Indian Cuisine
Coriander Powder
Coriander Powder is used as thickener to sauces the way European food might use wheat flour, or Chinese might use corn flour. It is added with the other dry spices. Sometimes it can seem crazy that you add 1tsp of other spices and then the coriander is marked in tablespoons - it is not a typo! It probably is one of the reasons that Indian cuisine is so pungent.
Vegan-able Dishes
Indian Vegetable dishes are quite easily turned into Vegan dishes. Most frying is done with vegetable oil. Its is only with the addition of "Tarka/Tadka" meaning "spiced oil" at the end that dishes become non-vegan. Also as the dishes are generally very healthy and low fat, sometimes a blob of Ghee (Clarified Butter) is stirred through at the end to add richness. Tarkas can made using vegetable oil as long as the oil is not allowed to over heat and smoke as this will alter the flavour. Dishes that work well as vegan dishes are the likes of Dhal (Lentil Curry), Aloo Ghobi (Cauliflower/Potato) and Palak Aloo (Spinach/Potato).
