The Steaming Pot - Easy vegetarian recipes from India

Chayote is commonly used in south Indian cuisine (here’s a nice kootu recipe), not so much in the north. It is not a vegetable I grew up eating and, even as I saw it everywhere in vegetable markets, I wasn’t enticed enough to try it.

Not until I read this about the taste of chayote in The Awl:

…sort of like a jicama: mildly sweet, incredibly crisp and juicy, somewhere between a potato and an apple, or a crisp pear.

That article called Eat the Chayote did, in fact, make me eat the chayote.

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Gifting times are round the corner. As one foodie to another, let me unabashedly say – nothing compares to the delight of receiving a gorgeously packaged food gift basket during holiday season. Use these ideas to plan food gift baskets for fellow foodies, or to let your loved ones know what *you* want!

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Step aside, kale. Cauliflower is the new veg-lebrity. How pleasing it is to discover that one’s tastes are in keeping with the times. I am a huge fan of gobhi sarson, this Indian-style mustard cauliflower dish.

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This easy apple chutney recipe involves no peeling, no oil and comes together quickly with simple pantry ingredients. Cook on the stovetop and have delicious apple chutney ready almost effortlessly.

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This garlic chili chutney uses just a few ingredients to make a flavorful lunch and snack accompaniment. It’s easy to make and very versatile in its pairings.

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Do you use ajwain in your cooking? My long-standing ritual has been to include ajwain in parathas – I put in a few seeds while kneading the dough and let it work its magic in the finished flatbread. Nowadays I’m feeling an extra fondness for this thyme-like spice and am exploring more ways of incorporating it in my food. I’m happy to report on a few super-successful experiments – sahjan ajwaini is one of them.

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