Spiced Tea

Masala Chai

Serves: 4 to 6

Water - 3 cups
Cinnamon - 2 sticks
Cardamom pods - 15
Whole cloves - 15
Fresh Ginger - 1 tbsp, chopped
Black tea leaves - 2 tbsp
Milk - 1 cup
Sugar - 3 tbsp

1. In a medium saucepan, bring water, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger to boil over medium-high heat. Turn off heat, add tea, and cover pan. Let stand for 3 minutes.
2. Strain liquid into another saucepan. Add milk and sugar. Bring to boil over medium-high heat.
3. As soon as tea begins to boil, pour into cups. Serve immediately.

Green Beans in Yogurt-Poppy Seed Sauce

Barbatti Tari Sabji

These beans can be cooked quite some time before needed and the final cooking completed just before serving. They are warmed in a velvety yogurt sauce made rich with pureed white poppy seeds or cashews. This nutmeg-laced sauce is as delicious as it is nutritious.

Serves: 4

White poppy seeds or chopped cashews - 3 tbsp

Hot green chillies - 2, or as desired
Fresh ginger root - 1/2 inch piece scraped and coarsely chopped
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fresh coriander - 1/4 cup, chopped
Plain yogurt - 3/4 cup
Green beans - 1 lb, trimmed cut into 3-inch pieces and steamed until tender crisp
Ghee or unsalted butter - 3 tbsp
Curry leaves - 6
Salt - to taste
Ground nutmeg - 1/4 tsp

1. Put the poppy seeds or cashews in a food processor or blender, cover and pulse until powdered. Add the chillies, ginger, cumin, half of the coriander and the yogurt. Process until creamy smooth, then combine with the green beans in a bowl and toss well.
2. To assemble the dish, heat the ghee or butter in a large heavy-bottomed frying pan over moderate heat. Drop in the curry leaves and let sizzle for a few seconds. Pour in the beans and sauce, salt and nutmeg. Stir fry until the sauce thickens either slightly or until almost dry.
3. Serve with the remaining coriander, piping hot, at room temperature or chilled.

Carrots with Grated Coconut

Gajar Nariyal

Serves: 4

Carrots - 6 medium, peeled and cut into thin round slices

Coconut - 1/2 cup, grated

Ground Cumin - 1 tsp

Ground Coriander - 2 tsp

Ground Turmeric - 1 tsp
Oil - 3 tbsp
Black mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Water - 3/4 cup
Ground peanuts - 1/4 cup, optional
Salt - to taste

1. In a bowl, combine carrots, coconut, cumin, coriander, and turmeric and mix well.
2. In a skillet with a lid, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add mustard seeds and fry until seeds pop.
3. Add carrot-coconut mixture and fry for 10 minutes.
4. Add water, salt to taste, lower heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until carrots are tender.
5. Mix ground peanuts into carrots, if desired, and serve steaming hot.

Spiced Green Beans

Serves: 2

Ghee or a mixture of light oil and unsalted butter - 2 tbsp

Black mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Crushed dried chilies - 1/2 tsp

Green beans - 1 lb, trimmed and cut into 1/4 inch pieces

Water - 1/2 cup
Ground coriander - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp

1. Heat the ghee or oil-butter mixture in a large heavy-bottomed frying pan over moderate heat. When it is hot but not smoking, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and chilies and fry until the cumin seeds darken and the mustard seeds pop and turn gray.
2. Add the beans and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Pour in the water, cover tightly and cook for 10-12 minutes r until the beans are tender crisp.
3. Uncover, raise the heat and add the remaining ingredients. Raise the heat and boil until the water evaporates and the beans sizzle in the seasoned ghee or oil.

Moong Dal with Ridgegourd

Serves: 6

Moong dal - 1/3 cup

Ridge gourd - 1 cup, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

Onion - 1 small, finely chopped

Tomato - 1 medium, diced

Cumin seeds - 2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Oil - 2 tbsp
Green chillies - 4, slit lengthwise
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp, finely chopped.

1. Pressure cook the moong dal with 1 cup of water and turmeric until the dal is completely cooked.
1. Heat oil in a medium pan until it is hot but not smoking. Add the mustard seeds and wait for them to crackle. Then add the cumin seeds and fry until their colour deepens.
2. Add the green chillies to the oil, and then the onions and fry until the onions turn brownish. Then add the tomatoes, reduce the heat to medium, add water if desired and cook until the tomatoes soften.
3. Add the chopped ridge gourd and cook on medium-high while stirring occasionally until the ridge gourd is cooked well. Add the cooked dal, mix well and heat for another 1-2 minutes. Garnish with the coriander before serving.