KITCHEN TABLE
NICE AND EASY!
Vijaya Selvaraju unlocks the secrets to simple, flavour-filled Indian cooking with 100 recipes that anyone can make any night of the week in Indian Food Is Easy (Appetite, $37.50).
NACHO CHAAT
Image credit: Indian Food Is Easy by Vijaya Selvaraju.
1 large russet potato
2¼ tbsp chaat masala, divided
1½ tsp cayenne chili powder, divided
Juice of ½ lemon
Kosher salt
½ cup plain yogurt
1 tbsp sugar
4 cups tortilla chips
½ cup 4-Ingredient Tamarind Chutney*
½ cup Mint Coriander Chutney*
½ cup finely diced red onion
¼ cup finely diced cucumber
¼ cup pomegranate seeds
1 thinly sliced jalapeño pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
Place the potato in a medium pot and cover with cold water. Bring the water to a boil and cook until the potato is fork tender. Drain the potato and allow it to cool until it’s easy to handle, then peel and chop into small cubes.
To a large bowl, add the potatoes. 2 tbsp chaat masala, 1 tsp chili powder, lemon juice, and salt to taste. Mix until the potatoes are well coated.
In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt and sugar.
To assemble, spread the tortilla chips on a large serving plate. Distribute the spiced potatoes evenly over the chips, and top with the sweetened yogurt.
Drizzle the tamarind chutney and mint chutney overtop, and garnish with the red onion, cucumber, pomegranate seeds, jalapeño, and fresh coriander. Lastly, sprinkle on the remaining ¼ tbsp chaat masala and ½ tsp chili powder.
*4-INGREDIENT TAMARIND CHUTNEY
Image credit: Indian Food Is Easy by Vijaya Selvaraju.
¼ cup seedless tamarind pulp
1½ cups boiling water, divided
1 cup finely chopped or powdered jaggery or ½ cup brown sugar
3 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
Kosher salt
Add the tamarind to a small bowl and top with ½ cup of the boiling water. Soak for 20 minutes. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Add the remaining 1 cup boiling water and blend again. Strain the mixture into a bowl through a fine mesh sieve, discarding any pulp or fibers left behind.
Transfer the strained tamarind juice to a small saucepan and add the jaggery, cumin, chili powder, and salt to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until the chutney takes on a deep brown color and thickens slightly. Transfer to a container and cool completely.
Serve with your favorite Indian snacks or appetizers. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.
MINT CORIANDER CHUTNEY
Image credit: Indian Food Is Easy by Vijaya Selvaraju.
1 cup fresh coriander (cilantro)
1 cup fresh mint leaves
½ cup chopped sweet white onion
4 Thai green chilis
Juice of 1 lemon
Kosher salt
Add the fresh coriander, mint, onion, chilis, and lemon juice to a small blender. Season with salt to taste. Blend until smooth.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
TAMARIND FISH CURRY
Image credit: Indian Food Is Easy by Vijaya Selvaraju.
2 tbsp seedless tamarind pulp
½ cup boiling water
3 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
5 shallots, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp curry leaves (optional)
½ tbsp Kashmiri chili powder
½ tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground fennel seed
I cup strained tomato sauce (passata)
2 cups water
Kosher salt
2 lb (900 g) firm-fleshed fish steaks (mackerel, snapper, whiting, king fish, blue fish)
To a small bowl, add the tamarind and top with the boiling water. Soak for 5 minutes. When cool enough to handle, massage the tamarind to release its pulp into the water. Strain the water into a bowl, discarding any fibers or seeds left behind.
To a large pot or Dutch oven on medium heat, add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the fenugreek seeds and toast for 15 to 20 seconds. Add the shallots, garlic, and curry leaves, and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, or until softened and translucent.
Add the chili powder, ground coriander, and fennel seeds. Toast the spices for 15 to 30 seconds or until fragrant. Pour in the tomato sauce and cook for 10 to 12 minutes on medium-high heat or until the tomatoes reduce by at least half and the fats in the pan begin to sizzle along the edges of the tomato sauce.
Add the water, tamarind water, and salt to taste. Bring to a boil. Gently lower in the fish, and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish, or until opaque and firm.
Serve over hot rice.
JAGGERY APPLE BLOSSOMS
Image credit: Indian Food Is Easy by Vijaya Selvaraju.
6 cups peeled and chopped apples (I like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith)
½ cup powdered jaggery
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground ginger
1 package (454 g thawed phyllo dough
1 cup melted salted butter
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and arrange 2 oven racks toward the middle of the oven
Add the apples, jaggery, granulated sugar, cardamom, and ginger to a large bowl. Mix to combine.
Layer 3 pieces of phyllo dough, brushing the melted butter between each layer. Place 1 cup of the apple mixture in the center of the dough and pull the pastry up toward the middle, pinching to close.
Repeat the process with the remaining phyllo and apple mixture making 6 apple blossoms in total
Place 3 apple blossoms on each prepared baking sheet and place each tray on a separate rack in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, rotating the trays from the upper to lower position and vice versa halfway through baking, until the phyllo is crispy and golden brown
Transfer to a plate and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.
Indian Food Is Easy by Vijaya Selvaraju is published by Appetite, $37.50.