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Vegetarian Indian dinners

Dal, sabzi, curries and rice dishes for a meat-free Indian dinner. (880 recipes)

Tudkiya bhathSpiced rice with lentils and potatoes

Tudkiya bhath comes from Chamba in western Himachal Pradesh, where it is the dish cooks make when a crowd turns up: rice, whole lentils and potato cooked in one big pot with fried onions, tomato and a tangy splash of yogurt. Tudka means tempering, and the name hints at the generous mustard-oil base of whole spices that flavours every grain. It is heartier and spicier than a pulao, a little wetter than a biryani, and is usually eaten with a bowl of plain yogurt or a sour pickle. Chef's tip: fry the onions properly to a deep golden brown; they give the rice its colour and its sweetness.

75 min

Indian Rice & Grains

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ChainsooRoasted black gram dal

Chainsoo comes from the Garhwal hills, where whole black urad is roasted in a dry pan until it smells like toasted bread, ground coarsely on a hand mill and cooked into a thick, smoky dal. It is a winter dish: heavy, warming and full of protein, eaten with plain rice or jhangora and a drizzle of ghee for anyone who isn't keeping it vegan. Village cooks make it in a lohe ki kadhai, the iron pan that turns it almost black. The texture should be grainy and spoonable, somewhere between a dal and a porridge. Chef's tip: roast the urad slowly over a medium-low heat; the moment it turns from golden to dark brown it tastes bitter, so keep stirring and pull it off early.

65 min

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Nadru yakhniLotus stem in yogurt gravy

Lotus stem, called nadru in Kashmiri, is pulled from the shallow waters of the Dal and Anchar lakes around Srinagar, and Kashmiri Pandit families treat it as something close to a festive vegetable. Yakhni is their pale, onion-free yogurt gravy, scented with fennel, dry ginger and black cardamom instead of tomato or chilli. The lotus slices stay faintly crunchy and show their lacy holes in a creamy, ivory sauce. It turns up at Herath (Shivratri) meals and at Sunday lunches, always with a mound of plain steamed rice. Chef's tip: pick firm, pale stems with closed ends; the ends keep mud out of the hollow channels, so you rinse far less.

55 min

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Haryanvi bajra khichdiPearl millet and moong dal porridge

In village homes across Haryana, bajra khichdi is the food of cold winter nights and the days around Makar Sankranti: cracked pearl millet and yellow moong cooked slowly until soft and porridge-like, then eaten with a big spoon of ghee and either jaggery or a glass of lassi. It is plain, nutty and very filling, and grandmothers swear it keeps you warm. The millet was traditionally pounded in a stone mortar to crack it; a quick pulse in a grinder does the same. Chef's tip: soak the bajra overnight; unsoaked millet stays hard and gritty however long you cook it.

75 min

Indian Rice & Grains

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Kashmiri modur pulavSweet saffron rice with dry fruit

Modur means sweet in Kashmiri, and this ghee-rich saffron rice is served at Kashmiri weddings and on Navreh, the Pandit new year, glowing orange and studded with almonds, cashews and raisins. In the hills of Himachal Pradesh the dham feast ends with a near-identical sweet rice called mittha, so this one page covers both: Himachal cooks often add a little more raisin and a pinch of fennel, which you can do too. It is sweet but not dessert-sweet, perfumed with cinnamon and cardamom, and is eaten alongside savoury curries as well as on its own. Chef's tip: soak the saffron in warm milk for at least 15 minutes before you start; it gives the rice its colour far more evenly than strands scattered dry.

70 min

Indian Rice & Grains

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Bal mithaiChocolate-brown fudge with sugar balls

Bal mithai belongs to Almora in Kumaon, where sweet shops on the old Lala Bazaar have sold it for well over a century. Khoya is cooked slowly with sugar until it caramelises to the colour of dark chocolate, set into bars and rolled in little white sugar balls, which give a crunchy bite against the fudgy middle. Families carry boxes of it home from the hills as the town's best-known souvenir. The flavour is deep and toffee-like, with no added colour or cocoa. Chef's tip: keep the heat low and be patient; the deep brown comes from slow caramelising over half an hour, not from turning the flame up.

45 min

Indian Indian Sweets

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Shahi tukdaFried bread in saffron syrup

Shahi tukda, the 'royal piece', comes from the Mughal kitchens of Old Delhi, and you'll still find trays of it around Jama Masjid during Ramzan, eaten after the evening meal, and at Eid feasts. Thick slices of bread are fried in ghee until crisp and golden, dipped briefly in cardamom and saffron syrup, then covered with rabri, milk slowly reduced until thick and full of creamy flakes. The bread stays crisp at the edges and soft in the middle. It's rich, so small pieces go a long way. Chef's tip: start the rabri first and let it simmer while you fry the bread; it takes the longest and needs only an occasional stir.

