Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker - Lynn Alley [10]
Spoon into bowls and top each serving with 1 tablespoon each of chopped mint and cilantro, and a pinch of chopped jalapeño.
SUGGESTED BEVERAGE: Surprise! Why not try a sparkling Shiraz with this dish?
SPICY INDIAN LENTIL AND TOMATO SOUP
Serves 4
One of the beautiful things about traditional Indian cooking is that each cook grinds her own spices, and each dish therefore bears the unique thumbprint of its creator. Freshly ground spices give this simple soup a gourmet touch.
1 cup dried lentils
6 cups water
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
8 black peppercorns
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon tamarind concentrate (see Note)
3 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
Kernels cut from 2 ears fresh corn, or 1 cup frozen corn
Salt to taste
Tempering Oil
2 teaspoons ghee
2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
1 dried red chile, broken into bits
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Wash the lentils thoroughly, being sure to remove any small stones or dirt. Place them, along with the water, in the slow cooker insert.
In an electric coffee mill or a mortar and pestle, grind the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns to a coarse powder.
In a bowl, combine the ground spices, turmeric, tamarind concentrate, tomatoes, and garlic; add to the lentils.
Cook, covered, on low for 5 to 6 hours, or until the lentils are quite tender and the flavors have melded.
Add the corn and salt to taste just before serving so that the corn retains its fresh flavor and texture.
To make the tempering oil, heat the ghee in a frying pan, then add the mustard seeds and broken chile and sauté until the seeds begin to pop. Quickly remove from the heat and drizzle a tiny bit over each bowl of soup.
Sprinkle with the fresh cilantro and serve.
SUGGESTED BEVERAGE: Any chilled, aromatic white wine will do nicely here.
TOMATO, RICE, AND CORIANDER SOUP
Serves 4
Another delicious Indian soup, similar to the Spicy Indian Lentil and Tomato Soup, but with rice and a very different blend of spices.
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 cinnamon stick
4 cloves
6 green cardamom pods
8 black peppercorns
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 tablespoon ghee or vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
⅔ cup peeled, sliced carrots
3 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
6 cups water
2 tablespoons brown basmati rice
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
2 serrano chiles, seeded, deveined, and thinly sliced, for garnish
Yogurt, for serving (optional)
Using the side of a chef’s knife, smash together the ginger and garlic, being careful not to cut your fingers.
In an electric coffee mill or a mortar and pestle, grind the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, peppercorns, and cumin seeds to a coarse powder.
In a skillet, heat the ghee and sauté the onion over medium-high heat until brown, about 10 minutes, and then add the garlic, ginger, and spices to the onion. Continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes more.
Place the onion mixture, carrots, tomatoes, water, and rice in the slow cooker insert. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, or until the rice and carrots are thoroughly tender. Stir in the lemon juice and add salt to taste.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with the chopped cilantro and chiles. Add a dollop of yogurt and serve immediately.
SUGGESTED BEVERAGE: A bright, light fruity Pinot Gris would do nicely with this soup.
Mexico and the Southwest
MY FAVORITE CHILI
VEGETABLE AMARILLO
SLOW-COOKED GRITS WITH CHILE AND CHEESE
SPAGHETTI SQUASH WITH MEXICAN SPICES
MEXICAN BLACK BEAN SOUP
RUSTIC POTATO AND POBLANO GRATIN
STACKED CAULIFLOWER ENCHILADA WITH GREEN CHILE SAUCE
SOPA DE AJO
MEXICAN CHOCOLATE PUDDING CAKE
What most of us think of as “Mexican” food today includes some fairly simple ingredients: chicken, beef, lots of cheese, tomato sauces, and peppers, cooked in a limited number of ways.
But real Mexican cooking is a skillful blending