A Vegan Thanksgiving Feast

Traditions are made to be broken. And Thanksgiving is a great time to do that.

Have you ever wondered, for instance, why does everyone HAVE to eat turkey for Thanksgiving? I mean, why should mass-slaughtering millions of innocent and beautiful birds and putting them on our tables, belly up, be a great way to show we are grateful?

Of course, there are those who veer away from this tradition, like vegetarians and vegans. But somehow, we too can't get too far from the turkey malarkey. So we rush out to buy fake turkeys, made with soy protein or what have you, and pretend it's just as good as the real thing.

Somewhere, we lose sight of the fact that real vegan food, made with great, natural ingredients, can be just as good-and frankly even better than- that stuff the meat-eating world thinks they cannot live without.

As Thanksgiving drew closer this year, I often got the question: "What are you cooking for Thanksgiving? Tofurky?"

No way. Instead, here's the gorgeous spread I served up. My main dish, Cauliflower "Malai" Kofta Curry with Whole-Wheat Puris, is so delicious and satisfying, it would satisfy the most hard-core meat-eaters. Koftas are little vegetable balls - kinda like meatballs, only tastier. You can make them with a variety of veggies, including cabbage and zucchini, but I went with cauliflower because it's one of my favorite vegetables. Incidentally, these would be great appetizers by themselves, especially with a green mint or coriander chutney.

There's some deep-frying involved in this dish, but if you deep fry at the appropriate temperature (350-375 degrees) the food absorbs almost no oil. Plus, it is a celebration and this is still much healthier than turkey fat and butter and whatnot.

To go with the curry and puris, I served up a side of Crunchy Edamame with Crispy Onions (replacing the tried-and-tired bean casserole) and Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Pineapples and Walnuts.

For dessert, we had the most scrumptious Pumpkin "Cheesecake" with a creamy filling and a divine nut crust. And, of course, it's all 100 percent vegan.

So here's my Thanksgiving feast, delicious, protein-rich, quite easy to cook, and meant to show my appreciation not just for the life I am lucky enough to lead, but also the lives of my fellow creatures of all kinds who make this world such a beautiful place.

Cauliflower "Malai" Kofta Curry

For the gravy:

1/3 cup cashew pieces, soaked in 1/2 cup water

1/3 cup pumpkin seeds, roasted and then soaked along with the cashews

2 green chilies, chopped

1/2 cup coriander leaves, chopped

Salt to taste

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp cumin seeds, roasted

1 tsp coriander seeds, ground

Mix all the ingredients and process in a food processor until smooth.

Pour into a heavy saucepan on medium heat until heated through. Add water if the gravy is too thick.

Set aside.

For the koftas:

4 cups cauliflower, finely grated (I passed the florets through the fine grater on my food processor)

1 cup chickpean flour (besan)

2 green chilies, chopped

1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves

1 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp turmeric (optional)

1/2 tsp baking powder

Mix all the ingredients and shape into balls about 3/4th of an inch in diameter.

Deep fry in hot oil until golden on the outside. Take care not to let the oil get too hot or the outside will be browned before the inside has a chance to cook.

Place in a bowl and pour the hot gravy over the balls.

Serve hot with whole-wheat puris.

Whole Wheat Puris

Ingredients:

1 cup whole-wheat durum flour (use regular whole wheat if that's what you have)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp oil

Using enough water, knead the above ingredients into a smooth dough. Set aside at least half hour.

Divide the flour into balls about 1/2-inch in diameter each.

Roll each ball into a flat round about 3-4 inches in diameter.

Deep fry in hot oil on each side until puffed and golden.




Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Pineapple and Walnuts

2 large sweet potatoes. Poke holes all over each sweet potato with a fork or small knife and then zap in a microwave about 10 minutes until tender and cooked all over. When cooled enough, peel and pass through a potato ricer or just mash with a potato masher.

1/2 cup finely chopped pineapple

1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped

2 tbsp soy creamer (I used Silk)

Mix all the ingredients together well and add salt only if you need it.


Crunchy Edamame with Onions

1 tbsp canola or other vegetable oil

1 large red onion, finely sliced

1/4 tsp red chilli powder

2 cups shelled edamame beans (soy beans), microwaved for a couple of minutes if frozen, until they are just tender but have a strong bite.

Heat the oil and fry the sliced onion until browned and quite crispy.

Remove about 3/4 of the onions from the oil and reserve.

To the remaining onions, add the edamame and salt to taste.

Toss together and turn off heat. Top with remaining onions and serve hot.


Pumpkin "Cheesecake"

For the nut crust:

2 cups walnuts (can use pecans)

2 tbsp vegan "butter" like Earth Balance or Smart Balance (the vegan version)

2 tbsp canola or other vegetable oil

3 tbsp sugar

A pinch of salt

In a food processor, process the nuts until they resemble crumbs. Add the "butter", oil, sugar and salt and process briefly until the mixture comes together.

Pat the crust into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a 9- or 10-inch springform pan.

Bake 10 minutes until it starts to brown and becomes quite firm. Set aside to cool completely.

For the pumpkin filling:

2/3 cup turbinado sugar + 1 tbsp maple syrup (can substitute with regular dark brown sugar)

1/2 tsp powdered cinnamon

1 tsp cardamom powder

1/4 tsp powdered cloves

In a large bowl, beat until just smooth:

16 ounces vegan "cream cheese" (I used Tofutti's Better-than-cream-cheese)

Scrape the sides of the bowl and the beaters. Add the sugar and spices and mix briefly until everything blends in.

