January comfort food

When you're ready to go beyond rice dishes, here are a few hearty thoughts for the dark days of January.  I posted more hearty comfort food earlier in December --hamburger mashed potato pinwheels, lemony kale pasta plus lots of souperbowls that make a whole meal-- so you have a lot to choose from. That's good because this will be my last post for a few weeks while I go traveling around without Big Mac which holds this blog. You won't be starved for ideas. 

Watch for a fresh batch of recipes and February wisdom--celebrating Chinese New Year-- at the end of January.  If you need a special Chinese New Year Dish on January 25, please see Buddha's Delight in my book Veggiyana, the Dharma of Cooking. It's the most traditional, widespread and beloved dish for the occasion.

Castilian chicken with apples and prunes
This is Spanish comfort food worth a re-post..

not my photo

serves 4

6 lg chicken thighs with skin on, bone in
3 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 med yellow onions, thinly sliced then sliced again into crescents
1/2 med red bell pepper, diced
2 lg garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 med carrots, peeled and diced
Salt to your taste
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 bay leaf
3 cooking apples (Macs, Cortland, Macoun, Gala), cored and quartered
8 pitted prunes
Salt the chicken thighs. Heat the oil in a large frying pan/skillet and fry the chicken over medium heat, turning with tongs until golden on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate. in the same pan and oil, put the onions, red pepper, garlic and carrots. Raise heat to medium just until they start to soften, maybe 2 minutes, then lower heat until they are soft. Add salt to your taste. Return the chicken to the pan. Sauté 3 minutes, then add the vinegar. It will bubble. In 2 minutes add 2/3 c water and the bay leaf. Cover the pan and simmer on low/simmer 30 minutes to cook the chicken.

Add the apples and prunes, arranging them between the chicken pieces if you can. Cover the pan again and simmer 20 more minutes until the fruits are soft. Serve hot garnished if you like with minced fresh cilantro, although the Spanish tend not to do that.

Italian beef stew with lots of black pepper

The really good news here is you can make this a day ahead. If you don't want  to serve it with mashed potatoes, you can make buttery egg noodles. Anything to sop up the sauce. Just add a green salad and you have an elegant dinner.

Serves 4
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 ¼ lbs stewing or braising beef – chuck, flank or neck, cut into large chunks
3 garlic cloves, peeled but whole
1 bottle red wine, ideally chianti
Salt
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper, plus a bit extra just in case,

To serve
Buttery mashed potatoes

 In a heavy gauge lidded casserole or stockpot, warm the olive oil. Over medium heat, brown the meat-- in batches if necessary so every piece hits the bottom of the pan. Return all the meat to the pan, add the whole garlic cloves, red wine and a pinch of salt. Add the ground peppercorns.

Bring the pan to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer for 2-2½ hours or until the meat is very tender but still holding its shape. If you like, remove the lid for the last 45 minutes to reduce the sauce. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Ideally allow to rest for a few hours – better still, overnight – then reheat gently.

Pasta with walnut sauce

This is ideal for vegetarian moments and also for those seeking a boost in their energy/health. In Chinese medicine, walnuts are thought to help the kidney restore lost chi.  Of course, some people are deathly allergic to walnuts so check first among guests. I like serving this with carrot salad to get color and crunch on the table.

Serves 4

½ c walnuts, shelled
2 pieces day-old crustless bread

¼ c whole milk
1 garlic clove

¼ c flat leaf parsley leaves
½ c extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp heavy cream or crème fraiche

¼ c parmesan cheese grated

salt and freshly ground black pepper

pinch of red pepper flakes
¾ lb cavatelli (thin twisted 2” long) pasta

Soak the walnuts in boiling water about 15 minutes. Drain and remove as much of the skins as you can. It’s a pain but this will keep the sauce from being too bitter.

Preheat the oven to 225º.

Break the bread into small pieces, put it in a bowl and pour the milk over it. Let it sit 5 minutes, then squeeze out the milk. In a food processer, combine the bread with the walnuts, garlic and parsley leaves. Blitz while pouring in the oil to make a smooth sauce. Transfer the mixture to an over proof serving bowl. Mix in the cream, cheese and pinch of red pepper flakes. Season with salt and a bit of freshly ground pepper. Place the bowl in the warm oven while the pasta cooks.

Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain, reserving some of the water.  Stir in into the warm bowl of walnut sauce, add 2-3 tbsp of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce. Serve at once with an extra bowl of grated parmesan.

Moroccan carrot and pistachio salad

not my photo

This is a great alternative to the spicy Korean carrot salad I am so fond of I've posted it several times. For extra color use a variety of carrot hues.

 

1½ lb carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
2 oranges, peeled and cut into 1” pieces
½ small garlic clove, peeled and crushed
 2 oz pistachio nuts, toasted and chopped

1 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves

1 tbsp mint leaves

For the dressing
3 tbsp olive oil
¼ tsp orange blossom water
2 tsp honey
1½ tsp cumin seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
3 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Whisk the dressing ingredients in a bowl with half a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Add the salad ingredients, toss to coat and serve.

Bhutanese pork with bok choy and cauliflower

This recipe is from my Himalayan collection and wants to be served with rice, red rice if you want to be very Bhutanese. Add citrus salad. 

Serves 4

1 medium sized cauliflower, cut into florets

1 c water

2 tbsp corn, mustard or canola oil

1 med/lg onion, peeled and quartered

2” fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin strips

1 large jalapeno or small Serrano chili pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips

3 cloves of garlic peeled and sliced into thin strips

1 lb pork filet cut into thin strips (use shoulder, country rib or boneless chops)

1 tsp crushed chili flakes

¼ tsp ground star anise or ½ star crushed

2 teaspoons salt

3 large bokchoy, cut into strips

2 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice

for garnish: 1 bunch cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

In a medium saucepan, combine the cauliflower florets and 1 cup water with a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and cook 3-4 minutes until florets just start to soften. Remove from heat.

Break the onion layers apart. Heat the oil in a large wok or sauté pan over medium/high flame. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and chilies and stir-fry 2-3 minutes until they soften slightly. Add the pork, crushed chilies, star anise and stir-fry another 3 minutes to brown the pork. Add salt and continue to stir-fry until pork is cooked through and not pink anywhere. Add bokchoy. Drain the cauliflower keeping the water, and add along with up to 1 cup of that water. Blend everything and continue to cook 5 minutes until everything is soft and cooked through. Squeeze in the orange juice. Taste to adjust salt and crushed chili flakes to your liking. Add the cilantro leaves, stir to blend and serve.
 

Root vegetable pot pie

This is one of my personal old favorites. I made it up years ago and everybody liked it so much I keep making it every fall and winter. I included the recipe in Veggiyana, the Dharma of Cooking. Just add green salad and you have a very colorful, nutritious vegetarian meal.

Serves 6

1 lg onion, peeled

1 small rutabaga, peeled and coarsely chopped into bite-sized pieces

1 white turnip, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces

3 carrots, peeled and cut crosswise into 1” pieces

1 parsnip, peeled and cut into ½” disks

1 sweet potato, peeled and sliced into thin disks

1 leek, washed and cut into ½” disks

1 sm daikon, peeled and cut into thin disks

1 small celeriac bulb, peeled and coarsely chopped

6 purple or red round potatoes, washed and quartered

1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced

2” piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced

4 lg garlic cloves, peeled and minced

½ tsp ground turmeric (this is a rhizome)

3 tbsp olive or peanut (a ground nut) oil

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp ground chipotle powder or smoked paprika

2 tsp dried marjoram leaves

1 tsp ground coriander (this is the root of the plant)

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

1 ½ cups vegetable broth or water

½ cup chopped tomatoes

½ cup fresh parsley sprigs, chopped

1 cup dried polenta meal

½ cup buttermilk

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp plus 1 tsp butter

¼ cup grated parmesan, romano or asiago cheese

4 cups water

pinch of nutmeg

Slice the onion into thin disks, slice each disk in half and then in half again.

Heat the oil in a large casserole or small soup pot over medium heat.  Add the garlic, ginger, black pepper and turmeric and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add the shallot slices, the onion and the leek. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until they are soft. (They will be colored by the turmeric.) Stir in the ground coriander, chipotle or smoked paprika and marjoram. Put the remaining root vegetables in the pot. Add the salt and broth or water. Raise heat to a boil. Cover, lower heat to simmer and cook 20 minutes.

 Preheat an oven to 350º.  Get out a large ovenproof casserole or deep-dish pie pan.

In a large saucepan, boil the 4 cups of water and salt. Stir in the polenta and 2 tbsp of butter and stir rapidly to blend, so the polenta doesn’t lump up.  Continue stirring and cooking the polenta for 4-5 minutes, until it starts to release large bubbles.  Remove from heat and stir in the buttermilk.

Stir the tomatoes and chopped parsley into the vegetables.

Fill the casserole or pie dish with the vegetables and their juice, leaving about ¼” at the top. Using a large kitchen spoon, spoon the polenta over the top to create a crust, up to ½” thick is okay. Be sure to cover the edges and smooth the top. Cut the tsp of butter into tiny pieces and scatter on top of the cooked polenta. Sprinkle on the cheese and the pinch of nutmeg.

Put the potpie in the center of the oven and put a large cookie sheet on the rack below it to catch any spills.  Cook for 20-30 minutes, until the top vaguely starts to brown and crisp.  Remove and let it cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Serve with a raw kale salad.

 

More ways rice is nice right now

Here are some more tricks rice does to make treats when you don't eat vegetables out of season. Some plain, some fancy.    

Vegetable Paella

As I explained earlier, paella is merely Spanish for pilaf/pilau, so it isn't a set dish of fixed ingredients as some think it is.  It's a specific way of cooking rice with various ingredients in a specific pan. It requires a specific short grain rice that soaks up liquids faster than the rice varieties used for Italian risotto so it cooks in less time. And with less attention. Two big pluses.

In its native habitat, original paella was made with rabbit. Often now it's made with seafood and chorizo. Here is a homestyle version you won't see in restaurants, a cozy family supper which some Spanish families eat right out of the pan together.  The recipe comes from my Catalan friend Sonia and I included it in Veggiyana, the Dharma of Cooking. You can also just use whatever vegetables you have on hand and it will come out fine. Just be sure you have what's sold here either as paella or calasperra rice. 

Serves 3-4

2 tbsp olive oil

2 med red bell peppers, finely diced

1 artichoke, outer leaves stripped, stem off

1 shallot, peeled and diced

8-10 small asparagus spears or ½ lb green beans, chopped into 1” pieces

4 garlic cloves, minced (two batches of two cloves each)

2 bay leaves

1 med tomato, grated (should be a juicy one)

1¼ cup Spanish paella rice or short grain white rice not starchy

4 cups + 1 tbsp boiling hot vegetable broth or water with 1 tbsp celery seed in it

pinch of saffron threads

1½ tsp smoked paprika (possible substitute: ½ tsp ground chipotle chili + 1 tsp paprika)

2 tsp salt

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

½ cup cooked lima or baby fava beans

½ cup peas

¼ cup chopped parsley leaves

1 roasted red pepper, skinned and sliced into thin strips

Optional: lemon wedges for garnish

Have the broth or water boiling in a large saucepan.

In a medium sized paella pan or flat bottom sauté pan of similar round shape, heat the oil over medium flame. Add diced red pepper and sauté for 3-5 minutes, lowering heat if it starts to brown.

Be sure all the hard outer leaves are off the artichoke and quarter the heart. Remove the hairy choke on all pieces and coarsely chop them. Add to the pan, stirring as you do.  Add shallot and asparagus or green beans, stirring. Add bay leaves, tomato pulp, black pepper and 2 minced garlic cloves, stirring. Add the rice and smoked paprika, continually stirring. Add the hot broth or water, saving one tablespoon, and then saffron threads. Stir once to incorporate everything and let the paella cook for 15 minutes over medium heat.  Add the beans and peas on top.

Combine 2 minced garlic cloves, parsley leaves and the remaining tbsp of broth or water in a small food processor or blender and make a thin puree.  Pour over the paella and add a pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Carefully stir to blend and turn off the heat. Remove bay leaves. Test for salt and adjust to taste.

Let the paella sit and steam for another 5 minutes while garnishing with the roasted pepper strips splayed like the spokes of a wheel, and optional lemon wedges standing up around the outer edge.  Serve immediately.

Trinidad Beef Pelau

This is fusion cooking to the hilt.  The pelau comes from the Indians who populate much of Trinidad and brought their pilau with them having discovered it from the invading Moguls, aka Persians who gave us pilaf. Thus the long grain rice.  Basmati fits that need. The process of browning the beef in sugar comes from Africa where many  locals came from.  The ketchup is thought to represent the English taste for tomato chutney, acquired during during the Raj. The fiercely hot scotch bonnet pepper is Caribbean.

serves 6-8
1  12oz can pigeon peas or black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
2 c long grain rice
3 tbsp vegetable oil (not olive but corn, canola, safflower, etc)
1/4 c turbinado or any granulated sugar
3 lbs stewing beef, in chunks (the tenderest you can get)
1 sm onion, diced
1 lg garlic clove, minced   
1 c coconut milk (canned is just fine)
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp special seasoning* see below
1/2 c flat leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
2 carrots, peeled and chopped 
5 scallions, roots off, minced top to bottom
2 c butternut squash or pumpkin, cubed
1 sm scotch bonnet pepper, whole
1/2 c ketchup 
1 tbsp unsalted butter  

*special seasoning 
1/4 c vinegar (not balsamic)
1/4 c water 
1 bunch fresh chives, chopped
1/2 c fresh cilantro leaves 
2 tbsp dried thyme leaves or 1 bunch fresh
1 tbsp dried oregano  
1/2  bunch flat leaf parsley leaves 
 4 garlic cloves
1 tsp salt        

Combine all the seasoning ingredients in a food processor and blend into a paste. Add more water if necessary to get a smooth paste.  

Be sure the rinsed canned beans are relatively dry.
Wash the rice in a sieve until the water runs clear as it exits.
In a large, heavy lidded pot (a Dutch oven or cast iron casserole like Le Creuset),   heat the oil. Add the sugar and swirl in the pot, stirring constantly to caramelize it into a dark brown color. Add the beef and stir to coat it with the caramelized sugar.  Add the onion and garlic. Stirring constantly, cook 1 minute. 

Stir in 1 c water, coconut milk, bay leaf, the special seasoning paste, parsley, thyme, carrots and scallions. Reduce heat to med/low. Cover the pot and cook 20 minutes.  Stir in the rice, squash, pigeon or black-eyed peas, scotch bonnet pepper, ketchup and butter. Cover the pot and cook on low another 20 minutes or until the rice is soft but not sticky and the squash is tender.  Remove the lid and fluff with a fork before serving.                               
Kushari

 

This is Egyptian street food, a poor man's vegetarian meal beloved by just about everyone, especially children.  It's very hearty, thrifty and handy because it uses essentially pantry staples. Because everything is cooked separately, it requires a pile of pots. Otherwise it's very very simple. Many people say the outcome depends entirely on the red sauce you pour over it and everyone has their version.
serves 4

2 lg yellow onions,  peeled and sliced into very thin disks
1/4 c cornstarch 
1 c brown lentils
2 tsp salt
1 c med/long grain rice  (not starchy)
1 tsp ground cumin
2 c elbow macaroni or ditalini
1/4 c good quality olive oil

Pat the onions dry with paper towels, then toss them with the cornstarch to coat.   

In a medium lidded pot, combine the lentils with 1 1/2 c water. Bring to a boil. Add 1 tsp salt and cover the pot. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10-15 minutes, until lentils are tender. Add water if necessary as they cook so they don't dry out.

At the same time   in a medium pot over high heat, bring 1 1/2 c water to a boil. Immediately stir in the rice, cumin and 1 tsp salt. Reduce heat to low and cook until the rice is fluffy and tender.                  

