This vegan Moussaka made with layers of eggplant, potato and a flavour-packed mushroom filling, topped with a luscious white sauce, is definitely a must-try.
Moussaka is a classic Greek baked dish thats typically made up of eggplant and lamb mince. Its a dish that I’ve made for years and every time I make it, I wonder why I don’t make it more often. It’s been ages since I last made it, so I decided it was time. The weather was perfect. With autumn rolling in, the days are a tiny bit cooler. And that means it’s finally ok to crank up the oven.
With the weather in my favour, now there was just one little hurdle. We no longer eat meat. I had to turn this into a really delicious Vegan Moussaka. It’s easy enough to simply sub in the lamb with TVP (textured vegetable protein) or a fake meat option from the supermarket, but we don’t really enjoy that stuff. I have used it in recipes a few times, but I much prefer using vegetables instead. So today, that’s the version I’m going to share with you.
Let’s talk about the cheese. While I do use plant based cheese in my diet, I try and keep that to a minimum. This sauce is ideally made with some cheese and I have added it to the recipe. However, the sauce is just as good even without the cheese. The flavours and textures of all the elements of the casserole work really well together and the sauce brings everything together brilliantly. So if you’re trying to restrict your intake of processed food, feel free to leave the cheese out, like I’ve done in the recipe video.
To make this recipe a little healthier and to reduce the hands on cooking time, I’ve roasted the potatoes and eggplant instead of pan frying it. This way you use less oil in the cooking process and I find that the flavours are much better.
Overall, this is a relatively easy dish to make. There are a few elements that have to be prepped and then its just a matter of layering everything and baking it off. Just allow yourself a little extra time.
Vegan Moussaka recipe
Course: Mains4
servings15
minutes30
minutes40
minutes1
hour10
minutesThis vegan Moussaka made with layers of eggplant, potato and a flavour-packed mushroom filling and finally topped with a luscious white sauce.
Ingredients
2-3 eggplants
2 potatoes
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt, to taste
- For the Mushroom filling
1 onion, diced
1 stick of celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
8-10 cup mushrooms
5 portabello mushrooms
3 large cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt, to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Red chilli flakes, to taste
- For the white sauce
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 – 2 cups soy milk
1/2 teaspoon mustard
1/4 cup grated cheese
Salt, to taste
A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. (You can also use nutmeg powder instead)
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 200ºC.
- Peel and cut the potatoes into slices. Keep the slices on the thicker side.
- Drizzle a little olive oil over the potato slices and sprinkle some salt, to taste. Toss them well and place them in a single layer on a lined baking sheet.
- Slice the eggplant, drizzle some olive oil and sprinkle some salt over the slices. Toss them well and place them in a single layer on a lined baking sheet.
- Bake the potato and the eggplant slices for 15-20 minutes or till done. Do not overcook the vegetables.
- For the Mushroom Filling –
- Chop the mushrooms into a chunky dice.
- Dice the onion, celery and carrots and mince the garlic.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan on medium heat.
- Add the onion and saute for a couple of minutes till it starts softening.
- Add the celery and carrots and let these cook off on a medium heat for about 5-8 minutes or till they have softened a bit.
- Add the minced garlic and stir through.
- Add some red chilli flakes, to taste, the oregano and black pepper powder. Stir through.
- Add the chopped mushrooms and stir through. Let it cook off for a couple of minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and continue cooking for 4-5 minutes.
- Season with some salt and continue cooking for a couple of minutes.
- Take the pan off the heat and set aside.
- For the White Sauce –
- Add the oil and butter to a pan on medium heat.
- Once the butter has melted, add the flour. Stir it through and let the flour cook off for a minute or two till it develops a nutty aroma. This means that the flour has cooked off. Do not let the colour change.
- Add a splash of the soy milk and stir thoroughly and then add the rest of the milk. You can use a whisk to help get rid of any lumps in the sauce.
- Add some salt, to taste.
- Add mustard and stir through till the mustard dissolves.
- Add a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. Stir well.
- Cook till the sauce thickens, stirring constantly.
- Lastly, add the cheese (if using), stir through and take the pan off the heat.
