Vegetarian Meal Ideas

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Staples:  Pasta  Rice  Potatoes  Breads

Staples are the main carbohydrate component of most meals. They include pasta, rice, potatoes and breads. Since they are common to many meals and recipes, cooking instructions for them are described centrally here rather than appearing with each meal recipe. Here are the basics.

Pasta

In a large stock pot, bring salted water to a rolling boil. Covering the pot will help it come to a boil quicker. Use 4 quarts and 1 Tbsp salt per lb. of pasta. Add in the pasta and stir to keep from sticking together. Once the water returns to a boil, start the timer and reduce the heat. Boil uncovered at medium heat (about 5). Stir occasionally. See the package for the boiling times, approximately 8-10 min. (longer for whole wheat, like 12 min). Test a piece before removing from heat. It should be slightly firm and chewy, "al dente", but not hard in the center. When done, turn off the heat and drain in a colander. Do not rinse. Serve or add to pasta sauce immediately. Pasta sauce will bond better to hot pasta.

Note: Do not add oil to the water or pasta, the sauce will not adhere as well to the pasta. However, if the pasta is going to be stored and reheated later, adding a little bit of olive oil can help keep it from sticking together.

Rice

White Rice:

Use approximately 2 parts water to 1 part rice. Put 2 (1¾ to be precise) cups of water and 1 cup long grain rice in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Turn to Lo, cover with a lid and simmer for 18 min. or until all the water is absorbed. Do not disturb by peeking, stirring, etc. Remove from heat, fluff then let stand covered for 10 min. before serving. 1 cup dry rice makes about 3 cups cooked and serves 2-3.

Note: Washing the rice first can make it less sticky as some of the starch is removed. For wet rice, the water should be reduced to 1½ cup. However, white rice does not need to be washed. If it is enriched, washing will wash away some of the B vitamins.

Brown Rice:

Place 1 cup rice in a strainer and rinse under the faucet for a few moments while swirling around with your hand. This will remove some of the starch so the cooked rice will not be so sticky.

Simmer method: Place the drained rice in a sauce pan and add 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil then turn down to a low heat (1), cover with a lid and simmer 45 min. Remove from heat, fluff up and let it stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Boil and drain method: Add 5 cups of water and ½ tsp salt to a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add in 1 cup of rice. Turn heat down to medium (5) and continue boiling; 30 minutes for long grain, 35 minutes for short grain. Drain in a strainer. This method gives the least sticky rice and the grains will be more separate.

Baking method: This method may be practical if cooking a large volume of rice in large serving trays. Otherwise the above methods are quicker and use less energy. Place a covered pan (or 8" baking dish covered with aluminum foil) with 1½ cups rice and 2½ cups water in the oven and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour.

Pressure cooker method: Because rice will foam and froth while cooking and this could make a mess with or even clog the main pressure valve, it is not recommended to cook the rice directly in the pressure cooker. Instead, place an inner pan inside the cooker (pot-in-pot method). First place a small cooking rack or trivet in the bottom of the cooker. Add 1 cup of water to the bottom of the cooker. In a smaller stainless steel pan, add 1 cup washed and drained rice and 1¼ cups water. The water is reduced since the super heated steam will be cooking the top. Place the pan inside the cooker on the rack. Do not cover the inner pan. Bring the cooker to a dancing steam, then reduce to a low heat (3) and continue to cook. 15 minutes for long grain, 18 minutes for short grain. When done, remove from the heat and let cool naturally for about 10 minutes then open up. This method results in a sticky rice.

Note: Optionally, 1 tsp butter and ¼ tsp salt per cup of dry rice can be added to the above mixtures.

White Basmati Rice

Rinse several times by filling a bowl with water and pouring it off until the water is fairly clear. This will remove some of the starch so it will not be as sticky and the grains will appear separate. Soak for 15-30 min in cold water before cooking. Drain thoroughly. For soaked rice, use 1.5 part water, to 1 part rice. Bring to a boil then turn to Lo, cover with a lid and simmer for 18 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff then let stand for 10 min. before serving.

Brown Basmati Rice

Place 1 cup rice in a strainer and rinse under the faucet for a few moments while swirling around with your hand. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add in the rice, return to a boil and stir. Reduce the heat to Lo, cover with a lid and simmer for 40 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff then let stand for 10 min. before serving. 1 cup dry brown basmati rice makes 4 cups cooked rice. Some recipes call for presoaking but I have found this unnecessary. The grains of unsoaked rice will remain more whole when cooked, however the grains of soaked rice will be broken/burst open.

Brown basmati rice is one of the best rices available. It cooks up light, fluffy and is not sticky. Grown in the foothills of the Himalayas, it has a unique flavor and aroma. Brown rice has more vitamins and four times the fiber as white rice. Trader Joe's carries brown basmati rice in 2 lb. bags and it is also available at Indian grocery stores in 10 lb. sacks.

Potatoes

Mashed potato

Russet potatoes are best. How many? Either one good size potato per person or fill the serving bowl mounded high. Wash, peel and cut into quarters or chunks about the size of half an egg. In a pot, add enough water to cover the potatoes by an inch or so. Add a little salt. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat to medium (about 5). Simmer for 20 min. Drain completely. Heat up milk and butter in a separate saucepan. About ½ cup milk and 1 Tbsp butter per lb. of potatoes. Mash with a masher and gradually add in milk and butter until you get the right consistency. Add salt to taste, about ¼ tsp per lb. of potatoes.

