Monthly Archives: January 2021

Cauliflower Coconut Dal

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  • 1 cup split red lentils
  • 2 cups boiling water
  • 2 tbsp. coconut oil
  • 1 tsp .crushed coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp. crushed cumin
  • 1 tsp. black mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp. fennel seeds
  • 2–3 shallots, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp. ginger, grated or finely minced
  • 2–4 fresh or dried chilies
  • 1 tsp. curry powder
  • 1/2 tsp. turmeric
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. crushed fenugreek
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 1 large head of cauliflower, broken into large florets (about 2 lbs), stems ok.

Cover the lentils with 2 cups boiling water, set aside.

In a dutch oven, heat coconut oil over medium heat, then add coriander, mustard, cuming and fennel and stir for one minute.

Add the shallots, garlic and ginger and optional chilies, and saute until fragrant and golden, lowering the heat to med-low, if need be, about 5 minutes. Add the curry powder and turmeric. Stir in the lentils along with the 2 cups of hot water. Add the salt and fenugreek. Give a good stir.

Add the coconut milk and stir to incorporate, then add the cauliflower florets, coating them well. Give the pan a shake to allow any lentils to slip back into the liquid. Increase heat, bring to a simmer, cover, and simmer gently over med-low heat, until lentils are softened and cauliflower is fork-tender, about 10 minutes.

Remove lid and let some of the liquid cook off, about 3-4 more minutes. Taste, adjust seasonings. Add a squeeze of lemon if you like.

Add a few handfuls of spinach, gently folding it in.

Sourdough Sandwich Bread

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  • 1 1/2 tsp instant yeast
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups ripe (fed) sourdough starter
  • 1/2 cup lukewarm water

Combine all the ingredients and mix and knead — by hand, mixer, or bread machine — to make a soft, smooth dough; about 15 to 20 minutes by hand.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and let it rise for 45 to 60 minutes, until puffy but not necessarily doubled in bulk.

Lightly grease a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan.

On a lightly greased work surface, gently deflate the dough, and form it into a 9″ log. Place the log in the prepared pan, cover, and let it rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until it crests about 1″ over the rim of the pan.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bake the bread for 40 to 50 minutes, until it’s light gold and a digital thermometer inserted into the center reads 190°F.

Remove the bread from the oven, and after a couple of minutes turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool. Store, well-wrapped, at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.

Sourdough Tortillas

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  • ¾ cup water
  • ½ cup sourdough starter discard
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ tsp. fine sea salt
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 2 tbsp. vegetable shortening

Mix the water and sourdough starter discard together in a small bowl and set aside.In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the flour, salt and baking powder.

Add the vegetable shortening and use your hands to work it into the flour mixture. (It will have a fine, sandy consistency.)

Pour the water/sourdough starter mixture into the dry ingredients and combine with your hands until there are no dry bits left in the bowl.

Cover and let rest for 30 minutes on the counter. (The dough will be stiff.)

Divide the dough into 16 pieces and roll each one into a ball.

Place the dough balls on a parchment lined baking sheet, cover with a towel, and allow the dough to relax for 30 minutes. (Alternately, you can place the dough in the fridge, covered, to ferment until you are ready to cook them.)

Preheat a cast iron skillet over a medium-low heat until it is very hot.

Working with one dough ball at a time, use a rolling pin to roll it into a thin round, about 6″ in diameter. Use flour as needed to prevent sticking.

Carefully lay the dough on the hot skillet and allow it to cook until bubbles start to form on top and the bottom is slightly charred. Flip it over and continue cooking on the other side until cooked through.

Repeat with the remaining dough balls, keeping cooked tortillas wrapped in a kitchen towel to stay warm until ready to serve.

To freeze: Allow the tortillas to cool completely. Stack the tortillas with a layer of wax paper between each one and place the stack into a freezer-safe container. Keep frozen for up to 3 months.

Sourdough Buns

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  • /2 cup sourdough starter or discard (unfed)
  • 1/2 cup nut milk (slightly warm 100F) or regular milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon instant yeast
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • Eggwash: 1 egg whisked with 1 tablespoon water
  • optional seeds: sesame seeds, everything bagel
  1. Mix warm milk, unfed sourdough starter, oil, and egg in a large bowl
  2. Mix in salt, sugar, instant yeast and flour
  3. Combine with fork to form a ball and kneed for 5-6 minutes with a wet hand.The dough will be sticky – resist the temptation to add more flour
  4. Oil the dough in the bowl, cover, place in a warm spot (70-80 F) and let double, 1 – 1 1/2 hours.
  5. On a floured surface, gently divide into 6 pieces, form into balls and place on a parchment-lined sheet pan
  6. Let rise again, 30-45 minutes, while you preheat oven to 375F
  7. Brush with an egg wash, sprinkle with salt and seeds, and bake 20-22  minutes, on the middle rack until golden