The cookbook Kitchen Ritual features a selection of Ayurvedic recipes inspired by world cuisine. There are also tips and tricks for maintaining a functional home kitchen, and easy to make dishes to please everyone. The recipes are influenced by Ayurvedic wisdom yet perfect for a modern home.
Sweet Za’atar Carrots
Like so many of the best recipes, this one came about spontaneously using various items I had in my pantry. This basic preparation works well with winter squashes and other roasted vegetables as well.
Prep time: 5m | Cook time: 25 m| Total time: 30m | Serves 4
Vegan / Gluten-free
Ingredients
1 pound carrots
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
¾ teaspoon za’atar, plus extra for garnish
Salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
While oven heats, wash and prepare carrots. For small, delicate farmers market carrots, I like to leave them whole and snip off the leaves just above the top of the carrot, allowing just a touch of green to remain. For larger carrots, chop into roughly ½-inch rounds or half-moons. Once carrots are prepared, toss them with the oil and a few pinches of salt, and then place on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until carrots are just fork-tender, flipping once with a spatula about halfway through.
When carrots are finished cooking, let them cool for a couple minutes and then gently toss them with the maple syrup and za’atar. (I do this very carefully directly on the tray, but you could also use a large bowl for this purpose.) Place on a serving platter and sprinkle a few pinches of za’atar over the carrots.
Serve immediately. Any leftovers are wonderful cold in salads or on their own the next day.
Grilled Cauliflower Steaks with Harissa
Fire up your grill and get ready to delight your taste buds. These sturdy steaks have a smoky flavor that will satisfy even the staunchest carnivore.
Prep time: 15m | Cook time: 10m | Total time: 25m | Serves 4
Vegan / Gluten-free
Ingredients
1 large head of cauliflower (or two smaller heads)
1 Tablespoon coriander seeds
1/3 cup olive oil
1 lemon, juiced and zested
1–2 cloves garlic, minced finely
1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
¾ teaspoon salt
Large handful of cilantro, chopped
Harissa (for serving)
Instructions
Prepare cauliflower by trimming stem and any leaves. Place stem-side down on a cutting board, and slice cauliflower in half. Working from the flat side of each half outward, cut steaks that are about ¾- to 1-inch thick. Make sure both sides of each steak are perfectly flat and save any outer florets for another use.
Prepare marinade by whisking together all remaining ingredients (except cilantro) in a small bowl.
Heat your grill to medium. Brush one side of each steak with your marinade and place that side face-down on the grill. Cover the grill and cook for about 5 minutes, or until grill marks are present. Before flipping each steak, brush the top side with marinade, and then cook the second side for about the same amount of time as the first required.
Place finished steaks on a large serving platter and sprinkle cilantro over the steaks. Transfer harissa to a small serving bowl. Serve immediately.
Kitchen Ritual Reviewed
Read our review of Meredith Klein’s Kitchen Ritual on LA YOGA online.
Orange, Olive & Fennel Salad
I am quite a minimalist when it comes to salads. I love selecting a few quality ingredients that speak for themselves. This salad was developed in Fes, Morocco, using the best ingredients in the market on that particular spring day.
Prep time: 15m | Total time: 15m | Serves 4
Vegan | Gluten-free
Ingredients
1 large fennel bulb, halved lengthwise and sliced very thinly
3 large oranges
1 teaspoon orange juice
1 teaspoon good quality olive oil
¾ cup oil-cured olives, drained
Salt and pepper
Fennel fronds for serving
Instructions
Prepare each orange by slicing off tops and bottoms of the rind. Set one of the cut ends down on your cutting board, then use a knife to carefully cut the rind and white pith from the flesh of the orange. As you work, follow the natural curves of the fruit. Once all oranges are peeled, thinly slice each orange into rounds, then divide the rounds between 4 salad plates.
In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice and olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the fennel and gently toss to coat it with dressing. Place one quarter of the dressed fennel and olives over each portion of orange slices. Garnish each salad with a sprinkle of fennel fronds and serve.
Kitchen Ritual
For more information on Meredith Klein and Kitchen Ritual visit her website at: pranaful.com.