Tag: Vegan Recipes

OneWholesomeMeal brings to you a range of best vegan recipes from India and the rest of the world. In some non-vegan recipes, we also share the vegan alternates. Bringing easy to make recipes at your doorstep for good health. Try for yourself today.

 

Impossible Burger

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal

Roasted Crispy Masala Chickpeas

Roasted Chickpeas
Roasted Crispy Masala Chickpeas

Rice and lentils have been a staple in the Indian subcontinent since time immemorial. With the variety of lentils that are a part of any Indian pantry whipping up a healthy wholesome meal is most times a no-brainer. All one needs is some kind of vegetable on the side and done! It really is that simple. I have always cooked various recipes with these lovely lentils as a part of our everyday meal but it was not until I attended Christine’s @conscious_cooking workshop, that I came across these crunchy golden nuggets – Oven Roasted Chickpeas.

Another quick-fix meal with slow-cooked herb flavored brown rice on the side. I cooked mine in chicken broth for added flavor. You could use vegetable broth or water. It does not compromise on either taste or flavor. There are several recipes for roasted chickpeas available online, though I gave mine a bit of an Indian twist with chaat masala, lemon, and chicken curry masala. The fun is in playing around with the spices. You can add or minus any based on your taste preference or double up on your favored ones as I did with red chili powder.

They taste the best and crispiest when hot and just out of the oven. Alternatively, you could store them in an air-tight container in a refrigerator and pop into a pre-heated oven for 10 minutes before consumption. Here is the recipe

 

Roasted Chickpeas

 

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Roasted Crispy Masala Chickpeas

Ingredients

  • Boiled or canned chickpeas-1.5 cups
  • Olive oil-2-3 tablespoons
  • Salt or Garlic salt-1 teaspoon
  • Chaat Masala or Amchoor powder-1/2 teaspoon
  • Chicken curry masala-2 teaspoons
  • Dry roasted Red Chili powder-1/2 teaspoon

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees centigrade and line a baking sheet with foil, spray some olive oil evenly and keep aside
  2. If using canned chickpeas, rinse thoroughly under running water or cool the boiled chickpeas completely under running water and dry well on a paper towel so that no moisture remains
  3. In a deep bowl place the chickpeas oil and salt and mix well and place it in the oven for 10 minutes
  4. After 10 minutes bring them out and transfer to a wooden or a heat proof glass bowl, sprinkle chaat masala, chili powder and chicken curry masala, give it a good mix and place it back on the baking sheet and bake for another 10-15 minutes
  5. The roasting time varies from oven to oven so watch out for over-roasting or burning during the last few minutes. Perfectly roasted chickpeas turn golden brown with slightly dark patches

Notes

Calories (per cup)- 134
Nutrition- Protein punch/ Fiber/Calcium/Magnesium/Potassium/Vitamin A/Folate
It does wonders for your- Bones/Sleep/Gut/Muscles/Nerves/Eyes/Hair
This is “My 3 pm Meal”

https://onewholesomemeal.com/roasted-crispy-masala-chickpeas/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Dinner | 8pm Meal Lunch | 1pm Meal

Tangy Cauliflower in Roasted Peanut, Chana Daal

Tangy Cauliflower
Tangy Cauliflower in Roasted Peanut and Chana Daal

Are you tired of the same old cauliflower curry recipes and looking for a change? Then this tangy cauliflower with peanut-roasted chana (split bengal gram) daal is just the thing for you. Cauliflower is S senior’s (that would be my husband ;)) favorite vegetable and he wants to eat it all year-round. It is somewhat difficult for me to eat the same onion-tomato cauliflower curry each time. So this time I tried something new with the readily available ingredients in my kitchen and the result was this tangy cauliflower.

This dryish preparation goes well with hot chapatis but if you want to eat with rice then you could make the gravy slightly more watery. I also topped it with sprouted lentils for an added crunch and health. Try it out and do not forget to share your feedback.

If like S senior, cauliflower is your favorite vegetable too, do try out the Achaari Paalak Gobhi and the Tandoori Cauliflower & Nuts Pulaao.

