Rinku Bhattacharya combines her two great loves―Indian cooking and sustainable living―to give readers a simple, accessible way to cook seasonally, locally, and flavorfully. Inspired by the bounty of local produce, mostly from her own backyard, Rinku set out to create recipes for busy, time-strapped home cooks who want to blend Indian flavors into nutritious family meals. Arranged in chapters from appetizers through desserts, the cookbook includes everything from small bites, soups, seafood, meat and poultry, and vegetables, to condiments, breads, and sweets. You’ll find recipes for tempting fare like “Mango and Goat Cheese Mini Crisps,” “Roasted Red Pepper Chutney,” “Crisped Okra with Dry Spice Rub,” “Smoky Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Puree,” and “Red Harvest Masala Cornish Hens,” to name a few. As exotic and enticing as these recipes sound, the ingredients are easily found and the instructions are simple. Rinku encourages readers to explore the bounty of their local farms and markets, and embrace the rich flavors of India to cook food that is nutritious, healthy, seasonal and most importantly, delicious.

And now a delicious recipe from the book:

Pasta with Spice-Infused Ground Lamb and Green Peas (M&P)

I love the Italian classic Bolognese sauce, and I love the classic Indian dish called Keema Matar (ground lamb with green peas). This recipe offers a fusion take on both these dishes, making for an unusual and flavorful pasta dish. It is a wonderful and hearty meal for a winter evening. I like to make this using my stored summer tomatoes. If you wish you can use gluten-free pasta for this recipe.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes | Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients

For the keema masala sauce

¼ cup oil (preferably olive oil)

1 large white onion (preferably Spanish or sweet vidalia), chopped

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 (1½-inch) cinnamon stick

2 or 3 green cardamom pods, bruised

3 cloves

¾ pound ground lamb

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon salt

4 medium tomatoes (about ¾ pound), cut into a dice

1 teaspoon red cayenne pepper powder

¾ cup frozen peas

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

For the pasta

2 cups any pasta of your choice

Salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a pan until medium hot, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the white onion, ginger, and garlic. Add the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and cloves and mix well.
2. Add the ground lamb and mix well. Stir in the turmeric and salt and mix well. Cook the lamb for 6 to 7 minutes until it begins to release its juices and starts turning light brown.
3. Add the tomatoes and cayenne pepper powder and continue cooking the mixture for another 10 minutes, until the tomatoes turn nice and saucy.
4. Add the peas and stir well. Add ½ cup of water and simmer for 20 minutes.
5. While the sauce is cooking, mix a large pot of water with the salt and olive oil and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for the amount of time indicated on the box. Drain.
6. Mix the pasta with the sauce and serve immediately.

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