MAIN DISHES

There are innumerable variations of vegetable dishes, each one distinctive by the choice of vegetables in combination with grains, legumes, herbs, spices, sauces and cooking methods. However one rule, common to all vegetable cooking, is to avoid overcooking them to a soft mush where they become visually unappetizing and low in nutrients. Vegetables should be lightly steamed, stir-fried or slowly casseroled to preserve texture, colour and goodness. When using a variety of vegetables take into account their cooking time. Harder vegetables like potato, carrot, pumpkin etc. should be cooked first, then when they soften a little add cauliflower and broccoli, and then zucchini, beans, peas and so on.

Vegetables (Subji): Ashram Style (1)

The following is a basic recipe. Any and all vegetables can be used. We have included a few variations for different tastes. Experiment further for yourself.

1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon crushed coriander seed
salt and pepper to taste
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium potato, chopped
2 cups chopped pumpkin
1 cup chopped carrot
1/2 small cabbage, chopped
1 – 1 1/2 cups stock OR rice water OR water

Method

Heat the oil in your wok and fry the spices until they turn dark brown. Add the onion and fry until transparent. Add the potato, pumpkin and carrot, and continue frying until the vegetables are beginning to soften. Stir to prevent sticking and burning. Add the cabbage and fry for a further minute or so. Add the stock, put a lid on the wok, turn the heat down and allow to simmer until the vegetables are cooked but not soggy, stirring from time to time. Serve with rice and dhal soup.

Variations

1. Use a dessertspoon of curry powder to whatever strength preferred.
2. Other spices: ginger, garlic, turmeric, mustard seed, or even fresh or ground chilli if you like it hot.
3. Herbs only: marjoram, basil, thyme, rosemary etc.
4. Combinations of different vegetables:
   i) Potato, pumpkin and peas
   ii) Potato, beans and corn kernels
   iii) Cauliflower, potato and peas
   iv) Broccoli, pumpkin and celery etc

Spiced Vegetables: Ashram Style (2) serves 4-6 people

Prepare the ingredients (a selection of vegetables of choice)

2 Onions
1 Stick Celery, finely chopped
2 Carrots, finely chopped
2 Tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
1 sweet potato, cut into a golf ball size
4 Potatoes, cut into golf ball size
Green beans, topped, tailed and cut into 2 inch lengths
250 gms. Mushrooms, wiped and cut into large chunks
Garlic 2 cloves, chopped finely
Ginger, 2 inch piece, finely chopped
Small chilli, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds or pancha phora
2 teaspoons coriander powder
2 tablespoons of oil or ghee
1 level teaspoon garam masala
1 cup water

Method:

Chop vegetables in readiness
Prepare the spice mix
Warm the cooking pot (3 litre saucepan)
Dry cook cumin seeds or pancha phora until they colour
Add oil or ghee, then the chilli, ginger and onions very quickly
Once they are sweating down (turning translucent), add finely chopped carrot and celery
Reduce heat
Add the chopped garlic and coriander powder and a touch of garam masala
When the spices are fragrant, add root vegetables and toss in the onions and spices
Add tomato pulp and liquid
Turn up the heat and bring to the boil
Add more water if starting to stick
When the root vegetables are becoming tender reduce heat to a slow simmer
Add the mushrooms and green beans and cook lightly
Season and serve

Vegetables & Curry Sauce

1/2 cup besan flour
1/2 cup plain yoghurt
2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon black cumin seed
1 chilli
1/2 teaspoon tamarind paste mixed with half cup of water (or lime juice)
salt to taste
vegetables as required, chopped and steamed

Method

Make a paste of besan and yoghurt. Place in a saucepan, add water and turmeric. Place on a high heat and wait until mixture froths up. Then remove and set aside. Fry cumin seed and chilli. Add to sauce and pour in tamarind water/lime juice and salt.

A wide range of vegetables can be used. Steam them lightly and either put the vegetables in the sauce to make a vegetable curry or eat them dipped in the sauce.

