Maya Kaimal - Indian Flavor Every Day: Simple Recipes and Smart Techniques to Inspire: A Cookbook

Acknowledgments

This book has been percolating in me for years, but I credit Susan Herrmann Loomis, renowned cookbook author and collaborator extraordinaire, with getting it out of my head and onto the page. Susan is a brilliant culinary talent, walking encyclopedia of food, my trusted recipe consultant, a steady voice on the other end of the phone (in Paris!), and now my friend, and words cannot capture my appreciation of her. I am also grateful for my astute literary agent, Jane Dystel, for putting the two of us together and for convincing me to commit to this book. And my thanks to Miriam Goderich at the Dystel, Goderich & Bourret agency.

At Clarkson Potter, Im beyond grateful to my editor, Jennifer Sit, for seeing the potential in my idea, for molding my manuscript into shape, and for always pushing me to go deeper. The design team, Stephanie Huntwork and Ian Dingman, were a pleasure to collaborate with; thank you for your inspiring vision! My deep gratitude to the first-rate editorial and production teams: editorial assistant Bianca Cruz, copy editor Kathy Brock, production editor Chris Tanigawa, and production manager Kim Tyner. And to everyone who worked so hard to get the word out, youre amazing: director of publicity Kate Tyler, marketer Monica Stanton and publicist Natalie Yera at Clarkson Potter; and Ilana Harkavy and the creative team at Nailed It Media.

My heartfelt thanks to the photography crew: the supremely talented photographer Eva Kolenko, who makes it all look effortless; her assistant Brad Knilans; the gifted food stylist Emily Caneer; her assistant Carrie Beyer; and brilliant prop stylist Ayesha Patel for her exquisite taste in props and thoughtful culinary input. And to the companies who generously provided cookware, thank you Le Creuset, All-Clad, and Made In.

From Maya Kaimal Foods, LLC, Im grateful to Chip Baird, Alison Minter, Hemanshu Patel, Jane Pemberton, and Leslie Fuda at North Castle Partners for their crucial support of this project. A special shout-out to my dear friend and collaborator of fourteen years, chef Jessica Bard, who shares my wavelength and always has my back. And thanks to chef Devika Narula for contributing her great energy and culinary inspiration to the business and the book. My sincere thanks to Varant Minassian and Perry Abbenante for giving me the room to write this book, and Albert Valdes, for the sage advice. And to everyone at Maya Kaimal Foods, Jeff Newton, Louis Riccelli, Rod Fontenot, Matt Cacho, Andrew Bellisano, Steve Ihme, Rachel Russo-Mas, Sarah Dalzell, Joe Quattrucci, and Stephanie Massarelli (and the much-missed Elaine Delsol), I appreciate everything you do.

To these incredible humans whose personal and professional advice I cherish: Margo True, Patricia Fabricant, Kate Crow, Leslie McNeil, Susan Spungen, and Katie Calhounwhat a gift to be able to tap these brains. For recipe ideas and background research, my true thanks to Susan Westmoreland, Chelsea Ringquist, Nisha and Padma Krishnamoorthy, Syamala Surendranathan, Yoga Kalyanam, and Mira Menon. And thank goodness for my testers, whose feedback on the recipes was invaluable: Asya Ollis, Christian Crouch, Martha Gallagher, and Margo True.

I am eternally grateful to my parents, Lorraine and Chandran, for encouraging me to pursue my passion for food and art. Im sorry my father didnt get to see this book completed, but I felt his presence at every step. My Aunty Kamala was also with me in spirit as I cooked these recipes. Thank you to my siblings and their spouses, Padma Kaimal, Narayan Kaimal, Andy Rotter, and Elissa Grad, who are my touchstones in food and life. Lastly and with a full heart, an enormous thank-you to my husband, Guy, for his unwavering belief in me, and to my beautiful daughters, Lucy and Anna, for giving me the love and support I needed, and then some.

Maya Kaimal is an award-winning cookbook author and the founder of Maya Kaimal Foods, a line of premium Indian foods available nationwide. Her first book, Curried Favors, won the Julia Child First Book Award from the International Association of Culinary Professionals. She has appeared on the Today show, Martha Stewart TV, Food Network, and the Discovery Channel, and has written features for Saveur, Food & Wine, and Gourmet.

Snacks

Indians have perfected the art of making mouthwatering snacks, also known as chaat. In fact, the term chaat comes from the Hindi word for lick, which is exactly what youll be doing to your fingers when you sample these savory delights. Some of the snacks here evoke Indias wonderful street-food tradition, like pakoras with kale and bhaji full of crisp sweet potatoes. They make the act of deep-frying pay dividends, so dont let a fear of frying cause you to miss out on their crunchy rewards! And dont forget to douse all of the above in chutneys from the Basics chapter ().

Youll also find some quick and easy snacks of my own invention that light-handedly employ Indian flavors and can be pulled together quickly. Kale chips get a thrilling lift from the tangy chaat masala spice blend (see ) comes together easily and creates the most irresistible dip for naan or a baguette. Everyone can find happiness here, whether theyre vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, or omnivore.

Sweet and Spicy Nuts

Makes a generous 4 cups Time: 20 minutes

This recipe is so quick to make for something that feels and tastes very special. I like the combination of cashews, pistachios, and pecans, but you could use 2 cups of any type of nut. As they cook, the nuts go through an alchemy that is thrilling to watch: the sugar and water turn to sand, then melt again into gorgeous caramel. The nuts emerge shiny and crackling, and I can hardly control myself around them!

Neutral oil, for oiling a baking sheet

Seasoning

Masala

teaspoon Kerala Garam Masala ()

teaspoon cayenne

teaspoon fine sea salt

Nuts

cup water

cup sugar

cup roasted cashews

cup shelled pistachios

cup pecan halves

Thoroughly oil a large baking sheet.

Mix the seasoning: In a small bowl, combine the garam masala, cayenne, and salt. Set aside.

Prepare the nuts: Mix the water, sugar, and nuts in an 11- to 12-inch heavy-duty skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula, until the sugar dissolves and the liquid boils, 2 to 4 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking and stirring until the liquid crystallizes and becomes sandy, about 8 minutes. Soon after the sand has appeared, the sugar will begin to liquefy and caramelizekeep stirring for another 4 to 6 minutes, or until almost all the sugar has melted. If you see the caramel turning dark, remove the pan from the heat from time to time, but continue stirring.

When the nuts and sugar are mostly caramelized, add the seasoning and stir thoroughly until well combined. Transfer the nuts to the prepared baking sheet, spreading them in an even, single layer as best you can.

When the nuts are cool, break up any that are stuck together. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Tip

Be sure to pay close attention to the timing and cues, so the sugar doesnt burn.