As history suggests, tomatoes were not indigenous to India and were only available in the country, 16th century onwards, courtesy the Portuguese. They even at that time could not have thought of the culinary evolution which happened after their introduction to Indian cuisine. Not only did they become one of the famous ingredients in the Indian kitchen but so many dishes evolved around them ranging from chutneys, soups and to curries.

Tomato is a perennial plant grown outdoors in temperate climate typically reaching upto 2-10feet in height with weak woody stem that requires support once they start tilting towards one side.
Even though fresh tomatoes are readily available, people often take advantage of their good preserving properties. Some of the forms in which it can be found are fresh both raw green and ripe, sun-dried, pickled, paste and pureed.

Tomato Rice (Also known as tomato bhaat)
2 cups leftover long grain rice
2 tbsp refined oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 green chillies slit lengthwise
1 large red onion, chopped fine
4 large ripe tomatoes, cut into cubes
1″ piece of ginger, peeled and grated
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
Salt to taste
¼ cup chopped fresh coriander leaves

Preparation:
Heat the oil in a kadhai/ deep sauté pan and add the mustard seeds and green chillies and allow them to crackle. When they stop spluttering add the onion and fry until translucent, about 2-3minutes.
Add the tomato and ginger and continue to stir. Cook until the tomatoes turn pulpy, about 5-7minutes.
Add coriander, cumin and garam masala powders (see the garam masala section in “The Ultimate Indian Curry Manual” )  and cook for another 2minutes. Add leftover rice and stir very gently to mix and heat at the same time. Season with salt.   Cook on a low flame for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Sprinkle the chopped coriander just before serving. Serve with the South Indian chutney or pachdi of your choice.

- Kuntal

Tags: lentil, chana, dhokla, chicken, tandoor, kebab, tandoori, palak, naan, handi

Question : What would you reccomend for someone who is trying Indian food for the first time?
My boyfriend is Indian and I want to show him that I care about him and want to learn about his culture by trying Indian food. I am a picky eater and not a big fan of spicy foods. What would you recommend for someone who wants to try Indian food and will like it? (It is asked in reference to people going out and picking a dish from a menu)

Kuntal Answers : At the outset, allow me to dispel the notion that Indian food is spicy and oily. The spice present in the Indian cuisine is more than often confused with Chilli which is definitely spicy. The other spices are there to create the particular flavour and aroma which is distinctive in several of curries found in India, even with the use of same spices. The other common spices used in Indian cuisine are cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, fenugreek, dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi), dried bayleaf (tej patta), peppercorn (kali or gol mirch), saffron etc.

When trying to learn the cuisine of a particular country, it is advisable to stick to basic popular choices which are easy to understand, prepare and relish as well. Some of the examples can be Kadhai preparations like Kadhai chicken, lamb, vegetables or paneer, Curries like chicken curry, Lamb Rogan Josh, fish curry, Kormas like chicken, lamb, paneer or mixed vegetable. Some of the popular vegetarian dishes are matar paneer (green peas and cottage cheese), Palak paneer (spinach and cottage cheese), Aloo Jeera (potatoes spiked with ginger), Kadhai paneer (wok tossed cottage cheese with onion and tomato), Gobhi matar (cauliflower and green peas ) etc. Indian breads like tandoori roti, naan (plain or flavoured), Roti (Indian flat bread) or paratha (Triangular pan fried Indian bread which can be flavoured with fresh coriander, onion seeds, carom seeds etc.), For the rice preparation you can go for pulaos or biryanis of your choice. Spike your meal with Indian chutneys, pickles and papads.

For the starters you can go for Pakodas (Indian fritters), samosas (deep fried pastry with stuffing inside) or Tandoori vegetables and the chance for your success rate will be much higher.

For the desserts you can go with popular choices like Kulfi (Indian milk ice cream flavoured with saffron), gulab jamun (sweetened dumpling of reduced milk and cottage cheese) Kheer (rice and nuts pudding).

For more detail on popular choices of Indian dishes, you can also refer to the e-book “The Ultimate Indian Curry Manual” available with sonzykitchen.com where you will come across so many easy to prepare dishes with step by step instructions and explanations. Infact you can use that e-book to prepare a romantic dinner for your boy-friend.

Sonzy Adds : When choosing an Indian restaurant, ensure that it is run and owned by an Indian. Many Indian restaurants mislead people because cooks from other countries cook Indian food without knowing the authenticity or the technique of it.

Tags: tikka masala, tandoor, murgh, dosa, kulfi, indian curry, naan, tandoori, roti, kebab

Question : I make Indian and Mediterranean dishes from time to time. I can’t seem to get the spices just right (comes out a bit bland). Is there a certain curry powder that I should use or is there a spice that I should with the curry?

Kuntal Answers : Curry powder is a generic term for a mixture of spices put together to flavour the Indian dishes, including the eponymous curries from various parts of India. It will mostly constitute cumin, coriander, turmeric, red chilli, fennel, hot spices like cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. Some of the special curry powders are special blends of more than fifty different spices in which many of them are not easily found with our neighbouring grocers. The most commonly found curry powder on the shelf is Madras curry powder which is on the spicier side.

While most of the curries are explained in detail with their recipes in the e-book available with us, I will give a simple recipe to make your own curry powder even though its usage will be limited to north Indian curries only.

Curry Powder Recipe

2 tablespoons whole cumin seeds, toasted until just aromatic
2 tablespoons whole cardamom seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds, toasted
1/4 cup turmeric powder
¼ tsp cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon red chilli powder (alternatively cayenne)

Method:

Combine all the ingredients in a dry air tight container and shake well to mix everything together. Use as required but use only dry spoon. It is advisable to make them at frequent intervals because the aromas do not last long.

