Curries & Stories: vegan recipe

30 January

The month has passed by so fast and it is almost the last day! It is weekend again and I had to try out something different. We had a collaboration on Cauliflower recipes this weekend and I thought of making a simple roasted cauliflower , because who wants to slog in the kitchen on weekends? I usually do but this time I really did not want to spend too much time in the kitchen because I had a detective novel waiting for me to be finished. Most of the cauliflower roast will ask you to either deep fry it or make it in the oven, both of these processes take a long time to get done. But as I said I needed a quick fire method so I followed the process which I usually follow when I am making Cauliflower fish curry. It a combination of shallow fry and microwave cooking and gets done in maximum 10 minutes.

Also with the cauliflower I needed something complimentary. I was thinking of an Middle eastern platter so hummus was the default choice. I had some beetroot in the pantry so thought of just making a vibrant hummus with them. Now Tahini is a default ingredient in traditional hummus. It gives the creaminess and nutty flavor to the hummus. But Tahini is not something I keep in the pantry. Also Tahini is not a very healthy option. So there is a wonderful substitute to tahini in terms of aroma which is roasted cumin powder. It might not sound so appealing but believe me the roasted cumin powder add a beautiful aroma to the hummus and is my personal favorite. I have tried it in all different kinds of hummus and it works like a charm with each one. I also remembered that the first ever time I made hummus at home was in 2020 during lockdown. It was in the very initial phase of my Instagram days. There was a team challenge and both me and my counterpart had to cook the same dish and present it as per our choice. We had decided to make 3 kinds of hummus and one of them was the beetroot hummus. At that point I was not even much familiar with the taste of hummus let alone make it at home. So it was a challenge that I took nonetheless and came up with this yummy version of beetroot hummus with roasted cumin powder. I didn't realize already 2 years had passes since that day.

While you can serve this the traditional way with pita breads, I decided to go for a jugaad method here as well. I have recently got my hands on these wheat kulchas by Britannia and I liked them. They go well with any kind of kebabs so I thought let me try the hummus and cauliflower combo with them as well. While it might not taste like the pita breads it not a bad combination as well. Checkout the recipe below.

Preparation Time (Cauliflower): 5 minutes

Cooking Time(Cauliflower): 10 minutes

Preparation Time (Hummus): 15 minutes
Cooking Time(Hummus): 5 minutes

Serves - 1 adult

Ingredients for Cauliflower (single serve):

Cauliflower - 1/2 cauliflower head
Salt - as per taste
Sugar - 1/4 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1/4 tsp
Mandi Spice Mix - 1 tsp (Recipe Link Here)
Garlic - 2 cloves, crushed
Refined Oil - for frying

Ingredients for Beetroot hummus (single serve):

Boiled or canned chickpeas - 1/2 cup (skin removed)
Boiled beetroot - 1/4 cup
Garlic - 2 cloves
Lime juice - 1 tsp
Dry roasted Jeera powder (recipe below)- 1 /2 tsp
Salt as per taste
Olive Oil - 3 tbsp
Water - 1 to 2 tbsp or as required

Ingredients for Roasted Jeera Powder

Whole Cumin / Jeera - 2 tsp

Ingredients for Garnish:

Roasted sesame seeds - 1 tsp

Roasted Jeera Powder - 1/2 tsp (optional - recipe below)

Equipment:

Pan
Mixer grinder
Oven

Procedure: Roasted Jeera Powder:

1. Dry roast the whole cumin/jeera for about 2-3 minutes on high flame stirring continuously till fragrant.

2. Transfer to a bowl and let it cool down to room temperature

3. Grind it to a smooth powder

Note: This is a very versatile spice powder and can be sprinkled over meats, fish curry, oven roasted veggies etc.

Procedure: Roasted Cauliflower (easy process):

1. Clean the Cauliflower and cut into florets. If there are big florets you can halve them.

Tip: I keep the cauliflower florets submerged into a water mixture of water, vinegar and salt for about 30 minutes to get rid of any impurities and germs and then clean it carefully under running water.

2. We will not be roasting the cauliflowers in the oven. This is a very quick and easy recipe so I will tell you an easier way out when you don't have much time to spare. Heat a kadai with some cooking oil.

3. Add crushed garlic. Now add the cauliflower florets and fry then on high heat. Add a pinch of salt. Fry them for about 3 minutes till sides start getting a golden hue.

4. Transfer these to a microwave safe bowl. Add 1/4 cup of water so much as to barely submerge the ends of the florets. Cover the bowl with a cling wrap or place a microwave safe cover. Microwave on high for 2 minutes (check after 1 minute for doneness and repeat for 1 more minute if required). After 2 minutes the cauliflower will almost be done.

5. Transfer the cauliflower to a plate draining the water from them.

6. Now add these cauliflowers back to the hot oil and fry on high heat for about 2 more minutes till the edges get a nice brown spotting.

