INDIAN ROJAK

Serves 8

Rojak means mixture in Malay and there are two versions of this dish in Singapore—Indianrojak and Chinese or Malay rojak. The Indian version consists of many different fried fritters—up to 12 different kinds—some boiled ingredients and a few raw vegetables served with a sweet and spicy dip made of sweet potatoes and peanuts. In the 1950s and 1960s, itinerant vendors selling Indian rojak would carry the cooked sauce and ingredients in huge pots hung on the ends of a bamboo pole slung over their shoulders. Many of these vendors moved on to using motorcycles with sidecars in the 1970s, but today, itinerant vendors are a thing of the past. Many of these itinerant vendors came from Thakkalai in Tamil Nadu. The original recipe for the sauce included sweet potatoes as a thickener, but many stalls selling Indian rojak today use biscuit crumbs to thicken the gravy.

Rojak Gravy
Chilli paste 100 g (3½ oz)
Red chillies 4
Garlic 3 cloves
Ginger 50 g (1⅔ oz)
Shallots 150 g (5⅓ oz) peeled
Water 100 ml (3½ fl oz)
Cooking oil 3 Tbsp
Tamarind pulp 200 g (7 oz), mixed with
1.5 litres (48 fl oz / 6 cups) water and
strained
Sweet potatoes 850 g (1 lb 14⅓ oz), peeled,
steamed and mashed until smooth
Salt 2 tsp
Jaggery (palm sugar) 150 g (5⅓ oz),
chopped
Peanuts 150 g (5⅓ oz), roasted and pounded
White sesame seeds 3 Tbsp, roasted

Prawn Fritters
Plain (all-purpose) flour 150 g (5⅓ oz)
Rice flour 80 g (2⅘ oz)
Egg 1
Salt 1 tsp
Water 200 ml (7 fl oz)
Orange-red food colouring (optional)
a few drops
Small prawns (shrimps) with shells
300 g (11 oz)Cooking oil for deep-frying

ROTI PRATA

Serves 6

Roti prata is a crisp pastry traditionally served with lamb or dhal curry, but many stalls selling this dish offer variations today such as roti prata with banana slices, drizzled with chocolate or strawberry sauce, roti prata with ice cream or roti prata with a sprinkling of cheese. As a child, I enjoyed eating roti prata with coarse-grain sugar or sweetened condensed milk. Roti prata is Singapore’s version of Tamil Nadu’s parota which is slightly thicker, although some believe thatroti prata originated from Punjab.

Plain (all-purpose) flour 500 g (1 lb 1½ oz)
Salt 1 tsp
Margarine 2 Tbsp
Sweetened condensed milk 1 Tbsp
Warm water 170 ml (5⅔ fl oz)
Melted ghee 100 ml (3½ fl oz)

1. Sift flour and salt into a large bowl. Add margarine and stir until mixture looks crumbly.
Slowly add condensed milk and warm water and mix well into a dough.
2. Knead dough without adding extra flour until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl and
forms a soft ball. Continue kneading until dough is slightly sticky, about 10 minutes.
3. Cut dough into 8 pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Coat balls lightly with melted ghee
and place in a bowl. Cover and set aside for 3 hours.
4. Oil the work top and hands to avoid dough from sticking.
5. Flatten each ball into a very thin sheet using your palms and finger tips. Stretch the
dough and thin it further by pulling the edges. If the dough sticks to your fingers or work
top, add more oil to prevent sticking.
6. Oil the surface of stretched dough and fold it into a square.
7. Heat a frying pan and place folded dough on it. Cook until browned in spots before
turning over to cook other side. Prata should be crispy.
8. Using the palms of both hands, crush the hot prata to fluff it up. Serve immediately with
curry, sugar or sweetened condensed milk.

NOTE
• Roti prata stalls in Singapore also serve roti prata with egg as a variation to the plain prata.
To make egg roti prata, break an egg on the surface of the stretched dough at step 5, puncture
the egg yolk and spread the egg before folding it into a square. Continue with steps 6 and 7.
• Another method of making roti prata is to thin out the dough, then oil and roll it up like a coil
before flattening it. Repeat to coil and flatten the dough at least twice before frying the prata.

MEE GORENG

Serves 4

Mee goreng basically means fried noodles in Malay. Noodles are of Chinese origin and so I believe mee goreng, which is always associated with the South Indian Muslims, evolved from Chinese noodle recipes. In the mid 1970s, a version of mee goreng called Ponggol mee gorengwas introduced by a Chinese businessman. The dish was said to have been prepared with tomato and chilli sauces, dried prawn (shrimp) paste, spices and almost 12 herbs! It also included seafood like squid and prawns. The Indian version of this dish uses minced mutton, peas, bean curd, potatoes and Chinese flowering cabbage. Some food stalls today use a very red tomato sauce to flavour the dish which tends to colour the noodles red.

Minced mutton 200 g (6 oz)
Chilli powder ½ tsp
Garam masala powder 1 tsp
Salt 1½ tsp
Chilli paste 1½ Tbsp
Tomato sauce 2 Tbsp
Dark soy sauce 1 Tbsp
Cooking oil 3 Tbsp
Onion 1, medium, peeled and cubed
Green chilli 1, sliced
Ginger-garlic paste  1 Tbsp
Meat curry powder 2 tsp
Tomatoes 125 g (4 oz), medium
Chinese flowering cabbage 200 g (7 oz)
cut into 5-cm (2-in) lengths
Bean sprouts 200 g (7 oz)
Frozen peas 100 g (3½ oz), thawed
Fresh yellow noodles 500 g (1 lb 1½ oz),
rinsed and drained
Firm bean curd 2 pieces, fried and cubed
Potato 1, boiled, peeled and cubed
Eggs 2, medium, lightly beaten with
a pinch of salt
Calamansi limes 5–6, cut into halves

1. Place mutton, chilli powder, garam masala powder and ½ tsp salt in a pan. Cook over
medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until meat is cooked and dry. There is no need to
use any liquid to cook the mutton.
2. Combine chilli paste, tomato sauce and dark soy sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Heat cooking oil and sauté onion and green chilli until onion is soft. Add ginger-garlic
paste and curry powder and sauté over low heat until oil separates. Add tomatoes and
sauté for 1 minute.
4. Add remaining 1 tsp salt, Chinese flowering cabbage, bean sprouts and peas and sauté
until Chinese flowering cabbage leaves are just done.
5. Add noodles, chilli paste mixture, cooked minced mutton, fried cubed bean curd and
potato cubes. Stir-fry over high heat until well combined.
6. Push noodles to the side of the pan and pour beaten egg in the middle of pan. Leave to
cook until egg is just set, then scramble it along with the noodles.
7. Adjust salt to taste as desired. Dish out and serve with calamansi limes.

NOTE
• Omit the mutton and replace with 250 g (9 oz) peeled prawns if seafood is desired.
Add the prawns after sautéing the onion and green chilli.
• Leave out the meat or prawns completely to make this a vegetarian dish

TULANG(BONE STEAK)

Serves 6

This dish is available from some Indian Muslim stalls. It is a dish of mutton or beef bones, usually marrow bones, stewed in a spicy red gravy until the meat and tendons are soft and almost disintegrating. Most stalls provide a good helping of bread to mob up the gravy. I am not certain of the origin of this dish, but it could have been an ingenious idea of an Indian Muslim stallholder who had many bones left over from making mutton soup. Although I am not a big fan of eating marrow bones in public, I do indulge in this occasionally at home. The reason is because you have to suck the bones hard or pound the bones on the plate to get the rich fatty marrow out and a lady with her face or blouse covered with red sauce is not a pretty sight. To get around this, some stalls provide straws for sucking the marrow out. This is my slightly healthier version of the dish.

French loaf as desired
Marrow Bones
Garlic 80 g (3 oz)
Ginger 120 g (4 oz)
Red chillies 80 g (2⅘ oz)
Water 300 ml (10 fl oz / 1¼ cups)
Mutton marrow bones 1.5 kg (3 lb 4½ oz)
Lemon grass 2 stalks, crushed
Salt 1 tsp
Water 3 litres (96 fl oz / 12 cups)
Cinnamon 2 sticks, each about 6-cm (2½-in)
Cardamoms 10
Star anise 1
Ground turmeric 2 tsp

Gravy
Cooking oil 2 Tbsp
Onions 2, peeled and diced
Chilli paste 2½ Tbsp
Tomato purée 3 Tbsp
Dark soy sauce 1 Tbsp
Tomato sauce 5 Tbsp
Sugar 1 tsp
Salt 1 tsp
Tomatoes 2, large, sliced
Cabbage 60 g (2¼ oz), finely shredded
Potato 1, medium, boiled, peeled and diced
Frozen peas 100 g (3½ oz), thawed
Green chillies 2, sliced

1. Prepare marrow bones. Place garlic, ginger, red chillies and water in a blender and
process until smooth. Pour into a deep pot.
2. Add bones and remaining ingredients to pot and cook over medium heat until meat is
tender and almost separates from bones. Takes 1–1½ hours. Top up with more water
as necessary.
3. Remove pot from stove. Discard whole spices and retain about 1 litre (32 fl oz / 4 cups)
stock. Set aside.
4. Prepare gravy. Heat oil and sauté onions until soft and lightly browned.
5. Add chilli paste and sauté over low heat until oil separates and chilli paste no longer
smells raw.
6. Add rest of ingredients, bones and stock. Boil until gravy is thick and coats bones.
7. Dish out and serve hot with bread.

SOP KAMBING(Mutton Soup)

Serves 8

Every region in India has some form of mutton soup. Some believe that mutton soup is an aphrodisiac and at one time only the Moghul kings indulged in it. Mutton soup is served as partof the meal and in India, it is typically poured over rice. Any leftover soup is then slurped directly from the bowl. Soup spoons were unheard of in Indian cuisine before colonisation.

The Indian Muslims, who came to Singapore to do business, brought with them their own versions of mutton soup and soon the soup was served with crusty French loaf. The original version of the soup was made with concentrated stock, but many food stalls today thicken thesoup with rice flour. The soup is also served with a sprinkling of fried shallots and chopped spring onions, clearly a Chinese influence.

Mutton rib bones 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz)
Water 3.5 litres (116 fl oz / 14 cups)
Salt 1½ tsp
Ground turmeric 1 tsp
Meat curry powder 1 Tbsp
Cooking oil 3 Tbsp
Cinnamon 2 sticks, each about 3-cm (1-in)
Cardamoms 10
Cloves 6
Onions 2, peeled and thinly sliced
Curry leaves 2 sprigs
Coriander leaves (cilantro)
40 g (1⅓ oz), chopped

French loaf or rice as desired
Paste
Green chillies 4
Ginger 60 g (2¼ oz), peeled
Garlic 60 g (2¼ oz), peeled
Coriander seeds 2 Tbsp
Fennel seeds 1 Tbsp
Cumin seeds 2 tsp
Mint leaves 50 g (1⅔ oz)
Coriander leaves (cilantro) 50 g (1⅔ oz)
Tomatoes 3, medium
Water 250 ml (8 fl oz / 1 cup)

1. Place ingredients for paste into a blender and process until fine.
2. Place paste, mutton bones, water, salt, turmeric and meat curry powder into a pot and
boil until meat starts to fall off the bones. Takes 1–1½ hours.
3. Heat oil in a pan and fry cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves until very aromatic.
Add onions and curry leaves and sauté until onions turn golden brown.
Add to pot of boiling soup.
4. Add coriander leaves and boil for another 5 minutes. Turn off heat.
5. Dish out and serve hot with French loaf or rice.

SINGAPORE INDIAN FOOD

Indian Muslim Hawker-style Dishes

1.SOP KAMBING (Mutton Soup)

2.TULANG (BONE STEAK)

3.MEE GORENG

4.ROTI PRATA

5.INDIAN ROJAK

Mojito Mocktail

SERVES 4 •  

Although I no longer drink alcohol because of its lack of nutrients, I love a fancy cocktail as much as the next girl. Here’s a healthy twist on one of my favorites. For a festive touch, top this tart drink with an emerald-colored slice of lime and a sprig of mint.

2 cups ice cubes

½ cup coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves

3 limes, peeled

¹/8 teaspoon stevia

1 cup water

1 quart sparkling water

Lime slices, for garnish

Mint sprigs, for garnish

Prepare 4 glasses by placing ½ cup of the ice in each. Set aside.

