Koftas are succulent, Indian style vegetable balls that can be served soaking in sauce or smothered in gravy. A number of vegetables are suitable for making kofta – potato, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach and radish are the most popular. My favourite kofta are made from a mixture of cauliflower and cabbage and served on a bed […]
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Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie
Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie Those of you (like myself) of “Anglo-Saxon” background, will perhaps be familiar with the cruel, non-vegetarian origins of this dish. It contains the cooked minced flesh of slaughtered baby sheep {called ‘lamb’, by the way} which is smothered in mashed potatoes and baked in the oven. Here’s my tender-hearted version. PREPARATION AND […]
Sweet & Sour Dal Soup with Mixed Vegetables
This hearty, smooth dal soup with its pleasant lemony taste and chunks of vegetables is ideal as a tasty accompaniment to either a simple or elaborate menu. Serves 40. 2 kg mixed dried dal 12 – 15 litres water 3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger 2 tablespoons hot green chili, chopped, or to taste 8 bay […]
Country-style Anise-scented Cream of Fennel Soup
The sweet, rustic licorice taste of fennel is at once unmistakable and subtle. It is so flavourful that it requires no stock, only water, and no extra herbs to transform it into a full-bodied hearty, satisfying soup. If the inner core of the fennel is tough and stringy, remove it with a paring knife. Serves […]
Hearty Mung Bean and Tomato Soup
High protein never tasted so good COOKING TIME: 45 minutes-1 hourYIELD: enough for 4 to 6 persons 1 cup whole green mung beans7¼ cups water½ teaspoon turmeric1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger½ teaspoon fresh green chili, minced2 firm, ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped2 tablespoons minced chopped parsley2 teaspoons brown sugar1½ teaspoons salt2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice2 tablespoons […]
Steamed Semolina Breads (Dhokla)
This savoury golden bread is a specialty of the State of Gujarat in western India. There’s practically as many recipes for dhokla as there are Gujarati housewives — and that’s a lot! Some recipes for dhokla call for chickpea flour; there’s another version that uses semolina. Here’s a recipe that’s practically instant, using semolina with […]
Chickpea Curry (Chole)
This dish features chickpeas, with their faintly nut-like flavour and smooth texture. Chickpeas are rich in protein-nitrogen compounds. Cooked in this spicy sauce they’re great served with Puffed Fried Breads (Pooris), with capatis, or with hot Boiled Rice. DAL SOAKING TIME: overnight PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes COOKING TIME: 1 hour YIELD: enough for 4 to […]
Cheesy Filo Parcels
Feta cheese is a white, dry crumbly cheese that can be made either from cows’, ewes’ or goats’ milk. It is matured in brine to give it a sharp acidic and salty taste. These small triangles of crisp filo pastry with a savoury soft centre contain a mix of feta and haloumi cheese. They’re ideal […]
Dense And Delicious German Sourdough Bread (Pumpernickel)
This is a richly flavoured, traditional German sourdough bread, naturally leavened without yeast. Dark and tasty, it is less sweet than commercial pumpernickel and more closely resembles the German black bread, schwartzbrot. It’s slow cooking time ensures that it will keep very well. PREPARATION TIME: a few minutes FERMENTING TIME: 16-20 hours COOKING TIME: 5-6 […]
Curried Malay Noodles (Laksa)
Laksa is a taste sensation—a delicious one-pot soupy combination of mild, chili-hot, rich, aromatic and delicate flavours, and a tantalising combination of crunchy, soft and milky textures. There are many versions of laksa served throughout the Malaysian peninsula. This is my hearty vegetarian version. Serves 6-8 persons. The curry1 cup liquid tamarind puree 1 cup […]