Spicy Indian Cucumber Salad With Coconut

Ingredients 
4 Persian cucumbers or 1 large English seedless cucumber, sliced into 1/2-inch chunks
1 tablespoon finely chopped green chilli
4 tablespoons shredded coconut
2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice (or a mixture of both)
2 teaspoons sugar
Fine sea salt
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
Chopped fresh coriander

Method

1. Put the cucumber, green pepper, 2 tablespoons of the coconut, lime juice, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Toss gently.
2. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds. When they start to sizzle and pop, stir in the cumin and remaining 2 tablespoons coconut. Turn off the heat.
3. Pour the mustard seed mixture over the cucumbers and mix everything together. Taste to make sure the salad has a good balance of salty-sweet-hot adding more salt, sugar, chili or citrus to taste.
4. Serve sprinkled with the remaining coriander.

Palak Chana Masala / Spicy Chickpeas with Spinach

Ingredients
3 tbsp oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 inchginger, peeled and grated
1 x 200g tin chopped plum tomatoes
1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained
2 tsp ground cumin and coriander
1 tsp chilli powder
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt
300g baby spinach, washed

Method
Heat the oil in a pan, when hot, add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Stir for a minute, or until they pop, then add the onions.

Fry for 10 to 12 minutes, until the onions are translucent and start to caramelise, then add the garlic and ginger. Stir-fry for around 3 minutes, then add the tinned tomatoes, pouring them in with one hand and crushing them with the other. Fill the empty tin a third of the way up with water and add that to the pan too.

Cook for 10 minutes, until quite dry and paste-like, then add the chickpeas and ½  cup water. Warm them for a couple of minutes, then add the cumin and coriander, chilli powder, turmeric and salt. Mix well, and bring to boil for 20 minutes

Add the spinach. Cover and let the spinach wilt

Cook for around 5 minutes, until the spinach is soft and tender, and serve.

Chicken Jalfrezi

Ingredients
500g boneless chicken, cut into 1.5 inch cubes
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 400g can chopped tomatoes
3 green chillies, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic; chopped finely
2 inch ginger; chopped finely 
2 tsp cumin and coriander powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
½   tsp garam masala
1 tbsp oil

for the jalfrezi
3 red peppers; sliced into strips
1 inch ginger; julienned
1 onion; sliced thinly
1 green chilli sliced finely
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp oil
Salt to taste

Method

1. Heat oil in a large wok or pan set over a medium heat until hot, then add the finely sliced onions, cook until onion becomes light brown (at least 10 minutes). 
2. Add the chicken pieces and stir well on a high flame to seal the chicken. (10 minutes)
3. Add the green chilli, ginger and garlic and saute for 2 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook the tomatoes are soft and oil separates.
5. Then reduce the flame and add coriander and cumin powder, followed by turmeric powder, stir well. Cook for 20 minutes
6. Add garam masala and stir well.
7. Heat oil in a pan or wok, then add the cumin seeds, add the chopped pepper and onion and cook for 3-5 minutes,
8. Add this to the cooked chicken, mix well.  Check salt, serve.