Apple Tart

There's never a better time than Fall to bake an apple tart. It's cool enough to get the oven going, and the perfectly wistful memory of summer in the rust-yellow leaves on the sidewalks just makes me crave a warm, gooey treat.

More, the temperature is just right for the science of pie-making. While it is absolutely possible for a seasoned pie-maker to turn out a beautifully flaky-crusted pie or tart any time of the year, those who are newer at this might find they get better results in a fall or winter kitchen when it's easier to keep all the ingredients cold.

Apple Pie is one of Desi's favorites and I usually bake the deep-dish version with a top and a bottom crust because the crust, of course, is his favorite part (and mine!) But I just as often make this skinner tart because it's much lighter. It also makes for an elegant presentation, so if you're going to have guests you want to impress this would be a perfect choice.

Read more »

Mango Cupcakes With Mango Buttercream Frosting

As Thanksgiving approaches, I know all of you -- vegan or not-- are looking for great options to the same-old-same-old pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie or whatever tired old orange-colored dessert it is that typically graces your Thanksgiving table.

Well, I have one for you and every word of it is like a fresh, sweet, tropical kiss: vegan Mango Cupcakes with Mango Buttercream Frosting.

Mmmm...

As you already know, I love my cupcakes. After all, how can anyone not love portion-controlled indulgence? And yes, I'll admit, these are indulgent, and rich, although probably nowhere near as rich as a non-vegan version could be. Besides, all of us need a little indulgence every now and then, don't we? And what can be more comforting than a soft, fluffy cupcake covered with mounds of soft, fluffy frosting.

I use canned mango puree in these cupcakes. Try to use the puree of Alphonso mangoes (which is available in Indian stores) because this is by far the richest and most full-bodied and sweetest mango you'll ever taste. Hands down.

Read more »

It's A Vegan World: Chinese

Pack your bags, or rather your woks--we're taking off this month for the land of ancient wisdom, impenetrable mystique and delicious takeout.

Yes, it's Chinese month here on It's A Vegan World and I'm looking forward to bringing you along for the journey.

I'm really excited about this one not just because I, like almost everyone out there, love Chinese food, but because I've always been smitten from afar with this land so rich in culture and tradition and billion-plus life stories. In fact, if there was just one country I could visit before I died, it would have to be China.

But exotic as China is to those of us who live elsewhere, its food is anything but foreign almost anywhere around the world. Here, in the United States, it is rivaled only by pizza as the most popular takeout food and in my home it beats pizza hands-down any day because it's not just delicious but also usually loaded with delicious veggies like broccoli and eggplant. It helps of course that there are at least three Chinese takeouts within a quarter mile radius around my house :)

What makes this event more fun is the fact that Chinese food has been adapted into so many different versions around the world. There are thousands of great recipes and variations to choose from and try, and I am hoping you'll try at least one-- or more -- this month.

So get cooking folks, and if you need a nudge here are some helpful resources:

The International Vegetarian Union's page of Chinese recipes.

VegWeb's extensive collection of Chinese recipes

Vegetarian and vegan Chinese recipes from About.com

The guidelines are the same as always, but here they go again:

The deadline is Dec. 1, 2009.

These foods are no-nos in vegan cooking, so please leave them out: honey, butter, eggs, cheese, ghee, milk, yogurt (basically no milk-based products), gelatin, and, of course, no meats or fish. Vegan meat or cheese substitutes are fine.

Link back to this announcement, and feel free to use the logo below.
The recipe should be cooked for this event, but if you'd like to send a recipe you've already posted, you do need to link back to this announcement and repost it.

Non-bloggers are also very welcome. Just send me your recipe and a picture.

As for bloggers, send me an email with your post to myveganworld[at]gmail.com. Include these details:

Your name

Blog name

Post url

A photograph of your dish (any size)

Happy cooking, all!

Rava Upma

I've been writing this blog so long now that I sometimes just can't remember off-hand which recipes I've shared with you. Yesterday, as I made rava upma, one of my favorite breakfast -- and sometimes lunch-- options, I was a little stunned to realize that I had never gotten around to posting it.

Likely because upma is one of those dishes so ubiquitous in so many Indian homes, you don't really think of it as something special. But its popularity flows naturally from the fact that it is delicious, healthy and easy to throw together. A win-win all around.

I always thought of upma as the savory cousin of sheera or halwa, the sweet dish that's also very popular in Indian kitchens. But it is healthier, of course, because there's no sugar, for one, and you can add all kinds of veggies into it.

Read more »

Baked Samosas With A Chickpea Filling

My first job as a journalist was for a then brand-new (and now defunct) newspaper in Bombay called The Independent published by the Times of India group. Our offices were on the fifth floor of the vast, domed, Gothic building in south Bombay, just across the street from the buzzing Victoria Terminus where trains from all over India chug in and out all day and night.

The Times building was home to several publications, including magazines and newspapers in English and other local languages. The look of the office of each publication varied drastically based on which one, of course, brought home the most biryani. The Independent, which still had to prove itself, was just a nondescript mess of cubicles and desks. In contrast, on the third floor was the designer-decorated, purple-painted home of the publishing group's cash cow-- the Times of India -- which, despite being one of the crummiest newspapers you'll ever read, also has the distinction of being India's top-selling English daily.

On the second floor were the offices of the advertising department which resembled a posh five-star hotel. Sandwiched between the Times and the Independent, on the fourth floor, were the offices of magazines like the once-illustrious Illustrated Weekly of India and the women's magazine Femina.

But the most interesting floor of all was the sixth floor which was the cafeteria.

Read more »

Mushroom "Makhani"

Here's a dish so incredibly delicious, I couldn't wait to share it!

My Mushroom "Makhani" is made with exactly the same spices as the ones I would use in the past to make Chicken Makhani (or Butter Chicken), a popular Indian restaurant dish. But trust me, the vegan version tastes better than anything you'd pay for in a restaurant and is actually good for you, unlike its meat-containing counterpart which is loaded with unhealthy cholesterol and calories.

I substitute the makhan, or butter, in this recipe with vegan butter, just a small amount of it. Instead of cream, I use a paste of cashews which not only tastes better, but is great for you. In fact, some of you might have noticed that I often use nut pastes as a cream substitute. Pistachio and cashew pastes work best as cream substitutes, because they have the smoothest flavor and texture, but you can also try walnuts or pine nuts in other recipes that ask for cream.

Read more »