India has some of the best-tasting vegetables in the world, all available fresh, daily, at very reasonable prices. Indian tomatoes—and here I include those found in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh—may look squiggly and misshapen, but they have better texture and flavor than what I find much of the year in Britain and the United States. The same holds true for cabbage, cauliflower, and almost any other vegetable that you can name. South Asia eats many more types of vegetables too. From snake gourds to wing beans, green plantains to green jackfruit, the best vegetables from around the world have found their way here, and each is cooked in hundreds of different ways.
Green beans may be cooked very simply with mustard, cumin, and sesame seeds; winter carrots are often just sliced and stir-fried with fresh fenugreek greens or, failing that, with cilantro; monsoon corn either is just roasted, like chestnuts, or its grains are stir-fried with green chilies, ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom. Then there is eggplant, the very popular “meaty” vegetable that is thought to have originated in India. It is fried into fritters, partially quartered and stuffed, combined with dumplings, made into pilafs, stewed with tomatoes, cooked with quinces, roasted and put into yogurt raitas—I could do a whole book of South Asian eggplant recipes!
And I could do the same with potatoes. Even though potatoes came to India from the West, the nation took to them like ducks to water. One wit in Calcutta is known to have remarked that the only good thing the British ever gave to India was the potato. Its starchy texture lent itself beautifully to South Asia’s array of spices: it was stewed with tomatoes and ginger, stir-fried with asafetida and cumin, combined with peas and cauliflower, and made into curries flavored with chilies and mustard seeds.
For this chapter, I have selected more than two dozen of the simpler recipes, all for vegetables that can be found easily in the West. They will provide endless variety to vegetarian diets. Meat and fish eaters will be able to spice up entire meals with new aromas, textures, and tastes. And here is another thing. You should not feel obliged to make a complete Indian meal every time you want to cook one of these vegetable dishes. Try an Indian potato dish with broiled chicken instead of boiled potatoes; have an Indian corn dish with frankfurters or sausages. Enjoy mixing and matching— anything to make your life easier and your meals more exciting.
South Indian vegetables can be very simply prepared. Here green beans are blanched and then quickly stir-fried with spices.
These can be served with any meat, poultry, or fish dish, South Asian or Western.
serves 4
Salt
1 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
3 tablespoons olive or canola oil
½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
½ teaspoon whole brown or yellow mustard seeds
½ teaspoon sesame seeds
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Bring 8 cups water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt to it and then the cut beans. Boil for 4–5 minutes or until the beans are just tender. Drain immediately and leave in the colander.
Pour the oil into a frying pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the cumin, mustard, and sesame seeds. As soon as the seeds start popping, a matter of seconds, take the pan off the heat and stir in the beans. Put the pan back on the stove, turning the heat down to medium low. Stir to mix for about a minute, adding ½ teaspoon salt and the cayenne. Remove pan from heat.
This is a stir-fried broccoli dish.
A karhai is the Indian wok that actually predated the Chinese wok and has been used since ancient times for deep-frying, for reducing milk for dozens of Indian desserts, and for stir-frying and sautéing.
Broccoli, once unknown in India, is now found in many specialty markets. For this recipe I use a nice-sized bunch (about 2 pounds) and use most of the stems as well, after peeling them and cutting them crossways into thickish slices. I cut the broccoli head into small florets, each no longer than 1½ inches—with each small head attached to a bit of stem so it retains its elegance.
Serve at Indian or Western meals.
serves 4
3 tablespoons olive or canola oil
⅛ teaspoon ground asafetida
¼ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon whole mustard seeds
6 cups trimmed and cut broccoli (see instruction above)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pour the oil into a wok or medium frying pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the asafetida and then the cumin and mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, a matter of seconds, toss in the broccoli. Stir and fry for a minute, adding the salt and cayenne as you do so. Pour in ¼ cup water and bring to a simmer. Cover, turn heat to low, and cook 7–8 minutes or until broccoli is just tender, stirring now and then.
Here is an everyday carrot dish.
In India it is served hot, but I often serve it cold in the summer, almost like a carrot salad.
serves 4
2 tablespoons peanut or olive oil
⅛ teaspoon ground asafetida
¼ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into ⅓-inch-thick rounds
1 well-packed cup very finely chopped cilantro
½ teaspoon salt
⅛–¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pour the oil into a medium frying pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the asafetida and cumin. Stir once or twice and toss in the carrots. Stir once and turn off the heat. Add all the remaining ingredients and 3 tablespoons water. Stir well and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover, turn heat to very low, and simmer very gently for 3–4 minutes or until carrots are done, stirring once or twice during this period.
In North India, greens are often cooked simply, with ginger, garlic, and chili powder or green chilies.
Indians love eating greens at all meals. They go well with meats. If you are having a simple Indian meal of dal and rice, all you need to add is a green and a relish, perhaps with yogurt in it.
serves 4
1½ pounds Swiss chard, well washed
3 tablespoons olive or canola oil
1 clove garlic, cut into long slivers
1 teaspoon slivered peeled fresh ginger
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Hold several chard leaves together and, starting at the stem end, cut the stems and leaves crossways, at ¼-inch intervals.
Pour the oil into a large pot and place on medium-high heat. When hot, put in the garlic and ginger. Stir a few times. Put in all the chard, with some of the washing water still clinging to the leaves. Cover. As soon as the leaves have wilted, a matter of a few minutes, add the salt and cayenne. Stir to mix. Cover again and turn heat to low. Cook 5 minutes or until chard is just done.
This is an easy, perfumed, stir-fried corn dish that can be made with fresh or frozen corn.
This may be served with most Indian meals but also goes well with Western-style roasted or grilled pork, duck, and chicken.
serves 4–6
3 tablespoons olive or canola oil
1 teaspoon whole brown or yellow mustard seeds
4 cardamom pods
4 whole cloves
One 1-inch cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1–2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh hot green chilies (do not discard seeds)
4 cups corn cut fresh off the cobs, or two 10-ounce packets of frozen corn, defrosted and drained
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup heavy cream
Pour the oil into a frying pan and set over medium heat. Meanwhile, combine the mustard seeds, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and bay leaves in a small cup. When the oil is hot, put in all the whole spices. As soon as the mustard seeds pop, a matter of seconds, put in the ginger and green chilies. Stir once or twice and then add in the corn. Stir for 2–3 minutes. Add the salt and cream. Continue to stir and cook for another minute. Turn heat to low and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, until all the cream is absorbed.
You can pick out and discard the cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon, and bay leaves if you are serving those unaccustomed to large whole spices in their foods.
You need medium-sized egglants for this. I use the purple kind, 5 of them, each weighing about 5 ounces, and then cut them, unskinned, into 2" × 1" chunks, each chunk with skin on at least one side. Normally, eggplant chunks require frying first to give them their unctuous, satiny texture, after which they may be folded into a variety of sauces—here it is a tomato sauce. But I have found a less oily way around that; I broil them instead.
You serve this dish hot with a lamb or chicken curry or cold, as a salad, with cold meats, Indian (such as Tandoori-Style Chicken with Mint) or Western.
serves 4–6
1½–1¾ pounds medium-sized eggplants, cut into chunks as suggested above
Salt
5 tablespoons olive, canola, or peanut oil
1 teaspoon whole black or yellow mustard seeds
½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
½ teaspoon whole fennel seeds
½ teaspoon whole nigella seeds (if available)
1 dried hot red chili
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups (12 ounces) peeled and chopped tomatoes, or grated tomatoes
¼ teaspoon sugar
Turn on the broiler, arranging a shelf so it is 5–6 inches from the source of the heat. Spread the eggplant chunks in a baking tray. Sprinkle them with ½ teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons of the oil. Toss and put under the broiler. Broil for about 15 minutes, tossing now and then, until all sides are lightly browned.
Pour the remaining 3 tablespoons oil into a large sauté pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, nigella, and chili. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, a matter of seconds, toss in the garlic. Stir a few times, until the garlic is golden, and then quickly put in the tomatoes, eggplants, ¼ teaspoon salt, and the sugar. Mix and bring to a simmer. Cover, turn heat to low, and simmer gently about 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the eggplants are tender and smothered in the sauce.
