Masala Basics

Sweet Sevaiyaan (Jaggery)

iahmedi — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 16:28:12 +0000

Sweet Sevaiyaan is a quick dessert with Sev and Jaggery, a little different variation that the typical milk based recipes.

Sweet Sevaiyaan is a quick dessert that’s easy to make and versatile as it can be served for a simple weeknight dessert as well as a fancy dinner! Typically Sev is most commonly made with milk and sugar. In this recipe, we will keep it dry and sweeten it with Gud/Jaggery. This dish is also known as Kimami or Kiwami Seviyaan.

The roasting of the sev in ghee gives it a nutty flavor, the gud makes it sweet with an earthiness and the nuts on top give it the crunch it needs. The secret to this recipe is the water to sev ratio. Just like rice, we want just enough to cook it, but not make it mushy. Each sev needs to be separate and not stick together in big lumps. This recipe has the perfect proportion to get it right every time!

This is a great budget friendly and beginner recipe, check it out.

Makes: 4-6 servings

Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

3/4 cup of water
1/2 cup of grated Jaggery (gud). You can use sugar if you prefer.
1/4 tsp elaichi powder (cardamom)
pinch of Saffron
1/4 tsp orange food color (optional)
1 tsp rose essence (optional)
2 tbsp ghee or butter (I do not recommend using oil for this)
1/2 cup of large chopped nuts (you can mix almonds, pistachios, cashews, walnuts as you like)
1 tbsp golden raisins
2 cups of sev or 75g which is half packet. With your hands, crush the sev to 1-2″ pieces while in the bag.

Method:

In a pot add the water, gud, elaichi, saffron, color, rose on medium heat till it comes to a boil. Once the gud is melted turn it off and set aside. This is meant to be a very thin sugar syrup, no need to worry about the “taars”!
In a nonstick pot, add 1 tbsp ghee with nuts and raisins, toast them on low for 5 mins till lightly golden brown. Remove and set aside.
In the same pot on medium heat, add another 1 tbsp ghee, add the sev. Stir and toast for a few mins till they are evenly browned in color. It should be a medium brown color.
Slowly add the sweet syrup to the sev, be careful it will splatter!
Add half of the nuts and raisins. Stir occasionally, cover and cook on low heat for 5-7 mins. The liquid should be fully absorbed, sev should be soft and cooked through.
Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with the rest of the nuts and raisins, serve hot or warm.

Tips:

To give it some richness, you can top it with Malai as shown in the pictures. You can also use melted/heated mawa. Or if you are in a hurry just breakup a piece of barfi/khalakand and sprinkle on top!
Since we are using gud, the final dish color will depend on how dark it is. When buying gud, you can get the powdered version so its easy to measure and use. Sometimes the blocks of gud are hard to break.
For other simple dessert ideas, check out more recipes in the Sweets Section.

Sweet Coconut Plantain (Ndizi Tamu)

iahmedi — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 18:41:34 +0000

Sweet Coconut Plantain has few ingredients and easy to make, try this simple dessert today!

Sweet coconut plantains is a simple and quick dessert to make with very few ingredients. This is actually a popular dish in the East Coast of Africa especially during Ramadan time. Especially around the coastal cities where you can get fresh coconut. It is made with yellow ripe plantains (not regular bananas), cooked in coconut milk and flavored with aromatic crushed cardamom. In the local language Swahili this dish is called Ndizi za naazi (plantains in coconut) or Ndizi Tamu (sweet plantains).

Growing up this was one of my favorites, the smell when this was cooking would take over the kitchen! Soft yummy plantains, covered in a sweet coconut sauce; its simply yummy. I did not realize how easy it is to make till I was much older. This is a nice simple recipe, with only 4 ingredients, cooks quickly in just 15 mins making it a perfect beginners dessert option.

Lets get started!

