My Indian Kitchen (23 page)

2 small onions (about 1/2 lb/250 g), finely chopped

1 small carrot, peeled and diced (about 1/2 cup/75 g)

8 green beans, trimmed and finely chopped

1 cup (130 g) green peas, fresh or frozen (shelled from 1 lb/500 g fresh pea pods or about half of one 10-oz/300-g package frozen peas)

1/4 head cabbage (about 1/4 lb/125 g) cabbage, chopped

2 green onions (scallions), chopped

2 dried red chili peppers, deseeded and chopped

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon Home-Style Garam Masala (page 35)

Salt, to taste

4 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

1 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 to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat and add the rice. Once the water has returned to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, uncovered, until the rice is cooked and tender, about 8 to12 minutes. Start checking after 8 minutes. Drain the rice and discard the water. It is important to make sure the rice is not overcooked and just tender.

3 Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Pour in the beaten eggs and allow to set without stirring. Slide the omelet onto a plate, roll it up, and cut it crosswise into fine strips. Set aside.

4 Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil in a wok or a large skillet over high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, onions, carrot, green beans, peas and cabbage, and stir-fry for about 1 minute, or until the vegetables are tender. Add the green onions, red chili peppers, soy sauce and Home-Style Garam Masala, and sauté for another 30 seconds. Add the rice and some additional oil, if needed, and fry for 1 minute. Check for seasoning and add salt if needed. Stir in the coriander leaves and serve hot.

Tamarind Rice

Puliogare

This traditional rice dish is very common in the south

Indian states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. It is made with popular south Indian spices and aromatics like mustard seeds and curry leaves, and tamarind, a locally available souring agent. The addition of peanuts gives the dish a nice crunch, which contrasts nicely with the softness of the cooked rice. This rice dish can be served hot or at room temperature—it will taste great either way. It is lovely by itself and, for a nourishing vegetarian meal, goes well with any raita. I like to serve it with crisped pappadum (page 55) as well.

Serves 4

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

21/2 tablespoons tamarind paste

1/4 cup (65 ml) hot water

3 tablespoons oil

3 teaspoons black mustard seeds

4 dried red chili peppers, broken in half

1/2 lb (250 g) shallots (about 15 medium-size shallots), chopped

2 fresh green chili peppers, coarsely chopped

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

10 fresh or dried curry leaves

1 recipe Plain Basmati Rice (page 124), chilled or at room temperature

Salt, to taste

4 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro), for garnish

2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, for garnish

1 Place the tamarind paste and hot water in a small bowl. Use a fork to mix the tamarind paste into the water. Set aside.

2 Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds and cover. After the mustard seeds have sputtered and popped for 10 to15 seconds, add the chopped dried red chili peppers and shallots. Lower the heat to medium and fry for about 1 minute, stirring frequently.

3 Add the green chili peppers and turmeric and fry over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the chili peppers begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Toss in the curry leaves and give them a stir.

4 Add the cooked rice to the mixture and stir in the salt. Increase the heat to high and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, while stirring constantly. Add the tamarind liquid and fry for a few minutes, tossing the mixture to avoid lumps of rice. Serve hot, garnished with fresh coriander leaves and roasted peanuts.

Basmati Rice with Whole Spices

Saada Pulao

There are many variations and methods of preparing and cooking basmati rice, but the goal is always the same—when cooked, every grain should be separate and whole. In this method, known as a pulao, or pilaf in the West, the rice is sautéed in hot oil or ghee and then cooked in a seasoned liquid with spices. A minimum amount of water is used and, once absorbed and the rice tender, the pan is taken off the heat to allow the rice to rest. It is very important to keep a watchful eye because once you take the rice off the heat it continues to cook in its own steam. For best results, basmati rice should be soaked for about 30 to 40 minutes and washed in several changes of water before it is cooked. This is one of the most common, finest and flavorful rice dishes, and it can be served with any Indian meal or dishes.

Serves 4

Prep time: 5 minutes plus 40 minutes for soaking

Cook time: 15 minutes

11/2 cups (315 g) uncooked basmati rice

11/2 teaspoons cumin seeds

1 teaspoon whole cloves

1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

5 to 7 green cardamom pods

1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter) or oil

23/4 cups (685 ml) water

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves

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 Place the cumin, cloves, black peppercorns and cardamom in a medium saucepan and roast, while shaking the pan, over medium-high heat until highly fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the drained rice and ghee or oil and sauté for 1 to 3 minutes, stirring gently with a wooden spoon—be careful not to break the grains of the rice.

3 Add the water and salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover the pan, and cook until the rice is done, 10 to 12 minutes. Do not stir the rice while it cooks. Remove from the heat and let the rice rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with the fresh mint leaves, and serve.

Mint Rice with Potatoes and Toasted Cumin

Aloo Pudina Pulao

This rice dish is mildly flavored with cumin seeds and mint leaves, making it suitable for almost any kind of meal. I particularly like to serve this with Masala Lamb Chops (page 121).

Serves 6

Prep time: 15 minutes plus 40 minutes for soaking

Cook time: 15 minutes

1 1/4 cups (260 g) uncooked basmati rice

2 tablespoons oil

1 onion (about 1/3 lb/150 g), thinly sliced

1 potato (about 1/2 lb/250 g), peeled and cut into 1/2-in (1.25-cm) dice

2 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger

1 small fresh green chili pepper, minced

3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves

21/4 cups (565 ml) water

Salt, to taste

1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted and coarsely crushed

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 Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and sauté the onion until brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the potato, ginger, green chili pepper and half of the mint leaves. Cook, stir ring constantly, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

3 Add the rice and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the water and salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover the pan, and cook until the rice is done, 10 to 12 minutes. Do not stir the rice while it cooks. Remove from the heat and let the rice rest, covered, for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle on the roasted cumin and the remaining mint leaves, and serve.

