Non-Meatballs With Squash Sauce (Indian Style)

INGREDIENTS (for 2-4)

4 defrosted veggie burgers (the vegetable kind, not the "mock meat" kind)

3 tbsp unbleached all purpose flour

1 large onion

1 small butternut squash

1/2 cup soy milk

1 green onion or fresh cilantro (for decoration)

1 tbsp shredded fresh ginger

Salt to taste 

Vegetable oil

Spice mix:

- 1 tbsp ground turmeric

- 1 tsp ground cumin

- 1 tsp ground coriander

- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

- 1/2 tsp asafoetida

- 1/2 tsp chili powder

- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom

PREPARATION

Place the defrosted veggie burgers in a large bowl and mash them together. You don't need a smooth paste, just destroy them a little!

Then make meat-less meatballs with it. Depending on the size, you could make either 12 or 6 (3 or 2 meat-less meatballs from each burger).

Place the flour in a bowl and batter the non-meatballs with it. Reserve.

Place a skillet with 6 tbsp vegetable oil over medium heat. 

Fry the non-meatballs until golden brown, carefully turning them while cooking so they fry evenly.

Then place them in a plate and reserve.

Mix all the spices in a bowl and reserve.

Peel and chop the onion into small pieces.

Peel and cut the butternut squash into small cubes.

Place a skillet with 3 tbsp vegetable oil over medium heat and add spices. Stir for a few seconds and add the onion, squash and ginger. Stir well and fry for about 10 minutes.

Add 1/3 cup water, stir and cook for another 10 minutes or until water is absorbed.

When the onion is golden brown and the squash is soft, turn off heat and pour the cooked vegetables into a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and pour back into the skillet.

Lower heat and add the soy milk slowly while stirring. Cook for a couple of minutes and add the non-meatballs (be gentle, you don't want to destroy them now).

Cook for 5-10 minutes, keeping heat at low. 

Turn off heat. Chop the green onion or cilantro (or both) and sprinkle on top of the non-meat balls.

Serve immediately!

You can serve this plate with basmati rice, any Indian bread you like or green salad. I usually do the "Indian Fest Night" and cook many different dishes to share with friends (Dhal, Cumin Rice, Palak Tofu, Samosas, Cucumber and Lime Salad...), so we can have a lot of flavors in our table as well as a balanced meal. I looooove Indian food.

Vegetable Cous Cous

Traditional Moroccan Cous Cous... made easy

INGREDIENTS (for 2)

1 cup bulgur*

1 small butternut squash

3 carrots

1 large zucchini (or 2 small)

1 large onion (or 2 small)

1 turnip

4 cups vegetable stock

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp margarine**

Salt

Olive oil

Spice mix:

- 1 tbsp turmeric

- 1 tsp ground cumin

- 1 tsp ground coriander

- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp shredded fresh ginger or 1tsp ground ginger 

- 3 bay leaves

*Many times you'll see this listed as Cous Cous... but Cous Cous is the entire dish, not just the grain. The grain is called "bulgur".

**I prefer "Earth Balance Original".

PREPARATION

Mix all the spices in a bowl. Reserve.

Cut the onion into thin strips.

Pour about 8 tablespoons olive oil in a pot and heat over medium heat.
Fry the onion until it begins to brown.
Add spices to pot and stir well for a few seconds. 

Peel the squash and cut into cubes. Add to pot. Stir well.

Peel the carrot. Cut carrots, turnip and zucchini into large chunks. Reserve.

Add tomato paste to pot. Stir well.

Add vegetable stock, turnip and bay leaves to pot.
Reduce heat, stir well and cover. Let simmer about 15 minutes.

Add carrots and zucchini and cover. Cook for 10 minutes on low heat.

While cooking, place the bulgur in a large, wide bowl. Salt to taste and add a dash of olive oil (not much, just a little). Stir with a fork.

Put 1 1/3 cups water in a pot and boil.

Pour gradually over the bulgur. Mix with a fork or your hands, separate balls that form.
Continue adding water and mixing until it runs out.

Cover the plate of bulgur and allow the water to absorb, about 10-15 minutes.

Melt the margarine in a pot over low heat.

Uncover the bulgur and add the margarine, mixing it gently with a fork.

Make a mound with it, leaving a hole in the middle (like a flat volcano).

Salt the vegetables to taste, mix well.

Pour the vegetables over the bulgur. You can decorate the "volcano" of bulgur with the pieces of squash, carrots and zucchini. Then pour some of the broth on top.

Serve with the remaining broth in a separate bowl with a spoon so everyone can add more broth to their plates (or not), depending on preference.

Squash Kaffir Lime Cous Cous

INGREDIENTS (for 2-3)

1 cup bulgur*

1 small butternut squash

2 carrots

1 large zucchini (or 2 small)

1 large onion (or 2 small)

3 red tomatoes

1/2 cup prunes (optional)

3 cups vegetable broth

1 tsp sugar

Salt

Olive oil

Spice mix:
- 1 tbsp turmeric

- 1 tsp ground cumin

- 1 tsp ground coriander

- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

- 3 bay leaves
- 5 kaffir lime leaves

*Many times you'll see this listed as Cous Cous... but Cous Cous is the entire dish, not just the grain. The grain is called "bulgur".

PREPARATION

Mix all the spices in a bowl. Reserve.
Cut the onion into thin strips.

Pour about 8 tablespoons olive oil in a pot and heat over medium heat.
Fry the onion until it begins to brown.
Add spices to pot and stir well for a few seconds.

Peel the squash and cut into cubes. Add to pot. Add prunes. Stir well.
Peel the carrot. Cut carrots and zucchini into large chunks. Reserve.

Grate tomatoes and add to pot. Stir well.

Add vegetable broth, kaffir lime leaves and bay leaves to pot.
Reduce heat, stir well and cover. Let simmer about 15 minutes.
Add carrots and zucchini and cover. Cook for 10 minutes on low heat.

While cooking, place the bulgur in a large, wide bowl.
Salt to taste and add a dash of olive oil (not much, just a little). Stir with a fork.

Put 1 1/3 cups water in a pot and boil.

Turn off heat and pour gradually over the bulgur. Mix with a fork or your hands, separate balls that form. Continue adding water and mixing until it runs out.

Cover the plate of bulgur and allow the water to absorb, about 10-15 minutes.
Uncover the bulgur and make a mound with it, leaving a hole in the middle (like a flat volcano).

Salt the vegetables to taste, mix well.
Pour the vegetables over the bulgur. You can decorate the "volcano" of bulgur with the pieces of squash, carrots and zucchini. Then pour some of the broth on top.

Serve with the remaining broth in a separate bowl with a spoon so everyone can add more broth to their plates (or not), depending on preference.