- To assemble the Moussaka –
- In an 8×8 inch square baking dish, place the roasted potatoes in a layer at the bottom. Try and keep the layer even without too many gaps.
- Next, layer the roasted eggplant slices over it.
- Spoon the mushroom filling in an even layer over the eggplant.
- Pour the sauce over the filling evenly.
- Bake at 200ºC for 15-20 minutes or till the sauce is all hot and bubbly.
- Take the moussaka out of the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Serve with a fresh garden salad and some garlic bread.
Enjoy!
Recipe Video
Vegan Chilli – A recipe that’s easy and hearty
Made using Kidney beans and corn, this recipe for a wholesome, vegan Chilli is always a flavour-packed, crowd-pleaser.
To me, very few things are as comforting as a big bowl of this vegan chilli on a cold, wet day. If I’m being honest, I can devour a bowlful of this any time of the year.
If you’re someone like me, who enjoys a good chilli, you really should try this recipe. For a recipe that is as simple as this one is, it is packed with flavour the recipe makes a fairly big batch. That’s always a win in my book, because that means leftovers.
Let’s talk about the beans, shall we?
I’ve made this vegan chilli quite a few times and I’ve even tried it with a bunch of different beans. Today, I’ve kept it simple and used kidney beans, but in the past I have made this with black beans and even a mix of both. Every single time, this recipe turns out delicious. There is a slight change in the overall flavour when you use a different variety of beans, but the chilli still turns out really well.
I prefer cooking my beans from scratch. I use dried beans, soak it overnight and pressure cook it the next day. But you can just as easily use the tinned variety. I find that the flavour of dry beans cooking from scratch a lot better.
How “hot” is hot?
When you look at today’s recipe, you’ll see that I’ve used a bunch of different chilly options. That being said, this still doesn’t turn out too spicy. Each chilly element lends a different type of heat to the dish and it balances the flavours really well.
Obviously, you can adjust the amount of each of them to suit your taste and make it as hot as you’d like it, or not. ?
With all those details dealt with, this recipe is a super simple one. Even if you’ve never cooked before, you’ll easily pull off this recipe. You end up with a big batch of chilli that is packed with flavour and it’s so much better than anything you can find in the stores. Go ahead! Try it.
I served up my chilli with some homemade Jalapeño cornbread (recipe coming soon), coconut yogurt, some avocado, some freshly sliced jalapeño and some fresh coriander. And to taste, I sprinkle some red chilly flakes, salt and lemon juice. These toppings take this already amazing chilli up a notch. This is the kind of stuff I love with my chilli. What sort of toppings do you like? Leave me a comment and let me know.
If you’re looking for more recipe inspiration using beans, check out these recipes –
Black Bean and Corn Tacos
Black Bean Burgers
Easy & Hearty Vegan Chilli
Course: MainCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: Easy6
servings20
minutes40
minutesMade using Kidney beans and corn, this recipe for a wholesome, vegan Chilli is always a flavour-packed, crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
2 cups cooked Kidney beans (make sure they’re cooked till just about done)
1/2 large onion, finely chopped
1/2 green capsicum, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 stick of celery, finely chopped
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp chilly powder (a mild variety)
1/8 tsp extra hot Cayenne pepper powder
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp oregano
1 cup passata or 1 can diced tomatoes
1 tsp Vegetable stock powder (or 1 litre of vegetable stock)
1 tsp Vegemite
Salt, to taste
1 tsp sugar
1 litre hot water (leave this out, if you’re using liquid stock)
1 cup corn kernels
Chopped coriander, to garnish
- Toppings –
Coconut yogurt
Sliced jalapeño
Sliced avocado
Jalapeño cornbread
Red chilly flakes, to taste
Salt, to season the avocado
Lemon juice, to taste
Fresh coriander, chopped
Directions
- Heat a large pot on medium heat. To the pot add oil and onions and sauté till the onions have just started to soften.
- Add the chopped capsicum, carrot and celery and stir well. Let the veggies cook on a medium heat for 5-10 minutes till they sweat and start to soften.
