Typically I don’t accomplish much on the weekends. But for some reason, this week I was struck by a bout of productivity. Even after scouring the bathroom and hallway, bleaching the kitchen floor, and buying flowers for the apartment, I still felt motivated to cook a multi-course Indian feast. Everything, from the accompanying naan to the paneer itself, was home-made, made from recipes that I built myself after a few hours of internet research. A personal achievement, I suppose… something I’ll celebrate with a couple of Magic Hats and a few episodes of Lost (I know the new season is already pissing some folks off, but I have to admit I’m totally satisfied so far—especially when I compare it with Season 2, which John and I are currently re-watching). At any rate. The meal:
Paneer
It all started with the paneer. I brought the milk home on Wednesday, on a whim, and from this mild Indian cheese sprung the idea for an entire, elaborate Indian meal. Look, it’s simple:
- 1 quart whole milk
- 4 T lemon juice
- Peanut oil
- Salt
Bring the milk to a boil; add lemon juice and remove from heat. Allow milk to curdle for about 10-15 minutes; in the meantime, line a colander with cheesecloth or a tea-towel. Pour the curdled milk through the cloth; let drain an hour or so. Fold the cloth over and add a weight of some kind (a plate or mug, a bag of beans, etc). Refrigerate and continue to drain overnight. Remove weight and transfer paneer to a sealed container. Just before serving, cut into cubes and fry in peanut oil (if desired). Salt lightly. The paneer can be added directly to a batch of Palak Paneer (see below) or kept separate as a side-dish if you have vegan friends.
Vegan Garlic Naan
Naan. What’s an Indian meal without it? This batch is vegan, so everyone can enjoy the full experience.
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 C warm water
- 1 T honey
- 6 T soy milk
- 2 tsp salt
- Garlic powder, cumin, and curry powder to taste
- 3½ -4 C flour (3 C white, 1 C whole wheat)
- Olive oil, for grilling
Dissolve yeast in warm water; let stand 10 minutes. Add sugar, milk, salt, and spices. Add flour a little at a time to make a soft dough; less is better. Knead 6-8 minutes; oil, cover, and let rise 1 hour. Punch down and divide into golf ball-sized pieces (about 16 pieces). Place on a baking sheet, cover, and let rise about 3o minutes.
In a small bowl, add 2 cloves minced garlic to a few tablespoons olive oil. One at a time, flatten the dough balls into discs, brush with oil, and fry on a hot griddle 2 minutes per side*. Pat the cooked naan with a paper towel and transfer them to a paper bag; if you’re not eating them right away, wrap the paper bag in plastic.
*Alternatively, bake 8 minutes (or until golden and puffy) at 400F.
Curry Yogurt
Great as a topping and a dip, with naan and with curry. A very, very flexible recipe.
- 2 C plain yogurt
- 1 T lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt (more to taste)
- Black pepper, cumin, curry powder, and garlic powder to taste
Blend the ingredients thoroughly. Add chopped fresh cilantro for a little something special.
Coconut Cilantro Rice
A spicy rice to accompany curry. I cooked the rice itself early in the day and added the veggies and seasoning paste later; the rice by itself (cooked in water and coconut milk) smelled sublime first thing in the morning. With a little cinnamon and some raisins it’d make a hell of a breakfast. Still, once you add the cilantro and the ginger and the garlic, this dish tastes like the very essence of fresh. Mm. Oh yeah, and it makes a ton. Feel free to halve the recipe.
- 2 C rice
- 1 1/2 C coconut milk
- 2½ C cilantro
- 3 green chilies
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 2-inch chunk ginger, peeled
- A pinch of cloves
- A pinch of cinnamon
- 1 large onion, chopped
- (1-2 C vegetables of choice—I used chopped carrots and frozen peas)
- Juice of one lemon
Cook the rice in 3 C water, 1 C coconut milk. Do your best to keep the grains separate and fluffy; remove from heat. Meanwhile, combine cilantro, chilies, garlic, ginger, cloves and cinnamon in the food processor with just enough coconut milk to make a paste. Puree to your heart’s content, and don’t forget to admire the lovely green color.
In a separate pan from the rice, sauté the onion and veggies in oil. Season with salt, then add the paste and toss together. Add more oil if necessary. Add the cooked rice and mix well; it should be evenly—and brilliantly—green. As soon as the rice is warmed through, remove from heat; add the juice of one lemon and mix. Serve with curry or by itself. Should be a bit spicy!
Palak Paneer
Surprisingly, the main dish of my Indian evening was the easiest to make. My version is pretty mild, but you can make it spicier. You can also add ghee (clarified butter) or cream if you want a creamier dish. Also, note that this recipe was the smallest of all the courses; to match the quantity of rice I would either double this recipe or halve that one. Oh—and don’t forget to remove the bay leaves!
- 2-3 T vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, medium-diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp grated ginger root
- 1 red or green chili, chopped
- 3 small bay leaves
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp turmeric
- A pinch of cloves
- 1 bag frozen spinach, thawed
- 1 medium tomato, diced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Paneer, cubed and fried in peanut oil
- ½ C fresh cilantro, chopped
Saute onion in oil until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chili, bay leaves, and spices. Saute 10 more minutes. Finally, add tomato, spinach, and seasonings to taste; top off with water if the mixture is too dry. Cook until well blended. Serve on rice, with paneer or alone. Garnish with yogurt and chopped cilantro.
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The final verdict: tasty! Worth four days of planning and an entire day of cooking. Not as spicy as some would like, but that’s why God invented sriracha.