How to Cook Indian (81 page)

Kheema Kaleji

Ground lamb and liver cooked with spices

Kaleji
is Urdu for “liver.” Liver is a rich source of iron and combines well with ground lamb. I like to prepare this as a dry dish with hardly any curry.

Serves 4.

7 ounces (200 grams) lamb liver or chicken liver

2 teaspoons ground turmeric

3 tablespoons melted butter or vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 medium red onions, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh ginger paste (page 12)

1 tablespoon fresh garlic paste (page 12)

3 or 4 green chiles, stemmed and chopped

14 ounces (400 grams) ground lamb

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon red chile powder

4 medium tomatoes, chopped

½ teaspoon black salt

1 teaspoon table salt

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Clean, wash, and boil the liver in 3 cups (600 ml) water with 1 teaspoon of the turmeric for 5 minutes. Drain and let cool. Chop the liver into ½-inch (1-cm) pieces.

2. Place a heavy-bottomed sauté pan over medium heat and add the butter. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the cumin. When the seeds begin to change color, add the onions and cook, stirring continuously, for 5 to 6 minutes or until the onions are golden brown. Add the ginger paste, garlic paste, and chiles. Cook for 30 seconds.

3. Add the ground lamb and increase the heat to high. Cook, stirring frequently, until the lamb is nicely browned. Lower the heat to medium, add the coriander, the remaining 1 teaspoon turmeric, and the chile powder, and cook for 1 minute or until the spices are roasted well. Add the tomatoes and cook until the fat separates and becomes visible along the edges of the lamb.

4. Add the liver and 1 cup (200 ml) water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to low, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the lamb and liver are cooked through.

5. Add the black salt, table salt, and half of the cilantro. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently.

6. Garnish with the remaining cilantro and serve hot.

Kheema Matar

Ground lamb and green peas cooked with spices

I like to serve this with warm bread–a flatbread like
roti
(page 18) or
naan
(page 20)–and a side of onions doused in lemon and salt. A perfect meal for a lazy Sunday.

Serves 4.

½ cup (75 grams) green peas

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 medium red onions, chopped

1 teaspoon fresh garlic paste (page 12)

1 teaspoon fresh ginger paste (page 12)

1 pound (500 grams) ground lamb

2 green chiles, stemmed and minced

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground roasted cumin (page 32)

¾ teaspoon red chile powder

3 medium tomatoes, puréed

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1½ teaspoons table salt

1 teaspoon
garam masala
(spice mix; page 27)

1½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1. Place a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 cups (400 ml) water and bring to a boil. Add the peas and blanch them for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain in a colander. Refresh the peas with cold water and set aside in a small bowl.

2. Place a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. Add the onions and sauté until they are lightly browned. Add the garlic paste and ginger paste, and sauté for 1 minute.

3. Add the lamb, chiles, coriander, cumin, and chile powder, and stir-fry for 5 minutes, breaking up any lumps. Add the tomatoes and sauté for 3 minutes.

4. Add ¾ cup (150 ml) water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes.

5. Add the blanched peas, cilantro, salt,
garam masala,
and lemon juice, and stir for 2 minutes. Add ½ cup (100 ml) water and stir well. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the peas are cooked well.

6. Transfer to a serving dish. Serve hot.

Kheema Par Eeda

Eggs cooked on a bed of spicy ground lamb

Give yourself time to savor this dish: The slightly runny yolk along with a bit of spicy meat spooned onto a warmed
roti
(page 18) is just heavenly. You could also serve the
kheema
with steamed rice.

Serves 4.

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

4 green chiles, stemmed and seeded

2½ tablespoons ghee (page 37)

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

6 cloves garlic, chopped

2 medium red onions, chopped

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon ground roasted cumin (page 32)

1½ teaspoons red chile powder

1½ teaspoons plus 1/8 teaspoon table salt

1 pound (500 grams) ground lamb

1½ teaspoons sugar

2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

4 small eggs

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Put the tomatoes and chiles in a blender and blend to a smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

2. Place a nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add the ghee. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the ginger and garlic, and sauté for 1 minute. Add the onions and sauté for 2 minutes or until the onions are lightly colored. Add the turmeric, cumin, and chile powder, and stir. Add the tomato-chile paste and 1½ teaspoons of the salt, and sauté until the ghee comes to the top.

3. Add the lamb and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 cup (200 ml) water and stir. When the water comes to a boil, cover and cook for 15 minutes.

4. Add the sugar and vinegar, stir well, and cook for 5 more minutes or until the lamb is cooked through.

5. Break 1 egg at a time over the lamb mixture, spacing them evenly and keeping the yolks intact.

6. Sprinkle the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and the black pepper over the eggs, cover, lower the heat, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the egg whites are set.

7. Sprinkle with the cilantro and serve hot.

Khichra

Rice, lentils, and lamb

Khichdi
is a simple dish of rice,
dals,
and sometimes vegetables that inspired the Anglo-Indian dish kedgeree. This dish from Hyderabad is the father of all
khichdis,
and features rice,
dals,
lamb or goat, and broken wheat with an array of spices. Nutritious to the core, this one-dish meal warrants a good postfeast nap!

Serves 4.

2 tablespoons
masoor dal
(split red lentils)

2 tablespoons
toor dal/arhar dal
(split pigeon peas)

2 tablespoons
chana dal
(split Bengal gram)

2 tablespoons
dhuli moong dal
(split skinless green gram)

½ cup (100 grams)
lapsi
(fine broken wheat)

¼ cup (50 grams) basmati rice

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 medium red onions, peeled and sliced

4 whole cloves

6 green cardamom pods

2-inch (5-cm) cinnamon stick

2 teaspoons fresh ginger paste (page 12)

2 teaspoons fresh garlic paste (page 12)

14 ounces (400 grams) boneless lamb, cut into ½-inch (1-cm) pieces

2½ teaspoons table salt

2 teaspoons red chile powder

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the tempering:

2 teaspoons ghee (page 37)

1 teaspoon red chile powder

1 teaspoon
garam masala
(spice mix; page 27)

For garnish: