Authors: Neelam Batra

1,000 Indian Recipes (281 page)

BOOK: 1,000 Indian Recipes

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

¹⁄
₄teaspoon ground turmeric

1.
Prepare the tamarind paste. Then, put the rice, water, and salt in a medium nonstick saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan (partially at first until the foam subsides, and then snugly), and cook until all the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Let the rice rest undisturbed about 5 minutes, then transfer to a serving platter. Cover and keep warm.

2.
In a small skillet, over medium heat, dry-roast—separately and in order—coriander seeds (about 1 minute), sesame seeds (about 30 seconds), and red chile peppers (about 1
¹⁄
₂minutes), until lightly browned, transferring each to a bowl as it is done. Let cool, then grind them all together as fine as possible. Mix into the rice.

3.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook the peanuts, cashews, and curry leaves until fragrant and lightly browned. Add to the rice.

4.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and add the mustard and fenugreek seeds; they should splutter upon contact with the hot oil, so cover the pan and reduce the heat until the spluttering subsides. Quickly add the chickpea dal and turmeric, and cook, stirring, until golden, then add the tamarind paste and cook, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer this sauce to the rice platter and mix it into the rice, taking care that some of it is visible as a garnish. Serve.

Variation:
To enhance and bring out the sweetness of the dish, sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons powdered jaggery (gur) or dark brown sugar over the dish while it's still warm—just after you've transferred it to a platter.

Potato, Coconut, and Yogurt Fried Rice

Aalu-Nariyal ka Dahi Bhath

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This soft-cooked rice dish, with its distinct sweet and tart flavors from the coconut and yogurt, and an extraordinary fragrance from mustard and fenugreek seeds and fresh ginger is another southern Indian specialty. Eat it as a snack or serve it as part of a brunch menu.

4 cups (1 recipe)
Steamed Basmati Rice (Absorption Method)

2 medium potatoes (any kind)

¹⁄
₃cup fresh, frozen, or unsweetened dried grated coconut

3 tablespoons peeled minced fresh ginger

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

1 tablespoon melted ghee or vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

¹⁄
₂teaspoon coarsely ground fenugreek seeds

¹⁄
₈teaspoon ground asafoetida

¹⁄
₂cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, with soft stems

¹⁄
₄teaspoon ground turmeric

¹⁄
₂teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

1.
Prepare the rice. Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in lightly salted water to cover until tender, about 20 minutes, then peel and cut them into
¹⁄
₂-inch pieces.

2.
Place the coconut in a large nonstick wok or saucepan and stir over medium heat golden, about 1 minute. Then add the ginger and green chile peppers and stir another minute. Remove from the pan.

3.
To the pan, add the ghee (or oil), then add the cumin, mustard seeds, and fenugreek seeds; they should splutter upon contact with the hot oil, so cover the pan until the spluttering subsides. Quickly add the asafoetida, potatoes, cilantro (save some for garnish), turmeric, and salt and stir about 5 minutes.

4.
Mix in the cooked rice and yogurt, cover, and cook until all the yogurt is absorbed by the rice, 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with the reserved cilantro, and serve.

Madras-Style Spicy Eggplant Rice

Vangi Bhath

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Vangi
is eggplants and
bhath
is rice in Tamil, the language of Tamilnadu (formerly Madras). This is a version of the classic dish, which is very popular all over the southern states of India.

The rice and eggplants are first cooked separately and then together, and the dish is then generally served with
paapads
(lentil wafers) and pickles. A
rasam
(a spicy south Indian soup) also makes a nice accompaniment.

¹⁄
₄cup
Tamarind Paste

4 cups (1 recipe)
Steamed Basmati Rice (Absorption Method)

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

8 to 10 dried red chile peppers, such as chile de arbol, broken

1
¹⁄
₂tablespoons coriander seeds

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

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

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

¹⁄
₂teaspoon green cardamom seeds

¹⁄
₂teaspoon black peppercorns

¹⁄
₄teaspoon ground turmeric

¹⁄
₄teaspoon ground cloves

¹⁄
₄teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons peanut oil

1 tablespoon black mustard seeds

1 tablespoon minced fresh curry leaves

¹⁄
₈teaspoon ground asafoetida

1 large eggplant (about 1 pound), cut in 1-inch pieces

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1.
Prepare the tamarind paste and then the rice. Then place the coconut, red chile peppers, coriander, both the dals, cumin, sesame seeds, cardamom seeds, and black peppercorns in a medium skillet and dry-roast, stirring and shaking the skillet, over medium heat until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let cool, then and grind in a spice or coffee grinder until fine. Mix in the turmeric, cloves, and cinnamon.

2.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and add the mustard seeds; they should splutter upon contact with the hot oil, so cover the pan until the spluttering subsides. Quickly add the curry leaves, asafoetida, eggplant, salt, and half the ground spice mixture. Cover the pan and cook over medium-high heat the first 2 to 3 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium and cook until the eggplant is quite soft, about 10 minutes.

3.
Add the tamarind paste and cook about 5 minutes. Gently mix in the cooked rice and most of the remaining ground spice mixture (save some for garnish). Cover and cook over low heat, 5 to 7 minutes, to blend the flavors. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the reserved spice mixture on top, and serve.

Variation:
To make this dish a biryani, preheat the oven to 400°F, then layer the rice and eggplant in an oven-safe dish, cover, and bake 15 to 20 minutes.

Tangy South Indian Rice and Pigeon Peas

Bise Bele Bhath

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Bise
means hot,
bele
means
dal
(legumes) and
bhath
means rice in Tamil, a south Indian language, and this hot, tangy, spicy rice and
dal
dish is a masterpiece from the south. Meant to be eaten with pickles and
paapads
(lentil wafers),
bisi bele bhath
can also be a main dish, served with a yogurt
raita
or
pachadi
(yogurt side dish).