Verdolaga (purslane) kadhi (yogurt soup)

Ingredients:
Verdolaga (purslane), chopped fine - 250 g
Yogurt - 1 cup
Besan (chickpea flour) - 1 cup
Water - 4 and 1/4 cups
Mustard oil - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Red chilies - 4-6
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Red chili powder - 1 tsp (I used 1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder)

Method:
Take the besan in a mixing bowl. Gradually add yogurt while whisking to ensure no lumps form. Dilute with 4 cups of water. Set aside.
Heat oil in a wok. When hot, add the mustard and cumin seeds. When they splutter, add the red chilies and coat well. After a couple of minutes, add the chopped verdolaga and stir to coat. Cook covered for a couple of minutes and add 1/4 cup of water, mix well. Cook covered for 7 minutes on a medium-high flame.
Turn the flame to medium-low. Gradually add the yogurt mixture, stir. Cook covered for 10 minutes, stirring often to avoid the besan sticking to the bottom. If mixture becomes too thick, add up to a cup of water and cook until the mixture starts to bubble.
Serve hot as soup or mixed with rice.

Author: Shrinkingsodacan
Source: This recipe

Butternut squash with coconut and milk

 

Ingredients:

Butternut squash, peeled and diced - 1 lb
Salt - 1 tsp or to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Grated coconut (unsweetened) - 1 cup
Dried red chili - 1 (if using red chili flakes, no more than 1/4 tsp)
Green chili - 1
Rice or corn flour - 2 tbsp
Milk - up to 1 cup
Sugar - 1 tsp

For tempering:
    Oil - 2 tsp
    Curry leaves - 6
    Udad dal - 2 tsp
    Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Method:
Place pieces in a pan with a lid, sprinkle the turmeric powder and salt on top and mix well. Add just enough water to cover the pieces (not more). Heat on medium flame until cooked (under 10 min).

While the squash is cooking, blend together the coconut and chilies into a thick paste with the rice/corn flour using as little milk (not water) as possible.

Once the squash is cooked, add the coconut paste and sugar to it and mix well. Cook covered on a medium-low flame for 5 min. Now add the remaining milk and cook for 5 more min.

Tempering: heat 2 tsp oil in a small pan. When hot, add the udad dal and mustard seeds. When these start to crackle/splutter, add the curry leaves. Pour this mixture on top of the cooked squash and mix well.

Serve hot with rice.

Author: Shrinkingsodacan
Source: This recipe.

Crispy green beans with moong dal

 

Ingredients:
Green beans - 250 g (slightly more than 1/2 lb)
Moong dal - 1/3 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 3/4 tsp or to taste
Oil - 2 tsp
Dried red chilies - 2 (if using chili flakes, use no more than 1/4 tsp)
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Udad dal - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch (optional)
Coconut powder - 1 tsp (optional)

Method:
Wash and soak the moong dal for 20 min. This is necessary to reduce the cooking time. 

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a pot with a lid. Add the drained moong dal, turmeric powder, and a drop of oil. Mix and cook partially covered over a medium-low flame for 20-25 minutes. The dal should be cooked but not overcooked (individual lentils should retain their shape, but should crumble when squeezed). Drain the cooked lentils and reserve the water in which they were cooked.

Heat a wide pan, heat the oil. When the oil is hot, add the udad dal and mustard seeds. When they crackle, add the red chili and stir fry for two minutes. Increase the heat to high, add the green beans and stir to coat evenly. Season with salt. Spread evenly on the surface of the pan, cook covered a total of 10 min on a medium flame. Every 3 min, stir and spread evenly again to avoid the beans sticking to the pan.
The moisture in the beans should be enough to cook the beans; if you think there isn't enough, you can add no more than 2 tbsp of the water in which the dal was cooked. Do not overcook the beans; they need to be crisp. At the end of 10 min, add the drained moong dal a tablespoon at a time, mixing after every tbsp. If desired, you can also add 1 tsp of coconut powder. Taste for salt. Serve hot as a side dish with rice or chapatis.

