Mango Soup

Rice, Spice and Everything Nice Mango Soup Pictorials

2010-04-13T21:45:00.002+01:00

You can check out some pictorials of two recipes from the book, Tomato Rice and Khandvi, on my main blog Rice, Spice and Everything Nice.

Check it out here.

Vegan Society Review

2010-03-27T07:57:00.001Z

There is a wonderful review of Mango Soup in the spring issue of The Vegan Society Magazine, on page 34. You can buy the magazine in health food shops.

Vegetarian Society Magazine Review

2010-03-13T18:44:00.002Z

Mango Soup has been reviewed in this quarter's Vegetarian Society Magazine! Grab a copy now to check out the review, and don't forget to tell any friends or family who might be interested to take a look too.

Vegan Family Review

2010-01-11T18:22:00.001Z

The guys at veganfamily.co.uk have written a lovely review of Mango Soup on their books page. You can check it out here.

Mango Soup in the Evening Post!

2009-10-29T17:42:00.001Z

Mark Taylor, food writer for the Bristol Evening Post, has written a lovely article about "Mango Soup" in today's copy of the paper, in the "Crackerjack" section. If you haven't managed to get a copy, check it out online: http://crackerjack.co.uk/bristol/restaurant-news/untitled-8

I'm Going To Be In The Evening Post!

2009-10-27T07:41:00.002Z

If you live in the Bristol area, please buy The Evening Post this Thursday, as there is going to be a feature on "Mango Soup" in the Crackerjack pullout section. I did the interview last Friday, and a photographer came yesterday to take lots of snaps of me and some food from the book. He also got to taste quite a bit, and I think he enjoyed himself!

So, tell all your friends and family to get a copy on Thursday and have a look for me.

Buying Mango Soup

2009-10-18T17:28:00.003+01:00

Just a little update to remind people about the different ways of buying Mango Soup. I highly recommend that you buy Mango Soup in one of two ways:

1. If you live in the UK, drop me an email using the button at the very top of the menu bar on the right. You can pay me by paypal, or by sending me a cheque. By paypal, including p&p, the price is £29, which is 50p cheaper than buying through AuthorHouse, and also you will receive the book much quicker. If you'd like to post me a cheque, it will only cost £28. The reason for the price difference is that paypal takes a £1 off the money I receive. I can also sign books bought directly from me with the personal message of your choice!

2. If you live outside of the UK, you can buy the book from the AuthorHouse website. Currently that costs £29.50, including p&p. Please note that when you buy a book from AuthorHouse, it is printed and then shipped to you. This means that it takes 2-3 weeks to get to you. That is part of the reason why it is better, if you live in the UK, to order it directly from me.

Although my book is available on Amazon and various other sites, the prices are much higher. I aplogise for this - the publishing company set the price and I cannot change it. Then on top of this, retailers other than AuthorHouse raise the price even more. Please feel free to leave your comments about the book on the Amazon website though, as this will help others decide whether they want to buy the book or not.

So, that's a quick run down about where to buy the book from. Happy Diwali everyone, and please tell all your friends about Mango Soup!

Sour Aubergine

2009-10-13T20:26:00.005+01:00

I have tried to cut down on the large amounts of oil or ghee that are often found in aubergine dishes by grilling the aubergine.

Here are the aubergine cubes halfway through the grilling process.

Spice seeds are popped in oil and onion is added and fried.

The grilled aubergine cubes are added along with some ground spices and everything is cooked until tender.

A final addition of amchoor gives the aubergine a wonderful sour flavour, without adding liquid to what should end up as a dry dish.

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Carrots in Sesame Sauce

2009-10-03T07:32:00.007+01:00

This vegetable dish can be the main event at a meal, thanks to its nutty and delicious sesame sauce. The sauce makes the dish very nutritious, especially for vegans!

It contains a lot of sesame seeds! After toasting, this are ground to a thin sauce with water.

Spices and onions are fried up.

Then carrots are then added. I cut the carrots into fingers, as this both attractive and practical in terms of thoroughly coating them in the sauce.

When the carrots are partly cooked, the sesame sauce is added and the mixture is cooked until the carrots are tender and the sauce has thickened. You can thin it down with a little water if necessary, as the sauce is not supposed to be too thick. A splash of lemon juice in the finished dish adds a necessary kick to alleviate some of the richness.

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Idlis

2009-09-30T17:07:00.009+01:00

Idlis are steamed cakes of rice and dal. The rice and dal are soaked, ground to a paste and left to ferment. Then they are put into idli moulds and steamed. This isn't a quick fix dish, but it is delicious and worth your time!

I make my idlis a little unconventially. First of all, I use brown rice. I do this because I like the flavour, and also I try to eat wholegrains whenever possible. Secondly, I use a slightly unconvential ratio of rice to dal. All the idli experts I have come across say the best ratio is 1:3 dal to rice. I use 1:2, because I like the nutritional profile this gives, and the flavour. You can find out more about my method in the book. Please note, you can use white rice if you prefer.

Here is the rice and dal soaking.

They are ground separately, as two different textures are required.

Then the batter is left to ferment. I cover the bowl with a damp cloth so that the top layer of batter does not dry out.

Here is the fermented batter, full of bubbles and expanded dramatically in size. It took me about 36 hours to do this - that's cold old England for you! In a warmer country it might only have taken 12.

I have a tree of idli moulds that makes 12 idlis. You have to spoon the batter into the moulds carefully, so as not to knock the air out of it. Don't fill them too much, as they will expand as they cook.

I put my idli tree into my pressure cooker to steam, as it is the only pan big enough.

After 20 minutes, the idlis are done.

And here are 12 idlis, all ready to eat.

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Channa Dal with Spinach

2009-09-28T16:35:00.005+01:00

In these pictures, I am actually showing the variation on Channa Dal with Spinach from the book. Mango Soup contains many variations and ideas for further dishes along the same lines, as I think this is useful way of beginning to adapt ingredients and make your own recipes.

I cooked the channa dal, and when it was tender I added spinach.

A tarka of whole spices and onion is fried up.

It is added to the dal and spinach, along with a few other seasonings to give the a slight sweet and sour tang. Finally, some fresh herbs finish the dish. Simple, easy and delicious.

Just a quick reminder to readers that although I have listed the Amazon links in the "Buy the Book" section on the left hand bar, I reccomend that you actually buy Mango Soup from the AuthorHouse website, as it is cheaper. If you live in the UK, you can save even more money by buying the book directly from me. To do so, please email me by clicking the link at the very top of the left hand menu.

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Good News For UK Buyers

2009-09-25T19:42:00.004+01:00

If you live in the UK and are interested in buying "Mango Soup", you will be pleased to know that you can save £1.50 by ordering directly from me.

From AuthorHouse, the book is £23.50, but with post and packaging added on it comes to around £29.50. However, since I get a discount when I buy the books in bulk, I can sell it to you for £28.00.

So, if you live in the UK and would like to buy "Mango Soup", drop me an email using the link in the sidebar to the right. And as a special treat, I'll sign the first 50 copies that are ordered.

My Book is Available to View in Bristol Sweetmart!

2009-09-23T16:24:00.003+01:00

Yesterday, I received a big consignment of books from AuthorHouse, so I am getting stuck in straight away and beginning promotion.

My favourite shop in the whole of Bristol, where I buy all my Indian ingredients (and some Caribbean and Middle Eastern ones too) is Bristol Sweetmart, and I just happened to be chatting to the manager in there one day (as regular shoppers, he recognises us by now!) when I mentioned my book, and he said that I could bring a copy in to put up on display.

