The Indian Vegan Kitchen_ More Than 150 Quick and Healthy Homestyle Recipes - Madhu Gadia [4]
How to Best Use This Book
Having a selection of recipes is one thing, but a cookbook is useful only if anyone—from a novice cook to an expert—can follow the recipes with ease and delectable results. The most popular and my favorite comments I received from my previous book, New Indian Home Cooking , were: The recipes are easy to follow; the food tastes just like Mom’s (Indian children learning to cook); and the dishes are lower in fat and healthier. All the same principles have been applied here.
I have included a handful of features to help you use the book efficiently.
Menus
Start by browsing through the menus; I have planned a month of menus for you. Planning is half the battle in preparing meals. You will find a week of menus in each category; quick meals, any-day meals, breakfast to lunch to dinner menus, and party menus. Enjoy them any which way you like, or create your own.
Recipe Titles: Most recipe titles are in English and have an Indian name. The Indian name most of the time is in Hindi (one of the major Indian languages), and I did the best I could for translation. As you get used to Indian names, you would want to use them, since English translation does not do full justice. For example, chole is spicy chickpeas, but really calling chole spicy chickpeas undermines its complexity. Do your best; I did.
Time: All recipes give estimated preparation and cook time for your convenience. The actual time may vary based on your familiarity and experience, but nonetheless it will give you a good idea before starting.
Number of Servings and Serving Size: Most of the recipes yield 6 to 8 servings, except chutneys and desserts. The idea is to feed a typical family of four. A person will eat 1 to 2 servings based on what else is served with the meal. Nutritional analysis is based on a single serving as listed. If you eat 2 servings, you will get double the calories, etc. If you’re cooking for two, most recipes can be divided in half with ease.
Icons: LF and GF
I have used two symbols for your convenience: Low-Fat (LF) and Gluten-Free (GF).
Every effort has been made to keep the recipes as low-fat as possible; even the recipes that do not have a LF icon are lower in fat than traditional recipes. That is just how I cook. You will find some deep-fat fried recipes. I would equate Indian deep-fat frying to baking. There is minimal baking in Indian cuisine, and deep-fat fried foods can have similar or less fat than baked quick breads and pastries.
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. A gluten-free diet is recommended for people who have celiac disease or wheat allergy, but it has recently gained popularity among the general population. Corn, millet, buckwheat, vegetables, fruits, and dried beans are naturally gluten-free. The gluten-free recipes included in this book are authentic and delicious.
Using the Nutrition Information
Each recipe includes nutrition information based on a single serving. With each recipe, you will find the amounts per serving for calories, total fat (saturated fat), carbohydrates, protein, fiber, and sodium.
A word about sodium: I use a moderate amount of salt to season food. If you are concerned about sodium intake, reduce or eliminate the salt to taste.
Each recipe was tested and retested for accuracy, taste, and reproducibility. I used nutrition software, nutrition labels, and the USDA National Nutrition Database to calculate the nutritional analysis. When calculating the nutrition information, I made some judgment calls, but the foods were as similar as possible. When ingredient choices appear (such as fresh tomatoes or canned tomatoes), the first one mentioned