Here is a section which I hope will make simple everyday cooking as simple as it should be, and not only simple but pleasurable and tension-free. Whether you are cooking for yourself on returning from a day at work, whether you are rushing through it before you leave home for the day or whether you have more time at hand to attend to cooking, the time you spend in the kitchen will become something you look forward to and not dread. The recipes in this section (which for many of you may well lead to your first experiences in the kitchen) will, I hope, help to take the scare out of cooking so that you emerge a more confident and creative cook.
So what can you expect to find here? Many of the more usual dals and vegetables that you have been used to seeing on your ‘mother’s table’. There’s the homely mung dal of course, as well as channa, masoor and arhar dals as well as an interesting combination of all of them. Then there are vegetables – ladies’ fingers, cauliflower, potatoes, peas and eggplant. There are simple recipes for a meat, chicken and fish curry and two rice-based menus for the day you don’t feel like eating (or making) chapattis. Some salads and a digestive will help you complete the meal. By the way, I have teamed the recipes for you so that menu planning does not become the chore it often threatens to. Once you have your favorites I am sure you can mix and match and do your own thing!
So welcome, beginners and bachelors to the kitchen. Have fun! Be creative! And move on fast to the next chapter for more innovative recipes.
Simple
Everyday Menus
Mung Dal (Split Green Gram)
Keema-Mattar (Minced Meat Cooked with Peas)
Chapatti
Green Salad
Dal Panchratan (Mixed Pulses)
Sookhi Bhindi ki Sabzi (Dry Cooked Okra with Onions)
Chapatti
Yogurt
Salad
Tariwale Mattar-Aloo (Curried Peas with Potatoes)
Matki ki Sabzi (Sprouted Gram Cooked with Onions)
Chapatti
Yogurt
Salad
Tariwala Gosht (Simple Meat Curry)
Gobi Aloo (Cauliflower Cooked with Potatoes)
Adrak Nimbu Salad (Ginger Slices in Lemon)
Chapatti/Rice
Mung Dal (Split Green Gram)
Paneer Shimla Mirch ke Saath (Cottage Cheese Cooked with Capsicum)
Chapatti
Yogurt
Salad
Sambar (Pulses Cooked with Vegetables)
Rice
Papad
Green Salad
Mattar Chawal (Rice Cooked with Peas)
Kheere ka Raita (Spiced Yogurt with Cucumber)
Kachumbar (Finely Chopped Mixed Salad)
Channe ki Dal (Bengal Gram/ Split Peas)
Baingan ka Bharta (Mashed Eggplant)
Chapatti
Yogurt
Salad
Sookhe Mattar (Dry Cooked Peas)
Anda Tari (Curried Eggs)
Chapatti/Rice
Salad
Tariwala Murgh (Chicken Curry)
Aloo-Shimla Mirch ke Saath (Potatoes Cooked with Capsicum)
Chapatti/Rice
Salad
This is the quickest cooking, lightest dal. Not that that makes it any less delicious than the others. This recipe uses an unusual ingredient — aniseed — in the tempering to make it quite special.
Ingredients
• ½ cup dal, picked, washed and soaked in 4 cups water for 30 minutes
• 1 ½ tablespoon oil or ghee
• ½ teaspoon zeera (cumin seeds)
• ½ teaspoon saunf (aniseed)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• Green chilli to taste, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ginger, chopped or grated
• 1 small tomato, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon haldi (turmeric)
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
OTHER REQUIREMENTS: a bowl to wash and soak the dal • a pressure-cooker • a long-handled spoon • a chopping board and knife
METHOD
1. Put the pressure-cooker onto the stove. Pour in the oil or ghee. Use the ghee if you have a taste for it. It does add to the flavour of this particular dal. Let it heat up for a minute.
2. Drop in the cumin and after a few seconds, the aniseed. Let them turn just a shade darker. They will turn aromatic.
3. Add the onions, chillies and ginger. Stirring every once in a while, fry till the onions turn golden brown.
4. Add the tomato. Keep frying till the fat separates and the tomato becomes mushy.
5. Add the turmeric and salt. Fry for a few seconds.
6. Add the dal along with the water in which it was soaked. Stir, close the cooker and let it come up to maximum pressure. As soon as it whistles, turn the heat down and keep the dal on the stove for 5 minutes more. Let the pressure reduce by itself. Open the cooker, stir the dal and check that it is the consistency you like. Check the seasonings too.
7. If you are not using a pressure cooker, the dal will take much longer, 30 minutes or more, to cook to the desired consistency. You will also need to add at least 2 cups more water.
Serves 4.
VARIATIONS
Instead of making the chhaunk (tempering) first as in this recipe, you can first boil the dal with just salt and turmeric and then, in another smaller pan, make the tempering. Pour it over the dal just before serving.
You can make changes in the tempering too – omit the ginger if you like and add garlic instead, or make a tempering of just browned onions or try black pepper and tomatoes for a different flavour. Also, if you like chillies, add red chilli powder. Go on, be innovative.
NOTE
Though this dal does serve 4, there is not much point making it in a smaller quantity. I would suggest making this recipe and freezing the leftovers for another day, when you don’t feel like cooking.
*This is the split, tiny yellow mung bean, not the whole green one.
The quickest meat to cook. The peas go very well with it though you can substitute with potatoes, if you prefer.
INGREDIENTS
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 small piece dalchini (cinnamon)
• 3 hari elaichi (green cardamoms) or 1 kaali elaichi (black cardamoms)
• ½ teaspoon zeera (cumin seeds)
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• Green chilli or red chilli powder, to taste
• ¼ teaspoon haldi (turmeric)
• ¾ teaspoon dhania (coriander) powder
• ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 250 gm keema (minced meat) washed
• 1 cup mattar (peas), shelled
• 1 tablespoon hara dhania (fresh coriander), finely chopped
OTHER REQUIREMENTS: a pressure pan or cooker • a long-handled spoon • knives and a chopping board
METHOD
1. Heat the oil in the pan or cooker. Drop in the cinnamon and cardamom. Turn the heat to medium and let them sizzle for a minute.
