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Recipe: It’s Raining Snacks – Araikeerai Vadai

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The monsoon returns to South India around Deepavali and the festive season, yet it causes no dampener at all to our spirits of enjoyment and our desire to cook – especially when it comes to snacks. Vadais are deep-fried dumplings that are common in South India, and can be made in a number of ways. To make this type, I reached out for a delicious local green, known in Tamil as araikeerai and in English as spleen amaranthus. Deep-fried it may be, but the use of this regional spinach can give one the sense that this dish is at least remotely healthy! We absolutely love it at home, and eat araikeerai vadai more often than we do traditional Gujarati treats of a similar kind. I’m quite sure that once you try this recipe out, you will feel just as addicted too.

Spinach varieties are aplenty in Tamil Nadu, and araikeerai is currently in season. It is a protein-rich green, and is also great for digestion as it is rich in fibre. Iron, vitamin C and antioxidants are some of the other nutritious elements of this vegetable. I love to add a large amount to my vadai batter. I find it really enhances the taste. Araikeerai has a pleasant flavour, one that isn’t very distinct and doesn’t take away from the crunchy yumminess of the vadai. You may wish to substitute it in this recipe with a local, seasonal green of your choice.

As you may already have guessed, this is the kind of snack that sneakily convinces your children to consume more greens, a bit like the way this roasted tomato soup incorporates gourds and carrots, or perhaps more straightforwardly like this kid-friendly spinach and corn bake. I’m glad to say that it is also pleasing to the elderly, who can be just as fussy in their tastes as little ones. My octogenarian mother-in-law is crazy about araikeerai vadai, and it’s a frequent feature at home these days as she enjoys it so much.

As far as accompaniments go, a coconut chutney is traditional. I recently started making mine with a twist that was learnt at my new daughter-in-law’s home. I will share that recipe soon, to add to the collection of chutneys on this blog.

I said earlier that rainy weather doesn’t get in the way of our desire to cook, but actually, it is a little more than that. I have noticed that Indians have this thing – somehow, rain inspires us to prepare and consume more! All across the country, I have seen families whip up bajjis, vadais and all kinds of fried tastiness at the first sight of a drizzle. To be honest, I’ve never understood the association between the weather and the food made, but to me it feels like an extension of the festive season. Come January of course, everyone seems to run to the gym and talk about calories – but such is the cycle of life! In the meanwhile, during this season, we are free of guilt – and free to gorge on the good stuff.

Araikeerai Vadai

(Yield: Approximately 10 pieces)

1 cup chana dal (split chickpeas)

1 bunch araikeerai (equal to 2 full cups of spinach)

Salt to taste

1 onion (finely chopped)

1 green chilli (finely chopped)

1 tablespoon ginger and green chili paste

A handful of curry leaves

Oil for deep frying

 

Soak the chana dal for 4 hours or until tender to the touch. Drain the soaking water. Rinse.

Remove the stalks and chop the araikeerai finely. Rinse in running water.

Add the dal to a blender and grind coarsely. Do not add water. Put the ground dal into a bowl. To prepare the batter, add the salt, green chili, araikeerai, ginger and green chili paste, curry leaves and onions. Mix well. Allow this to sit outside for 1-2 hours, or refrigerate if frying later.

Heat the oil in a kadai. Once it’s hot, make discs the size of a lime and flatten them, using your palms. While making the discs, ensure that the edges are perfectly rounded. Drop each into the hot oil gently. Fry on a medium flame. If you feel the vadais are crumbling as they fry, add a spoonful of rice flour. Allow to cook on both sides, flipping them occasionally, until dark golden. Drain onto a paper.

Serve hot with a chutney or a dip of your choice.

I hope this delicious araikeerai vadai gives you something to look forward to on a rainy day – or any day, really!

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Recipe: Festively Nourishing – Foxtail Payasam

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There are numerous milk-based sweets that are very popular in India, and several have made appearances on this blog over the years, as you can see here. While they are all fantastic, for this Deepavali I was thinking about making something that doesn’t require milk. This recipe is great for lactose-intolerant people, and can be tweaked and made vegan (all you have to do is to replace the ghee with your usual alternative). Additionally, the dessert I came up with is millet-based, so it is extra nourishing. Here it is: foxtail payasam.

