Cooking with Jyoti

These are some of my favorite recipes. Enjoy! Jyoti Krsna Feb.11, 1987 All recipes are vegetarian. GF (gluten-free) Ekadasi (no beans or grains) Ayurvedic (follows an ayurvedic diet)

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Paneer

3 litres milk

1 litre cultured buttermilk

Bring the milk to boil. Add the buttermilk. Collect the cheese curd to a sieve or cotton cloth. Press under a weight for 10 minutes (longer pressing will result a dryer cheese, we want it moist and rich) Cut into cubes. 

or

1 L or quart of 3.8% whole cow milk

3-4 tbsp of  lemon juice or you can substitute with lime juice,vinegar, or leftover whey from a previous batch of paneer

Bring the milk to a boil.

Add the lemon juice. Stir until the milk separates. The curd will separate from the yellow whey.

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Almond Milk (Ayurvedic, gf, ekadasi)

Soak 10 almonds in a cup of water at room temperature overnight.

In the morning peel the skins and discard. Add the almonds to a blender along with 2 dates (pitted), one cup boiled whole milk, 1/2 tsp ghee, a pinch of ginger powder, a pinch of ground cardamom, and 1-2 tsp maple syrup. Blend and drink!

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Ghee (gluten-free, Ekadasi, ayurvedic)

Ingredients

1 pound butter

Directions

Place butter in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring butter to boil. This takes approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium. The butter will form a foam which will disappear. Ghee is done when a second foam forms on top of butter, and the butter turns golden. Approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Brown milk solids will be in bottom of pan. Gently pour into heatproof container through fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Store in airtight container being sure to keep free from moisture. Ghee does not need refrigeration and will keep in airtight container for up to 1 month.

Note: be careful not to burn butter!

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Green Drink (Ayurvedic, gf, ekadasi)

Salt -1/4-1/2 tsp

Turmeric- 1/4 tsp

Spice mix- 1 tsp

(SPICE MIX: 1 TBSP. cumin seeds, 6 TBSP. fennel seeds, 6 TBSP coriander seeds put in coffee grinder to make powder)

Olive oil or ghee- 1 TBSP 

Water 8 -12 oz

fresh greens 16 oz (spinach, drumstick leaves, swiss green chard and red chard, kale, collard greens, broccoli rabe, tender white daikon leaves, tender beet greens" When preparing greens, rinse well. use only leafy parts. remove and discard any hard stems, which may irritate the colon.

paneer- 4 oz 

Step 1: Make fresh paneer. Put it in a pan. 

Step 2: Add turmeric, salt, water and ghee. Cook all for 5-7 minutes.

Step 3: Add greens and spice mix, some olive oil, some water and cover with glass lid. Watch for sharpness and shine in the green color. When you see rich sharp shiny green color, stop cooking. Blend it. Serve with lime. Drink twice a day!

NOTE: Try to change which greens you use on a daily basis. 

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Ekadasi Cake (gf, ekadasi)

1 1/4 cups milk powder

1 1/4 cups potato flour

1 cup caster sugar

1 teaspoon bicarb

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup grated coconut

2 mashed bananas

1/2 cup yogurt

Finely grated rind of one lemon and one orange

1/2 cup chopped roasted hazelnuts

Butterand flour 10-inch cake tin, or for a deeper cake, an 8-inch tin.

Set ovento 330 F.

Sift togetherthe milk powder, potato flour, sugar and bicarb.

Meltthe butter and toast the coconut in it.

Mashthe bananas and mix in the yogurt, rind and butter-toasted coconut.

Addthe dry ingredients and nuts and beat with a spoon.

Pourinto tin and bake 20 to 30 mins. Test with toothpick, rest ten minutes and turn out onto rack.

When cool, split and fill with whipped cream and fresh fruit, and/or jam. You can also ice it and cover with fresh soft grated coconut for dramatic effect.

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Cream of Broccoli Soup (Ekadasi, gf, ayurvedic)

2 Large white sweet potatos

Large bunch of Broccolli

3 Tbsp ghee

2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp. Hing (no hing used for Ekadasi recipe)

1 Tbsp ginger diced

1 green chili diced (adjust according to taste)

1 Tbsp ground corriander

1 Tbsp ground Fennel   

1 tsp dried basil

2 tsp salt

1 cup sunflower seeds

Peel and chop white sweet potatoes. Peel stubs of broccoli and chop. (Use all of the broccoli!) In a large cooking pot, heat ghee and add cumin, hing, ginger and chili. Stir fry until seeds are toasted. Add sweet potato and broccoli. Stir fry for 2 mins. Add enough water (appr. 12 cups). Boil until vegetables are softened. Add the remaining spices and salt. 

