How to Cook Indian (17 page)

Pani Puri

A flour crisp stuffed with peas and served with spiced water

This famed street food has many names:
golgappe
in the north,
puchka
in Bengal, and
pani puri
in Maharashtra. It is sold from large earthenware pots covered with damp red cloths and glass cases filled with
puris
(small deep-fried breads that look like crisp, hollow balloons). All one has to do is hold a
patrel,
a flat roll made of dried
colocassia
leaves, and the vendor will take one
puri,
crack it open on the top to make a small hole, and fill it with peas and chutney, and then dip it into the spicy water and place it on your bowl, dripping with the aromatic water. You have to eat them as fast as the vendor can assemble them—these guys are speedy and can manage three or four customers at a time! When you’ve eaten as many as you’d like, you hold up your hand and signal him to stop. He knows how much to charge you for what you’ve eaten even though you will likely have lost count.

Serves 4.

For the
ragda:

1¼ cups (250 grams)
vatana
(dried white peas)

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

Pinch of asafetida

1 teaspoon table salt

4 teaspoons
chaat masala
(spice mix for
chaat;
page 24)

3 to 4 tablespoons
khajoor aur imli ki
chutney (sweet date-and-tamarind chutney; page 22)

For the spicy water:

1 cup (60 grams) chopped fresh mint

1 cup (60 grams) chopped fresh cilantro

5 green chiles, stemmed and cut in half

½ teaspoon table salt

2 teaspoons black salt

1 tablespoon ground roasted cumin (page 32)

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

24 crisp
puris
(meant for
pani puri;
store-bought)

1. Make the
ragda:
Put the
vatana
in a large bowl, wash in plenty of water 2 or 3 times, and drain. Add 4 cups (800 ml) water and soak overnight. Drain the peas in a colander.

2. Place a nonstick saucepan over high heat and add 4 cups (800 ml) water. Add the turmeric, asafetida, and salt. When the water begins to boil, add the peas. When the water comes to a boil again, lower the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 30 to 35 minutes or until the peas are soft.

3. Mash the peas slightly. Add the
chaat masala
and chutney, and simmer for 10 minutes. Keep the
ragda
hot.

4. Make the spicy water: Put the mint, cilantro, and chiles in a blender, and blend to a smooth paste. Transfer the paste to a large bowl, add 6 cups (1.2 liters) water, the table salt, black salt, cumin, and lemon juice. Stir well, adjust the seasoning, and place in the refrigerator to chill.

5. To serve, fill each
puri
with a little
ragda,
then pour in some spicy water. Serve immediately.

Papdi Chaat

Four crisp and potato snack

One of the many popular
chaats
of the north—crisp flat
puris
topped with potato and chutneys. Prepare this just before serving or the
puris
will become soggy.

Serves 4.

20 small crisp flat
puris
(flour wafers; page 21)

2 medium boiled potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons
khajoor aur imli ki
chutney (sweet date-and-tamarind chutney; page 22)

2 tablespoons
pudina aur dhaniya
chutney (mint-and-cilantro chutney; page 22)

½ tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground roasted cumin (page 32)

½ teaspoon black salt

¼ cup (10 grams)
sev
(chickpea-flour vermicelli)

1 tablespoon
boondi
(see Note)

2 tablespoons fresh pomegranate arils

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

1. Arrange the
puris
on a serving dish. Spread the potatoes over them neatly and top with the onion.

2. Drizzle a little of both chutneys on each
puri.

3. Sprinkle with the lemon juice, cumin, and black salt.

4. Top with the
sev, boondi,
pomegranate arils, and cilantro and serve immediately.

Boondi
are small, crisp
besan
dumplings available at Indian grocery stores.

Pav Bhaji

Mixed vegetables with bread

Say the words
pav bhaji
to anyone in Mumbai and his or her face will light up. It’s a popular fast food that is categorized by nutritionists as junk food because the vegetables are usually overcooked and there is
a lot
of butter involved. Still, if you don’t overcook the vegetables and go easy on the butter, this dish is a great way to introduce vegetables to a fussy kid. To keep it fresh, change the vegetables each time you make it. My daughters love it sprinkled with some lemon juice and chopped onions.

Serves 4.

3 tablespoons plus 8 teaspoons unsalted butter, plus ½ teaspoon for the griddle

2 medium red onions, diced

1 teaspoon fresh ginger paste (page 12)

2 teaspoons fresh garlic paste (page 12)

3 tablespoons red chile paste (see Note page 13)

1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

¼ cup (40 grams) shelled green peas, boiled and mashed lightly

¼ small head cauliflower, grated

1½ tablespoons
pav bhaji masala
(spice mix for
pav bhaji;
page 30)

8 medium tomatoes, diced

1½ teaspoons table salt

3 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled, and grated

8
pavs
(breads; store-bought dinner rolls can be substituted)

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

2 lemons, cut into wedges

1. Place a nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add 3 tablespoons of the butter. When the butter melts, add three quarters of the onions and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly browned.

2. Add the ginger paste and garlic paste, and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the chile paste and sauté for 1 minute. Add the bell pepper, peas, and cauliflower, and sauté for 1 minute. Add the
pav bhaji masala
and cook for 1 minute.

3. Add the tomatoes and salt. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the tomatoes are pulpy. Mash the mixture with a potato masher. Add the potatoes and stir. Add 1 cup (200 ml) water and stir well. Cook for 5 minutes. Add ½ cup (100 ml) water and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer the
bhaji
to a serving bowl.

4. Place a nonstick griddle over medium heat and add ½ teaspoon butter. Slit one
pav
and cook it in the butter, pressing down on it with a spatula 2 or 3 times, for 30 seconds or until crisp and lightly browned. Cook the remaining
pavs.

5. Sprinkle the
bhaji
with the cilantro. Divide into 4 individual servings and drop 1 teaspoon butter on each serving. Serve hot with the
pavs,
the remaining onions, and lemon wedges.

Ragda Pattice

Potato cutlets topped with white peas and chutneys

One of the best-selling foods on the streets of Mumbai is
pattice,
small potato cutlets, dunked in
ragda,
a white pea sauce, and garnished with chutneys and chopped onions. It’s delicious and filling, and in many Gujarati homes it is served as a meal by itself.

Serves 4.

For the
ragda: