A Taste of India: 45 Authentic Indian Recipes (Vegan)

Table of Contents
Click on any of the titles to take you to the appropriate piece
Features
Essential Equipment for Hands‐on Eating! 23
Indian Food: The Pressure By Chef Jason Wyrick

Cooker 10 Who needs forks and knives? Eat
By Jill Nussinow, MS, RD
the desi way and create a truly

authentic Indian meal!
Jill makes Indian cuisine easy with

her tips about using the versatile
kitchen tool, the pressure cooker. Columns
What’s Cooking? 3
Diwali: A Festival of Lights
13 Find out what’s up with the Vegan
By Chef Angela Elliott Culinary Experience this month.

Not only does Angela talk about Vegan Cuisine and the Law:
food and the famous Festival of The Sacred Cow of
Lights, she shares a delectable
Vegetarianism, Religion, and
recipe collection.
Animal Protection in India 25
The Indian Pantry 16 By Mindy Kursban, Esq.

By Chef Jason Wyrick

A look into the interplay of the
A primer to help describe and find legal and ethical issues
some of the less common surrounding these three ideas.
ingredients found in Indian
cuisine. Marketplace 7

Get connected and find out about
What’s a Curry? 19 vegan friendly businesses and
organizations.

Take the curry challenge. Learn
Recipe Index 49
about the different types of curry,

make each of them, and tell your
A listing of all the recipes found in
story!
this issue, compiled with links.

see the following page for

interviews and reviews…

A Taste of India 1|December 2010

Table of Contents 2
Click on any of the titles to take you to the appropriate piece
Interviews Reviews
Interview with Chef Fran Restaurant Review:
Costigan 28 Chaco Canyon 42
By Jason Wyrick
Fran Costigan is a master vegan
baker and pastry chef and one of A Seattle restaurant with a split
the primary instructors in vegan raw and cooked menu, focusing on
baking in the world. community and organic
ingredients.

Activist Dr. Alka Chandna,
Product Review: Dandies
PhD 33
Marshmallows 44
Alka is the driving force behind By Jason Wyrick

several of PETA’s most important
The Chicago Soydairy scores big
programs.
points with these delectable,

texture‐perfect vegan
Featured Artist marshmallows.

Dan Piraro, Creator of Book Review: American
Bizarro 39 Vegan Kitchen 45
By Madelyn Pryor
A comic and an artist, Dan has
been crafting one of the nation’s An inspiring cookbook featuring
American cuisine that just makes
leading comic strips since 1985.
you want to cook and eat.

Book Review: Party Vegan
46
By Madelyn Pryor

An inspirational book with full
menus for nearly any social
gathering.

Book Review: Vegan

Unplugged 47

By Madelyn Pryor

Literally, a vegan survival guide
loaded with pantry tips and easy‐
to‐make meals you can do sans
power.


The Vegan Culinary Experience

What’s Cooking?

A Taste of India December 2010
Indian cuisine is probably the most
Publisher Jason Wyrick

diverse cuisine in the entire world.
Editors Madelyn Pryor, That should come as no surprise,
Eleanor Sampson considering that the population of
Nutrition Analyst Eleanor Sampson

India is about seventeen percent of
Web Design William Snell & Jason Wyrick the entire population of the world and
Graphics Jason Wyrick the cuisine itself is one of the

foundations of cooking! Thus, this

Reviewers Madelyn Pryor & issue can only barely touch upon that delectable subject, but I
Jason Wyrick hope that the recipes we’ve chosen capture some of the
Contributing Authors Jason Wyrick quintessence of good Indian food. Chutneys, flat breads, curries,
Madelyn Pryor
Jill Nussinow
rice, all come together to provide tasty choices for nearly
Sharon Valencik everyone. So much to choose from, so much to try!
Mindy Kursban
Although Indian cuisine has a reputation for being intimidating, it’s
Photography Credits just like any other, with recipes for beginning cooks, recipes for
master chefs, and recipes for everyone in between. In this issue,
Cover Page Jason Wyrick you’ll find most of the recipes are fairly easy with a few more

“intense” ones thrown in. Of course, where possible, there are
Recipe Images Jason Wyrick
Madelyn Pryor shortcuts and cheats for those recipes to make them more
Milan Valencik of accessible so get in the kitchen, dig in, and join me on this culinary
Milan Photography journey to that most magical of lands, India.

Ajwain Seeds, Bay Leaf GNU Free Documentation

Cardamom Pods, Curry License Eat healthy, eat compassionately, and eat well!
Leaves, Peppercorns

Amchur Powder, Public Domain

Fenugreek Seeds,
Tamarind, Thali

Bitter Melon, Calf, Creative Commons
Unripe Mango

Alka Chandna Courtesy of Alka Chandna
Fran Costigan Courtesy of Fran Costigan
Dan Piraro (Orange Pic) Pat Johnson
Dan Piraro (Green Pic) Derek Goodwin
Bizarro Panels Courtesy of Dan Piraro

Dandies Marshmallows Chicago Soydairy Website
Chaco Canyon Chaco Canyon Website


Contributors

Jason Wyrick ‐ Chef Jason Wyrick is the Executive Chef of Devil Spice, Arizona's vegan catering
company, and the publisher of The Vegan Culinary Experience. Chef Wyrick has been regularly
featured on major television networks and in the press. He has done demos with several
doctors, including Dr. Neal Barnard of the PCRM, Dr. John McDougall, and Dr. Gabriel
Cousens. Chef Wyrick was also a guest instructor in the Le Cordon Bleu program. He has
catered for PETA, Farm Sanctuary, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Google. Visit Chef Jason Wyrick at
www.devilspice.com and www.veganculinaryexperience.com.
Madelyn Pryor ‐ Madelyn is a lover of dessert, which she celebrates on her blog,
http://badkittybakery.blogspot.com/. She has been making her own tasty desserts for over
16 years, and eating dessert for longer than she cares to admit. When she isn’t in the
kitchen creating new wonders of sugary goodness, she is chasing after her bad kitties, or
reviewing products for various websites and publications. She can be contacted at
thebadkittybakery@gmail.com or madelyn@veganculinaryexperience.com.
Sharon Valencik ‐ Sharon Valencik is the author of Sweet Utopia: Simply Stunning Vegan
Desserts. She is raising two vibrant young vegan sons and rescued animals, currently a rabbit
and a dog. She comes from a lineage of artistic chef matriarchs and has been baking since age
five. She is working on her next book, World Utopia: Delicious and Healthy International
Vegan Cuisine. Please visit www.sweetutopia.com for more information, to ask questions, or
to provide feedback.

Milan Valencik ‐ Milan Valencik is the food stylist and photographer of Sweet Utopia: Simply
Stunning Vegan Desserts. His company, Milan Photography, specializes in artistic event
photojournalism, weddings, and other types of photography. Milan is also a fine artist and
musician. Milan is originally from Czech Republic and now lives in NJ. For more information
about Milan, please visit www.milanphotography.com or www.sweetutopia.com.

Jill Nussinow, MS, RD, The Veggie Queen ‐ Jill is a Registered Dietitian and has a Masters
Degree in Dietetics and Nutrition from Florida International University. After graduating, she
migrated to California and began a private nutrition practice providing individual consultations
and workshops, specializing in nutrition for pregnancy, new mothers, and children. You can
find out more about The Veggie Queen at www.theveggiequeen.com.


Contributors

Angela Elliott ‐ Angela Elliott is the author of Alive in Five, Holiday Fare with Angela, The
Simple Gourmet, and more books on the way! Angela is the inventor of Five Minute Gourmet
Meals™, Raw Nut‐Free Cuisine™, Raw Vegan Dog Cuisine™, and The Celestialwich™, and the
owner and operator of She‐Zen Cuisine. www.she‐zencuisine.com

Angela has contributed to various publications, including Vegnews Magazine, Vegetarian
Baby and Child Magazine, and has taught gourmet classes, holistic classes, lectured, and on
occasion toured with Lou Corona, a nationally recognized proponent of living food.


About the VCE
The Vegan Culinary Experience is an educational vegan culinary
magazine designed by professional vegan chefs to help make
vegan cuisine more accessible. Published by Chef Jason Wyrick,
the magazine utilizes the electronic format of the web to go
beyond the traditional content of a print magazine to offer
classes, podcasts, an interactive learning community, and links to
articles, recipes, and sites embedded throughout the magazine to
make retrieving information more convenient for the reader.

The VCE is also designed to bring vegan chefs, instructors,
medical professionals, authors, and businesses together with the
growing number of people interested in vegan cuisine.

Eat healthy, eat compassionately, and eat well.
Become a Subscriber
Subscribing to the VCE is FREE! Subscribers have access to our Learning Community, back issues, recipe
database, and extra educational materials.

Visit http://veganculinaryexperience.com/VCESubscribe.htm to subscribe.

*PRIVACY POLICY ‐ Contact information is never, ever given or sold to another individual or company

Not Just a Magazine

Meal Service
The Vegan Culinary Experience also provides weekly meals that coincide with the recipes from the magazine.
Shipping is available across the United States. Raw, gluten‐free, and low‐fat diabetic friendly options are
available. Visit http://veganculinaryexperience.com/VCEMealService.htm for more information.

Culinary Instruction
Chef Jason Wyrick and many of the contributors to the magazine are available for private culinary instruction,
seminars, interviews, and other educational based activities. For information and pricing, contact us at
http://veganculinaryexperience.com/VCEContact.htm.

An Educational and Inspirational Journey of Taste, Health, and Compassion

Marketplace
Welcome to the Marketplace, our new spot for
finding vegetarian friendly companies, chefs, authors,
bloggers, cookbooks, products, and more! One of the
goals of The Vegan Culinary Experience is to connect
our readers with organizations that provide relevant
products and services for vegans, so we hope you
enjoy this new feature!

Click on the Ads – Each ad is linked to the appropriate
organization’s website. All you need to do is click on
the ad to take you there.

Become a Marketplace Member – Become connected
by joining the Vegan Culinary Experience
Marketplace. Membership is available to those who
financially support the magazine, to those who
promote the magazine, and to those who contribute
to the magazine. Contact Chef Jason Wyrick at
chefjason@veganculinaryexperience.com for details!

Current Members

Rational Animal
(www.rational‐animal.org)
Farm Sanctuary
(www.farmsanctuary.com)
GoDairyFree.org and My Sweet Vegan
(www.godairyfree.org)
Sweet Utopia
(www.sweetutopia.com)
Milan Photography
(www.milanphotography.com)
Jill Nussinow, MS, RD
(www.theveggiequeen.com)


Marketplace


Marketplace


Essential Equipment for Indian Food:
The Pressure Cooker
By Jill Nussinow, MS, RD, The Veggie Queen™
Unlike the United States, where the word pressure My recipe varies from tradition in a number of
cooker conjures up fear, people in India cherish ways, but still shows the versatility of the pressure
their pressure cookers. Truth is that they likely cooker in making a wonderful one pot meal.
wouldn’t be able to get so many fantastic meals
Now back to the pressure cooker.
containing a myriad of dishes on the table daily
without one. In many parts of India, fuel is scarce. If you’ve never used a pressure cooker, then you
Moreover, when you live on a diet based on pulses might be afraid of them. Fear not, as the modern
(legumes to you and me) that require long cooking pressure cooker does not have a jiggler, is not noisy
times, you need to be able to cook quickly and and is perfectly safe, even for dishes such as dal,
efficiently. This is what the pressure cooker does which Iyer told me is eaten daily, sometimes up to
best. 3 times each day.
Although the most popular Indian dish in the US is The pressure cooker is nothing more than a pot
Chicken Tikka Masala, since we’re vegans we won’t with a lid that locks on. You boil liquid in the sealed
be exploring that. In India, though, even if that dish pot and it causes a valve to pop up (on the newest
is eaten, it’s not daily fare. What is eaten daily is pressure cookers). The pot is then sealed and
dal, a soup‐like mixture of split peas or lentils, and under pressure. Due to the multiple safety
often rice or kitcheree, which is a combination of features, you cannot open the pot at this time. You
rice and lentils cooked together. bring the pot to high pressure over high heat and
once pressure is achieved you lower the heat to
In an interview with cookbook author Raghavan
maintain high pressure. The food cooks at around
Iyer, author of 660 Curries and 2 other cookbooks
250 degrees instead of boiling at 212 degrees.
and a lifelong vegetarian, told me that the British
call the dish kedigree and in India it is called kichidi, Cooking in the pressure cooker is like “super
and it’s considered comfort food. It sounds steaming”. Every recipe must have liquid in it in
comforting to me. order to get to pressure. So, the cooker is perfect
for soup (such as dal), stew and chili but also works
Iyer went on to tell me that traditionally white rice
incredibly well for cooking vegetable braises, whole
is used in India because it stores better than whole
grains and beans, alone or in combination. Split
grain rice. Here in the U.S., I think that using
lentils, like those used for dal, take about 5 minutes
brown, pink, or red rice (you can find these at Lotus
at pressure, while French green or regular brown
Foods) with the lentils is a much better idea. Iyer
lentils take 6 to 8 minutes. Cooking soaked
calls the dish a rice‐lentil porridge that has rice and
“standard” beans such as kidney, black or pinto
dal in equal proportions and water is twice the
requires 4 to 6 minutes at pressure with a natural
amount.

Spiced Red Rice and French Green Lentils
Serves 4

This is not kitcheree but my version of spiced up comfort food with whole grains. This recipe comes from my DVD,
Pressure Cooking: A Fresh Look, Delicious Dishes in Minutes.

The aromas of the spices toasting will make this dish a pleasure to cook and eat. The recipe is highly adaptable—you
can add other vegetables to it while it is cooking or at the end. It’s good wrapped in a whole grain tortilla and makes
a great hearty breakfast that will really wake up your senses.
1 cup Thai, or other, ruby red rice
½ cup French green lentils
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (optional)
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
2 ¼ cups water
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup golden or regular raisins, or currants
3 tablespoons toasted or sliced slivered almonds
Cherry tomatoes, sliced in half, for garnish, if available

 Soak rice and lentils together (at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour) while you toast the spices.

 In a small skillet, toast the coriander and cumin seeds, with the black pepper until the mixture smells toasty
– a few minutes over medium high heat. Grind in a spice grinder and set aside.

 Drain the rice and lentils.

 Heat the oil, if using, in the cooker over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and toast for about 30
seconds. Add the ground spices, garlic and ginger. Stir. Add the drained rice and lentils and the water. Lock
the lid on the pressure cooker. Bring to high pressure over high heat. Maintain the high pressure for 9
minutes. Remove from the heat and let the pressure come down naturally.

 Remove the lid from the pressure cooker, tilting it away from you. Remove the rice mixture to a platter or
bowl. Stir in the salt, raisins and almonds. Garnish with cherry tomatoes or another brightly colored
vegetable.

©2010, Jill Nussinow, MS, RD, The Veggie Queen™ http://www.theveggiequeen.com
pressure release. This means that you wait until the usually accomplished by toggling a switch, pushing
button goes down and you can open your cooker. a button or running the pot under cool water. (The
This is the treatment that you use with most beans latter method is one that I vehemently avoid
while vegetables require a quick‐release, which is

whenever possible as I don’t care for hefting a
heavy and very hot pot to the sink.)
The Author
Jill Nussinow is a Registered
Dietitian, cookbook author of The
Veggie Queen™: Vegetables Get
the Royal Treatment and stars in
the DVD Pressure Cooking: A
Fresh Look, Delicious Dishes in
Minutes. She’s available to do
cooking classes and workshops
throughout the US. She hopes to take a number of
groups traveling next year. You can find Jill at
www.theveggiequeen.com.


Diwali – a Festival of Lights
By Angela Elliott
One of my favorite traditional holidays of India is
the Diwali Festival of Lights, a beautiful Hindu
tradition that unites all of India, The Hindu New
Year!

The Diwali Festival of Lights is a five day celebration
featuring the traditions of India and it is celebrated
all over the world. Diwali starts for many in the
early morning when the stars are still out and
continues into the evening.

Families gather together, lighting small clay lamps,
also known as diyas filled with oil to signify the your best choice. Turmeric is currently being
triumph of good over evil. During Diwali, all the investigated for benefits in Alzheimer's disease,
celebrants wear new clothes and share sweets and cancer, arthritis, and other clinical disorders. You
snacks with family members and friends. Evening can't beat that!
skies are filled with firework displays and cheer!
We can all celebrate Indian culture regardless of
What I love most about India is not the food, it's our beliefs and Diwali is all about coming together
their culture. Ever since I was a kid, I've been eating as families, blissful celebrations, fireworks, good
various Indian dishes, but was never all that fond of eats, and peace, something we all need more of in
Indian faire. I do however, love turmeric and I use today's hectic world. Imagine a beautiful world
it daily. Turmeric grows wild in the forests of where everyone respects another's values, beliefs,
Southeast Asia. Turmeric is mostly used in savory and way of life. You can start today by lighting a
dishes and is the key ingredient in curry powder. candle, serving up a sweet or savory dish for a
loved one, and being thankful for all you are and all
Turmeric is not just a spice, it is a powerful you have in your life.
medicine and deserves its place in the household
herbal kit. Turmeric is great used externally as an Traditional sweet Diwali dishes include:
antiseptic for cuts, burns, and bruises. Used  Badam Phirni
internally, turmeric is perfect for gastrointestinal  Gulab Jamun
upsets, irritable bowel syndrome, and other  Peda
stomach issues. It's a great anti‐inflammatory, so if  Besan Ke Ladoo
you have sore joints or sore muscles turmeric is
 Jalebi

 Rasmalai 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the
 Channar Payesh lemongrass and add the julienne veggies and wild
 Karanji rice. Gently re‐warm the soup, if desired and serve.
 Rawa Ladoo
 Doodh Pak Curry Dip
 Kesar Kaju Barfi ½ cup coconut yogurt
 Shakkarpare ½ cup cashew mayonnaise
1 teaspoon curry powder
 Gajar ka Halwa
½ teaspoon turmeric
 Kheer
¼ teaspoon ginger
 Ghathia
¼ teaspoon chili powder
 Lapsi
¼ teaspoon paprika

Cayenne pepper to taste
Savory dishes include:
Himalayan salt to taste
 Cauliflower Kabobs

 Vegetable Balls
Directions: Mix together the cashew mayonnaise,
 Onion Mushroom Gravy
coconut yogurt and the spices. Refrigerate for at
 Chickpeas and Potato Curry least one hour. Serve with raw, crisp vegetables.
 Cabbage and Carrot Bhujia
Angelina's Coconut Yogurt
Many of the recipes are difficult to convert to raw, 1Thai young coconut and water
so I've decided to share with you a few of my ½ teaspoon probiotic powder
favorite creations that I hope you will enjoy.
Directions: Blend 1 cup of coconut meat‐from a
Dreamy Coconut Curry young coconut‐with one cup of the young
4 Thai young coconuts, water and meat coconut's water, then add ½ teaspoon of probiotic
1 fresh lemon grass stick powder. Blend the mixture until smooth. Pour into
2 cloves of garlic a sealable container and allow mixture to stand
2 tablespoons Thai basil covered with a paper towel for three hours. This
Juice of ½ lemon process allows the mixture to culture.
½ cup cilantro
3 green onions **Young coconuts contain high amounts of
Himalayan salt to taste electrolytes and nature's purest water, while the
2 tbs. yellow curry powder meat contains essential fatty acids that fight
1 hot pepper candida and enhance our overall health.
1 ½ cup julienne carrots and cabbage
½ cup soaked and drained wild rice Cashew Mayonnaise
1 cup raw cashews
Directions: Blend everything except the julienne ½ cup water
vegetables and the lemon grass stick in the 3 cloves garlic
blender. Transfer the soup to a double boiler and 2 tablespoon lemon juice
gently WARM the soup with the lemon grass stick. 2 tablespoons agave nectar
Leave the soup and lemon grass stick covered for Himalayan salt, black pepper, and cayenne to taste

½ cup cold pressed olive oil The Author

Directions: Blend all the ingredients until smooth. Angela Elliott is the author of Alive
in Five, Holiday Fare with
Angela, The Simple Gourmet, and
Creamy Chai
more books on the way! Angela is
1 recipe almond milk
the inventor of Five Minute
2 tablespoons Chai spice
Gourmet Meals™, Raw Nut‐Free
2 tablespoons agave nectar
Cuisine™, Raw Vegan Dog

Cuisine™, and The Celestialwich™, and the owner
Directions: Place the above ingredients in the
and operator of She‐Zen Cuisine. www.she‐
blender and blend until smooth. You can make a
zencuisine.com. Angela has contributed to various
hot version of this by using a Chai tea bag and
publications, including Vegnews
letting it steep, pour the steeped tea into the
Magazine, Vegetarian Baby and Child Magazine,
blender and add almond milk and agave and blend
and has taught gourmet classes, holistic classes,
until smooth and creamy.
lectured, and on occasion toured with Lou Corona,

a nationally recognized proponent of living food.
Almond Milk

4 cups water
1 ½ cups raw almonds
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla flavor by Frontier
pinch of Himalayan salt

Directions: Soak the almonds for 12 hours, rinse
and drain. Place almonds in the blender along with
water and blend. Pour almond milk mixture into a
colander placed over a bowl and separate the pulp
from the liquid. Rinse out your blender and add
"milk" back to the blender, add vanilla and salt and
blend again until smooth.

Chai Spices
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon Himalayan salt

Directions: Mix spices together well and store in a
sealed bag.


The Indian Pantry
The ingredients of the Indian kitchen are not
always familiar to those outside of South Asia, and Bitter Melon – South Asia
while they are generally available for purchase just is known for its love of
about anywhere in the world, walking into a store bitters, and India is no
stocked with a multitude of Indian goodies exception. Bitter melon
unarmed can be daunting. Read on to learn about can be hard to swallow for
some of the ingredients with which you may not be the uninitiated palette and
familiar! hard to swallow even for
the initiated one if it is
Asafoetida (aka Hing) ‐ Asafoetida is a foul prepared poorly. It has a
smelling resin, usually sold in powdered form, from very bumpy, green skin with lots of ridges. To
three different root plants. Its smell is so bad, it is prepare it, it should be completely peeled and then
known by less‐than‐pleasant names throughout salted and allowed to sit for at least an hour. Rinse
Europe and the Middle East, such as mairde du the salt and then fry it or simmer it, heavily spiced.
diable (French), seytatersi (Turkish), and devil’s
dung (English). Not a strong selling point for this Black Salt (aka
spice, to say the least. However, when it is heated kala namak) ‐
in oil, it becomes mellow in flavor and the flavor Black salt is
and odor change to resemble that of leeks. In actually not black,
some communities, such as the Jain community, but a light purples
where onions and garlic are prohibited, asafoetida shade, and
is used instead. contains a
significant amount of sulfur, giving it an egg‐like
Ajwain Seeds ‐ Ajwain has a flavor profile of black taste and odor. While it is available at a hefty price
peppercorns and dried thyme. It is at some specialty stores, it should be very
often used to lentil dishes and is inexpensive at Indian and Asian markets.
either toasted or heated in oil.
Cardamom Pods ‐
Bay Leaves – Bay leaves are common, but these There are three types
are included on this list because the bay leaves of cardamom pods,
used in Indian cuisine green (elaichi), white,
come from the cassia and black (kala elaichi).
tree. Bay leaves are The white ones are
typically fried in a dish or actually just sun‐scalded green pods and the flavor
toasted or roasted and is identical. Green pods have a sweet, aromatic
ground into a powder. flavor while the black ones have a strong aromatic

flavor with notes of smoke and bitter. Green ones much as possible. You can either cut the stem or
are often used in desserts and are typically fried or leave it on with this method. Leaving it on will help
infused into a sauce. Black ones are not used in the eggplant stay together at the expense of having
desserts, but are used as part of spice mixes and a hard stem to cut around once the eggplant is
sometimes used to make chai. If the cardamom is ready to eat.
being used as part of a spice powder, the seeds will
be removed from the pod and ground. Otherwise, Fenugreek Seeds –
the pod usually remains intact in the final dish, but Fenugreek seeds are
should not be eaten. small, very hard,
caramel‐colored seeds.
Cayenne Chiles (aka Chile de Arbol) – Fresh Fenugreek has a deep,
cayenne chiles are used quite a bit in Indian bitter taste and aroma
cuisine. They are fairly long, green chiles about 4‐6 and are used to
inches long, and thin. Dried, red versions are also balance many curries. It is also sold in powdered
used. The dried chiles are also known as chiles de form, but the flavors are hard to develop with the
arbol and can be purchased at most markets. powders. The seeds should either be fried or
Fresh ones are generally available only at Indian toasted, and then simmered in a sauce. Once
and Mexican markets. simmered, they become soft and disappear into
the dish.
Curry Leaves – These
actually come from a Jaggery ‐ Jaggery is
citrus tree and are a piece of unrefined
used in very similar sugar, made from
manner to bay leaves. either can sugar, or
They should be fried or simmered and are, of date‐palm sugar,
course, not meant to be eaten. They have a very with date‐palm
subtle flavor that greatly intensifies when the sugar being the
leaves are fried. The dried versions are very more traditional version. Jaggery still has the
substandard, but fortunately, the fresh versions are molasses intact with the sugar, giving it its rich
usually available in most Asian and Indian markets. taste and dark color. Jaggery and the Mexican
piloncilo are interchangeable. Jaggery is not only
Eggplant, Indian – used to sweeten dishes, small amounts are
Indian eggplant, sometimes added to spicy dishes to mellow out the
sometimes called dish’s heat.
baby eggplant, is
small and bulbous. Mango Powder (aka
It tends to be a bit amchur) – Mango powder is
sweeter and less a light brown powder made
bitter than the long, thick eggplant most of us are from dried mangoes. It has
used to seeing. It can be cubed or splayed out and a very tart taste with a hint
fried. To splay it, cut an X through the eggplant of sweetness and is used in
almost all the way through, then gently flatten it as

many northern Indian dishes to add a sour balance produced, is the highest quality peppercorn
to them. Look for amchur in Indian markets. available and can be found in most spice stores and
Indian markets. It is more expensive than more
Mango, Unripe (aka generic black peppercorns, but the flavor is worth
khatte aam) – it. Black peppercorns are made by fermenting
Delectably sweet, juicy green peppercorns, and then drying them.
mangoes aren’t the only
way the fruit is used in The Author
Indian cuisine. Sour
green unripe mangoes are prized for their tartness. Chef Jason Wyrick
They make a wonderful sour snack when dried and is the publisher of
are often pickled with hot peppers. The Vegan
Culinary
Mustard Oil – Mustard oil adds a bitter, spicy, Experience, an
nasal‐clearing quality to a dish. It is common in award winning
northern and eastern Indian dishes and is used as vegan chef, and
part of a pickling agent. Be aware that when this the owner of Arizona's only vegan catering
oil is heated, it will release its spicy, nasal‐clearing company, Devil Spice. Serving the state since 2004
qualities into the kitchen, so be prepared! as both a caterer and a prolific vegan culinary
instructor, Chef Jason has garnered local and
Tamarind – Tamarind national attention. He has been featured in the NY
looks like a big, brown Times, was chosen as vegcooking.com's October,
dried bean pod by the 2005 Chef of the Month, and has been featured in
time it makes its way the Arizona Republic and on ABC's local morning
to market. This is show, Sonoran Living Live. Formerly a diabetic, Chef
sometimes used to Jason approaches vegan cuisine from both a health
make tamarind tea, but more commonly, tamarind and ethical standpoint with an eye for taste and
is sold as a condensed block or as a paste. It is simplicity.
used to lend a strong sour, slightly sweet note to
sauces. The paste form is more expensive, but can
be stirred directly into liquid. The block form must
be hydrated in warm water and will eventually
dissolve in the water. You should used about 1 ½
to 2 tablespoons of the block per half cup of water.

Tellicherry Peppercorns –
Black peppercorns are used
extensively throughout Indian
cuisine, even making their way
into desserts and drinks. The
Tellicherry peppercorn, named
after the region in which it is

What’s a Curry?
Curry. For many, the word evokes plentiful spices, is no official definition of curry in India. According
heat, and succulent flavors, all in a creamy sauce. to Raghavan Iyer, author of 660 Curries, there is no
For some, it even evokes fear! That’s a shame. word for curry in any of India’s 1600 dialects. The
Curries are one of the most wonderful food groups closest word is “kari,” from which the word curry is
(ok, it’s not really a food group, but it should be) most likely descended. Howerver, kari refers to a
eaten throughout the world. Curries may have gravy‐laden dish, usually with charred veggies or
originated in India, but they’re popular dishes in meat, and does not necessarily match what most
Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, Jamaica, East Africa, people have come to identify as curry. Fortunately,
and, of course, the UK. In fact, curries are so soul‐ help is on the way! Below is a list of different styles
satisfying good, one could easily have curry for of curry, each with a link to a recipe in this issue,
breakfast, curry for lunch, and curry for dinner…or matching the style with a curry. Once you’ve read
maybe that’s just me. However easy curries are to through this piece, take this curry challenge that I
prepare, and especially eat, defining them can be a issue to you. Make each of the recipes associated
bit more problematic. with this article. Not only will it be an incredibly
educational and fun endeavor, when you’re done
Curries can be “dry” or very saucy, cream‐based, you’ll have taken a culinary journey all throughout
tomato‐based, coconut‐based, and even pureed India. And, when you’re done with your curry
greens‐based. They can be hot or mild, though travels, write me at
they are never bland. They can be main dishes chefjason@veganculinaryexperience.com and tell
served over rice or with bread or small dishes me about it! I’d love to hear your stories.
stuffed inside potatoes. From all these
permutations, a few themes, however, remain Dry Curries – Dry curries start out with spices being
consistent. Curries are made with several spices rubbed onto the main ingredient. That ingredient
(sometimes a horde!), the flavors meld well, and can marinate in the spices or can be cooked
the flavors are bold and aromatic. Cumin, immediately, but whatever the case, the ingredient
coriander, and turmeric are usually included, is fried or sautéed with the spices still on it. The
though not always and a proper curry treats the ingredients then sweat and the sauce is built up
spices with love, developing their essential oils for from the mixture of
maximum effect. And while some curries may be moisture and
“dry,” they still end up with at least a light sauce, spices. Other items
so curries can be considered saucy. So far, we’ve can be added to
got bold, aromatic, well‐developed spices, melded the sauce
flavors, in a sauce. Still not much of a definition, subsequently, like
but there it is. In fact, this definition broadens the cooked down
range of dishes that most people identify as tomatoes, but the
“dry” jalfrezi curry
curries. I should note, before going on, that there sauce should

remain thick and heavily spiced. Dry curries are yogurt can be
often hot. One of my favorite examples of this is used in place of
the jalfrezi curry, found on page 80. dairy yogurt.
Try the pasanda
Tomato‐based Curries – Most tomato based recipe on page
curries are comprised of the pyaaz tamatar 87.
masalla, a sauce started with ginger, garlic, and

onion, and finished with cooked down tomatoes. pasanda

The most popular tomato curries come from
Coconut‐based Curries – This is a permutation of
northern India. Tomatoes are late‐comers to
the creamy curries, but instead of being made with
Indian cuisine, not being truly incorporated into it
cream, the curry is made with coconut milk. These
until the mid‐1800s and the north had the climate
are more commonly found in southern India,
most suited to growing them. Because of the
where soupy curries are prevalent. Not
proliferation of tomatoes in this region, most
surprisingly, hot foods are also common in this
tomato based curried tend to be fairly thick (since
region and the creaminess and sweetness of the
there are plenty of tomatoes to cook down) with
coconut milk help balance out these curries. They
strong, heavy spices to cut through the thickness of
are generally started by frying or toasting spices,
the sauce. These spices generally include whole
then building up the curry sauce with the coconut
cumin, with
milk, and then simmering the main ingredients in
coriander and
the sauce. Dried, hot chiles and turmeric feature
mustard seeds
prominently in these
also playing
styles of curry, as
prolific roles.
well as aromatic
Try the channa
spices like
masalla recipe
cardamom,
found on page channa masala cinnamon, mustard
74.
seeds, and curry

leaves. Try the korma
Creamy Curries – These curries best exemplify the
korma recipe from
Mughal period of India, which brought rich foods
page 83.
laden with creamy dishes. The heart of this cuisine

lies around the Delhi/Punjab area and strongly
Brothy Curries – These are watery curries, usually
shows its Middle Eastern roots. The curries tend to
served as soups in which breads and steamed cakes
be on the spicy side with whole spices left in the
can be dipped. They tend to be built up with fried
sauce. The fat and cooling properties of the cream
or toasted spices,
are used not only as a canvas for the spices, but
which are then
also to counteract the heat of the dishes. These
ground. Water is
can also be made with yogurt or with a mix of
then added and the
cream and yogurt. To create the creamy effect in a
other ingredients
vegan dish, use either coconut milk or puree
simmer in the broth.
soaked cashews with enough water to create a
sauce with the consistency of heavy cream. Soy Other ingredients rasam

can be added to the broth, like tomatoes, to create The greens can be left as is, as long as they are
a light broth, but it always remains watery. These completely wilted, or a very smooth green sauce
curries tend to be spicy. Check out the recipe for can be created by pureeing the cooked down
rasam on page 56. In fact, you can use the spices in greens. These
the rasam recipe to create plenty of variations on a curries are
brothy curry by varying the other ingredients generally eaten
added to the spiced broth. with flatbread.
A perfect
Nut Puree Curries – These curries are often made example of this
in two parts. First, a spiced nut puree is created is the saag
and set aside. Liquid is usually added to the nuts
paneer recipe saag paneer
and spices (cumin, pepper, ginger, garlic, and onion
from page 90.
are frequently used) while they are pureeing so

that they turn into a very thick sauce. The liquid
Fusion Curries – These are curries that strongly
also helps makes the puree smooth. Without the
exhibit cooking styles and ingredients from other
liquid, you might end up creating coarse nut butter
cultures that are not typically found in Indian
with lots of chunks! After the spiced nut puree is
cuisine. These can show a strong Chinese
created, the sauce is built up by toasting or frying
influence, French, and even Portuguese. They look
more spices and then adding the nut puree to the
and act like other curries, but a major change in an
pan. The main ingredient might be cooked
ingredient or two changes this into a fusion curry.
beforehand or it might do all of its cooking by
For example, the
simmering in the nut puree. These curries tend to
vindaloo curry from
be thick, slightly
page 99 is made
sweet, and heavy
with red wine
on the spices,
instead of a more
since the nuts cut
traditional Indian
the flavor of the
sauce.
spices. An
excellent vindaloo curry
The Author
example of this is
begara baingan
begara baingan,
Chef Jason Wyrick is
found on page 70.
the publisher of The

Vegan Culinary
Green Puree Curries – These aren’t usually thought
Experience, an
of as curries, but they definitely qualify. Like all
award winning
curries, these are loaded with spices, but the
vegan chef, and the
“sauce” is made from cooked down or pureed
owner of Arizona's
greens, like spinach or mustard leaves. These
only vegan catering company, Devil Spice. Serving
curries are generally started by frying or toasting
the state since 2004 as both a caterer and a prolific
spices, then creating a thick sauce or paste with
vegan culinary instructor, Chef Jason has garnered
those spices, often from onions, garlic, ginger, and
local and national attention. He has been featured
chiles, and then cooking the greens with the sauce.
in the NY Times, was chosen as vegcooking.com's

October, 2005 Chef of the Month, and has been
featured in the Arizona Republic and on ABC's local
morning show, Sonoran Living Live. Formerly a
diabetic, Chef Jason approaches vegan cuisine from
both a health and ethical standpoint with an eye
for taste and simplicity.


Hands-on Eating!
No authentic meal is complete without a fun foray with the right hand and simply eaten. Of course,
into a culture’s culinary traditions, and that doesn’t such a method of eating must be accompanied by
just mean the food. It’s also how the food is eaten, many smiles and many happy, satisfied “mmmms.”
and how it is shared. In fact, sometimes the food And napkins. Many napkins. Small bowls with
and method of eating are inseparable! Of course, water should also be provided for easy washing
forks and knives are perfectly acceptable, for the between bites.
less adventurous (and to be honest, this is a
common method of eating in India now), but If the meal is plated instead of served on a thali,
you’re not one of those people afraid to try new rice is placed in the center of the dish, surrounded
things, are you? Of course not. by curries, and eaten much the same way, with
each curry eaten in a separate bite and never
Indian meals are, like mixed together until the end.
many other parts of
the world, social Finally, the meal should be accompanied by either
events. Food is meant cold water or a sweet drink to help mitigate any
to be shared with spiciness in the meal.
friends and family and
hospitality is thali Now that you’ve got the base for serving a desi‐
paramount. Meals are style meal, you must include one more ingredient
served on large metal trays called thal with a to complete your authentic adventure, and that’s
number of small bowls, called katori, placed on the fun!
thali. Rice and/or flatbreads are placed directly on
the thal, along with any overly large ingredients, The Author
and the katori hold curries, chutneys, and sauces.
Flatbreads are torn with the right hand (and the Chef Jason Wyrick is
right hand only as the left is considered unclean), the publisher of The
or rice is scooped with the right hand and then Vegan Culinary
used as a dip/utensil to grab sauce and curry and Experience, an
eat! It’s messy, but it’s quite fun. This style of award winning
meal is called a thali and the style of eating, desi. vegan chef, and the
Pardesi (the foreign style) is the name for eating owner of Arizona's
with forks and knives. only vegan catering
company, Devil Spice. Serving the state since 2004
Once the diners are satisfied, the leftover curries as both a caterer and a prolific vegan culinary
are mixed with the rice. And then it’s time to get instructor, Chef Jason has garnered local and
extra messy! The curry and rice are scooped up national attention. He has been featured in the NY

Times, was chosen as vegcooking.com's October,
2005 Chef of the Month, and has been featured in
the Arizona Republic and on ABC's local morning
show, Sonoran Living Live. Formerly a diabetic, Chef
Jason approaches vegan cuisine from both a health
and ethical standpoint with an eye for taste and
simplicity.


Vegan Cuisine and the Law
The Sacred Cow: Vegetarianism, Religion, and Animal Protection in
India
By Mindy Kursban, Esq.
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress Stuart’s book, The Bloodless Revolution, A Cultural
can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” History of Vegetarianism
from 1600 to Modern
‐ Mahatma Gandhi Times, the philosophy
behind ahimsa starkly
“Cuisine” means the cooking traditions and contrasts with the views
practices of a specific culture, and this issue of the of the Abrahamic religions
Vegan Culinary Experience features a cuisine – Judaism, Christianity,
rooted in compassion. When I think about Indian and Islam. These religions
food, spices come to mind, especially the point to a biblical Genesis
constituent spices of curry like tumeric, cumin, and in which God gave man total dominion over
cardamom. The delectable flavors of dahl or the animals, which has been applied in practice to
flaky crust of a samosa also tease my senses. But mean that animals are made for humans and
the most distinctive aspect of Indian cusine is the animals’ value is dependent on their usefulness.
widespread practice of vegetarianism. India has
more vegetarians than any other country in the The Vedic texts which are the basis for Hinduism
world – as many as 450 million, making up about bear other reasons for vegetarianism. Devotees of
40% of its population. the faith must offer their food to a deity and then
eat it as “prasad,” a gift that has the deity’s
Indian culture incorporates a diverse array of blessing residing within it. Only “pure,” that is,
religious traditions. Islam claims about 12% of the vegetarian, food is acceptable as prasad. Many also
population, Christianity, 2.5%, and Sikhism, 2%. hold that eating the flesh of animals brings bad
These religions do not have any favoritism toward karma to those who eat them. In this cause‐and‐
vegetarianism. Jainism mandates vegetarianism, as effect tradition, those who eat other beings slow
do some sects of Buddhism, with each of these their own spiritual development and may in turn
religions claiming less than 1% of the population. face a cruel fate in another life.
Even though the 5 million Jains in India make up a
small percentage of the population, their Though cows hold a special place in Hindu
vegetarian practice has been very influential. theology, it is a common misconception
Hinduism, on the other hand, constitutes 80% of throughout the Western world that the “sacred
the Indian population, and most major paths of cow” is seen as a god or deity within the Hindu
Hinduism hold vegetarianism as an ideal. religion. Rather, the cow is traditionally identified
as a caretaker and a maternal figure and is honored
The principle of nonviolence – or ahimsa – is the as a symbol of unselfish giving. Hindus of all paths
most common basis for India’s vegetarian tradition. are forbidden to eat beef.
Ahimsa teaches that each life has its own
independent value – including the lives of non‐ While there is strong religious support for
human animals. As lucidly detailed in Tristam vegetarianism – which in India includes not eating

eggs – none of these religions eschew the – unless the animal has been inflicted with
consumption of dairy. Cow’s milk and milk “unnecessary pain or suffering” in the process.
products are frequent ingredients in the traditional What would clearly be “unnecessary pain and
foods of India. In fact, India is the world’s largest suffering” to most of us is not typically recognized
producer of cow’s milk. in the law as “unnecessary” when applied to
animals used for food.

Indian law also provides protective limits on animal
transport and imposes slaughter standards that
attempt to meaningfully address animal welfare
concerns. For example, under Indian law,
slaughtering a pregnant animal is prohibited.
Animals cannot be slaughtered in sight of other
animals and should be stunned and rendered
unconscious prior to slaughter. Every animal must
be certified healthy and free from disease by a
veterinarian before being slaughtered for meat and
slaughterhouses may not slaughter more than
2,500 animals a day. The United States has no
restrictions on the number of animals a
These predominant religious philosophies of slaughterhouse can kill daily, and, depending on
compassion for animals are reflected in Indian law. the animal, the typical American slaughterhouse
The Constitution of India states that compassion kills thousands more animals per day – as high as
for all living creatures is a fundamental duty of 100,000.
every citizen. India’s Central Government – the
national governing body similar to the U.S. Of particular significance is the importance Indian
Congress – passed the Prevention of Cruelty to law places on protecting cows. The Indian
Animals Act (PCA Act) in 1960. The PCA Act Constitution contains a directive that federal and
established an Animal Welfare Board to promote state governments are responsible for passing laws
animal welfare and protect animals from being to enforce a ban on cow slaughter. While this
subjected to unnecessary pain or suffering. It is the prohibition is absent from the national PCA Act,
Animal Welfare Board’s role to protect animals state governments have taken on this
used for food from “unnecessary” physical and responsibility, and most states have either banned,
mental pain or suffering prior to slaughter and to or placed restrictions on, the slaughter of cows.
ensure that animals are killed “in as humane a
manner as possible.” Despite the law’s good intentions to provide for
the welfare of animals, the Visakha Society for
The PCA Act prohibits many acts of cruelty, Protection and Care of Animals, an animal
including beating, kicking, overloading, and sanctuary in India, has noted that none of these
subjecting an animal to unnecessary pain or animal protection laws are followed. The Society
suffering. The Act also prohibits administering recognizes that “India has the scope of law to
injurious drugs, transporting animals in a manner protect animals but not the resources to save
that causes unnecessary pain or suffering, them.”
confining them in cages that restrict reasonable
movement, and tethering or chaining animals for One might expect the tradition of kindness and
an unreasonable period of time. But dehorning, compassion to have become more prevalent over
castrating, branding, and nose‐roping animals are time, but instead the opposite has happened. The
permitted. Unfortunately, the PCA Act also restricts institutional exploitation of animals has only
applying these protections to animals used for food increased. At least 60% of Indians do not follow a

vegetarian diet. Even many Hindus who choose to stem the exploitation, the most powerful act each
abstain from beef, will still eat the meat of lambs, of us can do is to eliminate animal products from
chickens, fish, and other animals. Egg consumption our diet. This month’s issue of the Vegan Culinary
has also increased. Sadly, much of this change is Experience makes that even easier. Challenge
due to foreign influence. yourself to expand your culinary choices, step
outside your cooking comfort zone, and experience
For example, McDonalds India, which opened its the joys of vegan Indian cuisine.
first store in 1996, serves nearly half a million
customers every day, and that number continues If you have comments on this article or ideas for
to increase (though neither beef nor pork is on the topics for the Vegan Cuisine and the Law column,
menu, and there are vegetarian options, unlike in a please contact me at mkursban@aol.com.
U.S. McDonalds). India has also adopted animal
agricultural practices similar to those in the United The Author
States. Factory farms – what are called tabelas in
India – are commonplace. Humane Society Mindy Kursban is a
International notes that the vast majority of practicing attorney who is
commercial egg and meat products in India come passionate about animals,
from intensive confinement facilities. Though there food, and health. She
is supposed to be “reverence” for cows, most cows gained her experience and
used for their milk are confined to tiny spaces and knowledge about vegan
treated as nothing but milk‐producing machines. cuisine and the law while
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals in India working for ten years as general counsel and then
has documented the widespread practice of executive director of the Physicians Committee for
injecting dairy cows with the hormone Oxytocin so Responsible Medicine. Since leaving PCRM in 2007,
they will produce unnaturally large quantities of Mindy has been writing and speaking to help others
milk. The drug makes cows suffer severe stomach make the switch to a plant‐based diet. Contact
cramps that feel like labor pain. According to the Mindy now at mkursban@aol.com.
Animal Welfare Board, this practice is illegal, but it
persists nevertheless.

Even banning the slaughter of cows has become
controversial. Protests erupted when the
Karnataka state legislature passed the Prevention
of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill of 2010.
This Bill replaced the same law passed in 1964,
imposing greater restrictions on cow slaughter,
such as including male cattle in the ban, and
increasing the penalties for violations of the law.
Opponents argued that the law was draconian and
anti‐secular, allowing Hindus to impose their views
on a multi‐religious and multi‐cultural society.

India is a culture rich in tradition of compassion for
animals. This culture dating back thousands of
years is strongly reflected in the law. Even with this
strong foundation, the cultural practice has
become one of exploitation, just as in the United
States and every other country where animals are
used simply as objects for commodification. To

Interview with Author, Instructor,
and Pastry Chef Fran Costigan!
Please tell us a little about yourself! the turns my career has taken.

I am a happy food‐obsessed New York‐based pastry What led you to become vegan?
chef, culinary instructor, and author, who is
passionate about helping people connect the dots I became a vegan, initially for health reasons. My
between a healthful plant‐based diet and good first job out of restaurant school was pastry chef in
health. My specialty is vegan pastry arts and I know a gourmet catering food shop in Manhattan. It was
that holding out a delicious piece of cake or a traditional kitchen, and I was eating a lot of my
cookies, instead of a stern warning, opens an desserts. After a lifetime of eating the SAD
intelligent conversation about all the reasons to (Standard American Diet), I was not feeling well. I
recommend a vegan diet. My little granddaughters actually had to stop working, and took some time
call me Cupcake GFran and my clients and their off. I happened upon Annmarie Colbin’s brilliant
children call me often! book, Food & Healing, and was struck by the
connection between what we eat and how we feel.
What spurred you on to a career in the culinary It’s always been curious to me that I was in CA
world? Was it something you always wanted to when I picked up Dr. Colbin’s book, and that as a
do or did it come as a surprise New Yorker, I’d never heart of the Natural
Gourmet Cooking School, founded by Dr. Colbin. I
It certainly is more accurate to say it came as a registered from CA to take her Food & Healing
surprise. My mother did not like to cook and I was Course. I changed my diet overnight, felt great and
raised eating a lot of boxed, canned and frozen never looked back.
foods. My mother in law was a wonderful cook and
baker, and introduced me to many new foods‐real
foods, vegetables and desserts made from scratch.
I watched and learned from her, and was always
happiest in the markets and kitchen. When my
children were in junior high school, I decided to
enroll in NY Restaurant School. I absolutely loved
the experience, the work, all of it. I never expected

How has becoming vegan affected your career? What trials did you face in developing your vegan
baking and dessert skills and how did you
After I changed overcome those obstacles?
my diet, many
if not all of my Testing, testing and more testing not only recipes,
pastry chef but also the ingredients that I wanted to use:
colleagues natural, organic real, quality ingredients. Replacing
stated if I was milk with nondairy milks is easy but there are many
making vegan kinds and there are differences between them.
desserts, I was Certainly the same is true of vegan sweeteners;
no longer a they are not always interchangeable and have
pastry chef— particular properties and are not necessarily
that vegan and interchangeable. What I refused to do, and to this
pastry chef day still will not do, is use processed, fake foods to
were make desserts. I do not have just one go to egg
antithetical. replacer. It depends on the recipe. I do not use
After a few boxed egg replacer; I don’t need it.
years of developing recipes, and the techniques for
to making excellent desserts that anyone and You’re a prolific and well‐renowned culinary
everyone will enjoy, I not only no longer have to instructor and you’ve taught at the NYC Institute
defend my work, I am specifically asked by of Culinary Education and the Natural Gourmet
professionals for help with this particular, and Institute, both prestigious schools. What question
exponentially growing niche. I am extremely busy do you find coming up most amongst the non‐
with classes that are packed with students who vegan students at those venues and how do you
range from absolute beginners to pastry chefs in answer it?
Paris. I am hired to consult and develop recipes
more by traditional companies than those who are There is confusion about what constitutes vegan.
vegan. Although not the reason I changed my diet, Some people think it’s automatically gluten free or
becoming a vegan and creating vegan recipes and raw, which is not true. Vegan can be either but not
food, has been an excellent career move. The need necessarily. I get a lot of questions about
for vegan desserts has exploded for a number of conversions, ingredients and just what is vegan‐is
reasons. In additions to pure vegans, those who are chocolate vegan, is honey vegan and how do you
lactose intolerant, egg allergic, reducing or make your (fill in the blank) favorite dessert vegan.
eliminating dietary cholesterol, who following
kosher or other religious dietary laws, people with
food sensitivities and allergies, as well as those
living an eco, green lifestyle are seeking the vegan
diet. Desserts seem to be the hardest part of the
meal to veganize in an excellent way, and a part of
life we all seek. Vegans have birthdays, weddings,
and celebrate holidays too.


Anise Almond Biscotti
Yield: 2 logs, 18 pieces each

Did you know that biscotti means twice baked and anise is historically considered a digestive aid? While my anise biscotti recipe
is true to its Italian origins, it is vegan, meaning the cookies are cholesterol‐free. And, since these are made with whole wheat
pastry flour, heart healthy almonds and Arbequina extra virgin olive, and without any refined sugar, you really can feel good
about enjoying these not too sweet, not too hard cookies any time of the day, including breakfast. The cookies stay crisp for at
least a week in a tin, and can be frozen up to a month.

3 tablespoons anise seeds 1 cup whole almonds, toasted and cooled
1 ¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1/3 cup Arbequina olive oil ½ cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 1 teaspoon almond extract
1/3‐ ½ cup organic sugar for shaping

Toast the anise seeds lightly in a small dry skillet over low heat, stirring constantly until fragrant. Cool. Grind in a spice grinder
until fine.

Grind the almonds medium‐fine a food processor

Place a wire mesh strainer over a medium bowl. Add the pastry flour and salt to a strainer set over a medium bowl, and sift
into the bowl. Stir the ground almonds and ground anise into the dry mixture.

In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, maple syrup, vanilla and almond extracts until well blended. Pour into dry mixture and stir
until dough forms. A small piece should hold together when squeezed. Allow dough to rest in the bowl for 10 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper and cut in half. Spread ½ of the sugar on the counter and roll one piece of
the dough in the sugar to a log 11 to 12 inches long. Repeat with the other piece of dough. Wrap each log in plastic wrap, and
refrigerate at least 1 hour, or up to 4 hours.

First Baking
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350˚ F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Unwrap the logs and place on the prepared baking sheet, 3 to 4 inches apart. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until firm and lightly
browned. Cool 10 minutes; then carefully, slide the logs, still on the parchment paper, off the sheet and onto a rack. Cool
completely.

To ensure neat and even slicing, wrap the logs and refrigerate about 1 hour, until cold.
The parchment paper can remain on the baking sheet for second baking.

Second Baking
Preheat oven to 350 F. Use a serrated knife to cut `1/4 inch thick diagonal slices, creating the typical biscotti shape. Cut
straight down or saw into the logs gently; experiment to see what creates the neatest slices. Place the biscotti cut‐side down
on the parchment‐lined baking sheet, and bake for 6 minutes. Remove the sheet from the oven and use turn each piece over
using a tongs or spatula. Bake 6 to 7 minutes longer, or until dry.

You are well known for your books Great Good layers, chocolate coconut mousse and a coconut‐
Dairy‐free Desserts and More Great Good Dairy‐ vanilla icing.
free Desserts. How did you decide what recipes
went in the books and what went to the cutting Do you have any advice for budding vegan
floor and what is your absolute favorite recipe bakers?
from the book? (I know that’s a hard choice!)
Get a good grounding in traditional baking
The collection of technique. Read pro baking books or take classes. I
recipes was very stress in all my classes, and we go over this very
well edited and only thoroughly in my Vegan Baking Boot Camp
absolutely favorite Intensive®, a certificate course at the Natural
desserts made it into Gourmet Institute. To make excellent desserts,
the book. I still love vegan or traditional, pastry rules must be followed.
the Chocolate Cake Measuring correctly, mis en place, resting pastry
to Live For, and I am dough, and so on.
definitely not alone.
My next book will
contain the most recent version of that recipe, too.
I love the Peanut Butter Mousse Cups which were
developed to address my craving for my childhood
candy of choice‐you know what it is.

You emphasize whole foods and natural
ingredients throughout your work, but there are
people who are skeptical that good desserts can
be made from them. What’s your key to winning What’s on the horizon for you? Do you have any
them over? exciting new projects coming up?

The key to winning people over is to serve visually I am deeply involved in developing and testing
appealing, unapologetically delicious desserts that recipes for my next book, which is a daunting but
are vegan, but do not announce them as vegan. Let exciting project. More consulting, private classes,
the dessert speak for itself. Then go ahead and tell and classes outside of NYC are on the horizon. I
if you like. love to travel and meet people.

I made a stunning and delicious wedding cake this Thanks Fran!
year for a bride being married at NY’s Metropolitan
Museum of Art. Lactose and egg allergies were an Contact Info
issue at this non‐vegan wedding. I told the bride Visit Fran on Facebook at
not to announce the cake as vegan until after it had http://www.facebook.com/fran.costigan, on
been cut and served. She said people went crazy Twitter at http://twitter.com/goodcakesfran, and
for the cake! Was I surprised? No. The cake was at her webpage at http://www.francostigan.com.
built from chocolate ganache glazed coconut cake


Fran’s Bio
Fran Costigan is a nationally recognized culinary
instructor, author, consultant, recipe developer and
innovative pastry chef who marries healthy eating
with sumptuous tastes. Fran’s new book, More
Great Good Dairy Free Desserts Naturally, offers a
complete course in exceptional desserts that are
vegan by design, not by taste! Fran’s recipes use
organic minimally processed ingredients to make
rich, moist cakes, flaky piecrusts, delightful cookies,
puddings and more. All are trans fat and
cholesterol free and absolutely delicious.

A graduate of the New York Restaurant School and
the Natural Gourmet Institute, Fran was a pastry
chef in both traditional and vegan kitchens. Today
Fran teaches her distinctive courses (including her
Vegan Baking Boot Camp) in NYC at the Institute of
Culinary Education and at the Natural Gourmet
Institute, and she presents demonstration classes
and lectures at venues throughout the US and
Canada.

Fran was recently featured making her celebrated
"Chocolate Cake to Live For” on the Discovery
Health Channel’s show, “Get Fresh With Sara
Snow.” Professional affiliations include the New
York Women’s Culinary Alliance (NYWCA),
International Association of Culinary Professionals
(IACP) and Women Chefs and Restaurateurs (WCR),
and she is proud to work with the New York
Coalition for Healthy School Foods.


Interview with Renowned
Activist Dr. Alka Chandna,
PhD of PETA!

Please tell us a little about yourself. could eat meat and be like everyone else. My plans
were foiled, however: when I was an
My name is Alka (“like Alka Seltzer,” I like to say). undergraduate student, I came across an article in
I’m from India, but my family moved to Canada our student newspaper on animal
when I was three. I grew up in Windsor, Ontario, experimentation. I was a progressive student on
which is the automotive capital of Canada and is campus and I prided myself on having my finger on
just across the border from Detroit. I like to point the pulse of what was happening in the world, but
out that the iconic photographs of the Detroit this article opened my eyes to so many issues
skyline are taken from Windsor. My background is about which I knew nothing. I learned that animals
in academia, but I’ve thought of myself more as an were used in painful experiments to test cosmetics
activist since I was about 18 (I’m 47 now). I’m and household products, and that absurd and
passionate about many issues, but I believe in mind‐bogglingly cruel experiments were being
working where the need is the greatest, which is conducted on university campuses, often funded
why I work for animal rights. by taxpayers. This was 1983 – so 27 years ago – but
I’ll never forget the description of one experiment
What led you to becoming vegan and when did that was happening at the University of Ottawa
you become vegan? where rats were starved for as many as five days.
The experimenters would place some food mash
My family is Hindu, so I was actually raised as a outside the rats’ cages at varying distances from
lacto‐vegetarian. It was something I resented, the rats to measure how far the rats would stick
though, because our diet represented yet another out their tongues to lap up the mash in their
way we were different from our friends and hunger.
neighbors. When I was about 14, I secretly planned
to change my religion when I got older so that I

About a month later, I suggested to my editor that let people know what they’re supporting when
we should write another piece on “the animal they choose to eat meat, dairy, and eggs.
issue,” and he agreed and assigned the story to me.
I spoke with animal experimenters on campus to How did you become involved with PETA?
get their side of the story; I learned that there were
such things as “animal rights groups” – even in my Shortly after I wrote the article on animal rights for
hometown of Windsor, Ontario – and I got their my student paper, I started an animal rights group
literature; and I went to the library and found Peter at my campus. This was in the mid‐80s—the pre‐
Singer’s Animal Liberation, and it was hook, line Internet era—so I began writing to various groups
and sinker – that was my conversion. for information and resources. PETA was certainly
the most responsive; they sent us binders with
The writings of Peter Singer, Ingrid Newkirk, and factsheets and literature that we could pass out on
Tom Regan introduced me to the fact of factory campus. They would lend us videotapes of their
farming and the ethical problems with consuming undercover investigations for free and we would
meat, eggs, and dairy. I’m embarrassed to admit, show these on campus. For a student group
however, that it wasn’t until 1989, when I read operating on a shoe string budget, PETA was a
John Robbins’ masterwork, Diet for a New America, tremendous resource—and they always made
that I finally went vegan (for people who haven’t themselves available to us. I remember calling Dan
read it, I recommend the updated version, “Food Mathews of PETA’s Communications Department
Revolution”). to ask for his help brainstorming signs for a protest
we were organizing. He may have had Chrissie
Did becoming vegan lead to your activism or was Hynde in the room with him, but he made time to
it the other way around? Have you always been brainstorm slogans with me. I was really impressed
an activist in one endeavor or another? by that. In 1987, I sent some of my articles to Ingrid
Newkirk, and she sent me a postcard thanking me
It was certainly for my work—I still have that postcard! A couple of
my activism that years after that, we invited Ingrid to speak at our
led to my campus, the University of Western Ontario in
veganism; London, Ontario. Western is a huge vivisection
although I tend campus and Ingrid’s talk was attended by more
to think of the than 150 vivisectors. They were rude and ill‐
two issues as mannered, but she was the epitome of grace under
being part of an fire—and she quickly exposed their argument s for
integral whole. When we sit down to eat a vegan the self‐serving rubbish that they were. But I didn’t
meal, we live our values. By being vegan, we send my job application to PETA just then. I was
actively support the rights of animals to live a life finishing my Ph.D. in mathematics at the time, and
free of abuse and harassment, and we make a then I taught for five years at a university in
statement opposing cruelty. Being vegan is the Canada. I worked for another 4 years at a computer
essence of activism. But, when we, as vegans, know company in Silicon Valley. Through all of that time,
what we know about the amount of suffering I was running grassroots animal rights groups and
endured by animals, it seems natural that we volunteering for PETA and other groups. But, at a
would want to speak up at every opportunity and certain point, I decided that I didn’t want to do

animal rights only on weekends and after‐hours; I
wanted to work for animal rights full‐time. So, I
applied to PETA and landed a job. That was 2002.

It must be rewarding, but incredibly difficult
working in that type of environment. How did
you overcome the challenges of doing so and how
has that made you grow?

It can be overwhelming to be confronted with so
much cruelty and abuse; but it’s also gratifying and
empowering to know that our efforts can make a In my off‐hours, I spend a lot of time passing out
difference. I think the trick is to focus on what we vegetarian leaflets and I take great solace in the
can change, and to not allow ourselves to become fact that each person who accepts a leaflet is made
demoralized over what we may not be able to a bit more aware of how animals are treated on
change today. For example, in Norfolk, where PETA factory farms. I also know that each person who
is headquartered, PETA provides straw and dog reads the leaflet is a potential vegetarian who
houses for dogs who are forced to live outdoors in would then save 100 animals per year from
the wintertime, and whose owners (because you unimaginable suffering.
really can’t call them guardians!) may not provide
any shelter beyond a metal trash can. During the You’ve done quite a bit as an activist. What
winter months, PETA employees volunteer to go would you say your top two major
out into the community, delivering straw and dog accomplishments are?
houses to these dogs – offering food, toys, and a
little affection. Driving up and down those streets, Everything at PETA is a major group effort. But, I’ll
it’s easy to become overwhelmed with grief for the tell you about two projects on which I had the
amount of suffering in the world. But, if we focus privilege to work. One was PETA’s undercover
on the warmth and joy that we are able to provide investigation inside Covance, a mammoth contract
to one dog, we can find the strength to continue testing laboratory that tests drugs, insecticides,
our work. industrial chemicals, tobacco and other products
on monkeys, dogs, and other animals. PETA’s
As part of my work at PETA, I spend a lot of time investigator worked as a primate technician at
watching video footage shot by our undercover Covance for 11 months, through which time she
investigators inside laboratories. It’s painful to wore a hidden camera and took meticulous notes
watch this video, but when I feel overwhelmed, I on what was happening to animals in the facility. I
think of what it must have been like for our had the privilege of writing PETA’s complaint that
undercover investigator to be right there in the was sent to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. As
room, witnessing the abuse firsthand, and of a result of the investigation and complaint,
course, what it must be like to be the animal Covance was cited and fined for serious violations
experiencing the abuse. of the Animal Welfare Act. Recently, we learned
that the Covance laboratory where PETA
conducted its investigation is closing its doors

forever. The second project involved an undercover soup from Ken Bergeron that I’ve been making for
investigation that PETA conducted at a facility more than 10 years.
called Professional Laboratory and Research
Services (PLRS), in Corapeake, N.C. I was again Do you have any favorite places to go out and eat
asked to write PETA’s complaint to the USDA. One or do you find yourself doing most of the cooking?
week after we filed our complaint with the USDA,
inspectors descended on the facility and a few days We’re in Baltimore these days, and there are some
after that, the lab was closed; and nearly 200 dogs nice vegan and vegan‐friendly places, including Red
and more than 50 cats were surrendered and Emma’s, a workers’ collective bookstore/café that
placed in shelters. serves up hot Tofurky melts and vegan cinnamon
buns, and the World Café, a vegetarian café that’s
adjacent to Johns Hopkins University where they
make killer curries and they do a nice vegan Sunday
dinner, with vegan meatloaf, mashed potatoes and
collard greens. But we mostly eat at home.

What is the key to prospering in the kitchen, for
the new vegans out there? (and there seem to be
plenty!)

I think the key is to have faith in yourself and your
ingredients. When you’re making vegan food,
you’re working with really great ingredients –
Now for the food side! What is your favorite vegetables, grains, beans, pasta, herbs, spices –
recipe that you cook at home? and you don’t have to worry about tenderizing
pieces of animal muscle or treating your kitchen
It’s really hard to choose a favorite because I cook like a biohazard laboratory. So, I think it’s a lot
a lot (it’s my meditation and my creative outlet). I easier to prosper in a vegan kitchen than a non‐
make a lot of Indian food. One of our favorite vegan one.
meals is curried chickpeas served with cauliflower
and potatoes. We cheat a little and buy pre‐made Another key is to keep things simple. Simple dishes
rotis (Indian flat bread). We also love simple foods. – roasted vegetables, lentil soup, pasta salads, and
We go to our local Farmers’ Market every Saturday rice pilafs – are a snap to prepare, delicious and
and come home with armloads of fresh vegetables. nourishing. You can build a foundation with these
I usually spend a couple of hours on Saturday dishes and keep them as your staples, as you
afternoon, listening to music, and cooking up the branch out to include more challenging recipes in
veggies – sautéing the leafy greens in garlic, ginger, your repertoire.
and chili paste; roasting squash, Brussels sprouts,
and sweet potatoes with red onion and garlic; I find that it’s helpful to post a list of dishes that I
boiling beets; and frying up potatoes. And, we love enjoy making on my refrigerator door. Sometimes I
soups: I have a recipe for mushroom cashew crème don’t have the mental energy to figure out what to
make, and the default can be to reach for the

frozen veggie burgers; but if I read “vermicelli stir‐ Dr. Alka Chandna, Ph.D.
fry with peanut sauce and frozen veggies” on my Laboratory Oversight Specialist
list, I know I can make that in less than 10 minutes
(boil water, add vermicelli and cook for 2 minutes, Dr. Alka Chandna has been working in progressive
drain; heat frozen veggies (edamame mixes work politics for more than 25 years. The daughter of a
well) in microwave oven; make peanut sauce by man who agitated in the streets for Indian
adding water, soy sauce, and rice vinegar to peanut independence and a woman who would only wear
butter, possibly adding a bit of ginger, garlic, and khadi (the homespun cotton promoted by
Sriracha sauce for a bit of a kick – ta da!!). Mahatma Gandhi as part of the campaign against
British colonial rule in India), Alka often jokes that
It helps to find a cookbook author you really like. I she had no choice but to become an activist.
have a lot of favorites, but my all‐time favorites are
Robin Robertson and Isa Chandra Moskowitz. I Infuriated by Ronald Reagan’s discussion of
know that anything that I make from their “limited” nuclear war and his delivery of a full‐scale
cookbooks will be stellar, the first time I make it. war against the poor, Alka got her start in activism
by organizing with the Students for Nuclear
Do you have any advice for budding activists? Disarmament at the University of Windsor in
Ontario. Working with Tools for Peace—a
I think the best advice I could offer would be that Nicaraguan solidarity organization—and myriad
people read Animal Activist’s Handbook, by Mall economic justice, feminist, pro‐choice, and
Ball and Bruce Friedrich environmental groups, Alka has been using
(www.animaladvocacybook.com). Remember, alternative broadcast and print media to “comfort
every person you talk with about veganism and the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.”
animal rights is a victory. Every leaflet you pass out,
every person who sees your animal rights T‐shirt or In 1989, Alka’s visit to a slaughterhouse gave new
bumper sticker; all of these little things are meaning to the notions of voicelessness and
victories for animals. nonviolence. Since then, she has been actively
involved in the animal rights and vegetarian
What’s on the horizon for you? advocacy movements. She has written articles for
student newspapers, hosted animal rights shows on
A glass of wine!  three campus radio stations and on Free Radio
Berkeley, and founded and directed an animal
Thanks Alka! rights group at the University of Western Ontario.

Contact Info Alka has worked as a publicist for Erik Marcus,
You can reach Alka at AlkaC@peta.org and see author of Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating, and
some of her work at www.peta.org. served for two years as the president of the San
Francisco Vegetarian Society. As founder and
director of the Food and Social Justice Project, Alka
has worked at a grassroots level, drawing
connections between food choices and other social

justice concerns.


At PETA, Alka works as a laboratory oversight
specialist, focusing on animal experimentation
issues. She helped launch PETA’s Animal Savings
Club, which encourages cruelty‐free spending. Alka
ran PETA’s campaign against Columbia University,
which called for an end to a number of egregiously
cruel experiments. More recently, Alka wrote
PETA’s 273‐page complaint against Covance (a
contract testing laboratory) for violations of the
Animal Welfare Act. As a result of PETA’s efforts,
Covance was cited and fined by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture. Alka is currently
spearheading PETA’s efforts to exhort laboratory
oversight bodies, called Institutional Animal Care
and Use Committees, to fulfill their legally
mandated responsibilities.

Before coming to PETA, Alka served for five years as
a tenured professor of mathematics at Memorial
University of Newfoundland in St. John’s,
Newfoundland.

Alka, 47, lives in Baltimore, Md.


Featured Artist: Dan Piraro,
creator of Bizarro!

Please tell us a little bit about yourself! quit art school and immediately got into
commercial illustration. It was good money and
Raised in Oklahoma, art school dropout (after one better than working in an office but I really disliked
semester), became a commercial illustrator in the lack of creativity. Cartooning was a way to
Dallas, got married, had two daughters. Got signed combine some creativity with immediate
as a syndicated cartoonist in '85, lived in Dallas commercial compensation. I'd always been a funny
until 2002 when I married for a second time and guy who could draw, so I was well suited to it.
moved to NYC.
Working in the
What led you to become vegan? Was it a gradual arts is not an easy
change or did it happen quickly? job. What
obstacles did you
A little of both. I'd always been very compassionate face getting
toward animals but tended to turn a blind eye to Bizarro off the
my diet believing that eating animals was just what ground and how
humans did to stay alive. When I met and began did you overcome
dating my current wife, Ashley Lou Smith, in 2001, I them?
began learning about what goes on in factory
farms, circuses, fur farms, etc. I began seeing things I was (and am)
differently almost immediately and a weekend trip very shy, so
to Farm Sanctuary in upstate NY changed me in a visiting the offices
single stroke. I went there as an occasional meat of magazine editors and pitching my work was out
eater, but left as a vegan and have never looked of the question. So I drew cartoons and sent them
back. off in the mail to the handful of companies that
syndicate newspaper cartoons. After a couple of
You’re a fairly prolific cartoonist. What got you years of submitting and getting rejection letters in
into doing that? Is it something you’ve always return, I got a call from an editor at Chronicle
been interested in doing? Features in San Francisco who was interested in
developing me. We worked together for about six
I was a prodigious artist as a child and always months and they launched Bizarro in January of
wanted to be an artist. I thought I'd be a painter, '85.
like Picasso, but could not make ends meet after I

What are the key issues you see affecting animal
rights today?

Hard to say, there are so many. The basic issue is
that people see animals as being here for them, not
with them. I try to change that basic impression
and hope that the rest falls into place naturally.
Once you see an animal of another species as
someone instead of something, it is easier to
change your choices.

What is your favorite recipe that you cook at
home?

You’ve got a new book coming out. Please tell us My wife is a fantastic and very intuitive vegan cook
about it! and she makes amazing things for us all the time. I
eat better and a wider variety of things I did when I
Bizarro Superheroes is a collection of over a 100 of was a meat eater. I can't cook a thing, so I have no
my favorite super hero cartoons from Bizarro over idea about her recipes. She invented a
the course of my career. Should be lots of fun for vegetable/noodle/saur kraut soup that is
anyone who enjoys the super hero genre, some AWESOME.
include satires of well‐known characters like
Spider‐Man and Superman, some are heroes I've What are the biggest changes you’ve seen, food‐
made up, like Marsupial Man and Captain Yoga. wise, since you became vegan and now?

