Dal Palak & homemade vegan naan

After my Aloo Palak spinach epiphany, I felt bold enough to branch out to other spinach recipes. I love dal, so it was a natural choice to try out a spinach dal recipe.
I made some adjustments to the original recipe, so this is by no means authentic, but it's pretty darn yummy nonetheless.
I recently also made my own naan for the first time, so I'm including that recipe here as well.

Dal palak (4-5 servings):
1,5 cup toor dal (yellow lentils)
200g frozen spinach, thawed.
4 cloves of garlic, minced (or 4 tsp garlic paste)
2 medium onions, chopped
2-3 tsp sambal oelek (or more to taste)
2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 vegetable stock cube
1 tbsp oil

Rinse the lentils and pick out any stones etc.
In a large pot, heat the oil and add the cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Once they start to pop and give off scent, add onion, garlic and sambal oelek. Saute until onion is translucent, then add lentils and spinach.
Add ca. 1l (2 pints) water and crumble in the stock cube, stir everything together and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer the dal approx. 45 min, covered. The dal is done when you can easily crush the lentils. I like a thick dal, so I usually cook it uncovered for a bit to reduce the liquid. Using a spatula or masher, mash part of the the dal.
Serve warm with rice, naan or roti.

Tip: I like to make this dal in a stovetop pressure cooker. Saute the ingredients in the pressure cooker as described above. After adding the water, close the lid on your pressure cooker and bring to high pressure (2). Cook for 7-10 minutes, then use natural release.

Original recipe

Naan (serves 4):

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp warm tap water
3/8 tsp dry active yeast
6 tbsp warm non-dairy milk (I used Alpro unsweetened almond milk)
1/2 cup non-dairy yogurt (I used Alpro unsweetened soy yogurt)
1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
1 tsp coriander powder (optional)
Oil for brushing

In a bowl, disolve the sugar in the warm water. Add the yeast and stir to disolve. Set aside for approx. 10 mins or until the mixture starts to froth and rise.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, garlic powder & coriander powder (if using).
When the yeast mixture is foaming, add the warm milk and yogurt, stirring to combine.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and combine with a spatula. When the ingredients are combined, finish mixing the dough with your hands to form a ball. Do not overknead.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and leave to rise for an hour at a warm place.
Divide the dough into 4 parts and roll each part into a thin oval on a floured surface.
Thoroughly heat a skillet. Brush oil on both sides of the bread.
Add one piece of bread to the pan and cook 1-2 min, covered. Bubbles should form on the bread.
Flip the bread and cook another 1-2 min. Repeat with the rest of the naan.
Serve warm. These naans freeze well too.

Original recipe

Peanut butter stirfry

Very quick and tasty stirfry!

What you need (2 servings):
400g bag of pre-cut Asian-style veggies (or use your choice of cabbage, onion, leek, red pepper, sugar snaps, bean sprouts etc)
200g button mushrooms, sliced
100-120g rice noodles (I like Terrasana black rice noodles)
1tsp sambal oelek
1tsp garlic paste (or 1 clove fresh garlic, minced)
1tbsp peanut butter
1tbsp sweet red chili sauce
2tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2tbsp warm water
1/4tsp ground ginger
Oil
Roasted peanuts, cashews or fried onions, for serving (optional)

Cook the noodles al dente in a pot. Drain and set aside.
In a microwave-safe cup, mix together peanut butter, chili sauce, soy sauce, water and ginger (this will go easier if you heat the ingredients for a few seconds first). Set aside.
Heat a drop of oil in a wok and add sambal and garlic. Add the mushrooms and stirfry a few minutes. Add the other vegetables and cook until done to your liking. Stir in the peanut sauce and cooked noodles until everthing is coated in sauce. Serve warm, with some roasted nuts or fried onions sprinkled on top.


Based on this recipe

Tasty tempeh

It's taken me the longest time to appreciate tempeh but I've finally found some recipes that I really like. The first two recipes are actually quite similar, with only a few ingredients that are different. The third works well to sooth the Babi Pangang (Indonesian sweet & sour pork) cravings I occasionally get.


