Tomato Risotto Recipe

This version of tomato risotto has a decidedly Indian sensibility. I flavored the rice with tomato chutney as I recently did with an Indian-inspired asparagus pie. The flavors from the chutney are so bold that no other spices and very little salt are needed. I just added chopped sun-dried tomatoes as garnish.

Making risotto takes a little bit of practice to begin with, but once you've worked on your fundamentals, you can start to use the basic recipe and create dozens of different variations. I've stuffed artichokes with risotto, paired pistachio pesto with celery risotto, stuffed it in zucchini flowers, made a roasted beet and ricotta cheese version, and also a rather unconventional risotto with bamboo; the list of adaptations is truly endless.

Khatta Recipe: Indian Sesame and Tamarind Sauce

Khatta is an Indian condiment that is generally served as an accompaniment to khichdi (coral lentil basmati rice). Unlike raita (Indian yogurt sauce) or chutneys, khatta has a thin consistency. Toasted sesame seeds are ground into a thick paste (tahini) and mixed with green chiles and tamarind. The sauce is then diluted with water and mixed with thinly sliced onions. The finishing touch is the usual top layer of baghar, which consists of fried garlic, cumin seeds, curry leaves and dried chiles.

The recipe was provided by Lulu's aunt, Sheerin Auntie, who is an amazing, gifted cook. Love is the most important ingredient that is required in any dish, and she has it in boundless quantities. She has agreed to teach me several Indian dishes that I've been wanting to learn, and of course, I'll share them with you once I know them well. Thank you, Sheerin Auntie for teaching me so many valuable lessons, culinary and otherwise.

Asparagus Tart (Savory Tart Recipe)

Asparagus tart is a delightful, tasty, light meal. It's perfect when you have your girlfriends coming over for lunch. I don't know why, but there is something fancy about these green, long-stemmed vegetables. It's perfect if you're serving a vegetarian meal that contains no egg. And if you're looking for a similar recipe with eggs, you could always make a quiche.

To make the dish, I caramelized leeks and a fennel bulb in a pan, then added Indian-style tomato chutney. I like the kick from the Indian spices and I think they really highlight the asparagus well. This mixture forms the base of the tart. Finally, I topped the tart with roasted asparagus and gave them a light sprinkling of jalapeño cheddar cheese.

I love combining Indian and French cuisine. At first blush, it may seem like these two styles of cooking would clash, but if care is taken, you can really make some special dishes. The trick is to reduce the heat from the Indian components of the dish and to pick French dishes that have bold flavors. This approach works both ways; I’ve made a mustard-based raita that is absolutely amazing with khichdi (rice cooked with coral lentils).

Until I got married, I didn’t really have much exposure to Indian food. So I guess I have my husband Lulu to thank for broadening my culinary horizons! 

Aloo Gobi Recipe with Purple Cauliflower and Potatoes

Aloo gobi is an Indian vegetarian dish made with potatoes (aloo) and cauliflower (gobi). I gave a little twist to the dish by using purple cauliflower and Peruvian purples, which are Fingerling-sized, purple-tinted potatoes. Except for these changes, the recipe remains the same.

The lilac color from the cauliflower slightly fades once it's cooked, but it's still a great addition of color to the Indian dish. It stokes curiosity and brings a new experience to the dinner table. I've made the same recipe using orange cauliflower and sweet potatoes in the past, and it also worked quite well.

Now, I'm off to test carrot purée using Okinawan sweet potatoes and purple carrots. I’ve been having way too much fun with this!

Vegetable Chana Dal Recipe

Turai chana dal is a dish that Baji, my husband Lulu's late grandmother, would make for the family. It's a healthy dish made of ridged gourd vegetable and lentils.

The ridged gourd vegetable, also known as turai or beerakaya, has the shape of an elongated starfruit squash. You can find it at any Indian grocery stores. This time, I made my own interpretation of her dish using a similar looking Vietnamese vegetable called mướp, which is a loofah gourd. Like the ridged gourd, mướp also belongs to the squash family. I've made this recipe with other vegetables such as zucchini and opo squash (trái bàu in Vietnamese) before and it’s come out well because once cooked, the texture of all these vegetables is quite similar. The flesh is soft and tender with a mild, natural sweetness.

No matter which vegetable you end up using, this dish will make a great veggie main course for your next meal.