Email
Print
ShareGrilling and griddling are very much in vogue.Griddle pans are all easily available in India -- they looks like frying pans but have distinctive ridges across the surface. It is also substantially heavier than a normal frying pan as it has to withstand much higher temperatures. The pan may be designed so that it has a spout on one side to pour out the juices and it may be square or round in shape.
The method is to preheat the griddle pan so that the surface is exceedingly hot when cooking starts. This allows the food to be quickly seared, sealing in the juices and forming that "crust" so beloved of the menu writers. One constantly encounters references to tuna or rawas with a pepper crust. Well, it is relatively easy if you know how. The trick is to ensure that the crust is formed before the food is turned over to sear, and you lower the heat for the rest of the cooking time, allowing the food to cook without burning the outside.
This form of cooking has myriad benefits, principally that you use the minimal amount of oil or fat in the cooking process, it is not entirely oil free but the cholesterol content of the cooking is minimised.
The other benefit, often overlooked, is that kind of marinades that one can concoct using fresh herbs and aromatics like garlic and green chillies which give the dishes a certain distinctiveness. This is particularly relevant as you can now easily obtain the most exotic of herbs, oregano, Italian basil and chives in the local market.
In India we have been so obsessed with the magic of the tandoori masala and for vegetarians the paste applied to paneer or cauliflower, that we don't seem to wantgo beyond that. There are some adventurous souls who use the Chettinad masalas, including the famous Schezwan pepper.
Apart from these there is not much else. In doing so we are missing out on a rich cornucopia of recipes particularly from Morocco like the harissa. The harissa-influenced masalas are wet and act as a marinade for meats such as chicken.I have a lot of time for harissa; it is a marvellous marinade which has several uses. The spiciness depends on the chillies used.
A basic harissa recipe with a Tunisian touch is to use: 250g/9oz long, fresh red chillies, salt, 3 heaped tsp caraway seeds (ajwain), ground, 3 heaped tsp cumin seeds, ground, 1 tsp black cumin seeds (jeera) ground (optional), 4 cloves garlic, 100g or 3 1/2;oz roasted and peeled red bell pepper, 2 tsp tomato puree, 2 tsp red wine vinegar, 4 tbsp olive oil, 2 level tsp smoked paprika (if you can get it),
Method:
1.Remove the tops of the chillies, slice in half lengthways. Lay each chilli on a chopping board, cut-side up, and gently scrape away the seeds with a teaspoon and discard.
2. Blend the chillies in a food processor with a pinch of salt, half of each of the spice seeds and the garlic cloves until smooth.
3. Add the peppers, the rest of the spice seeds, the tomato puree and vinegar, and blend again until very smooth. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
4. Now add the olive oil. Sprinkle the paprika on top of the oil and stir in. Taste and season if necessary, with more salt to balance out the vinegar.
If you mix it in yogurt, you have the perfect marinade.
Email: g_javed@dnaindia.net
