Right On Cue

Barbecue is big business here in the south. People worship at the altar of smoke and fire, where pitmasters stand like priests before steel rigs blackened by decades of grease and devotion. It’s less of a meal than a declaration of faith, because in truth, it does take that level of conviction to tend a single slab of protein for 6 – 8 hours and trust that it’s time well-spent.

Devotees are ready to throw down at the barest whisper of dissent, even when discussing the differences between Texas, Memphis, Alabama, Kansas City, and the Carolinas. Tossing a meatless option into the ring would tantamount to treason, ostensibly punishable by law, but I’m prepared to take that risk. That’s how confident I am in Fungitarian BBQ.

Mushrooms Over Meat

Challenging the status quo with mushrooms might sound dubious in a culture built on beef, but the whole art of barbecue has always been about transformation. Founded on taking humble, tough cuts and turning them into something transcendent through smoke, spice, patience, and fire, that ethos can be applied to anything. Fungitarian delivers on that same philosophy, and flavor, all in one ready-to-eat package.

Where There’s Smoke

Give mushrooms the same amount of heat and time to unlock their inherently umami, meaty, almost primal qualities. Charred around the edges, toothsome and supple in the middle, there are no woody stems to contend with, and no gristle, bones, or fat, for that matter, either. Absorbing the heady smoke like a marinade, they carry that flavor all the way through, rather than merely wearing it on the surface. That’s what makes it even more compelling as the crowning jewel on a loaded baked potato.

Potayto, Potahto

A proper barbecue potato is a celebration of excess. Blistered skins splitting open to reveal a steaming, fluffy interior; even without adornment, it’s a mouthwatering sight to behold. When piled recklessly high with cheese, protein, and enough toppings to collapse under its own weight, make no mistake, this isn’t some token side dish. Best of all, when done right, no BBQ sauce need apply. Such sticky, sweet syrup would only distract from the rich flavors of smoke and spice within.

Low and Slow or Fast and Fresh

Baked potatoes are nothing if not adaptable. You have five choices for how to approach the cooking process, all of which creating perfectly delicious results, though the longest wait does yield the greatest rewards.

  • Smoker: 2 hours at 225 degrees
  • Oven or grill: 45 – 60 minutes at 400 degrees
  • Air fryer: 30 – 40 minutes at 370 degrees
  • Microwave: 8 – 10 minutes at full power (cooked one at a time)

If you’ve already got the smoker or grill going, it’s a no-brainer. That extra infusion of smoke and char can’t be replicated and is tough to find elsewhere, even in most restaurants. If you’ve got a squad of hangry guests that need to eat ASAP, there’s no shame in getting an assist from the microwave.

Top That

Likewise, the number of potential toppings to adorn your barbecue masterpiece is limited only by your imagination. Want to add more veggies? Throw in some chopped broccoli or sautéed spinach. Like it hot? Go all in on chilies. Just a few of my favorite suggestions include:

Barbecue For All

Purists may clutch their tongs in horror, but it’s their loss if they can’t invite more diverse options to the backyard barbecue. One bite would end the argument faster than any amount of debate. Smoke, spice, char, and comfort don’t belong exclusively to brisket. That same experience is accessible to anyone willing to put in the time and respect the process. The loaded baked potato simply happens to be the perfect stage for proving it.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)6 Comments

Full of Shiitake

Shiitake mushrooms have been the gateway to umami for countless young cooks. They were, in fact, a major contributor to the essential scientific understanding of umami we take for granted today. Long before we had the language to explain why fungi had a distinctive savory character akin to animal meat, shiitake proliferated in kitchens near and far, creating a depth of flavor exceeding the core constituents of any given dish.

Equally at home floating in a clear broth, blistered in a cast iron skillet, or folded into a rich stew, there’s no match for the versatility and power of this mushroom. A small handful of rehydrated shiitake can smell like a rainy forest floor or a five-star steakhouse, sometimes simultaneously. Few ingredients punch so far above their weight.

