RECIPE: Green Harissa Chicken

Last fall, in addition to red harissa paste, I also made green harissa, using green chilies instead of red (I used jalapeno, banana, and green bell peppers).  I used it in a beef recipe recently, and we really liked it, so I developed this recipe to use it with chicken.  True pasture raised chicken can be tough, and breasts can be dry, so I decided to brine these as an experiment.  They were so good - moist and tender.

Green Harissa Chicken

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 chicken breasts, about 2 pounds
• 1 T. himalayan pink salt
• water
• 3 T. green harissa (you can also use red harissa if that's all you have)
  
• 2 T. ghee, melted, or EVOO

INSTRUCTIONS:

If the breasts are very thick at the wide end, cut them in half horizontally.  Cut the chicken breasts into bite size pieces (about 1" square) and place them in a bowl.  

Sprinkle the pieces with the salt, then cover them with water - I used about 2 cups.  Massage the breasts to distribute the salt and water so that each piece is engulfed in the brine.  Let the chicken soak in the brine for one hour. 

Preheat the oven to 425 (I used our toaster oven).

Remove the chicken from the brine and let it rest in a sieve or strainer so that all the water drips away.  Pat them dry with paper towels and also dry the bowl they were in.

Return the chicken to the bowl and add the harissa.  Massage the harissa into the chicken.  Add the ghee or EVOO and massage that into the chicken, too.

Transfer to a sheet pan and roast until cooked through, about 10 minutes.  

I served them with a green bell pepper cream sauce, and petite peas.  To make the cream sauce I heated some heavy cream in a small saucepan, then stirred in some dried green bell pepper powder, which I had made last summer, a pinch of cumin and a little salt.  If you want the cream sauce to be spicy (I didn't) you can stir some of the harissa into it.

RECIPE: Homemade Simple Cream Cheese

I stumbled on this recipe while looking for something else, and decided to try it, because I often have a half-gallon jar of milk in the fridge that needs to be used. 

It's made just like paneer, but isn't pressed into a slab.  It took me about 45 minutes start to finish.

Original recipe: How To Make Cream Cheese

Homemade Simple Cream Cheese

Makes 2 cups

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 cups whole milk (one half gallon, approximately 2 quarts)
• 3 T. bottled lemon juice
• 1/2 - 1 t. salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a 4-6 quart heavy-bottom saucepan or stock pot, heat the milk on medium high.  Stir the milk constantly until it comes to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium.

Add the lemon juice 1 T at a time with a minute in-between each addition. 

Continue to cook and stir until it curdles, 4-5 minutes.  There should be fluffy white curds floating in whey, a light greenish-yellow liquid. 

Place a strainer over a large bowl and lay a piece of cheesecloth into the strainer.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cheese curds into the cheese cloth.  Discard the whey in the pot.  

Curds and whey in pot, curds removed from whey into cheesecloth-lined strainer.

 

After 10 minutes, all the whey still in the curds should have drained away.  Transfer the curds to a food processor or blender, (I used a food processor) add the salt and blend until smooth and creamy.

It took me one minute.  The cheese is very dense.  To use it as a dip I will need to add liquid, so I saved some of the whey from the bowl under the strainer.  To make it dip consistency, I added 3 T to one cup of cheese.

It does not taste like "cream cheese" because it's just milk.  If you want that cream cheese flavor, you will need to add a starter and allow it to culture.

Holiday menus 2025

In case you are wondering about all the unusual recipes I posted during this "holiday season" ... For me ... this was one of the BEST HOLIDAY SEASONS EVER!  It was unusual, low stress, and full of friendship.

I have recently become disillusioned with the intense commercialization of all holidays, especially those celebrated in winter: the lies we've been told about the US government's treatment of Native Americans and their participation in our "first Thanksgiving", the pressure to conform ("traditional" menus), and the pressure to decorate.   This year, I decided not to participate. 

At the end of November, we did not celebrate Thanksgiving, we celebrated FRIENDSGIVING, and we didn't serve turkey, ham or any of the foods associated with the traditional holiday, we served RACLETTE.  For appetizers, we served three unusual dips with a selection of vegetable dippers:

• Vadouvan Carrot Raita
• Pea Guacamole
• Coddled Leek, Garlic, and Fennel Dip

and we ended the meal with a yule log (which we will be calling a "cloud log" from now on because it's like eating a cloud! 

For dinner on December 24th, we served INDIAN food, from all over the Indian subcontinent:

• North Indian Baked Fenugreek Crackers (Mathri)
  
• North Indian Tamarind chutney and cream cheese dip
• Pakistani Curried Beef Brisket
• Keralan Masoor Dal cooked in Coconut Milk
• Bangalorean Curried Cabbage
• (Afghan) Sela Basmati Rice
• North Indian Coriander Chutney
• Punjabi Spiced Mango Lassi

We didn't serve dessert because we're trying to cut down on our sugar consumption.  

For me ... it's much easier to pull together a big dinner when the rest of the country is NOT also trying to pull together a big dinner!   

RECIPE: Queso Fundito with Chorizo and Roasted Peppers

Queso fundito is one of my favorite things to order in a Mexican restaurant, but now that I know the dangers of the high amounts of omega-6 in pork fat, I'm reluctant to order pork in any restaurant.  Using chorizo made from low PUFA meat, I can make this treat at home!  

 

It wasn't as easy as I thought it would be, though.  Sourcing the right cheese - chihuahua - proved to be a problem, and the alternatives suggested  - monterey jack, manchego, and Oaxaca - didn't seem like they would melt properly.  In my first attempt I used three small containers and cooked each variety of cheese separately to see how they react.  None of them was perfect: oaxaca didn't have much flavor, manchego didn't melt well, and jack cheese was too rubbery, but I suspected that combining them might give me the results I wanted.

Three different cheese experiment

My second attempt was successful - combining all three mimicked the recommended chihuahua cheese perfectly.

Queso Fundito with Chorizo and Peppers   

Serves 2-3

You can make this with onions, peppers, chorizo or a combination.   I like to put the peppers and chorizo in the cheese, and use the onions as a garnish.  If you prefer, you can saute the onions with the chorizo.

During the summer, when peppers are abundant, I roast them, peel them, and then freeze them.  I do this with red bell peppers, red pimiento peppers, and poblano peppers.  Having them in the freezer makes this meal easy to prepare.

I also pressure can chorizo in pint jars, another way to make the meal easy to prepare.

INGREDIENTS:

• For the fundito:
• 1 cup grated manchego cheese
• 1 cup grated oaxaca cheese
• 1 cup grated monterey jack, or pepper jack cheese
• 3/4 cup chorizo
• 1/4 cup roasted peppers, either poblano or bell
• Garnish:
• 1/2 cup minced red or green onion
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 1 cup guacamole (I used pea guacamole) or sliced avocado 
• 1 small jalapeno, minced 
• flour tortillas 
• optional: 1/4 cup roasted peppers 
• optional: sour cream
  

INSTRUCTIONS:

For this recipe, you will need an 8" ovenproof skillet, or a regular skillet and an 8" cazuela or ovenproof baking dish.

Preheat the oven (I used the toaster oven) to 250F.  Wrap the tortillas in parchment, then in foil, and place them on the bottom rack to warm them.  Place the other rack close to the broiler.

If you don't have an ovenproof skillet, and will be using a cazuela or another ovenproof baking dish, put it in the oven with the tortillas to warm up.

Heat a small 8" ovenproof skillet over medium-high (I used cast iron).  When it's hot, add the chorizo and saute until browned and bubbling.  Some people remove the fat, I prefer to leave it in as it has a lot of flavor.

Turn the heat off, distribute the peppers on top of the chorizo, then sprinkle the cheese on top of the peppers.  (If you didn't use an ovenproof skillet, transfer the chorizo to the cazuela then top with peppers and cheese.)  Some people reserve a little of the chorizo to garnish the dish when it comes out of the oven.

Put the skillet/cazuela in the oven and BROIL for 2 minutes until the cheese is melted and the top is slightly brown.  The heat from the chorizo will melt the cheese from the bottom.  Don't overcook or it will become chewy.

Serve immediately with warm tortillas, guacamole, cilantro, minced onion, and jalapeno.

You can also serve it as a dip, with corn chips, but we prefer soft flour tortillas. 

NOTE: in the photo above, I made a double recipe and transferred half the chorizo to a cazuela, leaving the other half in the cast iron.  I loaded both vessels with peppers and cheese, broiled the cazuela, then broiled the cast iron while we ate from the cazuela.  You could also make this in individual cazuelas and let each diner chose what to put in their cheese.  My husband likes more peppers than I do, so I serve extra on the side.

When we finished the cazuela, we were full, so once the cast iron skillet was cool, I covered it and put it in the fridge.  The next day, I heated it on medium-low, without stirring, until the cheese was bubbling.  It was just as good this way, as it was the day before! 

To eat: I put the fundito onto a tortilla and eat it with a knife and fork.  My husband scoops bite size pieces onto the tortilla and eats with his hands.  I think in the past, I would tear small pieces of tortilla, scoop the fundito onto them, and then pop them in my mouth.  It's messy no matter how you chose to eat it!  

Queso fundito, pea guacamole, minced red onion

Garnish for queso fundito: roasted poblanos, cilantro, red onion

 

RECIPE: Spiced Mango Lassi Yogurt Drink

I've been making sweet lassi yogurt drinks for decades. The easiest way is to use fresh or frozen champagne mangoes, and add the flesh to the blender when you make the sweet lassi.  When neither is available, I use organic mango puree from Pure Indian Foods.  For this recipe, I decided to add spices!

The idea is based on a mango jam I made decades ago using a recipe from Yamuna Devi's incredible cookbook, The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking.  I used the same spice combination for this lassi.

Spiced Mango Lassi Yogurt Drink

     

Makes 3 cups.  

INGREDIENTS:

• For infused syrup:
• 1 cup water
  
• 2 t. whole cloves
• 2 t. whole cumin
• 2 t. black peppercorns
• 2 t. cardamom seeds
  
• 2x3" pieces of cinnamon
• 2" piece of fresh ginger sliced thin
• 1/2 cup mango puree (I get ours from Pure Indian Foods)
• 1.5 cups yogurt
• 2-4 T honey depending on the sweetness of your mango puree 

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup water with all the spices until it comes to a boil.  When you smell the spices in the fumes, in about 1 minute, remove from heat and cool to room temperature.  (Don't let it boil too long or all the flavor will evaporate!) Strain the spices out and transfer the seasoned water to a blender.  

NOTE: If you're in a hurry, you can use 3/4 cup water, instead of 1 cup, and then add 1/4 c ice cubes to rapidly cool the infusion.

Add the remaining ingredients to the blender and blend to combine.  Taste and adjust sweetness if necessary.  You should taste the sweetness but it should not be overwhelming.

If you want a cold drink, serve it over ice, but know the ice will dilute it. If you plan ahead, you can make the seasoned water ahead of time, freeze it in ice cube trays, and use that to make the drink. 

NOTE: I will make the spice infusion and keep it in the fridge.  To make one drink, I use my Nutribullet: I use1/2 c spice infusion, 1/4 c mango puree, and 3/4 c yogurt, and 1 T. honey. 

 

RECIPE: Afghan Long Grain Rice

This is another recipe from The Best of Afghan Cooking by Zarghuna S. Adel. I've made it multiple times now and the resultant grains are longer than any other rice I've prepared.  Zarghuna recommends Baghlan brand, which is a sela (parboiled) basmati grown in Pakistan.  

According to AI, in the past, Pakistani sela basmati often had fewer pesticide residues than Indian sela basmati, but that has changed recently with Indian rice having fewer pesticide residues; so...I buy ORGANIC Ahu Barah Sela Basmati from Kalamala in CA.  In 2025 Pakistan banned many of the chemicals used to grow rice so their rice should be cleaner going forward..

Afghan Long Grain Rice 

Serves 4 

The cooking process is long, but not difficult.  I use a different fat, which makes it not technically Afghan, but we prefer ghee to sunflower oil.  I believe it's important to use a 3-quart pot for this.  I have not tested a smaller or bigger pot but I suspect it will impact the way the rice steams at the end.  If you try it, please let me know if it works.  

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups Basmati long grain rice (Zarghuna recommends Baghlan brand, which is sela basmati)
• 2 t. himalayan pink salt
• 2 t. cumin seeds (optional)
• 1/2 t. ground cardamom (optional) 
• 1/4 c. oil (I used ghee*)

This is the brand Zarghuna recommends.  The brown bag is "creamy golden" grains, which is more flavorful.  There is another variety in a white bag which is whiter grains but less flavorful.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Rinse the rice under running water, rubbing it together to remove extra starch, until the water runs clear.  I use a large fine mesh stainless sieve.  I used a colander once and the holes were too big!  

Soak the rice for about 4 hours (I leave the rice in the sieve but position it over a bowl and fill the bowl with clean water.)   I have soaked it overnight and it was fine.

In a 4-quart pot bring 4 cups of water to rapid boil over high heat.  Drain the rice and slide it gently into the boiling water - this is easy when it's already in a sieve.  Stir and wait for a re-boil.  Reduce the heat slightly and boil uncovered for 3-5 minutes or until the rice grain is tender to the bite.  I cook ours for 5 minutes.  Four minutes was too al-dente for us.

While the rice is cooking, dissolve the salt in 1 cup water. 

Drain the rice in a sieve (I use the same sieve, which is heatproof) then rinse lightly with cool water to remove excess starch.  (Admission: I always forget to rinse it!)

Return the pot to the cooktop and add the ghee.     

Transfer the rice back to the pot and stir to coat with ghee.  Optional: sprinkle with the cumin and cardamom.  

Pour the salt water evenly around the top of the rice. Mix well.  Pile the rice up in the middle of the pot to form a dome.  With a skewer make a few holes through to the bottom of the rice (I use the handle of my wooden spoon).  

Place two layers of cloth towels over the pot and secure with the lid, then fold the towels up over the lid.  If you have a gas or coil cooktop, secure the ends well!  You don't want them to catch fire.

Wrap the pot lid in dishtowels.  Secure ends well to prevent fire!

 

Steam on high for about 5 minutes until steam escapes through the towels, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. (If you have a 360 Cookware pot - you won't need the towels.  Steam for 5 minutes, spin the lid to create a seal, then cut the heat and wait 20 minutes.)  Stir and serve.  

 

NOTE: The original recipe has you adding the fat, but not stirring it into the rice, so it pools in the bottom of the pan.  We prefer it spread it throughout.  

*Ghee is not typically used in Afghanistan, but the oil that is used, sunflower oil, is not healthy, so please don't use it.

I do not always use the spices.  Sometimes I serve the rice plain.  In the photo below, I added cumin and black mustard seeds, and served it over Dal, with coriander chutney:

 

 

RECIPE: Baked Methi Mathri (Fenugreek Crackers)

I don't know how I stumbled on this recipe but it's fantastic!  And easy!  The original recipe made a larger cracker, eaten with a cup of chai.  I made mine smaller and used them as dippers for Tamarind Chutney Quark Dip.  It was a match made in heaven!

Original Recipe: Baked Methi Mathri

Baked Fenugreek Crackers

Makes 40-80 small crackers

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5 cups atta flour
• 1/2 cup chana dal flour or chickpea flour (I used chickpea)
  
• 2 T. dried fenugreek leaves slightly crushed
• 1/4 t. red chile powder or to taste
• 1/8 t. turmeric
• 1/4 t. ajwain seeds
• 1 t. sesame seeds
• 1 t. salt (see notes in recipe*)
• 1/4 t. baking powder (use yogurt instead?)
  
• 1/3 cup oil or ghee (I used ghee)
• about 1/2 c. water
  

INSTRUCTIONS:

Sift the flour before measuring.  In a large bowl, combine the atta and dal flours.  Add all the seasonings and mix to combine.

Add the fat and rub it into the flour.  It should be well incorporated and turn the mixture crumbly.

