Yes, I am on a road to veganize all my favourite foods. When I can, if I can. So have I turned vegan? Quite simply, the answer is no. Maybe 'not yet' is more appropriate. For sure I am eating so much less meat, and almost not anymore at home. I have been known to pick up a roast chicken at Costco once in a while because I was er ... 'faint from hunger' LOL! And hoped that there was rice when I got home. But for the most part, we don't cook meat at home. Much to the delight and relief of my vegan kids. Vegan, to varying degrees, though I would place it as 90 to 99% of the time. Me? I'd be 80% of the time. I still have a hankering for sushi, if not anything else.



But at home, we cook vegan almost all the time, and most dishes are quick and easy, and seriously delicious. Well today, I had time. And I knew I had a stash of lasagna from two weeks ago when I got them on a promotional price (read: sale) at Superstore. Also, I had Michael get some eggplants the day before. I was finally ready to tackle this recipe.



Seriously, I was impressed. Loved the marinara, loved the eggplant filling, and the tofu 'ricotta' layer held up and looked and tasted dang good! Sold!



Not crazy about eggplants? You can most definitely get some other roasted vegetables in there, squash, zucchini or mushrooms. Heck, even a thick layer of spinach will do. But put something in there coz red and white and pasta just does not a lasagna make. Insert numerous hashtags of living colourfully here!

Ingredients:

Eggplant filling:

1 kg (2 lbs) about 2 large aubergines (purple eggplants)
1 tbsp kosher salt
vegetable oil (for searing)
salt and pepper

Marinara sauce:

60 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
4 bay leaves
1 large onion, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1.5 kg (3 lbs) canned whole or chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp savoury
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
2 tbsp capers
salt and pepper, to taste
Bunch of basil leaves, chiffonade

Eggplant marinade/soak:

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp parsley flakes
1 tsp dried chili flakes
1 tsp kosher salt

Tofu 'ricotta':

1 kg (2 lbs) medium firm tofu, pressed and drained
Zest from 2 large lemons
Juice from 1 large lemon
6 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tsp kosher salt

Lasagna layers:

340 g lasagna sheets (3/4 of a box - about 12 pcs)
4 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp kosher salt

Directions:

A. Cut and prep:

1. Cut the eggplant across in 3 mm (1/8 inch) slices, lay them on 2 baking sheets and sprinkle half the reserved salt over them. Turn them over after 15 minutes and sprinkle the remaining salt on top of it.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the marinade/soak ingredients and set this aside.
3. Mince the onion and garlic and set aside.
4. Lay a clean tea towel or several sheets of paper towels over the cutting board and lay the tofu over it, pressing it down with a heavy object (I used one of the baking sheets)
5. Chiffonade the basil leaves by stacking, rolling, then finely slicing them. Set aside.

B. Make the marinara:

6. In a heavy bottomed pan, heat the oil with the bay leaves, then sweat the onions and garlic.
7. When onions have turned translucent, push them to one side of the pan, then cook the tomato paste for about 2 minutes.
8. Mix the paste with the onions and garlic and cook a further 1 minute, then add the canned tomatoes, savoury, oregano and basil.
9. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring now and then.
10. Add the capers, then taste and season with salt and pepper accordingly.

C. Cook the eggplant: (while simmering the marinara)

11. In a frypan, heat the vegetable oil.
12. Wipe the eggplant slices before searing them on the frypan. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper as you cook them.
13. Place the cooked eggplant in a towel lined baking sheet.
14. When done, toss the slices in the marinade/soak.

D. Make the tofu 'ricotta':

15. Crumble the tofu into a blender, then add the rest of the ingredients.
16. Process until it resembles a thick paste.
17. Taste and season, adding more lemon juice, nutritional yeast, or salt as necessary.

E. Boil the pasta:

18. In a large stockpot, bring water to a boil, add the oil and salt, then the lasagna sheets.
19 Cook for the recommended time.
20. With tongs, carefully lift the sheets and lay them on an oiled baking sheet (you didn't wash them yet after the eggplant, now did you?)

