How NOT to make Dal Baati Churma

Friends in Mumbai told me I had to try dal baati in Rajasthan. It’s a typical desert dish consisting of, you guessed it, dal, and baati, a very dense dough ball that has been baked in ‘the oven’ (I will later find out that this ‘oven’ is actually smouldering cow dung). This version of the…

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How to make Poha, from the king of breakfasts

Hasmukh was the king of breakfasts. It was his responsibility to make them at Sapna Ranch and each morning there would be something different – bhelpuri (a type of chaat, made with puffed rice and tangy tamarind sauce), poha jada (thin beaten rice), poha patla (thick beaten rice), upma (savoury porridge made using semolina and…

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How to be a sustainability hero in the kitchen

Recycling, composting and going veggie are well-known ways one can be more environmentally friendly. But what else can you do to be more sustainable? I picked up some great methods and tips from the sustainability heroes I met at Sapna Ranch, an eco-friendly community in Maharashtra, India. India is full of ‘alternative’ communities – people…

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A recipe for khichidi rice and curd curry (khadi)

25 year-old Kunal is not your average guy, he cooks, massages people’s feet and makes flower mandalas. He is a co-volunteer here at Sapna Ranch, where he showed me how to cook khichidi , a simple ‘temple food’ invented by Saint Sai Baba. Khichidi is almost always served alongside curd curry (khadi). The mix of…

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Recipe for Kada: a healthy and herbal Indian tea

I’m writing this with my brother Jack in mind as I know he’s feeling a little under the weather right now. Kada is a traditional Indian herbal tea that is very popular all over India due to it’s healthy and revitalising properties. It’s good for coughs, colds, sore throats, aches and pains. It even helps…

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How to make delicious South Indian coconut chutney

A ridiculously easy recipe for coconut chutney, a tiffin-time staple across South India. Lakshmi’s “life started at 36”, when her two daughters had both started school and she was able to go out and get a job. Luckily for Lakshmi, her husband was liberal enough to allow her this freedom, many husbands would not be…

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