Coriander Coconut Chutney

A slightly sweet, sour, spicy, and flavorful blend of cilantro and coconut.  A great side to enhance just about any Indian meal or a snack for dipping naan.

As promised, I'm sharing the chutney recipe I made to accompany my Cauliflower Curry.  I used a recipe I found from Veg Recipes of India's list of 30 Easy Chutney Recipes I shared on Google+.  There were so many delicious and simple options I just chose the one where I had all the ingredients on hand. This chutney turned out great and added, even more, fantastic flavor to the meal.  Any leftovers are great as a snack with naan.

Coriander Coconut #Chutney adds, even more, flavor to #Indianfood  [Tweet this]

Coriander Coconut Chutney

Modified slightly from Veg Recipes of India

Prep/cook time:  10 minutes
Servings:  3-4

Ingredients:

1 bunch cilantro roughly chopped (3/4 cup packed)
3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 jalapeno (or green chili) rough chop
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp sugar
pinch of salt

For tempering:

1 Tbsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
8-10 curry leaves (dried and crushed---it's what I had)
pinch of asafoetida

Add all of the first 7 ingredients into a blender and puree until smooth (add a little water if needed to help blend).

Remove the puree to a bowl and set aside.

Heat the oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat.  Add the mustard seeds and wait for them to start to sputter.  Then add the curry and asafoetida.  Fry for a few seconds then immediately pour over the puree and stir to combine.

The website says to serve this with idli, dosa, or other snacks but I thought it made a delicious accompaniment to my Cauliflower Curry and with naan.

Enjoy.

Check out my Cauliflower Curry mentioned in this post:

For more Indian recipes that would be great with this chutney check out:

Arhar Dal

Baked Samosas

Bhindi (Okra) Masala

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Cauliflower Curry

Tender cauliflower cooked in warm Indian spices.

This is probably not an authentic Indian curry, but I used the spices and cooking techniques I've seen/used in other Indian dishes.  I love the delicious spicy combination of ginger, garlic, chili, cumin, and turmeric found in Indian cuisine.  All the spices take a dish from bland to exciting and leave me feeling full and satisfied without meat or too many calories.  Not only does the spice combination taste amazing it's said to have many health benefits too.

Warm Indian spices make yummy #vegan Cauliflower #Curry  [Tweet this]

Cauliflower Curry

Cook time:  15-20 minutes
Servings:  4-5

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 Tbsp minced ginger
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp minced pickled jalapeno (or fresh chili if you have it)
1/2 tsp turmeric
chili powder (to taste)
1 Tbsp coriander powder
Salt (to taste)
3-4 cups cauliflower florets
1 cup frozen peas (optional)
2 small carrots, chopped (optional)
1 tomato, pureed
1/4 cup water
1 tsp tamarind concentrate (optional)

1 tsp garam masala

Prepare all of the ingredients and have them at hand before cooking.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until very hot.  Add the cumin seeds until they sputter then add the ginger, garlic, and jalapeno.  Stir and cook until fragrant.

Add the dry spices (turmeric, chili powder, and coriander)  and cook for a few seconds then add the vegetables (you can use all cauliflower if you prefer I added peas and carrots for more color) with a good sprinkle of salt.  

Stir and mix well then add the water mixed with the tamarind concentrate (I use the tamarind to add more flavor and because I have it).  Continue stirring until the water cooks off and cauliflower is tender.

Remove from heat and mix in the garam masala.  

Serve warm over rice garnished with cilantro (with naan and chutney on the side if desired).

I served this curry with a cilantro coconut chutney (I happened to have all the ingredients on hand).  It was delicious.  I'll post the recipe next week so stay tuned.

Makes about 4-5 servings.

Enjoy.

For more Indian recipes check out:

Cauliflower & Chickpea Curry

Patta Gobhi Mattar (Cabbage & Peas)

Sambar           -

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Warm Up with Soup

7 delicious soups to keep you warm inside and out.

Soup is a great way to clean out your refrigerator.  You can make soup with all kinds of meat, vegetables, legumes, grains, and/or pasta.  Here are 7 of my soup recipes that are simple and delicious.  Many are meatless, vegetarian, or vegan and all will help keep you warm.

A #roundup of 7 delicious soup #recipes. Warm Up w/ Soup  [Tweet this]

Black Bean Soup

A creamy, flavorful, and meatless soup made with black beans and spices.  Filling enough for an entree.

Warm up w/ #meatless Black Bean Soup  [Tweet this]

Cauliflower and Chickpea Soup

A creamy soup made with chickpeas, cauliflower, coconut milk and warm spices.  Cauliflower and chickpea soup is a delicious and vegan meal.

Warm up w/ #vegan Cauliflower & Chickpea #Soup  [Tweet this]

Green Pea Soup

Healthy and easy frozen green peas pureed in a flavorful broth for a creamy and delicious, vibrant green, soup.

Warm up w/ #frozenpeas in Green Pea #Soup  [Tweet this]

Lentil Soup

A bold and spicy soup with hot Portuguese sausage and healthy lentils.

