Makhluta - Lebanese Lentil and Three-Bean Soup for MLLA 27

An extraordinarily hearty, traditional recipe from Lebanon, makhluta is a classic kitchen sink of a bean soup. If you are willing to swallow your pride by opening a few cans, this deeply comforting and filling meal can be prepared with such speed that it will be nearly ready by the time you've sipped the last of your preprandial cocktail after that shell-shocked day wherever it is that you work.

Of course, if you prefer the slow and satisfying ritual of soaking and simmering your dried legumes, you will not be disappointed with the relatively quick cooking method offered by Madelain Farah's recipe below, provided you remember to do your soaking the night before. And while you're at it, a good soaking the night before in a drawn bath does wonders for that shell-shocked day wherever it is that you work.

Makhluta - Adapted from the Beirut Restaurants recipe with additional inspiration from a recipe in Lebanese Cuisine by Madelain Farah (on page 32 in Google preview).

Serves 6 generously.


Ingredients

2 quarts richly flavored and moderately salted vegetable stock
1 cup brown rice (use quick-cooking for faster results)

1/2 cup virgin olive oil
1 very large yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons (yes, tablespoons) ground cumin

2 cups cooked and drained lentils
2 cups cooked and drained chickpeas
2 cups cooked and drained black turtle beans
2 cups cooked and drained green lima beans

6 very large Swiss chard leaves, coarsely shredded (remove center ribs if very bulky)
3 cups water

Additional salt to taste

Method

In your very largest pot, Dutch oven, or soup cauldron, heat stock to boiling. Add brown rice. Reduce heat to simmer until rice is tender (up to 45 minutes for regular brown rice; 10 minutes for quick-cooking kind).

In a medium saucepan, warm olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onion and saute until translucent and golden without burning. Stir in cumin and heat a few more minutes to fragrance and flavor the onion and oil. Remove from heat and stir into stock with cooked rice. Stir in all legumes. Increase heat just to boiling, then reduce to a maintained simmer for 15 minutes.

In the same saucepan which you used for the oil and onion, heat 3 cups water to boiling. Add Swiss chard leaves, continuing to boil until they are limp (about 7 minutes). Stir leaves into legume mixture. If you find the soup too thick (dependent on how fast a simmer, how absorbent the rice, and how soft/starchy the legumes), add enough of the chard water to thin to your preference. Taste and adjust for salt. While wonderful fresh, this soup does reheat well, but will thicken considerably when chilled and idle, like a dense stew. Reconstitute with more water if preferred.

This is my contribution to MLLA 27, which just closed out and has been hosted by me. I expect to have the round-up and drawing results online sometime next week. Thank you very much for sharing your lovely recipes. Your hospitality is always appreciated.

Divya of Dil Se is now hosting MLLA 28. Divya has just returned from abroad and is refreshed and ready to receive your wonderful recipes.


Been There, Done That

Leblebi - Tunisian Chickpea Soup
Vegetarian Caldo Verde
African Peanut and Yam Soup


Other Peoples' Eats

Pomegranate Lentil Soup - Apartment Therapy - The Kitchn
Syrian Vegetarian Red Lentil Soup - Herbivoracious
Turkish Red Lentil Soup with Sumac - ecurry
Algerian Lentil Soup - 64 Sq. Ft. Kitchen
Soup Chick - All Things Soup - Lydia of The Perfect Pantry

The Well-Seasoned Cook

Makhluta - Lebanese Lentil and Three-Bean Soup for MLLA 27

An extraordinarily hearty, traditional recipe from Lebanon, makhluta is a classic kitchen sink of a bean soup. If you are willing to swallow your pride by opening a few cans, this deeply comforting and filling meal can be prepared with such speed that it will be nearly ready by the time you've sipped the last of your preprandial cocktail after that shell-shocked day wherever it is that you work.

Of course, if you prefer the slow and satisfying ritual of soaking and simmering your dried legumes, you will not be disappointed with the relatively quick cooking method offered by Madelain Farah's recipe below, provided you remember to do your soaking the night before. And while you're at it, a good soaking the night before in a drawn bath does wonders for that shell-shocked day wherever it is that you work.

Makhluta - Adapted from the Beirut Restaurants recipe with additional inspiration from a recipe in Lebanese Cuisine by Madelain Farah (on page 32 in Google preview).

Serves 6 generously.


Ingredients

2 quarts richly flavored and moderately salted vegetable stock
1 cup brown rice (use quick-cooking for faster results)

1/2 cup virgin olive oil
1 very large yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons (yes, tablespoons) ground cumin

2 cups cooked and drained lentils
2 cups cooked and drained chickpeas
2 cups cooked and drained black turtle beans
2 cups cooked and drained green lima beans

6 very large Swiss chard leaves, coarsely shredded (remove center ribs if very bulky)
3 cups water

Additional salt to taste

Method

In your very largest pot, Dutch oven, or soup cauldron, heat stock to boiling. Add brown rice. Reduce heat to simmer until rice is tender (up to 45 minutes for regular brown rice; 10 minutes for quick-cooking kind).

In a medium saucepan, warm olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onion and saute until translucent and golden without burning. Stir in cumin and heat a few more minutes to fragrance and flavor the onion and oil. Remove from heat and stir into stock with cooked rice. Stir in all legumes. Increase heat just to boiling, then reduce to a maintained simmer for 15 minutes.

In the same saucepan which you used for the oil and onion, heat 3 cups water to boiling. Add Swiss chard leaves, continuing to boil until they are limp (about 7 minutes). Stir leaves into legume mixture. If you find the soup too thick (dependent on how fast a simmer, how absorbent the rice, and how soft/starchy the legumes), add enough of the chard water to thin to your preference. Taste and adjust for salt. While wonderful fresh, this soup does reheat well, but will thicken considerably when chilled and idle, like a dense stew. Reconstitute with more water if preferred.

This is my contribution to MLLA 27, which just closed out and has been hosted by me. I expect to have the round-up and drawing results online sometime next week. Thank you very much for sharing your lovely recipes. Your hospitality is always appreciated.

Divya of Dil Se is now hosting MLLA 28. Divya has just returned from abroad and is refreshed and ready to receive your wonderful recipes.


Been There, Done That

Leblebi - Tunisian Chickpea Soup
Vegetarian Caldo Verde
African Peanut and Yam Soup


Other Peoples' Eats

Pomegranate Lentil Soup - Apartment Therapy - The Kitchn
Syrian Vegetarian Red Lentil Soup - Herbivoracious
Turkish Red Lentil Soup with Sumac - ecurry
Algerian Lentil Soup - 64 Sq. Ft. Kitchen
Soup Chick - All Things Soup - Lydia of The Perfect Pantry

The Well-Seasoned Cook

Announcing - My Legume Love Affair 27

Hello, everyone! It's my great pleasure to announce that MLLA 27 is being hosted here by me on The Well-Seasoned Cook. I'd like to follow the traditional of thanking the creator for allowing me the opportunity of hosting this long-running and popular event, but that would be just plain silly, so I will thank you instead. Without your great recipes, generosity, and work (yes, blogging is work, no matter how much fun), MLLA would not be enjoying the great success that it has since I launched the event back in February 2008.

So, with gratitude for, and in honor of, all the fine cooks who enjoy MLLA, I am tweaking the monthly prizes/random drawing structure to make your time here just a little more appetizing:

* NEW: Pick-Your-Own Prize - Choose any food-related book from Amazon U.S. with a value of up to 15USD (not including shipping). I will order the book and ship it worldwide at my expense. (F.T.C. Notice: I do not receive any compensation from Amazon.)

* Hurst Bean Prize - The winner's choice of six (6) Hurst Bean products, suitable for all diets. Hurst Bean sponsors this prize. Due to shipping restrictions, this prize will only be awarded to a U.S. resident. (F.T.C. Notice: I do not receive any routine compensation from Hurst Bean, although I did recently request two products of nominal value which are not available in my local markets. This has been the sole exception.)

* Drawing Structure - As has been the procedure in the past, in the event that the winner of the overall pool is a U.S. resident, that winner will be awarded both the book and Hurst Bean prizes. NEW: In the event that an international winner is drawn, a second drawing will be conducted from the pool of U.S. participants to ensure that every month the Hurst Bean prize will be awarded. The international winner will receive the book, and the U.S. winner will receive the Hurst Bean prize.


