Chai tea (Masala chai)
Chai is a popular beverage throughout South Asia originating in the Indian subcontinent. Chai is made by brewing black tea in milk and water and sweetening with sugar. Adding aromatic spices creates masala chai.
Masala chai is a rich source of antioxidants that can help boost your immune system. Our Chai tea spice blend includes ginger, cardamom, & cloves which have anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties that can help fight off infections and viruses. by drinking a cup of masala chai everyday, you can give your body the support it needs to stay healthy and strong. According to Ayurveda, the spices in masala chai can promote digestion. Our Chai spice for Masala chai blend includes Organic Ceylon cinnamon which improves insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar levels, making it particularly beneficial for people with diabetes.
Here are 3 ways to make Masala chai
Recipe 1.
Masala chai for 2 cups
In a saucepan, add 1 1/2 cups of milk ( your choice) and 3/4 cup water. Let spice and milk boil together. Add 2 orange pekoe tea bags or 2 tsp of loose black tea and boil to a rolling boil. Strain into 2 cups and add your choice of sweetener and enjoy!
Recipe 2.
Masala chai for 2 cups
In a saucepan, add 2 cups of water, 2 orange pekoe teabags or 2 tsp loose tea and add 1 tsp chai spice and bring to boil. Add 1/4 cup milk (Your choice) and bring to a rolling boil.. Strain into 2 cups and add your choice of sweetener and enjoy.
Recipe 3.
Masala chai latte for two
Heat 3 cups of milk (your choice) in a saucepan on medium heat. Once it begins to boil, simmer, turn off heat and add 1 tsp loose tea or 2 tea bags. Let the tea steep for 10 minutes. Strain loose tea or remove tea bags.Turn heat back on and add 1 tsp of chai spice, 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract and your favourite sweetener. Whisk everything together until chai is hot. Pour into two cups and top with extra milk foam and sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg.
*You can also use our Chai spice blend in apple pies, Ice cream, or any dessert that needs a concoction of cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg!
Mexican bean salad rice bowl with Tajin marinated grilled chicken
With the summer here, we all want to stay out and eat light but sometimes we need some rice as well to keep us satiated. Cilantro and lime flavoured rice goes well with this Mexican inspired rice bowl The flavours of the Tajin chicken bring the flavours of a tantalizing chili lime flavor. The homemade Tajin spice is better because the packaged mixes are full of sodium, artificial ingredients and preservatives like MSG. So always opt to make your own seasonings at home when you can. The chicken we used is organic and grown locally here in Abbotsford, BC (Windberry Farms)
Recipe for Mexican bean salad and cumin cilantro dressing click here
Ingredients for Tajin marinated chicken:
3 Windberry Farms organic chicken breasts
Juice of 3 limes
1 tsp garlic paste
tajin (enough to rub the chicken breasts)
Directions:
Pound chicken breast to a relatively even thickness.
Squeeze limes and add garlic paste
Add chicken breast to mixture and marinate for 30 mins
Remove from marinade and rub with tajin.
Cook for 6-8 minutes in a preheated grill at 425-450 degrees
Bring internal temperature to 165 degrees.
Ingredients for cilantro and lime flavoured rice.
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups basmati rice (washed and strained)
1 clove garlic
21/2 cup water
Zest of one lime
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 cup lightly packed chopped cilantro
Directions:
Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan on medium heat. Add raw rice and stir to coat with olive oil. Cook till golden brown
Add water, salt, zest to the rice. Bring to a rolling boil, then cover and lower the heat to low to maintain a very low simmer.
Cook undisturbed for 15 minutes. Then remove from heat and let sit for 10 mins Fluff the rice with a fork.
Stir in lime juice and toss in the chopped cilantro.
Enjoy in a rice bowl with Mexican bean salad, Tajin chicken and cumin/cilantro dressing
Mexican bean salad with home made Tajin and Cumin/cilantro dressing
Perfect for summer, this Mexican bean salad is great for a party or cookout. Make your own homemade Tajin spice with our Mexican dried chillies like guajillo, ancho, chipotle peppers. You can eat this salad as a dip with tortilla chips, or tacos, quesadillas, on top of green salads, or omelettes. Add chicken and rice and you have a rice bowl as well! You name it!
