Easy Indian Cooking (32 page)

3
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, vegetables and salt to the same pan, and cook, stirring over medium-high heat until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the lentils and cook, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes to blend the flavors. Add more water if needed. Serve hot, garnished with the fresh coriander.

hot and sour chickpeas

Serves
6
Preparation
15 minutes, plus 8 hours (dried bean soak time)
Cooking
1 hour

This popular Indian street food with lightly spiced gravy is a hit when served with Indian breads. Serve this with Spinach and Thyme Roti Flatbreads (page 76) for a simple but delicious meal, or team it up with Cardamom Chicken (page 43) and Toasted Cumin Chapatis with Orange (page 72) for more elaborate fare.

3 tablespoons oil

1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 fresh green chili peppers, deseeded and minced

1 tablespoon ground coriander

2 teaspoons ground cumin

½ teaspoon garam masala

½ teaspoon chili powder

2 cups (320 g) dried chickpeas, washed, soaked overnight and drained, or one 16-oz (450-g) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed well

Salt, to taste

½ cup (125 ml) water

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1-in (2.5-cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks

1 small red onion, sliced

2 small tomatoes, diced

½ cup (20 g) fresh coriander leaves (cilantro), chopped

1
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add the minced ginger, garlic and chili peppers. Stir until golden, about 1 minute. Add the coriander, cumin, garam masala and chili powder. Mix in the cooked chickpeas, salt and water, and cook, stirring as needed until tender and almost dry, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook another 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Transfer to a serving dish and keep warm.

2
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil 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 ginger matchsticks, and then add the onion and tomatoes and cook until golden. Stir about 1 minute and add to the chickpeas.

3
Garnish with the fresh coriander and serve hot.

yellow lentils with baby spinach and garlic

Serves
6
Preparation
15 minutes
Cooking
25 minutes

This is a very basic yellow dal that is made regularly in Indian homes. To add an interesting twist to this very common, workaday recipe, I’ve included Madras curry powder and coconut milk. Serve this with a portion of Crispy Southern Indian Fried Fish (page 66) and Saffron Rice with Toasted Almonds (page 73).

1 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon Madras curry powder

1 cup (180 g) yellow lentils, rinsed and drained

1½ cups (375 ml) water

½ cup (125 ml) coconut milk

3 cups (225 g) baby spinach, chopped, or 1 cup (125 g) frozen chopped spinach, thawed

Salt, to taste

1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

1
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the black mustard seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the onion, garlic, ginger and Madras curry powder, and cook stirring until the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute.

2
Add the lentils, water and coconut milk. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring it to boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and simmer until the lentils are tender but still firm, about 15 minutes.

3
Stir in the spinach and salt. Cover and simmer for about 3 minutes longer. Serve hot, garnished with fresh coriander and sesame seeds.

street-style spicy black chickpea masala

Serves
4
Preparation
15 minutes, plus 8 hours (dried bean soak time)
Cooking
1 hour

I discovered this dish in western India while sampling local street food. Inspired, I conjured up similar flavors at home, but substituted dark red chili powder for a delectable smoky flavor. Use regular red chili powder if the Mexican variety is not available. Dried black chickpeas require a trip to an Indian grocery store—the canned variety is hard to find.

1½ cups (270 g) dried black chickpeas, rinsed, soaked overnight and drained

5 cups (1.25 liters) water

Salt, to taste

3 tablespoons clarified butter

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 onions, chopped

1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger

3 fresh green chili peppers, deseeded and minced

1 cup (225 g) finely-chopped tomatoes

5 green onions (scallions), finely chopped

1 tablespoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon dark red chili powder

1 tablespoon garam masala

¼ cup (10 g) fresh coriander leaves (cilantro), chopped

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

3 to 4 lime wedges, for garnish

1
Combine the chickpeas, water and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover partially and simmer until the chickpeas are tender, about 45 minutes. Drain and reserve.

2
Heat the clarified butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Add the chopped onions and cook until dark golden brown, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Add water if necessary.

3
Add the ginger and green chili peppers, tomatoes and green onions, and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes. Mix in the ground coriander, dark red chili powder, and garam masala.

4
Add the chickpeas and cook on high heat until all the water evaporates and the chickpeas are glazed with a dark brown coating, about 10 to 15 minutes. Serve topped with the fresh coriander, red onion slices, and lime wedges.

red bean ragout with plum tomatoes and thyme