Vegetarian Cuisine

Cara CongelliPeriod 4

MenuNaan with Hummus: A flat, leavened bread of northwest India served with a smooth spread of mashed chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic.

Fresh English Pea Salad with Mint and Pecorino: A simple salad made with bitter arugula, fresh mint, green peas, and salty pecorino.

Masoor Dal: A spicy stew made with red lentils that is cooked with vegetables and spices. Served over rice.

Curried Chickpeas with Vegetables: a blend of vegetables cooked in a skillet with a blend of Indian spices. Served over rice.

Spiced Baked Apples: Whole apples cored and filled with raisins and walnuts and baked with a warm, spiced sauce.

Time Management Plan Day 1Naan Part 1

3:30- Stir sugar, yeast and water together, let sit.3:40- In a mixing bowl, combine flour & salt and slowly mix yeast mixture in.3:45- Knead dough on pastry mat until dough is smooth and elastic.3:55- Oil a large mixing bowl and transfer dough, lightly covering in oil.4:00- Cover tightly with plastic wrap in room temperature.Hummus4:05- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.4:10- Put 5 cloves of garlic in baking dish lined with foil.4:15- Drizzle with olive oil and seal foil around garlic.4:20- Put baking dish in oven for 45 minutes.

In the meantime, measure out the rest of the ingredients needed in the hummus, and prepare food processer.

5:05- Remove garlic packet and let cool.5:10- Blend garbanzo beans, garlic, lemon juice, and tahini in food processor.5:20- Blend in olive oil and spices.5:25- Store hummus in container and refrigerate.Naan Part 25:35- Punch down dough and split into 8 equal pieces, put towel on top of bowl

and let rest.5:40- Place baking stone and oven-safe bowl of water in oven and preheat to

450 degrees.6:00 –Lightly flour the pastry mat and roll out each piece of dough about 1/8”

thick.6:10- Bake naan for 3 minutes then add 30 seconds before taking out.6:25- Let naan cool and then store in plastic bag.

Time Management Plan Day 1 (cont.)Preparing non-refrigerated ingredients

Dal6:40- Measure out turmeric and salt and store in separate containers.

Curried Chickpeas6:50- Measure out vegetable oil, cumin seeds, salt, curry powder, flour,

shredded coconut, and chopped cashews, and place in separate containers.

Baked Apples7:10- Measure out brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, raisins, and walnuts

and store in separate containers.

Time Management Plan Day 2

Preparing refrigerated ingredients

Baked Apples12:00- Measure each: butter, grate orange peel.12:05- Combine orange peel with walnuts and raisins, refrigerate mixture in

storage container separate from butter.12:15- Wash apples.Salad12:25- Measure each: Arugula, chop fresh mint, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and

pepper, shredded pecorino Romano cheese (stored/refrigerated separate).12:35- Combine lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper, store in container and

refrigerate.12:40- Combine Arugula, and mint in salad bowl. 12:50- Heat frozen peas in microwave for about 3 minutes on cook power 8.12:53- Put peas immediately into ice water, drain and add to arugula/ mint

mixture, cover and refrigerate.Dal1:00- Measure each: lentils, chop onion, mince garlic and ginger, cut and seed

Serrano peppers, dice plum tomatoes, chop cilantro. Store in separate containers and refrigerate.

Curried Chickpeas with Vegetables1:30- Measure each: rinse and drain chickpeas, cauliflower florets, green

beans, cube sweet potatoes, make vegetable stock, yogurt, finely chop jalapeno peppers. Store in separate containers and refrigerate.

2:00- Set table with table cloth, plates, napkins, utensils, glasses, center piece, and place cards.

Time Management Plan Day 22:40- Rinse lentils and put in sauce pan.

