SPICY MIDDLE EASTERN-STYLE CHICKPEA, BELL PEPPER, EGGPLANT, TOMATO AND TAHINI STEW (VEGETARIAN) - RAGOÛT MOYEN-ORIENTALISANT AUX LÉGUMES D'ÉTÉ, POIS CHICHES, ÉPICES ET AU TAHINI (VÉGÉTARIEN)

If you follow me via my Facebook page, you might be familiar with my daily " light & healthy supper" posts*. Well to make a long story short, I use this space to share with my fans the detailed desription of the humble, yet delicious, budget-friendly, wholesome and totally improvised meals I cook every evening.

Against all expectations, my quotidian dinner ramblings have become quite popular and a few of the people who enthusiastically read them have told me that I inspire them greatly. Many have even asked me whether I'd consider putting my recipes on the blog.

The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.
- Sylvia Plath

Of course I'd love to be one of those hyperactive bloggers who publishes on a day-to-day basis and always feels the urge to put pen to paper or grab his/her camera, but unfortunately that's not me. You see, I'm a self-doubting perfectionist who has anxiety issues and suffers from chronic bouts of depression, so unlike many creative souls, I generally cannot be put under any kind of pressure or else my inspiration and mojo disappear. Stress and mood swings kill me and tame my inner fire. As a matter of fact, I am only capable of producing quality material when that big black cloud has ceased to hover over my head and I start to regain my self-confidence as well as my serenity...

Anyway, I have nonetheless been able to quickly take pictures of one of my modest creations that I'm happy to present to you today. This summery "Spicy Middle Eastern-Style Chickpea, Bell Pepper, Eggplant, Tomato And Tahini Stew" is really flavorful. Not only is it pleasantly fragrant, but it is also hearty, seasonal, inexpensive and easy to put together.

Nothing artsy-fartsy here, just straight-forward vegetarian grub for foodlovers who care about their well-being, the environment and the state of their bank account without compromising on taste and quality.

* In case you absolutely don't know what I'm talking about, I invite you to visit my "fan page" by clicking on this link.

Spicy Middle Eastern-Style Chickpea, Bell Pepper, Eggplant, Tomato And Tahini Stew
Recipe by Rosa Mayland, September 2014.

Ingredients:
1 Tbs Olive oil
1 Onion, chopped
1 Cloves garlic, chopped
1 Red bell pepper, cubed
1 Eggplant, cubed
1/2 Tsp Ground cumin
1/4 Tsp Ground allspice
1/6 Ground black pepper
2 Tomatoes, chopped
1 Tsp Tomato paste
400g Cooked chickpeas
3 Tbs Tahini mixed with 5 Tbs Water
3 Tbs Yogurt
A few drops of red Tabasco
1/2 Tbs Fresh mint, chopped
Fine sea salt, to taste

Method:
1. Heat a frying pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and then the onion. Cook the onion until translucent.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 1/2 a minute.
3. Add the bell pepper and stir-fry for about 4 minutes, then add the eggplant and stir-fry for another 5 minutes.
4. Add the spices, quickly stir and add the tomatoes as well as the tomato paste. Cook for 10 minutes, until the juices of the tomato have evaporated.
5. Incorporate the chickpeas, the tahini sauce, the yogurt, the Tabasco and the mint. Cook for another minute.
6. Season with salt and serve.

Remarks:
The tomatoes should not have dissolved completely - pieces should remain.
If you find that the dish/sauce is too thick add a little water.
The mint can be replaced by fresh coriander (a handful).

Serving Suggestions:
Serve this dish alone, or with couscous or basmati rice.

Ragoût Moyen-Orientalisant Aux Légumes d'Été, Pois Chiches, Épices Et Au Tahini
Recette par Rosa Mayland, Septembre 2014.
 
Ingrédients:
1 CS d'Huile d'olive
1 Oignon, haché
1 Gousses d'ail, hachée
1 Poivron rouge, coupé en dés
1 Aubergine, coupée en dés
1/2 CC de Cumin en poudre
1/4 CC de Tout-épice (poivre de la Jamaïque) en poudre
1/6 de CC de Poivre noir fraîchement moulu
2 Tomates, hachées grossièrement
1 CC de Concentré de tomate
400g de Pois chiches cuits
3 CS de Tahini mélangé à 5 CS d'eau
3 CS de Yogourt
Quelques gouttes de Tabasco rouge
1/2 CS de Menthe fraîche, hachée
Sel de mer, selon goût

Méthode:
1. Faire chauffer une poêle à feu moyen, ajouter l'huile d'olive, puis l'oignon et faire cuire ce dernier jusqu'à ce qu'il soit translucide.
2. Ajouter l'ail et cuire pendant 1/2 d'une minute.
3. Ajouter le poivron et le faire sauter pendant environ 4 minutes, puis ajouter l'aubergine et continuer à faire sauter (en remuant régulièrement) pendant 5 minutes.
4. Ajouter les épices, remuer rapidement et ajouter les tomates ainsi que le concentré de tomate et faire cuire pendant 10 minutes, jusqu'à ce que les jus des tomates se soit évaporé.
5. Incorporer les pois chiches, la sauce au tahini, le yogourt, le Tabasco et la menthe. Laisser cuire encore une minute.
6 Assaisonner avec le sel et servir.

