This recipe is also from Williams Sonoma's "Savoring India" (I love this cookbook).
You can probably find red lentils in any place that carries Middle Eastern or Indian food. If unavailable, you can use yellow split peas, but you will need to cook them longer (40-60 minutes, or until tender), and they will have a different flavor.
1 1/2 cups red lentils
4 cups chicken stock or water
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
Garnish:
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, finely shredded
1 tsp cumin seeds
ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Pick over the lentils, removing any stones or misshapen or discolored lentils. Rinse thoroughly and place in a deep pot. Add the chicken stock or water, turmeric, ginger, and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the lentils are soft, about 25 minutes.
Remove the heat and, working in batches, puree in a food processor or blender until smooth (I use an immersion blender). Return the soup to the pot, stir in the milk and salt, and heat until piping hot. Simmer gently over low heat while you make the garnish.
To make the garnish, in a frying pan over high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and cumin and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is brown, about 5 minutes. (I find it takes longer than this, so I usually do this step while the lentils are cooking)
To serve, ladle the soup into warmed bowls and sprinkle generously with black pepper. Divide the onion-butter mixture among the bowls, sprinkle with cilantro if desired, and serve at once.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Spice Chart
Today I put together a preliminary chart of spices I have and/or commonly use. If you're curious whether you should purchase a particular spice ("What would I use this for? Will I ever use it again?"), you can use this chart to figure that out.
That's the idea, anyway. It's in draft mode. Any feedback (other major cuisines, usage in existing cuisines) is appreciated. I tried to group major types of cuisines together, but it's difficult, as there is some crossover, or uniqueness for a country or region inside of a country. Also, I haven't made many dishes other than Indian, Mexican, and American, so it's not completely filled out. I'm planning on doing some research on this and updating it at some point in the future.
I've also listed some substitutions for certain spices (some information from The Food Substitutions Bible). Keep in mind that these will change the flavor of a dish.
The X indicates it's used in that cuisine. An asterisk means it's used extensively in that cuisine.
That's the idea, anyway. It's in draft mode. Any feedback (other major cuisines, usage in existing cuisines) is appreciated. I tried to group major types of cuisines together, but it's difficult, as there is some crossover, or uniqueness for a country or region inside of a country. Also, I haven't made many dishes other than Indian, Mexican, and American, so it's not completely filled out. I'm planning on doing some research on this and updating it at some point in the future.
I've also listed some substitutions for certain spices (some information from The Food Substitutions Bible). Keep in mind that these will change the flavor of a dish.
The X indicates it's used in that cuisine. An asterisk means it's used extensively in that cuisine.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Indian recipes
Some of these recipes are from Julie Sahni's "Savoring India", a Williams Sonoma cookbook. Others are from "Classic Indian Cooking", also by Julie Sahni. In both books, the dishes are tasty, and the directions are clear (but keep in mind I'm transcribing, so I may miss something). I basically taught myself how to cook using these two books, and have since branched out into other cuisines. These are some of the recipes I cook most frequently from these cookbooks. If you like Indian food, and you like some of these recipes, I would encourage you to purchase one or both of these books. They are filled with amazing recipes.
I may do another post later which details the spices you will need to cook most cuisines.
Gajjar Achar (carrot pickle)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp yellow mustard seeds, crushed
2 large cloves garlic, thickly sliced
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks (I'm never this patient. I always cut them pretty coarsely. They'd probably have a nicer texture if I were more patient.)
8 fresh hot green chiles such as serrano, halved lengthwise
1 tbsp brown sugar (I normally put in about 1/2 to 3/4 of this)
1 tbsp salt
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
In a small pan over medium heat, warm the oil. When hot, add the mustard seeds, garlic, and turmeric. Let the spices sizzle and fry until the garlic is translucent but not brown, about 1 minute. Add the carrots, chiles, sugar, salt, and lemon juice. Mix well to coat the vegetables with the spiced oil. Cook, stirring, until the ingredients are heated through, about 2 minutes. (I find it takes closer to 5 minutes for them to heat up, perhaps because I keep my carrots in the frigidaire.) Cool before serving. The pickle will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Chana Masala
3 cups cooked chickpeas
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 onions, finely chopped
1 tsp peeled and grated ginger
2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 - 1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
t tsp tomato paste
1 tsp mango powder or fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1 tsp garam masala
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
If you are using canned chickpeas, rinse them in cold water and drain.
In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. When hot, add the cumin and cook, stirring, until it turns darker, about 15 seconds. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they turn light brown, about 10 minutes. Add the ginger, coriander, turmeric, cayenne pepper to taste, and the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to brown, about 6 minutes.
Add the chickpeas, tomato paste, mango powder or lemon juice, and water. Mix well and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the flavors are blended, about 5 minutes. Check and correct the seasonings. Transfer to a warmed serving dish, sprinkle with the garam masala and cilantro, and serve immediately.