Eggplants come in so many sizes and shapes. You may use 4 of the purple “baby” Italian eggplants (aim for 1¼ pounds), 4 Japanese eggplants, or 8 of the very small Indian ones. All are quartered partially—the top, sepal end always stays attached so the eggplants retain their shape—and then stuffed with a spice mixture before being cooked. For the mixture to hold, a little starch needs to be added. In India, this is the very nutritious chickpea flour. You may use cornmeal or masa harina instead if you have them at hand. All will need to be slightly roasted first. This is easily done in a small cast-iron frying pan.
This very gratifying dish may be served as a main course, along with a green vegetable, some dal (such as Black Beans), rice, and a yogurt relish. It would also go well with hearty chicken and lamb curries.
serves 4
4 (about 1¼ pounds total) purple baby eggplants, or see above
2 tablespoons chickpea flour
1 teaspoon very finely grated peeled fresh ginger
¼–½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1½ tablespoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt
3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
4 tablespoons olive or canola oil
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Cut the eggplants in quarters lengthways, without separating the pieces at the stem end. Leave to soak in a bowl of water for 30 minutes.
Put the chickpea flour in a small cast-iron frying pan. Stir on medium heat until it is a shade darker. Remove to a small bowl. Add the ginger, cayenne, coriander, cumin, ¾ teaspoon salt, cilantro, and ¼ cup water. Stir to make a paste.
Remove eggplants from the soaking water and dry them off. Rub the spice mixture on all the cut surfaces. Pour the oil into a medium frying pan and set on medium-high heat. When hot, put in the eggplants and brown them lightly on all sides. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon salt over the top and add ¼ cup water. Bring to a simmer. Cover, turn heat to low, and cook gently for 25 minutes or until tender.
Meanwhile, combine ¼ cup water with the sugar and lemon juice. Pour this over the eggplants when they are tender. Cook on medium-high heat, turning the eggplants gently once, until only a thick sauce remains.
TOP: Sweet-and-Sour Butternut Squash
LEFT: Mushroom and Pea Curry
BOTTOM: Eggplants in a North-South Sauce
This is one of our most beloved family dishes. It is very much in the Hyderabadi style, where North Indian and South Indian seasonings are combined. Over the years, I have simplified the recipe. Here, you may use the long, tender Japanese eggplants or the purple “baby” Italian eggplants or even the striated purple and white ones that are about the same size as the baby Italian ones. Once cut, what you are aiming for are 1-inch chunks with as much skin on them as possible so they do not fall apart.
Serve this hot with meat or vegetable curries, rice, and dal or serve it cold, as a salad, with cold meats, Indian (see Chicken Karhai with Mint) or Western. I love it with slices of ham.
serves 4–6
4 tablespoons olive or canola oil
⅛ teaspoon ground asafetida
½ teaspoon skinned urad dal or yellow split peas
½ teaspoon whole mustard seeds
½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
½ teaspoon whole nigella seeds (kalonji)
½ teaspoon whole fennel seeds
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1½ pounds slim Japanese eggplants, cut crossways into 1-inch segments, or “baby” Italian eggplants cut in half lengthways and then crossways, into 1-inch segments
2 medium tomatoes, grated), about 1¼ cups
1 cup chicken stock or water
1 teaspoon salt
¼–½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pour the oil into a very large frying pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the asafetida and the urad dal. As soon as the dal turns a shade darker, add the mustard, cumin, nigella, and fennel seeds, in that order. When the mustard seeds begin to pop, a matter of seconds, add the onions. Stir and fry for a minute. Add the garlic and the eggplant. Stir and fry for 4–5 min-utes or until the onions are a bit browned. Add the grated tomatoes, stock, salt, and cayenne. Stir to mix and bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to low, and cook about 20 minutes or until the eggplants are tender, stirring now and then.
This is a richer, nuttier variation on the last recipe.
serves 4–6
Follow the preceding recipe. Ten minutes before the cooking time is up, put 2 tablespoons sesame paste or peanut butter in a small bowl. Slowly add ½ cup of chicken stock or water and mix well. Add this mixture to the pan and stir it in. Cover and continue cooking gently until the eggplants are tender.
