indian
Garvi Gujarat: Taro Leaves Roll Review (Gluten Free, Vegan)
I’d never seen a taro leaf based snack at an Indian grocery before. When opening the package, the aroma of chili powder and amchur (dried mango) stings the nostrils. Inside the “rolls” were actually larger than expected (probably the diameter of a golf ball). The dried taro leaves are covered in gram (chickpea) flour and […]
Indian Snack Review: Garvi Gujarat Jamnagari Gathiya (Gluten Free, Vegan)
Gathiya is a delicious crunchy snack made of chickpea (aka garbanzo flour aka gram aka besan) flour popular all over India. This version is Jamnagari style, named for a town in Gujarat. It’s seasoned with ajwain (bishop weed), black pepper and cumin. The individual pieces are actually about an inch long making them larger than […]
Gluten Free Vegan Naan Attempt #1
The GF naan experiment turned out fairly successful. The naan was fluffy though not quite as large and pliable as desired. This recipe is adapted from Manjula’s Kitchen with some additional ingredients from this site. For the next attempt I’ll probably switch in brown rice flour in place of sorghum. The final baked product was […]
Ma’s Kitchen: Indian Eggplant Recipe (Begun Bhartha, Vegan, Gluten Free)
My Ma being the magician she is, knows a few ways to make begun bartha. This recipe is one of those variations. It’s an Indian eggplant mash which if done well gets a nice smoky flavor and works great with naan. See notes below method about alternate ways depending on preference. Ingredients 2 medium size […]
Indian-Irish Lamb Stew Recipe: Somewhere in the Between
I had a friend in college of Irish descent. After discussing the “Quit India” Independence movement, he said “yeah the British messed with us too.” In addition to an imperial connection, we also bonded over our mutual love of potatoes. This simple lamb stew got lost halfway between the cuisine of both countries. Adjust tomato […]
Ma’s Kitchen: Labra, Bengali Mixed Veg Dish (Vegan, Gluten Free)
If you like your veggies, labra will be up your alley. It’s a classic Bengali dish usually comprised of a 4-6 types of vegetables with fairly minimal spices. Common veggies include cabbage, squash (pumpkin), eggplant, potato and radishes. It’s a dish frequently served alongside kichuri during a Hindu festival known as Saraswati Puja. The pumpkin […]
Horse Gram Dal Recipe (Kollu Paruppu, Vegan/Gluten Free)
Inspired the other day by NPR’s the Cupboard, I posted about a dormant food from the pantry: Horse Gram. Bearing an odd name and not seeing it on a menu anywhere it hung out graciously for a year or so. After a little searching I found a couple of recipes and a long list of […]
Poha: Indian Snack (Gluten free, Vegan)
Poha is the name of a tasty Indian and Bangladeshi snack made with flattened rice. The grains when bought are thin, dry flakes. The beauty of poha is that it rehydrates in minutes depending on the thickness (it’s often available in thick, medium and thin) . It can be found at most any Indian/Pakistani/Bangladeshi store. […]
Non-Traditional Upma (Gluten Free) – An Indian Breakfast With Attieke Cassava Couscous
Upma is a delicious breakfast item in South India made with semolina/cream of wheat. Ingredients consist most commonly of curry leaves, lemon juice, mustard seeds, ginger and a few other spices. The veggies vary depending on what you have on hand. To create the gluten free (and vegan) version, I used leftover attieke, the fermented […]
Balaji Wafers, Magic Masala Flavor Review (Gluten Free, Vegan Snack)
These Balaji “wafers” were picked up at Patel Brothers in Jackson Heights for $1.49. The wafers are actually potato chips (I wasn’t aware the words are used interchangeably). The flavor, masala munch is delicious. The ingredients contain no gluten and have a splendid balance of sweet and sour owed largely to the sugar, chilly powder […]