Start adding the water, little by little, to knead the dough.

Once the dough comes together, knead it for 5 minutes (I used my food processor for this).  Cover and rest for 15-20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375F.

After the dough has rested, divide it into smaller pieces, roll each one out 1/4" thick, and cut into cracker shapes using a knife or pizza cutter.  (I rolled mine out very thin - 1/8" - and cut them with a knife.  Some I cut into 1" squares, others into elongated diamond shapes.  Because mine were so small, I got over 80 crackers!)

*If you like a salty cracker, sprinkle the crackers with additional salt and roll the salt into them.

Using a fork, poke holes in each cracker to prevent puffing.  I used a cocktail fork.

Fenugreek crackers about to go into the oven

Place the crackers on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 20-22 minutes, flipping them once half-way.  I baked mine in our toaster oven, which preheats faster than the big oven.  Because mine were so thin, they were done in 15 minutes and I didn't need to flip them.

Let cool and store in an airtight container.

RECIPE: Tamarind Chutney and Quark Dip

Many years ago, in 2018 to be exact, I made some Tamarind Chutney.  It sat unused in our fridge until last month when I stirred some into quark to make a dip for Fenugreek Crackers.  

The dip was delicious!  But, I can't find the recipe I used for the Tamarind Chutney, so I bought some organic Tamarind Chutney from Pure Indian Foods, and it's just as good.

Tamarind Chutney and Quark Dip 

The recipe is a simple un-recipe: 

1. Start with 1 T. chutney and 2 cups quark, both at room temperature.
2. In a small bowl, stir the chutney into the quark and taste it.  
3. Continue stirring either chutney or quark into the bowl until it tastes good to you.  Sometimes I like more, sometimes less.

You're welcome!  

NOTE: Quark is German cream cheese.  Use farmer cheese or cream cheese if you can't get quark.  OR ... Make your own cream cheese using milk, lemon juice, and salt!

 

RECIPE: Masoor Dal Cooked With Coconut Milk

This recipe originates in Kerala, in the southern part of India.  I found it searching for recipes using MASOOR DAL, my favorite dal, and it sounded delicious!  Thankfully, it was as good as I thought it would be, so I am sharing it here.  The original recipe was written for 1 cup of dal and meant to serve 4.  Although there were only 3 of us, I doubled the recipe and was glad I did - there was precious little left! My recipe is written for 2 cups of dal and will serve 6-8.

Masoor dal is a reddish-orange split lentil.  I buy 24 Mantra Organic Masoor Dal  

The dal is cooked first in water and coconut milk, then spices are fried in fat and stirred in before serving.  The fried spices stirred in at the end are called TADKA or TARKA.

Original recipe:Keralan Masoor Dhal with Coconut Milk

Masoor Dal Cooked With Coconut Milk

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups masoor dal, rinsed until the water runs clear (I used a sieve)
• 10-12 fresh curry leaf STEMS, if you have them
  
• 1 t. turmeric
• 2 t. Kashmiri chili powder (optional, but I used it)
• 1 can thick coconut milk (I use Native Forest SIMPLE Unsweetened Coconut Milk)
• For the Tadka/Tarka:
• 4 T. coconut oil or ghee (I've made it both ways, and we prefer ghee)
• 2 t. black mustard seeds
• 2 t. cumin seeds
• 20 fresh curry leaves
• 3 dried Kashmiri chilies, broken into pieces
• 1 medium red onion, minced (about 1 cupful)
• 5-10 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (10 cloves is very garlicky!)
• 3 fresh green chilies (I used jalapeno)
• For Serving:
• Salt to taste
• 6 T. finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Rinse the masoor lentils, drain them, then transfer to a sauce pan and cover with fresh water.  Add the curry leaf stems if you have them.
   
2. Cook uncovered, over medium-high heat, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.
3. Add the turmeric, chili powder and coconut milk and simmer, uncovered, until the lentils are tender, another 10 minutes.  
4. While the dal is cooking, make the tarka: heat the coconut oil/ghee in a small saute pan on medium high.  When visibly hot, add the mustard seeds.  When they begin to pop, stir in the cumin seeds, curry leaves, and dried Kashmiri chili pieces.  Allow this to sizzle for 30 seconds then stir in the onion.  
5. Fry the onion until translucent and soft, about 5 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium, add the garlic and green chilies.  Cook until the garlic is softened, but be careful not to burn it!  
6. When the dal is cooked, pour the tarka mixture, including all the fat, onto the dal and stir it in. Season to taste with salt and serve with chopped coriander.

TARKA, sizzling in a small fry pan

NOTE: we enjoyed this so much I made it again two days later!  It keeps well, but the author recommends storing the tarka separately and adding it just before serving. (I don't do that, I stir it in and refrigerate whatever we don't eat.  We reheat it in the small toaster oven.)

Recipe: Curried Cabbage Bangalore Style

Another recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, Yamuna Devi's, The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking, I served this with Keralan masoor dal, Pakistani Old Clothes Beef Brisket, and Basmati Rice.  

The recipe is normally made with a small portion of green mung beans, but because I also served dal, I left out the beans.  I forgot to take a photo so I will add one the next time I make this.  Here's a photo of the original recipe instead!

