The Real Taste of India: 100 Easy Recipes for First-Time Chefs

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© 2015 Shabu Natarajan. All rights reserved.

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Published by AuthorHouse 3/20/2015

ISBN: 978-1-5049-3831-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5049-3832-7 (e)

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To my family

My parents,

Natarajan and Subhashini

My wife

Prameela Rani

PREFACE

Indians take their food very seriously. Mothers begin to teach and pass down family recipes when their daughters are very young. With its exotic aromas and complex flavours, Indian cuisine is one of the world’s best.

The story of foreign influences on Indian food is as interesting and intriguing as Indian food itself. Indians have absorbed foods from all over the world throughout their history, giving rise to one of the richest and most sophisticated culinary traditions in the world.

Most of the spices used in Indian cooking were chosen originally for their medicinal qualities rather than for flavour – for example, turmeric, cloves, and cardamom are very antiseptic; cinnamon is helpful in controlling cholesterol; ajwain seeds for gas trouble, fennel seeds using after meals for avoiding heart burn,ginger is effective against cold and flu; and the list goes on.

There is something for every occasion in this book – something to wow your special guests. All the recipes are true reflections of how the traditional dishes are really cooked in India and presented in modern style. You’ll find a wide selection of starters, salads, curries, and rice dishes that are quick to prepare and easy to make without any artificial ingredients.

If you’d like to try something a little more unusual for your special occasions, this book is for you. All the recipes are explained in a simple-to-follow manner.

Enjoy the art and science of cooking!

Shabu Natarajan

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Amarjit Singh

Md Imran Hossen

Photography: Abdullah Yasir Shovon

Courtesy: Altaf Hossain

TABLE OF CONTENTS

My Family

Preface

Acknowledgements

Green Salad

Carrot and Spinach Salad

Chickpea and Vegetable Salad

Cabbage and Carrot Salad

Spicy Mixed-Vegetable Salad

Shrimp, Chickpea, and Spinach Salad

Mixed Vegetable Raita

Cucumber Raita

Chana Aloo Chat (Chickpeas and Potatoes)

Kidney-Bean Salad

Coconut Crusted King Prawns with Spicy Mango Sauce

Fish Vada

Vegetable Cakes

Chicken Pakora

Vegetable Pakora

Chicken Tikka Malai

Chilli Gobi

Grilled Paneer (cottage cheese)

Fish Amritsari

Pan-Fried Salmon on a Bed of Spinach

Crab Cutlet

Lamb-Chop Hariyali

Hara Bara Kebab

Potato and Sweet Corn Cake

Fish Pollichathu (Fish wrapped in banana leaves)

Seekh Kebabs

Chapli Kebab

Beans and Carrots Thoran (stir fry beans and carrots)

Paneer Amritsari

Stuffed Capsicums

Tandoori Chicken Thigh

Masala Vada (Parippu Vada)

Aloo Bonda (mashed potato dumpling)

Oats Soup

Dal Soup(lentil soup)

Idli

Vegetable Idli

Uttapam(Indian pizza)

Masala Dosa with Sambar

Mushroom Fry

Dal Tadka (Lentil curry)

Bombay Aloo Jeera (Bombay potatoes with cumin)

Bhindi Anardana

Punjabi Aloo Amritsari

Tomato Fry

Gujarati Dal

Chickpea Masala (Chana Masala)

Chilli Paneer

Rajma Masala

Mutter Mushroom Masala

Gobi Manchurian

Spinach and Chickpea Curry

Goan Sea-Bream Curry

Prawn Moilee

Sea-Bass Malabar

Grilled Tuna on Mashed Tapioca with Tomato and Onion Sauce

Grilled Sea Bass

Mixed Seafood Chettinad Kurma

Madras Masala Mussels

Squid Masala

Tangdi Kebab

Roast Poussin

Chicken Kebab Madras

Chicken Chilli

Keema Matar (Minced Lamb Meat and Green Peas)

Mysore Chilli Chicken

Spicy Meatballs

Egg Roast

Mushroom Stuffed Chicken Breast

Murgh Saagwala (Chicken with Spinach)

Simple Chicken Curry

Lamb Rogan Josh

Goan Lamb and Potato Curry

Butter Chicken

Aloo Paratha

Chicken Biriyani

Mutton Biriyani

Vegetable Biriyani

Lemon Rice

Mushroom Rice

Tamarind Rice

Chicken-Flavoured Coconut Rice

Paneer (Cottage Cheese)

Spicy Yoghurt Sauce

Mint Chutney

South Indian Chicken Korma

Cheese Paratha

Indian Omelette

Eggs and Peas

Egg and Coconut

Coconut Chutney 1

Coconut Chutney 2

Tomato Chutney

Green Mango Chutney

Coconut and Mango Chutney

Garam Masala powder

Rice Kheer (Rice Pudding)

Semiya Kheer

Carrot Halwa (Gajar Halwa)

Gulab Jamun

About the Author

GREEN SALAD

Ingredients

1 cucumber, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 green chillies, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves

1 tablespoon minced mint leaves

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon mustard oil

2 pinches ground white pepper

pinch sugar

salt to taste

Method

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together. Correct seasoning and serve.

CARROT AND SPINACH SALAD

Ingredients

400 grams carrots

1/2 bunch baby spinach leaves

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 green chillies, chopped

2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds

1/4 tablespoon oregano

salt to taste

Method

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together. Serve chilled.

CHICKPEA AND VEGETABLE SALAD

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 tablespoon mustard seeds

2 red