Fast and Healthy, Spiced Roast Favas. You Snooze, You Lose.

      
   Somebody told me once years ago," if you miss something don't sweat it, it's not leaving the planet." That's a maxim I've always believed until a couple of weeks ago when I attempted to buy fresh garbanzo beans. I'd never seen fresh garbanzos before, though I'd heard of them, and when they showed up in my local Whole Foods Market, I was shocked. I wanted those garbanzos badly. I hadn't even been able to find them at the Organic Farmers Market, no matter how many times, I'd asked. Nobody seemed to know nothin', then, Bam! There they were right in front of me and like a dope I didn't buy any. My excuse was I didn't have the time that day to cook them, I figured I'd come back the next day and pick some up. After all they weren't leaving the planet, right? Wrong. After that day, I never saw them again. No matter how many people I asked, it was a lost cause. As fast as they appeared they were gone. It seemed they had left the planet. My plans for spiced, roast, fresh garbanzos seemed gone forever. It was my first time discovering that sometimes stuff actually does leave the planet. Then I thought, wait a minute, hold the phone, fava beans!
 
   Now, a lot of people have never tried fava beans. All they know about this delightful legume comes from Hannibal Lecter.

    
  
But this is fava bean season, and if you haven't tried them you really should. They're inexpensive, readily available, and delicious. So that's what I did. I bought some fresh fava beans and decided to pretend they were fresh garbanzos. After all a bean is a bean is a bean, right? Right. The recipe worked beautifully with favas, and would work with garbanzos, and yeah...fresh garbanzos too, if you are one of the  lucky people able to find them. This recipe can be made with frozen favas, but if you use fresh here's how to prep them no matter what you're using them for.

Spiced Roast Fava Beans

 

Here's What You Need:

1 lb of fava beans
3 Tbs of olive oil
3 Tbs of spice mix (your choice of mix, and I'll show you what I used)

Here's What To Do:

Wash the fava beans.

Shell the fava beans.

Boil some salted water in a pot. When it's boiled, toss the shelled favas into the boiling water for about 2 minutes.

Drain them.

 Plunge them into an ice water bath so that they stop cooking.

Take them out of the ice water, drain them and pop them out of their skins.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels, and place the skinned fava beans on it to thoroughly dry.
While they're drying, prep your spice mix. The spice mix, can be anything you'd like. Just think of the favas as popcorn and go from there. I decided to go with an Iranian spice mix,  called Advieh Khoresht  from Raw Spice Bar also this link for subscriptions

In case you've not heard of them, Raw Spice Bar is a company that delivers small batch, freshly ground spice blends to your door for 6 bucks a month. For that price they also give you about 3 or 4 spice blends from a given region, enough to be used in 3 dishes that serve between 8-12 people. They also include all the info on the spices and recipe cards that show you exactly how to use them.What could be easier? When they asked me if I'd like to try this out, of course I said yes!

I received 3 packets of spices used in Iranian dishes. Advieh Koresht is a blend of organic rose petals, cinnamon, green cardamom,angelica,Persian lime powder, coriander, cumin, and ground black pepper. These spices are traditionally used in bean stews, so I figured, bean stews, roast favas, how could I go wrong?

Once the favas are dry, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Line a flat cookie sheet with parchment paper and place the favas on it. Roast them in the oven for 15 minutes.

Then take them out, turn them over and roast for another 10 minutes. The favas should be nice and crispy.
In a bowl mix together 3 Tbs of olive oil and 3 Tbs of spice mix.

Mix the oil and spices together then add the roast favas...

...and stir them around well to coat them.

Pop the coated favas back into the oven for another 4 minutes. Then take them out, sprinkle with kosher salt to taste, and serve them up.

Sweet, and savory , these favas make a wonderful party snack, fast, simple, tasty, and healthy. Try this with favas, try this with chickpeas, try it with peas, and if you can find fresh garbanzos, definitely try this with them.

   Coming up next, having learned my lesson with the fresh garbanzos, I saw  organic red corn, and rather than waiting, I bought some, sure enough today it was gone! So I learned my lesson, you snooze, you lose. What do I have planned? Follow along on Twitter @kathygori

The Great Pumpkin, Kerala Style

   It's pumpkin season! Fall has always been my favorite time of year. I like it when things turn brown and red, there's the smell of woodsmoke in the air and the dark falls early. Some of my favorite foods start showing up at the the Farmers Markets, Brussels sprouts, pomegranates and of course, pumpkins.

   Now pumpkins aren't all that hard to get most of the year, the canned ones at least. But are what we're really getting in those cans pumpkins or not? Actually, not since most canned pumpkin is actually canned squash. After all, a gourd by any other name... still tastes great and often times a whole lot better than most of the pumpkins one can find out there. As this article from the New York Times points out.

   Consider the Sugar Pie Pumpkin. I feel like Rod Serling.

Don't let the name fool you. These little suckers are neither sugary or great for pies. As you can see. They're tough, stringy and not all that meaty.

They are however, great for Jack-O-Lanterns. Just use another type of squash for any cooking and eating purposes, you'll be happier. What I usually use for my pumpkin cooking needs is a good Butternut Squash.

   This is an easy curry from Kerala that cooks up fast and is warming for those cooler Fall nights ahead. I fixed this curry for a casual Indian dinner party a couple of weeks ago. A vegetanble side dish and some rice were added and we had a complete feast.

