Indian pizza and more recipes from the Indian American diaspora

Article content

Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.

Our cookbook of the week is Amrikan: 125 Recipes from the Indian American Diaspora by Los Angeles-based food writer and journalist Khushbu Shah.

Jump to the recipes: amchur ranch salad with crispy chickpeas, achari paneer pizza, and jaggery and fennel Rice Krispie treats.

Article content

Food writer and journalist Khushbu Shah had a lot on her plate when she wrote her cookbook debut, Amrikan (W. W. Norton & Company, 2024). As Food & Wine magazine’s restaurant editor, she travelled across the United States several times, searching for the best new chefs. “It’s hard to write a cookbook when you don’t have access to a kitchen for many weeks at a time,” says Shah, laughing. Her full-time job may have delayed the release of Amrikan from last fall to this spring, but visiting Indian restaurants everywhere she went also helped inform it.

The experiences she had and trends she noticed reinforced Amrikan’s guiding principle. “The American diaspora has its own identity, its own set of flavours, and it’s been a joy to be able to put it all together.”

Shah identifies adaptation as “the main ingredient in the Indian American culinary lexicon.” Growing up in Michigan, she had long been fascinated by the adjustments she saw cooks make. But it wasn’t until around five years ago, as she watched her mother make the breakfast cereal chevvdo (snack mix) she features in the book, that Shah landed on it as a defining characteristic of the cuisine. “I have so many memories of my mom making this cereal chevvdo throughout my life. And I remember thinking, as she was pouring a box of Froot Loops into this giant steel pot, ‘Where did this recipe even come from?’”

Article content

Eating a bowl of cereal before heading off to school was commonplace for Shah — but not for her mother, who’s from Ahmedabad, the largest city in Gujarat. And yet, everyone from her aunt to family friends seemed to have their own take on breakfast cereal chevvdo. The same went for the “Auntie Hack” of using Bisquick to make gulab jamun. “There were all these threads that were starting to come together. And then, it became very clear to me, especially as I was travelling the country, that I wanted to do a book that wasn’t just about my family’s recipes. I wanted it to be a zoomed-out look at this diaspora.”

One of Shah’s goals with Amrikan was to cover as many perspectives as possible. In addition to her travels, she talked to friends and their family members, read cookbooks and food blogs and followed social media groups. As a result, the book’s 125 recipes reflect the diversity of the diaspora. Dishes she didn’t necessarily grow up eating, such as one of her best friend’s mom’s lemon rasam, a brothy staple of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, sit alongside the upma her family often ate for a relaxed Sunday lunch with a plate of freshly cut fruit.

Article content

Article content

In addition to drawing on the traditions of families with roots in various parts of India, Shah pulled from different geographical points of view. She devotes a chapter to Indian-style pizza, for example, with recipes for achari paneer pizza, samosa pizza, naan pizza and more. Shah says that the innovation is rooted in San Francisco, and she scoured menus to see what Indian American chefs were doing with pizza and took the same approach with Indian Tex-Mex.

Shah named the book Amrikan after how Indians say American — pronounced um-ree-kan, “It’s America, with a Desi accent” — but says she sees “a lot of overlap” with the Canadian diaspora. She and her family took a road trip to Toronto and the surrounding suburbs last summer, and Shah was impressed by more than just the food.

“The music scene is unbelievable — the Punjabi music scene coming out of Toronto, in particular, is amazing. The impact and influence they’re having these days, and the artistry coming out of it is so cool to see.” Shah pays attention to the Indian restaurants opening in Toronto and Vancouver and has noted shared influences spanning the U.S. and Canada. “You guys just have better Tim Hortons and better chocolate across the border than we do (and) some better ingredients, sometimes. But it is interesting. I was thinking about that a lot when I was writing this book. Even though I call it Amrikan, a lot of it applies to the Canadian diaspora as well. And I think a lot of them will see themselves in the pages of this book — there may be some slight tweaks.”

