Dosa

Welcome to post two of two of fermented breads! If you made the injera recipe, you will find the method for this recipe very similar. And, like injera, the bread is a wonderful gluten-free addition to a meal. You may toss the first few as you get used to spreading out the batter but it is worth persevering to get it right. These are best served fresh, so halve the recipe if you need to. 

INGREDIENTS
Makes 2 dozen
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 1 cup red lentils
- 1 tbsp fenugreek seeds
- 2 tsp. salt
- margarine
- water for thinning, if needed

METHOD

1. Soak the rice in cold water overnight. In a separate bowl, soak lentils and fenugreek in cold water overnight. 

2. Drain the rice (discard the water) and add to a blender. Drain the lentils/fenugreek (save the water), and add to the blender with the rice. Add the salt and blend on high speed, adding as much of the lentil soaking water as needed to make a thin batter (like crepe batter). Add fresh water if needed.

3. Transfer the blended mixture to a large glass jar, and affix a piece of cloth over the mouth of the jar. Let ferment at room temperature for about 2 days, or until bubbly and foamy.

4. Stir the batter, adding water if needed to thin it if needed. It should still coat the back of a spoon but not be too thick. 

5. Preheat a non-stick pan over medium heat. When pan is heated, add 1/4 cup of batter to the pan. Use the back of a spoon to speed the batter thinly--start in the middle and quickly spread outward in a circular motion. 

6. Cook until the does is dry and the edges start to curl up a bit. Remove from heat to a cooling rack. Spread a thin layer of margarine over the surface of the dosa, and roll while still warm. Store under a towel until ready to serve. Repeat with remaining batter. 

Indian Burgers

As promised, here is the burger recipe to go with the naan bun recipe. The burger is durable, but is better suited to the oven than the grill. 

INGREDIENTS
Makes 6 large burgers
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 1/2 cup coarsely grated zucchini
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups chopped cauliflower (small pieces)
- 2 cups small diced potato
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp minced ginger
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp ground fenugreek
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
- 1/4 cup chickpea flour

METHOD
1. Mix together onion, zucchini, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Blanch cauliflower and potato in boiling salted water for 5 mins. Remove from boiling water and plunge into cold water. Drain. Rinse again with cold water and drain well.
3. By this time the onion and zucchini should have released a bunch of water. Squeeze out as much water as you can with your hands and place onion/zuke mixture in a new bowl.
4. Add 2/3 of the potato/cauliflower mixture. Mash the remaining 1/3 of the mixture with a fork, and add to the bowl. Add the garlic, ginger, cilantro, spices and salt and mix well.
5. Add the gluten and chickpea flours and mix well.
6. If necessary, mush/squeeze the mixture with your hands to bring it together.
7. Line a baking sheet with parchment and lightly oil it.
8. Divide mixture into 6 and press into a ring mold to make the burgers. Mist with oil and place in the fridge to chill.
9. While burgers are chilling, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake burgers for 10 mins, then flip, spray with oil, and bake for another 10 mins. Let stand for 5 mins before serving.

As you can see from the pic, I served these with with onion rings on top. I used this recipe, but cut the onions into rings and fried them separately. I dressed the burgers with vegan mayo, green tomato chutney, lettuce, and tomato.

Naan Buns

When we were in Quebec City last week vegan food for the entire family was pretty hard to come by. We ended up eating at a burger place that had some vegan options: tofu on a bun, or something they called L'Indien. It was more like a large falafel on a bun, but the kids were more or less pleased with it. The idea is a good one, so I made my own version when I got home (caveat: I did not actually eat the original burger because fried food and me don't get along. Thanks, Crohn's!). First up, the naan bun. Next, the burger.

