Around The World On Your Plate

Vegan Dashi Ingredients: 3 cups water 1 small piece  of kombu seaweed Method: In a pot, put kombu and water and leave it for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes, simmer on medium heat until it comes to a slow boil.  Turn off.  Remove kombu. The vegan Dashi stock is ready. Dashi with Bonito Flakes Ingredients: 3 cups water 1 small piece  of kombu seaweed 15 grams of dried bonito flakes Method: In a pot, put kombu and water and leave it for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes, simmer on medium heat until it comes to a slow boil.  Turn off.  Remove kombu.  Add the bonito flakes to infuse the flavour only.  Do not turn on the heat. Strain using a fine mesh strainer and its ready. Note: Kombu is a type of edible kelp. If you prefer to make this without kombu, dashi stock powder is also available in supermarkets but it contains dried fish flakes and hence not vegan.

Ingredients: Seasoning: 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 1 teaspoon urad dal 1 teaspoon channa dal 1/8th teaspoon asafoetida 1 sprig curry leaves 2 teaspoon oil Others: 2 cups cooked rice 3/4 cup chopped bell peppers (green, yellow, red, and purple) 1 green chilli chopped Salt to taste Cilantro to garnish 1 teaspoon lemon juice Method: Heat oil on medium in a pan and add mustard seeds and let them pop, next add urad dal and channa dal and asafoetida along with curry leaves a saute for 20 seconds. Add in the green chillies and chopped bell pepper and saute. Once the bell peppers are just cooked, not too mushy, turn heat to low and add the cooked rice along with salt to taste and mix. Turn off heat and before serving some lemon juice and mix and garnish.

Ingredients: Vegetables: 4-6 baby potatoes peeled and halved 1 cup cauliflower florets 1 medium bell pepper cubed 1/2 cup carrot cubed Makhani (curry base): 1 cup onions chopped 1-1/2 cup tomatoes chopped 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste 2 green chillies, slit 2 red chillies 1-inch cinnamon stick 4-5 cloves 10 peppercorns 1 cardamom 2 bay leaf 10 cashew nuts 2-3 tablespoon oil/butter or as needed Others: Salt and sugar to taste 1 teaspoon Kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) Cilantro to garnish Method: To prepare the curry base, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan and saute onions and ginger garlic paste. Next, add all the whole spices along with green chillies and cashew nuts and saute. Add the tomatoes last and cook until tender.  Add salt and sugar as needed. Once the tomatoes are tender, turn off heat and let it cool in a separate bowl.  Puree once it has cooled. In the same pan, heat remaining oil and saute the mix vegetables ...

Ingredients: Tapioca/Sabudana/Sago 1 cup Roasted crushed peanuts 1/4 cup 2 green chillies chopped 1 medium sized potato, chopped 1 tablespoon oil 1 sprig curry leaves 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder Salt to taste 1 teaspoon lemon juice Cilantro to garnish Method: Wash tapioca pearls and sprinkle about 1/4 cup of water and set aside for 5 hours.  Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, asafoetida along with green chillies and curry leaves and saute.  Next, add chopped potatoes and cook with little water until done. Next add in the tapioca pearls along with turmeric powder, salt, and crushed peanuts and mix everything well.  Stir well on medium flame.  Sprinkle water if it is too dry. Turn off heat, add lemon juice and mix. Garnish with cilantro leaves and some peanuts and serve hot.

Ingredients: 2 cups cooked rice 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic 1/2 cup diced mushrooms 1/4 cup chopped carrots 1/4 cup chopped bell pepper 1/4 cup chopped onions 2 Green chillies slit (optional) 2 tablespoons green curry paste 4 tablespoon thick coconut milk Salt to taste 1 teaspoon soy sauce Thai basil and scallions to garnish Method: Heat oil and add garlic and green chillies and saute. Next, add all the vegetables one by one and saute on medium heat. Add rice along with soy sauce, coconut milk, and green curry paste and adjust salt to taste. Mix everything until well combined. Garnish with basil leaves and scallions and serve hot.

Serves: 2 Time: 10 minutes Ingredients: 5-6 slices of bread cubed (I used a baguette) 1 onion chopped 1-2 tomatoes chopped 1 green chilli chopped fine 1 teaspoon sambar powder or chilli powder salt to taste 1 tablespoon oil 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 1 sprig curry leaves Cilantro to garnish Water as needed Method: Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and let them pop, next add curry leaves and green chilli and saute. Add in the onions and saute until translucent.  Next, add the tomatoes and sambar powder or chilli powder and cook until tomatoes are tender. Add the cubed bread and sprinkle some water to moisten it.  Adjust salt to taste and mix everything well. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.

Ingredients: 4-ounce Linguini Water as needed 2 tablespoons of butter 2 tablespoons of flour 1/8th teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup vegetable stock Salt and white pepper to taste 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1/2 cup onion chopped 1/2 cup bell pepper chopped 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes halved Basil to garnish Olive oil as needed Method: Bring a pot of salted water to boil and add the pasta and cook as per package directions. Alongside in a wide pan, saute onion and garlic in olive oil.  Add all the vegetables and cook until tender, but do not overcook.  Season with salt. Transfer the vegetables to a separate bowl and set aside. In the same pan, melt butter over medium heat and add the flour and stir until smooth.  Cook until the mixture turns a light golden color. Add heavy cream and milk to it and stir until smooth.  Add water or vegetable broth and stir and cook for a minute.  Add a pinch of nutmeg, salt and white p...