INDIAN STYLE BURRITOS WITH GREEN CHUTNEY

It's Food Matters Project Monday! The recipe we used as inspiration this week was Beans n Greens Burritos. It was chosen by Jacqui at Good Things Grow. Mark Bittman wrote a recipe for a burrito using black beans and kale. He also listed other ideas for filling the tortilla but nothing inspired me. I was thinking about skipping this week until I walked by an Indian restaurant and started thinking about how much I love garlic naan. That thought took me to Kati Rolls. Kati rolls are made with marinated chicken or vegetables cooked on a skillet and then served with green chutney and wrapped in parathas. 

  Parathas are an Indian flat bread and the ingredients are almost like making a flour tortilla.....

flour-salt-oil-water.

BINGO! 

 All I had to do was to decide on a filling.

 I purchased some whole wheat tortillas and made a version of Aloo Chole, Chickpea (garbanzo) Potato Cabbage Curry for the filling. For my "salsa" I made a batch of Green Chutney consisting of fresh mint, cilantro, onion, lemon juice and hot chilies. For all you cilantro haters out there I want you to know that this is great without it. I made it, served it, and while cleaning up I found all the cilantro in the salad spinner. I added it back in but we had already enjoyed our chutney without it.

The Indian spices combined with the potato, tomato, garbanzo beans and crunchy cabbage was a fantastic filling for the whole wheat tortillas. 

A drizzle of Green Chutney inside puts this burrito over the top. We were eating with a fork and knife so I drizzled the chutney on top of the burrito.

Aloo Chole: Chickpea Potato Cabbage Curry

1 lb waxy potatoes, scrubbed and chopped
1 tbsp canola oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1 chili pepper, seeded and minced (optional)
1 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp cumin seed
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can chickpeas
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 small head cabbage (or 1/2 large head), sliced into very thin strips

1. Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan. Cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 10-15 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat oil in the bottom of the pot on Medium heat. Fry the onion for 5 minutes, until translucent. Add garlic, ginger, chili pepper, mustard seed, and cumin seed. Fry 1-2 more minutes.
3. Add tomato, chili powder, garam masala, turmeric, and salt. Cook for 3 minutes, until tomato juices are sizzling and starting to evaporate. Add cabbage, fry for 5 minutes, until slightly reduced. Add chickpeas and potatoes. Simmer for 15 minutes. Smash some of the potatoes against on side of pot.

 Recipe from strawberrypepper

 GREEN CHUTNEY  (CHAAT)

2 cups chopped mint leaves

1 cup chopped cilantro

1 large onion, sliced

1-2 TBSP. lemon juice

1 TBSP. sugar

4-6 green chilies

salt to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend to a smooth paste. Add a little water to loosen it up so it will blend.

Makes 1 cup.

Recipe by Tarla Dalal

To see what our other Food Matters Project members made click here.

To read the original recipe go over to Good Things Grow.

SPICED CAULIFLOWER AND POTATOES

I've been craving comfort food lately. I think it might be the changing of the season. Spring is here, yet it still feels like winter is trying to hang on. Maybe it's because in a few weeks the crock pot will return to the closet and my plate will be filled with all the loveliness of spring. In winter I crave stews, soups, roasts, casseroles, and Indian food. The fragrant Indian spices always warm me up.

Aloo Gobi is a hearty dish of cauliflower, potatoes and aromatic spices. When I saw this recipe from "The Indian Slow Cooker" book I knew it was written for me. I have two more crock pot recipes (or I guess they call them slow cookers now) to make and then I'm jumping into Spring!

                                         SPICED CAULIFLOWER AND POTATOES

2 large cauliflowers, washed and cut into 1 inch pieces (about 8 cups)

2 large potatoes (russet or yellow), peeled and diced

1 medium yellow or red onion, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 medium tomato, diced

2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced or grated

3-4 green Thai, serrano, or cayenne chilies, cored and chopped

1 TBSP. whole cumin seeds

1 TBSP. red chili powder

1 TBSP. garam masala

1 TBSP. salt

1 tsp. turmeric powder

3 TBSP. vegetable oil or canola oil

1 heaping TBSP. chopped fresh cilantro

In a 4-5 quart slow cooker, combine all ingredients except the cilantro. Mix well.

Cook on low for 3 hours (mine was not done at 3 hours, I recommend 5-6 hours but it might be my crock pot). Mix once or twice during cooking, especially in the beginning. Eventually the cauliflower will release enough liquid to prevent anything from sticking to the sides of the cooker.

 Add the cilantro (I sprinkled mine on top) and mix well but gently so as not to break up the cauliflower.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe adapted from Anupy Singla's "The Indian Slow Cooker"

CURRIED LENTIL SOUP

I had planned to make Seared Ahi on Asian Slaw this weekend. The Boat House restaurant at Hendry's Beach serves one that is to die for. I had been working on a recipe that would be as good as theirs, but then two things happened. The weather got cold and gloomy, so a salad didn't seem to fit the bill, and then Ron went shopping and came home with this.

So, I'm thinking Indian. This Curried Lentil Soup recipe came to mind and I had all the ingredients in the pantry. Great Start!

I found a box of beautiful French green lentils at C'est Cheese last month and have been dying to use them.

This soup did not disappoint. It was delicious and perfect with the Naan. The chickpea puree gave the broth a nice thick consistency.

This soup can be  made a day ahead and then re-heated. I liked it even better the day after. The flavors really developed overnight.

Curry powders vary in flavor and heat. I had a HOT Madras Curry powder so I added a little over 1 TBSP. The heat was perfect.


                                                            CURRIED LENTIL SOUP

Serves 6

3 TBSP. olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped, divided
2 TBSP. (or more) curry powder
1 cup French green lentils
4 1/4 cups (or more) water, divided
1  15 to 16oz. can chickpeas (garbanzo) beans, drained and rinsed
1 TBSP. fresh lemon juice
2 TBSP. (1/4 stick) butter
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 lemon cut into 6 wedges

Heat 1 TBSP. olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and carrot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add half of the chopped garlic, stir until vegetables are soft but not brown, about 4 minutes longer. Add 2 TBSP. curry powder and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add lentils and 4 cups water. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Increase heat and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, puree chickpeas, lemon juice, 1/4 cup water, remaining 2 TBSP. olive oil, and remaining garlic in processor.

Add chickpea puree and butter to lentil soup. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and additional curry powder, if desired. Add more water if needed to thin to desired consistency.

Soup can be made up to 1 day ahead. Cool, cover, and refrigerate. Rewarm before continuing. Add more water if needed to thin.

Divide soup among bowls. Sprinkle with thinly sliced green onions and serve with lemon wedges.

Recipe from Epicurious.com