2. Add the cumin seeds. Let them turn a shade darker.
3. Add the onion. Stir and fry till it turns light brown.
4. Add the ginger and garlic and fry till the mixture turns golden brown. If you find it sticking too much at the bottom, add a few tablespoons of water.
5. Add the tomato and chillies. Fry till the fat separates to the edges.
6. Add the masalas and salt. Fry another few seconds.
7. Drop in the mince. Fry it till it turns golden brown. At first, it will exude water and then gradually start drying up and changing colour.
8. Pour in ¾ cup water. Close the cooker and let it come to maximum pressure. As soon as it whistles, turn down the heat and keep on the fire for 8 minutes.
9. Turn off the gas and let the pressure reduce on its own. If you are in a hurry, you can release it.
10. Add the peas. If you think that there is not gravy enough in the pan (about ½ cup), add some water and close the cooker again. Once more, let it come to maximum pressure, then turn down the heat and keep on the fire for 2 minutes more. Let the pressure reduce, then open the cooker, check that the peas are tenderised and there is no excess liquid. Boil it away if there is.
11. Serve garnished with the fresh coriander.
Serves 2 (you can expect some leftovers).
VARIATIONS:
A few tablespoons of yogurt can be used instead of the tomato, or even along with it. A teaspoon of dried fenugreek added along with the other spices gives a unique flavour.
You may like to substitute meat with soya or TVP (textured vegetable protein) granules for a delicious vegetarian version of the same!
NOTE
Leftovers can be frozen for another time. They can also be used as an excellent filling for parathas or toasted sandwiches.
Chapatti/Salad
See Everyday Basics if you need help to treat and prepare salad vegetables, make chapattis, or set yogurt.
This mixture of 5 dals is very satisfying. Fairly simply made, the recipe has an interesting twist in the end — a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of garam masala.
INGREDIENTS
• ½ cup mixed dals (1 tablespoon each of arhar, channa, mung, sabut ma, and masoor*)
• 1-1 ½ tablespoons oil or ghee
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ginger, chopped or grated
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• ½ teaspoon dhania (coriander) powder
• ¼ teaspoon haldi (turmeric) powder
• Green chilli) or red chilli powder to taste
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
• a little less than ½ teaspoon garam masala
• 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon hara dhania (fresh coriander), finely chopped
OTHER REQUIREMENTS: a pressure cooker or thick-bottomed pan with a well-fitting lid • a long-handled spoon • a chopping board and knives • a bowl to soak the dal
METHOD
1. Pick, wash and soak the dals all together in 4 cups of water. It would be best if you let them soak for about an hour. If you soaked them overnight, that would be perfectly fine too.
2. Heat the oil or ghee in the pan or cooker. This is another dal whose flavour is enhanced by the addition of ghee. Use it if you like the taste.
3. As soon as the oil heats up, drop in the onion. Fry till golden brown.
4. Add the next 6 ingredients. Stir and fry for 1 minute.
5. Scoop out the dals from the water in which they were soaked with a large spoon or your hand. Drop into the pressure cooker. Fry till the dals start sticking to the bottom.
6. Add the water in which the dals were soaked. Close the cooker and let it come to maximum pressure. As soon as it whistles, turn down the heat, and keep on the fire for 14 minutes. Let the pressure reduce by itself. Open the cooker and check that the dals are all tenderized and well-blended. Stir together and boil away any excess liquid.
7. To cook without a pressure cooker, add 2 cups extra water and cook on a slow fire for 1 hour or till done to the consistency you prefer.
8. Just before serving, stir in the garam masala, lemon juice and fresh coriander.
Serves 3-4.
NOTE
You can freeze this very conveniently. Since it contains 5 different kinds of dal, you cannot make it in a much smaller quantity. However, if you start to enjoy it, you can mix the dals and keep them in a separate container and perhaps try cooking a slightly smaller quantity. This would be useful, especially if you are cooking only for yourself.
*Split red gram, split peas, split green gram (or mung beans), black gram, lentils (the pink one)
Though this vegetable can be cooked in so many different ways, this is the most common variation. When you buy the vegetable, avoid tough, stringy pieces. You may have seen shoppers snapping off the narrow end to test the vegetable for freshness. It’s an accurate method’you should try it too!
INGREDIENTS
• 250 gm or ½ lb bhindi (ladies’ fingers/okra), washed and dried
• 1¾ tablespoons oil
• ½ teaspoon zeera (cumin seeds)
• ¼ teaspoon haldi (turmeric) powder
• ½ teaspoon dhania (coriander) powder
• Red chilli powder to taste
• 1 large onion, sliced
• ¾ teaspoon salt or to taste
• Pepper to taste
• ½ teaspoon amchur (mango powder)
OTHER REQUIREMENTS: a karahi or heavy-bottomed pan with a lid • a flat wooden or metal spoon • a tava • a knife and chopping board
METHOD
1. Before starting to cook, prepare the vegetable. The list of ingredients mentions that the okra must be washed and dried. This is important. You will not enjoy cutting wet okra and also, it will take longer to cook and turn out mushy and messy. So either wash them and leave to dry in a colander, or if you are in a hurry, wash the okra and wipe dry before cutting. To cut, first from the whole lot of vegetable, cut off the top bit of the stem and a tiny portion from the bottom. After that, you can take 5-6 okra together, lay them on the chopping board and cut them into small pieces the size of one division of your finger! Keep aside.
2. Heat the oil. Drop in the cumin. Let it turn a shade darker.
3. Drop in the turmeric, chilli and coriander. Fry a few seconds.
4. Add the onion. Fry for 2 minutes. It should turn just transparent, not brown.
5. Add the vegetable. Stir to bring the spices and onions to the top.
6. On medium heat, without covering, cook the okra for 15-20 minutes. At the end of this time, you will notice that the stickiness that was earlier there is practically gone and the okra is a little more than half-cooked.
7. Add the salt and pepper, cover the pan, put the griddle underneath it and cook another 6 minutes. Now check that the vegetable is done. Add the mango powder, stir in and keep on the fire another 2 minutes.
Serves 2.
VARIATIONS:
You may omit the onions altogether, add whole button ones or add the same sliced onions along with the salt. They will be crunchier at the end.
Though the mango powder does give the dish a characteristic sour tang, you may omit it too, if you prefer.
Chapatti/yogurt/Salad
See Everyday Basics if you need help to treat and prepare salad vegetables, make chapattis or set yogurt.
This delightful curry combines two favourite vegetables. If you have been able to make the basic onion-tomato masala base in advance, it gets cooked in next to no time.
INGREDIENTS
• 1 medium onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
• 2 sticks laung (clove)
• a small stick dalchini (cinnamon)
• 2 hari elaichi (green cardamoms) (optional)
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 small tomatoes
• Green chilli to taste, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon haldi (turmeric) powder
• ½ teaspoon dhania (coriander) powder
• ½ teaspoon garam masala
• 1 cup shelled mattar (peas), fresh or frozen
• 1 large aloo (potato)
• ¾-1 teaspoon salt
OTHER REQUIREMENTS: a pressure cooker (if you’re cooking fresh peas) or a heavy-bottomed pan or karahi with a lid • an electric grinder • a spoon • a knife and chopping board
METHOD
1. In an electric grinder, grind the first 6 ingredients. You will have to peel and roughly chop the onion, peel the garlic, and peel and grate the ginger before putting them into your grinder.
2. Heat the oil.
3. Put the ground paste into the pan. On medium heat, let it fry till it is light brown. You will have to keep watching it and stirring occasionally since after a few minutes, it will start sticking to the bottom. Add a few tablespoons of water, scrape it off and carry on.
4. While the masala is getting done, purée the tomatoes and keep them aside. If you are doing this in the grinder, you need not peel them. Also peel and cube the potato. To do this, cut the potato lengthwise in half, then in strips, which you can cut into cubes. Put the potato into a bowl of water.
5. As soon as the onion masala in the pan is light brown, add the tomatoes. Stir and fry till the fat separates. It will take just a couple of minutes. Now add the green chillies, turmeric, coriander and garam masala. Stir another minute.
6. Throw away the water in which the potatoes were soaked. Add the peas, potatoes and salt to the onion masala. Stir to coat well with the masala.
7. Add 2 cups water. Raise the heat and let it come to a boil. As soon as it does, lower the heat, cover the pan and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes. By this time the peas will be cooked and the curry should be thickened. If you want it thicker, boil a little more. This is the method you would follow to make frozen peas. If the peas you are using are fresh, cook them in the pressure cooker. Add ½ cup less water. Once the cooker reaches maximum pressure, reduce the heat and keep just 2 minutes. Let the pressure reduce by itself, then open the cooker and if you need, boil a little more to thicken the curry.
Serves 2.
VARIATIONS
• Use paneer instead of the potatoes. In that case, cook the curry and add the paneer to it just before serving. You may prefer the paneer lightly fried. In case you do, fry it while the peas are cooking.
• You can also use boiled eggs. You would add them right at the end as well. I like to cut the eggs in half and ‘float’ them in the gravy.
• You can of course also choose to make just a pea curry, a very good idea when peas are in season. Add ½ cup extra peas, in that case.
SPROUTED GRAM COOKED WITH ONIONS
A superb, protein-packed way to add pulses to the menu. Get into the habit of sprouting gram—you can have it like this, at a meal, raw in salad or even on toast.
INGREDIENTS
• ½ cup mung (whole green gram), picked and washed
• 1½ tablespoons oil
• ½ teaspoon zeera (cumin seeds)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• Green chillies to taste, finely chopped
• ¾ teaspoon salt or to taste
• Pepper and red chilli powder to taste
• ¼ cup water
• juice of ½ a lemon
• ½-¾ teaspoon sugar
OTHER REQUIREMENTS: a heavy-bottomed pan or karahi with a lid • a tava (griddle) • a knife and chopping board • a lemon squeezer
METHOD
1. Soak the mung in water overnight and then throw away the water. Cover the mung with a wet cloth and leave for another 8-10 hours in a warm place. At the end of this time, you will find it has sprouted and is crunchy to taste. The sprouted ‘tails’ will however be short – you may keep it longer if you like.
2. Put the pan on the stove with the oil. Let it heat up for a few minutes.
Drop in the cumin. Let it turn a shade darker.
3. Add the onions and green chillies and fry till the onions are just turning pinkish. Do this step on a slow fire.
4. Add the salt, pepper and chilli powder and stir another few seconds.
5. Add the sprouts and water. Stir well, cover the pan, put the griddle underneath and cook 10-15 minutes. The length of time you cook actually depends on how soft or crunchy you like the sprouts. Check on them after 10 minutes and then decide how much longer you want to keep them on the fire.
6. Stir in the lemon juice and sugar. Again, add just as much sugar as you like. If you don’t like sweet-sour tastes, avoid it altogether.
Serves 2.
You might have some leftovers. If you do, try them on toast!
Chapatti/yogurt/Salad
See the Everyday Basics section if you need help to treat and prepare salad vegetables, make chapattis, or set yogurt.
A simple meat curry that I am sure you will soon be able to perfect.
INGREDIENTS
• 250 gm / ½ lb gosht (meat), dressed and cut in pieces
• 2 onions
• 1”piece of ginger
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 tomatoes
• 2 ½ tablespoons oil
• 2 laung (cloves)
• a small stick of dalchini (cinnamon)
• Green chilli to taste, finely chopped
• a little less than ½ tsp haldi (turmeric powder)
• 1 flat teaspoon dhania (coriander) powder
• ½ teaspoon dried methi (fenugreek) powder (optional)
• ¾ teaspoon salt or to taste
1 tablespoon hara dhania (fresh coriander), finely chopped
• some water
OTHER REQUIREMENTS: an electric grinder • a pressure cooker • a chopping board and knife • a long-handled spoon
METHOD
1. Wash the meat well. Remove any fatty membranes. Keep aside.
2. Peel the onions and either chop them very finely or cut them into quarters and grind them. Keep this aside.
3. Peel the ginger and garlic. Cut the ginger in thick slices and put into the grinder along with the garlic. Grind it. You may need to use a few teaspoons of water to get a smooth paste.
4. Roughly chop the tomatoes and grind them separately to a smooth purée.
5. Now you are ready to start cooking. Put the pressure cooker or pan on to the stove. Drop in the oil, and as soon as it heats up, which will happen in a few minutes, gently put in the cloves and cinnamon. You will see these puff up and turn aromatic.
6. Drop in the green chillies and in another few seconds, the ground onions. Keep stirring and frying till the onions are light brown.
7. Now add the ginger and garlic. Again, keep frying till the whole mixture is golden brown. If you find it is sticking too much to the bottom and burning, you can add a few teaspoons of water while the frying is going on. With the help of the water, scrape up the masala and go on. It should be done in about 10 minutes.
8. Add the tomatoes. Stir and cook till the fat separates. Add the turmeric, coriander, fenugreek and salt. Stir another minute.
9. Put the washed meat into the pan. Fry it till it lightly changes colour. This will happen in two stages. First the meat will exude water, and then as it dries up it will start getting fried and turning brown.
10. Add 1½ cups of water. The gravy should look thinner than what you eventually want it to be. Close the cooker. After it whistles, turn down the heat and keep it on the fire for 20 minutes. Turn off the fire and let the pressure reduce on its own.
11. If you are not pressure-cooking, add at least 4 cups of water and cook for double the length of time or more. The time taken will depend on the meat you have chosen to cook.
12. Open the cooker, check that the meat is tender, the gravy is the right consistency and the salt is sufficient. Garnish with the fresh coriander.
Serves 2.
VARIATIONS
Add a potato or two to this curry.
NOTE
If you want to serve this curry with rice, you will need it to have a little extra gravy. I would cook it with an extra onion and tomato and proportionately a little more of the other ingredients. You could add 2 ½ cups of water as well in that case.
You can also make double the quantity and freeze it if you feel so inclined.
A simple, most delicious way of cooking cauliflower that really brings out the natural flavour of the vegetable.
INGREDIENTS
• 1 gobi (cauliflower) weighing about ½ kg
• 2-3 green chillies
• 2”piece of ginger
• 1½ teaspoons oil
• a pinch of haldi (turmeric) powder
• ½ teaspoon dhania (coriander) powder
• ½-¾ teaspoon salt
• 1-2 tablespoons hara dhania (fresh coriander), finely chopped
OTHER REQUIREMENTS: a large plastic or steel bowl • a karahi (wok) or heavy-bottomed pan and lid • a long-handled flat spoon • a chopping board and knife
METHOD
1. First, let’s clean the cauliflower. Stick your knife into a space between the florets and the stem. Slice it off. Pull off any remaining bits of stem. If there arc any very tender bits, you may like to chop them and cook them along with the vegetable, otherwise discard them. Now cut up the cauliflower. You can do this by breaking off the florets gently by hand and then slicing only the larger ones. As you keep doing this, drop the florets into a large plastic or steel bowl. When it’s all cut up, wash well and scrape off with the knife any very muddy bits. Fill the bowl with water and let the cauliflower soak in it till it’s needed.
2. Wash the chillies and make a small slit in each. Peel the ginger, cut into slices and then cut the slices further into thin sticks.
3. Put the karahi onto the fire with the oil. Let it heat up gently.
4. Drop in the turmeric, coriander and salt. It will fizz. Don’t let it get too dark.
5. Add the ginger and chillies. Fry till the ginger begins to look slightly wrinkled.
6. Tip in the cauliflower. You can throw away the water in which it was soaked.
7. Stir and cover with the lid. When the cauliflower is seasonally very fresh, you will not need to add any more water. Cook on a slow fire for about 20 minutes. Check on it after 10 minutes. The water will have started evaporating. Ensure that the vegetable is not sticking to the bottom. Toss it around. If needed, put a tava underneath to allow it to cook on slower heat.
8. Just before taking off the fire, sprinkle over the fresh coriander, mix and serve.
Serves 2.
VARIATION
Add potatoes, peeled, and sliced or cubed, or even peas.
Sprinkle over a pinch of garam masala powder just before taking off the fire.
A fantastic digestive that goes particularly well with gobi! Make it whenever you have time though it is best to make just a couple of days’ servings at a go.
INGREDIENTS
• 1 large piece of ginger
• Juice of 3-4 lemon
OTHER REQUIREMENTS: a small glass jar • a chopping board and knife • a lemon squeezer
METHOD
• Peel the ginger. Wash it. Cut it into slices. Cut the slices into sticks. Put into the glass jar.
• Wash the lemon. Cut them in half. Using the squeezer, squeeze the lemon juice over the ginger sticks. Use just as much as is needed to cover them. Put the lid on the jar, shake it and leave to stand. If you do this in the morning, by dinner time the ginger sticks will have turned pinkish and will be ready to eat.
• Till it lasts, keep this digestive in the fridge. You may like to add green chillies to it too – they taste delicious.
Serves 1.
Chapatti/rice
See the Everyday Basics section if you need help to make chapattis/rice.
This is a really special way of cooking the homely mung dal. It has yogurt added to it and a special tempering that quite transforms it from its everyday garb.
