Meal Planning

I'm overdue for weekly meal planning.  The weather has been so cold and occasionally blizzardy here that we have had trouble going to the store when planned and still haven't been able to get to the Indian grocery store to get final ingredients for dosa.  Last week I just made things from whatever we had on hand, like vegetarian chili and cornbread and lots of soups and sandwiches.  Here is what I currently have in the fridge to use up:  a whole mess of grated cabbage (leftover from chilli-garlic noodles), some carrots, fennel (still for the vegan pizza, but fortunately it's still good), about four ripe avocados, and some celery.  Here is what I'm planning to make:

Black Bean Burgers with Baked Sweet Potato Fries and Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup
I already have the burgers in my freezer, and I've started making my own pretzel bread.  It isn't as pretty as the store-bought stuff, but it's a thousand times better tasting because it's fresh.

Red Lentil & Squash Curry Stew and TLTs
I like this stew, and it's easy.  The TLTs are bacon-tasting tempeh, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches.

Stir-fried Seitan & Vegetables and Brown Rice
I have been making this every single week for awhile now.  It's quick, easy, and can be made with ingredients I keep on hand at all times.

Roasted Beet, Blood Orange & Fennel Pizza with Mixed Herb Tofu Chevre and Cinnamon Squash Chowder

Chilli-Garlic Noodles and leftover soup from another night
I can't think of a better way to use up the leftover cabbage, and this is an easy, tasty dish.  I made milder chili-garlic paste, and I have to use tons extra to make my noodles moderately spicy, but it works well for Simran's portion.  Almost bland.  She actually ate some of it.

Crispy Breaded Tofu Strips and Winter Squash Mac 'n Cheeze and Buffalo Hummus with Celery Sticks and some kind of leftover soup

Penne alla Vodka
I have the vodka sauce in the pantry.  I'm going to try to find some brown rice penne or something else whole grain that isn't as chewy as whole wheat pasta when we go to the Whole Foods today. 

Meal Planning

Time for weekly meal planning.  Since we ate impromptu meals of spaghetti and frozen pizza two nights last week, we have a couple meals to carry over.

Enchiladas Verdes and Red Cabbage Slaw

Vegetarian Reubens and Vegetarian French Onion Soup

Spaghetti Squash with Homemade Tomato Sauce & Vegan Meatballs and Green Chard

Zucchini "Crab" Cakes with Dill Tartar Sauce and Roasted Cauliflower with Raisins & Vinaigrette

Enchiladas (Again)
Sameer requested we do these a second time this week, so we'll use red sauce this time just to mix things up.

Roasted Beet, Blood Orange & Fennel Pizza with Mixed Herb Tofu Chevre
I bought blood oranges last week because I remembered seeing a tasty recipe that included them, but now I can't remember it and have no idea what to do with them.  Anyway, this is vegan and looks appealing.

Chilli Garlic Noodles

Dosa (From Scratch!) with Aloo Masala and Coconut Chutney and Sambar
We've never made dosa from scratch before, and I think we might even have a dosa pan that was gifted to us.  Time to make use of it.  I've always found sambar too spicy, so I'm making mine milder for all our sakes.

Aloo Masala (Curried Stir-Fried Potatoes, or "that spicy potato stuff that's always in dosa")

This recipe comes from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, in which he claims the potatoes remain slightly crunchy, which indicates it isn't exactly the stuff I'm used to having in dosa.  I plan to cook mine all the way through and try to make it less spicy than the stuff served in dosa shops, for Simran's sake.

Ingredients
3 tbs neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn
1 tbs cumin seeds (optional)
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 lbs all-purpose potatoes, like Yukon Gold, peeled and shredded or minced
1 tbs garam masala or curry powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch cayenne (nope, I'm leaving this out)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Directions

1. Put the oil in a large nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the cumin seeds if you're using them, fry for 30 seconds, then add half the onion and the potatoes. Add the spice blend along with the salt, pepper, and cayenne. Cook, stirring or tossing ,until the onion has caramelized and the potatoes are lightly browned, about 10 minutes; the potatoes need not be fully tender.

2. Add the cilantro to the pan, toss one, an transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with the raw onion and serve immediately.

