1,000 Indian Recipes (267 page)

4.
Transfer the cream-nut mixture to a food processor and process to make a smooth paste. Place all the meat trimmings and the cream-nut paste in a small skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and mix in the mashed eggs.

5.
Divide the mixture into as many portions as there are meat pieces. Working with each flattened piece of meat separately, place the filling evenly along the length of it, leaving a
¹
⁄
₂
inch at both ends. Then roll tightly and tie the roll with cotton kitchen string to secure.

6.
Place the rolls in a single layer in a large nonstick skillet (in two batches if necessary). Drizzle the oil over them and cook over medium heat, turning, until well-browned, about 10 minutes.

7.
In a bowl, whisk together the yogurt, water, cumin, asafoetida, and salt and add to the skillet. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer until the rolls are fork-tender and the sauce is clinging to the rolls, about 20 minutes.

8.
Sprinkle the lemon juice and Kashmiri garam masala on top, and cook, gently shaking the pan but not stirring, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, cut into smaller pieces if you wish, top with the cheese, and serve.

Meat Broth Lamb Curry

Gosht Yakhni Kari

Makes 4 to 6 servings

The word
yakhni
means "meat broth." However, there is also a signature Kashmiri dish called
yakhni
, not because it is soupy or cooked in meat broth, but because a broth is created—the lamb is first boiled in water until tender and then cooked.

This particular dish is white, with no onion, garlic, tomatoes, or turmeric—the classic additions to any meat recipe elsewhere in India. Yet it abounds in flavor.

Traditionally, no fat is trimmed off the meat—something that makes sense in northern Kashmir's cold climate. I prefer this healthier alternative from my friend Promella Dhar.

2
¹
⁄
₂
pounds leg of lamb (
Buying Leg of Lamb
), or beef (rump, brisket, or sirloin), all visible fat trimmed, the bone separated (but saved) and the meat cut into 2-inch pieces

6 cups water

2 tablespoons ground fennel seeds

1
¹
⁄
₂
teaspoons ground ginger

10 cloves

1 (1-inch) stick cinnamon, broken lengthwise

4 black cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

1 tablespoon mustard or vegetable oil

1 teaspoon black cumin seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon garam masala

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

1.
Place the lamb and the bone, water, fennel seeds, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom pods, and salt in a large nonstick pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and cook until all the water has been absorbed and the meat is very tender, 50 to 60 minutes. (If the meat is not tender, add up to 1 cup more water and cook until soft.)

2.
Mix in the yogurt, a little at a time, stirring constantly to prevent it from curdling, until it is absorbed. Remove the pan from the heat.

3.
Heat the oil in a small nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat and add both kinds of cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the garam masala, then mix the spices and oil into the meat and cook, stirring, over medium heat, about 10 minutes to blend the flavors. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with the cilantro, and serve.

Fish and Shellfish

Geographically, one half of India is a peninsula, with an entire ocean (the Indian Ocean) and a bay (the Bay of Bengal) named after it. The major water link for the other half of the country is the Ganges, a behemoth of a river system that keeps most of the northern and eastern parts of India well-watered. Most of the remaining country is also well-traversed by rivers and streams, and is dotted with small lakes. It's no wonder, then, that the harvest from these waters plays an important role in the lives and the cuisine of India's people.

Despite all this, India has never been known for its seafood. However, of late I've noticed the rising popularity of Indian or Indian-inspired seafood dishes—in upscale restaurants in America and elsewhere, in Indian restaurants, and in the kitchens of adventurous home cooks.

Although there are different fish and shellfish found in Indian waters than in the rest of the world, most of the fish in American fish markets are comparable to Indian varieties, and most take well to Indian flavors. All the recipes in this chapter are made with varieties of fish that are easy to find, such as shrimp, sea bass, halibut, and salmon. You can make northern-Indian favorites such as
Pan-Fried Fish Fillets with Ajwain Seeds
, the western-style
Spicy Goan Shrimp Curry
;
Fish with Bengali 5-Spices
from the east; and
Cochin Coconut Shrimp with Tomatoes
from the south.

A few things to remember about preparing fish: Do not overcook, use a gentle hand if stirring or, if possible, don't stir at all or the delicate fish flesh might fall apart. When making fish curries, simply shake or swirl the pan to mix everything. When pan-frying, carefully pick up the pieces with a spatula to turn them over but not more than twice.

Shrimp Dishes

Pan-Fried Shrimp

Bhunni Jhinga

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Quick cooking and really tasty, these shrimp make lovely finger foods or can be presented with a meal.

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

16 to 20 fresh or frozen (thawed) jumbo shrimp (11 to 15 per pound), shelled and deveined, with tails intact

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon coarsely ground ajwain seeds

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, or to taste

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 cups shredded lettuce, such as green or red leaf

Lime wedges

1.
Prepare the ginger-garlic paste. Then place the shrimp in a large non-reactive bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients (except the lettuce and lime wedges) and mix well, making sure all the shrimp are well-coated with the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator 1 to 4 hours.

2.
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Transfer the shrimp, one by one, to the skillet and cook, turning as needed, until pink and opaque, 6 to 8 minutes.

3.
Line a platter with shredded lettuce, transfer the shrimp to the platter, and serve with lime wedges on the side.

Variation:
Instead of pan-cooking, thread the shrimp on skewers and grill over medium-high (375°F to 400°F) heat until lightly charred and opaque, about 4 minutes.

Spicy Grilled Shrimp

Bhunni Jhinga Masala

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Marinated in a simple fresh purée of oil, ginger, garlic, and green chile peppers, shrimp cooked this way are almost universally appealing. Serve the shrimp right away so they don't get tough and rubbery as they cool.

2 tablespoons
Gujarati Green Paste

16 to 20 fresh jumbo shrimp (11 to 15 per pound), shelled and deveined, with tails intact

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt, or to taste

4 to 5 metal skewers or wooden skewers soaked in water 30 minutes

2 cups shredded lettuce, such as green or red leaf

1.
Prepare the masala paste. Then put the shrimp in a large non-reactive bowl. Add the masala paste, lemon juice, and salt and mix until all the shrimp are well-coated with the marinade. Cover and marinate at least 2 and up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

2.
Preheat the grill to medium-high (375°F to 400°F). Line a serving platter with the lettuce. Thread the shrimp on the skewers and grill 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning once, until lightly charred and opaque. Transfer to the serving platter. Serve hot.

Cochin Coconut Shrimp with Tomatoes

Jhinga Nariyal-Tamatar

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This delicately flavored dish was prepared for me by the chef at a restaurant in the city of Cochin. Located along the southwestern coast of India, where seafood and coconut palms abound, the city is well known, understandably, for shrimp and coconut dishes.

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

2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped

4 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger

2 large cloves fresh garlic, peeled

2 bay leaves

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon garam masala

¹
⁄
₂
cup water

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

1 to 2 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, stemmed

2 tablespoons any vegetable oil

1 tablespoon ground fresh or frozen or unsweetened dried coconut

16 to 20 fresh jumbo shrimp (11 to 15 per pound), shelled and deveined, with tails intact

1 tablespoon ground coriander

¹
⁄
₂
cup nonfat plain yogurt blended with
¹
⁄
₂
cup water