30 Min

GF

Vegetable Pilaf

This pilaf can be made with various root vegetables or brassicas. It tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld together. Serve it with a side of plain yogurt or raita.

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Cook Time

30 Minutes

Serves

2

Directions

Step 1

Rinse the basmati rice 2 to 3 times in cold water then soak for 2 to 3 hours.

Step 2

In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and pop the black cumin seeds and cardamom pods. Within 2 to 3 seconds, add the onions and root vegetables and cook on medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes intermittently keeping the lid on. The onions will caramelize and the vegetables will soften.

Step 3

Add turmeric, chile powder, salt, and ginger purée. Next add the drained rice and 1 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, cover the stockpot, and turn the heat down. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes and turn the heat off. Rest rice for 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 4

Fold in the cashews, greens, and herbs and serve.

Notes & Variations

To make a chicken pilaf, add 8 ounces of diced chicken thigh with the rest of the vegetables.
To make shrimp pilaf, add half a pound of shrimp at the end of cooking.
Add boiled sliced eggs to the pilaf for a richer variation.

Ingredients

1 cup long-grain basmati rice

4 to 5 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon black cumin seeds

3 to 4 crushed cardamom pods

1 cup minced onion

2 cups cubed vegetables (such as cauliflower, rutabaga, turnips, or carrots)

Pinch of ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon chile powder

1 teaspoon ginger purée

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons roasted cashews

1 cups herbs and greens, chopped

Step 1

Rinse the basmati rice 2 to 3 times in cold water then soak for 2 to 3 hours.

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Fold in the cashews, greens, and herbs and serve.

1 cup long-grain basmati rice

4 to 5 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon black cumin seeds

3 to 4 crushed cardamom pods

1 cup minced onion

2 cups cubed vegetables (such as cauliflower, rutabaga, turnips, or carrots)

Pinch of ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon chile powder

1 teaspoon ginger purée

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons roasted cashews

1 cups herbs and greens, chopped

Notes & Variations

To make a chicken pilaf, add 8 ounces of diced chicken thigh with the rest of the vegetables.
To make shrimp pilaf, add half a pound of shrimp at the end of cooking.
Add boiled sliced eggs to the pilaf for a richer variation.

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30 Min

Stock Your Pantry

Aromatic Masala Dabba

$250

A handmade spice box containing chai masala, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, whole black peppercorns, whole green cardamom pods with a few black cardamom pods, garam masala, mace pods and nutmeg.

Essential Masala Dabba

$235

A handmade spice box containing red chile, turmeric, black pepper, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, amchur and garam masala.

Nut & Seed Masala Dabba

$250

A handmade spice box containing masala cashews, spiced walnuts, pumpkin & sesame seeds, pine nuts, masala pistachios, hazelnuts & almonds.

Tags:

30 Min

Stock Your Pantry

Aromatic Masala Dabba

$250

A handmade spice box containing chai masala, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, whole black peppercorns, whole green cardamom pods with a few black cardamom pods, garam masala, mace pods and nutmeg.

Essential Masala Dabba

$235

A handmade spice box containing red chile, turmeric, black pepper, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, amchur and garam masala.

Nut & Seed Masala Dabba

$250

A handmade spice box containing masala cashews, spiced walnuts, pumpkin & sesame seeds, pine nuts, masala pistachios, hazelnuts & almonds.

Looking for more Gluten-Free options?

Here are some soups that'll make a tasty meal!

BYE BYE GLUTEN.

Turmeric Soup

Golden Beet Soup

30 Min

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Asparagus Pilaf

Adding vegetables to rice is such a wonderful way to pump up flavor and nutrition that making plain rice seems almost boring in comparison. We’ve noticed children particularly like it and it’s one way to get them to eat more vegetables. A nice way to welcome spring is by mincing asparagus and adding it to the pilaf at the end of cooking. This cooks it slightly yet maintains the bright chlorophyll green color of the vegetable as it folds into the flavor of the rice beautifully. Try this rice pilaf on its own or with a curry of your choice.