Well, as I said, my books arrived yesterday and today I made a beeline for the Sweetmart (I needed some ingredients anyway!) to give him a copy. I am going to make a poster too, so the book is not up on display just yet, but it will be by next week. So, if you live in the Bristol area, or are visiting, and would like to have a look at "Mango Soup", get yourself over to Bristol Sweetmart, on St Marks Road. And while you are there, you can do some shopping and try out their yummy deli counter too!

By the way, the Sweetmart are currently in the middle of making a new website to go with their lovely new deli counter, so at the moment their current website is rather out of date! Please take a look though, especially if you need help finding them: http://www.sweetmart.co.uk/

Peas and Paneer

2009-09-21T15:27:00.008+01:00

As promised, here is a pictorial for making Peas and Paneer, known in Hindi as mattar paneer. If you are vegan, you can use tofu, for a different but pleasant alternative.

My version of this well known dish involves making a wet masala first. Here it is, all whizzed up by an immersion blender.

I fry up some dry spices in ghee (you can use oil), then add the wet masala and cook until it is a thick paste.

Meanwhile, I brown the paneer cubes under the grill. This is a lowfat way of giving them a nice golden crust.

Tomatoes are added to the paste and cooked down. Then peas go in and cook, and finally the paneer.

Some fresh herbs finish the dish off wonderfully. Sorry about this picture, it didn't come out very well! I hope you get the idea though.

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Fresh Paneer

2009-09-20T08:37:00.013+01:00

Fresh paneer is one of the most satisfying and delicious things you can make at home. What's more, it's very easy. In my book I give this recipe for paneer, and also suggest tofu as a substitute for vegans. It's definitely not the same, but it does allow vegans to make paneer dishes with something that looks very similar.

I will note here that I have always made paneer by curdling milk with lemon juice. However, I have recently learned that curdling with yoghurt is an even better method. It results in a better taste and texture and increase the yeild of curds, as the yoghurt also separtes into curds. In this pictorial I will be showing the lemon juice method, as this is the one given in "Mango Soup".

First I put 2 litres of whole milk in a large pan and brought it to the boil, stirring occasionally to make sure it didn't stick and burn. Whole milk works better than semi-skimmed milk because the cheese turns out less crumbly and dry, and I definitely would never use skimmed milk!

When it came to a foaming boil, I added some freshly squeezed lemon juice. It's best to start with a couple of tablespoons and then add a little more if necessary, as adding too much lemon juice spoils the flavour.

I removed the pan from the heat and stirred gently in one direction till the curds separated. If this doesn't happen, place the pan back on the heat and add a little more lemon juice.

Once the curds have separated out, I left them in the pan to sit undisturbed for a few minutes.

Next I lined a colander with a clean cloth (I usually use muslin, but I was all out) and tipped the whey and cheese into it. You can do this over the sink or into a bowl so that you can use the whey for other things. Whey is excellent for using instead of water to enrich many dishes, from chapatis to soups.

I gently rinsed the curds (whilst still wrapped in the cloth) under lukewarm water. Then I squeezed out the excess water.

Here is a picture of the curds. They are soft and slightly crumbly. At this stage you could use them in stir-frys, or make a scrambled egg-like dish. The curds are called chenna (often spelt chhena) at this stage.

I wanted to make firmer cheese, paneer, so I pressed the curds to get rid of all the excess water and compact the cheese into a solid mass. I use a steaming insert with holes in it over a plate-bowl and press down on the chees with a pan full of water placed on top of a plate. You can use any method that presses down on the cheese and allows the water to drain out. My method makes a round cheese, but a square or a rectangle is more common. It doesn't really matter. Just remember that the longer you press the cheese, the firmer it gets.

Here is the finished cheese. It may not look as smooth and perfect as commercial paneer (which can be tricky to find outside of India), but I promise you it tastes ten times better. You can slice it and use it in salads or make any number of cooked dishes with it.

I made mattar paneer, which means peas and cheese. I will put up a pictorial for that tomorrow, but in the meantime, here's a picture of the diced cubes of paneer all ready for cooking with.

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Cauliflower Masoor Dal

2009-09-18T11:47:00.010+01:00

During the week, when I am not at college, I often make just enough dal for two people. That means that I can have dal for lunch, and my Dad can have it for breakfast the next day. It's as simple as halving all the ingredients, although I don't exactly halve the spices, and I didn't halve the cauliflower in this case, as I had a cauliflower in the fridge that I wanted to use up.

First I cooked the dal with some spices till tender.

Then I fried some spices in ghee.

When the spices popped, I added onion and fresh seasonings.

When the onion was soft, I added the cauliflower and some ground spices. I fried this for a few minutes.

Then I added the cauliflower to the dal, and cooked it till the cauliflower was tender.

A final sprinkling of lemon juice and fresh herbs and the dal was ready.

And here's a lovely big bowl for my Dad's breakfast!

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

My Marketing Kit Arrived

2009-09-17T14:56:00.003+01:00

I forgot to mention that my Marketing Kit arrived last week. It consists of 100 postcards, 100 business cards and 100 bookmarks. Each has a lovely picture on the front, and a blurb about my book on the blank. It also tells you that you can buy the book from AuthorHouse's website, and has this blog address on it. Hopefully that will help people find my book online.

Here's a closer picture of the front of one of the postcards. Doesn't it look lovely? I can't get over how shiny and professional they all look. It's official, I have published a book!

Spicy Butternut Squash and Coconut

2009-09-17T14:43:00.006+01:00

Yesterday I grated some fresh coconut, and I decided to use some of it for supper. I had a couple of lovely butternut squashes lying around, so I settled on this dish. With the natural sweetness of the squash and coconut, and the nuttiness of the seeds and dal in the tarka, it's a really delicious vegetable to serve as a side dish. I ate it with some spicy greens and cauliflower and some chapatis, buy my parents paired it with some pasta! So you can see, it's very versatile.

Here are the main ingredients, the butternut squash and coconut. When shopping for butternut squash, I try to go for quite dark looking ones, as they often seem to have brighter orange flesh, which in turn tends to be more flavoursome.

I heated up some ghee in a pan and popped some spice seeds and dal in it.

Then the butternut squash went in, along with some ground spices and seasonings. I added a little water, brought the pan to a simmer, covered it and cooked until the butternut squash was tender. This dish is supposed to be quite dry, so be careful not to add too much water.

I mashed some of the squash to make a very thick sauce, but left most of it whole. Finally I added the fresh coconut.

As I mentioned above, this dish pairs with many different dishes and cuisines, so why not try serving it with a non-Indian meal? It also tastes delicious cold, so you could stuff pancakes, wraps or pitas with it and put it in your lunchbox.

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

I Have Ordered Some Books

2009-09-13T09:07:00.003+01:00

Finally, after spending ages trying to get in contact with someone from AuthorHouse (I think lots of people were on holiday!) I managed to order some books this week. I've ordered 80, and got 8 free. This should be plenty for promotion and selling to friends and family!

I'm not sure how long they take to arrive, but I can't wait because I'm desperate to get on and do some promotion. I've got a few local publications in mind, and I might even try a few more well known media outlets. Be sure to check this blog to see where and when I may be doing publicity.

Pomegranate Yoghurt Rice

2009-09-13T08:54:00.008+01:00

This dish makes an excellent lunchbox meal as it is served at room temperature. You can also chill it for a refreshing salad on a hot day.

First the rice is cooked and allowed to cool a little. I use brown basmati rice, but you may use any rice you like, including white if you prefer.

In a serving dish, the yoghurt is combined with herbs, spices and seasonings.

When the rice is just slightly warm, it is mixed in with the yoghurt. I like to slightly mash the rice to give it a soft, creamy texture.

Oil is heated in a pan for the tarka, and spices are popped in it. Curry leaves are added and fried for a few seconds.

The spices are mixed in with the yoghurt rice.

Finally, the seeds of one pomegranate are mixed in. If you are in a rush, you can serve it straight away, but I like to leave it to marinade for half an hour to allow all the seasonings to infuse the rice.

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Panch Dal

2009-09-07T18:55:00.008+01:00

Different kinds of dal have their own taste and texture, but when you combine more than one you can get an entirely new flavour and eating experience. Panch is hindi for five, and this dal contains five different kinds of dal. However, it's still really easy to cook.

First of all the different dals are cooked along with various other seasonings until tender and broken down. Because there are different dals, some of them will break down more than others, and this gives a nice texture variation.

When all the different dals are tender, green beans are added, along with some more spices. The dal continues to cook until the beans are tender.

The tarka for this dal involves frying whole spices and onion.

After that tomatoes are also fried.

Finally the tarka is added to the dal. This is a really nutritious dish, with a wonderful flavour. It's also perfect for when you want to try out something different with all the dals you have in your cupboard!

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Pilau Rice with Broccoli

2009-09-04T17:01:00.008+01:00

Ever since I was very young, I remember eating my Dad's pilau rice. Always yellow, always with raisins and whole spices, and often with broccoli in it. It's such a simple, elagent accompaniment, that I still make my own version of it now. It's really easy to put together, and I've got a special way of making it so that the broccoli is perfectly cooked and the rice grains don't break up.

First I cook some basmati rice, frying it with some spices and raisins and then steaming it gently. I allow it to cool a little so that the grains firm up.

Next I fry up some onions with some more spices.

Then I add the broccoli and stir and fry, with a little water added if necessary to cook it until just tender. This allows me to control exactly how soft the broccoli gets, instead of just throwing it in whilst the rice is cooking and hoping.

Finally I add the cooked rice and fold the mixture gently so that everything is well combined and heated through.

Serve it in a simple yet attractive dish, and you have a beautiful rice dish to transform a normal meal into something special.

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

My Book is Now on Amazon!

2009-09-02T15:06:00.002+01:00

Had a quick look on Amazon this morning, and was delighted to find my book! On the UK website it is currently on available used and new, but that's what I expected as I was warned it would not be on there properly for about 30-45 days.

However, on the US website it's available to buy straight from Amazon. It's very exciting to see that my book can be bought from my favourite online store! It's rather expensive though, nearly double the AuthorHouse price, so I urge people who are interested in buying it to go straight to the AuthorHouse website.

Here's the Amazon UK page for "Mango Soup" - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mango-Soup-Delicious-Nutritious-Vegetarian/dp/1434349799/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251900781&sr=8-2

Here's the Amazon Us page - http://www.amazon.com/Mango-Soup-Delicious-Nutritious-Vegetarian/dp/1434349799/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251900423&sr=8-1

And here's the AuthorHouse bookshop page - http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Yoghurt Soup with Many Vegetables

2009-09-02T14:36:00.007+01:00

In my opinion, one of the greatest comfort food comvinations is bowl of karhi with some khichari on the side. Karhi is a sort of "yoghurt soup", using gram flour to prevent the yoghurt from curdling when it is heated. It can be very thin and slightly sweet, or thicker with a sourer flavour. It can also contain many different delicacies - steamed or fried dumplings, tender chickpeas, hand rolled pasta, poppadom noodles, the list goes on. Personally, I like karhi filled with lots of fresh vegetables. I eat it with khichari, plain rice or even rice noodles. Recently I discovered that it is also very good over boiled new potatoes!

Here is the yoghurt-gram flour-water mixture in a bowl. Gram flour forms lumps very easily, so it's important to add the yoghurt and water slowly, mixing well. There is also turmeric and jaggery in this mixture.

I pop some dried spices in oil in a pan, and then add some fresh spices and herbs and fry for a few moments.

Next the vegetables go in, along with the yoghurt mixture. You can use a variety of different vegetables in karhi, but I always make sure I add at least some mooli, because I think it really goes with well the yoghurt taste. The pan is bought to a simmer over a medium heat, stirring to prevent any sticking.

Then it cooks till the vegetables are tender. During this time, the mixture thickens and you may want to add it some water to thin it to the texture you desire. It depends what you are serving it with - thick or thin, it still tastes good. Now go on, try spooning some karhi into a bowl of rice noodles. It may not be an orthodox combination, but it really is delicious!

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Sesame Beetroot

2009-08-29T10:34:00.000+01:00

This is a really simple side dish which is quick to prepare but adds a good amount of nutrients and colour to a meal. The nuttiness of the sesame seeds goes really well with the earthy sweetness of the beetroot. Think of it as part relish, part vegetable, part salad.

First, spices and sesame seeds are popped in hot oil. This gives the sesames a toasted flavour that is really addictive.

Then lots of grated beetroot is added. I only made just over half the recipe - the original makes a big bowl! The beetroot is only cooked very briefly - just enough to make it a little more tender.

Then it's transferred to a bowl, ready to serve. You can serve it hot from the pan, warm, room temperature or chilled. It's a great lunchbox dish.

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

I Have a Copy of My Book!

2009-08-28T16:15:00.005+01:00

This afternoon I received my copy of "Mango Soup", and it looks fantastic! It's so shiny and book-like, I can't believe it! Anyway, enough gushing, on with more pictures (modelling by my Mum!):

This shot is to try and show you how big it is. It's a pretty hefty book. A quick, rough count put it at 190 recipes, not including variations or spice powders. I like to think that when you buy this book, you are getting a decent amount of recipes, plus some lovely photos.

Here's a shot of inside the book - no peeking at the recipes guys! The book is large enough for the writing to be nice and readable. Every picture has it's own page. The food photography shots are my Dad's, and the photos of India are mine.

I think it looks gorgeous, but then I am horribly biased. If you've enjoyed the pictorials of various recipes that I've posted on this blog, the chances are you'll probably enjoy the book. So please go to the AuthorHouse website and buy a copy, and tell anyone you know who might like it to get one too! Here's the link: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Steamed Rice and Coconut Balls

2009-08-27T16:41:00.012+01:00

In celebration of my book finally being on sale, I'd like to share some pictures of a wonderful recipe from the book that makes a fun breakfast - steamed rice balls. These rice balls are known as undi or upma kozhakattai.

I usually do not make them on a week day morning, as they are a little too much work before rushing off to college or work. However, they are great as a special breakfast at the weekend or in the holidays. Actually, I suppose you could do most of the work the night before and steam them in the morning, but I prefer to make things as fresh as possible.

First the rice is soaked overnight. You could use brown rice, and I normally do, but white rice looks more sensational so I used it for a treat.

In the morning it is ground into a batter with some freshly grated coconut.

Oil is heated in a pan and some spices popped in it. Then the batter is added, along with a splash of water and salt.

The batter is cooked until it thickens and comes away from the edge of the pan.

The mixture is formed into balls - I make mine reasonably large - and placed into a steamer on top of some wet muslin or cloth. I usually end up with 12 balls, this picture shows half of them.

The balls are steamed for 5-10 minutes.

The finished rice balls are perfect with chutney or a soupy dish such as rasam.

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

The Book is Finally Available!

2009-08-27T15:03:00.002+01:00

Ok, so I'm not sure why AuthorHouse sent me that last email - the book is finally available to buy! If you would like to buy the book, please click on the following link - here

You can also use the link on the sidebar to the right.

Update on Release Date

2009-08-26T12:33:00.002+01:00

I've just received an email letting me know that my book had been submitted to the printing company and will be available to order in 10-15 business days. To say I'm disappointed is an understatement - I thought it was all finished and ready to go! They rather led me to believe that it would be available this week....

Still, I mustn't be impatient, and I suppose this just gives me more time to prepare. So please, if you are waiting for the book to be available, I beg you to wait a little longer! It's on its way, I promise, and it will be worth the wait!

