We’ve collected a plethora of wonderful recipes from chefs over the past 8.5 years and we want to share what we have. Check back here twice a week for new content from your favorite Philly and out of town chefs to add some spice to your home cooking repertoire.
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For today’s COOKing at Home post, we’re giving you options – make one dish or make an entire meal! Washington, D.C. resident and Mumbai native Rupen Rao, is a veteran COOK instructor, and one of the many pleasures of his classes is that he provides recipes for everything! Rupen, who has a line of cookbooks and simmering sauces, has made it his mission to take classic Indian cooking and adapt it to our day-to-day lifestyle here in the United States. Immerse yourself in a weekend project and enjoy these recipes for a vegetarian feast – a wonderful Mother’s Day gift, by the way!
Masala Chai
Tea and coffee are served in India in the mornings and afternoons. Indian chai can be made in many ways, primarily with fresh ginger and/or green cardamom. Some families have a traditional spice mix blend to add when making chai. Serves 4 (6 oz servings).
1 tbsp finely chopped, peeled, fresh ginger
1⁄2 tsp ground cardamom
3 tsp black loose tea leaves
4 tsp sugar
2/3 cup warm whole milk
In a 3-qt saucepan over medium heat, boil water, cardamom and ginger.
Add tea leaves and sugar. Bring to a boil again. Cook for 2 minutes.
Add milk, stir, and bring to a boil again.
Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes. Strain and serve in teacups.
***
Paneer Makhani, Jeera Chawal, Butte ka Saag
Paneer Makhani – Paneer Cheese in ‘Makhani’ Sauce
Makhani sauce was developed in Moti Mahal restaurant in Delhi, India in 1947 during the time of India’s independence. My recipe for the sauce is inspired from this original recipe. Makhani is a buttery, creamy, tomato-based sauce with a hint of dry fenugreek leaves. It is perhaps the most popular Indian curries in and outside India. Serves 4.
3 tbsp unsalted butter
½ inch cinnamon stick
3 green cardamom pods, muddled
3 cloves
1 tbsp finely chopped, peeled, fresh ginger
1 tbsp finely chopped, peeled garlic
1 tbsp finely chopped, jalapeno
1 ½ cup crushed tomatoes, pureed
1 tsp dry fenugreek leaves, crushed
2 cups cooked tandoori paneer tikkas (recipe follows)
Salt to taste
1 tbsp white granulated sugar
2 tbsp whipping cream
¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
In a 3-qt saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add ginger, garlic, and jalapeno. Sauté for 3 minutes. Stir once every minute.
Add tomato puree, mix. Cook covered for 5 minutes.
Add fenugreek leaves, cooked tandoori paneer tikkas, salt, sugar and ½ cup of water. Mix. Cook covered on low heat for 5 minutes.
Add heavy whipping cream and cilantro. Mix and serve.
***
Tandoori Paneer Tikkas
A ‘tikka’ is a boneless piece of meat. Everyone’s favorite, Tandoori Paneer Tikka, is pieces of paneer that are marinated and are grilled. It is not only healthy, but also delicious! A sprinkle of lemon juice is the key for added taste and helps keep moisture within the cheese. Serves 4.
1 lb paneer cheese, cut in 2-inch cubes
½ cup plain yogurt, whisked
2 tbsp unsalted butter mixed with 2 tbsp lemon juice
1 lemon chopped into quarters
¼ teaspoon orange food color (optional)
Spice rub:
1 tsp ground paprika
½ tsp ground cayenne
1 tsp dry fenugreek leaves
1 tsp curry powder
½ tsp garam masala
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp ginger powder
1 tsp sea salt
In a medium-size mixing bowl, add the spice rub ingredients. Add yogurt and mix. (Optionally, you can add half a teaspoon of orange food color to the yogurt for enhanced color.) Add paneer and apply marinade on entire paneer.
Cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight for best results or at least for 4 hours in the refrigerator.
Take 6 wooden skewers and soak them in water for 30 minutes. Pre-heat grill or oven at 400 F.
