Madder Jaffrey’s Indian chickpea curry (chana masala)  

Heat 3 Tbsp canola oil in a Dutch oven, then add in the following order at separate intervals:  3/4 tsp cumin seeds; 1 finely diced onion until browned; 1 tsp freshly grated ginger; ¾ tsp coriander seeds, ¼ tsp cayenne and turmeric; and then 1 ½ tomatoes, grated (skin removed).  Add 1 cup water and… Continue reading Madder Jaffrey’s Indian chickpea curry (chana masala)  

Juju’s Indian chicken and potato curry  

This recipe is courtesy of my friend Juju. Marinate 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into large bite-sized pieces) in 2-3 Tbsp Patak’s biryani paste, 1 cup plain yogurt (here, I used nonfat greek), and ½ tsp salt for at least 2 hours.  Heat 1-2 Tbsp of neutral oil in a large pot, then add ¾ cup fried… Continue reading Juju’s Indian chicken and potato curry  

Pulao with black-eyed peas  

We had some leftover, unused black-eyed peas from the Ghanaian dish (red-red), so I decided to try out this recipe to use the remaining cup.  Before starting this recipe, I boiled the soaked,drained peas in water (about 1 cup peas to 3 cups water) until tender (about 30 mins).  Here is the recipe by Aarti Sequeira:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aarti-sequeira/black-eyed-peas-pulao-recipe.html.… Continue reading Pulao with black-eyed peas  

Indian kidney bean curry

Heat 3 Tbsp vegetable oil in a medium saucepan on medium heat, then add 1 small onion (grated), 1 Tbsp microplaned ginger, and about 2 garlic cloves (minced).   When fragrant and onion is golden brown, add 1 ripe tomato, cut into quarters.  Reduce heat to medium-low and stir frequently until tomato melts into the onion mixture (about 5… Continue reading Indian kidney bean curry

Indian-style quinoa pilaf

Another great recipe by Shubhra Ramineni's Healthy Vegetarian Indian Cooking. This is makes an easy and portable lunch. Rinse, clean, and drain 1 cup uncooked quinoa, and set aside. Heat 1 Tbsp vegetable oil in a medium sauce pan, then add 20 whole cashews (split into halves). Saute until cashews are light golden (about 20… Continue reading Indian-style quinoa pilaf

Indian cauliflower and potato (aloo gobi)

This recipe is from a wonderful and easy-to-follow cookbook, Healthy Indian Vegetarian Cooking by Shubha Ramineni. Using a large skillet (or a low-walled Dutch oven), heat 3 Tbsp vegetable oil, then add 1 medium vine-ripe tomato (quartered).  Cover the skillet and cook until tomato becomes soft, stirring frequently.  Add 1 medium head cauliflower (washed and… Continue reading Indian cauliflower and potato (aloo gobi)