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Click on any of the titles to take you to the appropriate pieceFeatures
Essential Equipment for Indian Food: The Pressure Cooker 10 By Jill Nussinow, MS, RD Jill makes Indian cuisine easy with her tips about using the versatile kitchen tool, the pressure cooker. Diwali: A Festival of Lights 13 By Chef Angela Elliott Not only does Angela talk about food and the famous Festival of Lights, she shares a delectable recipe collection. The Indian Pantry 16 By Chef Jason Wyrick A primer to help describe and find some of the less common ingredients found in Indian cuisine. What’s a Curry? 19 By Chef Jason Wyrick Take the curry challenge. Learn about the different types of curry, make each of them, and tell your story! Hands‐on Eating! 23 By Chef Jason Wyrick Who needs forks and knives? Eat the desi way and create a truly authentic Indian meal!Columns
What’s Cooking? 3 Find out what’s up with the Vegan Culinary Experience this month. Vegan Cuisine and the Law: The Sacred Cow of Vegetarianism, Religion, and Animal Protection in India 25 By Mindy Kursban, Esq. A look into the interplay of the legal and ethical issues surrounding these three ideas. Marketplace 7 Get connected and find out about vegan friendly businesses and organizations. Recipe Index 49 A listing of all the recipes found in this issue, compiled with links. see the following page for interviews and reviews…
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Click on any of the titles to take you to the appropriate pieceInterviews
Reviews
Interview with Chef Fran Costigan 28 Fran Costigan is a master vegan baker and pastry chef and one of the primary instructors in vegan baking in the world. Activist Dr. Alka Chandna, PhD 33 Alka is the driving force behind several of PETA’s most important programs.Featured Artist
Dan Piraro, Creator of Bizarro 39 A comic and an artist, Dan has been crafting one of the nation’s leading comic strips since 1985. Restaurant Review: Chaco Canyon 42 By Jason Wyrick A Seattle restaurant with a split raw and cooked menu, focusing on community and organic ingredients. Product Review: Dandies Marshmallows 44 By Jason Wyrick The Chicago Soydairy scores big points with these delectable, texture‐perfect vegan marshmallows. Book Review: American Vegan Kitchen 45 By Madelyn Pryor An inspiring cookbook featuring American cuisine that just makes you want to cook and eat. Book Review: Party Vegan 46 By Madelyn Pryor An inspirational book with full menus for nearly any social gathering. Book Review: Vegan Unplugged 47 By Madelyn Pryor Literally, a vegan survival guide loaded with pantry tips and easy‐ to‐make meals you can do sans power.
The Vegan Culinary Experience A Taste of India December 2010 Publisher Jason Wyrick Editors Madelyn Pryor, Eleanor Sampson Nutrition Analyst Eleanor Sampson Web Design William Snell & Jason Wyrick Graphics Jason Wyrick Reviewers Madelyn Pryor & Jason Wyrick Contributing Authors Jason Wyrick Madelyn Pryor Jill Nussinow Sharon Valencik Mindy Kursban Photography Credits Cover Page Jason Wyrick Recipe Images Jason Wyrick Madelyn Pryor Milan Valencik of Milan Photography Ajwain Seeds, Bay Leaf GNU Free Documentation Cardamom Pods, Curry License Leaves, Peppercorns Amchur Powder, Public Domain Fenugreek Seeds, Tamarind, Thali Bitter Melon, Calf, Creative Commons Unripe Mango Alka Chandna Courtesy of Alka Chandna Fran Costigan Courtesy of Fran Costigan Dan Piraro (Orange Pic) Pat Johnson Dan Piraro (Green Pic) Derek Goodwin Bizarro Panels Courtesy of Dan Piraro Dandies Marshmallows Chicago Soydairy Website Chaco Canyon Chaco Canyon Website
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Indian cuisine is probably the most diverse cuisine in the entire world. That should come as no surprise, considering that the population of India is about seventeen percent of the entire population of the world and the cuisine itself is one of the foundations of cooking! Thus, this issue can only barely touch upon that delectable subject, but I hope that the recipes we’ve chosen capture some of the quintessence of good Indian food. Chutneys, flat breads, curries, rice, all come together to provide tasty choices for nearly everyone. So much to choose from, so much to try! Although Indian cuisine has a reputation for being intimidating, it’s just like any other, with recipes for beginning cooks, recipes for master chefs, and recipes for everyone in between. In this issue, you’ll find most of the recipes are fairly easy with a few more “intense” ones thrown in. Of course, where possible, there are shortcuts and cheats for those recipes to make them more accessible so get in the kitchen, dig in, and join me on this culinary journey to that most magical of lands, India. Eat healthy, eat compassionately, and eat well!C
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Jason Wyrick ‐ Chef Jason Wyrick is the Executive Chef of Devil Spice, Arizona's vegan catering company, and the publisher of The Vegan Culinary Experience. Chef Wyrick has been regularly featured on major television networks and in the press. He has done demos with several doctors, including Dr. Neal Barnard of the PCRM, Dr. John McDougall, and Dr. Gabriel Cousens. Chef Wyrick was also a guest instructor in the Le Cordon Bleu program. He has catered for PETA, Farm Sanctuary, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Google. Visit Chef Jason Wyrick atwww.devilspice.com and www.veganculinaryexperience.com.
Madelyn Pryor ‐ Madelyn is a lover of dessert, which she celebrates on her blog,
http://badkittybakery.blogspot.com/. She has been making her own tasty desserts for over 16 years, and eating dessert for longer than she cares to admit. When she isn’t in the kitchen creating new wonders of sugary goodness, she is chasing after her bad kitties, or reviewing products for various websites and publications. She can be contacted at
[email protected] or [email protected].
