Ottolenghi's Chickpea Sauté with Greek Yogurt

Good cookbooks provide instruction and inspiration, but some of my favourites have an additional benefit — beautifully crafted photographs that illustrate the wonders and creativity of food. One of the finest collections of mouth-watering food photographs in my library is contained in Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi, a London chef and restauranteur with very inventive styles of cooking and presentation. I especially respect a master chef who pays more than just lip service to vegetarian cooking — the subtitle of the book is "Vibrant Vegetable Recipes", which includes legumes, grains, eggs and dairy. I can highly recommend this cookbook for more than just the pictures.

Paneer Cheese Cubes with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Because one can never have too many paneer dishes on hand … here is another from my vegetarian kitchen. Ovo-lacto-vegetarians are in for a most satisfying meal, especially if this dish is served along with a steaming bed of hot fresh-cooked white rice and some Indian flatbreads. Paneer cheese cubes are cooked in fragrant spices and then gently simmered in a sun-dried tomato sauce. Sun-dried tomatoes are not part of traditional Indian cooking, but I also enjoy fusion-style interpretations. I might add that sun-dried tomatoes feature in many of my dishes that go well with tomatoes.

Apfelpfannkuchen (Baked German Apple Pancake)

Also known as a "Dutch Baby" in much of the United States, this sweet eggy apple treat speaks directly to my weakness for baked pancakes. Rising like a soufflé and turning a beautiful golden brown color in the oven, the pancake gently falls when removed and quickly fills the kitchen with the tempting aroma of brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Perfect for warming the flesh and spirit on a cool autumn morning, or even for serving as dessert, the "apfelpfannkuchen" is worth the little time and effort it requires. Weekends deserve a treat such as this.

Tangy Red Lentil Dal with Goda Masala

For this recipe I made up a fresh batch of goda masala, a spice blend that is new to me. Garam masala will work well if you don't feel like making this blend, but I do recommend trying goda masala as it adds an extra kick and a uniquely deep and earthy flavor and aroma to the dish. The recipe for the spice blend can be cut in half, or you can make up a big batch and share with your friends. This easy-to-digest, tart and tangy dal curry (or "amti" as this kind of dish is called in Maharashtra) is adapted from "Sukham Ayu" by Jigyasa Giri and Pratibha Jain.

Red Lentil and Toasted Walnut Tapenade with Olives and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Recently I was treated to a lovely package of California walnuts that included a handy little cutting board, a nut cracker, a cute oven mitt and a useful jar. The presentation was most impressive. I was invited to enter a holiday contest using the walnuts and decided upon this appetizer that can be most pleasingly served with chopped vegetables such as carrots, celery, green and red pepper or any other veggie you fancy. This tapenade — or pate if you prefer — also goes well with crackers and seedy flatbreads. We all know we enjoy snacking more at holiday time and this recipe is guilt-free as it is packed full of nutrients and not in the least bit decadent, though you might think so because you won't be able to stop nibbling on it. Tangy, with a bit of kick, the flavors compliment each other for one fine dip or spread. This recipe makes a fair amount so if you are looking for something to bring to a holiday gathering (vegans can enjoy it too) do consider offering up this tapenade.

Greek-Style Rice and Split Pea Pilaf with Artichokes

Light and fragrant with a slightly sweet and salty Mediterranean tang, this quick and simple rice and split pea pilaf dressed with artichokes, juicy Kalamata olives and creamy feta cheese makes a wonderful lunch or side dish. Both the rice and split peas can be cooked a day or more in advance, and should be cool before making the pilaf — use 1 cup dried rice and 2/3 cup dried green split peas to make the right amount of cooked ingredients.

Saag Paneer (Palak Paneer)

A reader recently emailed me looking for a good version of saag paneer, the classic spiced spinach and paneer dish from North India. As popular as this dish is, I couldn't believe that I didn't have a recipe for it on my blog. Inspired by the absence, I consulted my treasured copy of Lord Krishna's Cuisine by Yamuna Devi where we find that although this dish is usually made with spinach, sometimes it is made with various mixed greens such as combinations of spinach and mustard leaves, collard greens, fenugreek leaves or beet greens. The possibilities are endless.

My dinner companions were certainly delighted with the adaptation I came up with from the book. I served it with some basmati rice, but any Indian flatbread and soup would also go just perfectly alongside this dish.

Also a reminder that you have until the end of this month to submit your favorite Indian dish for a chance to win a copy of Raghavan Iyer's 660 Curries.

