Sapna Ji's Traditional Curries

After 4 weeks in India, here are a few recipes that I would love to share with you. I learnt how to make Dal Makhani, stuffed paratha and aloo gobi from our chai walla Rajeev’s wife Sapna, in their traditional indian kitchen.

Let me know if you make this at home. I hope you enjoy this as much as we did!!

DAL MAKHANI
250g black beans
250g kidney beans
1 ½ cups water
2 ½ tbsp Onion, ginger + garlic paste (4 or 5 onions, 1 clove garlic, 1 inch ginger ground)
½ tin fresh tomatoes, blended with 1 green chilli
Salt
1 ½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp veg masala (sabji)
2 healed tsp ground coriander 
¼ tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp garam masala
1-2 cups Channa Dahl (yellow split peas, boiled and then ground)
1 tbsp ghee
Large knob butter
100mls cream

Soak kidney beans + black lentils several hours
Cover beans with water and bring to the boil. Boil for 30 minutes.
Heat 1 cup oil in large pan.
Add onion garlic ginger paste.
Add 2 ladles tomato and bring to the boil for 5 minutes.
Add salt, turmeric, vegetable masala (sabji), Garam masala, red chilli powder.
Add channa dahl, ghee, butter, and a touch more sabji masala. Stir well.
Stir in cream, and serve.

ALOO GOBI
Oil of choice
1 small Cauliflower, chopped into small florets (keep the leaves!!)
2-3 potatoes, sliced into wedges
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 small onion (red or white), chopped
½ tbsp onion garlic ginger paste
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp sabji masala
2 tbsp fresh tomato paste, blended with green chilli 

1. Heat oil and add cauliflower.
2. When cauliflower has turned slightly golden, remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and keep to one side.
3. Add potatoes to hot oil and fry. When slightly golden in colour, reserve with cauliflower.
4. Heat oil in pan and add cumin seeds and onion.
5. Add cauliflower and potatoes.
6. Shred cauliflower leaves and add to pan.
7. 1 ½ tbsp onion garlic ginger paste, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp turmeric, 2 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp sabji masala, and 2 tbsp fresh tomato paste.
8. Simmer until vegetables are cooked.
9. Stir in fresh coriander leaves before serving.

PARATHA 
Paratha Stuffing:
Paneer, grated
1 potato, boiled and grated
1 onion, diced
1 green chilli, thinly sliced
plenty fresh coriander leaves, chopped
2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground coriander powder
¼ tsp garam masala
¼ red chilli powder
(You can actually fry the above mixture with oil and cumin seeds as a separate alternative dish!)

Paratha dough:
2 cups wheat flour
1 cup souji (semolina)
1 ¼ tsp salt
2 tsp oil
1 ½ tbsp Liquid asafoetida
1 - 4 cups water
The dough should be a thick consistency.

1. Roll into small balls, and then with a rolling pin into discs about 12cm diameter, ½ cm thick.
2. Add filling, then wrap.
3. Dust ball in flour, then roll again using rolling pin (light pressure!)
4. Add to flat pan over medium heat, cover with a little oil, and let cook. Flip after a couple of minutes.