Like the country itself, Indian food is delightfully diverse. The geography, climate, the numerous subcultures and religious groups have all played a part in creating regional culinary traditions, where vegetarians, vegans, and fish-, chicken-, and meat-eaters alike find abundant flavorful dishes to choose from. Cooking Indian food is fairly simple and the ingredients used are generally very basic. The skill lies in the proper use of aromatic Indian spices such as mustard seeds, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, and cardamom. Most recipes call for a subtle blend of just a few spices to avoid overwhelming the basic flavor of a particular dish. Below you'll find a few recipes tested and approved by our staff. (We had no problems finding volunteers for this task!) If you decide to make only one of the dishes below, choose the Indian ice cream, Kulfi. It is so easy to make and yet so unbelievable yummy! Each recipe serves 6. Enjoy! Cold yoghurt Soup – Dahi ka shorva Sweet corn and Potatoes – Bhutta aur aloo Lamb with spinach - Dilli ka saag gosht Kulfi – Ice cream with pistachios COLD YOGHURT SOUP Dahi ka shorva 1 1/2 pints natural yoghurt 15 oz whipping cream 20 oz cold chicken stock (no fat) 1 tsp roasted, ground cumin seeds (roasted for a few minutes, then grinded in a spice-grinder or use a pestle and mortar) 1/2 tsp salt Freshly ground pepper 3 tsp lemon juice 1 1/2 tsp finely chopped mint Whisk yoghurt in a bowl until smooth, then add the cream and beat gently to mix. Add all other ingredients. Stir to mix and season with salt, pepper, and mint. back to top SWEET CORN & POTATOES Bhutta aur aloo 25 oz fresh (or frozen) sweet corn kernels 10 oz cooled, boiled, peeled potatoes, cut into small cubes 10 oz ripe tomatoes, cut into small cubes 6 tbsp vegetable oil 1 tsp mustard seeds 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic 10 tbsp finely chopped coriander 6 tbsp finely chopped mint 1 tsp salt 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1-2 hot finely chopped green chilis* 2 tbsp lemon juice 6 oz coconut milk (for a creamy dish) or water (not so creamy!) Freshly ground pepper 4 tsp roasted ground cumin seeds (roasted for a few minutes, then grinded in a spice-grinder or use a pestle and mortar) * if you don't like this dish hot, leave out the chili or use sparingly Heat oil over medium heat in a large non-sticking frying pan. Add mustard and cumin seeds. When the mustard seeds start to "jump," add garlic and potatoes. Stir until potatoes are lightly browned, then add tomatoes, coriander, mint, and chili. Stir for another minute or so, then add the corn, coconut milk (or water), cayenne, and lemon juice. Stir and let simmer at low heat under cover for about 5 minutes. Take off lid, and add the roasted cumin seeds. Season with ground pepper. back to top LAMB WITH SPINACH Dilli ka saag gosht 2 pounds boned meat from lamb shoulders, cut into 1x1 inch cubes 2 pounds fresh chopped spinach leaves 8 tbsp vegetable oil 8-10 black peppercorns 7 cloves 3 bay leaves 7 cardamom pods 6 finely chopped garlic cloves 6 oz finely chopped yellow onions 1x1 inch finely chopped fresh ginger 2 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper 2 tsp salt 5 tbsp well-mixed natural yoghurt 1/2 tsp garam masala (available in Indian markets, larger supermarkets or online at Indian Foods Co. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add peppercorns, cloves, bay leaves, and cardamom pods and stir for a few seconds. Add ginger, onions and garlic and stir until onion is slightly browned. Add cumin, coriander, cayenne, stir quickly and then add the meat. Stir for a few minutes and then add half of the yoghurt. Stir until the yoghurt is almost absorbed, then add the other half, and stir again until almost absorbed. Add the spinach and the salt and keep stirring until the spinach wilts completely. Cover the pan tightly, and simmer on low heat for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until meat is tender. Add garam masala, turn to medium heat, and cook until the spinach has turned into a thick green sauce (5-10 minutes). Remove the whole spices and serve with either basmati rice or bread. Note - You can also substitute the lamb with beef (cubed chuck steak) – just note that the cooking time for beef is often 45 minutes to an hour longer back to top KULFI Ice Cream with Pistachios 1 quart whole milk 2 cans sweetened condensed milk 1 cup unsalted chopped pistachios 5 pods of cardamom (take them out of the shell!) Put all ingredients in a blender and blend for a few minutes. Pour into a container and freeze overnight. To avoid crystallizing, you may want to give the ice cream a good stir every half hour or so until it gets too hard to stir. Serve with chopped pistachios sprinkled on top back to top For more information and reservations, please contact: Mountain Travel Sobek 1266 66th Street, Suite 4 Emeryville, CA 94608 1-510-594-6000 or Toll Free 1-888-831-7526 (USA & Canada) Additional International Toll Free Numbers Fax: 1-510-594-6001 Email: info@mtsobek.com