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and let soak 30 minutes. Drain thoroughly. 2. Preheat oven to 325°. Bring 2¾ cups water to a boil in a heavy ovenproof pan with a tight-fitting lid. Add rice, stir, and bring back to a boil. Cover tightly (use a layer of foil between lid and pan, crinkling edges, if needed, to get a tight seal) and place in oven; bake 30 minutes. Remove and let rice stand, undisturbed, 10 minutes. Fluff up grains with a fork; serve. Rice can be stored in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 3 days.

YOGURT WITH CUCUMBER AND MINT (KHEERE KA RAITA)

Active/Total Time: 10 min. Serves: 6

This cooling yogurt dish can be served with all Indian meals. It also makes an excellent snack. ½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds 1 container (1 pint) whole-milk yogurt (not Greek)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 piece (5 inches) cucumber, peeled and coarsely grated 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. In a small skillet over mediumhigh heat, toast cumin seeds until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool completely, then grind in a spice grinder. 2. Whisk yogurt until smooth. Stir in cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and remaining ingredients; season with black pepper. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator until ready to serve, or up to 2 days.

FRESH CILANTRO CHUTNEY

Active/Total Time: 10 min. Serves: 6

½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 cups cilantro, coarsely chopped ½ to 1 fresh hot green chile, such as bird’s-eye, Indian long, or serrano, coarsely chopped 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1. In a small skillet over mediumhigh heat, toast cumin seeds until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool completely, then grind in a spice grinder. 2. Place ground cumin, ½ teaspoon salt, and remaining ingredients in the jar of a blender; season with pepper. Blend, stopping to push mixture down sides several times with a rubber spatula, until a paste forms. Transfer paste to a small glass or other nonmetallic bowl. Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 days.

TOOVAR DAL FROM THE CHITRAPUR SARASWAT BRAHMINS OF COASTAL KANNADA (DALI SAAR)

Active Time: 35 min. Total Time: 1 hr. 50 min. Serves: 4

Saar means “juice” or “juice-like,” so this dal tends to be very thin, and is meant to be eaten with rice. The cooking talents of brides used to be judged by their ability to make a simple dali saar. Oily toovar dal, which has been cleaned and oil-rinsed to preserve freshness, can be found at Indian groceries or kalustyans.com. This recipe doubles and even triples easily, and it’s well worth doing so, as you’ll want to have this around for more than one meal. In step 3, the spices should be in the oil just long enough to start popping and become fragrant: Too long and they’ll burn, so have everything on hand ahead of time.

1 cup plain or oily toovar dal, picked over ½ teaspoon ground turmeric

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons olive or peanut oil

Generous pinch of ground asafetida (available at Indian markets or kalustyans.com) 1 teaspoon whole black or brown mustard seeds

1 to 3 fresh hot green chiles, such as bird’s-eye, Indian long, or serrano, cut in half lengthwise (leaving stem ends intact) 1 dried hot red chile

3 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half lengthwise 10 to 12 fresh curry leaves (available at Indian markets or ishipindian.com), lightly crushed

1. Place dal in a bowl; cover with water. If using oily dal, rub with hands to remove oil; if plain, just wash it. Pour out water. Repeat 5 or 6 times, or until water is mostly clear. Cover with water one more time; let soak 30 minutes.

2. Drain dal and transfer to a medium saucepan; add 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, skimming foam. Stir in turmeric. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Mash with a potato masher. Stir in ¾ teaspoon salt (or to taste), then about 1 cup water, until desired consistency is reached. Cook over mediumlow heat 5 minutes more.

3. Heat oil in a very small pan over medium-high; add asafetida. A few seconds later, add mustard seeds. As soon as they pop—a matter of seconds—add both chiles and garlic. Stir until garlic turns light brown on both sides. Add curry leaves (take care, as mixture will splatter) and stir once, then immediately tip contents of pan over dal. Cover to entrap aromas. Stir before serving. Toovar dal can be stored in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently before serving.

DELHI-STYLE GREEN BEANS WITH GINGER AND GREEN CHILES (SEM KI SABZI)

Active/Total Time: 30 min. Serves: 4

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Beans in India are generally fully cooked and rarely crisp. They absorb the spices much better this way. If you wish to steam the beans instead of parboiling them, do so for about 12 minutes.

Kosher salt

1 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces 2 tablespoons olive or peanut oil

Generous pinch of ground asafetida (available at Indian markets or kalustyans.com) ½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds 1 to 3 fresh hot green chiles, such as bird’s-eye, Indian long, or serrano, finely chopped 2 teaspoons peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger (from a 1-inch piece) 1 teaspoon ground coriander

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add beans and cook until bright green and tender, about 5 minutes. Drain. 2. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high; add asafetida. A few seconds later, add cumin seeds and let sizzle a few seconds. Remove from heat; add chiles and ginger. Stir a few times, then return to mediumlow heat.

