Ethiopian-Style Soup

I say "Ethiopian-Style" soup because the flavours are inspired by the Ethiopian stews I like to make, but is not any "real" Ethiopian dish that I know of. In many ways it is just a simple and thinned down stew packed with that nourishing lentil-y goodness that I love about Ethiopian food. This was also a great way to use the first squash of the season (see below). I used Bonbon which had a delectable texture and gave the soup a wonderful sweetness to offset the spicy heat. It was even better the next day.

INGREDIENTS
Makes a lot
- 2 tbsp margarine
- 1 large sweet onion, diced
- 1 1/2 cup sliced shallots
- 6 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tbsp minced fresh ginger
- 1 tsp tumeric

- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom

- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg

- 1/2 tsp cloves
- berbere to taste
- 2 cups red lentils, rinsed
- 10 cups water

- 6-8 cups chopped squash (or sweet potato)
- 1/4 chopped fresh parsley (more for garnish)
- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD
1. Melt butter in a large stock pot over med-hi heat. Add onions and saute for a few mins, until the onions get a nice golden brown on the edges (don't burn them, though). Add shallots, garlic, and ginger and reduce heat to med-lo. Cook for about 20-25 mins, until the mixture has nice brown colour.
2. Add spices and lentils and raise heat back to med-hi, stirring to mix everything well. When sizzling (the spices will stick a bit), add 6 cups of the water. Bring to bubbling, then cover and reduce heat to low. Let cook for at least 30 mins (longer is nicer, if you have the time, so that the lentils and onions can break down), stirring regularly.
3. Add the remaining four cups of water along with the squash and parsley, bring to bubbling over med-hi heat, then cover and reduce heat. Let simmer for 20-30 mins, or until squash is cooked through. Adjust seasonings to taste, garnish, and serve.

Red Lentil Sloppy Joes

Here is installment number two of kid-friendly meals for my newly veggie nephew. It is a marriage of my original recipe (made with tempeh) and Isa's lentil-based recipe from Veganomicon. I love this version because the red wine vinegar gives it lots of zip. Red lentils are also a great choice because they cook quickly and are pretty neutral in flavour. The trick here is to cook the lentils until they are soft enough but not too much so they go mushy.

INGREDIENTS

- 2 tbsp oil

- 1 onion, chopped

- 1 rib celery, chopped

- 1/2 green pepper, chopped

- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1 cup red lentils, rinsed

- 1 cup ketchup

- 1 1/2 to 2 cups water (more if needed)

- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

- 1 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce (optional)

- 1 tbsp brown sugar

- salt to taste

- freshly ground black pepper

- Tabasco sauce to taste

METHOD
1. Heat oil in a frying pan over med-hi heat. Saute onion, celery, green pepper, and oregano for 5-7 mins, until onion is translucent and pepper has softened.
2. Add lentils and mix well. Add ketchup, 1 1/2 cups water, vinegar, Worcestershire (if using), sugar, salt and pepper, and Tabasco.
3. Bring to bubbling, then reduce heat, and cover. Cook for about 30 mins, stirring regularly, adding more water if needed until lentils are cooked but still hold their shape.
4. Serve on toasted rolls, open-faced if you want.

Tarka Dhal

My teaching schedule is really cramping my cooking this semester. A late afternoon course twice a week means needing to have large pots of food cooked up the day before so leftovers can be served up quick for the kids. This is a toned down version of tarka dahl. There are supposed to be dried red chiles in the onion mixture to give the dish some zing, but there is no way the kids will go for any "spiky" dishes. Feel free to punch this up as you see fit.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
- 2 1/4 cup water
- 1" piece of ginger, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/4 tsp tumeric
- salt to taste
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tomato, chopped

METHOD
1. Place lentils, water, ginger, garlic, tumeric and salt in a pot. Bring to boil, reduce heat, loosely cover, and simmer until lentil are thoroughly cooked (about 1/2 hour). Add more water, if needed, or uncover if too runny.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan over med-hi heat. Saute onion with mustard seeds until it turns a nice golden brown. Add in tomato and cook for 2 mins.
3. Pour onion mixture over the lentils, garnish with cilantro, and serve.

