Kurrylicious Indian Cooking 101

A beginner’s guide to Indian cooking

Henna Grover

Tarika Garg

Copyright © 2011 Henna Grover & Tarika Garg

All rights reserved.

ISBN 10: 147741696X ISBN-13: 978-1477416969

DEDICATED TO

This book is dedicated to our father, Rajender Kumar Grover, and our mother Anila Grover. Our success is directly linked to your love, discipline, values, and hard work. We do not know how you managed to maintain

a work-life balance while instilling in us the right values.

We would also like to thank our respective husbands, Sidharth and Rajeev, and kids Raina and Soha, without whose support and willingness to be ignored while we worked on the book would have made this a five-year project.

CONTENTS

PREFACE .............................................................................................................................................................................. VI

INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................................... 1

WHAT IS INDIAN COOKING? ................................................................................................................................................ 3

Basic Indian Food System ................................................................................................................................................ 4

Basics of Indian Cooking .................................................................................................................................................. 4

Other Important Clarifications ........................................................................................................................................ 5

ESSENTIALS OF INDIAN COOKING ........................................................................................................................................ 6

Spices (for the purpose of this book) .............................................................................................................................. 6

Dry Groceries (for purpose of this book) ......................................................................................................................... 6

Green Groceries ............................................................................................................................................................... 6

Poultry and Seafood ........................................................................................................................................................ 7

MYTH BUSTERS .................................................................................................................................................................... 8

HOW WE DEVELOPED AND DESIGNED THESE RECIPES FOR YOU ....................................................................................... 9

BASIC COOKING TERMINOLOGY ........................................................................................................................................ 10

TIPS AND SHORTCUTS ........................................................................................................................................................ 11

YOUR BASIC INDIAN KITCHEN ............................................................................................................................................ 13

Kitchen Equipment ........................................................................................................................................................ 13

Spices ............................................................................................................................................................................. 14

Dry ground blended spices (Masala) ............................................................................................................................. 14

Dry Groceries ................................................................................................................................................................. 14

Vegetables ..................................................................................................................................................................... 16

Dairy ............................................................................................................................................................................... 17

Fruits .............................................................................................................................................................................. 17

Various Fats Used for Indian Cooking ............................................................................................................................ 17

YOUR FIRST INDIAN GROCERY LIST.................................................................................................................................... 18

MEASUREMENTS, METRICS, AND CONVERSION TABLE ................................................................................................ 19

Achari Masala (Dry Pickle Spice Blend) ......................................................................................................................... 22

Chai Masala (Spices for Hot Tea) ................................................................................................................................... 23

Garam Masala (Dry Spice Blend) ................................................................................................................................... 24

Keema Masala (dry spice blend) .................................................................................................................................... 25

Pinde Chole Masala (Dry Spice Blend) ........................................................................................................................... 26

Raita Masala (Dry Spice Blend for Yogurt) ..................................................................................................................... 27

Tandoori Masala (Dry Spice Blend)................................................................................................................................ 28

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Aloo Matar (Potatoes and Peas in Tomato Sauce) ........................................................................................................ 29

Aloo Shimla Mirch (Bell Pepper and Potatoes) ............................................................................................................. 30

Bharvi Bhindi (Roasted Spiced Okra) ............................................................................................................................. 35

Bhindi Do Pyaza (Okra/Ladyfinger cooked in Spices and Onions) ................................................................................. 37

Bharvi Shimla Mirch (Stuffed Bell Peppers with Roasted Spiced Potatoes) .................................................................. 39

Spicy Brussels Sprouts ................................................................................................................................................... 41

Dhuli Mung Dal (Yellow Shelled Split Lentil Gravy)-Version 1 ....................................................................................... 42

Dhuli Mung Dal (Yellow Shelled Split Lentil Gravy) - Version 2 ..................................................................................... 44

Dhuli Mung Dal (Yellow Shelled Split Lentil Gravy) - Version 3 ..................................................................................... 45

Gajjar Matar (Carrots and Peas in a medley of Spices) ................................................................................................. 46

Gobi Aloo (Cauliflower and Potatoes) ........................................................................................................................... 49

Gobi Matar Dry Masala (Cauliflower with Peas) ........................................................................................................... 50

Kadi (Gravy cooked with Yoghurt) ................................................................................................................................. 51

