In the August 16 issue of whatzup, my Dining In column features Labdhara Gosht, a simple Indian dish with complex flavors.

As far as Indian dishes go, this is a good one to start with if you’ve never tried it. All of the ingredients, with the exception of garam masala, are found in a variety of common dishes. Garam masala is a combination of seasonings, including coriander, cumin, cinnamon, pepper, cardamom, cloves and ginger, and is a mainstay in Indian food. It’s all about the seasoning and this dish is packed.

Ingredients:

• 2 small onions, peeled and finely chopped
• 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 medium-sized tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 cup finely chopped cilantro
• 2 fresh, hot green chilies, cut into fine rings (do not remove seeds)
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 4 teaspoons garam masala
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ½ cup plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 lbs. stewing beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 ½ teaspoons vegetable oil
• 6 large cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¾ cup water

Preparation:

Put first 10 ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Heat oil in a medium skillet. When oil is hot, put in garlic and cumin seeds, and stir until garlic begins to brown. Place meat in skillet and brown on both sides. Remove meat and place in a slow cooker. Pour mixture over meat and mix well. Pour in remaining seasoning from skillet. Add ¾ cup water. Set on low and cook 4-6 hours until meat is tender. Stir in lemon peel, salt, pepper and cinnamon.

Serve over Basmati rice and garnish with chives.

Cucumber Raita

Ingredients:

• 1 ¾ cup plain greek yogurt
• 1 medium cumcumber, peeled and finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon chopped mint
• ½ teaspoon grated lemon peel

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and chill before serving