Author: Uma Aggarwal
Publisher: Allied Publishers
Year: 2009
Language: English
Pages: 480
ISBN/UPC (if available): 81-8424-474-6
Description
Indian cuisine is famous around the world and enjoys the enviable reputation of being unique. Indeed, it reflects the variety and diversity of India that derives from a vibrant history dating back to more than six thousand years. Jawahar Lal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India commented thus:
Ancient India ... was a world in itself. A culture and a civilization which gave shape to all things. Foreign influences poured in and often influenced that culture and were absorbed. Disruptive tendencies gave rise immediately to an attempt to find a synthesis. Some kind of a dream of unity has occupied the mind of India since the dawn of civilization.
That unity was not conceived as something imposed from outside, a standardization of externals or even of beliefs. It was something deeper and, within its fold the widest tolerance of belief and custom was practised and every variety acknowledged and even encouraged.
Through history, this vast and ancient country has seen the rise and fall of many empires and dynasties, both indigenous and foreign. The Greeks under Alexander the Great, the mighty Gengis Khan, Taimur the Lame, the Persians, Turks, Mongols, Arabs, the peoples of the Meditterranean, and later, Europeans, notably the British, the French, the Dutch and the Portuguese, were drawn to this land for power and pelf. However, the indigenous culture of India assimilated the foreign influences and out of this interface emerged a rich heritage distinctively Indian. Indian cuisine is a part of this heritage and this book explores its many facets.
For thousands of years, Indian have used spices to decorate and enhance the aroma of their cuisine. Foreign conquerors came to India in search of these exotic spices for trade.
The ethos of Indian cuisine, however, originates from the basic philosophy and thought enshrined in the ancient Vedas (nearly two thousand years B.C.) which clearly emphasizes the importance of indigenously found herbs and spices in one s daily food.
The accent was not just on tastes and flavors but on health. Indian cuisine fascinates the gourmet with its great variety of tastes, colors and aroma derived almost entirely through the use of a large variety of exotic spices and herbs. The author covers this aspect of Indian cuisine in great detail, often with annotations, helpful notes and glossaries providing English/American equivalents of Indian words for ingredients used in her recipes.
Sampling of Indian food is an unforgettable experience. The starters and appetizers, the vegetable dishes that include the lentil preparations, the rice dishes that include the enticing pulavs, the sweet dishes, the meat and fish preparations, the exotic curries (both vegetarian and non-vegetarian) and breads, all have a diversity in their preparations depending on which part of the country you are in. The regional variations are innumerable and in no small way contribute to the variety that forms the exquisiteness of Indian cuisine.
The author travels through the length and breadth of the country which stretches from the tropics to the temperate regions, from near the equator to the high and cold Himalayan regions. She traverses the country's twenty-eight states and seven Union Territories each with its own official language and culture. She collects recipes for every occasion from an easy and simple quick preparation to a classic weekend dinner that one might ask for at an upmarket restaurant, from dishes prescribed for religious rituals and festivals to celebrations of weddings or other gala events. She offers step-by-step preparation methods and photographs of recipes which can be of great help to the reader.
The pages of the book are interspersed with breathtaking photographs of the recipes, Indian landscape, people, historical monuments, the arts and crafts. The author believes that the art of cooking is not necessarily based on long-held traditions, but on constant change.
It is precisely for this reason that during her long years spent in the west, she has experimented with traditional recipes and often amended many of her presentations keeping in mind the western palate and the ready availability of vegetables, herbs and spics in local groceries.
But she always kept in mind the Vedic concept of preserving the basic idea that in order to lead a healthy long life one should always have a food that has a balance of six different tasting foods in their diet. Those tastes are in sequence sweet, sour, astringent, pungent, salty and bitter.
