How to Cook Indian (117 page)

5. Add the sugar and cardamom. Stir well and remove from the heat.

6. Garnish with the raisins, almonds, cashews, and pistachios, and serve hot or at room temperature.

Kaju Katli

A nutty and flavorful sweet with cashews

Katli
means “a thin layer.” The best
kaju katli
will be the one that is J to ¼ inch (4 to 5 mm) in thickness, and expert
halwais
(cooks skilled in making Indian sweetmeats) think nothing about rolling it out that thin. Homemade
kaju katli
is strongly cashew flavored, but since cashews are expensive, commercial makers sometimes use cashew essence and solidified milk products to fortify it.

Makes 20.

1 1/3; cups (275 grams) sugar

2 tablespoons liquid glucose

1½ tablespoons ghee (page 37)

4¼ cups (900 grams) finely ground cashews

Chandi ka varq
(edible silver foil; see page 188)

1. Place a nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 1/3; cups (265 ml) water and the sugar, and cook for 12 minutes or until the syrup reaches 245°F/118°C, or until it has a multi-string consistency (see Note page 570).

2. Stir in the liquid glucose and ghee.

3. Remove from the heat and add the cashews, stirring continuously. Knead lightly to make a soft dough.

4. Grease an aluminum pan and spread the dough on it. Smooth the surface by pressing with your hands onto a sheet of waxed paper. Gently spread the silver
varq
over the top and cut the
kaju katli
into diamonds. Serve at room temperature.

5. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

China is a neighbor to most of the northeastern states of India, and much of its food culture has trickled down into the subcontinent. In fact, Chinese food is the most popular choice when Indians dine out. Indian cooks have begun to experiment and create exotic foreign dishes. The strong Indian palate, however, means that many dishes are tweaked to suit our tastes. This has created a special category of fusion foods that have become so ubiquitous that it would not be unusual for
chile paneer
(page 549) and crunchy Chinese
bhel
(page 550) to make an appearance at a traditional Indian wedding feast.

Chicken Chow Mein

A chicken-and-noodle dish

A decade or so ago, it was fashionable in India to serve Indo-Chinese dishes at parties and wedding banquets. Things are changing now as the Indian palate moves on to Indo-Mexican, Indo-Italian, and so on. But chicken chow mein remains a favorite dish on many restaurant menus and at many parties.

Serves 4.

1 teaspoon table salt

¼ cup (50 ml) vegetable oil

7 ounces (200 grams) egg noodles (spaghetti shaped)

8 baby corn cobs, halved lengthwise

1 large egg, beaten

2 or 3 cloves garlic, sliced

1-inch (2½-cm) piece fresh ginger, chopped

1 medium red onion, sliced

6 fresh button mushrooms, halved

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and julienned

1 (4-ounce/125 gram) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded

2 teaspoons light soy sauce 1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

1. Place a nonstick saucepan over medium heat, add 6 cups (1.2 liters) water, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil, and bring to a boil. Add the noodles and cook for 8 minutes or until almost done. Drain in a colander. Refresh in cold water, drain again, and spread on a large plate to cool.

2. Place a nonstick saucepan over medium heat, add 1 cup (200 ml) water, and bring to a boil. Add the baby corn and blanch for 2 minutes. Drain in a colander, refresh in cold water, drain again, and set aside.

3. Place a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add 1 teaspoon of the oil. Add the egg and stir to scramble it. When it is set, transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

4. Place a nonstick wok over medium heat and add the remaining vegetable oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the wok, add the garlic, ginger, and onion, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.

5. Add the baby corn, mushrooms, and bell pepper, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken and sauté for 1 minute. Add the soy sauce and remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and stir well.

6. Add the noodles and sesame oil, and toss. Add the scrambled egg and toss again. Lower the heat to low and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the noodles are heated through.

7. Transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with the sesame seeds and serve hot.

Chile Chana

Chickpeas cooked in a Chinese sauce

I created this on a Sunday when the kids wanted something different—something that happens a lot, let me tell you! Thinking quickly, I turned some chickpeas into a special Indo-Chinese dish and served it with steamed rice. The kids were happy, and so was I.

Serves 4.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2-inch (5-cm) piece fresh ginger, chopped

3 or 4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 medium red onion, sliced

3 or 4 green chiles, stemmed and sliced

2 medium green bell peppers, seeded and julienned

½ teaspoon red chile powder

1 teaspoon red chile paste

1 tablespoon soy sauce

½ teaspoon table salt

2 cups (300 grams) cooked chickpeas

1. Place a nonstick wok over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the wok, add the ginger and garlic, and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly browned.

2. Add the onion, chiles, and bell peppers, and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chile powder and chile paste, and sauté for 30 seconds. Add 2 tablespoons water and the soy sauce. Stir well and add the salt.

3. Add the chickpeas and stir. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes.

4. Serve hot.

Chile Paneer

Paneer
cooked the Chinese way

Steamed rice is the best partner for this dish, a lovely mix of Indian and Chinese styles of cooking. You can replace the
paneer
with tofu, but if you do, skip steps 1 and 2. If you want to serve this as a starter, decrease the amount of stock so that there is no extra sauce.

Serves 4.

11 ounces (300 grams)
paneer
(pressed fresh cheese; page 17), cut into 1-inch (2½-cm) fingers

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 quart (800 ml) plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 or 4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 medium red onion, halved and thickly sliced

2 medium green bell peppers, seeded and cut into thick strips

6 to 8 green chiles, stemmed and sliced

1 cup (200 ml) vegetable stock

¾ teaspoon table salt

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1. Put the
paneer
in a bowl and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch. Toss gently to coat.

2. Place a medium nonstick wok over high heat and add 1 quart (800 ml) oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the wok, lower the heat to medium, add the
paneer,
and cook for 1 minute or until the edges start to turn brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

3. Place the remaining 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a small bowl and add ½ cup (100 ml) water. Whisk well and set aside.

4. Place a nonstick wok over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the wok, add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.

5. Add the onion, bell peppers, and chiles, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.

6. Add the
paneer
and stir in the stock. Add the salt and soy sauce, and stir.

7. Add the cornstarch mixture and cook over high heat, stirring, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the
paneer
and vegetables.

8. Serve immediately.

Chinese Bhel

A popular street food with an Indo-Chinese treatment

I call this the “scrunch, munch, and it’s gone”
bhel.
No matter how large a serving I make for friends, it’s gone in no time. It is rather difficult to trace the origin of any Indo-Chinese dish, but kudos to the unknown inventor of this tasty dish. I use noodles without eggs because they fry better than egg noodles.

Serves 4.

7 ounces (200 grams) eggless noodles

1 quart (800 ml) plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1¼ teaspoons table salt

3 scallions, bulbs and greens sliced separately

½ cup (70 grams) bean sprouts

¼ cup (40 grams) roasted peanuts, crushed

2 tablespoons Sichuan sauce (page 23)

2 tablespoons ketchup

1. Place a nonstick wok over medium heat and add 6 to 8 cups (1.2 to 1.6 liters) water, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil, add the noodles, and cook for 7 to 8 minutes or until almost done. Drain, refresh in cold water, drain again, and spread on a large plate to cool.

2. Place a nonstick wok over medium heat and add 1 quart (800 ml) oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the wok, gently slide in the noodles in small batches and cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Set aside to cool.

3. Crush the noodles lightly and put them in a bowl. Add the scallion bulbs, bean sprouts, and peanuts, and toss well.

4. Add the Sichuan sauce and ketchup, and toss again. Taste and add the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt if needed.