Easy Indian Cooking

by Vaswanis, Suneeta

• ISBN13: 9780778800880
• ISBN10: 0778800881
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-02-01
• Publisher: Robert Rose Inc

Summary

Savory Indian recipes.Indian cooking is exhilarating and exotic -- and now it's easier than ever. Although Indian dishes are richly flavored, they need not be complicated to create in an American kitchen. Easy Indian Cooking features 125 recipes that are easy for beginners and appeal to experienced home cooks. The authentic flavor of these easy-to-prepare recipes will delight and amaze.Vaswani's repertoire of exciting and inspired recipes ranges from classic recipes from North and South India to favorites from her family and friends. Each one is adapted for North American home cooking.Following the recipes in this book, any cook can create delicious dishes such as: Masala Coated Baked Chicken Pork Vindaloo Curried Spinach and Cheese (Saag Panir) Cardamon Scented Lamb Basmati Rice Layered with Fragrant Chicken Tandoori ShrimpIn keeping with traditional Indian cooking, Vaswani includes a significant number of vegetarian dishes. She also shares insightful cooking tips and her wealth of Indian cooking techniques. In addition, there are suggestions about where to find ingredients and spices and, if necessary, substitutions. Exploring the wonderful world of Indian cuisine has never been easier. Easy Indian Cooking is the perfect place to start.

Author Biography

Suneeta Vaswani was born in Mumbai, India and moved to the U.S. in the late 1970s. Based in Houston, she has written for Bon Appetit and is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP).<p> <b>Suneeta Vaswani</b> was born in Mumbai, India and moved to the U.S. in the late 1970s. Based in Houston, she has written for <i>Bon Appetit</i> and is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP). </p>

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

General Guidelines

Common Ingredients

Spices, Spice Blends and Herbs

Hints and Tips

Basic Techniques

Snacks and Appetizers

Spicy Boiled Potatoes (Aloo Chaat)

Crustless Potato Pie (Bataka Nu Rotla)

Steamed Semolina Squares (Dhokla)

Corn and Potato Toss (Corn Bhel)

Yello Mung Bean Patties (Mung Dal ki Tikki)

Meat and Potato Patties (Aloo aur Keema ki Tikki)

Skewered Grilled Kababs (Sheekh Kababs)

Saffron-Scented Chicken Kababs (Chicken Boti Kababs)

Onion Fritters (Kande ka Bhajia)

Batter-Dipped Vegetable Fritters (Vegetable Pakoras)

Sindhi Fritters (Sinkhi Pakoras)

Rice, Cereal and Breads

Perfect Steamed Rice

Spice-Scented Peas Pilaf (Peas Pulao)

Basmati Rice with Spice Cauliflower (Gobi Pulao)

Caramelized Onion-Flavored Rice (Pyaz ka Pulao)

Soft Rice with Yellow Mung Beans with Spices (Masala Khitchri)

Semolina with Vegetables (Upma)

Fragrant Rice Layered with Curried Chicken (Hyderabadi Chicken Biriyani)

Pressed Rice with Peas and Potatoes (Phoa)

Savory Indian Bread Pudding (Sial Bread)

Basic Whole Wheat Dough (Atta)

Whole Wheat Griddle Bread (Chapati or Roti)

Whole Wheat Griddle-Fried Bread (Paratha)

Potato-Stuffed Griddle-Fried Bread (Aloo Paratha)

Whole Wheat Puffed Bread (Puri)

Beans and Lentils

Yellow Mung Bean Soup (Mung Dal Soup)

Buttery Mung Dal (Makhni Dal)

Yellow Lentil Soup with Vegetables (Toor Dal Soup with Vegetables)

Uma''s PurTed Yellow Lentils (Uma''s Toor Dal)

Split Yellow Peas with Tamarind Chutney (Channa Dal with Tamarind Chutney)

North Indian-Style Kidney Beans (Rajma)

Zucchini with Yellow Mung Beans

Buttery Black Beans (Kali Dal or Dal Makhni)

Sindhi-Style Chickpeas

South Indian Lentil and Vegetable Stew (Sambar)

Tomato Dal (Tomatochen Sar)

Poultry and Meat

Tandoori Chicken

Tandoori Chicken Salad

Chicken Tikka Masala

Coriander Chicken

Pepper Chicken

Ginger Chili Chicken

Three-Spice Chicken with Potatoes

Masala-Coated Baked Chicken

Preeti''s Brown Onion Chicken

Chicken with Aromatic PurTed Spinach (Saagwalla Murg)

Sindhi Chicken Curry

Chicken in Cashew Saffron Gravy

Chicken with Dried Apricots (Khubani Murg)

Spiced Ground Beef with Peas (Keema Matar)

Gena''s Kababs

Lamb with Fennel and Nigella

Meatball Curry (Kofta Curry)

North Indian-Style Lamb Curry on Bread (Gosht Dabalroti)

Cardamom-Scented Lamb

Lamb Braided in Yogurt, Tomatoes and Onions (Sial Gosht)

Dry-Fried Lamb with Coconut Slices

Curried Lamb (Rogan Josh)

