The veggie curry was very simple--potatoes and peas with cumin, curry powder and cayenne. Initially I was going to make the base as my Indian friend had--by blending tomato, garlic and onion until it was a puree. However, thanks to Trader Joe's they have a handful of tasty curry sauces that have great spice. I used one of their curry sauces as the base, and added a little extra garlic and cayenne. I like my Indian food to be HOT!
You can use frozen peas for this. Although you don't get the most nutrients out of it, it's best to peel the potatoes for this dish. The small baby white cooking potatoes should be used. After peeling, cut them into 1/4in cubes and simmer with the curry sauce.
I believe the proper Indian name for potato curry is "Aloo Dum".
Trader Joe's also has a great selection of naan bread, basmati rice and other pre-made Indian dishes. Obviously as I'm new to Indian cooking I'm trying to mix my meals with some items from scratch mixed in with some items that are pre-made from the store. Trader Joe's offers a complete "quick and easy" Indian dinner box for two. I avoided this meal-in-a-box. I did however buy the pre-made lentils or "Daal". As I continue to experiment and purchase more spices I'm sure I could make a good lentil dish.
I also made a quick "Raita"--plain yogurt with cucumber. It's a great side dish and also a good accompaniment if your main dish is too spicy.
The Aloo Dum, Daal and Raita were served with Basmati rice and naan. It's a very simple and relatively quick Indian dish to cook. It's filling and very tasty!