Recently we, which means that my team and myself, worked on a book of recipes which were cooked with neither onion nor garlic. And believe me, we enjoyed ourselves so much that now at my home we like to have this type of food at least two to three times a week.  In fact we even tried cooking non vegetarian food and the result was really extremely palatable.

Not just that - there are many dishes which are traditionally cooked with onion and garlic, but when the same dishes were cooked without them they were just as tasty if not more. We made Jain Pav Bhaji where we did not use onion or garlic and not even potatoes because Jains as we all know do not have any root vegetable.  We used raw bananas instead of potatoes and asafoetida instead of onions.  The other masalas were more or less the same and the result – divine.  Similarly I once made paneer makhni where the makhni gravy was without onion or garlic. This was a part of a party menu and the guests loved it so much that now whenever I invite my friends for a meal, they ask me to make this dish.

In conclusion I would like to say that what we should not forget is that each ingredient, whether they are vegetables, or spice, has its share of nutrients, taste and flavour and when they are used in the proper combination, the result is absolutely great where the taste is not at all compromised.  Because in order to enjoy food completely, the taste has to be paramount.  All that we must remember is to use each and every ingredient diligently and they will never fail to impress.  

If you want to convert any recipe, that asks for onions/garlic, to one without, you need to understand the role it plays in the recipe and accordingly make changes. Browned onions add a good colour to the food. There are no substitutes as such but if the final taste and texture of the food are to be highlighted then here are some ideas that can help.

• Use fresh tomato puree or packaged tomato puree to good advantage. They both add a deep red colour to the food. And use slightly roasted spices like cumin and coriander for a finished rounded flavour.

• Nut pastes like cashewnuts, peanuts, almonds, melon seeds and even poppy seeds are a good addition to curries that require texture and thickening.

• Yogurt is another good substitute. But remember to whisk in some gram flour (besan) into the yogurt before adding it to hot curry. It will not curdle and the texture will be smooth.

• You can also add ground coconut – this will not only add thickness it will also give it a unique rich feel and flavour.

• Other substitutes are ground spinach or grated cabbage or grated carrot. These will not only help make the gravy thick but will also make the dish more nutritive.

It is very easy to cook without onions and garlic. All one needs is the correct approach to the recipe.