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Indian food and a lot more.

Indian vegetarian class and recipes

Almost half of the Hindu population in India and the rest of the world are vegetarians, and the families that do eat meat, may only do so once or twice a week. This is due to the fact that Indians really love vegetables, and they provide all the ingredients necessary for a healthy balanced diet.

I have therefore decided to first write about our half day vegetarian foundation course (insight into vegetarian food).

This is a indian vegetarian class that I had with a student of mine called Allison, who is a vegetarian and has been attending our school once a month for almost a year.

The menu was:-

Main dish – Vegetable kheema muttar (minced soya and peas curry)
Side dish – Aloo gobi (cauliflower and potato fry)
Staple – Tomato and mushroom fried rice
Accompaniment – Onion, pepper, coriander, and chilli riata

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Recipes

Vegetable kheema muttar

In a large size cooking pot add
7 tbsp rapeseed oil, medium heat, medium burner
6 whole black pepper corns
4 one inch cinnamon sticks
2 whole dried red chillies halved
2 medium onions blitzed coarsely in a food processor
– fry until onions are golden brown then add
1 dsp garlic paste
1 dsp ginger paste
1 tsp green chilli paste
– fry for half a minute then add
400g 1tin of tomatoes blitzed finely in a food processor
2 tsp coriander and cumin powder
½ tsp red chilli powder
1/6 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp salt
– bring to the boil until oil splits from the tomatoes then add
150g dried soya mince (pre wash soya with enough water that covers the soya and then drain water)
– cook for 10 minutes medium heat, with lid on then add
– ½ cup of frozen garden peas washed
– cook for further 8 minutes medium heat, with lid on then add
– ½ tsp garam masala
– juice of half a lemon
– 5 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped
– switch off heat after 20 minutes

Aloo gobi

In a medium size cooking pot add
5 tbsp rapeseed oil, full heat, small burner
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
1 tsp whole black mustard seeds
– fry for a minute until seed start to colour and pop, then add
1 tsp green chilli paste
– fry for half a minute then add
400g cauliflower diced into small size florets
2 medium size potatoes diced into small pieces
25 ml water
¾ tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp salt
– stir all the ingredients gently then
– cook for 10 minutes full heat, with lid on then stir gently
– cook for further 5 minutes medium heat, with lid off, until cooked to taste
– switch off heat after 15 minutes

Tomato and mushroom fried rice

In a pressure cooker add
2 tbsp rapeseed oil, full heat, small burner
1 tsp ghee
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
4 one inch cinnamon sticks
2 bay leaves
1 medium onion, finely chopped
– fry until onion soften, then add
200g chestnut mushrooms diced into medium strips
– fry for a couple of minutes then add
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp green chilli paste
– fry for half a minute then add
1 cup basmati rice (washed so all the starch removed)
2 cups water
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 medium tomato diced into 12 pieces
– bring to boil then stir gently
– cook for 12 minutes full heat, with lid on, low setting
– switch off heat after 12 minutes, and leave to rest for further 8 minutes, before opening the lid

Onion, pepper, coriander, and chilli riata

In a medium size mixing bowl add
½ red onion, finely chopped
¼ yellow pepper, finely chopped
1 green chilli, finely chopped
250g natural low fat yogurt
2 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped
½ tsp salt
½ tsp sugar
½ tsp ground black pepper
– mix well, and serve chilled