Curried Chickpea and Carrot Salad

The Thai food has returned. I warned you a string of these recipes was coming...

With the heat of summer at its apex, avoiding the heat of the kitchen is a must. But the need to prepare food calls. This recipe is prefect for those sweltering days. No hot ovens or stove tops. And it comes together in a flash

adapted from Vegan Yack Attack

serves 4

The Ingredients:
2 - 14.5 oz cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 cups grated carrots

1 cup shredded cabbage

1/2 cup golden raisins

3 Tbsp tahini

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 Tbsp water

1 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce

2 tsp maple syrup

1 tsp curry powder

 

The Process
In a large bowl toss together the garbanzo beans, carrots, cabbage and raisins. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add additional water as necessary to thin. 

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.

 

Red Curry Risotto with Thai Shrimp and Aspargus

Dinner tonight was an exercise in time and space management. The meal came together in about 45 minutes. All of the steps involved were fairly easy. But there was a lot to keep track of. I also did not seem to have enough space to broil the shrimp and asparagus at the same time. And sadly, the constant barrage of rain kept the grill at bay. This added some stress to the time management aspect. I opted to broil the asparagus first, tenting with foil afterwards to keep the spears warm until I was ready to plate them. The hot risotto spooned over the top helped bring the spears back up to temp.

Best plan of attack: create a mise-en-scène...laying out all of your ingredients and utensils. Start the risotto and get it to that first ladelful of broth. Start the shrimp marinading. Continue stirring the risotto. Broil the asparagus. Skewer the shrimp. Continue stirring risotto. Broil the shrimp. Plate. Serve.

Collapse into the chair after that marathon of planning and prep to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

risotto adapted from Pretty Little Dishes
the shrimp and asparagus preparation are my own

serves 4

The Ingredients
for the risotto:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup finely diced red onion
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup unsweetened, flaked coconut
1 1/2 cups aborio rice
3/4 cup kolsch beer (or white wine)
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup coconut milk
2 Tbsp red curry paste
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
salt to taste

for the shrimp:
1 lb large shrimp (31-35 count), peeled and de-veined
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1/4 cup lime juice
zest of 1 lime
1/2 cup sesame oil
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp peanut butter
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 Tbsp brown sugar

for the asparagus
1 lb aspagus, trimmed
oil
coarse salt

The Process:
for the risotto
In a medium saucepan, heat the chicken stock to a gentle simmer.  Keep warm.

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil.  Add the onions and garlic. Sauté over medium high heat until the onions are tender and translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add the flaked coconut and rice, stir to coat evenly.

Slowly pour in the kolsch.  Lower heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring continuously.  Once the beer has been absorbed, add the warm stock, one ladleful at a time, allowing each addition to be fully absorbed before adding the next.  Patience is key.  Stir gently and continuously. 

After about half of the stock has been used, stir in the coconut milk and red curry paste, mixing until well combined.

 

Awww...curry, I love you too!

 

Continue to add the broth, one ladelful at a time.  After the last ladle of stock has been absorbed, and the rice is creamy in texture and slightly al dente, add the butter. Season with salt to taste. Remove the risotto from the heat. Cover and let rest for 3-5 minutes before serving.

for the shrimp:
Rinse the shrimp and set aside.

Whisk the remaining ingredients together to create a thick marinade. Place shrimp in a shallow bowl or zip-top bag. Pour the marinade over, coating the shrimp completely. Cover and refrigerate. Marinate at least 15 minutes, but no longer than an hour.

Preheat the broiler or grill. Remove the shrimp from the marinade. Thread onto skewers, about 4-5 per skewer. Broil or grill until shrimp are opaque and slightly charred, 3-4 minutes per side

for the asparagus
Preheat the broiler.

Lightly oil a baking sheet and spread out the asparagus in a single layer. Generously sprinkle with coarse salt. Broil 8-10 minutes, flipping once, or until the asparagus is tender and beginning to char.

to serve:
Divide the asparagus among four dinner plates, arranging the spears in a single, parallel layer. Spoon a generous scoop of risotto down the center of the spears. Top with two skewers of shrimp and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.

Baked Coconut Curry Shrimp

The seafood pact Ross and I made is still going strong.  Shrimp hasn't made an appearance on our menu, which is odd given how we usually have some frozen on hand at all times.

