22 | Simple Indian Comfort Food

1 |   Main Dish

Nine "Gem" Vegetable Korma

At the heart of any Indian dish are distinct spices, such as garam masala and turmeric. In a korma, you find them in the creamy, tomatoey sauce, wrapped around an assortment of nutritious “gems,” or vegetables. This recipe features nine “gems,” including butternut squash, cauliflower, and cashews. The end result: a main dish that feels like a warm hug in the form of food.

3 |   Side

Samosas: Savory Hand Pies

After tasting samosas at a restaurant, I knew they needed to become part of our diet at home, too. They're hand-held comfort food, after all. Samosas can be complicated to make, but they don't need to be. With a simple vegetable and curry filling in a flakey pastry crust, these are easy to make ahead and freeze for a quick appetizer or snack.

2 |   Salad

Sautéed Indian Slaw

A friend served this to me once. Then, I started noticing it at Indian restaurants. Of course, then I had to make it myself. It's a simple combination of cabbage, onion, carrot, and mustard seeds, yet sautéing heightens the cabbage's sweetness and makes it a quick, delicious side. Cabbage also lasts a long time in the fridge, so it's easy to keep on hand for when you’re craving something a little different.

4 |   Dessert

Tingley, Tangy Mango Drink

Following a rich, spicy main meal, Indian desserts aim to sooth the pallet, often featuring milk, sugar, and fruit. Mango is a classic tropical fruit, which, thankfully, is now fairly easy to find in most grocery stores. My secret ingredient in this desserty drink is fresh ginger. It adds a pleasant tingle and will finish off your meal on a refreshing note.

1 |   Main Dish

Nine "Gem" Vegetables Korma

1 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/3 cup raw or roasted cashews

1 medium onion, finely sliced

1 garlic clove grated (about 1/2 teaspoon)

1/2 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated (about 1/2 teaspoon)

1 can tomato sauce or pureed tomatoes (8 ounce)

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon garam masala

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup water

1/4 cup golden raisins

1 large carrot, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup fresh green beans, chopped

1/2 cup green peas

1 cup potatoes, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup butternut squash, chopped

1/2 cup cauliflower, chopped

1/2 can chickpeas (about 1 cup)

3/4 cup coconut milk

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup cilantro

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? Enjoy! This rich vegetable korma is already gluten and dairy-free!

Make ahead option– Make this a few days ahead and the flavors meld together even better. Store the extra for up to 7 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

The Simple Steps...

1. Heat a large pan over medium heat. Once the pan in hot, add the oil. Place the nuts in the pan. Cook and stir them until golden brown. I used cashews, but a combination of pistachio and cashews is delightful. Also when you buy them, be sure to get unsalted roasted or raw nuts.

2. Stir the onion into the pan, and cook for about 4 minutes or until they are soft and translucent. Mix in the grated garlic and ginger, and cook for 1 minute.

3. Stir in the turmeric, coriander, garam masala, and cayenne pepper. If you are sensitive to spicy foods, this may be a little hot. Add just a few dashes to start with then taste the tomato sauce.

4. Pour the water into the pan. Mix in the raisins, carrots, green bell pepper, green beans, butternut squash, cauliflower, and potatoes. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 15-17 minutes until potatoes are tender.

5. Add the chickpeas and peas, and stir them into the pan with the vegetables.

6. Stir coconut cream into the pan. Bring this to a boil, and continue cooking 2 to 3 minutes.

7. Season with salt. Taste the mixture for seasoning again to see if it needs more salt or cayenne pepper. Add a dash at a time if you’d like more salt or cayenne. Stir in the chopped cilantro and serve with rice or naan.

2 |   Side

Sautéed Indian Slaw

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 red chili, chopped finely

1 garlic clove, grated

1/2 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated (1/2 teaspoon)

1 medium sweet onion (about 1 cup sliced or chopped onion)

4 cups shredded green cabbage (about 1/2 a small head of cabbage)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 carrot, shredded (optional)

1/2 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? Once again, this dish is dairy and gluten-free.

Make ahead option– This is a quick, wonderfully aromatic dish, and it tastes even better the next day. Indian food is one cuisine that tastes better the longer you allow the flavors to meld together. Store the extra in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

The Simple Steps...

1. If you have a food processor or mandolin, use it to slice the cabbage. If you don’t have one, slice the cabbage as thinly as you can using a large sharp knife.

2. Place a large pan over medium heat. If you have a wok, this would be the perfect time to use it. Heat the oil. When the oil gets hot, add the mustard seeds and cover. Allow them to pop and sputter. When they stop popping, remove the pan from the heat.

3. Add the turmeric, finely chopped red chili, grated garlic, and ginger. Stir them into the seeds. Place the pan back on the heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté the mixture for 4 minutes or until the onions are a little soft. Careful not to burn it; this step will not take much time. Take the pan off the heat if the spices start to stick to the pan.

4. Add the sliced cabbage and mix well. Allow this to cook uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes stirring frequently.

5. Taste the cabbage. Add the salt and mix well. Then taste it again; It may need just a little more depending on the sweetness of the cabbage.

6. Stir in the coconut and cilantro. Serve.

3 |  Side

Samosas: Savory Hand Pies

1/4 pound potatoes, diced or coarsely chopped

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 small onion, diced (1/2 cup chopped onion)

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 red chili to taste

3/4 cup water

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 cup frozen peas

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped or 2 tablespoons

1/2 teaspoon salt

Double Batch of Pie Dough:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

5-6 tablespoons very cold water

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? The filling is gluten and dairy-free. For the pastry dough, use your favorite dairy and gluten-free pie dough or try making this one.
Gluten-free Pie Dough:
1 1/4 cups gluten-free flour blend
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3 tablespoons very cold water
1 teaspoon rice vinegar or white vinegar

Follow the same Simple Steps for regular pie dough. Use cold coconut oil or earth balance vegan shortening instead of butter for dairy-free pie dough. For gluten-free flour, combine 1 1/2 cups brown rice flour, 1 3/4 cups tapioca flour, 1/2 cup almond flour, and 1 teaspoon xanthan gum. Store the leftover flour blend in a airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

Make ahead option– Follow The Simple Steps 1-6 then place the savory pies on a small baking tray. Place the tray in the freezer for at least half an hour before placing the pies in a sealed freezer container. These can be stored for up to 3 months. When you’re ready for a snack or a simple appetizer, you can bake these straight from the freezer. Simply continue following The Simple Steps adding a few extra minutes to the bake time.

The Simple Steps..

1. Preheat the oven to 400˚.  Lightly grease a large baking tray with oil. Wash, peel, and chop the potatoes making them into half inch chunks. Finely dice the onion, grate the garlic, and deseed and finely chop the red chili.

2. Heat a medium pan on medium heat. Add the oil. Cook the onion for 2 to 3 minutes or until soft, but not brown. Add the garlic and chili. Cook for one minute.

3. Add the curry powder and water. Stir in potato and carrots. Bring the mix to a boil and cook 6 minutes. If there is still extra water in the pan, continue to cook until there is little to no liquid left.

4. Stir in the peas, cilantro, and salt. Remove the pan from heat and allow the mixture to cool a little. Taste the mixture. If it needs it, stir in another 1/4 teaspoon of salt and taste it again.

5. Cut the batch of dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll one half of the dough out dusting often with flour. Cut the pastry dough into four 6-inch rounds. Then do the same with the other half of dough. You may have to re-roll the dough to get enough rounds.

6. Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of the vegetable mixture onto the middle of each 6-inch round pastry. Brush the edges with water then fold the dough over the filling and press the edges together. Repeat this step with the remaining ingredients.

7. Place the hand pies on a baking tray and brush them with a little vegetable oil. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Serve the pies by themselves or with mango chutney, cilantro-mint chutney, or tamarind sauce.

Pie Dough:
1. Sift the flour, sugar, and salt together into a large mixing bowl.

2. Use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut the butter into the flour mixture until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal.

3. Add the water one tablespoon at a time and mix with a fork just until the dough pulls together.

4. Use your hands to pat the dough into a ball and transfer it to a floured work surface. Cut the ball in half then flatten each slightly into a disk.

5. Lightly flour the flattened disks and gently roll out one disk at a time turning it and flouring it as needed. Lightly flour your rolling pin to keep the dough from sticking to it also. Continue rolling out the dough into a 12-inch circle that’s about 1/8 inch thick. This recipe makes two 12-inch rounds.

4 |   Dessert

Tingley, Tangy Mango Drink

2 cups fresh or frozen mango pieces

8 ice cubes

1 to 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and grated

1 cup coconut milk

1 cup sparkling water

2 tablespoons honey

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? This already is a dairy and gluten-free dessert!

Make ahead option– This dessert takes only a few minutes to make so it’ll be ready in a flash.

The Simple Steps...

1. Place all the ingredients except the ginger into a blender and blend until combined.

2. Peel then grate one inch of ginger and add it to the mixture. Blend it then taste it. If you’d like to taste a little more ginger, add the rest of the grated ginger. It adds a beautiful bright, spicy note to the drink.

3. Once you’ve added ginger, blend it up until the mixture is a little frothy and the ice cubes are very fine. Add a few more ice cubes if you’d like it more like a smoothie than a frothy drink.

4. Pour the drink into four glasses and serve immediately.