Konkan Shrimp Rice Kolmi Bhaat
From "The Dance of Spices: Classic Indian Cooking for Today's Home Kitchen" by Laxmi Hiremath. Serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients
1 pound (22 to 24) large shrimp
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cayenne
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 1/2 cups basmati rice
1 1/2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
4 bay leaves
8 whole cloves
1/4 cup freshly grated coconut or dried unsweetened flaked coconut
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon yellow or brown mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon asafetida (sold in Indian markets)
12 kari (curry) leaves or small bunch cilantro
4 1/2 cups water
Directions
Peel shrimp, leaving the final joint and tail intact. Devein each shrimp by making a shallow incision down the back, exposing the dark intestinal tract, and scraping it out. In a large glass bowl, combine the turmeric, cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt and lime juice. Add shrimp and toss to mix. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes refrigerator to marinate.
Place rice on a dinner plate. Work a small portion of the rice across to the opposite side of the plate, picking out any stones or unhulled rice grains. Repeat with remaining rice. Place rice in a bowl and wash with your fingertips 2 or 3 times in cold running tap water. Drain, add water to cover by at least 2 inches, and let soak for 30 minutes or longer. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a medium skillet over medium heat, combine coriander seeds, cumin seeds, sesame seeds, bay leaves and cloves. Toast, stirring frequently, until the seeds are aromatic and toasty, about 5 minutes. Add coconut and toast, stirring frequently, until light brown, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a spice grinder or coffee mill and grind to a fine powder. Set aside.
Have a spatter screen ready before you continue. Heat oil in a heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mustard seeds, immediately cover with the spatter screen until seeds stop popping, about 30 seconds. Add asafetida and kari leaves, if using. After a few seconds, when leaves are crisp, add spice mixture and shrimp. Cook, stirring, until fragrant and shrimp are coated with spices, about 3 minutes. Add rice and mix well. Stir in the water and remaining teaspoon of salt. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender and all liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let the rice stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Transfer rice to a heated serving dish.
Wine ideas: The lighter the wine, the more chance all the varied spices in this dish will have to stand out. Light doesn't mean wimpy, though. Choose a light white with backbone, like one from Txacoli in the Basque region of Spain. These whites are so light they are nearly fizzy, and their sharp, stony citrus flavors will act like lemon for the shrimp. Most run $10 to $15.-Tara Q. Thomas
Moghlai Lamb with Spinach Paalog Gosht
From "From Curries to Kebabs," by Madhur Jaffrey, serves 4.
Ingredients
1 1/4 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 teaspoons peeled and finely grated fresh ginger
7 cloves garlic, crushed to a pulp
2 tablespoons ground coriander
5 tablespoons corn or peanut oil
1 cup onion, sliced into very fine half-rings
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
3/4 to 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 pound fresh spinach, washed and cut into fine ribbons
Directions
Put meat in a bowl, add ginger, garlic, and coriander, mix well, and set aside for 30 minutes.
Pour oil into a wide, nonstick, lidded pan and set over medium heat. When hot, stir in onions, and fry them, turning heat down as needed, until they are golden red and crisp.
Remove onions with a slotted spoon and spread them out on a paper towel, leaving as much of the oil behind as possible. Reduce heat to medium, and put in all meat, together with its marinade. Add turmeric, cayenne pepper and salt, and stir 1 minute. Cover and cook 10 minutes, removing lid occasionally to stir contents.
Remove lid and add 1 tablespoon of yogurt. Cook, stirring, until yogurt is absorbed. Add remaining 3 tablespoons yogurt in this way, 1 tablespoon at a time. Then stir in spinach.
Chop fried onions and add to pan. Continue to stir until spinach has wilted. Cover pan and cook over very low heat for 50 minutes, or until meat is tender, lifting lid to stir now and then. If liquid seems to have dried up completely, add a few tablespoons of water at a time and cover again. The spinach should cling to the meat.
Wine ideas: Gamey, earthy and complexly spiced, this dish is made for a Rhône red, many of which can be described in the same way. If it's a special occasion, splurge on a bottle of
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which can be made from as many grape varieties as this dish has ingredients (or more: it can feature up to 13). Otherwise, look for a Côtes du Rhône or a vin de pays from the Vaucluse like Le Pigeoulet de Provence, a spicy blend from wine merchant Kermit Lynch that's a steal at about $14. -Tara Q. Thomas
Zucchini and Green Pepper "Sabzi" Tori Aur
Hari Mirch Ki Sabzi
From "From Curries to Kebabs," by Madhur Jaffrey, serves 3 to 4.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive or corn oil
A generous pinch of ground asafetida (sold in Indian markets)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon whole brown mustard seeds
1 1/4 pounds zucchini, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch by 1/2-inch fingers (if using round zucchini, cut into quarters, lengthwise, and then crosswise into 1/2-inch thick wedges)
1 large green pepper (about 7 ounces), quartered lengthwise, seeds removed and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch wide slices
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chaat masala (see note below) or a generous pinch of cayenne pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice
Directions
Pour oil into a large pan or wok and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in asafetida and add cumin seeds and mustard seeds. As soon as mustard seeds begin to pop (in seconds), add zucchini and green pepper. Stir-fry 5 minutes. Add yogurt, and cook, stirring, until absorbed. Reduce heat to low and add coriander and salt. Stir 1 minute. Add chaat masala and toss. Taste for balance of flavors.
Note: Look for pre-mixed chaat masala spice blends in Indian markets.
Wine ideas: Grüner veltliner has an affinity for vegetables; it also can have an earthy side that would complement the musky flavors asafetida lends. Höfer and Berger both make a simple veltliner that sells in liter-sized bottles for under $15. -Tara Q. Thomas
Basmati Rice
with Cinnamon and Saffron
A wonderful rice for a formal dinner or party. The quantities can easily be increased.From "From Curries to Kebabs," by Madhur Jaffrey, serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon saffron threads
3 tablespoons hot milk
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 cups basmati rice
2 tablespoons corn, peanut or olive oil, or ghee
2 2/3 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
2 medium cinnamon sticks
Directions
Place saffron on a piece of foil. Fold some of the foil over the saffron and crush it with a rolling pin or a wooden potato masher. Put crushed saffron in a small cup. Add hot milk, cardamom and sugar. Mix with a toothpick and set aside for 3 hours.
Put rice in a bowl and wash in several changes of water. Drain, add fresh water to cover generously, and leave to soak for 30 minutes. Drain.
Pour the oil into a heavy, lidded pan that will just hold the cooked rice comfortably and set over medium heat. When the oil is hot, put in the cinnamon sticks. Stir for 10 seconds, then add the rice. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir the rice until all the grains look translucent, about 2 minutes. Add 2 2/3 cups of water and the salt. Bring to a boil. Cover. Reduce the heat to very, very low and cook for 25 minutes. Turn off the heat. Lift the lid and quickly dribble in the saffron milk in a hap-hazard pattern. Quickly cover again and leave for 10 minutes. Mix the rice very delicately with a slotted spoon before serving.
