How to Cook Indian (53 page)

Besanwali Bhindi

Whole okra cooked with chickpea flour and spices

Baby okra is tender and cooks rather quickly. In this recipe, I love the sweetness of the shallots and the crispness that the
besan
imparts to the dish. I recommend serving this with
dal
and
roti
for a perfect everyday Indian meal.

Serves 4.

14 ounces (400 grams) small okra

1 teaspoon table salt

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon
garam masala
(spice mix; page 27)

1½ teaspoons ground roasted cumin (page 32)

1 teaspoon
amchur
(dried mango powder)

1½ teaspoons fennel seeds, crushed

1 teaspoon red chile powder

1 tablespoon ground coriander

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ teaspoon
kalonji
(nigella; see Note page 231)

20 small shallots, sliced

¼ cup (25 grams)
besan
(chickpea/gram flour)

1. Trim off the ends of the okra and make a slit in one side of each okra pod without cutting through. Set aside in a bowl.

2. In a small bowl, combine the salt, turmeric,
garam masala,
cumin,
amchur,
fennel, chile powder, and coriander. Stuff the spice mixture into the slits in the okra. Sprinkle the remaining mixture (if any) over the okra and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Stir and set aside.

3. Place a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the remaining 4 tablespoons (50 ml) oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the
kalonji
and sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant.

4. Add the shallots and sauté for 1 minute. Add the stuffed okra and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the besan and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes.

5. Lower the heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes or until the okra is tender.

6. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot as a side dish.

Vendakkai Mor Thalippu

Okra with yogurt and coconut

Okra and yogurt have a natural affinity that is perfectly demonstrated in this thick yogurt curry from South India, and in the okra
raita
(page 76) and okra
kadhi
from North India and western India.

Serves 4.

2 cups (500 grams) plain yogurt

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

2 tablespoons raw rice

¼ cup (30 grams) grated fresh coconut (or frozen unsweetened coconut)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds

¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds

2 dried red chiles, stemmed and broken in half

10 to 12 fresh curry leaves

2 medium red onions, sliced

4 green chiles, stemmed and slit

8 ounces (225 grams) okra, cut into ½-inch-thick (1-cm-thick) rounds

1 teaspoon table salt

2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

1. In a large bowl, whisk the yogurt together with the turmeric and set aside.

2. Soak the rice in 6 tablespoons (90 ml) water for 15 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder, add the coconut, and grind to a smooth paste. Add to the yogurt and whisk well.

3. Place a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the vegetable oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the mustard seeds, fenugreek, red chiles, and curry leaves. When the mustard seeds start to sputter, add the onion and green chiles, and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until the onion is translucent.

4. Increase the heat to high, add the okra, and sauté for 6 minutes or until half done. Lower the heat to low, add the yogurt-coconut mixture and salt, and cook for 3 minutes or until the curry is thick.

5. Drizzle with the coconut oil and serve hot.

Vendakkai Pachadi

Crisp okra in yogurt sauce

Crisply cooked okra takes to yogurt rather well, which is why it’s often served with
raita
in North India.

Serves 4.

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

9 ounces (250 grams) okra, trimmed and thinly sliced

1 teaspoon table salt

½ cup (60 grams) grated fresh coconut (or frozen unsweetened coconut)

1½ cups (375 grams) plain yogurt

5 green chiles, stemmed and chopped

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

1 tablespoon coconut oil

½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds

1 dried red chile, stemmed and broken

10 to 12 fresh curry leaves

1. Place a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the vegetable oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the okra and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes.

2. Transfer the okra to a large bowl and toss with the salt.

3. Put the coconut in a mini food processor with ¼ cup (50 ml) water and process to a fine paste.

4. Whisk the yogurt in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in the okra, coconut paste, green chiles, and ginger.

5. Place a small nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the coconut oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the mustard seeds, red chile, and curry leaves. When the mustard seeds sputter, add the mixture to the okra-yogurt mixture and stir well.

6. Put in the refrigerator to chill. Serve cold.

Ganthia Saag

Chickpea-flour crisps cooked in a simple sauce

The western region of India, particularly the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra, is rich in snacks made with gram (or chickpea) flour. This is an example of how the love of these snacks carries over into curries. Serve this with
thepla
(page 465) or
roti
(page 18).

Serves 4.

1½ teaspoons red chile powder

½ teaspoon
garam masala
(spice mix; page 27)

½ teaspoon
amchur
(dried mango powder)

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

¼ teaspoon asafetida

1 teaspoon sugar

2 cups (150 grams)
ganthia
(see Note)

1¼ teaspoons table salt

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1. Put the chile powder,
garam masala, amchur,
and coriander in a bowl, and add 2 cups (400 ml) water. Stir well.

2. 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 and asafetida. When the seeds begin to change color, add the spice and water mixture, and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.

3. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Lower the heat to low, add the
ganthia
and salt, and stir. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Garnish with the cilantro and serve hot.

Ganthia
are savory sticks made from
besan
(chickpea/gram flour) cooked in oil until crisp. They are available in Indian grocery stores.

Garlic Spinach Massiyal

Spicy spinach and garlic

If you love your greens, this spinach stir-fry will win your heart.

Serves 4.

4 medium bunches spinach, stemmed and roughly chopped

2 teaspoons salt

½ lemon-size tamarind ball (taken from a tamarind brick) or 1 tablespoon tamarind pulp

¼ cup (50 ml) sesame oil

¼ teaspoon black mustard seeds

1 tablespoon
dhuli urad dal
(split skinless black gram)

3 or 4 dried red chiles, stemmed and broken in half

10 to 12 fresh curry leaves

12 to 15 cloves garlic, sliced

4 green chiles, stemmed and slit

¼ teaspoon asafetida

1 tablespoon rice flour, mixed with ¼ cup (50 ml) water

1. Pour 2 cups (400 ml) water in a deep pan, add 1 teaspoon of the salt, and soak the spinach leaves to remove the bitterness. Drain well in a colander.

2. Put the tamarind in a bowl, add ½ cup (100 ml) warm water, and soak for 15 minutes. Press and remove the pulp, push through a strainer, and set aside.

3. Place a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the sesame oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the mustard seeds. When the seeds sputter, add the
dal,
red chiles, and curry leaves. Stir well, add the garlic and green chiles, and sauté for 1 minute.

4. Add the spinach and tamarind pulp, and cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently.

5. Sprinkle with the asafetida and stir in the rice-flour mixture. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, cook for 2 minutes, and serve hot.

Hak

Stir-fried spinach