1,000 Indian Recipes (69 page)

1 teaspoon
Chaat Masala
, or to taste (or store-bought)

4 quarter-size slices of peeled fresh ginger

5 to 6 scallions, coarsely chopped

1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, stemmed

2 cups coarsely chopped mixed fresh herbs in any proportion, such as cilantro, mint, parsley, dill, basil, or lemon basil

2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

Minced fresh greens of your choice (scallions, chile peppers, or herbs)

1.
Prepare the chaat masala. Then, in a food processor or a blender, process together the ginger, scallions, and green chile peppers until minced. Add the fresh herbs and lime juice and process again until smooth, scraping the sides of the work bowl with a spatula, as needed. (If you need more liquid while processing, mix in some of the yogurt.) Add the chaat masala, salt, and pepper, and process again.

2.
Place the yogurt in a serving bowl and add the puréed greens. Swirl lightly to mix, with parts of the greens visible as a garnish. Scatter the additional minced greens on top, and serve. This chutney stays fresh in the refrigerator about 1 week. Do not freeze.

Yogurt Chutney with Roasted Dals and Spices

Dahi aur Bhuni Dal ki Chutni

Makes about 1
¹
⁄
₂
cups

Although very ordinary looking, this south Indian chutney's flavor seems to explode at first bite. Try it as a dip with
vadai
(deep-fried, fermented lentil dumplings) or with
pakoras
(chickpea flour batter-fried vegetable fritters), or mix in some boiled and chopped potatoes and present it as a
raita
with any rice
pullao
(pilaf).

1 tablespoon each, dried yellow split chickpeas (channa dal), split white urad beans (dhulli urad dal), yellow mung beans (dhulli mung dal), dry-roasted and ground (
Dry-Roasting Spices
)

2 teaspoons cumin seeds, dry-roasted and coarsely ground (
Dry-Roasting Spices
)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 dried red chile peppers, such as chile de arbol, with stems, broken

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground asafoetida

15 to 20 fresh curry leaves

1 to 2 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, coarsely chopped

¹
⁄
₄
cup grated fresh or frozen coconut

2 tablespoons peeled and coarsely chopped fresh ginger

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

1 cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1.
Prepare the dals and the cumin. Then heat the oil in a small nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and add the red chile peppers and mustard seeds; they should splutter upon contact with the hot oil, so lower the heat and cover the pan until the spluttering subsides.

2.
Quickly add the asafoetida, curry leaves, green chile peppers, coconut, and ginger, and cook, stirring, until the coconut is golden, about 5 minutes. Add the cilantro and stir another 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender or a food processor and process to make a smooth paste.

3.
Place the yogurt in a serving bowl, mix in the processed herb and coconut paste, then add the roasted dals, cumin (save some cumin for garnish), and the salt, and stir to mix well. Sprinkle the reserved cumin on top and serve. This chutney stays fresh in the refrigerator about 1 week. Do not freeze.

Yogurt Cheese Chutney with Minced Greens

Gaadhi Dahi ki Hari Chutni

Makes about 1
¹
⁄
₂
cups

Yogurt cheese, made by simply draining the water out of yogurt, has the texture and consistency of sour cream and even cream cheese if it is further drained by being pressed under a heavy object. And, like its popular relatives, this cheese is very versatile.

Here we add some pretty common Indian flavors, which, in America fall into the exotic category. The trick here is to mince all the ingredients so that they merge well into the smooth yogurt cheese, yet retain their individuality and delicate crunch. Do not purée.

Serve this one as a dip with crisp vegetables or mix in some chopped hard-boiled eggs, cooked chicken, or even a can of water-packed tuna and present in sandwiches or over salads.

1 teaspoon dry-roasted and coarsely crushed cumin seeds (
Dry-Roasting Spices
)

1 teaspoon
Chaat Masala
, or to taste (or store-bought)

1
¹
⁄
₂
cups nonfat plain yogurt

1 (2-foot-square) piece of fine muslin or 4 layers of cheesecloth

10 to 12 scallions, white parts only, minced

¹
⁄
₄
cup minced fresh cilantro, including soft stems

¹
⁄
₄
cup minced fresh mint leaves

1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger

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

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground paprika

1.
Prepare the cumin and the chaat masala. Then, place the yogurt in a colander or a fine-mesh strainer lined with muslin or 4 layers of cheesecloth set over a bowl. Allow to drain about 2 hours in the refrigerator. Transfer to a serving bowl, then whisk with a fork until smooth.

2.
Add the scallion, cilantro, mint, ginger, green chile pepper, lemon juice, chaat masala, sugar, and half the cumin, and mix well. Adjust the seasonings. Garnish with the remaining cumin seeds and the paprika, and serve immediately or refrigerate about 1 week. Do not freeze.

Yogurt-Almond Chutney

Dahi-Badaam ki Chutni

Makes about 1
¹
⁄
₂
cups

As the almonds soak, they absorb some of the yogurt and soften, to lend an interesting texture and a delicate bite to this refreshing, chile-fired chutney. For a change of flavors, instead of the almonds, add walnuts, cashews, or pistachios, or add a mixture of nuts.

1 cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

¹
⁄
₂
cup shelled and coarsely ground raw almonds

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

¹
⁄
₄
cup minced fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger

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

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon
Chaat Masala
(or store-bought)

In a serving bowl, mix together all the ingredients except the chaat masala and chill at least 4 hours. Before serving, prepare the chaat masala then add it to the chutney and swirl lightly to mix, with parts of it visible as a garnish. This chutney stays fresh about 1 week in the refrigerator. Do not freeze.

Puréed Fruit Chutneys

Puréed Green Mango Chutney

Harae Aam ki Chutni

Makes about 1
¹
⁄
₂
cups

Come summer, when the first mangoes hit the market, there is an air of infectious excitement—let the mango craze begins! Besides devouring mangoes out-of-hand by the dozens, cooks all over the country begin preparing numerous incarnations of mango dishes. This chutney, with its southern flavors of mustard seeds, curry leaves, and asafoetida, is just one of the popular ones.

Serve it with the standard south Indian foods, such as
iddlis
(steamed fermented rice cakes),
dosas
(griddle-fried, fermented rice and
dal
crepes), or with any Indian finger foods or rice
pullaos
(pilafs).

2 large unripe green mangoes (about
³
⁄
₄
pound each), washed and wiped dry

3 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger

1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, stemmed

4 scallions, coarsely chopped

15 to 20 fresh curry leaves