Fenugreek

[rootofnewt]

I haven't used fenugreek in several months.

So. I'd like to see your favorite vegetarian recipes which use fenugreek.

By vegetarian, I mean no animal flesh, no gelatin, no animal broths, etc.

I'm allergic to soy, peanut, papaya, and moldy cheeses (penicillium molds: camemberti and roqueforti).

I can substitute for soy sauce and peanut butter. I can substitute for shredded chicken in small amounts (chicken-style wheat gluten). I can use shortening made from palm oil, veg broth, and vegetarian gelatin substitutes.

Challenging enough?

Comments

[klwalton.livejournal.com]

Mango Chutney!

3 barely ripe mangos
2 tablespoons corn oil
1 piece ginger root, peeled, chopped (3/4")
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon hot chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek
1 1/4 cup malt vinegar
1/2 cup seedless raisins
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 cup light-brown sugar

Instructions:
Slice mangos in half by cutting lengthwise close to seeds on either side.

Peel and cut flesh in 1/8"-thick slices. Also cut away as much mango flesh as possible from around pits, without including and fiberous parts of pits. Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add mangos, ginger, garlic, salt, chili powder, cumin and fenugreek. Cook gently 2 minutes, stirring.

Stir in vinegar, raisins, lemon juice and sugar. Heat slowly to dissolve sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, 35-40 minutes or until liquid thickens and becomes syrupy and mangos look transluscent, stirring frequently. Meanwhile, wash and rinse pint jars in hot soapy water; rinse. Keep hot until needed. Prepare lids as manufacturer directs. Ladle hot chutney into 1 hot jar at a time, leaving 1/4" headspace. Release trapped air. Wipe rim of jar with a clean damp cloth. Attach lid and place in canner. Fill and close remaining jars. Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath. To serve, garnish with parsley sprig and lemon peel, if desired.

Thank you.

[krasota.livejournal.com]

This shall be filed away in the "if i ever decide i *like* mango chutney and *want* to can" file. ;)

i bet tamarind chutney uses fenugreek, though... hrrrrmmm...

Re: Thank you.

[klwalton.livejournal.com]

Oh, you wanted something you *like*! Picky, picky, picky ;-).

(you don't have to can this, it'll keep for a week or two in the refrigerator, but if you don't *like* it...!) :-D

When I'm feeling adventurous and mixing my own curry powder, I use fenugreek. Mmmmm...vegetable curry. But I figured you already have plenty of experience and recipes for that and other Indian dishes.

Mango chutney is *so* good with fried potatoes...

Re: Thank you.

[krasota.livejournal.com]

good to know that it'll keep in the fridge.

i dislike many kinds of pickles and relish. i don't know why. i like the concept, dislike the actual texture, perhaps?

i make my own pickles, oddly enough. sour ones. and i like kosher dills in brine. i keep some sweet pickle relish on hand for quick tartar sauce and for 1000 island dressing (mmm, fake reubens). others.... ehhhh.

Food Confessions

[klwalton.livejournal.com]

I blame my taste in food on the Brits who raised me. I once asked for liver&onions for a *Birthday Dinner* when I was ten. I love chutneys and relishes and pickle. White food is comfort food - mashed neeps or potatoes or parsnips (mmmmmm...parsnips!). Bubble and Squeak. *Beans on toast*! :):)

I used to make bread & butter pickles, but I haven't in a long time. I love them. Comfort food when I'm really tired or down or the world has just pissed me off one too many times: White bread, mayonnaise, cheddar cheese and bread & butter pickles.

