Keema Gobi - Shredded Cabbage & Minced Meat

Keema Gobi

Mum was a working, single mother of eight. She has been my mentor all my life and inspires me in the kitchen, my home and in my day-to-day life. I believe that even though she's busy with the challenges in the next world, she is by my side just as she was when she was here.

When we were growing up in Darjeeling, India, week days flew by in a hive of activity of going to school, doing our homework and socializing with friends. Weekends were very special because Mum would do the cooking and even though we were on a tight budget, we ate very well. The pressure cooker was our friend and went everywhere with us. We spent the winters in Kolkata (formerly known as Calcutta) and our pressure cooker accompanied us on our close-to 24-hour train journey. Life could not go on without that essential tool in the kitchen.

So many dishes come to mind when I think of Mum in the kitchen. She was very adventurous and made complex (Lobster Thermidor) and labour-intensive (Yakhni Pulao) recipes, all of which we were eager to assist with and loved. 

This is a deconstruction of a recipe she made with cabbage stuffed with minced meat. She would cut a head of cabbage in half and remove part of the inside which she chopped up and cooked with the minced meat. She would cook the meat and chopped cabbage with spices, onions, garlic, ginger and tomatoes and stuff the cabbage halves with the cooked meat, tie the whole head of cabbage with kitchen twine and brown it in the pressure cooker in hot oil. The pressure cooker would then be heated to full pressure and the contents cooked without any water for 10-15 minutes. The resulting slices of cabbage were something to behold, our home was filled with tantalizing aromas and it was so delicious to eat!

I took the lazy person's way out and simply shredded the cabbage and cooked it along with the minced meat in the pressure cooker. Still delicious and evoked so many memories of Mum and our idyllic childhood.

Dal Gosht - Red Lentils and Meat Stew

Dal Gosht

Lentils are a central part of Indian meals at our home. Every now and then in the summer time when it's too humid to cook, it makes sense to combine lentils with lamb, beef or chicken to shorten the time spent at the stove. This hearty stew combined with any vegetable dish and a fresh salad makes for a quick and easy dinner.

I've used chicken pieces which had previously been marinated in oil, ginger, garlic and paprika and frozen. It's defrosted overnight in the fridge and brought to room temperature before cooking. The chicken curry is cooked separately from the lentils and then combined to make this stew.

My sister gave me a package of Moroccan Tagine spices (thank you, Rene) which I used to spice this dish. The ingredients listed on the package include coriander, cinnamon, cardamom, dehydrated garlic, red pepper flakes, black pepper, basil, cumin, nutmeg and cloves. This sounds very similar to the spices found in North Indian garam masala, which is a good substitute. 

Alu Deem Posto - Potatoes & Eggs in White Poppy Seed Sauce

Alu Deem Posto

Posto (white poppy seeds) dishes are a common item at Bengali tables. White poppy seed sauce is used in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. The general procedure is to temper the oil with nigella seeds (kalonji) and green chilies, add the vegetables, or eggs and potatoes in this case, simmer them with ginger until cooked and add the poppy-seed sauce at the end. The poppy seeds are soaked in boiling water until cooled and blended with green chilies & salt until smooth and creamy.

Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I'm providing a pictorial of the steps I followed in making this dish.

Thai Shrimp Pad Ped - Eggplant & Shrimp Curry in Red Coconut Sauce

Shrimp Pad Ped

Our favourite item on the Thai menu, often described as

EGGPLANT CURRY - PAD PED: sauteed eggplant, bell peppers and onion in Thai red curry and coconut milk sauce.

Chicken Kababs

Chicken Kababs

These kababs take some time and effort to make so it's a good idea to make a big batch. They freeze well in ziploc bags and can be reheated by placing the frozen patties on a frying pan over low heat just prior to serving. It makes a good first course with salad or raita.

Cilantro, Coconut & White Poppy Seeds Chutney

Cilantro-Coconut-White Poppy Seeds Chutney
Dhonepata-Narkol- Posto Bata

There's excess cilantro every week because we use only a sprinkling for garnishing certain dishes, and the rest spoils so easily in the fridge. This is the ideal condiment to keep on hand to be had with hot, steamed Basmati rice.

Shirataki Yam Noodles Stir-Fried with Anchovies & Eggplant

Shirataki Noodles in the Bowl

The brand-new 168 Asian Mart that just opened in the Madison Place Shopping Center, south of Oakland Mall, is everything a member of the Asian community could hope for.  They have fresh fish and a food court, all kinds of fresh, Asian vegetables, sauces and fresh & packaged noodles.

Kalai Dal Chingri Korai Shuti Diye - White Mung Beans with Shrimp & Peas

Kalai Dal Chingri Korai Shuti Diye
White Mung Beans with Shrimp & Peas

My husband's cousin was visiting us a couple of years ago and was eager to cook for us. I prepped all the ingredients for him and he happily went to work on this amazing lentil dish. Amazing because we love shrimp but had never tasted it in lentils. It's best to pre-cook the lentils and fry the shrimp, set them aside and add them back at the end of the process to avoid overcooking the shrimp.

Chili Chicken

This is a popular dish on Chinese menus at restaurants in India and Kolkata in particular. When I was pregnant, I craved Chinese food and couldn't get enough of it. Pickles and other tart condiments, which are a common craving for women who are pregnant, have never appealed to me. I must have been addicted to the ajinomoto (a.k.a. MSG) used in Chinese cooking. Anyway, Chili Chicken had a special place on our order at Chinese restaurants. The more hot chilies there are in the dish, the better, so use as many as you and your family can handle.

Palang Shaak Begun Bori Diye - Spinach with Eggplant & Lentil Dumplings

Palang Shaak Begun Bori Diye
Spinach with Eggplant & Lentil Dumplings

Spinach is always available at their peak of freshness in supermarkets and Indian marktets but, for this dish, I prefer to use frozen spinach that is already chopped. 

Lentil dumplings, known as 'bori' in Bengali, are mashed lentils that are formed into small tear-drop shaped dumplings which are sun-dried. Boris are flavoured with asafetida and seasoned with salt. They are deep fried until golden brown and soaked in hot water to soften. Since some of the flavour leaches into the water in which they are soaked, the soaking liquid should be saved and added back into the dish that is being prepared, to maximize on the taste.

Lau Shukto - Bottle Gourd in Mustard and White Poppy Seed Sauce

Lau Shukto

I love kitchen gadgets and finally broke down and bought a julienne-peeler. It's so easy to use and made short work of peeling and julienning 3 chayote squash.

On the menu for dinner was jumbo prawns steamed in mustard (sorshe) sauce. The ground mustard is strained for this dish, but I don't feel good about discarding the pulp, so I used it for making this lau shukto. Even though I didn't use bottle gourd (lau), chayote squash tastes just like it. The former is not available in the supermarkets and requires a special trip to an Asian or Indian market, so I often substitute chayote squash for bottle gourd. Any Indian preparation that uses bottle gourd tastes just as good with this squash. Zucchini is another option that works well.

Both the mustard and white poppy seeds are ground with a green chili each and salt. The bitterness of the black mustard seeds is eliminated by soaking them in an equal quantity of salt and tap water for at least 2 hours or until the seeds turn red. They need to be rinsed thoroughly through several changes of water to get rid of the salt. I use a tea strainer to do this.

The white poppy seeds are soaked in boiling water and set aside to cool to room temperature. This softens the seeds and produces a smoother paste when blended.

This is a very quick and easy dish to prepare once the two sauces are blended. Using the julienne-peeler cut the squash in very even strips, so it took no time at all to cook.

