Totally Vegan

When it comes to preparing delicious and creative vegetarian dishes, Indians are the world-class champions, hands down!  O.K.  So that's just my opinion.  But seriously, who else would ever come up with the idea to pulverize dried legumes with spices and warm water, let it ferment and then use the batter to make lacy, thin pancakes stuffed with spicy potatoes?  Who would think to "temper" spices and seeds in hot oil and then stir them into dals and curries just before serving?  Or, who else would think to make kafta ("meatballs") out of grated vegetables and chickpea flour and then simmer them in an aromatic sauce made with fresh tomatoes and ground nuts?  Thank God for the Indians!!!

I would LOVE to become an expert at preparing Indian food, especially vegetarian dishes such as spicy sambars and stuffed breads and fiery hot vegetable curries.  When I lived in India, I spent almost every morning sitting in the kitchen with Krishnabay, watching and helping as she prepared food for the mid-day meal.  She could expertly roll out chapatis, one right after the other, while simultaneously chopping vegetables for curry, pounding ginger/garlic paste, cleaning meat, grinding spices, AND tending to her infant daughter.  All at the same time!  She was amazing!!!

I have a couple of excellent cookbooks on Indian vegetarian dishes.  One by Julie Sahni, and the other by Yamuna Devi.    The other day I pulled them out and chose a couple of dishes to try.  I made squash kaftas in spicy tomato sauce, and spicy bell peppers and eggplant.  I over-salted the eggplant dish (my bad!) but the zucchini balls were amazing!!!!

 

The recipe for the zucchini balls comes from Julie Sahni's cookbook, Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking.  The tomato sauce is made with fresh tomatoes, and since I got my first batch of juicy, summer tomatoes from Country Gardens Monday, I decided to use them to make the sauce and give this recipe a try.  If you are feeling the least bit adventurous, you should try it too!  Again, this is sort of a lengthy process, but very simple.  First, make the sauce because it needs to spend some time sitting.  Overnight is best, but I was in too much of a hurry and only let mine sit for a few hours!

In a blender or food processor, blend together
   4 medium-size tomatoes, quartered
   6 hot green chilies
   1 1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled

Over medium-high heat, heat 5 T peanut oil.  When the oil is hot, stir in
   2 t ground cumin
   1/2 t turmeric
   2 T ground almonds
   2 t paprika
   2 t garam masala

Add in the tomato sauce and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Let the sauce cool and then set it aside for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

For the Spicy Yellow Squash Kafta, mix together:
   2 pounds yellow summer squash or zucchini, grated
   1 medium-size onion, grated
   3/4 cup chickpea flour 
   1 T ground coriander
   1/4 t red pepper
   2 - 4 hot green chilies, finely chopped
   1/4 cup chopped cilantro
   1/4 t baking powder
   salt to taste

Heat enough oil to give you about 2 - 2 1/2 inches of depth to 375 degrees.  When the oil is hot, scoop up about a tablespoon or so of the vegetable mixture and form it into a ball shape.  Gently drop it into the hot oil.  Repeat with remaining mixture.  Do not overcrowd the pan.  You will need to do this in several batches.  Remove the balls when they begin to turn a golden brown and drain on paper towels.  The batter does not contain eggs and is extremely fragile so you will have to work carefully.  I found this to be the most difficult part of the process.  If you are not using a deep fryer (as I wasn't) be very careful as you loosen the balls from the bottom of the pan.

When you are ready to assemble the dish, rewarm the tomato sauce over medium-low heat.  (Add water, if needed, to bring the volume of the sauce up to 3 1/2 cups.)  Then, gently place the kafta into the sauce and heat until hot.

As I was looking for other cookbooks by Sahni, I discovered that she teaches classes in New York.  She offers a 3 1/2 day intensive cooking course that covers all aspects of Indian cuisine.  She keeps the classes small, never taking more than three students at a time.  The cost?  A mere $2,700.  I'm sure my wealthy, generous readers would like to help me with the cost of attending one of these classes.  You may do so by clicking on the donate button at the top right of this blog!!!