![Cucumber Yogurt Sauce]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Feb 18, 2015 | Condiments & Sauces, Indian, South Asian, Turkish
I have no idea why I’ve been craving yogurt sauces lately. It’s not even the yogurt I’ve been craving, it’s more so the fresh herbs I love to put in it- maybe it’s a lack of Vitamin C around here lately, I mean we. are. freezing.
This is a recipe I’ve made many times before but this time, I’ve amped up the fresh dill because it looked so beautiful and smelled so amazing when I picked it up from the grocery store that visions of yogurt sauce over kebabs- and everything else I planned on eating during my run of cabin fever – would be ever so enhanced by its deliciousness.
I also love this yogurt sauce because it’s thick- and to me it’s a sign that it’s made really well. There is nothing that disappoints me more than watery yogurt sauce found indiscriminately at various events like weddings. I get so excited to eat exotic-to-me foods that are hot and spicy and I need that yogurt sauce to tone it down. Besides, for me a meal without some sort of dairy is kind of unnerving, and dairy water just doesn’t cut it. I know, #itsnotthatbigadealreally
Okay, so here’s what you need- beautiful fresh dill (I used about 1/4 of a fresh bunch as dried dill just does not make up for the fresh, in my opinion); one large cucumber, skins removed and cut in half; one large garlic clover (or more if you like it really garlicky)…
Two cups of fresh, whole milk yogurt (I prefer country or Greek style since it’s nice and rich and not watery), plus salt and pepper which you can add to taste.
First you need to scrape out the seeds of the cucumber otherwise the mixture will become watery and maybe even a little bitter. Just save that for compost or add it to a smoothie for breakfast time, it’s all good. One more thing- don’t do what I did in this picture below, which is to cut the cucumber before peeling it- I got a little too excited and should have peeled it beforehand because afterwards it was a little more time-consuming and weird to do, but definitely doable.
Now dry the cucumber really well- we didn’t remove all those seeds for no reason now. I like to use these towels (aka: linens)– they’re super efficient and it’s an eco-friendly way of keeping things dry in your kitchen.
Then chop it up really well, but not too small. Diced, that’s what I want to say…but I don’t always do it so perfectly.
Now for the dill. I don’t use all the stems of the dill, but a good and hefty portion of those leaves. I like a lot, you can use as little or as much as you like and prefer.
Chop it up well. You really don’t want to eat large chunks of this stuff.
Put it all in a bowl large enough for about 4 cups of ingredients total.
Add the salt, pepper and garlic. You can chop it (the garlic) up yourself finely (i.e. mince it), or use something like my handy dandy vintage garlic press. I mean this one is vintage but the concept is old and new, as they’re sold in all kinds of sorts around the country. I just love using the word “vintage” and using vintage things…
You have to cut the garlic in half if it’s a large clove, then use the metal flap to close it in and press. I love that it comes out in these nice and small pieces. I do not like to wash it afterwards.
Now pour the yogurt over the ingredients.
And the second cup of yogurt makes it even better, in my opinion.
You can add as little or as much yogurt as you like.
Mix and serve up however you like. It is so, so, so delicious over meat like kebobs made of lamb, beef or chicken, but I’ve been eating it up at breakfast with eggs and scooping it up with pita bread. It’s also so good over rice, of course, and I would think that vegetarians of the world would appreciate having this extra good creaminess atop rice and beans…but that’s just my Latina side talking!
What’s your favorite way to have yogurt sauce?
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![Jalapeño-Garlic Mayonnaise]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Sep 13, 2014 | Condiments & Sauces
Making mayonnaise at home is SO super easy to do. The only trick is that you have to have all your ingredients ready to go and you have to be ready to work fast at the right time. Let me show you how.
You can basically add anything you want to mayo. This particular one looks more on the yellow side because I add ground yellow mustard seed to it. You don’t have to do that and thus your mayo may look ‘white’ the way it does at the grocery store. I also add finely minced garlic and jalapeno to the final product because when I make burgers, it’s a nice addition to all those Southwest burger-type flavors I love to have. You absolutely don’t have to do that, of course; it’s just a nice twist in my opinion.