Remarques:
Les tomates ne doivent pas s'être dissoutes - des morceaux doivent rester.
Si vous trouvez que le plat est un peu sec, ajouter de l'eau afin d'obtenir la consistance voulue.
La menthe peut être remplacée par de la coriandre fraîche (une poignée).

Idées De Présentation:
Servir ce plat seul, ou avec du couscous ou du riz basmati.

DRIED GREEN BEAN SALAD & A BOOK REVIEW: "TIBITS AT HOME" - SALADE DE HARICOTS SÉCHÉS & UNE CHRONIQUE DU LIVRE DE CUISINE "TIBITS AT HOME"

Stomach: A slave that must accept everything tht is given to it, but which avenges wrongs as slyly as does the slave.
- Emile Souvester

When diet is wrong medicine is of no use.
When diet is correct medicine is of no need.
- Ayurvedic Proverb

He that takes medicine and neglects diet, wastes the skill of the physician.
- Chinese Proverb

We only have one life, so we should live it right (or the best we can, at least) and not waste it. Hence it is our responsibility to handle our body with respect and care for our well-being if we want to be happy, grow old and not die prematuraly because of our careless and harmful lifestyle. As a matter of fact, one cannot pretend to look after his/her health or spiritual self if he/she treats his/her organism comparably to a dustbin.

The mortal carcass we occupy is our temple. It is precious and needs to be maintained correctly or else our anima will wither. Once you know that, you realize how wrong it is to separate matter from spirit as a sound soul cannot inhabit an insalubrious ruin or house infested with parasites and rot.

There is no doubt that we are what we eat* and this is why it is crucial to nourish ourselves as heartily as possible. After decades of bad dieting on covenient meal products, fatty, sugary and chemical junk, the Western world is at last/suddenly waking up, becoming more conscious of its hazardous food habits and aware of how wrong it was to have chosen the comfortable path of faineancy, irresponsability and autodestruction rather than that of harmony, reasonability and amour-propre.

But,  being a mindful consumer is not a novelty. As a matter of fact, Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese medicine (two of the most ancient established medical practices which are still in use today) have been emphasizing on the importance of keeping a balanced nutrition plan for centuries. Both believe aliments are not just a source of enjoyment, but also an elixir of wellness; everything we swallow has a direct effect on our corporeal, psychological and metaphysical condition.

Therefore, I make it a point of honor to sustain myself correctly, cook with the best produces available as well as to prepare meals which are wholesome and take into account our individual needs. Porking out rarely occurs at my home, but if ever we decide to indulge, we still do it in a thoughtful manner (no big excesses and nothing industrially produced or additive-laden makes it to our table) and exclusively on weekends.

So, when Eva Huwiler at Blofeld Communication GmbH offered me to review a book about stylish vegetarian cooking, I was totally enthralled and could not refuse her generous and enticing proposition as the subject fits my feeding philosophy perfectly!

"Tibits At Home" is named after the tremendously popular, fashionable and relaxed concept self-service buffet Tibits which has been serving hearty and delicious hors d'oeuvres for over a decade and which was initially established in Zurich, near the Opera, in 2000 by three brothers - Christian, Daniel and Reto Frei - and the renown restaurateur Rolf Hiltl, owner of Hiltl, the oldest vegetarian restaurant in the world (founded in 1898).

Following the inauguration of their first outlet and thanks to the place's increasing success, four more green gourmet ventures have seen the light of day in the oriental part of Switzerland (in Zurich Seefeld, Winterthur, Bern and Basel) and one extra canteen has been inaugurated in London's West End in October 2008 (read reviews here and there).

All cafeterias revolve around a large smorgasbord featuring more than 40 different homemade salads, hot dishes, daily squeezed juices, a large choice of fine wines and cocktails. A winning formula as, since opening a site in England, their no-fuss, ethical and sustainable approach to meat-free cuisine has become quite the trend-setting cuisine for celebrities and city folks alike.

