How to Cook Indian (26 page)

Makes 30.

4 large red onions, sliced

1 teaspoon table salt

¾ cup (75 grams)
besan
(chickpea/gram flour)

3 tablespoons rice flour

1½ teaspoons red chile powder

½ teaspoon ground roasted cumin (page 32)

1 teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon
ajwain

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 quart (800 ml) vegetable oil

1. Put the onions in a bowl and toss with the salt. Set aside for 10 minutes.

2. Add the
besan,
rice flour, chile powder, cumin, coriander, turmeric,
ajwain,
and cilantro, and stir well.

3. Place a nonstick wok over high heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the wok, lower the heat to medium. Drop teaspoonfuls of the onion mixture into the hot oil, taking care not to crowd them. Cook, stirring occasionally with a slotted spoon, until golden brown and crisp. Remove with the slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

4. Serve hot.

Kanda Poha

Onions and pressed rice

When in Maharashtra, eat as the locals do:
Kanda poha
is an inexpensive, easy-to-prepare dish that is great for breakfast or as an afternoon snack.
Kanda
is the Marathi word for “onions,” and
poha
is pressed rice (available at Indian grocery stores). You can add fresh pomegranate arils or corn kernels, you can omit the potato and peas, you can garnish this dish with thin chickpea-flour
sev,
you can serve it drizzled with ketchup . . . this is a very flexible recipe!

Serves 4.

3½ cups (400 grams) thick
poha
(pressed rice)

1½ teaspoons table salt

½ teaspoon sugar

1 quart (800 ml) plus ¼ cup (50 ml) vegetable oil

¼ cup (40 grams) raw peanuts

1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

Pinch of asafetida

6 or 7 fresh curry leaves

4 medium red onions, chopped

6 green chiles, stemmed and chopped

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

¼ teaspoon red chile powder

1 medium potato, cut into ½-inch (1-cm) cubes

¼ cup (40 grams) blanched green peas (optional)

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Put the
poha
in a colander and wash it under running water. The
poha
should be moist but not mashed. Drain well. Add the salt and sugar, and toss gently. Set aside.

2. Place a nonstick wok over high heat and add 1 quart (800 ml) of the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the wok, lower the heat to medium and add the peanuts. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

3. Place a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the remaining oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the mustard seeds. When they begin to sputter, add the cumin, asafetida, and curry leaves, and sauté for 30 seconds.

4. Add the onions and sauté for 8 minutes or until the onions are lightly browned.

5. Add the chiles and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the turmeric and chile powder, and stir well. Add the potato and stir. Cook for 7 minutes or until the potato is tender.

6. Add the peanuts and peas, and stir. Add the
poha
and stir gently. Lower the heat to low, cover, and cook for 7 minutes or until the
poha
is heated through.

7. Add the lemon juice and stir gently.

8. Transfer the
poha
to a serving bowl, garnish with the cilantro, and serve hot.

Kanji Bada

Lentil dumplings soaked in sour water

I have eaten this dish so many times, and yet whenever it is served to me, I wonder if it is a drink or a snack. Whichever way you look at it, this is a sour preparation that really whets the appetite. The
badas
are made of lentils ground with spices, shaped into small balls, and deep-fried. They are then soaked in
kanji,
a fermented water spiced with ground mustard and red chile powder.

Serves 4.

For the
kanji:

1½ tablespoons black mustard seeds, coarsely ground

½ teaspoon red chile powder

1½ teaspoons black salt

For the
badas:

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (125 grams)
dhuli moong dal
(split skinless green gram)

1/8 teaspoon asafetida

½ teaspoon coriander seeds, coarsely ground

½ teaspoon fennel seeds, coarsely ground

½ teaspoon fresh green chile paste (page 13)

1½ tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Pinch of baking powder

¾ teaspoon table salt

8 black peppercorns, crushed

1 quart (800 ml) vegetable oil

1. Make the
kanji:
Combine the mustard seeds, chile powder, and black salt in a large bowl. Add 2½ cups (500 ml) water and stir well. Cover and set aside for about 2 days to ferment. Taste to see if it has turned sour. When the water is sour, put it in the refrigerator.

2. Make the
badas
: Put the
dal
in a bowl, wash in plenty of water 2 or 3 times, and drain. Add 1½ cups (300 ml) water and soak for 3 hours. Drain the
dal
and put in a spice grinder. Grind to a smooth paste without adding any extra water.

3. Transfer the paste to a large bowl. Add the asafetida, coriander, fennel, chile paste, cilantro, baking powder, salt, and peppercorns, and stir well. Whisk the batter with your hands for 10 to 15 minutes to make it light.

4. Place a nonstick wok over high heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the wok, drop the batter, a tablespoon at a time, into the hot oil. Cook over medium heat until golden brown, turning frequently with a slotted spoon. Remove with the slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Let the
badas
cool completely.

5. Soak the
badas
in 1½ cups (300 ml) plain water for 5 minutes. Squeeze gently, then submerge them in the
kanji.
Cover the bowl with the lid and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Serve cold.

Kasoori Paneer Tikka

Paneer
marinated in spicy yogurt and grilled

Dried fenugreek leaves, called
kasoori methi,
are believed to have first been used in a province in Pakistan, and perhaps this is where the versatile herb gets its name. In India, it is inexpensive and a must-have for the spice shelf. Roast it and crush it to release the maximum flavor. It is best added during the last stages of cooking. It marries well with onions, tomatoes, chicken, cream, and
paneer.

Serves 4.

9 ounces (250 grams)
paneer
(pressed fresh cheese; page 17)

1 medium green bell pepper, seeded

1 medium red onion

1 medium tomato, seeded

1 cup (250 grams) plain yogurt

2 tablespoons
pudina aur dhaniya
chutney (mint-and-cilantro chutney; page 22)

1 teaspoon fresh green chile paste (page 13)

1 teaspoon fresh ginger paste (page 12)

1 teaspoon fresh garlic paste (page 12)

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon
garam masala
(spice mix; page 27)

1 teaspoon
chaat masala
(spice mix for
chaat;
page 24)

2 tablespoons
kasoori methi
(dried fenugreek leaves), roasted and crushed

2 tablespoons roasted
chana dal,
finely ground

¼ cup (50 ml) heavy cream

1 teaspoon table salt

2 tablespoons filtered mustard oil (see Note page 87)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil