Homemade Thai Red Curry Paste

The same standards that practice to creating your own spice blends at home similarly follow to homemade pastes, chutneys and sauces. Jarred and/or canned varieties to be had at your neighborhood marketplace lack the freshness and flare that you could without difficulty attain by means of making your own staples at home. Certainly every other advantage is you have got total manipulate over the amount and excellent of the components used. The system is less complicated than you may initially assume ? Specifically if your kitchen is stocked with a spice grinder or food processor ? And if saved in tightly sealed jars, spice blends will stay fresh for months on quit, even as maximum pastes, chutneys and sauces will keep well in the fridge for some weeks or longer.

As I am exploring Thai cooking in extra depth these days, it appears crucial that I have some sparkling curry pastes available as they are an vital addition to such a lot of Thai dishes. Many of the economic ready-made Thai curry pastes which you discover on grocery keep shelves contain fish sauce making them incorrect for vegetarians and vegans, so there may be a further incentive to make your own. In addition to Thai inexperienced curry paste, this crimson curry paste is now a frequent occupant on the second floor of my refrigerator. Used sparingly, your soups, sauces and curries will benefit from the lingering sensation of hot chilies, clean galangal or ginger, and lemongrass. Those with passionate palates may also workout much less restraint for a greater febrile experience.

More pastes you are are positive to experience from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:

Homemade Massaman Curry Paste

Homemade Thai Green Curry Paste

Red Chili and Vinegar Paste

Spicy Sun-Dried Tomato Paste

Indian Tomato Chutney with Spices

As I had been playing a healthy dose of savory Indian pancakes of overdue, there's constantly a very good deliver of chutneys and sauces available inside the residence. This cooked tomato includes vinegar, so it'll maintain for quite some time within the fridge in a well sealed container. Fragrant, highly spiced, and correct for the thoughts and body, this chutney need to truely be considered a staple ? It's far a super multi-layered condiment as a way to enhance and supplement any Indian savory food.

More Indian sauces and chutneys you're positive to enjoy from Lisa's Indian Vegetarian Kitchen:

Tamarind Chutney

Toasted Fresh Coconut Chutney with Tomatoes

Gingered Tomato Sauce

Hot Green Chili Sauce

Spicy Pesto Guacamole

My tried and examined guacamole has continually received rave evaluations from my guests, but I desired to step things up a notch this time round and, after seeing a few recipes for pesto guacamole, I changed into offered at the concept, particularly as there has been basil from my backyard that I desired to use and I have in no way been acknowledged to turn my nostril up at pesto ? And actually no longer at guacamole. As has a tendency to occur in my kitchen, this one is spiced up.

Spicy Pesto

As the climate gets cooler, and we spend extra time interior and indulge in a chunk greater snacking, what higher way to accomplish that than with this wholesome dip that is going properly with any chopped vegetables, toasted pita triangles and definitely tortilla chips. It's best anytime of yr and a patio favourite. My first-class friend Basil pipes up here and describes the whole experience after attempting it with a few healthy baked tortilla chips:

First chew starts offevolved with flavors of avocado, basil, tomato, onion and lime, followed up with a wonderful transmission of salt to introduce a pepper rush, warmly tingling the palette. A lingering aftertaste of lime is later detected.

Well, make it yourself and let me know what you think.

More dips and spreads from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen you are sure to enjoy:

Kalamata Olive Tapenade

Spicy Red Pepper Hummus

Red Lentil and Toasted Walnut Tapenade with Olives and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Corn and Pinto Bean Dip

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Coleslaw Bites with Jalapeño Dip

Sides are often underrated, and that's a shame because there are so many interesting ways to dress up grains and vegetables and legumes. For examples, these little fried coleslaw bites served up with one of the tastiest and easiest dips I have had for a while. I made these as part of a meal, rather than as a starter, so I made my bites about 2 inches in diameter, but feel free to make them smaller to serve as hors d'oeuvre tidbits. Better yet, double the batch because they won't last long. They really are that good, and frying up cabbage really brings out its natural sweetness.

These coleslaw bites are vegan friendly too, so if you don't want the dairy here, consider making a variation on the creamy jalapeño dip I present here or serve with a tomato chutney or salsa.