Dosa (From Scratch!)

This recipe comes from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.  He does not call it "dosa from scratch," but since everyone I know makes dosa from a box mix, I think this name sums it up better.  Now that I'm less incompetent at making pancakes, I'm hoping I can handle this.  If I can, we'll finally be able to have the long sought-after cheddar cheese and onion dosa that no respectable dosa shop will ever make on request.

Ingredients
1/2 cup white urad dal (dhuli urad)
2 cups basmati rice (you can also substitute brown basmati rice to make it whole grain and an earthier flavor and somewhat chewier texture)
2 to 3 tbs vegetable oil, as needed
Salt

Directions

1. Soak the dal and rice in separate bowls in water to cover for 4 to 6 hours, or overnight if you prefer.

2. Turn your oven to its lowest temperature.  Drain the dal and put it in a blender with a tbs or two of water.  Purée it to a smooth consistency, adding as little additional water as necessary, but enough to allow the machine to do its work. Transfer the purée to a large mixing bowl.

3. Drain the rice and add half of it to the blender (there's no need to clean between batches) with about 1/4 cup water. Again, purée (it won't become as smooth as the dal), adding as little additional water as possible. Repeat with the remaining rice. Add the puréed rice to the dal and stir the two together; the resulting mixture should have the texture of a thick pancake batter. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, turn the oven off, and let the batter ferment overnight in the warmed oven.

4. Heat a large rectangular nonstick or cast-iron griddle over medium heat for a full minute before greasing it with a film of oil. Season the dosa batter with a large pinch of salt and stir to incorporate. Use a measuring cup or a ladle to pour 1/4 cup of batter into the center of the pan, then use the bottom of the measuring cup to spread the dough across the pan into a large oval shape not much more than 1/8 inch tick; don't worry if the thickness is inconsistent. (It's the same motion a pizza maker would make -- concentric circles with the bottom of the ladle -- to spread tomato sauce thinly and evenly across pizza dough.)

5. Tiny bubbles will form across the surface of the dough, and the bottom will crisp and turn a deep golden brown in 3 to 5 minute. Use a spatula to loosen the edges of the dosa, then roll it onto itself to make a cylinder and remove it from the griddle. Repeat with the remaining batter, greasing the griddle as necessary. Serve hot.

Milder Chile-Garlic Paste

I found this recipe for chile-garlic paste in Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.  I love chilli-garlic noodles, but the only chilli-garlic sauce I've seen in stores is insanely spicy.  Even the smell of it literally takes my breath away.  And no matter how little I use, Simran can't eat the finished product.  So I'm making a milder version of chile-garlic paste using a milder chile so that it's heavier on the garlic and not so spicy.  (If this turns out too spicy, I'll cut the amount of chile in half.)

Ingredients
1 cup hot dried red chiles, like red Thai, chile de arbol, pequin, or red New Mexico (I will be using ancho, also known as poblano, because it's one of the mildest chiles and I already have dried ones in the pantry.)
1/4 cup chopped garlic
1/4 cup white wine vinegar or distilled vinegar
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt, or to taste

Directions

1. Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor with 1/4 cup hot water and purée to a smooth paste. Add additional hot water by the tablespoon if the paste is too thick. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 months.

Tofu, Provençal Style

This recipe comes from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.

Ingredients
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs minced garlic
1 large or 2 medium onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
Large pinch saffron threads (optional -- do it, it tastes better with the saffron)
1 tsp fresh marjoram, oregano, or thyme or 1/4 tsp dried (I use 1 tsp herbs de provence to get the best of all worlds.)
2 tbs drained capers
2 cups chopped tomato (canned is fine), with juices
1 cup good-quality black or green olives or a mixture, pitted
1 1/2 to 2 lbs firm or extra-firm tofu, preferably pan- or deep-fried, or cooked in another fashion, but frozen or even fresh and blotted dry will do, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (I pan fry them, but in lots of grapeseed oil and for a few minutes on each side.)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

Directions

1. Put the oil in a large, deep skillet, preferably non-stick, over medium heat.  When hot, add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to take on some color, just a minute or so. Add the onions and the bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the saffron, herb, and capers and stir, then add the tomato and olives. Stir, bring to a boil, and cook until the sauce thickens a bit, about 10 minutes.

