Your Cooking Coach
Show MenuHide Menu

Category Archives: Indian Cuisine

Besan and Nariyal Barfi (Indian Confection Made with Chickpea Flour and Coconut)

Here is one of my favorite Indian sweets! Happy Diwali! Enjoy..

  • 1 cup besan (chickpea flour)
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • ½ cup fresh ricotta cheese
  • 4 to 5 green cardamoms (seeds taken out and crushed)
  • 1¼ cups sugar
  • Sliced almonds
  • Pistachios, chopped

Heat a medium frying pan and add the coconut oil. Add the besan and sauté on medium heat for at least 30 minutes (or more) till the mixture turns a light caramel color.
Add the ricotta, coconut and cardamom seeds. Mix well and let the moisture from the ricotta cook out- about ten minutes.
Turn the heat off and add the sugar. Mix well until all is incorporated.
Spread the mixture on to a shallow platter with edges. Smooth with a spatula and sprinkle the almonds and pistachios and press down with fingers. Keep in fridge for half an hour to set. Take out and cut into small squares and serve.

Roasted Cauliflower and Potatoes with Harissa

1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets

4 to 5 medium to small potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces

Oil to drizzle and cook with

Salt

Pepper

5 to 6 green onions, whites and greens separated and chopped

2 inch fresh ginger, grated

2 tablespoons harissa

1 teaspoon ground coriander

½ cup chopped cilantro

 

 

Preheat broiler to high.

Transfer the cauliflower florets and cut up potatoes to a lined cookie sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix to make sure all the veggies are coated well with oil. Place the veggies under a hot broiler and roast them for 5 to 10 minutes or till they are golden brown. Take them out and keep aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy saucepan. Add the white parts of the green onions and ginger. Saute on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the harissa and saute for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the roasted veggies and mix well. Add 1 teaspoon salt and ground coriander, mix well, lower the heat and cover with lid. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or till the potatoes are cooked through. Take the lid off, check for seasonings. Garnish with cilantro and the green parts of the green onion.

Chicken Curry

Curry Chicken2

  • 1 pound chicken thighs, with or without bones, without skin
  • ½ cup non-fat Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons half and half
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 inch fresh ginger, grated
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala

Mix the yogurt, half and half, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, salt and garam masala in a bowl. Add to a zip lock bag with the chicken and marinate in the fridge overnight or at least 2 hours. Keep aside.

  • 1 medium yellow onion, cut in half
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, washed
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 2 green cardamoms, crushed
  • 2 cloves

Add the onion, tomatoes, chicken broth, cardamom and cloves to a medium pan. Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 30 minutes or till everything is soft and mushy. Blend in a blender till smooth.

  • 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • ½ cinnamon stick
  • Salt
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped

Heat a large saucepan with the olive oil and cinnamon stick. Add the blended onion mixture and sauté on medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the chicken including the marinade. Mix well and cook on a medium heat covered for 20 minutes or till the chicken is cooked through. Take the lid off and turn the heat up to cook the extra moisture off, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Check for seasonings and garnish with cilantro.
Chicken Curry1

Garam Masala and Cilantro Roast Turkey Breast

This was voted the best turkey we have ever made. I cooked this delicious turkey breast the same way I have been for the last few years. I like to make a compound butter for under the skin; I like to add bacon on top and I like to stuff the cavity with some citrus. I made the compound butter with garlic, lemon zest, garam masala and cilantro to keep with the Indian theme. It made the turkey super flavorful and delicious!

  • 1 8-9 pound turkey breast
  • ½ stick butter, room temperature
  • 2 large garlic cloves, grated
  • Zest of two lemons, save the lemons for the cavity
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1-2 teaspoons garam masala
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 3 to 4 bacon strips
  • 1 cup baby carrots
  • 1 large onion, cut into quarters
  • 4 to 5 garlic cloves, skins on
  • 1 to 2 cups homemade turkey stock

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (preferably convection)

Mix the butter with the garlic, lemon zest, salt, garam masala and cilantro. Loosen the skin of the turkey breast and carefully spread the butter under the skin. Salt and pepper inside and outside of the turkey breast. Stuff the cavity with the lemon pieces. Place the bacon strips on top of the turkey breast and place on the stand.
Add the carrots, onion and garlic to the bottom of the roasting pan. Add the stock. Place the stand into the roasting pan. Let turkey sit for 2 to 3 hours before roasting in oven.
Roast in the oven till the internal temperature is 160 degrees F. Half way through the roasting process, take the bacon (when bacon is well done) off and continue cooking. Take out of oven onto a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil for 20 minutes. In the meantime strain the juices out of the roasting pan. Separate the fat and add the juices to the gravy pan.
Slice the turkey and serve with hot gravy.

Sauteed Okra with Onions

Bhindi

  • 10 ounces frozen chopped okra, thawed or fresh if you can find it
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 serrano chilies, cut and split in half
  • 1 large onion, sliced thin
  • 2 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice or 1 teaspoon aamchoor

Line a large plate with a sheet of paper towel. Place the okra in one layer and microwave for 3 minutes. The reason for this step is to remove the wet slimy texture frozen okra has.
In a cast iron or non-stick frying pan heat the olive oil. Add the onions, serrano chilies and sauté over high heat. Add the okra. Stir constantly careful not to burn but brown evenly. Once the okra and the onions are dark brown and well sautéed, add the salt, turmeric, garam masala and cayenne pepper. Take off heat and add the lemon juice. Adjust seasoning and serve.

Cauliflower and Potatoes Sauteed with Tomatoes

Cauliflower and Potatoes Sauteed with Tomatoes1

  • 1 cauliflower head, cut into florets
  • 4 to 5 medium sized yellow potatoes, cut into ½ inch wedges
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon ajwain (carom) seeds
  • 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
  • 2 inch ginger, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 cup fresh tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the cumin and ajwain seeds and sauté on medium high heat till the seeds begin to sizzle. Add the onion, ginger and garlic. Saute on medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and sauté for another 4-5 minutes. Add the salt, turmeric, coriander powder and garam masala. Mix well and add the cauliflower and potatoes. Mix well and lower the heat and cover for 15 minutes or till the potatoes and cauliflower are tender. Turn the heat up and uncover the pan and sauté, stirring constantly. Saute for 5-6 minutes, till the excess moisture at the bottom of the pan has evaporated. Check for seasonings and garnish with cilantro.

Warm Indian Potato Salad

A few more weeks of August left- might as well take advantage of the grilling season and make some delicious sides! Potato salad is always a winner- this one is a bit different with Indian flavors…

warm-potato-salad

  • 1 pound yellow potatoes boiled and cut in 2 inch pieces
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 3 scallions chopped
  • 1 serrano chili deseeded and chopped
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Salt to taste
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro

In a wide skillet heat the olive oil and add the mustard and cumin seeds. Add the chopped potatoes once the spices begin to sizzle. Saute on high heat to brown the potatoes about 10 minutes. Once the potatoes are golden brown add the scallions and the serrano chili. Then add the lemon juice, cayenne pepper, garam masala and salt. Garnish with the cilantro.