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Cauliflower in Roasted Peanut-Chana Daal Masala

Ingredients

  • Cauliflower- 250gm
  • Potato, medium sized (optional)- 1 (cubed)
  • Roasted peanuts- ¼ cup
  • Roasted split Bengal gram- ¼ cup
  • Amchoor (dry mango powder)- 1 tablespoon
  • Sambhar masala – 1 tablespoon
  • Dried red chili- 2
  • Tomato, medium sized- 1
  • Onion, medium sized- 1
  • Ginger-garlic paste- 1.5 tablespoons
  • Cumin seeds- ½ teaspoon
  • Sprouted lentils-1/2 cup
  • Salt-1.5 teaspoons or to taste
  • Turmeric- 1 teaspoon
  • Vegetable oil- 1.5 tablespoons

Instructions

  1. Blanch the cauliflowers in salted boiling water for 5-7 minutes or until just soft, drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. We do not want to make the cauliflowers too soft as they tend to break when mixing with the spices
  2. Blend the roasted peanut and split Bengal gram to a powder and set aside
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a heavy bottomed pan or wok and when the oil is hot add cumin seeds and dried red chilis
  4. Reduce the heat to medium and add onion and ginger garlic paste. Sauté until onions turn a golden brown and then add tomato and sauté for further 2-3 minutes
  5. Once the mixture starts to leave oil, it is done. Transfer into a bowl and set aside to cool
  6. In the meantime sauté the potatoes in the same pan until they are 70% cooked and set aside
  7. Blend the onion-tomato mixture to a smooth puree. Add the remaining oil to the same pan and add the puree when the oil is hot. Mix well and add the peanut-gram powder, followed by amchoor, sambhar masala and turmeric. Continue to stir the mixture on a low heat until all ingredients are well incorporated
  8. Add cauliflower and potato and keeping the heat low, mix well with the spice mixture. Cover and cook until soft. Add salt and half cup water if you prefer a curry
  9. Top with sprouted lentils and chopped coriander and serve with hot chapatis

Notes

Calories (per serving)- 95
Nutrition- Protein/Fiber/Vitamins C, K, B6/Folate/Potassium/Magnesium
It does wonders for your- Muscles/Gut/Immunity/Heart/Eyes
This is “My 8pm/1pm Meal”

https://onewholesomemeal.com/tangy-cauliflower-roasted-peanut-chana-daal/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Lunch | 1pm Meal

Jackfruit Curry and Indian Superfoods

Jackfruit Curry
Jackfruit Curry

My parents often point out how easy life is these days where everything is right at our fingertips. But I tend to disagree.

Technology has proven more of a bane than boon. Google has answers to almost everything, right from the best time to visit Bali, to the right time for intercourse to ensure a progeny of a certain gender. Answers which our parents and their generation would only trust their doctors or the Almighty with, every second person has an opinion on that. And God forbid if you happen to be an easily influenced soul like me, sleepless nights are guaranteed! It has never been harder to just be!

Indian Superfoods

And if the discussion is about what is the right kind of food for a healthy (and wealthy) existence, then good luck to us! For me the last 5 years have been all about trying, discovering, and experimenting with all kinds of diets and fads or should I say fad diets. Apart from juicing (which to this date I am unable to wrap my head around), I think I have tried them all. It was during such trials when I laid my hands on Rujuta Diwekar’s – Indian Superfoods. And I have to say, she is one of the few whose words made sense and logic.

Rujuta Diwekar breaks down the myths around food and takes us back to the very basis of Indian food and cooking.

It all made so much sense. This is by no means is a paid promotion, but if you can, the 150 odd pages would be one of the best investments of time and money you would make. I have not been 100% successful in implementing all my learnings but it is work in progress.

Jackfruit and All its Glory

Jackfruit is one such superfood amongst others (ghee/kokum/cashew/ambadi/rice/coconut) she talks in great detail about. This particular fruit/vegetable was available in abundance where I come from. We ate it both ripe and raw but I had no idea about its nutritional goodness – immunity booster, protein source, antioxidant, fibres…the list is endless. Fortunately, it is easy to find jackfruit in Hong Kong too. So I tried to give a few jackfruit recipes a go. Over the next few days, I will be sharing some of my success stories with you.