Tenga Sevai
8 oz Thai or chinese thin rice noodles
2 tbsp finely diced carrots
2 tbsp light vegetable oil
2 - 4 dried red chiles (these may be reduced or omitted if less spice is preferred)
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 tbsp white split gram beans (these may be omitted, but you'll lose the slightly nutty flavor. You can try experimenting with finely chopped peanuts or cashews.)
18 fresh or 36 dried kari leaves (these may be omitted, or you may substitute 2 tsp minced parsley and 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest for every 20 leaves)
1 tsp salt, or to taste1/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup packed unsweetened grated coconut
In a bowl, soak the noodles in a large quantity of hot water until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold water.
Blanch the carrots: Bring a pan of water to a boil. Have ready a bowl of cold water and ice cubes. Add the diced carrots to the boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately plunge the carrots into the ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.
In a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat, warm the oil. When very hot, add the dried chiles and fry, tossing and turning, until almost black, about 1 minute. Add the mustard seeds and cover the pan. When the seeds stop sputtering, after about 30 seconds, uncover and add the white split gram beans and kari leaves. When the beans turn golden, about 15 seconds, add the noodles, salt, and coconut milk. Stir fry until the noodles are coated with spices and the coconut milk is absorbed, about 6 minutes. Fold in the carrots and coconut. Check and correct seasonings, then serve.
Kalan (malabar pumpkin coconut stew)
I wouldn’t try this one if you don’t like mustard or coconut, or the idea of them together.
1 lb of pumpkin or butternut squash [I think I've also used acorn squash]
1 zucchini
1 cup firmly packed unsweetened flaked coconut, preferably fresh
4 fresh hot green chiles such as serranos, stemmed
1 tsp cumin seeds [this is also used in mexican cuisine, so you might be able to find it in a grocery store]
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup water, as needed, plus 1 cup
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt, whipped with a fork until smooth
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3 tbsp coconut oil or vegetable oil
1 tsp brown mustard seeds [you can probably substitute yellow mustard seeds, but the flavor will be a bit different]
1 dried red chile, broken in half, seeds discarded [I don't discard the seeds]
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds [these will probably be harder to find]
12 fresh or 24 dried kari leaves, finely shredded [I've not been able to find these, but it tastes just fine without them]
If using a piece of pumpkin, peel it, scrape out the seeds, and cut it into 1-inch pieces. If using a whole squash, first cut it in half (use a kitchen mallet to drive the knife through the tough skin). Halve the zucchini lengthwise, then cut it into 2-inch pieces.
In a food processor or blender, combine the coconut, chiles, cumin, and salt and process until smooth. If necessary, gradually add a little water, but not more than 1/2 cup. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the yogurt.
In a saucepan over high heat, bring the 1 cup water to a boil. Stir in the turmeric and pepper, then add the pumpkin and zucchini and mix to coat the vegetables with the turmeric water. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes [I find it takes longer, maybe closer to 20 minutes]. Add the coconut-yogurt mixture and mix carefully so as not to crush the vegetables. Check and correct the seasonings. Remove from the heat.
In a small frying pan over high heat, warm the oil. When hot, add the mustard seeds and cover the pan. When the seeds stop sputtering, after about 30 seconds, uncover and add the chile pieces and fenugreek. Cook, stirring, until the fenugreek turns darker brown, about 15 seconds. Remove from the heat. Stir in the kari leaves and pour the entire contents of the pan over the pumpkin. Mix well, taking care not to crush the vegetables.
Bhutte ka Shorva (Sweet corn soup with chile oil)
3 cups fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
1 small boiling potato, peeled and chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 slices fresh ginger
4 cups chicken stock
1 ¼ cups milk
1 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp milk
1 ¼ tsp salt, or to taste
2 tsp chile oil
1 tsp sesame oil
¼ cup thinly sliced green (spring) onions, including tender green tops
In a deep pot, combine 2 cups of the corn with the potato, onion, ginger, and chicken stock and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove and discard the ginger slices.
Working in batches, process food in a food processor or blender until coarsely pureed. Return the soup to the pot and add the remaining 1 cup corn and the milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, add the cornstarch mixture, and cook, stirring, until thickened, 4-5 minutes. Stir in the salt.
To serve, ladle the soup into warned bowls and top with each of the chile and sesame oils and a sprinkle of the green onion.
Fried Okra with Indian spices
2 pounds fresh okra
6 tbsp light vegetable oil
2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
¼ tsp red or black pepper
¾ tsp amchoor (green mango powder) or 2 tsp lemon juice
1 ¼ tsp salt [I usually use less].
Wash okra under running cold water, and wipe dry with kitchen towels. Trim both ends, and slice the okra into very thin ( ¼ inch) rounds.
Heat the oil over high heat in a large frying pan. When it is very hot, add the okra in one even layer. Let the okra sizzle undisturbed for a minute, then reduce heat to medium-high. Fry the okra, turning and tossing until cooked and crispy brown (about 20-25 minutes). [I normally just cook until the mucilage disappears].
Add the spices. [If you find it too oily, you can put the okra onto a paper towel-covered plate to drain some oil, then place back in the pan]
Masala Kaju (spiced cashews)
These are a big hit, even with people who aren't very adventurous.
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups raw cashews
1 1/2 tsp chat masala or mango powder (I don't like the taste of the chat masala, so I use garam masala.)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the nuts and fry, stirring and tossing, until they are light brown, about 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a baking sheet or a large plate so that the nuts are in a single layer. Before the cashews cool completely, combine the masala, salt, and cayenne to taste. Sprinkle over the nuts and mix lightly. Do not overmix, or the spices will slip away from the nuts.
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
Makhani Murgh (Butter chicken)
I substitute tofu for chicken, reducing the amount of chiles (for some reason it tastes hotter with the tofu).
6 tomatoes, 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 lb, roughly chopped.
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped, plus 1 tbsp, peeled and finely shredded
4 fresh hot green chiles such as serrano, stemmed (these may be reduced, depending on preferred spice level)
2 tsp ground coriander
salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 recipe day-old tandoori chicken
1/4 cup heavy cream (I normally reduce this, or add some cream and some milk)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
Using blender or food processor, combine tomatoes, chopped ginger, chiles, and ground coriander and process until smooth. Transfer the puree to a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, until the sauce is reduced by half, about 10 minutes, Remove from the heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large frying pan (I'm lazy, so I never strain it).
Add the shredded ginger, salt, pepper, half of the cilantro, and the chicken to the sauce, Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking or burning, until the sauce comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the chicken absorbs some of the sauce, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. In a small bowl, mix together the cream, butter, and the remaining cilantro. Pour over the chicken. She says to not mix, but whatever.
Tandoori Chicken
1 Small chicken, about 3 lbs, cut into serving pieces, skinned, and trimmed of all visible fat (I substitute extra firm tofu for the chicken)
Vegetable oil for brushing
Marinade:
1/2 cup yogurt
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice or malt vinegar
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp peeled and grated or crushed fresh ginger
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander seed
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (may be reduced)
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp salt, or to taste
Prick the flesh of the chicken all over with a fork, then, using a sharp knife, cut slashes in the flesh to allow the marinade to penetrate. Place the chicken into a large, shallow dish.
To make the marinade, combine the marinade ingredients in a glass or ceramic bowl. Stir until well mixed, then pour the mixture over the chicken and rub it into the flesh, turning the chicken several times. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight (Do not marinate for longer than 2 days). Remove the chicken from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooing. The chicken may be grilled or roasted.
If charcoal grilling, allow the coals to burn until white ash covers them and the heat is moderate. Remove the chicken from the marinade, pressing lightly to extract excess marinade, and brush with oil. Place the chicken pieces on a well-oiled grill rack and grill, covered, with the vents open, turning 3-4 times, until the juices run clear when a piece is pierced near the bone with a knife, about 45 minutes.
If roasting the chicken, preheat an oven to 450F. Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan, brush with oil, and cook, turning once, until the juices run clear when a piece is pierced near the bone with a knife, 25-30 minutes.
If using tofu, I find you can shorten the marinade time to just a few hours, because the tofu soaks the flavor up quickly. I don't remember if I put the tofu in with all of its marinade, or just some. I cut the tofu up into bite-sized chunks, and use the chicken roasting directions. Be careful when turning the tofu, as it will break pretty easily until it's done roasting.
Masar Dal (Lentils with garlic butter)
1 ½ cups pink or yellow lentils
¾ tsp turmeric
2 tsp Kosher salt
For tadka:
5 tbsp vegetable oil
5-6 large garlic cloves, peeled and sliced lengthwise
Pick over, clean, and wash lentils [I usually do 3 rinse/agitation cycles]
Put the lentils in a deep pot along with the turmeric and 5 cups of water, and bring to a boil, stirring often, as the lentils have a tendency to lump together at this stage. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for 25-30 minutes (40-45 minutes for yellow lentils) or until the lentils are thoroughly cooked and tender when pressed between your fingers. Stir now and then to prevent sticking. Turn off the heat, and beat the lentils with a wire whisk or wooden spoon for a minute to smooth the puree. [I’m lazy, so I pull out the immersion blender] Measure. There should be 5- 5 ½ cups of lentil puree. If you have less, add sufficient water to make 5 cups. Stir in the salt. (The lentil puree may be prepared ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days. It also freezes well. Defrost thoroughly before proceeding with the recipe.)
When ready to serve, simmer the puree in the pot over heat until piping hot. The puree thickens with keeping; therefore check the consistency and add water if necessary. It should be like a moderately thick cream soup. Keep the puree warm while you make the tadka.
