Read 1,000 Indian Recipes Online
Authors: Neelam Batra
1,000 Indian Recipes (157 page)
Quick Garlic and Chile Pepper Eggplant
Lussun aur Mirch vaalae Baingan
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Indians typically deep-fry the chopped eggplant first for this dish and then cook it with the spices. My recipe is a more user-friendly version, in which I microwave the chopped eggplants before sautéing them. The result is a quick, less messy, lowfat dish.
1
1
⁄
4
pounds eggplant (any kind), cut into
1
⁄
2
-inch pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1
⁄
2
teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, or to taste
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 medium fresh garlic cloves, minced
1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, minced
1 large tomato, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1
⁄
2
teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1
⁄
2
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems
1
⁄
4
teaspoon garam masala
1.
Place the eggplant in a microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high until soft, about 4 minutes. Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds and black pepper; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly mix in the onion, garlic, and chile peppers and cook, stirring, until golden, 3 to 5 minutes.
2.
Add the tomato, coriander, turmeric, and salt, and cook 1 minute. Then mix in the eggplant and cilantro and cook, stirring as needed, over medium heat until the eggplant is soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the garam masala on top, and serve.
Quick Japanese or Chinese Eggplant with Cilantro
Dhania vaalae Lambae Baingan
Makes 4 to 6 servings
They may be called Japanese (dark-purple skin) and Chinese (light-purple skin) eggplants in America; but we call them
lumbae baingan
(long eggplants). My mother used to make and still makes them very often during the summer months in India, when they flood the outdoor markets.
These eggplants have a thin skin, a sweeter taste and a silky texture when compared to the others, including the Indian eggplants. They cook fast and take well to Indian spices. To speed up preparation time, soften the eggplants in the microwave for a few minutes, before you cook them, as in this recipe.
1
1
⁄
4
pounds Japanese or Chinese eggplants, cut diagonally into
3
⁄
4
-inch slices
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1
⁄
2
teaspoon black mustard seeds
1
⁄
4
teaspoon coarsely ground fenugreek seeds
1 large clove fresh garlic, minced
1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, minced with seeds
1 tablespoon dried curry leaves
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried mint leaves
1
⁄
4
teaspoon ground turmeric
1
⁄
2
teaspoon salt, or to taste
1
⁄
2
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems
1
⁄
2
teaspoon mango powder
1.
Place the eggplants in a microwave-safe dish. Cover and cook on high about 4 minutes. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the cumin, mustard and fenugreek seeds, garlic, and green chile peppers; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil.
2.
Quickly add the curry leaves, coriander, mint, and turmeric, stir about 30 seconds, then add the eggplant and salt and cook about 2 minutes. Add the cilantro, cover the skillet, reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring as needed, until the eggplant is soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Mix in the mango powder and serve.
Squashes and Gourds
Spicy Pumpkin Purée
Pethae ki Sabzi
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Called
kaddu
or
petha
in Hindi, pumpkins in India are frequently cooked in side dishes, soups, and desserts. The skin of the pumpkin and other winter squashes is thick and hard, and difficult to peel. To peel, using a sharp knife, very carefully cut the squash into long pieces, then slice off the skin. Try it with
White Urad Beans with Fresh Lemon Juice
and whole-wheat
chapati
(griddle breads) or even whole-wheat tortillas.
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1
⁄
2
teaspoon fennel seeds
1
⁄
2
teaspoon coarsely crushed fenugreek seeds
1
⁄
4
teaspoon kalonji seeds
1 medium red onion, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger
1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, thinly sliced
1
1
⁄
2
pounds pumpkin (or any orange or yellow winter squash), peeled and cut into
1
⁄
2
-inch pieces
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1
⁄
4
teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1
⁄
4
cup water, or more as needed
1
⁄
4
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems
1.
Heat the oil in a medium-large, nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and add the fennel, fenugreek, and kalonji seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the onion and cook, stirring, until golden, 5 to 6 minutes.
2.
Stir in the ginger and green chile peppers, then add the pumpkin. Cook, stirring, 5 to 7 minutes. Mix in the coriander, turmeric, and salt, then add the water. Cover the pan and cook, over high heat about 2 minutes, then over low heat until the pumpkin is very soft, about 20 minutes. With a ladle, stir vigorously to mash the softened pumpkin. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with chopped cilantro, and serve.
Haridwar Pumpkin Purée with Dried Pomegranate Seeds