The Steaming Pot - Easy vegetarian recipes from India

Chickpeas lend themselves generously to experimentation. The classic channa masala with its onion-garlic base is by no means the only way to cook this legume curry-style. Chickpeas CAN be curried without a shred of onion and garlic – check out these recipes from the blog archives, for example: aloo chhole, dahi chhole.

And now, let me add yet another no-onion-no-garlic chickpea recipe to your repertoire.

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While cucumber is great raw, a light sautéing brings out in the gourd a delicious flavor dimension. The key is to cook the cucumber just enough to let it soften, not so much that it turns limp or watery. This cucumber side dish recipe, flavored with fresh lime and mustard, shows you how.

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This light and nourishing ginger lime moong dal has a healing touch. Excellent for days when you want to soothe a sore throat.

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“If you don’t know what to do with it, boil it” is a mantra that serves me well with unfamiliar vegetables. Chayote (or chow chow as they call it where I live) has long moved out of the *unfamiliar* category for me, and yet, the decision to boil the chayote brought with it an unexpected benefit – it simplified the task of peeling its creased, curvy skin.

This chayote / chow chow raita recipe leverages on that goodness of boiling. Fresh seasoning and a spice-infused tempering give the raita a robust kick of flavors.

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A Bihari meal typically carries small servings of side dishes next to rice/roti and curry: chutney, bhujiya (fried stuff), chokha (mashed stuff). Parval chokha is one such popular side, in which parval (pointed gourd) is boiled and mashed with seasoning.

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Have boiled rice in your fridge ? Congratulations – you can have your dinner ready in seven minutes flat, with this lemon rice recipe. Tangy, tasty, superquick – it’s a blessing on days when there is just no time to cook.

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Roadside vendors around me are selling mounds of lush green bathua leaves…yes, winter has truly arrived. Bathua is in season for only a short while each year, and when it is, it is abundant and inexpensive. Make the most of it while it lasts – and if this wonder vegetable is new to you, kick off your acquaintance by making this popular north Indian side dish: bathua ka raita.

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