Ujwala's Delicacies

Indian inspired all natural kitchen.

Kale, Tomato in Channa Dal

In Indian cuisine, dal is eaten with rice or roti. Yet, dal is no different from lentil soup. Depending on your appetite and mood you choose whether to eat as soup or as the main course. Toor lentils are nutrition powerhouse. They carry a great combination of protein, calcium, fiber and carbohydrates, which are recommended daily.

Indian cuisine offers many vegetarian, vegan meatless options. Kale, being protein-rich containing 4 gms of protein per 100 gms, has earned the epithet of “queen beef”. A 100 gms serving of kale meets 700% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin K and 200% of the recommended Vitamin A and C intake, making it a “nutrition powerhouse”.

Alu Gobi with chinese cauliflower

Alu Gobi with Chinese Cauliflower: A Healthy Fusion

Alu Gobi, a common vegetarian dish cooked in a majority of Indian households. The aromatic flavorsome alu gobi served with fluffy chappatis or steamed rice is a comfort food relished by kids, adults and the elderly generation after generation in India. Yet, potato & cauliflower stir-fry is also enjoyed by other nations. A little digging into the history takes us 8000 years back to South America where potatoes originated.

The potatoes journeyed from South America through Spain, Italy and reached England only in the 19th Century. Every country blended the potatoes with their very own veggies, herbs & seasoning. In between that, the 14th Century traces references of “alu gobi curry” in the cuisines of the affluent Mughal Empire. Mughals were believers of Islam with Turkish ancestry and their non-vegetarian recipes are popular till date. A wide assortment of rich spices and dry fruits came to India along with them. Drawing inspiration from the Central Asian Alu Gobi recipe, the royal Mughal’s chef impressed the royalty with meatless vegetarian curry made with potatoes, cauliflower, and exotic spices! The conjugal of alu gobi and spices made its mark in Indian vegetarian recipes. It has survived through years while the hands cooking them and mouths enjoying the lovely dish have changed.

Malanga stir fry

Malanga is hairy vegetable close to colocasia and Eddoe. It is less starchy than potato, less slimy than colocasia. Any dish you can think of with potato can be made with Malanga. For a change of taste and to get different nutrients, you should try Malanga. Just like potato, Malanga is versatile. Stir-fry’s, curry, mixed with other veggies, chips, salad, mashed malanga are a few ways to cook. Malanga is also known as cocoyam, yautia, tannia, taro, and tanier.

Telangana eggplant with coconut and spices

If you want to experience a truly authentic taste of Telangana/Andhra cuisine, you have to taste Andhra Vankaya Kobbari karam – translated as Andhra eggplant, coconut masala. It is an authentic delicacy in Telangana/Andhra Pradesh cuisine which are India’s states Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are recently split states from the southern part of India. Both states share a very much same cuisine, with quite a few variations in a few regions. Telangana is the land of spicy food. Yet it is not painfully spicy, it is an awesome smooth spice which wakens your taste buds and makes you feel you this is the one you missed all your life long.

Colocasia Stem Sauté

Around the world, almost 10% folks relish a wide assortment of Colocasia as a staple food. The leaves of this plant are quite popular while Colacasia stems are enjoyed by a very limited group of people. So please go ahead and relish this low carb, highly nutritious delicacy. This vegan Colacasia Stem Saute is a gluten-free recipe. It is a delicious Keto Indian curry benefiting the body tremendously for being highly fibrous and packed with nutrition.

Colocasia: How to Recognize it by Form and Name?

Colocasia plants also known as Elephant-ear plants because of their large leaves shaped like those of elephant’s ears. Unlike Alocasia, Colocasia leaves droop downwards.

Colocasia is called by a host of names in different Indian languages such as Taro, Arvi (Hindi name); Kachu (Bengali); Aaloo (Marathi); Sempu (Tamil); Chempu (Malayalam); Kesavedantu (Kannada); Pan (Manipuri) etc.

Turai, coconut chutney

Turai aka Ridge guard is well known in Asian countries, especially in India, China, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Japan. All of these cuisines have such a unique way of transforming this plain tasting vegetable into something amazing. Today, I introduce you to South Indian state Telangana way of transforming turai (beerakaya) into an amazing chutney (beerakaya pachadi). Not a lot of non-Indians know about chutney. Not just Indians, but non-Indians can enjoy chutneys too. Chutneys are so versatile, they can be eaten with rice as South Indians do or use as condiments for sandwiches, burgers. It also can be used as pasta sauce. Vegans all over the world or those who are struggling to find delicious and tasty meatless recipes should know about chutneys. Also those looking for diabetic friendly recipes, low carb, low sugar recipes, chutneys are rejoiced. Chutneys are all-natural, clean, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and paleo. No regrets.

Lotus root curry in onion, poppy seed sauce

Yet another delicacy and an absolute Vegans and vegetarians heaven. Farmer’s market and local markets carry far more varieties of veggies than you think. Some are rarely found veggies. Lotus root one of them. It is found abundantly in summers. If you find one, don’t miss it. Lotus root is a versatile vegetable. You can make an appetizer, veggie taco, veggie bowl, saute or curry out of lotus root. Vegetables or Chicken simmered in gravy with spices is most commonly known Indian westerners. This time, cook with a twist by adding lotus root. Adopt ancient Indian clean recipes. Indian cuisine offers many dishes than just naan and chicken butter masala as most of westerns see in Indian restuarants. There are many vegan, vegetarian curries made of vivid ingredients.

Sautéed beetroot with spices

Sautéed beetroot is vegan, vegetarian, paleo and gluten-free dish. It is one of the easy vegetarian Indian recipes. Another delicious, clean meatless recipe. If you are a pro at cooking or new bee, beetroot will please you. If you are someone who wants to start cooking vegan recipes, start with beetroot sauté.

Fruits and vegetables from vibrant color spectrum contain high levels of vitamins and minerals as vitamin C, vitamin A, beta-carotene, potassium, lycopene, flavonoids, and zeaxanthin.Beetroot is well known to be a very healthy and tasty vegetable. There are many ways to enjoy beets. Grate them raw on salads. Starters, soups, salads, drinks, steam and sauté, low sugar desserts and more. Beets are not only famous in kitchen, they are also famous in the beauty world as natural hair dye.

Turnips in Onion, Cashew Gravy curry

Turnips are root veggies which taste like potato minus starch, has texture and benefits like carrot. Yet they are celebrities in the vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free kitchen. Fry, curries, stews, salads, nothing is ineligible to make with turnips. A vegan, gluten-free, paleo dish you have been craving for. One of the best homemade meatless options you can choose from. You know what you are eating. You are not consuming the additives, sodium, preservatives, freshness agents and many more chemicals from store bought dinner. Choose healthy lifestyle choices by making this all-natural vegan Indian curry.

Moringa, Egg curry

Are you craving something different without having to regret? Look no more. Here is all-natural, gluten-free, paleo moringa, egg saute. For those looking for a break from everyday routine recipes, this all-natural, gluten-free, paleo iron-rich Indian recipe is going to win you over.

This easy, yet creative egg curry is an excellent pair with rice, roti, chapati, even flavored rice as jeera rice, vegetable biryani. Eggs are one of most crowd pleased, versatile & healthy food. Give it a try, you will realize how simple, robust with flavor, tasty and healthy it is.