22 Vegetarian Dishes Recipe

Cook rice

Rinse rice until water runs clear. Combine 3 cups rice with 5 cups water and 1/2 tsp salt in a heavy pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 12–15 minutes until tender. Fluff and keep covered until serving.

Cook dals for sambar & plain dal

Rinse toor and moong dal. In a pressure cooker or pot, combine 1 cup toor dal, 1/2 cup moong dal and 3 cups water with 1/2 tsp turmeric and 1/2 tsp salt. Cook until very soft and breaking down (3–4 whistles in a pressure cooker or 30–40 minutes simmer). Mash lightly for a smooth dal. Reserve 1 cup cooked dal for plain dal and use remaining as base for sambar.

Prepare tamarind water (for sambar)

Soak 2 tbs tamarind paste (or a small lemon-sized tamarind soaked in 1 cup hot water and strained) and set aside. When building sambar, add tamarind liquid to taste (about 1 cup).

Potato curry (dry)

Heat 2 tbs oil in a pan. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tbs urad dal and 1 tbs chana dal; when they sputter, add 8 curry leaves and 1 chopped green chili. Add 3 cups peeled cubed potatoes, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook 12–15 minutes until tender. Finish with 1 tsp lemon juice and chopped cilantro.

Green beans & carrot poriyal

Blanch or steam 3 cups green beans and 2 cups carrots until just tender. In a pan, heat 2 tbs oil, temper with 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp urad dal, 1 dried red chili and 6 curry leaves. Add vegetables, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp salt and 2 tbs freshly grated coconut. Toss and serve.

Eggplant with spices

Heat 2 tbs oil, add 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 chopped green chili and a pinch of asafoetida. Add 2 cups cubed eggplant, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp red chili powder, 1 tsp coriander powder and 1/2 tsp salt. Cook covered, stirring occasionally, adding 1/4 cup water if needed, until eggplant is soft. Finish with chopped cilantro.

Spinach masala

Heat 1 tbs oil, sauté 1 tbs minced garlic and 1 tbs grated ginger briefly. Add 4 cups chopped spinach, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp salt and cook until wilted. Stir in 1/2 tsp garam masala and 1 tbs lemon juice.

Chickpea curry

In 2 tbs oil, temper 1 tsp mustard and 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tbs chopped onion (optional) and 1 green chili. Add 2 cups cooked chickpeas, 1/2 cup tomato puree (optional), 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp garam masala and 1 tsp salt. Simmer 10 minutes and finish with cilantro and 1 tsp lemon juice.

All vegetable dishes use a basic South Indian tempering: heat oil, add mustard seeds and cumin until they pop, then add urad dal and chana dal until golden, dried red chilies and curry leaves. Add asafoetida with the vegetables when called for. Keep spice quantities consistent across dishes and adjust salt and chili to taste.

Coconut chutney (green)

In a blender, combine 1.5 cups grated coconut, 3–4 roasted chana dal tablespoons, 1 small green chili, a small piece of tamarind (or 1/2 tbs tamarind paste), 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 cup water. Blend to a smooth paste. Temper with 1 tsp oil, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp urad dal and a few curry leaves heated until popping; pour over chutney.

Peanut chutney

Blend 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, 1/2 cup grated coconut, 1 small green chili, 1 tbs tamarind, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 cup water until smooth. Temper as above if desired.

Sambar

In a pot, heat 1 tbs oil, add 1 tsp mustard and 1 tsp cumin, add 1 chopped onion and 1 chopped tomato (optional), 1 tbs ginger and 1 chopped green chili. Add assorted vegetables (about 3 cups total: potato, carrot, beans, eggplant) and 2 cups water. Add the mashed dal reserved for sambar, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tbs sambar powder (or 1 tsp coriander + 1 tsp red chili), and tamarind liquid to taste (about 1 cup). Simmer 15–20 minutes until vegetables are tender. Adjust salt and finish with fried curry leaves and cilantro.

Sundal (spiced chickpeas)

If using dried chickpeas, soak overnight and cook until tender. For 2 cups cooked chickpeas, heat 2 tbs oil in a pan, add 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp urad dal, a dried red chili and 8–10 curry leaves. Add the chickpeas, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp salt and 2 tbs grated coconut. Toss and serve warm or at room temperature.

Papad

Dry roast or deep fry papads until crisp. Serve 1–2 pieces per person alongside the banana leaf meal.

Place 1/2 cup of mango or mixed vegetable pickle on the leaf in a small ramekin or folded foil to avoid direct contact with the banana leaf if the pickle is oily or watery.

Rava kesari (semolina pudding)

Heat 2 tbs ghee in a pan, add 1/4 cup cashews and 2 tbs raisins and fry until golden. Remove. In the same pan, roast 1 cup rava (semolina) on low heat until aromatic. Meanwhile bring 1 cup milk + 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar to a simmer with 1 tsp cardamom powder. Slowly add the hot liquid to the roasted rava in small portions, stirring to avoid lumps. Add fried nuts and raisins and simmer until the mixture thickens and leaves the sides of the pan. Finish with remaining ghee and serve warm or cooled in small portions on the banana leaf.

For each serving on a banana leaf: place a portion of rice (about 3/4 cup cooked), a ladle of sambar (about 3/4 cup), a small bowl of coconut chutney (2–3 tbs), potato curry (1/2 cup), green beans & carrot poriyal (1/3 cup), eggplant (1/3 cup), spinach masala (1/3 cup), chickpea curry (1/3 cup), sundal (1/4 cup), papad (1–2 pieces), pickle (1–2 tbs), and a small serving of rava kesari (1/4 cup). Garnish vegetable portions with chopped cilantro, fried curry leaves and a squeeze of lemon. Drizzle a little sesame oil or ghee on hot rice if desired.

Arrange the banana leaf with rice in the center, sambar on the left, chutney on the top left, pickles and papad at top right, and sweets at the end of the leaf. Serve warm, and provide spoons or encourage eating with the right hand as traditional.