How to Cook Indian (94 page)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1-inch (2½-cm) cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

10 to 12 fresh curry leaves

3 medium red onions, thinly sliced

½ tablespoon fresh ginger paste (page 12)

½ tablespoon fresh garlic paste (page 12)

2 teaspoons ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon red chile powder

1½ teaspoons table salt

3 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 (1¾-pound/800-gram) chicken, cut into 12 pieces

1½ cups (300 ml) coconut milk

1 tablespoon tamarind pulp

1. Place a heavy-bottomed nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the cinnamon and fennel, and sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the curry leaves and onions, and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.

2. Add the ginger paste and garlic paste, and sauté for 1 minute. Add the coriander, turmeric, chile powder, and salt, and sauté for 2 minutes.

3. Add the tomatoes and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes or until the tomatoes are pulpy.

4. Add the chicken and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until the oil comes to the top.

5. Add half of the coconut milk, lower the heat to low, and cook, covered, for 4 to 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

6. Add the tamarind pulp, stir, and simmer for 1 minute. Add the remaining coconut milk and cook, covered, for 5 minutes.

7. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot.

You can use mixed vegetables instead of chicken to make the dish vegetarian.

Laziz Tikka Masala

Boneless tandoori-style chicken in a spicy sauce

Laziz is
the Urdu word for “luscious.” This is an elaborate recipe, but it will win a lot of hearts!

Serves 4.

For the chicken
tikka:

14 ounces (400 grams) boneless chicken, cut into 1½-inch (4-cm) pieces

2 teaspoons red chile powder

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon table salt

1 cup (275 grams) plain Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon fresh ginger paste (page 12)

1 tablespoon fresh garlic paste (page 12)

1 teaspoon
garam masala
(spice mix; page 27)

2 tablespoons refined mustard oil (see Note page 87)

For the sauce:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons butter

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

3 medium red onions, chopped

2 teaspoons fresh ginger paste (page 12)

2 teaspoons fresh garlic paste (page 12)

½ teaspoon ground roasted cumin (page 32)

1½ teaspoons ground coriander

4 medium tomatoes, chopped

½ teaspoon table salt

¼ cup (60 grams) tomato purée

1 teaspoon red chile powder

½ teaspoon
garam masala
(spice mix; page 27)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

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

¼ cup (50 ml) heavy cream

1. Make the chicken
tikka
: Put the chicken in a bowl, add 1 teaspoon of the chile powder, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, and the salt, and toss to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to marinate for about 30 minutes.

2. Combine the yogurt, the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, the ginger paste, the garlic paste, the remaining 1 teaspoon chile powder, and the
garam masala
in a large bowl. Add the chicken and mustard oil, and stir well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator to marinate for about 2 hours.

3. Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.

4. Thread the chicken onto skewers. Put the skewers on a baking sheet and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven. Slide the chicken off the skewers onto a plate and set aside.

5. Make the sauce: Place a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the oil and butter. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the cumin seeds. When they change color, add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes or until well browned.

6. Add the ginger paste and garlic paste and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the ground cumin and coriander and stir well.

7. Add the tomatoes and stir. Lower the heat to low and sauté for 15 minutes or until the tomatoes are completely cooked and the oil comes to the top. Add the salt and stir.

8. Add the tomato purée and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in ½ cup (100 ml) water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken
tikka
and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the chile powder,
garam masala,
and 1 tablespoon of the cilantro. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes.

9. Stir in the
kasoori methi
and cream. Remove from the heat and transfer to a serving bowl.

10. Garnish with the remaining 1 tablespoon cilantro and serve hot.

Makai Murgh

Boneless chicken with corn in a spicy tomato sauce

This recipe started out as a vegetarian dish with corn, tomatoes, and bell peppers, but my two girls expect a new chicken dish from me every week so I added the chicken in a creative moment. They are happy with it, and so am I, because some healthy vegetables are included in their diet this way. Serve this with hot
rotis
(page 18).

Serves 4.

1 cup (150 grams) fresh or drained canned corn kernels

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

5 or 6 whole black peppercorns

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

3 whole cloves

4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts

½ cup (125 grams) plain yogurt, whisked

1 teaspoon table salt

1 teaspoon red chile powder

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

1½ tablespoons vegetable oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1-inch (2½-cm) piece ginger, chopped

3 medium tomatoes, puréed

2 medium green bell peppers, seeded and chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Put ½ cup (75 grams) of the corn in a mini food processor and process to a paste.

2. Place a medium nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Let it heat for 2 minutes, then add the cumin, peppercorns, coriander, and cloves, and dry-roast for 3 minutes or until fragrant. Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool. Lightly crush in a mortar with a pestle.

3. Cut the chicken into ½-inch (1-cm) pieces and put them in a bowl. Add the yogurt, salt, chile powder, and turmeric, and stir well. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.

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 garlic and ginger, and sauté for 1 minute. Add the corn kernels and the corn paste, and stir. Add ½ cup (100 ml) water and bring to a boil. Add the crushed spices and stir. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.

5. Add the chicken and stir. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the chicken is almost done.

6. Add the bell peppers, salt, and cilantro. Stir and cook for 1 minute.

7. Serve hot.

Malvani Chicken Hirwa Masala

Chicken in a green masala

Malvani cuisine is a delightful mix of Maharashtrian and Goan cuisines. The Malvan region boasts an extensive coastline, so coconut milk is prevalent in most of its dishes. The creaminess of the coconut is offset by red-hot chiles, and souring agents like tamarind and
kokum
fruit. Naturally, there is an abundance of seafood, but chicken is not uncommon.