Onion Bhajias

These are a wonderful start to any Indian-themed dinner party.  They look fantastic and taste even better!  This is very much like other bhajia and pakora recipes out there, but I like the addition of the fennel seed, and the baking powder makes for a more tender final product.  Feel free to add whatever combination of spices you like.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced (about 1/8")
- 1 cup chick pea flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp onion seeds
- 1/2 jalapeño, seeded and minced (or to taste)
- 1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- cold water
- oil for frying

METHOD
1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, chili powder, turmeric, and salt.  Roughly crush the seeds with a mortar and pestle and mix in.
2. Add jalapeño, onions, and cilantro and stir to coat.  Add in enough cold water to make a thick batter that coats the onions and won't break apart in the oil.  You can add more chick pea flour if you make it too thin.
3. Cook in batches by dropping generous tablespoons of batter into hot oil (350 degrees) and frying on each side until golden brown.  Drain and serve immediately.

Sweet Onion Relish

Sweet Onion Relish from Vegan Dad on Vimeo.

INGREDIENTS
- 9 lbs Vidalia onions
- 1/2 cup salt
- 4 cups apple cider vinegar
- 4.5 cups sugar
- 1-2 tsp tumeric
- 1/2 cup chopped roasted red pepper, or pimento
- 1 tbsp pickling spice
(more or less this recipe)

Zesty Onion and Tomato Relish

If you have been following Vegan Dad on Facebook you know that I grew cayenne peppers in my garden this year. I'm not sure why, exactly . . . for fun, I guess. I have always had bad luck with peppers but this summer's hot weather has yielded a fine crop of bright red and super hot peppers. The problem is what to do with them since I shy away from really hot foods because of the kids (though there was that time I went on a ques to make the hottest jerk sauce on earth . . . .). So cayenne recipe number one is this zesty relish. It is quick and easy to make and you can decide how hot to make it by leaving the seeds in the pepper or adding more than one.

INGREDIENTS
Makes about 2 cups
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 large sweet onion, diced
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 15 cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered (if larger)
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cayenne pepper, seeded and minced (or leave seeds in for more zest!)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- fresh ground black pepper

METHOD
1. Heat oil in a saucepan over med to med-hi heat. Add onions and saute for about 5 min, until soft and translucent but not browned. Add brown sugar and stir. Bring to bubbling and cook for 3 mins, stirring regularly.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to bubbling over med-hi to high heat. Cook for about 10 mins, stirring regularly, until most of the liquid had evaporated. If the relish is still too runny you can drain it in a fine mesh sieve.

So what did I do with the relish? Luckily, I had some awesome tomatoes and basil ready to be eaten. I seasoned some tofu slices with salt and pepper and fried them a bit on each side in a bit of oil. Then, on a freshly made kaiser roll, I slathered on some pesto (Isa's recipe from VWAV, but made with toasted sunflower seeds because I was out of walnuts), the tofu, some slices of beefsteak tomato, and a large dose of relish. Dee. lish. us.

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Grilled Portabello and Onion Sandwich

The only thing better than sourdough bread is toasted sourdough bread. The crispy and crunchy outside contrasting with the soft inside just makes for a perfect sandwich. Tonight's recipe is nothing special, but it sure is tasty. And, it is a meal you can make on the BBQ on one of those hot summer days when you want to stay out of the kitchen.

INGREDIENTS
Makes 4 sandwiches
- 4 large portabello mushrooms
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/3 cup marsala, or red, wine
- salt and pepper
- 1 large sweet onion, skin on
- 8 slices sourdough bread, lightly brushed with olive oil on one side

METHOD
1. Remove stem and wash mushrooms. Mix together oil, garlic, and wine in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place mushrooms in a shallow dish, cap down. Toss mushrooms in marinade, and spoon excess into the mushroom's gills.
2. Heat BBQ to med-hi. Place whole onion on the grill and cook for about 15 mins, turning regularly.
3. Grill mushrooms, cap down, for about 10 mins, until softened. I grill mine cap down until marinade cooks down inside then gills (8 mins, or so). Then I flip and grill for about 2 mins.
4. When mushrooms are done, thickly slice. Peel onion using tongs, and thickly slice.
5. Grill sourdough, oiled side down, for a min or so over high heat, until nicely toasted. Assembly sandwiches (I added some Vidalia relish and a splash of Vegenaise).

Vidalia Onion Relish

Let the canning begin! My plan this summer is to can and preserve as much as I can so we can rely less on canned food. Fresh and local is the way to go, right? The grocery store has had Vidalia onions on for real cheap lately (not even close to local, I know) and that got me thinking about the Vidalia relish I used to buy at Trader Joe's. Man, that stuff was good. With a little Googling I found this recipe, which seemed pretty much like the relish I used to buy. It is easy to make (if you have a food processor to chop the onions), and taste so good it will make even the lamest veggie dog a real treat.

Speaking of veggie dog-like things, let's not forget our good friend the homemade veggie sausage. I recently made the bratwurst version, grilled it, and was reminded of how quick, easy, and tasty they are.