Category: Indian

Vegetarian mince kofta in turmeric yoghurt sauce

naturalhealthconsciousliving3 Comments

Indian food well + truly has my heart. The spices. The deep, rich flavours. The aroma when cooking… all engulf my senses. That is why I simply had to visit there in 2015. It was a deeply profound spiritual experience. Connecting with past lives, meditation, rituals, ceremony + undertaking panchakarma (a mind, body + consciousness detoxification/cleanse/rejuvenation – restoring balance + strengthening immunity).

This dish is not only nutritious, but has gut healing properties as well.

It serves 4, but double it up for a dinner party.

ingredients

turmeric yoghurt sauce
375ml thick plain yoghurt
4 tbsp chickpea flour
500ml water *additional if required
1 tbsp oil
2 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 brown onion finely chopped *I blitz in the mini chopper
3 garlic cloves *minced
1 tbsp indian curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp chilli powder
sea salt
black pepper

kofta
1 small brown onion
1cm piece of ginger
2 garlic cloves
small handful coriander leaves
400g plant based mince
2 tbsp thick natural yoghurt
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp chilli powder
sea salt
black pepper
2 tbsp oil
chilli flakes

Make the turmeric yogurt sauce. In a large bowl, whisk together the yoghurt, chickpea flour and 500ml water until smooth. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a deep frying pan over a medium heat. Add the mustard + cumin seeds. Fry until they begin to pop.

Add the onion and fry until translucent.

Add the garlic, then curry powder, turmeric, ground cumin + chilli powder. Stir until the spices release their aroma (around 1 min).

Add the yoghurt mixture, stir well. When the sauce comes to the boil, turn low and simmer for 15 mins. Turn off + leave on the cooktop.

For the kofta,blitz the onion, ginger, garlic + coriander in a mini chopper until it has a paste consistency. Place in a bowl + add the plant based mince. Add the plain yoghurt. Add all of the spices, sea salt + pepper and mix by hand until throughly combined. Place in the fridge for a couple of hours to allow the mixture to firm up (so its easier to handle).

Roll small balls with the mince and place on a plate.

Heat the oil in a deep frypan on a medium – high heat. Add the meatballs and fry. Gently shake the pan to brown on all sides (flipping them may cause them to break). Drain on paper towel.

Gently reheat the yoghurt sauce. Add a little water if it is too thick.

Place the kofta in the sauce and serve 4 or so with steamed rice. Sprinkle with chilli flakes + fresh coriander leaves.

Enjoy loves,

Kristy x

 

TAJ MAHAL
Taj Mahal – Agra, India

Keema with peas + Kachumber Salad (Vegetarian)

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A little spicy Indian inspired meal, this one. It’s probably not super traditional – but it’s my take on it!

Keema is ground or minced meat – with a curry flavour. Here, obviously my version is vegetarian – where I use a plant based mince. It can be made in one pan, in as little as 15 minutes.

You can get your Keema cooking, whilst you prepare the salad.

Perfect for four x

Keema

400g plant based mince
1 peeled brown onion
1 heaped tbsp ghee
1 inch long piece of ginger
4 garlic cloves
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cup water
1/2 cup fresh peas

to serve

steamed white rice
natural yoghurt
fresh sliced chillies, or chilli flakes
fresh coriander leaves
lime wedges
gf flat breads

method

Place your onion, ginger and garlic cloves in a mini chopper. Pulse until very fine (this is so you don’t have large chunks of onion in your mince).

Heat the ghee in a deep based frypan over a medium – high heat. Add the onion mixture to the frypan. Sauté until translucent. Add your mince and cook until there is no moisture. Add the ground spices, stir and cook for a further minute. Add the water and stir. Turn down to low – medium heat, over and allow the mince to continue to cook until all the water is evaporated.

Add the peas and stir through.

Serve on steamed rice with a dollop of yoghurt, scatter with chilli and coriander leaves. Squeeze fresh lime on top.

KACHUMBER SALAD

Kachumber Salad

1 small cos lettuce
1/4 red onion sliced thinly
1 lebanese cucumber *cut into rounds
400g organic chickpeas *drained
3 tomatoes chopped
fresh coriander leaves
8 fresh mint leaves
1 lime juice
evoo
2 tsp toasted cumin seeds
sea salt
chill flakes

method

Wash + cut your lettuce into bit sized pieces. Add to a large bowl. Throw in the sliced onion, cucumber, chickpeas and tomatoes. Mix through.

Add the juice of a lime + a good drizzle of evoo. Season with sea salt and chilli flakes. Throw in the toasted cumin seeds.

Slice the mint finely and add to the salad. Add the coriander leaves. Mix through.

Serve alongside the keema, rice + flat bread.

Kitchari

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Cooking with Ayurveda…

Last year when I went to India, I undertook panchakarma (a cleansing/detoxification treatment of Ayurvedic nature, for body, mind & consciousness)… in an ashram, just outside of New Delhi. We basically lived on this for 7 days. Morning, noon and night.

Nourishing, cleansing and gentle on the digestive system…Kitchari is renown for its healing and detoxifying properties. Made of yellow moong dahl, basmati, ghee and digestive Indian spices. Kitchari is prescribed for it’s qualities in “re-setting” the system.

It’s the Indian’s answer to chicken soup!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup basmati rice (soaked for at least 2 hours, re-washed & drained)
1 cup yellow moong dahl (soaked for at least 2 hours, re-washed & drained)
3 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp indian curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 finely sliced onion
1 tsp grated (creamed) ginger
4 whole green chillies
sea salt
black pepper
ghee

sliced green onions
fresh coriander leaves

Place all of the spices in a deep saucepan with 1 tbsp ghee. Sauté until the seeds begin to pop and release their aroma. Add the diced onion, creamed ginger and whole green chillies. Stir over a medium heat.

When the onions become translucent, add the washed moong dahl and basmati rice. Stir until coated.

Add 2 tsp sea salt to the pan and 6 cups water. Place the lid on, bring to the boil and then simmer for around 45 mins – 1 hour.

During the cooking process, continue to add a little extra boiled water to the Kitchari if the mixture becomes too thick. Taste, add additional salt and black pepper to suit your taste.

When ready, the Kitchari should resemble a porridge consistency…the dahl and rice, soft.

Serve in a bowl with a teaspoon of ghee on top. Scatter the green onions + fresh coriander.