Beginner's Guide to Indian Feast - 5 Dishes

Step 1: Prepare Ginger Garlic Paste

Peel fresh ginger and garlic. Break them into smaller pieces and place them into a spice grinder (or food processor). Process until a smooth paste is formed. Transfer to a container and set aside.

Step 2: Prepare Garam Masala

Place fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, black peppercorns, cardamom pods, and a broken cinnamon stick into a dry pan. Toast on medium-low heat for about 5-7 minutes, shaking occasionally, until fragrant and slightly browned. Transfer the toasted spices to a spice grinder and process until a fine powder is achieved. Transfer to a jar and set aside.

Step 3: Soak Lentils for Dal and Dosa

Pour mung dal and red lentils into a container with water. Soak double the amount needed for the dal recipe. This will make them cook faster and provide extra for dosa batter. Cover and set aside.

Step 4: Dice Onions and Tomatoes

Halve, peel, and dice sweet onions into a medium dice. Halve and core fresh tomatoes, then dice them to a similar size as the onions. Place diced onions in a bowl and diced tomatoes in another bowl.

Step 5: Start Cooking Dal

Place a pot on medium heat. Add ghee and let it melt. Sprinkle in cumin seeds and temper them in the hot ghee for about 1 minute until they show slight color change and become fragrant. Add the diced onions and cook them down to soften and caramelize slightly, bringing out their sugars.

Step 6: Build Dal Flavor Base

Add a big scoop of the prepared ginger garlic paste to the onions. Caramelize and toast with the other aromatics for 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Add the diced fresh tomatoes and sliced red chili. Cook down the tomatoes until they are nice and jammy, creating a flavorful aromatic tomato sauce.

Step 7: Prepare Dosa Batter

Once the lentils have soaked, strain about half of the soaked lentils (roughly 1 cup of each type) and transfer them to a blender. Add water (about 1.5 cups) and blend until smooth. Transfer the blended lentil mixture to a container, cover, and let it ferment for a few days, stirring every day.

Step 8: Finish Cooking Dal

Add the remaining soaked lentils to the pot with the aromatic base. Add more water to achieve desired consistency. Add a palmful of the homemade garam masala, paprika, turmeric, and salt to season. Stir everything together, cover the pot, and let it cook for 30-45 minutes on medium-low heat until the lentils break down and become smooth. Adjust seasoning if needed.

Step 9: Serve and Store Dal

Serve the dal simply over rice with fresh herbs. For any leftover dal, freeze it in ice cube trays for easy reheating as a side dish later.

Step 10: Prepare Lamb for Curry

Take a lamb shoulder and break it down. Cut off any lamb chops for later use. Cut around the bone and chop the shoulder meat into small, bite-sized chunks. Season the lamb pieces generously with salt and black pepper.

Step 11: Start Cooking Lamb Curry

Place a pot (enameled cast iron recommended) on medium heat. Add ghee and let it melt. Add fresh bay leaf, cardamom pods, cloves, cumin seeds, and a cinnamon stick. Toast these whole spices in the ghee until the kitchen smells amazing (about 1 minute). Add the diced onions and caramelize for a few minutes. Add the ginger garlic paste and cook for another few minutes.

Step 12: Brown Lamb and Build Gravy

Add the seasoned lamb pieces to the pot. Cook on a medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lamb starts to render its fat and brown. This process helps fry all the aromatics and spices together, building a rich gravy. Add the diced fresh tomatoes and canned tomatoes (if using) to the pot. Stir well.

Step 13: Stew Lamb Curry

After the tomatoes start to stew down, add a palmful of the homemade garam masala and salt. Add additional water to cover the lamb. Stir everything together, cover the pot, and let it stew for about 1.5 hours (or until the lamb shoulder pieces are fork-tender and falling apart). The liquid will reduce over time. The ghee and fat from the lamb will separate, creating a beautiful gravy.

Step 14: Serve Lamb Curry

Serve the lamb curry simply over rice with fresh herbs like cilantro. It can also be served as part of a larger Indian feast.

