Legume and Mushroom Stew

Looks like I need more ground cardamom!

I'm a big fan of legumes. Legumes are a big family of delicious foods including lentils, peanuts, cashews and split peas, amongst other things. Lentils are also a staple dish of South Asia, and since I am most definitely in the middle of a huge Indian food kick right now, they are perfect.

This curry (basically an Indian stew, any dish with a saucy texture) combines mushrooms, two types of legumes, tomatoes and corn to form a spicy hot bowl of deliciousness. Serve this on top of some rice, if you'd like, and/or alongside your favorite flatbread, such as naan or chapatis.

For the spicyness here, I used my own crushed red peppers. This past summer I bought a large amount of dried Thai chilies from Hun's Garden at the Kansas City Farmer's Market. Sometimes I use them whole and remove them before serving to impart a small amount of spicy flavor. To make crushed red peppers, simply chop off the stem and the rest of the tiny pepper pretty much crushes itself - if the pieces are too big, rub them between your fingers. Be careful though - WASH YOUR HANDS WELL before you touch ANYTHING else... I don't know how many times I've gotten flaming hot capsaicin in my eyes or nose after handling super hot chilies! Keep your freshly crushed peppers in a glass jar and they're ready to go to top pizzas or go into any recipe you'd like to add some flavor to! Be warned, though - Thai chilies are VERY spicy, WAY more so than the stale crushed red peppers you can buy at the supermarket. I pureed one in a pot of soup once and the soup was too hot to handle! Use a small hand at first and then continue if you can handle it.


Legume and Mushroom Stew

• 1/2 cup lentils
• 1/2 cup split peas
• 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 pound mushrooms
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 cups diced tomatoes
• 1 cup corn kernels (thawed if frozen)
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
• olive oil
• for garnishes: minced cilantro or parsley, crushed peanuts or cashews, green onions

Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Chop the onion and add to the pot, along with the garam masala, turmeric and cardamom. Cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent and the spices are fragrant, about five minutes. Add the lentils, split peas and broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the lentils and split peas are tender but still retain their shape and the water is almost absorbed but not quite - about 25-35 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat some more olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Slice the mushrooms and saute in the pan until they are browned and release their juices, about five minutes. During the last minute or so add in the garlic and some black pepper to taste.

Once the legumes have finished, remove the lid and stir in the mushrooms/garlic, tomatoes and corn. Taste, and add crushed red pepper to taste. Garnish and serve.

Millet and Vegetable Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed peppers are fun to make and fun to eat. They're pretty and always something special, even on a weeknight. They take a little bit of time and effort but are relatively easy and the results and delicious and fun. 

If you've never had millet before, you're in for a treat! This was my first time using millet and I am very satisfied. Toasting the millet before boiling gives it a nutty flavor and helps cook the grains evenly on the inside and outside. Unfortunately, I accidentally left the lid off the pot for a little while, so I don't think I cooked the millet in the correct way, nor do I know exactly how much liquid I used. I started with one cup, but I ended up adding quite a bit more before the millet got tender. Fortunately, it isn't like rice and is very forgiving if you make a mistake - I had the lid on and off, adding more liquid and stirring, quite a bit and the texture was just perfect.

Grind the hazelnuts in a blender or a food processor, or place them in a sturdy plastic bag and give them a few whacks with a hammer or a mallet.

These stuffed peppers are hearty, filling and nutritious but not heavy. You don't have to use the kale, broccoli and corn listed here - experiment with whatever vegetables you have on hand. The nutty flavor from the millet and the hazelnuts is very warm and pleasant. This is a good meal to have if you are serving meat lovers or if you are transitioning to more vegetarian meals - it is hearty, full of flavor, and using a knife and fork to cut the pepper mimics the cutting of meat. Enjoy!


Millet and Vegetable Stuffed Peppers

• 1/2 cup millet
• about 2 cups vegetable stock or water at room temperature (see note above)
• 4 large bell peppers, any color 
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4-5 stalks of curly green kale, chopped in small pieces
• florets from 2 heads of broccoli, chopped into small pieces
• 1/2 cup corn kernels
• 1/2 cup ground hazelnuts
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• sea salt
• olive oil
• Topping ideas (optional): tomato sauce, yogurt raita, warm salsa, fresh herbs

Preheat the oven to 350°. Slice off the tops of the peppers and reserve for another use. Remove the seeds and ribs from the peppers. Heat a few cups of water in a pot large enough to fit all the peppers until simmering. Add in the peppers, lower the heat and cover. Let steam until they are tender but still firm enough to stand up - ten to twenty minutes, depending on your preference. When finished, remove the peppers but reserve some of the cooking liquid.

Heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a medium sized pot. Add the millet and toast, stirring, over medium heat until the millet becomes golden and fragrant. Add in the vegetable stock and cook, covered, until the millet becomes tender and the mixture becomes thick, about fifteen to twenty minutes. If there is too much liquid, take off the lid for a few minutes while cooking - if there is not enough, add more and stir. The millet is done when it is soft or slightly crunchy (depending on how you want it).

Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan. Add in the onion and turmeric and cook until soft, about five minutes. Add in the garlic, ginger, kale, broccoli and about a quarter cup of the boiling water from the peppers. Cover and steam over low heat for about ten minutes. Remove the lid and add in the corn, lemon zest and juice, balsamic vinegar and hazelnuts. Let cook until the kale and broccoli are as tender as you'd like and the corn is thawed and warm, five to fifteen more minutes.

Place the peppers standing upright in a baking sheet or dish. A muffin tin works nicely to ensure they don't tip. Lightly spoon the filling into each pepper and bake in the oven until they are golden brown and the peppers are only beginning to wrinkle around the edges - ten to fifteen minutes.

If you'd like, serve these on their own or with a sauce of your choosing.

I prefer red peppers :)