Geetha's Kitchen

Yogurt Rice with Mango Pickle, Zucchini With Besan , Papadams You read that right, yes non-dairy! Vegan Yogurt Rice - really and truly vegan! South Indian people raised on yogurt for every meal would appreciate the joy of this vegan version. I had been trying to make vegan yogurt a long time. I tried to find plain unflavored soy or coconut yogurt as a substitute for regular yogurt but have not been lucky to find them. Life without a yogurt substitute has not been easy - but not anymore :-). Now we can have our fill of recipes that usually include yogurt as an important ingredient! In my quest for a replacement for regular yogurt, I made cashew yogurt; it was absolutely lovely but a bit expensive, not practical for daily consumption. Although I had toyed with the idea of making a tofu yogurt for a long time, I just honestly did not find the idea very exciting - until I did it - thinking that if it did not work, I could always compost it! Long story short, I plunged ah...

Okra is a well-beloved veggie all over India. It was one of my favorites as a child! Loved it cooked simply in a saute or with onions and tomatoes. If tomatoes are unavailable, add a little lime juice or a sprinkle of aamchoor (dried green mango powder) towards the end of cooking to remove the stickiness. Serve okra with rice/grains, flat breads like roti/chapati or naan, any dal and/or kadhi . If fresh okra is not readily available, use frozen okra! Okra with Onions and Tomatoes Ingredients: 1 1/2 lbs Okra, stem removed and cut into 1/2" pieces 1 - Tbsp Oil 1 big Pinch Brown Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 1/4 tsp Dried Red Chile flakes 1 pinch Asafetida (Optional) 1/2 tsp Turmeric 1 - 2 Hot Green Chiles, ends slit 1 Onion, finely chopped 1 large Tomato, finely chopped 1 tsp Sea Salt 2 Tbsp finely chopped Cilantro leaves Method: Wash the okra and drain thoroughly; spread on a kitchen towel lined with paper towels to absorb all the moisture. Let dr...

I made this Kadhi just to see if it would work using tofu or coconut milk instead of the traditional yogurt or buttermilk. And work it does - golden deliciousness!! So use tofu or coconut milk - your choice - both work brilliantly. If green chiles are not handy, dried red chiles may be substituted - just add along with the spices to the oil. I like using both red and green chiles for their unique flavors. After trying the recipe, you can adjust the thickness as you wish; add more besan for a thicker kadhi or more water for a thinner one. Add lime/lemon juice to your taste. Panch Phodan or Phoran is a spice mix of whole seeds - brown mustard, nigella, cumin, fenugreek and ajwain; check this recipe for details. Kadhi over Basmati Rice   and   Okra with Onions & Tomato Ingredients: 1 cup any Tofu OR 1 cup regular Coconut Milk (not beverage) 2 Tbsp Besan 2 tsp Oil 1 tsp Panch Phodan 4-5 whole Cloves 1 (1") piece Cinnamon Stick 1 small Onion, chopped (op...