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Introduction

What's for dinner tonight? Cumin, coriander and cardamom; mustard, mango powder, ginger; asafetida, fenugreek and chilies. And then there's turmeric, tamarind and saffron, curry leaf, coconut milk and kewara water, almonds, cashews and pistachios -- and those are just the seasonings!

Only one place on the map incorporates this riot of sensory stimulation in its meals: India. In fact, the intensive use of spices -- whole, ground, roasted and stewed -- marks the unifying characteristic of an otherwise highly diverse cuisine. Characterizing Indian food is a bit like describing European cuisine -- all of it at once.

Indian food presents a range of flavors, intense and subtle, as vast as the country itself. Regional influences range from climate and elevation to history and religion. They define cuisines that differ widely -- no surprise in a country of 884 million people occupying an area of 1,226,595 square miles.

In addition to the pronounced use of spices, common culinary threads unifying local cuisines include the prominence of flatbreads and a far greater use of dairy products than anywhere else in Asia. Breads are made with wheat, rice and ground legumes depending on the part of the country while dairy products include milk, cream, yogurt, buttermilk, sour cream and cheese.

Beyond that, the differences take over. Northern Indians tend to use their spices ground while Southerners start out with them whole and grind them to a paste with cooked onions and other ingredients. The South is the land of rice while Northerners rely on wheat and other grains -- except for Kashmir, high in the Himalayas, which produces some of the best rice in the world. Cooks of the tropical South make heavy use of coconut milk, an ingredient rarely seen in the North. Areas with access to waterways rely more heavily on seafood. Thus Bengal is a region of fish-lovers, preferably the fresh water variety.

Those parts of India with the longest history of Mughal rule exhibit strong Persian influences in their food, using fresh and dried fruit, cashews, pistachios and almonds in their meat dishes as well as a great many dairy products. The cuisine of royalty, Mughlai dishes may use as many as 12 spices in a single dish including the most expensive of them -- saffron, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. Meanwhile, the food of Goa on the Southwestern coast betrays that province's long history as a Portuguese colony. Goans eat pork and duck, meats rarely seen outside the area, and use vinegar as a souring agent, a Portuguese legacy.

Undoubtedly the strongest influence defining Indian food is religion. Centuries of Hindu practice and the profound belief in reincarnation have resulted in the most delicious vegetarian cuisine to be found in the world. For protein, vegetarians rely on a wide range of legumes, both whole and split. Mixed with grain, boosted by vegetables and dairy products, and spiced to the max, they provide a wholesome, varied diet.

But nothing is simple in India. Brahmins and members of the merchant caste may observe strict vegetarian rules, but members of other castes eat meat. Styles of vegetarian cooking differ from region to region. Non-Hindu minorities produce their own cuisines and have had a major impact on how others eat. And then there's Kashmir where Brahmins eat meat -- but avoid garlic and onions.

Hinduism, however, determines what kinds of meat people eat. Beef is strictly forbidden because Hindus realized from ancient times the life-giving role cows played in society -- from producing dairy products to pulling plows to providing fertilizer for the fields. Today it is illegal to slaughter a cow anywhere in the country except in heavily Christianized Goa. The meats of choice are therefore goat, mutton and chicken.

The Muslim minority in India -- currently 11 percent -- has impacted cuisine and eating practices nationwide. Ancient Vedic concerns with purity made for an austere lifestyle when it came to food. Socializing over a meal was almost impossible if one had to worry about contamination from a host's kitchen or the caste of his cook.

Muslims, who conquered a large portion of India in the 12th century, had minimal religious restrictions -- principally prohibitions against alcohol and pork. What's more, Islam encouraged zakat, or the sharing of food with others. Hospitality played a critical role in Mughal courtly society and, as Persians, the Muslim rulers brought with them a marvelous cuisine to share.

Mughal influence is most strongly felt today in the culinary centers of Delhi and Lucknow in the North and Hyderabad in the South. But while the kebabs, pilafs, kormas and yogurt dishes may spring from similar roots, interpretations reflect local cooking styles. The foods of Delhi and Lucknow remain slightly closer to the Persian models -- with the addition of cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon and ground chilies typical of the North. Meanwhile mustard seeds, curry leaves, hot chilies, tamarind and coconut milk infuse the dishes of Hyderabad.

Indian restaurant food barely skims the surface of Indian cuisine. Hindu Punjabis forced back across the border from Pakistan at the time of the partition started the first restaurants in 1945. Their beehive-shaped tandoori ovens which heat up to 1000 degrees cook meat, fish and bread lightning-fast and remain their greatest claim to glory. A mix of Punjabi and Mughal cuisine has become standard restaurant fare both in India and abroad.

