Mushroom Pine Nut Salad

15 Min

GF

V

BBQ Masala Mushrooms

BBQ masala is more of a rub, and it is not only good on meats, but also wonderful on mushrooms. Here we used trumpet, but the masala is good on any variety of mushrooms. This masala is best added at the end of the cooking.

20 Min

DF

GF

V

Beet Mushroom Salad

Salads with an element of something warm and freshly cooked are so much more exciting than cold salads.

90 Min

GF

Beet Yogurt Salad

The earthiness of the beets pairs well with the creaminess of the yogurt and cheese.

150 Min

Bihari Ghugni Salad

Ghugni refers to a preparation with black chickpeas, as a snack or a curry. Here, as a salad, it makes a wonderful little starter or snack.

15 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Bitter Melon Salad

After eating this wonderful fresh salad, I’ll never think of bitter melon that same way again!

15 Min

GF

Bitter Winter Salad

In the winter particularly, I like to enjoy salads made with bitter greens like radicchio, or endive particularly when they are balanced with something sweet like maple syrup, oranges, or pomegranates. I add serrano to this salad because particularly during colder months, our bodies need foods that produce heat to maintain strong digestion.

30 Min

DF

GF

V

Black Bean Mango Salad

Over the years of experimenting with summer salads, this black bean mango salad settled as a favorite. It not only tastes better the next day, but it also keeps for days as the sharp taste of celery mellows and nestles in with the black beans and mango. The season for the small, skinny Atulfo mango variety is almost over, the next best is the larger rounded Kent or Hayden. Do make sure to let the mangoes ripen to a soft sweetness before making the salad.

DF

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NF

V

Black Channa Salad

30 min

GF

NF

Breakfast Salad

There are many ways to enjoy fresh cucumber and avocado in the mornings, but when fruits like mango begin to appear in the spring, it is particularly glorious and becomes a celebration of the season. Incorporate your favorite raw vegetables into the salad along with fresh tomatoes when in season. This salad also makes a delicious light lunch or small first-course for dinner.

20 Min

DF

GF

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Broccoli Orange Salad

A simple & quick broccoli preparation with a unique presentation.

20 Min

DF

GF

V

Cherry Cherry Tomato Salad

Cumin seeds and oregano add a savory, spicy contrast to the cherries in this salad.

15 Min

GF

Cherry Tomato Mango Salad

Summer is the season for tomatoes and mangos. Careful to not use too many mangos in this salad or it becomes overly sweet.

120 Min

DF

GF

V

Chickpea Sundal Salad

India is a land of snacks — from crunchy, addictive, savory, nut-filled chevdas to tingly, glorious street foods such as chaats. Some of the snacks can be transformed into cold salads — and this summer, I am on a path of discovery. I ate a warm sundal, a traditional South Indian salad made with chickpeas, coconut and mild spices once in a restaurant in New Delhi, and the memory has haunted me ever since. Sundal can be served warm, cold or at room temperature, and it makes for the most satisfying midday or late-night snack. Staying true to my tradition of turning most foods into carriers for vegetables, here I threw in tiny local ‘Sun Gold’ tomatoes and purple cabbage — but feel free to add diced cherry or large heirloom tomatoes.

30 Min

DF

GF

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Classic Bean Salad

A bean salad tucked away in the refrigerator has made for a wonderful late-night snack after busy nights at the restaurant, especially during the holiday season. Over the last few months, I’ve experimented with umpteen combinations, none of which I have stuck to. I always start with soaking one cup of beans overnight (this cuts the cooking time in half), cooking them to softness the next day and adding a changing assortment of vegetables, herbs, nuts, or dry fruits. I’ve embellished some with roasted carrots, others with steamed asparagus, peanuts, walnuts, cilantro, mint and much more. In the last few weeks, I finally arrived at a combination that I have made for three 3 weeks straight and one I am excited to share with you. Raw purple cabbage, celery and beans make the base of this salad, and one can go in so many directions with it. It makes a great light lunch on its own or pairs it with a sandwich or soup. The best part is that cabbage and celery taste better wilted and after they’ve marinated in the juices for an hour or two. The salad tastes delicious for up to three days so use it for a healthy late-night snack.