One of my cousins was married to a Kashmiri gentleman, and for the period when he was working at the United Nations in New York he had brought along a manservant. My cousin let me have him once a week to cook and clean. His repertoire was limited—he could only cook dishes he had learned from my cousin, such as this simple Kashmiri staple, which we loved. Soon he was making it week after week, and it remains one of our favorites. In Kashmir, collard-type greens and rice are eaten as commonly as beans and rice in Central America, the season for them lasting from spring (when the greens are tender) until the snows start to fall in early winter (when the greens get coarser).
Note: Young greens will cook faster. So if you are using them, start with half the stock and add more if needed.
Serve with rice and either a dal or a meat curry.
serves 6
1¾ pounds collard greens
3 tablespoons olive or canola oil
⅛ teaspoon ground asafetida
3 dried hot red chilies (the short cayenne type)
2 cups chicken stock or water
Salt
Wash the collard greens and then remove their stems and coarse central veins. Stack 6–7 leaves on top of each other and roll them up lengthways. Cut crossways to get ½-inch ribbons. Now cut lengthways to get ½-inch pieces.
Pour the oil into a large pot and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the asafetida and the chilies. As soon as the chilies darken, a matter of seconds, take the pan off the heat briefly to add the greens and the stock. Put the pan back on the heat and bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to medium low, and cook 30–40 minutes or until greens are tender. Remove cover and taste. Seasoned stock may require only ½ teaspoon salt. Add what is needed. Turn the heat to medium high and boil away most of the liquid. If you are eating the greens with rice, you may want to save some extra juice to moisten it adequately.
For this dish of stir-fried mushrooms, I use largish white mushrooms, but if your mushrooms are medium-sized, you should just halve them.
Serve this as a part of an Indian meal, along with rice or breads, a fish dish, and a relish, or have it with scrambled eggs for brunch.
serves 3–4
3 tablespoons olive or canola oil
½ teaspoon whole brown mustard seeds
½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
¼ cup finely chopped onions
10 ounces largish white mushrooms, quartered
1 clove garlic, crushed in a garlic press
3 tablespoons plain yogurt
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
Pour the oil into a frying pan and set over medium heat. When hot, put in the mustard and cumin seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds start to pop, a matter of seconds, put in the onions. Stir and fry until onions start to turn brown at the edges. Put in the mushrooms and stir for a minute. Take the pan off the heat and put in the garlic, yogurt, cayenne, coriander, and salt. Put the pan back on medium heat and stir well. Keep cooking and stirring until all the yogurt is absorbed, a few minutes. Stir in the cilantro toward the end.
I like to use cremini mushrooms, as they have a firmer texture, but if you cannot get them, ordinary, medium-sized white mushrooms will do. Remember that a relatively firm tomato can be peeled with a paring knife like an apple.
A great curry for vegetarians and meat eaters alike. Serve with rice or Indian bread and some relishes. (see photograph)
serves 4
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons olive or canola oil
¼ cup (1¾ ounces) finely chopped onions
1 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1½ cups (7–8 ounces) peeled and finely chopped tomato, see above
1¼ teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 pound cremini mushrooms, halved lengthways
10 ounces green peas, fresh or frozen and defrosted
Combine the coriander, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne in a small bowl. Add about 1½ tablespoons water and mix to make a paste.
Pour the oil into a medium pan and set over medium heat. When hot, put in the onions. Stir and sauté for 3–4 minutes or until the pieces are brown at the edges. Add the ginger and stir 3–4 times. Add the spice paste. Stir and cook for about a minute. Add the tomato. Stir and cook, scraping up from the bottom, for about 4 minutes or until the tomato has softened. Add 2 cups water and the salt. Stir and bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes.
Add the mushrooms and bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes. Add the peas. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low heat for 5 minutes or until the peas are done. Check for salt, adding a bit more if needed.
This is easily my favorite okra recipe, though I must admit to loving plain, crisply fried okra as well. Okra is a vastly misunderstood vegetable. First of all, it should be young and crisp when it is harvested. Then, it should be cooked so its mucilaginous quality (that is, its slimy aspect) is somewhat reduced. Look for small, tender okra. They are the best.
Pinkish-red onions in the north and shallots in the south are the onions of India. As shallots seem to be getting larger and larger, I suggest that you use about 3 of the larger ones here.
