Plant Potential: Kacie Carter - Garlic
GARLIC
In this series, we spotlight the boundless potential of a single ingredient.
Los Angeles-based chef, nutritionist, and co-founder of Honey Hi, Kacie Carter, crafted a recipe around garlic. The hero ingredient is the ultimate immune-boosting food and rich in allicin, which is one of the plant kingdom’s strongest natural antivirals.
Chef: Kacie Carter
Instagram: @kaciecarter
3 go-to ingredients that double as immunity: 24-hour broth aka a slow-simmered “stock”, Chaga mushroom, and garlic.
Must-have ingredient that delivers an energy boost: Chocolate forever!
Ultimate comfort food: Bone broth braised lamb shoulder with a million herbs and spices.
Favorite healing ingredient: Food.
Beauty mantra: Sunscreen! And make sure you are eating food that loves you back.
MASALA CHICKPEA & LENTIL STEW
The hero ingredient is garlic, though this stew also has lots of turmeric, fresh ginger, and nourishing spices. It’s the perfect thing to eat if you’re sick, run-down, or just getting through the winter.
My Masala Chickpea & Lentil Stew recipe is based on South Indian flavors, one of my favorite cookbooks in the world, My Bombay Kitchen by Niloufer Ichaporia King, which has an amazing Dahl recipe that inspired this dish. If you don’t want to make the masala spice blend from scratch, you can use an Indian masala spice from the store or a curry powder.
Makes a big batch, enough to freeze!
Sauté the first half of onions until browned. Add ginger-garlic paste, masala spices, and cayenne. Add a splash of water if it starts to stick. Once fully cooked and incorporated, add the soaked chickpeas, turmeric, water, tomatoes, chilies, and Kashmiri chili powder. Let everything simmer for 1 hour.
Once chickpeas are cooked al dente, add the lentils, kabocha and coconut milk. Let cook another 30 minutes or until lentils are fully cooked. Remove from heat, cool, and store.
MASALA SPICE BLEND
Toast all spices together except the nutmeg; allow to cool and grind in spice grinder with nutmeg. Store.
MINT CILANTRO CHUTNEY
Finely chop mint and cilantro. Mix with rest of ingredients and season to taste.