Foxtail payasam, strictly speaking, is not quite my own recipe, even though I’ve substantially played with the basic ingredients. As a payasam, it can be said to be traditional in South India, where they are a well-known category of dessert, eaten often and not just on festive occasions. Here in Tamil Nadu, foxtail millet is known as thinai and is a widely-known native produce. Like all millets, it is nutritious and versatile.

Many of us have become conscious about our eating choices and have brought millets into our diets over the last few years as a white rice replacement. Even the Tamil Nadu state government has been promoting their use, and so has the United Nations. This is something that I’ve advocated for as well, across many recipes.

In terms of payasam, I think the paruppu payasam (made with dal) is probably the most common. I always reach out for it whenever I have a banana leaf meal at a South Indian restaurant. It uses dried coconut bits and also contains jaggery, which is healthier than sugar yet satisfies my sweet tooth. Drawing inspiration from it, but adding my own twist, I have opted to use coconut milk in my foxtail payasam. The coconut milk, along with a cashew garnishing, adds a richness to it. You may also wish to use raisins, and reduce the jaggery quantity accordingly. Or you may want to use coconut sugar instead of jaggery. You may even want to replace the millet itself, just as you can also replace the moong dal with toor dal.

If you are a young adult making festive goodies for the first time, this is an ideal recipe for you to try wherever you are. It is simple and utilizes easily available ingredients. The world has become a smaller place, and I have no doubt that you’ll be able to find them even if you’re spending Deepavali away from home.

I have a South Indian daughter-in-law now and I wanted to prepare something this year that is familiar to her and the region she comes from. Thus, this foxtail payasam serves as a welcoming sweet for her as she enters our family. It is her first Deepavali with us, so it is really special. This recipe is for her, most of all. It is also for my sister, who always asks me to show her something new from South Indian cuisine whenever she visits me, and is very curious about what I am making at this time of year. It goes without saying that it is also for you: I wish you and your loved ones a blessed festive season, and much joy ahead!

Foxtail Payasam

(Serves 4-5)

25 grams moong dal (green gram)

60 grams thinai millet (foxtail)

¾ cup jaggery

2 + 1 cups water

1 cup coconut milk

1 teaspoon ghee

A handful of cashews

Rinse and soak the moong dal in water for at least an hour. Strain the water and set aside.

Roast the thinai in a pan for a few minutes or until it releases an aroma.

Next, add the thinai to the strained dal and add two cups of water. Place these in a pressure cooker and cook until tender. Remove the pot once cooled.

In another bowl, add jaggery and to it add one cup of water. Boil this mixture until the jaggery has melted. Strain this liquid and add it to the dal-thinai mixture.

Allow to cook until it all comes together. Finally, add the coconut milk, mix well and turn off the flame.

To garnish: heat the ghee and add the roasted cashew nuts. Toast until golden. Sprinkle over the payasam. Serve hot.

I hope you’ll enjoy this delicious, nourishing sweet this Deepavali and for many years to come!

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Recipe: More Chances For Moringa – Moringa Chutney

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Moringa leaves have made some appearances on my blog in the past, for instance in this omelette, as well as a suggested sprinkling across numerous other dishes. Moringa leaves are a very versatile green commonly used in South Indian cuisine, which happen to be considered a superfood. You may also know them as the leaves of the drumstick tree. Today, I want to share the recipe for moringa chutney, a tasty way to make use of this highly nutritious ingredient.

Moringa powder is also easy to make at home, if you have access to the trees. Just dry the leaves in the sun for five or six hours, powder and store. Remember to only use the leaves, and discard the stem. You can use it liberally across all kinds of dishes, to boost their antioxidant, mineral, amino acid and vitamin content.

