How to Cook Indian (62 page)

9. Stir in the onion mixture, then the yogurt mixture and the lotus root. Add the remaining 1½ teaspoons salt and stir. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until the sauce thickens.

10. Stir in the
kasoori methi
and serve hot.

Navratan Korma

Spicy mixed vegetables with nuts and
paneer

Navratan
means “nine jewels.” In this
korma
there are a few vegetables, a few mushrooms,
paneer,
and the rarely used
makhana
(puffed lotus seeds), nine ingredients in all. Artists in the royal courts of the Mughal emperors were called
navratan
and the emperors’ gorgeous jewelry was made of nine different gleaming gems.

Serves 4.

¼ cup (40 grams) cashews

1 medium carrot, cut into ½-inch (1-cm) cubes

4 cauliflower florets

3 thin long beans, strings removed, cut into ½-inch (1-cm) pieces

1 medium potato, cut into ½-inch (1-cm) cubes

¼ cup (40 grams) shelled green peas

¾ teaspoon table salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 whole cloves

2 whole black peppercorns

1-inch (2½-cm) cinnamon stick

2 green cardamom pods

½ cup (125 grams) boiled-onion paste (page 13)

½ tablespoon fresh ginger paste (page 12)

½ tablespoon fresh garlic paste (page 12)

2 tablespoons plain yogurt

2 green chiles, stemmed and chopped

5 white button mushrooms, halved

15 grams
makhana
(puffed lotus seeds; optional; see Note), fried in 1 cup vegetable oil until golden

¼ cup (40 grams)
paneer
cut into ½-inch (1-cm) cubes

¼ cup (50 ml) heavy cream

½ tablespoon raisins

1. Soak half of the cashews in ¼ cup (50 ml) warm water for 10 minutes. Drain, put in a spice grinder, and grind to a smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl. Chop the remaining cashews.

2. Place a nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add 1½ cups (300 ml) water. Bring to a boil and add the carrot, cauliflower, beans, potato, and peas. Add ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, and drain in a colander. Refresh in cold water and drain again.

3. Place a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, and cardamom, and sauté for 30 seconds or
until fragrant. Add the onion paste and sauté for 5 to 8 minutes or until the raw flavors disappear.

4. Add the ginger paste, garlic paste, and yogurt, and stir well. Lower the heat to low, add the chiles and cashew paste, and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.

5. Add the mushrooms and blanched vegetables. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes and add the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¾ cup (150 ml) water. Stir well and add the
makhana
(if using) and
paneer.
Stir and cook for 30 seconds.

6. Bring to a boil, add the cream, and remove from the heat.

7. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with the chopped cashews and raisins. Serve hot.

Makhana,
a plant belonging to the water lily family that’s cultivated for its white seeds, is available at Indian grocery stores.

Papad Ka Shaak

Papads
with yogurt,
boondi,
and spices

When it comes to vegetarian food, Rajasthani cuisine is very ingenious. Rajasthani cooks use chickpea flour with great élan—and pulses and sun-dried vegetables too. The first time I had this
papad
preparation, at a Marwari friend’s place, I was a bit taken aback by the film of oil and hot red chiles floating on top. Being a good guest, I ate it up and, believe me, I enjoyed it. In this adaptation, the oil and chile powder have been reduced somewhat.

Serves 4.

2 large
papads
(thin crackers made with lentil flour)

1 cup (250 grams) sour plain yogurt (see page 513)

1 tablespoon
besan
(chickpea/gram flour)

½ cup (40 grams) plain savory
boondi
(page 587)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

Generous pinch of asafetida

3 dried red chiles, stemmed and broken in half

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon red chile powder

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon
garam masala
(spice mix; page 27)

¾ teaspoon table salt

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Hold one
papad
at a time with tongs and roast it over an open gas flame until crisp. Break into medium-size pieces. You can also microwave on high for 1 minute or until the
papad
is cooked.

2. Put the yogurt and
besan
in a large bowl. Add 1 cup (200 ml) water and whisk well. Set aside.

3. Put 2 cups (400 ml) warm water in a large bowl and add the
papad
pieces and
boondi;
soak for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain in a colander and set aside.

4. Place a medium nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the cumin. When it begins to change color, add the asafetida and chiles, and sauté for 15 seconds.

5. Add the yogurt mixture, turmeric, and chile powder, and stir briskly. Reduce the heat to low, add the coriander and
garam masala,
and cook, stirring continuously. When the mixture comes to a boil, add the
papads
and
boondi.
Boil for 2 minutes, add the salt, and stir gently.

6. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with the cilantro. Serve hot.

Papri Nu Shaak

Broad beans with sweet potatoes and garlic

This is one of the winter vegetable dishes that are famous in Gujarat. My wife, Alyona, who is from Gujarat, introduced this recipe to our table and sometimes uses eggplant instead of sweet potato. If you can’t find Indian broad beans, you can use green beans. Traditionally, green garlic would be used in this preparation instead of garlic paste, but it is only available in winter. Serve this dish with
roti
(page 18).

Serves 4.

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ teaspoon
ajwain

2 medium red onions, diced

1 teaspoon fresh garlic paste (page 12)

1 pound (500 grams) Indian broad beans (hyacinth beans), strings removed, cut in half crosswise

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

1 large tomato, diced

¾ teaspoon table salt

3 green chiles, stemmed and chopped

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

1. Place a nonstick wok over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the wok, add the
ajwain.
When it begins to change color, add the onions and garlic paste, and sauté over medium heat for 2 minutes.

2. Add the beans and 1 cup (200 ml) water, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low, cover, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Add the sweet potatoes, tomato, and salt. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the sweet potatoes and beans are almost tender and the liquid has reduced.

4. Add the chiles and turmeric, and cook, uncovered, for 5 to 6 minutes or until the excess liquid has evaporated and the oil comes to the top.

5. Serve hot.

Pittla

Seasoned and tempered
besan

Pittla
is a classic Marathi dish. This is to be eaten with
roti
(page 18). The coconut gives this dish a nice texture and flavor. It’s best served right off the stove; once it cools down, the consistency changes.

Serves 4.

1 1/3 cups (135 grams)
besan
(chickpea/gram flour)

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

1 tablespoon ghee (page 37)

1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds

3 green chiles, stemmed and minced

Pinch of asafetida

½ teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon ground roasted cumin (page 32)

½ teaspoon red chile powder

1¼ teaspoons table salt

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

1. Sift the
besan
into a large bowl. Add 2 cups (400 ml) water and stir to make a smooth batter. Set aside.

2. If using the coconut, place a small nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the coconut. Dry-roast, stirring continuously, until light brown and fragrant. Set aside in a small bowl.

3. Place a nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add the ghee. When the ghee melts and small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the mustard seeds. When they sputter, add the chiles and asafetida, and cook for 1 minute.