a trio of summer salads at Mint

i'm delighted to share with you a guest post i did for Mint Design Blog this week. mint is a lovely journal of all things design - from food and fashion to home and travel, mint serves up inspiration daily. the blog's creator and editor, ellie snow, is also a mama-to-be so mint is the home of some sweet finds for baby. check it out yourself and be sure to bring one of green tea and kimchi's summer salads to the first BBQs of the season! enjoy!

mama's table... dal and rice

this monday was the first Mama’s Table, a weekly sharing of food around the communal table at SPACE.

thanks to my resourceful friend and freegan, josh, we were able to save a giant bag of lemon rinds - discarded from a popular local lemonade stand - from becoming trash and used them to make indian lemon pickles after our dinner of dal and rice. i can’t wait for those sour, spicy pickles to be ready to eat with my dal next time.

kitchiri (dal and rice)… and a beetroot salad

kitchiri is an ayurvedic dish known to detoxify and balance the body. because it is easy to digest, it is traditionally eaten when recovering from illness or by those undertaking panchakarma, an ayurvedic cleanse. there are countless versions of the recipe but no matter which kind of rice you choose or how many or few spices you use, kitchiri is always a simply delicious, belly-warming bowl of goodness. ghee (clarified butter) is usually the foundation of kitchiri but we found a light flavored oil works just as well and tastes just as good.

for the kitchiri…

a splash of light flavored oil (we like grapeseed)
1 onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
6 cups or water
1 1/2 cup red lentils, picked over and rinsed
1/2 cup brown rice, picked over and rinsed
sea salt to taste
a bundle of cilantro, finely chopped

in a big soup pot, combine the oil and onion over medium heat, cooking the onions until they soften. add the spices and salt, stirring to release their flavor. stir in the rice and lentils and stir fry for just a few minutes. add water and bring to a boil, then simmer for about thirty minutes or until the rice is very tender. add more water as you cook if you prefer a soupier dish.

check for salt and adjust as necessary. stir in the cilantro and serve warm, with a spoonful of your favorite indian pickle. you can make your own south indian lemon pickles or, if you're not feeling that ambitious, pick up a jar from your local indian grocer. my favorites are mango and lemon – delish!


for the salad…

2 or 3 medium sized beets
a handful of cilantro, finely chopped
a squeeze of lime juice
a sprinkle of cumin powder
a pinch of salt, to taste

combine all of the ingredients together in a bowl and let stand for an hour before serving.

braised daikon…

braised daikon…

from The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone

i was a bit cynical about this book when a newly vegetarian friend recommended it but it has since become one of my favorites. it is a great guide for those wishing to make the transition away from meat and highly processed foods to a diet that is kinder to your body and to the environment.

if you are not totally ready to give up meat, be forewarned that the beginning of the book can be a bit preachy (alicia is a huge advocate for PETA and animal rights). however, there is a ton of great information outlined in the intro that is super helpful in understanding what foods are good for you and what foods are just unkind. most importantly, the recipes are awesome.  

the recipes are divided into two sections: for FLIRTS and for SUPERHEROES. those who are flirting with the idea of cooking more meat-free meals will be inspired by things likeVegan Chorizo Tacos or Radicchio Pizza with Truffle Oil. 

those who are already accustomed to eating a fairly unprocessed vegetarian diet (yes, you are the SUPERHEROES), will love macrobiotic-influenced recipes like Maple-Roasted Lotus Root and Quinoa with Basil and Pine Nuts.

at least a dozen dishes from The Kind Diet are penciled in my menu for september (more on that project later!) and we have yet to taste one we didn’t like. so thanks to alicia silverstone and to my friend kristen for recommending this book to me, i’ll be posting more kind recipes for you in the coming weeks.

for now, the daikon…

1 large daikon radish 

2 tablespoons shoyu (a wheat-free soy sauce that is also called Tamari)

1/4 cup mirin cooking wine

2”-3” strip kombu (or dashima in korean is a dried seaweed for making soup stock)

• wash and slice the daikon into 3/4” rounds, and place in a skillet in a single layer.
• add water almost to cover. 
• add shoyu, mirin, and kombu and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to very low.
• cover and simmer 30 minutes or until all liquid has been absorbed. 

note: i found the daikon on its own to be a little bland for my salt craving tastebuds so i mixed up a korean sauce (sesame oil, soy sauce + chopped garlic and scallions) to drizzle over the top.