General Perception and Myths
Curry Phenomenon: In Western countries, such as Great Britain and the United States, the complex formulations of fresh and dried spices are often replaced by simple dry powders such as red chilli powder and curry powder. Curry powder itself is an English invention and never used in authentic Indian cooking. The very word "Curry" is, a vague anglicisation with no real meaning in traditional Indian cooking, loosely interpreted as "Gravy".Possibly a corrupted derivation of Tarkari, a cooking technique

Hot/Spice Factor: Indian food is usually perceived as 'spicy' or 'hot'. While some of that is true, most Indian foods are not necessarily 'spicy' or 'hot'. Chilli peppers similar to cayenne chile peppers, commonly refered to as "chilli(es)" in Indian cookbooks and lexicon, is the common culprit for making the dishes fiery hot. If you do not prefer the heat, stay away from any dishes that contain liberal use of chillies or tone down the chilli amount to suit your taste. The other ingredient to be careful with is pepper corn, most commonly referred to as "pepper" in the Indian recipes and cookbooks.Cloves and cinnamon also increase the heat

As in most cuisines, most vegetable and meat dishes are called by thousands of different names depending on the region, language, ingredients and method of preparation. The recipes listed here are only examples of a few Indian dishes and should not be considered as a general guide for Indian food. Feel free to experiment with them. Substituting spices and altering the suggested procedures is encouraged. Indians regularly engage in such practises and often create unique taste in their household.

Basic Indian Meal Style - The basic Indian meal consists of a Thali (large round platter and may consist of a banana leaf, pure silver or gold, clay, steel or porcelain) used as a dinner plate. The thali or platter contains room for vegetable dishes, lentil dishes, yogurt or raita (yogurt salsa), salad, rice, bread, chutneys, pickles and papad. The essence of the thali is to incorporate a treasure house of tastes and textures to delight the taste buds.

Main Dishes North Indian
Aloo gobi
Paneer Masala
Palak Paneer
Kadhi
Dal (lentils)
Zalfrezi
Matar Paneer

Main Dishes South Indian
Potato masala (potato filling for dosa)
Appam (Kerala rice pancake)
Basic Indian Tomato Gravy (curry base)
Southern Style Baingan Bartha (roasted eggplant with curd)
Dal (lentils)
Dosa (criy rice crepe)
Kairi (Rice preparation seasoned with various lentils: easy to digest)
Keralan Vegetable Stew
Kharngal (spiced rice and lentil porridge)
Matar Paneer
Puliyodarai
Saffron Rice
Tadka Dal (lentil stew)
Uperu (Kannada lentil-spinach dish and broth)
Menthi Koora Pappu (lentil stew with Methi leaves)

Non-Vegetarian Dishes
Biryani (rice-based dish)
Bombay duck|Bomry|Bomil Fry (fried fish)
Chicken Curry
Chicken Vindaloo
Chicken Tikka
Chicken Tikka Masala
Kombdi Vade (Malvani chicken delicacy)
Pork Aachi (Kerala style pork with a western touch)
Egg Rice (an accompaniment that can also be eaten by itself)
Cookbook:Shrimp Hooman (An authentic goan saraswat shrimp curry )
Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhni, Chicken cooked with a taste of butter)

Accompaniments
Sambar
Rasam
Coconut chutney
Raita
Pan masala
Aavakaaya
[
Breads
Baati
Chapati or Roti (thin flat bread)
Mudde (ragi ball)
Naan (flat wheat bread)
Puri or loochi
Idli

Snacks
Samosa (fried appetizer similar to dumplings, Empanada)
Bengal Potatoes
Indo-chinese fusion
Pohe (a form of rice flakes)

Sweets
Rosogolla (Steamed cheese based sweet)
Gulab jamun (Deep fried milk based sweet)
Kal Kals (fried Christmas sweet)
Kheer (rice pudding)
Modak (fried coconut dumplings)
Sheer Khurma (sweet noodle soup)
Chakarai Pongal (sweetened rice and lentil dish)
Jalebi (syrupy sweets shaped like pretzels)
Barfi (condensed milk sweet)

Beverages
Masala Chai (hot spiced milk tea, traditionally referred to as just 'chai')
Madras Filter Coffee (Sweet milky drip brewed coffee flavored with chicory)
Lassi (yoghurt based shakes in either sweet or salted flavors, most common flavors include mango, rosewater and plain sugar sweetened lassi.)
Jal-jeera (pungent spice and mint flavored water drink enjoyed in summer)

GARAM MASALA
Dishes from the North of India are often spiced with cumin seed and garam masala. Every household in India has its own special blend of garam masala, made with a recipe that has come down through the ages. A wonderful garam masala as well as the individual spice components can be found at our store Spices. Make your own from the following recipe that an Indian friend gave me.

