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[home-vegan-recipes]

Manchow Soup

Manchow soup is an Indo-Chinese Soup which is popular for its hot and spicy taste.Its a dark brown soup which is prepared with various vegetables and thickened with vegetable stock, corn flour and flavored with Soy sauce,Pepper powder and ginger-garlic paste. It can be garnised with fried noodles.

. Preparation time- 30-40 minutes Cooking time- 30 minutes Makes- 4 to 5 bowl of soup Ingredients Required-

1 medium sized capsicum finely chopped

1/2 cup of cauliflower finely chopped

1/4 cup of finely chopped Carrots

1/2 cup of finely chopped Spring onions

1/2 cup of finely chopped baby corns

1/2 cup of finely chopped beans

1/4 cup of finely chopped Mushrooms

2 teaspoon of finely chopped ginger

2 teaspoon of finely chopped garlic

2 teaspoon of Green chilly sauce

1 teaspoon of Soy sauce

2 teaspoon of oil

2 teaspoon of corn flour dissolved in half cup of water

3 cups of vegetable stock or just plain water

Salt to taste

Procedure to make-

 Heat 2 teaspoon of oil in a Saucepan and saute ginger-garlic till garlic turns golden brown taking care not to burn the Garlic.

Now add all the vegetables and fry on a medium-high flame.

Add the vegetable stock and mix everything well.

Add Soy sauce,green chilly sauce and bring to a boil.

Add salt to taste.

Dissolve corn flour in water and mix in the soup.

Bring to a boil.

Serve hot with fried noodles.

To make fried noodles-

Boil water in a large saucepan and cook the noodles.

Drain the water and after the noodles cool down sprinkle corn flour.

Coat the noodles properly in corn flour.

Fry the noodles in hot till Crisp or golden brown.

[home-vegan-recipes]

Baby Potato Chaat Recipe

Chaat is the most popular street food all over India. It is very easy recipe and can be served as a party menu. All the preparations can be made in advance and kept and served when required. I have used Baby Potatoes to make this Chaat. You can also used boiled potatoes.

This Christmas and New Year serve this yummy delicacy to your guests instead of regular dishes and surprise them. You can even serve it as snack during fasting days like Shivratri, Navratri etc. Just note that when serving during fasting, don't add onions and use Rock Salt (Sendha Namak) instead of regular salt. You can either serve this Chaat on a plate or in bowls.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4 people

Ingredients Required:

15-20 Baby potatoes

1 medium sized Onion finely chopped

1 medium sized Tomato finely chopped

1 cup of vegan yogurt ( optional)

1 teaspoon of Black salt

1 teaspoon of Cumin powder

1 teaspoon of Chaat masala

1/4 teaspoon of Salt

1 teaspoon of Raw sugar

1 cup of Nylon Sev

1/2 cup of Tamarind Chutney

1/2 cup of Coriander-Mint Chutney

Oil for deep frying

Procedure to Make:

Wash the Baby potatoes and peel the skin.

Prick the Potatoes and deep fry it till golden brown.

Once the Potatoes are cool, place it between palm and flatten it.

Once again fry the Baby Potatoes till its crisp.

Keep aside.

Now in a bowl mix together Vegan Yogurt,Salt,Rock Salt,Raw sugar,Red Chilly powder,Cumin powder,Chaat masala and mix well. Keep in fridge and allow to chill for sometime.

To assemble the Chaat:

In a bowl firstly place 2 teaspoon of finely chopped tomato,2 teaspoon of finely chopped Onions.

Now place 3-4 fried and flatted Baby Potatoes.

Now pour 2 teaspoon of Vegan yogurt

Pour 1 teaspoon of Tamarind Chutney, Coriander-Mint Chutney..

Sprinkle Nylon Sev on top and serve.

[home-vegan-recipes]

Vegan Potato Curry Recipe

This is easy Potato curry which is ready within 10 minutes if you have boiled potatoes and Tamatar-Khajur-Khatta.

  Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4 people

Ingredients Required:

3-4 Medium Sized Potatoes boiled, peeled and diced

2 Green chilli or more as per taste

Half bunch of Coriander leaves

1 inch piece of Ginger

3 teaspoon of Tamatar-Khajur Khatta

1 teaspoon of Coriander Powder

1 teaspoon of Red chilly powder

1 teaspoon of thick Tamarind pulp

1 teaspoon of grated Jaggery

1 teaspoon of Refined vegetable oil

Salt as per taste

Procedure to Make:

Grind together Green chilli, Coriander leaves and ginger into a fine paste and keep aside.

Heat some oil in a non-stick pan and add the Coriander-ginger-green chilli paste and fry it for 2-3 minutes.

Add boiled and diced potatoes and fry it for 5 minutes and then add Tamatar-Khajur-khatta and mix well.

Add Coriander Powder, Red chilli Powder, Tamarind pulp, Jaggery, Salt and 1 cup of water and mix well.

Cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Serve it hot with Rotis and Puris.

[home-vegan-recipes]

Vegan Strawberry Shake Recipe

Strawberry is called "Queen of Fruits" in Asian Countries because of its health benefits. I love the Vibrant pink color of Strawberries and love having them with Chocolate Ganache or as a Salad or just like that.

This recipe of Vegan Strawberry Smoothie is my favorite and I have it every alternate day when Strawberries are in season. You can also make it using the Strawberry Jam or Strawberry Crush which is readily available all the year round. You can have  this Smoothies along with Breakfast or in between meals as a snack.

Preparation Time:10 minutes

Serves: 2 People

Ingredients Required:

7-8 Frozen Strawberries

1 teaspoon of Strawberry Crush

2 teaspoon of Demerara Sugar or any Sweetener

500 ml of Diary free milk (I have used Soy Milk)

2 teaspoon of Custard Powder dissolved in quarter cup of milk

Procedure to Make:

Heat milk on a medium flame till it starts to boil.

Then reduce the flame and slowly add Custard Powder, stirring continuously.

The mixture will start to thicken.

Turn off the heat and allow to it cool. When cooled keep in fridge and allow it to chill.

Now to make the Smoothie,

Blend the Custard Milk using a blender, till its Smooth and glossy.

Add fresh frozen Strawberries, Strawberry Crush, Demerara Sugar and blend till Smooth.

Pour into the Serving glass and serve immediately.

Health Benefits of Strawberries

The red coloring contains anthocyanins, which stimulate the burning of stored fat.

Low in Calories – High in Fiber. One cup contains only 54 calories.

Strawberries contain potassium, vitamin K and magnesium which are important for maintaining bone health.

Strawberries are filled with biotin, which helps build strong hair and nails.

Related Recipes

Chocolate Shake

Cold Coffee

Banana Smoothie

[home-vegan-recipes]

Kolhapuri Misal Recipe

Misal meaning Mixture is a delicacy of Western state of Maharashtra. The dish originates from the area of Desh, Maharashtra. It's also a popular street food. Taste ranges from being mild to extremely Spicy. Its a very popular snack as has good nutritional value because of Sprouted Moth bean or Dried pea (watane). The main parts of this dish are: 

Usal

The Kat or the spicy gravy

Potato Bhaji

Farsan

Chiwda

Garnish of finely chopped Tomatoes,Onions and Coriander

The ingredients are arranged in a layer and served with Pav or Slice of Bread. The main part of this dish is Kat or the spicy gravy. The kolhapuri Misal recipe given here does not contain Chiwda. In this recipe, I have substituted Moth bean with Green moong.  The recipe has 3 parts:

Making the Kolhapuri Masala

Usal made using Sprouted green

Making the curry or kat

How to sprout Green Moong: Soak Green moong overnight and in the morning drain the water and wash the Green moong properly. Tie in Muslin cloth and hang in a warm dry part of the room for the Moong to Sprout.

Once sprouted wash it throughly and use it. Ingredients required for the Kolhapuri Masala:

2 teaspoon of Cumin seeds

2 teaspoon of Coriander seeds

2 teaspoon of Grated coconut

4-5 Peppercorns

3-4 cloves

1/4 teaspoon of fennel seeds

1 teaspoon of sesame seeds

Procedure to make the kolhapuri Masala:

In a pan, dry roast all the ingredients till a faint aroma emits of them. Let it cool down. Then grind it into a fine powder.

Ingredients Required to make the Usal:

2 cups of Sprouted green Gram (Mung)

1/4 cup of Peanuts

1 medium sized Potato boiled, peeled and diced

1/4 cup of finely chopped Onions

2 green chillies finely chopped

2 teaspoon of Refined oil

1 teaspoon each of Cumin seeds, Mustard seeds

1 teaspoon of each of Turmeric powder and Red chilly powder

2 teaspoon Kolhapuri Masala

1/2 teaspoon of Asafoetida 

1 teaspoon of Tamarind Pulp

Salt to taste

Steps to follow in making green moong Usal:

Heat oil in a saucepan,add Cumin seeds, Mustard seeds and turmeric powder

Once the mustard seeds splutter add Peanuts,finely chopped onions green chilly and Asafoetida.

Once onions are translucent, add potatoes and Sprouted Moong.

Add Kolhapuri masala and red chilly powder and mix well.

Add tamarind pulp and 1/2 cup of water and till it cook it done.

Ingredients to make Kat/Curry/Spicy gravy:

2 finely chopped onions

1 finely chopped tomato

3 teaspoon of ginger-garlic finely chopped(freshly made)

2 teaspoon of shredded coconut

2 teaspoon of refined oil

1 teaspoon of Cumin seeds

2 teaspoon of kolhapuri masala

1 teaspoon of red chilly powder

1 pinch of Asafoetida (hing)

1 inch cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon of tamarind pulp

Salt to taste

Procedure to make Kat/Curry:

In a saucepan, heat oil and temper cumin seeds and cinnamon stick. When it splutters add finely chopped ginger-garlic, shredded coconut and saute.

Add onions and fry till translucent and then add tomatoes.

Add Asafoetida, kolhapuri masala and red chilly powder.

Add tamarind pulp and mix well.

Add salt as per taste.

Let it cool before blending it into a fine paste.

Heat oil in the same sauce pan and pour the above made paste.

Pour 2 cups of water and mix well and bring to a boil.

For Garnish:

Finely chopped onions

Farsan

To assemble the dish:

In a bowl first put a spoon of Sprouted Moong Usal.

Pour the Kat/curry on top.

Sprinkle the farsan and garnish with chopped onions.

You can serve it just like this or with a Slice of Bread or Pav.

Try this recipe and share your experience in comments.

[home-vegan-recipes]

Vegan Yogurt Recipe

Ever since I have shifted to Vegan diet, I have been missing eating Yogurt and all the dishes that contained Yogurt like Kadhi. I have made this Yogurt using Soy milk and Green chilli tips. Green Chilli tips are the crown portion of chilli which we usually separate from chilli and throw away.Using green chilli tips will not alter the taste of Yogurt in any way.

  In this post am sharing recipe or method to make Yogurt using two different ingredients- 1) Unsweetened Soy Milk 2) Peanut- Rice Milk. For making Yogurt using unsweetened Soy Milk I have used Crown of green chillies as starter. For making Yogurt using Peanut-Rice Milk I used the Soy Yogurt as a starter.

          The most important thing to remember while making Yogurt is maintaining the right temperature. Also the vessel in which the yogurt is made should be properly washed and cleaned before setting the Yogurt in it. The vegan yogurt takes a little more to set than the yogurt made from diary milk.

Ingredients Required-

500 ml of Unsweetened Soy Milk,I used Sofit

8-9 Green chilli tips

Note-

 Wash and pat dry the Green Chilli, completely before separating the crowns. Do not wash the crowns again after separating them from the chillies.

Procedure to Make-

In a vessel heat milk till boils stirring occasionally to prevent the milk from burning in bottom of the pan.

Let it cool and repeat the process 3 more times. This is to thicken the milk and yield a yogurt which is firm and thick.

Let it cool to a point where it is little more than warm but not hot.

Place green chilli crowns in the milk and keep it in a warm,dry place and allow it to set.

 Note-Setting time depends on temperature and humidity of the room. The first batch will have a faint aroma of green chilli. You can use this Vegan Yogurt as a starter and make further batches of your Yogurt.

Ingredients Required for making Peanut-Rice Milk Yogurt-

The ingredients mentioned below will yield approximately 2liters of Peanut-Rice Milk yogurt. I have used 1 liter of  this milk and made my yogurt. The ratio of Peanut and Rice is 1:1

1 Cup of Plain Raw peanuts

1 Cup of Uncooked Rice

2 teaspoon of Above made Soy yogurt

First we begin with making the Peanut-Rice Milk,

Procedure to make-

Soak the Rice and Peanuts for 7-8 hours or overnight.

Drain the water and wash both Rice and Peanuts twice.

Grind Peanuts and water and sieve it to separate the Peanut meal and milk.

Repeat twice more to yield maximum milk.

Similarly yield Rice milk. Keep both the milk in separate vessels.

Now heat Peanut Milk till it reaches a boil.

Once Peanut milk is heated, add Rice Milk to it,one cup at a time stirring continuously.

Once Rice Milk is added the consistency of Milk will thicken.

Now to Make Vegan Peanut-Rice Milk Yogurt,

Heat the Milk till boils,once the milk has cooled to a point its still warm add the Soy yogurt and mix. Place in a Warm dry place and allow to set. The setting time is 8-10 hours,but may vary depending on season. You can also add 8-10 Green Chilli Crowns to fasten the setting time.

[home-vegan-recipes]

Vegan Beetroot Halwa Recipe

This is a very easy to make dessert and looks very tempting. Usually its made using Clarified butter and Full cream Milk. But for health reasons and as a part of my Vegan Diet, I skipped using both these Ingredients. Instead of using regular Sugar you can also use  Demerara Sugar, but then   the color of Halwa will be a little dark but taste will remain the same.