Skewer marinated paneer and place on grill or oven. Cook for 5 minutes, brush the cooked side with butter and lemon juice mixture, then flip and cook the other side for 5 minutes, as well. Brush again with the butter and lemon juice mixture. Set aside. If using oven, bake paneer pieces for 10 minutes on one side and 5 minutes on the other.
Just before serving, squeeze lemon juice.
***
Butte ka Saag – Corn in Curried Spinach Sauce
This is a green curry preparation that many restaurants replace the corn with paneer, or tandoori chicken and add heavy whipping cream. ‘Saag’ is a beaten or pureed green. In this recipe from the state of Punjab, I like to leave it clean and simple by using spinach and mustard greens, which is a traditional combination. You can use chicken or paneer instead of corn. Serves 4.
4 cups chopped, fresh baby spinach leaves
1 cup chopped mustard greens
2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled
2 tbsp ghee
½ cup minced red onion (½ medium size onion, approximately)
1 tsp finely chopped jalapeño, vein and seeds removed
1 tbsp finely chopped, peeled garlic
1 cup finely chopped roma tomato, along with its seeds and pulp
1 tbsp curry powder
1 cup corn kernels
Salt to taste
Bring 1 cup of water to a boil.
Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, add spinach, mustard greens and ginger. Pour boiled water in the mixing bowl. Mix and let the mixture sit for 10 minutes.
Pour this mixture along with all its water into the blender. Puree this mixture and pour it back into the mixing bowl. This ‘green puree’ is the base for Saag.
In a 3-qt saucepan, heat ghee over medium heat. Sauté onions and jalapeños. Once the onions have turned slight brown, add garlic and sauté for a minute.
Add tomatoes and curry powder, stir. Cook covered for 5 minutes, stirring every other minute.
Add green puree. Add salt and mix.
Add corn and stir. Cover partially, cook on low heat for 10 minutes. Stir every other minute. Serve.
***
Chana Masala
Chana Masala – Spicy Chickpea Curry
This classic Indian curry is extremely popular and almost every Indian restaurant in the U.S. serves this dish. The key to making a good Chickpeas curry is to use ground mango powder. Lemon can be used as a substitute, but it is ground mango powder that gives this curry its distinct flavor. Serves 4.
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup minced red onion
1 tbsp finely chopped, peeled, fresh ginger
1 tbsp finely chopped, peeled garlic
2 cups finely chopped Roma tomato, along with its seeds and pulp
2 cups canned, cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Salt to taste
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
Spice mix:
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp garam masala
½ tsp mango powder
¼ tsp ground cayenne
In a 3-qt saucepan over medium heat, heat oil for one minute. Add onions and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring once every minute, until onions turn brown.
Add ginger and garlic; mix and sauté for 3 minutes. Stir once every minute.
Add tomatoes, mix well and cook covered on medium heat for about 5 minutes, stir once every minute.
Add spice mix and stir; sauté for one minute.
Add 1 cup of water and chickpeas. Mix well. Bring the mixture to a boil and add salt.
Use the back of your stirring spoon to mash chickpeas partially. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve!
•••
Jeera Chawal – Cumin Rice
My friend’s aunt used to make this rice dish. This is her recipe. The key is to use a good amount of cumin seeds. Use white basmati rice that is grown in India. If you can find, buy Supreme quality white basmati rice grown in India. Good quality ingredients make all the difference. Serves 4.
3 tbsp ghee
1 ½ tbsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp salt
½ cup chopped cilantro
1 ½ cups white basmati rice
In a sauce pot, boil 10 cups water. Once the water has boiled, add salt. Stir.
Add rice and stir. Make sure there are no lumps. Bring the water back to a boil and then cook the rice for 10 minutes.
Strain using a colander and set aside.
In a large fry pan over medium heat, melt ghee. Add cumin seeds and turn off heat. Add rice and gently toss/mix until all rice grains are coated with ghee. Be careful to not break rice grains.
Finally add cilantro and toss again.
And for those days when you simply don’t feel like cooking, The Philadelphia Inquirer has a comprehensive list of area restaurants who are offering takeout and delivery!
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