Blistered Okra with Garlic and Cumin #30MinuteMondays

This blistered okra with garlic and cumin is much healthier than fried okra

 but just as addictive! It's also paleo, gluten-free, and vegan.

How do you feel about okra? I always hated it in gumbo and other gummy preparations as a kid, but quickly fell in love with fried okra. Last year I even made a paleo version of fried okra that's really good, but it's not super quick to make. 

My love for okra eventually expanded to include bhindi masala, an Indian curry where the okra is cooked with plenty of ginger, garlic, onion, and tomato, and there's a recipe for that in my cookbook. While delicious, bhindi masala also takes a little time to make.

When I scored some really beautiful okra at the farmers' market, I wanted to cook it quickly in a way that would highlight its intrinsic flavor while minimizing its intrinsic gumminess. A little research indicated that cooking okra briefly over relatively high heat would be most likely to achieve those results.

I was so happy with how this recipe turned out! Slicing the okra lengthwise provides a nice surface for browning while preserving the attractive silhouette of the pods. (Did you know okra is also known as lady fingers? Move on over, cookies whose sole purpose is to make tiramisu!) The recipe starts with getting a cast iron skillet nice and hot, then adding butter or oil. Whole cumin seeds, garlic cloves, and dried chiles are added next, infusing the cooking fat with savory and subtly spiced flavor and a gentle, warming heat. The okra are added next and cooked for about ten minutes, turning a few times, until nice and browned. Add a hefty sprinkle of flaky sea salt and that's it! Non-fried okra that you won't be able to stop eating.

Saag Paneer

Have you ever made your own cheese?  I made some ricotta last year, and wanted to try my hand at paneer.  Fresh cheeses like paneer and ricotta are easy to make at home, and totally worth it.  All you need is milk, a lemon, some cheesecloth, and a little patience.  

Saag paneer has been my favorite Indian dish for years, and I'm so glad I finally made it myself.  The creamy spiced spinach studded with chewy bits of paneer is totally addictive, and my major Indian takeout/delivery habit is all saag paneer's fault (oh, and Eat24--you guys didn't help, either).  This homemade version is just as good as my local restaurant's, and the paneer is far superior: it's meltingly tender, with a wonderfully creamy flavor.  It's a little labor intensive to make the paneer and the saag on the same day, but it was a perfect project for a Sunday afternoon.  Next time I might try making a big batch of paneer, stashing some in the fridge, and freezing the rest.  That way I can make saag paneer happen on weeknights!

Vanilla Chai Spiced Ghee + Chai Ghee "Latte" (Whole30 Day 26)

I am so obsessed with ghee.  Ever since I followed Nom Nom Paleo's instructions and made my first batch, it's been a staple in my kitchen.  First of all, it smells amazing.  Second, it's easy to make.  Third, it has a high smoke point, which means it won't burn like butter does during high-heat cooking.  Fourth, it tastes great with everything.  And bonus--it's lactose and casein free.

I've even been putting a teaspoon or so of ghee and coconut oil in my morning coffee (inspired by Stupid Easy Paleo).  After a short blitz with the immersion blender, it's foamy like a latte.  Delicious.  Basically, ghee is saving my Whole30 life.

Indochinese Chilli Chicken with Cauliflower Fried Rice

I LOVE Indian food.  Luckily for me, my mom's apartment is just blocks from Singh's Cafe, which has a fabulous lunch buffet every day of the week.  I go more than anyone should go anywhere, but I just love it so much.  One of the best parts of going to lunch buffet is that there is no waiting: you show up, you sit down (or not), and you go get your food!  I also love it because you can try some of everything.

Garlic Naan

Homemade naan is SO delicious, and it's not hard to make.  I think this naan is even better than what I get at my favorite Indian restaurant--it's an irresistible accompaniment to almost anything.  Kneading and rolling the dough is actually really fun; it only needs to rise for 45 minutes, so it's a totally viable weeknight dinner option.  Plus, you won't even have to turn on your oven!

Garlic naan is my favorite, but if you prefer plain naan, you can just omit the garlic and cilantro.  It will still be amazing.  I was all excited to use cilantro, but found that my bunch had totally frozen in the fridge and looked really sad.  I guess my fridge is too cold!

Ingredients (adapted from Budget Bytes; makes 8 pieces):

2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup olive oil (or vegetable oil)
1/3 cup plain greek yogurt (I used 2%)
1 teaspoon garlic paste (optional)
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2-3 cups flour, divided, plus extra
10 or so cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
Butter or ghee for cooking and serving

In a small bowl, mix the yeast, sugar, and warm water until the yeast dissolves.  Let the mixture sit for a few minutes until it foams up.  Stir in the oil, yogurt, garlic paste, and egg.

In a medium bowl, mix the salt with one cup of the flour.  Add the wet ingredients and stir until well mixed.  Add more flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition, until you can no longer stir the dough with a spoon.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface.  Start kneading the dough, adding flour as needed to keep it from sticking.  Knead for about three minutes, until the dough is soft and smooth but not sticky.

Let the dough rest, lightly covered with a kitchen towel, for about 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Flatten the dough a little, and cut it into eight wedges.  Pick up each wedge and stretch the dough from the top around to the bottom a few times to create a ball.

Heat a little butter or ghee in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.

Dip each side of the dough ball in the minced garlic and cilantro, then roll it out until it's about six inches in diameter.

Place the naan in the hot skillet, and cook on the first side until large bubbles appear on the surface and the bottom is golden brown.  Flip the naan and cook until golden on the other side.

Serve topped with a little more butter or ghee and accompanied by your favorite curry.