This creamy smooth pumpkin and dal soup of the Gujarati cuisine has a rich reddish-gold color, and a distinctive flavor. The lemon juice and bay leaves introduce a tart, pleasantly bitter element in contrast to the mildly sweet burst of flavor from the warm chaunk…

I first came across this dish at the famous Radha-Ramana Temple in Vrindavan, India. The cooks there are excellent and the kitchen standards are high. The balance of textures and flavors so impressed me that I immediately inquired about the recipe. The two featured…

My cinematographer friend, Yadubara Das, was part of a small traveling party that accompanied Srila Prabhupada to Rishikesh in May 1977. Though Srila Prabhupada’s health was not good on this trip, he took the time to show Yadubara how to make this urad dal ….

Although one type of dal can be successfully substituted for another in many recipes, the particular flavor and texture of the urad dal in this recipe, enhanced by the combination of selected seasonings and vegetables, cannot be obtained with any other. The…

Toovar dal is also known as arhar or tuar dal and pigeon peas. The mildly seasoned combination of moong and toovar dals in this recipe is popular in cool-weather months. Dal soaking time: 3 hours for toovar dal , 5 hours for yellow split peas Preparation time (after…

Dry-roasted split mung beans lend a distinctive flavor to this thick, textured dal . The recipe comes to me from Pishima. It is simple to make and perfect for persons new to cooking with eggplant. Be sure not to wash and drain the dal until after the dry-roasting, as…

Dals are perhaps the most popular and the most economical foods in Vedic cuisine. They are relished by everyone, rich and poor, and are part of almost every Vedic lunch. A bouquet of delicate flavors in this creamy dal soup comes from the spices, seasonings, tomatoes…

As the personal cook of my spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, who was himself a superb cook, I took every opportunity to learn from his expertise in both simple and complicated dishes. Often, especially when traveling, he would come into the kitchen to check on the…

If you live in a large city, you are likely to find the white cooking radishes called mooli in an Indian or Chinese grocery store. They may be a bit difficult to find in other areas, so for a similar but milder flavor, you may substitute the smaller red salad…

Moong , North India’s most popular dal , was a great favorite of my spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada. It is easy to digest and has a good flavor and high vitamin content. The spinach, preferably fresh, enhances the texture and marbled color of this…

This smooth, liquid mung dal soup is seasoned with a simple chaunk . It is easy to prepare and easy to digest, and its light consistency makes it appealing in any season. Serve it accompanied by a wheat bread or rice and a vegetable. To complete the meal, serve yogurt…