1,000 Indian Recipes (292 page)

1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

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⁄
₂
teaspoon coarsely ground fenugreek seeds

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⁄
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teaspoon ground asafoetida

1 black cardamom pod, seeds only, coarsely ground

1.
Place the rice and dal in a pressure cooker. Add the vegetables, ginger, garlic, cardamom pods, cinnamon, salt, and water. Secure the lid and cook over high heat until the regulator indicates high pressure, then cook about 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and allow the pot to depressurize on its own, 12 to 15 minutes. Carefully, open the lid, mix in the spinach, and cook over low heat until the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish.

2.
To make the tarka, heat the ghee in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the black pepper, fenugreek seeds, and asafoetida and stir a few seconds. Transfer to the khichadi in the serving dish, swirl lightly to mix, with parts of it visible as a garnish, sprinkle the cardamom seeds on top and serve.

Variation:
To add meat, mix in 8 to 10 ounces finely chopped uncooked chicken tenders along with the vegetables in Step 1.

Pilaf-Style Tapioca Pearls

Sabudana Khichadi

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This savory dish is different from any tapioca dish you may have tried before. It is tangy and spicy, and studded with crunchy peanuts. My sister-in-law Reita Bhalla first introduced me to this delicious
khichadi
many years ago, and then shared the recipe.

Tapioca are little white pearls made from cassava root (also known as tapioca root), which belongs to the potato family. It is served during the sacred
Navratrae
fasts—9 days of fasting that come twice a year, in March–April and in October–November—when cereal consumption is forbidden.

Tapioca grains comes in three sizes: the smallest are very fine, just a little bigger than semolina; the medium ones are tiny pearls, about 1/16-inch in diameter; and the largest are
¹
⁄
₈
-inch in diameter. The medium grain is the one most commonly used, and can be found in supermarkets or Indian or Asian markets.

1 cup medium-grain tapioca, sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

2 small russet potatoes

1 tablespoon vegetable oil or melted ghee

1
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⁄
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teaspoons cumin seeds

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cup shelled raw peanuts, with or without red skin

1 tablespoon peeled and minced or coarsely chopped fresh ginger

1 fresh green chile pepper, such as serrano, minced with seeds

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₂
teaspoon salt, or to taste

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⁄
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cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, with soft stems

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1.
Soak the tapioca in the water to cover about 2 hours. Drain well through a fine-mesh strainer and spread on a tray lined with paper towels to dry it completely. (This step is essential, or the khichadi will be soggy.) Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in lightly salted water to cover, about 20 minutes. Let cool, then peel and finely chop.

2.
Heat the ghee in a large nonstick wok or skillet and add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the peanuts, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until golden, about 3 minutes.

3.
Add the potatoes, ginger, and green chile pepper and stir 2 more minutes. Then add the tapioca, salt, cilantro, and lime juice, cover the pan, and cook, stirring as needed, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

Creamy Cracked Wheat, Rice, and Mung Beans
 

Gehun, Chaval, aur Dhulli Mung ka Khichada

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This pressure-cooked recipe is a specialty of Hyderabad in the south. The people of Hyderabad often make their
khichadi
with cracked wheat instead of rice, and they usually call it
khichada
. This dish is traditionally made by soaking, washing, and coarsely grinding whole-wheat grains. In America we take a shortcut and use cracked wheat instead. This easier version turns out almost as good.

Soak the grains the night before, then cook and serve this for breakfast with some fresh mangoes and papayas and a glass of buttermilk or
lussi
(a cold yogurt drink).

1 cup cracked wheat or pearl barley, sorted

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cup basmati rice, sorted

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cup dried yellow mung beans (dhulli mung dal), sorted

6 to 7 cups water

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted ghee

1
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⁄
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teaspoons cumin seeds

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teaspoon ajwain seeds

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⁄
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teaspoon ground asafoetida

2 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves

1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice

1.
Mix together the cracked wheat (or barley), rice, and dal and wash in 3 to 4 changes of water. Then soak everything overnight in the 6 cups of the water.

2.
Transfer the grains and water to a pressure cooker. Mix in the salt, then secure the lid and cook over high heat until the regulator indicates high pressure, and cook about 30 seconds more. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook another minute. Remove from the heat and allow the pot to depressurize on its own, 12 to 15 minutes. Carefully open the lid and check to see if the khichadi is soft and creamy; if not, add more water if needed, cover, bring up to pressure, and cook under pressure another minute. Or cover and boil until soft, about
¹
⁄
₂
hour. Stir well and transfer to a serving bowl.

3.
Heat the oil (or ghee) in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin and ajwain seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the asafoetida, mint, and lime juice and transfer to the khichadi. Swirl lightly to mix, with parts of it visible as a garnish, and serve.

Creamy Cracked Wheat with Mixed Lentils and Beans
 

Gehun aur Dal ka Khichada

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This is another special
khichada
from the southern city of Hyderabad. This one has no rice and is made only with cracked wheat and
dal
(legumes).
Khichada
is generally cooked with a lot more spices than a
khichadi
, and is very fragrant and substantial. It is normally served for brunch, or on a rainy day with a cup of hot
Spicy Chai Tea
.