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In Main Dishes

Rajma (Kidney Beans Curry)

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I hear the wind rattling the windows. The dark rain clouds hang overhead. I look out of the kitchen window. We are up on the fourth floor of our flat in New Delhi. The monsoons have brought sweet relief from the oppressive summer heat. It seems a good day to fix some Rajma Curry (kidney beans). I love it with white rice and pickle. The cook has the day off. I don’t mind. I love the peace of being in the kitchen by myself. I had soaked the beans the night before. My son is curled up on the couch reading his recently acquired comics. My husband should be home in an hour. I turn my gaze from contemplating the clouds to the kitchen counter and get started.

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Rajma (Kidney Beans Curry)

Prep Time 14 hours
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 15 hours 30 minutes
A rich, delicious, healthy kidney bean curry filled with nutritious proteins and nutrients.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups rajma (pick, clean, and soak overnight in about 4 cups water)
  • 3 tbsp cooking oil
  • 2 medium yellow onions (chopped finely)
  • 1 green Serrano chili (to your taste)
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste (or one 8 oz can of tomato sauce or 3 Roma tomatoes)
  • 1 tbsp heaped ginger paste (preferably fresh)
  • 1 tbsp heaped garlic paste (preferably fresh)
  • 1½ tsp salt (or to your taste)
  • 6-7 cups water

Whole Spices

  • 1 large black cardamom
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 4-5 cloves (or ¼ tsp clove powder)
  • 4-5 peppercorns (½ tsp cracked pepper)

Masalas

  • 2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • ½ tsp red chili powder (or to your taste)
  • 1-2 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro (coriander) leaves

Instructions 

Overnight Preparation

  • Pick, clean, and soak the beans overnight in about 4 cups of water.                    

To Prepare

  • Heat the oil in a 4-6 quart cooking pot or deep saucepan on medium heat.
  • Add whole spices, stir for 30 seconds, and now add the onions.
  • Sauté until three-quarter brown, about 8 minutes.
  • Add all the masalas and sauté for 3 minutes or until the oil starts to surface on the sides of the pan.
  • Add the kidney beans, water, and tomato paste. Cover and bring to a boil.
  • Boil for 30 minutes, then lower heat and simmer for about another 30 minutes, until nice and tender.
  • If the beans are drying out, add more hot water to sustain a nice amount of gravy.
  • When nearly done, mash some of the beans against the side of the pot to make a thicker gravy. Cook for another 5 minutes.
  • Pour into a serving dish and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.
  • Serve with plain boiled rice, any pilaf, or roti. I have even eaten it poured over a plate of noodles!  

Notes

You can boil the beans separately and then add them to the curry mix or use them after soaking.
If using a pressure cooker, you can do the tempering, then add the raw-soaked beans and bring it to pressure. Using a pressure cooker cuts the cooking time. I follow the time given on the chart for beans, but times will vary depending on the heat source and altitude, so I always cook it for less than the time indicated on the manual chart.   
A Simple Variation
Boil the soaked beans with a tablespoon of chopped ginger, garlic, and salt. Cook until done. Then temper the beans.
Tempering/Tadka
1 medium onion chopped
2 medium tomatoes chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp chili powder or to your taste
¼ tsp garam masala, or to your liking
2-3  tablespoons oil
In a sauté pan, heat the oil on medium heat. Add the onions, sauté 4-5 minutes, then add the spice powders and stir for a minute. Add the tomatoes. Cook for 7-8 minutes, and add the cooked beans. Stir and let simmer for 5 minutes to absorb the flavors of the tadka.  Mash a few beans against the side of the pot with the back of the ladle. Stir and simmer for another 2 minutes.
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: rajma, red kidney beans
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In Festival

A Very Indo-American Thanksgiving Menu

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Starter

Pumpkin Soup

Main Course

Whole Tandoori Chicken Roast with Mint Yogurt Chutney and Tikka Masala Gravy

French Beans with Indian Seasoning

Rice and Carrot Pilaf

Boiled Fried, Spiced Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes (Go international with Betty Bossi) with Mushroom Sour Cream Gravy (Thanks to Taste of Home)

