The Menu:
Tamarind Rice
Cauliflower and Carrot Dhal
Eggplant Bharta
Raita (Cucumber Yogurt Sauce)
Pita bread (ghetto naan)
I have my parents to thank for my love of Indian food. We had a Sunday ritual. While most kids were reluctantly sitting still and silent through Church service, we were drooling in line at our local Indian buffet. I think it was the muttar paneer that prompted my dad, a former priest, to say "This food is the closest I've ever been to heaven."
He would know.
I'm as passionate about cooking as I am about eating, but Indian cookery has always alluded me. I've tried a couple curries in the past (an image of me in the kitchen of my parents house comes to mind - i'm still clad in my school uniform, staining my white polo with turmeric while I pathetically willed a block of tofu to morph into paneer). The dishes were never quite right. I blame the suburban dearth of authentic indian ingredients (where's a girl gotta go to get some ghee in this town?). A series of substitutes and omissions drained all authenticity from the end product of the recipe.
According to the 2000 U.S. census, the Indian American population has increased by almost 106% from 1990 to 2000, making this the fastest growing Asian American community in the U.S. It definitely shows in my parents' southwest Chicago suburb. Since the days of uniforms and buffet Sundays at the only Indian restaurant in town, our suburb now has at least five Indian restaurants and an Indian grocery store to enrich our palates and re-ignite our culinary curiosity. My mother has befriended a lovely woman named "Desi" who works at the grocery, and has taught her a thing or two. Now, my mother is a natural at grinding spices and makes the best channa masala I know.
Shortly after Christmas, she sent me a wonderful care package of recipes and ingredients. She included some harder to find necessities for Indian cookery. For instance, hing, aka asafoetida, a resin gum which comes from the dried sap from the stem and roots of the wild fennel genus Ferula. And Puliogare mix, an all-in-one spice mix for making tamarind rice.
My mom is the best.
So I'm back in the kitchen, still staining myself with turmeric, but more inspired than dumbfounded. Last night I had Rachel over for dinner. Rachel rocks because she entertains my cooking adventures, and doesn't make me feel bad when I go way overboard with with menu. For example, last night I decided to make FOUR dishes for us TWO little women. I couldn't help it; once I decided to cook Indian, a rush of recipes I wanted to try came flooding through my head. It was a mission to choose only four. But I choose I must. Thankfully, the mission was truly a success: this may have been one of the best feasts I've ever prepared. Everything came together, and each dish complemented the other. The dahl made me melt. The raita, something I usually overlook at Indian restaurats, surprised me with its cool flavor and beautiful pairing with the other dishes. Best of all, everything was healthy, thus justifying the bottle of wine and second helpings.
Later that night, tummies full (but not too full) of good food and girl talk, we danced to music videos at Michael's housewarming party. I tried some fairly amazing enchiladas with Hatch salsa, but that's another story. Now, on to the recipes...
The recipes:
Tamarind Rice
Adapted from my mom's recipe. Other veggies, like green beans and mushrooms, are probably good with this is well. It's best with basmati rice.
4 cups cooked rice
1/4 cup of Puliogare mix
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp water
1 chopped onion
2 large carrots, chopped
1 cup frozen peas (or thereabouts)
In a sauce pan, combine seasoning mix, olive oil, and water. Bring to boil and cook two minutes. Set aside.
In a skillet, saute onions and carrots until cooked, add peas and cook a few minutes more.
Combine vegetables with rice and sauce, tossing lightly until mixed.
Cauliflower and Carrot Dhal
This is adapted from a recipe I found on the Mediterrasian website. It may actually be one of the better dahls I've tasted... ever. It was amazing, and absolutely mind blowing with the Raita (see below). Next time I might try it with milk or yogurt instead of coconut milk, though it's probable that cutting the fat might mean cutting the flavor.
3 tbsp oil or ghee
2 onions—chopped
2 carrots—quartered lengthways and thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic—finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pinch hing
6 dried red chiles
2 cups cauliflower florets (about 1/4 cauliflower)
1 1/2 cups yellow lentils
14 oz canned tomatoes—chopped
1 cups light coconut milk
1 1/2 cups vegetable stocksalt to taste (don't be shy)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and cook the onion and carrot for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon and hing and cook, stirring, for a minute. Add the cauliflower and red lentils and stir to coat them with the spice mixture. Add the tomatoes, coconut milk, chiles, salt and stock, bring to the boil and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30-40 minutes or until the lentils are at a desired consistency. Taste as you go and make sure it has enough salt! When cooked, remove the dhal from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Service with rice.
Eggplant Bharta
Found this recipe here; despite its simplicity, it's incredibly delicious.
1 medium Baigan (eggplant)
1/2 cup Cooked green peas
1 Finely chopped onions
1 Finely chopped tomato
1 Finely chopped green chili
1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
3 tbsp oilSalt to taste
Chopped green coriander leaves for garnishing
Preheat oven to 400. Brush eggplant with oil and roast it in the oven. Frequently turn the eggplant upside down, until fully roasted - it will be all mushy and squishy. Once done, hold it under cold running water or in a bowl full of water. Cool it and peel off the blackened skin. Mash the flesh.
Heat oil in a pan. Add green chili and onion and fry over medium heat until light golden brown. Add red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt and stir. Add tomatoes and cook until tender. Add green peas and mashed eggplant. Stir well. Cook for 5-7 minutes over medium heat. Garnish with green coriander leaves and serve hot.
Raita
This recipe comes straight off the Food Network's sight. I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but it's an Emeril recipe. Still, it was fabulous with the other dishes, especially the dahl. You might even say it tied the whole meal together. Enjoy.
2 cups plain yogurt
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeds removed, finely chopped
3 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Pinch sugar
Pinch cayenne
Place the yogurt in a fine mesh strainer, set over a bowl and drain for 1 hour. Discard the liquid in the bowl.Place the drained yogurt in a medium bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine. Place, covered, in the refrigerator for 1 hour to cool and blend. Stir well and serve.