Sharon Valencik ‐ Sharon Valencik is the author of Sweet Utopia: Simply Stunning Vegan
Desserts. She is raising two vibrant young vegan sons and rescued animals, currently a rabbit and a dog. She comes from a lineage of artistic chef matriarchs and has been baking since age five. She is working on her next book, World Utopia: Delicious and Healthy International Vegan Cuisine. Please visit www.sweetutopia.com for more information, to ask questions, or to provide feedback. Milan Valencik ‐ Milan Valencik is the food stylist and photographer of Sweet Utopia: Simply Stunning Vegan Desserts. His company, Milan Photography, specializes in artistic event photojournalism, weddings, and other types of photography. Milan is also a fine artist and musician. Milan is originally from Czech Republic and now lives in NJ. For more information about Milan, please visit www.milanphotography.com or www.sweetutopia.com.
Jill Nussinow, MS, RD, The Veggie Queen ‐ Jill is a Registered Dietitian and has a Masters Degree in Dietetics and Nutrition from Florida International University. After graduating, she migrated to California and began a private nutrition practice providing individual consultations and workshops, specializing in nutrition for pregnancy, new mothers, and children. You can find out more about The Veggie Queen at www.theveggiequeen.com.
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Angela Elliott ‐ Angela Elliott is the author of Alive in Five, Holiday Fare with Angela, The Simple Gourmet, and more books on the way! Angela is the inventor of Five Minute Gourmet Meals™, Raw Nut‐Free Cuisine™, Raw Vegan Dog Cuisine™, and The Celestialwich™, and the owner and operator of She‐Zen Cuisine. www.she‐zencuisine.com Angela has contributed to various publications, including Vegnews Magazine, Vegetarian Baby and Child Magazine, and has taught gourmet classes, holistic classes, lectured, and on occasion toured with Lou Corona, a nationally recognized proponent of living food.A
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Become a Subscriber
Subscribing to the VCE is FREE! Subscribers have access to our Learning Community, back issues, recipe database, and extra educational materials.Visit http://veganculinaryexperience.com/VCESubscribe.htm to subscribe.
*PRIVACY POLICY ‐ Contact information is never, ever given or sold to another individual or company
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The Vegan Culinary Experience also provides weekly meals that coincide with the recipes from the magazine. Shipping is available across the United States. Raw, gluten‐free, and low‐fat diabetic friendly options are available. Visit http://veganculinaryexperience.com/VCEMealService.htm for more information.
Culinary Instruction
Chef Jason Wyrick and many of the contributors to the magazine are available for private culinary instruction, seminars, interviews, and other educational based activities. For information and pricing, contact us at http://veganculinaryexperience.com/VCEContact.htm.An Educational and Inspirational Journey of Taste, Health, and Compassion
The Vegan Culinary Experience is an educational vegan culinary magazine designed by professional vegan chefs to help make vegan cuisine more accessible. Published by Chef Jason Wyrick, the magazine utilizes the electronic format of the web to go beyond the traditional content of a print magazine to offer classes, podcasts, an interactive learning community, and links to articles, recipes, and sites embedded throughout the magazine to make retrieving information more convenient for the reader. The VCE is also designed to bring vegan chefs, instructors, medical professionals, authors, and businesses together with the growing number of people interested in vegan cuisine. Eat healthy, eat compassionately, and eat well.M
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Welcome to the Marketplace, our new spot for finding vegetarian friendly companies, chefs, authors, bloggers, cookbooks, products, and more! One of the goals of The Vegan Culinary Experience is to connect our readers with organizations that provide relevant products and services for vegans, so we hope you enjoy this new feature! Click on the Ads – Each ad is linked to the appropriate organization’s website. All you need to do is click on the ad to take you there. Become a Marketplace Member – Become connected by joining the Vegan Culinary Experience Marketplace. Membership is available to those who financially support the magazine, to those who promote the magazine, and to those who contribute to the magazine. Contact Chef Jason Wyrick at [email protected] for details!Current Members
Rational Animal (www.rational‐animal.org) Farm Sanctuary (www.farmsanctuary.com) GoDairyFree.org and My Sweet Vegan (www.godairyfree.org) Sweet Utopia (www.sweetutopia.com) Milan Photography (www.milanphotography.com) Jill Nussinow, MS, RD (www.theveggiequeen.com)M
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Unlike the United States, where the word pressure cooker conjures up fear, people in India cherish their pressure cookers. Truth is that they likely wouldn’t be able to get so many fantastic meals containing a myriad of dishes on the table daily without one. In many parts of India, fuel is scarce. Moreover, when you live on a diet based on pulses (legumes to you and me) that require long cooking times, you need to be able to cook quickly and efficiently. This is what the pressure cooker does best. Although the most popular Indian dish in the US is Chicken Tikka Masala, since we’re vegans we won’t be exploring that. In India, though, even if that dish is eaten, it’s not daily fare. What is eaten daily is dal, a soup‐like mixture of split peas or lentils, and often rice or kitcheree, which is a combination of rice and lentils cooked together. In an interview with cookbook author Raghavan Iyer, author of 660 Curries and 2 other cookbooks and a lifelong vegetarian, told me that the British call the dish kedigree and in India it is called kichidi, and it’s considered comfort food. It sounds comforting to me. Iyer went on to tell me that traditionally white rice is used in India because it stores better than whole grain rice. Here in the U.S., I think that using brown, pink, or red rice (you can find these at Lotus Foods) with the lentils is a much better idea. Iyer calls the dish a rice‐lentil porridge that has rice and dal in equal proportions and water is twice the amount. My recipe varies from tradition in a number of ways, but still shows the versatility of the pressure cooker in making a wonderful one pot meal. Now back to the pressure cooker. If you’ve never used a pressure cooker, then you might be afraid of them. Fear not, as the modern pressure cooker does not have a jiggler, is not noisy and is perfectly safe, even for dishes such as dal, which Iyer told me is eaten daily, sometimes up to 3 times each day. The pressure cooker is nothing more than a pot with a lid that locks on. You boil liquid in the sealed pot and it causes a valve to pop up (on the newest pressure cookers). The pot is then sealed and under pressure. Due to the multiple safety features, you cannot open the pot at this time. You bring the pot to high pressure over high heat and once pressure is achieved you lower the heat to maintain high pressure. The food cooks at around 250 degrees instead of boiling at 212 degrees. Cooking in the pressure cooker is like “super steaming”. Every recipe must have liquid in it in order to get to pressure. So, the cooker is perfect for soup (such as dal), stew and chili but also works incredibly well for cooking vegetable braises, whole grains and beans, alone or in combination. Split lentils, like those used for dal, take about 5 minutes at pressure, while French green or regular brown lentils take 6 to 8 minutes. Cooking soaked “standard” beans such as kidney, black or pinto requires 4 to 6 minutes at pressure with a natural
