Yakisoba from Mark Bittman

I love Mark Bittman. He is my favorite chef. He cooks with simple ingredients, and a variety of cultures represented in his cooking. This is one of the recipes from his new show The Minalmist on the Cooking Channel. I also liked this recipe because it is a basic recipe that can use different meats and veggies. I did not like the smell of the sauce, but once it was cooked it was great.

Ingredients
Salt
6 ounces dried or 10 to 12 ounces fresh Chinese egg noodles
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 pork chops, thinly sliced
1 small head Napa or savoy cabbage, shredded (about 4 cups)
2 carrots, shredded
2 tablespoons ketchup
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons mirin or a bit of sugar
Few drops hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
1 bunch scallions, chopped, white parts only

Recipe

Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt it, and add noodles. Cook until just done, about 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and run under cold water. Toss noodles with sesame oil to keep them from sticking together, and set aside.

Put peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add ginger and cook, stirring, until just fragrant, about 1 minute. Add pork and cook for about 5 minutes or until the pork is no longer pink and is starting to brown around the edges.

Add cabbage and carrots to skillet and stir; sprinkle with salt. Continue to cook until vegetables soften, adding a bit of water, as needed to keep them from sticking.

Meanwhile, stir together in a small bowl ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mirin, and hot sauce. When vegetables are soft and any liquid has evaporated, add noodles and sauce to skillet. Toss to coat everything well and cook until noodles are warmed through. Serve, topped with chopped scallions

Butter Chicken

As I did the meal planning for the month, I asked Clay if there were anything he could think of that would be good to try. He told me that there was a yogurt based Indian chicken that he really likes, so this was the recipe I found for butter chicken. This is a great introduction to Indian spices. It has a milder taste than most curry based dishes. The girls enjoyed this, too. It took a little balancing as far as getting everything going, but I think it will easier next time. I would suggest having all the ingredients laid out before you begin.



Ingredients:

1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/4 white onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup tomato puree
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 pinch salt
1 pinch black pepper
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup water


Directions
1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Saute shallot and onion until soft and translucent. Stir in butter, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon garam masala, chili powder, cumin and bay leaf. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomato sauce, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in half-and-half and yogurt. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.


2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat, and season with 1 teaspoon garam masala and cayenne. Stir in a few spoonfuls of sauce, and simmer until liquid has reduced, and chicken is no longer pink. Stir cooked chicken into sauce.


3. Mix together cornstarch and water, then stir into the sauce. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until thickened.

Server over rice.

Vegetarian Korma

We love Indian food, and I love trying new vegetarian meals. This one fit the bill for both. The whole family really enjoyed it. Using the curry powder is cheating a bit, but it made it a quick meal. I left out the cashews for our house, but I would recommend adding them for the crunch. This will be added to our Indian and vegetarian recipes.

Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 potatoes, cubed
4 carrots, cubed
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced
3 tablespoons ground unsalted cashews
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 can of Lite Coconut Milk
1 bunch fresh cilantro for garnish

Directions
1. Boil potatoes and carrots in water until tender.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and cook until tender. Mix in ginger and garlic, and continue cooking 1 minute. Mix potatoes, carrots, jalapeno, cashews, and tomato sauce. Season with salt and curry powder. Cook and stir 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
3. Stir peas, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and cream into the skillet. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Garnish with cilantro to serve.
Serve over rice and a side of bread.

Quesadillas

We have done Meatless Mondays pretty smoothly. This week I made a quick quesadilla and served it with beans and rice. The girls got plain cheese quesadillas, but I made the adult ones with veggies, too. It was exactly what the girls order when we eat Mexican food, so they lapped it up. Clay would have rather had chicken, but was okay with the veggies only option. This is a recipe that can be different every time you make it, and you can have it on the table in a short amount of time.

