1,000 Indian Recipes (153 page)

1 tablespoon ground coriander

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 cup water

¹
⁄
₄
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1 teaspoon mango powder

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon garam masala

1.
Prepare the ginger-garlic paste. Then, wash the lotus roots well outside and inside by allowing running water to flow through the length of the root. Then peel and slice them on the diagonal into thin rounds.

2.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the onion until golden, stirring, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the ginger-garlic paste, tomato, and green chile pepper and cook about 1 minute.

3.
Add the coriander, turmeric, and salt, then the lotus roots and water, cover the pan, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lotus roots are crisp-tender, 5 to 7 minutes. (Cook longer for a softer texture.) Mix in the cilantro and mango powder, transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the garam masala on top, and serve.

Quick Pan-Cooked Lotus Roots

Kamal-Kakdi ki Sabzi

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Because fresh lotus roots require a special trip to an Asian or Indian market, I often use canned ones, which I store in my pantry. Here is an easy recipe to serve with
paranthas
(griddle-fried breads).

1 tablespoon
Basic Ginger-Garlic Paste
(or store-bought)

2 tablespoons peanut oil

1 medium potato (any kind), peeled and cut into
¹
⁄
₂
-inch pieces

1 (14-ounce) can lotus roots, drained and roots cut into thin slices

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 fresh green chile pepper, such as serrano, minced with seeds

1 tablespoon ground coriander

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground paprika

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹
⁄
₂
cup water

¹
⁄
₄
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1 teaspoon mango powder

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon garam masala

1.
Prepare the ginger-garlic paste. Then in a medium nonstick wok or saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat and cook the potatoes and lotus roots, stirring until golden, 5 to 7 minutes.

2.
Push everything to one side of the skillet. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and tilt the skillet to pool all the oil in the corner opposite the vegetables. When the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the oil. Quickly add the ginger-garlic paste and green chile pepper and cook, about 30 seconds.

3.
Mix in the coriander, paprika, and salt and stir about 2 minutes. Add the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are soft and the lotus roots are crisp-tender, 5 to 7 minutes. (Cook longer for a softer texture.)

4.
Mix in the cilantro and mango powder, transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the garam masala on top, and serve.

Eggplant

Native to India and grown all over the world, eggplants come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors such as egg-shaped dark-purple Indian eggplants, larger oval eggplants, and thin light-purple Chinese eggplants. I have used different eggplant varieties in my dishes, so you will see how they each can be used. Use what is available in your market, but before cooking, estimate how the cooking time or result might differ so you can adapt the recipe as needed. When selecting your eggplants, regardless of variety, choose eggplants that are shiny and seem light for their size. They will have fewer seeds.

Mashed Fire-Roasted Eggplant

Baingan ka Bhartha

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Seasoned just with salt, this authentic home-style specialty is a textured eggplant mash with lots of natural flavor. It has no resemblance to the heavily creamed and spiced
bhartha
(mashed eggplant) dishes that you find in Indian restaurants. My family loves its smoky aroma and taste, so we often quickly devour it at mealtimes. I also often present it as a dip for fresh vegetables and in sandwiches in place of grilled eggplants.

2 medium oval-shaped eggplants (about
³
⁄
₄
-pound each)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

5 to 7 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, whole (puncture skin to prevent bursting), or mince 1 pepper

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 large tomatoes, finely chopped

1
¹
⁄
₂
cups finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1.
Flame-char or roast the eggplants, then peel and mash, as per
Roasting and Grilling Vegetables
.

2.
Heat the oil in a large wok or saucepan over medium-high heat, add the green chile peppers and onion, and cook, stirring, until golden, about 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes and 1 cup cilantro and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato juices evaporate, about 5 minutes.

3.
Mix in the eggplant pulp and salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Mix in the remaining
¹
⁄
₂
cup chopped cilantro during the last 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, dig out the chile peppers and place on top as a garnish (and a warning), and serve.

Creamy Mashed Eggplant with Peas

Baingan ka Shahi Bhartha

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This dish is often called
shahibhartha
because the addition of cream and spices gives it a richer status, normally associated with the
rajas
and
maharajas
(kings and emperors). Save it for special occasions, and serve it as part of a larger menu with
Grilled Tandoori Chicken
,
Split Urad Beans and Yellow Split Chickpeas with Spinach
, a yogurt
raita
and oven-grilled
naan
or other flatbreads.

1 large oval-shaped eggplant (about 1 pound)

2 tablespoons melted ghee or vegetable oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 large clove fresh garlic, minced

1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, minced with seeds

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon garam masala

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground paprika

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 large tomato, finely chopped

1 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

¹
⁄
₄
cup heavy or light cream

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

1.
Flame-char or roast the eggplant, then peel and mash, as per
Roasting and Grilling Vegetables
.

2.
Heat the ghee or oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and green chile peppers, mix in the coriander, cumin, garam masala, cayenne pepper, paprika and salt, and stir about 1 minute.

3.
Add the tomato and cilantro and cook, stirring, until all the tomato juices evaporate, 5 to 7 minutes. Mix in the mashed eggplant and the peas. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Mix in the cream and cook 1 minute. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with the chopped cilantro, and serve.