Like so many ethnic households, my family’s included a pantry where fermented black beans, three types of soy sauce, and tubs of tofu had equal billing as ketchup, mustard, and frozen hash browns.

Same for Khushbu Shah, whose family arrived in the first wave of Indian immigration to the United States.

The former restaurant editor at Food & Wine magazine, the Los Angeles-based Shah grew up in a home where Bisquick, peanut butter, and Taco Bell burritos were as beloved as curry leaves, coconut milk, and moong dal.

It’s that blending of heritages that informs her new cookbook, “Amrikan” (W.W. Norton), of which I received a review copy. Just what is “Amrikan”? As Shah explains in the book: Both a noun and an adjective, it is the word that Indians use to describe all things American. Or in short: “It’s America — with a desi accent.”

As such, the 125 recipes showcase the clever, surprising, and inspired ways that Indian American families have adapted what they found in American grocery stores or added a Southeast Asian spin to American comfort food classics.

The results are enticing recipes such as “Carrot Halwa Sticky Buns,” “Masala Deviled Eggs,” “Butter Chicken Pizza,” “Saag Paneer Lasagna,” and “Mango Cardamom Tres Leches Cake.”

How to jazz up a green salad?

Add cubes of seared paneer plus a punchy tamarind-Medjool date chutney dressing with a touch of Kashmiri chili powder.

That’s what Shah creates in her “Endive and Paneer Salad with Tamarind Chutney Vinaigrette.”

Start by making the chutney by microwaving the dates with a little water and salt, which imparts a long-cooked, concentrated, caramelized taste to the sticky, sweet fruit. Add the dates to a blender with chili powder, cumin, and a little more water, and blend until smooth.

Stir the chutney with oil, water, lemon juice and minced shallot to thin it out a bit and give it a brighter and slightly more savory quality. The dressing will be thick, more like a spoonable sauce. If you prefer it slightly thinner, you could add a bit more water. But use a careful hand because you don’t want to add so much as to dilute the assertive flavors.

Cube paneer, then sear in a pan on the stovetop until lightly browned. On individual serving plates or a large platter, arrange romaine and endive leaves then top with thinly sliced shallot rings, the paneer, and toasted bread crumbs. Spoon on a little of the chutney vinaigrette, reserving the rest in a small bowl to serve alongside.

The chutney will fall from the spoon in dibs and dabs here and there on the lettuce leaves. But this dressing is such a flavor bomb that you don’t need a lot to suffuse the entire dish with tangy fruitiness along the lines of pomegranate molasses coupled with a faint tickle of heat.

The golden cubes of paneer almost resemble croutons, but they are creamy, milky, and mild tasting with a soft, slightly squeaky quality that’s a little reminiscent of cheese curds. The toasted bread crumbs add a nice hint of crunchiness to the entire dish.

It’s the Clark Kent of salads — deceptively mild-mannered looking that hides an unexpected pow.

Endive and Paneer Salad with Tamarind Chutney Vinaigrette

(Serves 4)

For Tamarind Chutney Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup Tamarind Chutney (recipe follows)

1/2 cup neutral oil

1/4 cup water

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 shallot

For the salad:

2 teaspoons neutral oil

3 ounces paneer, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 (5- to 6-ounce) package Little Gem lettuce, baby romaine, or romaine lettuce hearts

1 head endive, leaves separated

1 shallot, sliced into thin rings

2 tablespoons toasted seasoned bread crumbs, toasted

Combine all of the vinaigrette ingredients in a jar, cover, and shake until well combined. Set aside. (Note: The dressing will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for at least a week.)

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the paneer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. Transfer the paneer to a plate and let it cool for a few minutes. While the paneer is cooling, arrange the lettuce and endive leaves on a large platter. Evenly spread the shallot rings on top, then scatter the paneer and bread crumbs over everything just before serving. Dress with a couple tablespoons of the vinaigrette.

Tamarind Chutney

(Makes 1 1/2 to 2 cups)

1 cup pitted dates, preferably Medjool

1/4 cup tamarind concentrate

1 1/4 cups water, divided

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Combine the dates, tamarind, 1/2 cup water, sugar, and salt in an Instant-Pot-safe or microwave-safe bowl. Cook for 3 minutes on high pressure in the Instant Pot, or cover and microwave for 3 minutes, stir, and re-cover, and microwave for another 3 minutes. Transfer the date mixture to a blender, and add the chili powder, cumin, and remaining 3/4 cup water, and blend until smooth. Let the chutney cool before serving.

From “Amrikan” by Khushbu Shah

More Recipes with Tamarind to Enjoy: Charles Phan’s Grilled Five-Spice Chicken with Tamarind Sauce

And: Sweet-and-Sour Braised Lamb with Tamarind

And: Shrimp Tamarind