To participate, please:

* Post a recipe featuring legumes between now and September 30, linking it to this announcement. Send your post to thewellseasonedcook AT yahoo DOT com with MLLA in the subject line.

* Your choice of recipes is very broad. As much as legumes are most commonly known as fresh or dried beans, peas, lentils and pulses, they are also the sometimes edible pods that contain these seeds. Add to the list alfalfa, fenugreek, peanuts, carob, tamarind, and other members of the Fabaceae or Leguminosae family, as well as derivatives such tofu, and bean flours and noodles, and you'll have a hard time focusing on just one. All courses and cuisines (vegetarian/vegan/non-vegetarian) are welcome, as long as legumes are the dominant ingredient. (Please note: In France, vegetables of all sorts are known as légumes. They are not included in this event.)

* Multiple recipes are permitted (although only one submission will be counted towards the random drawing/s).

* Recipes submitted to other events are also permitted.

* Recipes from archives can be accepted ONLY if updated and reposted as current.

* Recipes from those who are not bloggers are welcome. Please send me your name, location, recipe, and optional photo. I will ensure you are included in the drawing/s and round-up.

* Location of each participant is necessary so that I will know who qualifies to win the Hurst Bean prize, shipped to U.S. residents only. If you don't want your location published in the round-up, please indicate this in your email so that I can maintain your privacy.

* Use of logo is optional.

* Photo is preferred, but not essential, with a width or length dimension of 400 pixels.

* I will post the round-up and winner/s announcement during first week of October.

* My family and personal friends are not eligible to win any prize.

I'm very much looking forward to your recipes. Thanks again for allowing me to dine at your tables.

The Well-Seasoned Cook

Announcing - My Legume Love Affair 27

Hello, everyone! It's my great pleasure to announce that MLLA 27 is being hosted here by me on The Well-Seasoned Cook. I'd like to follow the traditional of thanking the creator for allowing me the opportunity of hosting this long-running and popular event, but that would be just plain silly, so I will thank you instead. Without your great recipes, generosity, and work (yes, blogging is work, no matter how much fun), MLLA would not be enjoying the great success that it has since I launched the event back in February 2008.

So, with gratitude for, and in honor of, all the fine cooks who enjoy MLLA, I am tweaking the monthly prizes/random drawing structure to make your time here just a little more appetizing:

* NEW: Pick-Your-Own Prize - Choose any food-related book from Amazon U.S. with a value of up to 15USD (not including shipping). I will order the book and ship it worldwide at my expense. (F.T.C. Notice: I do not receive any compensation from Amazon.)

* Hurst Bean Prize - The winner's choice of six (6) Hurst Bean products, suitable for all diets. Hurst Bean sponsors this prize. Due to shipping restrictions, this prize will only be awarded to a U.S. resident. (F.T.C. Notice: I do not receive any routine compensation from Hurst Bean, although I did recently request two products of nominal value which are not available in my local markets. This has been the sole exception.)

* Drawing Structure - As has been the procedure in the past, in the event that the winner of the overall pool is a U.S. resident, that winner will be awarded both the book and Hurst Bean prizes. NEW: In the event that an international winner is drawn, a second drawing will be conducted from the pool of U.S. participants to ensure that every month the Hurst Bean prize will be awarded. The international winner will receive the book, and the U.S. winner will receive the Hurst Bean prize.


To participate, please:

* Post a recipe featuring legumes between now and September 30, linking it to this announcement. Send your post to thewellseasonedcook AT yahoo DOT com with MLLA in the subject line.

* Your choice of recipes is very broad. As much as legumes are most commonly known as fresh or dried beans, peas, lentils and pulses, they are also the sometimes edible pods that contain these seeds. Add to the list alfalfa, fenugreek, peanuts, carob, tamarind, and other members of the Fabaceae or Leguminosae family, as well as derivatives such tofu, and bean flours and noodles, and you'll have a hard time focusing on just one. All courses and cuisines (vegetarian/vegan/non-vegetarian) are welcome, as long as legumes are the dominant ingredient. (Please note: In France, vegetables of all sorts are known as légumes. They are not included in this event.)

* Multiple recipes are permitted (although only one submission will be counted towards the random drawing/s).

