Dal Ambat

Ingredients:

• 1 cup toor dal (yellow lentils)
• 4 dry red chillies
  
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 cup grated coconut
  
• 1/2 tsp tamarind paste
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
• salt to taste
• 1 onion, finely chopped or 4-5 garlic cloves, crushed
  
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• a cup of any of the following vegetables (chopped): potato/tendli (ivy gourd)/lauki (bottle gourd)/squash/egg plant

Preparation:

1. Pressure cook dal with 3 cups of water. After 3 whistles, reduce flame to low heat, and cook for 8 minutes. Now, turn off the heat.
2. Cook the vegetables and add to dal.
   
3. Lightly fry fenugreek leaves in oil, making sure they do not burn.
   
4. Add red chillies to this and in a few seconds turn off the heat.
   
5. Grind the coconut, red chillies, turmeric powder, tamarind paste and the fenugreek seeds to a fine paste. Add this paste to the dal. Add salt and bring the mixture to a boil.
6. In a small kadhai, heat the oil. Add the chopped onions (or crushed garlic) and fry till it turns brown. Add this to the boiling mixture. Serve hot with rice.

If you're looking for a no onion/garlic version, use this tempering:

• 1 tsp cooking oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 4-5 curry leaves
  
• ½ tsp asafoetida (hing)

In a frying ladle, heat the oil and add the mustard. When the mustard splutters, add the asafoetida and turn off the flame. Add the curry leaves. Fry for a minute and add this to the boiling mixture.

Mushroom Matar

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup green peas
• 1 large tomato, diced
  
• 1/2" ginger, shredded
  
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp red chilly powder
• 1 tbsp dry fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
• salt adjust to taste
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice (optional)
• 1 finely chopped green chili (optional)

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan on medium high heat. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil. If the cumin seed cracks right away, the oil is ready.
2. Add the cumin seeds. As cumin seeds crack add turmeric. Stir-fry for a few seconds.
3. Add tomatoes, ginger, salt, coriander, and chili powder. Cook until the tomatoes are soft.
   
4. Add mushrooms & peas, cover the lid, & cook for 4-5 minutes.
   
5. Now add the fenugreek leaves.
6. Cook until mushrooms and peas are tender. Turn off heat.
7. Add lemon juice and green chili if you like. Serve hot.

Laucki chana dal

Ingredients

• 1 medium bottle gourd (doodhi)
• 1/2 cup yellow split gram (channa dal)
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• a pinch of asafoetida
  
• 2 whole red chilies
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
  
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp of garam masala
• 1 tsp mango powder (amchur), adjust to taste
• a handful of chopped cilantro leaves
  
• 1 cup of water, adjust as needed

Method

1. Wash and soak channa dal for 1 hour or more.
2. Peel, wash and cut bottle gourd into ½ inch cubes.
3. Boil water in a pressure cooker. Add channa dal, turmeric, salt and lauki to the water, close lid and cook under full pressure for 3-4 minutes or 2 ‘whistles’. When done, grains should be soft but not mushy.
4. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if seed cracks right away oil is ready.
5. Add the cumin seeds as they crack add asafoetida, & whole red chilies stir for few seconds.
6. Next add ginger-garlic paste, & chili powder; stir for few secs.
7. Add channa dal and bottle gourd mix from the pressure cooker.
8. Cook till gram dal gets soft.
9. Turn off the heat and sprinkle mango powder, garam masala, and cilantro. Stir and cover the pan for few minutes before serving.

Kadhai Paneer

Ingredients:

• 1 lb paneer
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 green bell pepper
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• pinch of asafoetida
• 3 green chillies, slit length-wise
  
• 1/2 tsp chilly powder
  
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 large white onion, diced into chunks
• 16 oz tomato sauce
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
  
• 1 tsp fennel powder
• 1 tbsp chopped fenugreek leaves
• a bunch of finely chopped coriander leaves
  
• salt to taste
  

Method:

1. Chop the paneer and bell peppers into ½ inch cubes.
2. Heat the oil in frying pan on medium heat and the stir-fry bell peppers until they are tender; do not over cook them. Take them out and drain on a paper towel.
3. Using the same frying pan, test the oil by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if seed cracks right away oil is ready.
   
4. Add the cumin seeds and asafoetida.
5. After the cumin seeds crack, add the green chillies, red chilly, turmeric powder and ginger-garlic paste, and stir for few seconds.
6. Add the diced onion and salt, and saute till transparent.
7. Add the tomato sauce and mix thoroughly.
8. Add the coriander powder, fenugreek leaves, fennel powder, garam masala powder and coriander leaves; mix thoroughly.
9. Cook for about 4 minutes on medium heat.
10. Wait till gravy comes to boil add paneer and bell pepper and let it simmer for about five minutes on low medium heat.
11. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Boondi Raita

Ingredients:

• 1 cup low-fat yogurt
  
• Water - for thinning yogurt
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1/4 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp chat masala
• 1/2 cup Boondi (thin crispy gram flour balls)
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves

Method:

1. Take a mixing bowl and thin the yogurt with water.
2. Add red chilly powder, cumin powder, chat masala and salt. Beat well.
3. When you are ready to serve, add Boondi and serve as a Yogurt blend.
4. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

Chicken Kundapuri

Ingredients:

• For the masala:
  
• 1 cup grated coconut
• 5-6 red chillies
  
• 6 black pepper corns
• 2" cinnamon stick
• 6 cloves
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
  
• 2 tsp coriander seeds
• For the curry
• 2 lb chicken
• 1 large tomato, finely chopped
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 3-4 tsp olive oil
  
• 1 sprig of curry leaves
• 1 cup water

Preparation:

1. Roast all the items under "For the masala" heading above. Grind it with a cup of water. Keep this aside .
   
2. In a pan, heat the oil, fry the curry leaves and cumin seeds - wait for a nice fragrance. Add the onion and tomato and fry until the raw taste is gone.
3. Add chicken, a cup of water and the ground masala.
4. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 12-15 minutes, until the chicken is done.

Tambli

Ingredients:

• 4-5 red chillies
• 1 cup grated coconut
• ball of tamarind pulp
• 2 cups water
• 1/2" piece of ginger, finely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 green chilly, finely chopped
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

1. Finely grind the red chillies, coconut, tamarind, and water.
2. Hand-mix the onions, ginger, green chillies and salt. Add this to the ground mixture.
3. Serve cold with rice.

Chilli Pakoda

Ingredients:
Green Banana Peppers
1 cup cooked mashed potato
1 tsp chat masala
1 tsp red chilly powder
Salt to taste
Batter
lime juice to taste

Directions:

1. Make the batter.
   
2. Slit the chilies along its length, keeping both the ends intact. Remove the seeds and the ribs.
3. Mix the mashed potato with salt, red chilly powder, chat masala, and lime juice.
4. Stuff the chilies with this mixture.
5. Dip the chillies in batter to coat. Drop in batches into hot oil.
6. Fry until the pakoras are golden brown on all sides.
7. Remove & drain on paper towels
8. Make a side dish of chopped onion, cilantro, chat masala and lime juice. Slit the fried chillies, and add this mix onto it.

Crispy Vegetable Pakodas

Ingredients:

2 cups gram flour (Besan)

Salt to taste
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)

1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp rice flour (optional)

oil for deep frying
Vegetables

Directions:

1. Combine the flour, dry ingredients & salt in a bowl & mix together well. Add cold water slowly, beating it until the mixture is smooth & free of lumps. Check the consistency - it should resemble the consistency of heavy cream & easily coat a spoon. If it does not, add more water till it does.
2. Heat oil over medium-high heat. The best temperature is 350°F.
3. Dip vegetables in batter to coat. Drop in batches into hot oil.
4. Fry until the pakoras are golden brown on all sides.
5. Remove & drain on paper towels.

Bread Str Fry (Usli)

Ingredients:

• 10 slices of bread
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
  
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp black gram (urad dal)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• pinch of asafoetida (hing)
• 3-4 green chillies, slit length-wise
• 4-5 curry leaves
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• bunch of cilantro leaves, finely chopped

Preparation:

1. Chop the bread pieces into small bite sized pieces.
   
2. To buttermilk, add sugar and salt, and mix well.
3. Take a pan and prepare seasoning with oil, urad dal, mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
   
4. When they start spluttering add the asafoetida, curry leaves and green chillies.
   
5. Add the onions and saute till the onions are translucent.
   
6. Add turmeric powder and stir.
   
7. Add the bread pieces and mix well.
8. Add the buttermilk solution to the bread pouring it all over the bread cubes. Mix once and close the lid for 2 minutes.
9. When the bread pieces start getting brown and a little caramelized, turn off the heat.
10. Garnish with cilantro leaves.
    

Vegetable Rice Pulao

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 4-5 curry leaves
• 6-8 green chillies, slit length-wise
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1.5 cups of basmati rice
• 2.5 cups of water
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• handful of cilantro leaves, finely chopped
• 1 cup cauliflower, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup of cut green beans
  
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1 tsp lemon juice
  
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Test the oil by adding one mustard seed; if seed cracks right away oil is ready. Now add mustard, cumin, green chillies and curry leaves, in that order.
2. Add salt, garlic-ginger paste, garam masala, veggies, turmeric and tomatoes, and stir for 2-3 minutes.
   
3. Add rice to this and stir fry for about 10-15 minutes.
4. Add water and place it in the rice cooker till cooked.
5. Sprinkle the lemon juice, and garnish the rice dish with cilantro.