How do you merge being vegan with your work Vegan cheeses are getting much better, Daiya
and what influence have you seen that merger being the best brand we've found. It's also very
have on other people? encouraging to be able to find vegan
food products in regular grocery stores
Since I'm responsible for a new in unexpected places like Ohio or
idea 365 days per year, year after Oklahoma.
year, I'm always looking for new
material. Virtually any experience What advice can you give artists who
I have is fodder for some kind of want to integrate animal rights issues
cartoon down the line. When I into their work?
became vegan, some of what I
had learned began to seep into As with any art project, it is important
my work. Those cartoons became to speak from the heart. Preaching
instantly popular with people never works – and I mean never – but
who are interested in animal sharing your perspective and views can
compassion and over the years touch people.
I've heard from lots of readers who began to think
differently about their diet and lifestyle based on What’s on the horizon for you? Any exciting new
things I brought up in cartoons. I didn't expect that, projects?
but it's a terrific fringe benefit.
My wife and I are thinking of putting out a
cookbook with her amazing recipes and my
cartoons, I'm working on getting an animated show
on TV, and I'm going to release a CD of my own

original music in the next year or so. This will be an Dan’s Bio
independent effort, not a major label. :o) I'm also
going to continue to do my stage shows and stand‐ BIZARRO was first
up comedy, which is great fun. syndicated in 1985
and has built a steady
Thanks Dan! and loyal following in
the United States,
My pleasure. Canada, as well as in
parts of Europe, Asia
Contact Info and South America.

You can visit Dan’s work and reach Dan at BIZARRO has won an
www.bizarro.com. unprecedented three
consecutive “Best Cartoon Panel of the Year”
awards from the National Cartoonists Society, and
this year won the NCS's highest award,
“Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year.” Piraro has
published 14 collections of Bizarro cartoons and
three books of prose.

He has also performed comedy across the nation
and has appeared on NPR, CNN, and HBO.
Dan Piraro resides in Brooklyn, NY.


Restaurant Review: Chaco Canyon
Reviewer: Jason Wyrick

Chaco Canyon
http://www.chacocanyoncafe.com
4757 12th Ave. NE
Seattle, WA 98105
(corner of 50th & 12th)
206‐522‐6966
Hours: M‐F 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m., Sa‐Su
9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
combination, if you ask me, and since you’re
Located near the University District, Chaco Canyon reading this review, I’ll assume you did!
is a vegan restaurant that is almost entirely
organic, with a menu that is half raw, and boasting When I visited, I ordered enough for two meals, so
a tea and coffee bar, a ubiquitous feature (perhaps I got to try a good range of cuisine. I started with
necessity?) throughout Seattle. the raw Cilantro Walnut Pesto Pizza, a powerhouse
of flavor that put a huge smile on my face, it also
Atmosphere left me feeling energized and satisfied. I also tried
the Reuben. It was exactly what I wanted. The
Chaco Canyon had a very quaint, community driven bread was toasted perfectly and there was just
atmosphere. The space is actually rather large and enough sauerkraut to achieve balance with the rest
fortunately, not too crowded. The restaurant can of the sandwich. I also got the Thai Peanut Bowl.
seem a bit intimidating at first since you order at This also had a good taste, but I wasn’t as
the counter and don’t have a whole lot of time to impressed with this one as much as the other two
decide what you want if the restaurant is crowded and I was left feeling that this is a dish most people
and there are lots of people waiting to order. The could easily make at home with just a little effort. I
staff, however, is fairly friendly and helpful, so if finished off the meal, much later in the night, with
you’re at a loss, I suggest asking them what their a raw brownie that was well beyond yummy! All in
favorites are on the menu. all, a wonderful dining experience.

Food Price

The food primarily consists of sandwiches, rice and Most restaurants that have an emphasis on raw
quinoa bowls, salads, and a brief, but consistently foods and organic ingredients have meals that tend
good raw foods menu. I was a bit concerned when to cost quite a bit of money. Chaco Canyon is an
I saw the menu because many places that serve exception, delivering great tasting organic meals at
simple food serve it because they can’t deliver the a reasonable price.
goods on better quality items. Not so with Chaco
Canyon. The foods here not only taste great,
they’re filling and comforting. A perfect

Conclusion The Reviewer

Chaco Canyon was recommended to me by a friend Chef Jason Wyrick
and turned out to be a particularly pleasant is an award
surprise. I ended up getting a couple things to go winning vegan chef
and overall, was very happy with this restaurant and the owner of
excursion. If you’re in the mood for some solid Arizona's only
cooking and a cup of coffee, head down to Chaco vegan catering
Canyon. company, Devil
Spice. Serving the
state since 2004 as both a caterer and a prolific
vegan culinary instructor, Chef Jason has garnered
local and national attention. He was chosen as

vegcooking.com's October, 2005 Chef of the Month

and has been featured in the Arizona Republic and

on ABC's local morning show, Sonoran Living Live.
Formerly a diabetic, Chef Jason approaches vegan
cuisine from both a health and ethical standpoint
with an eye for taste and simplicity.


Product Review: Dandies
Vegan Marshmallows
Reviewer: Jason Wyrick

Chicago Soy Dairy
http://www.chicagosoydairy.com/
Chicago, IL
Can be purchased at: Whole Foods
and online
Price: $5.00‐$6.00 per 10 oz. bag

I first came across these marshmallows while I highly recommend these little treats and I hope
vacationing in Tucson recently and purchased them they make smaller versions along with the larger
solely to test them out. For those of you who have standard size. Small marshmallows are even better
been vegan for a few years, you may remember for hot chocolate, and since I’ve been writing this
the big debacle about a brand of vegan review, I see a cup in my near future.
marshmallows using a non‐vegan gelatin. It wasn’t
the vegan manufacturers fault, the company that The Reviewer
produced the Emes brand of gelatin purposely lied
Chef Jason Wyrick
about their ingredients. However, at that point,
is the publisher of
the biggest brand of tasty vegan (or rather, The Vegan Culinary
supposedly vegan) marshmallows disappeared. Experience, an
Enter Chicago Soy Dairy, who not only stepped up award winning
to create a vegan marshmallow, but far exceeded vegan chef, and
my expectations for them! the owner of
Arizona's only
vegan catering
Light and fluffy, these air‐puffed marshmallows
company, Devil Spice. Serving the state since 2004
turned out to be perfect for hot chocolate. They as both a caterer and a prolific vegan culinary
also melt in the heat, making them ideal for instructor, Chef Jason has garnered local and
smores. The texture was spot‐on and exactly what national attention. He has been featured in the NY
I missed from my earlier marshmallow eating days Times, was chosen as vegcooking.com's October,
(and they were many). 2005 Chef of the Month, and has been featured in
the Arizona Republic and on ABC's local morning
show, Sonoran Living Live. Formerly a diabetic, Chef
The taste was equally exciting, managing to feel
Jason approaches vegan cuisine from both a health
both decadent and clean at the same time. I have and ethical standpoint with an eye for taste and
no idea how Chicago Soy Dairy pulled that off, but simplicity.
they did an amazing job.

Book Review: American Vegan
Kitchen
Author: Tamasin Noyes
Publisher: Vegan Heritage
Press
Copyright: 2010
Authors: Tamasin Noyes

ISBN: 978‐0‐9800131‐1‐5
Price: $18.95

Reviewer: Madelyn Pryor

I have a ton of cookbooks, both vegan and non‐  Seitan Light
vegan (I love to veganize meat eater’s recipes). It is  Vegan Sausage Links
hard to impress me with a cookbook or make me  Mom’s Noodle Soup
want the food inside, but Tamasin Noyes’ book  Ranch Dressing
made me sit up and smile. Inspired by a trip to a
vegan friendly diner, she set out to recreate some This book is a steal and it would be a welcome
great diner and bistro food. What she made was a addition to any cookbook shelf. Treat yourself to a
highly inspiring cookbook that makes you just want copy today.
to cook and eat. Included are many regional
favorites Spaghetti Pit with Arrabiata Sauce and Highly recommended.
Gyros. There is also a recipe for ‘ribs’ that is to die
for! Actually, that is one of the many things that I
love about this book. Noyes offers many seitan
recipes, so that you do not have to purchase store
made seitan if you do not wish to do so. I mean, The Reviewer
what vegan has not wanted to make his or her own
breakfast sausage. I know I do, and Noyes has a Madelyn is a busy culinary
recipe for that, too. instructor teaching people
that vegan food is not only
I have only the slightest word of caution. If you are tasty, it is filling and
someone who does not like a lot of ingredients in comforting, too. She is
your recipes, be slightly cautious. I noticed that a working on trying to get a
great many of these recipes take 10 or more few of her own websites up and running, chasing
ingredients. If you are in a rush, and that scares after a tribe of very bad cats, and making delicious
you, just be warned. However, if you are willing to desserts. She can be reached at
take a chance, buy a few exotic flours and some madelyn@veganculinaryexperience.com.
spices, you are going to have your world rocked by
this excellent cookbook. A few of my favorite
recipes are:

 Sweet Garlicky Ribs
 Fifty/Fifty Burger Buns

Book Review: Party Vegan
Authors: Robin Robertson Author: Robin Robertson
Publisher: Wiley
Copyright: 2010
ISBN: 978‐0‐470‐47223‐1
Price: $17.95
Reviewer: Madelyn Pryor

Great concept, helpful recipes. you would have to plan which recipes to use yourself,
for your party, so there is some balance there. I would
I was excited to see Robin Robertson’s latest book, recommend taking a look at both books, and getting
Party Vegan. I am a vegan who has meat eating friends both if you can afford it. It would well be worth having
over for dinner on average two times a week. That both. I do and I use both now, especially when I need
means I can always use fresh ideas for parties, and as quick inspiration and some good starting recipes.
usual, Robertson is right on point. She has planned all
the recipes by menu, so first you look under what type
of party you are planning.

The party themes represented here are: A Dinner Party, The Reviewer
Crowd Control, A Picnic Lunch, Effortless Potluck, Just
Desserts, A Child’s Birthday Party, A Teen Party, A Tapas Madelyn is a busy culinary
Table, Chinese New Year, Curry for Company, A Super
instructor teaching people
Bowl Party, e My Valentine Dinner for Two, St. Patrick’s
tasty, it is filling and
Day Menu, Phat Tuesday Party, Passover, Cinco de
comforting, too. She is
Mayo Celebration, Mother’s Day Brunch, Father’s Day
working on trying to get a
Cookout, A Fourth of July Picnic, Father’s Day Cookout,
few of her own websites up
A Fourth of July Celebration, Halloween, Simply Stuffed and running, chasing after a tribe of very bad cats,
Thanksgiving Dinner, Christmas, Hanukkah, and New and making delicious desserts. She can be reached
Year’s Eye A‐List. Therefore, if you have a party in mind, at madelyn@veganculinaryexperience.com.
you can probably find something that will work here.
When you locate what type of party you want to throw,
you will find about 6 recipes to go with it, to give you
some variety. There are also alternative menus at the
beginning of the book, as well as sections on stocking
your pantry and more.

I do like this book, and I will refer to it for inspiration,
for sure! However, I think that if you have not yet
purchased Robin Robertson’s 1000 Vegan Recipes that
might be the better investment for your money. Then

Book Review: Vegan Unplugged
Authors: Jon Robertson
Author: Jon Robertson
Publisher: Vegan Heritage Press
Copyright: 2010
Reviewer: Madelyn Pryor ISBN: 9780980013122
Price: $14.95

An invaluable resource for any vegan. 140 recipes that range from soups to snacks, to
everything and all the foods can be prepared using
Jon Robertson has written in Vegan Unplugged a just canned food and pantry staples. If you have a
book that is invaluable for any vegan. Many of us at little camp stove, you are good to go, and you can
one point in our lives will find our power out, or wait out almost anything, especially by preparing
worse, find ourselves in a natural or manmade the five day food box that Jon explains in chapter
disaster. Not only does Robertson help us get two. My favorite chapter in this book is actually not
through it mentally, and give us guidelines on what about food, it is about keep pets safe in a disaster.
to do but he helps us eat fabulously while Many of us have companion animals and this
surviving. explains how to keep them safe in an emergency as
well, including who to contact to give your
Robertson’s book is so wonderfully laid out. The companion shelter.
chapters are:
Look, buy this for the recipes but also just buy this
1. When You’re Unplugged book. It would help every vegan that lives in a small
2. The Five‐Day Meal Box community where it is hard to get specialty food, it
3. The Pantry Stash would be invaluable to any college vegan, who
4. Making Fire doesn’t want to eat in the horrors of the cafeteria,
5. Pantry Cuisine and it is great for the traveling vegan who needs to
6. Bean and Vegetable Main Dishes make quick and tasty meals on the road. Also,
7. Pasta and Grain Dishes sometimes disaster strikes when you are not ready.
8. Salad Days I live in Glendale, Arizona a place not known for
9. Soothing Soups extreme weather (ok, extreme heat) but recently
10. Snack Food Chic we were pounded by several F1 tornadoes in 1 day.
11. Just Desserts It is better to be prepared for the unexpected, and
12. Emergency Preparedness Guide this book will help you do it.
13. The Animals Need a Plan, Too
14. Handling the Stress Highest recommendations.

As you can see, not all the chapters are about food.
The food he has in here is wonderful. He has about

The Reviewer

Madelyn is a busy culinary
instructor teaching people
tasty, it is filling and
comforting, too. She is
working on trying to get a
few of her own websites up
and running, chasing after a tribe of very bad cats,
and making delicious desserts. She can be reached
at madelyn@veganculinaryexperience.com.


Recipe Index

Click on any of the recipes in the index to take you to the relevant recipe. Some recipes will
have large white sections after the instructional portion of them. This is so you need only print
out the ingredient and instructional sections for ease of kitchen use.

Recipe Page Recipe Page

Appetizers & Sides Breads
Bitter Melon in Tomato Sauce 50 Aloo Paratha 102
Pakora 53 Aloo Dosa 106
Rasam 56 Idli 110
Sambhar 59 Naan 113
Samosas 63 Toasted Cumin Chapatis 116
Curry Dip 14
Angelina’s Coconut Yogurt 14 Cāvala (Rice)
Cashew Mayonnaise 14 Basmati Rice 119
Biryani 122
Main Dishes & Curries Coconut Rice 125
Aloo Palak (potatoes & spinach) 67
Bagara Baingan (eggplant in 70 Chutneys
peanut sauce) Cilantro Coconut Chutney 128
Channa Masala (spiced chickpeas) 74 Āam (mango) Chutney 131
Hakka Noodles 77 Tamatar (tomato) Chutney 134
Jalfrezi Curry 80
Korma 83 Masalas (Spice Mixes)
Pasanda 87 Chaat Masala 137
Saag “Paneer” 90 Garam Masala 139
Seitan Madras 93 Red Curry Masala 141
Urad Daal 96
Vindaloo Curry 99 Pēya (Drinks)
Spiced Red Rice and French Green 11 Madras Coffee 143
Lentils Masala Chai 146
Dreamy Coconut Curry 14 Tamil Tea 149
Creamy Chai 15
Almond Milk 15

Desserts
Coconut Payasam 152
Gulab Jamuun 155
Indian Spiced Bread Pudding with 158
Orange Rose Crème Sauce
Malpoora (apple crepes) 162
Anise Almond Biscotti 30


Bitter Melon in Tomato Sauce
Type: Appetizer Serves: 2

Time to Prepare: 30 minutes plus 2 hours for the bitter melon to set

Ingredients
3 bitter melons
2 tsp. of salt
1 tbsp. of peanut oil
½ of a yellow onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
½ tsp. of garam masala
½ tsp. of cayenne pepper
¼ tsp. of turmeric
Small piece of jaggery (about 2 tsp.)
¼ cup of water
Cilantro (coriander) for garnish

Instructions
Cut the ends off the bitter melons.
Peel the melons and scoop out the seeds.
Cut the melons into ½” pieces.
Toss the melons in all the salt and let them sit for about 2 hours.
Thoroughly rinse the melon cubes.
Bring the oil to a medium‐high heat.
Sauté the bitter melons until they are golden brown (about 10 minutes), then set them aside.
Dice the onion.
Mince the garlic.
Chop the tomatoes.
In the same pan you cooked the melon, sauté the onion over a medium heat until it caramelizes.
Add the garlic and sauté 2 more minutes.
Add the tomatoes, cayenne pepper, turmeric, and jaggery and continue sautéing until the tomatoes
reduce to a sauce.
Add ¼ cup of water and stir.
Add the bitter melons and simmer for 2‐3 minutes.
Remove from the heat.
Garnish with chopped cilantro.

The Vegan Culinary Experience – Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com

Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick

Kitchen Equipment

Sauté Pan
Bowl for the melon
Knife
Cutting Board
Stirring Spoon
Measuring Cup
Measuring Spoon

Presentation

Make sure to garnish the melons after they have been plated. If you
want some extra texture, you can add coarsely chopped peanuts to
the top.

Time Management

It is important to let the bitter melon set the full time to draw as much excess bitterness out as
possible.

Complementary Food and Drinks

Serve as the precursor to nearly any meal, particularly one that features a slightly sweet main dish.

Where to Shop

Bitter melon is most commonly found at Indian and Asian markets and is also known as bitter gourd.
The rest of the ingredients are fairly common. Approximate cost per serving is $1.50.

How It Works

Salting and pan‐frying the bitter melon are the two most critical elements in the recipe. Salting the
melon draws out much of the bitterness and pan‐frying it until it is golden brown enhances its natural
sweetness, which helps balance some of the bitterness. The remainder of the recipe is simply making
a spicy tomato sauce.



Chef’s Notes

Bitter flavors are not as appreciated in Europe and the U.S., so recipes with bitter melon may take
some getting used to. However, if you love bitter flavors, this recipe is a winner.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories 150
Calories from Fat 54
Fat 6 g
Total Carbohydrates 20 g
Dietary Fiber 7 g
Sugars 3 g
Protein 4 g
Salt ~620 mg (much of the salt is rinsed off the bitter melon)

Interesting Facts

Bitter melon becomes even more bitter as it ripens!



Pakora
Type: Side Serves: 4

Time to Prepare: 10 minutes

Ingredients
1 ½ cups of chickpea flour
1 tsp. of ground fenugreek
½ tsp. of salt
¼ cup of minced cilantro (coriander)
½ cup of water
½ of a large onion, cut into rings
2 carrots, cut into long strips
Oil for frying

Instructions
Mix together the chickpea flour, the cayenne pepper, salt, and ground fenugreek.
Add the water and cilantro to this mix (enough to make a thick batter.)
Cut the onion into rings by slicing along the width.
Cut the carrot into strips.
Fill a deep pan or wok with oil about 1” deep.
Heat it up to 350 degrees.
Dredge the onion rings and carrot strips in the batter, making sure they are fully coated.
Drop them in the oil and fry them until they are a deep golden color.
Set them aside to drain.


Kitchen Equipment

Mixing Bowl
Whisk
Measuring Cup
Measuring Spoon
Wok or Sauté Pan
Tongs or Spider Basket

Presentation

Save some minced cilantro to garnish the pakora with fresh cilantro.
You can also form a teepee with the pakora to give the plate height.

Time Management

These are best when served fresh and they only take a few minutes to make.


Serve this with a spicy chutney and a cooling coconut yogurt chutney.

Where to Shop

Bob’s Red Mill makes chickpea flour and it is generally available at most markets. You may also be
able to find it in some bulk sections and, if you have a powerful blender, you can make your own. The
rest of the ingredients are fairly easy to find. Approximate cost per serving is $1.00.

How It Works

The chickpea flour creates a dense batter that clings to the veggies. Fenugreek gives the batter some
depth and the minced cilantro lends it a strong, aromatic note. Make sure to mix the dry ingredients
before adding the water or else you will end up with clumps in the batter. Everything is then quickly
fried so that the batter crisps and the veggies soften slightly. If you want softer veggies, you can
steam them for about 5 minutes before battering and frying them.

Chef’s Notes

I love the fenugreek and cilantro in the batter!


Calories 286
Fat 14 g
Dietary Fiber 6 g
Sugars 8 g
Protein 10 g
Salt 301 mg

Interesting Facts

Versions of fried, battered veggies exist around the world, from tempura, to fritters, to pakora.



Rasam
Type: Soup Serves: 4


Ingredients
3 large Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 small yellow onion, diced
3 roasted, diced jalapenos
¼ cup of tamarind sauce
¼ cup of water
1 tbsp. of jaggery or tubinado sugar
1 tsp. of cumin seeds
1 tsp. of coriander seeds
2 tsp. of black peppercorns
1 tsp. of mustard seeds
1 tbsp. of vegan margarine or safflower oil
5 curry leaves
4 cups of water
1 cup of yellow lentils
½ tsp. of salt
3 tbsp. of chopped cilantro (coriander) for garnish

Instructions
Chop the tomatoes.
Dice the onion.
Mince the garlic.
Dice the roasted jalapenos.
Combine the tamarind sauce, water, and sugar, allowing enough time for the jaggery to dissolve.
Toast the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns over a medium heat for about 2 minutes.
Grind them into powder.
On a medium heat, fry the mustard seeds in the margarine until they pop.
When the seeds pop (about 1 minute), add in the curry leaves and then immediately add the onion
and garlic.
Sauté this for 5 minutes.
Add in the tomatoes and tamarind sauce, simmering for 10 minutes.
Add in the 4 cups of water, powdered spices, and lentils, bring to a boil again, cover, reduce to low,
and cook for 25 minutes.
Add the salt and cilantro.
Option: For a completely smooth rasam, puree the soup once it is done.


Low‐fat Version

Toast all of the spices together instead of frying the mustard seeds, then proceed with the recipe as
written.

Raw Version

Simply puree all the ingredients, making sure to create the spice powder before pureeing and only
use half the onion and garlic. Let the soup sit for a couple hours before serving it.

Kitchen Equipment

Pot with Lid
Stirring Spoon
Measuring Spoon
Measuring Cup
Knife
Cutting Board

Presentation

This looks best when served in a small, light colored bowl.

Time Management

You can save some time by using tomato paste or tomato sauce instead of cooking the tomatoes
down to make your own.


This should be served with rice, which can be added directly to the rasam once it is served.

Where to Shop

Curry leaves are usually available at most Asian markets. You can usually find them dried and
sometimes even fresh. Tamarind sauce can be found at most grocery stores, but you’ll get the best at
an Asian market. Jaggery is also available at most Asian and Indian markets, though incredibly rare
outside of them. The rest of the ingredients are common. Approximate cost per serving is $1.25.

How It Works

The recipe is basically built around a spiced sweet and sour tomato sauce. The spices used, cumin,
coriander, pepper, and chiles all match very well with tomatoes. Toasting the spices activates their
essential oils and then the spices are ground to powder so that the soup doesn’t have a seedy
texture. The mustard seeds are fried, which deepens their flavor more so than just toasting them,
then the sauce is built up using the tomatoes and the sweet tamarind sauce. That tamarind sauce is
what gives the soup the sweet and sour taste and both the sauce and tomatoes are cooked down so
that the tomatoes because a sauce, which is then thinned with the water. Lentils are then added and
cooked to round out the dish and make it heartier. In some rasam recipes, the lentils are cooked
separately, smashed into a paste, and then stirred into the rasam.

Chef’s Notes

This is one of my favorite Indian soups. I love the light tomato broth with the heavy infusion of spices
and the heat of the chile. It’s perfect for dipping breads.


Calories 236
Fat 4 g
Dietary Fiber 16 g
Sugars 9 g
Protein 14 g
Salt 334 mg

Interesting Facts

Rasam basically means juice or essence, referring to the tomato tamarind broth and is the inspiration
for several other Indian soups.


Sambhar


Ingredients
The Sambhar Powder
1 dried red chile
½ tsp. of cumin seeds
¼ tsp. of fenugreek seeds
4 black peppercorns
1 tsp. of red lentils
¼ tsp. of turmeric
1/8 tsp. of ground cinnamon
2 tsp. of red curry powder
½ tsp. of salt
Option: 1 ½ tbsp. of sambhar powder instead of the above spices
The Tamarind Sauce
1 cup of warm water
The Daal
1 cup of water
1 tsp. of vegan margarine or safflower oil
½ cup of red lentils
½ tsp. of turmeric
The Rest of the Soup
1 yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 large tomato, chopped
½ tbsp. of brown mustard seeds
¼ tsp. of fenugreek seeds
Option: 6 curry leaves
3 tbsp. of chopped cilantro (coriander)

Instructions
Making the Sambhar Powder
Over a medium heat, toast the lentils, red chile, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, and
peppercorns for about 3 minutes.
Grind all of the ingredients in the Sambhar Powder section until they are powdered, then set
the sambhar powder aside.
Making the Tamarind Sauce
Combine the tamarind sauce with warm water and set it aside.

