Chutney Life Palak Patel The 100 Easy-to-Make Indian-Inspired Recipes C H U T N E Y L IFE PALAK PATEL The ISBN: 978-1419764394 9 7 8 1 4 1 9 7 6 4 3 9 4 5 3 5 0 0 U.S. $35.00 Can. $44.00 ISBN: 978-1-4197-6439-4 Fans of the popular lifestyle brand and blog The Chutney Life rely on Palak Patel for inventive (and foolproof!) Indian American recipes. In her first book, Palak breaks down the intricacies of Indian cooking, showing readers how to make a variety of crowd-pleasing meals—from pot pie and quesadillas to an updated tomato soup— using Indian-inspired ingredients and flavors. Learn how chutney inside a grilled cheese sandwich or a touch of cumin and ground coriander in a cauliflower dish can change the way you cook forever. Palak also shares the traditional recipes she grew up eating with her family, including the chaat, dal fry, and paratha she makes now for her own family and friends. The Chutney Life embraces the magic that happens when flavors transcend continents and cultures! PALAK PATEL is the founder of the popular lifestyle brand and blog The Chutney Life, where she shares recipes influenced by her Indian heritage, lifestyle tips, and much more. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and two sons. LEARN TO COOK 100 INSPIRING Indian American recipes 10 0 Ea sy -to -M a ke In d ia n -In sp ired R ec ip es Cover photographs by Emily Dorio Cover design by Laura Palese 8.234 × 10.234 SPINE: 0.86 FLAPS: 0PRO TIP To get nice, long, elegant veggie strips, use an inexpensive but effective Y-shape vegetable peeler. Shave down one side of the vegetable; when you get to the center of it, turn it over on your cutting board and shave down the other side. Stack the strips and carefully slice lengthwise into narrower strips.117 E a sy- i sh D in n E rs Sandwich night Shiitake Mushroom CHEESESTEAKS with S R i R ac h a a i O L i & P i c K L E d V E g g i E S serves 4, generously For the pickled veggies 2 Persian cucumbers, shaved and cut into long strips (see Pro Tip) 1 medium carrot, peeled, shaved, and cut into long strips (see Pro Tip) 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro 1 teaspoon sugar ¼ cup (60 ml) rice wine vinegar ¼ teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed 5 black peppercorns 1 teaspoon salt, plus more if needed after pickling For the sandwiches 3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil 1 red bell pepper, sliced into 1½-inch (4 cm) strips 9 cups (765 g) sliced shiitake mushrooms (about 1½ pounds/680 g) 1 tablespoon minced garlic ¾ teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons soy sauce 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper 4 to 6 slices cheese (I love Cooper’s sharp cheese, pepper Jack, or American), plus more as desired 4 to 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 4 (6-inch/15 cm) hoagie rolls 1 cup (240 ml) Sriracha Aioli (page 256) Philly is known for its awesome cheesesteaks. I’ve tried a bunch of them, but they don’t hold a candle to this vegetarian version. I like to make a double batch of Sriracha Aioli (page 256), because it so versatile. This recipe calls for a pound and a half of shiitake mushrooms, which can be pricey. It definitely may be worth heading to your local South Asian market to try to find them for less. MAKE THE PICKLED VEGGIES: In a Mason jar with a lid or a tightly sealed container, combine the cucumbers, carrot, cilantro, sugar, vinegar, coriander, peppercorns, and salt. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Taste and add more salt, if desired. MAKE THE SANDWICHES: Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the bell pepper to the pan, spreading it out evenly in one layer. Let cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes, allowing it to get slightly charred, then toss and cook undisturbed for an additional 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and the mushrooms to the skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mushrooms are glossy and fork-tender. Return the bell pepper to the pan, along with the garlic, salt, soy sauce, onion powder, and crushed red pepper and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant and the liquid released from the bell pepper and mushrooms has cooked off. Reduce the heat slightly, place the cheese slices evenly over the mushrooms and bell pepper, being careful to keep the cheese slices from touching so they’re not difficult to separate for individual sandwiches, and cover, allowing the cheese to melt. Preheat the broiler. Spread the butter on the cut side of rolls, dividing it evenly, and broil the rolls for 1 to 2 minutes, keeping a careful eye on them, until the outsides are crisp and the insides are golden (this is important so you don’t end up with a soggy cheesesteak). Remove from the broiler and spread the sriracha aioli on the cut sides of the rolls. Top the rolls with the bell pepper, mushrooms, and cheese mixture. Melt more cheese on the remaining mushrooms