I’ve become an outspoken proponent of shiitake after years of witnessing their transformative power in my own cooking. As such, I have more shiitake recipes than I know what to do with. When anyone asks for suggestions, I just stare at the floor and mumble something about the recipe archive, knowing full well that it’s a dense thicket of odd titles to traverse. It’s about time I had a better answer, which leads me to this round-up of my top 40 shiitake mushroom recipes. Limiting myself to only 40 was a challenge because there are roughly 90 potential contenders on the blog, to date. No doubt, that total will continue to rise the moment I hit “publish”.

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks; easy, intermediate, and advanced; elegant, rustic, and downright extravagant; this collection spans nearly every possible expression of the whole macrofungus, fresh and dried, I’ve personally enjoyed most. If you don’t know what to do with a sudden windfall of shiitake, I’ll help you make quick work of them.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)8 Comments

Welcome to Margaritaville

How is it possible that here in Texas, we have no officially designated state beverage? Only 32 of our 50 states have bestowed that title on their beverage of choice, and I must say, I’m roundly unimpressed by those efforts too. Twenty of those went with milk and one (Indiana, I’m looking at you) chose water. Water. Who voted on this?

At least some are trying to pick up the slack, selecting both a plebeian potable and a cocktail or spirit. Much respect to Wisconsin and their preference for a brandy old fashioned, Maryland, Virginia, and Alabama sidling up to the bar for whiskey, Maryland coming back for an Orange Crush which they also share with Delaware, and Nevada inviting everyone to the party with Pisco Punch.

With such a rich history of drinking under our belts, I’d like to start a bid to make the margarita the official beverage of the Lone Star State. Not a single establishment serving alcohol would omit such a staple from the menu, though it’s such an obvious choice that some don’t even go through the trouble of putting it in print. Ask for a margarita and you shall receive. Beyond Texas, it’s the single most popular cocktail in the entire country, in fact; we just like to think that we do it best.

While we wait for Texan bureaucrats to realize that the margarita is the only logical candidate for the job, I’ve found a way to bring that tangy, tequila-spiked spirit to the dessert table. If we can’t legislate the cocktail into the state archives yet, we can certainly bake it into the local culture.

Slice-and-bake margarita shortbread cookies capture the fun of happy hour without the risk of a hangover. Yes, there is a splash of tequila in the mix, but it shakes out to roughly 1/6 teaspoon per serving. Total teetotalers can simply swap in water, if that amount remains a concern. More importantly, to mimic the complex citrus profile of a top-shelf pour, the dough is heavily perfumed with both lime and orange zest. It’s the bright, aromatic punch you expect before the first sip. Each log of dough is rolled in coarse colored sugar before slicing. It creates a shimmering, crunchy crust that perfectly imitates the iconic salt rim, albeit in a sweeter way.

While the “Indiana approach” to beverages might be safe and hydrating, Texas deserves a profile with a bit more bite. These cookies offer a loophole to the legislative lag, serving up our currently unofficial state cocktail one citrusy, sugar-rimmed slice at a time. Until Texas finally puts a ring (or a rim) on it, these shortbreads are the most delicious way to cast your vote for the margarita.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)11 Comments

Like A Moth To The Flame

Like a moth to the flame, I’m inexorably drawn to foods that elicit more questions than answers at first blush, for better or for worse. Moths, though a vital part of our natural ecosystem, are typically not associated with culinary greatness. That’s why the name “moth beans” immediately gave me pause, and soon after landed in my cart.

Fear not: these little legumes have absolutely nothing to do with dusty winged insects. Vigna aconitifolia, also known as matki, mat beans, or dew beans, are named for the lobed shape of their leaves when growing, which supposedly resemble a moth’s silhouette. I’d say that’s a real stretch of the imagination, but maybe my creativity is merely lacking. No matter how you look at it, moth beans have already proven themselves as far more than just a taxonomic curiosity.

What Are Moth Beans?

Native to the hot, arid regions of South Asia, specifically India and Pakistan, they have been a staple food for centuries. Because they can grow in sandy, bone-dry soil where other crops would wither, it’s there that they earned the nickname “dew beans,” seeming to subsist on nothing more than the morning mist. Preventing erosion by locking in what scant moisture remains in the soil, they’re vital for maintaining productive land in difficult climates.

What prevents moth beans from becoming more widespread across the globe is the difficulty of harvesting them. Laboriously cut by hand with a sickle, current mowers aren’t built for their unique shape and size, so they remain out of reach for industrial production.