INGREDIENTS
Makes one dozen buns
- 2 cups warm soy milk
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp yeast
- 775g/1lb 11oz all purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3 tbsp oil

METHOD
1. Whisk sugar and lemon juice into the soy milk. Whisk in yeast and set aside to fully dissolve and get frothy.
2. Whisk together flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder.
3. Add oil and yeast mixture to the flour and bring together into a dough. Knead for about 5 mins, or until smooth. Shape into a ball and placed in an oiled bowl, covered, to rise for an hour.
4. Divide the dough into 12 pieces and shape into boules. Press each boule into a flat, puck shape with your finger tips. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or two, depending on the size of your oven and baking stone). Mist buns with oil, then cover. Place another baking sheet on top of the buns (this will let them rise but keep the puck shape) and let rise for about 45 mins, or until almost doubled in size.
5. While bread is rising, place a baking stone on the middle shelf of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees.
6. The buns work best if you bake them directly on the hot stone. I slide the parchment off the pan and on to the stone, but you could just put the pan right on the stone. In any event, brush the buns with water (top with poppy seeds if you want), and place in the oven. Reduce heat to 400 degrees.
7. Buns right on the stone will bake in 8-9 minutes. Buns on the sheet won't be far behind. Bake until buns are a deep golden brown and sound hollow when thumped on the bottom.
8. Cool on wire racks and enjoy!

Roasted Curry Cauliflower

Kids, your mom is going back work so things are going to be different around here.  My parents said something like this to me and my brothers when I was 12 year old.  And, with Vegan Son #1 ready to hit twelve in December, we just said it to our kids.  Vegan Mom has gone back to school to pursue her MEd and PhD in Education.  Needless to say, things have changed in our household.  With time at a premium we need to be more efficient in our meal planning.  We need to start thinking about making some meals ahead and freezing them, and creating quick but nutritious dinners.  So many people have commented on this blog about where I find the time to cook.  Well, now I know what they were talking about.  We have 4 kids in 3 different schools, plus gymnastics and swimming lessons.  When my mom went back to work she would leave simple instructions for us kids on how to make dinner.  This is when I first started to cook.  I am hoping to do something similar with Vegan Son #1 and pass down a love of food to the next generation.

This recipe is pretty easy and makes the house smell great.  Spice how you prefer--a pre-made curry powder even.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 cauliflower, cut into large pieces
- 1 sweet onion, thickly sliced
- olive oil
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- salt and pepper to taste
- juice of 1/2 lemon

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Put cauliflower and onion slices in large bowl.  Drizzle with some olive oil (1-2 tsp) and toss to coat.  Mix spices together in a small bowl and sprinkle over cauliflower.  Toss to coat.  Season with salt and pepper.  Spread out on the baking sheet.
3. Loosely cover the baking sheet with a piece of aluminum foil.  Bake for 15 mins.  Remove foil and bake for another 10-15 mins, or until cauliflower is tender and browned.
4. Drizzle lemon juice over the cauliflower and serve. 

Onion Bhajias

These are a wonderful start to any Indian-themed dinner party.  They look fantastic and taste even better!  This is very much like other bhajia and pakora recipes out there, but I like the addition of the fennel seed, and the baking powder makes for a more tender final product.  Feel free to add whatever combination of spices you like.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced (about 1/8")
- 1 cup chick pea flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp onion seeds
- 1/2 jalapeño, seeded and minced (or to taste)
- 1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- cold water
- oil for frying

METHOD
1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, chili powder, turmeric, and salt.  Roughly crush the seeds with a mortar and pestle and mix in.
2. Add jalapeño, onions, and cilantro and stir to coat.  Add in enough cold water to make a thick batter that coats the onions and won't break apart in the oil.  You can add more chick pea flour if you make it too thin.
3. Cook in batches by dropping generous tablespoons of batter into hot oil (350 degrees) and frying on each side until golden brown.  Drain and serve immediately.

Pressure Cooker Indian Chickpeas

Is your body seeking nourishment after being strung out on a deluge of refined carbohydrates for the past few days (week?). I know mine is. A few months ago I bought this pressure cooker because it was on sale really cheap and I had seen the chefs use pressure cookers fairly regularly on Top Chef (Season 8 is awesome, by the way). But, since I had never used one before (and I had a slight fear of the whole thing blowing up on the stove) it sat on the shelf until now. I was a fool! Pressure cookers are awesome and can cook up dried beans in no time flat, making canned beans a thing of the past. My trick is to soak an entire bag of beans overnight, then keep them in the freezer until I need them for the pressure cooker. I then experimented with making wholesome one pot meals that could go from cutting board to table in about 40 mins (depending on your chopping skills). This is my first one pot wonder--next is an Ethiopian stew.

INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 4 curry leaves (optional)
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1 cup yellow split peas, well-rinsed and drained
- 1.5 cups soaked chick peas (i.e. dry chickpeas that have been soaked for 8 hours or so)
- 2.5 cups water
- 2 onions, halved and sliced
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (plus another 1/4 cup for later)
- 1 green chile, seeded and chopped
- 1 tomato, diced
- 2 cups diced butternut squash (or sweet potato)
- salt to taste

METHOD
1. Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add mustard and cumin seeds and fry until fragrant and popping. Add in other spices and curry leaves and fry for 30 seconds. Set aside.
2. Add all the remaining ingredients to the pressure cooker, then add fried spices and season to taste with salt. Mix well.
3. Close pressure cooker and place over high heat. When pressure is reached, turn heat to low and cook for 20 mins. Remove from heat and wait for pressure to decrease.
4. Open the pressure cooker and add the additional 1/4 cup of cilantro. Gently mix to blend everything together (the split peas will break apart, as will the onions and squash, and the mixture will thicken). Serve over rice.

Creamy Chickpea and Tomato Curry

OK, I know this is not Christmas related (unless you eat Indian food at Christmas), but I made this the other day and it is so easy and tastes so amazing that I had to share it. The recipe comes from Gordon Ramsay's Great Escape Cookbook (hence the metric measurements), but uses chickpeas instead. Who knew tomatoes and coconut milk tasted so awesome together? I used some diced tomatoes from my garden that I had frozen at the end of the summer--they were awesome and far superior to canned.

INGREDIENTS
- 3 cups cooked chickpeas
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 4 curry leaves
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 500g chopped fresh tomatoes, skinned
- 400 ml can light coconut milk

METHOD
1. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Toss chickpeas with salt and pepper and set aside.
2. Add spices and curry leaves to the pan and fry for a min, until nice and fragrant. Add onions and garlic and saute for 6-8 mins, until soft. Add a splash of water to deglaze the pan, if needed.
3. Add chickpeas and tomatoes, mix well, and season to taste. Heat to bubbling, then add coconut milk. Simmer gently until ready to serve (over rice). The dish tastes best if it has sat for a while so the flavours can blend. Even better the next day!

Tandoori Cauliflower

Aaaaaaannnd, I'm back! Did I get everything done that I wanted to? Nope. But, I got my major project done so that feels pretty good. In my absence I participated in Vegansaurus' project to veganize the wining recipes from Top Chef Just Desserts (just about the hardest thing I have ever had to do in the kitchen), and just tonight I made the Lemon Pies and Salted Caramel Ice Cream for Vegan Mom's birthday. Delicious!

This is a recipe I have been meaning to share since the summer. It is adapted from Gordon Ramsay's Great Escape, which is both a cookbook and a TV show. You can watch the show here, but I will warn you that he comes off as a culturally insensitive clod, and he whines a lot when he goes to southern India and can't eat any meat. The part in the ashram is just downright embarrassing. I used the BBQ and a clay baker to finish off the dish, but you could also put it in the oven at 450.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1 cup soy yogurt
- 1 inch piece of ginger, minced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp tumeric
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp tandoori spice blend
- salt to taste

- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 onions, cut into rings
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 -2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp tandoori spice blend

METHOD
1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil, then cook cauliflower florets for 2-3 mins, until just tender. Drain and rinse with ice cold water. Leave to drain.
2. While cauliflower is cooking/draining, whisk spices (including the salt) into the yogurt, then toss with the cauliflower in a bowl. If you have time, let this sit for a few hours in the fridge, covered.
3. Heat the BBQ to about 500 degrees and transfer the cauliflower to a clay baker. Cook, uncovered (but with BBQ lid down), for 15-20 mins, or until the cauliflower is tender.
4. While the cauliflower is baking, heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat and saute onion rings for 10-12 mins, until a golden brown. Add tomato paste and water and cook for a few mins more, then add spices (add a splash more water if need be). Cook for one min, then put on top of the cauliflower. Garnish with cilantro, if desired, and serve.

Indian Potato Salad

I love potatoes and I love potato salad. Usually I go for a more traditional American salad with sweet pickles and plenty of mayo--perfect for summer. I also don't like too many crunchy bits in my salad (ixnae on the elerycae), a rule that I broke for this Indian inspired dish that is awesome warm or cold. This recipe also cuts back on the mayo by thinning it out with soy milk for a moist but not too runny potato salad.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb white potatoes, peeled and halved
- 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and halved
- 2 tbsp oil
- 15 pearl onion, peeled and halved
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp minced fresh ginger
- 1/2 green chile, seeded and minced (I used jalapeno, the only thing around)
- 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp tumeric
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1/2 cup vegan mayo (or use half yogurt)
- soy milk as needed
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- salt pepper to taste

METHOD
1. Get some salted water boiling and cook the potatoes. Since sweet potatoes cook faster than white, ad then in about 10 mins before the white potatoes are done cooking (they take 20-25 mins, usually).
2. While potatoes are cooking, heat oil over med-hi in a large frying pan. Add onions and saute for a few mins, letting the outsides get nice and brown. Keep stirring so they don't burn. Add garlic, ginger, and chile and mix well. Add mustard seeds and cook a few mins more (seeds should begin to pop). Add spices and mix well. Remove from heat.
3. Drain cooked potatoes and let cool until warm but not hot. Cut into cubes. Mix mayo into the onion mixture, then toss with the potatoes. Thin as needed with soy milk so potatoes are coated. Mix in cilantro, and season to taste.

Tofu and Potato Cakes

This is a take on a fish cake from an Indian cookbook I have. While the nori flakes do give some sea-like flavour, the end result is nothing like a fish cake, of course, but still tasty. I actually liked these better the next day after being fried up in a pan. I think it's because the potatoes firm up a bit and are less gooey. Still, either version is pretty good and the kids loved them.

INGREDIENTS
Makes 20 cakes
- 1 pkg extra firm tofu
- 4 medium potatoes, peeled, boiled, and coarsely mashed
- 4 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 green chile, seeded, and finely chopped
- 1" piece of ginger, minced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp nori flakes
- 1 tbsp ground flax seed
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3/4 cup soymilk
- 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- bread crumbs

METHOD
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
1. While potatoes are cooking and cooling, crumble tofu into a bowl. Add green onions, chile, ginger, cilantro, nori flakes, flax seed, cornstarch, and salt and pepper. When potatoes are cool enough to handle, mix into the tofu. Knead a bit with your hands to being it all together.
2. Whisk cider vinegar into soymilk. Shape potato mixture into patties, dip in soy milk, then roll in bread crumbs, pressing the patty into the crumbs to get a good coating. Place on prepared baking sheet.
3. Bake for 30 mins, turning patties after 20 mins. Serve with chili sauce.

Tarka Dhal

My teaching schedule is really cramping my cooking this semester. A late afternoon course twice a week means needing to have large pots of food cooked up the day before so leftovers can be served up quick for the kids. This is a toned down version of tarka dahl. There are supposed to be dried red chiles in the onion mixture to give the dish some zing, but there is no way the kids will go for any "spiky" dishes. Feel free to punch this up as you see fit.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
- 2 1/4 cup water
- 1" piece of ginger, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/4 tsp tumeric
- salt to taste
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tomato, chopped

METHOD
1. Place lentils, water, ginger, garlic, tumeric and salt in a pot. Bring to boil, reduce heat, loosely cover, and simmer until lentil are thoroughly cooked (about 1/2 hour). Add more water, if needed, or uncover if too runny.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan over med-hi heat. Saute onion with mustard seeds until it turns a nice golden brown. Add in tomato and cook for 2 mins.
3. Pour onion mixture over the lentils, garnish with cilantro, and serve.