INGREDIENTS
• ½ cup mung dal, picked, washed and soaked in 4 cups water for 30 minutes
• ¼ teaspoon haldi (turmeric powder)
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• Green chillies to taste, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons dahi (yogurt), lightly beaten
• 2 heaped tablespoons finely chopped hara dhania (fresh coriander)
• 1 tablespoon oil or ghee
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tomato, chopped
OTHER REQUIREMENTS: a pressure cooker • a bowl to wash and soak the dal • a long-handled spoon • a chopping board and knife • a small-handled pan or frying pan
METHOD
1. Put the dal along with the water in which it was soaked into the cooker. Add also the turmeric, salt, and green chilli. Close the cooker and let it come to maximum pressure. As soon as it whistles, turn down the heat and keep on the fire for 5 minutes. Let the pressure reduce by itself. Open the cooker, stir the dal and check that it is well-blended. If you are not pressure-cooking, the dal will take much longer, 30 minutes or more, to cook to the desired consistency. Add 2 extra cups of water.
2. Lightly whisk the yogurt. Stirring, add to the dal along with the coriander. Simmer for a few minutes. Do not boil.
3. To make the chhaunk (tempering), put the oil or ghee into the small pan. In a few seconds, it will heat up. Drop in the black pepper and soon after, the chopped tomato. Stir and cook till the tomato becomes mushy and the fat separates. Turn the tempering into the dal and take off the fire.
4. Before serving, check the seasoning and see if you need to add half a teaspoon of sugar to balance the sourness of the yogurt.
Serves 4.
NOTE
Since this dal has yogurt in it, don’t freeze it but if it’s left over, use it the next day.
You can knead dough for chapattis with the leftovers. They are delicious.
VARIATION
Try a different tempering. There are some ideas in the earlier recipe for this same dal.
COTTAGE CHEESE COOKED WITH CAPSICUM
This way of cooking paneer is really simple, nutritious and yet special. It’s simple enough, in fact, to qualify for the section for those who hate cooking!
INGREDIENTS
• 250 gm / ½ lb paneer (cottage cheese)
• 2 Shimla mirch (capsicums) in colours of your choice
• 1½ tablespoons oil
• ½ teaspoon zeera (cumin seeds)
• 2 small onions, sliced or chopped
• Green chilli to taste, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons tomato ketchup or sweet chilli sauce
• ½-¾ teaspoon salt
• ½-¾ teaspoon black pepper
OTHER REQUIREMENTS: a chopping board and knife • a karahi or heavy-bottomed pan with a lid
METHOD
1. Wash the paneer, cut it into thick slices and then cut the slices into cubes.
2. Wash the capsicum. Lay one sideways on the chopping board. Slice off the top, stem-end. With your fingers, remove the inner ribs and seeds. Now slice it into rings or pieces.
3. Put the wok on the fire with the oil. Let it heat up for a few minutes.
4. Drop in the cumin. Let it turn just a shade darker. Add the onion. Stir and cook for a few minutes – the onion should soften but not brown.
5. Add the rest of the ingredients – the chillies, ketchup or sauce, salt and pepper. In just a few seconds, the fat will separate.
6. Add the cubed paneer. Stir and cover the pan for a few minutes. The paneer will exude water which should dry up.
7. Add the capsicum and keep on the fire another 5 minutes. The capsicum should retain some of its crunch. (If you prefer it more tender, add it along with the cheese.)
Serves 2-3.
NOTE
Those who want to further shorten the cooking process may avoid the onion!
Chapatti/yogurt/Salad
See the Everyday Basics section if you need help to treat and prepare chapattis/
yogurt/salad.
SPLIT RED GRAM COOKED WITH VEGETABLES
This dish really is a complete meal when served with rice. It has in it dal and all sorts of vegetables and needs no accompaniment other than perhaps some papads. You might like to round off the meal with a simple dessert, though.
INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup arhar (split red gram), picked, washed and soaked in 4 cups water for at least 30 minutes
• 10 karipatta (curry leaves), torn up
• ½ teaspoon haldi (turmeric) powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 whole red chilli
• a pinch of hing (asafoetida)
• 1 teaspoon rai (mustard seeds)
• ½ teaspoon methi dana (fenugreek seeds)
• 1 teaspoon dhania (coriander) powder
• Red chilli powder to taste
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 cups seasonal mixed vegetables*
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• Imli (tamarind) the size of a lemon, soaked in ¾ cup water
• 1 teaspoon sugar or gur (jaggery) the size of a large lemon, soaked along with the imli
OTHER REQUIREMENTS: a pressure cooker or thick-bottomed pan with a well-fitting lid • another smaller pan with a lid • a chopping board and knife • a long-handled spoon • a large plastic strainer and bowl over which it comfortably fits
METHOD
1. Put the dal into the cooker with the curry leaves, turmeric and salt. Close the cooker. Let it come to maximum pressure. After it whistles, turn down the heat and cook 12 minutes more. Let the pressure reduce by itself. Open the cooker, stir the dal and check that it is well-blended.
2. If you not choosing to pressure cook, add 2 cups extra water and cook for 40 minutes or till the dal is cooked and well-blended.
3. While the dal is cooking, heat the oil in the other pan. As soon as the oil heats up, drop in the red chilli. Let it sizzle and turn dark. Remove it from the oil and discard.
4. Drop in the asafoetida, mustard seeds and after a few seconds, the fenugreek. Let them all stop spluttering. The mustard is the most noisy and restless!
5. Add the coriander and chilli, and after a few seconds, the onions. Fry till it starts turning brown.
6. Add the vegetables and tomato. Stir, cover the pan and cook on low heat for about 15 minutes. While it’s cooking you will need to stir it a couple of times so the vegetables which are at the bottom do not start burning. You might also need to add half a cup of water.
