5 Daalain (Mixed Lentils)

Ingredients:

• Gram-split lentil (chanay ki daal) - 1/2 cup
• Split yellow lentil (moong ki daal) - 1/2 cup
• Split lentil (masoor ki daal) - 1/2 cup
• White/Split-Urad lentil (maash ki daal) - 1/2 cup
• Ginger - 1" piece, finely chopped
• Green chillies - 5, 6 whole
• Garlic - 4 big or 8 small cloves - sliced horizontally
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Red chili powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/3 tsp
• Oil - 5, 6 tbsp
  

Method:

1. Wash and soak all the lentils together for 30 minutes.
2. Drain the lentils. Add 2 glasses of water. Add salt, chili and turmeric. Cover and cook until half cooked (~15 - 20 minutes).
3. Add ginger and green chillies. Cover until fully cooked (~15 - 20 minutes).
4. Heat oil in a frying pan. Fry garlic in it. When golden, add to the lentils and cover immediately.
5. (OPTIONAL) After 3, 4 minutes, add chopped green coriander and sprinkle garam masala.

* Serve with boiled rice or roti, chutney (same thing as in the last recipe), salad and pickles.

Matar Pulaao (Green Pea Pilaf)

Ingredients:

• Green peas - 2 cups
• Oil - 5, 6 tbsp
• Basmati rice - 2.5 cups, soaked for 30 minutes
• Ginger - 2" piece, chopped
• Onion - 1/2, medium, sliced
• Tomato - 1 chopped finely
• Cumin (whole) - 1 tsp, whole
• Black cumin (whole) - 3/4 tsp (OPTIONAL)
• Big cardamom - 2, opened
• Clove - 4, 5
• Cinnamon stick - 2" piece
• Black peppers whole - 1 tsp
• Salt - 2 tsp
• Red chili powder - 1 tsp (optional)
• Green chillies - 5, 6 whole

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 376 F.
   
2. Heat oil. Fry onions until golden. Add cumin, black pepper, cinnamon, clove and big cardamom. Fry for a minute or two. Add ginger and tomato. Fry until tomatoes are mashed into a chunky sauce.
   
3. Add peas. Fry for a few more minutes (5-10). Add 4.5 cups of water. When it comes to a boil, add drained rice and green chillies.
4. Cover and cook on medium low heat until the rice is cooked (~25 minutes). Stir gently a couple of times while it's cooking.
5. Sprinkle black cumin on top of the rice, cover, and put the pot in the oven for 15 minutes.

* Serve with chutney, salad, and pickles.

Chutney (Spicy Desi sauce):

Blend together: 1 tomato, 1 clove of garlic, 4, 5 green chillies, 1/2 tsp salt, 1.5 tsp red chili powder until it forms a puree.

Anday Aalu Ka Qorma (Egg & Potato Curry)

Ingredients:

• Potatoes - 2, cut lengthwise and sliced 1 cm horizontally
• Onion - 1/2, medium, sliced
  
• Tomato - 1, chopped finely
• Eggs - 5, hard boiled
  
• Yogurt - 3 tbsp
• Salt - 1 tsp
  
• Red chili powder - 1 tsp
  
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
  
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala - 1/2 tsp (optional)
  
• Green chillies - 5, 6 whole

Method:

1. Heat oil. Fry onions. When brown, add tomatoes. Fry until tomatoes are soft. Remove from the pot. Blend with the yogurt until smooth.
2. In the same oil, fry the potatoes. When golden, add the yogurt mixture. Add the spices (except garam masala). Cook for 2, 3 minutes. Add 2 glasses of water.
3. When the water starts boiling, add the green chillies and cook covered. Cook until the potatoes are tender (~30 minutes).
4. Add boiled eggs (halved).
   
5. (Optional) Sprinkle garam masala on top.
   

Serve with naan or roti. I prefer naans though.

Gobhi Gosht (Meat & Cauliflower)

Ingredients:

• Meat - 2 lbs, cut into 3" - 4" pieces
• Onion - 1, medium, sliced
• Oil - 5, 6 tbsp
• Cauliflower - 1, washed and broken into 3" - 4" pieces
• Salt - 1.5 tsp
  
• Red chili powder - 1.5 tsp
  
• Coriander power - 1 tsp
  
• Cumin powder - 1 tsp
  
• Ginger paste - 1 tsp
  
• Garlic paste - 1 tsp
  
• Green chillies - 6, 7 whole

Method:

1. In a pot, add 2-3 cups water. Add meat, ginger garlic pastes, salt, chili powder, cornader and cumin powders and onion. Keep it on a simmer until the meat is tender and water has evaporated. If there's more water, cook it off and if water is dried before the meat is tender, add more water.
2. Add oil in the same pan once the meat has dried. Fry for a few minutes. Add cauliflower. Mix well. Add green chillies, cover and cook until cauliflower is done (~20 minutes).

*Serve with roti.

Qeemay Ki Biryani (Beef Biryani)

Ingredients:

• Minced meat - 2 lbs
• Salt - 1.5 tsp
  
• Red chili powder - 1.5 tsp
• Ginger paste - 1 tsp
  
• Garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Onion - 1/2 medium, sliced
• Tomato - 1, chopped finely
• Oil - 5, 6 tbsp
• Green chillies - 5, 6 whole
  
• Rice (basmati) - 2.5 cups (soaked for half an hour)
• Mint leaves - 1/3 cup, chopped
• Coriander leaves - 3/4 cups, chopped
  

Method:

1. Preheat oven at 350 F.
   
2. Boil rice.
   
3. Heat oil and fry onions until brown. Add minced meat and fry well. More you fry, better the taste.
4. Add ginger garlic pastes. Mix. Add salt and chili powder. Cook well. Add tomato, green chillies, 1/2 cup of water and cook covered. Let cook for 10 minutes.
5. Take off the lid and cook until oil separates.
6. Add mint and coriander. Don't mix it with the beef yet. Spread boiled rice on it.
   
7. Put the pot in the oven for 15 minutes. Mix before serving.

*Serve with garden salad and raita.

Balti Gosht (Pot-Meat Curry)

Ingredients:

• Meat (lamb/beef) - 2 lbs
• Oil - 5, 6 tbsp
• Salt - 1.5 tsp
• Green chillies - 6, 7; halved and slit lengthwise
• Cumin seeds, whole - 1 tsp
• Garlic paste - 2 tsp
  
• Ginger - 2" piece, cut into matchsticks
• Onion - 1/2, medium, sliced
• Tomato - 1, chopped finely
• Coriander leaves - 3/4 cup, chopped

Method:

1. Boil 2.5 cups of water. Add salt, garlic, and 1 tsp cumin. Add the meat. Cover and cook until meat is tender (45 minutes approx.). When it's tender, remove from heat and let stand for 20 minutes or so.
   
2. In a wok, heat oil. Fry onions. When golden, add tomatoes and green chillies. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. Add drained meat with a little of the liquid and stir fry for 10, 15 minutes.
3. Add the remaining cumin, ginger and coriander. Cover and leave for 5 minutes.

* Serve with naans.

Chicken Roast and Potato Wedges

Ingredients:

• Chicken pieces (leg and thigh attached) - 5
• Tomato Ketchup - 1 cup
• Salt - 2 tsp
  
• Red chili powder - 2 tsp
  
• Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
  
• Oil - as needed

Method:

1. Heat oil and deep fry chicken pieces, making sure they're tender when you take 'em out.
   
2. Cool completely. They should be at room temperature.
   
3. Mix the spices in ketchup. Coat the pieces with this mixture. Leave in fridge for 6, 7 hours.
4. In a large pan, boil water. Put a strainer on the pan and put the chicken pieces on it, such that they're not touching the water. Make sure the water keeps boiling.
   
5. Steam for 45 minutes. Serve hot.
   

Potato Wedges
Ingredients:

• Potatoes - 6, white, cut into wedges
  
• Mayonnaise - 4 tbsp
• Cayenne - 1 tsp
  
• Salt - 2 tsp
• Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
• Bread crumbs - 3/4 cup
• Olive oil - 4 tbsp

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Mix everything together and lay on a baking tray. Make sure the wedges are not overlapping.
3. Turn once after half an hour.
4. Bake for another 30 minutes or until tender.
   
5. Note: Baking time will vary depending on the thickness of the wedges. Thicker they are, more time will be needed to cook 'em, and vice versa.