Spicy mint chutney

100g fresh cilantro
50g mint leaves
3-4 chilies, or to taste
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp lemon juice

Blend.

Source: Nisha at Taste of India cooking class, McLeod Ganj, India

Stuffed Parantha

250g paneer
1/4 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp meat masala
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp thyme seeds
2 tsp fresh cilantro
chapati dough

1. Mix.
2. Roll out a double-chapati-sized ball. Put the filling in the center, fold up like a purse/pouch. Flatten and lightly roll out.
3. Cook on dry pan, both sides, then add oil and cook on both sides again.

(another way to make a parantha stuffed with an egg: fold the parantha into quarters and roll out. It'll puff up when you cook it, and you can put a beaten egg inside. Test for doneness by poking with a kinfe.)

Source: Nisha at Taste of India cooking class, McLeod Ganj, India

Lachha Parantha

"Lachha" = "layers"
1. Make chapati dough
2. Take double-chapati-sized ball, roll out
3. Put oil/butter/ghee on top, sprinkle wheat flour.
4. Fold like an accordion, then roll into a spiral and tuck tail under. Looks like a cinnamon bun. Then roll out again.
5. Cook on a dry pan on both sides. Then add oil, and cook on both sides.

Source: Nisha at Taste of India cooking class, McLeod Ganj, India

Samosas

For dough:
250g white flour
1/2 tsp thyme seeds
2 serving spoons vegetable oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup water (approx)
- mix into a hard dough, cover and rest 1 hour.

For stuffing:
2 serving spoons vegetable oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chat masala (used for snacks)
2 tsp fresh cilantro, chopped
4 medium boiled potatoes, cubed
100g peas, boiled

1. heat oil, add cumin, remove from heat and add all spices except chat masala and cilantro.
2. put back on heat, add potatoes and peas, mix, cook 2 minutes.
3. remove from heat, add chat masala and coriander, mix.
4. roll out a ball of dough like a chapati, dust with whole wheat flour, roll flat.
5. cut dough in half. put water on edges, roll up like ice cream cone.
6. put stuffing in cone, close up top. Deep fry on medium. Serve with spicy mint chutney.

Source: Nisha at Taste of India cooking class, McLeod Ganj, India

Vegetable Pulao

(similar to biryani, but for biryani, you make the sauce separately, and biryani is spicier)
2c basmati rice, dry.
2c mixed vegetables, cooked
4 serving spoons oil
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 cinnamon sticks
4 green cardamom
2 black cardamom
4 cloves
whatever you like- mushrooms, tofu, paneer
1 tsp butter
handful raisins/cashews
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp meat masala
1/2 tsp garam masala
1c mixed fruit (optional- if you add this it's "Navratan" or Kashmiri Pulao)

1. Boil rice like pasta: in excess water, then drain. You don't want it to be sticky.
2. Heat oil, add cumin, then all whole spices, then vegetables. Cook 1 minute.
3. Add butter, whatever you like, raisins, cashews, salt, masalas.
4. Add rice, mix, cook 2 minutes. Garnish with cilantro, fruit.

Source: Nisha at Taste of India cooking class, McLeod Ganj, India

Choley, Chana Masala, or Rajmah

500g dried chickpeas/chana, or red kidney beans (for Rajmah). Soak overnight, boil with 1/2 tsp salt for 1 hour or until they mash between your fingers. Save chickpea water.
4 medium onions, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste
4 medium tomatoes, pureed
4 serving spoons oil
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp chana masala (only for chana, not rajmah. it's a little sour due to mango powder.)
1/2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp fenugreek leaves

1. Heat oil. Add chopped onions, cook 8-10 minutes on high
2. Add 1/2 cup chickpea water, then ginger garlic paste, cook 2 minutes
3. Add all spices, 1/2 cup chickpea water, cook 2 minutes (add the beans now too, I think?)
4. Add tomatoes, cook 2-3 minutes
5. Garnish with fresh onions, tomatoes, and ginger, serve as Chana Masala.
Or
5. Add 2 cups chickpea water, cook 2 minutes, mash a bit, cook 10 minutes, and serve as Choley.

Source: Nisha at Taste of India cooking class, McLeod Ganj, India

Kheer

2L milk
50g rice, about 1/2 cup. Basmati is best. Wash, soak 1/2 hour, drain
75g sugar, about 3/4 cup
2 tsp coconut powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon mix (50g cinnamon sticks, 1/4 nutmeg, 20g green cardamom, smashed together)
handful raisins/cashews

Use a heavy bottom pot to avoid sticking. Boil milk. Add rice, cook uncovered on low about 1 hour, until thick. Add sugar. (Sugar stops the rice from cooking, so don't add it until the rice is done.) Garnish with coconut, cinnamon mix, raisins/cashews.

Source: Nisha at Taste of India cooking class, McLeod Ganj, India

Malai Kofta

Malai ~ "cream", Kofta ~ "dumpling". This same sauce can be used to make a lot of dishes- just add to chicken or boiled vegetables. Or paneer: with a little cream and butter, you get Shahi Paneer. Or use it for Malai Kofta.

For sauce:

250g onions

1.5 tsp ginger garlic paste

200g tomatoes, pureed

1/4 tsp red chili powder

1 1/2 tsp meat masala

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp cinnamon mix (50g cinnamon sticks, 1/4 piece nutmeg, 20g green cardamom, crushed together)

1 1/2 tsp sugar (only for Malai Kofta)

2 serving spoons pumpkin seeds

2 serving spoons poppy seeds

handful of cashews

5 serving spoons oil

1/2 glass milk

For kofta:

4 medium skinned boiled mashed potatoes

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp corn starch

250g paneer

4 tsp coconut powder/dried coconut

1/4 tsp cinnamon mix

1 1/2 tsp sugar

handful raisins/cashews

1 spoon fresh cream

- Make onion paste: chop onions, cook in oil 8-10 minutes until brown. Add 1 cup water, simmer 10 minutes. Cool and blend.

