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RECIPES - North India

Many of the traditions found in North Indian cuisine were introduced by the invading armies from the middle east, most notably those from Persia (modern day Iran). These traditions, coupled with the indigenous ingredients and cooking styles found in India have led to one of the world's most unique cuisines.

MINT CHUTNEY
TAMARIND CHUTNEY
GARAM MASALA
BAKED EGGPLANT
CHANNA MASALA
ALU SAG
BASMATI RICE
VEGAN CHAI

NOTE ON INGREDIENTS: Many ingredients called for are only available in Indian shops. In the following recipes, there are ingredients which may be unfamiliar. Here is a brief description of what to expect:

GHEE: Commonly used in Indian cooking, ghee is the clarified oil left after boiling butter for a long period. Vegetable ghee is also available and is simply hydrogenated vegetable oils. For vegans and the health conscious, any light vegetable oil that withstands high temperatures (canola or peanut) is acceptable as a substitute.

TAMARIND: Known commonly as Imli, the tamarind plant is native to India, and produces a pod similar to a pea-pod containing a dark brown, almost black pulp. It is plucked from the plant and the fibrous, sticky pulp is compressed into small cakes, and is available in Indian shops (although the quality of brands from Thailand seems to be better). It is used as a souring agent in many Indian meals, especially those of south Indian origin, but is used in many north Indian chutneys and a few dishes such as the legendary Channa Masala.

MASALA: Masala is literally translated as "mixture". The three main masalas of India are the Saambar of the South (chillies, lots of spices such as black pepper, coriander cumin, turmeric, asafoetida and ground dals etc.), Panch Phoron from Bengal in the East (cumin, fennel, mustard seeds, nigella and fenugreek) and the one most commonly associated with Indian cooking, Garam Masala. A mixture of "warm" spices (not as in chilli warm, but "warming") sprinkled over a dish as it is about to be served. There are as many Garam Masala mixtures as there are cooks, but a basic mix could be just 3 or 4 spices and herbs with a more exotic blend being as many as 20 different spices.

BLACK SALT: There are a few different types of Salt found in India. Unlike the "seasoned" salts found commonly in western cooking (table salt with added spices and flavours), these salts are different compositionally with their own unique appearance and flavours. Black Salt is a brownish-black in its natural form, and pinkish-brown when ground. It has a pleasant tangy taste and a smoky aroma.

AMCHOOR (AMCHUR): This spice is produced by grinding unripe, peeled, sunripened mangoes to produce the pale light-orange coloured powder. It is used as a souring agent in many dishes and chutneys in place of lemon juice and tamarind.

WHITE BASMATI RICE: Many types of rice are grown in India, but the king of them all is Basmati rice which is grown in the foothills of the Himalayan mountains. It has a distinctively nutty flavour and saliva inducing aroma. Attempts have been made to grow it outside India (texmati from Texas etc.), but only the real thing will do. In India, it is usually reserved for special occasions such as weddings and holy festivals.

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