Ingredients Required:

500 grams of beetroot (washed, peeled and grated)

300 ml of Almond Milk or any other nut milk

2 cups of Regular Sugar

1 pinch of cardamom powder (elaichi powder)

1/4 cup of dry fruits finely chopped ( almonds,cashews and raisins)

A pinch of Salt

Procedure to make:

In a heavy bottomed pan or a non-stick pan add the grated beetroot and roast it for 10 minutes on a medium high flame.

Now add the Almond milk and cook the beetroot on a medium high flame till milk evaporates.

Keep stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking to bottom of the pan.

Now add sugar and let it cook for a while stirring continuously.

Finally add the dry fruits and before taking off the flame add salt and mix well and serve.

Note: Adding Salt will enhance Sweetness of the dish.

[home-vegan-recipes]

Vegan Vanilla Brownie Recipe

It's Christmas time! Time for Cakes, Fudges, Cookies and Brownies. Many of you might ask- What's the difference between a Cake and Brownie as both look similar? Well, the difference lies in the ingredients used. Cake has both Baking Powder and Baking Soda which makes soft and spongy and raised, where as brownie has only Baking Powder which makes it dense, chewy and rich.

This recipe is a basic Vegan Vanilla Brownie. I made it for the first time, so wanted to try a basic flavour and also it was the first time I baked something without a oven on a Gas-top.

Note: One important thing to remember while baking is to use accurate proportion of ingredients and also that baking must be done at right temperature for the right amount of time.

Ingredients Required:

1 Cup of All Purpose Flour(Maida)

1 teaspoon of Baking Powder

1 teaspoon of Salt

1 teaspoon of Vanilla extract or Vanilla essence

3/4 Cup of Raw Sugar or Brown sugar

4 teaspoon of Almond meal

4 teaspoon of Unsweetened Coconut Powder

1/2 Cup of Refined Vegetable oil

1/2 +1/4 Cup of Water

1/2 teaspoon of Saffron (optional)

Dry fruits of choice to Garnish

Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of Saffron in 1/4 Cup of Warm water before starting to mix the batter.

Procedure to Make:

Sieve together, all purpose flour, salt and baking powder in a large mixing bowl.

Now add  Brown Sugar, all dry ingredients and mix properly.

Add refined oil, water and vanilla extract and mix well using a whisk or a blender to form a smooth batter.

Take care that the batter is smooth, without any lumps.

I have used a foil pan (see the pic below) to bake my cake. You can use any vessel of your choice.

Make sure the vessel or the foil pan is lined with oil to prevent Brownie from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Pour the batter into the vessel or foil pan and lightly tap it to remove the air bubbles.

Place a rack in the pressure cooker as shown in the picture below and place the foil pan on it.

Close the lid and cook on a high flame for 10 minutes and then reduce the flame and cook for another 15 minutes.

Keep checking in between and if the water level has decreased add more water.

Insert a tooth-pick, if it comes out clean, it indicates the cakes is done.

If you have used a Foil-pan the Brownie gets easily separated.

Otherwise, run a knife through the edges of the vessel used and invert on a plate.

Cut into desired shapes and serve.

Tips:

Never bake a brownie in pressure cooker without water as it might harm/spoil the cooker.

Weight should not be used if making Brownie/Cake in a pressure cooker.

[home-vegan-recipes]

Vegan Chinese Manchurian Recipe

Manchurian is a very popular street food available all over India. Being spicy and hot, it makes a very tasty starter or appetizer for rainy season. It can made with variety of ingredients like Mushrooms, Cauliflowers and baby corn.

Here in this post I am sharing the basic recipe of Baby corn and Cauliflower Manchurian. You can follow the same steps and make Manchurian with ingredients of your Choice.

The recipe of Vegan Manchurian has two steps, one is frying the Manchurian and other is making the gravy of Manchurian.

 Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4 to 5 people

Ingredients required to make Manchurian:

250 grams of Baby corn (cut into 1 inch long pieces)

250 grams of Cauliflower florets(Gobi)

1 teaspoon of paprika(dissolved in 2 teaspoon of warm water)

1 teaspoon of turmeric powder( optional)

A pinch of pepper powder

2 teaspoon of Corn flour dissolved in cold water

Oil for frying

Salt to taste

Ingredients required to make the gravy:

2-3 teaspoon of finely chopped garlic

2-3 teaspoon of grated ginger

1-2 finely chopped green chillies 

1 medium sized onions, finely chopped

2 medium sized capsicum, finely chopped

1 teaspoon of Paprika(this gives the reddish color to Manchurian)

2 teaspoon of oil

1 cup of tomato sauce

1-2 teaspoon of dark soy sauce

2 teaspoon of green chilly sauce

Salt to taste

Note: If Paprika is not available then soak red chilly in hot water for 10 minutes, remove the seeds and grind it. This paste will also impart the typical Red color to Manchurian

Procedure to fry the Manchurian:

First boil water with a little salt and turmeric.

