Bhindi Subzi Recipe (Spicy Okra)

The taste and texture of okra differ drastically depending on the cooking method. I’m not a fan of the "slimier" preparations of okra, so I typically pan fry the veggie to keep it dry. In this recipe I used onion-flavored oil to cook the okra, then seasoned it with the usual Indian spices such as cumin, coriander, turmeric, red chili powder and a touch of garam masala. Once the okra was softened, I drizzled it with lemon juice and added a bit of sugar to balance the flavors.

I usually serve this with dal (lentil dish), barbari bread (sesame-studded Persian flat bread) or basmati rice. My mother-in-law and the girls have all gone on vacation for the summer, so it's just Lulu, baby Aria, Daddy (my father-in-law) and me at home. Daddy really enjoys Indian spicy food, so I hope my cooking makes him miss his wife and girls a little less. 

Aloo Taheri Recipe (Indian Potato Rice)

Taheri is to Indian cuisine what risotto is to Italian cuisine. In the Indian version, basmati rice is cooked in the same manner as Arborio rice would be in risotto.

Taheri is to Indian cuisine what risotto is to Italian cuisine. In the Indian version, basmati rice is cooked in the same manner as Arborio rice would be in risotto. This dish can be flavored with many ingredients. In this version I cooked a few vegetables such as broccoli, zucchini (freshly picked from our garden) and carrots with caramelized onions and spices, then pan-fried pre-boiled potatoes. Once the vegetable mixture is soft and fragrant, the grains of basmati rice are incorporated and cooked until softened.

I learned this dish from my husband's aunt, Phoopi, who is an expert cook. I initially planned this recipe in my first cookbook, Haute Potato, but later decided otherwise. Her in-laws are the owner of the delicious restaurant, “Shezan” in downtown Mountain View, California. If you're searching for authentic Pakistani and Indian cuisine, stop by, say hi and savor mouth-watering, spicy food.en steamed on top of the vegetables; the result for taheri provides a very flavorful, more colorful rice.

Paneer Masala Mushroom Appetizers

Paneer masala is pan-fried paneer cheese simmered in a spicy, creamy sauce. It is amazing with plain basmati rice or hot naan. But instead of serving this dish the traditional way, I used it as a filling for mushrooms. The bold flavor of the curry sauce marries beautifully with the earthiness of the mushrooms; they make the most delicious fusion appetizers.

The idea for these cute appetizers was inspired by my aunt, Ma Mười. She told me the first time she tried Indian food years ago at a restaurant, she was served a lot of little metal tins filled with colorful sauces. After a while, she asked the waiter when her main meal was going to arrive. She thought they were condiments and didn't realize that was her entire meal.

These appetizers showcase the wonderful flavors of Indian cuisine for those who are not really familiar with this culture. I've prepared pizzas, "naaninis" and other fusion dishes with Indian toppings in the past. Indian cuisine is boldly flavored, so pairing it with simple and attractive presentation techniques is a low-risk strategy for producing delicious new dishes.

Nimbu Ka Achar (Indian Lemon Pickle Recipe)

I've been meaning to post this recipe for a while but Daddy, my father-in-law, kept telling me to be more patient. We harvested our last batch of Meyer lemons more than a month ago. I preserved them by making all sorts of pickles. The method is pretty much the same regardless of the cuisine type, but the spices differ. 

Today I'm going to show you how to make my family's favorite, called nimbu ka achar. Halved lemons are pickled in a large amount of coarse sea salt, then flavored with baghar, which is a combination of oil, a lot of spices and a few curry leaves. We enjoy it best with simple, plain basmati rice.

Taj Kebab Recipe

When I was first offered the Haute Potato project a year ago, I was asked to come up with 75 gourmet potato dishes. On that very same day, I probably already had hundreds of recipes lined up in my head. I tried featuring potato dishes from around the world, but as you can imagine, a lot were left out of the final product. So today here's a potato dish that would have been in the "Spicy" chapter.

I learned this dish from Mina, my husband's cousin. It's called "Taj kebab" and if you like meat and potato as much as I do, you will love this one. This potato dish consists of layers of spiced ground beef, sliced potatoes, and thick fresh tomato slices.  The recipe was developed in Agra, just where the Taj Mahal is, and it will transport you to one of the seven wonders of the world!