Tibits' fame is ever growing and, over the years, an increasing number of people have been showing an interest in obtaining the methods for recreating their favorite menus and bites at home. For a long time, they continued to be jealously guarded, however in order to celebrate this bar's 10-year innaugural anniversary and for our greatest pleasure, the Frei siblings and the Hiltl family have finally decided to "lift the lids of their pans and allow us a peek inside".

The cookbook offers 50 tasty, light, fresh, nourishing, international, easy to follow and fun to make recipes for drinks, mains, sides and desserts which are classified according to seasonality, largely vegan (80 %) and suitable for those with nut and gluten allergies. Each of them highlights the purity of quality ingredients and focuses on satisfying our senses.

To top that, the sleek, elegantly contemporary and modish look of this publication is very pleasant and conveys a feeling of zenitude and inner peace to the reader. The dishes are presented in an uncluttered manner (no fuddy-duddy propping here), the layout is voguishly sober and the vibrant pictures - shot in the houses of their loyal customers - whet the appetite.

This isn’t so much a cookbook, more a guide to general well-being and contentment; it’s bringing the tibits concept home, which I for one, love.
- GlamUK 

Adventurous and knowlegeable vegetarian gastronomes might find this hardcover a little unchallenging as a majority of the fares displayed in this bestseller don't employ many unusual ingredients or come out of the beaten track ("Pea Soup With Fresh Mint", "Red Thai Vegetables", "Feta And Cucumber Sandwich", "Mixed Vegetable Antipasto", "Tabouli Middle-Eastern Style", "Vegetable Quiche Mediterranean Style", "Berry Crumble", "Poppy seed Cake", "Coleslaw", "Spinach And Feta Lasagne", etc...), yet I'm pretty sure that this lovely hardcover will enchant the fans of this establishement, beginner home culinarians as well as those who want to grace their cabinets with beautiful gastronomy tomes.

That said, "Tibits At Home" is an excellent read and nonetheless proposes a swell selection of mouthwatering and innovative chows ("Coconut And Peanut Fritters", "Tomato Soup With Lemongrass And Coconut Milk", "Tofu And Honey Melon Salad", "Goa Curry" and "Spelt Risotto With Mushrooms") which I'm eager to try in the privacy of my kitchen. Going through the book's pages has awaken my desire to travel to Bern in order to visit this wonderful noshery and feast on their colorful and flavorful lunch wagons...

Being part-Swiss (my father originates from Rances) and attached to the culinary customs/heritage of my homeland, I thought that it would be a good idea to showcase one of Tibits recipes which echoes my roots and love for rustic grub: "Dried Green Bean Salad".

Dried green beans are very common in canton of Vaud (not only though - you can also find them in other cantons of Central and Northern Switzerland) and the Vaudois natives traditionally love to serve them with "Saucisson" (or smoked ham/lard) and boiled potatoes. It is one of my all-time favorite trimmings as it reminds me of my grandparents who never failed to serve us this family classic whenever we came over for dinner.

In his garden, my "pépé" cultivated green beans (plus an abundance of other vegetables and of course, lots of fruits) and sun-dried them directly on his rabbit shacks. As you can imagine, they tasted just amazing. Anyway, nowadays if you want to prepare this exquisite speciality, then you'll have no problem buying it from any supermarket across the country.

Until lately, I had always concocted my dried green beans just like my "mémé" did (rehydrated in water, then sautéed in butter with garlic and onion, and left to stew for a short while) and have rarely dined on them in any other way, so testing Tibits' "Dried Green Bean Salad" gave me the opportunity to broaden my horizon and try something completely new.

We were definitely impressed by the refinement and delectability of this magnificent salad. As I expected, the result was mindblowing. My boyfriend P. greedily gobbled his way through his vegetables and I could not stop refilling our plates. The exhalirating aromas of garlic, onion, fresh thyme, roasted walnuts, balsamic vinegar, pistachio oil and of the greens mingled together elegantly, and the different textures (crunchy, chewy and crispy) blended magnificently with each other.

A real delight for the taste buds and a fantastic addition to any picnic, party, barbecue, lunch or brunch! 

* Of course, other factors such as emotions and environment can be at the origin of many diseases too.

Dried Green Bean Salad
Recipe slightly adapted from "Tibits At Home".

