Soft and lacy Neer Dosa are delicate in both texture and flavour. A hint of coconut gives these beautiful rice dosas added aroma and suppleness. Like little pocket-sized hankies, the name “Neer” means “water” in the Kannada and Tulu languages spoken in Southern India. The batter for these dosas flows like a swooshing river of …
Vegan Pandan Hokkaido Milk Bread = the most addictive vegan loaf you will EVER eat! LOOK at that GLAZE. This recipe for the iconic Asian-style milk bread is spectacularly golden and shiny on the outside and springy on the inside. I challenge anyone to spot the lack of dairy and eggs in the finished loaf. …
So I ate a lot over the festive Diwali period. The kitchen was practically overflowing with mithai boxes and tubs of chakri, chevdo and gathiya. It was bloody brilliant but I’m glad to be back to my everyday Gujarati daal, bhaat, shaak and rotli (daal, curry, rice and chapattis). I definitely need a bit of …
Hot, sour, sweet and salty; These are the characteristics of the Gujarati dishes I grew up eating. From spongy Khaman Dhokla, to Sev Tameta nu Shaak, chickpea flour plays an integral role in the make up of regional Gujarati food. It’s used for batters and bhajiya (across India), as the basis for Pudla (chickpea flour …
Quick & Fluffy Vitumbua are Tanzanian Coconut Doughnuts that will melt in your mouth. They also just so happen to be vegan. As I flick through my little collection of East African cookbooks, I feel the same comfort and joy as I do when I cosy up with my favourite Indian ones. Both are full …
Hand me a rose-flavoured dessert over a bouquet of roses any day. I’m a sucker for rose-flavoured everything. It all started back when I was around seven years old when my dad would take our family to our favourite Indian restaurants. Even before looking at the menu I’d know what I wanted to drink – …
During my lifetime, I’ve been lucky enough to be extremely close to so many wonderful food cultures. The Gujarati cuisine made by my mother’s hands was the stuff that put the skin on my bones, next were my dad’s favourite East African dishes inspired by his childhood in Mombasa. Later came various recipes from other …
Bring me a head of cauliflower over a bunch of flowers any day. Yep, I’ve always been this easy to please. My first memories of cooking with cauliflower began at the supermarket where mum trained me in how to pick the freshest veggies for our homemade vegetarian feasts – all reliant on the senses. Think …
Tandoori Tofu Tikka Masala is my ultimate guilty pleasure dish. Juicy chunks of puffy tofu, a smoky tandoori marinade and creamy vegan curry sauce. It carries the flavour of an excellent Makhani sauce, with extra tandoori tofu. Indeed, it’s a vegan take on Britain’s favourite curry. In my book, anything served on a stick is …
