yogurt

Chappal Kebab with Fresh Green Chutney and Almond-Raisin Basmati

/ Ren

Freshly-ground pastured lamb with onions, garlic, chiles and toasted spices is sizzled in cardamom-scented ghee and  served over almond-raisin basmati with a chutney of fresh mint, coriander, ginger and yogurt..

Chappal Kebab with Fresh Green Chutney and Almond-Raisin Basmati

For the Chutney (adapted from a recipe by Madhur Jaffrey)

2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Wash fresh mint and coriander (cilantro) leaves, pat dry and place in the bowl of a food processor along with the ginger, yogurt and lemon juice.  Pulse until finely chopped, then season to taste with salt and pepper.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the Rice

1 cup basmati rice
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons raisins, chopped
2 tablespoons raw almonds, blanched, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon dried rose hips (optional)
1 teaspoon good curry powder

Cook rice in stock in the normal manner, then add raisins,  almonds, rose hips and curry.  Stir to combine.  Add 1 1/2 tablespoons pan juices from the following recipe just before serving.

Chappal Kebab

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted
2 teaspoons coriander seeds, toasted
6 cloves
1 tablespoon sweet cinnamon shards
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/3 of a whole nutmeg

1 pound freshly-ground pastured lamb
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 hot green chiles, minced
2 tablespoons ghee
6 green cardamom pods
1 sprig fresh curry leaves
1 fresh bay leaf

Grind the first 6 ingredients together in a coffee or spice grinder and set aside.

Loosely combine ground lamb together in a bowl with onions, garlic, chiles and ground spices.  Divide mixture into 8 2oz pieces, using your hands to roll each into a not too-tightly packed ball, then set aside.

Heat ghee in a heavy skillet over medium heat until shimmering.  Add cardamom pods, bay and curry leaves and sizzle 2 minutes.  Add lamb and cook until cooked through and crispy-brown on the outside, about 15 minutes.  Briefly set aside to drain, then strain some of the butter & pan juices into the rice.

To serve, spoon rice into the center of a serving dish and arrange lamb over the top.  Dress with chilled green chutney and serve immediately.

Khorma Pilau

/ Ren

Pastured chicken pieces are marinated in yogurt with lots of fresh ginger, garlic and ground coriander, then seared in ghee with yellow onions, green chiles, cardamom, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric and mace before being slow-simmered in coconut cream thickened with ground almonds.  Extremely flavorful, but not too spicy..

Khorma Pilau

1 whole chicken
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons freshly-grated ginger
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons ghee or coconut oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1-2 green chiles
8 green cardamom pods
2 black cardamom pods
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon sweet cinnamon shards
1 teaspoon turmeric
6 whole cloves
1 blade mace
1 sprig fresh curry leaf (optional)
1 cup unsweetened coconut cream
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Cut a fresh, pastured chicken into 8 pieces and remove skin.  Place into a glass bowl and toss with yogurt, ginger, garlic and coriander. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Heat ghee in a heavy skillet over medium heat, then add onions, chiles, cardamom, cumin and curry leaf and sauté until onions are browned. Add chicken with its marinade, cinnamon, turmeric,  coconut cream and water and stir to combine.

Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer until chicken is just tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in ground almonds and cook 10 minutes more.  Adjust seasoning with sea salt freshly-ground black pepper.

Serve over basmati rice pilaf and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Red Lentil Dahl with Spinach and Curried Yogurt

/ Ren

With approximately 26% of their calories from protein, lentils have the third-highest level of protein by weight, of any plant-based after soybeans and hemp.  Lentils are an important part of the diet in the Indian subcontinent, which has large vegetarian population.

Made with spices of Ayurvedic importance, this is a powerfully healthy and healing dish..

Red Lentil Dahl with Spinach and Curried Yogurt

Serves 2 (adapted from a recipe by the Post-Punk Kitchen)

1 tablespoon ghee
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup dried red lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups vegetable stock
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon hulled cardomom
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 dried red chiles, seeded

1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon good curry powder

Toast whole spices in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking often until fragrant, about 5 minutes.  Transfer to a spice grinder and pulse with chiles.  Set aside.

Heat ghee in a heavy skillet over medium heat and fry onions until golden.  Add tomatoes and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.  Add ginger, garlic, turmeric, black pepper and toasted spices and fry 5 minutes.

Add vegetable stock and lentils and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender, about 20-25 minutes.  Add spinach and cook 3 minutes, then add lime and cilantro, adjusting consistency with tomato paste if necessary.

Serve over brown basmati and top with a dollop of curried yogurt.

This post is in support of Meatless Monday, whose goal it is to goal is to help reduce
meat consumption by 15% in order to improve personal health and the health of our planet.