Indian

Cafreal


Frango à Cafreal is a spicy chicken preparation consumed widely in the Indian state of Goa. The preparation originated from the Portuguese colonies in the African continent.[1] It was introduced into the Goan cuisine by the Portuguese and the African soldiers serving under the Portuguese.

The generic preparation involves green chillies, fresh coriander leaves, onion, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, pepper, chilli, mace, clove powder and lime juice or vinegar. Chicken Cafreal is always made from whole chicken legs, flavoured with the spices and herbs mentioned and then shallow fried.[2] Chicken Cafreal is usually accompanied by potato wedges and lime wedges. It is a popular dish in the bars and taverns of the state. – Source: Wikipedia

This recipe s inspired by Late Wendell Rodricks

Cafreal – Chicken Cafreal

Ingredients

  • 1.5 kg. Chicken
  • 1 tsp. garam masala powder
  • 1 tsp. black peppercorns
  • ½ tsp. Turmeric powder
  • 1 bunch coriander leaves (about 100 gms)
  • 12 to 15 flakes garlic
  • 2” piece ginger
  • 6 green chillies (or to taste)
  • 10 cashewnuts
  • 2 Onions
  • 4 Tomatoes (deseeded) (Optional)
  • 2 tbsp. lemon juice
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tbsp. Coconut oil
  • 2 tbsp. ghee or as required

Method

  1. Clean and cut the chicken into large pieces.
  2. Wash and set aside to drain.
  3. Grind to a paste the ingredients from garam masala to lemon juice alongwith the salt.
  4. Marinate the chicken with this masala. 
  5. Refrigerate overnight.
  6. Heat 2 tbsp ghee and fry the chicken in batches to light brown to seal the juices. 
  7. Set chicken aside
  8. Reserve the marinade.
  9. Add the coconut oil to the ghee left over from frying the chicken. 
  10. If not add a tbsp of ghee to a vessel, heat and fry the masala paste for 5 minutes till the raw smell disappears and fat leaves the masala. 
  11. Add the chicken, salt (if required), 1 cup hot water and cook till chicken is tender and gravy is thick. 
  12. Serve hot garnished with onion rings and lemon wedges.
  13. Repeated reheating gives a deeper color and improves the taste and texture of the gravy and the Cafreal just tastes better!

Shahi Biryani Kacchi Biryani


Shahi Biryani (Lamb)

The mother of all biryanis! How to make 5-Star quality Biryani!!  You don’t need to go to a five star hotel/restaurant, you can enjoy it at home!  The recipe may seem daunting but the result is a foolproof excellent biryani sure to please.

Source : Wikipedia

  • In a kacchi biryani, layers of raw marinated meat are alternated with layers with wet, pre-soaked, raw rice (which may be treated with different spices as above), and cooked together by baking or medium-to-low direct heat (typically, for at least an hour). Cooking occurs by a process of steaming from the ingredients’ own moisture: the cooking vessel’s lid is sealed (traditionally, with a strip of wheat dough) so that steam cannot escape.
  • A yoghurt-based marinade at the bottom of the cooking pot provides additional flavor and moisture. Potatoes often comprise the bottom-most layer (a technique also used in Iranian cuisine), because, with their natural moisture content, they brown well with less risk of getting burned accidentally. The lid is not opened until the dish is ready to serve.
  • Kacchi biryani is technically much more demanding and time-consuming than pakki biryani, for the following reasons:
  • The different ingredients—meat, rice, potatoes—have different cooking times: tender cuts of meat/chicken can be fully cooked well before the rice is done. To prevent this, many kacchi recipes use parboiled (semi-cooked) rice rather than raw rice.
  • If direct heat is used, there is a risk that the food layer in contact with the vessel bottom may get burned while the interior’s contents are still raw. This risk is minimized by sustained baking with moderate heat, or very slow cooking on low direct heat. This approach, however, increases cooking time considerably.
  • One method is cooking the dish “blind”, with the cooking vessel sealed, so one cannot monitor cooking progress—it takes experience to cook a kacchi biryani just right.

Watch the video for tips and information on making the perfect Kacchi Biryani!

