Geetha's Kitchen

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Non-Dairy "Yogurt" Rice! (Rice With Tofu "Yogurt")

April 24, 2015

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 With Onions and Tomatoes

April 23, 2015

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...

Non-Dairy Kadhi (Simple Vegan Kadhi With Tofu Or Coconut Milk)

April 22, 2015

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...

Nutmeg-scented Wholegrain Pear Muffins

March 15, 2015

Nutmeg-scented Wholegrain Pear Muffins are gluten and dairy free; they are oil-free also if you omit the optional oil. These wholesome muffins are as delicious and tender as they are nutritious. They are one of our favorites for breakfast or tea time. Do add the chia and flax seeds for the added nutrition if you can. When pears begin to get soft and squishy, don't throw them on the compost heap; save them to make these fabulous muffins! You can use any variety of pears for these; I have used a large brown Bosc , Bartlett or the Anjou variety; all are great. I have not tried it with the crisp Asian pears - they don't stick around, we enjoy them fresh and crisp! If you'd like a version of muffins using whole wheat flour, here's the recipe . Nutmeg-scented Pear Muffins Makes 12 large muffins Ingredients: 2 cups Whole Grain Old fashioned Oats (gluten free) 1/2 cup Almond meal 1 Tbsp Chia Seeds (Optional) 1 Tbsp Flax seeds (optional) 1/3 - 1/2 Cup...

Simply Superb Homemade Sunflower Seed Butter

February 21, 2015

So easy, so simple, so tasty! No more words are needed for this lovely sunflower seed butter. Delicious served in a sandwich or with toast, fruits, and veggies; it is also good by itself on a spoon! I decided to make my own as the store-bought ones all had sugar of one kind or another. Although I like some things sweet, I did not want my seed/nut butters to be sweet :) - so I got the seeds and got to work!! If you purchase raw seeds, simply roast them in a skillet or in the oven; let cool and proceed with the recipe. Sunflower seeds are soft and does not take much time to process into butter. I have had this sunflower seed butter recipe in the drafts and had forgotten to post it! Ingredients: 2 cups Sunflower seeds, roasted 1/4 - 1/2 tsp Sea Salt Method: Roast the sunflower seeds in the oven at 350 F for about 10 minutes or toast them in a skillet; let cool. Place the sunflower seeds and the salt (use the smaller quantity first - can add more if needed later) in t...

Simple & Delicious Homemade Peanut Butter

February 21, 2015

Making delicious home-made Peanut Butter is even easier than making Almond Butter ! Just roast raw skinless peanuts, let cool, grind and voila! for the best-tasting peanut butter you have ever tasted :). I buy raw, skinless (blanched) peanuts rather than go through the tedious task of skinning them myself. Peanuts are a little more work than blanching almonds. Using a kadai (Indian wok) assures even heating and browning of the peanuts. Any wok will do. Note: Peanut butter is a concentrated food; do use caution as it is very easy to eat lots of this delicious homemade peanut butter. The serving size is a meager 2 Tablespoons!! Ingredients: 1 lb skinless raw peanuts 1 tsp Kosher Salt 1 1/2 Tbsp Peanut Oil Method: Prepare a large baking pan or sheet with paper towels - you will pour the cooked peanuts to drain the excess oil here. Heat the oil over medium high heat in the kadai/wok. When the oil is at the right temperature, you will see a...

Sweet Potato Curry With Onions, Peppers, & Tomatoes

December 18, 2014

This sweet potato curry is delicious and quick. It is a versatile side dish to accompany your favorite main dishes. I like using both the cream-colored and orange fleshed sweet potatoes. And I used one of each color of the bell peppers - yellow, orange, red, and green. Sweet Potato Curry 6 Servings Ingredients: 1 Tbsp Oil 1/2 Tsp Mustard seeds 1 Tbsp Chana Dal 2 Tsp Urad Dal 1 pinch Asafetida 1/2 Tsp Turmeric 1 stem fresh Curry Leaves, leaves sliced 1 - 2 Green Chiles, minced 1 large Onion, diced 2 - 3 Bell Peppers, any color, diced 1 - 2 Tomatoes, diced 4 - 5 Sweet potatoes, diced 1 tsp Sea Salt 4 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro Method: Heat the oil in a kadai (Indian wok) or skillet and add the seeds and dal; when the mustard seeds pop, reduce heat, cover and add the asafetida. Stir in the curry leaves, green chiles, onions and bell peppers along with the turmeric and a pinch of the salt; cook stirring until softened a little. Add the tomatoes and the sw...