Navarathri Day 6—Slovenian bean and sauerkraut ‘jota’ ‘sundal’

India has many varieties of raw pickles, where raw limes, mangoes, green peppercorns, etc. are preserved using salt and spices like mustard powder and fenugreek powder. I love spicy pickles but I’m also fond of other preserved vegetables like sauerkraut. Since in India pickles are typically eaten as condiments, I was intrigued when I learned…

Navarathri Day 4—North Indian red kidney bean Rajma ‘sundal’

When I used to live in New Delhi many years ago, I had a neighbour called Shankari who first introduced me to the North Indian red kidney bean curry called ‘Rajma’. She explained to me the nuance behind frying the tomato spice mixture in oil — how the mixture would first absorb the oil and…

Navathri Day 3—Mexican black bean and plantain ‘sundal’ salsa

When I set myself the challenge of 9 bean recipes in 9 days, I wanted each one to look, feel and taste different to showcase the rich variety of beans and proteins that a plant-based diet offers. Black beans are not usually a part of the South Indian Navarathri repertoire, and in my mind black…