Ricotta Cheesecake with Mixed Berries and Balsamic Vinegar

Normally I don't indulge in sweets and desserts but I couldn't resist this recipe that I found in the early summer edition of Food and Drink. It was also an opportunity to try out my homemade graham crackers as a base for the cake. There is a relatively small amount of sugar in this cake, but it is rich, so you will want to share with your friends and family, as I did.



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Quinoa Cloud Cookies

It's spring here. I know because I'm standing in my kitchen, looking out onto the porch, watching a robin gather bundles of dried grass (from a neglected planter) to use as bedding in her nest. I was feeling bad about the state of my patio garden, but this makes me feel a bit better. I'm watching the robin, the sun is out, and I have a batch of cloud-shaped cookies in the oven. Even better, I'm excited to finally put my hand-crafted cookie cutter from Herriott Grace to use.

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chickpea recipes, chickpeas are comfort food.

Chickpea Recipes

Chickpea Recipes are in demand as chickpeas are loved by all as they are comfort food. Chickpeas are used in many recipes for lunch, dinner and breakfast. They are wonderful as snack recipes too.

The types of chick pea are, black, brown, white, green. These are whole chickpeas before removing their husk.

White chickpeas are called Kabuli chana in Indian language and are used to make chickpeacurry (chana masala/ chole), friedchickpeas, chickpea salad etc.

Split Brown chickpeas (Bengal gram or Chana in Indian language) are used to make curries, added to vegetables such as Cabbage Fry and rice recipes, salads, curries.

Chick pea flour , called Besan or gram flour is used to make many dishes, mainly snacks. It is used as a thickener for soups, curries. It is also used to make dhokla, vatli dal, ghugari with whole and split chickpeas, pakoda, aloo bonda, pancake - instant dosa, sev and many more sweets such as Besan ladoo, puran poli, vadi, rava besan vadi etc.

Chickpea flour is useful for external use on the skin too apart from being a wonderful food ingredient.

Chickpea flour is a good skin cleanser so it is used as a body scrub powder forbabies as well as grown ups. It is mixed with milk/cream and used at bath time. It cleans and softens the skin but does not remove the necessary oils.

Roasted chickpeas called bhuna chana/dalia(hindi),puthane(marathi), hurigadale(kannada), pottukadale(tamil) are added to savory items such as chivda, mixture. used as snack the roasted chick peas flour is also used as a thickener.

What you can do with Chickpeas: Chickpea Recipes How to cook chickpeas- Simple instructions Howto skin chickpeas - Instructions for Removing chickpea skins ChickpeaCurry - A yummy curry FriedChickpeas - A healthy snack.CabbageFry - A cabbage and chickpea dish.




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Vegetarian Sang Choi Bao

This recipe is an appetizer we made to accompany the Lemon Tofu and Chinese Green Vegetables and teamed with the recipe for Hoisin Tofu and Almonds would make a complete vegetarian Chinese Banquet for 4-6 people (well nearly

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Turnip Green Tart

Well, it's Sunday. I returned from Portland, Oregon on Wednesday, and here I am looking at my suitcase and my carry-on bag. They are exactly where I dropped them, ten steps from the front door, still fully packed. Can we unpack together? I thought it would provide me some incentive, and at the same time I can give you a glimpse of some of the treats that hitched a ride back to San Francisco in my luggage.

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EatYourBooks.com and GobbledyBook.com - Two Sites for Indexing Your Cookbooks

I wanted to let you know about a service I just learned about. EatYourBooks.comhas a very clever idea. You have a shelf full of dozens or hundreds ofcookbooks, right? But it is a pain in the butt to find all the eggplantrecipes in them. So you use the web instead and end up with a bunch ofdubious recipes. (Unless you find them on my site; then you know they are solid gold, baby :).

On EYB, they have 16,500 cookbooks indexed.You tell it which ones you own, and then you can search them. Itprobably won't have every book you own, but you can request them forlater indexing. In just the 24 books I've entered so far (which took 10minutes), I can see 99 eggplant recipes, narrow it down to 22 Indianones, and see that there is Eggplant Pakora with Poppy Seeds in The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking and Andhra Spiced Eggplant in Mangoes and Curry Leaves. Sweet. I'm going to get a lot more use out of my cookbooks.

Ishould note that EYB did give me a free membership - but of course I'mtelling you about them because I think it is a killer service, notbecause of the freebie. They have a free trial, so check it out.

I should also mention GobbledyBook.comby Seattle food photographer extraordinaire, Lara Ferroni. The idea issimilar, but it is always free and if the book you want isn't in there, youcan index it yourself. So it is a more open solution, but because ofthat it has much less content (5,000 recipes vs. 250,000). You'll haveto decide for yourself whether you'd rather go DIY for free or pay$25/year to use a bigger database.

And speaking of indexing your recipes, I just built this new visual index to all of the recipes on Herbivoracious. Check it out and let me know what you think!

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Persian-Italian Eggplant Stew - Recipe (Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Persian-Italian Eggplant Stew

Yes, I said Persian-Italian. Bear with me here for a second. I was looking for some sort of moist eggplant dish to serve with Persian rice (a wonderful basmati pilaf with a crunchy crust; I'll tell you about that soon). I came across several recipes for a Persian dish named Fesenjan-e Bademjan, which is eggplant braised in a sauce of walnuts, pomegranate, and honey.

This sounded amazing, but I had two problems: I had no pomegranate molasses in the house, and I can't serve walnuts. I scanned my pantry for something that might replace the pomegranate, and hit upon mosto cotto (aka saba), which is the cookedgrape must that would become balsamic vinegar if it was aged.

Mosto cotto is fruity, sweet and sour in a way very comparable to the pomegranate molasses. So I decided to roll with it and reimagine the dish as if it were cooked by a Persian traveling on a trade route through Italy in the 10th century. (I have an active imagination). The sweet / sour / spiced flavors seem almost medieval.

As for the walnuts, I figured that their main purpose was to thicken and enrich the sauce. I substituted roasted, unsweetened sunflower seed butter. But if you have walnut butter or can toast and grind whole ones, I'm sure that would be great.

You'll notice I don't salt and drain the eggplants. Some people feel this is essential to remove bitterness. To me, it just makes them wet so they don't brown well. I don't find them particularly bitter. 

Persian-Italian Eggplant Stew
Vegetarian, vegan (if you replace the honey with say agave nectar), and gluten-free
Serves 4

3 medium or 2 large eggplant (I used normal Western style eggplants)1/2 cup olive oil1 onion, finely diced2 cloves garlic, minced2 teaspoons ground cumin1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/2 teaspoon cayenne (or to taste)several grinds fresh black pepper2 tablespoons mosto cotto (saba)2 tablespoons honey (replace if you want vegan)2 tablespoons red wine vinegar2 tablespoons roasted, unsweeted sunflower butter (or see above)2 cups watersalthandful parsley leaves2 teaspoons sumac powderTrim the eggplants and cut them in quarters, lengthwise. In a large skillet, heat the oil over a medium high-flame. Fry the eggplant on all sides until well seared and golden brown. Remove to paper towels and season with salt.Leaving the remaining oil in the pan, reduce the heat to medium and fry the onion and garlic for 3 minutes. Add the cumin, cinnamon, cayenne and black pepper and cook for one more minute. Add the mosto cotto, honey, red wine vinegar, and sunflower butter. The sunflower butter will be a lump at first, but once it heats up you can whisk it in easily.Simmer for a few minutes and then season with salt as needed. Cut the cooled eggplant into bite sized pieces and add back to the sauce. Reduce heat to a bare simmer. Cook until the eggplant is fully tender and the sauce thickened, about 10 minutes.Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, cayenne, or vinegar as needed to achieve a complex mixture of spices, sweet, and sour.Garnish with parsley leaves and sumac and serve. Find related articles in: Gluten-Free or modifiable

How to skin chickpeas, removing chickpea skins

How to skin chickpeas - Removing Chickpea skin I got a question through my contact form asking How to skin chickpeas?

Here is the question I got and my answer below that.

The question:

Thank you for your simple, thorough instructions regarding howto cook chickpeas.

I have a question that I'm hoping you will be able to answer. I am(obviously) new to chickpeas and love them. However, they seem to have a "skin" or "hull" on them. Does that need to be removed? If so, is there a quicker way to remove them than to peel each off individually?

Thank you so much for your website.

-----------------------------------------------------

My answer:

Method for removing chickpea skin :

I love chickpeas and cook them often. I always use them along with the skin. When the chickpeas are cooked soft, the skin is soft too. I have never found the need to remove theskin.

But if you like, you may remove chickpea skin in the following way. You will find this as a quick method to remove skin from the chickpeas compared to peeling each one individually.

After your chickpeas are almost cooked (either in the pot on the stove top or in pressure cooker), take the pot off the heat and add a few glasses of cold water to it.

The skins will crack and loosen and float on the top. Remove them with a slotted spoon. Stir the chickpeas and more loosened skins will come to the top. Most of the skin can beremoved in this way.

If a lot of skin still remains, put your hand in the pot (it will be cold because of the cold water) and take a fistful chickpeas at a time and rub them lightly with your fingers. (Do not use any pressure while rubbing. You will get mashed chickpeas).

Now the remaining skins should also come off. Remove them with a slotted spoon. If you want to cook your chickpeas further (for chickpea curry or soup) to soften them more, you can do that now by boiling them a little longer.

Add the chickpeas onto a colander if you want to remove the excess water (if you don't need water for your recipe). If you want to dry them some more, spread the chickpeas on a cloth or a towel and allow drying a little under a fan or leaving them on a plate in the fridge.Use the skinned chickpeas as you want.

Hope this answers your question: How to skin chickpeas?

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spinach raita recipe - palak raita - fresh spinach recipes - yogurt recipes

Palak raita -spinach raita recipe

This spinach raita recipe is one of healthy fresh spinach recipes. It's also an easy spinach dip recipe. It is one of the many wonderful yogurt recipes that I love.

It is named palak(spinach) raita(yogurt based side dish) in hindi. It is served with rice dishes such as vegetable rice, pulao, biryani or with any Indian breads.

How to make spinach raita - palak raita?

Ingredients for spinach raita:

Fresh Spinach (only leaves) - 1 cupCurd (plain yogurt) - 1

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Tomato Raita, tomato recipes, yogurt recipes

Tomato Raita - Healthy Salad

Raita recipes such as Tomato Raita recipe make your meal more colorful as well as healthier. It contains all the goodness of fresh tomatoes and yogurt. It is a wonderful tomato and yogurt recipe.

This indian salad recipe is a side dish that is served with a variety of Indian rice or bread. Not only it is a very healthy recipe, but it is easy and simple and quick salad recipe too. Just try it.

How to Make Tomato Raita

Ingredients

Tomatoes ripe red - 2 nos Curds(plain yogurt) - 1 cup Salt - to taste Sugar - 1/4 tsp Green chilli(optional) - 1 no. Coriander(Cilantro) leaves - 1 tbsp

For Seasoning

Oil - 1 tsp Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp Asafoetida - a pinch

Preparation

Chop tomatoes, cilantro Slit chilli in half.

Prepare Seasoning

Heat oil. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Add the slit chilli, pinch of asafetida.

Final Mixing Mix together chopped tomatoes, cilantro leaves, salt, sugar, curds. Add the prepared seasoning and mix well.

Serve with rice or bread immediately or after cooling in the fridge for sometime.

Tip:

You can add black pepper powder along with or instead of green chili according to your taste.

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Cucumber Raita - cucumber salad - cucumber recipes

Cucumber Raita - Cucumber recipeCool Cucumber salad with yogurt

Cucumber Raita is a cool cucumber salad dish with yogurt(curds) that is served with a variety of Indian rice or bread. Not only it is a very healthy recipe, but it is easy and simple and quick recipe too.

In Indian languages Cucumber is known as Kheera/kakdi(hindi), kakdi(marathi), savatekai(kannada)languages.

In the hot summer months, cucumber is a popular vegetable/fruit to keep you cool. When you addyogurt to it, that becomes still cooler.

When you have it after or with a hot Curry, it will make you feel cool. That way you can enjoy your hot curry and not feel the burning too. Just try it.

How to Make Cucumber Raitha

Ingredients

Cucumber - 1 cup chopped finely Curds(plain yogurt) - 1 cup Salt - to taste Sugar - 1/4 tsp Green chilli(optional) - 1 no slit in half. Coriander(Cilantro) leaves - 1 tbsp chopped

For Seasoning

Oil - 1 tsp Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp Asafoetida - a pinch

Prepare Seasoning

Heat oil. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Add the slit chilli, pinch of asafetida.

Mixing

Mix together chopped cucumber, cilantro leaves, salt, sugar, curds. Add the prepared seasoning and mix well. Cool if you wish and serve with rice or bread.

Tips

The plain yogurt(curds)should be fresh and sweet. Make sure it is not sour.Keep the raitha in the fridge if you are planning to serve it later. If left outside, it can get sour.



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Chivda recipe , aval, thin poha recipe. snack recipe

Chivda - Rice flake - Aval - Snack

Chivda is a savory snack made all over India. It is made with generally riceflakes (called aval, poha, avalakki, chivra, beaten rice in Indian languages).

Thin variety of rice flakes is used for this recipe. This thin rice flake  isusually referred to as paper aval or thin poha.

It is good as a teatime snack or at any time. This snack keeps for 3-4 weeks so you can also carry it with you if you are traveling.

There is a deep fried variety of this for which thick poha is used. You will find both the recipes here.

How to make Chivda with thin aval - poha :

Ingredients for chivra:

paper poha - 250 gmsground nuts(peanuts) - 2 tbspred chili powder - 1 teaspoon or according to tastesalt - 2 tspoil - 2 or 3 tbspsugar (optional) -

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Dhokla recipe, steamed snack,Gujarati snack. yogurt recipes,chickpea flour recipe.

Dhokla Recipe - a steamed snack Recipe

This Dhokla Recipe is a popular snack originally from the Western Indian state ofGujarat. I love it as it is easy to make and is a Steamed Snack.

Dhokla is generally made with split chickpeas (called Bengal gram dal or chana dal). It is also made with chickpea flour (gram flour, also called besan in indian languages).

It can also be made with mung dal (split green lentils) or with a mixture of rice and urad dal (white lentils - that is black lentils with husk removed).

There are a few recipes for making dhokla and this is one of the simple ones.I will also add the other dhokla-recipes later. Each variety tastes good so try them all.

How to make Dhokla:

Ingredients to serve 4:

chickpea flour(besan,gram flour) - 2 cupswater - 1 cupplain yogurt( should be a little sour) - 1/2 cupsoda bicarb - 1 tspgreen chili paste - 1 tspginger paste -

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Dahi puri , Indian Chaat, snack recipe. dahi poori

Dahi Puri - Indian Chaat ItemIndian Street Food

Dahi puri (also spelt as Dahi Poori)is a popular Indian Chaat item. It is basically an Indian street food like pani puri. But restaurants serve it too.

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this pani puri recipe is a Indian chaat recipe, part of Indian street food

Pani puri Recipe - Indian Chaat Recipe

This pani puri recipe is a favorite of my family. It also has other names such as, golgappa in North India and poochakas in west bengal and gup chup in Orisa. It is also spelt as pani poori.

The literal meaning of Pani puri is 'water in fried bread'. The pani(water) is spicy, digestive liquid which can be made in advance and kept and used for a few days.

Pani puri is a indian chaat item. Just a mention of pani puri is enough to make one'smouth water in anticipation. It is such a lip smacking dish. Though it is a street food similar to masala puri, dahi puri etc, making it at home is easy and more hygienic too.

Pani puri is an item where you make the preparation earlier and just assemble the dish just before serving. So it is a very convenient dish for anytime or every time. It is a popular item for kid's parties as well as any other parties.

The items used to make pani puri recipe are:

Purilentil / potato for stuffingpanichopped onions and coriander leaves.Sweet chutney.

All these items should be ready before you start assembling the dish.

1. Semolina puri:

The semolina puris used for pani puri are small about 1

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Coconut Milk ,coconut water, coconut cream, coconut milk powder

Coconut milk - coconut juice - coconut water

Coconut milk is different from coconut water (coconut juice), whichyou get when you open the coconut. You can read more about Coconut water by clicking here.You get coconut milk

when you extract the milky juice from the inner white fleshy part of coconut. That is done by finely grating or grinding the coconut and extracting the juice using a littlewater.

If you have a heavy duty mixer grinder, you can put the coconut pieces in it to grind it to paste. You can also use grated coconut to extract milk.

Coconut-milk looks like, well, dairy milk. It can be used to make sweets, drinks, desserts, soups in the same way as dairy milk. Veganscan use it in many dishes instead of dairy milk.

How to make Coconut Milk

Ingredients:

Coconut - 1 Water - 2-3 cups Muslin cloth or a strainer.

Method:

Grind the fresh coconut using about

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dahi vada recipe,is a yogurt based Indian snack. yogurt recipe

HOME New Pages Contact Us Privacy Policy Site Map Dahi vada - yogurt based snack recipe

Dahi vada is also known as dahi bhalle(hindi, punjabi), mosaru vade(kannada), thayir vade(tamil)in indian languages.

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Mango Lassi Recipe, sweet lassi recipe, mango recipes

Mango Lassi Recipe -Sweet Lassi

I love mangoes and I love this mango Lassi Recipe. Mangoes are availableonly during summer season, I use them, raw mangoes as well as ripemangoes in my cooking.

RawMango Chutney, Mangorice, KairiPanha(raw mango drink), all made withraw mango are inseparable part of the summer cooking. Raw mangoes witha little salt and chili powder are quite yummy though they make yourteeth sour.

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Kairi panha recipe - Cool drink recipe,aam panna

Kairi Panha Recipe- Raw Mango Drink - Aam Panha

This Kairi Panha Recipe is also referred to as aam panha or aam panna.This recipe comes to you from Maharashtra, a western Indian state.

'Kairi Panhe' or 'Kairi che pahne' is a maharashtrian name for this rawmango drink. Kairi means 'raw mango' in marathi language. 'Aam(mango) Panna'is a Hindi name for this drink.

The hot summer makes you long for a cool satisfying drink. Instead ofdrinking some artificially flavored and sugar filled drink, try this raw mangodrink - Kairi panha that will not only quench your thirst but also make you feel cool in the hot summer. It is a great refreshing drink.

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Dal recipe is an easy lentil recipe

Dal Recipe - Dal Fry- Lentil recipeMakeit with Red orGreen Lentil - Masoor or Mung bean

This Dal recipe is one among easy Indian cooking recipes. It is also one of the quick cooking recipes. It can be made using any kind of wholelentils or beans such as mung beans, red lentil (masoor) or with splitlentils. It is served with steamed Rice or roti.

You can use whole lentils or split lentils. You may also use the split lentils with husks as they are more nutritious. They may take a little longer to cook thanthe husk removed split lentils.

This is a very commonly made lentil dish. You can make it as mild or spicy as you wish. You can keep it in the fridge for 3-4 days. Just heat and serve.

I am using Masoor(split red lentils), onions and tomatoes in this recipe.

How to make Dal Fry:

Ingredients for 4 servings:

Masoor dal - 1 cup Onions - 1/2 cup, chopped Tomatoes - 1/2 cup, chopped Coriander powder - 1 tea spoon Cumin seed powder - 1 tea spoon Garam Masala powder - 1 tea spoon Green chillies 2 or more according to taste. Curry leaves - a sprig. Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp chopped. garlic - 2 pods - chopped Salt - 1 tea spoon or to taste. Water - 2-3 cups.