Warm up w/ #healthy #lentils in Lentil Soup  [Tweet this]

Minestrone Soup

A simple, vegetarian, Italian style soup made with vegetables, beans, pasta, tomatoes, and spices.

Warm up w/ #vegetarian Minestrone #Soup  [Tweet this]

Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup

A creamy, meatless, soup with mushrooms and wild rice.  It's warm comfort food for a cold night.

Warm up with #comfortfood Mushroom and #WildRiceSoup  [Tweet this]

Pureed Carrot Soup

A creamy, vegan, soup made with pureed carrots, onions, and beans in a vegetable broth with a hint of dill.  It's filling enough for a meal but also great with a small sandwich.

Warm up w/ #vegan Pureed Carrot #Soup  [Tweet this]

Enjoy.

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Beef and Bean Burritos

Leftover Beef and Bean Taco meat stretched with rice and rolled in a flour tortilla.

Burritos are an easy handheld meal.  You can get all of your food groups in one delicious bundle. They are very filling (you usually only need one) and inexpensive.  The only drawback is that they can be a little difficult to roll.  Luckily for me, my husband is pretty good at it so he is the Official Burrito Roller of the house (he's also the Oficial Crescent Roll Roller and the Official Broken Cookie Eater...he has many titles).

BeefandBean #Burritos are easy #handheldmeals  [Tweet this]

These burritos were a great use for leftover Beef and Bean Taco meat.  We had tacos for 2 nights but on the 3rd night, there wasn't quite enough leftover for two meals.  So, I added rice, tomatoes, and more spices making the leftovers last for another four meals.  I love being able to reuse leftovers and get even more bang for my buck.   I really only had to cook once for 2 different dinners that lasted all week.

More #bangforyourbuck reuse #leftovers in Beef&Bean Burritos  [Tweet this]

Beef and Bean Burritos

Cook time:  20-30 minutes
Servings:  4-6

Ingredients:

1 cup dry rice
1 1/2 cups water
1 13.5oz can of diced tomatoes
1 pinch of salt
2-3 cups leftover Beef and Bean Taco meat (or any taco meat)
Paprika (optional)
Cayenne (optional)

Place dry rice in rice cooker.  Mix in the water, tomatoes, and salt.  Turn on the cooker and cook until done.

Meanwhile, reheat the leftover taco meat in a large skillet over low to medium heat.  Mix in the cooked rice and season as desired.  Remove from heat.

Heat 12-inch flour tortillas, covered with a damp paper towel, in the microwave for about 15-30 seconds until warm and pliable.

Place about 1-2 cups of the meat mixture on a tortilla.  Add cheese, lettuce, and any other desired toppings but try not to over fill the tortilla.  Then roll up the burrito and wrap in foil.  There are many instructions on how to roll a burrito online.

Makes about 4-6 burritos.

Enjoy.

For more burritos try these taco/taco salad fillings:

Chorizo & Black Bean

Pulled Pork

Slow Cooker Chicken

Check out the recipes that gave my husband his titles (Official Crescent Roll Roller and Official Broken Cookie Eater):

Easy Crescent Rolls

Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Beef and Bean Tacos

A slightly spicy taco filling made with ground beef and black beans.

As you all probably know by now I love taco salad.  I make taco salad at least once a month (if not more) but I thought y'all might be tired of seeing taco salad.  So this time, I made tacos instead.  Tacos are convenient handheld fun meals and the variations are endless.  This is one of many possible fillings and it was delicious.  Crunchy tacos are my preference but  this would be fine in soft shells too.

Beef&Bean #Tacos are are convenient handheld food  [Tweet this]

Taco filling is great because it's so versatile.  I always make a big batch so there are plenty of leftovers.  I've used leftovers in breakfast tacos, burritos, cheese dip, taco salad, and I think of new uses all the time.  Even when I'm not feeling creative I can eat the same meal every night if it's tacos.

#Leftover BeefandBean #Taco meat has many uses  [Tweet this]

Beef and Bean Tacos

Cook time:  30 minutes

Servings:  6

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1 very large red bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno, diced
1 Tbsp oil
2 cups black beans (or one can, rinsed and drained)
2 tbsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, over medium heat, cook the ground beef (seasoned with salt and pepper) until browned and cooked through.  Remove the meat, drain the grease, and set aside.

You can chop, dice, and mince the following 5 ingredients, or (like I did) blitz it all in a food processor until finely chopped (like salsa).

In the same skillet, heat the oil and then add the garlic, onion, tomatoes, and peppers (season with a little salt and pepper).  Cook, over medium heat, until softened and fragrant.  Add the beef back to the mixture, and the beans, paprika, and cayenne.  Stir well and allow mixture to boil (if there isn't enough liquid from the vegetables add about 1/4 cup of water).  Then lower the heat.

Simmer (uncovered) for at least 15 minutes or until much of the excess moisture cooks off and flavors meld.  Taste and adjust seasoning.

Makes about 6 servings.  Serve in taco shells or as taco salad with lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes.

Enjoy.

For more taco ideas check out:

Bean & Rice Taco Salad

Fish Sticks Tacos     -

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Meat

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