Making the Daal
Bring the water and margarine to a boil.
Add the turmeric and lentils and stir.
Bring the water back to a boil, cover the pot, reduce to low, and cook the lentils for about 17‐
18 minutes.
Once it is done, give the lentils a smash 2‐3 times, then set them aside.
Finishing the Soup
Dice the onion and carrot.
Mince the garlic.
Chop the tomato.
Over a medium heat, fry the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, and optional curry leaves in the
margarine until the mustard seeds pop.
Immediately add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion just begins to brown.
Add the sambhar powder, tomato, tamarind sauce, and carrot and simmer until the carrot is
just soft.
Pour this over the lentils and stir.


Low‐fat Version

Omit the oil in all parts of the recipe.

Kitchen Equipment

Sauté Pan
Spatula
Spice Grinder
2 Small Mixing Bowls
Small Pot with Lid
Medium Pot
Knife
Cutting Board
Measuring Cup
Measuring Spoon

Presentation

Sambhar should be served in a light colored bowl and the cilantro
should be added after each bowl is plated.

Time Management

You can save a decent amount of time by using packaged sambhar powder, which can be purchased
at most Asian markets. Make sure you get everything chopped before you start working with the
second set of spices since the onion needs to hit the pan as soon as the mustard seeds are popping so
the seeds don’t burn.


Serve this as a precursor to a full meal. Favorite companions are idli and dosai.

Where to Shop

Tamarind sauce can be found in most grocery stores, though you will get the best price at an Asian
market. You can also use pressed tamarind beans and make your own tamarind sauce. For the
spices, check out your local spice store or any market that sells spices from bulk jars. Approximate
cost per serving is $1.00.


How It Works

The sambhar powder is basically a standard red curry powder accentuated with a few other spices to
give it more depth. This is then used to infuse the soup, which doesn’t take long. The tamarind sauce
adds a sour flavor to the soup and a slight sweetness, making the other flavors of the soup pop out of
the bowl! When the lentils are cooked with the margarine, they become very creamy. Note that this
is a completely optional step. Mashing them a few times creates a bit of rough paste, which
disperses throughout the sambhar and creates a hint of thickness.

Chef’s Notes

This soup is delicious, relatively light in calories, and lasts forever in the refrigerator. It’s perfect for
making in large batches and then eating throughout the week.


Calories 393
Fat 9 g
Dietary Fiber 18 g
Sugars 11 g
Protein 17 g
Salt 631 mg

Interesting Facts

Sambhar is one of the most popular Indian soups available around the world.



Samosas
Type: Appetizer Serves: 16
Time to Prepare: 2 hours (includes 1 ½ hours for the dough to sit)

Ingredients
The Dough
¾ cup of whole wheat pastry flour flour
2 tsp. of finely ground semolina flour
¼ tsp. of salt
2 tbsp. of vegan margarine
3 tbsp. of ice water
Margarine or oil to coat the samosa dough
The Filling
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup of water
½ cup of lentils
1 tsp. of black mustard seeds
1 tsp. of cumin seed
¼ cup of roasted, diced green chilies
¼ cup of green peas
½ tsp. of salt
¾ tsp. of garam masalsa

Instructions
Making the Dough
Mix the flour, semolina, and salt together.
Melt the margarine and add it, rubbing the flour and margarine between your fingers until
you have a crumbly dough.
Slowly add in the ice water, kneading it by hand until you have dough that can be rolled into a
ball.
Knead this dough for 8 minutes.
For a flaky samosa, do not knead the dough.
Form it into a ball, coat it with oil, cover it, and let it sit for an hour and a half.
Making the Filling
Peel and dice the potatoes.
Steam them for 20 minutes.
While they are steaming, boil the 1 cup of water.
Add the lentils, bring them back to a boil, cover them, and reduce them to low.
They should finish about the same time the potatoes are finished.
Mince the garlic and set it aside.
Once the potatoes are done, fry the mustard seed and cumin seed in the margarine until the
seeds pop and jump.

Add in the finished potato, lentils, garlic, chiles, green peas, salt, and garam masala and cook
for another 3‐5 minutes.
Assembling the Samosas
Separate the dough into 8 different parts and roll them into balls.
Set them aside and cover them.
Lightly flour your working surface.
Roll a ball out into a 6” round.
Cut it in half.
You will work with one semi‐circle at a time.
Moisten one half of the straight edge about ¼” in towards the center.
Fold the dry half over this, crimping the dry straight edge against the moist straight edge.
This should form a cone.
Fill the cone about half full of the filling and seal the rest of the edges the way you sealed the
straight edge.
Crimp this down to make sure it is fully sealed.
Repeat this until all of the samosas are filled, covering the finished ones.
Heat up enough oil to fully cover the samosas to 365 degrees.
Fry the samosas for 4‐5 minutes and then set them aside to drain.


Low‐fat Version

You can toast the seeds instead of frying them and you can also omit the margarine from the dough,
though you will not have a flaky, light dough if you do this. Instead of frying the samosas, bake them
on 325 degrees for 20 minutes.

Kitchen Equipment

Mixing Bowl
Measuring Cup
Measuring Spoon
Towel
Peeler
Knife
Cutting Board
Sauté Pan
Wok or Deep Pan
Tongs or Spider Basket

Presentation

I generally serve these either on one big platter or by twos on small
metal plates. The samosas in this picture are baked, not fried.

Time Management

You can make the filling while the samosa dough is setting so that everything is ready to go as soon as
you start rolling out the dough. Make sure to have everything on hand when you start rolling and
assembling the samosas so you can get them quickly filled and wrapped and keep them from drying
out.


Serve with a spicy cilantro coconut chutney and a tamarind chutney.

Where to Shop

All of the ingredients for this are fairly common, though you will get the best price if you can
purchase the whole wheat pastry flour and spices from bulk bins and jars. Approximate cost per


serving is $0.25.

How It Works

Working cold margarine and water into the flour keeps the flour flaky and light, particularly important
if you decide to make puffy samosas instead of the denser ones made by kneading. The filling is then
simply a spiced potato, pea, and lentil mix, though the spices are particularly heavy in the filling to cut
through both the potatoes and the dough.

Chef’s Notes

Once you are done making the filling, put it away in a safe place. It is hard to keep from snacking on
it!

Nutrition Facts (per serving, baked version)

Calories 95
Fat 3 g
Dietary Fiber 4 g
Sugars 2 g
Protein 3 g
Salt 155 mg

Interesting Facts

Samosas aren’t just popular in India, they’re found throughout all of southern Asia, from the Middle
East to Viet Nam.



Aloo Palak
Type: Main Dish Serves: 2


Ingredients
2 Yukon gold potatoes, diced
2 bunches of spinach
Option: Mustard leaves instead of spinach
1 onion, diced
2 tsp. of grated ginger
2 tbsp. of diced roasted green chiles
1 tsp. of whole cumin seeds
3 dried red chiles
½ tsp. of turmeric
2 tsp. of garam masala
½ tsp. of salt

Instructions
Peel the potato.
Dice the potato.
Steam the potato until it is just soft, about 5‐7 minutes.
Remove the spinach leaves from the stems.
Slice the spinach thinly.
Dice the onion.
Mince the garlic.
Grate the ginger.
Over a medium heat, toast the cumin seeds for about 2 minutes.
Add the dried red chiles and toast for 1 more minute.
Grind the cumin, chiles, turmeric, garam masala, and salt into a powder.
Over a medium heat, sauté the onion, garlic, and ginger until the onion just starts to brown.
Add the spinach, chiles, and spice mix and cook until the spinach is thoroughly wilted.
Add the potatoes, then remove from the heat.


Low‐fat Version

Omit the oil in the recipe.

Kitchen Equipment

Knife
Cutting Board
Peeler
Measuring Spoon
Spatula
Steamer
Spice Grinder

Presentation

This is a fairly dense dish, so it should be served in a small bowl so
that the plate does not look empty.

Time Management

You can save some time by using packaged baby spinach so you don’t have to spend the time getting
rid of all the grit in bunches of spinach.


Serve this with grilled flatbread. The toastiness of the grilled bread goes perfectly with the spinach
and potatoes.

Where to Shop

All of these ingredients are fairly common. Approximate cost per serving is $3.00.

How It Works

The potatoes are steamed to best control their texture since overcooking them will turn them into
mashed potatoes. After that, the recipe is basically creating a heavy cumin masala and then wilting
spinach with onions and ginger.

Chef’s Notes

Even without the masala, this recipe is still a wonderful combination of hearty potatoes and spinach.


Calories 389
Fat 13 g
Dietary Fiber 11 g
Sugars 7 g
Protein 14 g
Salt 586 mg

Interesting Facts

Aloo palak basically means potatoes and spinach and can also be called saag aloo.



Bagara Baingan (Baby Eggplant in Peanut Coconut Sauce)


Ingredients
The Peanut Coconut Paste
½ cup of raw, skinless peanuts
2 tbsp. of sesame seeds
1 tbsp. of white poppy seeds
1 tbsp. of coriander seeds
½ cup of shredded coconut
1 red onion, chopped
¾ tsp. of cayenne pepper
1 ½ tsp. of paprika
¾ tsp. of salt
½ tsp. of turmeric
½ cup of water
The Eggplant
10‐12 baby Indian eggplants
3 tbsp. of freshly grated ginger
10‐12 curry leaves
4 dried red chiles

Instructions
Making the Paste
Over a medium heat, fry the peanuts in the oil until they brown.
Using a slotted spoon, remove them from the pan and add them to a blender.
Add the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, coriander seeds, and coconut to the pan and fry them for
about 30 seconds.
Remove those with a slotted spoon and add them to the blender.
Chop the onion.
In the same pan, sauté the onion until it browns.
Add the onion, cayenne, paprika, salt, and turmeric to the blender.
Puree these as much as possible, then slowly add the water, blending until you have a paste.
Making the Eggplant
Remove the stems from the eggplants.
Deeply score each one in an X, cutting almost all the way through.
Splay the baby eggplants out as flat as possible without breaking them apart.
Grate the ginger.

Mince the garlic.
Add 1 tbsp. of peanut oil back to the same pan and bring it to a medium heat.
Add the eggplant and pan fry them until soft on both sides.
Remove them from the pan.
Add in the cumin seeds, curry leaves, ginger, garlic, and red chiles and sauté for about 30
seconds.
Add the peanut paste to the pan and quickly stir.
Add the eggplant back to the pan.
Simmer the dish for about 5 minutes.


Kitchen Equipment

Wide Sauté Pan
Slotted Spoon
Measuring Cup
Measuring Spoon
Blender
Knife
Cutting Board

Presentation

You can serve this individually or family style. It looks nicest in a
white or metal bowl.

Time Management

This recipe has several steps, but you can have a couple pans working at once without much problem.
If you feel comfortable working multiple pans, start by cutting the eggplant. Start the eggplant
sautéing so you can toast the spices and peanuts and cook the onion at the same time. By the time
the eggplant is done, the spices, nuts, and onion should be ready to turn into a peanut paste. Doing
the recipe this way will save you about 10 minutes.


Serve this with a small amount of rice with thick flatbreads.

Where to Shop

Baby Indian eggplants are usually purple and can most commonly be found at Asian and Indian
markets, as can raw peanuts. The other ingredients are fairly common. Approximate cost per serving
is $2.00.

How It Works

This recipe works in six parts. The first three parts are involved in getting the peanut past ready. The
peanuts are fried to caramelize them and deepen their flavors. Then the seeds are fried to activate
their essential oils. The onion is caramelized to soften it to form the sweet base of the sauce and
everything is blended together. The next half of the recipe entails softening the eggplant by sautéing


it. The heat is low enough that the entire eggplant should be soft without burning and the eggplants
are scored so that you can lay them flat, ensuring that the entire eggplants evenly cook. Then there is
a second round of frying seeds, and then the eggplant and sauce simmer together so their flavors can
meld and the sauce can coat the eggplant. You can reduce some of the work on this by sautéing the
cumin, curry leaves, chiles, garlic, and ginger with the onion in the first part of the recipe and then
simply pureeing all of those into the paste.

Chef’s Notes

This recipe looks intimidating, but it’s actually fairly easy. In fact, if you like the peanut paste, you can
make a huge batch of it and refrigerate it so it’s ready to go for later dishes.


Calories 443
Fat 27 g
Dietary Fiber 20 g
Sugars 12 g
Protein 15 g
Salt 617 mg

Interesting Facts

This is a staple dish in Hyderabad.



Channa Masala
Type: Main Serves: 4


Ingredients
16 oz. of chickpeas
1 large potato
4 roma tomatoes, chopped
3tbsp. of tomato paste
1 ½ cups of water
½ of a yellow onion, diced or sliced
1 tbsp. of roasted diced green chiles
1 tsp. of salt
¾ tsp. of turmeric
1 ½ tsp. of coriander seed
1 tbsp. of oil
¼ cup of chopped cilantro

Instructions
Peel and dice the potato.
Boil a pot of water and boil the potato in the water for about 10 minutes.
While it is boiling, cut the onion, mince the garlic, grate the ginger, and chop the tomatoes.
Sauce the onion on a medium heat in the oil for about five minutes or until it starts to brown.
Add in the garlic and ginger and sauté for another two minutes.
Add in the coriander seed and cumin seed and sauté for another two minutes.
Add in the chopped tomatoes and chiles and sauté for another three minutes.
Add in the water, turmeric, garam masala, salt, and cilantro.
Stir in the tomato paste until it is thoroughly combined with the water.
Add in the chickpeas.
Simmer the sauce for about 20 minutes, adding in the potatoes when they are done.



Kitchen Equipment

Medium‐sized Pot for the potato
Medium‐sized Pot to cook the channa masala
Colander
Knife
Cutting Board
Measuring Cup
Measuring Spoon
Wooden Spoon
Can Opener for the chiles
Grater

Presentation

This should be served on a light colored plate. White is the
classic plate, but the best ones on which I have seen this dish
served are textured metallic plates.

Time Management

This recipe takes awhile to make. To save time, make the sauce while the potato is boiling. You can
also significantly cut down on time by using canned chickpeas.


This should be served with basmati rice, which can be flavored with cumin and bay leaves. It also
makes an excellent dish when paired with garlic paratha and a thick coconut curry.

Where to Shop

All of these ingredients are common except for the garam masala, which can be purchased at most
spice stores, Indian markets, and many gourmet stores.

How It Works

Cubing the potato before you boil it cuts down significantly on the cook time as more of the surface
area of the potato is exposed to the heat. Boiling it before it goes into the channa masala means that
the sauce does not have to simmer as long (the water will cook the potato faster than the sauce) and


leaves the potato al dente. Toasting the cumin and coriander seed for the sauce gives the sauce
depth, as does browning the onion. Using fresh tomatoes gives it a fresh, varied taste while the
tomato paste smoothes out the sauce.

Chef’s Notes

Channa masala is one of my favorite ways to serve chickpeas. They meld beautifully with the flavor of
the curried tomato sauce and are balanced nicely by the potatoes.


Calories 238
Fat 6 g
Dietary Fiber 8 g
Sugars 3 g
Protein 9 g
Salt 592 mg

Interesting Facts

A masala is the generic term for spice mix.
Channa is the Hindi word for chickpea.


Hakka Noodles


Ingredients
The Noodles
Warm water
8 oz. of wide rice noodles (fettuccini sized)
The Sauce
3 tbsp. of tomato paste
2 tbsp. of rice wine vinegar
¼ cup of soy sauce
1 tsp. of crushed red chile flakes
2 tsp. of paprika
The Veggies
1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1 large carrot, thinly sliced
2 tsp. of freshly grated ginger
8 green onions, sliced
1 medium‐sized tomato, chopped
6 tbsp. of chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
1 cup of bean sprouts

Instructions
Warm water to the point where it is steaming.
Pour the water over the noodles in a heat resistant bowl and let them sit until they become soft.
Immediately remove them from the water and set them aside.
Combine the tomato paste, vinegar, soy sauce, chile flakes, and paprika and set the sauce to the side.
Chop the cauliflower into florets.
Slice the carrot into thin, 2” long strips.
Mince the garlic, grate the ginger, and slice the green onions.
Chop the tomato.
Chop the cilantro and set it aside.
Bring a wok to a medium‐high heat.
Get a bowl of warm water ready.
Drizzle the oil into the wok once it is hot.
Add the cauliflower and carrots, sautéing them until they just start to brown.
Add the garlic, ginger, green onions, and tomato and quickly stir a couple times.
Quickly dunk the noodles in warm water to loosen them and drain the water.
Add the noodles to the pan and stir.
Add the sauce and cook for 3‐4 minutes.
Remove from the heat and garnish with beans sprouts and cilantro.

Low‐fat Version

Omit the oil and sauté the cauliflower and carrot over a medium heat. Once they are browned, add
in the rest of the veggies, noodles, and sauce all at the same time.

Kitchen Equipment

Pot
Wok
Stirring Spoon
Measuring Spoon
2 Large Mixing Bowls
1 Small Mixing Bowl
Colander

Presentation

Garnish the noodles after they have been plated. Otherwise, the
cilantro will simply get mixed into the dish. You can also top with a
few crushed red chiles.

Time Management

Make sure you get the sauce and noodles ready and all the veggies cut before you start cooking
anything so that they can all go in at the right time.


Serve this with a glass of Tamil tea.

Where to Shop

You can get the best price on rice noodles, rice vinegar, and peanut oil at an Asian market. The rest
of the ingredients are easily found. Approximate cost per serving is $1.00.

How It Works

The recipe is a simple noodle stir fry with homemade ketchup. You start by browning the cauliflower
and carrots, but nothing else should be in the wok since these two ingredients take the most time to
brown. After that, the garlic, ginger, and green onions go in so they can briefly cook, but not long

enough to become bitter over the fairly high heat. The noodles are added and everything is
simmered in the sauce for a few minutes. This allows the sauce to tighten and cling to the noodles
and veggies. Bean sprouts and cilantro are added after everything comes off the heat so they can
maintain their fresh taste and texture.

Chef’s Notes

This is one of my favorite recipes and I usually make it every couple weeks. There are plenty of
variations you can do by switching out or adding different veggies.


Calories 327
Fat 3 g
Dietary Fiber 8 g
Sugars 12 g
Protein 8 g
Salt 1,058 mg

Interesting Facts

This recipe showcases Chinese cooking techniques brought to Calcutta.



Jalfrezi Curry
Type: Curry Serves: 1


Ingredients
1 large potato, cubed
½ of an onion, grated
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
¼ cup of loosely packed cilantro (coriander) leaves
1 tbsp. of melted margarine or oil
¾ tsp. of cumin seeds
1 ½ tsp. of coriander seeds
¼ tsp. of salt
2 tsp. of chile powder
1 tsp. of turmeric
2 tbsp. of hot roasted green chiles, diced

Instructions
Cube the potatoes.
Grate the onion.
Mince the garlic.
Grate the ginger.
Dice the tomatoes.
Chop the cilantro.
On a medium heat, fry the cumin and coriander seeds in the margarine for about 30 seconds.
Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and continue cooking until the onion just starts to brown.
Add the potatoes, turmeric, chile powder, and salt and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and green chiles and cook until the tomatoes are reduced and the potatoes are
soft, about 5‐7 minutes.


Low‐fat Version

Do not fry the spices. Toast them over a medium heat for about 4 minutes instead.

Kitchen Equipment

Sauté Pan
Knife
Cutting Board
Measuring Spoon
Stirring Spoon

Presentation

Serve this either in a small bowl or on a plate with enough room for
lots of sides. Make sure to leave a few fresh cilantro leaves to give
the dish a bright green accent.

Time Management

Dicing the potatoes finely is important so that the tomatoes can reduce to a sauce quickly. If the cut
is too large, the potatoes will turn into mashed potatoes by the time the tomatoes reduce.


Serve this with a side of rice and chickpeas and a cool, creamy side.

Where to Shop

All of the ingredients for this are easy to find. Approximate cost per serving is $2.00.

How It Works

The base of the curry is built by frying cumin and coriander and then adding the onions, garlic, and
ginger. The seeds cook quickly, so make sure everything is chopped and ready to go. The potatoes
are then added before the onions are fully browned so that by the time the onions are browned, the
potatoes will have slightly crisped. The tomatoes are then added so they can sauce. It’s a fairly
simple, straightforward curry.



Chef’s Notes

This is one of my favorite curries. You can easily take the base and use carrots and cauliflower, or
seitan, or chickpeas to create tasty variations on it.


Calories 337
Fat 13 g
Dietary Fiber 5 g
Sugars 6 g
Protein 7 g
Salt 613 mg

Interesting Facts

Jalfrezi basically means dry fry, referring to the fact that the seeds, onions, and potatoes are all
cooked with turmeric and chile powder prior to any sauce being added to the pan.



Navratan Korma


Ingredients
The Spice Mix
1 tsp. of black peppercorns or ¾ tsp. of freshly ground black pepper
4 whole cloves or ¼ tsp. of ground cloves
2 star anise prongs or a pinch of ground star anise
1 green cardamom pod or ¼ tsp. of ground cardamom
2” piece of cinnamon or 1 tsp. of ground cinnamon
2 dried red chiles or 1 tsp. of cayenne powder
2 tsp. of whole cumin seeds or 1 tsp. of ground cumin
2 tsp. of whole coriander seeds or 1 tsp. of ground coriander
1 tsp. of whole fennel seeds or ½ tsp. of ground fennel
1 tsp. of poppy seeds
Option: 1 tbsp. of ground turmeric
The Veggies
2 small carrots, diced
¼ of a small cauliflower head, chopped
¼ of a small cabbage, sliced
1 potato, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 tomato, diced
2 cups of chopped spinach
½ cup of green peas
3 tbsp. of diced, roasted green chilies
The Sauce and Garnish
1 tbsp. of grated ginger
2 tbsp. of plain soy yogurt
2 cups of coconut milk
½ tsp. of salt
Option: 1 tsp. of tamarind
¼ cup of cashews
Cilantro (coriander) leaves for garnish

Instructions
Dice the carrots and potato, and chop the cauliflower and set them aside.
Slice the cabbage and set it aside.
Dice the onion and tomato and set them aside.
Grate the ginger and mince the garlic and set them aside.
Toast the peppercorns, cloves, star anise, cardamom pod, and cinnamon stick for about 1 ½ minutes.

Add the dried red chiles and toast for 30 more seconds.
Grind the toasted spices (make sure to pop the cardamom pod open and remove the seeds).
Over a medium heat, sauté the onion in the vegan margarine until it just begins to turn brown.
Add the ginger, garlic, poppy seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and fennel seeds and continue
sautéing for 1 more minute.
Option: If you use already ground spices, don’t toast or fry them (add them to the pan just before the
tomatoes are added).
Add in the ground spices and stir.
Immediately add the tomatoes, roasted chiles, and yogurt and continue sautéing for about 4‐5 more
minutes.
Add in the coconut milk, salt, and optional tamarind and stir.
Reduce the heat to medium‐low.
Add the veggies (except the spinach) and cashews and simmer until the veggies are mostly soft.
Add the chopped spinach and simmer 1 more minute.
Remove the korma from the heat.
Garnish with fresh cilantro.


Low‐fat Version

Use almond milk instead of coconut milk and toast the spices, but do not fry them. You can also use a
slightly thinned soy or coconut yogurt. Sauté the onion in a dry pan instead of using oil or any other
liquid.

Raw Version

Omit the potato and add in extra cauliflower or cashews. Use 2 ½ cups of fresh coconut milk and a
squeeze of lemon to impart some of the sourness the yogurt lends, since you should omit the soy
yogurt. Let the korma sit for at least an hour before serving to allow the spices to infuse the broth
and only use half the garlic and onion.

Kitchen Equipment

Knife
Cutting Board
Steamer
Wok or Deep Sauté Pan
Stirring Spoon
Measuring Cup
Measuring Spoon
Spice Grinder

Presentation

Add the cilantro after the korma has been plated so the green is
prominent and serve in a deeply colored bowl, such as dark red or
purple. If your korma has already turned out to be quite colorful,
you can stir the cilantro directly into it.

