Favorite Quick Slaw

Whether to accompany burgers, wraps or just sides - I feel Slaws are underrated and quite abused by fast food chains! They can be so much more… the incredible combo of crunch with creaminess and tang needs more love. So here I have a super quick slaw idea that will not only take your everyday meal to the next level but also convince you to just eat it by itself.

Some basics about getting a slaw right - cutting into thin batons or shreds is very important; limit the vegetable/fruit element to three; restrict the allium (onion or garlic) component to one and for the dressing, make sure to taste before mixing with vegetables. Also never mix the dressing beforehand as it will make the whole thing soggy!

Ingredients (as a side for 6)

1 Small Purple Cabbage, core removed and head shredded or thinly sliced (roughly 650g) - substitute with green cabbage

1 Apple (I like Honeycrisp or Gala but feel free to use any sweet & tart variety), thinly sliced into batons

150g Peeled and Shredded Kohlrabi (feel free to substitute with Radish or Carrot)

2 Scallions, thinly sliced

15g Cilantro or Parsley, finely chopped

1 tbsp Lime Zest (substitute with Lemon or Orange)

1 tbsp any Neutral Oil

1 tsp Salt

Handful Pomegranate Seeds (optional)

Dressing

35g Kewpie Mayonnaise (substitute with Vegan Mayo)

15g Greek Yoghurt (substitute with Vegan Yoghurt)

2tsp Harissa paste (substitute with Sriracha, Cholula or your favorite Hot Sauce)

1 tsp Neutral Oil

1.5 tsp Mirin

1 tbsp Lime Juice (substitute with Lemon or Orange)

Pinch of Salt

Directions

🥣 In a small bowl, combine and whisk all dressing ingredientsuntil nice and smooth. Keep it aside until ready to serve.

🥣 In a large bowl, toss rest of the ingredients (except pomegranate seeds, if using) until well combined. Once ready to serve, transfer the dressing into the large bowl. Mix really well and adjust seasoning if needed. Top with pomegranate seeds and serve right away

Not So Humble Lentil Soup

In the Umami basics repertoire, here I’m adding a humble looking soup yet exploding with bold flavors. Lentil soups are quite hearty and versatile to whip up in no time. You can make a big batch for weeks and switch up different toppings to make it special every time. I love the yoghurt sauce in this as it not only adds a subtle creaminess but a pleasant tang that balances the overall dish. I use the magic formula of 1:3 (+1/2) solid to liquid ratio to get the right results, so feel free to use this ratio for other lentils to make this delectable heartwarming dish this winter!

Ingredients (serves 6)
200g Green or Brown Lentils, rinsed under cold water
100g Carrot, after peeled and cut into 2” pieces
900ml Water + 100ml extra
2.5 tbsp Ghee (substitute with oil of your choice to keep it vegan)
1 large Red Onion, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, smashed
2 tsp Ground Turmeric
1.5 tsp Ground Cinnamon
2 tsp Ground Cumin Seeds
2 tsp Ground Coriander Seeds
1 tsp Ground Cardamom
2 tsp Ground Chile Pepper of your choice
2 tsp Ras-el-Hanout or Baharat spice blend (optional)
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp Fine Sea Salt (adjust to your taste)
2 tbsp Tomato Paste
15-20g finely chopped fresh Dill

Yoghurt Sauce
70g Greek Yoghurt (substitute with vegan yoghurt)
1 small garlic, grated
1 tbsp Lemon juice
2 tbsp finely chopped Dill leaves
Pinch of Fine Sea Salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Finishing touches
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds or Nuts of your choice
Chili Oil or Chile Pepper Flakes
Sumac
Crackers, lightly crushed
Fried Onions

Directions
💥 Combine and whisk all yoghurt sauce ingredients. Keep it aside for serving

💥 In a large saucepan, combine water, 1tsp salt, 1 tsp turmeric & lentil. Turn on heat and cook on medium heat until it starts simmering vigorously. Now put on the lid and cook for 12 mins. Then add carrots, cover and cook on medium-high heat for 12 more mins. Turn off the heat and keep it aside

💥 In a large deep bottomed pan (think Dutch oven or wok), add ghee and onions. Turn on heat and on low flame, cook onions for 8-10 mins then add garlic with all dry spices, 1 tsp salt and sugar. Cook everything on low flame for 5 mins (keep an eye so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom much). Now add tomato paste, cook for a minute then add cooked lentils-carrots-water (everything from previous step). Mix well and continue cooking for 10 mins

💥 Turn off heat and using an immersion blender, blitz everything to your preferred texture. Add 100ml extra water, mix well and turn on heat - bring it to simmer while stirring. Adjust seasoning at this stage. Now ladle hot soup into serving bowls, drizzle yoghurt sauce, sprinkle fresh dill and any or all of the finishing touches. Enjoy!