2. Add the tofu and cook, stirring once or twice, until it's swollen slightly and heated through, about 5 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary and plenty of black pepper.  Garnish and serve.

Vegetarian French Onion Soup

This recipe comes from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.

Ingredients
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil or 4 tbs (1/2 stick) butter
4 large onions, thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
Leaves of 2 or 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp dried
1 bay leaf
1 whole head garlic, cut crosswise through the equator
Salt and freshly ground black papper
5 cups vegetable stock
2 tbs cognac, Armagnac, or brandy (optional)
2 tbs parsley leaves, or more to taste, for garnish (optional)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
4 thick slices crusty bread

Directions

1. Put oil or butter in a large, deep saucepan or casserole over medium heat.  When the oil is hot or the butter is melted, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and beginning to brown. This will take 30 to 45 minutes; don't rush it.

2. Add the thyme, bay leaf, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste and cook with the onions for a minute before adding the stock and cognac (if you have parsley, add a few sprigs to the soup at this point; fish them out before serving). Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to medium-low and cook for 15 minutes, with bubbles occasionally breaking the surface.  (You may prepare the soup in advance up to this point; cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days, then reheat before proceeding.)

3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut 4 thick slices of crusty bread, rub them with a clove of garlic on each side, and toast them in the oven, in a toaster oven, or in a pan with olive oil (a la croutons).  Put a crouton in each of 4 ovenproof bowls.  Add a portion of soup and top each with at least 1/ cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.  Place the bowls in a roasting pan or on a sturdy cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese melts. Serve immediately.

Vegan Meatballs

I like having something in my spaghetti sauce, like ground seitan or vegan meatballs.  I've already tried one vegan meatball recipe from myvegancookbook.com, but despite how impressed I was, Simran didn't care for it, so now I'm trying the other.  I like to make such things in advance and throw them in a ziploc bag in the freezer for later.

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup Cooked Lentils
• 1 Cup Cooked Brown Rice
• 1/4 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
• 1/4 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Wheat Germ
• 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Teaspoons Lemon Juice
• 1/4 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1 Teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/8 Teaspoon Nutmeg
• 1/2 Teaspoon Chili Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Chipotle Chili Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
• 2 Teaspoons Molasses
• 2 Teaspoons Dry Mustard

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2. Mix ingredients together in a bowl. Measure out 2 tablespoons of mixture for each meatball and roll into a ball with your hands. Spray cooking sheet and place meatballs on it.

3. Place into oven and cook 15 minutes on one side and roll over and cook 15 minutes on the other side. After they are out of the oven, let stand for about 10 minutes to allow them to firm up.

[Edited 3/12/2014:  These had far too mustardy a taste.  The ones in the link above are much better.]

Meal Planning

Time for weekly meal planning.  I have some celery, white mushrooms, and cauliflower in the fridge to use up.  Here is what I'm planning to make:

Seitan & Veggie Stirfry with Brown Rice
It's easy, and I have tons of homemade seitan still in the freezer.

Penne alla Vodka
I already have the pasta, sauce, and vegetarian Italian sausage for this.

Tofu Po'Boy Sandwiches and Baked Sweet Potato Fries and Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup
This is probably my favorite sandwich at the moment.  It calls for fresh French bread and remoulade.  The fries will use up the remaining sweet potato in my pantry.

Spaghetti Squash with Thick Chunky Tomato Sauce and Collard Greens with Almonds

Enchiladas Verdes and Red Cabbage Slaw
This will use up the rest of the spinach I have to buy to make pita pizzas.

Pita Pizzas and Mushroom Pâté with (possibly leftover) French Bread

Roasted Cauliflower with Raisins and Vinaigrette and Vegetarian Reuben Sandwiches and (leftover) Soup
The cauliflower dish will use up the leftover cauliflower from last week's veg korma.  The rest is just meant to be easy stuff that's palatable.

One-Hour Vegetable Stock

This stock recipe comes from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.

