Vegetarian on Arshad Siddiqui

Hummus

Wed, 05 Mar 2014 00:00:00 +0100

Creamy, garlicky, and rich with tahini, hummus is a Middle Eastern classic that’s both comforting and versatile. Perfect with warm bread, olives, or crisp veggies.

Hummus #

I was introduced to hummus by a Mid-eastern friend of mine during my university days, and ever since I have loved it. In Vegetarian Dishes from the Middle East, celebrated British Armenian cook Arto der Haroutunian calls hummus, “One of the most popular and best-known of all Syrian dishes” and a “must on any mezzeh table.”

Carrot and Coconut Soup

Sat, 04 Feb 2017 02:00:00 +0100

Carrot and Coconut Soup #

A satisfying soup delicately spiced and perfect for warming up during the colder months.

Ingredients #

Carrots (trimmed and sliced) – 500g
Potato (peeled and sliced) – 1
Onion (finely chopped) – 1
Garlic clove (chopped) – 1
Ginger (grated) – 1 teaspoon
Red chilli (chopped) – 1
Vegetable oil – 1 tbsp
Garam masala powder – 1 teaspoon
Lemon juice – 2 teaspoons
Orange or lemon zest – 4 teaspoons
Coconut milk – 200g

Optional for added flavour:

Kashmiri Czot

Fri, 16 Oct 2020 16:29:00 +0100

Also called Kasher Czot, Kashmiri Czot, or Kandur Czot, this humble bread is a quiet pillar of Kashmiri life.

A Kashmiri’s day is incomplete without czot — the warm, lightly chewy flatbread that graces every breakfast table, often with a simple spread of butter or jam. This medium-sized everyday bread is crafted by the kandur, the local baker, who prepares it fresh each morning in a tandoor (hot clay oven). With swift skill, he presses finger impressions into each round of dough before gently placing it against the inner walls of the glowing oven.

Kesar Peda (Indian Milk Dessert)

Fri, 28 Oct 2016 04:30:00 +0100

Kesar Peda (Indian Milk Dessert) #

Kesar Peda is a saffron-infused milk sweet from India. Originating in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, pedas are traditionally made with khoya. This modern, quick version uses milk powder and condensed milk, and can be made in the microwave in under 10 minutes!

Ingredients #

120g milk powder
200g condensed milk
20g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
⅓ tsp cardamom powder
5–6 pistachios (thinly sliced for garnish)
A pinch of saffron soaked in 2 tsp warm milk

Recipe #

Soak the saffron in warm milk and set aside.
In a microwave-safe bowl, add melted butter.
Add milk powder gradually, mixing with a spatula to form a smooth base.
Add condensed milk and mix well.
Microwave the mixture for 1 minute.
Add saffron milk and cardamom powder. Mix thoroughly.
Microwave again for 1 minute, then mix with a spatula.
Microwave for one final minute.
Let the mixture cool in the fridge for about 1 hour.
Roll into small balls and gently flatten to form peda shapes.
Garnish each peda with sliced pistachios, a pinch of cardamom powder, and saffron strands (optional).

Enjoy these fragrant, melt-in-your-mouth delights as a festive treat or after-meal dessert!

Expresso Cookies

Fri, 14 Oct 2016 04:00:00 +0100

Expresso Cookies #

I used to get these cookies from Bon Bon Pastry Shop in New Friends Colony, New Delhi and I have loved these since.

Ingredients #

Cookie dough:

¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
½ tsp vanilla
¼ tsp salt
1 egg
1¾ cups plain flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder

Expresso filling:

¼ cup full cream
1 cup chocolate chips or broken pieces of dark chocolate
2 tsp instant espresso coffee or Nescafé

Recipe #

Preheat oven to 175°C / 325°F.
In a large bowl, beat together sugar, butter, vanilla, and egg.
Stir in flour, cocoa, and salt until combined into a dough.
Shape dough into small balls using a rounded teaspoon.
Place balls about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Press a thumb or the end of a wooden spoon into the centre of each cookie (not all the way through).
Bake for 10 minutes or until edges are firm.
While still warm, remake indentations if necessary, then transfer to a wire rack and cool for 30 minutes.

For the espresso filling:

Sheermal

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 18:11:00 +0100

Sheermal is a fragrant, slightly sweet saffron milk bread — rich, golden, and soft — traditionally enjoyed with a cup of kehwa or served alongside kebabs. Infused with kewra and saffron, it’s a royal treat from Mughal kitchens to Kashmiri bakeries.

Ingredients #

Plain flour – 500 g
Salt – 10 g
Butter – 65 g
Caster sugar – 25 g
Milk powder – 50 g
Egg – 1
Cream – 20 g
Kewra water – 20 g
Milk – 220 ml
Saffron – a few strands soaked in 2 tbsp lukewarm water
Yeast – 1 tsp

Method #

Use the Panasonic bread maker on Setting 22 to knead and rise the dough.
Shape and roll the dough to about 1 cm thickness.
Brush with milk or cream and bake until golden.
Enjoy warm with tea or as a festive side.

Pineapple and Cherry Cake

Sat, 27 Aug 2016 18:36:00 +0100

Pineapple and Cherry Cake #

A moist and fruity loaf cake made with glace cherries and canned pineapple, perfect for teatime or as a light dessert.

Ingredients #

150 g Glace cherries
227 g Canned pineapple with fruit juice
150 g Softened butter
100 g Light muscovado sugar
2 large Eggs, lightly beaten
200 g Self-raising flour

Recipe #

Preheat the oven to 140°C (fan). Grease and line a loaf tin.
Chop the glace cherries into halves, wash under running water, drain well, and dry on kitchen towel.
Drain the pineapple, reserving 2 tablespoons of the fruit juice. Chop the pineapple and dry it as well.
Toss both the cherries and pineapple pieces lightly in plain flour.
In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar, then add the eggs and flour. Mix until combined.
Fold in the floured fruits and reserved 2 tbsp pineapple juice.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a skewer comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack. Keeps well for a couple of days—if it lasts that long!

For a Larger Cake #

Use the following quantities for a springform tin (2.5x the original):

Peas Pulao

Wed, 13 May 2020 15:08:00 +0100

Peas Pulao is a fragrant, simple, and comforting rice dish that brings together aromatic whole spices and fresh green peas for a perfect everyday meal. Sharing my mum’s simple but favourite recipe.

Ingredients #

Oil – as needed
Red onion – 2, sliced
Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
Big cardamom – 1
Cloves – 3
Black peppercorns – 5
Bay leaves – 2
Green peas – ⅓ cup
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
Rice – 1 cup
Salt – to taste
Water – 2 cups

Method #

Heat oil in a pan.
Add sliced onions and sauté until golden.
Add the whole spices — cumin seeds, big cardamom, cloves, black pepper, and bay leaves — and fry for a minute until fragrant.
Stir in green peas and ginger garlic paste; cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add salt to taste.
Add rice and fry for 3-4 minutes, ensuring each grain is coated in the oil and spices.
Pour in hot water and cook either in a rice cooker or pressure cooker until the rice is tender and fluffy.

Serve warm as a delightful side or a light main course.

Vegetable Pilau

Fri, 10 Feb 2017 11:46:00 +0100

Vegetable Pilau #

A popular vegetable rice dish that makes a tasty and satisfying light supper. Fragrant with spices and enriched with vegetables and nuts, it’s a balanced and comforting meal.

Ingredients #

225g / 8 oz / 1 cup basmati rice
30 ml / 2 tbsp oil
½ tsp cumin seeds
2 bay leaves
4 green cardamom pods
4 cloves
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely diced
50g / 2 oz / ⅓ cup frozen peas, thawed
50g / 2 oz / ⅓ cup frozen sweetcorn, thawed
25g / 1 oz / ¼ cup cashew nuts, lightly fried
¼ tsp ground cumin
Salt to taste

Method #

Wash the basmati rice in several changes of cold water. Soak it in a bowl of fresh water for about 30 minutes.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the cumin seeds for 2 minutes.
Add bay leaves, cardamom pods, and cloves. Fry for another 2 minutes until aromatic.
Stir in the chopped onion and sauté for about 3 minutes, until soft and lightly browned.
Add the diced carrot and cook for 3–4 minutes.
Drain the rice and add it to the pan along with peas, sweetcorn, and fried cashew nuts. Fry gently for 4–5 minutes.
Pour in 475 ml / 16 fl oz / 2 cups water. Add ground cumin and salt. Bring to a boil.
Cover and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed.
Turn off the heat and leave to stand, covered, for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves: 4–6

Nankhatai

Fri, 22 Apr 2016 16:36:00 +0100

Nankhatai #

Nankhatai are traditional Indian shortbread biscuits, fragrant with cardamom and a delicate vanilla flavour. They have a crumbly texture and are topped with slivers of pistachio or almonds.

