Cauliflower Sautéed with Peaches and Cardamom

(recipe from The Vegan Gourmet by Susann Geiskopf-Hadler and Mindy Toomay)

4 cups chopped cauliflower
2 medium shallots, slivered
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 lb. peaches (2 medium)
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
Several grinds black pepper
2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley leaves

Combine the cauliflower, shallots, and salt with 1/3 cup water in a heavy-bottomed skillet.  Cover and cook over medium heat 7-10 minutes, until the cauliflower is barely fork-tender.

Meanwhile, peel the peaches and slice the flesh from the pits into bite-size chunks.

When the cauliflower is barely tender, stir in the peaches and sprinkle the cardamom and pepper evenly over the contents of the skillet.  Cook, stirring gently but frequently, for 3 minutes or so, until the peaches are heated through.  Toss with the parsley in a bowl and serve hot or at room temperature.

(Really good and interesting.  I took an old vegan cookbook - so old it didn't have any recipes with kale! - and cooked my way through the whole of it.  Many recipes were so-so, but there have been a few stunners like this one, truly odd and delightful.)

Sweetness and Light Sugarplums

(recipe from PETA)

12 dried Medjool dates, pitted
8 dried apricots
1/2 tsp. cardamom seeds (I used ground cardamom)
1/2 tsp. anise seeds
1 1/2 cups walnuts
1/4 cup ground cinnamon or unsweetened cocoa powder

Place the dates and apricots in a food processor and pulse until the mixture just starts to come together.

Add the cardamom seeds, anise seeds, and walnuts and pulse again until just combined.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Pour the cinnamon or cocoa into a shallow bowl.  Form the date mixture into balls the size of walnuts and roll in the cinnamon or cocoa until completely coated.

Makes about 2 dozen sugarplums and keeps for 1 week in the refrigerator.

Ghanta Tarkari (Mixed Vegetable Coconut Curry)

(recipe from Saveur magazine)

1/3 cup ghee (I used coconut oil)
6 green cardamom pods
6 whole cloves
5 small green Thai chiles or 2 serranos, halved (I chopped them)
2 Indian or regular bay leaves
1 stick cinnamon, halved
1 lb. kabocha or butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1" pieces
1 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
6 potol (pointed gourds) or 2 medium zucchini, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
1 loofah (ridge gourd) or 1 large cucumber, peeled, and cut into 1" pieces (I omitted this)
Kosher salt, to taste
1/2 cup fresh or frozen grated coconut (I used dried coconut)
1 tsp. sugar (I used honey)

Melt half the ghee in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat.  Cook cardamom, cloves, chiles, bay leaves, and cinnamon for 1-2 minutes.  Add squash and potatoes; cook until golden, 8-10 minutes.  Stir in gourds and salt; cook until just tender, 4-6 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium; cook, covered, until vegetables are very tender, 12-15 minutes.  Stir in remaining ghee, the coconut, and sugar; cook 2 minutes.

(I adjusted cooking times and temps to my liking - did not want to overcook the zucchini.  I also added some water during cooking to keep the potatoes and squash from sticking to the bottom of the pan.  Just pay attention and adjust as needed.)