"These spices are the soul of Indian cooking." - includes recipes - Chiefs of the West

Sunset, May, 1990

The cuisine of the Indian subcontinent is an ancient and varied one. But to most American diners it simply means curry--a notion that amuses Indians if it does not annoy them. As more Indian restaurants open, our appreciation of the complexity of the country's cuisine grows. One concept that has caught on is tandoori cooking--named for the tandoor, a very hot clay or brick oven that sears the surface of meat or fish, creating a crisp and richly colored crust. The crust and the meat take their flavor from a blend of herbs, spices, lime, vinegar, and yogurt used as a marinade and basting sauce. These spices are the soul of Indian cooking and are more important, in fact, than the tandoor itself. Tandoori dishes can be, and often are, barbecued over coals, baked in an oven, or cooked on a rotisserie. After marinating chicken legs in a classic tandoori marinade, S.M. Estvanik grills them over charcoal. You can use any chicken parts, of course. For deeper flavor penetration, some Indian cooks remove the skin, slash the meat in several places, and rub in the marinade.

Tandoori Barbecued Chicken

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1/4 cup lime juice 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried hot red

chilies 1/2 teaspoon cumin seed

1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

(coriander)

3 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger 1/4 cup chopped parsley

1 cup unflavored low-fat yogurt

6 to 8 chicken legs (drumsticks with

thighs attached, about 2 3/4 to 3 1/2

lb. total) In a blender or food processor, whirl vinegar, lime juice, chilies, cumin, turmeric, paprika, cilantro, garlic, ginger, and parsley until smoothly pureed. Put in a large bowl, add yogurt, and mix well. Rinse legs and pat dry. Make a cut through to thigh and drumstick bones along entire length of each leg. Add chicken to yogurt mixture; mix to coat thoroughly. Cover and chill at least 1 hour or up until next day. In a barbecue with a lid, ignite 50 to 60 charcoal briquets on the firegrate. When coals are dotted with gray ash, push equal amounts to opposite sides of grate. Place grill 4 to 6 inches above height of coals. Drain legs briefly and lay them on grill, but not directly over coals. Cover barbecue, open drafts, and cook until chicken is no longer pink at bone in thickest part (cut to test), about 40 minutes. Baste frequently with remaining yogurt mixture. Makes 6 to 8 servings. Per serving: 285 cal.; 31 g protein; 16 g fat; 3.8 g carbo.; 120 mg sodium; 105 mg chol.

With shrimp at the price they are, one should make every effort to enhance, and not conceal, their flavor. Jambalayas and gumbos are fine if you operate a shrimp boat, but the rest of us would prefer a more subtle approach, like Robert Gates' Shrimp de Jonghe. Gates enjoyed it in a Chicago South Side restaurant years ago and has reconstructed a recipe for us. Samuel Johnson once said that the keenest of human pleasures is to do a good deed by stealth and have it discovered by accident. Re-creating a favorite restaurant dish by memory and experiment (and getting it right) is a similar pleasure.

Shrimp de Jonghe

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

1 tablespoon chopped chives 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire

3 tablespoons seasoned fine dry

bread crumbs 1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 pound medium-large (36 to 42 per

lb.) shrimp, shelled and deveined 1/4 cup dry sherry

Paprika In a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium heat, stir together until hot the butter, garlic, parsley, chives, Worcestershire, 1 tablespoon of the crumbs, and pepper. Add shrimp and stir often just until they turn pink but are still translucent and moist-looking in center (cut to test), 3 to 4 minutes. Evenly arrange shrimp with butter mixture in 4 individual casseroles (each about 3/4-cup size). Add sherry to pan, scraping browned bits free; spoon liquid equally over shrimp. Evenly sprinkle remaining crumbs over shrimp, then dust lightly with paprika. Bake, uncovered, in a 400 [degrees] oven until crumbs are lightly toasted, 5 to 8 minutes, Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 178 cal.; 20 g protein; 7.5 g fat; 6.8 g carbo.; 349 mg sodium; 156 mg chol.

The bean is the donkey of the vegetable world, bearing up under derision while it carries a big load of nutrition, especially in parts of the world where meat is a luxury. Since pre-Columbian times in Mexico, the bean has been a significant source of protein. More recently, the refried bean has become a staple on the Mexican-American restaurant combination plate. Modestly refried (when judged by Mexican standards for fat added), Carter Wilson's dish consists of beans that have been boiled, mashed, then cooked again with seasonings. More traditional refried beans start as a sort of thick porridge; then the mixture solidifies rapidly, forming a crust around the edges. Any left over for another meal quickly takes on the appearance of a lava field and the texture of fudge--but still tastes good. Wilson's concoction passes the porridge stage quickly and goes right to the solid state with his Idaho Pinto Bean Cakes. A ham hock and chicken broth enrich the bean flavor in the boiling process. After the beans are mashed and seasoned, the mixture is shaped into round cakes and cooked yet again.