20 Min

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Cucumber Radish Salad

Fresh cucumbers, spicy serrano, and nutty peanuts make this a spicy and refreshing salad.

20 Min

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Drunken Fig Salad

In the winter dried figs soaked in rum or bourbon make for a great addition to a salad.

15 Min

GF

Fig Yogurt Salad

This salad makes a great first course. The burn of the mustard oil plays beautifully with the cool creaminess of the saffron yogurt and the rich, sweet figs.

15 Min

DF

GF

V

Fruit Chaat

In New Delhi, for almost a decade, there resides a sweet fruit chaat vendor tucked away near the famous Janpath street market. Depending on the time of year, his choice of fruits and vegetables varies. He rides his bike every morning with a fresh load of fruits and vegetables, hands out fruit chaat all day until his stock is over. Mango, melons, cucumber, papaya, pineapple, apples, or bananas are cubed and laid out on a banana leaf plate and sprinkled with chaat masala. Sometimes, strawberries will show up in the mix. A squeeze of lime and he hands it to you with a smile. If it can be eaten raw, any vegetable or fruit is fair game for fruit chaat. Usually, chaat masala is a combination of toasted ground cumin, chile powder, amchur (dried mango), salt and more. Black salt, a sulfurous rock salt native to India, is a common but not essential component of chaat masala. It’s an explosion of flavors – give it a try this summer with the fruits and vegetables at hand!

30 Min

Goat Cheese, Beet & Sage Salad

Warm goat cheese is delicious enough on it’s own but when mixed with spices and seasonings it’s even better!

30 Min

DF

GF

V

Green Bean Salad

This spicy and bright green bean salad is delicious hot or cold.

20 Min

DF

GF

V

Green Garbanzo Bean Salad

In season through the spring, fresh green garbanzo beans are tender, bright green, cook in minutes and shockingly delicious.

30 Min

DF

GF

V

Green Papaya Salad

A wonderful way to balance holiday indulgences and alleviate the guilt associated with it is to eat something cleansing after. Besides, why not start the year on a fresh healthy note? Green papaya salad, or Som Tum as it is known in Thai cuisine is believed to have originated in Laos. I have never tasted a version of this salad that I don’t love, and I often make a meal out of it. The fact that green papaya has innumerable health benefits like high fiber and vitamin content always helps. But it’s the endless possibilities with this salad that make it most exciting. On a basic level, fresh grated green papaya is tossed with chiles, dried shrimp, palm sugar and fresh garlic. Add grated carrots, cabbage, apple, green beans, cucumber, or mango. The shrimp is delicious but not essential to the flavor; instead throw in copious amounts of grated, finely minced, or julienned ginger. Slice in some tomatoes for the acid, peanuts for crunch with herbs like cilantro or basil for aroma and you have a wonderful salad. Instead of peanuts, add cashews, add sliced almonds, or pine nuts. Switch out sugar for something as wholesome as honey or maple syrup. If you have extra papaya left over, use it in meat marinades as a tenderizer.

20 Min

DF

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Green Salad

Wilted kale, crunchy lettuce and the tasty bite of cumin seeds make this salad extra special

10 Min

DF

GF

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Heirloom Tomato Salad

This salad is good on its own and also makes an awesome side dish for grilled or roasted meats.

15 Min

NF

Herb Salad

15 Min

DF

GF

V

Jain Cabbage Salad

Jains are the ultimate vegans of India. Their cuisine is filled with vegetables and grains, yet it is exciting in its simplicity.

20 Min

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GF

V

Jicama Salad

Jicama is delicious raw and lends itself well to Indian chaat style street preparations.

60 Min

DF

GF

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Lentil Parsley Salad

This salad is inspired by the multitude of dal recipes from India; however, it can be eaten cold or at room temperature.

20 Min

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Local Heirloom Tomato Berry Salad

Composed salads lend themselves to so many possibilities — they have become my go-to salad. For breakfast I’ll sauté mushrooms with a cumin seed pop, spread them on a plate, tuck in a few slices of tomato, throw some microgreens on top, sprinkle salt and red chile powder and a drizzle of olive oil and lime juice. In the evening, mustard seed roasted carrots plated with diced mango or peaches and mint leaves can be the start of a light dinner salad. Given how short the treasured local heirloom tomato season is here in Texas, I find many ways to enjoy them, from raw in a salad to cooked into a masala or a chutney. Here is a truly local salad made with heirloom tomatoes from a small farm in Alvin, local blackberries and blueberries and cashew butter dressing.

25 Min

DF

GF

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Mushroom Salad

When I want something meatier for breakfast, I go for this mushroom salad. Satisfying and deeply flavorful yet light and nourishing.

30 Min

Orange Amaranth Salad

If you are lucky enough to snag the incredible feta cheese from Blue Heron farms, you will have yourself an amazing salad!

20 Min

DF

GF

V

Pan Roasted Chickpea Salad

In my kitchen, there is no wrong way to cook chickpeas. What I love about this preparation is that it can be made ahead of time and tastes good at room temperature or cold.

20 Min

DF

GF

V

Peach Tomato Salad

Peaches may be the glory of Texas summers, but they originated in northwest China, along the Yangtze River over 6,000 years ago. Of specific importance were peach blossoms, which were believed to fend off evil spirits and bring vitality. Each new year in China began with peach blossoms hung on front doors to start the year off right. Today, in the sweltering Texas summer, biting into a chilled ripe peach can provide respite — especially when paired with tangy tomatoes and a nutty almond butter dressing.

30 Min

Persimmon Salad

Try this simple salad for a light respite from holiday indulgences.

30 Min

GF

NF

Plum Tomato Salad

Last weekend, about to leave town for a long trip, I was staring down into my fridge, where lay 2 perfect tomatoes from Lightsey Farms and a few black plums I had picked up at the grocery store. Houston Dairymaids, the wonderful cheese shop out on the east side had sent us a big tub of Pure Luck chèvre, a bit of which was sitting in my refrigerator. I turned it all into a salad with a quick goat cheese and yogurt spread and there, a new dish was born!

20 Min

GF

Potato Salad

The first time I tasted potato salad was in the late ’80s at an engineer’s potluck dinner in a remote Canadian city. I was fascinated by the unabashed baby-foodlike consistency of the mayo and sour cream flavors. Not a fan of cold potatoes, over the years I made it a few times and eventually gave up. Last week, as my team at the restaurant urged me to come up with my own version of potato salad, I experimented with an entirely new idea, and it turned out almost good enough to be a main course. Roasted fingerling potatoes with a creamy yogurt, ginger and tahini sauce drizzle, a spice pop and fresh herbs on top. I love this version, look forward to making it again, and I hope you do, too.

25 Min

DF

GF

V

Purple Bean Salad

Here is a salad that takes minutes to make that you can enjoy for days.

20 Min

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Purslane Orange Salad

Purslane is an edible weed that while native to India and Iran, has been eaten for millennia from Europe to Africa.

30 Min

DF

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Raw Squash Salad

Crisp, chilled, thinly sliced zucchini and cucumbers spread on a plate, topped with aromatic herbs, toasted walnuts, tiny chunks of aged cheese, and a simple vinaigrette.

30 Min

DF

GF

V

Refrigerator Salad

In my book, what all salads must possess is varying qualities of fresh, warm, crunchy, sweet, creamy, tart and spicy, and then they can pass off as a lazy but satisfying dinner. Use this as a guide to create your own.

45 Min

GF

V

Roasted Brussel Sprout Salad

Local brussels sprouts season here in Texas is glorious but short lived. The cabbage-like buds, which are native to the Mediterranean region, resemble nothing like you’ve ever seen at a supermarket. And there are infinite ways to enjoy them. I found this little beauty last week at the market – sliced it right down the middle and roasted it in the oven long and slow with a sprinkling of salt, pepper, and a generous drizzle of olive oil.

