Fearless Kitchen

Recipe: Lamb Meatballs in Yogurt Sauce (Gushtaba)

Recipe Source: Husain, Salma.  The Emperor's Table.  Roli Books, New Delhi, 2008 p. 92

I was initially attracted to this dish for two reasons: cardamom and lamb.  I adore cardamom, and it's not very usual to find it in savory dishes.  I see it sometimes, but the vast majority of the time it seems to be relegated to cookies and jams.  Lamb is my favorite form of meat.  I didn't grow up eating it, but ever since the first time I tried it I've been absolutely hooked.  I should therefore have loved this dish.  Unfortunately, I did not love this dish.  I found it kind of bland.  The cardamom flavor didn't come through all that much and the lamb flavor was far too mild to be noticeable.  But I think that the real heart of my distaste was the yogurt, which separated into curds as soon as it hit the sauce. 

I did make one major change, and that's ghee.  I don't tend to use it, because if my husband caught me with a jar of clarified butter I think he'd probably lose his mind.  I used olive oil instead, olive oil being my default cooking fat.  I also used the food processor instead of pounding the lamb on a smooth stone with a wooden mallet until it turned to pulp.  I just don't have that kind of time, or a clean smooth surfaced stone, or a wooden mallet. 

While I did not enjoy this dish in the slightest, my husband really did, so I guess a lot of my dislike must be down to personal taste.  I'd serve this to someone who thought Indian food always had to scald the mouth. 

Gushtaba (serves 4; approx. $5.11/serving)

1 1/2 lb boneless leg of lamb

Pinch of kosher salt

3 teaspoons dried ginger

1 teaspoon dried cardamom

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

2 cinnamon sticks

1 lb Greek yogurt, whisked

1 teaspoon fennel powder

Equipment:

• Food processor
• Saucepan
• Saute pan

1. Combine the meat, kosher salt, ginger and cardamom in the food processor.  Process to a paste.
2. Shape the meat pulp into meatballs of about 2" diameter. 
3. Put the meatballs in the saucepan with roughly enough water to cover.  Boil about 5 minutes, stirring very gently on occasion.  Remove from the water.
4. Heat the olive oil in the saute pan. 
5. Add the cinnamon sticks and yogurt.  Stir until the color changes to light brown. 
6. Add 1 1/2 cups water, the fennel and the lamb balls. 
7. Bring to a boil and boil 5 minutes, then reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
8. Serve.

Recipe: Homestyle Chicken Curry (Murgir Jhol)

Recipe Source: Singh, Vivek.  Curry Cuisine.  Fall River Press, New York, 2009 p.  72

I really like dishes like this.  They're not terribly useful from the perspective of building up a stock of recipes to post before the Fearless Fetus makes her appearance.  That's because it's essentially a complete meal in one dish.  Sometimes it's very, very nice to have a simple, one-dish meal that you don't have to fuss over too much. 

I made a few small changes to the recipe, but I get the impression from the intro to the recipe that it's okay.  Apparently "every cook has his or her own recipe, and each swears by theirs."  I reduced the amount of oil (this is a habit), used crushed garlic and minced ginger instead of ginger and garlic pastes, canned tomatoes, and Lemony Vegetable Broth in place of chicken stock.  The result was a very tasty and very satisfying dish that we both enjoyed tremendously. 

