mung bean porridge | 녹두죽

mung bean porridge 

a cup of split mung beans (whole are okay too but cooking time will be longer)
half an onion, minced
two cloves of garlic, minced
two teaspoons of salt

들기름 (perilla oil) or good quality olive oil
toasted sesame seeds
chopped chives or scallions

a pot of prepared brown rice


wash the mung beans well and pick over to make sure any small stones are removed. cover with water and boil about fifteen minutes, skimming foam off the top if necessary.

drain the water and give beans a rinse. cover again with fresh water, adding salt and boiling again with lid slightly askew until beans are soft and most of the water is absorbed, about another twenty minutes.
you want a soupy porridge so add water as necessary to avoid beans from drying out.

serve mung in a bowl with an equal portion of cooked rice and drizzle generously with perilla oil and a healthy sprinkle of sesame seeds. add some chopped scallions or chives to the bowl and a bit of purple cabbage salad for color.


purple cabbage salad

a cup of very thinly sliced purple cabbage
half an onion
a pinch of salt
a squeeze of lemon

in a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients well, using your hands to massage the cabbage until soft. as it begins to wilt, it will take on a beautiful shade of pink. set aside, allowing cabbage to marinate in it's own juices. serve with mung bean porridge or as a colorful side to any dish. 

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.

bibimbap

bibimbap with sauteed sauerkraut, winter greens and toasted pumpkin seeds…

from HIBERNATE, the winter edition from the kitchens of pinch and dash

yellow date tomatoes

look at what i found! they translate from korean to yellow date tomatoes but clearly they are orange and they are beautiful!

balsamic poached eggs with purple rice, mushrooms, chives, and my new tomatoes…

rice harvest

garlic rice

garlic rice...

a simple and delicious filipino twist on the asian staple