3. Add beans, ¾ teaspoon salt (or to taste), and coriander. Cook, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons water, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 5 minutes more. Serve hot or room temperature.

ROASTED EGGPLANT AND TOMATOES (BAIGAN CHOKAH)

Active Time: 25 min. Total Time: 1 hr. 10 min. Makes: 1¼ cups This chokah is often eaten with simple whole-grain flatbreads, such as chapatis, or rice. It can also be served as part of a meal in small, individual bowls. In India, the eggplant is roasted over a simple wood fire, or sometimes buried in very hot embers. The tomatoes are simply held over a wood fire with chimta (tongs)

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until the skin blackens. Both vegetables are peeled, mashed together, and seasoned; that is all there is to it. The mustard oil used here gives the true flavor of eastern India, but is not essential.

1 pound slim, tender eggplants (about 4 Japanese or 2 Italian) 2 medium plum tomatoes (8 ounces) 1 to 2 fresh hot green chiles, such as bird’s-eye, Indian long, or serrano, finely chopped 4½ teaspoons peeled and minced shallot

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro 2 to 3 teaspoons fresh lime juice 3 teaspoons mustard oil or fruity, good-quality extravirgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat broiler, with rack in top third of oven. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Use a fork to prick eggplants all over; prick tomatoes in a few places. Place both vegetables on prepared sheet and broil, turning occasionally, until charred all over and very soft, 15 to 20 minutes for tomatoes and slim eggplants, up to 40 minutes for larger eggplants. Remove as done and place in a sieve set over a bowl; let cool. 2. When cool enough to handle, peel eggplants and tomatoes. Remove and chop pulp finely; place in a bowl. Add chiles, shallot, mint, cilantro, lime juice, and 2 teaspoons mustard oil; season with salt and pepper. Mix and taste for balance of seasonings, adjusting as necessary. Refrigerate until ready to serve, or up to 2 days. 3. Put chokah in a serving bowl; drizzle remaining 1 teaspoon mustard oil over top. Serve cold or room temperature.

POTATOES WITH SESAME SEEDS (TIL KE ALOO)

Active Time: 45 min. Total Time: 3 hr. 15 min. Serves: 6

Here is another of those easy, delicious dishes you might enjoy with both Indian meals and simple dinners of roasted and grilled meats. You can use leftover potatoes or cook them fresh; just be sure they’re completely cool before you start. 2 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes (about 3) 6 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds 2 teaspoons black mustard seeds

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Kosher salt ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1. Place potatoes in a large pot; cover with water by 2 inches and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low boil and cook until just tender when pierced with a knife, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and let cool completely, 2 to 4 hours. Peel and cut into ¾-inch cubes.

2. Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet (preferably cast iron or nonstick) over medium until shimmering.

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Add cumin, mustard, and sesame seeds; as soon as they begin to pop—a matter of seconds—add potatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. 3. Add 2 teaspoons salt, cayenne, and lemon juice. Cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are golden brown in spots and heated through, 20 to 30 minutes more. Serve warm, or store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 days.

STIR-FRIED CARROTS WITH COCONUT (CARROT PORIYAL)

Active/Total Time: 20 min. Serves: 3 to 4

This simple dish complements most Indian meals. Leftovers can be added to salads. Urad dal are small lentils that have been skinned and split; they can be found at Indian markets or kalustyans.com. 1 tablespoon olive or peanut oil ½ teaspoon urad dal ½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds

2 dried hot red chiles, broken in half

5 medium carrots (about 12 ounces), peeled and cut into ⅓-inch rounds (rounds halved, if large) 1 teaspoon peeled and finely grated fresh ginger (from a ½-inch piece) Kosher salt

3 tablespoons finely grated fresh or thawed frozen coconut

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro

Place oil in a large frying pan, wok, or karhai over medium heat. When hot, add urad dal. As soon as it begins to change color, add mustard seeds and red chiles. When the mustard seeds pop and the chiles darken—a matter of seconds— add carrots, ginger, and ½ teaspoon salt. Mix well, then add 4 tablespoons water. Cover and cook over low heat until carrots are tender, 3 to 6 minutes. Add coconut and cilantro; mix well. Serve immediately.

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Trinket boxes, as these decorative little containers are known, possess a certain well-traveled charm. Whether exotic, like those inlaid with wood and Baltic mother-of-pearl (1), or campy, like a lacquered papier- mâché boot (2), the novel designs have made them popular souvenirs since the 19th century. Luckily, they cost far less than a plane ticket: Domestic and imported pieces from the 1960s and ’70s, like a faux–Waterford crystal box (3) and a cast-iron turtle (4), can be found for as little as five dollars. These tiny vessels once lent glamour to the simple act of offering a cigarette (5) or dealing playing cards (6). Use them to stow jewelry, or just let them sit pretty on a coffee table, casting a worldly impression.

PHOTOGRAPH BY CHELSEA CAVANAUGH | TEXT BY FRANCES VIGNA | CREATED BY FRITZ KARCH