Cranberry Sauce (Check out recipes from one of my favorite magazines, Taste of Home)

Breads

Naans

Rolls (Your favorite from your local bakery)

Dessert

Gajar ka Halwa
Gulab Jamuns

Drinks
Spiced Chai
Mango Lassi
Sweet Lassi

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In Bread

Naan

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I  am attending a wedding and watch fascinated as the cook slaps the naans against the hot clay on the inside walls of the tandoor (a clay oven). He does about 6 naans in quick succession, then removes them with tongs when done. It is done in minutes because of the intense heat. Most restaurants have more modernized versions. Ingenious cooks have found a way to fix them at home without the tandoor.

Naan bread though associated with India is of Persian origin. It is a flatbread that is baked in a tandoor. Tandoors date back over 5000 years to the ancient Indus Valley Civilization. The tandoor is a round cylindrical clay pot about three feet in height packed with clay on the inside. The outside is insulated to make it bearable for the cook. The heat source is at the bottom and is either coal or wood. Tandoori bread, like naans and rotis, is cooked both by the hot clay they are slapped onto as well as the heat radiating from the bottom fire source. The meats are cooked on metal skewers that allow the meat to cook both on the inside by the hot metal resting on the heat source, and on the outside by the heat of the clay.

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Naan

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 minutes
Resting Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 14 minutes
Servings 4
Traditional, Indian flatbread baked in a tandoor (clay oven).

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1 cup all-purpose and 1 cup wheat flour)
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ⅛ tsp baking soda
  • 3 tbsp melted butter
  • ½ cup warm milk
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • ½ cup plain whole yogurt
  • 1½ tsp sugar

For Topping

  • 2 tbsp butter (or garlic oil—you can find it at grocery stores chopped cilantro (coriander leaves)1 teaspoon onion seeds (kalonji) or sesame seeds(optional))
  • 2 tbsp chopped cilantro (coriander) leaves
  • 1 tsp kalonji (onion seeds) or sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions 

  • Add the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.
  • Mix the yogurt and sugar together in a separate bowl.
  • Mix the flour mixture with the melted butter until it gets a mealy consistency.
  • Pour in the yogurt-sugar mixture into the flour and mix together.
  • Add the warm milk, a little at a time, kneading the dough as you go. Knead well until the dough is smooth, soft, and pliable. When you press the dough, it should dent easily. Cover the dough with a moist cloth and let it rest in a warm place for an hour.
  • To make the naans, knead the dough again a couple of times. Divide the dough into 6 parts. Roll each ball smoothly. Keep covered until all the dough is used.
  • Flatten and roll out on a floured board to a 5-8 'disc that is elongated in shape and about 1/6 inch in thickness. Naans are traditionally pear-shaped, but you can make them round if you prefer.
  • Roll out all the dough balls. Use a floured baking tray to rest them on.
  • Heat your griddle or heavy-bottomed pan. Moisten one side of the naan with a brush dipped in water or your finger.
  • Flip the moistened side onto the hot griddle. Brush a little water on the top side and sprinkle with the nigella or sesame seeds and the chopped cilantro leaves. Press them down gently. Do this quickly. Cook till bubbles appear on the top of the naan(about a minute).
  • If you have gas burners, turn one on, and with a pair of tongs, remove the naan and flip the undone side over the flames till cooked and brown spots appear. See notes.
  • Put on to a serving tray and brush with garlic oil or butter.
  • Serve with any of the following: Tandoori Chicken, Dal Makhani, Chicken Tikka Kebabs, Butter Chicken, or any meat tikkas or kebabs.

Notes

If your burners are other than gas, cook one side on the griddle as above. Place all the naans on a baking tray with the cooked side down. Turn your oven to broil and broil the uncooked side till brown spots appear, about a minute or so. Remove from oven and brush with garlic oil or butter.
You can use plain butter or ghee if you do not want to use garlic oil or garlic butter.
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: bread, naan
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In Recipes

Tala Hua Allu (Deep Fried Potatoes)

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This delicious potato dish was a favorite of ours at Christmas time. Served with a sumptuous Christmas roast, it was enjoyed by all. It is a very simple dish but, like potato chips, irresistible! We are talking about whole-boiled potatoes, quartered, cut in half, then cut into thick slices (your choice), and deep-fried—steak fries on steroids! I have also used these as snacks with chutney or ketchup on rainy monsoon or cold winter days.

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Tala Hua Allu (Deep Fried Potatoes)

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 6
A very simple potato dish but, like potato chips, irresistible!

Instructions 

  • Cut the boiled potatoes into 3 thick slices, or you can quarter them.
  • Heat the oil in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat. You can use a smaller pan to use less oil and cook it in batches. Remember not to fill the oil more than halfway up the pan, as it can overflow once the potatoes are immersed. 
  • Once the oil is hot (not smoking), slip the potatoes into it. Let them fry for about 3 minutes. Stir and roll the potatoes, frying them until the potatoes are golden all over. It takes about another 6 minutes.  
  • Remove with a slotted spoon or spatula and drain on paper towels. Toss with pepper and salt while still hot for the flavors to be absorbed.
  • Use it to garnish your roasted chicken, meats, or turkey, or use it as a side dish.

Notes

I used Russet potatoes as they hold up better when boiling, but you can use any potato, white or red, small and whole or large,and cut.
These potatoes can be tossed with any spices or dried herbs of your choice.
Quarter them into smaller bits if you are using them as a snack.
Try it drizzled with cool Yogurt-Mint sauce or plain yogurt topped with mint chutney, tamarind sauce, and chaat masala.
Course: Side Dish, Vegetarian
Cuisine: American, Indian
Keyword: potatoes
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In Festival

Paras Sem ki Sabzi (Spicy, Sautéed French Beans)

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French beans are a variety of beans that are long in length, though some are curved. They are slender and more tender than regular beans. The ends are tapered and pointed. As with most vegetables, they are good for Indian sabzis (sautéed vegetables). Here is a quick sabzi with frozen French beans that are pre-cut.

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Paras Sem ki Sabzi (Spicy, Sautéed French Beans)

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4
Spicy, savory French beans that go well with any Indian meal.

Ingredients

  • 1 pack frozen pre-cut French beans
  • ¼ tsp mustard seeds
  • ½ medium onion (thinly sliced)
  • 2 medium garlic cloves (peeled and thinly  sliced)
  • ¼ tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • ¼ tsp red chili powder (more or less, to taste)
  • 2 tbsp cooking oil
  • 1 sprig curry patta (leaves) (about 12, optional)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp fresh, or thawed, grated coconut (or 1 tbsp of almonds )

Instructions 

  • Heat oil in a  skillet over medium heat.
  • Then add the mustard seeds.
  • As soon as they start to splutter, 30 seconds. Add the curry patta and sliced garlic.  Stir 15 seconds.
  • Now add the sliced onions and return the heat to medium-high. Sauté until translucent, approximately 3-4 minutes.
  • Add the turmeric and cumin powder, and stir for 30 seconds.
  • Add the frozen beans. Stir to incorporate onions and spices with the beans. Lower heat to medium-low.  Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Uncover and cook on medium-high, occasionally stirring, until all the moisture evaporates and the beans have a nice glaze. Approximately4-5 minutes.
  • Turn off the heat. Cover the beans with a splatter guard or half cover it to let the steam escape. This ensures the beans do not get soggy.
  • Pour into a serving dish and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of grated coconut or with a tablespoon of roasted slivered almonds.