40 Min

DF

GF

V

Roasted Cauliflower Salad

Enjoy one of our favorite market salads. The nuttiness of the cauliflower compliments the kale and sweet currants.

50 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Roasted Peach Shitake Salad

Here is a supremely simple truly local salad made with grilled or roasted peaches, shiitake mushrooms and cucumbers.

45 Min

DF

GF

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Roasted Radish Salad

Usually relegated to crudité plates or a salad add-on, radishes get little respect in the western cooking world. But one just has to look over at the vast and varied culture of Asia, where they first grew in the wild, to see the umpteen ways to enjoy these pungent cruciferous little globes. From quick pickles in a Vietnamese banh mi to brightening up a Thai cucumber salad to making the north Indian Punjabi “mooli” paratha, radishes are used all over Asia. Seeing the vast array of brightly colored radishes at the farmer’s markets these days makes me want to find more ways to enjoy them — particularly the large, purple heirloom Japanese radishes that appear perfect for roasting. Roasting radishes diminishes their pungent flavor and adds an interesting sweetness. The hardest part of this recipe may just be deciding how best to arrange the vegetables on the platter — it’s a visual feast.

120 Min

GF

Roasted Turnip Salad

When Harukei turnips are in season during spring-time we try to find many ways to eat them however one of the best way to coax flavor out of them is to roast them.

60 Min

GF

Satsuma Paneer Salad

Enjoy it as a light lunch or serve it as a last course in lieu of dessert.

20 Min

DF

GF

V

Shaved Brussels, Cucumber & Mango Salad

This is as simple as a salad goes but it will stay crunchy in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 hours.

30 Min

DF

GF

V

Skillet Pear & Dandelion Salad

This salad is the perfect showcase for the aromatic magic of popping coriander seeds and is best-eaten warm, served immediately off the skillet.

20 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Spring Farm Salad

The keys in making this salad is first, finding a shallow bowl that will fit the entire head of lettuce and next, to keep the shape of the lettuce head as intact as possible while making the salad.

20 Min

GF

NF

V

Starfruit Sprout Salad

I have now made this salad at home repeatedly, with different combinations. Just like mine, I hope this becomes a refrigerator fixture in your home.

30 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Sunchoke Salad

Sunchokes, despite being starchy, are a high source of fiber and in particular inulin, which makes us feel full after eating.

25 Min

DF

GF

V

Texas Summer Kale Salad

The virtues of kale are extensive. It is one of the most nutritionally dense plants and is packed with loads of antioxidants. One cup provides more than the daily recommended dose of vitamins A, C and K.

25 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Tomato Avocado Salad

This is the simplest salad ever, but it epitomizes the glory of summer vegetables.

80 Min

GF

V

Warm Orange Glazed Hakurei Turnip Salad

These delicate little white Japanese turnips have become a fixture of farmer’s market from New York to California to here in Houston. I decided to slow roast them with spices and orange juice and found them to be so delicious, I had to stop myself from eating them all straight from the pan.

15 Min

DF

GF

V

Watermelon Arugula Corn Salad

During the middle of hot Texas summers it is time for cooling salads, fragrant dressings and chilled watermelon.

20 Min

DF

GF

V

Watermelon Avocado Salad

No recipe needed, just follow your senses. I hope you get the picture.

25 Min

GF

Winter Citrus Salad

A layered citrus salad in the winter, especially using nice oranges like Cara cara or blood oranges can be a great start to a meal. They can also be served after dinner posing as a salad cum dessert! Variations are limitless – it’s all in the art of the composition so have some fun with it.

70 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

7 Vegetable Stew

Every region eats different treats for Diwali from decadent meat curries, kebabs, & pilafs to sweet laddus, mithai and dried fruits. The Sindhis from the province of Sindh typically eat a 7 vegetable stew with pooris (fried balloon bread) and halwa.

