Ingredients

• 1 cup Basmati rice
• 3 cups water
• 3 tbs oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 cup mixed vegetables, chopped (peas, carrots, cauliflower, potatoes)
• 2 green chillies, slit
• 1 tsp garam masala
• Cashew nuts
• 2-3 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 onion chopped
• Ginger, garlic
• Salt to taste

Instructions

• Clean and wash rice, leave to soak for 15-20 mins, then drain.
• Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Add onion, cinnamon, cloves, ginger & garlic and fry for 3 mins.
• Add vegetables, cashew nuts, garam masala and fry for 3 mins.
• Add rice and fry for 2 mins.
• Add water and bring to boil.
• Add salt then lower the heat. Let the water reduce slightly below the rice level and place a lid on the saucepan and simmer for 15 mins.
• The steam cooks rice so don't remove cover while it's cooking. Gently fluff with fork. Serve hot with yoghurt.

A quick and simple creamy curry dish with chickpeas, veggies, and a hint of coconut! So easy - it's ready in just twenty minutes, plus it's healthy!

• ½ white onion, diced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
• ½ red pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons oil
• 2 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 2 14-ounce cans coconut milk
• 3 tablespoons channa masala powder
• 1 teaspoon Indian red chili powder (or 2 tsp cayenne)
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes
• juice of one lime
• 1 teaspoon turmeric (haldi) powder
• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas/garbanzo beans or 15 oz boiled chick peas
• 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• juice of 1 lime
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped
• optional: cooked white rice

1. Add  onions, garlic, carrots, red peppers and oil to a large pan or nonstick skillet and saute over medium-high heat 5-6 minutes until veggies are tender. Add garlic and cook another minute or so until garlic is fragrant.
2. Add coconut milk, channa masala powder, lime juice, turmeric powder, chickpeas, red chili powder and salt. Continue to cook and stir until chickpeas are heated through (about five minutes). Stir in cilantro. Taste and add salt if desired. Serve warm over rice and top with additional cilantro. Enjoy!

Fresh produce is the healthiest in terms of vitamin and nutrient content. Out of season, frozen fruits and vegetables are a pretty good second choice. These are usually harvested when they're ripe and frozen right away, so they don't lose very much nutrition during the processing. Canned vegetables, although still healthy, should be a last choice because many of the C and B vitamins are destroyed in the cooking process.

India Grocers does not compromise on quality.  We only carry the freshest vegetables and produce.  There are many ways to add fruits and vegetables to your diet. Start by adding a few fruits and vegetables each day and, as this becomes part of your routine, begin to add a few more. Before you know it, you'll be well on your way to a healthy, produce-rich diet.  Eat whole grains. Instead of reaching for regular pasta or white bread, look for varieties made with 100% whole grain flour. Better yet, fill your belly with whole grains, such as brown rice, quinoa or barley.

Cooking with Spices

Indian cuisine is characterized by the extensive use of numerous spices. Spices or Masala as it is called in Hindi, may be called the "heartbeat" of an Indian kitchen. By extensive use of spices I do not mean that spices are used to make the food fiery hot. The spices are used to flavor the food, making each dish distinct and wonderfully aromatic. Each spice by itself imparts a very unique flavor, but when used together with other spices, the combination and permutation of different ones magically change the individual characteristics. Spices are also used for health benefits and medicinal purposes, to prevent diseases and also to preserve food.

Masala is the most common word that will be heard in an Indian kitchen. They are found in powered or whole forms. As the name suggests, the whole spices includes cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, cardamon, fennel seeds, star anise and cloves. These are generally fried in hot oil before adding the onions or green chillies or ginger-garlic paste. A classic Indian curry is a medley of masalas followed by turmeric, chili, coriander powder and garam masala.

DOS & DON'TS OF INDIAN COOKING

• Do use extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil as they are healthy. Typically, Indians love to use sunflower/canola oil. I use vegetable oil for deep frying. Always use neutral smelling oils
• Never add raw spices to the sauces that has been served in the dinner table. It will leave the dish with uncooked flavors The best thing to do will be to heat little oil in a small cooking pan and quickly saute the chilli or coriander powder to it. Then mix them into your final sauce and then serve.Always taste before you serve
• Always buy the ingredients from ethnic Indian stores. Store them in air tight containers for longer shelf life. Some could be stored in the freezer too. I store nuts and spice powders in the freezer
• Never replace frozen ingredients in place of the fresh ones. The fresh ones always add a lovely texture and flavor to the dish. For instance, buy fresh okras, tapioca, drumsticks,beans instead of the frozen ones
• Currys taste best the next day as the masalas would have been infused well with the sauces. So plan your party well ahead of time. Also, you could prepare the dishes in excess amount and can store them in the fridge for the next day. This saves a lot of time and effort
• Don't leave the pans unattended as the masalas can get burnt too quickly. If by any chance, the gravy is too dry or burnt, add little water to cool them
• Never replace an ingredient for another one unless you are sure about its use. The cooking time varies for lentils/legumes/veggies. So be aware of your method and cooking process.
• There are lot of vegetarian dishes in Indian cooking. When a recipe calls for the use of more vegetable, make sure you chop them all in the same size
• Indian cooking leaves the cook/kitchen/living room with intense and powerful aroma. Some like it while other don't. So always keep your house well ventilated and spray air freshener before guests arrive