How to Cook Indian (25 page)

9. Serve warm.

Kachche Kele Ke Cutlet

Green banana patties with sweet tamarind chutney

Marwaris of the princely Indian state of Rajasthan are followers of a religion called Jainism. Jains do not eat any root vegetables, so in most homes the use of potatoes is taboo, along with onion and garlic. So what do they do to make potato cutlets, which are a very typical snack around the rest of the country? They use green bananas! Unless they are told, guests would never know that potatoes are missing from these cutlets. Marwari food is replete with surprises like this.

Serves 4.

3 medium unripe bananas, unpeeled

¼ cup (40 grams) green peas, fresh or frozen

2 green chiles, stemmed and minced

Pinch of asafetida

¼ teaspoon red chile powder

¼ teaspoon
amchur
(dried mango powder)

½ teaspoon
garam masala
(spice mix; page 27)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon table salt

About 1 cup (200 ml) vegetable oil

½ cup
khajoor aur imli ki
chutney (sweet date-and-tamarind chutney; page 22)

1. Wash the bananas and pat dry; do not peel them. Cut each one into 3 pieces.

2. Put a steamer with water in the bottom over high heat and place the banana pieces in the top. Cover and steam for 10 minutes. Open the lid. If the peel of the bananas is dark and the flesh is soft, they are done. Remove from the heat and carefully spoon the banana pieces into a large dish. Let cool to room temperature.

3. Pour 2 cups (400 ml) water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the peas and cook for 2 minutes or until soft and tender. Drain in a colander.

4. Peel the steamed banana pieces and place them in a deep bowl. Add the peas and mash them together using a potato masher or fork. Add the chiles, asafetida, chile powder,
amchur, garam masala,
cilantro, and salt. Combine the mixture well, preferably with your hand. Divide the mixture into 16 portions. Apply ½ teaspoon of the oil to your palms and shape each portion into a round cutlet about ½ inch (1 cm) thick.

5. Place a large nonstick sauté pan over high heat and add 2 to 3 tablespoons oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, reduce the heat to medium. Using a spatula, lift up a cutlet and place it in the hot oil. Cook three or four cutlets at a time for 3 to 4 minutes or until the underside is light golden. Turn over with the spatula and drizzle some more oil around the edges of the cutlets. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes more or until the other side is light golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels; transfer to a serving dish. Cook the remaining cutlets.

6. Serve the cutlets with the chutney as a dip.

Kalla Dosas

Dosas
cooked on an iron griddle

I admit that my wife, Alyona, is more deft than I am at making thin
dosas
that cook just right and are perfectly crisp. Luckily, this
dosa
doesn’t need to be paper thin and is a lot easier to make than most. These are usually cooked on a griddle called a
kalla
(hence the name), a flat, heavy cast-iron griddle.

Makes 8.

1¼ cups (250 grams) raw
sona masoori
rice (see Note)

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (125 grams) parboiled rice

2 tablespoons
dhuli urad dal
(split skinless black gram)

1 teaspoon
chana dal
(split Bengal gram)

¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds

1 tablespoon table salt

4 teaspoons vegetable oil

1. Put both the rices in a bowl, wash in plenty of water 2 or 3 times, and drain. Add 1 quart (800 ml) water and soak for 3 to 4 hours.

2. Put the
dals
and fenugreek seeds in another bowl, wash 2 or 3 times, and drain. Add 2 cups (400 ml) water and soak for 3 to 4 hours.

3. Drain the rice and transfer to a food processor with 1 cup (200 ml) water. Process until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl.

4. Drain the
dals
and fenugreek, and transfer to the food processor with ½ cup (100 ml) water. Process until smooth, then add to the ground rice. Whisk the batter well. Add the salt and ½ cup (100 ml) water, and whisk again.

5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place overnight to ferment.

6. Add 5 tablespoons (75 ml) water and whisk to make a batter of pouring consistency.

7. Place a nonstick griddle over medium heat. Grease it with ½ teaspoon of the oil. Lower the heat to low. Pour a ladleful of the batter onto the griddle and do not spread it. Cover with a dome-shaped lid and cook for 5 minutes or until the underside is lightly browned and the top side is perforated by bubbles. Repeat with the remaining batter and oil.

8. Serve hot.

Sona masoori
is a medium-grain rice. It is lightweight and aromatic and is considered to be healthier than regular rice, as it has less starch.

