Spicy Tamarind Water With Mint And Roasted Cumin Recipes

TAMARIND SPICED NUTS WITH MINT

Steps:

• Heat oven to 300 degrees.
• In a medium pot, melt butter, honey, brown sugar, tomato paste and tamarind. Add nuts, coconut, cayenne, garam masala and salt and toss until coated. Spread on baking sheet.
• Bake for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture is toasted and sugars have begun to caramelize. Sprinkle nuts lightly with salt and let cool completely. Before serving, break up nuts and sprinkle with mint. (Nuts can be stored in an airtight container up to 2 weeks, but don't add mint until serving.)

SKILLET CHICKEN WITH CUMIN, PAPRIKA AND MINT

Steps:

• Combine the lemon juice, 1/4 cup of the olive oil, the garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, cumin, paprika and turmeric in a large resealable plastic bag along with the chicken pieces. Seal and shake the bag to coat chicken and distribute the spices evenly. Set aside for 30 minutes, or refrigerate up to overnight.
• Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip off, and cook until lightly golden, about 4 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.
• Add the onion to the pan, and stir to coat. Decrease heat to medium and cook until softening, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and remaining salt, and stir to coat. Add the boiling water; stir, cover and cook until the liquid is partly absorbed, 10 minutes. Stir in the cinnamon stick and raisins, top with the chicken thighs and their juices, and continue cooking, covered, over medium heat, until the rice is al dente and the chicken is completely tender, about 25 minutes more.
• Remove from the heat and scatter the mint and parsley all over the top. Serve warm, with yogurt and lime.

CRISPY PUFFS WITH SPICY TAMARIND WATER

Steps:

• 1. Cook the potato in lightly salted boiling water to cover until tender, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the chutney, tamarind water, and masala.2. Drain the potatoes, let cool, then peel and finely chop or mash them. In a large bowl, mix together the potato, cilantro, chickpeas, sprouted dal (if using), and masala.3. With a clean thumb or forefinger, gently make a big hole on the thin side of the paani-poori puff and fill with up to 2 teaspoons of the potato mixture. Dunk each filled puff into a bowl full of tamarind water and eat immediately. Or, at large gatherings, set out the paani-poori puffs, the chutney, and the tamarind water like a salad bar and let everyone help themselves.From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

SPICY TAMARIND WATER WITH MINT AND ROASTED CUMIN

Steps:

• 1. Soak the tamarind pulp in 1 cup water until softened, about 2 hours. Rub with clean fingers to release the pulp from the fibers and pass through a fine-mesh strainer or a food mill. Mix another cup water with the pulp in the strainer and extract some more pulp. Discard the fiber. Transfer the pulp to a jar.2. In a small spice grinder or processor, grind together the ginger, green chili peppers, and whole mint leaves. Transfer to a small bowl and mix well with lime (or lemon) juice to make a paste. Mix into the tamarind pulp.3. Place the cumin, cayenne pepper, and asafoetida in a small cast-iron skillet, and roast the spices over medium heat, stirring and shaking the skillet, until the spices are highly fragrant are a few shades darker, 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately mix into the tamarind pulp.4. Add the remaining water, black salt, salt, and sugar, and mix well. Taste, adjust the seasonings, and chill at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to develop. When ready, mix in the minced mint leaves and serve.VARIATION: A quick version can be made by mixing 2 to 3 tablespoons Minty Cumin-Water Masala (see Spices and Other Seasonings) into a glass of chilled water.From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

TAMARIND AUBERGINE WITH BLACK RICE, MINT & FETA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cut the aubergines in half lengthways and, with the tip of a knife, score the flesh deeply in a criss-cross diamond pattern - but don't pierce the skin. Press on the edges of the halves to open the cuts. In a small bowl, combine the tamarind paste and sesame oil. Brush the mixture over the aubergine, pushing it into the cuts. Place on a baking tray, sprinkle over the chilli and sesame seeds, then roast, cut-side up, for 25-35 mins or until the flesh is really soft.
• Put the rice in a small sieve and wash under running water for 1 min until the water runs clear. Tip the rice into a small saucepan and add 650ml cold water. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 35 mins until the rice is tender. Drain under cold running water.
• Make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together with a pinch of salt. Adjust the seasoning to taste, adding a little more sugar, salt or lime juice, if you like.
• In a big bowl, mix together the black rice, spring onions, feta, mint, chopped coriander, and the lime zest and dressing. Sprinkle the reserved coriander leaves over the aubergine halves and serve with the rice.