Ingredients #

1½ cups Maida (all-purpose flour)
½ cup Caster sugar
½ cup Ghee (at room temperature)
¼ teaspoon Vanilla essence
½ teaspoon Powdered cardamom
Slivers of pistachio and almonds (for topping)

Recipe #

Using your hands, rub the cardamom powder into the sugar until fragrant.
Add the ghee and mix until the mixture is light and creamy. Stir in the vanilla essence.
Sift the maida (flour) and add it to the mixture.
Using your hands, knead everything together into a slightly crumbly dough.
Shape the dough into small balls.
Flatten each ball slightly and press a sliver of almond or chironji into the centre (optional).
Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C for 15–18 minutes until lightly golden.

Enjoy these crumbly, aromatic biscuits with tea or as a sweet snack!

Paneer Butter Masala

Sat, 26 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Paneer Butter Masala #

Loved this paneer recipe…

I have a more recent PBM version here.

Ingredients #

Paneer – 1 block, approx. 2 cups of cubes
Tomato paste – 1 tbsp (or 1 tomato, puréed)
Tomato sauce/ketchup – almost 1 tbsp
Cream – 1 cup
Onion (chopped finely) – 1 medium-sized
Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Coriander powder (dhania powder) – 1 tbsp
Garam masala – 1 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Salt – to taste
Dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) – 1 generous pinch
Coriander leaves – 1 bunch
Milk – ½ cup
Oil – 3 tbsp

Recipe #

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and fry the paneer cubes until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, add 1 more tbsp oil and fry the onions until golden brown.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for a minute.
Next, add the coriander powder, garam masala, red chilli powder and some salt. Fry for 30 seconds.
Add the tomato paste/purée, tomato sauce, and kasuri methi. Mix well and pour in the milk.
Lower the heat and cook covered for 5 minutes.
Remove the lid, add the fried paneer and cream. Mix well and simmer for 3–4 minutes.
Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves.

Home | Vegetarian

Paneer Butter Masala - II

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Paneer Butter Masala #

10 years later, another PBM!

Find the initial version here.

Ingredients #

Paneer – 250 gram pack
Oil – as needed
Salt – to taste

Whole spices:

Cinnamon stick – 1
Bay leaves – 2-3
Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon

Other ingredients:

Onions – 2-3 large, chopped
Cashew nuts – 10-12
Tomatoes – 2 large
Ginger garlic paste – 2 tablespoons

Spices:

Red chilli powder – 1 teaspoon

Shahi Paneer

Mon, 20 Oct 2014 00:00:00 +0100

Shahi Paneer is a North Indian dish, a preparation of paneer pieces in a thick, creamy gravy prepared in tomato, onion and cashew-nut paste. Because of its richness, it is usually served at parties, dinners and other occasions which require a special menu.

This is one of the paneer recipes you will find in every dhaba and restaurant, and to me brings back memories of dhaba food from my graduation days.

Rajasthani Dal Bati

Sun, 06 Jul 2025 12:30:00 +0100

Rajasthani Dal Bati (दाल बाटी) is a traditional dish from Rajasthan, known for its rustic charm and rich, earthy flavours. It consists of Dal (lentil curry) served with Bati (baked wheat flour dumplings), often drenched in ghee.

I first tasted it at a Rajasthani friend’s place and have always requested them for it ever since. There are two common variations of Bati — one with a filling, and one without. I personally prefer the one with a filling.

Rajasthani Daal

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

This recipe is courtesy of our family friends from Rajasthan — shared exactly as they make it. It’s a very different way of cooking daal compared to what we’re used to in the North of India.

