Vegetarian Indian recipes for beginners

[joustermcgouster]

Hello!

I'm new to vegetarianism (first day) and I love Indian food but I am not very good in the kitchen and don't know anything about spices really, so I'm looking for advice on how to get started really and some recipes for total beginners.

Thanks!

You need a copy of Fresh India!

As for ingredients, buy your spices in packets from the World Food/Asian section of your supermarket, not the Schwartz-type little pots (also get tinned and dried pulses there). Basics include: black mustard seeds, cumin seeds, ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric and garam masala. You'll also need fresh/frozen ginger, green chillis and garlic.

Do you like mushrooms? I made a ridiculously easy mushroom curry tonight - only took about half an hour from start to finish. Probably not v authentic but it tasted nice!

Here are a couple of easy ones, a paneer curry and a spinach, chickpea and potato version. They both use the same base. Make your own paste from the dried spices (I use a mix of garam masala, turmeric, ginger, coriander). Fry an onion, some garlic, chilli and some ginger. Add the paste. Stir for a minute or so. Then (recipe one) add a jar of passata and a desert bowl of frozen peas. Simmer for 15 mins or so. Cube some paneer (Indian cheese), and fry until browned. Stir into the sauce. Finish with some chopped coriander.
Or, after adding the paste, for recipe two stir in some cubed potatoes (a couple of medium sized ones), fry, then add a tin of chickpeas and a jar of passata. Simmer for 20 mins or until the potatoes are cooked, and then stir in a bag of spinach and a bit of chopped coriander.

Onions, garlic, curry paste, tin of tomatoes and a tin of chickpeas

Fry onion and garlic until brown
Add the curry paste cook for a minute
Add the tomatoes and chickpeas simmer for about 15 20 mins
I sometimes add spinach at the last 5 mins aswell serve with rice or nan bread

Thanks so much for the advice! Gonna give one a try tomorrow 😁 can't wait!

Give me a shout if you want the mushroom recipe.

This chana dal recipe is really nice and v easy to make.

I made a nice one today in the slow cooker from red lentils, coconut milk, diced onion and a teaspoon each of curry powder, chilli powder and ginger. It's really nice and I'm taking it to work for lunch tomorrow.