a (north) indian feast

sorry 'bout the lighting again... was dinnertime!

Hello!

Went to Politics and Prose yesterday - really cute independent coffeeshop/bookstore in Chevy Chase that has delicious coffee and nice pastries from Patisserie Poupon - which I've never been to but is supposed to be excellent. Also made heaps of dumplings a la my gramma, which I will share sometime soon...

But really what I have to share first is the Indian meal I made a few nights ago. Once upon a time, it was snowing really hard in Maryland and I had nothing to do but buy a bunch of spices and try making some Indian food. Thanks to a Patel Brothers shop and Madhur Jaffrey and a bunch of other cooking sites, I bought all sorts of things I had never used before. 

Needless to say, this was, um, a while ago - I won't say when because then my foodie friends will be horrified to know that I'm still using the same spices. At any rate, I've found the secret, since I like mine spicy - don't buy your garam masala or pre-ground spices. Just make it fresh every time in your coffee grinder. Then wipe with a damp paper towel. Very well. Because garam masala with a slight coffee flavor might be OK, but garam masala-flavored coffee just hasn't made it on my top 5 list yet. However - if you don't have a coffee grinder, just buy some fresh high quality garam - it's usually fairly inexpensive.

Oh and a last note - this is the first time I've ever made Tikka Masala - I'm more of a spicy, Rogan Josh kind of girl, but what is with the broth-injected chicken?! Look at the chicken breast you buy from really any grocer. How can this be?!

garam masala

 

This is clearly the first step. Grind or mix already ground:

• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cardamom
• 1 1/2 teaspoons peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves

Or just buy some. Then, chop all your onions for the following recipes (it will speed things up in the end - I promise!) Don't forget the rice/naan... basmati really can't be substituted with other rice, in my humble opinion, but use what you've got in a pinch.

chicken tikka masala

•  2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts 
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric 
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
•  2 teaspoons kosher salt 
• 1⁄4 cup yogurt/Greek yogurt 
• 5-7 cloves garlic
• 2" piece ginger, peeled 
• 1 jalapeño 
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 
• 1 teaspoon whole coriander (or 1 tsp garam)
• 1/2 teaspoon whole cumin (or 1 tsp garam)
•  1 tbsp. paprika 
• 2 medium onions, chopped finely (or 1 - and cook it to death)
• One 28-oz can tomatoes, pureed (I usually just puree whole ones at home - remember my 6lb can?!) 
• 1/2 cup-1 cup heavy cream 
• 1 tablespoon garam masala 
• cilantro!

1.  Sprinkle the chicken breasts with the spices and salt, put in the fridge for 30 min-4 hours. To cook: brush with yogurt and broil until browned almost cooked through (but not overcooked - it will cook a bit more in the sauce), 6-7 minutes on each side. Alternatively, you can just bake at 400 for 15 minutes or so. Set aside to rest before cutting into 1" cubes.

2. Blend garlic, ginger, and jalapeno with 1/2 cup of water.

3. Heat butter in a pot over medium-high heat. Add coriander and cumin and toast 4–6 minutes. Add paprika and onions; cook until VERY soft, 6–8 minutes. Add blender stuff and brown for 5–6 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in cream, boil. Reduce heat; simmer until thickened, 6–8 minutes. Add water if it's too thick. Stir in chicken but keep at a low simmer. TASTE IT and add salt and more garam masala. Garnish with cilantro.

chana masala (Kenji/Serious Eats)

4 medium cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 (1-inch) knob ginger, peeled, roughly chopped
1 to 6 green Thai chilies (to taste), roughly chopped
2 tablespoons (30ml) juice from 1 lemon, divided
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil or ghee
2 teaspoons (8g) black mustard seed
1 teaspoon (4g) whole cumin seed
1 large onion, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups; 300g)
1/4 teaspoon (1g) baking soda
2 teaspoons (8g) ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon (2g) freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon (2g) ground turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons (6g) store-bought or homemade garam masala, divided
1 (14-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
2 (14-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped (1 ounce; 25g)

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Directions
1.
Combine garlic, ginger, chilies, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a mortar and pestle or in the small work bowl of a food processor and pound or process until a fine paste is produced. Set aside.

2.
Heat oil or ghee in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. All at once, add mustard seed and cumin. They will sputter and spit for a few seconds. As soon as they are aromatic (about 15 seconds), add onion all at once, along with baking soda. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions start to leave a brown coating on bottom of pan, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon water, scrape up browned bits from pan, and continue cooking. Repeat this process until onions are a deep brown, about 10 minutes total.

3.

