Everyday Indian

The smell of aromatic spices takes you to another place and tonight we’re off to India. There’s a great, no-nonsense Indian cookbook called Everyday Indian written by a woman originally from a small village in Punjab, northern India who now calls Vancouver home. The recipes may seem a bit too simplified if you’re used to Indian cooking – a bit like ‘Indian Cooking for Dummies’. Seeing as how I still haven’t mastered home-made naan bread, this cookbook works well for me. Incorporating some Indian food/dishes into your diet is another great way to eat less meat/animal products as this cuisine relies heavily on legumes, lentils, and chick peas for protein.

Tonight’s dinner consists of Spinach and Green Peas, Five-Minute Chickpeas (and you've got to love anything called five-minute anything for weeknight cooking), jasmine rice (prepared plain, I love its fragrance), and naan bread (purchased, of course, until I conquer the technique of making it). The jasmine rice is courtesy of the rice cooker so no recipe to follow, but here are the other dishes. Do enjoy. Don't forget to scroll down as there's a suprising dessert for afters (but make sure to make it the day before you want it or first thing that morning).

Spinach and Green Peas (serves 4)

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

2 tablespoons grated ginger

2 tablespoons grated garlic

1 green chili, chopped

1 teaspoon Garam Masala

1 teaspoon salt

1 tomato, chopped

1 cup frozen peas

1 lb. frozen spinach, thawed

Combine the oil, ginger, and garlic in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the green chili, garam masala, and salt, and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the peas and spinach, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the peas are tender, about 3 minutes.

Five-Minute Chickpeas (serves 4)

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds

1/2 teaspoon asafoetida

1 cup finely chopped red onion

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

1 tablespoon Chana Masala

1 teaspoon Garam Masala

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Place the oil, fenugreek seeds, and asafoetida in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and cook for 10 seconds. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the chana masala, garam masala, and salt and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chickpeas and cook for 1 minute. Turn the heat off, put a lid on the pan, and let it sit for a few minutes before serving.

And now for dessert - something cool to cleanse the palate after the spices. Of course most people eat yoghurt with or after Indian food for this purpose, but why when sucking a boozy popsicle is way more fun!

Bittersweet Chocolate Bourbon Popsicles

(recipe from Fine Cooking issue 100)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3-1/2 oz. bittersweet chocholate, chopped

2 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon table salt

2 cups water

2 tablespoons bourbon

Put the sugar, chocolate, cocoa powder, salt and 2 cups of water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Transfer to a 4-cup glass measure (or any container with a spout for easy pouring). Let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Stir in the bourbon and divide the mixture among either eight 3-oz. popsicle molds or wax-lined paper cups. (I use my 12 mold Tupperware popsicle set and get exactly 12 popsicles.) Freeze until just set, about 3 hours. Insert craft sticks and freeze until completely set, about 4 hours more. When ready to serve, unmold or peel off the paper cups.