It has been amazingly hot here in New York City. "Heat wave" doesn't even do it justice. It has only been yesterday and today that we've seen a reprieve from 100+ degree weather - today was high 80s, and tomorrow promises to be a cool 82 degrees.

A couple of weeks ago, however, when the weather was more tolerable I spent some time in front of a hot stove and made some Indian food. While I've made food from other cuisines like Chinese, Mexican, and Italian, I've rarely made Indian food, aside from that mango lassi I made in February. Perhaps I've been too intimidated by it - the exotic spices, the unusual breads, the aromas... The whole cuisine is almost other-worldly.

• Southwestern Lentil Soup
• Don’t Eat This Book – Veggie & Tofu Stir Fry
• How to make Pita Bread