February Culinary Smackdown: Madras Cabbage with Peas

Friends, welcome to this month's Culinary Smackdown: Battle Cabbage.  I decided I needed to make something special to prove that humble cabbage can be the star of a fantastic meal.  And so I made a dish that Tim and I have both been daydreaming about since we ate it last fall.

You may think that cabbage is simply a cruciferous vegetable only to be paired with vinegar (or cream), but I am going to stomp all over those assumptions and invite you down memory lane with me.  Tim and I ate dinner, pre-dietary restrictions, at New Krishna, our favorite Indian restaurant in Sharonville.  Since we dined in, we opted for the buffet, and each got a little scoop of just about everything.  To my surprise, Tim's favorite item was the Cabbage Masala.  It was a little spicy and aromatic and so different from the creamy curried tomato sauces that drenched most of the other options.  I loved it so much I would have been willing to loosen the top button of my jeans to eat a little more.  When else have I ever considered stuffing myself on cabbage?

I picked up some Madras Curry Powder last weekend at Colonel De and opted to use that instead of my usual garam masala.  The main difference in the two spice blends is that the Madras Curry Powder doesn't have cloves in it while the garam masala does.  Oh, and Madras Curry can be spicy--which we like very much.  Overall, it lightened up the aromatics of this dish, but the few whole cloves I threw into the hot oil were just enough for a hint of that flavor.

And so Madras Cabbage with Peas was reinvented for this home cook.  A skeptical Tim, who prefers a big slice of meat with the majority of his meals, was completely satisfied with my make-at-home version.  The beauty of this recipe is that you could use just about any vegetables you wanted.  If you decide to make this with potatoes, you will need to either pre-boil the potatoes or add some water to the pan and allow it to reduce.  I've done that before and you end up with a lovely sauce.  I also suggest chickpeas, cauliflower, or carrots to compliment the curry powder.

And in case you can't find Madras Curry Powder, you could always substitute Garam Masala (just don't add the whole cloves).  I've been able to find the latter at my local Indian grocery store.  Or, if you're inclined to make your own spice blends, the label of my Madras Curry Powder says that it contains (in the order of the label): coriander, cumin, peppercorns, black mustard seeds, chili, fenugreek, turmeric.  I am unsure of the amounts of each.

Madras Cabbage with Peas
serves 4 as main course, 6 as a side dish

Ingredients
2 tbsp canola oil

1/2 tsp yellow mustard seeds
1/4 tsp whole cloves
2-3 small yellow onions, peeled and sliced about 1/8 inch thick

1 to 1.5 lbs green cabbage, cored and sliced into long thin strips about 1/4 inch thick
2 tsp Madras Curry Powder
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
salt & pepper

In a large saute pan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add mustard seeds and cloves until fragrant and slightly brown, about 3 minutes.  Add onion and cook until almost translucent, about 4 minutes.  Add cabbage to the pan and stir occasionally for 6-7 minutes, until cabbage has begun to wilt and even slightly brown.  Sprinkle curry powder, turmeric, and red pepper flakes over cabbage and stir.  Cook for an additional 5 minutes, until cabbage is just barely still firm yet easy to bite.  Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Serve over rice or with flatbread.  (Maybe even gluten free naan?)

Please check out Grumpy Granny's Host Post for a round up of the entries and the announcement of the winner in a few days on her blog!

Hillbilly Tea, Louisville, KY

I spent the afternoon in Louisville last week.  I was there for work, but I carved out some time in the early afternoon to seek out a unique spot for a late lunch.  After I asked for suggestions on Twitter, a friend  recommended Hillbilly Tea, and I was just a few blocks away so I headed there.

The vibe inside was eclectic and felt thoughtfully curated.  A mix between a farm house and a city loft, the seating was mismatched but cohesively defined the spaces.  An open drink station at the far end of the room created the feeling of being in someone's house for lunch, which I particularly liked.

The menu proudly boasted local food vendors and a huge selection of teas.  Each of the menu items felt authentically Kentucky yet a little modern.  Listed side by side were the (extremely juicy) hamburger that I ordered and a vegetarian forest mushroom pot pie.  Definitely a little something for all tastes.

The chair hanging on the wall, alone and above my visual line, sort of summed up the whole experience for me.  It was fun and unexpected yet warm and welcoming.  I'd definitely go back, especially for the vast tea selection and the spicy sweet potato soup (which isn't pictured because I ate it so quickly).  I brought home a chocolate cupcake sprinkled with fresh rosemary for my husband; between bites he said it was delicious.

