Sides

Dominican Style Spicy Rice with Sardines

Passover, Recipes, Sides /

Sometimes you just need that sort of “comfort food” at hand, and for me “un locrio de pica pica”, a spicy rice with sardines, with some beans do the trick. If you have avocado on the side is even better! 😀

 

Budget friendly with great flavor

This is one humble dish and for me has always been a favorite, maybe because I have always loved strong flavors (aka sardines, herring, cod fish and weird veggies like “molondrón” (okra) lol) but also because it is highly nutritious and cheap. Win-Win all the way.

In Dominican Republic some people argue if locrio (rice mixed with either meat, fish or veggies) should be eaten with beans on the side or not (Get the recipe for Stewed Kidney Beans). I like it with beans, but also an avocado, some fresh salad and fried ripe plantains are enough Ha! Yes! We dominicans love carbs 😛

Typically in DR this rice is prepared with sardines in spicy tomato sauce (which is an horrendous spicy tomato sauce by the way) but I am not a fan of that awful tomato sauce (yuck!) so I use sardines in oil, discard the oil and add paprika for color and taste.

For this recipe you’ll need

This is how we eat it at home…

If you enjoy these recipes we share and want to see more Kasher caribbean style recipes, let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to say hi on instagram and pinterest. We always love to hear from you!

Until next time!

 

 

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I Struggle… + A Ripe Plantains & Eggplant Casserole {Vegan, GF}

Recipes, Sides /

A few weeks have passed without posting as I was feeling a little bit “weird” (don’t even know how to describe my own emotions) but hopefully those days are coming to an end, so today, I am coming out of my shell and I want to share with you a yummy casserole I prepared for shabbath.

UPDATE: Photos for this posts have been updated so they are not “ugly” anymore, but still I am letting the blog post intact in terms of the writing, except for an update for what you can use instead of ripe plantains. Thank you to all of you who reached out to see how I am doing. I am doing much better now 🙂 

When things go wrong

This is not the best picture on earth [Photos updated March, 9] but I will go out of my comfort zone here by publishing this far from perfect post. I want to share with you my passion for cooking even though I am not “perfect”, I don’t have the perfect tools and I don’t take the perfect pictures, and sometimes things simply go wrong.

For some reason I lost all the step by step and final pictures for this recipe and to be honest, I feel like losing all motivation to continue, BUT, I have decided to publish no matter what, because I am not going to let any of that refrain me from sharing my recipes with you, even though it is so hard at times.

Dealing with my emotions

Yesterday I got to the point where I just needed to vent and I opened up about my emotional struggles and depression with a dear friend. I have being ignoring my feelings for months, and those feelings mixed with a “perfectionism syndrome” let me totally paralyzed and full of anxiety. And, all those feelings doubled when I realized all of the pictures for this recipe were lost.

Thanks to her words and the support of my family and my dearest friends I finally opened my eyes and understood I don’t have to feel guilty when I feel sad, and I don’t have to fear accepting my own emotions. I understand that it is OK to feel sad sometimes, it is OK to be vulnerable and it is OK to not be where you want to be yet as long as you don’t let that stop you from become a better version of yourself. After all, we are humans, we are all on a journey. We are suggested to change. We evolve.

(And, this is the very moment is when I think: “Why are you writing all this for all to read?” but I am going to continue… I want to share my recipes, and I also want to be me and show you the person, the human being, behind those recipes…)

What is happiness for real?

I realize that happiness doesn’t necessarily equals a smiley face all of the time and that you can be happy and grateful and still don’t feel “euphoric” or “elated”… It is so unfortunate that nowadays a lot of people think they need to be in a constant euphoric state and if you don’t feel that way you are immediately labeled as “ungrateful” and “unhappy”.

No wonders why many people think that this is how happiness “feels”. I am not doing the same mistake anymore. Even when I don’t feel euphoric I make the decision to be happy everyday, and grateful for everything that I’ve got.

Today I appreciate more my friends who ask me: “How are you feeling?” and “what can I do for you?”. It really means a lot to have such friends and it is a relief to know that you all have my back. Thank you so much for your support. You know who you are.

…

Phew! That was long!

… Now that this is out of my chest, let’s go to the beautiful-dish-with-ugly-picture recipe, inspired by the flavors of Dominican Republic. You won’t believe how easy it is! but it is not just easy, it is also free from gluten, dairy, nuts, eggs or grains!

The plantains – Eggplant Combo

To make this dish you will need a mandoline or at least a potato peeler in order to make the slices super thin.

UPDATE: Alternatively, you can use sweet potato instead of ripe plantains (I know it may be difficult to find in some places and can get a bit pricey). The flavor will be still very similar because the sweet potatoes are also naturally sweet. 

