Keppner Family Recipes

Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew (Mesir Wat)

2026-06-11T00:00:00.000Z

A simpler, vegetarian option to go with your injera, or as part of a larger Ethiopian meal.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons ghee or butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons ginger paste
2 tablespoons garlic paste
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon berbere
2 tablespoons tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups red lentils, rinsed and drained
6 cups water

Directions

Heat ghee or butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add ginger paste and garlic paste and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add turmeric, garam masala, berbere, tomato paste, salt, and pepper and stir to coat the onions with the spices. Cook for another minute until fragrant.
Add lentils and water, stir to combine, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until lentils are soft, about 20 minutes. Uncover and cook until stew is thickened to your liking, another 10–15 minutes more.
Adjust seasoning to taste and serve.

Ethiopian Yellow Split Pea Stew (Kik Alicha)

2026-06-11T00:00:00.000Z

Another vegetarian Ethiopian stew.

Ingredients

1 cup yellow split peas, rinsed and drained
3 cups water
1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup diced onion
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon ginger paste
1 teaspoon turmeric
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a small pot, combine yellow split peas and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until peas are soft, about 30 minutes.
At about the 20 minute mark, heat about half a cup of vegetable broth in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add garlic paste, ginger paste, turmeric, salt, and pepper, and continue cooking and stirring for another 5 minutes, adding broth as needed to prevent sticking.
Add the cooked onion mixture to the pot with the split peas, stirring to combine. Continue to cook until stew is thickened to your liking, about 10–15 minutes more.
Adjust seasoning to taste and serve with injera.

Ethiopian Collard Greens (Gomen Wat)

2026-06-10T00:00:00.000Z

Another simple side dish, this one collard greens flavored with Ethiopian spices.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon ginger paste
1 teaspoon berbere
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
15 ounce can diced tomatoes
2 bunches collard greens, washed, stems removed, and chopped
1 jalapeño, thinly sliced (optional)

Directions

Heat olive oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic paste and ginger paste and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add berbere, curry powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir to coat the onions with the spices and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Add diced tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes. Add collard greens and stir to combine. Cover and cook until collard greens are tender and color has changed, about 20 minutes.
Add jalapeño if using and cook for another 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve.

Ethiopian Spicy Beef Stir-Fry (Awaze Tibs)

2026-06-10T00:00:00.000Z

This dish typically uses beef tenderloin, but I use the cheapest cut I can find and cook it until tender. The key to the flavor is the awaze sauce, which is a spicy blend of berbere, garlic, ginger, and other spices. Serve it with injera and cabbage and carrots for a complete meal.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless beef, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
2 tablespoon garlic paste
2 tablespoon ginger paste
3 tablespoons berbere
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 cup tomato sauce
1 teaspoon sweetener
1 tablespoon ghee or butter
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Season beef with salt, and add to skillet. Cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove beef from skillet and set aside.
Add onion to skillet and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add jalapeño, garlic paste, and ginger paste and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add berbere, rosemary, salt, and pepper and stir to coat vegetables with spices.
Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sweetener, stir to combine, and cook for another 5–7 minutes until sauce is thickened.
Reduce heat to low, return beef to skillet, cover, and simmer until beef is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove cover and cook until sauce is thickened to your liking, about 10 minutes more.
Stir in ghee or butter until melted and combined. Adjust seasoning to taste and sprinkle with cilantro before serving. Serve with injera.

Ethiopian Spicy Chicken Stew (Doro Wat)

2026-06-09T00:00:00.000Z

This recipe traditionally uses a whole, cut-up chicken, but I use a mix of boneless, skinless chicken thighs and breasts. I cook the whole thing in an Instant Pot for convenience, but it can also be done in a slow cooker, after the onions are caramelized. Serve it with injera and cabbage and carrots for a complete meal.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons ghee or butter
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground fenugreek
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons garlic paste
2 tablespoons ginger paste
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup berbere
1 tablespoon garam masala
1/2 tablespoon Korean chili flakes
1/2 tablespoon thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup mirin
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon sweetener
3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved (optional)
juice of 1/2 lime

Directions

Heat ghee or butter in Instant Pot set to sauté mode. Add cardamom, oregano, cumin, turmeric, and fenugreek. Stir to combine and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Add sliced onion, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until caramelized, about 15 minutes.
Clear space in center of pot and add olive oil, garlic, and ginger paste and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add tomato paste and cook for another minute. Add chicken, berbere, garam masala, Korean chili flakes, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir to coat chicken with spices, then cook until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes.
Add mirin and deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot. Add chicken broth and sweetener and stir to combine. Close lid and set to slow cook for 3 hours, until chicken is falling apart.
Remove lid and set to sauté mode. Stir aggressively to break up chicken and allow sauce to thicken slightly. Turn off heat.
If using, add hard-boiled eggs and let sit for about 5 minutes until heated through.
Squeeze lime juice over top and stir gently. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve on injera.