- Add garlic paste and stir well. Fry it off for about 30 seconds.
- Now, add the chilly powder, cayenne pepper powder, smoked paprika, cumin powder and oregano and stir to coat all the vegetables with the spices.
- Add the passata and let it cook off for about another minute.
- To this, add the vegetable stock powder, Vegemite and salt. Stir well. Add 1 litre of hot water from a recently boiled kettle. Stir through.
- Now add the cooked beans and bring this to a boil. Cover the pot, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring a couple of times in between.
- Add the corn and sugar. Check for seasoning and add more salt, if needed. Stir well. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes or till the corn has cooked through.
- Garnish with some chopped fresh coriander (leaves and stalks).
Serve hot! - Serving suggestion –
- Ladle some chilli into a bowl.
- Dollop 1-2 tbsp coconut yogurt (You can also use vegan sour cream).
- Sprinkle some red chilly flakes, to taste.
- Top with some thinly sliced jalapeño, to taste.
- Place some avocado slices on top.
- Sprinkle some chopped fresh coriander.
- Season the avocado with a little salt.
- Squeeze some lemon juice over the avocado and the chilli.
Serve up.
.Recipe Video
Vegan Thai Chilli Basil Fried Rice
This Thai Chilli Basil Fried Rice is packed with vegetables. It uses all plant-based ingredients but still has all the flavors found in Thai cuisine.
A good fried rice is a must have in every aspiring home cook’s arsenal. I enjoy fried rice a lot. Sometimes, I think, maybe a little too much. But in my defense, what’s not to love about it? While I love a good Chinese style fried rice, this Thai Chilli Basil Fried Rice has become a new favorite.
Its a simple meal in itself that is super versatile. You can use a lot of different vegetables, whatever you have on hand. It requires just a little advance planning in the form of cooking the rice ahead of time. Combine that with a clever use of some sauces that I always keep on hand and I can sit down to a nice, hot, home cooked meal in a jiffy.
In the past, I’ve always relied on a Chinese style fried rice. But a couple of years ago, when I tried a Spicy Thai Chilly Basil Fried Rice at a local Thai restaurant, I was smitten. All this flavor and spice – this fried rice blew my socks off. I ordered it every time we went out for Thai food. After a few such instances, I knew that I simply had to learn to make this at home and so with some experimentation, I ended up with a recipe that was really close to my favorite version.
Fast forward to December 2019. Just a few weeks before Christmas, my husband and I decided to switch to a more plant-based diet. And I’m happy to report that we’re loving every bit of this new plant based diet. The last couple of months have involved a lot of experimentation and researching substitutes to make my favorite recipes vegan-friendly. And I have finally found the ever elusive ‘mushroom oyster sauce’ that always seems to be sold out at my local Asian grocery store. Obviously, the next step was to try a vegan version of my Thai Chilli Basil Fried Rice.
It took a little tweaking, but OMG, this fried rice is phenomenal. I think I may like it a little more than the original recipe. So if you like Thai food, whether or not you follow a plant based diet, you must try this recipe out. Its a simple recipe, but is so flavorful and packed with veggies, that I promise you won’t even miss the meat.
So let’s talk about the recipe. There are a few steps involved but they are all really easy to follow. The fried rice is ready in minutes and its best to have all the components prepped and ready to go.
Step 1 – Making the rice
I used some Basmati rice as that’s what I had on hand. Wash the rice out a couple of times and soak it in some water for about 30 minutes. Drain the water, rinse with some fresh water. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, season with salt, add the rice and cook it till is done about 80%. The rice should still have a little bite and shouldn’t be too soft. Let it cool completely.
It’s best to cook the rice atleast a few hours before you need to make the fried rice. You can even make the rice the previous day. Let it cool completely and refrigerate till you need to use it.
Step 2 – The spice paste
This couldn’t be simpler. Its a combination of some Thai birdseye chillies and garlic. We like our food spicy and this recipe is no exception. If you like Thai food but want to cut down on the spice, you can use a combination of birdseye chillies and some cayenne peppers or any other milder chilly. Grind this to a coarse paste.