Ingredients for seasoning:

vegetable Oil/ghee - 1 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Cumin seeds - 1 tsp Asafoetida - 1 pinch Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon.

Preparation:

Wash and Cook dal till just done by boiling in water. It may take about 10-15 minutes. You may also use pressure cooker to cook dal.Slit chilies in two pieces.

Cooking Method:

Heat oil in a deep pan. Add mustard and cumin seeds. When they stop crackling, add asafotida and turmeric powder, curry leaves, chopped onions, green chili pieces. Fry for 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes. Add 1 cup water. Add coriander, cumin powders. Add garam masala. Add cooked dal, salt. Boil for 5 minutes. Stir. Add more water if needed. Boil for 5 minutes. Add chopped coriander leaves.

Dal Fry Curry is ready. Serve hot with SteamedRice - Plain Rice,
Chapati,
NaanBread

Watch out for more dal recipes.

Enjoy

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Fried Chickpeas recipes - how to cook chickpeas .

Fried Chickpeas recipe How to cook Chickpeas

Fried Chickpeas are a more nutritious snack than potato chips or many other fried snacks. Chickpeas are morehealthy and tasty too. You can use chickpeas in many recipes but thisis one of the easiest.

If you love chickpeas and How to cook chickpeas in adifferent way? is your question, you may find this helpful.

The stir fried or the sautéed chickpea recipe is made in India, especially in the southern states of india. During the 10 day dasara festival or any other festival this sauteed chickpea dish is made and offered to the as 'Naivedya' to the deity and then distributed to the devotees as prasad. It is called 'ghugari' (karnataka) or 'sundal' (tamil). It is great as a snack too.

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Yummy and Healthy fruit snacks

Fruit Snacks– Healthy Snacks

Fruit Snacks are the best and the healthiest snacks, eaten in its natural form. Just peel an orange or a banana and have it. You can also have an apple or apapaya or a few pineapple slices. Or can have assortment of fruitstoo.

But a fruity snack can be made more appealing and tastier in the followingway. Add some chaat Masala on the fruits the following way. you willfind the recipe for chatMasala Here.

The name of this snack is FruitChaat. A very tasty one.

Fruit Chaat - Method 1

Ingredients You need:

plateful of fruit pieces of your choice( cut bite size)chaat masala.Salt - according to tastelime juice(optional) - a littleTo Make Fruit-Chaat-1:Arrange the fruit pieces on the plate. Sprinkle chat masala, salt. (remember chat masala contains salt)Add a little lime juice if preferred. Serve immedietly.Fruit Chaat - Method 2 Ingredients You need:
plateful of fruit pieces of your choice( cut bite size)chaatmasala.Salt - according to tastePlain yogurt - 1/2 cup

To Make Fruit-Chaat-2:

Place the fruit pieces on a plate. Spoon over some plain yogurt on top of fruit pieces. Sprinkle a little chaat masala, salt and sugar on the yogurt. Serve immedietly.




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Indian pickle recipes, pickles, spicy pickles

Indian Pickle Recipes

Indian Pickle Recipes are a must for any food lover. Be it a festival meal or an everyday meal, a variety of pickles are served.

Summer months are busy months for the women folk. Mangoes arein season and many special dishes are made from raw as well as ripemangoes. Mango pickle is a part of that.

Apart from the mangoes, pickles are made from lime, green chilies, garlic, vegetables such as carrots, cauliflowers, gooseberries, mixed pickle etc.

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Lime pickle , lemon pickle, pickle recipes

Lime pickle - Lemon pickle

Lime pickle is a favorite of many. As lime or lemons are available throughout the year, you can make lemon pickle anytime you want.

For this pickle, use spotless, juicy lemons. Wash them thoroughly and dry them well. Any remaining moisture may spoil the pickle.

How to make Lime Pickle - Lemon Pickle

Ingredients:

Limes - 10 No.Red chilli powder - 1 table spoonSalt - 3 table spoonsfenugreek seeds(methi) - 1/2 teaspoonTurmeric powder - 1 teaspoonAsafoetida - 1/2 teaspoon

Preparation

Roast lightly fenugreek seeds.Grind/pound to fine powderCut Limes in 4 or 8 pieces, as you wish.

Seasoning ingredients:

Oil - for seasoning - 2 tablespoonsMustard seeds - 1 teaspoonTurmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoonAsafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon

Make Seasoning:

Heat OilAdd Mustard seeds, Turmeric powder, Asafoetida Cool completely before adding to pickle

Making Lime pickle:

Mix together lime pieces, salt, red chili powder, fenugreek, turmeric and asafetida.Add the cooled seasoningMix well and fill in dry airtight bottle.Shake the bottle/mixture everyday with a dry spoon once per day for about 15 days.

Lemon Pickle is ready to eat. Serve with any dish such as snacks, rice, roti, poori etc.

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Chili pickle is spicy pickle.

Chili Pickle Recipe

Chili pickle is a favorite of many. As Chilies are available whole year round, you can make chili-pickle whenever you want.

For this pickle, use fresh green Chilies. Choose the hot or not so hot variety according to your taste. Remove stems and Wash them thoroughly and dry them well. Any remaining moisture may spoil the pickle.

You may get burning sensation in your fingers while cutting chilies. Wear gloves if you wish while cutting. Take care not to touch eyes while/after cutting chilies.

This pickle will need about 10 to 15 days to mature.

How to make Chili pickle

Ingredients for pickle:

Green Chilies - 25 No. Salt - 2 table spoons Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds(methi) - 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon Lime juice - 1 cup Asafoetida - 1/2 teaspoon

Seasoning ingredients:

Oil - for seasoning - 2 tablespoons Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon

Make Seasoning:

Heat Oil Add Mustard seeds, Turmeric powder, Asafoetida Cool completely before adding to pickle

Preparation

Roast lightly fenugreek seeds. Grind with mustard seeds to fine powder Slit each chili lengthwise without cutting through. Cut the slit Chilies in one inch size pieces.

Making Chili pickle:

Mix together Chili pieces, salt, red chili powder, fenugreek and mustard powder, turmeric and asafetida. Add lime juice.Mix well and fill in dry airtight bottle or jars.Add the cooled seasoning.Shake the bottle/mixture everyday with a dry spoon once per day for about 15 days.

Pickle will be ready to eat after 10-15 days . Serve with any dish such as snacks, rice, roti, poori etc. Remember to always use a dry spoon to handle pickle and close the lid properly after use.

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Mixed Spicy pickle ,indian pickle recipe

Spicy Pickle - Mixed Pickle

Mixed Spicy Pickle is a favorite of many. The blended aromas of mangoes, limes, ginger and chilies in quite inviting.

For this pickle, use raw sour mangoes, lemons, ginger, chillies. You can also add your favorite berries, bitter gourd pieces etc. Wash all them thoroughly and dry well. Any remaining moisture may spoil the pickle.

How to make Mixed Spicy Pickle

Ingredients for mixed pickle:

Raw sour mangoes - 2 No. Lemons - 10 Nos. Green chillies - 10 No. Ginger - 2 inch piece - 2 No. Red chilli powder - 1 table spoon Salt - 2 table spoons Mustard seeds - 2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds(methi) - 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder - 2 teaspoon Asafoetida - 1/2 teaspoon

Preparation

Roast lightly fenugreek seeds. Grind with mustard seeds to fine powder

Seasoning ingredients:

Oil - for seasoning - 2 tablespoons Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon

Make Seasoning:

Heat Oil Add Mustard seeds, Turmeric powder, Asafoetida Cool completely before adding to pickle

Making Spicy Mixed pickle:

Cut mangoes in your desired size pieces. Cut lemons in 8 pieces. Slit chilies and cut in 1 inch pieces. Cut ginger in thin small pieces. Mix together mango pieces, lime pieces, ginger pieces, chili pieces, salt, red chili powder, fenugreek and mustard powder, turmeric and asafetida. Add the cooled seasoning Mix well and fill in dry airtight bottle. Shake the bottle mixture everyday with a dry spoon once per day for about 15 days.

Pickle will be ready to eat in 10-15 days. Serve with any dish such as snacks, rice, roti, poori etc.

Related Pages to visit:

LimePickleChili-PicklePickledVegetables - Mixed Vegetable Pickle Mango PickleChutney recipesSalad recipes

Go To Pickle Recipes Page From Spicy Pickle Page

Go to Vegetarian Recipes Home Page

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pickled vegetables, one of indian pickle recipes.

Pickled Vegetables - Easy Indian pickle Recipe

Pickled vegetables is my favorite pickle. This is a colorful side item. It adds color as well as taste to a meal.

You can use your favorite vegetables for this such as beetroot, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, brocoli, green peas, shallots etc.

For this pickle, I am using carrots, cauliflower, green peas. Wash them thoroughly and dry them well. Any remaining moisture may spoil the pickle. How to make pickled vegetables - Mixed Vegetable pickle

Ingredients for pickle:

Carrots, Cut into sticks - 1 cup.Cauliflower - 1 cup,cut into small flowerets.Fresh green peas - 1/2 cup.Ginger - 1 tbsp , cut in small thin strips.Lime juice - 1 cup.Red chilli powder - 1 table spoonGreen chili - 2 choppedSalt - 1 table spoonMustard seeds - 2 teaspoonfenugreek seeds(methi) - 1 teaspoonTurmeric powder - 2 teaspoonAsafoetida - 1/2 teaspoon

Preparation

Roast lightly fenugreek seeds.Grind with mustard seeds to fine powder

Seasoning ingredients:

Oil - for seasoning - 1 tablespoonMustard seeds - 1 teaspoonTurmeric powder -

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Aloo Bread Toast - Potato Bread Toast

by Katta Thripura
(Hyderabad)

Ingredients for aloo bread toast - potato bread toast

bread - 6 slices
aloo(potato) - 2 medium
carrot - 2, cut into pieces
beans - 8, cut into pieces
onion - 1 medium finely chopped
chilies - 2 chopped
lime juice - 1 tsp
ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
fresh coriander leaves - 1 tbsp chopped fine
salt - according to taste.