At the same time, cook the macaroni or ditalini according to package instructions, then drain and rinse with cold water.  Set aside.

In a large sauté pan, over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Sauté the onion disks until the rings are golden brown and crisp, 10-12 minutes.

To serve:  place the pasta on a large dish. Top with the rice, then the lentils and finally the onions.  

Before serving, make the red sauce to serve in a on the side. Here's one version:
1 tbsp good quality olive oil
6 sm garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp harissa or hot sauce or ground cayenne
2 tbsp white vinegar 
15 oz strained tomatoes (canned or boxed)

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic, cumin, salt and dry cayenne pepper if using. Stir. Add the  vinegar and harissa or wet hot sauce. Cook 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes. Raise heat to bring the pot contents to a boil.  Reduce heat  to low and simmer until the sauce starts to thicken, about 10 minutes. Serve warm to pour over the kushari.
  
Greek Brown Rice and Chickpea Soup

I've posted this rustic vegetarian soup before. It's a fan favorite. I  included it in a magazine spread where it got a lot of loving attention and comments. It comes with a warning: if you let this sit a while, the rice will absorb all the liquid and the dish becomes a pilaf. No less delicious.
serves 6   

   

½ c top quality olive oil

1 lg onion, minced

½ c dry white wine

2 tsp Aleppo pepper*

6 c hearty vegetable or chicken broth and or water

1 15/6 oz. can chickpeas, drained (you need 2 cups)

1 c chopped boxed or canned tomatoes

1 cinnamon stick

1 bay leaf

1 tsp dried oregano

1 c short grain brown rice

Salt to your taste

½ c crumbled feta cheese

½ bunch flat leaf parsley minced for garnish

Optional: dried mint leaves for extra flavor and garnish

*Ground Aleppo pepper is a moderately hot Syrian chili. Substitutes would be ground chipotle pepper or 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes.

NB: do not use Basmati or any other long grain rice. Short grain rice is for soaking up flavors and you need that here.

In a medium heavy pot, heat olive oil, add onion and sauté over medium heat until soft and translucent, 8-10 minutes. Stir in wine and Aleppo or other hot pepper alternative. Raise heat and cook briskly 45-60 seconds until most liquid is gone.

Add 2 cups broth, chickpeas, tomatoes, cinnamon stick, bay leaf and oregano. Bring to simmering, cover and cook on low heat 10 minutes. Stir in the rice and 2 cups broth. Cook until rice is tender, about 45 minutes.

Season with salt. Remove cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Stir in feta, cover, remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes. Serve in bowls garnished with minced parsley. Optionally you can double garnish with pinches of fresh mint.

Arroz con pollo (Chicken with Rice)

This is one of the most traditional and well known Spanish and also Cuban dishes: chicken cooked in the pan with saffron rice.  You can augment it if you wish by adding a drained can of black beans when you add the rice.
serves 6

1/4 c olive oil

1 lg onion, diced

3 lbs chicken parts

1 green pepper, seeded & diced                             

juice of a lime                                         

2 c rice

3 garlic cloves, minced                          

4 c chicken stock

1 tsp ground chipotle chili or similar      

1 c tomatoes, diced (boxed okay)

1 tsp ground cumin                                

Salt and pepper to your taste

5 saffron threads

Marinate the chicken in lime, garlic, cumin and chili 4-6 hours. 

In a large skillet or paella pan, heat oil. Brown chicken on both sides  5 minutes per side and remove. Sauté the onion and green pepper 5 min. in the same oil. Stir in the rice to glaze with oil. Add saffron. Arrange chicken over rice, skin side up. Add tomatoes, marinade, stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook 25-30 minutes until rice is fluffy and chicken tender. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

 

Rice, the pantry staple, is nice right now

We're at that pantry staples time of year when fresh veggies are scarce and sometimes driving is dangerous, which is why rice is so nice. It's not only hearty, handy and nourishing with a touch of glamorous. It can magically transport you all over the world: a paella to Spain,a biryani to India, pilaf to the Middle East and that all American "hoppin John" , aka "lucky peas" to the South where it's traditional on New Year's Day for good luck in the months ahead.  

