All posts filed under: Indian Vegetarian

Harvesting Happiness: Microgreens & Culinary Inspiration

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Microgreens are young, edible greens harvested at a seedling stage stage of growth, typically before the onset of the first true leaves. These tiny greens are packed with nutrients and flavor, making them a favorite addition to salads, sandwiches, and garnishes. I had been contemplating growing microgreens for awhile now, as they often come in handy for plating and garnishes. The best part of growing microgreens is that you may use some of your pantry staples such as mustard, fenugreek, coriander or sunflowers seeds. I like to grow them in some organic potting soil that I use growing my herbs. However you may try growing them hydroponically too. Here are some handy tips in growing Microgreens: Selecting the Seeds: Some popular choices include arugula, mustard, cilantro, kale broccoli and sunflower. Ensure the seeds are of a good quality. You may include kale and radish seeds too. Method of Growing: Microgreens can either be grown in soil or can be grown hydroponically. Containers: I generally use small herb containers with drainage holes to prevent waterlogging. Along …

Moong Dal Chilla- (Savory Yellow Lentil Pancakes)

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Indian breakfast’s tend be an elaborate affair that include a staggering variety of preparations. Quite honestly there really isn’t one standard fare, given the fact that there are several regional fares with each contributing to an array of hearty and scrumptious breakfast ideas. Each of these portray an incredible cultural diversity seen via food habits followed by different regions. For instance Northern Indian breakfast would have a variety of Parathas,Aloo puri, Poha,Chole bhature,Paneer toast etc where as Dosa’s, Idli, Wadas and Upma’s form an integral part of mainstay breakfast options in the southern parts of India. Having lived a large part of my childhood in Mumbai and raised by parents of Hindu- Catholic decent, our food habits seem to have nuances that have a bit of both sides incorporated into our lifestyles. Having now lived away from India for over two and a half decades, my palette often craves for flavours that I grew up with and my Canadian kitchen here in Toronto recreates several recipes that are deeply rooted in our culture. So often …

Falafel Salad Bowl

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  Having lived in the Middle East for a little less than two decades, our taste buds tend to gravitate to wonderful middle eastern flavours that revive memories of our stay as expats in Dubai. Our dinners quite often have a hint of levantine spices and ingredients, and my kitchen pantry is almost always stocked with  za’taar and sumac spices, pomegranate molasses,preserved lemons, sesame seeds, saffron and olive oil. The tahini sauce has also come to be a  sought after condiment and used quite frequently to accompany many of my meals. Last week I decided to make up a  Falafel Salad Bowl for a light and easy lunch. The Falafels and the Tahini sauce have been made from scratch and the recipe is as explained below. Now most often I do bake the Pita breads too,however time being of essence,I had to make do with store bought ones! I do have to admit that the vibrancy and textures of the Falafel Salad Bowl brought about a burst of flavour in every bite.The edamame,all though part …

Brinjal Pickle: Marking Achaar Din for Indian Food Observance Day

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  Pickling has several  connotations in many parts of the world. Very simply put it means preserving food in brine or a vinegar immersion. We find pickled foods almost everywhere, right from cucumbers, gherkins, kimchi, carrots to even meats and seafood. Now pickles can be quite diverse and can say a lot of one’s culture. For instance in most european countries picking could mean preserving the vegetables in a simple brine solution and hence tend these to be more acidic in flavours. Where as here in the Indian sub continent the process of pickling lends a complexity of flavours quite tart and mingled with sweet and spicy notes. Pickling is an age old tradition in India, albeit a dying one due to easy availability of ready made pickles off the market shelves.I have very fond memories of my grandmother and my aunts looking forward to the summer months when Mangoes are plenty. The green mangoes especially along with a host of spices, sugar and oil makes up a delicious pickle which serves up as an …