Cheater Ethiopian Cottage Cheese (Ayib)

2026-06-08T00:00:00.000Z

This is a complete cheat. I’m not even attempting to make real cheese, just tweak American cottage cheese to a slightly different flavor profile. But it works reasonably well on doro wat and awaze tibs or just alongside them on the injera.

Ingredients

3 cups small curd cottage cheese
zest of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine cottage cheese, lemon zest, Greek yogurt, and salt. Stir to combine.
Adjust seasoning to taste and serve.

Ethiopian Green Salad (Salata)

2026-06-08T00:00:00.000Z

There’s nothing overtly Ethiopian about this salad, but it is a common accompaniment to Ethiopian meals and has a bright, fresh flavor that balances the rich, spicy dishes. Put a pile of it on the injera alongside your other dishes.

Ingredients

1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic paste
pinch salt
pinch black pepper
4 large romaine lettuce leaves, chopped
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 teaspoon chopped fresh jalapeño (optional)

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic paste, salt, and pepper to make the dressing.
Add the chopped romaine lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, and jalapeño (if using) to the bowl and toss to coat with the dressing.
Serve immediately.

Ethiopian Cabbage and Carrots (Tikil Gomen)

2026-06-07T00:00:00.000Z

This is a simple side dish of cabbage and carrots, flavored with Ethiopian spices.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon cooking oil
2 tablespoons ghee or butter
1 onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into thin sticks
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1 tablespoon berbere
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 head green cabbage, shredded
2 small potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes

Directions

Heat the oil and ghee or butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft. Add carrots and continue to cook until onions begin to get color.
Add the garlic and ginger paste, berbere, salt, pepper, turmeric, and cumin. Stir to coat the vegetables with the spices and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Add cabbage and about 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook until cabbage is soft, about 15 minutes.
Add the potatoes with a little more water if needed and cook until tender, about 20 minutes more.
Adjust seasoning to taste and serve with injera.

Quick Ethiopian Flatbread (Injera)

2026-06-06T00:00:00.000Z

One of my last home cooking challenges is to master Ethiopian food. It has been nearly 10 years since I lived in the Phoenix area where I could get it, and I miss it terribly. So, this is the first of a number of recipes in that vein. Like most, it will not even attempt to be authentic, just to capture what I liked most about what I used to eat. This is a simple flatbread made with teff flour, which gives it a distinctive flavor and texture. It is traditionally fermented for 5 days or more, but this variation shortens the process to 1 day.

Ingredients

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup teff flour
1/8 teaspoon instant yeast
1 1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons cultured buttermilk
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Oil or cooking spray for skillet

Directions

In large bowl, whisk together flours and instant yeast. Add water and and buttermilk, and whisk until smooth.
Cover the bowl and let it sit at room temperature for 1 day to allow the yeast to ferment the batter.
After fermentation, whisk in vinegar and salt until fully incorporated. The batter should be thin and pourable, thinner than pancake batter, similar to crepe batter. If it’s too thick, add a little more water.
Heat large skillet over medium heat. Lightly grease with oil or cooking spray.
Working from outside in, pour about 1 cup batter in spiral pattern to create large, thin circle. Tilt the skillet to spread the batter evenly. Cook until bubbles in center burst and edges begin to dry, then cover skillet and steam for another minute. Remove cover and use fishtail spatula to remove and transfer to plate. Do not flip.

Ethiopian Berbere Spice Mix

2026-06-05T00:00:00.000Z

Berbere is a key ingredient in many Ethiopian dishes, including tikil gomen, doro wat, and awaze tibs. It is a spicy blend of chili peppers and other spices. This homemade version (taken wholesale from Chef John’s recipe) is significantly cheaper than mixes sold online and can be stored in an airtight container for months. I buy a 12 ounce bag of dried New Mexico chiles for $6.48 from Walmart, grind them in my spice grinder, and make a double batch of this recipe (about 2 cups of berbere). I get most of the other spices from the bulk spice section of WinCo.

Ingredients

1/2 cup ground dried New Mexico chiles
1/4 cup paprika
1 rounded tablespoon cayenne
1 teaspoon granulated onion
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.

Asian-Inspired Cucumber Salad

2026-05-20T00:00:00.000Z

This cucumber salad is more Asian-ish vs. authentic, but it’s a great way to get some more veg on my plate, and it pairs well with most any thing I’m eating.

Ingredients

1 large English cucumber, thinly sliced
salt
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sucralose or brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon Korean chili flakes (gochugaru) or 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Directions

In large bowl, salt cucumber slices generously and let sit for 15-20 minutes to draw out excess moisture. Rinse the cucumbers under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
Combine the cucumbers, scallions, and onion in large bowl. Toss to combine.
Sprinkle sweetener and chili flakes over the cucumber mixture. Drizzle with sesame oil, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Toss everything together until well coated.
Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Before serving, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

Smothered Drumsticks

2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z

When I break down leg quarters or a whole chicken, I have drumsticks left over and nothing to do with them. Everybody likes fried chicken, but I’m not going to put in that kind of work, especially factoring in the cleanup. This gives me something delicious with much less effort, and it’s one of the cheapest dinners I can make.

Ingredients

8 chicken drumsticks
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon granulated onion
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 (10 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon paste or granules
3 tablespoons water

Directions

Remove skin from drumsticks and place in a cold dutch oven covering bottom. Turn heat to medium and cook, turning occasionally, until skin is browned and crispy and fat is rendered out. Remove skin from pot, leaving rendered fat.
Add sliced onion and mushrooms to pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add cream of chicken soup, Worcestershire sauce, bouillon, and water to the pot. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
Mix together salt, pepper, garlic, onion, paprika, and cayenne. Sprinkle over all sides of drumsticks.
Place drumsticks in pot, nestling them into sauce. Cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and tender, about 30 minutes. Serve over mashed potatoes or rice to soak up the delicious sauce.

Caesar Salad from Pantry Staples

2026-05-15T00:00:00.000Z

I like to make Caesar Salad fairly regularly, but I don’t like buying bottles of dressing that languish forever in my refrigerator door, since I’m the only one who eats it. This recipe uses ingredients I tend to keep on hand and can be made in small batches. I can make it whenever I want without worrying about the dressing going bad and the croutons getting rancid. It’s not authentic; it’s how I like it!

Ingredients

4-6 romaine lettuce leaves, washed and chopped
2–4 ounces cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
4 grape tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons pickled red onions
grated Parmesan cheese, to taste

Dressing

1/4 cup Japanese mayonnaise
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
small clove garlic, minced (or equivalent garlic paste)
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1 teaspoon olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Crouton Topping

2 teaspoons butter
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
pinch granulated garlic
pinch salt
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Make the dressing: whisk together all dressing ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste, and refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the crouton topping: melt butter in a small pan over medium heat. Add panko and cook until golden brown, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in granulated garlic, salt, and Parmesan cheese. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, toss the romaine with enough dressing to coat the leaves. Add chicken, tomatoes, pickled onions, and crouton topping, and toss again to combine.
Serve with additional Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper on top, if desired. In a bowl is great, in a wrap is even better, but on a pizza crust with melted cheese and extra dressing for sauce is best of all.

Overnight Pizza Dough

2026-04-24T00:00:00.000Z

This is a higher hydration pizza dough, similar to my Lazy Man Pizza Crust, but with a more open crumb and lighter texture. It’s more trouble to work with, though; the dough is very sticky and requires practice to stretch. This recipe is enough for two personal or one smallish pizza.