Step 3 – The sauce
This sauce makes this fried rice what it is. I have had to make a few substitutions to make this recipe vegan friendly but I believe this combination of sauces comes really close.
Simply stir together all the ingredients for the sauce – the miso paste, soy sauce, mushroom sauce, white pepper powder and sugar. Set this aside to use once we start cooking.
Step 4 – Prepping the veggies
Clean and cut all the vegetables and keep them ready. I use onions, carrots, zucchini, mushrooms and broccoli.
Pick the Thai basil leaves and keep them in a separate bowl.
Step 5 – Making the fried rice
This is by far the easiest part of the recipe. Now that all our prep work is done, the rest is just a matter of stir frying our ingredients in stages. Make sure you use a large wok or a large enough pan. At this stage, all the cooking is done on a high heat.
Now that you’re familiar with the process, let move on to the recipe.
Vegan Thai Chilli Basil Fried Rice
Cuisine: ThaiDifficulty: Medium2
servings15
minutes20
minutes30
minutesThis Vegan Thai Chilli Basil Fried Rice is packed with vegetables. It uses all plant-based ingredients but still has all the flavors found in Thai cuisine.
Ingredients
2/3 cup basmati rice
3 Thai birdseye chillies
4 large cloves of garlic
A small handful of Thai basil leaves
A small wedge of lime
2-3 tsp. peanut oil
- For the sauce –
1 tsp red Miso paste
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp Mushroom Oyster Sauce
1/2 tsp White pepper powder
1 scant tbsp raw cane sugar
- Vegetables –
1 onion
1 zucchini
1 carrot
5 cup mushrooms
1/2 cup broccoli florets
Directions
- Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse with some fresh water and drain again. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, season with salt. Add the drained rice and boil till the rice is cooked about 80% of the way. Drain and rice and cool completely.
**See Note 1. - Prep the spice paste. Grind the chillies and garlic to a coarse paste and set aside.
- Make the sauce. Place all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and stir together till well combined.
- Prep the vegetables. Peel and cut the onion into thick slices and separate the onion layers.
Cut the zucchini and carrot in half lengthwise and cut into thick slices.
Slice the mushrooms. Cut the broccoli into small florets to help it cook faster. - To make the fried rice –
- Heat a large wok on high heat. Add 1 tsp peanut oil and fry the mushrooms till they develop a little color.
- Add another spoon of oil and add the onion. Stir fry till the edges of the onion slices start caramelizing.
- Add the broccoli and stir fry till it has cooked about half the way.
- Add the carrots and saute.
- Then add the zucchini and saute till the veggies cook through to your liking.
** See note 3. - When the vegetables are cooked, add the chilli garlic paste and stir through well.
- Stir the sauce and add to the wok. Stir through to distribute well.
- Immediately add the rice and gently stir through to coat the rice with the sauce.
- At this stage, let the rice cook through for about 20-30 seconds or till the sauce has been absorbed by the rice and the rice has heated through well. Gently stir fry the rice while it is heating through.
- Take off the heat and add the Thai basil leaves and stir through.
- Serve hot with some cucumber and a wedge of lime.
Enjoy!
Recipe Video
Notes
- 1. Boil the rice atleast a few hours before you need to make the fried rice. You can boil the rice the previous day. Cool it completely and refrigerate till you need to make the fried rice the next day.
- 2. You can use regular white sugar to replace the raw cane sugar. If using white sugar, reduce the amount of sugar used.
- 3. I prefer my veggies a little on the crunchy side. You can choose to cook the vegetables a little more till they are done to your liking.
Matar Paneer – Curried Indian cottage cheese
Matar Paneer is an easy, tomato based Indian cottage cheese curry that is full of flavor and pairs well with roti, naan, steamed rice or jeera rice too.
This recipe is one of the first curries I ever learned how to make. Paneer or Indian cottage cheese is not a typical ingredient used in most Goan / Mangalorean households, but it’s one that’s widely used throughout north India. If you haven’t tried it yet, you really should. It’s one of the tastiest things I have eaten. Right from the first time my mother made this curry for us, I was hooked. I think this is one of the main reasons I actually wanted to know how it was made.
To really enjoy your paneer, you need to source some good quality paneer. In India, most dairy shops have some great, fresh paneer and it’s quite easy to find. Outside India, you will have to try a couple of brands out to find something you really like. I’ve found that the brands in my local supermarkets just don’t cut it. The paneer is rubbery and chewy and is not that flavorful. Now that goes against everything that good paneer is supposed to be. So after a lot of trial, I found some great quality paneer at my local Indian grocery store. This paneer is locally made and ticks all the boxes for me, when it comes to taste and texture.
This curry is a tomato based curry. Ideally, use fresh tomatoes if they are in season. If not, you can always use some passata, canned tomatoes or tomato puree. You can serve this curry up either with some roti or naan and it even goes really well with rice. Plain steamed rice is fine, but I serve it up with a beautiful Jeera Rice that is perfect for curries like this one.
Let’s have a look at the recipe, shall we?
Matar Paneer – Curried Indian cottage cheese
Course: MainCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Easy5
servings10
minutes30
minutesMatar Paneer is an easy, tomato based, Indian cottage cheese curry that is full of flavor and pairs well with roti, naan, steamed rice or jeera rice too.
Ingredients
2 onions
1-2 chillies
5 cloves of garlic
1/2 inch ginger
2 tomatoes /
1 tbsp oil + 1-2 tbsp oil to fry the potatoes and paneer
1/3 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
2 medium sized potatoes, cubed
250g Paneer, cubed
1/2 cup green peas
Salt, to taste
2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
Directions
- Grind the onion, chillies, ginger and garlic to a fine paste. Do not use any water to grind it down. Set this aside.
- Grind the fresh tomatoes to a puree separately and set aside in another bowl. If you’re using passata, you can ignore this step.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and lightly fry the paneer pieces till they get a little golden brown. Don’t cook for too long or it will result in the paneer getting chewy. Using a slotted spoon to drain off excess oil, take the paneer out of the pan and set aside.
- Add a little oil if needed and fry the potato cubes till they are almost done. Set aside to use later.
- Add a little oil as needed to give yourself about 1 tbsp of oil in the pan. Add the ground onion and saute this till the onion changes color. This should take approx. 3-4 minutes and this gives the ginger and garlic a chance to cook off too.
- Now add the tumeric, chilly powder and 1/4 tsp of garam masala powder and stir well to incorporate. Let the spices cook off for about 30 seconds.
- Add the tomato puree to the pan and let this cook off for a couple of minutes or till your gravy base / masala looks nice and fried. Add a little water as required to achieve the consistency of gravy you’re looking for. I recommend adding the water in a couple of stages to make sure you have the right consistency. Bring to a boil. Once it starts boiling, cover the pan, lower the heat to a simmer and cook off for about 5-7 minutes, checking the water level and stirring it through at the halfway mark.
- Add the green peas and the fried potato cubes and let it continue to cook till the vegetables have cooked off.
- At the very end, add the paneer and let it warm through. I usually let it cook for just a minute or two at this point.
- Stir in the garam masala powder.
- Take the curry off the heat and finish off with a sprinkling of the fresh, chopped coriander.
- Serve hot.
Recipe Video
Goan Pork Vindaloo
Goan Pork Vindaloo
Course: MainCuisine: Goan, IndianDifficulty: Medium8
servings20
minutes1
hourGoan Pork Vindaloo is a vibrant, flavorful pork curry that is spicy, tangy and so moorish, it will have you coming back for more.
Ingredients
1 kilo boneless pork (pick a slightly fatty cut)
1-2 tbsp oil
1 – 1 1/2 onion, finely chopped
Salt, to taste
Vinegar, to taste
1 tsp sugar
- For the masala –
12 Kashmiri chillies, deseeded
6 black peppercorns
5 cloves
3 green cardamom pods
2″ cinnamon
6-8 large garlic cloves
1 1/2 inch ginger
Vinegar, to grind to a paste
Directions
- Cut the pork into chunks and set aside.
- Grind all the ingredients for the masala to a fine paste using vinegar. (Ideally Goan vinegar is used. If you don’t have access to it, malt vinegar or red wine vinegar will work well too.)
