Sustainable Indian Recipes

Sustainable Recipes

Vegetable Pulao

Aromatic rice dish cooked with a mix of vegetables, whole spices, and a hint of saffron.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 1.5 cups mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, beans, etc.)
  • 1 onion, finely sliced
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2-3 cloves
  • 2 green cardamoms
  • 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 2 cups water
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh coriander for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Wash and soak rice for 20 minutes.
  2. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. Fry until aromatic.
  3. Add onions and sauté until golden brown. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for a minute.
  4. Add tomatoes, vegetables, salt, and garam masala. Cook for 5 minutes.
  5. Add drained rice and stir for 2 minutes.
  6. Pour in water, bring to a boil, and cook on low heat for 15 minutes or until rice is done.
  7. Garnish with coriander and serve hot.

Vegetarian Khichdi

A classic comfort food that combines rice and lentils, enhanced with seasonal vegetables, and cooked in a single pot to save fuel and water.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup rice (preferably brown rice)
  • 1/2 cup moong dal (split yellow lentils)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or ghee
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 1/2 cup green peas
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Rinse and Soak: Rinse the rice and dal. Soak them together for 30 minutes.
  2. Sauté Aromatics: Heat oil or ghee in a pressure cooker. Add cumin seeds, then sauté onions until golden.
  3. Add Vegetables: Add tomatoes, carrots, and green peas. Cook for 5 minutes.
  4. Add Rice and Dal: Add soaked rice and dal along with turmeric powder and salt. Stir well.
  5. Cook: Add 4 cups of water. Close the lid and cook for 3 whistles on medium heat.
  6. Serve: Let the pressure release naturally. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with yogurt or pickle.

Green Moong Sprout Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup green moong sprouts
  • 1 cucumber, diced
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 1 carrot, grated
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 green chilies, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp chaat masala
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Instructions:

  1. Prepare Salad: In a large bowl, combine green moong sprouts, diced cucumber, tomato, grated carrot, and chopped onion.
  2. Add Flavors: Add finely chopped green chilies, lemon juice, chaat masala, and salt. Mix well.
  3. Garnish: Sprinkle chopped fresh coriander leaves on top.
  4. Serve: Serve fresh as a healthy and sustainable snack or side dish.

Pumpkin Sabzi

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups pumpkin (cubed)
  • 1 onion (chopped)
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon amchur (dry mango powder)
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 tablespoons oil

Instructions:

  1. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, and let them crackle.
  2. Add onions and sauté until translucent.
  3. Add pumpkin cubes, turmeric, salt, and red chili powder.
  4. Cover and cook until the pumpkin is soft.
  5. Sprinkle amchur, mix well, and serve.

Baingan Bharta

A popular Punjabi dish that uses locally grown, seasonal eggplants and minimal cooking energy.

Ingredients:

  • 1 large eggplant (preferably organic)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 green chili, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or ghee
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Roast Eggplant: Roast the eggplant over an open flame until the skin chars and the flesh becomes soft. Peel and mash the flesh.
  2. Sauté: Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, followed by onions, garlic, and green chili. Sauté until onions are translucent.
  3. Cook Tomatoes: Add chopped tomatoes and cook until soft.
  4. Combine: Add the mashed eggplant, garam masala, and salt. Cook for another 5 minutes.
  5. Serve: Garnish with cilantro and serve with whole wheat roti.

Vegetable Dalia

A wholesome dish made with broken wheat, this recipe uses minimal energy and is rich in fiber and nutrients.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup broken wheat (dalia)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 1/2 cup green peas
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Toast Wheat: Dry roast the dalia until golden brown. Set aside.
  2. Sauté Aromatics: Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add onions and sauté until soft.
  3. Add Vegetables: Add carrots, peas, and tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes.
  4. Cook Dalia: Add the roasted dalia, turmeric powder, salt, and 2 cups of water. Cover and cook on low heat until dalia is soft.
  5. Serve: Garnish with cilantro and serve with a side of yogurt.

