Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Pear Compote with Brie in Phyllo Cups [Rhonda]




Tonight's New Year's Eve festivities will start with a glass of Veuve Clicquot and these easy-to-make pear and brie bites. This is the quick version. If you have the time, you can make your own phyllo shells. It's not difficult and they're a bit more dramatic in shape and lightness. Either way, this is a lovely opener.

Ingredients:

(Makes 30)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon
1 1/4 lbs. firm but ripe pears, peeled cored and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon cognac
2 boxes (15 count) frozen mini phyllo dough shells, thawed
1/2 lb. brie, rind removed

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in sugar and cinnamon, then add pears and mix well. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until pears are tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Stir in cognac. Remove from heat and let cool.

Heat oven to 350 F. Arrange phyllo shells on baking sheet. Slice brie into small pieces. Spoon pear mixture into phyllo shells then top each shell with a piece of brie.

Bake 9 to 11 minutes, or until the brie melts. Serve hot.

If you want to make your own phyllo shells:

6 sheets phyllo dough, each trimmed to 12 by 16 inches and cut into 48 two-inch squares (stack the sheets and cut them all at once)
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Mold 3 phyllo squares into the bottom of a miniature (1 inch) muffin tin. Place 3 more phyllo squares at a 45-degree angle on top and press gently into the muffin cups. Brush lightly with melted butter. Cook until lightly golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Let cool. Place on a baking sheet and cover tightly with plastic wrap until ready to use.

Suggested soundtrack: J. S. Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 Allegro. Any version. It's all good. (I'm listening to Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra)

Monday, December 30, 2013

Pumpkin-Carrot Soup Shooters with Coconut Cream [Rhonda]




(Photo by Matt Koulermos)

Once again, Cooking with Friends knocked our socks off at this year's holiday party with a super fabulous starter, a soup that holds a bit of mystery along with big flavors. It was served in mini martini glasses, but when I made it at home for Matt, a small bowl worked nicely.

Jalapeno heat and a hint of coconut make this soup intriguing. The recipe yields about 6 cups worth and freezes well, minus the coconut cream. Add that fresh when you serve.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter
2 large shallots
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon pimenton (sweet smoked Spanish paprika)
6 cups of vegetable broth
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
1 lb. carrots, peeled and diced
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
Coconut Cream
Garnish with toasted flaked coconut

1. Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add shallots, red bell pepper, garlic, and jalapeno. Then sauté 5 minutes or until golden. Add carrots and sauté 5 minutes. Stir in ginger and pimento and cook, stirring constantly, for one minute. Stir in broth and pumpkin, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat, let stand for 5 minutes.

2. Process soup in food processor  until smooth. Stir in heavy cream. Add salt and pepper if necessary. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until hot. For thinner soup, stir in more broth, a little at a time. Pour into small glasses or bowls, dollop with coconut cream.

3. Coconut Cream:
(Makes about 1 1/2 cups)
Place 1/2 cup cold heavy cream and a pinch of salt in a chilled bowl, beat at medium high speed until foamy. Add 1/3 cup coconut milk, beat until soft peaks form.

Suggested soundtrack: "Say Something," with Christina Aguilera and A Great Big World. Not because it has anything to do with soup, but the melody and lyrics are heartbreakingly lovely.




Friday, December 27, 2013

Lamb and Mushroom Winter Ragu over Pappardelli [Zack]

It's winter.  Whether you like being out in the cold or not, most people agree that comfort food is best eaten looking out of your window and being happy that you are inside and warm.

This pasta dish squarely sits in the "comfort food" section of my recipes.  Each ingredient is added with the intent of boosting the umami factor.  I suggest getting a whole lamb shoulder from the butcher and to cube the meat yourself.  You'll save tons of money and plus you'll get to throw the bone into the pot to add even more flavor!!


You'll notice that fish sauce is in the recipe.  This is the secret ingredient that adds deep and bassy flavors to Thai or Asian cooking.  A touch of it will make a huge difference, and as long as you don't overdo it, you'll never notice any fishy flavor.


Process:

Wash and slice the mushrooms, and slice the red onions into moon slivers.  Cube the shoulder meat into roughly 1 inch chunks, keeping the bone.

Place a pot with a lid or a dutch oven over medium heat.  Brown the lamb on one side only, in a little bit of canola oil in batches.  For a scientific detailing on how your meat will retain more moisture, please see Kenji's explanation.


Transfer the lamb cubes to a plate, and toss the mushrooms and onions into the pot.  Add a bit more oil if needed.  Let these cook for about 5 minutes.


Then add the lamb back in, along with the bone.


The dried mushrooms, the red wine, 1tsp fish sauce, and the tomato puree all can join the party now.  Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 3-4 hours.  Remember to stir it every once in a while so you won't get burned bits sticking to the bottom of the pot.


Your ragu should darken and thicken up noticeably.  Taste, and see if it can take more fish sauce.  I normally put about 2tsp in.  Adjust the salt and sugar (if needed).  To test if the ragu is finished, pull out a piece of lamb and see if it falls apart like pulled pork.


Take the bone out, salvage any good meat on it with your fingers, and throw the meat back in like you're a professional fisherman.


I like to serve the ragu over wide noodles that the sauce will get clingy.  I topped mine with some grated pecorino.


Ingredients:
3 lb / 1.5 kg lamb shoulder
1 lb / 500g assorted mushrooms
1/2 cup dried mushrooms
2 medium red onions
2 cups red wine
3 cups tomato puree
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1-2 tsp fish sauce, to taste

pappardelli or other wide noodles
grated pecorino cheese

Song:  Mystikal - Bouncin Back
Bouncin' Back (Bumpin' Me Against the Wall) by Mystikal on Grooveshark

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Thai Veggie Coconut Curry Served in a Coconut [Zack]

I really like coconut curries.  There are a million different recipes online of how to make them.  To avoid the confusion, I always start with a set base of ingredients.  Then I deviate my recipe based on what I want to cook.  I combine a paste of ginger, garlic, and chilies with coconut milk, fish sauce, and soy sauce.  That’s it!

You can get crazy and add mussels (cook until they open), sautéed beef strips (flash brown them in a pan), shrimp (cook in curry until finished), or chicken (flash brown it in a pan first).  The recipe here is a basic one with only vegetables.  I served it in a coconut that I cut in half (directions here on how to halve a coconut).


Process:

Here is a shot of the ingredients:


Grind up cumin seeds, garlic, and ginger in your mortar and pestle.  If you want heat, add 1-2 birds eye chilies.  If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, just use ½ tsp cumin powder and chop the ginger and garlic.


Start a pot over medium low heat, and add 1T of ghee or butter into the pot, along with 1tsp of sesame oil.   Slice the onions into moons, wash and slice the mushrooms, and dice the eggplant and zucchini into ½ inch cubes.

Also, take out your lemongrass and use the back end of your knife to bash it up – it will release more flavor into the curry.


Add all of the veggies into the pot.



Saute until they start caramelizing a bit - about 10 mins.  Add the ginger/garlic/cumin paste, plus the lemon grass during the last minute of cooking, and stir everything around until it becomes fragrant.

Pour the coconut milk into the pot and flavor it with the fish sauce and soy sauce.  Taste and see if you need to add 1/2 tsp of sugar.  Cook for a few minutes to let all of the flavors combine.  If it's too thick, you can add a bit of water to thin it out.  I added 1/2 cup to mine, but it depends on the type of coconut milk you bought.


Serve in a bowl or a half coconut. Garnish with fresh-chopped cilantro, a wedge of lime, and some extra chilies for the brave.


Ingredients:
1tsp cumin seeds
3 cloves garlic
1 inch ginger
1-2 birdseye chilies (optional)
1 red onion
2 cups mushrooms
1 eggplant
1 zucchini
1 stalk lemongrass
1T sesame oil
1T ghee or butter or canola oil
13.5 oz / 1.7 cups of coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1T fish sauce
1tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar

Song:  Drake - Hold on, we're going home
Hold On, We're Going Home Ft. Majid Jordan by Drake on Grooveshark

How to Crack a Coconut Perfectly in Half [Zack]

A cleanly-halved coconut makes a great serving vessel.  You can pour pina coladas, fresh fruit, or even curries into them for a unique presentation.  Below are instructions on how to halve a coconut!


Process:

First, you need to drain the water out of the coconut.  To do this, you need to gouge the eyes you with a screwdriver and a hammer.  Rest the coconut on a cutting board so the eyes are facing up, and gently tap the screwdriver point through one of the eyes.  It should go through without too much fuss.  Repeat the process for the other 2 holes. 


 Now your coconut should look sufficiently worried.  Poor lil guy.  


Turn it upside down and let the water drain into a glass.


Once that’s finished, you’ll need to get crackin.  Take the back of a heavy knife (I used the back of my cleaver) and start tapping firmly along the equator of the coconut.  


Slowly turn the coconut in your hand and continue tapping.  You should see a crack form where you were striking it.


Once it’s broken in half, wash out any chipped shell that may have ended up inside, and use it how you like!  Pro tip:  if you are serving a liquid in the half that has the holes from the eyes, you can put a square of baking parchment paper on the bottom so the liquid doesn’t escape!


Ingredients:
1 coconut
1 hammer
1 screwdriver
1 heavy knife

Song:  Movits - Skjut mig i huvet
Skjut mig i huvet by Movits! on Grooveshark

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Puff Pastry Vegetable Tart [Zack]

I am always trying to find uses for the puff pastry sheets in my freezer.  This breakfast "pizza" was created using all of the ingredients in our fridge.  Feel free to get creative!


Process:

Lay down some foil on a baking sheet, and butter it.  Defrost 2 puff pastry squares and pinch them together to form a long rectangle.

Slice onions into moons and throw them in a pan with some butter to caramelize them.  Cook for 5 minutes or so over medium heat.  Add some sliced mushrooms to the mix if you want.

Spread the red pepper paste over the top as you would tomato sauce for a pizza (leaving a small border for crust).  Place your caramelized onions and mushrooms on top, then shave the parmesan on top.  Some slices of a red or yellow pepper will give it color.  Top with shredded kale and a drizzle of olive oil.

Bake for 10-15 minutes until the crust is golden brown


Ingredients:
2 puff pastry squares
1 small tab butter
1 T red pepper paste
shaved parmesean reggiano
a few slices of red or yellow pepper
1/4 cup mushrooms
1/2 medium onion
1/2 cup shredded kale

Song:  Kanye - Champion
Champion by Kanye West on Grooveshark

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Coconut Dhal Curry [Zack]

This is a simple Dhal (lentil) curry that you can make at home with a pressure cooker.  You can chop and toss everything into the pressure cooker and have dinner on the table in 45 minutes.  The coconut milk adds a sweetness to the lentils, and the fish sauce brings the umami to the party.  Leave the fish sauce out for a totally veg meal.


Process:
Start by grinding up cumin seeds, harissa powder, and the onion powder in a mortar and pestle. Then peel the ginger and garlic, loosely chop them, and then add them to the mortar and pestle with the powder. Mash until it makes a paste.

Slice the onion, red pepper, and the tomatoes. Heat up your pressure cooker over medium heat and add some butter, oil, or ghee into the bottom. Saute the onions and red peppers together for about 5 minutes. Then, add the paste to the pot and cook for about a minute (until it becomes fragrant). Add the tomatoes to the party and your 1.5 cups of lentils. Make sure to look for small stones in the lentils by dumping them on a plate and sorting through.

Add the 3 cups of water and cover the pressure cooker. Cover, and cook at high pressure for 20 minutes over medium heat. Make sure to shake it around every 5 minutes, so nothing sticks to the bottom.

You can cook your rice that you’ll combine with the lentils while the pressure cooker is going. Also, dice the onions, peppers, jalapenos, and coriander for the topping.  Combine all of the diced veggies into a bowl.

De-pressurize your cooker, and add in the fish sauce and coconut milk.  Add a bit more salt or maple syrup if necessary.

Serve over the rice, and topped with the fresh garnish!

Ingredients:
1.5 red peppers
1.5 cups lentils
3 cups water
3 tomatoes
1 red onion
1 fat inch ginger
4 cloves garlic
2T cumin seeds
2T harissa powder
1T dried onion powder
½ cup coconut milk
1.5T fish sauce
1tsp sugar or maple syrup (if it needs a kick of sweetness)

For the topping, combine:
½ red onion
½ red pepper
¼ cup pickled jalapenos
1 fist-full of coriander

Song:  Raphael Saadiq - Good Man
Good Man by Raphael Saadiq on Grooveshark

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Icing Chocolate Cupcakes [Zack]

I love cupcakes. I think they’re in the top 3 of my favorite types of desserts. They are customizable, and are great conduits to different types of icing combinations. Since it’s the fall and Halloween is approaching, I made a roasted pumpkin cream cheese frosting to celebrate. This is a small iteration change from my pumpkin cream cheese spread.