Saag Paneer (Chopped Spinach with Paneer Cheese)

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking Cuisine: Indian Published on November 8, 2011 The classic North Indian dish of spiced creamy spinach and fried paneer cheese Print this recipe Ingredients: 3 - 4 hot green or red chillies, chopped 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and chopped 4 tablespoons yogurt, yogurt whey or water 1 tablespoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 6 tablespoons ghee or oil 14 oz. paneer cheese, cut into cubes 2 pounds fresh spinach, rinsed, trimmed and chopped 2/3 teaspoon garam masala 1 teaspoon of sea salt 3 generous tablespoons of cream cheese (or cream) Instructions: In a blender or food processor, blend together the chilies, ginger, yogurt (or whey or water), coriander, turmeric, cumin, paprika and cayenne until you have a smooth purée. Set aside. Heat the ghee or oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. When hot, add the paneer cubes and gently fry, turning often, until the cubes are nicely browned on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. In the same pan add the spice mixture, stir and add the spinach. Cover and simmer over medium low heat for about 8 minutes. Stir, cover again and cook for another 8 minutes. Stir in the garam masala, salt, fried paneer and cream cheese (or cream). Cover and cook for another 5 minutes, stir and serve. Makes 5 - 6 servings

More paneer cheese recipes you may enjoy:
Curried Red Kidney Beans with Paneer Cheese
Mung Bean Paneer
Macaroni and Paneer Cheese

On the top of the reading stack: cookbooks

Audio Accompaniment: Bavarian Fruit Bread by Hope Sandoval

Sour Cream Apple Muffins

I made these sweet, moist sour cream and apple muffins for my dear father-in-law and husband and received rave reviews … I think a streusel topping makes any baked good an extra treat. A little more complicated than your usual quick bread, but well worth the effort. Perfect for breakfast, lunch or dessert and not too sweet either. This savory girl does not enjoy an overload of sugar, but I do like a decent sized muffin. Moist, sublime and comforting as we await winter here in Canada. Brrr. Turn on the oven and keep warm. Much better to occupy your kitchen than your local park.

Spicy Mung Beans with Chilies and Fresh Lime Juice

This dish is creamy, tart, nourishing, warming and just plain delicious. Raghavan Iyer's 660 Curries is certainly a gift for Indian cooks. All of the recipes are easy to adapt to suit your preferences and a joy to prepare. Informative, succulent, opulent, assertive and wholesome, this cookbook is a staple in my kitchen.

I adapted the recipe from his Tart Moth Beans with Lime Juice. I did not have any moth beans, so I used mung beans instead. Moth beans are readily available at your local Indian grocer and though my legume supply is practically bursting out of the cupboard shelf, I am eager to try this new-to-me legume. Mr. Iyer describes them as "light brown oval beans, firm and stonelike, similar in shape to green mung beans." A raw version was used to feed cattle in Texas, but us peeps prefer to simmer them until they are tender.

I am submitting this to Vanilla Clouds and Lemon Drops. Lyndsey has launched a new event featuring chilies and the theme this month for the Sweet Heat Challenge is soups that include chilies. How could I resist submitting a recipe?

Spicy Mung Beans with Chilies and Fresh Lime Juice

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from 660 Curries Cuisine: Indian Published on November 3, 2011 A tart, creamy, nourishing and warming simple mung bean curry — just plain delicious Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 cup whole mung beans, soaked for a few hours, or overnight in enough water to cover 2 tablespoons ghee, butter or oil 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 small onion, finely chopped 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon paprika dash of asafoetida 2 - 3 tablespoons fresh coriander or parsley, finely chopped 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt generous handful of dried curry leaves 3 - 4 fresh red cayenne or green chilies, seeded and finely chopped juice of 1 fresh lime Instructions: Rinse the mung beans under cold running water and soak for 6 hours or overnight covered in several inches of cold water. Drain and transfer to a medium-large heavy bottomed pot along with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the beans are tender, roughly 40 minutes. While the beans are cooking, heat the butter, ghee or oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and stir and fry until they turn grey and begin to splutter and pop. Toss in the cumin seeds and stir and fry for a minute. Add the onion and stir and fry until they turn translucent and begin to brown. Stir in the ginger and cook for another minute or so. Reduce the heat slightly, and add the turmeric, cayenne, coriander, paprika and asafoetida. Stir and fry for another minute. Add 3/4 - 1 cup of water to the skillet to deglaze the pan and pour the contents into the pot of beans. Stir in the parsley or coriander, along with the salt, curry leaves and chilies. Simmer for roughly 10 minutes to absorb the flavours. Just before serving, stir in the fresh lime juice. Makes 4 - 6 servings

More mung bean dishes from Lisa's Vegetarian blog:
Mung Beans with Mixed Vegetables
Spicy Mung Beans
Mung Tamarind Dal
Mussoorie Mung Beans and Winter Vegetables

On the top of the reading stack: The Trial of Gilles de Rais by Georges Bataille

Audio Accompaniment: Underworld