Shahi Biryani / Kacchi Biryani

I Meat –

  • 1 Kg. leg and shoulder of mutton
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. yellow color
  • 3” pc. Ginger
  • 15 flakes garlic
  • 5 green chillies, or to taste
  • 1 large bunch coriander leaves
  • 1 ½” x 1 ½” pc. Peeled raw papaya (I sometimes omit this if not available)
  • 2 tsp. white cumin seeds (regular cumin seeds)
  • 8 cloves
  • 6 cardamoms
  • 1” pc. Cinnamon
  • 1 ½ tsp. black cumin
  • ¼ tsp. nutmeg powder
  • 2 blades mace
  • 2 cups beaten curd
  • 1 ½ tsp. salt or to taste
  • 2 tsp. chilli powder or to taste
  1. Clean and cut mutton into large pieces, wash and drain. 
  2. Rub in the salt and keep aside for 15 minutes. 
  3. Drain out the water completely and apply yellow color. 
  4. Powder all the ingredients from cloves to mace.
  5. Mix the masala powder into the mutton and set aside. 
  6. Grind all the ingredients from ginger to white cumin seeds to smooth paste. 
  7. Marinate the mutton for minimum 30 mns. to 1 hour with the ground paste, curd, chilli powder and salt if required.
  8. At this stage the mutton can be pre-prepared and refrigerated overnight.

II Browing Onions and Potatoes

  • 2 cups ghee
  • 6 to 10 large onions  (I have used 10 as I like to use more onion as it does enhance the taste)
  • 6 large potatoes
  • 1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
  • ½ tsp. yellow color
  • 10 boiled eggs (optional)

N.B. Don’t be alarmed by the proportion of ghee, its just for frying the onions just about 1/2 cup will be used for the Biryani.

  1. Slice onions.
  2. Heat ghee and fry till rich brown and crisp.  This process will take about an hour. 
  3. Initially keep the heat high and as it begins browning, lower the heat otherwise the onions could get burnt and impart a bitter taste.
  4. So it is a good idea to start with browning the onions first and as they are frying you can go about preparing the meat, etc. 
  5. Drain the onions and keep aside.
  6. Peel and cut potatoes horizontally into half, wash and drain.
  7. Prick lightly with fork and apply yellow color and pinch of salt.
  8. Fry the potatoes in the same ghee as the onions to light brown. Drain and keep aside. 
  9. Add about ½ cup of the remaining ghee to the marinating mutton, mix.
  10. Boiled eggs are optional.  But as we love the addition of eggs, I have added 10 eggs. 
  11. Boil for 3 minutes, switch off and leave in the water for 10 to 15 minutes minutes. 
  12. Drain the water and shell under running water so it is easy to peel.
  13. Make a slit on one side of the egg and keep aside.

III Rice –

  • ½ to 1 kg. Basmati (good quality) Rice (I used 1 kg. rice as we prefer the biryani to have more rice)
  • Sufficient water to cook the rice
  • 6 cloves
  • 4 black cardamoms (use 6 green if you don’t have black on hand)
  • 1/2 “ pc. Cinnamon
  • 2 tsp. salt or to taste
  • ½ tsp. black cumin
  • ¼ cup rose water
  • 1 tsp. saffron
  • ½ cup warm milk
  • ¼ tsp. yellow color
  1. Wash and drain the rice. 
  2. Soak for atleast 30 minutes. 
  3. Bring water to a boil and add the cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon, cumin and salt. 
  4. Add rice, cook 5 minutes only, till half done and then drain, but keep aside 1 cup of the drained water. 
  5. Heat, crush and soak saffron in the warm milk. 
  6. Mix the yellow color in the saffron milk. 

IV Assembling the Biryani –

  1. Take a deep thick bottomed vessel wide enough to hold the mutton in a single layer without space in between the mutton pieces. 
  2. Spread the mutton with the marinade at the bottom of the pan. 
  3. Dot with a little of the remaining ghee and arrange the potatoes and boiled eggs alternating with each other over the mutton. 
  4. Sprinkle half the rose water, some of the saffron milk and generously with the fried onions, crushed (save some for garnish). 
  5. Over this place the parboiled rice and press slightly. 
  6. Sprinkle the rice water all over, then the remaining rose water and dot with the saffron milk and pour the remaining milk in the centre. 
  7. Drizzle some of the remaining ghee, if desired. 
  8. Cover and seal the vessel.  Either use dough made of wheat flour and water to seal the edge of the vessel or use silver foil to seal and cover tightly. 
  9. Place the sealed vessel on a high flame for 15 minutes. 
  10. Then transfer to a very hot (450 deg F) oven and cook for 1 hour. 
  11. Alternately, cook on the stove top on very low flame (after the 15 minutes on high) for 1 hour. 
  12. Serve hot with boondi or tomato onion raita.

