Read 1,000 Indian Recipes Online
Authors: Neelam Batra
1,000 Indian Recipes (178 page)
2 cups (
1
⁄
2
recipe)
Butter-Cream Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes
2 tablespoons
Basic Ginger-Garlic Paste
(or store-bought)
3 small potatoes
2 small onions, quartered
10 to 12 cauliflower florets (2-inches each)
6 to 8 baby patty pan squash, halved
1 green bell pepper, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced into
3
⁄
4
-inch pieces
1
⁄
2
cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth
2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves
1
⁄
2
teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground paprika
1
⁄
2
teaspoon salt, or to taste
1.
Prepare the butter-cream sauce. Prepare the ginger-garlic paste. Boil the potatoes in water to cover until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, let cool, then peel and cut them into
3
⁄
4
-inch pieces.
2.
Place the onions and vegetables in a large non-reactive bowl. In a small bowl, mix together the yogurt, lime juice, oil, ginger-garlic paste, garam masala, fenugreek leaves, cumin, paprika, and salt, and add to the vegetables. Mix well, making sure the vegetables are well-coated with the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 and up to 24 hours.
3.
Place the vegetables on a baking tray and broil, turning them once or twice, under the broiler, 4 to 5 inches from the source of heat, until they are lightly charred.
4.
Alternately, grill over medium-high heat or pan-cook until golden. Transfer to a serving platter.
5.
While the vegetables are cooking, prepare the sauce. Then cook it further over high heat [If you've already prepared the sauce, why do we need to refer again to cook it over high heat to reduce it further.] until most of the juices evaporate and the sauce is very thick, about 10 minutes. Drizzle over the vegetables and serve. (Or, cook the vegetables in the sauce about 5 minutes and then serve.)
Variation:
Cut paneer cheese or tofu into
1
⁄
2
-inch pieces and cook in the sauce about 5 minutes, before the sauce is mixed with the vegetables.
Savory Fruit Dishes
Tart Apples with Cooked Onions
Pyaz vaalae Khattae Saeb
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Inspired by the tree in my backyard, which sheds tart apples by the bucketful, this recipe consistently remains a big hit, year after year. You could also try this recipe using unripe tart peaches, nectarines, or mangoes in place of the apples. Serve as a side dish with
Grilled Chicken in Spicy Sauce
,
Potato Salad with Yogurt
and a rice or Indian flatbread.
1
1
⁄
2
tablespoons
Basic Ginger-Garlic Paste
(or store-bought)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large finely chopped onion
1 fresh green chile pepper, such as serrano, minced with seeds
1 pound tart apples, such as the Granny Smith or pippin, cut into
1
⁄
2
-inch pieces
1
⁄
2
teaspoon salt, or to taste
1
⁄
2
teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1
⁄
4
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems
1.
Prepare the ginger-garlic paste. Heat the oil in a nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the onion until golden, 2 to 4 minutes.
2.
Add the green chile pepper and the ginger-garlic paste and cook, stirring, over low heat about 1 minute.
3.
Add the apples, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring, another 2 to 4 minutes. Mix in the cilantro and cook another 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and serve.
Variation:
Mix the finished dish into a bowlful of nonfat plain yogurt, add some
dry-roasted
cumin and cayenne pepper and serve as a raita (yogurt side dish) with grilled fare.
Tart Apples with Cumin Seeds
Khattae Saebon ki Sabzi
Makes 4 to 6 servings
While the sweeter apples disappear fast from the fruit basket, the sour ones get left behind to be used in pies and desserts. But how many desserts can one make or eat? Here is a delicious alternative—and one that does full justice to tart apples.
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 fresh green chile pepper, such as serrano, minced with seeds
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 pound tart apples, such as Granny Smith or pippin, cut into
1
⁄
2
-inch pieces
1
⁄
2
teaspoon salt, or to taste
1
⁄
2
cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1
⁄
4
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems
1 to 2 teaspoons sugar, if needed
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the green chile pepper and coriander, then add the apples, salt, bell pepper, and cilantro. Cook, stirring, over medium heat for the first 2 to 3 minutes, then cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat until the apples are soft, 5 to 7 minutes.
2.
Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding 1 to 2 teaspoons of sugar if the apples are overly tart. Transfer to a serving dish, top with black pepper, and serve.
Spicy Star Fruit
Kamrak ki Sabzi
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Anu Khatod, my daughter's sister-in-law, makes this unusual side dish with star fruit. Serve it with
Cochin Coconut Shrimp with Tomatoes
and
Basic Oven-Grilled Leavened Breads
(
tandoori naan
).
Also called
carambola
in English, star fruit has translucent yellow-green flesh. When you cut it crosswise, each piece comes out looking like a star, hence its name. Star fruit is deliciously sour and tastes superb with a sprinkling of
chaatmasala
. (Which is why it often shows up in special fruit
chaat
salads.)
1
⁄
2
teaspoon
Chaat Masala
(or store-bought)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1
⁄
4
teaspoon fennel seeds
1
⁄
4
teaspoon cumin seeds