1,000 Indian Recipes (171 page)

Palak aur Laal Aalu

Makes 4 to 6 servings

With flavor accents from garam masala, ginger, and garlic, this simple home-style preparation is perfect for a casual supper with
chapatis
(griddle breads). To give it a protein boost, mix in a cup of extra-firm tofu or cooked chicken along with the tomatoes in Step 3.

2 small bunches fresh spinach (about 1 pound), trimmed of roots only, washed well and coarsely chopped

4 small red potatoes (about 1 pound), cut into wedges

1 cup water

³
⁄
₄
teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 to 3 tablespoons peanut oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger

1 large clove fresh garlic, minced

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

1 large tomato, finely chopped

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1
¹
⁄
₂
teaspoons garam masala

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground turmeric

1.
Place the spinach, potatoes, water, and salt in a large nonstick saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer until the potatoes are soft, most of the water has evaporated, and the dish is just moist, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir vigorously and break some of the potatoes to give the dish a somewhat creamy texture. Set aside.

2.
Heat the oil in a medium nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the onion and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, and green chile peppers, and stir until golden. Then add the tomato and cook, stirring, until most of the juices evaporate, 5 to 7 minutes.

3.
Add the coriander, 1 teaspoon garam masala, and turmeric, cook about 1 minute, and transfer to the spinach and potato mixture. Mix well, cover the pan and simmer over medium-low heat, 5 to 7 minutes, to blend flavors. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the remaining
¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon garam masala on top, and serve.

Cooked Spinach with Sliced Almonds

Badaam vaali Palak

Makes 4 to 6 servings

A quick cooking with garlic, ginger, and a touch of Bengali 5-Spices turns fresh spinach into a lovely side dish. Instead of the almonds, you may substitute pistachios, cashews, or pine nuts, but remember to add the nuts just before serving or they will absorb the moisture from the spinach and become soggy.

1 tablespoon
Bengali 5-Spices (Panch-Phoran)
or store-bought

2 tablespoons sliced almonds, dry-roasted (
Dry-Roasting Spices, Nuts, Flours
)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger

1 large clove fresh garlic, minced

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

¹
⁄
₈
teaspoon ground asafoetida

2 small bunches fresh spinach (about 1 pound), trimmed of roots only, washed well and coarsely chopped

1
¹
⁄
₂
teaspoons salt, or to taste

1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon garam masala

1.
Prepare the 5-spice powder and roast the almonds. Then, heat the oil in a medium cast-iron or nonstick wok over medium-high heat and add the 5-spices; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Then add the ginger, garlic, and green chile peppers, and stir about 30 seconds.

2.
Add the asafoetida, spinach, and salt, and stir over high heat 2 to 3 minutes. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the spinach is well glazed with the spices. Uncover the pan, increase the heat to high, and dry any juices that may have accumulated. Transfer to a serving dish and keep warm.

3.
To the same pan, add the bell pepper and cook, stirring, until crisp-tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Scatter over the spinach. Sprinkle the roasted almonds and garam masala on top and serve.

Braised Beet Greens

Chukandar kae Patton ki Sabzi

Makes 4 to 6 servings

These mildly sweet greens, belonging to the chard family, are full of fiber and vitamins, and can be added to salads or cooked, as in this recipe. The same holds true for red or green chard, mustard, daikon, turnip, and other lesser-known greens. All can be used interchangeably. Serve this dish on the side with a vegetable or meat curry, or mix it into
Steamed Turmeric and Red Peppercorn Basmati Rice
and present it with a yogurt
raita
.

2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger

1 large clove fresh garlic, minced

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon salt, or to taste

4 to 5 cups finely chopped beet greens, including stems

1 cup water or low-sodium canned chicken broth

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon garam masala

1.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the onion and cook, stirring until golden, about 7 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and stir about 1 minute.

2.
Add the coriander, cumin, and salt, stir 1 minute, then mix in the beet greens and water (or broth). Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring a few times, until the greens are soft and most of the water has evaporated, about 15 minutes.

3.
Increase the heat to medium-high, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and cook the greens, stirring frequently, until they are very soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the garam masala on top, and serve.

Carrots, Peas, and Other Basic Vegetables

Dry-Cooked Carrots, Peas, and Potatoes

Sookhae Gaajar, Muttar, aur Aalu

Makes 4 to 6 servings

The natural sweetness of seasonal baby carrots makes for a mildly flavored home-cooking dish, perfect to serve with a
dal
(legume) dish and
chapatis
(griddle breads).

Baby carrots are sold in bundles (with greens attached); the small carrot nibs sold in sealed packages don't have the same freshness and flavor. If you can't find baby carrots, use fresh larger carrots (sold with greens).

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger

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

1 tablespoon ground coriander

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground cumin

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground turmeric

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 pound baby carrots, cut into
¹
⁄
₂
-inch pieces

¹
⁄
₂
pound baby white (or any) potatoes, cut into
¹
⁄
₂
-inch pieces

1 cup fresh or thawed frozen peas

¹
⁄
₄
cup water

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