Coming back to the chutney: I wanted to make it in a more traditional way. You may recall from my previous post, on roasted tomato soup, that I was nostalgic for the food mill method my mother would use. So this time, I decided to use the ammi-kallu, or grinding stone, to prepare this chutney. I do believe that it has come out extra flavourful because of the hand-ground effect. You can of course still get a delicious chutney with a modern blender.

I know it’s unfair to compare this moringa chutney to a pesto, but that’s what comes to mind for me. Like a pesto, it can be used in lots of different ways. You can have it as a dip with idli, mix it with a dollop of ghee onto rice, or even spread it on toast. The jar I made when I did the photoshoot for this recipe was wiped clean in two days, as my family found so many uses for it. It’s not a runny kind of chutney, which lets you get creative in terms of how you can use it.

Speaking of creativity, I was even thinking of bottling some and gifting it for Diwali, as a unique and surprising alternative to the usual Indian sweets. Perhaps that’s something you may want to do too, this festive season. I hope you’ll enjoy making and sharing this lovely moringa chutney!

Moringa Chutney

(Yield: One bowl)

1 tablespoon oil

¼ teaspoon asafoetida

4-6 shallots

1 teaspoon urad dal

3 cloves garlic

1 inch piece of ginger

6-8 curry leaves

2 slit green chilies

2 marble-sized balls of tamarind

1½ cups moringa leaves

½ cup shredded coconut

 

Add oil to a pan. Once it has heated, add the urad dal and asafoetida. Sauté until the dal is golden and well-roasted.

Next, add the green chilli, tamarind, garlic and ginger. Sauté for a few minutes.

Next, add the curry leaves. Sauté and add then add the moringa leaves. Sauté some more. Turn off the heat and then add the shredded coconut. I find this final ingredient tames the flavour a bit, and enhances it in its own way.

Add the above to a blender and make a paste of a thick consistency. If you are using a traditional kitchen tool, do so instead. Your moringa chutney is ready, and can be enjoyed as an accompaniment in numerous ways. If you are a fan of chutneys in general, you may also want to check out a few other variations I’ve shared, including lasun ki chutney, plum chutney and raw mango chutney.

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Recipe: The Taste Of Comfort – Roasted Tomato Soup

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Tomato soup is a staple among the variety of soups, and every single person I know has their own method. Each has their own recipe, with a distinct taste and particular flavourings – these could be Indian, Italian, Mexican or so on. At the end of the day, it’s their own favourite version of tomato soup, and this one – roasted tomato soup – happens to be mine.

Tomato soup is often a comfort soup to many, especially when one is ill or at home alone and therefore cooking lightly. But it is also ideal for when one wants to entertain and offer something homely to guests.

In that sense, it’s both familiar and versatile. You can dress it up or dress it down, depending on the occasion. You can also decorate it through garnishing and plating, and present it well. While it works just fine on its own, it can be an appetizer or had as or with an accompaniment. I like to have it alongside some kind of toast.

In terms of spices, I like to keep mine simple: salt and pepper are enough, and a dash of lime before serving adds more flavour. You may wish to add rosemary or some Italian herbs to season it, if you prefer. The secret to the taste in my recipe is that the tomatoes are roasted first. The roasting adds a really nice flavour to the soup, versus steaming or boiling. The colour itself is very inviting and looks lovely on a table setting.

Speaking of colour, there was a little trick I used to do with this tomato soup when my kids were growing up. While I retained the tomatoes as a base, I always added some kind of gourd (many are commonly grown in South India, and I tended to use a ridge or bottle gourd most often) or else a carrot to the soup. Both would blend in invisibly; in fact, the carrot would heighten the colour. This was how I got my children to eat even more vegetables than they knew they were consuming. Nowadays, they have become discerning adults, so I focus more on the flavours and presentation when serving them this dish, rather than on disguising nutritious ingredients! So red bell peppers are included instead, which flavour the soup nicely alongside the simple spices.

As for me, tomato soup was also a part of my growing years. What was interesting was that my mother used to make it with a food mill, by hand. We didn’t have a blender then, and soups themselves were an unfamiliar item and more exciting as a result. I can still remember watching her sitting down with the food mill to prepare the soup. It had its own fantastic flavour. In fact, she also used to make tomato ketchup at home, which I did for a long time as well. I may share that recipe soon too.

