Dharma Feast Cookbook (36 page)
Read Dharma Feast Cookbook Online
Authors: Theresa Rodgers
| R AITA |  |
Raita is an Indian yogurt dish that is served with basmati rice, daal and vegetables. The freshness of the yogurt balances the spiciness of typical Indian food. There are many different kinds of raita, each one using different spice combinations. This is a basic recipe.
| M AKES ABOUT 2 CUPS | P REP TIME 15 MINUTES |
1 cup plain yogurt, stirred Juice of one lemon ½ cup very finely chopped red onion ½ cup very finely chopped cucumber Sea salt and pepper to taste |
Pinch of cayenne (optional) Finely chopped cilantro or mint (optional) | Add ingredients together, mix, and serve. You can make the raita thicker by adding more yogurt or thinner by adding water. |
| T ZAZIKI S AUCE | |
In the 1980s in Germany,
Tzaziki Sauce
was the party food that people often brought to a potluck dinner. The only disadvantage is the amount of garlic. Needless to say, the consumption of this much garlic sometimes interfered with the desired amount of kissing.
| S ERVES 8 | P REP TIME 15 MINUTES |
2 English cucumbers 1 container (about 32 ounces) plain Greek yogurt 3–4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon dried dill 1 tablespoon olive oil ½ teaspoon salt | Peel and shred cucumber. Squeeze the liquid out with your hands or wrap it in a clean dish towel and twist to remove liquid. Mix all ingredients. Refrigerate for at least 2–3 hours before serving. |
| P ESTO |  |
“Pesto per pasta o pizza! Pronto! Gracie! Mille gracie!” (“Pesto for pasta or pizza! Quick! Thank you. Thank you so much.”) After this enthusiastic Italian repartee, you now know how some people speak about this pesto.
| S ERVES 8–10 | P REP TIME 15 MINUTES |
1½cups fresh basil leaves 2 cloves garlic, finely minced ¼ cup pine nuts ¾ cup olive oil ¾ teaspoon salt | Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, scraping sides with a rubber spatula to keep it mixing well. Variations |
| R ED H OT S AUCE |  |
You can wear your little black dress for this
Red Hot Sauce.
Serve with barbeque tofu kabobs or as a spicy sauce on the side as part of a Mediterranean dinner, or with baked vegetables such as baked eggplant slices.
| M AKES 1 CUP OR 6 SERVINGS | P REP TIME 25 MINUTES |
2 tablespoons safflower oil ¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 3cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes 1 tablespoon rice vinegar ½ tablespoon Grade B maple syrup ¾ teaspoon sea salt | Heat safflower oil in a medium-size skillet. Sauté red crushed peppers for 30 seconds. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes and sauté over medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Once tomato juice has cooked off, add rice vinegar, maple syrup, and salt. Stir. Put everything in a small mixing bowl and puree with an immersion blender. Note |
| Y EAST G RAVY | |
For anyone who can’t live without gravy, this is for you. We substituted the yeast for the cream, butter, and bacon grease. Try it. It is surprisingly good and goes well over your chicken-fried steak. (Excuse us, we meant to say your brown rice.)
| 1½ cups unbleached wheat flour | P REP TIME 25 MINUTES |
3 cups nutritional yeast 1½ cups safflower oil 8 cups vegetable stock Low sodium soy sauce to taste | Put all ingredients in a large heavy-bottomed pan. Cook over medium heat until golden brown. |
| T OMATO C HUTNEY | |
One of our friends calls this “The Indian Ketchup” with a big grin on her face. We think she’s exaggerating a bit. Still, the maple syrup, the chiles, and the cinnamon make this dish irresistible. People tend to eat a lot so make more rather than less. It goes well with basmati rice,
Kitchari,
and other Indian dishes.
| S ERVES 2–3 | P REP TIME 55 MINUTES |
2 tablespoons butter, oil, or ghee 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick 1 2/3 cups chopped tomatoes or diced canned tomatoes tablespoons honey or Grade B maple syrup ½ teaspoon salt | Heat butter, oil, or ghee over moderate heat in a large frying pan. Add cumin, chiles, and cinnamon stick; fry until cumin turns brown. Add tomatoes, then honey or maple syrup, and salt. Continue cooking and stirring until it has cooked down (about 45 minutes). Serve at room temperature in bowls. |
| H OOCHIE -K OOCHIE S AUCE | |
The name of the sauce gives it all away—you taste it and it’s so delicious you dance the Hootchie-Kootchie. It’s great to serve with all sorts of dishes including
Polenta, Baked Vegetables,
and baked potatoes, and as a dipping sauce for warm whole-grain bread or artichokes. Both children and adults love it.
| M AKES ABOUT ½ CUP | P REP TIME 15 MINUTES |
¼ cup olive oil 1–2 cloves garlic, minced Fresh ground sea salt to taste ½–¾ cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped | In a small bowl, add garlic and sea salt to olive oil. Add enough parsley to oil to reach almost the consistency of a paste. |