Add 16 ounces of silken tofu, in three portions, beating well after each addition.

Add and mix until just mixed:

1 cup pumpkin puree

Pour the filling into the crust.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a loaf pan or any other pan filled with water in the oven.

Slide the springform pan on a baking sheet and place in the oven.

Bake the cheesecake for 30 minutes.

Turn the heat down to 325 degrees and continue baking for another 20 minutes.

When the cheesecake is done, the sides will be set and puffy but the center will still jiggle when tapped.

Remove to a rack and cool completely. Chill before serving.

Enjoy, everyone, and hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!

Carrot Cupcakes and a Not-So-Happy Birthday

The day before Thanksgiving was supposed to be a half day at work and a full day of fun. I couldn't wait to get home and start planning Thanksgiving dinner, and share with you this awesome recipe for vegan carrot cupcake. Yesterday was also special because it marked an exact whole year since I started posting recipes on Holy Cow!

Instead, I spent the afternoon and evening glued to the television and computer, trying to get in touch with friends and watching in horror as Bombay, the city where I lived all my life before moving to the United States, reeled under terror.

Each of those places targeted had special meaning for me. It hurt to see the blood-soaked lobby of the Victoria Terminus through which I had walked every morning and evening for six years, along with thousands of other commuters eager to get to work and back home. It hurt to watch the beautiful Taj Mahal Hotel, which I had toured with the hotel's architecture official while working on a story about Heritage buildings in the city, go up in flames. And it hurt to hear that the Oberoi lobby, where I had often hung out with friends, most memorably to catch a glimpse of Michael Jackson when he toured India, had been set on fire by the terrorists.

When I last heard from my friends in Bombay, many of them were still holed up in their homes or workplaces, hoping for an end to their long-drawn nightmare. Sadly, the terror is still not over as I write this, but hopefully it will be soon. And I know that Bombay will once again get back on its feet. The residents of Bombay are incredibly resilient and strong. They may not forget this ordeal any time soon, but rest assured, they will not let it hold them back.

Because I'd already written out this carrot cupcake post, I'm just going to run it below. Thanks, everyone, for reading.

***

'Tis the season for all things orange-- pumpkins, sweet potatoes.... and carrots!

The other day, I got a huge bag of lovely, fresh organic carrots and all the way home I dreamed of the luscious carrot cake I was going to bake up. I even had some vegan cream cheese tucked away in the refrigerator for the frosting, so I was all set.

But when I actually rolled up my sleeves to begin, I was hit by an urge to bake cute little cupcakes instead. I love cupcakes because they have built-in portion control, which means you are less likely to overindulge no matter how delicious they are. Besides, who can resist a cute l'il baby cake festooned with icing? Not me.

I adapted this recipe from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World which has become my cupcake bible. The result was fluffy and moist and I loved the crunch of the nuts with the sweet squishy bite of the juicy golden raisins.

So here is the recipe for this amazing cupcake. Enjoy, everyone!



Carrot Cupcakes with "Cream Cheese" Frosting

Ingredients:

2/3rd cup all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp grated fresh ginger

2/3 cup turbinado sugar (can use regular)

1/3 cup canola or other flavorless vegetable oil

1/3 cup plain soy yogurt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup carrots, finely grated

1/3 cup walnuts, lightly roasted then chopped

1/3 cup raisins

A pinch of salt

For the frosting:

1/2 cup walnuts, lightly toasted then chopped

1/4 cup vegan "cream cheese" (I used Tofutti's Better Than Cream Cheese)

2 tbsp transfat-free shortening

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract


In a mixing bowl, mix together sugar, vegetable oil, yogurt, ginger and vanilla.

Sift into the bowl the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Mix until smooth.

Add the carrots, walnuts and raisins and mix in.

Line a muffin tin with liners and spray with oil.

Fill the liners about 2/3rds of the way up.

Bake in a 350-degree preheated oven for 26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.

Cool thoroughly on a rack before frosting.

To make the "cream cheese" frosting:

Mix together the shortening, cream cheese, vanilla and confectioner's sugar until smooth and creamy.

Fold in the chopped walnuts.

Slather the cupcakes with the frosting.

Bhel, Bombay and Bollywood

I grew up in Bombay, the capital of Bollywood, India's hyper-productive film industry, but Bollywood never managed to cast its technicolor spell over me.

I always found the melodrama and over-the-top acting hard to stomach. But there was one aspect of the movies that I just couldn't resist: the songs crammed between each Romeo-and-Juliet start and Cinderella ending.

Like the movies, called masala movies for obvious reasons, these songs (about half a dozen in each movie, give or take a couple) catered to every mood. There would usually be a raucous song sung by the hero and his friends before he'd found the love of his life, and perhaps one sung by the heroine with her friends. A couple of romantic numbers when the two had finally discovered-after many fights- that they couldn't live without each other. And a sad one or two after they'd been forced apart by the "villains," usually their parents. All songs were- and still are in today's movies-strictly in playback, meaning the voices you heard belonged to people who were not the ones you saw on screen.

Every night, my dad - a big fan of Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand, both popular actors of his childhood - would fall asleep listening to the radio playing Hindi oldies from the '50s and '60s. They were silken melodies, sung by India's greatest playback singers like Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammad Rafi, Asha Bhonsle and Kishore Kumar. The music would drift in from the next room and although I was supposed to be fast asleep, I couldn't help but lie awake in bed listening to those enchanting voices. I'd want them to never stop, but they did, every night at 11:30, after which the static crackled into the night until my dad woke up to turn the radio off.

Those songs spoke about love, anger, happiness, pain, playfulness and confusion. They left such a lasting influence on me that even today, whether I am high or low, I turn to a familiar song to comfort myself. It may sound corny, but believe me, it never fails.

Still, when Sunshinemom Harini announced her super-fun Jukebox Cooking Challenge event calling on bloggers/cooks to dish out food inspired by a song, I was a little flummoxed because I couldn't think of a song that inspired me to cook. Until I started to think about why I cooked, and when.

I cook, as I guess many others who love to cook do, when I'm perfectly happy. I cook when I'm sad to make myself happy. And I cook for those I love.

Given this strong connection between food and feelings, I chose a recipe based on a theme that is close to my heart, and ties in perfectly with songs AND food, at least for me. The sea.

Because many Indian movies were shot in Bombay, an island on the Arabian Sea, lots of Indian movie songs happen around the sea. From a pensive Dev Anand singing Jayen to Jayen Kahan, lost and a little turbulent like the vast ocean that unrolls before him, to Ek Pyaar Ka Nagma Hai sung by a frolicking family, to a deep-in-love couple weaving dreams about their future with Do Deewane Sheher Mein, the sea provided a perfect and spectacular backdrop.

When I was growing up, an outing to the sea, which was about a mile from where I lived, was a weekend must. We'd go as a group, with family, friends or both, but no matter how often we went, or with who, one thing was a constant: you absolutely had to have something to eat. That, most often, was roasted, salted peanuts, bought from one of the many vendors who walked around with baskets slung around their necks, or Bhel.

The Bhel would be put together right before your eyes, with a splash of this ingredient and that, and then all of it mixed together with a deft hand and served up in a newspaper cone. The end result was magical and the flavors danced on your tastebuds long after you'd licked every last bit off your fingers.

For the event, to go with my bhel, I chose one of my all-time favorite Hindi songs. I love it in good part because of the absolutely ethereal voice of Lata Mangeshkar which weaves perfectly the image of a rainy, romantic afternoon by the sea (a perfect time for some Bhel! Beware the raw-onion breath, though :)).

I've embedded the video of the song because I really wanted to share with all of you its wonderful images of a rain-drenched Bombay in the '70s, when it was still a glorious, beautiful city where one could walk for a few minutes on a street without getting smacked in the face by a ton of smog and pollution. The video, shot in South Bombay, includes such landmarks as Flora Fountain (a very brief glimpse) and the Rajabai Tower of Bombay University, all British-era (and now Heritage) architecture.

When Moushumi Chatterjee, the actress in the song, walks along Marine Drive, teetering on the edge of the promenade wall, I am reminded of days long gone but never forgotten. For those unfamiliar with Indian movies, the gawky guy in the video is Amitabh Bachchan, Bollywood's best-known star (not the greatest actor, in my opinion, although I'm sure there are many Indians who'll disagree.)

Rimjhim Gire Saawan
Sulag Sulag Jaaye Man
Bheege Aaj Is Mausam Mein
Lagi Kaisi Yeh Agan

I hate to translate this because even beautiful songs fall flat in another language, so I'll give you the gist: she's singing of the fire that the pouring rain evokes in her heart. Sounds mundane, I know, but in Lata's voice, it just isn't.

Here's to my home, Bombay, the pull of the sea, and those wonderful, wonderful oldies! And thanks, Harini, for hosting this lovely event.


I'm also sending this to Pallavi of All Thingz Yummy who's hosting the Sunday Snacks- Fix It event.



Bombay Bhel

Ingredients:

3 cups brown-rice crispies

1 cup khara sev (these are the squiggly yellow things you see in the picture, available in Indian grocery stores. I also sometimes find it in the Indian grocery section at Whole Foods)

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 green chilies, minced

1/2 cup coriander leaves, chopped

3 small red potatoes, boiled and finely diced

For the date-tamarind chutney:

4 dates, soaked in water about 15 minutes until soft and seeded

1 tsp tamarind extract. If you're cooking with whole tamarind, soak a lime-sized ball in warm water for about 15 minutes, then squeeze out the juices by crushing between your fingers. Discard the solids.

Blend the tamarind and dates into a fairly thick paste.

To put together the bhel all you do is mix up all the ingredients, including the date-tamarind chutney. Add salt to taste.

The bhel goes wonderfully with little puris, which are refined-wheat crackers deep fried in oil. Since my bhel is quite healthy, I decided to forego the puris which are also quite easily available at Indian stores.

Enjoy, everyone!

This Thanksgiving, Say No to Cruelty

Kudos to the New York Times for running this story right in its weekly Dining section on PETA's latest undercover investigation of the Aviagen turkey farm in West Virginia and the mind-shattering cruelty perpetrated by its workers against innocent birds.

The video shows workers stomping on the birds and punching them, among other atrocities. I've embedded it below. Do watch it, even if you feel you don't have the stomach for it, because in this case our ignorance is certainly not bliss- not for the poor birds.



Watch more videos at PETA.org

This is by no means an isolated incident: in fact, other investigations by PETA and the Humane Society of the United States have shown it's all in a day's work at many poultry and other animal factory farms.