Contents
Acknowledgements
Preface
Chapter 1 – Exotic Indian Cuisine
Introduction
1. History and origin of Indian Cuisine
2. The Open Makers of India
3. Spices that are used in Indian Cooking their origin and Health Benefits
4. The Significance of Spices
5. Fresh Herbs and Seasonings
6. Cooking made Easy
7. Clarified butter / Ghee
8. Special ingredients to highlight the flavor and Aroma of curries
9. Recipe for making the Curry Masala
10. Ingredients giving color to the Curries
11. Thickening agents used in Indian curries Souring agents for the curries and
12. Other stir-fries
13. Special spice mixes
14. Special Flours, lentils, cereals and other
15. Ingredients used in Indian Cooking
16. Dal / Legumes used in Indian Cooking Utensils and appliances needed in
17. An Indian Kitchen
Chapter 2 – Appetizers and Snacks
18. Grilled Chicken
19. Ground Meat Kebabs
20. Meat Cutlets
21. Salmon Cutlets
22. Indian Cheese Cutlets
23. Potato Cutles
24. Lotus Root Cutles
25. Stuffed Potatoes or Meat Pastries
26. Meatballs in Tamarind Sauce
27. Cocktail Cashew Nuts
28. Fried Cheese Cubes
29. Cocktail Shrimp
30. Vegetable Fritters
31. Spinach Fritters
32. Plantain Fritters
33. Green Pepper Fritters
34. Mushroom Fritters
35. Baked Spinach and Fenugreek Fritters
36. Lentil Patties
37. Lentil Fritters
38. Potato Croquettes
39. Cheese Puffs
40. Corn Fritters
41. Tapioca Potato Puffs
42. Yams in Peanut Sauce
43. Stuffed Mushrooms
44. Cream of Wheat with Vegetables
45. Spiced Rice Flakes
46. Rice Flakes Cutlets
47. Steamed Lentil Cake
48. Steamed Cream of Wheat Cakes
49. Steamed Lentil Rolls
50. Tortilla Chips with Tamarind Sauce
51. Flour Puffs with Tamarind Water
52. Crunchy Rice Puffs with Salad
53. Yogurt Dipped Lentil Fritters
54. Crunchy Lentils Wafers
55. Rolled and Stuffed Wafers
56. Rice Noodles Stir-Fried
57. Lemon rice Noodles
58. Spicy Fruit Salad
59. Spiced sweet Potatoes
60. Fruity Yogurt Poha
61. Tapioca Stir-Fried
62. Spicy Saltine Sticks
Chapter 3 – Chicken
63. Chicken Cooked with Lentils and Vegetables
64. Chicken Curry
65. Chicken in Coconut Gravy
66. Goan Chicken Curry
67. Chicken in Creamy Sauce
68. Chicken Stew
69. Clay Oven Grilled Chicken
70. Grilled Chicken in Gravy
71. Chicken with Cashew Nuts
72. Onion Chicken
73. Cardamom Chicken Curry
74. Butter Chicken
75. Chicken in Fenugreek Sauce
76. Chicken Pickle Style
77. Fried Chicken
78. Twice Cooked Chicken
79. Hot Chicken Curry with Almonds
80. Madras Chicken Curry
Chapter 4 – Sea Food and Fish
81. Fish Baked in Coconut Sauce
82. Fish Curry
83. Fish Curry with Vegetables
84. Fish in Fenugreek Sauce
85. Fish Curry with Yogurt
86. Fish Curry with Nuts
87. Fried Fish
88. Clay Oven Grilled Fish
89. Madras fish curry
90. Fish in Tamarind Sauce
91. Fish in Mustard Sauce
92. Lobster Delight
93. Shrimp curry
94. Shrimp Stir-Fried
95. Fried Shrimp
96. Scallops & Squid Curry
97. Crab Stir-Fried
98. Crab Croquettes Curry
99. Shrimp in Mango Sauce
Chapter 5 – Exotic Vegetables
100. Stuffed Mushrooms in Pomegranate Sauce
101. Eggplant Stir- Fried
102. Roasted Eggplant Curried
103. Egg Curry
104. Scrambled Eggs with Vegetables / Italian Frittata
105. Eggplant in Sweet & Sour Sauce
106. Mixed Vegetable Curry
