Recipes for May 3

Chana Masala
Soak chick peas overnight in plenty of water, or, if just making a small amount, use canned: it's 10x faster, almost as cheap, and you won't burn a pan multitasking waiting for those darn little ones to cook
Drain and cook, if not following above directions, in fresh water, for at least an hour
Puree 1 onion, a huge piece of peeled ginger, and garlic
Chop another onion
Puree a large can of tomatoes
Sautee chopped onion, and add the following whole spices: black cardamom, cloves, peppercorns, cumin
When onions are browned, add pureed onions, ground coriander, tumeric, salt  and chili
When oil rises to surface, add tomatoes
Add cooked, drained chick peas and let flavors meld
Sprinkle with Garam Masala before serving

Curried Potatoes
Boil potatoes in a large pot of cold, lightly salted water
Drain well and add to a sautee pan with butter or oil, cumin and mustard seeds, S & P
Sautee to soak up fat and add coconut milk and curry powder
Continue to cook on low-med until coconut milk is somewhat soaked up

Raita
Toss Yogurt, cucumbers, green onions, radishes, and chopped mint together with cumin, S & P and a dash of sugar to cut the yogurt's tartness
You could add or subtract a variety of fruits or vegetables or spices to change the flavors

Fruit Chutney
Boil any variety of fresh and dried fruits, with equal parts vinegar and sugar, plus ginger, garlic and spices; in this case I used peeled apples and oranges, figs, apricots and mint
When the mixture is thickened, it is done-some varieties might benefit from a light puree