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Deliciously quick & easy vegetarian/vegan recipes 

Easy Savoury Rice Pudding (Pongal)

11/14/2020

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On the 6th annivesary of my American Moments food blog, I'm sharing a simple rice dish called Venn Pongal. Savoury Pongal or Venn Pongal as its commonly called in South Indian cuisine is a mix of rice with lentils and topped with an assortment of condiments. It is usually served as a breakfast dish with fresh coconut chutney and a lentil curry called sambar. Again, ghee is usually used to increase its taste, but a vegan version is shared here. A sweet version of this rice pudding called Sakkarai (Sugar) Pongal is also enjoyed by many.

Ingredients (for 2)
  • 2/3 cup jasmine rice
  • 1/2 cup moong dal
  • 3 cups water 
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Tempering :
  • 1 tbsp canola oil
  • 5 - 6 curry leaves
  • 5 - 6 cashew nuts 
  • 1 tsp peppercorns
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds

Method
  1. Boil the jasmine rice, moong dal, turmeric powder and salt in a pressure cooker with 3 cups water on high heat. After the first whistle, reduce the fire and switch off after 7-8 minutes.
  2. Remove it from the pressure cooker and place onto a serving plate.
  3. Take another small pot for tempering and fry the cashew nuts, curry leaves, cumin seeds and peppercorns and pour it over the cooked pongal. 
  4. Serve hot with coconut chutney and sambar.
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Easy Vegan Rava Kesari (Semolina Pudding)

11/14/2020

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Here is a recipe for a vegan version of an Indian semolina pudding called Kesari. Though it doesn't have the richness of a traditional Kesari which includes ghee, this is quite light and guilt-free.

Ingredients (for 4)
  • 6 tbsps canola oil 
  • 1/2 cup raw cashew nuts  (or you can just use roasted cashew nuts
  • 1tbsp raisin (optional)
  • 1 cup roasted rava (semolina) 
  • 2 and half cups water
  • 1/2 cup sugar 
  • 2-3 pinches saffron 
  • a pinch of salt
  • Glass baking dish


Method
  1. Heat the oil and fry the raw cashew nuts for a few minutes till they are golden brown. If you would like raisins as well, fry the raisins. Set them aside on kitchen paper towel. 
  2. In the same oil, fry the roasted rava (semolina) for 10 mins on low to medium heat. Be watchful as the rava (semolina) shouldn’t turn brown.
  3. In another pot,  pour the 2.5 cups water, 1/2 cup sugar and 2-3 pinches saffron. Bring to a rolling boil. Don’t use orange colouring  as the end result is too artificial looking. Saffron gives a natural yellow hue. Add the cashew nuts to the sugar syrup while boiling.
  4. Pour the sugar syrup into the rava pot slowly. It will sizzle. Stir till you reach a thick kesari consistency. 
  5. Put into glass baking dish and flatten it. Cut into squares, if desired. 
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Toor Dal Lentil Curry

5/31/2020

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The Hindi word Toor Dal is pigeon pea in English. We, Indians use a lot of lentils in our cooking as it takes care of our protein in our daily meals, especially for vegetarians. With the variety of lentils available and with the myriad of recipe ideas in our Indian cuisine, we are never lost for a dish to make for our friends and family.
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This toor dal lentil curry is relatively easy to make and makes a good accompaniment for our rice dishes and our chapathis (wholewheat flat bread). As its pretty straighforward, I will not be posting step by step photos as I do with more difficult recipes.

Ingredients : (serves 3-4 as a side dish)
3/4 (three quarter) cup toor dal (pigeon peas)
3 and 1/2 (half) cups water
1/2 (half) tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 dried chilli (optional if you want a less spicy curry)
a pinch of asoefetida

1 small onion, sliced
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 green chilli (again optional)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 medium tomato, chopped small
1 stalk coriander leaves, chopped small
1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
Salt per preference

Method 
1) Wash the toor dal, check for stones and put the dal in a pressure cooker with the water, turmeric powder and salt. After the first whistle, reduce fire to low and switch off after 10 mins. Leave to cool.
2) In a small sauce pan, heat the canola oil and fry the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dried chilli and asoefetida.
3) Then add the chopped onion and fry for 2-3 mins. Next, add in the ginger garlic paste and green chilli. Fry further for 2-3 mins. 
4) Add the turmeric, chilli and coriander powders. Stir and fry the spice powders. Add salt per your preference.
5) Add in the chopped tomatoes and 1/2 cup water and let it cook and turn soft and mushy.
6) Add the cooked toor dal and stir well. Check for salt.
7) Lastly, add the chopped coriander leaves and the dried fenugreek leaves. 
8) Serve warm with rice or chapathis.

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Gluten Free & Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

5/3/2020

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When you are faced with a gluten free spouse and vegan daughters, making baked goods can be a challenge. No eggs, no butter, milk, cream and also no flour. I hardly bake because it always turns out flat - literally and taste wise! I keep to my safe territory - cooking.

Last night, I came across this recipe for vegan peanut butter cookies and attempted to make it today. I'm a big fan of peanut butter - on bread with jam, in ice creams and even in cookies. So imagine my excitement when I saw this recipe...My husband asked me to try making it gluten free as well. I had just made a batch of vegan but not gluten free brownies and it didn't feel right to not to bake for my husband something gluten free.  Fortunately, I had almond flour at home and the quantity remaining in the packet was just what I needed.  It turned out pretty tasty and brittle like how cookies should be. So imagine my surprise at the outcome:))

The recipe below yields large cookies so do ensure they are spaced apart. Do store it an airtight container once it cools down because it becomes soft and chewy if left outside for too long.

Ingredients (makes 22 pieces of 2inch cookies) 
1 and 1/4 cups almond meal (ground almond)
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup crunchy or creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup vegan coconut butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsps vanilla extract/essence
1 tbsp water
 
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Method
  1. Preheat the oven to 175 deg C and line 2 flat large baking trays with baking paper.
  2. In a small bowl, mix the almond flour with the baking soda. Set aside.
  3. In another bowl, mix the peanut butter, vegan butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract and water.
  4. Then, add the almond flour mix to this and mix well.
  5. Use your fingers and palms to make small round balls, flatten then and place them on the baking tray not more than 3 in a row. They do expand quite a bit while baking.
  6. Use a fork to press down in one direction and another time over in a 90 deg direction to create that crisscross pattern on the cookies.
  7. Bake for 30-35 mins till the edges are brown. Cookies may still be slightly soft but they harden once they cool.
  8. Enjoy peanut butter cookies while they last!
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Vegan Potato Omelette

4/26/2020

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I found this recipe below for Vegan Potato Omelette online and I tweaked it to add yellow onion and baby spinach to add flavor and nutrition. Its a very versatile dish and you can add sliced olives, capsicum or or even boiled kidney beans for added protein. And its gluten free too since we are using chickpea flour.

Ingredients (To serve 6-8 wedges)
2 tbsp vegan butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion, sliced thinly
2 cups baby spinach
2 tsps garlic herb salt
1 tsp chilli flakes
2-3 large potatoes, steamed, skin removed and cut into small cubes
2 cups chickpea flour
Salt
1 cup (+/-) water 
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Method
​1) First mix the chickpea flour, salt and water to form a thick batter. Pour this over the steamed cubed potatoes and mix well.
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2) Next take a saucepan or a skillet and melt the vegan butter with the olive oil. Then add in the yellow onion and fry on medium heat.
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3) Next, add in the washed baby spinach.
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4) This will be followed by the garlic herb salt and chilli flakes. Check for salt. Then add in the chickpea potato mix. Press it down flat with a metal spoon. Add some vegan butter on the sides and on top so that it will cook golden brown when we flip it over.
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5) Loosen the sides with a spatula or a flipper. Put a flat large plate over the pan and do a quick turn. Slide the omelette back into the pan and cook the other side.
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6) Enjoy this delicious omelette with baked beans and a cup of hot steaming tea. 
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    Hi guys! I'm Nilofar Iyer and I have shared my dishes here for you to cook for your own family and friends with love and most importantly with their long term good health in mind. 

    Bon Appetit!

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