Mango Fool

The Mango Fool recipe (page 466) is cooked pureed mangoes mixed with heavy cream that has been whipped into soft peaks. Miriam points out that according to Ayurveda, sour fruit is not compatible with sweet cream so we use ripe, sweet fruit for this dish. It tastes heavenly. It is as light as a feather and as sweet as honey.

Creamy Salad Dressing

The Creamy Salad Dressing (page 318) is very similar to the Yogurt, Buttermilk and Other Creamy Dressings except it is made with cheese. I used panir that I had made the day before. This is a good salad dressing for those of us who love fresh food without preservatives.

Broccoli and Other Pureed Vegetable Dressings

The Broccoli and Other Pureed Vegetable Dressings (page 321) reminded me of Miriam's Sofrito (page 218). In both recipes you saute all these finely chopped vegetables on low heat with different spices and the aroma just fills the entire house. Truly wonderful and delicious. Today I used the broccoli stalks and yellow bell peppers to make this dressing then poured it over the steamed broccoli and carrots. Miriam says that the variations on this recipe are endless, just change the herbs.

Tarragon-Pistachio Goddess Dressing

The Tarragon-Pistachio Goddess Dressing (page 319) is shown here on some crusty white bread. I find it a little challenging to create ways to take photographs of dressings. I've tried on veggies, on salads, in small dishes and now on top of crusty bread... motivated purely by aesthetics of course, and not by the fact that I eat it after it's been photographed. This is a delightful dressing made with green beans, sour cream (I used yogurt), tarragon and pistachios. Very yummy.

Yogurt, Buttermilk, and Other Creamy Dressings

Today I made the Yogurt, Buttermilk and Other Creamy Dressings recipe (page 318). I didn't have much time to cook today so I made a salad and this dressing. I used homemade yogurt rather than sour cream or buttermilk. It has a delicious tart and sweet taste that had me trying to get every last drop.

Wilted Greek Salad with Caramelized Walnuts

The Wilted Greek Salad with Caramelized Walnuts (page 300) took a little prep time but it was well worth it. I first made panir since I didn't want to use feta cheese. Then caramelizing the walnuts is easy but not eating them all before making the dish is hard. You'll really want to make the walnuts again as a snack. Then you just wilt the spinach and combine all the ingredients together with a little lemon juice.

Newport Good Luck Benne Squares

Today I made the Newport Good Luck Benne Squares (page 439) as a little farewell and good luck gift. They are very easy to make with only 5 ingredients. Since there are no eggs in them, they can be a bit crumbly like a short bread. Benne is the name given for the sesame seeds and they add all the flavor as well as the good luck.

Avocado Dressing

The Avocado Dressing (page 319) is a thick and creamy dressing that can top a lot of different dishes other than salads. I decided to try it on our steamed green beans and carrots. It has a bright, fresh tangy taste that complements the fresh veggies.

Bananas Alexander

Bananas Alexander (page 464) is an simple banana sauce that takes five minutes to make. An interesting fact found in Heaven's Banquet is that Ayurvedically bananas are classified as sour taste rather than sweet and therefore should not be combined with milk. Interesting for all of us that grew up eating bananas on our breakfast cereal. We slathered our Banana Alexander over apple, pecan raisin bread. Yummy.

Bean Thread Noodle Salad (Yum Woonsen)

The Bean Thread Noodle Salad (page 303) is a easy lunch or dinner meal. The liquid seasoning, lime juice, sugar and pepper add a nice flavor twist, but the real surprise is the mint in the salad. It takes less than 20 minutes from start to finish to make and tastes incredibly refreshing. A great summer salad.

Mixed Vegetable Raita (Sabji-Ki Raita)

The Mixed Vegetable Raita (page 307) is under the salad and dressings section of Heaven's Banquet. I think of raita more like a chutney because I only eat a tiny bit at the meal, whereas a salad might be the size of an entire plate. So having said that, I found this raita to be especially delicious and I ate more than usual. The spices really make this dish. I used small pickling cucumbers which I drained before adding to the yogurt.

Prasad Fruit Salad (Phal Chat Prasadam)

Miriam explains that Prasad or prasadam is a food that has been prepared to offer to God, so you know it has to be good, fresh and sweet. The Prasad Fruit Salad (page 316) is all these things and more. It is so sweet, I saved it for dessert.

Panzanella (Bread Salad) & Citrus Vinaigrette

I've been back a week but today is the first day I cooked from Heaven's Banquet. Since it's summer and very hot, I felt it was best to go with a cool salad. The Panzanella (page 304) with the Citrus Vinaigrette (page 318) was delightful as a side dish to the tamarind lentils and steamed asparagus we had for lunch. The Panzanella could stand on it's own as a light meal and it only took a minute to make. Fresh ingredients are the key to this fabulous salad. The vinaigrette dressing does not contain vinegar so the taste is much brighter. I really enjoyed it.