In the meanwhile, here’s my own warming and tasty take on the quintessential tomato soup.

Roasted Tomato Soup

(Serves 2)

1 red bell pepper

4 medium size tomatoes

Salt to taste

2 cloves garlic

¼ teaspoon black pepper powder

Garnishing of your choice

 

On an open flame, place the tomatoes and bell pepper in turn and roast them until charred.

Place these aside in a dish and allow them to cool.

Once they have cooled, remove the charred skin using your fingers.

Roast the garlic in a drop of oil. Add it to the blender along with the roasted tomatoes and bell pepper. Blend until you get a thick purée.

Pour the mixture into a pot and add a little water to the desired consistency. Add salt and pepper. Boil.

When ready to serve, add a dash of lime and garnish as you’d like to – perhaps with fresh cream or more pepper.

I hope you’ll enjoy this delicious roasted tomato soup. It’s perfect all year round, and is nourishing as well as soothing. Don’t forget to sneak in some extra vegetables – ones that don’t adjust the colour much – if you’re serving it to little ones!

 

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Recipe: Spiced For The Season – Indian Spice Biscuits

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I suppose that biscuits were originally an English concept, known as cookies in the USA and popular across the world. Here in India, we do have our own versions and adaptations. Take for instance the nan kattai, which I shared my own pistachio-rose rendition of a few festive seasons ago. It is believed to have been created by Dutch bakers in 16th century Gujarat. Similarly, all over India today, little bakeries utilize millets and Indian flavours to make their own biscuits, giving us treats like ragi cookies. All these inspirations put together made me decide to bake Indian spice biscuits, and to share the recipe with you too.

I feel that Indians give a lot of importance to spices in general, and this is in part because many of them grow in India and are either native or at least traditional in this part of the world. They hold a very special place in our cooking, which is why they appear in everything from meats to sweets. Nutmeg, mace, saffron, cardamom and cinnamon come to mind as common elements. I’ve chosen to use a few of these to flavour these biscuits.

It is the beginning of the festive season this year, and of culinary indulgences, so I thought this would be the perfect time to share this recipe. These biscuits go well with the mood and the weather, and are ideal to have at tea time. If you are seeking more recipes in this vein to serve at your special occasions, the archive has lots to offer.

Another reason why I chose to try out a new biscuit is because I realised that I love hoarding props. I have quite a large collection in my kitchen, and I wanted to use some of my cookie cutters out of that array.

Strictly speaking, it’s not really a new biscuit for me, just one I haven’t made in some time. When my daughter was living here, we often baked together, and this recipe was one of our usual choices. It was so lovely having her company, with her young mind and her penchant for ideas and innovations. Baking these made me miss her, and I think I will send her a care package with these home-baked Indian spice biscuits.

Baking also makes me miss my mother. As I have mentioned in numerous posts over the years, she attended a baking class when we were growing up, and this meant that we had all kinds of interesting treats at home. For instance, she made cornflake cookies, dipping the dough in cornflakes before baking. At a time when cornflakes themselves were an unusual concept for us, we were fascinated by these. I remember plucking the cornflakes and eating them separately. I remain deeply inspired by my childhood memories of my mother in the kitchen.

I hope these Indian spice biscuits become a part of many more happy memories – for my loved ones and I, and for you and yours.

Indian Spice Biscuits

(Yield: Approximately 20 pieces)

175 grams unsalted butter

75 grams powdered sugar (sifted)

55 grams custard powder

175 grams flour

¼ teaspoon cardamom powder

½ teaspoon cinnamon powder

8-10 strands of saffron

1 teaspoon milk

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

 

Preheat the oven to 170°.

Meanwhile, in a small cup, add the saffron and the milk and allow to steep.

Line a baking tray with a silicone mat. Set aside.

With an electric beater, beat the butter until light and fluffy. To this, add the sugar and then the custard powder.

Beat gently, and now add all the spices. Sift the flour and baking powder and add it to the mixture.

Mix gently using your hands. Cling wrap the dough and refrigerate for 5-10 minutes.

With the help of a spoon, or using your hands, make small discs of the dough. Place them apart on the prepared tray.

Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are golden.

Remove and cool on a wire rack before consuming.

These delicious biscuits have a beautiful flavour to them, one that I am sure will pep up your mood in the late afternoon. You may notice that they are also eggless, which makes them ideal for serving vegetarians. Here’s wishing you a wonderful festive season ahead!

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Recipe: A Kid-Friendly Continental Dish – Spinach & Corn Bake

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We talk about memories all the time on this blog, and the deep link between food and nostalgic experiences. The recipe that I am sharing today is more about my kids’ memories than my own. When they were little, this spinach and corn bake was the only kind of Continental or baked food that they truly enjoyed at dinner. Their choosiness worked just fine for me, because I was very happy about the fact that they loved a spinach-laden meal that also contained a good protein quotient, thanks to the paneer. It’s a nutritious, filling and delicious dish – and as I’ve indicated, child-friendly, too.

Looking back, I can see a reason, taste aside, as to why they found it so appealing. It was that I usually used individually baked bowls, which made the dish seem quite fancy. They always got a thrill out of having it be served in this style. My kids would often request this spinach and corn bake when they had their friends visit, and I could see how it was the presentation that really enhanced the experience for all of them. This is a good point to keep in mind when preparing it for entertaining, for all ages.

Now – about the vegetables used, which are the secret to our satisfaction as parents! I tried to replace corn with broccoli many times, but my kids simply refused to accept this back then. With my experience in mind, I would say: if you are preparing this recipe for children, consider introducing the extra healthy vegetables, or even the ones they aren’t fond of, early on (rather than as a substitute later, which they will recognize as being just that). I now bake more variations, but still like to retain the spinach as a base. You can also replace the paneer with tofu, chicken or bacon.

You may wish to make a lighter version of this by using wheat flour rather than maida in the white sauce. While I’ve grated some cheese on top, you can avoid this to further lighten the dish. If you’re using it, another method is to add some to the white sauce when it’s ready, rather than to grate on top.

Spinach & Corn Bake

(Serves: 2-4)

50 grams butter

50 grams flour

3 cups milk

Salt to taste

A pinch of pepper

125 grams paneer

1 cup spinach

1 stalk rosemary

½ cup whole corn

Cheese (optional)

Make a roux of the butter and flour. You will get about 2.5 cups. A roux typically uses equal parts of fat and flour, and then a liquid is added (in this case, the milk). To do this, melt the butter in a pan and add the flour. Keep stirring so that the mixture does not stick to the bottom. Stir until golden. It will be a thick emulsion at this stage.

Now, add the milk and the rosemary and continue stirring, making sure it’s a smooth and thick sauce.

Blanch the spinach and squeeze it well. A quick tip: when you squeeze the water out of the spinach, while making this or any other dish, add that used water to a dough or a dhal. It doesn’t need to be wasted.

In a baking dish, add the paneer, spinach and corn. Pour 1.5 cups of the roux over this and mix gently so that all the vegetables are coated well. You can store the remaining roux in the fridge for later, to be used as a sauce.

Either add the cheese to the sauce before you set it aside, or else grate some on top of the dish now. Bake for 20 minutes or until it’s golden.

I like pairing this with a toastie, but a simple toast also works well.

My adult kids still enjoy this dish, and I recently met one of my son’s childhood friends who was reminiscing about it too. I share this recipe here for them and their partners, and I hope they’ll have fun baking and eating it together, perhaps with their young families. I think you will too!

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Recipe: Nostalgic Celebrations – Coffee Cupcakes

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When I was growing up – and perhaps when you were too – cupcakes were a treasured treat. We all looked forward to birthdays because that was when we could visit each other’s’ homes and enjoy them. More often than not, our mothers were the bakers. Today, cupcakes convey memories of a special, and simpler, time. Despite the assortment of goodies that are now easily available, I still feel that homemade cupcakes are a very sweet but almost forgotten gift, especially during festive occasions. To me, they taste of nostalgia and celebration.

Even though I regularly bake cupcakes alongside various other delights for my customers at re:store, as we have now reached the 7th anniversary of this blog, I wanted to do a little more. So, I thought that I would give away a cherished recipe of mine, as a gesture of gratitude for your warmth and support. Here is the recipe for coffee cupcakes, the very same recipe that I use in my work.

My coffee cupcake recipe emerged as a response to a craving I had for something with a tiramisu flavour. While I have opted to use a simple buttercream frosting, you can try this out with mascarpone in order to elevate that tiramisu influence. You can also replace coffee with a different flavour altogether. Here’s another suggestion: include some maple syrup and adjust the sugar quantity accordingly, and the taste will change too. Have fun with how you use this recipe as a base!

I love making my cupcakes bite-sized, and just right. They are not too sweet, yet they conjure up such sweet memories. Here’s hoping to make many more: more gorgeous cupcakes and more great memories too!

Below are a few images of some of the cupcakes that are available at re:store. I hope that they give you some inspiration – either to prepare your own, or to drop me a line. If you are in Chennai and you’d like me to bake something for you, you know how to reach me.

Coffee Cupcakes

(Yield: 12 pieces)

185 grams all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon instant coffee powder

1 pinch salt

110 grams room temperature butter

200 grams granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup whole milk

 

Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter

Fresh cream as required

4-5 cups sifted icing sugar

1 teaspoon coffee powder

 

Preheat the oven to 170° C.

Line the cupcake tray with liners. Set aside.

In a bowl, sift all the dry ingredients together.

In a mixer bowl, add the butter and the sugar and beat for a couple of minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Alternating them, add the milk and flour in two batches and mix gently. Do not over mix once the flour is added.

Now, divide the batter into the liners, filling them up to a 2⁄3 level.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the skewer comes out clean.

Remove and cool on a wire rack.

 

To make the frosting: mix the butter, cream and coffee powder. Add the icing sugar in batches and mix gently, making sure the icing sugar does not fly around. Add enough to make the frosting such that it holds up. Beat well into a smooth consistency.

Using a piping nozzle, ice the cupcakes and keep cool until serving. Refrigerate to preserve longer.

My older son loves my coffee cupcakes and asks me for some whenever he visits. He recently came home after a few months, which is a long time for us, and I baked some for him. From being a childhood favourite to becoming a treat that connects me to my own children, cupcakes and I have had a long journey. Those of you who have been with me since the start at re:store have had a long journey with me too, and I hope it’s been a delicious one. Thank you for being here.

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Recipe: A Fenugreek-Rich Flatbread – Jowar Methi Thepla

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Several years ago, close to when I began this blog, I had shared a post on a variety of Gujarati flatbreads. The ones featured therein were just a small selection. There are hundreds of kinds of flatbreads in India, and even within different communities or regions, each family will have its own version. The thepla in particular has many types. It is basically a masala flatbread, and may have additions of grated vegetables or flavourings. Bottle gourds and leafy greens, of all different sorts, are often used. Here, I share with you a recipe for jowar methi thepla. It uses fenugreek leaves (methi) and sorghum millet (jowar) alongside the standard wheat, which makes it richly nutritional.

I prefer to use fresh methi, but dried kasoori methi will also work. If you’d like to totally substitute the methi, you can do so with any spinach. In my version of this flatbread, I make it with green chilli paste. My sister likes to use red chilli powder instead, which gives it a darker colour. Traditionally, jowar (sorghum) is replaced by bajri (pearl millet) in winters, as the latter is more warming. You can use the same method below to make bajri methi thepla.

Theplas go well with pickles, vegetables, curries and gravies (a potato and tomato gravy pairs nicely, for instance). They are also great by themselves, or as an accompaniment to a cup of chai. They are perfect for school and office tiffin boxes – applying some chhundo on one, rolling it up and packing it makes for an easy lunch. However, they are more traditionally eaten at dinner time, and I think this is because they don’t go well with dals, which are usually served in the afternoon. There are no hard and fast rules about theplas because convenience is the key to their popularity. They keep for a few days, and travel well. I often make a pile of theplas and carry them with me during short trips, so that I can avoid eating outside food.

