Well, it turned out to be too hot to bake this weekend. Instead, I remembered the following recipe, which is stove-top and fairly simple, healthy, and tasty. My friend Jean taught me variants on this recipe a while back. Thanks, Jean!
Make rice. I usually dump 1 cup of white rice and two cups of water. Bring to a boil, then cover and turn off heat. Leave sit for 30 minutes.
Cube some potatoes, chop up some carrots, half an onion and whatever other vegetables you have. I usually use zucchini and yellow mini-squash. Sometimes I also use frozen mixed veggies, or corn or lima beans… and you’ll need one tub of plain yogurt and one smallish can of tomato sauce. I also sometimes use a can of diced tomatoes.
For seasoning, you can use some minced garlic and whatever spices you like that you have on hand. I usually use some garam masala and some paprika, but you can use tandoori seasoning instead.
You want to use a big frying pan or saucepan, and put in your potatoes, carrots, and any other vegetables that will take longer to cook than the rest. Add water to half-cover them, and bring to a boil.
Let it boil until the potato cubes and carrots are near to being cooked through. Reduce heat slightly, and add the other veggies. Reserve any tender veggies that cook really fast, like zucchini, to add just before serving. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and yogurt, and stir gently. Reduce to simmer. If it seems like the sauce is thin, leave it uncovered. If the sauce seems thick, you can add a bit more water and cover it. In any case, simmer until the veggies are nearly done. Add any tender veggies that you’d reserved to add in last, and stir. Cover and simmer for a few more minutes, then remove from heat.
Serve over rice, with salt and pepper to taste.