India

[Monel]

Indian cooking displays a remarkable range of influences, as befits a subcontinent that has been subject to British, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese and French colonial rule, and which remains home to a vast number of religious practices.

Within this thread you’ll find classics with which you are probably familiar with, simple country dishes that are thoroughly a comfort food.

 

[Monel]

Curry powder and Pastes.

Powder and pastes are blends of spices, chillies and herbs that are used as the basis of a curry. Traditional Indian households would blend individual spices as needed, but for convenience you may prefer to prepare a quantity in advance.

Cooking Tip: Both the Curry Powder and Garam Masala will keep for 2 – 4 months in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. Once open store in the fridge.

Curry Pastes will keep for 3 – 4 weeks after opening, if stored in the fridge.

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Curry Powder

This is a basic recipe for a dry spice bled. It is a mild recipe, but you could increase the quantity of dried chillie.

Ingredients

Makes 115 g / 4 oz / ½ cup

50 g / 2 oz / 1/2cu coriander seeds
4 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp fenugreek seeds
4 dried red chillies
5 curry leaves
1 tbsp chilli powder
1 tbsp ground turmeric
½ tbsp salt

What to do:

1.) Dry-roast the whole spice in a wok or large pan for 8-10 minutes, shaking the pan until the spices darken and release a rich aroma. Leave to cool
2.) Put the dried whole spices in a mill and grind to a find powder.
3.) Add the ground, roasted spices to the chilli powder, turmeric and salt in a large glass bowl and mix well.

Store the powder in an airtight container.

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Garam Masala

Garam means hot, and masala means spices, and this mixture uses spices that are known to heat the body, such as black peppercorn and cloves. Garam masala is used mainly for meat, although it can be used in poultry and rice dishes. it is generally too strong for fish or vegetable.

Ingredients

Makes 50 g / 2 oz / ¼ cup

10 dried cillies
3 x 2,5 cm / 1 inch pieces cinnamon stick
2 curry leaves
2 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp black mustard seeds
¼ tsp chilli powder

What to do:

1.) Dry roast the whole dried red chillies, cinnamon sticks and curry leaves in a wok or large pan over a low heat for about 2 minutes.
2.) Add the coriander and cumin seeds, black peppercorns, cloves, fenugreek and mustard seeds, and dry-roast for 8-10 minutes, shaking the pan from side to side until the spices begin to darken in colour and release a rich aroma. leave the mixture to cool.
3.) Using either a mill or a stainless steel mortar and pestle, grind the roasted spices to a fine powder.
4.) Transfer the powder to a glass bowl and mix in the chilli powder. Store in an airtight container.

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Curry Paste

A curry paste is a wet blend of spices, herbs and chillies cooked with oil and vinegar, which help to preserve the spices during storage.

Ingredients

Makes 600 ml / 1 pint / 2 ½ cup

50 g coriander seeds
4 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp fenugreek seeds
4 dried red chillies
5 curry leaves
1 tbsp chilli powder
1 tbsp ground turmeric
5 tbsp water
150 ml / ¼ pint / 2/3 cup wine vinegar
250 ml / 8fl oz / 1 cup sunflower oil

What to do:

1.) Grind the whole spice into a powder. Transfer to a bowl and add the remaining ground spices.
2.) Mix the spices until well blended. Add the wine vinegar and stir. Add 75ml / 5 tbsp water and stir to form a paste.
3.) Heat the oil in a wok or a large pan and stir-fry the spice paste for about 10 minutes, or until all the water has been absorbed. When the oil rises to the surface the paste is cooked. Allow to cook slightly in the pan before spooning the past into an airtight jar.

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Tikka Paste

This is delicious, versatile paste. It has a slightly sour flavour, and can be used in a variety of Indian dishes, including chicken tikka, tandoori chicken and tikka masala.

Ingredients:

Makes 475 ml / 16fl oz / 2 cups

2 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tbsp cumin seeds
1 ½ tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp ground giner
2 tsp chilli powder
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp dried mint
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp water
few drops of red food colouring
few drops of yellow food colouring
150 ml / ¼ pint / 2/3 cup wine vinegar
150 ml / ¼ pint / 2/3 cup sunflower oil

What to do:

1.) Grind the coriander and cumin seeds to a fine powder using a mill or mortar and pestle. Spoon the mixture into a bowl and add the remaining spices, the mint and salt stirring well.
2.) Mix the spice powder with the lemon juice, food colouring and wine vinegar and add 2 tbsp water to form a thin paste.
3.) Heat the oil in a large pan, or wok, and stir-fry the paste for 10 minutes, until all the water has been absorbed. When the oil rises to the surface, the paste is cooked. Leave to cool before spooning into airtight jars.  