If you're looking for a funky fall-appropriate cupcake topping, give pumpkin cream cheese icing a try!

Process:

Bake chocolate cupcakes per your favorite recipe.  Let them cool on the side while you prepare your icing.

Pre-heat your oven to 350F / 175C. Slice the pumpkin in half and scoop out the guts (you can squeeze the seeds out and toast them in butter, brown sugar, and a touch of salt). Slice the outer skin off of the pumpkin and cube it into 1/2 inch pieces. Toss in a bit of vegetable oil and salt lightly.


Roast the pumpkin in the oven for 20-30 minutes until the pieces are soft. Let it cool off for about 5 mins.

Put the cream cheese into a food processor and add the 1 cup of pumpkin and puree. Sprinkle cinnamon to taste and run the food processor again. Add the powdered sugar (to taste).


Top the cupcakes once they are cooled down.


And serve to friends!


Ingredients:
1 cup / 200g Philadelphia cream cheese
1/2 cup roasted pumpkin
1 sprinkle cinnamon
4T powdered sugar
1-2 T of veg oil to roast the pumpkin

Song:  Biz Markie's Halloween Beat Box of the Day

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Pumpkin Cinnamon Cream Cheese [Zack]

Pumpkin and cinnamon are the two flavors that most remind me of fall.  This 3 ingredient spread is simple and very flavorful.


The pumpkin adds sweetness without the need of sugar and the cream cheese adds a savory depth.  It checks the box for my favorite savory-sweet flavor combination and is great to serve during brunch.


Process:

Pre-heat your oven to 350F / 175C.  Slice the pumpkin in half and scoop out the guts (you can squeeze the seeds out and toast them in butter, brown sugar, and a touch of salt).  Slice the outer skin off of the pumpkin and cube it into 1/2 inch pieces.  Toss in a bit of vegetable oil and salt lightly.


Roast the pumpkin in the oven for 20-30 minutes until the pieces are soft.  Let it cool off for about 5 mins.

Put the cream cheese into a food processor and add the 1 cup of pumpkin and puree.  Sprinkle cinnamon to taste and run the food processor again.


Serve with toast or scones.


Ingredients:
1 cup / 200g Philadelphia cream cheese
1 cup roasted pumpkin
1 sprinkle cinnamon
1-2 T of veg oil to roast the pumpkin

Song:  Gorillaz - HillBilly Man
Hillbilly Man by Gorillaz on Grooveshark

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Mushroom, Spinach, and Emmental Quiche [Zack]

Quiche is one of our weekend go-to meals.  It gives us a great opportunity to use up a lot of odds and ends from our fridge.  Most everything works well together - here are some examples of our most recent quiches:

  • spinach, goat cheese, pumpkin, pine nuts
  • roasted red pepper, leeks, feta cheese
  • sundried tomatoes, pesto, walnuts, haloumi cheese
  • smoked salmon, cream cheese, red onion, dill
  • roasted chicken, roasted veggies (squash, eggplant, etc)
  • bacon/speck, onion, potatoes

This is the reason why we keep puff pastry sheets in the freezer.  You don't have to leave the house as long as you have eggs and a few random leftovers that will work together.

Process:

Slice the red onion into moons, clean the mushrooms, chop the garlic, and wash the spinach.  Start a pan on medium heat and sautee the onions until starting to slightly brown in butter.  Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 mins.  Add the garlic and spinach and cook until the spinach has wilted.  Make sure there is not excess water in the veg, or else you will have a watery quiche.

Butter a pie pan and patch together the puff pastry sheets to form a crust.  Let your veggies cool off and then put 3/4 of them in the pie crust.  Add some sliced emmental cheese.


Crack your 6 eggs into a bowl, and whisk in 1/2 cup of milk or cream.  Add salt and pepper to the eggs.