Basic Ingredients:

• 2 cups of quesadilla cheese (it will make about 5)
• 1 package of 10 inch tortillas (1 for each person)

Optional Ingredients:

• Sauteed onion
• Sauteed green pepper
• Sauteed mushrooms
• Black beans
• Diced tomatoes
• Pico di Gallo

Dipping Sauces

• Guacamole
• Sour Cream
• Salsa
• Pico di Gallo

Heat 12-inch non-stick skillet or flat griddle over medium heat. Coat with vegetable oil spray. Cook quesadillas, 1 at a time, 3 minutes or until golden, turning halfway during cooking. Cut into wedges to serve.

**I have found I have to watch the temperature- if they start getting too brown, turn down the heat.

Fried Rice with Egg - Meatless Monday

Last week I made fried rice with egg drop soup for Meatless Monday. It was a meal that will definitely be repeated. I was not thrilled with the egg drop soup, so I am going to wait on that recipe. However, after cooking both of them I realized what I waste of money it is to purchase it. It is super cheap to make at home. A bag of rice is $2.00, a bag of frozen peas $1.00, eggs $2.00 a dozen, chicken broth $2.00 for four cups and all of the proper seasoning. So, for $7.00 we had a great meal with leftovers. Can't beat that! Here is the recipe:

• 1 cup of fresh frozen peas, defrosted
• 3 T of peanut oil
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 1 T of minced garlic
• 1 T of minced ginger (I omitted this one)
• 3 to 4 cups of cooked rice
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup of cooking sherry or white wine
• 2 T of soy sauce
• 1 T of sesame oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup of mince scallion (optional)

1. Put 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. A minute later, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften and begin to brown, five to ten minutes later. Lower the heat if needed. Using a slotted spoon, take the onions out and transfer them into a bowl.

2. Add the peas to the skillet for a minute or two, or until hot. Add them to the bowl.

3. Put the remaining oil in the skillet, followed by the garlic and ginger. About 15 seconds later, begin to add the rice, a bit at at time, breaking up any clumps and tossing it with the oil. When all the rice is added, make a well in its center and add the eggs. They will begin to cook into the middle. Keep them moving and incorporate them into the rice.

4. Return the onion and the peas to the rice. Add the wine and cook, stirring for about a minute. Add the soy sauce and sesame oil, then taste and add salt and pepper.

5. Turn off the heat, stir in the scallion, and serve.

Middle Eastern White Beans- $10.00 Meal

So, this is the last of the $10.00 meals for the week. I will be trying to do more, but I have to recover from all of the new recipes in one week. Overall, I feel it was successful- I will try to post the shopping list for the seven meals this week, too. It came in under $70.00 for sure. I did have to laugh tonight because Hannah came up and asked me for her favorite meal for tomorrow. I said, "Well, what is it?" "Hamburger Helper," she replied. "Okay, I can do that!"

This was a recipe I found on www.allrecipes.com. When I read the ingredients I knew this was one my family would enjoy. When I looked at the directions, I knew this was one I could handle. This is a Middle Eastern bean recipe that would be a standard meal in a home. Clay and the girls enjoyed it, and it was very filling. Also, when I came home from school- it smelled heavenly!



1 1/2 cups dried white kidney beans, soaked overnight ($1.39)
3 tablespoons tomato paste ($.55)

1 (14.5 ounce) can beef broth ($.55) can be vegetarian alternative
3 medium onions, chopped ($1.99)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste



Directions
In a slow cooker combine the beans, tomato paste, pimento sauce, garlic, onions, cumin, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix until the beans are coated. Pour in beef broth, and top off with enough water to completely cover the beans.
Cover, and cook on High for 6 hours, or until the beans are tender and the liquid is thickened. It should not be soupy.



Serve over rice ($2.00) and with bread ($1.89)



TOTAL: $8.37

Naan

Well, I know I like Naan, but I didn't know how to describe it, so I looked on the Internet. Here is what I found on www.wisegeek.com about Naan.


"Naan is a flatbread that is a staple food in Southeast and Central Asia. It is especially common in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Uzbekistan, and surrounding regions. Because naan is popular in so many countries, it has a number of different spellings and pronunciations. In Turkic languages such as Uzbek and Uyghur, for example, naan is known as nan. In Burma, the bread is called nan bya. The Burmese variation is slightly softer and resembles pita bread more than other types of naan.
Naan is made of wheat flour and is almost always round. Naan dough is usually leavened with yeast before it is cooked. Once the bread has been cooked, it is typically brushed with ghee, a kind of butter, and then served hot. Some chefs add yogurt or milk to their naan dough to add softness and volume to the bread. Roti is bread similar to naan, which is unleavened and is cooked flat on a tawa, a kind of iron griddle. "

So, here is how you make it at home. I made it in my skillet. It was a great addition to our Indian meal tonight. I think the garlic could be left out of it, if you wanted to.

INGREDIENTS

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons salt
4 1/2 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional)
1/4 cup butter, melted


DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.
2. Punch down dough, and knead in garlic. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
   
3. During the second rising, preheat grill to high heat.
   
4. At grill side, roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle. Lightly oil grill. Place dough on grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from grill, and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared. (I found that I like it as think as I could get it)

Carrot and Cabbage Salad

Tonight we are having an Indian feast. I am out of school now, so I am cooking tonight with a bit more ingredients than I have been the last five weeks. I have 10 to 15 recipes to post, so I will be working on those over the next few weeks. I am looking forward to a bit of summer and time with the girls. We will be sticking close to home, but spending time with friends and family. Can't get any better than that. Thanks again to Lee Anna for the wonderful recipes.

So, the menu tonight will be:

Soupy Chicken (posted previously)
Curry Potatoes and Sausage (posted previously)
Carrot and Cabbage Salad
Steamed Asparagus (with a bit of salt and butter)
Steamed Rice
Naan (a flat bread) (will be posted in the next couple of days)

Here is the recipe for Carrot and Cabbage Salad from Lee Anna Finney Darji

Ingredients

2 C shredded carrots
2 C thinly sliced cabbage
1 t chopped green Thai chilies
¼ t tumeric
¼ t salt
¼ t sugar
2 curry leaves (if you can’t find them, just leave them out or use 1 bay leaf)
½ t black mustard seeds
1 T vinegar
1 T chopped cilantro

Directions

In a non-stick frying pan, heat 1 T oil. Add the mustard seeds and curry leaves; once it starts popping, add the carrots, cabbage, and the rest of the ingredients. Cook about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and empty into a large bowl. Add the vinegar and chopped cilantro.

Daag Curry Base

I am really excited about sharing these recipes today. Clay and I have loved Indian food for a long time, but we recently took our kids to an Indian restaurant in Little Rock. After the meal, Hannah and Elizabeth asked if they could move to Little Rock, so we could eat it more often. We were both surprised and excited. So, I have been on the hunt for a while now to find some Indian dishes I could make at home. Lucky for me, I didn't have to look far. One of my dearest friends in the world, Lee Anna, was kind enough to share some recipes with me. I will be sharing the recipes as I try them, or in this case, as I prepare to find the ingredients. She is worked on them with her husband, Ankur. They have adapted them from his families' recipes.

So, Thank you Lee Anna and Ankur for sharing with us this wonderful food.


Lee Anna Darji
Makes 4 freezer bags, 4 servings each

Ingredients

2 lbs diced onions
4 t ginger puree
6 t garlic puree
2-3 t chopped green Thai chilies
6 grated tomatoes (or 1 28-oz can of tomato puree)
½ C oil
4 t ground coriander
1 t ground cumin
½ t tumeric powder
1 t garam masala
½ C chopped cilantro
1 t salt
2 C water

Directions

Dice the onions; puree the ginger, garlic, and chilies; puree the tomatoes.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy pan over medium-high heat. Fry the onions until dark brown (about 20-30 minutes). Add the ginger, garlic, and chilies; fry for 3 more minutes. Add the ground coriander; sauté for 5 more minutes. Stir so the onions don’t stick and add a little water if it is sticking. Add the cumin, tumeric, garam masala. Cook one minute; then, add the tomatoes and cilantro. Stir together and add 2 C water and 1 t of salt. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Divide evenly into four freezer-safe containers. Freeze until ready to use.

