Indian food? | Imamother

yaeli83

Thu, Nov 19 2009, 1:18 am

we try to make shabbos food themes every shabbos, and this week DH requested Indian food. I dont know anything about Indian food! But I thought it might be nice, also in honor of the victims of Mumbai.

does anyone have any recipes or ideas of what I can make. Its just me and DH and only for friday night.

thanks!

Raspberry

Thu, Nov 19 2009, 2:21 am

These are 2 recipes from a friend of mine... I haven't made either, but knowing her, I bet they're amazing.

Tandoori chicken is a classic Indian dish, and the perfect introduction for those new to Indian cuisine. The tandoor, for which the dish is named, is the traditional clay oven in which this crimson-coloured chicken is roasted - at home, a barbecue is the closest you can get to replicating the effects of the tandoor. In India, tandoori marinade is typically prepared with yogurt, which helps to tenderize the meat. My father’s kosher version substitutes pureed onion, which creates a tremendously flavourful and pungent sauce. Don't worry if you can't handle "spicy" foods - the heat level can be adjusted to your taste, simply by adjusting the amount of cayenne pepper, as the tandoori spice itself, though fiery red, is not spicy.

You will need:

3 to 4 lbs skinless chicken thighs
1 large onion
4 cloves garlic, peeled
3 tsp minced fresh ginger
¼ -1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp tandoori spice*
4 tbsp lemon juice (preferably fresh)
½ c. vegetable oil (not olive)
lemon wedges, to garnish

Throw everything except for the chicken and the lemon wedges into a food processor and whiz until smooth. Taste the marinade - you may want to adjust the seasonings, adding a little more of this or of that, according to your taste. Marinate the chicken in this mixture at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight, in your refrigerator. (If you're trying this with salmon, don't let the fish sit longer than 4-5 hours in the marinade, as the acid in the lemon juice will "cook" the fish for you.)

Heat your grill, and oil it lightly. Shake the excess sauce off the chicken and grill on medium-high heat, about 10 minutes per side, or until juices run clear when pierced with a fork. Alternately, if you’d like to bake it, do so in a 400°F oven, sauce and all, for about 20 minutes, turning once. The sauce you’ll have left in the baking pan is insanely delicious over plain basmati rice. Either way, serve the chicken with basmati rice and, if you’d like to get fancy, with a wedge of lemon.

Serves 4

© Shaby Heltay, 2008

Chickpea & Potato Curry

You will need:

1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
2 yellow-fleshed potatoes, peeled & diced (preferably Yukon Gold)
2 cups water
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1½ tsp chopped fresh ginger
1 tbsp Garam masala (available at Indian groceries)
½ tsp cumin
1 tsp mustard seeds (or ½ tsp mustard, in a pinch)
1 tsp curry powder
2 tbsp tomato paste
½ teaspoon salt
1-3 green chilies, chopped (or, alternatively, 1-2 tsp dried chili flakes)
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp chopped cilantro (optional)

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onions and cook over medium heat, until the onions are soft and golden. Add all of the spices, ginger, garlic and salt. Stir-fry the mixture for a minute.

Add the potatoes and 1 cup water, and let the potatoes cook for 10 minutes or so. When they look about done, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, lemon juice, chickpeas, and green chilies, and allow them to cook together for about a minute.

Add the other cup of water and simmer the mixture until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Serve over basmati rice and with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro, if you like.

Makes 6 servings, as part of a meal

© Shaby Heltay, 2008

pinktichel

Thu, Nov 19 2009, 2:30 am

I have recipes, but too many to post here. Let me know if there's any specific one you want from the following:

Red Lentil Dal
Raita (cucumber/yogurt dip- I made it pareve)
Indian Curry
Vegetarian Curry
Kheer (rice pudding)
Apricot Peach Chutney
Pilau Rice
Samosas
Indian Carrot Soup

yaeli83

Thu, Nov 19 2009, 2:32 am

Thanks! those sound good. I forgot to mention that I am in Israel so there is no indian grocery store for me to get to... some of those spices I also wont be able to get, but Ill see if there is anything I can substitute.

Ilovechoumous

Thu, Nov 19 2009, 5:10 am

please include chicken and vegetable curries, and the red lentil dal.

love indian food.

btw, ive seen garam masala and curry at the super.

yaeli83

Thu, Nov 19 2009, 7:34 am

I couldnt find curry here! so dissapointing, does anyone have other ideas of substitute spices??

BeershevaBubby

Thu, Nov 19 2009, 7:42 am

Pereg has curry powder.

pinktichel

Thu, Nov 19 2009, 8:00 am

ILoveChoumous:

Warm Red-Lentil Dal (amazing with any bread but we had naan and chipati)

1 lb. red lentils, picked over and rinsed
30 oz. water with chicken boullion dissolved inside
2 c. water
1 tsp. turmeric
4 tbsp. unsalted margarine
8 garlic cloves, minced
2 ½ teaspoons cumin seeds
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 large tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
½ c. fresh mint, finely chopped
1 tsp. coarse salt

In a medium saucepan, combine lentils, broth, water, and turmeric. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt margarine in a small saucepan; add garlic, cumin seeds, and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 3 minutes.

Remove the lentils from the heat, and stir in the garlic mixture, diced tomatoes, mint, and salt. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Easiest Indian Curry

1 lb. long grain rice
2 lbs. chicken breast, cut into small strips
4 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 medium onions, minced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tbsp. curry powder
2 tsp. ground ginger
6 c. tomato sauce
4 (15 oz ) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice

Cook rice according to package directions. Set aside.

Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is tender, 4-6 minutes. Add chicken pieces, cooking until cooked through. Add curry powder and ginger; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add tomato sauce, chickpeas and 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 8-10 minutes. Stir in lime juice; season with salt and pepper.

Serve over rice.

South Indian Vegetable Curry

2 large onions, cut into 1-inch chunks
6 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 4-inch-long, 1-inch diameter piece fresh ginger, peeled (about 4 oz)
6 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tbsp. garam masla
4 tbsp. ground cumin
1 serrano chile, seeded, chopped
4 tbsp. tomato paste
6 c. vegetable broth
4 tbsp. packed brown sugar
4 green cardamom pods
2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
24 oz. russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 large carrots, peeled, cut into ½-inch rounds
4 tomatoes, cored, chopped
2 tsp. salt
8 oz. baby spinach leaves (optional)
4 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Puree first seven ingredients in processor until past forms. Cook in large pot over medium heat until aromatic, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add tomato paste. Cook until mixture starts to darken and brown, stirring often, about 5 minutes longer.

Add broth, brown sugar, and cardamom. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring often and scraping up browned bits. (Can be done 2 days ahead. Cool, cover, and chill. Bring to simmer before continuing)

Add sweet potatoes, russet potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, 2 tsp. salt, and ½ tsp. pepper to mixture in pot. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium low. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Add spinach (if desired), and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Discard cardamom. Serve with basmati or jasmine rice.

Raisin

Thu, Nov 19 2009, 8:44 am

yaeli83 wrote:

I couldnt find curry here! so dissapointing, does anyone have other ideas of substitute spices??

curry powder is actually a mix of other spices. here is a recipe but if you google you will find loads of recipes.

Ingredients

* 3 tablespoons coriander seeds
* 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
* 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
* 2 tablespoons turmeric
* 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
* 2-1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
* 8 pods cardamom seeds
* 8 cloves
* 1-1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1-1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
* 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Directions

1. In a bowl combine all ingredients.
2. Spread out on a jelly roll pan and toast in preheated 250 oven for 20 minutes.
3. Let cool to room temperature.
4. Pulverize spice mixture in batches with coffee grinder and strain through a sieve into a bowl.
5. The curry powder will keep six months in a tightly sealed jar in a cool dark place.
6. Use to season soups and stews.

yaeli83

Thu, Nov 19 2009, 8:57 am

hmmm thanks... maybe Ill try to find some of those spices and make my own.
Ive seen tumeric and cummin... I don't live in Yerushalayim, but Ive been told that you can get everything at the shuk.

BeershevaBubby

Thu, Nov 19 2009, 9:31 am

Pereg is sold in supermarkets and they have branches in the shuk in Petach Tikvah and Jerusalem (and possibly others but I've been to these two).

daisy

Thu, Nov 19 2009, 9:42 am

for those in America, McCormick makes garam masala with an O-U. I bought some at Walmart recently.

Thanks all for posting the recipes!

DefyGravity

Thu, Nov 19 2009, 9:46 am

I bought it in Wal-Mart recently also!

Mrs Bissli

Thu, Nov 19 2009, 10:25 am

The minimum basic you'll need is steamed basmati rice, dahl, and some other kinds of curry.
Alternatively, you can make one-pot biryani which is seasoned rice cooked with chicken (pieces with bones), green peas, some veggies.

For basmati rice, you need to rinse the rice several times to get rid of starch and soak in water for at least 20min. Add rice and water (amount is 1.5x volume of rice), a few cardamon pod and a short cinnamon stick in a pot with a tight fitting lid. Cook over medium heat till water boils, then cover the lid and reduce the flame to the lowest, let steam/cook for 15-20min in total. Turn off heat and let steam for another 5min or so. Lift the lid and fluff the grain.

Here's my lentil dahl recipe
http://imamother.com/forum/vie.....87922

You'll also need indian bread like naan or chapati (you use them for dipping/scooping curry, which is quite liquidy). The easy cheat is to schmear a bit of margarin on pita bread (or laffa), then broil it till it's browned a bit on the top. Wrap in a foil and keep it warm.

It's definitely easier if you can get hold of curry powder or garam masala. If you can't really find them, you can mix turmeric, TOASTED cumin, ground ginger, ground fenugreek.

A bit patchke but potato and pea samosas or ground lamb samosa can be made with springroll or wonton pastry.

chocolate moose

Thu, Nov 19 2009, 10:36 am

yaeli83 wrote:

irc they were American.

ra_mom

Thu, Nov 19 2009, 11:28 am

I make my own delishes and easy Indian curry powder.

1 part ground turmeric
1 part ground cumin
1 part ground fenugreek powder
1/2 part ground mustard
1/2 part ground cayenne pepper

Combine in a jar. Shake very well until totally mixed.

If you like your curry more spicy, you can use 1 part pepper (any combination, doesn't have to be only cayenne) instead of the 1/2 part mustard- 1/2 part pepper.

Meema2Kids

Thu, Nov 19 2009, 12:37 pm

Yum! These recipes sound so good. Thanks everyone for sharing!!

sympa

Thu, Nov 19 2009, 7:13 pm

we got curry from rami levi today.
haha - we're also doing indian for the first time this week. Nothing to do with the yartzheit, though. The chicken recipe was from Kosher By Design - Lighten Up. Smelled good, though haven't tried it.

yaeli83

Fri, Nov 20 2009, 1:19 am

I know they are from America, we just happend to want indian food this week. It just happens to be the yartzhiet as well.

Thanks everyone for the recipes.

Raisin

Fri, Nov 20 2009, 6:05 am

dahl is great for this weeks parsha as well - lentils.