EARLY SUMMER Indian Deliciousness for Spicy Feasting | Seasonal Cooking

As Summer teases with warmer weather, coats and jackets are put away for good, and thoughts turn to spicy snacks, cooling drinks and lighter Indian dishes. Time to explore Indian Salads and Lassi Drinks.

Enjoy some Delicious and Spicy Indian Inspiration for Early Summer. You can also browse:

• Salad Recipes for Early Summer
• Summery Vegetable Recipes
• Indian Deliciousness
• BBQs Galore
• Goodies, Grains, Lentils and More
• Cooling S0up Recipes
• Drinks and Sweet Things
• Tips and Hints for Cooking in Early Summer.

Please let us know if you find links that are not working. We would love to fix them for you.

EARLY SUMMER Vegetable Recipes for Healthy Eating | Seasonal Cooking

Early Summer is a crazy month in Australia, where all parts of one’s life become crazy-busy. Everyone strives to get things done before breaking for the seasonal holidays. Businesses begin to close at the end of the month, it is hard to find a place for a good cup of coffee, and it becomes unbelievably quiet on the roads.

And during Early Summer in the Southern Hemisphere, our minds are on cooking for the Seasonal Festivities – our xmas time is in Summer. And then there is the problem of what to do with the leftovers.

The weather is warming up and we have firmly put our coats away and brought out hats, sunscreen and bathers. Salads and light vegetables feature heavily.

Enjoy some Salad and Vegetable Inspiration for Early Summer. You can also browse:

• Indian Deliciousness for Early Summer
• Delicious Salad Recipes
• Summery Vegetable Recipes
• BBQs Galore
• Goodies, Grains, Lentils and More
• Cooling Soup Recipes
• Drinks and Sweet Things
• Tips and Hints for Cooking in Early Summer.

Please let us know if you find links that are not working. We would love to fix them for you.

EARLY SUMMER Salads, Salsa, Dips and Dressings for Healthy Eating | Seasonal Cooking

Coats and jackets are put away and anticipation is high for the warming weather. The capriciousness of Spring is steadying. The weather is beautiful, and food becomes lighter, as though our body is shedding its layers too. Thoughts turn to the bountiful Summer harvest. Salads feature prominently.

Enjoy some Healthy Salad and Salsa, Dips and Dressing Inspiration for Early Summer. You can also browse:

• Indian Deliciousness for Early Summer
• Delicious Salad Recipes
• Summery Vegetable Recipes
• BBQs Galore
• Goodies, Grains, Lentils and More
• Cooling S0up Recipes
• Drinks and Sweet Things
• Tips and Hints for Cooking in Early Summer.

Please let us know if you find links that are not working. We would love to fix them for you.

EARLY WINTER Vegetables and BBQs for Winter Warming | SEASONAL COOKING

Slowly we leave the lovely light of Autumn and don the coat as the chilly mornings and evenings are slipping in. The Greengrocer’s shelves are changing, fruit is disappearing, and winter vegetables arriving. What will you be cooking?

Here are some suggestions salads and vegetables in season in early winter –  fennel, broccoli, beetroot, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, pumpkin and parsnips — and much more.

Enjoy some Salad and Vegetable Inspiration for Early Winter. You can also browse:

• Indian Deliciousness
• Soup Recipes for Early Winter
• Salads
• BBQs and Vegetables
• Goodies, Grains, Lentils and More
• Drinks and Sweets
• Dips, Sauces, Purees and Preserves
• Tips and Hints for Cooking in Early Winter.

Please let us know if you find links that are not working. We would love to fix them for you.

Nashi Pear, Celery and Fennel Salad with Mustard Dressing and Panch Phoron Crunch

Autumn brings such delightfulness in the month or two before winter sets in. Fennel comes into its own, and Nashi pears arrive. Tomatoes are delightful in the less intense heat. Fronds of mint wave in the breeze, as does lemon verbena and other herbs. I do love autumn.