Servings:
8 people
Ingredients:
1/2 red pepper chopped
1/2 orange pepper chopped
1/2 English cucumber chopped
1/4 red onion chopped
1 medium firm tomato (seeds removed and chopped)
2 cups cooked black beans
1 cup cooked corn
1/2 cup cilantro chopped
1 lime zested and freshly squeezed juice
1/2 tbsp green chilli paste (optional)
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tbsp homemade Tajin seasoning (In a spice grinder add 1 cup of mixed dried peppers-guajillo, chipotle and ancho seeded and stems removed. Zest one whole lime and add 2 tsp coarse sea salt and 1 tbsp organic cane sugar. Grind spices till mixture is finely blended. Place in a glass jar for storage)
Directions:
Toss everything in a bowl and dress with cilantro cumin dressing
Makes 1 cup dressing
Ingredients for Cumin Cilantro dressing:
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp coarsely chopped red onion
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp Tabasco
1 tsp ground cumin
1 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
Directions:
In a blender, combine all ingredients except for olive oil, salt and pepper. Blend on medium high speed.Stop the blender and scrape the sides down. Then run the blender on slow and slowly drizzle in the olive oil salt and pepper (30 seconds) until emulsified and thickened.
Refrigerate in an airtight container till ready to use. Can be kept up to 3 days.
Red lentil fritters (bhajias)
Going plant-based doesn’t have to be boring. It’s so exciting when we try new things. These red lentil fritters (bhajias) are crispy and delicious. They are very popular in Gujarat, India. Yes they are fried and amazing hot and fresh. I love making them as lettuce wraps and add my tamarind chutney and kachumber ( an Indian pico de gallo) Recipe for kachumber berlow and tamarind chutney here.
Serves 8
Prep time 20 mins
Cook time 40 mins
Ingredients
2 cups red split lentils
1 tbsp garlic paste
1tbsp ginger paste
2 tbsp organic sugar
1 tsp Himalayan salt
1tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp cumin ground
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Oil for frying (grapeseed or sunflower)
Ingredients for katchumber
½ red onion, finely chopped
½ carrot, finely chopped
½ cucumber, finely chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped (optional)
lemon juice of ½ a lemon
pinch cayenne (to taste)
pinch Himalayan salt (to taste)
Directions
Soak lentils for 4-5 hours; rinse and add all ingredients into a food processor and grind for about 30 seconds to a minute till all lentils are ground and mixture is nicely combined.
In a wok or deep frying pan heat oil to medium high
Fry teaspoon fulls of red lentil mixture and fry till golden brown (about 7 mins) Remove and place on paper towel to drain the oil.
Decorate on a bed of lettuce and serve with katchumber and tamarind chutney like a lettuce wrap
Directions for Katchumber
Dice all ingredients and mix. Serve as a condiment to most indian dishes. Serve also as a topping with red lentil bhajias in a lettuce wrap.
Enjoy!!
Chicken with spinach curry (Palak chicken)
Palak means spinach in Hindi and palak chicken is a recipe with tender pieces of boneless chicken and spinach leaves simmered in a tomato, onion curry sauce. This meal is high in protein and very tasty. Serve with roti or naan and or basmati rice.
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
1/3 cup cooking oil (sunflower oil is preferred)
2 chopped onions
1 green chilli slit
2 Roma tomatoes
8 boneless chicken thighs or 4 chicken breasts cut in 1 ‘ cubes (washed and dried)
4 cloves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 1/2 tbsp garlic paste
1 1/2 tbsp ginger paste
1 1/2 tbsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp cayenne ( to taste)
2 tsp salt (or to taste)
3 tsp lemon juice
2 bags (10oz ) washed spinach
3/4 cup crushed tomatoes
1/2 tsp garam masala
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped green onions
Directions:
In a large pot, saute onions in oil till golden brown; add whole spices and green chilli and saute for a minute.
Add washed and dried chicken pieces and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic, ginger and all ground spices and saute for about 10 minutes till chicken is almost done. Add chopped Roma tomatoes and cook through for 5-8 minutes.
Add spinach and crushed tomatoes. Cook till spinach is cooked through and add lemon juice, salt, butter and garam masala. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes.
Add chopped cilantro and green onions and serve with roti or naan and basmati rice.