Pour the eggs over the veggies in your pie crust and then add the rest of the veg and a few more slices of cheese on top.  You add the second portion to make sure all of the filling isn't grouped on the bottom of the quiche when it's finished cooking.


Bake at 350F/175C for 30-45 minutes until the middle is set.  If the top is browning too quickly, you can put a loose piece of tin foil over the top.


Ingredients:

6 eggs
150ml of milk (a little over 1/2 cup of milk)
4 puff pastry sheets
1/2 T of butter
1 medium red onion
3 cloves roasted garlic (or 2 cloves fresh garlic)
1.5 cups mushrooms (I used a mix of 4)
1 cup fresh spinach
1/2 cup sliced or shredded emmental cheese

Quiche Baking Song:  Justin Timberlake - TKO
TKO by Justin Timberlake on Grooveshark

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Tomato & Spinach Red Sauce in Under 10 Minutes [Matt]


(Serves 2)

Ingredients:
1 Can - 28oz Diced Hunt's Tomatoes (not spiced, seriously.)
1 Handful of Spinach
1 Tbsp Butter (the real stuff.)
Garlic Powder
1 Tsp Salt
Favorite form of spicy Heat

When on any ride over an hour you spend AT LEAST the last half-hour thinking about what you're going to gorge when you get home. Now your stomach is saying, "just grab a stick of butter and put some fat back in dat belly!" while your mind knows that's a terrible idea which will set you back to feeling worse than when you started the session.

I spend this time thinking about what's in my fridge and cabinet that will offer me maximum-recovery benefits while not tasting like the bottom of a shoe.

Tonight I got impromptu-ly excited about red sauce. Normally I'll cook up a batch of Bolognese over half a day, but my stomach and patients have no time for that. 

So, here's the best way to play it in order to make the ~10 minute deadline before hunger-induced death ensues:

Get your pasta water started first and crank the heat. Don't use more water than is necessary. I keep homemade pasta stocked in my freezer (get that pinky up), but it cooks faster and tastes noticeably better. Or, just follow the directions on the side of your noodle box.

Break out your favorite 10+" sauce pan. Plop 1 Tbsp butter in the middle as you crank the heat to High. Toss in the handful of spinach and stir as the butter begins to melt.

While the spinach starts to wilt in the pan, quickly open your can of diced tomatoes. Use the lid to strain out the extra liquid into your sink.

Once the spinach is looking limp, dump in garlic powder, spicy-heat-spice of your choosing and salt to taste. Stir that. 

Now dump in the tomatoes.

Bring the sauce to a quick boil, then turn the heat down to about Medium. Add a pinch of brown sugar if the tomatoes aren't sweet enough when tasting the sauce. Also, feel free to utilize the full breadth of your spice rack here. I tossed in some fennel seed and chipotle peppers. 

Once your pasta finishes up, pour it into your sieve to get rid of the excess water. Now, dump those noodles into your sauce pan with the red sauce.

Let that hang out for 1 - 2 minutes. Serve (at this point you could also grate some parmesan, but I didn't have any or really miss it because the flavors melded so well). 


Saturday, October 12, 2013

Cinnamon Rolls from Pizza Dough + Yogurt Icing [Zack]

Lauren makes the best cinnamon rolls.  When she makes them, we bash them.  Even after she made a round for some guests we had for a brunch, I still had a hankerin'.

We had some pizza dough that I had made a few days ago sitting in the fridge.  Since we weren't in the mood for pizza, but were in the mood for cinnamon buns, we transformed the dough to the naughty side.


Here's a quick run-through of how it's done!  Measurements were on the fly, so you'll have to just work your way through it.

Process:

Start kneading your pizza dough on a lightly floured surface.  Put about 1/4 cup of powdered sugar on the board and work that into the dough.  It will sweeten it up a bit.

Roll out the dough out into a rectangle, and cover the whole thing with melted butter.  Don't be stingy.  Mix together brown sugar and cinnamon and coat the entire area of the dough.


Butter a baking dish.  Roll the dough like a cigar and slice into rounds about 1 inch thick.


Place them into the baking dish and let it rest for 30 mins while your oven heats up.  If you want, you can brush the tops with butter and add more brown sugar/cinnamon to the top.  I did.