- Heat some oil in a large pan. Saute the onions till they have softened and start caramelizing.
- Add the masala and fry off well for a couple of minutes.
- Add the pieces of pork and salt, to taste. Stir well to coat all the pieces with the masala and let the meat fry off for a few minutes.
- Add enough water for the pork to cook through and achieve the consistency you want. I used about 2 cups of water. (You can add more water, if required, later on, when the meat is cooking.)
- Cover and cook till the meat is tender.
- Check for seasoning and adjust as required.
- Add 1 tsp sugar to balance out all the flavors.
- Serve hot. This Pork Vindaloo goes very well with some steamed rice, a Peas Pulao, some bread or sannas too.
Enjoy!
Recipe Video
Notes
- Remember to use a slightly fatty cut of pork. It adds a lot more flavour.
- Cooking time will depend on the cut of pork being used and the size of the pieces that you’ve cut.
- While this pork vindaloo can be served straightaway, it is best cooked a day or two before you need to serve it. It helps the flavors develop and mature. Store refrigerated. If you’re making it a couple of days in advance, on the day after cooking it, bring to room temperature and heat thoroughly and let it simmer for a couple of minutes. Cool down completely and store refrigerated.
Chorize Pulao – Goan Sausage Pulao
Goan Sausage Pulao
Course: MainDifficulty: Easy2
servings10
minutes18
minutesAn easy, one-pot meal that’s packed full of flavour thanks to the delicious Goan Chorizo
Ingredients
2/3 cup Basmati rice
1 tbsp oil
2 green cardamom pods
2″ cinnamon
8 black peppercorns
5 cloves
1/2 onion, chopped
1 chilly, finely chopped (or to taste)
1/3 tsp turmeric powder
1 large link of Goa sausages
1/2 tomato, chopped
1/4 cup green peas
Salt, to taste
Directions
- Wash the rice in some water and drain. Repeat this 3-4 times. Then soak the rice in water for 30 minutes. The water level should be an inch above the level of rice. After 30 minutes, drain the rice, rinse through with some fresh water and drain. Your rice is now ready to be cooked.
- Heat the oil in a vessel on a medium heat. Add the whole spices (cardamom, cinnamon, peppercorns and cloves) to the oil and saute for about 30 seconds.
- When the spices are nice and fragrant, add the onion and chilly. Saute till the onions have softened and turn translucent.
- Add the turmeric powder and stir well.
- Add the sausage and stir fry for a couple of minutes.
- Add the tomato and cook till the tomato has softened.
- Now add the rice and gently stir through, using either a wooden or silicon spoon, to prevent the grains from breaking.
- One the rice has fried off a little for about a minute, and is coated well with all the spices add the green peas and 1 1/3 cup of room temperature water. (The ratio of rice to water should be 1:2)
- Add salt to taste. (Remember the sausage also has some amount of salt in it.)
Stir well. - Cover and cook on medium heat till all the water has been absorbed by the rice.
- Take off the heat and keep it covered. Let it rest for a couple minutes.
After a couple of minutes, fluff up the pulao gently with a fork.
Serve hot.
Recipe Video
Goan Prawn Curry
Everyone has atleast one meal that takes them right back to their childhood. For me its this Goan prawn curry. This curry with some rice, for me, is the ultimate soul food. And I must say, my mother makes the best prawn curry in the world. Atleast I think so. This is her prawn curry recipe that I’m sharing with you today.
For a recipe like this, fresh prawns are the best. Check out my video on how to clean and de-vein prawns here. I recommend using small to medium sized prawns for the curry. Save your larger prawns (like your king prawns and tiger prawns) to crumb fry or grill.
Now, to take this prawn curry to the next level, add some okra to the curry. Don’t kick it till you try it. It is really something else. I have shared a version of that curry here. This is just how my family makes this curry. And almost every Goan family has their own version of it.
This prawn curry is best served pipping hot with some boiled rice, Goan red rice is even better, if you can get your hands on some. This also goes down a real treat with some crusty bread.