Heat the oil over medium heat in a small frying pan. When it is hot,add the garlic slices, and fry just until they turn light brown and are still soft(about 1-2 minutes). Turn off heat and immediately pour this perfumed garlic butter with the slivers over the lentil puree. Stir to mix, and serve in small bowls.
Palak Paneer (sort of, this one’s not from Julie Sahni)
I think I just made the world's fastest and healthiest (admittedly fake) palak paneer. It's not as good as the real stuff, but the whole process took me about 20 minutes, and it was still pretty tasty. I modified the recipe I had a little. I didn't use the 1/4 cup cream called for, and substituted tofu for the paneer (paneer takes forever to make. Have I mentioned I'm lazy?).
Here's what I came up with:
1/2 lb spinach
1 large onion
2 tbsp grated ginger
10 cloves garlic
1 can (15 oz) chopped tomatoes
1-5 serrano peppers (depending on level of heat you want)
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 package (about 12 oz) tofu
Sautee onions and garlic in about 3 tbsp veggie oil. While that's going, steam the spinach until wilted. When onions are translucent, add the rest of the ingredients (except for the tofu and spinach), and cook for about 5 minutes.
Add the spinach, and puree with immersion blender (you can use a blender, but you'll have to do it in small batches, as flinging hot liquid everywhere is not advised).
Cut up tofu into 1/2-inch pieces, add to puree.
While the tofu is warming, add salt, lemon juice, and spices. I use about 1 tbsp of garam masala, but that's not readily available, so you could try 1 tsp of ground coriander and 1/2 tsp of ground cumin.
You can serve this with Naan or some other flat bread like pita.
For the meat eaters:
Mulligatawny
This is actually pretty good without the chicken, too. You can substitute stock for the water. My favorite chicken stock isn't really chicken stock. I use Better than Bouillon's "No chicken base", which is sometimes hard to find, but worth the search. Actually, their whole line of bouillons are good.
1 chicken, about 3 lbs, cut into 8-10 serving pieces and skinned
1 small bunch fresh cilantro
2 black or 4 green cardamom pods, lightly bruised
2 cassia leaves, broken into bits
6 cups water
2 cups finely chopped yellow onion
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 boiling potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped tomato
2 tbsp cornstarch, dissolved in 1/4 water, if needed
1 cup coconut milk, light, or milk
1 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1/4 cup ghee or unsalted butter
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp ground cumin, garam masala, or curry powder
ground black pepper to taste
1 1/4 cups hot cooked long-grain white rice (optional)
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup sliced (flaked) almonds, toasted
Place the chicken pieces in a large, heavy pot and scatter the cilantro, cardamom, and cassia leaves on top. Add 2 cups of the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook, occasionally skimming off any foam that rises to the surface, until the chicken is opaque throughout and firm to the touch, about 30 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the chicken pieces to a plate. When cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bones and return the bones to the pot. Shred the meat neatly, cover, and set aside.
Add the remaining 4 cups water to the cooking liquid and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and boil gently for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, strain through a fine-mesh sieve, and return the stock to the pot. Discard the contents of the stew.
Add 1 cup of the onion along with the carrots, potatoes, and tomato and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover,reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the vegetables are very soft, about 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and, working in batches, puree the soup in a food processor or blender until smooth. Strain the soup, if necessary, to remove lumps, and return it to the pot. It should be the consistency of a cream soup. If it is not, stir in as much of the cornstarch solution as needed to thicken it. Heat the soup until it is piping hot. Add the coconut milk and salt to taste. Simmer gently over very low heat while you make the garnish.
In a small frying pan over medium-high heat, melt the ghee or butter. Add the remaining 1 cup onion, the garlic, and cumin/garam masala/curry powder. Saute, stirring, until the onion is nicely browned, about 5 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and salt and pepper to taste. Sautee, tossing the chicken, until lightly seared and well coated with spices, about 3minutes. To serve, place about 2 1/2 tbsp rice (if using) in each warmed bowl and ladle in the piping hot soup. Place the chicken on top and sprinkle with the lemon juice and almonds. Serve at once.
Nimboo Bhat (Lemon rice with mustard seeds)
Plain Basmati rice
2 tbsp Indian sesame oil or vegetable oil
1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds
1/2 cup raw peanuts, skinned (I use raw cashews)
2 tsp white split gram beans
1 tbsp peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 tsp sugar (optional. I never use this)
1/2 tsp powdered asafetida or 1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
16 fresh or 32 dried kari leaves (I never have these. I just add more lemon juice. Yum!)
2 fresh hot green chiles, thinly sliced (I use serrano. If you don't like your food very spicy, you could omit these. Heathen.)
1 tsp salt, or to taste
5 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup water, if needed
If the rice is freshly made, spread it on a large plate and let cool completely.