The first one today being the tried and tested jackfruit curry. As Rujuta rightly points out – India’s very own mock meat even before it became fashionable to mock meat or go vegan…;) Every time my mother would cook mutton for the rest of the family, she would cook some jackfruit curry for me in the same spice blend as I did not particularly enjoy red meat. And I never missed meat! Do you have a tried and tested jackfruit recipe? Do share. I would love to try it out.

Scroll down for the jackfruit curry recipe. You may also want to try jackfruit pancakes or jackfruit idlis.

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Jackfruit Curry

Ingredients

  • Raw jackfruit (chopped two inches thick)- 500 gms
  • Medium sized onions (chopped)-3
  • Green chili- 2
  • Cumin seeds- 1 teaspoon
  • Bay leaf- 2 small
  • Cinnamon sticks- ½ inch
  • Big and small whole cardamoms- 2 and 4 pieces each
  • Star anise- 1 whole flower
  • Mace- One small portion
  • Garam masala powder- 1 tablespoon
  • Coriander powder-1/2 teaspoon
  • Cumin powder-1/2 teaspoon
  • Turmeric powder-1/2 teaspoon
  • Ginger-garlic paste- 1.5 tablespoon
  • Salt-1.5 teaspoon or to taste
  • Chopped coriander for garnish
  • Oil- 3 tablespoons

Instructions

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a heavy bottomed wok and stir fry the jackfruit and keep aside
  2. In the same pan add the remaining oil and add cumin seeds once the oil is hot. When the seeds start to splutter, add the remaining whole spices and roast for a minute stirring continuously on medium-high heat
  3. Add onion and ginger-garlic paste and stir for another five minutes until the onions are brown, then add the powdered masalas. Do not add salt at this point. Adding salt before the powdered masalas are well cooked prevents even cooking and release of flavor from the masalas. Cook on medium low heat for 10 minutes. Sprinkle some water if the mixture gets dry and starts to stick to the sides.
  4. Add the fried jackfruit and salt and cook on medium heat for another 5-7 minutes till the spices evenly coat the vegetable
  5. Add half a cup of water (or more for a thinner gravy), mix well and cover. Let it simmer for another 10 minutes on low heat
  6. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with a side of rice or chapatis

Notes

Calories (per serving)- 193
Nutrition- Fiber/Vitamins A, B Complex, C/ Potassium/Magnesium/Manganese/Iron
It does wonders for your- Skin/Hair/Immunity/Sleep/Energy levels/Gut/Blood pressure/Eyesight/Bones
This is “My 1pm Meal"

https://onewholesomemeal.com/jackfruit-curry-indian-superfoods/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Lunch | 1pm Meal

Toor Daal Missi Rotis With Mango Pickle

Missi Rotis
Toor Dal Missi Roties with Mango Pickle

A busy weekend and an even busier Monday morning meant an empty refrigerator as I found absolutely no time for my grocery run. Thankfully I had some leftover toor daal (split pigeon peas) from the night before so these missi rotis happened.

All I had to do was knead the leftover daal with some whole wheat flour, add some spices and roll out soft silky missi rotis. We enjoyed it with homemade sweet mango pickle and fresh langra mangoes. Oh! If you are wondering, what on earth are langra mangoes and have not tasted them, you are missing something in life. Not as famous as their prettier and commercially popular cousins alphonsos, these green coloured wonders are much more flavourful, sweeter and not to mention easier on the pocket 😉

Something I Want to Share…

I quickly belted down the hot rotis and rushed out for groceries. The heavens had broken loose and by the time I returned home I was soaking wet, exhausted, it was almost dinnertime for the kids and I had no time to cook a meal. My patience levels were running low and the dam was going to burst any moment when suddenly an image of this old lady who was selling flowers in the wet market flashed in my head.

There she sat under a makeshift plastic tent, which shielded her (and her precious flowers) from the heavy rain as she munched on her lunch. There was something about that wrinkled unperturbed face that was completely oblivious to the entire hullabaloo around her. She seemed completely at peace with it all and most of all with herself.

How could she? And if she could, then with all that the Almighty has bestowed on me, why couldn’t I? So, what my kids have to repeat a meal, shouldn’t I be grateful for the food on their plates and roof on our heads? At that one moment, my mood switched. I went from being agitated and guilty to thankful and happy. Let us look around us and always remind ourselves of what we have v/s what we do not. Just this one switch would make life so much more worth living. It is something I wanted to share with you.

Getting back to the toor daal missi roti, scroll down for the detailed recipe. You may also see my recipe for paalak missi roti here.

 

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Toor Daal Missi Roti

Ingredients

  • Leftover (or freshly boiled) toor (spli pigeon peas) daal- 1 cup
  • Whole wheat flour- 2 cups
  • Ajwain (carom) seeds- ½ teaspoon
  • Medium sized onion chopped fine- ½
  • Green chili chopped fine- 1
  • Amchoor (dry mango) powder- ½ teaspoon
  • Salt- 1/2 teaspoon or to taste (if using freshly boiled daal add 1 teaspoon)
  • Oil – 2 teaspoons
  • Oil or Ghee for pan frying

Instructions

  1. Bring the leftover daal to room temperature (do not microwave). Mix all the ingredients together adding 1-teaspoon oil and knead the dough. Cooked daal should have enough water for kneading but add some more water if needed.
  2. Cover with cling wrap and let the dough sit at room temperature for 15 minutes; then uncover and knead again till a smooth consistency is achieved.
  3. Grease your hands with some oil and form the dough into balls slightly smaller than the size of your palm
  4. Roll out into approximately 6 inch discs and pan fry on a hot skillet making sure the edges are evenly cooked by pressing them intermittently with a spatula and flipping to cook on both sides.
  5. Serve hot with chutney or pickle of your choice or fresh ripe mango juice (aam ras)

Notes

Calories (per serving)- 153
Nutrition-Protein punch/Fiber/Iron/Vitamin B
It does wonders for your- Muscles/Gut/Stamina
This is “My 1 pm Meal”

https://onewholesomemeal.com/toor-daal-missi-rotis/

 

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Dinner | 8pm Meal

Broccoli Curry in Roasted Tomato Gravy

Broccoli Curry
Broccoli Curry in Roasted Tomato Gravy

Do you like Broccoli? Well, I don’t! Growing up in India, I had never tasted cauliflower’s green cousin. There is no broccoli curry one grows up eating. And to be honest, if it was not for innumerable health benefits of broccoli I would happily keep our relationship extremely platonic.

But I like a good challenge and what better challenge than making yourself like (and eat) something you almost detest. So, I decided to give our “videshi” broccoli a “desi” twist with this roasted tomatoes and panch foran based broccoli curry and it changed everything! The smoked tanginess of roasted tomatoes is just the thing to balance the blandness of broccoli and the panch foran tempering just gives it another dimension.

The fussy eaters loved it too 😉  ! But you know what’s the best part? This broccoli curry was cooked with just two teaspoonfuls of oil. Try it for yourself and you are sure to convert from a “brocc-hater” to a “brocc-eater”…OK! Sorry about that terrible joke. But trust me, my recipes aren’t as bad as my jokes. Do give them a chance 🙂 Scroll down for the detailed recipe.

You may also like my recipe for Zucchini Broccoli Burgers. Definitely check it out and let me know which broccoli recipe is your favorite in the comments below.

 

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Broccoli-Tomato Curry

Ingredients

  • Broccoli- 250gm
  • Medium sized tomatoes- 2
  • Medium sized potato (cubed)- 1
  • Garlic- 8 pods finely chopped
  • Panchforan- 2 teaspoons
  • Salt-1.5 teaspoons
  • Green chilli- 2
  • Turmeric- 1/2 teaspoon
  • Oil- 2 teaspoons

Instructions

  1. Blanch the broccoli with half teaspoon salt and strain
  2. Dry roast the tomatoes in the oven (at 180 degrees for 20 minutes) or on stove top in an iron skillet. Cool and make a paste in a blender
  3. Heat oil in a wok, add panchforan till it starts to splutter, add garlic and sauté until fragrant
  4. Add tomato paste, turmeric and salt and sauté for 2-3 minutes
  5. Add potatoes and cook until soft
  6. Add blanched broccoli, green chilies, salt and half cup water and mix well. Cover and cook on medium heat for ten minutes
  7. Serve hot with steamed basmati rice.