Quick Stir Fried Bhindi


  • Quick Stir Fried Bhindi

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https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW_pKpvwuFiKolLWqOZlutw

A Quick Stir fried Bhindi (Lady Fingers, Okra) with tips on cutting down on the slime and making them tender and crunchy and tips on how to retain the vibrant green colour. Cooked with a minimum of spices, both healthy and enjoyable! Watch video on youtube for tips.

Ingredients

  • ½ kg. Lady Fingers, Bhindi, Okra
  • 2 medium onions, cut into larges pieces
  • 2 flakes garlic
  • ½ tsp. turmeric powder
  • ½ tsp. pepper powder, or to taste
  • ½ tsp. salt, or to taste
  • 2 tbsp. oil
  • 1 tsp. vinegar (helps dissipate the sliminess quicker)

Method

  1. Wash bhindis. Dry with a napkin.
  2. Cut off the head and tail and cut into wedges. 
  3. Place in a cooking vessel. 
  4. Add the chopped onions, turmeric, pepper powder, oil, salt and vinegar.
  5. Mix thoroughly and keep aside. 
  6. Cook just before serving. 
  7. To cook, set the vessel on medium high flame and stir fry (keeping the vessel open) till the sliminess in the bhindi disappears.
  8. This happens as soon as the bhindi is cooked and tender. 
  9. Do not over cook and don’t close the vessel while cooking or immediately after as the vegetable will lose its vibrant green color. 
  10. Serve immediately with rotis or as an side with any main meal.

Besan and Jowar flour chilas with Hari Chutney


A good way to add millets to the diet, add some jowar (sorghum) flour to the besan flour for an healthy option. Have for breakfast or as a snack or make a meal of it. For variation, add some finely grated potato and/or zucchini to the batter.

Pancake style – makes 4 to 5 Chilas

Ingredients

  • 1 cup besan (gram flour, chickpea flour)
  • ½ cup jowar (sorghum) flour (or maida, oats, ragi, bajra)
  • 2 green chilies, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • ½ tsp. Ajwain (carom seeds)
  • Small pc ginger, chopped fine
  • ¼ tsp. turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp. baking powder (to make the chilas thick & fluffy like pancakes)
  • 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
  • 1 tsp. salt or to taste
  • Oil for greasing the pan

Method

  1. Mix all the above with sufficient water to make a thick batter and keep for 5 to 10 minutes. 
  2. Heat a frying pan, smear the pan with ½ tsp. oil and add ½ cup of batter. 
  3. Cover the pan and allow to cook on medium till underside is light brown. 
  4. Smear the top of the chilla with ½ tsp. oil and turn over to cook the other side to a light brown. 
  5. Remove and serve with Green coriander and mint chutney, Masala Bharwa Mirchi and yogurt.

 To make Hari Chutney (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
  • 1/2 tsp. salt or to taste

Grind all together to a paste without adding water as far as possible.  Serve with chilas, etc.

Bharwa Masala Mirchi


Bharwa Masala Mirchi

Stuffed Masala Peppers

These stuffed chillies can be consumed as a pickle or an accompaniment or loaded into sandwiches or rotis for a snack! Make a large batch and store in the refrigerator for upto a month!

Bharwa Masala Mirchi

Ingredients

  • 6 large long green Chillies
  • ¼ cup sev (fried bhel puri sev)
  • 1 ½ tbsp. fennel seeds (Saunf)
  • ¼ tsp. Ajwain (carom seeds)
  • ½ tsp. turmeric powder
  • 2 tbsp. coriander powder
  • 2 tbsp. Amchur (Dry mango powder)
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. Asafoetida
  • ½ tsp. mustard seeds
  • 4 to 5 tbsp. oil

Wash chillies and wipe dry.  Make a slit on the length of the chilli without cutting through.  Carefully remove the seeds and the pith with a small spoon or a knife.  Leave the stem on. 

To prepare filling:-

Powder the sev fine.  Grind the fennel and Ajwain to a powder.  Mix the sev, fennel, Ajwain, coriander, amchur, turmeric and salt in a bowl and add 2 tbsp. of the oil and mix well.

Stuff the masala powder into the chillies and set aside.  Heat the remaining oil and temper with asafoetida and mustard seeds.  When the seed pop add the stuffed chillies and fry on medium low heat for 3 to 4 minutes till it changes color and is light brown. Turn and cook other side for 2 minutes. Don’t burn them.  When the chillies are soft, switch off flame and cover and keep for 5 minutes.

