A Subcontinental Shift: Up-to-Date Indian Dishes

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MANY PEOPLE LOVE a good Indian curry, but making it chez you often means lots of time and worry. But Delhi, India-born, D.C.-based food writer Monica Bhide thinks it's quite possible to whip up delicious — and decidedly new millennial — dishes of Delhi and Mumbai sans mystery ingredients or hours spent toiling over the stove. Think Indian cheese (paneer) melted on a pizza with figs, or tamarind chutney slurried into a margarita. We sat down with Bhide over Rasika restaurant's Indian palaak chat (crispy spinach) and star-anise spiked black cod to get the scoop on her new cookbook, "Modern Spice: Inspired Indian Flavors for the Contemporary Kitchen" ($25, Simon & Schuster).

» EXPRESS: What does "modern spice" mean?
» BHIDE: People still want Indian flavors and tastes, but they want ease of use. They'd like to cook the cuisine in a way that embodies a modern lifestyle. I want them to be able to sit down with this book at 6 p.m. and have dinner ready by 6:30 without sacrificing flavor.

» EXPRESS: Have perceptions of Indian food changed recently?
» BHIDE: People used to ask, "Is it spicy?" Now people [have gotten] much more educated about the preparations. They ask about types of cardamom and learn about the flavors. Big grocery stores and Amazon.com have done a wonderful job of making ingredients available too.

» EXPRESS:Where do you shop for ingredients?
» BHIDE:The place that I go to the most is Aditi Spice Depot (409 Maple Ave. E., Vienna, Va.; 703-938-3400). They have a great selection. Whole Foods and Giant also both have a good selection of spices. Whole Foods has smaller containers, so your spices will stay fresher.

» EXPRESS: What are the most important spices in Indian cuisine?
» BHIDE: Cumin seeds, coriander seeds, turmeric, red chilies and mustard seeds. But when it comes to buying spices, use your nose and common sense. There's no need to have a roller suitcase full of them — they'll just turn stale.

» EXPRESS: What is the secret to cooking with unfamiliar spices?
» BHIDE: You don't need to buy a cupboard full of them. Be smart about what you buy. Even if you cook often, it's helpful to get spices in small containers. That way you buy new spices more frequently and keep things fresh.

» EXPRESS: Any common misconceptions about Indian cooking?
» BHIDE: There's a lot of fear. Many Indian cookbooks have long lists of ingredients that are hard to source. They create great flavors, but people spend too much time stressing over finding ingredients. You don't need 19 things to create a good dish.

» EXPRESS: What will surprise people about cooking Indian food?
» BHIDE: It isn't heavy. These dishes are filling, but not overpowering.

» EXPRESS: Some of these dishes, like Indian Onion Rings and an Indian "burger," seem like radical departures from curry house fare.
» BHIDE: Believe it or not, those dishes are originally Indian. Pakoras have been served forever — it's just battering bread, onions or spinach. I tried to take new ingredients, like Brussels sprouts, or find new preparations, like a fig and paneer [Indian cheese] pizza. One of my testers added bacon to the pizza for crunch, and it was great!

RECIPE FILE: POMEGRANATE SHRIMP
» Servings: 4
» Ingredients: 1 ½ lbs. shrimp, shelled and deveined; 2 tbsp. pomegranate molasses; 1 tsp. minced garlic; 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric; 1/4 tsp. red chili powder or red chili flakes; 1/2 tsp. ground coriander; 1⁄4 tsp. salt; 2 tbsp. vegetable oil; 1 sprig fresh curry leaves; 2 large (or 4 to 6 small) shallots, thinly sliced; 1 cup fresh pomegranate seeds

In a large bowl, combine the shrimp, pomegranate molasses, garlic, turmeric, chili powder, coriander and salt. Mix well. (The best way to do this is with your hands.) Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. When it shimmers, add the curry leaves and shallots. Cook for two to three minutes, until the shallots just begin to change color. Add the shrimp and marinade. Toss for a few minutes, just until the shrimp is completely cooked through. Remove from the heat and serve immediately, sprinkled with pomegranate seeds.

Written by Express contributor Erin Hartigan
Photos courtesy Simon and Schuster