Stir red curry paste in large skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add coconut milk and clam juice and bring to boil, whisking until paste dissolves. Boil until sauce is thick enough to coat spoon, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Add shrimp to sauce. Cook until shrimp turn pink and are just opaque in center, turning occasionally, about 4 minutes. Stir in cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper...

Combine sugar and 3 cups water in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan. Halve vanilla bean lengthwise with a paring knife and scrape seeds into pan, then add pod. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved.Add plums and simmer, uncovered, 3 minutes. Add apricots and tea bags and return to a simmer. Cook fruit, gently stirring once or twice, 5 minutes, then remove from heat...

Stir together coconut and water in a bowl. Let soak at room temperature until water is absorbed, about 1 hour.Cook beans in a 6-quart heavy pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, until crisp-tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer beans to a colander set in a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking, then drain well...

Make dosa batter:Place rice and lentils in separate bowls. Fill each with water to cover by 2 inches and soak 4 hours.Drain lentils in a sieve and pur e in a food processor with 3/4 cup water until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Drain rice in a sieve and pur e in food processor with 1/3 cup water until a gritty paste forms, about 1 minute. (Rice paste will not be as smooth as lentil paste...

Preheat oven to 350 F. Using electric mixer, beat butter, 1/3 cup sugar, both extracts, spices, and salt in medium bowl. Beat in flour, then stir in almonds.Using hands, roll dough into tablespoon-size balls. Place on large baking sheet, spacing apart. Bake until pale golden, about 25 minutes. Cool on sheet 5 minutes. Place remaining sugar in large bowl. Working in batches, gently coat hot cookies in sugar. Cool cookies on rack...

Rinse and drain peas, then transfer to a bowl and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Let stand at room temperature at least 8 hours or overnight. (Alternatively, cover with boiling water and let stand 30 minutes.) Drain peas. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400F. Pierce 2 softest eyes of coconut with a metal skewer or a small screwdriver, then drain and discard liquid. Bake coconut 15 minutes...

Bring butter to a boil in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat. Once foam completely covers butter, reduce heat to very low. Continue to cook butter, stirring occasionally, until a thin crust begins to form on surface and milky white solids fall to bottom of pan, about 8 minutes...

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400 F. Put naan on a baking sheet and bake until bread is crisp outside but still soft and pliable, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, pat shrimp dry and sprinkle with salt. Melt butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat, then transfer 1 tablespoon melted butter to a small bowl...

Toast chiles and cumin seeds in a dry small heavy skillet, shaking pan occasionally, until fragrant and just a shade darker, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool mixture, then finely grind in grinder. Cover potatoes with salted cold water by 1 inch in a 2 1/2- to 3-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are just tender when pierced with a small sharp knife, about 12 minutes. Drain...

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400 F. If using whole coconut, pierce 2 softest eyes of coconut with a small screwdriver or a metal skewer, then drain and discard liquid. Bake whole coconut 15 minutes. Break shell with a hammer and remove flesh, levering it out carefully with screwdriver or point of a strong knife. Finely shred enough coconut to measure 1 cup using the 1/8-inch-wide holes of a box grater...

If using fresh okra, trim, leaving tops intact, being careful not to cut into pods. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then saut onion and garlic with ginger and curry powder, stirring, 2 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juice, chickpeas, and water and boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes...

Cook onion, garlic, cumin seeds, and cinnamon stick in oil in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until onion is beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, until grains become slightly translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in broth, sugar, pepper, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes...

Stir together coconut and 1/2 cup water in a bowl. Let soak at room temperature until water is absorbed, about 1 hour. Stir in cumin, turmeric, and 1/2 cup water until combined. Smash green chiles and garlic with flat side of a large knife and stir into coconut mixture. Heat oil in wok over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then add mustard seeds and fry until they make popping sounds, about 15 seconds...

Stir together coconut and 1/4 cup water in a bowl and let soak at room temperature until all of water is absorbed, about 1 hour. Wash rice in several changes of cold water until water runs clear, then drain well in a sieve. Bring rice and 2 1/4 cups water to a boil in a 4-quart heavy saucepan, then reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes...

Scoop off 1/4 cup cream from top of canned coconut milk. Reserve remaining cream and milk for another use. Heat oil in wok over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Add mustard seeds and cook until they make popping sounds, about 15 seconds. Add ginger, garlic, and chiles to taste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add coriander, chile powder, turmeric, and curry powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 5 to 10 seconds...

Heat vegetable oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until golden brown, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. Add garlic and saut 2 minutes. Add garam masala and next 4 ingredients; stir 1 minute. Add lentils; stir until coated. Add chicken broth. Bring soup to boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer until lentils are very tender, about 20 minutes. Discard bay leaves...

Pur e all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Cooks’ note:Chutney can be made up to 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before serving...

Spray grill rack with nonstick spray; prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill lamb 25 minutes for medium-rare (internal temperature at the thickest part of meat should be 125 F). Let lamb rest 5 minutes before slicing...

Cook onion in 2 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes, then reserve in skillet. Meanwhile, pat chicken slices dry and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper...

Rinse rice in several changes of cold water until water runs clear. Drain well in a fine-mesh sieve. Melt butter in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, then add rice and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in water and salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered and undisturbed, 5 minutes...

Toss cucumber with salt in a colander in sink and let drain 30 minutes, then pat dry. Toast cumin seeds in a dry small heavy skillet over low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and a shade darker, 3 to 4 minutes. Cool on a cutting board, then crush slightly with a rolling pin. Stir cucumber, cumin, and cilantro into yogurt in a bowl...

To skin peanuts, blanch in a 3-quart saucepan of boiling salted water 1 minute, then drain well. Slip off and discard skins using your fingers and transfer peanuts to a bowl. Bring 5 cups water to a boil with bay leaf in same saucepan. Add peanuts and reduce heat to moderate, then simmer, covered, until peanuts are soft enough to crumble easily when pressed with tines of a fork, about 30 to 45 minutes...

Drain yogurt in a large fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, finely shred carrots using food processor. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then add mustard seeds and cook, covered, until they make popping sounds, about 15 seconds. Add curry leaves and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 3 seconds...

Heat a dry small heavy skillet over moderately low heat until hot, about 3 minutes, then toast fennel seeds, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer seeds to a work surface and cool 10 minutes. Coarsely crush seeds using bottom of skillet, then stir together with salt and sprinkle over watermelon. Serve with lime wedges...

In a bowl, combine all raita ingredients and set aside. Heat olive and sesame oils in a medium saucepan over high heat. Saut ginger and garlic about 45 seconds. Add shrimp and chile paste, tossing to cook evenly, about 3 minutes. Add lemon juice and stir. Serve raita with shrimp; garnish with chives.Nutritional analysis per serving 158 calories, 5.6 g fat (0.9 g saturated fat), 14.7 g carbohydrates, 13.8 g protein, 2...