lentil cakes with raita

 images megan.christine

caught up in the holiday chaos, i completely procrastinated on coming up with a few dishes to bring to a new years eve dinner party at a friend's house in north park.  with the day being so gorgeous outside, i couldn't seem to pin myself to the stove, so i wanted to make sure i could whip up something easy, but also a little different (our host did request that we cook to impress).  with a variety of dietary restrictions in the group, i decided to make lentil cakes with raita (featured in bon appetit from philly based bindi restaurant), something i had not made before (note: do not do this before a party if you have no idea how they will turn out).  my food processor definitely helped to speed up the chopping, and all the fresh ingredients were very aromatic.  i pan fried the cakes and my initial taste test proved what i had feared, there were so many flavors in this dish that it was slightly overwhelming.  but, some people like that, so i wouldn't toss this recipe until trying it.

south indian lentil cakes with raita

Raita:
1 head of garlic
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/4 cup finely chopped peeled seeded cucumber
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon minced seeded jalapeño
1/2 teaspoon (or more) fresh lemon juice

Lentil cakes:
1/2 cup mixed dried legumes (such as lentils and whole mung beans) --- I used Trader Joes cooked lentils
1/4 cup basmati rice --- I used brown rice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon chopped peeled fresh ginger
1/2 jalapeño, seeded, minced
1 cup leaves from pea tendrils, arugula, or spinach, chopped
1/2 cup peas (from about 8 ounces peas in pods), chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped scallions
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

For raita:

Preheat oven to 450°F. Cut top 1/2" off head of garlic; discard. Place garlic on a sheet of foil. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap in foil. Roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool. Squeeze cloves from skins, keeping cloves intact.

Stir cumin in a small dry skillet over medium heat until deep brown, 2-3 minutes. Let cool. Finely grind in a spice mill.

Mix yogurt, cucumber, cilantro, mint, jalapeño, and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice in a medium bowl. Stir in cumin. Season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired.

For lentil cakes:

Rinse legumes; place in a medium bowl with rice. Add water to cover by 3". Let legumes and rice soak at room temperature for 3-5 hours.

Drain legumes and rice; transfer to a food processor. Add garlic, ginger, and jalapeño. Process until grainy paste forms (add 1-2 tablespoons water if necessary). Transfer to a large bowl; mix in tendrils and next 6 ingredients.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Spoon 4 scant 1/4-cupfuls of batter into skillet, flattening with the back of a measuring cup into 1/4"-thick cakes. Reduce heat to medium; sauté until golden brown and cooked through, adding 1 more tablespoon oil when cakes are flipped, about 4-5 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining oil and batter. Divide raita among plates; top with a roasted garlic clove. Place 2 cakes on each plate.

temporary wallpaper

my friend's condo in downtown san diego, designed by kristi steffen, has some amazing and bold wallpaper.  while i would love to do something similar with my house, i already have visions of the laborious process of peeling, sanding, etc.  i think for the most part, traditional wallpaper is worth it, but for small spaces that may change more frequently (like a bathroom or kids room), as well as a great option for renters. NYC based tempaper designs makes a creative alternative, with a decent selection of patterns and colors.  as a self-adhesive wall decal, one can easily reposition, remove or replace the wallpaper.  they also carry blank white rolls that allow you (or your kids) to paint or draw without destroying the wall underneath -- wish i had that when i was growing up!

images tempaper

waste free snacking

i was in babies by the sea, an adorable boutique in cardiff, looking for a second birthday present for my amazing little niece, avery grace.  she has recently started attending a daytime children's group at the JCC in denver (helps give her a chance to socialize and her mom to get in a good workout and release).  while i was visiting earlier this month i noticed that she likes to bring her 'AG bag' (equivalent to a purse/lunch bag) with her.  i know her bag is always packed full of snacks, whatever the flavor of the day may be.  so when i saw semilla snack bags at babies by the sea, i thought my sister would love the idea.  an alternate to disposable plastic bags, these lined cloth bags are made with non-toxic materials and can be washed for increase functionality and convenience.... not to mention they have cute patterns. i can't wait to see what name avery grace starts calling them!

images from google

life is too short....

images britt jennings

"life is too short not to wear beautiful clothes".... as captured in an italian PINKO storefront by the talented britt jennings (of miele) on one of her many fabulous international adventures.  PINKO is an italian clothing company created by pietro negra and cristina rubini that has an edgy runway look.  with an international presence, and some high end talent marketing their pieces (naomi campbell, erin wasson, etc), PINKO has created a great business model off brand awareness and value.  although, i did find it interesting that pinko is also a term for a person regarded as being sympathetic to communism.  i'll give them the benefit of the doubt that they didn't make that connection before creating their brand.  

images PINKO

waste to waves

i was in patagonia the other day in cardiff-by-the-sea and saw a flier at the counter for a program by sustainable surf, waste to waves.  the idea is to recycle materials (packaging foam) into an eco-friendly surfboard blank.  up until 31 january you can drop off your waste to participating locations in CA and help reduce negative impacts to nature.  sponsored by reef & spy, this is a great idea - i'm always a fan of finding useful by-products from our waste.

images from waste to waves  

merry, merry

leave it to lululemon, the yoga-inspired athletic apparel company, to post this image for christmas.  i guess there are plenty of people that need to remember to "breathe deeply and appreciate the moment!"

merry, merry!

in plane view

I was on a two week string of travel when I found myself once again walking the ramp into the C terminal at Washington's Dulles Airport.  I assume in the past I was either too busy, too late or too occupied to really take in the art in the Gateway Gallery.  Exhibited by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, works of art are rotated to provide passengers visual enjoyment while they commute.  The current exhibit, In Plane View: Abstractions of Flight, is a series of large format photographs by Carolyn Russo.  The images showcase iconic aircraft, focusing on the details and close-up facets of technology, that which otherwise would often be overlooked.  The bold colors, texture, shapes, lines and light grabbed my attention quickly.  I later learned that Russo divided her work into five categories: speed, bursts, and movement; flora, fauna and anthropomorphism; graphics; textures and skin; and propellers. If you don't get a chance to see the exhibit first hand at Dulles, her work is also published in a companion book by powerHouse Books.  As said by Patty Wagstaff (who wrote the book's forward), "it's an abstract approach that gives new life even to the most familiar icon."

images Carolyn Russo