75 min

Indian Indian Sweets

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TehriYellow rice with vegetables

In many Uttar Pradesh homes, tehri is what happens on a cold evening when nobody wants to cook three dishes. Rice, potatoes, cauliflower and peas go into one pot with mustard oil, turmeric and whole spices, and come out yellow, fluffy and lightly spiced. Families in Kanpur, Allahabad and Varanasi eat it with plain yogurt, a spoon of mango pickle and roasted papad, and it is also cooked for winter picnics. It differs from pulao in its turmeric colour and the sharp warmth of smoked mustard oil. A frequent mistake is stirring after the water goes in, which breaks the grains and makes the rice gluey. Chef's tip: heat the mustard oil until it just smokes, then let it cool for a few seconds before adding spices; this mellows its bite without losing the flavour.

50 min

Indian Rice & Grains

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Silao khajaLayered syrup pastry

Travellers on the road from Patna to Rajgir stop at Silao, a small town near the ruins of Nalanda, for one thing: khaja, a pastry built from dozens of paper-thin layers that flake apart in the mouth and are glazed with a crackly sugar coat. Silao's halwais have made it for generations, and it is carried home in boxes as a present; it is also offered in temples and at weddings across Bihar and Odisha. It takes patience but no special equipment. Chef's tip: fry at a really low heat so the layers have time to open out like pages before the outside colours; hot oil seals them shut.

90 min

Indian Indian Sweets

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Bore baasiSoaked rice with onion

Bore baasi is the summer meal of Chhattisgarh's farmers: cooked rice soaked in water, either for a few hours (bore) or overnight (baasi), then eaten from the bowl with its slightly sour water, raw onion, green chilli and a pinch of salt. It is cooling, filling and easy on the stomach in the heat, and in recent years the state has made 1 May, Labour Day, the day to eat it as Bore Baasi Tihar. Many families add a ladle of buttermilk or curd and something fried or roasted on the side. Food safety matters with any cooked rice left standing, so this version cools the rice fast and soaks it in the fridge. Chef's tip: cool and cover the rice within an hour of cooking; rice left warm on the counter is the real risk, not the soaking.

30 min

Indian Rice & Grains

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Papad ki sabziPapad curry

Papad ki sabzi comes from Rajasthan's dry interior, where fresh vegetables were scarce and pantries relied on sun-dried staples. Roasted papads are broken into a hot, spiced yogurt gravy at the last minute, so they soften but keep a little chew. Marwari households still make it on days when the vegetable basket is empty, eating it with bajra roti or phulka and a little ghee. Because it's ready in minutes, it's also a favourite for unexpected guests. The common mistake is adding the papads too early: they swell and turn to mush. Chef's tip: go easy on the salt, because papads are already well salted; season after tasting with the papad in.

20 min

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DehroriFried rice and curd dumplings

Dehrori is the sweet Chhattisgarhi families make for Diwali, Holi and weddings, and it tastes like no other syrup sweet: soaked rice is ground coarse, left to sour gently with curd, then fried in ghee and dropped into cardamom syrup. The fermentation gives it a faint tang and a light, spongy crumb under a crisp shell, a little like a rustic cousin of rasbhari or gulab jamun. Grandmothers judge the batch by how well the dumplings hold their shape in the syrup. Chef's tip: grind the rice to the texture of fine semolina, not a smooth paste; that grain is what keeps dehrori light.

70 min

Indian Indian Sweets

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Kanpur khoya and suji ladduMilk solids and semolina laddu

Kanpur's best-known sweet is a crumbly, rich laddu sold in brown paper boxes near the city's busy crossings and taken home as a souvenir from the city. It is made by roasting semolina slowly in ghee until it smells like warm biscuits, then mixing in browned khoya, sugar and plenty of cashews, giving a soft, melt-in-the-mouth bite with tiny pieces of crunch. Families make a batch for Diwali or Raksha Bandhan and keep it for a week. The biggest mistake is adding the sugar while the mixture is still hot; it melts and the laddus collapse into flat puddles. Chef's tip: if the mixture feels too dry to bind, sprinkle in warm milk a teaspoon at a time rather than adding more ghee.

45 min

Indian Indian Sweets

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Bhutte ka halwaSweetcorn halwa

In monsoon Indore, when the fields around the city are full of tender maize, sweet shops turn the same corn into halwa: kernels ground coarsely, roasted in ghee until they smell like buttered popcorn, then cooked with milk and sugar until glossy. It is lighter and less cloying than many halwas, with a gentle bite from the corn. Families make it for guests and for small festivals, and it is just as good warm from the pan or at room temperature the next day. Chef's tip: grind the corn in short pulses to a coarse, porridgy texture; a smooth purée turns gluey and sticks.

50 min

Indian Indian Sweets

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Kathal ki sabziYoung jackfruit curry

In Uttar Pradesh, people joke that kathal is the vegetarian's mutton, and the comparison makes sense once you taste it. Young, unripe jackfruit has a firm, fibrous texture that absorbs a slow-cooked onion masala and the smoky warmth of black cardamom. Lucknow and Kanpur homes cook it in summer when the green fruit is plentiful, and it is a common choice for Sunday lunches and family gatherings, served with paratha or rice. The mistake to avoid is undercooking the jackfruit before adding it to the masala; it will remain rubbery no matter how long it simmers afterward. Chef's tip: frying the boiled pieces until golden before they go into the gravy gives them a meaty crust that holds up in the sauce.

75 min

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Mathura pedaMilk fudge discs

Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, Krishna's birthplace, has a peda all its own: not the pale milky kind found elsewhere, but a dusty-brown disc with a deep, toffee-like flavour from milk solids slowly roasted until they caramelise. Pilgrims buy boxes after visiting the temples, and they are made in huge batches around Janmashtami as an offering. The texture should be dense yet slightly grainy, rolled in fine boora sugar so the outside sparkles. The usual mistake is rushing the roasting over high heat, which scorches the khoya in spots and makes it bitter and greasy. Chef's tip: keep the heat low and scrape the bottom of the pan constantly; the colour should change gradually from cream to light brown, then to the shade of milky coffee.

50 min

Indian Indian Sweets

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Mohan thaalGram flour fudge

Mohan thaal, named after Krishna, is offered at temples on Janmashtami and fills sweet boxes at Diwali in both Rajasthan and Gujarat. It is coarse gram flour roasted in ghee until it turns golden and smells like roasted nuts, then set with cardamom syrup into a grainy, fudge-like slab and cut into diamonds. The texture comes from a step called dhabo: rubbing ghee and milk into the flour, then sieving it into tiny granules before roasting. The mistake most cooks make is cooking the syrup too long; the fudge sets rock-hard and crumbles when cut. Chef's tip: take the syrup off the heat at a firm one-and-a-half string stage, and stop stirring when the mixture pulls away from the pan's sides in one mass.

65 min

Indian Indian Sweets

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Pithla with jowar bhakriGram flour curry with sorghum flatbread

In villages across the Deccan plateau of Maharashtra, pithla bhakri is what a farmer's family eats when the pantry is low and the day is long: a pan of gram flour simmered with garlic, green chilli and onion until it sets to a soft, spoonable curry, with thick jowar bhakri patted out by hand and a raw onion on the side. It became a symbol of rural Maharashtra, served at roadside stalls near Sinhagad fort to trekkers and at political rallies alike. Zunka, the dry version, uses the same flavours but is stirred until crumbly. Serve with thecha or a wedge of lemon. Chef's tip: whisk the gram flour into cold water before it meets the pan; that one step is the whole secret to a lump-free pithla.

50 min

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Farari theplaSago and amaranth flatbread

Soft, spiced farari thepla made with ground soaked sago, rajagra (amaranth) and moraiyo (samo) flours and mashed potato, kneaded with yogurt and seasoned with sesame, coriander, chilli and ginger. They're rolled between sheets of plastic, as there's no gluten to hold them, and shallow fried on a griddle. Serve with yogurt or farari kofta curry. Soak the sago 6 hours ahead. Makes 15.

415 min

Indian Breads & Parathas

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Bulgar wheat khichdiBulgar wheat and moong dal khichdi

A wholesome, low-calorie twist on khichdi, using bulgar wheat in place of rice. Husked green gram lentils and bulgar cook in the pressure cooker with peas, cauliflower, potato and onion, tempered with a little ghee, cumin and whole spices. Soft, comforting and filling; serve hot with banana raita or plain yogurt.

55 min

Indian Rice & Grains

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Paneer pudasPaneer, spinach and fenugreek pancakes

Pudas are thin savoury pancakes. These low-calorie ones are made from rice, maize and wheat flour mixed with crumbled paneer, spinach, fenugreek and coriander and a fresh paste of onion, chilli, mint, garlic and ginger. The moisture in the vegetables and paneer is enough to bind the dough, so no ghee, oil, yogurt or water goes into it. Cook on a griddle with just a little oil and serve with tea, or with plain yogurt and pickle.