Murgir Jhol (serves 4; approx. $2.68/serving)

4 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon cumin

2 bay leaves

3 green cardamom pods

4 black peppercorns

4 red onions, finely chopped

4 potatoes, quartered

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 lb bone-in chicken thighs, halved and skinned

1 tablespoon minced ginger

5 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tablespoons ground coriander

2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon turmeric

1 14-oz can diced tomatoes

1 2/3 cups Lemony Vegetable Broth

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon (or more) chopped fresh cilantro

Equipment:

• Large wok, saute pan or even saucepan

1. Heat the oil in the pan.  Add the 1/2 teaspoon cumin, bay leaves, cardamom pods and peppercorns and cook until they "crackle."
2. Add the onions.  Cook over medium heat until softened.
3. Add the potatoes and cook 5 minutes.
4. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt, then add the chicken.  Cook until the chicken is lightly browned.
5. Add the ginger, garlic, coriander, cumin, remaining salt, chili powder and turmeric.  Cook 10 minutes.  You'll want to stir pretty frequently; you don't want anything to burn.
6. Add the tomatoes and cook another 5 minutes.
7. Add the broth.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked.
8. Transfer to your serving bowl.  Top with the cardamom and cinnamon powders and garnish with the cilantro. 

Recipe: Spinach and Turnip Bhaji

Recipe Source: Wickramsinghe, Priya and Carol Selva Rajah.  The Food of India.  Murdoch Books, Millers Point, 2008 p. 165

Until I moved in with my husband, I had never eaten a turnip.  Turnips figured prominently in bad jokes about life Behind The Iron Curtain, and that was about it.  My husband, though, really likes turnips.  As in, REALLY likes turnips.  Since I love him, I've been trying to experiment with turnips, and do you know what?  I like them too.  Not as much as he does, mind you - I'm not about to start eating raw slices of turnip.  But I'm starting to think of them as a proper vegetable in their own right, not just a special treat for the Spouse when I'm feeling magnanimous. 

This recipe was originally supposed to have 2 pounds of greens, mixed spinach and amaranth.  I didn't have any amaranth and my fresh spinach had gone messily bad.  I did however have some frozen spinach.  This altered the composition of the dish in favor of more turnips, but didn't otherwise ruin dinner or anything.  I also substituted paprika for the chili powder called for in the original.  Some of our guests simply cannot eat spicy food, and the only chili powder I have on hand is Chili Powder Extra Hot. 

Spinach and Turnip Bhaji (serves 4; approx. $0.73/serving)

7 ounces small turnips, peeled and finely chopped

1 pound frozen chopped spinach, thawed

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons grated ginger

1 onion, finely chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

Equipment:

• 2 large saucepans

1. Bring 1/2 cup water to a boil. 
2. Add the turnips.  Cook 1 - 2 minutes.
3. Add the spinach and paprika.  Cook 2 - 3 minutes or until all the water has evaporated.
4. Mash the mixture to the best of your ability and remove from heat.
5. Heat the oil in the second saucepan over low heat.
6. Add the ginger and onion.  cook 2 - 3 minutes. 
7. Add the vegetables from the first saucepan. 
8. Mix well and toss until everything is well seasoned. 
9. Serve with the lemon juice. 

Recipe: Broccoli Dal Poriyal

Recipe Source: Padmanabhan, Chandra.  Dakshin: Vegetarian Cuisine from South India.  Periplus Editions, North Clarendon, 1994 pp. 36-7

There is a widely held belief in this country that vegetarianism should involve sacrifice and suffering.  The idea is that if you're giving up meat, you're also giving up the enjoyment of food.  If the only vegetarian food that one has encountered has been pseudo-meat (products, usually made from soy, that are intended to resemble some form of meat), I can see where that belief comes from.  Veggie burgers are a sin against God.  My sister once suggested that I make a tofurkey.  I think - I hope - she was joking.  And I've seen these things that are intended to represent boneless, skinless chicken breasts - I can't even describe them to you.  Food like that isn't food, it's a penance. 

But vegetarian food doesn't have to make you feel like you're atoning for your sins.  There are plenty of vegetarian dishes and food items that are meatless but still taste delicious.  They make you happy to eat them.  I've accidentally served whole meatless meals without any complaints from a backyard full of carnivores. 

