1,000 Ways to Love Rasam—Southern India’s Signature Peppery Broth

The simplicity of a rasam is a decoy for its depth. At first sip, you may only discern the faint sweetness of a ripe tomato. Then comes the punch of tamarind. You reel momentarily from this affront, but you will soon be soothed by the nutty richness of…

The simplicity of a rasam is a decoy for its depth. At first sip, you may only discern the faint sweetness of a ripe tomato. Then comes the punch of tamarind. You reel momentarily from this affront, but you will soon be soothed by the nutty richness of mustard seeds fried in ghee—called the thalippu, or tempering that crowns this trellis of flavor.

For eons, South Indians of all stripes have claimed an intimate understanding of rasam, a broth (not unlike a stock) that teases complexity out of even the most minimal ingredients. At its simplest, this could mean a tomato or two, or a knob of dried tamarind and a scattering of spices—all allowed to commingle until their flavors merge into a cohesive whole.

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Why Pasta Is an Essential Part of Indian Regional Cuisine

When I visited Leh, a dusty Himalayan town and the erstwhile capital of the kingdom of Ladakh, it was at the onset of winter. Tiny cafes serving Himalayan meals to weary trekkers had begun wrapping up for the season. On my last night after an arduous p…

When I visited Leh, a dusty Himalayan town and the erstwhile capital of the kingdom of Ladakh, it was at the onset of winter. Tiny cafes serving Himalayan meals to weary trekkers had begun wrapping up for the season. On my last night after an arduous pine forest walk, when I couldn’t be bothered about what to get for dinner (I just want something hot and spicy!, I thought to myself) I spotted a three-letter dish called kev.

Resembling strozzapreti, a Tuscan pasta variety that looks like chopped pieces of a thin rope, a bowl of kev is just that, except it’s made of whole wheat flour and tempered with a handful of Indian spices and mountain beans. And this is just one example of the range of Himalayan pastas that are common in this part of the country. Their skyu is an orecchiette look-alike; chutagi feels like a distant cousin of minestrone; and bhatsa marku, a Tibetan version of mac and cheese comes topped with dri (female yak) cheese.

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Is Delhi’s Street Food Culture Over As We Know It?

Delhi bustles on a normal day: Customers crowd into shophouses, chic cafés plate continental fusion, and five-rupee cups of chai fly out of stalls. But all of this came to a complete grinding halt when Delhi was named one of the country’s largest hotsp…

Delhi bustles on a normal day: Customers crowd into shophouses, chic cafés plate continental fusion, and five-rupee cups of chai fly out of stalls. But all of this came to a complete grinding halt when Delhi was named one of the country’s largest hotspots for COVID-19, and a nationwide lockdown was mandated from March through May. Despite the nearly 80,000 confirmed cases in June, restrictions were lifted as the lockdown proved to be unaffordable.

Even as street food vendors slowly reopen their stalls, there is the unshakable realization that gathering publicly over food is now not only no longer feasible, but also dangerous. So how must the street food industry adapt in order to survive?

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Quick Chana Masala

Chana masala is one of my favorite menu items at Indian restaurants. It’s a hearty, saucy chickpea and tomato dish with warming spices. I bet you have…

The post Quick Chana Masala appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

vegan chana masala recipe

Chana masala is one of my favorite menu items at Indian restaurants. It’s a hearty, saucy chickpea and tomato dish with warming spices. I bet you have the ingredients to make this easy homemade version in your pantry already!

I shared this recipe back in 2014, and wanted to revisit it as we’re all spending more time at home. I thoroughly enjoyed the fragrant 20 minutes I spent over the stove for this recipe.

chana masala ingredients

To make this chana masala, you’ll need onion, ginger, garlic, and several good-for-you spices, including coriander, cumin, and turmeric. Garam masala is the traditional spice blend for chana masala, but if you don’t have that on hand, you’ll find alternatives below.

I’d like to start cooking Indian recipes more often. Which one would you like to see next? For more pantry-friendly recipes, check my healthy pantry recipes roundup.

