Showing posts with label Vegetarian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vegetarian. Show all posts
Friday, May 19, 2017

Raw Gluten-Free Vegan Rum Balls


I have been enjoying snacking on a variety of 'smoosh' balls lately. If you have't gotten on the bandwagon, you really need to. They are delicious and are so good for you. I mean they've got to be, right? They are raw, vegan, gluten-free, no added sugar...the list goes on. Now let's add the magic of smoosh balls with the magic of rum balls - it's a no brainer, you guys!  


Rum balls are a staple around christmas time but you won't have to wait till christmas for these babies. Four ingredients, no baking, 15 minutes and you have yourself a merry little snack.

Yield - 20 snack balls

Time - 15 Minutes

Friday, November 4, 2016

Mixed Vegetable Korma - Vegan and Gluten Free



Here at the Taste Chronicles headquarters (AKA my home!) we’re going through a few changes – logistical and dietary.  After living in apartments/ townhomes my whole life, I have finally bit the bullet and moved to a house in the ‘burbs. They tell me this is what it means to grow up.  The jury is still out on this adult-ing thing so I will let you know how it goes later. However, after 13 years of electric/ ceramic cooktops, I finally have a gas stove! I love love love it! I had forgotten how nice it was to cook on good old-fashioned fire.


On the diet front, we have moved to a low gluten/ gluten free and dairy free diet for the most part, which has been an eye opening experience. This has meant a drastic clamp down on processed foods. We were never big on the processed stuff, but now we’ve had to cut it out almost entirely. I am on a bit of a learning curve with this, so if you have any recipes and ideas please share them in the comments. 

This mixed vegetable korma recipe is delicious, vegan and gluten free and more importantly, doesn’t let you feel like you’re going without anything.

Yield - Serves 3 - 4

Time - 1 Hour



Saturday, July 30, 2016

Chana Masala


A big pot of chole or chana masala was customary in any late 80s - early 90's birthday party in my memory. An Indian vegetarian staple, chole is inexpensive, hearty, healthy and generally well liked by children and adults alike. Apart from my dad - he does NOT like chole! It is a bit of a running joke between us. We FaceTime quite often just around my dinner time. If I am having chole, I will tell him I am having "his favorite!" Then of course he has to guess which one of his 'favorites' it is - bhindi (okra), rajma (red kidney beans) or chole (chickpeas)! 


Skip the yogurt if you want to make this recipe vegan. It is vegetarian, gluten-free and overall awesome but it won't make your coffee for you.

Yield - Serves 2
Time - 40 Minutes



Friday, April 1, 2016

Spinach and Feta Savory Muffins


The concept of "morning tea" was completely alien to me till I joined the New Zealand work force three years ago. I still remember back to my first week of work when I was completely taken aback by the mass exodus that took place every day at 10 am on the dot, for 15 minutes. But oh my goodness I cannot do without it now! I need my mid morning stretch, caffeine and muffin. Especially since I am one of those breakfast-skippers (Yes, I know, bad Bach!) But let's get past that. By the time 10 am rolls in, I am usually famished so I usually need something more substantial than just coffee.


Savory muffins are standard NZ cafe fare and are often accompanied by the question "Heated with butter?" Yes heated but no butter thanks (I have it almost everyday so no butter seems like a good idea) This is not the most economical way to spend 15 minutes every morning because it is actually quite easy to make these muffins yourself so I decided give it a try. This post is actually called That-Week-I-Finally-Got-Off-My-Fat-Arse-And-Organized-Breakfast.



You can make these with any combination of veggies and cheese really - it is entirely up to you. Personally, I wouldn't put eggplants in it myself - but again it is up to you! The muffins I have here are spinach zucchini and feta muffins and they are delicious and hearty.

Yield - 6 Large Muffins
Time - 40 Minutes


Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Dal Fry

Vegan Recipe - Dal Fry

My mom makes the best dal. No really. I know that everyone says their moms make the best something or the other but I am not being sentimental here. I am simply stating a mere fact. My mom makes the best dal. I spent the first 2 years of grad school trying to figure out how she does it (I took classes, read a lot of papers, passed my comps and tried to come with a research project too - but mostly, I perfected cooking dal). I love dal. When I was a kid, I'd come home from school and often sit with a large bowl of dal and down it. To me, it is home plain and simple - true comfort food.

Vegan Recipe - Dal Fry

I can see my dad rolling his eyes if he's reading this. He does not think that dal deserves an honorable mention in any food related discussion. Dal simply exists as side in every single Indian meal. Always. Even my dad can't roll his eyes on this dal fry recipe because it is something that he used to whip up using leftover dal (cooked by my mom of course). It was delicious and deserves its own blog post! 