Serve with besan chillas, rotis or with any meal as pickle or appetiser.  Can be preserved for a month in the refrigerator.

Crispy Fried Chicken


Crispy Fried Chicken

The chicken is so amazingly delicious and crispy and crunchy that you just can’t have enough of it. It was just flying off the frying pan. Very simple and easy to make with very few common ingredients. Serve as a starter, appetizer or as an accompaniment with any main meal. Or simply serve as a meal with a green salad and potato fries!

Crispy Fried Chicken

Ingredients

  • 1 Kg. Chicken or Boneless chicken breasts
  • 2 tbsp. ginger garlic paste
  • 1 tsp. salt or to taste
  • 1 to 2 tbsp. vinegar
  • 1 tsp. cumin powder
  • 1 tbsp. coriander powder
  • ½ tsp. garam masala powder
  • 1 tbsp. chilli powder or to taste
  • 1 cup rice flour & 3 tbsp. rawa for coating
  • Ghee or oil for frying
  1. Clean chicken and cut into large pieces. If using boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips or cubes.
  2. Mix the ginger garlic paste with the masala powders, salt and vinegar to a smooth paste. Add a little more vinegar if the paste is too dry.
  3. Apply this mixture to the chicken and allow to marinate for half an hour or can even keep overnight in the refrigerator.
  4. Roll each piece of chicken in rice flour rawa mixture.
  5. Heat enough ghee/oil in a frying pan.
  6. Place the chicken pieces in the pan.
  7. Deep fry, reduce flame to medium, turning occasionally until a delicate brown and tender about 3 to 5minutes each side.
  8. Serve hot.
  9. May be shallow fried if desired.

Prawn and Cauliflower Caldine


  • Prawn and Cauliflower Caldine

Caldine or Caldinho in Portuguese, is a typical goan curry recipe used to cook, fish, vegetables or shrimp. It’s a light coconut curry and as the consistency is quite thin can easily double up as a spicy soup. It is mildly spiced and considered a “sweet” curry. This combination of shrimp and cauliflower is quite commonly prepared in a caldine and tastes delicious over boiled rice or with some crusty bread or poee or pao used to mop up the runny curry and the juicy morsels devoured with the crunchy cauliflower and luscious shrimp. Keep the shells of the shrimp intact (provided they are fresh) and you will enjoy sucking and relish the juicy caldine that is trapped in the shells!! Make sure the cauliflower has some crunch, so avoid overcooking.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup medium to large prawns
  • 1 medium cauliflower
  • 1 medium onion
  • 3 green chillies
  • 1 medium tomato
  • 1 tbsp. oil
  • 1 tsp. Salt, or to taste

Grind to a paste

  • 1 cup fresh coconut or 4 tbsp. coconut powder
  • 3 large cloves garlic
  • ½ tsp. cumin seeds
  • ½ tsp. pepper corns
  • 1 tbsp. coriander seeds
  • 1 small marble sized ball tamarind

Method

  1. Shell & devein the prawns.  If the prawns are very fresh, keep the shell intact, removing the head and legs.
  2. Wash and drain. 
  3. Apply a pinch of salt and turmeric and set aside. 
  4. Separate the cauliflower florets and cut into large pieces. 
  5. Immerse in salted water for 15 minutes to loosen dirt and kill insects, if any.
  6. Grind the masala to a paste. 
  7. Slice the onion, slit the green chilies and chop the tomato. 
  8. Heat oil in  a vessel,
  9. Add the sliced onion, green chilli and fry till light brown. 
  10. Add the tomato and saute till soft. 
  11. Add the masala paste with the masala water and additional water for the curry as required,
  12. Add 1 tsp. salt and bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes. 
  13. Add cauliflower and cook 5 minutes till almost tender. 
  14. Add prawns and cook 10 minutes. 
  15. Adjust seasoning and serve with steamed rice.
  16. Goes well also with Poee, or bread to mop up the delicious gravy
  17. Try it with some crusty bread….. yummy!!

