SpICE SpICE Baby

All recipes can be made veg or non-veg -- just supplement the veg item for your favorite meat, you the meat with tofu!

Chutneywali Godhi

• Bring oil to a boil
• Add whole cumin seeds – allow for the oil to crackle with the seed
• Once crackling, add cauliflower heads, turmeric, salt, and garlic-ginger paste
• Cover and allow to steam until cauliflower is fully cooked (you can add mushrooms, carrots, peas, and chopped string beans if desired)
• Once the cauliflower is fully cooked, add enough green gravy to coat the cauliflower
• Add red chilli powder, garam masala, crushed fenugreek (Indian spice found at specialty stores), salt, chunky chat masala (again, specialty store), and a dab of butter

Paneer Kahai

• Bring oil to a boil and add finely chopped garlic, cook until brown
• Add fresh bell pepper (all colors) and sauté
• Once the peppers have cooked slightly, add turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander, cumin, and chopped green chillis (only if you like it spicy)
• Once the peppers are coated, add enough onion-tomato gravy to cover the peppers
• Add slightly sautéd paneer (a cottage cheese like ingredient, easily substituted with tofu or meat) that has soaked in warm water to make plump – bring to a boil and allow to simmer
• Right before serving, add fresh chopped cilantro

Pulao Rice

• Prepare to make normal white rice that is boiled in water but add green cardamom, black cardamom, bay leafs, cumin seeds, 5-star, and cinnamon stick.
• Once rice has fully cooked, dripple saffron water (a few sprigs of saffron mixed with water) over the rice. Allow time to absorb before mixing – then only a few grains of rice will be that beautiful color!

Bhindi Masala

• Melt butter
• Add finally chopped garlic until golden brown
• Add onion-tomato gravy, fresh green chilli, and fresh ginger – allow time to boil
• Add chunky chat masala, garam masala, red chilli powder, and salt
• semi cook vegetables of your choice
• Add precooked vegetables to masala
• Before serving, add fresh tomato, fresh cilantro, and lemon juice

Subzi Pulao

• Bring butter to a boil
• Add chopped string beans, peas, small cauliflower, carrots, fresh cilantro, and chopped onion
• Once the vegetables are starting to cook, add saffron water
• Add enough onion-tomato gravy to coat all vegetables
• Add fully cooked rice and enjoy!

Chicken Tikka Makhani (Butter Chicken)

• Bring butter, onion-tomato gravy, and chicken broth to a boil
• Add salt, red chilli powder, garam masala, and fenugreek powder
• Add more butter (it is butter chicken – come on!)
• Add raw chicken – cook until chicken is done
• Add cashew nut paste (or curd if allergic)

Rapita

• In a bowl combine fresh chopped tomato, onion, and cucumber (all seeds removed)
• Cover in curd with equal parts sugar and salt
• Add toasted crushed cumin seeds
• Serve cold

Nihari Gosht

• Bring oil to a boil and add bay leafs, green coriander, black coriander, full black pepper, clove
• Add chopped onion and garlic-ginger paste
• Add raw lamb – sauté until browned on the outside
• In a spate bowl combine: red chilli powder, garam masala, cumin, fenugreek, turmeric, coriander, and water. Add enough water that the mixture turns into a paste, not too liquidy
• Cover the lamb with the mixture
• Add fresh chopped onions
• Continue to cook until the surface of the pan is covered in extra oil, then add heated lamb broth
• Once boiling, add fresh chopped mint, ginger, and green chillis
• Remove the lamb
• Add onion-ginger paste, aromatic masala (specialty store), mace, fennel, and cardamom
• Squeeze on fresh lemon into the gravy – if on hand add rose and iris water (not essential)
• REDUCE LIQUID – if you need help reducing, add some starch
• Once reduced to a thick gravy, strain and add to lamb

Murgh Handi Lazeez

• Bring oil to a boil – add equal parts coriander, turmeric, red chilli powder
• Add equal parts ginger-garlic paste and water
• Dash of salt
• Add twice as much white gravy to mixture as they currently is – bring to a boil
• Add onion paste (sautéed onion)
• Add raw chicken
• Put in crockpot or slow cook
• Before serving, add saffron water and pinch of garam masala

GINGER-GINGER PASTE

• 1 part fresh ginger
• 2 parts fresh garlic

Peal and puree while adding water until smooth

SAFFRON WATER

• A few sprigs of saffron with water. Mix until the water is bright orange.

GREEN GRAVY

• Equal parts fresh spinach and cilantro
• ¾ part fresh mint

Puree while adding water until smooth

WHITE GRAVY

• Bring butter to a boil – add green cardamom, black cardamom, cinnamon sticks, bay leafs, 5-star, and clove
• Once boiling, add cashew nut paste (3 parts milk to 1 part cashew – blend until smooth) – bring to a boil
• Add 2 parts sugar to 1 part salt
• REDUCE A LOT – must become very thick
• Strain

ONION-TOMATO GRAVY

• Bring a lot of oil to a boil - add green cardamom, black cardamom, cinnamon sticks, bay leafs, 5-star, black pepper, and clove
• Add one part chopped onion (A LOT OF ONION) – cook while stirring constantly until onion is brown and dissolving
• Strain half the oil from the onions
• In another bowl make a paste: garlic-ginger paste, salt, red chilli powder, turmeric, coriander seeds, garam masala, crushed coriander, and crushed black pepper – add to pot
• Bring mixture to a boil
• Add equal part canned tomato (equal to onion)
• Boil until reduced