French Green Lentils

Unlike in traditional Indian cuisine where lentils are usually the main dish, French green lentils are served as a side with sausages or various meats. Of course, with as many vegetarians as I have in my home, I typically serve it without meat.

In this recipe I cooked the lentils with fennel, fresh lemon thyme, black peppercorns, caramelized onions and a bay leaf. They lentils are known as “Puy” lentils because they originate from Le Puy, in the Auvergne region of France. They have an almost blue-ish shine with a delicate, peppery flavor. 

Spinach Moong Dal Recipe

Moong dal, also known as split mung beans, is a very common ingredient in both Indian and Vietnamese cuisines. In this particular savory dish, the lentils serve as a complementary protein to the spinach. When paired with rice, it's a complete meal in and of itself.

There is a wide range of dals used in Indian cuisine, far more than you may find at an Indian restaurant buffet. Check out my other Indian dal recipes such as toor dal, kali dal, urad dal or masoor dal if you're feeling adventurous.

Asian Style Warm Potato Salad

Vietnamese Tofu Stuffed Betel Leaves

Tàu hũ cuốn lá lốt (betel leaf wrapped tofu in Vietnamese) is very similar looking to Greek dolmades. Instead of using grape leaves though, betel leaves serve as the packaging and delivery device for pan-fried tofu and vegetables. Betel leaves have a peppery taste, and when cooked they have the appearance, but not the texture of nori. The tofu mixture is similar to the filling I use for my vegetarian egg rolls.

The traditional way to prepare this dish is with extra lean ground beef (see tips), called thịt bò nướng lá lốt. However, Aunt Elise, who is a vegetarian, is visiting from Vietnam and taught me how to make the meatless version of the dish. Either way, it's an exotic and authentic taste of Vietnam.