Khatee Meethi Paneer Bhurji (Sweet and Sour Indian Cottage Cheese Crumble) ........................................................ 53

Masaledar Mushroom Matar (Mushrooms and Peas gravy) ........................................................................................ 55

Matar Paneer (Peas and Indian Cottage Cheese in a Tomato sauce) ........................................................................... 57

Palak Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese with Spinach) ..................................................................................................... 59

Rajma (Red Kidney Beans in Tangy Tomato) ................................................................................................................. 61

Sukhe Masaladar Mushroom Matar (Dry Mushrooms and Peas) ................................................................................. 65

Tangy Mustard Potatoes (Mustard Potatoes) ............................................................................................................... 67

Tari wali Ghiya (Zuccini/squash in Masala Gravy) ......................................................................................................... 68

Upma (Tangy Semolina and Vegetables) ....................................................................................................................... 70

Zeera Aloo (Roasted Spiced Potato) .............................................................................................................................. 73

Achari Murgh (Chicken cooked in Hot and Sour Spices) ............................................................................................... 74

Anda Bhurji (Indian scramble Eggs) ............................................................................................................................... 77

Chicken Curry (Chicken in Rich Tomato gravy) .............................................................................................................. 78

Hariyali Chicken (Chicken with Cilantro) ....................................................................................................................... 80

Keema Matar (Minced Chicken with Peas) ................................................................................................................... 82

Machi Curry – inspired by Goan style (Spicy Fish Curry) ............................................................................................... 84

Methi chicken (Chicken with Yoghurt and Fenugreek Green Leaves) ........................................................................... 86

Meva Murg (Chicken Cooked in Nuts and White Yoghurt Sauce) ................................................................................. 88

Mom’s Jhatpat Chicken (Quick Butter Chicken) ............................................................................................................ 91

Tali Machi (Spicy Fish Fry) .............................................................................................................................................. 95

Jhinga Pulao (Rice with Spicy Shrimp) ........................................................................................................................... 96

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Ubla Chawal (Plain boiled Rice) ..................................................................................................................................... 98

Shahi Pulao (Rice and Nuts with Paneer) ...................................................................................................................... 99

Vegetable Pulao (Rice with Flavorful Vegetables) ....................................................................................................... 101

Zeera Chawal (Cumin Flavored Rice) ........................................................................................................................... 103

Tamatar Pyaz ka Raita (Sweet and Spicy Yoghurt with Tomatoes and Onions) .......................................................... 104

Hot Masala Chai (Spiced Indian Tea) ........................................................................................................................... 105

Mango Lassi (Mango flavored Yoghurt Smoothie) ...................................................................................................... 107

Plain sweet Lassi (Yoghurt Smoothie) ......................................................................................................................... 107

Zeera khara Lassi (Spicy Yoghurt Smoothie) ................................................................................................................ 108

Kheer (Indian Rice Pudding) ........................................................................................................................................ 109

Saviyan (Indian vermecilli Pudding) ............................................................................................................................. 110

Sooji ka Halwa (Sweet Semolina) ................................................................................................................................ 113

Dhaniya Chutney (Sour Fresh Cilantro Sauce) ............................................................................................................. 114

Dhaniya Peanut Chutney (Hot Fresh Cilantro and Peanut Sauce) ............................................................................... 115

Khatee Meethi Imli Chutney (Sweet and Sour Tamarind Sauce) ................................................................................ 116

Pudina Dhaniya Chutney (Sweet Spicy Cilantro and Mint Sauce) ............................................................................... 117

Kachoombar Salad (Fresh mix salad) ........................................................................................................................... 119

PREFACE

“There is no love sincerer than the love of food.” – George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)

The truth in this quote rings more true to us than anything else we have known. There is no love more sincere than a meal

prepared with deep love and joy, and it always comes out just a tad better than any other meal.

The warmth that spreads in your heart when your family, friends, or significant other gets that look of amazement, surprise,

and joy on eating their first bite of heavenly food—it is warmer than a shot of brandy!

We respect Bernard Shaw for recognizing this fact so many years ago, and for sharing it with the rest of us.

