Purplesque

Sweet potato cheesecake

2009-11-28T02:59:22Z

It was supposed to be a pumpkin cheesecake for Thanksgiving dinner. My first cheesecake for A, who's never had one because they are usually made with eggs. Inspired by the fatfreevegan recipe.

We canceled the dinner due to an emergency. I went to hunt for canned pumpkin on Black Friday and found nothing. Nada. All the grocery stores in town had run out of canned pumpkin.

Enter, the sweet potato. The savior of our weekend.

Sweet potato cheesecake

Ingredients for graham cracker crust:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs ( I will use 1.5 cups next time- the crust was a bit too thick )
4 tbsp butter/margarine, melted
1/4 tsp nutmeg, powdered
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp sugar

- Mix together all ingredients and press down in a springform pan/ cake tin. I used a pie dish. Bake in a 350 degree oven for ten minutes. Cool.

Ingredients for filling:

8 oz cream cheese (Use tofutti for a a vegan version)
1 block (12 oz) firm silken tofu
1 cup sweet potato, roasted, peeled, mashed ( or 1 cup pumpkin puree)
1/2 cup agave nectar/honey/maple syrup
2 tbsp corn starch
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp vanilla

- Blend all ingredients really well in a food processor/blender. Pour into the crust and spread out evenly with a spatula. Bake in the 350 degree oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle does not come out wet. Remove and cool on a wire rack for an hour. Add topping if desired. Chill in the fridge for at least three hours before slicing.

Topping: optional.

1 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp maple syrup
A handful of toasted, slivered almonds

- Mix the first five ingredients together and gently bring to a simmer in a nonstick pan. Stir continuously until the chocolate dissolves and mixture thickens to pudding consistency. Cool and pour over the cheesecake. Spread with a spatula and sprinkle almonds on top.

This was good. Really good. It did not quite have the tang of a real cheesecake, though. Next time, I'll try to use the standard brand of cream cheese and maybe add a tbsp of lemon juice.

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Panang Curry

2009-11-28T00:33:37Z

A very happy Thanksgiving to you. Remember the best shopping tip of the week- stay home and shop online!

Panang curry

What about Thanksgiving food, you say? Having failed to find a single can of pumpkin in the entire city, I finally made a sweet potato cheesecake that is cooling in the fridge. In the meantime, here is a light Panang curry.

Ingredients-

1 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp chilli paste (sambal)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 cup water
3 kaffir lime leaves, chopped ( or use 1 tsp lime zest with 1 tsp lime juice)
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup coconut milk
14 oz firm tofu, cubed
2 cups carrots, chopped
1 cup baby corn, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
a handful of thai basil, chopped
salt to taste

Heat oil in a skillet. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle. Add ginger and garlic and saute for a few seconds. Then add turmeric, peanut butter and chilli paste and saute for thirty seconds.

Add the water, kaffir lime, sugar and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer, add coconut milk, carrots, peppers, baby corn and tofu. Cook on medium heat for about twenty minutes until the carrots are cooked through but not mushy. Season and add the thai basil towards the end. Serve warm with rice.

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Almost-vegan tofu scramble

2009-11-21T17:56:34Z

The best one yet.

There are few tricks to a good tofu scramble-

Drain, drain, drain the tofu. The drier the tofu, the better it browns. Same with the veggies.
Use a cast iron skillet if you have one. If not, be generous with the oil. It helps crisping the outside of the tofu while keeping the inside juicy and soft.

Mushroom chard tofu scramble

Ingredients:

1 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp paprika (smoked is better)
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
1 lb firm tofu, drained and pressed
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 bunch swiss chard, chopped (or spinach)
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp lime juice
salt and pepper

Heat the oil in the skillet. Add the onion and saute until softened, a couple of minutes. Then add garlic and saute for another minute. Add the cumin, thyme, oregano, turmeric, paprika and stir around a bit. Then add the mushrooms. Spread them around in the skillet and saute until they brown.

