Green chillies add heat and flavour to chutneys, curries and daal. Chop them into a masala base, slit them for a garnish or blend them with mint and coriander for a dip.

Chop coriander leaves over daal, curries and rice just before serving. Blend them with mint, lemon and chillies for green chutney, or add them to salads for a fresh herbal flavour.

Roast eggplant for baingan bharta, simmer it in a curry or pan-cook slices with your favourite spices. Its soft texture after cooking makes it suitable for mashed and stuffed vegetable dishes.

Shred cabbage for coleslaw and salads, stir-fry it with other vegetables or cook it as a simple sabzi. Its leaves also work as wrappers for filled cabbage recipes.

Tomatoes bring colour and tang to salads, chutneys, curries and homemade sauces. Chop them into a fresh kachumber salad or cook them down with onion and spices for a masala base.

Slice cucumber for a crisp salad, grate it into raita or layer it in a sandwich. It pairs well with tomato, onion and lemon for a quick kachumber salad.

Use red potatoes in aloo curry, vegetable rice or a warm potato salad. Cut them into wedges for roasting, boil them for mash or combine them with peas for aloo matar.

Prepare karela with onions and spices, fill it for a stuffed bitter-gourd dish or slice it for pan-cooking. Its distinctive bitter flavour suits traditional karela recipes.

Onions form the base of everyday curries, daal and rice dishes. Slice them for biryani, chop them for a masala base, or serve thin slices alongside your meal.

Squeeze lemon over salads, chaat and cooked dishes for a bright citrus finish. Use the juice in lemonade, chutneys, marinades or simple dressings.

Crush garlic for a curry base, slice it for stir-fries or add it to daal tadka. Garlic also brings savoury flavour to homemade sauces, marinades and chutneys.