This Thanksgiving, when you cook for your family, consider great vegan options you can put on your plate, instead of death and suffering. Celebrations should be a time to cherish everything that's wonderful about our lives and the world, and cruelty toward voiceless animals should have no part in it. It is estimated that 45 million turkeys are killed in the United States for Thanksgiving each year. Isn't it ironic, then, that media space and air time is usually devoted to the one single turkey that gets the presidential pardon?

You can find plenty of vegan recipes both here on Holy Cow! and on many other vegan blogs, including some of the wonderful blogs in my blogroll. I also plan to post some Thanksgiving special recipes over the coming days, including vegan versions of traditional favorites, so stay tuned.

World's Best Vegan Chocolate Cupcake- and Dog

Walking my dog Opie is like an adventure. You never know where it's going to take you, and you're lucky if you get back home on time and in one piece.

Okay, I exaggerated just a little about coming home in one piece because so far I have, but the rest of it is absolutely true.

When Opie was younger, we tried all we could to train him to walk like a "good dog." But for some reason- likely the fact that he is the most stubborn creature I've ever known - he refused to fall in line.

Although he walks at least twice a day, rain, shine, snow or ice, Opie treats every walk like it's his first one. He goes raring out the door, eager to chase down every squirrel, stare at every person he sees, and sniff hard at every calling card left in the grass by every dog in the neighborhood.

Sometimes, he decides he wants to go a certain route. And arguing with Opie is not easy. If I walk in another direction than the one he's set his mind to, he will first bury his front feet in the ground, put his head down, and refuse to budge. His big, brown eyes meanwhile will make a frantic appeal, asking me to reconsider.

If I insist, he'll just sit down.

As you might have guessed, I usually give in.

But although he might sound like a bit of a pain in the rear- and he certainly is a lot of the time- it is indeed hard to fight that kind of curiosity and vibrance. I am always awe-struck by how his enthusiasm never seems to wane.

In freezing weather, as I plod with him through knee-deep snow, begging him to walk fast, he will plonk down on a smooth patch in a neighbor's lawn, turn on his side, and move vigorously back and forth to make a snow angel. Then he'll put down his ear to the ground, push up his playful butt, and go sliding through the snow, enjoying himself completely. Even though my fingers and toes are screaming for life by this time, I can't help but laugh.

Some of you might wonder - as I am sure most of my neighbors do- why I don't work harder to make Opie behave as I want him to. Well, Opie's not a badly behaved dog. As a stranger delighted by his antics once remarked, very astutely, he just has a mind of his own.

And I'm certainly not going to fight that.

So why the prologue about Opie in a post titled Chocolate Cupcake? After all, dogs and chocolate are not compatible. But Opie is my chocolate cupcake, or at least that's one of my names for him, and I wanted to share with you this little tale of a very special dog.

As for the cupcake, this one, which I adapted from one of my favorite cookbooks, Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, is so delicious, so fluffy and moist, that no one would ever guess it was vegan. In fact, it's one of the best cupcakes I've ever tasted and made.


This cupcake would be even more wonderful, if that's possible, with some chocolate icing, but this time I didn't have the time to make any, so I just went with a simple topping of powdered sugar. Bliss.


Vegan Chocolate Cupcake

1 cup almond milk (can use soy)

1 tsp vinegar

3/4 cup turbinado sugar (can use regular sugar)

1/3 cup canola or other flavorless vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

A pinch of salt

In a bowl, mix the almond milk and vinegar and set aside for a few minutes until it curdles.

Add the sugar, oil, vanilla extract and beat togeter until it turns frothy.

In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt.

Add the cocoa-flour mixture to the wet ingredients in two batches, mixing well until the mixture is fairly smooth. Don't overbeat.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Pour the batter into each liner, about 3/4 full. Although the original recipe said it made 12 cupcakes, this one made just nine. Hmmm.

Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Cool on a rack for about 10 minutes. Then unmold the muffins and place them on the rack until thoroughly cooled.

If desired, take some powdered sugar in a sieve, and sprinkle over the top of the cupcakes.

Enjoy!

For another great vegan cupcake recipe, try my Lemony Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Wholegrain Tofu Pancakes

Okay, so I am guilty of posting many, many pancake recipes, but what can I say? I get out of bed every weekend, dreaming of a stack of steaming pancakes that I can eat without feeling awful a minute after I have.

I hit the jackpot with these. My very vegan Wholegrain Tofu Pancakes are among the most guilt-free I've ever cooked up. They are made, like all my pancake recipes, with whole wheat pastry flour, and I added tofu to them instead of the sour cream that I would have in the past. So not only did I take away a fat-filled, zero-nutrition product, but I replaced it with a healthy, lean and protein-filled one. With no compromise whatsoever in the taste. I could hug myself!

The lime (you can use lemon) in the pancakes gives them a tang that goes perfectly with the heavy sweetness of my favorite pancake topping, maple syrup.

It's Friday night, and I want to get away and have some fun, so I'll get on with the recipe. Do try them this weekend. You won't regret them, and neither will your waistline!

Wholegrain Tofu Pancakes

Ingredients:

Whisk together in one bowl:

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

2 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

In another bowl, mix together:

1 cup silken tofu

1/3 cup almond or soy milk

4 tbsp lemon or lime juice

2 tsp lemon or lime zest (optional)

2 tbsp canola or vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir together in as few strokes as possible until just mixed. The batter should be lumpy, not smooth.

Pour 1/4 cup of the batter on a hot non-stick or cast-iron griddle coated with oil. This is a very thick, almost cakey batter, so you might have to give it a nudge with your ladle to help it spread.

Cook until bubbles appear on the top of the pancake and the bottom is golden-brown. Flip over and cook until golden on the other side.

