Dough

• 2 cups atta (whole wheat flour)
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp oil
• ~¾ cup water (to knead)

Stuffing

• 3 medium potatoes, boiled & mashed
• 1 tsp ginger, grated
• 2 green chillies, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• ½ tsp garam masala
• ¾ tsp amchur (dry mango powder)
• Salt to taste
• Ghee / oil for roasting

Method

1. Mix flour, salt and oil. Add water gradually and knead a soft, non-sticky dough. Rest covered 20 min.
2. Mash the boiled potatoes till no lumps remain. Mix in ginger, chillies, coriander and all spices. Taste and adjust salt — it should taste well-seasoned.
3. Divide dough and stuffing into equal balls. Roll a dough ball, place a stuffing ball in the centre, pleat the edges together and seal.
4. Dust with flour and gently roll into a 6-inch disc, applying even pressure so it doesn't tear.
5. Cook on a hot tawa, flip when base is partly cooked, brush with ghee, and flip till golden spots appear on both sides.
6. Serve hot with curd and pickle.

Dough

• 2 cups atta
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp oil + ½ tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
• ~1 cup water

Stuffing

• 2 cups cauliflower, finely grated
• 1 tsp ginger, grated
• 1–2 green chillies, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves
• 1 tsp cumin (jeera)
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ½–1 tsp red chilli powder
• ½ tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp amchur
• Salt (add just before stuffing)

Method

1. Knead a soft dough with flour, salt, oil and ajwain. Rest covered.
2. Grate cauliflower finely. (Traditional Punjabi style uses it raw; if you prefer, lightly sauté with jeera, ginger and chillies for 2–3 min to remove moisture.)
3. Mix in all spices. Add salt only right before stuffing — salt makes cauliflower release water and the paratha will tear.
4. Stuff, seal and roll gently as for aloo paratha.
5. Roast on a hot tawa with ghee till golden on both sides.
6. Serve with white butter, curd or pickle.

Ingredients

• 750 g chicken, with bone
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped/pureed
• ½ cup grated coconut
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1–2 green chillies, slit
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• Whole spices: 1 bay leaf, 1-inch cinnamon, 3 cloves, 2 cardamom
• 2 tbsp oil, salt, coriander to garnish

Method

1. Grind grated coconut to a smooth paste with a little water. Set aside.
2. Heat oil, add whole spices and curry leaves, then onions. Sauté till golden.
3. Add ginger-garlic paste and green chillies; fry till raw smell goes.
4. Add tomatoes, turmeric and salt; cook till mushy and oil separates.
5. Add chilli powder, coriander powder; stir 1 min. Add chicken and brown on high for 4–5 min.
6. Add the coconut paste and ~1 cup water. Cover and cook 18–20 min till chicken is tender.
7. Finish with garam masala and coriander. Serve with rice or chapati.

Dry-roast & grind

• 8–10 dry red chillies
• 2 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
• ¼ tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
• Small piece tamarind

Main

• 750 g chicken, cut small
• ½ tsp turmeric + salt (to marinate)
• 1 cup grated coconut
• 2 onions, sliced
• 8–10 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 tbsp ghee / coconut oil

Method

1. Marinate chicken with turmeric and salt, 30 min.
2. Dry-roast the spice list on low till aromatic. Cool, then grind with tamarind to a coarse powder/paste.
3. Cook chicken with ginger-garlic paste and a little water till just done; dry out excess water.
4. In ghee, fry garlic, half the onions and grated coconut till golden; coarsely grind.
5. Add ground spice mix and coconut mixture to the chicken; toss on low till dry and coated.
6. Temper remaining onion and curry leaves in ghee, pour over. Serve with neer dosa, rice or rotti.

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tomato, finely chopped
• 1–2 green chillies, chopped
• ½ tsp ginger-garlic paste (optional)
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• ¼ tsp garam masala (or pav bhaji masala)
• 2 tbsp oil (or oil + butter)
• Coriander leaves, salt

Method

1. Beat eggs with a pinch of salt and turmeric; set aside.
2. Heat oil, sauté onion till soft. Add chillies (and ginger-garlic if using).
3. Add tomato; cook till mushy. Stir in chilli powder and garam masala.
4. Pour in beaten eggs. Let set a few seconds, then scramble and keep stirring till cooked but soft.
5. Finish with coriander and a squeeze of lemon. Serve with rotis or pav.

Ingredients

• 6 eggs, boiled & peeled
• 2 onions, finely chopped/pureed
• 2 tomatoes, pureed
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 2 tbsp oil, salt
• Coriander leaves to garnish

Method

1. Lightly fry the boiled eggs with a pinch of turmeric and chilli powder till golden; set aside.
2. Heat oil, sauté onions till golden. Add ginger-garlic paste; fry till raw smell goes.
3. Add tomato puree, turmeric, chilli and coriander powder and salt. Cook till oil separates.
4. Add ~1 cup water, simmer 5 min to form a gravy.
5. Slip in the eggs, simmer 3–4 min. Finish with garam masala and coriander. Serve with rice or chapati.

