How to Cook Indian (109 page)

5. Garnish with the cilantro and serve hot.

Puliseri

Ground rice with coconut and buttermilk

You can use rice powder as a substitute for the raw rice (this is used as a thickener). You can add different fruits such as papaya or pineapple for extra flavor. If you don’t have fresh coconut, you can use frozen coconut, but be sure it is unsweetened.

Serves 4.

1 tablespoon raw rice

1 cup (120 grams) grated fresh coconut (or frozen unsweetened coconut)

1 quart (800 ml) buttermilk

1 teaspoon table salt

2 tablespoons peanut oil

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds

3 dried red chiles

1 teaspoon red chile powder

10 to 12 fresh curry leaves

1. Wash the rice, then soak it in ¼ cup (50 ml) water in a small bowl for 15 minutes.

2. Drain the rice in a small strainer. Transfer to a mini food processor and add the coconut and ¾ cup (150 ml) warm water, and process to a smooth, thick paste.

3. Put the buttermilk in a deep bowl. Add the rice-and-coconut paste and the salt, and whisk until well blended. Set aside.

4. Place a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the mustard seeds, fenugreek, and chiles. When the seeds begin to sputter, add the chile powder and curry leaves. Stir well.

5. Add the buttermilk mixture and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve immediately.

Punjabi Rajma

A rich kidney-bean curry

This traditional hearty bean dish is very popular in North India and is typically served with steamed rice.

Serves 4.

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 bay leaves

2 red onions, chopped

1-inch (2½-cm) piece fresh ginger, chopped

2 or 3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 teaspoons red chile powder

1 tablespoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon ground roasted cumin (page 32)

3 tomatoes, chopped 1 teaspoon table salt

2½ cups (560 grams) cooked red kidney beans (canned is fine)

1 teaspoon
garam masala
(spice mix; page 27)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1. Place a medium nonstick saucepan over high heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, lower the heat to medium, add the bay leaves, and sauté for 1 minute. Add the onions and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.

2. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the chile powder, coriander, turmeric, and cumin, and stir. Add the tomatoes and salt, and cook until the tomatoes become pulpy and the oil leaves the sides and comes to the top of the mixture.

3. Add the beans and 1½ cups (300 ml) water and stir. Lower the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the mixture is too thick, add another ½ cup (100 ml) water.

4. Add the
garam masala
and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with the cilantro and serve immediately.

Rajasthani Panchmel Dal

A five-lentil
dal
from Rajasthan

Rajasthani food, or food of the desert, is robust and filling. One example is this combination of five pulses
(panchmel)
that blend together beautifully. By far the most popular accompaniment to this
dal
is the crisp wheat-flour cake called
bati
(page 462), which seems to soak up the
dal
like a sponge.

Serves 4.

¼ cup (50 grams)
chana dal
(split Bengal gram)

¼ cup (60 grams)
sabut moong
(whole green gram)

¼ cup (50 grams)
dhuli urad dal
(split skinless black gram)

¼ cup (50 grams)
toor dal/arhar dal
(split pigeon peas)

¼ cup (55 grams)
sabut masoor
(whole red lentils)

1½ teaspoons table salt

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

¼ teaspoon asafetida

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

4 or 5 whole cloves

2 dried red chiles, stemmed and broken in half

½ teaspoon fresh green chile paste (page 13)

½ teaspoon fresh ginger paste (page 12)

1 teaspoon ground roasted cumin (page 32)

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon red chile powder

3 medium tomatoes, chopped

½ teaspoon
garam masala
(spice mix; page 27)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Combine the
dals
in a bowl, wash in plenty of water 2 or 3 times, and drain. Add 3 cups (600 ml) water and soak for 2 hours. Drain.

2. Place a nonstick saucepan over high heat and add 1 quart (800 ml) water. Add 1 teaspoon of the salt and the turmeric, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium, add the
dals,
and cook, uncovered, for 25 minutes or until the
dals
are tender.

3. Place another nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the asafetida, cumin seeds, cloves, and red chiles. When the cumin changes color, add the chile paste and ginger paste, and sauté for 1 minute. Add the ground cumin, coriander, and chile powder, and stir well. Add the tomatoes and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until the oil comes to the top. Add the cooked
dals
with the cooking liquid, the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and 1½ cups (300 ml) water. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring well.

4. Add the
garam masala
and stir. Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with the cilantro, and serve hot.

Sambhar

A flavorful and spicy
dal

I love this spicy lentil preparation that is native to South India and is usually served with
dosas
(page 122),
idlis
(page 120), or steamed rice. My father-in-law makes a point of correcting the pronunciation of the dish whenever and wherever he eats it: It’s “sambhaar,” not “sambar.”

Serves 4.

½ cup (100 grams)
toor dal/arhar dal
(split pigeon peas)

¾ teaspoon ground turmeric

2 drumstick vegetables, cut into 2½-inch (6-cm) pieces

2 tablespoons tamarind pulp

2 tablespoons
sambhar
powder (spice mix for
sambhar;
page 32)

½ teaspoon asafetida

1½ teaspoons table salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ teaspoon black mustard seeds

¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds

10 fresh curry leaves

2 dried red chiles, stemmed and broken in half

¼ cup (15 grams) chopped fresh cilantro

1. Place the
dal
in a large bowl, wash it in plenty of water 2 or 3 times, and drain. Add 1½ cups (300 ml) water and soak for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the
dal
in a colander.

2. Place a large nonstick saucepan over high heat and add 4 cups (800 ml) water. When the water comes to a boil, lower the heat to medium. Add the
dal
and ½ teaspoon of the turmeric, and cook, covered, for 20 minutes or until the
dal
is soft. Mash the cooked
dal
slightly with a wooden spoon.

3. Place another nonstick saucepan over high heat, add 1 cup (200 ml) water, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and add the drumstick. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the tamarind pulp, 2 cups (400 ml) water, the
sambhar
powder, ¼ teaspoon of the asafetida, the remaining ¼ teaspoon turmeric, and the salt, and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes or until the mixture is reduced by half. Add the mashed dal, along with the water it was cooked in, to the tamarind mixture. Lower the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, place a small sauté pan over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the mustard seeds. When they begin to sputter, add the fenugreek, curry leaves, the remaining ¼ teaspoon asafetida, and the chiles, and sauté for 10 seconds. Add the tempering to the
dal
and cover to trap the flavors.

5. Remove from the heat. Garnish with the cilantro. Serve hot.

Drumstick vegetables are long and green, with ridges running lengthwise along them. They are available frozen and canned in Indian grocery stores.

You can add different vegetables—white radish, okra, pumpkin,
brinjal
(small round eggplants), or
sambhar
onions (like red pearl onions or mini shallots)—either individually or in combination. In South India, every family has its own style of making
sambhar.