Roasted Vegetable Tart with Pepper Relish

Summer has arrived early at WordPress with this week’s challenge Summer.  New York City has seen rain all week long with some very heavy downpours.  But, that hasn’t stopped the loads of zucchini and tomatoes available at roadside vegetable carts in my neighborhood.  I am sure everyone planning a barbecue party tomorrow on Memorial Day is hoping the rains don’t spoil the fun.  I bought a bag each of zucchinis and tomatoes and, of course, had no clue how I was going to use it.  Ratatouille…nah…. soup….nah….zucchini bread?? What about the tomatoes?  So, out came the tart pan and the result was a vegetable tart that looked stunning and tasted even better – just simple and tasty veggies that were delicious with the roasting intensifying the flavors. 

What about the pepper relish?  That was an afterthought when I saw the pepper relish sitting on the counter.  That is my latest discovery and I’m addicted to it.  It is a perfect relish for sandwiches and I even added it to a marinade (that recipe is for another time).  I could simply dig the spoon into the jar and enjoy the stuff. I guess I must return to the store and buy all the Pepper Relish I can find before others discover this delicious stuff.

It was very simple to assemble as you can see from the pictures.  I used 2 medium-sized zucchinis, 2 medium-sized tomatoes, 2 onions, and 2 potatoes - all medium sized.  All the veggies were washed and sliced evenly into rounds.  I thawed a store-bought pie crust and blind baked it for a few minutes and set it aside to cool.  You can assemble them however you like I guess, I just assembled it in circles.  Drizzed extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt, and fresh ground coarse black pepper.  Snipped off some fresh herbs from the backyard and threw in a few sprigs of oregano and thyme.  Into a 425-degree oven went the tart pan, and the tart was done in about 45 minutes.

This tart is very light and healthy unlike the cream/milk and cheese laden heavier vegetable tarts.  Of course, this is a basic tart and will work well with mushrooms, carrots, parsnips, etc.

Then, the best part of the tart, Pepper Relish.  I thinned out a few teaspoons of the relish with warm water and drizzled it on the warm roasted veggies. The warm veggies absorbed the peppery goodness.  I did not return the tart to the oven because I thought the pepper may spew hot smoke – and I might have to call 911 to save the situation.  Well, the tart was delicious and devoured  as soon as it was cool enough to handle.

 

Lemony Brussels Sprouts with Lima Beans

The most viewed and popular post on my blog is Pan-Seared Brussels Sprouts, which I posted a few months ago.  Judging by the post stats, I guess brussels sprouts are gaining in popularity.  Do the readers make it or not, I have not a clue.  Since then, I’ve shredded the sprouts, quartered them, and roasted them.  However, today I was in the mood to try something new, and didn’t know where to begin.  I looked in the freezer for inspiration and saw some baby lima beans.  So, why not, baby lima beans and baby cabbages…

 

Then collected the rest of the ingredients I wanted to use.  Leeks, fresh garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, fresh lemon juice, and salt.

I used 1 cup lima beans, 2 cups brussels sprouts, one leek (coarsely chopped), one clove garlic (minced), fresh lemon juice (use how little or how much you like), red pepper flakes (a pinch is not enough for me), a little cumin seeds, and salt.

Here are the directions to lemony brussels sprouts:

1. Trimmed and halved the brussels sprouts.  Blanched in salted boiling water for a few minutes, drained and set it aside.  Into the same boiled water I added the lima beans and cooked until done. Drained the beans and set it aside.
2. Heated some olive oil in a skillet and added the cumin seeds, leeks and crushed garlic clove.  Also added the red pepper flakes and a little more salt.
3. When the leek was softened, added the brussels sprouts and lima beans and tossed well.
4. Sprinkled fresh lemon juice and served warm with fried rice.

 

I hope you will make this dish – it was delicious with a contrast of textures.  The crunchy sprouts, creamy lima beans and the occasional bite of a toasted cumin seed – easy and quick to prepare as well.

 

Green Plantains: Two Ways – Chips and Stir-Fried

My New York City neighborhood has a lot of variety when it comes to grocery stores. There are fancy gourmet stores, supermarkets, and tiny ethnic grocery stores.  I get very good bargains sometimes and I end up with more stuff than I can use. These green plantain chips and stir-fry were the result of one such barrgain….8 green plantains for a dollar!  How could I pass that offer? So I ended up with a batch of crunchy plantain chips and a simple stir-fry that was ideal for lunch with rice and dal curry.

To make the plantain chips, I peeled and sliced the plantains into thin strips.  I fried the chips in canola oil in a deep wok and sprinkled the hot chips with a mixture of salt, chilli powder and amchur (dried mango powder) as soon as they were off the stove. Amchur powder gives the chips a tanginess that complements the heat from the chilli powder.  It is available in Indian grocery stores.

Yeah, I know fried stuff is bad for you and it clogs your arteries and all that, but never mind, these chips are crunchy, salty, tangy, spicy in one bite. 