107. Potatoes and Onion Stir-Fried
108. Bottle Gourd Croquettes Curry
109. Potato Curry
110. Mustard Greens Curried
111. Okra Stir-Fried
112. Flavored Zucchini
113. Tofu Curry
114. Turnip Stir-Fried
115. Cheese and Mushroom Curry
116. Peas & Cheese curry
117. Baked Cauliflower
118. Fried Potato Curry
119. Fenugreek Leaves and Potatoes
120. Kerala Vegetable Curry
121. Paneer & Potatoes in Coconut Sauce
122. Spinach with Fried Cheese
123. Creamy Cheese Croquettes in Curry Sauce
124. Cabbage and Peas Stir-Fried
125. Eggplant, Potatoes and Tomatoes Stir-Fried
126. Mixed Vegetable Curry Baked
127. Bread Croquettes in Curry
128. Mixed Vegetable Croquettes Curry
129. Beans with Coconut
130. Bitter Gourd Stir-Fried
131. Bitter Gourd Stuffed
132. Carrots and Potatoes Stir-Fried
133. Whole Stiffed Okra
134. Okra and Peanuts
135. Bell Pepper, Potatoes and Tomatoes Stir-Fried
136. Stuffed Bell Peppers
137. Stuffed Whole Tomatoes
138. Stuffed Eggplants
139. Yam Curry
140. Dry Yam Curry
141. Plantain Curry
142. Beans and Potatoes Stir-Fried
143. Cauliflower and Potatoes Stir-Fried
144. Cauliflower with Figs
145. Pumpkin Stir-Fried
146. Assam Vegetable Curry
147. Sinhalese Vegetable Curry
148. Sweet Potato and Spinach Curry
149. Sweet Corn and Beans
150. Carrots and Peas Stir- Fried
151. Round Gourd Stuffed
152. Pointed Gourd Curry
153. Soyabean and Carrots Curry
154. Corn Curry with Spinach
155. Baby Vegetables Curry
156. Spinach And Potatoes Stir-Fried
157. Bean Sprouts Stir-Fried
158. Lotus Root and Mushroom Curry
159. Asparagus Stir-Fried
160. Beetroot Curry
161. Okra Curry
162. Mushrooms in Spinach Sauce
163. Jackfruit Stir-Fried
Chapter 6 – Legumes
164. Chick-Peas Curry
165. Chick-Peas in Tamarind Sauce
166. Andhra Dal
167. Lentils and Vegetables in Tamarind Sauce
168. Whole Back Beans with Cream
169. Black Split Beans Curried
170. Legume Stir-Fried
171. Royal Mix Legume
172. Dal Vadodara
173. Oriya Dal
174. Gram Dal
175. Matar Dal with Meat
176. Spinach Dal
177. Curried Kidney Beans
178. Gram Flour Curry
179. Whole Mung Dal
180. Dal with Coconut Milk
Chapter 7 – Rice and Pulav
181. Plain Cumin Rice
182. Peas and Cheese Pulav
183. Royal Pulav
184. Peas Pulav
185. Mushroom Pulav
186. Multicolored Pulav
187. Biryani
188. Cauliflower Pulav
189. Yogurt Rice
190. Coconut Rice
191. Tamarind Rice
192. Lemon Rice
193. Vegetable Masala Rice
194. Shrimp Masala Rice
195. Rice & Lentils with Vegetables
Chapter 8 – Breads
196. Griddle Flat Bread
197. Milk Kneaded Griddle Bread
198. Clay Oven Bread
199. Mint Bread
200. Onion Bread
201. Unfermented Deep-Fried Bread
202. Fermented Deep-Fred Bread
203. Whole Wheat Fried Puffs
204. Griddle Fried Bread
205. Griddle Fried and Stuffed Onion Bread
206. Griddle Fried Stuffed Potato Bread
207. Griddle Fried Fenugreek Bread
208. Griddle Fried Daikon Stuffed Bread
209. Griddle Fried Stuffed Cauliflower Bread
210. Griddle Fried Tricolor Bread
211. Griddle Fried Stuffed Meat Breat
212. Griddle Fried Rice Flour & Coconut Crepes
213. Cream of Wheat Crepes
214. Ground Rice Crepes
215. Griddle Fried Cheese and Legume Stuffed Bread
216. Steamed Ground-Rice Cakes
217. Rice and Lentils Crepes
218. Crisp Fried Pastries
219. Crisp Potato Pastries