INTRODUCTION

Times have changed, and with that the responsibility to live a healthy life and raise a healthy family has increased

tremendously. Stress has also taken a toll on us, and we have forgotten what meals were supposed to taste like. We are

enticed every day with ready-to-eat meals and fast food, as they seem to be the perfect solution to our problems. We have

traded real flavor for salty, hot, and bland. Aromas have left the house, and pizza has taken the throne.

This book is an easy read that was designed with the novice cook in mind. It is for those who are taking the first steps to

venture into the Indian cuisine. We would like to commend all those who want to break away from the norm and start

preparing cozy, healthy meals that bring family and friends together. Create those memories in your life forever. Fulfill your

hidden desires and cravings by following these quick, easy, replicable, doable, and tasty recipes. The purpose of this book is

to enlighten you about the Indian cooking style, methods, short cuts, and tricks that turn a tasty, scrumptious, nutritional

Indian dish into a really healthy one as well. These are simple regular Indian dishes that are cooked daily in our homes for

the family.

So read on!

“Eat balanced, eat healthy, be happy!” That is our mantra!

It is always amazing to see one’s self-going down an entirely different path than they expected. No one would have guessed

that I would ever write a few sentences—let alone an entire book—since I have no patience to write, I love to talk and I do

that well. On the other hand, my sister Tarika is the reader and the writer in the family—if she had her way she would lock

herself in a cabin full of books. Pushing us to put this book together is all her doing.

As children, our very talented parents introduced us to various cuisines. Our father loves to cook, and even though he was a

serving officer in the Indian Army, he would cook new dishes for us whenever possible. Our mother was active in welfare

societies and social life that Army wives lead but was most popular for her cooking skills and won many cooking

competitions. Like most people, we still travel down memory lane when we take a bit of her homemade meals, and we want

to extend that privilege and luxury to the next generations.

Despite such huge talent in the family, for the longest time my sister and I didn’t really even like to cook, let alone stay in the

kitchen and lend a helping hand. We have both been there and done that. But just when you get comfortable in your way of

life, it has a way of teasing you, testing you, and changing you. (Yes, we know you can relate to that.)

Being new to the United States and feeling alone with no places to get good, healthy Indian food forced us to cook at home.

Slowly we began calling home to India, asking for recipes, learning about what was available here, and teaching ourselves.

Soon we had friends (and friends of friends) popping in and out for food.

We realized that our background knowledge was coming in handy. It was like a long lost scroll in our minds being

resurrected and—voila! —We came to cook.

Moving from place to place by the Army life, we had picked up several different styles from different regions of India. This

had a tremendous impact on our style of cooking. Thus, we humbly present these healthy, tasty, varied, and colorful dishes

from India.

Cooking is an art and this art has for centuries been passed from one generation to another, with families protectively

guarding their secret recipes. We have acquired some of these traditional family secrets, combined them with our own style,

and perfected them to share with you.

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Another truth about us is that we do not like to spend hours cooking, so over time we developed shortcuts to help us cook

fast meals that do not compromise health or taste.

Friends, Indian and non-Indian alike often ask us for our recipes or to demonstrate the process of cooking. We enjoy

teaching them. They enjoy learning, and they realize that Indian cooking may be different, but once you understand the

basics, it is very easy to follow. This path slowly led to the idea of putting together a book of quick and easy-to-follow

Indian recipes for anyone. You can be a beginner exploring Indian cooking or a seasoned chef—there is something for

everyone in here.

You will agree that most chefs have a specialty, a few things they do great. So of course you will absolutely love some dishes

more than the others but we are confident that you will be happy with us and with this book. Our promise is that we have

not left any secret to the recipe in our hearts; they are all in here so that the meal you prepare is the same as if you had hired

us to be your personal chef.

WHAT IS INDIAN COOKING?

Although it may need no introduction, Indian food has been influenced for more than 5,000 years, dating back to the Vedic

culture, which promoted a diet consisting of fruit, vegetables, grain, dairy products, honey, poultry, and other types of meat.

Over time, vegetarianism became a popular choice of diet.

In the ancient world, India was known as the golden bird. This title was given because India was one of the most prominent

and thriving civilizations. It was a vast nation with mountains, rivers, oceans, deserts, and plateaus. It was very fertile,

lending to success in agriculture and cultivation. It was rich in minerals, spices, and textiles. It is one of the rare countries

that have many seasons. Winter (snowfall in the Himalayas), summer during which hot, dry winds (called Loo) are prevalent,

monsoons (torrential rains), and autumn. Thus, Indians have adapted over time to eating foods suited to the season.

