Spice up winter with Indian cuisine

(Pulao rice and peas is a fragrant Indian dish/Gannett News Service photos)

Indian cuisine is one of my favorites — I'm always ready for an Indian meal.

Over the New Year's break, my husband and I enjoyed a delicious meal at Tanjore Cuisine of India in Rhinebeck after watching a great film, "Slumdog Millionaire," at Upstate Films, also in Rhinebeck. The dinner was a perfect ending to a wonderful day, steeped in Indian culture.

Indian food is not that intimidating to make. It's a delicious, full-bodied cuisine that is especially vegetarian friendly. Search this blog under "Indian" for some tasty recipes.

More recipes can be found on today's Busy Cook page in the Poughkeepsie Journal, which features a story from Gannett News Service on Indian food.

Here are two vegetarian recipes I can't wait to try:

(Fluffy naan bread pairs well with Indian dishes)

Potatoes and Spinach in Garlic-Red Chili Sauce

1. 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2. 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
3. 6 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
4. 6 dried red Thai or cayenne chilies, stems removed, coarsely chopped (do not remove the seeds)
5. 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
6. 1 cup water
7. 1 pound new potatoes, scrubbed and halved
8. 1 large tomato, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
9. 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
10. 1 tablespoon firmly packed dark brown sugar
11. 11/2 teaspoons coarse kosher or sea salt
12. 8 ounces fresh spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
    

• In a medium saucepan over medium-high, heat the oil. Add the cumin seeds and cook until they turn reddish brown and smell nutty, 5 to 10 seconds.
• Immediately add the garlic and chilies. Saute until the garlic is lightly browned and the chilies blacken, about 1 minute.
• Sprinkle in the turmeric, then carefully pour in the water. Stir to deglaze the pan, releasing any browned bits of garlic.
• Add the potatoes, tomato, cilantro, brown sugar and salt. Stir once or twice, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are fall-apart tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Add the spinach, a couple of handfuls at a time, stirring until wilted, 2 to 4 minutes per batch. Makes 8 servings.
  

Recipe from Raghavan Iyer’s “660 Curries” (Workman Publishing, 2008).

Spinach Raita with Toasted Cumin

1. 4 ounces baby spinach
2. 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
3. 1 cup plain whole- or low-fat yogurt
4. 2 tablespoons minced red onion
5. 3/4 to 1 teaspoon salt
6. 1/4 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
   

• Rinse the spinach, but do not dry it. Place it in a small saucepan, cover and set over medium heat. Steam the spinach until tender, but still bright green, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small, dry skillet toast the cumin seeds until they turn dark and fragrant. Set aside to cool, then grind them in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle.
• In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, onion, salt, ginger and cumin.
• Squeeze the cooled spinach to remove any excess water, then finely chop it. Add this to the yogurt mixture and stir well.
• Chill until ready to serve.
• Makes 4 servings.
  

Source: “5 Spices, 50 Dishes” by Ruta Kahate (Chronicle Books, 2007, $19.95).