2:45- Add water, onion, garlic, ginger, and turmeric. Stir with wooden spoon.2:50- Cover sauce pan, turn heat to medium high until simmering then reduce

to medium low.2:55- Get out blender and rubber scraper.3:15- Turn off heat, scrape mixture into blender.3:20- Puree until smooth, then return mixture to sauce pan.3:25- Turn heat to medium low and add water and salt.3:30- Simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally until mixture has

thickened.3:35- Measure out 2.5 cups of brown rice and 6.5 cups of water3:40- Put rice and water into large sauce pan, add 1 Tbs. of salt.3:45- Cover and boil, then bring to a simmer.3:50- In large skillet, combine vegetable oil and cumin seeds over medium

heat until sizzling.3:55- Add ginger and garlic and cook over low heat without browning.3:56- Stir in curry powder3:57- Stir in chickpeas, sweet potatoes, cauliflower florets, green beans,

vegetable stock, salt, and black pepper to taste.4:05- Cover and cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender4:10- Reduce heat of Dal to warm and continue stirring occasionally.4:15- Stir together yogurt and flour4:20- Add to vegetables with jalapeno peppers4:25- Cook over low heat and stir until heated through4:30- Toast shredded coconut in skillet over medium low heat.

Time Management Plan Day 2 (cont.)4:40- Sprinkle coconut over curried vegetables.

4:45- Core apples4:55- Place apples in 13x9 baking dish and fill with raisin/walnut/orange peel

mixture.5:00- Set oven to 350 degrees5:05- In small sauce pan, bring butter, brown sugar, water, cinnamon and nutmeg

to a boil.5:15- Pour sauce over apples.5:20- Cover apples with foil5:25- Put apples in oven.5:30- Put Hummus in Fancy dish and put on table paired with a spreading knife.5:35- Wrap Naan in cloth and put in basket, warm in microwave for about 30

seconds on cook power 7, put on table.5:40- Turn off all heat on stove.5:45- Put rice and Dal in separate dishes with serving spoons and put on table.5:55- Remove Foil from apples in oven, and continue to bake.6:00- With a hot pad, put large skillet of curry mixture on table with serving

spoon.6:05- garnish Dal with cilantro, and sprinkle chopped cashews on top of curry

mixture.6:10- Remove apples from oven and let cool. Turn off oven.6:15- Take out salad bowl and drizzle lemon juice dressing and sprinkle pecorino

Romano cheese over top, toss and pair with salad tongs on table.6:20- Fill everyone’s glass with ice water. 6:25- Light candles on table, and turn on Indian music on Pandora. 6:30- Eat appetizer, salad, main course, and side dish.7:30- Dessert: Each bowl contains 1 apple, and a scoop of icecream.

Shopping List• 6 cans garbanzo beans (chick peas)• ½ cup Tahini• 1 ½ cups lentils• 2 Tbs. + 1 1/8 tsp. fresh ginger• 3 fresh Serrano peppers• 1 ½ plum tomatoes• 3 Tbs. Cilantro• 1 bag brown rice• 4 tsp. cumin seeds• 1 head of cauliflower• 2 sweet potatoes• 2 cups fresh green beans• 2 cups plain yogurt• 2 Tbs. finely chopped jalapeño pepper • 4 Tbs. dried unsweetened coconut• ½ cup chopped unsalted cashews• 10 Gala apples

NaanIngredients• 3 Cups bread flour• 1 1/2 Tablspoons sugar• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt• 4 teaspoons active dry yeast• 2 Tablspoons olive oil• 1 1/4 Cups room-temperature water 

 Directions

In a medium sized mixing bowl, stir the sugar, yeast and water together then let sit for 10-15 mins until there's  a thick foamy layer at the top.In a large mixing bowl combine flour & salt then slowly mix the yeast mixture in.  Stir it all together (on low if you're usuing a stand mixer) for about 1 minute to activate the gluten in the flour.  Knead for about 10 mins by hand (or on low to medium speed with the dough hook) until the dough is smooth, soft, and elastic.  Add flour or water as needed only about a teaspoon at a time, the dough should be tacky, but not sticky.  Oil a separate large mixing bowl and transfer the dough, flipping it once to make sure the dough is lightly covered in oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a slightly warm place or at room temp for 1 - 1 1/2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.Punch the dough down (just literally punch it a couple of times without squishing it all up in your hands) then divide it equally into 8 pieces and roll the pieces into balls.  Cover (with a towel or something) and let rest for 20 mins.  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.Place the baking sheet or stone in the oven along with the small oven safe bowl filled with water so that they'll already be hot when you bake the pita.On a very lightly floured surface, roll out each ball of dough into a thin round, about 8 inches in diameter and about 1/8" thick.Gently place the rolled out dough in the oven and bake for about 3 mins, wait 30 seconds, then remove each bread to a rack to cool.  Generally you just want to watch them to see when they puff up and then let them bake for about 30 more seconds.  Avoid letting them brown up. Katie Congelli's recipe

