Chickpeas in Tomato Glaze, Spinach, Fresh Fruit, and Tomato Soup (Tamatar Kabli Chana Usal, Sak, Phal Chat, and Tamatar Shorba)

More dinner guests. A good friend and a couple who recently moved to Eugene from Utah. The double batch of Khichari that my partner made me make for dinner on Tuesday was still only have eaten, so I served that again, reheated, rather than make a new dal and/or rice. Still really good. There was also still tomato chutney and raita left over. There wasn't a lot of raita, so I filled it out with the last of the leftover plain yogurt. Oh, I also repeated the tomato soup from last week. Still good. It was nice to make it again, and I kept the cream from separating this time.

The Chickpeas were a repeat. I've made them before, and loved them. They did not disappoint this time around. The dish was one of the first I ever made using fresh curry leaves. I've always used Yamuna's substitution of lime juice before, but this time I actually got the Chat Masala that the recipe calls for. Definitely made a difference. And, another new ingredient for me. The key ingredient in Chat Masala, by the way, is mango powder.

The spinach is a delicious dish (another repeat) with sauteed cashews and currants and slices of ginger. Scrumptious. For dessert, I opted for fresh kiwi and berries in a delicious citrus dressing that Yamuna lists under "Phal Chat."

I tried to make a Coconut & Mint Chutney, but ran out of time. I got as far as opening the coconut, prying the flesh out and grating it. That was an ordeal.... I also blanched some almonds. That was a trip. Never peeled an almond before. Both new experiences, but no chutney yet.