Aloo Gobi; Potato & Cauliflower

(Serves 2 as a meal or 4 as a side)

There was a time whenever I went to an Indian restaurant with a group of friends, Aloo Gobi would be one of the dishes we would order to share. I've had several versions of it, some dryer than others, spicier or combined with peas or spinach. I love to add peas to mine primarily for their colour and they just seem to compliment the potatoes and cauliflower.

As is the case with most things I prepare in the kitchen, this dish is always slightly different depending on which spices I happen to have on hand. I didn't have mustard or coriander seeds today, so I used their ground counterparts instead. If you prefer something hotter, then trade out the jalapeno pepper for a serrano or even a habanero, if you can stand the heat. Lately I have been leaving the seeds in my jalapenos; quite an achievement for this wimpy Canadian!

2 tbsp ghee, clarified butter or olive oil, if vegan
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ground mustard seed
1/2 tsp garam masala
salt, to taste
1 large tomato, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup water
1 lb new potatoes, scrubbed and cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 large cauliflower, about 1 lb
1/2 cup frozen peas
small handful cilantro, chopped


Heat the ghee in a large skillet or saucepan with a tight fitting lid. When it's hot, add the cumin seeds and fry for a minute or two. Reduce the heat and stir in the garlic and minced ginger. Stirring the mixture, fry for another minute or so.

Stir in the coriander, turmeric, ground mustard, garam masala, and salt. Add the diced tomato and chopped pepper. Adjust the heat to keep things from burning, cook this mixture until the tomatoes begin to break down.

Stir in the water and the potatoes. Cook the mixture for about 3 minutes then stir in the cauliflower. Cover the pan or skillet and lower the heat. Cook for about 10-14 minutes or until the vegetables are almost done.

Remove the lid and stir in the frozen peas. If the mixture is watery, then increase the heat and cook while stirring until most of the liquid has evaporated. If the mixture is on the dry side, then leave the heat on low and cook until the peas have heated through.

Stir in the cilantro and serve either as a meal with cooked rice or as a side with a larger Indian meal.

Grilled Tandoori Chicken

(4 servings)

Traditional tandoori chicken is typically prepared from a whole chicken which has been cut up, marinated, then baked in a very hot clay oven, a tandoor.

I end up grilling mine. I have two grills. One gas and a small tabletop grill which uses charcoal. More often than not I prefer using the smaller grill, although there are times when the gas grill is just quicker and more convenient. Today I fired up the smaller grill.

This is one of those rare occasions I'll use skinless chicken breast (rather than my favourite, chicken thighs) which I cut into bite sized pieces. The breast meat turns out juicy and tender after spending close to a day in a marinade made of whole milk yogurt, lemon juice and spices.

1/2 cup whole milk yogurt
freshly squeezed juice from 1 small lemon
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 tbsp sweet paprika
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt
1/2 - 1 tsp cayenne; to taste
2 lbs skinless chicken breasts

bamboo skewers (soaked in water 30 minutes before grilling)

Combine everything except the chicken in a non-reactive bowl. Set aside.

Cut the chicken breasts into 1 1/4 inch cubes. Toss them in the yogurt mixture until they are evenly coated. Cover with wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight, or up to about 24 hours.

Soak the skewers in water for about 30 minutes before getting ready to grill.

Thread the chicken onto the skewers and grill, turning frequently until they are cooked through and no longer pink in the centre; about 6-10 minutes.

Zucchini was on sale today, so I grabbed a few on impulse. It's a pretty boring vegetable in my opinion, but grilled it can be rather nice.

1-2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Combine the oil with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Brush the mixture onto one side of the cut up zucchini.

Place the oiled side down onto the grill and then brush the top side. Flip them over when the undersides begin to brown; about 2-3 minutes per side.

Palak Paneer; Indian Spinach & Cheese

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(4 servings)

With the holidays behind us, I'm leaning towards lighter fare this week. In some respects this dish is a bit like Matar Paneer. The main difference of course is using spinach instead of peas. I decided not to fry the paneer in ghee this time, but added it as is, instead.

The paneer is easy to make and a nice introduction to cheese making if you can't find it at the store. All you need to make it (aside from milk and vinegar)  is a cheesecloth or a piece of loose woven muslin cloth.

This is one of those dishes which reheats really well and seems to taste even better the next day.

Mango Chutney

(about 1 pint)

This past year in particular, I have been shocked by some of the prices at the grocery store. A small jar of mango chutney this week, $6. The main ingredient was sugar and the stuff wasn't even organic.

I spent about five minutes looking at the ingredients of several different brands and decided to make my own.  How hard could it be?

Mangoes were on sale, 79 cents each, so I grabbed two of them. I also picked up some crystallized ginger in the bulk food section thinking that would make a nice addition.

I wasn't sure about the sugar/vinegar ratio, so in a separate bowl I kept adding sugar and vinegar until it seemed balanced to me. I ended up with 3/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup vinegar. When I added this to the onion, chile and mango mixture, it was still working for me.

This chutney is delicious. More flavourful and less sweet than the commercial brands I've been buying. I ended up with slightly more than a pint (I thought it would make more); next time I will double this recipe.

I served this chutney with some butter chicken I made this week..

Chicken Korma

(4-6 servings)

This is an easy dish to make; chicken braised in an aromatic curry. I'm close to a Whole Foods with a bulk food/spice section, so I came home with an assortment of spices the other day. That was probably the most difficult part in the making of this..  searching through the various jars.

Matar Paneer, Peas with Cheese

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(serves 4 as a main course)

This is another one of my favourite dishes. There's an Indian restaurant near where I live and their version of this is very good, which prompted me to try out my own. Mine turned out a bit different probably because of the combination of spices I chose, but in the end I liked mine even better. :)

I decided to make the paneer as it's really quite simple to do and ends up costing less than purchasing the ready made stuff (if you can even find it), and I wanted to use hormone and antibiotic free milk.

paneer (makes about 1/2 lb)
1/2 gallon of milk, (I used 1%)
1/2 tsp salt
2-3 tbsp white vinegar
cheesecloth

Bring the milk and salt to a boil in a large saucepan, being careful not to let it burn. Remove from heat.
Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar and stir for about a minute until the milk curdles. If the curds don't separate enough from the whey, then keep adding 1 tsp of vinegar at a time until they do.

Place the cheesecloth in a colander over a large bowl (so you can reserve the whey)* and strain the curds. Pull up the edges of the cheesecloth and gently squeeze to remove any excess whey.

Place the cheesecloth and curds onto a large plate and weigh down the top with something like a heavy frying pan or cutting board. Leave this for about 2 hours, then either use the paneer or wrap it and refrigerate.

*I came across uses for whey at Chowhound . I added some to the Matar Paneer, and I'll use some for the rice which will accompany this.

Matar Paneer (can be made a day ahead and reheated)*
2 tbsp ghee, or clarified butter (or just plain unsalted butter)
1/2 lb paneer, cut into 3/4" cubes
1 large sweet onion, cut into quarters
2 large cloves garlic
2" piece of fresh ginger, skin removed
2-3 jalapeno peppers, seeded
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch or more of cayenne, to taste
1/2 6oz can tomato paste, (freeze the other half for another use)
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1 cup water or whey
3 1/2 cups shelled peas, (1 lb bag frozen)
1/3 cup heavy cream (optional)
salt to taste
small handful fresh cilantro, chopped

Heat 1 tablespoon of  ghee (half) in a large non-stick skillet and add the paneer cubes. Fry them until they are a light golden brown. Remove and set aside.

Place the onions, garlic, ginger and jalapeno peppers into the bowl of a food processor, and process until smooth.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of ghee to the skillet, set the temperature to medium-low and add the pureed onion mixture. Cook, stirring from time to time until it thickens; about 15 minutes.

Stir in the garam masala, turmeric, cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon and cayenne. Cook for another minute or two.

Add the tomato paste, yogurt and water or whey. Stir well then cover and simmer gently over low heat for about 25 minutes.

Stir in the peas and the paneer, and simmer for another 8-10 minutes.

Stir in the heavy cream (or more water or whey if the mixtures seems too thick) and the chopped cilantro. Bring back to a simmer. Add salt if needed.

Serve with rice and/or naan.

*This dish seems even better reheated the next day.

Skillet Naan

(8-10 pieces)

I just had to make fresh naan to go with the butter chicken. This became an Indian themed weekend.

2/3 cup warm water
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp dry yeast
3 1/2 - 4 cups unbleached flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup greek style plain yogurt, (I used some leftover herbed yogurt)
1 egg

ghee or olive oil for the skillet

Combine the water, sugar and yeast. Set aside for 5 minutes.

Add 3 1/2 cups of flour (to start) and baking powder to the bowl of a *food processor fitted with a dough blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the water and yeast mixture as well as the yogurt and egg. Pulse a few times.

If the dough remains in clumps, then add tiny amounts of water until you get a ball. If on the other hand the dough is very gooey and sticky, add small amounts of flour until you get a ball. I like my dough to be very soft and slightly sticky to the feel, yet still have the ability to pull away from the bowl of the food processor.

Process the ball for about 2-3 minutes. Place into a greased bowl, cover loosely and set aside for about 1-1 1/2 hours or until it has doubled in volume.

Punch down and divide into 8-10 pieces. Roll each one into an oval about 1/4" thick.

Heat up a non-stick skillet over medium to medium low heat and coat it with a small amount of ghee or olive oil.

Place one circle of dough at a time and cook for about 1-2 minutes on each side, or until both sides are lightly browned.

*If your food processor is on the smallish side, then half the recipe. Use the entire egg and add a bit extra flour to make up for that.

Murgh Makhani, Butter Chicken

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(4-6 servings)

This wonderful Indian dish features marinated chicken braised in a a spiced tomato cream sauce. It's one of those dishes which seems to taste even better reheated the next day.

Last week, a fellow at work mentioned there was a new Whole Foods near his office. As soon as I was done for the day I raced over there to check it out. It's a bit further than the one I've been going to, but the route is more direct, making it easier to get to.

I went all out in the bulk spice section. Everything was fresh (the store had only been open for one week). Among the 15 or so spices I ended up getting, was ground cardamon. That wonderful odour filled my entire kitchen within an hour or two.

Chicken Marinade
3/4 cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp fresh ginger, finely minced
2 tbsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
8 chicken thighs,  skinless and boneless (about 1 1/2 lbs) cut into bite-size pieces
(you could use breasts instead, I just happen to love thighs)

Sauce
2 tbsp ghee or clarified butter (or regular butter, if you wish)
1 large onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, finely minced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
3 roma tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp garam masala*
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground fenugreek
1 tsp chili powder
small handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup heavy cream
a pinch or two of cayenne if you prefer more heat
salt to taste

Combine all of the chicken marinade ingredients in a bowl and let sit for an hour or two.

Heat the ghee or butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, garlic and jalapeno pepper and fry until the onion  becomes transparent; about 5-7 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, water, honey, garam masala, turmeric, fenugreek and chili powder. Stir to combine well. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 35-45 minutes, or until the mixture is very soft.

Remove the cover and raise the heat a touch, and add the chicken and all it's marinade. When everything starts to simmer, lower the heat again, cover  and cook for about an hour.

Remove the cover and cook until the sauce thickens slightly, stirring a bit from time to time; about 5-10 minutes.

Stir in the cilantro and heavy cream. Check for seasoning. Cook for another minute or two, remove from heat. Nice with rice or naan.

*Garam Masala - in recent years I have noticed this more and more in the spice section of regular grocery stores. The brands can vary somewhat, but typically this is any combination of cinnamon, coriander, fennel, cumin, black pepper, cardamon, nutmeg, star anise, bay leaves and cloves.

Gajar Ka Halwa, Carrot Halwa

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(about 20-24 pieces)

I used to live near Coxwell and Gerrard in Toronto (home to one of the largest Indian communities in North America). Walking towards the end of my street in the summer, I would often encounter heavenly scents from the spice shops and restaurants on Gerrard.

Carrot Halwa was available at several shops and restaurants where it often had a thin layer of edible silver on it.

2 tbsp ghee, or clarified butter (or regular butter )
2 lb carrots, grated
3 cups evaporated milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cardamom
1/3 cup cashew nuts, chopped and toasted

extra cashew nuts, chopped and toasted for garnishing

Heat the ghee in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the carrots and saute until they soften. Add the milk, sugar and cardamon and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat and continue to simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Add the cashew nuts and continue to cook, stirring until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pot and resembles a soft dough.

Pack into an oiled (ghee) 8" or 9" baking pan, sprinkle the top with cashew nuts. Cool and cut into squares.