I really enjoyed this dish.  I love broccoli in almost any form (I don't care for broccoli in cheese sauce and I'm not a fan of cream-of-anything), and I enjoy lentils.  Initially, my husband didn't care for it.  He couldn't get past the lentils for several minutes, but eventually he got over it and had seconds.  I made a few changes, starting with broccoli instead of green beans (because we had broccoli on hand, left over from something.)  The chiles were a combination of cayennes and lemon chiles from our garden.  I couldn't find the split peas or urad dal, so I omitted them.  (I really need to do something about that cabinet!) 

Broccoli Dal Poriyal (serves 4; approx. $0.91/serving)

1 cup red lentils

3 cups water

6 red chile peppers, divided (5 chopped, 1 halved)

1/2 teaspoon asafetida

1 lb broccoli, chopped into florets

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon cumin

8 curry leaves

Equipment:

• Saucepan with lid
• Wok or saute pan with lid
• Blender

1. Cook the lentils in the water until the lentils are soft, about 20 minutes. 
2. Put the dal and the chiles in the blender with the asafetida.  Process to a smooth paste. 
3. Put the broccoli and a little bit of water - maybe 1/2 cup, maybe a little more - in the wok or saute pan.  Bring the water to a boil.
4. Reduce heat and cover the saute pan.  Cook the broccoli until just tender.  Remove from the pan and set aside.
5. Heat the oil in the saute pan.
6. Add the mustard seeds, halved red chile, cumin and curry leaves. Cook until spluttering.
7. Add the lentil paste.  Reduce heat and saute, stirring, until the mixture begins to resemble breadcrumbs.
8. Add the broccoli and cook 2 - 3 minutes.  Serve. 

Recipe: Cauliflower and Shrimp Curry

Recipe Source: Husain, Shehzad and Rafi Fernandez.  Indian.  Anness Publishing, London, 2003 p. 158.

So, last week I had every intention of making a tasty shrimp bisque to please my husband.  I decided to use the "scoop-your-own-shrimp" option at my local Whole Foods. I didn't want shrimp that had already been peeled, and I thought that I might be able to save some money.  Wrong on both counts.  There is no scale next to the "scoop-your-own-shrimp" station, so I spent significantly more than I intended.  Well, that's life, I thought, and since I can't find head-on shrimp ANYWHERE I can use the extra for the stock.  Once I defrosted the shrimp, I found that they had already been peeled.  I jumped up and down and cursed a lot.  Then I decided to make curry instead.  I had shrimp.  I had cauliflower.  A shrimp and cauliflower curry would be just fabulous.  But why did I think I'd heard of it before....

Oh.  Right.  I made a shrimp and cauliflowercurry way back when I first started this blog.  Okay, so the combination's been done, but really, this recipe is quite different from that one.  And has pictures.  I adapted a plain old curried cauliflower recipe for this one, increasing the spices to accommodate the increased volume of ingredients.  It comes together quickly and is quite tasty, so give it a try some weeknight.

Cauliflower and Shrimp Curry (serves 6; approx. $5.80/serving)

3 lb peeled, deveined shrimp

1 tablespoon chickpea flour

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon chili powder (and in case you're curious, yes, it was the Chili Powder - Extra Hot one)

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 tablespoon turmeric

1 pinch kosher salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

8 curry leaves

1 cauliflower, cut into florets

1 can coconut milk (14 oz)

Equipment:

• Large wok or saute pan
• Bowl

1. Combine the chickpea flour and a little of the water and mix to make a smooth paste.
2. Add the spices and salt.  Mix well.
3. Add the rest of the water and mix well.
4. Heat the oil in the wok.
5. Add the curry leaves.  Cook until fragrant - believe me, you'll know.
6. Add the spice paste and simmer a few moments.
7. Add the cauliflower and saute a few minutes, until slightly softened. 
8. Add the coconut milk and shrimp.  Cover and cook until done, no more than 7 minutes and probably closer to 4 or 5.
9. Serve hot.

Recipe: Paneer Do Piazza

Recipe Source: Master Chefs of India.  The Indian Vegetarian Cookbook.  Roli Books, New Delhi, 2000, p. 69

I am not a vegetarian, nor do I play one on TV.  I do occasionally entertain vegetarians, though, and I absolutely refuse to purchase tofu hot dogs and veggie-burgers and keep them hanging around just to feed the vegetarians.  No, if I'm going to serve a vegetarian I'm going to offer something that I would be willing to eat myself.  I originally intended to serve this for a Sunday open house a while ago, but the vegetarian never showed up, and I needed to use the paneer before it went bad.  I'm glad I finally made it! 

Paneer Do Piazza (serves 4; approx. $2.94/serving)

1 block of paneer, cut into 1/2" cubes

2 onions, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 1/2 teaspoons red chili powder

1 red bell pepper, chopped

5 tomatoes (ours were garden-fresh, which really added to the dish)

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

Pinch kosher salt

1/4 bunch chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Equipment:

• Large saute pan or wok with a lid

1. Heat the oil in the saute pan. 
2. Add the cardamom and cumin seeds.  Stir-fry for a few seconds, until the oil is spluttering a bit and the spices are fragrant.
3. Add the turmeric and chili powder.
4. Add the onions, bell pepper and tomatoes.  Stir-fry 30 seconds. 
5. Add the paneer, coriander, allspice and salt.  Cook 30 seconds.
6. Cover, reduce heat and cook 6 minutes.
7. Transfer to a serving dish. 
8. Sprinkle with the cilantro and lemon juice and serve. 

Recipe: Tofu and Paneer Tikka Masala

Recipe Source: Gulati, Roopa.  Curry Cuisine.  Fall River Press, New York, 2009 p. 330

I made this for a recent Sunday open house.  The main dish was ribs, but I still needed to feed one guest who was a vegetarian and one who did not consume pork.  Besides, I'd already posted the ribs recipe (in November, if you're curious) and where would be the fun in that?  I'd just picked up this book, Curry Cuisine, earlier that week and I was really excited to try something from it.  The original recipe for this dish called for chicken, but suggested tofu orpaneer as a substitute.  Since I expected to have a lot of interest in this dish, even from the carnivores, I used both.  (Besides, I had leftover tofu in the fridge, and it needed to leave my fridge.  If it could be in a creative way so much the better.) 

The instructions for making the tofu-or-paneer switch weren't all that clear beyond skipping the step where the protein gets marinated, so most of the changes that I made were procedural.  I did, however, skip all cilantro and coriander, as one of my guests has a cilantro allergy.  I did however serve the cilantro on the side, because it really does make a difference in the dish.  On the whole I was pleased with this dish.  The tofu kind of disintegrated a bit, but the paneer worked remarkably well. 

Tofu and Paneer Tikka Masala (serves 8; approx. $2.88/serving.)

1 block (8 oz) paneer, cubed

1 block (14 oz) extra-firm tofu, cubed and drained

4 tablespoons lime juice

1 teaspoon paprika

1 1/2 teaspoon cumin

2 shallots, chopped

8 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tablespoons ginger

2 serrano chiles, chopped

4 1/2 ounces fat-free Greek yogurt

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

14 teaspoon allspice

1 14-oz can diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon tomato paste

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons grated ginger

1 teaspoon lime juice

1/2 teaspoon raw sugar

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup fat-free Greek yogurt

Equipment:

• Food processor
• Bowl
• Saucepan

1. Put the chiles, ginger, shallots and garlic into the food processor.  Add the lime juice and paprika.  Process until smooth.
2. Pour the food processor mixture into a bowl and add the yogurt, cumin, allspice and chili powder.
3. Combine the mixture from the bowl and the proteins. 
4. In the food processor, combine the tomatoes, tomato paste, ginger and lime juice.  Process until smooth. 
5. Heat the butter in the saucepan. 
6. Add the protein mixture and cook about 3 - 4 minutes.
7. Add the tomato mixture and bring to a simmer.  Cook another 5 - 8 minutes. 
8. Add the remaining 1/2 cup yogurt and mix thoroughly. 
9. Serve, with the chopped cilantro passed alongside. 