Time for the tofu. I just crumble it in my hands as I add it to the skillet. Both with mushrooms and tofu, stir as little as possible, letting them brown on each side before turning. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chard, nutritional yeast and lime juice towards the end, letting the chard wilt and using the lime juice to scrape all the brown bits off the pan.

Why almost vegan, then? I couldn't resist adding some grated Havarti to the scramble before wrapping it in a tortilla to make the best brunch burrito ever.

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Sweet potato gnocchi

2009-11-12T03:11:41Z

There's a certain je ne sais quoi about dumplings. I'm fascinated by dumplings of all cultures, shapes, and forms. From matzoh balls to pierogi, from momos to gnocchi, they are the perfect comfort food.

The fact that they are usually a hundred percent carbohydrate is completely irrelevant.

Sweet potato gnocchi

I always though gnocchi were made with eggs, so the discovery that they don't have to be came as a pleasant surprise. In fact, some traditionalists say that eggs make for a chewier gnocchi, and that is not good. Three large sweet potatoes in the CSA box, some sturdy sage from the herb pot, and we're all set!

What you need:
2 lbs sweet potatoes, roasted (45 minutes in a 450 degree oven), peeled, mashed well
2/3 cup ricotta cheese (throw it in a fine sieve to allow water to drain out, a couple of hours or so)
1.5 cups or more of all purpose flour
salt and pepper to taste

The idea is to make a dough out of the above, using as little flour as possible. To make that possible, use the firmest variety of sweet potatoes you can find. Roast them in the oven instead of boiling. Dust all surfaces with generous amounts of flour and keep dusting.

Bring a huge pot of water to a boil.

Mix together the mashed sweet potatoes, ricotta, flour, salt and pepper. Don't overwork the dough. All you want is for it to stay together and not stick to your hands. Divide the dough into six pieces (a dough separator/scraper comes in very handy.)

Roll each piece out into a half-inch thick string and cut into gnocchi a bit larger than your thumbnail. Then press a floured fork into the back of the gnocchi to create grooves for sauce. Go here for a technique video.

Cook the gnocchi in three batches. Simply add them to the boiling water and fish out with a slotted spoon as soon as they start to float. Place in a platter.

At this point, you can spread them on a sheet, freeze, then store the frozen pieces in a ziplock bag. Or you can saute them in a sauce of your choosing. I melted a couple of tbsp of butter, fried ten sage leaves in it and added 2 tbsp of maple syrup, before giving the gnocchi a quick saute. Delicious.

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Paneer spinach chard stir fry

2009-11-08T18:44:59Z

I'm trying to quit apologizing for my Vox absences; things are the way they are. Instead, I want to share our brunch recipe for this weekend. Its easy, nutritious, and delicious.

Paneer spinach chard stir fry

This dish is best made with fresh cottage cheese or paneer. Store brought paneer, fresh Mexican cheese (the kind that does not melt) and tofu will work, but do try it with fresh paneer. Its delicious!

To make about 2 cups of paneer, you will need:

A large 2 quart microwave safe glass bowl/jug
2 quarts 2% milk
1/4 cup white vinegar (Different people use different curdling agents. Using yogurt will give you a milder tasting paneer. My mother always uses fresh lime juice as a curdling agent. It gives a fresher-tasting paneer.)
A large fine-mesh sieve, or a colander lined with muslin/layered cheesecloth

Heat the milk in the microwave until it comes to a boil. In my microwave, this takes about 14 minutes. Alternatively, you can boil the milk on the stove. When it comes to a rolling boil, stir in the vinegar. You'll see the milk start to separate.

Continue heating for another couple of minutes or until the greenish whey completely separates from the curds. Drain this mixture through the sieve, using your spoon to press out the whey.

You can save the whey and use it in other recipes-remember, its a little sweet. I like to use it to make rice and smoothies.

There it is, fresh paneer. Try tasting it with a little seasoned salt or sugar. You can also add salt, pepper and herbs to the curd-whey mixture before draining it to get seasoned paneer.