Blend with sunflower seeds.

Serve hot.

(Soup should be creamy, but not too thick) 

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Lemon Quinoa (gf, ayurvedic, ekadasi)

Wash 1 cup of Quinoa under cold water.

Heat 1 Tbsp ghee in small pot.

Add Quinoa to ghee and stir one minute.

Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

Once at a boil, turn down to low and cook with lid on for 20 minutes.

Add juice of one lemon.

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Simple Corn Tortillas (gf)

Pan fry corn tortillas in ghee on medium heat for approx. 4 minutes until softened. For crunchy tortillas fry for longer. 

Guacamole: 

mash half (or whole) avacado

add dash of salt

lemon juice

dash of hing

diced jalapeno

Veggies:

diced tomatoe

diced cucumber

diced bell pepper

Shredded cheese

Sour cream

lettuce

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Strawberry Shortcake (gf)

3 pints fresh strawberries

1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar- to taste

1/2 cup superfine brown rice flour OR 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon white rice flour

1/2 cup potato starch OR cornstarch OR arrowroot starch

2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder

1/2 teaspoon guar gum OR xanthan gum

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs (Egg replacer)

1/4 milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

gluten-free whipped topping (optional)

Up to one day before serving wash, hull and slice strawberries. Place in a bowl and stir and in 1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar. Cover and refrigerate. Preheat oven to 350° F / 176° C Grease a muffin pan with vegetable shortening or use paper cupcake liners. Note- If you have a shortcake baking pan this adds a nice indentation to the cakes, which is great for nestling the strawberries and for soaking up strawberry juices, but it isn't necessary.

Place all dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and whisk to thoroughly combine.

Place shortening and sugar in another mixing bowl and use a stand-mixer or an electric mixer to cream until fluffy. Add egg replacer and beat on high just until combined with the shortening and sugar mixture.

Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat on low until combined. Pour in coconut milk and vanilla and beat until the batter is smooth and fluffy, about 1 minute.

Fill each muffin cup about 1/2 full with batter.

Bake for about 20 minutes until the cakes are lightly golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center cuts out clean.

Cool cupcakes in the baking pan for about 10 minutes before carefully removing them.

To serve, cut the cupcakes in half and place on individual plates. Spoon about 1/2 cup strawberries and juice over each cake and top with GF non-dairy whipped topping (optional).

Makes 12 servings

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Laxmipriya Inspired Vegetable Soup (gf)

2 Tbsp ghee

1 tsp hing

1 diced chili

2 tbsp diced ginger

Heat ghee and quickly stir fry ingredients.

Add

2 cups cauliflower

2 cups chopped broccoli

2 cups chopped cabbage (I used purple cabbage)

3 chopped carrots

1 Tbsp ground coriander

1 Tbsp ground fennel

1 tsp black pepper

Stir fry for 4 minutes.

Add 12 cups water and bring to a boil.

Once vegetables are nearly softened add 2 Tbsp of sesame oil and 1/4 cup soy sauce.

Blend half of the vegetables with 2 salt (to taste) and add back to soup. Add rice noodles, 1/2 cup frozen peas and boil for 3 minutes in soup.

Add fresh paneer and fresh coriander leaves to taste.

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Khichari (Rice,dhal, cauliflower, peas) (gf, vegan,ayurvedic)

1 cup basmati rice

2/3 cup dal (I prefer red lentils)

1 small cauliflower, washed, drained cut into flowerets

4 TBS. ghee

1/2 tsp. hing (asafetida)

1/2 TBS. minced ginger

1 TBS. minced seeded hot green chilies (or as desired)

1 TBS. cumin seeds

1 1/4 tsp. turmeric

7 cups water

3/4 cup peas (fresh or frozen)

2.5 tsp salt

1. Wash basmati rice and dal together.

2.Heat ghee in heavy saucepan (4-5 quart/liter) When hot, add ginger, chilies, and cumin seeds. Fry until the cumin seeds turn brown (few seconds).

3. Quickly add hing and immediatly follow with cauliflower. Turn it about with a spoon, frying 4-5 minutes or until slightly browned and partially cooked. Stir in the rice and dal. Fry for 1 minute.

4. Pour in the water and turmeric and bring to a full boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover and slowly cook, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes (depending on the dal used. you may need to add more water) It should resemble an oatmeal consistency. Add the peas during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Lastly, add the salt.

Enjoy with yogurt and pickle (available at the indian store)!