I had the book prior to it being the COTM on CH. I’ve tried a number of recipes from it. I like the dal section, especially the masoor dal recipes as masoor is my quick go-to for weekdays. It doesn’t need to be soaked like some of the other dals. We adore the paneer with potatoes in spicy tomato/chilli/curry leaves sauce – I make it all the time, and can whip it up for dinner in about 15 minutes, complete with Trader Joe’s frozen naan on the side (we all prefer it with naan over roti or rice). Another favorite is the corn with green chillies and curry leaves – I use frozen corn kernels, which cook up nicely with the chillies and curry leaves. Excellent with some masoor dal and roti. I’ve even turned leftovers into quesadillas for lunch the next day.
As for the pastes, I always have a jar of ginger garlic paste in my fridge. It’s a quick shortcut for me for weeknight Indian cooking. You have to try different brands to find a good one. If I just need a little garlic paste or a little ginger paste, I just grate it on my microplane and scrape it in.
I don’t make homemade garam masala – I use store bought. I always have it on hand, but it’s not something I use in all of my indian cooking.
