1,000 Indian Recipes (215 page)

1 tablespoon ground coriander

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground paprika

1.
Soak the chickpeas overnight in water to cover by 2 inches. Meanwhile, prepare the channa masala. When ready, drain the chickpeas, then place them in a pressure cooker, along with 4
¹
⁄
₂
cups water and salt. Secure the lid and cook over high heat until the regulator indicates high pressure, then cook 1 minute more. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook another 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the pot to depressurize on its own, 12 to 15 minutes. Carefully open the lid and check to see if the beans are very soft with some of them broken; unlike other beans, black chickpeas do not become soft to the point of disintegrating. If not sufficiently cooked, add more water, cover, bring up to pressure, and cook under high pressure another minute. Or cover and boil until soft, about 45 minutes.

2.
Transfer the softened chickpeas to a cast-iron wok or saucepan and cook over medium-high heat about 5 minutes, then over medium-low heat until all the water evaporates and the chickpeas are glazed with a dark brown coating, about 40 minutes. Stir occasionally. Mix in half the chickpea masala, then add the tomatoes, scallions, and cilantro and cook, stirring gently, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle the remaining chickpea masala evenly on top.

3.
Heat the oil (and ghee, if using) in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the ginger and green chile peppers and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Mix in the coriander and paprika and immediately pour everything over the chickpeas. Stir lightly to mix and serve.

Vegetarian Curries

A more misunderstood culinary term than "curry" would be hard to find. In Indian languages, curry means "a dish with a sauce," not any dish that has a teaspoon or two of a store-bought commercial blend of spices called curry powder in it—a blend that was probably originally put together by the British to recreate Indian flavors in their own kitchens.

The word curry is believed to be an English pronunciation (or should I say, mispronunciation) of the south Indian Tamil (the language of Tamilnadu, formerly Madras) word
kari
, which simply means a sauce, and was probably coined sometime during the British Raj, or rule, in India (1858 to 1947). Today, curry has become almost synonomous with Indian cuisine.

Because a curry is a saucy dish, this term includes all dishes with a sauce—whether the sauce is thick or thin or simply clings to the foods. A true curry, as understood by Indians, is a dish that results from the long, slow simmering of special
masala
pastes (see the
Kitchen Basics
chapter), dried herbs, and spices with different foods, where all the juices and flavors intermingle and develop as the foods cook in them. This meaning of curry also holds true in other parts of the world, such as Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Myanmar (Burma)—other countries where curries are part of the cuisine.

Curries can be enjoyed any time of the day with any meal; they add necessary moisture to the meal. Sometimes full-bodied and spicy, made with onions and garlic or without, with tomatoes and cream or nuts and yogurt, the far-reaching culinary category of curries—similar to, say, salads or soups—can be simple or complex.

Most cooks who make curries regularly don't measure or follow recipes. They add handfuls of whatever appeals to them and is on hand at the moment—much to the frustration of someone trying to learn or recreate a particular taste from a past meal (as I know from experience). Once you are familiar with the art of curry making and understand how certain spices and foods work together, making a curry will seem quite simple—which is why Indian cooks around the world rely on them as staples.

At the base of most curries lies a wet
masala
, also called
masala
paste, such as
Spicy Yellow Curry Paste
or
Basic Curry Paste without Onion
. The paste is made with any one or more aromatic and elemental flavor ingredients, such as tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and onions, which are sweated and cooked until they slowly break down and their flavors become concentrated. As each ingredient evolves, it blends with the others to form a distinctive sauce. Fortifying and enriching the wet ingredients are a selection of dry
masalas
in the form of spices and herbs. Then there are some volume-adding liquids, such as buttermilk, yogurt, cream, water, and broth. From all these essential flavor components come the true character and final flavor of each curry.

One unique kind of curry, called
kadhi
, deserves special mention. Each community has its own versions, each flavorful and worthy of culinary exploration. At the base of most
kadhis
is a yogurt and a thickener, such as chickpea flour or
dal
(beans, lentils, or peas). These yellow or white saucy dishes, with a variety of greens, vegetables, or batter dumplings in them, are satisfying, soothing, and delicious.
Kadhis
are mild and delicate enough to be soothing, yet can be tangy and spicy enough to be addicting and memorable.

Keeping Western food trends and eating habits in mind, where many baked, roasted, or grilled foods are served with gravy created separately from the dish, this chapter begins with a few classic stand-alone curry sauces that are the backbone of Indian cuisine. You can make them separately and add them to your dishes. However, in Indian cuisine, these sauces are usually further simmered with other foods, such as steamed vegetables,
koftas
(fried vegetable or meat balls), or
tikkas
(grilled boneless meats, paneer cheese, or chunks of vegetables).

In this chapter I offer Indian vegetarian classics and some new recipes from my kitchen, after years of experimenting with foods available in the United States. (Non-vegetarian curries made with meat, chicken, or fish, are in the
Non-Vegetarian Fare
chapter, dried bean curries are in the
Dried Beans, Lentils, and Peas
chapter, and
paneer
cheese curries are in the
Paneer Cheese
chapter.)

= Vegan
= Pressure-Cooker Quick

Curry Sauces

Classic Spicy Curry Sauce

Har-roz ki Kari

Makes about 4 cups

This is about as authentic as you can get when making a home-style curry sauce. Although robust and substantial, this stalwart of Indian cuisine is also as low in fat as it can possibly be.

Don't be misled by the term "spicy" in the title. In Indian cuisine, it doesn't automatically mean spicy hot. A curry can be spiced with bold flavors and it need not be hot at all. In fact, it can be completely devoid of any chile peppers, if that is what you prefer.

A curry sauce requires proper
bhunna
, or roasting and browning of the wet
masala
(chopped or ground tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and onions, or other ingredients). This should be done slowly, over medium heat. You can tell the
masala
is well-roasted and has developed its flavor when traces of oil appear on the surface and sides of the browned
masala
. This oil separation is very pronounced if you add a lot of oil to your dishes; mine use very little oil, so all you'll see is tiny glistening drops of oil.

To use, make the sauce and then add cooked or steamed vegetables, vegetable
koftas
(meats or vegetable balls),
tikkas
(grilled meats or vegetables), or
pakoras
(batter-fried fritters) to the sauce and simmer a few minutes. Or pour some over cooked rice dishes to give them a new character. This sauce (and all other stand-alone sauces) can also be served on the side with grilled, roasted, and other dry-cooked foods.

2 large cloves fresh garlic, peeled

4 to 6 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger

1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, stemmed

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

1 large tomato, coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons peanut oil

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground paprika

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground turmeric

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹
⁄
₂
cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

About 5 cups water

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon garam masala

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

1.
In a food processor or blender, process together the garlic, ginger, green chile peppers, and onion to make a smooth paste. Transfer to a small bowl. Process the tomato until smooth and transfer to another bowl.

2.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the onion mixture, stirring, over medium-high heat the first 2 to 3 minutes and then over low heat until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes.