September 05, 2000

An abundance of fresh herbs and vipe-ripened vegetables inspired this installment of recipes with a slant toward Indian cuisine. The exotic and spicy flavors of India, such as cumin, coriander, curry, and turmeric, are highlighted by the use of fresh tomatoes, squashes, peppers, greens, and eggplant. In contrast, the use of cilantro, parsley, and mint provide a cooling effect as well as flavor to many of the dishes. Recipes for a special sun tea and fruit sorbet round out this flavorful and spicy menu. Enjoy! As always, be good to one another, and remember... eat your veggies!

In a large glass jar or bottle, place the tea, mint, cloves, orange and lemon peel in the bottom of the jar, and pour the water over the top. Cover and leave in direct sunlight for 4-6 hours to brew. Strain the tea through a coffee filter and place in a clean container. Chill and serve in tall glasses over ice, with an orange slice and a sprig of mint.

Yield: 2 Quarts

In a saucepan, place the water, split peas, and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook for 30 minutes or until the split peas are tender and most of the water has been absorbed. Meanwhile in a small non-stick skillet, saute the onion in olive oil for 5 minutes or until well browned. Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, and turmeric, and saute for an additional 1 minute while stirring constantly. Add the tomato and saute for an additional 2 minutes. Add the onion mixture, cilantro, and salt to the cooked split peas and slightly mash with the back of a spoon while stirring in the final ingredients. Transfer to a glass bowl and serve warm, chilled, or at room temperature with an assortment of vegetables, or breads such as chapatis or pitas.

Yield: 3 Cups

In a large bowl, place the water, oil, and salt, and whisk well to combine. Using your hands, mix the flour into the wet mixture and work it to form a soft dough. If the dough is a little dry, add a few tablespoons of extra water; if it is sticky, add a little extra flour. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a towel, and allow to rest for 30 minutes. Divide the rested dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough to form a 6-inch circle and keep the circles of dough covered with a towel while you roll out the remaining dough. Heat a non-stick griddle or skillet over medium heat. Cook each chapati for 1-2 minutes per side or until puffed and lightly browned in spots. Keep the cooked chapatis covered with a towel until serving. Serve chapatis with dips, dal, stews, or curry dishes.

Yield: 12 chapatis

In a large bowl, combine the oil, lemon juice, herbs, salt, and curry powder, and whisk well to combine. Add the peaches, cherry tomatoes, and pear tomatoes, toss gently to thoroughly coat them with the dressing, and set aside for 15-30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. In a large bowl, place all of the greens, and toss them together. Divide the greens evenly among 8 salad plates and top with some of the tomato-peach salad, dividing it equally among the plates also. Or to serve it buffet style, gently toss together the greens and tomato-peach salad, and allow guests to serve themselves.

Serves 8

In a large bowl, combine the summer squash, zucchini, red pepper, and green onions, and toss to combine. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, apple juice concentrate, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and whisk well to combine. Pour the dressing over the vegetables, sprinkle with the chopped herbs, and toss gently to thoroughly coat the vegetables with the dressing. Cover and chill for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend. Before serving taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Serves 8-10

In large non-stick saucepan, place the pistachios, almonds, and sunflower seeds, and cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes or until fragrant and lightly toasted. Transfer the nuts to a bowl and set aside. In the same saucepan, saute the green onion, carrot, and celery in the olive oil for 3 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, and cardamom, and saute an additional 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the basmati rice, stir well to thoroughly combine, and cook an additional 2 minutes while stirring constantly. Add the vegetable stock, liquid aminos, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to steam for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove the lid, fluff the rice with a fork, and stir in the reserved nuts, cilantro, and parsley. Transfer to a large bowl or platter for service.

Serves 6-8

In a blender, place all of the ingredients, except the chopped basil and parsley, and blend for 1-2 minutes or until thoroughly combined. Add the herbs and blend an additional 10 seconds. Transfer marinade to a bowl. Use as a marinade for vegetables or soy products.

Yield: 3 Cups

Fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add broccoli and cook 1-2 minutes or until it turns bright green. Remove the broccoli with a slotted spoon and immediately plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Remove the broccoli from the ice water and allow to dry on a towel. Repeat the same process with the cauliflower. Thread the vegetables onto the skewers in the following order: 1 button mushroom, 1 wedge of red onion, 2 pieces of orange pepper, 2 cauliflower florets with the tops facing outward, 2 pieces of green pepper, 2 pieces of eggplant, 2 pieces of red pepper, 2 broccoli florets with the tops facing outward, 1 wedge of red onion, and end with 1 button mushroom. Repeat the same procedure for the remaining skewers. Place the skewers in a large casserole dish, pour the marinade over the top of the kabobs, and rotate them a bit to fully coat with the marinade. Cover, place in the refrigerator, and allow to marinate for 1 hour. Place the skewers on a hot grill, turn them over often, and cook until lightly charred on all sides, approximately 10 minutes total cooking time. Transfer the kabobs to a large platter and serve 1 kabob per person.

Serves 8

Cut each block of tofu in half lengthwise. Turn each half cut-side down on the board, and cut through the outer edge of the block of tofu 3 times to yield 4 tofu cutlets from each half. This means that each block of tofu will yield 8 tofu cutlets. On a large cookie sheet, place a clean, lint-free towel, or a layer of natural, unbleached paper towels, then all of the tofu cutlets in a single layer, followed by another layer of toweling, and finally place another large cookie sheet on top. Place several large cans or something very heavy on top of the cookie sheet and leave tofu to sit for 1 hour. This process is known as cutting tofu into cutlets and pressing. I use this technique a lot as it makes the texture of the tofu much firmer.

Cover the bottom of a large casserole dish with a third of the marinade, place the pressed tofu cutlets on top, and pour the remaining marinade over the top. Cover, place in the refrigerator, and leave to marinate for 1 hour. Place the cutlets on a hot grill and cook for 7-8 minutes per side or until lightly browned around the edges. Transfer the grilled cutlets to a platter and serve two cutlets per person.

Serves 8

In a food processor or blender, in batches if necessary, combine all of the ingredients and puree until smooth. Taste and add more apple juice concentrate or mint if needed to balance the ripeness of the melon. If you have an ice cream maker, freeze the mixture according to the manufacturer's instructions, or transfer the mixture to an airtight container, place in the freezer, and freeze for several hours or until firm. One hour before serving, process the mixture in the food processor again, return it to the airtight container, and refreeze until firm. Serve in chilled glasses and, if desired, add a garnish of fresh fruit and a sprig of mint.

Serves 8

In a non-stick skillet, place the pistachios and cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes or until fragrant and slightly toasted. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes, roughly chop, and set aside. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In another bowl, combine the oil, maple syrup, vanilla, and almond extract, and whisk well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir well to combine. Fold in the reserved pistachios. Lightly oil (or spray with a light mist of oil) two non-stick cookie sheets and set aside. Using your hands, form the dough into 1-inch balls, place the balls on the prepared cookie sheets, and flatten them slightly to ensure even baking. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom. Allow them to cool on the cookie sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack and allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Yield: 2 Dozen