5 Spices 50 Dishes

This typical Northern Indian-style curry goes extremely well with Indian breads. Fresh English peas work better here; they take a little bit of time to shell, but are worth the effort. If you can’t find fresh peas, use frozen ones—just know that they will add a bit of sweetness to the dish.

Serves 4

• 1 pound white or brown button mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger (about 2-inch piece)
• 1 teaspoon finely grated garlic (about 2 large cloves)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, finely ground
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, finely ground
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon cayenne
• ¼ cup chopped tomato (about 1 small)
• ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
• 1¼ cups shelled peas, preferably fresh
• 1 cup water
• ½ teaspoon salt

Cut the larger mushrooms into quarters, and the smaller ones in half.

Heat the oil and butter together in a large pan, and sauté the onion until dark brown. Add the ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cayenne, and stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture turns golden brown. This will happen quickly, so be careful it doesn’t burn. Add the tomato and cilantro and sauté another minute.

If using frozen peas, rinse them under water to thaw them a little. Add the peas and mushrooms to the spice mixture, mix well, add the water and salt, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer, cover the pan, and cook until the mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.

This recipe transforms the humble beet from a hearty root vegetable into a light, fresh-tasting dish you can serve all year-round. You may use all red beets, but it makes for an attractive dish if you get a mixture of different colors. I love serving these beets with Everyday Yellow Dal (page 39), steamed rice, and Crispy Okra Raita (page 93) for a simple weeknight meal.

Serves 4

• 2 pounds gold and red beets (about 8 medium or 16 baby beets)
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
• 2 small green serrano chiles, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more to taste
• 2 tablespoons minced cilantro leaves

Scrub and rinse the beets well. Cover with water in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook, covered, until tender, 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the beets. Use a paring knife to test for doneness; if it slides into the thickest part of the beet fairly easily, they are done. Drain, cool, peel, and then chop the beets into ½-inch cubes if using medium-sized beets. Quarter the baby beets.

Make the tadka: Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. When the oil begins to smoke, add the mustard seeds, covering the pan with a lid or spatter screen. When the seeds have stopped sputtering, add the chiles and give a quick stir. Quickly throw in the beets and salt. Toss, cover, and steam over low heat for 6 to 8 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.

Remove to a serving dish and toss with the lemon juice and cilantro. Serve warm or cold.

This is a South Indian-inspired sweet, mild curry. Serve it with steamed white rice and a tangy fruit chutney like cranberry or mango for a perfect meal.

Serves 4

• 8 ounces butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes (see page 96)
• ½ cup water
• Salt
• 8 ounces green beans, trimmed and chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup canned coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
• 2 medium green serrano chiles, minced
• 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped cashews

Place the cubed squash in a medium saucepan with the water and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to medium, cover, and steam until the squash is tender, about 6 minutes. Remove the squash with a slotted spoon and then add the green beans to the pan. Repeat the process, topping up the water if needed.

Return the squash to the pan with the green beans and any remaining cooking liquid. Add the coconut milk and a little more salt if necessary. Bring to a boil and immediately turn the heat down to low. Simmer the curry, uncovered, until slightly thickened, about 8 minutes—don’t allow the mixture to come to a rolling boil or it will curdle. Do not stir because the squash may start disintegrating; shake the pan if you need to mix the ingredients.

Transfer the curry to a serving dish.

Make the tadka: Heat the oil in a small skillet or butter warmer over high heat. When the oil begins to smoke, add the mustard seeds, covering the pan with a lid or spatter screen. After the mustard seeds stop sputtering, add the chiles and cashews and shake the pan over medium heat until the cashews are toasted and lightly browned. Pour this over the curry and serve.

Serves 6 to 8

• 2 small heads cauliflower (about 1 pound 12 ounces)
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger (about 2-inch piece)
• 1 teaspoon finely grated garlic (about 2 large cloves)
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• One 14.5-ounce can peeled, chopped tomatoes
• 1 medium green serrano chile, cut lengthwise in quarters
• ½ teaspoon cayenne
• 2 tablespoons minced cilantro leaves

Remove any leaves and cut off the tough stem parts of the cauliflower. Place the heads in a saucepan large enough to hold them comfortably, with the water and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Cover and simmer until the cauliflower is crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. If you like your cauliflower softer, by all means cook it longer. Set it aside and cover to keep warm while you make the sauce.

Roast the spices: Heat a small skillet over low heat and roast the cumin seeds until dark and fragrant. Remove the cumin from the pan and set aside to cool. Now add the coriander seeds and slowly roast them until dark brown. Be careful not to burn the spices. When the coriander seeds have also cooled, use a clean coffee grinder to grind them with the cumin seeds and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the ginger, garlic, and turmeric. Stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture turns golden brown. This will happen quickly, so be careful it doesn’t burn. Crush the tomatoes with your hands and add them to the pan along with all the juices. When the tomatoes come to a boil, stir in the chile, cayenne, cumin, coriander, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Lower the heat and simmer the sauce until the tomatoes are well cooked, about 8 minutes. You will be able to tell by the fact that the oil will start to separate from the sauce. Add the cilantro and simmer for another 1 to 2 minutes to heat through.

Place the warm whole cauliflower on a platter, pour the sauce over the top, and serve immediately

Serves 4

• ¼ cup canola oil
• ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 pound green cabbage, sliced very thinly
• 2 cloves peeled garlic, smashed with the side of your knife (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cayenne

Make the tadka: Heat the oil in a large wok over high heat. When the oil begins to smoke, add the mustard seeds, covering the wok with a lid or spatter screen. After the seeds stop sputtering, add the turmeric and sliced cabbage. Now add the garlic (if using), salt, and cayenne, and toss well.

Cover, reduce the heat to medium, and steam until the cabbage is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Serve hot.

It’s quite a spicy dish, but remember—you can always reduce the amount of cayenne. To create a complete North Indian vegetarian meal, serve with Chapati and Punjabi Red Beans.

Serves 4

• 1 large Italian eggplant (about 1 pound)
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1½ cups)
• 1 teaspoon finely grated garlic (about 2 large cloves)
• 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger (about 2-inch piece)
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, finely ground
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped (about 1½ cups)
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Cut the eggplant into ½-inch cubes.

Heat the oil in a large wok over medium heat and sauté the onion until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin, and cayenne, and sauté for another 2 minutes. If the mixture begins to stick to the bottom of the pan, deglaze by adding a few tablespoons of water and using a spatula to loosen the browned bits.

Add the eggplant, tomatoes, salt, and sugar, and toss until the eggplant is well coated with the onion-spice mixture.

Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the eggplant is soft but not mushy, about 10 minutes. Serve warm.