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

3 large ripe yellow plantains NOT BANANAS (the more black spots the more ripe it is)
3 cups of coconut milk
1 tsp elaichi powder (cardamom)
4 tbps sugar
Optional: 2-3 drops of Vanilla or Banana extract
Optional : nuts for garnish

Method:

First lets prep the plantains – cut the ends off, cut in half and then half again lengthwise. So you Have 4 pieces. Peel them.
In a wide non stick pan, lay the bananas in a single layer, do not stack them on top of each other. You can also layer the peels and then the plantains on top to ensure it does not stick, see pic below.
Add coconut milk, sugar, half of the cardamom powder. Cover and cook on Medium heat for 10 mins. Do not stir.
Add the extract and the rest of the cardamom powder and cook for 2-5 more mins till the sauce thickens. Poke a fork in the plantain to be sure its cooked and soft; if it easily mashes, its done. Depending on how ripe your plantains are, the cook time will vary.
Serve hot or warm and enjoy.

Tips:

This is the basic recipe, if you want to take it up a notch, you can add some saffron and garnish with chopped nuts to give it a nice crunch.
You can also add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top
This recipe is perfect for warm spices, you can add Cinnamon and nutmeg powder as well if you like.
If you are not using a non stick pan, then first lay the plantain peels at the bottom of the pan and lay the plantains on top. At the end remove the peels before serving. The peels will protect the plantains from burning and sticking to the pan.
For other simple dessert ideas, check out more recipes in the Sweets Section.

White Chicken Korma

iahmedi — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 21:36:53 +0000

White Chicken Korma is a thick hearty curry that is perfect with naan or rice especially on special occasions.

White Chicken Korma is a great special occasion dish that is so rich, hearty and filling! Tender chicken covered in an absolutely yummy white korma curry. Nuts, fried onions, coconut milk and warm spices like cardamom, nutmeg, make for rich curry to impress your special guests.

Although it may seem like lots of ingredients, it actually not too hard to make. Cook the chicken, blend the gravy ingredients and then cook together; with step by step guidance. Be sure to check out the tips section for a huge time savor trick for the chicken!

Get ready to impress your loved ones with this recipe, its easier than you think! You can do it, so lets get started.

Makes: 4-5 servings

Time: 60 mins

Ingredients for Chicken:

1 Whole Chicken, cut up into large pieces. (no skin)
1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste (Adu lasen)
1 tsp Salt

Ingredients to blend for curry:

4 tbsp cashew nuts
4 tbsp almonds (pealed, no skin)
1-1/2 cups of fried onions (bilisto)
2 Cups yogurt
1 cup water or use the broth from cooking the chicken
1 cup coconut milk

Other Ingredients for curry:

2 tbsp oil or ghee
Optional: 5 or 6 curry leaves
1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 bay leaf (tej patta)
1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds (jeera)
1 tsp nutmeg powder (jaifer)
1 tsp Cardamom powder (elaichi)
1 cinnamon stick (taj)
1 whole large black elcho
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp Garam Masala powder
1 tbsp Cumin Coriander powder (dhana jiru)
1 tbsp White Korma powder masala (I like the Shan brand for this)
Optional: 1 tsp kewra water, pinch of saffron
Optional 1 tsp Kasuri methi

Method:

First prep the chicken – clean, remove skin, cut up, dry.
Add to the chicken, ginger garlic paste and salt and mix together. Cover and set aside for 15 mins to marinate.
In a baking dish layout the chicken in a single layer and bake on 375 for 30 mins.
Strain any liquid and set aside, we will use this in the next step.
Next in a blender jar add all the ingredients and blend into a smooth paste. Be sure there are no bits or nuts left, should be smooth paste. Use 1 cup of broth from step 4 or 1 cup of water.
Now in a large non stick pan on medium high heat, add oil, curry leaves, bay leaf, ginger garlic paste, and whole spices. Cook for a few mins till slightly turns color.
Then add the blended nuts mixture to the pan, along with the powder spices. Stir well.
Add the cooked chicken and stir well. Cover and cook for 15 mins stirring in between.
Adjust water if you like the curry thinner, although kormas are supposed to be thick.
At the end add the saffron, kewra water and methi and stir in.
Serve hot right away with naan and rice.

Tips:

A HUGE tip to speed up this recipe is to use Rotisserie chicken! Remove the skin, cut it up and add to gravy, its ready to go.
To make it easier, I like to use fried onions although it makes the gravy a little brown not white. If you want it whiter, you can use fresh raw white onion instead.
To prep ahead you can bake the chicken one day prior and store it and complete the dish on the day of the event.
IF you have any leftovers, you can freeze in an air tight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, and reheat on the stove really well till the gravy comes together again. When it thaws, the gravy will look curdled, but not to worry it is fine, Just reheat really well before serving.
For other vegetarian and non-vegetarian curry ideas, check out more recipes in the Curry Section.

Crispy Sweet Kaimati

iahmedi — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 20:26:28 +0000

Kaimati, crispy crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, coated in a sweet saffron syrup.

Kaimati is a popular dessert made on the East Coast of Africa in Muslim households especially during Ramadan. Kaimati is a take on the Arabic dish Luqaimat. Small donut holes like balls are perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, enveloped in a sweet saffron flavored syrup. This is a nice dessert that’s enjoyed hot right as its ready!

The secret to the perfect Kaimati is that it should be crispy on the outside and soft inside. Also the sugar syrup should be just enough to coat the outside; if it soaks all the way in it gets soggy. The mixture is not as dry as a dough or thin like a batter, it should be mixed well until a smooth sticky mixture is ready.

This is a good beginners recipe, check it out.

Makes: approx 12-15 small Kaimati’s (size of donut holes)

Time: 50 mins

Ingredients for the Kaimati mixture:

1 cup of white flour
1 tbsp dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
3/4 cups coconut milk
1 tbsp melted ghee or butter
Optional: pinch of salt
2 tbsp Plain Yogurt
1/8 tsp elaichi powder (cardamom)

Approximately 3 cups of Oil for frying (preferable vegetable or canola)

For the Syrup you will need:

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Pinch of Saffron
1/8 tsp elaichi powder (cardamom)

Method:

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together for the mixture. Use a whisk and stir well till no lumps are left and completely smooth. Whip for a good 5 mins until it becomes a sticky mixture.
Cover and set aside for 30 mins on the counter to let it rise.
In the meantime, lets make the syrup. Add together all the syrup ingredients in a pot on medium high heat for 5 mins till the sugar is fully melted. Set aside.
In a frying pan on medium high, heat up the oil.
Now we drop small balls of the mixture in the oil to fry. You can do that using a small ice cream scoop used for cookies, or use 2 spoons, or a piping bag. Dip the utensils in oil in between to allow the mixture to easy drop into the oil.
Turn and fry till lightly golden brown (not dark brown).
Toss them in the warm syrup mixture till they are coated. Remove them from the syrup if there is excess so they don’t get soggy, remember we just need to coat not soak.
Serve and enjoy immediately while they are piping hot!

Tips:

Small melon baller or rounded measuring spoons work well to drop same size round balls in the oil.
Be sure to whip the mixture really well and its very smooth with no lumps. the more its whipped the better.
For other simple dessert ideas, check out more recipes in the Sweets Section.

Makki Roti (corn)

iahmedi — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 20:00:23 +0000

Makki roti, a traditional corn meal roti is perfect to enjoy with Sarson Saag.

Makki roti is an essential part of Panjabi cuisine, most frequently served with Sarson Saag. It is a crusty, thick roti made from corn meal or coarse corn flour (not corn starch). It is heavy, filling and absolutely delicious smeared with butter on top.

What is difficult is the rolling of the roti because the dough is sticky and soft and breaks and cracks easily. Some people mix in other flours like wheat to make it softer. However I prefer the original and use a trick with a ziplock bag to make the rolling and handling easier. It takes simple ingredients like flour, salt and water.

Try it out, and check out the easy Sarson Saag recipe to enjoy with this makki roti.

Lets get started.

Makes: 8 roti

Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

2 cups of yellow corn meal, coarse corn flour or corn masa. Do not use corn starch
1 tsp salt
1-1/4 cups of hot water
1 tbsp butter to brush on top
Oil to brush on your hands

Method:

In a bowl, add corn meal, salt, hot water. Stir with spatula till its all incorporated. Let it sit for 5 mins to cool down enough to be handleable.
When you can handle it, knead for 5 mins to ensure its smooth and fully incorporated.
Cover and let it sit for 10 mins.
Divide the dough into 8 even portions.
Take a large gallon size zip lock bag, cut both sides so you can open it up into 1 long piece.
Dip the dough ball into dry corn flour, put in between the plastic and gently roll into a circular shape about 5 inches in diameter and leave it as thick as a paratha. (see below). The edges will crack, no worries, just use your fingers to smooth them out and shape it.
Brush some oil on your hands if needed to help it not stick to your hands.
Gently open up top plastic layer and flip it onto your palms, peel the other side plastic off and lay onto a heated pan to cook. Try to avoid too much handling as it will break. Even if it does, you can patch it up or pinch it together in the pan and seal any cracks.
Cook on medium heat for 3 mins on each side.
Brush some butter on top and serve hot!

Tips:

For other Indian bread options, check out more recipes in the Breads Sections

Sarson Saag (Mustard Greens)

iahmedi — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 19:25:20 +0000

Sarson Saag (mustard greens) enjoyed with Makki (corn meal) roti is a traditional Panjabi meal that is so filling!

Traditional Panjabi Sarson Saag enjoyed with Makki roti is such a filling meal! This is a traditional humble and hearty meal hard working farmers enjoy in the Indian subcontinent. Sarson is made with mustard leaves and is very nutritious. A crusty corn meal roti is served with it. Both are topped with butter for added flavor and richness. Its a yummy meal.

While it may seem difficult and deter many, its surprisingly not that difficult to make. For years I devoured it when my Panjabi father in law made it, but was too afraid to try it myself. But when I finally learned I realized it was actually not too bad. I have simplified the recipe and broken it down step by step below.

Mustard greens are readily available in most supermarkets, but also available at Asian grocery stores and some Indian stores as well. I prefer to use the fresh, I don’t recommend the canned ones.

Be sure to check out the Makki Roti recipe as well to go along with it.

Lets give it a try!

Makes: 4-6 servings

Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

1 kg of fresh Mustard leaves
1 cup of frozen spinach or 2.5 lbs of fresh spinach leaves
200g of Bathua or Amaranth leaves (frozen will also work)
100g of fresh Methi leaves (2 frozen cubes will work)
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste (adrak lasen)
3 tbsp ghee or butter
3 tbsp sliced garlic
2 green chilis
Optional 1 or 2 dried red chili
1-1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 tsp jeera seeds (cumin)
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
1/4 tsp Garam Masala
1tsp Cumin Coriander powder (dhana jeera)
1-1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp corn flour
1/4 tsp turmeric (haldi)
1/2 tsp red chili powder

Method:

Trim the the very ends of all the greens, but keep all the stems. Properly wash and drain them. Chop up all the greens. It may seem like a lot of quantity, but when it cooks it will reduce a lot.
In a pressure cooker (or Instant Pot) add the greens, 1/2 cup water, 1tbsp garlic ginger paste. Cover and cook on medium heat for 15 mins.
Turn off the heat and let it cool for 10 mins till you can open the cooker.
Using a jar or hand blender, blend the cooked greens into a coarse paste. Set aside.
In a non stick pan, add 2 tbps butter, sliced garlic, green chili, red whole chili, jeera, till lightly brown (see pic below)
Add cumin coriander powder, garam masala, salt, turmeric, red chili powder along with crushed tomatoes
Add the blended greens mixture
In a small bowl, mix the corn meal with 1/2 cup of water into a lump free slurry. Add to the greens and stir well. Cook on medium for 10 mins till it thickens. Stir frequently in between. Keep the lid nearby incase it splatters.
Serve hot, add 1 tbsp of butter on top for added flavor.

Tips:

Some people also like to add turnip (shalgum) to this. Peel and dice it and add it with the greens in step 2 above.
Be sure to check out the Makki Roti recipe to serve alongside this delicious Sarson Saag.
This is not something you make often, so go ahead and freeze the leftovers for next time. It freezes very well for 4 months.
For other curry ideas, check out more recipes in the Curry Section.

Hearty Butternut Squash Soup

iahmedi — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 16:47:40 +0000

On a cold winter day, a hearty bowl of Butternut Squash Soup with some crusty bread is a perfect meal.

Butternut Squash soup is a hearty meal perfect on a cold winter day. Dip some crusty bread in it and its a hearty filling meal. It is a common flavor during the fall and winter months. Soup is my favorite way to incorporate butternut squash.

I like to add a few other vegetables to give it more depth of flavor. Carrots, onions, celery is a common pairing for stocks, soups and other flavor starters. In this case, it adds flavor while still allowing the squash to be the star of the dish. Its simple, chop up the ingredients, cook together, blend and enjoy – perfect simple meal for beginners. Its good for lunch, dinner and perfect to pack for lunch at work.

You can use your Instant Pot, pressure cooker, or just simply make this in a pot on the stove no special appliance needed to cook it.

Lets get started!

Makes: 4-6 servings

Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

1 medium sized butternut squash – pealed, cavity cleaned out, large diced – approximately 4 cups
1 cup onion large rough diced
1 cup of carrots pealed, large roughly diced
1 cup celery large roughly diced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 small cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp nutmeg powder
1 tbsp butter
3 cups broth (vegetable, chicken) or 3 cups water with 2 bullion flavor cubes
Optional- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 to 1 1/2 cups heavy cream or half and half

Method:

In the pressure cooker or pot add all the ingredients (except nutmeg and heavy cream).
Cook for 30 mins till the vegetables are soft and mashable
Once cooled a bit, open, remove and discard the bay leaf and cinnamon stick
Using jar blender, or hand blender, blend all the ingredients together to get a smooth texture
Add the heavy cream and nutmeg
Continue to cook on medium heat and bring it to a boil. Keep the cover nearby as the bubble may come up.
Taste it, adjust salt, pepper and add more broth or cream to get the thickness and flavor you like.
Serve hot with some toasted bread, sourdough or pumpernickel is great with this soup.

Tips:

The proportions of the ingredients in this recipe are very flexible, you can add more or less as you have available. Also depends on the size of the squash.
You can keep this vegetarian by using vegetable stock. If you eat chicken the chicken both will give it more flavor.
For a creative idea, boil some pasta and use this as the sauce. Add some vegetables or chicken and you have another meal to repurpose the soup.
This soup freezes really well, if you have leftovers, put them in an airtight container and freeze for later. Should be good in the freezer for up to 4 months, thaw at room temperature or in the fridge and reheat really well before serving. Its hard to make little as butternut squash are pretty large so making a large batch and freezing the rest is a good option to avoid waste.
For other simple soup recipes check out the Soup Section

Masala Kale Chips

iahmedi — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 19:52:38 +0000

Masala Kale Chips is crispy, crunchy, flavorful with a hint of spice; its a healthier snack option. Its a superfood you can’t stop with just one!

Masala Kale Chips is a great snack option that’s healthier than many alternatives. It provides the perfect crispy crunchy snack loaded with flavors with a hint of spice. Take your regular Kale chips to a whole new level. If you don’t like Kale, try this version.

