Veg Dumplings, Veg & Black Bean Chili + Cornbread and an Indian Snack Mix with an American Twist
Vegetable Dumplings
3 or so cups finely shredded napa cabbage (a small head of it)
1 cup minced Chinese garlic chives
1-2 carrots (depending on size), finely minced
1 tablespoon salt
1-2 decent sized fresh/vacuum-packed bamboo shoots, minced
(if you can't get these, sub water chestnuts or jicama)
about 3/4 cup baby corn, sliced into 2-3mm rounds (or sub some minced mushrooms)
about 1/2 cup bean thread noodles (after soaking 10-15 minutes in hot water), cut up
1/2 block firm tofu, pressed/squeezed (get as much water out as possible) and mashed
crushed ginger and/or garlic, to taste
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1-2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice wine (or sub dry sherry)
50 dumpling wrappers
Combine cabbage, garlic chives, carrots and bamboo shoots with salt.
Mix well and let sit for about half an hour, until the cabbage looks wilted.
Squeeze as much water as possible out of the mixture.
Stir in slices of baby corn, bean thread noodles and mashed tofu.
Add ginger and/or garlic, white pepper, soy sauce, sesame oil and rice wine.
Assemble dumplings. Wet edges with water, pleat x4 on one side, fill and press to seal.
Don't let filling get in the seal, don't overfill or under-fill (takes a little experimenting).
You can steam these or pan fry them.
Steaming takes about 8-10 minutes.
To pan fry, heat a little oil on the bottom of a pan, let them brown, add water and cover.
To freeze before cooking, freeze separated on a cookie sheet then transfer to container.
Dipping Sauce for Dumplings
1/4 cup light soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
finely sliced scallions, a little crushed ginger and a little crushed red pepper
Mix together and let sit for a little while to soak up the flavors.
If you like it less salty, you can dilute with a little water.
Giant Pot of Chili
4 cloves garlic, crushed
4 cups diced onion
4 cups diced carrot
4 cups diced celery
4 cups diced green and red bell pepper
4 small ears of corn, cut from cob
4 cans petit diced tomatoes
2 envelopes chili seasoning (I know, pathetic!)
1-2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Extra chili powder, cayenne and cumin to taste
3 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
Cilantro
Olive oil
Saute onion and garlic in olive oil for a few minutes.
Add all other veggies and cook for a few minutes.
Add tomatoes and seasonings and simmer.
When about 10 minutes from done, add black beans.
When about 5 minutes from done, add a little chopped cilantro.
Cornbread (adapted from Fran Costigan)
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 and 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons vanilla soymilk
1/2 cup water
5 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Optional: corn kernels and/or minced jalapenos
A little extra maple syrup
Mix dry ingredients.
Mix wet ingredients.
Mix together, adding in any extras.
Pour into a greased 9x9 pan and bake at 425 about 15 minutes, until done.
When done, brush top with a little maple syrup.
Cool and cut into squares.
Chewda Variation
10 oz Crispix cereal
3/4 lb. raw peanuts (the sort with the red skins)
3/4 lb. raw cashew pieces
1-2 cup raisins
1/2 cup vegetable oil (add more if needed for frying)
1-2 tsp. black mustard seeds
2 green chilis, finely cut
2 Tbsp. curry leaves, cut into small pieces
1/8 tsp. hing (asafoetida)
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1-2 tsp. cumin powder
2 tsp. sugar
salt to taste
Put the cereal in a large bowl.
Fry the peanuts and cashew pieces in batches in the oil until light brown.
(Take them out immediately, as they'll continue to cook a bit after you do!)
Put them on top of the cereal.
Fry the raisins in batches, until they puff (to caramelize them) and add to cereal.
In the leftover oil, pop the mustard seeds.
Add the chilis and curry leaves (be careful of splattering when you do!).
Heat on low flame for a couple of minutes, to temper the oil.
Add the hing and then turn the flame off.
Add the turmeric and cumin. Mix well.
Add a couple of cups of the cereal/nuts/raisins into the pan to mix with spices.
Put that back in the bowl with the rest of the stuff.
Mix thoroughly, but be careful not to crush the Crispix.
Add sugar and salt to taste and mix again.