When I was a child, all I wanted for lunch was this okra dish, some chapatis, My Everyday Moong Dal, and a yogurt relish. You may, of course, serve this with meat curries as well.
serves 4
12 ounces fresh okra
¼ cup olive, canola, or peanut oil
½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
¾ cup (2 ounces) shallots, or onions that have been peeled, cut in half lengthwise, and cut into fine half rings
1½ teaspoons ground coriander
¼ teaspoon crushed red chilies
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Cut off the top stem ends and the very tips of the okra pods. You can do 3–4 at the same time. Now cut each pod diagonally into 3–4 slices, depending upon size.
Pour the oil into a medium frying pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the cumin seeds. A few seconds later, put in all the sliced okra. Stir and fry for about 5 minutes. The okra will have browned a bit. Add the shallots and continue to stir and fry for about 3 minutes so that the shallots brown as well. Now turn the heat to low. Add the coriander, red chilies, and salt. Stir and keep cooking another 7–9 minutes or until the okra is crisp and cooked through. Add the lemon juice and stir to mix.
An everyday vegetable dish, this time in the Gujarati style of western India, made without onions. Because of its viscosity, okra is never washed. Instead, it is wiped with a damp cloth and left for a while to air-dry before it is cut.
This dish is generally eaten with legume dishes, other vegetables, yogurt relishes, pickles, and Indian breads.
serves 4
3 tablespoons olive or canola oil
A generous pinch of ground asafetida
½ teaspoon whole brown or yellow mustard seeds
1 pound fresh okra (pick small, tender pods), top and tail removed and then cut crossways at ½-inch intervals
⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼–½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
Pour the oil into a frying pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the asafetida and mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, a matter of seconds, add the okra. Turn heat to medium. Stir and cook for 3 minutes. Add the turmeric and salt and toss well. Turn heat to medium low. Stir and cook for 8–9 minutes or until the okra is lightly browned and almost cooked. Sprinkle in the cumin, coriander, and cayenne. Toss, turn heat to low, and cook another 2 minutes.
We eat these potatoes with our eggs on Sundays, with our Indian meals, and also with our more Western roasts and grills. They are versatile and good.
serves 3–4
1½ pounds waxy boiling potatoes, boiled until just done, cooled thoroughly, and peeled
¼ cup olive or canola oil
½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
½ teaspoon whole brown or yellow mustard seeds
1 teaspoon finely slivered peeled fresh ginger (see box below)
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more, if desired
Freshly ground black pepper
Cut the potatoes into ½" × ⅓" dice.
Pour the oil into a frying pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the cumin and mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, a matter of seconds, put in the ginger. Stir twice and add the potatoes. Sprinkle the salt, red pepper, and black pepper over the top. Now stir and fry for 4–5 minutes. The potatoes should get lightly browned, and all the spices should be well mixed. Taste for salt.
CUTTING GINGER INTO FINE SLIVERS
Cut a 1-inch knob off a piece of fresh ginger and peel it. Now cut that chunk crossways into the thinnest slices you can manage. Stack 6–7 slices together and cut them crossways into the thinnest slivers possible. Cut all the slices this way. If you need more slivers, start with another knob of ginger.
Chaat in India refers to certain kinds of hot-and-sour foods that are generally eaten as snacks but may be served at lunch as well. When I was growing up in Delhi, the servants cooked the main dishes but it was my mother who always made the chaat, not in the kitchen but in the pantry where she kept her chaat seasonings, the most important of which was roasted and ground cumin seeds. Chaat could be made out of many things—various boiled tubers, boiled legumes like chickpeas and mung beans, and even fruit such as bananas, green mangoes, peaches, guavas, and oranges. Chopped cilantro may be sprinkled over the top just before serving.