Essential Equipment for Indian Food:
The Pressure Cooker
Spiced Red Rice and French Green Lentils
Serves 4 This is not kitcheree but my version of spiced up comfort food with whole grains. This recipe comes from my DVD, Pressure Cooking: A Fresh Look, Delicious Dishes in Minutes. The aromas of the spices toasting will make this dish a pleasure to cook and eat. The recipe is highly adaptable—you can add other vegetables to it while it is cooking or at the end. It’s good wrapped in a whole grain tortilla and makes a great hearty breakfast that will really wake up your senses. 1 cup Thai, or other, ruby red rice ½ cup French green lentils 1 teaspoon coriander seeds ½ teaspoon cumin seeds ¼ teaspoon black peppercorns 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (optional) ½ teaspoon mustard seeds 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root 2 ¼ cups water ½ teaspoon salt ¼ cup golden or regular raisins, or currants 3 tablespoons toasted or sliced slivered almonds Cherry tomatoes, sliced in half, for garnish, if available Soak rice and lentils together (at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour) while you toast the spices. In a small skillet, toast the coriander and cumin seeds, with the black pepper until the mixture smells toasty – a few minutes over medium high heat. Grind in a spice grinder and set aside. Drain the rice and lentils. Heat the oil, if using, in the cooker over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and toast for about 30 seconds. Add the ground spices, garlic and ginger. Stir. Add the drained rice and lentils and the water. Lock the lid on the pressure cooker. Bring to high pressure over high heat. Maintain the high pressure for 9 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the pressure come down naturally. Remove the lid from the pressure cooker, tilting it away from you. Remove the rice mixture to a platter or bowl. Stir in the salt, raisins and almonds. Garnish with cherry tomatoes or another brightly colored vegetable. ©2010, Jill Nussinow, MS, RD, The Veggie Queen™ http://www.theveggiequeen.com pressure release. This means that you wait until the button goes down and you can open your cooker. This is the treatment that you use with most beans while vegetables require a quick‐release, which is usually accomplished by toggling a switch, pushing a button or running the pot under cool water. (The latter method is one that I vehemently avoidwhenever possible as I don’t care for hefting a heavy and very hot pot to the sink.) The Author Jill Nussinow is a Registered Dietitian, cookbook author of The Veggie Queen™: Vegetables Get the Royal Treatment and stars in the DVD Pressure Cooking: A Fresh Look, Delicious Dishes in Minutes. She’s available to do cooking classes and workshops throughout the US. She hopes to take a number of groups traveling next year. You can find Jill at www.theveggiequeen.com.
One of my favorite traditional holidays of India is the Diwali Festival of Lights, a beautiful Hindu tradition that unites all of India, The Hindu New Year! The Diwali Festival of Lights is a five day celebration featuring the traditions of India and it is celebrated all over the world. Diwali starts for many in the early morning when the stars are still out and continues into the evening. Families gather together, lighting small clay lamps, also known as diyas filled with oil to signify the triumph of good over evil. During Diwali, all the celebrants wear new clothes and share sweets and snacks with family members and friends. Evening skies are filled with firework displays and cheer! What I love most about India is not the food, it's their culture. Ever since I was a kid, I've been eating various Indian dishes, but was never all that fond of Indian faire. I do however, love turmeric and I use it daily. Turmeric grows wild in the forests of Southeast Asia. Turmeric is mostly used in savory dishes and is the key ingredient in curry powder. Turmeric is not just a spice, it is a powerful medicine and deserves its place in the household herbal kit. Turmeric is great used externally as an antiseptic for cuts, burns, and bruises. Used internally, turmeric is perfect for gastrointestinal upsets, irritable bowel syndrome, and other stomach issues. It's a great anti‐inflammatory, so if you have sore joints or sore muscles turmeric is your best choice. Turmeric is currently being investigated for benefits in Alzheimer's disease, cancer, arthritis, and other clinical disorders. You can't beat that! We can all celebrate Indian culture regardless of our beliefs and Diwali is all about coming together as families, blissful celebrations, fireworks, good eats, and peace, something we all need more of in today's hectic world. Imagine a beautiful world where everyone respects another's values, beliefs, and way of life. You can start today by lighting a candle, serving up a sweet or savory dish for a loved one, and being thankful for all you are and all you have in your life. Traditional sweet Diwali dishes include: Badam Phirni Gulab Jamun Peda Besan Ke Ladoo Jalebi
Diwali – a Festival of Lights
Rasmalai Channar Payesh Karanji Rawa Ladoo Doodh Pak Kesar Kaju Barfi Shakkarpare Gajar ka Halwa Kheer Ghathia Lapsi Savory dishes include: Cauliflower Kabobs Vegetable Balls Onion Mushroom Gravy Chickpeas and Potato Curry Cabbage and Carrot Bhujia Many of the recipes are difficult to convert to raw, so I've decided to share with you a few of my favorite creations that I hope you will enjoy.
Dreamy Coconut Curry
4 Thai young coconuts, water and meat 1 fresh lemon grass stick 2 cloves of garlic 2 tablespoons Thai basil Juice of ½ lemon ½ cup cilantro 3 green onions Himalayan salt to taste 2 tbs. yellow curry powder 1 hot pepper 1 ½ cup julienne carrots and cabbage ½ cup soaked and drained wild rice Directions: Blend everything except the julienne vegetables and the lemon grass stick in the blender. Transfer the soup to a double boiler and gently WARM the soup with the lemon grass stick. Leave the soup and lemon grass stick covered for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the lemongrass and add the julienne veggies and wild rice. Gently re‐warm the soup, if desired and serve.
Curry Dip
½ cup coconut yogurt ½ cup cashew mayonnaise 1 teaspoon curry powder ½ teaspoon turmeric ¼ teaspoon ginger ¼ teaspoon chili powder ¼ teaspoon paprika Cayenne pepper to taste Himalayan salt to taste Directions: Mix together the cashew mayonnaise, coconut yogurt and the spices. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Serve with raw, crisp vegetables.Angelina's Coconut Yogurt
1Thai young coconut and water ½ teaspoon probiotic powder Directions: Blend 1 cup of coconut meat‐from a young coconut‐with one cup of the young coconut's water, then add ½ teaspoon of probiotic powder. Blend the mixture until smooth. Pour into a sealable container and allow mixture to stand covered with a paper towel for three hours. This process allows the mixture to culture. **Young coconuts contain high amounts of electrolytes and nature's purest water, while the meat contains essential fatty acids that fight candida and enhance our overall health.
Cashew Mayonnaise
1 cup raw cashews ½ cup water 3 cloves garlic 2 tablespoon lemon juice 2 tablespoons agave nectar Himalayan salt, black pepper, and cayenne to taste½ cup cold pressed olive oil Directions: Blend all the ingredients until smooth.
Creamy Chai
1 recipe almond milk 2 tablespoons Chai spice 2 tablespoons agave nectar Directions: Place the above ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. You can make a hot version of this by using a Chai tea bag and letting it steep, pour the steeped tea into the blender and add almond milk and agave and blend until smooth and creamy.
Almond Milk
4 cups water 1 ½ cups raw almonds 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla flavor by Frontier pinch of Himalayan salt Directions: Soak the almonds for 12 hours, rinse and drain. Place almonds in the blender along with water and blend. Pour almond milk mixture into a colander placed over a bowl and separate the pulp from the liquid. Rinse out your blender and add "milk" back to the blender, add vanilla and salt and blend again until smooth.Chai Spices
2 teaspoons ground cardamom 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons ground cloves 1 teaspoon ground coriander ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/8 teaspoon Himalayan salt Directions: Mix spices together well and store in a sealed bag. The Author Angela Elliott is the author of Alive in Five, Holiday Fare with Angela, The Simple Gourmet, and more books on the way! Angela is the inventor of Five Minute Gourmet Meals™, Raw Nut‐Free Cuisine™, Raw Vegan Dog Cuisine™, and The Celestialwich™, and the owner and operator of She‐Zen Cuisine. www.she‐ zencuisine.com. Angela has contributed to various publications, including Vegnews Magazine, Vegetarian Baby and Child Magazine, and has taught gourmet classes, holistic classes, lectured, and on occasion toured with Lou Corona, a nationally recognized proponent of living food.The ingredients of the Indian kitchen are not always familiar to those outside of South Asia, and while they are generally available for purchase just about anywhere in the world, walking into a store stocked with a multitude of Indian goodies unarmed can be daunting. Read on to learn about some of the ingredients with which you may not be familiar! Asafoetida (aka Hing) ‐ Asafoetida is a foul smelling resin, usually sold in powdered form, from three different root plants. Its smell is so bad, it is known by less‐than‐pleasant names throughout Europe and the Middle East, such as mairde du diable (French), seytatersi (Turkish), and devil’s dung (English). Not a strong selling point for this spice, to say the least. However, when it is heated in oil, it becomes mellow in flavor and the flavor and odor change to resemble that of leeks. In some communities, such as the Jain community, where onions and garlic are prohibited, asafoetida is used instead. Ajwain Seeds ‐ Ajwain has a flavor profile of black peppercorns and dried thyme. It is often used to lentil dishes and is either toasted or heated in oil. Bay Leaves – Bay leaves are common, but these are included on this list because the bay leaves used in Indian cuisine come from the cassia tree. Bay leaves are typically fried in a dish or toasted or roasted and ground into a powder. Bitter Melon – South Asia is known for its love of bitters, and India is no exception. Bitter melon can be hard to swallow for the uninitiated palette and hard to swallow even for the initiated one if it is prepared poorly. It has a very bumpy, green skin with lots of ridges. To prepare it, it should be completely peeled and then salted and allowed to sit for at least an hour. Rinse the salt and then fry it or simmer it, heavily spiced. Black Salt (aka kala namak) ‐ Black salt is actually not black, but a light purples shade, and contains a significant amount of sulfur, giving it an egg‐like taste and odor. While it is available at a hefty price at some specialty stores, it should be very inexpensive at Indian and Asian markets. Cardamom Pods ‐ There are three types of cardamom pods, green (elaichi), white, and black (kala elaichi). The white ones are actually just sun‐scalded green pods and the flavor is identical. Green pods have a sweet, aromatic flavor while the black ones have a strong aromatic
The Indian Pantry
By Chef Jason Wyrick
flavor with notes of smoke and bitter. Green ones are often used in desserts and are typically fried or infused into a sauce. Black ones are not used in desserts, but are used as part of spice mixes and sometimes used to make chai. If the cardamom is being used as part of a spice powder, the seeds will be removed from the pod and ground. Otherwise, the pod usually remains intact in the final dish, but should not be eaten. Cayenne Chiles (aka Chile de Arbol) – Fresh cayenne chiles are used quite a bit in Indian cuisine. They are fairly long, green chiles about 4‐6 inches long, and thin. Dried, red versions are also used. The dried chiles are also known as chiles de arbol and can be purchased at most markets. Fresh ones are generally available only at Indian and Mexican markets. Curry Leaves – These actually come from a citrus tree and are used in very similar manner to bay leaves. They should be fried or simmered and are, of course, not meant to be eaten. They have a very subtle flavor that greatly intensifies when the leaves are fried. The dried versions are very substandard, but fortunately, the fresh versions are usually available in most Asian and Indian markets. Eggplant, Indian – Indian eggplant, sometimes called baby eggplant, is small and bulbous. It tends to be a bit sweeter and less bitter than the long, thick eggplant most of us are used to seeing. It can be cubed or splayed out and fried. To splay it, cut an X through the