How to Cook Indian (113 page)

4 dried red chiles, stemmed

¼ teaspoon asafetida

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

1 large tomato, finely chopped

2 green chiles, stemmed and chopped

1 medium bunch spinach, roughly chopped

¼ cup (20 grams) grated fresh coconut (or frozen unsweetened coconut)

2 teaspoons tamarind pulp

1 teaspoon table salt

1. Place a nonstick wok over medium heat and add the oil. Add the
dals
and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown.

2. Add the red chiles, asafetida, onion, tomato, and green chiles. Cook for 5 minutes.

3. Add the spinach, coconut, tamarind pulp, and salt. Stir well and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.

4. Transfer to a food processor and process to a fine paste.

5. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve, or store in a sterilized, airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Kele Ki Chutney

Ripe-banana relish

Here the humble banana is transported to new heights with tamarind and jaggery, and the ground ginger adds still more interesting notes.

Makes 1½ cups (450 grams).

4 to 5 tablespoons (80 to 100 grams) tamarind pulp

½ cup (100 grams) grated cane jaggery

1 dried red chile, stemmed and broken in half

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon red chile powder

½ teaspoon ground roasted cumin (page 32)

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

½ teaspoon table salt

1 large ripe banana, peeled and cut into rounds

1. Place a nonstick saucepan over high heat. Add the tamarind pulp, jaggery, and 2 cups (400 ml) water, and bring to a boil, stirring continuously.

2. Lower the heat to low, add the chile, ginger, chile powder, cumin, fennel, and salt, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Add the banana. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.

4. Let cool, then chill in the refrigerator and serve cold. Or, store in a sterilized, airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Khajur Ki Chutney

Date chutney

A Punjabi favorite, this chutney can be made in bulk and stored in the refrigerator, as the jaggery acts as a preservative. I like to serve this chutney (which I like to call India’s ketchup) because it contains nutritious dates.

Makes 2½ cups (750 grams).

9 ounces (250 grams) dates, pitted and roughly chopped

¼ cup (50 grams) grated cane jaggery

½ teaspoon fennel seeds

½ teaspoon red chile powder

½ teaspoon black salt

2 bay leaves

4 whole cloves

2 black cardamom pods

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground roasted cumin (page 32)

1 tablespoon ghee (page 37)

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

1. Place a nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add the dates, jaggery, fennel, chile powder, black salt, bay leaves, cloves, cardamom, ginger, and ground cumin. Add 5 cups (1 liter) water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes or until the mixture is thick.

2. Let cool to room temperature, then transfer to a food processor and process to a purée. Push through a fine strainer into a bowl and set aside.

3. Place a small nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the ghee. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the cumin seeds. When the seeds begin to change color, add this tempering to the chutney and stir.

4. Let cool and serve at room temperature, or store in a sterilized, airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 15 days.

Kharda

Green-chile relish

Traditionally, the chiles are ground in a mortar with a pestle. This relish is commonly made in the villages of Maharashtra, where it is eaten with
bhakri,
a type of thick Indian bread (page 453), and this makes a simple and unpretentious meal.

Makes 1 cup (300 grams).

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

20 green chiles, stemmed and roughly chopped

12 cloves garlic

1 small bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon table salt

1. Place a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the oil. Add the cumin seeds and when they begin to change color, add the chiles and garlic. Sauté for 1 minute, then add the cilantro and stir. Lower the heat to low, add the salt, cover, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Soften the chiles by pressing them with the back of a wooden spoon. Let cool.

3. Transfer to a food processor and process to a coarse paste. You should be able to see chile pieces. Store in a sterilized, airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Kolhapuri Dry Chutney

Spicy, hot, and flavorful chutney

Here, proper roasting of the individual spices is the most essential step. The roasting releases the aromatic oils and the blending gives this special chutney its authentic flavor. If you have leftover chutney, you can use it to make
kolhapuri sukka
lamb (page 378).

Makes 1 cup (300 grams).

2 tablespoons coriander seeds

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

½ tablespoon whole black peppercorns

½-inch (1-cm) cinnamon stick

5 whole cloves

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

20 cloves garlic, half left whole and half chopped

1 cup (60 grams) grated dried coconut

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium red onion, roughly chopped

1 cup (60 grams) finely chopped fresh cilantro

¼ cup (35 grams) red chile powder

1 teaspoon table salt

1. Place a medium nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. One by one, add the coriander, cumin, sesame seeds, peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves, fennel, and whole garlic cloves, and dry-roast each for 1 minute or until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool.

2. In the same pan, dry-roast the coconut for 1 minute or until it turns reddish. Set it aside to cool.

3. Place a nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, lower the heat to low and add the onion, chopped garlic, and cilantro. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until well browned and crisp. Set aside to cool.

4. Combine all the ingredients from steps 1, 2, and 3, and process to a fine powder in a food processor. Stir in the chile powder and salt.

5. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature. Serve, or store in a sterilized, airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Papaya Chutney

A ripe-papaya relish

When you have a lot of papaya in the house, bottle it up! I made this chutney one Sunday afternoon when the smell of ripening papaya hung heavily in our home. My daughters complained about the smell so I started cooking. Now they praise this chutney, and it has become a regular preserve on our table. This goes well spread on bread.

Makes 3 ½ cups (1 kg).

1 pound (500 grams) sugar

1 large ripe papaya, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced

1 teaspoon table salt

10 black peppercorns, crushed

1 teaspoon roasted
kale til
(black sesame seeds)

2 tablespoons
kakdi magaz
(dried cucumber seeds; page 588)

¼ cup (50 ml) malt vinegar

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

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

1 large red onion, peeled and cubed

1. Place a nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar and 1 cup (200 ml) water, and bring to boil. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until you get a thin syrup.

2. Add the papaya and salt, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until the syrup thickens.

3. Add the black peppercorns,
kale til,
and
kakdi magaz,
and cook, stirring continuously, for 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Remove the pan from the heat, add the malt vinegar, and stir. Set aside to cool.

5. Place a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the cumin seeds. When they begin to change color, add the ginger and onion, and sauté until the onions are translucent.

6. Add to the cooked papaya and stir.

7. Let cool and serve. Or, store in a sterilized, airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 15 days.

Tamatar aur Adrak Ki Chutney

Ginger-and-tomato chutney

Chutneys are fun to serve as a dip, and this one pairs particularly well with Indian lentil wafers or
papads,
which you can purchase at any Indian grocery store. I suggest buying
papads
that can be microwaved (as opposed to the ones that need to be deep-fried). Microwave one
papad
at a time, place on a platter, and serve with the chutney.

Makes 1½ cups (450 grams).

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

4 large ripe red tomatoes, roughly chopped

3-inch (7½-cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, roasted and ground

1 tablespoon peanuts, roasted and ground

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, ground