F. Assembly:

21. Preheat the oven to 180 C or 350F.
22. Take your deep baking or roasting pan 33x22 cm (13x9 inch) and ladle a layer of marinara sauce on the bottom.
23. Place 3 lasagna sheets on top, followed by a layer of the tofu 'ricotta'.
24. Arrange 1/3 of the eggplant slices on the tofu layer, then cover with marinara sauce and a 1/3 of the basil chiffonade.
25. Repeat #23 and #24 again, and again. And you are left with a marinara layer on top.
Now since my pan was extra deep and I had extra lasagna sheets, I made another layer topping it off with the tofu 'ricotta'. Just make sure you leave about 3-5 mm (1/6 to 1/8th inch) so it doesn't overflow.
26. Place the baking pan on a clean baking sheet (yep, those ones are still coming in handy) and place it in the oven to bake for 50 minutes, until the sauce bubbles from the sides and threatens to overflow.
27. Sprinkle the top with fresh basil leaves to serve.

Have you ever cooked anything because it looks good? I have succumbed to one of those times right here. Now I don't deny that it tastes awesome, but to just enjoy the sight and the smell of this dish is one surefire way of lifting me up of the doldrums.

Spring is technically here, although it still hits 5C at nights and its April, for crying out loud! So this is my way of cheating myself into believing that primavera is here ... by making pasta primavera. LOL!



While I'm a firm believer that pasta is a hearty dish that has roots dating back a few hundred years, I read somewhere that there is no such thing as a cut and dried recipe for any pasta dish. Every home, every grandmother, every uncle will have their own style of making marinara, carbonara and puttanesca. So essentially a pasta dish serves more than to satisfy your hunger, a pasta dish serves to clean your fridge, dearies. Much like a fried rice. Anything goes.

And so to echo that sentiment, I've taken a page of many celebrated chefs and put together my version of primavera. In doing so, I have maintained and highlighted vibrant colours, as suggested by spring, I've kept it sauce-less by relying on a dang good olive oil to bring the ingredients together, and I've made it a bit easier by roasting all the hardy vegetables in the oven. Not only is this hands free to some extent, the roasting coaxes the sweetness from the vegetables and make for a fabulous dish.


So what vegetables are customary for a pasta primavera? For greens, I've seen a lot of asparagus, green peas and snap peas, but guess what? I had kale in the fridge. Some primaveras are all green, but let that not stop us from eating the rainbow. For colours, you can't go wrong with carrots and peppers, they lend a sweet note to the pasta, especially when roasted.



And sure, you can make this with any pasta you please, I just had a bag of black bean rotini which I picked up from Bulk Barn. On that note, there seems to be a lot of gluten free pastas around. Just today I saw green pea rotini, so I should give it a try. Aaaaannyyyway, any pasta works.

Now get off the device, open the larder and the fridge, check what you have, and you may just yet pull a pasta primavera together. :)

Ingredients:
1/2 large onion, sliced
3 carrots, cut into matchsticks
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper sliced
4 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp Herbes de Provence* (or a pinch each of savoury, thyme, oregano, marjoram and rosemary)
3 tbsp olive oil
Kale leaves, trimmed from 8 stems
2 cloves garlic, minced
450 g (1 lb) gluten free black bean rotini
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp olive oil
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 185C or 365F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl, toss the onions, carrots, bell peppers, 4 tbsp olive oil, 4 cloves of garlic, salt and herbs.
4. Place these in the prepared lined baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes

5. Halfway through the roasting of the vegetables, start the boil for the pasta. Cook as per directions indicated. Salt and oil the water before introducing the pasta.

6. While waiting for the pasta water to boil, get a fry pan and heat the 3 tbsp of olive oil, then sauté the kale leaves with the 2 cloves of garlic, just until softened, not wilted, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat when done.

7. When pasta is done, reserve up to 2 cups of the boiling water before draining.
8. Drain, then return pasta to the pan, toss with roasted vegetables (and the rest of the olive oil in the baking sheet), the kale, as much of the drained pasta water as you prefer.
9. Taste and season accordingly with salt and pepper, then toss with a final dose of olive oil, this time extra virgin.
10. Plate and serve.

This makes a light and sauce-less pasta, much like an aglio e olio, but without the red pepper flakes. If you so desire, you could also finish it with parsley and vegan parmesan.


* Yes, I realize I just used a french herb blend for an Italian dish :D It was awesome ;) And in it's absence, any combination of the components will do just fine.

Oh, and in case you noticed the sesame seed looking thingies stuck to the rotini, it's the prepared minced garlic I was using because I take short cuts now and then :)

Another Manadonese dish from Tante Lily's archives. The word Tuturuga, meaning turtle in Manadonese, was inherited from the Portuguese word Tartaruga with the same meaning. The name comes from the 'bumbu' they use when they cook the tuturuga. Likewise with the paniki, or bat, which has a certain spice paste reserved for cooking this very meat. Relax ... there were absolutely no turtles harmed in the creation of this dish.



Now most Manadonese today have shied away from exotic meats like these, but the bumbus are so unique and distinctive that they continue to be called that way, even if you are now cooking it with chicken or fish, or tofu for that matter.


This bumbu Tuturuga is so flavourful, just scroll down to the ingredients list. All Manadonese spice pastes start with shallots, ginger and chillies. It's the holy trinity of the region's cooking. The candlenuts function as cashews in Indian cuisine, when blended it not only gives a wonderful thick consistency to the curry, but a nutty warm flavour as well. But it's the kaffir lime, lemongrass, sweet basil and mint leaves that make this dish truly special and gives it so much aroma.



Ingredients:
4 whole thighs and drumsticks
4 shallots, thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic
15 - 20 red chilies
8 -10 candlenuts (can be substituted with macadamia nuts)
4 cm cut of ginger
3 cm cut of turmeric
2 stalks of lemongrass, cut into 3 and bruised
15 kaffir lime leaves, julienned
5 stalks of spring onion
1 Bunch of sweet basil leaves (kemangi), leaves, julienned
1 Bunch of mint leaves, leaves julienned
480 ml (2 cups) coconut milk
Salt to taste

Directions:
1. In a heavy bottomed fry pan, stir fry shallots in a little oil till browned and fragrant.
2. Grind (uleg) or process the garlic, chilies, candlenut, ginger and turmeric to make a paste.
3. Add this to the shallots, cooking until oil starts separating from the spice paste.
4. Add the lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves, along with the chicken pieces.
5. Cook the exterior of the chicken, flipping after a few minutes just to seal and sear the surface, or skin of the chicken (if using)
6. Add the coconut milk, cover and cook on low heat until chicken is cooked through.
7. Stir in the spring onions, sweet basil and mint, turn off the heat.
8. Serve immediately with steaming hot rice and dabu-dabu.

You gotta admit that Indian food is like soul food, it's hearty, it's flavourful, it's aromatic, it's comforting, and the shed load of spices is so good for you, it's almost therapeutic. It satisfies on so many different levels.



Korma is a north Indian specialty, dating back to the 1600s, popularized in the Mughal courts where meat or vegetables are braised, then further cooked with yogurt or cream. This style of cooking spread to Turkey and Persia where it is known as kavurma or qorma. It is a slow cooking process where the ingredients are cooked with spices, then a cashew paste is used to thicken it, giving it more creaminess and richness. It was a dish fit for royals. For mere mortals, this was a dish reserved for special occasions, Diwali being one of them. I thought it was so appropriate that this Diwali I made this for our dinner.



Navratan korma literally means a braised dish of nine gems, the nine usually being vegetables, often including nuts and paneer. I was really OCD about the nine different vegetables, so yes, I had nine. Can't believe some recipes I saw online had just five. LOL! Seriously, I feel for them. Do you have any idea how tricky it is to find nine kinds of veggies for a dish?



Another challenge was to replace the cream or yogurt with something vegan. And this came much easier to me in the form of coconut cream. Not milk, ... cream. Cream is thicker, richer, and much more heavenly and lush. I am reduced to getting it from a can here, but thankfully still get it, nevertheless. You'll know it's coconut cream when you shake the can or tetrapack and nothing sloshes around. It's that dense. Yes, coconut cream was the answer to making this navratan korma so amazing, you'll never think it was veganized.



The recipe is tedious, I'll admit, and has a few components. Go for it anyway. You will be rewarded beyond your efforts. What I'm trying to say is ... make a lot. This recipe uses 6 cups of mixed vegetables. It will probably be a main dish for 2, with leftovers, or serve as a side for 4.