The shrimp was picked before the recipe.  Jumbo and shell on.  I briefly toyed with a few Cajun inspired grilled recipes, but given our luck with the weather, an indoor meal was probably best.   We've both been itching for something breaded as of late, a splurge against the all of the CSA veggies we've been enjoying.  This baked version made the guilty pleasure a little more forgiving.  Quite frankly, it really didn't need any deep frying anyway.

The breading and cooking process itself is super quick.  The shrimp can ready in about 20 minutes.  However, if using shell on jumbo shrimp, plan an giving yourself a bit more time.  The peeling, deveining and butterflying can be a bit tedious and time consuming.

the recipe is my own

serves 3-4

The Ingredients
1 lb large raw shrimp (13-15 count)
2 eggs
1/3 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1/3 cup panko
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt

favorite dipping sauce to serve

The Process:
Preheat the oven to 425

Peel the shrimp, leaving the last segment on the tail intact.  Slit the back of the shrimp and remove the vein.  Cut deeper along the center back to the tail segment, and gently splay the shrimp open.  Rinse and pat dry.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs.  In a second bowl, combine the coconut, panko, flour and seasonings.  One at a time, dip the shrimp into the egg and press into the coconut coating.  Lay the shrimp, butterflied side down, on a lightly oiled baking sheet.  Lightly mist with additional oil.

Bake until the shrimp are opaque and begin to curl, about 10 minutes.

Serve with dipping sauce.

Ginger Curried Chicken with Leeks and Lentils

This recipe caught my eye for the combination of curry, leeks and oranges.  I was very excited.  And about halfway through I realized I could have sent the dish a little more through the roof had I vamped on the curry powder instead of relying on the turmeric-heavy store blend.  In the end, the lentils sort dominated the dish.  And the citrus didn't add as much as I had hoped. 

So lesson learned...better curry powder and orange juice instead of wine.

Still, this was a satisfying dish.

adapted from BHG

Serves 2-3

The Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds meaty chicken pieces

2 Tbsp curry powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced 

2 leeks, halved lengthwise
1 tangerine, cut into wedges
1 cup lentils
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup white wine


The Process
In a gallon zip top bag, toss chicken with salt and 1 Tbsp of the curry powder.  Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pot over medium- high heat. Add the chicken and brown on both sides.  Remove from pot. Add ginger, leeks, tangerine wedges, and remaining curry powder. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes or until leeks are tender and ginger is fragrant.

Stir in lentils, broth, and wine. Return chicken pieces to pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 55 to 60 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink.

Remove the chicken to a serving platter.  Serve along side lentils.

  

Clams in a Coconut Green Curry Broth

 

Ross and I have decided to make a conscious effort to eat more seafood.  One frustration with living in the midwest is the lack of fresh, coastal seafood.  In Hawaii we were quite spoiled. This effort probably won't be cheap.

But if we try to spoil ourselves on a seafood dinner at home, we are less likely to splurge on a fancy dinner out were that farm raised Atlantic salmon fillet is likely to cost 3 to 4 times more than a much more beautiful, healthful and sustainable fillet of wild caught coho or sockeye salmon. 

So this past Valentines Day, we ate in.  And we ate well.  There was not nearly enough bread or rice to sop up this amazing curry broth.  I suspect mussels would be equally as divine.

In an ideal world, I would have crafted the curry paste myself, but due to growing pains down south, the produce within our snow covered state has been limp, lackluster and outright sparse.  Surprisingly no fresh cilantro or basil was to be found right before our planned dinner.  Rather than run around with fingers crossed, we hedged our bets and picked up a jar of Thai Kitchen green curry paste.  My previous experience with this particular brand and the quality of their curry paste has been lukewarm at best.  This time, I had absolutely no complaints.  

adapted from Spoon Fork Bacon

serves 3

The Ingredients:
3 Tbs olive oil
4-5 Tbsp green curry paste
2 small shallots, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 Tbsp lemongrass, minced
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, halved
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp sugar
1 cup clam juice
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
1 1/2 lbs manilla or little neck clams

Garnish
1 lime, cut into wedges
lime zest
1 serrano pepper, sliced into thin coins

The Process
Place the clams in a large bowl and fill with cool water until the clams are fully submerged.  Allow them to rest for 30 minutes to an hour to encourage them to filter out any sand and grit.  Gently remove each clam one at a time and scrub away any grit on the outside of the shell.  Set aside until the broth is ready.

Heat the oil in a deep skillet over medium high heat.  Add the curry paste, shallots, garlic, ginger and lemongrass and saute until fragrant, 2-3 minutes.   

Add the tomatoes, lime juice and sugar to the skillet and stir until well combined, about another 2-3 minutes.

Stir in the coconut milk and clam juice, whisking to break up and lumps in the cocnut milk.  Bring the mixture to a boil.  Add the clams, cover and reduce heat.  Simmer the calms for 5-7 minutes or until most of the shells have opened.  Discard any unopened clams. 

Garnish with lime wedges, zest and Serrano peppers.  Serve with plenty of bread to sop up the broth.

Curried Pumpkin Soup

 Fall!  Pumpkins!  Soup!  Curry!  These are a few of my favorite things...

Light, complex, spicy, smooth and filling.  Deceivingly filling.  You'd be surprised how little soup you need to sate an appetite after an afternoon raking leaves.  And perfect for a gathering when many hungry hands may be idling.  This soup can be made ahead, chilled and re-heated when ready to serve.  Or, transferered into a slow cooker to linger and warm for whenever pepple are ready to eat.

I prefer the slightly sweeter and smokey flavor oven roasted pumpkin lends to recipes, so I opted to replace a portion of the originally recipe's canned pumpkin with my own roasted variety.  The spices are easily modified to accommodate any palate  And the soup does play well with heat...so feel free to add more red pepper or a dash or too of hot pepper sauce to liven up the tongue a bit.

adapted from Epicurious

serves 16-18

The Ingredients:
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 Tbsp oil
3-4  garlic cloves, mince
2-3 -inch knob of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cardamom
2 tsp salt
1 small pie pumpkin (2-3 lbs)
1 - 15 oz can pumpkin puree
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 - 15oz can  coconut milk

The Process:
Preheat the oven to 450.  Slice the pumpkin, scoop out the seeds and place cut side down on an oiled baking sheet.  Bake for 45-60 minutes,or until soft and beginning to carmelize, flipping cut side up halfway through.  Remove from oven and set aside until cool enough to handle.

Scoop out the softened pumpkin flesh.  Mash slightly for a smoother soup, or leave as scooped for more texture.  

Meanwhile, heat a large heavy bottomed saucepan over medium high heat, and sautee the onions until soft, about 3-5 minutes.  Add the ginger and garlic, sautee 1 minute longer.  Stir in the cumin, coriander, cardamom and cinnamon, mixing until the onions are well coated*.

Add the pepper flakes, salt, canned pumpkin, fresh pumpkin, broth, coconut milk.  Bring to a simmer and let cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.   For a smooth soup, puree in batches with  food process, or process with an immersion blender, or serve as is.  Thin with additional broth, if desired.

* in lieu of the individual spices, you can substitute 1 Tbsp of your favorite garam masala.

Curried Squash

This past week I was tasked with pairing a meal with a harvest beer.  I'm not quite sure they realize the potential monster they released with this charge...

At our last beer session, we were treated to five samples.  The one that struck me the most was Weyerbacher's Imperial Pumpkin Ale.  As with most pumpkin ales, a heavy spice hit the nose first.  I braced myself for another cloyingly sweet, wannabe pumpkin pie concoction and was humbled and shamed by what I actually tasted.  First the spice hit my tongue, but not the typical pumpkin pie spice...it was warm, and familiar.  The flavor lingered and danced on the tip of my tongue, toying and teasing...not quite being placed. Another sip in...cardamom.   Oh, cinnamon and nutmeg joined the pas de trio, but the cardamom was star.  Supported by a dry, malty backbone, I was in pure heaven.  And had a serious craving for curry.

Thus this recipe was born.

Sadly, Weyberbacher was not to be had.  However a similarly spiced and not overly sweet ale found its way into it's place...Brooklyn's Post Road Pumpkin Ale.



I had many squash on hand to choice from.  A buttery and tender acorn squash.  Robust, but mild pumpkin.  Slightly sweet butternut.  Nutty and melt in you mouth red kuri...

