Tag Archives: ginger

Food, Vegan

Turmeric Ginger tonic

4 Comments

I make this every week but have never really photographed it or posted the recipe until now, not sure why and this is totally something you want to share with everyone.

This is good for you…. for the gut and general healing. It is fermented and There is heat in the turmeric and ginger so adjust the quantity based on your own body type and digestive system

Turmeric contains a compound called curcumin, which is anti inflammatory. Ginger happens to be a natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. Lemon is naturally detoxifying boosts the immune system. Allof it together is one solid health shot!!!

I normally add water to a 1/4 cup of the fermented tonic and drink it every morning with a dash of lemon juice

Beautifully healing from all things evil and toxic for the body especially for the gut.

The fermentation process needs some sugar, I have used both honey and a vegan option of rice or coconut syrup. Please adjust to your liking.

The tamarind is key to bring on the tartness. Please do not omit ( I guess you could but it would not be the same).   Tamarind pods can be found in the local Asian stores.

So here is the recipe:

This recipe is not precise, please do adjust as you wish.

Ingredients:

  • 10 fresh turmeric pods
  • 1 pod of ginger ( about 4 inches)
  • 7 dry tamarind ponds
  • 2 lemons
  • 2 tablespoon coconut nectar or honey or rice syrup

Directions:

  • Remove the shell of the tamarind pods and bol them in water on low heat covering just barely. This takes about 10 mins. Cool and them use your hands to removes the shells and strings until everything is a pulp.
  • Chop the fresh turmeric and ginger and boil for 20 mins until golden brown. Cool to room temperature.
  • Blend the turmeric ginger in a high speed blender. Add tamarind, nectar and lemon juice until everything is smooth and combined. If it is thick you can add some water.
  • Pour into glass containers, cover with muslin and ferment in a dark dry place for 2 days.
  • Once fermented you can cover the bottles and move into the fridge.
  • You can strain into a glass, add some lemon juice and drink once a day!
turmeric ginger tonic with tamarind
Food, Juice and smoothies

Matcha tea power green smoothie

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Another variation of my daily power green juice for the morning. There is not much of a recipe but inclusion of cleansing and reinforcing ingredients. Make sure the ingredients are fresh and organic as it all gets quickly absorbed in your blood stream. I also added an Ayurvedic herb called Ashwagandha for its blood cleaning properties ( optional)

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Matcha Green Smoothie

  • Handful Kale
  • Handful fresh spinach
  •  1 inch Ginger
  • 1 inch turmeric root
  • 1/2 tsp Matcha tea
  • 1/2 green apple
  • 1 baby Cucumber
  • sprigs of Cilantro and mint
  •  1  1/2 cup Coconut milk
  • Wheat grass
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • Optional stevia if you need the sweetness

Run everything through a high power blender, add water if needed and enjoy! There will be enough to share.

Food, Lunch, salad

Watermelon Radish salad with Ginger Miso vinaigrette

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A simple salad featuring the beautiful crisp colorful watermelon radish. Tossed with baby kale, walnuts, sprouts, goat cheese and a tangy ginger vinaigrette. Th

Watermelon Radish Salad with Ginger Miso dressing
Watermelon Radish Salad with Ginger Miso dressing

 

This is the first lunch I have made in my re vamped kitchen. It’s been a month of no cooking as the kitchen was gutted and resurrected again…shiny marbly white:) Looks too clean to cook in right now but I am sure I will wear it down.

A trip to restock the kitchen located this beautiful watermelon radish and a sprout mix at the local MOMs organic market. I am still looking for my pots and pans but thought I can certainly do a delicious spring salad.

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The dressing is a blend of fresh ginger and miso with rice vinegar and honey.IMG_2265

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Watermelon Radish Salad6-1

Watermelon Radish salad with Ginger Miso vinaigrette

  • Servings: 2
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients:

Dressing:

Ginger 1 inch

Watermelon Radish Salad with Ginger Miso dressing
Watermelon Radish Salad with Ginger Miso dressing

Miso paste 1 tsp

Rice vinegar – 2 tbspn

Lemon juice – 1 tsp

Raw honey – 1 tbsp

Grapeseed oil – 1 tbsp

Pink or Sea Salt – to taste

 

Salad:

A bunch Baby Kale

One Thinly sliced watermelon radish

One cup Mix of power sprouts ( Alfalfa,  radhis, garbanzo, lentils)

Crumbled goat cheese

Toasted walnuts about 1/2 cup

 

Putting it together:

Put the dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.