Ingredients:
100g Dried green beans
1 Tbs Sea salt
1 Small onion, finely chopped
2 Tbs Sunflower oil
4 Tbs Pistachio oil
60ml (1/4 Cup) Vegetable stock
1 Clove of garlic, pressed
100g Roasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
4 Tbs Balsamic vinegar
A few sprigs of fresh thyme
 
Method:
1. Put the beans in a pot filled with cold water and add the sea salt.
2. Bring to a boil and let simmer for about 25 minutes, until tender, but firm.
3. Drain and immediately rinse under cold running water. Set aside (in a colander).
4. In a skillet or frying pan, sauté the onion in the sunflower oil for 2 minutes or until soft and translucid.
5. Deglaze  with the vegetable stock and leave to cool.
6. In a medium bowl, put the beans and add the pistachio oil, garlic, onions, walnuts, balsamic vinegar and thyme. Mix well and leave to marinade for 10 minutes.
7. Serve sprinkled with a little extra thyme.

Remarks:
If you put the beans into cold water for 2 hours before cooking, they will look less wrinkly.
Remember that 100g dried beans = 400g cooked beans.
The pistachio oil can be replaced with rapeseed or olive oil, the vegetable stock with chicken stock (for non-vegetarians) and the thyme with a chopped fresh coriander.

Serving suggestions:
Serve with bread (pumpernickel, rye sourdough, whole wheat, etc...), crackers, roasted potatoes, legumes (chickpeas, lentils, cannellini beans, etc...), seared fish or grilled meat.
If you wish, you can also sprinkle some bacon bits over the salad.

Salade De Haricots Verts Séchés
Recette légèrement adaptée de "Tibits At Home".
 
Ingrédients:
100g de Haricots verts séchés
1 CS de Sel de mer
1 Petit oignon, finement haché
2 CS d'Huile de tournesol
6 CS d'Huile de pistache
60ml de Bouillon de légumes
1 Gousse d'ail, pressée
100g Noix de Grenoble, torréfiées et hachées grossièrement
4 CS de Vinaigre balsamique
Quelques tiges de thym frais

Méthode:
1. Mettre les haricots dans une casserole remplie d'eau froide et ajouter le sel.
2. Porter à ébullition et laisser mijoter pendant environ 25 minutes, jusqu'à ce que les haricots soient tendres, mais fermes.
3. Les égoutter et les rincer immédiatement à l'eau froide. Mettre de côté (dans une passoire).
4. Dans une poêle, faire revenir l'oignon dans l'huile de tournesol pendant 2 minutes, jusqu'à ce qu'il soit tendre et translucide.
5. Déglacer avec le bouillon de légumes et laisser refroidir.
6. Dans un bol moyen, mettre les haricots, ajouter l'huile de pistache, l'ail, les oignons, les noix, le vinaigre balsamique et le thym. Bien mélanger et laisser mariner pendant 10 minutes.
7. Parsemer la salade avec un peu de thym et servir.

Remarques:
Si vous mettez les haricots à tremper dans de l'eau froide pendant 2 heures avant la cuisson, ils seront moins ridés/ratatinés.
N'oubliez pas que 100g de haricots secs = 400g de haricots cuits.
L'huile de pistache peut être remplacée par de l'huile de colza ou d'olive, le bouillon de légumes par du bouillon de poule (pour les non végétariens) et le thym par de la coriandre fraîche hachée.

Suggestion d'accompagnement:
Servir avec du pain (de seigle, au levain, de blé entier, etc ..), des craquelins, des pommes de terre rôties, des légumineuses cuites (pois chiches, lentilles, haricots cannellini, etc ..), du poisson cuit à la poêle ou de la viande grillée.
Si cela vous dit, vous pouvez aussi saupoudrer le dessus de cette salade avec des confettis de bacon grillé.

BEETROOT AND ORANGE SALAD - SALADE DE BETTERAVE À L'ORANGE

February is a suitable month for dying. Everything around is dead, the trees black and frozen so that the appearance of green shoots two months hence seems preposterous, the ground hard and cold, the snow dirty, the winter hateful, hanging on too long.
- Anna Quindlen, One True Thing

February, when the days of winter seem endless and no amount of wistful recollecting can bring back any air of summer.
- Shirley Jackson, Raising Demons

Although I am a big fan of winter, I have to admit that February and its uniform skies, blizzardy snowfalls, heavy sleet storms, anesthetizing as well as frigid north winds and fair share of viruses can be quite a trying, unforgiving and monotonous month. Although the season of renewal is getting closer by the minute and the first signs of spring can already be witnessed (catkins hanging from trees, chaffinches and blackbirds singing crazily, snowdrops flowering, daffodils and primroses peeking out of the ground, etc...), this in-between period of the year is definitely not my favorite as it has the aura of a dull Soviet no-man's land or of a waiting room in a Bolshevik hospital.

Painfully murky and depressingly characterless days endlessly follow one another until the point where all this blandness numbs us and the zombie mode kicks in. It is an indubitable fact that dense opaque fog, serious lack of sunlight, bitter air and polar temperatures get the best of us as this lethal combination contributes to weakening our immune system and deminishing our high spririts. Hence it is extremely important that we don't forget to take good care of our mental and well as physical wellness.

