Despite having it for years, I haven't really adapted to having a food processor. As in, it doesn't occur to me that some of the things I never make would be ridiculously easy since I have one. Muhammara is one of those things which I *love* when I get at restaurants, but it never occurred to me to make at home. And is ridiculously easy to make when one has a food processor. The basic recipe goes like this:
1.5 cups of walnuts
3 saltines (or bread crumbs or a bit of pita)
.5 tsp salt
.5 tsp ground cumin
grind in food processor for a while. add:
1 jar of roasted red peppers, drained
2 Tbs of pomegranate molasses (I think I'll up this next time, because I love it)
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 Tbs olive oil
continue to run food processor until the texture is no longer gritty, but don't over process.
It is OK right out of the processor, but best after sitting the fridge for at least a day. This plus pita, olives, and a salad is an awesome dinner.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Leftover rice = burritos
The necessary parts:
1 to 2 cups cooked rice
1 can black beans (or pinto) - do not drain
salsa
tortilla
Nice additions:
1 chopped onion and a little oil
cilantro (1 Tbs dried or 2 Tbs fresh)
1 Tbs of lime juice
jalepenos from a jar
shredded cheese
guacamole
sour cream
lettuce
If you're using the onion, cook it in the oil until it softens.
Add the rice and can of beans to the pan and cook long enough to heat through. Add cilantro, lime, and jalepenos and turn off heat.
Put in the tortilla with your toppings. Wrap up. Eat.
These also keep really well in the fridge for a few days - just wrap the entire burrito in plastic wrap or tin foil. They can be reheated in the microwave if there isn't any lettuce on them or just eaten cold.
1 to 2 cups cooked rice
1 can black beans (or pinto) - do not drain
salsa
tortilla
Nice additions:
1 chopped onion and a little oil
cilantro (1 Tbs dried or 2 Tbs fresh)
1 Tbs of lime juice
jalepenos from a jar
shredded cheese
guacamole
sour cream
lettuce
If you're using the onion, cook it in the oil until it softens.
Add the rice and can of beans to the pan and cook long enough to heat through. Add cilantro, lime, and jalepenos and turn off heat.
Put in the tortilla with your toppings. Wrap up. Eat.
These also keep really well in the fridge for a few days - just wrap the entire burrito in plastic wrap or tin foil. They can be reheated in the microwave if there isn't any lettuce on them or just eaten cold.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Rice, dal, spinach
This is not a fast meal, but it is the sort of thing that doesn't require much attention - easy to make during lunch while feeding little kids and then quickly reheat for dinner. My new favorite type of meal.
Make rice. Follow the directions on the package for 2 cups of dry rice.
The type of dal I make is a two step process. First cook the lentils. Then add some spices. Both steps can be altered. The spices need to be cooked separately. I use a bigger pot with a lid for this step so I can just reuse the pan for the spinach without cleaning it.
Lentils:
1 cup of lentils/dal/mung beans (red, white, or yellow - not brown or french)
3.5 cups of water
1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon tumeric (optional)
Bring to boil then simmer for about 45 minutes. Simmer until the lentils dissolve when stirred vigorously - use a whisk if you like, but I just use a spoon. It will look like split pea soup (exact same idea).
While the lentils are cooking. Or later. Or whenever. Throw together some spices. Here are two variations:
Spices 1:
3 Tablespoons veg oil - heat in the pan and add
2 teaspoons of whole cumin seeds. Cook about a half minute until lightly browned. Turn off the heat and immediately add -
1 Tablespoon minced ginger (look for pre-minced in a jar)
1 Minced green chili (optional)(I would totally buy this pre-minced in a jar if I could)
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
4 Tablespoons of cilantro
Spices 2:
3 Tablespoons veg oil - heat in the pan and add
1 small chopped onion. Cook until translucent - less than 5 minutes. Add:
1 clove minced garlic (again, pre-minced in a jar)
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon black pepper
Cook for two minutes and turn off the heat.
Mix the spices in the dal and eat.
This spinach is my favorite way to eat spinach. I can eat an entire prewashed bag in one sitting. Easily. Don't be fooled - prewashed is much easier than frozen.
2 Tablespoons of veg oil
1 Tablespoon of mustard seeds
1 bag of prewashed spinach
1 teaspoon of salt.
Heat the oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and cover. When the mustard seeds start to pop, lower the heat and add the spinach and salt. Stir until the spinach wilts. Turn off the heat. Eat immediately. Try not to just eat it out of the pan and burn your tongue.
Make rice. Follow the directions on the package for 2 cups of dry rice.
The type of dal I make is a two step process. First cook the lentils. Then add some spices. Both steps can be altered. The spices need to be cooked separately. I use a bigger pot with a lid for this step so I can just reuse the pan for the spinach without cleaning it.
Lentils:
1 cup of lentils/dal/mung beans (red, white, or yellow - not brown or french)
3.5 cups of water
1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon tumeric (optional)
Bring to boil then simmer for about 45 minutes. Simmer until the lentils dissolve when stirred vigorously - use a whisk if you like, but I just use a spoon. It will look like split pea soup (exact same idea).
While the lentils are cooking. Or later. Or whenever. Throw together some spices. Here are two variations:
Spices 1:
3 Tablespoons veg oil - heat in the pan and add
2 teaspoons of whole cumin seeds. Cook about a half minute until lightly browned. Turn off the heat and immediately add -
1 Tablespoon minced ginger (look for pre-minced in a jar)
1 Minced green chili (optional)(I would totally buy this pre-minced in a jar if I could)
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
4 Tablespoons of cilantro
Spices 2:
3 Tablespoons veg oil - heat in the pan and add
1 small chopped onion. Cook until translucent - less than 5 minutes. Add:
1 clove minced garlic (again, pre-minced in a jar)
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon black pepper
Cook for two minutes and turn off the heat.
Mix the spices in the dal and eat.
This spinach is my favorite way to eat spinach. I can eat an entire prewashed bag in one sitting. Easily. Don't be fooled - prewashed is much easier than frozen.
2 Tablespoons of veg oil
1 Tablespoon of mustard seeds
1 bag of prewashed spinach
1 teaspoon of salt.
Heat the oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and cover. When the mustard seeds start to pop, lower the heat and add the spinach and salt. Stir until the spinach wilts. Turn off the heat. Eat immediately. Try not to just eat it out of the pan and burn your tongue.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
The triumphant return: eggs and greens
It's like having a baby eats all your free time. I've been doing more than zero cooking, but zero writing about it. You lose.
But now you win! I'm back! My new favorite quick thing is greens and eggs. You'll need this:
A bit of butter.
A handfull of greens (1 cup? ish) (spinach if you are not adventurous, arugula is my personal favorite for having some flavor but not too overwhelming, dandelion greens if you like bitter) chopped up.
An egg.
Pepper.
Salt or cheese (parmesean - about 2 Tablespoons shredded).
Some bread for toast.
This scales very easily - I usually double it just for me.
It goes like this:
1. Put bread in the toaster oven.*
2. Melt butter in a frying pan.
3. Add greens and salt/pepper.
4. When the greens start to wilt, crack the eggs on top. I like fully cooked eggs, so I poke the yolk and it runs.
5. Turn a few times until almost cooked.
6. Sprinkle cheese on top, wait until it melts.
7. Eat on toast.
Perfect for thinking about spring coming.
* I think a toaster oven is the best kitchen appliance (OK, after a fridge and stove). It heats up quickly for small amounts (tater tots) and it far better than the soggy results from the microwave (pizza). We use ours constantly.
But now you win! I'm back! My new favorite quick thing is greens and eggs. You'll need this:
A bit of butter.
A handfull of greens (1 cup? ish) (spinach if you are not adventurous, arugula is my personal favorite for having some flavor but not too overwhelming, dandelion greens if you like bitter) chopped up.
An egg.
Pepper.
Salt or cheese (parmesean - about 2 Tablespoons shredded).
Some bread for toast.
This scales very easily - I usually double it just for me.
It goes like this:
1. Put bread in the toaster oven.*
2. Melt butter in a frying pan.
3. Add greens and salt/pepper.
4. When the greens start to wilt, crack the eggs on top. I like fully cooked eggs, so I poke the yolk and it runs.
5. Turn a few times until almost cooked.
6. Sprinkle cheese on top, wait until it melts.
7. Eat on toast.
Perfect for thinking about spring coming.
* I think a toaster oven is the best kitchen appliance (OK, after a fridge and stove). It heats up quickly for small amounts (tater tots) and it far better than the soggy results from the microwave (pizza). We use ours constantly.
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