Serve hot with maple syrup or any other topping of your choice.

Enjoy!

Butterless Avocado Brioche

Brioche used to be my favorite bread once upon a non-vegan time and, I admit, I've never quite gotten over it.

There is something magical about a bread with a melt-in-your-mouth texture and a crust that's perfectly flaky and brittle. So much so that you cannot but forgive and forget all those calories crammed inside of it.

I hadn't before baked a vegan brioche, and although I had often toyed with the idea of making it with vegan butter, like Earth Balance, I never got around to it.

Until last week when I brought home a bag of perfect avocados.

I needed to think of a way to use them, fast, and I just wasn't in the mood for guacamole. That's when inspiration hit. Avocado brioche!

Avocados are really an excellent substitute for butter because they are high in fat (the good kind, unlike butter) and they have a creamy texture when mashed which is not unlike that of butter.

I googled up some recipes for avocado bread, but all were invariably for sweet breads, which I wasn't looking for. So I decided to improvise on the recipe I'd always used for regular brioche, substituting for the eggs and the butter with two avocados and just two tablespoons of the vegan version of Smart Balance "butter."

Looking back, I wouldn't do anything differently, except, maybe, reduce the baking temperature, because the top fell just a wee bit in the oven. It didn't take away, though, in any way from the beautiful, flaky texture of the brioche, or the amazing flavor. The bread had a lovely golden crust and was an exquisite pale green on the inside.

So here we go with my vegan avocado brioche. It's much healthier than your regular brioche, and tastes just as good. Already it has gone to the top of my list of favorite recipes.

I think this bread will be a great entry for the wonderful Colored Breads event, hosted by Grain Power.

Avocado Brioche

(Makes 12 servings. See detailed nutritional information after recipe)

Ingredients:

Mix together in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and let stand 5 minutes:

1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)

1/3 cup almond milk (can use soy milk)

Add:

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 ripe avocados, mashed until there are no lumps (I put them through a potato ricer which did a perfect job). Squeeze a few drops of lemon juice into the avocado so it remains bright green.

2 tbsp almond or soy milk

2 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Mix on low speed or by hand. Then add:

2 1/4 cups bread flour

Mix well until ingredients have blended together. Then, knead by hand for about 15 minutes or on low-medium speed in a stand mixer for about 8-10 minutes. The dough will be smooth and elastic and although it will appear sticky, it won't stick to your fingers.

Add 2 tbsp vegan "butter" like Smart Balance or Earth Balance.

Knead on medium-high speed or by hand until the "butter" is incorporated into the dough.

Place the dough in an oil-coated bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place for about 1 1/2 hours or until doubled.

Punch the dough down, then cover again and let rise for another 2 hours.

To shape the dough, divide it into four equal portions. Shape each portion into a smooth ball.

Spray oil on the inside of a standard 9 X 5-inch loaf pan.

Place the four balls of dough touching each other inside the loaf pan. Brush with some olive oil mixed with salt.

Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap and let rise another hour or until the loaf fills the pan and mushrooms over it.

Brush some more of the olive-oil-salt mixture over the top.

Bake in a 375-degree oven about 30 minutes. (The next time I plan to decrease the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake a little longer, if needed, to prevent the top from heating too fast).

(Nutritional facts per serving: Calories, 209; Fat: 5.5 g (saturated fat 0.7 g, polyunsaturated fat 0.8 g, monounsaturated fat 3.1 g); Cholesterol 0 g; Carbohydrates 31.4 g, Dietary fiber: 2.9 g, Protein 4.8 g)

Enjoy!

If you enjoy bread-making, you might also want to try my Vegan Challah or my Soymilk Pompoms.

Daalonka Pulao aur Subzi Ka Meetha Stew (Lentil Pilaf and Sweet Vegetable Stew)

Of the cookbooks I love, one of my oldest favorites is a simple, very unpretentious little one called Entertaining Indian Style, by Vimla Patil.

Patil's name is a familiar one in India. She was one of the country's first well-known woman journalists, and led the magazine Femina for many years. While Femina has since deteriorated into a rag with its only dubious claim to fame being a beauty contest it puts up each year, it saw better days under Patil who, I think, left during the '90s.

I worked for a few years at a newspaper, The Independent, published by the Times of India group which also owned Femina, and our office was on the fifth floor of the lovely old Gothic building in front of the Victoria Terminus, often referred to as the Old Lady of Bori Bunder. Riding up and down the elevator, I'd sometimes see Patil. I was then a painfully young, very green journalist and a little awe-struck by her, but she always had a kind smile and a hello for me.

Anyway, Patil is also an avid cook, and has published quite a few cookbooks. One such gem is the Working Woman's Cookbook, of which I had a well-thumbed and well-used copy. I lost it, however, during my transition to the United States, and have never been able to find another since. Sigh.

Patil's style of cooking is highly influenced by her Maharashtrian roots, but she also manages to put a lot of creativity and originality into her recipes. The recipes I am going to share here, Daalonka Pulav and Subzi ka Meetha Stew, are two great examples of this.

Daalonka Pulao, or a Rice Pilaf made with three kinds of lentils and spices, is a delicious, nutritious dish all by itself. Paired with the Subzi ka Meetha Stew, or Sweet Vegetable Stew, it makes - I think - for an extraordinarily special meal. I did change the amount of the ingredients in the recipe, based on my family's taste. I also cut down quite a bit on the amount of oil.

Enjoy, everyone!

Daalonka Pulao (Lentil Rice)

Ingredients

1 cup rice

1/3 cup masoor dal (pink lentils)

1/3 cup mung dal

1/3 cup chana dal (bengal gram)

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1/4 cup of grated coconut

4-5 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp red chili powder

2 tomatoes, diced

1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves

1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil

Salt to taste

Cook the lentils until they are quite soft.

Heat the oil and fry the onions until golden.

Add the powdered spices, the garlic and the coconut. Stir together.

Add the tomatoes and stir. Then add the rice and salt to taste.

Add 2 cups of hot water. Bring to a boil, cover with a tight lid, turn the heat to medium-low, and cook for 15 minutes.

Add the lentils and mix well.

Heat through. Check the salt, add coriander leaves, and serve hot.


Subzi ka Meetha Stew (Sweet vegetable stew)

Ingredients

1 1/2 tbsp canola or vegetable oil

1 large onion, diced

2-3 green chilies, minced

1/4 cup grated coconut

3 cloves

3 small sticks of cinnamon

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

2 red potatoes, diced

2 carrots, cut into thin circles lengthwise

(Cook the potatoes and carrots in a microwave with a few tablespoons of water until just tender)

2 tomatoes, diced

1 tbsp sugar

Salt to taste

Heat 1/2 tbsp of the oil and fry cloves, cinnamon and coconut until lightly golden.

Transfer to a blender.

In the same pan, roast the all-purpose flour until light brown. Add to blender and, using just enough water, grind together the flour, coconut and spices to a smooth paste.

Heat remaining 1 tbsp of oil and add the onions and chillies. Fry until the onions turn golden.

Add the potatoes, carrots, sugar, salt and tomatoes.

Stir and cook until the tomatoes soften.

Now add the coconut-flour paste and enough water to make a thick gravy.

Simmer for 5 minutes. Add coriander leaves.

Serve hot.

The Obama Dog and My Two Cents

There's been so much talk this week about the Obama dog, I just had to weigh in.

For those who have had their heads buried in the sand this past week, here's the lowdown: the first-family-to-be is going to get a dog after they move into the White House, and there have been all sorts of polls, petitions and pleas floating around from the various groups involved in the caninosphere. While purebreed-pushers like the American Kennel Club have put out their suggestions of purebreed dogs the Obamas might adopt, animal rescue groups such as the wonderful Best Friends Animal Society have been lobbying the president to adopt a shelter dog.

This is, of course, one smart family, and last month Michelle Obama announced on a television show that they would indeed adopt from a shelter. But other complications have arisen since. It turns out that one of the Obama daughters is allergic, and in his press conference today the president-elect said that his family has to take that into consideration. They would need, he said, a hypoallergenic dog. But, he added, most shelter dogs are mutts.

Wrong. I firmly believe mutts make the greatest pets and it is true that a majority of dogs at shelters are usually mutts, or mixed breeds. But, President-elect Obama, if you think you need a purebred dog so you can be sure it is hypoallergenic, a good number of dogs entering shelters are also purebreeds and, like Nike - a Bichon Frise I fostered- hypoallergenic. And there are many, many breed rescues out there that rescue purebreed dogs and rehome them. Here is one that rescues bichons. Here is another that rescues labradoodles and goldendoodles, also hypoallergenic dogs. Here's a whole list of dogs that are considered hypoallergenic, and it is easy as cake to google up groups that rescue each one of these pure breeds.

The Washington Humane Society, which rescues dogs in Mr. Obama's new home city, Washington, also rescues many purebreed dogs each year, including hypoallergenic ones.

Here are three of the several hypoallergenic puppies available in the Washington area. I pulled these up on Petfinder, a great resource for anyone looking to rescue dogs.




The new first family would be setting a wonderful example for the country and the rest of the world if they did, indeed, adopt a rescue dog. As someone who has rescued many, many dogs, I know they will never regret that decision because any dog they adopt will give them its whole heart and lots of great times. But equally important, by giving a rescue dog a second chance, the Obamas and their dog would deal a body blow to long-held and mistaken attitudes that shelter dogs are, somehow, just not good enough.

President-elect Obama, this is your chance to bring hope and change to millions of four-legged creatures who more than deserve a chance at that most basic of rights: life. It may not be the most important item on your agenda, but it could also be the easiest one to resolve. Please, don't let the doggies down. Bring a rescue dog home to the White House.

Make your voice heard. Email the president-elect with your thoughts on why you think his family should get a shelter dog. Be a hero.

Karela Rajma and Indian-style Mashed Potatoes

Bitter gourd, or karela, is one of those veggies people either love or hate. With a sharply bitter taste, as the name suggests, it can be a hard pill to swallow at least for the uninitiated. But to those who have grown to love it, that very same bitterness can be quite delicious.

I've written before about this wonder veggie in this post, so I won't go through it all again. But let me just say that with its purifying qualities, the bitter gourd is said to be a miracle food for those with ailments ranging from diabetes to heart disease. It's quite easy to find in the United States: it's always available at my local Asian grocery store.

I usually add the bitter gourd to a kootu or a pitlai, or I stir-fry it with onions, chili powder and turmeric. Salt and a handful of raisins to balance out the bitterness, and it's done.

My Konkani family would make a delicious karela upakari with coconut and jaggery that was out of this world.

This time, I combined karela with rajma, which is not- as far as I know- a traditional combination, at least from the part of India I come from. But I thought the nutty flavor of the rajma, or red beans, would nicely balance out the bitterness of the karela, as it indeed did, with the help of some coconut milk and a teeny bit of sugar.

