Rasheeda's Travel and Food Blog

Rasheeda's travel and food blog

Category: Vegetarian Recipes

Food Blog / Vegetarian Recipes

Chicken Chittanad

Chicken Chittanad

We first ate chicken Chittanad in a restaurant while travelling in Karala in 1990. It was a fiery, delicious South Indian Curry from Tamil Nadu. It is made with an unusual blend of roasted, and ground spices. North and South India use distinctly different combination of spices, also their flavor profiles diverge sharply. But in this recipe a new style emerges with a combination of ingredients and spices from both regions
Print Recipe
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ pound chicken thighs cut into chunks
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 cup plain yogurt
  • ½ medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ginger/garlic paste
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoon oil for searing chicken
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 1 tablespoon grated coconut
  • 1 tablespoon freshly chopped cilantro divided use
  • 4 Thai green chilies, chopped
  • 2 teaspoon roasted red chili powder Kashmiri red chili powder is recommended
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon tamarind paste or 2 kokum pieces
  • ¼ Cup olive oil
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Method
 

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a frying pan and sear all the chicken pieces lightly on both sides and transfer to a paper towel-lined platter
  2. Roast cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and coconut lightly., and grind in a coffee grinder and remove to a bowl.
  3. In a blender, add yogurt, onion, ginger/garlic paste, green chilies, ½ tablespoon cilantro, ground cumin, coriander, coconut mixture, chili powder, turmeric, tamarind or kokum pieces, tomato paste, salt, and water. Blend to a fine paste.
  4. Heat ¼ cup oil in a heavy saucepan. Add the prepared spice sauce from the blender and cook covered on medium heat until spices get well fried. A deeper saucepan is highly recommended because of spluttering which might occur.  Cook on slow heat until well fried.
  5. Add enough water, or the amount for desired thickness of the gravy, about 1 ½ cup. Clean the sides well while putting the water. Bring back to a boil.
  6. Add the seared chicken to the sauce, coat well by gently pouring sauce over the chicken. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes.
  7. Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle remaining ½ tablespoon chopped cilantro for garnish to serve.
  8. Serve with plain white rice.
Fondant Potatoes

Vegetarian Recipes

Fondant Potatoes

Hi, my name is Rasheeda and I am passionate about cooking and sharing my recipes. Today I am doing a potato recipe called fondant potatoes. Fondant is a French word meaning melting. And this recipe is a melt in your mouth delight. I came across this recipe on Food Network’s Mario Batalli’s show. One of his guest hosts had this delicious potato recipe done in a lot of butter and broth. He cut the ends off the russett potatoes to get a cylinder which he peeled evenly around to obtain clean edges. Each cylinder then was cut into equal two halves giving altogether 8 pieces. Cutting and preparing potatoes for fondant can be simply cutting into slabs or you can take it to pro-level by carving, scraping and making the surface smooth. Once ready, put them in a large bowl of water to remove the surface starch for, at least 30 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the water and pat them dry, because wetness prevents searing while promoting steaming. At this point, the potatoes are ready to be roasted for a delicious potato fondant as a side to a steak meal or any meal.

Fondant Potatoes

4 Russet potatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ cup chicken broth

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

Fresh thyme

This is a very traditional recipe in England and some European countries although America never caught on to it. To start, you must heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in an oven proof skillet. When the oil shimmers, add the potatoes by standing each piece in the oil on its straight and smooth cut side to cook it evenly. It takes about 5 to 6 minutes for it to well brown. We are not talking about lightly brown but dark golden before flipping to other side to do the same. When the potatoes are well seared on both sides, remove the skillet from the heat and use a pad of papers towel to wipe the skillet clean by dabbing to remove oil from it completely. At this point add the butter and thyme sprigs. Return the skillet to the heat and let the butter melt. Start swishing the butter with a spoon all over the potatoes and continue to cook until the butter is brown.  When the butter is brown, use a spoon to pour brown butter along with the thyme sprigs on the potatoes.

