Palak Saag

Materials:

- Spinach
- Milk
- Water
- Salt
- Onions
- Oil
- Dry red chili pepper

- Optional: Cornstarch (dissolved in water, about 1 tsp per 250gm of                         spinach)

Preparation:

Put spinach in a heavy bottom pan. Add water and milk (about equal proportions) to cover the spinach and about 2-3 inches more. Bring to a boil and simmer on low heat until spinach is cooked (about 15 minutes). Stir occasionally to prevent the spinach from sticking to the pan bottom. It is ready when most of the liquid is reduced. Before all the liquid is gone, add more salt according to taste and the cornstarch if desired.

While the spinach is cooking, prepare the onion garnish. Chop onions fine. Heat oil in a pan and add onions and salt to taste. Stir and cook until onions are nicely browned... sprinkle water as needed during the process. When nearly ready, add red chili peppers and cook until they are crisp.

Finish the dish by stirring the onion garnish into the cooked spinach.

Kadhi

Materials:

- 1 tbsp besan (chickpea flour)
- 1 cup dahi (plain yogurt)
- 1 cup water
- Small piece ginger, crushed
- 1/2 tsp jeera (cumin)
- 1/4 tsp haldi (turmeric)
- 1 tsp oil
- pinch heeng (asafoetida)
- salt to taste
- Fresh coriander to garnish (optional)

Preparation:

Add water to the besan and slowly mix until smooth. Add turmeric and mix well. Whip yogurt and combine with this mixture.

Heat oil in a saucepan or kadhai/wok. Add cumin and heeng. Lower heat when you can smell the cumin/heeng roasting. Add ginger and then pour in the besan mixture. Stir and heat until mixture comes to a boil, adding more water if it sticks to the base of the pan. Simmer until sauce thickens, stirring every 5 mins or so. If the sauce gets too thin - add more besan... if too thick, add more water.

This can be eaten as a main dish with any bhaji (basic Indian vegetable dish).

One option to make it a more substantial dish is to add pakoras - a recipe for which can be found here.

Garnish with red chili peppers fried in ghee and or with freshly chopped coriander (cilantro).

Baingan Achaar (Eggplant Pickle)

A delicious preserve recipe from my sister:

Materials:


- 4 packed cups eggplant, cubed into bite-sized pieces
- 3 tbsp white vinegar (Heinz or any other)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp hot chili powder
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp haldi (turmeric)
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1 tbsp cumin (jeera) seeds
- 1 tbsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 cup sugar (or to taste)
- 2-4 fresh green chillies chopped
- 2 tbsp ginger chopped (2nd batch)
- 2 tbsp salt (or to taste)

Preparation:

Combine the 3 tbsp vinegar with garlic, chili powder, ginger and turmeric.
 

Heat oil in a large pan. Reduce heat to medium and add cumin seeds. As they brown add the methi seeds (these burn very quickly) - saute till just pink. Add the eggplant and saute for 10 minutes. Make sure all pieces are coated in the oil.

Add paste, vinegar, chili peppers, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Blend well in the pan. Add sugar to taste. Mix and cook to boiling point.

Reduce heat and simmer till you see the oil separate. Top off with some heated oil if needed.

Cool, and store in glass bottles. Refrigerate.

Notes:

I've tried using dark brown sugar and get a delicious flavor. Also - you can use east Asian rice vinegar and this works really well. Lastly, I've made this with regular (canola or other) oils and also with mustard oil... the latter adds a nice zing to the achaar!