As for jowar methi thepla specifically, I’ve had it all my life and so I take it for granted. Only if I sat down to think about it would I really be able to list the memories associated with it. It was frequently served at home for dinner, eaten as leftovers for breakfast, or carried to school for lunch. It was just a part of everyday life, and it still is. I hope it finds a regular place in your meals too.

Jowar Methi Thepla

(Yield: 12 pieces)

1 cup whole wheat flour

½ cup jowar flour

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon oil

½ teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon sesame seeds

1 teaspoon cumin and coriander powder

1 teaspoon green chilli paste

1 tablespoon yoghurt

½ cup chopped methi leaves (or any spinach)

Water to bind dough (approximately 1 cup)

Oil for pan frying

 

Add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl. Knead and bind the dough with water, pouring it a little at a time. Ensure the dough is neither too soft nor too hard.

Leave the dough covered for at least 30 minutes. Then, make even-sized balls from it. You will get roughly 12.

Roll each ball out with the help of flour into flat round discs.

Shallow fry them on a hot griddle with the help of some oil. Make sure the oil is added to the edges, as this way the thepla will not dry out.

Store the theplas in a covered box and consume within three days.

While there are endless variations on theplas themselves, all Gujarati homes will invariably have theplas available on a more or less daily basis. I hope you will explore more of my thepla recipes on this blog, and I’d especially suggest that you take a look at the taco theplas, if you’re feeling in the mood for some fusion fun, and this khichdi thepla that makes great use of leftovers.

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brand poriyal

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I love the flavour of lemongrass. I find it very versatile: it shines in dishes like this vegan whole corn and lemongrass soup, in my early morning tea and even as a semi-decorative element in kachoris. This ginger lemongrass rice is just one of many ways that this wonderfully aromatic herb is used in my home.

Indeed, not only is it used in my home but it is also grown in my home, which means that I have access to fresh green lemongrass leaves whenever I desire them. I currently have this plant on my terrace so that it gets direct sunlight. It sits alongside my jasmines, which I am very proud of. Not only is the visual of them growing together very pleasing, but the natural fragrances that waft there in summer – with the flowers in full bloom giving off a heady scent, alongside the lemongrass – are really so beautiful.

Despite being a long-term fan of lemongrass, this ginger lemongrass rice is a new addition to my repertoire. My daughter is visiting and she loves to cook Thai food, which is what inspired me to bring the ingredient into a lightly stir-fried rice. The method for doing so is a little different, and you can see how to prepare it in the recipe below.

This rice is meant to be accompanied by a side dish, and you can experiment with a variety of cuisines. If I am serving this alongside an Indian dish, fresh coriander or a bit of cumin in the preparation will bring out complementary flavours. If I am pairing it with a Continental dish like a baked spinach (by the way, I will share the recipe for this soon), I may add mint instead. The lemongrass and the ginger remain constants. However you choose to accompany it, the rice itself will be quite flavourful, as well as fragrant.

I have shared quite a few rice recipes here over the years, from biryani to porridge to dessert. In South India, rice grows abundantly, and I’ve also discussed before how the regeneration of native varieties is important. I recently heard the environmental scholar Vandana Shiva speak in Chennai, and I feel moved to share her message. She spoke about how India must maintain our rich agricultural heritage, that farmers should have their own seeds and distribution network and not allow big companies to patent them (this is quite controversial – Monsanto currently has a monopoly on the world’s seeds). She also encouraged farmers to go pesticide-free and focus on seasonal produce, and said that organic food will become more affordable as more farmers choose these methods. It was a very enlightening talk, and these thoughts were on my mind as I prepared this dish. I hope that you too will explore more about these subjects. After all, they relate to our everyday lives and choices.

All said and done, rice is a staple in India, and while it contains sugars and starch, in the right quantities it does more good than harm. I hope we can all come together to be more mindful about our consumption. We can do good, too – even as we indulge.

