Picnic

Butternut Squash and Green Curry Soup

4 tablespoons coconut oil or neutral-tasting oil
3 medium shallots, diced
1 (2-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 lemongrass stalk, cut into 3-inch pieces
Kosher salt
2 medium butternut squashes (about 4 pounds), peeled, seeded and cut into about 3/4-inch cubes
2 (13 1/2-ounce) cans coconut milk
6 to 8 tablespoons Thai green curry paste, or to taste
3 tablespoons fish sauce
3 to 4 cups water or chicken stock, preferably homemade

Miang kham topping to garnish (see related recipe)

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Melt oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. When oil shimmers, add shallots, ginger, lemongrass and a generous pinch of salt. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are tender and just starting to brown, about 18 minutes.

Add squash, coconut milk, curry paste, 3 tablespoons fish sauce and 3 cups water or stock. Increase heat to high. When liquid comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook the soup covered until squash is tender, about 25 minutes.

Remove soup from heat. Remove lemongrass stalks from pot. Use a hand blender to purée soup. Alternatively, transfer soup in batches to a blender or food processor and purée. Taste and adjust for salt and curry paste. Add water or stock to thin soup to the desired consistency.

Serve soup hot with garnishes.

Gobi Simla Mirch

2 1/2 cups cauliflower (gobi), cut into florets
Salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon turmeric (haldi)
4 tablespoons oil
1 cup capsicum cubes
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
1 Onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon garlic-ginger paste
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
2 teaspoon chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
1/2 cup tomato cubes
Chopped cilantro (dhania) for garnish

Heat water, salt, and turmeric in large pan. Cook cauliflower 4-5 minutes, until parboiled. Drain cauliflower and set aside.

Heat 2 teaspoon of oil in skillet or other wide pan. Saute cauliflower 2-3 minutes. Add capsicum and cook 2-3 minutes more, adding a little water if necessary to keep from burning.

Heat remaining oil in a non-stick kadai and add cumin seeds.when seeds crackle, add onions and garlic-chili paste, and saute 2-3 minutes.

Add cayemme, garam masala, green chilies, and dried fenugreek leaves and saute 1 minute more.

Add to cauliflower and capsicum, along with the diced tomatoes, and cook on a low flame 2-3 minutes more.

Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Amti

2 cups Toor Dal
1 tsp Cooking Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
A Pinch Asafoetida
Curry Leaves
1 Tomato Finely chopped
1 tbsp Goda Masala
1 tsp Red Chili powder
2 tbsp Coconut freshly grated
Water as required
3 to 4 Kokum Petals or replace with Tamarind
Jaggery a small piece
Salt to taste
Handful Coriander Leaves Finely chopped

Wash and pressure the dal with turmeric powder. Allow the pressure to fall down.

Heat up oil in a nonstick pan. When oil is enough hot, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds.

When it sizzle up, add asafetida, curry leaves and tomato.

Fry the tomato for about 2 minutes. Add goda masala, red chili powder and grated fresh coconut. Fry for about a minute.

Add cooked dal and water. Mix well. At this stage you can add either kokum petals or tamarind extract
Add jaggery and salt to taste.

Boil on medium flame for about 5-7 minutes.

Add finely chopped coriander.

Serve with Rice or Roti.

Dal Palak

Spinach – 1/2 bunch / 1 cup leaves
Toor dal – 1/2 cup
Chana dal / Bengal Gram Dal – 1/4 cup
Turmeric powder a pinch

For tempering

Oil – 2 tsp
Raw Peanuts – 2-3 tsp
Dry red chilies – 6
Onion – 1 small
Garlic cloves, crushed – 4 -5
Coriander leaves handful
Curry patta handful
Hing a pinch
Salt to taste
Lime juice few drops

Wash dal. Wash spinach leaves in saltwater. Chop them. In a pressure cooker, take the greens along with dal and add enough water and turmeric. Pressure cook or boil them till soft.

Mash dal and spinach. Keep aside.

For tempering:

Chop onion. Crush garlic cloves. Wash peanuts.

