The batter for these dosas flows like a swooshing river of pouring cream. Splash it in a hot pan, rotating until it becomes as thin as a crepe — and then watch the surface transform into a corded lace-like dosa.

Serve Neer Dosa with your favourite saagu, sambhar or simply enjoy with chutney. My favourite dish to serve with these is a creamy coconut milk-based Vegetable Kurma.

What are Neer Dosa?

Recipes for Neer Dosa vary from cook to cook, but the core ingredients are soaked rice, water and salt. Fresh coconut is abundant in South India and is commonly added for flavour.

I add coconut flavour to this dosa in the form of coconut milk. Vegetable Kurma is a curry I like to serve alongside Neer Dosa, so a splash of coconut milk from the same tin does the job perfectly for me.

Neer Dosa are a favourite in Tulu vegetarian cuisine is a treasured part of Mangalorean cuisine. It’s also known as Udupi cuisine which is rooted in Satvik traditions.

Is it easy to make Neer Dosa?

Being a non-fermented variety of dosa, it is relatively quick to prepare in comparison to other types of dosa.

What type of rice is best for making Neer Dosa?

Again, every cook has their own preference of what rice to use. I am UK based, so have experimented with the most commonly available types of rice here. Typically, a medium-short grain rice like Sona Masuri is popular for making Neer Dosa. It is grown largely in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and is known for its great fragrance and starchy qualities. However, it’s not a variety I can get my hands on easily where I live. Cue the Neer Dosa rice experiments.

What if I don’t have special rice?

After nine separate experiments using various varieties of rice, I found that both Idli rice and Thai Jasmine rice did a wonderful job in place of Sona Masuri. Having said this, I had good results using a standard American-style short-grain rice, too. Even 100% Basmati rice (250g) produced a good result for me (when I reduced the water content in my recipe by 50ml).

What equipment do I need for making this recipe?

• High-powered blender
• Frying pan (I used a non-stick one, about 30cm dia.)

Neer Dosa: Troubleshooting

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Neer Dosa

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. Serve with your favourite saagu, sambhar or simply enjoy with chutney. This dosa is a favourite in Udupi Mangalorean cuisine. Being a non-fermented variety of dosa, it is relatively quick to prepare in comparison to other types of dosa.

Course Breakfast, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword breakfast, dosa, healthy, pancakes, rice

Prep Time 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Servings 8 dosa

Author Sanjana

Equipment

• High-powered blender or wet grinder
• Frying pan

Ingredients

• 125 g Basmati rice
• 125 g short-grain rice of your choice I used idli rice but any short-grain rice works well. Thai Jasmine rice is particularly flavourful
• 50 ml coconut milk
• 450 ml water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp cooking oil I used sunflower

Instructions

To make the batter:

• Combine the two types of rice in a large bowl. Wash it in plenty of fresh water to remove any surface dirt. I changed the water 2-3 times. Drain well.
• Cover the rice with plenty of fresh water, so there's about an inch of water above the surface of the rice. Allow to soak at room temperature for 2-3 hours.
• Drain the water from the rice.
• Place the rice in a high-powered blender (I used a NutriBullet). Add the coconut milk and 150ml water. Grind the rice to a very fine paste. You may need to start and stop a few times to give your blender a break (so the motor doesn't burn out). The mixture should be the texture of softly-whipped cream, with very few grains visible if you rub it between your fingers.
• Pour the mixture into a large bowl and add the remaining 300ml water and salt. Stir well. The batter should now be of a flowing consistency – it should look a bit like pouring cream.

To cook the Neer Dosa:

• Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Rub the inside of the pan with a kitchen paper dabbed in oil.
• Give the batter a quick stir to ensure the rice and water hasn't separated. When the pan is smoking hot, carefully splash the dosa batter into the frying pan, tilting the pan as you go along for even spreading. Watch the video below to see how I do this. The dosa should be thin and will immediately begin to look lacy.
• Cover with a lid and cook for 30-40 seconds. The dosa shouldn't brown. Don't flip the dosa – it should only cook on one side.
• Remove the lid and fold the dosa in half and then in half again so you have a neat little triangle-like shape. Remove the dosa from the pan and place on a plate.
• Repeat this process for the remaining dosa batter.

Video

Notes

• Serve the Neer Dosa immediately.
• The number of dosas you make will depend on the size of your pan. I used a 30cm (12″) diameter pan and was able to make 8 large Neer Dosa.
• You can also use a cast iron tawa if you are comfortable doing so. However, I find a non-stick pan is perfect for this recipe.

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If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Vegetable & Coconut Milk Kurma

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Say hello to ultimate vegan recipe for soft, fluffy, Asian-style bread (also known as Hokkaido milk bread) with a tender-but-chewy texture. Unique due to its water-roux starter technique, this recipe makes for an addictive vegan sweet bread that you can just tear layer by layer. Perfect with butter and jam for breakfast.

The squishy green dough can be baked inside a loaf tin, formed into pull-apart buns and even turned into breakfast muffins.

How to serve Vegan Pandan Hokkaido Milk Bread

The subtle sweetness and pandan flavour of the milk bread is the perfect partner for pillowy-soft bread and makes it hopelessly addictive. One bite of vegan milk bread is never enough. Pair with jam, butter or a cup of coffee for a tea-time treat. Or tear chunks off whilst it’s hot out of the tin and devour. I won’t tell.

What is Tangzhong?

The process of making Vegan Pandan Hokkaido Milk Bread begins with a method called tangzhong . This is to first cook a small amount of the flour (my recipe calls for 10%) with water to create a paste that is similar to a roux in French cookery. Tangzhong is a technique which has been used in Asian baking, namely in Japanese and Chinese cuisines for centuries.