Recipe: Chicken Chettinad

Recipe Source: Panjabi, Camelia.  50 Great Curries of India.  Kyle Books, 2004 p. 118.

Until I made this dish, I had never, ever, worked with raw coconut.  I've used dried coconut.  I've used coconut milk, and coconut cream.  The actual flesh of the coconut had eluded me.  I found some in the supermarket, already peeled and everything.  This will be great! I thought.  All I have to do is stick it in the food processor, grate it and go to town.  Right?  Er, well, not so much.  I didn't, and still don't, know how to choose a raw coconut, especially a naked raw coconut.  I don't know if it's a characteristic of all coconuts or just this one, but it turned out to be rather fibrous.  As in there were these huge threads stuck in my food.  I did not like this. 

Other than my general horror at all these coconut fibers, this dish wasn't bad at all.  I used a whole chicken, because I had a spare taking up space in my freezer, but you can use an assortment of chicken parts.  Drumsticks were highly recommended by the author for this recipe. 

Chicken Chettinad (serves 5; approx. $2.08/serving)

2 teaspoons poppy seeds

1/2 lb fresh coconut, grated

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon cardamom

3/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

4 cloves

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 teaspoons minced ginger

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 star anise

3 teaspoons red chile powder

1 chicken, cut into pieces

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes

Juice of 2 limes

8 curry leaves

1/3 bunch cilantro, chopped

2 cups water

Equipment:

• Food processor
• Large, shallow pan
• Small frying pan

1. Toast the poppy seeds in the small pan until lightly browned.
2. Soak them in water for 15 minutes.
3. In the food processor, grind the coconut, poppy and fennel seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves turmeric, cumin, allspice and coriander.  Make a fine paste out of them.
4. Heat the oil in the large shallow pan and saute the onion until lightly colored.
5. Add the ginger and garlic.  Cook 2 minutes.
6. Add the star anise and chile powder.
7. Add the spice paste.  Saute 5 minutes, adding water if necessary.
8. Add the chicken.  Saute 5 minutes, browning the chicken.
9. Add the tomatoes. 
10. When the chicken has absorbed the tomato juice, add 2 cups water and salt to taste. 
11. When almost done, add the lime juice and curry leaves.  Garnish with the cilantro just before serving. 

Recipe: Lemon Rice

Recipe Source: Padmanabhan, Chandra.  Dakshin: Vegetarian Cuisine from South India.  Periplus Editions, North Clarendon, 1999 p. 66 (2007 reprint). 

I know that I mentioned this recently, but my husband's Lemon Craving is once again upon us.  This seems to be an annual event.  He's not unpleasant about it; he's actually quite gentlemanly.  He just really, really wants lemon.  I therefore have to contrive some way of satisfying the Lemon Craving while also satisfying my own culinary needs.  In this particular case, the culinary need was heat. 

I didn't make a whole lot of changes.  I was too lazy to garnish with cilantro as directed.  I couldn't find my yellow split peas, so I wound up using these red split lentils I had around.  The chiles I used were serrano and habanero - I wasn't trying to be all "macho," that's what my market had.  And finally, I used cashews instead of peanuts because of my peanut allergy. 

This is probably the time to mention the use of asafoetida powder.  I've used it in one or two recipes in the past, but I've never really drawn attention to it.  This time, my husband was in the kitchen with me, making some of his very spicy buffalo wings, so I decided to have some fun with him.  I opened the jar - carefully - and said, "Here, smell this." 

He did, and staggered back.  "What the (expletive) is that?" he asked me.  I told him.  After pronouncing it to be the "most aptly name spice in the world," he said, "And you put this in food?"