Naan

Hummus Ingredients• 2 cups canned chickpeas/garbanzo beans• 1/3 cups fresh lemon juice (prob about 4 lemons if you want to get fancy)• 4 Tablespoons of Tahini (sometimes in International or Natural Foods

sections, sometimes near the peanut butter)• 2 cloves raw garlic• roasted garlic to taste (i think we used about 3 cloves)• salt to taste• 2 tablespoons olive oil• 1/4 to 1/2 tsps of cumin• sprinkling of paprika Directions

Toss the chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, garlic (raw & roasted) into a food processor or blender and mix until pureed.  Scrape the sides and bottom of the blender or processor to make sure you get all the bits then add the spices and olive oil.  Add water if you want to adjust the consistency. To roast the garlic either:Chop the top third of the head of garlic off the expose the tips of each clove then place it in about 1 inch of water (don't cover it with water), drizzle a little olive oil, salt & pepper on the top, then place it in the oven at about 325 degrees F for about 1/2 hr.  Or...put a couple of cloves (with their skin on) rolled in olive oil on a baking sheet and bake them at about 325 degrees F for about 1/2 hr, but check on them by gently poking them with a fork to see how soft they've gotten after about 15 mins. You want them to be super duper squishy.

Katie Congelli's recipe

Hummus

Fresh English Pea Salad with Mint and Pecorino

Ingredients• 2 cups of water• 1 cup shelled green peas (about 1 pound unshelled)• 6 cups trimmed arugula• ¼ cup chopped fresh mint• 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil• ½ tsp. salt• ¼ tsp. freshly round black pepper• ½ cup (2 ounces) shaved fresh pecorino Romano cheeseDirections

Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add peas; cook 1 minute. Drain and plunge peas into ice water; drain.Combine peas, arugula, and mint in a large bowl. Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper; toss well. Sprinkle with cheese.

Allrecipes.com

Fresh English Pea Salad with Mint and Pecorino

DalPick over, rinse, and place in a large saucepan:

1 cup yellow split peas or red lentilsAdd:

2 cups water1 small onion¾ tsp minced garlic¾ tsp minced peeled fresh ginger½ tsp ground turmeric

Simmer, covered, until the split peas are tender, 20-25 minutes. Puree through a food mill and return to the saucepan, stir in:1 cup water¾ tsp salt

Simmer, partially covered, until the dal is thickened to the consistency of split pea soup, about 20 minutes. Stir in:2 fresh Serrano or jalapeno peppers, seeded and cut into thirds1 plum tomato, diced2 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro

Serve with:Hot cooked rice

 

The Joy of Cooking Cookbook

Dal

Curried Chickpeas with VegetablesHeat in a large skillet over medium heat until sizzling:

¼ cup vegetable oil2 tsp cumin seeds

Add:1 Tbs minced peeled fresh ginger1 Tbs minced garlic

Cook, stirring over low heat for 1 minute; do not brown. Stir in:2 tsp curry powder

Cook for 1 minute. Stir in:1 ¾ cups cooked chickpeas (about 2/3 cup dried), rinsed and drained if canned2 cups ½ inch cubes peeled sweet potatoes2 cups cauliflower florets1 cup 1-inch pieces green beans1 cup chicken stock½ to 1 tsp saltGround black pepper to taste

Cover and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir together:1 cup yogurt2 Tbs all purpose flour

