Dal Dhokli (Dal with spiced up roti)

Recipe contributed by Dhara Balwa

Dal Dhokli is a well known Gujarati dish. As most of the Gujarati savories, this dish is also spicy, sweet and tangy at the same time. I have heard the recipe was invented to use up the left over dal and make it a one dish meal. The dal is let to come to a boil and the pieces of spiced up roti known as Thepla are added and heated up until cooked. It is a very simple to make and satisfactory at the same time. Of course, there are some variations to the preparation now. Some people add stuffed 'potlis' commonly filled with shredded coconut and some spices or filling of their liking. I like the simple one. In this recipe below, you can add boiled peanuts but as I was preparing it as lunch for my son and he is in a nut-free class in school, I didn't add them but the peanuts taste delicious with this. Also, I use lime juice for the sourness but some people do use tamarind pulp or raw mango slices instead. And one last thing, I know some people who drizzle some oil and sprinkle some dry ginger powder on the Dal Dhokli when served. Feel free to try the versions as per your liking. This recipe is medium on spice level but I believe that quantities of salt, sugar, sourness and hotness is all subjective depending on a person's liking and spice tolerance.

Serves: 2
Prep time: 25 min Cook time: 15 min
Difficulty level: Medium
Spice heat: Medium

Greek Grilled Vegetable Flat Bread Sandwich

Recipe contributed by: Dhara Balwa

We have a small Greek restaurant near our home that serves yummy food. One of my favorites is the Roasted Vegetable Pita Sandwich. Now, good or bad(Should we do a poll?), as soon as I taste something I like, the first thing that comes in my mind is 'How much effort it takes to make it at home?' And of course I have to try and recreate it at least once. The easier and/or quicker ones stick in the regular home menu and for others all I can say, 'I am proud I attempted' :) That being said, some of my friends don't approve much of this curiosity of mine and they insist if I start making all the things at home, I would end up hardly eating out ( Friends, FYI it hasn't happened so far!) All I can say is I am a big foodie and I always look forward to eating out. The main reason being not cleaning up afterwards. :)

So, in connection to this part of story of my life, this recipe is inspired from the pita sandwich. They use Tzatziki as a spread, feta cheese which I omitted as I don't really feel the need of it and roasted vegetables. I used the flat bread as it is easier to eat and more flavorful as the spread actually spreads every where. I found these great flat breads from Costco called Roll Ups. Very soft and super healthy. It was a successful experiment and needless to say, it is now a part of my home menu. Plus with grilling season here, it would be a good addition to your grill parties too.

Photo by Dhara Balwa

Serves: 5
Prep time: 10 min plus 2 hours to marinate vegetables; Cook time: 15 min
Difficulty level: Easy

Italian Minestrone Soup

Recipe Contributed by: Dhara Balwa

I remember the first time I went to Olive Garden and ordered their soup/salad combo. It tasted so good and it was a meal in itself! After few visits, I decided it was time to try and recreate the Minestrone Soup. And with the very first try, I got it right. I have made a few alterations over the years but the flavor has not changed much. I started with V8 vegetable juice as a base and it adds the goodness too. But one day, I was out of V8 and decided to substitute it with normal tomato puree. It tastes more earthy now and I like it that way. My husband says it tastes better than the one in Olive Garden. You can throw in whatever vegetables are in your refrigerator. And increase/decrease the quantity of vegs/beans/pasta according to your liking.

Photo by Dhara Balwa

Serves: 6
Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 30  min
Difficulty level: Easy

Shahi Veg. Biryani

Recipe contributed by: Dhara Balwa

Here is the recipe of my favorite dish in the world. I can never have enough of it as long as it is done right. The Indian restaurants here disappoint me as I find their Biryani more sort of Pulao. A good Biryani, in my view, should have the fragrance of exotic spices, Basmati rice with a hint of saffron. Also, my portions of vegetables and dals and beans are usually bigger compared to roti and rice ( I can totally opt those carbs out of my meal). So, my recipe contains more quantity of vegetables compared to rice. And it seems to enhance the taste because this layered Biryani is famous in 3 continents! :)

My mouth is watering right now just writing about it.:) Looks like Biryani is going to be on the table in very near future. However I must add, it is a very elaborate process. You can make short cuts but it doesn't taste the same. I have tried all the ways and for me, this is the only way to have best flavors. You will never get it wrong. Just be prepared to give time to it.



Photo by Dhara Balwa

Serves: 8-10
Prep time: 30 min Cook time: 60-70 min
Difficulty level: Medium
Spice level: Medium

Spicy Basil Fried Rice

Recipe contributed by: Kruti Verma, Virginia, USA.

Thai food is one of the favorite cuisines here in the DC area. And why not? The dishes are so flavorful. This delicious Thai recipe is the vegetarian version of the traditional Spicy basil chicken fried rice that does not use fish sauce/oyster sauce and of course the chicken itself. Please note that the spice level can be adjusted according to your taste. Note you can also use left-over rice for this dish.

Image contributed by Kruti Verma

Serves heartily: 3
Prep time: 15-20 min Cooking time: 30 min
Difficulty level: Easy