My Indian Kitchen

Published by Tuttle Publishing, an imprint of Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd

www.tuttlepublishing.com

Copyright text © 2011 Hari Nayak

All photographs © 2011 Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd, except photos on page 6 (bottom), page 7 (below right) © Zane Yau

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publisher.

ISBN: 978-1-4629-0637-6 (ebook)

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Contents

Memories From My Indian Kitchen 6

Indian Food is More Than Just Curry 11

Pairing Wines with Indian Food 14

A Few Simple Techniques 16

Some Helpful Tools 20

Indian Five Spice Mix 31

Ginger-Garlic Paste 32

Red Masala Paste 32

Indian Grilling and Roasting Rub 33

Aromatic Spice Mix 33

Vindaloo Curry Paste 34

Dhaba Spice 34

Green Chili Masala 35

Home-Style Garam Masala 35

Chaat Masala 35

Plum-Tomato Chutney with Mustard Seeds 38

Garlic and Peanut Chutney 39

Mint Chutney 39

South Indian Coconut Chutney 40

Sweet Mango Chutney 41

Spicy Apricot Chutney 42

Cucumber and Onion Chaat 42

Spiced Garlic 43

Avocado and Roasted Cumin Raita 44

Cucumber and Yogurt Raita 45

Pineapple and Beet Raita 46

Carrot Yogurt Slaw 46

Green Mango Pickle 47

Shrimp Bruschetta 50

Crispy Masala Fish Fingers 51

Crunchy Potato and Corn Croquettes 52

Spicy Paneer Cheese Kebabs 52

Spiced Meatballs 53

Smoky Eggplant Dip 54

Masala Pappadums 55

Pomegranate and Mint Potato Salad 56

Shrimp and Apple Salad 57

Samosas Three Ways 58

Split Pea Fritters 60

Potato and Onion Fritters 61

Moong Dal and Cucumber Salad 62

Fruit Chaat 63

Broccoli Soup with Walnuts 66

Spinach Soup 67

Fiery South Indian Tomato Soup 67

Indian-Style Lentil Soup 68

Northern Chickpea Curry 69

Spicy Urad Beans 70

Yellow Mung Beans with Spinach 71

Black-Eyed Peas with Mushrooms 72

Spicy Mixed Beans and Lentils 73

Delicious Everyday Dal 74

Red Kidney Bean Curry 75

Hyderabadi Mixed Vegetables 78

Street-Style Grilled Corn on the Cob 79

Stir-fried Vegetables with Yogurt 80

Bengali Potatoes with Spices 81

Spicy Coconut Green Beans 82

Paneer Cheese 83

Smoky Fire-Roasted Eggplant 84

Pumpkin with Coconut 84

Mushrooms and Corn in a Spicy Curry 85

Cauliflower with Ginger and Cumin 86

Stir-Fried Okra 87

Puréed Spinach with Cheese Balls 88

Zucchini with Lentils and Roasted Garlic 89

Stir-Fried Paneer Cheese with Bell Peppers 90

Mangalore Spiced Potatoes 91

Fish Tikka 94

Salmon Kebabs 95

Masala-Baked Red Snapper 96

Masala-Crusted Tilapia 97

Malabar Crab Curry 98

Tandoori Skewered Shrimp 99

Stir-Fried Telicherry Mussels 100

Spicy Scallops with Grilled Pineapple Chutney 101

Goan-Style Squid 102

Chili Shrimp with Curry Leaves and Coconut 103

Stir-Fried Shrimp 103

Five Spice Blackened Salmon 104

Mangalore Fish Curry 105

Pepper Chicken 108

Lemon and Saffron Chicken Kebabs 108

Chicken Curry in a Hurry 109

Coconut Chicken Curry 110

Chicken Tikka Masala 111

Tandoori Chicken 112

Madras Chicken 114

Traditional Lamb Curry 115

Kerala Coconut Beef 116

Spicy Lamb Burgers 117

Marinated Roast Leg of Lamb 118

Spicy and Fragrant Lamb Curry 119

Pork Tenderloin with Mango Salad 119

Pork Vindaloo 120

Masala Lamb Chops 121

Plain Basmati Rice 124

Coconut Shrimp Biriyani 125

Fragrant Lamb Biriyani 126

Black-Eyed Peas and Rice 127

Saffron Chicken Biriyani 128

Lemon Rice with Peanuts 129

Indian Fried Rice 130

Tamarind Rice 131

Basmati Rice with Whole Spices 132

Mint Rice with Potatoes and Toasted Cumin 133

Baked Garlic Naan 134

Whole-Wheat Griddle Breads 136

Fried Puffed Bread 138

Flaky Paratha Breads Stuffed with Potatoes 139

Watermelon Mint Ice 142

Sweet Mangoes in a Creamy Custard 143

Sweetened Yogurt with Saffron and Pistachios 144

Pistachio Mango Ice Cream 145

Pistachio Biscotti 146

Chai Crème Brûlée 147

Almond Butter Cookies 148

Creamy Rice Pudding 149

Mumbai Fruit Punch 150

Mint Lime Cooler 151

Sweet Mango Yogurt Lassi 152

Ginger Cardamom Chai 153

Indian Lemonade 154

Shopping Guide 155

Acknowledgments 156

Index 157

Memories From My Indian Kitchen!

You know what is truly universal? No matter where you go, what you do, who you meet, or what you eat—you can never forget your roots and the soil on which you grew up! While writing this book, I cannot help but get nostalgic about all the yester-years and all the people in my life who—sometimes even unconsciously—have been instrumental in making me who I am by helping to develop my strong sense of smells, tastes, likes and dislikes, which guides every decision I make at the kitchen counter today!

I grew up in Udupi, a small town nestled amidst the lush green of the southwestern coastal region of India. I can never forget the sounds, sights, tastes and aromas of our typical South Indian household: the spicy chutneys and rice flour being ground at wee hours of the morning by my grandmom, steaming hot idli and dosa served instantaneously at breakfast, the tinkering sound of spices tempering in a kadhai, which would later be part of a hot bowl of sambar, and the sound of women in the household—their chatter, the sound of their bangles, trinkets and the murmur of their never ending gossip! Lunch and dinners were always elaborate. One of our favorites was a slow-cooked coconut chicken curry accompanied by piping hot dosas and white bread. The early evening snack time usually consisted of hot cups of cardamom-spiced chai with platefuls of warm samosa and a variety of snacks. Lucky for us, every town in India has their unique offering in street food as well. If Delhi boasts of its delectable ‘chaats’, Mumbai has its vada-pao and Kolkata has its famous kaati rolls. Some of my memorable childhood evenings have been well-spent on short-eats around the street corners of Udupi as well as. Mom would give me a rupee or two, and I would dash out to buy snacks from the roadside!

And then there was the rainy season, and the accompanying sounds of the flirty breeze playing with the leaves of the mango tree in our backyard, the rustic smell of wet earth, and the thud of mangoes falling to the ground.

We kids often dashed out to pick them up before the sky broke loose! This priceless robbery of ours would mean that soon a spicy green mango chutney would be on our dining table! Rains meant hot fritters served with chai, and how we loved that! But this was not all! The day would not be complete without a late dinner—one of my favorites being masala fried fish with a bowl of steamed rice and vegetables loaded with fresh shredded coconut, mustard seeds and curry leaves. Dinnertime was important for our family—everyone had to be at the table. All of our meals were served family style and never rushed, even if it meant missing our favorite shows on television. (There was no concept of TV dinners.) I still follow that tradition today. There’s simply no better way to truly and fully enjoy a meal than to share it with the people you love.

Throughout my childhood I felt very comfortable in and around the kitchen, and I am fortunate that cooking, something I’ve loved ever since I was a kid, has become my profession. After studying restaurant and hotel management in India, I traveled to the United States to enroll in the famous Culinary Institute of America. During a career that has spanned more than fifteen years, I have had the good fortune to cook for people in India, Europe, Asia, and now, North America, and to experiment with the cuisines of the world. Along the way, I never stopped exploring the many facets of my own native cooking—be it traditional, regional or contemporary. I kept returning to India, traveling extensively, and eating my way around the diverse regions of the country, all in the name of research. Needless to say, I have developed my own style of cooking Indian dishes, one adapted to contemporary lifestyles and tastes, yet it is the vivid memories from my youth and my home that guide every Indian meal I cook and every ingredient I select. What started as the simple task of cooking masala omelets and making chai for my family on special occasions, or sneaking behind the large kadai of the roadside vendor to figure out what makes his fritters so delectable, has become a life’s work of feeding countless people—all of whom have different levels of familiarity with Indian cuisine. Cooking for others is my greatest pleasure (and I take special pleasure in introducing Indian cuisine to the uninitiated), but nothing gives me more satisfaction than cooking for the people I love. I am sure the same is true for you—and I hope that you take joy in preparing the recipes in this book for your friends and family.

Hands-down, the recipes this book carries are my favorites. They have evolved over years of work with various Indian spices and the refinement of recipes, some of which owe their origins to my mother and grandmother. If the passion I have for Indian food finds a place in your heart (via your stomach), and also on your dining table, then this book will have served its purpose! And, I thank you for being a part of My Indian Kitchen.

Indian Food is Much More Than Just Curry!

The world has fallen in love with Indian food in recent years, and it’s little wonder. Indian cuisine is a rich mosaic of exotic spices—everything about it awakens the senses. Combining a heady mixture of subtly blended spices, rich flavors, and enticing aromas, Indian dishes have a lot to offer the cook in the way of tastes, smells, textures and colors. Indian cuisine has long been a staple part of the diet in the United Kingdom—Chicken Tika Masala has now replaced Fish and Chips as the national dish there—and in other western countries with substantial Indian populations. It is also creating waves in North America, where it has “arrived” with a bang on the haute cuisine scene and in everyday homes. There is increased availability of Indian ingredients, spices and produce (think of mangoes— they are no longer the exotic fruit they once were), which has changed the cooking styles in non-Indian homes radically in recent years. Many Indian ingredients can be easily purchased at supermarkets or online, and many have become indispensable pantry staples. Slowly and surely, people are recognizing that Indian food is not just about the “curry”—it is a lot more varied and complex in taste, texture and splendor.

When preparing a meal, Indian cooks are guided by the simple principle of including all the different tastes in one meal—sweet, sour, salty, hot and pungent. The different parts of a meal, therefore, include dishes that comprise all these different tastes.

In addition to taste, when it comes to meal-time planning, many Indians are also guided by their religious or cultural practices. Hinduism, practiced by the majority of the Indian population, requires that its adherents follow a mainly vegetarian diet. However, the food habits of Hindus vary according to their community and according to regional traditions. For example, many Hindus living in coastal areas are fish and seafood eaters, and some Hindus even eat meat. On the other hand, there are many religions other than Hinduism in India, some of which may allow the eating of meat but have other restrictions, such as the Muslims, who eschew pork.