As I have said before, we eat Indian
food constantly and I get requests for recipes and so forth
constantly as well, so I have decided to teach a class on some basic
Indian dishes. This is the kind of stuff we (and probably a billion other people) eat on a day to day
basis, rice or roti, dal, raita and sabzi. I am including naan in the
class because people go crazy for it, but that is more of a special
occasion dish for us at home.
Anyway, here are the recipes I used.
Cucumber Raita
4-6 servings
Ingredients:
1 C plain yogurt (full fat is best)
1 tsp ginger paste
¼ – ½ cucumber minced or shredded
with the water squeezed out
1 TBS finely chopped cilantro
¼ tsp cumin powder
salt to taste
Method:
Mix all ingredients and let rest at
least 20 minutes
Serve with rice, or bread
Lime pickle:
About 20 servings
Ingredients:
4 limes cut into 16ths
¼ C lime juice
2 TBS salt
½ tsp turmeric
2 TBS oil (not olive)
½ tsp mustard seeds
1/8 tsp hing (asofoetida)
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
Method:
Mix limes, lime juice, salt and
turmeric and put into a covered jar
Let sit in the sun for 1-2 weeks,
mixing everyday until the limes are soft and more yellow than green
Heat oil in small pot to med-high, add
mustard seeds until the splutter, then hing and gin/gar paste
Remove from heat and let cool, then mix
with salted limes and serve
Make sure to only use clean utensils to
serve the lime pickle and the mixture will last for many months in a
sealed jar in the fridge.
Simple Jeera rice
2-4 servings
Ingredients:
1 C basmati rice
1 tsp salt
1tsp cumin seeds
1TBS butter/ghee/oil (not olive)
1/8 tsp cardamom powder
1 bay leaf
1/8 tsp cinnamon powder, or 1 2 inch
piece cinnamon
2 C Water
Method:
Heat butter to med in a small pot and
fry spices for 1 minute
Add rice and sautee for 2 minutes to
coat with butter
Add water and bring to boil
Cover and reduce to low for 15-20
minutes
Remove from heat, fluff and serve
Roti
4 flatbreads
Ingredients:
1 ¼ C Flour
½ C water
½ tsp salt
1 TBS butter/ghee/oil (not olive oil)
(optional)
Method:
Mix salt and flour
Add fat and incorporate into the dough
Add water bit by bit and mix until you
have a SOFT dough
Knead for 2-5 minutes until smooth
Cover and let sit for at least 15
minutes
Preheat Tawa/pan to med high
Cut into 4 pieces and make balls
Flatten ball and heavily coat with
flour
Roll to thickness of a tortilla
Cook on ungreased pan for 1-2 minutes
on one side, until there are small brown spots
Flip and cook another 30 seconds until
brown spots form
Place on grate over hot burner, or
directly over gas flame moving constantly until roti puffs up
Place in bowl with towel over the top
while you cook the rest
Eat them!
Basic Naan
4 Naan
Ingredients:
1 ¼ C flour
1/2 C water
1 TBS butter, or oil (not olive)
2 tsp yeast
1 TBS sugar
Method:
Mix salt, yeast and flour
Add fat and incorporate into the dough
Add water bit by bit and mix until you
have a SOFT dough
Knead for 2-5 minutes until smooth
Cover and let sit for 1-1 ½ hours
until the dough doubles
Preheat Tawa/pan to med high
Punch down dough and cut into 4 pieces
and make balls
Flatten ball and heavily coat with
flour
Roll to thickness of a tortilla
Cook on ungreased pan for 1-2 minutes
on one side, until lots of bubbles form
Flip and cook another 30 seconds- 1
minute until brown spots form
Place in bowl with towel over the top
while you cook the rest
Butter the tops of the warm breads
Eat them!
Dal Tadka
4 Servings
Ingredients:
1 C Lentils (moong dal is what I used
but anything will work)
3 C Water
½ tsp Turmeric
3 TBS oil (not olive)
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp mustard seeds
1/8 tsp hing (asofoetida)
1 stalk of curry leaves
1 TBS ginger garlic paste
1 onion
Salt - to taste
2 TBS lime juice
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Cilantro - 1/4 bunch chopped
Method:
Boil lentils in water with turmeric
until soft and mushy adding more water until desired texture is
achieved, set aside.
Heat oil in small pot to med-high, add
mustard seeds until the splutter, then hing, then curry leaves and
gin/gar paste
Sautee for 30 seconds
Add onions and sautee until soft
Add your boiled lentils with salt to
taste, lime juice, and garam masala
Return to a boil
Remove from heat, garnish with cilantro
and serve.
Brinjal Fry
Serves 4-6 as a side dish
Ingredients:
1 1/2lbs eggplant cut into 1x1x2 inch
pieces
2 onions, cut into 1 inch matchsticks
¼ C oil (Not olive)
2 TBS ginger/garlic paste
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/8 tsp hing
1 sprig curry leaves
1 TBS cumin powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 TBS coriander powder
¼ C chopped cilantro
Method:
Heat oil in large frying pan to
med-high, add mustard seeds until the splutter, then hing, then curry
leaves and gin/gar paste
Sautee for 30 seconds
Add onions with some salt and sautee
until soft
Add eggplant with cumin, pepper, and
coriander powder with some salt and mix
Reduce heat to medium and continue
cooking, stirring occasionally until eggplant is tender to your
liking
Add in cilantro and taste for salt,
stir and serve.
Indian-ish hot sauce
Makes about 1 cup
Ingredients:
1 C chopped serrano peppers
1/2 C Oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBS achar masala
1 TBS red chili powder
Method:
Blend up your chilis with 1/4 C of the oil
Heat the remaining 1/4 oil in a small pot
Add blended chilis with salt and fry for 5 minutes stirring
Add masala and red chili powder
Stir, let cool and serve