• 1 small nutmeg
• 1 1/2 tablespoons green cardamom pods (peeling is optional)
• 4 sticks of 1-inch length cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1) Crush the nutmeg coarsely with a mortar and pestle.
2) Transfer the nutmeg to a grinder, (a good option is to use a coffee grinder reserved exclusively for spices). Add the remaining ingredients and grind finely.
3) Store in an airtight container. Ground spices hold their flavor for about 6 months when kept in a cool and dark place.

URRY CASHEWS Yield 3 cups
This recipe for a North Indian snack comes from the Penzeys website and uses their garam masala mix of Moroccan coriander, Tellicherry black peppercorns, cardamom, Korintje cassia cinnamon, kalonji, caraway, cloves, ginger and nutmeg. Other nuts, such as peanuts, may be substituted for the cashews.

• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg white, whipped until frothy
• 3 cups (12 ounces) raw cashews (pieces or whole) .

1) Preheat oven to 300º. Grease a large cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.
2) In a medium bowl, add the spices and salt to the whipped eggs white, and let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes.
3) Toss the raw cashews in the egg white/spice mixture until the nuts are well coated, and spread them out on the pan. Bake the nuts for about 25-30 minutes, stirring often, about every 5 minutes, until the nuts are browned. Let cool and store in an airtight container.

TOMATO CHUTNEY (TOMATAR KI CHUTNEY)
Yields about 3/4 cup
North Indian chutneys are simmered tomatoes with whole spices. Chutneys make good sandwich spreads, are excellent dips for breads and other snacks, and can be served as an accompaniment to main dishes.

• 1 pound ripe red tomatoes
• 1/2 inch piece fresh ginger
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Dash of asafetida (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon kalonji (onion seeds)
• 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns, coarsely crushed
• 2 cloves
• 2 cardamom pods
• 1/2 inch stick cinnamon
• 1 bay leaf
• salt, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar

1) Chop the tomatoes coarsely. Mince the ginger and garlic.
2) Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan, and warm the ginger and garlic over medium heat. Add the asafetida (if used), cumin, fennel, and onion seeds. Wait a few seconds, then add the chopped tomatoes, black pepper, cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon, bay leaf, salt, cayenne, and turmeric. Mix well. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3) Add the vinegar and sugar and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
4) Transfer to a bowl and serve or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This chutney, refrigerated, should keep for a month.

GLAZED CARROTS (GAJAR SABJI)
Serves 4-5
In the north, this dish would typically be served with a flatbread. The recipe is taken from Yamuna Devi's Lord Krishna's Cuisine:The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking. The book is a bit expensive but well worth it for serious vegetarians.

• 30 baby carrots, about 1 pound OR 6-8 medium sized carrots, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 3 tablespoons ghee or butter, divided
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar or maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely crushed cardamom seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 tablespoons orange or apple juice
• 2/3 cup still or sparkling mineral water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper or cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh coriander or minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime or lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1) Place the carrots in a single layer in a large skillet. Add 2 tablespoons of ghee or butter and the sugar, turmeric, cardamom seeds, ground coriander, orange or apple juice, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer young carrots for as little as 20 minutes, older ones for up to 40 minutes until almost all of the water has evaporated.
2) When almost all of the water has evaporated, uncover and rapidly boil off the remainder. Shake the pan to keep the carrots from sticking.
3) When the carrots are coated with a shiny glaze, remove the pan from the heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of ghee or butter and the pepper and fresh coriander or parsley. Shake the pan to mix the ingredients.
4) Just before serving, toss with lime or lemon juice and nutmeg.