For this casserole you’ll need:

Let us know when you try this humble recipe. Hopefully you’ll try it soon despite the ugly picture, lol. You won’t be disappointed. If you try it, don’t forget to tag us #kasheribbean on instagram. We will love to see your pictures. And, don’t forget to get social on instagram and pinterest.

Until next time!
Hannah

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The Ultimate Vegan Meatballs {Vegan, Gluten Free}

Recipes, Shabbath, Sides, Sukkoth /

The Ultimate Vegan Meatballs {Vegan, Gluten-Free}

  • Last Modified: September 20, 2024

Hi, everyone! I am very excited today to finally share with you this recipe for vegan meatballs. I have taken some time perfecting it to get it right, and I hope you enjoy as much as I do. These are The Ultimate Vegan Meatballs.

How the Ultimate Vegan Meatballs came about...

The Ultimate Vegan Meatballs were born a couple of weeks ago while I was cooking a whole bunch of mushrooms for lunch but once they were cooked they were so little! The disappointment was real! Those mushroom filled the pan and when cooked were just a few grams! I needed to act quickly and finish lunch so I thought: Why not make some meatballs? Yes! Of course!

I processed the mushrooms with some oats, more spices, a bit of water and so on until I had the consistency I wanted. Then I finished cooking in tomato sauce. They were good in terms of flavor, but way too dense, so I had to make them again correcting the amounts but I was out of mushrooms, so the recipe had to wait.

Next day was friday. I was cooking chicken for Shabbath but, who says you cannot make chicken and vegan meatballs? I made up my mind to take advantage of the momentum, so I weighed my ingredients, took some notes and pictures, cooked and reserved the meatballs, that were going to be served for dinner.

We had guests for shabbath and I was mortified. I just was praying the meatballs were at least edible. But, well, if they were not that good, at least I could have some feedback to perfect this recipe and write it on the blog.

The time to eat came and I remember when one of the kids wanted to try the meatballs. They honestly looked like their meaty cousins so much but to avoid any confusion, I told him straight away the meatballs were vegan. He tried it and immediately his eyes opened up!

When he asked for more I realized they were happy open eyes, those that happen when you try something delicious! At this point, everyone started eating the meatballs and I was receiving positive feedback. I was very happy when a vegan guest told me she wanted the recipe for making them like everyday 🙂 That moment I knew they were not only edible, but certainly good. Even my picky husband liked them!

In the week that followed I probably made this recipe every other day, just to make sure the recipe was on point, and now it is just turn to try them. I really really hope you like them.

How to make the Ultimate Vegan Meatballs

The main ingredients in the Ultimate Vegan Meatballs is Mushrooms. Since they can come quite dirty, you’ll start by soaking the mushrooms in cold water for a few minutes, and then finish cleaning with a paper towel or a soft brush to remove any soil, before continuing with the next steps which include removing the excess moisture, mix all ingredients with the help of a food processor, fry or bake and finish cooking in the sauce. 

UPDATE: You can totally make this recipe OIL-FREE by skipping the oil entirely and baking these vegan meatballs instead. 

When first cooking the mushrooms we want most of the liquid to evaporate. This step is important. Our second most important ingredient, 100% Whole Grain Oats will benefit from some moisture, but if the mushrooms are too moist and you end up adding more oats than recommended (which you totally can) the texture won’t be as desired and meaty as intended. 

Once in the food processor make sure you chop the mushrooms enough but not too much.  You still want little pieces of mushrooms in there for texture. 

Now, the second part of the recipe includes transferring this concoction to a bowl and mix in whole grain oats and water. And you might be thinking “didn’t we just remove the water while cooking the mushrooms? Why are we then adding water back?”. Well, there’s two reasons for this: 

  1. The cooking of the mushrooms with the spices gives a better texture and flavor to the recipe than just adding them raw with the spices. 

  2. Adding the needed water (or liquid) in this second phase of the recipe gives you more control, because you know exactly how much liquid is getting into it, instead of just eyeballing every time the amount of water vs. oats that you need, which can be frustrating and lead to different results every time.

Shaping and Cooking

To shape the vegan meatballs it helps to wet your hands a bit before shaping each meatballs as the oats they contains get very sticky.
 
To cook you can either fry or bake.
 

IF FRYING: make sure the oil is well heated before you start, or the meatballs can lose the shape. Fry until hey are golden brown on both sides, and transfer to paper towel to drain the excess oil.

Fried Vegan Meatballs
Baked Vegan Meatballs

IF BAKING: Make sure you use a silicone mat or baking paper to line the baking tray. Using just oil or butter won’t work (I’ve tried). Bake them for about 30 minutes or until you see they are firm to the touch, thoroughly cooked and with a nice brown color. Get them out of the oven and let them cool down a bit before you attempt to take them off the silicone mat or the parchment so they don’t break. Once they cool down, they should peel off esily from the baking paper.