* Recipes submitted to other events are also permitted.

* Recipes from archives can be accepted ONLY if updated and reposted as current.

* Recipes from those who are not bloggers are welcome. Please send me your name, location, recipe, and optional photo. I will ensure you are included in the drawing/s and round-up.

* Location of each participant is necessary so that I will know who qualifies to win the Hurst Bean prize, shipped to U.S. residents only. If you don't want your location published in the round-up, please indicate this in your email so that I can maintain your privacy.

* Use of logo is optional.

* Photo is preferred, but not essential, with a width or length dimension of 400 pixels.

* I will post the round-up and winner/s announcement during first week of October.

* My family and personal friends are not eligible to win any prize.

I'm very much looking forward to your recipes. Thanks again for allowing me to dine at your tables.

The Well-Seasoned Cook

Paglia e Fieno - Straw and Hay Pasta with Peas & Porcini for MLLA 26 & PPN 179

 

Vacation mode.  I'm sure you know that delicious mood I am talking about. Though one has returned to the regularly scheduled program of life, there are a few transitional days between the limp relaxation of being away from it all and the rigors of reacquaintance with the adrenaline rush.  You are protected by a cocoon of your own making. Nothing bothers you.  Not even the mangled mess of fettuccine seizing up on the platter before you, wrecking your plans to post an otherwise pretty darned good meal by its due date.  The world is a beautiful place.  Rather than shake your fist at the heavens and mutter enough blue words to make you blue in the face, you shrug and try it all over again.  And you give thanks - thanks to Simona, hostess of MLLA 26, for the tutelage to avoid another mess. This time, my meal is a mermaid's nest of relaxed and lovely noodles, obviously, in their vacation mode, too.

Straw and Hay Pasta – My own vegetarian recipe using porcini to replace the traditional pancetta



Serves 4-6



Ingredients



1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

2 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups half and half or light cream

4 dried bay leaves

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper



¾ cup dried porcini pieces, reconstituted for ½ hour in 2 cups boiling water. (Reserve flavorful broth for other use.)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons coarsely ground sea salt



12 ounces dried spinach fettuccine

12 ounces dried semolina fettuccine



2 generous cups fresh or frozen green peas, cooked in a small container of water in the microwave for 3 minutes and reserved in its cooking water to keep warm.

1 cup grated Parmesan, plus extra at table





Method



Fill a very large pot, Dutch oven, or soup cauldron with enough water to boil the pasta. In order to prevent the pasta sticking to itself, it is critical that your vessel be large enough to accommodate the pasta with ample water to completely submerge it. It is better to use two vessels rather than cramp the pasta. Bring water to boil over high heat.



As water is heating, prepare the cream sauce. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, cook the onion and garlic in butter and olive oil until translucent and golden. Do not let the vegetables burn. Stir in half and half or light cream, then add bay leaves and ground black pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.



Slice porcini into slivers. Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat until oil thins (5 seconds). Add porcini and stir fry until glistening and frizzled. Remove from heat and toss porcini with sea salt.



Follow cooking time instructions on pasta packaging. Add fettuccine to boiling water. Increase heat slightly to return water to boil; maintain boil throughout cooking time. Pasta will begin to soften about 1 minute from commencing. Gently and frequently agitate pasta with a long-handled fork or chopstick to prevent sticking. Vigilant attention to the boil and agitation will ensure a good texture. Promptly remove from heat and carefully tip pasta into a colander to drain, allowing a little water to remain on it.



Working quickly, empty drained pasta into very large bowl. Pour cream sauce on top of pasta. Discard bay leaves. Toss gently to cover pasta with sauce. Transfer to serving platter or divide into individual bowls. Drain the peas. Top with Parmesan, fried porcini, and peas. Serve immediately with additional Parmesan on the side. --

This recipe is for Simona of Briciole, hosting MLLA 26.  Simona will have the round-up (in two parts) on line very soon.  Please stop by to have a look at yet another colossal collection of some of the best legume recipes under the sun.  And stay tuned for my announcement for MLLA 27,  hosted here by yours truly for September.  It's good to be back - I am raring to go.  I do hope you have all enjoyed your August.



