1,000 Indian Recipes (71 page)

Authors: Neelam Batra

BOOK: 1,000 Indian Recipes

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Tamatar, Kaaju aur Kishmish ki Chutni

Makes about 2 cups

I got this recipe from my mother-in-law about 20 years ago, and have been making it ever since. Made with fresh tomatoes and preserved with vinegar, this chutney can be enjoyed over hot griddle-fried
parantha
breads or presented at your next barbecue. Try it in sandwiches and pita pockets or mix some into yogurt cheese or light sour cream to make a dip for an appetizer platter.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger

2 large fresh garlic cloves, minced

2 to 4 fresh green chile peppers, minced with seeds

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

¹⁄
₂teaspoon coarsely crushed fenugreek seeds

¹⁄
₂cup coarsely chopped raw cashews

¹⁄
₂cup golden raisins

3 large tomatoes, finely chopped (about 1
¹⁄
₂pounds)

2 cups sugar, or more to taste

1 tablespoon salt, or to taste

1 teaspoon ground paprika

¹⁄
₂teaspoon cayenne pepper

¹⁄
₂cup distilled white vinegar

1.
Heat the oil in a large non-reactive wok or saucepan over medium heat and cook the ginger, garlic, green chile peppers, fennel seeds and fenugreek seeds, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Add the cashews and raisins and stir until the raisins expand, about 1 minute.

2.
Add the tomatoes, sugar, salt, paprika, and cayenne pepper and cook, over medium-high heat for the first 2 to 3 minutes. Then cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until the tomatoes are very soft, about 10 minutes. Add the vinegar, and simmer, uncovered, until semi-thick, about 15 minutes. (It will continue to thicken as it cools.) Serve immediately or let cool, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, about 1 year.

Red Tomato Chutney Preserve with Sesame Seeds

Tamatar-Til ki Chutni

Makes about 2 cups

This bold chutney, with special seasonings from southern India, has a light crunch from the roasted
dals
(dried beans, peas, and lentils). Among all the other regular uses, this chutney pairs famously with grilled seafood such as
Grilled Sea Bass
.

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, dry-roasted (
Dry-Roasting Spices
)

2 tablespoons peanut oil

1 tablespoon black mustard seeds

2 tablespoons minced fresh curry leaves

1 tablespoon dried yellow split chickpeas (channa dal), sorted

1 tablespoon dried split pigeon peas (toor dal), sorted

1 cup finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger

1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic cloves

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

¹⁄
₄teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹⁄
₈teaspoon ground asafoetida

2 large tomatoes, finely chopped

2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

1.
Prepare the sesame seeds. Then, heat the oil in a medium wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and add the mustard seeds; they should splutter upon contact with the hot oil, so lower the heat and cover the pan until the spluttering subsides. Add the curry leaves and both the dals, and stir until the dals are golden, about 30 seconds. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, and green chile peppers, stir 1 minute, then mix in the turmeric, salt, and asafoetida.

2.
Add the tomatoes and vinegar and cook until most of the juices evaporate and the chutney is semi-thick, 7 to 10 minutes. (It will continue to thicken as it cools.) Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with the sesame seeds, and serve hot or cold, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, about 1 year.

Fragrant Mango Chutney Preserve

Aam ki Chutni

Makes about 4 cups

In India, mango chutney (and pickle) is one of those things around which the women in a family will create cherished legacies and fables. The secrets to their recipes are zealously guarded and passed down from one generation to another.

This chutney is made with tart, unripe green mangoes and simmered along with fragrant Indian spices in a sugar syrup until everything turns the color of pure honey. It is easy to make and has tremendous staying power—that is, if it's not gone before you snap your fingers.

Choose the hardest green mangoes you can find. If they give to any pressure, they are too ripe and will not work.

4 large unripe green mangoes, (about
³⁄
₄pound each), washed and wiped dry

2 (3-inch) sticks cinnamon, broken

10 to 12 black cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin

10 to 12 green cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

1 tablespoon whole cloves

1
¹⁄
₂teaspoons kalonji seeds

1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds

4 cups sugar

1 tablespoon salt, or to taste

³⁄
₄cup distilled white vinegar

1.
With a vegetable peeler, peel the mangoes, then cut the fruit around the center seed into thin 1
¹⁄
₂- to 2-inch long pieces. Place all the spices in a large, heavy, non-reactive saucepan and roast over medium-high heat, stirring and shaking the pan, until heated through, about 1 minute.

2.
Add the mangoes, sugar, and salt, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly over medium-high heat until the sugar melts and comes to a boil. Boil 1 minute, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

3.
Uncover the pan, add the vinegar, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar caramelizes and takes on a rich honey-like color and consistency, about 20 minutes. (Do not make the chutney very thick; it will thicken as it cools.)

4.
Let cool completely, then put it in sterile jars. This chutney does not need to be refrigerated. It stays fresh about 6 months at room temperature. The color deepens over time, but that does not affect the taste.

Spicy Apricot Chutney Preserve

Aadu ki Chutni

Makes about 4 cups

A must-make summer chutney. Use the very firm apricots, just before they start to ripen. This chutney can also be made with firm peaches, nectarines, or pineapples.