Continue to the recipe...

The post Quick Chana Masala appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Garlic Naan Bread

This fast and easy homemade garlic naan is brushed with garlic butter and perfectly chewy! It’s such a treat, you’ll never go back to storebought. What’s better alongside a steaming bowl of curry than warm garlic naan? This Indian skillet flatbread is always a crowd pleaser: it’s soft, supple, warm and garlic-scented. There’s not much better to sop up savory broth! There are all sorts of creative ways to turn naan into dinner too: like naan pizza! It’s easy to find this famous bread at the store, but the very best way to eat it: homemade, right off the skillet. Here’s our very best naan recipe: it’s chewy, full of flavor, and quicker than most recipes. Here are all our secrets! Why make this garlic naan? With loads of naan bread recipes out there, why make this specific garlic naan? Here’s what makes it stand out from the rest: It’s a fast naan recipe. Homemade bread takes time to rise, or proof. The proof time for most naan recipes is 1 to 2 hours. The proof time for this recipe? Just 30 minutes! The flavor and texture are incredible. This naan bread is perfectly soft and fluffy, just the right […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

This fast and easy homemade garlic naan is brushed with garlic butter and perfectly chewy! It’s such a treat, you’ll never go back to storebought.

Garlic naan

What’s better alongside a steaming bowl of curry than warm garlic naan? This Indian skillet flatbread is always a crowd pleaser: it’s soft, supple, warm and garlic-scented. There’s not much better to sop up savory broth! There are all sorts of creative ways to turn naan into dinner too: like naan pizza! It’s easy to find this famous bread at the store, but the very best way to eat it: homemade, right off the skillet. Here’s our very best naan recipe: it’s chewy, full of flavor, and quicker than most recipes. Here are all our secrets!

Why make this garlic naan?

With loads of naan bread recipes out there, why make this specific garlic naan? Here’s what makes it stand out from the rest:

  • It’s a fast naan recipe. Homemade bread takes time to rise, or proof. The proof time for most naan recipes is 1 to 2 hours. The proof time for this recipe? Just 30 minutes!
  • The flavor and texture are incredible. This naan bread is perfectly soft and fluffy, just the right amount of salt and has the very best garlicky flavor. Really! You’ll have to try it for yourself.
Easy naan recipe

Fastest way to make naan: with no yeast!

There are two basic ways to make a naan dough: with yeast and with baking powder. Most traditional Indian naan recipes use yeast as the leavener: it’s what makes the bread rise. Yeasted breads require longer proofing times. What’s proofing? Proofing is when you let bread dough rest after you’ve added yeast so that it rises. A yeasted naan recipe requires 1 to 2 hours of proofing time, depending on the recipe.

Some more modern takes on naan bread use baking powder as the leavener instead of yeast (for example, the naan recipe in Indian chef Vivek Singh’s book Curry). Baking powder cuts down the proofing time to just 30 minutes. The texture is slightly more biscuit-y than bread-y, but to us this trade-off was absolutely worth it!

Use a cast iron skillet (if you have it!)

The best way to cook garlic naan? Use a cast iron skillet if you have it! Why? A cast iron skillet gets blazing hot. Just like pizza, you want to use as high heat as possible when cooking naan. It’s what makes the classic blackened marks on the dough. If you don’t have cast iron skillet: never fear! You can use any large skillet or griddle: the blackened marks will just be more subtle.

Tip: Whatever skillet you use, heat it until it’s very hot before you add the first piece of dough. If you add the dough before its roaring hot, it won’t cook correctly.

Garlic naan

Making naan is easiest with a buddy!

Alex and I have honed our expertise in homemade bread recipes over the past few years. Our sourdough bread is the most popular and has been made by people around the world. (See below for more of our favorite breads.) Here are a few tips we recommend for making this easy homemade naan bread:

  • Make sure you have time. This garlic naan recipe takes about 1 hour from start to finish. The hands on portion is about 20 to 30 minutes. We’d recommend making this for entertaining or a dinner party, or an activity on a weekend afternoon or a day off.
  • Find a buddy! You can make this recipe by yourself. BUT, it’s even more fun with a spouse, partner or friend. It’s nice to have one person roll out the naan and one person cook it. Plus, cooking together is always better!
Vegetable curry

Recipes to eat with garlic naan

There are lots of ways to eat this garlic naan bread! It’s most natural with curry, but we have several naan pizza recipes as well. Here are our favorites in both categories:

This garlic naan recipe is…

Vegetarian. For vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free, see the substitutions listed in the recipe.

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Garlic naan

Garlic Naan (Fast & Easy!)


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 40 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 6

Description

This fast and easy homemade garlic naan is brushed with garlic butter and perfectly chewy! It’s such a treat, you’ll never go back to storebought. (Vegan substitutions listed, or go to Vegan Naan.)


Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups (312 grams) all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt (1 1/2 teaspoons, for vegan)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3/4 cup 2% milk (water, for vegan)
  • 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt (coconut cream, for vegan)
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter (coconut oil, for vegan)
  • 1 garlic clove
  • Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, stir together the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and kosher salt. Add the olive oil, milk, and Greek yogurt and stir until dough comes together. If it is dry, add a bit more milk; if it is very sticky, add a sprinkle more flour. Knead for about 30 seconds to a minute until all the flour is incorporated and a dough ball forms.
  2. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Rest for 30 minutes at room temperature covered with a towel.
  3. Once the dough has rested, flatten it into a disc. Then cut it into 6 equal pieces. On a clean, lightly floured countertop, roll each dough into a thin teardrop shape, about 1/8 inch thick.
  4. Meanwhile, grate the garlic. In a small saucepan, heat the butter and the garlic over medium low heat. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the garlic fragrant is just starting to turn yellow (but not brown), then immediately remove from the heat.
  5. Heat a cast iron skillet*, griddle or large skillet over very high heat until it’s blazing hot (make sure it’s as hot as possible, or the first piece won’t cook correctly). Add one of the pieces of dough and cook until the top has bubbles and the bottom is golden and very dark brown in spots (about 1 minute), then turn and cook another 30 seconds to 1 minute on the other side. Brush the naan with a bit of the garlic butter on both sides. Wrap it with a clean towel. Repeat with the remaining 5 naan, adding each to the towel afterwards (this will steam them and keep them warm and supple).
  6. Serve immediately with chopped cilantro. To store, place fully cooled naan in an airtight plastic bag and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat refrigerated or frozen naan by wrapping in aluminum foil and baking in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes.

Notes

*A cast iron skillet is the best option, since it gives the signature blackened spots. A skillet works too, but won’t get as blackened.

  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Indian

Keywords: Garlic naan, Naan recipe, Homemade naan, Naan bread

More homemade bread recipes

If you love to make bread, we’ve got lots of resources for you! Here are our favorite bread recipes:

  • Best Sourdough Bread Easy to follow instructions, a printable checklist, and a step-by-step video help you master that tangy flavor, chewy crust, and perfect texture. (Or try the Vegan Bread version.)
  • Easy Homemade Bread This homemade bread is easy to make and very versatile: it works for sandwiches, toast, and more.
  • Artisan Dutch Oven Bread Here’s an easy Dutch oven bread with a crispy crust and tender inside.

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Vegetable Curry

This easy vegetable curry is the best way to eat your veggies! Cauliflower, bell pepper and chickpeas swim in a flavor-packed broth. A vegetable curry is one of the best ways to make eating your veggies taste incredible. Alex and I adore eating curry for dinner, and guess what? It’s the best way to get loads of nutrients without even noticing. This vegetable curry is so good, you’ll be shoveling it down by the spoonful. It’s full of big flavor and all the best veggies you can eat, like cauliflower, carrots, bell peppers, and chickpeas. It features crisp tender veggies in a seriously flavorful broth. Serve with naan bread or rice and it’s one of the most satisfying plant-based dinners around. What’s a curry, anyway? Curry is a very loose term. Per Bon Appetit, in many countries it was a word used by colonizers to simplify what they saw as foreign cuisines. Today, curry is usually a dish with a spiced sauce and meat or vegetables, often eaten with rice or flatbread like naan. Many times the spice curry powder is included in the sauce, or sometimes curry paste. The dish is made in many countries, including India, Thailand, Cambodia, […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

This easy vegetable curry is the best way to eat your veggies! Cauliflower, bell pepper and chickpeas swim in a flavor-packed broth.

