1,000 Indian Recipes (233 page)

Authors: Neelam Batra

2.
In a food processor or blender, process together the onion, ginger, and garlic to make a smooth paste.

3.
Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium heat and cook the chile peppers and onion paste, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the coriander, turmeric, cayenne pepper, and salt, then add the tomatoes and stir until soft, about 3 minutes.

4.
Add the gattae and stir about 5 minutes, then add the water, measuring the water in which the gattae were cooked as part of the 3 cups needed for the sauce. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer 10 to 12 minutes to allow the gattae to absorb the flavors of the sauce. Transfer to a serving dish, mix in the cilantro, and serve.

Special Yogurt Curries

Quick Punjabi Yogurt Curry

Punjabi Kadhi

Makes 4 to 6 servings

If you are familiar with Indian spices and stock them in your pantry, this
kadhi
literally takes only 5 minutes to put together and another 15 to 20 minutes to cook.

If you like
pakoras
(batter-fried fritters) in your
kadhi
, have 12 to 15 mixed-vegetable
pakoras
ready before you start cooking. You can also add a handful or two of chopped bell peppers or greens during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

All
kadhis
are typically served with steamed
basmati
rice. In fact, the
kadhi-chaval
(yogurt curry and rice) combination is as popular in India as rice and beans are in Mexican cuisine. But I still love my
kadhi
with
chapatis
(whole-wheat griddle breads).

¹⁄
₄cup chickpea flour

3 to 5 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger

1 large clove fresh garlic, peeled

2 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, coarsely chopped

3 cups nonfat plain yogurt

3 cups water

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

¹⁄
₂teaspoon coarsely ground fenugreek seeds

¹⁄
₈teaspoon ground asafoetida

1 tablespoon dried ground curry leaves

1 tablespoon ground coriander

¹⁄
₂teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves

¹⁄
₄teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

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

1.
Put the chickpea flour, ginger, garlic, green chile peppers, yogurt, and water in a blender and blend until smooth.

2.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or a saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin and mustard seeds; they should splutter upon contact with the hot oil, so lower the heat and cover the pan until the spluttering subsides. Then add the fenugreek, asafoetida, curry leaves, coriander, fenugreek leaves, turmeric, and salt. Stir momentarily over high heat. Then slowly add the yogurt mixture, stirring constantly, and continue to stir until it comes to a boil, 2 to 4 minutes. Watch carefully and reduce the heat if the sauce starts to boil over.

3.
Continue to cook over high heat, stirring and watching carefully, until the kadhi looks smooth and silky, 10 to 12 minutes. Or reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the kadhi is done. Add the cilantro during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Transfer to a serving dish and serve.

Nani Mama's Yogurt Curry with Onion Fritters

Pakora Kadhi

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Nani Mama is what my children call my mother, their grandmother. And this is her version of Punjabi
kadhi
(yogurt curry), which my children continue to prefer—over mine, that is.

When I was growing up, she never used curry leaves in her
kadhi
. It is an adaptation she has added over the years. Her
kadhi
is as outstanding now as it was then.

15 to 20
Chopped Onion Pakora Fritters

3 cups nonfat plain yogurt

3 cups water

¹⁄
₄cup chickpea flour

10 to 15 fresh curry leaves

1
¹⁄
₂tablespoons ground coriander

¹⁄
₄teaspoon fenugreek seeds, coarsely ground

¹⁄
₈teaspoon ground asafoetida

¹⁄
₄teaspoon ground turmeric

³⁄
₄teaspoon salt, or to taste

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

¹⁄
₄cup minced onion

2 tablespoons peeled minced fresh ginger

1
¹⁄
₂tablespoons coriander seeds, coarsely crushed with the back of a spoon

1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves

Chopped cilantro

4 to 6 whole dried red chile peppers, such as chile de arbol

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

¹⁄
₄teaspoon ground paprika

1.
Prepare the pakoras. Then, in a blender, blend together the yogurt, water, chickpea flour, and curry leaves until smooth. (Blend well, or the yogurt will curdle while cooking.) Transfer to a bowl and mix in the coriander, turmeric, and salt.

2.
Heat 1
¹⁄
₂tablespoons oil in a large nonstick wok or a saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the onion and ginger, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Add the coriander and fenugreek seeds and the asafoetida, and stir momentarily. Then slowly add the yogurt mixture, stirring constantly, and continue to stir until it comes to a boil, 2 to 4 minutes. Watch carefully and reduce the heat if the sauce starts to boil over.

3.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally and watching carefully, until the sauce looks smooth and silky and traces of oil are visible on the top surface and the sides, 30 to 35 minutes. (At this point, the sauce should be somewhat soupy; it will thicken after the pakoras are added.)

4.
Add the fenugreek leaves and the pakoras and simmer another 3 to 5 minutes, allowing the pakoras to soften as they absorb the sauce. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with chopped cilantro, cover, and keep warm.

5.
Heat the remaining 1
¹⁄
₂tablespoons n a small nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the red chile peppers until they start to brown, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the paprika and pour over the kadhi. With a fork, lightly mix the tarka into the kadhi, with parts of it showing on top as a garnish. Serve.

Spicy Yogurt Curry with Spinach Ribbons

Palak vaali Kadhi

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This yogurt sauce is basically made the same way as that of
Nani Mama's Yogurt Curry with Onion Fritters
—after all, it is a
kadhi
—but this recipe is a lighter version, full of greens, which Indians routinely make as a healthier version or when they don't want to make the
pakora
fritters.