The end result should look like this:

 

 

Author: Shrinkingsodacan
Source: Traditional recipe

Instant Pot chhole (chickpeas)

Ingredients:

Chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained - 3 cups

Black tea - 1 bag

Onion, large, finely chopped - 1.5

Tomatoes, quartered (or use canned) - 5 small (or 4 small with juice from can)

Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tbsp

Salt - 2.5 tsp

Powdered spices

Chana masala or garam masala - 2 tbsp

Pomegranate powder (anardana) - 2 tsp

Red chili powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Dry spices

Cinnamon - 2 long sticks

Black (large) cardamom - 3 pods

Cloves - 6

Kasuri methi - 3 tbsp
Ginger, cut into thin strips - 2" piece

Green chilies, small, slit lengthwise - 7-8

Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:

Turn on the Instant Pot on sautée mode (high heat). Heat the oil. When hot, add the dry spices and stir for a couple of minutes. Add onions and stir to coat well. Fry, stirring occasionally, until the onions lose moisture and start turning golden brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste and stir for a couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes, stir well. Cook until the oil separates to the sides. Add the powdered spices and salt, mix well. Fold in the soaked chickpeas. Add just enough water to cover the chickpeas, and pressure cook for 6-7 min. 

 

Allow the pressure to release naturally. Add the kasuri methi and mix well. Heat ghee in a small pan. When hot, add the green chili pieces and fry until blisters appear. Pour over chhole and mix well. Serve with rice, chapatis, or puris.

Author: Shrinkingsodacan

Cabbage-chard stir fry

Ingredients:

Cabbage, shredded - 1/2 kg

Chard, chopped - 1/4 kg

Dried red chilies - 3

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Udad dal - 1 tsp

Chana dal - 1 tsp

Asafoetida - 1 pinch

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt - 1 tsp or to taste

Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

Heat the oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When they crackle, add the udad and chana dal, red chilies, and asafoetida and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the cabbage, stir to coat well, add the salt and mix. Cook covered on a medium flame for 5 minutes. Add the turmeric powder, stir, add the chard, stir well, and cook covered for 5 more minutes. Serve hot with rice or chapatis.

Author: Shrinkingsodacan

Batata (potato) rassa (gravy)

Ingredients:

Baby potatoes, peeled and quartered - 1 kg

Peas (frozen is fine) - 1/2 cup

Onion, finely chopped - 1 large (can also be blended into the nut paste)

Peanuts or cashews - 1/2 cup (preferably roasted and unsalted; if you purchased them raw, roast on high heat for a few minutes to prep)

Coconut, shredded or flakes, UNSWEETENED - 1/2 cup

Ginger, finely chopped - 1 + 1 tbsp

Garlic - 6 pods

Cumin, mustard, nigella, and fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp each

Asafoetida - a pinch

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Kasmiri red chili powder - 1 tsp [lends a rich colour to the gravy]

Substitute with regular red chili powder - 3/4 tsp

Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp

Tamarind paste - 3 tbsp

Garam masala - 1 tsp

Coriander leaves, chopped - 3 tbsp

Salt - 1 tsp or to taste

Sugar - 1 tsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:

Nut paste:

Blend 1 tbsp of the ginger, the garlic, peanuts/cashews, and coconut into a thick paste (with as little water as possible). If you're blending the onion with this as well, first start by blending the onions, ginger, and garlic. Gradually add the nuts to thicken the paste. Only add water if absolutely necessary; the water in the onions should be adequate.

Gravy:

Parboil the potatoes. This speeds up the rest of the recipe. I microwaved them with some water on high for 10 min, checked, and cooked further for 5 min on medium high. A fork inserted into a piece should go through about halfway with minimum resistance.

Heat oil and add the cumin, mustard, nigella, and fenugreek seeds. When they start to crackle, add the asafoetida and the remaining ginger. Stir fry for a couple minutes and then add the turmeric, red chili, and coriander powders and stir well.

Add the onions, salt, and sugar. Fry until the onions start turning golden brown. If you already blended the onions with the nut paste, add the salt and sugar and continue.

Add the nut paste, mix well, and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally. If the paste starts to stick to the pan, add 2 tbsp water (as little as possible) and stir. Cook uncovered until the paste starts to release oil along the sides of the pan. Add garam masala and stir for a couple of minutes.

Add the potatoes, green peas, and water. Stir well, cook covered for approx 10 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through. Check for salt. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Author: Shrinkingsodacan

Empanadas de Pino al Horno

Recipe from Hector, chef at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile, via Janice Lee

Ingredients:

Pino (filling)

Beef, soft and non-fat cuts, cut into 1/4" cubes [less traditional: use ground beef] - 1 lb

Onions, finely chopped - 3 big

Lard or shortening - 3 tbsp

Paprika - 2 tbsp

Oregano - 1/2 tsp

Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp

Black olives (kalamata is fine) - 4 oz

Eggs, hard boiled - 3

Oil

Salt

Pepper

Dough

Flour - 2 lb

Baking powder - 1 tsp

Lard or shortening - 7 oz

Salt - 1 tbsp

Warm milk - 1 cup

Egg yolk (mixed with milk) - 1

Method:

Pino:

Melt the lard in a pot and fry the beef. Add the minced onions, paprika, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir with a wooden spoon. Cook until onions are translucent. Let cool. Optionally, add 2 tbsp sugar if you desire a sweet filling.

Dough:

Mix the flour with the baking powder, salt, and sugar. Melt the lard and add this to the dough with warm milk. Mix to form a soft and smooth dough. Let rest half an hour.

Making the empanadas:

Divide the dough into 12 pieces and cover with a cloth to keep it warm. Stretch out each piece of dough with a rolling pin into disks of about 3 mm thickness. Place a tablespoon of filling onto the disk, and add a quarter of a boiled egg and a black olive. Wet the edges of the disk and fold in the middle. Fold the edge to seal. Brush the top of the empanada with the yolk-milk mixture. Make a little hole with a toothpick on top to let it breathe and to avoid inflated dough during baking.

Preheat the oven to 200 C and bake for about 40 min. Serve hot.

Author: Shrinkingsodacan

Tangy spinach stir fry

Perfect as a side dish to rice or chapatis.

Ingredients:

Spinach, frozen - 1 lb bag

Dried red chili - 2

Udad dal - 1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp [optional]

Asafoetida - 1 pinch [optional]

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Tomatoes, quartered - 2 small

Oil - 1-2 tsp

Salt - 1 tsp or to taste

Method:

Heat oil in a pan. When hot, add the mustard seeds. When they splutter, add the rest of the seasoning ingredients (udad dal, fenugreek seeds, asafoetida). Stir well. After a minute or two, add the tomatoes and cook covered on a medium flame until they soften (about 10 min). Add salt, mix well, and add the frozen spinach. Cook covered on a medium flame for 10 min. Stir occasionally and check the moisture content. The frozen spinach should have enough water, but if the mixture seems too dry (i.e., if the spinach starts sticking to the pan), add a tablespoon of water. This dish is neither supposed to be too dry nor too water. The final product should be crunchy due to the udad dal, and juicy and tangy due to the tomatoes, without being watery.

Serve hot as a side dish with rice or chapatis.

Author: Shrinkingsodacan

Instant Pot French Dip

Ingredients:

Beef tenderloin - 1 kg

Onions, sliced - 3

Garlic, minced - 6 cloves

Hot water - 1 cup

Olive oil - 1 tbsp

Dried rosemary - 1 pinch

Thyme - 1 pinch

Bay leaves - 2

Method:

Heat a cast iron pan. Coat with olive oil. Season one side of the tenderloin with salt and pepper and place on the pan. Cook for 10 min. Season other side and flip and cook for 10 min. Set aside. Add onions in the pan and cook until soft. Reserve 1/3 of the onion for later. Add garlic, rosemary, and thyme to the pan and cook for a couple of minutes. Deglaze pan with hot water, scraping the pan with a wooden spoon.

Add the liquid to the Instant Pot and stuff the beef pieces in, submerging as much of the beef as possible. Pressure cook for 45 min and then allow natural pressure release for 25 min. Remove the beef pieces and shred. Turn the Instant Pot to sauté mode and heat the liquid. Add the reserved onion and cook for up to 10 min or until the liquid thickens. Separate the fat if required.

