Location: Riverside, CA (near UCR)
Food: Punjabi food (and Grocery Store)
Price: Cheap
website: http://littleindiabazaar.net/ (Under Construction)

If you want to go somewhere to get a quick bite of some cheap healthy and tasty food under $5, this is the place for you! You will love this place if you are a vegetarian. Most of the dishes they have are vegetarian although they have 1 or 2 non-veg dishes. The parathas they make are very authentic and feels like home made food.

The store owner Ashish is a very friendly guy and his Mom makes the best parathas. If you see his Mom in the kitchen, definitely order the parathas. And yeah, they have an open kitchen which makes me feel a little more secure about what I eat! 

As for the price, you can get a good meal for under $5. Having the grocery store and the restaurant together is very convenient and a plus for me.

They also serve free desi chai.  Sometimes when I go there for grocery shopping, I just sit and order samosas to go along with the free tea…brings back memories from India!

I would definitely recommend this place for a quick lunch, dinner or even snack times in the evening especially if you a vegetarian. All that great home made food taste for just under $5…its tough to beat!

Ingredients:
2 cups peas boiled
1 large carrot chopped and boiled
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup curd
1/4 cup malai(cream)
3 tbsp. butter
1 small sweet lime
1 small apple
1 banana
2 slices pineapple
10-15 cashewnuts
20 raisins
2 glaced cherries for decoration
1 tbsp. coriander chopped
1 tbsp. ghee
salt to taste

Dry Masala:
1 tsp. cuminseeds
2 tsp. khuskhus (poppyseeds)
1 tsp. cardamoms

Wet Masala:
1 large onion
1/4 cup coconut shredded
3 green chillies

Method:
Grind the dry and wet masalas separately.
Chop all the fruit fine. Heat ghee and fry cashews, drain and keep aside.
Add butter to ghee and heat, add the wet masala and fry for 2 minutes.
Add the dry masala and salt and fry 2 more minutes.
Add the carrots and peas, mix together curd and cream and add to gravy.
Allow to thicken a bit, add fruit, cashews and raisins and boil till the gravy is thick and the fat separates.
Garnish with grated cheese ,coriander and chopped cherries.
Serve hot with naan, roti or paratha.

Making time: 45 minutes
Makes for: 6
Shelf life: Best fresh

Ingredients
3 cups chopped spinach
2 large onions chopped fine
2 large potatoes boiled and peeled
1 tomato grated
2 green chillies
1″ piece ginger
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. wheat or other flour
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tsp. cinnamon-clove powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 pinches asafoetida
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. ghee
salt to taste

METHOD:
Put the washed spinach in a pan, add very little water (just a sprinkle) and a pinch of salt.
Cover and boil over a high flame for 2 minutes. Cool quickly, or hold under running water in a colander.
Put in a mixie, add green chilli and run for a minute. Keep slightly coarse, do not make very smooth.
Keep aside.
Cut the potatoes into big pieces. Heat ghee and fry potatoes till light brown.
Drain the potatoes, keep aside.
In the same hot ghee add the cumin seeds.
Add the ginger, onions and fry till very tender.
Add the tomato and further fry for two minutes.
Add all the dry masalas and fry till ghee separates.
Add spinach and potatoes.
When it resumes a boil sprinkle the flour and stir well. Boil for 2-3 minutes. Add lemon juice
Just before s erving heat butter in a tiny saucepan and add the asafoetida.
Pour over the vegetable and mix gently.
Serve hot with naan or parathas or even rice.
Note: You may use boiled peas, boiled corn kernels or paneer chunks in the above dish, instead of atoes.

Making time: 45 minutes
Makes for: 6
Shelf life: Best fresh