Millets Dosa


Millets Dosa

Millets Dosa

(Jowar – Bajra Dosa) (Sorghum – Pearl Millet Dosa)

Ingredients

Makes 8 to 10 Dosas

½ cup Bajra flour (Pearl Millet flour)

½ cup Jowar flour (Sorghum flour)

½ cup Rice flour

¼ cup flaxseeds powder (optional)

1.5 cups thin butter milk (Chaas)

Water as required to make a thin batter

1/2 tsp. cumin seeds

½ tsp. green chilli paste

½” pc ginger finely chopped

½ tsp. pepper powder

1 tsp. Salt or to taste

Ghee as required

Mix the flours and combine well, add salt, cumin, green chilli paste, ginger, pepper and mix with butter milk to a pouring think consistency.  Add additional water if required and adjust consistency.  Cover and set aside for 5 minutes.

Heat a dosa pan to very hot.  Pour a ladle and a half of the batter and cook till brown.  Drizzle ghee in the centre and all around.  After a minute, flip and fry on the underside for a minute.  Remove and serve while crisp and hot with Idli Podi (Gun Powder) or any chutney of your choice. Continue frying the remaining dosas ensuring the batter is thoroughly stirred and mixed before each dosa is put on the pan, as the flours tend to settle to the bottom of the dish.  Leftover batter can be stored in the refrigerator and later or the next day.

P.S.:  To ensure the bajra and jowar flour remains fresh, store in the freezer.

Makhane ki Kheer


Makhane ki Kheer

Makhanas have important benefits. They are rich in nutrients and hence make a great addition to a healthy diet. They are high in antioxidants and help stabilize blood sugar levels and have anti-aging properties and may also promote heart health. They are rich in protein and gluten free.

As makhanas are low in calories they make an excellent snack in between meals to satisfy hunger pangs. For a snack, roast the makhanas, sprinkle with salt and enjoy.

The Makhana kheer is a rich dessert but low in calories. It is an important item on fasting and Navratri menus as regular grains like rice and wheat are not allowed during fasting in India.

Makhane ki Kheer

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Makhane (lotus seeds, fox nuts)
  • 3 cups milk
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 to 3 tbsp. ghee
  • 10 nos each almonds, pictachios, raisins, (nuts sliced)
  • 3 cardamoms
  • A pinch saffron
  • 2 to 3 dried roses for garnish and decoration (optional)

Method

  1. Clean the lotus seeds and lightly roast in ghee till light brown and crisp.
  2. Grind to a coarse powder, you can leave some large pieces.
  3. Heat the milk and when it come to a vigorous boil, add the sugar and stir till dissolved.
  4. Then add the ground makhane. Stir frequently.
  5. Let it simmer for 1/2 hour. Add the nuts, raisins, ground cardamom and saffron and simmer 5 minutes.
  6. If you like a thicker and granular consistency cook for further 20 to 30 minutes and then proceed with adding nuts, etc.
  7. Allow to cool. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving. Serve cold.
  8. May be served slightly warm if desired.
  9. Crumble the roses and sprinkle over the kheer for garnish and decoration. Use fresh rose petals if available.

Prawn Ghee Roast


Prawn Ghee Roast

Kundapur style

Ghee Roast is fiery red, tangy and spicy with a flavor of ghee roasted spices. The advantage of creating traditional dishes at home, is you can adjust the recipe to suit your taste to get maximum satisfaction from the meal. Our spice level is always medium spicy, hence the Prawn Ghee Roast does not have the usual number of chillies.  Secondly, Baydagi and Kashmiri chillies are both used, but I have used only Kashmiri as I did not have Baydagi chillies. You may increase the chillies according to your taste.

P.S.: Any leftover ghee roast (if at all any remains of this delicious dishes) can be reinvented the next day.  Just add some water when re-heating to make a curry and you have a Kundapur Curry to go with freshly steamed rice!

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup prawns (large), shelled
  • 1 tsp. Kashmiri chilli powder
  • 2 tbsp. yogurt
  • 1tsp. tamarind paste
  • Salt
  • 4 tsp. brown (fried) onion paste*
  • 1 tbsp. yogurt for fried onion paste
  • 6 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 tbsp. coconut oil
  • 2 tbsp. ghee
  • 1 to 2 sprigs curry leaves

To make Kundapur masala (Roast and grind to a powder)

  • 4 to 6 Kashmiri chillis
  • 1 tbsp. coriander seeds
  • ½ tsp. cumin seeds
  • ¼ tsp. fenugreek seeds
  • ¼ tsp. pepper corns
  • 4 flakes garlic
  • OR use 3 tsp. ready Kundapur masala instead of above

       Method

  1. Dry roast the spices from Kashmiri chillies to garlic, cool and grind to a powder. Your ‘Kundapur masala’ is ready.
  2. *To make fried onion paste : Slice two onions and fry in oil on medium heat till dark brown, cool and grind to a paste with a tbsp. of yogurt.
  3. Clean, shell and devein the prawns. 
  4. Wash, squeeze out all the water. 
  5. Combine tamarind paste, yogurt, salt and kundapur masala and apply to the prawns and mix well.  Marinate for 15 to 30 minutes. 
  6. Take a shallow pan, add 1 tbsp. of coconut oil, and fry the chopped garlic for a minute. 
  7. Add the brown onion paste and sauté for a minute. 
  8. Add the prawns with the marinade and stir fry on high flame till the prawns change colour. 

P.S.: I have cooked a larger quantity in the video, hence it is much more than the recipe quantities.

Dal Palak


Dal Palak

The combination of Dal & Palak makes it extremely healthy and nutritious. Split yellow moong dal is rich in vitamins, proteins and essential nutrients and palak (spinach) a rich source of iron.

Tastes delicious with chapatis, puris or any Indian bread. Even goes well with steaming hot rice and a little pickle!!

Enjoy this meal-in-one dish, which is not only delicious and satisfying, but healthy too.

Dal Palak

Ingredients

  • 1 cup moong dal, soaked in water for an hour
  • 1 large bunch spinach, chopped
  • 1 Large tomato, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped roughly
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1” piece ginger
  • 4 green chillies
  • ½ tsp. turmeric powder
  • ½ tsp. chilli powder
  • 1 tsp. salt or to taste
  • 1 tsp. cumin seeds
  • 2 tbsp. ghee

Method

  1. Grind garlic, ginger, chillies, onion, turmeric and chilli powder to a paste.
  2. Heat ghee and add cumin seeds, saute for 1/2 a minute,
  3. Then add the masala paste and fry till ghee separates.
  4. Add tomatoes and salt.
  5. Cook till tomatoes turn soft.
  6. Add the soaked dal and 2 cups of water.
  7. Bring to a boil, cover and cook till dal is tender.
  8. Add chopped spinach, add a cup or two of water if dal is dry and adjust consistency.
  9. Cook 10 minutes, then add some chopped coriander leaves, save some for garnish.
  10. Remove to a serving dish and serve hot garnished with coriander leaves
  11. Serve with rice or any Indian bread.

Mutton Masala


Mutton Masala

The best mutton masala! Requires little preparation and is my go to dish if I have to cook abundantly for a party or festive occasion as it can be marinated the previous day and refrigerated. Next day, just put it on the fire and continue with your other preparations! So one of your main dishes gets out of the way leaving you time to concentrate on other food preparation.

Depending on the occasion, your can manage the consistency of the gravy. If it is for a regular family meal where you need just one curry with a vegetable or some side, keep the gravy fairly thin to serve over steamed rice. For a party menu where the spread would include several dishes, keep the gravy thick. Both taste awesome!!

Mutton Masala

Ingredients

  • 1 Kg. Mutton/Lamb
  • 4 large tomatoes
  • 6 green cardamoms
  • 6 Cloves
  • 2”Cinnamon
  • 6 flakes garlic
  • 1.5” pc. Ginger
  • 4 medium Onions
  • 4 Kashmiri chillis or 2 tsp. Kashmiri chilli powder or to taste
  • 1 tsp. turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp. cumin seeds
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 tbsp. ghee
  • 1 cup green peas
  • 2 tbsp. Chopped coriander
  • 3 Boiled eggs for garnish
  1. Clean and wash mutton and chop into cubes.
  2. Grind all the ingredients from cardamom to cumin seeds to a paste with salt.
  3. Rub the mutton with the masala paste and let it stand for half an hour.
  4. Blanch and chop tomatoes.
  5. Heat ghee and add the mutton together with all the masala.
  6. Fry for 5 minutes, then add tomatoes and ½ cup water. (Add an additional cup of water if thinner gravy is desired)
  7. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover tightly and let it simmer 1 hour or until is mutton is done.
  8. Add green peas and cook further 10 minutes till ghee separates.
  9. Add chopped coriander leaves, save some for garnish.
  10. Serve hot garnished with green coriander and sliced boiled eggs.

P.S.: To Blanch Tomatoes, wash tomatoes and make a small cross-cut on the top of the tomato and immerse in hot water for 10 mintues.  Drain and peel off the skin. Chop and use as desired.