Indian Kale and Split Peas

This is my final installment of new Indian dishes. For whatever reason, my kids ate this up with no complaints despite the obvious presence of leafy greens. I have found that I have to remove the tough stems from kale because my youngest often chokes and gags as he tries to chew and swallow them. It makes for a rather unpleasant meal. While I usually like my greens lightly cooked and still bright green, cooking the greens together with the split peas and spices for an hour makes for a wonderful flavour and soft texture. I made the dish fairly dry, but you could add more water and some tomato paste at the end to make a sauce so the dish coul dbe served over rice.

INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 onions, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 cup yellow split peas, rinsed
- 1 cup water (more if needed)
- 1 tomato, diced
- 1 tsp tumeric
- salt to taste
- 1 bunch kale, rinsed and chopped (stems removed, optional)

METHOD
1. Heat margarine in a large pot over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic for 5-7 mins, until soft and translucent. Add garam masala and chili powder and fry for 1 min.
2. Add split peas, water, tomato, tumeric, and salt and bring to bubbling. Let bubble for 5 mins, then add kale. Stir until wilted, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 60-75 minutes, until split peas are cooked. Check periodically to stir, adding more water if too dry.

Potato and Oyster Mushroom Curry

Tonight's recipe is the part two of my trio of posts on the new Indian dishes I made to branch out beyond my old favourites. It is based on a recipe that calls for shrimp, but uses oyster mushrooms instead. You could just use white or cremini mushrooms, but oyster mushrooms really are a treat because of their delicate texture and taste. This is also a quick and simple meal that can be on the table in about 30 mins. You will also note the naan sneaking into the picture (and in my last post). I use this recipe which is hands down the best I have ever made and is pretty close to the stuff actually baked in a tandoor oven.

INGREDIENTS
Serves 4
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 onion, halved and sliced
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 8 oz oyster mushrooms, cut into large pieces
- salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp tumeric
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 lb potatoes, cut into small chunks
- 2 large tomatoes, small dice
- 1/2 cup water, more if needed
- 1 tsp lemon juice

METHOD
1. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry onions and cilantro for 5-7 mins, until soft and translucent. Add mushrooms, salt, and spices. Fry for about 5 mins, until mushrooms release their water. Add a splash of water if spices stick too much.
2. Add potatoes, tomatoes, and water and mix well. Bring to bubbling, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15-20 mins, until potatoes are cooked. Add more water if it gets too dry, then stir in lemon juice and serve.

Khichri

If the Google is to be believed, khichri means a hash of rice and legumes. I thought this would be a nice change from the dal recipe I keep making again and again (it's awesome, to be sure, but it's time for some change). This is really comfort food--mellow, warm, easy to chew, and nourishing. It does not make for the greatest picture, but don't let that stop you from making this amazing dish.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 sweet onion
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 5 cups water (more if needed)
- 2 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1 cup red lentils
- 3 tbsp margarine
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

METHOD
Preheat oven to 300 degrees
1. Get water boiling in an ovenproof pan with a lid. Rinse rice and put in boiling water with onions, garlic, and salt. Reduce heat and simmer on low, uncovered, for 20 mins.
2. Rinse red lentils and add to pan. Cover and simmer for 15 mins.
3. By now the rice and lentils will be mostly cooked and getting fairly dry. If too dry, mix in some more water, then place in the oven. Bake for 20-30 mins, until fully cooked.
4. Heat margarine in a small pan over medium heat and fry sliced shallots for 5-7 mins, until golden. Add in garam masala, then gently stir into khrichi along with the cilantro. Add water, if needed, to reach desired consistency. It can be more dry like a biryani, or wetter like a porridge. Season to taste and serve.

Indian Lentil and Rice Pancakes

I decided it was time to break out of my Indian food rut and explore some new recipes. I have been wanting to try this recipe for a while but have never had my act together enough to plan two days in advance. These are actually really easy to make, but you need to plan ahead. I guess this is also the first gluten-free bread(like) recipe I have posted on this site, so huzzah for me! These are thick and durable enough to be used to scoop up food or sauce from your plate. They are a nice change from naan bread and have a wonderful flavour despite the simple seasoning.

