How to Cook Indian (10 page)

1. Place a nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the cumin and dried chiles. When they begin to change color, add the onions and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Add the garlic and green chiles, and sauté for 1 minute.

2. Add the potatoes, sweet potato, carrot, cauliflower, tomato, salt, and 2 to 3 cups (400 to 600 ml) water, and stir. Lower the heat to low, cover, and cook for 5 minutes or until all the vegetables are almost cooked.

3. Add the Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, and sugar, stir, and cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until the vegetables are completely soft and the liquid has reduced by about half.

4. Ladle into individual soup bowls and serve hot.

Matar Ka Shorba

Green pea soup

This simple yet luscious dish is the creation of my brother, Rajeev. When he made it for me, I fell in love with it at first sip.

Serves 4.

3¼ cups (500 grams) shelled fresh or frozen green peas

2-inch (5-cm) piece fresh ginger, roughly chopped

10 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

2 green chiles, stemmed and roughly chopped

3 tablespoons ghee (page 37) or vegetable oil

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

2 bay leaves

1 medium onion, minced

3 cups (600 ml) vegetable stock (page 36)

1½ teaspoons table salt

8 fresh mint leaves

1. Place a medium nonstick saucepan over high heat, add 2 cups (400 ml) water, and bring to a boil. Add the peas and cook for 7 minutes or until tender. Let cool, then transfer the peas and liquid to a blender, and blend to a smooth purée. Transfer to a deep bowl and set aside.

2. Put the ginger, garlic, chiles, and 3 tablespoons water in a spice grinder, and grind to a smooth paste.

3. Place the saucepan over high heat, add the ghee, and heat until small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat to medium, add the cumin and bay leaves, and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the onion and sauté until light golden. Add the ginger-garlic-chile paste and sauté for 1 minute.

4. Add the green pea purée, stir, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Add the stock, stir well, and bring to a boil.

5. Add the salt and stir. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Lower the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes.

6. This soup will be thick; if you prefer a thinner soup, add more water until you reach the consistency you want.

7. Ladle into individual soup bowls. Garnish with the mint leaves and serve hot.

Mulligatawny Soup

A flavorful red lentil and vegetable soup

An Anglo-Indian preparation, this soup is also known as “pepper water” because the Tamil word
mulligu
means “pepper” and
thanni
means “water.” But it doesn’t stop at pepper, for the variations on this soup are many. The recipe here is what is made in my home; I sip this warm concoction when I feel a cold coming on.

Serves 4.

1 tablespoon
besan
(chickpea/gram flour)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 or 3 dried red chiles, stemmed

2 (1-inch/2½-cm) cinnamon sticks

4 whole cloves

4 green cardamom pods

2 bay leaves

12 to 15 whole black peppercorns

1-inch (2½-cm) piece fresh ginger, chopped

4 to 6 cloves garlic

1 medium onion, quartered

1 medium carrot, roughly chopped

16 to 20 fresh curry leaves

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

½ small green apple, cored and sliced

½ small potato, diced

6 tablespoons
masoor dal
(split red lentil)

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon table salt

5 cups (1 liter) vegetable stock (page 36)

¼ cup (30 grams) grated fresh coconut (or frozen unsweetened coconut)

1 tablespoon cooked white rice

1. Place a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Add the
besan
and roast over low heat, stirring continuously, for 4 to 5 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Set aside.

2. Place a nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the chiles, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, bay leaves, peppercorns, ginger, and garlic, and sauté for 1 minute. Add the onion, carrot, curry leaves, coriander, cumin, apple, and potato, and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the
dal
, turmeric, salt, and stock, and bring to a boil. Add the
besan
and coconut, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the
dal
and potato are cooked.

3. Pour into a strainer set over a bowl and ladle the liquid into individual soup bowls. Garnish with the rice and serve hot.

Palak Shorba

Spinach soup

I love spinach so much that friends often joke that I would make a dessert with it. This soup, rich with butter and fragrant with cinnamon and cloves, will have to do for now.

Serves 4.

2 medium bunches spinach, washed and stemmed

2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

3 black cardamom pods

2 whole cloves

1-inch (2½-cm) cinnamon stick

2 tablespoons
maida
(refined flour) or pastry flour

3-inch (7½-cm) piece fresh ginger, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 or 5 whole black peppercorns

4 bay leaves

1 teaspoon table salt

¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

1 teaspoon ground roasted cumin (page 32)

1. Place a deep nonstick saucepan over high heat, add 2 cups (400 ml) water, and bring to a boil. Add the spinach and blanch for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain, refresh in cold water, and drain again. Transfer to a food processor and process to a smooth purée. Set aside.

2. Place the same deep nonstick saucepan over medium heat, add the butter, and let it melt. Add the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and
maida,
and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Add the ginger, garlic, and onion, and sauté for about 5 minutes.

4. Add the peppercorns, bay leaves, salt, white pepper, cumin, and 5 cups (1 liter) water, and stir. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Pour into a strainer set over another deep nonstick saucepan; discard the solids. Add the spinach purée to the strained liquid and stir well.

6. Place over medium heat and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.

7. Ladle into individual soup bowls and serve piping hot.

Sabz Makai Kali Mirch Ka Shorba

Mixed vegetable soup with corn and peppers

I always say that it is a challenge to get Indians to eat soup—they would rather start right in on the main course. This soup, rich with vegetables and spices, is my way of trying to change that.