Recently, I tried making some soya milk at home, which was quite tolerable. Okara is the soy pulp that is left after the milk is squeezed out. I used it to make soy patties that went as a good side dish with some ramen noodles.
October is a time for pumpkins. I am not a big fan of pumpkin pies or lattes, but I do love a good soup. This lentil soup is healthy and filling. It also tastes great and is easy to make. Ingredients: Makes 4 servings 2 cups boiled and mashed pumpkin (or squash) ½ cup boiled and mashed orange carrots 2 cups cooked yellow lentils (toor or mung dal) 2 cups vegetable stock (or water) Salt to taste 2 tbsp butter or oil for tempering 1 tsp grated ginger Coarsely ground pepper Roasted and ground cumin seeds Drizzle of cream to garnish (optional) Roasted pumpkin seeds for garnish (optional) Method: Sieve the boiled pumpkin and carrot to remove seeds and fibre. I usually take out as many seeds as I can before boiling the pumpkin. Then rinse it and roast it to use as a crunchy topping for the soup. Cook the pumpkin, carrots, lentils, and stock on medium heat till it comes to a boil. Add salt to taste. In a small pan, heat the …
We try to have salads as often as possible, but it’s a pain to wash and dry the salad leaves. This bean salad is filling and full of protein and other awesome things. It can be had as a meal in itself or with some garlic bread and soup on the side. Ingredients: For a meal for one ½ cup boiled black-eyed peas ¼ cup roasted peanuts 1 small tomato, cubed 1 cucumber, diced 1 small carrot, diced Few pieces of pickled radish or onion A few olives ¼ cup of semi-ripe mango, diced (or Totapuri mango), optional 2 prunes, cut into small pieces Coriander and Mint leaves to garnish Salad dressing I like the store-bought Sweet onion dressing for this one You can also quickly make your own dressing with 3 parts olive oil to 1 part lemon (or vinegar). Add a teaspoon of honey or sugar. Mix well and pour over the salad. Enjoy your health boost for the day! Note: Some links are part of an affiliate program, which means that if …
There was a time when all food blogs were filled with pictures of Buddha Bowls of various kinds. They looked so lovely and fulfilling that I wanted to try something too. I don’t prefer the oatmeal or smoothie in a bowl kind, so I opted for something savoury. A Buddha Bowl is a dish that has five main ingredients: Whole grains like rice or quinoa Protein like tofu or meat Vegetables Dressing Garnish such as nuts, seeds, or microgreens Here’s what went into my bowl: Quinoa cooked as per instructions Crispy chickpeas for protein Baked cauliflower Hummus Mixed seeds and mint leaves Instead of quinoa, any millet or grains like barley will do. Just rinse and cook in the pressure cooker. I also like to add a little salt and garlic for more flavour. You can make crispy chickpeas by seasoning boiled chickpeas and baking them in the oven or the air fryer. I also like some of the packaged ones available when I don’t want to put in a lot of effort. Baked cauliflower …
Sesame and jaggery squares, or Tilgud as it is better known across India, is usually made in January when the harvest season begins in the region. I always look forward to eating it during this time. I’m not sure why I don’t make it at any other time of the year, but I guess the rarity also makes it more special. Ingredients: Makes about 8-10 square bites 1 cup white sesame seeds 1 cup jaggery 1 tbsp ghee ¼ cup roasted peanuts (skin removed) Method: In a flat-bottomed pan on medium heat, roast the sesame seeds. Keep an eye on it so that it doesn’t burn. As soon as it starts to brown a little, turn off the heat and let it cool. You could use black sesame seeds or a mix of both. Just be aware that they have a stronger flavour. Grind the roasted peanuts coarsely. I find it a big chore to roast and remove the peels from raw peanuts, so I buy roasted unsalted peanuts and keep in the freezer to …
My preference for recipes are ones that are fast and don’t require a lot of utensils. There are plenty of chickpea hummus recipes that call for making different aspects of it separately. I prefer to mix it all in one blender jar, and it’s done! I love how protein-packed this dish is. I don’t feel any guilt having this with a packet of nachos. Ingredients: Serving size: Makes a large bowl. Good enough to eat some and store or for a party 2 cups boiled chickpeas ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil Juice of ½ lemon 2 tbsp sesame seeds (or 1 tbsp Tahini if you have that lying around) 5 cloves of garlic (medium-sized) ¼ cup cold water Spices: ½ tbsp roasted cumin powder ½ tbsp paprika Salt to taste Deseeded olives on the side (optional) Method: Please don’t buy a can of chickpeas. Get dry chickpeas, soak them overnight, and boil them till soft. Wait for it to cool. Add all the ingredients except for the spices and the cold water in the …
Pickled in the Indian context is very different from the Western one. I have never tried making Indian pickles because they are so readily available that I don’t feel the need to make the effort. I’m going to just list things you can pickle with a sugar and vinegar brine to be used in salads and sandwiches. Fermented foods are also a great source of good bacteria that aids better digestion. Ingredients for the brine: 1 cup water 1 cup vinegar (white or half and half with apple cider vinegar) ½ cup sugar ¼ tsp salt Method: Boil all the ingredients together and let it cool. Things you can pickle: Onions (cut into thins strips) Radish Jalapeno peppers Cabbage (or purple cabbage shredded) Carrots (grated or sliced) Ginger (thinly sliced) Anything else that won’t turn into mush Method: Put the slices/strips into a lidded container and pour the brine enough to cover all pieces. Store in the fridge. It will last a few weeks. These taste great in salads and sandwiches, but also on cheese …
You know how all recipes start with a story. I won’t do that here. Recipe first, stories later! Note that this is a vegan recipe. You can substitute for non-vegan options if you prefer. Options are given below. Ingredients: Serving size: Makes for 2 adults (or 2 adults and 1 child) White sauce: 10 medium sized florets of cauliflower 15 pieces of cashews Salt & Pepper to taste Risotto: 1 ½ cup Arborio Rice 2 cups vegetable stock (I use stock powder if I don’t have fresh stock handy) 1 large onion 2 Tbsp olive oil 5 cloves garlic ½ cup peas A few strands of Saffron Salt & Pepper to taste Toppings: Garlic Chips* Nutritional yeast Parsley (optional) Method: White Sauce: Boil the cauliflower, save half a cup of the water and drain the rest. Once it cools, grind the cauliflower and the half cup water with the cashews. Season and keep aside. Risotto: Heat a large pan or skillet on medium heat. Add butter then chopped onions and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes. …
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