Cucumber Potato Salad
Chaat
(Serves 6)

Chaats are light snacks, taking many different forms, but they're also served as sides. This is a delightful salad-like chaat. It's easy to make, too, which adds to its appeal.

2 cucumbers (peeled, seeded, chopped)
2 boiled potatoes (chilled, diced)
2 tomatoes (chopped)
1 C plain yogurt
2 T white vinegar
1/2 tsp. garam masala (see sidebar)
1/2 tsp. salt
pinch sugar
1 T fresh dill (chopped) or 1 tsp. dried

Mix all ingredients together. Chill for at least 1 hour or more before serving.

Tips & Glossary: India

Many of the ingredients used for Indian cooking probably aren’t in your spice shelf.  And you may find them only at specialty Indian stores.   So to avoid frustration, make a list of the items you need before trying out the recipes.

Toss any old, even unopened, spice jars because they’ve probably lost their distinctive flavors.  Put them on your shopping list.

Watch out for those chilies! Unless you love the real hot stuff, reduce the amount of chili called for in the recipe.

Asafoetida: a powdered spice related to the fennel family.

Basmati Rice: literally “Queen of fragrance." This rice, cultivated in India, is known for its delicate flavor and fragrance.

Besan: also known as “gram flour,” made of ground chana dal, like chickpeas, only smaller and lighter in color. 

Cardamom: related to the ginger family. Pods (green, brown, or black) are the best way to store cardamom. But high-quality ground is also available.  A rule of thumb: 10 pods = 1 1/2 tsp. ground.

Chili: any small hot pepper, as opposed to larger, milder bell peppers; widely used in Indian cuisine.

Coriander:   aka cilantro, Chinese, or Mexican parsley.  Both fresh leaves and dried ground seeds are used in Indian, Asian and Mexican cuisines.

Cumin: an aromatic, kin to parsley and carrot plant; an important ingredient in chili powder. Used especially in Indian curries. It has an earthy, peppery flavor.

Garam Masala: literally, “hot spice,” usually a mixture of cinnamon, cumin, cloves, nutmeg, and green cardamom seed or black cardamom pods.  Because it loses its flavor quickly try to buy it with whole spices and grind it when you need it.

Ghee: clarified butter.  Melt 1 lb. unsalted butter over low heat for 20 minutes (careful not to burn), remove from heat and skim away solids.  Strain through cheesecloth into a separate container and keep…forever.  It doesn’t need to be refrigerated.  If you buy commercial ghee, make sure it comes from real butter, not hydrogenated oils.

Saffron:  stigma from the crocus family; it’s the most expensive spice in the world. Buy saffron threads; before using them, steep in a little hot water for 10 minutes to release flavor.