My Indian Kitchen (22 page)

2 cups (420 g) uncooked basmati rice

8 cups (2 liters) water

2 green cardamom pods

2 whole cloves

1 bay leaf

3 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons oil or ghee (clarified butter)

1 large onion (about 1/2 lb/250 g), thinly sliced

1 lb (500 g) ground lamb

1 teaspoon Asian chili powder or cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons ground coriander

1/2 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger

1/2 tablespoon minced garlic

1 fresh green chili pepper, chopped

1/4 cup (60 g) plain yogurt

2 teaspoons Home-Style Garam Masala (page 35)

2 tablespoons chopped toasted cashew nuts or toasted slivered almonds

2 tablespoons golden raisins

Juice of 2 lemons

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro), for garnish

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

2 Soak the rice for 30 to 40 minutes. Carefully pour out the soaking water and wash the rice in several changes of water, until the water runs clear. Leave it to drain in a fine-meshed strainer for about 15 minutes.

3 Bring the water to a boil in a large nonstick saucepan over high heat. Add the whole spices, 2 teaspoons of the salt and the rice. Once the water has returned to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until the rice is almost cooked, about 8 to10 minutes. Drain the rice and spices in a fine-meshed strainer. Discard the water.

4 Heat the ghee or oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick, oven-safe saucepan, Dutch oven, or other type of covered oven-safe baking dish with a tight-fitting lid. Add the onion and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the lamb, Asian chili powder or cayenne pepper, ground coriander, ginger, garlic, green chili pepper, yogurt, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook until the lamb is cooked and nicely browned, about 3 minutes, adding a little water if needed to prevent sticking. When the lamb is cooked and dry, stir in the Home-Style Garam Masala.

5 Top this mixture with the cooked rice. Sprinkle on the chopped cashews or almonds and raisins. Drizzle with the lemon juice and seal the pan well with aluminum foil. Then place the lid over the foil. This technique is commonly known as dum cooking.

6 Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, fluff the top of the rice lightly with a fork, and add the chopped fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Black-Eyed Peas and Rice

Lobhiya Pulao

This delicious rice dish is a very nutritious combination of protein and carbohydrates, making it a complete meal if served with a fresh green salad and any raita. This rice also makes a good partner for Madras Chicken (page 114) or a vegetable dish, such as Cauliflower with Ginger and Cumin (page 86).

Serves 4

Prep time: 20 minutes plus 5 hours for soaking beans and 40 minutes for rice

Cook time: 40 minutes

1 cup (175 g) black-eyed peas (lobhiya)

11/4 cups (260 g) uncooked basmati rice

3 tablespoons oil

2 onions (about 3/4 lb/350 g), thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, crushed

One 1-in (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and crushed

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon Asian chili powder or cayenne pepper

1 tomato (about 1/3 lb/150 g), chopped

1 teaspoon salt

4 cups (1 liter) water

1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter) or oil

2 green cardamom pods

4 whole cloves

One 1-in (2.5-cm) cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon Home-Style Garam Masala (page 35)

1 Soak the beans in cold water for at least 5 hours or overnight.

2 Soak the rice for 30 to 40 minutes. Carefully pour out the soaking water and wash the rice in several changes of water, until the water runs clear. Leave it to drain in a fine-meshed strainer for about 15 minutes.

3 Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. When hot, add the sliced onions and fry until brown and crisp, stirring frequently. Remove them with a slotted spoon, leaving as much of the oil in the pan as possible, and spread them out on a paper towel to drain. Set aside for garnish.

4 To the same pan that you fried the onions, add the garlic and ginger and sauté for 30 seconds over medium heat. Add the turmeric, cumin, coriander, Asian chili powder or cayenne pepper and tomato and cook until the oil separates from the masala, about 1 minute. Add the drained beans, salt, and water and cook, covered, until the beans are tender, about 30 to 40 minutes. Set aside. Do not drain the water.

5 In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat the ghee or oil over medium heat. Add the cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon stick and cook for a few seconds. Add the drained rice and sauté for about 1 minute, stirring gently so as not to break the rice grains.

