Cooking Stuff

Kitchari is the quintessential Indian comfort food, similar to Chinese congee or Middle-Eastern mujaddara (see below).  Basmati rice and whole mung beans (moong dal) are cooked down with various spices and vegetables into a dish that ranges from a soupy to an almost homogeneous consistency. I prefer the latter, a mass of pillow-soft rice and beans punctuated with cumin, chili powder, ginger, and onion.  It’s delicious and filling while also being nutritious and easily digested. Kitchari is often the first solid food Indian children are given, and is frequently given as part of Ayurvedic treatment.

This recipe is adapted from my latest cook book acquisition, The Indian Slow Cooker by Anupy Singla. I was initially skeptical of cooking kitchari in a Crock-Pot, but am happy to report that with a little tweaking (that’s what I do, you know), you will be more than happy with the results. 

Kitchari

This recipe is for a 4 quart slow cooker. If you have a 5 quart model, increase the amount of mung beans by 1 cup, and the amount of water by 1 cup. Cooking time will be 5 hours.

2 Tbs. Ghee or light cooking oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 jalapeno peppers, ribs and seeds removed, diced small

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbs. grated fresh ginger

1 Tbs. cumin powder

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. turmeric

1 16 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained

4 c. vegetable broth

3 c. water

1 c. whole mung beans, rinsed

1 c. basmati rice, rinsed

1 tsp. sea salt

Chopped cilantro for garnish

1. Heat the ghee or oil in a skillet.
2. Add the onion and saute until translucent.
3. Add the chilies and saute for another 2 minutes.
4. Add the garlic, ginger, and all the spices. Saute for 1 minute.
5. Add the tomatoes and saute for 3 minutes. You should have a thick paste.
6. Pour the stock and water into the slow cooker. Add the beans, rice, and salt. Stir to mix.
7. Add the paste from the skillet. Mix well. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours.
8. Adjust slow cooker to low, and cook uncovered for 10 minutes or until desired consistency is achieved.
9. Garnish with cilantro.

Serves 6 generously

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 medium zucchini, grated
• 1 19-ounce can black beans, rinsed
• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 1/2 cups corn, frozen (thawed) or fresh
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 corn tortillas, quartered
• 1 19-ounce can mild red or green enchilada sauce
• 1 1/4 cups shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

• PREPARATION

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
  2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in zucchini, beans, tomatoes, corn, cumin and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are heated through, about 3 minutes.
  3. Scatter half the tortilla pieces in the pan. Top with half the vegetable mixture, half the enchilada sauce and half the cheese. Repeat with one more layer of tortillas, vegetables, sauce and cheese. Cover with foil.
  4. Bake the casserole for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the casserole is bubbling around the edges and the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes more.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 6- to 7-ounce cans boneless, skinless wild Alaskan salmon, drained
• 1/4 cup minced red onion
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 4 tablespoons reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufch
• 8 slices pumpernickel bread, toasted
• 8 slices tomato
• 2 large leaves romaine lettuce, cut in half

PREPARATION

1. Combine salmon, onion, lemon juice, oil and pepper in a medium bowl. Spread 1 tablespoon cream cheese on each of 4 slices of bread. Spread 1/2 cup salmon salad over the cream cheese. Top with 2 tomato slices, a piece of lettuce and another slice of bread.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons molasses, preferably blackstrap
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 5 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
• 1 medium onion, slivered
• 1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 3 cups mung bean sprouts (see Note)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

• PREPARATION

  1. Combine broth, soy sauce, molasses and pepper in a medium bowl. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the mixture to a small bowl; stir in cornstarch until combined. Set aside.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add pork and cook, stirring frequently, until most of the pink is gone, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
  3. Increase heat to medium-high. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, onion, bell pepper, sprouts and ginger and cook for 3 minutes. Pour in the broth mixture and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; add the reserved cornstarch mixture and pork (and any accumulated juice) and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 3-ounce package low-fat ramen-noodle soup mix , (see Note)
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
• 3 1/4-inch-thick slices fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 5 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 5 teaspoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 cups shredded green cabbage
• 1 medium carrot, shredded
• 3 scallions, chopped

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Crumble ramen noodles onto a large rimmed baking sheet (discard seasoning packet). Add almonds, sesame seeds and canola oil; toss to coat. Bake for 10 minutes. Stir, then bake until the noodles are golden brown, about 5 minutes more. Let cool on the pan on a wire rack.
3. Meanwhile, place chicken in a medium skillet or saucepan with water to cover. Add ginger and salt; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently until no longer pink in the center and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 165°F, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board to cool. Using forks, shred into bite-size pieces. (Discard the poaching liquid.)
4. Meanwhile, combine orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil in a small bowl or jar with a tight-fitting lid. Whisk or shake until the sugar has dissolved.
5. Just before serving, combine the shredded chicken, cabbage, carrot and scallions in a large bowl. Add the toasted noodle mixture and the dressing; mix well.

INGREDIENTS

FILLING

• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, well washed and thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced carrots
• 3 cloves garlic,minced
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage, or 1/2 teaspoon dried, rubbed
• 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups diced cooked turkey, or chicken (see Tip)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• MASHED POTATOES
• 2 pounds potatoes, preferably Yukon Gold, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1/2-3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk, (see Tip)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

PREPARATION

1. To prepare filling: Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add leeks and carrots and cook, stirring, until the leeks soften, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute more.
2. Pour in wine and stir until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add flour and sage and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour starts to turn light brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in broth and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and the carrots are barely tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Add turkey (or chicken) and peas and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a deep 10-inch pie pan or other 2-quart baking dish and set aside.
4. To mash potatoes and bake pie: Place potatoes in a large saucepan and add cold salted water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and return the potatoes to the pan. Cover and shake the pan over low heat to dry the potatoes slightly, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
5. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or whip with an electric mixer, adding enough buttermilk to make a smooth puree. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in egg and 1 tablespoon oil.
6. Spread the potatoes on top of the turkey mixture. With the back of a spoon, make decorative swirls. Set the dish on a baking sheet and bake until the potatoes and filling are heated through and the top is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.