Sweet Potato Poha

2009-08-26T11:51:00.009+01:00

Poha is also known as aval, or beaten rice. It is made of rice which has been flattened, and can range from very thin and delicate to thick. I use the thicker, sturdier kind to make a quick dish which is excellent for breakfast or as a quick, light meal.

First of all the rice is gently cleaned, drained and laid on a plate and carefully mixed with various spices and other seasonings. Cleaning should be done very carefully. I put the poha in a seive and run it under the tap for 20 seconds or so. Then I lower the seive into a bowl of water and swish it about gently with my fingers for about the same amount of time again. Any longer and the delicate flakes can begin to break up.

Then some spice seeds are popped in a pan, and then onions, ginger and chillies are added and fried up.

Sweet potato is then added and cooked until tender. You could use other vegetables.

Finally the poha is added and the dish is cooked for just a few minutes more, as the poha does not take long to become tender. You do not want to stir it about too much as it could break up.

Fresh coriander and chopped tomatoes are added right at then end and just stirred in for a few seconds before the pan is removed from the heat. Here is a plate with some of the poha and a Spinach Raita, a recipe that I made a post about a few days ago, served with it.

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

A Note About This Blog

2009-08-25T12:48:00.003+01:00

I hope that everyone who has come across this blog has enjoyed the recipe pictures that I have been sharing. Now, some of you may be wondering why I haven't given specific ingredient lists, quantities or complete instructions. This is because I am trying to keep things a little cryptic, so that not all the secrets in my book are given away! The pictures are just to show you what the recipes in "Mango Soup" look like, and tantalise you so that you might consider buying the book. I am also trying to give some hints and tips about cooking, and some health information too.

If you like what you see and would like to try making the recipes yourself, you can get the complete recipes by buying "Mango Soup". I am expecting the book to be available some time this week, so watch this space and I will let you know when you can start buying!

Channa Dal and Cashew Fudge

2009-08-25T11:30:00.012+01:00

This delicious sweet is actually surprisingly healthy! It contains nuts and pulses, and wonderful jaggery as well as digestive spices. Of course, the health benefits of these may well be negated if you eat the entire batch, so make it when you have friends and family around to share it with!

Here are the cashews roasting. If you like, you could try other nuts in this recipe. Almonds would be delicious, even brazil or hazel nuts would be good.

The channa dal is cooked till tender and with not too much water left in the pan. Channa dal has a natural sweetness, so you don't need to use too much jaggery in this recipe.

When the channa dal is tender, in goes the spices and jaggery. This is really good quality jaggery, it's a deep red colour and has a fantastic molasses-y flavour.

Whilst the jaggery was melting, I powdered the nuts. When nearly all the liquid has gone from the pan, this nut powder goes in. Then it's just a matter of stirring until thick.

The mixture is very thick now, and rather hot. I let it cool for a while before I try to handle it!

Then it's time to roll the mixture into rough balls. At this stage, it's still warm and very sticky, so I just make rough portions and put it in the fridge for a while.

After cooling down completely in the fridge, the mixture is a lot easier to work with. You can then roll the balls between your palms to make them smooth and evenly shaped. They're ready for munching!

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Book is Coming Soon...I Promise!

2009-08-24T12:44:00.002+01:00

Ok, so it seems to be taking a long time for AuthorHouse to add the final touches to the book. I got an email just over two weeks ago saying that the book would be available to buy in around two weeks, so I'm hoping that early this week it should finally be done. I hope that anyone who has been waiting is still eager to buy!

Baked Wholemeal Samosas

2009-08-24T11:10:00.018+01:00

I love samosas, but deep frying can be both tricky and unhealthy. Whilst I'm more than happy to indulge in the real thing whilst in India or at restaurants, at home I prefer to make a healthier baked version made with wholemeal flour. The results are very different from the fried kind, but very tasty. "Mango Soup" also contains a similar recipe for Baked Wholemeal Kachori. With some careful additions to the dough, you end up with lovely delicate pastry crust as a casing.

First I make the filling. Spices are fried up, and then tomatoes are added and cooked till pulpy.

Cooked potato and peas are added, and fresh coriander is sprinkled in at the end. The filling is then removed from the heat and allowed to rest until completely cool.

Meanwhile, I make the pastry. I use a little ghee and some plain yoghurt to make a flavoursome, soft casing. These ingredients are rubbed into the flour first, before water is added.

Once enough water is added to make a soft dough, I knead it well for 10 minutes or so.

Then I coat the dough ball in a little ghee, wrap it in clingfilm and let it rest for an hour.

Once the dough is rested and the filling is completely cool, it's time to make the samosas. I divide the dough into 12 portions, and cover the rest whilst I work with one. I form it into a ball and squash it into a patty.

Then I roll it out into a thin round.

Each round is cut in half.

Then I work with one half. If I'm lucky, my wonderful mother will come and work with the other half to help speed things up! I seal the straight edge with a little water.

Then I fill the cone with the potato filling. I always put too much in!

Finally it's just a matter of sealing the opening and crimping the edge with a fork. This makes them look a little different from regular samosas. Repeat until all 12 portions are done and you have 24 samosas.

Bake until golden brown. They're delicious at any time of day as a snack, especially with Tamarind and Raisin Chutney.

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Tamarind and Raisin Chutney

2009-08-23T20:41:00.009+01:00

Here's a really flavourful chutney to serve with snacks such as samosa and kachori. Apart from a bit of soaking and straining, there's not much to do to make it.

Here's the tamarind soaking:

And the raisins:

After straining and squeezing the juice out of the tamarind, it goes in the food processor with the other ingredients, including herbs and spices:

Then it's ready to be served with any number of delicious nibbles.

It may look unappetising, but I promise you, it is divine! You can thin it to the consistency you want, but I like it quite thick and luscious.

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Khaman Dhokla

2009-08-22T13:58:00.010+01:00

Dhokla is one of Gujarat's finest inventions - light spongy, savoury cakes made of grains and dal. Khaman dhokla is one of my particular favourites. It is made of channa dal, and a quick and easy version can be made of gram flour. My version is pretty traditional, but I don't use as much sweetener as some recipes do, as I don't like mine to be too sweet.

I usually make the batter in the evening, and then leave it in a warm place overnight. This gives it a better flavour. I don't add the bicarbonate of soda and lemon juice till the morning.

When I've got all of my steaming equipment ready, I mix the lemon juice with the bicarbonate of soda and stir it in to the batter. You can see the surface bubbling in the picture above. The reason you must use lemon juice is that I use turmeric in the batter to make the dhokla very yellow, and bicarbonate of soda reacts with turmeric and makes the dhokla red. This is because bicarbonate of soda is alkaline, and alkaline fluids combined with turmeric turn red. Acidic fluids turn it yellow again, therefore lemon juice prevents red dhokla.

Phew, enough chemistry! Here's a picture of the dhokla in the pan for steaming. Once the bicarbonate of soda is added, you need to work quickly as the reaction starts straight away. The recipe in Mango Soup makes enough batter for two pans, so I use my multi-tiered steamer to steam the dhokla. Also, I rest the dhokla pan on top of a trivet in the steamer, otherwise the pan blocks the holes and no steam can get through.

Make sure you put plenty of water in the base of the steamer, as the dhokla needs to steam for twenty minutes or so. Also, if you are using a multi-tiered stemer like me, you may wish to swap compartments round halfway through, as sometimes the bottom layer gets more steam than the top.

When a toothpick inserted in the dhokla comes out clean, the dhokla is ready. It can be tricky getting the dhokla out of the pan without damaging it a little, but don't worry too much as the topping will cover most of the problem areas!

