How to Cook Indian (36 page)

1. Put the semolina, 1 teaspoon of the salt, the ghee,
khoya,
and milk in a bowl and knead to make a soft dough. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and set aside to rest for 2 to 3 hours. Knead the dough once again and let rest for 30 minutes.

2. In a small cup, combine the saffron and rosewater; set aside.

3. Place a medium nonstick sauté pan over high heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, lower the heat to medium and add the cumin. When the cumin begins to change color, add the ginger and sauté until it is lightly browned.

4. Add the chile powder, black pepper, coriander, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and the
garam masala.
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the
paneer,
potatoes, cashews, and raisins. Stir and cook until completely dry.

5. Sprinkle with the cilantro and lemon juice. Stir well. Divide into 16 equal portions and set aside to cool.

6. Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Take one portion of the dough, shape it into a
katori
(small bowl) with your fingers, put one portion of the paneer-potato mixture inside, gather the edges, and shape into a ball. Seal neatly, flatten slightly, and shape into an oval. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

7. Arrange on a baking sheet and let rest for 10 minutes.

8. Brush with the saffron-rosewater mixture and bake for 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Adraki Jhinga

Ginger-marinated sautéed shrimp

Adrak
is Hindi for “ginger,” and the name of this dish is apt: The shrimp are marinated in a sharp ginger mixture. Serve these with
pudina aur dhaniya
chutney (mint-and-cilantro chutney; page 22).

Serves 4.

20 large shrimp, cleaned, heads removed

1 teaspoon table salt

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon fresh ginger paste (page 12)

1 tablespoon red chile paste (see Note page 13)

2 tablespoons
maida
(refined flour) or pastry flour

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1. Peel and devein the shrimp, keeping the tails intact. Wash, pat dry, and put them in a bowl.

2. Add the salt, lemon juice, ginger paste, chile paste, and
maida,
and toss well. Set aside for 15 minutes.

3. Place a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the shrimp along with the marinade and cook for 2 minutes; do not overcook the shrimp, or they will become tough and rubbery. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

4. Serve hot.

Amritsari Machchi

Fried fish, Amritsar style

While I really like the caramel-hued malt vinegar that is used in this recipe, it is often hard to find. The closest substitute in look, flavor, and acidity (about 5%) is cider vinegar.
Rawas,
the fish used here, is called the Indian salmon. It is very different from American salmon. For this recipe, you can use rockfish or grouper if
rawas
is unavailable.

Serves 4.

1 1/3 pounds (600 grams) boneless
rawas
(Indian salmon) fillets

¼ cup (50 ml) malt vinegar

½ cup (50 grams)
besan
(chickpea/gram flour)

2 tablespoons
maida
(refined flour) or pastry flour

1 tablespoon plain yogurt

1 large egg

1 teaspoon
ajwain

1 teaspoon table salt

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon red chile powder

2 tablespoons fresh ginger paste (page 12)

2 tablespoons fresh garlic paste (page 12)

1 quart (800 ml) vegetable oil

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

2 lemons, cut in half

1. Cut the fish fillets into 1½-inch (4-cm) cubes and put them in a bowl. Add the vinegar and marinate for 20 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.

2. Put the
besan, maida,
yogurt, egg,
ajwain,
salt, lemon juice, chile powder, ginger paste, and garlic paste in a deep bowl. Add water a little at a time, whisking to make a smooth batter.

3. Put the fish cubes in the batter and marinate for about 20 minutes.

4. Put the oil in a deep-fryer and heat to 375°F/190°C.

5. Working in batches, spoon fish pieces from the batter and slide into the hot oil one at a time. Take care not to overcrowd the fryer, as this may lower the temperature of the oil and cause the fish to absorb too much oil and become soggy. Lower the heat to medium and fry until the fish is golden brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

6. Sprinkle with the
chaat masala
and lemon juice. Serve immediately.

Angoori Shrimp

Grapes and shrimp

This easy and surprisingly delicious dish looks absolutely stunning. While on the griddle, the plump grapes share their sweetness generously with the shrimp, which take on a beautiful glaze as they cook. I first came up with this dish in California when I was doing a show about cooking with grapes.

Serves 4.

¼ cup (50 ml) honey

1½ teaspoons table salt

½ cup (100 ml) balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon red chile flakes

16 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

24 red grapes

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1. Place a small nonstick saucepan over medium heat, add the honey, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and the vinegar, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the chile flakes and remove from the heat; cover to keep warm.

2. Thread the shrimp and grapes alternately onto 8 wooden skewers. Sprinkle the remaining 1 teaspoon salt over them.

3. Place a nonstick griddle over medium heat and brush with 1 teaspoon of the oil. Place the skewers on the griddle and cook, basting with the remaining oil and turning frequently, for 4 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked evenly on all sides.

4. Arrange the shrimp and grapes on a platter, pour the honey sauce over them, and serve hot.

Chingri Pakora

Crisp shrimp dumplings

The state of Bengal can be easily divided into east and west by the style of cuisine. This is how the East Bengalis make these dumplings. In a Bengali home in the western part of the state, you would find egg and a little sugar in the batter, and the
pakoras
would also be less spicy. Whichever the case, these crisp dumplings are best enjoyed right out of the fryer as a snack or side dish.

Serves 4.

1 pound (500 grams) small shrimp

½ cup (50 grams)
besan
(chickpea/gram flour)

1 tablespoon rice flour

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

2 medium red onions, diced

½ teaspoon red chile powder

2 green chiles, stemmed and chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1¼ teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 quart (800 ml) vegetable oil

1. Peel and devein the shrimp. Wash them thoroughly under running water. Drain in a colander and then pat them dry with a kitchen towel.

2. Put the shrimp in a bowl. Add the
besan,
rice flour, garlic, onions, chile powder, chiles, cilantro, salt, lemon juice, and 3 tablespoons of the oil. Stir well. Shape into ¾-inch (1½-cm) balls.

3. Place a nonstick wok over high heat and add the remaining oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the wok, lower the heat to medium and gently slide in a few shrimp balls. Cook over medium heat, turning frequently with a slotted spoon, for 6 to 7 minutes or until golden brown. Remove with the slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

4. Serve immediately.

Rawas Fish Fingers

Marinated boneless fish rolled in coarse rice flour and deep-fried

The crunchiness of the fish fingers is thanks to the coarse rice flour. You can use bread crumbs or semolina for dredging, but the effect will be different.