1,000 Indian Recipes (214 page)

Read 1,000 Indian Recipes Online

Authors: Neelam Batra

1 cup finely chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¹⁄
₄teaspoon ground turmeric

¹⁄
₄teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste

2 cups shelled fresh green chickpeas

1 large potato, peeled and cut into
¹⁄
₂-inch pieces

¹⁄
₂cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

2 to 3 cups water

Chopped cilantro and garam masala

1.
With a rolling pin or the back of a small saucepan, break the lentil nugget into half-inch pieces. (The nugget is very soft and easy to break; if it breaks into smaller piece, that's fine.) Heat 1
¹⁄
₂tablespoons oil in a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat and fry the nugget pieces in 2 to 3 batches, frying similar-size pieces at one time and removing them as they brown, which happens very quickly.

2.
To the same pan, add remaining 1
¹⁄
₂tablespoons oil and the onion, and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger and green chile peppers and cook, stirring, another 2 minutes. Then mix in the tomatoes and cook, stirring, until all the juices evaporate, about 5 minutes.

3.
Add the coriander, ground cumin, turmeric, and red pepper flakes, stir briefly, then add the green chickpeas and the fried nuggets. Cook, stirring, over medium heat about 5 minutes to roast them. Add the yogurt a little at a time, stirring constantly to prevent it from curdling, until absorbed. Add the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan and cook until the chickpeas are tender, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with cilantro and garam masala, and serve.

Variation:
This dish can also be made with shelled frozen fresh soybeans, available in Asian and health-food markets. (Green chickpeas and frozen soybeans cook in the same amount of time.)

Black Chickpeas with Sizzling Ginger and Cumin Seeds

Adrak-Jeera vaalae Kaalae Channae

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Black chickpeas are delicious and are considered to be almost a complete nutritional food. Rich in protein, complex carbohydrates, calcium, and other minerals, black chickpeas are believed to strengthen and nourish the body.

Because black chickpeas are only available in the United States in their dried form (not canned), they have to be soaked and boiled before they are recipe ready. Indians routinely boil them in a pressure cooker (to speed up softening). Once softened, they are further cooked in a cast-iron wok, which deepens their natural color, adds a lovely glaze, and fortifies them with iron and other trace minerals, making these already super beans into a powerhouse of nutrition.

1
¹⁄
₂cups dried black chickpeas, sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

5 cups water

1 tablespoon
Basic Ginger-Garlic Paste
(or store-bought)

2 (1-inch) sticks cinnamon

2 black cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin

1 fresh green chile pepper, such as serrano, minced with seeds

¹⁄
₂teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹⁄
₄teaspoon ground black salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon melted ghee (optional)

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

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon ground coriander

¹⁄
₂teaspoon ground paprika

¹⁄
₄cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

1.
Soak the chickpeas overnight in water to cover by 2 inches. Meanwhile, prepare the ginger-garlic paste. When ready, drain the chickpeas then place them in a pressure cooker, along with 4
¹⁄
₂cups water, the cinnamon, cardamom podes, green chile pepper, ginger-garlic paste, salt, and black salt. Secure the lid and cook over high heat until the regulator indicates high pressure, then cook 1 minute more. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook another 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the pot to depressurize on its own, 12 to 15 minutes.

2.
Carefully open the lid and check to see if the beans are very soft with some of them broken; unlike other beans, black chickpeas do not become soft to the point of disintegrating. If not sufficiently cooked, cover, bring up to pressure, and cook under high pressure another minute. Or cover and boil until soft, about 30 minutes.

3.
Transfer to a large cast-iron wok or skillet and cook over high heat about 5 minutes, then over medium-low heat until all the water evaporates and the chickpeas are glazed with a dark brown coating, about 40 minutes. Stir occasionally.

4.
Heat the oil (and the ghee, if using) in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the ginger matchsticks, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the coriander and paprika, stir about 30 seconds, then mix into the chickpeas. Transfer to a serving dish, mix in the cilantro, and serve.

Black Chickpeas with Chickpea Masala

Masaladar Kaalae Channae

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This is a common way you'll find chickpeas sold by Indian street vendors. Strongly flavored and chile-hot, this pressure-cooked, roadside specialty is generally topped with a minty green chutney, making it even more spicy, and is served as a snack with
bhaturas
(deep-fried leavened flatbreads) or
kulchas
(baked leavened flatbreads).