Here's the tarka for the dhokla heating up in a small pan. Tipping this straight over the dhokla cakes allows the flavoured oil to soak in. Then you can sprinkle the grated coconut and fresh coriander over the top.

Once garnished, the dhokla looks stunning and makes a wonderful snack or part of a meal. Just cut it into diamonds and serve. Some people cut the dhokla before garnishing, but I think it looks more impressive to bring the whole cake to the table.

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Spinach Raita

2009-08-21T20:37:00.008+01:00

This is a quick side dish that is excellent with really spicy foods. It is so mild and creamy, and the spinach has such a wonderful texture that it is like sweet relief in your mouth!

First I heat the spices in some oil in a pan. Then a LOT of spinach goes in. It looks like way too much at first, but it wilts down. Compare this, at the beginning:

With this, after it's fried for a few minutes:

Once the spinach is cooked, I take it off the heat and let it cool for a few minutes before mixing with the yoghurt. Here's the yoghurt, mixed with all the other seasonings (the green bits you can see are herbs) before I add the spinach:

Once the spinach is added, you can serve it straight away, or you can chill it and serve it cold. Cold, room temperature, or even heated very carefully in a double boiler and served warm, it's delicious. Here it is in all it's glory:

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Rose China Grass Diamonds

2009-08-20T19:31:00.011+01:00

In India, agar agar is sometimes called china grass. Agar agar is a product made from seaweed that is often used instead of gelatin in vegetarian dishes. My favourite thing to do with it is this delicate pudding. It's one of the lightest, most refreshing desserts in the book.

Here's the milk and sugar in a pan with some cardamom. It has to come to a simmer before the agar agar is added. The agar agar is sprinkled on the surface like so:

When it has started to melt, it is stirred in and the mixture is simmered till it has completely dissolved.

Then I take the pan off the heat and allow it to cool for just a few moments before stirring in the rose water and the beetroot powder for colouring the diamonds. It's a brilliant all natural colouring and it doesn't make the dish taste of beetroot, honest!

Then I pour the mixture into a tray and put it in the fridge to set...or the freezer if I'm feeling impatient. I don't have to wait long either way, as agar agar begins to set even before fully cold. Please note that you can remove the cardamom pods before allowing the jelly to set, if you like.

Once it's set and chilled, I cut it into diamond shapes. You could even cut it into hearts for a special occasion. This beautiful dessert makes a lovely sweet treat on a hot day, as the chilled jelly texture is really refreshing.

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Semolina Upma

2009-08-19T17:23:00.008+01:00

Upma is a favourite quick dish of mine, because it can be made quickly and with many variations. I mostly eat it for breakfast or brunch, but it's also a great speedy supper dish.

There are several recipes for upma in "Mango Soup", and lots of ideas for variations. This is the basic one, made from semolina. Here's a picture of the semolina being toasted in a dry pan. This gives it a wonderful aroma.

I like to use lots of seasonings and vegetables in my upma for great flavour, nutrition and visual impact. Here are lots of onions, spices and nuts being fried up.

In this upma I used some left over cooked sweet potatoes, and fresh peas. Since the potatoes were already cooked, it took almost no time to make the upma. Once all the vegetables were added, the semolina went in with enough water to cook it and some salt. I also added just a touch of turmeric because I think that gives upma a nice festive colour. Also, I like lemon juice on my upma, and lemon juice and yellow coloured dishes seem to tie together well in my mind!

That's it, the semolina takes very little time to cook and the dish was on the table in an instant. My Mum made some spicy mushrooms to go with it, and we served lemon wedges on the side. Delicious and very easy. Looks fabulous too!

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Masala Chai

2009-08-17T10:16:00.012+01:00

Chai is hindi for tea, and masala chai refers to a spicy tea, often flavoured with ginger or cardamom. It's a really delicious warming drink, and on the streets of India it's served in small glasses, very sweet and very hot! To me, there's nothing like street chai, and it always seems so much tastier than the kind you get in hotels or restaurants in India.

When I'm at home, I most often make chai in a rather unorthodox way, using rooibos (also known as redbush) tea instead of black. Rooibos is a naturally caffeine free herbal tea from South Africa that is brewed and served in a similar way to black tea. I do like proper chai, but I try not to drink black tea too often because of its caffeine content. You can of course use black or red tea in the recipe in the book, as you desire. The amount of sweetener you add is also up to you - I feel that masala chai should be fairly sweet to be authentic, but that's not to everyone's taste. On a similar note, I think whole milk gives the best flavour, but feel free to use lower fat or soy milk if you prefer.

I use several spices in masala chai, but I think that the ginger is the most important. I take a big chunk of ginger and bash it with a rolling pin to break it up and release its flavour.

Everything goes in the pan to heat up. Unlike the English way of making tea, chai is brewed by boiling it over heat. This means that, when it's made with black tea, it is higher in caffeine than ordinary tea. This time I used rooibos tea bags, but you can also use loose tea and this is more normal.

The chai is done when it reaches your desired colour/ strength. Rooibos chai goes a different colour from ordinary chai - redder and slightly paler, I think. Since it contains a fair amount of milk, sugar and spices, I like to brew chai quite strong. This also gives the spices more time to infuse.

And here's the result - three gloriously hot glasses of deliciously spicy chai. It's perfect served hot, but also rather tasty when chilled and served as ice tea.

Although this sweet, milky drink may not seem that healthy, as long as you are not too fast and loose with the sugar, you can consider it a perfectly nourishing drink. The warming spices in it and the fact that the milk is boiled make the dairy much easier to digest and less heavy and mucus forming. Kapha body types can also use goats milk for even better results. Overall, it's a warming drink that tantalises the senses and sharpens the mind.

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Making Ghee and a Note on Healthy Cooking Fats

2009-08-16T15:29:00.011+01:00

Ah yes, ghee, that wonderful, fragrant fat. Even a teaspoonful packs a huge flavour. Ghee is very important in Ayurvedic medicine. It is used as a carrier for medicines, as a nutritive tonic, and even to dissolve toxins in the body. It also builds the digestive fire, but without aggravating pitta. It is a great food for building ojas, the life energy of the body, and is said to promote longevity. And of course it tastes wonderful in all manner of dishes, any of the ones in Mango Soup in fact. But you can do more than just eat it - I like to use it as a night cream!

That's the Ayurvedic perspective, but let's not forget the Western perspective. Unfortunately, a lot of people these days are a little afraid of butter, or even of dairy in general. You'll be pleased to hear that ghee is actually perfectly healthy for you, and is even more desirable than many other cooking oils. For instance, it is unhealthy to use many polyunsaturated oils for cooking because they are easily damaged by the heat and this creates harmful free radicals. However, ghee contains a large amount of saturated fats, which are more stable, and thus it is not so easily damaged and also has a high smoking point.

Vegans will also be keen to hear that coconut oil is also rich in saturated fats, and thus is suitable for cooking. Other good oils for cooking are olive oil and sesame oil. Paul Pitchford notes that these both have "a long history of safe, healthful use". Olive oil is a largely monounsaturated fat, which is less susceptible to damage than polyunsaturated fat, and also has many (highly publiscised) health benefits. Sesame oil contains quite a lot of poly-unsaturated fat, but also contains that antioxidant sesamol, which prevents rancidity. Whenever you can, buy unrefined, organic oils.

Ghee is extremely easy to make, and the process is guaranteed to fill your house with a wonderful toffee-ish smell. Just make sure you start with unsalted butter. I use organic.

Here's the butter in a saucepan, melting gently. When it's all melted and has come to a foaming simmer, give it a quick stir and move the pan on to the lowest heat you can manage. You need a little patience with ghee, or it will burn.