Separately boil the Baby corn and Cauliflower florets.

Do not over cook the vegetables.

Dissolve corn flour in water and make a paste.

Add the paprika dissolved in water to impart the red color. This is natural way to impart red color to food.

Now add the boiled baby corn and Cauliflowers separately to the corn flour batter and fry till golden brown

 Procedure to Make the Gravy:

In a separate pan, heat some oil and add ginger-garlic paste and saute.

Add finely chopped onion and saute till translucent.

Now add the finely chopped capsicum and finely chopped green chillies.

Add tomato sauce, soy sauce and green chilly sauce.

Mix well. Check for salt and add more as per taste.

Add paprika dissolved in warm water and bring it to a boil.

Divide this gravy to into two parts, to one add the Cauliflower and to another the Baby corns.

Garnish green coriander.

Serve hot with Ketchup of your choice.

Serve Along with Sweet Corn vegetable Soup.

[home-vegan-recipes]

Potato-Pumpkin Soup Recipe

This is a thick Vegan Soup, which is an ideal soup for the winters. It's nutritious soup and can be a complete meal when served with slice of bread.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4 People

Ingredients Required:

2 Cups of Peeled and Diced Pumpkin

2 medium sized Potatoes (Peeled and cubed)

1 cup of Soy Milk or nut milk  or Vegetable Stock

6-7 cloves of Garlic, finely chopped

1 inch piece of ginger, finely chopped

1 teaspoon of Oregano

2 teaspoon of Pepper Powder

2 teaspoon of Refined vegetable oil

Finely chopped Coriander leaves (to garnish)

Salt to taste

Note: You can even add vegetables like carrots, onions and Bottle-gourd to this soup. If Dairy free milk is not available you can even use vegetable stock or just plain water.

Procedure to make:

Heat oil in a pressure cooker or a heavy bottomed pan and add finely chopped Garlic and Ginger. If you are using onions then it must be added at this stage only.

Once Ginger-Garlic are sauteed, add the vegetables and mix well.

Cook on a medium flame for 10 minutes.

Now add 1 cup of water and pressure cook on a medium flame for 2 whistles.

If using a Heavy bottomed pan, then cover and cook on a medium flame till Vegetables are softened.

Once the vegetables cool down, pour the contents in a blender and blend into a smooth paste or you can even use a hand blender.

Pour the contents into a sauce pan and add Soy milk or vegetable stock.

Continue cooking on a low flame and add Pepper powder, salt and half teaspoon of Oregano.

Mix well and cook on a low flame till a boil.

Note: You can adjust the consistency as per your choice, by adding water or Vegetable Stock or Soy Milk.

Serve Immediately garnished with Oregano and coriander leaves. Serve this hot with Grilled tofu fingers.

Related Recipes:

Vegan Sweet Corn Soup

Vegan Cream of Vegetable Soup

[home-vegan-recipes]

Gujarati Dal recipe

This is an easily made Vegan Dal/Lentil which involves no technique in particular and can be prepared by a beginner. Its lightly spiced and a little sweet in taste so an excellent food for kids as well.    Toor dal is a highly nutritious Dal rich in protein and also has Vitamin A and C. It is recommended for aged people as it is easily digested.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves: 3 to 4 people Ingredients Required:

1 cup of Yellow split Pigeon Pea tuvar(toor) dal(arhar dal)

2 teaspoon of Turmeric powder(haldi)

1-2 teaspoon of Tamarind pulp or kokum juice

2-3 teaspoon of Grated jaggery

2 teaspoon Ginger paste preferably fresh

1 teaspoon of Asfoetida(hing)

1 teaspoon of Cumin seeds(jeera)

1 teaspoon of Mustard seeds(rai)

1-2 of finely chopped Green chilly

2-4 teaspoon of refined oil

Salt to taste

Coriander to garnish

Procedure to make:

Wash the toor dal and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles.

In a saucepan, pour the pressure cooked dal and mash it properly using a masher or a hand blender.

Add a glass of water and turmeric and boil it.

Add tamarind pulp dissolved in water along with Jaggery

Heat oil in a tempering pan add cumin, mustard and hing. 

