1,000 Indian Recipes (227 page)

2.
Add the mango and the remaining 1 cup water and cook, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the coconut milk and yogurt and simmer, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish.

3.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and add the chile peppers, then the mustard and cumin seeds; they should splutter upon contact with the hot oil, so cover the pan and reduce the heat until the spluttering subsides. Quickly add the asafoetida, fenugreek, and curry leaves. Transfer the spices to the mango curry and mix well. Then mix in the cilantro and serve.

Watermelon Whites in Tomato and Onion Sauce

Rassadar Tarbooz

Makes 4 to 6 servings

To Indians, watermelon isn't just a sweet summertime fruit. Part of it, the white rind, can also be cooked as a vegetable. So enjoy the fruit and save the rind. Cut or peel off the green skin with a knife and discard, and use the white parts for this very simple dish or to make
Watermelon Whites with Ginger
, or simply grate them and add to salads.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 to 3 small onions, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced

2 large tomatoes, finely chopped

1
¹
⁄
₂
pounds peeled watermelon rinds (whites), cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the onions, stirring, until golden, about 10 minutes.

2.
Add the tomatoes, watermelon whites, half the cilantro, and the salt and cook over high heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the watermelon and tomatoes release all their juices (there is a lot of juice in this dish). Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the watermelon pieces are tender, about 30 minutes. Mix in the remaining cilantro during the last 5 minutes of cooking and serve.

Peach Halves in Savory Ginger-Peach Sauce

Aadhoo ki Sabzi

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This dish is my creation, inspired by the peach tree in my backyard in Santa Monica. It is one of the many peach dishes that I've created over the years.

Serve it alongside
Spicy Mushrooms and Bell Peppers
, or with grilled meat, chicken, or seafood and
paranthas
(griddle-fried breads), and a rice
pullao
(pilaf).

10 to 12 large ripe fresh peaches

3 tablespoons peanut oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons peeled minced fresh ginger

1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, minced with seeds

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon garam masala

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹
⁄
₂
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

¹
⁄
₄
cup fresh lemon juice

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

1.
Peel and cut each peach lengthwise in half and discard the center seeds. In a food processor, purée half the peaches and reserve the remaining ones.

2.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the onion and cook, stirring, until golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the ginger and green chile peppers, stir a few seconds, then add the coriander, garam masala, cumin, and salt.

3.
Add the puréed peaches and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat the first 5 to 7 minutes and then over medium-low heat until the most of the juices evaporate and the sauce becomes thick, 10 to 12 minutes.

4.
Add the reserved peach halves, cilantro, and lemon juice, cover the pan, and cook until the peaches soften in the sauce, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the black pepper on top, and serve.

Curried Jackfruit

Kathal ki Kari

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Oval-shaped, weighing up to 100 pounds, and ranging in size from 8 inches to 2 feet long and 6- to 18-inches in diameter, jackfruits are the largest of tree-grown fruits. These ridged and spiky-skinned fruits are believed to have originated in western India; today, jackfruits are popular in most of the tropical areas of southeast Asia, and throughout India, where they are eaten as a vegetable when unripe and as a fruit when ripe.

The unripe jackfruits are green-brown in color, with a white and odorless fruit. As they ripen, the exterior changes to yellow-green and they emit an unpleasant aroma. However, when cut, the fruit has a pleasant pineapple-banana-like fragrance. The ripe fruit can be eaten on its own or transformed into ice creams and puddings.

Canned jackfruit pieces are available in Indian markets and make this dish easy to make. In some Asian markets in America, the unripe jackfruit is sold cut into 1- to 2-pound pieces. At home, these are cut into smaller pieces and deep-fried before they are added to curries or other dishes. (I prefer to pan-fry the pieces instead.) The texture and taste of cooked jackfruit is very similar to chicken and in India it is often referred to as the "vegetarian's meat."

1
¹
⁄
₂
tablespoons
Bengali 5-Spices (Panch-Phoran)
or store-bought

2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

4 to 5 quarter-size slices of peeled fresh ginger

1 large clove fresh garlic, peeled

2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped

¹
⁄
₂
cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems + 2 tablespoons for garnish

¹
⁄
₂
cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

1 (20-ounce) can jackfruit, drained or 1
¹
⁄
₂
pounds fresh, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 to 2
¹
⁄
₂
cups water

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon garam masala

1.
In a spice or coffee grinder, grind the Bengali 5-spices to make a fine powder. Remove to a small bowl and mix in the coriander.

2.
In a food processor or blender, process together the onion, ginger, and garlic to make a smooth paste. Remove to a bowl and then process together the tomatoes, cilantro, and yogurt until smooth.

3.
Place the jackfruit pieces in a medium nonstick wok and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until dry, about 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and cook, stirring, until the pieces are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

4.
Heat the remaining oil in the pan and cook, stirring the onion paste over medium heat until browned, about 7 minutes. Add the ground spices and stir about 2 minutes, then add the puréed tomato-yogurt mixture and cook, stirring, until most of the juices evaporate, about 3 minutes.

5.
Add the jackfruit pieces, stir about 2 minutes, then add the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan and simmer, until the jackfruit pieces are soft and the sauce is thick, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the garam masala and cilantro on top and serve.

Variation:
For a vegan alternative, omit the yogurt and add an extra tomato in Step 2.

Mixed Vegetable Curries

Kerala Mixed Vegetable Curry