These are the nine vegetables I used, but feel free to make your own mix ...
1. Potatoes (yep, it's a veg alright!),
2. Carrots,
3. Broccoli,
4. Cauliflower,
5. Bell peppers (although technically I had three colours, does that count?)
6. Zucchini
7. Tomatoes
8. Peas
9. Raisins (I gave up and couldn't find another veg, surely didn't want corn or edamame in there LOL)
The vegetables need to be blanched first, and the potatoes boiled. And if everything else is mise en place, its smooth sailing from then on.

Ingredients:
900 g (6 cups) of mixed vegetables, blanched or boiled to 90% cooked

Cashew paste:
80 g (1/2 cup) raw cashews
240 ml (1 cup) boiling water

Korma:
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 inch cinnamon bark
2 cardamom pods, smashed to expose seeds
3 cloves
1 large onion, chopped finely
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 inch piece of ginger, minced
1 green chilli, sliced
1 tomato, chopped
120 ml (1/2 cup) coconut cream
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp chickpea flour (besan)
240 ml (1 cup) water
Salt, to taste
120 ml (1/2 cup) coconut cream

Tadka:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
40 g (1/4 cup) raw cashews
40 g (1/4 cup) raisins


Directions:
Prepare the vegetables:
1. Wash and chop all the vegetables into bite sized pieces.
2. Boil the potatoes until slightly softened, drain and set aside.
3. Blanche all the other vegetables in boiling water, drain and set aside.

Prepare the cashew paste:
4. Soak the cashews in boiling water.
5. Set aside until softened, about 15 minutes.
6. In a blender or food processor, make a paste of it until fairly smooth.

Make the korma:
7. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan, then add the cumin seeds, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves, stirring until fragrant.
8. Add the onions and cook until slightly browned.
9. Add the minced garlic and ginger, then the sliced chilis, cook 2 to 3 minutes.
10. Add the chopped tomatoes, coconut cream and the cashew paste, and cook until it becomes a paste, another 3 to 4 minutes.
11. Stir in the dry spices: coriander powder, turmeric powder, chili powder, garam masala and besan.
12. Add all the vegetables, then stir in up to 1 cup water to get your desired consistency.
13. Cook a further 4 to 5 minutes until vegetables are heated through.
14. Season with salt, taste, and adjust as required.

Make the tadka:
While the vegetables are cooking, make the topping, or tadka.
15. In a small fry pan on medium high, heat the oil.
16. Stir in the cashews and raisins, lower the heat to medium, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes until cashews are golden.

To serve:
17. Transfer the korma to a serving dish.
18. Stir in the coconut cream.
19. Sprinkle the tadka, or topping of fried cashews and raisins.

Enjoy with Jeera rice, Bhuga Chawal, or naan.

My Mom almost never cooked as far as I can recall, save that one pineapple fried rice episode. Not because she wasn't culinarily inclined, she just never needed to cook. That being said, I credit her resourcefulness and her palate that there was always delicious food on the table.



Tante Lily was a constant source of that good food, and this recipe made its way to our table on plenty an occasion. This soufflé works wonderfully for brunch or lunch and would be cooked in a large casserole dish to feed a crowd. And just like a soufflé, egg yolks are mixed into the roux, then the beaten whites are folded in to aerate the batter.



This recipe lends itself to a host of possibilities for fillings. Tante Lily usually makes chicken and vegetable soufflé, ham and cheese soufflé, and has even included fish on one occasion. Here, I've made a vegetarian version with frozen vegetables. Hey, you can even make it a clean-your-fridge exercise. Much like a quiche, all you need is to get the ratio of eggs to milk right, and the rest is up to the imagination.



I really liked the spongy and airy texture of the batter, and the pinch of nutmeg and dash of Tabasco truly heightened it and made this a delectable treat. A salad on the side would be ideal for light fare.

I had a tall order for our Diwali dinner. With 3 compassionate eaters (read: vegan) at home, surely vegan dishes were in order. It was much easier than I anticipated. I'm not much of a roti maker, so rice was a done deal. Here I made Kichdi rice, made with mung beans. Then the rest ... believe it or not, was colour based. Because I was artistically inclined and because they look pretty in pictures. LOL!



This was my vegan Diwali spread in full glory, clockwise from top left: Hyderabadi Keema which was a rich earthy brown, Khichdi Rice, Papad, Navratan Korma which provided a visual treat with vibrant accents on a bright yellow, Mushroom Tikka Masala was a choice for orange/red and Sai Bhaji, a spinach stew provided the greenery.