Note: if you use steak bones or beef ribs, set aside the bones after searing the meat. These bones can then be cooked along with veggies (carrots, celery, etc) and with some apple cider vinegar and (6 cups of) boiling water in the Instant Pot for ~45 min to make a stew/stock.

Author: Shrinkingsodacan

Source: This recipe.

Vaangi (eggplant) bhaat (rice)

Ingredients:

For the powder:

Dried red chilies - 12

Chana dal - 2 tbsp

Udad dal - 2 tbsp

Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp

Fenugreek seeds - 1.5 tsp

Poppy seeds - 4.5 tsp

Cinnamon - 3 x 2" pieces

Cardamom pods - 2 tbsp

Cloves - 3/4 tsp

Coconut, dried and grated (I used unsweetened dessicated coconut chips) - 1/2 cup

Oil - 1 tbsp

Rice:

Wash and soak 2 cups of rice for 20 min, then cook. After 15 min, fluff with a fork.

For the paste:

Oil (I used sesame) - 3 tbsp

Eggplant, cut into bite-size pieces, soaked in salt water for 20 min - 1/2 to 1 medium

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Udad dal - 1 tsp

Asafoetida - a pinch

Red chilies - 4

Peanuts - 1/4 cup

Turmeric - a pinch

Vaangi bhaat powder - 5 tsp

Jaggery or sugar - 1 tsp

Tamarind pulp - 4 tbsp

Water - 1/2 cup

Salt - to taste

Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup

Method:

Preparing the powder: heat 1/4 tbsp oil and fry the red chilies for up to two minutes or until they start turning black. Remove onto a plate. Add the remaining oil and fry the following in order: chana dal, udad dal, coconut, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, cinnamin, cardamom, cloves, and finally the poppy seeds. The poppy seeds be the fastest to roast so they shouldn't spend a lot of time in the pan. Set aside to cool. Grind all the ingredients into a powder. To prepare vangi bhaat, use 2.5 tbsp of this powder per cup of uncooked rice. The powder can be stored in an airtight container.

Preparing the paste:

Heat oil and crackle mustard seeds and udad dal. Roast the peanuts and add the red chilies and asafoetida and stir for a couple of minutes. Add the eggplants that have been sitting in salted water, salt, and turmeric. Cover and cook on medium heat for 10 min or until eggplant pieces start to soften. Add tamarind water mixed with sugar/jaggery and the vaangi bhaat powder. Mix well and cook until the sauce thickens.

Mix with cooked rice and serve with chips and raita.

Author: Shrinkingsodacan

Source: This recipe and this recipe.

Chow chow (chayote) mor kuzhambu (spicy buttermilk soup), Instant Pot version

Ingredients:

Chayote, cut into large pieces - 4 large

Buttermilk or diluted whisked yogurt - 2 L

Paste

Rice - 1/4 cup

Toor dal - 1/4 cup

Coconut, shredded or in strips - 1 cup

Green chilies - 3-4

Cumin seeds - 2 tsp

Ginger, chopped coarsely - 2" piece

Turmeric powder - 1/4 to 1/2 tsp

Salt - 2 tsp or to taste

Seasoning/garnish

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 2 tsp

Udad dal - 2 tsp

Asafoetida - a pinch

Coriander leaves, chopped fine - 1/4 cup

Method:

Cook the chayote in the Instant Pot on the pressure cooker setting for 6 min. Allow the pressure to release naturally.

In the meantime, wash and soak the rice and toor dal for 30 min, then blend into a thick paste along with the coconut, cumin seeds, green chilies, and ginger. Add buttermilk to this paste, mixing thoroughly to avoid lumps. Season with salt and add turmeric powder. Heat on low in a large pot until it starts to boil, stirring occasionally to check for deposits on the bottom of the pot. As the liquid heats, it will gradually change colour due to the turmeric. Turn off the stove.

In a small pot or pan, heat the oil. When hot, add the mustard seeds, udad dal, and asafoetida. When the seeds splutter, turn off the stove and mix this seasoning into the mor kuzhambu. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with rice and papad.

Author: Shrinkingsodacan

Source: This recipe.

