Authors: Hari Nayak
REHEATING TIPS Though chapatis are best eaten hot off the griddle, they can also be refrigerated or frozen for later use. They can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 to 6 days, and frozen for as long as 2 months. To store the breads, make sure the breads are cooled completely. Then stack them one on top of the other and tightly wrap in plastic wrap. Then wrap them with aluminum foil or place them in freezer bags. They can be reheated in a 450°F (230°C) toaster oven wrapped in aluminum foil; on a hot tava, griddle or skillet, under the broiler or in a single layer on an un-greased broiler-safe tray, 4 to 5 inches (10 to 12.5 cm) from the heat source.
Making the Breads
Fried Puffed Bread Poori
Poori, or “puffed bread,” have a magical and delicate appearance. When freshly made, they fill with steam and puff up. And, though deep-fried, this whole-wheat bread is light and almost melts in your mouth. It is one of the many pleasures of Indian cuisine. Pooris can be served with all meals but they are most popular in India as a breakfast or a brunch staple. Most often, poori is served with potatoes or chickpeas. Serve with Mangalore Spiced Potatoes (page 91), Bengali Potatoes with Spices (page 81) or Northern Chickpea Curry (page 69) and any flavored lassi (page 152)
Makes 16 poori
Prep time: 10 minutes plus 30 minutes for resting the dough
Cook time: 15 minutes
1 cup (120 g) whole-wheat flour
1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra to dust work surface
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons oil
6 to 8 tablespoons water
Oil, for deep-frying
1 Sift both the flours in a bowl. Mix in the salt. Drizzle the oil into the flour mixture. Rub it into the flour with your fingers. Slowly add the water to form a medium-soft ball of dough. Turn onto a floured work surface and knead the dough by pressing your knuckles lightly into the dough, spreading the dough outward, gathering the ends towards the center with your fingers, and pressing the center down. Repeat for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until you have soft, pliable dough that does not stick to your fingers. Form a smooth ball, rub it with a little oil, and place it in a mixing bowl, covered with a plastic wrap. Set aside for 15 to 30 minutes.
2 Heat 2 inches of oil in a kadhai, small wok or large saucepan over medium heat to 325°F (160°C) on a deep-fry or candy thermometer. To gauge the temperature of the oil without a thermometer, drop a piece of bread about 1-inch (2.5-cm) square into the oil, turning the piece of bread often as the oil heats up. When the oil reaches 325°F (160°C), the bread will begin to brown quickly and turn golden brown all over—like a crouton—in about 40 seconds.
3 As the oil heats up divide the dough into 12 balls. Roll each ball into a 5-inch (12.5-cm) round disc. Keep the rolled pooris covered with plastic wrap until ready to fry. When the oil is hot, carefully lay each poori on the hot oil without letting it fold up. It should sizzle immediately. Using the back of a slotted spoon, gently push the poori into the oil with quick strokes. It should puff up in seconds. Turn the poori over and cook for a few seconds, until slightly brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately.
Flaky Paratha Breads Stuffed with Potatoes
Aloo Paratha
This flaky, pan-fried bread is very popular in north Indian homes. Traditionally served for breakfast or as a late afternoon snack, it is loaded with melted butter and is served with homemade pickle and raita. I just love this golden brown and crispy bread. I can eat more than a few paratha if someone is frying them and serving them hot off the griddle. Parathas are a popular item in school and office lunch boxes and, when filled with a vegetable, like this version, make a delicious light lunch. For a wholesome light meal, serve this bread with any raita (pages 44–46) or plain yogurt and a salad of your choice.
Makes 14 aloo paratha
Prep time: 15 minutes plus 1 hour for resting
Cook time: 20 minutes
4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra to dust work surface
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons oil, plus more for oiling griddle
11/4 cups (300 ml) water
1/2 cup (115 g) melted ghee (clarified butter) or butter, for brushing cooked breads
Potato Filling
2 tablespoons oil
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 small onion (about 1/4 lb/125 g), chopped
1 fresh green chili pepper, minced
1 potato (about 1/2 lb/250 g), boiled, peeled and mashed
Salt, to taste
1 Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the center. Add the oil and 1 cup (250 ml) of the water and mix into soft dough. If the dough is not soft and pliable, mix in up to 1/4 cup (65 ml) more water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Turn onto a floured work surface and knead the dough by pressing your knuckles lightly into the dough, spreading the dough outward, gathering the ends towards the center with your fingers, and pressing the center down. Repeat for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until you have soft, pliable dough that does not stick to your fingers. Place in an oiled bowl. Cover with a damp cloth or a plastic wrap and let rest for about an hour. (This allows the gluten to develop.) If keeping for longer periods, refrigerate the dough.
