STIR FRIED MASHED POTATOES
FOR A NIGHTSHADE FREE VARIATION, I use taro root. Cover the taro in salted water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until you can push a knife easily through them. Cool a bit and then peel off the fuzzy skins. Chop and add some thick yogurt sauce and a chaunce. Heat on low until taro is fully cooked.
This was made last Ekadasi day. I often don't have butter- almost all that I churn every couple of months ends us as ghee- so the last time I made mashed potatoes, I had used ghee rather than butter. But the end result lacked fullness. So to give more bulk and more texture, I stir fried the potatoes first in the ghee and then mashed them along with some salt and pepper and yogurt before offering to my deities.
I remember now that in the past I also used this mashed potato method in another Ekadasi dish, but without yogurt added. Click here to see how it's used as an Ekadasi "pizza crust".
FOR A NIGHTSHADE FREE VARIATION, I use taro root. Cover the taro in salted water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until you can push a knife easily through them. Cool a bit and then peel off the fuzzy skins. Chop and add some thick yogurt sauce and a chaunce. Heat on low until taro is fully cooked.
QUINOA UPMA I replace with quinoa the farina used normally in upma. Served here with taro.
(serves 4-5)
INGREDIENTS:
- 3/4 c quinoa
- 2-3 c assorted vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, carrot...)
- about 3-4 T ghee
- 1 t fresh ginger root, minced
- 3/4 t cumin seeds
- 3/4 t coriander powder
- 1/4 t black pepper
- 3/4 t roasted ground fenugreek seeds
- a sprig of fresh curry leaves
- 1/2 t turmeric
- 3 1/2 cups water
- about 1 1/2 t salt
- a handful of raisins
- Chaunce in a couple tablespoons of ghee the ginger and cumin and curry leaves. Add the coriander powder, fenugreek, black pepper and turmeric followed by the vegetables
- Stir a couple minutes to coat the vegetables in the ghee.
- Add the water and salt and bring to a boil.
- Meanwhile, lightly toast the quinoa in a little ghe in a separate pan until popping hot
- Stir the quinoa into the boiling water with the vegetables
- Lower the heat to a simmer, cover and let cook about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally while quinoa expands and absorbs the water and is fluffy.
- Offer to Krishna with avocado wedges or banana chutney
ALMOND LASSI - Blend a little at a time: roasted almonds with fresh buttermilk or thin yogurt. Add cardamom and sugar (heat the sugar in a littlne bit of water first to dissolve. Cool off and add)
EKADASI SQUASH
Cook the squash a little ahead of time so it cools a bit and makes removal from the shell easier. Place the squash shell side down while holding it in a towel to protect hand from any heat. Then scoop.
Serves 3=4 people
Serves 3=4 people
INGREDIENTS:
- A spaghetti squash, with seeds removed, sliced in half and baked 350 degrees for 45 min to an hour or until a knife pokes through the shell easily.
- 2-3 large plum tomatoes
- paneer chunks from a quart of milk, or more if desired
- 3-4 T ghee
- 1 t ginger root, minced
- 1 t fresh turmeric, minced (If unavailable, use powdered)
- 1 t cumin
- 1 t freshly ground coriander powder
- 1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
- basil
- oregano
- water
- salt
PREPARATION:
- Prepare the squash by halves face down in a covered skillet coated with about a tablespoon of ghee. Do ahead of time so it can cool a bit and the scoop from shell. Set aside
- Fry the paneer on a hot cast iron skillet with a little ghee until browned. Set aside
- Heat 2-3 tablespoons of ghee in a pan and add the spices followed by tomatoes.
- Stir a bit then cover and add about 1/2 cup water, the paneer, spaghetti squash, salt and sprinklings of basil and oregano flakes
- Cover and cook on high heat until tomatoes are cooked and water is almost evaporated. About 20 min
I served this with sweet potato wedges, avocado halves (not pictured), candied pecans and a bowl of yogurt.
VARIATION
Just plain baked squash left in the shell with butter and salt and pepper is nice to offer, too. Eaten out of the shell.
SWEET POTATOES
two methods
Covered and baked I prefer for tender potatoes, but I need to get a cover that isn't glass. This one is heat proof but very old, so it worries me it may just bust one day! Not fun.
PANEER SUBJI
NUT SMOOTHIES - Toast a big panful of almonds in an oven about ten minutes. Toss into a blender with some milk and sugar. Blend and add milk as needed to blend well. Turn off the blender and keep adding milk until desired consistency. This is good to offer in the evening as a meal itself.
TO BE CONTINUED