Heat a kadhai with oil, when hot add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds crackle, add asafoetida, red chilies, curry leaves, and garlic cloves. Add peanuts and fry. Add chopped onions and fry them till translucent.

Pour dal and spinach mixture into the pan. Add water for desired thickness. Bring it to a boil.

Add salt, Lime juice, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Garnish with coriander leaves while serving.

Serve hot with chapati or rice.

Notes: Methi leaves can also be used along with Spinach.

Kakdi Chi Koshimbir (Cucumber Salad)

1 Cucumber, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons Coriander (Dhania) Leaves, finely chopped
1 Green Chilli, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Fresh coconut, grated
2 tablespoons Roasted Peanuts (Moongphali), roughly crushed in a mortar and pestle
1/2 teaspoon Sugar
2 teaspoons Lemon juice
Salt, to taste
Ingredients for the tempering
1 teaspoon Ghee
1/2 teaspoon Mustard seeds
1 Dry Red Chilli
1 sprig Curry leaves

In a mixing bowl, combine the cubed cucumbers, coriander, green chilli, grated coconut and give it a good mix.

Roughly pound the roasted peanuts using a mortar and pestle and add it to the salad bowl and mix.

Season with salt, sugar, lemon juice and mix all the ingredients evenly.

Now, heat ghee in a small tadka pan on medium heat, add the mustard seeds, red chilli and let it splutter.

Switch off the flame, add the curry leaves, once it crackles, pour this tadka over the cucumber salad and mix well.

Koshimbir

1 medium Onion chopped
1 small Carrot chopped
1 medium Tomato chopped
1 large Cucumber chopped
2-3 tbsp Coriander leaves (Cilantro) finely chopped
2-3 tbsp Peanuts roasted and crushed
1 tsp Sugar optional
1/2 tsp Cumin powder (Jeera Powder)
Salt to taste
1 tsp Oil
1/4 tsp Mustard Seeds (Rai)
1/4 tsp Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
pinch Asafoetida (Hing)
1 Dry red chili

Take a large mixing bowl. In this bowl, we will start adding our chopped veggies – onion, carrot, cucumber and tomato.

For some freshness and color, we will add about 2 tbsp of chopped Coriander leaves (Cilantro).
Now, for adding some crunch to the Koshimbir salad, add 2 tbsp of crushed peanuts. These have been roasted on a pan and then crushed usig a blender or mixer.

To give some balance of taste and sweetness, we added 1 tsp of Sugar. This step is optional and can be skipped.

Add 1/2 tsp of Jeera powder (cumin powder). Again, you can roast jeera on a pan till brown and then make a powder out of it. Or you can directly use store bought powder.

Next add salt to taste. We use about 1/2 tsp.

Mix all the ingredients well.

For the tadka, heat 1 tsp of oil in a saucepan.

Once the oil is hot add 1/4 tsp of Rai (mustard seeds) and 1/4 tsp of Jeera (cumin seeds).

Let the seeds crackle and then add a pinch of Hing (Asafoetida) to the oil.

Finally, add a dried red chili to the oil and turn off the heat immediately so that the chili doesn’t burn.

Pour the tadka over the salad immediately. Mix everything well.

Your Koshimbir salad is ready. Serve it as a side with your meal or make it your meal itself!

Cauliflower Chaat

FOR THE CAULIFLOWER:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 small head cauliflower, cut into florets
Salt to taste
2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
2 teaspoons finely chopped jalapeño pepper
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons chaat masala

FOR THE SAUCE AND SERVING:
1 cup cilantro
1/2 jalapeño pepper
1/4 small white onion
1/2 small garlic clove
1 tablespoons plain, full-fat Greek yogurt
Pinch of cumin
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon roughly chopped roasted almonds

Cook the cauliflower: Heat the oil in a sauté pan on high heat, until the oil starts to smoke in small wisps. Add the cauliflower florets and lower the heat to medium-high. Sprinkle with salt and allow the florets to brown in the pan, then stir and turn the heat down to medium. Cook for another minute, then add ginger and jalapeño. Stir well, add cilantro, lemon juice and chaat masala, and stir again. Remove pan from heat.

Prepare the sauce: Place all ingredients plus 2 tablespoons water in a small food processor and purée until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides and get everything incorporated. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Drizzle sauce over the cauliflower and sprinkle with almonds.

Trinidad-Style Aloo and Channa

3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable
2 tablespoons curry powder, preferably Chief brand (see headnote); may substitute Madras curry powder
4 to 5 (about 2 pounds) large Yukon Gold potatoes, well scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 2/3 cups water, divided, plus more as needed
One (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
5 large cloves garlic, minced or finely grated
1/2 teaspoon chopped habanero chile pepper (about 1/2 chile), seeded and minced, or a few dashes of fruit-forward hot sauce, such as Yellowbird habanero hot sauce
Fresh chopped cilantro or scallions, for garnish (optional)
Naan or cooked brown rice, for serving

In a large, heavy pot over medium heat, add the oil and curry powder. Allow the curry powder to bloom, constantly stirring, about 30 seconds.

Add the potatoes and stir to coat them with the curry-oil mixture. Add 1 tablespoon of the salt, the black pepper and 1 cup of the water. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes.

Using a wooden spoon, mash some of the potatoes against the side of the pot and stir to thicken the cooking liquid. Add the chickpeas and 2/3 cup of water and stir to combine. Stir in the scallions, cilantro, garlic and habanero, if using, and simmer until the chickpeas are warmed through and everything is coated in the golden sauce, 5 to 7 minutes.

If the stew is too thick or sticking to the bottom of the pot, add 1/3 cup water. Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and a dash of hot sauce.

Ladle the stew into bowls, garnish with the cilantro or scallion, if using, and serve hot, with naan or brown rice.

Home Style Tofu with Peppers

1 block (14 oz/396 g) soft or medium firm tofu , cut into 1 cm thick triangles (Footnote 1)
1 cup vegetable oil , for deep frying
4 cloves garlic , sliced
1 ” (2.5 cm) ginger , thinly sliced into strips
3 green onions , cut into 1″ pieces, white and green parts separated
1 tablespoon doubanjiang
1/2 carrot , sliced (about 1/3 cup)
1 bell pepper , cut into 1” diamonds
1 (8-oz / 226 g) can sliced bamboo shoots , or 1 bamboo shoot, sliced (about 1/3 cup)
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Sauce:
3 tablespoons light soy sauce (or soy sauce)
1 tablespoon Chinkiang vinegar
2 teaspoons vegetarian oyster sauce (or sweet bean paste) (Footnote 2)
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons water (or vegetable stock)

Slurry:
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon water

Mix the sauce ingredients together in a medium bowl.

Add the slurry ingredients into a small bowl and stir to mix well.

In a high-walled skillet or pot, heat the oil to 375°F (190°C). Carefully add the tofu. Fry until both sides turn golden, about 3 minutes. Flip once or twice to ensure even cooking. Remove the tofu from the oil and transfer it to a big plate.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the pan (alternatively, you can heat 1 tablespoon of oil in another large skillet).

Add the garlic, ginger, green onion (white part), and doubanjiang to the pan. Turn the heat to medium. Stir fry to release the fragrance until the oil turns red, about 2 minutes.

Add the fried tofu, carrots, bell peppers, and bamboo. Stir fry for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Pour in the sauce. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, gently flipping occasionally. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the green onion (green part). Mix the slurry again so the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Pour in the slurry and mix with a spatula until the sauce thickens.

Drizzle in a teaspoon of sesame oil to finish up.

Serve hot over steamed rice as a main dish.

Crispy Tofu with Garlic Sauce

Crispy tofu:
1 12-oz. / 340-g block extra firm tofu
Salt

Garlic sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free option
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 garlic cloves minced
1 green onion chopped (*Footnote 1)
Optional Toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Optional Sriracha sauce for serving

Crispy tofu:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 C). Line a baking tray with parchment.

Press the water out of the tofu while heating up the oven. Carefully press the tofu with your hands. Slice the tofu into two even-thickness pieces. Wrap a few layers of cheesecloth (or kitchen paper towel) outside the tofu, and place a small tray with a heavy weight on top. The weight can be a jar of pickles or canned tomatoes.

When the oven is heated, cut the tofu into 1/2-inch (1-cm) pieces. (*Footnote 2)
Season both sides with salt. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the tofu turns golden and the surface puffs.

Now you can use it in stir fries or serve the tofu with sauce.

Garlic sauce:

Prepare the garlic sauce while baking the tofu. Whisk the soy sauce, sugar, water, and cornstarch in a small bowl until completely dissolved.

Heat the oil in a small pan over a medium heat until hot. Add the garlic and green onions. Stir for 20 seconds to release the aroma.

Stir the sauce again to make sure the cornstarch is dissolved. Pour into the pan. Stir constantly for 10 to 20 seconds, until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Transfer immediately into a small bowl, so the sauce won’t overcook in the residual heat.

When the tofu is baked, drizzle the sauce over the tofu. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds, if using.

Serve immediately as a snack or appetizer.

Notes:
Use the white part to cook the sauce and save the green part to garnish the tofu before serving.
It is OK to cut the tofu slightly larger, up to 3/4-inch (1.5-cm) thick. It will take longer for the pieces to crisp up, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Crispy Marinated Tofu

1 block (14 oz / 400 g) extra-firm or firm tofu
Optional 3 to 4 green onions, coarsely sliced to fill the marinade (*Footnote 1), reserve green parts for garnish
Vegetable oil for pan frying

Marinade:
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons chili paste (or hot sauce you like) (*Footnote 2)
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, grated
1 inch ginger, grated

Coating:
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt (Skip the salt if using doubanjiang in the marinade)
1/2 teaspoon cumin

Marinate (4 hr to overnight)
(Optional) Press the tofu gently using your hands or a few layers of paper towel to get rid of excess water. Use this step if you’re short on time and need to use less time to marinate the tofu. You can skip this step if you’re going to marinate the tofu overnight.

Prepare a container that’s slightly bigger than the block of tofu. Combine all the sauce ingredients in the container. Stir to mix well. Transfer 2 to 3 tablespoons of the marinade into a separate small bowl to use as a dipping sauce later.

Cut the tofu in half lengthwise, then into half-inch-thick squares. Transfer the pieces into the container by making them “stand”, so it helps the marinade to disperse evenly (see the blog post above to see how to arrange the tofu). Use your hand to gently separate the tofu slices, so all the surfaces will be in touch with the marinade. If the marinade cannot cover all the tofu, use some green onion (or white onion) to fill up the empty space in the container, so the marinade covers most of the tofu.

Cover to seal the container. Gently shake it. Marinate overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for at least 4 hours.

Cook
When you’re ready to cook, remove the tofu from the marinade and lay it on a few layers of paper towels to drain the extra liquid.

Combine the coating ingredients in a plate. Stir to mix well.

Prepare a big plate with a few layers of paper towels, for the cooked tofu.

Heat a thin layer of oil in a nonstick (or carbon steel) pan over medium-high heat until hot.
You might need to cook the tofu in batches depending on your pan size. While heating up the pan, coat each piece of tofu with the coating mixture and place it on a plate. You should only coat the pieces you’re going to fry immediately.

Carefully add the coated tofu pieces into the pan. Cook without moving until the bottom is browned, 2 minutes or so. Flip to cook the other side until browned, another 2 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium if the pan gets too hot and the oil starts to smoke. Repeat the process until you’ve fried all the tofu pieces.

Transfer the fried tofu onto the paper towel lined plate to drain the excess oil.

Serve the fried tofu with the reserved dipping sauce on the side and garnish it with chopped green onion. Enjoy!

Notes:
I put green onion in the marinade container so the liquid would rise high enough to cover the tofu. You can skip it if the marinade covers the tofu already.

Sriracha, Thai chili paste, doubanjiang, and any other type of hot sauce will work in this recipe. Note, if you use doubanjiang, skip the salt in the coating since doubanjiang contains a lot of salt already.

The nutrition facts were calculated based on an estimate of the amount of marinade that gets absorbed by the tofu.

