Bengali coconut dal

1 1/2 c chana dal

4 tbsp coconut

2 tbsp mustard or canola oil

3 cloves garlic, finely sliced

1 3/4" piece ginger, peeled and grated

2 red chiles, halved

3 medium ripe tomatoes, chopped

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground cardamom

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

 

Wash dal, soak 1hr in warm water, then boil 45 min.

Toast coconut in a frying pan, then put aside.

Heat oil, add ginger, garlic, chiles, until browning, then add tomatoes, 5 min. Add spices, salt, and sugar. Fry a few minutes, then combine everything. Cook 5 minutes, adding water or salt as necessary.

Source: Fresh India by Meera Sodha

Malai Broccoli

1 1/2 lb broccoli florets

8oz cream cheese (optional, it turns out)

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp ground cardamom

1 tsp salt

1/3 of a nutmeg, grated

4 tbsp Greek yogurt (more if you're not using cream cheese)

3/4 cup ground almonds

3 tbsp lemon juice

 

Non-pantry: broccoli, cream cheese, greek yogurt, almonds, lemon juice

 

Preheat oven to 400, line 2 pans with parchment. Mix everything but the broccoli, then add the broccoli and mix well with your hands. Roast 10 min, turn, roast 10 min more or until it's a little charred and tender.

 

Source: Fresh India by Meera Sodha

Punjabi dum aloo

1/4 cup unsalted cashews, soaked in 1/2 cup boiling water

1 tsp fennel seeds

2 lb baby new potatoes

4 tbsp canola oil

1 large yellow onion, sliced

1 1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated

1 14oz can of tomatoes

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp ground red chile

1 tsp salt

(non-pantry ingredients: potatoes, onion, ginger, cashews. unusual cookware: food processor/blender)

 

Soak cashews. Crush fennel seeds.

Halve or quarter larger potatoes. Fry about 8 minutes.

Blend cashews and liquid to a fine paste.

Fry onion 10 min until soft and golden. Add ginger and garlic, 2 min, then tomatoes, 5-8 min until softened and reduced. Add fennel, garam masala, red chile, and salt, mix, then cashew paste. 2 min then 1 1/2 c water and stir.

Add potatoes back in,put lid on, cook 10-15 min until tender.

 

Source: Fresh India by Meera Sodha

Mapo Tofu

2-4oz ground beef (or pork, or mushrooms)

1lb soft or medium tofu, in 3/4 inch cubes

2-3 tbsp doubanjiang (fermented chile bean sauce, toban djan)

1 tbsp douchi (fermented black beans)

2 tsp ground red pepper (this is pretty spicy; less if you don't want it too spicy)

1 tbsp chopped ginger 

1 tbsp chopped garlic (optional)

1 tsp soy sauce

1/2-1 cup stock or water (can be the steeping water from the tofu)

4-5 green onions, cut at an angle

2 tsp cornstarch + a little cold water

1 tsp ground Sichuan pepper

Steep tofu in hot water for 15 min, then drain. (optional)

Cook meat until browned, then add doubanjiang, douchi, red pepper, ginger, garlic, cook about 2 minutes. Add soy sauce, then tofu, and water/stock, cook about 3 minutes. Add green onions, then cornstarch slurry, then Sichuan pepper.

You could add a little sugar along with the soy sauce, or a little sesame oil at the end, but this seems rare.

Source: Every Grain of Rice by Fuchsia Dunlop, The Mala Project by Taylor Holliday https://blog.themalamarket.com/chengdu-challenge-10-mapo-doufu/, Let's Cook Japanese Food by Amy Kaneko (I know), Andrea Nguyen at NY Times cooking https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021459-mapo-tofu, and my friend Meagan

Anna and Matt Are Really Officiallymarried amaro

Group One
750ml 100-proof vodka
1 tbsp angelica root
3 tbsp orris root
3 tbsp gentian root
Peel of 1/2 grapefruit
Peel of a whole orange, with some flesh intact
1/2 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
1 tbsp dried hops
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
6 whole juniper berries
3 tbsp molasses

Group Two
1 cinnamon stick
2 cardamom pods, crushed
6 whole cloves
1 allspice berry, crushed
1 tsp dried anise seed

Group Three
1 whole vanilla bean
1 tbsp dark coffee or espresso beans
6 fresh sage leaves
1 sprig mint

Steep the first group, wait a week; add the second group, wait a week. Strain, add the third group, wait a few days. Dilute with syrup and water to taste. I ended up with about 600ml liquor, 200ml syrup, and 200ml water.

Made for my friends, fellow infusers, and blogger.com recipe bloggers Anna and Matt on their wedding! I tried lower-proof infusing this time; it was kind of nice, not as harsh, and didn't louche at all. I added a bunch of herbs - I don't remember what, kind of whatever I had around. It turned out pretty dark, in color and in taste.

Source: https://bevvy.co/articles/make-amaro/15339

Saag Paneer

2 tbsp oil

1 red onion, thinly sliced

6 cloves garlic, chopped

4 slices ginger (2in x1in, chopped)

2 tsp untoasted garam masala

1/2 tsp turmeric

2 tbsp tomato paste

8oz spinach leaves

8oz mustard greens or kale

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 lb paneer, in 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 tsp garam masala

Fry paneer in oil, set aside.

Heat oil, add onion, garlic, ginger, stir-fry 8-10 min. Remove from heat, add garam masala and turmeric. Add tomato paste and 1/4 cup water, blend, return to skillet. Add greens, cover, steam, cook 10-15 min. Blend again (optional). Add salt, paneer, cream, garam masala, simmer 5-8 minutes.

Source: 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Kheema Mutter

2 tbsp oil

2 tsp cumin seeds

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

2 tbsp chopped fresh ginger

3-5 chilies, chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 cinnamon sticks

2 bay leaves

1 lb ground beef

2 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 cup frozen peas

2 tbsp cilantro leaves

Heat oil, sizzle cumin seeds 5-10 sec, add onion, 5-10 minutes. Add ginger, chilies, garlic, cinnamon, bay leaves, 5 minutes or until caramel-brown. Add ground beef, brown 8-10 min. Add coriander, cumin, salt, turmeric, simmer medium low 10-12 min. Add 1 cup water, peas, and cilantro, simmer 5-8 minutes.

Source: 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer