Umami!

In vegan and even vegetarian cookery, it can often be hard to add umami, or a savory quality, to many dishes. Often times umami comes from meat or other animal products in cooking. Fortunately, there are a few animal-free foods that can impart that particular brand of tastiness to your food, including kombu seaweed, tomatoes, cabbage, greens, miso, soy sauce and many other fermented foods. A major vegan source of savoriness is from mushrooms. These tasty little fungi provide not only umami, but also a wide range of nutrients! Bonus!

Here's a few of my recent cooking endeavors that featured the savory mushroom:

Pumpkin-Mushroom Curry (serves 4)
2 Tbs vegetable oil
2 Tbs mustard seeds
1 Tbs cumin seeds
2 Tbs urad dal
12 curry leaves, chopped
2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp asafoetida (also known as hing powder)
2-4 Thai chiles
6 cloves garlic, minced
1" ginger, minced
1 medium onion, diced
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
Pinch salt
4 cups fresh or frozen pumpkin, cubed (can also use butternut squash if pumpkin unavailable)
1/2 c water or vegetable broth
1 Tbs jaggery or brown sugar
1 Tbs tamarind
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 Tbs coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 Tbs garbanzo flour
12 curry leaves, chopped

Heat oil over medium heat in a large wok or deep skillet. Add mustard and cumin seeds, cook 30 seconds until they begin to sizzle and pop. Add urad dal and curry leaves and cook 30 more seconds to lightly brown. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, and chiles and cook for 2-3 minutes to soften. Add the turmeric, cayenne, and asafoetida and saute for 2-3 more minutes. Add mushrooms and pinch of salt, and cook 5 minutes until mushrooms have cooked down and released some of their liquid. Add the pumpkin cubes, water or broth, jaggery, tamarind, salt, pepper, coriander and cumin. Bring liquid to a boil, reduce to low. Cover and simmer 10-12 minutes, until the pumpkin is tender and has cooked down somewhat. Add garbanzo flour and curry leaves, and then cook uncovered for 5 more minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh red onion and cilantro, and serve alongside roti and plenty of Indian pickle.

And, another way to use mushrooms in Indian cooking:

Mushrooms and Peas in a Fenugreek Cream Sauce--veganized using pureed silken tofu instead of heavy cream, from the amazing cookbook 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer. I'm obsessed with this tasty stew and this book. It's a must have! This hearty dish was made even tastier served atop brown basmati rice

as well as with a side of a Radish Raita, also from 660 Curries, made with coconut yogurt. A perfectly filling a veggie-licous meal!

Eating Vegan in INDY: Part One!

Well, now that I live in Indianapolis, my new task is to find all of the awesome places to eat vegan food in this awesome city!

Here's what I've come up with so far...by no means complete, but definitely a good start!

Pizza: If you're looking for delicious vegan pizza, no need to worry...there are plenty of places in Indy that can get you what you need! My favorite so far is Bazbeaux's Pizza. There are several locations around the city, so anywhere you are, you can get good pizza. You can create your own (they even have wheat crust on request!) or order the Senze Formaggio, which is already vegan. It has extra sauce instead of cheese, with sauteed red onions, eggplant, garlic, and fresh basil. I added pine nuts, too! Lots of the pizzas can be made vegan by omitting cheese and such. Senze Formaggio Pizza

Middle Eastern: I know there are lots of Middle Eastern, Greek and Mediterranean places to eat in this city. So far, however, I've only tried one: Ameer's. It's located in the City Market downtown. They have a limited menu, but a few of the daily specials are vegan (Monday is falafel and hummus day, and there is also a day with a lentil and rice dish that's awesome.) This is really tasty and really fast. Everything is made from scratch, which is always much appreciated! Talk to the owners, and they'll let you know what you can and can't have as a vegan! Falafel and Hummus Special--Monday Only

Thai: Siam Square, located in the Fountain Square district, is a really great place to go for authentic Thai food in Indy. A huge menu and lots of vegan-izable items to choose from, including curries, appetizers, rice dishes, and noodles. The staff is willing to omit fish sauce and eggs, making lots of the dishes vegan. Such good food, and perfect if you like it spicy!