Curried Cabbage Bangalore Style

Serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS:

• 2/3 cups whole green mung beans, sorted, cleaned and cooked
• 1 t. cumin seeds
• 1 t. black mustard seeds
• 2 hot green chilies,  seeded and minced
  
• 1" piece fresh ginger root, scraped and sliced into thin julienne
• 5 T. ghee or mustard oil 
• 1/4 t. Cobra brand asafetida (other brands reduce by three-fourths*)
• 10 fresh curry leaves or 1 bay leaf
• 1 pound green cabbage, trimmed, cored and finely shredded
• 1 t. turmeric
• 1 T. ground coriander
• 1 t. salt
• 2 t. lemon juice
• 1 t. honey

INSTRUCTIONS:

*I use Pure Indian Foods Best Hing Ever and used 1/8 t. 

Combine the cumin, black mustard, green chilies and ginger in a small dish. Heat the ghee or mustard oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat (mustard oil must reach the smoking point).  

When hot, drop in the spice-seed mixture and fry until the mustard seeds start to pop.  

Immediately drop in the asafetida, curry leaves or bay leaf, cabbage, turmeric and coriander and cook, stirring frequently, for 10-20 minutes or until the cabbage is wilted, brown and crisp, or quite tender.  The cooking time will depend on the size of your pan, the quantity of cabbage, the heat intensity and the preferred degree of doneness.

In the last few minutes, add the beans, salt, lemon juice and honey.

Serve piping hot or at room temperature.

RECIPE: Pakistani "Old Clothes" Beef Brisket Curry - Pressure Cooker Version

Several years ago, I saved a recipe for Pakistani "Old Clothes" Curry made with beef brisket.  The recipe originated in The Indian Slow Cooker cookbook.  A few weeks ago, someone posted a photo of the recipe on Reddit, and everyone who responded, loved it.  

We don't have a slow cooker, so I modified the recipe to use a pressure cooker.  

I made two other changes:  I toasted the fennel seeds before grinding them, because I don't like raw fennel seeds, and I used tallow (beef fat) instead of vegetable oil. 

When the beef came out of the pressure cooker, the gravy was quite thin.  After shredding the meat we mixed it with some, but not all, of the gravy.  My husband LOVED it that way!  It was subtly spiced and went well with all the other dishes we served.

I did NOT like it that way!  I thought it had very little flavor and tasted too 'meaty'.  The next day, I reduced the remaining gravy until it was thick and rich, stirred in half the remaining meat, and we compared it with the original version.  I loved it!  My husband thought it was too thick and saucy, and it was harder to pair with the other highly seasoned foods.  The photo below, is the thick and saucy version. 

Original recipe: Pakistani "Old Clothes" Curry  

Pakistani "Old Clothes" Beef Brisket Curry

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 medium yellow onions, peeled, cut in half, sliced
• 2 lbs beef brisket, trimmed of fat
• 1 2-inch piece of ginger root, peeled and cut into chunks
• 10 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 heaping teaspoon powdered ginger
• 4 green or white cardamom pods (I used green)
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 4-inch cinnamon stick
• 1 T. garam masala (I used Pure Indian Foods brand)
• 2 T. ground fennel (I toasted it first, and then ground it)
• 1 T. ground chili pepper  (I used Kashmiri Chili)
• 2 pinches ground nutmeg
• 1 t. turmeric
• 1 t. kosher salt
• i t. black salt (or substitute kosher salt) - I used black salt
• 1/2 cup tallow, melted
  
• 1 cup water

INSTRUCTIONS:

Place the onions in 4-5 quart pressure cooker (mine was 8 quart)

Set the meat on top.

In a food processor, grind the garlic and ginger to a paste, and spread it on top of the meat.

Add the remaining ingredients and drizzle the tallow over everything.  Close and secure the lid.

Left to right: onions and garlic-ginger paste, spices, tallow

Following the instructions for your pressure cooker, bring the pressure up to "high", reduce the heat to maintain that pressure, and cook for 90 minutes.  

Turn off the heat and allow the pressure to reduce naturally.

Remove the meat to a bowl, cut it AGAINST THE GRAIN into 2-inch pieces, then use two forks to shred the meat.  

You now have two options:

• Return it to the pressure cooker and combine it with the sauce.
• Reduce the sauce until it's thick, then combine it with the shredded meat.   

We served this with basmati rice, Keralan Masoor Dal, and Bangalorean Curried Cabbage.  In the photo below, the leftovers were served with arugula sprouts.

RECIPE: Sweet Pea Guacamole

You recoiled, didn't you, when you read Pea Guacamole?  Well, you're not alone!  I did, too, but everyone who tasted this loved it, and so will you.  It's a way to have "guacamole" when avocados aren't available.  Another benefit is that it won't turn brown while it sits!

The first time I made this, I didn't want to add 2 T. of olive oil (high in omega-6) to the recipe, so I left it out, and it tasted terrible!  I added some fresh avocado and rescued the recipe.  In retrospect, avocados are high in fat (healthy omega-3) so I now use avocado oil instead of olive oil and I no longer need to use fresh avocados.  I'm getting the same healthy fat without buying avocados in winter.  (Winter avocados, grown in Mexico, fund Mexican drug cartels.  Summer avocados, grown in California, don't.)

I use Chosen Foods Organic Avocado Oil because LeadSafeMama recommends it.

Original recipe: Sweet Pea Guacamole

Sweet Pea Guacamole

Makes 2 cups

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound of frozen peas, preferably small ones, defrosted 
• 2-4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1.25 t. Himalayan pink salt
  
• 2 t. cumin seeds, toasted and ground (or 1.5 t. ground)
• 1 small jalapeno*, seeded and minced (use 1/4 green pepper if you can't handle heat) 
• 2-4 T. avocado oil or 2-4 T. EVOO or 1 avocado
  
• Juice from 1 lime, about 2 T.
• Optional: 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves or microgreens 
• Optional: 2 T. minced red onion
• Optional: 1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, white centers removed and then chopped.

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a mortal and pestle, pound the garlic with the salt until a paste forms.  Add the lime juice. 

Mash the peas, add the cumin, jalapeno, 2 T. avocado oil, and the garlic-salt-lime paste.

Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more avocado oil if it isn't as rich as avocado guacamole.

Stir in the tomatoes, onions and cilantro and serve as you would guacamole.    

*If you want to bother, you can roast and peel the jalapeno first.

 

 

RECIPE: Coddled Leek, Garlic, and Fennel Dip with fried leek garnish

I have been making, and LOVING, Ottolenghi's Coddled Leeks with Beans for several years now, and every time I make them I'm amazed by how soft the leeks become.  For Friendsgiving this year, I decided to add them to one of my favorite dip recipes, Roasted Fennel and Garlic Dip.  I made this up so there's no original.  Every time I make this, I forget to take a photo!  

This dip is great with carrots, but the photo below was taken after we had eaten all the carrots so I used cassava chips.  It's good with them too.

Coddled Leek, Garlic, and Fennel Dip

with fried leek garnish

 

Makes 3 cups

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 large leeks
• 2 large heads of fennel
• 10 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup ghee, divided
• 1 t. roasted ground fennel seeds
• OPTIONAL: 1/4 t. wild fennel pollen
  
• 2 lemons
• Himalayan Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

Cook the fennel*

1. Remove the stalks and any discolored and/or tough outer leaves, if present, from the fennel bulbs, then slice the bulb into 1/2" wide strips.
2. Wash the strips thoroughly and transfer the fennel to a medium saute pan.  Add 1 cup water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered until the water has evaporated and fennel is soft.  
3. Add 2 T. ghee to the pan and saute the fennel until lightly browned.  Cool and reserve. 

Coddle the leeks

1. While the fennel is cooking, remove the dark green leaves from the leeks, wash well, and then slice into 1/8" strips.  Dry them well and set them aside.
2. Clean the white and light green part of the leeks and slice into 1" pieces.  
3. Preheat oven to 350F.  Melt the 1/4 cup ghee in an 8" x 12" baking dish while the oven is preheating. (I made this in our toaster oven, which was exactly the right size,)
4. Once the ghee is melted, arrange the 1" leek pieces cut side up in the preheated baking dish and nestle the garlic between them.  Baste the tops with some of the melted ghee.  
5. Cover the top of the pan with a piece of parchment paper, then cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  (The parchment prevents the foil from touching the food.)
6. Remove the dish from the oven, remove the foil, and gently turn the leeks over using 2 forks or a pair of tongs.  Replace the foil cover and bake for another 30 minutes, until the leeks are completely soft.  (Yes, this is a pain, but I've tried cooking the leeks whole, lying on their side, and they become tough!) Cool.

Fry the leek tops

1. While the leeks are cooking, cover a medium plate with several layers of paper towels.  
2. Heat 2 T. ghee in a small saute pan over medium heat and add the sliced leek tops.  
3. Watch carefully and remove them the second they start to brown!  Drain them on the paper towels. I cook them in batches, and use a slotted spoon to remove them.  When they're all cooked, pour the pan contents through a fine mesh strainer collecting the ghee in a small bowl.  The leek flavored ghee can be spread on toast or otherwise used as a flavoring agent.
   

Make the dip

1. Combine the cooked fennel, coddled leeks and garlic, ground fennel, fennel pollen and 1 t. salt in a high powered blender.  
2. Zest the lemons, mince the zest, and add to the blender.  Puree.  
3. Juice the lemons and add lemon juice 2 T at a time until it tastes lemony but does not overpower the leeks and fennel.  Some lemons are bigger/tarter than others so proceed carefully.  
4. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve sprinkled with the fried leek tops.  Add them at the last minute so they don't get soggy.**

I love this dip with carrot dippers, especially if the dip is lemony. 

*I cook the fennel during the summer, when it's in season, and then freeze it, which greatly facilitates making this dip in the fall and winter.  I use one cup of frozen fennel for this recipe.

**Whenever I cook leeks, rather than throw out the dark green leaves, I fry them!  I roll the fried leeks in paper towels and store them in glass jars to use a garnish all year. 

 

RECIPE: Carrot, Vadouvan Yogurt Dip made with WET vadouvan curry paste

I have another recipe for this dip, made with dry vadouvan curry powder, which is slightly different.

This recipe, made with the more complex WET Vadouvan curry paste, has less yogurt so it has a stronger carrot flavor which I like very much, but my husband doesn't.  He prefers the milder dip made with the dry vadouvan curry powder and more yogurt.  As you can see in the photo below, this one is a much more orange color.

Original recipe: Vadouvan Scented Carrot Raita

Carrot, WET Vadouvan, and Yogurt Dip

 

Makes 3 cups

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup water
• 5-8 large carrots (about 1.5 pounds raw) peeled and sliced 1/8" thick
• water
  
• 3 T. ghee
  
• 1 ball Vadouvan WET spice mix recipe
• 1 lemon
• 3/4 cup full fat plain yogurt
• Salt and pepper.
• Chile flakes and kalonji (nigella) seeds for serving.

