i am, indeed, indian.

indian from india.  dots not feathers.  aloo gobi not acorn mush.

i have failed in terms of this blog to bring my heritage into the mix.  so here it is, the first of many (inshallah) recipes for indian food, the many cuisines of my multi-ethnic people.  i know indian food can seem intimidating because it involves so many different spices, and a innate ability to time the adding of ingredients...but its more just a question of practice than talent.

some basics:

1) you need to stock some staples in your pantry before you can start attempting to cook indian.  the first is garam masala, which i've mentioned here before.  cumin seeds, as well as ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, indian chili powder (packs a bigger punch than its other ethnic counterparts), whole cloves, whole cardamom, whole mustard seeds.  having ground ginger around helps too, if you are too lazy to pick up fresh.

2) most north indian - specifically punjabi dry curries like the recipes that follow are made with the same set of spices, so learning how to make them is very much like learning how to make stir fry - and therefore easy.

3) have PLAIN yogurt around, it tempers the spices if you get carried away.  i also keep frozen layery indian flatbread - parathas they are called - in my freezer at all times, you can get these at any indian grocery store - but store-bought tortillas are an adequate substitute. oh and trader joes tandoori masala naan ain't so bad.

4) necessary fresh ingredients: serrano chilies (or fresh jalapeño if your a wuss), cilantro, ginger.

5) relax. its not scary, i promise.

and now...taNA NA NA! the easy guide to making an entire vegetarian indian meal!!

clockwise from the top: benghan bhartha, methi paratha, jeera chaval, saag aloo

benghan bhartha

oven-roasted eggplant curry - serves 3

ingredients

1 large italian eggplant

1 medium sized onion, quartered

1 roma tomatoes, small diced, seeds removed

1/2 inch knob of ginger, diced finely

2 whole cloves

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tbsp ground cumin 

1/2 tbsp ground coriander 

1/2 tbsp indian chili powder

2 tsp lemon/lime juice

handful of chopped cilantro

salt and sugar to taste

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees.  wash eggplant and cut into quarters.  place on lightly greased cookie sheet and add 2 tbsp of water to the pan.  roast eggplant in oven for 20-30 minutes until very tender.  after eggplant is cooled, chop into small dice and put aside.

2. add the onion, ginger, turmeric and cloves to a blender or small food processor and grind to a paste.

3. heat 1 tbsp of oil (vegetable or olive will do here) in a large skillet pan.  add the paste and fry or 5 minutes until it sizzles.  add the ground cumin, ground coriander, and chili powder and fry for another 5 minutes.

4. add the tomatoes, and simmer until mushy - about 8 minutes.

5. add eggplant with 2 tbsp of water and simmer until eggplant is mushy.  add salt, sugar, lemon juice, and more chili powder in necessary.  garnish with cilantro.

saag aloo

spinach and potato curry - serves 3

ingredients

4 small boiling potatoes, cleaned and peeled

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 roma tomatoes, pureed in a food processor/blender

1/2 lb fresh and frozen spinach - if fresh roughly chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 inch piece ginger, minced

1/2 tsp turmeric

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1 tbsp garam masala

salt and sugar to taste

1/2 tbsp lemon juice

1 handful chopped cilantro

1. add the potatoes to boiling water and let then cook for 5 minutes.  remove and cut in quarters. set aside.

2. fry the onion in a large sautee pan with the garlic and ginger for 2-4 minutes.  add the garam masala and cumin.

3. add the tomato puree and cook for another 5-6 minutes.  then add the spinach and potatoes, the chili powder, salt, sugar and lemon juice.  cook until potatoes are tender.  garnish with cilantro.

jeera chaval

cumin spiced rice - serves 3

ingredients

1 cup uncooked basmati rice

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tbsp butter

1. melt butter in a small sauce pan and add the cumin.  toast cumin until fragrant and add the rice.

2. add turmeric and toast rice in butter and cumin mixture until grains are white but not translucent.

3. add 1.5 cups of water to the pot and bring to a boil.  reduce the heat and simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding water to the pan if the rice dries out.  the rice should be cooked through without the grains sticking to each other.

relax! relax! it's easy.  try it and let me know how you fare.  it's worth the price!

get it? fare; price. oh i'm a comic genius.