Coconut Rice (Savory or Sweet)

1 cup long-grain white rice, such as jasmine
3/4 cup coconut milk
1 scant tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
3/4 cup water

Rinse the rice a few times, until the water that drains away runs almost completely clear.

Put in a medium, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat with coconut milk, water, sugar and salt. When the liquid comes up to a boil, give it a good stir, scraping the bottom of the pot. Cover the pot and turn the heat down to low.

Cook for 15 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the rice rest for 10 minutes. Mix gently with a flexible rubber spatula. Taste, season with salt and serve.

This becomes a meal if you serve it with a fried egg, finely sliced pickled chiles with a little of the pickling liquid and some crushed peanuts. And if you wanted to turn it into dessert, serving it with ripe fruit like cut mango on top, you could stick to the recipe below, but bump the sugar up to 2 tablespoons.

Broccoli Salad with Peanuts and Tahini-Lime Dressing

2 pounds broccoli (see Tip)
3/4 cup thinly sliced scallions, white and green parts (3 to 5 scallions)
1/2 cup lightly salted peanuts, finely chopped
1/3 cup tahini
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
2 teaspoons honey or agave
1 garlic clove, finely grated
A few dashes of hot sauce, plus more to taste
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro or mint

Trim the broccoli stalks and peel them to remove the tough outer layer. Cut off the florets, leaving as much of the stalk as possible intact, and set the florets aside. Using the shredding or julienne blade of a food processor, a mandoline or a sharp knife, julienne the stems and place them in a large bowl.

Finely chop or julienne the florets and add them to the bowl, along with the scallions and peanuts.
In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, combine the tahini, lime juice, sesame oil, soy sauce, honey, garlic and hot sauce and whisk until smooth. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss thoroughly to coat. Set aside at room temperature for at least 15 minutes, tossing occasionally, to allow the broccoli to soften slightly.

Just before serving, add the fresh herbs and toss well. (You can refrigerate for up to 8 hours before serving.)

Tip: When shopping, avoid broccoli “crowns.” For this salad, you want plenty of stems, too.

Tikka Paneer

1.5 cups (337.5 g) paneer , cut into cubes
2 teaspoons Oil
3-4 cloves Garlic, minced
2 teaspoons Minced Ginger, minced
1/4 cup Cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon Garam Masala
1/2 teaspoons Turmeric
1/2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
1/2 teaspoons Ground Coriander
1/2 teaspoons Smoked Paprika, for color and a slightly smoky taste
1/4 teaspoons Cayenne Pepper
1 tablespoon Ghee, for cooking the paneer
1 (1 ) Lemon, Juice of 1 lemon for sprinkling before serving

Place paneer into a bowl and add oil and all the spices. Gently mix everything, taking care to not break the paneer. I found this easiest to do with my hands.

Allow this mixture to marinate for about 30 minutes.

Heat a skillet, and when it’s hot, add two tablespoons of ghee. Lay the paneer cubes in a single layer in the pan.

Let it sear for 1-2 minutes, and then using tongs, turn the pieces to sear the other side. Once both sides are seared, you can reduce the heat a little to finish warming the paneer.

Spritz the lemon juice right before serving.

Aloo Masala

2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola
1 tablespoon urad dal (split black gram)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon black mustard seeds
2 tablespoons roughly chopped roasted cashews
1 green finger chile (or serrano chile), finely chopped
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
1/2 lemon, for squeezing

Bring a pot of water to boil over high. Once the water boils, add the potatoes. Cook until tender, about 10 minutes, then drain in a colander.

In a heavy pot, heat the oil over medium. Add the urad dal, cumin and mustard seeds, and fry until cumin seeds are browned and dal is crisp, 1 to 2 minutes.

Stir in the cashews, chile and ginger, and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the onion, salt and turmeric, and lower the heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and tender but not browned, about 5 minutes.

Tip the cooked potatoes, half the cilantro and 1/4 cup water into the pot, and stir well to coat. As you stir, let some of the potato get mashed. If the mixture seems dry, add a splash more of water.

Cook over low, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are heated through, about 5 minutes, then season to taste with salt. Scrape into a serving dish; top with a generous squeeze of lemon and the remaining cilantro.

Golden Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower

1 medium head of cauliflower, chopped into small florets
3 tsp oil
1 tsp lemon juice or lime juice
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala or use curry powder of choice
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp cayenne or use 1 tsp sweet paprika + pinches of cayenne to taste
a good dash of black pepper
pinches of cinnamon and clove powder, optional
1.5 to 2 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
raita, chutney or lemon to serve

Slice the cauliflower into florets and add to a large bowl. Drizzle oil and lemon juice. Mix and rub the oil and lemon juice into the florets.

Mix the spices and breadcrumbs in a bowl. Sprinkle all over the cauliflower and toss well to coat.
Spread on parchment lined baking sheet or large dish and spray oil on the florets.

Bake at 425 degrees F (220 deg C) for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 400 degrees F. Turn the sheet around or move the cauliflower around a bit and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve with raita.

Baked Aloo Gobi

1 small head of cauliflower , 2 heaping cups
2 medium potatoes (yukon gold or white), about 2 cups cubed

Spicing:
1 tsp turmeric , divided
1 tsp ground cumin (1/2 tsp if you dont like cumin)
1 tsp ground coriander , optional, but nice
1/3 tsp (0.33 tsp) cayenne or paprika
1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) garam masala or curry powder or berbere(1/2 to 1 tsp to preference), or use more of ground cumin and coriander
3/4 tsp (0.75 tsp) salt
1 tbsp minced ginger , (1 inch ginger minced)
1 tbsp minced garlic or 1 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp water
1 tsp oil
cilantro and lemon juice for garnish

Other flavor additions:
1/2 tsp amchur(dry mango powder)
1/2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves(kasoori methi)
a good pinch of asafetida (hing)

Chop the cauliflower into small florets and put in a large bowl.

Chop the potatoes into small cubes (less than 1/2 inch) and add to the bowl.

In a small bowl. Mix the 1/2 tsp turmeric and the rest of the ingredients under spicing until well combined. Add the spice mixture to the large bowl and toss to coat.

Alternatively, Add the minced ginger, garlic, oil to the bowl and toss well. Combine the turmeric, cumin, coriander, garam masala, cayenne, salt in a small bowl, mix well. Sprinkle over the cauliflower, potatoes and toss well.

Let the cauliflower and potatoes sit for a minute.

Sprinkle some more turmeric and mix lightly (optional).

Spread the veggies in a stoneware or ceramic baking dish. Spray oil. See Tips above on how to spread the veggies and pan size to choose.

Bake at 400 deg F (204 C) for 20 mins, then cover with parchment and bake for another 15 mins or until tender to preference. Taste carefully and adjust salt and spice and mix in. garnish with cilantro and some lemon juice.

Variations: Add 1 hot green chili, finely chopped with the ginger and garlic.

Change up the spices, use panch phoron blend instead of garam masala for achari aloo gobi.

Add thawed peas in the last 10 minutes of baking for Aloo Gobi Matar.

Add 1 to 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas to amp up the protein. Increase the spices and salt to preference to accommodate the added chickpea volume.

Add 1/2 tsp toasted cumin seeds instead of ground cumin

Oilfree: Omit the oil. Cover the Veggies half way through(about 5 mins longer).

Aloo Gobi

2 medium russet potatoes, cut into 2″-long sticks
1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tsp. cumin seeds
½ tsp. ground turmeric
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. thinly sliced ginger
Pinch of asafetida (optional, but really great)
Pinch of red chili powder
1 tsp. (or more) kosher salt
1 Tbsp. (or more) fresh lime juice
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves with tender stems

Preheat oven to 400°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Toss potatoes and cauliflower with 3 Tbsp. oil on prepared sheet. Spread in an even layer and roast, tossing once halfway through, until cauliflower and potatoes are browned and slightly crisped, about 30 minutes. Let cool.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high until it begins to shimmer. Add cumin and cook, stirring frequently, until they turn a medium shade of brown, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium and swirl in turmeric. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, 4–6 minutes. Add ginger, asafetida (if using), and chili powder and cook, stirring, until heated through and well combined, about 1 minute longer.

Stir in roasted potatoes and cauliflower, including any charred bits from the foil, and gently mix (don’t overmix, or the cauliflower will fall apart). Add salt and cook, tossing occasionally, until potatoes and cauliflower are tender (but not soggy!), 5–6 minutes. Remove from heat and add lime juice. Taste and add more lime juice or salt, if needed.

Transfer potatoes and cauliflower to a platter. Top with cilantro.

Barbecue Cauliflower Salad Bowl

For the BBQ Cauliflower:
1 medium cauliflower head chopped into florets
2 tsp oil
1 tsp paprika half smoked, half sweet
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (120 ml) or more bbq sauce
2 tsp or more hot sauce

For the Salad:
1 small head of iceberg lettuce chopped
1 apple peeled, and chopped small or sliced thin
1/3 cup (90 g) chopped pecans or use toasted sunflower seeds/pumpkin seeds for nut free
1/4 cup (60 ml) vegan ranch dressing
1/3 cup (100 g) thinly sliced carrots
Chives for garnish

Chop your cauliflower, and set aside.

In a bowl, mix all your dry spices, and set aside.

Add the oil to the cauliflower, toss well, and rub in so that all the florets are coated well.

Add in the spice mixture and toss well to coat.

Transfer this to a greased or parchment lined baking dish.

Bake at 400 degrees F ( C) for 17-18 minutes, then remove from the oven.

Let the cauliflower cool for a few minutes, then drizzle the bbq sauce and hot sauce, and mix well. If you’d like more bbq sauce coating the cauliflower, add some more, and toss within the baking dish, spread the cauliflower out again, and bake again at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, or until the cauliflower is cooked to preference.

Meanwhile, prep your salad by chopping up the lettuce, apples, and carrots. Add them to a bowl, and mix well.

Top the bowl with your baked cauliflower, and a generous drizzle of ranch, and some garnishes like chives or black pepper, and serve!

Khichdi

1/2 cup (92.5 g) long grain white basmati rice
1/2 cup (96 g) quick cooking lentils such as split Red lentils (masoor dal) or (petite yellow lentils) Mung Dal or both
1 tsp oil
1/3 tsp cumin seeds or 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 onion finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 inch (7 g) ginger finely chopped
1 green Chili, chopped serrano or birds eye, or use half a jalapeño
1 bay leaf or 6 curry leaves , optional
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garam masala , optional
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne optional
1 tomato chopped
1 to 2 cups chopped vegetables
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups (473.18 ml) water 2.5 for saucier

Wash the lentils and rice then soak in hot water for 15 minutes.

Heat the Instant Pot on saute. Add oil and let it heat up. Add cumin or mustard seeds and cook for half a minute.

Add the onion, chile, garlic, ginger and a pinch of salt (and bay leaves or curry leaves) and cook for 2 mins.

Add ginger and spices and mix in.

Add tomato and cook for 3 mins. Mash the larger pieces. Add 2 tbsp water to deglaze mid way.
Drain and add the lentils and rice. Add water, salt, veggies and mix well to pick up any stuck bits.
Close the lid and pressure cook one of the following times. Low pressure for 3 mins for pictured version. High pressure for 3 to 6 minutes for a porridge and if using mung dal. Once the cooking cycle is done, quick release the pressure after 5 mins.

Fold in a few tbsp chopped cilantro and lemon juice to taste and fluff. Taste and adjust salt and flavor.

Store refrigerated for upto 3 days. For brown rice kitchari, try this.

Notes:
To make it in a saucepan: follow steps 1 to 5 in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the lentils and rice and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low-medium and continue to cook for 15-20 minutes or until desired consistency. You can add any blend of veggies! Think carrots, zucchini, cauliflower, and spinach. Use any blend you like.

Make sure not to burn the spices or your kitchari will be bitter.

White basmati rice can be substituted for other quick cooking whole grains such as quinoa, and amaranth.

Feel free to play around with the spices and vegetables, according to what you enjoy and what’s in season.