parsley, thyme, summer savory, rosemary, garlic, onion
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp fennel seeds ground or crushed (for less than 1 tsp total once crushed)

Optional

1 tbsp miso paste add a touch more flour if you add this
½ tsp chipotle powder
1 tsp cumin

Instructions

First Step

If you have soaked the beans already for a few hours, then you can skip right to the next step. If you have not, I would recommend rinsing the beans and adding to about 3 cups water along with an optional 1 tsp salt. Set aside until the rest is prepped.
While the beans soak, clean and mince the mushrooms and small red onion. Also crush or mince the garlic. Heat a stovetop pressure cooker on the stove to medium heat or turn your electric pressure cooker to sauté on medium. Add the mushrooms and onion and dry sauté for 2 minutes, stirring fairly frequently. If it gets stuck to the bottom, that’s ok, but try to scrape some off before it burns. You want some of the browned/burned bits, for their umami power, but you don’t want anything fully burned.
Add the garlic and stir. Then add the drained beans and ½ cup water or vegetable stock (if beans soaked for hours already) or 1 cup water or vegetable stock (if the beans only briefly soaked).
Lock on the lid and bring to high pressure for 6 minutes (if beans were pre-soaked for hours) and up to 12 minutes (if beans were not pre-soaked for long). Allow pressure to release naturally. Test a few beans to make sure they are fully cooked. If not, re-pressurize for 2-3 minutes and allow pressure to release naturally. [While the beans cook, you can measure out and prepare all of the ingredients listed in the second step. Dry ingredients can be combined in one cup, and wet ingredients can be pre-combined in another cup. Set aside for later.]
Once beans are fully cooked, drain any remaining liquid and transfer to a medium bowl to cool. While the beans cool, clean out the pressure cooker pot and at least rinse the cooker top and silicon ring. (You will be reusing this to cook the sausages under pressure.)
Once beans are cooled (5-15 minutes), mash the beans with a fork, a potato masher or your hands. It shouldn’t be like smooth, but you also want very few or no whole beans left.

Second Step

Add in the “second step” and “optional” ingredients, mixing frequently with a spatula or fork as you add them, to ensure you get a well-mixed paste. Let this sit for at least 5 minutes, for the flour to absorb the liquid. It will be a fairly sticky and rough paste and it should be able to form shapes well by the time you’re done. For example, you should be able to make a rough ball with it and it shouldn’t fully deflate into a flat oval, even if it flattens just a bit. If it seems too wet, add just a bit more flour to make it a drier, more formed consistency. The next step will firm it up further, so you shouldn't expect it to be quite as dry or cohesive as, let's say, a black bean burger patty or falafal.
While that sits, prepare your aluminum foil (and optional parchment paper) by cutting into squares that are about 5”x7” – but that’s a rough estimate. I’d say at least 3” by 6” is the minimum size, but you may want a larger square to make it manageable. I have used parchment before as an “inner” liner and I find it doesn’t make much difference for the final result, so I skip that now. (I know some people dislike their food touching aluminum – I respect everyone has their own preference there. The science I’ve read says it doesn’t matter, but who knows.)
Divide the mixture into 6 portions on top of the aluminum foil or parchment paper. Shape into rough sausage shapes and roll the wrapper around it, folding or twisting the ends to contain and hold the the sausage shape. The aluminum foil will help hold the shape in the pressure cooker, so use it as the outer wrapper if you used parchment paper as the inner liner. I don’t have an exact strategy for the ends – twist or fold – but I think folding carefully probably provides the best shape.
Once you have them all shaped, add 1 cup water to the bottom of the pressure cooker and place the steamer basket or rack in the pressure cooker. Carefully place the wrapped “sausages” in the cooker, layering them on top of each other. I can usually place 3-4 on each layer, and then I switch the orientation for the next layer so they’re alternating. I’ve never tried it another way, but this works for me.
Lock the lid on the pressure cooker and bring to pressure for 10 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally. Remove the lid (carefully, as always) and let cool for a few seconds.
Carefully remove the sausages from the pressure cooker and unwrap gently. You may want to let them cool for another few minutes, so it’s easier to unwrap them.
For the firmest sausages, refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. I have refrigerated in the wrappers and out of the wrappers. Both methods work fine for me.
To heat and crisp the sausages, add them to a pan with a few tbsp of a neutral oil (less oil if you use a nonstick pan) and pan fry them over medium or medium-high for about 8-10 minutes total, with 2-3 minutes per side. Mine usually brown up quite a bit and develop a nice outer layer.

Serving

Serve with a great mustard, maybe over a nice slide of bread. Other suggestions for serving include sliced in a soup, or with baked beans, or in a hotdog bun or naan with traditional sausage fixings, like caramelized onions and relish.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Bean Sausages

Amount Per Serving

Calories 151 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 268mg12%

Potassium 523mg15%

Carbohydrates 27g9%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 10g20%

Vitamin A 328IU7%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 55mg6%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Fall, Favorites, Rotation, Spring, Summer, Weekend Dinner, Weeknight Dinner, Winter

Tofu, Broccoli and Rice (Hainanese-Inspired)

November 9, 2020 Sam

This requires some work the day before or in the morning, to create a good ginger scallion sauce and also to marinate the tofu.

Print Recipe

Tofu, Broccoli and Rice (Hainanese-Inspired)

Like "Rooster & Rice" – a simple delight

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Marinating Time1

Total Time1 1

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: Rice, Tofu

Servings: servings

Calories: 1017kcal

Ingredients

Ginger scallion sauce

3 tbsp light oil canola, grapeseed
2 tbsp scallions minced
1 inch fresh ginger 1 tbsp minced or 2 tbsp grated
1 tbsp soy sauce

Tofu

1 tbsp sesame oil
4 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin rice wine
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
20 oz firm tofu 2 Hodo Soy packages

Rice

2 cloves garlic minced
1 inch fresh ginger 1 tbsp minced or 2 tbsp grated
1 cup long-grain rice basmati
1½ cup vegetable or no-chicken stock

Broccoli

1.5 lb broccoli
Water or vegetable stock

Serving

1 tbsp Sambal oelek or sriracha

Instructions

Ginger scallion sauce

Mince the green onion. Mince or grate the fresh ginger. Add to a storage container (like a Mason jar) along with the 3 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp soy sauce. Allow to marinate for at least one hour and up to one week.

Tofu

Marinate the tofu in advance by mixing all of the liquid and ginger ingredients together in a sealable container. Slice the tofu into bite-size cubes and pat dry. Add to the marinade and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for up to a full day.
When ready, heat 2 tbsp of a high-heat oil over medium-high heat in a large straight-sided pan or Dutch oven. Once the oil is hot, add the tofu in one layer. Cook for a few minutes on each side without disturbing before flipping, aiming for a light-brown, crisp exterior on each side.

Rice

In a large soup pot that fits a strainer attachment (you’ll see why later) over medium heat, add a few tsp oil and the 2 cloves minced garlic and minced or grated ginger. Fry a bit. Rinse the 1 cup rice thoroughly, then add the drained rice to the pot and stir well for 1-2 minutes.
Move the ginger, garlic and rice mix to a rice cooker and add 1½ cup vegetable stock. Cook until done. (Do not clean the large pot.)

Broccoli

To steam the broccoli, add 1” water or stock to the pot where the rice was briefly fried. Bring to a boil.
As it comes to a boil, chop the broccoli so you have large bite-size pieces. Once the water/stock is boiling, add the broccoli to a steamer basket and place on/in the pan.
Cover and steam for 5-6 minutes. Try to time this so it’s the final step as the rice and tofu are finishing, or even after they finish so the broccoli is very freshly steamed.

Assemble & Serve

Once the tofu, rice and broccoli are done, assemble in a bowl (recommended) by placing the rice on the bottom, with fried tofu on one side and broccoli on the other. Top with drizzles of the ginger scallion sauce and the sambal oelek, as desired.

