
Khowsuey
Ingredients:
- 200 grams (7 oz.) egg noodles
- 1 1/2 cups mixed boiled vegetables (French beans, carrots, cauliflower. green peas, etc)
- 2 chopped tomatoes
- 1 can (15.5 oz) coconut milk
- 1 chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 tbsp sugar
- salt to taste
To be ground into a paste
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 3 red Kashmiri chilies
- 25 mm. (1″) piece ginger
For garnishing
- 100 grams (4 oz.) sev (thin Indian fried noodles made from chickpea flour)
- 4 chopped spring onions (with leaves)
- 1/2 teacup chopped coriander
Method:
- Boil the noodles and once cooked, wash under running water and keep aside
- Heat the oil and try the onion for 2-3 minutes
- Add the paste end fry again for 2 minutes
- Add the tomatoes and try again for 2 minutes
- Add the coconut milk, boiled vegetables, salt and sugar
- Boil the gravy for 10-15 minutes
- Add cooked noodles
- Garnish with sev, spring onions and coriander leaves and serve hot
Servers: 4
Inspiration source:
The Delights of Vegetarian Cooking by Tarla Dalal, page 72
Remarks:
The vegetarian version of the delicious Burmese bhel – a meal by itself

Italian Eggplant Ragout
Ingredients:
- 2 medium eggplants, halved
- 2 Tbs. salt
- 2 Tbs. olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped (2 cups)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
- 1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 2 Tbs. capers
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Method:
- Scoop out center and seeds of eggplant halves. Cut eggplants into 3/4-inch dice. Toss with salt in bowl, and let stand 30 minutes. Drain, rinse well, and pat dry
- Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes, or until softened. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute more, or until fragrant. Stir in tomatoes, chickpeas, and eggplants. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 15 minutes, or until eggplants are tender but not mushy
- Stir in capers and sugar, and cook 2 minutes more. Fold in parsley, and season with black pepper
Servers: 6
Remarks:
The meaty texture of eggplant makes it an ideal ingredient in vegetarian entrées, and its antioxidant content makes it a nutritional powerhouse.
Eggplant is rich in a phenolic compound called chlorogenic acid, a potent free-radical scavenger that confers antiviral, antimicrobial, and cholesterol-lowering benefits.
Prep tip: Salting the eggplant before cooking it draws out any bitter juices and helps the vegetable hold its shape when cooked.
Ingredients:
- 4 long Chinese eggplants, cubed
- 1 red capsicum
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon white sugar
- 2 green chili pepper, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon chili oil. If not available, use sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
Method:
- Place the eggplant cubes into a large bowl, and sprinkle with salt. Fill with enough water to cover, and let stand for 30 minutes. Rinse well, and drain on paper towels
- In a microwave-safe bowl, stir together the soy sauce, red wine vinegar, sugar, chili pepper, chopped garlic, cornstarch and chili / sesame oil. Heat the sauce in microwave oven for 1 minute and then set it aside
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Fry the eggplant until it is tender and begins to brown, 5 to 10 minutes
- Pour in the sauce, and cook and stir until the sauce is thick and the eggplant is evenly coated. Sprinkle sesame seeds on it
- Serve immediately with steamed rice
Servers: 4
Inspiration source:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Hot-and-Sour-Chinese-Eggplant/Detail.aspx
Ingredients:
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 cup masoor dal (red lentils)
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 cup chopped onions
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 chopped green chillies
- 1 tsp cumin
- 4 cardamom pods whole
- 2 cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup chopped green beans / french beans
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 2 tbsp fried cashews pieces
- 2 tsp salt or to taste
- 1 tbsp Ghee
Method:
- Add the ghee to a deep bottomed pan and put it on medium heat
- Add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and chopped onions
- Saute till the onions turns translucent
- Add ginger, green chillies, turmeric, vegetables, quinoa and masoor dal
- Toss for about three minutes to immerse the grain and the vegetables with the spices
- Add four cups water and salt and simmer on a slow flame till cooked and the water is all absorbed. It should be light and fluffy
- Add crushed cashews as garnish to give it a nutty flavor
- Serve with papad and tomato chutney
Servers: 4
Inspiration source:
India Currents, Nov 2014 – page 58
https://www.indiacurrents.com/articles/2014/11/05/cooking-quinoa
Ingredients:
For tacos:
- Trader Joe’s Taco Shells (made with organic stoneground yellow corn)
For beans:
- 2 cans black beans
- 2 tbsp Trader Joe’s Taco Seasoning Mix
- 2 tbsp oil
other:
Method:
Tacos:
- Heat the taco shells in toaster oven at 450 degree F for a minute (make sure it doesn’t become brown / burn) and then put aside
Beans:
- Gently wash the beans with cold water to remove preservatives, etc
- Heat the oil in a pan
- Saute the beans in the oil for a minute
- Add the taco seasoning and saute for 2-3 minutes on medium heat
Putting together:
In each shell, put 2 tbsp of seasoned beans, 2 tbsp of yogurt and 2 tbsp of guacamole and enjoy!
Remarks:
You can add shredded lettuce and cheese to enhance the richness of the flavor

Ingredients:
For marinara sauce
- 2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
- 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste / sauce
- 4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt, if the canned tomatoes are unsalted or to taste
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/3 cup finely diced onion
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 tsp sugar
Rest of the ingredients:
- 8 oz lasagna plates
- 3-4 medium size zucchini / squash, sliced lengthwise
- 1 red bell pepper, halved and sliced
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese, drained
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Method:
Marinara sauce
- Heat the oil in a sauce pan
- Add onions and saute for 1-2 minutes
- Add garlic and herbs and stir for 1 minute
- Add tomatoes, tomato paste white wine, black pepper, sugar, salt (to taste) and parsley leaves
- Bring the sauce to boil, reduce heat and let it simmer on medium / low heat for 20-25 minutes, stirring it every couple of minutes
Lasagna
Break lasagna plates into quarters and cook in boiling water till desired softness. Else could pressure cook it (3 whistles). Once cooked, wash with cool water and keep aside
Cheese
In a bowl, mix the cheeses with chopped parsley
Steps:
- Heat a skillet on medium heat, add olive oil and saute zucchini on both sides, till very lightly brown and then keep aside
- Similarly saute red bell pepper and keep aside
- Spread a thin layer of marinara sauce in the skillet and then place a layer of lasagna on top of it
- On top of lasagna, layer the cooked vegetables and pour some sauce to cover the lasagna and vegetables
- Similarly, make more layers of lasagna, vegetable and sauce
- Scoop up large spoonfuls of cheese mixture and place on top of lasagna layers
- Cover and simmer gently for 3-4 minutes
- Serve hot with your favorite Italian bread by the side!
Servers: 4
Inspiration source: The Pampered Chef