Sampling the breadth of Indian cuisine thus remains a challenge inside the country and out. Serious research is necessary to
locate those few restaurants dedicated to serving pan-Indian cuisine.

The alternative, of course, is to cook it yourself. Many good cookbooks can help you along and the techniques are not that
difficult. Grind your spices in a coffee grinder and puree seasoning pastes in a blender or food processor.

Meanwhile, what is this stuff called "curry" we've been eating all these years? Not Indian, I'm afraid.

Colonial rulers have never been known for their linguistic accuracy and no one knows for sure where the British got this one. "Kari" is a South Indian word for sauce and "tarkari" is a North Indian dish -- which may or may not be relevant. Clearly the sahibs and memsahibs fell in love with the flavors of India. When they returned to the homeland, they had their cooks grind up a mix of spices to sprinkle on their staid British staples. The world now knows this as "curry powder" and whatever is cooked with it is "curry."

As if the same stodgy old combination in dish after dish could begin to reflect the wonders of India!

Mail Order Suppliers of Indian Ingredients

Australia

Moses Spice Centre
Bondi Beach, NSW
612-30-3234

France

VS. Co.
Cash & Curry
Paris
1-40-34-71-65

Japan

Hillside Pantry
Tokyo
03-34-96-6620

United Kingdom

The Spice Shop
London
171-221-4448

United States

Adriana's Caravan
Brooklyn, New York
(800) 316-0820

Jay Store
Houston, Texas
(713) 783-0032

Kalustyan, Orient Export Trading Co.
New York, New York
(212) 685-3451

Patel Brothers
Flushing , New York
(718) 321-9847

Vik Distributors, Inc.
Berkeley, California
(510) 644-4412

Recipes

These recipes are from Lachu Moorjani whose restaurant, Ajanta, was named the best Indian restaurant in the San Francisco Bay Area by the 1997 Zagat Guide. If you happen to be passing through, look it up at 1888 Solano Avenue, Berkeley. Lachu deliberately provides a pan-Indian menu and rotates dishes every month. Drop in at lunchtime, but for dinners it's best to make a reservation.

Serve the lamb, chicken, shrimp and dal dishes with saffron rice.

Lamb Korma
Serves 6

As you can see from the rich array of ingredients in this dish -- yogurt, cream and slivered almonds -- this is a Mughlai dish,
truly fit for a king.

3 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 medium onions, peeled, quartered lengthwise and sliced thin
1 1/2 pounds boneless cubed lamb, excess fat removed
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons of a mix of cayenne and paprika -- determine according to your taste for heat
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 cup plain yogurt
3 ounces heavy cream
1 teaspoon garam masala (see below)

Heat oil in a 6-quart pot. When hot, add cumin seeds. When seeds pop, add ginger. Fry for about 15 seconds. Add onions and sautÈ at medium high heat, stirring frequently, until they become dark golden brown.

Raise heat to high. When pot is very hot, add lamb and sautÈ until nicely browned. Add coriander, paprika/cayenne, turmeric, black pepper and salt. Stir fry two or three minutes. Turn heat off, add and mix yogurt, turn heat back on (this prevents curdling).

Bring mixture to a boil (add one quarter to one-half cup water if there is not enough liquid), reduce heat, cover partially and simmer at low heat for about 45 minutes, or until lamb becomes tender. At this time, you will notice a thin film of oil on the surface. Add garam masala and cream, mix, cover, turn off heat and leave on the stove for about five minutes. Sprinkle with slivered almonds before serving.

Garam Masala

Lachu insists you make your own garam masala.

Equal quantities of whole cloves, hulled cardamom and broken cinnamon stick

Toast whole spices for about 10 seconds per teaspoon in the microwave. Grind in a coffee grinder and mix.

Chicken Baffat
Serves 6

The technique of frying spices together and pureeing them into a paste is classic South Indian. Of course, the coconut milk is a further hint as to this recipe's origins.

1/4 cup canola oil
3 dried red chilies, broken into pieces
3 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 1/2 inch piece ginger, peeled and chopped
9 medium garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
3 medium onions, peeled, quartered lengthwise and sliced very thinly
2 1/4 pounds deboned, skinned chicken, preferably dark meat, cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces
1 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 1/4 teaspoons cayenne mixed with paprika, proportion to suit your taste for heat
Salt to taste (approximately 1 1/2 teaspoon)
1/3 to 2/3 can coconut milk
3 medium potatoes, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
A few curry leaves
Ball of tamarind pulp the size of a large lemon, dissolved in warm water and strained

In a small saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil. When hot, add chilies, coriander and cumin seeds. Fry for 10 to 15 seconds. Add ginger and garlic and fry for about 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to a blender and puree to a thick paste, adding water if necessary.

