Tag: Indian cuisine
Indian Lemonade (Nimbu Paani)
This summer, I am officially addicted to two drinks – Watermelon Smoothies and Indian Lemonade (nimbu paani). What makes Indian Lemonade different from … well, lemonade? Well, for one thing it has salt – usually black salt (kala namak), but sea salt will work as well. Oddly, the lemonade doesn’t taste salty – it just… Read More ›
Virtual Vegan Potluck – Punjabi Black Eyed Peas With Wilted Ginger Greens (Fusion Dish)
Wow, what a day Saturday, May 11th is! Not only the Virtual Vegan Potluck but Charlotte’s Second Annual Vegfest! I am SOO excited!!! Thanks for stopping by to sample my Indian fusion dish. No, it’s not Indo-Chinese fusion – it’s a fusion of North India and the American South! Let me explain. I’ve had a… Read More ›
Jeera Rice – Cumin Scented Basmati Rice (Gluten Free)
I fell in love with Basmati rice the first time I tasted it, and I’ve been cooking with it ever since. Basmati is a long grain rice, usually grown in India. It has a slightly nutty flavor and a delicate scent. The extremely long grains become even longer when cooked, and it cooks up reliably… Read More ›
A Perfect Cup of Vegan Chai
When my partner decided to go vegan, giving up chai was his biggest hurdle. Amrik is a boy who loves his chai. Very early in our relationship, he taught me how to make the spiced, milky tea. I honestly believe that if I hadn’t been an apt pupil, he would have shown me the door,… Read More ›
Virtual Vegan Potluck – Rajma!
Rajma is what I usually bring to real-life potlucks, so it only makes sense I should bring rajma to a virtual one! Especially a late-autumn potluck. I must admit, I was skeptical the first time my partner made this for me, three years ago. Maybe because he called it “red beans and rice,” instead of… Read More ›
Restaurant Review – Sangam Indian Cuisine
More proof you can find vegan Indian cuisine in the Charlotte, NC area … Sangam, a restaurant that specializes in Punjabi food (my favorite)! The menu has an impressive list of 21 vegetarian options (not counting many of the appetizers, soups and salads, or accompaniments). At least half of those options are vegan or can… Read More ›
Yogurt Quest – And A Recipe for Raita
I’ve been vegetarian for a very long time now, with long spells of veganism in between. Unlike many people, I never had a problem “giving up” foods to go vegan. I’ve always hated “breakfast eggs” – scrambled, fried, omeletted – and soon found I didn’t have to rely on eggs for baked goods, either. I… Read More ›
Chilly Weather, Chickpeas, and the Crown of India
It was a miserably cold winter day in Garden City, Michigan when we discovered the Crown of India restaurant. It was no longer snowing but no doubt that was only a temporary situation. The skies were gray, the air was damp, and two-foot high drifts of snow were piled to the sides of the roads…. Read More ›
Embarrassing Veg News From The DNC
Ok, now for the really embarrassing veggie DNC news … what made us look like idiots in front of the veggie world …. (drumroll please) …. The Charlotte Observer! First up – The Observer’s food critic Helen Schwab and her recommendations of places to dine. Helen’s been writing restaurant reviews for The Observer for the… Read More ›
Organizing Your Vegan Pantry
If you’re on the veggie path, sooner or later you’re going to notice that, instead of a freezer full of food, you’re collecting a lot of … ingredients. Things like rice, beans, lentils, and other whole grains. Probably a few types of pasta. Maybe you’re buying some spices in bulk. How do you store these?… Read More ›
From Devil’s Dung to Tamarind – More Indian Spices for Vegan Cooking
I’ve already shared a list of my “essential” Indian spices for vegetarian and vegan food. This is my “very nice but non-essential” list. Acquire these spices after you’ve acquired the essentials. As I compiled this list, I realized there were several reasons these spices are on my “non-essential” list. Some of these spices are already… Read More ›
What The Heck Do I Do With This @#*&! Tofu?
I’m about to share one of my deepest, darkest secrets. I’ve been a vegetarian in Charlotte, NC for 12 years, and vegan on and off (mostly on) throughout those years. But until last year … I never had a single f*cking clue what the heck to do with tofu. More, I was pretty happy NOT… Read More ›
On Fennel, Farts, & Pyroflatulence
My friend Andrea is, I think, like a lot of aspiring vegetarians/vegans out there. She’s highly intelligent and super compassionate – heck, she teaches special needs kids! She knows all the reasons she “should” go veg. But … she’s a very busy lady. She’s a teacher in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school system, which means she’s not… Read More ›
Essential Indian Spices For Vegetarian & Vegan Cooking
One of the most daunting things about flipping through an Indian cookbook is the long list of spices most recipes seem to have! Relax – it’s not as scary as it seems! Think about the spices currently sitting in your cabinet. You probably have five or six you reach for on a regular basis –… Read More ›
Indian Grocery Shopping 101
If you’re a vegetarian or a vegan – or even just veg-curious – and have never gone shopping at an Indian grocery, you should! Not only does Indian cuisine have an enormous variety of vegetarian and vegan dishes, but you can find so many inexpensive staples at an an Indian grocery – like rice, beans,… Read More ›
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