Chef’s tip: sprinkle small pinch of hot spice powder alongwith with chopped coriander (cilantro) after finishing the dish for extra flavour.

Tags: curries, paneer, bhatura, gosht, dal, indian curry, roti, handi, kebab, palak

One surprising aspect of coriander plant is that almost every part of it is edible and full of flavour. While their usage will vary from cuisine to cuisine but it has found acceptance in almost all the kitchen including the much reluctant French chefs,  The leaves have got different name across the globe like “Dhania” in India, “cilantro” in US, “coriander” in UK, “Chinese parsley” in China and so on, but one thing has not changed; the taste and the aroma which reminds of the citrus overtones.

The leaves have actually found their role in Vietnamese kitchen, Indian kitchen, Mexican salsa and guacamole etc. Chopped coriander leaves are also used as a garnish on cooked dishes such as Dal (Indian lentil preparation) and many curries. As heat diminishes their flavour quickly, coriander leaves are often used raw or added to the dish right before serving.

The dried fruits of the plant are known as coriander seeds which can be either used whole, preferably roasted or powdered. They are used extensively in staple curries found in Indian home. It is also a key spice in hot spice powder.

Modern therapeutics recommend coriander fruits as adjuvant in: anorexia, dyspepsia, intestinal worms, dysfunctions of the mammal glands and abdominal pains.

Coriander chutney (helps in salivation and is good digestive)

1 big handful coriander leaves, roughly chopped
3 green chilies, roughly chopped (remove seeds to avoid extra heat)
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped (optional)
½ tsp salt
1 tsp lime/ lemon juice
1 tsp brown sugar (use plain as alternative)

Method:

Place all the ingredients but salt and sugar in a blender along with 4-5 tbsp of water and blend until the mixture become a coarse paste. Alternatively, use a pestle and mortar. Add seasoning and taste. This chutney can be stored in an airtight, non-metallic container for up to four days in the refrigerator.

Aromatically yours,

Kuntal Kumar.

Tags: desi, roti, bhatura, karahi, naan, bhatura, tandoori, chana, handi, chicken

Like ginger, garlic also has a long association with Indian cuisine and has long been considered a herbal “wonder drug”, with a reputation in folklore for preventing everything from the common cold and flu to the Plague! Some of the usage of garlic ranges from treating mild acne to managing high cholesterol level and even to repel the ever nasty mosquitoes in Indian houses and locality. Modern science, through its studies, has shown us that garlic is a strong antibiotic in general ways and its benefits continue over a period of time.

As a matter of fact, the stronger the character of garlic, the higher the sulphur content will be, which entails greater health benefits. Off late, people have turned towards using the organically grown garlic which not only tastes better but also devoid of harmful chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Some people have even gone to the extent of taking the garlic supplements to avoid bad breath and pungent taste.

Relevance of Garlic in Indian cuisine

Garlic, otherwise known as Lahsun or lassan, is considered hot by some perspective and does not find favour with people eating “Jain/Aesthetic” food but most of the Indian curries or preparations are not complete without it. It is staple in ginger-garlic paste which is the most widely used paste in the Indian kitchen.

Besides garlic bulb, it’s also popular as dehydrated, powdered or oil form and is exported to many parts of the world.

Garlic chutney

• 6 garlic cloves, peeled
• Half a bunch of coriander leaves, cleaned and chopped coarsely
• 1 green tomato, chopped
• 2 green chilli, chopped
• 2 tbsp mustard oil
• Salt to taste

Method:
Place garlic, coriander leaves, tomato, green chili and adequate water in a blender. Blend, first on low speed and then on high speed until the mixture is smooth and paste consistency. Add mustard oil and salt and stir well. Rest in the refrigerator for 30minutes. Eat with bread, pakodas (Indian fritters) or samosas.

- Kuntal

Tags: palak, kulfi, lentil, idli, chicken, roti, dosa, dal, bhatura, sambhar

Some of the herbs and spices are almost synonymous with Indian cuisine and ginger is one of them and much so for the medicinal properties it exhibits. There has been a long tradition to the use of ginger which is well amplified by the practitioners of Ayurveda where it was used as a mild cure for flatulence, nausea and vomiting. Ayurvedic “trikatu” powder where dried ginger is used to strengthen the digestive tract.

Right from the eponymous curries to morning non caffeine tea, ginger is in vogue everywhere either in young, mature or dry form. Ginger and garlic paste finds its way into most of the North Indian curries and so is the chopped and julienned ginger. Ginger lemon and honey drink is a very good morning refresher and supposed to fight diabetes if taken early morning besides fighting cold and flu symptoms. Secondly it also helps getting rid of the empty stomach bed tea habit which is damaging to the intestinal lining.

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Tags: lentil, vindaloo, chana, curries, idli, kebab, naan, desi, bhatura, paneer

Simple Yoghurt appetizer made from Tiny Dumplings of Besan (Chickpeas flour) put in Yoghurt.

• 600 ml Yoghurt
• 1/4 tea spoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint or coriander

Method

Soak the boondi in water for about 10 minutes.
Squeeze lightly and set aside.
Beat the yoghurt smooth with fork, add the salt, pepper and sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves.
Fold(put in and mix well) the moist boondi in yoghurt.
Refrigerate. Sprinkle with chopped mint or coriander leaves.
Serve chilled.

Tags: gosht, chana, karahi, vindaloo, dhokla, kulfi, tikka masala, tandoori, curries, idli