Ingredients
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 carrots, sliced
1 onion, quartered (don't bother to peel)
1 potato, sliced
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 or 3 cloves garlic (don't bother to peel)
5 to 10 white mushrooms, halved or sliced
10 to 20 parsley stems or stems with leaves
2 tbs soy sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Put the oil in a deep skillet or broad saucepan or casserole over medium-high heat. When hot, add the carrots, onion, potato, celery, garlic, and mushrooms. Cook without stirring for about 5 minutes, then stir once or twice and cook until the vegetables begin to brown. (If you have more time, brown them well, stirring only infrequently.)

2. Add the parsley, 6 cups water, the soy sauce, and some pepper. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the mixture simmers steadily but gently. Cook for about 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender. (Longer is better if you have the time.)

3. Strain, then taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more soy sauce or a bit of salt, before using or storing.

Mushroom Pâté

This recipe comes from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.

Ingredients
3 tbs neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
About 2 lbs cremini or white mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and roughly chopped
1/4 cup dried porcini (optional), reconstituted
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbs tomato paste
3/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
2 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup Fresh Bread Crumbs or crumbled crackers, plus more as needed
Finely chopped chives or parsley leaves for garnish

Directions

1. Put the oil in a large skillet over high heat. When it is hot, add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook for another few minutes, then add the tomato paste and the white wine if you're using it. Stir and cook until the liquid is mostly evaporated, about 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the vegetables cool.

2. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a food processor, add the lemon juice and bread crumbs, and pureé until smooth. Taste and season with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed. The consistency should be fairly thick  but still easily spreadable; add more bread crumbs if it's too thin; add vegetable stock or water if it's too thick.

3. Spoon the pâté mixture into a terrine or ramekin(s) and refrigerate until chilled. Serve at room temperature, garnished with chives or parsley. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Roasted Cauliflower with Raisins and Vinaigrette

I found this recipe in Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.

Ingredients
1 large head cauliflower, cored, trimmed, and separated into florets
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbs sherry vinegar or balsamic vinegar, or to taste
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped parsley leaves

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Put the cauliflower in a roasting pan, drizzle with 3 tbs of the oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to distribute. Roast, turning once or twice, for 15 minutes or so, until the cauliflower just starts to soften.

2. Meanwhile, combine the remaining oil with the vinegar and a little salt and pepper; taste and adjust the seasoning. Remove the pan from the oven, drizzle the cauliflower with 2 tbs of the vinaigrette, and toss to coat. Roast again, turning once more, until a thin-bladed knife pierces with a little resistance, another 15 minutes. (The recipe may be made ahead to this point, cooled, covered tightly, and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Return to room temperature before proceeding.)

3. When you're ready to serve, put the cauliflower in a large salad bowl and add the raisins and parsley. Add the remaining dressing and toss. Taste and sprinkle with more salt if needed and lots of pepper, then serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Oatie Pancakes

I mentioned in another post wanting to find a 100% whole grain pancake recipe.  I pulled this one from Caldwell Esselstyn's Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease and substituted oat flour for the barley flour, solely because I had oat flour already in the pantry.  I'm sure you could also substitute 2 cups rolled oats that had been run through a food processor for a few minutes for both the grains -- my food processor only works so well, so I'd end up with half oats, half flour anyway.  Simran and I ate these pancakes with unsweetened applesauce and they were okay, but I think I could make an interesting sort of whole grain crepe from these and fill them with a no-sugar-added winter fruit compote.  I think I'd only have to make them a bit bigger (and I think they might even be crepe thin and still hold up if the rolled oats are omitted).

Ingredients
1 cup barley flour
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 tbs baking powder
2 cups non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened almond, though I have reason to believe sweetened would taste a bit better.)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Mix all dry ingredients in a small bowl.  Mix the vanilla into the milk.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until there are no more chunks of dry flour.  (You can do this step the night before you make the pancakes and just keep the batter in the fridge.  It'll be a nicer, thicker consistency that way.)

2. Heat a skillet over medium-low heat.  Add a small amount of non-stick cooking spray (you'll only need to do this once, not for each pancake).  Ladle a portion of the batter into the skillet and let cook over medium-low heat until even the top layer of the pancake looks mostly dry, then flip with a spatula and cook the other side.  Please note these pancakes do not burn as easily or cook as quickly as standard buttermilk pancakes.  Serve with maple syrup or warm fruit compote. 

