1,000 Indian Recipes (268 page)

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹
⁄
₄
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1.
Place the tomatoes, ginger, 1 clove garlic, bay leaves, garam masala, and water in a medium saucepan, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the tomatoes are soft and very mushy, about 7 minutes. Let cool, then discard the bay leaves and pass through a food mill, or process everything in a food processor or blender until smooth.

2.
In the clean work bowl of a food processor or a blender, process together the onion, the remaining 1 clove garlic, and the green chile peppers until minced. Transfer to a large nonstick wok or saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring, until most of the juices evaporate, about 2 minutes.

3.
Add the oil and the ground coconut, reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue to cook, stirring and turning the onion mixture, until well-browned, about 10 minutes. (Do not cook quickly on high heat; the onion will burn and will not develop a rich flavor.)

4.
Add the shrimp and coriander, stir about 2 minutes, then mix in the coconut milk, yogurt-water mixture, and salt and bring to a quick boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the shrimp are pink and opaque and the sauce is thick and creamy, about 7 minutes. Mix in the cilantro during the last 2 minutes of cooking and serve hot.

Marinated Shrimp with Green Mangoes and Bell Peppers

Jhinga Kairi-Shimla Mirch

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Green—unripe, tart—mangoes add their fruity piquancy, and bell peppers their sweetness resulting in a lovely refreshing and balanced dish.

1 large green mango, peeled and cut into
¹
⁄
₂
-inch pieces

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

4 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger

2 large cloves fresh garlic, peeled

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

16 to 20 fresh jumbo shrimp (11 to 15 per pound), shelled and deveined, with tails intact

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ajwain seeds

¹
⁄
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teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 small onions, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced

2 small bell peppers (1 red, 1 yellow), finely chopped

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves

1 cup canned tomato sauce

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon garam masala

1.
In a food processor or blender, process together
¹
⁄
₄
cup mango, onion, ginger, garlic, and
¹
⁄
₂
cup cilantro to make a smooth paste. Add the ajwain seeds, cayenne pepper, and
¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon salt and process again.

2.
Place the shrimp in a non-reactive bowl. Add the processed paste and mix well, making sure all the pieces are well-coated with the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator at least 1 and up to 24 hours.

3.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan and cook the onions, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the bell peppers and the remaining mango and stir about 3 minutes.

4.
Add the coriander, fenugreek leaves, and the remaining salt, mix in the canned tomato sauce and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

5.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook the shrimp plus the marinade, stirring, until the shrimp are pink and opaque and almost dry, about 7 minutes. Mix into the sauce, add the remaining
¹
⁄
₂
cup cilantro, and cook another 2 minutes to blend the flavors. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the garam masala on top, and serve hot.

Kerala Shrimp Chile-Fry

Kerala ki Jhinga Masala

Makes 4 to 6 servings

I had a version of this dish at a wonderful restaurant in Cochin, in the southwestern state of Kerala. Made to order, it could be hot or mild, with bell pepper and tomato, with tamarind or vinegar, with a touch of cream or with coconut milk. My group tried some of each—because it was all so fresh and delicious, we were all craving more.

This recipe is one of the variations we tried. It's a simple dish full of fresh flavors. Up the chiles, if you like it hot.

2 tablespoons
Basic Ginger-Garlic Paste
(or store-bought)

16 to 20 fresh jumbo shrimp (11 to 15 per pound), shelled and deveined, with tails intact

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste

1
¹
⁄
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tablespoons ground coriander

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⁄
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teaspoon ground turmeric

2 tablespoons minced fresh curry leaves

2 tablespoons coconut or peanut oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

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

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 large tomato, finely chopped

1 small green bell pepper, cut into
¹
⁄
₂
-inch pieces

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or more to taste

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

1.
Prepare the ginger-garlic paste. Place the shrimp in a medium non-reactive bowl, add 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste, the hot pepper flakes, coriander, turmeric, and 1 tablespoon curry leaves and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate the shrimp at least 1 and up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

2.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the onion, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Mix in the remaining ginger-garlic paste, the green chile peppers, and the remaining curry leaves and cook, continuing to stir, about 1 minute.

3.
Add the garam masala and cumin, then mix in the tomato and bell pepper and cook until all the juices evaporate and the bell pepper is soft, about 5 minutes.

4.
Add the marinated shrimp plus the marinade, and cook, stirring, until the shrimp are pink and opaque, about 7 minutes. Mix in the lemon juice and cilantro. Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot.

Butterflied Sesame Shrimp

Til Jhinga

Makes 4 to 6 servings

As in much of the world, when Indians say "prawns," they often mean shrimp, especially jumbo shrimp, which is what I use in this recipe. You can also use the same number of fresh tiger prawns, which look like a cross between shrimp and lobster.

2 teaspoons white sesame seeds,
dry-roasted

1 tablespoon
Basic Ginger-Garlic Paste
(or store-bought)

16 to 20 fresh jumbo shrimp (11 to 15 per pound), shelled and deveined, with tails intact

3 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, coarsely ground

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon ground dried fenugreek leaves

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon coarsely ground ajwain seeds

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 small firm tomatoes, cut into 6 wedges each

1 to 2 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, thinly sliced on the diagonal

2 to 3 scallions, green parts only, finely chopped

1.
Roast the sesame seeds and prepare the ginger-garlic paste. In each shrimp, make a slit by running the tip of a knife along the back curve, then opening them a bit, taking care that you do not cut right through.

2.
In a large non-reactive bowl, mix together the yogurt, sesame oil, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, sesame seeds, garam masala, fenugreek leaves, ajwain seeds, and salt. Add the shrimp and mix well, making sure all the shrimp are well-coated with the mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate the shrimp at least 1 and up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

3.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Then, with a slotted spoon, transfer each shrimp to the skillet, leaving behind the marinade, and cook, pressing gently with a spatula to flatten them. Turn as needed until the shrimp are golden on both sides and opaque, 3 to 5 minutes. Alternately, thread on metal skewers (or wood skewers soaked in water 30 minutes) and grill on a medium-hot (375°F to 400°F) grill until golden. Transfer to a serving platter.

4.
In the same skillet, lightly cook the tomatoes, stirring lightly and shaking the pan, until just softened, about 30 seconds. Add the green chile peppers and scallions and stir about 1 minute. Scatter over the shrimp as a garnish. Top with the dry-roasted sesame seeds and serve hot.

Tangy Shrimp with Fresh Mint Leaves

Jhinga Kokum-Pudina

Makes 4 to 6 servings

The surprise smoky and tart flavor in this dish comes from the
kokum
(a dried sour fruit of the mangosteen-oil tree). If you can't find
kokum
(available in Indian markets) or prefer not to use it, use
Tamarind Paste
instead.