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Tuna and Avocado Salad

2 Large hard-boiled eggs
2 Teaspoons Louisiana hot sauce
1 Cup Avocado, mashed
1/2 Cup Onion, chopped
1 6 1/2 oz can tuna (in water)
2 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons Dill relish
Fresh lemon juice
Salt -- to taste

Peel eggs and mash real well with a regular dinner fork (more or less mince
them). Peel avocado and squeeze 1/2 lemon on it to keep from discoloring.
Then mash real well with fork. Mix these two ingredients real well. Drain
water from tuna and mix with onions, eggs, avocado, dill pickles or relish,
salt, Louisiana hot sauce, and mayonnaise.
Serve over lettuce.

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Avocado Salad

* 2 avocados
* romaine lettuce leaves
* 1 teaspoonsalt
* 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1 clove garlic -- minced
* 1 sprig fresh thyme -- (optional)
* 2/3 cup olive oil
* 1 tablespoon red wine
* 1 tablespoon vinegar

Cut the avocados in half and discard the pit. Scoop out the avocado meat with an ice cream dipper, and shape into little balls. Place them on two plates lined with lettuce leaves. In a small bowl, whisk together the rest of the ingredients, pour over the avocados, and serve.
Recipe By : "Le Ruth's" Restaurant, New Orleans, LA.

Ed that cucumber salad sounds really reallly good!

Oh it is! It's low-fat, low-carb, and full of vitamins from the cucumbers!

If one is sure that one's cucumbers are grown with very little pesticide or if one is able to scrub them quite cleanly, the skins may be left on for a nice contrast. The best cucumbers for this sort of recipe are Japanese ones, which are less than an inch in diameter and have dark green skins.

Meanwhile, here's another recipe, one that I just made for lunch some hours ago, repasted from the Peeps thread!

Stir-Fried Potato Shreds

2-3 large WAXY potatoes
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2-3 tbsp vegetable oil
2-3 tsp black/brown vinegar
2 tsp sugar
A splash of soy sauce
Several drops of sesame oil

1. Peel and slice the potatoes, then chop the slices into matchsticks.

2. Heat the oil in a wok (or large frying pan) so it gets very hot. Maximum temperature is a good idea. It should start to smoke. Add the potato shreds and stir constantly. Fry for about 3 minutes (with a red-hot wok, I can get away with less than a minute) until it starts to get slightly soft, but is still firm.

3. Add the vinegar, the sugar and the soy sauce. Cook for another minute or so, stirring all the time so the potatoes are thoroughly coated. Sprinkle with sesame oil and serve.

Waxy potatoes are essential - starchy floury ones won't work for this. If one wishes, one may add some very thinly julienned red and green chillies (or peppers, if one doesn't like the hotness of chillies) into the mix.

What is the result? A slightly sour-salty and spicy dish of potato shreds. This dish is especially popular in North and West China, and goes very well with rice. If the stir-frying is done very quickly and at high heat, the potato shreds retain their crunch, and ought to have a texture somewhat like that of carrots, making the dish feel more like a vegetable dish than a starch dish.

To make up for my not posting recipes through the first few weeks of Great Lent as I'd promised, here are a few more Chinese recipes suitable for the fast!

Spinach and Silken Bean Curd Soup

INGREDIENTS:

- 150g/5 oz young spinach
- 240g/8 oz silken bean curd, cut into 2 cm or 3/4" cubes and soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 Chinese dried mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes, hard stalks removed and finely sliced
- 60g/2 oz button mushrooms, finely sliced
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing (rice) wine or medium sherry
- 600ml/1 pint/2-1/2 cups vegetable stock
- 2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch) blended with a little water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- pepper to taste
- 1 tsp sesame oil

Wash the spinach thoroughly and blanch in boiling water. Rinse, squeeze dry and finely chop. Blanch the bean curd by soaking in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and leave to dry in a sieve.

Heat the oil in a wok over a high heat. Add the dried and fresh mushrooms and turn for 1 minute. Add the spinach, soy sauce and wine and stir for 30 seconds. Add the stock, cornflour paste, bean curd and salt and pepper. Bring back to the boil and simmer gently for 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame oil to serve.

BRAISED EGGPLANTS
魚香茄子

In Chinese, the name of this dish 魚香茄子 translates to Fish-Flavour Eggplants, not because it tastes fishy (that would be odd), but rather because the flavour of the sauce (salty, sweet, spicy and sour) was one originally developed for fried fish in West China. It goes well with rice, of course, but it also makes a fabulous sandwich filling, goes with crisp baguettes, and is a useful vegetable side-dish on any occasion. I used to hate eggplants until I came across this dish and Melanzane Parmigiana (Eggplants Parmesan), and then realised if the Chinese AND the Italians agreed that it was good...

