APRIL 22, 2014
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We were joined at the Culinary Kids Food Festival by the charming and talented Mukti Banerjee, who with little effort but great practiced skill made one of the most incredible things we’d ever eaten, as written below. Ms. Banerjee modestly claims her secret to success is using fresh, whole, from-scratch ingredients in her cooking–but we think there must be some other magic in it, because halfway through the aromas arising from the pan were so present it was as though the food was already on our plates. Three cheers to Ms. Banerjee, who reminded us again that spices–and plants–are amazing fresh out of the garden (or as close to that as you can get–try Jackson Heights for some of the spices listed below!).
Ms. Banerjee’s program, recipes and information can be found on her website: http://www.muktiskitchen.com/
Ingredients:
4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
1 red onion, roughly chopped
1/2 inch piece of ginger
3 cloves of garlic
1 medium tomato, roughly chopped
1 handful of cilantro (about 1 cup, loosely packed), plus extra for garnish
1 tsp. turmeric powder
3 Tbsp. neutral oil (e.g. canola, grapeseed), divided
1/4 tsp. of homemade spice blend (whole cumin, coriander, and clove: ground to powder in spice grinder)
1 tsp. whole cumin seeds
2 bay leaves
8 baby potatoes or 2 large potatoes, boiled and cut into bite-sized pieces
Procedure:
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan over medium heat. Coat the eggs with a pinch each of turmeric and salt and cut 3 slits, lengthwise, in each. Add them to the pan and fry until golden brown on all sides. Remove from pan and set them aside. Add the homemade spice mixture and stir, cooking for 1 minute to bring out the aromas. Add the red onion and fry for 2-3 minutes.
2. In a blender/food processor place the fried onion, ginger, garlic, cilantro, tomato and a little bit of water (2 or 3 tablespoons) and blend to a smooth paste. This will form the masala (sauce) of the curry.
3. In a wok or large sauce pan, heat remaining tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add 1 tsp. cumin seeds and allow them to sizzle and splutter for a minute, being careful not to let them burn. Add your masala mixture, eggs, potato, and turmeric, and stir gently to combine. Cook, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes, until the water evaporates and the spices separate from the oil (sauce will have a glossy sheen and may have small pools of oil). This is an essential step in making a good curry!
4. Add a small amount of water (to desired consistency) and season your curry with salt to taste. Garnish with chopped cilantro and enjoy with plain rice or paratha.