7. As soon as all the vegetables are tenderized, you can add the tamarind-jaggery mix. First, however, you will have to strain it. Put the strainer over the bowl. Pour the tamarind-jaggery water through the strainer. The liquid will run through and you will have some seeds and pulp left on top. Mash this with your hand or a wooden spoon. Scrape it off the underside of the strainer and let it fall into the liquid below. Discard the seeds and pour the liquid and pulp into the vegetables. Let the whole mix come to a boil and then add to the dal in the cooker. Mix together and check that the consistency is exactly as you like. Add more water or boil as needed. (You may also like to avoid all this trouble and buy a readymade tamarind concentrate, easily available in most stores these days.)
Check seasoning before serving. You may need to add a little salt.
Serves 2-3.
Rice/Papad
See the Everyday Basics section if you need help to treat and prepare rice/papad.
*Use any vegetables that are in season— lauki, tori, tinda, potatoes, ladies’ fingers, in summer and caulifl ower, peas, carrots in winter. Peel and cube them all before using.
Such an appetizing dish, especially when the peas are fresh. In summer, try using other vegetables like potatoes, beans, chickpeas, cauliflower and carrots instead of peas to make an equally interesting meal. As an accompaniment, instead of raita you could always make a simple dal.
INGREDIENTS
• 2 tablespoons oil)
• 2 laung (cloves)
• a small stick of dalchini (cinnamon)
• 1 teaspoon zeera (cumin seeds)
• 2 onions, sliced
• piece of ginger, ground
• 3 cloves garlic, grated or ground (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chawal (rice), picked, washed and soaked in 2 cups water for 30 minutes
• 1 cup shelled mattar (peas)
OTHER REQUIREMENTS: a chopping board and knife • a grater or electric grinder • a heavy-bottomed pan with a lid • a tava (griddle)
METHOD
1. Put the oil in the pan. Let it heat up gently.
2. Drop in the cloves and cinnamon. They will turn aromatic. Add the cumin. Let it turn just a few shades darker.
3. Add the onion. Fry it golden brown.
4. Add the ginger and garlic, if you’re using it. Fry another minute.
5. Add the peas and salt. Stir to coat the peas well with the masala.
6. After a few minutes, add the rice, along with the water in which it has been soaking.
7. Stir, cover the pan tightly and raise the heat to high. Very soon, the liquids will come to a boil. Let them keep boiling on high heat till they reach the level of the rice. Now turn the heat to low, put the griddle underneath the pan and continue to cook for 15 minutes. Open the pan, gently fluff up the rice with a fork and mix it with the peas before serving.
Serves 2.
VARIATION
Use any other peeled, cubed vegetables like carrots, potatoes, beans, cauliflower or even chickpeas. To use chickpeas, however, you must soak them for a couple of hours and then pressure cook them for about 10 minutes before you add them to the rice. Also, remember to use the water in which they were cooked to cook the rice in.
NOTE
If you are not ready to eat as soon as the rice is ready, do this: leave the rice on the hot griddle, though off the fire. Open the lid, stretch a clean napkin across the top, put the lid back on and keep till you’re ready to serve. This keeps the rice moist.
To reheat rice the next day, put a cup of water in the pressure cooker. Put the rice in a small pan which will comfortably fit in the cooker. Put the cooker on the fire, without putting the weight on. The water will boil and the rice will get heated by the steam generated in 5 minutes.
The microwave oven reheats rice well. So does a rice cooker or steamer.
A fantastic, cooling combination that goes so well with any rice pulao, particularly this pea one.
INGREDIENTS
• 2 cups dahi (yogurt)
• 1 small kheera (cucumber)
• ½ teaspoon zeera (cumin) powder
• a pinch of salt
• Red chilli powder to taste
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 10-12 pudina (mint leaves) (optional)
OTHER REQUIREMENTS: an egg beater or whisk • a grater • a colander • a serving bowl and metal spoon
METHOD
1. Lightly whisk the yogurt. You can do it with the egg-beater or whisk.
2. Treat the cucumber. Cut off a little cap from the stem-end. Make a few cuts with a knife in the cut edges. Rub them together. The cucumber will exude a frothy, white substance. Rub the cucumber cap against the body for about 2 minutes then cut off that bit of the cucumber. Peel and grate the remaining cucumber. Put it into the colander and sprinkle a little salt over it. Leave it to drain. You can put a plate underneath so the counter-top doesn’t get messed up. Leave it like this for half an hour. The cucumber will exude water. Pick it up in your hand, squeeze the water out and drop the cucumber into the whisked yogurt. Add the rest of the ingredients and taste to see if you need to add anything more.
3. Chill well before serving.
Serves 2.
VARIATION
Use radish instead of the cucumber or boiled, cubed potatoes.
You will need 1 large potato for this amount of yogurt.
You will enjoy this mingling of flavours, and I can predict that you will make it often — not just with this menu!
INGREDIENTS
• 1 small onion
• 1 large tomato
• Green chilli to taste
• 2 tablespoons hara dhania (fresh coriander)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½-¾ teaspoon sugar
OTHER REQUIREMENTS: a chopping board and knife • a bowl
METHOD
1. Finely chop the onions, tomatoes, green chillies and coriander. Put them into the bowl.
2. Sprinkle over the sugar and salt. Mix well. Refrigerate till needed. Just before serving, stir well.
Serves 2.
This is such a flavourful, robust dal. Though it is teamed in this menu with chapattis, it goes superbly with rice as well.
INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup channa dal, picked, washed and soaked in 4 ½ cups water for 30 minutes
• 1”piece of ginger, chopped
• 2 laung (cloves)
• a small stick of dalchini (cinnamon)
• ¾-1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon haldi (turmeric) powder
• 1 tablespoon ghee or oil
• ½ teaspoon zeera (cumin seeds)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• Green chillies to taste, chopped
• a little less than ½ teaspoon sookhi methi (dried fenugreek)
• 1 tablespoon hara dhania (fresh coriander), finely chopped
OTHER REQUIREMENTS: a chopping board and knife • a bowl to soak the dal • a pressure cooker or a heavy-bottomed pan with a well-fitting lid • another small-handled pan or frying pan
METHOD
1. Put the dal into the pressure cooker along with the ginger, cloves, cinnamon, salt and turmeric. Put in all the water in which the dal was soaked. Put the cooker onto high heat. As soon as the pressure reaches maximum, i.e., the cooker whistles, turn the heat to low and continue to cook for 18 minutes. Let the pressure reduce by itself. Open the cooker and check that the dal is well-blended. If you want a really smooth result, you can mash it with a wooden spinach masher.
2. If you choose not to pressure cook, add an extra 1½ cups of water and cook for 30 to 40 minutes or till the dal is well-blended. You may like to blend it with an electric handheld blender for a few seconds to get a smoother result.
3. In the small pan, put the oil or ghee. Let it heat up. Drop in the cumin and let it turn a few shades darker.
4. Add the onion. Fry it till it is light brown. Keep stirring or it will burn.
5. Add the tomatoes, green chillies and fenugreek. Cook till the fat separates and the tomato becomes mushy. Pour this tempering into the dal, stir and pour into a serving bowl.
6. Serve garnished with the fresh coriander.
Serves 4.
NOTE
This dal freezes well so you may like to make it in a larger quantity and keep some away for another day. In that case, it would be best to freeze it without the tempering, which you can always make fresh the day you are going to eat it.
This recipe makes a smooth dal. If you prefer to make it with the grains visible, as I sometimes like to do, use 1 cup less water and cook for only 12 minutes.
One of my favourite vegetables. If you feel the same way you should perfect this recipe!
INGREDIENTS
• 1 round baingan (eggplant) weighing about 500 gm/1lb
• 2 tablespoons oil
• ½ teaspoon zeera (cumin seeds)
• 2 small onions, finely chopped
• 1”piece of ginger, grated or finely chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, grated or finely chopped
• Green chilli to taste, finely chopped
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• ¾ easpoon salt
• A pinch of haldi (turmeric) powder
• A little less than ½ teaspoon dhania (coriander) powder
• 2 tablespoons hara dhania (fresh coriander), finely chopped
OTHER REQUIREMENTS: a heavy-bottomed pan or karahi with a lid • a chopping board and knife • a wooden or other spoon to stir the vegetable • a fork and plate
METHOD
1. Wash the eggplant. Pat dry and put it directly onto the fire. For this step, it is best if you have an eggplant with a stem, so make sure of that when you’re buying it. If you have two smaller eggplants, balance them over the fire one against the other so a little patch of each gets roasted. After 5 minutes or so, change the position till the skin of the eggplant is charred all over. It will flake off easily if you just touch it. With a knife, remove the skin and hold the eggplant under running water to remove any clinging charred bits. Holding the eggplant by the stem, mash the pulp off with the fork. Keep it aside for the moment. You could also do this step in the oven by laying the eggplant on a tray and roasting it.
2. Put the oil in the pan or wok. As soon as it heats up, drop in the cumin. Allow it to turn a few shades darker. Add the onion. Fry it till it is soft. Add the ginger, garlic and green chillies. Fry another 2 minutes. Add the tomato. Fry till the fat separates. Add the salt, turmeric and coriander powder. Fry another minute.
3. Tip in the well-mashed eggplant. Stir to mix all the ingredients of the pan well. Cover the pan and keep on a gentle fire for 15 minutes. If the fat has come out at the sides by this time, stir, cook another few minutes and take off the fire.
4. Mix in the fresh coriander before pouring out into a serving bowl.
Serves 2-3.
VARIATIONS
• Make small slits in the eggplant and slip in sliced bits of garlic, before roasting it.
• Add 2 tablespoons whisked yogurt along with the eggplant. (Step 4.)
• Roasted, mashed eggplant pulp freezes well. You can do this whenever you have time and put it away for a day when you’re busy or don’t feel like cooking.
Chapatti/yogurt/Salad
See the Everyday Basics section if you need help to make chapattis/set yogurt or treat salad vegetables.
Simple and delicious, you can make this when peas are in season or even with frozen ones when they’re not.
INGREDIENTS
• 500 gm / 1 lb mattar (peas)*
• 2 tablespoons oil
• teaspoon zeera (cumin seeds)
• A pinch of haldi (turmeric powder)
• ½ teaspoon dhania (coriander) powder
• Green chilli to taste, sliced
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1” piece of ginger, cut into sticks
•1 teaspoon salt
• ¾-1 teaspoon sugar
OTHER REQUIREMENTS: a heavy-bottomed pan or karahi (wok) with a lid • a chopping board, knife and a spoon
METHOD
1. Shell the peas. Wash them and keep aside to drain.
2. Put the pan on the stove with the oil. Let it heat up for a few minutes.
3. After another 30 seconds, add the green chilli and onions. Fry till the onion is just beginning to brown.
4. Add the ginger. Fry till the ginger begins to wrinkle and turns a shade darker.
5. Add the peas and salt. Stir well, add ¼ cup water, cover and cook 15-20 minutes or till the peas are tender and the water has evaporated. The exact cooking time would depend on the quality of the peas.
6. Sprinkle the sugar over the peas, stir and serve.
Serves 2.
VARIATION
• Leave out the onion.
• For another change in flavour and colour, add a chopped tomato after the ginger.
• You may like to add ½ teaspoon garam masala with the sugar.
* If you are using frozen peas, buy the 200-250gm packet.
Very flavourful yet very simple, this curry not only makes for a change from the everyday dal, it is also an excellent addition to put together when you have last-minute guests.
