Indian food for in-laws

[Anonymous]

They are vegetarian, fairly cosmopolitan and eat a wide variety of things but I don't know what their spice tolerance is. What can I cook for them? I can cook a wider assortment of Indian dishes.

[Anonymous]

Are they Indian?

[Anonymous]

You can make daal bhat on the less spicy side. Here's my recipe for the daal:

fry up onions, garlic, and ginger
when translucent, add spices - 1 tbsp of tumeric & 1.5 tbsp garam masala
add 2 cups red/orange lentils
add 4 cups water
mix in bullion (veg base since ILs are vegetarian) - no need for extra salt

Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20+ minutes

Then do a fragrant rice - cardamon, anise, cumin + some frozen mixed veggies

For the veggie curry, I just fry up what I have. I did a saag a couple nights ago with similar spices as above - start out with the onions, garlic, and ginger, add some garam & tumeric

If you have the time & some chaat, make a raita too.

All & all, rather satisfying vegetarian dinner.

[Anonymous]

I've found that channa masala has broad appeal. I also love began bharta and aloo gobi. I know most people love palak paneer too though it's not my favorite.

Any of those can be made flavorful without being spicy-hot.

[Anonymous]

Are they Indian and you are not? Or are you Indian and they are not?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can make daal bhat on the less spicy side. Here's my recipe for the daal:

fry up onions, garlic, and ginger
when translucent, add spices - 1 tbsp of tumeric & 1.5 tbsp garam masala
add 2 cups red/orange lentils
add 4 cups water
mix in bullion (veg base since ILs are vegetarian) - no need for extra salt

Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20+ minutes

Then do a fragrant rice - cardamon, anise, cumin + some frozen mixed veggies

For the veggie curry, I just fry up what I have. I did a saag a couple nights ago with similar spices as above - start out with the onions, garlic, and ginger, add some garam & tumeric

If you have the time & some chaat, make a raita too.

All & all, rather satisfying vegetarian dinner.

That will stink up the place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are they Indian?

They are not Indian. I am. DH is not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can make daal bhat on the less spicy side. Here's my recipe for the daal:

fry up onions, garlic, and ginger
when translucent, add spices - 1 tbsp of tumeric & 1.5 tbsp garam masala
add 2 cups red/orange lentils
add 4 cups water
mix in bullion (veg base since ILs are vegetarian) - no need for extra salt

Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20+ minutes

Then do a fragrant rice - cardamon, anise, cumin + some frozen mixed veggies

For the veggie curry, I just fry up what I have. I did a saag a couple nights ago with similar spices as above - start out with the onions, garlic, and ginger, add some garam & tumeric

If you have the time & some chaat, make a raita too.

All & all, rather satisfying vegetarian dinner.

+1

[Anonymous]

My husband is Indian and I am not. Dal makhani always goes over well. Cook's Illustrated has a great chicken tikka masala recipe. Baingan ka bharta. Chana masala. Rajmas.

[Anonymous]

My vegetarian items my American friends tend to like are rajma, bhindi, chole, dosas and samosas. They also love naan and parantha. None of those are very spicy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can make daal bhat on the less spicy side. Here's my recipe for the daal:

fry up onions, garlic, and ginger
when translucent, add spices - 1 tbsp of tumeric & 1.5 tbsp garam masala
add 2 cups red/orange lentils
add 4 cups water
mix in bullion (veg base since ILs are vegetarian) - no need for extra salt

Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20+ minutes

Then do a fragrant rice - cardamon, anise, cumin + some frozen mixed veggies

For the veggie curry, I just fry up what I have. I did a saag a couple nights ago with similar spices as above - start out with the onions, garlic, and ginger, add some garam & tumeric

If you have the time & some chaat, make a raita too.

All & all, rather satisfying vegetarian dinner.

That will stink up the place.

You mean it will make the place smell awesome?

Okay okay, if you want less fragrance from the food, then don't fry up the spices. Add them in after you've got the wet ingredients in and cover while simmering. So with the daal, you add the garam & tumeric in immediately after the water, cover & simmer. With a saag, you'd add it in after you've got tomatoes in there - cover & simmer. For the rice, just do a plain basmati without spices. Will cut down on smell, and flavor, to some extent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can make daal bhat on the less spicy side. Here's my recipe for the daal:

fry up onions, garlic, and ginger
when translucent, add spices - 1 tbsp of tumeric & 1.5 tbsp garam masala
add 2 cups red/orange lentils
add 4 cups water
mix in bullion (veg base since ILs are vegetarian) - no need for extra salt

Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20+ minutes

Then do a fragrant rice - cardamon, anise, cumin + some frozen mixed veggies

For the veggie curry, I just fry up what I have. I did a saag a couple nights ago with similar spices as above - start out with the onions, garlic, and ginger, add some garam & tumeric

If you have the time & some chaat, make a raita too.

All & all, rather satisfying vegetarian dinner.

That will stink up the place.

You mean it will make the place smell awesome?

Okay okay, if you want less fragrance from the food, then don't fry up the spices. Add them in after you've got the wet ingredients in and cover while simmering. So with the daal, you add the garam & tumeric in immediately after the water, cover & simmer. With a saag, you'd add it in after you've got tomatoes in there - cover & simmer. For the rice, just do a plain basmati without spices. Will cut down on smell, and flavor, to some extent.

OP here: Previous comment not from me. I think a common misconception is that Indian food uses a large volume of spices. Folk don't realize that it is just a little bit but once they hit the oil, all sorts of fragrant and yummy chemicals are released into the oil.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My vegetarian items my American friends tend to like are rajma, bhindi, chole, dosas and samosas. They also love naan and parantha. None of those are very spicy.

Thank you, that's a good list. Bhindi - fried or with tomatoes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My vegetarian items my American friends tend to like are rajma, bhindi, chole, dosas and samosas. They also love naan and parantha. None of those are very spicy.

Thank you, that's a good list. Bhindi - fried or with tomatoes?

Fried.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can make daal bhat on the less spicy side. Here's my recipe for the daal:

fry up onions, garlic, and ginger
when translucent, add spices - 1 tbsp of tumeric & 1.5 tbsp garam masala
add 2 cups red/orange lentils
add 4 cups water
mix in bullion (veg base since ILs are vegetarian) - no need for extra salt

Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20+ minutes

Then do a fragrant rice - cardamon, anise, cumin + some frozen mixed veggies

For the veggie curry, I just fry up what I have. I did a saag a couple nights ago with similar spices as above - start out with the onions, garlic, and ginger, add some garam & tumeric

If you have the time & some chaat, make a raita too.

All & all, rather satisfying vegetarian dinner.

That will stink up the place.

You mean it will make the place smell awesome?

Okay okay, if you want less fragrance from the food, then don't fry up the spices. Add them in after you've got the wet ingredients in and cover while simmering. So with the daal, you add the garam & tumeric in immediately after the water, cover & simmer. With a saag, you'd add it in after you've got tomatoes in there - cover & simmer. For the rice, just do a plain basmati without spices. Will cut down on smell, and flavor, to some extent.

Not awesome. The food reek that makes a house difficult to rent/sell. See the thread on this.