Vegetarian Indian Feast - Chole, Palak Paneer, Pakoras & More

Step 1: Soak and Cook Chickpeas

Soak 2 cups of dried chickpeas overnight. Drain and add to a pressure cooker with enough water to cover them. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and 2 black cardamom pods. Cook for 6 whistles (or until tender) in the pressure cooker. If cooking in a pan, add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Step 2: Prepare Chole Masala Base

Heat 4-5 tablespoons of rapeseed oil in a pan. Add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds and 1 teaspoon of carom seeds. Let them sizzle and release their flavor. Add 4 chopped onions and cook on medium heat for 8-10 minutes until softened and lightly browned. Add 4-6 minced garlic cloves and 1 piece of minced ginger. Cook for 1 minute. Add 1 tin (400g) of chopped tomatoes. Mix well, add a splash of water, cover, and simmer on medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked down and the oil separates.

Step 3: Add Spices to Chole Masala

Add 2 teaspoons of turmeric, 2 teaspoons of chili powder, 4 teaspoons of coriander powder, and 2 teaspoons of garam masala to the cooked tomato-onion base. Mix well and cook for another minute.

Step 4: Combine Chickpeas with Masala

Add the cooked chickpeas (including their cooking liquid) to the masala. Mix well. Remove the black cardamom pods. Add a bit more boiling water if needed. Use a potato masher to lightly mash some of the chickpeas to thicken the curry. Cook on medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Garnish with fresh coriander.

Step 5: Prepare Cucumber & Onion Salad

Slice 1 cucumber and 1 red onion. Place in a bowl. Add chili powder and salt to taste. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon over the salad. Mix well and let it sit to marinate slightly.

Step 6: Cook Cumin Rice

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Add 1 cup of washed rice and 1 tablespoon of cumin seeds. Cook until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed. Drain any excess water.

Step 7: Prepare Paneer with Spinach

Heat 2 tablespoons of rapeseed oil in a pan. Add 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds and let them pop. Add 2 chopped red onions and cook for 5-6 minutes on medium heat until softened. Add 1 packet of chopped spinach. Season with salt and chili powder to taste. Cover and let the spinach wilt down for 5 minutes. Increase the heat to cook off excess moisture. Add 1 teaspoon of turmeric. Crumble 450g of paneer into the pan. Mix well and cook for 4 minutes.

Step 8: Prepare Boondi Raita

In a bowl, add 1/2 cup of gram flour balls (boondi). Pour 1 cup of yogurt over them. Add salt to taste and 1 teaspoon of ground cumin. Mix well.

Step 9: Prepare Chickpea & Onion Pakoras

Take a handful of the soaked (uncooked) chickpeas. Add them to a blender with 2 tablespoons of water and blitz roughly. Transfer to a bowl. Add 2 thinly sliced red onions, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon of chaat masala, 1 teaspoon of cumin, and 2-3 tablespoons of gram flour. Mix everything by hand. Heat oil for deep frying in a kadhai. Drop small portions of the mixture into the hot oil and fry until golden brown and crispy.

Step 10: Prepare Chapati/Roti

Take a portion of the rested chapati dough. Dust with flour and roll out into a thin circle. Heat a tawa (griddle) and cook the chapati on both sides until golden brown spots appear. Spread ghee on the cooked chapatis and place them in a casserole dish to keep warm.

Step 11: Fry Papadams

Heat oil in a kadhai until piping hot. Fry papadams for approximately 20 seconds on each side until they puff up. Remove and drain on paper towels.

• Soak dried chickpeas overnight for best results.

• Adding baking soda to chickpeas while cooking can speed up the process.

• Cook extra masala base to freeze for quick meals during the week.

• Mashing a few chickpeas in the curry helps to thicken the gravy.

• Let roti dough rest for a few hours for a softer texture.

• Fry papadams in very hot oil for quick puffing, but be careful not to burn them.

• Use fresh tomatoes instead of tinned chopped tomatoes for the chole.

• Use white onions instead of red onions if preferred or if red onions are unavailable.

• For the paneer dish, spinach can be pureed for a smoother palak paneer style gravy.

• Add fried cumin to rice for extra flavor and color.