Bean me up, Scotty

 News from the meat world is getting worse all the time now. Latest revelation is that chickens marked "organic" or "antibiotic-free" may harbor as many deadly pathogens as the cheaper birds. All the supermarket stuff is tainted, potentially with killer bacteria that can now outwit our antibiotics. So once again, cozy up to your local farmer if you want poultry.

That said, let's think vegetarian for the moment, and in keeping with the thought that January needs a lot of color added, consider beans. They're red, pink, black, white, yellow, green, even spotted. And they're great with greens and bright yellow cornbread as I said about black-eyed peas last time. This time, think black bean chili with luscious red salsa and a dollop of sour cream on top sitting beside cornbread and maybe slices of avocado dressed with a squeeze of fresh lime.

Or think about yellow split peas enticingly spiced with cinnamon, cardamom and ginger as a soup or served with less liquid over red or black rice. Here's the recipe from my book: Veggiyana, the Dharma of Cooking:

Split peas with kale and cinnamon for 6

2 cups yellow split peas, cleaned

1 bunch Tuscan kale, chopped (thick stem removed)

1 lg. cinnamon stick

2 bay leaves

5 cloves

1 tsp. cumin seed

½ tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. ground cardamom

½ inch fresh ginger, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. turmeric

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 medium red onion, diced

2 tbsp. olive oil or ghee if you prefer
5 cups water

½ bunch fresh cilantro for garnish

Bring water to boil in a large saucepan or medium casserole. Add split peas, turmeric, cinnamon stick and half the salt (1 tsp.). Cook covered for one hour, checking that there is always some water in the pot. While the peas cook, heat the oil or ghee in a medium-sized frying or sauté pan. Over medium heat, fry the bay leaves, cumin seeds and cloves for one minute. Add the onion, ginger and garlic and cook until the onions lightly brown, stirring to blend. Stir in the kale and 1 tsp salt. Continue cooking until the kale is glistening and soft.  Remove the bay leaves from the pot. Add the contents of the fry pan to the split peas. Add the ground cardamom, cumin and black pepper, stirring to blend. Taste for seasonings and adjust to your preference. Continue cooking until the peas are soft, adding water if necessary.  Some people prefer this soupy and others on the dry side. 

There is a very nutritious and aromatic Nepalese soup made from 9 beans, also in my book Veggiyana, the Dharma of Cooking, called Kwaati.


And finally, to top this all off, how about bright orange carrot pudding!  It's super popular comfort from Kathmandu to Kuwait. And the recipe, yes, is in Veggiyana, the Dharma of Cooking, so no need to repeat it here.

Next up, I'm working out the best recipe for the colorful, fragrant and yummy North African eggs in tomato dish: shakshuka. Not quite there yet so stay tuned.