Curried Popcorn*

Ingredients
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 cup unsalted butter
Plenty of freshly popped corn
add-ins like cashews or raisins (optional), chopped

Directions
Pop a big bowl of popcorn and set aside. Add any extras at this point (nuts, dried fruits)
 
To make the curry-infused butter add the curry powder to a saucepan of melted butter along with a couple pinches of sea salt. Toss the popcorn with a drizzle of the butter. If you want more control over the amount of butter you are applying to your popcorn, fill a small spray bottle with the curried butter and spritz and toss, spritz and toss until the popcorn is coated to your liking. Taste for seasoning and mix in more salt if needed.

*Shopping note: Choose a curry powder that is deep yellow, or deep yellow orange in color (that’s the turmeric).

Curried Cashew Nuts  

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup salted cashew nuts (or any other nut)
1 teaspoon curry powder
Salt to taste

Directions
Melt butter in a frying pan.  Add nuts and curry powder and fry until lightly browned.  Drasin on paper towels.  Sprinkle with salt to taste.  Yields 1 cup.

Vegetarian Yellow Lentil Dhal Recipe

Ingredients
1 cup mung dal or yellow lentils    (Yellow split peas)
2 cups water or vegetable broth
1 tsp turmeric  optional
dash cayenne pepper (or more, if you like spice!)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp margarine or olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 whole cloves optional
black pepper to taste

Directions
In a large soup or stock pan, combine the mung dal or yellow lentils, vegetable broth, turmeric, cayenne and salt. Bring to a slow simmer. Cover partially with a lid and allow to cook for 30-40 minutes.

In a separate skillet, sautee the onion, cumin seeds and clove in margarine or olive oil for just a few minutes, until onions are soft.

Add the onions and spices to the mung dal or lentils and allow to simmer for a few more minutes, stirring well to combine. Sprinkle with a dash of black pepper and add extra salt to taste, if needed. Serve plain, as soup, or over rice.

Potato Curry 

Ingredients
3 tablespoons ghee
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed 
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
6 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups water
1 cup yogurt
2/3 cup frozen green peas

Directions
Heat the ghee in a skillet over medium heat, and mix in the cumin, turmeric, coriander, salt, mustard seed, and cayenne pepper. Place potatoes in the skillet, and stir to evenly coat with the ghee. Cook 10 minutes, stirring often. Pour water into the skillet. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes, until potatoes are tender.

Mix the yogurt and peas into the saucepan. Continue cooking until heated through.
 
Potato curry is usually served as a breakfast food with poori, a fried bread.

Poori

Ingredients 
1/2 c Wheat Flour       
1/2 c All Purpose Flour
Salt to taste
2 Tbsp + Oil for Deep Frying
Warm water to knead the dough
 
Directions 
Mix Flour,oil & salt, by hand or in food processor. Knead well by adding water to make a hard dough. Cover it with a wet cloth. Heat oil for Deep Frying.

Divide the roll into lime sized balls. With the help of rolling pin roll each to disc/circular shape. Deep fry poori's in hot oil for a minute.. turn side & fry till puffed & golden in color.
 

Chicken Curry

Ingredients
3 tbsp ghee (clarified butter), or oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 stick cinnamon
2 cardamom pods
4 cloves
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 inch piece root ginger, very finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp ground coriander
¾ tsp chilli powder
1 tsp tomato paste
2 skinless chicken breasts, cubed  Use whole chickens if cooking for a crowd.
1 chopped tomato
1 tsp. plain yogurt or sour cream
a handful of cilantro leaves, chopped

Directions
Heat the ghee in a large heavy pan, add the chopped onion and fry till onion is transclucent.
Turn the heat to medium low, add the cinammon, cardamom, cloves and fennel seeds, stir for 5 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes stirring occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. Then add the turmeric, ground coriander and chilli powder and fry gently for a minute. Add the tomato purée and stir in enough hot water to make a sauce. Bring to the boil and simmer, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. Season with salt.

Heat a little oil in a large heavy frying pan and stir-fry the chicken pieces until they turn white.

Add the chicken and chopped tomato, sour cream/yogurt to the sauce and simmer gently until the meat is soft and succulent.

Sprinkle with the coriander and serve with plain rice and yogurt.  In north India it is served with tortillas which are called chipatis there.  Whole wheat torillas are a good substitute.

Cucumber & Onion Raita

Ingredients
1 cup cucumber, diced in small cubes
1 cup onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cup natural yogurt
1 1/2 tbs. fresh mint, finely chopped
1 green chili, finely chopped
salt
freshly ground black pepper

 

Directions
In a bowl mix the yogurt and garlic pickle until well combined. Add the cucumber, onion, mint, chillies and mix well. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle a pinch of garam masala over raita.

Raita is generally served after a curry.  It is served over white rice to cut the heat from the curry.  Grated carrot and chopped tomato are commonly added.

Gulab jaman

Ingredients 
Dried milk powder 1cup
Ghee 1 tbsp  (clarified butter or oil)
Flour 2 tbsp
Cream 2tbsp
Baking powder 11/2 tsp
egg 1
Powdered cardamon 6-7
Oil for deep frying

For The syrup:
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water

Directions 
Combine dried milk and ghee.  Mix flour, baking powder, cream. Mix well and add egg. Add powdered cardamons. Mix well until it takes a shape of a dough. Knead well for 10 minutes. Then make small balls.
Heat oil on a low flame. When oil is medium hot add the balls, they will float a the surface of oil, if the dough is properly kneaded and oil not too hot. Cook till brown from outside but not too dark. Meanwhile cook syrup,till its a bit thick and take off heat. When these balls are brown from the outside and increase in size during frying, add them to the hot syrup and poke them with a fork gently so the syrup may seep into them.
Enjoy hot or cold!

This sweet is served at the beginning of a meal.  Two to three balls make a serving.