RECIPES
Chana Masala (Punjabi Chickpeas)
Feb 17th
Recipe tried, photographed, and eaten by Ty Tanji.
(serves 4)
Chickpeas are the shit.
These lovely legumes, also known as garbanzo beans, have fans in Indians, Sicilians (panelle), Middle Easterns (hummus, falafel), French (socca), and Filipinos (halo-halo), for starters, and provide a substantial amount of protein, vitamins and minerals in just a few ounces. I love their offbeat, mealy creaminess – you need to eat them for yourself to know – and slightly earthy flavor.
Some of the less common ingredients, such as besan flour and mustard seeds, are available at Whole Foods Kāhala Mall or India Market on the corner of University Avenue and Beretania Street.
If you can get your hands on some good Indian bread, such as naan or roti paratha, this Punjabi dish will transport you to the streets of northern India, where chana masala is commonly sold as street food. Serve over basmati rice steamed with a little turmeric and coriander seed.
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced on the grain
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons besan (chickpea) flour
1 14-ounce can tomatoes
½-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
½ green jalapeño, minced
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon red chili powder
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 15.5-ounce cans chickpeas
¾ cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon garam masala
In a wok or large saucepan, sauté the onion, garlic, mustard and coriander seeds, and cumin in the oil over medium heat until the onion is soft and spices are fragrant. Add the flour and stir constantly for a minute, then add the tomatoes, ginger, jalapeño, turmeric and chili powder, and simmer for 10 minutes or until reduced by half. Add the chickpeas, water, salt, and half the cilantro, and simmer for 10 minutes or until the sauce is thick, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle in the garam masala, stir, taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary, and pour into a serving bowl. Garnish with the remaining cilantro and serve.
Cheesy Chicken Casserole
Feb 16th
Recipe originally from Miss Gibby
Submitted by Laura Douglas
6 chicken breasts, cooked, boned and cut into bite-size pieces
2 10-oz. packages broccoli pieces, boiled until crisp-tender
2 cups milk
16 oz. cream cheese
1 tsp. salt
¾ tsp. garlic salt
1½ cups grated parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place broccoli and chicken in 9″-by-13″ pan. Blend milk, cream cheese, salt, garlic salt and ¾ cup of parmesan cheese. Spoon mixture over broccoli and chicken. Top with remaining parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly on top. Lastly, enjoy with friends!
The Grinds: Nori-Wrapped Mochiko Chicken
Feb 3rd
Recipe and photo by Wendee Augustiro
A tasty item that's great for a home-packed lunch or a packed-home lunch.
(Serves 4-6)
2-1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
¾ cup mochiko (sweet rice flour)
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup green onion, sliced
2 eggs
¼ cup cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup shoyu (soy sauce)
2 sheets of nori, cut into 1-inch strips
- Slice chicken into bite-sized pieces, about the size of a “fun size” candy bar.
- Mix together the rest of the ingredients and pour over the chicken, and marinate in the fridge overnight.
- Heat oil (to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit, if you want to be exact).
- Wrap the chicken pieces in the nori strips and fry until golden brown.
*To determine the right temperature of the oil, I stick a wooden chopstick in the oil and watch for bubbles that are released. If the bubbles are popping up at a moderate speed, it’s ready. You can also just drop a bit of the batter in and watch how quickly it crisps up.
Wendee Augustiro is a Renaissance woman who attends classes at UH, knows how to cook, and plays a mean match of roller derby.
Spicy Mexican Pasta
Jul 14th
Recipe tried, photographed, and eaten by Cynthia McCoy.
Details: All the ingredients are versatile – you can use them in tons of other dishes, so it’s worth it to buy them if you don’t already have them. Chipotle sauce is awesome on nachos, tacos, and burritos. Balsamic vinegar is as essential to pastas as olive oil. Buy it!
Servings: 2
Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
4-6 oz. thin spaghetti
3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3 oz. black olives
3 tsp. chipotle sauce (Mexican hot sauce)
salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
Boil pasta according to directions. Drain pasta; return to pot. Pour olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and chipotle sauce over pasta. Stir well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bust open a can of black olives and use half the can (around 3 oz.). For whole olives, chop them if you want it to look nice, crush them between your fingers if you don’t care. Mix together and enjoy.
Coconut Butter Mochi
Jan 27th
Recipe tried, photographed, and eaten by Loraine Ho.
Details: Classic local snack popular at church gatherings, potlucks, and questionable house parties. This mochi is so heavy, it uses an entire whopping brick of butter. Best to consume if you seem particularly emaciated. Makes enough to feed an army.
Cost: About $9-$10
Servings: 12
Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Difficulty: Easy. Just mix the batter and pop it into the oven.
Ingredients:
16 oz. mochiko (rice flour)
2 cups sugar
8 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter
1 tsp. baking powder
3 cups milk (it called for whole, but guilt made me use 1%)
5 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees while you mix your batter. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan, and heat the butter in the microwave so it’s nice and goopy. Grab two large bowls to keep the wet ingredients away from the dry. Mix the milk, vanilla, and eggs in one bowl, and the sugar, rice flour, and baking powder in the other. Then combine the ingredients of both bowls, and stir in the butter.
Once your batter is smooth, pour everything into the baking pan and let it bake for an hour. Edges should be golden brown. Let cool, cut and serve. (Don’t put it in a refrigerator right away because it will sweat.)
Happy snarfing!
Altered and compiled from several online recipes.
Vegetarian Ziti with Tomato and Olive Sauce
Jan 17th
Recipe tried, photographed, and eaten by Cynthia McCoy.
Details: This is an absolutely delicious, remarkably quick bombshell of a dish. Impress blind dates and mob bosses alike with its high-class Italian façade. The goat cheese adds a wonderful false sense of superiority. Ghetto tip: you may buy olives and garlic separately, but I find it cheaper to buy garlic-stuffed olives. It will also save you time in preparation by chopping both at once, not to mention they taste rad. All ingredients can be found at any ol’ grocery store.
Cost: About $10-$15
Servings: 4
Time: 25 minutes
Difficulty: A breeze. Only chopping, mixing and boiling are involved.
Ingredients:
8 oz. ziti or mostaccioli pasta (even penne will work)
1/2 cup olives, drained (black or green – your call)
1/3 cup thinly sliced basil (fresh is best, boxed is next, chopped and canned are gross)
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2-4 cloves garlic
4 medium to large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
Crumbled goat cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional capers or red pepper flakes for flourish
Directions:
Cook pasta to package directions. While the pasta’s doing its thing, grab a large mixing bowl. Combine olives, basil, oil, vinegar, garlic, and any flourishes. Add tomatoes to the mixture and toss well. When the pasta has completed its metamorphosis from dry to cooked, drain and add to the mixture; toss well. Add goat cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. That’s it. Who knew good Italian food could be so easy?
—
Altered from a recipe in Low Fat and Fast: 150 Easy Meatless Recipes by the Vegetarian Times.