220. Griddle Millet Flour Bread
221. Griddle Sorghum Flour Bread
222. Griddle Gram Flour Bread
223. Persian Bread
224. Griddle Fried Corn Flour Bread
225. Griddle Fried Gram Flour Pancakes
Chapter 9 – Lamb, Beef and Pork
226. Beef Curry with Nuts
227. Lamb or Beef with Turnips
228. Bombay Lamb Curry
229. Ground Meat Curried
230. Kashmiri Beef Curry
231. Goa Beef Stir-Fried
232. Kerala Beef Curry
233. Lamb Cooked with Spinach
234. Mughlai Lamb Curry
235. Lamb Tikka Masala
236. Lamb Curry
237. Marinated Leg of Lamb
238. Meat Croquettes Curry
239. Pork Curry
240. Mediterranean Pork & Peas
241. Pork Stir-Fried
242. Pork Curry in Vinegar Sauce
243. Pork with Potatoes & Peppers
Chapter 10 – Desserts
244. Cream of wheat Pudding
245. Rice Pudding
246. Dried Carrot Pudding or Fudge
247. Golden Cream Cheese Balls in Syrup
248. Cheese Balls in Sweet Syrup
249. Sweet Cheese Patties in Cream
250. Sweet Cheese Cakes
251. Sweet Cheese Balls
252. Sweet Pieces of Cheese
253. Gram Flour Sweet Balls / Lentil Balls
254. Sweet Balls of Cream of Wheat
255. Sugar Coated Doughnuts
256. Cookies without Eggs
257. Apple or Zucchini Pudding
258. Sweet Vermicelli Pudding
259. Ground Rice Pudding
260. Sweet Rice
261. Mango Rice
262. Mango Mousse
263. Fried Spiral Sweet Rings
264. Crunchy Lentil Sweet Rings
265. Cashew Fudge
266. Milk Fudge
267. Pistachio Fudge
268. Almond Fudge
269. Coconut Fudge
270. Cheese Fudge
271. Indian Ice Cream
272. Crisp Stuffed Pastry
273. Gram Flour Fudge
274. Sweet Pancakes
Chapter 11 – Condiments, Pickles and Dips
275. Bananas & Raisins Condiment
276. Mint Condiment
277. Spinach Condiment
278. Cucumber Condiment
279. Gram Flour Balls Condiment
280. Fresh Vegetable Condiment
281. Baked Eggplant Condiment
282. Mango Condiment
283. Mint Dip
284. Coconut Dip
285. Tomato Dip
286. Tamarind Dip
287. Eggplant Dip
288. Coriander Dip
289. Apple Dip
290. Cranberry Dip
291. Ripe Mango Dip
292. Red Pepper Dip
293. Zucchini Dip
294. Peanut Dip
295. Pineapple Dip
296. Gram Legume Dip
297. Sweet Mango Dip
298. Onion & Coconut Dip with Fish Flavor
299. Carrots Pickle
300. Radish Pickle
301. Sweet & Sour Lemon Pickle
302. Green Chilies, Onions and Ginger in Vinegar
303. Green Chiles Pickle
304. Papaya and Mango Pickle
305. Lemon Pickle
306. Avakai Mango Pickle
307. Classic Sweet & Sour Pickle
Chapter 12 – Salads
308. Mixed Vegetable Salad
309. Cooked Beans Salad
310. Mango Salad
311. Radish Salad
312. Kosambri Salad
313. Onion, Beetroot and Tomato Salad
314. Green Mango Salsa
Chapter 13 – Soups
315. Tomato Soup
316. Mixed Vegetable Soup
317. Cauliflower Soup
318. Chicken Vegetable Soup
319. Mulligatawny Soup
320. Mung Beans Soup
321. Indian Hot and Sour Soup
322. Bottle Gourd Soup
323. Potato Soup
324. Spinach Soup
325. Cream of Pumpkin Soup
326. Cream of Corn Soup
327. Coconut Milk Soup
Chapter 14 – Drinks
328. Yogurt Shake
329. South Indian Coffee
330. Cumin Flavored Drink
331. Fermented Carrot Drink
332. Kokum Water
333. Lemonade
334. Mango Drink
335. Spiced Tea
336. Kashmiri Tea
337. Milk & Almond Drink
Paan and Mouth Fresheners
Annexure
Map of India
Suggested Menus
Measurement Equivalent
Glossary of English and Hindi Names for Cooking Raw Material
Alphabetical Index of Recipes