45 Min

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Turmeric Soup

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120 Min

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Biryani

Biryani usually starts with marinated meat, chicken, vegetables, or beans slow cooked with warm spices, onions, garlic, and ginger to make a base masala. Tomatoes, yogurt, or coconut can be added next. On the lighter side, one can forego the onion masala and make a vibrant fragrant green herb masala, like a salsa verde or pesto (minus the cheese) for quick cooking seafood or vegetable biryanis. Rice is usually prepared separately, and can be cooked in stock or just plain water – saffron and/or warm spices like a large stick of cinnamon, mace flowers, or bay leaves can be added to the rice. I usually cook the rice with oil rather than ghee or butter as the oil facilitates the flakiness of the rice and prevents it from getting sticky. It is best to make the rice last as freshly cooked hot rice is placed over the base masala topped with nuts and dry fruits, tightly sealed, and allowed to rest for at least 20 to 30 minutes for all the flavors to meld. Here is a recipe for a simple garbanzo and vegetable biryani that can be easily adapted to the addition of meat.

60 Min

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Golden Beet Soup

Given the cold weather, I decided to make a warming soup with the golden beets and, on a hunch, instead of the perfunctory turmeric, added saffron threads and sesame seeds to the broth, with delicious results.

25 Min

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Black Truffle Pilaf

In this pilaf, the saffron and mace add a sweet note to the earthy truffle.

20 Min

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Caramel Pilaf

This technique originates from the Sindh province, where using a touch of caramel to flavor rice with spices and seasonings is fairly common. There is some use of sugar (or jaggery) in the recipe but the final product is not sweet, just a rich and nutty flavor.

60 Min

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Tamarind Soup

For most Sindhis, this tamarind fragrant soup, or Sindhi kadhi, as it is called, is synonymous with a lazy Sunday afternoon lunch. Usually eaten with steamed rice and sweet laddus, this was one of my favorite memories of growing up in a traditional Sindhi household.

60 Min

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Cauliflower Kale Pilaf

The cauliflower gets soft and buttery while it boils with the rice and the kale adds a slightly bitter hearty touch at the end.

55 Min

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Carrot Soup

This smooth and creamy soup is supremely simple to make as we drift into the autumn season. If you do not have asafetida, which is a natural spice that mimics the flavor of onions and garlic, slice a few cloves of garlic instead.

30 Min

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Cauliflower Lentil Pilaf

The hot rice will wilt the greens and also add tremendous flavor and nutrition to the pilaf.

60 Min

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NF

Buttermilk Soup

This soup is eaten more like a curry with rice. There are umpteen variations: some made with tomato, tamarind, coconut milk or buttermilk. It is usually eaten during summer months for lunch.

30 Min

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V

Celery Rosemary Pilaf

If you do not have celery leaves, use half a head of celery, thinly sliced.

90 Min

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NF

Butternut Squash Soup

This soup, with a spice infusion and a pop thrown in for good measure, is soul satisfying in the middle of a cold winter!

30 Min

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V

Citrus Pilaf

Adding zests of orange, lemon or lime to a pilaf can magically transform it to new heights.

90 Min

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NF

Spinach Yogurt Soup

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20 Min

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Clove Masala Pilaf

Cloves are a fragrant spice with magical powers.

45 Min

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Moringa Mango Lentil Soup

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90 Min

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NF

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Coconut Clove Pilaf

Cloves make this a delicious and unique pilaf. Can be eaten as a meal (yes, it’s that good) or as a side.

30 Min

GF

Curry Masala Vegetable Pilaf

Use leftover rice to make this pilaf – even dried up old rice works. It’s lovely for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

130 Min

Dum Chicken Pulao

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60 Min

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NF

Shrimp Mango Soup

Here is a delicious South Indian inspired shrimp soup with mango, a fruit much more likely to show up in savory foods in India. Enjoy it on its own or with noodles or rice.