Turkey burgers with roasted cumin
When the sun shines and you really don’t feel like cooking inside, just make these simple and tasty burgers ahead of time and fire up the grill. So simple and easy and you have a meal for an outdoor picnic or a patio party. The roasted cumin in this recipe makes the burger over the top. You can also use the same recipe for lamb, beef or chicken burgers.
If you are looking for a plant-based burger, check recipe for our black bean burger here
Ingredients:
1Lb lean ground turkey
1/2 tsp roasted cumin ground (directions below)
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 1/2 tsp garlic paste
1 1/2 tsp ginger paste
1/2 tsp cayenne
3 Tbsp finely chopped onions
3 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro
3/4 Tbsp Himalayan salt
2 Tbsp cooking oil for making the patties
Directions:
Heat a small skillet and add cumin seeds, shaking them around until they release their fragrance, about a couple of minutes. Transfer to a mortar and pestle and grind.
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl except the oil. The mixture will be sticky to handle. Add oil to your hands and make 5 equal patties.
Preheat oil in a skillet over medium heat and add patties in one at a time. Cook for 4-5 minutes each side or until thermometer reads 165 F. For barbecue grill, preheat grill to 400 F and add patties to grill and grill both sides for 4-5 minutes till fully cooked.
Hamburger buns can be toasted on the grill or in a toaster oven.
Have all your toppings prepared in advance and serve burgers immediately! Enjoy!
Burger Toppings:
5 burger buns (Brioche bun pictured)
Dijon mustard
Mayonnaise
1 tomato sliced
1/4 red onion slices
5-8 lettuce leaves
Potato bhajias with tamarind chutney
Growing up in Uganda, East Africa my mom made these amazing crispy potato bhajias when we had unexpected guests. This amazing snack was served with tamarind chutney and hot masala chai. Ingredients were always in the pantry and it didn’t take long for my mom to make these delicious crispy goodness. I just mastered these and want to share my mom’s recipe. This recipe originates from Gujarat and was made popular in East Africa and is enjoyed here in the west by so many. Make sure to eat them right away and don’t wait for anyone! They are meant to be eaten hot ….
Ingredients:
2 cups channa flour
4 russet potatoes
3/4 tsp garlic paste
1/2 tsp ginger paste
1/2 tsp green chilli paste or 1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp ajwan seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 1/2 -2 cups water
1 Ltr sunflower oil or grape seed oil for frying
Directions:
Wash, peel and slice potatoes thinly but not too thin (5 mm). Should’t be transparent
In a separate bowl, mix channa flour garlic, ginger, green chilli, spices and cilantro
Add water slowly and mix with your hands till batter is thick and not too runny
Heat oil in a deep pan to high heat.
Dip potato slices one at a time in to the batter and slowly transfer to hot oil one at a time
Keep turning the bhajias till crispy golden brown.
Remove bhajias and place on a paper towel to remove excess oil
Serve right away with tamarind chutney.
Enjoy!!
Chicken tikka (oven roasted or barbecued marinated chicken)
This amazing oven roasted chicken tikka recipe will have your family and friends coming home for more. Restaurant style or prepackaged spice mixes may have food colour and or many preservatives you can’t pronounce. This home made version is free of preservatives and food colour and great for meal planning and for your family.
Two marinades are a must. The first marinade is with lemon juice, ginger, garlic and salt. This will open the pores and will help absorb other flavours from second marinade. Set aside for 20 minutes then add second marinade and leave for 6 hours and either grill on barbecue or hot oven.
Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless chicken
First marinade
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp garlic paste
1 tbsp ginger paste
1 tsp sea salt
1.4 cup olive oil
Second marinade
6 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp cayenne
3/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp dried parsley
Instructions:
Wash and dry chicken pieces
In a bowl mix ingredients from first marinade
Add dried chicken pieces into marinade and marinade for 20 minutes in the refrigerator
In another bowl mix ingredients for second marinade
Add second marinade to chicken, cover and marinate for 6 hours or more.
Arrange chicken on a baking tray and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes turning over once at 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and serve with salad, spicy corn, vegetable pilaff and raita, tamarind or spicy mint chutney and naan.
Click here for recipe for Vegan version paneer tikka
Pico de gallo
All Mexican food always has this side salsa made with tomatoes, onions, jalapenos and some lime juice. This mixture is called pico de gallo. Once you’ve tried this, you’ll want it with all all your Mexican dishes and everything else! Pictured here is a healthy salad with beans and corn, avocado and pico de gallo. Check our Mexican Fiesta bowl recipe for more Mexican inspiration.