Notes

Makes 2 very large servings, or 3-4 smaller servings

Nutrition

Dairy-Free, Favorites, Great Leftovers, Side

Best Potato Salad Ever

October 31, 2020 Sam

This is from an excellent book. You can add in chopped boiled eggs if you want to make it non-vegan and add a bit of protein. But really it works excellent on its own.

Print Recipe

Best Potato Salad Ever

Prep Time30

Cook Time15

Total Time45

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Picnic, Potatoes

Servings: servings

Calories: 292kcal

Ingredients

2 lbs red potatoes
4 large shallots thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic minced
2 tbsp Dijon mustard or horseradish
½ tsp salt
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
½ cup olive oil
2 cups baby arugula

Instructions

Start boiling a large pot of salted water. Wash the potatoes and cut into bit-size chunks (½” pieces). Cook potato for 6 to 8 minutes, until cooked (not al dente).
2 lbs red potatoes
Whisk the sliced shallots, minced garlic, mustard, salt and several grinds of fresh pepper together with the vinegar in a large bowl. Whisk in the olive oil.
4 large shallots, 4 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp Dijon mustard, ½ tsp salt, 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar, ½ cup olive oil
Drain the potatoes. Toss with the vinaigrette. Marinate for 20 to 30 minutes.
Rinse and dry the arugula. Fold the arugula into the potatoes. Adjust salt, pepper and vinegar to taste.
2 cups baby arugula

Notes

Serves 6 as a side dish

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Best Potato Salad Ever

Amount Per Serving

Calories 292 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Fat 18g28%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Sodium 284mg12%

Potassium 792mg23%

Carbohydrates 29g10%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 173IU3%

Vitamin C 16mg19%

Calcium 41mg4%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Bread and Pasta, Indian

Best. Naan. Ever.

October 4, 2020 Sam

There are a lot of great ways to make naan. This is the best I’ve discovered so far. It’s relatively quick and you get 12 delicious pieces of yeasted, mildly sour bread.

Print Recipe

Best Naan Ever

This excellent naan has more complicated ingredients, but remains relatively quick to make.

Prep Time30

Cook Time15

Rise Time2

Total Time2 45

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: Bread

Servings: servings

Calories: 195kcal

Ingredients

250 g all-purpose flour
250 g bread flour
2 tbsp canola oil
7 grams active dried yeast
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
4 tbsp whole-milk yogurt
1 cup whole milk warmed
1 tsp canola oil

Instructions

Measure the 250 g all-purpose flour and 250 g bread flour into the stand mixer bowl. Add the paddle attachment. Mix in the 2 tbsp canola oil, 7 grams active dried yeast, 2 tsp sugar, 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp baking powder. Then add the 4 tbsp whole-milk yogurt and mix until you get a crumb-like texture. If it starts to form a ball, stop and switch to the dough hook. Once mixed, switch to the dough hook, and stir in the 1 cup whole milk (make sure it is warmed to about 100ºF) until it comes together into a ball.
250 g all-purpose flour, 250 g bread flour, 2 tbsp canola oil, 4 tbsp whole-milk yogurt, 7 grams active dried yeast, 2 tsp sugar, 2 tsp salt, 1 cup whole milk, 1 tsp baking powder
Kneed with the dough hook for a few minutes and watch how it is forming. You want it to form a cohesive dough, but it can stay fairly sticky and formless at this point. It should be just dry and gluten-strengthened enough to not stick to the dough hook by the time it is done. (This will be a fairly wet dough, comparatively.)
Place 1 tsp canola oil into a large, clean mixing bowl. Pull the dough out of the stand mixing bowl and gently turn over in the oil in the mixing bowl, so it’s well-coated. Cover with a dish towel that is damp with hot water and set aside in a warm place. Let the dough rise for about 2 hours, until doubled in size.
1 tsp canola oil
Pull the dough from the mixing bowl and gently and quickly roll the dough into a log. Cut the log into 12 equal portions using a knife or dough-scraper. Let rest on a lightly floured work surface, covered with a dry towel (which can also be covered by the wet towel so they don't dry out).
Heat a very large preferably non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, about a 6.5 out of 10. Allow it to get hot while you roll out the first naan.
Next, you will roll out each naan and then add to the hot pan. While it cooks, you will roll out 1-2 more naan. It's best if you have a willing helper to manage the rolling while you handle the cooking naan, but you can multi-task this too.
More specifically: With each piece, flatten into a long round, about 4” wide and as long as needed (maybe 9”) to get a fairly thin piece of naan. You may need to use some flour to prevent sticking to the work surface, but try not use too much.
Once the pan or skillet is hot, cook each naan for about 45-90 seconds per side and then flip and grill for another 30-45 seconds until cooked and developing color. Remove to a warmed oven, if desired.

