Fragrant Vegetables Recipes

FRAGRANT VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Heat oil in skillet and saute onions until golden and very soft.
• Stir in garlic, cumin, cinnamon, ginger and hot pepper flakes and cook, stirring, about 1 minute.
• Add carrots and cook 5 minutes.
• Stir in caulifower and broccoli. Crush the drained tomatoes in your hand directly into the skillet. Season with black pepper. Cover and simmer about 10 minutes so flavors can meld. Add salt, if desired. Serve over couscous, sprinkled with fresh coriander leaves, if desired.

FRAGRANT INDIAN VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Heat oven broiler and cover broiler pan with aluminum foil.
• Arrange eggplant slices on broiler pan and brush lightly on both sides with oil. Broil eggplant as close to heat as possible, watching that the slices do not burn. When one side is brown, turn and brown on second side. Total broiling time about 15 minutes.
• Cut the potato slices into quarters and saute in 2 tablespoons of oil until slices begin to brown and soften. Remove and set slices aside. In same skillet pour remaining oil and saute onion and garlic in oil for a minute or two. Add cumin and bay leaf and mix well; continue to saute until onions soften and take on color.
• Add cauliflower, ginger and tomatoes, breaking up tomatoes with hands before adding them to pan. Cover and cook about 5 minutes, until cauliflower is done.
• When eggplant is cool enough to be handled, trim off skin, cut into large chunks and add to skillet to heat through.
• Serve with cilantro and yogurt.

FRAGRANT VEGETABLE & CASHEW BIRYANI

Steps:

• Rinse the rice in several changes of water to remove excess starch, then put in a bowl of cold water and leave to soak for 30 mins.
• Meanwhile, fry the onions in the oil for 8 mins until soft and starting to colour. Add the ginger, then cook for 2 mins more. Stir in the curry paste followed by the whole spices, cook for 1 min more, then tip in the potatoes and cauliflower. Pour in 300ml water, cover and boil for about 5-7 mins until the veg are just tender, but still have a little resistance. Stir in the yogurt and peas with 1 tsp salt.
• Mix the saffron, rosewater and 3 tbsp boiling water together and stir well. Drain the rice, tip into a pan of boiling salted water, then cook for 5 mins until almost tender. Drain again. Get out a large ovenproof dish with a lid and butter the base. Tip the curry sauce into the base, scatter over the nuts, then spoon over the rice. Drizzle over the rosewater mixture, then cover with foil followed by the lid. Can be chilled overnight until ready to cook.
• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Put the biryani in the oven for 45 mins-1 hr until thoroughly heated through. To check it's ready, try a spoonful from the centre of the rice. For the garnish, slowly fry the onions in the oil until really golden and crisp (this can be done in advance). When the biryani is hot and ready to serve, gently toss through the onions and coriander.

THAI FRAGRANT VEGETABLE SOUP

Steps:

• In a deep saucepan, heat garlic in oil until fragrant; add broth, soy sauce, fish sauce, cabbage, carrots, celery, mushrooms, lemongrass, and chilies.
• Bring mixture to a boil; then reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
• Adjust seasonings for soy sauce, and fish sauce; then add lime juice and basil; serve.
• Note: As an option you may also add cooked chicken, cooked beef or pork, or raw shrimp to this soup at the end of cooking; for shrimp, just allow enough time for them to turn opaque and curl tight; for meat, just heat through.