Grilled spicy zucchini

Ingredients:

Zucchini, cut into long strips - 4-6

Olive oil - 3 tbsp

Garam masala - 1 tsp

Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp

Black salt - 1/2 tsp (optional)

Salt - 1/2 tsp or to taste

Thyme - 1/2 tsp

Method:

Preheat oven to 200-210 C.

Cut the zucchini into long strips and throw into a large bowl. Toss with olive oil, salt, and spices. Bake for 45 min to 1 hr or until the zucchini starts to turn brown.

Author: Shrinkingsodacan

Malabar (Nadan) beef curry, Instant Pot version

Ingredients:

Purée the following without any additional water:

Onions, cut into large pieces - 1 to 1.5 large

Green chili - 2

{Sesame, poppy, and flax seeds} OR {cashew nuts} - 1/3 cup total (optional)

[Optionally, you can omit the seeds, slice the onions thinly, chop the chili finely, and fry them with the rest of the ingredients. You can also fry the cashews with them.]

Ghee or oil - 2 to 3 tbsp

Bay leaves - 2

Ginger, chopped fine - 2 tbsp

Garlic, chopped fine - 2 tbsp

Cloves - 4-6

Beef shank, cubed - 1 kg

Potatoes, diced - 1/2 kg

Carrots, cut into 1" pieces - 1/2 to 1 cup

Peas (optional) - 1 cup

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Garam masala - 1 tsp

Tomatoes, quartered - 1.5 to 2 large (I used 3 medium canned tomatoes)

Water - approx. 1 L

Coconut milk - 1 can

Salt - 1-2 tsp or to taste

Coriander leaves, chopped - 1/2 cup

Method:

Turn the Instant Pot on to sauté mode and add ghee. When hot, add the following in order: bay leaves, cloves, fennel seeds, ginger and garlic, and beef. Coat the beef well and fry until all sides are sealed. Add the onions and green chilies (or the onion purée). Mix well and cook until it loses most of its water. Add the dry powders, mix well, and add tomatoes. Finally, add the potatoes, carrots, and peas. Stir well. Add just enough water to cover the mixture. Pressure cook for 8 min and wait for natural pressure release.

Add coconut milk and simmer for 5-10 min, checking for salt. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with rice OR baguette.

Author: Shrinkingsodacan

Chow chow (chayote) poriyal, Instant Pot version

Ingredients:

Chow chow, washed and cut into medium-sized pieces

Coconut, coarsely ground - 1/3 cup

Green chilies, coarsely ground - 1-2

Cumin seeds, coarsely ground - 1-2 tsp

Turmeric powder

Salt

Seasoning:
Oil - 1 tbsp

Udad dal - 1-2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Method:

Fill the Instant Pot with just enough water to submerge the chow chow pieces. Mix in salt and a pinch of turmeric. Cook on the pressure cooker setting for 7 min. Manually release the pressure after 30-40 min. The pieces show be soft and cooked all the way through without falling apart. Drain.

Mix in the coconut, green chilies, cumin seeds, and salt.

Heat oil in a small container and fry the udad dal and mustard seeds till they start spluttering. Add to the veggies. Mix well. Optionally, mix in cooked toor dal.

Serve with rice.

Author: Shrinkingsodacan

Baingan (eggplant) Bharta

Ingredients:

Eggplant, medium - 3

Onion, finely chopped - 1 large

Green chilies, finely chopped - 2

Ginger, finely chopped - 2" piece

Tomatoes, finely chopped - 3 medium (I used half a large can and some juice)

Olive oil - 2 tsp

Cooking oil - 2 tbsp

Garlic - 8-12 cloves

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp

Garam masala powder - 1 tsp

Amchur (dried mango powder) - 3/4 tsp

Salt - 1 tsp or to taste

Coriander leaves, chopped - 1/2 cup

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F). Make four deep, lengthwise slits in each eggplant and stuff one clove of garlic into each slit to force it open. smear olive oil all over each eggplant. Bake for 45 min to 1 hr. Let it cool. Peel and discard the skin. Mash the eggplant. Set aside.

