Indian Menus

Here is one that works well:

Basmati Rice sans Tumeric
Pan of Potatoes, Carrot, Onion, Garlic
Dal with fennel, fenugreek, asafoetida
Bread

Substitute dishes:
Chuff's Dal
Dal Using Bob's Red Mill Whole Grains and Beans Soup Mix
Saag

Basmati Rice sans Tumeric

Comes out off-white instead of yellow.

2 Tbs oil (olive or coconut or other)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp brown/black mustard seeds
1 stick cinnamon
4-6 whole cloves
3 whole cardamom pods

1 cup basmati rice
1 3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp salt

Bring oil to medium heat in pan
Stir fry cumin seeds, mustard seeds, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom pods until nice and fragrant (a couple of minutes)
Add rice and stir fry until rice is fragrant and hot, another couple of minutes
Add water and salt
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and cook about 20 minutes
Remove from heat and let stand, covered, at least 5 minutes

All done.

Pan of Potatoes, Carrot, Onion, Garlic

For those times when you want something other than hashbrowns or potato pancakes...

1 lb red potatoes (about 4 if small, 3 regular sized, 2 if large)
1/2 lb carrot (about 2 small, 1 medium or large)
1/2 lb yellow onion (about 1 small, 1/2 medium)
3 to 5 cloves garlic (Oh hell, you could use 6, if you want.  Or just 2.)

2 Tbs oil (coconut is nice)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp brown/black mustard seeds
1/2 tsp tumeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala (make your own, damnit, it isn't that big a deal)

1 cup or so of water
1/2 tsp salt

Wash, dry, and cut red potatoes into 1 inch chunks (yes, keep the skin on)
Wash, dry, (peel if you must), and cut carrot into 1 inch chunks
Cut onion (without peel) into chunky sections
Don't do anything with the garlic cloves, but have them at the ready

In an adequately sized frying-type pan, heat the oil to medium heat
Fry the cumin and mustard seeds for about 30 seconds or until mustard seeds are poppin'
Add the potatoes, carrot, onion, and garlic and stir to coat with the oil and seeds
Sprinkle onto this mixture the tumeric, coriander, and garam masala and stir to coat everything and heat the seasonings
Add water to nearly cover without washing off all the seasonings

Cover and bring to a bubbling temperature, then
Reduce and simmer until potatoes and carrots are cooked, occasionally stirring and adding water
(The goal is to develop a gravy environment for the potatoes, not a dry one)

Fish-out the garlic cloves, remove and discard the skins, mash the innards, and mix this mush back into the pan

Remove cover and
Reduce to thicken liquid, if needed.
Remove from heat and stir in the salt.

Add done.

Dal with fennel, fenugreek, asafoetida

Trying for a flavor different from my usual...

1/2 cup legume (red lentils or other)
1 to 2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbs oil (coconut or other)
1/2 tsp fennel seeds (if you have them, bronze fennel seeds are great -- harvested from our herb garden, these are quite different from store bought)
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds, ground-up a bit
1/4 tsp hot red pepper powder
1/4 tsp asafoetida

Wash legumes and cook in 1 cup water, adding more water along the way, until done. Remove from heat and stir in the salt.

In a small frying pan, bring the oil to a medium temperature, add and fry the fennel and fenugreek for 30 seconds or so
Remove from heat and add the pepper powder and asafoetida, stir just until mixed and quickly add the legumes to the oil/spice mixture and stir together.

All done.

Note: An increase to the amount of legumes may not need an equal increase to the spices.  So, if you did 1 cup of legumes, it might be fine to stay with the seasoning amounts or just a little more, for instance going from 1/2 tsp fennel to 3/4 tsp fennel.