More little bites you are sure to enjoy from Lisa's Kitchen:

Eggplant Quinoa Bites with Pesto

Goat Cheese Olive Balls

Savory Quinoa Corn Cups

Smoked Gouda Gougères

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Pappadums with Avocado Pomegranate Salsa

When I heard a while back about Raghavan Iyer's new cookbook Indian Cooking Unfolded: A Master Class in Indian Cooking with 100 Easy Recipes Using 10 Ingredients or Less , I was bursting with anticipation. For those unfamiliar with Mr. Iyer's offerings, he is also the author of one of my absolute favorite cookbooks, 660 Curries . I have cooked from and written about his books on many occasions and they all come highly recommended from my kitchen. One of the first dishes I have tried and shared from his most recent book was a wonderful chana chaat (tangy and tart chickpea salad).

Now I am providing up but any other beautiful creation from Mr. Iyer. Look no similarly if you want a completely unique and barely highly spiced appetizer to wow your dining partners. Or if you please, hold all of it to your self. Have a nibble and notice if you have 2nd thoughts approximately sharing this creamy Indian-style "salsa" adorned with candy pomegranate pearls. Crispy lentil pappadums entire the experience. Thoughts of decadence are speedy whisked away whilst you recognize that the entirety on the platter is wholesome and nutritious. Of direction, most significantly, it's a palette pleaser, with a layering of textures and zesty and tangy flavors that you may possibly have no longer considered earlier than.

More Indian dips and salsas which you are positive to experience from my kitchen:

Avocado Chickpea Hummus

Tomato and Eggplant Caponata

Fresh Tomato Chutney

Spicy Indian-Style Hummus

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Lemony Basil Hummus

Hummus is a classic Middle Eastern spread or dip, historically made from mashed chickpeas, olive oil, tahini and garlic. Such a aggregate gives unlimited opportunities to be explored with the aid of keen and ingenious cooks. Keep it easy and conventional or provide you with your very own fusion fashion model to serve up as an appetizer, for lunch, or dinner with veggies and flat breads, or truely as a nourishing snack whenever the want to energize moves.

This is pretty an awful lot a conventional version of hummus with the addition of clean basil and lemon juice to add extra fresh flavor. Think of it as a pesto hummus, with basil lurking in each chunk in a subdued manner. I like my hummus fairly thick in texture however this is a forgiving recipe, so of course experience free to modify the measurements right here according to your alternatives for a thinner version.

More delightful dips and spreads from my kitchen:

Avocado Chickpea Hummus

Hummus with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Goat Cheese and Olives

Kalamata Olive Tapenade

Red Lentil and Toasted Walnut Tapenade with Olives and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

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Green Mango Coconut Chutney

This smooth and appealing chutney was made up to go with curried quinoa and wild rice savory desserts. Bold and assertive, with a layering of fascinating sweet, tart and peppery flavors from the mango, coconut, fresh orange and lime juices, dried apricots, chilies and cilantro, this a fresh accompaniment to Indian savories. Also do not forget serving along basmati rice and a soup or dal curry for a maximum pleasant meal.

I've made this chutney before, but ultimate time I used ripe red mango instead of the unripe inexperienced mango used here. I enjoyed each variations, however this one is much less sweet and somewhat more tart. Delicious both way. It's basically raw, as the best "cooking" is the short frying of brown mustard seeds.

Other chutneys you are sure to enjoy:

Fresh Tomato Chutney

Chunky Cashew Tamarind Chutney

Roasted Toor Dal and Tamarind Chutney

Tamarind Chutney with Coconut, Mint and Parsley

Easy Spicy Tomato Chutney

I am a corporation believer in making my own sauces and condiments at domestic as opposed to resort to save-sold variations. For the most component, they're hassle loose and lots superior in flavor and freshness. I made this one to go together with my chickpea quinoa vegetable burgers. If I become going to go to the problem of developing with a fantastic vegetable burger, the least I could do is to get dressed it up with some thing made with as a whole lot care, if a whole lot much less time!

Other condiments to serve up:

Coconut and Mint Chutney (Nariyal Podina Chatni)

Coconut Tamarind Chutney

Quick and Easy Tomato Chutney

Velvety Tomato Chutney

Homemade Guacamole

To rejoice Cinco De Mayo, a Mexican holiday that is well known global, specially in North America, I became currently handled to a lovable bundle that blanketed a few outstanding avocados, a stunning silver serving bowl, and all varieties of different kitchen candies. I'm now not Mexican myself, but to have fun this package I made ? What else? ? Home made guacamole. Every one loves it when I make this luscious dip, and it disappears in hardly greater time than it takes to set out the bowl. It's fantastic served with home made quesadillas and tortilla chips or another little bites requesting some creamy avocado goodness. Best to double the quantity right here if a number of visitors are expected and it keeps well for some days besides.

