Baked Eggplant Stuffed with Curried Vegetables

This highly spiced, filled and baked eggplant dish makes for a maximum pleasing vegetarian meal, specifically when served with a steaming warm mattress of rice. It is alternatively clean to put together and yet some other excuse to warm the kitchen and your frame too because it has some greater kick to in reality spotlight the eggplant and veggies that make up stuffing.

You likely can have more filling than you want, depending on the scale of your eggplants. If you do, serve it alongside facet the filled eggplant or keep it for the following day and serve over a grain of your desire.

More eggplant dishes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen you could experience:

Baked Gingered Chickpea Stew with Eggplant and Spinach

Eggplant Quinoa Bites with Pesto

Stuffed Eggplant Poriyal

Mixed Vegetable Coconut Curry

"As an Ayurvedic cook dinner the maximum essential factor we have to provide even as cooking a meal is our own loving aim. When we make some thing for a person we deliver something this is non-public. Our love and care goes immediately into the meals we're getting ready and becomes part of the person that consumes it."

~ V. Sandhya

After vacations with lots of rich meals served up, our bodies start to crave more purifying foods to fend off illness and revitalize the frame and thoughts. Craving an clean-to-digest cleansing dose of gently spiced greens, I flipped thru some of my favorite books and become inspired to make this simple blended vegetable curry with coconut. This dish is simplicity at its greatest and a whole taste enjoy when paired with a few mung bean savory pancakes and a bed of warm clean cooked brown basmati rice. Any aggregate of greens may be used, although I need to admit that I become especially smitten by the mixture that I offer up here. A health practitioner could not have ordered a higher therapy for the iciness chills.

The ebook that was the catalyst for this recipe is Mysore Style Cooking: The Secret Yogic Recipes of Mysore, India by V. Sandhya. This gem is one of the most sleek and nourishing cookbooks in my significant collection. I am perpetually grateful to Yogi Kitchen for the advice. Beautifully illustrated, strictly vegetarian, and stimulated by using her own family's nicely-guarded recipes, Sandhya has a home-primarily based restaurant where she serves yogis. If you want to learn about the healing food that comes from the area of Mysore, that is the book to get. Contained with the covers are lots of ideas for legumes, grains, salads, greens, spice powders, breads, raitas and chutneys, and chocolates. The majority of the offerings are vegan pleasant too. Though I want I may want to visit her domestic, I am satisfied to have a chance to recreate some of her scrumptious and nourishing recipes in my very own kitchen.

This alternatively soupy curry is my contribution to No Croutons Required. The undertaking for January is to come up with a soup or salad employing using the leftovers. In this case, I became the usage of up a few excess greens I had handy.

More vegetable curries you're positive to enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:

Mixed Vegetable Curry ( Sabzi Bhaji )

Simple Spicy Bottle Gourd Dal

Roasted Beet and Coconut Curry

Indian-Style Roasted Squash Curry

On the top of the reading stack: Asian Flavors: Changing the Tastes of Minnesota since 1875 by Phyllis Louise Harris and Raghavan Iyer

Audio Accompaniment: Pete Namlook

Crusted Cornmeal Chickpea Potpie

Pies have sincerely been appearing on my menu more regularly as the temperature shifted from warm to heat to downright chilly. Comfort foods are actually so as, especially for the prepare dinner who additionally gets to revel in the warmth of the oven and the odor of pie. Apart from the aroma of baked bread or perhaps a simmering curry, there may be nothing better to stimulate the urge for food and bring pleasure to the kitchen.

I doubt I even have ever met everyone who failed to enjoy pie of a few type, whether or not sweet or savory. My non-public choice is for the savory range and I have been cooking and baking some lately. I'm now not one to snub my nostril at a fruit pie both, but my candy enamel isn't always what it was.

This excursion into the kitchen became inspired by way of Joanne who is the cook dinner, photographer and thoughts at the back of Joanne eats well with others. Her chickpea potpie with cornbread crust turned into simply too much to withstand and I made it take place in my personal kitchen to proportion with unique others.

I preferred the critical components inside the recipe, and the cornbread crust turned into appealing to me due to the fact it's far less complicated and quicker than making pie crust from scratch. I've made a cornmeal-crusted chili, a longtime classic that is rather similar with a one-of-a-kind filling. My adjustments to Joanne's recipe have been essentially to spice it up, because I have a tendency to do that! The spicing could be familiar to cooks which might be constantly attaining for spices that make Indian cooking so specific and appealing. Let us call this one an Indian-style fusion dish. It's quite filling and packed complete of fall vegetables and filled out in addition with buttery smooth chickpeas.

Any range of vegetables that you may have for your pantry or fridge crying out for interest might be included in the mix, and I guess mushrooms might had been great, in conjunction with a bit of tomato. Not that I suppose the dished lacked something at all and the mixture of greens I used along side the spices changed into even higher than expected. This one pot meal might cross well with a leafy green salad, a side grain dish in case you wish, or an smooth mushroom curry. It was clearly one of those memorable meals you may don't forget fondly and with a bit of luck even make it a regular feature on the menu. If I had greater ramekins available, I could have used those in place of the casserole dish method for a one-serving (or two!) greater unique presentation for diners, but regardless of, due to the fact that is one nourishing meal that I know will be a feature at the menu in my kitchen regularly.

As constantly modify the spicing according to your flavor. I do like things warm but if you are used to spicy meals, I don't assume the measurements here will weigh down your warmth meter.

More hearty and comforting savory pies you are sure to experience from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:

Aloo Palak Paneer Pie

Indian-Style Samosa Potpie

Grape Leaf Pie with Herbs, Yogurt and Quinoa

On the top of the studying stack: diverse cookbooks

Audio Accompaniment: Marsen Jules

Mung Dal Chila Paneer Wraps

There is some thing so very comforting about comfortable wraps of goodness. Most of the cuisines I am familiar with have conventional wrapped up delights and the cooks creativeness adds more flair to the plate. I went with an Indian topic for this meal as I regularly do, and made some Indian cr?Pes to serve with a quick and clean highly spiced paneer scramble.

I think this may be classified as "street food" however I've also loved bites like this, mainly while it comes from my kitchen. In fact, I made this meal, served in conjunction with a few spinach rice, for my first-rate buddy Basil's birthday.

It's pure comfort food, and actually rather clean to make up, though frying up the chila does take a bit of staying power, despite the fact that they are honest to prepare.

More paneer delights you are positive to experience:

Paneer Mushroom Masala

Mung Bean Paneer

Paneer Tikka Pizza on Naan Bread

Spicy Carrot Soup with Ginger and Paneer Cubes

On the pinnacle of the analyzing stack: "The Outsider" by using Albert Camus

Audio Accompaniment: sleek silence

Aloo Mattar (Potato and Pea Curry)

Aloo mattar is a classic Punjabi dish inclusive of potatoes and inexperienced peas simmered in a highly spiced tomato gravy. Those are the primary additives of the dish, although spicing and instruction varies from cook dinner to prepare dinner. This is my trendy model of this dish that normally seems on most of the menus at the Indian eating places I have dined at. I don't order it as an awful lot as I would really like, as I am generally torn among it and mattar paneer. Although you can in no way get enough peas for my part, I generally turn out to be just ordering one or the opposite and then select different alternatives from the menu.

The amusing part is each of these dishes are smooth to put together at home, so you do not must wait until you dine out to revel in them. In reality, with some fundamental expertise of Indian delicacies and some staples reachable, you will be cooking up even finer curries than those determined at your local Indian restaurants. To complete the revel in, consider serving the curry with selfmade savory Indian flat breads, and a steaming warm bed of fresh cooked white rice.

I served this warming vegetable dish with savory rice and urad dal pancakes (dosas) for a complete and pleasing meal.