This is a delightful salad that can be part of a meal, or form lunch on its own with a piece of Lebanese flatbread or pita bread.

Are you after other Fennel Salads? Try Fennel, Potato and Tomato Salad with Garlicky Mayo, Fennel and Apple Salad and Grilled Fennel with Mozzarella. Also try Fennel a la Grecque.

You might like to browse our other Salads, and all of our Fennel recipes. Read about Panch Phoron here. Or explore our Early Winter dishes.

Chickpea “Tabbouleh”

There are some things that just go together. Like Figs and Almonds. Like Chickpeas, olive oil, lemon and parsley. Tomato and Basil. Take a combination that works, and it will give you endless dishes.

Here, we pulse the chickpeas and make a tabbouleh style salad with them.

Read all about chickpeas here.

Are you looking for other Chickpea recipes? Try Chickpeas with Beetroot Greens and Chilli, Simple Delicious Chickpea Salad, Baked Chickpeas, and Tomato Paella.

You might like to browse our Chickpea Salads, or all of our Chickpea dishes. Explore our Middle Eastern Dishes. And check out all of Bittman’s Salads. Or explore all of our Mid Autumn dishes.

Fig Salad with Almond Butter Dressing and Slivered Almonds

As I write it is a quiet Autumn morning – the first day of Autumn and it feels peaceful.

Figs come into their own at this time. So delicate, I only bring 3 or 4 home with me at a time, and we eat them one at a time. A delicate thing needs delicate treatment.

For this salad, you can make your own nut butter, or purchase from a good providore or grocer.

Are you looking for fig recipes? You might like to try Figs with Basil, Goat Curd and Pomegranate Vinaigrette,  Fig and Fennel Salad with Vin Cotto, White Fig and Rocket Salad, Figs with Rosewater and Almonds, Fig Salad with Blue Cheese, Fig and Pecorino Salad, and Fig and Almond Salad.

Browse all of the Fig recipes here. Find out how to make Nut Butters here. Or explore our Mid Autumn recipes.

Tomato and Strawberry Salad with Basil and Balsamic

You can never have too many tomato salads, and this one too epitomises Summer. The play of strawberries against tomatoes, the tartness of balsamic and the saltiness of parmesan is a surprisingly wonderful combination. Moreover, it is so very easy to throw this salad together. Fresh basil from the garden, even pick your own strawberries and tomatoes if you can, for a divine salad for lazy lunches.

Are you looking for similar salads? Try Avocado and Strawberry Salad, Hot Tomato Salad, Tomato and Peach Salad, Tomato and Basil Salad with Grilled Cheese Croutons, and Tomato and Pomegranate Salad.

You can browse all of our Tomato Salads and explore all of our Salad recipes. We also have Strawberry recipes. Or maybe, just take some leisurely time over our Mid Summer collection.

Sweet Potato Subzi | Sweet Potato Poriyal

Sweet potatoes are a gorgeous Autumn vegetable that cries out to be part of your Autumn eating. Roasted, steamed, grilled or mashed, it is delicious change of season fare.

This dish is good to make from scratch, and also a perfect solution to the problem of left over roasted or steamed/boiled sweet potato. It briefly stirfries cooked sweet potato with spices.

Are you looking for similar recipes? Try Sweet Potato Subzi with Yoghurt, Slightly Sweet and Sour Pumpkin Subzi, and Potato and Sweet Potato Spicy Curry.

Try other Subzis – Beetroot and Carrot Subzi, Carrots and Green Peas Subzi, and Potato and Spinach Subzi.

You might like to browse other Sweet Potato dishes, all of our Subzi recipes and our Thoran/Poriyal recipes. See all of our other Vegetable Fry dishes. Our Indian recipes are here. Or enjoy our Late-Autumn collection.

Fennel and Apple Salad

A salad for Autumn, crisp and fresh. It brings together two crispy foods that speak of Autumn – Fennel and Apples. With a mustardy vinaigrette it is a delightful salad for this time of year.