eggplant almost all the way through, then gently flatten it as much as possible. You can either cut the stem or leave it on with this method. Leaving it on will help the eggplant stay together at the expense of having a hard stem to cut around once the eggplant is ready to eat. Fenugreek Seeds – Fenugreek seeds are small, very hard, caramel‐colored seeds. Fenugreek has a deep, bitter taste and aroma and are used to balance many curries. It is also sold in powdered form, but the flavors are hard to develop with the powders. The seeds should either be fried or toasted, and then simmered in a sauce. Once simmered, they become soft and disappear into the dish. Jaggery ‐ Jaggery is a piece of unrefined sugar, made from either can sugar, or date‐palm sugar, with date‐palm sugar being the more traditional version. Jaggery still has the molasses intact with the sugar, giving it its rich taste and dark color. Jaggery and the Mexican piloncilo are interchangeable. Jaggery is not only used to sweeten dishes, small amounts are sometimes added to spicy dishes to mellow out the dish’s heat. Mango Powder (aka amchur) – Mango powder is a light brown powder made from dried mangoes. It has a very tart taste with a hint of sweetness and is used in
many northern Indian dishes to add a sour balance to them. Look for amchur in Indian markets. Mango, Unripe (aka khatte aam) – Delectably sweet, juicy mangoes aren’t the only way the fruit is used in Indian cuisine. Sour green unripe mangoes are prized for their tartness. They make a wonderful sour snack when dried and are often pickled with hot peppers. Mustard Oil – Mustard oil adds a bitter, spicy, nasal‐clearing quality to a dish. It is common in northern and eastern Indian dishes and is used as part of a pickling agent. Be aware that when this oil is heated, it will release its spicy, nasal‐clearing qualities into the kitchen, so be prepared! Tamarind – Tamarind looks like a big, brown dried bean pod by the time it makes its way to market. This is sometimes used to make tamarind tea, but more commonly, tamarind is sold as a condensed block or as a paste. It is used to lend a strong sour, slightly sweet note to sauces. The paste form is more expensive, but can be stirred directly into liquid. The block form must be hydrated in warm water and will eventually dissolve in the water. You should used about 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons of the block per half cup of water. Tellicherry Peppercorns – Black peppercorns are used extensively throughout Indian cuisine, even making their way into desserts and drinks. The Tellicherry peppercorn, named after the region in which it is produced, is the highest quality peppercorn available and can be found in most spice stores and Indian markets. It is more expensive than more generic black peppercorns, but the flavor is worth it. Black peppercorns are made by fermenting green peppercorns, and then drying them. The Author Chef Jason Wyrick is the publisher of The Vegan Culinary Experience, an award winning vegan chef, and the owner of Arizona's only vegan catering company, Devil Spice. Serving the state since 2004 as both a caterer and a prolific vegan culinary instructor, Chef Jason has garnered local and national attention. He has been featured in the NY Times, was chosen as vegcooking.com's October, 2005 Chef of the Month, and has been featured in the Arizona Republic and on ABC's local morning show, Sonoran Living Live. Formerly a diabetic, Chef Jason approaches vegan cuisine from both a health and ethical standpoint with an eye for taste and simplicity.
“dry” jalfrezi curry Curry. For many, the word evokes plentiful spices, heat, and succulent flavors, all in a creamy sauce. For some, it even evokes fear! That’s a shame. Curries are one of the most wonderful food groups (ok, it’s not really a food group, but it should be) eaten throughout the world. Curries may have originated in India, but they’re popular dishes in Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, Jamaica, East Africa, and, of course, the UK. In fact, curries are so soul‐ satisfying good, one could easily have curry for breakfast, curry for lunch, and curry for dinner…or maybe that’s just me. However easy curries are to prepare, and especially eat, defining them can be a bit more problematic. Curries can be “dry” or very saucy, cream‐based, tomato‐based, coconut‐based, and even pureed greens‐based. They can be hot or mild, though they are never bland. They can be main dishes served over rice or with bread or small dishes stuffed inside potatoes. From all these permutations, a few themes, however, remain consistent. Curries are made with several spices (sometimes a horde!), the flavors meld well, and the flavors are bold and aromatic. Cumin, coriander, and turmeric are usually included, though not always and a proper curry treats the spices with love, developing their essential oils for maximum effect. And while some curries may be “dry,” they still end up with at least a light sauce, so curries can be considered saucy. So far, we’ve got bold, aromatic, well‐developed spices, melded flavors, in a sauce. Still not much of a definition, but there it is. In fact, this definition broadens the range of dishes that most people identify as curries. I should note, before going on, that there is no official definition of curry in India. According to Raghavan Iyer, author of 660 Curries, there is no word for curry in any of India’s 1600 dialects. The closest word is “kari,” from which the word curry is most likely descended. Howerver, kari refers to a gravy‐laden dish, usually with charred veggies or meat, and does not necessarily match what most people have come to identify as curry. Fortunately, help is on the way! Below is a list of different styles of curry, each with a link to a recipe in this issue, matching the style with a curry. Once you’ve read through this piece, take this curry challenge that I issue to you. Make each of the recipes associated with this article. Not only will it be an incredibly educational and fun endeavor, when you’re done you’ll have taken a culinary journey all throughout India. And, when you’re done with your curry travels, write me at [email protected] and tell me about it! I’d love to hear your stories. Dry Curries – Dry curries start out with spices being rubbed onto the main ingredient. That ingredient can marinate in the spices or can be cooked immediately, but whatever the case, the ingredient is fried or sautéed with the spices still on it. The ingredients then sweat and the sauce is built up from the mixture of moisture and spices. Other items can be added to the sauce subsequently, like cooked down tomatoes, but the sauce should
What’s a Curry?
