The Café Spice Cookbook: 84 Quick and Easy Indian Recipes for Everyday Meals (10 page)

Mint Chutney
Pudina Chutney

This is one of the signature collection in the Café Spice repertoire. It is an immense hit and among the most popular accompaniments. We make it fresh every day and serve it to our delighted customers, who often ask us how it is made so tasty! Here is the closest version of the secret recipe—just for you! This versatile chutney can be used as a condiment, dip, or even as a spread. When buying fresh mint, look for bright green sturdy stems and leaves with a characteristic mint fragrance.

Makes
1 cup (250 g)

Prep time:
10 minutes

2–4 medium fresh green chili peppers

2 cups (80 g) packed fresh mint leaves

1 cup (40 g) packed fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

4 tablespoons fresh lime juice

¼ cup (65 ml) water

1 teaspoon sugar

Salt, to taste

In a food processor or a blender, process the chili peppers, mint, and coriander leaves until minced. Scrape the sides with a spatula. As you process, drizzle in the fresh lime juice and water and process until the chutney is smooth. Add the sugar and salt. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. Transfer to a bowl and serve immediately or refrigerate for future use.

Tamarind Chutney
Imli Chutney

This basic chutney is readily available in most kitchens in the Indian home. It is served with chaats and samosas, and closer to home, you can serve it with a huge bowl of French fries or with various fritters. The addition of dates makes it thicker and gives it some coarse texture, rather than leaving it as a smooth sauce. The shelf life of this chutney is very long, so make a big batch and store it in bottles in your pantry.

Makes
about 1¼ cups (300 g)

Prep time:
15 minutes

Cook time:
35 minutes

1 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

½ teaspoon fennel seeds

½ teaspoon Asian red chili powder or cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon asafetida (optional)

½ teaspoon Café Spice Garam Masala (page
22
)

2½ cups (625 ml) water

1¼ cups (250 g) sugar

Salt, to taste

½ cup (60 g) dates, pitted chopped

3 tablespoons tamarind paste

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, fennel seeds, chili powder, asafetida, and Garam Masala. Cook until the spices are fragrant and lightly toasted, about 30–40 seconds.

Whisk in the water, sugar, salt, dates, and tamarind paste until completely dissolved and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium and simmer until the sauce turns thick enough to leave a trail on the back of a spoon, 20–30 minutes.

Take it off the flame, cool slightly, and use a hand blender to blend it to a smooth purée.

When it’s cold, transfer to a covered plastic container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or ladle into dry and sterilized jars and can according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Peanut and Garlic Chutney
Moong-Phali aur Lassan Ki Chutney

This chutney is usually served with wholesome meals called
thalis
in southern India. A thali contains several small portions of various dishes, complete with relishes and sweets. The thalis of south India use this chutney as part of their meal. For a more contemporary usage, you can also make this and serve it as a topping or dip with grilled chicken/meat skewers or any appetizers. The peanuts create a very crunchy texture that makes it delicious. The coconut, an optional ingredient, adds to the creaminess of the finished chutney.

Serves
4

Prep time:
5 minutes

Cook time:
5 minutes

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1¾ cups (180 g) skinned peanuts

½ teaspoon Asian red chili powder or cayenne pepper

3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

½-in (1.25-cm) piece fresh ginger, roughly chopped

2 dried red chili peppers, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

4 tablespoons coconut milk (optional) or 2 tablespoons shredded unsweetened coconut (frozen, reconstituted, or freshly grated)

Juice of 1 lemon

Heat the oil in a skillet, add the peanuts, and fry until golden.

Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend to a paste.

Check the seasoning and serve at room temperature.

Spinach and Tomato Raita
Palak aur Tamatar Raita

This
raita
makes for a great table accompaniment. It can be served with
chapati
or a dry chicken or meat preparation for a meal. Spinach is not only a good source of iron, which is where much of its health benefit lies, but is also quick to prepare and makes the dish fresh, green, and ideal for a weekday summer meal spread that balances out any spicy main course dish.

Serves
4

Prep time:
15 minutes

Cook time:
5 minutes

½ lb (250 g) fresh spinach leaves

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

2 cups (500 g), plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

1 small tomato (about 4 oz/125 g), chopped

½ teaspoon Asian red chili powder or cayenne pepper

Salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil, add the spinach and blanch for 30–40 seconds. Drain through a colander and refresh under running cold water. With the spinach still in the colander, press down the back of a large spoon or ladle to squeeze out the excess moisture. Pat the spinach dry with paper towels, then lay the leaves out on a chopping board and chop finely.

Heat the oil in a small skillet and place over medium heat. Add the cumin and mustard seeds and fry for 20 seconds or until the seeds begin to pop and splutter. Pour the oil and seeds into a small bowl and leave to cool.

Add the chopped spinach, cumin, mustard seeds, and chili powder into the whisked yogurt. Season with salt, black pepper, and lemon juice and keep chilled until ready to serve.

Green Pea Relish
Matar Ki Chutney

Green pea is quite an unconventional ingredient to use in a relish, particularly in light of the belief that green chutney can only be made with mint and coriander leaves. But this recipe will convert you! You will find verdant pods of fresh peas in farmers’ markets all through spring and summer. Buy them in bulk and you can even store the shelled peas for later. This chutney can be used as a table accompaniment for any meal or even used as a seafood or pasta sauce as a substitute for the traditional salsa verde. Keep it chunkier and it marries very well with any white fish preparation.

Serves
4

Prep time:
10 minutes

Cook time:
2 minutes

2 cups (300 g) green peas, fresh or frozen

1-in (2.5-cm) piece fresh ginger, roughly chopped

3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

2 fresh green chili peppers, roughly chopped

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon sugar

1½ tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon mustard seeds

10 fresh curry leaves

Juice of ½ lime

Place the peas, ginger, garlic, green chilies, salt, sugar, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a food processor and blend it to a smooth purée.

Transfer to a bowl.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a small pan, add the mustard seeds and curry leaves, and let them crackle.

Remove from the heat and pour the mixture over the pea purée.

Check the seasoning and finish with the lime juice.

Lentil and Sprout Relish
Dal aur Phooti Mung ka Salaad

Sprouting is a time-consuming process, but for most of us, it is worth every effort, just because of the health benefits. You need to soak the beans overnight, drain off all the water, rinse, and allow some air to circulate into the rinsed beans. Only then will the beans germinate or sprout. An easier alternative is to buy them already sprouted at the grocery store. This recipe uses green gram (mung beans), which is always the best option. This dish is a favorite among weight watchers. You can add a few more ingredients to convert it into a wholesome salad or make it a delicious, healthy meal by adding dried fruits, walnuts, apples, carrots, or even spinach leaves.

Serves
4

Prep time:
15 minutes

Cook time:
15 minutes

½ cup (50 g) sprouted green gram (moong dal)

½ cup (100 g) split yellow peas (chana dal), soaked overnight and boiled until tender

2 cucumbers (about 8 oz/250 g), peeled, seeded, and chopped

¼ cup (10 g) fresh coriander leaves (cilantro), chopped