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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Bhatura are big, soft, puffy fried breads made from a curd-leavened dough. This version has fresh coriander, fenugreek and tomato in the dough. Serve them straight from the pan with channa paneer masala or a curry of your choice. For masala bhatura, add chopped green chillies, coriander, onion and garam masala to the dough.
Soft, puffy bhaturas with a surprise inside: a yeast-raised dough is stuffed with grated paneer, fresh fenugreek, coriander, ginger, garlic and chilli, then deep fried until golden. Serve with chutneys and channa paneer masala.
Folded square parathas made with wholemeal flour, semolina, fresh fenugreek and roasted cumin. Spreading ghee and flour between the folds makes them crisp and flaky. Cook them slowly until well browned and serve with pickles, yogurt and a curry of your choice.
Makki ki roti is a rustic Punjabi flatbread made from maize flour bound with hot water. This version adds fresh fenugreek, onion and green chilli; leave them out for plain makki ki roti. It's naturally gluten free and traditionally served with sarson ka saag and a dab of ghee or butter.
Soft, leavened naan with a fragrant topping of fresh fenugreek, coriander, green chilli and garlic pressed into the dough. Traditionally roasted in a tandoor; at home cook it on an upturned earthenware tava or under a hot grill and brush with butter. Serve with a curry or dal of your choice.
Uttapam are thick South Indian pancakes made from a fermented rice and urad dal batter mixed with onion, green chilli, coconut and coriander. They're topped with a sprinkle of chilli and cumin, covered and cooked until crisp underneath. Serve hot with sambhar and mint coconut chutney.
Thin mint-flecked chapatis folded into square envelopes around a filling of spiced soya mince, onion, coriander and grated cheese, then cooked on a hot pan until brown-speckled. They're high in protein and great for lunch boxes. Serve hot with green, red and tamarind chutneys and salad.
A festive pulao of basmati rice with green peas, golden fried paneer cubes and cashews, cooked with whole spices, ginger and garlic. Each grain stays separate and fragrant. Garnish with more cashews and sliced chillies and serve with masala yogurt.
A special-occasion khichdi: rice and split green gram cooked with whole spices and onion, then layered with baby potatoes and peas in a fresh paste of coconut, green chilli, ginger, garlic and coriander, and gently baked. Serve garnished with crisp onion rings, coriander and coconut.
Chopadia are flaky, layered parathas: the dough is spiced with roasted cumin and black pepper, brushed with ghee, rolled into a cone and rolled out again so it cooks into soft layers. They can be made several hours ahead. Serve with any curry, dal or pickle.
Easy home-made naan: a soft dough of self-raising flour, yeast and yogurt, left to rise and then cooked under a hot grill until puffed and light brown. Brush with butter or ghee if you like and serve hot with curries.
Rotlas are hearty Gujarati flatbreads made with millet (bajra) flour. These are packed with fresh fenugreek and coriander, sesame seeds, ajwain and chilli, bound with yogurt and shallow fried. Serve with green chutney and fresh yogurt.
Bhakhri is the classic Gujarati crisp flatbread: a very stiff dough of wholemeal flour and oil, rolled thick and cooked slowly while being pressed, so it turns biscuity and crisp. The edges crack because the dough is stiff, which is how it should be. Spread with butter or ghee and serve with mixed lentil curry or dry potato curry and yogurt.
Muli thepla are spicy Gujarati flatbreads made with grated white radish, which gives all the moisture the dough needs. Ginger, garlic, chilli and coriander make them punchy. Roll them out straight away and cook on a hot griddle. Serve with pickled green chillies and plain yogurt.
Pethi puri are little wholemeal puris with a thin layer of coarsely ground urad dal, chilli flakes and carom seeds pressed on top. Fried peethi side down, the dal cooks into a crunchy, savoury crust while the puri puffs up. Serve hot with chutneys.
Puris are small rounds of wholemeal dough deep fried until they puff into golden balloons. They're best eaten straight away with a curry of your choice, potato bhaji or shrikhand. Tip from the book: puris can be rolled out an hour ahead and kept between well-rinsed wet muslin cloths, then fried just before serving.
Kulchas are soft, leavened breads from North India. Here the yogurt and poppy seed dough is filled with soya mince sautéed with garlic and green chilli and mixed with cheddar, baked, then finished on a griddle just before serving. Make plain kulcha by leaving out the filling.
Tandoori roti made at home: wholemeal dough spread with chilled, solidified ghee, rolled into a cone and pressed out again so it bakes into soft, flaky layers. Cook it in a tandoor or on the back of a perforated earthenware tava over the flame until brown-spotted. Serve with a curry of your choice.
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