The concept of Kalchi Kodi
While all this is quite common, something you may have not come across before is the concept of “kalchi Kodi” which simply translates to “yesterdays curry”. This is literally what it is. Any leftovers are reheated the next morning. This makes the curry really thick and it is then enjoyed with either chapatis or bread for breakfast. For me this curry for breakfast is a little too savoury. So instead, we just have any leftovers for lunch the next day.
Onto the recipe.
Goan Prawn Curry
Course: MainsDifficulty: Easy4
servings40
minutes25
minutesA delectable coconut based curry, slightly tart, perfectly spiced and loaded with succulent prawns, this Goan Prawn curry is an absolute winner.
Ingredients
1/2 kg prawns, peeled and deveined
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 chillies, slit in half
1 piece of amsol (dried mango)
3-4 pieces of kokum
A walnut sized ball of tamarind
1 tbsp coconut oil
Salt, to taste
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vinegar, optional
- For the Masala (spice paste) –
1/2 cup grated coconut
6 Kashmiri chillies
2 large cloves garlic
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1/4 tsp black pepper corns
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Directions
- Sprinkle salt, squeeze some lemon juice and drizzle the vinegar over the prawns and set aside
- Pour a little warm water over the tamarind and set aside (I use about 1/4 cup of water).
- Grind all the ingredients for the masala to a fine paste, using a little water as needed.
- Heat some oil in a pot. Saute the onions till they have softened and turn translucent.
- Add the masala and let it saute for a few minutes.
- Add some water to thin out your masala and get it to the consistency you like. Remember the curry will thicken as it cooks. So add a touch more water. Add the chillies and bring it to a boil.
- Turn the heat down to a simmer, add the amsol and the kokum and let the curry simmer for 6-8 minutes. Halfway through, stir the curry through and add water to adjust the consistency, if needed.
- When the curry is almost ready, add the prawns. Add some of the tamarind extract and cook for another 2 minutes or till the prawns are just cooked. Don’t overcook the prawns.
- Check for seasoning and adjust as required.
Serve hot with rice.
Enjoy!
Recipe Video
Veggie Pasta in a Tomato Sauce
Veggie Pasta in a Tomato Sauce
Course: MainsCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy2
servings10
minutes30
minutesA comforting pasta dish, in a flavourful tomato-based sauce, packed full of veggies.
Ingredients
4 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/4 onion, chopped
1/3 – 1/2 cup capsicum, chopped (I used a mix of red and green peppers)
1/2 zucchini, thickly sliced
A handful of broccoli florets
1/3 cup corn kernels
10 olives, sliced
1 cup passata / tomato puree / canned tomatoes
1/2 cup vegetable stock
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt, to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Red chilly flakes, to taste
1 tsp mixed herbs (dried)
1/2 tsp oregano (dried)
1/2 tsp sugar
Pasta
Parmesan cheese, to grate over the pasta
Directions
- Start by cooking the pasta according to the package instructions.
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, season the water generously (I use 1.5 tsp salt) and add the pasta to the pot. Stir immediately, to prevent the pasta from sticking to each other and to the bottom of the pot. - When the pasta is cooking, heat another pan.
Add olive oil to the warm pan and add the garlic. Saute till the garlic turns fragrant. - Add the onions and cook over a medium heat till they soften a bit.
- Add the peppers and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes or till they start to soften.
- Add the broccoli florets and saute for another minute or so.
Now, add the zucchini and corn and stir through. Cook for another minute or two. - Season with some salt and pepper, to taste.
Add the red chilly flakes and the herbs. Stir through. - Add the passata and the stock.
Let it come to a boil and leave to simmer for 5-7 minutes or till the veggies cook through and the sauce develops good flavour. - Add the olives and the sugar and stir through. Take off the heat and set aside.
- By now the pasta should be cooked. Reserve 1/4 – 1/2 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta.
Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to coat the pasta with the sauce. - Place the pan on medium low heat. Add a couple of tbsp. of the reserved pasta water. Stir through and let the extra liquid cook off for another minute or so, or till your pasta reaches the desired consistency.
- Grate some parmesan cheese over the pasta and serve.