[Monel]

Making Coconut Milk

You can make as much of the milk as you like from this recipe by adapting the quantities accordingly, although the method is more practical for larger quantities.

Tip 225 g desiccated (dry unsweetened shredded) coconut into a food processor and pour over 2 cups of boiling water.

Process for 20 – 30 seconds, then cool.

Place a sieve lined with muslin (cheesecloth) over a bowl in the sink. Ladle some of the softened coconut into the muslin. Bring up the ends of the cloth and twist it over the sieve to extract the liquid.

Use the milk directly in recipes. Coconut milk will keep for 1 – 2 days in the fridge, or it can be frozen for use on a later occasion.  

[Monel]

Tomato and Coriander Soup

Although soups are not often eaten in India or Pakistan, tomato soup bucks the trend and is very popular. This is excellent on a cold winter’s day.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
675 g tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp oil
1 bay leaf
4 spring-onions (scallions), chopped
1 tsp salt
½ tsp crushed garlic
1 tsp crushed black peppercorns
2 tbsp copped fresh coriander (cilantro)
750 ml water
1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
2 tbsp single (light) cream to garnish (optional)

What to do:
1.) To peel the tomatoes, plunge them in very hot water, leave for 30 seconds, then take them out. The skin should now peel off easily. If not put the tomatoes back in the boiling water for a little longer. Once they have been peeled, roughly chop the tomatoes.
2.) In a medium heavy pan, heat the oil and fry the tomatoes, bay leaf and spring onions for a few minutes until soft.
3.) Gradually add the salt, garlic, peppercorns and coriander. Pour in the water. Stir, then simmer gently over a low heat for 15-20 minutes.
4.) Meanwhile, dissolve the cornflour in a little cold water to form a thick creamy paste.
5.) Remove the soup from the heat and leave to cool slightly for a few minutes. Press through a sieve, or puree in a blender or food processor.
6.) return the pureed soup to the pan, add the cornflour mixture and stir over a gentle heat for about 3 minutes until thickened.
7.) Pour the soup into the individual serving dishes and garnish with a swirl of cream, if using. Serve hot.

TIPS: If the only fresh tomatoes available are rather pale and under-ripe, add 1 tbsp tomato puree to the pan with the chopped tomatoes to enhance the colour and flavour of the soup.  

[Monel]

Glazed Garlic Prawns

It is best to peel the prawns for this dish as it helps them to absorb maximum flavour. Serve with salad as a first course or with rice and accompaniments for a more substantial meal.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 tbsp oil
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
15-20 cooked king prawns (jumbo shrimp)
3 tomatoes, chopped
½ tsp salt
1 tsp crushed red chillies
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp mango chutney
1 fresh green chilli, chopped (optional)
fresh coriander sprigs, to garnish

What to do:
1.) Heat the oil in a medium heavy pan. Add the garlic and cook gently for a few minutes.
2.) Set aside 4 whole prawns for the garnish. Peel the remainder. Lower the heat and add the chopped tomatoes to the pan with the salt, crushed red chillies, lemon juice, mango chutney and fresh green chilli. Stir gently to mix and cook for 2 – 3 minutes.
3.)Add the peeled prawns, increase the heat and stir-fry until heated through. Transfer the prawns to a serving dish. Serve garnished with fresh coriander sprigs. Add a whole cooked prawn, in the shell, to each portion.

TIPS: Use a skewer or the point of a knife to remove the black intestinal vein running down the back of the prawns (shrimp).  

[Monel]

Mini Minced Koftas in a Spicy Sauce

This Kofta (meatballs) curry is very popular in most India homes. It is also extremely easy to make.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
225 g lean minced (ground) lamb
2 tsp poppy seeds
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp crushed fresh root ginger
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chilli powder
1 ½ tsp ground coriander
1 small egg

For the Sauce:
75 ml natural (plain) low fat yogurt
1 tbsp tomato puree (paste)
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 tsp crushed fresh root ginger
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp oil
1 cinnamon stick
400 ml water

