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vegetarian

Cabbage Poriyal/Thoran

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Recipe from Sneha Narayanan, www.cookwithsneha.com

 

Cabbage Poriyal/Thoran is a side dish packed with coconut flavor that goes well with rice and any south Indian curry. Poriyal/Thoran can be made with any vegetable that compliments coconut.

Ingredients

*Ingredients available at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market

  • 3 cups of cabbage*, finely chopped
  • 5  shallots*, finely chopped
  • 2 green chilies, chopped
  • 3/4 cup of grated coconut, adjust to taste
  • 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder
  • A few curry leaves
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 tsp of coconut oil
  • 1/2 tsp of black mustard seeds
  • Asafoetida, a pinch

Preparation

  1. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except salt, coconut oil, mustard seeds, and asafoetida.
  2. In a wide pan, heat coconut oil on medium flame, add mustard seeds, and as they crackle, add asafoetida, and the cabbage mixture. Stir well. Add salt and mix.
  3. Close the pan with a tight lid and let the cabbage cook in the steam, stirring occasionally. The cabbage lets out enough water to cook in its moisture, if the cabbage takes longer time to cook, sprinkle little water (a tbsp or two), cover and cook.
  4. Check for salt and remove from heat. Serve with Parippu Curry, Theeyal, sambhar, or Rasam.

 

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By Himanee Gupta

 

Masabacha looks like hummus. But it’s not. 

Masabacha is an Israeli take on hummus, with a signature Pucker Gourmet Pickles flair. The word itself is a Romanized version of an Arabic word that roughly translates to “soaked in” or “swimming,” explains Ben Hillis, who owns Puckers with his wife Kelley. In the classic version, whole-cooked chickpeas are mixed into tahini and served warm for breakfast, drizzled over pita bread. 

The Puckers version is closer to hummus in thickness but is creamier and more acidic. It contains whole chickpeas and tahini along with avocado oil, fermented apple cider vinegar, garlic, Himalayan rose sale, peppercorns, lemon juice, and smoked paprika. It can be eaten as a dip, spread, or condiment.

“It’s a little untraditional, but then so are we,” says Ben. “We like to take old traditional classics and put a contemporary twist on them.”

Puckers specializes in probiotic-rich pickles and has nearly two dozen such items. 

But, Ben notes, “Not everyone enjoys pickles, so we wanted to branch out a little.”

Both he and Kelley maintain a plant-based diet that includes many sandwich spreads. They noticed that commercial spreads were delicious but nutritionally weak. 

Hummuses were an exception, but they were hesitant to create a product that friends were selling at the farmers’ markets they brought their pickles to. Over time, however, many of these friends downsized or closed their businesses, which created a void in market offerings and an opportunity for them. 

Masabacha made its first appearance on their tables at the Saratoga Farmers Market and elsewhere during this winter. Ben explains, “We wanted to roll it out at a time of year when farmers’ market sales are low.”  

So far, the product has been popular, thanks in part to a return post-pandemic to the ability for artisanal food-makers to offer samples. 

As for how to enjoy eating masabacha, try scooping it with crackers or chips. It also works well as a salad dressing over lettuce and vegetables with chopped nuts or a hard-boiled or poached egg on top. One of Ben’s customers reported mixing it into a sauce for chicken wings. One of Ben’s favorite preparations is “Heavenly Eggs,” in which the mayonnaise of Deviled Eggs is replaced with masabacha, making the eggs “heavenly” in flavor and health benefits, too.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in the Wilton Mall Food Court. Find us online at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org, where you can sign up for our weekly newsletter, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @SaratogaFarmersMarket.

 

https://www.saratogafarmersmarket.org/11564-2/

A Farm-to-Table Thanksgiving Guide: The Meats (and Meat Alternatives)

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By Emily Meagher

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and at the farmers’ market, there will be holiday offerings aplenty the next two Saturdays. Whatever the size of your gathering or the dietary preferences of your diners this year, market vendors are bringing plenty of options for every course. This week, we are looking at the various local meats in stock.

Ramble Creek Farm, photo by Pattie Garrett

If you plan to host a traditional Thanksgiving meal, a turkey is likely to be on your shopping list. Preorder a pasture-raised, non-GMO-fed turkey at Ramble Creek Farm, with various bird sizes available from 10 to 18+ pounds. Order at the market or online, and pick up at the market on November 20.

Other meat vendors offer a full range of meats for those looking to try a different main course this year. Chicken may fill that turkey craving but better serve a smaller group of diners. This year, Squash Villa Farm offers Delaware breed heritage birds, a critically endangered species that is rare to find but offers great meat. Longlesson Farm offers whole chickens as well, and Ramble Creek Farm has various parts available.

Elihu Farm, photo by Emily Meagher

For non-poultry meats, find many different cuts of lamb, such as shanks, loin chops, and riblets, at Elihu Farm. Hebron Valley Veal will have roasts, chops and cutlets of veal available. Squash Villa Farm offers goat leg roasts.

Longlesson Farm, photo by Pattie Garrett

Pork, including roasts, hocks, and sausages, will be available at three vendors: Pork & Greens (a new vendor at the farmers’ market offering various breeds of sustainably raised pork), Ramble Creek Farm, and Longlesson Farm, where pork returns in stock on November 20th. The latter farm has plenty of beef available, as well.

Looking for a vegetarian or vegan centerpiece instead? You can use various in-season produce items to create a flavorful and visually stunning meal without meat. Try dishes like whole roasted cauliflower, lentil shepherd’s pie with a parsnip and potato mash, or a “squashducken” (a squash, stuffed in a squash, stuffed in another squash!).

For the other courses, the farmers’ market is sure to fill your needs as well. More on the vegetable sides, desserts, and dressings you can source at the market in next week’s edition.

This week’s recipe: Accidental Turkey

Pine Needle Vegetarian Broth

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Recipe shared by Nine Pine Soup & Design

Photo provided by Nine Pine Soup & Design

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market
● ½ gallon water
● 2 cups fresh green pine needles*
● 1-2 tbsp Celtic sea salt

Optional Ingredients:
● 1 tbsp red onion*, chopped
● 2 tbsp jalapeno pepper*, chopped
● 1 small carrot*, sliced
● ½ cup Chinese cabbage*, chopped
● ¼ cup chopped potato*, chopped
● ¼ cup fresh corn*
● Or any mild-tasting in-season vegetables (zucchini, squash, green beans, kohlrabi, mushrooms)

Instructions
Boil the water. Pour boiling water into a pot with the pine needles and cover with a lid. Let it steep for ½ an hour. Remove the pine needles and add salt to taste. Add desired vegetables and cook until tender. Serve as an appetizer or morning elixir.