Ingredients

• 250–300 g paneer, cubed
• 2 onions, chopped
• 3 tomatoes, pureed
• 12–15 cashews (soaked)
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tbsp butter + 1 tsp oil
• 2 tbsp cream
• 1 tsp red chilli powder (Kashmiri)
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp kasuri methi
• Whole spices (optional): 1 bay leaf, small cinnamon, 3 cloves
• Salt, pinch of sugar

Method

1. Sauté onions, ginger-garlic, cashews and tomatoes till soft. Cool and blend to a smooth puree (strain for extra smoothness).
2. Heat butter, add whole spices if using, then the puree. Cook till it thickens and butter separates at the edges.
3. Add chilli powder, salt, sugar and ~½ cup water; simmer to a glossy gravy.
4. Add paneer cubes; simmer gently 2–3 min (don't boil hard, cream can split).
5. Stir in cream, garam masala and crushed kasuri methi. Serve with naan, roti or rice.

Ingredients

• 250 g paneer, cubed
• 400 g spinach (palak), blanched & pureed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1–2 green chillies
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp cream + 1 tsp butter
• 2 tbsp oil, salt

Method

1. Blanch spinach in hot water 2 min, then ice water (keeps it green). Blend to a puree.
2. Heat oil + butter, crackle cumin. Add onion, ginger-garlic and chillies; sauté golden.
3. Add turmeric, chilli powder, then tomato; cook till soft.
4. Add spinach puree and ~½ cup water; simmer 5 min (don't overcook, keeps colour bright).
5. Add paneer, garam masala and salt; simmer 2 min.
6. Swirl in cream. Serve with roti or rice.

Vegetables (~3 cups, batons)

• 1 raw banana
• 2 drumsticks
• 1 carrot
• Handful french beans
• Small piece yam (suran)

Coconut paste & finish

• 1 cup grated coconut
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2–3 green chillies
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ½ cup curd (whisked)
• 1–2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 sprig curry leaves, salt

Method

1. Cut all veg into 2-inch batons. Add the slow-cooking ones (drumstick, yam, banana) first with turmeric, salt and ½ cup water.
2. Add carrot and beans next. Cook covered till just tender — al dente, not mushy.
3. Coarsely grind coconut, cumin and green chillies (pulse only). Add to the veg; mix gently and simmer 1 min.
4. Turn off heat. Stir in whisked curd gently.
5. Drizzle coconut oil and add fresh curry leaves. Cover 5 min for flavours to infuse. Serve with rice.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup toor dal
• 2 drumsticks, 1 brinjal, 1 tomato, 1 onion (vegetables)
• Lemon-sized tamarind (or 1 tsp paste)
• 2 tbsp sambar powder
• ½ tsp turmeric
• Salt

Tempering

• 1 tbsp oil / ghee
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 dry red chillies
• Pinch asafoetida (hing)
• 1 sprig curry leaves

Method

1. Pressure-cook toor dal with turmeric till soft; mash.
2. Cook the vegetables with tamarind extract, sambar powder, salt and water till tender.
3. Add the mashed dal; simmer 5–8 min to bring it together. Adjust consistency with water.
4. Heat oil, splutter mustard seeds, add red chillies, hing and curry leaves.
5. Pour the tempering over the sambar. Serve with rice (and a drizzle of ghee).

Ingredients

• 500 g prawns, cleaned & deveined
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• ¼ cup grated coconut
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• ½–¾ tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ½–¾ tsp garam masala
• ⅛ tsp turmeric
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 tbsp oil (coconut oil ideal), salt

Method

1. Optionally toss prawns in a pinch of salt, chilli powder and garam masala.
2. Heat oil, sauté onion till pink. Add ginger-garlic; fry 1 min.
3. Add tomato, salt and turmeric; cook till mushy.
4. Add chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala and grated coconut; stir 1–2 min.
5. Add prawns and a splash of water. Cook just 4–5 min — prawns turn rubbery if overcooked.
6. Finish with curry leaves and coriander. Serve with rice.

Masala paste

• 1 cup grated coconut
• 6–8 dry red chillies (byadgi)
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ¼ tsp methi seeds
• 4–5 garlic cloves
• ½ tsp turmeric
• Small piece tamarind

Main

• 500 g prawns, cleaned
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 tbsp coconut oil, salt

Method

1. Lightly roast the dry spices and coconut; grind with garlic, turmeric and tamarind to a smooth paste.
2. Heat coconut oil, fry sliced onion and curry leaves till soft.
3. Add the ground masala paste; cook on low till it doesn't smell raw (don't let it burn).
4. Add ~1.5 cups water (or prawn stock) and salt; bring to a boil.
5. Add prawns; cook just 3–5 min, then turn off and let them soak in the flavour.
6. Garnish with coriander. Serve with neer dosa or rice.