Time Management

Get all the veggies cut so that as soon as you are done building the spice mix and sauce, they can go
directly in the pan and start simmering. This also cuts down on water loss, since the sauce will have
less time to evaporate.


This should be served with a side of rice and some sort of flatbread like paratha.



Where to Shop

Find a place that sells spices from bulk jars to get the best price on your spices. If you can’t find the
star anise, look for it packaged, which can often be found in the Mexican aisle of many grocery stores
and should be available at any Asian market. My favorite brand of coconut milk is from Thai Kitchen.
Approximate cost per serving is $2.00.

How It Works

The spice mix is a fragrant, semi‐sweet set of spices meant to accent the coconut milk and the heat of
the chiles. Some of the spices are better toasted and some are better fried, at least for this curry, so
that’s why there are two different methods for treating the spices. The ground spices are added after
the onion sautés and sit on the direct heat just long enough to activate more essential oils without
burning the delicate spice powder. The yogurt, tomatoes, and chiles are added together, but without
the coconut milk, so that there is just enough liquid in the pan to help the tomatoes turn into sauce.
If the coconut milk is added to early, the tomatoes remain chunky.

Chef’s Notes

This curry is silky smooth with a very robust, well balanced curry flavor accented with the heat of the
chiles.


Calories 651
Fat 47 g
Dietary Fiber 6 g
Sugars 13 g
Protein 13 g
Salt 289 mg

Interesting Facts

Korma refers to a braised style of curry thickened with yogurt or cream.
Navratan korma means “korma of nine gems,” which is why there are nine veggies in this recipe.



Pasanda

Time to Prepare: 30 minutes + 6 hours for the cashews to soak and the eggplant to marinate

Ingredients
1 green cardamom pod or ¼ tsp. of ground cardamom
2 whole cloves or 1/8 tsp. of ground cloves
1” piece of cinnamon or ½ tsp. of ground cinnamon
4 dried red chiles or 1 serrano chile, minced
2 onions, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, smashed
¼ tsp. of salt
1 large eggplant, chopped
Option: 4 cups of seitan instead of the eggplant or a mix of half and half
4 large Roma tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup of raw cashews, soaked
½ cup of coconut milk
Option: ½ cup of water or plain soy yogurt instead of coconut milk
¼ cup of chopped cilantro (coriander) for garnish

Instructions
Soak the cashews in water for at least 6 hours.
Toast the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and dried chiles (do not do this for the optional fresh
serrano).
Option: Omit this step if you are using the powders.
Grind the toasted spices into a rough powder.
Chop the onion, smash the garlic, and grate the ginger.
Puree the onion, ginger, garlic, salt, and toasted spice mix.
Chop the eggplant or optional seitan.
Marinate the eggplant or seitan in the mix for about 4 hours.
Just before cooking, drain the water from the cashews.
Chop the tomatoes.
Puree the cashews, then slowly start adding chopped tomatoes to the mix until you have a thick,
creamy tomato sauce.
On a medium heat, fry the coriander seeds and cumin seeds until the cumin starts to brown.
Add the eggplant or seitan along with the marinade and keep cooking until the puree starts to brown.
Add the creamy tomato sauce and simmer until the eggplant is soft (about 3‐4 minutes longer).
Option: Add ½ cup of coconut milk for a creamier sauce.


Low‐fat Version

Do not fry the coriander and cumin seeds. Simply toast them for about 2 minutes, then add the
eggplant and marinade to the pan. You may need to keep some water handy to keep the marinade
hydrated once it hits the pan. Omit the coconut milk, as well.

Kitchen Equipment

Blender
1 Large Mixing Bowl
1 Small Mixing Bowl
Deep Sauté Pan
Measuring Cup
Measuring Spoon
Stirring Spoon
Knife
Cutting Board
Can Opener

Presentation

Like most dishes, garnish with the cilantro after the food is plated so
the beautiful green can sit atop the dish. I like to make a mound of
the eggplant or seitan in the middle of the plate and then let the
sauce fall to the sides.

Time Management

Make sure you keep marinated eggplant and the creamy tomato sauce close to the pan. Once you
start cooking, timing is important. Getting the eggplant and marinade into the pan at the right time
will keep the seeds from burning and getting the creamy tomato sauce into the pan will keep the
marinade from becoming too brown.


Serve this with roti and naan.

Where to Shop

All of these ingredients are fairly common. Approximate cost per serving is $1.00.



How It Works

Soaking the cashews softens them enough that they can be turned into a sweet cashew cream, which
also helps bind the pureed tomatoes with the marinade. The sauce itself is built in three parts. The
first is the cumin and coriander, which is lightly fried to deepen their flavors. Then the marinade is
added (along with the eggplant) so that the onion in the marinade can caramelize, which won’t
happen if it is added along with the tomato sauce. Finally, the thick creamy tomato sauce is added to
thicken the dish and bind everything together.

Chef’s Notes

This can be made with or without the tomato sauce, though the tomato sauce adds quite a bit of
depth to the dish and makes it feel more hearty.


Calories 314
Fat 22 g
Dietary Fiber 6 g
Sugars 7 g
Protein 6 g
Salt

Interesting Facts

There are quite a number of variations on pasanda, some so different from others that they are
unrecognizable as the same dish!



Saag “Paneer”


Ingredients
¾ tsp. of cumin seeds
3 tbsp. of diced, roasted green chiles
3 tbsp. of water
½ tsp. of turmeric
½ tsp. of paprika
2 tsp. of peanut oil or melted margarine
8 oz. of firm tofu, cubed
½ tsp. of garam masala
½ tsp. of salt
3 tbsp. of coconut milk

Instructions
Toast the cumin and coriander seeds on a medium heat in a dry pan for about 4 minutes.
Grind the cumin and coriander into powder.
Grate the ginger.
Place the chiles, ginger, coriander, turmeric, cumin, and paprika in a blender and puree.
Cube the tofu, and then pat it dry with a paper towel.
Sauté the tofu over a medium high heat in the oil until it is golden, then set it aside.
Reduce the heat to medium, pour the puree in the pan, and then add the spinach.
Stir gently.
This should take about ten to fifteen minutes to cook.
Once the spinach has thoroughly reduced, add the garam masala, salt, soy creamer, and tofu cubes.
Mix together and let cook for another five minutes.


Low‐fat Version

Omit the oil from the recipe and do not sauté the tofu.

Raw Version

Puree the ingredients for the sauce, using 1 jalapeno for the chile. Place a heavy weight on the
spinach and allow it to sit for about 4 hours. Squeeze the water from the spinach. Add the puree,
salt, garam masala, and fresh coconut milk. Use soaked cashews for the paneer.

Kitchen Equipment

Knife
Cutting Board
Small Blender
Pan for Toasting the Spices
Large Pan or Wok for Cooking the Spinach
Wooden Spoon

Presentation

Saag paneer looks nice when it is presented in a long dish with the
tofu cubes showing as it presents a good color contrast.

Time Management

Make the puree first so that you can immediately add it to the pan when you are done with the tofu.
This will save you a few minutes. For the most part, this is a labor intensive dish, but you will have
some downtime while the spinach reduces. If you want, you can make this a couple hours ahead of
time and warm it back up in the oven.


Plain basmati rice goes well with this as does garlic naan with a dark chutney, such as a tomato
chutney or a tamarind chutney.

Where to Shop

All of these ingredients are incredibly easy to find, though you may want to use prewashed baby

spinach so you don’t have to spend the time getting the grit out of a head of spinach. Approximate
cost per serving is $2.00.

How It Works

Toasting the spices first activates the oils in the spices and increases their flavor. Creating the puree
and cooking down the spinach with it allows the puree and spinach to integrate, blending their
flavors. The coconut milk adds richness to the dish that would be there had cheese been used.
Sautéing the tofu gives it a tighter, more compact texture to mimic paneer.

Chef’s Notes

Saag paneer was my first experience with Indian food almost twenty years ago and I was very glad
when I could recreate it.


Calories 159
Fat 7 g
Dietary Fiber 4 g
Sugars 4 g
Protein 14 g
Salt 630 mg

Interesting Facts

Saag is a type of recipe made of leafy greens cooked down and wilted, of which saag paneer is the
most common.
It is more common in Punjab where it is eaten with a type of bread called roti.
Saag paneer also goes by the name palak paneer.



Seitan Madras

Time to Prepare: 45 minutes + 1 hour for the marinade

Ingredients
The Curry Paste
1 tbsp. of cumin seeds
6 dried red chiles
6 curry leaves
½ tsp. of salt
10 cloves of garlic
The Seitan
4 cups of chopped seitan
2 tsp. of turmeric
Finishing the Curry
3 onions, sliced thinly
1 ½ tsp. of fennel seeds
2 cups of coconut milk
2 cups of water
8 green cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp. of jaggery or turbinado sugar

Instructions
Toast the coriander seeds and cumin seeds over a medium heat for about 3‐4 minutes.
Toast the chiles over a medium heat for about 1 minute.
Puree the coriander, cumin, chiles, curry leaves, salt, garlic, and ginger into a paste.
Toss the seitan with the turmeric, then the curry paste, and let it sit for an hour.
Slice the onions.
Over a medium heat, fry the fennel seeds in the margarine for about 1 minute.
Add the onion and keep sautéing until the onion is lightly browned.
Add the seitan along with the curry paste and sauté 1 more minute.
Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes.


Low‐fat Version

Use almond milk instead of coconut milk and water and toast the fennel for 3 minutes instead of
frying it for 1 minute.

Kitchen Equipment

Sauté Pan
Blender
Knife
Cutting Board
Mixing Bowl
Measuring Cup
Measuring Spoon
Spatula

Presentation

Top the plated dish with dried red chiles and a few cuts of fresh
green, either cilantro or mint.

Time Management

You can cheat and forgo the marinade time if you want this ready much faster. If you do that, puree
the turmeric into the curry paste.


Serve this with flatbread and finish it off with a cup of black chai.

Where to Shop

Curry leaves can usually be found fresh at most Asian markets. If you can’t find them, simply omit
them. Seitan can either be made at home or can be purchased at places like Whole Foods and
Central Market. The rest of the ingredients are common. Approximate cost per serving is $1.50.

How It Works

The curry paste is a spicy garlic paste heavy with cumin and coriander. The bold flavors are necessary

to get the most out of the seitan. The turmeric is applied to the seitan before the curry paste so that
most of it stays in direct contact with the seitan, increasing its absorption. If it was mixed into the
paste, the seitan would not acquire as much curry flavor. The sauce is then built up by developing
cooking the onions and developing the flavor of the curry paste, then thinned out with coconut milk
and water, much of which will evaporate as the dish simmers. As with many Asian dishes, you are
expected to know not to eat the cinnamon and cardamom pods.

Chef’s Notes

This curry very much reminds me of many Thai curries, which are often built from pastes heavy on
shallots and garlic.


Calories 495
Fat 31 g
Dietary Fiber 4 g
Sugars 13 g
Protein 24 g
Salt 718 mg

Interesting Facts

Madras is the capital of the state, Tamil Nadu.



Urad Daal

Ingredients
2 tsp. of freshly ground ginger
1 tbsp. of vegan margarine or oil
½ tsp. of black peppercorns
½ tsp. of fennel seeds
½ tsp. of turmeric
¼ tsp. of ground cinnamon
6 dried sanaam chiles (or other dried red chile)
4 cups of water
1 cup of urad daal (a.k.a. black gram or black lentils)
¾ tsp. of salt

Instructions
Grate the ginger and set it aside.
Over a medium heat in the margarine, fry the coriander, cumin, peppercorns, and fenugreek until the
cumin turns brown (about 30 seconds to 1 minute).
Add in the turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, and chiles and stir quickly for about 15 seconds.
Immediately add in the water and bring it to a boil.
Add in the urad daal, bring the water back to a boil, cover the pot, and reduce it to a low heat.
Cook for 30 minutes.
Puree the soup, adding more water if you want a thinner soup.
Return the soup to the pot.
Add the spinach and cook for 5 minutes.


Low‐fat Version

Do not fry the whole spices, but toast them for 4 minutes.

Kitchen Equipment

Pot with Lid
Stirring Spoon
Measuring Cup
Measuring Spoon
Grater
Knife
Cutting Board

Presentation

Serve as is or garnish with a couple dried chiles and fresh cuts of
cilantro (coriander).

Time Management

This soup doesn’t take a lot of actual labor, so plan on lots of downtime. You will, however, have to
pay close attention to it while frying the spices or else you will end up with burned, bitter spices and a
not very tasty soup. You can save time with the spinach by using prewashed baby spinach leaves,
which you don’t even need to chop.


Serve this with rice or paratha and a cooling, sweet drink like a lassi.

Where to Shop

Urad daal is most commonly found in Indian markets, though most large Asian markets will also have
it. The rest of the ingredients are common. Approximate cost per serving is $1.75.

How It Works

The spice mix is meant to be a mix of heaviness from the cumin, aromatics from the coriander and
cinnamon, tanginess from the turmeric, and heat from the chiles, creating a multi‐faceted flavor

profile for the soup which melds together as it cooks. The soup is then cooked for a very long time so
that the daal is soft enough to puree into a smooth soup.

Chef’s Notes

You can use this base recipe to make a wide range of different daal and lentil soups.


Calories 240
Fat 4 g
Dietary Fiber 16 g
Sugars 2 g
Protein 17 g
Salt 497 mg

Interesting Facts

Black daal often has the skin removed and is ground into flour.



Vindaloo Curry

Ingredients
1 tsp. of black peppercorns
10 whole cloves
2 tsp. of fenugreek seeds
1 tbsp. of brown mustard seeds
4” cinnamon stick
6 dried red chiles
2 tsp. of ground turmeric
½ tsp. of salt
1 large onion, sliced
1 small eggplant, chopped
1 potato, chopped
3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
4 bay leaves
1 cup of red wine

Instructions
Grate the ginger and mince the garlic, then set them aside.
Toast the coriander and cumin over a medium heat for 2 minutes.
Add the peppercorns, cloves, fenugreek, mustard, cardamom pods, and cinnamon stick and continue
toasting for 2 more minutes.
Add the chiles and toast for 1 more minute.
Remove the cardamom seeds from the pods and discard the pods.
Puree the spices, ginger, garlic, turmeric, and salt.
Slice the onion.
Chop the eggplant, potato, and tomatoes.
Over a medium heat, sauté the bay leaves and onion until the onion is brown.
Add the vindaloo paste and sauté for 1 more minute.
Add the eggplant and sauté until just soft.
Add the wine and tomatoes and stir.
Add the potatoes.
Simmer until the potatoes are just soft.
Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with rice.

Low‐fat Version

Don’t add any oil to the pan when cooking the onions. Toast the bay leaves for about 1 minute over a
medium heat in a dry pan, then add them when you add the wine.

Kitchen Equipment

Sauté Pan
Spatula
Blender
Measuring Spoon
Measuring Cup
Wine Opener
Knife
Cutting Board

Presentation

Serve this in a metal bowl and garnish with cilantro after it is plated.
You can also garnish it with a sprinkle of brown mustard seeds or
poppy seeds. Alternatively, you can serve it on a white plate with
the vindaloo and rice in separate sections, unified by the cilantro
garnish.

Time Management

Make sure you get the garlic and ginger ready so that, as soon as the spices are done toasting, you
can get the spices out of the hot pan and make the paste. Also, don’t thoroughly cook the eggplant
when sautéing it. It will finish off as it simmers in the curried wine sauce. If you thoroughly cook it
while sautéing, it will fall apart in the wine.


Serve this with a side of basmati rice sprinkled with toasted slivered almonds.

Where to Shop

Choose a red wine that isn’t that dry. It should have a touch of sweetness to balance out the heat
and flavors of the curry. Look for the spices at a store that sells them from bulk jars. Approximate
cost per serving varies based heavily on the cost of the wine.



How It Works

The spices are toasted in a way such that the spices that need to toast the longest are added to the
pan first and the more delicate ones are added last. The mustard seed is integral to this curry. It
matches perfectly with the garlic and wine. In fact, some vindaloos are made with prepared mustard,
though it really should be made with wine. The bass notes are comprised of cumin and fenugreek. It
is then turned into a paste, which is lightly fried later to develop its flavors. Wine is then added to
build up the sauce and it simmers just long enough to make the potatoes al dente. Potatoes are
added as a fun play on the name of the dish. Aloo typically means potato, but in this name, it actually
refers to garlic.

Chef’s Notes

This curry is powerful. It has some subtlety to it and it’s lots of fun, but it is definitely not a light dish.

Nutrition Facts (per serving, includes ½ cup of cooked rice)

Calories 232
Fat 4 g
Dietary Fiber 6 g
Sugars 6 g
Protein 7 g
Salt 568 mg

Interesting Facts

Vindaloo curry is a fusion of Indian and Portuguese cooking styles and is a loose of amalgamation of
the Portuguese words for wine and garlic.



Aloo Paratha
Type: Bread Serves: 6

Time to Prepare: 3 hours (includes 2 hours for the dough to sit)

Ingredients
The Dough
4 cups of sifted whole wheat pastry flour
1 ½ tsp. of salt
1/3 cup of vegan margarine, melted
1 1/3 cups of warm water
Flour for dusting
The Filling
5 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled
1 ½ tsp. of salt
2 tsp. of ground turmeric
1 tbsp. of paprika
3 tbsp. of roasted, diced chiles
1 tbsp. of lemon juice
2 tbsp. of vegan margarine or oil
2 tsp. of coriander seed
1 tsp. of brown mustard seed

Instructions
Making the Dough:
Mix the flour and salt together.
Add in the melted margarine and work it with your fingers until it is crumbly.
Slowly add in the water, mixing into the dough by hand.
Knead the dough for 10 minutes.
Form it into a ball.
Cover it with oil.
Cover the dough with a paper towel and let it sit for 2 hours.
Making the Filling
Peel the potatoes.
Grate the ginger.
Boil them and mash them along with the salt, turmeric, paprika, ginger, chiles, and lemon
juice.
In a medium sauté pan, add the margarine and melt it over a medium heat.
Toast the cumin seed, mustard seed, and coriander seed in the margarine until they pop.
Add the potatoes and sauté for another five minutes.
Assembling the Paratha:
Separate the dough into 12 balls.
Roll each ball out into an oblong shape, dusting it with flour as needed.

Spread a small amount of the filling in the middle of one of the oblongs.
Brush water around the edge of the oblong about ½” in towards the center.
Lay another oblong on top of it and crimp it.
Repeat until you are out of dough or filling.
On a lightly oiled surface, cook each paratha on a medium heat on both sides until reddish
brown.



Low‐fat Version

Omit the oil from all parts of the recipe. Substitute ¼ cup of water for the margarine in the dough
and omit the oil entirely in the filling section.

Kitchen Equipment

2 Mixing Bowls
Small Pot
Medium Pot
Griddle or Large Sauté Pan
Measuring Cup
Measuring Spoon
Peeler
Spatula
Potato Masher

Presentation

Serve these on a big platter surrounded by small bowls of chutney.

Time Management

If you have a large griddle, you can significantly cut down the cook time since you can feasibly cook all
six paratha at once.


Serve this with a spicy tomato chutney and a mango chutney or diced pickles and coconut yogurt.

Where to Shop

All of these ingredients are fairly common, but you will get the best prices on the spices if you buy
them from bulk jars. For margarine, try Earth Balance or go with almond oil. Approximate cost per
serving is $0.50.



How It Works

The dough needs a couple hours to set up so that the gluten in the wheat can rest, making it tender
and elastic. Not only does this increase the flavor, but it makes the dough easier to roll into thin
sheets. The filling is basically curried mashed potatoes made tangy with lemon juice and robust with
roasted green chiles. The powders are mixed directly into the mashed potatoes while the seeds are
fried first to develop their flavors. Yukon gold potatoes are used to create the creamiest texture and
are peeled so that the potatoes are as smooth as possible.

Chef’s Notes

These are thick aloo paratha stuffed with plenty of filling, not the thin emaciated kind found at most
restaurants.


Calories 585
Fat 13 g
Dietary Fiber 13 g
Sugars 3 g
Protein 18 g
Salt 1102 mg

Interesting Facts

Paratha originated in Punjab.



Aloo Dosa
Type: Dosa Serves: 4
Time to Prepare: 18 hours for the batter to sit plus 30 minutes to make the dosai

Ingredients
The Batter
1 ½ cups of white basmati rice
½ cup of split urad daal (skinless black lentils)
½ tsp. of whole fenugreek seeds
1 tsp. of salt
½ cup (approximately) of warm water
Oil for frying the batter
The Filling
3 potatoes, peeled, boiled, and mashed
2 tbsp. of melted margarine or oil
½ tsp. of turmeric
1 ½ tsp. of brown mustard seeds
¾ tsp. of garam masala
½ tsp. of salt
2 tbsp. of diced roasted green chiles

Instructions
Preparing the Batter
Wash the rice and urad daal 3‐4 times.
Combine them with the fenugreek.
Cover the mix with enough water that the water rises about 2” above the mix.
Soak the mix for 12 or so hours.
Drain the excess water.
Grind the mix, adding water if necessary, until you have a coarse paste.
Add in salt and just enough water to make a thick batter (about ½ cup).
Let this mix sit in a warm place for 6‐8 hours.
Preparing the Filling
Peel the potatoes.
Boil the potatoes until they are soft.
Mash the potatoes.
Over a medium heat, toast the brown mustard seeds and coriander seeds until they pop.
Add the garam masala to the pan and immediately turn off the heat.
Add the potatoes, salt, and chiles to the pan and mash the potatoes.
Set the filling aside.
Cooking the Dosa
Add just enough oil to a sauté pan so that the oil barely coats it.
Turn the heat up to medium high.
Once the pan is heated, dip a ladle into the batter and fill it about ¾ of the way.

Add the batter to the pan and swirl the ladle through the batter, spreading it out (don’t worry
if some holes form; that’s normal).
Once the top begins to cook and loses its raw color, flip the dosa.
Fill it with a thin layer of filling.
Cook for about 30 seconds, until golden.
Fold the dosa and set aside.
Repeat until you are out of batter or filling.


Low‐fat Version

Toast the seeds for 4 minutes instead of frying them. You will, however, need to fry the dosa batter.

Kitchen Equipment

Mixing Bowl
2 Sauté Pans
Large Spatula
Measuring Cup
Measuring Spoon
Peeler
Stirring Spoon
Potato Masher
Ladle
Blender or Small Food Processor

Presentation

Dosai are big! Serve them on a big platter side by side, or plated
individually, so the bottom ones don’t collapse.

Time Management

These don’t actually take much work to make, but the batter does require quite awhile to sit. If you
don’t want to wait that long, you can look for premade dosa mix.


Serve this with a tomato chutney or gunpowder chutney.

Where to Shop

Urad daal is usually only available in Indian markets and large Asian markets. The other ingredients,
however, are very easy to find. Approximate cost per serving is $1.00.

How It Works

The batter is a two step process. First, the rice and daal are rinsed to remove any excess fiber and

then soaked so they can soften. It is easiest to grind into a coarse paste if the rice and daal are
drained to compact the ingredients in the blender, with the batter subsequently being built back up
with water. The next major part is allowing the batter to sit for several hours, giving it a minor
fermentation and lending a sour note to the dosa. The dosa batter is then thinly layered in the pan,
allowing it to thoroughly cook through and crisp. Rice is used in the batter so that the batter is sweet
and crispy and daal is used to bind it all together. The filling is a simple curried mashed potato mix
and is added to the dosa just before it fully finishes cooking so that the filling can set in the dosa.

Chef’s Notes

Making dosai requires practice. The cakes are fragile, but with time, you can get a perfect flip and a
perfect meal.


Calories 468
Fat 8 g
Dietary Fiber 10 g
Sugars 3 g
Protein 14 g
Salt 877 mg

Interesting Facts

Dosa and dosai are both proper spellings of this dish.
Dosai are eaten every day in some regions of South India.
Dosai are very popular at Udupi restaurants.



