Does anyone have a simple but yummy recipe for an ethnic potluck?

I am out of practice in the kitchen and all of my cookbooks are packed up in storage. I weas thinking about Indian maybe... Oh and it must be VEGETARIAN!





tHANKS!!!Does anyone have a simple but yummy recipe for an ethnic potluck?
how about this:


marinated artichoke hearts over baby green salad mix.


canned artichoke hearts


3 cloves garlic


olive oil


balsamic vinegar


kalamata olives


feta cheese (however you can leave this on the side if some dont eat cheese)


oregano.


the morning of the potluck or the night before even. drain the artichoke hearts into a ziplock bag or dish you are taking with you. add salt and pepper, olives, mince the garlic and then drizzle olive oil and balsamic in there as well. toss it all together and well let it marinate. make sure it is at room temperature before serving since the oil will kind of solidify and look yucky. serve on baby greens and have extra salt and pepper handy for extra flavor.Does anyone have a simple but yummy recipe for an ethnic potluck?
Here are four good recipes, and all pretty simple. I wasn't sure whether you were looking for a curry, side, or dessert. I use them when I don't want to go through the hassle of making some of the more difficult curries or Indian desserts.





Dal:





1 cup dried lentils


2 serrano chillis


1/2 tsp. cumin seeds


1/2 tsp. mustard seeds


1/2 tsp. turmeric


salt to taste


about an inch of ginger root


1 clove minced garlic


1 chopped medium onion


2 chopped roma tomatoes


1 Tbsp. oil


Optional: cilantro as garnish.





1. Boil the lentils and then mash well or blend (but not too much). Should be about refried beans consistency. Set these aside.


2. Heat oil in a pan and saute the mustard, cumin, ginger, and garlic.


3. Add chilis, onions, tomatoes, turmeric, and salt to the pan and then cook until they are well done.


4. Add the lentils and let it cook until it boils. Take off the stove and garnish with cilantro if wanted.





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Potato curry:





2 pounds potatoes


1 can coconut milk


1 can chopped tomatoes


amchoor (dry mango powder) or if not available, the juice of 2 limes or lemons


1 or 2 fresh green chillies, chopped or a pinch of chilli powder


one piece of fresh ginger root


one onion





Serves 6





Peel and wash the potatoes and cut them into dices.


Chop the onion finely and fry in sunflower oil on medium heat until golden brown. Add the grated ginger and the chopped chillies and fry for another minutes, stirring constantly, then add the potatoes, the coconut milk, the amchoor or lime juice, the tin of tomatoes and if needed water to cover. Bring to the boil then lower the heat and leave to stew for 35 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.





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Palak (Spinach Curry)





Spinach 1/2 kg


Ginger 3/4 tsp.


curry 1/2 tsp.


olive oil 3 tbsp.


Cumin seeds 1 tsp.


Bay leaves 2-3


Garlic powder 1 tsp.


Salt to taste


Black pepper powder 1/4 tsp.


Garam Masala Powder 1 tsp.


Vegetable oil as required





Method:


Mix ginger, curry and spinach. Pressure cook it for about 7-8 minutes. (I think I cooked it regularly but for longer last time I made this. It should be sort of soggy.)


Add 2 tbsp. olive oil and cumin seeds, bay leaves, garlic powder, salt, black pepper powder, garam masala. Stir well.


Put palak in a baking tray .


Add rest of the olive oil. Bake for 1/2 hour at 180 deg C.





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Kheer (rice pudding)


And this is my favorite! It's a good dessert, and I use the variation with rice noodles because I'm too lazy to wait for rice to cook, and I like the texture of noodles better. It's also very easy to proportion it however you wish, and I make them up on the fly anyway, so I don't have solid proportions, sorry.





Ingredients:


rice noodles or white rice


vanilla soy milk (or vanilla and sugar and some other milk, but this is simpler)


slivered almonds


raisins


cardamom (optional because it's a bit expensive and hard to find)





Boil the noodles or rice in a large pot until done and drain the water. Then add enough milk to cover (or more if you like a soupier consistency rather than a pudding consistency), a handful of almonds and raisins (again, proportion to your liking), and either sprinkle 1/8th to 1/2 a tsp. of cardamom powder or throw the seeds from within a few cardamom pods in the pot. Simmer until the edges of the almonds are translucent, the raisins are soft and plump, and the cardamom flavor has spread throughout. Then you should chill it because it is served either chilled or room consistency by most Indians. (I eat it hot because I can't wait!) I'm sure you could add cinnamon or sugar too if you'd like it sweeter.





Bonus: If you serve the curries with naan (Indian bread that can be found in any Indian store and a few large chains like Target as well) and rice, you've got yourself quite a feast.
Egg Plant Parmesan
Walnut Cream Sauce


Pasta in a Walnut Cream Sauce





This is not vegan or anything, but it is kind of italian flavored...





1 1/2 cups walnuts, toasted*


1 clove garlic, quartered


2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped


1 tablespoon fresh marjoram, chopped


or 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram


3 tablespoons olive oil


1/2 cup milk, (or more)


1 cup ricotta cheese


1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper





In a blender chop nuts, garlic, and herbs together. Add oil and blend until incorporated, then add milk, cheese and cayenne and process again until smooth. (Thin with additional milk if too thick) Toss with hot pasta.





*To toast nuts, spread out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast in a 350掳 oven, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes. Or, toast in an ungreased skillet over medium heat, stirring, until golden brown and aromatic.





Note : Makes about 2 1/2 cups of walnut cream sauce. Works best with cavatelli or small shells, or other small pasta that holds sauce well.


Recipe from ';Rodale's Basic Natural Foods Cookbook';





My friend made a similar one to this the other day from the Moosewood Cookbook and served it cold...with a hot loaf of garlic bread, drizzled with olive oil, garlic and just a few chili flakes...it was Fan-freaking-tastic!
OHH!! Try this website, its a recipe for Paneer Masala:


http://www.recipesindian.com/indian_recipes/indian_vegetarian_recipes/Paneer-Masala.html





I believe it is an Indian Side Dish, to be eaten with tortillas, I think, or rice.
Lentils and rice in curry sauce. Or chickpeas in curry sauce. You can cheat and go to an Indian food store and get mixes. Chinese markets also have some great mixes you can use to start off.