The festive season is here! If you’re planning a menu for Diwali or any other seasonal gathering, I have a wonderful menu of no onion no garlic recipes for you. Dal makhani, Tofu Tikka Masala, peanut potatoes, Turmeric cashew rice! The menu uses one base sauce, so you can cook a whole meal in a lot less time.

Many if you often ask me for no onion no garlic recipes, especially around the festive season. If you are planning to make an onion-free, garlic-free Diwali or Indian party menu, here are some options for you. If you want to read more on how to cook without onion and garlic, I have a guide you can check out! It has tips to convert any recipe to be onion garlic free. If you want to add onion and garlic, see recipe faq.

You can make all of this on the same day, because it’s so streamlined. The whole meal relies on a single base sauce that you divide up to make tofu tikka masala, dal makhani and a side of crispy, peanutty potatoes. You serve it all up with roasted cashew and turmeric rice and a quick yogurt dip, called raita.

Serve it all up with store-bought flatbreads, homemade flatbreads, or naan. You can make naan from the blog and keep them frozen and reheat on the day you want to serve them, or you can make other kinds of flatbread or even toast up sourdough bread.

Also serve with other condiments of choice, like mango chutney, mint chutney, or tomato chutney or some Indian pickle. You can make these in advance or buy them pre-made at the Indian market.

If you do want to make parts of this menu this ahead, though, you definitely can! You can make the sauce and refrigerate or freeze or make the dal and potatoes and tikka masala sauce ahead and refrigerate! Bake the tofu the day of serving. There are make-ahead directions in the recipe card.

We are going to make the dal first, because the black matpe beans, or black whole urad(which is traditionally used for dal makhani), take like an hour to cook. Start cooking that, and then start making the sauce, and go from there. The recipe is written the same way. See recipe notes for making the dal with other lentils.
Also check out this Diwali menu that uses an onion base sauce for Dal do pyaaza, Gobi Matar makhani and Chana Saag! You can use both these menus to meal plan as well by making portions ahead and making a new dish every day!

Why You’ll Love this No Onion No Garlic Menu

• 1 flavorful base sauce to make 3 dishes, plus rice and raita
• onion and garlic-free, but still tons of flavor!
• tender baked tofu tikka masala
• savory dal makhani
• crunchy peanut sesame potatoes
• creamy raita
• fluffy cashew turmeric rice
• uses Instant Pot and oven to save active cooking time. Look at that gorgeousness below!

More Vegan No Onion No Garlic Recipes

• Dhaba Rajama
• Jeera Aloo
• Baked Chana Pulao
• Handi Lentils
• Dal Bukhara
• Pair with my naans(regular or Gluten-free) or flatbreads, and various Indian sweets and desserts like Ras Malai tres leches cake and Carrot halwa cheesecake!

Continue reading: No Onion No Garlic Diwali Menu (Dal makhani, Tofu Tikka Masala, peanut potatoes, Turmeric cashew rice )

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If you want to make a Punjabi fall in love with you, Make a ridiculously good Rajma(Kidney Bean Curry) ie this Dhaba Style Rajma!. The easiest and most hands-off way to whip a comforting bowl of rajma. We cook some kidney beans along with whole and ground spices then add some tomato puree and finish off with yogurt for some extra richness and creaminess. This is a dump and done recipe, ie no standing around for multiple steps! Just add to pot and pressure cook.

To get that extra creaminess, we mash the kidney beans along into the sauce. With the whole spices this Rajma tastes especially amazing a few hours after cooking as the whole spices bloom with time.

The cooked kidney beans absorb all of those much-loved spices and they are simply heartwarming served with a dollop of vegan butter!