Vegetable curry

A vegetable curry is one of the best ways to make eating your veggies taste incredible. Alex and I adore eating curry for dinner, and guess what? It’s the best way to get loads of nutrients without even noticing. This vegetable curry is so good, you’ll be shoveling it down by the spoonful. It’s full of big flavor and all the best veggies you can eat, like cauliflower, carrots, bell peppers, and chickpeas. It features crisp tender veggies in a seriously flavorful broth. Serve with naan bread or rice and it’s one of the most satisfying plant-based dinners around.

What’s a curry, anyway?

Curry is a very loose term. Per Bon Appetit, in many countries it was a word used by colonizers to simplify what they saw as foreign cuisines. Today, curry is usually a dish with a spiced sauce and meat or vegetables, often eaten with rice or flatbread like naan. Many times the spice curry powder is included in the sauce, or sometimes curry paste. The dish is made in many countries, including India, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, and England.

Ingredients in this vegetable curry

Knowing curry has a loose definition, Alex and I designed this vegetable curry to include a sauce with curry powder and feature a variety of healthy vegetables. This curry features crisp tender veggies and a flavorful broth. It’s important to note that it’s not as thick of a sauce as with a tomato or coconut milk-based curry, like our cauliflower curry or chickpea curry.

Here’s what’s in this vegetable curry:

Vegetable curry

What to serve with curry? Rice, naan, and more.

What to serve with this vegetable curry? There are a few options, depending on how much time you have. Alex and I created a new homemade naan recipe especially to go with this curry, which we’d reserve for dinner parties or weekend dinners. But it’s fun to make an oh so tasty! Here are our recommendations for serving this veggie curry:

  • Naan bread: Store-bought naan bread is a great quick side dish for this vegetable curry. Or, use our *new* Garlic Naan.
  • Rice: Start a pot of rice before you even begin prep, and let it cook while you make the curry. Brown generally takes about 30 minutes with our quick method (below), and white takes about 15 minutes. Here are several methods for doing it:
  • Quinoa: We’ve eaten it with quinoa and while not authentic, it tastes good and is very filling! Try our Basic Quinoa or Instant Pot Quinoa.
Garlic naan
This homemade garlic naan is delicious when you have time: it’s perfect for dinner parties!

Is this curry spicy?

Well, yes and no! The heat level in this vegetable curry is directly related to the curry powder that you use. Here’s the thing: some curry powders are spicy, some are mild. It really depends on the brand! And there’s no way to know based on the label. So, you’ll have to do some trial and error to find the curry powder brand you like with a heat level that works for you and your fellow eaters.

Make ahead and storage info

Can you make this vegetable curry ahead? Yes! To meal prep, you can easily make it 1 day in advance and refrigerate until serving. Then just reheat it gently in a skillet, being sure not to overheat it so that the sauce doesn’t evaporate. Leftovers stay good for about 3 days in the refrigerator.

You also can make rice in advance if you’re serving with rice! To reheat the rice, place it in a pan on the stovetop and add a splash of water. Heat gently for a few minutes until the water evaporates and the rice is warmed through.

