Herbivore Haven

BY VENESA DASWANI

Meet Madhu Dawani, the culinary maestro whose home kitchen is a melting pot of flavours, spices, and a whole lot of love. Imagine the zing of Thai lemongrass mingling with the warmth of Indian turmeric, all crafted into vibrant vegan and vegetarian dishes that make your taste buds dance – this is the essence of The Chat Café, which Madhu began during the COVID-19 lockdown. Whether it’s her aromatic Thai green curry with a twist of Indian spice, or her decadent Noodleless pad thai,  Madhu’s creations are nothing short of magical – and this is not just my bias as her daughter speaking! From the heart of an Indian mother, Madhu aims to have a meal for everyone to enjoy. 

Starting out as a fun project, The Chat Café began when Madhu decided to cook fusion dishes during the lockdown period, to ensure everyone could enjoy a comforting, home-cooked meal during those uncertain times. Her innovative recipes blend the aromatic spices of India with the fresh, zesty flavours of Thailand, creating a unique dining experience that has quickly gained a loyal following. “I have a great passion towards living a green life, not only through my diet, but also through my everyday actions,” she told Masala when asked about why she began the project. This passion led The Chat Café to being a fully-green cloud kitchen by taking measures like an initiative to go plastic-free. Available through direct order, Madhu has grown her passion project into one that delivers all over Bangkok and has over 200 dishes on their menu, and they also now cater to all types of events, and provide a lunch box service for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Madhu prepared for Masala a feast of her favourite dishes from The Chat Café, sharing two of them with us: Lapeto, a beloved Nepali salad made primarily of Rangoon tea leaves that brings a burst of freshness to any meal; and Spinach lentil soup(sai bhaji), a nutritious powerhouse that is packed with vitamins, minerals, and proteins, making it the perfect comfort food for any time of year. 

RANGOON TEA LEAVES
(LAPETO)

Prep time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 5 minutes Serving: 2

INGREDIENTS
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 medium tomato, sliced
• 1 cup chopped cabbage
• 1 tsp chopped garlic
• 1 tsp fresh green chillies
• Coriander, finely chopped
(amount to your liking)
• Red chilli powder
(amount to your liking)
• 1 tbs lemon juice
• 1 tbs oil
• Peanuts (amount to your liking)
• Rangoon tea leaves
(amount to your liking)
• Salt (amount to your liking)

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Add all the ingredients into a large salad
bowl.
2. Mix together thoroughly.
3. Serve and enjoy!

SPINACH LENTIL CURRY
(SAI BHAJI)

Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 15-20 min Serving: 4

INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup chopped spinach
• ½ cup yellow lentils
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 small tomatoes, chopped
• 2 fresh green chillies
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tbs oil
• Cumin (amount to your liking)
• Salt (amount to your liking)
• Kashmiri red chilli (amount to your
liking)
• Turmeric (amount to your liking)
• 1 tsp lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Add the oil, garlic, chilli and cumin to your pressure cooker.
Let it sit and get hot until it starts to simmer.
2. Once the pan is hot, put in your chopped onions, tomatoes and
yellow lentils. Mix them until the ingredients are well combined.
3. Add in the chopped spinach, a pinch of salt, and 1 cup of water,
if needed.
4. After the pressure cooker has given 8 whistles, take the pressure
cooker off the gas.
5. Transfer everything from the pressure cooker into a blender,
and grind the entire mixture.
6. Put everything back into the pressure cooker and add a pinch
of turmeric, kashmiri red chilli, and lemon juice.
7. Let sit on a low flame until you are ready to eat.
8. Serve with hot steamed rice and sindhi papad, and enjoy!