Easy Indian Cooking (22 page)

1
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add the cumin seeds, red chili peppers and mustard seeds. They should splatter upon contact with the hot oil.

2
Add the onion and sauté, stirring constantly until softened, about 2 minutes. Mix in the coconut, ginger, garlic, curry leaves, coriander, turmeric, garam masala and salt. Stir until the mixture is golden, about 5 minutes.

3
Add the ground meat. Cook, stirring until the meat is slightly brown, about 10 minutes.

4
Add the beans, tomato and water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce is thick, about 10 minutes. Add the coconut milk and half of the fresh coriander and simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with the remainder of the fresh coriander.

kashmiri meatballs

Serves
4
Preparation
10 minutes
Cooking
35 minutes

Paprikash is a traditional Hungarian food that is very rich on the palette—a comfort dish to many. Authentic preparations feature onions sautéd in lard. I have used some aromatic spices to give it an Indian twist, including paprika, which is easily available at the grocery store. I use sour cream instead of the heavy cream to cut down on the richness of the dish. You could use meatballs that are available in the frozen aisle at your grocer’s or, if you have the time, you can make the meatballs from scratch as described here. Serve this with Indian breads like the Fresh-Baked Rosemary Naan (page 75).

2 tablespoons oil

1-in (2.5-cm) cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 large onion, chopped

1 tablespoon paprika

½ teaspoon salt

1 large tomato, diced

1 cup (230 g) sour cream

½ cup (125 ml) water, as needed

1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

Spiced Meatballs

2 lbs (1 kg) lean ground lamb

4-in (10-cm) piece peeled and chopped fresh ginger

1 tablespoon ground fennel seeds

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

1 tablespoon salt

1
To make the Spiced Meatballs, add the lamb, ginger, fennel, garam masala, cumin, cardamom and salt in a food processor. Grind the mixture until smooth.

2
Divide and shape the meat mixture into 2-oz (50-g) portions. Refrigerate until ready to use.

3
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the cinnamon stick, cumin seeds and onion, and cook until the onion is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the paprika and the salt and fry for 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato, remove from the heat, and slowly stir in the sour cream.

4
Carefully add the chilled meatballs and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, over very low heat until the meatballs are tender and the sauce is thick. Add up to ½ cup (125 ml) of water, if necessary, during cooking to maintain a thick, sauce-like consistency. Serve garnished with the fresh coriander.

chipotle pork chops

Serves
4
Preparation
15 minutes
Cooking
30 minutes

I love experimenting with the various kinds of Mexican chili peppers. For this dish I substitute Mexican chili peppers for the traditional Indian choices, which gives this tikka an absolutely unique sweet and smoky flavor. As a variation to the method given below, you could skewer individual pieces of meat and grill them outdoors. If I’m serving this dish indoors, I like to offer a side of a Cannellini Dal Fry (page 86) and Spinach and Thyme Roti Flatbreads (page 76).

4 boneless pork loin chops, 1½ in thick

3 tablespoons oil

1 large red onion, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1-in (2.5-cm) piece peeled and minced fresh ginger

¼ cup (65 ml) water

1 dried chipotle chili, chopped

½ cup (20 g) fresh coriander leaves (cilantro), chopped

1 teaspoon garam masala

Chipotle Chili Marinade

1 onion, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger

½ tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

4 teaspoons chipotle chili powder

Salt, to taste

1 cup (245 g) plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

1
To make the Chipotle Chili Marinade, mix the onion, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, chipotle chili powder, salt and yogurt in a large bowl. Season the chops with the marinade on both sides. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 2–4 hours.

2
Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet, large enough to fit the meat in a single layer. Add the onion, garlic and ginger, and stir for about 4 minutes. Increase the heat to medium high and add the pork chops with the marinade. Cook the meat for 2–3 minutes on each side, and then reduce the heat to medium. Add the water and chili, and let the meat and juices simmer for 10–15 minutes. Cook until the pork is tender.

3
Serve hot, garnished with the fresh coriander and sprinkled with garam masala.

CHAPTER FIVE

seafood

 
 
For Indians, except those who are vegetarian, seafood or fish can figure into any and every meal. Though it has long been enjoyed along India’s abundant coastline and inland from freshwater lakes and rivers, fish and seafood have become increasingly popular of late for their versatility and healthfulness.

Along India’s miles and miles of coastline are many small fishing villages, home to the population of fisherman who make their living from the sea—an important occupation in India. Inland, India is dotted with several freshwater lakes, ponds, and rivers, which yield a sweeter-fleshed fish than those captured from salty seawater.

Fish can be cooked in many different styles and in every conceivable way: poached or steamed, deep-fried or pan-fried, baked, grilled, broiled, or smoked. Fish is truly good for you; low in calories and high in protein. Easy to digest and naturally tender, fish cooks quickly no matter what method you use.

The most common method of cooking and serving fish and seafood in Indian homes is as a curry, and so it is usually accompanied by rice. Other popular techniques are pan-frying and deep-frying. When fish or seafood is pan-fried, it is coated with spices; when deep-fried, it is coated with a batter or a crust. Baking and grilling is not done very often in homes in India. In restaurants, in addition to the traditional home-style cooking methods, fish may be grilled or baked in a
tandoor
oven to create tandoori-style fish dishes.

The majority of the seafood that is available in your local grocery takes well to Indian flavors. Most Indian recipes can be made with varieties that are easy to find in the West, such as sea bass, halibut, salmon, snapper, haddock, cod or even swordfish.