Gujaratis love to get the whole family over, and food is always central to the occasion. The only problem is that the family is usually pretty big. There’s an art to cooking for a lot of people. You need a dish that doesn’t require much prep, isn’t technically...
This is a gentle and luxurious dal, nutty from the split chickpeas, and sweet and creamy from the cinnamon, cardamom, and coconut. Serves 4 as part of a main course 1½ cups chana dal (split black chickpeas)4 tablespoons desiccated or fresh grated coconut2 tablespoons...
Hindus consider cows and all their milky produce—cream, butter, and cheese—sacred. I can’t argue with that. Traditionally, this dish would be made with a few large slabs of golden butter, but for the sake of decency I’ve toned things down a bit. It’s still an...
Paneer is often in need of something to sharpen up its smooth creaminess and give it a kick in the right direction. In this case, the mint and cilantro marinade does a fabulous job. NOTE: You will need a blender for this recipe. Makes 6 to 8 skewers (enough for 4...
Ben Benton is one of the greatest chefs I know. This is his recipe, and although he is not Keralan, he has a tremendous ability to get under the skin of the cuisine. He taught me that by grilling the cut sides of cabbage a whole new side of its personality is...
In Lincolnshire, the first zucchini of the season are met with wild enthusiasm, which quickly turns to apprehension because of the constant challenge of finding new and interesting ways to cook them. Over the years, this is the dish my family never tires of. The kofta...
Wild mushoom textures and flavors vary so dramatically, it’s really worth experimenting to see what you enjoy. My favorite is the ridiculously elegant chanterelle, the Chanel of the mushroom world, followed closely by the big, bulbous cep, which is meaty and looks...
Cafreal is an enchanting Goan Portuguese dish traditionally made by cooking chicken in a tangy marinade of cilantro, garlic, green chiles, and spices. I’ve replaced the chicken with roasted squash, which works well with cafreal’s fierce little kick. The sauce can be...
These are lovely sweet and smoky squash lollipops. Don’t worry if they brown or blacken while cooking: this is where the good flavors lurk. These are great served in chapatis (see here) with salad, and cucumber and mint raita (here). To make proper seekh kebabs you’ll...
Every state in India has its own potato curry. We Gujaratis have our own “batata nu shaak,” but I’ll happily move it to one side to make room for a plate of Punjabi “dum aloo.” In this dish, baby new potatoes are fried until they color, then mixed with a happy...