By Chef Jason Wyrick
pasanda rasam korma channa masala remain thick and heavily spiced. Dry curries are often hot. One of my favorite examples of this is the jalfrezi curry, found on page 80. Tomato‐based Curries – Most tomato based curries are comprised of the pyaaz tamatar masalla, a sauce started with ginger, garlic, and onion, and finished with cooked down tomatoes. The most popular tomato curries come from northern India. Tomatoes are late‐comers to Indian cuisine, not being truly incorporated into it until the mid‐1800s and the north had the climate most suited to growing them. Because of the proliferation of tomatoes in this region, most tomato based curried tend to be fairly thick (since there are plenty of tomatoes to cook down) with strong, heavy spices to cut through the thickness of the sauce. These spices generally include whole cumin, with coriander and mustard seeds also playing prolific roles. Try the channa masalla recipe found on page 74. Creamy Curries – These curries best exemplify the Mughal period of India, which brought rich foods laden with creamy dishes. The heart of this cuisine lies around the Delhi/Punjab area and strongly shows its Middle Eastern roots. The curries tend to be on the spicy side with whole spices left in the sauce. The fat and cooling properties of the cream are used not only as a canvas for the spices, but also to counteract the heat of the dishes. These can also be made with yogurt or with a mix of cream and yogurt. To create the creamy effect in a vegan dish, use either coconut milk or puree soaked cashews with enough water to create a sauce with the consistency of heavy cream. Soy yogurt can be used in place of dairy yogurt. Try the pasanda recipe on page 87. Coconut‐based Curries – This is a permutation of the creamy curries, but instead of being made with cream, the curry is made with coconut milk. These are more commonly found in southern India, where soupy curries are prevalent. Not surprisingly, hot foods are also common in this region and the creaminess and sweetness of the coconut milk help balance out these curries. They are generally started by frying or toasting spices, then building up the curry sauce with the coconut milk, and then simmering the main ingredients in the sauce. Dried, hot chiles and turmeric feature prominently in these styles of curry, as well as aromatic spices like cardamom, cinnamon, mustard seeds, and curry leaves. Try the korma recipe from page 83. Brothy Curries – These are watery curries, usually served as soups in which breads and steamed cakes can be dipped. They tend to be built up with fried or toasted spices, which are then ground. Water is then added and the other ingredients simmer in the broth. Other ingredients
begara baingan vindaloo curry saag paneer can be added to the broth, like tomatoes, to create a light broth, but it always remains watery. These curries tend to be spicy. Check out the recipe for rasam on page 56. In fact, you can use the spices in the rasam recipe to create plenty of variations on a brothy curry by varying the other ingredients added to the spiced broth. Nut Puree Curries – These curries are often made in two parts. First, a spiced nut puree is created and set aside. Liquid is usually added to the nuts and spices (cumin, pepper, ginger, garlic, and onion are frequently used) while they are pureeing so that they turn into a very thick sauce. The liquid also helps makes the puree smooth. Without the liquid, you might end up creating coarse nut butter with lots of chunks! After the spiced nut puree is created, the sauce is built up by toasting or frying more spices and then adding the nut puree to the pan. The main ingredient might be cooked beforehand or it might do all of its cooking by simmering in the nut puree. These curries tend to be thick, slightly sweet, and heavy on the spices, since the nuts cut the flavor of the spices. An excellent example of this is begara baingan, found on page 70. Green Puree Curries – These aren’t usually thought of as curries, but they definitely qualify. Like all curries, these are loaded with spices, but the “sauce” is made from cooked down or pureed greens, like spinach or mustard leaves. These curries are generally started by frying or toasting spices, then creating a thick sauce or paste with those spices, often from onions, garlic, ginger, and chiles, and then cooking the greens with the sauce. The greens can be left as is, as long as they are completely wilted, or a very smooth green sauce can be created by pureeing the cooked down greens. These curries are generally eaten with flatbread. A perfect example of this is the saag paneer recipe from page 90. Fusion Curries – These are curries that strongly exhibit cooking styles and ingredients from other cultures that are not typically found in Indian cuisine. These can show a strong Chinese influence, French, and even Portuguese. They look and act like other curries, but a major change in an ingredient or two changes this into a fusion curry. For example, the vindaloo curry from page 99 is made with red wine instead of a more traditional Indian sauce. The Author Chef Jason Wyrick is the publisher of The Vegan Culinary Experience, an award winning vegan chef, and the owner of Arizona's only vegan catering company, Devil Spice. Serving the state since 2004 as both a caterer and a prolific vegan culinary instructor, Chef Jason has garnered local and national attention. He has been featured in the NY Times, was chosen as vegcooking.com's
October, 2005 Chef of the Month, and has been featured in the Arizona Republic and on ABC's local morning show, Sonoran Living Live. Formerly a diabetic, Chef Jason approaches vegan cuisine from both a health and ethical standpoint with an eye for taste and simplicity.
thali No authentic meal is complete without a fun foray into a culture’s culinary traditions, and that doesn’t just mean the food. It’s also how the food is eaten, and how it is shared. In fact, sometimes the food and method of eating are inseparable! Of course, forks and knives are perfectly acceptable, for the less adventurous (and to be honest, this is a common method of eating in India now), but you’re not one of those people afraid to try new things, are you? Of course not. Indian meals are, like many other parts of the world, social events. Food is meant to be shared with friends and family and hospitality is paramount. Meals are served on large metal trays called thal with a number of small bowls, called katori, placed on the thali. Rice and/or flatbreads are placed directly on the thal, along with any overly large ingredients, and the katori hold curries, chutneys, and sauces. Flatbreads are torn with the right hand (and the right hand only as the left is considered unclean), or rice is scooped with the right hand and then used as a dip/utensil to grab sauce and curry and eat! It’s messy, but it’s quite fun. This style of meal is called a thali and the style of eating, desi. Pardesi (the foreign style) is the name for eating with forks and knives. Once the diners are satisfied, the leftover curries are mixed with the rice. And then it’s time to get extra messy! The curry and rice are scooped up with the right hand and simply eaten. Of course, such a method of eating must be accompanied by many smiles and many happy, satisfied “mmmms.” And napkins. Many napkins. Small bowls with water should also be provided for easy washing between bites. If the meal is plated instead of served on a thali, rice is placed in the center of the dish, surrounded by curries, and eaten much the same way, with each curry eaten in a separate bite and never mixed together until the end. Finally, the meal should be accompanied by either cold water or a sweet drink to help mitigate any spiciness in the meal. Now that you’ve got the base for serving a desi‐ style meal, you must include one more ingredient to complete your authentic adventure, and that’s fun! The Author Chef Jason Wyrick is the publisher of The Vegan Culinary Experience, an award winning vegan chef, and the owner of Arizona's only vegan catering company, Devil Spice. Serving the state since 2004 as both a caterer and a prolific vegan culinary instructor, Chef Jason has garnered local and national attention. He has been featured in the NY
Hands-on Eating!