Vegetable curry

More vegetable curry recipes

We have a few other flavorful curry recipes that have become fan favorites! So if you’re looking for another type of curry, here are a few you might like (all of them are plant-based / vegan recipes):

  • Easy Chickpea Curry This chickpea curry is the ultimate healthy and easy weeknight dinner! It’s vegan, full of flavor, and done in 20 minutes!
  • Quick Coconut Lentil Curry Here’s a lentil based curry that’s flavored with coconut and curry paste. A fast and easy dinner idea perfect for weeknights!
  • Coconut Cauliflower Curry Everybody loves this one! It’s an easy dinner recipe is warm-spiced, nutrient packed, and ready in just over 30 minutes.

Is this an authentic Indian curry?

Is this vegetable curry authentic? As we mentioned above, curry is a loose definition and there are many varieties. While this isn’t a 100% authentic Indian curry, it uses the flavors of Indian cuisine to make a fast weeknight dinner. For an authentic Indian dinner recipe from an Indian chef, head to our Masoor Dal (Indian Red Lentils). Another great resource for authentic Indian recipes is chef and author Madhur Jaffrey.

This vegetable curry recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

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Vegetable curry

Easy Vegetable Curry


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 3 to 4

Description

This easy vegetable curry is the best way to eat your veggies! Cauliflower, bell pepper and chickpeas swim in a flavor-packed broth.

Note: This curry features crisp tender veggies and a sauce that is broth-like. It’s not as thick of a sauce as with a tomato or coconut milk-based curry like our cauliflower curry or chickpea curry


Ingredients

  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 2 teaspoons ginger, grated
  • 1 small yellow onion
  • 1 large carrot
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 small cauliflower
  • 2 cups chopped broccoli or broccolini
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon coriander (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • 15-ounce can chickpeas
  • Torn cilantro or roasted salted cashews, for garnish
  • Serve with: white rice, brown rice, quinoa, or naan bread

Instructions

  1. Mince the garlic and grate the ginger; place them in a small bowl and set them aside.
  2. Dice the onion into bite-sized pieces. Peel the carrot and thinly slice it. Cut the pepper into large squares.  Chop the cauliflower into bite-sized florets. Cut the broccoli into florets.
  3. Add the olive oil to a large skillet and heat it to medium high. Add the vegetables to the skillet with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fork tender and lightly browned. Once tender, add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute.
  4. Stir in the vegetable broth, curry powder, cumin, turmeric, coriander (optional), 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, peanut butter, peas and chickpeas. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes until the sauce is thickened just slightly. (The sauce with be brothy, not thick.) Taste and add additional salt as necessary (we added several more pinches). Spoon the veggies over rice or quinoa, along with a few spoonfuls of broth. Serve with naan bread on the side, if desired.

  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Indian

Keywords: Vegetable Curry

More healthy dinner ideas

This vegetable curry is a healthy plant-based dinner recipe that features tons of nutrient-rich vegetables. Here are a few more healthy dinner ideas that are also vegan and plant-based:

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

15-Minute Dinners, Starring Trader Joe’s Incomparable Garlic Naan

It all began with an evening of mild panic. I’d been invited to a friend’s dinner, and she’d asked me at the eleventh hour if I could bring a “fairly substantial homemade appetizer.” Even on the most harried of days I’m not a last-minute person: My sen…

It all began with an evening of mild panic. I’d been invited to a friend’s dinner, and she’d asked me at the eleventh hour if I could bring a “fairly substantial homemade appetizer.” Even on the most harried of days I’m not a last-minute person: My sense of balance is dependent on the careful planning and precise execution of life events. To add to it, grocery shopping was the very last thing I wanted to run out to do on a winter’s night.

I rummaged frantically through my fridge and cabinets, and all I found were bits and pieces. I opened my freezer in despair—could I disguise something in there as homemade?—and there, waving happily at me from the back of it, were two packets of Trader Joe’s garlic naan.

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Indian Style Creamed Spinach

This Indian Style Creamed Spinach is a bit like Palak Paneer, but without the paneer. …because my homemade paneer didn’t turn out. 😅 But that’s okay! The creamy spiced spinach is absolutely delightful on its own, so it’s still totally worth sharing. It’s amazing for dipping bread (preferably naan), spooning over rice, or using as […]

The post Indian Style Creamed Spinach appeared first on Budget Bytes.