30 Min

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Fennel Pea Pilaf

This pilaf is very good for stimulating digestion.

120 Min

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Garlic Garbanzo Soup

When we are preparing for a possible onslaught on our immune system, a small cup of garlic soup a day may be just what we need.

30 Min

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Garbanzo Kale Pilaf

This pilaf can make a great meal on its own with just some plain yogurt on the side and also tasted great the next day.

45 Min

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NF

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Asparagus Soup

Best made in spring when asparagus and fennel are in season, this soup is creamy with the simple addition of sesame seeds.

110 Min

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Ghee Bhat

This is a take on a traditional rice dish usually made with short grain rice and any kind of meat stock. We used brown basmati rice, which takes a while to cook but absorbs the flavor of the stock beautifully. The aromatic spices, onions and coconut add enough depth of flavor to the rice to be eaten on its own. This rice dish works well with Lamprais, the popular traditional Dutch-influenced dish from the colonial days.

90 Min

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NF

Ghee Drippings Pilaf

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60 Min

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Yellow Beet Soup

My favorite way to cook beets is to combine them with a small amount of lentils, which helps balance the flavors. This soup also works well as a sauce for grilled portobello mushrooms or fish.

30 Min

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NF

V

Golden Rice

Fragrant cinnamon and saffron balance the pungency of the fresh turmeric.

30 Min

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Lentil Pilaf

Can be eaten as is with a curry or can be embellished with roasted vegetables, herbs or nuts and dry fruit.

75 Min

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Black Eyed Pea Soup

Drizzled on this good-luck black-eyed pea soup, a single-origin olive oil with strong notes of fruitiness, bitterness and pungency beautifully complements the sweetness of the cardamom, cinnamon, and carrots.

20 Min

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Lettuce Fried Rice

Eating vegetables and fruits grown by local farmers with stellar practices is one of the best ways to build immunity in our bodies. Whether it’s by visiting neighborhood farmers markets or getting a farm share, there is no time like the present to support our farmers and ranchers — they need our business. Always looking for ways to incorporate more vegetables into our meals, at the recommendation of a friend, I tossed fried rice with torn lettuce, and it made for a delicious light lunch. The lettuce wilted every so slightly but tasted really good — and who doesn’t love a flavorful, light fried rice?

35 Min

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Mushroom Walnut Pilaf

This pilaf can stand on its own or can be used as a phenomenal side dish for grilled or roasted meats. Replacing water with stock gives the pilaf a lovely meatiness.

45 Min

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Cauliflower Soup

This soup is creamy enough to pass off as a luxurious indulgent soup even though it is entirely plant based. Use roasted carrots instead of butternut or keep it really simple and top it off with pomegranate seeds. Instead of almonds, use cashews or hazelnuts – it’s delicious either way.

20 Min

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Pomegranate Pilaf

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75 Min

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Rustic Okra Soup

Roasting okra in the oven at high heat preserves its integrity and flavor without turning it slimy. This yogurt soup is an adaptation of the classic Punjabi kadhi, usually eaten with rice — the chickpea flour is the binder that keeps the yogurt from “breaking,” and turns it viscous and creamy.

20 Min

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Pop Masala Rice

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Purple Cabbage Pilaf

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25 Min

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Simple Basmati Rice

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35 Min

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Broccoli Soup

Here is a soup that elevates the vegetable to an elegant course, perfect when served with a holiday dinner.

20 Min

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Spring Pea Pilaf

A pea pilaf is as common in India as mashed potatoes in the United States. We eat it with a simple dal for dinner or on its own with plain yogurt.

20 Min

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Chilled Heirloom Tomato Soup

When heirloom tomatoes are in full bloom, this chilled raw soup is the delicious epitome of a hot summer. I’ve omitted the onion, switched out garlic for ginger; the soup takes minutes to make. The color of the tomatoes will deeply affect the color of the soup, so pick the reddest ripe tomatoes you can.