Don't stir it now. Just let it bubble away gently, making wonderful glooping noises. A layer of white foam will form on the top, and gradually go golden. You'll know the ghee is ready when the surface becomes nearly motionless and the pan falls silent. For 500g butter I find it takes around an hour, or a little more. Take it off the heat.

You can see that the foam on the surface has gone slightly golden brown. That's alright, but if you've cooked the ghee for too long or on too high a heat, you might burn your ghee. So keep it on the lowest heat you can, and don't leave it unattended for too long.

All that remains now is to strain the ghee through some muslin or a clean cloth into a jar (or several, as required). A heat up my jars in the oven first so that they don't crack when the hot ghee goes in. As you pour the ghee, you'll see that some of the milk solids have sunk to the bottom.

If you've cooked your ghee slowly and gently, the milk solids that you have strained off will be a delicious snack, mixed with rice, or mixed with sugar and eaten with chapatis. Eat them within a few days, as they will not last long. However, if the solids are really dark and taste burnt, you've ruined them. In this case, you better smell and taste your ghee too - if you've burnt the solids too much the ghee will also taste burnt and you'll have to start again.

I made enough ghee for one small jar and one larger jar this time. If it's your fast time making ghee, try it in simple dishes to explore the delicious flavour. Favourites of mine include kanji (also known as congee, rice soup/porridge), khichari, plain chapattis, pilau, plain moong or toovar dal, or even on plain vegetables with a little lemon juice.

As you can see from this picture, ghee solidifies when it is cold. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it, it will melt once heated. On a little note about storage, I have never stored ghee in the fridge, but then again I only make smallish quantities and get through it reasonably quick. If you live in a hot climate, you may want to for safety.

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Ajwain Greens

2009-08-16T11:35:00.007+01:00

Here's a really simple, short post about a really delicious vegetable. I love spring greens, and eat copious amounts of them on a daily basis. Luckily for me, they are really nutritious too - full of calcium and other vitamins and minerals. You could also use cabbage, collard greens, spinach or in fact anything leafy and green in this recipe. In fact, all the recipes in the book are pretty flexible when it comes to substituting vegetables.

First of all dried spices and a load of fresh ginger go into some hot oil. All my recipes call for minced ginger, but when I'm in a big rush I just grate it. You end up with bigger pieces of ginger, but I love the flavour so I don't mind.

In goes the greens. It looks like a lot, but they wilt down, and anyway, you can never have too many greens!

It doesn't take long for the greens to cook, and I don't like them overdone. You can add a splash or two of water if the pan needs it, but don't add too much or the dish will be sloppy. I ate the greens with khichari, but my parents and brother ate these greens with a very non-Indian meal. My brother made tempeh in a plum sauce with fried potatoes - his vegetarian version of duck in plum sauce!

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Back from Holiday - and a Book Update

2009-08-16T11:27:00.003+01:00

I'm back! I had a lovely time, and an inordinate amount of ice creams were consumed. Devon ice creams are so wonderful, whoever thought of putting a dollop of clotted cream on the top is a genius! I couldn't help but think that pasties would be nicer with a samosa filling though...

The book seems to be on track. A quick check of my email at an internet café midweek assuaged my fears that something awful would happen whilst I was away, and in fact it appears that all I have left to do now is sort out marketing.

I say all as if it's going to be easy, but obviously it's a big deal. However, I didn't want to say anything before, but it looks like I may be able to do something quite good with a publicist. I met him because I was the first person to finish Pukka Herbs correspondence course on Ayurveda, and he did an interview with me. I just happened to email my entire address book about my book, and he replied saying that he was quite interested. Turns out he can offer a bit of advice, and a reasonable price as well. So, I'm trying not to get too excited about things, but it's all coming together!

Keep watching this page guys, because the book should be available by the end of this week.

Going Away Until Saturday

2009-08-09T17:20:00.003+01:00

The rest of my family has gone down to Devon this week, and originally I was going to stay here. However, I've been working really hard on my book and this blog recently, and I could really do with a break, so I've decided to go and join them. I will be back on Saturday, and I promise to start posting again straight away!

This is probably really bad timing, as I have just started to get blog visitors, but I really need a holiday! Please bookmark Mango Soup and come back to visit when I come back, as I have loads of lovely recipe photos to show you, and more information about the book.

Over the past weeks I have been taking lots of photos, and I haven't managed to put them all up yet. I've got photos and tips on making ghee, Rose China Grass Diamonds, Masala Chai, Ajwain Greens, and many more. So stick around, and because I've lots more to show you!

Cauliflower and Pea Khichari

2009-08-09T16:18:00.009+01:00

For me, khichari is the ultimate comfort food. It's got that lovely, soft warm texture that you crave when you want something easy and soothing to eat, and it's really easy to digest. One of my favourite variations of khichari contains cauliflower and peas, and just a few simple spices.

Khichari is a really important food in Ayurvedic medicine, because it is well balanced and easy to digest. In fact, it is recommended as a mono-diet whilst undertaking some kinds of Ayurvedic treatment. This means that it is the only thing that is eaten. If you are undertaking any kind of massage, herbal medicine, meditation or spiritual program for a week or so, why not give it a try? It's a nourishing, delicious way to give your body a break from difficult to digest foods.

I started off by frying some fresh and dried spices in ghee.

Then I added the rice and moong dal, and stirred it to coat it with the oil and ghee.

I added enough water to cover the mixture by a few centimetres. You can make khichari either quite dry, like a rice and dal pilau, or you can make a mushier porridge-like mixture. This time I was going for something in between - quite soft, but not too mushy. Whilst the rice and dal cooked, I prepared the cashew nuts for the garnish. Usually I dry toast them, but today I wanted a bit of a treat, so I fried them in a little ghee.

When the rice and dal were cooked, and about ten minutes or so from being ready, I added the cauliflower and salt. I don't like my cauliflower too soft.

Right at the end I stirred in the peas.

Add touch of chopped fresh coriander and stir in the cashews and you're done. I like to serve quartered lemons on the side to squeeze over the khichari. Delicious!

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Cooking for One - Millet with Sweet Spices and Raisins

2009-08-09T16:09:00.008+01:00

I was home alone yesterday, so I thought it would be the perfect time to show you how easy it is to change the recipes in Mango Soup from serves 4-6 to serves 1. Generally speaking, you can just divide the ingredients by 4, and you'll get the right quantities. Cooking times stay similar, and sometimes some ingredients don't divide exactly. For instance, I'd divide the amount of millet by 4, but not necessarily all the spices.

Here's a really simple breakfast dish, or light meal. Using ghee gives it a delicious nutty taste, but you could also use a good quality oil, such as sesame. First I toasted the millet in a dry pan.

Here's all the delicious vegetables and fruits for this dish - divided by four so that there's just enough for me!

I used a really small pan to cook this dish. First I fried the spices, then the raisins and onions.

After adding the squash and frying it for a little, I added the millet, salt and enough water to cook the millet.

Then, since the small pan I used doesn't have a lid, I had to use tin foil to seal it and leave it to simmer.

When the millet is cooked and all the water is absorbed, the dish is done. A delicious, warming, sweet and spicy breakfast.

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Final Work on the Book is Finished

2009-08-08T08:17:00.002+01:00

Well, I've finally settled the price, and signed off on the slightly altered version of the front cover that AuthorHouse sent me so...the book is finished! I had a very friendly email from someone on my design team to tell me that the book should be available to buy from the AuthorHouse website in approximately 2 weeks. I will receive my author's copy about a week after that, and of course I will share pictures of me gleefully clutching it when it arrives!

It takes about 45 days for the book to be available through other stores, such as Amazon, but remember that due to the price that it will be in stores other than AuthorHouse, I recommend that anyone who is interested in it buys a copy through the AuthorHouse website.

I will be releasing more pictures of recipes from the book over the next week, as well as cooking tips and hints. If anyone has a specific request, please email me or leave a message in the comments. In the mean time, please tell everyone you know about Mango Soup!

Courgette Halwa Ice Cream

2009-08-06T18:02:00.013+01:00

It may surprise you, but I made this big pile of grated courgettes into a delicious frozen desert! It's actually one of the first recipes I came up with for the book. Most people have heard of carrot halwa (gajar halwa), and some people may have heard of bottlegourd halwa. I used the nearest English equivalent I could think of - courgette - and made a delicious halwa. What makes this recipe different is that I then froze the halwa to make a delicious ice cream!

This picture shows the halwa after the milk has reduced quite a bit. It's nearly time to add the sugar, nuts and raisins. I usually use pistachios, but I didn't have any so this time I used cashew nuts. After everything had been added and the mixture was really thick, I took it off the heat. It's a strange green colour, but then again, so is mint ice cream, and pistachio ice cream - though this is an entirely natural green.

You could eat the halwa just like this, and it would be delicious. However, it really is worth trying it frozen. You could put it in small ramekins, but I think it's more fun to use ice lolly moulds. Usually the recipe in the book makes seven small lollies, but this time there was a certain amount of munching before the moulds were filled, and consequently there was only enough mixture for six!

I think I got these ice lolly moulds from Ikea, but you similar moulds are available from a variety of places. You just fill the moulds up and stick in the lolly sticks, like so:

They're ready to go in the freezer. Now you need to exercise some patience, because if you take them out too quickly, the sticks won't be frozen into them properly and they'll fall out when you tug them. When they're completely frozen, the sticks will be firmly stuck in to the halwa. Simply run the mould under a warm tap for a few moments, and you should then be able to gently ease a lolly out, stick intact. Here's a photo of one that I couldn't quite wait to start to eating!

Because the milk is reduced, they have an amazing condensed milk taste, and and amazing flavour considering the simple ingredients. Hey, I think you should buy the book just to try this recipe!

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Courgette and Tomato Moong Dal

2009-08-05T16:20:00.011+01:00

I wanted to make something easy for lunch today, so I settled on Courgette and Tomato Moong Dal. It's one of the easiest dal recipes in the book - you just have to cook the dal and cook the vegetables, and then combine them.

Cooking dal is pretty painless - you just put the dal (sorted and washed, if it isn't already) into a pan with water and tumeric or whatever other spices you are using at this stage and bring it to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer till the dal is tender. Moong dal cooks really quickly, but other dals can take longer. I wanted the dal to be very broken down, so I cooked it quite hard and stirred it to make a smooth puree. You can add as much or as little water as you want - just make sure that the pan doesn't run dry and burn. Here's a picture of the cooked dal:

Although many traditional dals don't contain any vegetables, I love to put lots in mine. They're filling, tasty, healthy and make the dal go further. They also add texture and colour. Since I'm cooked the vegetables a bit before adding them to the dal, I used my wok to cook the spices in ghee. If I'm not frying up vegetables after the spices, I use my little tarka or tadka pan.

Once the mustard seeds popped and the other spices had darkened a shade, I added the onions and fried them a bit before adding the other vegetables, some more spices and salt. Then I cooked it all till the vegetables were nearly tender.

Finally I added the vegetable mixture to the dal pan and simmered it all for a few minutes. It all depends on how tender you like your vegetables.

A good helping of fresh coriander adds a lovely flavour to any dish, but I especially love it in dal. I also offered slices of lemon at the table. And there you go, you can serve it with rice, bread or just eat it all on its own for a lighter meal. Delicious!

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Coconut and Rice Flour Dosas

2009-08-04T14:51:00.010+01:00

After grating my coconuts, I was hungry for something tasty! I decided to make Coconut and Rice Flour Dosas, which are reasy quick to make as they don't require fermentation, unlike some dosas. They are one of my favourite quick recipes in the book.

Here are all the ingredients in a bowl. In the book I say that you should blend it in a food processor, but a handheld (immersion) blender works well too, and that is what I used today.

I blended the ingredients to a smooth batter with some water. Don't add too much, as there is already moisture from the yoghurt in the batter.

Then I heated up some ghee in a tarka pan and popped some mustard seeds in it, before adding it to the batter.

The finished batter looks really beautiful, all speckled with seeds!

Time to cook! I have a really good non-stick pan which I use for all my dosas and pancakes. There's no need for any oil. Cook the dosa on one side, till it's firm enough to flip over and golden brown.

Then do the other side till it's golden in spots and cooked.

Serve with chutney, pickles, salads or vegetable dishes. They're also delicious on their own, as they have a wonderful onion-y flavour. The yoghurt in them keeps them soft enough for eating cold as a packed lunch or picnic food.

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Using Fresh Coconut

2009-08-04T14:06:00.014+01:00

I made Coconut and Rice Flour Dosas today, so before showing you how that turned out, I thought I'd do a post on using fresh coconut.

You can buy coconuts pretty much everywhere in the UK now - most supermarkets usually sell them. Pick good looking specimens which feel heavy for their size and that slosh about when you shake them. Before you crack your coconuts open, use a sharp implement such as a skewer to break through the coconut eyes and leave the coconut to drain until all the coconut water has come out. This saves you making a mess when you crack it open! As a bonus you get the coconut water, which isn't as good as young coconut water, but according to my Dad it's still pretty good with whisky.

I find the easiest way to crack open a coconut is to use a hammer to hit the middle. The coconut will start to split as you hammer, until it has broken into two halves. Here's my Mum giving the coconut a good bash.

It usually breaks fairly neatly, but sometimes the outer shell splits away from the inner brown coat, which is a real pain because it leaves you with nothing to hold whilst you scrape the coconut. I'll come to what you can do about that in a minute.

Now you can get a the coconut flesh. You can do a number of things at this stage. If you want to make a spice paste you could break the coconut flesh away from its outer shell, peel it and put it in the food processor. You could also cut it into pieces if you want. But the usual way that I use coconuts is grated, or more accurately scraped. I have a special device for scraping coconuts, which I bought online from an Indian grocery store. It originally came mounted on a suction pad, but I found this to be totally useless so my Dad and I fashioned a wooden base which could be clamped to a work surface. It's pretty sturdy and does a very good job.

All you have to do is hold the coconut half by the shell and apply it to the blade whilst turning the handle. The serrated teeth scrape the coconut into fine strands. Unlike the "grated" coconut produced by whizzing the flesh in a food processor, it's not too greasy. It's also easier than separating the coconut from its shell, peeling it and then using a hand held grater.

However, it's really hard to use a coconut scraper like mine if your coconut split away from its shell when you were bashing it open, like this:

(See how the hard shell has come away and just left the flesh inside its brown skin)
Instead, you'll have to grate it with a handheld grater, use a food processor or just chop it up.

Here's the grated coconut I got from half a coconut. Not bad for a few minutes work! Sometimes I use the coconut straight away, but since more often than not I grate a couple of coconuts at a time, I usually freeze any remainingcoconut. All you have to do is spread the coconut out in a thin layer in a tray and put it in the freezer. Once it's frozen, you can break it up and store it in a bag.

So there you go, it's really easy to use freshly grated coconut, and there's no need to resort to the dessicated kind.

There are more great cooking tips in my book, Mango Soup. If you are interested, you can buy if from the following website: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Final Stages of Designing - Pricing!

2009-08-03T17:24:00.003+01:00

I've just spent a very fraught afternoon setting the price for my book. It's been really difficult because I'm just now realising how expensive books are and how little authors actually get per copy!

I've got to be honest, I'm not totally happy with the price of my book. As a student, I am always looking for the lowest price, so to be confronted with the fact that my book seems pricey to me is very difficult. At the moment, it looks like the price I'm going to be selling it at through the authorhouse website is £23.50, and I would like to reveal to readers that I will be making less than £2 a book!

The recommended retail price of the book from other retail outlets will be even more expensive, so I would advise anyone who is interested in buying my book to go through the authorhouse website. Since many online retailers rarely sell books at the RRP (I'm thinking of amazon here), hopefully there will be a reasonable variety of prices to choose from at some point in the future.

So, why should you pay £23.50 for my book? Here are some good reasons:

I have worked very hard on this book. In fact, my family and I have done all the work on this book! From testing the recipes and taking photos, to proof reading and designing the layout, this book has been a homegrown affair!
There are beautiful photos of the dishes and of India in the book. The food photos were taken by my Dad, and I took the photos of India. I hope that they capture the essence of India and India's cuisine.
The recipes are delicious! There's something for everyone, and even if you don't like a certain vegetable, you may well find a way of cooking it in my book that makes you love it!
The recipes are nutritious. They're not too fatty, not too sugary, and filled with healthy ingredients such as fresh vegetables and wholegrains. You can learn to cook healthy meals that taste amazing.
You don't just get recipes, you get advice on how to cook. You can adapt the recipes to suit your taste and available ingredients, and you can also follow my general advice on using ingredients to make your very own dishes.

So, hopefully that has tantalised your tastebuds and got you looking forward to my book being available. Hopefully it should be ready to buy sometime next week, maybe sooner, so watch this space!

Making Spice Masalas - Garam Masala

2009-08-02T16:09:00.012+01:00

Every now and then I make a fairly large batch of garam masala, because we get through it quite quickly in my house. As well as using it in traditional Indian dishes, mostly North Indian ones, my Mum also likes to add it at the end of making the very Anglo-Indian curries that she is so fond of, containing fruit and so on. She says it makes the flavour much more complex and delicious.

Garam means hot or warm, and masala refers to a spice mixture. So garam masala is a mixture of warming spices, which can be whole or ground. The spices in it can vary, from a very simple mixture of just cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and black pepper to elaborate concoctions with many more spices. The recipe I give in Mango Soup is quite elaborate, and even contains the less commonly used star anise.

A lot of commercial garam masala is padded out with a lot of the cheaper spices, such as coriander and even turmeric (I would never put turmeric in garam masala!). That's why it's a good idea to make up your own mixture. It's very easy. You just dry roast all the spices in a large, heavy-bottomed pan. I roast all the spices at once. Here is a picture of all the spices in the pan.

When the spices have darkened a few shades and smell fragrant, they are ready for grinding. I transfer them to a bowl and let them cool a little first.

The easiest way to grind the spices is in a clean coffee grinder, preferable one reserved exclusively for grinding spices (or your coffee might taste a little strange!). My coffee grinder is quite small so I do the grinding in batches.

Of course, purists will insist that you use a mortar and pestle. I've got to admit, there is something very satisfying about hand grinding spices, and if you have a good, heavy pestle it doesn't actually take much effort or time. The weight of the pestle does most of the work for you. here is a shot of some of the garam masala in my pestle and mortar. I have a big heavy one made of some kind of stone and it makes a good job of grinding all spices, and even grains and dals.

The finished mixture smells divine, and can be stored in a tightly sealed box. If you don't use garam masala very often you could halve the ingredients, as you don't want it sitting around too long.

Since the spices are dry roasted before being grind, you can use the garam masala right at the end of cooking if you like, just sprinkling it in a few moments before serving. However, frying it in ghee or oil is the best way to extract the flavour. To get a balance between not over-cooking it and also using fat as a flavour medium, you could fry some up in a little ghee and tip it over your dish right at the end. I also like to sprinkle a little into salad dressing!

My question for today is, what kind of recipe for garam masala do you prefer? The ones which use tonnes of spices and result in a really complex flavour, or the simple basic kind? At what point during cooking do you add garam masala to a dish?

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Ginger Tea

2009-08-01T19:26:00.008+01:00

Despite being the 1st of August today, it has been raining and rather cold. So much for that heatwave we were supposed to have! After a chilly afternoon out at the Bristol Harbourside festival (where fudge, falafel wraps, baklava and ice cream were all greedily consumed), I decided to warm back up again with some delicious ginger tea.

Ginger has a warming effect on the body and according to Ayurveda, it kindles agni, the digestive fire. The other spices in this recipe also support this. So drink this tea if you're feeling cold and sluggish, and need something to perk you up and get you going. It doesn't contain any milk or black tea.

Here's everything in the pan, please ignore the dirty cooker! The jaggery in this drink determines the tea's colour. The stuff I've most recently bought is a really rich red colour, so the tea turns out quite dark. The quantity you add is up to you. The recipe in the book is quite conservative, using 100g for a litre of tea. However, I sometimes use up to 150g when I feel like something sweet, like tonight.

I like strong ginger tea, so I left it boiling away to reduce the quantity, and I ended up with a nice big batch. Here's a nice close up of a golden glass full. Don't forget that you can also chill it in the fridge and serve it as ice tea. However, tonight I want it good and hot. What more could you want on a chilly...er...Summer's evening?!

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

Making Chapatis with Home Ground Wheat

2009-08-01T09:00:00.011+01:00

In Mango Soup I mention that I grind my own flour, so I thought I'd show you what I mean in case anyone was wondering.

Here is my lovely grain mill - hand powered, so it's good exercise too!

And here it is in action, grinding some wheat. I did about 150g in 10 minutes, which isn't bad considering I was chatting, photographing and generally taking my time! It's not that difficult, honest!

I made enough flour for around 5 chapatis.

Here's one on the tava. Ok, so it's not perfectly round, nevermind! I like small, thin chapatis.

And a shot of one puffing up over a naked flame, using the coathanger-chapati rack I learnt about from Yamuna Devi's, "Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking". There would have been a shot of the chapatis on a plate too, but they were all wolfed up too quickly I'm afraid!

My tips for soft chapatis are to use very fine wholewheat flour, either the type bought in an Indian grocery store labelled "Chapati atta", or your own home ground if you feel up to it. Some people seive out the bran, but I like to keep it in for the fibre and extra nutrition. Next you should make up a dough which is slightly soft before it is rested, and knead it well. Rest it for about 15-30 minutes, more if you like. Then roll it out carefully and get cooking!

Honestly, it may seem like a lot of work but the flavour you get with chapatis from home ground wheat is absolutely wonderful. I also grind my own gram flour (chickpea flour) and wheat flour, along with other grains when the fancy strikes me. In fact, I've made delicious mixed grain theplas using wheat, barley, buckwheat, brown rice and channa dal. This machine is even tough enough to grind corn.

What are your top tips for soft, puffed up chapatis? I've seen some people add yoghurt, milk or oil to the dough as one way of getting them soft, and it also adds great flavour.

If you like the look of this recipe, please buy my book, Mango Soup, which contains the full version of this recipe and many more: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=49169

The Book is Nearly Finished!

2009-07-31T14:56:00.002+01:00

It's official, the book is nearly ready to go! After harrowing weeks of editing, involving working late in to the night and dissolving in tears when things went horribly, horribly wrong (Word can be so pesky!), everything is finally done. I received a mock up of the front cover from AuthorHouse, and also the galley, and they were absolutely perfect so I've signed them off.

All that remains now is to set the price for the book, and to sort out a marketing strategy. I've decided that it would probably be wise to put in a little more money into marketing. At least that way I may actually sell some books! However, mostly my marketing strategy will be telling everybody I know and begging them to tell everyone they know. So, if you've stumbled upon this page and like the look of my book, please tell all your friends/family/loved ones!