Pour ½ cup chicken stock around the potatoes and put the skillet in a preheated 400°F oven for 30 minutes. At the end, stock should be absorbed only leaving butter behind. Transfer the potatoes to a platter and pour the butter and thyme over the potatoes to serve.

Food Blog / MISO BASED BUTTERNUT SQUASH / Vegetarian Recipes

Miso Based Butternut Squash and Corn Soup

Miso Based Butternut Squash and Corn Soup

A healthy recipe made of leeks, squash, and miso paste. Miso is an ingredient regulaly used in Japanese recipes. It is not commonly known in American or other world recipes. But it is becoming increasingly popular because of the vegetartian and recent vegan diet trends.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon Avocado oil, or vegetable oil
  • 1 leek, cut along its length, washed under running water to remove all the dirt before it is finely chopped. Chopped leeks also should be washed thoroughly.
  • ¼ butternut squash cut in a small dice
  • 1 pinch salt leek to help wilt
  • 1 cup milk if vegan, you can use plant base milk such as, oatmeal or almond
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon miso paste, dissolved in hot broth
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, green parts of scallion, chopped

Equipment

  • Heavy bottomed suacepan

Method
 

  1. Place a heavy bottom pan on the stove. Add olive oil in a cold pan. 
  2. Add chopped leeks, stir and then turn on the heat. This method is used so you don’t over heat olive oil. Overheating olive oil makes it lose flavor.
  3. Sprinkle pinch salt on leeks to help them wilt, and sweat for a few minutes before sautéing them.
  4. Add prepared squash and cook stirring until squash is shiny, about 30 seconds.
  5. In a jar stir together milk and water, before pouring over the vegetable. Make sure that the vegetables are covered with the liquid, add water if not enough liquid.
  6. Cover and cook for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, lower the heat until the boil is down to just a simmer.
  7. When it comes to a simmer, take some of the hot broth to dissolve miso in a bowl making sure that it becomes a smooth paste free of lumps (biting on a lump of miso would be unpleasant).
  8. Pour the dissolved miso back into the soup, mix and simmer on very low heat for a few minutes. Don’t boil after adding miso. 
  9. Use an immersion blender or blender of choice to blend the soup imto; smooth.
  10. Add corn to the finished soup to give it a texture. 
  11. Ladle soup into a serving bowl and garnish with chopped parsley, or scallion to serve. 

Notes

Things to know about some of the ingredients: 
 Leeks have a lot of sand in  its layers, therefore thorough washing in runnig water is a must.
Do not heat olive oil before adding vegetable. Overcooking olive oil makes it lose its flavor.
Butternut squash does not need to be peeled. But cutting it can be somewhat difficult. Cut it into two equal parts vertically. Then cut each half into two horizontally. You only need a quarter for the recipe.
Miso is a Japanese paste made with a mixture of  soy beans, salt, and a grain and has peanut butter texture. It is fermented, therefore, has live enzymes and bacteria. That is why it should not be boiled. Boiling will destroy all the bacteria which are good for digestion.
Information on Miso
Why miso is incredibly healthy? It is nutritious and linked to a variety of health benefits. The most important is better digestion and a stronger immune system. It is considered to be world’s healthies foods. 
It is a traditional Japanese condiment made by fermenting soybeans with salt and grain. Fermentation process promotes the growth of probiotics, good bacteria, which improves digestion, reduces gas and constipation.
It is a paste with peanut butter consistency and comes in three different colors; white, yellow, and red depending what grain was used, darker the color, it is saltier and has stronger
 

Food Blog / Vegetarian Recipes

Pasta Mediterranean Style

Pasta Mediterranean Style

Pasta Mediterranean Style

Easy, delicious pasta for lunch, or dinner. you can store the leftovers in refrigerators for later use.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings: 6
Course: light meal, Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Italian egg plant, cut into 1×4 inch diagonal pieces, lightly salted
  • 1 cup button mushrooms, quartered
  • 8 ounces angel hair pasta, or thin spaghetti
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 inch piece fresh ginger, grated
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes or your choice
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 8 pitted Kalamata olives
  • 1 cup vegetables broth or water
  • 1 lemon zested and juiced
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened,
  • ¼ cup parsley, freshly chopped