Serves 16
Makes 1 quart
Ingredients:
3 cups of ripe Roma tomatoes diced 1/4 inch (the riper the better) (1 1/2lb)
1 tsp sea salt to taste
3/4 cup large red onion diced finely (1/2 red onion)
1 jalapeno chili finely diced (If you want it hotter, leave seeds in and add more Jalapenos)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice from 1 lime
Directions:
Sprinkle sea salt over tomatoes and toss to combine. Transfer tomatoes to a fine mesh strainer and drain the liquid from tomatoes (20-30 minutes)
Combine all ingredients and add more salt if you wish.
Serve with Nachos, Taco chips, salads, fish, and anything you desire.
Spicy roasted chickpeas
Chickpeas are a great snack and if you are following a plant-based diet, they are a great source of protein. You can make these spicy or non spicy (just remove the cayenne from the recipe). I prefer using dry chickpeas instead of canned as they seem to turn out crispy and the flavour is amazing.
Ingredients:
1 cup dried chickpeas
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon cumin ground
Directions:
Rinse and soak chickpeas in water for 24 hours. Dry chickpeas on a paper towel till completely dry.
Bake on a baking sheet at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add olive oil, lemon juice and the rest of the spices. Mix well. Bake again for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Switch off the oven an let the chickpeas cool off in the oven for another 10-20 minutes.
You should have crispy , crunchy chickpeas!! Serve as a topper on salad or just as a snack.
Enjoy!
Mushrooms in chilli garlic and XOXO sauce
Happy Chinese New year!! This plant based dish is inspired by my friend Rene from Tru Nosh’s XOXO sauce. I added her amazing sauce made with love. It is a super easy dish and can be served as an appetizer or on top of noodles or Chinese fried rice. Enjoy this dish and you can make it as spicy as you want. The XOXO sauce brings the UMAMi flavours out and its perfect for Chinese NewYear!
Ingredients:
2 tbsp sesame oil (or butter and olive oil)
1 onion chopped, finely
5 garlic cloves minced
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp Chilli garlic sauce
2 tbsp True Nosh XOXO sauce
1 tsp Himalayan salt
2 cups mushrooms
2 tsp sesame seeds
1/4 cup green onions, chopped fine
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped fine
Directions:
Add sesame oil to a frying pan on medium heat. Add chopped onions and garlic and saute till onions are translucent.
Add rice vinegar, soy sauce and chilli garlic sauce. Saute and then add True Nosh XOXO sauce.
Add mushrooms and stir. Keep cooking on medium heat. Add salt and keep cooking mushrooms till done.
Mix in chopped green onions, cilantro and sesame seeds and serve over rice or noodles or on their own.
Enjoy!
Bean Pilaff
Rice and beans is a combination that is cooked in many cultures around the world. The grain and legume combination provides several important nutrients and many calories and both foods are widely available. Rice and beans, when combined make up a complete protein and good for vegans.
My favourite rice and beans combination is a spicy bean pilaff. I make it with any type of bean in my pantry.
Serves 2
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
3 tbsp cooking oil (I use grape seed oil or sunflower oil)
1/2 chopped onion
1 green chilli slit in half
1 tsp cumin seeds
If you don’t have above spices you can order a rice pilaff package with a plant based curry spice blend
2 medium potatoes 1” cubed
1 Roma tomato, chopped
1 tsp garlic paste
1/2 tsp cayenne (add more if you want it spicy)
1/2 cup of your favourite cooked beans
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cup washed and soaked basmati rice
1 1/2 cup water
Directions:
Heat oil in a saucepan and add chopped onion.
Add green chilly, cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom and saute till onions become translucent
Then add potatoes and keep stirring so the mixture does not burn.
Add chopped tomato, garlic, and salt. Stir mixture about 3-5 minutes then add any choice of beans
Add water and let boil.
Once water is boiled, add washed rice and cover for about 15 minutes till you see water has evaporated and you see holes at the top.
Cover and simmer till potatoes are cooked through.
I love the combination of spicy corn on the side. Check my recipe here. Enjoy!