It is totally normal to feel exhausted and a little feeble when the weather is so unfriendly and our lifetsyles go against the cosmic rhythm. After all, we cannot constantly be 110% productive and ask our bodies to be invicible if we don't comply to earth's laws, pamper ourselves and accept that we are not limitless machines. So, eventhough our lives are full of unchosen obligations (going to work no matter how we are feeling and having to be equally productive on a constant basis, adopting artificial schedules dictated by our modern world, suffering from insufficient sleep and peace,  etc...), it is nonetheless our responsability to nurture our well-being and inner harmony as much as humanly possible given the circumstances.

This is the reason why I try add harmony to my existence, slow down whenever I can, have activities which uplift my soul (listen to music, read, watch movies, cook/bake, meditate, go out for walks, etc...) and eat particularly wholesomely during Jack Frosts' reign. As a result, illnesses rarely affect me (I usually only get a runny nose and sore throat), my energy level is mostly high, 90% of the time my brain is active like a rat, I am generally fairly chirpy and the only blues I experience is played by talented musicians...

The beet is the most intense of vegetables. The radish, admittedly, is more feverish, but the fire of the radish is a cold fire, the fire of discontent, not of passion. Tomatoes are lusty enough, yet there runs through tomatoes an undercurrent of frivolity. Beets are deadly serious.
- Tom Robbins

Salad "freshens without enfeebling and fortifies without irritating.
- Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826) 

One of my preferred health allies is beetroot. Not only is this globe vegetable fantastically versatile, mighty scrumptious and remarkably colorful, but it is also a great source of potassium, magnesium and iron as well as vitamins A, B6 and C, folic acid, carbohydrates, protein, powerful antioxidants and soluble fibre; ideal for boosting stamina, reducing risks of osteoporosis, strokes and heart attacks, bringing down blood pressure, stabilizing blood sugar, lowering cholesterol, helping slow the progression of dementia, treating anemia and fatigue. A highly nutritious and powerful ball of goodness which I am never tired of transforming into mouthwatering meals and seeing in my plate!

I'm not sure if it has something to do with my body sending me subliminal messages or if Mother Nature's imminent awakening is in cause, but lately, beets, oranges and wonderfully crunchy raw vegetables have been a lot on my mind and I have been constantly dreaming of bringing vibrant hues to the table as well as yearning for citrusy flavors.

Cravings can be very strong and as a rule, it is rather difficult to get rid of them, unlless they have been fulfilled. Anyway, thankfully for me my urge for hearty fare was legitimate and represented no threat to my organism (I would have resisted it otherwise), so I had no other choice than to enter my culinary temple in a jiffy and proceed to create a delightfully tasty, psychedelic and nutrient-ladden "Beetroot and Orange Salad" which I served for supper.

This zesty, refined and substantial cold dish met a frank success and brought happiness to the dinning table. P. asked for seconds and thirds, and we fiercely devoured it, leaving no leftovers. Had it been a platter of homemade pasta or a juicy steak, I don't think it would have gone down any faster or better. Simply perfect!

Beetroot And Orange Salad 
Recipe by Rosa Mayland, February 2013.

Serves 2 (as main course) or 4 (as side dish).

Ingredients For The "Salad Dressing":
The juice of 1 organic lemon
1 Clove garlic, crushed (optional)
2 Tbs Olive oil
1 Tsp Mild soy Sauce
1 Tsp Yellow or sweet mustard
1 Tsp Runny honey
1/2 Tsp Sriracha
1 Pinch ground allspice
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Ingredient For The "Salad":
1 Big raw beetroot, peeled and finely shredded
2 Tarocco oranges, filleted (see method)
1/4 Cup (30g) Hazelnuts, roasted and coarsely chopped
The rind of one organic lemon 
Sprouted alfalfa

Method For The "Salad Dressing":
1. Whisk all the ingredients together and set aside.
Method For "Plating The salad":
2. Place the grated beetroot* on the plates.
3. Drizzle the salad dressing* over the beetroot.
4. Prettily arrange the orange segments* over the beetroot.
5. Sprinkle the hazelnuts* and the grated lemon rind* over the salad.
6. Top with a handful of sprouted alfalfa*.
7. Serve immediately.

Remarks:
You can replace the allspice by 1/2 Tsp ground cumin, the Tarocco oranges by Moro or Navel oranges and the sprouted alfalfa by any other sprouted seeds of your choice (beetroot, onion, sesame, etc...).
The clove garlic is totally optional. Instead, try flavoring your salad with an onion which you'll cut in half and slice very thinly, then arrange nicely over the grated beetroot (before adding the orange segments).

