How to Cook Indian (65 page)

3. Put the ginger, garlic, chiles, cumin, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a spice grinder with 2 tablespoons water and grind to a fine paste. Transfer to a small bowl.

4. Place a nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add the ghee and oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the onions and sauté over low heat for about 7 minutes or until golden.

5. Add the ground paste, chile powder, and
dhansaak masala
and stir. Add the tomatoes and sauté until they are soft. Add the
dal
mixture and stir well. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and simmer for 5 minutes.

6. Add the lemon juice and cilantro, and stir.

7. Garnish with the mint sprig and serve hot.

Zunka Bhakar

Chickpea flour porridge

Served with
bhakri
(also known as
bhakar)
, an Indian griddle bread (page 453) made from sorghum flour (
jawari)
, this combination is a low-glucose meal that provides sustained energy for hardworking Maharashtrian farmers.

Serves 4.

1 cup (100 grams)
besan
(chickpea/gram flour)

1/8 teaspoon asafetida

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon red chile powder

½ teaspoon ground roasted cumin (page 32)

1 teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon table salt

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

8 fresh curry leaves

1 green chile, stemmed and slit

2 medium red onions, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. In a large bowl, combine the
besan,
half of the asafetida, the turmeric, chile powder, ground cumin, coriander, sugar, salt, and 1 cup (200 ml) water.

2. Place a nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the mustard seeds. When the seeds sputter, add the cumin seeds, the remaining asafetida, the curry leaves, and chile, and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes or until golden brown.

3. Add the
besan
mixture and stir well. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the oil around the sides of the pan. Cover and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Sprinkle with the cilantro and serve hot.

Shredded cabbage or chopped green bell peppers can also be added to the
zunka.

Vatana Nu Leelu Shaak

Freshly shelled green peas

In the Gujarati language the name of this dish means “peas in green curry,” and it is one of the simplest and smartest ways to capture the sweetness of fresh green peas in a side dish. It’s especially good with
roti
(page 18) and
raita.

Serves 4.

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

2 green chiles, stemmed and roughly chopped

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

¼ teaspoon asafetida

½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds

1½ cups (225 grams) shelled fresh green peas

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground roasted cumin (page 32)

½ teaspoon red chile powder

1 teaspoon table salt

½ teaspoon
garam masala
(spice mix; page 27)

1. Put the ginger and chiles in a spice grinder with 1 tablepoon water, and grind to a fine paste.

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 asafetida and mustard seeds, and sauté until the seeds begin to sputter. Add the ginger-chile paste and peas, and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.

3. Add the coriander, cumin, and chile powder, and cook over medium heat for 1 minute, stirring continuously.

4. Stir in 1 cup (200 ml) water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the peas are tender.

5. Add the salt and
garam masala,
and stir.

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

Kadai Paneer

Paneer
cooked in a wok

This is the quintessential
paneer
dish found on most Indian restaurant menus. The flavor of coriander is dominant, so make sure that the coriander seeds you use are fragrant and of good quality. Check to ensure that they are not too brown and woody: A little green hue on the seeds means they are young and will have a stronger aroma.

Serves 4.

2 dried red chiles, stemmed

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

¼ cup (50 ml) vegetable oil

1 teaspoon fresh garlic paste (page 12)

2 medium red onions, sliced

2 green chiles, stemmed and chopped

1-inch (2½-cm) piece fresh ginger, chopped, plus ¼-inch (½-cm) piece fresh ginger, julienned

6 medium tomatoes, chopped

2 teaspoons table salt

1 pound (500 grams)
paneer
(pressed fresh cheese; page 17), cut into 1-inch (2½-cm) triangles

2 small green bell peppers, seeded and julienned

1 teaspoon
garam masala
(spice mix; page 27)

1 tablespoon
kasoori methi
(dried fenugreek leaves), crushed

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Place a small nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Let it heat for 2 minutes, then add the red chiles, coriander, and cumin, and dry-roast for 1 to 2 minutes or until fragrant. Set aside to cool. Transfer to a mortar and pound with a pestle to a coarse powder.

2. Place a medium nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the oil. Add the garlic paste and sauté for 10 seconds. Add the onions, green chiles, and chopped ginger, and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes.

3. Add the tomatoes and sauté for 5 minutes or until the oil comes to the top. Add the roasted and pounded spices and the salt, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1½ cups (300 ml) water and stir. When the water comes to a boil, cover and cook for 8 to 20 minutes.

4. Increase the heat to high, add the
paneer
and bell peppers, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until the
paneer
pieces are fully coated with the mixture.

5. Add the
garam masala, kasoori methi,
and cilantro, and stir.

6. Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with the julienned ginger, and serve hot.

Palak Paneer

Pressed fresh cheese with spinach

Palak paneer
is one of the most common everyday Punjabi dishes. Spinach is a winter green in India, but thanks to advanced technology, fresh spinach is available almost all year round. However, you can also use frozen spinach in this recipe. I’m of the opinion that
palak paneer
tastes best without too many spices and herbs, hence the simplicity of this version. Serve this dish with
parathas
(page 18).

Serves 4.

3 large bunches fresh spinach, stemmed

1¾ teaspoons table salt

4 green chiles, stemmed and chopped

¼ cup (50 ml) vegetable oil

¾ teaspoon cumin seeds

12 to 14 cloves garlic, chopped

10 ounces (300 grams)
paneer
(pressed fresh cheese; page 17), cut into 1-inch (2½-cm) cubes

1½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/3 cup (60 ml) heavy cream

1. Wash the spinach thoroughly under running water. Drain well in a colander.

2. Place a nonstick saucepan over medium heat, add 10 cups (2 liters) water and 1 teaspoon of the salt, and bring to a boil. Add the spinach and blanch in the salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Refresh under running water. Drain well in a colander.

3. Transfer to a food processor, add the chiles, and process to a fine paste.

4. 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. When it begins to change color, add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the spinach purée and stir. Add ½ cup (100 ml) water.

5. Bring to a boil, then add the
paneer
and stir gently. Add the remaining salt and the lemon juice, and stir gently. Add the cream and remove from the heat. Taste and add more salt if needed.

6. Serve hot.

To retain the bright green color of the spinach—not to mention its flavor—do not overcook it.