Dolce Dente » Indian

Vegetable seekh Kabab

meggamoma — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 01:10:10 +0000

Ever wondered what to throw on the grill as a vegan or vegetarian besides a veggie burger ? This well flavored loaded kabab is just the thing , from acclaimed chef Sanjeev Kapoor. He suggests grilling these on a stone , but honestly I do them directly on the grill as I am not sure what stone he is talking about . Alternatively I have placed them in the oven on a preheated pizza stone….just delicious. I serve them with a green salad and sliced red onions.

15 -20 French beans , chopped

1/4 cup Cabbage , finely chopped

4 Medium carrots chopped

3/4 cup green peas , blanched

2 Tbs plus more for basting

3 1/2 tbs gram flour (available in Indian stores or health food stores)

1 tsp Caraway seed ground

2 tbs Ginger and garlic grated

4 green serrano chillies chopped

3 medium potatoes , boiled and mashed

1 1/2 corn kernels , boiled

salt to taste

3 tsp Chaat masala ( available from Indian markets )

2 tbs ground cashewnuts

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan , add french beans , cabbage and carrots and mix . Push to one side. Add green peas on the other side and mash them . Mix everything together and cook for 3 to 4 minutes . Push to one side of the pan . On the other side of the pan , roast the gram flour and caraway powder for 2 minutes. Mix the vegetable and gram flour mixture and stir in the ginger and garlicthe green chilis and mix well and saute for 30 seconds . Place the potatoes in a bowl, corn , salt , 2 tsp chaat masala , cashewnut powder and the vegetables in the pan , MIX WELL.

Divide into 16 equal portions . Holding up a bamboo skewer Pree each potion on the sticks pressing onto the stick till it is evenly latered.Press the ends to seal firmly. Season the grill ( or grill stone ) with oil and heat . Place kebabs on grill and cook, basting with oil on each side , for about 3 minutes or until lightly colored all around .

Serve hot sprinkled with the remaing chaat masala.

Spinach and potato fritters

meggamoma — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 23:44:44 +0000

Palak aloo Bhajias are some of the most delicious fritters from India. Indian fritters are made with chickpea flour which , to me , has a warm nutty flavor. You can find this flour in Indian markets or a store like Whole Foods. Either way they are too good to pass up. For a little added spice add in 1/4 tsp or more of cayenne pepper , optional , ofcourse.

8 oz fresh spinch leaves , chopped

1 cup grated potato

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

3/4 cup chickpea flour

Salt and pepper , to taste

Sunflower oil for deep -frying

Combine all the ingredients except the oil in a bowl , add enough water to make a thick batter.

Heat the oil in a large , heavy frying pan and drop in a tablespoon of mixture. Cook , turning , until lightly browned on both sides. Drain on paper towels and keep warm while you make the rest.

Continue to fry the fritters in batches until the batter is used up , and serve hot.

Ratnagiri garlic pepper crab

meggamoma — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 23:31:34 +0000

This simple to prepare crab dish is serve simply and elegantly in crab shells. Ratnagiri , a little distance from Mumbai , is lush with coconut trees and seafood. Buy your crabs cooked to save the bother of cleaning fresh ones.

Monisha bharadwaj

4 freshly cooked crabs , shells set aside

2 tbs sunflower oil

1/4 tsp mustard seed

1 medium onion, finely chopped

5 curry leaves

1/2 tsp garlic paste

1 tbs dry coconut

salt and freshly ground pepper

Finely chopped cilantro (optional)

Lettuce leaves

Remove all the crabmeat from the shells and pincers, taking care to extract any tiny bits of shell. Mix together the white and brown meats . Throughly rinse the shells and let drain.

Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add the onion and stir until translucent.

Add the curry leaves and garlic paste. Stir.

Add the coconut and crabmeat and stir lightly until heated through. Season to taste.

Pile the mixture into the cleaned crab shells , garnish with some chopped cilantro if you like, and serve warm on a bed of lettuce.

Shrimp in green herbs

meggamoma — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:02:30 +0000

Shrimps are universally loved in India. There are several varieties , which , I was surprised to see when I went to the wharf with my cousin Suzy , who lives in Mumbai. These shrimp , or prawns , as they are called are so fresh and succulent. Some of them are 6 to 8 inches long!!! The green sauce is called Hara Masala and is my husband’s favorite. Use bread or naan to soak up the sauce.

MASALA

1 bunch cilantro

2 fresh green chilis

2 tsp ginger garlic paste

Salt to taste

2 tbs sunflower oil

1/2 tsp cumin seed

1 1/4 lbs jumbo shrimp ,shelled and deveined

Salt to taste

Put ingredients for masala in a blender , puree till smooth.

Heat oil in a wok and tip in cumin seeds

Add green masala and fry 1 -2 minutes.

Add shrimp and salt. Reduce heat and cook until shrimp are done, adding a little water if necessary. The sauce should be thick and smooth . Serve immediately.

Bombay Crisp Garlic Shrimp

meggamoma — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 23:50:14 +0000

Jhinga Kurkure are a real street food , primarily sold on the beaches in Bombay. They are crisp with just the right amount of spice to tickle and satisfy your taste buds.

Monisha Bharadwaj

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp chili powder1/2 tsp garlic paste

Salt to taste

1 1/4 lb Large , uncooked shrimp , shelled

Sunflower oil for frying

6 tbs semolina

Mix together all the ingredients of the marinade and gently stir in the shrimps. set aside.

Roll shrimp in semolina and place a few at a time into the oil when it is smoking hot. Reduce the heat and fry the shrimp for a couple of minutes on each side until done.

Remove and drain on paper towels; keep warm while you cook the remaining shrimp.Serve hot

Crisp Okra tossed in spices

meggamoma — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:04:31 +0000

Okra is just one of those vegetables you either love or don’t. Generally speaking I am not a fan as I find the stickness of the vegetable not to my liking. That said , I could eat loads of these crisp delights. The real secreat is the mango powder called Amchur found in Indian markets , believe me , it is worth the trip.

Bhindi Kurkure

Monisha Bharadwaj

1 tsp red chili powder

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp Mango powder (amchoor)

Salt , to taste

3 tbs chickpea flour

1 1/4 lbs okra , sliced diagonally ( about 2 1/2 cups )

Sunflower oil for deep frying

Small pinch sugar

Mix together the chili , turmeric , amchoor , salt and chickpea flour.

Add okra and toss until well coated

Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the okra in batches until crisp and golden . You may need to seperate the frying okra with a fork .

Serve hot with a slight sprinkling of sugar for a hint of sweetness.

Rich Chicken Curry

meggamoma — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 01:31:44 +0000

1 chicken ,about 3 1/2 lbs , cut into 4 pieces

1/4 cup vegetable

3 onions ,sliced

2 cups thick yoghurt

1 cup cashews ,soaked in cold water for 20 minutes ,drained and ground

2 tsp each grated ginger and garlic

pinch of saffron soaked in 1 tbs warm milk

Few drops Rose water

4 cloves

3 green cardamon pods , bruised

2 bay leaves

1 tsp salt

In a heavy saucepan ,heat oil and gently fry the onions till light brown. Using a slotted spoon remove the onions and turn off the heat.

Combine the yoghurt ,onions ,cashew paste, garlic ,ginger saffron and rose water. Stir in the chicken.

Heat oven to 300*F

Heat the oil , already in the pan. Saute the cloves ,cardamons and bay leaves for a few moments, lower heat and add in the chicken with the marinade. Stir to mix well. Cover and place in hour for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Uncover once done and serve.

Chicken Masala on toast

meggamoma — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 01:14:21 +0000

This is a great mildly spiced ,Indian style chicken served on toast ,British style. I feel this is a creation made during Britsh rule in India ,referred to as the “British Raj”. It would make a great appetizer with cocktails or a light lunch. I have seen this served as part of a high tea. The spiced chicken may be prepared ahead of time and served on freshly toasted bread immediately prior to serving.

1 lb boneless chicken breast , diced

1/2 cup thick yogurt ( I use Greek style )

1 to 2 tsp chili sauce

1 tsp Garam Masala

1/2 -1 tsp each grated ginger and garlic

1 freshly juiced lemon

2 tbs vegetable oil

1 large onion ,sliced

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp cayenne powder

salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup tomato puree

3 tbs finely chopped fresh cilantro

Marinade the chicken in yoghurt ,chili sauce, garam masala and lemon juice for half an hour.

Heat oil in a heavy pan and saute onions till golden. Add spices and ginger and garlic and saute till fragrant. Add the chicken with the marinade and stir for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer uncovered, until the chicken is tender. Remove the chicken using a slotted spoon and continue cooking the sauce till it is fairly thickened. Remove sauce from heat , stir in the chicken and cilantro. Serve warm ,spread on hot buttered toast.

Black Pepper Chicken Curry

meggamoma — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 01:10:17 +0000

This great chicken curry is a specialiality of South India where the food can reach heights of spice and flavor. The addition of Cashews tames the spiciness and offers a creaminess. The beauty of Indian cusine is that the flavor intensifies with keeping ,so ,this dish is ideal make to ahead Simply garnish with cashews prior to serving.

Source Food and Wine

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons ground cumin

11/2 teaspoons coarsely crushed black peppercorns

1/2 teaspoons turmeric

1 teaspoon salt

13/4 lbs skinless,boneless chicken thighs,cut into 11/2 inch pieces

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 medium onions,thinly sliced

1 large garlic clove,minced

11/2 teaspoons fresh ginger

1 teaspoon minced serrano chile

3/4 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup broken raw cashews

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

In a bowl ,combine the coriander with the cumin,peppercorns,turmeric and 1/4 teaspoons salt. Add the chicken and rub with spices to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 20 -30 minutes.

In a large deep non stick skillet, heat 1/4 cup oil. Add onions and cook over moderately high heat,stirring occasionally, until golden,about 8 minutes. Add the chicken ,garlic, ginger, serrano chili and the remaining 3/4 teaspoon of salt and cook stirring occasionally ,until the chicken is golden brown and just cooked through,about 10 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup of coconut milk and water, then cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Add the cashews and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Add the remaining 1/2 cup of coconut milk and lemon juice to the chicken and simmer, stirring. Transfer to a bowl, sprinkle with the cashews;serve hot.

Serve with steamed rice.

Kashmiri Rogan Josh (Kashmiri Lamb Stew)

meggamoma — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 02:38:58 +0000

Rohan Josh gets its name from its rich red appearance derived from ground red chillis used in abundance. If this is too hot for your taste use a combination of Paprika and Cayenne in a proportion of your choice. Serve this dish along a dish of steamed basmati rice .

Source Madhur Jaffrey

Serves 4-6

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

11/4 pints natural yoghurt

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 teaspoon whole cloves

2 lbs stewing meat (with bone )from lamb shoulder and neck ,cut into 2 inch cubes

21/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

4 teaspoons bright red paprika mixed with 1/4 -1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

11/2 teaspoon powdered ginger

1/4 teaspoon Garam Masala

Grind the fennel seeds in a spice grinder until fine.Place the yoghurt in a bowl and beat with a fork until smooth and creamy.

Heat the oil in a large pan and ,when hot ,add the cinnamon and cloves.Add the lamb and salt. Stir and cook over high heat for about 5 minutes. Add paprika and cayenne and give the meat a stir.. Slowly add the yoghurt,waiting till it is absorbed before adding the rest of the yoghurt.. Keep cooking on a high heat till liquid is absorbed and meat is well browned.

Add fennel and ginger and stir.then add 11/2 pints water , cover but leave the lid slightly ajar. Reduce the heat and cook for half an hour. then cover completely and cook over a low heat for 45 minutes or until the meat is tender, stirring occasionally.Make sure there is always some liquid in the pan.

Remove the lid and add garam masala. You should have a thick reddish -brown sauce. If the sauce is too thin ,boil some of the liquid away,