Picnic with Indian Inspiration!

 A couple of Indian dishes you can try at home! These are easy to make and are vegan for my friends that are looking for new options! I hope you'll give these recipes a try soon...


Red Lentil & Sweet Potato Curry

2 Tbsp of coconut oil or vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
Kosher Salt to taste
2 medium sweet potatoes peeled and cut into cubes, approx 1 inch
1 1-inch length of fresh ginger root, chopped (I don't bother to peel it, there is no need to!)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp curry powder
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups of lentils (green or red)

In a kettle bring 3 1/2 Cups of water to boil.

In a large cast iron skillet, heat the oil on medium-high heat, add onion and a pinch of salt. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes to soften onion, then add sweet potato, ginger, garlic, curry powder and bay leaf.  Sauté until fragrant, approx 1 minute.

Add the boiling water to the skillet and stir in the lentils, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover (use a sheet of aluminum foil if you don't have a large enough lid for your skillet) and simmer until the lentils break down and sweet potatoes are tender, about 20-25 minutes. Season with salt to taste.








Coconut Curry with Potatoes, Green Beans & Spinach 

1/3 Cup of coconut oil or vegetable oil
2 1/2 C of puréed tomatoes
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
t tsp turmeric
1 Tbsp black mustard seeds (these are more pungent or earthier then yellow, but substitute yellow seeds if you can't find the black.  They are available online and at Indian grocercies).
1/2 Tbsp to 1 Tbsp of red chili flakes/crushed red pepper (adjust the level of spicy heat to your family's palette)
1 C of water
1 lb of potatoes, unpeeled and cut into cubes, aprrox 1/2 inch
1/2 lb of green beans, cut into 1 inch long pieces
2 13.5 oz cans of coconut milk (shake well before opening)
3 C of baby spinach

Place oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add tomato purée and "fry" for a minute. Add salt, turmeric, ground mustard seeds. Stir in and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture is bubbling.

Stir in the water and add the potateos. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover  (use a sheet of aluminum foil if you don't have a large enough lid for your skillet),  and cook for 10 minutes.

Remove the cover, stir in the green beans. Cover again, and cook another 8-10minutes until the potatoes are softened.



Stir in the coconut milk, and increase the heat to medium. Bring the mixture to a boil turn of f the heat and stir in the spinach.

Cumin Basmati Rice

2 C of basmati rice, rinsed
3 1/2 C of water
2 Tbsp of coconut oil or vegetable oil
1 tsp of cumin seeds, toasted (place in a hot skillet until fragrant, approx 1 minute)

Cook rice according to the time on the package directions in a sauce pan OR...my favorite...
just place all in a rice cooker and press cook.


Garlic Naan 
(made easy in your bread machine--this one isn't vegan)

Place in the bread machine on the dough cycle:

1 C of warm water (not hot or you'll ruin your yeast)

3 Tbsp of milk
1 egg
1/4 C of white sugar
2 tsp. kosher salt
4 1/2 C bread flour
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
2 1/4 tsp of active dry yeast

For grilling:
1/3 C of melted butter

When cycle is complete remove dough from machine and pinch off small golf ball size pieces of dough. Roll into a ball, cover with a towel and let rest for 10-15 minutes.

Place a cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat. Roll each dough ball into a thin circle. Brush one side with butter, place on grill and cook for about 2 minutes, brush the side facing up with butter and turn naan over, cook another 2-3 minutes.

Remove from grill and place on wire rack, repeat with remaining naan. Wrap in foil to keep warm and transport if picnicking.




Notes:
I like to buy rice in bulk, 10 lb bags, it keeps for a very long time and the price is so much better.

 I buy coconut oil because it has great health benefits...

I love my Zojirushi bread machine!

Use an old, or buy an inexpensive, coffee bean grinder for grinding your spices at home! They keep longer in their whole form, and to clean the grinder, just use some inexpensive white rice to grind between various spices so your cumin doesn't taste like cardamom (then you just toss the ground rice and it takes the scent and remaining remnants of spice with it. I compost so mine goes into my compost bucket). 

I love my rice cooker, and I cook all of my rice in it!  I have had this one for over 20 years! 

The food I prepared, I packed up and took to an area park. The Actors' Theatre of Columbus was in their season for Shakespeare in the Park and was performing Romeo & Juliet at the Columbus Commons.  I highly recommend finding local outdoor theatre for summer outings!