RECIPE - Vegetarian, gluten free, lactose free - A sweet, crunchy salad

Introductory notes
This salad happened completely out of compulsion
I could not find anything I needed in the shops.
And therefore decided to lay my hands on whatever was in the fridge.
Pretty much put things together completely at random.
It is sweet and crunchy and kids love it [only if they love arrots and apples :-) ].
This is packed with nutrition as well and is heavy.

This recipe is inspired by a traditional Indian recipe for Panchaamrutham.
"Panchaamrutham" literally translated - it means 5 items that contribue to making this as sweet as nectar.
Now nectar - Amrutham - is an oft repeated concept in Indian mythology and the Hindu Spriritual practises.
Panchaamrutham is usually a Prasaadam in some Hindu temples.
[Prasaadam is an offering in Hindu temples which is later given to devotees as a blessing]

As this is inspired by Panchaamrutham - I call this Saladaamrutham :)

Ingredients
[there are no specific proportions to this - if you like more of someting add more of it]
[the proportions given below are a guide only - make your own combination and enjoy the unique taste..!]

Apple 1or 2 [finely chopped - or chunky if you like large pieces]
Carrots grated[3]
Unroasted almonds[finely chopped - maybe 2-4 tablespoons]
Finely chopped dates [again a couple of table spoons]
Raisins and sultanas [soaked in water for 30 mintes, drained - 2 tablespoons each of unsoaked]
Unroasted cashew[finely chopped 2 table spoons]
Powdered cardamom..[half a teaspoon of the powdered cardomom.]
Cardamom pods should be opened, skin discarded and the seeds powdered with a mortar and pestle or powdered with a rolling pin on a rough surface

Optional - add finely chopped Sweet pears if you have them in the fridge.

Dressing
Mix honey and lemon/ lime juice according to taste

Procedure
Mix all ingredients in a large salad bowl
Just before serving - drizzle the dressing and toss the salad

Pudding for the soul....

Continuing about food...

We were at friends Jillian and Jonathan's place
for pizza, with salads and coleslaw that Jillian had made.
What I remember from that evening was the salads [the cous cous salad was fantastic; I loved it - hope Jillian will share the recipe ] and conversations and the people.

At the end of the meal, Jillian also parted with the last bit of Chirstmas pudding she had.
[carried all the way from Marks and Spencers, London by her mum...yumm, thank the courier!]

What is most important is - we savoured the pudding in little bits and pieces and finally also managed to share it with friends Augusta and Andrew...
Andrew has scottish roots and his grand mother has lived in Kalimpong in India at the time of the British raj; Augusta - as Italian as Italians come...warm and loving...

Anyway, we decided to share the last of the pudding from Jillian's place,...we were all oohing and aaahing...after just a few bites into it.

and thats when Andrew came up with a remark "hmmmm this is pudding for the soul..".

True, sharing food makes it an enriching experience for the soul....

Two ways to meet, greet and eat...

Christmas and the new year period saw me in Brisbane with my husband.
We had the most enjoyable break and the time we spent with friends was the highlight.
The festive season was reason enough to celebrate - to that add some food and everyone was happy.

The whole process of eating together is probably a very old tradition and I caught myself thinking about contrasts across cultures. 

In India, it would be a sit down meal where the lady of the household would serve everyone [of course helped by assistants if there are many diners].  The courses would be served one after the other and conversation - if at all - is usually restricted to people seated closest to each other.  The seating is in a line so that it is easy for the lady to serve. The focus is on the food in front, eating it and savouring the flavours and enjoying the meal.  Mealtimes are not for conversations.  I remember when my grandfather ate, it was a quiet, quick matter - food was wolfed down and washed down with quick gulps of water.  The only contact made was to ask for seconds or refuse something being offered.  The Buddhist way of life, prescribes the approach of being mindful - savour every morsel of food and be completely in the moment when one is eating.  The traditional Indian way of eating is to eat with one's hands thereby making it a five sensory experience.  Conversations if any - around the food or any other subject - would happen after the meal when every feels like a well fed python :) and everyone is relaxed and ready for a few laughs.  But eating dear friends is serious business...if you know what I mean.

Contrast this with a western setting.  There is conversation, there is laughter, there is sharing of experiences, the food is also commented upon while one is eating.  A sense of community, comraderie, fraternity is openly expressed and in full view.

I suppose both ways of consuming a meal have their strong positives.
So many western movies have scenes of a big family sitting on a table and eating, passing bowls of olives, salads etal around...and there are scenes in my mind of lunches in India seated in a line...