More recipes with red kidney beans

• Peanut Stew with Kidney Beans
• Kidney Bean Millet Beet Burger
• Curried Kidney Beans , roasted zucchini bowl
• Lentil Kidney Bean Chili. 1 Pot Recipe

More Instant pot recipes

Vegan Cheese Sauce (Instant Pot Potato Carrot Cheese Sauce)

Instant Pot Dal Bukhara-Dump and Done Creamy Black lentils

Vegan Instant Pot Coconut Chicken Curry with Soy curls

Continue reading: Dhaba Rajma Masala Recipe – Instant Pot Kidney Bean Curry

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Meet Jeera Aloo aka Indian Cumin Potatoes – a vibrantly spiced vegan Indian side dish that’s easy to make and satisfying to eat. This classic Indian potato side dish recipe is loaded with flavor from whole cumin seeds and fresh herbs and is naturally gluten-free, Soyfree and nutfree

Try it as a side dish for your next Indian feast,as a healthy and comforting lunch or as an addition to your favorite bowl or as a snack topped with onion, cucumber, tomato and lemon juice or cilantro chutney!

Jeera is the Hindi word for cumin and cumin is indeed the star of the show here. We add 1 1/2 teaspoons of whole cumin seeds alongside some ginger, coriander, pepper, chili, and garam masala.

As you might suspect by now, these potatoes are not just extremely delicious but also pretty spicy. However, you are in full control of the heat level and can reduce the level of spiciness by halfing the amount of the cayenne, black pepper and green chili.

Why you’ll love these Cumin potatoes!

• they are super easy
• they are super delicious
• they are super quick if you have pre-boiled potatoes
• they go well with a lot of different cuisines
• They are allergy friendly

More Indian side dishes

Garlic Potato Spinach Stir fry- Lasooni Aloo Palak

Vegan Handi Lentils (Creamy Indian Dal)

Restaurant Style Aloo Gobi

Instant Pot Indian Cabbage and Peas (Patta Gobi Subzi)

Jackfruit coconut chickpea stir fry

Continue reading: Jeera Aloo – Cumin Spiced Potatoes

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Coming at you with the best butter dal ever! This dal is a famous dish straight from a Dhaba in my hometown. For those who don’t know, Dhabas are little roadside restaurants serving simple yet flavorful and rustic dishes. They are an essential and vibrant component of the Indian food scene.

As compared to five-star restaurants, Dhabas have their own charm and lure and so does this dal. Minimalistic ingredients but bang-on flavor. This dhaba style butter dal always impresses us. After all, all of us sometimes want a big old bowl of comfort food and this dal is just that.

It’s called Butter dal because the Dhaba fries the dal in hot spiced butter  before serving.

Butter dal is a perfect and delicious Indian dal.   This recipe just happens to be onion and garlic free. It’s one of those recipes that doesnt use them by default. Street vendors don’t always have refrigeration, and Onion and garlic in the tropical heat can get quite smelly so some chefs just make the dishes without them.

why you will love this vegan butter dal!

• it’s an easy but super delicious dollar.
• It is highly allergy friendly gluten-free nut free soy free.
• It also is allium free and doesn’t use any onion and garlic and is Jain friendly.
• uses mostly common Indian spices. Use whichever you have.
• The dal can be served with rice or corn greens, with roti or naan, or baked potato, or as a soup.

In book news: The book got featured on Washington post!, veg news magazine top cookbooks, tree hugger, green matters and more!. I’m loving all the reviews, do keep them coming. I am loving the book remakes tagged on social! Please review the book on Amazon or other retailers as reviews are incredibly helpful to get the book consistent distribution and marketing.

There are some supply chain issues at some retailers. if the prices look too high it’s probably they are running out of stock. wait for a day or so for the stock issues to be resolved to get better pricing. Thank you to everyone who is buying the book and cooking from it!! .

More Indian dals:

• Instant Pot Dal Bukhara Dump and Done!
• Vegan Handi Lentils (Creamy Indian Dal)
• Toor Daal with Bay Leaf and crisp Cilantro
• Masoor Dal Tadka 
• potato spinach dal – aloo palak dal 

Continue reading: Dhaba Style Butter Dal (vegan)

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Indian Dal Bukhara is an everyday and simpler version of dal makhani using minimal ingredients. Unlike dal makhani, which is made with black gram lentils and kidney beans, dal bukhara is made only with the whole urad lentils (black gram lentils) . Dal Bukhara is traditionally slow-cooked overnight  but we make a simple and quick version using the instant pot.

