2 teaspoons salt
teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons paprika
1½ teaspoons Garam Masala (see recipe on page 273)
2 tablespoons ghee, melted
Using a small, sharp knife, make 3 to 4 (¼-inch-deep) slits in each piece of chicken. Set aside in a bowl large enough to hold all of the pieces.
Place the saffron in a small sauté pan over medium heat and toast for approximately 30 seconds. Place the saffron on a small plate and allow it to cool and crumble.
Stir the saffron into the yogurt.
Grind together the ginger, garlic, garlic, salt, chili pepper, paprika, and garam masala. Stir the spice mixture into the yogurt.
Pour the yogurt over the chicken, making sure that all of the pieces are coated. Cover and marinate overnight, turning the pieces in the marinade every so often.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Add the ghee to a roasting pan large enough to hold al of the chicken pieces. Add the chicken, breast side down. Spoon some of the ghee over the pieces. Roast for 10 minutes. Turn the pieces over, baste again, and continue roasting for 5 minutes. Turn them again and roast for an additional 5 minutes. Turn 1 last time (breasts should be up); baste and cook until done, about 5 more minutes.
Serves 4
Without a tandoori oven, you can't really make an authentic tandoori dish. The clay used in making the ovens gives a smoky flavor that can't be duplicated. Still, this recipe creates an acceptable variation.
Punjab Fish
4–6 firm-fleshed fish fillets, approximately 1-inch thick
Lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric
2–3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and minced
2 serrano chilies, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons almond slivers
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons cardamom
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons boiling water
¼ teaspoon saffron strands, toasted and crushed
½ cup plain yogurt
Rinse the fish with cold water and pat dry. Rub the fish with lemon juice.
Combine the salt, pepper, and turmeric; sprinkle over the fish.
Heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Brown the fish quickly on each side. Remove the fish to a plate, cover, and set aside.
Add the onion to the same pan and sauté until translucent and just beginning to brown.
Place the cooked onion in a food processor along with the garlic, ginger, chilies, and almonds. Process to form a paste, adding a bit of water if necessary. Add the cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, and clove; process to thoroughly blend.
If necessary, add additional vegetable oil to the frying pan to make about 2 tablespoons. Heat the oil over medium. Add the spice mixture and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes. Swirl a bit of water in the food processor to remove any remaining spices and pour it into the pan; stir to combine.
Pour 2 tablespoons of boiling water into a small cup. Add the toasted saffron and stir to combine. Pour the saffron water into the frying pan.
Stir in the yogurt. Bring to a simmer and let the sauce cook for 5 minutes.
Add the fish to the sauce, turning to coat. Cover and let simmer for approximately 10 minutes or until the fish is done to your liking.
Serves 4–6
Punjab, meaning “Five Rivers,” is a state located in northwestern India. It is known as a land of high spirits and prosperity due to its fertile soil and many rivers.
Indian-Scented Cauliflower
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and minced
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ medium to large head of cauliflower, separated into florets and cut into pieces
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon Garam Masala (see recipe on page 273)
In a saucepan large enough to easily hold the cauliflower, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds and fry until they pop. Add the garlic and the ginger; stirring constantly, cook until the garlic just begins to brown.
Stir in the turmeric. Add the cauliflower pieces and toss to coat with the spice mixture.
Add the water, cover, and let steam for 6 to 10 minutes or until done to your liking.
Pour off any excess water and sprinkle with the garam masala.
Serves 2–4
This cauliflower is scented with an Indian spice mixture that seeps into every little crack and crevice, perfuming every bite. You will never look at cauliflower the same way again.
Cardamom Cookies
4 ounces ghee
½ cup fine sugar
1 cup fine semolina
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons ground cardamom
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the ghee and the sugar until light and fluffy.
Sift together the semolina, all-purpose flour, and cardamom.
Stir the dry ingredients into the ghee mixture; mix well.
Let the dough stand in a cool place for 30 minutes.
Form balls using approximately 1 tablespoon of dough for each. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and flatten each ball slightly.
Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until pale brown.
Cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.
Cardamom
The cardamom plant is a relative of ginger and grows in most tropical climates throughout the world. Cardamom pods have a very sweet-spicy smell and taste, similar to cinnamon. The spice refers to the seeds, which can be bought whole or ground.
Yields 2 dozen cookies
These cookies are reminiscent of shortbread in terms of texture and ingredients, but they are perfumed with a bit of ground cardamom. They're simply delicious with tea.
Almond “Tea”
3 ounces blanched almonds
2 ounces pumpkin seeds
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
3 cups water
2 cups milk
¼–½ cup sugar
Process the almonds, pumpkin seeds, cardamom, and half of the water in a blender or food processor until the solids are finely ground.
Strain the almond water through cheesecloth (or a clean Handi Wipe) into a container. Using the back of a spoon, press the solids to remove as much moisture as possible.
