a soothing broth and vegetable palya in one dish
The liquid from the cooked dal is used as a soothing broth, while the drained and cooked dal is seasoned into a vibrant green palya. The broth is a soothing treat, with the addition of lemon juice and pepper. If you are feeling slightly under the weather, this broth is heavenly. tips Toor dal can […]
moong dal with slivers of ginger
This soup is inspired by a recipe posted many years back. This version uses dal that is lighter and easier to digest: whole moong (green mung bean) and split yellow moong (which is the whole moong that has been skinned and split—see photo below). It can be served as a soup with chapati, bread or rice […]
grounding & satisfying
I have a little brown book the size of the palm of my hand in which I write down combinations that have worked well and have become a weekly favourite. Whenever I lack inspiration in the kitchen, I refer to this little book. I appreciate aestheticism, so my cooking is very much inspired by this […]
one-pot dal for Yasmin
We make this simple dal weekly, served with chapati and alongside a cabbage or okra palya. My daughter requested that I write up this recipe so that she can refer to it when she moves out later this year. It is also one of her favourite meal combinations. We are in the process of learning […]
a warm salad of roasted carrot, cauliflower, dal & mustard
It’s so good to have my site back. It had disappeared for ten days, and having it back was like having the comfort of an old friend. We just returned from a holiday with my husband’s family, travelling through parts of Kerala in the South of India. We started in Cochin, staying in a lovely […]
Aytana’s winter warming dal
When we hold workshops, we host up to 12 people in our home and up to 16 – 20 for dinner. I draw up a timetable or roster, and everyone signs up for their turn at cooking, cleaning, lighting the oil burner, refreshing flowers and the general cleanliness of the yoga room throughout the 10-day […]
green mung dal with Indian spices (revisited)
This post was originally published in June 2009 when we first started our blog. We both adore this dish, so we decided to update and repost it. Usually, I never know what I will cook until I venture into the garden and start picking, smelling, and just being present. Then, the excitement and inspiration start […]
sambar roast pumpkin soup
While I have been defending my broccoli crop, my in-laws have also been battling with their own enemy, the possum. They won their war and produced a magnificent crop of sweet, Kent pumpkins. Perfect on their own roasted with a splash of olive oil, but even tastier as a soup with roasted sweet capsicums, baby […]