In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. When hot, add the mustard seeds and cover the pan (seriously. cover it. you don't want hot oil-covered mustard seeds shooting into your eye). When the seeds stop sputtering, after about 30 seconds, uncover, add the peanuts, and stir-fry until they turn light brown, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the white split gram beans (I actually find that the gram beans are a bit too crunchy and the nuts are overdone if I follow these directions, so I reverse the last two steps). Cook, stirring, until the gram beans turn golden, about 1 minute. Stir in the rest of the spices, salt, lemon juice, and sugar (if using). If the rice looks dry, add up to 1/4 cup water. Mix well and cook, stirring, until seasonings are evenly distributed and flavors have blended, about 5 minutes.
I may do another post later which details the spices you will need to cook most cuisines.
Gajjar Achar (carrot pickle)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp yellow mustard seeds, crushed
2 large cloves garlic, thickly sliced
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks (I'm never this patient. I always cut them pretty coarsely. They'd probably have a nicer texture if I were more patient.)
8 fresh hot green chiles such as serrano, halved lengthwise
1 tbsp brown sugar (I normally put in about 1/2 to 3/4 of this)
1 tbsp salt
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
In a small pan over medium heat, warm the oil. When hot, add the mustard seeds, garlic, and turmeric. Let the spices sizzle and fry until the garlic is translucent but not brown, about 1 minute. Add the carrots, chiles, sugar, salt, and lemon juice. Mix well to coat the vegetables with the spiced oil. Cook, stirring, until the ingredients are heated through, about 2 minutes. (I find it takes closer to 5 minutes for them to heat up, perhaps because I keep my carrots in the frigidaire.) Cool before serving. The pickle will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Chana Masala
3 cups cooked chickpeas
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 onions, finely chopped
1 tsp peeled and grated ginger
2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 - 1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
t tsp tomato paste
1 tsp mango powder or fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1 tsp garam masala
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
If you are using canned chickpeas, rinse them in cold water and drain.
In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. When hot, add the cumin and cook, stirring, until it turns darker, about 15 seconds. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they turn light brown, about 10 minutes. Add the ginger, coriander, turmeric, cayenne pepper to taste, and the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to brown, about 6 minutes.
Add the chickpeas, tomato paste, mango powder or lemon juice, and water. Mix well and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the flavors are blended, about 5 minutes. Check and correct the seasonings. Transfer to a warmed serving dish, sprinkle with the garam masala and cilantro, and serve immediately.
Tenga Sevai
8 oz Thai or chinese thin rice noodles
2 tbsp finely diced carrots
2 tbsp light vegetable oil
2 - 4 dried red chiles (these may be reduced or omitted if less spice is preferred)
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 tbsp white split gram beans (these may be omitted, but you'll lose the slightly nutty flavor. You can try experimenting with finely chopped peanuts or cashews.)
18 fresh or 36 dried kari leaves (these may be omitted, or you may substitute 2 tsp minced parsley and 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest for every 20 leaves)
1 tsp salt, or to taste1/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup packed unsweetened grated coconut
In a bowl, soak the noodles in a large quantity of hot water until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold water.
Blanch the carrots: Bring a pan of water to a boil. Have ready a bowl of cold water and ice cubes. Add the diced carrots to the boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately plunge the carrots into the ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.
In a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat, warm the oil. When very hot, add the dried chiles and fry, tossing and turning, until almost black, about 1 minute. Add the mustard seeds and cover the pan. When the seeds stop sputtering, after about 30 seconds, uncover and add the white split gram beans and kari leaves. When the beans turn golden, about 15 seconds, add the noodles, salt, and coconut milk. Stir fry until the noodles are coated with spices and the coconut milk is absorbed, about 6 minutes. Fold in the carrots and coconut. Check and correct seasonings, then serve.
Kalan (malabar pumpkin coconut stew)
I wouldn’t try this one if you don’t like mustard or coconut, or the idea of them together.
1 lb of pumpkin or butternut squash [I think I've also used acorn squash]
1 zucchini
1 cup firmly packed unsweetened flaked coconut, preferably fresh
4 fresh hot green chiles such as serranos, stemmed
1 tsp cumin seeds [this is also used in mexican cuisine, so you might be able to find it in a grocery store]
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup water, as needed, plus 1 cup
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt, whipped with a fork until smooth
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3 tbsp coconut oil or vegetable oil
1 tsp brown mustard seeds [you can probably substitute yellow mustard seeds, but the flavor will be a bit different]
1 dried red chile, broken in half, seeds discarded [I don't discard the seeds]
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds [these will probably be harder to find]
12 fresh or 24 dried kari leaves, finely shredded [I've not been able to find these, but it tastes just fine without them]
If using a piece of pumpkin, peel it, scrape out the seeds, and cut it into 1-inch pieces. If using a whole squash, first cut it in half (use a kitchen mallet to drive the knife through the tough skin). Halve the zucchini lengthwise, then cut it into 2-inch pieces.
In a food processor or blender, combine the coconut, chiles, cumin, and salt and process until smooth. If necessary, gradually add a little water, but not more than 1/2 cup. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the yogurt.
In a saucepan over high heat, bring the 1 cup water to a boil. Stir in the turmeric and pepper, then add the pumpkin and zucchini and mix to coat the vegetables with the turmeric water. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes [I find it takes longer, maybe closer to 20 minutes]. Add the coconut-yogurt mixture and mix carefully so as not to crush the vegetables. Check and correct the seasonings. Remove from the heat.
In a small frying pan over high heat, warm the oil. When hot, add the mustard seeds and cover the pan. When the seeds stop sputtering, after about 30 seconds, uncover and add the chile pieces and fenugreek. Cook, stirring, until the fenugreek turns darker brown, about 15 seconds. Remove from the heat. Stir in the kari leaves and pour the entire contents of the pan over the pumpkin. Mix well, taking care not to crush the vegetables.
Bhutte ka Shorva (Sweet corn soup with chile oil)
3 cups fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
1 small boiling potato, peeled and chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 slices fresh ginger
4 cups chicken stock
1 ¼ cups milk
1 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp milk
1 ¼ tsp salt, or to taste
2 tsp chile oil
1 tsp sesame oil
¼ cup thinly sliced green (spring) onions, including tender green tops
In a deep pot, combine 2 cups of the corn with the potato, onion, ginger, and chicken stock and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove and discard the ginger slices.
Working in batches, process food in a food processor or blender until coarsely pureed. Return the soup to the pot and add the remaining 1 cup corn and the milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, add the cornstarch mixture, and cook, stirring, until thickened, 4-5 minutes. Stir in the salt.
To serve, ladle the soup into warned bowls and top with each of the chile and sesame oils and a sprinkle of the green onion.
Fried Okra with Indian spices
2 pounds fresh okra
6 tbsp light vegetable oil
2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
¼ tsp red or black pepper
¾ tsp amchoor (green mango powder) or 2 tsp lemon juice
1 ¼ tsp salt [I usually use less].
Wash okra under running cold water, and wipe dry with kitchen towels. Trim both ends, and slice the okra into very thin ( ¼ inch) rounds.
Heat the oil over high heat in a large frying pan. When it is very hot, add the okra in one even layer. Let the okra sizzle undisturbed for a minute, then reduce heat to medium-high. Fry the okra, turning and tossing until cooked and crispy brown (about 20-25 minutes). [I normally just cook until the mucilage disappears].
Add the spices. [If you find it too oily, you can put the okra onto a paper towel-covered plate to drain some oil, then place back in the pan]
Masala Kaju (spiced cashews)
These are a big hit, even with people who aren't very adventurous.
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups raw cashews
1 1/2 tsp chat masala or mango powder (I don't like the taste of the chat masala, so I use garam masala.)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the nuts and fry, stirring and tossing, until they are light brown, about 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a baking sheet or a large plate so that the nuts are in a single layer. Before the cashews cool completely, combine the masala, salt, and cayenne to taste. Sprinkle over the nuts and mix lightly. Do not overmix, or the spices will slip away from the nuts.
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
Makhani Murgh (Butter chicken)
I substitute tofu for chicken, reducing the amount of chiles (for some reason it tastes hotter with the tofu).
6 tomatoes, 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 lb, roughly chopped.
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped, plus 1 tbsp, peeled and finely shredded
4 fresh hot green chiles such as serrano, stemmed (these may be reduced, depending on preferred spice level)
2 tsp ground coriander
salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 recipe day-old tandoori chicken
1/4 cup heavy cream (I normally reduce this, or add some cream and some milk)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
Using blender or food processor, combine tomatoes, chopped ginger, chiles, and ground coriander and process until smooth. Transfer the puree to a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, until the sauce is reduced by half, about 10 minutes, Remove from the heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large frying pan (I'm lazy, so I never strain it).
Add the shredded ginger, salt, pepper, half of the cilantro, and the chicken to the sauce, Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking or burning, until the sauce comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the chicken absorbs some of the sauce, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. In a small bowl, mix together the cream, butter, and the remaining cilantro. Pour over the chicken. She says to not mix, but whatever.
Tandoori Chicken
1 Small chicken, about 3 lbs, cut into serving pieces, skinned, and trimmed of all visible fat (I substitute extra firm tofu for the chicken)
Vegetable oil for brushing
Marinade:
1/2 cup yogurt
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice or malt vinegar
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp peeled and grated or crushed fresh ginger
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander seed
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (may be reduced)
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp salt, or to taste
Prick the flesh of the chicken all over with a fork, then, using a sharp knife, cut slashes in the flesh to allow the marinade to penetrate. Place the chicken into a large, shallow dish.
