1,000 Indian Recipes (211 page)

Authors: Neelam Batra

1.
In a food processor or a blender, process together the tomatoes, green chile peppers, and cilantro. Remove to a bowl and process the yogurt and water until smooth.

2.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin and fenugreek seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the onion, ginger, and garlic and cook until golden, about 4 minutes. Add the coriander, turmeric, and salt, then mix in the processed tomatoes and cook until most of the juices evaporate, about 5 minutes.

3.
Add the soybeans and stir about 5 minutes. Mix in the yogurt-water mixture, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer until the beans are soft and the sauce is thick, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle garam masala on top, and serve.

Whole Chickpea Dishes

Chickpeas with Ginger, Garlic, and Chaat Masala

Channa-Chaat Masala

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Almost a salad, this user-friendly dish cooks quickly and easily because it is made with canned chickpeas. Just remember to rinse the canned chickpeas well to wash off the preservatives.

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

2 tablespoons peanut oil

5 to 7 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, skin punctured to prevent bursting

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

2 tablespoons peeled minced fresh ginger

1 large clove fresh garlic, minced

1
¹⁄
₂tablespoons ground coriander

¹⁄
₂teaspoon ground cumin

¹⁄
₂teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves

4 (15
¹⁄
₂-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed well

¹⁄
₃cup water

1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice

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

Tomato wedges, sliced scallions, and chopped cilantro, for garnish

1.
Prepare the chaat masala. Then, heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or skillet over medium-high heat and cook the green chile peppers, stirring gently, about 30 seconds (stand back in case they burst). Add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the ginger and garlic and stir about 30 seconds.

2.
Add the coriander, cumin, and fenugreek leaves, stir momentarily, then mix in the chickpeas and water. Cover and cook over medium heat until the chickpeas are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the lime juice, chaat masala, and cilantro and cook, stirring, another 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, mix in the tomato wedges, scallions, and cilantro, and serve.

Spicy Chickpeas with Pomegranate Seeds

Pindi Channae—Anardana

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This soft-cooked, almost blackened chickpea dish is India's answer to fast food. (The color comes from a special dry-roasted mixture of spices.) This dish is served throughout India with freshly made
bhaturas
(deep-fried leavened flatbreads) or
kulchas
(baked leavened flatbreads).

1 teaspoon
Chaat Masala
(or store-bought)

1 tablespoon ground dried pomegranate seeds

1
¹⁄
₂teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon mango powder

¹⁄
₂teaspoon garam masala

¹⁄
₂teaspoon cayenne pepper or ground paprika

6 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger

1 large clove garlic, peeled

1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, stemmed

2 tablespoons peanut oil

1 tablespoon ground coriander

¹⁄
₄teaspoon ground black salt

4 (15
¹⁄
₂-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed well

¹⁄
₂cup water

1 tablespoon vegetable oil or melted ghee

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 (1-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, cut into thin matchsticks

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

¹⁄
₂cup finely chopped scallions

2 to 3 small tomatoes, cut into wedges

1.
Prepare the chaat masala. Place the pomegranate seeds, cumin, mango powder, garam masala, and cayenne pepper (or paprika) in a small skillet and roast, stirring and shaking the skillet, over medium heat until the spices are fragrant and dark brown (almost like the color of instant coffee), about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. In a food processor or a blender, process together the ginger slices, garlic, and green chile peppers until minced.

2.
Heat the oil (or ghee, if using) in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook the ginger-garlic mixture, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Add the coriander, chaat masala, and black salt, then mix in the chickpeas and water and cook, stirring as needed until tender and almost dry, about 5 minutes. Add the roasted spices, reduce the heat to medium and cook another 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Transfer to a serving dish and keep warm.

3.
Heat the ghee in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the ginger matchsticks and cook until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the cilantro and stir 1 minute, then add the scallions and tomato wedges. Stir about 1 minute and add to the chickpeas. Mix lightly, with parts of it visible as a garnish, and serve.

Pickle-Flavored Chickpeas

Achaari Channae

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This is another creatively flavored entrée made with chickpeas. Its main flavor-giving seeds are from a Bengali mix, but they are also very much a part of the north Indian kitchen. This dish can also be served as part of an Indian afternoon high-tea menu with
samosas
(savory triangular pastries) and
Simple Carrot Halva
.