Pad Ped with Tofu: a red curry with tofu, Thai eggplant, bamboo, green beans, peppers, and Thai basil in a spicy red sauce; served with jasmine rice.

Brunch/Hippie Food: Sometimes you just want a really good vegan sandwich or some pancakes, right? In that case, you should head to Three Sisters Cafe in the Broad Ripple district. Not strictly vegan, but there are tons of options on the menu which are even marked vegan. There is also a daily vegan soup, and sometimes vegan specials. It's in an old house, making the atmosphere super cute and cozy-- a great place for brunch. And, it is located right next to Good Earth, the hippie natural food store that's been around for decades and has awesome products for the healthy eater.

Portabello Burger, with Vegan Chili

BBQ Grains Sandwich, with Vegan Chili

Indian: I saved this one for last because it is my absolute FAVORITE place to eat in Indy. And in most cities. It's Passage to India...an all-vegetarian Indian restaurant that has an amazing lunch buffet, super friendly and helpful staff, and the best Indian food I've ever had (since I've never been to India and all....) bought or homemade. The best part is that they feature a lot of South Indian food, rare to find in most Indian restaurants I've found. I cannot stress enough how amazing this place is!!! You must go! Bonus: it's right next to an Indian grocery, so you can go buy stuff to make yummy Indian food at home, too!

Roti (they bring naan to your table automatically, which has dairy, but they are happy to bring you roti, which is dairy-free. And awesome.)

Buffet Trip 1--Appetizers (clockwise from the left): Mixed Pickle, Tamarind Chutney, Masala Dosas (in the background), Samosas (the star of the buffet!), Pakoras, and Medhu Vada

Buffet Trip 2-- Main Dishes (clockwise from the top): Lemon Rice, Idli, Aloo Madras, Mixed Vegetable Poriyal, and Bagara Baignan.

Not bad for only being here a few weeks, huh? Well now I'm hungry and ready to try more awesome veg food here in Indy! I'll keep you updated....

Local Pumpkin Curry and Tamarind-Date Chutney

For my first order of business, I'll start off by announcing that I have moved! That's why I haven't blogged in so long...moving is busy busy busy! I now live in Indianapolis, Indiana. This city is awesome, and I'm particularly excited to discover all the tasty food here! Of course.

This was one of the first meals I made since moving, and it was a big hit. I had a bunch of new friends over for a South Indian feast, and I think it made a good first food impression!

This subzi, or vegetable curry, is made with local pumpkin I froze this fall. Combined with potatoes and lots of spices, it makes a fantastic main dish. I served this tasty curry with cardamom-scented basmati rice, homemade roti (whole wheat flat bread), mixed pickle, and a tamarind-date chutney. Of course, there was chai for dessert, too! If you can get your hands on fresh or frozen pumpkin, you should make this right away. It's so delicious and healthy, too!!
Pumpkin-Potato Curry (serves 6-8)
3 Tbs vegetable oil
2 Tbs black mustard seeds
1 Tbs cumin seeds
1 Tbs urad dal (split black lentils)
1 Tbs turmeric
12 fresh curry leaves, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
6 chiles, minced (or to taste)
4 potatoes, diced
6 cups fresh or frozen pumpkin, large diced
1 cup vegetable broth
1 Tbs jaggery or agave nectar
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
12 fresh curry leaves, chopped

Heat oil in a large, deep skillet or wok over medium-high flame. Add mustard seeds and cook 30 seconds until they begin to pop. Add cumin seeds, urad dal, turmeric, and curry leaves. Cook 30 more seconds until the dal begin to brown. Add onion and saute 5 minutes until lightly golden and softened. Add the garlic and chiles and saute 1 minute to slightly brown. Add potatoes and pumpkin and saute 5 minutes (adding a few Tbs of water if too dry). Add broth, jaggery, salt, pepper, coriander, and cayenne. Bring to a boil; cover and reduce to a simmer for 20-25 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the liquid has reduced by at least half. Add the second batch of curry leaves and cook 5 more minutes, uncovered. Season/salt to taste and serve. Goes great with rice, roti, pickle, and chutneys!

And here's my Tamarind-Date Chutney...I'm obsessed and I think you will be, too!

Tamarind-Date Chutney (makes 1 qt, feel free to half if desired)
1/2 cup tamarind concentrate
1/2 cup dates, chopped
1/4 cup jaggery or agave nectar
Juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup onion, diced
1/2" ginger, minced
1 chile, minced
1/4 tsp cayenne, or to taste
1 Tbs vegetable oil
3 cardamom pods, crushed
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups water

Combine all ingredients in a medium pot. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Cover and reduce to low; simmer 30 minutes until reduced and thickened. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth, or pour into a blender and puree (being careful as it will be very hot). Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Aloo Palak Two Ways

I had potatoes and spinach...what better to do than make Aloo Palak (Indian potatoes and spinach)?! I made it twice in a row, but two different ways: one in the North Indian style, a creamy, saucy curry with garam masala, ginger, soy yogurt, and Kashmiri chili powder. The North version was modified from the blog Honey, What's Cooking?, which has tons of awesome (and veganizable) Indian recipes! I served this with some homemade naan and cilantro-mint chutney. Mmmmmm.... The second version of my Aloo Palak was in the South Indian style, a dried curry with mustard seeds, curry leaves, coconut, and lots of chiles. This recipe came from the fantastic 660 Curries cookbook by Raghavan Iyer. I can't get over this book! I served this spicy dish with whole wheat roti and Avocado Chutney, also from 660 Curries. It's like Indian guacamole--with curry leaves, tamarind, chiles, mustard seeds, coconut oil! Genius!

If this were a contest, I guess it would be a tie....both were incredible! Hopefully you can get your hands on some potatoes and spinach soon, because you NEED to eat some Aloo Palak asap!

South Indian-Style Moong Dal and Vegetable Poriyal

If I had to choose....and really, when would I ever have to....I would have to say I prefer South Indian food to North Indian. I don't mean to offend; that's just my opinion. I love them both, obviously! It does seem to me that North Indian cuisine is more popular here in the states, at least judging from the menus at most Indian restaurants I've been to. But as for me, I'm in love with the powerful mango pickle, mustard seeds, curry leaves, spicy chiles, hearty lentils, tangy tamarind and sweet coconut that shine in South Indian cooking. And that's just a short list...did I mention dosa??? Anyway, here is my white girl attempt at capturing those wonderful flavors and techniques, while also using just what I had in my kitchen. I think I could make this every day. It's been three days in a row already! I served mine with homemade roti (whole wheat flatbread) and a yellow tomato and apple chutney I canned in the early fall. Try serving it with your favorite sides and condiments! South Indian-Style Moong Dal and Vegetable Poriyal (serves 4-6)
1 cup moong dal, rinsed
8 cups vegetable broth or water
2 Tbs vegetable oil
2 Tbs black mustard seeds
1/2 Tbs cumin seeds
2 tsp moong dal
12 curry leaves, roughly chopped
1 medium onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 green Thai chiles
2 cups shredded coconut (unsweetened)
2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 tsp ground black pepper
12 curry leaves, roughly chopped
1 cup green peas, frozen or fresh

Bring moong dal and broth to a boil. Reduce to medium-low and let cook for 30 minutes, until the dal are tender but not mushy. Meanwhile, prepare the rest of the curry.
Combine the onions, carrots, bell pepper, garlic, chiles, coconut, turmeric, ground cumin, coriander, cayenne, salt, pepper, and curry leaves in a large bowl. Stir to combine well and set aside.
In a large wok or deep pan, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and let cook about 1 minute, until they start to sizzle. Add the cumin seeds and 2 tsp moong dal and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the curry leaves and cook 2 more minutes. Add the vegetable and spice mixture. Saute for 10-12 minutes, until the vegetables have begun to soften and the mixture has cooked down slightly. Add the cooked moong dal, with about 1 cup of its cooking liquid to the pan. Stir well and reduce to a simmer; cover and let cook for 10 more minutes. Fold in the peas, salt and pepper to taste and let cook 2 more minutes to warm the peas. Serve hot with roti or other flatbread, chutneys and pickles.

Peas to Please: Saag Matar

Continuing with my Indian food obsession is the super tasty and healthy Saag Matar, which is a curry of greens, peas, and lots of amazing spices (saag=greens, matar=peas. fyi.). I adapted this recipe from a wonderful Indian cookbook called Cuisines of India by Smila Chandra. I love this cookbook! Creative yet traditional recipes, beautiful illustrations, clear and educational explanations of ingredients and interesting history of cuisines throughout different regions of India. Lots to love, except there are no pictures. So, if you're really into pictures in a cookbook, I'm warning you ahead of time...but try it anyway! It's wonderful!I served this chunky, spicy curry with brown basmati rice, whole wheat roti bread (I bought it pre-made at the Indian grocery store. I'm a cheater.), and a mango-gunda pickle. Gunda is an Indian berry that, when pickled, is reminiscent of a green olive, but sweeter. It has a pit, so be careful! Anyway, this curry is so great, it should please just about everyone....except for those crazy pea-haters, of course!

Saag Matar (Indian Greens and Peas) serves 6-8
adapted from Cuisines of India

1 bunch fresh greens, such as mustard greens or kale, chopped
1 bunch fresh spinach, chopped
2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seed
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup diced tomatoes, canned or fresh if it's summer
1/2 tsp salt, to taste
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, to taste
1 tsp garam masala, homemade or store-bought
2 cups frozen or fresh green peas--not canned!
1/2 cup water or vegetable broth

In a large wok or deep pan, heat oil over medium high heat. Add cumin seeds and cook 30-60 seconds, until they start to pop. Add the onion and garlic, and saute 3-5 minutes until lightly browned. Stir in the tomatoes and spices and cook for 3-5 minutes, to allow the tomatoes to cook down slightly. Stir in the greens, peas, and water and reduce to a simmer. Cover pan and let cook for 10-15 minutes, until the greens have cooked down and the sauce has thickened. Salt and pepper to taste, add more spice if you're so inclined...I know I am! Serve immediately with rice, roti and plenty of chutneys!

Eat Your Greens: Saag Tofu "Paneer"

The Indian food saga continues with a fabulous and healthy dish: Saag Paneer! Traditionally, this is made with the Indian soft cheese, paneer, but the dairy can easily be substituted with tofu. I used firm tofu since that's what I had, but I'm betting soft would give an even more "real" texture closer to the traditional cheese cubes. "Saag" is the Indian word for greens, here I used collard and mustard greens, but you can use any greens you like and it would still be delicious!

I've adapted this recipe from the HUGE and amazing cookbook, 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer (probably should've added a sixth recipe. just sayin). This book is packed full of all sorts of curries, especially vegetables and legumes, as well as appetizers, rice, breads, drinks and desserts. All of the meat and dairy dishes can easily be made vegan, too! I have it checked out from the library, but I think this might need to be on my "to-buy" list now! Saag Tofu "Paneer"
adapted from 660 Curries and various internet sites

2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 large red onion, thinly-sliced
6 cloves garlic, minced
3" fresh ginger, minced
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp ground cloves
2 cardamom pods, ground (or 1/4 tsp)
2 Tbs tomato paste
1 cup warm water
3-4 bay leaves
2 Thai chilis, minced (or 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper)
2 bunches greens, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 lb tofu, pan-fried
1/2 cup vegan creamer or coconut cream
1/2 tsp garam masala (homemade or store-bought)

