Many of you may already know that I am passionate about promoting healthful eating. As a community service, I am offering at the Whitefish Bay Library three culinary presentations that are open to the public. Details are shown below. You can contact  the library for registration.

Adding Zest to Your Vegetables
Presented by Alamelu Vairavan

Whitefish Bay Library
Phone: 964-4380
Time: 7:30 to 8:30 PM

Pre-Registration Required (Space limited)
(Kids are welcome)

Description:  In each presentation a featured star vegetable will be turned into an aromatic, and flavorful dish. The easy-to prepare vegetable dish will transform you and even your kids to become vegetable lovers. Join Alamelu Vairavan, as she discusses the health benefits of the featured vegetable and orients you to the spices and lentils that will enhance the vegetable to an irresistable dish!

October 7, 2009 (Wednesday):  Featured Star Vegetable:   Cauliflower  (Dish: Cauliflower Lentil Soup) 

 November 16, 2009  (Monday): Featured Star Vegetable:  Bell Pepper (Dish: Bell Pepper, Tomato Rice with Cashews) A great Thanksgiving rice dish!

December 3, 2009  (Thursday):  Featured Star Vegetable:  Green  Beans  (Dish: Green Beans with Split Peas, Ginger & Coconut)

The release of the movie “Julie & Julia” and the renewed great interest in the remarkable Chef Julia Child bring back to me fond memories of an unexpected and a thrilling experience in 1997. That was the year my first cook book (Art of South Indian Cooking) was published. My New York publisher had arranged for me to appear on the national television show, “Home Matters”. Can you believe that Julia Child was also featured in the same show?

My cooking segment was shot in the summer of 1997 in Philadelphia for the Discovery Channel. I was very excited and wasn’t sure what to expect as this was my first exposure to national TV. The hostess of the show Susan Powell was very kind and helpful as I did my cooking. It all went smoothly.

About three months later on November 12, 1997, the taped program was aired throughout the country. Our friends came to my home to watch my debut on national television. I was even more nervous anticipating the broadcast than I was when the show was being filmed. But soon my nervousness gave way to excitement and thrill when the show’s hostess announced that the great Chef Julia Child was going to discuss the essential ingredients in her own pantry before my segment was shown!!

Robin Young, a reporter who also happened to be a friend and neighbor of Julia Child in New England, interviewed Julia. This TV segment was titled:  “In the Pantry With Julia Child.” In this segment Julia Child  was already 85 years old. She  graciously shared advice about  pantry items.

The following suggestions and recommendations were made in that TV segment by Julia herself:

• A key pantry item is peanut butter. One ingredient that no kitchen should be without is peanut butter.  Julia Child noted that instead of eating airplane food, she would rather eat a peanut butter- honey sandwich.
• Use canola oil instead of tasteless vegetable oil.
• Never refrigerate tomatoes.
• Oil dressing with flake garlic is not good.
• Use canned tuna in oil and not tuna in water.
• Frozen green beans are like “dreary objects”.
• Liked to mix sour cream and heavy cream for cooking.
• Use vermouth instead of white wine in cooking since the former “keeps better.”

After Julia Child’s segment ended, my appearance on the program was announced. I was thrilled to follow America’s favorite chef. When I look back, I feel deeply honored to have made my first national TV appearance following Julia Child’s interview in the same program!

As we celebrate, with joy and pride, our independence day on July 4, another date is also of significance for us: August 15.  It is India’s independence day. Both US and India obtained their independence from the same country: Britain. India’s freedom in 1947 came much later than America’s.

Both are two large secular democracies, whose constitutions were developed by brilliant, devoted and patriotic leaders. (In the case of India, this group of leaders also included women.) Having the example of a great US constitution was helpful to the Indian leaders, but they still chose the route of a parliamentary democracy in which the prime minister (leader of the party that wins the national elections) is also the government leader, and the president is more a figure of national unity, often chosen without a bitter political campaign.

Diversity in India can be mind boggling. As most of us know, India is the largest democracy with more than a billion citizens belonging to all religions and speaking more than 15 different languages. English still serves as a unifying thread.  Hindus form a large majority, but did you know that India has more muslims than most muslim countries? A large part of India was ruled by the muslim rulers just before the British colonized India. Christian influences are also visible in India. (I attended a private catholic grade school in Chennai, India.)  The current prime minister of India, a non-Hindu, is Manmohan Singh. Perhaps the most influential political leader in India today is  Sonia Gandhi, an Italian born catholic woman who was married to Rajiv Gandhi,  a previous prime minister. Today the Indian president is a Hindu woman. In the past there have been muslim presidents too.

After independence from the Bristish, the progress of both  US and India as great secular democracies has also been marked by great challenges. Each nation has benefitted from the other in many ways. For example, Mahatma Gandhi, considered by many as the father of India, benefitted from the writings of the great American writer Henry Thoreau. Civil rights leader Martin Luther King benefitted from Gandhi’s non-violent methods to address injustice and bigotry. India’s rise as an economic power owes a lot to the free market economics practiced in the US. America’s continuing dominance as a world economic leader has been helped by the professional and scientific talent of Indian Americans.

Most importantly as the two nations celebrate their freedom this summer, we should note that the world is a better place because of their contributions!  I salute these two great nations for what they mean to humanity and to freedom.

As a part of my culinary mission to educate people about healthful eating, periodically I conduct a day trip to “Little India” in Chicago(an area of several blocks on Devon Avenue.)  Many, but not all , who go with me are my culinary students and their friends. This trip is open to anyone who is interested. I arrange for a limousine to take a group of about ten people on the trip. Parking in this area is extremely difficult. Travelling by the limousine not only solves the parking problem, but also provides an opportunity for those who make the trip to get acquainted with each other. And more importantly, it gives me an opportunity to discuss Indian culture, food and customs during the comfortable  and elegant ride.

Our limousine chauffer Joe, a very accommodating driver, picks up the passengers at different pick-up points in Milwaukee.  The students are enthusiastic about getting a feel for Indian stores, food, people and ambience through a day-trip instead of embarking on a full pledged 30 hour (flight) travel to the real India!

In this particular trip (June 14, 2009), ten of us including me, started our journey around 9:30 AM on a beautiful sunny Sunday. We had so much fun being together discussing Indian culture and customs during the ride. We reached our destination around 11 AM.

Our lunch reservation was for noon at Udupi, a well known popular South Indian vegetarian restaurant. We had one hour to spend before lunch. Our first stop was at a snack shop. I wanted my students to see the grand display of crunchy Indian snacks and sweets. Everyone eagerly asked the owner about his delicious looking products. He not only answered their questions but he gave samples. Once they sampled the snacks, they could not resist ordering take-outs to be collected later in the day when we were ready to leave.

Next, we went to a large Indian grocery store called ‘Patel Brothers”. The display of big rice bags and the sight of many aisles of spices and legumes thrilled my students. They were also fascinated by the unusal and fresh Asian vegetables that they do not normally seen in reguar grocery stores.  All of them wanted to shop right away, but we decided to wait till the evening. It was noon, and we swiftly went to Udupi for a scrumptious lunch.

The resturant had reserved a nice table to seat us. The staff and the owner greeted us warmly. We started out with appetizers like Medu Vada (lentil donuts), Aloo Bonda (lentil dumpling with potatoes and onions), Iddly (steamed lentil and rice cakes) all with assorted chutneys and sambhar (vegetable sauce cooked with lentils). Then, for our main course we had Masala Dosai (large crepes filled with vegetables), Poori (puffed whole wheat bread), an array of assorted vegetables like chickpeas in a sauce, soya beans with vegetables in a sauce, okra masala and vegetable korma. For dessert we were offered Badam Halwa (almond cooked in honey and saffron), and Payasam (vermicelli cooked in milk, honey garnished with nuts). The meal ended with a taste of Madras coffee (similar to capaccino). After this royal meal and treatment, we thanked the staff and we were ready to explore the rest of Little India.

Our next stop was India Sari Palace where exquiste saris, dresses, shawls, handbags, and fashion jewellery were sold at very reasonable prices. After extensive shopping there we headed to the more formal Raj Jewellers, a store that sells (24 karat) gold and diamond jewels. We just walked through this beautiful show room admiring what was displayed!

Before returning to Patel Brothers (the grocery store) we took a break. On the side walk of this busy street we saw vendors cracking fresh coconut and selling the milk, There were also venders crushing fresh sugar canes and selling the juice. Naturally my students tried and enjoyed these refreshments. Standing on the side walk and observing stores, and the people in colorful Indian clothing, including many in saris, gave us the feeling that we have been transported to a shopping area in Chennai or Bangalore in India.