Creamy Vegetable Lasagna

This is my second attempt at a vegan lasagna and my first attempt at making the recipe up myself.  It's based on what I remember of Stouffer's frozen vegetable lasagna, which I've eaten twice in the last decade, except made vegan.  The Stouffer's lasagna was rich but didn't seem particularly cheesy because the cheese was mostly blended into a white sauce that took the place of the standard marinara.  I didn't limit myself on oil or salt this time around since my primary goal today was to make a vegan lasagna that actually tastes good, which is difficult enough.  I finished assembling it about an hour ago, but it won't be cooked and eaten for another couple hours, so I'll have to come back to this post and update it based on how the meal turns out.  So far I've just tasted the individual components, and they were good.

Ingredients
12 lasagna noodles (I like the oven-ready whole-wheat ones from Whole Foods.)
1 16 oz. package firm tofu
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups mixed vegetables, finely chopped (I used a combination of peas, broccoli, carrots, and spinach, mostly from my freezer, but I'm sure green beans and zucchini would also work well, among other things.)
1/4 tsp dried basil
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
For Sauce:
2 14 oz. cans white beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened almond milk.)
1 bulb roasted garlic
2 tbs olive oil, divided
3 tbs nutritional yeast
1 tbs Better-Than-Bouillon vegetable variety (This is totally a flavor cheat.  I rarely use Better-Than-Bouillon to make broth, but I have found it invaluable when I need to increase flavor and salt and have no idea what I'm doing.  I consider it a multipurpose American Flavor Paste.  I'm sure a patient person could recreate it with some spices, salt, and oil, but I'm not bothering finding out how today.)
1 tbs raw cashews, ground
1/4 tsp garlic salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and prepare garlic and 1 tbs olive oil for roasting as explained in the link.

2. While the garlic bulb roasts, mix 1 tbs raw ground cashews and 1/4 tsp garlic salt in a small container.  I grind the cashews in my food processor and keep about a cup of this blend on hand in my fridge for when something needs vegan Parmesan-style crumbles sprinkled on top.

3. Heat remaining tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Sweat onions for a few minutes, add garlic and carrots, and finally the remaining vegetables.  Season with basil, salt, and pepper, and cook everything until tender.

4. Drain tofu and blend it in a food processor.  Add about a quarter of the cooked vegetable mixture to the food processor and pulse until everything is incorporated.  Season with more salt to taste -- mine required an additional 1/8 tsp.  Set aside.

5. Put all sauce ingredients in a food processor or high-speed blender, including all the roasted garlic cloves, and blend until smooth.  (I'm not sure how this will cook up yet.  It's good as is at this point, but if it doesn't survive the lasagna-cooking process -- either from drying out or burning -- it might require more water or something.)

6. Increase oven to 375 degrees F.  Spray a large casserole dish lightly with Pam.  Add a thin layer of sauce, followed by lasagna noodles, followed by half the tofu mixture, followed by the remaining vegetable mixture, followed by half the remaining sauce, then another layer of lasagna noodles, then the remaining tofu mixture, then a final layer of lasagna noodles, then coat with the remaining sauce.  Sprinkle cashew/garlic salt mixture over the top, and cook in the oven for 30-40 minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Meal Planning

Time for weekly meal planning.  I'm still going through what's currently in the freezer and pantry and using it up.  Here is what I'm making:

Black Bean Burgers and Baked Sweet Potato Fries and Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup
I just cooked a batch of black beans in my slow-cooker yesterday, and I have some leftover brown rice from making stir-fry last night, so I'm throwing these burgers together today, with all the leftovers going in the freezer for later.  The vegan cream of broccoli soup is from a batch of leftovers I uncovered in the freezer.

Black Bean Nacho Pizza and Green Salad
We haven't had nacho pizza in awhile, and I found a whole wheat pizza dough in the freezer the other day.  I'm experimenting with making green salads this week since Simran has shown an interest in them.

