Purpose and Spice

I was really moved after watching the video of five star chef Narayanan Krishnan. It is so beautiful to see someone with a clear and driving purpose in life.

The following is an excerpt from the article Once a rising star, chef now feeds hungry.
 

In 2010 Narayanan was a Top 10 CNN Hero.

 "Krishnan founded his nonprofit Akshaya Trust in 2003. Now 29, he has served more than 1.2 million meals -- breakfast, lunch and dinner -- to India's homeless and destitute, mostly elderly people abandoned by their families and often abused.

Krishnan's day begins at 4 a.m. He and his team cover nearly 125 miles in a donated van, routinely working in temperatures topping 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

He seeks out the homeless under bridges and in the nooks and crannies between the city's temples. The hot meals he delivers are simple, tasty vegetarian fare he personally prepares, packs and often hand-feeds to nearly 400 clients each day.

Krishnan carries a comb, scissors and razor and is trained in eight haircut styles that, along with a fresh shave, provide extra dignity to those he serves."

Building the Akshaya project

You can also view on Youtube Narayanan Krishnan and on the CNN site Narayanan Krishnan CNN Heroes Tribute.

Tasty Palettes' Ven Pongal

Naturally I was curious about the Ven Pongal and Sambar dishes Krishnan mentioned in the videos so I looked them up.

The blog Tasty Palettes has the recipes for the Ven Pongal and a few variations of the Sambar. It's quite an impressive blog. The dominantly Indian recipes are rooted in tradition but many include contemporary touches or options.

What is notable, is the large number of vegan or vegan friendly dishes available.