Baked Garlic Naan Lasooni Naan

This is the most popular breads served in Indian restaurants. Naan is eaten in all parts of India but is more popular in the north. Traditionally naan is made with all-purpose flour and is cooked in a hot clay oven, or tandoor, which gives it a very special taste. Though it is almost impossible to reproduce the smoky flavors of breads cooked in a tandoor, this recipe, adapted for a conventional oven, creates results surprisingly close to the authentic tandoori naan. Every home oven acts differently, so cooking time usually varies from 5 to 10 minutes. Sometimes I bake nann on a cookie sheet under the broiler of a conventional oven until the top is slightly browned. A pizza stone is the best choice when using the broiler method because once heated, the stone radiates heat and the naan can bake simultaneously from the top and bottom.

Makes 8 naan

Prep time: 15 minutes plus 1 hour for resting

Bake time: 7 to 10 minutes

11/4 cups (300 ml) milk, warmed (about 110°F/43°C)

2 teaspoons sugar

1/4 ounce (1 envelope) active dry yeast

4 cups (480 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra to dust work surface

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (100 g) chopped garlic (1 to 2 heads garlic)

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons oil

3/4 cup (180 g) plain yogurt, lightly beaten

1 Combine the milk, sugar and yeast in a small bowl. Stir to mix. Set aside for 15 to 20 minutes.

2 Sift the flour and baking powder in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the salt, half of the garlic, the egg, oil, yogurt and yeast mixture. Mix to form a soft dough. If the dough seems dry, add a little more milk. Turn onto a floured work surface and knead the dough by pressing your knuckles lightly into the dough, spreading the dough outward, gathering the ends towards the center with your fingers, and pressing the center down. Repeat for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until you have soft, pliable dough that does not stick to your fingers. Place in an oiled bowl. Cover with a damp cloth or a plastic wrap and let rest in a warm place to double in size, about 1 to 2 hours.

3 Preheat the oven, with the oven rack in the highest position, to 400°F (200°C) or to the highest temperature.

4 Punch down the dough, knead it briefly, and divide it into 8 portions. Roll out the dough either into circles 6 to 7 inches (15 to 17.5 cm) in diameter or into tear shapes. Sprinkle the dough circles or tear shapes with the remaining garlic. Gently press the garlic into the dough.

5 Arrange the rolled breads on a greased cookie sheet or a preheated pizza stone. Bake on the top oven rack for 5 to 10 minutes, or until slightly brown on the edges. Serve hot.

Variation:

Plain Naan and Flavored Naan

To make plain naan, simply omit the garlic. The basic recipe for all naan is the same. Variations can be done by adding different flavors from herbs, spices and other aromatics. These flavors can be added to the dough while making the dough, before rolling, or they can be pressed onto the surface of the dough after rolling, or a combination, as was done when making Baked Garlic Naan.

Whole Wheat Griddle Breads

Chapati

Chapati, also called roti or phulka, is made with whole-wheat flour, salt and water. This simple unleavened flatbread is the most common type of bread made in Indian homes. They are made fresh at every meal, and are best eaten hot as they are cooked. (Typically, chapatis are rolled out and cooked in small batches while people are eating so that everyone enjoys them fresh.) They are served at just about every meal and go well with vegetables, meats or just pickles. Chapati is typically made on a tava —a round, slightly concave, cast-iron griddle that looks like an omelet pan without a lip and with a slight curve to the bottom. If you want to buy one, look for tava griddles in Indian markets. You can use a cast-iron or nonstick griddle, or even a large cast-iron skillet, with equally good results. A perfect chapati comes with practice. I can never match the skill, speed and perfection of chapati-making achieved by my mom and the other women in my family. I have learned some tips over the years from the experts that will help you master this great, everyday bread. Tip 1: Chapati dough has to be quite soft. The amount of water added to the flour can be tricky—it depends on the brand of flour and humidity in the air. So, it is important to add the water in small quantities. Note that the amount of water suggested in the recipe is a guideline only—you may need to add more or less water. Tip 2: When rolling out the individual chapatis, do not worry if they do not come out in a perfect round. Your chapati will become more perfect looking with practice.

Makes about 10 chapatis

Prep time: 10 minutes plus 1 hr for resting

Cook time: 10 minutes

2 cups (250 g) whole-wheat flour, plus extra to dust work surface

1/2 teaspoon salt

About 1 cup (250 ml) water

1/2 cup (125 ml) oil or melted ghee (clarified butter), for brushing

1 Sift the whole-wheat flour and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the center. Slowly add the water in small quantities, while mixing, until a soft dough has formed. Turn onto a floured work surface and knead the dough by pressing your knuckles lightly into the dough, spreading the dough outward, gathering the ends towards the center with your fingers, and pressing the center down. Repeat for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until you have soft, pliable dough that does not stick to your fingers. PPlace in an oiled bowl. Cover with a damp cloth or a plastic wrap and let rest for about an hour. (This allows the gluten to develop). If keeping for longer periods, refrigerate the dough.

2 Heat a tava, griddle or a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Divide the dough into 8 to 10 equal portions. Work with one portion at a time, keeping the rest covered with a damp cloth. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion to a circle about 6 to 7 inches (15 to 17.5 cm) in diameter. Carefully shake the excess surface flour off prior to cooking.

3 Place each rolled bread on the tava, griddle or skillet and cook for about 7 to 10 seconds, until brown. Turn the bread over to brown the other side, about 12 to 15 seconds. Turn it over and lightly smear the hot bread with the oil or ghee. Serve hot.