FOOD : L.A.’s Passage to India : The Bharat Bazaar Brings a Wealth of Flavors From the East to the Westside

MANY WHO THINK they know Indian food, based on their experience dining in restaurants, are amazed when they first visit the Bharat Bazaar and gain some inkling of how vast and varied the cuisine can be. This well-stocked market in Los Angeles is run by Phulan Chander, who guides shoppers through its aisles in her flowing sari and jogging shoes, pointing the way to ingredients and explaining how to use them.

“Add a spoon of this to your rice,” she suggests, indicating biryani masala (a spice blend from Bombay that includes coriander, turmeric and peppercorn). Or she’ll offer a taste of mint chutney, and if the reaction is favorable, she’ll tell how to make it.

Recently she invited a customer to the stockroom to watch her prepare sooji ka halwa, a dessert made with cream of wheat (sooji). Working over a tiny hot plate, Chander fried the cereal in ghee (Indian-style clarified butter) until the grains glistened. Then she stirred in sugar and water to make a thick pudding. The subtle, toasty taste of the ghee should be seasoning enough, she says, but one could also add cardamom and almonds.

The Bharat Bazaar is owned by Chander’s husband, Ramesh, who oversees the family’s wholesale warehouse in Hawthorne while his wife runs the market. Other family members own four stores in Northern California. The proliferation of such businesses reflects the growth of California’s Indian population. About 70,000 people of Indian origin now live in Los Angeles and Orange counties, estimates Mangu Rohit, president of the Federation of Indian Assns. The greatest concentration is in Cerritos, and the major shopping district is “Little India” in Artesia.

Although Chander has lived in the United States for 20 years, she is still thoroughly Indian--a Punjabi Brahman, she says. That means she is a Hindu of the highest caste and comes from the Punjab in northwestern India. Born in Jullundur, Chander often wears a Punjabi suit--a long silky top over pants. The athletic shoes that she has adopted are a practical way to deal with long hours of standing.

Located on a quiet stretch of Washington Boulevard, the Bharat Bazaar is the Westside’s answer to Bombay’s bustling Crawford Market or Delhi’s venerable shopping street, Chandni Chowk. Of course, it’s a lot smaller and quieter than either of those. But the scope of the stock is amazing. Along with such staples as basmati rice (an aromatic long-grain rice from Northern India), spices, lentils and ghee, there are rare fresh curry leaves, which are essential to South Indian cookery, and fresh methi (fenugreek) leaves. Methi is used in a variety of dishes, including the flat cornmeal bread that is typical of Punjabi cuisine. Sometimes the market has pale, magenta-bordered pea pods called papdi, or a small green vegetable with pretty striations, known in India as tindora. Okra and bitter melon are also usually on hand.

Rich sweets stacked in plastic containers on the counter might include bright green pistachio burfi; round, syrup-soaked gulab jamun and squares of saffron-yellow patisa topped with cardamom and melon seeds. Nearby is a pan full of potato-stuffed samosas (deep-fried pastry). And usually there is paan, which Indians chew after meals as a digestive. Paan consists of a fresh betel leaf folded around betel nut and various flavorings. Chewing it reddens the tongue and produces a faint numb sensation. Some find paan addictive, but Chander warns that overindulgence is not good for the teeth.

Like bazaars in India, Chander’s market is a sociable place that offers much more than food. Community notices are posted on a bulletin board, and families drop in to rent Indian films on videotape. “This a good movie?” Chander inquires as a customer returns a video. Shelves near the entrance hold cassettes of religious songs, Punjabi music and the haunting melodies known as ghazals. Sometimes Chander plays these to make the shop more lively.

One counter displays multicolor bangles for slim wrists. There are also saris and scarfs, incense from Mysore, herbal toothpaste from Calcutta, Indian cigarettes called bidis and cobra-head spoons that are used in temple worship. Kitchenware includes three-legged round boards for rolling out chapatis (Indian bread), gleaming steel boxes to hold the cooked chapatis, woks from Bombay and steaming racks for idli, which are small cakes made of ground rice and lentils.

Non-Indians come in with shopping lists from cookbooks, and Chander directs them to such unfamiliar items as jumbo black cardamoms, pungent-tasting black salt and amchoor powder, a souring agent ground from dried mangoes.

Indian shoppers are eager to help, too, and a question about cooking can set off a lively discussion. One interchange concerned milk masala, a costly blend of nuts and spices that is almost impossible to find outside of India. “Just make it yourself,” advises Chander. All you do, she explains, is grind together pistachios, almonds, saffron and cardamom. A spoonful of this blended with hot milk and sugar produces a bracing beverage that is India’s answer to hot chocolate.

Despite long hours on duty, Chander cooks wholesome, traditional meals for her husband and two children, even making chapatis twice a day. “I take time, but I’m making very good food,” she says. The Chanders are strict vegetarians, as are many Indians, so their meals concentrate on dal (lentils); vegetables, which often come from their garden; fruits; bread, and yogurt.

Although ghee is basic to the Indian larder, Chander often switches to olive oil as a health measure. Garam masala --a blend of such spices as cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and pepper--seasons many of her dishes, and turmeric goes into her dals and vegetables. Amchoor adds a pleasant tang to some foods. And cilantro, cumin and ginger root are other essentials that appear in the following recipes, which are from Chander’s personal collection.