We finished our grocery shopping, picked up our carry out snack orders and  came to our limousine pick-up point.  Joe arrived on time and picked us up at 5 PM. On the way to Milwaukee, we had a “tea party” of sorts in the limousine, eating snacks and reminiscing our wonderful experience.  Everyone seemed to be uplifted and excited as we returned to Milwaukee. Joe, the limo driver looked at me and said, “Why don’t you do your tour every week”. Joe could also sense that all of us had a memorable day!

Well, well…what an amazing, challenging and thrilling experience it was for me to be able to present a cooking workshop at the famous James Beard Foundation (JBF), in Manhattan, New York. The JBF is a prestigious culinary organization that hosts workshops and events featuring culinary experts, prominent authors and chefs from around the country (www.jamesbeard.org/events). The JBF programs include classes, conferences, readings and other educational experiences that help people learn about and engage with food. Food matters a great deal to the members of this organization who not only pay an annual membership fee but also pay to participate in individual events held round the year.

I presented a workshop titled, “Enticing Indian Flavors” on Sunday April 26th , 2009 at 11 AM.

Close to the date of my workshop, the Director of House Programming for JBF called to let me know that my workshop was a sold out event with 20 New Yorkers attending it. I was excited and I started planning immediately to see how I was going to accomplish this challenging task. It is relatively easy to discuss and demonstrate food preparation, and to serve food to a small group of people. But for a larger group it is not practical to combine all of these activities in one event. Hence I decided to cook the bulk of the food ahead of time in Milwaukee and, for demonstration, to prepare small amounts of food at the workshop. On April 20th, I decided to do my grocery shopping in Milwaukee and to prepare the food with the help of my able assistant Sharon.

The menu item included: Tuna Masala on Crackers, Lemon Rice with Cashews, Chettinad Chicken Masala, Chickpea and Mango Soondal, Cucumber, Tomato Yogurt Salad, and Mango Lassi with Champagne.

I followed my earlier “food in a suitcase” routine. (see my blog: Food in a Suitcase). I decided to prepare appropriate amounts of the first four dishes in the menu and store the food in the freezer until it was time for me to travel.

So, from Monday, April 20th, each dish was prepared, carefully packed and was placed in the freezer. On Friday April 26th, I started packing. Solid frozen foods were wrapped and placed in a suitcase. Besides the foods, I packed some cooking pots and pans because I did not know what kind of utensils were available at JBF for cooking. Also, all the necessary spices had to be taken with me. After my program, I wanted to say “thank you” with small gift bags for the participants. So, I chose to offer the Taj Mahal Elachi tea bags (cardamom infused tea bags) 6 in a bag tied with a beautiful string and placed in a small gift bag for each participant. My assistant Sharon was invaluable in helping me with all the above preparation.

On the day of the departure to New York on April 26th, it was raining heavily in Milwaukee. All the above items were carefully packed in three suitcases to be checked in at the airport. My main concern was, that my flight should take off and arrive in New York on time. Of course, another concern was that the checked suitcases should also arrive with me! When I checked at the airline counter, the associate remarked, “You are lucky because today the flight is going to take off on time,” adding that this was unusual. It was like Divine voice assuring me that everything is going to be alright. I received such a warm welcome at my cookbook publisher’s house not far from the airport in Jamaica Estates. Indeed the food arrived safely in the suitcases and was placed carefully in the refrigerator. Can you believe, the prepared foods were all still solidly frozen- just the way they were supposed to be. I had a good night’s rest.

Sunday, the day of the event, was a sunny day. But it was also a hot 90 degrees day in NY! A car service was arranged by the publisher to pick me up at 8 AM. The publisher’s office manager Awilda accompanied me and the food suit cases to Manhattan. It was about a 45 minute drive. When we arrived at JBF, there was help to take the suitcases inside and to setup for the event. Later my book editor came with our newly released cookbook (Healthy South Indian Cooking: Expanded Editon). I had two assistants to help me. First I checked the food. It was still solidly frozen. We decided to transfer the food to warm up in the oven around 9:30AM.

