Potato Cabbage Curry

Back in the days I lived in Ithaca, NY I frequented a little natural grocery store called the Oasis.  I became very familiar and fond of the hot and cold menu options.  One of my absolute favorites, and I looked forward to getting some each week, was the Potato Cabbage Curry.

It's not a "wet" saucy curry that you might think of where there's a gravy style sauce and it's served over rice. It's more of a dry curry.  What I love about Indian cooking is the layering of spices and flavors.  Both in the ground and in the whole seed form.  It lends such complexity and fragrance to the final meal.

This dish is easy to prepare with ingredients you might have on hand. It makes an excellent side dish for both the starch and the veg. Or you could make this for meatless Mondays in about 45 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1 Head cabbage, chopped
• 4 Yukon Gold Potatoes, large dice
• 1 Onion, diced
• 1 tomato or 1-1/2 Cup Cherry Tomatoes diced
• 1/4 Cup frozen Green Peas
• 1/4 Cup Water (if needed)
• 3 cloves Garlic, chopped
• 2 teaspoons Tomato Paste
• 1 heaping teaspoon whole Cumin seeds
• 3 tablespoons Canola Oil, separated
• 1 tablespoon Sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
• 1 teaspoon ground Cumin powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon Chili power

In a large skillet or saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Toss in the cumin seeds and cook until toasted and fragrant (2 min). Add the onion and continue to cook stirring occasionally until soft and starting to brown (5 min). Add in the garlic and continue stirring until fragrant (1 min).

Add in the remaining tablespoon of canola oil and the potatoes. Stir gently until the potatoes are partially cooked (5 min).

Add in the Turmeric, Cumin, Salt, Sugar, Chili Powder and stir until the spices bloom (1 min).

Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and enough water to enable scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan; that's the good stuff.  Cook until the tomatoes soften (3 min).

Add the cabbage and stir to coat the leaves before covering to cook (15 - 20 minutes).

Add the peas and cook until they are warmed through, but remain bright green (3-5 min). Take a test bite and adjust seasonings as needed.

Enjoy!

Refrigerator Pickles

It's sadly been *almost* two years since I last did a foodie post.  I was busy with the house build which has been a long time in the making.  However, the days are long now and the CSA is in full swing!  In our last batch we received a number of cucumbers that have inspired a host of cool salads and of course pickles!

This is my first batch of refrigerator pickles. And as a note of warning, they are still curing and thus I have no idea of they are awesome.  But I'm optimistic.

These are so insanely simple I'm not sure why I haven't tried this before.  And there were lots of variations to choose from.  I based my recipe on what ingredients I had on hand.  There were <<TONS>> of recipes using celery seeds.  I had none on hand.  I suppose I could have used celery salt and omitted the kosher salt, but instead I kept hunting for a different mix that I could alter.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups of Distilled White Vinegar (next time I'll try Apple Cider Vinegar)
2 Cups Boiling Water
1/3 Cup Granulated Sugar
4 Teaspoons Kosher Salt (Use 2 1/2 to 3 Teaspoons if using regular Table Salt)
1 Tablespoon Mustard Seed
1 Tablespoon Coriander Seed (Next time I'll try toasting them first)
1 Teaspoon Dry Dill (Definitely use fresh if you have it)
2 Lbs of Cucumber Sliced (or crinkle cut)
2 small Red Onions

For the Pickle:

Combine all ingredients except the cucumber and onions in a bowl. Preferably one with a pour spout or use a wide mouth funnel or be prepared to wipe up after yourself.  Mix well until the salt and sugar have dissolved.

Meanwhile, layer the cucumbers and onions into canning jars or other glass container. They should be clean, but dishwasher clean is OK. Since we won't be storing these in the pantry, no need for the has-mat suit and super sterilization regimen.

Pour the liquid over the cukes and onions until almost to the top. Screw the lid on tightly and store in the fridge.  They will be ready to eat after 7 days and will keep for 12 months.

Variations:

You can pickle quite a lot of the Summer's bounty.

• Carrots
• Beets
• Onions
• Peppers (Sweet & Hot)
• Zucchini

What have you pickled?