Wilted Chinese Cabbage

Wilted Chinese Cabbage

Dave DeWitt Vegetables, Vegetarian and Other Leave a Comment

For a variation, or to make a more substantial salad course, serve the radish salad over wilted Chinese cabbage:

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 cup white wine
1 head of Chinese cabbage, separated, rinsed
Fresh cumin seeds (use powdered if you don’t have fresh)
Salt & Black pepper

Instructions

Melt the butter in a wok or other large pan, add the onion and sauté until translucent.

Add the garlic and sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes.

Add the wine and bring to a boil, then add the cabbage all at once (don’t worry, it shrinks). Use a pair of tongs to turn the cabbage in the pan as it cooks.

When the cabbage has wilted down, add a sprinkle of cumin, then salt & pepper to taste.


Serve the wilted cabbage on a plate, topped with the radish salad.

Bouranee Baunjan (Eggplant with Yogurt)

Bouranee Baunjan (Eggplant with Yogurt)

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The eggplant is browned before being cooked in a spicy tomato and onion sauce, then served with garlicky yogurt. It is simply delicious served with flat bread.

Ingredients

Eggplant with Yoghurt

1 large eggplant
Olive oil for frying
2 medium onions, sliced
2 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and sliced
1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes (add more for additional heat)
1/4 cup vegetable stock
2 cups plain yogurt
4 garlic cloves, crushed
Chopped fresh coriander and mint, for garnish
Salt to taste

Instructions

Cut the unpeeled eggplant into 1/2-inch slices and sprinkle liberally with salt. Leave for 30 minutes then pat dry with paper towels. This process allows the salt to draw out some moisture from the eggplant.

Heat oil in a deep frying pan and then fry eggplant until lightly golden on both sides (they do not need to be cooked through—you are just adding color and a bit of flavor). You will need to do this in batches and add more oil as needed. Remove the cooked eggplant slices to a plate covered.

Oil will leach from the cooked eggplant slices, so return this to the pan to reheat and then add the onion. Fry until soft.

Add 3 of the crushed garlic cloves, tomato slices and red chile flakes and cook until the tomatoes break down and a sauce is formed. Add a little stock and seasoning as needed. Remove from pan.

Place a layer of eggplant slices back into the pan. Top with sauce. Repeat until all the eggplant slices are back in the pan. Pour in any remaining oil from the eggplant and onion and add the remaining stock. Cover and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes until the eggplant is tender.


Combine the yogurt, salt and remaining garlic clove. Mix well then spread over the base of the serving dish.


Add the eggplant slices, lifting eggplant carefully to keep intact. Top with remaining sauce and onions. Sprinkle with some fresh mint and coriander for color.


Note: The traditional recipe calls for chakah, which is plain yogurt that has been drained overnight. This makes it a little thicker and drier.

Heat scale: medium

Vegetarian Jerk Tofu

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

This recipe and others can be found in the following article:

Authentic Jamaican Jerk

story and Location Photos by Jessica McCurdy Crooks; Food Photo by Norman Johnson

 

Ingredients

1 pound firm tofu 
1 cup vegetable stock 
Pinch salt 
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon thyme 
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
Jerk Sauce (see recipe here)

Instructions

Slice the tofu into bite-size pieces.
Bring the vegetable stock to a boil, adding salt, garlic and thyme. Add the tofu and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes. Remove tofu and drain on paper towels.  
Sprinkle black pepper onto the tofu, then carefully roll the pieces in jerk sauce and set aside for at least 1 hour.  
Place the tofu in the oven at low heat for about 3 minutes. Serve with jerk sauce.

Vegetarian Enchilada Bake

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Corn tortillas need to be heated so that you can roll them without cracking and splitting. The traditional method for softening involves dipping the tortillas in hot oil, however, the same result can be achieved by lightly moistening the tortillas with water, wrapping them in foil, and placing them in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. You can also wrap the tortillas in a cloth towel and microwave them on high for 1 to 2 minutes.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 16-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 7-ounce can whole kernel corn, rinsed and drained
  • 2 teaspoons ground red New Mexican chile
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 cups Mexican-style salsa, divided
  • 8 corn tortillas
  • ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • Shredded lettuce
  • Chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F.
To make the filling, heat the oil in a heavy saucepan and sauté the onion and garlic until they are softened. Add the beans and coarsely mash them. Add the corn, chile, cumin and ½ cup of the salsa, then cook for 5 minutes.
Spread ½ cup of the salsa onto a baking dish.
Heat the tortillas to soften them, and spoon about 1/3 cup of the filling onto each tortilla and roll up. Place the tortillas, seam side down, in the baking dish. Top the enchiladas with the remaining sauce. Cover the pan with aluminum foil.
Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle the cheese over the top. Bake, uncovered, until the cheese is melted, about 30 minutes.
Garnish with the lettuce and cilantro and serve.