Ingredients #

Split green lentils (moong daal) – 3 fistfuls
Yellow dried split peas (chana daal) – ½ fistful

Spices & Flavourings #

Turmeric powder (haldi) – ½ teaspoon
Chilli powder – ½ teaspoon
Coriander powder (dhania) – ¼ teaspoon
Green chillies – 2 (chopped)
Cumin seeds (zeera) – ¼ teaspoon
Mustard seeds (rai) – ¼ teaspoon
Curry leaves – 3
Asafoetida (heeng) – 2 pinches
Garam masala – ¼ teaspoon
Ground cumin (zeera powder) – ½ teaspoon
Fresh coriander leaves (dhania) – 4 tablespoons (chopped)
Salt – ½ teaspoon (or to taste)

Other #

Cooking oil – 1 tablespoon
Water – approximately 1 glass

Method #

Take 3 fistfuls of yellow moong daal and ½ fistful of chana daal. Soak them for 20–30 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder, chopped green chillies and about 3 tablespoons of water to create a flowing spice paste.
Heat a pressure cooker on high flame, add oil.
Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida.

⚠️ The mustard and cumin seeds should not turn black.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Wed, 01 May 2024 12:28:00 +0100

Crispy on the edges, chewy in the centre — these classic chocolate chip cookies are the ultimate comfort bake.

Perfect with a cup of tea or a glass of cold milk, they’re easy to make and hard to resist.

Ingredients #

Plain flour – 280 g / 2¼ cups
Baking soda – 1 tsp
Cornflour – 1½ tsp
Salt – ½ tsp
Unsalted butter (melted & cooled) – 170 g / ¾ cup
Light or dark brown sugar – 150 g / ¾ cup
Granulated sugar – 100 g / ½ cup
Large egg – 1
Egg yolk – 1
Vanilla extract – 2 tsp
Chocolate chips – 220 g / 1¼ cups

Recipe #

Whisk the flour, baking soda, cornflour, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth and lump-free.
Whisk in the egg and egg yolk, then add the vanilla extract.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a spatula. The dough will be soft, thick, and slightly greasy.
Fold in the chocolate chips. They may not stick easily due to the melted butter, but mix as well as you can.
Cover the dough tightly with cling film and refrigerate for at least 2–3 hours or up to 3 days.
Let the dough soften at room temperature for 10 minutes before baking.
Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Line baking trays with parchment paper.
Shape the dough into tall balls (like small cylinders) to ensure thick cookies. Place 8–9 per tray.
Bake for 12–13 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned and centres are soft.
Cool on the tray for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Storage:
Cookies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Vegetarian

Sat, 19 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Vegetarian #

Home | Recipe

Red Lentil Soup (Kirmizi Mercimek Corbasi)

Fri, 11 Jul 2014 00:00:00 +0100

This is one of my favourite vegetarian soup since I had it when I visited Sultanahmet Koftecisi in Istanbul. I still dream about this place. I was in Istanbul for holidays and on the recommendation from friends decided to stay in Sultanahmet, close to Aya Sofia and Blue Mosque. We went to ‘Sultanahmet Koftecisi’ after reading a recommendation on Lonely Planet, this very well-known restaurant and it was very crowded but so worth it. The kofte (or “meatballs”) are amazing and the stuff that dreams are made of.

Bharwa Bhindi (Stuffed Okra)

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 16:10:00 +0100

Bharwa Bhindi (Stuffed Okra) #

Stuffed Okra or ‘bharwa bhindi’ as it is more commonly known — a recipe that I have tried, and can vouch for :)

Serves: 4

Ingredients #

Main:

Okra (bhindi) – ½ kg
Mustard seeds – pinch
Oil – 3 tablespoons

For the stuffing mixture:

Gram flour (besan) – 7½ tablespoons
Garlic (crushed) – 4 cloves
Chilli powder – 2 teaspoons
Garam masala – 1½ teaspoons
Cumin powder (zeera) – ½ teaspoon
Coriander powder (dhania) – 1½ teaspoons
Turmeric powder (haldi) – ½ teaspoon
Sesame seeds (til) – 2 teaspoons
Lemon juice – 6 tablespoons
Salt – to taste
Oil – 2 teaspoons

Method #

Wash the okra, dry completely, and slit each one vertically without cutting through fully.
Mix all the stuffing ingredients to form a coarse mixture. Gently stuff each okra with the mixture. Keep the remaining mixture aside.
Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a wide skillet. Add mustard seeds and wait for them to pop.
Add the stuffed okra carefully, cover with a lid, and cook on a low flame.
Turn them over gently every 5–10 minutes, ensuring they don’t char or burn.
Once they are nearly cooked and begin to crisp, sprinkle in the remaining stuffing mixture.
Cover again and cook for another 10–15 minutes on low heat.

Serving Suggestion #

Serve hot with roti or paratha.