What Do Moth Beans Taste Like?

If you’re familiar with green lentils or mung beans, you’ve already gotten a taste of what to expect from moth beans. Deeply earthy and nutty, with a savory undertone that hints at mushroom-like umami, there’s a faint sweetness on the back end, making them much more complex than your standard kidney or navy bean.

Even when fully cooked, they maintain a distinct, slightly firm bite between your teeth. They refuse to turn into mush unless you go out of your way to intentionally overcook them, making them ideal for salads, soups, stews, and most traditionally, curries.

Moth Bean Nutrition: Tiny But Mighty

Don’t let their diminutive size fool you. In the world of plant-based protein, moth beans are heavy hitters. Incredibly protein-dense, to the tune of roughly 23 grams of protein per 100 grams of dry beans, they make a compelling case for doing away with meat. They are an excellent source of zinc, which is great for the immune system, and iron for keeping energy levels high. Like most legumes, they are packed with dietary fiber, which keeps things moving smoothly and keeps you feeling full longer.

Soak, Sprout, or Simmer: Cooking Moth Beans

Sold both whole and split, the moth bean offers two distinct paths toward enjoyment. Whole moth beans necessarily take longer, they have more structural integrity, and have the added benefit of being sproutable. Sprouted moth beans have been especially crucial for those who may not have easy access to fresh vegetables, since the dried beans are shelf stable for months, if not years, and erupt with little white tails in 1 – 2 days.

  • To sprout whole moth beans, soak them overnight, drain, and keep them in a damp cloth or sprout jar for 24 – 48 hours. Once those tiny white tails appear, they can be eaten raw in salads, stir-fried, or steamed for just a few minutes.
  • To cook whole moth beans, while not strictly necessary, soaking them for 4 – 6 hours reduces cooking time and improves digestibility. On the stove top, simmer in plenty of water (about a 3:1 ratio) for 20 – 30 minutes until tender but firm. In a pressure cooker, cook on high for 10 minutes and quick release the pressure. Let stand in unsealed pressure cooker for another 10 minutes, then drain.
  • To cook split moth beans, simply rinse them under cool water and simmer on the stove top for 15 – 20 minutes. The ratio shifts slightly because they act more like red lentils, absorbing water as they break down into a soft, porridge-like consistency. Use a 2:1 or 3:1 water-to-bean ratio, depending on how thick you want the final result.

Traditional Moth Bean Dishes

In India, moth beans need no introduction. They’re the backbone of some of the most iconic comfort foods, including:

  • Matki Chi Usal: A spicy, sprouted bean stir fry tempered with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and a generous amount of goda masala.
  • Misal Pav: Perhaps the most famous use, this is a spicy sprout curry topped with farsan (crunchy snack mix), onions, and lime, served with buttery rolls.
  • Moth Dal: A simple, comforting stew tempered with cumin, ginger, and green chilies.
  • Moth Kachori: Tucked away inside flaky, fried pastries, the beans are seasoned and mashed into a coarse paste, providing a hearty, savory center that balances the buttery crunch of the crust.

Having a Ball with Moth Beans

While I’ll always carry a torch for the classics, I can’t keep away from a good pun, especially if it leads to even better food. I’ve never once in my life used moth balls, but I had to try my hands at making them from scratch… That is, moth bean meatballs.

If the name turns heads and grabs your attention, then that’s the point. How enticing does a “bean ball” sound in the first place? Might as well play up the weird and wonderful branding nature already provided. Rest assured, these savory spheres won’t make your kitchen smell like a nursing home. Instead, these vegan meatballs capitalize on that signature nutty umami, accentuated by sun-dried tomatoes and nutritional yeast. Seared, baked, or air fried, they’re sturdy enough to withstand a wave of marinara without dissolving into an accidental, extra-chunky ragu.

Fly Straight to Moth Beans

They may take a bit more effort to source in the US than the usual garbanzo, pinto, or kidney bean, which only adds to the appeal, if you ask me. Moth beans are special, to be celebrated and respected. Even without such an arresting name in English, moth beans warrant your attention, and intrigue. Give them a chance; your first taste of moth beans may just make your heart flutter.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)7 Comments