Our good friends, Nancy and Harold Diamond, recently suggested collaborating on an Indian meal. Rich and I have eaten Indian cuisine many times, but I have never cooked Indian, so this sounded like a great idea. Little did I know how labor-intensive it would be! The results, however, made all the effort worthwhile. Below is the menu from our meal, along with some other Indian recipes and some information on Indian cooking. Enjoy!
Garam Masala from Narasimhan
This is a combination of spices used in a lot of Indian cooking. You can make it OR… buy it already made up at an Indian grocery store! Much, much easier!!
3 T Indian coriander seeds (or more to taste)
2 tsp cardomon pods
2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 - 1 tsp whole cloves
scant 1/4 cup flaky cinnamon bark (tightly rolled hard bark not OK)
1 five star anise pod (I don't use the pod, only the seeds)
1/8 tsp grated nutmeg (optional)
2 red dry chillies or to taste
1 tsp fennel seed (optional)
Place all in a spice/coffee grinder. Grind until very fine/powdery.
Pillao Dilbahaar
(A rice/broccoli Indian pilaf recipe)
4-6 servings
1 bunch broccoli, peeled stems, cut in 1/2 in. pieces
4 T vegetable oil
1 cup raw unsalted cashew nuts
2 tsp cumin seeds
3-inch long flaky cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup minced onions
1 tsp garlic
2 1/2 cups cooked calamati (brown basmati) rice
1 tsp coarse salt
--Heat a large heavy skillet/saute pan over medium-low heat.
Add 1 Tbs oil along with cashews. Toast cashews until light brown. These burn easily, so watch it. Transfer to a paper lined plate.
--Add remaining 3 T oil to same skillet and increase heat to medium high. When oil is hot, add cumin seeds. When they are dark brown (about 20 sec.), add cinnamon stick and bay leaves and let sizzle for for 30 sec. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring for 5 min, until onion looks wilted and begins to brown,
--Add the broccoli and continue cooking, stirring, for 5 more min. Add 1/3 C water, reduce heat and cook covered for 6 (or fewer) min. until broccoli is cooked but still crisp.
--Mix in the cooked rice and salt and cook for a few min or until heated through. Uncover and stir in cashews. Serve immediately. (Or when the cook is ready!)
South Indian Spicy Lentil Stew
Recipe courtesy Everyday Epicurean by Catherine Bell (Ten Speed Press, 2000)
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 40 min
--
Serves: serves 6
Ingredients
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup masur dahl (red lentils) or mung dahl (yellow lentils)
• 2 tomatoes, cut into large chunks
• 5-6 large okra, halved lengthways
• 2 carrots, cut into large chunks
• 2 potatoes, cut into large chunks
• 1 tablespoon tumeric
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons tamarind paste or 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon cilantro seeds, ground
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, ground
• 1 tablespoon black mustard seeds
• 1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
• 6-8 dried curry leaves
• 1 tablespoon sambhar masala
Directions
In a large saucepan bring the water to a boil. Add the dahl, tomatoes, okra, carrots, potatoes, tumeric, salt and tamarind paste or lemon juice. Stir and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and cook until the dahl is tender--approximately 30 minutes; add more water if necessary.
Meanwhile, in a heavy skillet, heat the oil and lightly fry the ground cilantro and cumin over a medium heat. Add the mustard seeds, chile and curry leaves and fry for 2 minutes, covering the skillet as the seeds pop. Add the fried spices to the cooked dahl and vegetables. Add the sambhar masala and mix well.
The stew can be prepared up to 2 hours in advance.
Indian Green Beans
(Can use eggplant, cauliflower, broccoli or finely chopped cabbage)
2 1/2 cups finely sliced (1/4") beans
2 T vegetable oil
2 tsp Channa dhal
2 tsp Urid dhal
1 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
1/4 cup fresh grated (or dried) unsweetened coconut
2 dried red chilies, broken in pieces (or to taste)
2 T chopped cilantro leaves
Heat oil.
Add black mustard seeds, cooking until they pop.