If they are not peeling easily is because they are still a bit too wet. Stick the tray for a few more minutes in the oven and then remove them from the baking tray.

You can finish The Ultimate Vegan Meatballs by cooking them in your preferred tomato sauce (Check out our Sweet Potato & Tomato Pasta Sauce) for 5 minutes or so, on low heat. This last step is important to give the meatballs a meaty texture. 

Serve them with regular pasta, or try them over zucchini noodles! Delicious! 🙂

The Ultimate Vegan Meatballs

Mushrooms and oats based vegan meatballs perfect for your pasta dishes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 450 gr Portobelo Mushrooms
  • 200 gr 100% Whole Grain Oats
  • 180 ml Water
  • 1/4 Cup Dried Oregano (It's not a typo, it's 1/4 Cup of dried Oregano)
  • 3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1.5 Tbsp Sweet Paprika
  • 1.5 tsp Salt I use Himalayan or Sea salt
  • 1 tsp Garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp Ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp Ground black pepper
  • Pinch Nutmeg

Instructions
 

  • Clean mushrooms by soaking in cold water for a few minutes, then rubbing gently paper towel or soft brush. Roughly chop.
  • Heat your pan on medium-high heat. Add the oil (you can skip to make oil-free if you prefer), mushrooms and seasonings. Cook until there is no excess water left and the mushrooms are cooked through.
  • Process with a food processor, add oregano and pulse to a rough paste.
  • Transfer the mixture into a bowl and add oats and water. Mix well.
  • Let the mixture rest in the fridge for 5-10 minutes so the oats absorb the liquid and bind everything together.
  • Shape with wet hands and fry (or bake for about 30 minutes in a parchment lined baking tray) until browned and completely cooked through.
  • Finish cooking in your preferred tomato sauce for 5 minutes or so, on low heat for the perfect melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Keyword dinner, vegan

Have you make the Ultimate Vegan Meatballs already? Use the tag #kasheribbean to share your pictures on social media and don’t forget to follow on instagram and pinterest for more easy recipes! 

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Carrot, Turmeric & Ginger Soup

Kippur, Passover, Recipes, Salads, Sides /

Carrot, Turmeric & Ginger Soup {Vegan, Gluten-Free}

  • Last Modified: May 24, 2023
Carrot soup

Carrots are a very versatile and nutritious vegetables, commonly used around the globe, raw and cooked, in a wide range of dishes, adding both taste and nutritional value. This particular recipe, Carrot, Turmeric and Ginger soup, is also a great opportunity for you to use those carrot tops and bottoms left behind after grating carrots. Turmeric and ginger are added for a kick, and because of their nutritional value as well. 

When buying carrots, look for firm, smooth, and brightly colored ones. They can be stored in the refrigerator, either loose or in a perforated reusable plastic bag, for up to a few weeks. To maintain their freshness, it better to remove the green tops before storing as they can draw moisture from the carrot roots. But don’t worry, you don’t have to throw them out. Use the green carrot tops for salads, pesto, pastas or garnish. 

If you forget a few carrots in the fridge, and they become soft, you can always revive them by soaking them in ice water and leave in the fridge for a few hours.

How to make Carrot, Turmeric Ginger soup

To make this Carrot, Turmeric and Ginger Soup is really easy. First, you need to create a flavorful base, which you’ll make by the sautéing the vegetables until they are somewhat caramelized. This process will provide deeper flavor than if you just add the broth right away. So, taking a little time with this step is worthy. 

Since the carrot soup has to cook for a bit, hence evaporating some of the liquid added and concentrating the flavors, I advise you to add the salt once the cooking process has finished, and specially if you used regular store-bought vegetable broth, which is often rich in sodium. 

Easy Carrot Soup

Carrot, Turmeric & Ginger Soup

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Appetizer, Soup
Cuisine Dominican Republic

Ingredients
  

  • 100 gr Yellow onion, roughly chopped {about 2 medium onions}
  • 1 Celery stalk, chopped
  • 500 gr Carrots, chopped
  • 500 ml Vegetable broth { up to 700 ml of homemade or pre-made}
  • 10 gr Ginger root, peeled
  • 3 tsp Turmeric powder {or to taste}
  • 2 Garlic cloves, chopped {or 2 tsp of garlic powder}
  • 1 ½ tsp Salt

Instructions
 

  • To your pot add the oil and sauté the onion with a pinch of salt, until they are a nice light brown color. Be careful not to burn them or they will give an aftertaste to the soup.
  • Add the celery, carrots, ginger root, garlic, turmeric, and sauté on medium high for about 5 minutes or until you get some caramelization in the veggies.
  • Add the broth (start with 500ml. After the soup is blended you can add more if you want it thinner). Put the lid on and cook on medium low until all the veggies are cooked through. About 20 minutes.
  • Lower the heat to a minimum and using an immersion blender blend the soup until smooth. Finish by adding salt to taste.
  • Serve with a splash of olive oil or cream, and croutons.

