A Big Vegetarian Indian Feast – Indian Style

Step 1: Prepare Chickpeas

Soak 2 cups of dried chickpeas overnight. Place soaked chickpeas in a pressure cooker with enough water to cover, 1 tsp salt, and 2 black cardamom pods. Pressure cook for 6 whistles (or 45-60 minutes in a regular pan with 1/2 tsp baking soda).

Step 2: Prepare Chole Masala Base

Heat 4-5 tbsp rapeseed oil in a pan. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds and 1 tsp carom seeds, letting them sizzle until fragrant. Add 4 roughly chopped onions and cook on medium heat for 8-10 minutes until softened and lightly browned. Add 4-6 minced garlic cloves and minced ginger, cooking for 1 minute until aromatic. Stir in 1 tin (400g) chopped tomatoes, mix well, add a splash of water, cover, and simmer on medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes until the tomatoes break down and oil separates. Add 2 tsp turmeric, 2 tsp chili powder, 4 tsp coriander powder, and 2 tsp garam masala, mixing thoroughly.

Step 3: Combine Chole and Masala

Remove half of the prepared masala and store it for future use (optional). Add the cooked chickpeas (along with their cooking liquid) to the remaining masala in the pan. Remove the black cardamom pods. Add boiling water to achieve the desired curry consistency. Use a potato masher to lightly mash some of the chickpeas, which will help thicken the curry. Cook on medium heat for 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the curry to thicken.

Step 4: Prepare Cucumber & Red Onion Salad

Thinly slice 2 cucumbers and 2 red onions. Place them in a bowl. Sprinkle with chili powder and salt to taste, then squeeze a generous amount of lemon juice over the salad. Mix well and let it sit for a bit to allow the flavors to develop.

Step 5: Prepare Paneer Bhurji with Spinach

Heat 2 tbsp rapeseed oil in a pan. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds and let them pop. Add 2 roughly chopped red onions and cook for 5-6 minutes on medium heat until softened. Add finely chopped spinach, salt, and chili powder to taste. Cover the pan and let the spinach wilt down for 5 minutes. Increase the heat to evaporate any excess moisture. Add a little turmeric powder. Crumble 450g of paneer and add it to the spinach mixture. Cook on high heat for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 6: Cook Cumin Rice

Bring water to a boil in a pot. Add rice and 1 tbsp cumin seeds. Cook until the rice is fluffy and tender. Drain any excess water.

Step 7: Prepare Boondi Raita

Place gram flour balls (boondi) in a bowl. Add yogurt, salt, and ground cumin to taste. Mix well until combined.

Step 8: Prepare Onion Pakoras

Blitz a handful of soaked (uncooked) chickpeas with a few drops of water until roughly crushed. Thinly slice 2 red onions. In a bowl, combine the blitzed chickpeas, sliced onions, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp chaat masala, 1 tsp cumin, and a little gram flour. Add a few drops of water if needed to form a thick batter. Heat oil in a kadhai (wok) for deep frying. Drop small portions of the mixture into the hot oil and fry until golden brown and crispy. Fry in batches if necessary.

Step 9: Prepare Chapatis

Place atta (chapati flour) in a large bowl. Gradually add water and knead into a soft dough. Cover and let the dough rest for a few hours. Heat a tawa (flat griddle) on the stove. Take a small portion of dough, roll it into a ball, flatten it, and dust with flour. Roll it out into a thin circle. Place on the hot tawa. Cook until bubbles appear, then flip. Cook on both sides until golden spots appear. Finish with ghee/butter and place in a casserole dish lined with a cloth to keep warm.

Step 10: Fry Papads

Heat oil in a kadhai until piping hot. Fry papads for approximately 20 seconds on each side until they puff up and become crispy. Be careful not to burn them.

• Soak dried chickpeas overnight for best results.

• Making extra curry masala can save time for future meals.

• Lightly mashing some chickpeas helps to thicken the curry.

• Allowing the cucumber and onion salad to sit in lemon juice enhances its flavor.

• Kneading chapati dough in advance makes it softer and more pliable.

• Fry papads in very hot oil for a quick puff and crisp texture.

• Keep cooked chapatis in a casserole dish lined with a cloth to keep them warm and soft.

• For chickpea curry, you can add 1/2 tsp baking soda to the chickpeas while cooking in a pan to speed up the process.

• For paneer bhurji, use white onions if red onions are unavailable.

• For chapatis, you can use butter instead of ghee for finishing.