Whether you’re getting your feast together for the crowd coming to watch the big game, or you just want to have something delicious for dipping chips and veggies, this is a great go-to recipe with plenty of lime juice and zest to give it personality and zing.
Ingredients
3 ripe avocados
¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
¼ cup diced red onion
Juice and zest of 2 limes
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded/deveined/diced or ½ of 4 oz can mild diced green chiles
½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp garlic granules
Optional: 1-2 Roma tomatoes seeded/diced
Directions
Combine avocados, lime juice/zest, salt, cumin and garlic granules in a large bowl. Mash until ingredients are combined but still have some texture.
Fold in cilantro, onion, jalapeno/chiles and tomatoes. Adjust seasoning and serve.
This is the perfect dipping sauce to enjoy with Tibetan Momos. Momos are dumplings that originated in Tibet and Nepal and are also popular in Bhutan and certain regions of India. They’re usually wrapped in a simple dough of white flour and water and are stuffed with combinations of veggies, tofu, meat or cheese such as Tibetan hard cheese or paneer. Get the momos recipe here.
Also great for spreading on anything where you want a little kick of heat with tomatoey goodness!
Ingredients
4 – 5 cloves garlic, chopped
½” piece ginger, chopped
1 Tbsp oil
¼ tsp – 1 Tbsp red pepper flakes – to taste
3 Tbsp hulled sesame seeds
14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup red onion, chopped
2 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce
2 Tbsp – ¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice – to taste
1 cup water
Directions
In a skillet over medium heat, heat oil, ginger and garlic. Cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add red pepper flakes and sesame seeds and toast 1 minute.
Add onion, sautéing 4 minutes until soft. Add tomatoes and sauté 4-5 minutes more until soft. Transfer mixture to a blender with tamari, lemon juice and water. Blend until smooth and add salt to taste. Use immediately or store in refrigerator until ready to use.
Momos are dumplings that originated in Tibet and Nepal and are also popular in Bhutan and certain regions of India. They’re usually wrapped in a simple dough of white flour and water and are stuffed with combinations of veggies, tofu, meat or cheese such as Tibetan hard cheese or paneer.
These little “pockets of joy” are traditionally shaped into circular purses or half-moons (like potstickers) and then steamed and served with dipping sauce such as the tomato-based chutney recipe here. You can vary the fillings, but be sure to include any water-heavy vegetables at the first step so they get salted and drop their liquid before the momos are assembled.
Ingredients
Dough
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1 Tbsp oil
¾ cup water
½ tsp salt
Filling
2 cups shredded green cabbage
¾ cup shredded carrot
½ cup thinly sliced green onions, green and white parts
2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1 Tbsp minced ginger
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup cilantro, minced
¼ lb extra firm tofu, crumbled
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp oil
Directions
Whisk together salt and flour in a mixing bowl. Add oil and water, mixing everything together. Knead dough on a floured workspace, adding more flour as needed until dough is smooth and barely sticky. Put dough back into mixing bowl, cover with damp towel and rest 30 minutes.
Toss and combine shredded carrot and cabbage and sliced green onions in a large mixing bowl with 2 tsp salt. After 5-10 minutes, using a nut milk bag, layered cheesecloth or a tea towel, squeeze out extra water.
Discard water and add vegetables back to mixing bowl, along with garlic, cilantro, ginger, tofu, oil and pepper. Taste/adjust salt as needed.
Once dough has rested ½ hour, divide in half. Put half back under damp towel and roll out the other half on a lightly floured surface until very thin…as thin as you can get it. Flip and rotate dough, dusting with more flour so it doesn’t stick as you roll it again.
Cut dough into 3 ½” – 4” circles. Put dough scraps back under damp towel.
Taking one wrapper at a time with your non-dominant hand, add about 1 Tbsp filling in center and fold/pinch wrapper together. Place finished momos on a lightly oiled plate and repeat.
Fill a steamer pot with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lightly grease a steamer basket and place momos in with a little space between each one. Steam about 5 minutes, until dough is no longer sticky when touched. Remove using tongs and repeat with remaining momos.
Nothing like a good nut-based “cheese” sauce with umami-laden ingredients to give you a silky, versatile addition to your repertoire.
This recipe makes enough to generously coat 10-12 oz cooked dry pasta in velvety goodness, and is geared towards tossing with noodles – or your fave pasta shapes – and goodies like sautéed veggies and mushrooms. Adapt it to other dishes when you vary the spices.
Ingredients
1 cup raw cashews, soaked 4 hours or overnight **
3 Tbsp olive oil
7 garlic cloves, minced
1 yellow or white onion, diced
3-4 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp white miso paste
2 cups veggie broth
¼ tsp fresh-ground nutmeg
Salt to taste
Fresh-ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Heat olive oil over low-medium heat and sauté garlic and onion until tender.
Drain/rinse cashews and add to blender along with onion/garlic, broth, nutritional yeast, miso and nutmeg. Blend until smooth and creamy, add nutritional yeast/salt/pepper to taste and re-blend briefly to fully mix. **Note: You can also simmer cashews in boiling water for 15 minutes until tender. However, results are best with soaking.
Perfectly citrus-y with a subtle sweetness, the Blood Orange Paloma is a great addition to your bartending repertoire. This version was created in honor of “Dry January,” a 30-day challenge for folks to “drink to their health” and enjoy mocktails instead of the real deal.
BriarPatch carries non-alcoholic Ritual Zero Proof Tequila Alternative, which Food & Wine magazine recently named as “the best” (The 12 Best Nonalcoholic Spirits, According to Bartenders – 12/19/2023). Its smoky flavor profile is more akin to mezcal and lends itself well to libations such as this delightful drink. Cheers!
Ingredients
2 oz Ritual Zero Proof Tequila Alternative
3 ½ oz blood orange-flavored kombucha or sparkling soda
1 ½ oz fresh grapefruit juice
½ oz freshly squeezed lime juice
½ – 1 oz agave nectar (start with less and adjust to taste)
Salt for rimming glass, optional
Grapefruit, blood orange and/or lime slices, for garnish
Rosemary sprigs, for garnish
Directions
Moisten the edge of the glass with lime and rim with salt. Fill glass with crushed ice.
Add a few ice cubes to a cocktail shaker and add tequila alternative, grapefruit juice, lime juice and agave nectar. Shake for 15-20 seconds and pour in the glass.
Top with blood orange-flavored kombucha/sparkling soda and stir to combine. Garnish with citrus slices and rosemary sprig.
Smashing cucumbers is an ancient Chinese technique, bringing together the veggie’s coolness with the intense spice of Sichuan cuisine.
Crushing a cucumber produces flavors un-smashed cucumbers can’t. When you crush cells in a vegetable rather than slicing cleanly through it, certain compounds get released and you can get a significantly different flavor.
Use firm-fleshed, fresh cucumbers for this dish. Crushing them can soften them into mush if you start with old, soft ones.
Ingredients
7-10 Persian cucumbers
1 tsp kosher salt
½ bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp chili oil
2 Tbsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
Directions
Cut ends off cucumbers, halve lengthwise, and then into 2-inch pieces. Carefully using the flat side of your knife, smash them gently – just enough to break the fruit inside. Toss pieces in salt and drain in colander for 30 minutes.
Mix together the rest of your ingredients, reserving 1/3 of the cilantro, and let sit while cucumbers drain.
Toss cucumbers and sauce together, then right before serving, sprinkle remaining cilantro on top.