Cooking Method

- Boil aloo(potato), carrots, beans till done.
- Cool & mash.
- Add chopped onions, chilies, ginger garlic paste, lime juice, salt and mix well.
- Divide mixture in six portions.
- Apply each potato mix portion on each bread slice
- Fry on non stick tawa(pan) with less oil.

Serve with tomato ketchup or your favorite chutney.

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Sev Khamani - split chickpea steamed snack

by Pallavi Yarde
(Indore, M.P., India)

Ingredients for KhamaniI

Begal Gram(split chickpeas) - 1 Cup
Ginger - a small piece
jeera (cumin seeds) - 1/2 tsp
Raw mango - 1
Chili - 6-7 according to taste
curry leaves 10-15
rai(mustard seeds)- 1/2 tsp
salt - 1 tsp or to taste
oil - 1 tbsp
Red chillies - 1-2


Procedure to make khamani:

- Soak gram for 5 hrs. and grind it with geera(cumin), chili, ginger.

- Take a Bowl, grease it with oil and put the batter with salt into the bowl.

- Steam the batter for 15 minutes in pressure cooker till it is cooked well.

- It will get converted into cake form. Take a large holed chhanani (a metal sieve, which is used for Gehu/wheat) use its back side and rub that cake over it and grate. We get the soft powder sort of mixture.

- Grate the raw mango add it to the mixture. Heat oil into the Pan, add rai(mustard seeds, red chili, curry leaves and put that tempering on the grated mixture.

Garnish the dish with fresh chopped coriander leaves(cilantro), pudina(mint) leaves, barik(fine) sev( and lemon flicks.

Its the "Khamani".

Enjoy

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making paneer, making panir, how to make paneer

How to make paneer at home

Making paneer at home is a easy and simple process. You will find how to make paneer instructions below. Though paneer is easily available, homemade paneer is made within a few minutes.

The ingredients to make paneer are very few. You only need milk and an acid ingredient such as vinegar or lime juice or citric acid. Follow the instructions below to make paneer at home.

You may use full cream or skimmed milk as you like.

How to make paneer at home - Homemade paneer

Ingredients to make paneer

Milk - 1 literLime juice - 1 tbsp

Making paneer:

Heat milk in a thick bottomed pan. When it starts to boil, add lime juice. Switch the flame off.Stir for a minute. You will see the milk solids separating from the whey. Leave for about 5 minutes to cool a little. Use a cloth strainer or a plastic strainer with a fine mesh and strain the liquid. Once all the liquid is drained, rinse the solids under running cold water. This will remove the taste of vinegar or lemon.

If you are using cloth, tie up and hang for about an hour. You may also keep the cloth wrapped paneer under a heavy stone, pan or a jug of water. Keep a thick kitchen towel below the wrapped paneer. That helps in getting the liquid out fast.

Homemade Paneer is ready to use.

Tips:

The amout of water to be taken out from paneer will depend on what you want to use paneer for. If using for deserts , you will need soft paneer and generally 1 hour draining is enough. when you can form a firm and smooth round with the paneer, it is ready to make sweets like rasagolla.If you want to have paneer cubes, you need to make it a little hard so drain for a longer time. Shape in to a square or rectangular while still in the cloth and put the heavy weight on it. You will be able to cut into cubes later. You need to handle paneer carefully while cutting.




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what is paneer, how to make paneer,panir

What is paneer? How to make paneer?

Do you know what is paneer and how to make paneer?

Paneer is also known as panir, ponir, channa, chenna. Paneer is Indian cheese made from milk. It is a fresh hard cheese. It does not melt and is made by curdling hot milk with a food acid such as vinegar, lemon juice or citric acid, yogurt.

As paneer is not made using rennet (animal product) like other cheeses, it is very much a part of lacto vegetarians (those who consume dairy products) diet. It is a good source for protein for many Indians who are vegetarian.

Paneer is an important part of Indian cooking. It is used more commonly in the north Indian cuisine but now a day, south Indians too are making many of the paneer dishes.

Paneer is generally unsalted unlike other cheeses. It is available everywhere in India. It can also be made at home easily. You can learn making paneer easily.

Making paneer at home is easy and simple process. Paneer can be kept in the fridge for a week or so. It can keep in the freezer for months.

What is paneer used for?

- Paneer is used to made sweets / desserts as well as savory dishes. Sweets such as rasgolla, sandesh are made with fresh paneer.

- Curries like Palak paneer also known as saag paneer, shahi paneer, mutter paneer have paneer as an important ingredient in them. In these, paneer is used along with a variety of vegetables.

- Also the snacks / appetizers such as paneer tikka, paneer pakoda are made with paneer. It is also used in salads.

Substitutes for paneerCottage cheese or farmer cheese, which is available in western countries is similar to paneer but not the same. It is made from cultured milk and is generally salted.Queso fresco or queso blanco, available in the American markets, are similar to paneer. They are also available salted.Tofu, made with soya bean is also similar and can be used by vegans (those who do not consume dairy products). Tofu has a similar color, constituency and texture like paneer.




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Almond Recipes are for good health - Vitamin E source

Almond recipes - rich source of vitamin E. HOME New Pages Contact Us Privacy Policy Site Map Almond RecipesFor Good Health

Almond Recipes are a must for any recipe collection. Almonds should be included in our diet for their many health benefits.

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Besan curry - Instant spicy curry

by Divya.S.Ramesh
(Bangalore)

ingredients needed for besan curry:
- onions 2 chopped
- tomatoes 2 chopped
- mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
- jeera (cumin seeds)-1/2 tsp
- asafetida - a pinch
- besan flour - 1 cup
- green chillies - 2 or 3
- oil 2 tsp
- curds (plain yogurt) - 2 cups

How to make Besan curry - Instant Spicy curry
- First keep a pan for heating
- pour two spoons of oil
- add jeera cumin seeds, mustard seeds and green chillies
- then add cut pieces of onion and tomato
- fry it for 5 min
- in a big pan mix a bowl of besan with a bowl of thick curds
- mix it well, add salt while mixing.
- add this besan mixture in onion and tomato fry and mix everything well.
- add turmeric.
- fry all this 5 min

It is ready for serving.

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Mung Beans and Basmati Rice Recipe

by Karina Gibson 24
(Sheffield, England, UK)

Ingredients for Mung bean and Basmati Rice

- 1/4 tsp spoon mild curry powder
- 3 green capsicums
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 small onion
- 1 tsp of chicken stock granules
- 1/2 tsp of red chili flakes
- 1/4 tsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp of butter/margarine
- 1/4 salt
- 1/4 black course pepper
- 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
- 1/2 cup of mung beans
- 1/2 cup of rice (washed)
- 4 cups of water (add more if needed)

How to cook Mung bean and basmati rice

- Get a large pan and add in a little oil,add chopped onion and one clove of garlic, add chopped capsicums,curry powder, chicken stock granules, chili flacks,salt,pepper and garam masala, as well as cinnamon stick (optional).

- Add your water (this can be bottled or tap depending where you are in the world).

- Then add your mung beans. Once the pan is boiling, turn down to a simmer and wait 30 minutes until beans are cooked (they will turn a brown color slightly)and add the butter.

- When the butter melts, add your washed white basmati rice (wash this until the water is clear and add a pinch of salt while washing, this will help get rid of the starch).

- After 10 minutes the rice will be cooked and you put your rice in a colander leaving just a little liquid, return to the pan and warm till the liquid has gone.

- The liquid you get from the colander, do not throw away as this is a wonderful soup and can be used as a starter. I like this with tandoori chicken and a salad is recommended.

The last thing is to enjoy your meal!

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Asparagus Risotto Recipe

More Than Gourmet

Celebrate spring with this creamy asparagus risotto, infused with the fresh flavors of asparagus along with white wine. Serve it up as beautiful centerpiece for a vegetarian meal or as a side dish with chicken or fish.

Serves: 4 as a main course; 6-8 as a side dish

Ingredients for asparagus risotto

- 1

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Healthy Snack Recipes - Vegetarian snacks recipes

These snack recipes are easy to make. Snacks are food items that we eat inbetween meals.

Everybody loves snacks. Not just children, grown ups too love snacks.

Children would rather have a snack than a regular meal. Snacks are generally more appealing than regular meals such as breakfast, lunch, dinner. Why?

Snacks are tastier.There is a big variety of snacks.Snacks are available - ready to eatAre generally quick to make.You do not need to sit down in one place to have a snack.You can have a snack while on the move.

But at the same time,

Ready snacks :May Contain preservatives which are not good for you.Artificial sweeteners are used.They are processed a lot, the natural nutrients are missing.May contain more fat and salt than is good for you.May be totally unhealthy for you.

So would it not make more sense to make your own snacks? They will bedefinitely more health giving than the store bought ones.

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Maddur Vada Recipe - Maddur Vade - South Indian Snack Recipe

maddur vada recipe, maddur vade recipe, karnataka recipe, a south indian recipe. HOME New Pages Contact Us Privacy Policy Site Map Maddur Vada Recipe - Snack Recipe

This 'Maddur vada recipe' is a Karnataka recipe. 'Maddur vada' or 'Maddur vade' gets it's name from the town 'Maddur' which is located in 'Mandya' district, Karnataka, a south Indian state.

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Chickpeas and Paneer in a Spicy Creamy Gravy

I was browsing through starred items in my google reader the other day and came across this mouthwatering creamy chickpea and paneer dish from Sunita's Kitchen that I have been meaning to make for a while now. I usually visit my friend Basil on Saturday night and as he loves paneer as much as I do, I decided it was time to make this delicious dish. As usual, I have modified the original recipe somewhat to suit my own preferences. Thanks for the idea Sunita!