Okra in spicy yogurt curry
Okra is one of my favourites and is so nutritious. Okra is low in calories and carbs and contains protein and fibre. Okra is an excellent source of vitamin C which contributes to your overall immune function. Okra is a unique vegetable as it provides enough protein which other vegetables lack. Okra is great for lowering cholesterol and gut health.
If you don’t like the yogurt version, I have another recipe without the yogurt here.
Ingredients:
3 tbsp cooking oil (sunflower oil, grape-seed oil, avocado oil)
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 Roma tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tsp garlic paste
1/2 tsp ginger paste
1/2 tsp green chilli paste
1 1/2 tsp coriander ground
1 tsp cumin ground
1/2 tsp turmeric ground
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 1/2 Lb okra ( I used frozen okra)
1 1/2 cup plain yogurt (plant based or dairy)
!/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped (save some for garnish)
Directions:
In a medium size pot, saute onions till translucent. Add tomatoes, garlic ginger, green chilli, spices and salt.
Stir the mixture and cook till tomatoes are cooked through and it looks like a good curry base. Add okra and cook for 3-5 minutes and finally add yogurt and cilantro and cook for another minute.
Garnish with cilantro and serve with roti and rice and pickle of your choice.
Enjoy!
Spicy egg curry
Sunday brunch calls for a nice spicy egg curry with a crispy roti and some spicy carrot pickle and a masala chai. My favourite Sunday breakfast. It’s definitely a spicy party in your mouth and very filling. A great brunch for the family and with that roti extra crispy makes it even more tasty. If you want a vegan version of this, check my tofu egg curry recipe here.
Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 tbsp cooking oil
1/2 red onion sliced length wise
1 green chilli sliced length wise in 4
1 Roma tomato chopped fine
1 tsp garlic paste
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cumin ground
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 organic eggs
1/2 bunch cilantro chopped fine
Directions:
In a skillet, heat oil and saute onions, green chilli till onions are translucent
Add chopped tomatoes, garlic paste and all of the spices.
Add eggs and stir to scramble with the spicy mixture.
When eggs are done, add cilantro and cook for another minute
Serve with roti and carrot pickle. ( Great for breakfast, lunch or dinner)
Overnight oats so many different ways
To make overnight oats, just use our base recipe below and add your favourite ingredients. Just get creative and enjoy your favourite fruit, nut butter, nuts and seeds, granola, chocolate chips, spices like saffron, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, and more in your overnight oats.
Use a clean mason jar and always use slow cooking rolled oats. Below is the base recipe for an individual and quick add on recipes. You can pick and choose from each section to make your favourite combination. Pictured is our favourite saffron, pistachio overnight oats.
Overnight oats last up to 5 days in the refrigerator and are great for meal prep.
Ingredients: (serves 1)
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup milk (plant milk or any milk)
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon chia seeds
2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Directions:
In a clean mason jar mix the above ingredients and choose any of the following toppings below, stir well, cover and refrigerate overnight. You may want to add more milk depending on the consistency as the oats soak up all the milk.
Saffron, pistachio overnight oats (add 1/4 tsp cardamom powder & 5 strands saffron) stir well with base recipe and refrigerate overnight. Top with crushed pistachios
Chocolate banana overnight oats (add 1/2 banana mashed, 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder,) stir well with base recipe and refrigerate overnight. Top with almond butter and chocolate shavings
Apple cinnamon overnight oats (add I/2 apple shredded, 1/2 tsp cinnamon ground,) stir well with base recipe and refrigerate overnight. Top with chopped walnuts.
Peanut butter and jelly overnight oats (add 2 tbsp peanut butter and 2 tbsp fruit jam) stir well with base recipe and refrigerate overnight.(Top with roasted crushed peanuts)
Spicy pear and walnut overnight oats (Bake 1/2 a pear drizzled with a teaspoon of maple syrup and 1/4 tsp cinnamon for 5-7 minutes at 375 degrees or just toss raw into base recipe and refrigerate overnight. Top with chopped walnuts.
Add fresh fruit like blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, bananas, peaches, pears, pomegranate and apples. Add dried fruit like raisins, cranberries, goji berries, chopped dates, mango or papaya. Add Nuts and seeds like sliced almonds, chopped pecans or walnuts, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, Add Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric, cardamom, or nutmeg. Add nut butters like almond butter, and peanut butter, for that extra protein boost
Prawn biriyani
Biriyani is a delicious dish made by cooking fragrant basmati rice with poultry, fish, prawns, meat or vegetables adding yogurt, spices and lots of love. My simple version of prawn biriyani is so easy and takes minutes to prepare. Everyone always gets intimidated by biriyani, but seriously I find it the easiest dish and love impressing my guests with this luxurious dish.
Serves 6
Ingredients:
(a)
3/4 cup Greek yogurt
1 tbsp garlic paste
1 tbsp ginger paste
1 tsp green chilli paste
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp cumin ground
2 tbsp lemon juice
(b)
3 potatoes cubed (1/4 inch)
1/4 cup sunflower
1 chopped onion
1 roma chopped
1 1/2 cups fried onions
1/2 tsp garam masala
(c)
1.5 Lb raw prawns deveined & shelled washed and dried.
Directions:
Divide mixture (a) into half and marinate prawns in the mixture and refrigerate covered for half an hour
In a dutch oven or deep roasting pan, add leftover mixture (a) and mixture (b) with potatoes and cook covered on medium high for 30 minutes or till potatoes are cooked through (checking often so mixture does not burn)
Stir in marinated prawns and cook according to size of prawns. (small -medium prawns 3-4 mins, large prawns 5-8 minutes, jumbo prawns 8-9 minutes or till they turn pink.
Enjoy on saffron basmati rice as pictured. (Recipe below)
Ingredients:
2 cups basmati rice
4 cups water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp butter
3 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp cumin whole
1 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp garlic paste
1/2 cup fried onions
Directions:
Wash and rinse the basmati rice till the water is clear.
In a medium sized pot, add rice and 4 cups water and soak for about 10 minutes.
Add salt and boil rice till almost done (15 minutes). Remove rice into a colander and rinse out extra water. Add 1/4 cup fresh water and cover on minimum till fluffy.
In a wok or deep frying pan, heat 1/2 tbsp butter and 1 1/2 tbsp sunflower oil. Add 1/2 tsp cumin whole, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tbsp garlic paste, 1/4 cup fried onions and 7 saffron threads. Sautee for a minute and add half the cooked rice and stir fry all ingredients till rice is yellow in colur and all spices are mixed in . Remove rice onto serving platter and repeat process again with remaining ingredients.
Serve with a layer of biriyani sauce on top. Enjoy!
Roasted pumpkin seeds
Don’t ditch the pumpkin seeds after carving!
Instead, use them to roast and spice or sweeten them however you want!
For a sweet or savoury recipe, try adding some of our spices and seasonings to your pumpkin seeds.
Remove and clean the seeds from your pumpkin. Dry the seeds. Add oil, salt and seasonings.
In a bowl add 1 tbsp sunflower oil, coconut oil or avocado oil to
1 cup of seeds. (Keep the ratio the same for more seeds) add your favourite seasonings making sure to coat each seed well with mixture.
Place seeds on a baking sheet (use parchment paper for best results)
Bake for 20-30 minutes at 300 degrees F or until pumpkin seeds are crisp and golden brown. Rotate pan if you see some seeds getting darker and make sure to stir 2-3 times during the baking time.
Let cool and they will crisp up.
Enjoy this treat with your loved ones on Halloween!
Use the following Galloway’s Spices and seasonings or scroll down for some spooky recipes and make your own sweet or savoury pumpkin seeds.
Cinnamon sugar:
For 1 cup of raw pumpkin seeds you will need:
2tsp olive oil
2tbsp brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of sea salt
Sweet & spicy:
For 1 cup of raw pumpkin seeds you will need
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 tsp cayenne or to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper or to taste
Pizza roasted pumpkin seeds:
For 1 cup of raw pumpkin seeds you will need
2 tsp olive oi
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Plant-based bean curry
It really isn’t complicated to make a bean curry. Beans are highly nutritious and full of fibre and protein and great for a vegan or plant-based diet. I have made it simpler by a simple bean curry recipe that includes my spice mix on our website Annie M’s spice mix for vegan bean curry. This way you don’t have to struggle with so many spices in your cupboards and it’s all measured for you. You can use any dried bean as long as you soak them, boil them according to cooking times on our chart or use organic canned beans. I do recommend using dried beans as they are more economical and you can cook them in big batches and keep them in the freezer.
