The Café Spice Cookbook: 84 Quick and Easy Indian Recipes for Everyday Meals (25 page)

Add the fried onion purée and mix well. Add the water and simmer until the meat is tender, about 45–60 minutes. Add the remaining Garam Masala, ground mace, and ground cardamom and mix well. Before transferring to a serving dish, stir in the lime juice and the saffron-rose water.

Dried Bombay Beef

This delicious dish is a favorite among most of my friends. It can be served not just as a beer-snack when friends visit, but also as a main course dish with
dosai
. If you manage to get coconut cooking oil and use it as the medium for frying the beef, it will impart the perfect authentic flavor of Indian coastal cooking. If you have any leftovers (which is unlikely!), use them with some lettuce in a wrap or in a taco the next day for lunch.

Serves
4

Prep time:
30 minutes plus at least 6–8 hours to marinate the beef

Cook time:
30 minutes

1¼ to 1½ lbs (600 g to 750 g) beef fillet, cut into very thin strips

1 teaspoon Asian red chili powder or cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon red chili flakes

1 piece of fresh ginger, 1-in (2.5-cm), peeled and grated

Salt, to taste

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons coconut oil (optional)

Oil, for deep-frying

1 red onion (about 5 oz/150 g), sliced

2 dried red chili peppers, broken in half

2 fresh green chili peppers, slit

1 teaspoon sugar

Juice of 2 limes

3 tablespoons rice flour

Mix the sliced beef with half the red chili powder, the chili flakes, ginger, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the coconut oil, if using, and mix well. Let the meat marinate for 15–20 minutes before cooking.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the onion, red chili peppers, green chili peppers, remaining red chili powder, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5–6 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the sugar and fry for a few more minutes until the onion begins to caramelize. Add the lime juice and take the pan off the heat.

Heat 2 inches (5 cm) of oil in a kadhai, small wok, or large saucepan over medium heat to 325°F (160°C) on a deep-fry or a candy thermometer. Toss the beef in the rice flour until evenly coated, then deep-fry in batches for 2–3 minutes until brown and crisp. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels. When all the beef has been cooked, toss the beef strips with the onion mixture and sliced chili. Transfer to a warm plate and serve immediately.

Pork Vindaloo

The term
vindaloo
derives from the Portuguese dish of meat, usually pork, prepared with vinegar and garlic. This curry is one of the many tasty, hot pork dishes originally from Goa, where the cooking style combines Portuguese influences, including the eating of pork, with fiery Indian flavors. What makes this dish unique is the combination of hot spices and vinegar. It tastes better if it is allowed to “pickle” for an entire day. Vindaloo is a popular dish in many parts of India. In the eastern states of Orissa and West Bengal, the same dish (not referred to as “vindaloo”) is prepared for celebratory events as well as for home dinners, though it is hotter and contains more potato. I recommend that you ask your butcher to leave some fat from the skin on the meat, as it imparts a good flavor to the sauce. This dish is best when served with Brown Basmati Rice (page
119
) or crusty French bread. Although this recipe uses pork, the Chicken Vindaloo from Café Spice is also very popular.

Serves
4

Prep time:
30 minutes plus at least 6–8 hours to marinate the pork

Cook time:
30 minutes

1½ lbs (750 g) leg or shoulder of pork, cut into cubes, 1-in (2.5-cm)

2 tablespoons malt vinegar

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons Café Spice Garam Masala (page
22
)

3 fresh green chili peppers, minced

1 teaspoon salt, plus more if needed

¼ cup (65 ml) oil

1 onion (about 5 oz/150 g), chopped

1 cup (500 g) Vindaloo Curry Paste

¼ cup (65 ml) tomato purée

4 cups (1 liter) water

1 large potato (about 10 oz/300 g), peeled and diced

4 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

VINDALOO CURRY PASTE

5 dried red chili peppers, crushed

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger

1 tablespoon minced garlic

½ teaspoon sugar

Salt, to taste

¼ cup (65 ml) white vinegar

In a large mixing bowl, add the pork cubes, vinegar, black pepper, sugar, Garam Masala, green chili peppers, and salt. Let the pork marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of 6 hours, preferably overnight.

Prepare the Vindaloo Curry Paste by blending all the ingredients into a paste in a blender. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until golden brown, about 5–6 minutes. Add the Vindaloo Curry Paste and tomato purée and sauté until the fat separates from the
masala
, about 2 minutes. Add some water to prevent sticking, if needed.

Add the pork along with the marinade. Cook, stirring constantly, over high heat for 2 minutes. Add the water and bring to a boil. Add the potato, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the pork is tender and potato is cooked, about 25–30 minutes. Check for seasoning and add more salt, if needed. Stir in the chopped fresh coriander leaves and serve hot.

Chapter 8
BREADS, RICE AND GRAINS

Bread is a fundamental part of the dining culture of India. Indian breads differ greatly from each other in appearance, texture, and taste. Varieties include thin breads, which are large, flat, and round; the ever-popular
naan;
layered, flaky flatbreads; and puffed breads, which are fried in oil. All varieties of bread contain flour, water, and salt. Whole wheat flour is used for
chapati
and
poori
, while
paratha
are made with refined white flour along with some oil, a little milk, and sometimes, egg. If the typical Indian breads are not available, I encourage you to experiment with bread such as burger buns that you get at your bakery or local store.

Rice is considered sacred in India and plays a significant role in Indian ceremonies and festivals. Usually used to complement curries, lentils, and vegetables, rice is a staple in most households in India. However, there is also a large number of recipes in which rice is an important ingredient in its own right. Probably the most renowned is
Biryani,
where rice is cooked together with meat, fish, or vegetables. This dish is hearty enough to be considered the main dish and can be served just with a raita or salad. Another similar dish is pilau or pilaf—a rice dish cooked in a seasoned, spiced broth. Pilaf has many variations depending on the ingredients you chooses to add—be it meat and vegetables, just bits of cooked onion, or simply mixes of spices and saffron. The best variety of rice to use in savory dishes is basmati. It has a distinct aroma and flavor. In India, it is grown in the foothills of Himalayas and can be aged for up to fifteen years to mature its distinctive aroma and nutty flavor.

Dosai
is another staple that is a popular choice for families from southern India. It has now become a versatile dish that dots tables around the world. You can make
dosai
just how you like it to please your taste buds. It can be just plain or filled with ingredients such as spiced potatoes, cheese, onions, carrots, or cashews. You can make it crispy or soft, thin or thick.

This chapter also includes a recipe using quinoa. Even though quinoa is often considered a whole grain, it is actually a seed that can be prepared like whole grains such as rice or barley. It is my favorite because it takes less time to cook, tastes great on its own, and has a higher protein content than any whole grain, which is perfect for vegetarians or vegans.

Coconut Rice
Thengai Sadam