Add the Channa and Urid dhal, cooking a minute or two, until slightly browned but not burned.
Add green beans, chilies (if used), coconut and water to cover.
Cook until done to taste (6-12 minutes.) Remove from heat.
Add chopped cilantro leaves and serve.
Chicken, Tandoori Style
Prepare chicken:
1 3-4 pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces, skinned, rinsed and dried
Slash chicken at intervals, drizzle with juice of a lemon and rub in 1 tsp salt. Let sit 30 min.
While chicken rests, prepare marinade:
8 oz yogurt, beaten
2 tsp ginger, finely chopped and then made into a paste
2 tsp garlic, finely chopped and then made into a paste
2 tsp dry roasted cumin, then made into powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 finely chopped medium onion
Dry chicken, place in non-metallic dish, pour marinade over chicken pieces, working the marinade into the chicken slashes. Marinate several hours or overnight, in the refrigerator. If you want the chicken to have the characteristic red coloring, add red and yellow food coloring to the marinade.
Preheat grill, oven (400) or barbecue. For oven, place chicken on a rack over a foil covered pan. Use grill rack for barbecuing or grilling.
In a small bowl, mix:
1 tsp dried mango powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground fenugreek seeds
3 T melted ghee (clarified butter) or vegetable oil (not olive)
Remove chicken from marinade, wash and dry. Brush chicken with half the spice-ghee or oil mixture.
Cook 10 minutes. Brush with remaining spice ghee or oil mixture.
Cook until done, about another 10 + minutes.
Serve with fresh coriander sprigs and lemon wedges, or onion and tomato slices, cut vertically.
Indian Eggplant & Tomatoes
(serves 6-8)
Can be served at room temperature.
Preheat oven to 400
3 medium eggplant, pricked all over with a fork. Roast 20 - 30 minutes, turning half way. Peel skin and roughly mash; put in a saucepan.
While the eggplant is baking, prepare the following:
1 medium onion finely chopped
Cook at low heat in 2 T oil until golden (8 - 15 min.)
Add:
1-2 green chillies, finely chopped (or to taste or optional)
1" fresh ginger, chopped fine
Cook 1 minute.
Add to the above:
1 tsp coriander powder
salt to taste
2 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 tsp garam masala
Cook 4 minutes.
Mix the above into the mashed eggplant.
Cook, stirring, 15 - 20 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup of chopped coriander.
Here is another recipe from Nancy...
Potatoes and Cauliflower
3 C. potatoes, scrubbed, unpeeled (I peel) quartered and sliced 1/4 " thick
2 cups of onions, halved and then sliced into slivers
3 cups of cauliflower buds
2 T shredded or chopped ginger
1 1/2 T finely chopped garlic
1 T finely chopped green chili (or to taste)
1 heaping tsp of garam masala
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 T Channa dahl ( Indian lentils)
1 T Urid dahl (Indian lentils)
4 T cooking oil
1/2 T black mustard seeds
1/2 C fresh chopped coriander
assemble ingredients next to stove
--Heat oil over medium high head in a saute pan w. cover
--Add mustard seeds, cover w. screen or saute pan cover until popping vigorously
--Quickly add channa and urid dahl, stirring until lentils turn brown, about 45 sec.
--Add ginger, garlic and chilies, stirring constantly
--Add onions and reduce heat. Cook about 3 min.
--Add potatoes, stir. Add turmeric and salt to taste.
--Add cauliflower, stirring well, but not mashing.
--Add 1 heaping tsp garam masala and 1/2 cup water.
--Cook until veggies are done.
... and some interesting information about coriander...
From Answers.com:
What is the difference between coriander and parsley?
Coriander is actually part of the parsley family. Its leaves (technically called cilantro) have a stronger, more distinctive flavor that can dominate a dish (as opposed to plain, or Italian parsley, that is more mild). For many, it's an acquired taste -- some people feel it tastes like soap. In addition, coriander seeds (really the mature, dried fruit) are used as a separate spice (tasting nothing like the leaves), generally ground and served in Middle Eastern dishes along with spices like Cumin.