While Kale is not a new vegetable, it is just recently gaining popularity as people are becoming aware of its numerous health benefits. Its a superfood loaded with Vitamins A, K, B6 and C, along with Calcium, Potassium, copper, and manganese. It is known to be a very diabetes friendly option and also for weight control.

Kale can be eaten raw or cooked. Some people find the taste of raw Kale to be pungent and peppery. When you bake Kale into crispy chips, it reduces the sharpness and more people enjoy the crunchy version.

In this recipe I have come up with a desi version with some added spice and flavor to kick it up a notch! Check it out.

Time: 30 minutes

Level of difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4 snack size portions

Ingredients:

1 bunch of curly kale = approximately 4 cups worth
3 tbsp olive oil (vegetable or sesame oil will work as well)
1/2 tsp Sea salt (or regular is fine)
1 tbsp Garam Masala
1 tbsp Chaat masala (I like the MDH brand)
Optional: 1 tbsp Sumac (A tart berry that is dried and powdered and used as flavoring in many
Mediterranean cuisine)

Method:

Wash and dry the kale very well. Trim the leafy portions off the hard middle stem. Tear or cut the leaves keeping the leafy portions in large pieces as they will shrink as they cook. Discard the large middle stems.
Add all the seasonings and mix well so its fully coated.
Spread out on a backing tray, try to not stack and overlap them. See picture below right before placing into the oven
Bake on 375 degrees Fahrenheit in middle rack for 30 mins. They will shrink, turn lightly browner, and become crispy.
Pull out and let it cool, then store in an airtight container.

Tips:

The seasoning is very flexible, keep it simple with just salt and pepper, or add any seasonings you like as Kale does not have much of a taste.
See more vegetarian and non vegetarian options in the Appetizer Section.

Minced Chicken Kabobs

iahmedi — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 18:20:44 +0000

A simple minced Chicken Kabob recipe, a perfect appetizer or afternoon snack with a hot cup of tea.

Looking for a simple kabob recipe – this is one of them! This simple chicken kabob is perfect for an appetizer or great afternoon snack with a hot cup of Masala Chai.

Simply mix the ingredients together, set aside to marinade, then roll, coat and fry. You have a delicious kabob ready. You can even marinade it the day before an event so you all thats left is to fry when you want to serve. You can even shape them and freeze them raw, thaw and fry whenever you need.

You can serve it hot or room temperature with a sauce or chutney of your choice. Imli, green chutney, coconut chutney or even simply Ketchup or hot sauce will be great.

You can make this recipe with any ground minced meat, however I am using chicken as a healthier option than red meats. Chicken is very bland by itself so it takes extra amount of spices to become more flavorful versus other red meats.

Here is a step by step recipe for beginners, lets give it a try!

Time: 1 hour (includes marination time)

Level of difficulty: Easy

Servings: 15 small kabobs (count varies depending on the size you make)

Ingredients for the Kabobs:

1 lb of minced Chicken (khima)
1 medium egg
1/4 cup bread crumbs (Italian flavored works well)
1 cup grated onion, squeeze out the liquid from it
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (dhania)
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves (fudina)
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp Garam Masala
1 tbsp Seekh Kabob Masala (I like the Laziza brand)
1/2 tsp cumin coriander powder (dhana jiru)
1/4 tsp red chili powder (or more if you like it spicy)
1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste (adu lasen)
Approx 2 cups of oil for frying

For the coating you will need:

1 medium egg
1/4 cup bread crumbs (Italian flavored works well)

Method:

Be sure the meat is clean and completely dry! If there is any moisture it will not hold together when frying. Drain or at dry with paper towel.
In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the Kabob. You can use a food processor to make it easier. Set aside to marinate for minimum of 30 mins, longer is better.
Divide the mixture into 15 equal portions, shape them however you like. You can make them like a log, oval, or flat circular tikkis – your choice.
Heat a frying pan with oil on medium high for frying.
Coat each in the bread crumbs, see picture below how it looks at this stage.
Beat the egg in a bowl
Gently dip the kabob in the beaten egg coating it all around
Very gently put the kabob into the heated oil for frying
Turn the kabobs in the oil so that it cooks and browns on all sides evenly. On medium high, it should take about 10 mins to fully cook and brown. Because you have egg coating, there will be bubbles/foaming on the surface of the oil, be sure to use a deep pan filled less than halfway so it does not overflow.
Pull out on paper towel to absorb excess oil
Serve hot with sauce of your choice or simply some lemon wedges and enjoy!