"Yes."

"On purpose?"

"Yes.  Trust me.  Its flavor improves on cooking - and with other ingredients, of course." 

He was doubtful, but trusted my judgment and ate the rice.  Lo and behold, he loved it.  (I did too, but that's not news.  I expected to.)  There's no lesson there; just a really cute reaction that will bring a giggle to my lips whenever I'm down. 

Lemon Rice (serves 4; approx. $0.92/serving)

1 cup long-grained rice

2 serrano chiles, finely chopped

2 tablespoons minced ginger

3 tablespoons raw cashews

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

Juice of two lemons

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon black gram dal, rinsed

1 teaspoon split red lentils

1 habanero (or other red chile pepper), halved

1/2 teaspoon asafoetida powder

8 curry leaves

Equipment:

• Pot with lid for cooking the rice
• Large skillet or saute pan

1. Rinse the rice thoroughly. 
2. Cook the rice according to your preferred method.  If that's the boil-in-bag variety, so be it.
3. Set the rice aside.
4. Heat the oil in the saute pan. 
5. Add the mustard seeds, cumin, black gram dal, split lentils, habanero, asafoetida powder and curry leaves.
6. When the mustard seeds splutter, add the chiles, ginger and cashews. 
7. Saute 2 - 3 minutes.
8. Add the cooked rice, turmeric and salt to taste.  Mix thoroughly. 
9. Remove from heat and add lemon juice.  Mix well.
10. Serve and enjoy. 

Recipe: Hot and Sour Chicken

Recipe Source: Husain, Shehzad and Rafi Fernandez.  Indian: Deliciously Authentic Dishes.  Anness Publishing, London, 2003 p. 76

I didn't intend to make a curry that day.  When I pulled the frozen chicken out of my minuscule freezer, I intended to make a marinated chicken and yogurt dish.  However, the day turned out to be miserable and nasty.  This gave my husband the powerful urge to make bread.  We discussed the issue, and decided that I would change what I was going to make so we would have a good sauce to scoop up with said bread.  As soon as we got home I began looking for recipes.  I knew a regular stew wouldn't work, as we didn't have time, but a curry would be good.  I looked and looked for one that could be made with what I had on hand and was about to give up completely when I found this one. 

I made a lot of changes.  First, it's spring and my sinuses are making me miserable.  As a result, I tend to really crave the kind of searingly hot food that makes most people run for cover.  I substituted a hot Thai curry paste for one tablespoon of the tomato paste called for in the original.  I didn't have Greek yogurt on hand, I had fat-free regular yogurt, so that's what I used.  I used it both for the yogurt and the cream that were called for in the original.  I didn't have garlic pulp, so I ground up some garlic in a mini-prep.  I increased the amount of chili powder, doubled the number of chiles, and reduced the amount of oil.

This dish was exactly what we wanted on a chilly, rainy day.  It was delicious on its own, and the sauce was just the thing to mop up with hot, fresh bread.  If the chiles make you a little leery, reduce them or use a milder variety. 

Hot and Sour Chicken (serves 4; approx. $2.39/serving)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon hot red Thai curry paste

2 tablespoons fat-free yogurt

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon chili powder

5 cloves garlic, ground

2 tablespoons hot mango chutney

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts, chopped into cubes

2/3 cup water

4 serrano chiles, chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons fat-free yogurt (again)

Equipment:

• Bowl
• Wok

1. Combine the tomato paste, yogurt, curry paste, spices, garlic, chutney and salt in the bowl. 
2. Heat the oil in the wok.
3. Lower the heat slightly and add the mixture from the bowl.  Bring it to a boil and cook 2 minutes, stirring when the mood strikes.
4. Add the chicken and stir until well coated.
5. Add the water.  Cook 5 - 7 minutes, until the chicken is tender.
6. Add the fresh chiles, cilantro and remaining yogurt.  Cook another 2 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
7. Serve.