Slow cooker Punjabi eggplant with potatoes (Contributed by CSA Member Eva Hericks-Bares. Melanie Allen makes this recipe as well. Great for familys on the go!)

  • 2 medium eggplants, stem end removed, cut into 1/2-inch dice (approx. 10-12 cups)
  • 1 large Idaho or Yukon Gold potato, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch dice
  • 1 medium yellow or red onion, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tsp ginger paste (or grated fresh ginger root)
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped

  • 1 Tbsp ground red chile pepper
  • 1 Tbsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1 Tbsp kosher salt, or to taste
  • 1-2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, to taste
  • 2 jalapeņo chiles, seeded and minced
  • 1 Tbsp ground cumin


Directions
1 Combine eggplant, potato, onion, ginger, garlic, jalapeņo peppers, cumin, ground chile pepper, garam masala, turmeric and oil in a 4- or 5-quart slow cooker. Stir as best you can to distribute the spices and oil. (The smaller cooker will be frighteningly full, but don't worry; the eggplant will cook down.) Cook on HIGH for 2 hours, stirring after 1 hour.
2 After the first two hours of cooking, stir well. There should be a nice amount of moisture in the cooker, and the eggplant should have collapsed a bit. If there is plenty of liquid in the pot, continue cooking on LOW for 30 minutes, uncovered. If there's not much liquid, cook on LOW for 30 minutes with the cover on.
3 Add the salt and cilantro, to taste. (Salt added during the cooking will draw more moisture out of the eggplant, so it's best added at the end.)
4 Serve at room temperature, over rice or topped with raita, or make ahead.




Cellophane noodles with Boc Choi

SALAD

- 1 small large boc choi, finely sliced, both leaves and stems. (about 4 cups)

- 4 ounces cellophane noodles, soaked for 20 minutes in warm water

- 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts (more to taste). We substituted peanut butter in the salad dressing

- 1 cup chopped cilantro

- 1 green/yellow/red bell pepper thinly sliced

- 1 or 2 serrano/jalapeno peppers minced added to taste

- 1 onion thinly sliced

DRESSING

- Salt and Pepper to taste

- 2 cloves garlic: chopped

- 2 teaspoons peanut oil or sesame oil

- 1 tablespoon minced ginger

- 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes

- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice


Directions
1 Place the cabbage in a bowl and cover with ice water. Set aside while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
2 Bring a pot of water to a boil. Salt if desired. Drain the noodles.

3 Saute onion in a little olive/oil. Add in pepper. Saute for a minute. If the noodles aren't the right consistency, you can saute those at this time. Once sauted, toss with cabbage. Toss in chopped cilantro and pepper.

4 Make salad dressing. Cook the together peanut oil, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, salt, pepper, peanut butter, oil, pepper flakes if using.

5 Toss hot dressing with salad. Then squeese lime juce and toss salad again. Cool and serve.