Because you could by no means have enough guacamole in my opinion, I'm sharing this recipe once more with updated pictures.

More dips from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen you're certain to revel in:

Marinated Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus with Olives

Black-Eyed Pea Salsa

Corn and Pinto Bean Dip

Feta and Olive Salsa

Avocado Chickpea Hummus

Hummus is some thing that I like to have reachable often. Not most effective is it scrumptious and properly for you, however it always encourages me to devour raw greens too. It makes for a great appetizer, lunch, snack or accompaniment for your dinner desk. I've made several specific hummus recipes in the past as it's far this kind of flexible dip and varieties and serving possibilities are infinite and truely inspiring. Here there's a further raise of overall healthiness due to the addition of fresh avocado. Hummus also rings a bell in my memory of summer season patio dining that I am specifically nostalgic for as this apparently by no means finishing Canadian iciness maintains to frost up the home windows.

Store-offered hummus clearly does now not compare with regards to freshness and flavor, and aside from fighting with and cleaning the food processor, it is ridiculously smooth to make up a batch because it all receives tossed together and whizzed up. This version of hummus might high-quality be described as a assembly between Mexican and Indian flavors ? In truth, I made selfmade chapatis to go together with the dip in addition to masses of clean veggies.

More hummus recipes from Lisa's Kitchen you may need to strive:

Spicy Indian-Style Hummus

Hummus with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Goat Cheese and Olives

Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Pinto Bean and Zucchini Hummus

Tamarind Chutney with Coconut, Mint and Parsley

Chutneys and sauces are pretty lots a essential and staple pairing for lots savory Indian appetizers and flatbreads. Store-bought chutneys genuinely pale in comparison to the freshness and aptitude that home made chutneys can impart to your snacks and meals. This chutney is fairly clean to put together and will hold inside the fridge in a nicely-sealed glass field for up to a week. I will be aware that that is one of the most thrilling and precise chutneys I have ever made. Vibrant and zesty, with some highly spiced kick from fresh inexperienced chilies, sweet tamarind mingles with toasted coconut and fresh herbs for a unique palate desirable experience.

If you do not have asafetida available, include a clove or of minced garlic if you desire. I located any leftover chutney combined into steaming cooked rice makes for a incredible facet grain dish with greater flare.

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

Basic Coconut Chutney

Fresh Tomato Chutney

Quick and Easy Tomato Chutney

Roasted Toor Dal and Coconut Chutney

Mushroom Marinara Sauce with Fresh Herbs

It's now not frequently that I use shop-sold sauces, preferring rather to make my own at home to ensure freshness and manage over the seasonings used. In this situation, I desired a sauce to go with quinoa goat cheese and Parmesan desserts and so I cooked up a succulent mushroom marinara sauce that included some sparkling herbs from my garden. It also makes for a delicious chunky pasta sauce or pizza sauce. The opportunities are limitless. An delivered bonus is that it is easy to make too. The sauce will hold inside the refrigerator in a nicely sealed jar for roughly 4 days or freeze it in hermetic bins for up to six months.

More impossible to resist sauces from Lisa's Kitchen:

Gingered Tomato Sauce

Devil's Nightmare Pasta Sauce

Tomato Sauce with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

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Chunky Cashew Tamarind Chutney

Chutneys are continually a pride to have available and they may be rather smooth to make at domestic and maintain for a while in the fridge if saved well. A incredible and nourishing accompaniment on your favorite flatbreads, rice and pretty plenty any Indian savory you may consider, that is my most recent test that I cooked up to serve with some savory lentil and rice pancakes. Slightly sweet due to the addition of tamarind, textured, a bit nutty and not overly spicy, I am positive you'll locate this a welcome staple to have available to your own kitchen.

More chutney recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen you're certain to experience:

Coconut and Mint Chutney

Fresh Tomato Chutney

Roasted Toor Dal and Coconut Chutney

Velvety Tomato Chutney

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Ricotta Gnudi with Homemade Chunky Tomato Sauce

The tomato sauce I gift here became made with clean tomatoes from my lawn. All of a unexpected I located myself with an extra of them and figured a wealthy and luscious home made tomato sauce made perfect use of the harvest. I can't believe creating a sauce this scrumptious during the winter months when the sparkling tomatoes available are high priced and as an alternative bland. Canned sorts often don't satisfy my palate either. I changed into extremely joyful to head "grocery shopping" in my outside for hot peppers and clean herbs to complete the experience.

