This savoury golden bread is a specialty of the State of Gujarat in western India. There’s practically as many recipes for dhokla as there are Gujarati housewives — and that’s a lot! Some recipes for dhokla call for chickpea flour; there’s another version that uses semolina. Here’s a recipe that’s practically instant, using semolina with […]
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Chickpea Curry (Chole)
This dish features chickpeas, with their faintly nut-like flavour and smooth texture. Chickpeas are rich in protein-nitrogen compounds. Cooked in this spicy sauce they’re great served with Puffed Fried Breads (Pooris), with capatis, or with hot Boiled Rice. DAL SOAKING TIME: overnight PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes COOKING TIME: 1 hour YIELD: enough for 4 to […]
Cheesy Filo Parcels
Feta cheese is a white, dry crumbly cheese that can be made either from cows’, ewes’ or goats’ milk. It is matured in brine to give it a sharp acidic and salty taste. These small triangles of crisp filo pastry with a savoury soft centre contain a mix of feta and haloumi cheese. They’re ideal […]
Dense And Delicious German Sourdough Bread (Pumpernickel)
This is a richly flavoured, traditional German sourdough bread, naturally leavened without yeast. Dark and tasty, it is less sweet than commercial pumpernickel and more closely resembles the German black bread, schwartzbrot. It’s slow cooking time ensures that it will keep very well. PREPARATION TIME: a few minutes FERMENTING TIME: 16-20 hours COOKING TIME: 5-6 […]
Curried Malay Noodles (Laksa)
Laksa is a taste sensation—a delicious one-pot soupy combination of mild, chili-hot, rich, aromatic and delicate flavours, and a tantalising combination of crunchy, soft and milky textures. There are many versions of laksa served throughout the Malaysian peninsula. This is my hearty vegetarian version. Serves 6-8 persons. The curry1 cup liquid tamarind puree 1 cup […]
Thai Sticky Rice with Mango
This simple and sublime dessert is popular, in one form or another, all over South East Asia. Various fruits can go with it – typically mango, jackfruit, or durian. It is also sometimes eaten with palm sugar syrup, with thick coconut milk and a pinch of salt, sprinkled with sesame, or served with a type […]
Tomato Rice with Herbs
This simple combination of rice, boil in a 2-litre/quart saucepan over herbs, and tomato with an Italian flavour can also be used as an alternative stuffing for baked peppers. PREPARATION TIME: 5 minutes COOKING TIME: 25 – 35 minutes YIELD: enough for 4 persons1 cup basmati or other long-grain white rice 1 3/4 cups water […]
Classic Basmati Rice Pulao
This is a classic rice dish from India, inspired by the Moghul cuisine. Originally, the dish came from Iran, where it was named pollou or pillau (from pollo, rice). This dish was taken to India, where it became pullao, or pulao, one of the most important rice dishes of the sub-continent. Westwards, this most famous […]
Green Herbed Chili Rice (Arroz Verde)
Arroz verde (literally “green rice”) is coloured with spinach, fresh parsley and coriander leaves, and flavoured with fresh, very mild, large green chilies, such as poblano or anaheim. If these chili varieties are unavailable, use any large, mild green chilies that you can find. Preparation and cooking time: about 40 minutes Makes enough for 4–6 persons 3 […]
Sauteed Rice with Poppy Seeds
Gently toasting the rice in butter, ghee or oil before adding the water, in the style of making risotto, allows all the rice grains to remain separate. Preparation & cooking time: 30 minutes Serves: 3 or 4 persons 1 cup basmati or other long-grain white rice 2 cups water 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon fresh […]