Indian As Apple Pie

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...

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...

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....

I have been making this mock egg salad since I tried it at a Hindu Temple when I was living in Hawaii. I was a graduate student at the East-West Center there and loved visiting the temple for their food - delicious, plant-based Indian.  The secret to a delicious eggless egg salad? Crunch. Color. Eggy Taste. In this recipe, the crunch is from onion, celery, and carrots. Try other fun adds like chopped watercress or jicama.  The color is important. It gets its yellow hue from turmeric powder, which is a healthy anti-inflammatory.  Eggy taste without the egg? You'll want some...

This idea grew out of frustration. While my husband loves my version of lamb kabobs - I needed something for me. As most of you know already, I am more of a plant-based eater. But, I'll never sacrifice flavor. It has to be delicious - and typically has to be a dish that will satisfy even my omnivore of a husband. The answer? These beautifully scrumptious meatballs based on the kabob recipe in my third book, Indian For Everyone. If you have my cookbook already, check out page 87 and follow along.* The first step was developing a 'meat-ier' platform...

I've obsessed over Indian street food since I was a young girl visiting my family in India with my parents and younger brother.  Merely talking about the tartness, the crunchiness, the complexity of the spices makes my mouth start to water. These 'salads', as I like to explain to those less familiar with Indian cuisine, are small plates often referred to as 'chaat'.  Imagine a cat leaning into a bowl of milk and licking it up with her pink slip of a tongue. We would call that motion in Hindi, chaatna. In essence, licking the milk up, or when it refers to...

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...

The other night I was lusting over my girls' mac and cheese. It was the new hip organic kind out of the box. But, it was cheese. I've stayed away from dairy for over two decades now, well before it was hip to be vegan, plant-based, or whatever folks want to call themselves. I eat non-dairy because if I eat milk and cheese, my stomach starts to hurt. When I stopped eating it regularly I started to feel great, and the rest is history - I even wrote a book about it!  I'm human though, and I miss my creamy,...

Traditionally, vegetarian Indian meals have at least three components: a vegetable sabzi (stir-fry), lentils, and rice or bread. The idea behind this theme? That the lentils afford a vegetarian protein to help nutritionally balance out the meal.  I don't know about you, but most days I'm lucky to just get dinner on the table. I'm not always able to make sure we have that protein component in our meals even if we still want to eat a vegetarian diet. Why, I'm on a mission to taste test non-traditional ingredients in my recipes. Ingredients like quinoa, cashew cream, edamame, are known outside the...