Gluten-Free Recipe: Sweet Spiced Apple Lentil Casserole

This hearty gluten-free recipe is like curry in a casserole - flavored with apples, coconut, and spices, it brings an oriental twist to regular old lentils. It makes a great stick-to-your-ribs meal for a cold winter night!

Sweet Spiced Apple Lentil Casserole - Gluten Free
(Serves 4-6.)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups lentils, rinsed and drained
2 1/2 cups water
2 Tbsp cooking oil
3 cloves garlic, grated
1 stalk celery, diced
1 large onion, diced
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 large green apples, cored/diced

Directions:

1. Put lentils in a large pot with water, cover and simmer gently for 30 to 40 minutes or until tender.
2. Meanwhile, put oil in a heavy skillet, add all the remaining ingredients (except apples) and cook over low heat, stirring often, until vegetables are tender; about 15 minutes. Add the apples to the skillet, stir, and cook for 10 minutes more or until apples are softened slightly; remove skillet from heat.
3. When lentils are cooked and tender, add the lentils to the mixture, stir, then turn out into a large casserole dish.
4. Bake (uncovered) in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until mixture is bubbling hot.
5. Serve immediately. 

The Cuisine Of India Comes Alive In Your Kitchen

Think of Indian food and what do you think of?  Curry?  Vegetarian?  Spices brought from India to the New World?  All of these thoughts are correct.  But Indian cuisine has evolved, just like other cuisines around the world.  Let's take a look at what the cuisine of India is really like.

A selection of Indian spices (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Spices Make the Meal

You can't talk about Indian food without talking about spices.  There are people who simply won't consider eating Indian food because they believe they can't handle the hot spices inherent in the dishes.  However, there's more to Indian cuisine than burned tongues.  The proper blend of spices has been learned through the ages to impart just the right balance between hot and sweet.

Like most ancient cuisines, the people used what they had available.  In the case of the cook in India, they used spices.  Through the thousands of years of trade and conquest, Indian cooks found and used many spices we still know today.  Chili peppers, mustard seed, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, nutmeg, turmeric, and of course, ginger, are recognized today.

One popular spice found in just about every kitchen today is Curry.  This is, however, not a spice.  It is a mix of spices.  More accurately called Garam Masala, this mix is a granulated or ground powder that includes a number of spices which include at least these three;  cardamom, cinnamon, and clove.  When we buy the mix we know as Curry or even Garam Masala, we are getting a calculated blend of flavors known as 'Indian Spices."

These spice blends have a wide range of flavors, and hit the taste buds in totally different ways.  A good cook will know which to choose for which dishes.  Of course, this is something learned through trial and error, but it's a fun lesson, and very tasty!

Chicken Tandoori (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Dishes We Need to Know

Many who learn about Indian cuisine at first are puzzled by what they find, or don't find, on the menu.  You won't find beef or pork because Hindus don't eat beef and Muslims don't eat pork.  Much of the population eat a vegetarian diet, since Buddhism was a big influence in India.

But don't let that stop you from trying an Indian recipe.  The spices can, and do, work wonders on any recipe!  Cooking methods also create splendid dishes.  For some of the most tender, juicy chicken  you'll ever have, try a Tandoori Chicken.  And after the main course, you will be tempted by another familiar treat - Kheer.  Think 'rice pudding' then take it up a notch way beyond a sprinkle of cinnamon.

All in Your Kitchen

Tender spicy chicken, fresh fruits and vegetables, and rich, fragrant spices are no stranger to the home cook.  We all want to fill our kitchen with these aromas.  Indian cooking is the perfect way to savor so many spices and flavors all at the same time, and your slow cooker is a great place to start.

Get your spice blend together and season up your meal.  No matter what's on the menu, Indian spices will provide a warm and wonderful treat for the taste buds.  Then, calm it all down with a dish of Kheer to complete the experience.  With just a few simple dishes, like we'll be sharing this week, you can enjoy the wonderful world of Indian cuisine right in your own kitchen.

Recipe: Blended Fall Fruit And Veggie Soup

This soup combines sweet and savory flavors of fall into one special and unique warming dish with layers of autumn flavor. Sweet potatoes, apples and pears lend sweetness and richness to the earthy taste of carrots, celery and zucchini, and the kick of curry brings everything up a notch to something really special! Check this one out this fall and it'll warm you inside and out.

Blended Fall Fruit And Veggie Soup
(Serves 4.)

Ingredients:

2 tsp Olive oil
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 med onion, diced
1 tbsp curry powder
1/2 lb carrots, scrubbed and diced
1/2 lb zucchini, washed, sliced lengthwise, seeds removed, and diced
1/2 lb sweet potatoes, peeled, diced
1 med Bartlett pear, cored, and coarse chopped
1 Small Granny Smith cored, and coarse chopped
3 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup fresh parsley

Directions:

1. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat until sizzles when a drop of water is added.
2. Add the celery to the pot and cook until just starting to soften.
3. Add the onion to the pot and continue to cook until both the celery and onion have become transparent.
4. Add the curry powder and stir to combine.
5. Add the vegetables, fruit, and parsley, stir to combine, then pour in the broth.
6. Bring the soup to a boil, then immediately turn heat down to low, cover the pot, and allow soup to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and watching so it doesn't boil.
7. To create a smooth, blended soup, allow soup to cool slightly, then transfer soup in small batches to blender and blend until desired texture is reached.
8. Pour back into soup pot and reheat over low heat until just hot, not boiling.
9. Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche, sour cream, or yogurt.

Recipe: Homemade Thai Red Curry Paste

Many people when they think of curry are thinking of Indian curry, which has more of a spice flavor - hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, and is a richer, heavier taste which can tend to be overpowering. Thai curry, on the other hand, has a completely different taste - it is a light, fresh flavor which goes well with all kinds of meats and vegetables.

Ingredients for Thai green curry paste. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Thai curry paste is what provides this flavor, and it's actually pretty easy to make at home. I've made both red and green myself several times. They have different flavors, but many ingredients in common. Once made, you can keep in the fridge in a jar for several weeks, but if you're not going to use it that soon, it also freezes very well and will keep for a long time when frozen. My favorite way to store homemade curry paste is to scrape it into ice cube trays and freeze - then pop the cubes in a ziplock bag, and you can use these easily when needed in recipes (one cube = about 2TB). If you are freezing the paste for storage, you don't need to cook it at the end as shown in the video (I've never cooked mine) - you will be cooking it anyway whenever you use it in a recipe. However, the cooking will help preserve it longer if you are storing it in the refrigerator instead of the freezer.

This video shows you each ingredient you will need for making your own Thai red curry paste, and how to prepare them. They also suggest some substitutions if you can't find all the ingredients. (I have used ginger in place of galangal, and red onions in place of the shallots. You can also use a few leaves of the cilantro, OR dried, ground coriander, instead of the stems.)

There are many different versions of Thai curry paste, but this is a good basic one to start with and will give you a great base for making a number of different Thai curry recipes, including the Red Thai Curry Fish we posted on Wednesday.

Enjoy!

Thai Red Curry Paste - Thai Recipes
Printable Recipe: showmethecurry.com

Recipe - Curried Pumpkin Harvest Skillet

With its mild, creamy flesh, pumpkin lends itself well to soups and curries. Not having much flavor of its own, other than a faint nutty hint of sweetness, pumpkin will take on the flavor of whatever you season it with, and carry it off to perfection. This recipe incorporates a variety of healthy vegetables together with rich spices, to offer a palate-pleasing dish perfect for cool fall evenings! This one also makes a unique offering for an autumn potluck.

Curried Pumpkin Harvest Skillet

Organic Curry Powder (Photo credit: artizone)

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp butter
1 medium sweet onion, sliced into thin wedges
1 garlic clove, minced
2 1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 small pumpkin (about 3 lbs) seeds cleaned out, cut into wedges, peeled, then cut into 1 inch pieces
3 medium red potatoes, scrubbed, then cut into 1 inch pieces
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup golden raisins
1 cup frozen sweet green petite peas, or young green beans, cut in 1" lengths

Directions:

• In a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter, then add onion slices, and cook until starting to soften and brown, about 5 minutes.
• Add garlic to skillet and cook 1 minute, stirring regularly.
• Stir in the curry powder, kosher salt, and black pepper.
• Now add pumpkin and potatoes and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to low and add the broth and raisins, stirring to combine, then cover and simmer slowly for 15 to 20 minutes or until veggies are tender.
• Uncover the skillet and stir in the frozen peas; remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 1 minute. Serve hot out of the skillet.

Recipe-Indian Butter Chicken Curry

Image by Siepert77 via Flickr
Here is an easy Indian recipe for a new cook wanting to experiment with Indian food. It has a somewhat long list of ingredients, but all should be pretty easy to find even in a regular grocery store with a decent ethnic foods section, and once you've got the ingredients together, it's a pretty simple dish.
Feel free to add your own flavors and touch once you've got the basics down. Indian food is easy to make more or less spicy as desired, and you can also tweak the intensity of spices to your own personal taste.

Enjoy, and feel free to post your own twists on this recipe, or comments, below!

Butter Chicken Curry: An Easy Indian Recipe using Garam Masala
Looking for a new way to cook chicken? Butter chicken is a traditional Indian curry recipe, redolent with spices, and a very warming and satisfying meal.
Publish Date: 03/29/2009 11:44
http://www.suite101.com/content/butter-chicken-curry-a105688


 Other Indian Curry Recipes:

• Recipe: Easy, Tasty Chickpea Curry (thekitchn.com)
• imabonehead: Easy Curry Chicken - Island Style | Big2Beautiful (big2beautiful.com)
• Chicken curry with cardamom recipe (telegraph.co.uk)

   

Beef Massaman Curry Recipe - Video

Image via WikipediaThis recipe is a bit more challenging, and may be better for experienced cooks, but I love Thai food, and wanted to share. This video may make it easier to follow the recipe.  (Click the link below to view the video.)

If you're up for a fun, spicy challenge, try this recipe, and let us know how it turns out!

Thailand Food – Thai Food Cooking : Beef Massaman
If you're starting from scratch you may wish to make the curry paste while the first stage of the curry is cooking. Ingredients : – Sliced Beef – Coconut milk – Potato – Masaman curry paste – Carrot Seasoning : Sugar, Fish Sauce ... RELATED VIDEO : Melanie Leis - melanie leis. Date:19 Oct 2010.
Publish Date: 09/25/2010 0:33
http://www.docresume.com/thailand-food-thai-food-cooking-beef-masman.html

Related articles on Thai Curry Recipes:

• A Curry Experience (barrys-wine.blogspot.com)
• imabonehead: Out of the Orchard: Thai Green Curry (outoftheorchard.blogspot.com)
• imabonehead: Thai Shrimp Curry | Steamy Kitchen Recipes (steamykitchen.com)