Marwaris are a highly successful business community that originated in Marwar, in the deserts of Rajasthan. Many left their hometowns to create large businesses elsewhere in India. They are completely vegetarian, with a distinct and much-admired cuisine. Vinita has...
A very typical dish from the bazaars of the old city of Banaras (I and many others still use the old name for Varanasi). Serve with puffed fried breads or any other Indian flatbreads, as well as other vegetables, chutneys, and raita. SERVES 4 • 4 tablespoons olive or...
Here is another of Vinita’s inspired dishes. Although it uses potatoes and might seem very similar to the previous recipe, it is actually very different. This is a “chaat,” a spicy, hot, and sour snack food, which in India could be eaten by itself with a cup of tea....
This is a simplified version of the very first dish I learned to cook. I was in London, a student at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and desperate for family foods. I could not cook at all. I begged my mother in India to teach me, and she answered with three-line...
This recipe is very similar to the previous one, but has a few additions and comes from Bihar. Ghugnis, made out of small red chickpeas, regular beige chickpeas, fresh green chickpeas, and fresh green peas, are breakfast food for many vegetarians in Uttar Pradesh and...
Sometimes it is hard to fathom how a few carefully chosen seasonings can make a vegetable shine. In the case of peas, ginger, cumin, and green chilies will do just that—every time. This is Vinita Pittie’s recipe. For more about her, her community, and her life in...
This is the very traditional stuffing for South Indian dosas (savory pancakes). It may also be served as a vegetable with any meal. It goes particularly well with Indian breads. SERVES 4–5 AND MAKES ENOUGH FILLING FOR 6 DOSAS • 1¼ lbs. waxy potatoes, peeled and...
Another dish from northern India is okra, which is never covered as it cooks to prevent it from releasing its viscous innards. The cooking starts on medium-high heat, which is slowly lowered as the ingredients start to brown. The process takes 15–20 minutes and...
The day starts early in the villages of the Punjab, one of India’s “granary” states. Cows have to be milked, breakfasts prepared (very often stuffed parathas served with buttermilk or tea), and lunches made for those who work in far-away wheat fields. These lunches...
Here, the okra is cooked until it is quite dry, oozing none of the viscous juices normally associated with it. It can be served with most Indian meals and goes particularly well with any black-eyed pea dish, a potato dish, and some flatbread. SERVES 4 • 1 lb. okra...