After the Cumin and mustard splutters add the ginger paste and saute it.

Pour this tempering over the Dal and mix well.

Add salt as per taste and garnish with coriander.

Serve hot with Steamed Rice and enjoy!

[home-vegan-recipes]

Vegan Spinach Dal Recipe

Spinach and Lentils are two of my favourite ingredients and this is one of my favourite dish. You can even serve it as soup or as a side dish with Rotis and Steamed Rice.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4 to 6 people

Ingredients Required:

1 cup of Yellow split pegion pea (Toor Dal)

1/2 cup of Green gram Split (Yellow Moong Dal)

1/4 cup of Split Bengal Gram (Chana Dal)

1 Cup of Spinach Puree

1 Cup of Tomato Puree

1 medium sized Onion finely chopped

2 green chilly finely chopped

5-6 Cloves of Garlic

2 teaspoon of finely chopped Ginger

2 teaspoon of Cumin seeds

1 teaspoon of Mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon of Carom seeds (Ajwain)

1 teaspoon of Asafoetida (Hing)

3 teaspoon of Refined vegetable oil

2 teaspoon of Turmeric powder

1 teaspoon of Coriander powder

1 teaspoon of Red chilly powder

Salt to taste

Note: To make Spinach Puree, boil Spinach leaves in water for 10 minutes and drain the water. Immediately place the Spinach leaves in cold water. Drain the water and make it into a paste. This is called Blanching or refreshing and helps in retaining the fresh green color of Spinach leaves.

Procedure to make:

Wash all the Lentils and pressure cook along with 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder and salt for 5 whistles or till tender.

Simultaneously, heat 2 teaspoon of oil in a heavy bottomed pan or a non-stick pan, add Cumin seeds, Mustard seeds and Carom seeds.

Once seeds crackle, add ginger-garlic and saute.

Add onions and saute it till turns light brown. Take care not to burn onions.

At this point, add the tomato puree and saute till oil starts leaving sides of the pan.

Now add Spinach Puree and mix well.

Add Red chilly powder, coriander powder and mix well.

Now add the pressure cooked lentils and mix everything well.

Add salt as per taste and mix well.

Serve hot.

Tip: Whenever onions are sauted, saute it on a low flame initially till onions are glossy. Then turn the flame on a medium high and brown them to get an excellent taste.

[home-vegan-recipes]

Sukhe Chane Ke Dal

English name: Dry Bengal Gram Curry.

This is a dry Lentil curry made using Split Bengal Gram, Onions, tomatoes and tempered with Sesame seeds and Green chilly. Traditionally most of the Indian Lentils/Dal are made using Clarified Butter but we can also make it using any refined Vegetable oil. It is a mildly spiced dish and so it is ideal for Kids. Being a Dry curry like dish you can pack it as a Lunchbox dish.

Preparation time: 1 hour (Soaking time)

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4 to 5 people

Ingredients Required:

2 Cups of Split Bengal Gram (Chana Dal)

1 Cup of finely chopped Onion

1 Cup of finely chopped Tomatoes

1 inch of grated Ginger

2-3 Cloves

1 inch piece of Cinnamon

1 Bay leaf

1 teaspoon of Cumin seeds

1 teaspoon of Mustard seeds

1 teaspoon of Turmeric Powder

1 teaspoon of Red chilly Powder

1 teaspoon of Coriander Powder

Juice of Half a lime

2 teaspoon of Refined Vegetable Oil

Salt to taste

For Tempering the Dal:

2 teaspoon of Refined vegetable oil

2 Green chilly Slit

2 teaspoon of Sesame seeds

Procedure to Make:

Soak the Split Bengal Gram 1 hour prior to Cooking the Dal.

Wash the Soaked Dal till water runs clear.

Pressure cook in 1 cup of water till tender but not mushy. I pressure cooked it for 2 Whistles.

 Heat oil in a saucepan and to it add Cumin seeds,Mustard seeds,Bay leaf,Cinnamon.

Saute it for a while and add the Finely chopped onions and saute till golden brown on a medium flame.

Once Onions turn golden brown,add tomatoes and saute till tomatoes are cooked.

Now add Turmeric Powder,Coriander Powder,Red chilly Powder and mix well.

Add the Cooked Dal and mix well.

Add Salt and Juice of half a lime and mix well.

Turn off the heat and Temper the Dal.

Procedure to temper the Dal:

Heat oil in a Tempering pan.

Add Sesame seeds and Slit green chill.

Once Sesame seeds Crackle pour this tempering over the Dal.

Serve it hot With Rotis or Steamed Rice.

