Cauliflower Dal with Panch Phoran

I made this exactly as SusanV at fatfreevegan.com wrote, except I added a pouch of turnip greens I had frozen last summer. I also used a bag of frozen cauliflower because I had that in the freezer.   Add the extra ground panch phoran near the end.  I am trying to use up everything in the freezer as it is the 2nd day of Spring and almost time to start planting spinach and other early crops.   Although you wouldn't know it as it snowed again this morning and is cold and grey outside.
http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2008/01/cauliflower-dal-with-panch-phoran.html

Curried Lentil Stews (Red or Brown)

I make variations of these recipes frequently during the winter.  It is very filling and makes good leftovers for lunch. Recipe inspirations are from  Kalyn's Kitchen blog, NY Times, and Gourmet (links to originals at bottom of post).  

THE BASICS
1.  Saute diced large onion, garlic, ginger.  Add diced celery and carrot if you want.

2. Add the spices you like. Some options:
     a) 1 T minced garlic, 2 tsp fresh ginger, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp Garam masala, 1.5 tsp ground cardamon, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp cumin   3/4 cup celery
     b) 4 garlic cloves, minced, 1-inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and grated, 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala, 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder, 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
     c) 2 tablespoons peeled and minced ginger, 1 tablespoon mild curry powder (such as a mild Madras)*1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper,  1 carrot, 1 celery rib, diced.  (*this is not hot at all, it uses the sweet spices of cardamon, cinnamon, nutmeg, fennel, etc. see below for a recipe)

3. Add the Liquid and Lentils: 
4 to 5 cups chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, or even water will work
1 1/2 cups red lentils (NY Times recipe used regular dried (brown) lentils)

4. ADD one or a mixture of these VARIATIONS
    a) 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed  and 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes 
    b) 2 pounds (4 cups) sweet potatoes,in 1/2 cubes, 1 lb swiss chard
    c) 1.5 pounds (4 cups) butternut squash in 1/2 cubes, some spinach (or a box or even 1/2 box of frozen spinach)

5. Simmer for about an hour until it is consistency you like.  Add the greens about half-way through cooking time.

6. Add an ACID:  If you didn't use  tomatoes, add juice from 1/2 lime or a tsp or 2 of lemon juice.

7. OPTIONAL: Serve with brown rice,  sour cream or yogurt on top

REFERENCES:
a) Kalyn's Kitchen: Spicy Red Lentil and Chickpea Stew (Paula's Moroccan Lentil Stew):
http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/10/recipe-for-spicy-red-lentil-and.html 
b) NY Times: Curried Lentils With Sweet Potatoes and Swiss Chard: 
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/14/dining/142arex.html
c) Gourmet: Curried-Squash and Red-Lentil Soup: 
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Curried-Squash-and-Red-Lentil-Soup-351416#ixzz18EKgO8oT

A sweet curry recipe:
Directions:  Over Low heat in dry skillet, heat the seeds until most pop, then add the rest and heat until quite hot, but not burnt.  Run through coffee grinder or use mortar and pestle to crush seeds. Cool. Store in airtight jar.

8 tablespoons coriander seeds
6 tablespoons cumin seeds
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
4 tablespoons ground cinnamon
8 tablespoons peppercorns
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg (or allspice)
1 tablespoon whole cloves (I think I used ground cloves)
2 tablespoons ground cardamom
2 tablespoons turmeric
2 tablespoons ground ginger
1/2 tablespoon cayenne (or leave it out, you can always cayenne or chili powder to pot)

Ginger Bundt Cake with Ginger-Infused Strawberries

This is a modification of a Bon Appetit recipe (april 2009).  My version has half the butter, half the sugar, 1 less egg yolk, and uses fresh ginger instead of candied ginger, light sour cream instead of regular, and adds cinnamon and cardamon.

• Softened butter (for brushing pan)
• 1/4 cup raw sugar (turbinado)
• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp cardamon
• 2 teaspoons baking powder (I might up this to 3 tsp next time)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup applesauce
• 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup splenda
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup light sour cream (I might use plain low-fat yogurt next time)
• 1/2 cup finely grated raw ginger

Ginger-Infused strawberries:

• 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled, very thinly sliced
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 quart strawberries, hulled, halved (about 4 cups). I halved strawberries while frozen.

For Cake:
1. Preheat to 350 degrees.  Brush 10-12 cup bundt pan with soft butter and sprinkle raw sugar to stick to all side of the buttered bundt pan.
2. Whisk together flour, ground ginger and any other spices, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In electric mixer, beat butter until soft, continue to beat in sugar/sweetener, applesauce. 
4. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, then vanilla.
5. Add flour mixture and sour cream in several batches on low speed.
6. Mix in grated ginger.
7. Spread batter in pan and bake about 55 minutes until tester comes out with just few small crumbs.
8. Cool up to 15 minutes in pan, use spatula around cake, remove from pan, and let finish cooling on a rack.
9. Dust powdered sugar on lightly for looks.

For Strawberries:
1. Ginger Syrup:  Combine, water, sugar, sliced ginger, and lemon juice in pan. Bring to boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. boil about 4 minutes.  Remove from heat, cool to room temperature.  Do not remove ginger yet.  Can be made 2 days ahead and refrigerated. 

2. If frozen, you can prepare gingered strawberries a day ahead; if fresh 2 hours before.  Place strawberries in bowl.  Strain ginger slices out of the syrup and pour the syrup over the strawberries.  Cover and chill at least an hour (if fresh), overnight if frozen or until the strawberries thaw and there is strawberry juice in the bowl.

3. Spoon strawberries and juice over cake slices so it soaks in.

4. Try to have just one serving.  The cake is really good even without the strawberries, but really delicious with the strawberries.

Why a recipe blog?

I am starting this recipe blog as a way to finally keep track of what I cook.  I rarely make the same thing twice, even though I have made some really different and delicious meals.   A binder got filled up years ago, unsorted recipes are jammed into it, various notebooks have recipes jotted down in my illegible hamdwriting, and recipe bookmarks are too unwieldy.  The final instigation to create this blog is not indicative of my cooking at all because I haven't made a cake in years. But this ginger cake is really compelling.  I think it will appeal to adults who don't care for sweet cakes.  It sure did appeal to Phil and me as it is almost gone already.

Most of my recipes involve using the vegetables from our ridiculously huge garden (there are only 2 of us), as well as some vegetables and fruits from local farms.  No ideologies here, but my cooking tends toward vegan, with indian or asian style spicing, few simple carbs, and no processed foods.  Meat is involved sometimes, usually in small portions mixed with vegetables.