Easy Indian Vegetarian: Delicious Recipes for Every Day Giveaway
July 15, 2024 by JennyEnter our US/CA giveaway to win one of three copies of Easy Indian Vegetarian: Delicious Recipes for Every Day by Chetna Makan.
Chetna’s newest book Easy Indian Vegetarian: Delicious Recipes for Every Day takes inspiration from the incredible vegetarian food that India has to offer. From deliciously spiced Gujarati thepla to indulgently sweet balushahi, Chetna’s recipes celebrate the vibrant flavours of vegetarian Indian cuisine.
Featuring over 70 recipes with step-by-step instructions, you can easily recreate your favorite dishes at home. This book also includes a menu planner – perfect for everyday cooking on a busy schedule. Whether you’re a meat-eater or vegetarian, you’ll keep returning to this book for flavor-packed, creative and wholesome recipes.
The publisher is sharing three delicious recipes with our Members to try now and I can’t wait to try these!
Masala rice
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Inspired by the traditional Maharashtrian dish masale bhat, this recipe comes from my kitchen. There are many ways of making this rice dish and people use different combinations of vegetables. A staple in many homes, it uses a spice mix called goda masala, which is essential. I am using vegetables that grow locally to me and have made a spice mix that is inspired by goda masala but is in no way the same, as I am only using a handful of spices whereas many more are used to make the original mix. Enjoy this with some Masala Raita.
For the masala:
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 1 star anise
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 1 black cardamom pod
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 black peppercorns
- 4 cloves
- 2 dried red chillies
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 50g (1 ¾ oz) fresh coconut, grated
For the rice:
- 3 tablespoons sunflower oil
- ¼ teaspoon asafoetida
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 2.5cm (1 inch) piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- ½ cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1 potato, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces
- 125g (4½oz) frozen peas
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 300g (10½oz) basmati rice
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 700ml (1¼ pints) boiling water
For the masala, put all the spices in a large dry pan and roast over a low heat for 2 minutes until aromatic. Now add the sesame seeds and coconut, and cook for a further 2 minutes. Blitz to a powder in a spice grinder.
In the same pan, heat the oil for the rice over a medium heat, add the asafoetida and cumin seeds, let sizzle for a few seconds, then add the onion and cook for 6–8 minutes until golden. Add the ginger and cook for another minute, then add the cauliflower and potato, and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the peas, salt, turmeric and masala followed by the rice and ghee. Mix well. Pour in the boiling water, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Let the rice sit off the heat for 10 minutes before opening the lid. Serve with Masala raita (recipe below)
Masala raita
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Raita is the perfect cooling accompaniment to an Indian meal. This one has all the ingredients of a great masala; when added to yogurt, it really brings it to life.
Serves 4
- 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 green chilli, finely chopped
- 2.5cm (1 inch) piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 tomato, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 300g (10 ½ oz) natural yogurt
For the Tadka
- 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon urad dal (white lentils)
- a handful of fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat, add the onion and chilli, and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the ginger and cook for a minute, then add the tomato and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the spices and salt, and remove from the heat to cool slightly.
Once it has cooled, add the masala to the yogurt and mix together well. Heat the oil for the tadka in a small pan, add the mustard seeds and urad dal and cook over a low heat for 2 minutes. Add the coriander and mix well, then pour over the yogurt and serve.
Corn cutlets (Makai cutlets)
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Quick snacks don’t need to be boring when you have things like these corn cutlets, which are so delicious. I use frozen sweetcorn here, but if you can find fresh seasonal sweetcorn then feel free to use that instead. Adjust the heat to your taste and serve them hot with an equally fabulous chutney.
Makes 12
- sunflower oil, for deep-frying
- sea salt flakes, to garnish
- your choice of chutney, to serve
For the cutlets
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
- 400g (14oz) frozen sweetcorn
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 green chilli, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 50g (1¾oz) breadcrumbs
- a handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons cornflour
Put the coriander, cumin and fennel seeds in a pestle and mortar along with the chilli flakes and crush coarsely.
Put the frozen sweetcorn in a saucepan and cover with boiling water. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then drain. Transfer the sweetcorn to a food processor and blitz to a coarse paste, but don’t purée it. Transfer the paste to a bowl, add the spices and remaining cutlet ingredients and mix well.
Heat enough oil for deep-frying in a large, deep pan to 170°C (340°F) or until a cube of bread browns in 25 seconds when dropped into the oil. When the oil is hot enough, take small portions of the mixture, slightly flatten and fry for 2–3 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on kitchen paper and repeat with the remaining mixture.
Sprinkle the cutlets with sea salt flakes and serve them hot with your choice of chutney.
Special thanks to the publisher for providing three copies of this title in our promotion. Entry options include answering the following question in the comments section of this blog post.
Which recipe in the index would you like to try first?
Please note that you must be logged into the Rafflecopter contest before posting or your entry won’t be counted. For more information on this process, please see our step-by-step help post. Once you log in and enter your member name you will be directed to the next entry option – the blog comment. After that, there are additional options that you can complete for more entries. Be sure to check your spam filters to receive our email notifications. Prizes can take up to 6 weeks to arrive from the publishers. If you are not already a Member, you can join at no cost. The contest ends at midnight on September 27th, 2024.
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