50 min

Indian Breads & Parathas

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Baby vegetable pullao

A light, low-calorie pullao from the book's Low calorie section. Basmati rice is cooked with baby carrots, baby corn and fine French beans, whole spices, garlic, ginger and green chilli, using a little semi-skimmed milk for softness and onions browned in the oven instead of deep-fried. Serve hot with the remaining baked onions and masala yogurt.

80 min

Indian Rice & Grains

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Farari raw banana curry

Slices of matoke (green cooking banana) cooked with cumin, chilli and ginger in a tomato sauce thickened with roasted peanuts, a simple vegan curry for fasting days. The bananas turn tender and potato-like and soak up the nutty, tangy sauce. For a farari potato curry, use yogurt instead of tomatoes and potatoes instead of the bananas.

50 min

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Farari uttapamSamo and water-chestnut pancakes

Soft, thick uttapam for fasting days, made from a yogurt batter of samo (moraiyo), singoda (water chestnut) flour and rajagra (amaranth) flour, tempered with cumin and curry leaves and studded with cucumber, tomato, coconut and green chilli. Cooked under a lid, they're crisp at the edges and fluffy in the middle. Serve with yogurt and green chutney. Makes 6.

65 min

Indian Breads & Parathas

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Farari jambuMawa and potato dumplings in syrup

The fasting-day gulab jambu: soft balls of mawa (khoya) and mashed potato bound with cassava flour, scented with saffron and cardamom, fried slowly to a deep golden brown and soaked in cardamom syrup with pistachios and almonds. Soak them for 3–4 hours so they turn juicy all the way through. Makes 35 small jambu.

90 min

Indian Indian Sweets

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Farari potato kadhiPotato and peanut buttermilk curry

On fasting days gram flour is off the menu, so this kadhi is thickened with mashed potato and coarsely ground peanuts instead. The buttermilk is tempered with ghee, cumin, cloves, cinnamon and curry leaves, and finished sweet-sour in the Gujarati way. Serve hot with farari samo khichdi.

40 min

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Sago & dry fruit kheer

A creamy, chilled kheer of small sago pearls simmered in milk with sugar, pistachios, almonds, cashews, cardamom and saffron, then mixed with a separate milk of apricots, figs and raisins and fresh green grapes. It's sweet, fragrant and full of texture. A party-size dessert for fasting days or festivals. Serves 15.

75 min

Indian Indian Sweets

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Farari kofta curryPotato kofta curry

Soft spiced potato kofta rolled in rajagra (amaranth) flour, fried crisp and dropped into a rich tomato and cashew gravy flavoured with coriander seeds and black pepper. It's a festive main dish for a fasting day, with no grains, onion or garlic. Add the kofta just before serving so they stay soft but hold their shape, and serve with farari thepla.

65 min

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Baked cutlets in sauce

Crisp vegetable cutlets of potato, raw banana, peas, corn and capsicum, shallow fried in breadcrumbs, then baked in a tangy tomato sauce under cheese and green chilli. A good party dish: fry the cutlets ahead and bake just before serving.

85 min

Indian Vegetarian

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Baked paneer and spinach in tomato gravy

Golden fried paneer cubes layered with a creamy, nutmeg-scented spinach sauce and a garlicky tomato gravy, then baked under cheese. Serve hot with naan or bread.

70 min

Indian Vegetarian

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Shahi paneer stuffed potatoes

Small potatoes scooped out, deep fried and stuffed with spiced crumbled paneer, then simmered in a pale, luxurious gravy of yogurt, cashews, almonds and fresh cream. Finished with coriander, green chilli and a dusting of cinnamon, it's a true party dish. Serve hot with naan.

85 min

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Paneer makhani

Golden paneer cubes in a smooth, gently spiced makhani gravy of tomato puree, cashew paste, milk and cream, scented with kasoori methi. It's mild, creamy and a favourite with children. Serve hot with naan.

45 min

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Punjabi rajmah

A Punjabi home favourite: red kidney beans pressure cooked until creamy, then simmered in a deep red masala of ground onion, garlic and ginger, tomatoes and yogurt, and partly mashed so the gravy turns thick and velvety. Serve hot with chapaties or boiled rice.

80 min

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Vegetable minty curry

Steamed carrots, beans, peas and potatoes in a vivid green gravy ground from fresh coriander, spinach, mint, coconut, green chillies and whole spices. It's fresh, fragrant and spicy, and big enough for a crowd. Serve hot with naan or chopadia.