I made this super easy by 1. turning this into a dump-and-done recipe. There is no sautéing needed for this one! Just add everything to the instant pot, set and forget about it. 2. I also kept this dal onion and garlic free, as traditionally it can be made with or without, but you can add some if you like. The recipe depends on the chef and restaurant. To add some onion and garlic, Just sauté for 2-3 minutes, cancel sauté and proceed as the written recipe.

Onion and garlic are avoided by some for religious, dietary, yogic/Ayurvedic reasons. But sometimes they are simply skipped for reasons like their shorter shelf life once chopped. They get stale and smelly easily esp  with the tropical heat and no refrigeration, so Indian street food vendors and small restaurants often omit them.

I use canned tomato purée instead of fresh tomatoes to reduce the time and work needed even further! So just dump everything in the pot and pressure cook, no sautéing needed.

Once done, open the lid and fold in non-dairy cream or non-dairy yogurt and tomato purée. Bring to a boil and serve this creamy dreamy dal. There are so many lentils and pulses and so many ways to make them based on different state and regional cuisines in India. Explore the Dals on the blog and also check out 22 Dals in my first book and another 14 in my upcoming instant pot book.

why will you love this instant pot dal bukhara recipe

• It uses 8 main ingredients!
• its a dump and done recipe. No standing around sautéing needed. Just add all ingredients to the pot, set it and forget it
• It’s Glutenfree and Soyfree and easily made nutfree
• its creamy and delicious and tastes like a decadent restaurant dish!

See recipe notes if using lentils other than black gram lentils (urad). Usually this dal is smoked using a charcoal (dungar method) . For the additional smoky flavor, fold in a bit of smoked paprika.

This recipe is adapted from Dal Bukhara recipe from my Indian kitchen cookbook and  chef Sanjyot Keer’s  Dal Bukhara recipe .

More dal recipes:

• Handi Lentils
• Masoor Dal Tadka
• Spicy Urad dal
• Turmeric spinach dal- no onion garlic
• Hariyali dal- spiced greens and lentils 

Continue reading: Instant Pot Dal Bukhara – Dump and Done Creamy Black lentils

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This easy vegan recipe for Tofu Tikka Masala is made without garlic and onions. A plant-based spin made with tofu, that is vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free but is simultaneously indulgent and oh-so-creamy thanks to the addition of vegan yogurt.

This is better than anything you might have eaten at a restaurant! I am talking about pure harmony of flavors: tangy, spicy, and buttery, just how we like it. I love making a big pot of this as leftovers are just so good the next day! As with all Indian curries, the flavor of the gravy tends to get stronger as the sauce or dish sits for a while.

Tikka Masala is the tangier cousin of butter chicken sauce. The tikka, protein is marinated in a tangy yogurt spice based marinade and baked or roasted to make the tikka.  In this version I omit the onion and garlic. Spices like kala namak(Indian sulphur salt) are added to compensate for the garlic paste that would be in the marinade. Zucchini makes up the volume instead of onion in the sauce. If you aren’t avoiding onion or garlic, feel free to add them.

Like with all my Indian Recipes, I try to keep the flavors as authentic as possible while making the recipe as simple as possible. You can change up things based on availability and preference. If you are out of some of the spices, don’t worry. It doesn’t affect the amazing flavor, the sauce will be flavorful enough and some changes here and there don’t affect the overall deliciousness.

If you don’t want to use tofu, you can just make the sauce and add in chickpeas or other veggies such as roasted pumpkin/sweet potato/butternut squash or make my cauliflower tikka masala

If you make this Tikka Masala, do let me know how you liked it ! Do tag me on social #veganricha

I started posting on tik tok. Some short content with everyday food and behinds the scenes.

More Indian Recipes:

• Aloo Gobi 
• Amazing Korma
• Tofu Vindaloo -spicy chili sauce 
• jalfrezi – smoky pepper sauce  
• Tofu Amritsari Masala
• Mushroom Matar Masala 
• Bombay Potato and Peas 

Continue reading: Tofu Tikka Masala (no onion no garlic)

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I am seriously upping my breakfast game this week with these chickpea flour veggie pancakes! While you could eat them just as they are, with your favorite dip or chutney. For a more filling meal,  I like to serve them as a sandwich between two slices of vegan toast or my favorite homemade whole wheat sandwich bread and some vegan Ranch or Mayo or my vegan hollandaise! Best breakfast sandwich ever.