People started arriving at 10:30AM. New Yorkers are really friendly people. The Director of House Programming at JBF, was so welcoming and appreciative of all my efforts. I discussed the cuisine, oriented people to spices and legumes and started cooking each dish. Many brought their cameras and were taking many pictures. There were numerous questions during the presentation. The food ( that I had taken with me as well as food prepared on site) was elegantly served in the “Green Room” by the JBF servers. Thanks to the preservative quailty of spices, even the food I had prepared and frozen in Milwaukee had such a wonderful aroma and flavor.

The lunch was followed by a book signing event. After that, I was asked to sign the JBH (house) jacket. hanging on the wall. Many famous chefs had signed the jacket during previous presentations. I felt so honored. I was also given a certificate “for outstanding contribution” to the Foundation.

When it was time to say bye, I felt like I knew all these people before. They were very enthusiastic, informed participants with diverse backgrounds. Everyone seemed to like the workshop and the food. There were suggestions that I should come back to New York for another event. It was an unforgettable and amazing culinary journey for me from Milwaukee to New York!

You have patiently waited several weeks to determine what the queen of spice is!  Well, here is the answer: Cardamom! This spice, also referred to as the “Grains of Paradise”, is known to man since ancient times. In India some people even carry tiny silver boxes of cardamom seeds as a mouth freshener. After dinner cardamom is chewed to clean the palate. Cardamom adds an appealing flavor to foods and aids in digestion.

There are many varieties of cardamom, the true one being the green cardamom. Indian rice and vegetable dishes, desserts and Indian tea (known as Chai) are often flavored with cardamom. A cardamom pod is really a dried fruit. Cardamom pods are all oval shaped capsules containing between 10 to 40 hard dark brown seeds that cling together. Cardamom is available in the form of whole pods and in powder form. (Grind the seeds from the pods in a small food processor to make cardamom powder.)  Store cardamom in a clean, dry jar.

Chai is served anytime with our without a meal. Around the world, it is used in cakes and breads. Cardamom is also an essential ingredient in garam masala ( an aromatic spice blend often used in North Indian cooking).

Indian Chai (Cardamom flavored hot tea with milk is a perfect beverage to relax with)

2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder

1 or 2 strong black tea bags

1/4  cup 2% steamed milk

1. Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add cardamom to the boiling water.

2. Immerse tea bag to the boiling water. Let tea simmer in hot water for a few minutes.

3. Add steamed milk according to your taste.

4. Strain tea and cardamom. Pour the tea into a cup. Add sugar to taste. Stir and serve.

Guess what spice is considered the king of all spices? It is “Black Pepper”.  According to the history of spices, black pepper was a highly valued spice in Europe, and in 1498 Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese explorer, went on a long sea-voyage to India primarily in search of pepper! Until he discovered a sea route to India, the spice was brought to Europe by land through Arab traders who kept the land route a secret. In the 15th century, the West valued pepper as much as gold. Demand was huge and the supply was short. Today pepper is freely available around the world and is almost used in every cuisine. It is rightly known as the “king of spices”.

India was ruled by the British for more than 200 years. In 1947, India became independent. When British ruled India, according to a popular story, a chef from the state of  Tamil Nadu, served an Englishman a soup of lentils with garlic, ginger and black pepper. When the Englishman asked for the name of the soup, the chef replied,  “Molagu Thanni”, which means literally, pepper water (known as rasam)  in Tamil. “Splendid” remarked the Englishman. Let us have “Mulligatawny” more often, shall we? And a legend of the Mulligatawny soup was born. Even today, it is served as a soup in many Indian restaurants in England.

Pepper is the fruit of a perennial vine. The flowers give way to berries which are first green then become red fruits and finally become the familiar black spice. There are more than 24 varieties of pepper. Commonly used pepper is round, black, shriveled and hard. It is an aromatic, hot spice. Black Pepper is used in whole or in powdered form. A powdered form of black pepper combined with cumin in equal portion, is a commonly used spice mixture in many Indian foods. This powder is also a great salt substitute. Black pepper is a stimulant digestive and diuretic spice.

Here is a recipe for a delicious and healthful rice dish called “Black Pepper and Cumin Rice with Cashews” from the book that I have co-authored with my Whitefish Bay neighbor and dear friend, Dr. Patricia Marquardt, Healthy South Indian Cooking. This rice dish goes particularly well with fish and chicken. Trust me it is not hot. You will love the aromatic Basmati rice enhanced with pepper and cumin. It is so easy-to-prepare.

 Black Pepper Rice with Cashews: (A distinctly savory rice dish, Black Pepper Rice goes well with chicken or fish)

1 cup Basmati Rice

1 teaspoon canola oil

1 whole dried red pepper

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2  cup chopped yellow onion

1/2  teaspoon black pepper powder

1/2  teaspoon cumin powder

1/2  teaspoon salt

1/4  cup dry roasted cashews

• Cook rice in rice cooker or in a saucepan in 2 cups of water following directions for fluffy rice. Cool rice for about 15 minutes and set aside.
• Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. When oil is hot, but not smoking, add cumin seeds and stir-fry for few seconds.
• Add onion and cook for another minute. Add cooked rice and stir the rice gently into seasoning.
• Add black pepper and cumin powder to rice, and salt. Mix well.
• Add cashews and stir-well.

Do you know what the queen of spices is?  Take a guess. We will wait  for the next blog to find the answer.

“Squeezing every penny for love”,   was the heading of an article that appeared in The  New York Times on Feb. 14, 2009. It began  as follows:

• “Homemade cards replace long-stemmed roses.
• A night in with Netflix instead of a night out at theater
• Personal poems in place of personal jewelry.

This year, Valentine‘s Day is proving particularly vulnerable to the bursting of the economic bubble”.

To these timely ideas,  I would like to add a few more of my own thoughts in these challenging economic times as follows:

• Eating in vs. Eating out
• Learning to cook vs. Carrying out
• Making time vs. No time for others
• Slow and Sure vs. Hurried hectic pace
• Exercising  and walking  vs. Driving around
• Caring  vs. Being apathetic
• Finding solutions vs. Blaming others
• Random acts of kindness vs. Self-centered focus
• Positive attitude vs. Negative attitude
• There is a way vs. No way
• Hope vs. Nope
• Taking charge vs. Giving up
• Paying bills vs.  Mindless spending
• Open to change vs.  Resisting  change
• Wellness vs. Trouble sticking with wholesome healthy choices
• Yes, I care vs. Who cares?

I feel sad to see so many people being laid off, facing foreclosures, losing health insurance,  our country fighting two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and facing natural disasters all at the same time.  Yes, this is a very difficult period for our country.  But our country has overcome even greater challenges in the past. We will overcome our present challenges too.   

As a mother, I am very happy to say my awesome son ( Senior Director of Business Development for an Atlanta based company) working with the CEO of the company is helping create jobs for Americans. The company was set up as a start-up venture about 6 years ago, and has grown from 4 people (one of whom was my son) to well over 1000 employees now. So, you see, we can create jobs if we are creative and determined.

In Wisconsin, let us recognize the businesses, individuals with creativity, cultural and culinary promoters and try to recognize from within. In this process we all overcome our challenges, boost our economy, and education. We can become winners and build a great future for us and for our children in our state and nation.

Even in anxious and  difficult times, we can be optimistic and see how to make our future better.  Yes, we can advance surely!

The Whitefish Bay library means a lot to me and my family. When my children were growing up in Whitefish Bay, we used the library often. When the library was remodeled and opened a few years ago, my cookbook co-author Dr. Patricia Marquardt and I were invited to be featured authors during the opening ceremony. We felt honored and we met many residents from the community. We cooked a variety of foods prepared from our cook book for tasting. It was a memorable afternoon.

As the reader may know from my previous blogs, I am an author and a culinary instructor with a passion to help people discover the joy of cooking and eating healthful foods. Through my classes and other culinary presentations, I have found that Milwaukeeans, including children, are eager to learn about spices and legumes and to enjoy cooking with a variety of vegetables. Many students in my classes have indicated that even their children find vegetables and flavored rice dishes irresistible when cooked with spices and legumes. The message that I am communicating is that legumes (beans, peas and lentils) and spices can significantly enhance the appeal of a broad variety of foods.  Spices are flavor enhancers and have intrinsic health benefits. Legumes are known to be nutritional power houses loaded with protein and fiber.  With obesity and diabetes on the rise, discovering new ways to prepare and enjoy healthful foods is increasingly important.

Now, that my children are grown up and are settled outside Wisconsin, I had more time for community service. I decided that one way was to offer free cooking classes in our community.  Whitefish Bay library has a beautiful community room in the second floor for meetings and educational activities. Last year during a visit to the library, Elke Saylor, the friendly librarian asked me about my culinary activities. At that time we explored an idea to do a series of monthly healthful cooking classes in the community room. Elke checked with the board and they were happy to have me do a cooking program for the community.  The class was scheduled once a month from 7:30PM to 9PM. My healthful cooking program was free, and was open to everyone even if they lived outside Whitefish Bay.  The participants registered with the librarian.