Other ingredients for the stir fry:
6 cups fresh spinach, chopped
2 cups chard, chopped
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp powdered coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 green chillies, chopped
one clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a large skillet.
Add the cumin, coriander, turmeric, and stir until the cumin seeds pop.
Then add the green chillies, garlic. Saute for a few seconds, and add the paneer.
Crumble the paneer with the back of your spoon and saute until nicely browned.
Add the greens and saute until they are just wilted.
Season with salt and pepper and serve hot with naan/garlic toast/rice. Enjoy!

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Southwestern sweet potato-black bean salad

2009-10-19T23:30:42Z

Fall is here and my food cravings have changed. No more fresh green salads and fruit sorbets- I want soups and stews and food that warms the bones. Mark Bittman has the perfect recipe. As a bonus, it makes good use of the sweet potatoes and peppers from our CSA box.

Salad with cornbread and wilted greens

Here is my (slight) modification of the recipe.

4 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 small red onion, chopped

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 minced fresh hot green chili pepper

1 clove garlic, peeled

Juice of 2 limes

2 cups cooked black beans

1 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Put sweet potatoes and onions on a large baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoons oil, toss to coat and spread out in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until potatoes are tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove.

Process chilies in a blender along with garlic, lime juice, cilantro, remaining olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Put warm vegetables in a large bowl with beans and bell pepper; toss with dressing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

The salad was wonderful- bold and warm, with just enough heat to make my taste buds sing (but not yell). The cilantro-green chilli dressing gave it the welcome flavors of Indian sweet potato chaat- best eaten by the roadside.Try it, you won't be disappointed.

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I Diet Pizza

2009-09-30T13:08:28Z

This pizza makes no claims to be the one from my favorite pizza joint. It is quite delicious on its own, though, and satisfies all my cravings for only 300 Cals. That's one fourth a large pizza, which runs close to 600 Cals for the thin-crust spinach-feta-caramelized onion-balsamic reduction pizza at Lola's.

Yeah, I'm a fancy pizza eater. I also like grape-gorgonzola pizzas. It is a source of deep and unremitting shame.

Not so fancy diet pizza

Ingredients:

1.5 cups all purpose white flour
1 cup soft white wheat bran (I just use regular bran. Cut back to 3/4th or 1/2 cup if the dough is too branny for you)
2.5 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
1 cup tomato sauce (On weekdays, I cheat by using store-brought sauce and heating it on the stove until it reduces to three-fourths the original volume)
2 oz parmesan cheese
2 cups of your favorite toppings ( I used half a pound of broccoli and baby spinach each, sauteing them first)

Knead together the flour, bran, yeast, sugar and salt using enough water to make a soft dough. Start with 1/2 cup water and add more as needed. Knead the dough for five minutes, then let rise for an hour.

Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees. Roll the dough out into a large 14-inch pizza, then let rise again for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare your sauce/toppings.

Spread the sauce on the pizza, followed by 1 oz grated parmesan. Add the toppings, and the rest of the cheese on top. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the crust is crispy. Serve immediately.

Even though I'm officially off the diet, A and I like this pizza so much we make it at least once a week. The bran in the crust makes it chewy and sweet, and two slices make a large serving. Try replacing the bran with whole-wheat flour for a non-diet but still healthy version.

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Roasted potato salad with wilted kale

2009-09-27T23:35:10Z

Perfect for the cold rainy-gray weather we've been having.

Roasted potato kale salad

Adapted from this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 pound russet potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 tbsp tahini
1 tablespoons water
1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp sumac (optional)
3/4 pounds kale, stems and ribs discarded and leaves thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in upper third.

Toss potatoes with oil, salt, pepper and paprika and spread evenly on a baking sheet. Roast for twenty minutes or until golden brown. Spread cheese and kale on top of potatoes and roast for another couple of minutes until the kale is wilted.

Beat together tahini, water, lemon juice, minced garlic and sumac until smooth.

