| COOKING: BHINDI MASALA | |||||
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Poor okra. Many people flinch at its mere mention and instantly dismiss it as a gelatinous, soggy foe of the palate. In fact, okra only becomes slimy when it's cooked in liquid. Our Executive Chef shares his recipe for Bhindi Masala, stir-fried okra flavored with a pungent mixture of spices that hails from Northern India. For best results, dry wash okra thoroughly before slicing it, and add salt only after it is fully cooked, since salt causes the vegetable to exude moisture, which can make it slimy during cooking.
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The preparation of Chicken Malai begins with garam masala, a blend of several aromatic spices essential to most Northern Indian cuisine. The most interesting aspect of garam masala is that no single recipe for this spice combination exists, since each cook has his or her own blend. Our Executive Chef shares his recipe for a Mughal garam masala, a mellow blend accented with cardamom that originated in the courts and palaces of the Moghul emperors of Northern India. Mughal garam is often used in cream - and yogurt-based dishes, such as this Chicken Malai Kabab. Yogurt is as important as the spices in Indian cuisine. It's used as a meat tenderizer and flavor enhancer. The yogurt used in India is made with buffalo's milk, which has a fuller fat content and creamier consistency than most commercial cow's-milk yogurts can be used interchangeably in the marinade to give this dish a more authentic consistency and taste