How to Cook Indian (79 page)

8. Pour the sauce over the stuffed eggs and serve hot.

Erachi Olathiyathu

Super-spicy lamb with fennel and peppercorns

A good Kerala curry, like this one, should be infused with red-hot chile–but you are the boss in your kitchen and can vary the heat to your taste. I would not compromise on the amount of black pepper or curry leaves, however.

Serves 4.

1¾ pounds (800 grams) bone-in lamb, cut into 1½-inch (4-cm) pieces

2 (2-inch/5-cm) cinnamon sticks

6 whole cloves

2 black cardamom pods

1 star anise

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 tablespoon red chile powder

2 tablespoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

2 teaspoons table salt

2-inch (5-cm) piece fresh ginger

6 to 8 cloves garlic

20 fresh curry leaves

5 tablespoons vegetable oil

¼ cup (30 grams) thinly sliced fresh coconut (or frozen unsweetened coconut)

5 or 6 dried red chiles, stemmed

1 large red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

1. Put the lamb in a large bowl.

2. Place a small nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Add the cinnamon, cloves, black cardamom, star anise, and fennel, and dry-roast for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Transfer to a plate and let cool. Transfer into a mortar and pound to a fine powder with a pestle.

3. Add the roasted spice powder to the lamb in the bowl. Add the chile powder, coriander, turmeric, pepper, and salt, and stir well. Set aside for 30 minutes to marinate.

4. Put the ginger, garlic, and 6 of the curry leaves in a mortar and crush with a pestle to a coarse paste.

5. Place a nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add 4 tablespoons (60 ml) of the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the crushed ginger mixture along with the lamb and stir. Lower the heat to low and cook, adding 2½ cups (500 ml) water at regular intervals, for 50 to 55 minutes or until the lamb is cooked.

6. Place a small nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add ½ tablespoon oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the coconut and sauté until lightly browned. Set aside.

7. Place another nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add the remaining ½ tablespoon oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the remaining 14 curry leaves, the red chiles, and onion, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until the onion is translucent.

8. Add the lamb and lower the heat to low. Cook for 2 minutes or until the mixture is semidry. Add the browned coconut slices. Stir and cook for 30 seconds.

9. Serve hot.

Goan Lamb Curry

Coconut-flavored curry

You can use beef, goat, or pork in this dish instead of the lamb. This curry, redolent with cinnamon and coriander, will taste better if it is allowed to sit in the refrigerator overnight. This allows the flavors to meld and the spices to do their magic. Serve with steamed rice.

Serves 4.

1 2/3 pounds (750 grams) boneless lamb

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1½ teaspoons table salt, or more if needed

1 tablespoon fresh ginger paste (page 12)

1 tablespoon fresh garlic paste (page 12)

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

6 whole cloves

2 green cardamom pods

10 to 12 whole black peppercorns

4 dried red chiles, stemmed

1-inch (2½-cm) cinnamon stick

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

1 bay leaf

2 onions, peeled and sliced

1½-inch (4-cm) piece fresh ginger, crushed

6 cloves garlic, crushed

1 cup (120 grams) grated fresh coconut (or frozen unsweetened coconut)

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1. Trim off the excess fat from the lamb. Cut into 1-inch (2½-cm) pieces.

2. Put the lamb in a deep bowl, add the turmeric, salt, ginger paste, garlic paste, and lemon juice, and stir well. Cover the bowl and put it in the refrigerator for 2 hours to marinate.

3. Place a medium nonstick sauté pan over high heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, lower the heat to medium and add the cloves, cardamom, peppercorns, chiles, cinnamon, coriander, and bay leaf and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until fragrant.

4. Add the onions, ginger, and garlic, and sauté until the onions are browned. Add the coconut and sauté until the coconut is browned. Transfer to a plate and let cool to room temperature.

5. Transfer the cooled sautéed mixture to a food processor with 1 cup (200 ml) water and process to a fine paste; set aside.

6. Put the lamb in a nonstick saucepan, add 4 cups (800 ml) water, and place the pan over high heat. When the mixture comes to a boil, lower the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, for 1 hour or until the lamb is three quarters done.

7. Add the onion-coconut paste and stir well. Adjust the salt, if necessary, and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes or until the lamb is tender.

8. Add the vinegar and stir. Cover and let the curry stand for 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Gosht Korma

Lamb stewed in a rich coconut-and-cream sauce

This is a rich dish with saffron, cream, coconut, and poppy seeds. It is an ideal main course for special occasions. Serve with fluffy steamed basmati rice on the side.

Serves 4.

14 ounces (400 grams) boneless lamb, cut into 1-inch (2½-cm) cubes

2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt

1½ teaspoons table salt

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

5 or 6 saffron threads

2 medium red onions, peeled

2 tablespoons grated fresh coconut (or frozen unsweetened coconut)

3 green chiles, stemmed and roughly chopped

4 cloves garlic, crushed

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

20 to 24 cashews

¼ cup (50 ml) vegetable oil

2½ tablespoons ground coriander

1 tablespoon ground roasted cumin (page 32)

½ teaspoon ground green cardamom

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon crushed black peppercorns

½ cup (100 ml) heavy cream

1. Put the lamb in a large bowl and stir in the yogurt and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator to marinate for 2 hours.

2. Soak the poppy seeds in 1/3 cup (65 ml) water for 30 minutes.

3. Soak the saffron in 2 tablespoons warm water.

4. Roughly chop 1 of the onions and thinly slice the other.

5. Place the roughly chopped onion in a food processor with the poppy seeds and the water they were soaked in. Add the coconut, chiles, garlic, ginger, and cashews, and process to a paste.

6. Place a nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the sliced onion, and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown.

7. Add the ground paste and sauté for 5 minutes or until the oil comes to the top.

8. Add the lamb, coriander, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, and peppercorns, and sauté over high heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until the lamb is well browned on all sides.

9. Add 2½ cups (300 ml) water and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and simmer for 50 minutes or until the lamb is tender.

10. Stir in the saffron water and cream. Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot.

Gosht Pasanda

Yogurt-marinated lamb in a flavorful gravy

Good-quality meat is the key ingredient here. Choose a leg or shoulder cut and then cut it into pieces yourself.

Serves 4.

1 1/3 pounds (630 grams) boneless lamb, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch (4-cm) cubes

1 cup (250 grams) plain yogurt, whisked

2 teaspoons table salt

2 teaspoons fresh ginger paste (page 12)

2 teaspoons fresh garlic paste (page 12)

1 teaspoon red chile powder

1 teaspoon ground green cardamom

¼ cup (50 ml) vegetable oil

2 green cardamom pods

3 whole cloves

½-inch (1-cm) cinnamon stick

5 whole black peppercorns

1 bay leaf

4 medium red onions, sliced

2 green chiles, stemmed and chopped

1 tablespoon ground coriander

½ cup (140 grams) tomato purée

1. Flatten the lamb cubes with the flat side of a knife or a meat mallet.

2. Put the lamb in a large bowl, add the yogurt, salt, ginger paste, garlic paste, chile powder, and ground cardamom, and stir well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator for about 2 hours to marinate.

3. Place a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns, and bay leaf, and sauté for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the onions and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown.

4. Add the chiles, coriander, and lamb, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add 1 cup (200 ml) water and stir. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to low, cover, and cook over low heat for 45 minutes or until the lamb is almost done.

5. Add the tomato purée and stir. Cook, covered, over low heat for 5 minutes or until the lamb is tender.

6. Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot.