Chickpeas w/ Onions and Tomatoes (Chole)

Eggplant in Onion-Tomato Sauce

Garam Masala

Lentils with Cinnamon and Mixed Vegetables

Lentils with Sour Cream

Spicy Lentils

Chickpeas w/ Onions and Tomatoes (Chole)

• 1 onion
• 3/4-inch piece fresh ginger
• 6 cloves garlic
• 4 T. cooking liquid
• 1 t. cumin seeds
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2-inch stick cinnamon
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped coarsely
• 1/2 t. ground coriander seeds
• 1/2 t. ground tumeric
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 t. cayenne pepper
• 3 c. cooked chickpeas, drained
• 1/2 t. garam masala
• 1 T. lemon juice

Chop onions and grate/chop ginger and garlic. Set skillet over medium heat, then add cumin, cinnamon and bay leaf.  When the cumin begins to brown, add cooking liquid. When it is hot, add ginger and garlic. Cook for a minute then add chopped onion. Saute until golden brown, then add tomatoes, coriander, tumeric (watch out--it stains!), salt, and cayenne. Cook until tomatoes are softened; add chickpeas--cover and reduce heat.  Cook another 10 minutes, squirt lemon juice over the top, and serve hot.(4 servings)

Eggplant in Onion-Tomato Sauce

• 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 onion
• 3 T. cooking liquid
• 1/4 t. cumin seeds
• 2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 4 baby Italian eggplants (@1 pound total)
• 1/4 c. water

Stuffing:

• 1/2 t. ground coriander
• 1/4 t. ground cumin
• 1/2 t. garam masala
• 1/2 t. fennel seeds
• 1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 t. cayenne pepper
• salt to taste
• 1 t. water

Chop/grate ginger and garlic; finely chop onions.  Put skillet over medium heat and brown cumin seeds. Add cooking liquid, then ginger and garlic, followed by onions. Saute until lightly browned. Add tomatoes and cook until soft.

Wash and dry eggplants. Don't bother trimming stems. Make a deep lengthwise slit in each eggplant, leaving about 1/4 inch intact at each end.

To prepare stuffing, make a paste of all the spices and 1 t. water. Stuff this mixture into eggplants.

Pour the 1/4 c. water into the onion mixture, then place the eggplants on top, side by side. Cover tightly, reduce the heat to very low, and cook until eggplants are tender (@30 min), stirring occaasionally during the last 15 minutes of cooking time. Serve by placing an eggplant on each plate and topping with sauce. (Serves 4)

Lentils with Sour Cream

This dish is so wonderfully creamy, you'd assume that it's full of fat. Definitely a winner at potlucks.

(For you vegans, I suppose there might be a good substitute...silken tofu perhaps??)

• 1 c. sabut urad (whole black gram beans)*
• 3 1/2 c. water
• Salt, to taste
• 1/2 c. cooked kidney beans
• 3 T. nonfat sour cream, beaten w/ spoon
• 1/4-inch piece fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 T. cooking liquid
• 1 t. cumin seeds
• 5 T. canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 t. garam masala **
• 1/4 t. cayenne pepper

Wash the gram beans well, places them and 2 cups of the water in a large heavvy-bottomed saucepan and let soak at least 4 hours or overnight. Add the remaining 1 1/2 c. water and salt. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook until beans are soft and mushy (@45 min), stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and mash with back of fork. Add cooked kidney beans and sour cream.

Grate/chop ginger and garlic.In a skillet, brown cumin. Add cooking liquid, then ginger and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes then add tomatoes. Decrease heat to medium-low and cook 2-3 minutes. Stir in garam marsala and cayenne, then add bean mixture. Cook 5 minutes. Serves 4.

*Use whatever beans you like, really. I used red split lentils and skipped the whole soaking stage. Just tossed them in @1 3/4 c. water and let cook @30 minutes.

** Garam Masala can be purchased as a mix, but it tastes so much better if you make your own fresh. I buy the spices in "bulk"--as in, I buy very small amounts, saving money and always having fresh spices.Here is one recipe:

Garam Masala

• 1 small nutmeg, crushed
• 1 1/2 T. green cardamom pods
• 4 1-inch sticks cinnamon
• 1 T. whole cloves
• 1 t. peppercorns
• 1 t. cumin seeds

Grind in your coffee grinder, or w/ mortar and pestle if you're feeling ambitious.  Store in an airtight container.

Lentils with Cinnamon and Mixed Vegetables

• 3/4 c. sabut masoor (whole brown lentils)
• 3 c. water
• Salt, to taste (again, I use @1/2 t.)
• 1/2 t. ground tumeric
• 1 medium onion
• 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 T cooking liquid
• 1-inch stick cinnamon
• 1/2 t. cumin seeds
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 c. chopped mixed frozen vegetables, thawed (I use more)
• 3 medium tomatoes, chopped

Wash lentils and place in large heavy bottomed saucepan with water. Let soak one hour. Add salt and tumeric, cook covered over low heat until tender (@30 min.)

Chop/grate onions, ginger and garlic to taste (I like mine coarse, others like fine). Heat skillet, toss in cumin, cinnamon and bay leaf. When they have browned (a couple seconds), add cooking liquid. Let heat a moment, then add ginger and garlic. Cook 1 minute and add chopped onions. Cook another 7-8 minutes then add vegetables.  When veggies are almost tender add tomatoes and cook 5 minutes.  Stir lentils into mixture and cook on low for 5 minutes. Serves 4.

(These recipes are adapted from _From Bengal to Punjab: The Cuisines of India_ . Not a bad book, but the author really loves her onion.)

Spicy Lentils

• 1 c. sabut masoor (whole brown lentils)*
• 4 c. water
• Salt to taste (I use @1/2 t.)
• 1/2 t. ground tumeric
• 1 medium onion
• 2-4 cloves garlic
• 2 T. cooking liquid (I use stock)
• 1 t. cumin seeds
• 1 t. ground coriander
• 1/4 t. cayenne pepper
• 1 large tomato, chopped coarsely
• Dash of lemon juice

Wash lentils and place in large heavy bottomed saucepan with water.  Let soak one hour. Add salt and tumeric, cook covered over low heat until tender (@30 min.)

Chop onions and garlic to taste (I like mine coarse, others like fine).Heat skillet, toss in cumin. When it has browned (a couple seconds), add cooking liquid. Let heat a moment, then add onions and garlic.Cook until browned--about 8-10 minutes. Add coriander, cayenne and tomato. Cook until tomato is soft (@5 minutes.) Stir in cooked lentils and cook another 5 minutes. Squeeze lemon over the top and serve. (4 servings)

*I use whatever kind of lentils I have. Just keep an eye on them--some cook much more quickly than others.