Serving suggestions:
Serve this salad as main course, with slices of pumpernickel bread or as side dish in accompaniment to a casseroles, gratin or some barbecued meat.

* In equal quantities (either 1/2 or 1/4, depending on how many people you are going to serve).

Salade De Betterave À l'Orange
Recette par Rosa Mayland, Février 2013.

Pour 2 personnes (plat principal) ou 4 personnes (plat d'accompagnement).

Ingrédients Pour La "Vinaigrette": 
Le jus d'un citron bio
1 Gousse d'ail, écrasée (facultatif)
2 CS d'Huile d'olive
1 CC de Sauce soja douce
1 CC de Moutarde douce
1 CC de Miel liquide
1/2 CC de Sriracha
1 Pincée de Poudre de piment de la Jamaïque
Sel de mer, selon goût
Poivre noir fraîchement moulu, selon goût
Ingrédients Pour La "Salade":
1 Grosse betterave crue, pelée et finement râpée
2 Oranges Tarocco, découpée en quartiers (voir méthode)
30g de Noisettes, torréfiées et grossièrement hachées
Le zeste d'un citron bio
Pousses d'alfalfa/luzerne (graines germées)

Méthode Pour La "Vinaigrette":
1. Mélanger ensemble tous les ingrédients pour la vinaigrette et mettre de côté.
Méthode Pour La "Présentation De La Salade":
2. Disposer la betterave râpée * sur les assiettes.
3. Verser la vinaigrette* sur la betterave.
4. Arranger joliment les quartiers d'orange* sur la betterave.
5. Saupoudrer avec les noisettes* et le zeste de citron râpé*.
6. Déposer une petite poignée de luzerne germée* sur le dessus de la salade.
7. Servir immédiatement.

Remarques:
Vous pouvez remplacer le piment de la Jamaïque en poudre par 1/2 CC de cumin en poudre, les oranges Tarocco par des oranges Moro ou Navel et la luzerne germée par les graines germées de votre choix (betterave, oignon, sésame, etc ..).
L'ail est totalement facultatif. Afin de donner plus de saveur à votre salade, un oignon finement coupé fera parfaitement l'affaire (ajoutez-le juste avant les quartiers d'orange).

Suggestions d'accompagnement:
Servir cette salade comme plat principal, avec des tranches de pain pumpernickel ou comme plat d'accompagnement avec un plat au four, un gratin ou de la viandes grillée.

* En quantités égales (soit 1/2 ou 1/4, selon le nombre de personnes que vous allez servir).

BAINGAN BHARTA OR SMOKY MASHED EGGPLANTS - A GUEST POST BY TANVI AT "SINFULLY SPICY"

Once again, I have the honor to share with you another guest post by a lovely blogger whom I hold in high regard and whose work I very much enjoy. This very special person is the delightful Tanvi of the very evocatively named blog "Sinfully Spicy".

This well-travelled native young woman hails from Dehli in India and now lives in USA's most fun city, Las Vegas. Besides baking, she loves to cook North Indian food in an instinctive manner and create fusion recipes influenced by her rich roots. Coming from a family of "super cooks", you'd think that she would also love to eat, yet weirdly it is absolutely not the case!

Tanvi is very talented both in her photography as well as in her cooking. There is absolutely no doubt about that. Being of Asian origin, she is naturally a spice addict and adores well-seasoned grub. Hence, blandness is a word which doesn't exist in her vocabulary.

This lady's experementative, healthy, colorful, fragrant, traditional, homely, yet elegant everyday style dishes are just exhalirating and amazingly scrumptious looking. Each creation is gracefully as well as attractively staged, the specialities are always accompanied by interesting information and her pictures are outstanding in their purity and apparent lack of fussiness. Visiting her blog is like taking a one way ticket to buoyant India. Wonderfully desorienting and so exotic.

Thank you so much Tanvi for consenting to write this marvelous post for me and accepting to be my host. Your "Baingan Bharta" rocks and as soon as eggplants are back in season, I'll try that lipsmacking speciality!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s a great pleasure to be guest blogging for Rosa of Rosa's Yummy Yums today. She has one of the most encouraging & kind blogger around, whom I have been lucky enough to be friends with. Depth of her writing, beauty of her lens & her enthusiasm has always been inspiring.It was a pleasant surprise when she wrote to me for a guest post. Thanks so much Rosa for inviting me to your blog today.

