 Fragrant basmati rice, tandoori chicken, paneer, naan and many more dishes define the Indian cuisine you've explored at an ever growing number of Indian Restaurants. Now, you can explore Indian cuisine at home thanks to "Dances of Spices" by Laxmi Hiremath. From the exotic to the everyday, this cookbook provides amazing and easy recipes for Indian Cuisine. "Parsee Shrimp in Sweet-Hot-Sour Curry", for example, showcases the interplay of standard spices such as garlic, cumin, and cayenne with the more exotic garam masala, tumeric, and tamarind to form a wonderful and enticing curry.
Parsee Shrimp in Sweet-Hot-Sour Curry(Dhan Dar Ne Colmi No Patio) From "Dances of Spices" by Laxmi Hiremath, John Wiley & Sons
Traditionally this patio, sweet-hot-sour curry, is served for a family gathering along with rice (dhan) and legumes (dar).
Serves 4 as a side dish
1 pound (about 22 to 24) jumbo shrimp
6 tablespoons oil
2 to 4 fresh green Serrano or jalapeno chilis, stemmed
6 large garlic cloves
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 cups finely chopped onion
2½ teaspoons garam masala* store bought
½ teaspoon cayenne
¼ teaspoon turmeric
2 cups diced tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes
1½ tablespoons light brown sugar or raw sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons tamarind concentrate, dissolved in ¼ cup water
1 cup water
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1. Peel the shrimp, leaving the final joint and tail intact, and devein. Set aside in a bowl.
2. In a blender or food processor, combine 3 tablespoons of the oil, chilis, garlic and cumin. Blend to a smooth puree, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple of times. Transfer to a glass bowl.
3. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a heavy large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the chili-garlic paste and cook, stirring, until the onion is deep golden 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garam masala, cayenne and turmeric, and stir until aromatic, 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and cook until sauce is almost dry, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the sugar and salt and stir to mix. Add the tamarind liquid and water, and cook, stirring occasionally until raw tamarind smell dissipates, 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Taste; it should be pleasantly sweet, sour and hot. Adjust the seasonings if necessary. Add the cilantro and shrimp and cook stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are pink and curl slightly, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a warm serving dish and serve.
*Available at Indian and specialty food stores.
About Dances of Spices
 Indian cuisine has finally come into its own in the United States, as evidenced by the opening of numerous stylish, upscale Indian restaurants. The "dance of spices" refers to the complex, subtle layering of flavors that is at the base of all Indian cooking. "Dances of Spices" showcases the wonderful diversity of new Indian cuisine with 238 recipes: fragrant basmatis and rice pilafs; rich, soothing dishes like Chicken Korma; exotic dishes like Fennel-Scented Kashmir Lamb; tongue-teasing chutneys and relishes; side dishes like Velvety Mango Paneer; and sweet confections, all of which can be made with ease at home. Special chapters are devoted to subjects not fully explored in other books, such as tandoor barbecue, chaats-the savory street snacks of India-and popular flatbreads.
Get The Dance of Spices: Classic Indian Cooking for Today's Home Kitchen at:
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