Szechuan via the NYTimes

This meal was quite delicious but made my apartment smell a lot like cumin.  While not totally authentic, it was nonetheless delicious.  

Crispy Lamb With Cumin, Scallions and Red Chilies

Time: 30 minutes plus 1 hour’s marinating

1 tablespoon egg white

1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon salt, more to taste

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 pound boneless leg of lamb or lamb shoulder, cut into strips about
1/2 inch by 2 inches

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons cumin seeds, lightly cracked in a mortar or grinder

2 tablespoons whole dried red chili peppers, about 2 inches long

4 scallions, white and green parts only, cut on diagonal into 1-inch lengths

Sesame oil, for seasoning.

1. In a bowl combine egg white, wine, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Add
lamb and set aside to marinate 1 hour.

2. Heat a large wok or skillet over high heat until a drop of water
sizzles on contact. Swirl half the oil into wok and carefully add
lamb, spreading it in a single layer. Let sear a moment, then stir-fry
briskly just until lamb is no longer pink. Transfer to a plate. (If
your wok is not large enough to hold all the lamb, do this in 2
batches, using extra oil.)

3. Swirl remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil into empty wok, add cumin
seeds and chilies and stir-fry a few seconds until cumin seeds start
to pop. Press chilies against sides of wok to char their skins.

4. Add scallions and stir-fry 1 minute. Then return lamb to wok and
stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes more until lamb is cooked through. Turn off
heat, sprinkle with salt and drops of sesame oil, and serve
immediately.

Yield: 4 servings.

Chili-Roasted Cauliflower with Cilantro Dressing

- serves 4 -

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/2 small bunch cilantro (leaves and delicate stems), roughly chopped
2 small cloves garlic. roughly chopped

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 425°F with a rack in the center. Wash and thoroughly dry the cauliflower and cut into large florets.
2. In a small bowl, combine the two tablespoons olive oil, chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Place the cauliflower florets on a baking sheet and toss well with the oil mixture. Roast for 25 minutes, turning once with a spatula mid-roasting.
3. While the cauliflower roasts, combine the extra-virgin olive oil, lime juice, vinegar, cilantro, garlic, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a blender. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as necessary.
4. Drizzle the roasted cauliflower with the dressing and serve immediately.

Scallion Pancakes

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups white flour
1 cup warm water
Canola or vegetable oil
Kosher salt
1 bunch scallions

Equipment
Spray oil or cooking spray
Rolling pin
Large metal baking sheet
One 10-inch heavy skillet or sauté pan
Thin spatula
Kitchen scissors

Instructions

1. Mix 2 1/2 cups flour with 1 cup water until it forms a smooth dough. Knead by doubling the dough over and pressing it down repeatedly, until the dough is even more smooth and very elastic. Coat this ball of dough lightly in oil and put it back in the bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let the dough rest for about 30 minutes.

2. Cut the dough into 4 equal parts. Lightly oil the back of a large metal baking sheet. Roll out one part of the dough on the back of the baking sheet. Roll until it is a thin rectangle at least 12 x 9 inches.

3. Finely chop the bunch of scallions and have them ready, along with a small bowl of kosher salt.

4. Lightly brush the top of the dough with oil, then sprinkle it evenly with chopped scallions and kosher salt.

5. Starting from the long end, roll the dough up tightly, creating one long snake of rolled-up dough.

6. Cut the dough snake in two equal parts.

7. Take one of these halves and coil into a round dough bundle.

8. Roll out the coiled dough bundle again into a flat, smooth, round pancake.

9. Heat a 10-inch heavy skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat, and oil it with a drizzle of canola of vegetable oil. When the oil shimmers, pick up the pancake dough and lay it gently in the pan. It should sizzle, but not burn. Cook for 2 minutes on one side.

10. Flip the pancake over with a spatula and cook for an additional 2 minutes on the other side, or until golden brown.

11. Cut the pancake into wedges with a pair of kitchen scissors, and serve immediately with soy sauce or another dipping sauce.

Additional Notes: If you would like to make a few pancakes but save the rest for later, you can save the dough in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just make sure the dough is oiled and well-covered. You can also roll out individual pancakes and stack them between well-oiled layers of wax paper.