What to do:
1.) Place the lamb in a food processor and grind it further for about 1 minute. Remove from the processor, scrape into a bowl, tip the poppy seeds on top and set aside.
2.)Place the onion in the food processor, with the crushed ginger, garlic, salt, chilli powder, ground coriander, and half the fresh coriander. Grind this spice mixture for about 30 seconds, then add it to the lamb. Mix well.
3.) Whisk the egg and thoroughly mix it into the spiced lamb. Leave to stand for about 1 hour.
4.) For the sauce, whisk together the yoghurt, tomato puree, chilli powder, salt, crushed garlic, ginger and garam masala.
5.) Heat the oil with the cinnamon stick in the wok for about 1 minute, then pour in the prepared sauce. Lower the heat and cook for about 1 minute. Remove the wok from the heat and set aside.
6.) Break off small balls of the meat mixture and make the koftas (meatballs) using your hands. When all the koftas are ready, return the sauce to the heat and stir in the water. Drop the koftas one by one. Place the remaining fresh coriander on top, cover with a lid and cook for 7 – 10 minutes, stirring gently several times to turn the koftas around. Serve hot.

 

[Monel]

Tuna Fish Curry

This not-very-authentic fish curry can be made in minutes. It’s the ideal dish for a wannabe Bollywood star on a tight schedule.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 onion
1 red (bell) pepper
1 green (bell) pepper
2 tbsp oil
¼ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp chilli powder
¼ tsp salt
2 garlic cloves, crushed
400 g can tuna in brine, drained
1 fresh green chilli, finely chopped
1 inch piece fresh ginger root, grated
¼ tsp garam masala
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
fresh coriander sprigs, to garnish
pitta bread and cucumber raita, to serve

What to do:
1.) Thinly slice the onion and the red and green pepper, discarding the seeds from the peppers.
2.) Heat the oil in a wok or heavy pan and stir-fry the cumin seeds for 2-3 minutes until the begin to spit and splutter.
3.) Add the ground cumin, coriander, chilli powder, and salt and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then add the garlic, onion and peppers.
4.) Fry the vegetables, stirring from time to time, for 5-7 minutes until the onion has browned.
5.) Stir in the tuna, green chilli and ginger and cook for 5 minutes.
6.) Add the garam masala, lemon juice and chopped fresh coriander and continue to cook the curry for a further 3 – 4 minutes. Serve in warmed split pitta bread with the cucumber raita, garnished with a coriander sprig.

TIPS: Place the pitta bread on a grill (broiler) rack and grill (broil) until it just puffs up. It will be easy to split with a sharp knife.  

[Monel]

Tandoori Chicken

A delicious popular Indian / Pakistani chicken dish which is cooked in a clay oven called a tandoor, this is extremely popular in the West and appears on the majority of restaurant menus. Although the authentic tandoori flavour is very difficult to achieve in a conventional oven, this version still makes a very tasty dish.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 chicken quarters, skinned
175 ml natural (plain) low fat yogurt
1 tsp garam masal
1 tsp grated fresh root ginger
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 ½ tsp chilli powder
¼ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
few drops of red food colouring
1 tbsp oil
mixed salad leaves and lime wedges to garnish

What to do:
1.) Rinse and pat dry the chicken quarters. make two deep slits in the flesh of each piece, place in a dish and set aside.
2.) Mix together the yoghurt, garam masala, ginger, garlic, chilli powder, turmeric, coriander, lemon juice, salt, red food colouring and oil, and beat so that all the ingredients are well combined.
3.) Cover the chicken quarters with the spice mixture, cover and leave to marinate for about 3 hours.
4.) Preheat the oven to 240°C / 475°F / Gas 9. Transfer the chicken pieces to an ovenproof dish.
5.) Bake the chicken in the oven for 20 – 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked rigt through and evenly browned on top.
6.) Remove from the oven, transfer to a serving dish and garnish with the salad leaves and lime wedges.

TIPS: The traditional bright red colour is derived from food colouring. This is only optional and may be omitted if you prefer.  

[Monel]

Chicken Tikka Masala

This is another of those dishes hat is celebrated in the West but less well known in India. It is said to be Britain’s favourite chicken dish. In this version, tender chicken pieces are cooking in a creamy, spicy tomato sauce and served on naan bread.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
675 g chicken breat portions, skinned
6 tbsp tikka paste
120 ml natural (plain) low fat yoghurt
1 tbsp oil
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 fresh green chilli, seeded and chopped
1 in piece fresh root ginger, grated
1 tbsp tomato puree (paste)
1 cup water
a little melted ghee or butter
1 tbsp lemon juice
fresh coriander sprigs, natural plain low fat yoghurt and toasted cumin seeds, to garnish
naan bread, to serve

