Authentic tried and tested simple recipes in mainly Indian cooking, including traditional mangalorean, Goan, East Indian, North Indian recipes and much more…
Slit the green chillies and grate the amlas. Discard the seed. Heat a pan and add ghee, when hot, add the mustard seeds. When they crackle, add the channa dal, urad dal, cashewnuts and fry till light golden. Add the green chillies and curry leaves and saute for a minute. Add the grated amla and (raw mango if using) and fry for a minute. Add turmeric powder and salt and stir and mix well. Cook the mixture on low heat for 5 minutes, mix and check seasoning. Add the cooked rice, mix well and heat through.
Heat the oven to 220 deg C. Clean and scrub the potatoes well keeping them whole. Prick lightly with a fork to avoid the potatoes bursting. Mix the olive oil, pepper and salt and brush the potatoes with the oil. For softer skins, wrap the potato in silver foil, for crunchier potatoes leave open. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 ½ hours depending on the size and oven temperature. To speed up baking pierce a metal skewer through the potatoes so that heat is conducted to the centres. To test if potato is done pierce with a skewer which should go through easily.
Prepare the filling while the potatoes are baking so it is ready to be stuffed into the potatoes when baked. Cut a slit or a cross on the top of the potatoes and squeeze the sides so the top is pushed open. Use oven mitts as the potato will be hot. Fluff the flesh of the potato with a fork. Top with your desired filling. Spoon sour cream mixed with a little olive oil and garnish with green onions and serve with a generous helping of corn salad or fill with sour cream and/or corn salad. Makes a delicious meal or starter or a side.
Sieve the flour with salt, soda bi-carb and baking powder and mix.
Take a bowl and break the egg into it, add eh sugar, yogurt and milk and whisk. Keep aside.
Make a bay in the flour, pour water about ¾ cup and mix gradually. hen it comes together as a dough, knead to 5 to 8 minutes.
Add the egg mixture gradually little at a time and knead till well incorporated. (Do not add all the egg mixture at one time, will make the dough too wet to handle.
When fully mixed, knead to make a soft but smooth dough. It should not stick to the fingers.
Cover with a moist cloth and set aside 10 minutes.
Then add the oil, knead and punch the dough and again cover the moist cloth and keep aside 2 hours to allow the dough to rise.
Divide into 6 to 8 equal portions, make balls and place on a lightly floured surface.
Sprinkle kalonji and melon seeds or any other garnish you will be using,
flatten the balls slightly and keep aside 5 minutes. Flatten each portion between the palms to make a round disc and then stretch in one side in an elongated oval.
Preheat oven to 375 deg. F. Place the naans on a greased baking tray and bake for 10 minutes.
In a tandoor, place the naan on a gaddi (cushioned pad) and stick inside a moderately hot tandoor and bake for 3 minutes.
I have baked them on the stove top on a tawa, till light brown on both sides and then finished cooking the naan directly on the flame.
Apply garlic butter on the naan as soon as it is removed from heat and serve immediately with Raan, Butter chicken or any Indian veg or non veg gravy.
3 tbsp. Rum (certainly, if available otherwise optional)
Clean Leg of Lamb and prick with a fork.
Mix red chili powder and salt with the ginger garlic paste and rub this mixture evenly on the raan, arrange in a baking tray and douse with vinegar.
Keep aside for at least 30 minutes.
Broil the peppercorns on a tawa and pound with a pestle.
Clean wash and cut the spring onions into thin roundels. Finely chop the greens.
Preheat the oven to 300 deg F. Add enough water to immerse three-fourths of the lamb leg, cover the baking tray with silver foil and put the raan on dum in the pre-heated oven for an hour and 15 minutes. (Check at regular intervals to ensure the meat is not over-cooked. The right time to remove is when the meat leaves the bone at both ends).
Tear off the foil, cool, remove raan, strain and reserve the jus.
To make the gravy, transfer the jus to a vessel, bring to a boil, reduce to low heat, add tomato puree and reduce the gravy to a sauce consistency.
Add pepper, nutmeg and salt, simmer for 2 minutes, add butter and stir constantly until the butter is incorporated.
Remove, add cream and 2 tbsp. of rum, stir. Adjust seasoning.
Make deep incision on the raan right down to the bone and carefully remove (if desired) the bone. If removing the bone, make ¼ inch thick slices, arrange in a shallow casserole, sprinkle the remaining rum and return the raan to the pre-heated oven for 3-4 minutes.