30 Min

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GF

V

Spring Pilaf

Cabbage may be a humble brassica, but it is packed with plenty of essential phytonutrients and makes a great low-calorie addition to the pilaf

90 Min

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GF

V

Almond Soup

Many years ago, I enjoyed a delicious chilled almond soup, ajoblanco, native to Spain, at a wonderful restaurant called Feast in Houston. The dish was garnished with a drizzle of good olive oil, sliced grapes and was delicious to the last spoonful. Ajoblanco is often called white gazpacho and predates its more popular tomato version, since tomatoes did not arrive in Spain until the time of Columbus. The classic version is made with slices of white bread pureed with almonds. Preferring my bread warm, grainy, toasted and slathered in butter, I use plain white rice as the thickener here. The quality of rice will not matter, as it will all get pureed in the end. The addition of aromatic cardamom to the base balanced the garlic, and a pop of mustard seeds and kari leaves was the final flourish. If you can find Spanish Marcona almonds, the soup will be even more delicious.

60 Min

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Squid Ink Pilaf

Squid ink is a gorgeous addition to rice or curries to create a briny ocean flavor.

90 Min

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NF

Butternut Squash Soup

This soup, with a spice infusion and a pop thrown in for good measure, is soul satisfying in the middle of a cold winter!

45 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Swiss Chard Pilaf

High in antioxidants and dietary fiber, one cup of braised chard provides more than the recommended daily dose of vitamin A. Enjoy this pilaf with soup or dal, curried lentils.

90 Min

GF

NF

Kitchen Soup

Every restaurant — and perhaps every home — should have a “kitchen soup” recipe that allows lots of flexibility, creativity and, of course, bold flavors. So skip the preservative-filled bouillon or canned stock and make a simple from-scratch soup like ours.

100 Min

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GF

V

Tamarind Rice

This is an adaptation of a traditional South Indian rice that is so delicious it can be eaten just on its own. It is also good cold or at room temperature.

45 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Tomato Pilaf

This pilaf can be a meal in itself, however, when paired with a creamy curry, it makes for a winning combination.

50 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Turmeric Rice

A basic rice dish but like most dishes in Sri Lanka, it is made with a bit of coconut milk.

30 Min

DF

GF

V

Vegetable Poha

Originally from Maharashtra, a state in the western and central peninsula region of India, poha is now enjoyed across the country in different iterations. In southern India, it is often prepared with cashews and coconut. In Gujarat, the state I was born and raised in, poha is usually cooked with onions, ginger, peanuts and fresh herbs. A bowl of steaming fragrant poha with leftover vegetables made for many a memorable breakfast during my childhood. Even though poha is made from rice, somehow it has a lighter texture but deeper flavor than cooked rice. I always keep a jar of poha tucked away in my pantry to turn into a quick, delicious meal.

45 Min

GF

NF

Yogurt Rice

A staple of South Indian cuisine, particularly during sweltering summers, yogurt rice or curd rice in its simplest form is steamed white rice tossed with plain whole-milk yogurt. It is usually eaten cold at the end of a meal to help aid in digestion and cool the palate after eating spicy, warming foods. In its most glorious form, the yogurt rice combination is tempered with ghee, mustard seeds, red chiles, fresh coconut, curry leaves, herbs, nuts, and dry fruits. There comes a time every summer when the Texas heat cries out for cooling foods like these — that time is now. This version is more like a rice yogurt salad, flavored with saffron, herbs, celery, and lots of tangy seasonings. Keep it tucked away in your refrigerator for 2 to 3 days; the flavors of saffron will only get more luscious and the yogurt rice will make a delicious snack or a side dish.

30 Min

DF

GF

V

Asparagus Pilaf

45 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Turmeric Soup

This is a healing and nourishing soup that can be enjoyed as a first course, or in accompaniment with khichri.

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