Authentic Curry Recipes

India is a land of two dozen states speaking hundreds of tongues. All the same, there is a pretty sharp division between Northern India and Southern India, leastwise relating to food.

Naturally, the division is crossed in many ways. But one illustration of this variation is found in what will go with the main dish. In Southern India, that is most probably some type of rice dish, much less usually seen in Northern Indian menus.

As you should expect in such a divergent and historic land, there are thousands of rice-based recipes. Nearly every family will have their own characteristic favourite. Here is an example that any diner will enjoy…

Bisi Bele Baath

Bisi Bele Baath is a mixture of rice and lentils that forms the main dish of many an Indian table. It is rich in traditional Indian spices and is absolutely delicious with Tandoori Chicken or by itself.

Ingredients:

190 g long-grained brown rice
240 ml water
240 ml tamarind juice
1/2 cup lentil beans
75 g carrots
225 g peas

Seasoning:

For the really daring, you can produce your own garam masala for seasoning or just buy the mixture pre-made.

1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
4 cardamon pods
8 peppercorns
3 dried red chilies
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp crushed garlic and 1 tsp finely chopped ginger blended together to make a paste
6 cloves
1 tsp mustard seeds

Method:

To prepare the masala, dry roast all the ingredients (apart from the pastes) in a frying pan until the aroma fills the air, but don’t let them burn.

Then use a coffee grinder or spice grinder to crush everything into a very fine powder. Add the spice powder to the garlic and ginger paste and combine well in a large bowl. Add a tablespoon of vegetable oil to thicken and stir until well blended. For a delightful added sweetness, add an inch of cinnamon stick and stir some more.

Once you have done that, put the tamarind juice and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the rice and vegetables, then sprinkle on the masala. Reduce heat to low and cook for 8-20 minutes, according to the directions on the rice package.

Once the rice is cooked, fluff it up with a fork.

Serving:

Rice is best served hot, so it is normally made near the end of creating other dishes. It can be kept covered for a few minutes if necessary.  Don’t let it sit too long, though, because it will ‘wilt’ unless the pan is uncovered, in which case it dries out too quickly.

Lay the rice onto a platter then top with a Tandoori Chicken dish for an outstanding combination of North and South!

Alternatively, here are some great paneer recipies that you can serve with your rice.