When I decided to put a tikka masala on the menu, the question was what protein to make it with? The first option was tofu, since of course, paneer was not vegan. But then my bff (google) gave me an idea ... mushrooms. Duh! of course! and why not? Mushrooms are earthy, meaty and have that distinct umami flavour just like ... well, almost like meat. And mushrooms it was to be.



At first glance, this recipe does look tedious, but divide and conquer is always an option. First we marinate the mushrooms and soak the cashews. Part two involves cooking the mushrooms and blending the tomato cashew paste. Then it's just making the gravy and putting it all together. Even if you did the first two parts the day before, and refrigerated them, it really doesn't matter.



Preparation is half the battle and having a plan of attack is crucial. That is how I manage multiple dishes in a sitting.
Dinner - 4 days: All the recipes are written on cardstock, recycled of course, about 3-4 days prior. I make a shopping list.
D - 3: Shop. Think about plating and presentation, make notes on the recipe card.
D - 2: Start cleaning. If not the house, just the table then. Dig your serving plates from the depths of kitchen storage.
D - 1: Prep all the onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes etc, separating them in different bowls accordingly. Make sauces or gravies, if possible. Cover and refrigerate.
D - day: Start cooking, have some wine, cook some more, check out FB, cook again, more wine, plate, take pictures, and sit down and enjoy. Uh oh! Time to open another bottle ;)


Ingredients:
Marinated mushrooms
500 g mushrooms
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 inch ginger, minced
4 tbsp coconut cream
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp besan (chickpea flour)
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
1/2 tsp ajwain (caraway) seeds
1/2 tsp lemon juice

Tomato Cashew Paste
1/4 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup boiling water
3 large tomatoes, chopped

Tikka Masala
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 inch ginger, minced
2 bell peppers, chopped
2 green chilies
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
1/2 cup water (or a bit more if you prefer more gravy)
salt, to taste
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp kasoori methi (fenugreek leaves)
3 tbsp coconut cream
cilantro, to serve

Directions:
Marinated mushrooms
1. Marinate the mushrooms with the rest of the ingredients.
2. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
3. Cook the mushrooms in a non-stick fry pan with a little oil, if needed.
Do not cook the mushrooms with the marinade. Do not discard the leftover marinade.
4. Transfer to a bowl or plate.

Tomato Cashew Paste
1. Soak the raw cashews in boiling water, cover, and let sit for 30 minutes.
2. Place soaked cashews with water and chopped tomatoes in a high speed blender and blend to a smooth paste.

Tikka Masala
1. Heat the oil in a sauté pan, then sweat the onions until translucent.
2. Add the ginger and garlic, and stir fry until fragrant.
3. Add the chopped bell peppers and the sliced green chilies, along with the turmeric, coriander, cumin and Kashmiri chili powder.
4. Pour in the tomato cashew paste along with the leftover marinade, and water.
5. Stir well to combine, bring to a boil, add the cooked mushrooms, and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
6. Add salt to taste, and possibly a bit more chili powder if you're up to it.
7. Stir in the garam masala, fenugreek leaves and coconut cream.
8. Serve with a few sprigs of cilantro on top.

I'm forever grateful to Aunty Viveeta for imparting this recipes to me, along with other recipes I feature in this blog ... chicken seyal, fish seyal, sindhi kadhi/curry and koki/loli. They are keepsakes that we get to relive again and again as we enjoy them for years to come and hopefully pass them on to the next generation.

When I first started cooking, I eyed Sai Bhaji with scepticism ... how does one make, then enjoy, a vegetable dish where the greens are 'cooked to death', for it seriously appears so. Only after getting to know the recipe I found out that the spinach is introduced in the last few minutes, and all that green is actually dhal. Now I know ...

In that case, I can make a double batch easily. I cook the paste/sauce up to the last few steps before the spinach goes in. Then one batch gets kept in the fridge, ready for another meal in a few days with only the addition of a large bag of spinach. And the rest is for now. See how handy that is? And that's exactly what I did when I cooked this just now. That thing about reheating spinach is still ingrained in me, even though science has overturned that myth. So I just avoid cooking a lot and having to reheat it.