The pancakes are made with gluten-free chickpea flour which is a high protein flour with a light yellow color that you find in most baking aisles these days. It is also known as garbanzo bean flour. Both refer to flour made from ground white chickpeas.  Due to its fine texture it can quite easily form lumps. That’s why it’s important to store chickpea flour in a sealed container at room temperature.

Note that besan and Chickpea flour are not the same! Besan or gram flour is a flour of chana dal or split brown chickpeas. Chickpea flour or garbanzo flour is ground-up white chickpeas. Similar flavors, but not the same flour. Besan need less liquid than white chickpea flour to make a batter.  Read more here about the differences and where to use which flour!

We also add some rice flour to make these savory patties a bit lighter and crispier, but you can also add fine semolina flour. This batter can also be used to make waffles like my pakora waffles!

Why will you love these pancakes

• These are filled with veggies
• they are Glutenfree and Soyfree and nutfree
• they are versatile. Use whichever veggies you have and whichever herbs
• They are freezer friendly

More chickpea flour recipes:

• Chickpea flour Tofu
• Chickpea Flour Waffles 
• Omelet with Chickpea flour 
• Chickpea flour frittata 
• Socca
• My Gluten-free Naan
• Breakfast Scramble with Chickpea Flour
• Gluten-free flatbread

Continue reading: Savory Chickpea Flour Veggie Pancakes and Breakfast Sandwich

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Chana pulao is a popular Indian one-pot chickpea rice dish that is made with fragrant basmati rice, protein-rich chickpeas, onions, fresh tomatoes, veggies, and bold warming Indian spices. You could also call it Chickpea pulao, chickpea pilaf, or simply chickpea rice. This easy meal is traditionally served with a side dish of raita or plain yogurt.

This recipe for Indian vegan chickpea rice casserole is not made on stovetop but in the oven! So simple, so genius. The roasting method concentrates the flavors and natural sweetness of the veggies added. We start with roasting the vegetables, then add in the rice, chickpeas and spinach and bake everything until the rice is cooked and fluffy.

This is  a One Pan casserole dish! No standing around sautéing needed!

Before adding the rice to the casserole dish, we soak it in water. This cuts down the cooking time and also ensures we get evenly fluffy rice. For the baked chana pulao obviously, you can either cook the chickpeas from dried chickpeas (pressure cook 40 mins) or use canned chickpeas.

This baked chickpea rice casserole makes for a filling, comforting and satisfying meal that is best accompanied with some homemade raita, or a side salad.

Why will you love this a chickpea rice casserole

• It’s a 1 Pan meal casserole
• No standing around sautéing the onion and spices or cooking the veggies needed
• Rice, chickpeas, veggies and Indian spices make a fabulous combination
• its a versatile casserole. Change up the beans and use white beans, kidney beans or other beans. Use quinoa or other grains!
• Change up the Indian spices and use chipotle chili powder blend or Ethiopian Berbere, Jamaican curry powder or Creole seasoning for variation
• the casserole is by default Glutenfree, Soyfree and Nutfree!

More rice dishes from the blog:

• Indo Chinese Fried Rice
• Pumpkin Chipotle Fried Rice
• Turmeric Lemon Rice
• Vegetable Carrot Fried Rice
• Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas Rice Pulao
• Masala Fried Rice with Turmeric Onion Raita
• Peanut Sauce Fried Rice

Continue reading: Vegan Baked Chana Pulao – Spiced Chickpea Rice Casserole

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Fans of spicy food will LOVE this easy Vegan Tofu Jalfrezi. This is a popular Indian dish and one of the spicier curries you can find on a restaurant menu.  I already have a vegetable jalfrezi recipe on the blog so think of this as a heartier version with big chunks of pan-seared tofu added to the gravy. The flavorful sauce makes for an excellent match for tofu.

