Vanitha Bhat

Indian Spiced Tofu Puff Pastry Braid; crumbled tofu with veggies of your choice encased in a puff pastry “braid” and baked until golden brown. This vegan and flaky snack is so crispy and tasty, your friends and family will be begging for more! Ingredients: 1 packet of Puff Pastry sheets; 17.3...

Chatpata, tangy, spicy and lip-smacking street food like puri with sookhi chana dal and jeera aloo! Ingredients: For puris: 2 cups whole wheat flour ½ tsp salt Oil for deep frying Flour for dusting or you can use oil For jeera aloo: 3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes 1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds ½ tsp hing/asafetida powder 1 large...

A fragrant and flavorful, yet simple and quick saucy chicken curry with the essence of ginger and some simple pantry ingredients, perfect with rice or just a soft roti or paratha! Ingredients: 500 gm or 1 lb of boneless chicken For the marination: 1 tbsp kashmiri chilli powder (more for color than heat) Salt...

Simple and healthy asparagus stir fry with mustard seeds and dry red chillies; ready in less than 10 minutes! Ingredients: ½ bunch asparagus (2 cups chopped) ½ tsp mustard seeds 2 to 3 dry red chilies 1 tablespoon coconut oil Salt to taste Full recipe: Asparagus Upkari/Stir Fry

A light and healthy comforting soup with a dash of cumin and ginger infused to give it an exotic aroma! Ingredients: 1 tablespoon butter 1 teaspoon oil ½ tsp cumin seeds/jeera 1-inch piece ginger, chopped into large pieces 2 to 3 green chillies/jalapenos, slit ½ cup green onions (white portion), chopped 2 cups chopped celery Salt to taste Black...

Black-eyed Beans Sambar is another variation of the south Indian lentil delight, sambar! Spiced with homemade sambar powder and some tamarind for the tang, it is a perfect side dish to enjoy with rice or parathas! Ingredients: 1 cup black-eyed peas, soaked overnight 2 ½ cups water 2 tsp sambar powder (homemade or...

A gorgeous glass of fresh coconut milk vegan smoothie made with tropical fruits like mangoes, pineapple and some strawberries for added flavor and color! Ingredients: For the strawberry layer: 1 ½ cups sliced strawberries ½ a large banana, peeled and sliced ½ tsp lemon juice Lemon zest ½ cup coconut milk For mango layer: ½ cup coconut milk 1...

A south Indian Konkani Style curry with pineapples and mango chunks in a sweet, spicy and tangy coconut-mustard gravy, traditionally served as a side dish with rice and dal or enjoyed as a dessert too! Ingredients: 2 cups pineapple chunks 2 mangoes, peeled and cut into cubes (the sweet variety) ¼ cup black...

Savory south Indian dosa or crepe with healthy moringa or drumstick leaves in a spicy coconut, rice and lentil based masala. Ingredients: ¾ cup raw rice ¾ cup toor dal/split pigeon peas/split yellow lentils ¾ cup grated coconut fresh or frozen 12 to 15 dry red chilis 1 large marble-sized tamarind or ½ tsp tamarind...

Jackfruit and Chickpea Pulav/Biryani is a quick and flavorful one-pot Indian flavored rice meal with chunky raw jackfruit and protein-rich chickpeas, made easy in the pressure cooker! Ingredients: 2 cups Basmati rice soaked in water for 20 minutes For the browned onions: 2 cups sliced onions Oil for deep frying For the biryani: 3 tbsp oil...

A mildly spiced south Indian flavored lentil stew with fresh white radish, coconut and some simple but aromatic Indian spices. Paired with hot steaming rice, it is an ultimate comfort food. Ingredients: ¼ cup toor/tuvar dal or split pigeon peas/yellow lentils 2 medium sized white radish; peeled and sliced For the sambar/huli masala...

Creamy Yogurt parfait with strawberry compote and crunchy cereal is a quick, easy and healthy dessert or even breakfast parfait that can be ready in no time. Ingredients: 2 cups thick yogurt (Greek or hung yogurt or any flavored yogurt) 2 to 3 tbsp honey (if using plain yogurt) 1 cup breakfast cereal...