Serve at room temperature with cold chicken, with kebabs, and, for Indians at least, with tea. Indians love hot tea with spicy snacks.
serves 4
1½ pounds waxy boiling potatoes (such as red potatoes), boiled, allowed to cool thoroughly, and peeled (do not refrigerate at any point)
1¼ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more, as desired
Freshly ground black pepper, a generous amount
½ teaspoon ground roasted cumin seeds
1½ tablespoons lemon juice
Cut the potatoes into ½-inch dice and put into a glass, ceramic, or stainless-steel bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients and mix well. Taste for balance of spices, adding more of any of the seasonings if you like. Serve at room temperature. (Do not refrigerate. Refrigeration at any stage changes the texture of the potatoes.)
serves 4–5
Once the potatoes have been diced into the bowl, add 1 cup boiled and well-drained peas. Add just a little bit more of each of the seasonings, tasting to make sure you have a good balance. Serve at room temperature, with chopped cilantro sprinkled over the top.
serves 4
Make Potato Chaat exactly as the recipe suggests. Then put 3 tablespoons oil in a large well-seasoned or nonstick pan and set on medium-high heat. When hot, put in the potatoes. Stir and fry for 4–5 minutes, until the potatoes are lightly browned. Serve hot, with chopped cilantro sprinkled over the top.
A southern potato curry from the Chennai region.
In Chennai, this would be served with rice, and in the north, with a flatbread. Dal and vegetables should be added to the meal.
serves 4–6
3 tablespoons olive or canola oil
1 teaspoon whole brown mustard seeds
½ teaspoon urad dal or yellow split peas
2 dried hot red chilies
15–20 fresh curry leaves, or 10 fresh basil leaves, torn up
½ medium onion, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 teaspoons ground coriander
⅛–¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon store-bought garam masala
1 pound red potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch dice
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup coconut milk from a well-shaken can
4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Pour the oil into a medium pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the mustard seeds, urad dal, and red chilies. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, a matter of seconds, put in the curry leaves and onions. Turn heat to medium. Stir and fry the onions for about 3 minutes or until they have softened but not browned. Put in the tomatoes, coriander, cayenne, and garam masala. Stir for a minute. Add the potatoes and stir a minute. Now pour in 1 cup water and the salt. Bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to low, and cook 15–20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Add the coconut milk and cilantro and stir them in.
This is a Delhi/Uttar Pradesh–style dish. I like to use very small, waxy potatoes, each cut in half. If they are larger, you will just have to dice them. The potatoes hold together best if you boil them whole and let them cool at room temperature before you peel and cut them.
We generally serve this curry with Indian flatbreads or with the puffed-up pooris. Pickles and chutneys are served alongside. This combination is very popular in North India for breakfast. Sips of hot milky tea ease the spicy potatoes down nicely.
serves 4
3 tablespoons olive or canola oil
⅛ teaspoon ground asafetida
¼ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 pound small red potatoes, boiled, cooled, peeled, and halved (if potatoes are larger, aim for 1-inch dice)
2 cups peas, fresh or frozen and defrosted
½ cup plain yogurt
1½ teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
¾ teaspoon salt
¼–½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more if you prefer
1 tablespoon ground coriander
Pour the oil into a large, preferably nonstick sauté pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the asafetida and cumin seeds. Ten seconds later, add the potatoes. Stir and fry until the potatoes have browned lightly. Now put in the peas, 3 tablespoons of the yogurt, the ginger, salt, and cayenne. Stir and cook until the yogurt has been absorbed. Add another 3 tablespoons yogurt and the coriander. Stir and cook until the yogurt is absorbed again. Add the remaining yogurt. Stir and cook for a minute. If you are using frozen peas, the dish is done. If you are using fresh peas, add 3 tablespoons water, cover, turn heat to low, and cook very gently for 6–8 minutes or until the peas are tender.
This is a quick stir-fry, and could be served with most Indian meals.
serves 4
1½ pounds spinach
3 tablespoons olive or canola oil
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
2 cloves garlic, cut into long slivers
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Wash the spinach well and chop coarsely. Leave to drain in a colander.
Pour the oil into a wok or a large pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the cumin. When it sizzles, add the garlic. Stir until the garlic slivers turn golden. Add the spinach, stir, and cover the pan. When the spinach has wilted completely, remove the cover and add the salt and cayenne. Stir and cook on high heat, uncovered, until most of the liquid has boiled away.
This belongs to a category of Bangladeshi foods known as bharats. Part relish and part vegetable dish, they add extra flavor to a meal. We are beginning to find peeled and seeded butternut squash in our supermarkets now, making this dish a snap to make. Those who cannot find it will need to use a peeler to get the skin off. I like to use mustard oil here, as it gives a very Bengali taste to the dish. If you have never used it, this might be a good time to try. Otherwise, use olive oil.
