Recipes for a taste of India

Rocky Mountain News

Published July 8, 2008 at 3 p.m.

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Photo by Ellen Jaskol / The Rocky

A dessert plate and chai tea from India's restaurant in Tamarac Square.

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As with most cuisines, experienced Indian cooks add a pinch of this and a dash of that to get the right taste, and so it is with India's restaurant. The recipes below are similar to the dishes served at India's but taken from cookbooks already adapted for the home cook.

Sweet Lassi

Serves 4

3 cups plain (full- or reduced-fat) yogurt

1/2 cup cold water

Pinch of salt

1/4 cup sugar or to taste

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 cup canned mango pulp or pureed mango from 2 mangoes

* Combine ingredients in a blender with crushed ice (20 cubes); taste for sugar; serve in tall glasses.

- Mangoes & Curry Leaves

Nutritional information per serving: 193 cal., 6 g fat (4 g sat.), 24 mg chol., 30 g carb., 6 g pro., 0 fiber, 88 mg sodium

Gita's Luchis

Makes 16

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ghee or vegetable oil

About 1 cup lukewarm water

About 2 cups peanut oil for deep-frying

* To make the dough using a food processor, place the flour and salt in the processor, add the ghee or oil and process to blend in.

* With the machine running, slowly pour the water through the feed tube: A ball of dough will form. Process for 15 seconds more, then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until smooth and silky.

* Cover the dough and let rest for 30 minutes, or as long as 2 hours. Working on a lightly floured surface, cut the dough in half, then cut each half into eight pieces. Roll each one under your palm into a ball.

* Keep the remainder covered as you flatten two of the balls and then roll them out to thin rounds about 4 inches in diameter. Place on a lightly floured baking sheet or counter and cover with plastic wrap.

* Repeat with remaining dough, until you have 16 shaped breads.

* Set out two paper towel-lined plates and a slotted spoon by your stove top. Set up a stable wok or other deep-frying arrangement on the stove. Add enough peanut oil to fill it 2 inches deep, and heat until almost smoking.

* Gently slide in one bread: It will sink and then immediately rise to the surface. Use the slotted spoon to press down on it lightly several times. It will puff up and turn golden.

* Lift it out of the oil onto a paper towel-lined plate and repeat, cooking two or three breads at a time in the hot oil.

- Mangoes & Curry Leaves

Nutritional information per serving, not including oil for frying: 245 cal., 3 g fat (0 sat.), 0 chol., 46 g carb., 6 g pro., 2 g fiber, 1,260 mg sodium

Sweet and Sour Lentils, Bengali Dal

Serves 4

1 2/3 cups split gram lentils (chana dal)

1 teaspoon turmeric

Salt, to taste

2 teaspoons sugar

3 tablespoons sunflower oil

2 tablespoons panch phoron (mix equal quantities of cumin seeds, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, black mustard seeds and nigella seeds)

4 dried red chiles, seeded, crumbled

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons mango powder (lemon or lime juice can be substituted)

1 tablespoon raisins

* Simmer lentils in about 3 cups of hot water until soft and mushy. Add water as necessary to get a thick consistency, then stir in the turmeric, salt and sugar. Blend well.

* Heat the oil in a small pan and add the panch phoron. When it crackles, add the red chiles, bay leaves, mango powder and raisins.

* Reduce the heat and pour the oil and the spices over the lentils.

* Add water if needed to adjust the consistency to that of a thick soup. * Bring to a boil once. Serve hot.

- India's Vegetarian Cooking

Nutritional information per serving: 371 cal., 11 g fat (1 g sat.), 0 chol., 48 g carb., 19 g pro., 23 g fiber, 4 mg sodium

Silky Eggplant Mash With Potatoes

Serves 4

1 large eggplant

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon ginger/garlic paste (mash together ginger and garlic to make a paste)

1 fresh small green chile, chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon ground coriander

2 medium potatoes, peeled, boiled and cubed

Salt, to taste

Chopped cilantro leaves for garnish, optional

* Cut eggplant into thick slices and place in a heavy pan with enough water to cover slices.

* Cover. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, reducing the heat when water begins to boil. Drain eggplant.

* Mash the flesh and the skin of the eggplant with a fork. Set aside.

* Heat the oil in a saucepan or wok and fry the cumin seeds until they change color, then add the onion and fry it until softened.

* Add ginger-garlic paste and the chile and fry for 1 minute. Then stir in tomato paste and the remaining spices, and cook until well-blended.