The method of heating flour with water activates the starch in the flour and creates a perfectly-hydrated dough filled with tiny air bubbles. This gives the final loaf a soft, springy texture. Honestly, the tangzhong dough is extremely sticky, due to the extra moisture so it’s a challenge to knead by hand. Yet, my stand mixer is very loyal and does all the hard kneading job for me.

Making this vegan milk bread really is a magical process as well as a cathartic baking project. Kids will also love helping rolling up the dough up into spirals, too. Bodhi was mainly interested in the squishing part… Can you tell?

What is Pandan?

In South Asia and Southeast Asia, pandan is as common a flavoring as vanilla is in the West. The flavour is sweet and floral like vanilla but with a subtle, marshmallowy and grassy dimension which is difficult to describe to the uninitiated. It’s widely used in savoury cooking as well as baking and sweets. Pandan paste is easy to find in Asian supermarkets and a little goes a long way. If you’re lucky enough to find fresh pandan leaves, you can make your own pandan juice. I reduce it down to a pulp with water and strain. Also, fresh leaves are also amazing when added to a pot of steaming rice.

More Flavour Ideas for Vegan Hokkaido Milk Bread

• Omit the pandan extract for a plain vegan Hokkaido milk loaf that’s slightly sweet and perfect for PB&J sandwiches and French Toast.
• Add 1 tbsp (yes 1 tbsp) of vanilla extract to give your bread a beautiful bakery flavour.
• Grate in the zest of 2 large unwaxed lemons if you like your bakes to have a citrus hit.
• You could also spread the inside of the rolls with your favourite chocolate spread, vegan citrus curd or jam for that sweet roll finish.

Vegan “Eggwash”

My ultra-shiny egg-free glaze comes from a simple mixture of agave, coconut milk and turmeric. No yolks required! The sweetness from the agave helps the top caramelise. Bonus! The turmeric adds a hint of yellow for that eggwash feel. It’s perfect for baking. When glazing savoury pies and pastries, I omit the agave and simply use any plant milk + turmeric.

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Pandan Hokkaido Milk Bread (Vegan)

The ultimate vegan recipe for soft, fluffy, Asian-style bread with a tender-but-chewy texture. Unique due to its water-roux starter technique, this recipe makes for an addictive vegan sweet bread that you can just tear layer by layer. Perfect with butter and jam for breakfast.

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine Asian, Japanese

Keyword baking, bread, eggless, vegan

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

For tangzhong:

• 40 g strong white bread flour
• 200 ml water

For the milk bread:

• 400 g strong white bread flour
• 2 tbsp coconut milk powder
• 2 tsp pandan paste
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 125 ml full-fat coconut milk warmed to
• 80 g caster sugar
• 2 tsp instant yeast
• 80 g vegan butter room temperature

For the vegan “eggwash”:

• 2 tbsp agave
• 2 tbsp coconut milk
• 1/8 tsp turmeric

Instructions

For tangzhong:

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the flour and water.  Stir continuously for 4-5 minutes or until the starter thickens to the consistency of mashed potato or a thick roux, about 65°C/150°F if you have a cooking thermometer. Transfer to a bowl and cover with cling film.  Allow to sit until the starter gets to room temperature.

Making the dough:

• Add the coconut milk, sugar and pandan paste to a saucepan and heat over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool at room temperature to about 38°C/100°F or just warm. Now add the yeast and stir. Set aside for 10 minutes until frothy.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the bread flour, coconut milk powder, and salt.  Once mixed, add in the warm milk and tangzhong starter. Whisk until just combined. Switch to the dough hook attachment and knead the dough at medium-high speed for 10 minutes.
• With the mixer still running, add the soft vegan butter, 1 tablespoon at a time until fully incorporated. It will feel like a lot of butter but keep it going – it will be absorbed into the dough the longer it is kneaded. Turn the speed up to high and beat for a final 5 minutes.  Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with cling film. Allow to sit for 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.

Shaping the dough:

• Knock the air out of the risen dough and knead briefly to remove any large air pockets. Divide the dough into 14 equal parts (about 90g each). Keep the cut dough under cling film to prevent it from drying out or forming an unwanted skin.
• Take one portion of the dough and roll into a long oblong, about 5cm (2") wide and 10cm (4") in length. Starting from the end closest to you, roll the dough into a log. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Place the first seven logs seam-side up in a well-greased loaf tin (size: 1800g/4lb) for the first layer and for the second layer, place the logs seam-side down. Cover the loaf tin with cling film and allow to rest in a warm place for 30 minutes, until the dough has doubled in volume.
• Preheat the oven to 175C/350F

For the vegan “eggwash":

• Combine all the ingredients for the vegan "eggwash". Gently brush on top of the risen dough.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the top of the bread is a nice golden brown. If the bread top colours too quickly, place a foil tent over it to prevent it from burning.
• Let the bread cool in the loaf pan for 5 minutes before unmolding (wearing oven gloves). the loaf should slip out easily once inverted. Allow the loaf to cool to room temperature on a wire rack.

Notes

• You can turn this bread dough into a bun recipe too. Divide the dough into 14 pieces, roll into balls, transfer to a greased pan, and bake for about 35 minutes or until golden brown on top.

 

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If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Indian-Inspired Rocky Road

Love Sanjana

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A new dessert I made this year was this coconut, lime and cardamom cheesecake with exotic flavours galore. It’s a bit of a play on the traditional Diwali favourite, Coconut Barfi or Kopra Pak. Coconut is one of my favourite flavours in a dessert and there’s nothing quite like freshly-grated coconut in cakes, cookies and cheesecakes. I’ve used it as a topping and in the biscuit base for a double coconut hit.

This is an eggless baked cheesecake and the filling is made with a combination of ricotta, cream cheese and lime. It’s gloriously decadent with a hint of sharpness to cut through the richness of the coconutty cream. The edges of the cheesecake caramelise beautifully and the centre rises and falls just a little for a melt-in-the-mouth dessert that’s best served cold.