Use one portion of the curry base with 2 C water and one of the following:
1 – 1 ½ lbs of cubed chicken breast or whole chicken pieces
1 – 1 ½ lbs of lamb or goat pieces
1 – 1 ½ lbs of white fish (like tilapia)
Variety of vegetables, e.g. potatoes or canned chick peas
6-8 boiled eggs (can also add potatoes with the eggs)
Empty the curry base into a heavy saucepan. Add 2 C water and heat until boiling. Add the meat or vegetables. Lower heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until meat is cooked.

Soupy Chicken

Lee Anna Darji

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

3 large onions
4 large tomatoes (grated into liquid) - or use a 14oz. can of tomato puree
3 T oil
2 cinnamon sticks
2 pods of cardamom (green)
5 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
5 whole black peppercorns
1 whole chicken, cut into pieces and skinned or 1-1 ½ lbs of chicken breast cut into 1-inch pieces
2 t garlic paste
3 t ginger paste
1 t chopped green Thai chilies
½ t salt (to taste)
½ t tumeric
½ t red chili powder (cayenne)
1 large or 3 small potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 T lemon juice
¼ C chopped fresh cilantro
½ t garam masala

Directions

Dice the onions and grate the tomatoes. Heat 2-3 T oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add the cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaves, and black pepper corns. Sizzle for one minute. Add the diced onions and sauté until a little darker than golden brown.

Add the garlic paste and ginger paste, as well as the chopped green chilies. Saute about 5 minutes.

Add salt, tumeric, red chili powder, and tomatoes. Cook 5-10 minutes.

Add chicken; cover and simmer. Stir after 15 minutes. Cook 15 more minutes. Add some water if it isn’t soupy enough.

Add the chopped potatoes and lemon juice. Continue simmering until potatoes can easily be pierced with a fork.

Garnish with fresh cilantro and garam masala. Serve with steamed rice and naan or rotli.

Inda Bread

Inda Bread

Lee Anna Darji Serves 4

Ingredients

3 eggs
¼ t tumeric
1 t chopped green Thai chilies
½ t salt
¼ t black pepper
1 t ginger paste
1 t garlic paste
¼ C milk
6-8 slices of sandwich bread

Directions

Mix all ingredients together in a shallow dish. Soak slices of bread in the mixture like you would for French toast. Brown both sides on a hot griddle for about 2 minutes each. Cut diagonally in half and enjoy hot.

Thai Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

There is a restaurant in Little Rock called Lilly's that we love! It serves Thai food. I have been looking to find a recipe that has that same taste and I finally found one that I really like. I also love stir-fry. No, let me rephrase that, I love one pan meals, and stir-fry fits the bill perfectly.

Ingredients:
1 lbs of beef sirloin steak, sliced into strips
3 tbsp of soy sauce mixed with 1 tsp of sugar (*key)
1 large head of broccoli, chopped into florets (or tress as my kids say)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp of fresh ginger, chopped
2 tbsp of sesame oil
2 tsp of oil for the wok

1. Pour the soy sauce and sugar mixture over the strips of beef. Season with black pepper and salt. Marinate for about 20 minutes.

2. Add 2 tsp of oil into a wok (or skillet) and allow time to heat. Add meat mixture, onion, and ginger to wok. Cook down until meat is medium to well done.

3. About 5 minutes before serving add broccoli to mixture, cover and allow to steam. You want to keep the bright green color of the broccoli.

4. Serve in bowl over rice (I use jasmine rice in my rice steamer, but any rice would work), drizzle with sesame oil.