Marvelous Morsels

Marvelous morsels (and mouthfuls) of healthy food...from my brain to your kitchen.

[maya-joshi]

Khichadi, Gujarati kadhi, and kale to soothe the stomach and the soul. 😌 Growing up, my mom always made khichadi (equal parts rice and moong dal) anytime I was sick or had an upset stomach because it’s easy on the stomach but very nourishing at the same time. I topped it with some kale for added nutrients and even added some blended kale to the kadhi (a slightly tart soup made with yogurt and chick pea flour and gently tempered spices and curry leaves). I’ve never actually made kadhi before but I think I’m going to make it more often now. It came out way better than I expected. I ran out of yogurt so I made it with buttermilk instead and it did not disappoint. My husband also approved and ate leftovers today (with seconds). Be sure to top with a dollop of ghee for maximum satisfaction 😋 #comfortfood #soulfood #homemade #desifood #indianfood #gujaratifood #vegetarian #vegetarianfood https://www.instagram.com/p/CbRDymYJaaE/?utm_medium=tumblr

[maya-joshi]

Mizuna and arugula salad with sliced pink lady apples, cashews, pickled onions, grilled habanero paneer from @sachfoods , gluten-free fried onion bits, and a homemade chili cilantro ranch dressing. So good and because took about 15 mins to make since I the dressing and pickled onions yesterday. My husband, who said he wasn’t hungry at all, ate the whole bowl 🙌🏽. It was so good and well-balanced—creamy, spicy, crunchy, sweet, and sour 😋 #glutenfree #vegetarian #salad #homemade #homemadefood https://www.instagram.com/p/CaBbPaOFnsg/?utm_medium=tumblr

[maya-joshi]

It’s been ages since I’ve made chicken. Hubby requested it so made a humble dish of cast iron-grilled chicken with black beans and Cilantro rice (think Chipotle but better). I really think the tart cilantro rice (paired with the savoriness of the beans) was the star of the show. Naturally, I went for the rice and beans first. @lundbergfarms jasmine rice made this so fragrant and flavorful. . . . . . . . . . . #dairyfree #glutenfree #organic #homemadefood #homemadefoodisthebest #mexicanfood #riceandbeans https://www.instagram.com/p/COJ8zdOlbOH/?igshid=1m9j0q3isztoc

[maya-joshi]

Just watched a video of @inagarten making her penne arrabbiata and I had to try it. A few things got me intrigued: (1) an “unusual” amount of garlic (2) spicy (3) the use of fennel (4) completely #vegan sauce. Indian cooking often pairs fennel with tomato, so I knew I had to try it. I made a few mods to the recipe (like less salt, less oil, and dry roasted the fennel before adding it to the sauce), and it came out fantastic. Might be one of the best red sauces I’ve ever made. Try it out and thank me later. My husband kept asking me “what did you put in here? It’s so good.” https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/penne-arrabiata-8702958 https://www.instagram.com/p/CON4QKRFHFN/?igshid=1racyiz7doysm

[maya-joshi]

Vegetarian Asparagus and spring onion risotto experimentation turned out SO GOOD. I added some pistachio-mint-chili #vegan pesto and it really made the flavors pop. This really tastes like spring in a bowl and it soothes the soul ❤️ . . . . . . . #vegetarian #homemade #farmtotable #organic #homemadefood #risotto #spring https://www.instagram.com/p/CNyx7vkFo43/?igshid=s6o0873tuphq

[maya-joshi]

We love flautas and taquitos, but they can be pretty oily and calorie dense. I made a much healthier version for my hubby and parents and it was a big hit. A filling of chicken, spices, caramelized onions, Pasilla chiles, cream cheese, scallions, and cheddar cheese surrounded by some organic corn and whole wheat tortillas for variety made for a satisfying dinner. As you can see, my husband likes everything smothered in sauce (photo 1) while I like a little more subtlety, roasted pepitas and some romaine lettuce for good measure (photo 2). Instead of a sour cream sauce, we used Greek yogurt, jalapeños, garlic and cilantro for the sauce. And instead of deep frying we air fried these at 385 F for 10 mins. We garnished these with beautiful cilantro blossoms from mom’s yard. Next time I’m going to try these with tofu and potatoes for a #vegetarian version. These were crunchy, cheesy, spicy, creamy, savory, and tangy...🙌🏽 Will definitely be making them again, and I’ll write the ingredients next time. This was a bit of an experiment, with great success 🙌🏽 #organic #farmtotable #homemade #mexicanfood #homemadefood #taquitos #flautas #gardentotable https://www.instagram.com/p/CNOwbDglyxE/?igshid=1u9mbeyfxsrr3

[maya-joshi]

Warm lentil and farro salad with mostly pantry ingredients 🍽 . It’s hearty, healthy, and heavenly 😇. If you’ve ever had mujadara, it’s basically the base of this, but I used farro instead of rice to better pair with the arugula and give it a nuttier taste. I used black lentils, farro, caramelized shallots, nutritional yeast, coarsely cut slivered almonds, Castelvetrano olives, arugula, dried currants, and garlic tahini sauce with a liberal amount of lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil. I barely any spices (which is really hard for me)—just salt, pepper, cumin and sumac. Add whatever herbs you have on hand. I used cilantro, but parsley would work even better. I highly recommend blanching, peeling, slicing and roasting the almonds in ghee or coconut oil if you have time. It’s a game changer! Otherwise packaged slivered almonds are fine. Pro tip: cook the black lentils with a pinch or two of ground cumin to give it a little something extra flavor-wise. #vegan #homemade #homemadefood #lockdownmeals #homemadecooking #vegetarian https://www.instagram.com/p/CJvEYjnFWxJ/?igshid=1s1feifzmqn4m

[maya-joshi]

After a hard day, dinner for 1 + queer eye | papardelle with peas, wilted spinach, shallots, garlic, lemon zest, butter, lemon juice, ricotta salata, Parmesan, crushed hazelnuts, and parsley. 😋 #vegetarian #homemade #homemadefood https://www.instagram.com/p/BkEotqyBFDhAEpYibui19YWAEs_PAfPfRFowLI0/?igshid=iqh95wikrvb4

[maya-joshi]

There are few things better than light and airy hummus with hot bread or pita. This one was served underneath spicy mung beans. Recipe courtesy of @noorishbynoor #homemade #vegetarian #vegan #lockdowncooking https://www.instagram.com/p/CBbAPcnFVzCFHeI8a5_bmm-hV5nhqFx8gv1uwA0/?igshid=2wz183cigx9h

[maya-joshi]

Chicken mulligatawny comes from the state of Tamil Nadu and was popularized (and likely bastardized) in England (hey there, colonialism). I made it into a thicker curry instead of a soup. This is one of my favorite dishes. It manages to be peppery, bright, creamy, warming and hearty all at the same time. The punchiness comes from lots of whole peppercorns, while the lime juice and curry leaves give it a wonderful zing. I normally hate potatoes in curry but these were bursting with flavor and added a velvety texture to the sauce. If you want the recipe, I’ll send it to you. The recipes on the internet for this dish are whitewashed trash. Every time I see an “Indian” recipe that calls for curry powder I die a little inside. #homemadefood #quarantinecooking #indianfood #currychicken #chickencurry https://www.instagram.com/p/CCDPSDYFKDUyqhhPNWlWLKZdolujBQfX4ponKw0/?igshid=1getaszj8oimr

[maya-joshi]

Let’s be honest, Japanese do most things better. And cheesecake is one of those things. In memory our magical trip to Japan 2 years ago, I made Japanese cheesecake and it came out light as air, yet creamy. It took me three ish hours total, but it was worth it. Years ago, banana bread and zucchini bread are the only things I would ever bake because I found baking to be intimidating and too controlled. Fast forward a few years, I’ve come a long way and come to appreciate the science and precision that is baking. This is probably the most advanced dessert I’ve ever made. Light and fluffy cheesecake meets soufflé. First time using a bain marie, too (I didn’t even know that meant until today). 🙃 #cheesecake #homemade #dessert #quarantinecooking #baking https://www.instagram.com/p/CDqJ16gFiYYnCkhX2uYqB5oM8ROhIDuMQ_HBhM0/?igshid=11em509jz2ek9

[maya-joshi]

Yup. These are VEGETARIAN tacos made with tofu. And they’re pretty delicious. I don’t understand why people hate on tofu so much. If you season it and cook it with the right technique, it tastes pretty close to meat. Swipe for the final product with all the fix-ins. #homemade #homemadefood #quarantine #vegetarian #glutenfree #tacos https://www.instagram.com/p/CFOVb5eFKWRC3kpfr6wICH8CzfFRS94J4vDDd80/?igshid=1tejfp65ufl9x

[maya-joshi]

Not quite sure how I’ll go back to store bought pitas now, because homemade pitas are a game changer. Made pita using recipe from @ottolenghi and mung bean falafels, because that’s how my mom always made ‘em (must be a guju thing). I like making falafel patties because I can’t be bothered with deep frying and I can make one big round and cut them in half to fit perfectly into each half of my pita circle. When sprouted and/or soaked, Mung beans are easier to digest. I served these with marinated tomatoes and onions, spicy tahini sauce, hummus, homemade dill pickles, and some salad greens. #vegan #homemade #quarantine #homemadefood #vegetarian https://www.instagram.com/p/CElPsSNluiob6FaS27-Xt0CR4lWOOFE2k0I0aU0/?igshid=gt65fdvhacwu

[maya-joshi]

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[maya-joshi]

Galina Shakooti, a Goan chicken curry with tomatoes, coconut milk, and a really unique blend of roasted spices that makes this quite different from your run-of-the-mill curry. Definitely worth the extra effort 😋. #homemadefood #lockdowncooking #indianfood #curry https://www.instagram.com/p/CBchn1gFQilS04XPwWW0cJl8a2A9y0Fh8fA_k00/?igshid=165bgzg43q87f

[maya-joshi]

A little homemade gnocchi with red jalapeños from my mom’s yard, chives, and caramelized onions in a light cream sauce with a few dollops of fresh ricotta. I used 3 Yukon gold potatoes and one purple potato for a beautiful marbling effect. Just what I needed for this cooler weather 😊 . . . #gnocchi #homemade #vegetarian #farmtotable #homemadefood #vegetarianfood https://www.instagram.com/p/CHXCwltlwX2/?igshid=1mlvbrp3c8e2i

[maya-joshi]

Potato + cheddar herb dumplings with pomegranates. What started out as a craving for pierogi turned into in experiment using stuff I had at home. And it out to be one of the most delicious things I’ve had in quarantine. Watch my story in the highlights to see how I made them. #homemade #dumplings #vegetarian #carbsarelife https://www.instagram.com/p/CGy2ecyFIer/?igshid=66pgz5avqi6s