55 min

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Peas & paneer kofta curry

Home-made paneer mashed with peas, carrot and potato, rolled into small koftas and fried, then dropped into a mildly spiced, creamy gravy of onion, tomato, cashew and mawa. Add the koftas only just before serving so they stay soft but whole. Serve hot with naan or paratha.

80 min

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Peas & soya mince curry

Soya granules soaked until soft and cooked like a kheema with lots of browned onion, ginger, garlic, tomato, fresh fenugreek and coriander, spiced with cinnamon and clove. It's hearty and high in protein, with a texture just like mince. Serve hot with naan or bread.

70 min

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Diwani handiMixed vegetables in yogurt cream gravy

A handi-style mixed vegetable curry: potatoes, carrots, beans, peas and long pieces of brinjal cooked in a tangy yogurt gravy with ginger, garlic and chilli, finished with cream, fresh coriander and a touch of mild curry masala. Serve hot with naan or chapaties.

60 min

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Paneer peas korma

Paneer two ways, fried cubes and coarsely grated, with green peas in a silky gravy of onion, tomato, yogurt and cream, flavoured with whole spices, poppy seeds and cashews and then blended smooth. It's rich and mildly spiced. Serve hot with naan.

50 min

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Stuffed capsicums & tomatoes

Small capsicums and firm, unripe tomatoes hollowed out and filled with a spiced mix of potato, peas, carrot, beans and paneer seasoned with roasted cumin, chaat masala and amchur, then topped with cheddar and cooked gently until tender. A lovely dish for a dinner party. Serve hot with naan or chapaties.

75 min

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Mixed vegetable jalfrezi

Julienned carrots, baby corn, capsicum, beans and peas, blanched so they stay tender-crisp, tossed with fried potato fingers in a quick tomato gravy with curry leaves, mustard, ginger and amchur. It's colourful, a little tangy and spicy. Serve hot with naan or parathas.

50 min

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Kashmiri dum aloo

A royal potato curry: halved potatoes are hollowed out, fried golden and filled with paneer, peas, cashews and raisins, then laid in a creamy, aromatic gravy of onion, yogurt, whole spices, tomato, cashew, nutmeg and mace. Make the gravy ahead and add the potatoes just before serving so they hold their shape. Serve hot with naan or paratha.

90 min

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Mixed vegetables in white gravy

Diced potatoes, carrots, beans and peas cooked until tender in a pale, creamy gravy of yogurt, ground cashews and fresh coconut, finished with cream and chopped cashews. It's mild, rich and comforting. Serve hot with naan. You can also make it with boiled, peeled baby potatoes instead of the mixed vegetables, or with corn kernels, peas, fenugreek and a squeeze of lemon juice.

45 min

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Kolhapuri curry

A festive mixed vegetable curry from Kolhapur: fried potatoes, beans, carrots and paneer with peas, corn and three colours of capsicum, in a thick gravy of tomato, onion, mawa, cashew and yogurt spiced with coriander seed, cardamom and dried pomegranate. Topped with fresh cream, it's rich enough for a party. Serve hot with naan or choppadia.

75 min

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Sarson ka saag

The classic Punjabi winter dish: mustard greens, spinach, fenugreek and a little cabbage pressure cooked until meltingly soft, then blended and thickened with maize flour. It's finished with onion, garlic and tomato fried in ghee and a sprinkle of Punjabi masala. Serve hot with chapati or makki ki roti.

70 min

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Dal palak curry

A quick pressure-cooker curry of chana dal and plenty of spinach with onion, tomato, ginger, garlic and green chilli. It's earthy, lightly spiced and full of goodness. Serve hot with chapaties or boiled rice. For a change, use green gram lentils with skin (soaked for 8 hours, then washed to remove the skins), or replace the lentils with four potatoes cut into 1 cm cubes and ½ tbsp lemon juice.

40 min

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Corn cobs in coconut gravy

Chunks of fresh corn on the cob cooked in coconut milk, then simmered in a thick, nutty gravy of roasted peanuts, tomato, ginger and fresh coconut. It's mildly sweet, lightly spiced and best eaten with your hands, gnawing the kernels off the cob. Serve hot as a main curry with rotlis or rice.

50 min

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Smoky spiced aubergine

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.

50 min

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Vegetable curry in coconut cream

A colourful mix of baby aubergine, cauliflower, broccoli, mushrooms, beans and carrots simmered in a ground onion, coconut and whole-spice paste loosened with coconut cream and yogurt. The vegetables go in stages so each one stays tender, not soft, and roasted cashews add crunch at the end. Serve hot with naan.

55 min

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