I love this with all pork dishes and at vegetarian meals with other vegetables, dal, and pooris (a deep-fried flatbread).
serves 4–5
3 tablespoons mustard or olive oil
A generous pinch of ground asafetida
½ teaspoon whole brown or yellow mustard seeds
4 cups (1¼ pounds) peeled and seeded butternut squash or pumpkin, cut into ¾–1-inch segments
¾–1 teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons sugar
⅛–¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon plain yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Pour the oil into a frying pan and set over medium heat. When hot, put in the asafetida and mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds start to pop, a matter of seconds, put in the squash. Stir and fry for about 3 minutes or until the pieces just start to brown. Add ¼ cup water, cover, turn heat to low, and cook about 10 minutes or until the squash is tender.
Put in the salt, sugar, cayenne, and yogurt. Stir and cook, uncovered, over medium heat, until the yogurt is absorbed and no longer visible. Sprinkle in the cilantro and stir a few times.
Here is a dish that takes about 10 minutes to prepare. It is ideally made when tomatoes are in season, but even second-rate, out-of-season tomatoes are given a new life by this very Gujarati mixture of seasonings.
It may be served at a meal with rice, a bean or split-pea dish, vegetables, and relishes. I also love a meal of this curry, Shrimp Biryani, and Spinach with Garlic and Cumin. If you are cooking Western-style grilled pork chops or chicken pieces, just slather this over the top. The combination is marvelous.
serves 4–6
3 tablespoons olive or canola oil
⅛ teaspoon ground asafetida
1 teaspoon whole black or yellow mustard seeds
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
2 pounds medium-sized tomatoes, quartered
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼–½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
Pour the oil into a frying pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the asafetida, mustard seeds, and cumin seeds in the order listed. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, a matter of seconds, put in the tomatoes. Stir once or twice and add the salt, turmeric, and cayenne. Stir and add 3 tablespoons water. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook on medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the sugar and ginger. Taste, and correct balance of seasonings, if needed. Cover and cook another 2–3 minutes.
I make this curry through the summer, whenever tomatoes overrun the vegetable garden, and then freeze some to last me through the winter.
This may be served as a vegetarian curry at an Indian meal or as a gloppy, spicy sauce to ladle over hamburgers, grilled fish, and baked or boiled potatoes.
serves 6 and makes about 4½ cups
3 pounds tomatoes, chopped (about 5 generous cups)
Salt
3 tablespoons olive or canola oil
A generous pinch of ground asafetida
2 teaspoons urad dal or yellow split peas
2 teaspoons whole brown or yellow mustard seeds
3 dried hot red chilies
15 fresh curry leaves (use 6 basil leaves, torn up, as a substitute)
1¼ pounds onions, chopped (about 3½ cups)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
Put the tomatoes and 1½ teaspoons salt in a bowl. Mix and set aside until tomatoes give off some liquid.
Pour the oil into a wide, heavy pan and set on medium-high heat. When hot put in the asafetida, urad dal, and mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, a matter of seconds, put in the red chilies and, a few seconds later, the curry leaves and onions. Stir and fry the onions for about 10 minutes or until they are translucent, turning the heat down if necessary so they do not brown. Add the garlic and ginger and stir a few times. Add the tomatoes and their liquid and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to medium and simmer vigorously for 35–40 minutes or until the sauce has thickened to a gloppy consistency. Check the salt. You might need to add up to ½ teaspoon more. Remove the whole chilies and serve hot or at room temperature, as preferred.
I have not measured out the spices in this recipe, since all you do is sprinkle them over the top. A little more, a little less hardly makes any difference.
Serve this with curries or grilled or baked meats.
serves 2–4
4 smallish zucchini, about 1 pound in all
4 tablespoons olive or canola oil
Lemon juice
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Cayenne pepper
Cut the zucchini into halves lengthways.
Pour the oil into a large frying pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the zucchini, skin side down, in a single layer. (Do two batches, if needed.) When the bottom is a reddish brown, turn the pieces over. Brown the second side the same way. Arrange in a single layer in a platter, cut side up. Squeeze some lemon juice over the top. Sprinkle some salt, lots of black pepper, some cumin, and cayenne over the top as well. Serve.