[home-vegan-recipes]

Vegan Chocolate Shake Recipe

This is an easy-to-make thick chocolate shake. I made it using Soy milk, but you can even make using any nut milk like Almond milk. I have used Custard powder to make it thick. I have used Demerara Sugar to give  a Caramelized flavor to Chocolate shake. You can use any other sweetener. Serve this thick cold Chocolate shake with Vegan Sandwiches to make a healthy wholesome breakfast. You can make and keep in fridge at night to serve a chilled Shake in morning.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Serves: 2 people

Ingredients Required:

500 ml + 50 ml of Soy milk or any other nut milk

2 teaspoon of Custard powder

3 teaspoon of Demerara Sugar

20 grams of Vegan dark chocolate

1/4 teaspoon of Instant Coffee powder(optional)

Ice-Cubes (optional)

Note: Adding Coffee powder to any chocolate containing dessert, cake or shake will enhance the flavor of the dish. I have used Bru Instant Coffee powder. Demerara sugar is a Dark sugar made of Raw Sugar Cane and has a distinctive caramel taste.

Procedure to make:

1) To make Custard Milk

Boil milk in a vessel.

Dissolve 2 teaspoon of Custard powder in water and add it to boiled milk.

Add Demerara Sugar, Coffee powder and mix well.

Turn off the heat and once cooled keep in fridge to chill.

2) To make Vegan Ganache

In a saucepan, heat 1 cup Soy milk and once it reaches a boil add chopped Vegan dark chocolates.

Mix well using a whisk, till t is glossy and smooth.

Note: Usually ganache  is used as a frosting on Cakes and Cupcakes. I had some leftover ganache which I used and made this shake.

Now to make the Shake,

Take the Vegan Custard Milk and blend it using a blender till smooth.

Now add the prepared Chocolate ganache and Ice-cubes and blend again till smooth.

Serve it Chilled.

[home-vegan-recipes]

Sarson Da Saag Recipe

Sarson da Saag (Mustard leaves Curry) is a  delicacy from Punjab region of India. It's made from Mustard leaves and spices.

Mustard leaves are available mostly in winters and help the body fight against cold. Traditionally this dish is slow cooked, tempered with Clarified ghee and topped with Butter. But I have made it using Vegetable oil and it tasted just the same as the traditional one. Try this on weekend, enjoy!

Preparation time: 40 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour

Serves: 5-6 people

Ingredients required to make the Saag

3 bunch of Mustard leaves (Sarson ke patte)

2 medium sized onion finely chopped

2 medium sized tomatoes finely chopped

8-9 cloves of garlic finely chopped

2 inch piece of ginger finely chopped

2-3 green chilly finely chopped

3 teaspoon of Gram flour or Sorghum flour or Maize flour

1 teaspoon of Turmeric powder

1 teaspoon of Red chilly powder

1 teaspoon of Coriander powder

1 teaspoon of Garam powder

3-4 teaspoon of Vegetable oil

Salt to taste

For tempering

3-4 teaspoon of Vegetable oil

1 teaspoon of Asafoetida (hing)

1 teaspoon of Cumin seeds

1 teaspoon of Mustard seeds

3 Whole red chilly

4-5 cloves of garlic finely chopped

2 teaspoon of finely chopped ginger

1 small onion finely chopped

Procedure to make:

Wash the mustard leaves and drain the water and roughly chop them.

Now, heat oil in a pressure cooker and add finely chopped garlic, ginger and green chilly to it. Saute it till garlic turns light brown.

Now add onions and saute it till onions are translucent.

Add tomatoes and saute it till it softens.

Add finely chopped Mustard leaves and mix well.

Saute on a low flame for 10 minutes.

Mix red chilly powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder in a bowl of water.

Add this to the pressure cooker and mix well. Pressure cook for 1 whistle.

After the pressure has reduced, cook the Saag on a low flame for 20 minutes.

Now add Gram flour or Maize flour or Sorghum flour and mix well, making sure there are no lumps.

Once the Saag has cooled blend it into a fine paste in a Mixie or using a hand blender.

Place it back on heat and cook for 10 minutes on a low flame.

Switch off the heat and prepare the tempering

For tempering the Saag:

Heat some oil in a tempering pan and once heated add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, asafoetida and red chilly.

Once mustard seeds crackle add finely chopped garlic, ginger and onion and saute well.

Pour this tempering over the Saag.

Serve this Hot with Maize Tortillas/ Makai ki Roti or Sorghum flour tortillas/ Bajre ki Roti or Steamed Rice.

Additional Information:

You can also add Spinach leaves along with Mustard leaves.

Cook it on a low flame for getting the best taste.

Asafoetida(hing) helps in easily digestion of food.

