1,000 Indian Recipes (151 page)

1 teaspoon
Chaat Masala
(or store-bought), or to taste

3 to 4 small pale-fleshed sweet potatoes (shakkar-kandi, about 1
¹
⁄
₂
pounds), peeled and cut in
³
⁄
₄
-inch pieces

1 to 1
¹
⁄
₂
cups water

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹
⁄
₄
cup finely chopped cilantro, including soft stems

1.
Prepare the tamarind paste and the chaat masala. Then, place the sweet potatoes, water, and salt in a large nonstick wok or skillet. Cover and bring to a boil, over medium-high heat for the first 1 to 2 minutes, then over medium-low heat until tender, about 5 more minutes.

2.
Add the tamarind and chaat masala and cook, turning the pieces once or twice, until all the water evaporates and the tamarind appears as a glaze on the pieces, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in the cilantro and cook another 2 minutes. Transfer to a platter and serve hot, at room temperature, or cold.

Fragrant Baby Turnip Halves

Bhunae Chotae Shalgam

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This simple dish is best made with the farmers' market variety of small, 1-inch white turnips that have a naturally sweet and delicate flavor. If you can't find them, use the larger purple-tinged ones, but first peel and cut them into 1-inch pieces. It's a good winter dish to serve with a
dal
(legume dish) or a curry. I also like it with
Pan-Fried Fish Fillets with Ajwain Seeds
.

1 tablespoon
Basic Ginger-Garlic Paste
(or store-bought)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1
¹
⁄
₂
pounds small white turnips, halved

1 to 2 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, minced with seeds

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 teaspoons sugar, or to taste

1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¹
⁄
₄
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1.
Prepare the ginger-garlic paste. Then heat the oil in a large 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 turnips and cook, stirring, until lightly golden, 3 to 5 minutes.

2.
Add the ginger-garlic paste, green chile peppers, salt, and sugar, cover the pan, and cook over medium-low heat until the turnips are crisp-tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Mix in the lemon juice and cilantro, transfer to a serving dish, and serve.

Grated Turnips with Turmeric

Kutrae Shalgam ki Sabzi

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Turmeric and ginger are the two primary flavors in this simple lunchtime favorite. The ginger is chopped coarsely to add a burst of flavor every time you bite a piece of turnip, but you can mince it if you prefer it that way. Serve this dish with freshly made
chapati
(whole-wheat flatbreads).

Baby turnips, the size and shape of large red radishes, are about 1 inch in diameter. They have a sweet and mild flavor and a soft, smooth skin that does not need to be removed. If you use larger turnips, make sure they are not fibrous and peel them before cooking.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 (1
¹
⁄
₂
-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

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

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 pound baby turnips, trimmed and grated

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground turmeric

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

³
⁄
₄
teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste

¹
⁄
₄
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon garam masala

1.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook the ginger, stirring, until golden, 1 minute. Add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the green chile peppers and onion and cook, stirring, until golden, 2 to 4 minutes.

2.
Add the turnips, turmeric, red pepper flakes, and salt, and cook, stirring, about 4 minutes. Then add the sugar, cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook 5 to 7 minutes. Mix in the cilantro and cook another 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the garam masala on top, and serve.

Chopped Turnips with Apples and Green Tomatoes

Shalgam, Saeb aur Harae Tamatar ki Sabzi

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Turnips cooked with tart apples, green tomatoes, and cauliflower florets are not a dish any Indian would think of making, but it tastes very good. I came about this recipe quite by accident. One day when I was cooking turnips, my glance fell on the green apples and tomatoes in my fruit basket and, on the spur of the moment, I added some to the dish. The results were spectacular, and even my mother-in-law, who was visiting from India, said she would make her turnips this way. And she has.

The final cooking time is up to you, depending on how soft you like your vegetables. I prefer them crisp-tender, so I cook the vegetables the final time about 10 minutes.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound small turnips, finely chopped

1 small tart apple, finely chopped

1 cup finely chopped cauliflower florets

1 large firm green tomato, finely chopped

1 large red tomato, finely chopped

1 to 2 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, minced with seeds

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground turmeric

1 cup finely chopped fresh spinach

1.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium heat and cook the turnips, apple, and cauliflower, stirring, until fragrant and golden, 7 to 10 minutes.

2.
Mix in all the remaining ingredients (except the spinach) and cook, over high heat for the first 3 to 4 minutes and then over low heat until the vegetables are as soft as you desire, 10 to 20 minutes. Mix in the spinach during the last 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and serve.

Crispy Taro Root Fingers with Ajwain Seeds