I am also sending this to Ruth of Once Upon a Feast, hosting her own Presto Pasta Nights # 179.  Check out Ruth's round-up this Friday, September 3.



Been There, Done That ~

Potage Saint-Germain

Farfalle Alfredo with Grilled Vegetables

Spiced Vegetable Bean Fritters



Other People's Eats ~

Quinoa - Pea Salad - When My Soup Came Alive

Rice and Peas - Saveur

Vellutata di Piselli e Menta - Cindystar

The Well-Seasoned Cook

Paglia e Fieno - Straw and Hay Pasta with Peas & Porcini for MLLA 26 & PPN 179

 

Vacation mode.  I'm sure you know that delicious mood I am talking about. Though one has returned to the regularly scheduled program of life, there are a few transitional days between the limp relaxation of being away from it all and the rigors of reacquaintance with the adrenaline rush.  You are protected by a cocoon of your own making. Nothing bothers you.  Not even the mangled mess of fettuccine seizing up on the platter before you, wrecking your plans to post an otherwise pretty darned good meal by its due date.  The world is a beautiful place.  Rather than shake your fist at the heavens and mutter enough blue words to make you blue in the face, you shrug and try it all over again.  And you give thanks - thanks to Simona, hostess of MLLA 26, for the tutelage to avoid another mess. This time, my meal is a mermaid's nest of relaxed and lovely noodles, obviously, in their vacation mode, too.

Straw and Hay Pasta – My own vegetarian recipe using porcini to replace the traditional pancetta



Serves 4-6



Ingredients



1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

2 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups half and half or light cream

4 dried bay leaves

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper



¾ cup dried porcini pieces, reconstituted for ½ hour in 2 cups boiling water. (Reserve flavorful broth for other use.)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons coarsely ground sea salt



12 ounces dried spinach fettuccine

12 ounces dried semolina fettuccine



2 generous cups fresh or frozen green peas, cooked in a small container of water in the microwave for 3 minutes and reserved in its cooking water to keep warm.

1 cup grated Parmesan, plus extra at table





Method



Fill a very large pot, Dutch oven, or soup cauldron with enough water to boil the pasta. In order to prevent the pasta sticking to itself, it is critical that your vessel be large enough to accommodate the pasta with ample water to completely submerge it. It is better to use two vessels rather than cramp the pasta. Bring water to boil over high heat.



As water is heating, prepare the cream sauce. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, cook the onion and garlic in butter and olive oil until translucent and golden. Do not let the vegetables burn. Stir in half and half or light cream, then add bay leaves and ground black pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.



Slice porcini into slivers. Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat until oil thins (5 seconds). Add porcini and stir fry until glistening and frizzled. Remove from heat and toss porcini with sea salt.



Follow cooking time instructions on pasta packaging. Add fettuccine to boiling water. Increase heat slightly to return water to boil; maintain boil throughout cooking time. Pasta will begin to soften about 1 minute from commencing. Gently and frequently agitate pasta with a long-handled fork or chopstick to prevent sticking. Vigilant attention to the boil and agitation will ensure a good texture. Promptly remove from heat and carefully tip pasta into a colander to drain, allowing a little water to remain on it.



Working quickly, empty drained pasta into very large bowl. Pour cream sauce on top of pasta. Discard bay leaves. Toss gently to cover pasta with sauce. Transfer to serving platter or divide into individual bowls. Drain the peas. Top with Parmesan, fried porcini, and peas. Serve immediately with additional Parmesan on the side. --

This recipe is for Simona of Briciole, hosting MLLA 26.  Simona will have the round-up (in two parts) on line very soon.  Please stop by to have a look at yet another colossal collection of some of the best legume recipes under the sun.  And stay tuned for my announcement for MLLA 27,  hosted here by yours truly for September.  It's good to be back - I am raring to go.  I do hope you have all enjoyed your August.



I am also sending this to Ruth of Once Upon a Feast, hosting her own Presto Pasta Nights # 179.  Check out Ruth's round-up this Friday, September 3.