Start making this cheesecake at least a day ahead to give it time to cool and set properly. You can make it up to three days in advance and keep refrigerated (the base may lose some crunch though) or make and freeze in an airtight container for up to three months.

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Double Coconut, Lime & Cardamom Cheesecake

This is an eggless baked cheesecake and the filling is made with a combination of ricotta, cream cheese and lime. It’s gloriously decadent with a hint of sharpness to cut through the richness of the coconutty cream. The edges of the cheesecake caramelise beautifully and the centre rises and falls just a little for a melt-in-the-mouth dessert.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword baking, cardamom, cheesecake, coconut, eggless, lime

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Chilling time 1 day day

Total Time 1 day day 2 hours hours

Servings 16

Ingredients

For the base:

• 200 g coconut biscuits I use NICE biscuits
• 60 g sweetened desiccated coconut
• 85 g unsalted butter

For the filling:

• 500 g full-fat cream cheese
• 500 g ricotta
• 300 g caster sugar
• 80 ml lime juice
• 300 ml double cream
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 green cardamom pods seeds removed and crushed
• 150 g fresh coconut to decorate

Instructions

• Combine the crushed biscuits, toasted coconut and melted butter and firmly pat it into the bottom of a 24cm springform tin. Make sure it’s even and tightly compacted. Cover and refrigerate.
• For the filling: in a large bowl, beat together all of the ingredients until it becomes thick like softly-whipped cream. Don’t overmix.
• Spoon the mixture on top of the chilled biscuit base. Smooth the top down.
• Place this in a preheated oven at 160 degrees Celsius for 90 minutes, until golden. Don’t open the oven door at any point during cooking. It will drop the oven temperature and the cause the cheesecake to sink or crack. Once the cooking time is up, switch the oven off and leave the oven door closed until it is cold. The cheesecake will still be very wobbly at this stage. Just leave it in the oven.
• Once the cheesecake has cooled down completely (8+ hours), top with the fresh coconut and cover with cling film. Next, cover and refrigerate the whole cheesecake for 8-10 hours before cutting and serving.

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Introducing Khandvi

Another savoury Gujarati snack that’s known for having these explosive and delicious flavours is Khandvi. It’s a village-style rolled pasta made with chickpea flour and yoghurt (in this case, soy yoghurt) which is always served with a tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves and chillies crackled in hot oil. The sound and smell of the smoking oil hitting the smooth surface of the pasta rolls gives me all the feels.

The texture is soft, silky and it melts in your mouth, unlike the wheat pasta we’re all so used to. If you’re a pasta lover on the lookout for something a little bit more unusual, you’ve got to try these. Or maybe you remember your grandma making these for you when you were a kid…

I’ve always been fascinated by how food travels. All cultures have their own versions of pasta, bread, rice dishes, dumplings, pancakes and so much more. While Indian street food trends are currently all about Pasta Dosa and Maggi noodles, a brief look back into rich regional cuisines will reveal pasta-like treasures such as these Khandvi rolls, Daal Dhokli, Sev and Gathia. And boy, are they good.

I love Khandvi it because it requires very few ingredients to make and it’s also one of those rare Gujarati Naasto dishes (tea-time snacks) that isn’t fried. As much as I adore Bateta Vada (fried spicy potato balls), I know it’s not a treat I’ll scoff every day. These on the other hand, I’d go for Khandvi any time, any day.

Tips for making perfect khandvi

Here are some things to bear in mind when making Khandvi (grandma style) as well as some new school tips for getting your noodle sheets rolled thinly and evenly.

• Use a blender for a smooth, cohesive Khandvi batter. Lumps aren’t wanted here. Wait, are lumps ever wanted anywhere?
• Cook the Khandvi batter in a non-stick pan, low and slow. It thickens pretty quickly so you want to give yourself time to get those pesky lumps out.
• Use a silicone spatula or whisk to stir when cooking the Khandvi batter.
• Pay close attention to the consistency of the batter. It’s ready when the batter no longer falls off the spatula when lifted and begins to set on the sides of the pan. Think peanut butter consistency. To check if the batter is ready to spread, you can spread a little bit over a steel plate or piece of foil, allow it to set for a few minutes and then see if it rolls up easily. If not, cook it a little longer.
• This one is super important… You need to work quickly! Khandvi batter doesn’t wait around. Once it reaches the right consistency, it must be spread very quickly. It helps to have your foil sheets ready on the work surface before you even start cooking the batter.
• A lot of recipes call for the surface of the foil or thali you’re spreading the batter on to be greased. Do this VERY lightly otherwise the batter is going to slide around and clump up like no man’s business. This will make it impossible to spread.
• To spread the khandvi, I use a silicone spatula. Once it’s spread as evenly as I can get it (and still hot), I cover it with a piece of cling film and then use a rolling pin to roll it as thin as I can get it, about 1-2mm.
• If you have one, use a pizza cutter to slice your set Khandvi – it’s so much easier and neater than trying to use a knife.
• This recipe is for Vegan Khandvi and uses soy yoghurt but the traditional version just uses regular yoghurt.
• Serve the Khandvi at room temperature simply by themselves, with masala chai or your favourite chutney.

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Vegan Khandvi (Indian Chickpea Rolls)

Tightly rolled, bite-sized pieces of pasta made using chickpea flour and soy yoghurt. They hot, sweet, sour, salty and so delicious. Khandvi is a popular snack from Gujarat, western India. Serve with chai for a delicious breakfast or snack.

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine Indian

Keyword chickpea flour, farsan, gujarati

Prep Time 55 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Sanjana

Equipment

• Non-stick pan
• Spatula
• Aluminium foil
• Rolling pin
• Whisk

Ingredients

For the vegan khandvi rolls:

• 140 g chickpea flour
• 280 ml cold water
• 285 g soy yoghurt such as Alpro or regular yoghurt for a non-vegan version
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 20 g ginger grated
• 1 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 3 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida optional - omit for gluten-free Khandvi
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric

For the tempering:

• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 10-12 curry leaves
• 2-3 thin chillies pierced
• 2 tbsp fresh or desiccated coconut
• 2 tbsp freshly-chopped coriander leaves

Instructions

To make the khandvi:

• Blend all the ingredients for the khandvi rolls together to make a smooth paste.
• Place two large sheets of aluminium foil on a heat-resistant surface (about 1M long sheets) and grease them with oil VERY lightly.
• Pour the batter mixture into a non-stick pan and cook it over a low flame for 8-10 minutes, until it's the consistency of thick, smooth peanut butter. Keep stirring constantly to stop it from settling at the bottom and creating unwanted lumps. I find the best tool for this is either a silicone whisk or silicone spatula.
• Working very quickly, spread half the batter on top of the first sheet of foil. Spread it thinly and evenly using a silicone spatula. Place a piece of cling film on top. Repeat for the second half of the batter on top of the second piece of foil. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough evenly between the cling film and foil. It should be 1-2mm thick. Allow it to set for 5 minutes.
• Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife, trim away any scrappy, uneven edges (those are for you to enjoy). Slice the Khandvi into long strips, all about the same width. Use your fingers to roll them up tightly. Repeat for all the Khandvi sheets and arrange on to a platter or plate.

For the tempering:

• Heat the oil in a small pan. Add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and chillies and cook until the mustard seeds have finished popping. Pour this over the rolled Khandvi. Garnish with chopped coriander and coconut.

Notes

* Serve the Khandvi at room temperature.
* Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 48 hours.

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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 of spices, simple veggies and coconut milk in almost everything.

The Swahili cooking I know and love is fresh, vibrant and full of love.

My connection with East Africa

I’ve grown up with a mishmash of Indian, African and British food. My parents are British nationals, born in East Africa. My father in Tanzania and my mother in Kenya. I’m British, born and bred.

This means I have been lucky enough to experience the culinary cultures of all these cuisines.

The Indian influence on East African cooking (and vice-versa!)

For my generation, it feels like the Indian influence on East African cooking is a hush-hush camp, with recipes hidden away inside the spirits of expat grandparents, parents, aunties and uncles.

As sad as it may sound, I’m a 29-year old who’s worried that Zanzibar Trail Mix, Malindi Halwa and Ugandan Kasodi will one day be forgotten.

What are Quick & Fluffy Vitumbua?

In the name of doing my bit to preserve the East African cuisine so many Asian-East Africans are so proud of, I’d like to introduce you to Vitumbua.

These Tanzanian rice flour doughnuts are a favourite of my saintly Bapu, Gunwantrai Modha and I completely understand why.

Born in Tanzania, my dad his brothers think of these dishes as fuel food – they’re good for the soul and all that.

How to make Vitumbua

Vitumbua should be golden and crunchy on the outside and like a delicate morsel of cardamom-scented cloud on the inside.

The batter is made with coconut milk which makes these cakey doughnuts pure white in the middle and melt-in-the-mouth.

Vitumbua: Yeasted Tanzanian Doughnuts with coconut milk

The leavening agent in my version is yeast but many recipes also use baking powder. Traditionally, they’re made using soaked rice but I’ve simplified it slightly by using rice flour.

Rice flour is readily available in shops these days. Of course, if you can’t find rice flour, go ahead and use soaked raw rice.

Can I make gluten-free Vitumbua?

Yes! Simply replace the plain flour with an equal measure of rice flour (2 tbsp). You can also use 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch).

How to serve Quick & Fluffy Vitumbua

My fluffy Vitumbua are perfect with tea in the morning or if you’re a bit more adventurous, with a spicy kidney bean and coconut stew for dinner. Sweet and savoury is so lush!

What kind of pan do I need to make Quick & Fluffy Vitumbua?

If you have a Vitumbua or Appam/Paniyaram pan, please use one. If you don’t, you can use a greased cupcake tin. You’ll need to bake them in a 180C oven for 10 minutes, flipping them over halfway through the cooking time.

Cardamom: Finishing touches

I dust my Vitumbua with cardamom sugar which isn’t traditional but it adds a delicious additional aroma on top of what’s already in the batter.

Indeed, I find that finishing a dish with gentle spices is a bold way of bringing another dimension to the table.

Quick & Fluffy Vitumbua Recipe

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Quick & Fluffy Vitumbua – Tanzanian Coconut Doughnuts

These light and fluffy East African coconut and cardamom doughnuts just melt in your mouth. They’re perfect with masala chai and are a popular street food all over Tanzania.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine African

Keyword african, cardamom, pancakes, rice flour, tanzanian

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 8

Equipment

• Appam pan

Ingredients

For the vitumbua batter:

• 220 g rice flour
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 400 ml full-fat coconut milk
• 100 g caster sugar
• 7 g fast-action dried yeast
• 200 ml warm water approx. 32°C
• 3 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
• 1 tsp cardamom seeds from 5-6 cardamom pods ground
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or almond extract optional

For the cardamom icing sugar:

• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 2 whole cardamom pods seeds remove and finely ground

Instructions

• In a large bowl, mix together the rice flour, plain flour, sugar, salt, ground cardamom and dried yeast.
• Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and then add the coconut milk, warm water, oil and vanilla/almond extract (if using). Whisk the ingredients well until you have a smooth, lump-free batter. It should be the consistency of dosa or idli batter. Cover with cling film and allow the batter to rest in a warm place for 30-40 minutes.
• Grease a 12-hole vitumbua or appam/paniyaram pan with sunflower or vegetable oil. By now, your batter should be bubbly and frothy. Allow the pan to heat up a little and then use a small jug or cup to fill the holes of the pan with the batter, almost right to the top.
• Cook on a low heat until the tops of the batter is looks dry to the touch, about 3 minutes. Use a cocktail stick to flip the vitumbua over. They should be golden brown on the bottom. Cook the other side for 3-4 minutes or until golden. Use the cocktail stick to remove them from the pan.
• To make the cardamom sugar, combine the icing sugar and ground cardamom. Use a tea strainer or small sieve to dust the sugar over the top. Serve the vitumbua immediately with hot masala chai or strong coffee.

