Chatpatee Sem

Tangy green beans with ajwain and ginger

Salt
1 lb green beans, trimmed
4 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp ajwain seeds
1/2 onion, cut into thin half-rings
3/4-inch piece of ginger, minutely diced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp amchoor powder

Boil green beans in salted water for 4-5 minutes, drain. Heat the oil in a wok on medium-high, add cumin and ajwain, cook 10 seconds, then add onion. ower to medium and let onion brown lightly. Add ginger, stir 20 seconds. Add green beans, toss, add cumin, coriander, and cayenne, and 3/4 tsp salt, toss again. Add amchoor and 2 tbsp water, serve.

Source: Madhur Jaffrey's Spice Kitchen

Malaidar Matar

1/4 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground garam masala
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp tomato paste
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 fresh long hot green chili or 1/2 jalapeño, finely chopped
4 cups shelled fresh peas or 1 bag frozen, defrosted
3 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds

Mix the sugar, cumin, garam masala, salt, cayenne, tomato paste, cream, lemon juice, cilantro, and chili into a sauce and set aside. If the peas are fresh, boil them until just barely done. Heat the oil in a pan, add the cumin and mustard seeds; when they start to pop, add the peas and saute for 30 seconds. Add the sauce and cook for 2 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.

Source: Madhur Jaffrey's Spice Kitchen

Cabbage with fennel and onions

1 head cabbage, shredded
2 1/2 onions, peeled and sliced into half circles
1/2 cup oil
5 fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
1 tomato, ripe or canned, peeled and chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 long hot green chili or 1/2 jalapeno, thinly sliced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp lemon juice

Heat half the oil, add seeds. As they sizzle and change color (~30 seconds), add 2 sliced onions. Fry over medium for about 3 minutes. Add cabbage, stir, cover, lower heat, cook for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, blend 1/2 onion, blend it with ginger, garlic, and tomato in a blender until pastelike.
Heat the other half of the oil, add blended paste, turmeric, and chili. Fry, stirring, for 8-10 minutes, adding a little water if necessary to prevent sticking. Add to the cabbage, with salt, garam masala, and lemon juice.

Source: Madhur Jaffrey's Spice Kitchen

Sambhara

Shredded cabbage and carrots (maybe Gujarati?)

2 tsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/4 tsp asafetida
1 small cabbage, thinly shredded
2 carrots, peeled and trimmed, shredded
6-8 thai, cayenne, or serrano chilies, thinly sliced lengthwise, with seeds still in
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c cilantro leaves
juice of 1 lime

Heat oil, add mustard seeds, cover until they've stopped popping. Add fenugreek and asafetida, then add cabbage, carrots, chilies, turmeric, sugar, and salt. Stir fry, then cook 5-10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water and cook 5-10 more minutes, until the cabbage is noodle-like but still crunchy. Add cilantro and lime juice and serve.

Source: 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Saag

(this saag has ginger, fennel, and black cumin)

1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp black cumin seeds
1-2 onions, cut into thin fine half-rings
1 inch piece of ginger, cut into thin strips
1 lb spinach (or scale everything down; I've only made this with 1lb)
1 hot long green chili or 1/3 jalapeno
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Heat oil and butter on medium-high. Add seeds, stir. Add onions and ginger, stir fry until rich and brown. Add spinach, cover and let it wilt, then turn heat to medium. Add chili, salt, and cayenne, stir for 10-20 minutes, covered at first then uncovered to evaporate liquid.

Source: Madhur Jaffrey's Spice Kitchen

Tasting Table amaro

350 milliliters 192-proof neutral grain spirit (such as Everclear; can substitute with high-proof vodka)
4 grams gentian root
5 grams bitter orange peel
2 grams dandelion root
3 grams licorice root
3 grams chamomile
3 grams cinchona bark
4 grams rhubarb root
Water and sugar

The measurements are approximate, as my 1 gram scale isn't really up to the task. I strained this one for a month, used 120 proof Everclear (lol california), and ended up with 325ml amaro, 150ml simple syrup, and 125ml water. I might use a little more water and less syrup next time, but it's close.

Also tried it with 75ml syrup and 250ml water and it was a bit too bitter.

Source: https://www.tastingtable.com/cook/recipes/how-to-make-amaro-recipe

Kurt Keydel's amaro

2 c grain alcohol (alcohol as high as possible), 3c neutral dry brandy, or 3c vodka
1 tsp of one or more of each the following dried roots: gentian root, angelica root, wormwood, orris root, galangal root, burdock root

1 vanilla bean or tbsp of vanilla bean extract
1-1/2 tsp Juniper berries (dried) approx 10-14 berries)
4 cardamom pods
4 cloves
1 tsp dried orange peel
1 cinnamon stick
1 sprig of rosemary (about 20 -30 leaves)
4-5 peppermint leaves
4-5 fresh sage, or 2-3 dried sage leaves
1/4 tsp saffron
1 tsp lemon balm (melissa oficianalis)
1 star anise – soak for 1-2 days and test. Star anise has an intense flavor and will overpower your mixture very quickly if you’re not careful. Keep infusing to taste.

1. Soak the bittering agents (the "1 tsp of one or more..." line) for 5-7 days in grain alcohol or 2 weeks in 80-proof vodka/brandy.

2. Remove the bittering agents; add the flavoring ingredients (everything else) and soak 2-3 days (except take star anise out after a day)
3. Strain, add simple syrup, distilled water, and white vermouth to taste.
4. (optional) Add mixture to small oak barrel and let it rest for 1 – 3 months, OR add toasted oak chips (about 3 tbsp) to mixture, and soak for up to 4 weeks

5. (optional) if after the mellowing period you wish to darken it further, you will need to create caramel coloring by heating granulated or brown sugar in a pan on the stovetop and dilute CAREFULLY and SLOWLY with boiling water. Add up to 1 oz of caramel coloring to darken your amaro more.

6. (optional) See the fining process in an earlier post (https://tickledpalate.wordpress.com/2012/10/06/italian-bitters-amo-amas-amat-amamos-amari/) if the mixture is too cloudy to your liking. You can let it settle for a few days and try to siphon off the clearer liqueur above any sediment.
Once it is clear, bottle it up. It will be certainly drinkable now, but will continue to mellow over the next few months. Store it in a cool dark cupboard.

Source: Kurt Keydel, https://tickledpalate.wordpress.com/2013/04/06/how-to-make-amaro-a-basic-recipe/

Dan's notes:
First try: 8oz 120pf alcohol, Gentian Orris Wormwood and Angelica bitterers, 150ml syrup, 150ml water. Sweet, versatile, pleasant.
Second try: 8oz 120pf, Orris and Wormwood, no rosemary or lemon balm, plus licorice and fennel. Might have oversteeped. 150ml syrup, 100ml water. Licorice is noticeable. Stronger overall.