Jalfrezi loosely translates to hot stir fry. This dish evolved to use up leftovers and spice them up over high heat with onion and peppers. The seared peppers add smokyness. Some tomato adds the sauce. This is a versatile recipe, use veggies or beans or other additions and use whichever spices you have!

Tofu is such a versatile plant-based addition to curries(although there have been shortages because of the pandemic and I’ve started using soy curls as well) I love how it takes on the flavor of any sauce or marinade in many different cuisines and trust me, this Smoky bell pepper tofu stir fry is amazing!

The jalfrezi sauce is spicy and smoky and flavored with smoked paprika and coriander and garam masala. Your home will be filled with a tantalizing aroma while your curry simmering away. All in all, this  easy one skillet dinner takes only about 30 minutes to make, and trust me, you will be going back for seconds. Maximum flavor with minimal effort.

Serve this Jalfrezi with rice or some hot roti or naan or pita bread and mop up all the delicious sauce until the last drop of jalfrezi sauce is cleaned off your plate.

Why will you love this Tofu Jalfrezi?

• It’s a quick one pot weeknight meal
• Serve it with flatbread, bread or rice or add to tacos or wraps! Or over mashed potatoes
• It’s naturally Nutfree and Gluten-free
• options to make without tofu are listed in the recipe notes
• All the restaurant style flavor in your home
• option to make it without onion and garlic is also in the notes

MORE INDIAN COMFORT FOOD

• Baked Madras curry Tofu
• Baked Tofu Curry
• Vegan Navratan Korma
• Handi Lentils
• Baked Balti Veggies
• Veggie curry casserole 
• Butter Tofu- GF
• IP Tikka Masala Simmer Sauce GF
• 15 minutes tofu spinach stir fry 

Continue reading: Tofu Jalfrezi (Indian Smoky Tofu Bell Pepper Tomato stir fry)

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Lovers of creamy and flavorful lentils – you HAVE to try this recipe for Handi Lentils! Handi dishes are super flavorful curries that are traditionally cooked in a clay pot (handi) over hours. This adds an earthy smoky flavor to the dish. Any pot works to cook and I use a saucepan to cook the lentils.

Handi dishes also have characteristic spice and sauce. Panch phoron (Indian Bengali 5 spice) or spices such as cumin, nigella and fenugreek seeds, are paired with garam masala or other spices in an onion bell pepper tomato sauce. You can make your own 5 spice mix and use whichever lentils you like to make this Handi Dal.

Handi cooking usually involves making a flavor packed spiced sauce base which is then mixed with various proteins like lentils, meat, chicken etc. Here, we use brown lentils which taste amazing with the sauce.

The spices used give it the characteristic Handi flavor. Bengali spice blend called panch phoron:  a mix of mustard seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, and nigella seeds , which get toasted really well to add amazing flavor! Use whichever of these spices you have. See recipe notes for substitutes.

The tempered spices cook with caramelized onion,  bell pepper, tomato and non dairy yogurt or cashew cream which adds creamy base that goes perfectly with the cooked lentils!

The longer you simmer the sauce, the stronger the flavor. As with all dishes that use whole spices, these handi lentils will taste phenomenal if given a couple of hours after cooking and it will taste even better the next day.

For options to make this without nuts, oil or onion, see recipe notes.

why you will love this dal

• It’s got layers of flavor from whole spices
• it uses easily available brown lentils
• use any whole spices you have. But do try with the listed spices sometime
• it’s allergy friendly, Glutenfree, Soyfree, Nutfree (depending on your non dairy yogurt )

MORE INDIAN Main DISHES TO TRY:

• Navratan Korma 
• Malai Tofu
• Butter Tofu
• IP Tikka Masala Simmer Sauce
• Tofu Amritsari Masala.GF
• Madras chili tofu and mushrooms
• Balti sauce veggies 
• Mushroom Matar Masala GF

More Indian Dals to try

• Masoor dal tadka
• Spicy Urad dal
• Turmeric spinach dal- no onion garlic
• Hariyali dal- spiced greens and lentils 

Continue reading: Vegan Handi Lentils (Creamy Indian Dal)

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