 

Ginger Lemongrass Rice

(Serves 2)

1 cup rice

5 cups water

2 tablespoons grated ginger

A bunch of fresh lemongrass leaves

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon sesame oil

Finely chopped coriander leaves (for garnishing)

I have used basmati for this dish, but I would recommend using any good South Indian or Asian rice variety. Do keep in mind my prior suggestions for additional ingredients depending on the side dishes you prepare to serve this with.

Rinse and soak the rice in a pot. Add the five cups of water. Add the lemongrass leaves and cook until the rice is tender. Strain and set aside. Remove the lemongrass leaves and discard them.

In a heated pan, add the oil. Now, add the ginger and sauté for a few minutes. Add the cooked, fragrant lemongrass rice along with the salt. Mix gently, allowing the flavours to spread into the rice.

Garnish and serve, along with any other dish. This ginger lemongrass rice will certainly elevate the flavours of its accompaniment, and vice versa. Enjoy!

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Recipe: Cool & Refreshing – Cucumber Raita

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Yoghurt, curd, dahi – whatever you want to call it, this essential dairy product is a staple at home with every single meal. It has been this way for many years. When I was growing up, my family would tease me about my love for dahi. It was often joked, “She will even have dahi with bread!” It’s true: I loved it so much that I would eat it in any form. Nowadays, I am equally happy just having it plain, without accompaniments. Sometimes, it’s nice to dress the dahi up and enjoy its versatility, and that’s when a recipe like this cucumber raita gets made.

Later, once I moved into my marital home, I discovered that curd was not a big part of their meals. It began to be included because of me, and gradually it became a staple here as well. So much so that my entire extended family on both sides have another running joke about how dahi should be kept ready whenever I’m about to visit.

Truly, it’s a lifelong love. I have shared in the past that my love for curd is the key reason why the vegan lifestyle is a challenge for me, and for those of you who have mastered it, I hope you’ll explore the many vegan recipes I’ve shared.

Plain homemade curd is my go-to. Greek yoghurt and so on were unknown to me while I was growing up, although I have explored it since. I’m happy to say that my simple, traditional homemade curd literally travels the world. There is a Spanish family whom we are close with, and they visit us every year. Each time, they take back a little bit of curd culture from my kitchen so that they can make their own Indian dahi when they are back home. My friend used to ask me for the recipe each time to jog her memory, but over the last five years, I’ve been able to simply direct her to the method that I published here. You can make it too, and the technique is right here.

Coming to the raita, I’ve made mine a little more exciting. Traditional cucumber raita is a two-ingredient dish, but I’ve added some spices, some mint and some garlic. This brings out a medley of flavours. You may want to try your own variations. For instance, why not replace cucumber with beetroot and watch the dish change colour? It will add quite a bit of novelty, especially when you are entertaining.

Cucumber Raita

(Serves 2-4)

 

1 cup grated cucumber

2 cups thick yoghurt

Salt to taste

2 teaspoons oil

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

A few curry leaves

2-3 pods garlic (cut lengthwise)

2-3 dried red chilies

Mint leaves (for garnishing)

Finely chopped coriander leaves (for garnishing)

 

A point to be noted is that you must be certain that the yoghurt is not sour. If you’re making it at home, follow the technique carefully to ensure this. If you are using it store-bought and find it slightly sour, adding a splash of milk will fix this.

In a bowl, grate the cucumber. Discard a little bit of the released water. Add the yoghurt and salt. Mix well.

In a hot pan, pour the oil to prepare the tempering. Add the cumin seeds to it. Then add the sliced garlic and allow these to turn golden. Once this is done, add the curry leaves.

Pour this tempering over the yoghurt. Garnish and allow to cool in the refrigerator.

As with all other raitas, this is meant to be served cold. It beautifully accompanies certain kinds of rice, such as biryanis, as well as Indian breads. I’ve also served it in a Lebanese spread, alongside pita bread and hummus. It’s quite versatile as a dip or side dish. If you enjoy this raita, why not try my banana-mustard raita too?

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