It is winter, so turnips have flooded the market. I love turnips and try to enjoy them during this time of the year. This is a delicate soup dominated by turnip flavour. The leeks and potatoes temper the turnips' flavours a bit, and the herbs add earthy notes that complement the vegetables. This is a smooth soup, with mild, delicious flavours. I enjoy it for dinner with a few slices of sourdough bread and cheese. This book, Six Seasons, is one of my favourites for a variety o

Kala namak is a fascinating salt condiment and has been used in Indian cuisine for centuries. It is naturally harvested in the Himalayas, especially around Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Pakistan. It is prized for its medicinal qualities, and there are several references to the salt in early Ayurvedic texts dating back to the 3rd BCE. So let's ask what Kala Namak is? It is Himalayan salt that is mixed with harad seeds, or other plant matter and exposed to high heat. The

One of the most common vegetarian dishes in North India is bharta. It is simple to make and therein lies the magic. The word originates from Sanskrit, "Bhrt", which means "to crush or mash", describing how the dish is prepared. It has a long history dating back to early agrarian communities of the Indo-Gangetic Plains. It can be made with a variety of vegetables, eggplant being the most well-known, but also potatoes, gourds, pumpkins and other vegetables. The magic of the bha