Indian Flavors In American Dishes

With the success of "Slumdog Millionaire," it seems as if all things Bollywood or at least, from India, are catching fire in the United States.

Indian food is no exception, with new attention being focused on that type of cuisine. Indeed, Indian flavors are playing a starring role in more and more kitchens and restaurants here.

It's easy to incorporate them into some of your favorite dishes, as Floyd Cardoz, executive chef of Tabla restaurant in New York, demonstrated on The Early Show Friday.

Traditional Indian food, says Cardoz, is very flavorful cuisine, though not overpoweringly spicy, as most people think it is. It can vary from extremely spice to extremely mild.

Cardoz brought several traditional foods with him to the show: chutneys, samosas and more. He also had a chicken curry -- something he grew up with -- his grandmother would make it for him. Also, a black pepper shrimp dish. In India, shrimp and coriander are always used together.

The majority of Indians eat vegetarian, Cardoz continued, but many don't, and consume beef, pork, chicken and goat.

The flavors Cardoz most associates with Indian food are ginger and cilantro. There's always sweet and spicy in a dish, but none is overpowering.

Indian foods are complex flavors and they make your mouth sing, Cardoz points out. Also, it's healthy for you!

For people who want to try to incorporate some Indian flavors into their menus, "must-have" spices include cumin, coriander seed, black pepper and turmeric. Combine them with cinnamon and cloves you already have in your pantry, and you can make a range of dishes.

RECIPES

Marinated Hanger Steak

Ingredients:
1-1/2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon brown mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 cloves
1 tablespoon kosher salt
3/4 cup canola oil
Six 6-ounce pieces hanger steak, 1½ to 2 inches thick

Instructions:
Coarsely grind the coriander seeds, peppercorns, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and cloves in an electric coffee/spice grinder. Sift the ground spices through a coarse sieve into a bowl. Stir in the salt and 1/4 cup of the oil. Generously pat the spice rub all over the steak. Marinate the steaks, covered and refrigerated, for at least 4 and up to 36 hours.
Bring the steak to room temperature and preheat the oven to 375°F.
Heat 1/4 cup of the remaining oil in a 12-inch skillet over moderately high heat until it shimmers and sear 3 pieces of steak on all sides, about 3 to 6 minutes. (Don't rush this step; careful browning will add great flavor.) Transfer the steak to a baking sheet with sides. Sear the remaining steak in the remaining oil in the same way and transfer to the baking sheet. Put the baking sheet in the middle of the oven and cook the steaks, without turning them, for 4 to 6 minutes for medium-rare meat.
Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and let them rest at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes. Cut them against the grain at a 45-degree angle into ¼- to ½- inch slices. Arrange the meat on a warm platter. Pour any pan juices over it and serve at once.

Kashmiri Greens

Ingredients:
4 pounds braising greens
1 tablespoon canola oil or olive oil
1/4 teaspoon asafetida (a spice often sold as a yellowish-powder; adds an onion-like flavor)
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 large shallots, sliced
1/2 cup julienne strips peeled ginger
1 small dried red chile, broken in half
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Discard the tough stems from the greens. Chop the tender stems and set aside, then roughly chop the leaves.
Heat the oil in a 4-quart pot over moderately high heat until it shimmers and add the asafetida and cumin seeds. Cook, stirring, until the spices are fragrant, about 1-1/2 minutes.
Add the shallots, ginger and chile and cook, stirring, until the shallots are translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the stems of the greens and salt to taste, then cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Add the greens and cook, tossing occasionally with tongs, until just tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard the chile and season with salt and pepper to taste.
If you want a spicier dish, break the chile into smaller pieces.