Around The World On Your Plate

Ingredients: 2 medium potatoes, cubed 1 medium onion, diced 2 medium green bell pepper, diced 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon olive oil/butter Salt and pepper to taste Fresh chopped parsley to garnish Method: Precook potatoes until just done and not too mushy. Heat oil/butter in a pan and stir fry onions, bell pepper and minced garlic.  Next add in the potatoes and stir fry until nice golden brown in color. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with parsley and serve hot.

Ingredients: 1 cup Basmati rice 1 cup yogurt 1 cup water 1 onion chopped 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste 2 cups mixed vegetables like potatoes, peas, green beans carrots, bell pepper 2 tomatoes sliced Cilantro to garnish Salt to taste 1 tablespoon oil Spices: 1-2 bay leaf 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 teaspoon caraway seeds 1 tablespoon Biryani Masala Method: Soak Basmati rice in water for 30 minutes and drain. Heat oil in a pan and add the whole spices and saute.  Next add onion along with ginger and garlic paste and saute until translucent. Next add in all the vegetables one by one and saute, adding tomatoes at the end.  Add yogurt and water along with rice.  Add salt and biryani masala to taste. Mix everything well and cover and cook on medium heat until everything is cooked. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.

Ingredients: 1 cup whole black gram, soaked overnight and cooked 1/4 cup kidney beans soaked overnight and cooked 1 small onion chopped 1 cup tomato puree 1-2 green chillies slit 2 cloves of garlic minced 1 teaspoon ginger grated 1 tablespoon of oil/vegan butter 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 teaspoon caraway seeds 1 teaspoon red chilli powder to taste 1 teaspoon turmeric powder 2 teaspoon garam masala 1 tablespoon of dry fenugreek leaves to garnish Salt to taste Cilantro garnish Water as needed Method: Heat oil in a pan and add cumin and caraway seeds. Next add onion, ginger and garlic and saute until translucent. Next add in the pureed tomatoes and mix well.  Add all the spices, mix and cook for a minute. Now add in the cooked lentils and kidney beans along with water as needed, and salt and simmer on low for a few minutes until desired consistency is reached. Turn off and add dry fenugreek leaves and cilantro and serve hot with some vegan ...

Serves:  3-4 Duration:  Cooking 20 minutes Soaking:  30 minutes Ingredients: 1-1/2 cup long grain rice washed, soaked for 30 minutes, and drained 2 cups mixed vegetables 1 sprig of Curry leaves 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder salt to taste 2 teaspoons of oil Cilantro to garnish Masala Paste: 1 sprig cilantro and mint leaves 2 green chillies 1 tablespoon ginger and garlic crushed 1-1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds 1" cinnamon stick 8 pepper corns 5 cloves 1/4 cup coconut Method: In a blender, add all the ingredients listed under masala paste and grind into a smooth paste and set aside. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and let them pop, next add curry leaves (dry or fresh). Add in all the vegetables and saute well. Next add in the masala paste and mix.  Add drained rice and water along with salt and turmeric powder and mix well. Cover and cook on medium heat until rice is completely cooked. ...

Serves:  2-3 Total Time: 20 minutes This recipe has been modified from the original version. Ingredients: 2 tablespoons of chilli paste 1 teaspoon of soy sauce 1 teaspoon of vegan oyster sauce 4 eggplants diced 3 Thai red chilli sliced 4 cloves of garlic 1/2 cup soy granules soaked and drained Salt to taste Oil as needed 1/2 cup chopped basil Method: Soak soy granules for 15 minutes in water and once it has soaked well, squeeze out the water and set aside. Heat oil on medium high and add the eggplants and saute them until they are soft and have developed color. Once done, set aside. Next, in the same oil add crushed garlic and chillies and saute. Next add the chilli paste and mix well.  Add in the eggplant and mix.  Adjust salt to taste. Next add the soaked and drained soy granules and mix everything well. Garnish with chopped basil leaves and serve hot.

Serves:  4 Total Time: 15 minutes This recipe has been modified from the original version. Ingredients: 5-6 Thai chillies or to taste 8 cloves of garlic 1 onion sliced 1 bell pepper sliced  2 tablespoons of oil 1 tablespoon each of soy sauce and vegan oyster sauce Salt to taste 2 cups of soy granules soaked and drained 2 tablespoons of water 1 cup roughly chopped Thai holy basil Sugar (optional) Peanuts to garnish (optional) Method: Soak soy granules for 15 minutes in water and once it has soaked well, squeeze out the water and set aside. Using a mortar and pestle or a grinder, make a paste of garlic and chillies. Heat oil in a pan and saute the garlic chilies paste.  Next add the vegetables and saute until just cooked.  Add the soy granules along with both the sauces, water and adjust salt to taste and mix well. Let this mixture cook on low heat for a few minutes.  Add in chopped basil and mix well. If desired, you c...

Ingredients: 4 oz pasta of your choice (cooked) 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 1 teaspoon chopped garlic  1-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1-2 tablespoon of olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Basil to garnish  Parmesan cheese to garnish Method: Heat oil on medium and saute garlic until it turns light golden brown in color.  Next add the cherry tomatoes and saute until soft. Add in the hot pepper flakes and salt and cook for a minute.  Next add the cooked pasta and mix everything well.  If you find the sauce to be too dry, reserve some of the pasta water and add to it.  Season well with salt and pepper and garnish and serve hot.