Heat up your oven to 400F / 200C and pop the cinnamon buns into the oven for about 15 minutes.  When the tops are starting to brown and aren't doughy, they are finished.


Meanwhile, mix some powdered sugar into plain vanilla yogurt.  The powdered sugar will thicken up the mixture and make icing.  I added some of the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture because I made too much.  The yogurt makes it nice and tangy!

Remove the rolls from the oven, let them rest for as long as you can stand, and then top with the yogurt icing.

Ingredients:

pizza dough
cinnamon
brown sugar
yogurt
powdered sugar
butter

Song:  Tyrese - Signs of Love Makin'
Tyrese - Signs of Lovemaking by Tyrese on Grooveshark

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Quick Time Oven Fries [Rhonda]




These fries are super easy and can cook while you get the rest of the dinner underway. They're perfect with burgers but can fancy up next to roasted chicken or a grilled pork chop.

There's one magic ingredient. So shop for it and keep it stocked. (It's good for grilling meat, too.)

Ingredients:
Potatoes (Idaho, if you've got)
Olive oil
Cayenne pepper (optional for some, a must for me)
Smoked paprika
Salt
Magic ingredient: McCormick Grill Mates Smokehouse Maple Seasoning



Preheat the oven to 425 F. Slice the potatoes into long chunky slivers, dump into a mixing bowl, pour a little olive oil over to lightly coat, sprinkle the dry ingredients in, toss.

Spread onto a cookie sheet, making sure they're not clustered together and can crisp nicely on their own. Sprinkle a little more McCormick's on top, a bit more smoked paprika, and another sprinkle of salt. Bake in upper part of the oven for 20 minutes, then turn the oven off and leave them in there for another 10 minutes or so to insure crispness. Serve immediately.

Suggested soundtrack: Drake's "Hold On, We're Going Home"

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Chickpea and Roasted Eggplant Curry [Zack]

If you're in the mood for a healthy and hearty vegetable dish that will leave you full and satisfied, you're on the right page.  The combination of chickpeas with rice creates complete proteins, which means that it's a great substitute for meat.


I chose to make this with an Indian flair.  I included a few basic Indian spices, I pureed the chick peas to make a creamy curry, then added the cubes of roasted eggplant for texture.  Try it out!

Process:

The first step is to get the eggplant goin.  Dice it in 1/2 inch cubes and drizzle with some olive oil.  Place them into the oven at 400F / 200C until they are nicely browned (about 30 mins).


Next, get a pot started over medium heat.  To be prepared for the mashin, slice the red onions roughly (you'll puree them later along with the chickpeas, so no reason to be precise.)  Also, peel and roughly chop your ginger and garlic.  Chop your birdseye chiles too.

Add the onions to the pot with the 3T of olive oil.  Let them lightly brown.

If you have a mortar and pestle, add the cumin seeds, fenugreek, tumeric, and the mustard seeds. Crush them up into a powder, then in goes the ginger, garlic, and chiles.  This paste should smell amazing!  If you don't have a mortar and pestle, just chop everything and toss it in the pot!


Add the paste into the pot.



Wash your chickpeas.  Once you can smell the paste, dump the chickpeas into the pot, along with the chicken stock and 2 cups tomato puree.  Once it starts a'bubblin, reduce the heat to low and let it cook for about 5 mins.



Use a stick blender or a food processor to smooth out the curry.


Swirl in the yogurt and juice your lime into the curry.  Add 2 puffs of hing (if you have it) and adjust for salt.

Your eggplant should be roasted and ready to stir in.  Let the flavors integrate for about 5 mins, then serve over rice or with garlic naan.


Ingredients:
2 roasted eggplants
2 red onions + more for garnish
2 cans chickpeas
2 cups chicken stock (or veg stock if you want to keep it all vegetarian)
2 cups tomato puree
1 lime
1/2 cup yogurt
3T olive oil (plus more to drizzle over the roasted eggplant)
optional cilantro garnish

if you can't find all of these spices, just use cumin :)
1.5 tsp mustard seeds
1t fenugreek
1T tumeric powder
2 small squeezes hing
2T cumin seeds

2 inches ginger
2 birdseye chiles (or 3 if you can handle it!)
2 cloves garlic

Song:  Movits! - Skjut Mig I Huvet
Skjut mig i huvet by Movits! on Grooveshark