As fall seems dominated by pumpkin and butternut, and as I did not want the sweeter notes these to squash tend to lend, I chose the red kuri and a smaller acorn to create the dish.  The result was buttery and nutty, with a hint of sweetness from the coconut to balance the dryness of the inspiring beer and a complex dance of warm spice from the garam masala.  The ginger lingered in the back.

Served on its own, or with a hearty piece or two of naan to sop up the sauces, this dish makes for a wonderful fall meal.

the recipe is my own

serves 6-8

The Ingredients:
2 Tbsp vegetable oil or ghee
1 red onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2" knob of fresh ginger, minced
2 Tbsp garam masala
1/2 vegetable or chicken stock
1 - 15 oz can coconut milk
8 cups dished squash (pumpkin, acorn, red kuri, butternut and delicacta ...)
salt and pepper to taste

The Process:
Heat the oil or ghee in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat.   Add the onions, garlic and ginger.  Saute until until soft and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes.  Add the garam maslam and stir until well combined.

Add the cubed squash, broth and coconut milk.  Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, cover and reduce heat.  Simmer on low for 30-40 minutes, or until the squash is tender.  Uncover and simmer and additional 10 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.

 Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Bengalese Onion and Tomato Fish Curry

I was on a bit of a curry kick.  I wanted something fast.  Fish and veggiecurries often come to the rescue in such situations.  This one grabbed my attention with its Italian like combination of onions and tomato.  How ever would the other spices play into this?


Adapted from The Curry Bible by Jackie Passmore


serves four


The Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs thick fish fillets, cut into tenders
1/2 cup flour
1 cup ghee, mustard oil, or vegetable oil
1 - 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp ground chili
2 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 fresh green chilies (such as Serrano) de-seeded and diced
3 roma tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 inch knob of ginger, minced
fresh cilantro for garnish

The Process:
Place the fish fillets and flour in a large re-sealable bag and toss until the fish is evenly coated.  Heat the oil or ghee in a large, deep skillet.  Carefully add the fish and fry until crisp, but not cooked completely through flipping once, about 4-5 minutes.  Remove the fish to a pan lined in paper towels.  Set aside.

Pour off all but 2 Tbsp of the cooking oil.  Add tomatoes, garlic, onion, and chili powder.  Simmer until the onions have softened and the sauce has thickened.  Add the sugar, lime juice, chilies and ginger.  Stir until combined.  Season with salt and pepper to taste,  Carefully add the fish.  Simmer gently, bring the fish with the sauce until the fish is tender and heated through (about 6-8 minutes).

Transfer to a serving dish or warmed plates and garnish with fresh cilantro.

The Review:
This curry strike me an a wonderful introduction to the hesitant eater.  It boasts many of the same flavors of a well loved tomato-based Italian dish, with a little extra twist.  The recipe is easily adaptable to many variety of fish, though not all are created equal.  I had opted for catfish, despite my aversion to the fish in general.  The flesh ended up chewy and rubbery...with that muddy undertone that I can never quite overcome.  Swai or Tilapia would fair far better for the budget conscious, though cod, halibut, haddock, whiting or pollock would work equally as well.

The curry did make up for the awfully onion-y fish dumpling curry made a few weeks earlier.  It is a dish worth attempting again.

Kolivartha Curry

I few days ago I handed Ross one of my curry books and told him to pick a chicken dish.  Sometimes meal planning and shopping lists  happen more easily when delegated this way.  This recipe below was the one he chose.  His reasoning?  We already had most of the ingredient list.  Gotta love the man who knows the content of the pantry.

From what I could gather this chicken curry dish is hails from the Chettinad region of Southern Indian. I am hardly an expert in Indian fare, though I adore curries from all over the subcontinent.  Please let me know if you have further tidbits on this culinary destination

Adapted form the Curry Bible by Jacki Passmore

serves 4

The Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs skinless chicken thigh fillets, cut into tenders
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch finger fresh ginger, minced
1 onion, diced
1 large tomato, deseeded and diced
2 Tbsp ghee or oil
1/2 cup finely ground almonds or cashews
1 tsp Garam Masala
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 - 1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
2-3 whole cloves
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
salt to taste
fresh lemon or lime
chopped cilantro to serve

The Process:
Rinse the chicken tenders and pat dry,

In a blender or food processor, pulse the garlic, ginger, and onion until a thick paste forms.  Add the tomato and set aside.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil or ghee.  Add the chicken and saute until lightly browned on all sides.  Remove the chicken and set aside.  Add the tomato-onion mixture to the skillet and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add the ground nuts and spices;  stir until well mixed.  