Are you looking for Fennel Salads? Try Fig and Fennel Salad with Vin Cotto, Fennel Salad with Orange Vinaigrette,  Fennel Salad with Fresh Prunes, Grilled Fennel with Mozzarella, and Fennel a la Grecque.

What about Apple recipes? Try An Autumn Fruit Salad, and Butter Glazed Apples. We have other Apple Salads planned, so check back here in the future.

Browse our Fennel Salad recipes, and all of the Fennel recipes. Bittman Salads are here, and all of our many Salad recipes are here. Or simply explore our Mid Autumn collection of recipes.

How to Cook Rice | Obla Chaval | Simple Oven Finished Rice

This rice is a take on the traditional Indian wood-fire cooked rice and the rounded bottom, thin neck traditional pots of India. Sadly this is difficult to do in the modern home, so par cooking the rice and finishing it in the oven approximates it.

It is worth looking for Basmati Aged Rice. Your rice will be perfect and very unlike rice cooker rice.

You might also like to try our how to cook rice articles, especially Steamed Rice, and Absorption Method Rice. Browse our many rice recipes here and here. Or explore Yumana Devi’s Indian recipes.

Eggplants, Garlic, Lemon and Rosemary | Marinated Eggplants for the BBQ or Indoor Grill

As we launch into Autumn, every sunny day is precious. While the sun shines, marinate some eggplant and toss it on the grill for a smoky lunch with some BBQ’d onions, hot lentils and a salad.

You might also like to try other BBQ dishes, including Fennel on the BBQ, Baked Pears on the BBQ and Bananas on the BBQ. Browse our Eggplant recipes here and here.

Farinata with Tomato, Onions and Cheese

The use of chickpea flour for endless varieties of dishes fascinates me. Having made pudla again for lunch yesterday, I remembered that we hadn’t made farinata for a long time. It is great for a brunch with some salads.

The toppings for farinata are endless and only limited by your imagination. The key is to avoid juicy toppings. Today we added olive paste to the batter and topped the farinata with cheese.

You might also like to make Simple Farinata, and Farinata “Pizza”.

Are you after other Onion recipes? Try our deeply flavoured Confit d’Oignon (Onion Jam), Cucumber and Red Onion Salad with Mustard, and Onion Bhajji (Onion Fritters).

Browse all of our Farinata recipes here. Or explore our Italian recipes here and here. We have other Chickpea Flour recipes here and here.

Simple Delicious Chickpea Salad

There is something very special about chickpeas hot from the pan, drizzled with olive oil, and only then sprinkled with salt and some lemon (not lime) juice squeezed over. The hot chickpeas release their aroma to the olive oil and the olive oil its aroma to the chickpeas. It is quite special.

My favourite way of cooking chickpeas is on the slow cooker setting of my rice cooker. Set it for 9 hours or so, and then let it sit on the Warm setting for several hours. There is no need to be precise with a slow cooker – but be sure it is a “slow” cooker, not just a “bit slower than normal” cooker. I have one of those too, in my cupboard, used occasionally.

Are you looking for similar recipes? You might also like to try Smashed Chickpeas with Broccoli and Dukkah, Chickpea Sundal (Indian Salad), and Green Salad with Chickpeas and Feta.

Browse all of the Chickpea Salad recipes and all of the dishes featuring Chickpeas, explore the Bittman Salads and check out all of the many many Salad recipes. Be inspired by our Early Autumn recipes.

Figs with Rosewater and Almonds

Figs are one of the most special fruit. This simple dessert combines flavours that go so well with them – rosewater, honey and almonds. There is no cooking involved, so the dessert (or midnight snack) is ready in minutes.

Are you looking for Fig recipes? Try Roasted Sweet Potato and Fresh Figs, Fig and Almond Salad, Fig and Almond Salad, and Fig and Pecorino Salad.

Browse all of the Fig recipes here. Our Dessert Recipes are here. Or enjoy exploring our Early Autumn dishes.