Palak Khichdi (Instant Pot)

From here 

Ingredients 

• 1 cup short-grain rice Ambe mor or Kali Jeera or similar variety
• ½ cup mung dal
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 4 cups water
• 1 to 3 small green chiles use more or less depending on the spice level
• 1 pound baby spinach
• 8 garlic cloves
• ½ inch ginger
• 3 tablespoons ghee plus more for serving
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• freshly ground pepper optional for serving

Instructions

1. Rinse rice and lentils and drain the water.
2. Add rice, lentils, water, and salt to the Instant Pot insert and pressure cook for 6 minutes followed by 5 minutes natural pressure release. If using a stovetop pressure cooker, cook for about 15 to 20 minutes or 3 whistles.
3. In a large pot bring 8 to 10 cups of water to boil. Add green chilies and baby spinach and blanch for 1 to 2 minutes or just until all the spinach wilts.
4. Take out the spinach and chilies and run cold water over them so the spinach stops cooking further. Drain out the water completely.
5. Add garlic cloves, ginger, and blanched spinach and chiles to a blender and make a smooth puree. Tip - If you do not like the fibers from the spinach make sure to puree well. I enjoy the fibers in the khichdi so I usually blend just for a minute.
6. In a large pot heat ghee (Tip - I dry the pot used for blanching spinach and use for making the khichdi). Add cumin seeds and allow them to sizzle, about 30 seconds. Add finely diced onions and cook for 4 to 5 mins.
7. Stir in garam masala, salt, and spinach puree. Then add the cooked rice and dal (from step 1 above) with more ghee and mix everything together.
8. Serve immediately with more ghee and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Comments

Onions seem pretty optional...

Spinach Dal and Rice (Instant Pot)

From here

Ingredients

▢

• 1 tablespoon ghee
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 green chili chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic minced
• 4 curry leaves (optional)
• 1 tomato diced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups water
• ½ cup red lentils
• 4 ounces baby spinach
• 1 cup basmati rice
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 ½ cups water

Instructions

1. Add ghee, cumin, turmeric, green chili, garlic, curry leaves, tomatoes, lentils, salt, and water. Give a quick stir.
2. Place the tall trivet inside the pot. Add rice, salt, and water to the stainless steel pot and place it over the trivet.
3. Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing. Select Pressure Cook(Hi) and adjust the pressure cook time to 5 minutes. Allow 5 minutes of natural pressure release and then release the remaining pressure manually. Open the Instant Pot and carefully take out the rice bowl and the trivet.
4. Mix the lentils with a spatula. Add more water, to bring the lentils to desired consistency. Dal will thicken as it cools. Add chopped spinach and mix well. Cook on Sauté mode until the daal comes to a gentle boil.
5. Enjoy hot with steamed basmati rice.

Comments

• Easy enough to cook the rice separately
• Use less water (half as much) for a thicker soup (preferable)
• Step 0 should probably be sauté the butter, cumin seeds, turmeric, green chili, garlic, curry leaves

Kakdi Koshimbir / Indian Cucumber Salad

From here

Ingredients

• 4 small Persian cucumbers
• 1 tablespoon ghee (butter)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds lightly crushed in the palm of your hand
• ⅛ teaspoon asafetida hing (optional)
• 1 small green chili sliced lengthwise
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons peanuts roasted and ground
• 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped finely for garnish

Instructions

1. Peel the cucumbers, finely dice and keep in a medium bowl.
2. Heat ghee in a small saucepan over medium heat. Lightly crush cumin seeds in the palm of your hands and add to the hot ghee. Allow the cumin seeds to sizzle, about 30 seconds. Add hing and green chili and cook for another 30 seconds.
3. Pour the tempering on the chopped cucumbers. Add salt, sugar, peanuts, and cilantro. Mix well and serve immediately.
4. If making ahead of time, hold on the salt and sugar and add them just before serving. This helps the cucumber not release too much water. Leftover koshimbir can be refrigerated for a day.

Green Gazpacho

Adapted from here

Ingredients

• 2 medium cucumbers
• 1 medium white onion
• 1 medium green bell pepper
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 medium avocado
• 1/4 bunch fresh parsley
• 1/4 bunch fresh cilantro
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 cup water
• 5 oz walnuts
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Remove the ends from the cucumber and slice it in half lengthwise. Scrape the seeds out with a spoon and then chop the cucumber into chunks. Remove the seeds from the bell pepper and also cut it into chunks. Dice the onion. Add the cucumber, bell pepper, onion, and garlic (peeled) to a food processor. Process until the vegetables are minced.
2. Pull the leaves from about 1/4 of the parsley and cilantro bunches. Add the leaves to the food processor along with the olive oil and the flesh from the avocado. Purée until smooth.
3. Add the water, one tablespoon of lemon juice, and one teaspoon of salt. Purée until smooth again. Taste the soup and adjust the salt or lemon juice if desired.
4. Serve immediately or chill until ready to eat.

