Fatima's Fabulous Kitchen

I don't eat to live. I live to eat.

Vegetarian

Spicy Vegan Corn and Potato Soup

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Vegan soups can get a bad rep for being a bit bland, but this soup is flavorful – the Jamaican jerk seasoning paste is the key ingredient and gives it a deep smoky flavor.

Corn is lightly browned and sautéed with onions, garlic, bell pepper, and tomatoes. Potatoes are added for heartiness. Feel free to add coconut milk as well for an even richer taste.

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Ingredients

  • 3-4 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 13 oz corn (may also substitute with fresh or frozen)
  • 1 small onion
  • 1/2 bell pepper
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 large tomato
  • 2 medium potatoes
  • 2 tsp jamaican jerk seasoning paste (or to taste)
  • 4 cups water or veggie stock (may also add coconut milk)
  • 1 Tbsp paprika
  • 1 tsp adobo seasoning (optional)
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • salt (to taste)

Instructions

  1. In a pot, sautee the corn and onions. Make sure the corn turns lightly brown and crispy and the onions soften.

  2. Add in the bell pepper and garlic until aromatic. Now add in the chopped tomato and seasonings (Jamaican jerk seasoning paste, adobo, paprika).

  3. Peel and chop your potatoes. Throw them into the pot along with the water/stock. Bring to a simmer and cover with a lid.

  4. Once the potatoes are fork tender, blend with an immersion blender until mostly smooth.

  5. Taste and adjust for seasonings. Feel free to add more Jamaican seasoning paste, salt, pepper, etc.

Eggplant and White Bean Salad

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This Eggplant and White Bean Salad is an easy to make healthy snack to start off your New Year’s Resolutions!

The salad ingredients include roasted eggplant, kalamata olives, diced onions, garlic, tomato, giardiniera, pomegranate seeds, parsley, and a sweet and tangy pomegranate molasses dressing.

Feel free to top it on slices of good quality bread as a bruschetta or with tortilla chips (my favorite).

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White Bean and Eggplant Salad

White bean salad with a sweet and tangy pomegranate molasses dressing – a healthy snack to eat with tortilla chips!

Servings 2 people

Ingredients

Roasted Eggplant

  • 1/2 eggplant
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • salt to taste

Salad Ingredients

  • 1 13 oz can of small white beans may substitute with red kidney beans
  • 3 Tbsp diced onion
  • 2 Tbsp pomegranate seeds
  • 1/4 cup kalamata olives
  • 1 large tomato (may also use cherry tomatoes)
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2 Tbsp parsley
  • 1 Tbsp giardiniera (chopped)

Pomegranate Molasses Dressing

  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1.5 tsp pomegrante molasses
  • 1 tsp agave nectar or honey
  • salt (to taste)
  • black pepper (to taste)
  • lemon juice (to taste)

Instructions

  1. Cut the eggplant into half-moon slices and mix with the extra virgin olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Lay on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake on 400 F until edges are crispy and browned.

  2. Finely dice the onion, garlic, parsley, kalamata olives, and tomato. Combine with the beans and toss in the roasted eggplant slices and the giardiniera.

  3. Whisk together the salad dressing ingredients and pour over the salad. Taste and adjust for seasonings. Feel free to add a little bit of lemon juice or vinegar. Serve with tortilla chips!

Aloo Baingan

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Aloo-Bhaingan (translated as potato-eggplant) is a standard Indian vegetable curry that’s great to eat with roti or rice.

A couple things I do to make this curry even better –  

  1. Instead of simply adding the eggplant into the gravy, I like to thinly slice the eggplant and pan-fry it on both sides which makes for an all around more flavorful dish.
  • I also pan-fry the potatoes instead of just having them boil in the curry. An extra step, yet more flavorful. You get the subtle taste of french fries in the curry.
  • Tomato paste! Adds a more intense tomato-flavor and acidity that the grocery store tomatoes simply cannot give you.
  • Kasuri Methi – It’s one of my favorite things to put into Indian curries and will definitely elevate the dish.

Don’t forget to check out my TikTok video tutorial as well!

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Aloo Bhaingan

An Indian Eggplant and Potato Curry (Vegan!)

Ingredients

  • 1 eggplant
  • 1 medium-sized potato
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tomato
  • 1/2 bell pepper
  • 1 jalapeno
  • salt (to taste)
  • 1.5 tsp cumin
  • 1.5 tsp coriander
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp chili powder (or to taste)
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 1.5 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
  • 1-2 squeezes of lime juice

Instructions

  1. Dice all your veggies. For the eggplant, I like to chop them into thin slices. Set them all aside.

  2. In a wide pan, heat up some olive oil. We're going to begin by pan-frying our eggplant in batches on both sides until lightly brown. Sprinkle a little bit of salt on both sides.

  3. Remove the eggplant from the pan and in the same pan we're going to add some more oil and shallow-fry our potato. I like to dice the potato into small pieces because it cooks faster. Make sure to season with salt as they cook.

  4. Once the potatoes become golden brown and crispy, remove them from the pan. In the same oil we shallow-fried the potatoes, you're going to make the gravy for the curry.

  5. Begin by sauteeing the diced onions, bell pepper, and jalapeno.

  6. Once the onions become translucent, add the ginger-garlic paste and a pinch of salt. Cook for a minute. Now add the tomato paste and allow that to really cook down and caramelize.

  7. Toss in the spices (cumin, coriander, turmeric, and chili powder). Cook for another minute or so.

  8. Now add your chopped tomato and the water. Bring to a simmer.

  9. Once it comes to a simmer, add the eggplant and potato you fried earlier into the gravy. Pop the lid on and turn the heat to low. Cook for about 10 minutes or so. The eggplant will absorb all that flavor.

  10. Remove the lid and toss in some crushed kasuri methi and lime juice. Taste and adjust for seasonings. Garnish with cilantro.