Vegetarian Chanukah Menu

How about an Indian-inspired vegetarian meal this Chanukah?

Fragrant spices and frozen peas take traditional latkes to another level.

As an accompanyment, red lentil dal. In India, the word dal is used loosely for legumes, which provide the major source of protein for vegetarians there.

To make this meal even easier, cook the dal ahead of time and re-heat it in the microwave. A simple green salad or chopped Israeli-style salad would work well to complete this meal.

Indian-Style Latkes

These green-flecked, delicately spiced potato pancakes remind me of Indian dosas – crispy thin pancakes filled with spiced potatoes and peas.

2 ½ pounds (1 kilo) potatoes
1 large onion
2 eggs
2 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
3 tablespoons fresh chopped coriander
2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
½ -1 teaspoon salt
½ cup frozen peas, defrosted
Vegetable oil for sautéing
Low-fat yogurt for serving

If the potatoes are organic, scrub them well and leave the peels on. Conventionally-grown potatoes should be washed and peeled.

Coarsely grate the potatoes and onion in a food processor. Transfer to a colander to drain.

Mix the eggs with the flour, all of the spices and the salt. Squeeze the potatoes and onions to extract any liquid and add them to the egg mixture. Gently mix in the peas.

In a large non-stick skillet, heat two tablespoons of oil until hot. Cook the latkes, using about ¼ cup of the potato mixture per pancake. Flatten each pancake and cook until browned on each side. Drain on a paper-towel lined plate.

To keep the latkes warm until serving time, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and place in a 250 F (120 C) oven.

Serve with low-fat yogurt.

Makes about 24 latkes


Red Lentil Dal

Red lentils are a healthy convenience food. They don’t require pre-soaking and are done cooking in half an hour or less. They’ll break down into a puree and turn golden yellow while they’re cooking.

1 cup red lentils, sorted and rinsed well
3 cups water
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons canola oil
¼ teaspoon black mustard seed
¼ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

Bring the lentils to a boil with the water and salt. Reduce the heat and cook, partially covered over low heat, for 20-30 minutes, until the lentils soft and completely broken down. Add more water if necessary, to keep the lentils from sticking.

Heat the oil in a separate small skillet. Add the mustard seeds and cook until they turn gray and start to pop. Add the rest of the spices and cook for another minute. Add this mixture to the cooked lentils and serve.

Serves 4-6