A suggested variation which I've never tried is to add some sun-dried tomato slices to the aubergines - if anyone tries it, let me know!

A common festive version may be made by adding minced pork to the recipe, in which case a little more Yuxiang (Fish-Flavour, literally) sauce will be required.

The Yuxiang sauce is also used in stir fries with meat (usually pork cut into little-finger sized pieces, but I've done this with chicken and turkey too), in which case one also adds finely julienned chilli for flavour and red+green peppers (similarly julienned) for colour.

This Yuxiang Eggplant (or meat) and the Stir-Fried Potato Shreds I mentioned earlier, are very homely North & West Chinese dishes. Add the Beancurd Soup in the previous post, and you've got quite a meal!

First, YUXIANG SAUCE

6 tsp white sugar
2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, roasted and crushed (may be omitted if unavailable).
2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
4 tbsp Zhengjiang Vinegar. If unavailable, use red wine or balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) dissolved in 4 tbsp water
1 tbsp hot bean paste or chilli sauce
12 tbsp vegetable oil
12 slices fresh root ginger, finely chopped 12 small spring onions (scallions), finely chopped
12 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped

Mix the sugar, Sichuan peppercorns, pepper, soy sauces, vinegar, cornflour mixture and hot bean paste together.

Heat the wok over a high heat. Add the oil. When it just begins to smoke scatter in the ginger, spring onions and garlic. Turn for a moment in the oil. Pour in the sauces and bring to the boil. Keep stirring until the sauce thickens (about 2 minutes).

This should make about 8 tbsps of yuxiang sauce, just enough for the eggplants in the next section, but your mileage may vary.

Then, THE EGGPLANTS:

3 tbsp vegetable oil
4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large aubergine (eggplant), cut into 1" cubes

Heat the oil in a wok until it begins to smoke. Add the garlic and turn in the oil for a couple of seconds. Quickly add the eggplant and turn together briskly for 2 minutes. Make sure all the eggplant cubes get a light coating of oil before a few cubes absorb it all - eggplant drinks up oil in shocking amounts.

Add the yuxiang sauce and 2 tablespoons of water and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the liquid has reduced (about 6 minutes) and till the sauce forms a glaze, adding more water if the sauce begins to crackle and dry.

Serve and watch the smiles!

One more and I'll leave you in peace...

THREE FLAVOURS OF THE EARTH

This is a North Chinese dish - again, very homestyle. Most Chinese in America are from the south, and unlikely to have heard of this dish. I figure that since most of the forum's readers live in a climate where it's still cold right now, this sort of North Chinese food that's hearty, warming and filling will be welcome.

In this popular dish, eggplant contrasts well with potato and green pepper. It is rich and filling - an ideal winter meal with rice. While the authentic version will use lard, this can be omitted and the dish becomes a very healthy, vegetarian favorite.

1 medium eggplant
1 peeled potato
1 green pepper (red is fine too)
2 tsp minced ginger
2 tsp minced spring onion

1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tbsp red rice vinegar (Balsamic or red wine vinegar are substitutes)
salt to taste

Half a cup of a paste made with 2:1 mix of water to cornstarch

Cut potato and eggplant into evenly sized chunks. De-seed the peppers, cutting them into chunks, aiming for pieces the same size as the eggplant and potato.

Make a seasoning mix with the soy sauce, sugar, vinegar and salt. Add the cornstarch and water paste.

Half fill the wok with oil, heat to medium heat and add the potato slices and fry until golden. Take out, add the eggplant and when it begins to turn color add the peppers.

Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

Tip away the oil (Chinese often re-use oil a few times before disposing of it), leaving just a tbsp in the wok. Turn up the heat and add the ginger and spring onion. Stir-fry until fragrant. Add the seasoning mix and stir to mix. You should have a thick glossy sauce. Return the vegetables to the pan and toss well to mix the flavors.

Serve

Dehna Hunu, this is my first post for a recipe.
I have an obsession with beans and seafood, so thats what I'll post recipies for. I believe having enough protein is the most important thing during fasting, especially for me since I never eat enough even without fasting (so I am told..)

I'll start off with Ethiopia, since it's my most recently explored cuisine. I feel at home with it since it's so similar to the Southern Indian food from Kerala which I've cooked for years. Their was certainly trading between them because they both use many of the same spices.