To make the marinade, combine the marinade ingredients in a glass or ceramic bowl. Stir until well mixed, then pour the mixture over the chicken and rub it into the flesh, turning the chicken several times. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight (Do not marinate for longer than 2 days). Remove the chicken from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooing. The chicken may be grilled or roasted.
If charcoal grilling, allow the coals to burn until white ash covers them and the heat is moderate. Remove the chicken from the marinade, pressing lightly to extract excess marinade, and brush with oil. Place the chicken pieces on a well-oiled grill rack and grill, covered, with the vents open, turning 3-4 times, until the juices run clear when a piece is pierced near the bone with a knife, about 45 minutes.
If roasting the chicken, preheat an oven to 450F. Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan, brush with oil, and cook, turning once, until the juices run clear when a piece is pierced near the bone with a knife, 25-30 minutes.
If using tofu, I find you can shorten the marinade time to just a few hours, because the tofu soaks the flavor up quickly. I don't remember if I put the tofu in with all of its marinade, or just some. I cut the tofu up into bite-sized chunks, and use the chicken roasting directions. Be careful when turning the tofu, as it will break pretty easily until it's done roasting.
Masar Dal (Lentils with garlic butter)
1 ½ cups pink or yellow lentils
¾ tsp turmeric
2 tsp Kosher salt
For tadka:
5 tbsp vegetable oil
5-6 large garlic cloves, peeled and sliced lengthwise
Pick over, clean, and wash lentils [I usually do 3 rinse/agitation cycles]
Put the lentils in a deep pot along with the turmeric and 5 cups of water, and bring to a boil, stirring often, as the lentils have a tendency to lump together at this stage. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for 25-30 minutes (40-45 minutes for yellow lentils) or until the lentils are thoroughly cooked and tender when pressed between your fingers. Stir now and then to prevent sticking. Turn off the heat, and beat the lentils with a wire whisk or wooden spoon for a minute to smooth the puree. [I’m lazy, so I pull out the immersion blender] Measure. There should be 5- 5 ½ cups of lentil puree. If you have less, add sufficient water to make 5 cups. Stir in the salt. (The lentil puree may be prepared ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days. It also freezes well. Defrost thoroughly before proceeding with the recipe.)
When ready to serve, simmer the puree in the pot over heat until piping hot. The puree thickens with keeping; therefore check the consistency and add water if necessary. It should be like a moderately thick cream soup. Keep the puree warm while you make the tadka.
Heat the oil over medium heat in a small frying pan. When it is hot,add the garlic slices, and fry just until they turn light brown and are still soft(about 1-2 minutes). Turn off heat and immediately pour this perfumed garlic butter with the slivers over the lentil puree. Stir to mix, and serve in small bowls.
Palak Paneer (sort of, this one’s not from Julie Sahni)
I think I just made the world's fastest and healthiest (admittedly fake) palak paneer. It's not as good as the real stuff, but the whole process took me about 20 minutes, and it was still pretty tasty. I modified the recipe I had a little. I didn't use the 1/4 cup cream called for, and substituted tofu for the paneer (paneer takes forever to make. Have I mentioned I'm lazy?).
Here's what I came up with:
1/2 lb spinach
1 large onion
2 tbsp grated ginger
10 cloves garlic
1 can (15 oz) chopped tomatoes
1-5 serrano peppers (depending on level of heat you want)
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 package (about 12 oz) tofu
Sautee onions and garlic in about 3 tbsp veggie oil. While that's going, steam the spinach until wilted. When onions are translucent, add the rest of the ingredients (except for the tofu and spinach), and cook for about 5 minutes.
Add the spinach, and puree with immersion blender (you can use a blender, but you'll have to do it in small batches, as flinging hot liquid everywhere is not advised).
Cut up tofu into 1/2-inch pieces, add to puree.
While the tofu is warming, add salt, lemon juice, and spices. I use about 1 tbsp of garam masala, but that's not readily available, so you could try 1 tsp of ground coriander and 1/2 tsp of ground cumin.
You can serve this with Naan or some other flat bread like pita.
For the meat eaters:
Mulligatawny
This is actually pretty good without the chicken, too. You can substitute stock for the water. My favorite chicken stock isn't really chicken stock. I use Better than Bouillon's "No chicken base", which is sometimes hard to find, but worth the search. Actually, their whole line of bouillons are good.
1 chicken, about 3 lbs, cut into 8-10 serving pieces and skinned
1 small bunch fresh cilantro
2 black or 4 green cardamom pods, lightly bruised
2 cassia leaves, broken into bits
6 cups water
2 cups finely chopped yellow onion
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 boiling potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped tomato
2 tbsp cornstarch, dissolved in 1/4 water, if needed
1 cup coconut milk, light, or milk
1 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1/4 cup ghee or unsalted butter
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp ground cumin, garam masala, or curry powder
ground black pepper to taste
1 1/4 cups hot cooked long-grain white rice (optional)
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup sliced (flaked) almonds, toasted
Place the chicken pieces in a large, heavy pot and scatter the cilantro, cardamom, and cassia leaves on top. Add 2 cups of the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook, occasionally skimming off any foam that rises to the surface, until the chicken is opaque throughout and firm to the touch, about 30 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the chicken pieces to a plate. When cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bones and return the bones to the pot. Shred the meat neatly, cover, and set aside.