Tempeh Kering (ca. 4 servings)

1 400g package of tempeh
5 red chilis, finely chopped [less spicy? I used 1tsp sambal oelek instead]
5 shallots, chopped (or sub ca. 2 medium onions)
3 cloves of garlic (or 3 tsp garlic paste)
1 piece fresh laos/galanga (or 1,5 tsp jarred galanga)
0,5 tsp tamarind pulp
2 tbs palm sugar (or brown sugar)
1 tl sugar
Salt to taste
Oil, for deep frying

Cut the tempeh into small strips. Heat the oil in a wok and deep fry the strips in batches, until they are golden and crispy. Let the tempeh cool on kitchen towels to absorb excess oil. Discard most of the frying oil, leaving a little bit in the wok.

Make a curry paste from the shallots, garlic and laos, using a pestle and mortar, blender or food processor. Heat the wok and saute the curry paste for 3 mins on a medium heat. Add the chilis and cook another minute. Add tamarind, sugar and salt and cook 3 mins on a low heat to let the sugar caramelize. Add the fried tempeh and stir to coat well. Be careful not to burn the sugar.
Serve warm or cold with stir frys, roti & massala potatoes or on a hard roll with pickled cucumber.

Based on this recipe (note: Dutch)

Surinamese tempeh (ca. 4 servings)

1 400g package of tempeh
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced (or 2 tsp garlic paste)
1/2 Madame Jeanette chili, finely chopped [I used 1-2 tsp sambal oelek instead]
70g tomato puree (= 1 small can)
2 tbsp ketjap manis
1 tbsp tamarind pulp
1 tbsp Surinamese massala curry powder (=/= garam masala!)
1/2 tsp salt (or less, to taste. Remember that the ketjap is salty too)
100-150ml water
oil for deep frying

Cut the tempeh into small strips. Heat the oil in a wok and deep fry the strips in batches, until they are golden and crispy. Let the tempeh cool on kitchen towels to absorb excess oil. Discard most of the frying oil, leaving a little bit in the wok.

Sauté onion, garlic and chili (or sambal) for about 5 mins. Add tomato puree, ketjap manis, tamarind, curry powder and salt and stir to combine. Add fried tempeh and mix with the sauce. Add a splash of water to prevent from sticking to the pan and burning the sauce. Stew for a few minutes.

Serve warm or cold with roti & massala potatoes or on a hard roll with pickled cucumber.

Original recipe (note: Dutch)


Tempeh Pangang (3-4 servings)

400 g tempeh
300 ml water
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced (or 4 tsp garlic paste)
2 cm ginger, grated (or 2 t sp ginger paste)
6 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp chilli flakes
2 tbsp raw sugar
1,5 tbsp rice vinegar
4 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp flour
oil

Prepare a marinade of soy sauce, garlic and ginger. Cut the tempeh into thin strips, add to the marinade, making sure the tempeh is well coated and refrigerate for at least an hour.
For the sauce, sauté the onion in some oil for 2-3 mins. Add water, chili flakes, sugar and the vinegar. Allow to boil for a few minutes, then add the tomato paste and flour, stirring continuously to prevent  lumps forming. Add the tempeh with the marinade and continue to cook for a few minutes until the sauce thickens.
Serve with atjar (Indonesian pickles) with boiled rice or nasi goreng.

Quick & easy:
Instead of making the sauce from scratch, use a storebought jar of pangang sauce. 

Original recipe

Easy Aloo Palak

I´ve never been particularly fond of spinach, because, let´s face it, it doesn´t really look that appetizing when cooked into oblivion. As a matter of fact, Aloo Palak doesn´t look that appetizing either, but I´ve become a bit more daring in recent years so I decided to sample a bite when my mother ordered it in an Indian restaurant a couple of months ago. Turns out spinach doesn´t taste like spinach when you pair it with plenty of spices, and anything potato is always good news!

Here´s what you need (for 2 moderate servings):
- 1/2 package frozen spinach in cubes, thawed

- 1/2 package (ca. 250g) pre-cooked potato wedges or pommes parisienne

- approx. 50ml. water

- pinch of salt

- 1 tbsp oil

- 1 small onion, diced

- 1 tsp ginger paste or fresh ginger, minced

- 1 tsp garlic paste or fresh garlic, minced

- 1/2 tsp coriander powder

- 1/4 tsp each of ground cumin, curry powder and salt

- 1/8 tsp each of chili powder and turmeric

- pinch of cinnamon

- 2 1/2 tbsp non-dairy cream (I prefer rice cream)

Put the thawed spinach with water and pinch of salt in a blender (the Magic Bullet is ideal for this) and blend smooth. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the potatoes until they are slightly browned. Add the onions, ginger and garlic, and sauté until the onions are translucent. Add the spices and sauté for a minute (add a splash of water if the spices stick). Pour in spinach and mix well with the spices and potatoes. Cover and simmer 7 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to sit 2-3 minutes. Stir in the cream. Turn heat to medium/low. Cook uncovered 5 minutes or until sauce thickens.

Serve with rice, roti and/or chapatis.

Based on this recipe.

Mushroom stroganoff

What you need (1 generous serving):

1 tbsp vegetable oil, such as olive oil or sunflower oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 small-ish onion, roughly chopped
200 g mixed mushrooms, cut in bitesize pieces
1 heaped tsp flour
100ml. vegetable broth (from a stock cube)
salt & plenty of fresh ground pepper to taste
50ml soy cooking cream

1 tsp dried herbs such as thyme or parsley
1 tbsp mild paprika
warm cooked pasta of choice (I like penne or tagliatelle), to serve

 

Heat the oil in a skillet and saute the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent. Add the mushrooms and paprika and cook for a couple of minutes until the mushrooms start to colour. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the broth slowly while constantly stirring. Add the cream, bring the sauce to the boil and season with salt, pepper and herbs. Cook for a few more minutes (reduce the sauce a bit if necessary) and serve over pasta.

 

Based on this recipe.

Couscous salad

Inspired by the chefs at work, I made my own couscous salad the other day. Thumbs up!

What you need (1 large portion):
120g couscous
200ml boiling hot vegetable stock (from a cube or powder)
1/2 courgette, diced
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, deseeded and diced
100g mushrooms, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced (or 1 tsp garlic paste)
1/2 tsp sambal oelek/harissa/chili paste
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
pinch of cinnamon
1 tbsp dried parsley
salt & pepper to taste
olive oil
1 tomato, deseeded and diced

In a bowl, pour the stock on the couscous. Cover the bowl with some tin foil and let it rest a few minutes until all the liquid has disappeared. Stir with a fork to loosen.
Meanwhile, heat some oil in a pan and sauté the onion, garlic and chili paste until onion has sofetened. Add bell pepper, courgette and mushrooms cook for a few minutes. Add the spices, parsley, salt and pepper to taste and stir until everything is well-combined and spices are starting to give off scent.
Add mixture to the couscous and allow to cool. Stir in chopped tomato.

Try this:
- add a tablespoon of roasted pine nuts
- add a tablespoon of capers (drained)
- add some chopped sundried tomatoes
- add some raisins/sultanas
- add some chopped dried apricots
- add 1/4 cucumber, deseeded & diced
- add 50g faux chicken, diced (add to the pan along with the spices)

Kung Pao Chicken

The 3rd dish we were taught to cook during our cooking class in China was Kung Pao Chicken.

