Unrecipe: Warm Salad
As we move into fall and winter, we want to lean heavily on brmhana foods with a little bit of langhana. This is a time for warm, cooked meals that are abundant in oil, root veggies, squash, and the like.
Warm Salad
For 4 people
[Brmhana foods] Four heavy handfuls of coarsely chopped sweet vegetables (i.e., root veggies/squash. I used sweet potatoes and butternut squash. I also added cauliflower, which is actually bitter, sweet, and pungent, but I adore it roasted.)
Sprinkle with salt and pepper and coat in sunflower oil or ghee. Roast at 400 F for 20-30 minutes, or until they can be easily pierced with a fork and are beginning to be browned.
[Langhana foods] Four handfuls of finely chopped kale (more if you’re using spinach or beet greens)
Steam or simply boil in salted water. For kale, you’ll steam for less than five minutes or until the color is bright green and the leaves are tender but not limp. Steam spinach for about 30 seconds.
Dressing [the oil is brmhana and the spices, lemon, and parsley are langhana]:
1/4 tsp. black mustard seeds
1/8 tsp. white pepper (freshly ground)
1/2 inch nub of fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
Juice of 1/3 of a lemon
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp. + a pinch salt
Warm a small amount of the oil (a teaspoon or so) in a pan. Add the spices and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes or until the mustard seeds begin to pop. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.
Add all the remaining ingredients to a blender and blend until everything is well combined.
Arrange the kale on a plate and top with the roasted vegetables. Pour the dressing over everything.
Make it a meal: Scatter a serving of beans on top and serve with a side of whole grain.
