Indian As Apple Pie

Minnesota .... Thank you for having me back! I am humbled.  This time, I'll be demoing my favorite Veggie burger at one of my favorite spots -- Eastside Food Co-op. They are one of the first places here to put my special spice blends on their shelf - and because of that, I'm committed to coming up here from Chicago to give them some spicy love back.  This week, I'm showcasing one of my favorite legumes - Black Chickpeas - or Kala Chana.  It's one of the four legumes we offer through Indian As Apple Pie because you cannot usually...

I make dinner just about every night, and I have yet to find a recipe that I could actually eat every day, until this soup. It's at once light and flavorful - an addictive combination. It also tastes better after a day or so in the fridge as the beans continue to break down and absorb flavor.  First, tips on saving time & boosting flavor in your pressure cooker and beyond:  Use dried beans. They are cheaper, more nutritious, and absorb more flavor than canned. In this recipe, the 2 cups of dried cannellini beans cost about $2.50 from the...

Get heart healthy this Valentine's Day and beyond with a recipe that has quickly become my morning routine. The oats immediately transport me to visits to my mother's childhood home and the city where I was born -- Chandigarh, India. Every breakfast included steaming bowls of chewy, delicious dalia.  All forms of oatmeal come from oat groats, the whole oat grain. This whole grain can be used in cooking, but typically must be soaked and remains chewy after cooking. These groats, when chopped up with steel blades into two to three pieces,  make steel-cut oats, also sometimes called Irish oats....

I'VE PERFECTED MY BLACK BEAN SOUP. The recipe is for the updated version of my first book, The Indian Slow Cooker, which will be released this fall from Agate Publishing. I know that's still a few months away. So, for now, enjoy! Black Bean Soup with Tomatillo, Roasted Corn and Jalapeno SLOW COOKER SIZE: 5-QUART COOKING TIME: 6 HOURS ON HIGH YIELD: 16 CUPS 3 cups dried black beans, picked over, washed, and soaked at least 2 hours2 tablespoons vegetable oil2 teaspoons cumin seeds1 teaspoon turmeric powder2 teaspoons ground black pepper5 cloves garlic, minced1 medium onion, minced2 carrots, diced2 tomatillos, husks removed and...

The Indian Slow Cooker is getting better! My first cookbook released in 2010 through Evanston-based Agate Publishing. When my publisher suggested updating it, I had to say yes. After all, it's the book the started the #HealthyIndian revolution. It's largely based on my working immigrant mother's recipes. The very ones she raised our family on as she struggled to balance dinner and work daily without help in the house and in a foreign country.  There are several new recipes in the book. One is for Dal Makhani. I know you love eating it out, but how about making it at home...

FOR ME, HEALTHY ISN'T ENOUGH - IT HAS TO BE DELICIOUS, TOO! My preteen actually made this recipe herself just to get more of it. It truly is that yummy. I used the healing spice, turmeric in here, which you know you should eat, but some of you may still not quite know how to get it into your days more regularly.  The key with this healthy anti-inflammatory of a spice? Mix it with a fat and black pepper. The fat can be obtained through dairy (i.e. the recent rage of turmeric milk), it can be through oil or through ghee (clarified...

I'M FEELING FEVERISH .... No, it's not because of the chilly Chicago weather. I always get like this when I'm writing a cookbook. Why my entire family collectively groaned when I told them I'm updating my first book, The Indian Slow Cooker, for release this fall. All of you, however, should be smiling. Why? Because I will be sharing some recipes right here on my website. Some are new. Some are improvements on the old. All are ones you'll want to try.  This week's recipe is Rasam. I originally showcased a recipe for it on page 90 of my second book, Vegan...

I was three when my obsession for onions began, or so the story goes. As a little girl my mother tells me I would pick off the crunchy, lemony onions from my family's plates around their table in Chandigarh, where I was born and where my grandparent's home is to this day. It seems I've passed this obsession onto my own two girls. They could brush their teeth and still come back for a slice of spicy, lemony onion. That's how much we love them in this Indian-American household.  It's also where I wanted to start my series of Indian...

I was raised outside Philly. I like a good Hoagie. And, even though I prefer eating plant-based, what's not to love about a good meatball sub?  Why I'm always looking for ways to make my favorite comfort foods vegetarian delicious. And, I'm always thinking about ways to take my current recipes and elevate. It's what happened with my meatless meatballs recipe I posted previously. Sure, they were tasty. But they would be even healthier and more delicious with a little quinoa flour, on a bed of Tikka Masala, and made with Tandoori Masala instead of just garam masala, right? At least it's...

This Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for family, tradition, and knowing how fun it is to think outside the box. Take your traditional favorites and don't be nervous to try something new. Last week, I encouraged you to try some Chai Masala in your pumpkin pie. This week? Throw in some warm, Indian spices with your cranberries; swap out your bread for flattened rice Poha for stuffing; add some zing to your Brussels Sprouts with Tandoori Masala. Have your holiday the way you want it. Some tradition, some new side dishes, and a whole lot of eating.  Cranberry Chutney 1 12 oz....