Start first by making your own ‘double broiler’. All you need is a saucepan of boiling water and a heat-safe dish that fits on top and is deep enough for you to whisk the eggs, vinegar and water.
You have to work fast once the eggs are in because they will scramble if you don’t.
When I say ‘work fast’, I mean whisking vigorously to make sure the combine with the other ingredients to emulsify the mixture. I can talk more in depth about emuslification, but for brevity’s sake let me just say that the emulsifiers in many products is the reason you should make this at home if you can’t find a halal product. Emuslifiers are found in many things like mayonnaise and ice cream- they help not only to thicken products, but also to bring them back to shape once they’re cooled, warmed up and then cooled again.
In this case, once the eggs are added and thicken the mixture, remove the pan from heat then add in the spices, whisking away once again. In this case, if you’re adding fresh ingredients like the minced garlic and jalapeño, do so now.
Drizzle in the olive oil next, whisking at the same time.
That’s pretty much it. Can you believe how simple and fresh that is?
It’ll keep in the fridge fresh for about a week- and it’s great on burgers!
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![Kathy Hester’s Indian Yogurt Salad]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Apr 4, 2014 | Condiments & Sauces, Gluten-Free, Spring, Vegetarian
Kathy Hester is a food blogger and the author of some really great cookbooks that I’m happy to know about and have on my bookshelf because they demonstrate wonderful ways to substitute meat when you want to or you have to, for one reason or another. We met briefly at the Eat Write Retreat in Washington, D.C. a couple of years ago and later kept in touch when I interviewed her here about her book, The Vegan Slow Cooker. Now she’s published more cookbooks and I’m just getting caught up with her book, The Great Vegan Bean Book where I found lots of recipes I’ve wanted to try and share here on my own site.
One of my favorites that I finally got around to trying was this Indian Yogurt Salad.
Below I’ll show you how I make the recipe with several tweaks of my own for the ingredients I didn’t have on hand.
You’ll need some simple ingredients, all fresh and healthy. Most of the work comes from chopping, but that’s the therapeutic part, right?
I love that Kathy includes black salt in this recipe, as it’s not a common ingredient in American cooking cooking but it’s very popular in South Asian recipes.
Fortunately you can find it rather inexpensively at most Indian markets. This recipe calls for 1.5 to 2.5 teaspoons black salt (a.ka. kala namak).
Start out with cooked chickpeas then add the black salt. Kathy calls for three cups of chickpeas and I use two. You can use canned or fresh, but they should definitely be cooked. Additionally, add 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin, and one clove of garlic, minced. You can also add .5 to 1.5 teaspoons chili powder, if you have it.
Get about two cups of yogurt ready to go. Kathy uses one cup of soy yogurt and I use whole milk yogurt in my version.
Prep the fresh produce by chopping them up nicely. The recipe calls for 1 large cucumber, 1/2 small onion, minced and one large cooked potato. I didn’t have potatoes so I used tomatoes instead.
It’ll measure out to be about two cups cucumbers and one cup diced tomatoes.
Now this is what you should have all organized (a.k.a. mise en place, as the French chefs say). Also, I didn’t have cilantro on hand so I used parsley. I think cilantro is much better for this dish, but don’t let it stop you from making it if you don’t have the cilantro.
Into a larger bowl, pour the yogurt over the chickpeas and add all the freshly chopped veggies and herbs. Leave no yogurt behind here.
Once it’s all mixed together, it’s such a beautiful blend of flavors that can be eaten alone with a slice of rustic bread, or on top of a delicious dish of rice with a side of chicken, beef or lamb. Or not…
I decided to enjoy mine with a delicious piece of Persian bread that I was fortunate enough to find at a local supermarket.
I hope you’ll purchase a copy of Kathy’s book (you can do so here) and so you can get her exact vegan version of this delicious and healthy dish that can be made as a big as a meal or as small as a side dish. Thanks so much for sharing, Kathy!
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![Easy Party Dips: Chipotle Sauce or Yogurt Dip with Fresh Greens]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Nov 2, 2011 | American, Appetizers & Snacks, Condiments & Sauces, Eid, Halal-Certified Products, Indian, Mexican, Poultry Dishes, Recipes
Whether you’re planning an ‘Eid celebration at home or bringing a dish to your host, you’ll want some recipe ideas for appetizers that are easy to make while healthy for everyone you serve.
Chipotle Sauce and Yogurt & Cream Sauce are two variations on dipping sauces that go great with chicken bites
In this post are two quick and easy appetizers that are perfect for presenting to guests. They don’t take a whole lot of time to make and contain ingredients that are easy to swap out if you don’t have a few called for in each recipe. Most of all, they’re absolutely delicious, too.
Chicken Bites with Chipotle Dipping Sauce
Ever since Saffron Road came out with their halal chicken products, it seems as though my life just got easier without having to compromise on values that are important to me. I can trust that not only are they halal, but sourced from ingredients that are humanely raised and therefore healthy, which makes me feel happy and comfortable to serve it to others.
Mexican piloncillo or raw cane sugar melts when you heat it. They are added to chipotles in this sauce to sweeten it up and remove some of the heat
Chipotles are smoked jalapeño peppers– and they smell delicious when you open the package. Just don’t get too close or it can be overpowering.
The chipotles need to be boiled for a while in order to soften them before they are puréed into a sauce.
When combined with other ingredients or even on their own, the puréed chipotles become a beautiful deep color.
Plated next to these Chicken Bites by Saffron Road on a bed of greens, they look beautiful and appetizing. Your guests will really savor the taste when dipping each piece into the chipotle sauce.
Chicken Bites with Chipotle Dipping Sauce
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
10-12 chipotles (dried jalapeño peppers)
2 tablespoons raw cane sugar (1 small piloncillo cone)
3-5 cloves garlic, preferably roasted
1/4 cup cilantro, stems removed and roughly chopped + more for garnish
1/4 cup yellow onion, diced
16 ounces (2 boxes) Saffron Road Chicken Bites
fresh mixed greens (optional)
Directions
Chipotles are not necessarily hot to the touch, but once you get them cooking, you might notice the heat- especially when you begin to blend them. Be cautious and have plenty of ventilation when cooking them.
Place the chipotles in a bowl of cool water with something heavy (like a plate) for about 20 minutes. Rinse and discard the water.
In a medium size saucepan, add the soaked chipotles and sugar to about 2 cups of water. If using fresh garlic, add those to the water. If using roasted, save them for later.
Cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes, covered. Be sure the sugar has completely dissolved. If it hasn’t, stir with a spoon to break it up and cook for just a few more minutes.
Remove from heat but do not discard the water. Remove the chipotles and garlic from water. Once cooled, remove the stems from the chipotles (and seeds, if desired, but not necessary) and the skins from the garlic if you cooked them with the skin on.
To a blender or food processor, add the chipotle, garlic, cilantro and onion. If using a hand blender to combine the ingredients, place all of the items in a deep enough bowl that they won’t end up all over you once you begin to blend. Blend until smooth, or until at least there are no chunks of pepper left.
Pour the chipotle sauce in a serving bowl.
Heat the chicken bites according to package instructions. On a serving platter or plate, place the washed fresh greens and the cooked chicken bites on top. Garnish with additonal cilantro (optional) and serve alongside the chipotle sauce for easy dipping.
Tandoori Seasoned Chicken Nuggets with Yogurt Dip
Yogurt plus sour cream or heavy cream with a bit of greens added makes a wonderful and super-quick dipping sauce to complement the Tandoori bites by Saffron Road that have a little spice kick to them.
Any type of greens will work- be creative and use what you have or what is seasonal. Chopped chives, cilantro, chopped arugula or mixed salad all work well.
Greens look appetizing next to the other colors on the plate and vice versa for the other foods.