Over a period of time, this diversity and richness attracted invasions from the Aryans, Moguls, Turks, British, and many

others. New traditions and styles were introduced. Non-indigenous varieties of vegetation and poultry were introduced. In

time, this led to a blending of traditions and cuisines, resulting in creation of many more amazing dishes. Indian food is thus

distinct from the popular culinary styles of French, Italian, Mexican, but may share certain similarities with Asian, Arabic or

Mediterranean cooking.

Currently, India’s economy is agriculture-based. India is a peninsula, with oceans surrounding it on three sides. In the north,

she has the mountainous range, and in the west she has the desert region. As mentioned earlier, this vast difference in the

geographical regions, climates, rain, and temperature gave rise to a huge variety of spices, vegetables, and grains. It is largely

believed that it is this availability of local spices, vegetables, lentils, and grains that first prompted India’s distinct cuisines

and cooking styles. For example, coconuts are native to coastal India, where we see the prominent use of cooking in

coconut oil. There are several dishes that use shredded coconut, ground coconut, and coconut milk as well.

Another influence on the dishes has been the medical value of spices. Each spice has its own medicinal and nutritional

value. The blend of these spices historically helped keep general populations healthy and prepared for weather changes. For

example, turmeric has an antiseptic value. Even today, it is used medicinally for many reasons. Many Indians are known to

drink a hot cup of milk with a pinch of turmeric when we have sore muscles, or a sore throat. Garlic is another example of a

spice with medicinal value. It is used to lower blood pressure and alleviate other ailments. Cumin seeds contain antiseptic,

cooling, and digestive properties. If we do the research, each spice has its place in the medicinal chart. Blending and

ingesting these spices in the right way can help improve health in general. We do not promote any remedy but recommend

you talk to your physician before using any homemade remedies.

Indian cooking places more emphasis on the delicate use of spices in a balanced and systematic manner: It is not about the

quantity of spice used. A popular myth is that Indian food is hot, oily, creamy, and very spicy. On the contrary, as explained

earlier, Indian food is a medley of spices—it does not have to be hot, and as you read this book, the recipes will show how

regular, everyday Indian meals are very low in fat and oil. The taste, however, is never compromised. It is simply a matter of

personal taste and choice. Traditionally, children are not given very hot food. The food cooked for them is less spicy and

hot. You can moderate the heat level in your food. The trick is to not add any chili, neither red chili nor green chili or black

pepper in the food. Eliminate that from any recipe and you will have a 0 heat level dish.

India is a diverse nation with the second largest population in the world. Even today, two to three meals are prepared fresh

every day in Indian homes. Non-Indian cuisine is still frowned upon and taken in moderation. To us, food is not only an art

but also a way of celebrating life. Most cooking is done from scratch, using fresh ingredients that are easily available in a

particular region or season. Cuisines vary in styles, yet the common thread is the basic uses of spices and its combinations.

You may be wondering, “Why should I cook when I can buy it frozen or readymade?” While it is true that there are many

options available to us today in the form of restaurants, packaged foods, and frozen foods, we believe that they lack the

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freshness, the flavor, and the potential for memories that a home-cooked meal has to offer. When you make the fresh

masalas (blend of spices), the aroma will draw everyone to the table and the first bite creates a melody in your mouth that

you can’t forget. We do not want to discourage you from buying the prepackaged food or spices, as they do come handy

when you are out of the fresh ones or have zero time on hand. We understand time constraint when it comes to juggling

kids, multiple jobs, and studying. We just want to show you that once you understand the basics of Indian cooking, in a very

short amount of time every meal can be a healthy feast. We use ready-to-eat foods as a last resort if we have no time, when

our pantry is empty or when we are in the occasional mood for junk food.

Basic Indian Food System

Regularly, meals in an Indian household consist of the following:

1. One bowl of lentil (dal)

2. One bowl of yogurt (yoghurt)

3. One serving of dry vegetable (sabji)

4. One non-vegetarian dish (i.e. meat, chicken, fish, if you are a non-vegetarian)

5. Rice (chawal)

6. Whole wheat Indian bread such as pita or a soft tortia (roti/chapti)

7. Side of salad(salaad)

8. Condiments such as pickle and crunchy fritter(aachar, papad)

9. Desert, which usually consists of a piece of sweet or fruit

One can clearly see that traditionally also, the aim is to have a balanced diet.