Step 15: Prepare Greens for Saag

For saag, you can use fresh spinach, kale, Swiss chard, or mustard greens. If using fresh spinach, blanch it in boiling water for about 1 minute, then immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking and preserve color. If using frozen greens, thaw them.

Step 16: Cook Chickpeas and Beans

Place chickpeas and white beans in a pressure cooker with water. Cook for 15-17 minutes from dry until completely cooked through. Alternatively, use canned cooked chickpeas and beans.

Step 17: Start Cooking Saag Base

Place a pot on medium heat. Add ghee and let it melt. Add whole coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds. Temper them in the hot ghee for about 30 seconds until the mustard seeds start to pop like popcorn. Add the diced onions and brown them for a few minutes. Follow with the ginger garlic paste and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the diced fresh tomatoes.

Step 18: Blend Greens for Saag

While the base is cooking, transfer the blanched and cooled spinach (or other greens) to a blender. Add a little water and blend until a smooth green smoothie is formed.

Step 19: Combine and Simmer Saag

Once the tomatoes are nice and jammy, add about half a can of full-fat coconut milk (optional, but adds creaminess and flavor). Cook down for 5-7 minutes until it reduces by about a third. Go in with the blended spinach, stir it in. Add a palmful of garam masala and salt to season. Stir well. Cook uncovered for about 20 minutes to allow it to thicken and for flavors to deepen.

Step 20: Finish and Serve Saag

Once the saag has reduced and the color has deepened, add the cooked chickpeas and white beans. Stir everything together. Serve the saag over rice. Leftover saag can be frozen in ice cube trays for later use.

Step 21: Make Cilantro Mint Chutney

To a blender, add fresh cilantro, fresh mint, a piece of ginger, chili (adjust to desired spice level), cashews (or peanuts), cumin seeds, fresh squeezed lime juice, salt, and ice cubes (to keep the herbs bright green). Blend all ingredients until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding a little sugar to balance flavors if needed. Transfer to a jar.

Step 22: Make Easy Dosa Pancakes

To the fermented dosa batter (from step 7), crack in two eggs and add a little flour to help bind everything. Mix well. Add ghee to a non-stick pan on medium heat. Pour in a ladleful of the dosa batter, swirling it around to coat the entire bottom of the pan. Cook until the bottom is nice and crispy, then flip and cook the other side until golden brown. Repeat for remaining batter.

Step 23: Assemble the Indian Feast

On a large plate, arrange portions of cooked rice, lamb curry, dal, and saag. Cut the dosa pancakes into triangles and add them to the plate. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Add a spoonful of sauerkraut (or other pickled item) and a spoonful of cilantro mint chutney to the plate. Enjoy the full Indian feast!

• Cook Indian food by building layers of flavor, giving attention to each ingredient as it's added.

• Soak double the amount of lentils/legumes you need for a dish; the extra can be used for other recipes like dosa batter.

• When toasting whole spices for garam masala, keep the heat low and slow to prevent burning and allow flavors to develop. You'll know they're done when they smell incredible and show slight browning.

• Ghee (clarified butter) allows for cooking at a higher smoke point while retaining buttery flavors. If unavailable, use another high smoke point oil.

• For saag, blending blanched greens creates a smooth texture, and adding cooked legumes or roasted vegetables can bulk it up and add texture.

• When making chutney, add ice cubes during blending to help retain the bright green color of the herbs.

• Indian food often benefits from side condiments like chutneys to add freshness, acidity, and spiciness as needed.

• For Dal, you can use any type of lentils, such as red lentils, if mung dal is hard to find.

• For Saag, use any greens growing in your garden or available at the market, such as kale, Swiss chard, or mustard greens. Frozen greens are also a good and cost-effective option.

• For Saag, instead of chickpeas and white beans, you can add paneer cheese for a classic Saag Paneer, or roasted vegetables like cauliflower or squash.

• For Dosa, this recipe offers an 'easy way' using soaked lentils, eggs, and flour to create a pancake-like version, which is simpler than traditional dosa requiring a flat top and specific technique.