By Chef Jason Wyrick
Times, was chosen as vegcooking.com's October, 2005 Chef of the Month, and has been featured in the Arizona Republic and on ABC's local morning show, Sonoran Living Live. Formerly a diabetic, Chef Jason approaches vegan cuisine from both a health and ethical standpoint with an eye for taste and simplicity.
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” ‐ Mahatma Gandhi “Cuisine” means the cooking traditions and practices of a specific culture, and this issue of the Vegan Culinary Experience features a cuisine rooted in compassion. When I think about Indian food, spices come to mind, especially the constituent spices of curry like tumeric, cumin, and cardamom. The delectable flavors of dahl or the flaky crust of a samosa also tease my senses. But the most distinctive aspect of Indian cusine is the widespread practice of vegetarianism. India has more vegetarians than any other country in the world – as many as 450 million, making up about 40% of its population. Indian culture incorporates a diverse array of religious traditions. Islam claims about 12% of the population, Christianity, 2.5%, and Sikhism, 2%. These religions do not have any favoritism toward vegetarianism. Jainism mandates vegetarianism, as do some sects of Buddhism, with each of these religions claiming less than 1% of the population. Even though the 5 million Jains in India make up a small percentage of the population, their vegetarian practice has been very influential. Hinduism, on the other hand, constitutes 80% of the Indian population, and most major paths of Hinduism hold vegetarianism as an ideal. The principle of nonviolence – or ahimsa – is the most common basis for India’s vegetarian tradition. Ahimsa teaches that each life has its own independent value – including the lives of non‐ human animals. As lucidly detailed in Tristam Stuart’s book, The Bloodless Revolution, A Cultural History of Vegetarianism from 1600 to Modern Times, the philosophy behind ahimsa starkly contrasts with the views of the Abrahamic religions – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. These religions point to a biblical Genesis in which God gave man total dominion over animals, which has been applied in practice to mean that animals are made for humans and animals’ value is dependent on their usefulness. The Vedic texts which are the basis for Hinduism bear other reasons for vegetarianism. Devotees of the faith must offer their food to a deity and then eat it as “prasad,” a gift that has the deity’s blessing residing within it. Only “pure,” that is, vegetarian, food is acceptable as prasad. Many also hold that eating the flesh of animals brings bad karma to those who eat them. In this cause‐and‐ effect tradition, those who eat other beings slow their own spiritual development and may in turn face a cruel fate in another life. Though cows hold a special place in Hindu theology, it is a common misconception throughout the Western world that the “sacred cow” is seen as a god or deity within the Hindu religion. Rather, the cow is traditionally identified as a caretaker and a maternal figure and is honored as a symbol of unselfish giving. Hindus of all paths are forbidden to eat beef. While there is strong religious support for vegetarianism – which in India includes not eating
Vegan Cuisine and the Law
The Sacred Cow: Vegetarianism, Religion, and Animal Protection in
India
eggs – none of these religions eschew the consumption of dairy. Cow’s milk and milk products are frequent ingredients in the traditional foods of India. In fact, India is the world’s largest producer of cow’s milk. These predominant religious philosophies of compassion for animals are reflected in Indian law. The Constitution of India states that compassion for all living creatures is a fundamental duty of every citizen. India’s Central Government – the national governing body similar to the U.S. Congress – passed the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PCA Act) in 1960. The PCA Act established an Animal Welfare Board to promote animal welfare and protect animals from being subjected to unnecessary pain or suffering. It is the Animal Welfare Board’s role to protect animals used for food from “unnecessary” physical and mental pain or suffering prior to slaughter and to ensure that animals are killed “in as humane a manner as possible.” The PCA Act prohibits many acts of cruelty, including beating, kicking, overloading, and subjecting an animal to unnecessary pain or suffering. The Act also prohibits administering injurious drugs, transporting animals in a manner that causes unnecessary pain or suffering, confining them in cages that restrict reasonable movement, and tethering or chaining animals for an unreasonable period of time. But dehorning, castrating, branding, and nose‐roping animals are permitted. Unfortunately, the PCA Act also restricts applying these protections to animals used for food – unless the animal has been inflicted with “unnecessary pain or suffering” in the process. What would clearly be “unnecessary pain and suffering” to most of us is not typically recognized in the law as “unnecessary” when applied to animals used for food. Indian law also provides protective limits on animal transport and imposes slaughter standards that attempt to meaningfully address animal welfare concerns. For example, under Indian law, slaughtering a pregnant animal is prohibited. Animals cannot be slaughtered in sight of other animals and should be stunned and rendered unconscious prior to slaughter. Every animal must be certified healthy and free from disease by a veterinarian before being slaughtered for meat and slaughterhouses may not slaughter more than 2,500 animals a day. The United States has no restrictions on the number of animals a slaughterhouse can kill daily, and, depending on the animal, the typical American slaughterhouse kills thousands more animals per day – as high as 100,000. Of particular significance is the importance Indian law places on protecting cows. The Indian Constitution contains a directive that federal and state governments are responsible for passing laws to enforce a ban on cow slaughter. While this prohibition is absent from the national PCA Act, state governments have taken on this responsibility, and most states have either banned, or placed restrictions on, the slaughter of cows. Despite the law’s good intentions to provide for the welfare of animals, the Visakha Society for Protection and Care of Animals, an animal sanctuary in India, has noted that none of these animal protection laws are followed. The Society recognizes that “India has the scope of law to protect animals but not the resources to save them.” One might expect the tradition of kindness and compassion to have become more prevalent over time, but instead the opposite has happened. The institutional exploitation of animals has only increased. At least 60% of Indians do not follow a
