Urad dal is an extremely versatile, tasty and healthy pulse that can be cooked in a variety of ways — from chutneys to dosas. An extremely nutritious pulse, it is rich in protein. So, if you do not eat eggs or meat, you needn’t worry — your muscles, hair and nails will still be protected with this pulse. Ensure that you have it with lemon or tomatoes, since protein is best absorbed when had with vitamin C.

I loved the smell of cardamom in my mom’s kitchen when I was a kid. Not only does it have a lovely aroma and taste but you will be amazed to learn about its numerous health benefits.

When I think of dill leaves I remember how — during their pregnancies — all my friends were given suva. Suva is none other than dill and most people roast the seeds and have it as a mouth freshener. Dill mixed with sesame seeds and fennel seeds promotes lactation. But dill can be eaten with potatoes as a delicious salad.

Dudhi or lauki (the Hindi name for bottle gourd) has been part of the regular Indian diet since time immemorial.

The pomelo tastes like a sweet, mild grapefruit, though the typical pomelo is much larger in size than the grapefruit. It has very little, or none, of the common grapefruit’s bitterness.

Years ago in Kolkata I had the most delicious warm salad prepared by my aunt. I gorged on it. That’s when my love for water chestnuts, also known as paniphal or singhada, began.

Many people have asked me what alfalfa is. But this discovery by health gurus is not so recent. Alfalfa has been around for several long years. Alfalfa by itself has been used as a medicinal herb for over 1,500 years! Chinese medicines used alfalfa to cure digestive disorders and aid the kidneys as well. Closer home, ancient Hindu societies used alfalfa to cure indigestion and a cold paste of alpha was used to cure boils.

A shiny and dark green coloured leaf which has a distinctive aroma and taste, the “Curry Leaf” is also known as the “Sweet Limra”.

This attractive, small fruit is golden-orange with a velvety skin and flesh. Beautiful to look at, apricots are not too juicy but they are definitely sweet. Some people however, describe the flavour of this fruit as a bit tart. The apricot season runs from May through August. But apricots are found in all seasons in their dried versions.

This tiny little dry fruit fondly known as kishmish comes in many varieties and is identified by its colour and size. Raisins come in shades of green, black, blue, purple and yellow and are typically sun-dried but may also be water-dipped, or dehydrated. The most popular types of raisins are sultanas, malagas, monukka, zante currants and Muscat and Thompson seedless raisins.