25 Min

DF

GF

NF

Amchur Chicken

Amchur, a little-known spice, is simply sun-dried green mango powder and makes a great sprinkling spice.

90 Min

GF

Baked Saffron Paneer

Paneer is as simple as fresh cheese gets - a simple curdling of milk usually done by vinegar or lemon juice to obtain clumps. Best made with whole milk, the better the quality of the milk the better the paneer.

30 Min

DF

GF

V

Beet Quinoa Pilaf

White quinoa is a delicious and healthier alternate for rice ~ it absorbs the flavors of vegetables and spices beautifully and complements curries very well.

25 Min

DF

NF

Beet Roti

Not as hard to make as one might think!

120 Min

GF

Black Turtle Bean Curry with Butternut Squash

These turtle beans are not typically seen in India, however like most other beans they are delicious with spices. The butternut sqush adds a sweet, creamy flavor and makes for strikingly beautiful presentation.

DF

GF

NF

V

Buckeye Bean Stew

A bean native to the United States, the yellow buckeye bean is extremely creamy, more like a classic turtle bean than anything else. Thought to be originally from Montana, it’s dense without being too intense in flavor.

60 Min

GF

Cabbage Rolls

When I was working as a microbiologist in Canada many years ago, a Hungarian co-worker would often bring in cabbage rolls for lunch. Common to the cuisine of central, northern and eastern European countries, cabbage rolls are usually stuffed with meat and rice. While I developed a fondness for them at the time, they were largely forgotten until recently. In helpless and heartfelt solidarity with our Ukrainian brothers and sisters as we watch the havoc unfold, I find myself wanting to cook their cuisine, from borscht to holubtsi, the Ukrainian cabbage roll. These are a simple vegetarian version.

20 Min

GF

NF

Cherry Mushroom Chaat

Chaats are beloved savory snacks that originated in India and are usually available at roadside stalls or food carts. At the core, they are salty, sweet, spicy, crunchy snacks usually involving vegetables, lentils and herbs with drizzles of chutneys and yogurt. It’s the food from India most of us transplants miss the most. Over the years, I have tried dozens of variations from corn mint chaat to the quintessential pani poori and loved them all. Here is a salad loosely based on the idea of a chaat. The yogurt provides the creamy touch, mushroom the meaty, cherry the sweet and tarragon the herbaceous finish.

45 Min

GF

NF

Chicken Harvest Curry

This is a classic curry recipe – we always prefer using chicken on the bone for best results but can be substituted for boneless meat. To make a richer curry, replace the yogurt with heavy cream or coconut milk.

45 Min

V

Coriander Spinach Pasta

This is my take on a classic Italian since I truly believe that spices can add magic to any dish.

30 Min

DF

GF

V

Dal Spread

India has officially recorded 500 regional preparations of dal, the lentil stew, yet I can promise you that none of them is served cold. This may be in part because based on Ayurvedic principles, beans are easier to digest warm. However, I decided to do some experimenting and started with the simplest kind of lentil, the humble yellow moong dal. It just needs a 20-minute soak and cooks in another 15-20 minutes. Instead of sesame seeds, I used toasted peanut butter and instead of lemon, I topped the spread off with amchur, the green mango powder and lemony coriander seeds. And in place of garlic, I used ginger, which is typically used when preparing dal to mitigate the bloating often associated with beans. The results were absolutely delicious and worth a try. I know I will be experimenting with new combinations for some time to come.

20 Min

GF

Date Laddus

If there were an equivalent to a cookie in India, it would be the laddu — spherical sweet treats loved by all, kids and adults, rich or poor.

45 Min

DF

NF

V

Desi Macaroni

Pasta is one the most universally loved foods, however, not every culture eats it like the Italians do. A ‘baked’ pasta dish, usually macaroni cooked in a mildly spiced white cheese sauce will often appear on an Indian buffet table laden with curries, sabzi and pilafs. As a kid, I would search for those baked dishes and macaroni was one of my favorite foods to eat. My mother would cook it in a tomato masala, add all kinds of vegetables like peas, beans, or corn and strange as this may sound, we would eat it with flatbreads like roti or paratha. The pasta was always cooked with the masala, never on its own. Here is a macaroni just the way we Desis would like to eat it, in a tomato masala with copious amounts of ginger.

30 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Eggplant Pickle

One way to capture the delicious flavors is to make preserves, pickles, or masalas — all of which are secret weapons to deploy for making a meal in a pinch or to just enjoy on warm toast. Cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds are popular pickling spices and will add a lingering flavor.

60 Min

GF

NF

Garlic Masala Ghee

Here, the garlic and shallots slow roast with warm spices like cardamom and black pepper. The best part about this recipe is that the ghee slowly forms on its own as it cooks with the fragrant spices, garlic and shallots.

20 Min

GF

NF

Grilled Moringa Drumsticks

Nicknamed the “tree of life” for its nutritional density, the moringa drumstick tree is native to tropical regions of Asia and India. The drumstick pods, an essential part of Ayurvedic regimens, are an incredible source of calcium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin C and antioxidants.

30 Min

GF

V

Holi Pakoras

The days of Holi are, hands down, some of the best memories of my childhood in India. Based on the lunar calendar, festivities begin the day after the full moon, usually in March, when there are neighborhood bonfires with people singing and dancing around them. The bonfire signifies the end of sorrows, grievances and the healing of old wounds. The morning after, street parties begin! My two brothers and I would wake up, put on old throwaway clothes and hit the streets, our pockets overflowing with colored powders. We would stalk the neighborhood, visiting friends and family, throwing powders on everyone and each other, then continue to frolic all day long. My parents, on the other hand, would stay home most of the day and join family or friends for decadent late-night soirees with card games, flowing whiskey, samosas, pakoras and occasional sips of bhang, a popular cannabis-infused elixir. Unrecognizable, our bodies covered in layers and layers of colored powders and exhausted from the excitement, my brothers and I would end the day eating street foods — pani poori, chaats, biryanis and pakoras — then head home to wash up. Pakoras are delicious vegetable fritters with a deeply flavorful chickpea batter — and though I am not a big proponent of deep-frying at home, some occasions warrant it. You can even make these in a skillet filled with oil, then strain the oil and use it for cooking later.

30 Min

DF

GF

V

Kerala Vegetable Stew

This vegetable stew is colorful and satisfying. It can be eaten on its own or with rice.

90 Min

GF

NF

Lamb Kofta with Green Beans

Like in most ancient cultures, eating meat was rare, celebratory and considered a delicacy. These meatballs are so delicious that you will not even realize that half the meat has been replaced with mushrooms.

45 Min

GF

Green Masala Mattar Paneer

Mattar paneer is a classic Punjabi dry dish, usually eaten with a roti or naan. Here, instead of the classic tomato masala, we do a green herb and yogurt masala to accompany to paneer and peas.

15 Min

DF

GF

Moringa Pancakes

Moringa has been used for millennia in Ayurvedic medicine in India & actually tastes good!

45 Min

NF

Morning Herb Biscuits

The addition of fresh herbs and spices makes these light and airy biscuits good with tea or coffee and good with a meal. Moringa is one of the most nutritionally dense plants on the planet, and I love the idea of starting my morning with it. My favorite way to eat them is drizzled with ghee and accompanied by a salad or scrambled eggs.

25 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Mushroom Masala

Masalas do not have to be complex — they can be as simple as parsley, garlic, black pepper and olive oil. Having a masala in your kitchen cabinet or refrigerator is a great hack to whipping up a quick meal.

120 Min

GF

Paneer Mushroom Pie

The mushrooms cook with the paneer and the chickpea flour, another good source of protein, is there to hold the paneer together. Serve it with a mint chutney and a hearty green salad on the side.