It's important to remember that rice is not just rice. There are dozens of different grains, very different grains with different qualities.  For instance, long grain basmati rice is beloved because it's so not sticky starchy, every kernel is a stand out.  In contrast, short grain sushi rice is so sticky starchy, grains hold together indiscriminately in a seaweed wrap. Italian arborio and carnaroli rice is short grained but requires long cooking in which it becomes starchy enough to soak up whatever is with it in the pot: ergo risotto! Spanish short grain paella rice does the same thing but in much less time. You get the point: know your rice.    

And part of that knowing is that paella is the Spanish word for pilaf. Pilaf, plov, pilau and all the linguistic variations mean rice  mixed with lots of other good foods.               

Here are some ways to celebrate the world's most beloved and used  grain. I'm starting with Hoppin John because down South it's considered the luckiest food to eat on New Year's Day.  And because we're still in holiday hoopla time I'm including the most festive. Next post will provide thriftier, simpler rice dishes like vegetable paella. Egyptian kushari (rice with lentils and macaroni), Bhutanese red rice pilaf, Mexican rice and another tomato rice.  

Hoppin' John 

  not my photo

This is the vegetarian version.  The more traditional version would put a ham hock in the pot first and leave it there. You can certainly do that.

For 6-8

½ lb. black-eyed peas, soaked overnight and drained

2-3 tbsp corn oil, enough to cover the bottom of your pot

1 lg onion, peeled and diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 sm poblano pepper, roasted and diced
1 tsp chipotle chili powder

½ tsp smoked paprika

¼ tsp ground cayenne

2 celery ribs, diced

4 cups vegetable broth

½-1 cup water

½ bunch collard greens, chopped

1-1½ cups rice (depending on how thick you want this)

Salt and black pepper to your taste

Heat oil in a heavy gauge casserole or stock pot. Add onion and sauté over medium heat until onion is soft and translucent, maybe 5 minutes. Add garlic and poblano pepper, stirring to blend.  Sauté 1 minute. Add spices and celery. Sauté 2 minutes. (Add oil if necessary)

Add broth, water and black-eyed peas. Bring to a boil, lower heat to simmer, cover and cook 45 minutes.

Add collard greens, rice, salt and pepper. Cover and continue to simmer another 20-25 minutes, checking from time to time that you have enough liquid. Add water by the ¼ cupful if you need it. Taste for seasoning, adjust if necessary, and serve with freshly chopped cilantro leaves.

Uzbek Plov

    not my photo

This is a festive dish in its own right and a very hearty sight on a cold winter night.  It's for a crowd.    

 serves 8-10

¼ c vegetable oil

2  tbsp sesame oil

2  large red onions, diced

2  cloves garlic, minced

3  pounds beef round or chuck, cut into 1 1/2” cubes

1  tbsp cumin seeds, preferably Uzbeki, plus more to taste

1  tbsp sea salt, plus more to taste

½  tsp black pepper

¼  cup barberries (the best substitute are cranberries)*

10  large carrots, peeled and cut in 2” lengths, then shredded in a food processor or grated by hand

1½  pounds medium-grain rice, preferably Kokuho Rose extra fancy sushi

¼  tsp cayenne, plus more to taste

2  fat scallions, finely chopped for garnish

1  handful pomegranate arils for garnish

*failing that soak raisins in lemon juice

Combine oils in a 7-quart pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes until the onions “taste of the oil” and are golden; remove to a  plate.

Add the beef in 2 batches, cooking until browned on all sides, about 30 minutes. Return the beef and onions to the pot, then add 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cumin seeds, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt,  black pepper, half the barberries and a handful of the carrots. Add enough water to cover, about 6 cups. Bring to a boil, then cover the pot and simmer over medium heat for 35 minutes.

While the meat is cooking, wash the rice in a large sieve with cold water until the water runs clear. Soak the rice in warm water for 15 minutes to open it up, drain.

Toss the remaining carrots with the remaining salt and the cayenne. Spoon the carrots in a layer over the meat, adding more water if needed to cover the carrots. Cover the pot and cook for just a few minutes.

