Indian spices can add pizzaz to pasta and burger.
"The more you experiment, the more you are able to tailor the food exactly and enjoy the food."
Madhur Jaffrey, cooking expert and restaurant owner
"There are subtle differences (between the American and the Indian-raised palates). . . If we invade somebody's mouth, we should be very careful. Go little by little."
Julie Sahni, author of "Savoring Spices and Herbs: Recipe Secrets of Flavor, Aroma and Color."
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Paneer: the real or the ersatz? Real paneer, a close cousin of farmer cheese or pot cheese, is made with whole cow's or buffalo's milk and curdled with lemon juice or with any other souring agent. Because paneer is pressed until its texture is firm like that of tofu, the latter can serve as a substitute. However, the real one is distinctly more flavorful. Here is a method to make paneer: 1. Bring the milk to the barest boil, then add the live yogurt with a pinch of salt and the citrus juice. Boil for 7-10 minutes. The milk will curdle and separate. Remove from heat and cool.2. Place a large strainer or muslin cloth over a bowl and pour the curdled milk into the strainer. The whey will drain out into the bowl. 3. Squeeze out the liquid from the mild solids with the back of a large, wooden spoon. For dryer paneer, use cheesecloth to squeeze out the water, place the paneer on a flat surface, like a large tray, and on top it place a weight for an hour. You will get 4 oz of paneer. 4. Then cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Note: If you are using tofu, try coating it with garam masala or some other blend and sautČing the cubes before you drop them into the curry. |
Let the twain meet on your platter
Here is a sampling of American favorites with an Indian twist. Employ the power of aromatic spices to customize the food of your adopted land.
By Angshuman Das
If you think
pasta clashes with tandoori and pizza with palak paneer, take heart. If you think the dash of oregano and the pinch of garam masala will fight like foes on your platter, make peace. Somewhere among the sea of spices from the East and the West, there lies islands of pleasant surprises, smooth meetings.
In many Asian Indian homes, parents rue their U.S.-born children's penchant for the burger and pizza. If you wish to ease Indian spices into their consciousness, try dressing American favorites with them. That's also a way to introduce your U.S.-born friends to your favorite Indian spices.
Herbs and spices are hoary heritage from times long past, places afar. They waft through the breeze across continents, transcend barriers, borne on the backs of wayfarers. It is human nature to try out the exotic for excitement. Let the spices you have grown up on be your new adventure. They can become flavorful blends in innovative hands. Give them a chance.
Actually, many of the spices we think are Indian originated elsewhere, but made their way thousands of years ago into the Indian subcontinent. Just ask Julie Sahni. She's author of a new book, "Savoring Spices and Herbs: Recipe Secrets of Flavor, Aroma and Color." She has traveled the globe ‚ with sojourns at clove plantations and orchards from Zanzibar to Tripoli ‚ in hunt of spice markets. Sahni grew up in Northern India, but immigrated to America more than 25 years ago. She has made New York her home.
Her culinary home, however, is the wide world. "Cumin came from the Middle East. We have been using it, but it came from Egypt," she says, correcting this writer. Cumin is, then, not an Indian spice. "Ajowan came from East Mediterranean," she says. "Roti" is common in Trinidad and Tobago. She has winded her way through Beirut, Iran, Iraq, Africa, the Orient and Japan, savoring asafetida, ginger, fennel and a myriad of other spices.
Spices and food belong to the world. Sahni has found remarkable similarity in disparate lands. With this in mind, get ready to experiment with different combinations of spices.
"The more you experiment," says Madhur Jaffrey, another Asian Indian cooking expert, "the more you are able to tailor the food exactly and enjoy the food." In her latest book, "Quick and Easy Indian Cooking," published last year by Chronicle Books, San Francisco, she writes, "Do not be afraid to combine Indian main courses with Western side dishes." She puts ginger and chilies on hamburger and uses "stew sauces" on pasta.
If you grew up in India, probably pasta tossed with marinara is not your idea of favorite dinner. But, it's possible to please all groups with some imaginative combinations. A whiff of garam masala can spice up Italian food, the staple on American tables, in ways you want.
Just be gentle. "There are subtle differences (between the American and the Indian-raised palates)," Sahni says. Her 17-year-old American-born son's "palate is a half notch above the seasoned American palate." Anyone exposed to aromatic spices is "seasoned." Sahni says ethnic food started entering the American experience in the 70s. "Before the 80s, people didn't know any Italian food other than red (a reference to tomato-based sauces). And, Mexican food was limited to tortillas and nacho chips."
Because taste is a function of culture, Sahni advises caution. "If we invade somebody's mouth, we should be very careful," Sahni says. "Go little by little," she says, describing how she introduced her son to the wealth of her spice cabinet. Although he was part of the family, Sahni "raised him" on varied fare. "He was just a type of (normal) kid," she says.
She made him three kinds of vegetables: Broccoli, spinach and carrots.Broccoli: Mix broccoli, with a large piece of garlic, chopped, turmeric and chicken broth. "Next stage can be curry powder," she says by way of suggestion.
