Pots, pans, knives– you name it, if it belongs in a wedding registry, David and I have it. This past weekend we got to try out all of our new appliances with a terrific gift from my siblings– a private, 2-hour cooking class with Home Cooking New York. David and I decided on an Indian vegetarian menu. Indian cuisine is packed full with flavorful spices and inherently healthy ingredients, including lots of vegetables, grains and yogurt. Check out our personalized menu for our Indian-themed dinner party, tips from our Chef/Instructor John Scoff, shopping list, and links to the recipes, below.
In a just a few hours, we learned many of the techniques used to layer in the spices and flavors of Indian cooking. And, we even had time to enjoy some sweet tea cocktails with John! Our dinner guests said they followed the scent of our Indian feast from the street. The myriad of colors from the fresh cilantro and turmeric lit up our table. Judging by everyone’s second helpings, the class was a success!
Basic Shopping List:
ground cumin
black or regular cumin seeds (note: instead of also buying ground cumin, we used a coffee grinder)
ground coriander
garam masala
cayenne pepper
turmeric
amchur, dried mango powder, pictured below (we have enough to last us a life-time)
cinnamon sticks
cloves
coconut milk (used the low-fat version)
whole milk yogurt (used 2 percent)
basmati rice
ghee, Indian clarified butter (substitute, olive oil)
chickpeas
peanuts, cashews or almonds
ginger, onion and garlic and lots of fresh veggies
Indian Menu:
Courtesy of Home Cooking New York
Saag with Mushrooms
This is a spinach dish that is typically made with cheese, and a creamy sauce. We used a good quality plain Greek yogurt instead.
Chana Masala
This chickpea curry is perfect for a vegetarian and/or vegan menu because it uses coconut milk.
Aloo Gobi
Potatoes, cauliflower, peas and tomato. The turmeric turns this dish a beautiful yellow color when cooked.
Cilantro Chutney
This bright, green chutney showcases the beauty of cilantro. Serves well with all of these dishes. We even used the left-over chutney atop eggs the following morning.
Flagrant Basmati Rice Pilaf
For a flavorful accompaniment, this baked rice dish is much better for you than pan-frying the rice with butter. Thanks to the addition of cloves, cinnamon sticks, and cumin seeds– flavorful and fragrant!
Naan
Instead of heavy, stuffed breads, we went for the light and flaky naan. Heated the flatbreads on the grill.
Tips:
* Shopping: Home Cooking recommended an excellent Indian grocery store to purchase all of the spices– Kalustyan’s at 123 Lexington Avenue at 28th Street (212-685-3451).
* Veggies:
Cilantro: When I cook with cilantro, I use the leaves and discard the stems. John pointed out that the stems have lots of flavor. So, we used an entire bunch of cilantro in the chutney– stems included. Favorite dish!
Ginger: I never buy ginger because I could never figure out to peel the odd shaped root with a vegetable peeler without completely destroying it or slicing my finger. John showed us a method using a spoon. First you want to chop off all of the funny looking knobs. Then, slice up the ginger in smaller pieces. Then, with the spoon faced concave side down and your finger pressed against the back, scrape off the skin. Finally, mince away. Wonderful aroma!
Garlic: Garlic smells great when its cooking in the pan, but not so nice when it lingers on your fingers. John showed us a trick– just rub your hands against stainless steel.
Trio in Indian Cooking: Almost all of the dishes, including the saag, chana masala, and aloo gobi, started with minced garlic, ginger and onion. This made all of the prep work super easy.
Healthy Choices: Whether you are eating Indian food out or cooking at home, if you are looking or healthier alternatives, choose vegetable based curries, rather than dishes that use cream and butter as the base. Also, add more flavor with chiles and spices. We even used some of the seeds from the jalapeno chiles to add more spice to the cilantro chutney.
* Spices:
Blooming: A technique where you take some Indian spices and heat them up in a fat (we used oil). The higher
temperature of the oil releases and opens up the flavor of the spice.
Pantry Basics: Cumin, coriander, turmeric, and garam masala.
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I’m a vegetarian and I love Indian food so I’m happy that I stumbled upon your blog! I haven’t heard of Home Cooking New York but I will have to look into getting some lessons of my own. Question – are you responsible for the shopping list and if so, where did you buy the specialty ingredients such as amchur and dried mango powder?
Home Cooking will send you the shopping list, and you are responsible or buying the ingredients. We got the specialty items from:
Kalustyan’s at 123 Lexington Avenue at 28th Street (212-685-3451). Wonderful store! Let me know if you have any other questions?!