1,000 Indian Recipes (242 page)

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 tablespoons peanut oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 tablespoons ground coriander

12 to 15 fresh curry leaves

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 fresh green chile pepper, such as serrano, minced with seeds

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teaspoon ground paprika

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teaspoon ground turmeric

1
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cups coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1 tart apple, such as Granny Smith or pippin, coarsely chopped (with or without peel)

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teaspoon garam masala

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1.
Place the chicken in a non-reactive bowl. Add the ginger, garlic, lemon juice, yogurt, and salt and mix well, making sure all the pieces are well-coated with the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator, at least 4 and up to 24 hours.

2.
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 coriander and curry leaves and stir 1 minute.

3.
Add the onion, green chile pepper, paprika, and turmeric and stir about 1 minute. Mix in the chicken, plus all the marinade, and cook, stirring as needed, 5 to 7 minutes.

4.
In a food processor, process together the cilantro and apple until fine, and add it to the chicken. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, turning as needed, until the chicken is tender, about 30 minutes. Add the garam masala during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with black pepper, and serve.

Diced Chicken with Cumin and Red Bell Peppers

Jeera aur Laal Shimla Mirch ka Murgh

Makes 4 to 6 servings

For the cook in a hurry, here is a spicy-hot chicken dish that can be cooked right away, or marinated the day before and then quickly pan-fried. And it makes a good presentation, too, with the tiny pieces of onion and red bell peppers lending color and a delicate crunch.

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

1 teaspoon ground cumin,
dry-roasted

1
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pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or tenders with tendons removed, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, or to taste

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teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 tablespoons peanut oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

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cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 large red bell pepper, finely chopped

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cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

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teaspoon garam masala

1.
Prepare the ginger-garlic paste. Prepare the cumin. Place the chicken in a large non-reactive bowl. Add the ginger-garlic paste, vinegar, black pepper, and salt and mix, making sure all the pieces are well-covered with the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator at least 4 and up to 24 hours.

2.
Heat the oil in a medium, nonstick wok or skillet and add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the chicken with all the marinade and cook, turning as needed, until lightly golden on all sides, about 7 minutes. (The moisture from the chicken may cause some splattering, so cover the pan for a few seconds until the splattering subsides.)

3.
Add the yogurt, a little at a time, stirring constantly to prevent it from curdling, then mix in the onion and bell pepper and cook until all the juices evaporate and the chicken is rich golden in color and very soft, about 5 minutes. Mix in the cilantro and dry-roasted cumin and stir 1 minute. Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle the garam masala on top, and serve.

Chickpea Masala Chicken

Channa Masala Murgh

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Channa
or chickpea
masala
, a very north Indian blend that includes pomegranate seeds and fenugreek leaves and is typically reserved for chickpea preparations, is remarkable in other dishes as well. Every addition adds not only flavor, but a smoky, roasted aroma and a rich brown color. Try it in this mouth-watering chicken dish.

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⁄
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cup
Chickpea Masala with Pomegranate Seeds

2 tablespoons
Basic Ginger-Garlic Paste
(or store-bought)

1 (2
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- to 3-pound) chicken, skinned and cut into serving pieces (discard the back and wings)

1 cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

1 teaspoon garam masala +
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teaspoon for garnish

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teaspoon ground paprika

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 tablespoons peanut oil

3 to 5 dried red chile peppers, such as chile de arbol, with stems

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh curry leaves

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cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1.
Prepare the chickpea masala and ginger-garlic paste. Then, place the chicken in a large non-reactive bowl and add the yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon garam masala, paprika, and salt. Mix well, making sure the chicken pieces are well coated with the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 and up to 24 hours.

2.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and add the red chile peppers, and cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the curry leaves and stir about 1 minute.

3.
Add the chicken plus all the marinade and cook over medium-high heat for the first 3 to 5 minutes and then over medium heat until the chicken is golden, about 10 minutes.

4.
Add the cilantro and cook about 5 minutes. Then add the chickpea masala and cook until the chicken is tender and the gravy thick, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the
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teaspoon garam masala on top, and serve.

Roasted Turkey with Indian Flavors

India ki Turkey

Makes 10 to 12 servings

Nobody in India makes turkey. Yet in America, Thanksgiving turkey has become a yearly ritual for most Indian families. Over the years, my husband Pradeep and I have tried different recipes until one year, we made a turkey with
tandoori
flavors and served it with my cranberry chutney. There's been no turning back.

As a standard rule for roasting a turkey without stuffing, allow 15 minutes per pound; for a stuffed turkey, increase the cooking time to 18 minutes per pound.

1 (14- to 16-pound) fresh turkey, washed and patted dry

20 to 25 raw cashews

12 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger

10 large cloves fresh garlic, peeled

3 to 5 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, stemmed

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

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cup fresh mint leaves

1
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cups nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

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cup heavy cream

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cup fresh lemon or lime juice

1
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teaspoons salt, or to taste

2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon ground dried fenugreek leaves

1 tablespoon garam masala

1 tablespoon ground paprika

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teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

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teaspoon freshly ground mace

3 to 4 cups canned chicken broth, reduced fat, low-sodium preferred

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

1.
Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey. Making sure the skin does not tear, run your fingers gently between the skin and the flesh of the turkey, starting at the neck cavity and moving towards the breast, tail and drumsticks. The idea is to loosen the skin and create a pocket.

2.
In a food processor, process together the cashews, ginger, garlic, green chile peppers, cilantro, and mint leaves until minced. Add the yogurt, cream, lemon juice, and salt, and process to make a smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl.