Basic Sauce (great for Channa Masala or Saag Paneer, as well as being generally useful)
Toast 1 tablespoon of cuminseed in a pan
Combine one tablespoon each, grinding as needed, toasted cuminseed, fenugreek, mustardseed, paprika, tumeric. Add at least a dash of cayenne. Add as much as a tablespoon of anise, fennel, black pepper, coriander, and any other non-green spice.
Sautee a large onion in oil, with the spices. When the onions go translucent, add a small can of tomato paste. Blend in a blender with enough water to make things blend easily.
Channa Masala
Cook chickpeas until tender (or use canned). Simmer in sauce, optionally adding onions.
Saag Paneer (Or faked, Saag Mozzarella)
Simmer spinach in the sauce, adding chunks of cheese (preferably paneer, but mozzarella does in an American pinch) about 3 minutes from the end of cooking.
Aria’s Generic Curry
Lightly steam onions, cauliflower, yams, carrots, possibly squash, red peppers and other vegetables. Finish cooking by simmering in the sauce above.