Authentic tried and tested simple recipes in mainly Indian cooking, including traditional mangalorean, Goan, East Indian, North Indian recipes and much more…
Rinse the mushroom under running water. No need to wipe as we will peel them. Remove the stems and set aside. Peel the mushrooms and place in an oven proof baking dish. Chop the mushroom stems finely. Add the grated cheese to a mixing bowl. Heat oil in a pan and saute the mushrooms stems and chopped onion for 2 to 3 minutes till it softens. Cool the mixture and add to the cheese. Add the bread crumbs, pepper powder and salt and mix. Stuff the mushrooms with this mixture and bake 20 minutes in a moderate oven till tops are golden. Serve immediately as a starter or appetizer.
A typical and most famous sindhi breakfast consisting of dal and served with pakwan i.e. crisp puris. Quite delicious and satisfying. Enjoy as breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner!
Ingredients
For Dal
2 cups chana (split chick peas) dal
2 medium onions (one for garnish)
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
6 green chillies, chopped
½ tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. Chilli powder
1 tsp. amchur (dry mango powder)
½ tsp. garam masala powder
1 tsp. Salt or to taste
2 tbsp. ghee or oil
For Pakwan
2 cups Maida (all purpose flour)
½ tsp. Ajwain (Carom seeds)
½ tsp. Cumin seeds
½ tsp. chilli powder
3 tbsp. ghee
1 tsp. salt, or to taste
Water to knead to dough
Oil for deep frying
Method
Wash the dal and soak for 1 hour. Take a vessel and place on heat, add the ghee or oil and when hot, add the cumin seeds, curry leaves and chopped onion and fry till onions are soft and light brown. Add the chopped tomato (I have used 1 tbsp. tomato paste instead), and saute for a minute. Add the dal, turmeric powder and salt. Add sufficient hot water to cover the dal and cook till dal is tender but not mushy. There should be no white spot in the center of the dal. Add the chillie powder, amchur and garam masala powder and cook till fat surfaces. If water has dried up add a cup of water. The Dal should have some gravy. Add the green chillies and cook further 5 minutes. Remove. Serve hot garnished with chopped onion, coriander leaves and tamarind chutney or Green chutney. Add both chutneys if you prefer. Serve with Pakwan.
To make Pakwan
Mix the flour with cumin, ajwain, salt, chilli powder and ghee, mix well. Add water little buy little and knead to a semi hard dough. Cover and leave to rest 15 minutes. Divide into 15 portions and roll each out into a thin disc. Prick the surface with a fork (to prevent it puffing) as you want it crisp. Heat oil in a kadai to hot and fry the pakwan on medium low heat till crisp and golden. Serve hot with dal for a delicious and satisfying breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner or a snack!
To make Sweet Chutney (Saunth)
Made from Mango powder and usually served with snacks
5 tsp mango powder (Amchur)
3/4 cups sugar or jaggery (I used jaggery)
2 ½ tsp. cumin seeds
½ tsp. Black salt
1 tsp. black peppercorns
1 tsp. black cardamom seeds (use white if not available)
1 tsp. red chilli powder
Salt to taste
1 drop red food color
1 small raw mango
Roast the cumin on a pan, cool. Pound black salt with a pestle if it is in chunks. Powder the cumin, black salt, peppercorns, cardamom seeds to a fine powder. Transfer to a dry bowl and add the red chill powder and salt and mix well. Sieve the mango powder to break up the lumps. Peel, and cut the mango into small pieces. To make a larger quantity, double the ingredients.
Put 1 cup water in a saucepan, add mango powder and whisk to prevent lumps. Cook on medium heat, stirring continuously until it thickens and becomes glossy. Add the remaining ingredients (except mango pieces) and stir till jaggery dissolves. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove and sieve through a soup strainer and cool. Add the mango pieces and refrigerate.
To make green chutney:
Grind to a paste:
1” pc ginger
2 green chillies
2 flakes garlic
1 to 2 cups fresh coriander leaves
½ cup mint leaves
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt or to taste
Grind all together to a paste without adding water as far as possible.
Crispy crunchy buns on the outside with delicious soft luscious cheese and egg on the inside!
Ingredients
3 buns, medium sized
100 gms cheese (1.5 cups grated)
2 tbsp. butter or as required to brush the buns
3 eggs
1 medium onion
¼ cup coriander eaves
1 green chilli
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Grate the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Add finely chopped onion, green chilli and coriander leaves and mix. Cut the top of the buns in small circular shape, about 1” dia, and scoop out the soft dough from the centre of the buns. Melt the butter and brush the inside of the buns including the top. Divide the cheese mixture between the buns and break one egg on top of each one without breaking the egg yolk. Replace the lids over the buns and bake in a moderately hot oven about 190 deg C or gas mark 4 for 20 to 30 minutes to set the eggs, Serve hot. If desired, serve with grated cheese and carrots.
P.S.: Use the leftover soft centre of the buns to make bread pudding or save in the freezer for breadcrumbs when required.
Grind the corn coarsely, leaving some whole. Add the chilli, garlic and ginger paste. Alternatively, grind 2 green chillies, 3 flakes garlic and 1” pc ginger with the corn. Add the gram flour, lemon juice, salt, sugar and coriander leaves. Drop tbsp. full into hot oil or form into kababs and deep fry. May be shallow fried if preferred. Serve hot with ketchup or green chutney. Great as a snack, appetizer or into as a sandwich.
Ready in minutes, makes an instant addition to a dinner table and a great side or accompaniment to any meal. Smaller the cabbage, the better! Steam just before serving. You can adjust the amount of butter required and make sure to use salted butter for extra flavor.
Steamed Cabbage
Ingredients
1 medium cabbage or 2 small cabbages
6 to 8 cubes butter (size as per choice) preferably salted
Pepper and salt, to taste
Clean the whole cabbage by removing the outer leaves if they have any blemishes and look stale. Trim the stem and cut the cabbage into wedges but keeping the stem intact. Place the cabbage in a vessel to compactly arrange. Put the butter cubes in between two wedges of the cabbage and sprinkle some water. Cover and cook on medium flame for 10 minutes or till tender, but not overcooked. The cabbage should be tender but still have the crunch. Serve hot, sprinkled with salt and pepper. It’s best to steam the cabbage just before serving.
My Mother’s recipe from her book Mais Recipes – contains 175 more recipes.
Delicious curry will tempt you to drink the curry and lick your fingers. Traditionally served with Appams,sannas, panpole, etc. so you can mop the lip smacking curry and enjoy. Same recipe is used to make Chicken Roce Curry. Please strictly follow the recipe for perfect results.
Ingredients
1.5 kg. mutton
1 cup thick coconut milk (or 1 can 400ml ready coconut milk)
2 medium potatoes (cubed)
1 onion (sliced), 1 tbsp. oil
Salt to taste
Roast (each separately) & grind to a paste with a little tamarind
1.5 tbsp. coriander seeds
1 tsp. cumin seeds
½ tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. poppy seeds (optional)
1” pc. cinnamon,
4 cloves
10 kashmiri chillies,
8 pepper corns
6 flakes garlic
1 medium onion
4 tbsp. coconut powder
Method
Clean, remove and cut mutton into medium pieces. Wash and set aside to drain.
Heat oil and fry the sliced onion till light brown. Add the mutton pieces and fry till it changes color and the water dries up
Add the light coconut milk (optional) or water & bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer until the mutton is tender.
Add the ground masala paste, water for curry as required and when it starts boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes or till fat surfaces.
Then add the potatoes and cook 10 minutes.
When the potatoes are cooked, add the thick coconut milk, stir well and simmer for 5 minutes.
For extra flavour, garnish the mutton curry with one sliced onion fried to a golden brown in 2 tbsp. oil.
A rich cream base covered with a hardened caramel crust. An exotic dessert, albeit very simple to make with minimum ingredients. You need to plan ahead to make this dessert as it requires to be refrigerated. Makes a great dessert to have on the menu if planning a major party as it can be prepared ahead. Usually served in individual ramekins.
Crème Brulee
Ingredients – serves 8
750 ml whipping cream (or 500 ml heavy cream and 1 cup milk)
8 egg yolks
½ cup sugar
3 tsp. vanilla essence
4 to 6 tbsp. sugar for topping
Heat the cream+milk in a saucepan and stir over low heat till it some to a boil. Remove immediately. Meanwhile whip the egg yolks with the sugar till creamy and sugar has dissolved. When the cream starts boiling, pour gradually into the egg mixture. Add the vanilla essence and stir. Pre-heat oven.
