Indian Harvest

Robust and earthy Kerala red rice is spiced with the warm and intense flavors of freshly grated nutmeg. Grown in the Palakkad area of Kerala, this rice is popular in that region for its rich and refreshingly unique taste. It combines wonderfully with the vibrant green spinach. I like pairing fresh fruits with this rice.

Drain the soaked rice and combine with the vegetable stock and salt in a large saucepan. Place the pan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally until the rice is cooked but retains a bite, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from flame, drain, and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, add garlic, and sauté until golden. Remove some of the sautéed garlic for garnish and keep aside. Add the chili, coriander seeds, and cinnamon to the pan with tomato and cook until the tomato is mushy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the spinach and nutmeg and when spinach just wilts, toss in the rice.

Tossing the smoky, caramelized eggplant in a rice pilaf is an interesting way to bring variation to a regular vegetable pilaf. Balsamic vinegar adds a deep tanginess, which complements the natural flavors of the eggplant. The roasting can be done in advance for convenience. Basil is added right toward the end of the cooking to retain maximum flavor and aroma.

In a mixing bowl, combine the eggplant with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, oregano, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Toss well and spread out on a baking tray lined with foil. Roast in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. When done, remove from the oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, combine rice with 3 cups of water and salt in a saucepan and boil over medium-high heat until the rice is tender but retains a bite, about 15 minutes. Drain the rice when done.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a large frying pan, add the roasted eggplant and boiled rice, and toss well.

Split grams offer a nice nutty taste while the peas add a subtle sweetness to this easy and popular rice pilaf. Rich and aromatic cloves, cardamom, and bay leaves add layers of flavors. The warm, enticing aroma makes it a simple and quick side dish to go with curries or even just raita.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the bay leaf, cardamom, and cinnamon and cook for 1 minute. When the spices become fragrant, add onion and sauté until soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the split gram to the mixture and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the rice and sauté the mixture well for about 2 minutes, then stir in the stock or water with salt and pepper. Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally until half the moisture is absorbed.

Mix in the peas and continue cooking until all the moisture is absorbed and the rice and gram are tender but retain a bite.

Slow cooking intensifies the sweet flavors and adds a nice chewy texture to the apple wedges. I like to use kokum as a substitute for tamarind in recipes to add sourness and an earthy flavor. More so because the flavors are reminiscent of some very memorable Konkani meals I had in Mangalore. I remember large kokum trees and ripe fruits that we picked, dried, and used for making a cooling summer drink.

In a mixing bowl, combine the apples with 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, dried mint, chili flakes, and salt. Toss well and spread over a baking tray lined with foil. Roast in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove when done.

Meanwhile combine the rice with 2 cups of hot water and salt in a saucepan and cook over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally and cook until all the moisture is absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from flame and fluff the rice with a fork.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the roasted apples, kokum, and sugar and sauté for a minute. Add the cooked rice and toss very well.

Moilee is a popular Kerala curry generally made with seafood. In this vegetarian version, I have added the rich sauce to the rice to make a memorable creamy dish full of spicy coconut flavor and the aroma of curry leaves characteristic of the beautiful coastal region.

Combine the rice with 2 cups of water and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook until all the moisture is absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from flame and fluff the rice with a fork.

Heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the curry leaves and when crisp, remove from the pan and reserve for garnish. Add the mustard seeds to the same oil. When the mustard crackles, add the onion, chilies, ginger, and turmeric and sauté until onions are translucent. Stir in the coconut milk and when sauce thickens toss in cooked rice.

Yogurt rice is a simple comfort food made delicious with a tempering of mustard seeds and curry leaves. Tamarind leaves add a nice sour flavor to the recipe. This dish tastes even better when served with a pickle of your choice.

Drain the rice and combine with the salt and 2 cups of water in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally until all the moisture is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and cool slightly.

Combine the cooked rice in a large mixing bowl with the yogurt and milk and mix very well, adding some more salt if required.

Heat the clarified butter in a small frying pan over medium heat and add the remaining ingredients. When the spices crackle and the curry leaves turn crisp, pour the mixture over the rice and mix well.

This rice gets a bold tanginess from dried pomegranate, a wonderful nuttiness from sesame seeds, and a pungent spiciness from ginger and dried red chilies. Short grain rice is slightly tender and stickier than long grain rice, which works perfectly for this recipe.

Drain the rice and combine with the salt and 2 cups of water in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally until all the moisture is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and set aside.

Heat the sesame oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add the mustard seeds. When the mustard crackles, add sesame seeds, curry leaves, chilies, ginger, and pomegranate seeds and sauté the mixture until the curry leaves are dry and crisp. Toss in the rice and mix until the rice is well coated with all the flavors.

THE SACRED TULSI

Traditionally, one often finds a tulsi (holy basil) plant at the entrance of Hindu households. They say tulsi protects the family from the evil eye and also brings good luck. We had tulsi in the center of the courtyard, but later it was moved to the side because our new car, a Maruti 800, had to be parked in that space! Though it was moved to the side, it still remained at the center of the morning rituals. Biji would gently water the tulsi with the holy water from Ganges that she kept in her temple at home, along with her morning prayers. She would pluck a few leaves, add it to glass of charnamrit or divine nectar.

