Vibrant India: Fresh Vegetarian Recipes from Bangalore to Brooklyn [A Cookbook]

“Chitra Agrawal’s Vibrant India is a beautiful personal history and distinct guide to vegetarian South Indian cooking. Her perspective as a second generation immigrant shapes her approach to South Indian cuisine, making this book both a definitive guide for the home cook and an inspiring family narrative.” —Preeti Mistry, owner of Juhu Beach Club “ Vibrant India is exactly what my cookbook shelf has been missing all this time. Chitra's fresh, enticing, and accessible recipes are certain to transform the way I cook, from rethinking salad and yogurt to really understanding the principles of South Indian vegetarian cooking and its key ingredients.” —Lukas Volger, author of Bowl "There is so much I love about this book: the family history; the glimpse at life and daily cooking in South India; but most importantly the recipes. They're poetic in their beauty and simplicity, surprising and yet perfectly intuitive. This book opens up a world of sublime vegetarian Indian food that I didn't know existed." — Louisa Shafia, author of The New Persian Kitchen “Already a successful entrepreneur for her delicious pickles from Brooklyn Delhi, here Chitra shares her deeply personal story of her family's journey from Southern India to Brooklyn. In Vibrant India, her first cookbook, she exploresxa0colorful and flavorful recipes passed down through generations. Chitra is truly a mistress of spices and shares her knowledge with proficiency and detail. There’s no better way to discover how delicious the world of Indian vegetarian cooking is than through this book.” — Nik Sharma, food writer, cook, and photographer "Chitra Agrawal takes us inside a true South Indian kitchen, lovingly rendered for the everyday household. The results are gorgeously simple, bold—and yes, vibrant—flavors that anyone can lend to their cooking." — Cathy Erway, author of The Food of Taiwan and The Art of Eating In "In Vibrant India , Chitra grants the reader not only an intimate look at the food of her family, but also an invaluable master class in the flavors and pantry of South India. Bold yet balanced, and touched with modernity, her food celebrates the diversity and breadth of the cuisine. On a personal level, as I share some of her background, Chitra has given me failsafe renditions of the recipes I crave from my childhood; her shredded carrot and lentil salad hits all the notes it should, the idlis are perfect, and the lemon peanut rice a new staple in my home. And as expected, her deft hand with chutneys and pickles—condiments that will elevate any meal—is worth the price of admission alone." — Tara O'Brady, author of Seven Spoons "Chitra Agrawal is the perfect tour guide for this fascinating journey into the heart of South Indian home cooking. Through family stories and detailed recipes, written with such passion and clarity, she reveals dishes steeped in tradition but refined for a modern audience. You'll want to dive right in and experience this amazing balance of sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, and savory flavors." — Diana Kuan, author of The Chinese Takeout Cookbook "...xa0Agrawal offers page after page of hits with dishes such as steamed lentil and herbed dumplings, root-vegetable and Asian-pear salad, stir-fried corn with basil and leeks, and the must-try cardamom oatmeal cookies with dark chocolate and raisins. ... There’s enough variety in this superb debut to please Indian-cuisine newbies and veterans, and Agrawal’s dishes are hearty and flavorful enough to please even the toughest carnivore at the table." — Publishers Weekly , Starred Review Chitra Agrawal is the author of Vibrant India: Fresh Vegetarian Recipes from Bangalore to Brooklyn and the founder of Brooklyn Delhi, an award-winning Indian condiments line. Since 2009, she has been serving, writing about, and teaching her family's vegetarian recipes from India with a slant on seasonality and local ingredients. Chitra writes the popular recipe blog The ABCDs of Cooking , teaches vegetarian Indian cooking classes at Brooklyn Kitchen, Brooklyn Brainery, and Whole Foods, and hosts pop-up dinners throughout New York City with creative Indian-inspired menus. Her work has been featured in The New York Times , Food & Wine , Saveur, and Zagat , among others. She lives in Brooklyn, NY. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. KALE YOGURT RAITA All seasons • Serves 6 to 8xa0This recipe is based on a spinach raita that was prepared by my friend Asha’s mom. It’s also loosely inspired by Greek tzatziki, which is usually made with cucumbers, chopped garlic, and lemon. It’s creamy and indulgent, and you can use it as a dip or eat it plain or with a meal.xa0I often make this raita with sautéed kale, using any and all varieties—curly, red, and lacinato—and have also substituted different greens such as spinach, tatsoi, or mizuna in this recipe.xa0You can eat the raita as a dip, or serve it as a side with rice and one of the hulis on pages 131 to 137. 1 tablespoon mild-flavored oil such as canola 1⁄4 teaspoon black mustard seeds 1⁄4 teaspoon cumin seeds 3 fresh curry leaves 1 Indian green chile or serrano chile, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 2 cups stemmed, chopped kale leaves 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 teaspoon salt Squeeze of lemon juice 2 cups plain yogurt, lightly beaten by hand 2 tablespoons sour cream or Greek yogurt Freshly ground black pepper Red chile powder or paprika, for garnish Put the oil in a small frying pan or sauté pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add one black mustard seed. When the seed sizzles and pops, add the rest of the mustard seeds. Keep a lid handy to cover the pan while the mustard seeds are popping. When the popping starts to subside (a few seconds), add the cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds turn a darker shade of golden brown, turn the heat to medium-low. Rub the curry leaves between your fingers a little to release their natural oils, and drop them and the green chile into the oil. Cover immediately, as moisture from the curry leaves will cause the oil to spatter. Then stir to evenly coat everything with oil and continue to fry until the chile is less raw, 10 to 15 seconds. Stir in the garlic and sauté until fragrant, 10 to 15 seconds.xa0Add the kale to the pan, followed by 1⁄4 teaspoon of the salt. Sauté until the kale is bright green in color and just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add one good squeeze of lemon juice. Transfer the kale to a medium bowl and let cool. (I sometimes put it in the freezer for a few minutes if I’m in a rush.)xa0When the kale is cool, mix it with the yogurt, sour cream, and remaining 1⁄4 teaspoon salt, or to taste. Garnish with a few grinds of pepper and a sprinkling of red chile powder on top before serving. Read more