Place 8 ramekins on a tray and pour the custard to ¾ full. Place the trays in the middle of the heated oven and pour hot water into the trays to come up ½ inch around the ramekins to bake the custard in a water bath. Bake on medium (170 deg C for 30 minutes till set. The custard will still jiggle a bit but will set once cooled. Remove from the water bath (bain marie) careful when handling the try with hot water and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight.
Once cooled, (and just before serving) sprinkle with 1 tbsp. sugar and use a blow torch to caramalise the sugar layer. Alternatively place all the ramekins under the grill (broiler) and caramelize till golden brown. Another method is to caramelize the sugar in a saucepan and pour over the custard in a thin layer and leave to set. Place once again in the refrigerator until serving time. The caramelization must be done just before serving as it is supposed to be hard, so as to crack it with your spoon to enjoy the crunch of the caramel and the soft luscious custard with each morsal of the crème brulee. Simply heaven on your tongue and the feeling of goodness in your tummy!!
Shepherd’s pie, or hachis Parmentier, is a ground meat pie made with lamb, hence the namesake, with a crust or topping of mashed potato; it is most likely of English origin.[ Cottage pie is the same as shepherd’s pie with the exception that it is made with beef or red meat. I prefer using minced beef when available and still call it Shepherd’s pie😉
The dish has many variants, but the defining ingredients are ground meat cooked in a gravy or sauce with onions, and a topping of mashed potato. Sometimes other vegetables are added to the filling, such as peas, sweetcorn, celery or carrots. It is sometimes also gratinated with grated cheese. – adapted from Wikipedia
It is a favorite dish with my children who can really feast on it. I have made this many many times and always turns out perfect and have never had to look for a better way to prepare it. The ready potato flakes are a good substitute for making mashed potatoes from scratch, so feel free to use this option which is definitely quicker and less labor intensive. Follow the package directions on the box as per the quantity you may require, for creamy and fluffy mashed potatoes! This video I have used the traditional method of boiling and mashing fresh potatoes.
Shepherds Pie
Ingredients
1 kg. minced beef or lamb
1 kg. potatoes, boiled and mashed
1 tbsp. oil
1 medum onion,chopped
100 gms. mushrooms (optional)
2 tbsp. plain flour
300 ml beef stock (Heat the water and add 2 soup cubes and stir till dissolved)
1 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
1 egg beaten
Heat the oil and saute the onions until soft and golden. If using mushrooms, slice and saute alongwith the onions.
Add the meat and continue cooking for 5 to 10 minutes till it changes color, while stirring well.. Gradually add the stock.
Sprinkle in the flour and cook for a minute. Gradually add the stock. Continue stirring over a low heat for 5 minutes. Season with worcestshire sauce.
Place the mince in a oven proof dish.
Add half the egg to the potatoes and mix well.
Place on the meat, mark in lines with a fork and brush with remaining egg.
Bake in a preheated moderately hot oven (200 deg C/400 deg F) for 40 minutes.
I am putting out this post early so that those who don’t have access to turmeric leaves (traditionally used for patoleos/pathoyos/patolis) can use alternatives rather than dampen the spirit of the celebration. True, the delicious flavour and aroma of turmeric leaves will be sacrificed…. I will just imagine the aroma with every bite of the banana leaf patoleos!
Secondly, many skip making patoleos due to time constraints. In that situation, prepare them on the next weekend, freeze them and steam the patoleos on the day required so you can enjoy them freshly steamed.
August 15 (Independence Day in India) happens to coincide with the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (a Holy day of obligation) and Patoleos are a significant item prepared by Goan & Mangalorean catholics on this day. East Indians call it Pan Mori or East Indian leaf cakes. It is also prepared on St, John’s feast (Sao Joao fest) and Konsachem fest (harvest festival). Ediyos, or Pudde steamed in jackfruit leaves were also prepared on August 15, by my mother.
Konkani hindus prepare patoleos on the second Sunday of Sharavan or Nag Panchami and on Hartalika, the eve of Ganesh Chaturthi. Salt-free patoleos, are offered to Goddess Parvati, who the legends say had a strong craving for these sweets during pregnancy.
