1,000 Indian Recipes (235 page)

3 to 5 whole dried red chile peppers, such as chile de arbol

7 to 10 fresh curry leaves

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

¹
⁄
₄
cup grated fresh coconut

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

2 teaspoons peeled minced fresh ginger

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⁄
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cup fresh cilantro, including soft stems

3 large seedless cucumbers, such as English cucumbers, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

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⁄
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teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground paprika

3 cups nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

2 cups buttermilk

1.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and add the red chile peppers, curry leaves, cumin, and mustard seeds; they should splutter upon contact with the hot oil, so lower the heat and cover the pan until the spluttering subsides.

2.
Quickly add the coconut, green chile peppers, ginger, and cilantro, and cook over medium heat until the coconut is golden, about 5 minutes. Add the cucumber, salt, and paprika, and cook until the pieces soften, about 10 minutes.

3.
In a blender, blend together the yogurt and the buttermilk and add to the pan. Simmer over medium heat until hot, about 5 minutes. (Do not boil, or the kadhi will curdle.) Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot.

South Indian Yogurt Curry

South ki Dahi-Kadhi

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Although this dish belongs in the
kadhi
category, it contains no chickpea flour, as is normal for most
kadhis
. Instead, it is thickened and flavored with roasted
dals
(legumes), coconut, and spices.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

5 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger

2 dried red chile peppers, such as chile de arbol, with stems

12 to 15 fresh curry leaves

1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

1 tablespoon dried white urad beans (dhulli urad dal), sorted

1 tablespoon dried split pigeon peas (toor dal), sorted

1 tablespoon dried yellow split chickpeas (channa dal), sorted

¹
⁄
₄
cup grated fresh or frozen coconut or shredded unsweetened dried coconut

¹
⁄
₈
teaspoon ground asafoetida

3 cups nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground paprika

1.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small nonstick sauce-pan over medium-high heat and add the ginger, red chile peppers, and curry leaves. Cook, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Add the fenugreek and coriander seeds, all the dals, coconut, and asafoetida, and cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Let cool, transfer to a blender, and blend, adding some of the yogurt to facilitate blending, until smooth. Then add the rest of the yogurt, turmeric, and salt, and blend again until smooth.

2.
Transfer to a large nonstick wok or saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil. Then reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring, until the curry thickens a little and is smooth, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish.

3.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of the oil in the saucepan you used in Step 1, and add the mustard and cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Remove from the heat, quickly add the paprika, and transfer to the kadhi. Swirl lightly to mix, with parts of it visible as a garnish, and serve.

South Indian Yogurt and Coconut Milk Curry with Vegetables

South ki Nariyal Doodh ki Kadhi

Makes 4 to 6 servings

The south Indians generally make their dishes very hot and spicy, as seen in this soupy
kadhi
(yogurt curry), whose heat goes straight to all your senses—so beware! Adjust the chile peppers to suit your palate, if you like, and serve it with steamed rice to tone down the heat.

¹
⁄
₄
cup dried split pigeon peas (toor dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

1 tablespoon dried yellow split chickpeas (channa dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

2
¹
⁄
₂
cups water

1 cup
Coconut Milk
(or store-bought)

6 to 8 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger

2 to 5 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, stemmed

15 to 20 fresh curry leaves

2 tablespoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 cups nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

4 whole dried red chile peppers, such as chile de arbol, skins pierced to prevent bursting

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon ground fenugreek seeds

¹
⁄
₈
teaspoon ground asafoetida

2 to 3 small Chinese or Japanese eggplants, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 large green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 large tomato, cut into
¹
⁄
₂
-inch pieces

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⁄
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cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1.
Soak the dals in the water 1 hour or longer. Meanwhile, prepare the coconut milk. Then, drain the dals, reserving the water. Place the drained dals, ginger, green chile peppers, and curry leaves in a blender and blend, adding some of the water to facilitate the blending, until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add 1 tablespoon coriander, the cumin, and salt, and blend again. Then add the yogurt and blend once again until smooth.

2.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan and fry the red chile peppers until golden, 1 minute, then add the cumin and mustard seeds; they should splutter upon contact with the hot oil, so cover the pan until the spluttering subsides. Quickly add the remaining 1 tablespoon coriander, fenugreek seeds, and asafoetida, stir 30 seconds, and add the eggplant, bell pepper, and tomato. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.

3.
Add the yogurt mixture, a little at a time, stirring constantly to prevent it from curdling, until it comes to a boil. Rinse the blender with the remaining water, add it to the kadhi, and boil again. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring, 5 to 7 minutes, then add the coconut milk and cilantro and simmer until the vegetables are soft and the kadhi is thick and smooth, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve hot.

Non-Vegetarian Fare

Although a predominantly vegetarian country, India enjoys a wealth of delicious non-vegetarian dishes, including specialties such as
Parsi Scrambled Eggs with Corn
,
Grilled Tandoori Chicken
,
Hyderabadi Chicken Curry
,
Kashmiri Slow-Cooked Spicy Lamb Curry
, and
Spicy Goan Shrimp Curry
.

There are various degrees of vegetarianism in India, inspired mostly by religious and spiritual beliefs. There are sects who do not eat any non-vegetarian foods. There are vegetarians who won't eat meat, poultry, or fish but will eat eggs. There are some who won't eat meat or poultry, but will eat fish, believing it to be a harvest of the waters and even call it
jal-tori
, meaning water-squash. The Muslims will not eat pork and the Hindus stay away from beef.

An interesting point: Most Indian vegetarians consider dairy products acceptable for their diets because they believe milk does not destroy life, but sustains it—and throughout the country, milk is used in many dishes in various forms of yogurt,
paneer
cheese, milk, and cream.

Some Indians, however, will eat all types of non-vegetarian foods and this chapter offers a selection of main dishes featuring eggs, chicken, meat, and fish—some classic recipes known throughout the world, others popular within India, and yet others that are favorites in the United States. There are also some non-vegetarian recipes in other chapters—
Starters and Snacks
,
Soups
, and
Salads
—where they are grouped in subcategories identifying them as non-vegetarian.

= Vegan
= Pressure-Cooker Quick