Chef Varun, founding father of Bodhi Greens (an natural café) and marketing consultant chef at Humane Society Worldwide in India, spills the beans and offers a sneak peek into prime vegan recipes to cook dinner a healthful Hyderabadi unfold at house.
Printed Date – 03:04 PM, Thu – 5 January 23

Hyderabad: Greater than ever, individuals around the globe are switching to plant-based alternate options – for his or her well being and for the planet. From the long-lasting Hyderabadi biryani to the all-time favourite snack Keema samosa, this Veganuary provides these meat-heavy dishes a vegan twist with out compromising on the style.
Chef Varun, founding father of Bodhi Greens (an natural café) and marketing consultant chef at Humane Society Worldwide in India, spills the beans and offers a sneak peek into prime vegan recipes to cook dinner a healthful Hyderabadi unfold at house.
Psst, consists of the way to make mock meat at house too!
Recipe 1: Beetroot & Kidney Bean Kebab
Time: 90 minutes
Yield: 8-9
Components
- 250 grams kidney beans
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 tsp salt
Spice Sachet / Potli:
- 2 pcs bay leaves
- 1 tsp jeera/entire cumin seeds
- 3 pcs black cardamom
- 3 pcs inexperienced cardamom
- 3 pcs cloves
- 3-inch cinnamon
- 3 pcs black pepper
- 2 pcs dry pink chilli
Beetroot combine: - 100 grams beetroot, grated
- 1 tsp amchoor/ dry mango powder
- ½ tsp veggie bouillon powder (non-obligatory)
- ½ tsp kewra water
- 1 tbsp Gulab Jal / rose water
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ACV
- ½ tsp degi/Kashmiri chilli powder
- ½ tsp coriander powder
- 1 tbsp kasurimethi powder
- 1 tbsp soy willow
- 1 tbsp pea protein powder (non-obligatory)
- 70 grams cornstarch
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp salt or to style
technique
In a stress cooker, put 800ml of water for boiling. Add kidney beans with ginger-garlic paste and salt to the stress cooker. In a muslin material, add all the entire spices for the Spice Sachet. Knot tightly and add to the cooker, seal the lid and boil for 3 whistles, one on excessive, two on simmer. Let cool, open the lid and drain the kidney beans, reserve water for different recipes as a flavorful Indian spiced vegetable broth. Discard the spices from the sachet.
Combine all beetroot combine substances in a mixing bowl. Add kidney beans and mash correctly utilizing a masher or your palms. Verify for seasonings and form into patties weighing round 50 grams every. Shallow fry with olive oil for 3 minutes on all sides.
Alternatively, line a sheet of parchment paper on a baking tray, and place the patties at a 2-inch distance, brush some toasted sesame oil and bake at 200 C for round 40 minutes or till finished.
Recipe 2: Keema Samosa
Time: 60 minutes
Serves: 4
Components
dough:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp coconut oil or vegan ghee
- 1-½ cups water
Marination:
- 300 grams seitan or 100 grams of soy granules
- ½ tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tbsp soy/peanut yogurt
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- ¼ tsp chat masala
- 1 tsp vegan rooster bouillon
Keema filling:
- 1 tbsp oil
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 inexperienced chilli, non-obligatory
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- 1 giant onion
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp coriander seed powder
For folding and frying:
technique
In a bowl, add the minced rehydrated soy granules, and blend the yogurt and the remaining substances. Cowl and allow them to soak in for half-hour or place it within the fridge in a single day.
In a mixing bowl, add all of the dry substances, stir within the oil or vegan ghee, add within the water and knead into a decent dough. Cowl and let the dough relaxation for a minimum of 10 minutes.
Warmth oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and wait until they splutter. Add the chopped inexperienced chilli, garlic paste and the chopped onion. Sprinkle the salt and stir for a minimum of two to 3 minutes.
Add the marinated seitan or soy granules, and stir within the garam masala and coriander seed powder for 5 minutes or till the moisture has dried out. Set that apart.
Take a ball of dough, about 30 grams, and roll it into a skinny sheet. Minimize into half and brush the perimeters with water.
Raise the sheet and use the highest line to fold right into a cone. Press in some three desk spoons of the filling and fold the underside to seal the sides and fry in sizzling oil for 5 to seven minutes or till crispy.
Serve with sizzling inexperienced mint chutney, candy tamarind chutney and a few sliced onions and lime wedges.
Recipe 3: Plant-Based mostly Raita
Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 6 aspect parts
Components
- 1-½ cup peanut/soy yogurt [recipe below]
- 1 chopped onion
- ½ cup cucumber
- 1 inexperienced chilli
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp chat masala
- ¼ tsp roasted cumin powder
- 1 inexperienced chilli, chopped
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 20 mint leaves
- 1 tbsp contemporary coriander, chopped
- ½ tsp deggimirch/paprika
- 1 tsp toasted fenugreek leaves
technique
Whisk all of the substances collectively in a bowl, garnish with coriander, and serve chilly.
Peanut/I am Yoghurt
Yield: 700 grams
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Whole Time: 8-10 hours
Components
- 1 liter water
- 150 grams peanuts/soy, soaked & drained
- 1 tbsp common yogurt
technique
Mix the peanuts or soy with chilly water till easy, go by way of a muslin material or a nut milk bag right into a container. Boil the milk whereas stirring constantly to verify the solids do not keep on with the underside. Let cool till lukewarm.
Switch right into a sq. container, stir within the common yogurt because the starter, seal the lid and go away to ferment for 8 to 10 hours. Retailer within the fridge for 3 days.
Recipe 4: Vegan Rooster Biryani
Time: 60 minutes
Serves: 6
Components
Rice:
- 3 bay leaves
- 4 huge cardamoms
- 6 small cardamoms
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1-inch cinnamon
- 1 cup rice, soaked for 10 minutes & drained
- 1 tsp salt
Marination:
- 1 cup plant-based yogurt
- ¾ cup caramelised onion
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1-inch ginger, julienne
- 3 medium inexperienced chillies, sliced
- 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ cup veggie broth
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp inexperienced cardamom powder
- 1 tbsp contemporary coriander, chopped
- 1 tbsp mint leaves
- 250g seitan [recipe below]
Toppings:
- ¼ cup caramelised onion
- 1 tbsp mint leaves
- 1 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
- 2 tsp rose water
- 1 tsp kewra water
- 1 pinch saffron
- 4 tbsp soy milk
technique
In a big saucepan, convey 2 liters of water to boil. Add the soaked rice with salt and spices. Deliver to a boil and simmer till it’s virtually 85% cooked. Pressure the water and unfold the rice onto an open sheet or a clear material to keep away from sticking or breakage.
Place a saucepan on prime of an iron pan or tawa. Add two cups of salt to the iron pan or tawa (to verify the biryani does not burn). Combine all of the sauce substances, stir properly and convey the combination to a boil.
Layer half of the rice with half of the toppings after which the opposite half with the remaining toppings. Cowl the container correctly with flour dough or foil and simmer for 20 minutes.
Serve with vegan raita, chutney and/or papadam.
Seitan/Mock Meat for Biryani
Time: 50 minutes
Serves: 4-6
Components
- 1-¼ cups important wheat gluten
- ¼ cup corn/wheat starch
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups veg inventory
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp marmite
technique
In a blender, combine the veg broth with marmite. Mix till properly integrated. Switch to a pan and convey to a boil. In a bowl, combine VVT, starch, smoked paprika and salt with 1 cup water and knead till agency.
Add it to the saucepan with the broth combination and cook dinner for 40 minutes, turning sides as required. Let it cool and retailer within the fridge for as much as two weeks with the brine.
Recipe 5: Chana dal payasam
Time: 40 minutes
Whole Time: 1hr 25min
Serves: 4
Components
- ½ cup chana dal, soaked and drained
- 1.5 cups water
- ¾ cup cashews and almonds, chopped
- ¾ cup jaggery powder or date syrup
- 1 cup thick almond or coconut milk
- 1 tbsp raisin
- ½ tsp cardamom powder
technique
Boil chana dal in water in a stress cooker in over three to 4 whistles. Let it cool.
Open the lid and place it again on the range. Add the jaggery or date syrup and almond or coconut milk.
Stir and add the chopped nuts, raisins and inexperienced cardamom powder.
Simmer for about 10 minutes or till all flavors are integrated and you’ve got reached the specified thickness. Garnish with extra chopped nuts and dried fruits and even saffron strands. Serve heat!
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