Green Plantain Stir-Fry

This stir-fry is simple and easy with very few ingredients.  I used green plantains cut into half lengthwise and then into half-moons. I heated some oil in a pan and added black mustard seeds.  When the mustard seeds had popped, I added some thinly sliced onions, a few curry leaves (optional), and one finely chopped green chilli. A pinch of salt and turmeric was sprinkled on the onions.  Then added the sliced bananas and a little water.  I closed the pan and cooked the plantains for about five minutes, then removed the cover and cooked for another five minutes until the water had evaporated and the plantains were cooked.  It is an easy side dish that is ideal for vegans and vegetarians.  I had it for lunch with basmati rice and dal curry (lentil curry).

 

Green Garbanzo Curry – Green Chickpeas Curry

I was pleasantly surprised to see a pile of green garbanzos in the market the other day. So, of course, with great enthusiasm I bought some fresh green pods.  If you have bought these, you know that you get very little garbanzos after you have shelled a huge pile of fresh pods.  I roasted some….these were delicious and there weren’t any left on the plate for a picture.  So, that is for another day when I find fresh green garbanzos again.

I decided to make a curry and some rice. Then, on second thoughts, decided to make some pooris (fried Indian bread, also called puris).  It is a classic combination….hot pooris off the stove with spicy chickpeas curry….what could be better for dinner on a cold New York evening?

Trader Joe’s stocks green garbanzos in their freezer section, and I’ve bought that occasionally. But, there is nothing like fresh and sweet green garbanzos (did I mention it takes an hour to get a decent quantity of garbanzos ready for roasting or to make a curry?)

A few medium potatoes cooked with the chickpeas made the curry nice and stew-like. It would have been delicious with rice too, but tonight it was pooris, which is a rare treat in our house since we try to avoid deep-fried foods.

To make the chickpeas curry, I used:

• 2 cups green chickpeas / garbanzo beans
• 2 medium potatoes, cubed
• 1 large tomato, finely chopped
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 4 tbsp oil
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 stick of cinnamon
• 3-4 dried bay leaves
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp cumin/coriander powder
• 1 tsp amchur powder (dried mango powder)
• Salt
• Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method: 

I used a pressure cooker to cook the curry as the chickpeas requires a long cooking time.  Heat the oil and add the whole spices, i.e. cumin seeds, cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Once the cumin seeds begin to pop and crackle, add the onions and cook until golden-brown.  Then add the chopped garlic and the ginger-garlic paste. Stir to mix well and add the chopped tomatoes.  Mix well and allow to cook for 2 a few minutes.  Add all the dry spices, mix well and cook on medium heat for a few minutes.  Add the chickpeas and potatoes and cook for 10-15 minutes on medium heat.  Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with rice or bread.

The curry can be also enjoyed with some crusty bread instead of rice or puris.

 

Vegetable Upma

One of the most popular breakfasts in Southern India,  upma (or vegetable upma, as in this case), is easy, quick, and delicious.  Every mom and homemaker in South India whips up upma in a matter of minutes for a delicious mini meal, school lunch, or after-school snack for hungry kids.  What is upma anyway?  Upma is made with semolina (farina, rava, sooji), and sometimes vegetables get into the mix too. Innovative home cooks have often replaced semolina with bread, quinoa, rice flakes, and oats to make upma.  Upma is also called uppittu or khara bhath.

Although I must confess, in every house, there are some folks who will run miles from upma, and others who love it. I love upma when it is warm and fragrant with mustard seeds, green chillies, and cilantro, not to mention fresh vegetables.  It tastes even better if you have some toasted cashew nuts to garnish.  Upma makes for a quick weeknight dinner too….and I often make upma when I am alone at home.  Leftover upma makes for a nice lunch too.  I customize upma with fresh veggies that I have at the time, but I definitely add some peas and carrot to make a really colorful upma.  Here you  will find one upma that is yellow, and another non-yellow version.

So, what is the difference – can you tell?  Hmmm……just a pinch of turmeric, which gives the upma a lovely yellow color, rendering it a pilaf-like look.

Here are the ingredients I used for the upma:

 1 cup semolina

1 onion, finely chopped

1 cup mixed vegetables, carrots, peas, beans, etc.

1 small tomato, finely chopped

2 green chillies, finely diced

1″ piece ginger, grated

A few curry leaves

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

Roasted cashew nuts to garnish (optional)

Coriander leaves for garnish

2 tsp oil

Salt to taste

A pinch of turmeric

 And, these are the directions:

1. Roast the semolina in a pan until it turns golden brown and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

2. Heat oil in the same pan and add the mustard seeds and curry leaves. When the mustard seeds splutter, add the onions, green chillies and ginger.  (Reduce the green chillies or avoid it if you aren’t fond of the heat of chillies).  Fry for a few minutes until the onions turns golden brown.

3. Add vegetables, tomato, salt, and turmeric. Stir together and combine.  Add about 3 cups water and cook covered until the vegetables are done.

4. Lower the heat and slowly add the roasted semolina, stirring constantly to avoid any lumps. Continue to cook on a low heat until the water is evaporated, about 5 minutes.

5. Remove and garnish with cilantro leaves and cashew nuts (if using). 

6. Serve warm with chutney (optional).

 

 A tad of fresh ghee or melted butter drizzled on the upma gives it extra flavor and (calories!).  Yum.