2 To make the Potato Filling: Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them pop. Add the onion and fry for 1 minute. Stir in the green chili pepper and potato and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Season the potato mixture with salt and let cool completely.
3 To form the paratha: Divide the dough into 14 portions and roll each into a 4-inch (10-cm) circle. Spread 1 tablespoon of the Potato Filling in the center of each circle. Bring the edges together, pinch and seal them, and then shape into a ball once again. With well-floured hands, flatten the stuffed ball of dough. Place on a well-floured surface and roll into a 7-inch (17.5-cm) circle of even thickness. As you roll, keep turning and dusting the dough with flour; otherwise, it may stick to the rolling surface. If holes develop as they stretch, seal the holes by putting a little dry flour over them or pinching them together.
4 Heat an oiled griddle over medium heat. Gently remove the excess flour from each bread and place on the hot griddle. Cook each bread for 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly brown. Turn the breads over and cook until golden brown and crispy, lightly brushing with the ghee or butter. Serve warm.
An Indian meal is not complete without its distinctive sweets and drinks. In the classic Indian style, sweet dishes may often be served right along with the main dishes. However, desserts are also served after the meal. They help set a stage for celebrations, holidays, weddings and family meals. Indian desserts feature unique flavors such as saffron, rosewater and cardamom, to name a few. When in season, mangoes are a very popular ingredient in Indian desserts. This chapter features a range of desserts, from the traditional Creamy Rice Pudding (page 149), known as kheer in Hindi, to contemporary creations like Chai Crème Brûlée (page 147). Some Indian sweets, such Almond Butter Cookies (page 148) and Pistachio Biscotti (page 146) may form a part of the early evening or late afternoon “tea time” menu.
The drinks that are served in India are quite different from those in any other part of the world, each having its special Indian touch. They range from ginger-infused lemonades, hot tea and milk laced with cardamom, or frothy yogurt blended with ice and freshly crushed cumin seeds. Traditional drink recipes, like Ginger Cardamom Chai (page 153) are included, as well as new inventions like Watermelon Lemonade (page 154) and Mumbai Fruit Punch (page 150). The drinks in this chapter can be served with any meal and go well with all Indian foods.
Watermelon Mint Ice
Tarbuj ki Baraf
This recipe is inspired by the flavored shaved ice golas that are served by the street vendors and ice cream trucks in India. Whereas the Indian golas use artificial flavors and coloring, this natural version combines the flavor and color of fresh watermelon and rosewater (khewda). In many Indian households, fresh watermelon is served at the end of the meal as a salad or sliced on a platter with fresh mint. In keeping with that tradition, I like to serve this very refreshing dessert after a heavy meal.
Serves 4
Prep time: 15 minutes plus 2 hours for freezing
6 tablespoons sugar
7 tablespoons water
3 to 4 large fresh mint sprigs
3 tablespoons rosewater
4 cups (500 g) chunked, seedless watermelon (about 1/3 of a 3 to 4-lb (1.5 to 1.75-kg) baby seedless watermelon)
Fresh mint leaves, for garnish
1 Place the sugar, water and fresh mint sprigs in a small saucepan. Heat gently over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Pour the sugar water through a fine-meshed strainer set over a bowl. Discard the mint sprigs and set the sugar water aside to cool.
2 Purée the watermelon in a food processor and mix it into the sugar syrup. Chill the mixture for 3 to 4 hours. Stir in the rosewater.
3 Place the mixture in an ice cream maker and churn until it is firm enough to scoop.
4 Alternatively, you may pour the mixture into a flat container and place it in the freezer for 2 hours. Remove from the freezer and beat with a fork to break up the ice crystals. Return the mixture to the freezer and let freeze 2 hours more, beating the mixture at half-hour intervals. Freeze until firm.
