palek paneer

45 minutes

10 ounces fresh spinach (2 bags)
1 large onion
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
3 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 tablespoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 ounce paneer, cubed
1/4 cup heavy cream

cut spinach into shreds and cook in 3 tablespoons water until tender. remove from heat. do not drain. saute the onion, cinnamon, cardamon and ginger in 1-2 tablespoons ghee or oil until onions are translucent. add garlic and chopped tomatoes and reduce heat. cook briefly and slowly add yogurt to prevent curdling. add coriander, garam masala, paprika and salt, mixing well. add cooked spinach with liquid, cover and simmer for approximately 25 minutes. remove from heat. take half of spinach mixture and puree in blender. slowly stir in heavy cream and heat through on low. return to mixture and stir. add paneer cubes, salt to taste and serve.

aloo gobi

1 hour +

vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, separated in to stems and leaves, both finely chopped
1 can diced green chilis
1 large head cauliflower, separated in to about 10 equal chunks
3 large potatoes, peeled and cut in to 1/2 inch pieces
1 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin seed
2 teaspoons turmeric
1.5 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons "kitchen king" (+ a few dashes of cinnamon) or garam masala or curry powder

heat large saucepan. add enough oil to cover the bottom. add onions and cumin. saute until creamy and translucent. add cilantro stalks, turmeric and salt. stir. add chilis and tomatoes. stir. add garlic and ginger. mix thoroughly. add potatoes, cauliflower and 1/2 cup water.make sure potatoes and cauliflower are coated with curry sauce. cover and simmer for about 25 minutes. stirring occasionally so that it doesn't stick to the bottom. add king's kitchen and stir. turn off heat. sprinkle with cilantro leaves and let sit as long as possible before serving.

green curry

1 hour +

1 pound potatoes, washed and quartered lengthwise, then chopped thickly
1 pound green beans, trimmed and cut in to 1 inch pieces
3/4 pound zucchini, thickly sliced
1 pound spinach, washed and coarsely chopped
5 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 pound onions, halved and thickly sliced
10 medium cloves garlic
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and grated
4 tablespoons green chilies, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 cup water

boil potatoes and green beans in salted water for 5 minutes. drain and set aside. boil zucchini in salted water for 3-4 minutes. drain and set aside. melt butter in a large pot. add onion and garlic and saute until they begin to brown. add next 6 ingredients (turmeric through salt) and stir over medium heat for a few minutes. add prepared veggies, ginger, chilies, lemon juice and water. Stir thoroughly. simmer until most of the water is gone and veggies are tender.

i found this recipe in "the vegetarian epicure: volume 2" which i took from my mom last summer. I love this book, especially the indian recipes. they taste very authentic. my only complaint is that there is a lot of prep work so i have to have some time to prepare for this. it is very much worth it when I do have time! serve with spiced rice and some naan.