Kanchipuram Idlis

Spiced steamed rice dumplings

Kanchipuram, where this snack is popular, is a city in South India known for its resplendent silk saris that come in gorgeous colors and feature woven-gold borders. The steamed rice cakes have a color tinted by turmeric, and they have some crunch and texture from the
dal
and peppercorns. Serve the
idlis
with coconut cilantro chutney (page 520) and
sambhar
(page 32).

You’ll need an
idli
steamer to make this (page 591).

Serves 4.

1 cup (200 grams) short-grain rice

½ cup (100 grams)
dhuli urad dal
(split skinless black gram)

¾ teaspoon fenugreek seeds

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

30 black peppercorns, coarsely crushed

2 teaspoons
chana dal
(split Bengal gram)

Pinch of asafetida

1 cup (250 grams) plain yogurt

½ cup (100 grams) ghee (page 37)

1 teaspoon table salt

A few tender banana leaves

1. Put the rice and
urad dal
in a bowl, wash in plenty of water 2 or 3 times, and drain. Add the fenugreek and 3 cups (600 ml) water, and soak for 3 to 4 hours. Drain and transfer to a food processor with ½ cup (100 ml) water. Process to a smooth paste of pouring consistency. Transfer to a large bowl.

2. Add the turmeric, peppercorns,
chana dal,
asafetida, yogurt, ghee, and salt. Stir well, cover, and set aside to ferment overnight.

3. Whisk the batter to aerate it and add ¼ cup (50 ml) water to adjust the consistency. It should be fairly thick.

4. Heat 3 to 4 cups (600 to 800 ml) water in a steamer.

5. Line the indentations in the
idli
trays with the banana leaves and pour the batter into them. Place in the steamer and steam for about 20 minutes or until cooked through.

6. Serve hot.

Kand Ke Pattice

Purple yam and potato patties

Kand,
or purple yam, is an exotic tuber with a lovely smooth texture, which I capitalize on here in stuffed patties that are not only beautiful after you cut into them but also delicious. Serve them with sweetened yogurt or
pudina aur dhaniya
chutney (mint-and-cilantro chutney; page 22).

Serves 4.

2 medium purple yams, peeled and boiled

1¼ teaspoons table salt

7 tablespoons arrowroot powder

2 medium potatoes, cooked and peeled

½ cup (60 grams) grated fresh coconut (or frozen unsweetened coconut)

5 or 6 black peppercorns, crushed

7 or 8 cashews, finely chopped

2 green chiles, stemmed and chopped

½-inch (1-cm) piece fresh ginger, chopped

1 tablespoon raisins

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

½ cup (100 ml) vegetable oil

1. Grate the yams into a bowl. Add ½ teaspoon of the salt and 5 tablespoons (30 ml) of the arrowroot powder, and knead well. Divide into 8 portions.

2. Grate the potatoes into another bowl. Add ½ teaspoon of the salt and ½ tablespoon of the arrowroot powder, and knead well. Divide into 8 portions. Spread the remaining arrowroot powder on a plate.

3. Make the stuffing: Put the coconut in a third bowl. Add the peppercorns, cashews, chiles, ginger, raisins, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and combine well. Add the cilantro and combine well. Divide into 8 portions.

4. Take one portion of potato, roll lightly in the arrowroot powder, and spread it on your palm. Place a portion of the stuffing over the potato, gather the edges, and shape into a ball. Take a portion of the yam mixture, roll lightly in the arrowroot powder, and spread it on your palm. Place the stuffed potato ball in the center, gather the edges, and shape into a ball. Place the ball on a flat surface and gently flatten it into a 3-inch patty. Gently roll the sides so that they are even and smooth. Repeat with the remaining stuffing, potato, and yam mixtures. Note that you can make these in advance and refrigerate them until you are ready to cook and serve.

5. Sprinkle the remaining arrowroot powder over the patties.

6. Place a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add one patty and cook for 1 minute on each side, or until crisp and lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining patties and oil. Serve hot.

Kanda Bhajia

Crisp onion fritters

Street food in Mumbai does not stop at
bhelpuri
(page 84). In fact, one vendor may offer three or four different freshly made snacks. There is always a huge crowd waiting for these cooked fritters that, indeed, sell like hotcakes.