The best place to get Indian food is from your own kitchen
In the last few months, three new Indian cookbooks have attracted my attention. One of the things that the three authors agree on is that Indian home cooking beats anything you get at typical Indian restaurants. Here’s a sample recipe from each of those cookbooks. (Recipes have been adapted slightly) MADHUR JAFFREY’S EGGS IN A HYDERABADI TOMATO SAUCE
Vegetarian India by Madhur Jaffrey (Knopf) proves once again that that everyone can cook.
Jaffrey serves this with rice for lunch, dinner or brunch. 6 eggs 3 tbsp chick pea flour (sometimes called besan, gram or garbanzo flour) 6 tbsp cold water 1/2 tsp tamarind concentrate 1 1/2 cups tomato purée 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt 2 1/2 cups water 2 tbsp olive oil or peanut oil 6 to 7 fresh curry leaves, lightly crushed in your hand (or frozen)
2 tsp finely grated, peeled fresh ginger root
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 1/2 tsp ground cumin seeds 1/4 tsp to 1 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
tarka: (spice oil)
ANJALI PATHAK’S TADKA DHAL
Anjali Pathak, author of The Indian Family Kitchen (Appetite by Random House), grew up in a “royal” food family as the daughter of Meena Pathak who made Pathak’s curry pastes a worldwide sensation. She went to chef’s school, worked at Jamie Oliver’s cooking school in London and just opened her own cooking school in Mumbai featuring international recipes. This cookbook combines some of her family’s signature dishes and her own way of combining Indian flavours with other cuisines. Anjali said this is her favourite comfort food. It is sure to please everyone as it is vegetarian and vegan.
1 1/2 cups yellow lentils or yellow split peas (toor dhal) 5 cups cold water 1 tsp ground turmeric
MEERA SODHA’S ROASTED TAMARIND CHICKEN WITH HONEY AND RED CHILI
Made in India by Meera Sodha (Raincoast Books) is a wonderful story of her family’s journey and three generations of recipes. Meera says it’s a story of how “an Indian kitchen can be anywhere in the world. ”
I am always on the lookout for delicious ways to turn chicken thighs into something exotic and this recipe 2 tbsp olive oil or peanut oil 1/4 tsp brown mustard seeds 1/4 tsp cumin seeds 3 to 6 dried hot red chilies 2 cloves garlic, peeled, halved lengthwise and cut into lengthwise slivers
6 to 7 fresh curry leaves, lightly crushed in your hand
1. Hard boil eggs, peel under cold running water and set aside.
2. Set a small heavy skillet on medium-high heat. When hot, add chick pea flour and stir a few times until flour turns a shade darker. Transfer to a medium-sized mixing bowl and cool.
3. Whisk 6 tbsp cold water slowly into the cold flour until smooth. Whisk in tomato purée, tamarind concentrate, salt and 2 1/2 cups water. Reserve.
4. Heat 2 tbsp oil in mediumsized deep skillet (preferably non-stick), over medium heat. When hot add crushed curry leaves (take care as these will splutter), and then add ginger and garlic. Stir a
2 black cardamom pods, optional 3 tbsp vegetable oil 2 cinnamon sticks 4 green cardamom pods 6 whole cloves 1 tsp black mustard seeds 1 tsp cumin seeds 2 green onions, thinly sliced 2 chiles, any colour, one sliced or chopped (seeded for less heat), and one whole
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp finely chopped, peeled fresh ginger root 6 cherry tomatoes, halved salt to taste 1 tsp sugar or to taste juice of 1/2 lemon lots of chopped cilantro
Wash lentils well in several changes of water. Place in a large saucepan with water, turmeric and black cardamom pods. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook gently does it. Meera says that although honey isn’t usually part of Indian cuisine one of their neighbours was a beekeeper and honey crept into their recipes. In this recipe, she says it balances out the sharp taste of the tamarind and heat of the chili.
1 lb bone-in, skin- on chicken thighs (4 pieces) 1/2 tsp chili powder 1 tsp salt (or to taste) 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp tamarind paste few times, reduce heat to low and add ground cumin, chili powder and turmeric. Stir a few times and add tomato mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, lower heat and cook gently 10 minutes. Mixture should be approximately the thickness of unwhipped whipping cream. Add salt if necessary.
5. For the final tarka, heat a small frying pan on medium high and add 2 tbsp oil. When very hot add mustard seeds. In a few seconds, as soon as they pop, add cumin seeds and chilies. When chilies darken add garlic. When garlic browns lightly add curry leaves (be careful as they splutter) and quickly pour everything on top of tomato sauce.
6. Halve the hard cooked eggs lengthwise and arrange in a single layer, cut side up, in a shallow dish. Pour sauce over and around them.
makes 4 servings approximately 45 to 50 minutes or until very tender and some have broken down. Remove and discard any foam that rises to the top and stir occasionally. If lentils start to stick or seem dry add a bit more water.
2. Just before serving make the tadka. Heat oil in a medium-sized skillet and add cinnamon sticks, green cardamom pods and cloves. Cook about one minute. Add mustard and cumin seeds. When they sizzle, add green onions, chiles, garlic and ginger. Cook another minute. Stir in tomatoes. Remove from heat.
3. Season lentil mixture with salt and lemon juice to taste. Spread in a shallow serving dish and pour the tadka over the top.
makes 4 to 6 servings 2 cloves garlic, crushed 3 tbsp honey
1. In a large mixing bowl combine chili powder, salt, pepper, tamarind paste, garlic and honey. Add chicken and, with your hands, coat chicken well with the marinade.
2. Arrange chicken on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, skin side up, and roast in a preheated 350F for 30 to 35 minutes or longer until the skin is golden brown. makes 2 servings (but can be doubled)
I AM ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR DELICIOUS WAYS TO TURN CHICKEN THIGHS INTO SOMETHING EXOTIC