Immediately add garlic/ginger/chili paste all at once and stir to combine. Add coriander, black pepper, turmeric, and 1 teaspoon garam masala. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and crush them using a whisk or potato masher. Add drained, rinsed chickpeas and cilantro, reserving a little cilantro for garnish. Add 1/2 cup water.

chana masala (spicy tangy chickpeas)

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 
• 2 medium onions, chopped 
• 2 tablespoons garam masala 
• 1 teaspoon ground cayenne, more to taste (or obviously less if you don't like heat) 
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  
• 1/2 cup canned tomatoes
•  4 cups cooked chickpeas or 28 oz can chickpeas, rinsed/drained 
• 2 teaspoons ground roasted cumin seeds (put in a dry skillet for a couple of minutes and then grind) 
• 2 teaspoons paprika 
• 1 teaspoon garam masala 
• 1 lemon
  
• 1" fresh ginger 
• 5 cloves garlic
•  1 jalapeno pepper 

Cook onions in oil until soft. 

Add garam masala, cayenne and turmeric, and stir. 

Add the tomatoes and crush a bit with your spoon for a few minutes. 

Add 1/2 cup water, chickpeas, cumin, paprika, cumin, and squeeze the lemon juice in. Cover and let simmer 10 minutes. 

Meanwhile, blend the ginger and garlic with another 1/2 cup water. Chop the japaleno (but throw it in the blender if you're feeling particularly lazy) and add to chickpeas. Simmer, uncovered about 10 minutes or until thickened. Taste it and add salt. Serve with yogurt especially if it's spicy!

  

rogan josh

(very close to Madhur Jaffrey's recipe)

•  1" fresh ginger
•  5 cloves garlic

• oil
• 2 1/2 lbs meat cut into 1" chunks  
• (I used beef shoulder, but of course usually it's lamb shoulder. I'm sure you can sub in pork shoulder or chicken thighs, but it's important that you use shoulder/thighs.)

• 2 cinnamon sticks 
• 10 cardamom pods
• 6 cloves
• 10 peppercorn
• 2 bay leaves
• (or 1-2 tablespoons fresh garam masala)

• 3-4 medium onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• (or another tablespoon fresh garam masala)
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1-2 teaspoons cayenne
• 1 teaspoon salt

• 6 tablespoons yogurt

Blend the ginger and garlic with 1/2 cup water (sensing a pattern here? do it all at once to save time). 

Brown the meat in a heavy pot - don't overcrowd or it will steam and not brown. It should take a few batches. Take the last bit of meat out of the pot, and add a little more oil if necessary.

Add the whole herbs if you're using them and stir-fry until the cloves and cinnamon blooms a little. If you don't want the whole herb experience in your mouth (cooked cardamom pods are not particularly pleasant) then just go with the garam masala. Don't let it burn! Add the onions and cook about 5 minutes, till soft, then add the meat and the blended ginger/garlic. 

Add the ground coriander, cumin, or garam masala, the paprika, cayenne, and salt. Stir to combine. Add the yogurt, a tablespoon at a time, and a cup of water. Bring to a simmer, and cook 2 hours, covered. Open and let some of the liquid boil off, add 1/2 teaspoon of garam masala and taste. Add salt as needed!

Wait this is her other recipe:

Madhur Jaffrey’s Rogan Josh

From Foolproof Indian Cookery

Serves 4-6

5cm (2 inch) piece of fresh root ginger, chopped

7 garlic cloves, chopped

6 tbsp olive or groundnut oil

10 cardamom pods

2 bay leaves

2½cm (1 inch) piece of cinnamon stick

2lb (900g) boneless lamb from the shoulder, or beef cut into 2½-4cm (1-1½ inch) cubes

7oz (200g) onions, finely chopped

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1½ tbsp sweet, bright-red paprika

2 tsp tomato purée

1¼ tsp salt

10fl oz (300ml) water

Drop the ginger and garlic into a food processor or blender, add four tablespoons of water and blend to a paste.

Put the oil into a wide pan, preferably non-stick, and set it over a medium-high heat.

When it is hot, put in the cardamom pods, bay leaves and cinnamon stick.

Quickly put in the lamb pieces – only as many as the pan will hold easily in a single layer and brown on all sides.

Remove with a slotted spoon and put in a bowl. Brown the remaining meat in the same way.

Add the onions to the oil left in the pan. Cook, stirring, until they turn brown at the edges.

Add the paste from the blender and stir for 30 seconds. Add the cumin, coriander, cayenne and paprika, stir once and then add the tomato purée.

Stir for 10 seconds.

Add the meat and any whole spices that are still clinging to it, plus the salt and water. Stir well and bring to the boil.

Cover the pan, turn the heat to low and simmer gently for 1 hour or until the meat is tender.

If using beef, cook for 1½ hours rather than 1 hour.

with rice and roast cauliflower w/ cumin