Aaloo Paratha (potato paratha)

Extremely popular with North Indians, these are best eaten with chilled yogurt and your favourite pickle or chutney. Want to be naughty? Aaloo parathas taste delicious with fresh, thick cream or a knob of unsalted, home-made butter! Prep Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes Ingredients: 5 medium-sized boiled, peeled and well mashed potatoes 2 tsps coriander powder 1 tsp cumin powder 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 1/2 tsp turmeric 1...

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Hara Bhara Kabab

A tasty alternative for those who love kababs but are vegetarian, Hara Bhara kabab gets its name and green colour from the healthy spinach in it. Ingredients: 300 gms potatoes boiled till soft 150 gms peas boiled till soft 150 gms spinach boiled 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves 2" piece of ginger grated 1 tbsp chaat masala Salt to taste Vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil to shallow fry the kababs Cashews to garnish (1/2 cashew per kabab) Preparation: Mix...

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Lehsuni Daal (garlic flavored lentils)

Made with masoor daal (orange lentils) this dish is simple and very tasty. It is in fact almost a staple in most homes. It makes a great accompaniment for plain boiled rice and a vegetable or meat dish. The recipe makes enough for 2-3 servings and is best made in a pressure cooker - it gets done faster this way. Ingredients: 1 cup masoor daal 3 cups water 2 tbsps vegetable/sunflower/canola cooking oil Salt to taste 1 onion chopped fine 1 tomato...

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Naan (leavened Indian flatbread)

Naans are traditionally cooked in a Tandoor or earthern oven but can also be made in your oven at home. Serve this delicious bread hot, with popular dishes like Tandoori Chicken or kebabs of different kinds. The dough for Naans needs to be made in advance so factor that into the preparation time. Prep Time: 2 hours Total Time: 2 hours Ingredients: 1 1/2 tsps dry yeast 1 cup warm water 1 1/2 tsps sugar 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste) 6 tbsps ghee (clarified butter) 3 tbsps yoghurt 3 teaspoons onion seeds Preparation: Add...

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Chaat - Tikki Ki Chaat - Ragda Pattice

This has to be the most popular North-Indian snack! Vendors literally crowd the streets selling all kinds of delicious variations of chaat in this part of the country. Chaat parties are also popular and a great alternative to a sit-down dinner. Tikki Ki Chaat is another North Indian name for this dish. In western India, the same dish is called Ragda Pattice. Ingredients: 6 large potatoes boiled, peeled and mashed 1 tsp red chilli powder 1 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp cumin powder 1 tsp raw mango powder 1/2 cup finely chopped coriander 2 onions...

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Kaali Daal (black lentils) - Daal Makkhani

Another popular North Indian dish, Kaali Daal is also known as Ma Ki Daal (mom's lentils) since it is wholesome and delicious! Another popular name for it is Daal Makkhani. Serve Kaali Daal/ Daal Makkhani with a vegetable side dish and Naans (tandoor baked flatbread) or Butter Chicken and Naans. Ingredients: 1 cup split urad daal (black lentils) 2 large onions sliced thin 2 green chillies slit Salt to taste A pinchof asafetida 2 large tomatoes chopped into cubes 2" piece of ginger jullienned 1 tbsp garlic minced 2 tsps coriander powder 1 tsp...

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Palak Paneer (spinach and cottage cheese)

Another hot favorite North Indian dish! This mildly flavored dish is super healthy too. If Paneer is not on hand or you want a dairy-free option you can also use tofu or veggies like cauliflower or potato. Ingredients: 500 gms Paneer (look below for recipe to make your own Paneer) 2 medium-sized bunches of fresh spinach (approximately 1 lb or 500 gms) 1/2 bunch fresh fenugreek leaves (approximately 1/4 lb or 125 gms) 4 tbsps vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil 1 large onion chopped fine 1 large tomato diced 2 tsps garlic paste 1 tsp ginger...

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