In this weekly series we have been discussing the benefits of a vegetarian diet including: better health, animal rights, frugal living, global food crisis and the urgency of global warming
It takes up to 16 pounds of grain to produce just 1 pound of animal flesh. It's shockingly inefficient to feed plant foods to farmed animals and consume their flesh rather than eating the plant foods ourselves.
I was inspired to create this series by former Beatle and vegetarian advocate Paul McCartney(Macca)who partnered with the Meatless Monday campaign to promote less consumption of meat. We don't just talk about the advantages of a vegetarian diet we also share recipes and listen to some great Beatle/McCartney music! Many thanks to Meatless Monday for publishing one of our own recipes on it's front page!
Today we are celebrating President and Mrs. Obamas first State Dinner. It was given for Prime Minister Singh of India. As Prime Minister Singh is vegetarian the menu was mainly vegetarian. I love that the Obamas'first State Dinner was mainly vegetarian perhaps it's a harbinger of things to come.
I will attempt to celebrate Indian vegetarian cuisine by choosing recipes utilizing ingredients popular in Indian cooking.
RED LENTIL DAL
A Red Lentil Soup was served at the state dinner
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup red lentils, sorted and rinsed
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 medium-sized onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1 Tbs. tomato paste
1/2 cup light coconut milk
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
1.Bring broth and lentils to a boil in pot over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover and simmer 10 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Cover, and remove from heat.
2.Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and red pepper flakes; sauté 5 minutes. Add cumin, turmeric and coriander; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add tomato paste, and cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add coconut milk and lentils, and cook 3 minutes more.
3.Season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir in lime juice. Serve over rice
CHICKPEA SALAD WITH SUN DRIED TOMATOES
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
2 15 1/2-ounce cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed, drained
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped (about 1 1/3 cups)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup thinly sliced drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
Combine oil and cumin seeds in heavy small saucepan. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes to blend flavors, stirring occasionally. Cool completely.
Combine remaining ingredients in large bowl. Add cumin oil and toss to blend. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.)
PUMPKIN COCONUT BISQUE
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter or butter sub.
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups canned solid pack pumpkin
2 cups canned low-salt vegetable broth
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 1 /2 cups (about) canned unsweetened coconut milk* (I use light)
Ground nutmeg
Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Sauté until golden, about 10 minutes. Add pumpkin, broth, sugar, allspice and crushed red pepper. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer until flavors blend, about 30 minutes.
Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return soup to pot. Bring soup to simmer, thinning with coconut milk to desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm soup before continuing.) Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with nutmeg and serve.
CASHEW BRITTLE
This was served at the state dinner and would make a great holiday gift!
•2 cups granulated sugar
•1 cup light corn syrup
•1/2 cup water
•1 cup butter
•3 cups cashews
•1 teaspoon baking soda
In a large saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil; blend in butter. Begin to stir frequently when syrup reaches the thread stage, about 230°. When temperature is 280°, or soft-crack stage, add cashews. Stir constantly until hard-crack stage, o300°, is reached. Remove from heat and quickly stir in baking soda. Mix well. Pour onto two buttered baking sheets or jelly roll-size baking pans. As the candy cools, stretch it out thinner by lifting and pulling at edges with forks. Loosen from the pans as soon as possible and turn over. Break hardened candy up and store in an airtight container.
Makes about 2 pounds of cashew brittle.
"India" John Lennon
"Dear Prudence" The Beatles
What have you all been cooking? Please share your fave recipes and Beatle/McCartney music here.