accompaniment Archives - Indian Vegan Cookbook

Lal Bhopala Bharit (Red Pumpkin Bharit)

Pumpkin is low in calories and high in nutrition, especially fibre and beta carotene. It can help with weight loss because of its fibre content which provides a feeling of satiety without adding calories.
The bold orange color of a ripe pumpkin indicates it is rich in beta-carotene, which is a provitamin and a powerful antioxidant used by the body to make vitamin A. Antioxidants protect the body from free radicals — atoms that cause tiny injuries to cells. Over time, the damage can lead to diseases like cancer or wrinkling of the skin as an aging process. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, keeping them from harming our body cells keeping your body in better health and looking younger. If tumor cells do start to form, beta-carotene works to hinder their growth. Beta-carotene also triggers the body to release natural killer cells that attack and destroy tumors. So all in all, you should include pumpkin as a regular vegetable in your diet.

Curry Leaf Chutney (Karuveppilai Podi)

Curry leaves contain compounds that function as antioxidants that play an essential role in keeping your body healthy and free from disease. Antioxidants remove potentially harmful free radicals and suppress oxidative stress, a condition that’s associated with chronic disease development. They may help improve the fighting power of the body against cancer cells, as well as reduce the risk of getting heart disease and help improve the condition of the brain and its neurological system. Most importantly, it is said to be great for the growth of hair and to prevent graying. 🙂

Raw Mango Kadhi

Raw mango is available for almost 5 to 7 months of the year and is a very versatile ingredient. It is used in preserves, chaats, chutneys, main dishes, and beverages. It is high in vitamin C, calcium, magnesium which is useful for releasing toxins from the body. Raw mangoes are also high in niacin, which helps boost cardiovascular health.

Green Peanut Chutney

Though peanuts are a legume and not a nut, they have many of the same health benefits as the more expensive nuts. They are packed with healthy fats, high-quality protein, and are fairly high in calories and fiber making them a great go-to snack that can keep you satiated for a long time. They also contain plenty of potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, and B vitamins. Peanut skins also contain antioxidants. Peanuts are best eaten raw and not roasted. You can add them to your dishes or eat them as is after soaking them overnight or for a minimum of 6 hours. The light skinned peanuts are usually sweeter and better in taste.

Red Peanut Chutney

Alsi ki Chutney with Coconut (Flaxseed Chutney)

Flax seeds are rich in the essential omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Flax seeds are usually ground before eating them to release the oil locked up inside the fibrous structure of the seed and which cannot be released when eaten whole.

Flax seeds also have high amounts of protein as well as soluble and insoluble fibre, which help regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels and promote digestive health by providing the required food for beneficial gut bacteria. Flaxseed powder is often used to replace egg for its binding quality when mixed with water, and so it is recommended to drink plenty of water when one eats flax seeds. The proportion is usually 3 parts of water to 1 part of flax seed powder. This mixture is also a natural laxative.

Amla Aachaar with Saunf (Indian Gooseberry Pickle with Fennel Seeds)

Amla, also known as Indian gooseberry, is a deliciously sour fruit that can be had in many ways. It can be eaten grated, cut into pieces, made into jams, added to smoothies, or dried and powdered. One of the most popular ways of getting the rich nutrients in it is through pickling it in oil, especially mustard oil. Amla is rich in vitamin C, which is a great antioxidant, and it retains this vitamin to a great extent even on cooking it. It is also rich in other vitamins and minerals that help maintain the shine in hair and makes your skin look radiant. It has numerous anti-ageing properties and is said to be a super food for cancer patients as it kills cancer cells but leaves normal cells alone. It helps in reducing cholesterol levels, inflammation and aids blood thinning as well as reduces artery stiffening. It also helps in reducing nausea, bloating, belching, and acidity, decreases the stress on the heart, and helps reverse diabetes. So, it is a great addition to your diet.

Ajwain, yellow mustard, methi seeds, and turmeric are all very beneficial for health as they are said to aid in relieving indigestion, help reduce cholesterol, fight bacteria and fungi, combat peptic ulcers and cough, and are anti-inflammatory.