Once a month on a scheduled day, I demonstrated the preparation of two dishes to the class. The class size was limited to 25, and many requests for registration had to be turned down.  I oriented the attendees to spices and legumes and we had a fun-filled session of cooking, discussion and tasting. It was wonderful for me to meet many of the community residents who were very enthusiastic and eager to learn. We had a memorable time together cooking and sharing food.

Now, that everyone is concerned about being fit and healthy, it is a rewarding experience for me to share my knowledge and skill helping community residents discover new and healthful ways to eat. This,  well received program will be continued in the winter.

We will present again this series of classes on healthful cooking starting from February 2009.  The classes at WFB library in the community room are scheduled Feb.11^th, April 15^th, and May 20^th from 7:30 to 9:00PM. The details for the healthful cooking series are also posted in WFB library’s website. 

Do you feel too tired to cook after work?

Do you wish to eat healthy?

Do you exercise, but consume high calorie food?

Do you feel cooking is complicated and time consuming?

Do you feel that you don’t want to or don’t know how to cook?

Well, you have come to the right place to really enjoy cooking in vs. carrying out.
First of all, it is in the attitude how we approach cooking. Cooking is an art and it can be really a relaxing experience. I know a lot of people who love to cook and others who are happy eating out.As an author and a culinary instructor, I have heard the following comments in my cooking presentations:

“I don’t have time to cook everyday”.
My answer is, not every day. Maybe three times a week or on weekends, for an hour or so we can certainly find time. We are bound to find at least a few activities that can be replaced with cooking.

“Well, I don’t know how to cook”.
My answer is, take it from a pro. I didn’t either until I came to the US as a married young woman many years ago. I learned cooking after I came here. It has been a great and rewarding experience. Necessity was the mother of invention for me.

“Too many ingredients are overwhelming”
Just a little familiarity and enthusiasm will make a big difference. If we are interested in learning to play a musical instrument, what do we do? Well, we find a teacher to teach us, go to the music store and buy an instrument, music book, setup a time to get lessons, practice, and we become a pro. It is just like that. Cooking is a skill worth learning.

“It is easy to get a carryout. Why should I cook?”
Because you care for your health. Carryout foods have too much fat, salt and sugar. Eating carryout foods or eating foods occasionally is fine. Eating carryout foods or eating outside habitually is a threat to your health. Recognize that. You are worth nourishing.

“Vegetables are bland and boring. I don’t like any vegetables other than potatoes”
When you add flavors to the vegetables the resulting dishes actually result in greater enjoyment. Simply boiling and steaming will not do. The vegetables cooked with spices and lentils even transform kids from vegetable haters to vegetable lovers.

“Cooking is time consuming”
Not really. Like any skill worth learning, one can learn and can get better and better with experience. Once we take the time to have the basic spices and ingredients, all we we need is to get vegetables, meat and other ingredients. There are dishes that you can prepare in less than 20-30 minutes.

“My children are picky eaters, they may not like it”
It is all in our mind. When you cook at home, and include children in preparation of food, they are excited and they will be willing to try. Kids must be offered variety of foods. My cooking experience with children in schools has been amazing. They eagerly participate in cooking and eat if vegetables are appealing, aromatic and flavorful. Cooking brings family together, and it is a great bonding experience.
Enjoy cooking with family and make it a fun enjoyable and culinary experience!

Recipe:
Cucumber and Tomato Yogurt Salad
(Recipe from Healthy South Indian Cooking)

1 1/2 cups fresh cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
3/4 cup diced tomato
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/2 green chili pepper, minced (optional)
1 teaspoon black pepper and cumin powder (1/2 teaspoon each)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups fat-free plain yogurt
1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander(cilantro)

Place the vegetables in a serving bowl.

Blend black pepper and cumin powder with salt into yogurt.

Pour yogurt mixture over diced vegetbles and stir to coat. Taste and add additional seasonings if desired.

Refrigerate at least one hour. Garnish with coriander before serving.

Question, comments e-mail Alamelu at alamelu99@yahoo.com.