In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons oil. When hot, add onions and saut» at medium to high heat until slightly brown, about eight to ten minutes. Raise heat to high, wait for 1 to 2 minutes until pot is very hot, add chicken and stir-fry until chicken is browned.

Reduce heat to medium, add all spices and salt. Stir for three to four minutes and add coconut milk. Bring mixture to a boil (add up to 1/3 cup water if there is not enough liquid). Reduce heat, add potatoes, cover and simmer slowly for 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is tender. Add curry leaves and tamarind during last five minutes.

Raj Jhinga (Prawns Cooked in a Mustard-Flavored Sauce)
Serves 6

Mustard seed is the classic spice of Bengali food. This recipe uses it in two different forms and at different stages in the cooking. This one of many ways Indians coax multiple flavors from a single spice by varying the way it is processed.

5 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
2 teaspoons nigella seeds
8 to 10 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
2 medium onions, peeled, cut into quarters lengthwise and thinly sliced
3 tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons turmeric
3 teaspoons cayenne mixed with paprika, proportion to suit your taste for heat
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons cracked mustard seeds (use blender or coffee grinder to crack them)
2 teaspoons salt
5 ounces ground almonds
2 pounds prawns, peeled and deveined

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a 6 to 8 quart saucepan. When hot, add mustard and nigella seeds. When mustard seeds pop, add garlic and sautÈ for about 30 seconds. Add onions. SautÈ at high heat until soft, about 12 to 15 minutes. Add tomatoes and stir fry for 6 to 8 minutes at medium high heat.

Add turmeric, paprika, cumin, cracked mustard seeds and salt. SautÈ at high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add ground almonds, reduce heat and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, until oil separates from mixture.

In a separate saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons oil. When hot to the point of smoking, add prawns and sautÈ, stirring constantly until pink, one to two minutes. Add to sauce and cook for another one to two minutes.

Urid Ki Dal
Serves 4 to 6

Dals are small legumes which have been peeled and split and thus cook much more quickly than larger beans. Dals differ from one another in color, flavor and texture with urid the creamiest among them. This dish is typical of North Indian vegetarian cooking. Eat it with the green bean recipe that follows and saffron rice.

1 cup urid dal, picked over and rinsed 2 or 3 times
5 to 6 cups water
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 large tomato, chopped
1 lemon-sized ball of tamarind concentrate dissolved in water and strained
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 green chili pepper, chopped (optional)

In a large 6- to 8-quart pot, heat water and dal together. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, removing scum. Add salt and turmeric. Cook covered for about 45 minutes checking to make sure that dal is cooked and adding more water if needed. If there is too much water, uncover and boil down. The final product should be thick, almost like a paste.

In a small pot, heat oil. When very hot, add cumin seeds. Fry all seeds until they pop, about 20 seconds. Add to dal. Add remaining ingredients to dal. Mix and cook for about 5 more minutes.

Green Beans with Potatoes
Serves 6

While you may use this hearty vegetable dish with any of the above recipes, it is particularly appropriate with the dal.

4 tablespoons canola oil
9 to 12 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 pounds green beans cut into 2-inch lengths
2 medium potatoes, peeled, halved and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
1 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
3 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne mixed with paprika, proportion to suit your taste for heat
1 1/2 teaspoons mango powder (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Heat oil. SautÈ chopped garlic for about 30 seconds. Add beans and potatoes. SautÈ for 4 to 5 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients. Mix and cook at medium high heat for 12 to 15 minutes until done. Stir frequently (once every 2 to 3 minutes) and do not cover pot.

Zaffrani Chaval (Saffron Rice)
Serves 6

This is the standard rice Lachu serves at Ajanta. It would serve nicely as a side dish to non-Indian dishes as well.

1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons black cumin seeds
2 1/4 cups Basmati rice
4 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
Generous pinch of saffron dissolved in 2 tablespoons warm water

Heat oil and fry black cumin seeds for 10 seconds.

Add rice and SautÈ for a few minutes until rice starts to change color and become opaque. Add water and salt. Bring to a boil, turn down heat and cover. Simmer until all liquid is absorbed (15 to 20 minutes) and rice is cooked.

Pour saffron water into middle 2-inch circle of rice. Leave covered for a few minutes for water to be absorbed. Fluff up rice with a fork and mix. Rice should be a marbled mix of white and yellow grains.

Nancy Freeman is a San Francisco-based freelance writer whose food stories have appeared in the San Francisco Magazine, The Contra Costa Times, Filipinas and Morsels, a publication of the American Institute of Wine and Food.

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