Re: Food Confessions

[krasota.livejournal.com]

no to the liver and onions. and a shrieking fleeing away from the bread'n'butter pickles. the rest... yeah, those are yummy.

i make colcannon fairly often (and bubble&squeak the next day and thereafter)... and i love mayo, bread, cheese, and *iceberg* lettuce sandwiches. ;)

Eggplant recipe

[annaoj.livejournal.com]

Smoked Eggplant in Garlic-Poppyseed Sauce
from Bharti Kirchner, _The Healthy Cuisine of India_

1 medium eggplant, about 1 lb
2 tbs vegetable oil
2 whole dried red chilies
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 1/2 Tbs minced garlic (or to taste)
1 tsp seeded, chopped fresh green chili (or to taste)
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 cup water
2 Tbs white poppyseeds, made into a paste
(The easiest way to do this is to grind them in a spice grinder,
then put them in a bowl and add 4 Tbs hot water)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
Garnish: chopped green onions

1. Smoke and roast the eggplant. Set aside.
(What I usually do is cut the eggplant in half (the long way)
and then broil it for about 10 minutes, until it's tender when
jabbed with a fork. Let it cool, then scrape out the pulp
(the skin is very bitter) and chop the pulp.)
2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium low heat. Fry red chilies until
they darken. Add fenugreek, garlic, and green chili and stir until
garlic turns light brown. Add turmeric and water and bring to a boil.
Lower the heat slightly and stir in the eggplant. Add poppy paste,
salt, and sugar and mix well. Simmer covered for 20 minutes, stirring
occasionally to prevent sticking. Remove from heat. Let stand covered
for a few minutes to help develop the flavors. Garnish with green
onions and serve.

Re: Eggplant recipe

[krasota.livejournal.com]

i don't think i've ever seen white poppyseeds. i'll keep an eye out for them. We do *not* have an Indian market in town. We have an Indian-Pakistani Kwik-E Mart type place which rents videos, sells feathered joint clips, and sells some indian spices and frozen naan. There's a supermarket with a decent Indian foods section--I'll check for them there (probably labelled khas-khas?), as well as at the three natural foods stores--I'm fairly certain none of those carry these, though.

This seems like it would taste similar to baignan bharta--one of my favorites.

Re: Eggplant recipe

[krasota.livejournal.com]

The Quik Pik had white poppyseeds, which no other (specialty, natural, import) store in town did. Anyhow, when you write two dried chilies, what kind of chilies? regular red ones? bird chilies? thai?

Re: Eggplant recipe

[annaoj.livejournal.com]

Regular red chilies is what I've always used.

Re: Eggplant recipe

[krasota.livejournal.com]

Cool. I've a string of dry(ing) long (5") red chilies from a local organic farm. I also have dried bird chilies (wee little peppers) on hand and some other chilies (2" ones from an Indian market, most likely).

Since I was able to buy the poppyseeds today (I shall cozy up to my husband with the mortar and pestle in hand if my wrists are achy), I also bought an eggplant. I know what one of tomorrow's dinner dishes will be. :)

Re: Eggplant recipe

[jb98.livejournal.com]

1. Smoke and roast the eggplant. Set aside.

But did you remember to pick up one of the feathered joint clips for the smoke?

[krasota.livejournal.com]

real ghee (from butter) is okay. to be honest, i'd likely just use butter or safflower oil. i don't keep ghee in the house on a regular basis.

the akhni stock (http://www.recipehound.com/Recipes/1729.html) looks tasty by itself. ;)

[gremlin44.livejournal.com]

Hmm...I just take it in capsule form to support/enhance lactation.

Or drink it as tea. :-)

[deborama.livejournal.com]

I haven't tried this yet - found on the BBC Food website. If you try it, let me know how you like it.

(pasted in)
Helen Roskell has another parsnip recipe. Cut parsnips into chunks and boil till cooked but still firm – don’t over boil or they will disintegrate. Drain and set aside. In a heavy based pan fry some mustard seeds in olive oil until they pop – about a minute – then add a few fenugreek seeds – and dried red chilli to taste. Stir in some onions and green chilli, then the cooked parsnips, some turmeric, and salt to taste. Turn the heat down, and put a lid on to seal in the moisture and cook till veg is done. If you make a lot it is even better the next day.

[krasota.livejournal.com]

ooooh, i love parsnips! thanks!