Here is how my family in India prepared our everyday summer squash. It was utterly simple and utterly good. The squash itself was different, shaped liked a bowling pin and slightly curled up, but the taste and texture were similar. I like to use yellow squash and zucchini together, but you could use just one or the other.
This dish may be served hot at most Indian meals, and cold as a salad.
serves 4–6
1½ pounds zucchini and yellow squash, combined (2 medium zucchini and 2 medium yellow squash)
4 tablespoons olive or canola oil
A generous pinch of ground asafetida
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 cup (6 ounces) finely chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Trim the ends of the zucchini and squash and quarter them lengthways. Now cut them crossways into 1-inch segments.
Pour the oil into a frying pan and set on medium heat. When hot, put in the asafetida and cumin seeds. Stir once and then put in the tomatoes. Stir and cook the tomatoes for about 2 minutes or until they have softened and then add all the cut vegetables. Stir and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the salt, cayenne, and ¼ cup water. Stir to mix, and bring to a simmer. Cover, turn heat to medium low, and cook, stirring once or twice, for 5–6 minutes or until vegetables are just done.
Even though this is called a white curry, it is slightly yellowish in color from the small amount of turmeric in it. In Sri Lanka, it is made with ridge gourd, which looks like a ridged, long, slightly curving cucumber, pointy at the ends. It is sold in Indian, Southeast Asian, and Chinese markets. If you can find it, peel it with a peeler, concentrating mostly on the high ridges, and then cut it crosswise into ¾-inch segments. It cooks in about 3 minutes. I have used zucchini instead because it is just as good and we can all get it easily.
Serve with rice and perhaps Stir-Fried Chettinad Chicken.
serves 4–6
4 medium-sized zucchini, about 1½ pounds total, trimmed, cut in half lengthways, and then cut crossways into ¾-inch segments
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
15 fresh curry leaves, lightly crushed in the palm, or 10 fresh basil leaves
½ teaspoon salt
1 medium shallot, peeled and cut into fine slivers
1¼ cups coconut milk from a well-shaken can
Combine all the ingredients in a very large frying pan or sauté pan and set over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer. Turn heat to medium and cook about 5 minutes, stirring and spooning the sauce over the zucchini.
Known as a vegetable kurma in the Tamil Nadu region, there are hundreds of versions of this dish throughout southeastern India. Its basic premise is very simple: you parboil diced vegetables—two vegetables or ten, whatever is in season—drain them, and then dress them with a coconut-yogurt mixture seasoned with spices such as mustard seeds and whole dried chilies. All vegetables are fair game—eggplants, zucchini, squashes, peas, carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, pumpkins.… The motto of this dish seems to be “What have you got? I can use it.” It is also quite delicious.
Grated fresh coconut is now sold in a frozen form at most South and Southeast Asian stores. If you wish to use unsweetened, desiccated coconut instead, soak 2½ tablespoons in warm water to barely cover, let that sit for an hour, and then proceed with the recipe.
In the South it is generally eaten at room temperature—balmy—with rice and legumes, but I often serve it in the summer, when my garden is at its most productive, as a salad/ vegetable dish that accompanies Indian or Western meats.
serves 4
Salt
2 medium carrots (about 6 ounces), peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
1 cup green beans (flat or rounded), cut into ½-inch segments
1 cup peas, fresh or frozen and defrosted
3 tablespoons grated fresh coconut (see note above)
6 tablespoons plain yogurt
¼–½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
½ teaspoon whole brown mustard seeds
¼ teaspoon skinned urad dal or yellow split peas
1 dried hot red chili
10–15 fresh curry leaves, or 6 basil leaves, torn up
Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a small pan. When boiling, add ½ teaspoon salt and the carrots, beans, and peas. Boil for about 3–4 minutes or until the vegetables are just tender. Drain and put in a bowl.
Combine the coconut, yogurt, cayenne, and ½ teaspoon salt, stirring well to make a sauce. Pour this over the vegetables. Do not mix yet.
Pour the oil into a small frying pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the mustard seeds, urad dal, and red chili. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, a matter of seconds, put in the curry leaves and then pour the oil and spices over the coconut-yogurt dressing. Now mix the vegetables gently with the dressing and spices, and serve warm or at room temperature.