Tips:

To test if the oil is ready, use a fork to dip in the egg and let a drop of egg fall into the oil. If it goes to the bottom oil is not ready. If it is hot enough the egg will start cooking and bubbling right away on the surface. If the oil is smoking, it is too hot, turn it off and let it cool. Do not reuse oil that has turned brown or black it is not healthy for you.
You can marinate the meat and shape them a day ahead and store in a closed container in the fridge overnight. Then the next day when you are ready, just coat, dip and fry. It will save time to get half of it done ahead of time.
After shaping, you can also freeze them. Be sure to use an air tight container and lay them in 1 layer so they don’t stick together. Make a large batch and freeze, then you can pull out a few at a time as needed. Thaw them overnight in the fridge and then they are ready to fry.
See more vegetarian and non vegetarian options in the Appetizer Section.

Vegetarian Cucumber Kimchi Salad

iahmedi — Thu, 06 Jan 2022 17:40:08 +0000

If you like spicy pickles, this is for you. Cucumber Kimchi salad – spicy, crunchy and pickled, a great vegetarian version.

Looking for a salad or side dish but tired of leafy green options? Want to try something different,? Well this one is for you. A pickle with a kick of spice that you can adjust to your taste. It works perfectly as a pickle side dish to complement any meal. Because it is pickled, it can be stored for over a week in the refrigerator and it still maintains the crunch of the cucumber.

Kimchi is a Korean pickle used as a side dish and served commonly with grilled meats and rice. It can be made of any vegetables, cabbage, radish, cucumber are the most common. It is typically made to preserve vegetables for winter months. It is a flavorful spicy pickle that is easy to make.

In this version, you can enjoy it instantly and throughout the week as it stays well and develops flavor as it marinates. It is amazing how the cucumbers maintain crunch even after a few days. It is very simple to make, just chop and mix together the ingredients! No cooking involved, its easy.

Lets give it a try!

Time: 10 minutes

Level of difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4 side salads portions

Ingredients:

2 cups of sliced Cucumbers, keep the skin on (English or Persian work best as they have very few small seeds). If you cannot find these then regular cucumbers can be used, but remove the seeds in the middle. You can cut them in any shape you like, circles, half moons, quarter chunks….as you like.
1/4 cup sliced white onion
1 green onion stalk sliced (or green garlic chives if you can find them).You can slice them small or cut into large 2″ pieces
2 fresh garlic cloves diced small
1/4 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup pealed, halfed, sliced white radish (Korean radish works great for this)
1/4 tsp Salt
2 tbsp Soy Sauce
2 tsp Korean dry Hot Pepper Powder called Gochugaru. Easily available in Asian grocery stores. If you cannot find it then use any dry red chili powder to your taste. Avoid using chili paste or chili sauce, it is not a good substitute for this dish.
2 tsp Sesame Oil
2 tsp Sesame seeds
1 tsp Sugar
1 tbsp Vinegar

Method:

Wash and dry your veggies, chop them.
Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well till each vegetable is coated on all sides.
Let it sit for 30 mins on the counter in an airtight container.
Enjoy and save the rest in the fridge for the rest of the week.

Tips:

If you like include 1 tbsp Fish sauce for added flavor. It is absolutely ok to leave it off to keep it vegetarian.
The proportions of the vegetables are very flexible add more or less based on what you have available.
Bean sprouts are a great addition to this as well for another variation.
Taste it and add more red chili depending on how hot you like it!
See more options in the Salad section