OUR VEGETARIAN BLOG
KASHMIRI SAFFRON TEA
No matter how much you try not to get drawn into a carpet-buying trip by a well-meaning Kashmiri man in Delhi, you will probably at some point end up in a carpet shop. On the bright side, the Kashmiri tea they serve is a delicacy, rarely found outside of these shops,…
AVOCADO, HONEY, + CINNAMON LASSI
Travel the length and breadth of India today and you will find lassis of every kind, texture, and flavor. The best one I ever had was from Blue Lassi in Varanasi. This avocado and honey lassi borrows from that one. Creamy and rich from the blended avocado flesh and…
PEACHES + CREAM LASSI
A subtle creamy beauty. Makes 4 glasses 1 pound peaches½ cup coconut milk2 cups plain Greek yogurt3 tablespoons sugar or honeya pinch of ground cinnamon1 teaspoon rose water (or to taste) Wash the peaches and chop into small chunks, discarding the pit in the center….
MEDJOOL DATE + ALMOND MILK LASSI
Almond milk, or “badam doodh,” is incredibly popular the whole of India over. It’s a particular favorite of mothers to give their children as a soothing bedtime drink, and for many millions of us it spells nostalgia and comfort. Traditionally it’s sweetened with…
STRAWBERRY + CARDAMOM LASSI
Everyone’s favorite summer fruit, spiced up. Makes 4 glasses 1 pint strawberries4 tablespoons water or milk2 cups plain Greek yogurt½ teaspoon ground cardamom (or finely ground seeds from 6 pods)4 tablespoons sugar Wash the strawberries, remove the green tops, then…
CHEWY DATE + NUT BALLS
These irritatingly addictive little balls are the backdrop to every cultural or religious calendar event in India. They can be made in minutes and stored for weeks, and are delightful to eat as a snack, on picnics, or even to give to others. A food processor will make…
CASHEW NUT FUDGE
There is a secret to this one, my grandma said: you know it’s done when the spoon stands up by itself in the mixture. And with this piece of advice, I have always had perfect fudge. This is one of the most highly prized of all Indian sweets, the mastering of which…
CARROT HALWA WITH GARAM MASALA PECANS
This recipe marks a milestone in my relationship with my mother. When I gave her some of the halwa with a cup of tea, she burst into tears. I was horrified something was wrong. “No,” she said, “but I think it’s better than mine!” If eating carrots as a dessert strikes…
PISTACHIO, ORANGE ZEST, + DATE NANKATAI
My Aunt Dina always has a batch of these tucked away in a stainless-steel tin in the kitchen. There’s a considerable amount of tense anticipation around the table at teatime until she opens it and hands them out, and then it feels as though the world is put to rights…
VERMICELLI MILK PUDDING WITH SAFFRON MANGOES
This recipe is based on my mum’s go-to dinner party classic, which she’s been serving in the same crystal bowl for decades. It’s never once let her down. It’s made by poaching roasted wheat vermicelli in milk and cardamom, which creates something as comforting but not…
EAST AFRICAN PEANUT CAKE
Mum talks fondly about a cake that was made by an Ismaili Gujarati friend of hers back in Uganda. Neither her friends nor she had ovens, so they used to take the mixture down to a baker in the East Nile District and go for a swim or play with baby crocodiles while it…
PISTACHIO + ALMOND CAKE WITH SAFFRON ICING
This is a rich cake for a celebration. Serves 6 1 cup ground pistachios1 cup ground almonds¾ cup self-rising flour½ teaspoon baking soda¾ cup sugar½ teaspoon ground cardamom (or finely ground seeds from 6 pods)½ teaspoon ground cinnamonzest of 1 lemon2 tablespoons…