Vegetable Samosas

2 large potatoes, diced finely
1/2 Cup peas or beans
2 Tablespoons oil or ghee
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 medium onion cut into small dice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
2 teaspoons garam masala
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 - 3 sheets shortcrust pastry

Heat the oil in large fry pan. Add cumin and mustard seeds and fry until they splutter, about 2 minutes. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Add garlic, ginger paste and garam masala. Cook for about 3 minutes. Add potato and peas and about 1/2 Cup water. Cook gently over medium heat until the vegetables are cooked, about 12 minutes. Season to taste. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Cut each sheet of pastry into 4. Place a Tablespoon on the filling in the middle of each pastry square. Fold over diagonally and seal edges by pressing together. Repeat for the rest of the mixture. Gently brush with ghee or melted butter.

Cook at 220 C for 15 - 18 minutes or until the pastry is golden.

Serve hot or cold as part of a meal, or as a snack.

Cauliflower and Potato Curry

5 Tablespoons oil
1 t cumin seeds
500g cauliflower florets
250 g potatoes, cooked and cut into 2 cm cubes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1 fresh green chilli, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add cumin seeds, cover pan and sizzle for 5 seconds, shaking pan once or twice. Remove the lid, add the cauliflower and cook until brown spots appear. Cover pan again, lower heat and cook until cauliflower is nearly done but still crisp. Add potatoes, cumin, coriander, turmeric, curry powder, green chilli and season to taste. Combine thoroughly. Cook very gently until potatoes are heated through. Serve hot.

Note: the photo is of the steaming hot curry :-)

Chapatis

1 1/2 C plain flour (plus extra as needed)
2 teaspoons salt
5 Tablespoons butter
Cold water, as needed
2 Tablespoons butter, melted

Combine flour and butter until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add enough cold water to knead into a soft (but not sticky) dough. If you put a little too much water in, add another Tablespoon (or so) of flour). Divide the dough into 8. Roll out until it is thin. Brush with melted butter, dust with flour and roll up into a ball again. Repeat twice more. Roll each ball out until it is 2 - 3 mm thick. Heat a dry frypan until it is very hot. Lower the heat. Place chapati into pan and cook for about 1 minute on each side, brush with butter and fry until crisp. Make sure you reheat the pan until it is very hot for each new chapati you are cooking.

Recipe from "The Best of Indian Cooking" from Bay Books

Beef Vindaloo

3 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon clove powder
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 star anise
1/2 teaspoon mined ginger
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon tamarind paste
1 Tablespoon vinegar
2 Tablespoons oil
3 medium onions, finely chopped
750 g stewing beef
Salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon sugar
15 curry leaves

Combine the spices, ginger, garlic and tamarind with the vinegar to make a smooth paste. If time permits, rub into beef and let sit for 15 minutes. Heat the oil and a large pot and fry the onions on medium heat until brown. Add the spice paste and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring continuously. You can add a little water if needed. Add the beef and saute for another 5 minutes. Add 3 C water, salt, sugar and cook over low heat until tender (about 1 hour). Stir in curry leaves and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve with rice.

Chicken Tikka

1/2 C natural yogurt
5 ml chilli powder
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 t salt
8 chicken pieces
Juice of 1 lemon
Oil

Mix yogurt with chilli powder, ginger, garlic, garam masala and salt. Pour over chicken pieces and mix well. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Place chicken pieces on baking tray and turning once or twice, cook at 180 C for 20 minutes or until cooked.

Mixed Vegetable Curry

1 Tablespoon oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 t Garam Masala (see note)
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 Tablespoon plain flour
1 C water
400 g can chopped tomatoes
2 potatoes, diced
1 eggplant, diced (also called aubergine)
2 zucchini, chopped (also called courgette)
1 red capsicum, chopped (also called red pepper, or bell pepper)
1/2 C coconut milk

Heat the oil in a large fry pan. Add onion and fry over gentle heat until tender. Add garlic, spices and flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in water, tomatoes and potato. Add eggplant, zucchini and capsicum and cook for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in coconut milk and heat.

Note: Garam Masala is a spice blend that you can buy from the spice section of the supermarket, or you can make your own.

Recipe from "Curries and Spicy Dishes" by the Kitchen Collection

Spiced Green Peas (Ghoogni)

1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 Tablespoon ghee or 1 Tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon minced ginger
450 g frozen green peas
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 springs parsley, chopped finely
1/4 teaspoon salt
Juice of 1 lemon

Fry onion in ghee or oil until tender (2 - 3 minutes). Add chilli and ginger. Fry for 1 minute. Add green peas. Stir and cook 5 - 6 minutes. Add pepper, parsley and salt. Cook for another couple fo minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice before serving.

Potatoes and Carrots (Aloo Gajjar)

2 Tablespoons ghee or 2 Tablespoons oil (see note)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
3 medium carrots, scraped and cubed
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Juice of half a lemon

Heat ghee or oil and add cumin seeds. When they begin to crackle, add potatoes. Fry 3 - 4 minutes then add the carrots. Stir the mixture and sprinkle with chilli, coriander, turmeric and salt. Stir fry the mixture for 1 - 2 minutes then cover and cook on low heat for 8 - 10 minutes. Sprinkle with a little water to help cook the carrots. Sprinkle with lemon juice before serving.

Note: Ghee is clarified butter - you can buy it in the supermarket - usually in the international section or with the oils.

Recipe from "Indian Cooking" by Lalita Ahmed

Chickpea Fritters

440 g can chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans)
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 small chillies, finely chopped *
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 Tablespoons milk
Freshly ground black pepper
3 Tablespoons plain flour
Oil for frying

Place all ingredients, except for flour and milk, in a bowl and mash until it is reaches the desired texture (we kept it quite chunky). Add flour and milk. Form into balls and flatten slightly. Fry until golden. Serve hot or cold.

* As we had chillies in a lot of other food, we left it when we cooked it today but it would be included on other occasions.