bodhi tree swaying

This post is connected with the launch of my book, Vegetarianism: A Buddhist View.

This is from my favorite Indian vegetarian recipe book, Julie Sahni’s Classic Indian Vegetarian Cooking.

BANARASI ARHAR DAL

Banaras arhar dal, a dish reminiscent of the north Indian countryside mango groves, coriander patches, and fields of lentils stretching to the horizon – is in fact a simple, humble dish and quite easy to make. The lentils are first cooked to a smooth, creamy consistency. Then the mango slices, spiced with cayenne, cumin, and garam masala, are folded into the dal. Finally fresh coriander is added to perfume and mix the flavours.

In my mother’s home, as a child, I ate this dal with a simple baked bread or a bowl of fluffy plain rice and a vegetable side dish, the most memorable being Bitter Gourd with Spicy Onion Stuffing and with Fragrant Potato Stuffing (pp. 238 and 239).

FOR 6–8

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The meal I cooked last night was so good I was moved to swear (mildly) out loud, which is most unfortunate since both kids started cursing. My two-year-old daughter liked it so much she also hugged and kissed me. So here it is — Bhara Hara Kaddoo — or baked courgettes (zucchini) stuffed with vegetarian ground meat and bulgur. The recipe is one I adapted, to make it vegan, from a book by Julie Sahni, Classic Indian Vegetarian Cooking.

(For four persons)

INGREDIENTS
4 six-inch courgettes/zucchini
1 tablespoon sunflower or safflower oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 oz bulgur (uncooked)
8 oz vegetarian ground beef
2 teaspoons madras curry powder (mild to hot depending on taste)

(For the sauce)
3 tablespoons sunflower or safflower oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1lb fresh ripe tomatoes (puréed)
salt to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (that’s cilantro if you’re American.

METHOD
1. Preheat over to 350F/180C
2. Cut the courgettes in half lengthwise. Use a

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The other night I made a vegetarian version of the traditional Scottish dish, haggis, of which Wikipedia has the following to say:

There are many recipes, most of which have in common the following ingredients: sheep’s ‘pluck’ (heart, liver and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally boiled in the animal’s stomach for approximately three hours.

Here’s my version, which lacks onions, but which still reminded me strongly of my youthful experiences with the original version, and which I offer as a service to humanity.

4oz of unsalted, roasted peanuts
4oz of raw shelled sunflower seeds
8oz of pinhead/steel-cut/coarse-cut oats (the name varies)
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of white pepper
1 tablespoon of mixed herbs
2 teaspoons nutmeg
2 teaspoons thyme
5 tablespoons soy sauce
8 tablespoons safflower or sunflower oil
12oz TVP (soaked), or two packets (24 oz) of “Yves Meatless Ground” (a US brand)

Finely grind the peanuts and sunflower seeds in …