How to Cook Indian (111 page)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ teaspoon black mustard seeds

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

8 to 10 fresh curry leaves

2 dried red chiles, stemmed and broken in half

3 or 4 whole cloves

1-inch (2½-cm) cinnamon stick

1/8; teaspoon asafetida

1. Put the
besan
in a large bowl, add the yogurt, and whisk until smooth. Add 1 quart (800 ml) water and stir well.

2. Add the jaggery and green chiles to the yogurt mixture, and stir well.

3. Place a nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Pour the yogurt mixture into the pan and cook, stirring continuously, for 10 to 15 minutes or until the
kadhi
is medium thick. Add the salt and stir well.

4. Place a small nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the mustard seeds, cumin, curry leaves, red chiles, cloves, cinnamon, and asafetida. When the seeds begin to sputter, add the mixture to the
kadhi
and stir well.

5. Remove from the heat and pour the
kadhi
into a serving bowl. Serve hot.

Punjabi Kadhi

Chickpea-flour dumplings in a yogurt-based gravy

Forty years ago, many homes in India did not have refrigerators. So people used innovative recipes for ingredients that spoiled easily. One of those ingredients was yogurt. Without refrigeration, yogurt would often turn sour, and sour yogurt was the perfect excuse to make a comforting
kadhi
. If you have the patience, you can wait for your yogurt to sour, but you don’t have to.

Be sure to mix the yogurt well with the
besan
before adding it to the pot or the yogurt will curdle. If you are in a hurry, you can omit the dumplings
(pakoras)
and just prepare this as a plain curry. Serve this with steamed rice.

Serves 4.

For the
pakoras:

¾ cup (75 grams)
besan
(chickpea/gram flour)

1 red onion, chopped

½ cup (20 grams) chopped
methi
(fresh fenugreek leaves)

1-inch (2½-cm) piece fresh ginger, grated

1 teaspoon
ajwain

1 teaspoon red chile powder

¼ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon table salt

3 cups (600 ml) vegetable oil

For the
kadhi:

1 cup (250 grams) plain whole-milk yogurt

¼ cup (25 grams)
besan
(chickpea/gram flour)

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1½ teaspoons table salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

6 whole black peppercorns

2 dried red chiles, stemmed and broken into 2 or 3 pieces each

1 red onion, chopped

½-inch (1-cm) piece fresh ginger, chopped

1 teaspoon red chile powder

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Make the
pakoras:
Place all the ingredients except the oil in a medium bowl and stir. Add ¼ cup (50 ml) water and stir to make a soft dough.

2. Place a medium nonstick wok over high heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, drop in small portions (about 2 tablespoons) of the
besan
mixture and deep-fry for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Drain the
pakoras
on paper towels. Set aside.

3. Make the
kadhi:
Put the yogurt in a large bowl, add the
besan,
and whisk until smooth with no lumps. Add the turmeric, salt, and 3 cups (600 ml) water. Set aside.

4. Place a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the fenugreek seeds, cumin, peppercorns, and red chiles. Sauté for 30 seconds. When the seeds begin to sputter, add the onion and ginger, and sauté for 1 minute. Pour the yogurt mixture into the pan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Add the chile powder and the
pakoras
and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes or until the
pakoras
are completely immersed in the
kadhi.

6. Remove from the heat and transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with the cilantro and serve hot.

Sindhi Kadhi

Vegetables cooked in a chickpea-flour sauce

The recipes for
kadhis
and
dals
vary widely from home to home, and the older generation of cooks gets the proportions and measurements right by approximating. What follows is a dish I consider to be the perfect
sindhi kadhi,
which I first tasted at my mother’s friend’s home. I asked her for the recipe, and the darling woman told me just to add a pinch of this and handful of that! I have, of course, translated it all into standard measures for you. This curry served with steamed rice makes an ideal Sunday lunch.

Serves 4.

3 medium potatoes, peeled

¼ cup (50 ml) plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

¾ cup (75 grams)
besan
(chickpea/gram flour)

10 to 12 fresh curry leaves

2 green chiles, stemmed and chopped

1-inch (2½-cm) piece fresh ginger, grated

2½ teaspoons table salt

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

¼ cup (35 grams) shelled green peas

2 medium drumstick vegetables (see page 588), cut into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces

½ cup (75 grams) whole cluster beans, trimmed

1 cup (100 grams) whole okra, trimmed

2 large tomatoes, diced

2½ tablespoons tamarind pulp

1½ teaspoons red chile powder

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Cut each potato in half vertically and then in half horizontally.

2. Place a nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add ¼ cup (50 ml) of the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the cumin and fenugreek, and sauté for 15 seconds.

3. Lower the heat to low, add the
besan,
and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes or until the flour is browned and fragrant. Add 2 quarts (1.6 liters) water and bring to a boil. Add the curry leaves, chiles, and ginger, and stir. Add the salt and turmeric, and stir. Add the peas, drumsticks, and beans. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook for 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, place a small nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the okra and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes.

5. To the pan with the other vegetables, add the tomatoes, tamarind pulp, and chile powder, and stir. Add the okra and stir. Cover and cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Garnish with the cilantro and serve hot.

No matter where you are in India, you will always see bottled pickles sitting on the dining table. Indian cooks take great pleasure in sharing their pickle recipes, and many of these recipes have been passed down for generations. Pickles are usually served with
rotis, parathas,
and
theplas,
and are often packed in lunchboxes for long journeys on the train.

In addition to pickle recipes, in this chapter you’ll find the best recipes for
morabbas
, sweet pickles typically prepared with fruits and vegetables such as mangoes, carrots, or gooseberries; and homemade chutneys. Once, every Indian kitchen had a huge grinding stone with a heavy pestle, which was used to make chutney. These days, a mini food processor or blender most often replaces this traditional tool, but I think you’ll find that the flavor is just as authentic.

Aloo Bukhare Ki Chutney