no onion no garlic

No onion no garlic recipes.

Saadi Lauki Sabzi: Simple Bottle Gourd Curry

9 Nov

Lauki Sabzi: Simple Bottle Gourd Curry

The magic of some recipes lies in exclusion: the dish tastes so good because certain conventional ingredients are knocked off from its making. This recipe of saadi lauki sabzi (simple bottle gourd curry) , passed down from my grandmother’s kitchen, falls in that hallowed category.

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Til Methi ki Chutney: Sesame Fenugreek Chutney

2 Sep

Sesame Fenugreek Chutney

I am a fan of the fierce, bitter methi chutney, but I gather that not many are on my side. Most friends find it "a bit much" for their taste. And so – for them and for those of you that share their taste – here’s a milder, nuttier version of it: sesame fenugreek chutney or til methi ki chutney. (more…)

Baingan Bhaja: Fried Eggplant Slices

8 Jun

Baingan bhaja is so easy to make that this post barely qualifies as a "recipe" – and yet it is one of those dishes of which the taste belies the simplicity.

A staple side dish with meals in a typical Bihari home, a quickly made add-on to liven up a dal-chawal-chokha meal. That’s baingan bhaja for you.

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Eggplant Tomato Curry

14 Mar

Eggplant Tomato Curry

As promised in the last post on moong dal salad, here comes my recipe for eggplant tomato curry.

I most often use the fat purple eggplant for bharta, but on long workdays the whole roasting process seems too labor-intensive and I want to make a curry that moves from kitchen to dinner table quickly. This no-onion-no-garlic recipe is a godsend on such days. (more…)

Sweet and Sour Ginger Chutney

6 Feb

Sweet and Sour Ginger Chutney

Ginger lovers: this one is for you.

A spicy sweet and sour chutney, with ginger as its star.

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Dahi Bhindi: Okra with Ginger Pepper Yogurt

21 Jan

Okra is one of the most versatile vegetables around, isn’t it? I cook it with onions or without, deck it with Indian spices or sometimes look westwards for inspiration. Despite the same core ingredient, each of these okra dishes tastes worlds apart from each other. Dahi bhindi – okra with yogurt – is another such unique recipe. (more…)