INGREDIENTS
Makes 10 pancakes
- 3/4 cup basmati rice
- 1/4 cup red lentils
- 1 cup warm water
- 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 tsp tumeric
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro

METHOD
1. Place rice, lentils and water in a juice pitcher. Cover and let sit overnight.
2. Drain water off (reserve) and blend rice and lentils with an immersion blender. Then, blend water back into the lentils/rice until smooth. Cover and let ferment in a warm place for 24 hours. (Or, you can soak everything in a bowl, and blend in a food processor. I find the first method easier and less messy).
3. Heat a non-stick frying pan (like a well-seasoned cast iron pan) over medium heat. Mix salt, tumeric, pepper, and cilantro into the batter. The original recipe called for 1 tsp of salt, but I found that to be far too much.
4. Brush the pan with oil, and pour a scant 1/4 cup of batter on the pan. Spread/thin out batter with the back of a spoon (you can make 3 pancakes at once, depending on the size of your pan). Cook for 1-2 mins, until dry around the edges, flip, and cook another min or so. Keep cooked pancakes wrapped in a towel while you cook the others. Serve at once.

Tofu Makhani

Ah, Indian food . . . my first culinary love. I was a vegetarian for a few years starting in 1999 when Vegan Mom and I grew bored with the monotony of or diet. It wasn't until I cut out meat that I began to explore the depth and breadth of the culinary universe. Indian food quickly became a staple, and I was amazed at the number of spices I had never heard of before (reminds me of a Simpson's episode where Marge sees a spice rack and decides to check it out, convinced there must be some duplicates. Picking up a jar of oregano, she reads the label and wonders, "Ore-eh-gah-no? What the hell?") I have not made this dish in a while, but pulled out the recipe and tweaked it, much to the family's delight.

INGREDIENTS
- 1/3 cup non-hydrogenated margarine
- 2 medium onions, halved and sliced
- 2/3 cup plain non-dairy yogurt
- 1/2 cup ground almonds
- 2 tsp mild chili powder
- 1/2 tsp tumeric
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 4 green cardamom pods, cracked open
- 1" piece fresh ginger, minced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 cup water, or veggie broth
- 2 finely chopped fresh medium tomatoes
- salt to taste
- 1 pkg tofu, cubed (I baked mine first, but you could add it as is, or fry in a bit of oil)
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup coconut milk, or cashew cream

METHOD
1. If you are baking the tofu, get baking.
2. Heat margarine over medium heat in a large saucepan. Fry onions for 5-7 mins, until soft but not browned.
3. Add yogurt, almonds, spices, ginger, garlic, water, and tomatoes and mix well. Bring to bubbling, then reduce heat and let simmer for 15 mins, stirring regularly. The colour should deepen and the tomatoes should cook down. Add more water or broth if the sauce thickens too much.
4. Add tofu and 1/2 of the cilantro and cook for 5 mins. Season to taste.
5. Mix in coconut milk (or cashew cream), adjust seasonings, top with remaining cilantro and serve over rice.

Curried Potato Salad

Perhaps its my partial Irish ancestry but I love potatoes. I also love potato salad, but it can be a bit bland and boring after a few picnics. Curry powder and some peas spice up this version, and you can leave the mayo behind of you like. It tastes great both warm and cold.

INGREDIENTS
- 6-8 small potatoes
- 1/2 small onion, minced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tbsp oil (or use some vegan mayo)
- 1 tsp curry powder (or to taste)
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup thawed frozen peas, or cooked fresh peas
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

METHOD
1. Boil potatoes until tender. Rinse under cold water for a few mins, then cut into chunks. While still warm, toss in the rest of the ingredients. Serve warm or cold.

Indian-Style Potatoes and Spinach

Boy are my kids getting tired of the greens! Ha! Too bad, laddies! I keep giving them the same lecture on getting enough iron, calcium, etc. Of course, they can't really complain when the food tastes this good. I took the recipe from Best Ever Curry Cookbook and adapted the method.