Comments

Other potential ingredients: celery, chiles, spinach, basil, greek yogurt, arugula, mint

Gochujang-Sesame Noodles

From here

Ingredients

• 8–10 oz. fresh or dried wheat noodles (such as lo mein, udon, or ramen)
• Kosher salt
• ¼ cup gochujang
• 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. light or dark brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. tahini
• 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 bunch broccoli rabe, coarsely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• Handful of torn basil leaves, plus sprigs for serving
• Toasted sesame seeds and lime wedges (for serving)

Instructions

1. Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cool running water.
2. Whisk gochujang, soy sauce, brown sugar, tahini, sesame oil, and 2 Tbsp. water in a small bowl to combine; set sauce aside.
3. Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add broccoli rabe and garlic; season with salt and lots of pepper. Cook, tossing often, until broccoli rabe stems are crisp-tender and leaves are wilted, about 2 minutes. Add reserved sauce and cook, stirring often, until thickened slightly, about 2 minutes. Add noodles and a handful of basil and toss gently until sauce clings to noodles, about 1 minute.
4. Divide noodles among bowls and top with sesame seeds and more basil. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.

Comments

Spicy!

Peanut Chicken Summer Roll Bowl

From here

Ingredients

• Salad
• 4 cups shredded romaine or cabbage
• 4 carrots, shredded
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro or Thai basil, chopped
• 1/2 cup diced mango
• 2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup pickled jalapeños, chopped
• 1/3 cup peanuts, chopped
• 4 ounces vermicelli rice noodles, cooked
• 1-2 cups cooked shredded chicken
• 1 avocado, chopped
• Dressing
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/3 cup tamari or soy sauce
• 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2-3 tablespoons chili sauce (sambal oelek)
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, carrots, green onions, cilantro, mango, cucumbers, jalapeños, and peanuts.
2. To make the dressing. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add water, as needed to thin.
3. Pour 1/2 the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Divide the salad between bowls. Top each with noodles, chicken, and avocado. Drizzle over more dressing. Tip: I take scissors and cut the noodles up, then toss everything together with the dressing.

Comments

• Blend the peanuts in the blender for the salad before combining the ingredients for the dressing in the blender
• Shred carrots with cheese grater (or peel them)
• Did not include chicken in the pictured dish
  
  

Sopa de Fideo

From here

Ingredients

• 4 large garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 pound beefsteak tomatoes, quartered
• ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
• ¼ cup neutral cooking oil, such as grapeseed
• 8 ounces 1-inch fideo (3 cups)
• 2 celery stalks, whole
• 1 carrot, whole
• 1 dried bay leaf

Instructions

1. Add the garlic, tomatoes, red-pepper flakes, cumin and salt to a blender, and blend until smooth. Set aside.
2. Heat a medium pot over medium, then add the oil. Add the fideo to the hot oil and cook until toasted and aromatic, about 5 minutes. Be sure to constantly mix the fideo so it toasts evenly.
3. Reduce the heat to low, then add the blended tomato mixture.
4. Add 5 cups of water to the pot, along with the celery, carrot and bay leaf. Mix and taste for salt, adjusting if necessary.
5. Increase to medium heat until simmering, then reduce to medium-low. Cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fideo is cooked through, the soup has melded together and the liquid has thickened.
6. Remove the celery, carrot and bay leaf, and discard. Serve soup in bowls and top with any of your favorite sopa de fideo toppings.

Comments

• Simple and delicious!  Much better fresh than reheated; it tastes pretty indistinguishable from spaghetti and marinara sauce in the latter case
• Canola oil is also neutral cooking oil

 

Instant Ramen

From here

Ingredients

• 1 pack ramen noodles with flavor packet
• 1 large egg
• ½ teaspoon butter
• 2 slices American cheese
• ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
• ½ scallion, green part only, thinly sliced on the bias, optional

Instructions

1. Bring 2 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the noodles and cook for 2 minutes. Add the flavor packet, stir, and continue to cook for another 30 seconds.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the egg. Do not stir; pull the noodles over the egg and let sit for one minute to poach.
3. Carefully transfer everything to a serving bowl, add the butter, cheese and sesame seeds and mix. Garnish with the scallions if desired.

Sheet-Pan Bibimbap

From here

Ingredients

• 6 ounces oyster mushrooms, torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 medium sweet potato (about 6 ounces), scrubbed and thinly sliced into half-moons
• 1 small red onion (about 6 ounces), thinly sliced crosswise into half-moons
• 3 packed cups coarsely chopped Tuscan or curly kale (from 1 small bunch)
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 4 cups cooked medium-grain white rice, preferably cold leftovers
• 4 large eggs
• 4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, plus more to taste, for serving
• 4 teaspoons gochujang, plus more to taste, for serving
• Kimchi, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and heat oven to 450 degrees.
2. On a large sheet pan, arrange the mushrooms, sweet potato, red onion and kale into four separate quadrants. Drizzle the vegetables with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat, keeping the types of vegetables separate. Try to not crowd the vegetables; you want them to brown, not steam. Roast on the top rack until the sweet potato is fork-tender, the onion and mushrooms are slightly caramelized and the kale is crispy but not burnt, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, place another large sheet pan on the bottom rack to heat. When the vegetables are almost done cooking, in the last 5 minutes or so, remove the heated pan from the oven and evenly drizzle the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil on it. Spread the rice over half of the pan. Crack the eggs onto the other half and carefully transfer to the oven. Bake until the whites are just set and the yolks are still runny, 3 to 6 minutes (this time may vary depending on your oven, so watch it carefully).
4. To serve, divide the rice evenly among four bowls. Now divide the vegetables evenly as well, placing them in four neat piles over each portion of rice. Use a spatula to slide the eggs over the vegetables. Drizzle each bowl with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and dollop with 1 teaspoon of gochujang, adding more if desired. Mix everything together with a spoon or chopsticks before diving in, and serve kimchi alongside, if you prefer.