Our Christmas eve meal was with Sonali and Chris - at their home - on a table with their family
The table had 10 people and the courses were so enjoyable as we had breaks between courses and generally talked and laughed.  Must mention the first course of a salad that Chris had made with cucumber...absolutely divine. The dessert was of course christmas pudding, set alight with some brandy poured over it...Wow what a meal... Thank you Chris and Sonali.

On Chirtsmas day we were with friends Margaret and Bill for lunch
And that was an even more elaborate affair - 20 people on a loooooooooooong table
Lots of food and everyone was slow in whatever they ate, lots of time for conversations and laughter.  The whole day was spent in preparing various dishes and then lunch started around 1 ish and we kind of finished around 5..wow what a beautiful day, wonderful conversations and excellent food.  Here also, there were 2 christmas puddings and wow - what a treat to eat it with custard..Thank you Bill and Marg for making us feel at home.

While the taste and flavour of food was appreciated by all diners, people probably remember the day more because of who they met and what they all spoke about...!!!

Contrast this with a lunch we hosted in India a few years ago for around 20 people.
It was everyone seated in a line with somebody serving the food quickly.
Conversations and talk - happened before the meal and after the meal...
The focus on food was complete and some people remember the food to this day.

And I guess I have the benefit of the best of both worlds...
I enjoy the serious approach to food; focussed only on what I am eating and therefore remember what i eat ..yes, food is serious business ...!
I also enjoy the conversational approach to eating together..

Bottom line - food is just a means to the end - a means of getting people together, a means to obtain a sense of community...

The final objective is to anyway meet, greet and eat :)

RECIPE - Vegan, Lactose free, Gluten free - Excited about Brussels Sprout...!!!

Yes, the title of this post sounds like an Oxymoron

I ate this vegetable for the first time just ten years ago and let us say I was not impressed.
It was boiled and had a sulphurous odour and taste.
Since then I have devised a wonderful way of cooking and eating Brussels Sprout
Most people who have eaten this at home - dont even know its this...!

Bottom line, if you are not particularly fond of brussels sprout - this recipe is for you :)

Some information
Does not freeze well, best eaten freshly cooked
This recipe is good with other vegetables as this by itself is not very filling
The vegetable once cooked has many uses
- use a sandwich maker and stuff this inside bread slices to make a very sumptous toasted sandwich
- add some yoghurt and convert this into a cold salad

Ingredients
500 gm Brussels sprouts
Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon
A pinch of turmeric
a few green chilles or 1/4 teaspoon chilly powder [optional]
a few teaspoons cooking oil
salt to taste
1 teaspoon of besan[chick pea flour] or Rice flour [optional]

Method
Preparing the brussels sprout is the key to this recipe
Wash and dry well - there should not be any moisture left.
Cut each sprout in half along the thick stem.
Use a small knife and wedge out the stem from each side and discard
Grate finely - it should resemble finely grated cabbage like you would grate for a coleslaw or sauerkraut
[a sharp kitchen knife will do and you dont really need a grater]
The fry pan should be a wide one - the larger the surface area, the faster this gets cooked

Heat oil in a fry pan and add cumin seeds
When they crackle, turn up the heat, add chillies, and throw in the brussels sprouts
Stir in salt and turmeric and keep stirring
DO NOT COVER
It should wilt and cook within 2-3 minutes
The consistency should be flaky and crumbly
If its sticky, sprinkle a teaspoon of chick pea flour and stir again while still on the stove
rice flour will also do the trick.

Thats it...serve hot

Embelishments
If you have curry leaves - chop and add them when you thrown in cumin seeds
If you have any generic curry powder [from a super market shelf] sprinkle a teaspoon of that with the turmeric as you cook
Garnishing with fresh coriander leaves also gives a good flavour

FAQs about Indian Vegetarian food

I am often asked these questions
Let me attempt to demystify and remove certain misconceptions about Indian food.

Remember, India is a subcontinent - just as In Europe; French cuisine is different from Greek Cuisine
So also cuisine of the south is very diferent from the cuisine in the north or western parts of India.

1. Indian food is spicy - MYTH
Often spicy is the term given to food that has a lot of heat by way of chillies/ pepper.
I simply abhor the rampant usage of the word spicy as a synonym for high in chillies.
To be very precise - Indian food need not be spicy to be tasty
Spicy and tasty are again not synonyms in the Indian gourmet's palate
And yes all Indian food is not spicy
And yes all of India does not eat chillies or food high in chillies.

