Sayur lodeh is everyday cooking in Central Java, made in big pots in Solo and Semarang kitchens and ladled over rice, with lontong rice cakes at Lebaran, or alongside opor and sambal goreng on festive tables. It's soupy rather than thick: a fragrant broth of coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass and lime leaf that carries chunks of aubergine, long beans, chayote and sweetcorn, plus tempeh and tofu to make it a meal. The flavour is mellow and slightly sweet, so the heat comes from sambal on the side. Chef's tip: keep the pot at a gentle simmer once the coconut milk goes in and stir now and then — a rolling boil splits the coconut milk into oily curds.
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Whole aubergines charred over a flame until the skin blackens and the flesh turns soft and smoky, then chopped and tossed with onion, tomato, ginger, garlic and green chillies. A few black specks left in the flesh add to the smoky flavour. Serve hot with yogurt and millet rotla.
A smooth, gently spiced curry of thick and thin coconut milk with a ground paste of onion, coconut, coriander, ginger and green chilli and a tempering of cumin and curry leaves. It's mild and silky, and good with almost anything. Serve hot coconut curry with any baked vegetables or rice.
Light, crisp koftas of gram flour and chopped spinach dropped into a pale green kadhi of yogurt and spinach puree, spiced with a fresh-ground masala of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and coriander seed. Add the koftas just before serving so they stay soft but hold together. Serve hot with any paratha or puri.
A colourful, mildly spiced rice cooked in puréed tomatoes and coconut milk with carrots, peas and french beans. Creamy coconut softens the tang of the tomatoes. Garnish with coriander, tomato slices and coconut, and serve with masala yogurt.
Osaman is the cooking water from boiled whole green grams, gently spiced with ginger, chilli, tamarind and jaggery and finished with a cinnamon, clove and curry-leaf tempering. It's thin, soothing and easy to digest, so it's good for anyone feeling unwell. The leftover boiled green grams can be used to make a curry.
A light, everyday dal of husked and whole masoor lentils cooked with onion, tomato, ginger and garlic, blended smooth and seasoned with jaggery and lemon. A simple cumin and asafoetida tempering finishes it. Serve hot masoor dal with stuffed potato paratha.
Five kinds of lentil cooked together, then simmered in a gravy of browned onion, tomato, garlic and ginger under a fragrant tempering of cumin, cloves, cinnamon, red chillies and curry leaves. It's thick, hearty and full of protein. Serve hot mixed dal with chapaties or paratha.
A thick, tangy Punjabi kadhi of sour buttermilk and gram flour, simmered slowly for half an hour and tempered with ghee, cumin and fenugreek seeds, then filled with crisp koftas of gram flour, potato, peas and vegetables. Frying the koftas twice, and pressing them in between, makes them light. Serve hot with the paratha of your choice.
A mild, creamy biryani: rice and husked green gram roasted in ghee, then cooked in coconut milk with peas, carrots, potatoes, peanuts and cashews, and finished with soft fried paneer and a fresh coriander yogurt. Serve hot, garnished with more fried cashews and paneer.
Here the rice is 'brown' because sugar is caramelised in the oil before the rice goes in, which gives it a deep golden colour and a gentle toasty sweetness. It's layered with crisp matchstick vegetables tossed in a sharp, spicy vinegar marinade and ketchup, then baked. A good party dish; serve it with yogurt or raita.
The everyday Gujarati khichdi: rice and husked pigeon pea lentils cooked soft with turmeric in a ghee tempering of cumin, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and asafoetida. It's simple, soothing and nourishing. Serve hot with Gujarati kadhi.
A festive, baked khichdi: rice and pigeon pea lentils are cooked with cumin and tinted with saffron, then layered with a garlicky onion and yogurt gravy and crisp ghee-fried onions. It comes out of the oven fragrant and rich. Serve hot with plain yogurt.
A crowd-pleasing baked rice: fluffy grains mixed with steamed vegetables and three colours of capsicum cooked in a gingery tomato and yogurt masala, then covered with cheddar and baked until bubbling. Children love it. Serve it hot, on its own or with a salad.
A bright, quick rice dish: boiled rice gently mixed with sweetcorn and julienned red and green capsicum tempered with cumin and curry leaves, sharpened with lemon juice. It's light and colourful. Serve with plain yogurt or masala yogurt.
A quick vegetable biryani made in a pressure cooker: peas, carrots, potatoes, beans and tomatoes cooked with fresh coconut, yogurt and gentle spices, then steamed with the rice until each grain is separate. Finish it with crisp potato chips and fried vegetables. Serve with masala yogurt.
A rich party pullao: cardamom-and-cumin rice baked in layers with crisp paneer and potato koftas simmered in a tangy tomato and curd gravy. The top is scattered with browned onions and fried cashews. Serve hot with masala yogurt.
A comforting one-pot khichda of rice, green gram and pigeon pea lentils with little cubes of potato, cooked in cumin-scented ghee with ginger and green chilli. It's soft and mild, everyday food. Serve with Gujarati kadhi or plain yogurt.
A fresh, green pullao: sprouted green gram cooked with whole spices, mixed with rice and a vivid paste of coriander, mint, coconut and green chilli, then layered with whisked yogurt. It's light, herby and full of protein. Serve warm.
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Vegan
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