Raj's Rasoi Vegan Wednesday Brunches: St. Louis Vegan Eats. Bollywood & Curry.

Raj's Rasoi:  Vegetarian all the time & Vegan Brunch Wednesdays!

Raj's Rasoi, 2286 McKelvey Road.

Maryland Heights, MO.

314.576.6666

Raj's Rasoi Website

So the St. Louis Vegan Scene isn't on par with New York, but neither are our taxes.  We can buy homes & find parking spots.  I have to point out the benefits of Midwest living because it's hard to forget what those are after you have eaten at the New York Dosa Cart or Babycakes.  But Raj's Rasoi Rocks.  It is a little bit of trek for those who are city dwellers and won't venture past the 170 border.  However, you will be greatly rewarded if you do!!  Raj's is Vegetarian all the time and has lots of vegan options on their menu.   In addition, Wednesdays have a Vegan Brunch, which when we went put us out something like six bucks. Six Bucks?  Yeah, so before you think it's a long drive, if you have a hybrid it truly might be economically worth the trip!!

Chana Masala, Okra Masal, Dal, Aloo Gobi, Saag.

Raj's Rasoi.  Vegan Wednesday Buffet.

The place is slightly off the beaten path, so make sure you get the address & mapquest it first.  It is tucked away in a StripMall, and I don't mean naked lady mall, I mean the main architectural basis of the midwest mall.  Raj's boasts a huge selection of food.  So happy that Okra Masala was on the menu that day!  They also have movies certain nights, think Bollywood & Curry.  It doesn't get better.  Raj is a super sweet host who is ridiculously humble.  

Okra Masala.

Aloo Gobi.

Chaat & Chutney.

Pappadum.  "Lentil Wafers"

Vegan Pakora.

Buffet.

Okra Masala, Saag, Dal.

Gotta love this!

Vegan Jalebi

Vegan Ladoo 

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"What Would Jesus Eat" Christian Vegetarian Reading Material!
Veg Starter Kits.

The place boasts some reading material that is pro-vegetarian and flyers for upcoming events such as Kirtans.  They also had some of Deepak Chopra's animated books of Shiva & a beautifully illustrated version of the Ramayana.  Homemade, handwritten signs denote each dish, which is slightly adorable.  And you can tell it changes daily.  It's like Raj just made all the food & then labelled it himself!  I ate way too much and so did my hubby, but that hasn't stopped him from wanting to go back!  

Raj's Rasoi, 2286 McKelvey Road.

Maryland Heights, MO.

314.576.6666

Raj's Rasoi Website

Have any readers eaten at Raj's??  What did you think?  What are your favorite dishes?  What are your favorite vegan friendly restaurants in your town?  Does it matter to you whether the atmosphere/vibe is specifically "Indian" or is it just about the food?

We have eaten at Indian places in a lot of cities, but I can't think of any that just make me think, "Oh, that's the best place".  We really liked Madras Cafe in New York, which had Vegan Dosas, but they moved!  Oh, "NY Dosas" rocks, a Food Cart with Vegan Dosas!!.  Will be blogging about that soon too!

Okra Masala.

Fennel.





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Blissful Vegan Bollywood Eats. Gokul's Vegan Indian food hits Delmar Loop, St. Louis.

Gokul's in "Delmar Loop, St. Louis.
Vegan Eats.

Our amazing friends at Gokul's finally have their new place in the Delmar Loop (6101 Delmar) open!!  We were so anxiously awaiting their Grand Opening because usually we have to drive all the way to 170 and Page (10633 Page) area to their original location to get some great Vegan Indian Eats.  These photos give you just a glimpse of what is awaiting you at the new Delmar Loop Gokul's.  We ducked in for a quick lunch one day and they had a few vegan options on their buffet.  They had a lot more on our first visit, but I expect they are still "adjusting" their buffet items at the new location.   Their Page location always has the "staples" like Vegan Chana Masala, Vegan Dal, Vegan "Potato" Chips, Vegan Pigeon Peas, Vegan Sambar, and some other "Main" Vegan dish, even when it isn't Vegan Night. The Page location offers "Vegan Night" the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the Month and the Delmar Loop Location is planning (although they haven't started yet) to offer Vegan Night the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month (in the evenings) That means Vegan Korma, Vegan Paneer, Vegan Dal Makhani......even Vegan Rice Pudding. Think super rich coconut milk! 