Heat oil in a wok. Add cumin seeds. When they splutter, add the onions and coat well with oil. Fry until they start turning golden brown, then add chopped green chilies and ginger. Stir for two minutes, then add the tomatoes. Cook covered on a medium-low flame until the tomato pieces soften (about 10 min). Add the dry powders and salt, mix well, and cook until most of the moisture evaporates and the oil separates (about 10 min). Add the eggplant pieces, mix and cook for a few more minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or chapati.

Optionally, before serving, you can mix in some whisked yogurt.

Author: Shrinkingsodacan

Chayote with Moong Dal

Ingredients

To pressure cook:

Chayote, cubed -- 2

Moong dal -- 1 cup

Water - 2 cups

Tomatoes -- 2 (I used canned)

Garlic -- 6-8 pods

Green chilies, slit lengthwise -- 2

Turmeric powder -- 1/2 tsp

Salt - 3/4 tsp or to taste

Seasoning:

Oil - 2 tbsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Garnish:

Coriander leaves, chopped - 3-4 tbsp

Method:

Add all the ingredients in the "pressure cook" section into the Instant Pot and pressure cook for 6 min. Allow pressure to release naturally.

Heat oil in a small container, splutter the cumin and mustard seeds and add to the dal. Mix well. Check for salt.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Additionally delicious option:

Heat some oil, add panchphoron and whole green chilies and fry until the seeds splutter. Add chundakkai and fry well. Add chopped onions and salt and fry until translucent. Add 2 tsp of sambar powder, mix well. Add 1 cup boiled water and 1-1.5 tsp tamarind paste. Cook until raw smell goes away, then add the cooked lentils and chayote. Mix well, simmer for five minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Author:

Shrinkingsodacan

Instant Pot Dal Makhani

Ingredients

Udad dal - 1 cup

Water - 2-3 cups

Cinnamon sticks - 2

Cloves - 6

Pepper corns - 6

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Butter, cubed - 50 g

Salt - 1 tsp

Seasoning

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

[Kashmiri] Red chili powder - 1 tsp

Garam masala powder - 1 tsp

Finish

Salt - to taste

Fresh cream - 2 tbsp

Cook the first set of ingredients in the Instant Pot on the chili setting for 1h30m.

Heat the ghee and stir fry the second set of ingredients. Pour the dal into this mixture and simmer for 20 min, mashing lightly at the beginning.

Season with salt if required, serve with a dollop of fresh cream.

Sprouted dal fry (dry dish)

Ingredients:       
Sprouted dal - 1 cup (I used a mix of whole moth, whole green moong, and whole masoor)
For boiling the dal:
    Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
    Salt - 1/2 tsp
Seasoning ingredients:
    Oil - 2 tbsp
    Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
    Onions, chopped - 1/4 cup
    Green chilies, slit lengthwise - 1 large
    Dried red chilies - 2
    Ginger, chopped fine - 2 tbsp
    Salt - 1 tsp or to taste
For garnish:
    Coconut, shredded - 1 tbsp (optional) OR lemon juice - 2 tsp
    Coriander leaves, chopped fine - 1/4 cup

Method:
Mix 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp salt into XXX cups of water and bring to a boil. Add the sprouts and cook covered on a medium flame for 20 min (check at 15 min to make sure the lentils aren't overcooked -- they should have a slight crunch to them). Drain the lentils, throwing away the excess water.

Heat oil in a pan. When hot, add the cumin seeds and dried red chilies. When the seeds splutter, add the rest of the seasoning ingredients (except salt) and cook until the onions are translucent. Add the salt, mix well, and add the cooked lentils to this mixture. Toss to coat well, cook for a couple of minutes.

Garnish with coconut OR lemon juice (not both!) and coriander leaves. Serve with rice and a gravy dish or with chapatis.

Author: Shrinkingsodacan

Masoor dal fry

Ingredients:
Split masoor dal - 2 cups
Onion, sliced - 1/4 of 1 large
Ginger, chopped - 1" piece
Garlic pods, whole (from frozen batch) - 5
Serrano peppers, slit lengthwise - 2 medium
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Tomatoes, canned - 2 whole + 1/2 cup of juice
Garam masala - 3/4 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp or to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp
Kasoori methi - a fistful
Coriander leaves, chopped - a fistful

Method:
Cook the dal in the Instant Pot on Pressure Cook setting. Pressure releases in about 30 min, turn off immediately.