Known for its strong flavor, pungent aroma, and high smoke point, it’s often used for sautéing and stir-frying vegetables in many parts of the world especially in West Bengal in India. Pure mustard oil has a high smoke point and comprises mostly of monounsaturated fats, which are more resistant to heat-induced degradation than polyunsaturated fats. Some studies have found that mustard oil possesses powerful antimicrobial properties and may help block the growth of certain types of harmful bacteria and fungus and is sometimes applied to the feet to help heal cracked skin on the heels. It may also slow cancer cell growth and is said to help heart health because of the high content of monounsaturated fatty acids in it, a type of unsaturated fat found in foods like nuts, seeds, and plant-based oils. But after all, it is still an oil and is not advised on a Whole-Food Plant-Based diet, so it is best to have it in very limited quantities and only occasionally.

Amla Pickle in Mustard Oil (Indian Gooseberry Pickle)

Amla, also known as Indian gooseberry, is one of the most antioxidant-rich foods on Earth. The Vitamin C, Vitamin A and antioxidants present in amla purify the blood and make your skin look radiant. It also has numerous anti-ageing properties. It is a super food for cancer patients as it kills cancer cells but leaves normal cells alone. It can be eaten grated, cut into pieces, made into pickles and jams, added to smoothies, or dried and powdered. It helps in reducing cholesterol levels, inflammation and aids blood thinning as well as reduces artery stiffening. It also helps in reducing nausea, bloating, belching, and acidity, decreases the stress on the heart, and helps reverse diabetes. This fruit is so rich in vitamin C that even cooking it only reduces the amount by about one fourth. The high iron and carotene content in amla boosts hair growth and strengthens hair. So, all in all it is a great addition to your diet.

Known for its strong flavor, pungent aroma, and high smoke point, mustard oil is often used for sautéing and stir-frying vegetables in many parts of the world especially in West Bengal and other eastern states in India. Some studies have found that mustard oil possesses powerful antimicrobial properties and may help block the growth of certain types of harmful bacteria and fungus and is sometimes applied to the feet to help heal cracked skin on the heels. In some parts of the world, it is applied to the scalp as it is said to help hair growth and is said to alleviate pain and decrease inflammation in conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, but caution is advised as it can cause serious skin burns. It may also slow cancer cell growth. It is said to help heart health because of the high content of monounsaturated fatty acids in it, a type of unsaturated fat found in foods like nuts, seeds, and plant-based oils. Pure mustard oil has a high smoke point and comprises mostly of monounsaturated fats, which are more resistant to heat-induced degradation than polyunsaturated fats. But after all, it is still an oil and is not advised on a Whole-Food Plant-Based diet, so it is best to have it occasionally in very limited quantities.

Sweet and Sour Coriander Chutney

Coriander like all leafy greens is rich in chlorophyll, a compound that may help in treating cancerous tumours. It also helps to prevent damage done to genes by harmful aflatoxins. Regular consumption of greens has been shown to increase antioxidants in the body that have immune-boosting, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects as well as protect your skin from aging and sun damage. Coriander can help reduce unpleasant digestive symptoms like bloating and discomfort often experienced by people with IBS, and also help boost appetite. And most important of all it’s a delicious accompaniment to any meal.

Batatyachi Kapa (Spicy Fried Potato Slices)

Potatoes are a root vegetable enjoyed by old and young alike. Potatoes are rich in energy in the form of carbohydrates, contain a considerable amount of protein, vitamins C and B6, niacin and folate, and minerals like potassium, manganese, magnesium and phosphorous, fibre and compounds like flavonoids, carotenoids and phenolic acids, which are antioxidants that help to neutralize potentially harmful molecules known as free radicals. The skin of the potato apart from containing a considerable amount of fibre is not only alkaline in nature but also contains a great amount of the vitamins and minerals, so it’s best to cook and eat potato in its whole form. However, potatoes when fried or cooked with a lot of oil are pretty unhealthy, so it’s best to avoid French fries or fried potato dishes like this one unless you can make it with just a few drops of oil.