as desired to make more sandwiches. Tuck some of the pickled veggies into each cheesesteak and serve immediately.PATEL FAMILY RECIPES I can just picture the sheer joy spreading across my mom’s face as she flips through the pages of this chapter. All the foods she forced me to eat as a child and warned me I would miss as an adult are here, and I have to admit, she was right! I take great pride and responsibility in sharing and documenting these heirloom reci- pes. They are as nostalgic as they are delicious, and I am so honored to share them with you. The Patel family recipes don’t need a trendy twist, no reinventing or reimagining; instead, they’re meant to be enjoyed in their original and classic form. For example, my mom’s ghee-laden dal fry, my go-to meal after a weekend of going out to eat and over- indulging, is made the same way it has been for generations. It’s the way my grandmother taught my mother, and my mother taught me. The thing I love about Indian food, and the recipes in this chapter, is that they are nutri- tious and wholesome. The truth is, now that my parents and in-laws are older, when they come to my house for dinner or lunch, they have less tolerance for processed or unfamiliar foods. I started running out of ideas of what to make, so I started leaning into more tradi- tional dishes, ones that I knew would be satisfying but would also keep these family mem- bers feeling healthy. Many of the recipes use lentils, legumes (FYI, there will be a good deal of soaking things overnight, so keep this in mind), and vegetables, without much added dairy or gluten, so they work really well for anyone with dietary restrictions. I also encourage you to take a moment and appreciate the combination of flavors that are important to Gujarati cuisine, such as sweet, spicy, and sour. Kala Chana Nu Shaak (page 179) and Bataka Poha (page 162) both call for sugar and lime to help achieve a balance of flavors that leaves you wanting more. While I’ve noted all of this in headnotes, feel free to adjust the seasonings in any of the recipes in this chapter, and throughout the book, to your taste and liking. Each family that makes these traditional recipes puts their own stamp on them. Now it’s your turn to make them your own! 1 3 2 46 8 75 92 20 TH E CH U TN E Y L I F E ORECHIETTE with S P I CY S AU S AG E K H E E M A & K A L E Serves 4 2 teaspoons fennel seeds 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 2 teaspoons coriander seeds 4 black peppercorns 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 cups (220 g) diced onion 1 pound (455 g) spicy Italian sausage, removed from the casings and broken into small pieces 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus more for serving if desired 1 teaspoon garam masala ¾ pound (340 g) Tuscan kale, center ribs removed, leaves coarsely chopped (about 3 cups) 1 pound (455 g) orecchiette pasta, cooked according to package directions and kept warm 1 cup (240 ml) pasta cooking water, reserved ¾ cup (70 g) grated Pecorino Romano, plus more for serving Salt 8 to 10 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped PRO TIP If you don’t have the whole spices called for in this recipe on hand, you can use already ground spices and lightly toast them for a similar effect. Pasta with kale and sausage is elevated to new heights with this rockin’ spice blend. The entire dish comes together with a generous amount of my favorite cheese, Pecorino Romano, which I would eat on pretty much anything! This pasta also invites all sorts of swaps—try using ground beef, lamb, or chicken instead of the sausage, or sub in spinach for the kale. For a fully vegetarian version of this dish, replace the sausage with white beans or chickpeas. Toast the fennel, cumin, coriander, and peppercorns in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, watching carefully so they do not burn. Let cool slightly, then transfer to a spice grinder and pulse until finely ground; set aside. In a dutch oven or large high-sided skillet (big enough to hold the pasta with a fitted lid), heat the oil over medium. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly translucent. Add the sausage and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, and allow the meat to brown. Stir in the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook until the garlic is fragrant but not brown, about 1 minute, reducing the heat if necessary. Add the toasted spice blend and garam masala to the pan and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low, add the kale, and cover. Add the cooked orecchiette, ½ cup (120 ml) of the reserved pasta water, and the Pecorino Romano and stir well to combine. The sauce is done when the kale is wilted and the mixture is creamy. If it is dry, slowly add the remaining ½ cup (120 ml) pasta water. Taste and adjust for salt, add the fresh basil, and serve the pasta with more cheese and crushed red pepper if you want additional heat.Next >