Palak Roti

Ingredients: Spinach (2 cups) Wheat Flour (2 cups) Salt (to taste) Water (as required) Oil (as required) Directions: Rinse the spinach thoroughly. In a saucepan, bring water to a boil and add some salt. Add the spinach and cook for 2- 3 minutes and then strain out the spinach leaves and put it over an…

Sambar

Ingredients: Tamarind Water (2 cups; check notes) Potato (2 medium sized; diced) Onion (1-2 medium sized; diced) Drumsticks (2; sliced to 2 inch thinkness; check notes) Tomato (2-3 medium sized; diced) Carrot (1; diced) Beans (6; cut into 1 inch pieces) Ivy Gourd (aka. Tendli; 6-7 cut into halves; optional) Eggplant (1-2 small; diced; optional)…

Lemongrass Chicken

Ingredients: Chicken Thighs (2 pounds; boneless skinless cut into bite size pieces) Yellow Onion (1 onin; thinly sliced) Lemongrass (2 sticks) Turmeric root (1 inch piece) Ginger (1 inch piece) Garlic (4-5 cloves) Green onions (2-3) Red Chilies (2) Sesame oil (1 teaspoon) Fish Sauce (1 tablespoon) Soy Sauce (1 tablespoon) Chicken Stock (1 cup)…

Pineapple Pachadi

Ingredients: Pineapple (2 cups; finely chopped) Coconut (1 cup; shreded) Green Chilies (3-4; depending on spiciness) Cumin Seeds (1 tablespoon) Mustard Seeds (1/2 teaspoon) Curry Leaves (couple of leaves) Yogurt (1 1/2 cup) Turmeric Powder (1/2 teaspoon) Chili Powder (1 teaspoon) Salt (to taste) Sugar (optional; to taste) Water (1/2 cup) Coconut Oil (2 tablespoons)…

Vegetable Pulav

Ingredients: Rice (3 cups) Carrot (2-3 carrots; diced) Green Peas (1 cup) Green Beans (1 cup; sliced 1/2 inch) Cauliflower (cut florets into small pieces) Water (6 cups) Lemon Juice (1/2 lemon) Cilantro (half a bunch; finely chopped) Salt (to taste) Pepper (to taste) Ghee (2 tablespoon) Directions: Rinse the rice thoroughly and then soak…

Pavakka Thoran (Stir Fried Bitter Gourd)

Ingredients: Bitter Gourd (2-3) Chili Powder (1 tablespoon) Turmeric Powder (1/4 teaspoon) White Vinegar (2-3 tablespoons) Salt (1-2 tablespoons) Oil (3-5 tablespoons) Directions: Cut the bitter gourd lengthwise into halves and remove the seeds from the inside. Slice the halves into roughly two-inch long cubes and finally slice the cubes into thin sticks. Add the…

Methi Malai Matar (Creamy Fenugreek Green Peas)

Ingredients: Fenugreek Leaves (2 bunches; roughly chopped) Onion (1; cubed) Green Chilies (2; slit into halves) Ginger-Garlic Paste (1 teaspoon) Cashew nuts (1/4 cup; soaked) Heavy cream (1/2 cup) Green Peas (1 cup; if using frozen soak it in warm water for 10 minutes) Cumin seeds (1 teaspoon) Water (1 cup) Gara Masala (1/4 teaspoon)…

Kappa Kuzhachathu (Mashed Tapioca)

Ingredients: Tapioca (2-3 pounds; peeled and sliced into small pieces) Coconut (2 cups; shredded) Green Chili (3 chilies) Cumin seeds (2 teaspoons) Garlic cloves (3-4 cloves) Shallots (3; peeled and roughly chopped) Curry leaves (1 spring) Turmeric powder (1-2 tablespoons) Salt (to taste) For tempering: Coconut oil (2 tablespoons) Cumin seeds (1 tablespoon) Dried Red…

Chana Palak Masala

Ingredients: Chickpeas (16 oz, I used canned) Spinach (2 cups) Garlic (6-7, sliced) Black cardamom (1-2) Green cardamom (1-2) Cloves (3-4) Peppercorns (3-4) Bay leaf (2-3) Onion (2 medium finely chopped or you could use onion paste) Tomato paste (2 tablespoons) Green chilies (1-2; sliced into halves) Coriander powder (1 tablespoon) Chili powder (1 tablespoon)…

Chicken in a crust

Ingredients: Whole chicken (3-5 pounds) Dried Porcini mushrooms (5-6) Garlic cloves (3-4 cloves) Variety of mushrooms (I used portobella, baby bella and shiitake) Thyme (a bunch; fresh preferred; I used dried) Butter (12 tablespoons) Parsley (1/2 bunch; finely chopped) Flour (4 cups) Olive oil Salt (to taste) Pepper (to taste) Directions: In a small bowl,…