Without disturbing the carrots, spoon the rice gently on top. Cook, stirring the rice every 10 minutes and making sure not to touch the carrots until the water is evaporated and the rice cooked, about 30 minutes in all. Cover the pot and cook over low heat for 10 more minutes.

To serve, spoon the rice onto a large platter, then top with the carrots and meat. Sprinkle the scallions on top, along with the remaining cumin seeds, barberries and pomegranate seeds.

Arroz con gandules (green pigeon peas)

 not my photo

This traditional holiday time pilaf comes from Puerto Rico so it features the favorite Caribbean legume, gandule aka pigeon pea. It looks like a garden pea but tastes more like a split pea.  Cans are in most supermarkets in the foreign food section. In any event, the flavors will put Caribbean sunshine on your table in the dark of winter.

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
¼ lb. country ham or roasted pork, cubed
½ green bell pepper, chopped (about ½ cup)

1 sm yellow onion, chopped (about ½ cup)
2 tbsp ground coriander

2 tbsp annatto aka achiote seed or powder
3 lg garlic cloves, minced
 2 tsp. cilantro, finely chopped
1 tsp. dried oregano
1½ cups medium grain rice
1 can (15 oz.) gandules (green pigeon peas)
4 oz. tomato sauce
¼ cup manzanilla olives stuffed with pimientos, sliced

Heat oil in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add ham/pork to pan. Cook until brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in peppers and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, scraping up brown bits from bottom, until they are soft and translucent, 10 minutes. Add coriander, annatto, garlic, cilantro and oregano. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add rice to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until it coated in oil and toasted, about 1 minute. Stir in the gandules, tomato sauce, olives and 1½ cups of water. With a wooden spoon, stir once and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, uncovered, until water is evaporated, about 10 minutes. Gently stir rice from bottom up.

Lower heat to low/simmer and cover the pot. Cook until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Gently fluff rice with fork. Cover pan and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Indian Biryani

preparing ingredients

Although this looks ordinary and simple, this is one of the most celebratory Indian dishes. And it celebrates basmati rice, the fragrant Indian variety. Its creation requires posh ingredients like saffron, almonds and butter along with a bit of effort to compile its components. But nothing is hard or time consuming, and the result is elegant and aromatic. Perfect on its own with sides of fruit chutney, raita and garlic naan; or mashed winter squash seasoned with Berbere spice mix and green salad; or beside roasted meat. And oh yes, this is a vegetarian version.

Serves 6-8

Grind together this spice mix:

2 1/2” fresh ginger root, peeled

4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

3 cardamom pods (if you don’t have pods use 1/4 tsp ground cardamom)

2” cinnamon stick or 1 heaping tsp ground cinnamon

3 whole cloves

1/2 tsp black peppercorns

Make rice

Wash 2 cups good quality Basmati rice and cook until tender with

3 1/2 cups water

2 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp saffron soaked in 1 tbsp warm water

When rice is cooked, stir in the saffron with its water.

Heart of the Biryani

1 tbsp corn, mustard, safflower or olive oil

2 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter

1 lg yellow onion, peeled, halved, then sliced into very thin wedges that will break up into thin strings of onion

1 Indian or Chinese eggplant, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1 1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas

3 med carrots, diced

2 med Yukon gold or purple potatoes, washed and diced

handful of green beans (10-12) diced

1 cup either finely shredded and diced red cabbage or corn

1 medium yellow or zucchini squash, diced

1/2 tsp chili powder (Arbol is most authentic if you have it)

1 tsp anise or fennel seeds

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1 tsp salt

1 c coconut milk

Optional: you may need 1/2 c vegetable broth if the pot gets too dry.

In a medium soup pot or casserole, heat oil and ghee over medium flame.

When the mix is hot, add onions with a pinch of salt and sauté until onions are soft and translucent, 3-5 minutes.  Now stir in the spice mix you ground and continue to sauté until it’s aromatic and the onions have a golden color, another 3-5 minutes.

