Bhide - The Everything Indian Cookbook: 300 Tantalizing Recipes--From Sizzling Tandoori Chicken to Fiery Lamb Vindaloo

THE
EVERYTHING
Indian Cookbook Dear Reader: Namaste, I salute the divine in you! Welcome to the wonderful world of Indian cooking. Let me guide you as you begin your journey exploring the spice continent, a journey that will make the exotic simple and the unknown familiar. I present to you simple recipes from all over India. Designed with the beginner in mind, these recipes are easy to prepare and use simple ingredients and cooking methods. They will give you a taste of the wide variety of ingredients and food preparation st yles that come together to form Indian cuisine. From the lap of the Himalayas in the north to the coast of southern India, from the Ghats of western India to the eastern Bay of Bengal, I present to you a multitude of flavors.

All the recipes have been tested and come with easy instructions and handy tips. I hope that you will enjoy preparing them as much as I have enjoyed writing them. May you always be blessed with great meals, The EVERYTHING Series! Editorial

Published by Adams Media, a division of F+W Media, Inc.
57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322 U.S.A.
www.adamsmedia.com ISBN 10: 1-59337-042-3
ISBN 13: 978-1-59337-042-8
eISBN: 978-1-59337-042-8
Printed in the United States of America. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Bhide, Monica
The everything Indian cookbook / Monica Bhide.
p. cm.
(An everything series book)
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 1-59337-042-3
1. Cookery, Indic. I. II. II.

Series: Everything series
TX724.5.I4.B55 2004
641.5954--dc22 2003020367 This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional advice. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. From a Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the
American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations
Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and Adams Media was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed with initial capital letters. This book is available at quantity discounts for bulk purchases.
For information, call 1-800-289-0963.Contents D edication Dedicated to my dear friend Beth Lipka.

You will always be in our hearts. We miss you. A cknowledgments To all my friends and family for their amazing support. To my husband Sameer and my son Jai for their love, my mom and dad for their amazing support and recipe advice, and my in-laws for their love and support. To my agent Lisa Ekus, Steven Shaw of Egullet.com, Marcy Claman, and ichef.com for their unwavering faith in me. To my dedicated testers, led by Anna Nielsen: Arti Bahl, Kent Villard, Yvonne May, Anjali Kumar, Anu Duggal, Shivani Mahendroo, Maya Nair, Saroj Nair, Meghana Bhave, Vrinda Deval, Aroop Gosh, Boaz Coaster, Elie Nassar, Mary Rachich, Susan Koch, Foster Rockwell, Christine Traini, Lydia Ketkar, Protima Jadhav, Pooja Bavkar, Mike Lipka, Sandy Turba, Ruchi Saigal, Anu Rohatgi, Sonia Kohli, Simon Majumdar, Mike and Debbie Smith, Prasad from Thali, and Javad Maftoon.

To Lavina Melwani for the delicious Sindhi Kebab recipe. To Swati Elavia for her guidance on the menu-planning section, and Shiela Malik for her great pickle and dessert recipes. To my researchers: Neerja Mishra, Puneet Agarwal, Shirley Taur. My tasters: Smita, Neal, Priya, and Shree Gondhelkar; Jeannie and Jim Thomas. The amazing editorial team at Adams: Thank you! Introduction
A COUNTRY OF MORE THAN 1 BILLION PEOPLE, with over a dozen languages, 800 recognized dialects, and several religions, India is as diverse as it gets! The geography of India is extremely varied, with mountains, beautiful rivers, vast deserts, and extensive plains. This allows for a wide array of crops, flowers, wildlife, and climates all of which are reflected in the diverse food culture of the country.

Indias cuisine has been influenced greatly by the multitude of invaders throughout the countrys history; the Mughals, Turks, Europeans, and Portuguese all left their mark. By adding their own cooking styles and ingredients, they provided a rich diversity, resulting in a unique cuisine. What holds this diverse cuisine together are the aromatic and flavorful spices. The art of Indian cooking is in blending the spices so that they are in perfect harmony in each dish. The diverse Indian landscape provides a variety of fruits and vegetables. In addition, the abundant coastline provides a lot of seafood.

Each region in India is known for its own distinct cuisine largely influenced by the physical and social environments. In each region, however, food is served in a similar wayall together, as opposed to the Western way of serving food in courses. Tables are also jazzed up with condiments like pickles and chutneys, adding pizzazz to any meal. Regardless of the region you are in, Indians are known for their incredible hospitality. Northern Indian cooking is rich in meats, nuts, and amazing breads. The cuisine of western
India is simpler, focusing on rice and lentils.

The eastern coastline is blessed with abundant seafood, which is reflected in the cuisine of the region. Southern India is famous for its legendary pickles and chutneys. Religion also influences the cuisine a great deal. There are sects of Indians who dont eat any root vegetables, the Muslims do not eat pork, and the Hindus do not eat beef. There are special ingredients used to prepare religious meals, specifically for the purposes of breaking fasts. Indian cooking categorizes foods into six tastessweet, sour, salty, spicy, bitter, and astringent.