To go with my karela rajma, I made some mashed potatoes, Indian style. Which means I put them through a potato ricer, then added to them a tadka or seasoning of Indian spices typically used to make potato bhaji. Because half the potatoes I used were purple potatoes, the finished dish had a mottled-lavender look that was quite pretty. You could make this with just yellow, red or purple potatoes.

It's election night and I'm in a hurry to rush off and watch the results stream in, so let me get on with the recipes. Enjoy, everyone!

Karela Rajma

Ingredients:

1 cup rajma or red beans, soaked overnight if possible, and then cooked until tender.

4 small to medium bitter gourds, ends trimmed, then cut into rings. Remove the hard seeds in the center, then put the karela rings in a microwave-safe bowl, add about 1 cup of water, and microwave until tender but not falling apart for about 10-15 minutes. You can also do this on the stovetop. The karela should still have a very slight bite to it.

1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

A pinch of asafetida (hing), optional

1 tbsp sugar

1 heaping tbsp garam masala

1 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric, optional

1/2 cup coconut milk

Salt to taste

Heat the oil in a saucepan and then add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and asafetida.

When the seeds sputter, add the onions and sugar, and stir fry until the onions begin to brown.

Add the garlic and stir for a minute.

Add the garam masala, chilli powder, and turmeric, if using. Stir to coat the spices with oil and toast them for about a minute.

Add the karela and stir in. Then add the rajma and about 1 cup of water and salt to taste.

Simmer the curry for about 10 minutes on medium heat.

Add the coconut milk and turn off the heat. Mix well.

Garnish with coriander, if desired.

Mashed Potatoes, Indian-style

Ingredients:

5 medium potatoes (I used a mix of red and purple potatoes), boiled in their jackets, then either mashed with a potato masher or put through a ricer.

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp udad dal or black gram dal

A pinch of asafetida

2 dry red chillies, broken into pieces

About 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp zest, if desired

Salt to taste

Heat the sesame oil in a skillet. Add the cumin and mustard seeds and, when they sputter, add asafetida.

Add the red chilies and udad dal. Fry until the dal turns lightly golden.

Pour the seasonings over the mashed potatoes. Add the lemon juice.

Mix well and add salt to taste.

I served the potatoes with the karela rajma and some boiled rice. It made for a delicious meal.

Chickpea Khichdi and Arbi Kadhi

I like mixing things up a bit, and today's recipes are an example of the irreverential cooking I so love to practice in my experimental kitchen.

In Gujarat, on India's west coast, khichdi with kadhi is a popular comfort meal. The khichdi is a blend of rice and lentils, cooked together to mushy velvetiness, while the kadhi is a sour, spice-spiked, yogurt- or buttermilk-based preparation.

This past weekend, hit with a craving for something really simple yet delicious, I decided to make this offbeat version of both. Vegan, of course.

I used soy yogurt instead of regular yogurt or buttermilk. While I am not a huge fan of eating soy yogurt by itself, I absolutely love it in cooked dishes. It tastes just the same when added to dishes like biryanis or spicy curries, and even has the same effect as regular yogurt when substituted in baked goods and pancakes.

But first, a bit about the khichdi. I used chickpeas instead of lentls to give my khichdi some nutty heft, and it was a decision I lived to gloat over. The simple combination of chickpeas and rice flavored with nothing but some cumin and salt was amazing.

My kadhi was, well, much thicker than a kadhi usually is. I added to it some colocasia roots and methi leaves. It tasted incredible with the chickpea khichdi and my tastebuds couldn't have been happier.

If you're an Indian, you probably already cook with colocasia roots, also called arbi, but if you don't know what they look like, I've included a picture here. I remembered to ask Desi to take the picture only after I had already dunked them into the water to wash them, therefore the bedraggled look. But gnarly though they look, they do taste fabulous. You do have to peel the skins off and within is deliciously starchy flesh that's not unlike a potato's, but sweeter, and more complex as well as thicker. I usually find them at the Asian grocery store and sometimes even at my local supermarket.

So here are the recipes for my twist on khichdi and kadhi. Enjoy, everyone!

Arbi and Methi Kadhi

Ingredients:

5 colocasia roots, boiled in their skins. To test for doneness, pierce one of the roots with a fork in the center. If it goes in fairly easily, it's done. Set aside to cool a bit before you peel these. Then, cut into 1/2-inch chunks.

1 bunch of methi (fenugreek) leaves, stems discarded and leaves chopped (if you cannot find methi, you could substitute another leafy like watercress or even spinach. Only add them toward the end of the cooking instead of early because they take much less time to cook).

1 cup soy yogurt

1 tsp canola or vegetable oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

5 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tbsp grated ginger

2 heaping tsp of tava masala (Available in Indian stores. I used it on a whim but it tasted great in this dish)

1/2 - 1 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric

Salt to taste

Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds.

When they sputter, add the onions and stir-fry until translucent and soft.

Add the ginger and garlic and stir for another minute.

Add the methi leaves. Stir for a few minutes until they begin to wilt.

Add the tava masala, turmeric and chilli powder. Stir in.

Add about 1/2 cup of water, cover and let cook for a few minutes until the methi leaves are almost tender. This will take around 10-15 minutes.

Add the soy yogurt and the colocasia pieces. Stir well. If the kadhi is too thick, you can add some water.

Check salt to taste.

