Kerala style chicken curry with coconut milk

Ingredients:
For the marinade:
    Chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces - 1 kg
    Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
    Kashmiri red chilli powder - 2 tbsp (or paprika, this is for colour only)
    Turmeric powder - 2 tsp
    Salt - 1 tsp
For the paste:
    Tomatoes - 3-4 medium
    Green chillies - 6 medium
    Ginger - 4"
    Garlic - 6-7 pods
For the gravy:
    Oil - 2-3 tbsp oil
    Onion, finely chopped - 1 large
    Salt - 1 tsp or to taste
    Garam masala - 2-3 tsp   
    Coriander powder - 2-3 tsp
    Spinach - 1/2 of one frozen bag
    Coconut milk - 2 cans (I used one thick + one light)

Time (cook + prep): 45 min
Servings: 12

Method:
1) Rub the spices into the chicken pieces in a large mixing bowl. Seal and refrigerate for 30-45 min.
2) Blend the tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and green chillies together with some water if desired (the final consistency should be somewhat watery).
3) In a wok, heat the oil and fry the onions with salt until they start turning golden brown. Now add the garam masala, coriander powder and stir well. Cook for a couple of minutes and add the tomato paste. Mix well and cook covered, stirring occasionally, for 10 min or until the consistency is more like a paste. Fold in the marinated chicken, coat the pieces well. Cover with spinach leaves. If using frozen leaves, they should have enough water. If not, add up to half a cup of water. Cook covered for 10 minutes. Finally, add the coconut milk and mix well. Cook for another 10 minutes.

Serve over rice, garnished with lime juice.

Rajma and vegetable soup

Make soup with the water left from cooking the kidney beans.

Rajma
Ingredients:
Dry kidney beans, soaked overnight in lots of water -- 2 cups.
Red onion, coarsely chopped -- 1/2 of one.
Red onion, sliced -- one.
Cumin seeds -- 1 tsp.
Garam masala -- 1.5 tsp
Tomatoes, coarsely crushed by hand -- 3 medium (you can use canned tomatoes).
Coriander leaves, chopped fine -- 1 cup
Lemon juice -- from half a large lemon
Oil -- 2 tbsp
Salt -- to taste

Method:
Soak the kidney beans overnight in lots of water. Drain. Pressure cook the beans with 4 cups of water (if using Instant Pot, pressure cook for 5 min and allow the pressure to release naturally) until the beans are soft but not mushy. Drain and reserve the water.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add cumin seeds. When they splutter, add the sliced onions and sautée until golden brown. Stir in the garam masala and cook for a minute until fragrant. Add in the crushed tomatoes and some tomato juice. Mix well and fry until the tomato pieces are soft. Stir in the kidney beans. Cover and cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes.

Serve hot with rice/chapatis, garnished with coriander leaves and lemon juice.

Vegetable soup from leftover rajma broth
Ingredients:
Leftover broth from making rajma (recipe above) -- 2-3 cups
Potatoes, diced -- 3 small.
Paneer or panela, diced -- 200 g.
Peas and carrots, diced -- 1/2 cup
Green chillies, chopped -- 1 (optional)

Method:
Place all the ingredients in a saucepan. Cover and cook on low heat until the potatoes are thoroughly cooked.

Author: Shrinkingsodacan

Kala Chana (Black Chickpeas)

Ingredients:
Kala chana, soaked in water for 4-6 hours - 1 cup
Oil - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Red onion, sliced - 1 medium
Ginger, finely chopped - 1 tsp
Garlic, finely chopped - 1 tsp
Tomato purée - 1/2 to 3/4 cup
Coriander powder - 1.5 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - about 1 tsp
Water - 2 cups
Lemon, juiced - 1/2
Coriander leaves, coarsely chopped - a handful

Method:
Soak the chickpeas in enough water for 4-6 hours. Drain, rinse, and reserve.

Turn on the Instant Pot and select SAUTE mode. When HOT, add the oil then the cumin seeds and asafoetida. When the cumin seeds splutter, add the onions and green chillies. Cook until the onions start to brown. Now add the ginger and garlic and stir for a couple of minutes. Add the coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, red chili powder, and salt, and stir fry the masalas for a couple of minutes. Mix in the tomato purée and cook covered for two minutes. Add 2 cups of water, stir. Close the Instant Pot, select the BEAN/CHILI mode and set the timer for 38 to 45 min, making sure the pressure valve is sealed. When cooked, allow the pressure to release naturally.  Garnish with lemon juice and coriander leaves and serve with rice or chapatis.

If not using the Instant Pot, sauté in a wok and cook covered in the wok or in a pressure cooker (Or transfer the contents to the Instant Pot and cook in BEAN/CHILI mode).

Author: Shrinkingsodacan.

Source: This recipe.

Dal Amti (Split pigeon peas)

Goda masala is a spice mix from Maharashtra whose key ingredient is lichen. The flavour is unique and while garam masala would work as an alternative, it doesn't replicate the original.

