Mung beans are a legume used frequently in Indian food. They make a great snack raw, like popcorn with substance. They have a freshness and a bit of sweetness that makes them addictive. They also sauté really well for an easy meal. Sautéed mung beans were a staple breakfast of my childhood. My mom always… Continue reading Simple Sprouted Mung Bean Sauté
Dudhi channa nu shaak is a staple Gujarati shaak (subzi) made from dudhi, which is a type of squash. Dudhi is known as bottle gourd or opo squash in english, and lauki in Hindi. Dudhi is a type of squash that should be eaten young while the flesh is still soft. It’s called “bottle gourd”… Continue reading Dudhi Channa nu Shaak Recipe
Tindora nu Shaak is an example of a typical Gujarati recipe. This is a simple recipe, the way my mother makes it. The simplicity keeps the emphasis on the tindora and lets the tindora shine. This shaak is sometimes served as part of a Gujarati thali. Tindora is a neat little vegetable, common in India… Continue reading Tindora nu Shaak
Palak Paneer is a creamy spinach curry with paneer. It is a popular Indian dish and a great way to incorporate greens into your meal. Palak Paneer might also be called “Spinach Paneer” or “Saag Paneer,” although “saag paneer” is a little more generic and may use any kind of greens. “Saag” is Hindi for… Continue reading Palak Paneer (Spinach and cheese curry)
Karela is a melon that looks similar to a cucumber, but with a distinctive warty flesh (think of the warts on some gourds). Other names for karela are “bitter melon”, “bitter gourd” and “bitter apple.” One major characteristic of Indian food, especially Gujarati food, is that each dish tends to appeal to all five tastes.… Continue reading Karela nu shaak (Bitter Gourd Curry)
Paneer bhurji is a delicious North Indian dish. Despite the base being paneer, a common Indian cheese, it actually has a texture and richness similar to scrambled eggs. You can make this with homemade paneer, or buy it from the store. I make an egg version of this dish, called Egg bhurji, which is very… Continue reading Paneer Bhurji
Egg curry, or anda masala, is a a curry eaten all across India. It is a Dhaba food, that is, inexpensive food commonly found in roadside stalls — India’s version of takeout. There is something amazing that happens when you mix a spicy tomato gravy with a simple boiled egg. The yolk adds a creamy… Continue reading Egg Curry (Anda Curry)
Mushrooms are an unusual ingredient in Indian cuisine. That is because most of the climate in India is arid and dry, while mushrooms need moisture to grow. Until recent times, the only mushrooms that were significant as food in India were a regional food of the Kashmiri foothills, where a type of morel mushroom grows.… Continue reading Mushroom Masala
Papdi is not a common ingredient in Europe, but it is found in dishes throughout India, Southeast Asia, and East Africa. The plant is originally from East Africa. It is an important ingredient in many Gujarati dishes. Papdi is a lentil, it is also called hyacinth bean, or lablab. Each pod contains 2-4 beans, which… Continue reading Papdi nu Shaak Recipe
My grandma’s eggplant and potato curry or ringan batata nu shaak as we call it in Gujarati, was a staple in my house when I was growing up. My grandma made it often in the summer. I especially love it not only because it is super easy and really has a lot of flavor but… Continue reading Ringan Batata nu Shaak (Grandma’s Gujarati Style Eggplant and Potato Curry)
When people come over to my house for Indian food for the first time, I often serve Potato Shaak. I like it because it is so representative of the flavors of Indian cooking, and it just feels like a homestyle meal. I find that most people are really comfortable with potatoes. Potatoes just say home… Continue reading Pressure Cooker Potato Curry (Batata nu Shaak)
This is the way I almost always make my Brussels sprouts. Sometimes I’ll change it up and add a few ingredients to them but the cooking method I use is usually the same. It’s simply the best way to get a good caramelization on sprout and just the right amount of softness. I picked up… Continue reading Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranate Salad