Return the almond mixture to the blender and add the remaining water. Process until thoroughly combined.
Strain this liquid into the container.
Stir the milk into the almond water. Add sugar to taste.
Serve over crushed ice.
Serves 4–6
Not really a tea at all, this refreshing drink hits the spot on a sweltering day. The milk gives it a bit of creaminess, but the water makes it refreshing. It's also a great addition to milkshakes or smoothies.
Cucumber Raita
2 seedless cucumbers, peeled and cut into a small dice
1 teaspoon salt
1½ cups plain yogurt
1–2 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh mint
Lemon juice to taste
Place the diced cucumbers in a colander. Sprinkle with salt and let sit in the sink for 15 minutes to drain. Rinse the cucumber under cold water and drain again.
Combine the cucumber, yogurt, green onions, mint, and lemon juice to taste.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Check seasoning, adding additional salt and/or lemon juice if necessary.
Yields approx. 4 cups
What is
an Indian meal without the cooling effects and delicious taste of a raita? Milk products, in this case yogurt, counteract spicy foods by coating your mouth with fat.
Tamarind Dipping Sauce
3 tablespoons tamarind pulp
1 cup hot water
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground fennel
2 teaspoons grated ginger
Lemon juice to taste
Place the tamarind pulp in a small bowl. Pour boiling water over the pulp and let soak until soft, about 15 minutes.
Break up the pulp and then strain the tamarind water through a fine-mesh sieve, using the back of a spoon to push the pulp through, but leaving the tough fibers.
Stir in the remaining ingredients and let the tamarind sauce sit for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Makes about 1¼ cups
I love this dipping sauce. I spoon it over everything — samosas, papadam, all sorts of Indian breads, over rice, etc., etc. I promise you, once you try it you'll be hooked, too.
Garam Masala
4 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
2 teaspoons cardamom seeds
2 small cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces
1 teaspoon whole cloves
In a small heavy sauté pan, individually dry roast each spice over medium-high heat until they begin to release their aroma.
Allow the spices to cool to room temperature and then place them in a spice grinder and process to form a fairly fine powder.
Store in an airtight container.
Makes approx. cup
The Indian spice mix you can't do without! If you always have a bit of this mixture on hand, you are just a step away from great Indian cuisine. I promise. (Garam masala is also available in specialty stores.)
Mango Chutney
2 large green mangoes, peeled and sliced
4 ounces dried apricots or cherries
½ ounce golden raisins
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1–2 red chili peppers, seeded and minced
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
2 cups white vinegar
3 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon black mustard seeds
2 teaspoons Garam Masala (see recipe on page 273)
Place all of the ingredients in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for 30 minutes or until thick.
Seal in airtight jars.
Makes approx. 5–6 cups
In addition to serving this condiment with Indian food, I use it to top broiled salmon, as a spread for scones, to mix with white rice, or for whatever takes my fancy.
APPENDIX A: Glossary: Thai Flavors and Ingredients
BANANAS:
Bananas are indigenous to Thailand, where over twenty-eight varieties are cultivated. The most common banana is the Cavendish, but don't be afraid to experiment with different varieties, especially in tropical fruit salads.
BASIL:
Most commonly thought of as an Italian ingredient, basil is actually a key ingredient in cuisines from around the world. Basil comes in many varieties, including a Thai version, but any fresh basil works well in Thai cooking. Basil is quite delicate and is usually best added to dishes at the last possible moment.
BOK CHOY:
Also known as Chinese cabbage, bok choy resembles Swiss chard in looks and regular green cabbage in taste. Stir-frying softens its flavor slightly.
CARDAMOM:
This relative of ginger grows in most tropical environments. Its pods release a pungent, sweet-spicy flavor, somewhat similar to cinnamon.
CHILI PEPPERS:
Chilies come in three basic forms: fresh, dried, and powdered. Botanists have named hundreds of different varieties, making chilies one of the most diverse plants on the planet. With that said, there are a few generalities that seem to hold true with all chilies. Chilies sweeten as they ripen, so a red chili (of the same variety) will be sweeter than a green one. And the bigger the chili pepper, the milder it usually is. So beware of chilies that come in small packages! The seeds and the veins pack the most punch, so to tone down your chili, don't use the seeds or veins.
CHILI SAUCE:
Bottled chili sauce is a smooth combination of salted fish, red chilies, fish sauce, lime juice, and palm sugar. It is served with almost everything in Thailand. It comes in red and yellow varieties, and in various strengths.
CILANTRO:
Cilantro is a pungent herb with a citruslike flavor, similar to parsley. It is also known as coriander.
COCONUT MILK:
Coconut milk can be made fresh by grating and pressing fresh coconut meat, but the canned variety works just as well and is a lot less work! Coconut milk is not the same as coconut water, which is simply the liquid inside the coconut itself.