Note: A full Dutch oven = 8 lb potato + 4c milk + 1 stick butter + 2 tsp salt. For creamier potatoes, add the butter in first, then the milk.

Baked potato

Russet potatoes are best. Pick a large sized potato, one for each person. Wash with a brush, remove any bad spots and poke with a fork on all sides (about 10 times). Set the oven rack to the middle position. Place a baking sheet below it to catch any drippings. For a crispy skin, leave the potato unwrapped and plain. For a softer skin, oil the potato. Place a Tbsp of oil (canola or olive) in a small bowl and roll the potato in it. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hr. 15 min. For larger potatoes or more than 4, the time may need to be increased by 15 minutes. To serve, slice open one side lengthwise. Butter and add toppings of your choice, sour cream & chives, or broccoli & cheese, avocado etc.
Microwave version: Put the potato in a Microwave Potato Bag. The bag is optional, but it will create a creamier baked potato. If a bag is not available, you can wrap it in a wet plain white paper towel (no dyes). Do not use a brown paper bag; they sometimes contain bits of metal and the seams can contain glue. For 1 potato, microwave on high for 4 minutes, for 4 potatoes use 12 minutes. When done, let it rest for 2 minutes. Depending on the strength of the microwave and size of the potato, 1 potato could take up to 8 minutes. Test after 4 minutes. If your microwave has a Baked Potato setting, try that. It could be using either a preset time per potato or a moisture sensor depending on the microwave.

Boiled Potato

Wash well and put whole potatoes in a pot with skins. Add water to cover 1 inch. Bring to a boil then turn down to a low boil (about 5). Cook about 30 min until soft (stick a fork in one). Drain immediately. Let cool. Warm potatoes can be used to make potato salad. Or store in a container in the fridge. You can cut them up later to use for home fries or in curries. For potato salad, soups, casseroles etc. the waxy potatoes (red, white, yellow) are better. They will hold their shape better when cooked.

Wedge Fries

Russets are best. Wash and scrub but do not peel. Remove any bad spots then slice lengthwise. First in half, then quarters then stand the quarter up and carefully slice in half to get 8 wedges per potato. Soak in a container of hot water for 10 minutes. This will make them fluffier inside. Remove from the water and pat dry. In a large bowl, add 1 Tbsp of olive oil, add in the potato wedges, sprinkle in a little salt (use kosher if available) and toss to coat. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Spread the wedges out in a single layer. Adjust an oven rack to the top 1/3 position. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. Turn the fries over after 20 minutes for even browning. Optionally, you can sprinkle in some minced garlic (or garlic powder), black pepper and/or rosemary in the tossing stage.

Breads

Breads used as the principle carbohydrate in a meal can include sliced bread, Artisan bread, burger buns, hot dog buns, English muffin, pita, bagel and tortilla. Since these are all readily available in stores, it is more practical to simply buy them rather than trying to make them. Whole grains are preferred and avoid any that have trans fats or hydrogenated oils.

Chapati (also known as roti) and nan are the stable breads of North Indian cuisine. Nan is a leavened bread normally cooked in a tandoor oven. It is more often ordered in restaurants than made at home. Home versions usually involve baking in the oven using a pizza stone. Assuming a typical Indian dinner involves cooking a couple of curries, then baking bread on top of that can end up being too much work. For home use, buying premade or frozen nan makes more sense. Indian grocery stores carry a variety of brands.

Chapatis however are simple to make and are a real treat when served fresh. Here is a basic summary;

1. In a large mixing bowl, make the dough using 1 cup of atta (whole grain flour), ¼ tsp salt (optional), 2 tsp oil (optional) and approx ½ cup of warmed water. Add water slowly as needed while doing the kneading. Knead for about 3-5 minutes until thoroughly mixed and the right consistency is achieved. It should be smooth and elastic but not sticky. Too much water makes it sticky. Make a large ball with the dough, coat with a couple of drops of oil then cover and set aside to rest for 10-15 minutes. Dough can also be made using a KitchenAid mixer.
2. 1 cup of flour will make 6 chapatis. After the dough has rested, roll it into a tube about 10 inches long and cut into 6 equal parts. Roll each part into a ball. For rolling out the dough, you will need a rolling pin, a flat surface and all-purpose flour (maida) for dusting. Press a ball between the palms to slightly flatten it then lightly coat each side with some flour. Roll it out into a 6 inch disc. Dust the surface and dough as needed to keep it from sticking.
3. You will need 2 burners for the cooking process. Heat up a tawa or cast iron griddle to a medium-low heat (3) until water dances on the surface. Add the chapatti and cook on the first side until the dough turns color, about 15-30 seconds. Then flip and lightly cook for 30-40 seconds on the second side. Using a tong or spatula flip the chapati onto a grill over an open flame or electric burner on Hi. It will quickly balloon up. Gently pat with the tongs or spatula as needed to get it to completely balloon up. Lightly brown. When done, move it to an insulated serving container or covered dish. See video by showmethecurry.com.
   
   Note: If it is difficult to get it to balloon up over an electric burner, an alternate way is to simply flip it back onto the first side on the griddle then lightly press down on it with either a spatula, pot holder or small towel. That will coax it to balloon up.