If the winter blues are getting you down, this dish is certain to cheer you up. The only positive thing I can say about the snow is that it gives me a chance to get some exercise with all of the shoveling that needs to be done lately. I am especially eager for spring this year. Let the global warming begin!

This is my entry to My Legume Love Affair, a popular monthly event started by Susan of the Well Seasoned Cook and hosted this month by Mirch Masala.
Chickpeas and Paneer in a Spicy Creamy Cashew Gravy

1 1/2 cups of dried chickpeas
400 grams of paneer, cut into cubes and fried in oil and evenly browned
1 cup of cashews
2/3 cup of cream or milk
1 large tomato, chopped
1/4 teaspoon of saffron
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
3 - 4 green chilies, chopped
2 tablespoons of ghee, or a mixture of butter and oil
1 teaspoon of sugar
a small handful of dried curry leaves or a bay leaf
2 - 3 whole red dried chilies
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds
1 inch piece of cinnamon stick
3 black cardamon pods, split in the middle
1 teaspoon of turmeric
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of red chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon of garam masala
1/4 cup of fresh parsley, chopped
1 2/3 - 2 cups of water
1 1/2 teaspoons of sea salt

Soak the chickpeas overnight in enough water to cover. Drain, transfer to a large pot, cover with water, bring to a boil and then cover and simmer until the chickpeas are buttery soft - roughly 1 hour. Drain and set aside.

Using a blender or a large mortar and pestle, make a paste of the onions, garlic, ginger and hot chilies. Add a bit of water if necessary to blend.

Soak the cashews in the cream with the saffron for 30 minutes or so. Transfer to a blender or mortar and pestle, along with the tomato and process until the mixture is turned into a paste.

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. When hot, add the cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, mustard seeds, curry leaves, sugar, whole red chilies and cardamon pods. Stir and fry until the mustard seeds turn grey and begin to pop. Add the ground cumin, cayenne, crushed red chilies and turmeric to the pan, stir and then add the onion / garlic paste. Stir and fry until most of the liquid is evaporated.

Add the chickpeas to the pan and stir and fry for another 5 minutes or so. Now add the cashew / tomato paste, fried paneer, along with the water, parsley, garam masala and salt, and simmer until the gravy is thickened. You may need to adjust the amount of water to achieve your desired consistency.

Serve with rice or an Indian flatbread such as roti or naan.

Serves roughly 6.



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Ricotta Dumplings with Best Ever Mushroom Sauce

My special friend Fenris was hankering for dumplings as they reminded him of his childhood, so I invited him over for an afternoon of cooking. Though my dumplings were not as traditional as the ones his mom used to make, these are very filling and just plain comfort food. I served them up with my best ever mushroom sauce, which is always better than I remember. Seriously, I could just eat this sauce all on its own. Mushroom fiends like myself must try this. Easy, and oh so tempting. I have served this sauce with plenty of foods, including Scalloped Potatoes, Black-Eyed Pea and Quinoa Croquettes and fresh pasta. It is one of my favorite staple sauces and a big hit with everyone who has tried it.


To make Best-Ever Mushroom Sauce:

4 tablespoons butter
2 medium onions, chopped
1 1b. white mushrooms,
a cup or so of creminis, sliced
1 cup yogurt
juice of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
a dash of paprika
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour (optional)
fresh ground black pepper
a few teaspoons of fresh chives, or a tablespoon of dried chives
a few more tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan for garnish

For the dumplings:

1 cup of ricotta cheese
2 eggs, separated
2 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
1/3 cup of unbleached white flour
2/3 cup of bread crumbs
1/3

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Urad Dal with Tomatoes, Spices and Coconut

This soupy, yet creamy curry is very easy to digest and was inspired from 660 Curries, a favoured book that I always browse through when I am looking for a simple, but tasty meal solution. As I have noted before, this cookbook is not vegetarian, but there are tons of creative vegetarian recipes, including ideas for appetizers, spice blends, egg curries, vegetables, legumes, rice and breads. Since I have been eating a lot of dishes with cheese lately, I wanted a vegan meal to cleanse the soul. Serve with basmati rice or Indian flat bread for a complete and satisfying dinner.


Adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

1 cup of split urad dal, without skins
3 cups of water
1 teaspoon of turmeric
1 inch piece of tamarind
2 tablespoons of ghee, or a mixture of butter and oil
2 teaspoons of cumin seeds
5 green chilies, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne
5 dried red chilies, crumbled
1 teaspoon of amchoor powder
1 large tomato, finely chopped
1/3 cup of dried coconut
1 1/2 teaspoons of sea salt
a generous handful of dried curry leaves

Soak the tamarind pulp in 1 cup of very hot water for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour. Strain the liquid into a bowl with a fine-meshed strainer, squeezing as much liquid as possible out of the tamarind pulp. Discard the pulp and set aside the liquid.

Soak the coconut in hot water for 15 minutes, drain and set aside.

Wash the urad well in a strainer. Transfer to a large pot, along with 3 cups of water, the turmeric and the tamarind water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover and simmer until the urad dal is tender - roughly 20 minutes.

While the urad dal is cooking, heat the ghee or butter and oil in a frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the cumin seeds and stir and fry for a minute or so. Now add the chilies, garlic, ginger, cayenne and amchoor powder and stir and fry for a few minutes.

Add the tomatoes to the pan, along with the cocount, salt and curry leaves. Simmer until the mixture is thickened - about 5 minutes. Pour into the cooked dal, stir and simmer for about 10 minutes, adding more water if needed.

Serves 4 - 5



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Late Night Peanut Butter and Vanilla Ice Cream Treat

I admit I did not make my own ice cream, but this was an inspired late night creation that turned out even better than I expected.

Drop a spoonful each of natural peanut butter and raw honey over a couple of scoops of real vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt, and top with a drop or two of real vanilla extract and a scattering of your favourite variety of granola.

On the top of the reading stack: Dakshin

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Jalapeno Cheddar Scones

Biscuits and scones are a big favorite in my household and I am always on the lookout for new ideas. Regular readers will know I like some spice in my life and so I immediately bookmarked this recipe from Smitten Kitchen. I have so many bookmarked recipes and cookbooks and never can seem to keep up, but I am certainly glad I baked up these little delights. I served these delicious scones with a cheesy Greek Mac and Cheese dish.



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Chickpea Salad with Goat Cheese, Olives and Arugula

The theme for this month's No Croutons Required challenge is chickpeas. As warmer weather is finally upon us here in London, Ontario, I decided to make a salad rather than a soup. I do enjoy soup year round, but I wanted to celebrate the sunny weather with a Mediterranean style dish. Easy to prepare, but packed full of flavour, this salad will be on the menu again for sure. I do recommend you use top quality olives and goat cheese. Feta could be used instead of goat cheese if desired, though I rather enjoyed the creamy texture of the goat cheese.


1 1/2 cups of cooked chickpeas (roughly 2/3 cup dried beans)
1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove of finely chopped fresh garlic
1 cup crumbled goat cheese
2 small tomatoes, chopped
generous half cup of pitted kalamata olives
A handful of chopped fresh parsley
Juice from 1 lemon or 2 limes
1/2 teaspoon - 1 teaspoon of paprika
dash of cayenne
dash of chili powder
a few handfuls of arugula (rocket)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Soak the chickpeas overnight in enough water to cover. Drain, transfer to a large pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover and simmer until the chickpeas are buttery soft - roughly one hour. Drain and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft and begins to brown.

While the onion is cooking, combine the chickpeas (garbanzo beans), parsley, goat cheese, olives, tomatoes, paprika, cayenne, chili powder and lime juice in a large bowl. Set aside.

Add the garlic to the pan with the onions and stir and fry for about one minute.

Remove from the heat and mix into the chickpea salad. Add sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste and a bit more olive oil if desired.

Serve over fresh arugula leaves, along with some crusty bread for a very satisfying lunch or dinner.



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No Croutons Required - Chickpeas

The mighty chickpea is a favorite in the homes of many vegetarians I know. The challenge this month was to come up with a vegetarian soup or salad featuring this most treasured legume. The garbanzo bean. There are lots of scrumptious entries this month and I will be going back to these entries time and time again. Thanks to all who sent in their lovely recipes. As usual, the choice won't be easy, but please vote for your favorite in the comment section or via email. Please note that neither my submission nor Jacqueline's is eligible for the vote.



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Light and Creamy Ricotta Pancakes

Ricotta cheese lends delicious warmth and creaminess to make these pancakes a perfect way to greet a cool early spring morning. Light and fluffy besides, a thorough and patient beating of the egg whites with an electric hand mixer is essential … I still can't quite believe that I used to beat egg whites by hand with a whisk, but it is good exercise for the arm.



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Black Mustard Seed Rice

This is a spicy rice dish and it paired well with a Spicy Lentil Rasam (coming soon). It has been a while since I have shared a spiced up grain dish in this space, but better late than never. Grains such as rice, millet and quinoa really never need embellishments, apart from some butter and tamari perhaps, but it is always just fine to experiment. The birds are chirping. I think spring is finally here. What a delight to get out for some walks after this long winter of global freezing.
Mustard Seed Rice (Kadugu Sadam)

Slightly adapted from Dakshin

1 cup of Basmati rice
1/4 cup of raw cashews
1 teaspoon of sea salt, or to taste

For the Paste:
1 tablespoon of black mustard seeds
1/2 cup of dried coconut
4 - 6 dried red chilies
1 teaspoon of turmeric
1/2 teaspoon of asafoetida powder
roughly 1 inch piece of tamarind
1/4 cup of water

For the Tempering:
1 tablespoon of ghee, or a mixture of butter and oil
1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds
3 teaspoons of ural dal, rinsed
2 dried red chilies, broken into bits
a handful of dried curry leaves

Rinse the rice thoroughly under cold running water and let sit for an hour or more in two cups of water. Drain, reserving the soaking liquid and air dry for 30 minutes in a fine-meshed strainer, tossing now and then to bring the moist grains to the surface. Transfer the soaking liquid to a medium large pot, along with the rice, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed - about 15 minutes. Set aside.

