home cooking – Basil & Roses

Curried Lentils with Kale, Ginger and Spices

August 17, 2022 nmalekan@gmail.com Comments 0 Comment

Fall is flirting with us and slightly cooler evenings summon cravings for cozy dinners. There is still time to enjoy heirloom tomatoes and summer bounties ripe with flavor from the local farmer’s markets- but a hearty pot of curried lentils is a delightfully delicious and vegetarian dinner any time of year.

Lentils are a versatile blank canvas to build flavor upon. Here, creamy coconut milk, copious amounts of ginger and a medley of aromatic spices adorn the lentils. A nutritious and fragrant one-pot wonder perfumed by coriander, cumin and turmeric, and dramatized by heat from cayenne pepper and ginger, all of which is somewhat mellowed out by the handfuls of fresh kale added at the end. All of these flavors harmoniously come together in the luscious and slightly sweet coconut milk for a satisfying meal. It’s a forgiving recipe so feel free to play with your favorite spices, adjust the heat levels and substitute kale with spinach.

~Tip:

*This recipe holds up well for 2-3 days in the fridge hence why the big-batch volume. It feeds 6-8 servings so feel free to cut the recipe in half for smaller portions. But the leftovers are even better the next day so we recommend making a full pot and enjoying it for several days.

* The recipe uses 2 different kinds of lentils for added texture. Green lentils have a harder exterior and take longer to cook but hold their shape better. Brown lentils are softer and will become more mashed during cooking. You can use either individually, or combine as the recipe indicates for textural contrast. Just make sure you cook long enough so the green lentils have cooked through.

Ingredients-

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more if needed
1 large yellow onion, chopped
6-8 garlic cloves, minced
4-6 inch ginger knob, finely chopped
1 tablespoon brown mustard seeds
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, adjust to taste
1 cup brown lentils
1 cup green lentils
8 cups water
2-3 bay leaves
1-2 small red chilies, finely chopped (optional)
1, 13.5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
5-6 full handfuls roughly chopped kale, or spinach
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more if needed
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Fresh Cilantro for garnish (optional)
Kefir or Greek Yogurt for serving (optional)

Preparation-

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
Add the garlic and ginger, season with salt and pepper and saute for another 2-3 minutes until onion has softened and is just beginning to color. Add more oil if needed an lower the heat to ensure garlic doesn’t burn.
Stir in the mustard seeds, turmeric, coriander, cumin and cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the lentils, water, chili pepper, bay leaves and 1 teaspoon salt, then bring to a gentle boil.
Reduce to medium-low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils have cooked through and most of the water has evaporated, about 30-40 minutes.
Once the lentils have cooked add the coconut milk and mix to combine. Follow by adding the kale to the pot. It may seem like a lot but the kale will whilt down quickly.
Season with lemon juice, more salt and pepper, adjusting to taste as desired.
Served with fresh cilantro and a drizzle of kefir and olive oil, if using, and enjoy.

Sassy Sofrito Beans with Garliky toast

October 4, 2021 nmalekan@gmail.com Comments 0 Comment

One of the silver linings of 2020 was learning to create delicious meals with pantry essentials and creating maximum flavor with minimal effort and ingredients. This recipe was born of the last remaining ingredients before the next bi-monthly food shopping trip. I haven’t stopped making it since, because it’s so darn delicious. It’s a hearty vegetarian dish on it’s own, super satisfying on thick pieces of toast, or as a side with soft boiled eggs for brunch. Make sure to serve it with a generous amount of olive oil for best results.

Ingredients

3 medium yellow onions, chopped

2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 garlic cloves, 3 finely chopped, 1 kept whole

2 teaspoons tomato paste

2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups vegetable broth or water

1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar or juice of 1/4 a lemon

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

1-inch-thick slices of toasted bread of choice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

Pulse onions in a food processor until finely chopped and transfer to a bowl. Repeat with pulsing the red pepper separately in the food processor.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion mixture, stirring often for 2-3 minutes.
Add the peppers to the onion mixture, season with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and continue to sauté for another 15 minutes until vegetables have softened and little liquid remains in the pan.
Add finely grated garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until tomato paste turns to a deep red, about 3 minutes. If the pan is dry, add a bit of oil to help caramelize the tomato paste and prevent garlic from burning.
Add the beans to the vegetables and combine all of the ingredients together.
Add broth to the beans, scraping any brown bits from the bottom.
Drizzle balsamic vinegar or lemon juice to the mixture and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cook for another 10 minutes until the sauce thickens and reduces slightly. You can crush a few of the beans in the pan to make the broth creamier.
While the beans finish cooking, toast thick slices of bread and rub the warm bread with remaining whole garlic clove.
Serve beans with a nice drizzle of olive oil and garnish with fresh chives or parsley along with warm garlic bread.