Khichri

If the Google is to be believed, khichri means a hash of rice and legumes. I thought this would be a nice change from the dal recipe I keep making again and again (it's awesome, to be sure, but it's time for some change). This is really comfort food--mellow, warm, easy to chew, and nourishing. It does not make for the greatest picture, but don't let that stop you from making this amazing dish.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 sweet onion
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 5 cups water (more if needed)
- 2 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1 cup red lentils
- 3 tbsp margarine
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

METHOD
Preheat oven to 300 degrees
1. Get water boiling in an ovenproof pan with a lid. Rinse rice and put in boiling water with onions, garlic, and salt. Reduce heat and simmer on low, uncovered, for 20 mins.
2. Rinse red lentils and add to pan. Cover and simmer for 15 mins.
3. By now the rice and lentils will be mostly cooked and getting fairly dry. If too dry, mix in some more water, then place in the oven. Bake for 20-30 mins, until fully cooked.
4. Heat margarine in a small pan over medium heat and fry sliced shallots for 5-7 mins, until golden. Add in garam masala, then gently stir into khrichi along with the cilantro. Add water, if needed, to reach desired consistency. It can be more dry like a biryani, or wetter like a porridge. Season to taste and serve.

Indian Lentil and Rice Pancakes

I decided it was time to break out of my Indian food rut and explore some new recipes. I have been wanting to try this recipe for a while but have never had my act together enough to plan two days in advance. These are actually really easy to make, but you need to plan ahead. I guess this is also the first gluten-free bread(like) recipe I have posted on this site, so huzzah for me! These are thick and durable enough to be used to scoop up food or sauce from your plate. They are a nice change from naan bread and have a wonderful flavour despite the simple seasoning.

INGREDIENTS
Makes 10 pancakes
- 3/4 cup basmati rice
- 1/4 cup red lentils
- 1 cup warm water
- 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 tsp tumeric
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro

METHOD
1. Place rice, lentils and water in a juice pitcher. Cover and let sit overnight.
2. Drain water off (reserve) and blend rice and lentils with an immersion blender. Then, blend water back into the lentils/rice until smooth. Cover and let ferment in a warm place for 24 hours. (Or, you can soak everything in a bowl, and blend in a food processor. I find the first method easier and less messy).
3. Heat a non-stick frying pan (like a well-seasoned cast iron pan) over medium heat. Mix salt, tumeric, pepper, and cilantro into the batter. The original recipe called for 1 tsp of salt, but I found that to be far too much.
4. Brush the pan with oil, and pour a scant 1/4 cup of batter on the pan. Spread/thin out batter with the back of a spoon (you can make 3 pancakes at once, depending on the size of your pan). Cook for 1-2 mins, until dry around the edges, flip, and cook another min or so. Keep cooked pancakes wrapped in a towel while you cook the others. Serve at once.

Ethiopian Lentils

Have you seen that Hamburger Helper commercial that claims you can (with the Helper's help)
feed a family of four, with vegetables, for under ten bucks? The last shot before the commercial ends shows a serving bowl of Hamburger Helper, a small bowl of peas, and a glass of milk. Some meal. Lentils are super cheap, high in fibre, iron, folate and protein. Ten bucks of lentils could feed your family of four for about a month. This is a fantastic dish that gets a lot of flavour from cooking the lentils with a whole whack of onions. The vinegar may seem like a weird addition, but I assure you it completes the dish.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/2 cup green lentils
- 3 cups water (more if needed)
- 2 large sweet onions, halved and sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 fresh green chile or jalapeno, seeded and minced
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cardamom
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD
1. Rinse lentils then place in a large saucepan with water, onions, garlic, and chile. Bring to bubbling, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 45 mins, until lentils and soft and onions have more or less disintegrated. Stir periodically and add more water if needed.
2. From here, you can add in the remaining ingredients, cook for 10 mins, and serve. However, if you have the time, I like to add in the spices and cook, uncovered, for another 45-60 mins. Green lentils are durable enough to withstand a lot of cooking without falling apart. This way you can cook off some more of the water and slowly make a nice thick stew. Then, stir in vinegar and cook for 10 mins, season to taste, and serve.

