The cakes can be seared in a pan instead of baked. For additional serving options, put a dollop of yogurt or some crumbled feta cheese on top. Or serve grilled chicken or fish on top of the cakes, and garnish with the sauce.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons canola or olive oil for cooking, plus extra
1 cup minced onion
2 cups cooked millet
3 cups hominy, or most of a 4.5 ounce can, rinsed and drained
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon coriander
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¹⁄₈ teaspoon cayenne

For the Sauce

2 cups fresh cilantro leaves
1 or 2 jalapeños, ribs and seeds removed and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Heat a large skillet on medium high heat and add two tablespoons cooking oil, followed by the onions. Sauté the onions until brown, then add the millet, hominy, garlic, and spices and sauté on medium heat for 5 minutes. Salt to taste. Cool.

Put 2 cups of the millet mixture into a food processor, and pulse until it forms a sticky ball, about 45 seconds. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Fold in the remaining contents of the sauté pan. When the mixture is cool enough to handle, continue mixing with your hands to form a large ball of dough.

Pack a ¹⁄₃-cup measuring cup with the dough, and tap it out onto the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. Coat your hands with oil, and form the cakes into patties ¼-inch thick. Bake until the tops are lightly browned, 20-25 minutes.

To make the sauce, combine the cilantro, jalapeño, honey, lime juice, and olive oil in a blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt. Serve the cakes hot, with the sauce on the side.

Copyright © by Louisa Shafia. All rights reserved.

Ingredients

10-12 whole wheat tortillas, cut into 3 inch triangles
12-15 corn tortillas, cut into 3 inch triangles
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted
Juice of 1 lime
Salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut tortillas and place in a large bowl. In a separate small bowl mix the cilantro, oil, cumin seeds, lime juice and salt, mix well and then toss over tortillas. Lay tortillas flat on a baking sheet (lined with parchment) and place in the oven and cook for about 7-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Ingredients

2 cups fresh cilantro leaves
2 cloves, garlic, chopped
½ small white onion
¼ cup avocado oil
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
Juice of 1 lime
¼ cup hot water (more as needed)

Directions

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy, adding more hot water until desired consistency. Season to taste with salt.

Ingredients

1 large eggplant
2 medium tomatoes, chopped medium
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces Greek Yogurt
¼ cup fresh mint, chopped fine
¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Slice eggplant in half and place skin side down on a lined baking sheet. Roast about 40-45 minutes or until brown, bubbly and tender. Set aside to cool. In the same oven at the end of the eggplant’s time place the tomatoes in a glass baking dish and sprinkle with cumin seeds, cilantro, salt, lemon zest and garlic. Roast for about 5-10 minutes. Remove the eggplant from its skin and chop super fine. In a large mixing bowl combine eggplant and tomatoes and mix well. Divide up into ramekins and drizzle a little olive oil on top. Place in the broiler for about 3 minutes or until slightly charred on top. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine the yogurt, mint and lemon juice and mix well. Season with salt and drizzle the over the eggplant and garnish with a mint or cilantro leaf.

Ingredients

2 small white eggplants (about 1 pound each) cut into ½ inch thick slices the long way
Sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 shallot, chopped fine
2 red chilis, deseeded and chopped fine
1 teaspoon lime zest
1 tablespoon peanut butter
2 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons yuzi rice vinegar
Juice of 1 lime
Cilantro Red Pepper Relish (recipe follows)

Directions

Lay the eggplant down on a large baking sheet and season with salt. Set aside. In a small bowl whisk together the garlic, shallot, chilies, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, zest, peanut butter, tamari, vinegar and lice juice. Pour the mixture over the eggplant and flip brushing it all over the eggplant. Grill the eggplant on a hot grill for about 3 minutes per side or until browned and grilled nicely. Serve with Cilantro Pepper Relish.

Cilantro Red Pepper Relish

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients

3 red bell peppers, deseeded and chopped small
2 cloves garlic, chopped superfine
1 shallot, chopped superfine
1 teaspoon lemongrass bulb, chopped fine
1 teaspoon lime zest
2 teaspoon red chili, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped fine
1 tablespoon fresh thai basil, chopped fine
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped fine
1 tablespoon yuzu rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Mix together all ingredients in a small bowl and let stand for about 10 minutes before serving.

Ingredients

4 large chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
Salt/pepper
Peach BBQ Sauce (recipe follows)
2 nectarines, not fully ripe, firm, deseeded and chopped small
½ red bell pepper, deseeded and chopped small
1 green bell pepper, deseeded and chopped small
½ red onion, chopped small
1 serrano chili, deseeded and chopped fine
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped fine
Juice of 2 limes
1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Pound the chicken breasts in between two sheets of plastic or in a zip lock bag with a meat hammer until about ½ inch thick and consistently even. Cut into small triangle or similar shapes about 3-4 inches in circumference. Season with salt & pepper. Place them in a large flat baking dish and smother them with the peach BBQ sauce. Let stand for about 20 minutes. Preheat your grill or an oven to 325°F. In a medium bowl combine the nectarines, peppers, onions, chili and cilantro and mix together well. Squeeze the lime juice and season with salt and mix well. Let stand while the chicken cooks. Place chicken, letting all excess BBQ sauce drip off, on greased grill for a few minutes on each side or in the oven for about 5-10 minutes flipping once more. Serve the chicken paillards with the salsa spooned over the top.

Peach BBQ Sauce

Makes 2 cups of sauce

Ingredients

3 peaches, peeled and halved
1 teaspoon sugar
½ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
¼-½ cup bourbon
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
¼ cup sweet yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Sprinkle peaches (open halves) with sugar and grill until soft. Combine all ingredients in a blender (or use a handheld food processor) and blend until relatively smooth but still has some coarseness. Brush the sauce on meats while they are cooking.

Ingredients

4 large chicken breasts, boneless skinless
Salt/pepper
2 medium peaches, pitted and chopped fine
1 medium Pepino melon, seeds removed, peeled and chopped fine (1 cup chopped honeydew melon can be substituted)
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
2 teaspoons jalapeño or serrano pepper, chopped fine
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped fine
Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon lime zest
2 tablespoons avocado oil or canola oil
1 tablespoon peach preserves
1 tablespoon chipotle in adobo sauce, mashed

Directions

Pound the chicken breasts in between two sheets of plastic or in a zip lock bag with meat hammer until about ½ inch thick and consistently even. Cut into small triangle or similar shapes about 3-4 inches in circumference. Season with salt & pepper. Preheat you grill or an oven to 325°F. In a medium bowl combine peaches, bell peppers, jalapeños, and cilantro and toss together. Let stand at room temperature while the chicken cooks. Place chicken on greased grill for a few minutes on each side or in the oven for about 5-10 minutes flipping once time. Serve the chicken paillards with the salsa spooned over the top.

Ingredients

Directions

Put the lentils and water into a pan, stir well and bring to the boil. Skim off any froth that forms on the surface of the water with a spoon. Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer, stirring regularly, for 40 minutes to 1 hour, or until the lentils are just tender, adding more water as necessary.

When the lentils have cooked through, remove the pan from the heat, and use a whisk to break down the lentils. Set the mixture aside to thicken and cool.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, and fry for 20 to 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the onion, chiles, and ginger, and fry for 4 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Blend the garlic and tomatoes to a puree in a food processor. Add the puree to the pan, and stir well to combine. Add the turmeric, garam masala, coriander, and 3 1/2 ounces of water to the pan, and stir well to combine. Season the mixture with salt, to taste, and simmer over a medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the oil from the sauce has risen to the surface of the sauce.

Add the cooked lentils to the sauce, and stir well, adding more water as necessary, to loosen the mixture. Bring the mixture to a boil, and season, to taste, with salt before serving. Stir in the chopped cilantro just before serving. If this dish is not sour enough for you, add a squeeze of lemon juice. If you are a garlic lover, you can add another 2 cloves of garlic.

*Recipe Property of Palak Patel

Ingredients

Directions

Heat oil and fry paneer cubes till they turn golden brown. Set aside. In a separate pot, heat ghee, cumin seeds, until they are aromatic, turn a slight brown color and sputter. Add chopped onions, ginger, chilies and garlic and cook until onions soften.Add tomato puree, salt, sugar, and cook till the tomatoes soften till fat separates. Then add garam masala, chili powder, turmeric powder coriander powder, cumin powder, and kasoori methi. Cook for another few minutes to release spice flavors. Add the water and stir it in, using your discretion depending on how dry the dish is. If you added too much water, just let it simmer away until much of it evaporates – you want your tomatoes soft anyway. Add the peas. Cook just until the peas are tender. Pour in the cream, mix, and add the paneer and let simmer on medium heat for the paneer to absorb the flavors.

*Recipes Property of Palak Patel

Ingredients

Directions

In a large mixing bowl toss together all salad ingredients until well mixed, set aside. In the meantime whisk together the dressing ingredients until well mixed, toss together with salad ingredients and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.