If Turmeric leaves are not available in your region, be creative and use any leaves (that can be used for cooking) available near you like banana, fig, bay, maple, teak, corn husks, Okra (Lady finger) leaves, etc. Champa flower leaves are also used for steaming food and enjoy your sweet steamed rice cakes. Be creative and make do with what is available and enjoy rather than omitting your traditional foods altogether!
Patoleo
Ingredients
1 Cup basmati rice
1/2 cup boiled rice
1 cup coconut to grind with rice (optional)
1 ½ cups grated coconut
1 cup jaggery, grated
6 cardamoms, powdered
Pinch of salt
Fresh haldi (saffron) leaves or any edible available leaves
Method
Mix the remaining coconut and jaggery and cook till blended.
Add cardamom powder and mix.
Set aside to cool.
Wipe the leaves clean.
Apply the rice paste evenly over the leaf taking care to spread in the direction of the ridges of the leaf. This gives a subtle ridged effect to the patoleos when cooked.
Spread a tablespoon full or more as required of the coconut jaggery filling over the rice paste on one side of the leaf.
Fold the leaf over and prepare all the patolis in similar manner.
If the leaves are too big, cut the patolis in half or quarters so that they fit comfortably into the steamer.
Put some water into the steamer and bring to a boil.
Place the tray and put the patoleos into the steamer.
You can even place them one over the other.
Place the lid on the steamer and steam for 20 to 25 minutes till done.
The leaf will change color and the patolis will be firm.
Two-in-one recipe Chole bhature is a typical dish widely eaten in Northern India mainly Punjab. It is a combination of chana masala (spicy white chickpeas) and bhatura/puri, a fried bread made from maida.
Chole bhature is often eaten as a breakfast dish, sometimes accompanied with lassi. It can also be street food or a complete meal and may be accompanied with onions, pickled carrots, green chutney or achaar.
Ingredients
2 cups Kabuli chana (Chickpeas) soaked overnight and boiled (or use 2 cans of ready chick peas 400 gms. each)
3 large tomatoes, chopped (or one cup pasatta, or 2 tbsp. tomato paste)
½ tsp whole black pepper corns
1 tsp Ajwain (caraway seeds)
2 tsp. Kashmiri chili powder
½ tsp. turmeric powder
1 tbsp. tamarind pulp
1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
½ tsp. garam masala powder
Salt to taste
1 tbsp. Ghee or Oil
Chopped onions for garnish
Chopped coriander for garnish
Heat ghee and add the pepper corns and ajwain. Add chopped tomatoes and cook till they turn soft (alternately use a cup of pasatta and cook few minutes).
Add chilli, turmeric and fry till oil separates.
Add the boiled chana alongwith the liquid and adjust salt.
Bring to a boil and simmer few mintues while mashing some of the chana to thicken the gravy.
Add the tamarind pulp, cook five minutes and then add the cumin powder and garam masala powder.
Stir well and simmer till fat surfaces and gravy is thick.
Sieve with the flour and rava with the baking powder and soda bicarb and salt.
Mix 1 tsp. sugar with 2 tbsp. yogurt, make a well in the centre of the flour, add water little at a time and bring the flour together and knead to a soft but firm dough.
Cover with a wet cloth and leave for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, add melted ghee and knead the dough soft and smooth.
Leave covered with cloth to rest for 45 minutes.
Divide into lemon sized balls or as per desired size and roll out into discs and deep fry in hot oil till puffed up on both sides.
Serve hot with Chhole garnished with chopped onion & coriander leaves.
Kashmiri Wazwan recipe, Kashmiri Haakh recipe. To cook it in a jiffy, I have used frozen spinach.
If using whole leaf frozen spinach, like I have done, this dish should not take more than 15 minutes including preparation. No chopping or cleaning of spinach required, just throw all the ingredients together in a pot and you have a wholesome, healthy, nutritious and delicious dish generously spiked with garlic and red chillies but since the chillis are Kashmiri, the dish is not spicy hot!! And if like me you have a batch of peeled garlic always handy, should not take more than 10 minutes!
Ingredients
2 tbsp. oil (mustard if preferred)
3 brown cardamoms, or 3 to 4 green cardamoms
10 kashmiri whole chillies
25 whole garlic, peeled
250 gms. whole spinach
1/2 cup water
Salt to taste
Heat oil and add the brown cardamom, kashmiri whole chillies, whole garlic, whole spinach (saag), little salt and water.
Cook till done (in a pressure cooker for 1 whistle).
Serve hot.
P.S.: The quantity of red chillies may seem daunting but trust me the saag did not turn out spicy hot as would be expected because Kashmiri chillies as usual are mild.
Ingredients and quantities vary according to availability and taste
Mix everything together and and chill 30 mns. before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Keeps for 3 to 5 days well refrigerated. Raw onion may be added just before serving.
Methi Paez – serve a bowl full to the lactating mother for atleast one month, every alternate day, post lunch, starting eight days after delivery!
Cures backache, promotes lactating i.e. increases breast milk, strengthens and helps in bringing back the uterus to its contracted state, relieves flatulence.
Methi paez or fenugreek gruel has several medicinal properties as fenugreek has many nutritional benefits containing fibre, minerals. iron and magnesium, so is beneficial to everyone, not only for lactating mothers
Ingredients
1 cup boiled rice
½ cup methi seeds
1 cup coconut juice
Pinch of salt (optional)
¾ cup jaggery
Method
Wash and soak the methi for 4 to 6 hours.
You can soak the boiled rice too, if you wish, separately.
Drain the rice and methi seeds and transfer to utensil.
Add 4 cups water and bring to a boil.
Remove scum from the surface.
Reduce heat and cook till rice and methi are soft, stirring occasionally.
If the water dries out, add a cup or two of water, as per desired consistency.
If you prefer the methi paez thick, avoid using additional water.
Add the jaggery and stir till the jaggery has dissolved.
Then add the coconut milk and simmer for 5 minutes.
A versatile dish that can be served on the wooden skewers as a main entree or remove the chicken pieces to a plate and serve as a snack or appetizer. Plate it, put tooth-picks on the meat and serve with cocktails. Don’t forget the dipping sauce!
Use only chicken thighs. Any other meat like boneless chicken breast (though easier to prepare) would not achieve the same results.
Ingredients
8 Chicken thighs
1 package wooden skewers
Satay Marinade
¼ cup minced lemongrass, fresh or frozen
2 shallots or ¼ onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic
1-2 fresh red chillies, sliced or ½ to 1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 thumb size pc. Galangal or ginger, thinly sliced
½ tsp turmeric
2 tbsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. cumin
3 tbsp. dark soy sauce
3 tbsp. fish sauce
6 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
Peanut dipping sauce to serve
Method
Place all marinade ingredients in food processor and grind to a smooth paste.
Taste-test the marinade – you should taste sweet, spicy, and salty. The strongest taste should be SWEET and SALTY in order for the satay to taste its best. Add more sugar or more fish sauce (in place of salt) to adjust the taste. Add more chilli if you want it spicier.
Remove skin and debone the thighs (or use boneless thighs if available) and cut meat into small pieces or strips – thinner is better.
Place in a bowl and pour marinade over.
Stir well to combine.
Allow at least 2 hours for marinating, or longer (upto 24 hours refrigerated).
Simultaneously, place the wooden skewers in water and leave to soak until required.
When ready to cook, thread meat onto the skewers. Fill upto 3/4 of the skewer.
Grill the satay, turn over and grill over all sides of the skewer till well roasted and brown, about 15 to 30 minutes.
Serve with satay sauce for dipping.
Satay Sauce (Thai Peanut sauce)
Ingredients
½ cup dry roasted peanuts, unsalted
2 cloves garlic
½ tsp. dark soy sauce
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 ½ tbsp. tbsp. fish sauce (substitute with soy sauce)
½ tsp. tamarind paste or 1 tbsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. thai chilli sauce or cayenne pepper
½ cup coconut milk
¼ to ½ cup water (as required)
Method
Process all the ingredients in a food processor until sauce is smooth.
Adjust, salty, sour, sweet and spicy taste by adding fish sauce, lemon juice, brown sugar and cayenne pepper, respectively as required.
If you require more salty add fish sauce, if more sweet, add sugar.
Serve warm or at room temperature as dipping sauce for veggies, spring rolls, chicken satay, etc.
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