Ethiopian Sweet Potato Stew

I mentioned in my last post that I wanted to make more Ethiopian food, so when my in-laws were here for a visit I whipped up a small feast of 3 dishes that I will post over the next few days. My father in law must eat a very low salt diet so well-spiced food is always a great way to go. This dish is so flavourful that I didn't miss the salt, but feel free to season to your taste. An essential element to any Ethiopian meal is some good injera bread. The recipes I see online require a 3 day fermentation period, so I go with Jennifer's recipe in Vegan Lunch Box. It is quick, easy, and has great taste even with the much decreased fermentation time. We all love abandoning our forks and scooping up our food with chunks of spongy, soft injera.

INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 large sweet onion, diced
- 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
- 2" piece ginger, minced
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, diced (around 3-4 cups)
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground fenugreek
- 1 1/2 cups water (more as needed)
- 1 large tomato, small dice
- 1/2 cup red lentils
- 2 tbsp tomato paste (more as needed)
- 2 cups chopped green beans (fresh or frozen)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD
1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute onion, garlic, and ginger for 10 mins, until onion is a nice golden colour. Add sweet potatoes and red pepper and saute for 1 min.
2. Add spices and fry for 1 min. Don't worry about things sticking to the bottom of the pot. Add water to deglaze the pan, then add tomato, lentils, tomato paste, and beans. Mix well.
3. Bring to bubbling, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for at least 30 mins, until lentils and potatoes are soft. Stir occasionally. It is even better of you can let it cook on a low heat for an hour or two. Add more water if stew gets too thick.
4. Stir in parsley and season to taste. Adjust thickness of stew with more water or tomato paste--remember that you want to be able to scoop this up with injera.

Ethiopian Stew

This isn't any particular Ethiopian dish, but rather is a stew inspired by Ethiopian flavours. I was craving something hearty and this really hit the spot.

INGREDIENTS

- 1/2 cup yellow split peas

- 3 cups of water

- 4 tbsp oil

- 1/2 tsp tumeric

- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom

- 1 tsp cinnamon

- 1/2 tsp cloves

- 1/4 tsp nutmeg

- 1 large onion, halved and sliced

- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped

- 1" piece of ginger, minced

- 2 cups chopped seitan (or 1 can of chickpeas), optional

- 1 lb cubed potatoes

- 1 large carrot, chopped

- 1 tbsp berbere (or more)

- 1 28 oz can chopped tomatoes, with juices

- 2 cups chopped green beans

- 1 cup red lentils

- water

- salt and pepper to taste

- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

- 1 six oz can tomato paste

METHOD

1. Rinse split peas and place in a pot with the 3 cups of water. Bring to boiling, cover, and simmer until soft. Drain off excess water.

2. While peas are cooking, heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add spices and fry for 1 min. Add onions, garlic, and ginger, and fry for 5-7 mins, until onions are soft. The spices may stick to the bottom of the pot, so periodically add a splash of water to the pan to deglaze.

3. Add seitan (if using), potatoes, carrots, and berbere. Fry for 2 mins. Add tomatoes, beans, lentils, and cooked split peas, and mix well. Add enough water to the pot to cover the veggies by about 1/2 inch. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Bring to bubbling, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for at least 30 mins. Stir periodically to keep lentils and veggies from sticking.

5. Stir in parsley and tomato paste and cook for 5 mins.

Naan Triangles with Dal Filling

I have been craving Indian food (probably because the weather is finally getting hot around here) but I also want to keep this month's quest to make kid-friendly meals in mind. So, this is an attempt to introduce kids to mild Indian flavours with a convenient hand-held presentation. The recipe calls for tumeric which adds a nice flavour but is almost impossible to get out of clothing (or carpet) if your food spills. So if you have messy eaters or real young kids you might want to hold off on the tumeric until more food ends up in their mouths than on the floor. I have also kept the spicing mild for the kiddies, so you can adjust to your own taste.

INGREDIENTS

- 4 naan bread (see note below)

- 1/3 cup red lentils (the wee tiny ones)

- 1 cup water

- 1 small onion, finely diced

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- 1/2 tsp tumeric

- 1/3 cup chickpeas, mashed with a fork

- 1/2 tsp chili powder

- 1/2 tsp coriander

- 1 tsp salt

METHOD

1. Rinse lentils in a mesh sieve then put in a saucepan with water, onion, garlic, and tumeric. Bring to bubbling and simmer, uncovered, stirring regularly, until lentils are cooked and starting to break down into a paste.

