Quick Indian Recipes

This vegetarian curry is easiest to make if you use packaged, fried panir, which is an unripened Indian cheese. The recipe was provided by cookbook author Raghavan Iyer and is to appear in his next book, planned for publication this year. Serve with rice or, as Iyer does, with slices of toasted French bread to dunk into the creamy, sweet-tart sauce.

1 1/4 cups water

1/4 cup malt vinegar or cider vinegar

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 fresh green Thai, cayenne or serrano chili peppers, stemmed

2 dried red Thai or cayenne chili peppers, stemmed

2 large cloves garlic, smashed

2 slices ginger root (each 2 inches long, 1 inch wide and 1/8 -inch thick)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

2 cups cut-up cauliflower florets (about 1 inch long)

2 medium-size potatoes, such as russet or Yukon Gold, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes, and submerged in a bowl of cold water to prevent browning

1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt or sea salt

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

8 ounces store-bought frozen fried panir cubes*

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems

Combine 1/4 cup water, vinegar, tomato paste, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fresh and dried chili peppers, garlic and ginger in a blender. Puree, stopping to scrape down the mixture as needed, until a smooth, reddish-brown paste is formed. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and stir-fry for 3 to 5 minutes, until it has browned lightly around the edges. Add the paste and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 4 minutes, until a thin, oily sheen coats the surface and a thin film of paste forms on the bottom of the pan.

Meanwhile, add the remaining cup of water to the blender and whir the blades to dislodge any remaining contents. When the paste has cooked, add the liquid from the blender and scrape the bottom of the pan to release the accumulated film of paste. Add the cauliflower, potatoes and salt, and heat the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low or low, cover the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are almost tender. Add the coconut milk and panir cubes. Cook, uncovered, for about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and the vegetables are fork-tender. Add the cilantro and serve hot.

*NOTE: If you can't find frozen fried panir, slice fresh panir into 1-inch cubes; heat vegetable oil in a skillet and fry the cubes until lightly browned on each side.

Per serving (excluding panir): 143 calories, 2 g protein, 11 g carbohydrates, 11 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 7 g saturated fat, 322 mg sodium, 2 g dietary fiber

Recipe tested by Leslie A. Garcia; e-mail questions tofood@washpost.com