Return the chicken to the pan.  Pour in the coconut milk and season with salt to taste.  Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened.

Serve with a drizzle of fresh lemon or lime juice and sprinkled with cilantro.


The Review:
Curries with the slightly sweet flavor of coconut seem to be the biggest hits in our household.  The mild creamy flavors were well balanced and complimented the chicken instead of overpowering it.  I haven't tried many curried with ground nuts, and I loved they way the ground cashews thickened the sauce...added only the slightest nutty flavor.  The cashews have a creaminess all of their own.  I suspect almonds wouldn't have quite as distinct a flavor when paired with all of the other spices in the dish. .The easy and quickness in which this dish came together was a huge bonus as well.  As most of the ingredients are staple in our household, I'm sure we'll be enjoying this curry again!

Red Peppers Stuffed with Curried Quinoa

I believe quinoa and I have finally formed a lasting friendship.  The super-grain fascinated me.  I really wanted to like it, but something about its tiny and compact healthfulness intimidated me.  I felt it needed to be treated uniquely.

It took a while to overcome that.  I have since discovered that quinoa really wants to be treated like any number of other pantry staples.  As I think of it more like rice or couscous or even as oatmeal, the ideas begin to flow. 

Stuffed peppers are a wonderful step in the right direction.  If you are still hesitant to try quinoa, rice can be substituted.  Remember to adjust you water and cooking times accordingly.

adapted from Roni's recipe at Green Lite Bites

serves 4 as a side or 2 as an entree

The Ingredients:
2 medium red peppers (or color of you choice)
1 1/2 tsp olive or grapeseed oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup quinoa
3/4 cup water or vegetable stock
2-3 cups spinach, slightly torn

The Process:
preheat the oven to 375

Heat the oil in a 1-qt saucepan over medium-heat.  Add the garlic, onion and carrots and saute until the vegetables are tender and the onion is translucent, about 7-10 minutes.  Add the spices and saute a minute or two more, stirring to completely coat the vegetables.  Add the water and quinoa.  Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until most of the moisture is absorbed and the quinoa is tender.

While the quinoa cooks, prepare the peppers by slicing in half lengthwise through the stem.  Remove the seeds and membranes from the peppers, leaving the stems intact.  Place pepper halves cut side up in a lightly oiled 9 x 9 inch baking dish.  Sprinkle each half with a pinch of salt.  Set aside.

Fluff up the quinoa and add the torn spinach to the saucepan.  Stir until the spinach begins to wilt and is well distributed through the quinoa mixture.

Spoon the quinoa into the pepper halves, mounding slightly.  Bake, uncovered, for 12-15 minutes, or until the pepper is tender.  Serve hot.

The Review:
The golden piles of fluffy, spicy quinoa served up in their own edible bowl create and elegant meal even vegans and vegetarians can fully appreciate!  I am not the biggest fan of turmeric's slightly metallic taste, so I had opted swap out some of Roni's suggested spice for garam masala, ginger and garlic.  The resulting flavor is much more layered and complex.  But if curry powder is the most exotic spice in you cabinet, go nuts!  There in lies the true beauty of this dish.  It'd needed be an  Indian(-ish) entree.  Add some tomato paste and Italian seasonings.  Or maybe cumin and chili powder for a little something Tex-Mex.  These are the recipes that quickly become staples in out household!

Minced Meat Curry Samosas

My first attempt at samosas happened very early on in this blog's history. While the end result was tasty and quite filling (though not at all photogenic), this first attempt was far from an ideal filled pastry. So a few weeks back when I concocted a curried mince meat for stuffed eggplant, I set some filling aside and froze it in anticipation of a samosas take two.