Article content

The masala poutine recipe in Amrikan is evidence of these cross-border similarities. Markham, Ont.-raised, Los Angeles-based brothers Nakul Mahendro and Arjun Mahendro have had Indian-inflected poutine on the menu at Badmaash since they opened the first location in 2013 with their father, head chef Pawan Mahendro. Shah says that Badmaash is part of a new wave of experimental, third-culture Indian restaurants. They have many classic dishes on the menu, which they “knock out of the park,” such as Punjabi chickpeas (chana masala) and samosas — but they also make a fried butter chicken sandwich and chicken tikka poutine, and other restaurants across the United States have taken note. “You’ll see masala fries or masala poutine on a lot of Indian restaurant menus now, which is kind of amusing. But I really feel you can trace it back to them, and had they not moved to L.A., I don’t know if it would have proliferated the way it has.”

Shah thought of Amrikan’s recipes as falling into four categories: Indian dishes adapted with American ingredients, American dishes modified with Indian ingredients to make them more palatable for the community, the “untouched classics” that have remained the same as they are in India, and dishes that were born in diaspora. Some of her favourite recipes fall into the fourth category, such as a Basque cheesecake that tastes like a cup of masala chai and saag paneer lasagna.

Article content

Having written a book about the food of the Indian American diaspora, Shah is most interested in the cuisine’s continual evolution and crossover with the global pantry. “I like how playful and vibrant it is,” she says. There are connective threads between Indian and Mexican cuisine, for example, which she’s excited to see more restaurants explore. Shah mentions Norma Listman and Saqib Keval’s Masala y Maiz in Mexico City, which combines Indian and Mexican food “in such a brilliant, genius way.”

For many cooks today, gochujang is just as at home in their fridge as turmeric and Kashmiri red chili powder are in their pantry. “Those are all things you’re always going to find in my kitchen. And so, it makes sense that dishes will start to evolve this way,” says Shah.

Mirroring the adaptability at the heart of Indian American cuisine, Shah wrote the recipes for home cooks to adjust as they see fit — as if she were walking a friend through how to make them on the phone. “It’s a very flexible cuisine, very flexible book. If you don’t want to make butter chicken with chicken, don’t. Make it with paneer. Make it with tofu. Make it with mushrooms.” She includes options for substitutions and alternatives and covers recipes for a range of skill levels. “I hope everyone is able to see themselves in this book, whether they’re Indian or not. That’s my hope — and all grocery stores should carry chaat masala.”

Article content

AMCHUR RANCH SALAD

With Crispy Chickpeas

Crispy Chickpeas:
1 (15-­oz/425 g) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp olive oil
2 teaspoons garam masala
1/2 tsp salt

Amchur Ranch:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream or plain full-­fat Greek yogurt
1 to 2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
2 tsp garlic paste or 2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp amchur
1 1/2 tsp dried chives
1/2 tsp kalonji (nigella seeds), optional
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Salad:
2 to 3 romaine lettuce hearts, chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
2 Persian cucumbers, sliced
1/4 cup sunflower seeds (optional)

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425F (220C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2

Pat the chickpeas dry and put them in a medium bowl. Add the oil, garam masala and salt and toss until the chickpeas are evenly coated. Spread the chickpeas in a single layer across the prepared baking sheet and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chickpeas are crispy. Let them cool completely.

Article content

Step 3

Meanwhile, make the ranch dressing. In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, parsley, garlic, amchur, chives, kalonji (if using), salt and black pepper and give everything a good whisk until well combined. If the dressing is too thick for your liking, you can thin it out with a little bit of milk or water.

Step 4

Combine all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss. Top with the crispy chickpeas, and toss with enough dressing to make you happy.

Storage note: The recipe makes more dressing than necessary for the salad — ­you could easily halve it or save the rest in an airtight container in the fridge for at least a week. Do not freeze it.

ACHARI PANEER PIZZA

Makes: 1 medium pizza

Paneer:
1/4 cup plain full-fat yogurt
2 tbsp achar of your choice (see ingredient note)
4 oz (113 g) paneer, cut into 1/2- to 1-inch cubes

Creamy Tomato Sauce:
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 medium white onion, minced
1 tbsp garlic paste or 3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup tomato puree
1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp kasoori methi or dried oregano
1/2 tsp sugar

Article content

Pizza:
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1/2 recipe Basic Indian Pizza Dough (recipe follows)
Olive oil, for drizzling
1/2 to 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (Shred it yourself! Pre-shredded has fillers and doesn’t always melt.)
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
8 to 10 pickled jalapeños (optional)
Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional)

Step 1

In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt and achar and stir until well combined. Add the paneer cubes and toss until well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 450F (230C). Place a rimmed baking sheet on the lower rack of the oven.

