Vendakka Paalu

Fair warning: it's kinda fucked up. Oh it tastes good and all, I promise, but you may find the texture a bit...unnerving.

Ingredients

2 tbsp canola oil

1 onion, sliced

8-10 curry leaves

1 tbsp kosher salt

bit of fresh cracked black pepper

1 tsp whole cumin seeds

2 long green chilies, diced

6 garlic cloves & 2" fresh ginger ground into a paste

1 1/2 lbs fresh okra, ends removed, chopped into 1/2" pieces

1 large tomato, diced

1/4 cup golden raisins

1 1/2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp fresh ground coriander seeds

1 tsp tumeric

1 15 oz can coconut milk

1/2 cup vegetable broth or water

Directions

Heat oil in a pot or deep sauté pan on medium. Add onions, curry leaves, half the salt, and black pepper and cook about 5 mins. Stir in the cumin seeds, green chilies, and garlic ginger paste and cook 2 minutes longer. Throw in the rest of the ingredients (except the coconut milk and broth) and gently stir until everything is well coated. Add the coconut milk and broth, stir, cover, and cook for 10 mins or until okra is tender. Serve over basmati rice.

So here's why this dish is kinda fucked up: the main ingredient is okra. Okra contains a lot of mucilage. Mucilage is a slimy substance produced by some plants, kinda like mucus is a substance produced by some animals. And this dish did come out slimy as hell. I've read that to minimize this you can add an acid, so next time I make it I'm throwing in some lime juice. Or I might just chop the ends off the okra and essentially leave them whole. But friends, I implore you, this dish was delicious, give it a try.

Suggested Album Pairing

Young Loud and Snotty, Dead Boys.

Brussels Sprouts Done Right

Seriously. They don't suck.

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 lbs brussels sprouts (still on the stalk is best)

1/4 cup walnuts

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp ground allspice

Directions

If the sprouts you buy have already been removed from the stalk, cut off the bottoms (they usually look kinda brown and nasty). Cut the sprouts in half vertically. Add all the ingredients into a deep sauté pan and stir until everything is well coated. Cook on medium-low for 10-12 mins, stirring occasionally. I like the sprouts to still have a little crunch when I eat them, you may want to cook them longer.

There are a lot of variations you can do with this recipe. Toasted sliced almonds or pine nuts do the trick, just add them at the end, as they are already toasted and burn easily. If cranberries ain't your bag, Zante currants, golden raisins, or really any dried fruit would work. And freshly grated nutmeg or Chinese five spice can be used in lieu of allspice.

Suggested Album Pairing

Ege Bamyasi, Can. Cuz Brussels sprouts are a cabbage. And kraut means cabbage. And Can is Krautrock. Dig?

Chana Masala

More Indian food. Fuck yeah!

Ingredients


2 cups dried chickpeas (yields ~4 cups cooked)
2 tbsp canola oil
1 large onion onions, sliced
2 long green chilies, diced
6 garlic cloves and 2" fresh ginger ground into a paste
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
1/2 cup water
3 tomatoes, diced
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
2 tsp amchoor (dried unripe mango powder - do not omit)
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp fresh ground coriander
1 tsp tumeric
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped


Directions


Put chickpeas in a large bowl with enough water to cover about 3" and allow them to soak over night. Drain, add at least 4 cups of water and boil for about an hour, or until they are tender. Drain again and set aside.


Heat oil on medium in a deep non-stick sauté pan. Add the onions with 1/2 tsp salt and black pepper, and cook until deeply caramelized (~10 mins). Add the chilies, garlic ginger paste, and cumin seeds, and cook for a few more mins. Then really just throw the cooked chickpeas and everything else into the party, except the mint, and stir until the spices are evenly distributed. Cover and cook for 10-12 mins, stirring occasionally. Take off the heat and stir in the mint.


Traditionally this is served with kulcha, an Indian flatbread, but I don't know how to make that shit. If you are planning on doing that (or serving it over rice), I would make the chana masala with more of a gravy (probably use vegetable broth instead of water and use more of it, and thicken with gram flour). As the recipe stands, though, it's good on its own.


Suggested Album Pairing


Michigan, Sufjan Stevens. Because it's still his best album and still the nation's best state. And I wouldn't be surprised if Sufjan was vegan. He's a spritual dude. He lives in Brooklyn. I think he'd dig my chana masala.

Three Bean Salad

I used mung beans, adzuki beans, and green lentils, but I suppose many other beans, pulses, and legumes could work.

Ingredients


1 cup each uncooked mung beans, adzuki beans, and green lentils
2 tomatoes, diced
1/2 large cucumber, diced
1/4 red onion, finely diced
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, diced
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
2 tbsp each extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice
1 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp ground cumin


Directions


Boil the beans until tender. The beans I used were sprouted and packaged together, and it only took about 10 mins. I suspect it will take longer if you didn't use this particular package. Drain the beans. Add the rest of the ingredients and gently stir to combine. Pretty easy. Mint can be used in place of parsley.


Serve cold. Makes for a good lunch or side dish. And plenty of protein if you're trying to get your pump on.


Suggested Album Pairing


Library of Congress Recordings, Woody Guthrie. Beans -> Hobos -> Woody.