How to Cook Indian (60 page)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Make the
koftas:
Peel the bottle gourd and then grate coarsely. Squeeze to remove the excess water. Put in a large bowl, add the
besan,
chile powder, and salt, and combine well. It will be sticky but manageable. Divide into 8 portions.

2. Stuff one piece of tamarind into each portion and shape into balls.

3. Place a nonstick wok over high heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the wok, add the
koftas,
a few at a time, and cook, stirring gently with a slotted spoon, until golden brown and crisp on the outside. Remove with the slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

4. Make the sauce: Place a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the onions and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until light golden brown. Add the tomatoes and cook for 12 minutes or until the oil comes to the top.

5. Add the turmeric, chile powder, and coriander. Cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously. Add 2 tablespoons water and cook for 3 minutes or until the oil comes to the top again.

6. Add 3 cups (600 ml) water and bring to a boil. Add the salt, lower the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Keep the sauce hot.

7. Arrange the
koftas
on a serving plate and pour the sauce over them. Sprinkle with the
garam masala
and cilantro, and serve hot.

Smooth-skinned
lauki,
or bottle gourd, has a pale green flesh with a firm texture. Choose young bottle gourds (less than 1 foot, or 30 cm, long); young gourds have a thin, tender peel and smaller seeds that don’t need to be removed.

Instead of tamarind pieces, you can stuff the
koftas
with dried plums.

Malai Kofta Curry

Stuffed
paneer
and
khoya
dumplings in a rich white sauce

Everyone should occasionally indulge in this creamy curry. My mother stuffed small portions of frozen
malai
(the cream skimmed from the top of whole milk) into the center of each
kofta.
If you want to stuff them, do as my mother did and add a little mashed potato to the mixture.

Serves 4.

For the
koftas:

1½ cups (100 grams) grated
paneer
(pressed fresh cheese; page 17)

1/3 cup (50 grams) grated
khoya/mawa
(solid unsweetened condensed milk; page 37)

1 green chile, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped

1 tablespoon cornstarch

½ teaspoon table salt

2 tablespoons raisins

1 quart (800 ml) vegetable oil

For the sauce:

½ cup (70 grams) cashews, soaked in water for 30 minutes

¼ cup (35 grams)
kakdi magaz
(dried cucumber seeds), soaked in water for 30 minutes

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 green cardamom pods

2 green chiles, stemmed and slit

¾ cup boiled onion paste (page 13)

½ tablespoon fresh ginger paste (page 12)

½ tablespoon fresh garlic paste (page 12)

½ cup (125 grams) plain yogurt

2 tablespoons butter

¾ teaspoon ground green cardamom

1 teaspoon table salt

½ teaspoon ground white pepper

¼ cup (50 ml) heavy cream

1. Make the
koftas:
Combine the
paneer, khoya,
chile, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl. Divide into 8 portions. Stuff raisins into each portion and shape into balls.

2. Place a nonstick wok over high heat and add 1 quart (800 ml) oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the wok, lower the heat to low and gently slide in the
koftas.
Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until lightly colored. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Keep warm.

3. Make the sauce: Drain the cashews and
kakdi magaz,
and transfer to a food processor. Add ¼ cup (50 ml) water and process to a smooth paste.

4. Place a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the 2 tablespoons oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the cardamom pods and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the chiles and sauté for 30 seconds.

5. Add the onion paste and sauté for 1 minute. Add the ginger paste, garlic paste, and cashew–
kakdi magaz
paste, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the yogurt and stir well. Add 2 cups (400 ml) water and stir well. When the mixture comes to a boil, add the butter and stir well. Add the ground cardamom, salt, and white pepper, and cook for 1 minute.

6. Pour the sauce through a strainer into a clean saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Add the cream, stir, and remove from the heat.

7. Place the
koftas
in a serving dish, pour the hot sauce on top, and serve immediately.

Cook one
kofta.
If it breaks, add a little more cornstarch to the mixture. Also, make sure the oil is hot when you add the
koftas.

Kakdi magaz,
or dried cucumber seeds, are thinner and longer than most other melon seeds. They’re used mostly to garnish select Indian desserts, sweet chutneys, and some savory snacks. They can be replaced with other melon seeds such as honeydew or cantaloupe.

Masaledar Karele

Bitter gourds stuffed with spicy masala

Look for small, tender gourds, as they are easier to handle. I use the gourds’ rough peel here because that’s where most of the nutrients lie. Some people tie up the stuffed gourds with kitchen string before cooking them, which helps to keep the filling in and maintain the shape of the gourd. (Removing the string at the table is nothing short of entertainment.)

Serves 4.

8 medium bitter gourds

2¾ teaspoons table salt

4 large red onions, peeled

3½ tablespoons fennel seeds

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons ground roasted cumin (page 32)

¾ teaspoon ground turmeric

1½ tablespoons
amchur
(dried mango powder)

¾ tablespoon red chile powder

½ tablespoon
garam masala
(spice mix; page 27)

¾ cup (150 ml) vegetable oil

1 tablespoon sugar

1 green chile, stemmed and slit

1. Peel the bitter gourds and reserve the peelings in a small bowl. Slit the gourds lengthwise, leaving the stem ends intact, and spoon out the seeds. Rub 1 teaspoon of the salt on both the outside and inside of the gourds. Set aside for 30 minutes. Squeeze gently and rinse under running water. (This removes much of the bitterness.) Pat dry.