Step 3

Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds or so, then add the tomato puree. Let cook for another minute or two, stirring constantly. The sauce should thicken a little. Add the chili powder, garam masala and salt, give it a good stir, and cook for another minute. Stir in the kasoori methi and sugar. Turn off the heat. (If not using right away, let cool, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.)

Article content

Step 4

On a lightly floured work surface, use your hands to gently stretch out the dough. You want it to be 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) in diameter. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and drizzle it with olive oil, which will lightly sizzle, then place the stretched-out dough on the oiled pan. Bake for about 8 minutes, until the crust is mostly cooked through but still light in colour.

Step 5

Remove from the oven and top evenly with the tomato sauce, then the mozzarella cheese, marinated paneer cubes, red onion slices and pickled jalapeños (if using). Return the pizza to the oven and bake until the cheese melts, another 3 minutes or so. Top with cilantro (if using) and, once the pizza has somewhat cooled, slice and serve.

Ingredient note: Achars are fruits and vegetables that are pickled with oil and spices. You could make your own, but it’s a lot of effort, and they are readily available at any Indian grocery store. I am partial to a spicy mango achar, or the roasted garlic achar from Brooklyn Delhi (which is available in select retailers in Canada).

Freezer note: You can wrap leftover pizza in aluminum foil, place in a ziplock bag, and freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat in the oven. Don’t microwave your pizza, please. You can also freeze any leftover tomato sauce in an airtight container for up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge before using.

Article content

BASIC INDIAN PIZZA DOUGH

Makes: enough dough for 2 medium or 4 small pizzas

2/3 cup lukewarm water
1 tbsp honey
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for greasing
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted
1 tsp kalonji (nigella seeds; optional)

Step 1

In a medium bowl, whisk together the water, honey and yeast, then let it sit for 5 minutes. It should be foamy (if it’s not, it means your yeast is dead, and you need to get fresh yeast and start over). Add the olive oil and give the mixture a good stir. Add the flour, salt, cumin seeds and kalonji (if using). Using a wooden spoon, mix everything together until a shaggy dough forms. Knead the dough in the bowl using your hands for about 2 minutes, making sure there are no floury spots left on the dough. Shape the dough into a ball and transfer to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let it rise in a warm spot for 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours, until it is doubled in size. Now use it to make achari paneer pizza.

Freezer note: Lightly coat the dough with oil, then place it in a ziplock bag. Press the air out of the bag, then seal tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge.

Article content

JAGGERY AND FENNEL RICE KRISPIE TREATS

Serves: 12 to 16

1/2 cup or 4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup ghee
1/2 cup packed jaggery (see note)
2 (12-­oz/340-g) bags marshmallows (see note)
1 (12-­oz/340-g) box crispy rice cereal
1 cup candy-­coated fennel seeds (also sold as fennel candy)
1 tsp flaky sea salt

Step 1

Line a 9×13-­inch (23×33-cm) baking pan with parchment paper.

Step 2

Melt the butter and ghee in a large pot over medium heat. Add the jaggery and stir until melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the marshmallows and turn the heat down to low. Let the marshmallows melt and become gooey, 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The final texture should be like a thick, creamy face moisturizer. It’s normal to see streaks of jaggery in the marshmallow. Turn off the heat and stir in the cereal until everything is evenly coated, then mix in the candied fennel.

Step 3

Pour the cereal mixture into the prepared pan. Press into an even layer using another piece of parchment paper. Top with the flaky sea salt, then let cool and harden, at least 1 hour. Cut into squares and serve.

Ingredient note: If you are vegetarian or you don’t eat gelatin, you can sub in vegan marshmallows (I like Dandies brand). Just keep in mind that vegan marshmallows look lumpier when they’ve melted down, so don’t be alarmed. If you can’t find jaggery, it’s okay to use brown sugar instead, but I like the caramel notes jaggery brings to the recipe.

Article content

Freezer note: The treats keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Or you can freeze them, with parchment paper between layers, for up to 3 months.

Recipes and images excerpted from Amrikan: 125 Recipes from the Indian American Diaspora. Copyright ©2024 by Khushbu Shah. Photographs ©2024 by Aubrie Pick. Used with permission of the publisher, W.W. Norton & Company. All rights reserved.

Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our cookbook and recipe newsletter, Cook This, here.

Article content