1,000 Indian Recipes (225 page)

1
¹
⁄
₂
cups frozen peas, thawed

1
¹
⁄
₂
to 2 cups water

1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon garam masala

1.
In a medium saucepan, boil the potatoes in water to cover until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, let cool, then peel and cut into
¹
⁄
₂
-inch pieces.

2.
Heat the oil in a medium nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin and kalonji seeds (if using); they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the coriander, cumin, paprika, and salt, then mix in the tomato sauce, green chile peppers, and half the cilantro, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it thickens considerably, 10 to 12 minutes.

3.
Reduce the heat to low, add the potatoes and peas, and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer until the sauce is thick, about 5 minutes.

4.
Mix in the remaining cilantro and fenugreek leaves, and cook 5 more minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally. Transfer to serving dish, sprinkle the garam masala on top, and serve.

Greens Entrées

Spicy Puréed Spinach Greens

Palak ka Saag

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Enjoy this quick-cooking and nutritious green purée by the bowlful with
chapatis
(whole-wheat griddle breads) or
paranthas
(griddle-fried breads), or make substantial entrées with it, similar to
Spinach with Paneer Cheese
or
Traditional Indian Chicken with Spinach
, by simmering it further with a cup or two of chopped vegetables,
paneer
cheese, or grilled meats, to blend the flavors.

5 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger

2 large cloves fresh garlic, peeled

1 to 2 green chile peppers, such as serrano, stemmed

2 (1-pound) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed

2 tablespoons melted ghee or vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves

1 teaspoon garam masala +
¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon for garnish

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground paprika

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

2 tablespoons cornmeal or whole-wheat flour, dissolved in
¹
⁄
₄
cup water

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cream, or plain yogurt

1.
In a food processor or a blender, process together the ginger, garlic, and green chile peppers until minced. Then add the spinach and process again to make a coarse purée.

2.
Heat the ghee (or oil) in a small 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 onion and cook, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Mix in the coriander, fenugreek leaves, garam masala, and paprika, then add the tomato sauce and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes.

3.
Mix in the puréed spinach and cook, stirring, until it comes to a boil, about 2 minutes. Add the cornmeal (or whole-wheat) mixture and simmer over medium heat about 10 minutes to blend the flavors. (For a thinner dish, add up to
¹
⁄
₂
cup water and bring to a boil over high heat.) Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer again, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, add the butter (cream or yogurt) and swirl lightly to mix, with parts of it visible as a garnish, sprinkle the garam masala on top, and serve.

Spinach, Fenugreek Greens, and Broccoli

Palak aur Methi ka Saag

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Fenugreek leaves, along with the other aromatic ingredients, add a refreshing spark to this customary Indian treatment of cooking greens.

2 small bunches fresh spinach (about 1 pound total), trimmed of roots only, washed, and coarsely chopped

2 cups coarsely chopped fresh fenugreek leaves

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

¹
⁄
₂
pound broccoli, chopped

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

6 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger

2 large cloves fresh garlic, peeled

1 to 2 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, stemmed

2 (1-inch) sticks cinnamon

3 black cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin

¹
⁄
₂
cup water

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 tablespoons melted ghee or vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste

2 small tomatoes, each cut into 6 wedges

1.
Place the spinach, fenugreek leaves, cilantro, broccoli, onion, ginger, green chile peppers, cinnamon, cardamom pods, and water in a large nonstick wok or saucepan. Cover and cook over medium-high heat the first 2 to 3 minutes, then over medium heat until the broccoli is soft and the greens are wilted, 5 to 7 minutes.

2.
Let cool, remove the cinnamon and cardamom pods, transfer to a food processor and pulse until coarsely puréed. Return to the pan, add the salt, and cook over medium heat about 20 minutes, adding up to
¹
⁄
₂
cup water if the dish seems dry. Transfer to a serving dish and keep warm.

3.
Heat the ghee (or oil) in a small nonstick saucepan and add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the dried fenugreek leaves and red pepper flakes, then add the tomatoes, and cook until they are slightly soft, about 3 minutes. Add to the spinach, and mix lightly with parts of it visible as a garnish. Serve.

Variation:
Pan-cook, then mix in 1 small head chopped cauliflower, or 1
¹
⁄
₂
to 2 cups diced tofu, paneer cheese, or boiled potatoes during the last 10 minutes of cooking in Step 2. You can also add the same amount of cooked chicken or fish.

Punjabi Mustard Greens

Sarson ka Saag

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Most Hindus who lived in the parts of the Punjab that became Pakistan during the 1947 partition of India and Pakistan moved to New Delhi in India. My parents were married in Lahore (in Pakistan) in 1947 then moved to New Delhi within months of their marriage. I was born in New Delhi, but the cooking style of my grandmother and mother remained Punjabi.

My grandmother, an exceptional cook, was the official
saag
(greens) cooker in our family. She would painstakingly trim each leaf and stem just so, then chop and vigilantly simmer the greens for hours over low heat until they were practically puréed. This all amounted to hours of work for my grandmother. The result was served with a dollop of butter and hearty corn flatbreads. The greens melted on your tongue, with the most exquisite feel and flavor.

Today, I use many modern conveniences, which allow me to make this still-delicious recipe without laboring all day.

1 large bunch mustard greens (about 1 pound), trimmed and coarsely chopped

1 small bunch fresh spinach (about 8 ounces), trimmed and coarsely chopped

1 small bunch lambs quarters (about 4 ounces), trimmed and coarsely chopped (optional)

1 small bunch fresh fenugreek leaves (about 4 ounces), trimmed and coarsely chopped

1 cup fresh dill leaves, trimmed and coarsely chopped

3 to 4 small turnips, with any greens, chopped

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 to 2 cups water

2 to 3 tablespoons corn meal

2 tablespoons corn oil

1 tablespoon melted ghee

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks

1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger

2 large cloves fresh garlic, minced

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

1 large tomato, finely chopped

1 tablespoon ground coriander

2 teaspoons dried fenugreek leaves

1 teaspoon garam masala

¹
⁄
₂
cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter

1
¹
⁄
₂
teaspoons cumin seeds

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground paprika

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground black salt (optional)

1.
Place all the greens, turnips, salt, and 1 cup water in a large nonstick saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until the greens are wilted, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, let cool, then transfer to a food processor and pulse until coarsely puréed. (Do not overprocess.)