Notes

If you use store-bought vegetable broth, make sure to buy low-sodium, and don't add your salt until the end of the cooking time.
Keyword carrots, soups
Carrot soup

Have you make this Carrot, Turmeric & Ginger Soup or any other recipe from the blog? Use the tag #kasheribbean to share on social media and, don’t forget to follow on instagram and pinterest to keep up with our easy recipes from us and the blogosphere!

 

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Easy {Passover-Friendly} Stuffed Mushrooms with Kale and Onions

2 Comments / Passover, Recipes, Shabbath, Sides /

Stuffed Mushrooms with Kale and Onions {Vegan, Gluten-Free}

Mushrooms are a delicious and versatile ingredient that can be used in a wide variety of dishes, from soups and stews to salads and stir-fries. But have you ever tried making stuffed mushrooms? These Stuffed Mushoroms with Kale & Onions are not only easy to prepare, but it’s also a crowd-pleaser that’s perfect for any occasion. 

Mushrooms are a great appetizer that can be customized to your liking. You can add other ingredients to the filling, such as meat and sausage, rice, other chopped vegetables, and even nuts. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different flavors and textures to create your own unique version.

Whether you’re hosting a party or looking for a quick and easy snack, these stuffed mushrooms with Kale & Onions are sure to be a hit. So next time you’re in the mood for something savory, earthy and delicious, give this recipe a try!

Mushrooms are very delicate so you have to handle with care, but also, they grow around dirt and soil and can be quite dirty so, it is important to wash them throughly. 

How to clean cremini mushrooms

You probably have heard others saying that you should never wash mushrooms, because they absorb a lot of water. A popular advice is to gently wipe the surface with a damp paper towel. The way I do, gets the best of both worlds. 

First, soak mushrooms for just a few minutes, that way to you eliminate all the dirt from the surface the easy way, as well as any bug that might be inside. 

After that, you can gently wipe the surface with a damp paper towel or simply place on a bed of paper towel or a clean kitchen towel to remove excess water. 
 

A zero-waste recipe

Once the mushrooms are clean, go ahead and remove the bottoms, which you can chop finely with the kale and use in the stuffing. 

For this recipe I am using kale, but  you can use spinach or other veggies you have on hand, and use the stems as well. Kale stems can be a bit hard, so I like to blanch them for a few seconds, and they are ready to use. 

Give the earth and your pocket a favor and don’t throw them away, you can always use them for stuffing, salads, rice, pastas, curries, soups, stews and many more preparations!

Now, let’s get into it.
 

Stuffed Mushrooms with Kale and Onions {Vegan, Gluten-Free}​

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Ingredients
  

  • 250 gr Cremini Mushrooms clean, bottomless
  • 2 tsp Paprika
  • 1/4 tsp Curry powder
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • Juice from 1/2 lemon

For the Kale

  • 250 gr Kale chopped
  • 100 gr White onion finely chopped
  • 2 Tbsp Paprika
  • 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

To finish the Mushrooms

  • 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive oil
  • 1 tsp Paprika

Instructions
 

First, season the mushrooms:

  • Season the mushrooms with salt, paprika, curry and lemon juice and set aside until ready to use.

Then, prepare the kale:

  • Sautee onions with the olive oil on medium high, add a pinch of salt and cook until they lightly caramelized.
  • Add the chopped kale and seasonings, lower the heat and cook with the lid on for about 8 minutes, or until the kale is soft.
  • Take the lid off and continue to cook on medium high for 2-3 more minutes so that excess moisture can evaporate.
  • Remove the kale from the pan and set aside to cool down. DO NOT WASH THE PAN. You'll use it later to cook the mushrooms.

Finish the stuffed mushrooms:

  • Stuff the mushrooms with the help of a tea spoon.
  • Remember the pan full of flavor where you cooked your kale?? Add Extra virgin olive oil and paprika. Heat up for a few seconds until fragrant.
  • Add the stuffed mushrooms, cooking first the cap, then flip and cook on the other side on medium high, until they get a nice color on both sides.
  • Serve hot, warm or cold as an appetizer or side dish.
Keyword Gluten-free, passover-friendly, side dish, vegan

Have you make this recipe or any other from the blog? Use the tag #kasheribbean to share on social media and, don’t forget to follow on instagram and pinterest to keep up with our easy recipes from us and the blogosphere!

 

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