The Bharat Bazaar is located at 11510 W. Washington Blvd., Los Angeles, and is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily except Tuesday.

PHULAN’S BIRYANI RICE 1 cup basmati rice 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds 2 cups water 1/2 cup thawed frozen peas 2 tablespoons coarsely broken raw cashews 4 whole green cardamoms 1 1/2 teaspoons packaged biryani masala 1 teaspoon salt Soak rice in water to cover generously 15 minutes. Turn into sieve and drain well. Heat olive oil in Dutch oven. Add cumin seeds and stir about 1 minute, or until cumin releases its fragrance. Add rice and saute, stirring, 2 minutes. Add water, peas, cashews, cardamoms, biryani masala and salt. Cover and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer 10 minutes. Place on heat diffuser and steam 10 minutes longer. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

SPICED URAD DAL 1 cup whole urad dal (black-skinned lentils) 6 to 8 cups water 2 whole black cardamoms 1 ( 1/4-inch thick) slice ginger root, peeled 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced 1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger root 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon bottled Madras-style curry paste 3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 2 teaspoons salt 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped Sort dal to eliminate any stones. Place in sieve and rinse well. Turn into bowl, add 4 cups water and soak at least 2 hours. Place dal and soaking liquid in 3-quart saucepan. Add 2 cups water, cardamoms and ginger slice. Cover and bring to boil. Continue to boil 30 minutes without stirring. Add more water if needed.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in medium nonstick skillet. Add onion and cook until lightly browned. Stir in minced ginger root, garam masala , turmeric, curry paste, cumin seeds and chili powder and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add onion mixture and salt to dal. Cover loosely and boil 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up dal . When done, mixture should resemble a thick soup. If too dry or thick, add water as needed. Remove ginger slice and black cardamoms. Stir in cilantro just before serving. Makes 1 quart, or 8 servings.

MIXED LENTILS WITH CILANTRO 1/2 cup moong dal (yellow lentils) 1/2 cup masoor dal (pink lentils) 3 1/2 cups water 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced 1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger root 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup cilantro leaves Sort dals to eliminate any stones. Place in sieve and rinse well. Turn into 3-quart saucepan, add water and soak 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in non-stick medium skillet. Add onion and cook until lightly browned. Stir in ginger root, garam masala , coriander, turmeric and cumin seeds and cook, stirring, 30 seconds.

Bring dals to boil. Add onion mixture and salt. Cover loosely and boil 30 to 40 minutes or until dals are tender, stirring occasionally to break up. Mixture should have consistency of thick soup. Add more water if needed. Just before serving, stir in cilantro. Makes about 1 quart, or 8 servings.

SPICED OKRA 3/4 pound okra 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon garam masala 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon coarse-grind black pepper 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon amchoor powder Wash okra and dry thoroughly with paper towels. Cut off ends; then cut into 1/4-inch thick slices. Heat olive oil in nonstick medium skillet. Add garam masala , coriander, cumin seeds, turmeric, salt and pepper and stir to blend. Add okra and mix with spices. Cook, stirring often, until okra is tender, about 15 minutes. Do not add water. Just before serving, stir in amchoor. Makes 4 servings.MINT CHUTNEY 1 cup lightly packed mint leaves 1/2 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves 1/2 cup coarsely chopped yellow onion 3 small green onions, including some of the tops, cut up 1/2 jalapeno chile, seeded 3 tablespoons water 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon salt Combine mint, cilantro, yellow and green onions, chile, water, lemon juice and salt in blender container. Blend until pureed, stirring ingredients down until blender operates smoothly. Makes about 3/4 cup.

HOT MASALA MILK 2/3 cup milk 1 1/2 teaspoons Milk Masala 1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste Combine milk, masala and sugar in small saucepan and heat until hot but not boiling. Or combine in microwave-safe cup or mug and heat in microwave oven. Stir to blend. Makes 1 serving.

Milk Masala 3/4 teaspoon saffron threads 1/2 cup blanched almonds 1/2 cup shelled unsalted raw pistachios Seeds from 8 cardamom pods Freeze saffron threads to make brittle. Or place in bowl of large spoon and warm 10 to 15 seconds over burner. Using electric spice mill, grind almonds and pistachios very fine, processing in several batches if necessary. Grind saffron and cardamom seeds with one batch of nuts. Turn into bowl and mix well. Store in refrigerator in airtight container. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

SOOJI KA HALWA (Cream of Wheat Pudding) 1/4 cup bottled ghee 2/3 cup sooji (cream of wheat) 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom 1 3/4 cups water 1/4 to 1/3 cup sliced almonds Stir ghee in jar to blend. Spoon 1/4 cup ghee into 1-quart saucepan and heat. Stir in sooji and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, 8 to 10 minutes, or until mixture has a toasty fragrance and ghee begins to bubble out from sooji. Add sugar, cardamom and water and continue to cook, stirring, until mixture is very thick, like hot cereal. Turn into serving bowl or spoon into individual dessert dishes. Serve warm, sprinkled with sliced almonds. Makes 2 1/3 cups, or 4 to 6 servings.