* Season with salt, and stir in the mashed eggplant. Mix well and fold in the potatoes before serving, sprinkled with the cilantro leaves and a wedge of lemon, if you like.

- India's Vegetarian Cooking

Nutritional information per serving: 177 cal., 7 g fat (1 g sat.), 0 chol., 27 g carb., 3 g pro., 6 g fiber, 80 mg sodium

Indian Rice Pudding, Chaaval Ki Kheer

Serves 4

3/4 cup basmati rice

2 1/2 cups whole milk

1/4 cup ground almonds

2/3 cup evaporated milk

Sugar, to taste

2 tablespoons chopped pistachios

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

* Bring rice to a boil with milk in a heavy pan. Let simmer for 1 hour or until mushy. Mash rice roughly with a whisk while still on the burner.

* Blend the ground almonds into the evaporated milk and add to the rice. Stir until thick and creamy. Add the sugar and pistachios.

* Sprinkle ground cardamom over it. Stir well.

* Serve chilled or warm.

- India's Vegetarian Cooking

Nutritional information per serving: 318 cal., 12 g fat (5 g sat.), 26 mg chol., 40 g carb., 11 g pro., 1 g fiber, 101 mg sodium

Curried Chickpeas

Serves 4

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

Salt, to taste

1 (15-ounce) can black or white chickpeas, drained

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Cilantro leaves, chopped

* Mix all the spice powders with about 1/4 cup of water and set aside. Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan.

* Reduce the heat, stand back and pour in the spice liquid.

* Let it sizzle for a minute or so, and add the salt and the chickpeas.

* Pour in about 2/3 cup of hot water and bring to a boil.

* Simmer for a couple of minutes, crushing a few of the chickpeas with the back of the spoon to thicken the sauce. This should be fairly liquid but still have some consistency.

* Remove from the heat and serve hot, sprinkled with the lemon juice and cilantro.

- India's Vegetarian Cooking

Nutritional information per serving: 191 cal., 8 g fat (1 g sat.), 0 chol., 24 g carb., 5 g pro., 5 g fiber, 319 mg sodium

Chicken Biryani

Serves 6

1 pound boneless chicken breasts or thighs, or a mixture

2 teaspoons garlic mashed to a paste

1 teaspoon ginger mashed to a paste

1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon garam masala

1/2 cup plain yogurt

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups basmati rice

3 medium-large onions

3/4 cup vegetable oil or ghee (clarified butter, at specialty groceries), or a blend

1 cup minced cilantro

About 2 tablespoons water

* Chop chicken into 1-inch cubes. Add garlic, ginger, coriander, cayenne, turmeric, garam masala, yogurt and 1 teaspoon salt and stir to mix until chicken is well-coated. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours.

* Wash rice thoroughly in several changes of cool water. Add cold water to cover; set aside to soak 30 minutes.

* About 1 1/2 hours before serving, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

* Slice onions finely. Place a large, heavy ovenproof pot with a heavy, tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. Add the oil and ghee; when hot, add onions.

* Lower the heat to medium. Cook until the onions are very soft and touched with golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Lift the onions out of the hot oil and set aside.

* About 1/2 cup oil should be left in the pot; leave 1/4 cup oil in the pot, and pour the remaining 1/4 cup into a heat-proof bowl and set aside.

* While the onions are cooking, precook the soaked rice: Place about 8 cups water in a large pot and bring to a boil.

* Add the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and when the water returns to a boil, add the rice. Bring the water back to a boil and cook until the rice is no longer brittle but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes.

* Drain in a colander and set aside.

* Place the pot with the oil over medium-high heat. Lightly grease the rim of the pot. Distribute half the chicken in the pot, then sprinkle on half the rice.

* Strew half the onions over all, then half the cilantro leaves. Repeat with chicken, rice and so on. Sprinkle on 2 tablespoons water; drizzle on reserved 1/4 cup oil.

* Lay foil over the top of the pot, covering it completely, then top with the lid. Bake in the oven for 1 hour. Remove the lid.

* Turn out biryani onto a platter. The crusted rice and chicken on the bottom is considered a treat. Serve hot or warm.

- Mangoes & Curry Leaves

Nutritional information per serving: 584 cal., 29 g fat (3 g sat.), 49 mg chol., 57 g carb., 23 g pro., 1 g fiber, 1,180 mg sodium

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