From the stuffed eggplant experience I knew that the filling was stellar. I need only nail the pastry. After the lackluster baked samosas back in February I opted to fry these savory little suckers. It was the right choice. Deep frying makes everything tastier...

the filling recipe is my own
pastry recipe and samosa frying tips adapted from samosa-recipe.com

makes about 24 samosas

The Ingredients:
filling:
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/3 lb ground meat (lamb, beef or turkey)
1/4 onion, minced
1 tsp minced fresh garlic
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 Tbsp tomato paste
pinch of turmeric
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup brown rice, cooked

pastry:
1 - 2/3 cups flour
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp salt
1/3 cup water

The Process:
For the pastry:
Mix flour and salt into a medium bowl. Make a well into the center and add the oil and enough water to make a firm dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth, about 10 minutes. Roll into a ball and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes.

For the filling:
Heat the oil in a large skillet and add the onions. Saute over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the onions are translucent and beginning to brown, 10-12 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and pepper and saute for 1-2 minutes more.

Add the ground meat, and cook until no longer pink, 10-12 minutes. Break up any lumps with the back of a spoon. Add the tomato paste, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes more. Stir in peas and rice until well combined. Remove from heat and set aside.

To make the samosas:
Divide the pastry into 12 equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time (keep remaining dough covered) form piece into a ball and roll the ball out into a circle about 6" in diameter. Divide circle into two equal pieces with a knife.Brush the straight edge of the semi-circle with a little water and form a cone shape around your fingers, sealing the dampened edge.

Fill the cone with 1 Tbsp of the minced meat curry. Dampen the open edges of the cone with a little water and press firmly together to seal the cone. Set aside on a parchment lined baking sheet and prep the remaining samosas.

In a deep skillet heat about 1/2" of vegetable oil. Working in small batches fry the samosas until crisp and lightly browned, 3-4 minutes per side. Drain on a paper towel.

Serve warm with yogurt and chutney.

The review:

These samosas kicked my initial attempt out to the water. I was leery of the pastry at first, mostly because of the tediousness and frustration of filling all 24 little pockets of goodness. For the easily thwarted, I highly recommend purchasing a puff pastry in lieu of making your own. Though the end result of the struggle with a home-made dough is well worth it, I promise.

The pastries bubbled and blistered in deep fried glory. The dough had just enough salt to enhance the curry filling. While in most situations these would be served up as a tasty starter, paired with a fresh green salad ours made for an incredibly satisfying summer dinner.

Eggplant Stuffed with Minced Meat Curry

I am finally becoming comfortable enough with my stash of Indian spices to foray into the world of curries without a cookbook as a guide. This curry is fairly mild when paired with eggplant. And the combination is a nice twist on a typically Italian dish.

The recipe is my own

serves 4-6

The Ingredients:
2 medium eggplants
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 bay leaves
1" stick of cinnamon
1/4 tsp whole cloves
1/4 tsp black peppercorns
2-3 black cardamom pods
1 onion, finely chopped
2-3 clove garlic, finely minced
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, finely minced
1 Serrano pepper, seeded and finely minced
1 1/4 lb ground meat (lamb, turkey of beef)
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
1 cup peas

The Process:
Preheat the oven to 350. Remove the tops of the eggplants and halve lengthwise. Prick the skins and place the eggplants face down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake 30-40 minutes or until soft. Remove from oven and set aside until cool enough to handle.

Meanwhile heat the oil in a large skillet and add the bay leaves, cinanamon, cloves, peppercorns and cardamom. When the spices begin to sizzle, add the onions. Saute over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the onions are translucent and beginning to brown, 10-12 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and pepper and saute for 1-2 minutes more.

Add the ground meat, and cook until no longer pink, 10-12 minutes. Break up any lumps with the back of a spoon. Add the tomato paste, cover and simmer.

Once the eggplants are cool enough to handle, spoon out the flesh from the center, leaving a 1/2" wall around the skin. Finely chop the flesh and add to the meat mixture. Stir in the garam masala, chili powder, turmeric and salt. Add peas and stir until combined. Simmer for about 10 more minutes. Remove the bay leaves, cardamom pods and cinnamon stick.

Spoon the minced meat curry into the eggplant halved=s, mounding slightly. Bake at 350 for an 20-25 minutes.

Serve with rice.

The Review:
My former Indian neighbors would have been proud.