I am here to share one of my favorite winter recipes with her wonderful readers today. There are some things in life,which take you back to your roots no matter where you are in the world! My grandmother used to roast vegetables & bread amongst glowing charcoal pieces of her angithi (traditional indian brazier) while she kept herself warm during harsh north indian winters.We used to flock the angithi as kids to feed ourselves. Sitting miles away, the aroma which fills the house while roasting eggplants for this dish is one of those things I look forward to in my kitchen . It’s a trip down memory-lane which nurtures my heart & soul with the spirit of those days.

"Baingan" is Hindi for eggplant & "Bharta" translates to any kind of mash. No points for guessing - this is mashed eggplant with spices. Its an easy recipe originally from rural north india where a chulla (clay/mud cooking stove) is used to roast the eggplants which are then peeled, mashed and combined with oil & spices. If done the traditional way i.e roasting the eggplant in heat from burning coal or wood,the taste of this dish is divine & most authentic. I think, open grilling is the best way to handle eggplant.

The key thing to keep in mind is that you need to char the eggplants to death. Don’t worry about them getting burnt or looking ugly, the peel will go away but before that, it has to make the flesh tender, concentrate the juices & sugars within & infuse the smokiness. Grills, broilers or stove tops work great to do the job, just be ready for a big time cleaning if you choose to use the stove top as I do J The second important thing to ensure is that even though this is a mash, the texture of the finished dish has to be chunky; hence all the ingredients (even spices), which go in, are either coarsely chopped or pounded. In all "Baingan Bharta" is chunky, smoky & spicy mash!

The dish is best served with flatbreads and a pickle /chutney / salad on side. You can serve it as a dip. I sometimes fill miniphyllo cups with bharta, top with some pepper jack cheese & bake to serve as appetizers. The ideas to eat are endless..just try your own way.

~ Baingan Bharta Or Smoky Mashed Eggplants ~
Recipe by Tanvi at "Sinfully Spicy".

Serves 2-3 people.

Ingredients:
1 Large eggplant (about 1lb)
1 Tsp Oil (for rubbing on the eggplant)
3 Tbs Mustard/olive oil
1 Cup chopped red onions
1 Inch Fresh ginger shoot, chopped
4 Cloves garlic, chopped
1-2 Thai green chilies, chopped (adjust to tolerance)
1.25 Cups Chopped tomatoes
1 Tsp Coriander seeds
3-4 Whole dry red chilies (adjust to tolerance)
1/2 Tsp Amchoor (dry mango powder)
1/2 Tsp Garam masala
Salt, to taste
1 Tsp Mustard/olive oil (for drizzle on top, optional)
Cilantro and green chilies chopped (for garnishing)

Directions:
Wash the eggplant and dry the skin with a cloth.
Rub1 tsp of oil all over.

Use any one of the following methods to char the eggplant:
1. This is what I do:
Heat your stovetop on high. Char the whole eggplant, turning with the use of tongs to char on all sides, until the skin has blackened & the flesh is soft. This will take about 20-22 minutes. Keep a watch while you do this.
2. Preheat a grill to medium heat; you can slit the eggplant into half, grill skin side up for 25-30 minutes. If you plan to use an oven, preheat broiler to 325° F (170° C) and roast the eggplant for about 15-20 minutes until skin is burnt & starts to peel off.

While the eggplant is roasting, pound the coriander seeds and dry red chilies using a mortar & pestle. Set aside.
Once the eggplant has charred, using tongs, transfer it to a plate and let cool down for about 15 minutes. Peel off the charred skin from the eggplant.You can remove seeds if you want. Using a fork, mash the flesh. Set aside.

Heat oil on high in a heavy bottomed pan. When the oil is almost smoky, reduce heat to medium & add the chopped onions. Sauté for about 6-7 minutes or till the onions are translucent but not browned. Next, add the chopped ginger, garlic, green chilies and sauté for 30 seconds or till you smell the aroma. Add the coriander & red chill mixture next and sauté for another 30 seconds. Next, add the chopped tomatoes, set the heat on high again and cook the tomatoes for 7-8 minutes until they soften (but do not mush) and you see oil separating on sides of the pan.
At this point, add the mashed eggplant and salt to taste. Combine everything together, set heat to low and let cook for 3-4 minutes. You will see that the color of the mash deepens & few oil bubbles on the surface as it cooks.

Remove from heat and while still hot, add the dry mango powder and garam masala. Mix well.

Garnish with loads of chopped cilantro, green chilies, drizzle with some raw mustard/olive oil and serve warm with naan/ chapati (flatbreads).
Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

CREAMED SEAWEED WITH LEMON - ALGUES

I have had a very bad experience with seaweed and until not too long ago the sheer thought of eating that sea veggie gave me shivers. After having had a very bad encounter with seaweed in the past I have never trusted myself to give it another try...

