The Flexitarian Cook

It all started with Madhur Jaffrey.

The “actress who could cook” has authored what is, in my humble opinion, the ultimate Indian cookbook. I refer to it often when I’m in the mood for something spicy, warm and colorful. Her recipe for samosas is an old standby in my kitchen, and I also make frequent use of her vegetarian ideas.

This time around, however, I was looking for inspiration on how to make chicken. I had already decided the chicken would be grilled (last weekend’s weather was just too heavenly to remain confined in the house), but I wanted something a bit jazzier than the usual lime/cilantro/what-have-you marinade – not that there’s anything wrong with that, mind you. Just not this time around.

I looked into Madhur’s book and found her recipe for tandoori-style chicken. It calls for yogurt (a traditional ingredient in Indian cooking) and a mix of spices. Yogurt helps keep the chicken moist as it cooks, and ginger helps tenderize the meat. Unfortunately, the recipe also calls for two things I either did not have, or did not want to use. The first one is food coloring, which is how tandoori chicken gets its bright orange hue. My personal belief is that dyes in food products are unnecessary; I’ll keep enjoying my gummy bears all the same, but I’d rather not put artificial coloring in the food I prepare. The second issue is that I have no tandoor. But as I said before, I wanted to use the grill anyway, and so I did not let that deter me. Having said that, note that you can also cook this chicken in a regular oven; just make sure it is very hot, as you do not want the chicken to boil in its juices.

I deviated from the original recipe quite a bit in that the mix of spices and aromatics I used was quite different from the original. In that sense, this recipe is no more a tandoori-style chicken than I am a native of Mumbai, but the inspiration from (and my thanks to) Ms. Jaffrey remain. In keeping with the original recipe, I used ginger, garlic and garam masala, but gone are the onion, lemon and green chili. Instead, I used a mix of cayenne pepper for heat, lime juice and ground cardamom. In order to give the chicken a nice color, I decided to use saffron, which has the added benefit of giving flavor to the marinade as well.

This is the kind of recipe that takes only five minutes to put together. It is also very easy to make on a week night: before you go to work, blend the ingredients for the marinade, put the chicken and the marinade in a large Ziploc bag, and put in the fridge. When you come home, heat up the grill (or oven), take the chicken out of the marinade (which you should discard along with the bag), and cook. With a green salad on the side, this is a tasty, healthful meal that can be ready in 30 min. or less.

That should give you plenty of time to catch up on your reading.

Grilled Chicken In Yogurt-Saffron Marinade

2 to 3 lbs chicken thighs (skin on if you intend to grill them, skinless if you want to bake them)
1 cup plain yogurt
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp minced ginger
1 healthy pinch saffron
2 tsp cardamom
2 tsp garam masala
juice of one or two limes
1/2 to 1 tsp cayenne pepper
salt to taste

Blend together all spices and aromatics with the lime juice and yogurt. Place in a large Ziploc bag along with the chicken, mix well, and let marinate, refrigerated, for at least 5 to 6 hours (or overnight).

Yogurt & Spices

Heat up grill (or oven). Remove chicken from marinade (discard marinade and bag) and cook until done, about 20 min. Serve with salad and/or basmati rice.

Gatsby never had it this good.

Tags: cardamom, chicken, F. Scott Fitzgerald, garlic, ginger, indian, lime, Madhur Jaffrey, saffron, tandoor, yogurt

… there was a curious cook who discovered fairytale eggplants.

And she is happy (ever after) that she did. As those of you who come here on a weekly basis know, I was at the Union Square green market last Saturday, and among the things I brought back was a small bag of those cute little babies.

One almost feels guilty eating them. Almost.

Fairytale eggplants are a bit sweeter than regular eggplant, and are remarkable for having none of the bitterness than can be associated with other varieties. When cooked, they are really creamy and soft, and I personally like them even better than the regular purple kind (and I like that one a lot). They would probably also be great pickled, since they are so small. My mother used to be particularly fond of a condiment called torshi e bademjan (pickled eggplant), which is popular in Iran. I think next time I get some of these eggplants, I might give that recipe a try.

I had originally planned on making them in a Szechuan-style garlic sauce, but changed my mind at the last minute (the lack of fresh ginger and scallions did the mind-changing for me) and instead just grabbed whatever I had available: soy sauce, hot sesame oil, garlic, rice vinegar, peanut butter and basil. The result was, dare I say it, quite enchanting.

Who doesn’t like a happy ending?

Fairytale Eggplants in Peanut Sauce

1/2 to 1 lb fairytale eggplants, washed, trimmed, and halved
1 can chick peas, rinsed and drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp hot sesame oil
1Tbsp peanut butter
1/4 cup hot water

On medium heat, gently saute the eggplants in olive oil until they begin to soften, about 7-8 min. Add garlic, stir and cover. Reduce heat and cook for another 5-6 min. Add soy sauce, hot oil, vinegar, basil and stir. Add peanut butter and stir until melted. Add chick peas and water, cover and keep cooking until the eggplants are done and the chick peas are heated through, another 10 min or so. Add a little more water if the sauce seems too thick.

The Princess(es) and the Peas

Serve with brown rice and a cup of mint tea. Smile.

Not a Grimm dinner

Tags: chick peas, eggplant, fairytale, garlic, peanut butter

Yesterday afternoon, I was in Chelsea on some business, and when that was over, my husband and I thought we’d use the rest of our time in the city walking over to the Union Square green market. It has to be one of the best outdoor markets around, with dozens of vendors coming from the tri-state area, their booths replete with gorgeous fruit, vegetables, breads, honey, cheese, meats and flowers. I have no pictures to show for that outing, one because I had left my camera behind (bad, bad girl), and two because it was raining and thus not a particularly good time for a photo shoot. Woe is my blog.

Still, I did come home with some really nice things: fairytale eggplants (which will end up in a garlic sauce), beautiful tomatoes (probably the last of the season), some great bread, a butternut squash, garlic, potatoes and some baby kale. The moment I picked up the kale and potatoes, they told me exactly what I was going to make with them. Isn’t it wonderful when food talks to you? Assuming it’s not a sign of schizophrenia, the answer is a resounding yes. And so I went home with the knowledge that that evening, the kitchen would be made warm and cozy all over because a big pot of kale and potato soup would be bubbling away on the stove.

Last week’s post was about (a rather exceptional, I must say) butternut squash soup, and I know some of you might be wondering if The Flexitarian is slowly becoming The Liquidarian, but I do have a good reason for wanting to make soup again – although I hasten to add no reason is needed. I’ve been nursing a cold for a few days, and I really haven’t been in the mood to cook much of anything. It’s all been about tea and the occasional cookie (my daughter makes the most amazing Snickerdoodles you can imagine), and a large box of Kleenex. However, soup always makes me feel better, and I don’t mind peeling and chopping and waiting as long as I know there’s a big, steaming bowl of veggie goodness at the end of that rainbow.

Kale and potato soup, also called caldo verde, is a traditional northern Portuguese soup, and easily one of my very favorite things to eat. Other than kale and potatoes, the recipe also calls for onions and olive oil, as well as for spicy sausage, such as chouriço (chorizo). It should be served with large slices of crusty peasant bread, which you can rub with garlic if you like. For our vegetarian daughter’s sake, I skipped the chorizo this time, but note that it can be served on the side. Although non-traditional, I also like to add curry, which brings out the sweetness of the kale, and a bit of cream, which makes the broth velvety smooth. Muito bom!

Are you hungry yet? As luck would have it… :

Kale and Potato Soup

1 large bunch fresh kale, stemmed and cleaned
2 large russet potatoes
1 medium onion
1 clove garlic
2 Tbsp olive oil
6 cups broth or water
1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
1 tsp curry powder (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Chops the onion and saute in olive oil in a large dutch oven until translucent. Peel and wash the potatoes, cut in small (1/2 inch) cubes and add to the onion. Cook for a few minutes while stirring, until the potatoes start to color. Mince garlic and add; let that become fragrant (about 30 sec.). Chop the kale and add to the mix. Add curry powder.

Steaming and fragrant

When kale begins to wilt, add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer gently about 30 min. Take off heat and, using an immersion blender, roughly blend some of the soup, being careful to a) not scald yourself and b) leave some pieces of potato and kale behind. This is not a smooth soup; it should be chunky. Add cream at this point if you wish, and serve hot with slices of crusty bread. A glass of riesling would be nice too.

Quick, give me a spoon!

Tags: curry, kale, portuguese, potato, soup