Notes

• This recipe makes 48 small vitumbua, serving about 8 people.
• I bought my paniyaram pan from an Indian kitchenware store in Leicester, UK. You can also buy these online. Look out for a heavy, non-stick piece of kit rather than steel to make removing the vitumbua easier.
• Alternatively, you can also use a cupcake tin. Your vitumbua will be larger, disc shaped doughnuts but they’ll still taste great. Ensure the tin is well greased and fill the cupcake holes just halfway before popping into an oven pre-heated at 180°C for 10 minutes. Flip them halfway through baking.
• Store cooked vitumbua in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

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If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Crispy Potato Bhajia!

Love Sanjana

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These days I love to add rose to lots of dishes from sweet to savoury, but mostly sweet. I’ve got a tonne of rose recipes on the blog, some of my favourites being Strawberry Cheesecake Falooda, Eggless Rose Custard Creams, Pistachio and Rose Bombay Halwa, Cardamom Wreath with Rose Drizzle and Candied Lemon Peel. A dash of rose water also doesn’t go amiss in biryani, ice cream and of course, cake.

Here I’ve dunked chewy toasted coconut macaroons in a simple rose icing made with icing sugar and rose syrup – the bright pink kind you find in Indian shops. One of my pregnancy cravings has been rose milk reminiscent of my falooda-crazy days. I add a dash to cold milk and stir for a strawberry pink milkshake that’s so refreshing without the faff of having to make a true falooda.

The macaroons are eggless, switching in a trusty can of sweetened condensed milk instead of egg whites. The result is a delicious, toasty coconut cookie with a coconut ice-like centre. After they’ve cooled, the bottoms get dunked in the rose icing and chopped toasted pistachios. Pistachio and rose are a flavour combo I’d like to eat every day for the rest of my life – I’m obsessed.

If you’re looking for a quick and easy 6-ingredient cookie that’s both egg and gluten free, this one’s for you.

Dust with icing sugar for a pretty snow-topped peak. So pretty!

Eggless Pistachio-Rose Macaroons
Makes 25 macaroons

For the macaroons:
1 x 397g tin sweetened condensed milk
300g sweetened desiccated coconut
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda

For the rose icing:
140g icing sugar
4 tbsp rose syrup

Icing sugar to dust, optional

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/320°F. It’s really important you do this. The oven needs to be HOT or the cookies will melt into flat puddles. Grease and line 2 large baking trays with greaseproof paper and butter.

2. In a large bowl, combine the coconut, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and bicarbonate of soda until you have a thick pliable mixture.

3. Divide the mixture into 25 equal balls and shape each one into a teardrop shape. Arrange on the pre-lined baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden and toasted on the outside. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

4. To make the icing, mix the icing sugar and rose syrup until you have a thick, drippy pink icing. Dip the bottom of the cooled macaroons in the icing and then into the chopped pistachios. Sit them back onto a lined baking tray. Allow to set at room temperature for a few hours.

5. Dust with icing sugar and serve.

The macaroons will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for a week. Although I doubt they’ll last that long.

The post Eggless Pistachio-Rose Macaroons appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

Later came various recipes from other parts of India I couldn’t help but experiment with once I got a taste for cooking. Running through it all the while is the amazing food culture of Britain – a diverse mix of true classics like Cornish pasties and Yorkshire puddings, to dishes from international cuisines we’ve somehow adopted. There’s nothing quite like eating Taiwanese Bao in Kings Cross or Vietnamese Summer Rolls in Shoreditch for lunch and going home to true Gujarati daal-bhaat, shaak and rotli, followed by Mombasa-style mogo chips as a cheeky midnight snack.

See, I told you… totally spoilt.

These little packed potatoes are a take on the snacks loved by Asian people all over East Africa. Here, I’ve used British New Potatoes sandwiched together with a spicy chilli, coriander and lemon mixture. They’re deep fried, which is absolutely necessary for this recipe (please don’t try to bake them in the oven as the batter will just fall off).

I’m serving them with my favourite chutney – a blend of coriander, coconut and heaps of lemon, sugar and salt. It will set your taste buds alight, not with heat but sheer joy. Purists, omit the coriander as they do in Kenya but it’s so easy to get hold of here and really takes the flavours to the next level. I really recommend it.

Serve in paper cones or on a sharing platter as I’ve done here. I love food you can put into the middle of the table for everyone to dig in. A cold beer is the perfect pairing but then again, when isn’t it?

Mini Kenya-Style Packed Potatoes with Coconut and Coriander Chutney
Makes 18-20

Ingredients

1.5kg baby new potatoes, skin on, boiled and cooled
Sunflower oil, to deep fry

For the filling:
150g of the boiled potatoes, roughly mashed
100g finely-chopped coriander
1 ½ tbsp red Kashmiri chilli powder
1 large clove garlic
Zest and juice of one lemon
2 tsp salt

For the batter:
100g plain flour
200g chickpea flour
1 tsp coarse semolina
Juice of one lemon
400ml cold sparkling water
¼ tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt

For the coconut and coriander chutney:
150g coriander
4 green chillies
100g unsweetened desiccated coconut
100g Greek yohgurt
Juice and zest for 2 lemons
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar

Method

1. To make the filling, combine all of the ingredients to make a sticky paste. If it doesn’t combine to make a paste, give it a very short pulse in a food processor.

2. Halve each of the cooked and cooled baby new potatoes and sandwich the two pieces together with the paste. Repeat for all of them and place them in the fridge while you make the batter.

