How to Cook Indian (15 page)

5. Add the puréed spinach to the whisked yogurt and stir well. Put in the refrigerator to chill for 2 to 3 hours.

6. Shred the remaining spinach leaves.

7. Place a nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the shredded spinach and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.

8. Add some of the pounded cumin seeds and peppercorns to the yogurt mixture, and stir. Sprinkle some on top. Garnish with the sautéed spinach and serve.

Here I suggest pounding the roasted cumin seeds and peppercorns in a mortar with a pestle, because the amount may not be enough to grind in a blender.

Tandoori Murgh Salad

Tandoori chicken salad

This dish (also considered a
chaat)
is a tangy mixture of grilled marinated chicken with colorful peppers. This is a great way to use leftover tandoori chicken, and makes a delightful light lunch.

Serves 4.

2 (5-ounce/150-gram) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chile powder or paprika

1 teaspoon fresh ginger paste (page 12)

1 teaspoon fresh garlic paste (page 12)

½ cup (135 grams) drained plain yogurt (see Note)

1 teaspoon table salt

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ teaspoon
garam masala
(spice mix; page 27)

1½ tablespoons vegetable oil

1 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips

½ red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

½ yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips

1 onion, sliced

2 green chiles, stemmed and chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon
chaat masala
(spice mix for
chaat;
page 24)

½ small green mango, peeled and chopped (optional)

Salt to taste

1. With a sharp knife, make incisions in the chicken breasts and set aside.

2. Put the chile powder, ginger paste, garlic paste, yogurt, salt, lemon juice,
garam masala,
and 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large bowl, and stir well. Add the chicken and stir well so that all the pieces are well covered with the mixture. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to marinate for 3 to 4 hours.

3. Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Thread the chicken pieces onto metal skewers, arrange on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until almost done. Baste with the remaining oil and cook for 4 minutes more. When cooled, remove the chicken from the skewers and shred it.

4. In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, bell peppers, onion, chiles, half of the cilantro, the lemon juice,
chaat masala,
mango (if using), and salt and toss to mix well.

5. Transfer to a serving plate, garnish with the remaining cilantro, and serve.

To get ½ cup (135 grams) drained yogurt, pour ¾ cup (200 grams) plain yogurt into a square of muslin or several layers of cheesecloth, gather up the ends, and tie. Hang until all the water is drained, 30 to 40 minutes.

A
chaat
is a snack that features the tastes of Indian cuisine—
khatta
(sour),
meetha
(sweet),
teekha
(spicy), and
chatpata
(tangy)—all on one plate. Embedded in Indian culture,
chaat
is a street food that is eaten at any time of the day. There are food carts, tea stalls, and mobile snack vendors on almost every street corner. The
chaat
vendor will mix up a treat for you—such as a
dahipapdi chaat
(page 86)—and then sprinkle it with chiles for heat, or drizzle on some tamarind chutney for sourness, or dollop it with some yogurt for a cooling effect, or dust it with more
chaat masala
(page 24) for flavor—all according to your specifications.

Chaats
are complete sensory experiences, so when the
bhel puri
(page 84) is tossed and mixed and served to you on a little plate, do not eat it immediately: Take a deep breath and savor the mouthwatering aromas, take a few seconds to listen to the light crackling sound as the chutneys make their way into the spongy puffed rice . . . and then start eating!

Aloo Kachalu Chaat

Famous potato
chaat

When we were kids we used to sing a silly Hindi rhyme that began, “Aloo kachalu” (potatoes and sweet potatoes) and then went on about them being put in the basket with an eggplant that kicked them out. Anyway, I think the potatoes and sweet potatoes are wonderful where they are here: in a
chaat,
with no eggplant within miles of them!

Serves 4.

1-inch (2½-cm) piece fresh ginger, cut into thin strips

1½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ teaspoon table salt

1 large ripe banana

2 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled, and cut into 1-inch (2½-cm) cubes

1 large sweet potato, boiled, peeled, and cut into 1-inch (2½-cm) cubes

1 teaspoon tamarind pulp

2 green chiles, stemmed and minced

1 teaspoon
chaat masala
(spice mix for
chaat;
page 24)

¼ cup (40 grams) fresh pomegranate arils

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Put the ginger in a small bowl, add ½ teaspoon of the lemon juice and a pinch of the salt, and set aside in the refrigerator.

2. Peel and cut the banana into 1-inch (2½-cm) pieces. Put them in a large bowl and drizzle with 1 teaspoon of the lemon juice.

3. Add the potatoes and sweet potato, the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, the tamarind pulp, chiles,
chaat masala,
the remaining salt, the pomegranate arils, and cilantro. Toss gently to combine.

4. Serve garnished with the ginger.

Aloo Chaat Dilli Style

A tangy potato snack

This recipe will transport you to the capital of India. Delhi, known as “Dilli” in the local dialect, has two sections: Old Delhi and New Delhi. Old Delhi is still the stronghold of eateries that boast the old style of Mughal cooking. New Delhi is replete with contemporary restaurants and street food. This snack, sold on the roadside, is best eaten just after the potatoes are cooked, while they’re still crisp.

Serves 4.

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

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

5/8 teaspoon table salt

3 medium potatoes, cut into ½-inch (1-cm) cubes

1 quart (800 ml) vegetable oil

1 large red onion, chopped

1/8 teaspoon black salt (page 586)

½ teaspoon
chaat masala
(spice mix for
chaat;
page 24)

½ teaspoon red chile powder

¼ teaspoon ground roasted cumin (page 32)

2 green chiles, stemmed and diced

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Put the ginger in a small bowl, add 1 teaspoon of the lemon juice and 1/8 teaspoon of the table salt, and stir well. Set aside in the refrigerator.

2. Put the potatoes in a bowl and toss with ¼ teaspoon of the table salt.

3. Place a nonstick wok over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the wok, add the potatoes, a few pieces at a time. Cook, stirring with a slotted spoon, for 5 to 6 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

4. Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl. Add the onion, the remaining ¼ teaspoon table salt, the black salt,
chaat masala,
chile powder, cumin, chiles, cilantro, and the remaining 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and stir well.

5. Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with the ginger, and serve immediately.