We would be given the holy water and the sacred ritual was to accept it in a cup or in the well of the right palm with the left hand lightly under it.

After drinking it, I would wipe my wet palm over my head because it was for wisdom, according to Biji. My day would be made when I would get one leaf in my charnamrit. I always relished the refreshing taste.

The soil in which Tulsi grows is considered very sacred too. Even the dried leaves and the twigs. Sometimes when we went on a long uncertain journey, a little soil was rubbed on our forehead for protection. It would feel cool against my skin, but I would feel protected.

I remember going to Haridwar with my grandparents, and we brought back a little soil from the banks of the Ganges and that was added to the tulsi pot in our house.

It is believed that when a newlywed bride enters her in-laws' house, she brings a little soil from her parents house which is added to the tulsi plant in her new home. I think it must be symbolic of creating oneness between the two families.

A simple rice dish in which hibiscus imparts a purple-crimson color and tangy floral flavor. Dried hibiscus petals, also known as flor de Jamaica in Spanish, is a popular ingredient in Mexico and is used for making refreshing teas, cooling drinks, and even sauces. Green mango adds a beautiful layer of sourness and texture to the rice.

Combine the hibiscus with 2 cups of water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil the mixture for 3 to 4 minutes, remove from the flame, cover, and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the cardamom and cloves and when they sizzle, add the rice and salt. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Strain in the hibiscus water and cook, stirring occasionally until all the moisture is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. When done, remove from the flame and fluff the rice with a fork. Heat the remaining butter in a large frying pan, add the mango and chili flakes, and sauté for 1 minute.

A new and interesting side dish made with pearl barley, a nutritious grain with a chewy texture and nutty flavor. Another interesting ingredient is pippali peppers, and I treasure them the most because of their characteristic aroma and pungent taste. It is a key ingredient for Ayurveda rasayana to promote rejuvenation and longevity.

Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, add garlic and onion, and sauté until onions are translucent. Add the mushrooms, pippali, salt, pepper, and barley and sauté until the mushrooms begin to dry, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in 3½ to 4 cups of hot water. Cook the mixture stirring occasionally until the barley is cooked. Keep mixing in more stock or water if required, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Vermicelli has been used in pilafs for a long time. In Middle Eastern countries like Egypt, Armenia, and even Turkey, the vermicelli is lightly toasted in butter to make it golden brown before adding it to the recipe. In this dish, vermicelli is the main ingredient along with French beans and apricots, and it makes a wonderful one-pot meal. You can use any kind of vermicelli to make this dish.

Heat the clarified butter in a heavy-bottom pan over medium heat. Add the ginger and onion and sauté until the onion softens. Add the curry powder, French beans, apricots, and vermicelli and sauté gently for 3 to 5 minutes, taking care not to crush the vermicelli. Stir in ½ cup boiling water, the tomato, and the salt and cook until vermicelli is tender and the mixture is dry.

Edamame make a great addition to salads and pilafs and taste great eaten steamed and salted right out of the pod. An important part of Chinese and Japanese cuisine, edamame are green soybeans and are high in protein. The flavors of the pilaf come together with edamame, smoky paprika, and licorice-like star anise. Wheat berry gives this dish a nice earthy, chewy texture.

Combine the wheat berries with 4 cups of water and the salt in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until the berries are plump and tender, about 35 to 40 minutes. Drain away the extra moisture, fluff with a fork, and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add star anise and onion and sauté until the onion is golden. Add edamame, paprika, and pepper and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Toss in the cooked wheat berries and parmesan and cook until mixture is slightly creamy.

A quick and easy biryani recipe made with quinoa. This healthy gluten-free cereal cooks fast and has a chewy yet fluffy texture. It is a good substitute for rice or even couscous.

It is important to rinse the quinoa very well before cooking to remove the natural coating, which has a slightly bitter taste.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the fennel, onion, and garlic and sauté until the onions are golden. Add the pumpkin, cayenne pepper, and quinoa with half the pistachios and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in 3 cups of hot water with the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Cook, stirring occasionally until the quinoa is tender, the pumpkin is cooked, and all the moisture is absorbed.

Tender pieces of roasted, garlicky cauliflower with spiced onions and sweet pimento-stuffed olives. The rice cooked in vegetable broth gives the pilaf more flavor. Served with yogurt and pickle, this makes for a complete comfort meal.

In a mixing bowl, combine the cauliflower with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, half the garlic, ground fenugreek, and salt and toss well. Spread the cauliflower on a baking tray lined with foil and roast in the preheated oven for 7 to 8 minutes.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add remaining garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add onions, chili powder, turmeric, olives, and rice and sauté until the mixture is very fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in about 3 cups of hot water, salt, and pepper and cook stirring, occasionally until the rice is tender. Mix more water if required. When rice is cooked through and all moisture has been absorbed, toss in the roasted cauliflower, remove from heat, and serve hot with lemon wedges.