Add the chopped vegetables, chili powder and fennel seeds. Stir to blend and continue cooking until the vegetables are hot. Add the coconut milk, salt and chopped cilantro. Stir to blend. Cover and cook over low heat until vegetables are soft, checking to insure there is always some juice in the pot (1/4-1/3 cup is fine). Add broth if necessary.

Once vegetables are soft and rice is cooked, combine them in a large, wide pan or serving dish.

Finishing touches

Melt 1/2 cup ghee or butter in a small frying pan or skillet.

When it’s hot, add 1/2 cup raw almonds.

Sauté 3-5 minutes until almonds are hot and coated with butter.

Toss in 1/4 tsp salt.

Pour contents of the frying pan over the biryani.

Optional: you can also fry a small onion, thinly sliced, in butter until it’s crisply brown and put it on top as the final touch of tastiness.

Arabian Gulf Rice aka Mandi 

 not my photo

The origins of this pit (tandoor) roasted rice dish are said to be Yemen where it's made with lamb or baby chicken and is sometimes known as Arabian biryani. The recipe I have is unusual in that it uses large shrimp instead of meat. But the typical Yemeni spice blend is the same, which is what sets the dish no matter what protein goes with the rice apart from all other pilafs. It's that spice list that makes the ingredients look long.

serves 6
1 lb basmati rice, soaked in lots of water 2 hrs
2 1/4 lbs unshelled tiger/king prawns
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric
6 garlic cloves,  peeled and crushed
1/4 c olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 onions, peeled: 1 cut into 4 wedges, 1 diced and 1 sliced in thin disks
1 lemon, halved
1 lemon, juice only
1 whole head garlic, cut in half horizontally
3 1/2 c chicken or vegetable stock
2 cinnamon sticks 
1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite size pieces
8 cardamom pods, smashed 
2" piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 green chili pepper, seeded and  minced
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp (lg pinch) ground cloves
3/4 c chopped or grated tomatoes
1/4 c  fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
3   tbsp unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 1/2 tbsp fresh dill, roughly chopped      
1/4 tsp dried chili flakes 

 Drain the soaking rice in a sieve and set aside.   
Peel and de-vein the prawns, saving the heads and shells.
In a bowl, mix the peeled prawns with garam masala, 1/4 tsp turmeric, two garlic cloves, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Refrigerate while you continue.

In a large  lidded saucepan, combine the prawn heads and shells,  lemon halves, head of garlic, stock, one cinnamon stick and 1 tsp salt.  Over med/high heat, bring to a boil. Immediate lower heat to  low, cover pot and simmer 25 minutes.  Set a sieve over a bowl or saucepan and strain the broth to remove the solids (in the sieve).             
On medium/high heat, in a lidded saucepan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil. Add chopped onion, green pepper, cardamom and 1 cinnamon stick. Cook, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes until the onion is soft and starting to get light brown.  Add remaining garlic, ginger and green chili. Cook 1 minute. Add the spices, the remaining turmeric, tomatoes, cilantro and 2 tbsp prawn stock you made. Cook, stirring occasionally, 6-8 minutes until the mixture has thickened.  

Stir in the drained rice  and coat it well in the mixture. Add 2 3/4 c prawn stock with 3/4 tsp salt  and a good grind of fresh black pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover the pot tightly with foil, then with the lid  and turn heat to low. Simmer 15 minutes. Turn heat off. Let the pot stay put lid on another 15 minutes. (It's steaming the rice.)   

Uncover the pot, add 2 tbsp butter. Put the lid back on and let the rice sit 10 minutes. The butter should have melted through it. While you're waiting,   in a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt 1 tbsp butter with 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the sliced onion and sauté stirring  to soften and deeply brown it (caramelize), 12-15 minutes. Transfer the onions to a bowl, leaving the fat in the pan. Add the remaining tbsp olive oil to the pan. Add the marinated prawns (you may need to do this in two batches) sauté until browned and cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Transfer them to a bowl and mix with the dill, chili, lemon juice and remaining cilantro. 

Spread the rice on a large platter, top with the browned onions and then the prawns. Serve right away.