There's Sai Bhaji on the table now, and another batch waiting in the wings. Score! The kids loved it, the husband loved it, and it was over before I knew it, especially since we were enjoying it with Bhuga Chawal, a Sindhi spiced rice cooked with onions.

Back in the day, my uncle would have his Sai Bhaji on toast. And why not? Roti or mani ... hmmm ... I don't know. This isn't exactly scooping consistency, rather, more like spooning consistency. Confused? Something people who regularly eat with their fingers will associate with this. LOL!


So if you're craving for your childhood favourites or trying something new, this Sai Bhaji is definitely one to try. It's hearty and belly-warming, it's loaded with nutrition, it's downright delicious, and more importantly, it keeps old recipes from waning traditions alive.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cm cut of ginger, minced
2 green chilies, thinly sliced
3 carrots, diced crouton size
2 potatoes, diced crouton size
4 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup mung dhal, washed and soaked (2 hours at least)
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
1 lb spinach leaves


Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan and sweat the garlic and ginger until fragrant.
2. Add the sliced chilies, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, soaked dhal and water.
3. Cover and cook until potatoes and dhal are soft, adding a bit more water if necessary.
4. Stir in the turmeric, cumin seeds, ground coriander and fenugreek leaves, adding salt to taste.

At this point you can cool and refrigerate the 'sauce' for another meal on another day.

5. Stir in the spinach, cook until it wilts.
6. Add a bit of water if needed, then mash with dhal masher or immersion blender.
7. Sprinkle a bit of chili powder or flakes on top before serving.

Pushing the envelope further this Diwali, I acquiesced to an all vegan dinner. Yes, it is usually a vegetarian affair, but with three vegans in the house, our celebratory meal would definitely be an all-inclusive one. And Keema is one of my favourite Sindhi dishes, so it will be on the table for Diwali.



This time, it's Hyderabadi Keema. Hailing from Hyderabad, one presumes, it's a shade different from its Sindhi counterpart. For one, it's dry. For another, it's usually accompanied by a boiled egg. And some variations of Hyderabadi Keema include fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi) which aren't typically Sindhi, rather more north Indian. Since I actually like these fenugreek leaves, I'll make this with.



I don't usually have beef in the first place, so my Sindhi Keema recipe is with lamb. This is a gravy-rich dish that we would enjoy at our grandma's place where we ladled it on top of steaming hot rice and enjoy it with papad on the side. Hyderabadi Keema, on the other hand, is on the dry side. It's rich and flavourful, and equally enjoyable with mani or rice, but is so much better with pav (soft dinner rolls). The spices speak volumes, and it's the dried fenugreek leaves make this sing. Amazingly aromatic!


We decided to change things up a bit and since we're going vegan, we decided to give Gardein a chance. Gardein being a meatless substitute that's gaining ground locally. So we made two dishes with Gardein, this Hyderabadi Keema and a Mushroom and 'Chicken' Tikka Masala. I also made a Navratan Korma, Saibhaji, and Sindhi Kichani rice to go with it. Yep, that was what was on the table for Diwali. All vegan! I could use a pat in the back for effort ;)

Vegan or not, this Hyderabadi Keema was superb! And one could definitely use a minced vegetable blend for the 'meat' if substitutes aren't available, or just simply aren't your thing.

Ingredients:
400 g minced 'meat'
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 bay leaves
4 green cardamoms
1 inch cinnamon piece
2 cloves
1/2 a large onion, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 cm ginger, minced
2 tbsp tomato purée
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
240 ml (1 cup) water
3 tbsp fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
Salt, to taste
1 tsp garam masala
Juice of half a lemon
Coriander leaves

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a nonstick fry pan.
2. Add the bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves, pan-frying them for 20-30 seconds.
3. When the flavours have released, add the onions and cook it until it has browned, about 8-10 minutes, stirring religiously.
4. Then add the garlic and the ginger, cooking it for 3-4 minutes.
5. Stir in the tomato purée, adding up to a cup of water if it is too dry.

Now, if you're queasy about uncooked or undercooked eggs, this one isn't for you, I'm afraid. Because the very essence of carbonara is the emulsion of yolks and oil coming together to make a light, yet rich sauce coating every spaghetti strand in creamy goodness.