Burmese Htamin Kyaw - Burmese Fried Rice

Burmese Htamin Kyaw

Thai and Chinese take-out joints are very generous with their rice portions and there's always a lot left over. Customers have the option of asking for fried rice in place of plain, steamed rice (sometimes for an extra dollar). The rice is simply fried with some soya sauce and not much else. Packed in a ziploc bag and flattened down to a disc, it goes straight into the freezer until it's time to make fried rice.

Fish Sauce

Shrimp Powder with Chili

    

Two essential ingredients for cooking south-east Asian cuisine are shrimp powder and fish sauce. The fried rice I made would have been the run of the mill Chinese fried rice except for the addition of these two condiments that add umami to any dish.

Burmese Fried Rice

Fried rice tastes best if day-old rice is used because most of the moisture in the rice has been absorbed and each grain separates from the others and develops an al-dente texture. This Burmese fried rice sets itself apart from other fried rice because of its umami-saltiness from the shrimp powder and fish sauce, a pungent spiciness from green chilies and faint sweetness from caramalized onions used while frying the rice and as a garnish.

This dish is very simple and easy to make, took under 15 minutes to prepare and goes well with soup or salad. Burmese shrimp fried rice is another fried rice that is a meal unto itself for lunch.

Ingredients:

2 cups day-old rice

1 large onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, diced

2 green chilies, diced

1 Tbsp. dried shrimp powder with chili

1 Tbsp. fish sauce

1 Tbsp. soya sauce

4 + 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 egg, beaten

2 stalks green onions, chopped

deep-fried onions for garnish

Directions:

1. Mix rice with 2 Tbsp. oil, soya sauce, fish sauce and set aside.
2. Heat remaining oil over medium-high heat and stir-fry onions, garlic, chilies and shrimp powder until onions caramalize.
3. Add rice and mix thoroughly, reduce heat to medium and leave rice to brown on the bottom.
4. Stir and make a well in the center, add beaten egg and allow it to set.
5. Toss rice with egg to scramble and garnish with green onions & deep-fried onions before serving.

Serve with soup (Buthi Hinjo) or a salad (Nga Hpet Thoke or Roasted Cauliflower Salad or Tomato Salad or Vegetable Dip).

Mum's Dhonepata Tetul er Chutney - Cilantro & Tamarind Chutney

Cilantro & Tamarind Chutney

Mum always set aside some fresh cilantro so she could make her favorite chutney with tamarind. The tetul-er chutney often served with samosas was a staple in her fridge which, blended with fresh cilantro along with a few other ingredients, makes a super chutney.

Ingredients:
1 bundle cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup tamarind chutney
1 medium tomato, diced
1 green chili, diced (or to taste)
1 lime, washed, zested and juiced
salt to taste

Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients together until smooth.
2. Bottle in a clean glass jar and refrigerate for a week or more.

Enjoy as a dip, salad dressing, sandwich spread or by the teaspoon.

Burmese Cauliflower Salad

Baked Cauliflower Salad

There was a main dish already prepared for dinner today and a cauliflower in the fridge that needed to be used up. The first thing that comes to mind when I think cauliflower is the Indian Alu Gobi, but it was too complicated at that late hour. 

Then I remembered coming across a Burmese recipe for a roasted cauliflower salad that was very easy and doable at short notice. 

So here is an adaptation of that recipe which, for my taste buds, used too much shrimp powder, fish sauce and lime juice. So I toned down those ingredients and ramped up the garlic also because I wanted to give vegetarians the option of omitting shrimp powder and fish sauce. The black sesame seeds used as a garnish was replaced with deep-fried flat beans (Burmese: pe hlaw kyaw) because I was out of sesame seeds.

Uncertain what it would taste like, I was pleasantly surprised how very good this tasted. Hubby took a second and third helping, so it may be a frequent item at our dinner table!

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets

4 Tbsp. vegetable oil

salt to taste

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 small red onion, diced

6 cloves garlic, diced

1 green chili, diced

1 generous handful cilantro, diced

1 lime, zested and juiced

1 Tbsp. dried shrimp powder (optional for vegetarians)

2 tsp. fish sauce (optional for vegetarians)

salt to taste

deep-fried flat beans (pe hlaw kyaw) for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400*F.
2. Toss cauliflower florets with next three ingredients and spread in a single layer on a baking pan.
3. Bake at 400*F for 15 minutes, turn florets over and bake for another 15 minutes until golden brown.
4. Remove cauliflower from oven and transfer to a mixing bowl, along with remaining ingredients, except fried flat beans.
5. Toss until well combined, adjust salt to tast and garnish with deep-fried flat beans.

Serve as a side dish with steamed rice.

Tofu Hand-Tossed in Ta-Dang Chili Paste

Tofu Hand-Tossed in Ta-Dang Chili Paste

The inspiration for this dish came from my best friend I meet for lunch on a regular basis. We meet in the food-court of a mall, but for the last couple of years we haven't needed to buy lunch because she brings all kinds of interesting eats with her. This is one that reminds me of potato chips or popcorn. You can never take just one bite! Every time we have this, I try to extract the recipe from her, but she just isn't into writing down her recipes and neither is she precise with her measuresments of ingredients. So I've concocted my own recipe and while she makes hers on the stovetop, I cooked this in the microwave.

Thai Maesri Ta-Dang Chili Paste

BFF is a vegetarian and uses Sambal Oelek (chili-garlic paste) among other ingredients, but I have this bottle sitting in my fridge that I use in cooking Burmese food. 

The Ingredients

Ta-Dang chili paste has an interesting list of ingredients that goes something like this: dried red chilies 25%, shallots 20%, garlic 14%, tamarind juice 14%, sugar 1%, salt 7%, dried shrimp 5%, anchovy fish sauce 4%, MSG 1 % - no artificial color or preservatives. This worked perfectly, along with deep-fried onions and garlic, which have been mixed together in a microwave-safe dish.

Mix Tofu with Chili Paste Gently by Hand

To preserve the integrity of the tofu, everything was mixed together gently by hand. That's one reason I decided to do this in the microwave because tofu is so delicate and it was one way to leave the cubes whole and unbroken.

After Microwaving for 1 Minute

The tofu was cooked on high power in the microwave for one minute and then taken out and stirred with a fork.

Microwave for 2 Minutes More

After microwaving for 2 minutes more, it was ready to eat! This will taste great with steamed rice, but tastes just as great eaten on its own.

Ingredients:

1 block of extra-firm tofu, cubed

2 tsp. Ta-Dang chili paste

2 Tbsp. deep-fried onions

2 Tbsp. deep-fried garlic

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients gently by hand in a microwavable dish.
2. Microwave on high power for one minute, remove from oven & stir with a fork.
3. Return to microwave oven for 2 more minutes and it's done!

Serve on its own as an appetizer or with steamed rice.

Burmese Kya Zan Chet - Bean-Thread Vermicelli Soup

Kya Zan Chet

This is a hearty soup made from chicken broth and bean thread vermicelli with tofu and eggs for protein and a variety of pickled vegetables that add a tart and tangy flavor to the soup.

Bean thread noodles are a staple at Asian markets. It comes in bundles of dry, almost plastic like threads, eight bundles to a package. When they are submerged and softened in boiling water, the threads plump up and turn transparent, which is why these noodles are often referred to as glass or cellophane noodles. Used extensively in South East Asia, these noodles are gluten-free and made from mung bean starch. They are used in soups, stir-fries, salads and spring rolls. In Burma, the name is kya zan. Chet simply means 'cooked'.

Chinese Preserved Vegetables

The other prominent ingredient in my soup was one-quarter of a package of salty, sour and spicy Chinese vegetables. preserved in red chili paste and oil. One package goes a long way so after opening the package, I generally divide the contents into four tightly covered containers and refrigerate them. From what I could make out, the vegetables include cabbage, turnip, stems of mustard greens,  and wood-ear mushrooms.

Tofu & Garnishes

A slab of cubed tofu was added for protein and deep-fried onions and garlic garnished each bowl of soup.

Ingredients: (serves 2)

6 cups chicken broth

1 bundle mung bean thread vermicelli

1/2 block extra-firm tofu, cubed

1/4 pkg. Chinese preserved vegetables

2 Tbsp. fish sauce

1 tsp. chicken powder

salt & pepper to taste

2 eggs, beaten with salt

deep-fried onions

deep-fried garlic

Directions:

1. Rinse preserved vegetables to get rid of excess salt, drain, chop & set aside.
2. Bring chicken broth to a boil and add vermicelli.
3. Transfer vermicelli to a plate after it softens and cut into smaller lengths.
4. Return vermicelli to soup pot and add the next 4 ingredients.
5. Simmer over medium-high heat for 10 minutes until vegetables soften.
6. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and remove soup from heat.
7. Beat eggs with salt and pour in a thin stream while stirring the soup in one direction.
8. Pour into soup bowls and garnish with deep-fried onions & garlic.

Serve immediately.

Burmese Dinner

Clockwise from Top Left:

Toh Zya - Vegetables & Dip

Khayan Chin Thee Thoke - Tomato Salad

Steamed Rice

Bitter Melon with Dried Shrimp

Red Lentils with Chin Baung Ywet (Roselle Leaves)

Chin Baung Kyaw - Stir-Fried Roselle with Bamboo Shoots & Shrimp

Chet Tha Sipyan

Burmese Tomato Salad - Kha Yan Chin Thee Thoke

Burmese Tomato Salad

This is a light and refreshing salad that is always polished off by our guests in the blink of an eye. It could be because it's served as a first course and the crowd is hungry, but I think the soft texture of the tomatoes contrasting with the crunchiness of the onions, deep-fried beans and lettuce have a lot to do with this being a favorite at our Burmese table.

Line the salad dish with finely sliced romaine lettuce and mound the tomatoes and other ingredients over the lettuce so that the juices from the tomatoes and dressing can drain to the bottom, leaving the tomatoes from getting soggy.

This salad is best served chilled for at least an hour. The dressing can be poured on the salad just prior to serving.

Ingredients:

1 romaine lettuce heart, sliced thinly

1 small onion, peeled, halves and sliced in thin crescents

5 medium tomatoes, halved and sliced in thin crescents

1 handful cilantro, 1/4 left whole and the rest minced

Juice of 1 lime

1 tsp. fish sauce (optional for vegetarians)

salt to taste

2 Tbsp. deep fried beans (if available)

2 Tbsp. roasted peanuts, chopped

1 Tbsp. deep fried onions

1 tsp. deep fried garlic

Directions:

1. Soak sliced onions in cold water for 15-20 minutes and drain.
2. Combine sliced tomatoes, onions, minced cilantro and season with salt.
3. Chill until ready to serve.
4. Line salad dish with lettuce and mound tomato mixture on top along with juices.
5. Whisk lime juice and fish sauce together and pour over tomatoes.
6. Garnish with last 4 ingredients and serve.

Burmese Toh Zya - Vegetables & Dip

Toh Zya

When we were growing up in Burma, I and my siblings spent a lot of time at our neighbor's house. They were a childless couple and, from what I can remember, enjoyed our company. We were always welcome to join them for a meal and one staple at their table was always some form of tangy dip with fresh, steamed or parboiled vegetables. 

Toh Zya in Burmese refers to anything that can be dipped into a sauce. The dip varies, but this particular one is a favorite of mine because of the incredible umami imparted by the shrimp paste and fish sauce. This dip is made from a puree of tomatoes, blanched onions, lots of garlic, chili paste, paprika, fish sauce, shrimp paste and a generous amount of oil. It cooks on the stovetop for close to an hour because all the water from the puree has to cook off, leaving a thick, almost syrupy sauce in which the oil floats back to the surface.

Any crunchy vegetable is ideal for dipping in this sauce. I especially like cucumbers and the bottom part or ribs of romaine lettuce. Sweet little rainbow peppers also taste great for dipping.

Ingredients:

2 beefsteak tomatoes, diced

1 large onion, blanched and drained

1 pod of garlic, segmented & peeled

1 tsp. Kashmiri mirch or paprika

2 tsp. roasted chili paste

1 tsp. shrimp paste/ngapi
1 tsp. fish sauce

salt to taste

4 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Puree all the ingredients, except oil, in a blender.
2. Heat oil over medium-high heat and pour pureed ingredients into oil.
3. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium and simmer for close to an hour, stirring occasionally.
4. When all the liquid is absorbed and the sauce thickens and reduces by half, adjust salt to taste, stir well and continue to simmer until the oil resurfaces and floats to the surface.
5. Bring to room temperature and serve as a dip with vegetables.

Burmese Roselle Leaves with Bamboo Shoots & Shrimp - Chin Baung Kyaw

Chin Baung Kyaw

Roselle leaves have red stems and grow on a bush. Stir-fried like spinach, roselle leaves have a distinctively tart and tangy flavor. In India the leaves of the roselle bush are called gongura and are cooked with lentils or pickled with spices called 'pachadi'. It is available in the Indian markets in North America under the label gongura.

Roselle Leaves Gifted By A Friend

In Burmese cuisine, roselle leaves are called chin baung ywet or sour leaf. It is perhaps the most widely eaten and popular vegetable in Burma. The leaves are fried with garlic, dried or fresh prawns and green chili or cooked with fish. A light soup (hinjo)made from roselle leaves and dried shrimp is also a popular dish.

My husband was trying this for the first time and since the tart flavor can be a bit overwhelming, I combined it with some spinach.

Ingredients:
1 bundle roselle leaves, washed and chopped
1 (8 oz.) pkg. bamboo shoots, fresh or pickled and sliced
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined (optional for vegetarians)
6 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced
8-10 cloves of garlic, diced
1 green chili, diced
1 large tomato, diced
1/2 tsp. shrimp paste/ngapi (optional for vegetarians)
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1 Tbsp. fish sauce (optional for vegetarians)

Directions:

1. Marinate shrimp in fish sauce and turmeric for 15 minutes and set aside.
2. Heat oil over medium-high heat and fry garlic, onions and chilies until onions turn translucent.
3. Add tomatoes and shrimp paste and stir-fry until tomatoes break down and oil resurfaces.
4. Add roselle leaves and bamboo shoots, mix thoroughly and simmer over medium heat until roselle leaves are cooked and all liquid is absorbed.
5. Add marinated shrimp and cook for another 5 minutes.

Serve with steamed rice.

Kid-Friendly Mini Chicken Pot Pies

Mini Chicken Pot Pie

One of our three grandsons has dinner with us once a week and it's always a challenge to come up with something palatable for them. Today I made these little chicken pot pies that can be made in under 30 minutes. It took me 10 minutes to assemble them and 15 minutes to bake in the oven. And they're just the perfect size for children to hold in their little hands. Serve them with a side of salad or fruits and a stress-free dinner's ready in no time flat!

The crust was made from Pillsbury crescent rolls dough that were coaxed into each compartment of a muffin pan.The filling was made with diced fajita chicken strips (any cooked chicken will do), frozen mixed vegetables consisting of carrots, peas, celery, potatoes and corn and a can of cream of chicken soup. I used Campbell's cream of chicken soup because I was in a hurry, but homemade cream of chicken soup is really easy to make. 

Each package of dough contains 8 crescent rolls and I used the 'grand' or big sized rolls.

The broad side of the triangle of dough was stretched to cover the bottom and sides of each compartment and the pointed end was wrapped around the top with a hole in the center to allow steam to escape.

Cooked until the tops were golden brown, these little pot pies were done in just 15 minutes. Note that the empty compartments were filled with water.

Needless to say, it was a hit with our Grandboy this evening!

Ingredients:

1 (8 rolls) can Pillsbury Grands! Big & Buttery Crescent Rolls, separated

1/2 (16 oz.) pkg. frozen mixed vegetables for soup

1 (10 oz.) can  or homemade Cream of Chicken soup

1/2 (16 oz.) pkg. fajita chicken strips, diced

salt to taste

Pam butter-flavored spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375*F and grease muffin compartments with Pam spray.
2. Microwave vegetables (without water) on high power for one minute or blanch in boiling water for 1 minute and drain.
3. Combine chicken, vegetables, soup and season with salt to taste.
4. Line muffin compartments with broad side of crescent roll dough, leaving pointed end hanging over lip of compartment.
5. Fill with chicken mixture to mound over the top and wrap the pointed end of the crescent roll around the top, leaving a space for steam to escape.
6. Fill empty compartments with water and bake at 375*F for 15 minutes until tops are golden brown. 

Serve with a side of soup or salad.

Tangy Red Lentils with Roselle Leaves - Masoor Dal with Gongura

Masoor Dal with Gongura

Gongura is the Indian name for roselle leaves which have a bright and tangy flavor. These red lentils were cooked with onions, garlic and roselle leaves and finished with chopped tomatoes.

Ingredients:

1 cup red lentils/masoor dal, rinsed in several changes of water and drained

1 handful roselle leaves, washed and chopped

1 medium onion, diced

6-8 cloves of garlic, diced

1 large beefsteak tomato, diced

4 Tbsp. vegetable oil

salt to taste

Directions:

1. Bring lentils to a boil in 4 cups of water and simmer over medium heat until lentils are cooked, about 30 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and stir-fry onions and garlic until golden brown, add tomatoes and simmer until oil resurfaces.
3. Add roselle leaves and cooked lentils, adjust salt to taste and cook for 5 minutes more.

Serve with steamed rice or Indian bread.

Kid-Friendly Corn Salsa

Kid-Friendly Corn Salsa

I've labeled this kid-friendly because I've purposely omitted green onions and hot 'n spicy chilies. All it takes is a package of frozen corn (thawed overnight in the fridge), a seedless cucumber, tomatoes, salt and lime juice. Tossed together in a bowl, it makes a perfect side dish for a picnic or Mother's Day brunch. If this is being made for adults, all optional ingredients are a must to bump up the flavor.

1 (16 oz.) pkg. frozen corn kernels, thawed

1 beefsteak tomato, diced

1 seedless cucumber, peeled & diced

1 shallot, diced (optional)
1 green chili, diced (optional)

2 small or 1 large sweet red pepper, diced (optional)

salt to taste

juice of 1 lime

Toss it all in a bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

A favorite among children, this light and simple meal is fun for them to assemble and hold in their little hands. It’s also easy to brown the chicken and mix the sauce beforehand and cook just before serving. For children this works as a main course, but for adults this probably would work better as an appetizer for dinner or as a main course for a light lunch.

Ingredients:

1 lb. minced chicken

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
¼ tsp. sesame oil
1 can water chestnuts, diced

6-8 button mushrooms, diced
12 leaves Boston or Romaine lettuce

½ cup roasted almonds or peanuts, chopped
2 green onions, sliced thinly
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Separate lettuce leaves, rinse and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Whisk 1 tsp. oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce and sesame oil together until thoroughly combined.
3. Add remaining oil to a non-stick skillet on medium heat, and cook chicken thoroughly for about 20 minutes, until browned.
4. Add sauce to chicken in pan along with water chestnuts and mushrooms.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste and simmer for 2 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and transfer to a serving dish.
7. To serve, place 1-2 Tbsp. chicken in a lettuce leaf and garnish with nuts and/or green onions.