1,000 Indian Recipes (130 page)

Authors: Neelam Batra

2 cups finely shredded green cabbage

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¹⁄
₂teaspoon salt, or to taste

Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or skillet over medium heat and add the mustard and cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the red chili peppers and the fresh curry leaves and stir a few seconds, then, add the cabbage and cook briefly—no more than 10 to 15 seconds. If you see the cabbage wilting, transfer it to a large bowl immediately. Add the lemon juice and salt. Toss and serve immediately, or refrigerate 1 to 2 hours to serve chilled.

Marinated Salads

Lemon-Marinated Red Onion Rings

Nimboo vaalae Pyaz

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Almost like a relish, this salad offers a tangy crunch and is indispensable with
tandoori
and other grilled fare. My mother always made it with very small red onions (about 1 inch in diameter); the rings not only looked very pretty, but were easy to eat. Use the smallest red onions you can find. This salad is also lovely when made with thinly sliced sweet white onions, such as Vidalia or Maui.

1 teaspoon
Basic Ginger Paste
(or store-bought)

4 to 6 small red onions, cut into rings

2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

¹⁄
₄to
¹⁄
₂cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

2 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice

¹⁄
₂teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste

1.
Prepare the ginger paste. Then, in a non-reactive bowl, place the onions, add the salt, and toss well. Cover and let marinate about 2 hours at room temperature. Then pour into a fine-mesh strainer and drain all the juices and salt (or wash under running water and then drain).

2.
Transfer to a serving bowl and mix in the cilantro, lemon juice, ginger paste, and red pepper flakes. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours in the refrigerator to marinate. Serve chilled.

Variation:
This recipe can be made using distilled white vinegar and 2 to 3 teaspoons sugar instead of lemon juice.

Zucchini Salad with Pineapple Bits

Zucchini aur Annanas ka Salaad

Makes 4 to 6 servings

I first had this salad at a wedding in Jodhpur, a city in the northwestern state of Rajasthan. I would not have expected a nontraditional dish like this to be served as part of the menu, but was pleasantly surprised by its most unusual ingredients and flavors. Later, I learned that the young bride herself had given the caterer this recipe.

To keep the salad brilliantly colorful and lightly crunchy cook the squash only briefly, just until the color intensifies.

4 to 6 zucchini, cut into
¹⁄
₂-inch pieces

2 cups canned pineapple pieces, plus
¹⁄
₄cup juice

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

¹⁄
₂cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

¹⁄
₂teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, or to taste

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

¹⁄
₄teaspoon ajwain seeds

1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger

¹⁄
₈teaspoon ground asafoetida

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1.
Place the zucchini in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover and cook in the microwave on high power about 2 minutes. Let cool, then drain and transfer to a serving bowl.Add the pineapple and juice, green chile peppers, yogurt, salt, and black pepper, and mix well.

2.
Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin and ajwain seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the ginger and asafoetida, cook another 30 seconds, and add the lemon juice. Transfer to the zucchini, stirring gently to mix. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate at least 2 hours to serve chilled.

Carrot and Cashew Salad

Gajjar aur Kajju ka Salaad

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Here is a lovely, sweet-and-spicy twist on carrot salad. Serve it as is, or over a bed of shredded lettuce leaves that have been lightly dressed with salt and lemon juice.

³⁄
₄to 1 pound carrots, peeled and grated

¹⁄
₄cup grated fresh or frozen coconut or 2 tablespoons shredded unsweetened dried coconut

15 to 20 raw cashews, coarsely chopped

¹⁄
₂cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

¹⁄
₂teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon peanut oil

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh curry leaves

¹⁄
₈teaspoon ground asafoetida

2 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, halved lengthwise

1.
In a large serving bowl, mix the carrots, coconut, cashews, cilantro, salt, and lemon juice.

2.
In a small saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and add the mustard and cumin seeds; they should splutter upon contact with the hot oil, so cover the pan until the spluttering subsides.

3.
Add the curry leaves, asafoetida, and green chile peppers and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Transfer to the carrots, stirring gently to mix. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate at least 2 hours to serve chilled.

Marinated Peanut Salad

Moong-phalli ka Salaad

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This is a delightfully different presentation of peanuts. I first ate this dish at a club in Coorg, a tiny district in the southwestern corner of Karnatka. Coorg is a lush, mountainous area with acres of land devoted to growing coffee, black pepper, cardamom, oranges, and rice. The rest of Coorg is a natural habitat for wildlife and sandalwood.

After that first taste, this appetizer salad has become a regular in my home. (You can also make it with blanched almonds or halved cashews in place of the peanuts.) Serve it with red wine (such as Merlot) or Indian beer.