What you need (2 servings):
200g chicken breast, cut in small cubes*
50g carrot, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
5cm cucumber, quartered, deseeded and chopped
(note: the vegetables and chicken should be cut roughly the same size)
1 spring onion, finely chopped
1cm fresh ginger, peeled and finely sliced
4 cloves of garlic, crushed (or less if you prefer)
2 star aniseed
2tsp soy sauce
2tsp oyster sauce*
50g unsalted peanuts (optional)
salt and plenty of black pepper to taste

Heat up some oil in a wok. If using, add the peanuts and turn the heat down low. Cook for 3 mins until the skin of the peanuts starts to 'blow up'. Remove the peanuts from the pan and set aside.
Add oil to the pan if necessary, then add the chicken. Cook for 30 secs, then add garlic, ginger, black pepper, star aniseed and soy sauce. Stir fry for 1 min, then move the chicken mixture to one side of the wok.
Add onion, carrot and diced peppers to the other side of the wok and cook for a few mins. Add the cucumber and oyster sauce and mix everything together. Cook for another minute or so and season to taste with a pinch of salt.
Remove the star aniseed and serve sprinkled with the spring onion and peanuts on a plate with some rice.

* Veganize it!
Use diced faux chicken pieces and vegan oyster sauce.

Stir-fried noodles and vegetables

The 2nd dish we were taught how to cook during our cooking class in China, was a very simple noodle & veggie stir-fry.

What you need (2 servings):
200g dried noodles*
50g carrot, julienne sliced
50g baby bok choy, sliced in strips
3 spring onions, chopped
2tsp soy sauce
1tsp oyster sauce*
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1cm fresh ginger, peeled and finely sliced
salt to taste
oil

Soak the noodles for approx. 15 mins. in warm water. Heat some oil in a wok and sautée the carrot, ginger and garlic for a few minutes before adding the bok choy. Drain the noodles and add them to the wok, along with the soy sauce and oyster sauce. Season to taste with salt. Stir in the spring onions and serve.

* Veganize it!
Use eggfree noodles and vegan oyster sauce.

Chinese dumplings

While in China, I attended a cooking class. One of the dishes we made were dumplings cooked in 2 ways: steamed and fried. They were delicious!

What you need (approx. 20 dumplings):
at least 20 store-bought dumpling wrappers, defrosted (available at most exotic stores)
200g pork mince (or half pork/half beef if you prefer)
100g spring onion, finely chopped
100g carrot, finely chopped
100g Chinese mushrooms (soaked and drained if dried), finely chopped
chicken stock powder
soy sauce
salt
vegetable oil
water

You'll also need a wok, bamboo steam basket and some cheese cloth, cut to fit the bottom of the steam basket.

In a bowl, stir together the chopped vegetables. Make a marinade of 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp chicken stock powder and 1 tsp soy sauce and add to the vegetables. Mix well and leave to rest for a few minutes.
Put the mince in another bowl and marinate with a mixture of 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp chicken stock powder and 2 tsp soy sauce. Mix well and also rest for a few minutes.
Combine the meat and vegetables and mix well.
Place a dumpling wrapper on the palm of your hand and put a walnut-sized scoop of the meat mixture in the middle. Wet the edges of the wrapper with some water and fold the wrapper in half, Make sure the edges are completely sealed. Starting in the middle, make a few small pleats on the sealed edge of the dumpling. Place the dumpling on the cheese cloth in the steam basket. Repeat until there is no more meat mixture left.
Place the steam basket in a heated wok and add water to create steam. (it may be necessary to add some more water while you're cooking)
For steamed dumplings, cook the dumplings for 10 minutes. For fried dumplings, steam them for 6 minutes, then fry them in some oil for a minute on each side until they are brown and crispy.

The steamed dumplings must be served warm (or the dough will become chewy), the fried dumplings can be eaten warm or cold. Serve with soy sauce for dipping.

Dì Sān Xiān - Chinese sautéed potato, green pepper and eggplant

I spent the past 2,5 weeks touring through China, and let me tell you, I don't think I've ever tasted so many delicious dishes while on holiday!
One of my favorites was Dì Sān Xiān (地三鲜), which means 'earth three fresh'. The name refers to the 3 main ingredients - potato, green pepper and eggplant.

