(no subject)

[mamculuna]

Can anybody suggest a good thing for me to cook to take to a friend who has a family member in bad shape in the hospital? I don't know whether she'd need it more just for herself or enough to share with a few family members, so maybe three servings or so would be good. Also, it needs to be:

vegetarian
easy to serve
able to sit around in her fridge for a day or so without getting mushy, etc.
portable
not more than mildly spicy

Any thoughts appreciated--I can look up a recipe if you don't have one!

Comments

[britzkrieg.livejournal.com]

I'm a vegetarian, but not vegan. Does your friend consume eggs/dairy?

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Yeah, she does. But no meat or fish, etc.

[ladystarlightsj.livejournal.com]

The only thing that sort of springs to mind (because, lord knows, I'm not a cook) is some sort of vegetarian lasagna.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

That probably is the most convenient--can be frozen, improves with age, divides up well. I'll probably do a spinach one.

[britzkrieg.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a plan to me...

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Actually, I found I had this recipe from oursin:

Gujerati khichcchari with basmati rice and black Beluga lentils (from Jack Santa Maria's Indian Vegetarian Cookery): the rice and lentils are cooked together with salt, tumeric, cloves, cinnamon stick and cardamoms; when they are done, fry together in a little oil some sliced onion with mustard seeds, then add raisins, nuts (cashew nuts and almonds are what the original says, but I didn't have any so used pine-nuts and almonds instead), nutmeg, mace, cumin seeds, coriander and ground black pepper, stir into the rice and lentils, cook together for a few minutes and serve. Served with a raita of yoghurt mixed with minced green coriander (cilantro) and chopped ginger.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I have a recipe for a vegan potato stew I can send you if you like. It's pameladean's recipe and did well when some friends' dad died and I didn't know which family members might want to eat it.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Yes, please--that sounds excellent. If you want just to send, mamculuna at gmail dot com is fine. Or post here, whicheever's easier for you.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

6 cloves garlic, mashed
2-6 quarter-sized slices ginger
1/4 c. oil
4 fist-sized potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2# green beans, cut into bites
2-3 carrots, peeled and chopped
6-8 oz. mushrooms, halved
1/4 c. soy sauce
2-4 t. sugar
2 T sherry/mirin/rice wine
2 c. water
(optional: 1 t. red pepper flakes -- does make it spicy, so you may want to omit in this case)

Heat oil. Drop in garlic, ginger, potatoes, carrots, green beans,. Pause briefly. Add mushrooms. Pause briefly. Add all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on low for 20 minutes. Uncover, turn heat up, and boil away most of the liquid until it reaches a stew consistency.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

oh, yum. Looks excellent--and would like it for myself with the red pepper, though should go light for them. Will try it.

Many thanks.

Friends friends list drive-by:

[m-nivalis.livejournal.com]

Moroccany vegetarian stew (http://m-nivalis.livejournal.com/69018.html). Use a can of chickpeas instead of meat. Add a fistful of raisins at the end if you want to. Flavourful rather than spicy.

Re: Friends friends list drive-by:

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Sounds extremely yummy! Will have to try that.

[royalbananafish.livejournal.com]

Vegetarian lasagna, with or without vegetables.

Kitchadi/kitchari? not sure on spelling. A nice lentil and rice dish you can modify with veggies or tofu. Easy to make, flavored but not spicy at all. See latest issue of Yoga Journal or email me for a recipe.

Soups. The Bread and Soup Cookbook by Crescent Dragonwagon has lots of veggie options. The Harira Turkish chickpea stew is nice, as are the lentil dishes.

Homemade pizza with healthy toppings. Make and bake minis and freeze them for later use.

Big bowl of cut up fresh fruit, with a little orange juice on it to keep it from getting funny colors.

Pie. Who doesn't like pie? We all like pie.

Muffins or other breakfast baked goods.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Great ideas, all--thanks. Will look up the kitchadi--some variation on lentils and rice sounds very practical.