Notes: Adjust the water as necessary to achieve your desired consistency. I generally like my curries fairly thick, so I only used about 1 1/2 cups of water.

I chose now not to use garlic or onion this time, but you could upload some in case you desire. Add to the pan after the seeds are completed and stir and fry for a couple of minutes earlier than you upload the floor spices and other elements.

Other vegetable curries you're certain to revel in from Lisa's Kitchen:

Mushroom Masala (Succulent Mushrooms with Tomatoes and Spices)

Paneer and Mixed Vegetables in a Creamy Gravy

Mushroom Curry Simmered in a Fenugreek Cream Sauce with Green Peas

Aloo Gobi (Curried Cauliflower and Potatoes)

On the top of the reading stack: Bartleby by Herman Melville

Audio Accompaniment: Thom Brennan - Mist (album)

Chickpea Quinoa Vegetable Burgers

Though many vegetarians have a signature vegetable burger, I'm now not one actually to serve patties in bread typically. Sure, I do make little bites all the time, generally served with a few chutney or sauce, along a meal. Often they even make up the entr?E, paired with rice, a vegetable aspect and perhaps a flat bread. But come what may I got to thinking that maybe I did need to give you a "veg burger" and, after lots notion, I am now sharing a vegetable burger that, in all modesty, I will assert is probably the high-quality that I have ever eaten.

Everything is here. Legumes, grains and vegetables. On pinnacle of that, they are baked rather than fried. I served them in a toasted English muffin, with a few spinach leaves and a easy highly spiced tomato chutney, with a pickle on the side. So excited changed into I with the end result that I known as up my first-rate pal Basil to drop over for a little chunk. The verdict turned into a tremendous one, echoing my husband's rave review.

Other baked savories you may revel in from Lisa's Kitchen:

Baked Quinoa Falafel Bites

Chickpea Potato Koftas with Ricotta Cheese

Baked Chickpea Kofta Tacos with Avocado and Harissa

Spicy Chickpea Koftas

On the top of the studying stack: the newspaper

Audio Accompaniment: Erot

Green Peas in a Tomato Coconut Gravy

Easy curries featuring inexperienced peas are among some of my favored facets to serve along side different Indian dishes. Simple sufficient to make to go together with a hectic weeknight meal, yet elegant sufficient to be a part of any meal soliciting for some spice, no matter how fancy or humble, this flavorful side with a creamy tomato and coconut gravy is mainly precise scooped over a few steamy white basmati rice. The predominant offering turned into chickpeas, mango and spinach in a tomato coconut gravy. Though the gravies had a number of the equal important flavors and seasoning, every dish become pretty specific and nicely-suitable to the clean rice canvas that followed the meal. If you have the time, do not forget serving up some savory Indian flat breads too.

Take care no longer to overcook the peas so they maintain taste and bring about that "pop on your mouth" sensation that I find so enjoyable.

Other vegetarian recipes providing inexperienced peas:

Green Peas Curry (Mattar Masala)

Corn and Green Pea Tomato Curry

Creamy Herbed and Green Pea Salad

Paneer Cheese in an Aromatic Cashew Coconut Gravy (Paneer Korma)

Paneer cheese has a moderate taste and a gentle texture with a excessive melting point, making it the suitable vehicle to capture and bring spices and seasonings. Chunks of paneer cheese adds man or woman and substance to curries, and this one became no exception. Following in conjunction with my obsession with all matters coconut currently, I couldn't withstand raiding a block of paneer cheese from my inventory within the freezer and giving it the coconut treatment.

Here the multitude of vibrant spices is well tempered and particularly muted by nutty cashews, soothing coconut and luscious cheese. The paneer is lightly simmered in an fragrant cashew and tomato gravy with coconut milk with a few extra creaminess from rich Greek yogurt introduced near the stop of the cooking time. The play of flavor sensations is one you might not quickly neglect, and your kitchen will smell heavenly hours after dinner has been loved.