INGREDIENTS
• 2 anda (eggs)
• 1 ½ tablespoons oil
•½ teaspoon zeera (cumin) or kalonji (nigella)
• Green chilli to taste, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 3 tomatoes, puréed
• a pinch of haldi (turmeric) power
• ½ teaspoon dhania (coriander) powder
• ¾-1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons hara dhania (fresh coriander), finely chopped
OTHER REQUIREMENTS: a small pan to boil the eggs • a knife and chopping board • a food processor or electric grinder • a pan or karahi (wok)
METHOD
1. Boil the eggs and keep aside. See the first chapter if you still don’t know how to do this.
2. Purée the tomatoes. You need not peel them. Just quarter them and whizz for 30 seconds in the food processor or grinder
3. Heat the oil in the wok. Drop in the cumin or nigella. The latter gives a distinctive flavour.
4. As soon as it turns a shade darker, drop in the green chilli and garlic.
5. After another few seconds, add the tomato purée. Stir and cook on gentle heat till the fat separates.
6. Add the spices, sugar and coriander. Fry a few seconds, then add water to make the curry just a little thinner than the consistency you finally want it. Bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer till it thickens.
7. Shell the boiled egg, cut in half lengthwise and drop into the curry. Simmer another 5 minutes before serving.
Serves 2.
VARIATIONS
For a special touch, add a teaspoon of cream over the curry.
HANDY HINT
Vegetarians can try cooking paneer like this.
Chapatti/rice/Salad
See the Everyday Basics section if you need help to prepare chapatti/rice/salad.
Easy to cook yet so delicious, this chicken curry is aromatic with cinnamon, black pepper and lots of coriander.
INGREDIENTS
• 800 gm / just under 2 lbs dressed murgh (chicken)
• 1 ½ cups dahi (yogurt), lightly beaten
• 1 ½”piece ginger, ground
• 5 cloves garlic, ground
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 3 small sticks dalchini (cinnamon)
• 5 hari elaichi (green cardamoms), pounded
• ½-1 teaspoon whole black pepper depending on how much you like pepper
• 2 onions, chopped or sliced
•½ teaspoon salt
• 2-3 tablespoons hara dhania (fresh coriander), finely chopped
OTHER REQUIREMENTS: a chopping board and knife • an electric grinder • a heavy-bottomed pan, skillet or karahi (wok) with a lid
METHOD
1. Wash the chicken well. Pull off any fatty bits.
2. Into the yogurt, mix the garlic and ginger. Drop the chicken bits into this mixture, rubbing it well into each piece. Cover it and keep it aside for at least half an hour (or for a couple of hours if possible) to marinate.
3. When you are ready to cook, heat the oil. Drop in the whole spices – cinnamon, cardamom and black pepper. Let them sizzle for 30 seconds.
4. Now add the onion. Fry, stirring occasionally till it is golden brown.
5. Add the chicken with its marinade to the pan. Also add the salt. Stir well, cover the pan and cook on low heat for 25-30 minutes or till the chicken is tender. You can test it by poking it with a fork. By the time the chicken is cooked, the gravy should be thick. If it is still too thin for your liking, remove the cover and boil briskly for a few minutes.
6. Stir in the coriander and serve.
Serves 4.
A whole chicken, i.e. 8 pieces, serves 4 people. You can freeze leftovers or cook just 4 pieces for two people.
VARIATIONS
For kitchen-haters, here’s an idea. You can shorten this menu by adding the ingredients of the next recipe – potatoes and capsicum – to this chicken dish. Add the potatoes along with the chicken and the capsicum when the chicken is almost cooked. Serve with rice or chapattis and you’ve made a complete, wholesome meal. Do try to include a salad!
HANDY HINT
Vegetarians can try cooking paneer like this for a change.
A well-loved and popular combination, you will enjoy including this dish in many menus. It goes well with dal, with rice-based menus, and also with meat or fish curry.
INGREDIENTS
• 3 large aloo (potatoes)
• 2 small Shimla mirch (capsicums)
• 1 ½ tablespoons oil
• a pinch of haldi (turmeric powder)
• ¾ teaspoon dhania (coriander) powder
• ½-¾ teaspoon salt
• Red chilli powder to taste
• ½ teaspoon zeera (cumin seeds)
• ½ teaspoon garam masala (optional)
OTHER REQUIREMENTS: a chopping board and knife • a vegetable peeler • a spoon to stir the vegetable • a pan or karahi with a lid • a bowl
METHOD
1. Wash the potatoes. Peel them, cut lengthwise in half, then into thick chips and finally, cubes. As you do this, drop them into a bowl of water to prevent them from getting discolored.
2. Also cut the capsicum. First cut a small slice off the stem-end. Now reach in with your fingers and pull out the ribs along the sides as well as the seeds. Cut the capsicum in half, then into thick slices and finally into bite-sized pieces. Keep aside.
3. Now heat the oil in the pan or wok. Don’t overheat it or you will have burnt spices.
4. Drop in the turmeric, coriander, salt and powdered chilli, and after another few seconds, the cumin. Let it turn a few shades darker.
5. Add the potato and stir to coat well with the oil and spices. Add ¼ cup water to this, cover and leave to cook for 15 minutes on a slow fire. Stir after about 10 minutes.
6. After 15 minutes, drop in the capsicum, and keep on the fire another 5 minutes before removing it.
7. Sprinkle the garam masala over it, if you want to, before serving.
Serves 2.
NOTE
Leftovers of this vegetable make an excellent stuffing for grilled sandwiches or parathas
HANDY HINT
If you are in a rush, you can quicken the cooking time of this recipe by boiling the aloo first. Cool them, then peel, cube and continue with the recipe exactly as it is except that you will not need to add that ¼ cup of water (Step 5). You can add the Shimla mirch along with the aloo and you will need to keep it on the fire under 10 minutes.
CHAPATTI/RICE/SALAD
See the Everyday Basics section if you need help to treat and prepare salad vegetables, make chapattis/rice.