In a high-powered blender, puree the mint, limes, stevia, and water until smooth. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the pulp. Pour ¼ cup of the mojito mixture into each glass. Fill the remainder of each glass with sparkling water and stir. Garnish each glass with a slice of lime and a sprig of mint and serve.

“Peanut Butter” Ice Cream

SERVES 4 • SWEETNESS: MEDIUM • 

I use sunflower seed butter in this recipe since I don’t eat peanuts (a mold-ridden and highly allergenic legume). I love its intense, nutty flavor, and I don’t miss the peanuts a bit. With a few naturally rich ingredients, it doesn’t take sugar and cream to make this ice cream sing.

1 (13-ounce) can coconut milk

1 tablespoon coconut oil, at room temperature

¼ cup honey

¼ cup sunflower seed butter

¼ teaspoon vanilla crème stevia

¹/8 teaspoon sea salt

In a high-powered blender, puree the coconut milk and coconut oil until very smooth. Blend in the honey, sunflower seed butter, stevia, and salt until thoroughly combined.

Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Serve immediately.

Let any leftover ice cream melt and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before refreezing in an ice cream maker.

Flourless Nut-Free Brownies

MAKES 16 BROWNIES • SWEETNESS: HIGH • 

At last! A rich, melt-in-your-mouth, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free brownie. Serve with a scoop of “Peanut Butter” Ice Cream for an over-the-top treat.

1 cup dark chocolate chips

¼ cup Spectrum all-vegetable shortening

1 cup coconut sugar

4 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish with shortening.

In a medium saucepan over very low heat, melt the chocolate chips until smooth. Remove the pan from the heat, then mix in the shortening and coconut sugar. Stir in the eggs and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.

Let the brownies cool in the baking dish for 1 hour. Cut into 16 squares and serve.

Upside-Down Apple Tartlets

SERVES 8 • SWEETNESS: MEDIUM • 

Use Honeycrisp or Braeburn apples for this dessert and serve with Coconut Whipped Cream. My friend Shirley, of the blog Gluten Free Easily, taught me to make pie with the crust on top.

Crust

2 cups blanched almond flour

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ cup coconut oil, at room temperature

¼ teaspoon vanilla crème stevia

Filling

6 large apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch slices

1 cup apple juice

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons arrowroot powder

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place eight 1-cup wide-mouth Mason jars on a large baking sheet.

To make the crust, pulse together the almond flour and salt in a food processor. Add the coconut oil and stevia and pulse until the mixture forms a ball. Transfer the dough to a piece of parchment paper and place in the freezer for 20 minutes.

To make the filling, place the apples, apple juice, lemon juice, arrowroot powder, and cinnamon in a large bowl, and toss to combine. Transfer the apples to the Mason jars so that each one is overfull. Divide the remaining juice from the bottom of the bowl between the jars.

Remove the dough from the freezer, place between 2 pieces of parchment paper generously dusted with almond flour, and roll out the dough ¼ inch thick. Remove the top sheet of parchment. Using the top of a wide-mouth Mason jar, cut out 8 circles of dough and place one on top of each apple-filled Mason jar.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the juices are bubbling and the crust is golden brown. Serve the tartlets hot out of the oven.

Sesame Noodles

SERVES 4

My friend Kelly, who writes about gluten-free living on the Spunky Coconut website, loves sesame noodles, and so do I. We both like the slight crunch of this healthy, low-calorie dish made of sea vegetables. For a main dish, serve with Sesame Fish Sticks or Honey Lemon Chicken.

1 (12-ounce) package kelp noodles

¼ cup roasted almond butter, at room temperature

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon ume plum vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

Sesame seeds, for garnish

Soak the kelp noodles in a bowl of hot water for 30 minutes. Drain the noodles and rinse thoroughly.

In a small bowl, whisk together the almond butter, sesame oil, vinegar, and honey. Add the noodles and toss to combine. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

Balsamic Rosemary Beets

SERVES 4 •  

Beets are fabulous and far more nutritious than starchy white potatoes. After eating my balsamic-enhanced version, several friends have jumped onto the beet bandwagon.

4 medium beets, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 4 cups)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon sea salt

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a medium bowl, combine the beets, olive oil, vinegar, rosemary, pepper, and salt. Transfer the beets to a 9 by 13-inch baking dish and cover with aluminum foil.

Bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake, uncovered, for 10 to 20 more minutes, until the beets are tender when pierced with a fork, then serve.