We admit that although this is largely still the trend in India, here in the United States, most Indian households do not get

full, balanced meals.

In this book, drawing on personal experience, we have tried to cut down cooking times so that our busy lifestyles don’t

impact good food habits.

Basics of Indian Cooking

There are many spices used in Indian cooking. The basic spices are raw cumin seeds (zeera), ground dry coriander seeds

(dhaniya), turmeric powder (haldi), salt (namak), garam masala powder (spice blend), and red chili powder (lal mirch).

Most basic Indian dishes can be prepared with these spices. However, several other spices are used to add different flavors

and enhance the taste of certain dishes. These spices include cinnamon, cardamom, black cardamom, pepper, star anise,

nutmeg, fenugreek, mace, cloves, Kashmiri deghi mirch, dry mango powder, tamarind, and many others. We have presented

a list of these spices for your convenience and for identification purposes. We have also tried to provide for substitution or

omission of a spice in recipes where it was appropriate without compromising the taste, flavor, and aroma. It is possible that

all these spices may not readily available in your local city or town. Visit http://www.thokalath.com/grocery to find the

Indian grocer nearest you, or you can order spices direct from the online store at http://patelbrothersusa.com.

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Other Important Clarifications

1. Roti, poori, naan, bhatura and parantha’s are different kinds of Indian breads; they are a little difficult for a novice

to make. We recommend you buy readily available pita bread or naan as accompaniment with the food. Visit our

website for a step by step process including video’s to learn how to make them

2. Cardamoms used in Indian cooking are of two basic types: Regular whole green cardamom and whole black

cardamom. The two differ drastically in flavor and are therefore cannot be used interchangeably during cooking.

3. Cloves-Most people use this term associated with garlic (cloves of garlic) but Cloves is a different kind of spice

commonly used in Indian cuisine and in Spanish it is known as Clavo-deolor, in French it is known as Clue-

degirofle, in Italian it is known as Chiodi-digarofano and in German it is known as Gewurznelkenbaum

4. We do not recommend using dry ginger powder and fresh ginger as not substitutes for one another;

5. Many Indian dishes share the same basic spices and cooking process. What varies are the vegetables/meat used and

cooking times. Therefore, wherever it is applicable we have included substitutions of vegetables/meat in recipes to

demonstrate this point.

6. These recipes are based on the utilization of only non-stick cookware. These dishes can be cooked in other

containers; however, the quantity of oil, water, and cooking time will vary significantly.

7. Masala is a generic term for spice or blend of spices.

8. We have provided recipes for the dry spice blends (masala mixes) such as tandoori masala and garam masala, and

we truly believe that these are more flavorful than the boxed masala mixes. However, if you are short on time, or

the required raw ingredients are unavailable, then do try these boxed recipes from the store, but be advised that the

end result may vary in flavor.

9. Just breathe: while making these dishes, do not forget to relax and breathe. Even if you do not make the recipe

exactly as it appears, in terms of amounts of spices or vegetables, you will still be fine. Every step is part of the

learning process, and soon you will master these techniques. We want you to have some fun as well!

10. HOT and SPICY: If you do not eat a lot of hot food and are unsure of your comfortable spice level, then please

add the red chili powder or green chilies SPARINGLY AND CAREFULLY until you find a spice level that suits

you.

11. Any type of onions can be used in our recipes; however, red onion is our preference as they are stronger in flavor.

12. Any variety of red tomatoes can be used.

13. Indian Cottage cheese (paneer/panir) - a good substitute for this Indian cheese is Queso Blanco which is a variety

of Mexican cheese and is prepared in a very similar manner to the Indian cheese. Paneer has no added salts and

does not melt when heated. Panir can be prepared at home quite easily. Whole milk is boiled in a deep bottomed

pan, while boiling juice of a lemon (or vinegar) is added. At this point the whey separates from the milk. This is then

strained usually using a cheese cloth. Then compressed using a heavy weight and left to solidify (usually a few

hours). It is ready to use. We will add the recipe step by step in our future books.