Ingredients: 1 cup pasta of your choice 1/4 cup cream cheese 1/2 cup marinara sauce 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning Salt and pepper to taste 1 teaspoon paprika 2 cups water Basil and parsley to garnish Method: Add marinara sauce, cream cheese and water into a pan along with pasta and cook on medium heat until done. Next add all the seasoning along with salt and mix and cook for another minute. Garnish with basil and parsley and serve hot.

Ingredients: 2-3 tablespoon of oil 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds 1/8th teaspoon of asafoetida 1 sprig of curry leaves 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder 2 cups cooked rice 1-1/2 cup tomatoes chopped 2-3 green chilies slit Lemon juice as needed Salt to taste Cilantro to garnish Method: Heat oil and add mustard seeds and let them pop. Next add asafoetida, curry leaves and green chillies and saute for a minute. Add the chopped tomatoes and some salt and cook them until tender. Next add turmeric powder and mix well. Once the tomatoes are soft, add cooked rice and salt to taste and mix everything well.  Turn off the heat and add some lemon juice to taste and mix well.  Garnish with cilantro and serve hot. Notes: You can even garnish with freshly grated coconut.

Ingredients: 1 cup Basmati rice soaked in water for 30 minutes 1 cup garbanzo beans, soaked and cooked 1 medium onion chopped 1 teaspoon ginger and garlic paste 1-2 green chilies slit 1 cup crushed tomato 2 tablespoon of oil Water as needed Salt to taste Cilantro to garnish Spices: 1 teaspoon turmeric powder 1 teaspoon red chili powder (optional) 2 teaspoon coriander powder 4-5 cloves 6 pepper corns 1 small piece of cinnamon 1 teaspoon cumin seeds Method: Wash and soak basmati rice in water for 30 minutes, then drain water. Heat oil in a high sided skillet and add the whole spices.  Sauté for a minute or until aroma wafts from the pan, next add onion, green chili, ginger and garlic paste and sauté until onion turns translucent.  Add turmeric powder and coriander powder and mix well. Next add the tomatoes and cook for a minute.  Next add the garbanzo beans along with rice and mix everything together....

Ingredients: 4 cups cooked rice 3 scallions sliced, (whites and greens separated) 1 tablespoon minced ginger and garlic 1-2 tablespoons of oil 1 cup shredded cabbage 1 carrot chopped 1 cup mushroom sliced 1/2 cup green peas 1/2 cup green beans salt to taste Sauce: 1 tablespoon chilli sauce 1/2 teaspoon vinegar 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup Method: Mix all the sauce and set aside. Heat oil in a pan and saute scallions white along with ginger and garlic for a minute.  Next add all the vegetables one by one and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add salt to help cook the vegetables.  Do not over cook the vegetables. Next add rice and all the sauces and mix everything well. Adjust salt to taste and garnish with scallions green and serve hot with your favourite sauce.

Serves: 2-3 Preparation time:  15 min Soaking time:  30 minutes Ingredients: 1 cup Basmati rice (washed and soaked for 30 minutes) 1 medium onion sliced lengthwise 1/2 teaspoon ginger and garlic paste 2-3 green chilies, slit 1 tablespoon of oil A pinch of saffron dissolved in 3 tablespoons of milk 1 teaspoon clarified butter (optional) Salt and sugar to taste Cilantro and mint to garnish Cashew and raisins to garnish Spices: 2-3 Cloves 2 green cardamom 2 bay leaf 1" cinnamon stick 1 teaspoon Shahjeera Method: Wash and soak Basmati rice in cold water for 30 minutes. Heat oil and add whole spices with slit green chilies and stir fry for 30 seconds or until aroma wafts from the pan. Next add onion and ginger and garlic paste and saute  until onions turn translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes.  Add rice and water along with salt and sugar and cover and cook until done on medium heat.    Meanwhile, r oast cashew...

Servings: 2-3 Total cooking time:  20 minutes Ingredients: 1 cup rice, washed 2 cups water 1 tablespoon of oil 1 cup of kala channa or chole channa soaked overnight 1 medium sized potato chopped 1 medium onion chopped 1 teaspoon ginger and garlic minced Salt to taste Spices: 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 small piece of cinnamon stick 2-3 cloves 3-4 pepper corns 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder 1 teaspoon of channa masala Method: Heat oil in a pan and saute cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, cloves and pepper corn for a minute.   Next add onions and ginger garlic paste and saute until translucent. Next add the potatoes and channa and mix everything well.  Add rice and twice the amount of water and mix.  Add the turmeric powder along with channa masala and salt to taste. Cover and cook on medium until its done.  Fluff with a fork.  Add some lemon juice and garnish with cilantro and serve hot. Notes: You can even ...

Serves 4 Total time: 10 minutes Ingredients: 3 cups cooked rice 2 scallions chopped (white and greens separated) 2 cloves of garlic minced 1 tablespoon of oil 1-1/2 cup mixed vegetables of your choice like  cabbage, carrots, peas 1/4 cup shiitake mushroom chopped fine 1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice powder 1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce salt to taste Method: Heat oil in a pan and saute scallions (white) and garlic for a minute. Next add rice.  I am using left over rice for this recipe.  Break down the rice and fry for a minute or two.  Add soy sauce and mix well. Once the rice is nicely coated with soy sauce, add the chopped vegetables and mix everything well.  Add the 5 spice powder along with shiitake mushrooms and stir fry for a minute. Adjust salt to taste.  Garnish with scallions (green) and serve hot.