Aloo ke Kebab

Use equal weight. Cut into large chunks; cooks down much faster (10-12 minutes) and softens into the sauce rather than staying starchy and firm.

Use 80% of the weight. Cube and add in the last 5-10 minutes of cooking; adds rich dairy protein instead of starchy bulk.

Use 45% dry weight. Soak overnight and boil until fully soft before stirring into the sauce to simmer for 10 minutes.

Use 100% of the weight. Provides direct, sharp heat and red colour in equal measure.

Use 150% to 200% of the weight if matching colour, but add a pinch of black pepper or hot chilli if you need equivalent fiery heat.

Use 75% to 100% of the weight. Offers a sharp, clean heat with slightly less earthy depth and less crimson colour.

Use 70% of the weight; add with ground spices or sauce bases rather than hot oil tempering, where it scorches quickly and turns bitter.

Use equal weight for oil tempering. Delivers an earthy profile with an additional musky, smoky, and slightly bitter edge.

Use 60% of the weight for tempering; offers comparable warm aroma, but leans sweet and liquorice-like rather than savoury and earthy.

Use 10 to 15% of the weight (about 1/4 teaspoon per chilli); imparts dry pungent heat and reddens the dish without the grassy crunch.

Use 1 dried pod per fresh green chilli; snap in half and temper in hot oil for a deeper, toastier heat.

Use equal volume or weight; delivers almost identical sharp acidity with a faintly more aromatic, bitter-edged profile.

Use 25% of the weight (about 1 g amchoor for 4 g juice); provides clean fruity tartness without thinning the sauce.

Use 75% of the volume; gives direct sourness without any citrus floral fragrance.

Use the same weight; grate or slice. Good all-purpose melting cheese, slightly sharper.

Use the same weight; grate. Melts easily but is saltier, so adjust salt.

Use the same weight; grate or crumble. Use where the cheese does not need to melt; it is firmer and less salty.

Use 100% of the weight. Many commercial gram flours are milled from split peas; performs identically in pakora batters and kadhi.

For crisping batters or binding cutlets: use 50% to 60% of the weight. Produces a very crisp shell but lacks the earthy, roasted nutty flavour of besan.

Use 25% of the baking powder's weight (e.g. 1 g for 4 g) and add 2 g cream of tartar or 1 tsp lime juice per 100 g flour. Mix quickly and bake at once.

Same as baking soda: use 25% of the weight with an acid such as cream of tartar, lemon juice or yogurt. Expect a slightly soapy taste if overused.

Replace the plain flour plus baking powder with the same weight of self-raising flour; omit added baking powder and reduce salt slightly.

Use equal weight finely chopped; this is the exact same fresh herb.

Use half the weight finely chopped; provides vibrant green freshness, though the flavour profile becomes noticeably cooler and sharper.

Use the same weight. Soak 10 minutes longer and cook 2–3 minutes more; texture will be more granular.

Use the same weight. It cooks faster, so reduce cooking time by 2 minutes and stir well to avoid lumps.

Use the same weight. It behaves like fine semolina; cook 1–2 minutes less and add liquid gradually.

Use 1:1 by weight. Handles high-heat frying identically and introduces a very subtle, pleasant nuttiness.

Use 1:1 by weight. Yields a much richer, authentic aroma and a glossy, heavier mouthfeel.

Use 1:1 by weight. Heat until smoking, then cool slightly before cooking to temper its intensely pungent, sharp mustard kick.