Shredded cucumber in yogurt. Can't get much easier than that!

Indian meals, like so many other Asian meals, have several dishes served at the table together. I would select at least one all-vegetable dish, preferably two.

At the link below you'll find lots of different sambals (side dishes) to choose from. Some sort of chutney (mango chutney is my preference) is almost always served, along with something refreshing, such as sliced cucumber with yoghurt (the yoghurt, being dairy, helps to 'cut' any heat from the curry (or rather, the chillies in the curry). I like to sprinkle the cucumber/yoghurt with some spearmint. You could also serve a sort of fruit platter with things like mango or pawpaw, loquats, banana (dipped in lemon juice to stop it from turning brown), pineapple,(lychees will do as a substitute) or other fruit if you can't find these.

At the same site as below, I searched for 'Indian desserts', and you'll have to hunt through them to find other fruity/rice-y dessert dishes. Desserts are not commonly served, but can be used as sambals, served on the table along with all the other dishes. You should find something that appeals, I hope.

http://fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?q=indian+desserts

A couple of years ago I went to a Ladies Night where India was the Country of the Month. All the food was genuine Indian food cooked by genuine Indian ladies. One dish that I really liked was a pineapple cut in half lengthwise (leaves still attached). The pulp had been cut into chunks, and the pineapple halves filled with a sort of mango dip. I have never succeeded in getting the exact recipe for it, but I've attempted copying it by putting some mango flesh through a blender with some coconut and a bit of cream (try sour cream) to dipping consistency. No doubt other things were added to the original, but that's all I've done, and it works. Then it is served with the pineapple and other fruits. A bit like a fondue, but cold. Very easy and attractive.

For only 2 people, this sounds like a lot, but you can always halve or quarter recipes, or else make the full batch and freeze leftovers for another time.

Hint: It seems to me, from watching American movies etc, that most Americans serve water with most meals. This is NOT a good idea when serving 'hot' curries, because the water actually increases the 'heat' of the chillies used in many dishes. Instead, serve something milk-y, like a banana smoothie or a yoghurt-based drink. Also, since a lot of Indian foods are eaten with the fingers, you could place a small bowl of milk for each person to rinse their hands in - it helps stop the burning and neutralises the smells. Table napkins would be needed, of course.

Here is a link that might be useful: sambal recipes

Thanks fairegold; cucumber raita was exactly the kind of thing I was thinking of.

Thanks for the link daisy d. I need to search thru it more carefully, but many of them seem to be either fried or with a sauce, which I'm sort of trying to avoid. Altho' most of the Indian food I've had in restaurants seems to be like that!

I never would of thought of putting milk in a finger bowl -- doesn't seem right, somehow. (Maybe it's my dairy-loving Danish heritage!) Altho' your observation about Americans and their water is spot on - it's always my default drink with unknown cuisine!

Well, I don't know if you can still find fresh okra this time of year, but if you can here's a dish I like to make:

Fried Okra with Cumin
3 Tablespoons Ghee (or butter)
1 medium onion peeled then cut into slivers
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound whole fresh okra
1 Tabelspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Wash Okra under water and pat dry. cut into medium thin slices. In skillet, heat ghee or butter over medium heat until a drop of water flicked onto it sputters instantl. Add onions and salt and stir until light golden (I usually only stir until slightly soft as i don't like my onions very mushy) Don't burn. Add okra, cumin, and pepper and continue to fry lifting and turning the vegetables constantly until the okra is tender and most of the liquid in the pan has evaporated serve at once.

Hope your dinners are a success!

Unfortunately, a lot of the sides aren't that low work per recipe. They are often like chutneys - a little goes a long way so you can make a batch and use it for multiple meals. I've got another cucumber salad recipe that is lemon or lime juice based rather than yogurt, but but I think the yogurt one is more cooling to go with hot foods.

I've put in a link to a pickled peach recipe. It says its for African pickled peaches but it may have come from Indians in South Africa and comes out pretty much like a chutney.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pickled peaches

Probably not "authentic" Indian but I love plain yogurt with a drizzle of honey and cinnomon sprinkled on top.

: )
lyra

Alison...
This is a paragraph I posted some time ago from the book of recipes written by a friend of mine who had a great little curry menu in her restaurant. You may find something of use here:

Here are recipes from a great cook and restaurant owner that I knew in Palma de Mallorca. She wrote her own cookbook of recipes that made her restaurant well known among the local people there. I've made many of these, including the garam masala. People would line up waiting to dine on her curries:

Note: The original recipes are given in metric measures and I've tried to give the best equivalents in cups & spoons. If you have metric kitchen scales, use the original measurements for greater accuracy.

GARAM MASA
*********************
3/4 cup (100 grams) ground black pepper corns
1/4 cup (100 grams) ground coriander seeds
1/2 cup (75 grams) ground caraway seeds
3.5 TBS (25 grams) ground cloves
20 large ground cardamons
3.5 TBS (25 grams) ground cinammon
These are best ground in a coffee grinder, not too fine and kept in an airtight jar.

LAMB CURRY
*****************
4.5 lbs (2 kilos) lamb - best is that trimmed from the leg and cut into (3/4 inch)(2 cm) squares
2.2 lbs (1 kilo) onion chopped
2.2 lbs (1 kilo) tomatoes chopped
2 good tablespoons garam masäla
1 cup water
1 sweet green (bell) pepper
1 teasp turmeric
1 teasp ginger - best is fresh, grated
1 teasp ground chillies
vegetable oil or ghee
garlic
fresh herbs
salt & pepper
lemon
small pot plain yoghourt

1) Cut the meat into pieces of the desired size, removing excess fat.
2) Fry the onions, garlic, ginger, peppers and herbs in the oil or butter. Add the turmeric and garam masäla, salt and pepper.
3) Mix well and let it simmer for a few minutes. Add the meat and keep stirring for a little longer.
4) Add tomatoes, fry for two to three minutes, put lid on saucepan and continue to simmer for about 40 minutes. If it gets too dry, add hot water. Simmer until tender, adding water when necessary.
5) Add a squeeze of lemon and finally a pot of yoghourt. Serve with boiled rice, chutneys, pickles and, if desired bananas.