It is a fantastic source of protein and I would recommend it as an essential part of a vegetarian diet. I generally cook more dal than I need for a meal and freeze the rest for future use.

Yield - Seves 4

Time - 1 Hour

Vegan Recipe - Dal Fry

Monday, February 8, 2016

Middle Eastern Roasted Eggplant Dip

Baba Ganoush - Middle Eastern Eggplant Dip

I am back!! 2.5 months, 5 casts, 1 surgery, 1 cancelled overseas trip and a bit of drama later - but I am back. I can't even begin to tell you how much I have missed my kitchen, my camera and this blog. Not to mention, having a shower with a shopping bag tied around your arm is the least fun thing in the world. EVER. Like seriously.


Baba Ganoush - Middle Eastern Eggplant Dip


As you can imagine, it's been baby steps back in the kitchen. This Mediterranean eggplant dip is so easy - the food processor does most of the work. This recipe is inspired by a zucchini dip that one of my best friends made for me years ago. The true benefit of this dip is that it keeps vampires away. That's right - a small mountain of garlic, yogurt and really good quality extra virgin olive oil and you're home free.

Note - I added dried mint to this dip but it is actually better without it, so I don't recommend it in my ingredients list.


Yield - Serves 6
Prep Time - 10 Minutes
Cook Time - 40 Minutes


Baba Ganoush - Middle Eastern Eggplant Dip


Thursday, December 3, 2015

Chili Paneer Stir Fry

Quick and Easy Indo Chinese Chili Paneer


I was looking through my drafts and found this old gem. Why I haven't posted this earlier, I don't know! This is one of those meals that I put together in a jiffy by scrounging up ingredients and hoping that something edible comes out of it. I ended up with something that will make its way back on my table again and again. The whole dish took about 20 minutes to make, mainly because I turn into a hungry multi tasking beast after work on weeknights. You might take a little longer to chop but don't cook it too long. Stir fries love high heat and quick cooking. Slowing it down make them soggy and mushy - no good!

Quick and Easy Indo Chinese Chili Paneer


I don't usually think of making chili paneer, which is a common Indo-Chinese fusion dish. Paneer almost always turns into some form or the other of matar paneer or palak paneer in my kitchen. Primarily, this is because most recipes for chili paneer start with battering and frying the paneer, which is a bit of a culinary turn off for me. Do you really want to deep fry your cheese? I don't, so I didn't. What we ended up with was a definite keeper. It has a good amount of heat from the chilies and chili sauce. Adjust the amount of chilies to suit your palate. 


Yield - Serves 2

Time - 30 Minutes


Quick and Easy Indo Chinese Chili Paneer


Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Baked Samosas

Baked Samosas - A Diwali Treat

My favorite of all Indian festivals - Diwali - is just around the corner. Yay!  Diwali is a time for family, friends, hope and new beginnings. Every year, when we were kids, we had a massive Diwali party a couple of nights before the actual day of Diwali. We put on some good shows that we still laugh about - dances, skits, parodies, musicals - the list is endless. We wore some horrifying outfits (the joys of growing up in India in the 90's) that still keep coming back to haunt us on Facebook. We put on our first saris, wore our first high heels, giggled and blushed at our first crushes. We roamed carefree around the neighborhood with sounds of fireworks all around us. Diwali is also a time for 'taash' (poker) and food! The night of the big party was my dad's annual taash event - it was an all night poker event - no kids allowed! 

Baked Samosas - A Diwali Treat

Food coma was an essential part of Diwali. No matter whose house we visited, the "aunties" there stuffed our faces with sweet and savory treats that they had prepared tirelessly for days on end. I hope to continue this beautiful tradition. Though I don't know how to  make some of the traditional Diwali treats, I am determined to learn. 

I haven't made samosas before but I have eaten more than my share of them. I know exactly how I like them - not too spicy with the potato pieces intact, i.e not boiled and mashed. A bit of experimentation resulted in a pretty delicious, guilt free treat that was no too difficult to make after all.

Yield - Makes 10 Samosas

Time - 2 Hours

Baked Samosas - A Diwali Treat

Monday, October 5, 2015

Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Aged Cheddar

Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Aged Cheddar

It is October and it is officially pumpkin season in the Northern Hemisphere. All the Fall related posts on other blogs I follow have got me quite excited for the upcoming holiday season, so what if it springtime here! This week I have got a delicious roasted pumpkin soup for you. It's been a big success here at Casa Taste Chronicles. Seeing as pumpkins aren't really our favorite vegetable, it is all the more reason to believe me that it was fantastic. I wouldn't lie to you would I?

Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Aged Cheddar

The flu season hit us quite hard this season. Both of us fell sick at the same time which wasn't great! So it's been a lot of sneezing, coughing and feeling sorry for ourselves. This soup has been a lifesaver and helped us feel much better. It was also very low effort to cook this so we managed to make it even when we weren't feeling fantastic. Who wants greasy take out when they're sick?!

I cooked this in a pressure cooker and it was a breeze. If you don't have a pressure cooker, go get one NOW! Just kidding! Just simmer the soup for a longer time and you'll be fine! 

Yield - Serves 4
Prep Time - 40 Minutes
Cook Time - 30 Minutes

Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Aged Cheddar


Monday, September 28, 2015

Vegetable Tikka Masala

Vegetable Tikka Masala

Daylight saving's here! Woohoo! It's the best. It is like waking up after a long cold dark night. I am no good in winter. I never thought I'd say this when I was in Bombay or in Florida, but I really miss the long hot humid summers. The two months of winter we had were pretty bearable. In Florida, that is. We don't actually have a winter in Bombay. 

Vegetable Tikka Masala

But no more whinging. Let's talk about food! Look at this delicious tikka masala! I order tikka masala pretty often when I go to Indian restaurants, so I wanted to deconstruct the recipe and cook it in the Taste Chronicles kitchen. Ingredients such as mustard oil, black salt and roasted bell pepper give it a lovely smokey flavor. Definitely worth a try!

Yield - Serves 3
Prep Time - 20 Minutes

Cook Time - 40 Minutes

Vegetable Tikka Masala

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Baked Falafel with Garlic Mint Yogurt Sauce

Baked Falafel with Garlic Mint Yogurt Sauce

About 3 months ago when the Southern Hemisphere was entering the dead of winter, I decided that I wanted to grow my own herbs in a container garden. This is not the smartest thing I have ever done and I knew it while I was shopping for seeds, seedlings and soil. I picked plants that I thought were going to survive a few frosty nights. I got coriander seeds (I never have any luck growing cilantro in summer, they just bolt and die so I thought winter might do it some good), garlic chive seeds, rosemary plant, peppermint plant and fennel plant. My strategy has been, largely, to keep my fingers crossed.

Baked Falafel with Garlic Mint Yogurt Sauce


Rosemary is still alive (really, I can never tell with rosemary if it is going to kick the bucket), the fennel plant has been threatening to die from the start . So far, the mint plant has been the one that's really thriving. The mint kick I have been on lately is largely as a result of this (Exhibit A - Minty Cilantro Chicken Kebabs). Cilantro is doing fairly well too but I am keeping my fingers crossed. I love all the greenery in my balcony and on my plate. These fresh minty falafels would have been quite healthy if I hadn't devoured almost all of it. I am sure you have better self control and discipline than I do!




Yield - Serves 4
Prep Time - 10 Minutes + 1 Hour Refrigeration
Bake Time - 20 Minutes



Baked Falafel with Garlic Mint Yogurt Sauce

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Not quite Bharli Vangi


Bharli Vangi - Vegan Indian Eggplant Cooked with nuts and spices



Looking at all my blog posts lately, I can see why you would think that I am a die hard carnivore. Believe me, I eat veggies most weeknights. It's just that the Indian staple of Bhaat (rice) + Dal (lentils)+ Bhaji (Veggies) is often less than glamorous, so I end up not blogging about them! 

Bharli Vangi - Vegan Indian Eggplant Cooked with nuts and spices

Bharli Vangi is a Maharashtrian recipe. It is made by stuffing eggplants with a nutty spicy filling and cooking it in a delicious sauce. Quick geography lesson - Maharashtra is a state in the western part of India. Bombay, where I grew up, is in Maharashtra. The recipe I am sharing with you today is not quite Bharli Vangi, and hence the title of the post. "Bharli" means stuffed and "Vangi" means "eggplants" in Marathi. I am using the basic elements of this classic dish but I am not going to actually stuff the eggplants.


Yield - Serves 2

Time - 40 Minutes



Bharli Vangi - Vegan Indian Eggplant Cooked with nuts and spices


Saturday, March 21, 2015

Cuban Black Beans On Rice


Don't be fooled by its humble name, beans are some of the most satisfying meals to put together for a weeknight. They are easy, healthy and hearty enough for the most die hard carnivores to not miss meat. A fantastic source of protein, beans are a vegetarian staple and true comfort food.

Though cans of beans are really easy to use, cooking beans from scratch is not nearly as labour intensive as commonly believed. I usually soak the beans overnight but there are many that skip this step, swearing by the flavor of un-soaked beans. 

This recipe is adapted from Nydia's Kichen, which incidentally has several really good tutorials on Cuban recipes. 

Yield - Serves 3

Prep Time - 10 Minutes and Overnight Soak

Cook Time - 30 Minutes

Cuban Black Beans on Rice
Cuban Black Beans on Rice

Cuban Black Beans on Rice


Cuban Black Beans on Rice

Cuban Black Beans on Rice


Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Pico de gallo

Pico de gallo, or very simply "pico", is a fresh mild salsa that is a must have on taco nights. No chiles were harmed in the making of this salsa. It is mild enough for the meekest of Mexican food lovers.

Pico takes me back to warm Florida summers. Scratch that. HOT Florida summers. 

Tomatoes are the real star of this show, so make sure the tomatoes are ripe, firm and fresh. In this recipe I have used lemons instead of limes, just because I had them on hand. If you have limes, use limes. If you have Key limes, use Key limes. And give Florida a kiss for me. 



Pico de gallo
Pico de gallo



Pico de gallo




Pico de gallo


Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Achari Mushrooms

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you've had a fantastic holiday with family, friends and food! I have just come back after the most amazing trip in India, rejuvenated, inspired and ready to post some more stories and recipes. 

Restaurant food in India is entirely different from the food you get in Indian restaurants in western countries. It is so much more flavorful and not at all like the sweet creamy fare we've gotten used to because we just don't know any better. Well, I say no more of that! 

First up - Achari Mushrooms - a restaurant favorite in India and often served as an appetizer. Mushroom caps are sautéed with Indian pickling spices in mustard oil - easy peasy!


Yield - Serves 2

Total Time - 20 Minutes


Achari Mushrooms - Mushrooms Sauteed in pickling spices
Achari Mushrooms - Mushrooms in pickling spices



Achari Mushrooms - Mushrooms Sauteed in pickling spices


Monday, December 22, 2014

Beguner Korma - From my grandmother's kitchen

My grandmother is almost 90 years old and even now she insists on spending hours in the kitchen cooking up a feast when any of her grandkids visit. When we tell her that she should take it easy and relax, she says it gives her a lot of joy to watch us enjoy our food. I can only hope that when I am her age, I am that active.

I was visiting my grandma the last few days and by gosh, it was a feast every day! Every meal had at least two kinds of fish curry and two kinds of vegetable preparation. All curries are cooked using heaps of good quality mustard oil. She insists that mustard oil is good for you and will keep you healthy for years. I haven't researched the scientific backing to this claim but seeing as she is almost 90 and is fitter than me, I will take her word for it! The recipe I am sharing with you today is an eggplant curry called "Beguner Korma" that she learned from her mother, my great-grandmother who I called "Didi", who passed away 10 years ago. This recipe is very special to me. And not to mention, lip-smacking delicious!

Yield - Serves 2

Cooking Time - 40 Minutes

Bengali Eggplant Curry

Monday, October 27, 2014

Roasted Bell Pepper and Tomato Soup with Black Pepper and Rosemary

Do you ever feel like your body needs some TLC in the form of nourishing food after a business trip?

I have been eating out every single day this past week because I was away for work. I had disappointing Mexican food, disappointing Italian food, disappointing Chinese food, disappointing kebabs, disappointing Malaysian food and disappointing peri peri. I think I have managed to convey the theme - Disappointing. Step up your game Auckland!  I couldn't wait to get back home and nourish my body with healthy home cooked goodness. The long weekend couldn't have come at a better time. With the market full of goodness of summery produce, this recipe practically made itself. And it is vegan! I chose to use fresh red bell peppers in this recipe but you are welcome to use jarred roasted bell peppers, it will cut the prep time down quite a bit. 

Yield - Serves 2
Prep Time - 50 Minutes

Cook Time - 30 Minutes

Roasted Bell Pepper and Tomato Soup with Black Pepper and Rosemary - Vegan
Roasted Bell Pepper and Tomato Soup with Black Pepper and Rosemary
Roasted Bell Pepper and Tomato Soup with Black Pepper and Rosemary - Vegan

Roasted Bell Pepper and Tomato Soup with Black Pepper and Rosemary - Vegan


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