Easy Indian Cooking (13 page)

This can be made with almost any pulse or dry cooked lentils leftovers. I have used mung beans, a staple in most Indian homes. Enveloped in layers of phyllo pastry sheets, these triangle-shaped turnovers are reminiscent of the ever-popular samosa, but baked rather than fried.

2 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1½ tablespoons minced ginger

1 fresh green chili pepper, deseeded and minced

1 tablespoon ground coriander seeds

1¼ cups (185 g) dried mung beans, washed, soaked and drained

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

Salt, to taste

1 cup (250 ml) water

1 cup (100 g) chopped fresh spinach

6 phyllo pastry sheets

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 egg, whisked for glaze

1
Heat the oil in a large non-stick saucepan over medium heat and add the cumin seeds, ginger, chili pepper and coriander. Stir for about 30 seconds. Mix in the mung beans, turmeric and salt, and stir for about 2 minutes.

2
Add the water and lower the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until all the water has been absorbed and the mung beans are soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the spinach and stir until wilted, about 1 minute. Cool the mixture.

3
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175ºC).

4
Brush each phyllo sheet with the melted butter and stack them. Cut lengthwise with a sharp knife into 4 equal strips, each about 3 in (7.5 cm) wide. Stack again and cover with a clean damp kitchen towel. Cut each strip into 6 squares.

5
Place a phyllo strip lengthwise in front of you on a work surface and spoon a generous tablespoon of the filling into the center. Brush all around the edges of each with the egg glaze. Fold the right corner over the filling to the left side to make a triangle. Repeat with the rest of the phyllo strips and filling to make more turnovers.

6
Place the turnovers on a baking sheet and brush with the egg glaze. Bake until crisp and golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer to cooling racks.

7
Serve warm or at room temperature.

crispy pan-fried shrimp with tamarind glaze

Serves
6
Preparation
10 minutes
Cooking
10 minutes

Not surprisingly, this dish is by far one of the fastest moving at Indian restaurants. Here I have used Thai basil to give it an interesting twist. If you can’t find Thai basil, substitute regular basil. The flavors of the basil, tamarind and spices marry beautifully, and sooner than later, you’ll find this dish among your favorites too. Besides tasting great, the real beauty of this dish is its simplicity, making it possible to conjure it up in a jiffy.

1 lb (500 g) medium size fresh shrimp, shelled, de-veined and rinsed

2 tablespoons oil, for frying

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Thai basil

Spicy Tamarind Marinade

1 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger

4 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon tamarind paste

1 teaspoon Asian chili powder or ground cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour Salt, to taste

2 tablespoons oil

1
Pat the shrimp dry with a clean kitchen towel and set aside.

2
Prepare the Spicy Tamarind Marinade: Mix the ginger and garlic with the cumin in a large bowl. Add the tamarind paste, chili powder, turmeric, flour and salt. Stir the oil into the mixture.

3
Add the shrimp to the bowl with the marinade and toss well to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours.

4
Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the marinated shrimp and cook for a minute on high heat. Turn over the shrimp and cook for another minute. Reduce the heat and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, turning the shrimp occasionally for uniform cooking.

5
Sprinkle with the lemon juice and Thai basil. Serve hot.

fresh tomato soup with cilantro cream

Serves
4
Preparation
10 minutes
Cooking
15 minutes

This is simple, hearty tomato soup made easy for the everyday cook. Serve hot with bread or rolls on a monsoon evening!

4 teaspoons oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 bay leaf

6 ripe medium tomatoes (about 2 lbs/1 kg), peeled and diced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3 cups (750 ml) heavy cream

Salt, to taste

1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

4 sprigs fresh coriander (cilantro), for garnish

Cilantro Cream

½ cup (125 ml) heavy cream

1 teaspoon finely-chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

Salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste

1
To make the Cilantro Cream, whip the heavy cream, fresh coriander, salt and pepper until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.

2
Make the soup: Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the yellow onion and bay leaf, and sauté until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until the soup thickens, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.

3
In a blender, purée the soup until smooth. Return to the pan and stir in the heavy cream, salt, pepper and chopped fresh coriander. Reheat gently.

4
Ladle into individual bowls and serve hot with 1 tablespoon of Cilantro Cream in each bowl. Garnish with cilantro sprigs.

yellow pear and cherry tomato salad with cumin

Serves
4
Preparation
15 minutes

I love the sweet and tart flavors of cherry and pear tomatoes. When mixed, they are appetizing on their own. Hence, I've kept the flavors in the dressing to a minimum here to enhance the tomatoes as much as possible. The ground cumin adds texture to this colorful dish.

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons minced red onion

2 teaspoons honey

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt, to taste