Indian-Spiced Creamed Greens

Creamed spinach.  It’s pretty good stuff, right?  I mean, even folks who hate greens and vegetables in general would probably be happy to eat it on the side of a char-grilled steak.

But what about those of us on the other end of the spectrum, i.e.  those of us who would happily eat spinach, kale or just about any other green every day of the week?  Those of us who don’t need excessive amounts of butter and cream to make those greens palatable and would be happier without the extra fat and calories?

Well, I think I’ve got something that will appeal to both factions.

Large bunches of Swiss Chard and kale are combined with a lightly-spiced onion mixture and rich and creamy coconut milk  in this Indian-spiced creamed greens dish.  Even though it’s much, much healthier than your average creamed spinach recipe, it tastes no less indulgent.  Coconut milk for the win yet again.

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Indian Yellow Dal

I”m in the middle of a massive fridge, freezer and pantry clean-out, which means that all of my dried beans and legumes have got to go before I even think about putting in another order from Rancho Gordo or visiting the bulk bins at the local health food stores.

While a lot of beans have risen in popularity over the past decade or so (I definitely remember thinking that beans were really uncool as a kid, although I don’t know where I got that idea), I’m not sure if any of that popularity has extended to yellow split peas.  Even Safeway, the only supermarket that carried them out here, stopped selling them a few months back.

And that, my friends, is kind of a travesty.  After going overboard with lentils a couple years back, yellow split peas have become my pulse of choice.  They’re great because, like lentils, they don’t require super-lengthy cooking times or overnight soaks.  And with their happy and vibrant hue, they’re like  a warming bowl of sunshine.

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Indian Asparagus with Shredded Coconut

I don’t know about you, but my Instagram feed and feed reader are clogged with photos of ramps and ramp recipes, respectively.   Unfortunately I’m going to have to miss out on the fun yet again since I’ve never seen a ramp at a farmer’s market or grocery store out in Honolulu.

Bummers.

I guess I’ll just have to drown my sorrows with excessive amounts of rhubarb and asparagus.

These days it’s rare that I leave a grocery store without 2-3 large bunches of asparagus.  Although I love basic grilled or roasted asparagus as much as the next girl, I’ve been trying to branch out and use it in other recipes as well.

Although the cold weather crop isn’t a vegetable that I normally associate with Indian cuisine, asparagus makes one heck of a side when paired with shredded coconut and Indian spices.

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Curried Tuna Salad

Even though we’ve got pretty great weather year-round here in Honolulu, I’m certainly not immune to a little spring fever.  The longer, warmer days mean even more frequent trips to the beach and, more importantly, more frequent beach picnics.

While I’d love to be the kind of person who can put together a magazine shoot-worthy picnic set atop a chic table in a bag, more often than not, my picnics consist of  several friends huddling around a cooler, passing around Pyrex containers of food.  While I may fall short when it comes to providing ambiance, I’d like to think I can put together a mean assortment of food.  And this curried tuna salad?  I can assure you that it’ll probably be in just about every cooler I pack this summer.

In this quick and easy dish, canned tuna is combined with sauteed onions, garlic, ginger and a hefty dose of curry powder while some sliced Serrano chile pepper provide a bit of heat .  I’d happily eat this stuff plain with a fork, with crackers or in a sandwich.  Hot, warm or cold.  With mayo or without.   Honestly, it’s hard to go wrong here.

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