Method
 

  1. Remove stalks from mushrooms and cut in halves. Wipe them down thoroughly with a wet cloth. If washed, mushrooms absorb too much water.Pan fry them and set them aside.
  2. Cut eggplants into 1×4-inhes long, diagonal pieces and pan fry them until tender but not mushy. Set aside to toss in the pasta.  
  3. Boil 4 to 5 cups water in a large saucepan with 1 tablespoon salt.
  4. When water comes to a boil, add pasta stir and cook for 4 minutes or until al-dente.
  5. Reserve one cup pasta water, and drain pasta in a colander.
  6. While you are cooking the pasta, heat oil and butter in a large skillet. 
  7. Add ½ cup onion, garlic and ginger and sauté until onion is soft and cooked down.
  8. Add tomatoes and let them softened stirring on and off. Crush them partly but maintain their integrity. 
  9. Add tomato paste and cook to caramelize, about a minute Add salt, pepper, and Kalamata olives.
  10. Add broth or water bring it back to a boil before adding drained pasta to the skillet. 
  11. Stir to coat the pasta with the sauce while still on slow heat.
  12. Add lemon zest and  juice and mix.
  13. Transfer to a serving bowl and add fried eggplants, grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon softened butter. Mix well and season to taste.
  14. Scatter fried mushrooms and sprinkle parsley on top to serve.

Food Blog / Vegetarian Recipes

Stir-fried Zucchini

Stir-fried Zucchini

It is a 15 minutes meal with plain steaming hot white rice. Very satisfying fast and easy meal.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 medium zucchinis
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black peper
  • ½ cup vegetable broth
  • 3 small red chilies, chopped garnish optional

Method
 

  1. Wash zucchini, cut the ends off and slice into thin discs.
  2. Heat olive oil in cast-iron skillet. When the oil is shimmering, add onion and stir-fry until translucent. 
  3. Add tomato paste and cook stirring to caramelize. Sugar in the tomato paste helps it to caramelize. 
  4. Add turmeric powder, crushed red pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Cook stirring to fry spices for 1 minutes.
  5. Add zucchini and stir to coat it with the spices. Add broth ,stir to mix, cover and cook for 5 minutes on medium high heat. 
  6. Stir fry when the liquid evaporates until oil separate on the side. 
  7. Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle chopped red chilies for color and taste.
  8. Serve with plain white rice.

Food Blog / Vegetarian Recipes

Vibrant Vegetable Delight

Vibrant Vegetable Delight

Vibrant Vegetable Delight

This quick and easy vegetarian treat is very apetizing with its vibrant colors and texture. Served over white rice makes it very satisfying and healthy lunch or supper.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 2
Course: light meal, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon nigella seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon asafetida
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 1 large Idaho potato, cut in 1-inch cubes
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut in discs
  • ½ cup good quality frozedn corn
  • ½ cup frozen green peas
  • ½ red bell pepper, cut into large dice
  • 1 cup vegetable broth, or water
  • 1 teaspoon Fenugreek (dried methi leave)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon corn starch dissolved in ¼ cup water for slurry

Method
 

  1. Heat oil and butter in a skillet and add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, nigella seed and continue to fry for a minute or until mustard seeds pop. Sprinkle asafetida and mix well.
  2. Add onion, potatoes and carrots and fry on medium heat until potatoes are partially done.
  3. Add corn, peas, red bell peppers, and ½ cup broth or water. Bring it back to a boil. 
  4. Add methi (fenugreek leaves), salt, black pepper, and lemon juice.
  5. Let it cook on medium high heat until oil start to separate, stir-fry for a few minutes. 
  6. Add the remaining ½ cup water and bring it back to a simmer.
  7. Add cornstarch slurry, mix well and continue to cook just to get a thick sauce. Must season to taste. Right amount of salt is important.
  8. Remove and serve with white rice.