Veggie Tacos and Vegan Refried Beans and Spanish Rice
We haven't had veggie tacos in awhile, and I wasn't sure what else to make.  Vegan refried beans are just slow-cooker pinto beans cooked with onions and taco spice that are then drained and hit with the immersion blender. 

Red Lentil & Squash Curry Stew and Sandwiches with Hummus, Lettuce & Tomato
I wanted to experiment with using different flavors of homemade hummus, such as the buffalo hummus, as sandwich spreads.  I'm hoping by the day I make this meal that my sourdough starter might even be ready so I can make fresh 100% whole grain rye sourdough bread.

Creamy Vegetable Lasagna and Green Salad
The last time I made a vegan lasagna, none of us liked it.  It didn't taste bad, but it didn't taste like a meal, just a plate of random hot vegetables.  I think the cheese might not be missed so much if the sauce is creamier -- I'm imagining the sauce Stouffer's uses on their vegetable lasagna in the freezer section.  So I'm planning to incorporate various finely chopped vegetables, such as broccoli and carrots and onions, like Stouffer's does, and make a sauce from some combination of pureed white beans, almond milk, nutritional yeast, and lots and lots of garlic.  Maybe some roasted garlic too.

Vegetarian Korma and Basmati Rice
I have less than one dose of curry base left in my freezer, so I need to start from scratch on this to use up what I do have.  This dish was pretty healthy -- aside from my inclusion of ghee -- and the best Indian food I've ever made at home.

Sourdough Rye

In honor of the new year, I've been looking for some new healthy recipes to try.  One problem I regularly run into is finding a 100% whole grain bread that doesn't ruin every sandwich or meal it comes into contact with, or require some kind of butter to make it palatable and un-dry.  I found this recipe from Mark Bittman, whom I trust, on how to make a really time-consuming, no-knead, whole-grain sourdough.  I just finished assembling the sourdough starter and look forward to making it into bread sometime next week.  (It seems the trick to omitting sugar and honey from your bread is giving your yeast the better part of a week to feed off the flour and do its rising.)  I love both rye and sourdough, so I'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out.

Ingredients

For the sourdough starter:

• 2 2/3 cups rye flour, Pinch instant yeast

For the dough:

• Sourdough starter
• 2 cups rye flour
• 2 cups whole-wheat or white flour
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups cracked rye or rye flour

Directions

1. To make the starter: In a tall, narrow, nonmetal container (a tall, narrow bowl is fine), mix 2/3 cup rye flour with 1/2 cup water, along with the tiniest pinch of instant yeast — less than 1/16 teaspoon. Cover and let sit for about 24 hours, then add the same amount of both flour and water (no more yeast). Repeat twice more, at 24-hour intervals; 24 hours after the fourth addition, you have your starter. (From now on, keep it in the refrigerator; you don’t need to proceed with the recipe for a day or two if you don’t want to. Before making the dough, take a ladleful — 1/2 to 3/4 cup — of the starter and put it in a container; stir in 1/2 cup rye flour and a scant 1/2 cup water, mix well, cover and refrigerate for future use. This starter will keep for a couple of weeks. If you don’t use it during that time and you wish to keep it alive, add 1/2 cup each flour and water every week or so and stir; you can discard a portion of it if it becomes too voluminous.)  

2.  To make the dough: Combine the remaining starter in a big bowl with the rye flour, the whole-wheat or white flour and 2 1/4 cups water.  

3.  Mix well, cover with plastic wrap and let sit overnight, up to 12 hours.  

4.  The next morning, the dough should be bubbly and lovely. Add the salt, the cracked rye and 1 cup water — it will be more of a thick batter than a dough and should be pretty much pourable.  

5.  Pour and scrape it into two 8-by-4-inch nonstick loaf pans. The batter should come to within an inch of the top, no higher.  

6.  Cover (an improvised dome is better than plastic wrap; the dough will stick to whatever it touches) and let rest until it reaches the rim of the pans, about 2 to 3 hours, usually. Preheat the oven to 325 and bake until a skewer comes out almost clean; the internal temperature will measure between 190 and 200. This will take about 1 1/2 hours or a little longer.  

7.  Remove loaves from the pans and cool on a rack. Wrap in plastic and let sit for a day before slicing, if you can manage that; the texture is definitely better the next day.