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Review of

Classic Indian Cooking

By Julie Sahni, Illustrations by Marisabina Russo

William Morrow and Company, Inc. Publishers

I’m very excited to learn that Julie Sahni is coming to Portland and teaching two Indian Cuisine classes at In Good Taste. I promptly went to my culinary library and cracked open her first cookbook; Classic Indian Cooking to bone up on Indian food. This book is a marvelous compendium of history, culture, and recipes from all of India. To appreciate the full spectrum and depth of Indian cuisine it is well worth reading the first few chapters to begin your immersion into Indian cuisine. In these pages Sahni leads us through the basics of Indian food and how geography, religion, and invaders influence its cuisine.

Sahni has been writing for almost 30 years on a subject she is passionate about and she is intent on teaching the Indian style of cooking and eating to an American audience. It is easy to get started on your journey. Start thumbing through recipes and jot a few down that interest you. At the end of each recipe there are suggestions for other dishes that would complement and help create an authentic Indian meal. The old adage, “read the recipe completely before you start cooking” couldn’t be truer when learning Indian cuisine. Sahni’s recipes unfold easily and before you know it you are ready to put together a meal.

Indian food is very sensual and the cooking style is intuitive. But don’t be intimidated by this! Sahni knows that you will be introduced to different flavoring combinations and she is always at your side easing the transition. It is equally important to prepare a meal as well as enjoy the process. Yes, many of the recipes can take an afternoon to cook, have long marinades, or taste better when left overnight. But many can benefit from freezing or sitting in the fridge meaning that after a quick reheat you are ready to feed your family.

With so many religions having dietary restrictions it is easy to understand why Indians have developed a myriad of vegetarian dishes to have wide appeal. The chapter Vegetables, Cheese, and Legumes is an excellent starting point to learn how legumes (dal) are integrated into a healthy meal.

My first Indian meal was Dum Aloo (Whole Potatoes in Spicy Yogurt Gravy), and at Sahni’s suggestions I made her recipe for Masar Dal (Lentils with Garlic Butter) and my basic rice pilaf (using one of your basic recipes helps you focus on the new recipes). I finished with cut up melon (my idea). The potatoes were cooked in a new technique for me called the dum process whereby food is browned first then steamed by a small addition of water and the moisture within the ingredient. Originally the heavy bottomed pot was sealed with a bit of dough around the lid and could only be opened when the dish was done. Sahni found that the dish could be sealed just as well with aluminum foil thus giving a chance to peek at the dish. When cooking meat in this technique, the slow cooking process allows the meat to release its juices and then simmer in them so it retains a moist and spice-infused flavor. The potatoes held their shape since they had been previously browned but a prior piercing let the seasonings enter the potato and the moisture out. The yogurt gravy consisted of sautéed onions, ginger root, spices, tomato puree, yogurt and heavy cream. The yogurt and cream smoothed out the acidity of the tomato puree and the browned skin of the potatoes added a toasty flavor. This dish is a great do-ahead meal. Next time I will bring these potatoes to the New World and place them next to leg of lamb or roast beef.

Rolling up my sleeves I mastered Lentils with Garlic Butter, one of Sahni’s favorite every day dal and another technique that intrigued me. First pink lentils (Masar dal) are cooked in advance with water, turmeric and finished with kosher salt. The lentils are beaten into a smooth puree and can be refrigerated or frozen until ready to use. When ready to serve, the puree is slowly heated and a Tadka is made. This is simply vegetable oil heated with the addition of garlic slices that are fried until they turn light brown. The Tadka is immediately poured over the dal and mixed in. Wow! What better way to eat your lentils. It was like lentil “mashed potatoes” infused with garlic and could easily become a new comfort food for us this winter. I will admit we didn’t eat our meal with our fingers but Sahni blessed the fork as an acceptable utensil.

Having made Italian poached eggs in tomato sauce, I wanted to try the Indian alternative, Whole Eggs in Spicy Tomato Sauce (Ande ki Kari). Eggs are hard boiled, sliced in half, and gently added to a tomato based sauce with ginger, cardamom, coriander, turmeric, and garam masala. The spice infused sauce was much healthier than eggs benedict and I whipped up a dish of Turmeric Potatoes (Peele Aloo) to finish Sunday Brunch.

Yes, it is always fun to immerse yourself in a culture’s cuisine but sometimes family’s schedules, likes and dislikes, and life in general make an immersion impossible. That doesn’t mean you can’t slip in a cool Cucumber and Yogurt Salad, ( Kheere ka Raita) to go with minted lamb chops or a Sweet Banana and Yogurt Salad (Keela Raita) as a breakfast alternative with a bit of granola.

It is important to remember that “the foundation of Indian cooking rests not so much on special techniques or expensive ingredients as on the flavorings. Knowledge of how to use spices and herbs is the key that will unlock the secrets of the seductive flavors and tantalizing aromas in Indian cooking. Learning the use of spices in Indian cooking is somewhat like learning a new language-practice makes perfect.”

Classic Indian Cooking is a consummate cookbook on Indian cuisine and I can’t think of a better book to start your journey through Indian cuisine!

Read! Eat! Enjoy!

Judith Bishop

Read! Eat! Enjoy!

Judith Bishop

www.ingoodtastestore.com

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