Don't let the rather long list of ingredients intimidate you. Really, it's far a straightforward dish to put together with minimal training.

More pleasurable paneer creations to stimulate the urge for food:

Paneer Mushroom Masala

Paneer Tomato Curry with Indian and Thai Flavors

Asparagus with Shredded Paneer and Tomato

Butter Paneer Masala

On the top of the reading stack: Dead Souls by Gogol

Audio Accompaniment: Nicolas Bacher

Roasted Eggplant Tomato Curry (Baingan Bharta)

Eggplant is one vegetable that I in no way definitely used to enjoy in any respect till I found out how to appreciate its finer characteristics. Despite having little flavor in itself, it does take at the flavors of the opposite additives of dishes it appears in and really much acts like a sponge to absorb spices and seasonings because it does on this curry. Although it's far the megastar component, keep in mind serving this one as much as folks that suppose they do not revel in eggplant because the textural element it provides here combined with the tomato, peas and seasonings makes for an ideal aspect and also you might not even bet that eggplant is what brings everything together.

Other eggplant recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:

Baked Eggplant Stuffed with Curried Vegetables

Stuffed Eggplant Poriyal

Eggplant Quinoa Bites with Pesto

Indian-Style Potato and Pea Salad with Tamarind and Chat Masala

This potato salad is probably now not what a lot of us could think about whilst a potato salad makes its look on the dinner table. Often we envision Mom's well-known potato salad with eggs, mayonnaise and paprika, perhaps, and a few inexperienced onion. Don't get me incorrect ? I loved my Mom's classic potato salad and it become continually a favorite of mine. Potato salads can but be dressed up further and this one would possibly also be considered a form of candy potato and white potato hash with peas and spices. Tangy, highly spiced and barely candy, this dish is a welcome marvel with quite a few textures in every chew ? I am quite content to grace it with a salad label. It's vegan pleasant too.

Serve this one warm or chilled.

More potato salad recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen you are positive to experience:

Pesto and Potato Egg Salad

Mexican-Style Potato Salad With Avocado and Jalape?O

Warm Baby Potato and Pea Salad

Linguine with Pea-Basil Pesto and Mushrooms

It's not all that often that I cook pasta, but when I do it surely is a comfort. Coming as it does in so many shapes and sizes and varieties, the possibilities for pasta are endless, and if you are extra ambitious you may want to make your own fresh pasta at home. I rather cheated here I suppose because I used fresh pasta from the grocery store down the street. No matter, as it didn't spoil the dish in the least. And it's green too and thus a timely post for an easy St. Patrick's Day meal.

Opting out of a tomato based sauce, I went for this fresh pesto sauce with peas and basil. Keep this one in mind for summer when you have an overabundance of fresh basil growing in your herb garden and fresh peas on hand at your local market. The depth of flavors goes so well with sautéed mushrooms, which are pretty much a must for me when I think of pasta for dinner.

This dish is vegan friendly too, if you omit the cheese. I was rather sparing with it myself because I wanted the fresh pesto flavor to shine along with the meaty mushrooms, and I don't think you will be disappointed if you leave it out altogether. Use your favorite pasta because it will taste just as well with any noodle or shell pasta, and feel free to load it up with lots of cheese if that suits your fancy too.

Other pasta creations you are sure to enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:

Kamut Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

Penne with Indian-Style Tomato Sauce and Mushrooms

Jalapeño and Tomato Macaroni & Cheese

Cauliflower and Pea Curry

There is but some other new addition to my tremendous cookbook series and this one has fast emerge as one of those need to-endorse books to my readers who are inquisitive about Indian cooking. After reading an in depth assessment of the book through Sia of Monsoon Spice, I promptly ordered a copy and already I've been stimulated to make some dishes from the book.

