Salman Ramzan 
Malai kofta is the celebration curry — crisp, golden vegetable-and-paneer dumplings resting in a gravy so silky it pours like cream. The koftas themselves are the delicate part: soft inside, just firm enough to hold their shape in the sauce, and always, always added at the very end so they stay crisp-edged. Make the gravy … Read more
Crisp, glassy spirals that shatter into syrup — a hot jalebi straight off the kadai at a bazaar stall is one of the great street-food moments. The batter is nothing but flour, a spoon of curd and patience: an overnight ferment gives it the slight tang and the bubbles that make jalebis puff into hollow, … Read more
Soft, warm gulab jamuns that melt the moment they meet your tongue — that is the sweet every Indian celebration leans on, from Eid trays to wedding counters. The secret is not the syrup; it is the dough. Knead it barely at all, keep it soft, fry the balls lower and slower than you think, … Read more
Kadai Paneer is the loudest dish on a dhaba menu — chunky paneer, onions and capsicum folded through a coarse, freshly pounded kadai masala, served semi-dry in a tomato-rich gravy that clings rather than pours. The masala is the whole point: coriander seeds and dried red chillies, toasted and crushed coarse, give this curry its … Read more
Dal Makhani is the black dal that Punjabi restaurants are judged by — whole urad and a little rajma simmered for hours with tomato, butter and cream until the gravy turns dark, glossy and almost smoky. Time is the main ingredient here: a rushed makhani is just black dal, while a slow one becomes velvet. … Read more
Pav Bhaji is Mumbai’s beloved street-side sizzle: a buttery, brick-red mash of potatoes, peas, capsicum and tomatoes cooked on a huge tawa, scooped up with soft, butter-toasted pav. The whole dish leans on two things — a good pav bhaji masala and more butter than feels reasonable. Make it on your largest tawa or a … Read more
A great masala dosa is a study in contrasts: a paper-crisp, golden crepe with lacy edges, wrapped around soft, turmeric-yellow potato masala, with coconut chutney and hot sambar on the side. Almost everything depends on the batter — the right rice-to-dal ratio, grinding it smooth but not gluey, and fermenting it until it rises and … Read more
Rajma Masala and steamed rice — rajma chawal — is comfort food of the highest order in North India: soft red kidney beans in a tangy tomato-onion gravy, mellowed with a little cream. The beans must be cooked until they almost melt; that creaminess, plus a properly browned onion-tomato base, is the whole dish. This … Read more
Punjabi Chole is the curry of weekend mornings and wedding buffets — plump chickpeas in a deep, dark, tangy gravy that clings to every bite. The colour and depth come from slow-cooked onions and tomatoes, a proper chole masala, and one quiet trick: boiling the chickpeas with a tea bag or dried amla so they … Read more
A great samosa is a small engineering project: a crisp, blistered, flaky crust that shatters, wrapped around a tangy, well-spiced potato and pea filling. The shops get two things right — a stiff dough rubbed well with fat (the moyen), and slow frying that starts in barely-hot oil. This recipe follows both rules, so your … Read more