Gobi Mutter (Cauliflower & Peas) serves 4-6 people

700g cauliflower – about 1 medium – cut into little florets
85g / 3/4 cup frozen peas
125g onions (optional) thinly sliced
2 tsp cumin seed
1bsp garam masala
2 tsp tumeric
1/2 tbsp salt
oil

Method:

• Heat oil and fry cumin seeds until brown
• Slowly fry onions until golden brown (optional)
• Add spices, then cauliflower and salt. Stir well, coating cauliflower in spices and cook, covered over a low flame until tender – sprinkling extra water if necessary
• Add defrosted peas about 5-10 mins before serving

Curried Potatoes

This recipe can also be used with cauliflower or combine cauliflower & potato

1/4 cup ghee
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
5 medium potatoes, cubed (about 20mm cubes)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 green chillis
1 teaspoon fenugreek powder
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups yoghurt, well-beaten
1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander

Method

Melt the ghee in a saucepan. Add the turmeric and potatoes and fry, turning the cubes frequently until they are lightly and evenly browned. Stir in the garlic, chillis, fenugreek, coriander and salt and fry for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in the yoghurt. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Serve, sprinkled with fresh coriander leaves.

Coconut Pumpkin

10-15 mm ginger, crushed
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 dessertspoon ghee
1 onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon curry leaves
1/4 stick cinnamon
2 cups pumpkin chunks
2 cups thin coconut milk
salt to taste
1/2 cup thick coconut milk

Method

Fry the ginger and garlic in ghee. Add onion and cook lightly. Add mustard seeds, curry leaves and cinnamon stick. Fry until seeds pop. Add pumpkin, thin coconut milk and salt. Cover and cook slowly over a low heat. Just before completely cooked, gently stir in the thick coconut milk. Add a little water to the coconut milk to make sure it doesn’t curdle.

Palak Panir serves 4-5 people

250g fresh spinach leaves
250g panir
oil/ghee
1/2 tsp tumeric
1 1/2 cups hot water
1/4 tsp black cumin seeds
pinch asafoetida
1 tbsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp chilli powder (optional)
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 cup yoghurt

Method:

• Wash spinach and remove stems
• Place in a pan, cover and steam until soft
• Drain and chop finely
• Cut panir into cubes, placing on kitchen paper to absorb excess moisture
• Heat oil in a wok or small deep pan until very hot – ghee can be added for flavour and fry handfuls of cubes until pale golden
• Meanwhile, add tumeric to 1 cup hot water
• When panir is pale golden, drop into the tumeric water for about 5 minutes, then drain
• Heat about 2 tbsps of oil in a pan and add black cumin seed, asafoetida, chilli and ginger. Fry gently and then add spinach and salt and stir for a couple of minutes.
• Add about _ cup hot water and sugar. Simmer for 5 mins.
• Add yoghurt and stir well. Add panir and simmer for 10 mins

Lentil Cheese Bake

1 cup lentils
4-6 cups tomatoes, chopped and skinned
2 cups water
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 stalk celery, chopped
1 capsicum, diced
1 cup corn kernels
1 1/2 cups grated tasty cheese

Method

Place all ingredients, except corn and cheese, in a casserole dish. Cover and bake in moderate oven for 35 minutes. Then mix in the corn and sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered until mixture is bubbly or until cheese is melted and a little crusty.

Lentil Patties

2 cups cooked and drained brown lentils OR green lentils
1 cup mashed potato
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, dry roasted
2 tablespoons wholemeal plain flour
1/3 cup plain yoghurt
1 teaspoon tamari
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
salt and pepper to taste
breadcrumbs, as required
sesame seeds, as required
oil for frying

Method

Wash lentils. Add all the ingredients except breadcrumbs, sesame seeds and oil. Blend well. Form into small patties, then roll in breadcrumbs and sesame seed mix. These patties can be fried in oil until golden on each side or they can be placed on a greased oven tray and baked in the oven for 20-30 minutes at 180°-200°C. Serve hot or cold.

Pakora

Deep-Fried Savoury Fritters
Plain Pakora
1 cup pea-meal* (besan) flour
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
pinch of chilli powder OR cayenne
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
salt and pepper to taste
water OR stock, as required
oil for deep-frying

Method

Combine all ingredients and make into a batter with required liquid. Batter should resemble a thick pancake mixture. Blend until smooth. In a wok or deep pan heat sufficient oil for deep-frying the pakora. The oil must be hot. Spoon batter into it (about a dessertspoonful at a time). The batter will cook into puffy balls. Depending on the size of your container you may be able to cook 6-8 balls at a time. Turn them and cook until golden on each side and slightly crisp on the outside. Drain well and serve as an accompaniment to a meal.

* The pea-meal or besan flour for the batter can be made directly with split peas. Soak 1-2 cups of split peas overnight. Blend with enough of their liquid to form a smooth paste. Then combine with other ingredients above and cook similarly.

Vegetable Pakora

Batter: as above
Vegetables added: cauliflower, broccoli, eggplant, peas, carrot, corn kernels etc.

Method

Prepare vegetables by chopping into small pieces, grating or slicing thinly, depending on the vegetable. Fold vegetables into the batter. Cook in the same way as the plain pakora.

Samosa

Deep-fried, spicy, vegetable pasties – small, crisp and tasty!
Filling
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 level teaspoon garam masala OR a mixture of nutmeg, coriander and cumin powder
salt to taste
1 tablespoon cooking oil
2 potatoes, steamed and chopped finely after cooking

Method

Fry the onion, garlic and spices in the oil until the onion is cooked. Add the cooked potato. Mix well and fry for another two or three minutes to distribute the flavour. Put aside.

Pastry

salt and ground pepper to taste
1 cup unbleached white flour (not wholemeal – too soggy)
2 tablespoons ghee OR butter
1/4 cup warm water

Method

Add the salt and pepper to the flour, then rub in the ghee or butter, working it with the fingers until the flour looks like coarse cornmeal. Add the water and work into a soft dough. Break off walnut-sized pieces of the dough and roll them out into 70-80mm circles. The dough must be very thin. Place a heaped dessertspoonful of the mixture on each dough circle. Wet the edges with water and seal the dough into a triangular-shaped pastie.

Deep-fry the samosas in plenty of very hot oil until they are golden and crisp. Drain on paper. Serve hot with tomato chutney (see Tomato Chutney on page xx – a good “horses doover”!)

Vegetarian Lasagne

1/2 packet lasagne noodles, cooked
250g mozzarella cheese
Filling
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 eggplant, sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 green capsicum, chopped
1 tablespoon butter OR oil
1/2 kg tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 cups chopped spinach leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 cup tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste

Sauce

1 egg, beaten
1 carton sour cream
250g cottage cheese OR ricotta cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

Method

Sauté mushrooms, eggplant, onion, garlic and capsicum in butter or oil. Add tomatoes, spinach, basil and tomato paste. Simmer approximately 15 minutes. For the sauce, combine the egg, sour cream, cottage cheese, parmesan, oregano and parsley. Put half the vegetable mixture in base of casserole dish. Top with half the lasagne noodles. Spread half the cheese mixture over, and then repeat the layers. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake in moderate oven for 30-45 minutes.

Spagetti & Aduki Bean Sauce

1 packet wholemeal spaghetti OR buckwheat spaghetti
knob of butter (optional)
125g aduki beans (kidney OR brown beans can be used)
1 large onion, chopped
10-15mm piece of fresh ginger, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon oil
5 ripe medium tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil OR dried marjoram
1 teaspoon tamari sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste
grated parmesan cheese
chopped parsley

Method

Boil spaghetti in plenty of water until just firm, not mushy. Drain well. Add a small knob of butter to the spaghetti to stop it sticking together. Keep warm. Soak the beans for some time, then cook in a saucepan or pressure cooker until soft. Mash coarsely. Using a saucepan fry onion, ginger and garlic lightly in oil. Add tomatoes and herbs. Cover and simmer until reduced slightly. Stir in tamari and tomato paste and season to taste. Add beans and heat through. Serve hot over spaghetti and sprinkle with grated parmesan. Garnish with parsley.