The Perfect Pantry®

Recipe for raita (Indian yogurt and cucumber condiment)

As many as there are cooks, that's the number of variations of the basic recipe for raita, the famous Indian yogurt and cucumber condiment that accompanies every meal. What they all have in common are yogurt and cucumber, two ingredients that cool the fires of the most incendiary vindaloo. Where you go from there is up to you. Mint makes frequent appearances in raita; if you have some in your garden, go ahead and add a teaspoon or so. Some cooks add caramelized onions or eggplant. This version of raita pairs perfectly with slow cooker Indian-spiced lentils. Remember that raita is a fire extinguisher, and keep the ingredients calm and soothing.

Recipe for slow cooker Indian-spiced lentils

This week, Chelsea, my summer intern, moved into her dorm, where she and three friends will share a suite with a kitchen and a brand new four-quart slow cooker. A few weeks ago, we tested this super-easy, budget-friendly recipe for slow cooker Indian-spiced lentils, paired with a cucumber raita that I'll post here later this week. Lentils, hardy and healthy, take particularly well to the spices that also warm up curries: cumin, coriander, ginger, and garam masala (which contains a bit of each). We used small brown lentils, the kind you can buy in bulk in an Indian grocery, but any brown or red lentils would be perfect. You can make this on the stovetop in a heavy pot or Dutch oven, but the lentils will tend to stick as they absorb liquid, so be sure to stir from time to time. Serve over basmati or brown rice, or add to stew or soup.

Recipe for slow cooker chicken vindaloo

For many years, my husband Ted and I have scratched our itch for great Indian food at the Jackson Diner in New York City. Though it's in the Queens neighborhood where our kids now live, the Diner has been a favorite since we first discovered it with friends in the 1980s. Whenever we go, we share an order of vindaloo, either lamb or chicken. Vindaloo originated in Goa, the western coastal state in India once colonized by the Portuguese, and the use of vinegar in the dish reflects that culinary heritage. I made my first-ever slow cooker version of chicken vindaloo this past weekend, and it's a winner. You can adjust the heat level by adding more, or fewer, chile peppers. The amount I've given makes a mildly spicy dish, far less fiery than a traditional vindaloo, but one that allows the flavor of the other spices to dance on your tongue. As with many Indian dishes, it seems like there are many steps involved, but there are really only three: cook and puree onions, make a paste in the food processor, and grind some spices. Then combine it all with chicken in the slow cooker, and walk away until dinner time.

Recipe for curried chicken salad with bell pepper, peanuts and raisins

Every weekend I make chicken stock from a rotisserie chicken I nibble on throughout the week, but this past weekend I made the real deal, chicken stock from scratch. That left me with a whole bird's worth of boiled chicken meat that had given up most of its goodness, with just enough flavor and texture left for a chicken salad with an assertive dressing. I make the sauce with Miracle Whip, because I love it, and with hot curry powder, because I love that. Sweet curry powder kicked up with a tiny pinch of cayenne makes a fine substitute, or omit the heat altogether if you wish. Peanuts and raisins are traditional curry garnishes that seem right at home in this dish.