Easy Indian Cooking (26 page)

2 teaspoons Asian chili powder or ground cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

2 lbs (1 kg) fresh squid, cleaned and cut into 1-in (2.5-cm) rings

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon chopped green onions (scallions)

2 tablespoons oil

2 onions, thinly sliced

10 fresh curry leaves

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons minced ginger

½ cup (125 ml) coconut milk

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Salt, to taste

1
Dry toast the cumin, coriander and fennel seeds in a small skillet over low heat until aromatic, about 2 to 3 minutes. Using a spice or coffee grinder, grind the toasted seeds to a fine powder with the chili powder and turmeric.

2
In large bowl, toss the squid with the spice mixture, soy sauce, and green onions.

3
Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until lightly browned. Add the curry leaves, garlic, ginger, and the marinated squid. Sauté, stirring constantly for one minute.

4
Add the coconut milk. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, or until cooked and tender. Stir in the lime juice, season with salt, and serve.

konkan chili shrimps

Serves
6
Preparation
10 minutes
Cooking
10 minutes

An Indo-Chinese recipe, this preparation of prawns is very popular in the streets of some major metropolitan cities in India. I often make these for my Indian friends, which never fails to make them nostalgic for the things they miss back home. You can make this dish really quickly and serve it for a weekday dinner along with a portion of Rosemary Lemon Rice (page 74).

1 tablespoon canola or corn oil

1 tablespoon peeled and chopped fresh ginger

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 shallots, chopped

10 fresh curry leaves

36 fresh medium shrimps, peeled and deveined

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped dried red chili peppers

2 tablespoons minced fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

¼ cup (60 g) low-fat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

Salt, to taste

2 tablespoon chopped green onions (scallions), for garnish

1
Heat the oil in a wok or very large sauté pan over very high heat until smoking hot. Add the ginger, garlic, shallots, and curry leaves and sauté for 1 minute.

2
Add the shrimps and cook just until they start to turn pink, 2 to 3 minutes.

3
Add the soy sauce, lemon juice, dried chili peppers, and fresh coriander and cook, stirring often, 2 minutes longer. Add the yogurt and cook until the shrimps are just cooked through. Season with salt and serve warm garnished with green onions.

CHAPTER SIX

breads and rice

 
 
Bread, particularly flatbread, is a fundamental part of the dinner table in India. Most of these unleavened breads are easy enough to be made fresh daily at every meal. With the exception of a few breads, like
naan
(see Fresh-Baked Rosemary Naan, page 75), they are made entirely or mostly with whole-grain flours and are great tasting and rich in nutrients. They are usually rolled on a flat surface with a rolling pin and cooked on a hot surface—the exception being
poori
(see Puffed Breads with Mint, page 80), which is deep-fried in hot oil.

The variety of flatbreads found in Indian cuisine is amazing. In this chapter I have included a sampling of some of the most popular and familiar Indian breads, but there are many more available to the adventurous bread enthusiast. The recipes and methods of cooking breads differ widely from one part of India to another, with each region having its own specialties that vary in form, composition, and of course flavor.

Rice, used almost always to complement main dishes, is a staple in most households in India. Rice is also combined with lentils and vegetables, and is not just used as a side dish; there are also a large number of recipes where rice is an important ingredient in its own right.
Biryani
(Saffron Rice and Chicken Casserole, page 81) is probably the most famous of these rice dishes in the West.

The best variety of rice to use in savory dishes is
basmati
,
which translates as “the fragrant one.” If you can’t get your hands on authentic Indian rice, it’s okay to experiment with various kinds that are found at the supermarket.

toasted cumin chapatis with orange

Serves
4
Preparation
10 minutes, plus 30 minutes (dough rest)
Cooking
10 minutes

This is by far the simplest Indian bread to make, and is the most common form of bread; it’s made every day in northern Indian homes from rural villages to modern Indian cities. It is made with atta, which is wheat flour. The beauty of this dough is that is can be made up to a week in advance and refrigerated, and kept for future use. Use it as a wrap with any filling of your choice for your lunch box the next day.

2 cups (270 g) whole wheat flour

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted and coarsely ground

Zest of 1 orange

1 cup (250 ml) water, or more as needed

½ cup (100 g) clarified butter

1
Toast the cumin in a medium pan over medium heat, stirring until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool.

2
Sift the whole wheat flour and salt into a bowl. Add the cumin and orange zest, and then mix well. Make a well in the center. Add the water, and mix until the flour is completely incorporated to form soft dough. Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and knead for 5 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rest for 30 minutes. (This resting period makes the chapatis soft and fluffier.)