Recipes from our first homecooked Indian meal

Tomato Paneer
2kg tomatoes
2kg paneer (probably could’ve been 1.5kg)
2 tbsp cooking oil
200g chopped onion
50g fresh ginger
50g garlic 1 tbsp red chili
2 tbsp ground coriander
2 tbsp salt (or to taste)
Ketchup (this seems to be optional)

• Slice paneer into strips or cubes.
• Crush garlic and ginger in mixer with a bit of water, until paste.
• Boil whole tomatoes in a pot for 30 minutes.
• Remove the skin from tomatoes and mash ‘em, then set aside.
• In a large pot or wok, fry onion in oil till golden on medium heat.
• Add garlic and ginger paste, and spices. Saute and stir 10 minutes.
• Add mashed tomatoes. Simmer and stir 10 minutes.
• Add paneer. Simmer and stir on low heat another 15 minutes.
• Mix in ketchup if desired. Garnish with chopped fresh coriander.

Aloo Palak (Potato Spinach)

2kg fresh spinach, chopped
2.5kg yel low potatoes, peeled and chopped
3 tbsp coo king oil
2 cups chopped onion
10 cloves garlic, pureed in mixer with a bit of water
4 tomatoes, peeled and chopped 2 tbsp salt (or to taste)
1 tbsp red chili
1.5 tbsp ground coriander ¼ tbsp turmeric
4 whole dried red chilis

• Wash spinach and rinse 3-4 times.
• Soak chopped potatoes in water 30 minutes.
• In a large pot or wok, fry dry chilies 2 minutes on medium heat.
• Add onion and fry in oil till golden.
• Add garlic, tomatoes and spices. Saute 15 minutes until juice is down.
• Stir in potato and increase heat to high, cook 5 minutes.
• Stir in spinach. Cover and simmer (possibly back on medium heat) 30 minutes.
• Uncover and cook 10 minutes more until water is almost gone.

Mutton Curry
3kg mutton on the bone, chopped into serving sizes
100g garlic, pureed in mixer with a bit of water
100g ginger, pureed in mixer with a bit of water
1/2kg peeled and chopped tomatoes
1/2kg chopped onion
3tbsp cooking oil
1tbsp tumeric
1.5 tbsp ground coriander
1/2 tbsp red chilli, or more if desired, up to 1.5 tbsp
1/2 tbsp garam masala
1.5 tbsp salt, or to taste

• Stir dry spices with a bit of water to make a paste.
• In a large pot or wok, fry onion on medium heat in oil till golden.
• Stir in garlic and ginger and, then stir in spice paste and finally tomatoes.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes, stirring often.
• Add mutton, stir well and cover. Simmer, still on low heat, for one hour.
• Transfer mutton to pressure cooker and set aside the sauce.
• Add 1 cup of water and seal the cooker. Cook on medium heat 10-12 minutes until cooker “sneezes” several times.
• Combine mutton and its original sauce in serving dish.
• Garnish with chopped fresh coriander and a dash of garam masala.

Dhal
1/4 kg each red and yellow lentils
2 tbsp cooking oil
1 chopped onion
10-12 cloves of garlic, peeled and whole
1/2 tbsp tumeric
1/2 tbsp red chilli
1 tbsp of salt, or to taste
2 tomatoes, chopped

• Soak lentils in water for 5 minutes. Rinse and repeat 2-3 times until water runs clear.
• In pressure cooker, fry onion in oil on medium heat till golden.
• Stir in tomatoes, then add spices and stir vigorously.
• Stir in lentils.
• Add 1.5 litres of hot water and stir.
• Seal the cooker and cook 8-10 minutes.

Raita
4 cartons of yogurt
1.5 cups water
2 cucumbers, peeled and grated and drained
2 tsp salt, or to taste
2 tbsp dry fried cumin*

Stir all ingredients together and serve.
* Toast whole cumin seeds in skillet without oil, on medium heat until darkened. Transfer to blender and grind.

Mint Chutney
1 bunch mint, chopped and soaked and rinsed
6 fresh green chillis, stems removed
1 onion, chopped
1/2 tbsp salt, or to taste

Put all ingredients in a mixer and puree.






Roti
2 cups of wheat flour per 10 rotis desired

• Gradually mix 2-3 handfuls of water with flour in a bowl.
• Knead the dough with your knuckles until it forms a stiff ball.
• Divide dough into 10 balls. Roll out flat and flour.
• Dry-fry in roti pan, then brown both sides on open flame with tongs.

Thanks to Richard Johnson for writing up the recipes as we cooked.