This Indian Style Creamed Spinach is a bit like Palak Paneer, but without the paneer. …because my homemade paneer didn’t turn out. ? But that’s okay! The creamy spiced spinach is absolutely delightful on its own, so it’s still totally worth sharing. It’s amazing for dipping bread (preferably naan), spooning over rice, or using as a base for a more complete meal.

Originally posted 3-12-12, updated 1-22-2020.

Indian Creamed Spinach

A black bowl full of Indian Creamed Spinach on a wooden plate with a piece of naan dunked into the bowl

Make it Dairy-free or with Dairy

When I originally posted this recipe seven years ago I made it with evaporated milk. Since that time I’ve discovered how incredibly amazing coconut is with garam masala, so this time around I swapped out the evaporated milk for coconut milk. That also happens to make this recipe vegan and friendly to those who can’t consume dairy. If you prefer the dairy version, simply use one cup evaporated milk in place of the coconut milk.

Can I Use Light Coconut Milk?

Yes, you can use light coconut milk in place of the full-fat coconut milk, but the end result will be slightly less thick. I do not suggest using coconut milk sold in a carton, the type meant to be used as a dairy milk substitute. It will be far too watery for this recipe.

What to Serve with Indian Creamed Spinach

As mentioned in the intro, this Indian style creamed spinach makes a great side dish. You can serve it with dishes like Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala, Cauliflower and Chickpea Masala, or Slow Cooker Coconut Curry Lentils. Or, you can add a couple more ingredients into your creamed spinach and make that your main dish. Consider adding cubed tofu, a can of chickpeas, or a diced potato or two.

A skillet full of Indian Creamed Spinach with a wooden spoon in the center

Is this Creamed Spinach Spicy?

This recipe does have a little heat, thanks to a ¼ tsp cayenne pepper. If you prefer a mild creamed spinach, simply skip the cayenne pepper.

Is there a Substitute for the Garam Masala?

If you can’t find Garam Masala in a store near you, you can substitute it with curry powder. Or, try your hand at making a homemade garam masala

 

Indian Style Creamed Spinach

Rich and fragrant, this Indian Creamed Spinach makes a delicious side dish or, with a few additions, a simple vegetarian meal.

  • 1 13.5 oz. can full-fat coconut milk ($1.79)
  • 8 oz. fresh spinach ($1.29)
  • 1 yellow onion ($0.32)
  • 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
  • 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger ($0.30)
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.32)
  • 2 tsp cumin ($0.20)
  • 1 tsp garam masala ($0.10)
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric ($0.05)
  • 1/4¼ tsp cayenne pepper ($0.02)
  • 1 large tomato ($0.97)
  • 1/4 cup water ($0.00)
  • 3/4 tsp salt (or to taste) ($0.03)
  1. Add the coconut milk and spinach to a large pot. Stir and cook over medium heat until the coconut milk is warmed through and has wilted the spinach. Remove from the heat as soon as the spinach has wilted to avoid over cooking the spinach.

  2. Transfer the warm coconut milk and spinach to a blender and pulse until the spinach is in small pieces (you can choose to blend until smooth, if you prefer). Set this mixture aside.

  3. Dice the onion, mince the garlic, and grate the ginger. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger to a large skillet along with the olive oil. Sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft (about 5 minutes).

  4. Add the cumin, garam masala, turmeric, and cayenne to the skillet. Stir and cook the spices with the onion, garlic, and ginger for about two minutes more.

  5. Dice the tomato and add it to the skillet along with about 1/4 cup water. Stir and cook the tomato with the other ingredients, dissolving any browned bits off the bottom of the skillet, until the tomato has broken down (5-8 minutes).

  6. Finally, add the coconut and spinach mixture to the skillet and stir to combine. Allow the mixture to heat through, stirring occasionally.

  7. Taste the creamed spinach and add salt to taste. Start with 1/4 tsp, adding more as needed until the flavors pop (I added 3/4 tsp).