Idli
Type: Side Serves: 8
Time to Prepare: 30 minutes + 1 ½ days to sit

Ingredients
1 cup of long grain rice
½ cup of black or green lentils
1 cup of warm water
1 tsp. of salt
¼ tsp. of baking soda
Oil for brushing molds
Options: Diced green chilies, cumin seed, black pepper, coconut

Instructions
Wash the rice and lentils separately, soaking and rinsing each until the water is clear.
Cover each with water in separate bowls and let them sit overnight.
Drain the rice and lentils.
Blend the rice until it is coarsely ground.
Add in ½ cup of warm water and continue blending until the rice is smooth.
Set the rice aside.
Repeat the procedure with the lentils.
Combine the lentil puree with the rice puree and salt.
Cover this batter and let it sit for ½ a day.
Uncover it and mix in the baking soda.
Lightly brush with oil either idli molds or shallow muffin tins.
If you are using muffin tins, only fill them 2/3 of the way.
Pour the batter into molds.
Steam them for 15 minutes, or about 5 minutes longer if you make idli larger than 3” in diameter.
Option: If you use the optional ingredients, mix them in with the baking soda.


Kitchen Equipment

2 Mixing Bowls
Plastic Wrap or Towel
Blender
Measuring Cup
Measuring Spoon
Spatula
Idli Molds or Shallow Muffin Tins
Steamer

Presentation

Make sure you keep these covered until serving and if they are going
to be on the table for more than 15 minutes, cover them even then.

Time Management

This doesn’t take a lot of work, but it does take a long time for the batter to set. That means making
idli takes a lot of planning, unless you use an idli mix. The taste and texture however, is noticeably
inferior with the mix.


Serve this with a sweet chutney and a light soup, like sambar. You can also dip these in a mix of
toasted, crushed spices.

Where to Shop

All of these ingredients are commonly available. Approximate cost per serving is $0.15.

How It Works

Washing the rice and lentils gets rid of as much hard bits as possible so you can make a smooth idli
dough. Soaking them softens them so they can be turned into a puree, then the idli ferments to
acquire a sour note. The baking soda causes the idli to become a cake as it steams.



Chef’s Notes

Whenever I have sambar or rasam, a brothy spicy soup, I absolutely have to dunk idli in it!


Calories 138
Fat 2 g
Dietary Fiber 5 g
Sugars 1 g
Protein 5 g
Salt 131 mg

Interesting Facts

Idli was originally an Indonesian food and was prepared only with lentils, not the lentils and rice.



Naan

Time to Prepare: 25 minutes + 1 hour to rise

Ingredients
¼ cup of warm water
½ tsp. yeast
¼ tsp. sugar
¾ cup of flour
¼ tsp. of salt
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. of oil to oil a bowl
½ cup of flour to flour the rolling surface
1 tsp. of oil for brushing

Instructions
Mix the sugar and yeast into the warm water and let it sit for five minutes.
If the yeast bubbles, it’s active and you can use this mixture.
If it does not, you will have to start over.
In a metal bowl, mix together the flour and salt.
Make a well in the middle.
Pour in the water, yeast, and sugar mixture as well as the oil.
Gently knead the dough with your fingers until it becomes smooth.
Form the dough into a ball.
Lightly oil a metal bowl.
Place the dough in the metal bowl, cover it with a towel, and let it sit for about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Option: Cook these for three minutes on a very hot grill.
Once it has risen, divide the dough into 3 pieces.
Gently roll the pieces out into oblong shapes on a lightly floured surface.
On a lightly oiled baking sheet, bake them for about 12 minutes or until they become golden and
puffy.
Option: Cook them for about 8 minutes and then hold them over a gas burner until they puff up.



Kitchen Equipment

Measuring Cups
Measuring Spoons
2 Metal Bowls
Baking Sheet
Oven

Presentation

Lightly brush these with oil or melted margarine to give
them a nice sheen. You can also dress them with fresh
herbs and spices. Also, if you can do these on the grill
or over the gas burner, you’ll get the nice charred spots
that you see in many Indian restaurants.

Time Management

The actual labor time with this recipe is very little. However, it takes a long time to make because
the dough needs to rise. While the dough is rising, work on the recipe or recipes with which you plan
to serve the naan. If you make this ahead of time, wrap it in cellophane once it cools and place it in
the refrigerator. It should keep for several days.


This goes well with any sort of food that is soft like saag paneer or channa daal. Spices that go well
cooked either in the naan or brushed on it are rosemary, cumin seed, fennel seed, cayenne pepper,
and garlic.

Where to Shop

These ingredients can be found in the baking aisle at your local grocery market.

How It Works

Placing the yeast in the warm water and sugar proofs the yeast to make sure it will work as an active
yeast will feed off of the sugar and begin to bubble. An inert one will do nothing and will have to be
discarded. The yeast also helps the naan become puffy as it cooks. The oil in the recipe helps make
the naan tender and brushing on the oil at the end adds a little bit extra flavor.


Chef’s Notes

Some traditional naan recipes call for a couple tablespoons of yogurt and milk instead of the water,
but not all of them do. If you want to add those, make sure to get plain soy yogurt and plain soymilk
and add ¼ cup of flour to make up for the extra moisture of the yogurt. My favorite way to serve this,
is, of course, with garlic! If you want the thinner versions that are served in some restaurants, just
roll the naan out more until the dough is about the thickness of a nickel.


Calories 229
Fat 10 g
Dietary Fiber 5 g
Sugars n/a
Protein 5 g
Salt 166 mg

Interesting Facts

The first recorded history of naan is in 1300 A.D. by Amir Khusrau.
Traditional naan is cooked in a tandoor (clay oven).
Naan is not just a staple food in India, it is also served all over Central and Southern Asia.



Cumin Chapattis

Time to Prepare: 90 minutes (1 hour for the dough to sit and 30 minutes of labor)

Ingredients
2 cups of flour
½ tsp. of salt
1 tbsp. of vegan margarine or olive oil
½ to 2/3 cup of water
Flour for dusting

Instructions
In a small sauté pan, toast the cumin seeds in the 1 tbsp. of oil on a medium heat for about 30
seconds.
Combine the flour and salt together in a mixing bowl.
Add in the toasted cumin seeds and the oil in which they were toasted and mix those into the flour.
Add in ½ cup of water and combine it thoroughly into the flour.
Add in as much of the remaining water as needed to get a smooth dough (you may not even need to
add any of it.)
Knead the dough for about 8 minutes until it no longer sticks to your hands.
Cover the dough and allow it to sit for an hour.
Once it has sat, tear off hunks of the dough and roll them into 2”balls.
Flour a flat working surface.
Keep the balls covered with a cloth while you work.
Take a ball and pat it down until it is a disk on the working surface.
Roll it out until it is 1/8” thick.
In a dry sauté pan, toast the disk until it browns slightly on both sides, flipping it as needed.
Over a gas burner or an open flame grill, place the chapatti.
It will puff up after several seconds and may catch fire in some areas.
Tap the fires out (this is what gives chapattis the blackened spots) with tongs.
Flip the chapatti over and repeat.
Repeat the process for all the other balls of chapatti dough.



Kitchen Equipment

Small Sauté Pan to toast the cumin seeds
Medium Sauté Pan to cook the finished chapatti
Gas Burner or Open Flame Grill
Tongs
Rolling Pin
Measuring Cup
Measuring Spoon
Wooden Spoon to mix the dough

Presentation

Ideally, these should be served in a basket wrapped in a warm
cloth to keep the chapattis warm while you eat.

Time Management

Chapattis are not easy on the time and they are messy to make, so keep that in mind when you make
them. I like to make a big batch at once and then store them wrapped in foil in my refrigerator. That
way, I can have them throughout the week and they just need to be warmed in the oven. Also, the
hour while the dough rests is a great time to fix the dish with which the chapattis are going to be
served.


These should be served with a stew‐like dish, one that is not too thin. If it’s too thin, the food simply
drips off of the chapatti. If it is too thick, it will be too heavy when combined with the chapatti.
Consider something like aloo palak or channa daal. The toasted cumin in this recipe will complement
both of those very well.

Where to Shop

All of these ingredients can be purchased at your local market. However, the best place to get the
cumin seeds is at a place that has bulk spices. Wild Oats and Sprouts are my favorite places to get
those. Barring that, you can still get them at your local market, you’ll just pay a bit more for them.
Also, there is a special kind of flour for chapattis that is available in some Indian markets. It’s regular


flour with a finer grain, but it is certainly not necessary to make the flatbread.

How It Works

A standard chapatti recipe will use the same amount of oil as above. However, toasting the cumin
seed in it infuses the oil with cumin flavor, which in turn infuses the dough with cumin flavor. The
seeds give it some extra texture. Kneading the dough develops the gluten in the recipe. The gluten is
the sticky part of the dough and the part that holds all the grains of flour together. Developing it is
necessary so that as the chapatti is heated over the burner, it bubbles (the gas created by the heating
is not allowed to escape because the grains are all stuck together, making a barrier.)

Chef’s Notes

Freshly made chapattis have a much lighter feel and better taste than many of the ones found
prepackaged or served in the average Indian restaurant. Of course, that’s true for most breads.


Calories 83
Fat 1.5 g
Dietary Fiber 2 g
Sugars 0g
Protein 3 g
Salt 98 mg

Interesting Facts

Chapattis are a type of roti, which is a flatbread.
Cumin plants bear fruit.


Basmati Rice
Type: Base Ingredient Serves: Makes about 3 cups


Ingredients
4‐6 cups of water
Juice of 1 lemon
½ tsp. of salt
1 cup of basmati rice
Option: Oil or melted margarine for drizzling the rice

Instructions
Bring the water, lemon juice, and salt to a boil.
Add the rice and stir.
Boil the rice for 8‐10 minutes.
Drain the water from the rice.
Add the rice to a baking dish.
Option: Drizzle oil or melted margarine over the rice.
Cover the dish.
Bake the rice on 300 degrees for 20 minutes.


Kitchen Equipment

Pot
Fine‐mesh Colander
Stirring Spoon
Measuring Cup
Measuring Spoon
Baking Dish
Lid or Foil
Oven

Presentation

Not applicable.

Time Management

Preheat your oven while the rice is boiling so it can immediately start baking.


This can be served with just about anything, particularly saucy dishes.

Where to Shop

Basmati rice is available in most markets. Approximate cost per serving is $1.00.

How It Works

Boiling the rice in lots of water helps keep the grains separate. The acidity of the lemon also cuts the
starchy base of the rice, again helping keep the grains separate. Salt it added to the water to lightly
infuse the rice. The rice is then baked to in a covered dish so that it can finish off being steamed. All
of this works together to create a fluffy rice with grains that stay separate.

Chef’s Notes

The method used to make this rice is perfect for taking baking spices and herbs into the dish, allowing
them to set into the rice.


Calories 678
Fat 5 g

Dietary Fiber 7 g
Sugars 2 g
Protein 15 g
Salt ~50 mg (most is drained away with the water)

Interesting Facts

Basmati translates to “fragrant one.”
Basmati rice is valued enough that there are fraudulent strains of the rice passed off as basmati.



Bengun Biryani (Spiced Rice with Eggplant)
Type: Rice Dish Serves: 3


Ingredients
6 small Indian eggplant, halved
1 tsp. of sesame oil
¾ tsp. of cumin seeds or ½ tsp. of ground cumin
2 tsp. of coriander seeds or ¾ tsp. of ground coriander
3 green cardamom pods or ¼ tsp. of ground cardamom
2” piece of cinnamon or ¼ tsp. of ground cinnamon
½ tsp. of turmeric
½ tsp. of salt
4 cups of water
Juice of 1 lemon
¾ cup of basmati rice
1 tbsp. of vegan margarine or olive oil
2 tbsp. of raisins
2 tbsp. of slivered almonds

Instructions
Halve the eggplant.
Sauté the eggplant on a medium heat in the sesame oil for about 8‐10 minutes until it turns soft, then
set it aside.
Toast the cumin, coriander, cardamom, and cinnamon over a medium heat for about 4‐5 minutes.
Remove the seeds from the cardamom pods and discard the pods.
Grind the spices.
Combine them with the rest of the spices and salt.
Option: If you don’t use the powders instead of whole seeds, don’t toast them.
Boil the water and lemon juice.
Add in the rice and stir.
Boil this for 7 to 8 minutes.
Drain the water from the rice and add the rice to a baking dish.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Add all of the spices, the raisins, the almonds, oil, and the cooked eggplant to the baking dish.
Stir it into the rice until it is thoroughly combined.
Cover the baking dish with foil.
Bake it for 20 minutes.


Low‐fat Version

Omit all the oil from the recipe and simply bake the eggplant with the rice instead of sautéing it first.

Raw Version

Place a heavy weight on the halved eggplant and let them sit for about 2 hours. This will give them a
cooked texture. Use 2 cups of ground cauliflower as the rice. Combine everything and let it sit for
about 30 minutes.

Kitchen Equipment

Sauté Pan for the eggplant
Medium sized Pot for the Rice
Baking Dish
Foil
Measuring Cup
Measuring Spoon
Knife
Cutting Board

Presentation

Choose a white, long, shallow bowl or plate. The long bowl or plate
will look nice and the shallowness will ensure that you serve a
portion appropriate for a side dish.

Time Management

When serving this as part of a larger meal, plan on doing this early. It is easy to make, you can work
on other recipes while it bakes, and it can stay warm in the oven for hours.


Most biryanis go very nicely with mint and this one in particular goes with a lightly sweetened mint
tea.

Where to Shop

While all of these ingredients are commonly available, because you only need small amounts of each

of them, you should look for a store that sells them in bulk. Go to a spice shop for the most
comprehensive collection, or check out Wild Oats or Sprouts. Central Market is also a great choice.
Of course, any Middle Eastern and Indian market will have small packages of all of these spices.

How It Works

Boiling the rice in lemon water gets rid of the rest of the stickiness. The lemon juice is an acid which
cuts the base of the sticky (glutinous) part of the rice and helps keep the grains separate. Baking the
rice instead of boiling it is yet another way that the grains are kept separate and is the secret to
making good Indian style rice. The eggplant is sautéed before it goes in the rice because it will not
soften enough if it is just baked for twenty minutes. Sautéing it in sesame oil infuses it with extra
flavor. The almonds give the rice texture and the raisins add a hint of sweetness.

Chef’s Notes

Generally, I like biryanis plain, but this one went surprisingly well when mixed with channa masala.
Try mixing it with one of your favorite dishes.


Calories 210
Fat 6 g
Dietary Fiber 7 g
Sugars 3 g
Protein 4 g
Salt 335 mg

Interesting Facts

Many biryanis have yogurt as an ingredient.
Biryani is a derivative of the Persian word berya, which means “to roast.”



Coconut Rice
Type: Rice Dish Serves: 4


Ingredients
6‐8 cups of water
Lemon juice
1 ½ cups of long‐grain rice
¼ cup of chopped cilantro (coriander)
½ cup of shredded coconut
1 tsp. of paprika
1 tsp. of turmeric
½ tsp. of salt
¼ cup of roasted, diced green chiles
¼ cup of slivered almonds
4 bay leaves

Instructions
Bring the water and lemon juice to a boil.
Add the rice, and boil for about 10 minutes.
While it is boiling, mince the garlic and grate the ginger.
Chop the cilantro and set it aside.
Over a medium heat, toast the coconut, cumin, and coriander for about 30 seconds.
Add the paprika, turmeric, and salt, stir, and immediately remove from the heat.
Drain the rice.
Place the rice in a baking dish and stir in the spiced coconut shreds, green chiles, almonds, bay leaes,
and cilantro.
Cover the dish.
Bake it on 325 degrees for 20 minutes.


Low‐fat Version

Instead of frying the coconut and spices, toast them over a medium heat for 3‐4 minutes.

Raw Version

You can make this by using ground cauliflower, 2 minced jalapenos, and ground spices and letting it
all sit together for about 1 hour.

Kitchen Equipment

Sauté Pan
Pot
Fine‐meshed Colander
Knife
Cutting Board
Baking Dish
Foil
Stirring Spoon
Measuring Spoon
Measuring Cup

Presentation

Serve this family style and garnish with extra chopped cilantro.

Time Management

You should have just enough time to fry the coconut and spices while the rice boils. If you’re worried
about getting it done, wait until the rice is finished boiling and then work on the spices.


Serve this as a side to a creamy curry dish.

Where to Shop

All of these ingredients are common and most of them are available from bulk bins and jars.


How It Works

The rice is boiled in lemon juice and lots of water so that the grains remain separate. They will not be
fully cooked, but will finish in the oven as the rice steams and the steam gets trapped by the foil. This
also helps the flavor of the spices set into the rice. With the spices, you are basically making a cumin,
coriander curry with shredded coconut added to the mix. These only need to fry for a few seconds
before they are done. Make sure you remove them as soon as any of them start to brown or else you
will end up with a bitter curry.

Chef’s Notes

This is a fairly popular dish, often found at restaurants. Unlike the restaurant version, however, this
one is light and fluffy and packed full of extra flavor.


Calories 414
Fat 14 g
Dietary Fiber 3 g
Sugars 6 g
Protein 10 g
Salt 258 mg

Interesting Facts

Coconut rice dishes are popular throughout southern Asia and East Africa, with each culture lending
its own balance of flavors to the basic dish.



Cilantro Coconut Chutney
Type: Condiment Serves: makes ¼ cup


Ingredients
1 cup of loosely packed cilantro
1 tbsp. of coconut milk
1 tbsp. of blanched almonds
1 roasted green chili
¼ tsp. salt
2 tsp. of toasted shredded coconut
½ tsp. freshly grated ginger
Option: ¼ cup of coconut milk

Instructions
Toast the shredded coconut on medium heat until it starts to brown.
Blend all of the other ingredients together, but leave a little bit of texture with the leaves and
almonds.
Option: Add the extra coconut milk and puree to make a saucy chutney.
Stir in the coconut.


Low‐fat Version

Use almond milk instead of coconut milk and uncooked daal instead of almonds to make a low‐fat
version. Make sure you grind the daal as finely as possible before adding any of the other ingredients
to the blender.

Kitchen Equipment

Pan for toasting the coconut
Grater for the ginger
Measuring Cup
Small Blender

Presentation

Place this in a small metal bowl alongside the dishes with which
you wish to serve it. This version is the thick chutney.

This version is the saucy chutney. It also has toasted black poppy
seeds stirred into the puree for presentation and texture.

Time Management

This is best fresh, so prepare this just before you serve it.


This goes very well with various Indian breads such as naan or chapattis. Since it has a fresh, light
taste, it should be served with something that is not too overwhelming. Try a mint lemon daal for the
dish which the chutney is to accompany.



Where to Shop

All of these ingredients are easy to find at the local grocery market. Generally, coconut milk is kept
with other Asian ingredients and the shredded coconut will be on the baking aisle. Approximate cost
per serving is $2.50.

How It Works

The coconut milk keeps the chutney from being completely dry and allows the almonds and cilantro
to blend. Keeping the toasted coconut reserved reserves it texture and it also looks nice in the
chutney. Finally, the chili adds a nice bit of spiciness to this fresh dish.

Chef’s Notes

This is a basic coconut chutney. Feel free to replace the cilantro with other types of leafy green herbs
such as mint.


Calories 106
Fat 6 g
Dietary Fiber 3 g
Sugars 1 g
Protein 5 g
Salt 526 mg

Interesting Facts

Chutneys are the Indian version of salsas.
Chutney’s were shipped to Europe starting in the 1600s.
Chutney’s are traditionally made fresh as they are meant to be consumed immediately.


Mango Chatni
Type: Chutney Serves: Makes 1 cup


Ingredients
1 mango, peeled, deseeded, and diced
1 serrano chile, diced
1 tbsp. of diced mint leaves
Juice of 1 lime
1/8 tsp. of salt
½ tsp. of brown mustard seed

Instructions
Remove the seed from the mango.
Dice the mango and discard the skin.
Mince the chile.
Dice the mint leaves.
Combine everything in a small serving dish.


Kitchen Equipment

Knife
Cutting Board
Small Bowl
Measuring Spoon

Presentation

If you are particularly careful with the mango skin, you can use the
skin as the bowl for this chutney.

Time Management

This is best when served a few minutes after making it.


This goes well with light, rice based dishes or super thin, crispy crackers, but not heavy breds.

Where to Shop

All of these ingredients are fairly common, though you will absolutely want to make sure the mango
is thoroughly ripe or else the chutney will be hard.

How It Works

The base flavor comes from the sweet, lush mango which is accented by aromatic mint, spicy serrano,
and slightly crunchy mustard seeds. The lime juice helps meld the flavors and accentuate all of them.

Chef’s Notes

This is the first chutney I ever made and still remains my favorite.


Calories 177
Calories from Fat 9
Fat 1 g

Dietary Fiber 4 g
Sugars 31 g
Protein 1 g
Salt 260 mg

Interesting Facts

Mango trees are exceptionally tall and can grown up to 130’ in height.
Mangoes originated in India.



Tamatar Chatni
Type: Chutney Serves: Makes 1 cup

Ingredients
2 medium‐sized tomatoes or 4 Romas, diced
1 tsp. of fennel seeds
½ tsp. of cumin seeds
½ tsp. of brown mustard seeds
2 bay leaves
1‐2 dried red chilies
2 tsp. of oil
½ tsp. of turmeric
¼ tsp. of salt
Option: 1 tbsp. of tomato paste

Instructions
Dice the tomatoes.
On a medium heat, fry the fennel, cumin, and mustard seeds in the oil until they start to brown
(about 30 seconds to a minute).
Add in the bay leaves and then immediately add in the tomatoes.
Cook for about ten minutes.
Add in the rest of the ingredients and cook for about twenty minutes, breaking up the tomatoes as
needed.
Option: You can add 1 tbsp. of tomato paste for a thicker chutney.


Low‐fat Version

Omit the oil and toast the seeds for about 4 minutes.

Raw Version

Omit the bay leaf, grind the spices, and then blend everything together.

Kitchen Equipment

Small Pot
Knife
Cutting Board
Stirring Spoon
Measuring Spoon

Presentation

Serve this in a light colored bowl and garnish with cilantro if you
want to add some color.

Time Management

The seeds are sensitive, so watch them as they fry to make sure they don’t burn.


This goes particularly well with dense flatbreads and rice dishes.

Where to Shop

All of these ingredients are fairly common.

How It Works

The seeds are first toasted to develop their flavors by activating their essential oils. The bay leaf is
then added and flash fried, followed by the remainder of the ingredients which cooks down into a
spicy, tangy, thick tomato sauce.

Chef’s Notes

Don’t eat the whole chiles!


Calories 147
Fat 9 g
Dietary Fiber 3 g
Sugars 7 g
Protein 5 g
Salt 601 mg

Interesting Facts

Tamatar means tomato.
Chutney became popular in Europe in the 1600s.



Chaat Masala
Type: Spice Mix Serves: about 3 tablespoons


Ingredients
¾ tsp. of fennel seeds
1 ½ tsp. of garam masala
1 ½ tsp. of amchur powder
¼ tsp. of black salt
1/8 tsp. of dried ginger
Option: ¼ tsp. of asafoetida

Instructions
In a dry pan over a medium‐low heat, toast the cumin seeds and fennel seeds for about 5 minutes.
Grind all the spices into a powder.



Kitchen Equipment

Pan
Stirring Spoon
Measuring Spoon
Spice Grinder

Presentation

Not applicable.

Time Management

The cumin and fennel are fairly hard spices, so they are a bit more forgiving to inattention when
toasted over such a low heat. Make sure to store this in a sealed glass jar.

Where to Shop

Amchur powder and asafoetida can both be purchased at Indian markets and many Middle Eastern
markets, though they are uncommon outside of those. Approximate cost per serving is $1.00.

How It Works

This is a mix of very strong spices, each one taking over an entire role in the spice mix. The cumin
provides the bass note, the cayenne provides the heat, the fennel provides the sweetness, the
amchur powder provides the sourness, the ginger provides a different type of spiciness, and the
garam masala pulls everything together with a robust aromatic quality.

Chef’s Notes

I sometimes use this mix without the garam masala when I want to tone down the aromatic quality
and enhance the savory portion of a meal.

Interesting Facts

Spicier versions of this are sometimes sprinkled on fruit the way chile powder and lime juice are
added to fruit snacks in Mexican cuisine.