The Chinese tend to use a lot of oil in their cooking, so to make this dish a bit more waistline-friendly, I altered it a bit... This undoubtedly affects the taste somewhat, but it will still taste great.
Here's my version:


What you need (2 servings):
450g potatoes, diced
1 eggplant, diced
1 green bell pepper, deseeded and diced
1 tsp garlic paste (or 1 fresh clove, finely chopped)
1 tsp ginger paste (or 1cm fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped)
approx. 3 tbsp ketjap manis (or regular soy sauce plus 1 tsp of sugar) 
salt to taste (note that the ketjap/soy sauce is already salty!)
wet cornstarch (the proportion cornstarch-water should be 1:2)
oil


Bring water to the boil in a pan and cook the potatoes and eggplant for approx. 10 mins. Drain and set aside.
Heat 1tbsp oil in a wok and fry the potatoes until they start to colour. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the bell pepper to the wok and stir-fry for a few seconds.
Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for another few seconds. Add potatoes and eggplant and stir-fry for a few minutes. Season with sugar, soy sauce and salt to taste, and add approx. 2 tbsp wet cornstarch. Stir through the vegetables so they are evenly coated and cook for a few more seconds.


Serve as is or with white rice.

Based on this recipe.

Grandma's Nasi Goreng

In the late 40's, my grandfather served in the military in the Dutch East Indies. He very much enjoyed the local cuisine and after he returned home and my grandparents got married, my grandmother would often make Indonesian dishes like this Nasi Goreng (Indonesian fried rice). If my grandmother would leave the stove unattended, my grandfather and the kids would sneak into the kitchen and steal bites from the pan, impatient to wait for dinner :-)
I made a vegan version of this family favourite.

What you need (1 large pan, approx. 5-6 servings):
500g white rice
175g faux chicken pieces, diced
2-4 tsp sambal oelek (chili paste), according to taste
3 onions, diced
1 garlic clove, minced (or 1 tsp garlic paste)
1 tsp vegetable stock powder
4 tsp salt
1 tsp ketoembar (ground koriander)
1 tsp djinten (ground cumin)
vegetable oil

Boil the rice. Heat some oil in a large pan and sauté the onion, garlic, sambal oelek, salt, soc powcer, ketoembar and djinten until nicely browned. Add the diced 'chicken' and cook a few more minutes. Add the cooked rice and mix well. Turn off the heat, cover ad let it sit for approx. 10 minutes, giving the flavours a chance to mix. Serve as is or as a side dish with other Indonesian dishes such as tempeh pangang or 'chicken' satay.


Try this:
- serve with peanut sauce.
- serve with atjar (Indonesian pickled vegetables).
- sprinkle fried onions or chopped, roasted peanuts on top.

Chop Suey à la minute

A home-made version of a take-out classic, which only takes 15 minutes (at most) to cook.

What you need (1 serving):
- A selection of your favourite veggies such as sliced mushrooms; sliced bell pepper (whichever colour you prefer); piece of cucumber, sliced in half lengthways and deseeded, then finely sliced; sliced onion / leek / spring onion (whatever you have on hand); bean sprouts; canned bamboo strips, drained; chopped and rinsed bok choi; sliced courgette; sliced carrot; canned minicorn, drained etc etc. About 250g in total.
- 1 clove of garlic, chopped (or 1 tsp garlic paste)
- 1 tsp sambal oelek
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (I prefer ketchap manis, which is sweet instead of salty)
- approx. 75g faux chicken pieces (optional)
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tsp corn starch
- vegetable oil
- boiled rice, to serve (I used a package of 1-minute microwave brown rice - superfast and easy!)

Heat some vegetable oil in a wok and sauté garlic, sambal and the veggies that need to cook a bit longer than the rest such as onion, carrot, pepper etc.
Once the onion has softened, scoop the veggies to the side of the pan and add the 'chicken'. Cook the 'chicken' till it's browned and crispy. Season with some salt and pepper.
Add the soy sauce and veggies that need little cooking such as bok choi and bean sprouts. Cook briefly, move everything to the side of the pan and add a splash of water to the pan. Mix the corn starch with a bit of water in a small bowl and add to the pan. Stir the corn starch mixture through the rest of the sauce and mix with the rest of the ingredients. Cook for about 1 more minute and serve hot with rice.