Notes

Makes 12 pieces of naan

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Best Naan Ever

Amount Per Serving

Calories 195 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 3mg1%

Sodium 436mg19%

Potassium 85mg2%

Carbohydrates 33g11%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 39IU1%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 57mg6%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Basics, Dairy-Free

Perfect Boiled Eggs

October 4, 2020 Sam

Print Recipe

Perfect Boiled Eggs

Simple, tested way to make the perfect boiled egg

Prep Time0

Cook Time15

Total Time15

Course: Ingredient, Snack

Keyword: Basics, Simple

Servings: serving

Calories: 63kcal

Ingredients

1 egg

Instructions

In a large saucepan or pot with enough room for the eggs to fit in a single layer, add 1 inch of water and a steamer basket (ideally, but not required). Cover and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, gently lower eggs into the basket or place at the bottom gently.
Cover the pot and cook the eggs for up to 11 minutes (at most, and as little as 6 minutes for a liquid yolk and just-firm whites). Drain eggs and then peel and eat immediately. You can also allow them to cool naturally before storing them for up to a week in their shell.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Perfect Boiled Eggs

Amount Per Serving

Calories 63 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 164mg55%

Sodium 62mg3%

Potassium 61mg2%

Carbohydrates 1g0%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 238IU5%

Calcium 25mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Great Leftovers, Indian, Pressure Cooker, Rotation, Weeknight Dinner

Black Bean Kofta and Tomato Sauce

September 27, 2020 Sam

This is one where the timing gets jammed up at the end. From start to finish, this could be a two-hour meal, if you include cooking the beans.

45-60 minutes to cook the beans (including pressurizing, pressure cooking, and natural pressure release)
10 minutes for assembling kofta
25 minutes for baking the kofta
15 minutes to simmer kofta in the sauce

Tips to make this meal as fast as possible:

Ideally, you will start the beans at the very beginning of the cooking process, so they are ready early. You can start them earlier than that, even, since the method described below is supposed to be in the background anyway.
The next thing to do is prep all ingredients. The instructions include a step to puree the tomatoes, but you could consider doing that while the beans cook, if you have time before starting cooking.
Then, you can start the sauce before you start baking the kofta. The sauce will do best if it can simmer for a while on medium-low or low. So consider starting the early sauce prep before you put the kofta in the oven.

Important: this one needs a small pasta, bread, rice or naan as a side.

Print Recipe

Black Bean Kofta and Tomato Sauce

A delicious and filling Indian-inspired meal

Prep Time30

Cook Time1 30

Total Time2

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Indian, Vegetarian

Keyword: Dry Beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 398kcal

Equipment

Pressure cooker

Ingredients

Beans

350 g dry black beans
bean spices including bay leaf, kombu, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, oregano, peppercorns

Kofta

4 cloves garlic
2 inch fresh ginger peeled
2 serrano peppers stems removed
4 spring onions or 6 scallions, trimmed and chopped
1 bunch fresh cilantro chopped, 1 tablespoon reserved for garnish
¾ cup bread crumbs
2 eggs
1 tsp garam masala
½ tsp chipotle chili powder

Sauce

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large white onion finely chopped
4 lbs tomatoes or 2 28oz cans tomatoes, whole peeled or crushed
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin

Instructions

Beans

Pre-soak the beans for best results. Measure, pick-through and rinse the beans. Add to a large bowl, cover with water of 1.5% salinity (i.e. 1 liter water and 15g salt), and set aside covered for 6-10 hours.
350 g dry black beans
When you’re first starting to prepare dinner, start the beans. Drain and briefly rinse the beans. Add the beans and enough water to cover by ½" to a pressure cooker pot. In a small spice bag, add a bay leaf, 1 piece kombu, ½ tsp red pepper flakes, ½ tsp peppercorns, ½ tsp garlic powder and ½ tsp oregano. Throw into the pot.
bean spices
Put on the lid with a sealing ring, and set to high pressure for 6 minutes. Start it. You’re then going to leave it until it pressurizes and then naturally releases pressure. This whole process will take about 40-50 minutes, with 25 minutes of that time for depressurizing. Once depressurized, the beans should be perfectly soft and cooked. If not, cook a bit longer, but I wouldn't pressurize again or you’ll almost certainly overcook or cause more steam release than necessary.

Kofta

As the beans cook, you can prepare the rest of the ingredients per the instructions in the ingredient list.
Once everything is prepped, put the garlic, ginger and serrano peppers in a large food processor and run until you have a well-chopped consistency. (You probably need to scrape the sides several times.) Add half of the paste to a small cup.
4 cloves garlic, 2 inch fresh ginger, 2 serrano peppers
To the food processor with half of the paste, add the rough-chopped spring onions and the cilantro and pulse 5-10 times, stopping to scrape the sides, until everything is well chopped. Then add the breadcrumbs, garam masala, chipotle, and 1 tsp salt. Blend until combined. Then add the 2 eggs and blend. Finally, add the beans.
4 spring onions, 1 bunch fresh cilantro, ¾ cup bread crumbs, 1 tsp garam masala, ½ tsp chipotle chili powder, 2 eggs
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Shape the mixture into 1” balls and place on the sheet pan. Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.

Sauce

While the kofta bake, in very large skillet or a Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium. Add the white onion and sauté until translucent and well-cooked. Add the remaining garlic, ginger and serrano paste from the small cup and cook for another 5 minutes, turning down the heat if things are cooking too fast.
2 tbsp olive oil, 1 large white onion
While that’s cooking, purée the tomatoes until smooth. Add the purée (or crushed tomatoes), coriander and cumin to the skillet. Simmer for up to 20 minutes on low or medium-low.
4 lbs tomatoes, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander

Combine

Once the sauce is done, turn heat to low (if not already there) and add the kofta to the skillet. If the sauce is too thick (or too minimal) add a bit of water so the sauce comes up about two-thirds of the way to the sides of the balls. Simmer for 15 minutes on low, gently stirring occasionally, until the kofta are warmed through and the sauce has thickened.
Serve with small pasta, bread, naan or basmati rice.

Notes

Makes 6 servings

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Black Bean Kofta and Tomato Sauce

Amount Per Serving

Calories 398 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 4g

Cholesterol 55mg18%

Sodium 435mg19%

Potassium 1778mg51%

Carbohydrates 66g22%

Fiber 16g67%

Sugar 15g17%

Protein 21g42%

Vitamin A 901IU18%

Vitamin C 30mg36%

Calcium 206mg21%

Iron 8mg44%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Bread and Pasta, Dairy-Free, Great Leftovers, Quick, Summer, Weeknight Dinner

Cold Sesame Noodles with Crunchy Vegetables

September 6, 2020 Sam

This is one of the best hot-weather meals there is. You only briefly heat up the kitchen with a quick pasta boil. And then everything else stays cold. And you eat it cold. Delicious!

Print Recipe

Cold Sesame Noodles with Crunchy Vegetables

Hot-weather classic

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Total Time25

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: California

Keyword: Pasta

Servings: servings

Calories: 467kcal

Ingredients

4 cups raw, crunch vegetables snap peas, bell peppers; chopped
12 oz fresh noodles Linguine or bucatini, for example
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
½ cup tahini
1 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp fresh ginger minced or grated
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp hot sesame oil or more, to taste

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare the vegetables by cleaning and chopping them into bite-sized pieces. Snap peas can be kept whole if not too large. Place vegetables in the fridge once cut.
Cook the noodles very quickly, following package directions. (Freshest pasta may only need 50-75 seconds). Rinse well in cold water. Toss with a few dashes of sesame oil. Store in a container in the fridge to keep cooling down.
Whisk together the sesame oil, tahini, sugar, soy sauce, ginger, vinegar, hot oil and ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper. Thin the sauce with 1-2 tbsp warm water until it’s the consistency of heavy cream. Store in the fridge.
When ready to eat a serving, toss the three things together – noodles, fresh veggies, sauce (¼ to ½ cup per serving).

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Cold Sesame Noodles with Crunchy Vegetables

Amount Per Serving

Calories 467 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Fat 18g28%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Cholesterol 62mg21%

Sodium 786mg34%

Potassium 450mg13%

Carbohydrates 61g20%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 16g32%

Vitamin A 1115IU22%

Vitamin C 59mg72%

Calcium 79mg8%

Iron 6mg33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dinner Party, Dry Beans, Fall, Favorites, Great Leftovers, Indian, Rotation, Seasons, Spring, Summer, Winter

Baked Rajma with Paneer

August 30, 2020 Sam

Made this and it was surprisingly great. Here is a modified version with baked paneer, a fun addition that adds some more heft to this delicious dish.

Print Recipe

Baked Rajma with Paneer

Served with rice or naan this is a filling and delicious meal

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 30

Total Time1 45

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: Dry Beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 458kcal

Equipment

Large, oven-safe skillet or all-in-one pan
Small food processor
Water kettle
Sheet pan

Ingredients

Beans

300 g dry kidney beans
Kombu, bay leaf, other bean spices

Rajma

1 large red onion
4 cloves garlic peeled and trimmed
1 serrano pepper top removed
1 inch fresh ginger cleaned and mostly peeled
2½ tbsp neutral oil ½ tbsp for the paneer
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes or 2 lb fresh tomatoes
½ tsp ground ancho chile powder
¼ tsp garam masala
½ tsp fenugreek leaves
14 oz paneer cut into bite-sized cubes
½ bunch cilantro optional, leaves chopped for serving on top

Pickled onion:

1 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
¼ cup rice wine vinegar

Instructions

Soak the kidney beans in 1% salted water for about 6-8 hours. As the first step, before preparing ingredients, drain the soaked beans, add to a large sauce pot and cover with plenty of water. Cover and turn heat to high. While it comes to a boil, put your various bean spices (kombu, bay leaf, etc.) into a disposable or reusable spice bag and add to the water. Boil for at least 10 minutes, for kidney-bean-safety reasons. Then turn down heat to a gentle simmer and cook for another 15-45 minutes, checking frequently, until softened 99% of the way. (They will cook very slightly more in the oven.)
300 g dry kidney beans, Kombu, bay leaf, other bean spices
Prepare all ingredients as above and measure out spices as needed. Then, quarter the onion. Thinly slice half and set aside. Rough chop the remaining half and add to a small food processor with the garlic, serrano and ginger. Chop until small, scraping down the sides as needed.
1 large red onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 serrano pepper, 1 inch fresh ginger
When beans are nearly done, begin the next steps. In a large, oven-proof skillet, preferably with high walls, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium. Add the cumin and mix for 30 seconds. Then add the ginger, onion and pepper mix and cook until the excess liquid has evaporated and the mixture is just starting to darken (8-10 minutes).
2½ tbsp neutral oil, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp salt
Preheat the oven to 350ºF with a sheet pan on one shelf. Mix the cubed paneer with about ½ tbsp oil, just enough to cover, and a light dusting of salt and pepper.
14 oz paneer
Add the cooked, drained beans and the ancho chile powder to pan and mix. You can mash a small portion of the beans (1-2 tbsp worth) to help thicken the sauce, if you'd like. Add the crushed tomatoes, garam masala and fenugreek leaves to the pan. Stir well and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes on the stovetop.
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes, ½ tsp ground ancho chile powder, ¼ tsp garam masala, ½ tsp fenugreek leaves
Spread the paneer onto a sheet pan. Place the paneer in the oven and set a timer for 7 minutes (for flipping the cheese). Cook the paneer until golden on a few sides, maybe 15-20 minutes. When done, add directly to the beans/sauce and mix before allowing to cook longer.
At the same time as the paneer, add the rajma pan, uncovered, to the oven and cook for 30 to 40 minutes total, until the sauce has thickened. Stir 1-2 times while cooking, including when you add the paneer about halfway through. (See prior step.)
While everything bakes, pickle the thinly sliced onion. Boil water in the kettle. Add the sliced onions to a bowl. Pour boiling water on top and allow to sit for 30 seconds. Drain. In the wiped-clean bowl, stir together the rice wine vinegar, sugar and salt until dissolved. Add the reserved onion slices to the bowl and stir in the vinegar. Allow to marinate.
1 tsp granulated sugar, ¼ cup rice wine vinegar, 1 tsp kosher salt
When the beans and paneer is done, garnish with the pickled onion slices, letting a few drops of the pickling liquid flick over the beans to season them. Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice or naan.
½ bunch cilantro

