Indian Food

[pstone]

Wife is a huge Indian food lover, of course I can cook pretty well, but never have cooked Indian food.

Anyone a good cook of Indian food?

Not sure where to even begin.

I'm pretty good (husband is Indian), but the food I know is Gujarati while most Indian restaurants are punjabi. I can make a mean samosa, biryani, chicken tikka .... a few others. PM me if you want some recipes.

[Rapunzel]

No, Jenn! You have got to post your recipes!!

Please?

My husband adores any and all Indian food and I'm starting to like it as well.

Jennifer

Me three!
I had a friend show me how to make chana masala and yogurt cheese (paneer?), but that is about all I can do.
Please post your recipes!!!

[migirl]

Ooh...ooh...me too...me too...(jumping up and down, waving hands)...

Please??

okey dokey - but let's all remember that my MIL taught me what I know, and she doesn't really work in "measurements". I will try to approximate, but tasting mid-recipe is really the best way to go.

FYI - in the "extras" at the end of "Bend It Like Beckham" the director does a cooking segment w/her mom & auntie criticizing in the background. It's hilarious, and better yet, my friend copied the recipe down and made it, and it's darn good. It think the recipe is for Aloo Gopi (again, not from the region I know how to cook).

Here's what I've got:

Chicken Tikka Masala (actually from allrecipes.com)

1 c yogurt
1T lemon juice
2 t ground cumin
1 t ground cinnamon
2 t cayenne pepper
2 t black pepper
1 T minced FRESH ginger
2 t salt
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts - you will grill, so decide how you want to cut (strips or chunks to skewer)

the recipe calls for the above to be combined and marinate for 1 hour -- I say the longer, the better. then grill chicken until cooked through.

Sauce:
1 T butter
1 clove minced garlic
1 jalapeno pepper - finely chopped
2 t ground cumin
2 t paprika
2 t salt
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 c heavy cream (I use half n half)
1/4 c chopped cilantro
Recipe doesn't call for it, but I like to add chunks of onion.

Melt butter in large heavy skillet over med. heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 min, season w/2 t cumin, paprika, and 1/2 salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thinckens (about 20 min). Add grilled chicken and simmer for 10 min. Garnish w/cilantro.

I actually like to make this early in the day (not adding the cream yet) and let it simmer on low or sit so the flavors really mingle, but the recipe says to make it right before cooking.




Biryani (rice dish for veggie hindus, other regions make it w/mutton or chicken and much saucier) - this is an MIL recipe - so forgive the lack of measurements.

Cooked rice (to fill a 9 x 13 pan)
Canola oil to over bottom of lg skillet
Cumin seed (around 1 T)
2 bay leaves

Heat oil, add cumin and bay leaf - cook until seeds are popping

medium onion chopped
1/2 bag of frozen mixed veggies
1 can white potatoes (my shortcut)

Add onion to cooking cumin, once soft add veggies / potatoes

salt to taste
tumeric (v. little ... MIL always says "just for color)
garham masala (about 2 or 3 t)

Add cooked rice to pan, stir until all combined - ready to serve.




Samosa (another MIL recipe - AWESOME, but a challenge to transcribe for you)

potatoes (I've made anywhere from 4 or 5 potatoes to an entire 5# bag). Purists will steam them in a pressure cooker, but you can "bake" them in a microwave and achieve pretty much the right texture. Remove skins after cooking - but potatoes do not need to be hot, so don't harm yourself.

cilantro, chopped
sweet baby peas (I used about 3/4 a bag to 5# of potatoes)
citric acid or lemon juice (just a splash for tartness - we don't want this to be a moist mixture)
tumeric (again, for color)
salt to taste
garlic - 2 or 3 cloves minced
chopped hot pepper (jalapeno or serrano work well)
sugar (abt 2x's as much as you used for citric acid. this is a gujarati addition, their food is sweeter)
garaham masala - 2 or 3 x's as much as you used of tumeric

Mix all together in large bowl using your hands. It should be chunky but well combined. Taste it at this point and adjust accordingly.

To make the dumplings - my MIL found a quickie way to avoid making the dough. Using Aztec brand flour tortillas. I tortilla makes 2 dumplings (soften tortilla, cut in 1/2) fill w/1 T or so of mixture and seal triangular shaped dumpling w/cornstarch / water paste. Seal WELL.

Once all of the darlings are made, you need to fry them. Serve w/green or brown chutney. You can buy that at the grocery store (my MIL makes - and it's easy - but I haven't gotten the recipe yet).

Let me know if any of you are crazy enough to try this one out, and I'll share more later. My hands are tired.

Oh - Trader Joes has frozen samosa that are OK - not this good, but a whole lot easier. :thud:

chutney

I emailed the MIL for chutney recipes and am pasting EXACTLY what she said here. The green chuntney is the spicy one, the brown is sweet.

here is the recipe for chutney:
Green Chutney:
1 Bunch of coriander(cilantro)
Green Pepper( few hot pepper & one Bell Pepper)
1 or 2 Garlic clove Optional
1 small piece of ginger Optional
Salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1tsp oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp sugar
Blend All togather

Brown Chutney (no Fail)
1 bottle of Apple Butter
1 tbsp Tamarind Paste or 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
Salt to Taste
1 tsp cumin
green Pepper or red pepper
Blend all togather, Ready to eat.
Let me know how it turn out or give me a call I am home tomorrow.

I can't believe she gave measurements .....

Do you put it through the blender? Or chop up the bell pepper?
Yum, yum, yum....

blender - definitely. sorry - I've seen her do it enough that that didn't occur to me.

[DCJenn]

Jenn, you ROCK! thanks so much. Seriously salivating here.

Now, any of you married to Thai natives? Gotta get my hand on some Thai food, soon.

Jenn