Aloo Methi

A simple, seasonal stir-fry using potatoes and methi (fenugreek leaves), cooked with minimal oil and spices.

Ingredients:

  • 2 potatoes, diced
  • 2 cups fresh fenugreek leaves, washed and chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 green chili, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt to taste

Instructions:

  1. Heat Oil: Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, and let them crackle.
  2. Sauté: Add onions and green chili, and sauté until onions are golden.
  3. Cook Potatoes: Add potatoes, turmeric powder, and salt. Cover and cook until potatoes are soft.
  4. Add Fenugreek: Stir in the fenugreek leaves and cook for another 5 minutes.
  5. Serve: Serve hot with chapati or as a side dish.

Besan Chilla

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup besan (gram flour)
  • 1/2 cup water (adjust as needed)
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 small tomato, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup grated carrot
  • 2 green chilies, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh coriander leaves, chopped
  • Oil for cooking

Instructions:

    • In a mixing bowl, combine besan, turmeric powder, cumin seeds, and salt.
    • Gradually add water to form a smooth, pourable batter without lumps.
    • Mix in finely chopped onions, tomatoes, grated carrot, green chilies, and coriander leaves.
    • Heat a non-stick pan or tava over medium heat and lightly grease it with oil.
    • Pour a ladleful of the batter onto the pan and spread it evenly to form a thin pancake.
    • Drizzle a little oil around the edges and on top.
    • Cook until the bottom is golden brown, then flip and cook the other side.
    • Serve hot with green chutney, ketchup, or yogurt.

Tomato Rasam

A tangy and spiced South Indian soup that uses tomatoes and tamarind, both of which are often grown locally.

Ingredients:

  • 4 ripe tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/2 cup tamarind water (soak a lemon-sized tamarind ball in water and extract the juice)
  • 1/2 cup toor dal (optional for added protein)
  • 2 teaspoons rasam powder
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 2 dried red chilies
  • A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
  • 2 tablespoons ghee or oil
  • Fresh curry leaves
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Cook Dal (Optional): If using toor dal, rinse and pressure cook with 2 cups of water until soft. Mash and set aside.
  2. Prepare Tomato Base: In a pot, add chopped tomatoes, tamarind water, rasam powder, and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
  3. Add Dal: Add the mashed dal to the tomato mixture and simmer for another 5 minutes.
  4. Prepare Tempering: In a small pan, heat ghee or oil. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add cumin seeds, dried red chilies, asafoetida, and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.
  5. Combine: Pour the tempering into the simmering rasam. Mix well.
  6. Garnish and Serve: Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve hot with rice or as a soup.

Bottle Gourd Kofta

A plant-based alternative to traditional koftas, using bottle gourd to create a nutritious and sustainable dish.

Ingredients: For Koftas:

  • 2 cups bottle gourd (doodhi), grated
  • 1/2 cup chickpea flour (besan)
  • 2 green chilies, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil for frying

For Gravy:

  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • 2 tomatoes, pureed
  • 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk or low-fat yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or ghee
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Prepare Koftas:

    • Squeeze out excess moisture from the grated bottle gourd.
    • In a bowl, mix grated bottle gourd, chickpea flour, green chilies, ginger, turmeric, and salt.
    • Shape the mixture into small balls.
    • Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the koftas until golden brown. Remove and set aside.

  2. Prepare Gravy:

    • In a pan, heat oil or ghee. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
    • Add chopped onions and sauté until translucent.
    • Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for another minute.
    • Add tomato puree and cook until the oil separates.
    • Stir in turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, and garam masala. Cook for 2 minutes.
    • Add tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes.
    • Pour in coconut milk or yogurt, stirring continuously to prevent curdling. Simmer for 5 minutes.
    • Add salt to taste.

  3. Combine and Serve:

    • Gently add the fried koftas to the gravy. Let them simmer for 5 minutes.
    • Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve hot with rice or chapati.