30 Min

GF

NF

Pepper Paneer Roast

Roast the peppers with paneer and mango to make for a light but satisfying dish.

120 MIN

GF

Persian Rice Ring

This Persian rice ring is a showstopper, and though the recipe is complicated and lengthy, it’s not hard to make.

30 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Pickled Eggplant Masala

With eggplants just appearing this spring, this pickle masala makes for a spicy coating — refrigerate it for up to three weeks. Enjoy it in small portions alongside meals or on top of toast with eggs or cheese.

90 Min

GF

Ricotta & Pea Stuffed Karela

Once balanced and tempered with other seasonings, bitter melon transforms into a thing of beauty.

20 Min

DF

GF

V

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are essentially tiny cabbages. To me in many ways brussels sprouts are the perfect vegetable.

120 Min

GF

Roasted Butternut Squash with Pumpkin Seed Masala

One day, I had a large chunk of butternut squash left over, here is the recipe that followed...

30 Min

DF

GF

V

Roasted Squash Curry

This curry is inspired by the stews of South India and can be prepared with other root vegetables also.

60 Min

GF

Smoked Eggplant Masala

This recipe is inspired by the Punjabi “baingan bhartha,” which essentially translates into spiced eggplant hash.

60 Min

GF

Squash Blossom Pakoras

Fried in a light delicate pakora batter, squash blossoms were ethereally delicious, especially when the fried blossom pakora was stuffed inside a fresh blossom.

30 Min

DF

GF

V

Squash Spinach Curry

Spinach cooked with vegetables or meat is a common combination - however, here we are being careful to barely cook the spinach so it remains bright and flavorful.

60 Min

DF

GF

V

Stuffed Roasted Karela

A common staple in my kitchen — and one I have been trying to bring attention to for years — is the incredible bitter melon, aka karela. For the most part, folks hear the word “bitter” and shy away. I understand. For years as a kid, I did, too. In fact, I have memories of sitting at the dinner table trying to eat it with tears streaming down my eyes as my parents lectured me on why it was a necessary part of our diet. As an adult, I have come to love it, not just for its tremendous capacity to cleanse our blood sugar and keeping our skin glowing but also for its flavor. Karela holds up well to spices and pairs beautifully with naturally sweet vegetables such as butternut squash, sweet potato or corn. However, cooking it can be tricky if the bitterness is not balanced with a brine or a marinade. Don’t be afraid to use a generous amount of olive oil or another fat to bring out the flavor of this stuffed karela.

45 Min

DF

GF

V

Stuffed Summer Squash

The mild flavor of squash takes on the aromatic flavor of spices well!

30 Min

DF

GF

V

Tindora Sabzi

Emerging wisdom is indicating that to maintain a healthy gut flora, diversity of diet is just as important as what we eat. The sheer variety of produce in an Asian grocery store from half a dozen varieties of Bok choi to other leafy greens or a whole jackfruit may seem daunting. But this is when trips to stores from other cultures can become an exciting adventure and keep in mind, it’s only food. If you don’t like it, don’t buy it again. In Indian grocery stores, aside from the umpteen aromatic spices and lentils you can peruse through, varieties of intriguing squashes can be found that resemble neither zucchini nor butternut squash. One such tender squash with a delicate burst of flavor is the tindora, or the ivy gourd. They are size of your finger, need a quick light braise, and are packed with fiber and phytonutrients. This sabzi (which simply means cooked vegetable) is inspired by the cuisine of Gujarat. Enjoy it with dal, a lentil stew, and rice. Here is to starting the new year off with a fruit or vegetable you have not tried before…

120 Min

NF

Tomato Focaccia

Many years ago, a friend and an expert German baker in Houston gave me a lesson in breadmaking. Within a matter of a few hours, while trading food secrets and stories, I watched him transform flour, water, yeast and a few other ingredients into crispy, delicious focaccia.

Drinks

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Potatoes

Mushrooms

Eggplants

Cauliflower

Squashes

Root Vegetables

Vegetable Curries

Green Vegetables

Okra