Adding Gram flour or Maize flour or Sorghum flour helps in thickening the dish.

While sauteing garlic for tempering take care not to over cook it, as that will impart a bitter taste.

If Vegan Butter is available you can top the Saag with it.

Health Benefits of Mustard leaves:

Mustard leaves are very low in calories (26 calories per 100 g raw leaves) and fats.

 Its dark-green leaves contain a very good amount of fiber that helps control cholesterol level by interfering with its absorption in the gut. Additionally, adequate fiber in the food aids in smooth bowel movements and thereby offers protection from hemorrhoids, constipation as well as colon cancer diseases.

The greens are supposed to be one of the highest among leafy vegetables, which provide vitamin K, which has found to have a potential role in bone mass building function.

Fresh mustard leaves are an excellent source of vitamin-C which is a powerful natural anti-oxidant that offers protection against free radical injury and flu-like viral infections.

Fresh mustard greens are an excellent source of several essential minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, selenium, and manganese.

Additional Informational about Mustard leaves:

In Season: Mustard greens are available in Winters in India i.e October till end of January.

What to Look For: Look for leaves with a rich green color. Avoid any mustard greens that are wilted or yellowish. The smaller the leaves, the more tender they will be.

How to Store: Wrap unwashed mustard greens tightly and store in the refrigerator's crisper drawer for up to one week. Mustard greens tend to hold sand and dirt, so wash thoroughly before cooking.

[home-vegan-recipes]

Jeera Rice Platter Recipe

This is one basic Rice dish which is often served with Rajma. I decided to give the traditional Rajma-Chawal a twist by serving it with a Potato-Cauliflower Curry and Citrus Salad. It made the traditional Rajma-Jeera Rice look more colourful and tempting.

     It is very easy to make. Just make sure that the proportion of Rice-Water is adequate to make the Rice cook in a separated way. I made it using Basamati Rice to give it tempting and appetizing aroma.

Preparation time: 5-10 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4 to 5 people

Ingredients Required:

3 cups of basamati Rice

3 teaspoon of Refined Vegetable Oil

2 teaspoon of Cumin seeds (preferably use Shahi Jeera)

2 bay leaves

2 Green Cardamom

1 inch stick of Cinnamon

4-5 Cloves

Half a cup of Cashew nuts, Raisins

1 teaspoon of white pepper powder

Salt to taste

For best results soak and keep the Rice for 1 hour before cooking.

Procedure to make:

Wash the rice till water runs clear.

Heat some oil in a pressure cooker. Add cumin seeds, bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon and cashew nuts.

Roast till cashew nuts are light brown.

Now add the washed rice and mix well.

Add salt, white pepper powder and 2 cups of water and pressure cook for 3 whistles.

Once the pressure is down add the Raisins which are lightly roasted in oil.

Serve hot.

Tip: If you want to make Jeera Rice quickly, then instead of adding cold water add hot water.

To assemble the dish:

In center of the plate place Jeera-Rice. Pour Rajma on Side.

Place Potato-Cauliflower curry on side.

Place Citrus Salad on another side. (Refer above photo)

[home-vegan-recipes]

Tamatar-khajur Khatta Recipe

This is a spicy + sweet chutney made of Tomatoes and Date Palms. This chutney is unique to state to Orissa. I love it and make it once a week. It is easy to make and a dish for beginners.

Preperation time: 10 Minutes

Cooking time: 10-20 Minutes

Ingredients Required:

10-12 seedless dates( khajur)

2 medium sized ripe tomatoes which has been chopped

Half an inch ginger which has been either grated or thinly sliced

1-2 green chillies which has been slit lengthwise

1/4 cup of Raisins ( optional)

Panch Pooran --(which is 1 teaspoon each of fennel seeds, Cumin seeds, Nigella seeds, Fenugreek seeds, Mustard seeds).

1 teaspoon of roasted meethi and jeera seeds

2 teaspoon of refined oil

40-50 ml of water

1 teaspoon of sugar

 Salt to taste

Procedure to make:

Heat oil in a pan and add to it grated ginger and green chillies and fry it for a while before adding Panch poran masala.

Now add Date Palms which has been roughly chopped into small pieces.

Add water and let the Dates soften a bit before adding chopped tomatoes

Add raisins, roasted Fenugreek and Cumin seeds, sugar and salt as per taste.

Turn off the heat and let it cool. Once cooled blend it into a coarse paste.

Put it back in saucepan and cook again to till boils.

Use this a Chutney or a spread.

Tips: You can add a  teaspoon of this Chutney to your Regular Lentil ( dal fry) and make it more tasty.

I had once used it as gravy and made a tasty Potato-Cauliflower Curry.