Prashad — Indian Vegetarian Cooking by Kaushy Patel is the result of a lifelong journey of passionate cooking by the author. Focusing on Gujarati food, Ms. Patel moved to England as a young woman and soon after got into the food business beginning with a deli specializing in Indian street food that eventually blossomed into a restaurant that received high praise and recognition from Chef Gordon Ramsay — that's saying something because he is no vegetarian and his standards at times are nearly impossible to meet. Come to think of it, I do recall the episode of the Best Restaurant series when Ms. Patel and her family's business was featured and was quite charmed. Sia was blessed to eat at the restaurant in Bradford, England and I must confess I am burning with envy.

"None of the curries we ordered tasted the equal or had simply one ingredient overpowering the other. The meals become warm, sparkling, vibrant, and delicately spiced with specific textures and flavours making it clean that none of the meals served here was mass produced or doused in geared up to use spice mixes or sauces."

Contained within the covers are recipes ranging from starters and street snacks, mains, rice dishes and breads, soups and sides and desserts and sweets. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook, you will find plenty of inspiration for your own cooking experiences. Many of the recipes are Indian classics with a fresh look, and we are treated to some treasured creations that Ms. Patel has crafted, shared and served up to eager family and customers with great success. Plenty of vegan recipes are offered up too along with onion and garlic free delights.

Sia had accomplished an first rate task discussing and reviewing the book, so do test out her evaluate. I'll have extra to mention approximately this outstanding e book as I continue to explore.

The key to this wonderfully flavorful dish is to cook the cauliflower till just soft and feature a rather mild hand with the spicing, though you'll want some Indian heat.

More vegetable curries from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:

Aloo Gobi (Curried Cauliflower and Potatoes)

Mixed Vegetable Coconut Curry

Paneer Cheese and Vegetables in a Creamy Gravy

Creamy Herbed Potato and Green Pea Salad

Spring is toddling into summer with faltering steps this year, however the respites of warm sunny climate alongside the manner bring to thoughts the comforts and pleasures of summer eating. Soups and hearty meals deliver way to salads and mild fare that can be transported to the patio, warming ingredients deliver way to clean plates, and dried and canned items provide manner to clean herbs and convey. This easy salad of steamed toddler potatoes, green peas and fresh herbs tossed in a creamy and colourful Dijon mustard dressing is simply the component to give you a taste of summer season consolation meals ? In particular if you may get your fingers of clean lawn peas, despite the fact that frozen peas can even make for a lovely salad.

The event for serving this dish become an opportunity to try some Nasoya vegan "nayonaise" that became sent to me to sample. Now I have a tendency to stay faraway from unfermented soya products typically, however I've in no way been overly keen on "conventional" jarred mayonnaise either and, thinking about how hardly ever I use mayonnaise in any case, I figured it turned into well worth a strive. First, I attempted it with my well-known vegetarian Caesar salad because it's a classic that I figured might be a truthful assessment of the unfold. Next, I desired a potato salad and used it inside the dressing with suitable consequences. Though it smelled a touch unexpected after I opened the jar, the flavor became mellow and pairs well with more potent flavors for a unbroken taste enjoy. My verdict is this is stands up properly to shop-offered canola-based totally mayo and it is vegan-pleasant and gluten-unfastened too, crafted from expeller-pressed oil and fortified with Omega three.

Note: I received complimentary samples of the Nayonaise for consideration. The opinions expressed here are my own and I am receiving no compensation for writing this post.

More potato salads you're certain to enjoy from Lisa's Kitchen:

Warm Baby Potato and Asparagus Salad

Potato Radish Salad

Mexican-Style Potato Salad with Avocado and Jalape?O

Potato Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

Paneer and Pea Curry Smothered in a Cashew Tomato Gravy

Since I started out cooking Indian meals a few two decades in the past, quickly after becoming a vegetarian, paneer cheese curries were considered one of my most delightful discoveries. Whenever I acquired a new cookbook or when I browse thru proficient bloggers offerings, paneer dishes usually ended up bookmarked for future reference. One motive that I am now not a vegan might very well be luscious chunks of paneer cheese transformed into a spicy curry. I just cannot see myself giving that up, nor different valuable cheeses for that matter. Eggs I should do without, but no longer paneer, although it only seems on the menu each month or so.

