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Recipes that use herbs and spices as a key ingredient.

Sookhi Chana Dal: Snack-Time Bengal Gram

7 Sep

Sookhi Chana Dal

A snack or side dish made of chana dal (Bengal gram) that capitalizes on this dal’s nutty taste. Sookhi chana dal needs very few ingredients and is easy enough to be put together by a kitchen newbie. Those who rely on instant noodles or packaged bhujiya for snack-time with the excuse "I don’t know how to cook" – prepare to shed that line!

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Mooli Chutney: White Radish Chutney

28 Aug

Mooli Chutney

You can play "guess the secret ingredient" with this mooli chutney (white radish chutney) recipe. When cooked and blended with other ingredients, white radish sheds its sharp sting, taking on a gentle pungency instead. The end result is an exotically flavorful chutney.

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Methi Dahi: Fenugreek Flavored Yogurt

8 Aug

Methi Dahi - Fenugreek Flavored Yogurt

Fenugreek seeds (methi) are packed with nutrients and healing properties – no surprise that Ayurveda swears by them. But as it happens with most things are good for you, fenugreek seeds are hard to like. In Indian cooking, fenugreek seeds are usually added in tadka and then picked out by most people (self included), never to be eaten.

I have recently discovered a trick to make these bitter brown devils palatable. This methi dahi (fenugreek flavored yogurt) recipe uses a generous amount of fenugreek seeds without rendering the final dish overly bitter. Here’s how.

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Aloo Gajar ki Sabzi: Potato Carrot Curry

5 Aug

Aloo Gajar Sabzi

When the crop gives you carrots, make aloo gajar ki sabzi. This filling vegetable curry of potatoes and carrots, with its hint of sweetness, pairs perfectly with Indian breads, raita and pickle on the side.

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Chana Dal with Greens

24 Jul

Chana dal has a rich texture and a hint of sweetness in its taste when compared to other yellow dals such as moong or toor. These qualities make chana dal the perfect pairing choice with green leafy vegetables, especially greens that lean towards bitter.  For those who would not touch fenugreek chutney or chaulai saag, a smart alternate to get their dose of greens is by "hiding" the leaves in chana dal.

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Chia Seeds vs Sabja Seeds: How They Differ

29 Jun

Chia Seeds and Sweet Basil Seeds

You read that right: chia seeds and sabja seeds are not the same. Ignore the wisdom that tells you otherwise. Set aside the surface similarities, the fact that both chia and sabja are recommended for weight loss and as a source of nutrients/dietary fiber. Here’s a rundown of the differences between these two wonder foods.

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