3. To make the batter, combine all the dry ingredients and give them a quick whisk to remove any big lumps. Add the sparkling water and whisk to make a smooth batter.

4. Heat the oil in a large, deep pan or wok until it reaches 180C or until a piece of bread turns brown in 60 seconds.

5. Take one of the potatoes, quickly dip it in the batter until it’s coated all over, then very gently place it in the oil. Repeat with a couple more, taking care not to overcrowd the pan as this will bring the temperature of the oil right down.

6. Allow to cook, turning in the oil until golden all over. Drain in a colander lined with paper towels. Repeat for all of the potatoes.

7. To make the chutney, combine the coriander, chillies, lemon juice and zest, salt, sugar and coconut in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add the yoghurt and pulse quickly. Pour into a serving bowl.

8. Serve the packed potatoes alongside the coconut and coriander chutney, lemon wedges and cold beer. If you can get your hands on Tusker, go for that.

Love Sanjana

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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 Karate Kid but with more legumes and fewer spinning leg kicks. “Look for the slimmest aubergines – they contain the fewest seeds”, “Always feel for the firmest okra – they’re the freshest”, “Shake the coconut and listen to hear if there’s water inside – the flesh will be more tender”. 20 years on and I remember these and hundreds more tips every time I pick fresh fruit and veg. I’m talking Russell Crowe in A Beautiful Mind but with zero algebra and loads of brassicas.

My lesson on picking the perfect cauliflower? The florets should be firm, pure white and the leaves enveloped around the cauliflower head. Bonus points for a lack of baby caterpillars.
When I was growing up in Yorkshire, I had incredible fresh ingredients from the local farm shop on my doorstep (not literally. – we lived above a newsagents, not in a field). I didn’t know many other 13 year olds who preferred doing the food shop with mum over heading into town with friends, but that’s okay. Back then I truly believed I was a bit odd. So, as a 27 year old, I wish to give my teenage self some advice…

• Don’t worry about being different to your friends, you’re you and that’s what makes you special.
•  Your obsession with cooking isn’t weird. It’ll help you later in life.
• Don’t be a jerk to your parents, they’re your number 1 fans and love you unconditionally.
• Stop obsessing over what you think makes people ‘pretty’. You’re fine the way you are. One day you’ll find a husband who loves the whole you.
• Your brother isn’t as evil as he seems.
• Friends come and go. Just hold on to the ones you really like 😉
• Mess with your hair as much as you want. Dye it purple and forget what other people say. Your genes are badass.
• Find beauty in everything. It’s there, you just need to look hard enough.
• Keep dancing in your bedroom every night.
• You are not the only person in the world who feels ‘this way’.
• Dedicate your time exploring the things you love. A career will follow if you show people how passionate you are.
• Talent is overrated – work hard and be patient.
• Gently let go of people who bring negativity into your life.
• Be respectful of other people’s time.
• Don’t focus too hard on big aspirations and goals. Pay attention to the smaller ones and bigger things will come.

Before I burst into a crappy rendition of Baz Luhrmann’s Sunscreen Song, I’d better get back to the recipe.

The cauliflower is first broken into small florets, scattered with a combination of turmeric, whole black peppercorns and cracked cardamom pods. After a liberal squeeze of lemon juice and a good rub, it’s roasted in a hot oven until it’s golden and tender. Once it comes out of the oven it’s succulent and smokey, with a wicked texture that’ll flabbergast all your meat-eating friends.

And the sauce? Let me tell you about the sauce. It’s rich, creamy and all kinds of comforting. A base of ground almonds blended with fresh ginger, bay leaves, cinnamon and chilli keep it fresh but with a gentle heat that tricks out the cauliflower and dances the Giddha on your taste buds.

A hailstorm of fresh, summer peas add a welcome sweetness and crunch. Bonus points if you strip the pods and throw those in too. I used to love sitting at the table on a Sunday afternoon chatting with mum, drinking chai and shelling fresh peas. She taught me how you should always remove the inner membrane of the pod if you want to use it in a dish. Once, when I was at university I forgot to do it and my Matar Bhaat left a lot to be desired. The cooked pods were like actual shards of glass. I won’t forget to do it again.

A video posted by SANJANA | K.O RASOI (@sanjanamodha) on Jul 17, 2016 at 4:03am PDT

To make the perfect jeera (cumin) pilau, I usually start with a good-quality Basmati rice, cumin seeds and ghee. As this is a vegan meal, sub it for coconut oil. Actually, even if you’re not vegan, I recommend you try this coconut version – it’s seriously good and will make your house smell sublime too.

The trick to perfect rice is patience. Wash it in cold water for a minute to remove excess starch (I use a fine-holed sieve). Next soak it in cold water to soften the grains – 20 minutes will do. Boil the kettle. Heat the oil or ghee in a large, non-stick pan that has a tight-fitting lid. Add the aromatics. Wait a sec and then add the rice. Make sure it’s well coated. Add double the volume of boiling water and some salt. Bring it to a boil and put the lid on. Turn the heat down very low and after 8 minutes, switch it off. Leave it with the lid on for 15-20 minutes. When you take the lid off you’ll have amazing jeera rice.

Garnish the Vegan ‘Butter’ Cauliflower with a final flourish of chopped coriander and a drizzle of coconut milk for that luscious restaurant-style finish.

Serve with rice and hot chapattis.

Vegan ‘Butter’ Cauliflower and Perfect Jeera Pilau

Ingredients

For the cauliflower:
800g cauliflower, broken into small florets
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
Juice and zest of a lemon
3 whole cardamom pods, lightly crushed
5 whole black peppercorns
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted

For the vegan makhani sauce:
50g coconut oil
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tbsp ground almonds
6 small green chillies
2 tbsp freshly-grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 dried bay leaves
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
400g good-quality passata (sieved tomatoes)
2-3 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
100g coconut cream
Fresh coriander, chopped

You’ll also need: 300g fresh peas, shelled with the pod membranes removed (take a look at my instructions and Instagram video above if you don’t know what I’m talking about).