Spinach: For the spinach, heat oil and drop mustard seeds. Add the spinach when they pop. When the spinach wilts ‚ never overcook ‚ add a pinch of nutmeg. "The French use nutmeg, too," she says.
Carrots: Slice carrots with a slant (as if for Chinese stir-fry). Heat oil or ghee (for that authentic Indian flavor). Add a little "gud." (For gud substitutes, she recommends brown sugar, food molasses, or maple syrup.) "Ghee and brown sugar caramelizes the carrots," she adds. Add chopped ginger, cumin and cloves.
You get the idea. Five years of cooking in America has taught me to improvise and opened my senses to new possibilities. Palak paneer and thick curries go well with some pastas, like angel hair. Potato mixed with other vegetable ‚ mashed, sautČed and spiced ‚ can give veggie burgers a whole new flavor. Following are some of my and Julie Sahni's suggestions. They take 30 minutes to prepare. Others you can prepare with your own imagination. Let your culinary spirits fly in new directions. Your kids may thank you.Ą
Palak paneer on cappellini (angel hair)
See sidebar, "Paneer: the real or the ersatz," on next page)
Pasta is starch, the same basic substance as rice. Cappellini (the thinnest pasta) absorbs the flavor of paneer curries beautifully. Prepare the paneer as you would normally, making sure you thicken it enough, and pour over hot pasta servings. Here is a quick method of palak paneer.
1. Thaw, then cook the spinach, covered, for five minutes in about three tablespoons of water. Or put the frozen spinach into the water and boil for 10 minutes, or until just soft. Let it cool a little, for 10 minutes.
2. While the spinach cools, cut paneer into 1/2 inch cubes.
3. PurČe the spinach in a blender or food processor until almost smooth. Sprinkle a little water if needed while blending.
4. Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Drop ginger and mustard seeds and fry for a minute. Take care to shield yourself from popping mustard. If necessary, cover the pan loosely with a lid.
5. Add the remaining spices and seasoning. Fry for two minutes on medium heat, stirring constantly. Then pour the blended spinach and a half cup of water.
6. Drop the paneer cubes. Stir to mix properly. Cover it tightly and cook for five minutes. If the sauce seems too thin for pasta, evaporate some of it or add one teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of milk.
Pasta
Angel hair cooks fast. Do not always go by the directions on the packet. My experience shows 2 minutes of boiling time is adequate most of the time.
1. Bring to boil four quarts of water. Add salt if desired. Drop a 12 oz packet of pasta into the water. Boil rapidly for two minutes. Do not cover the pot.
2. Take one strand and taste for firmness. If it's "al dente," or firm but cooked enough, drain into a colander.
3. Toss with a 1 tablespoon of olive or vegetable oil.
4. Serve on plates and pour spoonfuls of palak paneer on top.
Serving size: 4; Cooking time: 30 minutes
Veggie burger
Some vegetable burgers seem little more than insipid patties. Try this burger for a change. You might never go back to mass-market veggie burger patties.
2. Boil them until just cooked.
3. Let them cool until you can handle them. Then peel and mash them coarsely with a rounded, wooden spoon.
4. Heat oil in pan on medium. Add the mashed vegetables and fry them for two minutes.
5. Add the seasoning and spices and fry for another three minutes, stirring and turning over the mass of vegetables. Set aside.
6. Heat a little butter or oil on grill or a 10-inch flat plan. Lightly toast the buns.
7. Place three tablespoonfuls of the vegetable mixture on each bun and shape it into a patty with a knife. You may use lettuce and tomato as usual on the burger.
Serving size: 4; Cooking and preparation time: 30 minutes
The following two rČcipes are taken from "Savoring Spices and Herbs: Recipe Secrets of Flavor, Aroma and Color," by Julie Sahni (William Morrow & Co., New York, N.Y., 1996).
Linguine with cilantro sauce
Although this dish sounds like pasta with pesto sauce, it is a totally different preparation, inspired by an Afghan dish where an herb paste is stuffed into pasta. My adaptation is quicker and simpler, and, I think, produces very tasty results.
2. Combine the cilantro and wine in a food processor or blender and process briefly until the mixture is coarsely purČed. Set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the scallions and chilies. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until the scallions begin to brown.
4. Drain the linguine. Increase the heat to high and add the linguine, tomatoes, cilantro mixture, and salt to taste and cook, tossing, until most of the moisture is absorbed into the pasta. Transfer to a warm serving platter and serve hot.
Serving suggestions: The pasta can be served in small portions as a first course. It goes well with all stewed and braised lamb dishes as well as hearty vegetarian stews. To make a meal of it, serve it accompanied with a sauce.
Servings: 2-4
Cumin Vinaigrette
Cumin vinaigrette is one of the most popular of all Middle Eastern salad dressings. It is good on a basic green salad, but it is great with beans, peas, and lentils, where cumin adds a spicy touch to otherwise mellow flavors. Cumin Vinaigrette is also suitable for chicken salad and potato salad and as a marinade for seafood and lamb.
Whisk all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Transfer to a jar, cover tightly, and refrigerate. (May be stored for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Shake well before using.)
Serving: 1 cup
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