To make the paste, put the mustard seeds, coconut, red chilies, turmeric, asafoetida powder and tamarind in a food processor or blender with the water. Blend into a smooth paste, adding a bit more water if necessary. Set aside.

For the tempering, heat the ghee or butter and oil in a frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the mustard seeds, urad dal, red chilies and curry leaves. Stir and fry until the mustard seeds begin to sputter and pop. Add the raw cashews to the pan and stir and fry until they begin to brown - roughly 3 - 5 minutes. Now add the paste and salt to the pan, stir and fry for another few minutes. Add to the cooked rice and toss until well combined.

Serve with a cooked dal such as Spicy Lentil Rasam.

Serves 4 - 5. Just yummy.



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Greek Macaroni and Cheese

Peter is always an inspiration for authentic Greek food, and I finally got around to making his for a precious lady friend of mine. As usual I tweaked the recipe a bit, but a big thanks to Peter for the inspiration. I served this with Jalapeno and Cheddar Scones for an especially cheesy meal. Soon it will be time to go vegan for a few days to cleanse myself of all of these rich dinners! Spring can't come soon enough.

This is my submission to AWED, a popular monthly food event started by DK of Chef In You celebrating cuisines around the world. The theme for March is Greek cuisine, which is surely one of my favorites. Thanks to Tasty Curry Leaf for hosting.



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No Croutons Required - The Winner for March

The challenge for March was to make a soup or salad with the treasured chickpea, otherwise known as the garbanzo bean. We received lots of tempting entries, but the favorite was Jenny's salad made with fresh chickpeas. What a treat! How lucky Jenny was to find some a rare delight. Congratulations Jenny.



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Creamy Mung Dal Curry

Craving mung beans, I happened across this post for Methi Moong Daal from Red Chilies that inspired me to come up with a creamy mung bean curry that I served with Lemon Brown Rice. My sweetie came home from work and was delighted with the aroma of the ingredients. A perfect meal, especially when served with some roti if you are particularly hungry.


1 cup of mung beans (moong daal)
1/2 cup of split mung beans
a few teaspoons of oil or ghee
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon of turmeric
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne
1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon of asafetida
1 small onion, chopped
3 green chilies, minced
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced or grated
a small handful of dried curry leaves
1 large tomato, finely chopped
1 can of coconut milk (400 ml)
a small handful of dried fenugreek leaves (methi)
juice from one small lemon
salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Soak the whole mung beans overnight in enough water to cover. Soak the split mung beans for a few hours in enough water to cover. Drain the whole mung and split mung, transfer to a large pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover and simmer until the beans are tender - roughly 40 - 60 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. When hot, add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. Stir and fry until the mustard seeds turn grey and begin to pop. Now add the turmeric, cayenne, ground cumin, ground coriander and asafetida. Stir and then add the onion, green chilies, curry leaves and ginger. Stir and fry for a few minutes.

Now add the tomato and cook for another few minutes.

Add the cooked mung beans to the pot, along with the coconut milk, methi leaves, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and roughly 1 cup of water. Bring to a partial boil, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for about 5 - 10 minutes.

Serves 6

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Thai Tempeh Patties with a Red Chili Dipping Sauce

Though I have always enjoyed Thai cuisine, it has only been recently that I started to get passionate about it in my own kitchen. Armed with some wonderful Thai cookbooks, and of course the internet, I have recently made Hot and Sour Mushroom Soup, Homemade Massaman Curry Paste, and Massaman Curry.

Tempeh is a fermented soy product and the only soy foods you should consume are those that are fermented, such as tamari and miso. This means avoiding or at least seriously limiting your intake of tofu, soybeans and soy milk. Soybeans are by themselves a very detrimental source of proteins and nutrition due to a very high content of enzyme inhibitors and phytic acids that block the absorption of essential minerals and cause potential intestinal problems — however, thorough fermentation in the production of tempeh, miso and soy sauce removes both the inhibitors and phytates.

For further information on the dangers of unfermented soy products, see this article by Sally Fallon.

Now to the recipe ...



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Spicy Lentil Rasam

As I have noted before, when I first started cooking Indian dishes, I would generally make dishes originating from the Northern region and those adapted for North American preferences. As I became a more accomplished and curious cook, I started to explore traditional dishes from Southern India. Dakshin by Chandra Padmanabhan has proved to be an essential addition to my extensive cookbook collection. Lots of beautiful photographs accompany recipes for sambars, rasams, poriyals, kootus, vegetable dishes, rice, spice powders, snacks and appetizers, chutneys and pickles and even menu suggestions. This book is invaluable to anyone looking to learn more about South Indian cooking.

Traditional South Indian dishes tend to have more steps, as there is often a paste and tempering step and lots of seeds and spices to measure out, but they are certainly worth the bother and some of the most flavourful and satisfying creations from my kitchen. I will also note the delightful aromatic smell that will warm up your kitchen.

For those unfamiliar with the term, a rasam is a thin and often watery dish, traditionally served as the second course of a South Indian meal. Tamarind, tomatoes, and lemon or lime figure prominently. I made mine a bit thicker and served it with Mustard Seed Rice for an especially satisfying and nourishing Indian dinner. I certainly impressed my dinner guests.

This is my entry to My Legume Love Affair, a popular monthly event started by lovely Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook and hosted this time by Ruchikacooks.
(Poritha Rasam)

Slightly adapted from Dakshin

1/2 cup of toor dal (or red lentils)
1/4 cup of mung beans
1/4 cup of split mung beans
3 1/4 cups of water
1 large tomato, finely chopped
1 teaspoon of turmeric
dash of cayenne
1 1/2 teaspoons of sea salt
juice from 1 lemon
a good sized handful of parsley, chopped, for garnishing

For the Paste:

3 teaspoons of oil
1 tablespoon of coriander seeds
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1 teaspoon of black peppercorns
2 - 3 dried red chilies
1 tablespoon of urad dal, washed
1/2 teaspoon of asafoetida powder
1/3 cup of dried coconut
a handful of dried curry leaves
1/4 cup or water

For Tempering:

2 teaspoons of ghee, or a mixture of butter and oil
1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
2 dried red chilies, broken into pieces
a handful of dried curry leaves

Rinse the toor dal and mung beans well in a strainer. Cover with water, and soak for a few hours. Drain the water, transfer the dal to a large pot, cover with 3 1/4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the dal is soft - roughly 45 minutes. Do not drain the dal.

While the beans are cooking, make the paste. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the coriander seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, red chilies, urad dal and asafoetida powder. Stir and fry until the mustard seeds begin to pop. Transfer to a blender or food processor, along with the coconut, curry leaves and water. Blend into a smooth paste, adding a bit more water if necessary. Set aside.

For the tempering, heat the ghee in a frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chilies and curry leaves. Stir and fry until the mustard seeds begin to splutter and pop. Add the tomato to the pan, along with the turmeric, cayenne and salt and stir and fry until the tomato is thickened - roughly 5 minutes. Add the paste, stir and fry for another minute or so and then add this mixture to the cooked dal. Add another cup or two of water, depending on how thick you want your rasam to be. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for another 5 - 10 minutes.

Garnish with the chopped parsley, and serve hot with rice.

Serves 4



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Corn and Pinto Bean Dip

Warm, creamy, slightly sweet and with a little hot pepper kick … this easy-to-make corn and bean dip is a crowd-pleaser at any time of year, and is filling enough to make for a delightful light warm weather lunch or dinner.

Better results will be obtained if you can find natural whole fat cream cheese and sour cream without added stabilizers or gums. Cooks in Ontario can find these under the Western Creamery label at most major supermarkets.



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Chickpea Flour Dumplings in a Spicy Yogurt Sauce

My dear friend Jacqueline recently sent me a most elegant and beautifully presented Indian vegetarian cookbook entitled "Pure and Simple" by Vidhu Mittal. I've already bookmarked lots of recipes to try, but this recipe for immediately got my attention and so this was my first experiment with this lovely book. I certainly was not disappointed. Delightful dumplings smothered in a creamy yogurt gravy. How could I resist?

This cookbook comes highly recommended from my kitchen already. Ms. Vidhu presents an extensive collection of traditional and contemporary recipes inspired by her native province of Uttar Pradesh. Each recipe is accompanied by stunning colour photos, step by step images, helpful hints, often along with serving suggestions. This is a great resource for both novice and experienced cooks. You will find lots of tempting and straight forward recipes for drinks, appetizers and snacks, soups and salads, rice, breads and desserts. The meal menus and reference guide to spices and kitchen tools essential to Indian cooking are also a nice addition.


Adapted from "Pure and Simple"

To make the chickpea flour dumplings:

1 1/4 cups of chickpea flour (gram / besan)
2 teaspoons of fresh ginger, finely chopped
3 green chilies, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 cup of water
peanut oil for frying

To make the yogurt curry:

2 cups of yogurt
1/2 cup of chickpea flour (gram / besan)
3 cups of water

Seasoning:

1 tablespoon of ghee, or a mixture of butter and oil
1/2 teaspoon of asafetida powder (hing)
1/4 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds
3/4 teaspoon of cumin seeds
small handful of dried red chilies, broken into bits
1 teaspoon of turmeric
1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
1/4 cup of fresh fenugreek leaves
dash of cayenne

For Tempering:

1 tablespoon of ghee, or a mixture of butter and oil
1/2 teaspoon of asafetida
1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley or cilantro

To make the chickpea flour dumplings, combine the flour and water and stir to combine. Add the green chilies and ginger and beat until light and fluffy. Heat roughly 1/2 inch of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. When hot, drop small spoonfuls of the batter into the pan and fry until golden brown, flipping occasionally. Transfer to a bowl of salted water (roughly 4 cups of water with 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt). Remove and set aside.

To make the yogurt curry, in a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, gram flour and 3 cups of water. Set aside.

For the seasoning, heat the ghee (or butter and oil) in a large pot over medium heat. When hot, add the asafetida, fenugreek seeds and leaves, cumin seeds, red chilies, turmeric, chili powder and cayenne. Stir and fry for a minute or two.

Now add the yogurt curry, sea salt to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and add the chickpea dumplings to the pan. Simmer, uncovered, for roughly 15 minutes, adding more water if necessary to achieve your desired consistency.

Meanwhile, prepare the tempering. Heat the ghee (or mixture of butter and oil) in a small frying pan or saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the asafetida, cumin seeds, red chili powder and parsley (or cilantro). Stir and fry for a minute and add to the chickpea dumpling, yogurt mixture.

Serve hot with rice.

Yields roughly 6 servings.



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Black Bean and Goat Cheese Quesadillas

One of life's great pleasures is cooking with friends and family. Though I am rather possessive when it comes to my kitchen, I do enjoy having some company while I cook. I have also taught more than a few friends some cooking tips. My most recent cooking buddy, Fenris, did a masterful job of frying up these most delicious quesadillas. I made up the mixture and stuffed the tortillas and Fenris manned the stove.



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Italian Onion and Bean Soup with Parmesan Toast

Tender cannellini beans, just-wilted fresh arugula leaves, and good white and red wines add flavour, colour and depth to this Italian-style baked onion soup topped with crusty bread and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Not only delicious and a nice impression on your guests, this minestra di cipolle e fagioli in crosta is also very easy to make. It's also my entry for this month's onion-family themed No Croutons Required hosted by my wonderful friend Jacqueline.

If you have a rind left over from grating the Parmesan cheese, add it during the simmering stage of the soup. This or the rind of any other hard aged cheese lends a wonderful depth and base to the stock of any savoury bean or vegetable soup, and they can be refrigerated or frozen for later use.



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Urad Dal with Fresh Fenugreek

Sometimes a gentle Indian meal with split dal is just the thing I crave. I adore the creamy texture and mellow, yet unique flavour of urad dal so I made this simple dish for a special lady friend of mine when she was over for an afternoon visit. Fresh fenugreek is a must in this dish and it was a delight to find some at my local Indian grocery store. I served it with hot basmati rice, but it certainly would go well with naan or any other Indian flatbread.
Urad Dal and Chana Dal with Fresh Fenugreek and Tomatoes

Adapted from Pure & Simple by Vidhu Mittal

2/3 cup of skinless, split urad dal, well rinsed
1/3 cup of chana dal, well rinsed
sea salt to taste
1 teaspoon of turmeric
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
3 green chilies, seeded and finely chopped
1 cup of fresh fenugreek leaves, chopped
2 teaspoons of ghee, or a mixture of butter and oil
2 large tomatoes, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups of water

For the tempering:

1 tablespoon of ghee, or a mixture of butter and oil
1/2 teaspoon of asafetida
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds
1/2 teaspoon of red chili powder

Soak the urad dal and chana dal in enough water to cover for at least 1 hour. Drain, transfer to a large pot, add 1 1/2 cups of water, bring to boil, reduce the heat to low and cover and simmer until the dal is soft, stirring occasionally to ensure the water does not boil away.

Add the fenugreek leaves to the pot and set aside.

Heat 2 teaspoons of ghee in a frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the tomato and salt to the pan and stir and fry until the tomato begins to soften. Add the tomato to the beans, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for another 5 - 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the tempering. Heat a tablespoon of ghee in a small frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the asafetida, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and red chili powder. Stir and fry for a minute. Pour over the cooked lentil dish.

Serves 4-6.



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Scottish Pizza

I am delighted once again to feature a guest post from a dear friend of mine. Since Fenris moved to London, we have had many enjoyable experiences in the kitchen and he has indeed become an accomplished cook. I am sure you will also want to try Ivan the Terrible's Scalloped Potatoes.

Distressed by the high cost and questionable quality of take out pizza, my sensible and Scottish mother created this delightful substitute that kept me happy in my youth.


2 small onions
2 small beets
1 small potato
2 tomatoes, cut into cubes
3/4 cup frozen peas

paprika
turmeric
chili pepper
salt
black pepper

Peel the beets and shred them with a grater. Take the onions, peel them and cut them up into small bits. Then, in a pan, fry them up with the beets. Now, the beets are moist so you have to stir frequently, and do so until the onions become soft. You won't be able to see the onions, but you can check on them by feel. Around the time that the onions are nearly done, add the spices.

Add the thinly sliced potatoes and a little bit of water. Turn the heat down to a quarter speed, cover. Stir occasionally to see how the 'taters are doing.

When the potatoes are done, you can add in the tomatoes. Add more spices if the mixture is not potent enough. You should catch the aroma of paprika and the turmeric as it cooks. Put the peas in last, and cover. Leave them in long enough to cook to your taste.

When the mixture is done, prepare a baking sheet and put some bread on it. I use a German light rye, which is readily available here in Ontario. On the bread, spoon on the mixture, then cover with some grated cheese. There is a good three year old cheddar available here which I use. You can store the mixture in the refrigerator (like my Mom did) and use as desired when your tummy starts rumbling.

Broil in the oven.



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No Croutons Required - The Winner for April and the Theme for May

The challenge for April was to create a soup or salad suitable for vegetarians that features the allium family. Congratulations to Lucie of Cooking at Marystow who beat the competition with this lovely Potato Salad with Shallots and Chives. A perfect spring dish!



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Mushroom Marinara Sauce

I've always wanted to make my own marinara sauce and when I recently found some quinoa pasta, I was inspired to come up with my own version. As tomatoes are rather pricey right now, I sort of cheated and used canned tomatoes instead of the fresh ones that I usually use. Easy to make and a good idea to serve with vegetables, your favorite pasta, tempeh, and of course Northeast African Millet Patties and just plain good enough to eat by the spoonful. Your friends and family will thank you. There is really no comparison between store bought sauces and homemade ones.

This one is going off to Ruth's popular Presto Pasta Event.



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Mung Bean Paneer

Revisiting an old classic, via "Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Vegetarian Cooking" by Yamuna Devi. As usual, I always change recipes and this time was no exception. Creamy mung beans with fried paneer is always an irresistible treat. This recipe is a particularly good one to serve to guests.



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Delicious, Quick and Easy Pasta Salad Dishes

Cold pasta salad recipes are great every day side dishes,
but they are perfect for entertaining too.

The Italians need little excuse for a party or celebration
and eating Al Freso (outside) is one of the delights of
summer.

When you look at a pasta salad you want it to be impressive
and you can do this effortlessly and with few ingredients.
The trick is to use only seasonal ingredients, that way it
will be healthy, colourful and easy on the eye.

This Italian pasta salad recipe is a real crowd-pleaser; it
is so easy to prepare, and so delicious you will make it
over and over again. For summer picnics and barbecues a
pasta salad with Italian dressing is always welcome.

Start with the Pasta

Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil and add
pasta.  Vary the look of your salad by using a variety of
pasta shapes. I often use tagliatelle or conchiglie (shells)
pasta but farfalle pasta (the butterfly shape) or curly
fusilli would be a nice visual change. Cook your pasta Al
dente as al dente cooked pasta will hold its texture with
the salad dressing added to it much better that well cooked,
mushy pasta. One cooked rinse, drain well and store in a
tightly covered bowl in the refrigerator. Then you'll be
ready to make your salad in an instant! The next thing to
remember is to dress the salad last minute as pasta absorbs
the dressing and it will end up looking dry after standing
for a while. So here are a few ideas for pasta salads:

1. Try dressing warm tagliatelle with sesame oil, fresh
basil, walnuts and Gorgonzola cheese for an amazingly tasty
pasta salad.

2. Try mixing cooked pasta shells with blanched green beans,
halved cherry tomatoes and low fat mozzarella, then drizzle
with fresh Caesar salad dressing for a simple pasta salad.

3. Saute some mushrooms for 6-8 minutes add truffle oil and
put to one side to cool. In a large bowl, combine the pasta,
mushrooms, 3 tbspoons olive oil, parsley and seasoning.
Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the parmesan
shavings and serve.

4. Chop up some cooked chicken and add some crispy smoked
bacon then drizzle with tarragon flavoured oil.

5. Take some Basil flavoured oil and  add to pasta with
chopped tomatoes then sprinkle with torn basil leaves

You can buy herb flavoured oils in your supermarket but it
is wholly satisfying to make your own particularly if you
have fresh herb s which give a much superior flavour.
However, the oil is less likely to last more than a couple
of months if made with fresh rather than dried herbs

Start with selecting your clean  jar or bottle and you will
need enough herbs to ¼ fill it. Wash them first then blanch
them in boiling water for about 3 minutes. Then, strain and
put under cold water for a few seconds.

Proceed to chop or tear (particularly basil) the herbs. You
can leave thyme and rosemary sprigs whole if you want a
decorative effect. Pat dry, soaking up as much moisture as
you can. Leave the herbs to continue to dry in the sun or
overnight if you can. Bacteria cannot grow in the olive oil,
but it can grow on any water left on the herbs over time,
hence the problem of spoilage and food-borne illness when
using fresh herbs. As long as you allow time for your herbs
to dry completely, your mixture will be fine.

Then, place the herbs in the jar or bottle; fill with olive
oil and seal. The oil will begin to absorb the intense
flavours rather quickly, but leaving it set for at least a
month will continue to produce a more powerful, distinct
flavour. Store the bottles in a cool, dry place.

With fresh herbs, it is best to store the oils  in the
fridge and use it within a week to a month.