Oven-Braised Lamb Shanks

Pork Vindaloo

Coorg-Style Pork Curry

Cashew and Raisin-Stuffed Pork Loin

Coriander-Crusted Pork Chili Fry

Fish and Seafood

Arshi''s Fish Curry

Red Fish Curry

Goa Seafood Curry

Amritsari Fish

Preeti''s Grilled Fish

Baked Fish Fillets with Yogurt Topping

Bengali Mustard Fish

Stuffed Fish with Garlic Herb Topping

Coconut Chutney-Coated Fish Parcels

Mohini''s Spicy Shrimp

Spicy Sweet-and-Sour Shrimp

Prawn Patia

Golden Shrimp with Cilantro and Lime

Cilantro Pickled Shrimp

Mussels in Cilantro Broth

Vegetarian EntrTes

Indian Scrambled Eggs (Akoori)

Indian Omelet (Aamlete)

Egg Curry

Curried Spinach and Cheese (Saag Panir)

Sindhi Spinach (Sai Bhaji)

Creamy Spinach with Mung Dal

Potatoes in Tomato Gravy

Corn and Vegetable Curry

Black-Eyed Peas with Vegetables

Whole Baked Masala Cauliflower

Indian Macaroni and Cheese

Vegetables

Lower-Fat Panir

Creamy Broccoli Curry

Mustard Seed Potatoes

Three-Seed Potatoes

Potatoes with Fenugreek Leaves (Methi Aloo)

Hena''s Finger Potatoes

Stir-Fried Okra with Tomatoes

Green Beans with Mustard Seed

Green Beans and Carrots with Aromatic Spices

Carrots with Cummin and Nigella

Sweet-and-Spicy Butternut Squash

Bell Peppers with Roasted Chickpea Flour

Cauliflower and Potatoes with Ginger and Chilies

Cauliflower Peas Keema

Preeti''s Cabbage with Peanuts

Sweet, Sour and Spicy Eggplant

Stuffed Eggplant

Onion and Potato SautT

Zucchini with Five Seeds

Raitas and Chutneys

Cilantro and Mint Yogurt with Grapes (Angoor Raita)

Beet and Potato Raita

Cucumber Raita (Kakri Raita)

Tomato Raita

Corn, Mango and Cucumber Raita

Cabbage and Apple Raita

Yogurt and Spinach with Five Seasonings (Palak Raita)

Cilantro Mint Chutney (Hari Chutney)

Yogurt Mint Chutney

Date and Peanut Chutney

Tamarind Chutney

Hot Pineapple Chutney

Sweet Mango Chutney

Sweets and Beverages

North Indian Rice Pudding (Kheer)

Date and Nut Pinwheels

Byculla Bread and Butter Pudding

Almond Halwa

Orange Saffron Pudding

Heavenly Saffron Yogurt Cheese (Shrikhand)

Caramelized Carrot Pudding (Gajar ka Halwa)

Royal Bread Pudding (Shahi Tukre)

Mango Kulfi

Savory Yogurt Cooler (Lassi)

Sweet Yogurt Cooler (Sweet Lassi)

Mango Lassi

Spiced Tea (Masala Chai)

Sources

Index

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

IntroductionIndia, the land of my birth, from which I am unable to cut the umbilical cord, is an enigma. Try as I might, I cannot describe it in a sentence, a paragraph or even a page.I have spent approximately half my life in India and am still continually learning about my people, the traditions and the food. The last, I'm convinced, is more than one lifetime's project -- it is so vast and so diverse. Within each state, there are several different communities, each with its own cuisine. Until television became mainstream, communities lived in relative isolation, unaware for the most part of the food traditions of their neighbors. Today, television has changed the lives of Indians. Food shows on TV have raised awareness of the diversity of our cuisine in every village, where even illiterate grandmothers watch mesmerized as celebrity chefs prepare dishes from different regions.Indian food has evolved over centuries, influenced by history, geography and religious beliefs. The greatest impact on the food of north India undoubtedly came from the Moguls, who ruled from the 16th century until the middle of the 18th century. Theirs was a sophisticated and refined cuisine, and they introduced ingredients such as saffron, nuts and cream.The Europeans, beginning with the Portuguese -- who arrived in 1498 on the southwest coast of Kerala in search of pepper, the black gold -- also left their mark on the food of India. They brought with them foods from the New World -- ingredients such as tomatoes, potatoes and peppers, which are synonymous with Indian food today. The British, who were the most dominant of the western powers, ruled the country for nearly three centuries and left their mark on its food. Indian spices changed British taste buds forever, and the British, in return, introduced Indians to processed cheese, breaded fried foods and the ubiquitous "baked dish," usually a medley of vegetables in a "white sauce," which still appears on party tables today. Sandwiches and white bread are also a legacy of the British, and Indians have taken both to new heights, making white bread a staple in the Indian diet.The food of the north is completely different from that of the south. In the north, wheat is the main staple, as are other grains, such as millet and sorghum; flatbreads made from these are relished with gusto. Of course, rice is also very much a part of the diet, and the famous basmati rice is grown in the north. In the south, rice rules: more than 20 varieties are grown in the area. It is served in multiple courses at each meal, including breakfast, while wheat plays a very small role. Spices are used in all Indian food but are treated differently. In most cases, people in north India toast certain spices and grind them into a powder. These are then added individually to dishes in varying quantities during cooking. In southern cooking, spices are often combined and fried in a teaspoon of oil, then powdered and added to a dish almost at the end of the cooking process.In Easy Indian Cooking, I have included recipes from northern and southern cuisines as well as those from some of the other regions of India. In this way, I hope to give you some idea of the vast diversity of the food of India.-- Suneeta Vaswani