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.

2. Place the cauliflower in a large roasting tray. In a bowl, combine the coconut oil, turmeric, black peppercorns, crushed cardamom pods, salt, lemon juice and zest. Drizzle the mixture over the cauliflower and use your clean hands to give it a good rub.

3. Roast the cauliflower for 25 minutes.

4. In the meantime, make the sauce. Heat the coconut oil in a large, heavy based non-stick pan. Add the cinnamon, green chillies, garlic, ginger, ground almonds and bay leaves. Sauté for a minute.

5. Next, add the passata, turmeric, ground coriander, salt and sugar. Bring to the boil. Put the lid on and allow to simmer on a low heat for 15 minutes.

6. Take the cauliflower out of the oven.

7. Remove the lid from the sauce pan and stir. Remove the peppercorns and cardamom pods from the cauliflower and add it to the simmered sauce.

8. Place the sauce in a blender along with the coconut cream and blitz for a minute or two until it’s silky smooth.

9. Return the sauce to the pan and add in the peas and cauliflower. Stir and place the lid back on. Simmer on a low heat for 10 minutes. Check the seasoning, adding more salt if needed. Ladle into a big serving bowl. Garnish with chopped coriander and a drizzle of coconut milk.

Serve with jeera pilau and chapattis.

Perfect Jeera Pilau

Ingredients

185g good-quality Basmati rice (I use Golden Sela)
470g boiling water
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp cumin seeds
8-10 fresh curry leaves
2-3 whole cloves

Method

1. Wash the rice with cold water in a fine-holed sieve for a minute.

2. Soak the rice in cold water for 20-30 minutes.

3. Heat the oil in a large, non-stick pan with a tight-fitting lid. Add the cumin seeds, cloves and curry leaves. Sauté for a moment. They will snap and crackle.

4. Drain the rice and add it to the pan. Stir gently to coat all the grains.

5. Add the boiling water and bring the pan to the boil. Put the lid on and turn the heat right down. Simmer for 8 minutes.

6. After 8 minutes, switch the heat off and leave the rice to stand, undisturbed for 20 minutes.

7. Remove the lid and marvel at your perfect rice. All that’s left to do is fluff up the grains with a fork, serve and demolish.

Love Sanjana

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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 a winner. It seals the deal if what’s on the stick is smothered in a charred tandoori paste, restaurant style.

Here’s my take on a British-‘Indian’ dish. It’s loaded with homemade tandoori spices, garlic, lemon, ground almonds and coconut cream. The best thing about it is that it’s 100% vegan.

How to make Tandoori Tofu Tikka Masala

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know it’s not an “authentic Indian recipe” and have heard far too many times, “Ask any Indian what tikka masala is and they won’t know.”. Wrong. It’s delicious and you must try it.

What type of tofu is best for Tandoori Tofu Tikka Masala?

I’ve been obsessed with tofu puffs for as long as I can remember. I like to think of them as sailboats for any sauce or spice you add. They soak in flavours like there’s no tomorrow and you don’t have to marinate them for hours.

Tofu puffs are pre-fried tofu cubes you can find in your local Chinese supermarket. If you can’t get these, substitute them for firm tofu. Drain it and pan fry it until golden.

How to cook with tofu puffs

A lot of the time, we make our weeknight stir fries in a matter of minutes and thanks to these spongy little fellas, they’re filling and seriously flavoursome.

In this recipe, tofu puffs the perfect carriers for my homemade tandoori paste and creamy vegan tikka masala sauce.

If you like a mild curry that still packs a punch in terms of being aromatic, this one’s for you.

How to make Tofu Tikka Masala

As compromised as I feel for not owning my own tandoor (I keep telling myself it will happen one day), this works just as well in the oven. Whack the temperature up as high as it goes and cook your skewers for about 8-10 minutes or until slightly they carry a slight char.

It’s also worth noting that while it’s not exactly traditional to add tomato puree to a tandoori masala paste, I do. However, if you don’t like tomatoes, go ahead and add some red food colouring. This is your dish.

What if I don’t have tofu?

If you can’t get tofu puffs (I get mine from our local Chinese supermarket), try this with regular firm tofu, cauliflower florets, baby potatoes, paneer, mushrooms, idli pieces or anything else that will hold its own on a skewer.

If you still want to use tofu but can’t get the puffed kind, try using firm tofu, weighted and pressed for a few hours to remove excess water, cubed and lightly pan-fried. I’m afraid that medium or silken tofu won’t cut it on the kebab skewer for this recipe.

What kind of skewers should I use?

I use flat metal kebab skewers. They get really hot so be careful if you’re using them too. If you only have bamboo skewers, soak them in cold water for an hour to ensure they don’t burn in the oven.

How to serve Tandoori Tofu Tikka Masala

Finally, serve with flaky paratha, rice and lime wedges. It’s also delicious with garlic and coriander naan.

Tofu Tikka Masala recipe

Print

Tandoori Tofu Tikka Masala (Vegan)

In my book, anything served on a stick is a winner. It seals the deal if what’s on the stick is smothered in a charred tandoori paste, restaurant style. Here’s my take on a British-‘Indian’ dish. It’s loaded with homemade tandoori spices, garlic, lemon, ground almonds and coconut cream. The best thing about it is that it’s 100% vegan. That’s got to get me extra brownie points, right?

