We spent the afternoon at Goodness Me Guelph sampling delicious Indian food and learning how to make it.
Our Vegan Indian Cooking Class was facilitated by Chitra of Krisha Indian Cooking School. She guided us through the procedures for making veggie pakoras, savoury crepes, tomato garlic chutney, vegetable palao (a rice dish) and mung dahl kheer (a dessert).
Participants were provided with a printout of the recipes to take home.
Thanks to everyone who came out to the class, Chitra for instructing us, and Goodness Me Guelph for permitting us to use their classroom.
Our instructor Chitra, of Krisha Indian Cooking School
Some of the spices used in Indian cooking. Benefits of spices? – health, flavour, colour and texture.
Some more spices that haven’t been ground. These are used whole in cooking.
Turmeric has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant.
Chitra speaking about the benefits of spices.
Participants listening to Chitra, who’s assisted by two Vegfest team members.
Mixing the pakora ingredients together – first dry ingredients, then veggies, and finally the wet ingredients.
Watching the pakoras cook
Dropping the pakoras into hot oil. They cook very quickly.
Finished pakoras ready to be sampled by participants.
Spreading crepe batter on the heated pan
Watching the crepe as it cooks
Finished crepes ready to be sampled
Making the tomato garlic chutney which will be served with the crepes
The chutney as it simmers. It smells delicious!
Preparing the vegetable palao – a rice dish with mild spices that goes well with any curry. First the spices and veggies. The leaves are mint.
Mixing the basmati rice with the other palao ingredients
A plate of samples which includes the palao, crepe and chutney
Preparing the dessert – Mung Dahl kheer – a creamy mixture made from mung dhal, jaggery (unrefined brown sugar) and coconut milk.
The Mung Dahl kheer as it’s cooking
And voila! – Mung Dahl kheer ready to be sampled by participants. Yum!