Ingredients

10 grams low-fat buttermilk
90 grams water
1 teaspoon honey
pinch active dry yeast
144 grams bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
Semolina flour, for dusting

Directions

Place mixing bowl on scale and zero out. Add buttermilk, then add water to reach 100 grams. Add honey and yeast, and whisk until dissolved.
Add roughly half of the flour onto the wet ingredients, then sprinkle salt over the top. Whisk salt into the flour, then whisk everything together until smooth.
Add olive oil and whisk until incorporated.
Add remaining flour and mix with stiff spatula until completely combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Give the dough another quick mix with the spatula. Transfer to a sealable container, cover, and let ferment at room temperature for 18–24 hours.
3 hours before baking, transfer dough to a floured surface and divide into 2 equal portions. Form each portion into a ball, and drop into a lightly oiled container. Cover and let rest again at room temperature.
Preheat oven to maximum heat (e.g. 500 or 550 degrees). If using a pizza stone or steel, preheat it as well.
Drop the proofed dough ball into a semolina flour bath and begin shaping it by hand; the dough will be very sticky. If the dough resists stretching, let it rest for a few minutes and try again.
Place on pizza peel dusted with fine cornmeal. Quickly add sauce, cheese, and toppings as desired. Shake peel to make sure pizza isn’t sticking.
Slide pizza onto preheated steel, stone, or pan. Bake until bottom is crisp and shows dark brown “leopard” spots. Remove to cooling rack until cool enough to cut.

Korean Barbecue Pork (Dwaeji Bulgogi)

2026-04-10T00:00:00.000Z

More somewhat Americanized Korean food that I enjoy.

Ingredients

1 pound pork tenderloin, very thinly sliced
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons gochujang
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 tablespoons mirin or rice vinegar
1 tablespoon grated Asian pear
1 tablespoon neutral oil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Ssamjang (dipping sauce)

2 tablespoons gochujang
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon tahini (or peanut butter)
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon honey
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Directions

Slice tenderloin into very thin pieces (1/4 inch or thinner).
Mix gochujang, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, mirin, Asian pear, oil, and black pepper.
Add pork and onion, and marinate 30 minutes to overnight.
Prepare ssamjang by mixing all ingredients together until smooth and very well combined. Set aside.
Heat a cast‑iron skillet until very hot. (This can also be done on a grill.)
Cook pork in a single layer, 1–2 minutes per side, until caramelized.
Serve with rice, lettuce leaves, green onions, and sesame seeds, with ssamjang and kimchi on the side.

Strawberry Icebox Cheesecake

2026-04-05T00:00:00.000Z

Similar to the no-bake chocolate eclair cake, this is a great summer dessert when you don't want to turn on the oven. It does use a lot of cream cheese and whipped topping, though.

Ingredients

4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
24 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 box graham crackers (2 sleeves)
2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

Directions

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract, and beat until well combined. Gently fold in whipped topping until fully incorporated.
Spread 1/2 cup of the cream cheese mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 in dish. Cover with a layer of graham crackers (1 sleeve).
Top graham crackers with 3 cups remaining cream cheese mixture, spreading evenly. Add half of the sliced strawberries, covering the entire surface.
Add another layer of graham crackers, followed by the remaining cream cheese mixture and sliced strawberries.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. For best results, refrigerate overnight to allow crackers to soften.

Korean Fried Rice

2026-03-18T00:00:00.000Z

This is an Americanized take on kimchi fried rice. It pairs well with potstickers.

Ingredients

4 ounces thickly sliced bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon gochujang (Korean chili paste)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup chopped kimchi, with juice
1 cup shredded cabbage
2 cups cooked white rice, cold
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
soy sauce, to taste
2-4 scallions, thinly sliced
toasted sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

Directions

In a large skillet or wok, cook the bacon over medium heat until about halfway done, about 3-4 minutes.
While the bacon is cooking, mix the gochujang into the butter until well combined.
Add the onion to the skillet and cook until softened, another 5 minutes. Add the bell pepper and shredded cabbage and cook for 2-3 minutes until the pepper is softened. Add the kimchi and its juice, and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the kimchi is heated through.
Crumble the cold rice into the skillet, breaking up any clumps. Stir to combine. Add the gochujang butter mixture and stir to coat the rice evenly. Cook for another 3-4 minutes until the rice is heated through and slightly crispy on the bottom.
Add the beaten egg to the skillet and stir quickly to coat the rice. Cook until the egg is fully cooked.
Drizzle the toasted sesame oil over the fried rice and stir to combine. Taste and add soy sauce if needed.
Remove from heat and stir in the sliced scallions. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds if desired. Serve hot.