Vegetarian Buffet everyday, lunch and dinner.  Ask which items are vegan. Delmar Gokul's is also Kosher.  

Bright & Roomy dining area.

Counter at Gokul's.

Zucchini & Potatoes.

Lunch at Gokul's in Delmar Loop.
Zucchini, Potatoes, and Dal.

There are 2 dining areas at Gokul's.  The one in the Main Entrance, where the counter and buffet are, and then a cute room on the side.  

Second dining area at Gokul's.

Gokul's always has an all vegetarian buffet.  They also have a full menu at both locations. The buffet usually has plenty of vegan items on it. While we are super happy to have vegan eats so close, we are still a little partial to the Page location.  I think I miss Ganesh, Hanuman, and Krishna.  The little moving neon text "100% Vegetarian is Best".  The Indian Music.  It is unapologetically "Indian".  The Delmar Location still has the same great eats, but has "mainstreamed" their decor a bit.  

Hopefully the Bollywood movies will start soon!  The place was packed both times, as I think the Delmar Loop has been craving both Vegan & Indian eats for years.  While both locations are Vegetarian, they made the Delmar one Kosher.  It's kind of a trend these days to go Kosher with the Vegan Food.  You see the "V's" and the "Koshers" on lots of food packaging and vegan eataries around the country.   Since we are both minorities (Vegans & Kosher folks) and have some food similarities, it makes good business sense.  If you like Indian food, you will love Gokul's.  The food is fabulous and you won't run into kinder people.  The people working at Gokul's will warm your heart, and the food will warm your body!

**Update:  Gokul will have their "Vegan Buffet" at their Delmar location the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month beginning Monday, March 14, 2011. Vegan Buffet is from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm.  The Page Location will still be offering the Vegan Buffets the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month.

	Location: Delmar [KOSHER - Vaad Hoeir] Phone: 314-721-1888 Hours: Open 7 days a week from 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Address: 6101 Delmar Blvd St. Louis, Missouri 63112

Indian Vegan Eats from Anupy Singla's Simple Slow Cooker

                                

I just love this woman! First I love that she was a successful journalist/reporter and had the cojones to quit that and follow another passion. And although she had the media ties, there were no guarantees that her "passion" would ever actually materialize into a book deal or any other sort of real financial compensation. Second, I love that she is going against long standing traditions in some aspects and introducing people to new, slightly altered ones. For example, she talks about her father and other relatives being affected by heart disease yet really being loyal to the cream and ghee in their foods. All of our cultures have traditions, and it can be difficult to convince people to change something that they have done forever, to a new paradigm. So her new paradigm is healthy, low-fat, yet traditional, Indian food. She is emulating the outdoor clay ovens of India with the slow cooker. So achieving a result that is pretty similar to the original, yet with nearly no effort. An answer to working people or just people who absolutely don't want to spend any more time than necessary in the kitchen. Her approach makes it so accesible to anyone. I seriously haven't bought a book that had ANY meat recipes in it for well over 20 years, if I ever did, I can't remember. But this book has so much "vegan merit" that I didn't even give it a second thought. I always "think" that Indian cuisine is so much more vegan friendly anyway, and at least they won't laugh at the idea of not eating a cow.  Nearly every recipe in the book is either already vegan or can me made vegan by using a nut milk.

The Indian Slow Cooker Book by Anupy Singla

Now we just need to wait for  her "special" masala dabbas to go online! It's really important to know that you are getting a stainless steel one because spices like tumeric "eat" everything. I had some tumeric stored in a little plastic container (this happened a decade ago when I used plastic) and the spice actually warped/melted the container. Tumeric (haldi) is getting touted everywhere now as a "magical" spice as it has anti-inflammatory properties and they are even researching it's role in the prevention of Alzheimers. Apparently India has virtually no Alzheimers. Is it the tumeric or is it that the many of the people don't eat beef so there is not much undiagnosed "mad cow" disease that can emulate Alzheimers? Maybe they don't have the "factory farm" culture for cattle at least, since maybe their cattle consumption is less. 

In any case, Eat your Tumeric!!  And don't buy your masala dabba until Anupy unveils her super special one with "standard measuring" spoons that will make cooking Indian food even easier. Rumor has it that they will be ready soon!!

And if you are in the St. Louis area, don't forget that Gokul's (6101 Delmar) opened a new location.  All vegetarian, all the time.  Some of the kindest people on the planet and the food is great too!  Kind to your belly and to the animals.  The Delmar Loop location is Kosher.  The Page location is super quaint with Hindu Deities overlooking the buffet bar and Hanuman on the cashier counter.  Bollywood movies at night.  

Vegan Black Eyed Peas infused with Cilantro from "The Indian Slow Cooker"

Cilantro Infused Black Eyed Peas
From Anupy Singla's "The Indian Slow Cooker" Book.

It's New Year's Eve and my hubby grew up eating black-eyed peas and collard greens New Year's day. So figured I should have the Black-eyed peas ready to go around midnight! Well, Vegan Style!  I guess that black-eyed peas and ham hocks are the "traditional" way to prepare them BUT we shall have none of that here!  Why start your new year harming other creatures? Anupy Singla's "The Indian Slow Cooker" even has vegan black-eyed pea recipes!  So of course we had to do it.  Thankfully I noted the cooking time was 10 hours and started it around 1:00.  Cilantro-infused Black-eyed Peas (Dhania Waale Lobhia) is on page 86 of Anupy's book.

Black Eyed Peas.

Lots of cilantro, tomatoes, onions, garlic ginger.
The Indian "staples".

Indian "staples" getting ready for an awesome vegan Black-Eyed Pea dish.

Cilantro and "staples" getting pureed in food processor.
Thai chilis too, YUM!

This is for cilantro lovers as it calls for 2 whole bunches.  Once again, a simple recipe from this stellar book.  Roughly cut up a tomatoes, ginger, onions, and other yummies to throw in the food processor.  And this time you get to make a toasted cumin-coriander spice.  I used our cute little cast iron pan for this.  Cast iron is great because it has no nasty coating that falls out in your food, and it doesn't burn easily.  Truly you throw everything in the pot and push the start button.   You don't touch it for a full ten hours and then you add another bunch of fresh cilantro.

Cumin and coriander getting roasted in small cast iron skillet.

No excuses for not cooking healthy food.  No, it's not too expensive.  Is 1.99 a pound for ORGANIC beans too expensive?  No, it doesn't call for crazy spices.  Are Cumin and Coriander "out there"?  Even the fresh cilantro I picked up at a tiny neighborhood store.  Are onions exotic?  Roma tomatoes?  Normally I would not buy tomatoes this time of year, but it doesn't seem like you are looking for the "ripe", fullest flavor heirloom for these recipes.  More of a firm Roma, organic if you can.  Turmeric?

Black-Eyed peas, spices, Chiles in Crock-Pot (slow cooker)

Buy in bulk! It's cheaper and then you will always have food on your shelves!
This is my organic brown basmati rice next to my black-eyed peas saying
"Please pick ME!"

Sometimes it seems like people constantly make excuses like expense or they have zero time.  Although they have time to watch endless hours of TV (expensive cable at that, hey I'm NOT knocking John Stewart, just eat healthy food while doing it :) or they have enough money to buy packaged junk food.  But some of the best foods out there are also the least expensive.  So even if you are on government aid and struggling, it is very possible to eat in a healthy way. Maybe "welfare" should be a slow cooker and free bags of organic rice and beans. Copies of Anupy's book and other healthy, low cost eating cookbooks,  and some basic food preparation classes.

Cilantro Infused Black Eyed Peas made in the Slow Cooker (crock pot).
Verdict: Super Delicious!! Another Amazing dish from Anupy.

Fresh Organic Collard Greens.


The Indian Slow Cooker: 50 Healthy, Easy, Authentic Recipes