Notes

You can use fresh French beans. Wash the green beans. If they are stringy, break the top branch stem part of the bean and unzip the side string. I remove both ends of the beans, but you can leave the tip if it does not look stringy. Gather a few beans together and do long cuts, diagonal cuts (about 1½-2 inches in length. Add a quarter cup of water before you cover to cook the beans, then follow the recipe.    
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: French beans
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In Main Dishes

Whole Tandoori Chicken Roast

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All I recall about turkeys is that when we were kids in Dehra Doon, India, we had a turkey living with our hens. I am not sure how and where Dad got him. The turkey used to chase us when we got within its range, and we would run. One day, he wasn’t to be seen anymore. I now strongly suspect Mama refused to have him end up on our table, and had Dad give him away to the Officers’ Mess Hall for dinner!

Since it is an American tradition, we never celebrated Thanksgiving until we moved to the USA, and then, we had the traditional Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings, but with variations sometimes. Mama assigned dishes to each of us in the family, so no one was overburdened.

Now, Thanksgiving Dinner has become a festive, joyful celebration for our family, too. I have decided to add an Indian flavor to the traditional Thanksgiving meal by replacing turkey with a whole Tandoori chicken. Tandoori Roast Chicken is the perfect complement to your Thanksgiving meal, adding just the right amount of spice without overpowering the rest of your holiday meal. I’ve also added Indian-style sides and bread.

 

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Whole Tandoori Chicken Roast

Prep Time 1 day 30 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 day 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 4
Thanksgiving dinner with an exotic twist—succulent, savory chicken roast.

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken (approximately 6 lbs, skinned or unskinned, your preference—see notes)
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp ginger paste
  • 1 tbsp garlic paste
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 2 tbsp cumin powder
  • 2 tbsp coriander powder
  • 2 tsp haldi powder
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp Tandoori masala (or to taste—use carefully as they pack some chili heat!)
  • ½ cup yogurt
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion (cut into thick round slices)
  • 1 lemon
  • ½ tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions 

  • Remove neck and chicken parts from the cavity. ( I discard this).
  • Wash chicken, drain, and pat dry. Place on a board, and with a sharp knife, make tiny score marks all over the chicken, with slightly larger ones over the breast area. Now place the chicken in a bowl large enough to marinate it in.
  • In a two-cup bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of lemon juice with one teaspoon of salt and turmeric and rub all over the chicken, including the cavity. Set aside for 15 minutes.
  • In the same bowl, mix the yogurt, tomato paste, remaining salt, and spices. Rub the marinade all over the chicken. Use your fingers under the skin, top and bottom, and thighs to rub in the marinade. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight or for at least 6-8 hrs.
  • After marinating, let the chicken stand for 30 to 40 minutes at room temperature. Brush with some of the leftover marinade, but don't overdo it.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Get your roasting pan with rack ready. Pour 1/2 cup water into the pan and place the rack over the pan. Brush the rack with oil. Place the onion rings on the rack. Carefully place your marinated chicken over the onions, breast side up.  
  • Place chicken on the center shelf and bake for 1 hour.
  • Remove the chicken from the oven. Carefully turn it upside down and bake for half an hour. 
  • Remove from oven, turn belly side again up and bake for 15 minutes.
  • Check to see if the temperature on your meat thermometer reads 165 degrees when poked near the thigh bone. If not, continue to bake until it does.
  • Turn on broil. Broil for 2-3 minutes until brown and crisp.
  • Once done, let the chicken rest for 30 minutes.
  • Place on a serving tray and garnish with some of the cooked onions, cut lemon, and a sprinkling of chopped cilantro. 

Notes

Chicken with the skin tends to be more moist and juicy. The half cup of water in the roasting pan also keeps the chicken on the rack from drying out.   
If you prefer chicken with the skin off, be sure to baste it every 20 minutes or so with some of the leftover marinade. If it is thick,thin it out with some chicken broth.
If you do not have a pan with a rack, you can also bake the chicken directly in the pan. Bake covered for 1 hour, basting with juices halfway through. Then uncover and cook for half hour. Check the temperature with a meat thermometer. If not brown enough, broil for 2-3 minutes until brown.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: chicken
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