VEGETARIAN PATE

 

You can create several permutations of this Paté if you feel inclined to experiment with the base recipe.  Just replace the spice, in step 3, with cuisine specific ingredients as follows:

FRENCH – 1 teaspoon each:  basil, oregano and thyme, pepper, vinegar, ½ cup fresh parsley, ½ cup walnuts.

ITALIAN - 1 teaspoon each:  basil, oregano and thyme, pepper,  vinegar, ½ cup fresh parsley, ½ cup pinenuts.

JAPANESE – 1 tablespoon mirin, 1 umeboshi paste, 2 miso paste, 1 cup toasted pecans

INDIAN - use the recipe below

Ingredients:

1 cup yellow split peas (Channa dhal / Puy Lentils )

1 finely chopped medium sized onion

2 tomatoes

2 green chillies

6 cloves garlic

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 ball of tamarind (size of a golf ball)

2 teaspoons palm sugar

2 stalks fresh coriander with roots)

 

Grind together (or use 1 tablespoon Tikka Masala or Goan Beef spice)

4 dried red chillies

1 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons coriander

1 teaspoon turmeric

2 cloves

1 piece of cinnamon quill (3 cms long)

3 cardamom pods

 

Method:

  1. Wash the lentils (French and Japanese variation use PUY,   Italian variation use RED LENTILS,   Indian use SPLIT PEAS (channa dhal).  Boil it for about 20 minutes with double the quantity of water and a teaspoon of oil (this keeps it from boiling over)
  2. Heat oil in a pan; fry the onions till golden brown, add the garlic and stir fry lightly for 1 minute
  3. Add ground spices and a cup of water and stir fry for 2 minutes on gentle heat.  Now add the boiled lentils, tomatoes, slit green chillies, fresh coriander, tamarind, sugar and simmer till all the water dries up.
  4. When cool blend in a food processor.   Serve with crusty bread or crackers.