Heat oil in a large wok or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and ginger and cook 5 minutes, until the onions have softened and are golden brown. Remove from heat and add spices turmeric through cardamom to the onion mixture and stir to coat the onion mixture. Place in a blender along with the tomato paste and 1/ 4 cup water. Pulse to form a thick paste. Add puree back to the pan. Rinse the blender out with the 3/4 cup water to get all the spices out, and add the rinse water to the pan as well. Return skillet to stove over medium heat, and add bay leaves, chilis, and greens; stir well to combine. Cover pan and reduce heat to low. Let greens cook 5-10 minutes until slightly wilted. Stir in salt, tofu, "cream" and garam masala. Let simmer 2-3 more minutes. Remove bay leaves and serve.
Serve with rice, chutneys, pickle and roti or naan.

I served mine with brown basmati rice and Makkai Ki Roti, a cornmeal-based roti bread. It's so good!! The bitter greens and creamy sauce go perfectly with the sweetness of corn and chewiness of roti bread! That recipe is also in 660 Curries. It's seriously a must-have!

I've Got a Crush...

...on Indian food! I have fallen in love with the wonderful flavors, varied textures, and interesting ingredients of Indian cuisine, so I've been making a lot of it lately. A whole lot. I checked out three Indian cookbooks from the library and have been researching it on the internet. I'm kind of nerding out about it. Anyway, here is one of my favorite dishes I've made so far, Cabbage Thoran. It's a dry curry with lots of mustard seeds and shredded coconut laced into simmered cabbage and spices. I've adapted it from a wonderful cookbook, Cuisines of India, and I'm just crazy about it! Cabbage Thoran (serves 6-8 with other dishes)
Adapted from Cuisines of India and various internet sites

2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
4 cups cabbage, shredded
2 Thai chilis, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
10 fresh curry leaves, chopped (if unavailable, use Thai basil leaves)
2 Tbs vegetable oil
2 Tbs black mustard seeds
10 fresh curry leaves,chopped (or use 4 dried bay leaves)
1 large onion, diced
2 cups cooked yellow split peas--optional, to make as a main dish

In a large mixing bowl, combine the coconut, cabbage, chilis, garlic, salt, spices (turmeric through cumin), and curry leaves. Stir to mix well.
In a large wok or deep pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add mustard seeds to the pan and cook 30 seconds to 1 minute, until they sizzle and begin to pop. Add the curry leaves and onions and saute 3-5 minutes, until the onion softens and begins to brown. Add cabbage mixture to the pan and cook 8-10 minutes, until the cabbage has softened and cooked down a bit. You may need to add water, a few tablespoons at a time, during the cooking process if the mixture becomes too dry. Fold in the cooked split peas and add 1/2 cup water. Reduce heat to low and cover pan; let simmer for 3-5 minutes until the mixture has thickened slightly. Top with sprigs of fresh cilantro and serve with basmati rice, roti, and plenty of pickle and chutneys.

I served mine with hot mango pickle and a cooling cilantro raita! Balance! For this, and many, Indian recipes you will likely have to take a trip to your local Indian or Asian market. Those places are like field trips for me, they're so great...I get sucked in for at least an hour every visit!

Cinnamon Spice is Nice!

I absolutely love using cinnamon in savory dishes...it so often gets trapped in the world of desserts and baked goods, so I like to let it run free and add spice and flavor to vegetables, grains, stews, and anything else that needs that warm and fragrant quality! Tonight, I used it to make Cinnamon-Spiced CousCous with Raisins, which I paired with Curried Tofu from Veganomicon and Cornmeal-Masala Roasted Local Eggplant and Zucchini, based on the Cornmeal-Masala Brussel Sprouts recipe from Veganomicon. Deliciously warm and flavorful, which was perfect for a chilly, cozy night in!