2. Indian food is greasy, creamy and everything is rich and heavy - MYTH
The food that one eats in Indian restaurants outside of India IS NOT COMPLETELY REPRESENTATIVE of all food from India. 
For every greasy, creamy Indian preparation [that you eat in an Indian restaurant]; there are at least half a dozen without the grease/ cream or heaviness

3. The spices drown the flavour of Indian food and so everything tastes the same - MYTH
Spices are used only to supplement/ compliment and bring out the actual taste of the primary ingredient, the vegetable. 
If all you can taste is the spice in the food that you eat - there is something fundamentally wrong with the preparation.

4. One needs a whole shelf of spices to make tasty Indian food - MYTH
Indian food - especially vegetables can be made with minimum or no spices
The key is to bring out the actual taste of the vegetable that is being cooked

5. One curry powder is all I need in the pantry to make Indian food - MYTH again
Simply because - there is nothing called as curry powder and there is no one way of making a curry powder. 
Yes, one curry powder will make all the food you cook taste the same
However; a curry powder is not mandatory to make you an Indian cook :)

6. Indian vegetarian food does not provide a balanced meal - MYTH
Did you know that every possible bean/ lentil/ legume can be used/ cooked as a snack and/or added to a vegetable dish to make it fortified in nutrition? 
Not to mention complete main meals like Rajma and Chana and Dal which contain protein and fibre

7. Cooking vegetables Indian style is too complicated and not as easy as throwing a piece of meat on the barbie and opening a can of peas and boiling some potatoes to go with it - YES AND NO.
Yes, the preparation of vegetables takes time - and yes there are a few more steps than the one step of throwing the meat on the barbie
However; making a simple vegetable, a lentil/ bean dish and some rice or a bread does not take a whole lot of time when one gets used to the routine. 
It is like everything else in life - takes time to get into the groove....!

8. Indian food has complicated recipes and a million ingredients - well, YES AND NO again.
There are complicated preparaions that call for complicated recipes
And yes, the ingredients that go well with a certain vegetable are needed to make the vegetable taste excellent.
However; there are simple, uncomplicated methods of preparing the same vegetable.

9. One sauce is all I need to make a curry - MYTH
There is nothing called as curry in India. 
In any restaurant in India ask for a curry and you will get blank looks. 
Curry is the anglicised inheritance from the British raj in India. 
And no I dont use any sauce in my cooking, I dont even make a sauce unless I am making a dish with chick peas or red kidney beans. 
And yes, a sauce is not mandatory [pre packaged or made from scratch] to cook a vegetarian meal Indian style.

10. There is only one way of making a vegetable - Example, the best way to make spinach is Palak Paneer - MYTH
The same vegetable is treated and prepared differently in different parts of India.
Remember, India is a subcontinent
Just as French cuisine is different from Greek Cuisine[in the continent of Europe]
So also Cuisine of the south is very dfferent to cuisine of the north of India
and even within cuisine from Southern India - the food made in a Tamil home is very different from food made in the kicthen of a person from Andhra Pradesh or Kerala. 
And even within Tamil Nadu, the food in the kitchens of homes in the north of the state is very different from other places in Tamil Nadu. 
So there are at least 100 ways of preparing the same vegetable and more and more methods are being invented every day.

Dont hesitate to contact me if you have some more questions - happy to answer them all.

RECIPE - Vegan, Gluten free, Lactose free - Simple Potatoes and Peas/ Kumara and Peas/ Aloo Mutter subji

Aloo [potatoes], Mutter[peas]
Suits dietary preferences - vegetarian, vegan, lactose free and gluten free

General notes
An all time favourite and extremely simple and easy to make.
And yes, this is not greasy, not creamy, there is no need for a sauce
Freezes well.
To make it low GI and high in fibre - substitute potatoes with Kumara [sweet potatoes]
This preparation is gluten free [powdered asafoetida might contain wheat flour - check the container when you buy asafoetida]
Serves 2-3 people with roti/ rice
A Vegetable cooked this way would be called a Subji

Information about ingredients
A small amount of sugar always helps manage the acidity of tomatoes.
Ginger and asafoetida help with managing flatulence
What is asafoetida ?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asafoetida
Cumin and Fennel seeds have carminative properties and add a distinct flavour
What is Fennel ?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fennel

Ingredients [ Grouped ]
Vegetables
6-8 medium sized Potatoes chopped into quarters [chop again in half if you need smaller pieces]
OR - Kumara - perhaps 600 - 700 gm
1 cup of frozen peas or fresh peas when they are in season
1 medium sized onion
4-5 medium sized tomatoes [canned tomatoes are fine too]