~Tip
You can char the red peppers by roasting under the broiler prior to mixing with onions to achieve an added depth of flavor.

Braised Brisket

November 25, 2020 nmalekan@gmail.com Comments 0 Comment

The holidays are around the corner and although this year may be different than the rest- those of us who are fortunate enough- can still take solace in cooking a delicious meal. I’m grateful to be one with that privilege to indulge. According to the Oxford dictionary, “indulge” means to “allow oneself to enjoy the pleasure of.” I find pleasure in the simple things. Especially in a recipe which allows flavors to develop with the assistance of time.

Classic brisket is one of those simple pleasures. You sear the meat. Remove it. Add veggies and aromatics. Add meat back to the pot along with your braising liquid, then let time and heat do the work. The end result is tender, deeply flavored beef which takes its character from whatever you add to the pot. Magic!

This recipe is wonderful to cook for a small gathering, it serves about around 6, with a bit of leftovers for sandwiches the next day to boot. You cans add another piece of brisket to feed a larger group. Just add enough liquid to submerge all the meat while cooking.

~Tip – Try to find second cut brisket — It has slightly more fat marbling than the lean first cut variety and results in more flavor and tenderness.

Ingredients:

1 (5-7 pound) beef brisket, preferably second cut
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
10-12 garlic cloves, smashed or an entire head of garlic with the top cut off
2 medium onions, sliced
3 medium carrots, cut into 3-inch pieces
3 celery stalks, cut into 3-inch pieces
6-8 sprigs fresh thyme
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 whole bay leaves
2 tablespoons tomato paste
5-6 cups beef stock (or chicken stock or water)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and adjust a rack to the lower third of the oven.
Let meat stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. Pat dry with paper towels. Season generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat in a large ovenproof enameled cast-iron pot or other heavy pot with a lid. Add brisket and sear, without moving, until golden walnut colored crusty brown areas appear, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, garlic, onions, carrots, celery, thyme, rosemary and bay leaves to the pot. Sauté for approximately 5 minutes until unions have softened but not caramelized.
Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 more minutes.
Add stock and bring to a gentle simmer, scraping up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
Place the brisket back in the pot, cover and place in the oven.
After 3 hours, remove the lid from the pot and continue cooking uncovered so some of the liquid can evaporate and sauce can thicken. Continue braising for about 1 hour more, or until the brisket is fork tender. If the sauce starts to get too thick before the meat is tender, cover the pot again.
Remove from oven and transfer meat to a cutting board; cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest 15- 20 minutes before slicing against the grain into thick slices. Arrange sliced meat on a serving platter.
Discard rosemary, thyme and bay leaves from the sauce. Using a slotted spoon, remove vegetables and arrange around the brisket. Spoon desired amount of pan juices over the brisket and serve.

Green Garden Herb Basmati Rice with Dill, Cilantro, Rosemary & Chive and an unexpected trip home

March 6, 2017 nmalekan@gmail.com Comments 1 comment

Thanks everyone for the feedback on this recipe! Many of you asked for instructions on how to make our fragrant basmati rice without a rice cooker. We gave it a go and the results were equally wonderful with delicious tahdig (crunchy bottom) to boot!

The recipe utilizes the same ingredients as the rice cooker version. Here, I used a nonstick standard pot. Instructions are below. Feel free to share your results and happy cooking!

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked basmati rice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large white onion, chopped
1 bunch fresh dill, roughly chopped
1 bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
2 cups fresh chives, roughly chopped
Handful fresh mint, roughly chopped
Handful fresh basil, roughly chopped
1-2 tablespoons rosemary, finely chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
2-3 tablespoons kosher salt
1-2 tablespoons coriander seeds (optional)

Directions:

Soak rice in cold water for 20-30 minutes.

Rinse rice with water, gently agitating with fingertips. Do this multiple times (3-4) until water runs clear.

Fill a large pot with water (approximately 15 cups and bring to boil. Add turmeric and salt to boiling water. Don’t worry about adding too much salt, it will be drained later.

Parboil rice for approximately 3-5 minutes until aldente (not fully cooked) and drain in a colander removing all liquid from pot. Liquid will be golden yellow from the turmeric so wear an apron!

Add oil to bottom of the same pot you boiled the rice in. Add coriander seeds if using.

Spread a handful of plain partially cooked white rice in the oil.

Add and layer herbs followed by a layer of rice repeatedly, creating several layers of rice and herbs and forming a tall heap or a cone shape.

Using the back of a wooden spoon, create 3 holes in the rice. This allows the rice to fry on the bottom creating the tahdig, while steaming the rest of the pot for light and fluffy steamed rice.

Cover the lid with a layer of paper towels to capture condensation and steam over medium low heat for approximately one hour, or until the steam rises and the tahdig is golden.

Once ready, serve the fragrant and beautiful rice pilaf with whatever protein you like.

I served it on the side of this delicious Food52 recipe from last week for chicken and Cabbage in a sheet pan– it was fantastic!

The kitchen will smell divine and your pallet will be pleased.

Enjoy!

Green Garden Herb Basmati Rice with Dill, Cilantro, Rosemary & Chive (and an unexpected trip home)

October 31, 2016 nmalekan@gmail.com Comments 2 comments

Rice is the ultimate comfort food. It has been farmed by people for over 10,000 years.

In the Hindi language “Bas” means “aroma” and “Mati” means “full of.” Growing up in a Persian family, that beautifully fragrant and earthy aroma is part of the essential scents of home. The cue of happiness and an eternal symbol of family dinners, celebrations and tradition.

Cooking traditional Persian rice (with crunchy tahdig of course) is truly an art form. For how to create a saffron scented masterpiece check out Persian Mama’s recipe here. For a simpler approach, I use a rice cooker. Not all rice cookers can deliver the crunchy golden goodness, however. Generally the Pars Brand rice cookers do the trick.

In this rendition, I highlight garden herbs using dill, mint, chive and rosemary for an aromatic rice dish guaranteed to feed the soul (nousheh jan...). But really you can use any herbs that you like.

On a recent trip to Philadelphia, we ate at one of the best restaurants on the scene in recent years: Zahav. Here Chef Michael Solomonov beautifully highlights modern Israeli cuisine. I was inspired by his vision, the story behind his culinary ventures and the flavors of the wonderful meal we had that October eve in the city of brotherly love. The menu excited my senses and my palate was dancing, curiously processing the familiar and the new. A colorful melody of flavors, humble, deeply flavorful food that was simply delicious.

What resonated the most were the familiar flavors of my childhood home found in smoky eggplant, coriander, warm bread, the grilled meats and tangy pomegranate. But most notably- in the herbed basmati rice. The Al’Haesh dishes (grilled over coals) are served with a side of basmati rice that was not only delicious, but momentarily took me home. This humble side dish became the center of what all the other plates harmoniously danced around. This beautiful little pot of rice had the power to transform me to another place and time. To the familiar places where we feel safe, comforted and loved. To where I remember being happy. To the quiet corners of memory, to our mother’s cooking and the taste of my grandmother’s love in an old kitchen in Isfahan. Maya Angelou says “I long, as does every human being, to be at home wherever I find myself.” I found myself at home in this beautiful experience, and I hope you do too by trying my basmati rice recipe.

Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked basmati rice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large white onion, chopped
1 bunch fresh dill, roughly chopped
1 bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
2 cups fresh chives, roughly chopped
Handful fresh mint, roughly chopped
Handful fresh basil, roughly chopped
1-2 tablespoons rosemary, finely chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 tablespoon kosher salt (or 2 teaspoons finely ground sea salt)

Directions:
Soak rice in cold water for 20-30 minutes.

Rinse rice with water, gently agitating with fingertips. Do this multiple times (3-4) until water runs clear.

Place rice in rice cooker.

Add enough water to cover 1″ above rice (about 2.5 cups).

Add olive oil, onion, all herbs, salt + pepper.

Mix ingredients and turn on rice cooker. Continue to mix ingredients couple of more times in the first 3-4 minutes if cooking so all ingredients are evenly spread throughout.

Let rice cooker do its magic!

Cook rice for approximately 1 – 1 1/2 hours, or until the indicator lets you know the cooking is completed. Timing can vary depending on the size and model.

That’s it! In about an hour you’ll have golden curst!

Once cooking is finished, unplug rice cooker.

Wearing oven mitts, place a platter larger than the rice cooker bowl over the bowl insert.

Lift bowl out and quickly and confidently flip the bowl and platter together.

Lift off the bowl slowly to reveal the Tahdig on top.
(Valiantly demonstrated by my cousin Payam, here).

Serve immediately: Tahdig loses crunch if it sits too long.

If you don’t have a rice cooker, see here for instructions on how to cook in a regular pot.