Cabbage Paneer Parathas


Cabbage Paneer Parathas

Healthy, nutritious, cabbage and paneer stuffed parathas. Enjoy them hot for breakfast or brunch or as a quick meal. Satisfy those hunger pangs and have as a snack!! Try the Aloo Parathas too…

CABBAGE PANEER PARATHAS

Ingredients

  • 2 cups wheat flour
  • 1 tbsp. melted ghee or oil
  • 1 tsp. salt or to taste
  • ½ to 1 tsp. Ajwain (Carom seeds)
  • 2 cups cabbage, shredded fine
  • 1 cup paneer, crumbled
  • ½ cup coriander, chopped
  • 2 green chillies, chopped fine

Method

  1. Wash, drain and sprinkle salt over the cabbage and keep aside for 10 minutes. 
  2. Sieve flour with salt. 
  3. Add the melted ghee/oil and mix well.
  4. Add water and knead well to a soft dough.
  5. Cover with wet cloth and set aside.
  6. Squeeze out the water from the cabbage and add the paneer, coriander, green chillies, salt (if required) and mix well.
  7. Keep aside.
  8. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions.
  9. Roll out each portion into circle of about 4” diameter.
  10. Spread 2 heaped tbsp. stuffing over the entire circle and cover with another circle.
  11. Roll the paratha lightly to compact it and seal the edges.
  12. Heat a tawa and fry till done on both sides. 
  13. Spread little ghee and remove. 
  14. Serve hot with yogurt and pickle or with butter.

Sprouted Moong and Jackfruit Seeds Curry


Sprouted Moong (Green Gram) and Jackfruit Seeds (Bikna) Curry

A super easy, quick, delicious and highly nutritious curry.

When I last prepared the sprouted moong bhaji (check  out  the video recipe) I had saved the excess sprouts in the freezer.  The Biknas I had frozen a large batch of boiled jackfruit seeds.  These proved handy when I had to rustle up a quick nutritious meal before rushing to work!

All you need is some steamed rice or chapatis any bread of your choice, with your favorite pickle (aachar).

For a more elaborate meal, serve with fried fish or fish cutlets!!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sprouted moong (green gram)
  • 1 cup boiled jackfruit seeds (Bikna)
  • 1 medium to large Potato (optional), cubed
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 flakes garlic, sliced
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • 1 tsp. mustard seeds
  • 2 tbsp. Bafat masala, or to taste
  • 4 tbsp. coconut powder
  • 1 tbsp. tamarind pulp
  • 1 tsp. Salt, or to taste
  • 1 tbsp. Oil

Method

  1. Rinse the sprouts and drain.   
  2. In a vessel add oil, when hot add the mustard seeds, when they splutter, add the curry leaves, garlic and onion and saute till onions are light brown. 
  3. Add the bafat masala and fry for ½  a minute. 
  4. Add the moong and and potatoes, if using, and more water, salt and bring to a boil and cook 10 minutes till potatoes are cooked. 
  5. Add the boiled bikna and tamarind pulp and cook 5 minutes. 
  6. Meanwhile dilute the coconut powder with some water and add to the curry, adjust gravy by adding sufficient water. 
  7. Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes or till fat suraces. 
  8. Serve hot.

Kashmiri Roti


Kashmiri Roti

Kashmiri Roti

Ingredients

  • 2 cups wheat flour (Atta)
  • 1 tsp. cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp. fennel seeds (Saunf)
  • 1 tsp. Ajwain (Carom seeds)
  • ½ tsp. black pepper powder
  • A pinch asafoetida
  • ¾ to 1 cup warm milk, for kneading
  • 1 tsp. Salt, or to taste
  • Ghee for frying the rotis

Method

  1. Sieve the flour and add cumin, fennel, ajwain, Pepper, asafoetida, salt and mix. 
  2. Make a well in the centre, add some milk and bring the dough together, adding milk a little at a time. 
  3. Knead the dough for 10 minutes till soft and smooth. 
  4. Cover with a damp cloth and leave aside for 10 to 15 minutes.
  5. Divide into 10 to 12 balls. 
  6. Roll each ball into a thin disc dusting with flour. 
  7. Roast on a hot tava, till brown spots appear on both sides
  8. Apply ghee and serve hot with Kashmiri Dum Aloo or any of your favorite curry or bhaji.
  9. Also serve Kashmiri Saag, for  complete meal

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