Notes

Calories (per portion)- 125
Nutrition-Protein punch/Fiber/Iron/Folate/Vitamin C
It does wonders for your- Immunity/Muscles/Gut/Eyes/Heart/Cholesterol levels
This is “My 8 pm Meal”

https://onewholesomemeal.com/broccoli-curry-roasted-tomato/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Lunch | 1pm Meal

Tangy Spiced Tofu Bites: Hot Or Cold, Your Choice

Spiced Tofu Bites
Tangy Spiced Tofu Bites

Speak of tofu and the carnivores in the family start to wrinkle their noses.

My first five attempts at a tofu dish were rejected. Finally, when I experimented with a combination of lemon, tofu, and Indians spices, I knew I had struck gold with these tangy spiced tofu bites. The fact they take such little effort to prepare was definitely an added bonus. I love how versatile tofu is. There are endless possibilities, especially with the firmer variety. I will keep coming back to this one for sure.

Are You Tofu Ready?

Tofus can be confusing. There are different consistencies and when you go grocery shopping, it may get difficult to make the right choice. What is the right type of tofu? Well, it depends on the dish you want to make. Here are a few pointers to help you pick up the right consistency tofu.

  1. Silken tofu is the softest version of the tofu. This is usually blended and used in salad dressings, sauces, and desserts. Unless the recipe specifies it, you will mostly not use this variety.
  2. Next is the regular tofu. This comes in different consistencies – regular, firm, extra-firm, and super-firm.
  3. Regular tofu is most commonly used in Asian dishes. It is great in noodles and stew as this type of tofu easily absorbs flavors.
  4. Most supermarkets sell you the firm tofu. This is usually packaged with a liquid. Before using this tofu in any dish, you have to drain off this liquid. Ensure your tofu is dry before you cook. It can be used in noodles and stews as well as pan-fried. Therefore, this is the most versatile tofu.
  5. The extra-firm tofu is largely used in pan-fried and deep-fried dishes. It does not absorb flavors like the previous tofu and hence is not recommended to be used on noodles or stews.
  6. Lastly, we have the super-firm tofu which acts as a great meat substitute.

To know which tofu is the best for your dish, visit tofupedia.

How To Spice The Tofu Bites?

Many supermarkets sell seasoned tofu and smoked tofu, but I did not get those. I wanted to use Indian spices to make these spiced tofu bites. The spice mix includes coriander powder, amchoor, gram masala, red chili powder, and garlic powder.

Scroll down to read the full detailed recipe. For another Tofu recipe with Indian spices, try the Spinach and Tofu Stir Fry With Panchforan. Let me know which one you liked more.

Spiced Tofu Bites

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Tangy Spiced Tofu Bites

Ingredients

  • Tofu (the extra firm variety)- 250 gms
  • Freshly squeezed lemon juice- 4 tablespoons
  • Coriander powder-1 teaspoon
  • Amchoor (raw mango powder)-1 teaspoon or to taste
  • Garam masala powder (or Cajun spice)-1.5 teaspoons
  • Red chili powder (optional)-1/2 teaspoon
  • Garlic powder-1/2 teaspoon
  • Oil for shallow frying- 2 tablespoons
  • Smoked Paprika (optional) for garnish

Instructions

  1. Cut the tofu into small rectangular or square pieces
  2. Mix all the powdered spices in one bowl and place the freshly squeezed lemon juice into another
  3. Place a flat non-stick pan on medium-high heat and smear it with half a teaspoon oil
  4. Dip the tofu squares one by one in lemon juice followed by the spice powder mixture making sure they are coated evenly
  5. Pan fry on medium heat till spices change color and fragrant, approximately 5-7 minutes on each side
  6. Serve hot as a snack or cold with salad

Notes

Calories (for 4 squares)- 125
Nutrition- Protein/Magnesium/Copper/Zinc/Vitamin B1
It does wonders for your- Memory/Nerves/Energy level/Gut/Quality of Sleep
This is “My 1 pm/3 pm Meal”

https://onewholesomemeal.com/tangy-spiced-tofu-bites/

[kkstarratings]