Asian Stir-Fry with Cauliflower Rice

Asian Stir-Fry

SERVES 4 • 

Although stir-fries are traditionally made in a wok, I use a 12-inch skillet, which works just as well. The key is having a large surface area for cooking the bounty of vegetables in this Asian-inspired medley of sesame-spiced ingredients. Serve over Cauliflower Rice.

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)

2 heads broccoli, sliced into 3-inch spears (about 4 cups)

2 medium carrots, sliced (about 1 cup)

2 heads baby bok choy, sliced crosswise into 1-inch strips (about 1½ cups)

4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)

1 small zucchini, sliced (about 1 cup)

½ teaspoon sea salt

1½ cups water

2 tablespoons arrowroot powder

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

2 tablespoons ume plum vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Cut into 1-inch cubes and transfer to a plate.

Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion for 8 to 10 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the broccoli, carrots, and chicken and sauté for 10 minutes until almost tender. Add the bok choy, mushrooms, zucchini, and salt and sauté for 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of the water, cover the skillet, and cook for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are wilted.

In a small bowl, dissolve the arrowroot powder in the remaining ½ cup of water, stirring until thoroughly combined. Add the arrowroot mixture to the vegetables and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Stir in the sesame oil, vinegar, and honey, then serve.

Chicken Marbella

SERVES 6 • 

 I’ve altered it by using boneless chicken breasts rather than thighs and removing the sugar. Back when I was attending college in New York City, I used to walk by the Silver Palate shop on my long strolls through the Upper West Side. Not much into cooking back then, I don’t think I ever went in.

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup prunes, pitted and halved

2 cups green olives, pitted

½ cup honey

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup capers

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic

2 tablespoons dried oregano

3 bay leaves

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Cut into 2-inch cubes.

In a large bowl, combine the prunes, olives, honey, olive oil, capers, vinegar, garlic, oregano, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken cubes to the bowl and toss to coat completely. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours up to overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Transfer the chicken and marinade to a 13 by 9-inch baking dish, arranging the chicken in a single layer. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the edges of the chicken pieces are golden brown. Sprinkle the chicken with the parsley and serve.

Honey Lemon Chicken

SERVES 4 • 

Serve this chicken at the table in the baking dish so your family can enjoy the drippings. My younger son likes to smother his steamed broccoli in them, while I eat the cooked garlic on Paleo Bread.

1 whole chicken, 2 to 3 pounds

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon sea salt

3 lemons

2 medium onions

1 head garlic

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Place the chicken, breast side down, in a 13 by 9-inch baking dish.

Drizzle the chicken with the olive oil and honey, sprinkle with the salt, and stuff with 1 of the whole lemons. Cut the remaining 2 lemons in half and place in the corners of the baking dish. Cut the onions in half (leaving the skin on) and place alongside the lemon halves. Break the head of garlic apart (leaving the skin on) and scatter the cloves around the baking dish.

Bake the chicken for 50 to 60 minutes, until the skin is well browned. Increase the heat to 450°F, turn the chicken breast side up, and bake for about 15 more minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh reads 170°F to 180°F.

Remove the chicken from the oven. Carve the chicken, drizzle with the pan juices, and serve.

Date Orange Bread

MAKES 1 SMALL LOAF (ABOUT 8 SLICES) • SWEETNESS: MEDIUM • 

Thinking of your neighbors during the holidays? Give them date orange loaves wrapped in parchment and tied with festive ribbon. They’ll never guess it’s gluten-free!

⅓ cup coconut flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon sea salt

4 large eggs

½ cup coconut oil, melted over very low heat

1 tablespoon firmly packed orange zest

½ cup Medjool dates, pitted and chopped

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 5 by 3-inch mini loaf pan with coconut oil.

In a food processor, pulse together the coconut flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the eggs, coconut oil, and orange zest and pulse until thoroughly combined. Remove the blade from the food processor and stir in the dates.

Scoop the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center of the loaf comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Let the bread cool in the pan for 1 hour, then serve.

Paleo Bread

MAKES 1 LOAF (ABOUT 12 SLICES)

A little gem of grain-free deliciousness, Paleo Bread works well with both savory and sweet toppings. Try it with Salmon Salad or homemade jam.

2 cups blanched almond flour

¼ cup golden flax meal

2 tablespoons coconut flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon sea salt

5 large eggs

1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted over very low heat

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 7 by 3-inch loaf pan with coconut oil.

In a food processor, pulse together the almond flour, flax meal, coconut flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the eggs, coconut oil, honey, and vinegar and pulse until thoroughly combined.

Scoop the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for 1 hour, then serve.

Super Spice Granola

SERVES 8 • SWEETNESS: MEDIUM • 

Crunchy granola, full of antioxidant-rich spices, makes an ideal breakfast served with Almond Milk. If your oven doesn’t go as low as 135°F, set it to 250°F and bake the granola for 90 minutes, or until it’s golden brown, then let it cool and dry for an hour before eating. If you are lucky enough to have a dehydrator, experiment with making it in that.

2 quarts plus ½ cup water

2 cups walnuts

1 cup macadamia nuts

1 cup pumpkin seeds

1 cup raisins

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

¼ teaspoon sea salt

In a large bowl, combine 2 quarts of the water, walnuts, macadamia nuts, and pumpkin seeds and let soak overnight. In a separate bowl, soak the raisins in the remaining ½ cup of water overnight.

Preheat the oven to 135°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a food processor, pulse the raisins and their soaking water until smooth. Add the cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and salt and pulse until thoroughly combined.

In a fine-mesh strainer, drain and rinse the nut mixture. Discard the soaking water. Add the nut mixture to the raisin puree and pulse until the mixture is the consistency of granola.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 24 hours, then remove from the oven and let cool. Break into pieces and serve.

Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Crepes

MAKES 6 CREPES • 

Simple crepes turn into a decadent, healthy breakfast when filled with homemade Cherry Berry Syrup and smothered in Coconut Whipped Cream. The batter will look watery, but don’t worry; it will thicken up nicely when cooked.

2 tablespoons coconut flour

4 large eggs

1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted over very low heat

½ cup water

2 tablespoons coconut oil

In a food processor, pulse together the coconut flour and eggs. Add the coconut oil and water and pulse until thoroughly combined.

Heat 1 teaspoon of the coconut oil in an 8-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Scoop ¼ cup of the batter onto the skillet, tilting the skillet to spread the batter to the edges of the pan. Cook until small bubbles form and burst on the surface of the crepe, then flip and cook the other side, 4 to 5 minutes total. Transfer the crepe to a plate.

Repeat the process with the remaining oil and batter, then serve.

Bagels

MAKES 6 BAGELS

 I serve these toasted and topped with smoked salmon and scrambled eggs.

1½ cups blanched almond flour

¼ cup golden flax meal

1 tablespoon coconut flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon sea salt

5 large eggs

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon poppy seeds (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a donut pan with coconut oil and dust with coconut flour.

In a food processor, pulse together the almond flour, flax meal, coconut flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the eggs and vinegar and pulse until thoroughly combined.

Place the batter in a resealable plastic bag, snip off one corner, and pipe the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the bagels with poppy seeds.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center of a bagel comes out clean. Let the bagels cool in the pan for 1 hour, then serve.

To store, leave at room temperature overnight, then refrigerate in an airtight container.

Acknowledgments

First, thanks to my readers for your support, inspiration, encouragement, and conversation.

Vegetable Rice Pilaf

Vegetable Rice Pilaf

A pilaf is a rice dish in which the rice is first lightly browned by cooking it with onions in oil or butter, and then adding in fragrant spices and vegetables. Traditionally in India, this dish uses clarified butter (ghee), but I use vegetable oil instead since it is healthier and easily available. You could describe this dish as the Indian version of vegetarian fried rice. My daughter loves both rice and vegetables, especially broccoli. I am so happy when she specifically asks for vegetables and rice and wants me to pack it for her school lunch. I include edamame (green soy beans) in this dish to add protein to this dish. You may eat this one-pot meal rice dish by itself or you may mix in some plain yogurt.

Serves 3 to 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes + 5 minutes to rest

Refrigerator life: 3 days

Freezer life: 1 month

Reheating method: Place the refrigerated or defrosted rice in a microwave, sprinkle a few drops of water on it and stir periodically. Or, place the rice in a saucepan, sprinkle a few drops of water on it and warm over medium-low heat, stirring periodically.

