How to Cook Indian (33 page)

Poha Cutlets

Pressed-rice snack

I have always been fascinated by
poha.
I visited the city of Roha (rhymes with
poha)
, a two-hour drive from Mumbai, and saw how
poha
is made from paddy rice that is steamed, pressed, rolled, and dried. When it is soaked in liquids such as water or milk, it tends to absorb the water and swell up. Here I use it to prepare one of my favorite snacks. This simple dish can be made quickly and easily, and makes a delicious appetizer.

Makes 12 pieces.

1 cup (120 grams)
poha
(pressed rice)

1 quart (800 ml) vegetable oil

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

½ teaspoon black mustard seeds

1 medium red onion, diced

2 tablespoons
maida
(refined flour) or pastry flour

1 teaspoon red chile powder

2 green chiles, stemmed and minced

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

3 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed

1½ teaspoons table salt

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

10 cashews, chopped

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon
chaat masala
(spice mix for
chaat;
page 24)

Pudina aur dhaniya
chutney (mint-and-cilantro chutney; page 22)

1. Put the
poha
in a colander and wash it under running water until the water runs clear. Let the
poha
drain for 5 to 6 minutes.

2. Place a small nonstick sauté pan over high heat and add 2 tablespoons of the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, onion, and
maida,
and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chile powder, chiles, and turmeric, stir well, and cook for 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a deep bowl and let cool to room temperature.

3. Add the
poha,
mashed potatoes, salt, cilantro, cashews, lemon juice, and
chaat masala.
Combine to make a smooth dough. Divide the mixture into 12 portions and shape each into a round or oblong patty ½ inch (1 cm) thick.

4. Put the remaining oil in a deep-fryer and heat to 375°F/190°C. Gently slide the patties, a few at a time, into the hot oil and cook until golden on all sides, turning with a slotted spoon. Remove with the slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with the chutney.

Punjabi Samosa

Popular cone-shaped, deep-fried snack with spicy stuffing

If potatoes have to be deep-fried, they should be inside a
samosa
—much better than French fries! Making a good
samosa
is an art, particularly when working with the dough, and takes practice to perfect.

Serves 4.

For the dough:

1 cup (120 grams)
maida
(refined flour) or pastry flour

½ teaspoon
ajwain
(optional)

5 teaspoons ghee (page 37), melted

1 teaspoon table salt

For the filling:

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon
anardana
(dried pomegranate seeds)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

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

3 or 4 green chiles, stemmed and chopped

1 teaspoon red chile powder

1 teaspoon
amchur
(dried mango powder)

1 teaspoon
garam masala
(spice mix; page 27)

¾ teaspoon table salt

½ cup (75 grams) green peas, boiled (optional)

4 small potatoes, boiled, peeled, and coarsely mashed

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

To cook and serve:

1 quart (800 ml) vegetable oil

Khajoor aur imli ki
chutney (sweet date-and-tamarind chutney; page 22)

1. Make the dough: Put the
maida
in a bowl. Add the
ajwain
(if using), ghee, and salt, and stir. Add ¼ cup (50 ml) water, little by little, and knead to make a stiff dough. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside to rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Make the filling: Place a small nonstick pan over medium heat. Let it heat for 2 minutes, then add the coriander and
anardana,
and dry-roast for 1 minute or until fragrant. Set aside to cool to room temperature, then transfer the seed mixture into a mortar. Pound with a pestle to a coarse powder.

3. Place a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the cumin seeds. When the cumin is lightly browned, add the ginger and chiles, and stir well. Add the chile powder,
amchur, garam masala,
and salt. Add the spices from step 2. Stir well to mix.

4. Lower the heat to low, add the peas (if using) and potatoes, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cilantro and stir well. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature. Divide the cooled filling into 16 portions.

5. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and shape them into balls. Dust each ball with a little flour and roll out into ovals 4 inches (10 cm) wide in the center. Cut each oval in half horizontally and dampen the edges with water. Place one half over the fingers of your left hand with the straight edge resting over your forefinger. Fold over one end of the straight edge and bring it to the middle of the rounded edge. Now fold over the other end and bring it over to the middle of the rounded edge to rest over the first end to make a seam. Press gently to seal the seam. Now you should have a cone. Open the cone and make a small pleat directly opposite the seam and press gently. Fill the cone with one portion of the stuffing. Bring the seam and the pleat together on the rounded edge and gently press the entire open end of the cone closed. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

6. Cook the
samosas:
Place a nonstick wok over high heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the wok, lower the heat to medium and gently slide the
samosas,
two at time, into the hot oil. Fry for 7 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. While they are frying, gently spoon hot oil over the
samosas
with a slotted spoon.

7. Remove with the slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

8. Serve hot with the chutney.

Rajma Galouti Kabab

Delicately flavored kidney bean kebabs

A vegetarian version of the famous lamb
galouti kabab
can be made with yams, peas, or spinach, but these, which use red kidney beans, come closest to the original delicacy. Kidney beans, like all beans, are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber. In addition, their high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance, or hypoglycemia.

Makes 8.

½ teaspoon caraway seeds

2 green cardamom pods 1 black cardamom pod

1 whole clove

½-inch (1-cm) cinnamon stick

8 cashews

1 tablespoon
chironji
or
charoli
(melon seeds)

Generous pinch of saffron threads

¼ teaspoon
kewra
(screw pine) water

4 teaspoons vegetable oil

½-inch (1-cm) piece fresh ginger, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

3 green chiles, stemmed and chopped

2 cups (450 grams) canned red kidney beans

2 tablespoons grated
khoya/mawa
(unsweetened solid condensed milk; page 37)