I tend to take pride in my love of spices. They may be obscure or very familiar. Either way you should find them delightful. You can also easily grow them in pots to propagate a new supply to maintain optimum freshness, health and convenience. Ethnic markets will be the main places that you will find certain spices. The price always being the lowest at them too.

from: http://debturner62.tripod.com/thewritingworld/id5.html
Kik Alicha (Yellow Split Pea Sauce)
1 lb. yellow split peas
6 c. water
2 c. onions, minced
3 T. oil (omit the oil if you must)
1 T. ginger, minced
2 T. garlic, minced
� c. white wine
2 Anaheim chilies, sliced in half (or whatever chilies are available)
� tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
� tsp. fenugreek
� tsp. turmeric
� tsp. black cumin (nigella sativa seeds, also called kalonji or حبه البركه)
� tsp. cardamom

Wash split peas and boil until soft. Drain. Cook onions, garlic, and ginger in oil until soft. Add peas; stir. Add spices and a little water; simmer 30 minutes. Slice green peppers and add to sauce. Serve hot with injera.

prophet Muhammad once elaborated that the black nigella seed can heal every disease except death. It does help my upset stomachs.

The yellow split peas have never cooked for me without a pressure cooker. Perhaps I had bad quality beans. So that's when it's time to try a lentil recipe instead.

http://fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/recipe.cgi?r=166014
Misir Wot - Ethiopian Lentil Stew
by Elisabeth Freeman

1 cup dried (Red) Lentils
(I have never tried brown lentils, they are eaten in Ethiopia as well but may be cooked with different ingredients)
2 qt Water
1/4 cup minced Shallots or small Onions
1 clove Garlic, minced
1/4 cup Water
2 tbl Berbere
1 tbl Olive oil (I have only used Niter Kibbeh, my preference for now, during lent use less oil?)
1/2 tsp Onion salt (or half onion powder/half salt)
Additional water as needed.

1. Cook lentils in boiling water about 35 - 40 minutes, until soft and tender.

2. Meanwhile, cook shallots in a dry pan until soft and light brown, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Add garlic and continue stirring. Add 1/4 cup water, Berbere, and olive oil. Drain and mash lentils and add to shallot mixture then stir in onion salt. Simmer 30 minutes to 1 hour. You may need to add more water to keep a consistency similar to oatmeal. Serve hot or at room temp.

This is an Ethiopian recipe. Berbere is a traditional Ethiopian spice, which is hard to find in the US (don't know about other countries). If you can't find it, you can fake it. This stew is traditionally served with injera, a sour, flat bread that is used to scoop up the stew.

if you make ethiopian food, eventually you'll need some berbere.

BERBERE
This is an Ethiopian blend of spices added to many local dishes, from baked fish dishes to chicken stews. The name is pronounced 'bari-baray'.

MAKES SCANT 1/2 CUP
10 dried red chilies
8 white cardamoms
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
8 cloves
1 tsp allspice berries
2 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp ajowan seeds
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tbsp salt

1. Discard the stalk end and some of the seeds from the chilies.
2. Heat a heavy based frying pan. Bruise the cardamom pods and add them to the pan with the cumin, coriander, fenugreek, cloves, allspice, peppercorns and ajowan seeds. Toast the spices, shaking the pan over a medium heat, until they give off a rich aroma and just begin to turn color.
3. Remove the seeds from the cardamoms and then grind all the roasted spices to a fine powder. Mix in the ginger, nutmeg and salt.
4. Use at once or transfer to an air-tight jar and store away from strong light; alternatively place in an airtight container in the freezer.

Another distinctly Ethiopian seasoning which compliments berbere and is commonly used:


Niter Kibbeh (Ethiopian spiced clarified butter)
(Clarified butter can be used for cooking at higher temperatures than normal butter.)

1 lb butter; unsalted
1/4 c onions; chopped
2 cloves garlic; minced
2 tsp Ginger; grated, peeled, fresh
1/2 tsp Turmeric
4 Cardamom seeds; crushed
1 Cinnamon stick
2 Cloves; whole
1/8 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Ground fenugreek seeds
1 tb Basil; fresh OR (1 tsp dried)

In a small saucepan, gradually melt the butter and bring it to bubbling. When the top is covered with foam, add the other ingredients and reduce the heat to a simmer. Gently simmer, uncovered, on low heat. After about 45 to 60 minutes, when the surface becomes transparent and the milk solids are on the bottom, pour the liquid through a cheesecloth into a heat-resistant container. Discard the spices and solids.

Covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator, Niter Kibbeh will keep for up to 2 months.

Note: Niter Kibbeh is a ubiquitous cooking medium in Ethiopian cuisine. It adds an incomparable flavor to dishes. However, if you like you can substitute a good quality olive or other oil for butter or a combination of oil and butter. Clarified butter is traditional. The spices and amounts are not set in stone, so don't get upset if you don't have all of them.