Add the remaining 4 cups water to the cooking liquid and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and boil gently for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, strain through a fine-mesh sieve, and return the stock to the pot. Discard the contents of the stew.
Add 1 cup of the onion along with the carrots, potatoes, and tomato and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover,reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the vegetables are very soft, about 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and, working in batches, puree the soup in a food processor or blender until smooth. Strain the soup, if necessary, to remove lumps, and return it to the pot. It should be the consistency of a cream soup. If it is not, stir in as much of the cornstarch solution as needed to thicken it. Heat the soup until it is piping hot. Add the coconut milk and salt to taste. Simmer gently over very low heat while you make the garnish.
In a small frying pan over medium-high heat, melt the ghee or butter. Add the remaining 1 cup onion, the garlic, and cumin/garam masala/curry powder. Saute, stirring, until the onion is nicely browned, about 5 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and salt and pepper to taste. Sautee, tossing the chicken, until lightly seared and well coated with spices, about 3minutes. To serve, place about 2 1/2 tbsp rice (if using) in each warmed bowl and ladle in the piping hot soup. Place the chicken on top and sprinkle with the lemon juice and almonds. Serve at once.
Nimboo Bhat (Lemon rice with mustard seeds)
Plain Basmati rice
2 tbsp Indian sesame oil or vegetable oil
1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds
1/2 cup raw peanuts, skinned (I use raw cashews)
2 tsp white split gram beans
1 tbsp peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 tsp sugar (optional. I never use this)
1/2 tsp powdered asafetida or 1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
16 fresh or 32 dried kari leaves (I never have these. I just add more lemon juice. Yum!)
2 fresh hot green chiles, thinly sliced (I use serrano. If you don't like your food very spicy, you could omit these. Heathen.)
1 tsp salt, or to taste
5 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup water, if needed
If the rice is freshly made, spread it on a large plate and let cool completely.
In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. When hot, add the mustard seeds and cover the pan (seriously. cover it. you don't want hot oil-covered mustard seeds shooting into your eye). When the seeds stop sputtering, after about 30 seconds, uncover, add the peanuts, and stir-fry until they turn light brown, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the white split gram beans (I actually find that the gram beans are a bit too crunchy and the nuts are overdone if I follow these directions, so I reverse the last two steps). Cook, stirring, until the gram beans turn golden, about 1 minute. Stir in the rest of the spices, salt, lemon juice, and sugar (if using). If the rice looks dry, add up to 1/4 cup water. Mix well and cook, stirring, until seasonings are evenly distributed and flavors have blended, about 5 minutes.
Plethora of pulses
I happened to purchase pigeon peas, cow peas, and moth beans at an Indian market at some point while picking up other spices. The poor pulses pouted in the pantry for months until I found these recipes.
Arroz de Gandules
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/pigeon-pea-rice-arroz-de-gandules-recipe/index.html
You'll need to add (lots) more lime juice and (a bit to a lot) more salt.
I didn't have annatto seeds, so I substituted about 1 tsp ground safflower (you could probably substitute a bit of turmeric and paprika, but it will have a stronger flavor).
I only cook the pigeon peas for 1/2 hour, instead of 1.5 hours.
Curried Cowpeas
http://www.africanfoods.co.uk/cowpeas-recipe.html
This reminds me a bit of ethiopian food. Read the recipe all the way through before starting - you have to soak the cowpeas overnight and boil for an hour before you can actually cook them.
Matki Usal (Moth Bean Delight)
The texture takes some getting used to. They are small, and hold their firmness, so I thought they weren't done.
http://www.syvum.com/cgi/online/serve.cgi/recipes/srcpv13.tdf?0
Arroz de Gandules
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/pigeon-pea-rice-arroz-de-gandules-recipe/index.html
You'll need to add (lots) more lime juice and (a bit to a lot) more salt.
I didn't have annatto seeds, so I substituted about 1 tsp ground safflower (you could probably substitute a bit of turmeric and paprika, but it will have a stronger flavor).
I only cook the pigeon peas for 1/2 hour, instead of 1.5 hours.
Curried Cowpeas
http://www.africanfoods.co.uk/cowpeas-recipe.html
This reminds me a bit of ethiopian food. Read the recipe all the way through before starting - you have to soak the cowpeas overnight and boil for an hour before you can actually cook them.
Matki Usal (Moth Bean Delight)
The texture takes some getting used to. They are small, and hold their firmness, so I thought they weren't done.
http://www.syvum.com/cgi/online/serve.cgi/recipes/srcpv13.tdf?0
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