Heat oil. Add cumin seeds. When they splutter, add ginger, garlic, and chillies. Stir fry for a couple of minutes, then add the onions. Stir fry for a few minutes. Add salt, mix well, and add the garam masala. Fry for a couple of minutes, then add the tomatoes. Gently cut them into quarters. Cook covered on a low flame until the tomatoes soften. Add the kasoori methi and mix well. Add the dal and cook for a couple of minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Author: Shrinkingsodacan

Gobhi matar (cauliflower and peas)

Ingredients:
Cauliflower, washed broken into florets - 500 g
Peas - 1 cup
Onions, finely chopped - 1/2 of 1 large
Tomato, finely chopped - 1 large
Green chillies, chopped - 3
Ginger, finely chopped - 1" piece
Garlic, finely chopped - 6 pods
Caraway seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon - 1" piece
Green cardamom pods - 2
Star anise - 1
Whole black pepper - 5
Bay leaf - 1
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Kashmiri red chili powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp
Cloves - 3
Oil - 3 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Coriander leaves, chopped - 1/2 cup

Method:
Blanch the cauliflower in hot salted water for 15 min. Alternatively, steam in the microwave on medium high for 8 min. Steam or boil the peas until almost cooked. Drain and set aside.

Heat oil and fry the whole spices for a minute. Add the onions, ginger, garlic, and green chillies. Stir until the onions start turning golden brown. Add the powders and stir well. In a minute, add the tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes soften and the oil separates.

Add cauliflower and mix well. Cook covered, stirring occasionally. When the cauliflower is almost done, add the peas and garam masala powder. Cook covered for 5-10 more min. Turn off the stove and open up the pan to let the moisture evaporate. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Source: This recipe.
Author: Shrinkingsodacan

Puran poli (whole wheat flatbread stuffed with sweetened chickpea flour)

Ingredients:
Dough
Whole wheat flour - 2 cups
Warm water - about 1 cup (you'll only use about 90% of it)
Salt - 3/4 tsp or to taste
Filling
Chickpea flour - 1 cup
Sugar - 3/4 cup or to taste
Ghee or unsalted butter, melted - 1 tbsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Cardamom powder - 3/4 tsp
Milk - 3/4 to 1 cup

Method:
Dough:
Mix the salt and flour together. Slowly add warm water until the dough forms (you should need only about 90% of the volume of water recommended above). Knead the dough well. Store in the fridge, covered with a damp cloth or in a sealed plastic bag until the rest of the ingredients are prepared.
Filling:
In a large wok, heat the ghee. When hot, slowly add chickpea flour, stirring to avoid large lumps. Mix well and stir on a medium-low flame until the flour starts to brown (about 15 min). Mix in the sugar. Slowly add half of the milk, stirring well. Form a thick dough. Add the cardamom powder and mix well. Now add the rest of the milk slowly, until a smooth dough is formed. Keep booking until the dough loses all of its moisture and its consistency resembles that of the whole wheat flour dough. Use a silicone spatula to remove the filling into a bowl. Once cooled down to a manageable temperature, roll with your hands into a ball, then split into 12 pieces.
Making the poli:
Split the whole wheat dough into 12 pieces. Roll one piece into a thick disk slightly bigger than your palm. Place on palm and put one piece of filling in the middle. Collect the edges of the dough and turn into a dumpling, making sure not to leave a lot of air inside. Flatten dumpling with your palm onto a rolling surface, dust with flour, and roll into thinner disks about 8" wide.
Heat a thick-bottomed pan until very hot, then turn the heat down to medium. Place a poli on the pan. Press down on the sides with a flat spatula and then in the centre to cook evenly. Flip over and repeat the process. When small brown spots start to appear and the dough has lost most of its raw colour, spread a couple drops of ghee around the surface. Flip, spread ghee, flip. Repeat with the rest of the dough/filling.
Serve hot.

Author: Shrinkingsodacan