By David Tanis, The New York Times
This month in the kitchen, I’m leaning toward the tried and true, and lessons learned from others. There’s a reason some traditional dishes are timeless.
I have always admired the work of Madhur Jaffrey, whose recipes have been a beacon for me and countless cooks, non-Indian and Indian alike. Jaffrey, ever intrepid (she just turned 92), has decades of cookbooks behind her and, in a more recent turn, hosted a class on Indian cooking for MasterClass.
A longtime friend and mentor of mine, Jaffrey has a way of coaxing a lot of flavor from a few ingredients, good news for anyone who yearns for quickly made dishes. Her quick dishes are fine examples of the elegance of simplicity. (There are, of course, many complex recipes in her cookbooks for those who wish to linger in the kitchen.)
For this summer meal, I wanted to begin with something light and fresh. Jaffrey provided. Her tomato and cucumber salad, lovely and straightforward, fit the bill perfectly. Using yellow or gold cherry tomatoes, on the firm side for the best flavor, makes a bright presentation, but any color of tomato works. You could even use large ones, sliced or wedged if you wish.
Then, to the cucumbers: They’re cut into batons or spears and arranged on a platter with the halved cherry tomatoes. After some salting and peppering, they’re dusted with toasted cumin and as large a pinch of ground cayenne as you like, then sprinkled with lemon juice. A quick tadka of mustard seeds and curry leaves — found at Indian grocery stores — finishes the dish and adds a little zing. In the context of this menu, I find it more suited as a side than a first course.
When I proposed a shrimp curry for this menu, I realized I could hardly improve on the one Jaffrey taught me years ago. Prawn (or shrimp) curry is popular Goan fare, and her clever version is full-flavored but very easy to prepare, actually perfect for a novice cook.
You start by browning chopped shallots in a pan, to which you add a touch of turmeric, black pepper, bright red Kashmiri chile powder — well worth looking for — or cayenne and the reddest hot paprika you can find, stirring them into the oil to make a paste. When simmered with coconut milk, those spices create the most flavorful ruddy sauce, which can be prepared in advance. Cook the shrimp in it just before serving; it all takes just few minutes. Steamed basmati rice is the natural accompaniment.
For dessert, watermelon came to mind, but then I remembered a favorite chilled watermelon dessert I learned from Fabrizia Lanza, another food hero and the proprietor of Anna Tasca Lanza Cooking School. It is a traditional Sicilian recipe, probably originally derived from an Arabic sweet. Called gelo di melone, it’s fresh watermelon juice thickened with cornstarch and has a puddinglike consistency akin to lemon curd, but bright red. As there are similar Indian and Persian watermelon confections (like watermelon halwa, for example), it seems a natural refreshing finish to this meal. We topped ours with pistachio and mint, but this pudding is typically decorated with aromatic jasmine blossoms, a floral nod to summer’s end.
Recipe: Madhur Jaffrey’s Goan Shrimp Curry
Madhur Jaffrey has published several iterations of this recipe in her cookbooks. This version, from her MasterClass course, is a full-flavored but very easy to prepare curry, perfect for a novice cook. The coconut milk-based sauce may be prepared in advance and the shrimp added just before serving.
Recipe from Madhur Jaffrey and MasterClass
Adapted by David Tanis
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
- 2 medium shallots, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons hot paprika or Kashmiri red chile powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne, or more if preferred
- 1 1/4 cups coconut milk (from a 13-ounce can)
- 1 1/2 pounds large or medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Salt
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Steamed basmati or jasmine rice, for serving
- Cilantro sprigs, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
1. Heat oil in a wide skillet over medium-high. When oil is wavy, add shallots and fry until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in paprika, turmeric, pepper and cayenne. Stir spices to make a paste.
2. Return pan to medium-high heat and add the (well-shaken) coconut milk. Bring mixture to a simmer, stirring well.
3. Add shrimp, season well with salt, and stir to coat. Add lemon juice and turn heat to low. Cook, stirring until shrimp are pink and opaque, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste sauce and adjust seasoning, then serve immediately with steamed basmati or jasmine rice and cilantro (if using).
Recipe: Tomato and Cucumber Salad
This adaptation of a Madhur Jaffrey recipe is lovely in its simplicity. Yellow or gold cherry tomatoes are especially summery here, but any color of tomato will work — as will large ones, sliced or wedged if you wish. But try, if you can, to find the curry leaves at an Indian grocery. They add a subtle fragrance.
Recipe from Madhur Jaffrey and MasterClass
Adapted by David Tanis
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Total time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber
- 2 cups halved yellow cherry tomatoes
- Juice of 1 large lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, preferably toasted
- Pinch of ground cayenne
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon whole brown mustard seeds
- 8 to 10 fresh curry leaves (optional)
- Dill sprigs, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
1. Peel cucumber and cut in half lengthwise. Cut each half into 3-inch lengths. Cut those pieces into spears. Place cucumber spears and cherry tomatoes on a platter. Sprinkle with lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Dust with cumin and cayenne.
2. Just before serving, heat oil in a small pan over medium-high. When oil is hot, add mustard seeds. When seeds begin to sizzle and pop, add curry leaves, if you like, and let sizzle for a few seconds. Carefully add oil, seeds and curry leaves over the cucumber and tomatoes. Garnish with dill.
Recipe: Gelo di Melone (Sicilian Watermelon Pudding)
Adapted from a recipe by Fabrizia Lanza, this is a traditional Sicilian recipe for a refreshing chilled watermelon dessert, probably originally derived from an Arabic sweet. In Sicily, it is typically perfumed with jasmine blossoms. A drop or two of fragrant rose water would be a welcome addition.
Recipe from Fabrizia Lanza
Adapted by David Tanis
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Total time: 25 minutes, plus chilling time
Ingredients
- 6 packed cups seedless watermelon cubes (precut is fine)
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar, more to taste
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- 1/2 cup (75 grams) cornstarch
- 1/4 cup (32 grams) chopped pistachios
- Mint leaves and jasmine or other fragrant blossoms, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
1. Blend the watermelon in a blender or food processor and strain through a fine-mesh sieve. You should have about 4 cups juice.
2. Put juices in a saucepan, and add sugar, lemon and cornstarch. Whisk well to incorporate. Set pan over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes as mixture thickens to a puddinglike consistency.
3. Transfer cooked mixture to individual dessert glasses or bowls, or pour into a low serving bowl or glass pie pan. Refrigerate, covered, for 4 hours. Before serving, garnish with chopped pistachios and mint or blossoms, if using.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.