Bottle gourd, also known as dudhi in India, is a very versatile vegetable. Although it’s classed as exotic produce in the UK, it has become a common find in Indian grocery stores across the UK. A long pale green bottle gourd with delicate white flesh inside dotted with soft edible seeds is rather delicious (and […]
Vegan
Purple Asparagus And Fennel Salad
During the British asparagus season from late April to June, I enjoy eating the spears raw as their sweet crunch and aroma is so appealing especially when they’re fresh from the farm. Add to that some shavings of fennel and you have the makings of a delicious spring salad. Who wants a boring tasteless salad? […]
Kairichi Chutney / Raw Mango Chutney / कैरीची चटणी
Chutneys and pickles are, in my opinion, a much-neglected aspect of Indian cooking. That is especially true in so-called Indian restaurants in the UK where you might find a bland mango chutney served with ‘poppadoms’ as a kind of appetiser, or perhaps a bowl of runny mint chutney. The truth is that Indian condiments have […]
Wild Garlic Tadka Dal
The scent of wild garlic is once again wafting through the woodlands of Britain. This year it’s even been in the news, though sadly not for the right reasons. It seems it’s getting too popular for its own good and some people (or maybe restaurants) are over-harvesting this precious seasonal delicacy. Our local patch has […]
Katachi Amti / कटाची आमटी
Puran poli and katachi amti go hand in hand and quite rightly so, given the process of making the former. You could say that this amti is a by-product of the puran poli making process scoring well on its zero-waste credentials. But more than that, it’s the dish that completes the puran poli. What is […]
Sabudana Vada / Sago Patties / Sago Balls / Tapioca Patties
It’s that time of year again when I binge on delicious and fairly healthy vegan fasting treats under the guise of celebrating ‘Mahashivratri’, a Hindu festival honouring Lord Shiva. I say ‘under the guise’ because this festival is anything but fasting for me and many Indians like me. It is believed that Shiva performed his […]
Khamang Kakdi Koshimbir / Maharashtrian Cucumber Salad
There’s always a place for salad in a Maharashtrian thali. A typical accompaniment in a wedding thali served alongside a myriad of chutneys and pickles, is this ‘khamang’ kakdi koshimbir or cucumber salad. It’s like a cucumber raita, only better. A well-balanced thali will usually include this cool cucumber koshimbir to offset the spicier dishes. […]
Olya Harbharyachi Amti / Saar / Green Chickpea Soup / ओल्या हरभऱ्याची आमटी
We take so many things for granted in our kitchen; if we want to make a quick ‘chole’ we can easily grab a tin of chickpeas from the store cupboard, pop it open, pour it into a pan with some fried onion, garlic, spices etc. turn up the heat and a few minutes later it’s […]
Green chickpea kachori / ‘khasta’ hara chana kachori
I am no ‘kachori’ connoisseur but I know how I like them. Perhaps a bit too well, because I couldn’t resist the urge to make these when I spotted some elusive green chickpeas at my local Asian store. Now, it’s not traditional to make kachoris with green chickpea stuffing but what the heck, I let […]
Turichya Ghugrya / Whole Pigeon Pea curry
Turichya ghugrya / तुरीच्या घुगऱ्या aka whole pigeon peas or whole toor beans with pearl millet flatbread / बाज़रीची भाकरी is a winter staple where I grew up in India and a meal I fondly remember having at my grandparents’, all of whom were farmers. They knew their food way better than I do today. […]
How to sprout horse gram and other legumes?
Other than increasing the nutrient value of legumes, sprouting also enhances their flavour and makes them easily digestible. Horse gram, a much underrated and inexpensive legume from India, is actually one of the most protein-rich lentils on the planet. It’s a powerhouse of protein, essential amino acids, carbohydrates, calcium, iron and fibre so no wonder […]
Bhogichi Bhaji / Maharashtrian Mixed vegetable Curry
If there was ever a festival that celebrates the seasonality of produce, it’s Makar Sankranti – the first Hindu festival of the year that’s celebrated across India under various names. And this ‘bhogichi bhaji’ is just a beautiful way to commemorate this festival through food. The day before Makar Sankranti is Bhogi and it’s the […]
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