Puffed Rice and Nut Snack with Raisins
Though not widely available in India, sunflower and pumpkin seeds help to make this a nutritious snack. Recently, seven-grain puffed cereal packaged as Kashi has reached health food stores shelves. It is wonderfully crunchy and flavorful, an excellent alternative to puffed rice – and to popcorn. Preparation and cooking time (after assembling ingredients): 20 minutes Ingredients • Cayenne pepper – ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) • Turmeric...
Vishakha’s Cream of Vegetable Dal Soup
Here is a quick pressure-cooker soup. The rice and legumes complement each other nutritionally and with the vegetables, seasonings and powdered spices –make a full-bodied creamy soup. Practically a meal in itself, this dish needs only a fresh flatbread and salad to make an excellent light lunch. If the vegetables listed are not available, you can substitute peeled Jerusalem artichokes, winter squash, summer squash or freeze peas...
Sweet Potato Salad in Maple-Lemon Vinaigrette
You can prepare this salad up to 8 hours before serving. Though it is light and healthy, it is also substantial and filling, perfect as a fall or winter salad. The maple-lemon dressing is barely sweet, pleasantly warmed by candied ginger. Cooking time: about 45 minutes Preparation and marinating time (after assembling ingredients): about 1 hour Ingredients • Sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds/1kg), washed but not...
Baked Bananas Stuffed with tamarind Flavored Coconut
Bananas are native to India and are one of the most popular fruits of the nation. There are said to be staggering 400 varieties of bananas. Even so, they are divided into only two categories: eating and cooking. In this dish, a small, very sweet eating banana, either yellow or red-skinned, is preferred. Known as lady fingers or golden fingers, they are often available in Mexican or Indian grocery stores. Though they are traditionally...
Crispy Plantain Wafers
In south India these are as popular as potato chips are in America. It is a national snack pastime, and in much of the south, is almost always fried in coconut oil. This tasty oil is also pastime, and in much of the south, is almost fried in coconut oil. This tasty oil is also highly saturated, and should be avoided if you are on a cholesterol reduced diet; try sunflower, safflower or soybean oil instead. South Indians, from...