Enjoy!
Recipe Video
Lamb Kebabs … and how to make quick pickled onions and a yogurt dip.
Lamb Kebabs … and how to make quick pickled onions and a yogurt dip.
Course: Starters / AppetizersCuisine: MediterraneanDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutes30
minutes300
kcalA quick and easy Lamb kebab recipe that you can whip up in a jiffy, succulent and full of flavour
Ingredients
- Lamb Kebabs
500g lamb mince
Salt, to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
2 chillies, finely chopped
3 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1-2 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
Oil, for frying
- Quick Pickled Onions
1/2 onion, sliced
Salt, to taste
1-2 tbsp Lemon juice
- Yogurt Dip / Spread
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
Salt, to taste
1/2 tsp sugar, or to taste
1/2 clove of garlic, finely chopped
A few mint leaves, finely chopped
Directions
- Quick Pickled Onions
- Separate the half rings of the onion slices.
- Sprinkle salt and lemon juice over the onion and mix well to let the seasonings get to all the onion slices.
Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour. - Yogurt Dip / Spread
- Mix all the ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Lamb Kebabs
- Mix all the ingredients and shape into kebabs.
- Heat some oil in a pan.
Fry kebabs for a couple of minutes on each side, or till you get a beautiful golden brown colour on each side and till its cooked through to your liking.
Serve hot.
Recipe Video
Notes
- To make the wrap, I use some homemade, whole wheat chapatis, layer some salad greens on top, add a couple of the kebabs, smear some yogurt dip over and top with some pickled onions. Wrap up and enjoy.
Moong Dal Khichdi
Moong Dal Khichdi
Course: MainsCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Easy2
servings20
minutes20
minutesA hearty blend of rice and lentils mildly spiced and easy to put together, making it the perfect lunch for a cold, wet day.
Ingredients
1/3 cup basmati rice
1/3 cup moong dal
1 tbsp oil
1 chilli, cut into large pieces
1/2 medium sized onion, chopped
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste
Fresh coriander, chopped (leaves and stalks)
- For the tempering –
1 1/2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter) (For a vegan version, use a dairy free option)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
Directions
- Wash the rice and the dal separately. Repeat this process a few times, till the water runs clear. Soak the rice and the dal separately. The rice needs to soak for about 20 minutes and the dal for about 10 minutes. (So I soak the rice first, and 10 minutes later, I soak the dal). Drain the water in each of the bowls and run some fresh water through and drain again.
- Heat the oil in a vessel on medium heat.
- Add the chillies and saute for a few seconds.
- Add the onions and saute till they have softened and are a little translucent.
- Add the pepper and turmeric powder and stir well, to coat the onions.
- Add the rice and the dal and stir through.
- Now, add 2 1/3 cup of water. (I use a 1:3.5 ratio. That is, 1 part rice to 3.5 parts of water. Towards the end if you feel the need to add some more water, you can. I added another 1/3 cup towards the end. So this time I used a 1:4 ratio. The quantity of water will depend on your rice. So start off using 3.5 parts)
- Add salt to taste and stir through. Once the salt has dissolved, you can taste the liquid in the pot and see if it is seasoned to your liking or add more salt, if needed.
- Bring the water to a boil. Then cover the pot, reduce the heat to a simmer and let the rice and lentils cook off till tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. (At this point if you feel the need to cook it further, add a little more water and continue cooking as stated above.)
When done, take off the heat and start working on the tempered spices. - For the tempering –
- In a small vessel, melt 1 1/2 tbsp ghee.
- Add the chopped garlic and stir around. Let this cook gently till a little of the rawness of the garlic goes away.
- Then, add the cumin seeds and gently cook a little more. This will infuse the ghee with beautiful flavors. Make sure to watch carefully, as you don’t want the garlic to take on any colour or burn.
- Add this to the pot of khichdi and stir through.
- Finish off with some chopped coriander and stir to distribute well.
Serve hot. Garnish with a little extra coriander and serve with a pickle of your choice. I recommend a Mango Chundo / Chunda (a sweet and slightly spicy Mango pickle).
Enjoy!
Recipe Video