Recipies for the Injera bread exist online, I havent made any yet but am not anticipating great difficulty as it's just a giant strethcy pancake. It does not have to taste sour, but that is a common complaint about Injera (depending on grains and ingredients). Some Ethiopian food works well with many other thin breads, but some is best with the slightly sour Teff and yeast based Injera which I've only bought from bakeries. In Ethiopia they are obsessed with grains. Eating rice is almost taboo and in fact most people would not accept rice as a crop to grow to resist famine even when given for free in recent years. Just as the irish wouldnt go fishing in the sea and rivers when potatoes failed (fishing taboo, also hard cause they didnt have very good boats).
Washington, DC, near where I live, has the second largest Ethiopian community in North America. Los Angeles is #1 or closely tied. Even in the distant suburbs near my home I can now find Ethiopian restaurants. And even in rural Pennsylvannia at the Antiochian Orthodox parish in Chambersburg there is one Ethiopian family attending regularly. They have been a fascinating and uniquely important culture for me to learn about. And also for me to pray for.

an excerpt from the Gernot Katzer's Spice Pages relating to Ethiopian cooking:

Rather remarkably, long pepper is also known and popular in parts of Africa, namely in the Isl�mic regions of North and East Africa, whereto it has been introduced by Arab traders. Therefore, long pepper is sometimes found in the complex spice mixtures of Morocco (ras el hanout, see cubeb pepper); but it is also of some importance for the cuisine of Ethiopia, where long pepper is usually found in the traditional meat stews (wat), mostly together with black pepper, nutmeg, cloves and turmeric; the usage of turmeric exemplifies Indian influence in Ethiopian cuisine. Popular recipes are siga wat, lean beef cubes braised in a spicy, thick gravy made from chiles, onions and garlic, and doro wat [ዶሮ ወጥ], a stew of chicken and hard-boiled eggs in similar gravy. Besides rice, the main staple in East Africa is a thin leavend bread (injera), which is made from a local cereal, teff (Eragrostis tef).

Spice usage in Ethiopia parallels Indian tradition in several ways: For example, the classical Ethiopian spice mixture berbere (also spelt berebere) resembles Indian masalas (see cumin) not only in its list of ingredients, but also in its preparation process which includes dry toasting of ingredients. In Ethiopia, the term berbere refers to both a coarse powder of semihot to hot chiles and to a spice mixture (�flavoured berbere�) which contains chiles as the main ingredient.

Berbere mixture is rather hot and traditionally used to spice mutton dishes; it is made by roasting dry chiles a few minutes until they darken and subsequent adding of long and black pepper, ginger, coriander fruits, fenugreek and a little bit of ajwain. Sweet tones are achieved by cinnamon, cardamom seeds, cloves and even allspice. Another ingredient, often omitted in recipes designed for the Western market, is rue, either in form of fresh leaves or as fresh or dried fruits.

Berbere can be made into a paste with water, wine or mead (tej); such a paste, called awaze or awazi, is usually served as a table condiment. The paste can again be dried at elevated temperature to yield an even more aromatic spice. Some very complex berbere recipes consist of repeated steps of moistening and drying; the more delicate ingredient (rue leaves, basil) are added only before the last step.

Ethiopia's small neighbour Eritrea features a related cuisine which, however, acquires a distict character by the use of Mediterranean ingredients (e.g., pasta) and herbs, which had been introduced during the Italian colonial era. The basic condiment is berbere paste prepared similar to the Ethiopian version, but with less chile; dried onions provide the typical Eritrean flavour. Example of Eritrean foods are the chicken stew tsebhi dorho and a similar beef stew, zigni. Eritrean flat bread ingera is, as its Ethiopian counterpart, made from teff or a teff-wheat-blend, but is has a milder taste due to lesser fermentation.

any recipes for dieabetics ????

Use Cinammon!

This is a delightful blog I came across

What I'm Cooking Now

An Orthodox Christian foodie's musings and culinary diary
http://whatimcookingnow.blogspot.com/

This is a fall and winter staple here at the farm, and there is usually always a large pot on the woodburner. Great after coming in out of the cold.

Posnaya Kapusta: Lenten Cabbage soup

1 head cabbage
1# bag(not can) of saurkraut
2 cups flour (rye is best, but white works too)
500g dried mushrooms
salt and pepper to taste

Chop up your head of cabbage very fine, and cover with water in a large stock pot. Set to boil for 45 minutes or until cabbage is soft. Add saurkraut and 1/2 of the juice in bag. In a large, heavy skillet, heat the flour until it starts turning brown. Stir continuously or it will burn! Once the flour is toasted, SLOWLY stir it into the soup, until the soup is a nice mocha color. Continue to simmer for another 30 minutes. Add the mushrooms, and making sure that they are all submerged, simmer for another 15 minutes, or until mushrooms are plump. You can add more of the saurkraut juice at this point until desired sourness is achieved. Serve with a good hard black bread. Once Post is over, throw in a couple of smoked ham hocks when you start to boil the cabbage. I also like to fry a pound of bacon, crumble it fine and toss it in, together with the resultant bacon grease!

p.s. This is not the sour mushroom soup that Baba made on Christmas. That takes a lot more effort!

Alexandr