INSTRUCTIONS: 

For this recipe I started with 1.5 pounds of raw carrots, which became 1 pound after I washed, peeled, and removed the tops.  Rather than slice them into coins, I sliced each carrot into 2" pieces and sliced each piece into 1/8" slabs.  It seemed faster than slicing coins.

Carrots before and after slicing into slabs

Put the carrots in a medium skillet and add enough water to just barely cover them.  Heat over high heat until it boils.  Reduce the heat and simmer on medium heat until the water has almost all evaporated.  The carrots should be very soft, falling apart.

Add the ghee to the skillet and stir to coat the carrots.  Cover the pan, and cook for 5 minutes.  Uncover the pan and stir the carrots.  Cover the pan again and cook until the carrots are slightly caramelized, about another 5 minutes.  

Carrots, boiled and then caramelized

Turn off the heat and let the carrots cool slightly, then add them to a blender or a food processor fitted with a metal blade.  A blender will create a smoother puree, so I used a blender.  I had exactly 2 cups of cooked carrots.

Zest the lemon then mince the zest.  Add to the blender along with the juice of half the lemon (about 2 T.), plus 1/2 t. salt.  Puree the carrots. 

Add the yogurt, plus another pinch of salt.  If you have less than 2 cups of carrots, you may need less yogurt. Process until very smooth.  Taste and add more salt or lemon juice, if needed.  

Before serving, sprinkle with chile flakes and kalonji seeds.  We have some friends who cannot eat spicy food so I separated the chile flakes from the kalonji seeds. 

I have enjoyed this with sliced carrots, sliced fresh apples, apple chips, cassava chips, flatbreads, and hearty crackers.  It seems to go with everything! 

 

RECIPE: Carrot, Vadouvan Yogurt Dip made with DRY vadouvan curry powder

For Friendsgiving this year, I wanted to use Vadouvan in an appetizer so I searched for a recipe and found a dip by Curio Spice Company whose Vadouvan I had used the first time I made the Carrots with Vadouvan Spice and Yogurt!  I made the recipe using half Curio Vadouvan, and half WET Vadouvan curry paste.  NOTE: Curio Vadouvan has a lot of turmeric, and it stained my processor blade!

The dip was delicious, but I forgot to take a photo, and I wanted to see what it tasted like without the hard-to-make wet vadouvan, so I had to make it again.  The second time, I used the DRY vadouvan curry powder, which has more ingredients than the Curio version, and much less turmeric.  It also has no garlic or shallots, so it's quite different than both the Curio version and the wet version.    

I wanted to use a higher ratio of carrots to yogurt - perhaps even eliminate the yogurt entirely, so I used 5 huge carrots, and sliced them really thin so they would cook through.  These were storage carrots, so I covered them with a little water first, to encourage them to soften.  Once the water was almost evaporated, I added the ghee. 

When the carrots were soft, I did not add the lemon or vadouvan to the pan, but I did add the garlic.  It was late, so I transferred the carrots to a measuring cup and put them in the fridge.  Surprisingly, there was only 2 cups of cooked carrots, and I knew that when they were pureed there would be even less and I would need to add yogurt.  I stored them in the fridge until the next morning.

I didn't have Greek yogurt so I used regular.  I zested the lemon and then minced the strips.

After pureeing the carrots, adding 3 t. of the vadouvan and 1 cup of yogurt, the flavor was very harsh, bitter even.  I added another 1/2 cup of yogurt and the flavor transformed into one of the best dips I've ever made!  I've eaten it with cassava chips, sliced carrots, and sliced apples, and I love it with all of them.      

Original recipe: Vadouvan Scented Carrot Raita

Carrot, DRY Vadouvan, and Yogurt Dip

Makes 2 cups

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup water
• 5-7 large carrots (about one pound) peeled and sliced into 1/8" thick "coins"
• 3 T. ghee
  
• 1 T. dry Vadouvan Curry Powder or one ball Vadouvan WET curry paste
• 1 T. chopped garlic
• 1 lemon
• 1.5 cup full fat plain yogurt
• Salt and pepper.
• Chile flakes and black onion seeds for serving.

INSTRUCTIONS: 

Heat 1/2 cup water in a medium skillet set over high heat until it boils.  Add the carrots and simmer on medium heat until the water has evaporated. 

Soften the carrots in water.

Add the ghee to the skillet and stir to coat the carrots.  Add a generous pinch of salt and pepper, cover the pan, and cook for 5 minutes.  Uncover the pan and stir the carrots.  Cover the pan again and cook until the carrots are soft and slightly caramelized, about another 5 minutes.  

Carrots lightly browned

Uncover the pan, add the garlic and vadouvan, stir and cook for 1 minute.  Turn off the heat.

Zest the lemon and then mince the zest.  Add the zest to the carrots and let the mixture cool for 5 minutes.  Measure how many cooked carrots you have.  If you have less than 2 cups, you may need less yogurt.

Put the carrots into a food processor fitted with a metal blade.  Add the juice of half the lemon, the yogurt, plus another pinch of salt.  Process until very smooth.  Taste and add more salt or lemon juice, if needed.  

Before serving, sprinkle with chile flakes and black onion seeds.  

Serve with cooked vegetables, crudites, flatbreads, or hearty crackers.