You can plate the chicken, greens and yogurt dip simply alone or drizzle the pieces of chicken with the dip. Stick a toothpick in each bite for your guests or not, depending on how you choose to serve this appetizer.
Mix the greens in thoroughly if you don’t want a whole bunch of green at the top.
Tandoori Seasoned Chicken Nuggets with Yogurt Dip
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
11 ounces yogurt (about 1.5 cups)
1 cup sour cream or 1/2 cup heavy cream or creme fraiche (optional)
1/4 cup fresh greens, chopped (mixed salad, arugula, cilantro, chives, chicory or anything else bright green and fresh)
Sea salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
fresh greens (washed and left in whole pieces or roughly chopped)
16 ounces (2 boxes) Saffron Road Tandoori Seasoned Chicken Nuggets
Directions
Prepare the yogurt sauce by mixing the yogurt with the sour cream or heavy cream, if using. If you are using only yogurt, be sure to use whole milk yogurt because it is thicker. Low fat or no fat yogurt will need a little something extra to thicken it up, such as sour cream.
Mix the fresh greens into the yogurt (or yogurt-cream sauce). Add the salt, pepper and minced garlic. Pour into a serving bowl.
To prepare the plate, lay the greens on a serving tray. Prepare the chicken nuggets as directed on the package. When finished, place on top of the bed of lettuce and next to or in the middle of the plate where the nuggets will be served.
If you like, drizzle the chicken nuggets with the yogurt sauce and place a toothpick in each one for easy eating.
For more appetizer recipes, click here for my appetizer category.
Be sure to enter Saffron Road’s giveaways this week of Clean Your Kitchen Green and coupons for FREE Saffron Road products! Visit their Facebook page and follow them on Twitter to be sure you hear about the giveaways!
This post was sponsored by Saffron Road Food for Eid ul Adha.
by Yvonne Maffei | Oct 28, 2009 | American, Condiments & Sauces, Dinner, Fall, Italian, Pasta Dishes, Recipes
One of the best things about large squash such as pumpkin is that since they have a long shelf life, you can decorate your home with them (I personally prefer the real thing to any plastic decor) and still have time later on to use them for what they were created- as food.
Now think about taking those pumpkins off your doorstep and eat ’em up- they’re absolutely delicious!
Ingredients
1 small pumpkin, seeds removed, flesh roasted and cooled
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
3 tablespoons plus 1 ½ cup heavy cream or whole milk
¼ teaspoon oregano
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 pound penne pasta noodles, cooked and set aside
parsley or basil as garnish
Directions
- Roughly chop and set aside all pumpkin flesh.
- In a large, deep saucepan or Dutch oven, heat olive oil and butter together.
- Add flour and 3 Tb. of the milk to make a roux. Stir well.
- Add pumpkin and stir into the roux. Add more milk if necessary, one tsp. at a time. If mixture is too thin, add more flour, ½ Tb. at a time.
- Add spices, then parmesan, until mixture is fully blended and has a thick consistency.
- Add cooked penne to pan and mix well until all ingredients are fully blended.
- When serving, add a small pat of butter and freshly chopped basil or parsley to the top.
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Oven-Roasted Acorn Squash Seeds
![Sweet Grape Spread]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Sep 28, 2009 | Breakfast & Brunch, Condiments & Sauces, Gluten-Free, Mediterranean, Recipes, Summer, Vegetarian
If you don’t have time to jar all those end of summer fruits, try this recipe instead for a wonderful spread. It’s absolutely delicious on toast, croissants and even pancakes. There’s no pectin needed, no jarring or preserving necessary- just make it and use it up or share with friends, family & neighbors. They’ll be amazed it came from grapes, not the traditional berries used in jams or preserves.
Ingredients
5 cups purple grapes, preferably large seedless
1-1/2 cups water
Directions
1. Wash grapes and remove stems.
2. Place grapes in a sauce pan with the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook for 30-40 minutes, or until the mixture is thick and void of most liquid, but not dry.
3. Strain any excess seeds using a fine sieve. Store in a glass jar and refrigerate.
Will stay fresh for about 7 days.