Ingredients:
3 tbsp cooking oil (I prefer grapeseed oil, sunflower oil or avocado oil)
1 1/4 cup chopped onion or 2 small onions
1/2 tsp cumin seeds (included in Annie M’s Spice mix)
1 1/2 cup chopped potatoes in 1” cubes
Annie M’s spice mix package *
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
1 roma tomato chopped
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
2 cups water
2 cups cooked beans (choice of any cooked beans)
1 cup cilantro
Directions:
Heat oil in a medium sized pot. Add onions and saute till golden brown. Add the package of cumin seeds from Annie M’s spice mix package and saute for a minute. Then add potatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, salt and Annie M’s spice mix and stir till potatoes and spices are mixed in. Add crushed tomatoes and water and cover pot till potatoes are almost tender (about 20 minutes). Add cooked beans and cook for another 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro, saving a little for garnish and serve with roti and or basmati rice.
Note -you can add other vegetables like kale, zucchini & spinach simply by adding them with the cooked beans and let cook till done.
*Annie M’s spice ingredients (coriander ground, cumin ground, turmeric , cayenne ground)
We include the Rice Pilaff spice mix in this package. Check recipe here.
Red lentil fritters (bhajias)
Going plant-based doesn’t have to be boring. It’s so exciting when we try new things. These red lentil fritters (bhajias) are crispy and delicious. They are very popular in Gujarat, India. Yes they are fried and amazing hot and fresh. I love making them as lettuce wraps and add my tamarind chutney and katchumber ( an Indian pico de gallo)
Serves 8
Prep time 20 mins
Cook time 40 mins
Ingredients
2 cups red split lentils
1 tbsp garlic paste
1tbsp ginger paste
2 tbsp organic sugar
1 tsp Himalayan salt
1tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp cayenne
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Oil for frying (grapeseed or sunflower)
Ingredients for katchumber
½ red onion, finely chopped
½ carrot, finely chopped
½ cucumber, finely chopped
Cilantro, finely chopped
lemon juice of ½ a lemon
pinch cayenne (to taste)
pinch Himalayan salt (to taste)
Directions
Soak lentils for 4-5 hours; rinse and add all ingredients into a food processor and grind for about 30 seconds to a minute till all lentils are ground and mixture is nicely combined.
In a wok or deep frying pan heat oil to medium high
Fry teaspoon fulls of red lentil mixture and fry till golden brown (about 7 mins) Remove and place on paper towel to drain the oil.
Decorate on a bed of lettuce and serve with katchumber and tamarind chutney like a lettuce wrap
Directions for Katchumber
Dice all ingredients and mix. Serve as a condiment to most indian dishes. Serve also as a topping with red lentil bhajias in a lettuce wrap.
Enjoy!!
Okra curry
Okra, a very unconventional vegetable is high in nutrients and high in fibre. Okra contains high levels of nutritious fibre called “slime”. Research indicates that when okra is infused in water, it is good for managing blood glucose, preventing constipation, and lowering blood cholesterol.
Okra curry has got to be one of my favourite plant-based curries. I never quite liked it when I was younger, but appreciate the healthy benefits and the gourmet taste now that I am older.
Serves 4-6 (with roti and rice)
Prep time 15 mins
Cook time 15 mins
Ingredients
3 tbsp avocado oil or grapeseed oil or any other oil of your choice
3 finely sliced medium yellow onions
1 finely sliced medium yellow onion
3 chopped Roma tomatoes
3 (300g) bags of frozen okra or 6 cups fresh cut in round circles
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
2 tbsp coriander ground
1 tbsp cumin ground
1/4 tsp cayenne (to taste)
1/4 tsp turmeric
11/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt or to taste
2tbsp lemon juice
1 cup chopped cilantro
Directions
Heat oil in a medium sized pot on medium heat
Add 3 sliced onions and saute for 2-3 minutes making sure they don’t turn golden
Add tomatoes and saute for a minute and then add garlic and ginger and saute for a minute
Add all spices, salt and lemon juice and saute for 3 minutes
Add okra (f frozen, cook for about 5-7 minutes) -(If fresh, more like 15 minutes and cook till “slime” disappears)
Add the finely sliced onion on top with cilantro and remove from heat. Cover for a minute and serve with roti, rice and a pickle of your choice.
I sometimes add one cup of yogurt to the curry as a variation and it turns out amazing and I eat it with rice or (Khitchadi- rice and split mung bean mixture)