Food Blog / Vegetarian Recipes

Gallo Pinto (Costa Rican Rice and Beans)

Gallo Pinto (Costa Rican Rice and Beans)

Gallo Pinto (Costa Rican Rice and Beans)

It is a popular dish in Costa Rica. It is easy to make and can be served as one-pot meal. And for those who want to eat meat can serve it with meat or fish and what ever is desired.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4
Course: light meal, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups cooked white rice
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, finely sliced or diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ tablespoon cumin, lightly roasted and ground
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika or cayenne pepper
  • 1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch dice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ⅓ cup Lizano sauce (store bought) if not on hand, use the recipe below for homemade Lizano sauce
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Equipment

  • wok is very useful but can be done either in a Dutch oven or any saucepan of your choice.

Method
 

  1. Add olive oil to a wok or heavy skillet, heat olive oil, add onion and garlic and sauté until onion is translucent and tender. 
  2. Add cumin powder, chili powder, and paprika, or cayenne. Sauté for a few seconds. 
  3. Add cooked rice, black beans and red bell peppers, and season with salt stir to combine thoroughly. 
  4. Pour store bought lizano sauce to the contents and stir to coat the rice evenly with the sauce.
  5. Continue to cook stirring for 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle chopped cilantro as garnish before serving.
  6. The recipe is written for vegetarians, but I took the option of adding some cooked shrimps on top for my carnivore family as the image shows. Those who are vegetarian can make it without any meat or sea food component.

Notes

Lizano Sauce Recipe
if Lizano sauce is not on hand, you can make your own by blending  following ingredients.
1/2 cup grated onion
1 small carrots, grated
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon molasses
2 tablespoons vegetable broth
1/2  teaspoon salt
Blend all the above ingredients in a blender. Use the amount recipe calls for, and store the rest in a jar refrigerated for future use.
Click here: Trip to Costa Rica
 
 
 
 
 

Food Blog / Vegetarian Recipes

Fasolada (Greek Navy Beans and Orzo Pasta Soup)

Fasolada (Greek Navy Beans and Orzo Soup)

Fasolada is a one pot meal ideal for those who want a fuss free, quick weeknight meal. 8 ounce beans and 4-ounce pasta makes enough quantity to feed four people. I got this recipe on line and make it often. It has become a favorite family one-pot meal. 
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: light meal, Snack, Soup
Cuisine: Indian, Mediterranean
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 8 ounce navy beans, or beans of your choice
  • ½ Cup Olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ½ medium onion
  • 1 stick celery
  • 1 large carrot
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 inch fresh ginger root
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 plum tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 1½ cup vegetable broth
  • 2 medium bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon orange or lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon orange or lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon red crused pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt season to taste
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ cup orzo, cooked al dente
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar (scant tablespoon)
  • 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley

Equipment

  • Ducth oven
  • Pressure cooker

Method
 

  1. Do your prep by peeling and dicing onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and ginger or you can use a Ninja food chopper to zap all this in a few seconds. 
  2. Heat olive oil and butter in a Dutch oven or a heavy saucepan. Add diced aromatics (onion, carrots, celery, garlic and ginger) and let them sweat on very low heat until translucent and soft.
  3. Add tomato paste and cook stirring to caramelize it. Then add chopped tomatoes, bay leaves and continue to cook until tomatoes are cook down.
  4. Add 1½ cup vegetable broth and stir to mix. Bring it back to a boil.
  5. Add partly cooked bean, bay leaves, orange or lemon zest and juice, crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Stir well to combine and let it cook medium low for one hour or long enough until the beans are tender.
  6. Add cooked pasta, vinegar, and stir to mix. Add remaining ½ cup broth and mix.
  7. Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley, cover and simmer for 30 more minutes.
  8. Serve with toasted garlic bread. 

Notes

Please read the recipe to have everything on hand. And read again to familiarize with the recipe instructions. Once you have an idea, you can proceed to complete the recipe. This would give you a good idea of the techniques, and will make it easy to put your own twist on it in future. you would also be able to use several variations of flavors to enhance it to your own personal taste or enjoy the original the way it is.