1,000 Indian Recipes (260 page)

2.
Mix in the coriander, garam masala, fenugreek seeds, turmeric, and salt and cook, stirring and breaking any lumps, over medium heat until the meat is well-browned, 10 to 15 minutes.

3.
Add the yogurt, cover the pan, and cook, stirring as needed, until the potatoes are soft and the dish is well-moistened and thick, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, mix in the cardamom seeds, and serve.

Variation:
Toss in 2 to 3 cups of finely chopped fresh spinach, 1 cup thawed frozen peas, 1 cup small cauliflower florets, or any other vegetable of your choice along with the yogurt in Step 3, and cook until the vegetables are soft, another 5 to 7 minutes.

Ground Meat with Red Lentils

Keema-Dal

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This could very well be the south Indian version of chili—here, ground or minced meat gets an entirely different, somewhat starchy texture with the addition of a
dal
(beans, lentils, or peas). Try making it with any of the other
dals
, such as yellow split chickpeas or yellow and green split pea
s
.

¹
⁄
₄
to
¹
⁄
₂
cup
Coconut Milk
(or store-bought)

1 cup dried red lentils (dhulli masoor dal) or split pigeon peas (toor dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon garam masala +
¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon for garnish

1 teaspoon dried tamarind powder

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground turmeric

¹
⁄
₈
teaspoon ground asafoetida

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 to 6 dried red chile peppers, such as chile de arbol, with stems

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon fenugreek seeds

1 large onion, finely chopped

¹
⁄
₂
cup fresh or frozen grated coconut, or shredded unsweetened dried coconut

1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger

1 large clove fresh garlic, minced

2 tablespoons minced fresh curry leaves or 1 tablespoon dried curry leaves

1 pound lean ground or minced lamb or beef

1 to 1
¹
⁄
₂
cups water

¹
⁄
₂
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1.
Prepare the coconut milk. Then, in a bowl, soak the dal in water to cover by 2 inches, about 1 hour, then drain. In another bowl, mix together the coriander, 1 teaspoon garam masala, tamarind powder, turmeric, asafoetida, and salt with about
¹
⁄
₂
cup water to make a smooth paste.

2.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the red chile peppers, stirring, about 30 seconds. Add the cumin, mustard seeds, and fenugreek seeds; they should splatter upon contact with the hot oil, so lower the heat and cover the pan until the splattering subsides.

3.
Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes, then mix in the coconut, ginger, garlic, and curry leaves and stir until the mixture is golden, about 5 minutes. Add the spice paste, meat, and dal and cook, stirring, until the meat is golden, about 10 minutes.

4.
Add the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer until the dal is soft and the sauce is thick, about 10 minutes. Add the coconut milk and cilantro and simmer another 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, mix in the garam masala, and serve hot.

Ground Meat with Spinach and Coconut Milk

Palak-Nariyal Doodh ka Keema

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Saag-gosht (greens and lamb) is one of the most popular combination dishes in Indian cuisine. Here, I make it with ground meat instead of the customary boneless or bone-in piece of lamb.

¹
⁄
₂
cup
Coconut Milk
(or store-bought)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3 black cardamom pods, lightly crushed to break the skin

1 (1-inch) stick cinnamon, broken lengthwise

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1
¹
⁄
₄
pounds ground leg of lamb or top sirloin beef

2 medium onions, finely chopped

2 large cloves fresh garlic, minced

1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger

1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, minced with seeds

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh curry leaves

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon garam masala +
¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon for garnish

1 teaspoon ground fenugreek seeds

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 small bunch fresh spinach (8 to 10 ounces), trimmed, washed, and finely chopped

¹
⁄
₂
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

1.
Prepare the coconut milk. Then, heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cardamom pods, cinnamon, and cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the lamb, onions, garlic, ginger, green chile peppers, curry leaves, coriander, garam masala, fenugreek seeds, and salt and cook over medium heat, stirring and breaking up any lumps, until the meat is well-browned, 10 to 15 minutes.

2.
Add the spinach and cilantro and cook, stirring, until the spinach wilts, about 3 minutes. Add the coconut milk, cover the pan, and cook, stirring as needed, until everything is well moistened and the sauce is thick, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the garam masala on top, and serve.

Ground Meat with Nuts and Raisins

Maevae aur Kishmish vaala Keema

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Because cashews, pistachios, and raisins have long been considered expensive foods, this
keema
dish could be considered a slightly more sophisticated ground meat dish. Certainly, it looks very elegant, but if you want even more richness and drama, swirl in a tablespoon or 2 of heavy cream or yogurt as a garnish just before serving.

1
¹
⁄
₂
tablespoons
Basic Ginger-Garlic Paste
(or store-bought)

2 tablespoons peanut oil

2 (1-inch) sticks cinnamon

4 black cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin

¹
⁄
₂
cup coarsely chopped raw cashews

¹
⁄
₂
cup shelled raw pistachios

¹
⁄
₂
cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

¹
⁄
₂
cup golden raisins

1 teaspoon garam masala

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1
¹
⁄
₄
pounds ground extra lean lamb or beef

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt, or to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground green cardamom seeds

1.
Prepare the ginger-garlic paste. Then, heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over moderate heat and cook the cinnamon, black cardamom, ginger-garlic paste, cashews, and pistachios, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the yogurt, a little at a time, stirring constantly to prevent it from curdling, and stir until most of it is absorbed and the oil separates to the sides.

2.
Add the raisins, garam masala, nutmeg, meat, salt, and black pepper and cook, stirring, about 5 minutes. Then add the tomato sauce and cook over medium-heat the first 2 to 3 minutes, then over medium heat until most of it is absorbed and the lamb is tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the cardamom seeds on top, and serve hot.

Spicy Meat Balls

Gosht kae Kofta

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Koftas
are meat or vegetable balls. This recipe, using ground meat, is about as simple as
koftas
can be. The meat is mixed with spices, made into balls, then the balls are deep-fried. You could make a lighter version by pan-frying them in 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil. Or, if you plan to add them to a curry sauce, cook them only in the sauce itself. Present the deep-fried and pan-fried ones as finger foods with an array of chutneys.

1 teaspoon
Chaat Masala
(or store-bought)