Authors: Sanjeev Kapoor

How to Cook Indian (92 page)

1-inch (2½-cm) stick cinnamon

3 whole cloves

3 green cardamom pods

5 or 6 whole black peppercorns

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds

1 teaspoon white poppy seeds

6 dried red chiles, stemmed

1. Put the chicken in a large bowl.

2. Add the lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and ½ teaspoon of the turmeric, and stir. Set aside for 20 minutes.

3. Make the masala powder: Place a medium nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Add the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, peppercorns, cumin, coriander, fenugreek, poppy seeds, and chiles, and dry-roast for 3 to 4 minutes or until fragrant. Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool. When cooled, transfer to a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder. Set aside.

4. Place a nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the cinnamon, cloves, and bay leaf. Sauté for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the curry leaves and onions, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.

5. Add the ginger and garlic, and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Stir well. Add the remaining ½ teaspoon turmeric and the freshly ground masala powder, and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until the oil comes to the top.

6. Add the coconut and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cilantro and stir. Add the chicken and stir. Sauté until the chicken pieces are well coated with the mixture.

7. Add 1½ cups (300 ml) water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

8. Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot.

Kori Gassi

Chicken curry from Karnataka

The food of the Bunt community in Karnataka offers dishes that use a delicate combination of red chiles, coconut milk, and curry leaves. This
kori gassi
is their signature dish. Serve it with rice
wade
(page 463).

Serves 4.

1 (1¾-pound/800-gram) chicken, cut into 1½-inch (4-cm) pieces

1 tablespoon fresh ginger paste (page 12)

1 tablespoon fresh garlic paste (page 12)

1 teaspoon table salt 3 medium red onions

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons coriander seeds 2 whole cloves

1-inch (2½-cm) cinnamon stick

1½ teaspoons fennel seeds

1/8-inch (3- to 4-mm) piece nutmeg

1 blade mace

8 dried red chiles (preferably
bedgi
chiles, see page 234), stemmed

2 or 3 cloves garlic

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon tamarind pulp

¾ cup (150 ml) coconut milk

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Put the chicken in a large bowl, add the ginger paste, garlic paste, and salt, and stir well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator to marinate for 1 hour.

2. Thinly slice 2 of the onions. Place the remaining onion over an open gas flame and roast until the outer skin is charred. Set aside to cool, then remove the charred skin.

3. Place a small sauté pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the coriander and sauté until lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and put in a bowl. To the oil in the heated pan, add the cloves, cinnamon, fennel, nutmeg, mace, and red chiles, and sauté until fragrant. Add to the coriander seeds and set aside to cool completely.

4. Transfer to a food processor, add the garlic, roasted onion, and 7 tablespoons water, and process to a paste.

5. Place a deep nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the sliced onions and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes or until well browned.

6. Add the chicken, turmeric, and 1 cup (200 ml) water, and stir. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the chicken is almost cooked through.

7. Add the ground paste and stir well. Add the tamarind pulp diluted in ½ cup (100 ml) water, stir, and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.

8. Add the coconut milk and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

9. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with the cilantro, and serve hot.

Koyla Chicken

Chicken smoked with charcoal

The Indian name of this dish sounds poetic to me, but the literal translation, “charcoal chicken,” does not sound very appetizing. This recipe uses a special technique for smoking indoors: A bowl containing a glowing piece of charcoal is nestled in a plate of chicken, some ghee is poured over the coal, and everything is immediately covered with a large bowl to smoke. The dish is really superb, especially served with fresh
naan
(page 20), and will always impress your family and friends.

Serves 4.

1 (1¾-pound/800-gram) chicken, cut into 12 pieces

2 teaspoons fresh ginger-garlic paste (page 13)

1 teaspoon
garam masala
(spice mix; page 27)

1½ teaspoons red chile powder

2 teaspoons table salt

6 medium tomatoes

10 to 15 cashews

3 tablespoons butter

4 or 5 green chiles, stemmed and slit

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

½ cup (100 ml) heavy cream

1 tablespoon ghee (page 37), melted

1. Remove the skin from the chicken and put the pieces in a large bowl. Add the ginger-garlic paste,
garam masala,
chile powder, and 1 teaspoon of the salt, and stir to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator to marinate for 1 hour.

2. Place a medium nonstick saucepan over high heat, add 5 cups (1 liter) water, and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes and blanch for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and let cool. Peel the tomatoes and purée them in a blender. Transfer the tomato purée to a bowl and set aside.

3. Place a small nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Add the cashews and dry-roast for 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool, then transfer to a mortar and coarsely grind with a pestle. Set aside.

4. Place a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add the butter. When the butter melts, add the chicken and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the chiles and sauté for 1 minute.

5. Add the tomatoes and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 cup (200 ml) water and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and stir. Lower the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes or until the chicken is almost done.

6. Add the cashews, cover, and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

7. Add the lemon juice and cilantro, and cook for 1 minute or until the oil comes to the top. Gently stir in the cream. Remove from the heat.

8. Hold a piece of natural charcoal with tongs over an open gas flame and heat until red hot. Place it in a small stainless-steel bowl. Place the bowl on the cooked chicken. Pour the ghee over the coal. Immediately cover the pan with a lid so that the flavor of the smoke will be absorbed by the cooked chicken. Open the lid after 2 minutes and remove the steel bowl with the coal.

9. Transfer the chicken to a serving dish and serve hot.

Kozhi Ishtew

Chicken and potato cooked in coconut milk

This lovely stew comes from Kerala, in South India. Coconut milk, if heated beyond a certain temperature, curdles and becomes unpalatable, but if it’s added in stages and diluted, the mixture will turn out smooth and velvety. Serve the stew with
appams
(page 14) or
parathas
(page 18).

Serves 4.

10 to 12 whole black peppercorns

¼ teaspoon cumin seeds

2 teaspoons
chana dal
(split Bengal gram)

½ teaspoon coriander seeds

¼ cup (50 ml) vegetable oil

2 star anise

1-inch (2½-cm) cinnamon stick

4 green cardamom pods

1 (1¾-pound/800-gram) chicken, cut into 12 pieces

1 large potato, peeled and cut into 8 pieces

10 to 12 fresh curry leaves

4 green chiles, stemmed and slit

2 cups (400 ml) thick canned coconut milk

1 teaspoon table salt

1. Place a small nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the peppercorns, cumin,
dal,
and coriander. Dry-roast for 2 minutes or until the
dal
is lightly browned. Set aside to cool completely. Transfer to a spice grinder and grind to a powder.

2. Place a medium nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, add the star anise, cinnamon, and cardamom, and sauté for 1 minute. Add the chicken, potato, curry leaves, and chiles. Sprinkle with the ground spices and sauté for 1 minute.

3. Put 1 cup (200 ml) of the coconut milk in a bowl and set aside. Put ½ cup (100 ml) of the remaining coconut milk in a second bowl and dilute with ½ cup (100 ml) water. Put the remaining ½ cup (100 ml) coconut milk in a third bowl and dilute with ¾ cup (150 ml) water.

4. Add the contents of the third bowl to the curry and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the contents of the second bowl and cook for 10 minutes or until both the chicken and potatoes are cooked through.