CORIANDER:
Also known as cilantro, this herb is a cousin to parsley and is used as such. The seeds are also dried and ground and have a semisweet aroma.
CURRY:
Curry powder is not a specific spice, but rather a combination of spices that vary depending on the desired effect. Some are sweet, while others are scorching hot. Basic commercial curry powders usually contain six to eight various ingredients.
CURRY LEAF:
The leaves of an indigenous Southeast Asian plant that have no relation to curry powder or curry paste. The leaves do, however, release a curry-scented fragrance when crushed and are often added to various Asian dishes.
CURRY PASTE:
Various combinations of spices and chilies, which can be either homemade or store-bought. They are super to keep on hand because they can be stored for long periods of time and help make quick, simple meals.
DRIED FISH:
Crispy salt-preserved fish used as a snack and in soup.
DRIED SHRIMP:
Tiny shrimp that are preserved in brine and then dried and used as a flavoring agent. Just a few go a long way. They are usually soaked in water for a few minutes before being added to a recipe, which both softens them and reduces their bite.
FISH SAUCE:
Fish sauce or nan pla is one of the most used ingredients in Thai cuisine. It has a flavor similar to soy, although somewhat less salty. Salted, fermented fish, or shrimp gives the sauce its characteristic aroma and complex flavor. Beware — it doesn't smell very good to the Western nose, but is well worth getting used to.
FIVE-SPICE POWDER:
A Chinese spice mixture that contains cinnamon, star anise, fennel, clove, ginger, peppercorns, and dried citrus peel.
GALANGAL:
Galangal is a more pungent, fiery relative of ginger and is available both fresh and dried. If you can't find it, ginger is a perfectly acceptable substitute.
GARLIC:
Garlic is a much-used relative of the onion with a sweet, pungent flavor. Pickled garlic is often used as a garnish.
GINGER:
A rhizome that is now available in almost every supermarket, ginger adds a certain sweet-spicy component to dishes. It is available fresh, dried, crystallized, and preserved.
GUAVA:
Also known as the tropical apple, the guava comes in two varieties — green and red. The green is native to Southeast Asia; the red is native to Hawaii. The fruit is especially high in vitamin C, iron, and calcium.
KAFFIR LIME:
The juice, the zest, and the leaves of this thorny tropical tree are used extensively in southeast Asian cooking and impart a beautiful tropical fragrance and flavor.
LEMONGRASS:
Lemongrass, or Citronella root, is an aromatic tropical grass with a flavor similar to lemon balm. It can be crushed whole or stripped of its fibrous outer leaves and chopped. Placed in a plastic bag, it will keep
in the refrigerator for weeks.
LIME:
A quintessential Thai ingredient; this citrus fruit is a great source of vitamin C.
MANGO:
A kidney-shaped tropical fruit, mangoes are rich in vitamins A, B, and C. They are also high in sugar, sometimes 20 percent of their weight. Mangoes are used both fully ripe and green in some cases.
MINT:
An herb used throughout the world to impart a refreshing, zesty aroma and flavor. Varieties include spearmint, peppermint, and lemon mint.
OYSTER SAUCE:
Oyster sauce is made from oyster extracts, sugar, and other seasonings. It has a sweet-smoky flavor and is available in mild, hot, and “vegetarian” varieties.
PALM SUGAR:
Palm sugar is a dark, unrefined sugar made from coconut palms. It is usually sold in blocks and must be crushed before it can be used. Dark brown sugar is a good and much easier-to-use substitute.
PAPAYA:
This tropical fruit was introduced to Thailand by the Spanish after they conquered the Americas. Thai cooks use them both as a fruit and a vegetable.
RICE VINEGAR:
Rice vinegar is milder and sweeter than regular white vinegar, but in a pinch white vinegar makes an acceptable substitute.
RICE WINE:
Rice wine is a fermented concoction made from glutinous rice and millet and is used to add complexity and flavor. In Japan, it is known as mirin, which is a sweetish condiment used as a flavoring agent. If unavailable, dry sherry can be used as a substitute.
SHRIMP PASTE:
A thick pungent paste made from salted fermented shrimp, which is often used in flavoring other curry pastes.
SOY SAUCE:
Soy sauce is really not used very much in Thai cuisine. Instead, Thai cooks prefer fish sauce. However, soy can be used as a substitute for fish sauce and is specifically called for in some recipes. Soy sauce can be light or dark, which refers to flavor and color, not salt content. Tamari is a specific type of soy sauce that is strongly flavored, so use it sparingly.
SPRING ROLL WRAPPERS:
Spring roll wrappers are similar to egg roll wrappers, but they are thinner and are made with only wheat flour and water. Egg roll wrappers also contain egg. When fried, spring roll wrappers are light and crisp.
THE EVERYTHING® THAI COOKBOOK Page 23