In England, we usually treat mustard as a condiment—highly dangerous and to be eaten in small quantities. But in Bengal they make wonderful dishes using mustard in large amounts, as the lead flavor. In this recipe, the mustard and yogurt come together to make a...
RAINBOW CHARD SAAG ALOO
I’ll never forget my mum’s head-turning squeal when she saw a bag of Desiree potatoes marked “grown in Lincolnshire” in the aisle of a London supermarket. She’s evangelical about their butteriness, and proud of the fact they’re grown near our family home, so this...
SAVOY CABBAGE, BLACK KALE, + POTATO SUBJI
In Gujarat, cabbages and potatoes are near deities. In Lincolnshire, where they are the main crops, the same is true. I feel as though my bones, and the bones of my ancestors, are partly made up of these two vegetables. When you want something simple, not much beats a...
GRILLED SWEETHEART CABBAGE + COCONUT THORAN
Ben Benton is one of the greatest chefs I know. This is his recipe, and although he is not Keralan, he has a tremendous ability to get under the skin of the cuisine. He taught me that by grilling the cut sides of cabbage a whole new side of its personality is...
ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLE MADRAS
You don’t have to use baby vegetables for this dish. I use them because they’re sweet and beautiful, but you could use larger roots and cut them down to size. Serves 4 2¼ pounds mix of baby carrots, parsnips, turnips, and potatoes canola oil 2 teaspoons ground cumin...
BAKED ONION BHAJIS
These are a step forward from the deep-fried favorites: they are healthier, more pleasant to cook, and just as tasty. I like to serve these with a fresh cilantro or mango chutney, or beet raita (see here). Makes 24 ½-inch piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped1...
Spring Vegetable Couscous
VEGAN /// MAKES 6 GENEROUS SERVINGS Because there are fresh fava beans in this beautiful, light spring couscous, I only use 1 cup of dried beans. The harissa is optional because I don’t like to overpower the sweetness of the spring vegetables. Use it if you want the...
Couscous with Vegetables and Beans
VEGAN /// MAKES 6 GENEROUS SERVINGS If you want a spicier couscous, use more harissa. I prefer to make a mildly seasoned stew and let guests add more harissa to taste. I use chickpeas most often for my couscous stews. 1½ cups dried chickpeas, white beans, or other...
Greens and Chickpea Filling (for Galette)
MAKES ENOUGH FILLING FOR ONE 9- TO 10-INCH GALETTE, SERVING 8 GENEROUSLY Use robust greens for this large galette—kale, collards, or mustard greens. You can even use the bagged Southern greens mix that they sell at supermarkets, which are already stemmed and washed....
Roasted Tomato, Summer Squash, and Squash Blossom Taco Filling
VEGAN WITHOUT THE CHEESE /// MAKES ENOUGH FOR 8 TO 10 TACOS If you can’t get squash blossoms for these summer tacos, go ahead and make the filling without them. But if you have a garden and you’re looking for ways to use squash flowers, they’re welcome in a taco. 1...