All posts by Manjula Jain

About Manjula Jain

Manjula Jain was born in North India into a vegetarian family. Her mother was an excellent cook who paid attention to every detail. One of the most important details for her was cooking with fresh ingredients. As a child and young adult, she helped her mother in the kitchen. Manjula learned to cook with just a few spices and herbs in order not to compromise the taste of the vegetables, grains and lentils. After Manjula Jain got married and moved to the United States from India in the late 1960s, her family remained vegetarian because of their adherence to the Jain religion. One of the main principles of the Jain religion is the belief in non-violence to all living beings and the belief to “live and let live”. Manjula Jain is passionate about this way of life today.

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Rice (Plain White)

Gluten Free, Rice, Vegan, , , , , , , ,

There are many varieties of rice and everyone has their favorite. My favorite is Basmati rice; I like the aroma and texture of Basmati rice. Rice can be very plain or very colorful. Rice is easy to cook and can be served as a side dish or a main dish. Plain rice is served with lentils, dal, or a gravy-based dish.


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Dahi Vada

Appetizers, Chaat, Diwali, Gluten Free, Party Recipes, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Dahi Vadas are lentil dumplings topped with a spicy savory yogurt and tamarind chutney. These are great as a side dish for a formal dinner or served as a chaat. Dahi vadad are made using wash urad dal or moong dal or with a combination of both dals using different proportions of dal.

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Moong Dal Dosa

Breads, Breakfast Recipes, Gluten Free, Vegan, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Dosas are thin and crispy pancakes, made with a variety of batters. Moong dal dosas are a great substitute for the traditional dosas found in many South Indian restaurants. Moong dal dosas are faster and easier to prepare. Dosas are also known as “cheela” or “puda”.

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Ras Malai

Desserts, Diwali, Gluten Free, Party Recipes, , , , , , , , ,

Rasmalai is a Bengali dessert consisting of soft paneer balls immersed in chilled creamy milk. Like Rasgullas, Rasmalai is also made with homemade cheese known as “paneer” or “chana”. Instead of being soaked in sugar syrup like Rasgullas, Rasmalai is soaked in sweet, flavored milk.

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Bengali Rasgulla

Desserts, Gluten Free, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bengali Rasgullas are homemade paneer (Cottage cheese) sweet dish, round paneer balls soaked in sugar syrup. This is a delicacy from state of Bengal, these are very light and delicious, you can never go wrong with Bangali Rasgulla. This recipe is made using a pressure cooker.