MIXED FRUIT CHUTNEY
******************************
2.2 lbs (1 kilo) cooking apples
2.2 lbs (1 kilo) dried prunes
2.2 lbs (1 kilo) dried apricots
3/4 cup (200 grams) sultanas
1 packet brown sugar (not sure but think that's 1 lb)
2 cups (half litre) wine vinegar
two teasp garam masäla
2 teasp ground chillies
12 cloves garlic mashed
3/4 cup (100 grams) ground ginger
salt
1) Soak dried fruit and later cut them in small pieces.
2) Core and thinly peel the apples and cut into small pieces.
3) Put fruit and rest of ingredients in large enamel saucepan and boil on a medium heat for about 35 minutes, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon.
4) Remove from heat, cool and bottle.

INDIAN SAUCE
*******************
3 eating apples
2 small onions
3 peeled tomatoes
6 green chillies
1 large cucumber
4 green peppers
salt
1 teaspoon cayenne
vinegar

1) Cut up all the ingredients very finely and mix well together.
2) Add cayenne and salt and cover with vinegar.
You can use it immediately but it will improve with age and keeps a long time.

BEETROOT CHUTNEY
*****************************
2.2 lbs (1 kilo)of beets (beetroot)
1 lb (1/2 kilo) cooking apples, chopped
2 large onions, chopped
2 cups (1/2 liter) wine vinegar
salt - sorry - here there are no amounts
sugar " "
ginger " "
juice of 1 lemon

1) Boil the beetroots until tender. Peel and dice in small pieces.
2) Chop onions and apples. Put into enamel saucepan with vinegar, sugar and spices and boil for 20 minutes.
3) Add diced beets and boil for another quarter of an hour, stirring from time to time to prevent burning.
4) Cool and bottle.

RÃITA
*********
Strictly speaking Räita is curd but plain yoghurt either homemade or bought serves just as well with the following additions as a relish.

MINT AND ONION
*********************
1 large carton plain yoghurt
1 1/2 teasp caraway seeds
1 teasp garam masäla
1 teasp chilli powder (hot red pepper - not for chili con carne)
salt
3 medium onions finely sliced
3 TBS coarsely chopped mint
Mix all the ingredients and keep in the refrigerator.

CUCUMBER
***************
Made as above except substitute raw finely diced cucumber instead of the onions and mint.

CURRY FOR ONE
**********************
This recipe from a friend of the book author who spent several years in Arabia and often had to fend for himself.Recipe is casually vague (!)
1 large onion chopped small
1 teaspoon curry powder - or garam masäla if you have made it
1 TBS tomato puree
1 TBS vinegar
required amount of beef, lamb or fish
handful of raisins
few potatoes
salt
oil

1) Fry the onion in the oil until translucent.
2) Add the curry powder, tomato puree, vinegar, meat or fish, raisins, salt and diced potatoes.
3) Cook gently for about half an hour. Serve with boiled rice and chutney.

MARROW CHUTNEY
**************************
4.5 lbs (2 kilos) marrow - must be green
2.2 lbs (1 kilo) onions
2 2/3 cups (600) grams sugar
2 TBS cornstarch
3.5 TBS (25 grams) turmeric
3.5 TBS (25 grams) powdered mustard
1.5 TBS (10 grams) powdered ginger
6 chillies
6 cups (1 1/2 liters) wine vinegar

1) Peel and clean marrow and cut into very small squares. Sprinkle with salt and leave for 12 hours. Drain for 3 hours and dry as much as possible.
2) Cut onions into small pieces.
3) Boil sugar in the vinegar. Mix all the powdered spices with a little of the vinegar left on the side.
4) Add marrow and onions. Boil together for half an hour or until tender. Stir well with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking and burning.
5) Turn into a pan to cool off, then bottle.

Source: 'The Bar We Found'
Anne Oates - Palma de Mallorca 1972

SharonCb

well this has a starch, but since I am pretty sure this is AnnT's recipe, I'll throw it out - it's great!

Cauliflower And Potatoes In A Spicy Curry Sauce
===============================================
1 small head of cauliflower
3 russett potatoes
1/2 cup oil
1 small onion chopped
1 clove of garlic minced
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon cumin powder
2 tablespoons ground coriander
1/4 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 to 2 teaspoons grated ginger
1 cup finely chopped tomatoes (fresh or canned)
2 to 3 cups of chicken broth
Fresh chopped coriander (Same as cilantro)
.
Break cauliflower into about 1 1/2 inch pieces.
Peel the potatoes and cut into 1 1/2 to 2 inch pieces
Heat the oil over medium heat and when hot add the onions and saute until
golden, add garlic and cumin seeds. Cook for a minute or two. Do not burn.
Add the rest of the spices.
Stir and add the potatoes and the cauliflower.
Toss with the spices and cook for a few minutes and then add the grated
ginger, tomatoes and chicken broth. Cover and simmer until the vegetables
are tender. Turn off heat and add chopped coriander (cilantro leaves)

Presumably, "marrow" above is vegetable marrow = zucchini.