Garam Masala
Type: Spice Mix Serves: ¼ cup


Ingredients
1 tbsp. of black cumin seeds
½ tsp. of whole cloves
½ tbsp. of black peppercorns
4” piece of cinnamon or 1 tsp. of cinnamon
½ tsp. of grated nutmeg
1 dried bay leaf

Instructions
Over a medium heat, toast the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, and cardamom pods for about
3‐4 minutes.
Remove the cardamom seeds from the pods.
Grind all the ingredients into a powder.



Kitchen Equipment

Pan
Stirring Spoon
Measuring Spoon
Grinder or Mortar and Pestle

Presentation

Not applicable.

Time Management

Keep an eye on the spices once two minutes passes, so you can remove them when you see they are
done. Store this in a sealed glass jar.

How It Works

Garam masala is a wonderfully complex spice mix. Although heavily aromatic, mostly from the cloves
and cardamom, the cumin and bay leaf lend it quite a bit of depth and the pepper gives it heat.
Toasting the spices intensifies the flavors, though this is still a great mix even if you don’t toast the
spices.

Chef’s Notes

This is one of the most versatile spice mixes found in Indian cuisine. Used in small quantities, it can
infuse a dish with subtle aromatic notes. Used in large quantities, it can carry the flavor of a dessert
or lend a strong sweet note to a savory dish.

Interesting Facts

Garam masala has thousands of variations, differing not only by region, but by families.



Red Curry Powder
Type: Spice Mix Serves: makes about ½ cup


Ingredients
½ cup of coriander seeds
2 tbsp. of black peppercorns
1 tbsp. of sesame seeds
4 dried red chilies
3 tbsp. of turmeric
2 tbsp. of dried ginger

Instructions
Toast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and cardamom pods over a medium in a dry pan for about 3
minutes.
Add the peppercorns, sesame seeds, and chiles and toast for 2 more minutes.
Remove the cardamom seeds from the pods.
Grind all the spices into a powder.



Kitchen Equipment

Pan
Measuring Cup
Measuring Spoon
Stirring Spoon
Grinder or Mortar and Pestle

Presentation

Not applicable.

Time Management

Store this spice mix in a sealed glass jar. The glass will not alter the flavor of the mix like metal and
plastic will do.

Where to Shop

All of these spices are fairly common. Approximate cost per serving is $2.50.

How It Works

This spice mix is what is typically thought of as a classic curry mix. It contains chiles, turmeric, cumin,
and coriander. The hardest spices are toasted first and then the more delicate ones are added later
since they don’t need as much time to develop their flavors.

Chef’s Notes

I keep this spice mix around as a quick go‐to seasoning for rubs.

Interesting Facts

Red curry powder is a bit of a generic term, since there are so many different versions and many
curries don’t use powdered mixes as much as whole spices, but it still has a great use for rubs and
marinades and even a quick addition to a recipe.



Madras Coffee
Type: Drink Serves: 1


Ingredients
2 tsp. of dark roasted coffee with chicory
¼ cup of water
½ cup of almond milk
¼ cup of soy or coconut creamer
Option: Coconut milk instead of creamer
1 tbsp. of sugar or jaggery

Instructions
French Press Method
Place the coffee with chicory in a small French press coffee brewer.
Bring the ¼ cup of water to a boil.
Add the water to the French press and allow the coffee to brew 3 minutes.
Pour it into your cup.
While the coffee is steeping, heat the almond milk, creamer, and jaggery until it is boiling.
Make sure the jaggery melts.
Pour it into the coffee (the higher your pot is above the cup when you pour, the frothier your
coffee will be).
Pot Method
Use 2/3 cup of water instead of ¼ cup.
Bring the water to a boil and add the coffee with chicory.
Take it off the heat, then bring it back to a boil, and take it off the heat yet again.
Heat the almond milk, creamer, and jaggery as above and pour it into the pot.
Pour the finished coffee into your cup.
Let it sit for about 3 minutes so the coffee grounds can settle.


Low‐fat Version

Use almond milk entirely instead of adding the creamer.

Kitchen Equipment

French Press or Small Pot
Measuring Spoon
Measuring Cup

Presentation

The frothier you can get the coffee, the better, but it takes quite a
bit of practice.

Time Management

Make sure you don’t overbrew the coffee or it will become very bitter.


Serve this with small breads and sweets or simply on its own.

Where to Shop

There are several types of coffee with chicory. One of the best I’ve found is made by Café du Monde
(a famous New Orleans coffee stand) and is sold at World Market or can be ordered from Amazon.
You can also make your own coffee with chicory by using a dark roast and adding 30% chicory or you
can head to an Indian market to see if they have coffee with chicory. Jaggery, a date‐palm sugar, can
also be found at most Indian markets.

How It Works

The French press is ideal for this style of coffee so the coffee grounds can fully develop. You also
don’t have to worry about the coffee sludge as much with this style of brewing. Only a small amount
of water is used to brew the coffee so the rest of it can be almond milk and creamer. The creamer is
used to add some fat to the coffee, so that it can properly froth.


Chef’s Notes

For a truly authentic Madras coffee, you’ll need a dabarah and a tumbler. A dabarah is a small metal
bowl with an outwardly curved lip. The coffee is passed between the dabarah and tumbler several
times, aerating it and giving it extra froth.


Calories 148
Fat 8 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 17 g
Protein 2 g
Salt

Interesting Facts

Madras coffee is particularly popular in southern India.
The first coffee shop opened in India in 1780.



Masala Chai


Ingredients
1 tbsp. of fennel seed
1 small piece of ginger root, peeled and thinly sliced
6 black cardamom pods (green pods are an acceptable substitute)
6 black peppercorns
12 whole cloves
2 ½ cups of water
1 cinnamon stick (about 6” long)
2 tbsp. of Darjeeling (black) tea
2 tbsp. of sweet agave nectar
2 cups of soy creamer

Instructions
In a large tea ball, combine fennel seed, cardamom, cloves, and peppercorns.
Peel the ginger.
Slice the ginger thinly.
Add this to the water along with the sliced ginger and cinnamon sticks.
Boil for 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and steep for 10 minutes, although the longer you let it sit, the better it gets.
Add the tea, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer 5 minutes.
Strain mixture, discard spices and return the tea to the saucepan.
Stir in the sweet agave nectar and soy creamer.



Kitchen Equipment

Small Knife
Cutting Board
Tea Pot or Medium Sized Pot
Large Tea Ball
Measuring Cup
Measuring Spoon
Spoon to stir everything together

Presentation

Serve this in about an 8 oz. cup. It’s large enough that you won’t
skimp on the chai, but not so large that you end up serving too much
chai (too much chai can be overwhelming.) I like a light colored cup
with flared edges or a colored glass, again with flared edges.

Time Management

The longer the spices brew, the better, so if you have time, allow the spices to sit for an hour or two
before adding in the black tea. The black tea is the ingredient in this drink that shouldn’t be brewed
any longer than for what the recipe calls.


A good suggestion is to serve this with a mild korma or with veggies (eggplant is a good choice) in a
rich tomato sauce. Avoid spicy foods with this if you don’t like a lot of heat as the chai is spicy and
will thus make spicy foods even spicier!

Where to Shop

All of these ingredients are fairly common. However, I suggest going to a store with a good bulk spice
section. That way, you can get just the right amount of the spices without having to pay exorbitant
prices. The only spice you may have trouble finding is the black cardamom pods. Check out an Indian
market for those. If you can’t find the, green pods are acceptable. You should also be able to find
loose leaf Darjeeling tea there, although if you can’t, any black tea will do.

How It Works

Like many Indian foods, this one is full of small amounts of lots of spices. This combination creates a
very complex tea, but because small amounts of everything are used, no one spice is stands out over


the others. The pepper and the ginger are what create the spiciness in the chai while the cloves,
fennel, and cardamom give it its strong aromatic quality. Oddly enough, because the spices in this
tea are so strong, the cinnamon serves to mellow it out! Note that the spices are boiled first to infuse
the tea with their intense flavor and to keep infusing it as the tea steeps. The black tea is added at
the end because if it cooks too long, it gets bitter.

Chef’s Notes

I used to drink chai from a package, but now I can’t. Be warned. If you make this fresh, you won’t
want to go back. It’s like the difference between freshly ground black pepper and the cardboard
tasting pepper from a can.

Nutritional Facts (per serving)

Calories 148
Fat 8 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 13 g
Protein 0 g
Salt 26 mg

Interesting Facts

In Ethiopia, chai is called shai and in Mandarin, it is called cha with the accent rising, all originating
from the same root word.
“Chai wallahs” are chai street vendors very common throughout India.



Tamil Tea


Ingredients
1 cup of water
1 tbsp. of black tea
3 cardamom pods
2 tbsp. of sugar or jaggery
1 cup of coconut creamer

Instructions
Boil the water.
Steep the tea and cardamom for about 5 minutes.
Stir in the sugar.
Warm the coconut creamer and add it to the tea.


Low‐fat Version

Use almond milk instead of coconut creamer.

Kitchen Equipment

Pot
Teaball
Stirring Spoon
Measuring Spoon
Measuring Cup

Presentation

If you chill the tea before adding the creamer, the creamer will float
on top of the tea.

Time Management

This recipe goes very quickly. If you like it, make a large batch of the tea, but keep the creamer
separate and only add it just before serving each portion.


This goes very well with spicy food and tamarind flavors.

Where to Shop

All of these ingredients are fairly common, though if you want to use jaggery, you will probably have
to get it at an Indian market. Approximate cost per serving is $0.50.

How It Works

The recipe is very easy. You’re basically infusing a black tea with a light cardamom flavor, which
brightens the drink and plays off the sugar, and then giving it some depth with the creamer.

Chef’s Notes

Tamil tea is very similar to Thai iced tea.


Calories 168
Calories from Fat 0
Fat 0 g
Dietary Fiber
Sugars 42 g
Protein 0 g
Salt 0 mg

Interesting Facts

Many Tamils are descended from tea workers that migrated to Sri Lanka from other parts of India in
the 18th and 19th centuries.



Coconut Payasam
Type: Dessert Serves: 4


Ingredients
½ cup of long grain rice
1 ½ cups of coconut milk
1 ½ cups of almond milk
Option: Almond milk instead of coconut milk
1 tbsp. of currants or raisins
½ tsp. ground cardamom
2 bay leaves
4 tsp. of slivered almonds
4 tsp. of turbinado sugar
Option: ¼ cup of broken vermicelli

Instructions
Bring the coconut and almond milk to a boil.
Add all of the ingredients and stir.
Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low.
Cook this for about 18‐20 minutes.
Chill the dessert for about 30 minutes
Add more coconut milk as necessary once it is fully chilled.
Option: Break the vermicelli, then toast it over a medium heat in a dry pan until it browns. Add it to
the pot with the rest of the ingredients.



Kitchen Equipment
Measuring Cups
Measuring Spoons
Small Pot

Presentation

Try serving this in a small glass. It’s the right size for a
dessert and it showcases the color of the dessert. Leave a
bay leaf in the glasses, too, as it looks exotic and provides a
good color contrast.

Time Management

Even though this dessert takes a long time to make, there is very little labor involved with it. This is
something from which you can easily walk away and do other things, make other recipes, etc. You
can also make this several hours ahead of time. If you do, plan on adding more coconut milk as the
rice will absorb quite a bit of the liquid over that time.


This is a nice accompaniment to a spicy dish as the coolness, starchiness, and sweetness of the dish
will counteract the spicy course. Try serving this will a spicy cauliflower and tomato dish.

Where to Shop

All of these ingredients can be found at the local grocery market in the spice and baking aisles. The
coconut milk can be found with other Asian products. You can also find these ingredients at most
Indian markets.

How It Works

This is a sweet, cool dish, so several different ingredients add sweetness to the dish. Those are the
coconut milk and soy milk, the raisins, and the almonds. The sugar helps round it out. Adding in the
bay leaf gives a depth to the dessert and the cardamom gives it an aromatic quality which really
brings out all the other flavors in the dish.


Chef’s Notes

This is the dessert that is served with most Indian buffets in the United States. Often, it is served with
the broken vermicelli added into it. This dessert can also be served warm.


Calories 204
Calories from 59
Fat 7 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 8 g
Protein 6 g
Salt 54 mg

Interesting Facts

This dish is also called kheer in parts of India and in the Middle East, it is called sheer.
Payasam is often served at special occasions.
Legend says that the temple at Ambalapphuza serves pasayam because the king of the region lost a
chess game to Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu, disguised as a sage, challenged the king to a game of chess
who had to put one grain of rice on the chess board if he lost and double the rice for every square.
Naturally, the king lost and the constant doubling of rice depleted his rice stores and put him in debt
to Lord Vishnu. In order to pay his debt, Lord Vishnu told the king that the temple must serve free
pasayam from then on.


Gulab Jamuun
Type: Dessert Serves: 15‐20

Time to Prepare: 1 hour

Ingredients
The Dough
1 cup of soymilk powder
3 tbsp. of whole wheat pastry flour
¼ tsp. of ground cardamom
½ tsp. of baking powder
2 tbsp. of melted vegan margarine
¼ cup of water
¼ cup of coconut milk
Oil for frying
The Syrup
½ cup of agave
¼ cup of water
2 tsp. of rose water
1/8 tsp. of ground cardamom
Pinch of saffron

Instructions
Combine the soymilk powder, pastry flour, baking powder, and cardamom.
Melt the margarine and add the coconut milk and water until they are all warm.
Pour this into the dry mix and work it until thoroughly combined.
Cover the bowl and allow it to sit for about 20 minutes.
Knead the dough until it is relatively smooth and only slightly sticky.
Separate the dough into 20 balls.
Fill a wok or deep pan with oil up to about 3”.
Heat the oil to 230 degrees.
Place the balls in the oil (you will probably need to do this in 2 or 3 batches).
When they float (about 5‐10 minutes), remove them and set them to drain and cool.
In a wide pan, combine the agave, water, rose water, cardamom, and saffron and bring it to a
simmer.
Turn the heat off and immediately add the balls to the syrup.
Let them sit in the syrup for at least 2 hours.


Raw Version

The “dough” balls can be made from a combination of finely ground pistachios, dates, and a pinch of
cardamom. Use raw agave syrup and let the syrup sit for about 10 minutes before adding the balls to
it.

Kitchen Equipment

Mixing Bowl
Small Pot
Wide Pan
Measuring Cup
Measuring Spoon
Spider Basket
Rack and Paper Towels

Presentation

Serve just one or two of these in a small, shallow bowl with some of
the syrup. For an extra nice presentation, sprinkle them with finely
chopped pistachios.

Time Management

It is important that the balls cool before going in the syrup. Otherwise, they tend to disintegrate.
Also, make sure you cook them until they are brown and then get them out of the pan. If they start
to blacken, they will taste very bitter.


These go particularly well after a spicy meal since the sweetness counteracts some of the heat.

Where to Shop

Soymilk powder can be found at stores like Whole Foods. Trader Joe’s has an excellent price on
saffron and agave. The rest of the ingredients are fairly common. Approximate cost per serving is
$0.40.



How It Works

Traditionally, this dessert is made with milk powder. The soymilk powder will act in almost the same
way, so it’s the perfect substitute. Note however, that these will not be quite as soft as the ones
made from milk powder. The pastry flour is added so there is a fine flour to bind everything together.
Coconut milk and water are used to add both taste and some fat to the balls to make them soft. They
are lightly kneaded so that they can actually stay in a ball shape once they start frying. The balls are
fried over a fairly low heat so that they don’t crack. They then sit in the syrup so they can absorb all
that good flavor.

Chef’s Notes

This is one of the most decadent desserts I’ve made and because of that, I don’t enjoy it too often,
but when I do, it’s always a special treat.


Calories 101
Fat 5 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 10 g
Protein 2 g
Salt 155 mg

Interesting Facts

Gulab is Persian for rosewater.
Gulab jamun is actually Arabic in origin, even though it’s heavily identified with Indian cuisine and the
word gulab is Persian.



Indian Spiced Bread Pudding with Orange-Rose Crème Sauce

Time to Prepare: 1 hour plus time to cool

Ingredients
Bread Pudding
6 to 7 cups day‐old French bread (about 1 loaf), torn into 1‐inch cubes
¾ cup silken tofu, well‐drained
2 ½ cups vanilla almond or soymilk
½ cup turbinado sugar
¼ cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons vegan butter substitute, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup slivered almonds
Orange Rose Crème Sauce
2 teaspoons rose water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
2 cups vanilla soy creamer, or 2 cups plain soy creamer plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons orange zest
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice

Instructions
Making the Bread Pudding
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and oil a 9x13 inch baking pan.
Spread the bread cubes in the pan.
Combine the tofu, soymilk, sugar, maple syrup, vegan butter substitute, vanilla extract,
cornstarch, cinnamon, salt, and cardamom in a food processor or blender and blend until
smooth.
Stir in the raisins and almonds.
Pour evenly over the bread cubes, making sure they are all coated well.
Press the bread cubes gently so they soak up the liquid.
Tuck most of the raisins under or between the bread cubes so they stay moist.
Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the bread cubes to soften, occasionally pressing them
down so they soak up the liquid.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is light golden brown.
Let cool in the pan.
Making the Sauce
Combine the cornstarch and water in a medium saucepan and whisk until there are no lumps.
Recipe by Sharon Valencik, author of Sweet Utopia: Simply Stunning Vegan Desserts, www.sweetutopia.com

Add the soy creamer, sugar, and rose water and cook on medium heat, whisking often, until
the mixture begins to simmer and thicken slightly, about 12 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in the orange zest and juice.
Stir prior to serving.
Finishing the Recipe
Serve the pudding and sauce warm, cold, or at room temperature.
To serve, spoon the sauce over the pudding, topped with vanilla soy ice cream or whipped
cream if desired.



Kitchen Equipment

9x13 Baking Pan
Large Mixing Bowl
Medium saucepan
Whisk
Large Spoon
Oil Spray

Presentation

Choose a plate that with a deep color that complements the raisins. It
helps bring the entire visualization of the dessert to life. You can also top
it with some toasted almonds for extra effect.

Time Management

Store leftover pudding and sauce tightly covered in the refrigerator.

Where to Shop

All of these ingredients are fairly easy to find, except for the rose water, which is generally available
at most Middle Eastern and Indian markets. Trader Joe’s also has a great price on the soy creamer.

Chef’s Notes

This is a creamy, rich spin on bread pudding that is infused with multidimensional Indian dessert
spices.


Calories 588
Fat 16 g
Dietary Fiber 3 g

Sugars 29 g
Protein 13 g
Salt 589 mg



Malpoora (Rose-flavored Crepes)
Time to Prepare: 2 hours 30 minutes (includes 2 hours for the batter to set)

Ingredients
The Batter
½ tbsp. of fennel seeds or 1 tsp. of ground fennel
¼ tsp. of ground cardamom
2/3 cup of whole wheat pastry flour
½ cup of semolina flour
¼ cup of corn starch
1/8 tsp. of salt
1 ¼ cup of water
The Filling
2 tart, green apples, thinly sliced
The Syrup
½ cup of sweet agave nectar
1 tbsp. of rose water
Alternate Syrup
1 ½ cups of coconut or soy yogurt
½ cup of fresh strawberries

Instructions
Grind the fennel seeds.
Combine the spices, flours, corn starch, and salt.
Add the melted margarine and then the water.
Mix the dry ingredients and margarine/water until the batter has a creamy consistency.
Cover the batter and allow it to sit for 1‐2 hours.
While it is resting, slice the apples.
sauté the apples in 1 tbsp. of melted margarine until they are soft, then set them aside.
Very lightly brush melted margarine on the bottom of a pan.
Add just under ¼ cup of the batter to the pan and quickly swirl it around until it coats the pan.
When the surface of the batter looks dry, flip it over and continue to cook the batter for about 2
minutes.
Place a small amount of the apples just off center in the pancake and fold it over.
Place this in a baking dish and repeat until you are out of batter.
Warm the agave nectar and combine it with the rose water.
Pour the syrup over the malpooras and bake them on 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Option: Puree the yogurt and berries and pour this over each malpoora, but do not bake them.



Low‐fat Version

Omit the melted margarine when sautéing the apples. Cut the amount of margarine in the batter in
half.

Kitchen Equipment

Sauté Pan or Crepe Pan
Large Spatula
Mixing Bowl
Stirring Spoon or Whisk
Measuring Cup
Measuring Spoon
Large Baking Dish
Small Pot

Presentation

Make sure you don’t pile these on top of each other when you set
them in the baking dish. This will keep them intact and keep each
one looking relatively uniform.

Time Management

It takes practice to figure out exactly how long each cake should cook, but after a few tries the timing
will come easily. Make sure that the pan is at the right temperature before the batter goes into it,
otherwise the batter will not properly crisp.


Serve this with a cup of madras coffee.

Where to Shop

Rose water can be found at most Indian, Middle Easter, and large Asian markets. The remainder of
the ingredients are fairly easy to find, though you will get the best price if you purchase the spices
and flours from bulk bins. Approximate cost per serving is $0.75.



How It Works

The batter is basically a semi‐thin crepe batter with the addition of the cornstarch to make everything
a bit crisper and the spices to give the pancake a highly aromatic quality that melds well with both the
rose water and the agave. The batter then sets so it can get a slight sour note. The apples are
sautéed enough so that they can lightly caramelize before going in the oven. Finally, the dessert is
finished off in the oven so it can set and absorb the rose water syrup.

Chef’s Notes

Dessert or breakfast, a malpoora is good any time of the day. Try experimenting with different fillings
and different spice combinations in the batter.


Calories 315
Fat 7 g
Dietary Fiber 6 g
Sugars 23 g
Protein 7 g
Salt 87 mg

Interesting Facts

Most cultures have some sort of variation on the crepe, of which this is one.



A Taste of India: 45 Authentic Indian Recipes (Vegan)

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A Taste of India: 45 Authentic Indian Recipes (Vegan)

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Table of Contents

A Taste of India 1|December 2010

A Taste of India 2|December 2010

The Vegan Culinary Experience

A Taste of India 3|December 2010

A Taste of India 4|December 2010

A Taste of India 5|December 2010

Not Just a Magazine

An Educational and Inspirational Journey of Taste, Health, and Compassion

A Taste of India 7|December 2010

A Taste of India 8|December 2010

A Taste of India 9|December 2010

A Taste of India 10|December 2010

A Taste of India 11|December 2010

A Taste of India 12|December 2010

A Taste of India 13|December 2010

A Taste of India 14|December 2010

A Taste of India 15|December 2010

A Taste of India 16|December 2010

A Taste of India 17|December 2010

A Taste of India 18|December 2010

A Taste of India 19|December 2010

A Taste of India 20|December 2010

A Taste of India 21|December 2010

A Taste of India 22|December 2010

A Taste of India 23|December 2010

A Taste of India 24|December 2010

A Taste of India 25|December 2010

A Taste of India 26|December 2010

A Taste of India 27|December 2010

A Taste of India 28|December 2010

A Taste of India 29|December 2010

A Taste of India 31|December 2010

A Taste of India 32|December 2010

A Taste of India 33|December 2010

A Taste of India 34|December 2010

A Taste of India 35|December 2010

A Taste of India 36|December 2010

A Taste of India 37|December 2010

A Taste of India 38|December 2010

A Taste of India 39|December 2010

A Taste of India 40|December 2010

A Taste of India 41|December 2010

A Taste of India 42|December 2010

A Taste of India 43|December 2010

A Taste of India 44|December 2010

Authors: Tamasin Noyes

Reviewer: Madelyn Pryor

A Taste of India 45|December 2010

A Taste of India 46|December 2010

A Taste of India 47|December 2010

A Taste of India 48|December 2010

Recipe Page Recipe Page

Type: Appetizer Serves: 2

The Vegan Culinary Experience – Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com

A Taste of India 50|December 2010

The Vegan Culinary Experience – Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com

A Taste of India 51|December 2010

The Vegan Culinary Experience – Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com

A Taste of India 52|December 2010

Type: Side Serves: 4

A Taste of India 53|December 2010

A Taste of India 54|December 2010