Add to the vegetables along with:1 Tbs finely chopped fresh jalapeno peppers

Cook, stirring, over low heat until heated through; do not boil. Toast in another skillet over medium-low heat:2 Tbs shredded dried unsweetened coconut

Sprinkle over the vegetables. Top with:¼ cup chopped roasted unsalted cashews or peanuts

The Joy of Cooking Cookbook

Curried Chickpeas with Vegetables

Spiced Baked ApplesIngredients

¾ cup and 3 Tbs. raisins½ cup and 2 Tbs. chopped walnuts1 ¼ tsp. grated orange peel1 ¼ cups packed brown sugar1 ¼ cups water¼ cup and 1 Tbs. butter1 ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon1 ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg10 large baking apples

DirectionsCombine raisins, nuts and orange peel; set aside. In a saucepan, bring brown sugar, water, butter, cinnamon and nutmeg to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Core apples and place in an ungreased 13x9 baking dish; fill with raisin mixture. Pour sugar mixture over and around apples. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until apples are tender. Let stand 15 minutes before serving

Allrecipes.com

Spiced Baked Apples

Table Setting

Table Setting

Table Setting

NutritionFruits Vegetabl

esGrains

Protein Dairy Oils

Naan with Hummus

•Lemon juice

•Chickpeas•Garlic

•Naan •Tahini•Chickpeas

•Olive Oil

Salad •Lemon Juice

•Arugula•Mint•Peas

•Pecorino Romano Cheese

•Olive Oil

Dal •Plum tomato•Cilantro•Serrano peppers•Garlic•Lentils•Onion

•Brown rice

•Lentils

Curried Vegetables

•Coconut •Garlic •Chickpeas•Cauliflower•Green beans•Jalapeño peppers

•Brown rice

•Cashews •Yogurt •Vegetable oil

Baked Apples

•Apples•Raisins

•Walnuts •Butter

Why I Chose the MenuSince there are many members in my

family who have chosen to live on a vegetarian or vegan diet, I chose dishes that did not include meat. I was also interested in making a satisfying meal that didn’t require a form of meat to make it delicious. This also made the meal very nutritious because its filled with fruits and vegetables. For the majority of my meal the recipes were from the Indian culture mainly because I love the blend of flavors that are used. Not only is the food good, but I respect the reasons behind why their culture avoids using meat in their dishes. The principle of nonviolence towards animals is connected with the intention to avoid negative karmic influences which result from violence. The appreciation I had for this idea allowed me to enjoy the food I made on an entirely different level.

How the Meal Turned Out• Every dish tasted great!• Difficult to get all vegetables equally

tender in curry recipe.• Not enough space on the stove.• Found it to be easier to measure out all

of the ingredients before hand.• Easier to clean dishes as I went.• Surprised at how much energy was

required to make the entire meal and clean up afterwards.

• Realized that doubling some of the recipes required much more space.

• Made the perfect amount of food, barely any leftovers.

What I Would Do Differently• Overestimate the amount of time I

actually need.• Include another cold dish.• Consider the amount of room on

the table.

Reactions From the Guests• Very impressed!• Love for Indian food, lots of

compliments.• Everyone asked for the recipes.• People went back for seconds and

thirds.• Surprised that all of the dishes

were vegetarian.• Compared the food to restaurant

quality.

How did Creative Cooking Help

This Creative Cooking course has helped me in that it significantly diminished the number of mistakes I make in the kitchen. I have learned that preparation and readiness is extremely important especially when trying out a new recipe for the first time. By practicing the lab plans, I have learned to review the recipe completely to make sure I know the exact amount of ingredients to use and the proper equipment required to do specific jobs. Not only does this improve the final product, but it also makes cooking more enjoyable and relaxed. So by taking the time to map out my plan the day before my meal, I was able to easily cook through each dish without scrambling around and making mistakes.

  

Conclusion• Thanks to my mom who helped me

purchase all of the ingredients.• I learned that making successful

meals from scratch is very gratifying.

• I learned that I love trying different foods from around the world.

• Overall this project was a great experience, putting the work into making this a success was way more fun than I thought it would be!