Recipe: Vegetable Croquettes with Tangy Yogurt Sauce

VEGETABLE CROQUETTES WITH TANGY YOGURT SAUCE

"Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, they taste great with the spicy yogurt sauce and a spritely green salad."

1/4 cup millet
1/4 cup quinoa
1/4 cup red lentils
1/2 cup uncooked white basmati or jasmine rice
1 tablespoon white hulled sesame seeds
3 cups water
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, divided use
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup peeled and finely chopped sweet potato
2 celery ribs, finely diced
4 green onions, white and green parts, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (1-inch) piece gingerroot, peeled and minced
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
Freshly milled black pepper
1/2 cup arrowroot powder, for dredging*
Pure olive oil or light sesame oil (for pan frying)
Tangy Yogurt Sauce (recipe follows)

Combine the millet, quinoa, lentils, rice and sesame seeds. Rinse briefly in a strainer under cold running water. Drain thoroughly.

In a 2-quart saucepan over high heat, combine the grain mixture with 3 cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 35 minutes. (The mixture should be slightly wet, not light and fluffy.)

Meanwhile, warm the oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the sweet potato, celery, green onions, garlic and ginger. Saute 5 to 7 minutes until lightly browned.

Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a mixing bowl.

When grains are done, add them to the vegetables. Mix thoroughly and set aside to cool. Stir in the parsley and pepper to taste.

Spread the arrowroot powder on a plate. With moist hands, form each croquette from 1/2 cup of the mixture. Dredge croquettes in the arrowroot and transfer to a platter.

Line a baking sheet with paper towels; set aside.

In a wide heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add oil to a depth of about 1/3 inch (1 cm). When the oil is hot, panfry the croquettes 2 to 3 minutes per side, until they are golden brown and crispy. (You may have to do this in several batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.) Transfer croquettes from the pan to the paper towels on the baking sheet to drain. Serve immediately or keep warm in a 200 degrees F oven.

Serve with Tangy Yogurt Sauce on the side.

TANGY YOGURT SAUCE
Makes 2 cups

2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more, to taste)
2 cups plain yogurt
Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lime
Coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon honey (or pure maple syrup)

In a mortar or electric coffee mill, grind the coriander, cumin, and caraway seeds. Transfer ground spices to a small skillet; add turmeric and cayenne. Toast over medium heat for 1 minute or until fragrant.

In a bowl, whisk together the yogurt, toasted spices, lime juice, salt to taste, and honey. Serve at once or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week.

*Arrowroot powder, which acts like cornstarch but is more nutritious, is available at natural food stores.

Makes 14 croquettes, 4 servings
Source: The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen by Peter Berley