Toss kale and potatoes with tahini sauce and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

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Heirloom

2009-09-20T22:08:24Z

Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English heirlome, from heir + lome
Date: 15th century

1 : a piece of property that descends to the heir as an inseparable part of an inheritance of real property
2 : something of special value handed on from one generation to another
3 : a horticultural variety that has survived for several generations usually due to the efforts of private individuals

The tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres, tuned with ropes stretched across the drums.

Tabla

At my wedding, my parents gifted me a miniature pair, hand crafted from heavy silver. They gave my sister a similar pair, and the drums are now a treasured family heirloom. After coming to the US, they were the first thing I sent for.

I use them to keep cardamom and fennel seeds on the table, as a time-honored after-dinner Indian tradition. Cardamom and fennel are used in India as mouth fresheners, much like the American chocolate mint. Fennel seeds may or may not be toasted, and are sometimes covered with pastel colored sugar coating. Cardamom seeds may be sweetened and painted with silver dust for a more elegant presentation.

Well played!

The picture goes to Jugalbandi September, which is paired with the Monthly Mingle- theme heirloom.

*Updated on 10/18/09- I won it! The elusive Click Spectra- for best capture.

Sep09

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On a diet? Eat sizzler.

2009-09-05T01:15:27Z

Vegetable sizzlers are a family favorite- vegetables and potato patties in tomato sauce spread on a hot cast iron tray, drizzled with a butter-vinegar mixture for that special sizzle.

Enter the I Diet. This is week 5 of the 8 week plan, and I have lost 8 lbs. The diet is great in terms of nutrition, satiety and all that, but it leaves much to be desired in its vegetarian menu plans. I've been tweaking most of the recipes to make them more taste bud friendly. Thus, the spicy tofu stir fry morphs into the quasi-familiar Indo-Chinese sizzler.

Vegetable sizzler

You do need some kind of cast iron tray for this. A fajita tray, sizzler tray, or even a cast iron griddle will do, as long as you have a server that you can safely put under it.

Ingredients-

1 package (14 oz) firm tofu, pressed for 30 minutes, cubed
1 lb broccoli, stems and florets trimmed and chopped
1 lb green peppers, chopped into bite size pieces
6 oz carrots, cubed
6 oz mushrooms, sliced thick
1 tsp canola oil
4 leaves cabbage (important- do not omit)
3 tsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp chilli garlic paste
1- 2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp or more cilantro, chopped
salt and black pepper to taste

- Parboil the carrots and broccoli until they are cooked through but still firm. I microwave them on high for 2 minutes with a few drops of water, then quickly dunk them in cold water to stop cooking. Drain.
- Saute the mushrooms in a non-stick pan until they release water. (I didn't use oil.) Then add the peppers and saute some more. Finally add the carrots and broccoli along with 1 tbsp soy sauce. Stir around for a minute or so.
- Remove the vegetables.
- There should be some broth left over in the pan. I added the tofu cubes to this broth and let them steep in it until they absorbed the flavor. You could do that, or cook the tofu your favorite way- pan fry, steam or broil.
- Toss the vegetables and tofu together with the ginger and cilantro.
- Stir together the remaining soy sauce, hoisin sauce and chilli parlic paste. You can add any broth left over in your veggie pan to this, as well as a tbsp or two of dry sherry/water.

Now comes the fun part.

Heat the cast iron pan on the stove. Brush the oil over the pan with a silicone brush/ crumpled up towel. Wait until the oil barely starts to smoke. Lay down the cabbage leaves over the tray, covering the whole surface with a single layer of leaves. Heap the vegetable tofu mixture on top. You should start to hear the sizzle. Make sure your family and friends are at the table before you drizzle the sauce over. Voila..smoke and sizzle!

Carefully transfer the hot tray to the server. Be careful while serving/eating from the tray- hot cast iron is not friendly to the skin. Serve some rice on the side and enjoy!

Smoke and sizzle!

This recipe makes three king-size servings of 600 gm each. Each serving (without rice) has 260 Cals, 20 gram protein, 34 gram carbs and 7.5 gram fat.

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