9780609611012

With its exotic aromas and complex flavors, Indian cuisine is one of the world's best. It's no wonder that so many people adore it--and also no surprise that it could seem daunting to cook Indian food at home. Now, acclaimed chef and cooking teacher Suvir Saran cuts out the fuss, sharing casual, home-style Indian dishes that are perfect for everyday cooking. Indian Home Cookingis a celebration of the food Indians cook in American kitchens today, using ingredients found in most supermarkets. With streamlined techniques and intense, authentic flavors,Indian Home Cookingheralds a new generation of Indian cookbooks. From slow-simmered curries with layered flavors to quickly sauteed dishes, these approachable recipes explore the wide world of Indian cuisine, including: *Irresistible snacks and appetizers, such as Puff Pastry Samosas with Green Peas, and Spinach-Potato Patties *Seductively spiced lentil dals, from the North Indian classic flavored with whole cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves to a Southern Indian version with dried red chilies, mustard seeds, and curry leaves *Aromatic meat and seafood curries, like Coconut Chicken with Cashews and spicy Goan Shrimp Balchao *An incredible range of vegetable dishes, including Stir-Fried Green Beans with Cumin, and Cauliflower with Sauteed Green Peppers, Tomato, and Yogurt *Easy, colorful chutneys and pickles to fill your pantry Filled with gorgeous photographs, fresh flavors, and practical advice, Indian Home Cooking is an illuminating guide to real Indian food.

SUVIR SARAN has received accolades from the New York Times and The New Yorker for the regional Indian menu at his New York restaurant, Amma. He is a contributing editor to Food Arts magazine and teaches Indian cooking classes that have been featured in the New York Times. He lives in New York. Please visit www.suvir.com.<br><br>STEPHANIE LYNESS is a regional food critic for the New York Times who has collaborated on several cookbooks, including Second Helpings from Union Square Cafe. She lives in Connecticut.

What is included with this book?

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

RASAMS AND TEMPERING OILS

A rasam is different from a western-style soup. The closest thing in spirit is a consommé-both consommés and rasams are thin soups that taste of the essence of their ingredients. That said, practically speaking, they are quite different: consommés are made with stock while rasams are made with water and are much easier and quicker to make.

There are three parts to a rasam, as you can see by looking at the recipes. There is a ground spice mixture that is traditionally made very, very hot with black pepper or red chiles. Then there is the broth that is made with water, flavored with sweet, sour, pungent, and/or tart ingredients such as lemon, tomato, tamarind, pineapple, fresh ginger, and garlic, as well as with the ground spice mixture. Then often, but not always, the soup is flavored at the end with a combination of whole or ground spices cooked briefly in a little hot oil, called a tarka or tempering oil. The tempering oil gives the soup a burst of fresh flavor and adds complexity to the layering of spices. Adding a fresh tempering oil is a good way to give new life to a reheated, day-old soup or any other Indian dish. It's important that the spices in the tempering oil not burn; when I smell that the spices are cooked, I splash in a little water to stop the cooking before adding to the soup. This also helps wash all of the oil and spices out of the pan. Start tarkas with longer-cooking whole spices; add ground spices after, so that they don't burn.

You can buy a traditional blend of southern Indian spices called a rasam powder in Indian grocery stores. Two of the recipes in this chapter call for rasam powder; you can buy it or make your own from the recipe I've given in the Glossary. (If you like, substitute a commercial or homemade rasam powder for any of the spice mixtures in the recipes.) In general, I like to vary the spices rather than use a prepared powder; that way each rasam has a unique taste. But all of the soups will taste just fine with the prepared mixture.

Some rasams use the cooking water from boiled lentils in place of water as the broth. (The cooked lentils can be used to make another dish; I've given some recipes for cooked lentils in the Dal chapter.) Some of these rasams also use black gram beans for flavoring, like an additional spice. You'll need to shop at an Indian grocery store or online for these.

black pepper rasam with tamarind
Serves 4 to 6

I remember drinking this rasam as a child at the home of a school friend whose family had recently moved to Delhi from South India. I had tasted rasams before, but in her home I fell in love anew with the wonderfully exotic flavors of South India. I especially like this soup because the black pepper gives the broth such a rich taste and lasting liveliness. The taste of the pepper comes through as a spice-like cumin or coriander-with both flavor and heat.

While this rasam is traditionally made with tamarind as a souring agent, you can use lemon juice instead. Add the lemon at the end; unlike tamarind, lemon loses its souring properties as it cooks.

SPICE MIXTURE

2 teaspoons canola oil
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 1/2 tablespoons yellow split peas
4 whole dried red chiles
1/8 teaspoon asafetida (optional)

BROTH

2 teaspoons tamarind concentrate or the juice of 2 lemons
1/2 cup warm water (if using tamarind concentrate)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
3 1/2 cups water
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

For the spice mixture, combine the oil and all of the spices in a small frying pan or saucepan over medium-high heat. Cover (mustard seeds splatter and pop) and cook until the cumin and urad dal, if using, turn a light golden brown and the mixture is fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the spice mixture cool to room temperature. Then grind to a powder in a spice grinder. Set this powder aside.

For the broth, if using tamarind, measure the warm water into a small bowl or measuring cup. Add the tamarind concentrate and stir to dissolve. Rinse the measuring spoon and your fingers in the water to dissolve all of the sticky tamarind. Set this tamarind water aside.

Combine the oil and the mustard seeds in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cover and cook until you hear the seeds crackle, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the tamarind water, if using, the 3 1/2 cups water, the spice mixture, and the salt. Bring to a boil, turn the heat down, and simmer 3 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice if using and cilantro, and serve hot.

Excerpted from Indian Home Cooking: A Fresh Introduction to Indian Food, with More Than 150 Recipes by Suvir Saran, Stephanie Lyness
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.

Amazon no longer offers textbook rentals. We do!

Indian Home Cooking : A Fresh Introduction to Indian Food, with More Than 150 Recipes

Indian Home Cooking : A Fresh Introduction to Indian Food, with More Than 150 Recipes

0609611011

Summary

Author Biography

Supplemental Materials

Excerpts

Write a Review