How to Cook Indian (73 page)

4 green chiles, stemmed and chopped

2-inch (5-cm) piece fresh ginger, chopped

1 large tomato, chopped

½ teaspoon roasted and crushed
kasoori methi
(dried fenugreek leaves)

1 teaspoon
garam masala
(spice mix; page 27)

1 medium red onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 large potato, boiled, peeled, and chopped

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Wash the shrimp and fish under running water and drain well in a colander. Transfer to a bowl, add 1 teaspoon of the salt, and toss.

2. Place a small nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Add the coriander and red chiles, and dry-roast for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool completely. Transfer to a spice grinder and grind to a coarse powder.

3. Place a small sauté pan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the garlic paste and sauté for 1 minute. Add half of the coriander-chile powder and sauté for 30 seconds. Add half of the green chiles and half of the ginger, and sauté for 30 seconds.

4. Add the tomato and sauté for 7 minutes or until the oil comes to the top. Add ½ cup (100 ml) water and ½ teaspoon of the salt, and stir. Add the
kasoori methi
and ½ teaspoon of the
garam masala.
Stir well and remove from the heat. Set the sauce aside.

5. Place a large iron
tawa
(griddle) over medium heat and add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil. When small bubbles appear, add the shrimp and fish, and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring with a stainless-steel spatula. Shift the seafood from the center of the griddle toward the periphery.

6. Add the onion to the oil in the center of the griddle along with the remaining chiles, the remaining ginger, and the chopped garlic. Lower the heat to low and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining coriander-chile powder and shift the seafood from the periphery to the center of the griddle.

7. Add the potato and sauté for 30 seconds. Using two stainless-steel spatulas held upright, begin to chop the seafood and potato. (This makes a “tak-a-tak” noise—hence the name of the dish.)

8. After every few strokes, stir the mixture. Cook in this manner for 4 to 5 minutes, then add the sauce and stir well. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until the excess moisture has completely evaporated.

9. Add the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Add the lemon juice and the remaining ½ teaspoon
garam masala.

10. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the cilantro. Serve hot.

Macher Jhol

A typical Bengali fish curry cooked in mustard oil

A Bengali meal is highlighted by the fish preparation, and this is one of the most popular curries in the region. It is a thin curry, but the flavor of the mustard oil is striking. If you replace the mustard oil with vegetable oil, remember that the dish will loose its traditional flavor. Serve this with steamed rice.

Serves 4.

1 1/3 pounds (600 grams)
rohu
(or any other freshwater fish; page 316), cut into 8 pieces

1 teaspoon table salt

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

¼ cup (50 ml) filtered mustard oil (see Note page 87)

2 medium potatoes, each cut into 6 pieces

1 bay leaf

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste (page 13)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon red chile powder

2 medium tomatoes, puréed

1. Wash the fish pieces thoroughly under running water and drain in a colander. Place them in a bowl, add ½ teaspoon of the salt and ¼ teaspoon of the turmeric, and stir well. Put in the refrigerator to marinate for 15 minutes.

2. Place a nonstick sauté pan over high heat and add the mustard oil. When the oil starts to smoke, reduce the heat to medium, add the potato pieces, and sauté until browned. Drain and set aside.

3. To the same oil, add the fish pieces, two at a time, and sauté until lightly browned. Drain and set aside.

4. To the oil remaining in the pan, add the bay leaf and onion, and sauté until well browned. Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 1 minute.

5. Add the cumin, chile powder, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon turmeric, and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the tomato purée and simmer until the oil comes to the top.

6. Add 1 cup (200 ml) water and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and stir. When it comes to a boil, add the fish and potatoes, and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.

7. Transfer to a bowl and serve hot.

Malabar Chemeen Kari

Shrimp and drumstick vegetable curry

In this South Indian curry, which is traditionally cooked in a clay pot, drumsticks provide the main flavor. They are long, slender vegetable pods that grow on the
moringa
tree. Drumsticks are very popular in the southern parts of India and are commonly used to make stews,
dals,
and curries. You can find them canned and frozen in most Indian grocery stores. If you can’t find them, you can use green beans, but please note that the taste will be different.

This curry is excellent with steamed rice; keep the sauce a little thin in consistency if you plan to serve it that way. You can use any kind of fish or any other seafood here instead of the shrimp.

Serves 4.

1 pound (500 grams) small shrimp

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1½ teaspoons table salt

2 medium green mangoes

1½ cups (180 grams) grated fresh coconut (or frozen unsweetened coconut)

5 tablespoons vegetable oil

10 to 12 small shallots, halved

1 tablespoon red chile powder

1 tablespoon ground coriander

2 green chiles, stemmed and slit

4 curd chiles, stemmed and slit (see Note)

10 to 12 fresh curry leaves

1 tablespoon tamarind pulp

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds, lightly crushed

4 dried red chiles , stemmed

2 drumstick vegetables, stemmed

1. Peel, devein, and wash the shrimp thoroughly under running water. Drain in a colander for 10 minutes, then pat dry with paper towels and transfer to a bowl. Add the turmeric and 1 teaspoon of the salt, and stir. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to marinate.

2. Peel and pit the mangoes and cut them into wedges.

3. Soak the coconut in 1 cup (200 ml) warm water for 15 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and process into a fine paste.

4. Place a nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add 3 tablespoons of the vegetable oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the shallots and sauté for 2 minutes or until translucent. Add the chile powder and coriander, and cook, stirring continuously, for a few seconds.

5. Add the green chiles, curd chiles, curry leaves, and tamarind pulp. Sauté for 1 minute. Add the coconut paste and 3 cups (600 ml) water. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half.

6. Pour the sauce through a strainer into a deep bowl, pressing well to extract all the flavors. Set aside.

7. Place another medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and the coconut oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the fenugreek and dried chiles, and stir well over medium heat.

8. Add the shrimp, drumsticks, and mangoes. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until the shrimp are almost cooked through.

9. Add the sauce and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked through and the sauce is well combined.

10. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot.

Curd chiles are chiles that have been soaked in yogurt and dried. They are available at Indian grocery stores. If you cannot find them, leave them out.

Malvani Fish Curry

A rich and spicy fish curry

Malvan is a part of the Konkan coast—and coastal food highlights seafood. What distinguishes Malvani fish curries is not just the variety of gravies but also the variety of recipes for the same kind of fish using a dazzling number of combinations of spices and ingredients, as well as dry and wet cooking styles. The most amazing and fiery fish curry I have ever eaten, like the one here, was at the table of Mrs. Samant, a family friend. Malvani food has loads of punch to it, which is just one of the reasons you will go back for a second helping. Serve with steamed rice.
Surmai
is a popular fish in India, but is hard to find in the United States. You can use pomfret or mackerel instead.

Serves 4.

1 pound (500 grams) whole
surmai
(kingfish), pomfret, or mackerel

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon table salt

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

4 or 5 dried red chiles, stemmed

¾ cup (90 grams) grated fresh coconut (or frozen unsweetened coconut)

2 medium onions, chopped

6 to 8 whole black peppercorns

1 tablespoon tamarind pulp

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium tomato, chopped

2 green chiles, stemmed and slit

1. Cut off the head of the fish and clean the insides. Wash thoroughly under running water. Cut the fish horizontally into 1-inch-thick (2½-cm-thick) slices and put in a bowl. Add the lemon juice, ½ teaspoon of the turmeric, and the salt, and stir well. Cover the bowl and put it in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes to marinate.