INGREDIENTS

- 2 tbsp oil

- 1 tsp mustard seeds

- 1 large onion, halved and sliced

- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped

- 1" piece of ginger, minced

- 4 large Yukon gold potatoes, cubed

- 1/2 cup water (more if needed)

- 1 tsp chili powder

- salt to taste

- 2 handfuls baby spinach

METHOD

1. Heat oil over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and fry until they begin to pop and splutter. Add onion, garlic and ginger and fry for 5-7 mins, until translucent.

2. Add potatoes, water, chili powder, and salt and mix well. Add a little more water, if needed, to make a nice sauce. Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 12-15 mins, or until potatoes are cooked. Stir occasionally.

3. When potatoes are cooked, add spinach to the pan. Cover and cook for a few mins until spinach wilts but is still a nice vibrant green.

Channa Saag

This is something I put together in my quest to get more kale into my diet. As far as I remember, channa is the hindi word for chickpeas, and saag means spinach. This dish is packed with all sorts of nutritional goodness, and even though they protested at first, the boys ate all their greens.

INGREDIENTS

- 2 tbsp oil

- 1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced

- 1 large garlic clove, minced

- 1" piece of ginger, minced

- 4 large tomatoes, chopped

- 1 tsp garam masala

- 1 tsp coriander

- 1/2 tsp cumin

- 1/2 tsp cinnamon

- 1 tbsp chili powder

- 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

- 3 cups chopped kale (though stems removed)

- 3 cups chopped spinach

- juice of 1 lemon

- 1/4 cup plain soy yogurt

- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Heat oil on a large pot over medium heat. Saute onions for 12-15 mins, until nicely browned. Add garlic and ginger and saute for 2 mins.

2. Add tomatoes and spices and bring to bubbling. Cook for 5-7 mins, stirring regularly, until tomatoes have reduced to a paste.

3. Add chickpeas and kale and cook for about 5 mins, until kale is tender. Add spinach and cook 2-3 mins, until tender. Stir in lemon juice and yogurt.

4. Season to taste with salt and pepper, adjust spices to your liking, and serve.

Chickpea and Cashew Biryani

I find I am getting into a rut when I make Indian food; the same dishes every time. They are great dishes, but it's time to branch out. So, tonight I made something I have never made before: biryani. It is fantastic. Baked rice has a wonderful texture, and with chickpeas and cashews this is a hearty meal unto itself. The raisins add small bursts of sweetness to balance the spices. In a word: yum.

INGREDIENTS

- 5 cups water

- 1 1/2 cup basmati rice

- 5 green cardamom pods

- 1/2 tsp tumeric

- 1 cinnamon stick, broken in two

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 3 cloves

- 2 tbsp oil

- 3 onions, sliced

- 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

- 2 cloves garlic, chopped

- 1" piece ginger, minced

- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom

- 1/4 tsp ground cloves

- 1 tsp chili powder

- 1 tsp cumin

- 1 tsp coriander

- juice of 1 lemon

- salt and pepper to taste

- 3-4 tomatoes, thickly sliced

- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

- 2/3 cup plain soy yogurt

- 1 cup raw cashews

- 1/2 cup golden raisins

- 2/3 cup hot water

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a casserole dish. Get water boiling in a pot. Add rice, cardamom, tumeric, cinnamon, salt and cloves. Parboil for 3 mins, drain, then return to pot and cover to keep warm.

2. While water is boiling, heat oil in a large frying pan. Dry onions for 8-10 mins, until a deep golden brown. Add chickpeas, spices, lemon juice, and season to taste. Fry for 3-4 mins, until heated through.

3. Place chickpea mixture in the prepared casserole dish and top with cilantro. Top with enough sliced tomatoes to cover the chickpeas. Spread yogurt over the tomatoes, then top with cashews and raisins. Top that with rice, and pour water evenly over the top.

4. Cover and bake for 60-65 mins, until liquid is all absorbed and rice is cooked. Serve topped with more chopped cilantro.