Well, you have to know that the reason why seaweed repulsed me to highest point and made me feel unsecure is due to the fact that when I was a child I was forced to take kelp tablets. As I could not swallow them they were crushed with littel jam. That combination was absolutely horrid! It took me hours to get that mixture down and I had to struggle a lot in order to finish it. That episode traumatized me and from then on seaweed became a taboo subject.

Anyway I am a daring person who likes to try out new things (well, maybe not ALL things), so when my friend Corinne proposed to give me a box of mixed seaweeds I could not refuse her offer. There was no way I was going to chicken out. I had to make my own experiences with those sea plants that are highly nutritious, healthy and extremely abundant.

"Love is like seaweed;
even if you have pushed it away, you will not prevent it from coming back"
- Nigerian proverb

As a matter of fact, apart from being interesting culinary-wise, the health benefits of seaweed are plenty. All of the minerals we need are present in sufficient amount and they contain many trace elements as well as vitamins. Certain seaweeds are up to 30 times higher in minerals than land food and can cleanse the body of toxic polluants (brown algae). They are also good for the hair (growth, shininess, thickness...), the mental health and the metabolism, they help regulate the hormones, awaken sexual desire, enrich the bloodstream and give a youthful skin color. A perfectly balanced natural food; Mother Nature's gift. Da bomb indeed!

Well, as I am not acquainted with that special vegetable growing in our seas I did not know how I should use it. After a little research on the net I found out that it was not difficult to cook with seaweed since it can be prepared just like any other veggie. As it somewhow reminds me of spinach I decided to prepare it in the same way as that plant. If we can make creamed spinach why can't we also make "Creamed Seaweed With Lemon"?

The result was fantastic! The garlic and shallots brought lots of flavor to that dish, the lemon took away some of the smelliness/fishiness of the seaweed and the cream added a little roundness to it all. It wasn't bad at all!

I must say that my "Creamed Seaweed With Lemon" had a refined taste and was very enjoyable. Something I will definitely try again and again.

~ Creamed Seaweed With Lemon ~
Recipe by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums 2010.

Ingredients:
1 Shallot, finely chopped
1 Clove garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbs Unsalted butter
2 Cups Mixed seaweed (brown, green and red seaweed/dulse, kelp, wakame), thouroughly washed & chopped coarsely
The juice of 1/2 lemon (or to taste)
5 Tbs Double cream
Sea salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Method:
1. Over medium high melt the butter and let it brown.
2. Add the shallot and fry for about 1 minute, then add the garlic and fry for another 1 -2 minute (the shallots have to be transluscent).
3. Add the seaweed and stir fry for about 2 minutes.
4. Add the lemon, stir fry for another minute.
5. Add the cream, season to taste, mix well and cook for 1 minute more.
6. Serve.

Remarks:
You can use one small onion instead of a shallot.
The cream can be replaced by light cream or cream cheese (use 4 Tbs instead of 5 Tbs)

Serving suggestions:
Serve as side dish together with fried/steamed fish (salmon, trout, tilapia, tuna, etc... ) or fried/poached/scrambled eggs (or omelet) and boiled/fried potatoes or rice.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ Algues Au Citron Et A La Crème ~
Recette par Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums 2010.

Ingrédients:
1 Echalotte, finament hachée
1 Gousse d'ail, finement hachée
1 CS (15g) de Beurre non-salé
100g (2 tasses) d'Algues mixtes (brunes, vertes er rouges/dulse, kelp, wakame), lavées et coupées en morceaux grossiers
Le jus d'un demi citron (ou selon goût)
5 CS de Crème double
Sel de mer, selon goût
Poivre, selon goût

Méthode:
1. A feu moyennement élevé, faire fondre le beurre et le laisser brunir afin d'obtenir un beurre noisette.
2. Ajouter l'échalotte et faire revenir pendant 1 minute, puis ajouter l'ail et faire revenir pendant 1 à 2 minutes supplémentaires (les échalottes doivent être translucides).
3. Ajouter les algues et les cuire pendant 2 minutes, tout en remuant.
4. Ajouter le citron et faire cuire pendant une autre minute sans cesser de remuer.
5. Ajouter la crème et assaisonner et faire cuire 1 minute supplémentaire en oubliant pas de bien remuer.
6. Servir.

Remarques:
L'échalotte peut être remplacée par un petit oignon blanc et la crème double par de la crème légère ou du fromage frais Philadelphia (4 CS au lieu de 5 CS).

Idées de présentation:
Servir avec du poisson frit/cuit à la vapeure (saumon, truite, tilapia, thon, etc...) ou des oeufs au plat/pochés/brouillés (ou de l'omelette) et des pommes de terre cuites à l'eau/grillées ou du riz.