Giving thanks is simple. Showing appreciation is the work of a mere moment. All that is required is a shift in perception, a welcoming of the now and what it has to offer.
On this Thanksgiving day at Hale Pule our moments are filled with ghee-scented air, dancing wind chimes, and lovingly rolled dough. We are taking delight in the alchemy of spices and vegetables as we prepare our special Ayurvedic Thanksgiving recipe: Vegetable pie.
Serves 4
Augmenting & Extractive
Preparation time: 60 minutes
Step 1 - prepare crust
1 ¼ cups wheat flour
3/4 cup rice flour
3/4 tsp mineral salt
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp flax
2 tbsp ghee
4-6 tbsp water
Preheat oven to 375F/190C. Mix all dry ingredients thoroughly with your clean hands. Add ghee and mix until absorbed then add enough warm water to have a moist dough. Create two balls of dough: one for the pie base, and another for the pie top. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Now is a great time to chop the vegetables in similar sizes.
Lightly oil 9-inch pie dish with ghee, then press one of the chilled dough balls into the dish using your hands. Bake at 375 for 5-10 minutes or just until crust starts to form. Remove from the oven and let sit until the filling is ready.
Step 2 - prepare filling and bake
Green beans and collards
1 Tbsp ghee
1 tsp mineral salt
1 tsp grated ginger
1/2 tsp fenugreek seed
1/2 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp coriander powder
4 cups chopped green beans and collards
Water - to cover 1/3 the height of the vegetables
Carrot and parsnip
1 Tbsp ghee
½ tsp grated ginger
½ tsp fenugreek powder
1 tsp coriander powder
2 cups chopped carrots and parsnips
Water - to cover 1/3 the height of the vegetables
Here's how
Cook the augmenting (carrot and parsnip) and extractive (green beans and collards) separately as the vegetables cook at different rates. You'll need two saucepans.
In the first saucepan, add ghee, salt, fenugreek seed, mustard seed and ginger. When you can smell the spices, add the coriander powder. Let simmer another minute then add the green beans and collards. Coat the vegetables in the oil and spices, then add water so that it covers up to 1/3 the height of the vegetables. Put on the lid and let simmer until soft. Stir every few minutes to ensure even cooking.
In the second saucepan, add the ghee, salt and spices. Let the simmering oil enliven the spices for a couple of minutes, and then add the carrots and parsnips. Again, coat the vegetables in the spiced oil and then add in the water so that 1/3 of the vegetables are immersed. Place the lid on the pan and let simmer until soft, stirring occasionally to make sure that the veggies cook evenly.
While the vegetables simmer, roll out the remaining dough into a crust to form the top of the pie.
When vegetables are cooked, layer evenly on pie base then place the pie crust on the top. You will have some vegetables left over for a puree.
Gently layer the top crust onto your pie. You can cover the whole pie, or, for a lighter version, make a shape with the dough and partially cover the pie.
Bake pie for 15-20 minutes at 375F/ 190C.
Veggie puree
With your left-over carrots and parsnips, make a delightful puree by blending them with 1 Tbsp of tahini, 1 Tbsp chopped basil, a pinch of black pepper and 1 Tbsp of sesame oil. Add warm water to obtain your desired consistency.
Serve the vegetable pie with the remaining green beans and kale, a side of puree and savour!
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