Been There, Done That ~

Potage Saint-Germain

Farfalle Alfredo with Grilled Vegetables

Spiced Vegetable Bean Fritters



Other People's Eats ~

Quinoa - Pea Salad - When My Soup Came Alive

Rice and Peas - Saveur

Vellutata di Piselli e Menta - Cindystar

The Well-Seasoned Cook

Just Add Water - Instant Chickpea Flour Hummus - My Legume Love Affair 25

I know. Hummus. Ho-hum. Who hasn't put up a hummus recipe since they started blogging? It seems the default dip for cheaters, those who can't quite get with the sniffy program of bacon-walnut taffy and civet coffee.

Well, I'm going to cheat some more. These days, in the home stretch before I go on vacation, I can't get with the program of soaking and boiling dried chickpeas. I can't even be bothered to open a can of them. Blame it on the relentless heat, but I have been especially all about taking it easy this summer, and wish everything and anything could be instantly prepared just by adding water. Chickpea flour is one of the few products that I can depend on to lay the foundation of a meal that processes quickly without being processed food. And if you want to forgo even the smallest of kitchen appliances, you can whip up a mean bowl of hummus with a wire whisk and a little wrist action. Ho-hum, you say? I call it a humdinger.

Chickpea Flour Hummus - Flour, water, and tahini measures taken from the Bob's Red Mill recipe

Ingredients

3/4 cup chickpea flour
2 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup tahini
1 large garlic clove, peeled and (quartered if using food processor; minced or pressed if preparing by hand)
Juice of half large lemon
1 level teaspoon harissa (or more if you like your hummus distinctly incendiary; taste first before adding extra)
1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted in a dry skillet for a few minutes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt, optional

Method

In a large bowl, beat chickpea flour and water with a whisk until well blended. The batter will have a remarkable and surprising fresh-bean aroma. Let rest for 10 minutes to allow reconstitution. The batter will be watery. Pour batter into large saucepan and bring very slowly to a simmer on the lowest heat. Stir constantly; the mixture is prone to clumping, especially if it thickens too rapidly. You will notice how quickly it starts to thicken once it gets warm. Continue to simmer and stir until batter reduces to a thick purée rather than a stiff paste (about 15 minutes). The aroma will now be warm and nutty, not unlike hummus ground from whole chickpeas, yet distinctive. Remove from heat and beat in olive oil and tahini with a whisk. Let cool to room temperature, occasionally beating to maintain texture.

Transfer cooled purée to food processor. (No need to take out your big bruiser; a small-capacity one gets the job done.) Drop in quartered garlic, and pulse until smooth. Add lemon juice. Pulse again. Transfer to a serving bowl. Stir in salt. Top with harissa and cumin seeds. Drizzle with olive oil. Serve as is or gently swirl toppings into hummus to make a pattern. Flavors develop more complexity when allowed to sit. Refrigerate any leftovers. Yields 2 cups.

Serve with pita, flatbread, crackers, or toast. Olives and briskly cold herbal tea well complement the flavors and texture. ~~

This is for Siri of Siri's Corner, working on the round-up for MLLA 25. Siri expects the details to be finalized this weekend of August 7-8, when she will announce the winner of the random drawing.

Simona of Briciole is currently at the helm of MLLA 26, hosting for August, and is looking forward to you sending your amazing recipes her way.

Thanks very much for making MLLA a romance that you always remember.

The Well-Seasoned Cook

Just Add Water - Instant Chickpea Flour Hummus - My Legume Love Affair 25

I know. Hummus. Ho-hum. Who hasn't put up a hummus recipe since they started blogging? It seems the default dip for cheaters, those who can't quite get with the sniffy program of bacon-walnut taffy and civet coffee.

Well, I'm going to cheat some more. These days, in the home stretch before I go on vacation, I can't get with the program of soaking and boiling dried chickpeas. I can't even be bothered to open a can of them. Blame it on the relentless heat, but I have been especially all about taking it easy this summer, and wish everything and anything could be instantly prepared just by adding water. Chickpea flour is one of the few products that I can depend on to lay the foundation of a meal that processes quickly without being processed food. And if you want to forgo even the smallest of kitchen appliances, you can whip up a mean bowl of hummus with a wire whisk and a little wrist action. Ho-hum, you say? I call it a humdinger.

Chickpea Flour Hummus - Flour, water, and tahini measures taken from the Bob's Red Mill recipe

Ingredients

3/4 cup chickpea flour
2 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup tahini
1 large garlic clove, peeled and (quartered if using food processor; minced or pressed if preparing by hand)
Juice of half large lemon
1 level teaspoon harissa (or more if you like your hummus distinctly incendiary; taste first before adding extra)
1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted in a dry skillet for a few minutes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt, optional

Method

In a large bowl, beat chickpea flour and water with a whisk until well blended. The batter will have a remarkable and surprising fresh-bean aroma. Let rest for 10 minutes to allow reconstitution. The batter will be watery. Pour batter into large saucepan and bring very slowly to a simmer on the lowest heat. Stir constantly; the mixture is prone to clumping, especially if it thickens too rapidly. You will notice how quickly it starts to thicken once it gets warm. Continue to simmer and stir until batter reduces to a thick purée rather than a stiff paste (about 15 minutes). The aroma will now be warm and nutty, not unlike hummus ground from whole chickpeas, yet distinctive. Remove from heat and beat in olive oil and tahini with a whisk. Let cool to room temperature, occasionally beating to maintain texture.

Transfer cooled purée to food processor. (No need to take out your big bruiser; a small-capacity one gets the job done.) Drop in quartered garlic, and pulse until smooth. Add lemon juice. Pulse again. Transfer to a serving bowl. Stir in salt. Top with harissa and cumin seeds. Drizzle with olive oil. Serve as is or gently swirl toppings into hummus to make a pattern. Flavors develop more complexity when allowed to sit. Refrigerate any leftovers. Yields 2 cups.

Serve with pita, flatbread, crackers, or toast. Olives and briskly cold herbal tea well complement the flavors and texture. ~~

This is for Siri of Siri's Corner, working on the round-up for MLLA 25. Siri expects the details to be finalized this weekend of August 7-8, when she will announce the winner of the random drawing.

Simona of Briciole is currently at the helm of MLLA 26, hosting for August, and is looking forward to you sending your amazing recipes her way.

Thanks very much for making MLLA a romance that you always remember.

The Well-Seasoned Cook

Sweet and Sour Green Chickpeas and Spinach Curry - My Legume Love Affair 23 and Green Gourmet 1

It's not easy staying green. That's what I learned when I made this glorious recipe using the uncommonly beautiful and tasty green chickpea. I'd fully expected to prepare this with the fresh-from-the-pod variety, a gobsmacked, serendipitous discovery at my local supermarket, of all places. A big sack of pods, however, only yielded a cupful of beanie babies. I was forced to eat the lot of them out of one scoop of my curled fingers.

Fresh chickpeas are irresistible when steamed for fifteen minutes,
then dusted with a ground spice of your choice and a pinch of salt.

Plan B fared far better, but the dried beans must have been as old as the Grand Canyon. They took three hours of simmering after an eight-hour soak to become tender. Though my patience paid off, I was rather perplexed that they'd turned from a jaunty verdant hue to one best described as maroon. The longer they cooked, the darker they became. But I am not complaining. It really doesn't matter what color they are. This dish is a knockout. It tastes like I struck gold.

Dried, this variety is much smaller than the more common
white chickpea, even after it is cooked.

Green Chickpeas with Spinach (Palak Hara Chana) from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer.

Given my changes to this recipe are quite insignificant (oil reduced to 1 tablespoon; water reduced to 1 1/2 cups; chickpeas cooked the day before), I will not venture an "adapted" rewrite. You can find the full recipe here, miraculously as it is presented in the actual cookbook, PDF'd by Google Preview.

~~~~~~~~~~~

This is my own contribution to MLLA 23, hosted here by me. Please stay tuned for the round-up, likely at end of the week, when I will announce the winners of May's two random drawings while I show off all your fabulous recipes. I've received at least another dozen just today. Please bear with me while I sort through them. I expect to visit and comment on each on Tuesday, June 1. Thanks so much for spoiling me with your participation! I hope you've all enjoyed your weekend!

Diana of A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa will be announcing MLLA 24 shortly. Please stop by to feed her with your legume posts during the month of June.

This recipe is also for Preeti of Write Food, inaugurating her Green Gourmet Event. You have until June 9 to send her your gorgeous and healthy green recipes.

The Well-Seasoned Cook