Ingredients
Toor dal (split pigeon peas) - 1 cup
Onion, sliced - 1/2 of one large
Green chillies, chopped - 1 small
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida powder - a pinch
Cooking oil - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Goda masala - 1.5 tsp
Tamarind pulp - 1 tbsp (or use 1 tbsp green mango powder, "amchur")
Jagger - 2 tsp (or use 1 tsp sugar)
Coriander leaves, chopped - a handful

Method
Wash and drain the toor dal. Cook with 2.5 cups of water and a pinch of turmeric and a few drops of oil mixed in. I microwaved it for around 15 min on 70% powder.

Heat oil. Add cumin seeds. When they splutter, add the green chillies, onions, and asafoetida. Fry until the onions start turning brown. Add the cooked toor dal and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Add the salt, jaggery, red chili powder, goda masala, and tamarind pulp. Cook covered for 5-10 min on medium flame. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Author: Shrinkingsodacan.
Source: Sanjay Kapoor's recipe.

Split green moong dal fry

Note: whole moong dal has its green outer skin intact. The lentils are yellow on the inside. Split green moong dal retains the green skin in the packaging.

Ingredients:
Split green moong dal - 2 cups
Turmeric - a pinch
Oil - 1/2 tsp + 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Onion, large, sliced thin - 1/2
Serrano peppers, sliced lengthwise (optional) - 2
Ginger, finely chopped - 2" piece
Garlic, finely chopped - 2 tsp
Garam masala - 2 tsp
Tomatoes, small, quartered (or use canned) - 3
Salt - to taste
Coriander leaves, chopped - 3/4 cup

Method:
Wash and drain the dal. Place in a container with 4 cups of water, a pinch of turmeric, and 1/2 tsp of oil. Bring to a boil on high heat. Immediately reduce the heat to medium low and cook covered until done. Take care that the dal should still retain its structure and not become completely mushy.

In a separate pan, heat 2 tbsp oil until hot. Add the cumin seeds and let them splutter (less than a minute). Add the onions and stir well to coat. Add the serrano peppers. Cook until the onions start turning brown, then add the ginger and garlic and stir for a couple of minutes. Mix in the garam masala and stir for a couple of minutes, then add the tomato pieces. Mash them lightly and let cook for about 5 minutes. Then add the cooked lentils, salt, and water (you can control the amount of extra water depending on the desired consistency of the final dish, so start with a small amount and gradually increase it if you like), mix well, cover and cook for five minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rice or chapatis/wheat tortillas.

Author:
Shrinkingsodacan

Mixed vegetable pulao

Ingredients:
Rice - 2 cups (preferably washed and soaked in water for 20 min)
Onion, thinly sliced - 1
Bell pepper, cut into strips - 1
Frozen veggies (broccoli or cauliflower florets, peas, carrots) - totalling 1 cup
Button mushrooms, sliced - 1 cup
Serrano peppers, cut into strips (optional) - 2
Cloves - 4
Bay leaves - 4 small
Cinnamon - 2" stick
Butter, ghee, or oil - 2-3 tbsp
Salt - to taste

Method:
Heat the ghee until it is hot. When ready, add the cloves, bay leaves, and cinnamon and stir for a minute. Add the onions and mix well. Stir fry until the onions start turning brown. One by one, add the following ingredients and mix to coat well: the mushrooms, the rice, the peas and carrots, and the broccoli or cauliflower florets. Add 3 cups of water and salt and mix well. Cook on a high flame until the mixture starts to boil, then cook covered on a low flame until done.

Serve with papad and raita.

Author:
Shrinkingsodacan

Palak mutter malai (Spinach and peas with cream)

Ingredients:
Spinach, boiled and chopped - 1 kg (I used two bags of frozen spinach and microwaved it for 10 min)
Peas, boiled till soft - 1/2 kg (I used one bag of frozen peas)
Cashews - 400 g (salted is fine, but avoid using the roasted/spiced/sweetened kinds)
Onion, cut into large chunks - 1 big
Garam masala - 1 tbsp
Sugar - 2 tsp
Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) - 1 tbsp (optional, works well with the cream)
Salt - to taste (I ended up using about 1 tbsp)
Cream - 1 cup
Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
Oil - 4 tbsp

Method:
Soak the cashews in water for 15 min. Drain and blend into a fine paste using as little water as possible. Set aside.
Blend the onion pieces into a fine paste using as little water as possible.

Heat 3 tbsp oil in a wok on high flame. When hot, add cumin seeds. When they crackle, add the onion paste and mix well. Fry on medium high heat until the oil separates to the sides. This may take long if the onion paste is watery; if so, cook on high heat until dried out and then add some more oil. When the onion paste is dried and the oil separates, add the cashew paste and mix well. Fry, stirring occasionally, until the bottom is slightly browned. Add a little more oil (or butter or ghee) and fry some more. Mix in the salt, garam masala, sugar, and kasuri methi. Add the boiled spinach and mix well. Cook for five minutes and then mix in the peas. Turn off the stove after another five minutes. Mix in the cream and serve hot with chapatis, naan, tortillas, or rice.

Optionally, stir in 2 tbsp of Sriracha sauce before serving.

Author: Shrinkingsodacan.
Source: This recipe.