- Make white paste: mix the seeds and cashews, add 1 cup water, soak 1/2 hour, puree.

- Make the sauce:

1. Heat oil. Add onion paste. Cook 2 minutes.

2. Add ginger garlic puree, cook 2 minutes.

3. Add all spices: red chili, meat masala, salt, garam masala, cinnamon mix, sugar. Cook 2 minutes until onil separates.

4. Add white paste. Cook 2 minutes on low until oil separates.

5. Add tomato puree. Cook 4 minutes.

6. Thin with milk (or stock, if adding meat), bring to boil.

- Make the kofta:

1. Mix paneer, coconut, cinnamon mix, sugar, raisins, cashews, cream into cheese balls

2. Mix potatoes, salt, cornstarch into balls

3. Roll a ball in cornflour, make it into a cup shape, stuff cheese inside, close it up, maybe add a bit more cornflour.

4. Deep fry for a short time, maybe 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Pour the sauce over the kofta. Awesome.

Source: Nisha at Taste of India cooking class, McLeod Ganj, India

Yellow dal

(or orange, green, etc)

2 cups yellow dal, soaked 1/2 hour

1/4 tsp turmeric

1 tsp salt

2L water (4x the level of the dal)

2 tsp fresh cilantro

For the fry:

2 spoons oil

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp mustard seeds (optional)

2 medium onions, finely chopped

2 tsp garlic, chopped (optional)

2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped

1/4 tsp red chili powder

1/2 tsp garam masala

Boil water. Add dal, turmeric, and salt; cook until soft.

In a separate pan, make the fry: oil + seeds, then add onion and cook 2 minutes, add garlic and cook 1 minute, add tomatoes and cook until soft, add chili powder and garam masala. Add the fry to the dal, cook 2 minutes, garnish with cilantro and serve.

Source: Nisha at Taste of India cooking class, McLeod Ganj, India

Dal Makhani

200g dried black lentils (whole). No substitutions. About 2 cups. Soaked overnight.
50g dried red kidney beans (about 1/2 cup), also soaked overnight.
2 sticks cinnamon
2 black cardamom pods
4 green cardamom pods
4 cloves
1/4 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 glass milk
2 tsp fenugreek leaves
2 serving spoons cream
2 tsp butter
For the fry:
2 serving spoons oil
2 tbsp ginger
2 tomatoes, chopped or pureed

Boil 2.5L water, then add drained lentils/beans and whole spices, chili powder, and salt, cook until soft (1hr+). You can now store it or freeze it if you like (but remove the black cardamom).
Add the milk and fenugreek, boil.
Make the fry: put the oil, ginger, and tomatoes in a pan, cook 2 minutes. Add it to the dal. (You don't have to make the fry; you could just add this stuff with the whole spices. Then it is not a "dal fry", it is just a boiled dal.)
Cook 2 minutes, add butter and cream, and serve.

Source: Nisha at Taste of India cooking class, McLeod Ganj, India

Chapati

2 cups whole wheat flour (browner and rougher is better)
1/2 tsp salt
1 serving spoon oil
1 cup water (approx)

Keep adding water to the flour/salt/oil until it makes a soft dough, not sticky, not hard. Cover and rest at least 1/2 hour, or in fridge 2-3 days. To make chapati, make a golf-ball sized ball, dust with some more flour so it doesn't stick, roll out flat. Heat a thick pan, cook chapati on both sides. Then put the chapati right on the flame for a few seconds; it'll puff up.

Source: Nisha at Taste of India cooking class, McLeod Ganj, India

Paneer

2L milk
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

Boil milk. Add lemon juice, boil 5 minutes. It'll be lumpy; strain through a cotton napkin, wrap it up and form it into one big piece, put a heavy weight on top, and wait 2 hours. Makes about 1/2 lb. paneer.

Source: Nisha at Taste of India cooking class, McLeod Ganj, India

Palak Paneer

1 big bunch spinach
2 medium onions, blended
1.5 tsp ginger/garlic paste (equal parts in a blender. can add oil and salt and store in fridge.)
4 medium tomatoes, pureed
4 serving spoons oil or ghee
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/4 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp fenugreek leaves
250g paneer
2 serving spoons fresh heavy cream
2 tsp butter
2 tsp fresh cilantro

1. chop spinach, boil 10 min with 1 cup of water, blend.
2. heat oil, add cumin/coriander seeds.
3. add onion, cook 8-10 minutes. It's important to always cook onions well. And then to add a bit (say, 1/2 cup) of water. They're done when oil separates a bit at the corners.
4. add ginger/garlic paste, cook 2 minutes.
5. add the rest of the spices and 1/2 cup water, cook 2 minutes (until oil separates again).
6. add tomato puree, cook 2 minutes.
If you want to add cooked meat instead of paneer, add it now.
7. add spinach puree, cover, cook 5 minutes.
8. add paneer cubes, cook 5 minutes.
9. turn off flame, add cream and butter, and serve.

Source: Nisha at Taste of India cooking class, McLeod Ganj, India

Aloo Gobi

1 big cauliflower (~1kg) (or any vegetables, changing the recipe's name accordingly)
4 medium potatoes (~250g)
4 serving spoons of oil
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
2 tbsp ginger, chopped
2 tbsp garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 cup water
green chilies if you like

Heat oil. Add cumin seeds. When they pop, add ginger, garlic, chilies. Add vegetables, mix. Add spices, nix, cook 1 minute. Add water, cover, cook on low for 20-25 minutes.

Source: Nisha at Taste of India cooking class, McLeod Ganj, India