Achar – Nepalese Slaw

This tasty side dish is one of our favorites. Known as Achar or Pickle, it is often made during Festival time or for a special occasion and is served along side spiced meat dishes, vegetable curries and other festival food.

We make this dish often in our house and it is so versatile.

We call it Nepalese Slaw as the base ingredients are so similar to coleslaw.

We often serve it as a side with fish or with breads, cheese, olives as a mini picnic.

Ingredients:

1/2  Whole Cucumber

3 Medium sized Carrots

1/2  Whole Cabbage

3 Medium sized Potatoes (cooked and cooled)

1/2 Whole Lemon

2 Tablespoons of Sesame seeds

Salt to taste

For Dressing:

1 Tablespoon of Oil (we use Organic Cold-Pressed Rapeseed Oil)

Pinch – Mustard Seeds

1 Teaspoon Tumeric

1/2 Teaspoon Garam Masala

Green Chillies ( 1 or 2 depending on how hot you like it!) – Finely chopped

Method:

Finely slice the Carrots, Cucumber and Cabbage (like coleslaw).

Boil/Steam the Potatoes in their skins. Allow to cool and peel.

Dry fry/roast the Sesame seeds on a frying pan until they slightly brown (just a few seconds) and then grind with a mortar and pestle (this step is important as the roasted seeds give the Achar it’s distinct flavour)

Put all these ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Add salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon or so).

To make the spiced dressing:

Heat the oil in a small pot

Add the pinch of Mustard seeds and allow to cook for just a few seconds

Add the Tumeric and Garam Masala

Add the Green Chillies

Fry together quickly for 5-10 seconds then immediately pour over the vegetables

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Mix/Squash all the ingredients together until well integrated

Add a little water if needed

Squeeze 1/2 Fresh whole Lemon over the Achar and mix in well.

Namaste And Enjoy!

Jennifer Walsh-Rupakheti

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Pumpkin Cake with Essential Oil of Mandarin

(Standard and Vegan Versions)

Ingredients:

200g  Ground Almonds

230g  Organic -and preferably unsweetened- apple sauce at room temperature (or 4 eggs for the non-Vegan version)

175g  Organic Virgin Coconut oil

85g  raw honey or same amount of Agave syrup (Vegan)

150g  pumpkin

1tspn  ground clove

1 1/2  tspn cinnamon

1 1/2  tspn allspice

2 level  tbsp baking powder

3 drops Certified-Organic Red Mandarin Essential Oil

Method:

1. Cut the pumpkin into cubes and roast in a hot oven until cooked through. Allow to cool and sit for a few hours/overnight to allow the juices to separate. Discard the juices.

2. Melt and cool Organic virgin Coconut oil

3. If using eggs, whisk them til frothy and then add the 3 drops of Certified-Organic Red Mandarin oil

4. If using the apple sauce, whisk the honey into the coconut oil and then add the apple sauce to the mix. Add the 3 drops of Certified-Organic Red Mandarin oil

5. Add the spices and the baking powder to the ground almonds and mix through

6. Add the almond mix to the egg/apple sauce mixture stirring anti-clockwise as you go!

7. For the finale, add the pre-mashed pumpkin, gently mixing it in anti-clockwise

8. Pour the mixture into a lined loaf tin (you can divide into an individual muffin tin if you prefer but don’t forget to adjust the cooking time to about 25 minutes)

9. Place in to a pre-heated oven, gas 2/3, 160c for 40 minutes then cover with foil for the remainder 15mins or until cooked.

Test with a skewer, it should come out clean.

Enjoy !

By Mayella Almazan from Yo Soy Gaia