How to Cook Indian (19 page)

6. Place a large nonstick wok over high heat and add the 1 quart (800 ml) oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the wok, gently slide in half of the
kachoris
and fry them over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until the crusts are golden brown and crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the
kachoris
to paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining
kachoris.

7. Serve immediately with the chutney.

The Indian counterpart to the Western barbecue grill is the tandoor, a clay oven fired with charcoal. Also known as a
sanjha choolha
(“common cooking place”), the tandoor literally brings people together. Women gather at the communal village tandoors at sundown, bringing dough with them from home. They chat and socialize while cooking their bread in the tandoor.

Tandoori cooking is one of the oldest ways of cooking food in India and can be traced back to the nomadic tribes of the northwest frontier who cooked their food in fires of charcoal and cow dung that they built in holes dug in the ground. Today, of course, the tandoor is used not only for the daily bread—
naan
(page 20) or
tandoori roti
—but also more exotic fare like kebabs and
tikkas.
Even
dals
and sauces can be cooked slowly to flavorful perfection in a tandoor. The most distinctive thing about cooking in a tandoor is the smoky flavor that it imparts to the food, and it is perhaps no accident that tandoori dishes were the first from India to gain international popularity.

Tandoori cooking is not only exceptionally flavorful—the food is usually cooked in its own juices and thus retains its natural flavors—but it is also healthier than other methods of cooking because it requires minimal additional fat.

Be sure to try the tandoori chicken recipe (page 208) I have included here. It is possibly one of the most popular tandoori dishes in the world, and perhaps the most popular Indian dish period. You don’t have to have a clay oven to make these dishes: The tandoori style is quite adaptable to modern ovens.

Many of the kebab and meat recipes in this chapter are classics, and the
chandi kaliyan
(page 188), covered in edible silver foil, is a wonderful example of old-school decadence. Try the
chaap fry Amritsari
(page 211), which brings northern seasonings into play with breaded lamb chops, and then do a complete turnaround and make the chettinaad fried chicken (page 190), which takes you to the southern states.

These dishes are perfect served as appetizers or hors d’oeuvres or as parts of more elaborate Indian meals, but I’ve also included here a selection of snacks–like Punjabi samosas (page 154) and
peethiwali aloo tikki
(page 151)–that are best enjoyed as fillers between meals. Dahi wada (page 110) captures the essence of Indian raitas and is served as a special side dish at weddings and auspicious occasions, or as a filling but light meal on its own.

Aloo Nazakat

A spectacular deep-fried potato dish

This dish takes some time and effort to prepare, but the results are outstanding: a deep-fried potato stuffed with cheese and lentil wafers.

Serves 4.

4 medium potatoes

3 tablespoons
chana dal
(split Bengal gram)

2 tablespoons plus 1 quart (800 ml) vegetable oil

2 small
urad dal papads
(see Note)

1½ teaspoons fresh ginger paste (page 12)

1½ teaspoons fresh garlic paste (page 12)

1½ teaspoons table salt 1 cup (250 grams) plain yogurt, whisked

½ teaspoon black salt

1 teaspoon
garam masala
(spice mix; page 27)

1 teaspoon red chile powder

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons refined mustard oil (see Note page 87)

½ cup (70 grams) grated
paneer
(pressed fresh cheese; page 17)

2 teaspoons
chaat masala
(spice mix for
chaat;
page 24)

2 green chiles, stemmed and chopped

1. Peel the potatoes and cut them in half horizontally. Using a spoon, scoop out the insides of the potato halves, leaving a 1/4
é
-inch-thick (¼-cm-thick) shell all around. Chop the scooped-out flesh and set aside.

2. Place a nonstick griddle over medium heat. Add the
dal,
lower the heat to low, and dry-roast until fragrant and golden. Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool to room temperature. Transfer to a spice grinder and grind to a powder. Set aside.

3. Place a nonstick wok over high heat and add 1 quart (800 ml) vegetable oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the wok, lower the heat to medium and gently slide the potato shells into the oil and fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until the outer surface of the potato shells is golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

4. In the same oil, fry the
papads
one at a time for 5 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

5. Place a medium nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add ½ teaspoon of the ginger paste and ½ teaspoon of the garlic paste. Sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant.

6. Add the chopped potatoes and ½ teaspoon of the salt and sauté over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes.

7. To make the marinade, put the yogurt in a bowl and add ½ teaspoon of the salt, the black salt,
garam masala,
chile powder, 2 tablespoons of the cilantro, the roasted
dal,
the remaining 1 teaspoon ginger paste, and the remaining 1 teaspoon garlic paste. Stir well. Add the mustard oil and stir again. Set aside.

8. To make the filling, put the
paneer
in a bowl. Add the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, the
chaat masala,
the remaining 1 tablespoon cilantro, the chiles, and the sautéed potato mixture.

9. Crush the fried
papads
to a coarse powder and add to the stuffing ingredients. Stir well.

10. Take each potato shell and fill it up to the brim with the filling. Put the potatoes in the yogurt marinade and stir gently to coat them. Cover the bowl and let the potatoes marinate for about 30 minutes.

11. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Grease a baking sheet.

12. Arrange the potatoes on the baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Urad dal papads
are
poppadums
made with
urad dal
(black gram) flour. Packages of these are available in Indian stores.

Amla Aur Beetroot Ki Tikki

Indian gooseberry-and-beet patties

Two very nutritious ingredients make this little patty:
amla,
or Indian gooseberry, which is high in vitamin C, and beets, which are a rich source of easily digestible carbohydrates. If
amlas
are unavailable, substitute an equal weight of raw green mango.

Serves 4.

5 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium red onion, chopped

3 medium beets, boiled, peeled, and grated

1 teaspoon table salt

½ tablespoon red chile powder

¼ teaspoon
chaat masala
(spice mix for
chaat;
page 24)

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled, and mashed

6 medium
amlas
(Indian gooseberries), grated

5 tablespoons cornstarch

1. Place a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly browned.

2. Add the beets and salt, and sauté for 7 minutes or until all the excess moisture has evaporated. Add the chile powder and
chaat masala,
and stir well. Add the lemon juice and stir well.

3. In a large bowl, combine the beet mixture with the potatoes and stir well. Add the
amlas
and 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch, and stir well. Let cool, then put in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.

4. Grease your hands, then divide the beet-potato mixture into 8 portions. Shape each portion into a thick 2½-inch (6½-cm) patty.

5. Dredge the patties in the remaining cornstarch and set aside.

6. Place a nonstick griddle over medium heat. Place a patty on the griddle, drizzle ½ tablespoon of the oil all around it, and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until both sides are evenly cooked. Cook the remaining patties using the remaining oil.

7. Transfer to a serving platter and serve hot.

Batata Vada

Batter-fried potato dumplings

I am not sure which sells more in Mumbai—
batata vadas
or McDonald’s hamburgers. But given a choice I would go for
batata vadas
laced with dry red garlic chutney.

Serves 4.

6 small potatoes

1-inch (2½-cm) piece fresh ginger, chopped

6 cloves garlic

4 or 5 green chiles, stemmed and chopped

1½ cups (150 grams)
besan
(chickpea/gram flour)