No-Knead Rolls

2026-02-02T00:00:00.000Z

My number one ask for bread is texture. I want a crispy crust and a chewy, open crumb. This recipe delivers both, and requires no kneading, which means I might actually make it on a regular basis.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups bread flour (or all-purpose)
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups hot tap water (up to 130°F)

Directions

In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast, and salt. Whisk thoroughly to combine. Stir in water.
Cover with plastic wrap, and let stand on countertop for 3 hours.
Dust a clean work surface generously with flour. Transfer dough to floured surface. Using a bench scraper, fold dough over itself about a dozen times, adding just enough flour to prevent sticking.
Using bench scraper, divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Shape each into a round ball by folding the edges under and pinching together.
Place rolls on parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for 35 minutes.
While rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 450°F.
Transfer baking sheet to preheated oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the loaves are golden brown and crispy. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Saag Paneer

2026-01-31T00:00:00.000Z

This is one of the last Indian dishes I haven’t regularly made at home, though it’s my go-to order at the local Indian restaurant. Time to master it! Like Butter Chicken, it pairs best with Jeera Rice and/or naan.

Paneer Ingredients

1 gallon whole milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon)

Paneer Directions

Bring the milk to a boil in a large pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Once boiling, remove from heat and add lemon juice, stirring gently until the milk curdles and separates into curds and whey (about 30 seconds). Let stand 10 minutes.
Line a colander with cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl. Pour the curdled milk into the colander, and let it stand for a few minutes. Rinse the curds under cold water to remove the lemon flavor.
Gather the corners of the cheesecloth and squeeze out excess whey. Sprinkle salt over the curds and mix gently. Wrap the curds tightly in the cheesecloth and squeeze again. Knot the cloth to secure.
Place the paneer bundle on a paper towel lined plate with the knot to the side. Place a heavy skillet on top to press it down, then add a couple of heavy cans onto the skillet. Let drain for 20 minutes.
Once firm, cut the paneer into cubes. If storing longer term, freeze cubes on a lined baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag.

Saag Ingredients

2 bunches fresh spinach, washed and chopped
1 bunch mustard greens, washed and chopped
2 large onions, cut into chunks
4 large cloves garlic, peeled
3 inch piece ginger, peeled and cut into chunks
1-2 green chilies, chopped (optional)
1 cup water
Small pinch baking soda
2 tablespoons fine cornmeal
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 tablespoon oil
1 batch paneer (below)

Tadka (finishing oil)

1/4 cup ghee
1 dried red chili, whole
1 black cardamom pod
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-2 green chilies, chopped (optional)
4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced

Saag Directions

Add spinach, mustard greens, onions, garlic, ginger, chilies, water, and baking soda to Instant Pot. Close lid and set valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, followed by a quick release.
While greens are cooking, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add paneer cubes and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides. Remove and set aside.
When greens are done, add cornmeal, butter, and salt. Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.
For the tadka, heat ghee with dried chili and cardamom pod in a large pot over medium-low heat. When ghee is hot, add sliced onions and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, until onions are lightly golden brown. Add green chilies and garlic, and cook for another 2 minutes.
Pour the blended greens into the pot with the tadka. Stir in garam masala. Cook for another 5 minutes to thicken slightly. Adjust salt to taste.
Gently stir in the fried paneer cubes and heat through. Serve hot with rice and/or naan.

Chicken and Rice Casserole

2026-01-19T00:00:00.000Z

Somehow I’ve never recorded this, even though it’s on the monthly rotation. Since I have to keep teaching it to new family members, here it is.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cups long grain white rice
2 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded
1 cup diced carrots (optional)
1 cup frozen peas
1 can (12 ounce) cream of chicken soup
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dried chives
2 teaspoons garlic rosemary seasoning
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 green onions, white and green parts, sliced thinly (optional)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400ºF.
Sauté onion in oil over medium-high heat until translucent. Turn off heat and stir in garlic.
Add onion mixture to rice in 9x13 inch casserole dish. Stir until thoroughly combined.
Add chicken, carrots (if using), peas, cream of chicken soup, and cheese. Mix well.
In a small pot, combine chicken broth, salt, and spices. Over high heat, bring just to a simmer. Pour over rice mixture and stir in gently.
Cover casserole dish tightly with aluminum foil.
Place in oven and bake for 32 minutes.
Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Remove foil and fluff rice.
Stir in green onions and/or parsley (if using).
Serve.