Notes

Serves 6

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Baked Rajma with Paneer

Amount Per Serving

Calories 458 Calories from Fat 207

% Daily Value*

Fat 23g35%

Saturated Fat 10g63%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 44mg15%

Sodium 977mg42%

Potassium 1069mg31%

Carbohydrates 43g14%

Fiber 10g42%

Sugar 8g9%

Protein 22g44%

Vitamin A 393IU8%

Vitamin C 17mg21%

Calcium 414mg41%

Iron 5mg28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Weeknight Dinner, Winter

White Bean and Swiss Chard Stew

July 26, 2020 Sam

This is best served with a side of toasty, fresh bread (like focaccia or a a roll), so I’m including that here. Leave off if you’d like, or if you have other plans.

Print Recipe

White Bean and Swiss Chard Stew

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 30

Total Time1 45

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: California

Keyword: Dry Beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 442kcal

Ingredients

Beans

¾ cup cannellini beans
Bay leaf kombu, spices for beans

Soup and bread

2 tbsp olive oil
2 large cloves garlic
1 medium red onion
8 oz carrots
12 oz green Swiss chard
2 tsp smoked paprika
½ slab focaccia or other bread
1 tbsp vegan butter
1 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

First, make the beans. Soak the beans in advance in water and salt. Drain off nearly all of the water, to make the water less saline, and then add more water. Add the bean flavorings. Bring to a very gentle boil for 10 minutes and then turn down to a low simmer. (Given the fragile nature of cannellinis, you want to go low and slow.) When beans are done, reserve the beans and 3 cups of the liquid.
Mince the garlic cloves. Finely chop the red onion. Scrub and thinly slice carrots. Using a knife, cut Swiss chard stems from leaves. Thinly slice the stems. Halve the leaves lengthwise and slice crosswise into ½”-thick ribbons.
In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium-high until shimmering. Add about ½ tsp of the paprika and cook for 30 seconds. Add the garlic, diced onions, carrots, Swiss chard stems and 1 tsp salt. Stir well. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until everything is softened, about 7 minutes.
Add the beans and 1½ cups of the bean liquid. Add smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Then add the Swiss chard leaves and cook until wilted, about 4 minutes. Season to taste.
Serve with bread.

Notes

Serves 2

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

White Bean and Swiss Chard Stew

Amount Per Serving

Calories 442 Calories from Fat 189

% Daily Value*

Fat 21g32%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Trans Fat 1g

Sodium 2005mg87%

Potassium 1176mg34%

Carbohydrates 55g18%

Fiber 11g46%

Sugar 10g11%

Protein 12g24%

Vitamin A 30601IU612%

Vitamin C 63mg76%

Calcium 188mg19%

Iron 6mg33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.