Chili con carne from scratch

Store-bought spice mixes often contain a lot of salt. Making a dish from scratch is ideal if you want to watch your salt-intake. And I bet it will taste better too!

What you need (3 servings):
200 g very lean ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced (or 1 tsp garlic paste)
2 cans of chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp of tomato puree
1 large can of beans (such as pinto, kidney, black-eyed), rinsed and drained
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder (or more if you like it spicy)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped (optional)
salt & pepper, to taste
1 tbsp ketjap manis (optional, to counteract acidity of the tomatoes)
sour cream or guacamole to serve (optional)

Heat the oil in a large pan and saute the onion and garlic, and chopped bell pepper, if using. Add the ground beef, and mash with a fork to break up the meat.
After the meat has browned slightly, add the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Add the spices and ketjap manis, if using. Season with some salt and pepper. Add the beans and simmer for a few minutes.
Serve in a bowl with crackers, or use as filling for taco's or burrito's. Top with a dollop of sour cream or guacamole if you feel adventurous :).

Try this:
- add a small can of corn, drained, along with the beans.
- want a thicker chili? Drain the chopped tomatoes before adding to the pan.
- use ground chicken instead of beef for chili con pollo.

Veganize it!
Use a vegan mince or minced TVP (TSP) for chili sin carne.

Humus

Another dip that's served all over the Middle East is humus. There are tons of different recipes available online and in recipebooks. Last week I used a basic recipe from one of my cookbooks and tweaked it a bit to my own taste.

What you need (approx. 4 servings):
small can of chick peas (Bonduelle, 212ml)
2 tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1tsp harissa (chili paste)
1 clove of garlic, minced, or 1 tsp garlic paste
1/2 tsp cumin powder
salt & pepper to taste
dash of lemon juice

Drain the chickpeas in a collander and save the liquid for later. In a small bowl, puree the drained chickpeas and the other ingredients with an immersion blender (or throw everything into a small food processor). Add some of the saved liquid if the puree is too thick for your liking and taste occasionally. Add some more harissa, salt, pepper or cumin if necessary.
Serve with pita bread or crudités (raw veggies) for dipping. Should keep in the fridge for at least a couple of days.

Try this: a bit more taste and colour? Add a red roasted pepper (from a jar) to the rest of the ingredients and blitz to a puree in your food processor, like I did in the picture.

Baba Ghanoush (Middle Eastern eggplant salad)

I'm a fairly recent eggplant convert. I never really cared for them until I tasted zaalouk at a restaurant. And with eggplants showing up occasionally in my veggie box, I hesitantly branched out to this pasta recipe.

On a recent trip to Egypt, I had a sinfully good Baba Ghanoush at a local restaurant (If you're in Cairo, go to Felfela and have the Taamia (falafel), Baba Ghanoush, fried eggplant and their flat bread for a great mezze!)
So when I got back, I made it my mission to replicate it. I think this recipe comes fairly close.

What you need (3 servings):
1 large eggplant
2 tbsp tahini (sesame paste)
juice of half a lemon
1 garlic clove, minced (or 1 tsp garlic paste)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried parsley (optional)
salt and pepper, to taste
olive oil, to serve

Preheat the oven at 225C. Prick holes in the eggplant with a fork, place the eggplant in an oven dish and bake for approx. 40 mins. until the skin is completely shriveled and the eggplant is very soft.
Let cool slightly and peel the eggplant. Cut it in pieces and mash with a fork. Add the tahini, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried parsley and cumin, and mix into a smooth (-ish) paste. Season to taste with some salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature with a drizzle of olive oil.
Delicious with pita, lavash or Egyptian flatbread (aish baladi) for dipping.

Quick potato curry

An Indian colleague of mine provided me with the basics for this dish, and it's easily adaptable to personal taste by substituting the veggies.