5 Serve the frozen ice in sundae cups garnished with mint leaves.
Sweet Mangoes in a Creamy Custard Aam Ki Baraf Malai
The Alphonso mango, one of the sweetest in the world, is the mango of choice for this dessert. If you can’t find Alphonso mangos, simply use the ripest, sweetest mangos you can find. This is a very popular but simple Indian dessert combination and is one of my all-time favorite desserts.
Serves 4
Prep time: 15 minutes plus 6 hours for chilling
Cook time: 10 minutes
2 cups (500 ml) milk
4 egg yolks
7 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large, ripe mangoes (about 2 lbs/1 kg), peeled and diced
1 cup (500 ml) whipped cream
1 Bring the milk to a boil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. While the milk is heating, whisk the egg yolks in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add the sugar to the egg yolks and continue to beat until the mixture is pale and thick. While constantly beating the egg mixture, slowly pour the hot milk into the bowl.
2 Pour the egg and milk mixture back into the saucepan and set over medium-low heat. Cook until the mixture is thickened, stirring constantly, about 5 to 7 minutes. Do not let the mixture come to a boil since this will cause it to curdle.
3 Once thickened, immediately pour the mixture into a clean large bowl. Stir in the vanilla extract. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or until ready to serve.
4 When ready to serve, add the diced mangoes to the bowl with the custard. Mix together and divide among 4 individual serving bowls. Serve topped with a dollop of whipped cream.
TIP If time is an issue, use one of my favorite shortcuts for a creamy mango-based dessert: Fold the diced mango into 1 pint (463 ml) of softened premium-quality vanilla ice cream. You now have a delicious dessert, created on the spur of the moment, worthy of culminating any Indian meal.
NOTE The custard can be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator for a couple of days before adding the mango.
Sweetened Yogurt with Saffron and Pistachios Shrikhand
This creamy, pale-hued dessert made with fresh yogurt is a favorite in the western Indian state of Maharashtra. Made with aromatic and upscale ingredients, like rosewater and saffron, it is often reserved for special occasions, especially traditional weddings, and is sometimes paired with poori, a deep-fried Indian bread (page 138). When entertaining, and I really want to impress my guests, I serve this dessert as a sundae or as a parfait layered with berries or any seasonal fruits in tall glasses. This dessert can be made two days ahead of time, which makes it a great option when entertaining.
Serves 6
Prep time: 10 minutes plus 3 hours for draining
4 cups (1 kg) whole-milk plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, soaked in 1/3 cup (80 ml) warm milk for 15 minutes
1/3 cup (75 g) sugar, preferably superfine
½ teaspoon ground cardamom, preferably freshly ground green cardamom seeds (from about 6 green cardamom pods) (see tip, page 145)
1/2 teaspoon rosewater
2 tablespoons chopped pistachios, for garnish
1 Line a sieve or colander with a double layer of muslin or cheese cloth and place it over a bowl. Pour the yogurt into the sieve and let it drain in the refrigerator for about 2 to 3 hours. Most of the liquid should have drained out of the yogurt and the consistency of the yogurt should be of a thick pudding.
2 Mix together the drained yogurt, saffron milk, sugar, cardamom and rosewater in a large bowl. Taste and adjust the sugar and flavorings to taste if necessary. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours and up to 2 days.
3 Divide the yogurt among 6 small dessert bowls. Top with the chopped pistachios and serve.
1 Whisk the cream, milk and rice flour in a heavy-bottomed saucepan until smooth. Bring it to a slow boil on medium low heat, stirring continuously to avoid scorching the milk. (Scorched milk adds an unpleasant taste and unattractive color to kulfi.) Once the milk has come to a boil, reduce the heat to low. Continue to cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until the mixture thickens. Stir regularly, scraping the sides of the pot and not the bottom to avoid mixing any scorched bits into the milk.
2 Turn off the heat. Stir in the sugar and cardamom. The consistency should resemble that of whipped cream. Set aside and cool for 20 minutes. Stir in the mango pulp and pistachios.
3 Evenly pour the mixture into eight 4 to 6-ounce (125 to 185-ml) individual serving containers or ramekins. Cover each of them tightly with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 8 hours or overnight. Remove the kulfi from the freezer about 5 minutes before serving. If you are serving the kulfi out of the molds, place each one under warm running water for 15 to 20 seconds. Hold the containers from underneath so that if the kulfi starts to slip you can catch it. You might need to give the mold a firm tap on the top or sides to release a stubborn one. Transfer the kulfi to individual dessert plates and serve.