My present day experiment, that became met with a good deal reward from my diners, changed into this paneer and green pea curry simmered in a clean and lightly spiced cashew and tomato gravy. Rich, sure, mainly if you fry your paneer in ghee or butter, but clean to digest and truly suit for royalty, even though it is truely easy to put together. As I regularly say, simplicity regularly consequences inside the most gourmand and fulfilling dishes as a way to grace your table. I dare say it's miles as appropriate as my conventional mattar paneer ? Maybe even higher.

More paneer goodness from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:

Mung Beans with Paneer Cheese

Paneer Cubes with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Butter Paneer Masala

On the top of the reading stack: 1,000 Indian Recipes (Small Print) by Neelam Batra

Audio Accompaniment: the washing system

Spicy Urad Dal with Cauliflower and Peas

Split dals are a quick and simple manner to deliver nourishing and easily digestible proteins to vegetarians, and cut up skinned urad dal is among the fastest and handiest. These little white pearls ? Also called black gram for the dark pores and skin that is generally hulled ? Cook quickly, and their uniquely slight and floury taste is a super car for tangy flavors, fragrant seeds and warm spices. I usually have a huge bag handy for once I need to come up with a quick meal without a whole lot making plans. You can find urad dal at any Indian or Asian grocer.

This easy but very flavorful dal is cooked with tangy tomato and pro with warming seeds and spices, with cauliflower and peas introduced near the end to keep texture and nourishment. It's a whole and gratifying meal served with hot sparkling cooked rice, and it is vegan-friendly too if you use oil in preference to ghee.

More cut up dal curries you may experience from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:

Indian Style Spicy Mung Beans (Moong Dal)

Indian Style Yellow Split Pea Curry

Toor Dal Palak

Urad Dal with Fresh Fenugreek

On the top of the reading stack: Power Hungry(TM): The Ultimate Energy Bar Cookbook by Camilla V. Saulsbury

Audio Accompaniment: Erot

Corn and Green Pea Tomato Curry

I've grown tomatoes in planters within the outdoor for the beyond several years, however this yr the plants are yielding the most ample crop but. This of path means that I currently have an excess of tomatoes, so I am seeking to consciousness on them while making meal plans. I may additionally simply must dry them or preserve them in jars for the winter if they preserve coming off the vine as speedy as they have been recently.

In the intervening time, my husband enjoys slicing the juicy end result into slices and consuming them sprinkled with sea salt and a bit freshly cracked black pepper. And I had been including tomatoes to salads, curries, salsas and dips and include them on every occasion in some thing I can where they might be suitable. The night that I made this simple vegetable curry became an oppressively warm and humid day while all I desired turned into a light refreshing meal ? Especially after having eaten a rather massive and heavy brunch. The occasion of having a few stunning nearby sparkling candy corn and garden peas become just the inspiration I needed to, for a light but zesty and tremendously flavorful dinner. The lovable contrasts in coloration are matched by using the layers of sweet, tangy and spicy flavors and the pop-in-your-mouth bites of clean corn and peas in a smooth and zesty tomato sauce.

I cooked up a few quinoa to go along with the curry and served it all up with a few poppadums for an excellent mild summer season meal that made appropriate use of nearby produce too. Feel free to blanketed something greens you could have handy, adjusting the liquid element and cooking time for that reason.

Other corn creations from Lisa's Kitchen you're certain to enjoy:

Tomato Corn Chowder

Roasted Corn and Jalape?O Cheese Soup

Corn and Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Quinoa Soup with Corn

On the top of the reading stack: Baking by Hand : Make the Best Artisanal Breads and Pastries Better Without a Mixer by Andy and Jackie King