RECIPE: Vadouvan Curry

If you saw this post on Carrots with Vadouvan Spice and Yogurt you know I've been looking for a homemade recipe for the vadouvan spice blend.  This article at Serious Eats lists several places where you can purchase it, but I wanted to mix my own with organic ingredients. 

There were several recipes for the spice mixture that appealed to me - with my criteria being a good number of different spices which I thought would result in a more complex flavor.  There were two I decided to make, one a DRY powder, the other a WET paste.  

Here is the link for the DRY Vadouvan Curry POWDER.

Here is the link for the WET Vadouvan Curry PASTE.

Next week, I am going to made a dry powder of the spices in this recipe and see how it compares to the dry recipe above.  I may also add some DRY shallot, garlic, ginger, and curry leaf powder and compare that, too.

Another recipe from Feast Magazine.

Another recipe from Ludo Lefebvre which, interestingly, does not have any curry spices.

Another recipe from Le Creuset. 

And another recipe from Tasting Table with several suggestions on how to use it.

Le Sanctuaire Vadouvan adds onion, shallots and garlic to their house blend curry powder and states that it's a powerful blend to be used sparingly.  The one-pound size costs $92 (in Dec 2025) and there is a waiting list! 

RECIPE: DRY Vadouvan Curry Powder

If you saw this post on Carrots with Vadouvan Spice and Yogurt you know I've been looking for a homemade recipe for the vadouvan spice blend.  This article at Serious Eats lists several places where you can purchase it, but I wanted to mix my own with organic ingredients. 

There were several recipes for the spice mixture that appealed to me - with my criteria being a good number of different spices which I thought would result in a more complex flavor.  There were two I decided to make, one a DRY powder, the other a WET paste.  This recipe is for the DRY one.

Simple Dry VADOUVAN curry powder

Makes about 1/2 cup 

Original recipe:  DRY Vadouvan Curry Powder

• 1 t. fenugreek seeds 
• 2 t. cumin seeds
• 1 T. coriander seeds
• 1 t. ground turmeric
• 20 FRESH curry leaves
• 1 T. brown mustard seeds
• 2 t. dried chili flakes (I used Kashmiri)
• 1 t. salt flakes
• 1/2 t. black peppercorns

Toast all ingredients until fragrant, cool, then grind to a powder in a spice grinder.  Store in a sealed glass container.   

I used this mix to make Vadouvan Carrot and Yogurt Dip and it was FANTASTIC!  

RECIPE: WET Vadouvan Curry Paste

If you saw this post on Carrots with Vadouvan Spice and Yogurt you know I've been looking for a homemade recipe for the vadouvan spice blend.  This article at Serious Eats lists several places where you can purchase it, but I wanted to mix my own with organic ingredients. 

There were several recipes for the spice mixture that appealed to me - with my criteria being a good number of different spices which I thought would result in a more complex flavor.  There were two I decided to make.  This recipe is for the WET vadouvan curry PASTE:

WET VADOUVAN Curry PASTE

Vadouvan WET CURRY

Makes 12 2-inch balls

   Original recipe: WET Vadouvan Curry Balls

• 1 T. ground cumin
• 2 t. salt
• 2 t. ground coriander
• 2 t. turmeric
• 1 t. ground fenugreek
• 1 t. ground cardamom
• 1 t. sugar
• 1 t. yellow mustard seeds
• 1/2 t. fennel seeds
• 1/2 t. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 t. cayenne pepper (I used kashmiri)
• 1/2 t. black pepper
• 2 cloves, ground
• ghee for frying
• 2 pounds shallots finely chopped
• 12 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 inch piece of ginger, grated
• 1 T. finely chopped fresh curry leaves 

Toast the dry spices over medium-high heat until fragrant.  Remove them from the pan and set aside.

Add the oil to the pan, add the remaining ingredients ( shallots, garlic, ginger and curry leaves) and saute on low heat for 30 minutes.

Sauteing the alliums

Return the dry spices to the pan and saute for 10 minutes.

Adding the spices

Preheat the oven to 275F.

Line a baking pan with parchment and thinly spread out the onion-spice mixture.

Roast at this low heat for 2 hours, then cool.

The original recipe instructs you to shape it into balls using about 2 T. per ball.  If you won't be using them right away, they freeze well.  I made a few balls and put the rest into ice cube trays and froze them.

Vadouvan curry ball (2 T.)

 

 

This curry paste smells HEAVENLY!  It isn't hard to make, but it does take more time, and mincing 2 pounds of shallots was a labor of love (next time I'll use the food processor)!  Two pounds of (organic) shallots was also quite expensive.  She says you can use red onions instead, but think that will adversely affect the flavor. If you must, I would use sweet onions instead, and only replace half the shallots. 

I used one ball to make Carrots with Vadouvan Spice and Yogurt and we inhaled it!

I used another ball to make Carrot Vadouvan Yogurt Dip and it was delicious!  

Next, I am going to made a dry powder of the spices in this recipe and see how it compares to the dry recipe above.  I may also add some DRY shallot, garlic, ginger, and curry leaf powder and compare that, too.

Another recipe from Feast Magazine.

Another recipe from Ludo Lefebvre which, interestingly, does not have any curry spices.

Another recipe from Le Creuset. 

And another recipe from Tasting Table with several suggestions on how to use it.

Le Sanctuaire Vadouvan adds onion, shallots and garlic to their house blend curry powder and states that it's a powerful blend to be used sparingly.  The one-pound size costs $92 (in Dec 2025) and there is a waiting list!