Winter is the time for warming and nourishing soups to make a comeback in the kitchen, the kind of soups that make you feel like you're being coddled and looked after — even if you had to make the soup yourself! But I like to cook and enjoy the fruits of my labor. A steaming bowl of this easy-to-make soup is just the kind that makes us feel safe and comforted on a cold day, loaded with hearty vegetables, earthy green lentils, sweet pearl barley, and plenty of home-cooked goodness in a warm and inviting mushroom broth. A meal in a bowl, especially when served with a vegetable dish.

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May the fruit of the bitter gourd reside in every morsel of mine
~ from "Kshema Kutuhalam", an ancient Ayurvedic text as quoted by Jigyasa Giri and Pratibha Jain

If you've grown up in North America, there's a very good chance that you've never eaten bitter melons, if in fact you've even heard of them — and that would be a shame. Also known as bitter gourds, bitter melons have a fresh crunch that tastes like something between zucchini and cucumber — except, of course, far more bitter. But while deserving of their name, bitter melons are also powerhouses of nutritional and healing benefits that are highly esteemed in India and much of Asia, where the vegetable is considered a tonic for stomach complaints and the listless appetites of the elderly and the sick. Also considered to have anti-viral, anti-anemic and even anti-diabetic properties, you don't need to be suffering any maladies to enjoy a rich source of iron, beta carotene, calcium and potassium and good source of fiber, phosphorus and vitamins A, B1, B2, B3 and C that should give bitter melons a prominent place in any nutritionist's dossier.

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Dark, rich, chewy and moist, this may be the best Christmas fruitcake you've ever had — I can say it's by far and away the tastiest I've ever eaten. I've never been very enthusiastic about the store-bought fruitcakes that are always passed around at Christmas — loaded with sickly sweet and artificially-preserved sticky fruit bits, and usually dry by the time they're cut, they seem to fail on the promise that a rich dried-fruit cake ought to be able to deliver, and deserve the fruitcake jokes that get passed around with the same frequency. But I'm always willing to overcome my food prejudices — developed in so many cases in response to store-bought versions of various recipes — with a home-cooked edition using quality ingredients along with a little twist of my own.

And so with the classic Christmas fruitcake. Starting with a highly rated recipe from Alton Brown of the Food Network, I looked out the window at the cold grey autumn skies of southwestern Ontario and decided that a Christmas spent on a warm tropical island would be far preferable than the local rendering — freezing temperatures, snow shovels, and dirt-smudged city snow aren't quite what the Irving Berlin standard had in mind, I think. Using dried tropical fruits and nuts instead of the traditional currants, raisins, sultanas, glacé cherries and almonds seemed like just the twist I was looking for to let a warm sunny breeze blow through the windows of my mind.

Like good wines and cheeses, one of the secrets to making your own great fruitcake is to let it age, tightly sealed and kept moist with periodic brushings of rum or brandy. If possible, plan to bake your fruitcake at least a couple of weeks before sharing — but even cooled and served the same day, it will still be delicious.

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November Indian Vegetarian Recipe Roundup

My regular readers will know how much I adore Indian cuisine, even though I am not of Indian descent myself. So for November, I invited readers to submit one of their favourite Indian recipes, with a randomly drawn winner from the entrants receiving a free copy of 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer. This book is a treasury of wonderful Indian recipes from traditional to modern and fusion styles, suitable for beginners and experienced cooks alike, and is used constantly as a reference in my kitchen.

A very special thanks to all who submitted their recipes. I have shelves full of cookbooks but, as far as I am concerned, one can never have enough inspiration in the kitchen. And here are the submissions:

Up first is Lisa of We Don't Eat Anything with a Face. Paneer, mushrooms, spices, chickpeas, coconut and nuts and vegetables are all included in her dish. How could I resist this Paneer and Vegetable Tikka Masala?

Janet of The Taste Space is up next this mouthwatering Indian Eggplant and Lentil Curry (Dal Bhat Meets Baingan Bharta). Though roasting the eggplants created a lot of smoke, this one-dish meal was certainly worth the trouble and effort.

Divya of Dil Se has me craving dinner right now with a Mushroom Biryani. Spicy too, this will not fail to please mushroom lovers like myself.

From Claudine of The Kathmanduo we have this delicious Channa Masala Hummus. I love hummus, and this inventive Indian-style take on it has my tummy rumbling.

Privish of Killer on the Plate offers up this most tempting Spicy Stuffed Okra dish. This is a vegetable I need to make more often. Such a lovely presentation too.

Nayna of Simply Food submits one of my all-time favorite Indian dishes, Dal Makhani. Creamy, healthy, rich in protein and packed full of flavour, everyone should try a dal makhani at some time.

From Adam and Theresa of Keen on Food we have this gorgeous and very tempting Stuffed Eggplant Poriyal adapted, I was happy to hear, from one of my favourite cookbooks. I can never resist South Indian recipes, and this reminds me that I need to explore eggplant more often.

Tangy and spicy, this beautiful Spicy Dahi Aloo, or potatoes cooked in yogurt, from Laavanya of Cookery Corner won't fail to please fans of Indian cuisine. And I don't know anyone who doesn't love potatoes.

My contribution for this event is another one of my all-time favourites, and an Indian classic. Mattar Paneer is a staple dish in any home that serves Indian food, and when I go out for dinner this is also one of my favourite menu choices.

Akheela of Torviewtoronto treats us to this Ivy Gourd Stir Fry. I've yet to try ivy gourds — small Indian summer squashes — but this would be a great place to start.

Now here is a Millet Bread from Vaishali of Ribbons to Pastas. Green chutney is of course an essential condiment to go along with this Leele Doongri ne Kadhi ane Rotlo. This innovative creation surely tempts my palate.

Geetha of Sun Moon and Tomatoes presents this lovely Kappa Curry (Tapioca in Roasted Coconut Sauce) inspired by her mom. This South Indian dish is sure to please your palate.

From Richa of Hobby and More, here is a delicious vegan and gluten-free Kaju Katli, or Indian Cashew Fudge. A perfect treat to share with friends and family to celebrate this month's Indian festivals.

Deepika of My Life and Spice certainly has my mouth watering for this Nargisi Kofta. Another beautiful dish, Deepika certainly dresses this one up. The spice mixture sounds just divine. Stuffing a paneer or chenna cheese shell with raisins and apricots is a brilliant idea.

Paneer cheese is one of my favourite foods, so how could I resist this Butter Paneer Masala from Reeta of mykaleidoscope. This is also one of my favourite restaurant dishes, but so much better when homemade in your own kitchen.

Here we have another paneer dish from Val of More Than Burnt Toast. I made Saag Paneer myself recently, and it is always a favourite. I am so happy that I inspired this dear woman to learn more about Indian cooking.

Another one of my favorites from Sweatha of Tasty Curry Leaf. A winter warmer indeed, you will have to try this Mulligatawny Soup. Adapted from another of my favourite cookbooks, this is a curry-flavoured soup from South India similar to South Indian rasams. Yum.

Sundried Tomato Chutney from Usha of Veg Inspirations. Wonderful flavours, and pictures of pretty flowers as well. I do so love sundried tomatoes and what a great creation. I am craving this just right now.

Usha of My Spicy Kitchen presents an Okra Stir Fry that will not fail to please us vegetarians. Simple and easy but surely not lacking in flavor, this is a dish I would enjoy anytime of year.

Sweet Soma of eCurry presents this tempting Pan-Fried Cauliflower with Yogurt and Soy Sauce. Inspired by her Grandmother, this Indian fusion Chinese dish is sure to please and it is easy to prepare. Wholesome and creative.

Lynds of Vanilla Clouds and Lemon Drops offers up some gorgeous Spicy Chickpea Fritters. Certainly the best Indian food is made at home and I can't wait to try this dish.

Priya of Easy N Tasty Recipes never fails to please. This one-pot meal of Soya Chickpeas Dumplings & Tomato Pulao will most certainly please and nourish hungry tummies. The possibilities are endless.

Oh, more paneer! Mansi of Fun & Food Cafe has me craving this Kaju (Cashew) Paneer Masala. You can never go wrong with cooking with paneer, in my opinion, and your dinner guests will never be disappointed — that is for sure.

Thank you again to all my readers who submitted these fantastic Indian recipes. I hope everyone finds something here to try.