Assemble the salad topping with cheese and walnuts. Spoon over the dressing.

 

 

Its been a while since I joined Angie and friends at Fiesta Friday but am ready to join the party co hosted by  Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook

 

 

 

 

 

Food, Soup

Fall Soup – Butternut Squash and Green Apple Spiced up

4 Comments

SquashSoup-8More fall recipes…more warmth of this beautiful season. Time for thanks and blessings.

This is a soup that will make you close your eyes with every spoonful to savor the flavors. It is spiced up with a green chili, ginger, turmeric and cumin. It is also vegan if you omit the goat cheese on top.

Butternut squash is roasted with a drizzle of olive oil and spices, the walnuts are toasted and the Sage from the garden is perfect with this soup.

SquashSoupIf you can’t find the fresh ginger and turmeric root please use the dry powder.

SquashSoup-3

SquashSoup-7SquashSoup-6Ingredients:

  • 1 red onion
  • 3 carrots
  • 4 stalks of celery
  • 1 green apple
  • 1 green chili
  • 2 small pieces of ginger root- finely chopped
  • 2 small pieces of turmeric root- finely chopped
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp ginger powder
  • 5 cloves of garlic- chopped
  • a bunch of sage leaves – flash fried in olive oil
  • 1 tsp chopped fresh sage leaves
  • a cup of walnut pieces
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • Olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Putting it together:

  • Cut the squash in half, remove the seeds and smother with salt, pepper, cumin powder and olive oil. Roast in 375 degree for 45 minutes. When done, remove the skin and cube.
  • Toast the walnuts in the same over for 5 -10 mins until fragrant
  • Flash fry the sage leaves and drain on a paper towel
  • Chop the onions, celery, carrots, green chili and apple.
  • Pour 2 tbsp olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan and add the garlic, as you saute, add the ginger, turmeric and the chopped raw vegetables.
  • Once translucent add the dry spices and let if cook on medium heat for a few minutes.
  • Add the chopped sage leaves, roasted squash, vegetable broth and salt and pepper to taste.
  • Cook for about 30 mins until all veggies are soft and tender.
  • Puree with a hand held blender in the pot or in a regular blender until smooth.
  • At this point you can  coconut milk to bring some creaminess. Let it heat through.
  • Serve hot topped with walnuts, fried sage leaves and goat cheese.
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  • Delighted to take this to Fiesta Friday 95 with co-hosts ,Loretta @ Safari of the Mind and Petra @ Food Eat Love.
Food

Tofu and Lauki Koftas with Cashew Curry – Vegan

6 Comments


IMG_1629Fall continues to delight the soul and inspire recipes that are warm and comforting for the season.  So this recipe take quite a few ingredients and steps but its worth it. I have added the flavors of Fennel and Dry ginger to bring in the Kashmiri influence. This recipe is vegan but you could add fresh cream instead of coconut milk if you like.

Lauki or Bottle Gourd is a staple in Kashmir but you can use Zucchini as an alternative.

Tofu and Lauki in Cashew Curry
Tofu and Lauki in Cashew Curry

Tofu and Lauki Koftas in Cashew Curry

Tofu and Lauki Koftas

Tofu and Lauki in Cashew Curry

Tofu Koftas in Cashew Curry

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: moderate
  • Print

For the Tofu and Veggie Koftas

  • A pack of organic firm tofu – drained of all water and crumbled in a bowl
  • 2 cups of grated Lauki (Bottle Gourd)
  • 1/2 tsp red chili powder
  • Green chilis – 2 finely chopped
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp dry ginger powder
  • 1 tsp fennel powder
  • 2- 3 tablespoons of besan ( Chickpea flour)
  • salt to taste

For the curry sauce

  • Onion – 1
  • Tomatoes – 4 peeled or from a can
  • 1/2 cup cashews soaked for 30 mins
  • 2 green chilis
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp tumeric
  • 1/2 tsp red chili powder
  • Ground ginger and garlic ( 1 whole head of garlic and 2 inch ginger)
  • 1/2 tsp dry ginger powder
  • 1 tsp fennel powder
  • 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
  • 4 green cardamoms
  • 1/2 tsp black cardamom powder
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk
  • 1inch cinnamon stick
  • Salt to taste

Putting it together

  • Take the Tofu out of the package and drain until dry
  • Take the grated Lauki and immerse in boiling water for 2 mins. Drain well and squeeze out the water.
  • Mix together all the ingredients for the Koftas. Adjust the flour to get a good light consistency.
  • Make moderate size balls and let them rest. Now you can deep fry these, bake them or use the pan I used, a good quality Takoyaki pan that has uses in multiple cuisines. Takes a dash of oil in each cup to cook the veggie balls. Make sure you rotate them to cook evenly.
  • Once the batch is fried, let them rest on a towel until the sauce is ready.
  • Blend the cashews, onion, tomatoes and green chili.
  • Add olive oil to a pan, sprinkle the Cumin seeds and Fennel seeds. Add garlic and ginger paste  and fry for a minute until fragrant. Add the dry ginger powder, fennel powder, cardamoms, cinnamon, turmeric, garam masala and the red chili.
  • Add the cashew mixture and cook down until the oil separates from the mixture
  • Add a cup of water  and the coconut milk to the mixture and bring it to a saucy consistency. Add the Koftas and cook on medium heats for 5 – 10 minutes.
  • Top with some fresh lemon juice and chopped chilis and serve with rice or naan.
Tofu and Lauki Koftas in Cashew CurryTofu and Lauki Koftas in Cashew Curry
side dishes

Cauliflower and Peas with ginger

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This is a sure simple vegetarian winner. The key is grating or chopping the cauliflower into a fine mush so it all cooks quick and evenly. Ginger is also the highlight of this dish ( no garlic has been used). Use a good 2 inch piece on ginger sliced and then chopped.

13-DSC_0781So to get the veggies together you would need:

half head of grated/chopped cauliflower

1 red pepper chopped fine

2 cups shelled peas

1/2 onion chopped

1 tomato chopped

2 greed chilies chopped

2 inch ginger chopped

cilantro and lemon for the final effect.

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For the spices you need:

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp onion seeds

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp dry ground coriander

1/2 tsp cayenne ( or omit)

In a wok, use vegetable oil and fry the cumin and onion seeds until they pop. Add onions and chopped green chilies. In a minute add the ginger. Fry for 2 mins and add the cauliflower and fry for a few mins, add the peppers and keep frying. At this point you can add all the spices. After a few mins add the tomatoes and peas. Cook until everything is tender and spices have blended.

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Top with cilantro and lemon juice. Serve hot with roti ( i used whole wheat and spelt). You also see cheese in spinach in the photo ( i will post the recipe)

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Food

Spiced Black Beans with Garlic

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Black beans have an amazing protein and fiber content that contributes to the known benefits for the digestive tract and blood sugar regulatory systems. Aside from the benefits, they are absolutely delicious and easy to cook.

You can check out more health benefits here ( http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=2)

I do not use the canned beans. Dried black beans are soaked overnight and cooked in a pressure cooker for about 15 minutes ( I add a piece of ginger root and red whole chilies and NO salt).They turn out perfect. I usually cook extra and freeze a batch to have at hand for quick cooking during weekdays.

This particular recipes can be served as soup or over rice. It has the zing of Indian spices that makes a bowl hard to resist.

 4 cups of cooked black beans

1 medium red onion – chopped

1 tablespoon of crushed garlic

1 tbsp of dry coriander

1 tbsp of cumin

2 green chilies

1/2 tsp dry ginger

1 cup of peeled crushed tomatoes

1 tbsp of olive oil

Fresh Cilantro

Salt to taste

 

In a heavy bottomed pan ( or slow cooker) add the olive oil and chopped onion. Saute for about 2 minutes until translucent. Add garlic, green chilies all the spices, tomatoes and the black beans with about a cup of water. There will be some water in the beans from previous pressure cooking so adjust accordingly.

Slow cook for about 1 – 2 hours, adding salt to taste. I cooked them in a slow cooker for 2 hours.

Add fresh cilantro and serve.