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword curry, north indian, tandoori, tofu, vegan

Prep Time 35 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

• 300 g tofu puffs (I get mine from my local Chinese supermarket)
• Fresh coriander chopped, to garnish
• Lime or lemon wedges to garnish
• Paratha or naan to serve
• Basmati rice to serve

For the homemade tandoori paste:

• 1 tsp whole coriander seeds
• 6 black peppercorns
• 2 dried red chillies or fresh if you like
• 2 inch stick cinnamon
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 star anise
• 4 cloves
• Seeds of 4 green cardamom pods
• 1 black cardamom optional
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tbsp concentrated tomato puree
• 2 tbsp coconut cream
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

For the sauce:

• 1 tbsp oil
• 4 cloves fresh garlic chopped
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 3 red chillies chopped (or to taste)
• 1 tbsp concentrated tomato puree
• 400 g passata
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tbsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 2 tbsp ground almonds
• 2 tsp ground green cardamom seeds
• 2 tsp ground fennel seeds
• 400 ml coconut milk
• 1 tsp kasoori methi optional
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• Salt to taste

Instructions

• To make the tandoori paste, heat a dry frying pan until hot. Add all the spices apart from the coconut cream, lemon juice, salt and concentrated tomato puree. Toast until aromatic, a couple of minutes but don’t leave it unattended because it can burn very easily.
• Place all the spices in a high-powered blender or coffee grinder. I use my NutriBullet. Once ground to a fine powder, stir in the lemon juice, coconut cream, tomato puree and salt.
• Add the tofu puffs to the paste and give them a good mix, taking care not to break the tofu pieces up. Set aside while you make the vegan tikka masala sauce.
• Pre-heat the oven to 200°C.
• To make the vegan tikka masala sauce, heat the oil in a medium, non-stick pan. Add the garlic, ginger and chillies. Sauté for a few moments before adding the concentrated tomato puree. Cook for 5 minutes on a medium heat, stirring all the time. Add the passata, followed by the rest of the ingredients. Give it a good whisk, cover and cook on a low heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring often.
• Lightly grease a non-stick oven tray. Skewer the tofu pieces onto your kebab sticks. Arrange on the baking tray and pop into the oven for 8-10 minutes, turning them halfway to ensure even browning. Remove from the oven.
• Serve immediately, bringing the kebabs and sauce to the table, letting everyone mix their own sauce and tofu pieces for a bit of fun and drama. Garnish with chopped coriander, lime or lemon wedges and extra coconut cream. Serve with jalebi paratha or garlic and coriander naan and rice.

Pin it for later!

If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Kadai Tofu & Vegetables

Love Sanjana

The post Tandoori Tofu Tikka Masala appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

Stuffed with rich coconut, pistachios and paneer before being baked in a tomato masala containing no fewer than eleven incredible spices (important: in small amounts) to create a beautifully balanced, aromatic aubergine experience.

You’ve probably worked out by now that I’m a total aubergine fiend, always thinking about where my next fix is coming from. Whether it’s Slow Cooker Aubergine Makhani or the love of my life, Burnt Aubergine and Spinach Curry, I’m obsessed.

Kolhapuri Vegetables and Kolhapuri Chicken are popular dishes from, you guessed it, Kolhapur, Maharashtra in India. These curries are notoriously spicy and almost always contain a killer combo of crimson Kashmiri chillies, black pepper and poppy seeds.

I’ve played about with the masala recipe to come up with my own blend, which I think lends the ultimate kick to vegetarian dishes. Meat eaters won’t even complain. The masala recipe makes double the amount you’ll need for this recipe but I like to keep some in an airtight container in the fridge for later. It’s amazing sprinkled into pasta sauce, over crispy fries and in spicy soups.

If you don’t have baby aubergines, you can omit the stuffing part and roast regular, cubed aubergines before adding to the sauce and simmering for 20 minutes. The sauce base is also delicious with regular white chickpeas (serve with Masala Poori), potatoes or mixed mushrooms and sweetcorn.

Be creative and play around with it until you find your favourite combinations. This one is mine.

Stuffed and Baked Baby Kolhapuri Aubergines
(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients

16 long baby aubergines, washed and dried

For the Kolhapuri masala:

3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp unsweetened desiccated coconut
2 tsp red Kashmiri chilli powder
2 tbsp white poppy seeds or sesame seeds
4 curry leaves
1 tbsp fennel seeds
½ tsp nigella seeds
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp ground coriander seeds
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp salt

For the Pistachio and Coconut filling:

100g unsweetened desiccated coconut
30g unsalted pistachios
100g paneer, grated (replace with an additional 70g unsweetened desiccated coconut and 30g unsalted pistachios if vegan)
1 tsp amchur (dried mango powder)
1 tsp white pepper
¼ tsp salt

For the Sauce:

2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 large onions, finely sliced
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
4 tbsp Kolhapuri masala
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp brown sugar

400ml water

Fresh coriander and sliced red chillies, to garnish
Paratha and optional plain yoghurt to serve

Method

1. Begin by making the filling. Toast the pistachios and desiccated coconut in a dry non-stick pan until golden and aromatic. Transfer to a food processor and pulse to a crumb-like texture. Transfer to a bowl and add the grated paneer, amchur, white pepper and salt. Stir to combine well. Set aside.

2. To make the Kolhapuri masala, blend all of the ingredients together in a coffee grinder or food processor until fine. Set aside. This will make twice as much masala as you’ll need for this recipe but I love to stash it away in the fridge in a sealed container to sprinkle over fries (guilty pleasure alert!)

3. Next, make the sauce. Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan and add the sliced onions. Allow to soften, about 8 minutes. Don’t let them get too brown. Add the tomatoes, 4 tablespoons of Kolhapuri masala, water, salt and sugar. Stir and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook on a low heat for 20-30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, slit the aubergines lengthways not slicing all the way through. Stuff each aubergine with the pistachio and coconut masala.

5. Make yourself a cup of tea and pre-heat the oven to 190C.

6. Take four cast iron skillets or any deep, large baking dish and pour in the sauce. Arrange the aubergines on top of the sauce and bake for 60 minutes until the aubgerines are tender all the way through.

7. Serve with flaky paratha, a bowl of cold natural yoghurt and nothing more.

Love Sanjana

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