I made this sauce for any other purpose too. I these days came across a recipe that Rosa published for ricotta gnudi. It appeared so fabulous and changed into completely new to me, so I figured, why not provide it a attempt. I admit that I become as a substitute fearful, as I didn't understand what to anticipate, however I adore ricotta cheese and it pairs so properly with tomato sauce. Dumplings I even have made, sure, however those are not like any dumplings I have attempted thus far.

What is gnudi you may ask? These pillowy little pasta-like dumplings are Tuscan in origin and are much like a gnocchi with out the potatoes, so they're lighter and simpler to prepare. They sort of jogged my memory of ravioli, with out the pasta issue. Once you've got attempted them, you may discover your self craving them time and time again.

I left the ricotta aggregate to sit back for an hour or so in the fridge earlier than shaping them, but the dough become nevertheless as an alternative sticky and I began to worry that the gnudi turned into going to fall apart when I added it to the water. Gently shaping them with floured palms on a floured surface enables, and I am still researching all the unique methods chefs can make their very own gnudi, and that could take a while, as there seem like loads of methods and taste combos. For the maximum element, they didn't fall apart and although these little bites of goodness won't look all that pretty at first to you, when you upload the sauce into the mixture, it will become an appealing plate certainly. The gnudi is reasonably mild on its own, making it a super car for the slightly spicy and herby sauce.

So our Italian evening was a achievement. Served with a facet leafy inexperienced salad dressed with an oil and balsamic dressing at the side of selfmade mini Gruy?Re scones, it grew to become out to be an intimate meal for 3. One of my diners declared it became as a substitute like having a "snacky" meal, and I wager it changed into, because it was characterized by using rustic attraction with wonderful beauty that really ought to be loved slowly, in a candlelit setting. Sometimes, smaller bites make for the most pleasant dinners.

Notes: I included dried mushrooms in my sauce for an earthly and meaty texture and also sun-dried tomatoes for additional chunkiness and thickness, but you don't need to include them to come up with your own fresh and vibrant sauce. Feel free to experiment with whatever herbs you have on hand and if fresh ones are not readily available, substitute dried herbs from your spice rack. You don't even have to make it spicy at all if you don't want too (simply omit the hot pepper and spices), although I found that the spices enhanced the flavor without overpowering the other ingredients or the gnudi. If you have leftover sauce, serve it with some tortilla chips or boil up a pot of pasta or serve with your favorite savory snacks calling out for a chutney-style sauce. The sauce can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for a few days in a well sealed jar or container.

More tacky comfort:

Cheddar Dijon Biscuits

Cheese and Herb Fritters with Tomato and Balsamic Jam

Homemade Olive Tapenade Pizza

Ricotta Dumplings with Mushroom Sauce

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Creamy Vegan Cashew Alfredo Sauce with Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Shell Pasta

Fettuccine Alfredo is a classic Italian creation that is essentially egg noodle pasta smothered in a rich sauce of butter and Parmesan cheese, and sometimes cream. When I first became a vegetarian, it was one of the only dishes I could eat when dining out, assuming it was on the menu, unless I wanted a boring salad with little substance instead. Of course, now that vegetarianism has become a choice for a much greater number of people worldwide, vegetarian options are more varied in restaurants now than ever before.

But what to do for vegans if they remember this dish and enjoyed it? After all, butter and cheese are off limits. I'm not strictly vegan, so I can still enjoy the classic preparation, and have made it at home, but I wanted to try a vegan version, with the twist of adding some grilled vegetables on the side too with the sauce. Cashews and nutritional yeast to the rescue again! I used shell pasta instead of fettuccine to "cradle" the cashew Alfredo sauce. The result was a filling and comforting chilly weather meal. I didn't miss the cheese and I don't think you will either. As always, nuts and nutritional yeast makes for a nice substitute that is protein rich and wholesomely delicious and satisfying.

More sauces suited to pasta or cooked vegetables to enjoy from Lisa's Kitchen:

Best-Ever Mushroom Sauce

Portobello Mushroom Marinara Sauce

Velvety South Indian Tomato Chutney

Best Black Bean Salsa Recipe

Salsas, dips and sauces are constantly higher while they may be made at home. They are generally trustworthy and smooth to put together and maintain well for a few days in the fridge, if now not longer. And no longer handiest are selfmade preparations less expensive than shop-offered ones, they're constantly brisker too. It's a good feeling knowing which you have manage over the amount and first-class of the elements used and without difficulty tailored to fit your possibilities and tastes.

