Ingredients:

• 2 cups brown basmati rice
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 and 3/4 cups red onion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• salt to taste
• 2 teaspoons coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon green cardamom
• 3 cloves
• 3/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon chili powder or to taste
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
• 15 oz can chickpeas
• 1 cup cilantro, minced and loosely packed

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add rice, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes.  Drain and set aside.
2. Heat oil.  Cook onions until lightly golden.  Add ginger and garlic.  Cook for a minute, stirring constantly.
3. Grind all spices with salt.  Add water to dilute.  Add to pan and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Add more water if needed to prevent burning.  Add tomato paste.  Cook for another minute, stirring constantly and adding water as needed.  Add mushrooms, cover,and cook on low until mushrooms are cooked-about 5 minutes.  Stir once or twice.
4. Layer rice with mushrooms and chickpeas.  Cook on low for 15 minutes.  Add cilantro off heat.  Let rest for 10 minutes.  Gently stir and enjoy!

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Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1 lb tindora, cut into thin rings
• salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon chickpea flour
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric

Directions:

1. Heat oil.  Add tindora and salt.  Fry on medium heat for about 10 minutes or until golden brown on edges.  Stir frequently.
2. Add chickpea flour.  Stir to coat well.  Cook another 2 minutes.
3. Add chili powder and turmeric.  Turn heat to low, cover, and cook on low for another 8-10 minutes.  Stir frequently.  Enjoy with dal and brown basmati rice!

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Ingredients:

• 1.25 lbs parval, halved and peeled in alternate strips
• 1 lb red potatoes, cut in thick half moons
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 10 curry leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 chile de arbol
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons chickpea flour
• salt to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon asafetida
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon raw asugar
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 2 teaspoons tamarind paste

Directions:

1. Steam potatoes and parval for 15 minutes or until half done.
2. Heat oil.  Add curry leaves, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, chile,  and sesame seeds.  Let splutter.
3. Add parval and potatoes.  Saute on medium heat for about 5 minutes or until golden brown on edges.  Cover and cook on low for another 5 minutes.  Stir occasionally.
4. Add rest of ingredients except for tamarind.  Stir, cover, and cook on low for another 10 minutes.  Stir frequently.
5. Add tamarind at end.  Combine well.  Enjoy with rice and dal!

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Ingredients:

(For chicken marinade:)

• salt to taste
• 1.5 teaspoons red chili powder or to taste
• 1 coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 3 cloves
• 4 green cardamoms
• 1 black cardamom
• 1/4 inch piece mace
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon black cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon pomegranate seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 dried bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon raw sugar
• 1 teaspoon kewra extract
• 1 teaspoon rose water
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1 whole chicken, skinned and cut into small pieces (about 2.5 lbs)

(Rest of cooking):

• 4 tablespoons oil
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1 inch piece cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves
• 3 green cardamoms
• 1/4 inch piece mace
• 4 medium red onions, pureed
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1/2 tablespoon ginger, grated
• salt to taste
• 7 cups cooked basmati brown rice, cooked 3/4 through
• 1 teaspoon kewra extract
• 1 teaspoon rose water

Directions:

1. Grind all whole spices.  Mix in with chicken along with powdered spices, kewra, rose and vinegar.  Marinate for up to 24 hours.
2. Heat oil.  Add whole spices.  Cook for a few seconds.  Add onions.  Cook for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden.  Add garlic, ginger and salt.  Cook for 30 seconds.  Add chicken along with marinade juices.  Cook uncovered on medium for 5-8 minutes.  When juices start leaving chicken, cover and cook on low until more juices leave chicken (about 10 minutes.)
3. Take out half of the chicken along with juices.  Add half of the cooked rice on top, layer with rest of chicken, then top with rest of rice.  Cover and cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes.  Turn off heat and let sit for 10 minutes.  Stir in kewra and rose water gently.  Enjoy!

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