Comments

• The directions are overly complicated; this is just rice + roasted veggies, basically
• Substitute any chili paste for gochujang
• Kale cooks faster than the other ingredients; consider substituting with other veggies
• Other Bibimbap ingredients:
• Roast
• Zucchini
• Peppers
• Unroasted
• Carrots
• Sprouts
• Avocado
• Spinach
• Scallions
• Toppings
• Sesame Seeds
• Kimchi
• Seaweed

Saucy Tofu Noodles With Cucumbers and Chili Crisp

From here

Ingredients

• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. light or dark brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. tahini
• 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
• 2 tsp. black (Chinkiang) vinegar or balsamic vinegar
  
• 1 Tbsp. store-bought chili crisp, plus more for serving
• 4 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced into rounds
• ½ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
• 2½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, divided, plus more
• 1 14-oz. block extra-firm tofu, drained
• 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 4 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
• 8 oz. shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 1" piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 10 oz. fresh ramen or dried wheat noodles

Instructions

1. Whisk soy sauce, brown sugar, tahini, sesame oil, black vinegar, 1 Tbsp. chili crisp, and ½ cup water in a small bowl or measuring glass until sugar is dissolved. Set sauce aside.
2. Toss cucumbers, rice vinegar, and 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt in a medium bowl to coat. Let sit, scrunching with your hands every few minutes, until cucumbers are softened and lightly pickled, about 10 minutes. Drain and set pickled cucumbers aside.
3. Wrap tofu in a clean kitchen towel. Gather ends of towel together and squeeze with your hands over sink to extract as much liquid as possible. (Don’t worry if the tofu breaks apart—it’s going to get crumbled up anyway.)
4. Crumble tofu into a medium bowl (it should resemble cooked ground meat with some larger pieces). Sprinkle with cornstarch and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt; toss with your hands to evenly coat tofu.
5. Heat 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over high. Arrange tofu crumbles in a single layer in pan; reserve bowl. Cook tofu, undisturbed, until golden brown underneath, about 5 minutes. Toss and continue cooking, tossing occasionally, until tofu is golden brown and crisp all over, about 4 minutes more. Transfer tofu back to reserved bowl.
6. Add remaining 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil to same skillet and reduce heat to medium-high. Add mushrooms and shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are browned and shallot is translucent, about 5 minutes; season with salt. Add ginger and garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Return tofu to pan and add reserved sauce; bring to a simmer. Cook until sauce is slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
7. Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions. Drain and divide among bowls. Ladle saucy tofu over noodles and top with reserved pickled cucumbers and more chili crisp.

Comments

• Substituted sambal oelek for chile crisp
• Start steps 1 and 7 simultaneously

Lemony Chicken-Feta Meatball Soup With Spinach

From here

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground chicken or turkey, preferably dark meat
• ½ cup crumbled feta
• ¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 small red onion, halved (1/2 diced, and 1/2 grated, then squeezed with a paper towel to remove excess liquid)
• ⅓ packed cup fresh dill leaves and fine stems, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water
• 4 packed cups baby spinach (about 5 ounces)
• 2 lemons (1 juiced and 1 cut into wedges for serving)

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, add the chicken, feta, 1/4 cup oats, the grated onion, most of the dill (reserve about 2 tablespoons for garnish), the cumin, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and 1 teaspoon salt. Gently combine without squeezing too hard or overworking the meat. Lightly wet your palms and shape the meat into small balls, a little smaller than the size of a golf ball, about 1 1/2 inches. (You will have approximately 25 balls.)
2. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or wide pot over medium until shimmering. Add the diced onion, season with salt, and cook until it begins to soften, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon turmeric and the red-pepper flakes, and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Push the onions to the sides as best you can, then add the meatballs. (They will be close together, and that’s OK.) Cook until browned on two sides, 5 to 7 minutes total.
3. Pour in the broth and remaining ½ cup oats, then gently tilt the pot to the right and left to distribute the oats and broth without disturbing the meatballs. Bring to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to maintain an active simmer. Season with salt. Cook, gently stirring occasionally to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom, until the oats have softened and the meatballs are cooked through, about 4 minutes more.
4. Stir in the spinach and lemon juice until the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes more. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Spoon into bowls, top with pepper and the remaining dill. Serve with lemon wedges.

Comments

• Used dry dill instead (1 tsp dry dill = 1 Tbsp fresh dill)