We all know the benefits of eating well, but sometimes we don’t do it simply because we don’t have time to prepare meals from scratch. Then there are people like me, who have a profound aversion to washing up, or can’t manage to look past the tasty temptations that await on almost every street corner.
However, with restaurants currently closed and more time than ever spent at home during lockdown, I suspect many of you have been devoting more time in kitchen.
Pre-lockdown, I spent minimal time cooking and this has always been a deep source of shame. On the basis that I adore food and cuisine from all around the world, it seems only natural that I should know my way around a cook’s room better than I do. What’s more, my father used to be a chef, he taught Chinese cooking at night school, and my mother, being a vegetarian since she was a child, has always been great at creating tasty dishes without meat for decades before it became the done thing. So really, I have little excuse for my lack of va-va-voom in the kitchen when food has always been an important part of my childhood, travels and social life.
For a while I was even addicted to the series Chef’s Table on Netflix. But mid-way through the second series I found the disconnect of watching each episode without attempting to improve my own culinary endeavours personally quite humiliating. So finally during lockdown, I figured enough was enough, now’s the time to finally master the art of cooking, or at the very least, master a few dishes I can whip out easily and rather proudly.
Aside from the fact that I deem food to be one of life’s greatest pleasures, I really appreciate the health benefits of cooking from scratch too. Eating healthy is important for the body but also the mind, and what better time is there than now, during Corona, to be looking after ourselves better?
To begin with, I’ve been cooking Indian veggie recipes. I’m not actually a vegetarian (I eat fish) but I find with Indian food I’m very happy to stick with vegetarian dishes because it’s usually so rich in protein from the all the pulses, and it has bags of flavour from the spices. I really don’t miss the seafood or the meat. Furthermore, it’s much cheaper cooking vegetarian food, so all the dishes I’m going to outline in this post do little damage on the purse strings or the waistline!
History and Culture
Throughout the chart of history India has been invaded and occupied by other cultures which has played a role in introducing certain foods and spices into the country and shaping the cuisine.
The conquest of India by Alexander the Great in 350 BC had a notable impact. The Greeks brought distinct spices such as saffron, fenugreek and fennel. Greek cuisine itself is a blend of cuisines of the Roman Empire and Turkey. In the 12th century the Mughals from Central Asia also brought with them the usage of aromatic spices such as cardamom, mace, nutmeg, and a variety of nuts such as almonds and pistachios which are popular ingredients of Indian cooking including desserts. The arrival of the Portuguese in the 15th century also left an indelible mark, particularly in Goa. Food from this region is known as Goan food and is famous for the predominant use of seafood and taste which is tangy, spicy, and immensely flavoured.
Tasty Indian Veggie Dishes
India has the largest population of vegetarians in the world. Naturally, they excel in vegetarian cuisine so you don’t have to worry about travelling there if you’re a vegetarian or vegan – you’ll always find a decent selection of dishes.
With this in mind, here are some of my favourite Indian vegetarian dishes and how you can cook them at home.
Rajma (Red Kidney Bean Curry)
Where in India? Rajma is a vegetarian dish most popular in northern parts of India especially in punjabi cuisine. It’s core ingredient, red kidney beans, were first grown in Mexico and carried back to Europe by the Portuguese who then brought them to India.
Cook at home: One of my favourite dishes to cook, Rajma’s one pot recipe is very simple, easy to make, and extremely satisfying if you’re looking for a tasty protein kick. All you need is to sauté onions, then stir in garlic, ginger and some spices and fry until they turn aromatic, then add the kidney beans and canned tomatoes and cook until soft.
Follow the full recipe: www.littlesunnykitchen.com
Chole (Chickpea Curry)
Where in India? Chloe (pronounced chho-lay) is also known as chick pea curry, or a variant of chana masala. It’s a typical North Indian cuisine but can be found all over the country. As the name suggests, the main ingredient are chick peas and since India alone produces over 65% of the world’s total chick peas, the popularity of this dish is no surprise.
Cook at home: Chloe is probably the dish I cook most frequently at home because it’s quick, flavoursome and requires few ingredients. The chick peas are cooked with onions, tomatoes and lots of spices which include turmeric and a special blend of dry roasting ingredients like cumin, cloves and coriander. I usually eat it with brown rice but it’s also great with paratha, poori, batura or roti.
Follow the full recipe: www.glebekitchen.com
Bombay Potatoes
Where in India? Also called Bombay Aloo, it is a popular side dish of North India and can also be found on almost every menu in UK Indian restaurants.
This incredibly simple recipe is the perfect accompaniment to curries and never fails to impress when you’re cooking for people. I was first introduced to Bombay potatoes when I lived with my beautiful friend Sarah, who also happens to be the owner of sarahalexandragorge.com. She’s amazing at cooking and being half Indian she learnt a lot of traditional dishes from her mother. Though we no longer live together, I’ll always be thankful for this recipe which she passed onto me!
Cook at home: Potatoes have never been so tasty! All you need to do is chop up the potatoes in cubes and boil them until tender and fluffy. In a frying pan, add finely sliced onions (optional), garlic, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and turmeric. Once toasted add the potatoes and fry all together for a few minutes and sprinkle with fresh coriander when serving. I told you it was simple!
Follow the full recipe: www.houseandgarden.com
Dal Bhati Churma
Where in India? A flavoursome 3-in-1 treat found in Rajasthan, Dal Bhati Churma is known for its combination of 5 types of lentils.
Cook at home: If I see this yummy platter-style dish on a menu in a restaurant, there’s a good chance I’ll order it. Made up of three different parts – spicy dal, savoury bhati and sweet churma, you’re sure to feel full and satisfied afterwards. That being said, I only cook the dal part of the dish because it’s quicker and healthier and it’s my favourite bit of the meal anyway. You might wish to do the same, but for full brownie points stick to the complete recipe!
The dal is made up of 5 types of lentils: toor dal (split pigeon peas), chana dal (split yellow beans), green moong dal (mung beans), urad chilka (white lentils) and urad dhuli (split black gram) or even you can combine other Indian lentils to prepare this dish. The lentils are cooked with ghee and a selection of spices. If you don’t have access to ghee then butter will do fine.
Follow the full recipe: www.mygingergarlickitchen.com
Avial (South Indian Mixed Vegetable Curry)
Where in India? Avial is considered an important part of vegetarian cuisine in India, comprising of many vegetables and a characteristically thick coconut paste with aromatic curry leaves. Originating from Kerala, it is also very popular in Tamil Nadu and Udupi.
Cook at home: This is the perfect dish to make when you have a lots of veg in the fridge that needs eating. However, there are a few ingredients that you should include for authenticity – plantain and drumstick which is a bean-like vegetable also known as moringa. The dish is made by mixing different vegetables and cooked with yugurt and coconut, and is made into a thick gravy with the addition of spices and coconut leaves.
Follow the full recipe: www.myheartbeets.com
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