1,000 Indian Recipes (81 page)

2 cups mixed shelled raw nuts, such as almonds, cashews, peanuts, pistachios

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cup mixed shelled raw seeds, such as sunflower, pumpkin, melon

1.
Prepare the cumin seeds and chaat masala. Then, in a small bowl, mix together the cumin seeds, chaat masala, cayenne pepper, and black salt.

2.
Heat the oil in a medium-size nonstick wok or saucepan over medium heat and fry the nuts until golden, about 1 minute. Before removing them from the wok, hold them for a few seconds between the slotted spatula and the sides of the wok to drain out as much oil as possible. (Do not drain them on paper towels, or the spices will not adhere.) Transfer them to a medium bowl, quickly add the spice mixture and toss well, making sure that the nuts are well coated.

3.
Remove all the oil from the wok, then in whatever oil remains on the wok surface, stir-fry the seeds over medium-low heat until the seeds are fragrant and golden, 1 minute. Add to the spiced nuts and toss together. Taste and adjust seasonings. (Keep in mind that the warm nuts will be soft, but will harden as they cool.) Let cool completely then serve or transfer to an airtight container and store 2 to 3 weeks at room temperature or about 3 months in the refrigerator.

Spicy Pressed Rice Flakes Mixture

Chivda

Makes about 5 cups

This is another Indian pantry staple snack. In some parts of India it is made at home, but it is mostly purchased. Look for it in Indian markets in the United States.

Keep the oil at medium heat at all times. The rice flakes and coconut fry almost instantly, and if the heat is high they will burn. If
kopra
isn't available, to dry fresh coconut for this recipe, cut it into thin, 1-inch strips, place them on a baking tray, and dry them in a preheated 200°F oven until crispy but still white. (Any browning means that the heat is too high.) Alum (
fatkari
) is a white rock-candy look-alike that is always ground into a powder before using. It is available in Indian markets.

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cup dried split yellow chickpeas (channa dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

¹
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teaspoon ground alum

2 to 3 cups peanut oil for deep-frying

2 cups pressed rice flakes (poha)

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teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 (3-by-1-inch) piece dried coconut (kopra), thinly sliced (optional)

1 cup shelled raw peanuts, with or without the red skin

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

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1
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tablespoons finely chopped fresh curry leaves

1 teaspoon citric acid

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

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teaspoon ground fenugreek seeds

1 teaspoon sugar

1.
Place the dal in water to cover by 1 inch. Mix in the alum and soak overnight. Then, drain and spread the dal on a tray lined with several layers of paper towels or cheesecloth until completely dry, 1 to 2 hours. Stir a few times with your fingers to ensure proper drying. (Otherwise, remaining water will cause spluttering when the dal is deep-fried.)

2.
Heat the oil in a large wok or saucepan over medium heat until a few rice flakes dropped into the hot oil bubble and rise to the top immediately. Put the rice flakes in a large fine-mesh metal strainer (in 2 batches, if needed) and place the strainer with the rice flakes in it into the hot oil. Fry, stirring the rice flakes in the strainer until they are crisp and very lightly golden, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl lined with paper towels. Add the turmeric and
¹
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teaspoon salt to the rice flakes, and toss lightly.

3.
Similarly, fry the coconut slices (if using), then the dal, and finally, the peanuts. Mix each into the rice flakes. Add the remaining
¹
⁄
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teaspoon salt and toss again.

4.
Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the oil from the wok. Heat the oil on medium-low heat and cook the green chile peppers, cilantro, and curry leaves, stirring, until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes.

5.
Add the citric acid, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, fenugreek seeds, and sugar to the wok, and stir about 1 minute. Then add the fried ingredients and mix lightly until they are well-coated with the spices. Keep uncovered at all times, and cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container up to 2 months.

Savory Cereal Mixture with Nuts

Milla-Julla Namkeen

Makes about 8 cups

Probably the first of the Indian snacks to be marketed in the United States in Indian stores, this savory mixture (or its many versions) is a perpetual Indian favorite. Eaten as a snack or tossed over yogurt or into a green salad, it lends a spicy crackle and crunch. You can buy it in the Indian market, or make my easy and more healthful version at home—without deep-frying.

Mixed melon seeds, called
char-magaz
in Hindi, is a mixture of cantaloupe, watermelon, cucumber, and pumpkin seeds, and can be made or bought in Indian markets.

1
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tablespoons
Chaat Masala
(or store-bought), or to taste

3 tablespoons peanut oil

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cup shelled raw peanuts, with red skins on

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cup coarsely chopped raw cashews

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cup mixed melon seeds or shelled raw sunflower seeds

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

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teaspoon ground asafoetida

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teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

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teaspoon ground ginger

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cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

2 tablespoons dried curry leaves

1
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teaspoons citric acid

3 cups puffed rice cereal

2 cups corn flake cereal

2 cups canned potato sticks

1.
Prepare the chaat masala. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large wok or skillet and cook the peanuts and cashews over medium heat, stirring as needed, until fragrant and golden, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

2.
Alternately, roast in the oven at 350°F until fragrant and lightly golden, 10 to 15 minutes.

3.
In the same pan, add the melon (or sunflower) seeds to the wok and dry-roast until golden, 1 minute. Transfer to the peanut bowl.

4.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat and add the mustard seeds and asafoetida. They should splutter upon contact with the hot oil, so cover the pan and lower the heat until the spluttering subsides. Mix in the cayenne pepper and ginger, and then add first the cilantro, then the curry leaves, chaat masala, and citric acid, and stir about 30 seconds.

5.
Add the puffed rice cereal, corn flakes, potato sticks, roasted nuts, and seeds. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes, making sure everything is well-coated with the spices. Let cool completely. Transfer it to an airtight container and store at room temperature about 2 months.

Spicy Batter-Fried Peanuts