1,000 Indian Recipes (54 page)

This hot, sour, and sweet powder comes to me courtesy of my friend Rama Srinivasan, who lives in the southern city of Bangalore. It is almost like a chutney, and that is how it is used to perk up the flavors of otherwise bland foods. Serve alongside steamed rice,
iddlis
(
steamed rice cakes
), or plain
dosas
(
rice and lentil crepes
). Use it sparingly, because the flavors of grated or shredded dried coconut (called
kopra
, available in Indian markets) and red chile peppers are quite concentrated. A little bit goes a long way.

¹
⁄
₂
cup dried yellow split chickpeas (channa dal), sorted

¹
⁄
₄
cup dried white urad beans (dhulli urad dal), sorted

2 teaspoons peanut oil

7 to 10 dried red chile peppers, such as chile de arbol, broken

1-inch ball of seedless tamarind pulp, broken into small bits or 1 tablespoon tamarind powder

¹
⁄
₄
cup ground coriander seeds

¹
⁄
₄
cup grated or shredded dried coconut (kopra)

¹
⁄
₄
cup ground jaggery (gur) or dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground asafoetida

1.
In a medium cast-iron or nonstick wok or skillet, roast together the dals, stirring and shaking the skillet over medium heat until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

2.
In the same pan, add the oil and stir-fry the red chile peppers and tamarind until a few shades darker, about 2 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the roasted dal.

3.
Still using the same pan, add the coriander and coconut and roast until a few shades darker, 2 to 4 minutes. Mix in the jaggery, salt, turmeric, and asafoetida, and roast until the jaggery melts, 1 to 2 minutes. Mix in the roasted dals, chile peppers and tamarind.

4.
Let cool, then grind in a spice or coffee grinder until coarsely ground. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, about 3 months in the refrigerator or 1 year in the freezer.

South Indian Peanut Powder

Moong-Phalli or Nilakkadala Podi

Makes about 1
¹
⁄
₂
cups

Used mainly as a seasoning over steamed rice, the toasty fragrance and soft crunch of peanuts and sesame seeds makes for a lovely topping over yogurt
pachadis
and green salads. Also, try it over cooked chicken, steamed vegetables, and noodles.

¹
⁄
₃
cup white sesame seeds, dry-roasted (
Dry-Roasting Spices, Nuts, and Flours
)

1 teaspoon sesame or peanut oil

5 to 7 dried red chile peppers, such as chile de arbol, broken

3 to 4 tablespoons dried curry leaves

1 teaspoon ground asafoetida

1 cup roasted peanuts, papery skin removed

1.
Prepare the sesame seeds. Then, in a medium cast-iron or nonstick wok or skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat and stir-fry the chile peppers until a few shades darker, about 1 minute. Add the curry leaves and asafoetida, and stir 30 seconds. Let cool, then grind in a spice or coffee grinder to make a fine powder. Transfer to a bowl.

2.
Coarsely grind the peanuts and sesame seeds in a spice or coffee grinder (you may have to do this in 2 or 3 batches). Add to the ground chile pepper mixture and mix well. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, about 1 week at room temperature or about 1 year in the refrigerator.

South Indian Sesame Seed Powder

Til or Ellu Podi

Makes about 1
¹
⁄
₂
cups

This
masala
is delightful as a last-minute garnish over cooked vegetables, meats, or rice. Or stir-fry some with minced ginger and garlic and use as a
masala
base for vegetable side dishes.

1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

2 tablespoons fenugreek seeds

1 tablespoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste

1 teaspoon ground asafoetida

1
¹
⁄
₄
cups white sesame seeds

1.
In a medium cast-iron or nonstick wok or skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat, add the fenugreek seeds, red pepper flakes, and asafoetida and stir until golden, about 1 minute.

2.
Add the sesame seeds, reduce the heat to medium, and roast, stirring and shaking the skillet, until golden, about 3 minutes. Let cool, then grind in a spice or coffee grinder to make as fine a powder as possible. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, about 1 week at room temperature or 1 year in the refrigerator.

Dessert and Tea Masalas

Dessert Masala

Mithai ka Masala

Makes about 1
¹
⁄
₂
cups

Along with raisins and nuts, certain fragrant seasonings are crucial to Indian desserts—cardamom, saffron, rosewater, and, occasionally, a touch of black pepper. Although each dessert can be customized, the following standard mixture can be added to almost all desserts. This pale green mixture is also a spectacular garnish over entrees such as rice, casseroles, and white curry dishes. A tablespoon of this stirred into hot milk is also really delicious. I often sprinkle it over vanilla, strawberry, or other fruit-flavored ice creams, and even over Indian banana fudge (
burfee
) and crème brûlées.

1 teaspoon saffron threads, dry-roasted and coarsely crushed (
Dry-Roasting Spices, Nuts, and Flours
)

1 cup shelled raw pistachios

¹
⁄
₂
cup shelled raw almonds, coarsely broken

¹
⁄
₄
cup cashews, coarsely broken

1 tablespoon coarsely ground green cardamom seeds

1 teaspoon coarsely ground black cardamom seeds

1.
Prepare the saffron. The, in a spice grinder or in a small food processor, pulse together the pistachios, almonds, and cashews in one or two batches, to make a coarse powder.

2.
Mix in the green and black cardamom seeds and the saffron. Store in an airtight container, about 3 months in the refrigerator or 1 year in the freezer.

Chai Tea Masala

Chai ka Masala

Makes about 1
¹
⁄
₂
cups