Serve with khichdi (recipe follows)

Chickpea Khichdi

Ingredients:

1 cup chickpeas, soaked overnight and then cooked until tender (can substitute with 1 1/2 cans of chickpeas, rinsed and drained)

1 cup long-grain rice, like basmati

1 tsp canola or vegetable oil

1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)

2 cups water

Salt to taste

Heat the oil in a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid.

Add the cumin speeds. When they sputter, add the rice and stir until it begins to turn opaque.

Add the water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium.

When most of the water is absorbed, add the chickpeas, cover, and cook the rice over low heat for another 15 minutes.

Don't open the saucepan for another 10 minutes at least. To serve, fluff the khichdi with a fork and serve alongside the kadhi.

You can find a wonderful, more traditional version of Khichdi and Kadhi here.

Hats Off! The Sweet Vegan Roundup

In the movie Year of the Dog, the lead character Peggy, played by the incredible Molly Shannon, turns into an animal rights activist- and a vegan- after the unexpected death of her beloved dog. Peggy, a lonely woman, is used to pleasing her colleagues with treats like donuts every morning. But when the treats become vegan, no one wants them anymore. In fact, they turn away before even tasting them when they hear the V word.

As a vegan, I often run into such skepticism from people I've just met, who believe I must surely live on salads alone. As for sweets, there are not many out there who believe it is possible to cook amazing sweets without eggs and dairy products.

Here's a news flash. I was an omnivore just a few years back, as were most vegans at some point in their lives, and we do know what your food tastes like. And not many of us would dream of settling for food that's sub-delicious. In fact, this belief that vegans, somehow, sacrifice taste for their beliefs or health and settle for barely-edible food is not just an annoying one but also one that smacks of ignorance.

Ergo, Sweet Vegan! I wanted not only to create a great resource for anyone (including myself!) looking to make great desserts and snacks that do not rely on animal products, but I also hoped to get some very amazing cooks out there thinking about the fact that products like milk, butter, cream, ghee and eggs (and yes, honey too) are not really indispensible in sweet-making as we often believe them to be.

Still, while cooking everyday vegan food, especially Indian, is not in itself a tough job, conjuring up a vegan sweet does take creativity and quite a bit of experimentation. Baked goods rely on the chemistry of eggs and on products like butter and cream for taste, while Indian sweets depend heavily and often exclusively on dairy products. To stray from these time-tested traditions can be difficult, not to mention a little scary. Will my bread rise? Will my cookie be as chewy or crumbly? Will my kheer taste as rich? These are legitimate worries, and not easy to overcome.

But with your amazing entries, you talented cooks proved that the only limitation to delicious veganism is imagination. There is every kind of sweet in this collection, from delicious burfis to traditional goodies like adhirasam to puddings and breads and even a beautiful maple cake.

Today, on World Vegan Day, I salute all of you amazing cooks, and hope your recipes provide food for inspiration to every foodie out there. Here, without further ado, are the gorgeous recipes sent in by you.

Coconutty goodness: Thengai Paal Kesari from Amma's Special


A feast for the eyes: Aparna's Spiced Pear Galette


Creamy dreaminess: Bex's Butterscotch Pudding


An Indian classic: Cham's Boondi Ladoo


Fruity and fun: Divya's Spiced Mango Bread


Wholesome and inspiring: Divya's Healthy Laddus


Colorfully fragrant: DK's Lavender Strawberry Sorbet


A time-tested favorite: Jayasree's Athirasam


A tantalizing medley of jaggery, bananas and coconut milk: Jayasree's Pazha Pradhaman


Just carrots, sugar and a whole lot of deliciousness: Kamalika's Carrot Halwa


A sweet blend of lentils and coconut: Kamalika's Soiyam


Eye candy: Vegan Stawberry Milkshake from Kitchen Flavors


Unusual and gorgeous: Madhuram's Oats and Coconut Milk Pudding


A traditional treasure: Madhuram's Rice Flour Puttu


Sparkling morsels: Mansi's Thumbprint Cookies


A delicacy from India's west coast: Meera's KhaparPoli


A mouthful of nutrition: Pallavi's Whole Wheat Vegan Banana Nut Bread


A twist on flavors: Priya's Vegan Ragi Cookies


Gorgeous yet guilt-free: Priya's Eggless Maple Cake


Easy and Tasty, for sure! Priya's Vegan Choco Almond Shake


A musical-sounding delight: Radhika's Naanu Maanu


Sinlessly delicious: Rajee's Moong Dal Kheer

Yummy and handy: Ramki's 10 Easy Indian Chikkis (Brittles)


A tall glass of bliss: Tilslørte Bondepiker / Veiled Peasant Girls from Seitan Is My Motor


A riot of traditional flavors: Shreya's Unni Appam


Delicious festival eats: Sia's Banana Appams


Four-ingredient wonder: Puttu from Simple Indian Food


Easy and fun: Sunshinemom's No Cook Ooey Gooey Vegan Chocolate Pudding


A nutty find: Supriya's Almond, Walnut and Cashew Burfis


Simply delicious: Ujwal's Rava Payasam

A tasty marriage of coconut and tofu: Uma's Coconut Pudding


And here are my own contributions:
Vegan donuts

Vegan carrot halwa


Tarte Tatin
Banana Pecan Cookies

Mango bread

If you sent me an entry and do not see it here, please, please let me know asap. If it is not included, it is not intentional; blame it instead on my inexperience with hosting an event and rest assured I'll add it.