2. Add mashed chickpeas and spices according to taste. Stir well and remove from heat.

3. Spread half of the lentil mixture on a piece of naan. Top with a second piece then cut into 6 triangles. Repeat with remaining naan and lentil mixture.

A NOTE ON NAAN

I made the naan recipe found here and it was spectacular. The dough is easy to make and the method makes for a light, puffy, and slightly crisp naan. Just sub soy yogurt for dairy yogurt, and melted Earth Balance for the ghee. Also, after rolling out the naan, let them sit for 20 mins on the counter--this will help them puff up in the oven. I removed my naan from the oven about 30 seconds after they puffed up so the top was still soft.

Yetakelt We't and Misr Allecha

Here are the other two dishes from last night's Ethiopian feast. Yetakelt We't is a tasty vegetable stew, and Misr Allecha is a wonderfully spiced lentil dish. Both taste best of you can let them simmer for a few hours before serving. I have included a picture of the Yetakelt We't but not the Misr Allecha. Although I think it is my favourite dish, let's face it, there is no good way to photograph a plate of lentils.

Yetakelt We't
INGREDIENTS- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- berbere to taste
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1/4 cup niter kebbeh
- 1 cup green beans
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 potatoes, cubed
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cup peas
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 cups water
- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD
1. Saute onions, garlic, berbere ans paprika in nitter kebbeh for 5 mins.
2. Add beans, carrots, potatoes and saute for 10 mins.
3. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and water. Mix well, bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer until veggies are tender and stew is thick.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Misr Allecha
INGREDIENTS
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp niter kebbeh
- 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
- 1/2 tsp tumeric
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 2 1/3 to 3 cups of water

METHOD
1. Heat niter kebbeh in large pan and saute onion and garlic for 5 mins. Add in rinsed lentil and spices and fry for 1 min.
2. Add in water, bring to bubbling, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until lentils are soft. Add more water if needed.

Snobby Joes: Veganomicon Rocks the Lentil

Today was a busy day with Vegan Mom volunteering at the school's Christmas bazaar and me looking after the kids and then taking them to said bazaar (for which we baked chocolate cupcakes). So, tonight we cracked open Veganomicon again and joined forces to make these Snobby Joes. We all loved them, and it is a great way to get the kids to unknowingly chug back lentils. I like a Sloppy Joe with a bit more bite than this recipe provides, so I squirted in a few tbsp of ketchup and a tbsp of red wine vinegar. If I had some I would have added a dash of Tabasco sauce.

The recipe is posted on the PPK site.

Indian Feast

The new camera has been bought, and new food has been made! Tonight we went for an Indian feast: Tandoori Tofu, Dhal (Lentils), Cauliflower and Potato Curry, and Rice. It was really, really good--so good, in fact, that Son #1 actually complimented me on the meal. Wow. Since we will be eating this tomorrow as well, I will post some recipes today, and the others tomorrow.

For the Dhal:

This recipe is awesome and pretty easy to make. It is nourishing and tasty. If you love Indian food, the you will love this dish. I double the recipe so there are lots of leftovers.

INGREDIENTS:

- 3/4 cup red lentils (the small ones--they cook in 15-20 mins)

- 1 1/2 cup water

- 1 tsp tumeric

- 1 large sliced onion

- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)

- 1 large tomato, chopped

- 4 tbsp vegetable oil

- 1/2 tsp cumin (or more, if you like)

- 1/2 tsp coriander (or more, of you like)

- 1 garlic clove, chopped

- 6 curry leaves, crushed

METHOD:

1. Put lentils, water, tumeric, and onion in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer (with the lid on) until lentils are soft. When the lentils are done, they will break apart when you stir them, making a thick(ish) paste.

2. Add the salt and tomatoes and simmer until heated through.

3. Heat oil in a small saucepan, and fry garlic until golden. Add spices and stir into lentil mixure. Serve.

A Note on Rice: I am not going to post a recipe for rice here, but just wanted to say that basamti rice is essential for Indian food. It is wonderfully fluffy, never sticks, and has a great flavour.