1,000 Indian Recipes (262 page)

1
¹
⁄
₂
pounds ground extra lean lamb or beef

2 tablespoons mustard oil or any vegetable oil

1
¹
⁄
₂
teaspoons garam masala +
¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon for garnish

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

2
¹
⁄
₂
cups water

2 black cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin

1 (1-inch) stick cinnamon

3 cloves

2 teaspoons ground fennel seeds

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground ginger

1
¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon black cumin seeds

¹
⁄
₂
cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

1.
Place the meat in a large bowl and mix in 1 tablespoon oil,
³
⁄
₄
teaspoon garam masala,
¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon cayenne pepper, and
¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate about 1 hour.

2.
Keep a small bowl of water nearby. With lightly moistened clean fingers, divide the meat mixture into 16 portions and lightly press each portion in the palm of your hand to make ragged rolls, each about 1 inch thick and 2
¹
⁄
₂
inches long. Refrigerate until ready to use, at least 30 minutes.

3.
In a large nonstick skillet, boil 1
¹
⁄
₂
cups water, along with the cardamom pods, cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, and ginger, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the kofta rolls in a single layer, making sure they do not touch or overlap. Boil again, shaking the pan, until all the water evaporates and the kofta rolls are golden on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes.

4.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly transfer to the kofta pan along with the remaining
³
⁄
₄
teaspoon garam masala,
¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon cayenne pepper, and
¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt. Then stir in the yogurt, a little at a time, stirring constantly to prevent it from curdling and cook, 2 to 4 minutes.

5.
Add the remaining 1 cup water and simmer until the koftas are very soft and the sauce is thick, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with garam masala, and serve.

Ground Meat Rolls in Spicy Buttermilk Sauce

Dahi-Ras Mein Kashmiri Koftae

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Hand-pressed and flavored with an exceptional set of spices, these buttermilk-simmered
kofta
rolls showcase yet another example of Indian creativity. The sauce here is textured, but if you prefer it smoother, purée the browned and spiced onions in a food processor, and then proceed with the recipe.

1
¹
⁄
₂
pounds extra lean ground lamb or beef

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon garam masala +
¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon for garnish

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

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

1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger

1 tablespoon mustard oil or any vegetable oil

1 cup nonfat plain yogurt

2 cups water

4 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger

1 large clove fresh garlic, peeled

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

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground cloves

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground cinnamon

¹
⁄
₈
teaspoon ground asafoetida

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 tablespoons melted ghee

1 large onion, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced

1 teaspoon black cumin seeds

1 teaspoon white poppy seeds

1 tablespoon ground unsweetened dried coconut

1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds

1.
Place the meat in a large bowl and mix in the coriander, cumin, ground ginger, 1 teaspoon garam masala, cayenne pepper, cilantro, minced fresh ginger, oil, and
¹
⁄
₂
cup yogurt. Cover and marinate about 1 hour.

2.
With lightly moistened clean fingers, divide the meat mixture into 16 portions and lightly press each portion in the palm of your hand to make ragged rolls, each about 1 inch thick and 2
¹
⁄
₂
inches long. Refrigerate until ready to use, at least 30 minutes.

3.
In a blender, blend together the remaining
¹
⁄
₂
cup yogurt, water, sliced fresh ginger, garlic, green chile peppers, cloves, cinnamon, asafoetida, and salt to make a spicy buttermilk.

4.
Heat the ghee in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook the onion, stirring, until browned, about 7 minutes. Add the cumin and poppy seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the coconut and fennel seeds and stir until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

5.
Add the spicy buttermilk and bring to a quick boil over high heat. Remove from the heat and add the kofta rolls in a single layer, making sure that they do not touch or overlap. Boil again, shaking the pan, until the buttermilk is absorbed, the kofta rolls are well-browned, and the sauce is very thick, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the garam masala on top, and serve.

Kashmiri Meat Balls in Red Paprika Sauce

Rishta Kari

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Smooth and plump, these
koftas
are another favorite from the Kashmiri kitchen in northern India. The brilliant paprika-red sauce is generally very hot, but can be made milder to suit your taste.

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 tablespoon ground fennel seeds

1 teaspoon garam masala +
¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon for garnish

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon cayenne pepper

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground black cardamom seeds

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1
¹
⁄
₂
pounds extra lean ground lamb or beef

4 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger

4 cups water

1 (1-inch) stick cinnamon

4 cloves

6 green cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin

4 black cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large onion, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced

¹
⁄
₈
teaspoon ground asafoetida

1 teaspoon ground paprika

1.
In a small bowl, mix together the ground ginger, fennel seeds, 1 teaspoon garam masala, cumin, cayenne pepper, cardamom seeds, and salt.

2.
In a food processor, process together the lamb, fresh ginger, and 1 tablespoon of the spice mixture until smooth. Have a small bowl of water nearby. With lightly moistened clean fingers, divide and shape the meat mixture into 16 balls, each about 1
¹
⁄
₄
inches in diameter. Refrigerate until ready to use, at least 30 minutes.

3.
In a large wok or a saucepan, bring the water, cinnamon, cloves, and green and black cardamom pods to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, add the meat balls, and simmer until firm, about 10 minutes. Remove the meat balls to a bowl and reserve the broth with the whole spices.

4.
Heat the oil in another large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the onion until well-browned, about 10 minutes. Remove to a small food processor and process with about
¹
⁄
₄
cup of the broth to make a smooth paste.

5.
To the wok, add the asafoetida and paprika, then mix in the meat balls and the remaining spice mixture and cook, stirring, until the meat balls are lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

6.
Mix in the onion paste and all the remaining broth (plus the whole spices) and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer until the meat balls are very tender and the sauce is thick, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the garam masala on top, and serve.