Front view of a bowl full of Indian style creamed spinach with a spoon lifting a bite and a piece of naan stuck in the side of the bowl

 

How to Make Indian Creamed Spinach – Step By Step Photos

Add coconut milk to pot

Start by pouring one 13.5 oz. can of full-fat coconut milk into a soup pot.

Wilted spinach in the coconut milk

Add 8 oz. of fresh spinach to the coconut milk. Stir and cook over medium heat just until the spinach has wilted (this should only take about five minutes). Do not over cook the spinach here. It should still be bright green in color.

Blended spinach and coconut in the blender

Transfer the warm coconut milk and spinach to a blender and pulse until the spinach is in small pieces. You can blend until smooth if you prefer, but I like a little texture in mine. Set this mixture aside.

Onion, garlic, and ginger in skillet

Dice one yellow onion, mince two cloves of garlic, and grate about 1 Tbsp fresh ginger. Add all three to a skillet along with 2 Tbsp olive oil. Sauté the onion, garlic, and ginger over medium heat until the onions are soft (about 5 minutes).

Spices added to skillet with onion garlic and ginger

Once the onions are soft, add 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp garam masala, ½ tsp turmeric, and ¼ tsp cayenne pepper to the skillet. Stir and cook the spices with the onion, garlic, and ginger for about 2 minutes more.

Diced tomato added to skillet

Dice one tomato and add it to the skillet along with about ¼ cup water. Stir and cook the tomato with the other ingredients, dissolving any browned bits off the bottom of the skillet, until the tomatoes have broken down (5-8 minutes).

Pour coconut spinach into skillet

Finally, pour the coconut and spinach mixture into the skillet and stir to combine.

Finished Indian Style Creamed Spinach in the skillet

Allow the mixture to heat through, stirring occasionally. Once hot, give it a taste and add salt as needed. I added about ¾ tsp. I suggest starting with ¼ tsp and adding more to your liking. Adding the correct amount of salt will help the flavors pop.

A finished skillet full of Indian Style Creamed Spinach with naan on the side and a wooden spoon in the center of the skillet

Serve hot with some bread for dipping!

The post Indian Style Creamed Spinach appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Roasted Cauliflower (Four Ways!)

Have you tried roasted cauliflower? I don’t get very excited about raw cauliflower. Roasted cauliflower, though—I can eat it straight off the pan like French fries. Raw…

The post Roasted Cauliflower (Four Ways!) appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

best roasted cauliflower recipe

Have you tried roasted cauliflower? I don’t get very excited about raw cauliflower. Roasted cauliflower, though—I can eat it straight off the pan like French fries.

Raw cauliflower transforms into golden, caramelized deliciousness in the oven. If you roast it with just olive oil, salt and pepper, it’s a tasty snack. This roasted cauliflower recipe is the perfect simple side dish for your fall and winter meals.

raw cauliflower (whole and quartered)

You can also use basic roasted cauliflower to add bulk and tasty roasted flavor to other veggie dishes, like my lentil tacos and farro salad. It’s neutral enough that it doesn’t overwhelm other flavors, so it goes well with a variety of cuisines.

As much as I love basic roasted cauliflower, it’s the perfect vehicle for creative flavorings. I came up with three fun flavor combinations this week inspired by Italian, Mexican and Indian cuisines. I can’t decide which one I love best! In the recipe below, you’ll find options for plain roasted cauliflower plus my simple variations.

Continue to the recipe...

The post Roasted Cauliflower (Four Ways!) appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Red Lentil Dal

This easy Indian dal is ready in under an hour, and makes a satisfying vegetarian lunch or dinner. Serve with rice or naan. This soup also keeps well and can be frozen for up to three months. Continue reading “Red Lentil Dal” »

This easy Indian dal is ready in under an hour, and makes a satisfying vegetarian lunch or dinner. Serve with rice or naan. This soup also keeps well and can be frozen for up to three months.

Continue reading "Red Lentil Dal" »