Recipes
Going through the techniques of Indian cooking, this time I am dealing with the ‘bhuna’ method, which is prevalent widely in Northern India. Most of you will be familiar with this term as majority of the High Street Indian restaurants offer bhuna dishes.
BHUNA OR BHOONA (STIR-FRYING)
The bhuna method involves frying the spices over a high temperature and adding small amounts of water at regular intervals to prevent them burning. During this process, the spices will stick very slightly to the sides and bottom of the pan. Adding water reduces the temperature enabling the cook to scrape up the lightly sticking spices and mix them with the remainder in the pan. It is this technique, of scraping, stirring and mixing the spices without letting them burn, in which lies the secret key which will unlock the enticing flavours of a bhuna dish.
The bhuna method uses little or no water resulting in a dryish dish. Sometimes, after the spices are fried off, the food is cooked by allowing them to sweat gently. Half way through, salt is added which helps the food to release its natural juices, keeping the dish moist. Small quantities of water are also added to help cook the food. The dish is then finished with a short burst of stir-frying over a fairly high heat.
Another way of cooking a bhuna dish is by marinating the meat or poultry and frying them over a high heat, adding a little water from time to time, until the meat is cooked.
Bhuna dishes are normally served with bread, but they are equally delicious with plain boiled basmati rice if accompanied by a simple lentil dish as well. I remember the winter nights at home, with cold Himalayan breezes, when my mother produced the most warming meals consisting of bhuna dishes and 'kitchdi', a rice and lentil dish which was beautifully moist and was perfumed with winter spices.
Utensils required: Heavy cooking utensils are ideal for this method because they will distribute and retain heat evenly allowing the food to cook to perfection.
Bhuna Gosht
(Meat with stir-fried spices)
Serves 4
Although originated in Northern India, Bhuna Gosht is popular all over India. The bhuna style of cooking the spices create an unmistakably toasted aroma that fills the air with tempting anticipation. It is most enjoyable with flat bread rather than naan or with plain boiled basmati rice with a vegetable side dish.
4 tablespoons sunflower or light olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2.5 cm (1 in) piece of cinnamon stick
4 cloves
2 black cardamom pods, bruised
2 bay leaves
2.5 cm (1 in) piece of root ginger, finely grated
4-5 large garlic cloves, crushed to a pulp
700g (1½ lb) leg or neck fillet of lamb, cut into 2.5 cm (1") cubes
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon chilli powder or to taste
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
125g (4 oz) plain yogurt, whisked
115 ml (4 fl oz) meat stock or warm water
200g (7 oz) chopped canned tomatoes with the juice
1 teaspoon garam masala
2-3 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
In a heavy based saucepan, heat the oil over a medium heat and fry the onion, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and bay leaves for 7-8 minutes until the onion is soft. Stir regularly.
Add the ginger, garlic, lamb and the spices. Stir-fry over a medium-high heat for 10-12 minutes or until all the meat juices have been evaporated. Increase the heat to high if necessary. Once the meat is dry, reduce the heat to medium and continue to fry for a further 6-8 minutes, adding 2-3 tablespoons water whenever you feel the spices sticking to the bottom of the pan. This action is rather like de-glazing the pan for Western dishes.
Add the whisked yogurt and cook for 1-2 minutes, then add the stock or water. Bring it to the boil, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and simmer for 35-40 minutes or until the meat is tender.
Remove the lid and add the tomatoes. Stir-fry over medium-high heat until the tomatoes are well incorporated into the dish (4-5 minutes).
Sprinkle the garam masala and add the coriander leaves. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes, remove from the heat and serve with any bread.
Cook’s tip: To enhance the toasted aroma and taste of this dish, carefully follow the guidelines given for temperature and timing in the initial frying process. Use a medium sized saucepan so that the liquid does not evaporate too quickly during the simmering process.
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Bhuna Maselaki Machchi(Fish with stir-fried spices)
Serves 4
A quick and delicious dish for which you can use any firm fleshed fish including shellfish such as large tiger prawns. For this recipe I have used fresh sardines with a delicious result. Allow at least 2 sardines per person. Trout or mackerel fillets also work well.