6 Add the beans and their cooking liquid and bring to a boil. Add the Home-Style Garam Masala and reduce the heat to low. Cook, covered, until the water is evaporated and the rice is cooked, about 5 minutes. Stir once and garnish with the fried onions.

Saffron Chicken Biriyani

Nawabi Murg Biriyani

There is a school of thought that believes the origin of this dish to be somewhere in the Arabian countries where the tribal bedouins would put meat, yogurt, spices and rice into a big pot and then seal and bury it in the warm sands of the desert to slowly cook. The pot was then dug up and unsealed to display a beautifully flavored rice meal. Today, it is almost a festive meal for Indians. This casserole of saffron-scented rice and melt-in-your-mouth chunks of meat or chicken is by far one of my most favorite Indian dishes. I will board a flight impromptu to any destination if someone spills the whereabouts of a good “Biriyani” (the way this dish is known in India)! When served with Cucumber and Yogurt Raita (page 45), nothing more is wanted. If you’d like a centerpiece on your dinner table and a dish to show off your cooking skills, this recipe is the one to make. Be forewarned: it is not something to undertake on a weeknight evening. Though making a perfectly cooked biriyani does take some practice, these tips should help you get near perfect results and with less fuss: 1 Soak the rice for an hour or two (this allows the rice grains to remain separate and fluffy; 2 Use bone-in chicken for the best flavor; 3 Make the Cucumber and Yogurt Raita, if serving, a day ahead to save you time.

Serves 6

Prep time: 45 minutes plus 1 hour for soaking rice

Cook time: 1 hour

11/2 cups (315 g) uncooked basmati rice

3 tablespoons chopped garlic

One 3-in (7.5-cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped

About 10 to 12 fresh mint leaves

1/4 cup (10 g) packed fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

2 fresh green chili peppers, stemmed

2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lime juice

2 cups (500 g) plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

1 tablespoon Home-Style Garam Masala (page 35)

Salt

1 whole chicken, about 31/2 to 4 lbs (1.6 to 1.75 kg) skinned and cut into serving pieces, or 3 1/2 to 4 lbs (1.6 to 1.75 kg), bone-in chicken pieces of your choice, skinned

6 cups (1.5 liters) water

5 to 7 green cardamom pods

One 1-in (2.5-cm) cinnamon stick

2 bay leaves

4 whole cloves

3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter) or oil

2 onions (about 3/4 lb/350 g), thinly sliced

4 whole mace blades (optional)

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves

4 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

1 teaspoon saffron threads, soaked in 1/4 cup (65 ml) milk

2 tablespoons almonds, toasted, for garnish

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

2 Soak the rice for 1 hour. Carefully pour out the soaking water and wash the rice in several changes of water, until the water runs clear. Leave it to drain in a fine-meshed strainer for about 15 minutes.

3 Process the garlic, ginger, mint leaves, fresh coriander leaves, green chili peppers and lime juice in a food processor or a blender to make a smooth purée. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the yogurt, Home-Style Garam Masala, and a dash of salt. Add the chicken and mix well, making sure all the pieces are well coated with the marinade. Cover and marinate for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight, in the refrigerator.

4 Bring 5 cups (1.25 liters) of the water to a boil in a large nonstick saucepan over high heat. Add 2 of the cardamom pods, the cinnamon stick, 1 of the bay leaves, 2 of the cloves, a pinch of salt and the drained rice. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, until the rice is halfway cooked, about 5 minutes. Drain the rice and the whole spices. Discard the water.

5 Heat the ghee or oil over medium-high heat in a large, nonstick oven-safe saucepan (about 4-to 6-quart-/3.75-to 5.75-liter capacity), a Dutch oven or other type of covered, oven-safe baking dish with a tight fitting lid. When hot, add the sliced onions and fry them for about 8 to 10 minutes, until brown and crisp, stirring frequently. Remove them with a slotted spoon, leaving as much of the oil in the pan as possible, and spread them out on a paper towel to drain. Set aside for garnish.

6 To the same saucepan that you fried the onions, add the remaining whole spices, including the mace and cumin, and fry over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

7 Add the marinated chicken and the marinade and sauté, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the remaining 1 cup (250 ml) of water, stir, and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the chicken is almost cooked, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.

8 Add the chopped fresh mint and fresh coriander leaves on top of the chicken, and then cover everything well with the partially cooked rice. Drizzle the saffron milk on top of the rice, seal the pan well with aluminum foil, and place the lid over the foil.

9 Bake for about 30 minutes. This cooking technique is called dum. Remove from the oven and fluff the top of the rice lightly with a fork. Top with the fried onions and toasted almonds and serve.

Lemon Rice with Peanuts

Huli Anna

With its fresh citrus flavor and fragrance of curry leaves, this dish is one of the most popular of the rice specialties from southern India. In our home, Lemon Rice with Peanuts was prepared for special or festive occasions. This rice dish tastes great even at room temperature, so it is an excellent picnic food. Serve with crisped pappadum (page 55) and Green Mango Pickle (page 47) and, for a complete meal, any mild dal, such as Delicious Everyday Dal (page 74), or a vegetable dish, such as Stir-Fried Vegetables with Yogurt (page 80).

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 minutes plus 40 minutes for soaking

Cook time: 15 minutes

2 cups (420 g) uncooked basmati rice

8 cups (2 liters) water

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons oil

2 teaspoons black mustard seeds

3 dried red chili peppers

2 teaspoons split yellow peas (chana dal)

6 to 8 fresh or dried curry leaves

1 cup (100 g) unsalted peanuts

Juice of 2 lemons, plus more if needed

Lemon wedges, for serving

1 Soak the rice for 30 to 40 minutes. Carefully pour out the soaking water and wash the rice in several changes of water, until the water runs clear. Leave it to drain in a fine-meshed strainer for about 15 minutes.

2 Bring the water with the turmeric, rice and salt to a boil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, partially covered, until cooked. Drain the rice thoroughly in a fine-meshed strainer and return the rice to the saucepan. Set the pan aside, off the heat, covered.

3 Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and, when they start to pop, add the dried red chili peppers, chana dal, curry leaves and peanuts. Cook for a minute, stirring constantly or until the chana dal and the nuts are lightly browned. This technique is known as tempering or tarhka.

4 Pour the contents of the skillet into a mixing bowl. Add the rice, lemon juice and salt; mix well until incorporated. Taste for lemon and salt, and adjust according to taste. Serve with lemon wedges.

Indian Fried Rice

Bhuni Pulao

The most innovative and best meal ideas often come when your pockets are half empty! And we’ve all faced this situation while being a student, haven’t we?! I still recollect one weekend when I left from Manipal to meet a friend in Mysore. Both of us were students, and in love with food. A student of theater, and used to late nights of rehearsals and shows, my friend knew exactly where to find the quickest, cheapest and the most delicious food at three o’clock in the morning! We went to “Food Street”—a popular strip of pavement with series of stalls serving street food. It is there that I tasted this fried rice. With hunger in our stomachs, perhaps anything that we popped in our mouths that day would have tasted like bliss, but this rice dish was truly delicious. This is my attempt to reproduce that “Food Street” fried rice. Like most fried-rice dishes, this is best made with leftover rice. The array of vegetables, each contributing a different texture, and the piquant flavor of the soy sauce combined with the sharpness of garam masala and dried red chili peppers, is delicious. Though most Indian rice recipes use basmati, a generic white long-grain rice is actually better for stir-fries as basmati rice tends to get soft and break apart quite easily when rapidly stirred. Indian Fried Rice makes a good complete meal for vegetarians or a great side dish with seafood dishes like Chili Shrimp with Curry Leaves and Coconut (page 103) or Goan-Style Squid (page 102).

Serves 4

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

11/2 cups (315 g) uncooked long-grain white rice

6 cups (1.5 liters) water

4 tablespoons oil, plus more if needed

2 eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon minced garlic

3 teaspoons peeled and minced fresh ginger