Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker - Lynn Alley [8]
Stuff the bell peppers with the rice mixture and place the peppers in the slow cooker insert. Pour in the water and cook on low for 4 hours, or until the peppers are tender when pierced with a fork. While the peppers are cooking, prepare the sauce.
To make the sauce, place the yogurt in a bowl. Grind the cumin and coriander seeds to a coarse powder in an electric coffee mill or a mortar and pestle. Mix them into the yogurt. Using a garlic press, press the garlic into the yogurt and mix in thoroughly.
Half an hour before serving, mix the cucumber, fresh mint, chiles and onion into the yogurt sauce and add salt to taste.
When the peppers are done, remove each one from the slow cooker insert and place in a pasta bowl (best for catching any juices), then slit it open and pour a generous stream of sauce over the top.
Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro and pomegranate seeds and serve.
SUGGESTED BEVERAGE: How about a glass of Prosecco?
WAARI MUTH
Serves 4 to 6
When most of us think of Indian food, we think of lentils or chickpeas as the legumes of choice. However, because most Indians are vegetarians, beans form an important protein source in the Indian diet. The array of beans that actually appears on the table in India is far vaster than we imagine. Waari muth is a Kashmiri recipe calling for black beans, similar to the kind of beans found in Mexican, Cuban, and Southwestern dishes. It’s a simple dish, yet with the typical seasonings of the Indian subcontinent, and very nourishing. Serve either in a bowl by itself garnished with cilantro, or over rice.
2 cups dried black beans
6 cups water
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
2 teaspoons turmeric powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon garam masala or curry powder
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt to taste
¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
Wash the beans thoroughly, then place them in the slow cooker insert with the water.
Using a mortar and pestle or an electric coffee mill, coarsely grind the fennel seeds, then add to the beans. Stir in the turmeric, ginger, and garam masala. Cover and cook on high for about 8 hours, or until the beans are tender.
Add the pepper flakes and salt to taste, then spoon individual portions into a bowl and top with a sprinkle of cilantro.
SUGGESTED BEVERAGE: I think I’d go for the “fire and ice” principle on this one: a crisp, chilled, medium-bodied aromatic white wine, such as a Gewürztraminer or an Albariño.
POTATOES AND CARROTS IN COCONUT CURRY
Serves 4 to 6
This is one of my all-time favorites in my repertoire of Indian dishes. The addition of coconut milk identifies it as a typical southern Indian dish, where coconut milk is a common ingredient. (Coconut milk is rarely found in the cooking of the colder, mountainous climate of northern India, where coconuts don’t grow.) It can be made in about 5 hours and served hot, warm, or at room temperature, like a traditional potato salad. Cooking times will vary according to the type and size of potatoes you use.
3 pounds red potatoes
1 cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 pound carrots, sliced into rounds
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 can (about 14 ounces) coconut cream
Salt to taste
4 serrano chiles, seeded, deveined, and cut into julienne, for garnish
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
Wash the potatoes thoroughly, then place them in the slow cooker insert and add the water. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, or until the potatoes are fairly tender. (Cooking time will depend on the size and the type of potato you use. Tiny red potatoes, for instance, will probably cook in less than 4 hours, so use a fork to determine doneness. If your potatoes are fairly large, you may wish to cut them carefully into quarters before proceeding with the rest of the recipe.)
In a sauté pan, heat the oil and sauté the onion over medium-high heat until golden brown, about