vegetarian diet. Even many Hindus who choose to abstain from beef, will still eat the meat of lambs, chickens, fish, and other animals. Egg consumption has also increased. Sadly, much of this change is due to foreign influence. For example, McDonalds India, which opened its first store in 1996, serves nearly half a million customers every day, and that number continues to increase (though neither beef nor pork is on the menu, and there are vegetarian options, unlike in a U.S. McDonalds). India has also adopted animal agricultural practices similar to those in the United States. Factory farms – what are called tabelas in India – are commonplace. Humane Society International notes that the vast majority of commercial egg and meat products in India come from intensive confinement facilities. Though there is supposed to be “reverence” for cows, most cows used for their milk are confined to tiny spaces and treated as nothing but milk‐producing machines. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals in India has documented the widespread practice of injecting dairy cows with the hormone Oxytocin so they will produce unnaturally large quantities of milk. The drug makes cows suffer severe stomach cramps that feel like labor pain. According to the Animal Welfare Board, this practice is illegal, but it persists nevertheless. Even banning the slaughter of cows has become controversial. Protests erupted when the Karnataka state legislature passed the Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill of 2010. This Bill replaced the same law passed in 1964, imposing greater restrictions on cow slaughter, such as including male cattle in the ban, and increasing the penalties for violations of the law. Opponents argued that the law was draconian and anti‐secular, allowing Hindus to impose their views on a multi‐religious and multi‐cultural society. India is a culture rich in tradition of compassion for animals. This culture dating back thousands of years is strongly reflected in the law. Even with this strong foundation, the cultural practice has become one of exploitation, just as in the United States and every other country where animals are used simply as objects for commodification. To stem the exploitation, the most powerful act each of us can do is to eliminate animal products from our diet. This month’s issue of the Vegan Culinary Experience makes that even easier. Challenge yourself to expand your culinary choices, step outside your cooking comfort zone, and experience the joys of vegan Indian cuisine. If you have comments on this article or ideas for topics for the Vegan Cuisine and the Law column, please contact me at [email protected]. The Author Mindy Kursban is a practicing attorney who is passionate about animals, food, and health. She gained her experience and knowledge about vegan cuisine and the law while working for ten years as general counsel and then executive director of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Since leaving PCRM in 2007, Mindy has been writing and speaking to help others make the switch to a plant‐based diet. Contact Mindy now at [email protected].
Please tell us a little about yourself! I am a happy food‐obsessed New York‐based pastry chef, culinary instructor, and author, who is passionate about helping people connect the dots between a healthful plant‐based diet and good health. My specialty is vegan pastry arts and I know that holding out a delicious piece of cake or cookies, instead of a stern warning, opens an intelligent conversation about all the reasons to recommend a vegan diet. My little granddaughters call me Cupcake GFran and my clients and their children call me often! What spurred you on to a career in the culinary world? Was it something you always wanted to do or did it come as a surprise It certainly is more accurate to say it came as a surprise. My mother did not like to cook and I was raised eating a lot of boxed, canned and frozen foods. My mother in law was a wonderful cook and baker, and introduced me to many new foods‐real foods, vegetables and desserts made from scratch. I watched and learned from her, and was always happiest in the markets and kitchen. When my children were in junior high school, I decided to enroll in NY Restaurant School. I absolutely loved the experience, the work, all of it. I never expected the turns my career has taken. What led you to become vegan? I became a vegan, initially for health reasons. My first job out of restaurant school was pastry chef in a gourmet catering food shop in Manhattan. It was a traditional kitchen, and I was eating a lot of my desserts. After a lifetime of eating the SAD (Standard American Diet), I was not feeling well. I actually had to stop working, and took some time off. I happened upon Annmarie Colbin’s brilliant book, Food & Healing, and was struck by the connection between what we eat and how we feel. It’s always been curious to me that I was in CA when I picked up Dr. Colbin’s book, and that as a New Yorker, I’d never heart of the Natural Gourmet Cooking School, founded by Dr. Colbin. I registered from CA to take her Food & Healing Course. I changed my diet overnight, felt great and never looked back.
Interview with Author, Instructor,
and Pastry Chef Fran Costigan!
How has becoming vegan affected your career? After I changed my diet, many if not all of my pastry chef colleagues stated if I was making vegan desserts, I was no longer a pastry chef— that vegan and pastry chef were antithetical. After a few years of developing recipes, and the techniques for to making excellent desserts that anyone and everyone will enjoy, I not only no longer have to defend my work, I am specifically asked by professionals for help with this particular, and exponentially growing niche. I am extremely busy with classes that are packed with students who range from absolute beginners to pastry chefs in Paris. I am hired to consult and develop recipes more by traditional companies than those who are vegan. Although not the reason I changed my diet, becoming a vegan and creating vegan recipes and food, has been an excellent career move. The need for vegan desserts has exploded for a number of reasons. In additions to pure vegans, those who are lactose intolerant, egg allergic, reducing or eliminating dietary cholesterol, who following kosher or other religious dietary laws, people with food sensitivities and allergies, as well as those living an eco, green lifestyle are seeking the vegan diet. Desserts seem to be the hardest part of the meal to veganize in an excellent way, and a part of life we all seek. Vegans have birthdays, weddings, and celebrate holidays too. What trials did you face in developing your vegan baking and dessert skills and how did you overcome those obstacles? Testing, testing and more testing not only recipes, but also the ingredients that I wanted to use: natural, organic real, quality ingredients. Replacing milk with nondairy milks is easy but there are many kinds and there are differences between them. Certainly the same is true of vegan sweeteners; they are not always interchangeable and have particular properties and are not necessarily interchangeable. What I refused to do, and to this day still will not do, is use processed, fake foods to make desserts. I do not have just one go to egg replacer. It depends on the recipe. I do not use boxed egg replacer; I don’t need it. You’re a prolific and well‐renowned culinary instructor and you’ve taught at the NYC Institute of Culinary Education and the Natural Gourmet Institute, both prestigious schools. What question do you find coming up most amongst the non‐ vegan students at those venues and how do you answer it? There is confusion about what constitutes vegan. Some people think it’s automatically gluten free or raw, which is not true. Vegan can be either but not necessarily. I get a lot of questions about conversions, ingredients and just what is vegan‐is chocolate vegan, is honey vegan and how do you make your (fill in the blank) favorite dessert vegan.