8 large, fresh sardines, cleaned and gutted 3 tablespoons sunflower oil ½ teaspoon fennel seeds ¼ teaspoon onion seeds 1 medium onion, finely chopped 2.5 cm (1 in) cube of root ginger, finely grated 4 large garlic cloves, crushed 1 teaspoon ground fennel 1 teaspoon ground coriander ½ teaspoon ground turmeric ½-1 teaspoon chilli powder 2 ripe tomatoes, skinned and chopped ¾ teaspoon salt or to taste 1-2 green chillies, de-seeded and cut into julienne strips 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
Wash the fish gently and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
In a non stick frying pan, heat the oil overa medium heat and add the fennel and onion seeds. Let them sizzle for a few seconds and add the onion, ginger and garlic. Fry for 4-5 minutes and add 2 tablespoons water. Continue to cook until the onions are soft and light brown, then add the ground spices. Cook for 1 minute and add 2 tablespoons water. Cook until water evaporates. Repeat this process once more, then add the tomatoes and salt. Cook until the tomatoes are pulpy and are well incorporated into the spices.
Add the fish, fresh chillies and coriander. Cover the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes. Carefully turn the fish over and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve with plain boiled basmati rice and a lentil dish.
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Bhuna hua Moong Dhal(Stir-fried Split Yellow Lentils)
Serves 4
Moong dhal is ideal for bhuna dishes as it cooks very quickly. It is also readily available in larger supermarkets. This recipe is from Bengal in East India.
225 g (8 oz/1 cup) split yellow lentils (moong dhal) 3-4 tablespoons sunflower or light olive oil 1 large onion, finely sliced 5c m (2 ins) piece of cinnamon stick, halved 4 green cardamom pods, bruised 1 bay leaf ½ teaspoon cumin seeds 1 teaspoon ground turmeric ½-1 teaspoon chilli powder 1 tsp salt or to taste 1 green chilli, seeded and cut into julienne strips
Lentils often have tiny stones and debris. So, scan them carefully by spreading in a large tray, then wash and drain thoroughly.
Heat the oil in a large, heavy non-stick or other suitable pan and add the onion. Fry, stirring regularly, for 8-10 minutes or until well browned. Reduce the heat slightly towards the last 3-4 minutes. Swich off the stove and lift the onion with a slotted spoon and press down with another spoon to squeeze out excess oil back into the pan. Drain the fried onion on absorbent kitchen paper.
In the remaining oil, fry the cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaves and cumin seeds gently over low heat for 30-40 seconds. Add the lentils and increase the heat to medium. Stir-fry for 4-5 minutes and add the turmeric and chilli powder. Continue to stir-fry for a further 2-3 minutes, then add 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) lukewarm water. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir-fry until the water dries up. Repeat this process once more, then add 300 ml (½ pint/1¼ cup) warm water and the salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low, reserve a little fried onion and stir the rest into the lentils. Cover the pan and cook until the lentils are tender but not mushy and they have absorbed all the water (12-15 minutes). Remove and serve garnished with reserved fried onions and chilli.
Cook’s tip: Check the lentils half way through the final 12-15 minutes cooking time. Pick up a few grains in a spoon and press them between your forefinger and thumb. If they are tender at this stage, remove the lid and increase the heat for quick evaporation.
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Bhuna-hua Bhindi aur Piaz(Stir-fried Okra with Onions)
Serves 4
Okra stir-fried with onions and spices makes a superb side dish with any meat, poultry or fish dish. It is quick and easy to cook has a fresh and colourful appearance.
500 g (1 lb) Bhindi (okra) 5 tablespoons sunflower or soya oil ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds ½ teaspoon cumin seeds 1 large onion, halved and thickly sliced 1 red (bell) pepper, cut into 5 cm (2 ins) strips 1 teaspoon each of ground coriander and cumin ½-1 teaspoon chilli powder 1 teaspoon salt or to taste 2 tablespoons gram flour (besan) or 1 tablespoon wholemeal flour
Scrub the okra gently and wash them thoroughly. Remove the hard head and trim off the tail.
Cut them diagonally into 2-3 large pieces depending on their size. If they are really tender, simply top and tail them and leave them whole.
Heat the oil in a heavy based non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. When the oil reaches smoking point, throw in the mustard seeds followed by the cumin.
Add the okra, onion, pepper, spices and salt. Increase the heat slightly and stir-fry for 6-7 minutes until the vegetables have browned a little.
Put the gram flour into a sieve and sprinkle it evenly over the vegetables. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and serve.
Cook’s tip: Keep the temperature steady throughout. Lower temperatures will mean soggy or sticky okra. They need to be browned quickly to avoid this.
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