Kath Ibbetson has a BSc, a diploma in aromatherapy and a
certificate in counselling. But most of all she is a mother
and an enthusiastic Italian cook. Italian food is her
passion and she has been cooking it for 30 years. Visit her
site at FoodTheItalianWay.com

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Graham Crackers

Thanks to everyone who expressed their support in my last post. Battle stations!

This is a recipe I have been meaning to post since I started my blog. Typically, store bought are rather stale tasting and too crunchy, but the homemade version reminds one of shortbread. I prepared a batch of these in preparation for a mixed berry cheesecake recipe that caught my attention, which I will be sharing with my readers soon. Even my friend Fenris, who was rather sceptical about , was pleasantly surprised. Easy to make and just plain good on their own but a perfect alternative for recipes calling for crumbled graham cracker crumbs.


2 cups of spelt flour (or unbleached white flour)
1/4 cup of whole wheat flour
1/2 cup of packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 cup of softened unsalted butter
1/4 cup of sesame oil
1/4 cup of water

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well to combine. Transfer the dough to an unsided cookie sheet, or alternately, the underside of a baking sheet. Flour a rolling pin and add a bit of flour to the dough and roll out to desired thickness - roughly 1/2 inch. Add more flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Lightly score the crackers two inches apart with a paring knife. Prick with a fork in even lines. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 8 - 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for a few minutes, and then cut on the scored lines. Crush up for your favorite graham cracker treat or just enjoy them as is.



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The consumption of turkeys in the U.S. has escalated through the years. It's no longer eaten primarily at Thanksgiving and Christmas, but throughout the year. The process of mass-producing turkeys for human consumption is as barbaric, if not more so, than the process of mass-producing chickens.

The consumption of turkeys in the U.S. has escalated through the years. It's no longer eaten primarily at Thanksgiving and Christmas, but throughout the year. The process of mass-producing turkeys for human consumption is as barbaric, if not more so, than the process of mass-producing chickens.



Turkeys are kept in cramped, dark spaces to discourage the naturally aggressive behaviors that occur when an animal is kept confined without space to roam and feed freely. They're overfed to the point where their legs can't support the weight of the breast tissue. And this animal which normally has a 10-years life span is generally slaughtered at about 2 years of age.



Unhealthy and overcrowded conditions mean that disease amongst commercial turkeys is widespread, resulting in approximately 2.7 million turkeys dying in their sheds every year. Foot and leg deformities, heat stress and starvation caused by the inability of immature birds to find the feed and water troughs are commonplace. Ulcerated feet and hock burns are common - caused by continual contact with litter contaminated by urine and feces.



Can you really sit at dinner on your next holiday and look at a roasted turkey the same way? Turkeys come with the same recommendations for cleanliness and cooking that chickens do. You have to be sure they're cooked to a specific temperature to ensure that any disease-causing bacteria are completely killed. You should clean up any counter space with bleach, again to kill all bacteria.



It makes a compelling case for switching to a vegetarian diet, doesn't it? Suddenly, the jokes about vegetarian dinners, with nut loaves and vegetables, instead of meat, seem to make more sense, not only from a health standpoint, but from a humane issue as well. Why do we persist in eating in such a way that makes us unhealthy and is inherently bad for us? For you next holiday dinner, consider the possibilities of an all-vegetarian menu. So much of the dinner is vegetable-based to begin with; it's a small change to replace turkey with a plant-based main course as well.

We all fear change. And when we see a 'movement" start to get momentum in society, its easy to fear it is being imposed on us by some sinister force out to ruin our way of life. That instinct to fear change at a social level goes way back. But the truth is that society does change and evolve and often for the better.

We all fear change. And when we see a 'movement" start to get momentum in society, its easy to fear it is being imposed on us by some sinister force out to ruin our way of life. That instinct to fear change at a social level goes way back. But the truth is that society does change and evolve and often for the better.

The anti smoking movement of the last three decades is a good example of positive social change. When the move to eliminate smoking from our national life first started, many people feared it was the work of radical left wingers who wanted to take away our rights. But as more and more discussion of the good of eliminating smoking from peoples lives occurred, it became obvious that smoking was not something good people should have a right to engage in any more than getting a dread disease is a right and a natural part of culture. So smoking has slowly been eliminated from public life and we are a healthier people as a result.

As the move toward more healthy ways to live has continued to be part of our cultural discussion and in the last decade or so, vegetarianism has taken center stage. As before, many fear the natural evolution of society away from meat consumption and toward a natural way of eating as vegetarians is a sinister plot of the radical left to deprive us our right to eat meat and so take away one of our freedoms.

This is far from the truth. But that doesn't mean that vegetarianism is not going to change the world and become more the norm than the unusual. That is because becoming a vegetarian is a natural step for many of us who are concerned about weight loss, long life and health. The national obsession with weight loss and avoiding sickness is so strong that its impossible to ignore. Part of the reason for that is that a lot of companies are making a lot of money selling us ways to live healthy and lose weight.

What these companies don't want you to know is that you don't need pills or expensive programs. You can live a healthier life and lose weight naturally by simply becoming a vegetarian. But as that truth becomes more well known, the movement will pick up momentum and more and more people will see the good in eliminating meat and meat byproducts from their diets. If that happens the answer is yes, vegetarianism may very well take over the world.

What should be our response to the rapidly growing social momentum toward vegetarianism? Should we buy guns and retreat to the hills to fight a final battle with the vegetarian zombies who want to rob us of our lifestyle? Not at all. Putting the vegetarian movement into context with the move to reduce the negative impacts of smoking on our lives helps give us perspective of what to expect.

If you once smoked and have quit because it has become so socially unacceptable to smoke, you no doubt are glad by now that you did so. Why? Because you are more healthy, happier, more energetic and you will live longer. That good change may have been imposed on you by society but you benefited from the change.

If society moves more toward vegetarian living because of the common sense of living a healthy way that is in concert with ethical treatment of animals, organic living and living green, it will change the way we work as a society. It is easy to look down the road to a time when eating meat is unusual and there are more vegetarian restaurants and markets than any other kind.

But this is not a social change to be feared. Yes, when you join the vegetarian revolution, just as it was when you quit smoking, it may be difficult and you may resent it. But when you have made the change, you will find yourself healthier, happier, slimmer and living longer as a result. And even if you hated seeing vegetarianism change the world, in the final analysis, we all will be better people if it does.

As a prospective vegan, you may be wondering exactly why vegans make the dietary choices they make. And you may also be hesitant to adopt these choices until you yourself understand and accept them.

As a prospective vegan, you may be wondering exactly why vegans make the dietary choices they make. And you may also be hesitant to adopt these choices until you yourself understand and accept them.



In this article, I will explain the two major vegetarian positions on eating eggs to help you make your decision.



The sub-category of vegetarian I will cover, ovo-vegetarians, accept the normal consumption of eggs because they do not believe that doing so conflicts with an ethical vegetarian diet. They do not see eggs as living things and subsequently do not make the connection between consuming eggs and causing animal suffering or death.



In addition to this, many ovo-vegetarians see complete veganism as limiting their options unnecessarily, especially when eggs are an excellent source of complete protein and a viable nutritional alternative to meat.



Many vegetarians who do consume eggs opt for "free range" eggs over normal--or "battery"--eggs. This is usually out of ethical concern for the treatment of egg-laying hens.



Vegans, by contrast, do not consume eggs normally and generally oppose the institution altogether. They argue that purchasing "battery hen" eggs supports an institution that cages up to nine birds together, debeaks them, and forces them to continually lay eggs until they are calcium -depleted and on the verge of death--at which point, they are slaughtered.



In addition, vegans also go further to disapprove of "free range" eggs, which do not require a hen to be caged. They argue that most free range hens are actually packed into houses, where they have minimal access to the outside.



They also note that even producing "free range" eggs requires having fertile eggs--half of which will hatch into male chicks, which will then be slaughtered after birth or fed to a certain weight only to be culled.



In addition to these two positions, there are also vegetarians who don't consume eggs for other reasons. Some of these vegetarians don't eat eggs because they are high in cholesterol; and others do not consume them because they believe that the animal farming institution contributes to environmental degradation.



Take some time to determine where you stand--ethically and nutritionally--and then make your decision from there.

As with most dietary questions, vegans are split on the issue of dairy products--not so much on the question of whether or not they are acceptable, but instead for what reasons they should not be consumed.

As with most dietary questions, vegans are split on the issue of dairy products--not so much on the question of whether or not they are acceptable, but instead for what reasons they should not be consumed.



All vegans (or at least true vegans) abstain from consuming dairy products. Some do so for nutritional reasons; others abstain for ethical reasons.



Those who do it for nutritional reasons cite a range of health problems related to the consumption of dairy products, including high cholesterol. Many also have a problem digesting lactose or have a blood-iron or diabetic problem related to milk protein, casein. In addition to this, milk and cheese often contain small portions of undesirable hormones that are added to dairy cow feeds to increase production.



Those who abstain from consuming dairy products for ethical reasons also have a range of reasons for doing so.



Some cite the poor treatment of dairy cows as a main reason for not consuming milk and cheese. They note that dairy cows are forced to become pregnant once each year to maintain a constantly high yield of milk. They are also fed numerous steroids to increase production.



Others who abstain for ethical reasons often cite the maltreatment of dairy cow offspring. They note that calves are not allowed to spend time with or suckle from the mother, but instead are prematurely removed to be reared for either veal production, beef production, or as replacement dairy cows.



The calves selected for 'veal" production are often forced to live in crates so tiny that they cannot turn around. They must face in one direction; they cannot groom themeselves; and they are fed hormone-laden feed until they are sent off to be slaughtered.



If you are a prospective vegan, you may want to take some time now to think about what is best for you. Ask yourself whether you wanted to become a vegan for ethical reasons, dietary reasons, or both. And from there, determine whether or not these arguments were strong enough to compel you to do so. Either way, you should emerge with a stronger viewpoint and a better understanding of what you do and do not want.