What to do:
1.) Remove any visible fat from the chicken and cut the meat into 1in cubes. Mix 3 tbsp of the tikka paste and 4 tbsp of the yoghurt into a bowl. Add the chicken and leave to marinate for 20 minutes.
2.) Heat the oil in a heavy pan and fry the onion, garlic, chilli and ginger for 5 minutes. Add the remaining tikka paste and fry for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato puree and water, bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
3.) Meanwhile, thread the chicken pieces on wooden kebab skewers. preheat the grill (boiler).
4.) Brush the chicken pieces lightly, with melted ghee or butter and cook under a medium heat for 15 minutes, turning the skewers occasionally.
5.) Put the tikka sauce into a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Return to the pan.
6.) Add the remaining yoghurt and the lemon juice, remove the grilled (broiled) chicken from the skewers and add to the pan, then simmer for 5 minutes. Garnish with the fresh coriander, yoghurt and toasted cumin seeds, and serve on naan bread.

TIPS: - Make your own paste, using the basic recipe in the beginning of this thread, or use a good-quality bought place.
- Soak the wooden skewers in cold water before using, to prevent them from burning while under the grill.  

[Monel]

Sweetcorn and Pea Curry

Tender sweetcorn cooked in a spicy tomato sauce makes a flavoursome curry.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
6 frozen corn cobs, thawed
1 tbsp oil
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 fresh green chilli, finely chopped
1 tbsp curry paste
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp salt
½ tsp granulated sugar
400 g chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato puree
150 ml water
115 g frozen peas, thawed
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
chapattis, to serve, optional

What to do:
1.) Using a sharp knife, cut each piece of corn in half crossways to make 12 equal pieces in total.
2.) Bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook the corn cob pieces for 10-12 minutes. Drain well.
3.) Heat oil in large heavy pan and fry the cumin seeds for 2 minutes or until they begin to splutter. Add the onions, garlic and chilli and fry for about 5 – 6 minutes until the onion is golden.
4.) Add the curry paste and fry for 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining spices, salt and sugar and fry for a further 2 - 3 minutes, adding some water if the mixture is too dry.
5.) Add the chopped tomatoes and tomato puree together with the water and simmer for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Add the peas and cook for a further 5 minutes.
6.) Stir in the pieces of corn and the fresh coriander and cook for 6 – 8 minutes more, until the corn and peas are tender. Serve with chapattis, for mopping up the rich sauce, if you like.

TIPS: If you don’t like peas you can replace them with the same quantity of thawed frozen broad (fava) beans  

[Monel]

Fresh tomato and onion chutney

Chutneys are served with most meat dishes and Indian cuisine.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
8 tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp garam masal
175 ml malt vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp clear honey
natural (plain) yogurt, sliced green chilli and fresh mint leaves, to garnish

What to do:
1.) Wash the tomatoes and cut them into quarters.
2.) Place them with the onion in a heavy pan
3.) Add the sugar, garam masal, ginger, vinegar, salt and honey, half-cover the pan with a lid and cook over a low heat for about 20 minutes.
4.) Mash the tomatoes with a fork to break them up, then continue to cook on a slightly higher heat until the chutney thickens.
5.) Spoon the chutney into a bowl and leave to cool, then cover and place in the fridge until needed. Serve chilled, garnished with yoghurt, sliced chilli and mint leaves.

TIPS: This chutney will keep for about 2 weeks in a covered jar in the fridge.  

[Monel]

Mango Chutney

Chutneys are usually served as an accompaniment to curry but this one is particularly nice served in a cheese sandwich or as a dip with poppadums.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 tbsp malt vinegar
½ tsp crushed dried chillies
6 cloves
6 peppercorns
1 tsp roasted cumin seeds
½ tsp onion seeds
salt, to taste
175 g granulated sugar
450 g green (unripe) mangoes, peeled and cubes
2 inch piece fresh ginger root, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
thin peel of 1 orange or lemon, optional

What to do:
1.) Pour the vinegar into a pan, and add the chillies, cloves, peppercorn, cumin and onion seeds, salt and sugar. place over a low heat and simmer until the spices infuse the vinegar – about 15 minutes.
2.) Add the monago, ginger, garlic and peel, if using. Simmer until the mango is mushy and most of the vinegar has evaporated. When cool, pour into a sterilized bottles. Cover and leave for a few days before serving.

TIPS: Ginger freezes very well, which can be handy if you find it difficult to get fresh ginger locally. It can be sliced or grated straight from the freezer and will taw on contact with hot food.