Kerala Pumpkin Curry

Here's What You Need:

4 cups peeled and chopped Butternut Squash
1 cup cooked black eyed peas (frozen or canned is fine and easier)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
salt to taste
1 and 1/2 cup grated fresh or dried coconut
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 serrano chili
30 curry leaves
1 and 1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds
3 dried red chilies seeded and crumbled
6 Tbs grated coconut (fresh or dried)
4 Tbs coconut oil or other vegetable oil

Here's What To Do: 

If using frozen black eyed peas, defrost them. If using canned, drain them and rinse them well.
Set them aside.
Peel and chop the butternut squash into cubes. Set them aside.
Pour 2 cups of water into a pan or kadhai.
Add in the butternut squash cubes.

Add the turmeric powder, Kashmiri chili and  salt.

Put a lid on the pan and let the squash cook on a low heat for about 15 or 20 minutes. It should be tender.
Keep an eye on the water in the pan while cooking. You don't want it to dry up. If it starts to, add a bit more water.
While the squash is cooking, put 1 and 1/2 cup of the grated coconut, the cumin seeds and the Serrano chili into a grinder.

Add about 1 cup of water and blend it into a paste

When the squash is cooked through, add in the coconut paste.

Add in the black eyed peas.

 

If it looks too thick you can add a bit more water to thin things out.
Stir things around and make sure everything is mixed together well.

Put it back on the heat and simmer it all for about 10 minutes or so. The idea here is to get the flavors to marry well.
If at any time the stew becomes too thick, always add just a bit of water.
When it's all cooked through, put a lid back on the pan and set it aside.

It's time for the chaunk!

In a small pan or skillet, heat 4 Tbs of coconut oil.
When the oil is hot, add in the mustard seeds.
When they start to pop and crackle, toss in the curry leaves, and dried red chilies.

Cook until the curry leaves start to crisp up and the red chilies darken.
Toss in the 4 Tbs of grated coconut and cook it until it starts to turn light brown.
Don't let it burn.
There should be an even golden browning.

Pour the whole thing into the pumpkin stew.

  I served this curry hot over Basmati rice with spices, chapatti, green beans with coconut and peanuts and a mango curd.

   Of course there was dessert.  Coming up next, a dessert from Chennai,with dal.

   I just wanted to add here that I thank each and everyone who's sent me wishes regarding my dad. Right now things are not looking too good, he's in and out of lucidity, and we'll know a lot more in the next 24 to 48 hours as to what the prognosis is. Until then, once again thanks to all for your kindness.

July 4th Specials. Recipes For a Cookout

   As I sit here planning my July 4th menu, trying to figure out what will make my life a little bit easier, and the holiday a lot more enjoyable, I started flipping through my recipes looking for the ones have been crowd pleasers and also either make-ahead, or fairly easy to do. A few really stood out and so I'm sharing those for your weekend holiday celebrating .

   First up, 15 Minute Sweet Pickles. These are simple bread and butter pickles that can be made in 15 minutes in the microwave, for real. They're always on my table for July 4th and will make anyone look like the pickle Queen or King. Astound your family and friends.

   Of course what would the 4th be without Strawberry Shortcake

I usually make these shortcakes ahead and take them to our friend Mr. X's house for fireworks viewing. I assemble them there in just a few minutes. These travel well.

   If you're serving vanilla ice cream or perhaps want a different sort of topping for shortcakes, check out  Pickled Strawberries a twist on the usual strawberries in balsamic vinegar. Serve them on ice cream, or over whipped ricotta.

Speaking of strawberries, there's always good old fashioned Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Serve it in a bowl, or make a chocolate ice cream sandwich.

And while on the subject of strawberries and cheesecake, one could go all the way and just make a Strawberry Cheesecake

This one is light and made with eggs and ricotta cheese, and 1/3 of a cup of flour, or if you're gluten free just use gluten free flour.

On the savory side, instead of baked beans my favorite side dish, or even main dish for vegetarian friends are these Indian Black Eyed Peas.

I'll be making these ahead today (they cook up very quickly if using frozen black eyed peas) and letting the flavors mellow overnight.

In the side dish salad department I'm always looking for coleslaw alternatives, so here are a few.
Tomato,Cucumber, and Coconut Salad all raw and easy to do.

Since I'm going raw here, a couple more salads for the Paleo crew.
An absolutely uncooked Carrot, Beet, and Pistachio Salad

Here's a Beet Salad that can be made a ahead and served cold or at room temperature. Tasty.

Make a pot of rice tonight and whip this  Cold Rice Salad up tomorrow.

Or you might try this "No Cook" Carrot Slaw

For the traditionalist who wants a change, here's an Indian Style Potato Salad

Another fast and easy different side dish is this Radish and Peanut Salad

I'm already planning to serve this  Indian Spiced Corn to my guests tomorrow.

If you like your corn in a cool salad here's a make ahead one of Corn and Coconut

Swinging back to the sweet side here are some ice creams.
For the vegans Fast Vegan Chocolate

And 5 Minute Chcolate Cherry Ice Cream that can be made vegan by swapping out the dairy yogurt for soy or some other non dairy.

For regular traditional ice cream there's Vanilla Chelan Cherry Ice Cream with Valrhona Chocolate Pearls

Blueberry Buttermillk Ice Cream

If you don't have an Ice Cream Machine try Indian Kulfi

There's also Orange Blossom and Pistachio

For those who might be looking for a Non-Alcoholic Celebration a Virgin Cocktail that won't get anyone in trouble. The Virgin G & T

And finally, what would the 4th be without Watermelon? You try it in a Watermelon Mousse

   So there they are some thing you might like to try for your weekend celebrations or anytime during the Summer Cookout season. Have a safe and sane (but of course not too sane) 4th, catch you on the flipside.  Follow along on Twitter @kathygori