LENTILS WITH SOUR CREAM (URAD MALAI)
Serves 4

• 1 cup lentils
• 3 1/2 cups water
• salt, to taste
• 1/2 cup cooked kidney beans
• 3 tablespoons sour cream, beaten with a spoon
• 1/4 inch piece fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon ghee or butter
• pinch asafetida (optional)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 5 tablespoons canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1) Place the lentils and 2 cups of the water in a large heavy-bottomed pan and let them soak for at least 4 hours.
2) Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups water and salt to the pan. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the lentils are soft and mushy (about 45 minutes), stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and mash lightly with the back of a spoon.
3) Add the cooked kidney beans and sour cream to the lentils and stir to combine. Set aside.
4) Grate the ginger and garlic.
5) In a small heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat,warm the ghee. Add the asafetida (if used) and cumin. When the spices darken (in seconds) and become aromatic, add the grated ginger and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook 2 to 3 minutes more. Stir in the garam masala and cayenne.
6) Pour the tomato spice mixture into the bean mixture, stir to combine, and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Serve hot.

UNDHIU RECIPE

Ingredients:
6 - 8 cloves garlic
3 - 4 baby brinjals
6 -8 potatoes small
1 tsp turmeric powder
5 tblsp oil
100 gms yam (kand)
25 - 30 broad beans (sem fali)
4 green chillies
2 tblsp coconut scraped
a pinch asafoetida
2 raw bananas
1 cup coriander leaves
2 inch ginger
1 tsp mustard
For Muthiya 1/4 cup Bengal Gram Flour (besan)1/4 cup Salt to taste 1/2 cup Fenugreek Leaves (methi)1/2 cup 1/2 inch Ginger 1 - 2 Green Chillies1-2 Oil to deep fry Salt to taste
Method :
Wash, take off and dice potatoes, yam and raw bananas.
Wash brinjals and slit them into four without cutting the stem.
Make a paste of garlic, green chillies and ginger and mix cut coriander.
Mix all the muthiya ingredients except oil and prepare a firm dough.
Divide into small portions and shape each into one-inch long half-inch thick rolls.
Deep fry in hot oil, remove and keep aside.
String beans and cut into one-inch long pieces.
Heat up oil in a thick-bottomed handi, mix in asafoetida and mustard seeds.
When mustard seeds crackle mix in ground masala and broad beans.
Put the rest of the vegetables in layers one on top of the other.
Sprinkle salt and turmeric powder.
Stir fry for five minutes on high flame heat.
Pour out one cup of water, cover and simmer (boil slowly at low temperature) on a very low heat up for 10-15 minutes.
Mix in fried muthiyas and again simmer (boil slowly at low temperature) for 15 minutes.
Shake the vegetables occasionally but do not use a spoon to stir.
Serve hot decorated with scraped coconut.

VEGETABLE SAMOSA RECIPE
Ingredients:
For Cover:
1 cup all purpose flour (Maida)
Water to Knead dough
2tbsp oil
Little salt
1/4th tsp. Ajwain (optional)
For Stuffing:
3-4 Potatoes (boiled, peeled & mashed)
1/2 cup Green Peas (boiled)
1-2 Green Chilies (finely chopped)
1/2tsp Ginger (crushed)
1tbsp coriander finely chopped
Few chopped Cashews (optional)
Few Raisins (optional)
1/2tsp Garam masala
Salt to taste
Red chili powder to taste
1/2 tsp. Dry Mango powder( Amchur) (optional)

Method:
For shell:
Mix all the ingredients (salt, oil, ajwain) except water.
Add a little water at a time.
Pat and knead well for several times into a soft pliable dough.
Cover it with moist Muslin cloth and keep aside for 15 minutes.
For Stuffing :
In a bowl add mashed potatoes and all dry masalas (salt, chili powder, mango powder, garam masala) and green chilles, ginger and Mix well.
Add green peas, cashews and raisins and mix well.
Add coriander and keep aside.
To Proceed :
Make small rolls of dough and roll it into a 4"-5" diameter circle.
Cut it into two parts like semi-circle.
Now take one semi circle and fold it like a cone. Use water while doing so.
Place a spoon of filling in the cone and seal the third side using a drop of water.
Heat oil in a kadhai and deep fry till golden brown (fry on a medium flame).
Serve samosa hot with hari chutney, tamarind chutney.

© 1990 to 2001 - Kavita Mehta.  All Rights Reserved.
Kavita has been giving classes on Indian Cuisine in Minneapolis for the past 10 years.  She now shares her work on her website for all to enjoy.

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