Dhal Tadka

Thuvar Dhal - 1 cup

Green Chilli - 2

Onion - 1/2, diced

Tomato - 1, diced

Ginger - a small pc, grated

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Sambhar powder - 1 tsp

Asafetida - 1 pinch

Cilantro

Salt

For Tadka

Ghee / Oil - 3 tbsp.

Cumin - 1 tsp

Garlic - 5 cloves, chopped

Dry Red Chilli - 3

Asafetida - 1 pinch

Thoroughly rinse tuvar dal (tur dal) in water. Add them to a 3-litre stovetop pressure cooker. Add the chopped onions, finely chopped tomatoes, chopped green chillies and finely chopped ginger. Pour 2.5 cups of water into the pressure cooker. Add turmeric powder and asafoetida (hing). Mix well. Pressure cook the lentils on medium to medium-high heat for about 7 to 8 whistles (about 8 to 10 minutes), or until the lentils become soft and creamy. Let the pressure drop naturally in the cooker and then only open the lid. Check the lentils to see if they have cooked thoroughly and softened. Mash the cooked lentils with a wired whisk or with a spoon and set aside.

Next, heat oil or ghee (clarified butter) in a small pan over low or medium-low heat. First, add the cumin seeds and crackle them. Next add the dry red chilies, asafoetida, and finely chopped garlic. Let the garlic brown lightly and the red chilies change color. Mix well and turn off the stove.

Pour entire tempering mixture along with the oil or ghee into the prepared dal. Garnish with cilantro.

Serve Dal Tadka hot with steamed basmati rice or jeera rice. You can also enjoy the dal with roti or paratha.

Nawabi Paneer Curry

For the gravy base:

½ litre Water

4 large Garlic cloves

1 inch Ginger

½ cup Cashew nuts

1 tbsp Khus khus (Poppy seeds) (optional)

4 - 5 Green chillies

3 medium Onions, roughly chopped

For cooking:

½ cup Ghee

500g Paneer, cut into 1-inch cubes & shallow fried

1 cup Milk

½ tsp Garam masala

Salt to taste

1 tsp Kasuri methi

½ cup Fresh cream

1 tsp Chili flakes (optional, for garnish)

2 tbsp Coriander, finely chopped (for garnish)

In a vessel, boil garlic, ginger, cashews, khus khus, green chillies, and onions in ½ litre water with salt. Once onions are translucent, cook for 5–6 mins more. Cool and grind into a fine paste. Heat ½ cup ghee, add the paste, and sauté for 4–5 mins. Meanwhile, shallow fry paneer cubes until golden. Add 1 cup milk to the gravy, then garam masala, salt, kasuri methi, and cream. Cook on low flame till creamy. Add the fried paneer, mix gently, and switch off the flame. Garnish with chili flakes and coriander.

Chicken Enchiladas

3 poblano peppers

1 large onion, roughly chopped

1 1/2 pounds tomatillos, husks removed

2 serrano peppers

3 medium cloves garlic

2 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock

1 cup loosely packed picked fresh cilantro leaves and fine stems, plus chopped cilantro for garnish

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (see notes)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

16 soft corn tortillas

8 ounces shredded pepper jack cheese, divided

1 cup Mexican-style crema, divided (see notes)

Adjust broiler rack to 8 inches below element and preheat broiler to high. Place poblanos, onion, tomatillos, serranos, and garlic on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Place under broiler and broil, turning vegetables occasionally, until tomatillos are completely softened and lightly charred, about 10 minutes. Transfer tomatillos to a bowl. Continue broiling until poblanos are charred on all sides, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a separate bowl and cover tightly with foil. Continue broiling until onion, serranos, and garlic are softened and charred, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer to bowl with tomatillos along with any juices and set aside.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and set oven to 375°F (190°C). Add chicken stock to bowl with poblanos and peel poblanos while submerged in stock. Transfer flesh to bowl with tomatillos, leaving skin and seeds with the stock. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer into the bowl with the tomatillo/pepper mixture. Discard skins and seeds. Add cilantro to mixture. Set mixture aside.

Season chicken pieces on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering. Add chicken skin side-down and cook without moving until well browned on first side, about 6 minutes. Flip chicken and continue cooking until lightly browned on second side, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to a bowl and pour off excess fat from Dutch oven, reserving any brown liquid.

Add tomatillo/pepper mixture to the Dutch oven and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Using an immersion blender, purée mixture into a chunky sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Return chicken to pot, bring to a simmer, cover with lid slightly ajar, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and place in oven to warm.

When chicken is cooked, remove from heat and transfer chicken to a large bowl using tongs. Allow to rest until cool enough to handle. Shred chicken into thin strips, discarding skin and bones. Add 1 cup of sauce, half of cheese, and half of Mexican crema to chicken and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Remove tortillas from oven and unwrap. Spread 1/3 of the remaining sauce in the bottom of a 13- by 9-inch casserole dish. Dip each tortilla in the remaining sauce and stack on a cutting board. Working one tortilla at at time, place 2 tablespoons of chicken filling in a line down the center and roll up tightly. Place in the casserole dish seam side-down. Continue until all the tortillas and filling are used (the casserole will be tightly packed).

Spread remaining sauce on top of enchiladas and lay remaining cheese down in a line through the middle of each row of enchiladas. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until cheese is lightly browned and bubbly, about 10 minutes longer.

Remove enchiladas from oven, drizzle with remaining crema, sprinkle with chopped cilantro, and serve immediately.