Chana masala — or spiced chickpeas — is one of the most famous of traditional Indian dishes and a favorite of vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. Some version of chana masala featuring yellow chickpeas can be found at almost any Indian restaurant in North America — it's a dish that I almost always sample when trying a new Indian restaurant to gauge the quality of the chef's spicing, and I've made many different versions of it myself over the years.

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These thin rounds of baked seasoned sweet potatoes are an appealing attractive fall appetizer or hors d'oeuvres, with their rich orange color and topped with a a dollop of soft unripened goat cheese mixed with spicy harissa. The heat from the harissa is tempered by the fresh creaminess of the goat cheese to make a perfect pairing with the sweet potatoes. If you're like me and enjoy "little bites" that can be prepared with little fuss, you'll appreciate these just on their own.

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This easy, earthy, creamy and spicy curry dish is one that is reminiscent of dal makhani, a classic Punjabi preparation featuring whole urad beans — also known as black gram or black lentils — and red kidney beans cooked in an aromatically spiced tomato gravy and finished with plenty of cream. Unlike traditional versions of dal makhani, urad beans are the star by themselves in this dish, complemented with a finish of coconut cream and fresh lime juice, and garnished with crispy fried shallots, coconut flakes and fresh cilantro.

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I don't make mashed potatoes nearly as often as my husband and friends might like, but now that cooler weather temperatures have descended, I don't mind indulging in starches once in a while myself. Ordinary mashed potatoes whipped with cream and butter may be fine, but I like to dress up almost any kind of food that I cook, and even classics are typically tweaked to suit my fancy. These mashed potatoes — not whipped or mashed too finely, mind you — are blended with fresh ginger, plenty of chilies, and an assortment of Indian spices, and then pan-fried until golden and served with fresh chopped mint. They didn't last long at all when I served them up to guests.

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