Veggie tacos

2 Zucchini cubed

1/2 red onion, sliced

2/3 colored peppers, sliced

2 small potatoes, cubed 

1 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp chilli powder (adjust quantity depending on how spicy the chilli powder is)

Salt

1 tbsp dried Mexican oregano or regular oregano

1 tbsp oil

For the dressing:

Sour cream

Jalapenos, chopped fine

Lime juice

Cilantro, chopped

Preheat oven to 420 F.

Combine the veggies and the spices and oil and toss until evenly coated.  Spread on a cookie sheet and bake for about 40 minutes until veggies are tender and browned.

Make the dressing by mixing the ingredients.  

Serve on warmed corn or flour tortillas.

Pasta with baked cherry tomatoes

1 lb of spaghetti is enough for 4 people

At least 1 lb of cherry tomatoes ( I always use about a pound and a half - about 3 pint boxes)

8 garlic cloves, sliced

1/3 cup dry bread crumbs (can use panko bread crumbs or regular bread crumbs)

1/4 tsp chilli flakes

Some parsley, chopped

Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Halve the cherry tomatoes.  Toss them with some olive oil, the bread crumbs, chilli flakes and salt.  Spread them out on the baking sheet in a single layer.  The cut halves should be facing up.  Bake until the tomatoes are shriveled and lightly caramelized, but not dried out.  This should take about 25 minutes.  The tomatoes can be made ahead of time.  Sometimes, I bake a big batch and freeze them in a ziploc bag.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta.  Fill a large pot with water and salt it generously, should taste like sea water.  Let it come to a full boil.  Then, add the pasta and stir immediately so the pasta does not stick to each other.  Cook until al dente.  The time given on the pasta box is just a ballpark figure.  Check periodically to see if pasta is cooked.

While the pasta is cooking, add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to a large skillet set on medium heat.  Add the sliced garlic to the cold oil, and cook for a few minutes until the garlic starts sizzling and lightly colored.  Never let the garlic brown too much as it will become bitter.  Add a cup of water, preferably pasta cooking water from the stockpot.  Let it boil for some time until half the water evaporates, then add the chopped parsley and stir everything together to form a sauce.  

Once the pasta is done, add it to the skillet, add the cherry tomatoes and mix everything well.  Check for salt.  Add cheese and serve.

Paneer Bhurji

1 block of paneer

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 cup of peas

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 Green chilli, slit or red chilli powder

1 tsp Coriander powder

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt

Heat a little oil.  Saute the onions.  Once they cook, add the tomatoes.  Saute until they soften.  Add all the powders and salt cook for a couple of minutes.  Then add peas.  Then crumble the paneer in.  Cook for a few minutes until well combined.

Dal

Moong Dal - small yellow dal

Masoor dal - pink dal

Rinse dal a few times.

Instant pot:

Method 1: You can cook the dal in the instant pot and do the tempering(tarka) in a separate saucepan.  Add dal and water to the instant pot.  The water should cover the dal by a few inches, usually, 3 cups water to 1 cup dal.  Pressure cook for 6 to 8 minutes.  

Most common tempering - Heat 1 tsp ghee or oil in a saucepan.  Once heated,  add 1 tsp of cumin seeds (rub the cumin seeds in between your palms and then add, it helps in releasing the flavor).  Wait for a second, then add chopped ginger, slit green chilli or dried red chilli, a sprinkling of asafoetida if you have.  Then, a couple of chopped tomatoes and 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder and salt.  Saute till tomatoes soften.  Then add cooked dal and water to your desired consistency.  Boil for a few minutes.  Garnish with coriander leaves.

The above is simple dal.  You can vary the tempering however you wish.  

Tips for dal:

1) Always add cumin seeds in the tarka.  

2) Simplest tarka would be cumin seeds, ginger, green or red chilli and turmeric powder.  No tomatoes.

3) Can add chopped garlic along with the ginger.  Can also add chopped onion.

4) You can add different veggies to the dal to make it a one dish meal.  Chopped spinach or kale are great add-ins.  You add them in the last few minutes of cooking as they just need to wilt.  I like to add radishes.  

5) You can also combine moong dal and masoor dal.

Method 2: You can add the tarka first in the instant pot(IP).  In which case, turn on the IP in Saute mode.  Do the tempering.  Then, press Cancel and then press Pressure cook and proceed with the steps for dal.

Saucepan:

Add dal and water to saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Then cover with lid - I leave the lid slightly ajar, otherwise the water foams and has a tendency to overflow- and cook for 15-20 mins until dal is soft and fully cooked.   You can add more water as required if you feel the need.  Once dal is cooked, do the tempering.

Plain Rice

Wash rice until water runs clear.  

Add 1 1/2 cups water for 1 cup rice usually for basmati rice.

For jasmine rice, 1 1/4 cups water to 1 cup rice should be enough.

Instant pot:

Pressure cook for 5 mins.  Let pressure release naturally.

Saucepan:

Add rice and water to the saucepan.  Bring the water to a boil, then cover tightly with a lid and reduce the heat to low.  Turn off after 20 mins, all the water should be absorbed.  Uncover and fluff with a fork.