How to Cook Indian (101 page)

2. In a separate bowl, combine the cumin, chile powder, onion, tomato, and cilantro.

3. Divide the dough into 4 portions and shape into balls. Roll out each ball to a thick 3-inch (7½-cm) round and brush with 1½ teaspoons of the ghee. Place a portion of the onion-tomato mixture in the center. Sprinkle with a little salt. Gather the edges to enclose the filling and seal. Press and roll out into a thick 3-inch (7½-cm) round.

4. Place a nonstick
tawa
(griddle) over high heat and let it heat for 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and place one dough round on the
tawa.
Cook, turning, for 2 to 3 mintues or until golden brown on both sides. Repeat with the remaining dough rounds.

5. Serve hot, topped with a dollop of ghee.

The aroma of basmati rice as it cooks epitomizes the Indian
pulaos
and
biryanis.
Basmati rice originated in India, and rice is a staple in the diets of 50 percent of the Indian population. Many Indian festivals, such as Lohri in the north, Pongal in the south, and Bihu in Assam, are based around the rice harvest.

Pulaos
and
biryanis
are appetizing and especially charming when cooked with spices, vegetables, pulses, or meats.
Biryanis,
of course, are some of the most popular and satisfying Indian dishes, and here is your chance to learn to make the famous Hyderabadi
kachche gosht ki biryani
(page 481),
murgh biryani
(page 486), and the Gujarati
ek handi nu dal bhaat
(page 470)—a delicious one-pot meal, as are many of these dishes.

Aloo Gobhi Ki Tahiri

Fragrant rice with chunky potatoes and cauliflower

This is a nutritious
pulao
that can be prepared quickly. It’s perfect as a light Sunday dinner.

Serves 4.

1 cup (200 grams) raw rice

2 tablespoons ghee (page 37)

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 bay leaves

1-inch (2½-cm) cinnamon stick

1 black cardamom pod

3 or 4 whole black peppercorns

4 or 5 whole cloves

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

1 medium potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1-cm) cubes

½ medium head cauliflower, separated into small florets

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1½ teaspoons red chile powder

1 teaspoon
garam masala
(spice mix; page 27)

1 teaspoon table salt

1. Put the rice in a large bowl, wash in plenty of water 2 or 3 times, and drain. Add 3 cups (600 ml) water and soak for 20 minutes. Drain the rice in a strainer.

2. Place a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Add the ghee, and when small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the cumin, bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom, peppercorns, and cloves, and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly browned.

3. Add the potato and cauliflower, and sauté over medium heat for 2 minutes.

4. Add the soaked rice, turmeric, chile powder,
garam masala,
and salt, and stir. Add 2 cups (400 ml) hot water and stir again. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the rice is tender.

5. Transfer to a serving dish. Serve hot.

Cauliflower and Lemon Rice

An ideal way to use up leftover steamed rice

Mahabaleshwar is a favorite weekend getaway for people living in Mumbai. It is famous for its strawberries, but little did I know that the strawberries thrive in the shade of large green leaves that lovingly hold huge milky-white heads of cauliflower! So on one of my trips I picked up a cauliflower that was so massive I had to figure out what to do with it all. I needed to be innovative, and this rice dish is the result.

Serves 4.

11 ounces (330 grams) small cauliflower florets

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1½ teaspoons table salt

Pinch of sugar

4 green chiles, stemmed and roughly chopped

3 dried red chiles, stemmed and broken in half

2 tablespoons coriander seeds

5 or 6 cashews, roughly chopped

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

¼ teaspoon brown mustard seeds

½ teaspoon
dhuli urad dal
(split skinless black gram)

1/8; teaspoon fenugreek seeds

Pinch of asafetida

7 or 8 curry leaves

2 cups (300 grams) cooked basmati rice

1. Place a nonstick saucepan over medium heat, add 1 quart (800 ml) water, and bring to a boil. Add the cauliflower and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Drain in a colander and set aside.

2. Put the lemon juice in a small bowl. Add the salt and sugar, and stir until dissolved. Set aside.

3. Put the green chiles, red chiles, coriander, cashews, and turmeric in a spice grinder with ¼ cup (50 ml) water, and grind to a fine paste.

4. Place a nonstick wok over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the wok, add the mustard seeds,
dal,
and fenugreek, and sauté until the
dal
is lightly browned. Add the asafetida and curry leaves, and sauté for 30 seconds.

5. Add the ground paste and cauliflower, and stir well. Add the rice and lemon juice mixture and stir gently. Lower the heat to low, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.

6. Serve hot.

Ek Handi Nu Dal Bhaat

Rice and lentils with tomatoes

In this one-pot dish, lentils and rice are cooked together along with spices and puréed tomatoes.

Serves 4.

½ cup (100 grams)
toor dal/arhar dal
(split pigeon peas)

¾ cup (150 grams) raw rice

3 tablespoons ghee (page 37)

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

2 or 3 whole cloves

4 or 5 whole black peppercorns

1 bay leaf

1 medium red onion, sliced

¾ teaspoon fresh ginger paste (page 12)

¾ teaspoon fresh garlic paste (page 12)

1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch (2½-cm) pieces

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

¾ teaspoon red chile powder

¼ teaspoon
garam masala
(spice mix; page 27)

2 green chiles, stemmed and chopped

2 teaspoons table salt

1 large tomato, puréed

¼ cup (15 grams) chopped fresh cilantro

1. Put the
dal
and rice in a large bowl, wash in plenty of water 2 or 3 times, and drain. Add 4 cups (800 ml) water and soak for 20 minutes. Drain the
dal
and rice in a strainer.

2. Place a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add the ghee. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the cumin, cloves, peppercorns, and bay leaf, and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the onion, ginger paste, and garlic paste, and sauté for 2 minutes or until the onion is lightly browned.

3. Add the potato and stir well. Add the drained
dal
and rice, and stir. Add the turmeric, chile powder,
garam masala,
and chiles, and stir well. Add 1 quart (800 ml) water and the salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to low, cover, and cook for 7 minutes or until the
dal
and rice are almost tender.

4. Stir in the tomato purée and cilantro. Mash the mixture slightly with the back of a ladle. Cover and cook over low heat for 4 to 5 minutes.

5. Transfer to a serving dish. Serve hot.

Fodnicha Bhaat

Tempered rice

This very simple dish is a delicious way of using up leftover white rice. Make sure the rice is at room temperature before adding it to the spices.

Serves 4.

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ teaspoon black mustard seeds

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

10 to 12 fresh curry leaves

4 green chiles, stemmed and chopped

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

3 tablespoons peanuts

3 cups (450 grams) cooked rice

½ teaspoon table salt

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Place a medium nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Add the oil and when small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the mustard seeds. When the seeds begin to sputter, add the cumin and curry leaves.

2. Add the chiles, turmeric, and peanuts, and sauté for 1 minute.

3. Add the rice and salt and stir well.

4. Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with the cilantro and serve hot.

Gatte Ka Pulao

Besan
dumplings with

This beautiful dish has many layers of flavors as the
besan
(chickpea flour) dumplings, or
gatte,
and the spiced rice come together. Making the dumplings requires practice and patience, but it’s well worth it.