Spices
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
1/4 teaspon of asafoetida[available in most Indian grocery stores]

Other flavouring agents
1 inch size of fresh ginger, finely grated[dry ginger powder will work - 1 teaspoon]
1-2 green chillies [add more if you like it hot]
2 pods of garlic [optional]

Basic cooking needs
3/4 tablespoon of oil [ yes thats all that is required]
1 tsp of sugar
salt to taste

Cooking process

Heat oil in a saucepan [use a saucepan that can hold all the potatoes/ kumara, peas and water]
When the oil is hot, add cumin.
Once cumin crackles, add fennel seeds, onions, green chillies, garlic.  Stir until onion becomes transclucent

Add tomatoes, peas and the potatoes.
Add enough water [water level one inch above the potatoes]
Add salt, turmeric, asafoetida, sugar and salt
Cover and cook - stir occasionally.
Simmer as soon as it starts to boil - and cook until potatoes are done.
If the cooked vegetable is too think, add some water and simmer for a few more minutes.
Serve  hot with rotis/ naan or rice

Improvisations on the basic recipe

Add chopped carrots as well if you have just one or two in the fridge
A few slices of capsicum add a beautiful colour
[just remember to cook capsicum for the least amount of time - ie, add chopped capsicum after the potatoes are three fourths cooked]
Throw in some baby spinach if you have some left over [same as capsicum, dont over cook this]
[actually you can also thrown in the left over salad itself]

In Papua New guinea where I live now - I use sweet potatoes[kumara] instead of potatoe
Makes it very healthy, low GI and high in fibre
If you have access to fresh coriander leaves, add fresh chopped coriander as garnish just before serving.

Shelf shelf on the kitchen wall, which is the greatest spice of them all..?

I am often asked what my most favourite spice is...

I am usually silent when this question is asked.
Or I duck the question and change the subject...
This is akin to asking a mother who her favourite child is..!

However; one day I decided to sit down and think and think and think some more until I had a definite answer to this question.

To arrive at a decision I made two major assumptions.

1. Chillies are fruit/ vegetable
2. Turmeric is more a herb than a spice and I add turmeric to all the food anyway [more for medicinal reasons]

So yes, to answer the question :

The two most favourite of all spices in my pantry are Cumin [Jeera] and Coriander.
But the top one is Cumin - for its carminative properties, special aroma and the flavour it imparts to the vegetable that is being cooked.

Yes I can cook many things which taste absolutely different by just using Cumin and Coriander seeds [in combination and separately].

Simple recipe using Cumin seeds

Finely shredded cabbage [can be English or Chinese cabbage] 2 cups
1 small finely chopped onion
1 or 2 chillies [optional]
2 tsp cooking oil
2 tsp cumin
a pinch or two of turmeric
salt to taste

heat oil in a pan, add cumin and wait for it to crackle
As soon as it crackles add chillies and onion and stir until onion turns transclucent.
add the finely shredded cabbage, salt and turmeric
give it a stir, cover and cook for 2 minutes
stir again cover and cook
and remove when the cabbage is wilted.

Tastes great with rice and or Rotis

This is only one of the many simple stir fries that get the taste and flavour of cumin.
Anyone who eats this - will love cabbage [some how cumin masks the sulphurous taste of cabbage]
What you have made now is a simple vegetable cooked Indian way
[non greasy,no cream, no sauce]

The same recipe works for a stir fry of grated carrots
Or finely shredded brussel sprouts - yes this is a fantastic way of cooking brussel sprouts and no one who has eaten burssel sprouts cooked this way can ever guess what it is.
[trust me I am one of those who are not particularly fond of boiled/steamed brussel sprouts but i can eat it if its cooked this way]
or a stir fry of french beans cut into small pieces
even potatoes can be cooked this way - aloo jeera is a fantastic dish
[potatoes to be cut into small cubes, with or without skin as per your taste preference]

So the recipe sheet should read
Finely shredded cabbage [can be English or Chinese cabbage] 2 cups
OR Finely shredded brussel sprouts - do not cover while cooking
OR finely Grated carrots - do not cover while cooking
OR small cubes of potaoes
OR French beans - cut in small pieces

1 small finely chopped onion
1 or 2 chillies [optional]
2 tsp cooking oil
2 tsp cumin
a pinch or two of turmeric
salt to taste
Procedure is the same as explained above

Do please tell me how the brussel sprouts tasted when cooked this way.  I look forward to your feedback :)

So there you go everyone - my most favourite spice is cumin aka Jeera  :)