What you need (2 servings):
450 g potatoes (I use store-bought pre-cooked pommes parisiennes or potato cubes)
100 g frozen peas
1 small onion, halved and cut in strips
1/2 green pepper, finely chopped
1/2 can of tomato cubes, drained
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
1 tsp garam massala
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp sambal oelek (chili paste)
salt & pepper to taste
approx. 100ml cooking cream (suitable for warm dishes)
vegetable oil

Heat some oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. Once the seeds start to give off scent, add the garam massala and turmeric, onion, garlic, sambal oelek and chopped pepper. Cook for a few minutes until the onion has softened, then add the potatoes. Add the peas and tomatoes after approx. 10 minutes. After another 5 minutes, stir in the cream and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Since the potatoes already provide plenty of carbs, I serve this as a stand-alone dish without rice or naan.

Try these veggie alternatives:
* small cauliflower florets (blanched) - Aloo Gobi is an Indian classic!
* leeks instead of onion
* green beans instead of peas
* red, yellow or orange pepper instead of green pepper, or a combination of different colours
* sliced mushrooms

Beef & veggie stir fry with honey sauce

What you need (1 serving):
1 tbsp sesame seeds
100g sliced beef
1 tsp garlic paste or 1 clove of garlic, pressed
1/2 tsp chili paste (sambal oelek)
1/2 onion, sliced
1 small carrot, thinly sliced
approx. 50g mushrooms, sliced.
approx. 50g green beans, blanched
approx. 50g zucchini, in thin strips
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tbsp soy sauce (I used Kikkoman)
1 tsp oyster sauce
oil
salt, pepper


Heat a wok and toast the sesame seeds. Empty the pan and set the seeds aside.
Add some oil to the wok and quickly stir fry the beef until it's browned. Season with some salt and pepper. Take out of the pan and set aside.
Add some more oil if necessary, and stir fry the garlic, chili paste, onion, carrot, green beans and zucchini until the onion has softened.
Add the beef, then add the honey, soy sauce and oyster sauce and cook for another few minutes. Stir in the sesame seeds and serve with noodles or rice.

Potatoes & beans

What you need (6-8 servings)
1kg yard-long beans, washed, topped and cut into 4cm long pieces
4 large potatoes, peeled and cut in cubes
1/2 onion, finely chopped
3 tbsp sunflower oil
3 cloves of garlic, pressed
salt
1 1/2 tbsp massala curry powder
1 tsp turmeric

Bring water to the boil in 2 pans and boil both the beans and potatoes for approx. 10 mins. Drain and put aside.
Heat the oil in a wok and sauté the onion and garlic. Add curry powder and turmeric and cook for a few secs. Add the potatoes and beans. Cover the pan and cook on a low heat until the potatoes are done. Add salt to taste. Cook another 5-10 mins on a low heat.
Serve with roti and massala chicken.

Roti (Hindustani flat bread)

What you need (6-7 rotis):
500g wheat flour
125g white bread mix
500ml tepid water
300g extra flour
Pinch of salt
Sunflower oil

Put 500g flour in a bowl and make w hole in the middle. Add the bread mix, salt and water and mix (the mixture is still sticky at this stage). Knead for 5-10 mins and add extra flour if necessary to make a dry, elastic dough. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for 15 mins.
Divide the dough into 6-7 egg-size balls and press them flat. Using a rolling pin, roll each ball into flat bread of approx. 25cm diameter.
Thoroughly heat a large skillet and lower the heat when the pan is hot. Put a flat bread in the dry pan and brush oil on the pancake. Turn the flat bread and brush with oil again. Repeat twice more and put the flat bread on a paper towel covered plate and cover with a clean towel to prevent them from drying out. Cook the rest of the flat breads the same way.
Serve the rotis warm with chicken massala and potato & beans.

Hindustani massala chicken

What you need (6-8 servings):
1kg chicken breast, in cubes
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 chili pepper, seedless, finely chopped
1 1/2 tbsp massala curry powder
1 tbsp tomato puree
Salt

Heat the oil in a wok and stir fry the onion, garlic, curry powder and tomato puree for ca. 1 min. Add the chicken and stir fry for another few mins. Add salt and chili pepper to taste. Stir in a bit of water, cover and simmer for approx. 15 mins.

Serve with bara or roti, on a white roll or in a pita pocket.