A Vegetarian Indian Feast

I got a hankering for indian food yesterday so invited a couple friends over and made enough food for about 20. I just kind of started cooking from Julie Sahni's book

The first recipe I made was Hearty Blue Mountain Cabbage and Tomato Stew (Muttakos Sambaar).
for 6-8 people
1 cup yellow lentils (toovar dal)
3 cups water
1/4 tsp tumeric
3/4 lb tomatoes quartered
8-12 curry leaves
4 tblsp veg oil
1 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
1/3 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tblsp sambaar powder
1 medium size onion, peeled and cut in to 1 inch pieces
1 1/2 lb cabbage (stem and tough leaves removed), choppend in to 1 inch pieces
2 tsp coarse salt
3-4 tblsp chopped fresh coriander

1. wash the lentils with several changes of water.  Put them in a 3-4 quart pan, add the water and tumeric and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat to medium and cook, partially covered for 30 mins or until fully cooked

2. add the tomatoes and curry leaves, mix well, and turn off heat.  Take out about half of the tomato-lentil mixture and process in a food processor or blender until finely pureed.  Return it to pan.

3. Measure out the spices and place them right next to stove in separate piles.  Heat the oil in a large pot over high heat. When oil is very hot, add mustard seeds.  Keep lid handy as seeds sputter.  As seeds are sputtering add the fenugreek.  When it turns dark brown add the sambaar, let sizzle for a couple seconds and immediately add onion and cabbage. Stir well and quickly.  Cook the vegetables, uncovered, for 4-5 mins.  Turn down heat a little if needed.

4. Add the lentil mixture, mix throughly, and bring to a boil.  Cook the stew over medium heat, covered for 20 min or until vegetables are done but still crisp.  Stir in the salt to taste and a little chopped coriander.

While this was cooking I started on the Hot and Sour Garlic-Braised Eggplant (Khatti Bhaji)
For 6 people
3 long thin Asian eggplants
1/2 lb baking potatoes (I might use less)
1 cup mustard oil or light vegetable oil
1/3 cup sliced garlic
2 1/2 cups thinly sliced onions
4-8 hot green chilies, thickly shredded (I used 8 birds eyes - maybe a bit overkill)
1/2 tsp tumeric
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 1/2 cups thinly sliced tomatoes
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt

1. Cut eggplant in half lengthwise.  Cut each half across into halves.  Cut each quarter into long slices about 3/8 inch thick.  Scrub potatoes clean, cut them in half lengthwise.  Cut each half into long thin slices about 3/8 inch thick (I would make these slices thinner as they take forever to cook).  Put potatoes and eggplant in large bowl of water and set aside.

2. Measure out the spices and place them right next to the stove in separate piles.  Heat  oil in a very large pot until very hot.  Add garlic and cook, stirring and turning, for 2 mins or until it begins to color.

3. Add the onion and continue cooking for 5 mins.  Add the chilies and cook for 2 mins more.  Add the tumeric, cayenne pepper and let it sizzle for 30 secs.

4. Add the eggplant, mix the ingredients, and cook, turning the vegetables to distribute spices and adjusting the heat as necessary, for 8 minutes or until the eggplant softens slightly and begin to fry.  Add the tomatoes along withthe salt and reduce the heat to med-high.  Cook the vegetables, turning them consistently for 10 mins.  Finally reduce the heat to med-low and let the vegetables fry, undisturbed, until they are soft.

I then made Saag Paneer
For 6
3-4 cups cooked spinach, finely chopped or pureed in food processsor
6 tblsp vegetable oil
1 block paneer (cut into about 15-20 cubes)
flour for dusting
1 1/2 cup onion finely chopped
2 tblsp minced for fresh ginger
3/4 tsp tumeric
4 hot green chilies, minced
1 cup water
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 tblsp garam masala
 refrigerator.

Heat 4 tblsp oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat.  Dust the paneer pieces with flour and add them in a single layer to the pan. Fry, turning and tossing them for about 2-3 mins per batch.  Set paneer aside.

Add 2 tblsp oil to same pan and sautee the onion until browned.   Add the ginger and cook 2 more mins.  Add the tumeric and green chilies, stir for a few seconds, then add  spinach and 1/2 - 1 cup water and salt.  Mix well and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and cook for 2 mins.  Stir in the fried paneer pieces and cook for 2 more mins.  Finally stir in the garam masala.

I then made Dal Special - a recipe i found on the internet years ago but now only have a print out.
1 1/2 cup moong dal (yellow dal)
1 large tomato cut up
2-3 pods of garlic chopped very finely
1 tblsp finely chopped ginger
2 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp coriander - cumin powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
bit of lemon juice
2 tbsp oil
2 tsp sugar
salt
3 cups water

Wash dal throughly and cook with water till done.
Take a deep pot and add 2 tbsp oil, heat till very hot and add cumin seeds.  When they splutter add garlic and ginger, stir and then add chopped tomatoes and sautee well.
Add the cooked dal to pot and more water if needed.
Add chili powder, cumin - coriander powder, tumeric powder, sugar and salt and let it simmer for less than a minute.
Add lemon juice

For the rice I cooked basmati rice with some cardamoms and a bit of tumeric and ground cumin.

Then we also made chapatis.

 

  

 

YUMMMM and there are leftovers for the week