Scrumptious Indian recipes from a New York chef

Arthur J Pais caught up with owner and chef of New York's Bhatti Indian Grill, Gaurav Anand recently and here he offers four great recipes you can try at home.

Someday, Gaurav Anand would love to make every dish in his restaurant from certified organic meats, vegetables, grains, and oils, not to forget sea salt. Anand's recipes will turn out tastier if you choose organic produce.

Rice Salad

Preparation: 30 minutes (including the time for cooking the rice)
Serves: 4

The following recipe is adapted from Anand's favorite salad, which he cooks at home for certain occasions. Serve at room temperature or cold.

• 4 small-size coffee-cups of cooked rice
• 2 cups yoghurt, preferably organic
• Salt
• 4 finely-chopped medium-sized green chillies
• 1 cup finely chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves
• 1 large piece of finely-chopped green pepper
• 4 medium-sized finely-chopped carrots
• 1 tbsp coarsely ground peanuts
• 2 tbsps vegetable oil
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 tsps mustard or rai seeds
• 2 tsps finely-chopped garlic
• 4 curry leaves

Method

• In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients except the mustard seeds, oil and the curry leaves.
• Heat the vegetable oil on medium heat for 2 minutes, add the mustard seeds.
• When they begin spluttering, lower the heat, add garlic, mix well, and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the curry leaves, and the olive oil, and cook for half a minute.
• Add the mixture to the rice, mix well.

Lamb Chops with Potato Mash

Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 3 hours, including time for marinating
Serves:4

Go for top quality meat and a nice, raw papaya, urges Anand. "Don't over do the meat," he adds. "It should be grilled medium rather than well-done, otherwise it loses its flavour."

• 8 pieces lamb chops
• 1 medium-sized green papaya
• 2 tsps ginger paste
• 2 tsps garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp methi or fenugreek powder
• 1/2 tsp chaat masala
• 1/2 tsp cumin or jeera powder
• 200 ml olive or refined oil
• 1 cup yoghurt
• Salt
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp deggi mirch / cayenne pepper powder
• 1/4 chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves
• Several rings of a large lemon

For the side dish

• 8 medium-sized red potatoes, with skin on, boiled and mashed
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp mustard or rai seeds
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 tsps minced green chillies
• 1 tsp finely-chopped ginger
• Pinch of salt

Method

• Cut the papaya, with the skin on, into small piece and extract the juice. Save the pulp.
• Add papaya juice, ginger paste, garlic paste, deggi mirch, half of the oil to lamb chops and marinate for 45 minutes; add yoghurt.
• Add to the marination, 20 percent of papaya pulp, jeera powder, garam masala, chaat masala, methi powder, salt, lemon juice, and the remaining oil.
• Marinate for 2 hours. Save the rest of the papaya pulp and juice in the refrigerator.
• Heat the grill to 450 degrees. Grill for 8 minutes for medium-done quality; 10-12 minutes for well-done, turning the meat halfway through the grilling.
• Serve the dish with coriander leaves and lemon garnish, and with the mildly spicy-mashed potatoes made with the following recipe.
• During the marinating process, boil the potatoes and mash them well. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat, add the mustard, and when the seeds begin popping, add the green chillies and ginger. Mix well. Add the potatoes and mix well. Add the olive oil and a pinch of salt.

Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 45 minutes
Serves: 4

• 1 lb fresh, tender okra
• cup degi mirch / cayenne pepper powder
• cup chaat masala
• 3 red onions
• 1 white onion
• 2 large tomatoes
• 1 tsp chilly powder
• 1 tsp cumin or jeera seeds
• 3 tbsp olive oil for saut ing
• 1 cup vegetable oil for frying
• 1 tbsp dried mango or amchoor powder

Method

• Cut the okra from the center. Stuff each okra with a touch of salt, deggi mirch and chaat masala. Set aside for 30 minutes.
• Finely chop the onions and tomatoes, and saut them with olive oil till they are brown.
• Add mirch and jeera powders and cook for 5 minutes over low heat. Let the sauce cool.
• Fry the okra for about 5-8 minutes over medium heat in a large skillet or in two batches, add to the sauce, gently mix and sprinkle with amchoor powder.
• Serve with red onions soaked in a mint chutney.

Achari Paneer

Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 2 1/2 to 3 hours, including marination time
Serves: 4

The following dish can also be made with chicken. But you need to cook the chicken for 20 minutes, whereas Paneer Tikka needs just about 8 minutes of cooking. Anand prefers Pachranga Pickles. "But if you have your home-made pickle with mango and carrot as some of the ingredients, feel free to use it. Serve it with a mint and red onions mixture," he says.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lb boneless chicken or paneer, cubed
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 4 tsps pickle, blended in a food processor
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• Pinch of turmeric powder
• 1 tsp deggi mirch / cayenne pepper powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 2 tbsps lemon juice
• 1/2 cup vegetable or olive oil
• Salt

Method

• Marinate the paneer or chicken with a mixture of pickle, red chillie powder, salt and lemon juice for 30 minutes.
• Add yoghurt and turmeric powder and marinate for 2 hours.
• Brush the paneer or chicken with little oil.
• Heat the grill to 475 degrees. Cook for 8 minutes (paneer) or 20 minutes for chicken. Add the remaining oil to the pieces and cook for 2 minutes.