Because I am ever curious to attempt new creations, with many cookbooks and bookmarked recipes on hand to encourage, up until this factor I overlooked to percentage this strong and quite addictive black bean salsa with my readers. I think I may be excused, for once loved, it may not quickly be forgotten and you'll need to serve it up again and again.

A longtime favourite of mine, I've historically paired it with corn pancakes, but it actually serves many purposes. For instance, it's incredible as a dip for tortilla chips, as an accompaniment or thing of Mexican themed meals - function a topping for nacho chips, or make it a function of quesadillas, tacos, burritos and enchiladas - and it truly enhances vegetable aspects - remember scooping some over a few roasted sweet potatoes - or just devour it through the spoonful. The possibilities are virtually as endless as your imagination.

This salsa happens to be pretty filling made up as it is of black beans, olives, feta cheese and sun-dried tomatoes. Creamy, earthy, salty, zesty, with a hint of sweetness from golden honey and some warmness from jalapeno, it is a formidable, sizable and clean salsa. Each chew is a pleasure and if you appear to serve it up to dinner guests, it's pretty probably they may be requesting the recipe.

Other salsa recipes to enjoy from Lisa's Kitchen:

Avocado and Tomato Salsa with Chipotle

Mexican Tomato and Jalape?O Salsa

Avocado Pomegranate Salsa

Simple No-Cook Tomato Salsa

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Cashew Sour Cream {Vegan}

While it may be real that there's no actual replacement for dairy-based totally sour cream, I would argue that this cashew sauce is simply as enjoyable, and perhaps even higher that real sour cream. I had made chickpeas in a tomato and tamarind gravy with spices from my data that became rather thick ? Nearly like a chutney ? And fluffy jasmine rice, and after the first night of enjoying it, I determined I desired to mix the two in a wrap.

I thought a few type of cream or sauce could properly raise the flavors of the wrap. My original notion changed into bitter cream, but I did not have any accessible, and as nuts often make a terrific replacement for many sauces and dips which are frequently dairy-based totally, I made a tangy cashew, lemon and vinegar cream sauce that isn't always handiest filled with protein, however additionally very smooth to make. Just toss the whole lot inside the blender, whiz it up, and it is prepared. It maintains properly within the fridge for up to 2 weeks in a nicely-sealed container. I am sure it'd be a adorable topping for chili and other dishes in which you may need a dollop of sauce or thick cream, and truly an accompaniment for other wraps. I revel in serving my preferred refried beans in a wrap, and this "bitter cream" would be simply the thing for topping the ones wraps off too, along side a little hot sauce possibly. Consider tossing this with a lot of vegetables for a nourishing and filling salad.

Other sauces you could enjoy from Lisa's Kitchen:

Chunky Cashew Tamarind Chutney

Cashew Cheese Sauce

Velvety South Indian Tomato Chutney

Mushroom Marinara Sauce with Fresh Herbs

Luxuriously Thick Spicy Tomato Chutney

It is rare that I ever buy chutney, tomato sauce or salsa, for the reason that they may be very smooth to put together at home and plenty fresher with no undesirable ingredients besides. For instance, this thick and luscious spicy Indian tomato chutney is simply simmered for approximately 20 mins, and it's so darn smooth to make and totally worth the small effort placing it collectively. A bonus is that it continues in a properly-sealed jar within the refrigerator for as a minimum a week and is made with staples you probably have reachable for your kitchen.

Next time I would possibly just upload some solar-dried tomatoes for some greater tangy and zesty flavor. I like a spicy chutney but experience free to regulate the spicing and number of chilies consistent with your very own taste and tolerance for heat. I served this chutney up with some curried quinoa and wild rice savory cakes and a few tortilla chips. This chutney will paintings with any savory calling for a tomato based chutney, and it is just like a thick tomato sauce or salsa, so bear in mind this your go-to clean-to-put together sauce or salsa for something you need to add some more zesty kick to with a delightful fresh tomato flavor.

Chutneys are the south Asian version of sauces. They are commonly made with fruit or veggies, often with sugar and vinegar, and simmered down for a thick consistency. They are basically very similar to a salsa, though salsas aren't vital cooked and usually do no longer incorporate any sugar. Sugar is brought to chutneys to stability the acidity of the vinegar, and I used a small amount of coconut sugar although you may use brown sugar alternatively.

Other chutneys to enjoy from Lisa's Kitchen:

Classic Tamarind Chutney

Fresh Tomato Chutney

Velvety South Indian Tomato Chutney

Green Mango Coconut Chutney