Menu for the plant-based palate

Vegetarian Times, March, 2004 by Marie Oser

Indian cookery, evolving for almost 5,000 years, is perhaps the most balanced and varied of vegetarian cuisines. Many food aficionados believe that the exotic tastes, textures and spices of meals cooked in the Indian fashion make this the most elegant and aromatic cuisine of all.

Braised Seitan with Fragrant Tomato Gravy is a richly flavorful dish spiced with chiles and garam masala, an essential North Indian spice blend. Seitan, or wheat gluten, is made from the protein part of wheat. Sometimes listed as "mock duck," seitan is an alternative menu item at many Asian restaurants and is widely available in health food stores.

Most curries are stews; however, Curried Potatoes, Cauliflower and Peas is a "dry curry" made with less liquid than traditional curries. Fresh serrano chiles add depth and heat, and the light curry is given a unique nuance by the addition of mirin, a sweet Japanese rice wine.

Basmati rice has a nutlike flavor and aroma with delicate grains that elongate when cooked. Brown basmati is minimally processed and retains the bran and germ layers, delivering higher nutritional values, particularly of the B vitamins. Brown Basmati Pilaf offers an interesting balance to the spicy entree and side dish with crunchy cashews and the zing of crystallized ginger. If you'd like, serve pappadums with the pilaf. Available in several flavors, pappadums are paper-thin lentil wafers studded with Indian spices that seem to melt in your mouth. They can be heated in the microwave and will bubble and crisp right away.

Unlike traditional Indian desserts, Mango and Roses Pistachio Pudding is entirely free of dairy products. Sprinkled with pistachios just before serving, this luscious chilled treat owes its creamy consistency to lite silken tofu blended with frozen mango chunks. The white grape juice, muscovado brown sugar and ground coriander blend, and the rose water fills the air with the fragrance of roses while this aromatic pudding bakes. Chill several hours or overnight before serving.

Braised Seitan with Fragrant Tomato Gravy

SERVES 8

If seitar is packaged in a tub of broth, you will need 2 tubs. After discarding the broth, you will have about 16 ounces of seitan.

2 tsp. olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium-sized red onion, chopped
1 medium-sized serrano chile,
  seeded and chopped
2 8-oz. shrink-wrapped pkg. seitan
1 large zucchini, diced (about 2 1/4 cups)
1 16-oz. package sliced cremini
  mushrooms
1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans, drained
1 cinnamon stick
1 2-oz. can tomato sauce, preferably
  Roasted Red Pepper style
1 Tbs. garam masala
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 Tbs. plain soy yogurt

1. Heat oil, garlic, onions and chile in a
5-quart saucepan over high heat for 2
minutes. Cut seitan into bite-sized
pieces, and add to pan. Add zucchini,
mushrooms, garbanzo beans and cinnamon
stick. Cook mixture for 6 minutes,
stirring frequently.

2. Reduce heat to low, and add tomato
sauce, garam masala, turmeric and cilantro.
Cook for 10 minutes, and add soy yogurt.
Remove from heat, and keep warm until
ready to serve.

PER SERVING: 179 CAL; 13G PROT; 4G TOTAL EAT (0G SAT. FAT); 21G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 126MG SOD; 7G FIBER; 4G SUGARS

Curried Potatoes, Cauliflower and Peas

SERVES 8

Red potatoes are firm, smooth and moist, adding balance to the texture and spice of the dish.

1 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. grated fresh ginger
2 medium-sized serrano chiles,
  seeded and chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
1 large shallot, minced
2 1/2 lb. small red-skinned potatoes,
  unpeeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick
  slices (about 5 cups)
1 medium-sized head cauliflower,
  broken into florets (about 6 cups)
1/2 cup mirin
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1 tsp. Madras curry powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 1 lime (3 Tbs.)
1 cup boiling vegetarian "chicken"
  stock
1 1/2 Tbs. Bragg Liquid Aminos

1. Spray a Dutch oven or skillet with
olive oil cooking spray, add olive oil
and heat over medium-high heat for 1
minute. Add ginger, chiles, garlic, onions
and shallot, and cook for 3 minutes. Add
potatoes, and cook, stirring frequently,
for 8 minutes, or until browned and
softened. Add cauliflower, and cook for
3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce
heat to low, and add mirin.

2. Stir in peas, curry powder, cumin, cilantro,
lime juice, stock and Bragg Liquid Aminos.
Stir to mix thoroughly, and cook for 10 minutes,
or until potatoes are cooked through
and liquid is reduced to about 1/2 cup.
Remove from heat, and serve.

PER SERVING: 115 CAL; 6G PROT; 2G TOTAL FAT (0G SAT. FAT); 37G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 192MG SOD: 6G FIBER; 10G SUGARS

Brown Basmati Pilaf

SERVES 8

It's best to saute the rice for only a few minutes, and make sure that the broth is very hot. This technique will assure a tender, flavorful dish.

2 cups brown basmati rice
1 tsp. olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
2/3 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/2 cup shredded carrots
4 cups boiling vegetable stock
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/3 cup cashew pieces
1/4 cup crystallized ginger

1. Rinse rice thoroughly in a wire mesh
colander using cold running water for at
least 2 minutes. Set aside.

2. Heat oil for 30 seconds in a saucepan
over medium heat, and add shallot, scallions,
carrots and rice. Saute for 3 minutes,
stirring constantly. Add stock, turmeric
and salt. Bring to a boil, and stir in
cashews. Reduce heat to low, cover and
cook without stirring for 40 minutes, or
until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
Add ginger, and toss gently. Remove from
heat, and serve immediately.