Pumpkin Soup

Had some friends over for garam masala making on Saturday. We cooked long into the night, but first we roasted and ground a fresh batch of spices!

 

Garam masala is a warming spice made in North India. Here is a really easy and delicious recipe you can make for when you're not eating turkey in November. Thanks Rissi for being my scribe!

Pumpkin Soup

2 Tbs canola or peanut oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1tsp cumin seeds
1 medium onion, minced
1 1/2 Tbs fresh ginger, minced
1 can pumpkin
1 can coconut milk
1 1/2 cup water
1 Tbs chicken or veg bullion.
1/2 tbs garam masala
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne
2 tbs brown sugar
cilantro or mint, minced

-- Heat the oil in a medium sized soup pot.
-- Put in the mustard and cumin seeds, and let them sputter and pop. Cumin will brown, mustard will turn grey.
-- Add the onions and ginger to the hot oil. Sautee until translucent.
-- Add the water, pumpkin, and coconut milk, stir.
-- Add remaining spices, bullion, and brown sugar, stir.
-- Bring soup to a boil, then turn down and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
-- Add fresh herbs to the soup before serving. Enjoy!

Highlights from the 2013 Summer Season! Thanks everyone for coming out!

Dinner Thursday August 15

Come join me and my sisters in my back-alley yard for dinner!

Watemelon-lime-mint margaritas

Fresh tomato-mango chili with quinoa, bacon, scallions, and avocado cream

Summer rolls with sliced bratwurst, beets, kale, red onion, thai basil, fresh mint and vermicelli with peanut-tahini sauce

Sweet potato stack with cilantro-pistachio tofu pate, black bean-ancho chile-cocoa sauce, corn relish, wild rice, and toasted pepitas

Desert TBA

*This meal is gluten and lactose-free, will accommodate for vegetarians!

6:30 -- Bayview-- Sliding scale $20-$40

Please RSVP by clicking here http://chezkate.com/questionnaire.html

DINNER Thursday July 25

TAPAS

Green pea bisque, horseradish cream, curried carrot chips

Thai watermelon salad with arugula, peanuts, basil and mint

Roasted beets with crispy vidalia onion rings, goat cheese, honey, black pepper

Bison biryani with golden raisons, almonds, carmelized onions, raita 

(Vegetarian option with chickpeas)

Homemade macaroons:

Bergamont, chocolate, and sea salt

Lavender and rosewater caramel

Pistachio cardamom

Sliding scale $30-$50, BYOB, 7-9pm, Bayview

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DINNER Sunday July 14, 2013

Kate's Renegade Aboveground Alley Kitchen is back for it's second season in Bayview!

Fava bean salad with pickled plums, radishes, and mint

Curried cauliflower and sweet corn dal soup with avocado cream

Potato patti with chickpeas, tamarind tomatoes, and mint chutney

Banana chai cupcakes with chocolate ganache frosting

RSVP http://chezkate.com/questionnaire.html

Sliding scale $20-$40 per person, BYOB, 7-9pm, Bayview

Tell your friends! Hope to see you soon!!!

Indian Baked Beans

Recently made this for a potluck, and a friend who usually eats chickpeas out of the can said this was way better. So I wrote down the recipe for her, and thought I'd share it here too! Really easy, great for this time of year when you want to turn on the oven. Throw some squash in there to roast too, this stuff is good with roast squash.

I made this up, this is not an authentic Indian recipe because Indians don't have ovens. But to me, it kind of tastes like Delhi street food, probably because of the chaat masala. Which smells like sulphurous eggs btw, but tastes really good (it's dried mango powder and black salt that makes it smell that way). You need a few Indian spices to make it. I don't measure when I cook, but here's a go:

1 can chickpeas (drained and rinsed, i don't like no bean juice, ew)
1 can cubed tomatos (do not drain or rinse :)
1 small onion, finely cubed
1 tablespoon canola or peanut oil
1 tablespoon turmeric
1/2 tblsp garam masala
1/2 tblsp chaat masala
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon siracha chili paste or 1teasp cayenne
1-2 teaspoons salt
pepper

mix everything together in a casserole pan
bake at 400 degress for at least 30- up to 45 min
mix in minced cilantro when you take it out of the oven, also good with minced red onion and some lemon juice.

** note, if it's not flavorful enough for you, add more spices next time-- I think I was conservative on my spice estimates.

yay easy Indian food! :)

xoK

Thursday, July 19 -- DINNER

-- Watermelon, arugala, parmesean, pumpkin seed salad drizzled with balsamic and olive oil

-- Raw spinach and dandelion bisque with avocado-yellow pepper cream

-- Chickpea battered vidalia onion rings drizzled with maple syrup, sweet and spicy kidney beans, braised collard greens, and grits with sweet corn

-- Nectarine flambe with creamy coconut-rum sauce and raspberries


* this may change slightly depending on which vegetables are coming to market that week

** 7pm -- Bayview -- BYOB -- $20-40 -- Click here to RSVP at least 2 days before dinner and I will then send you all the details you need to know.