1 cup (180 g) uncooked white Basmati rice

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 small onion, thinly sliced into half-moons

3 cloves

6 black peppercorns

1 in (2.5-cm) cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 dried bay leaf

3 whole green cardamom pods

½ cup (75 g) green edamame beans or ½ cup (60 g) green beans, fresh or frozen

1½ cups (150 g) fresh or frozen bite-size cauliflower florets (no need to defrost if frozen) 

1½ cups (75 g) fresh or frozen bite-size broccoli florets (no need to defrost the frozen ones) 

1 medium russet potato (about ½ lb/225 g), peeled and cut into ½ in (1.25 cm) cubes

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks 

2 cups (500 ml) water

1¾ teaspoons salt

1 Place the rice in a small bowl. Rinse three or four times by repeatedly filling the bowl with cold water and carefully draining off the water. Try to get the water as clear as you can. Pour the rice into a large sieve to drain.

2 Pour the oil into a large saucepan and place it over medium heat. When the oil is heated, add the onion, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, and bay leaf. Open the cardamom pods and add the seeds and the pods. Sauté until the onion is browned and the edges just start to crisp, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes.

3 Add the edamame (or green peas), cauliflower, broccoli, potato, and carrot. Cover the saucepan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4 Add the rice. Stir thoroughly. Add the water and salt. Stir to combine. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat.

5 Stir and reduce the heat to low. Cover the saucepan. Simmer undisturbed until the water is completely absorbed and you do not see any more water on the bottom of the saucepan if you insert a spoon through the rice, about 10 minutes.

6 Turn off the heat. Let rest, covered, for 5 minutes on the warm stove. Keep covered until ready to serve or let cool to room temperature and refrigerate or freeze. Before serving, gently fluff the rice with a fork to mix the vegetables. Leave in the whole spices in for presentation.

Rice with Cumin and Peas

Rice with Cumin and Peas

The delicate hint of cumin and beautiful color of green peas in this rice dish make it my favorite everyday rice. It is quick to make and very flavorful as well. I use Plain Basmati Rice , which gives this dish added taste, beauty, texture, and fragrance instead of using plain long-grained white rice. This rice dish can be paired with any of the dishes in this book (my favorite pairings are with curries), but it is also flavorful enough to be eaten on its own.

Serves 3 to 4

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes + 5 minutes to rest

Refrigerator life: 3 days

Freezer life: 1 month

Reheating method: Place the refrigerated or defrosted rice in a microwave, sprinkle a few drops of water on it and stir periodically. Or, place the rice in a saucepan, sprinkle a few drops of water on it and warm over medium-low heat, stirring periodically.

1 cup (180 g) uncooked white Basmati rice

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 cups (500 ml) water

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup (60 g) frozen or fresh green peas

1 Place the rice in a small bowl. Rinse three or four times by repeatedly filling the bowl with cold water and carefully draining off the water. It is okay if the water is not completely clear, but try to get it as clear as you can. Pour the rice into a large sieve to drain.

2 Pour the oil into a medium saucepan and place over medium heat.

3 When the oil is heated, add the cumin seeds and let brown, about 10 seconds. Do not let the cumin seeds burn and turn black.

4 Immediately add the rice and stir thoroughly until all the rice is coated with the oil.

5 Add the water, salt, and peas. Stir to combine. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat.

6 Stir and reduce the heat to low. Cover the saucepan. Simmer undisturbed until the water is completely absorbed and you do not see any more water on the bottom of the saucepan if you insert a spoon through the rice, about 9 minutes. You might see dimples forming on the surface of the rice, which is a sign that the water is completely absorbed.

7 Turn off the heat. Let rest, covered, for 5 minutes on the warm stove. Keep covered until ready to serve or let cool to room temperature and refrigerate or freeze for later. Before serving, gently fluff the rice with a fork to mix the cumin seeds and peas.

Variation

Brown Rice with Cumin and Peas

Use 1 cup (180 g) uncooked long-grained brown rice and 2½ (625 ml) cups water. Follow steps 1 through 5 for Rice with Cumin and Peas, but in step 3, leave out the peas. In step 4, cook for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the water disappears in the saucepan. Gently mix in the peas the last 5 minutes of cooking.