7. Take out the fried cauliflower on a kitchen tower to drain the oil.

8. Now toss these cauliflowers in the Mandi masala mix. Add seasoning as required.

9. Before serving I also sprinkled some Roasted jeera powder (optional) to give it a further kick.

Procedure: Beetroot Hummus:

Note: This is a hummus recipe without Tahini.

1. Cut beetroot into 1 inch pieces and boil it for about 2-3 whistles or till cooked. Set aside to cool.

2. Boil the chickpeas till soft. Set aside to cool.

Tip 1: You can add a pinch of baking soda if the chickpeas are taking a long time to get soft

Tip 2: Since baking soda mildly alters the taste, so at time putting a steel spoon in the cooker when you boil any kind of a hard pulse also works.

Note: If you are using canned chickpeas then skip the boiling part

3. Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth. Stop to scrape down the sides as needed. If you’d like more zest, add more lemon juice. Add more roasted jeera powder if you want a stronger aroma.

Note: It is recommended you remove the skin off the chickpeas before blending it. This ensures a creamy smooth texture.

4. Plate it and make a well in the hummus. Add olive oil and sprinkle roasted sesame seeds for a beautiful presentation and nutty aroma.

Serve this with some fresh salad and pita bread. I have served it with the new Britannia wheat Kulcha and it was a lovely combo.

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30 August

I have always been a huge fan of baked or roasted vegetables and seafood. Roasting is such a healthy and delicious way to prepare your vegetables. The dry heat of the oven caramelizes the natural sugars in vegetables, which brings about an amazing depth of flavor. The result is a sweet, nutty, toasty flavor. And moreover they are easy to make. It practically cooks on its own! And that's why they are the perfect things for a weeknight dinner when you don't need to spend too much time in the kitchen.

These aubergines will be melt in the mouth soft with a crispy caramelized texture somewhat similar to the Bengali Begun Bhaja but a little more healthy counterpart. For the seasoning sauce you can practically use anything you love. I have made this using the Buldak sauce left over from some Korean ramen packet. But if you don't have Buldak sauce available, then just go for the traditional Chinese sauce mix with honey, soya sauce and garlic and it still tastes amazing like hell! I had this roasted aubergine with steamed rice and moong daal the same way we Bengalis consume Begun bhaja. But if you want you can have them with any side of your choice. It pairs up well with pretty much any sides.

Tips for making good roasted vegetables:

Slice veggies evenly to ensure even cooking
Don't skimp on the Oil - Oil helps the vegetables cook more evenly and crisp. It also adds a rich flavor that makes roasted vegetables irresistible.
Don't over crowd the baking sheet - allow everything to sit in a single layer. Crowding will make the vegetables steam instead of roast, and that’s the opposite of what we want.
Season well - Be very generous with the seasoning, that's what is going to add all the beautiful taste and flavor
Perfect Temperature - 200 degree Celsius / 400 degrees Fahrenheit is the perfect temperature for most roasted vegetables. It allows for a crispy, perfectly browned exterior and a fork tender interior. It does vary based on the water content in the vegetable. Vegetables with more water content needs higher temperature. But when in doubt, go for 200C/400F.
Prefer cooking without Parchment paper - While parchment paper helps in easy cleaning of the sheet pan, but it prevents even roasting. So it is always recommended to use the sheet pan without the parchment paper

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Baking Time : 30- 40 minutes

Serves - 1 adult

Ingredients :

Aubergine - 1 big
Soya Sauce- 2 tsp
Fish Sauce - 1/2 tsp
Ground Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
Honey - 2 tbsp
Powdered Sugar - 1 tsp
Bird's eye chilli/ red chilli - 2 finely chopped
Garlic cloves - 5, finely pounded
Salt - for taste
Sesame Oil / Cooking Oil - 3 tbsp

Garnish:

Roasted sesame - 1 tsp
Garlic Chives - 2 tsp , chopped finely

Equipment:

Baking Sheet
Knife

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 200C/400F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

2. Slice the aubergine in half, lengthwise with its stalk. With a sharp paring knife and make long cuts down the length of the aubergine. Take care not to slice through the skin. Repeat with perpendicular cuts to form cubes.

Note: It’s the same way one scores a mango. For visual reference check the images.

3. To make the sauce, take a small bowl, mix the honey, soya sauce, fish sauce, salt, ground black pepper, pounded garlic cloves, chopped red chilli and sesame oil.

Score the Aubergine and apply the sauce generously

4. Now place the aubergines in a baking dish (if required line it with a parchment paper), skin side down. Brush both sides of the aubergine generously with the sauce. Make sure the sauce gets into all the cuts.

Tip 1: If you have time, preheat just the sheet pan in the oven. Adding the oil-coated vegetables to the hot pan will create an exterior that's crisp and caramelized.

Tip 2: I like to add some additional vegetables on the sides while roasting the aubergines. This time I added potatoes and garlic , you can add anything of your choice. Drizzle them with the same sauce.

5. Roast the aubergines for 30 to 40 minutes depending upon the size of the aubergine. Keep checking after 30 minutes for doneness.

6. Remove the aubergines from the oven. Garnish it with toasted sesame seeds and garlic chives.