We grew up eating Amla Chickpeas stuffed into pita drizzled with a fragrant raita (seasoned yogurt). My mother would make up the sandwiches and leave them in the fridge so we could just grab and go. The idea behind the dish is that the white chickpeas are darkened with the Indian gooseberry, or Amla, so they take on a beautiful darkish color and are infused with vitamin C. The tarka is then added after cooking. In a way, it's a reverse tarka. Because the onion, tomato, ginger, and garlic are not cooked down into a paste like a typical tarka, they stay slightly crunchy. The first time I made this for...
We grew up eating Amla Chickpeas stuffed into pita drizzled with a fragrant raita (seasoned yogurt). My mother would make up the sandwiches and leave them in the fridge so we could just grab and go. The idea behind the dish is that the white chickpeas are darkened with the Indian gooseberry, or Amla, so they take on a beautiful darkish color and are infused with vitamin C. The tarka is then added after cooking. In a way, it's a reverse tarka. Because the onion, tomato, ginger, and garlic are not cooked down into a paste like a typical tarka, they stay slightly crunchy. The first time I made this for...
Sookhi means dry in Hindi. It means that less water is used to make this dish, so that the dal is cooked, but it's not soupy. Typically, this recipe is made with either a split and skinned green moong dal (though it looks yellow) (pictured above) or a split and skinned black urad dal (it looks white). This may sound confusing at first, but you'll get it once you start working with different dals and their different forms. For reference, turn to the two-page photo spread of legumes on page 118 of my book, Indian For Everyone. The two dals I refer to are...
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE SOUP RECIPE? THIS IS MINE. There is something so addictive about white bean soup. Maybe it's just me. My family actually makes fun of me over my obsession. Though, when I serve it to them they just as easily gobble it up. I find white beans at once comforting and filling. This recipe started with an Italian White Bean recipe from one of the official Instant Pot cookbooks, but I quickly adapted it to my own tastebuds. I found that I prefer not to add as many greens as the original recipe calls for and...
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...
Years of trying have not helped my endeavors to make the perfect pot of black bean soup. But, the other day I was determined to give it another shot. After all, these beans are incredibly healthy for you. A one-cup serving of cooked black beans provides (in daily recommended values): 227 calories. 15 grams protein. 15 grams fiber. Stats that even my omnivore of a husband cannot ignore. So, I thought about it all day and then got busy. I wanted to roast the peppers and corn. Super easy to do, and adds another layer of flavor. I also thought about...
This past weekend demoing at the Whole Foods in Willowbrook, I showcased one of the best-kept Indian food secrets - kala chana, or black chickpeas, high in protein and meatier in texture than their white counterpart. Not one person knew what they were trying, but once they did, they were sold! Here's an easy recipe for kala chana made with my Punjabi Masala, which is just onion/ginger/garlic/turmeric ground down into a paste. Kala Chana Chaat with Punjabi MasalaMakes 6 cups 2 cups dried kala chana, cleaned and washed½ onion, finely chopped2 – 3 Thai, serrano, or cayenne chiles, stems removed and...