You can visit Hillbilly Tea at 120 S. 1st Street in Louisville Kentucky.  During the week they serve breakfast and lunch and on the weekends also have a dinner service.

My Favorite Gluten Free Snacks

The most difficult issue in being gluten free, dairy free, soy free, and whatever-else-free, is that it requires advance planning when it comes to food.  There is very little "fast food" that isn't cross contaminated with wheat (among other suspicious things) and when I'm traveling it can be difficult to find restaurants that I can trust.

As a result, 've become someone who assumes I won't be able to find things to eat.  I even packed a bigger suitcase so I could include snacks when I went to Orlando last month.  And I'm always incredibly grateful when a friend or family member whom I'm going to visit asks me in advance what foods they can have around the house for me.  That's love.

This is an incredibly incomplete, subjective list, but I hope it helps you think about creative, relatively healthy snacking for yourself or a loved one.

1.  Banana with Peanut Butter
This may seem like a throwback to childhood, but a sliced banana with some awesome peanut butter is so satisfying.  It's a little bit sweet and a little bit savory and just right for a quick breakfast, an afternoon snack, or even dessert.    A word of warning:  as with all packaged foods, you must read the label on the peanut butter to make sure it is truly gluten free (for me, as well as soy free).  If you want to make this even more special, look in the natural foods section of your grocery for Earth Balance Peanut Butter with Coconut Oil.  This spread is a life changer!  If that's not available to you or you want to improvise, I recommend drizzling a little honey on top of regular peanut butter.  Very messy yet extremely tasty.

2.  Enjoy Life Snickerdoodles
This company is wholly committed to making allergy friendly products that actually taste fantastic.  Free from 8 of the most common allergens, you can trust that it's extremely likely there is a product from this company that will be safe for you or a friend.  My favorite, the Snickerdoodles, are actually soft and have an excellent spiced flavor.  I've read the label, and I honestly think the secret to the cookies tasting so good is the rosemary extract.  (Rosemary extract! Who would have thunk it?)  Coming in at a close second are their Double Chocolate Brownie Cookies, though I have to eat them sparingly, partly because too much chocolate doesn't sit well with my stomach and partly because they are so addicting that it's hard to stop at just one!

3.  Clementines & Apples
Fruit may seem a bit obvious, but having fruit around is convenient and healthy.  Clementines satisfy my cravings for something sweet and sour, and apples are great to take with me on the road.  I can easily eat them in between business meetings.  I also don't have to worry about either of these foods getting stuck in my teeth, and that is always a big concern for me!

4.  Corn Tortilla Chips
Again, you have to read the label to be sure that the tortilla chips are 100% corn and cooked in corn oil, but a handful of these with some homemade salsa or 5 minute guacamole is the perfect afternoon (or late night) snack.  (Want to make your own 5 minute guac?  In the bowl of a food processor, combine 2 avocados [skin and seed discarded], 1 peeled and smashed clove of garlic, 2 or 3 tablespoons of diced red onion, 2 tablespoons of roughly chopped cilantro, a pinch of kosher salt and a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice.  Pulse about 10 times, until avocado is smooth and ingredients incorporated.  It's perfect every time.)

5.  Nuts
A palmful of roasted cashews or candied almonds can stop a hunger crash from spiraling out of control.   I put nuts in a small ziplock bag or reusable plastic container and tuck them into my purse.  I'm especially thankful I have them when I am sitting at a band competition to watch my stepdaughter and everyone around me is eating hot dogs or M&Ms.  They are probably jealous that I thought ahead and brought something more interesting to eat.

6.  Sweetened Almond Milk
You can buy vanilla or chocolate almond milk in "juice box" sizes and they don't need to be refrigerated.  I take them with me when I travel for work (I even took some to Orlando) along with my own Gluten Free Honey Nut (Corn) Chex cereal.  Sure, people look at me strange when I come to breakfast with my own food, but I'm awfully thankful that I have it when I see only danishes and dried up scrambled eggs available at the hotel's continental breakfast.  And a bowl of cereal in the afternoon tastes just as good as it does in the morning.

Now you have seen my list, but what about you?  Do you have a go-to gluten free snack for yourself or a friend that you recommend?