To serve, remove the casserole from the oven, pour on the gravy, sprinkle a little pepper, garnish with sping onions and serve with Naan.
A rich South Indian preparation of Peas and mushrooms. It’s a breeze if you are going to use frozen peas and canned mushrooms, like I have done. Those who don’t like mushrooms can substitute with eggplant, zucchini, tofu, sweet potatoes. And those who don’t prefer peas, you may substitute with corn.
Mushrooms and Peas Curry
Bataani Kaal Kari
Ingredients
250 gms. mushrooms
250 gms. Green peas
½ tsp. mustard seeds
½ tsp. cumin seeds
¼ tsp. fenugreek seeds (optional)
1 tsp. urad dal (black gram dal)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 tsp. ginger paste
1 tsp. garlic paste
½ tsp. chilli powder
1 tsp. coriander powder
¼ tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. salt or to taste
1 tbsp. coconut cream powder
1 tbsp. cashewnuts
1 sprig curry leaves
¼ cup coriander leaves, chopped
2 tbsp. oil
Method
If using fresh peas, peel, wash and boil. Set aside.
If using fresh mushrooms, rinse under running water and cut into fours or slices or halves if they are small.
Saute in a tsp of oil on medium for 3 to 4 minutes and set aside.
I have used canned mushrooms (drained) and frozen peas, so will be cooking both directly.
Heat oil and add the mustard seeds, when they cackle, add the cumin seeds, curry leaves and fenugreek seeds and the urad dal and saute till the dal changes color.
Add the chopped onion and cook till translucent and light brown.
Add the ginger garlic paste and fry till liquid evaporates.
Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric and salt.
Add a little water so the spices do not burn and saute for a minute.
Add the chopped tomatoes and saute till fat separates.
If using canned mushrooms and frozen peas add and mix and add 1 cup hot water for gravy and cook, stirring in between till fat at surfaces.
Meanwhile dilute the coconut cream in 2 tbsp. water and add to the mushroom peas curry, stir.
Blend the cashewnuts with a little water to a paste or powder fine and dilute with some water to a paste.
Add the paste to the curry and simmer 5 minutes.
If using fresh peas (boiled) and mushrooms (sauteed), add them at this step.
Add fresh coriander reserving some for garnish.
Adjust seasoning.
Remove to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh coriander.
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.
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.
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.
Momo is a type of steamed dumpling with some form of filling. Traditionally, momo is prepared with ground/minced meat filling, but in the modern era, this has changed and the fillings have become more elaborate. These days, momo is prepared with virtually any combination of ground meat, vegetables, tofu, paneer cheese, and vegetable and meat combinations. Momo are traditionally steamed but can also be deep fried or pan fried. Momo is usually served with chili garlic sauce and pickled daikon ((i.e. pickled raddish) in Tibet whereas in Nepal popular dipping sauces include tomato based chutneys or sesame based sauces – source – wikipedia
A simple white-flour-and-water dough is generally preferred to make the outer momo covering. I have used store bought pastry wrappers. You get packs of 24 wrappers. This recipe makes 35 momos.
Chicken Momos Ingredients
1 lb. Chicken mince, drained well
1 Carrot, chopped fine (or celery)
2 spring onions with greens, chopped fine (shallots or normal onions can be subs)
1” pc. Ginger, chopped fine or 1 tsp. ginger paste
½ bunch fresh coriander leaves, chopped fine
1 ½ tsp. salt or to taste
½ tsp. cumin powder
2 tsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. olive oil
Method
Mix all the above ingredients and add a little water if you feel the mixture is too dry.
Take a pastry sheet and moisten the edges.
Place a tsp. of chicken mixture and crimp the edges of the pasty to form a crescent shape or a round shape.
Set aside
Can be frozen at this stage
To cook:
Steaming:
Grease a steamer plate or container (or use bamboo baskets) and steam the momos for 15 to 18 minutes.
I thought the below method are quicker and easier, so used these two methods.
Frying+ Steaming:
Place a batch of momos on a frying pan with a little oil. When all sides are brown, add some water to the pan and cover with a lid and let seam cook till the water dries up.
Boiling :
Place a vessel, quarter filled with water. When it starts boiling, put the momos and bring to a boil. Then add cold water (room temp) and let it boil. Once again add cold water and let it boil. Repeat this 3 times. Then remove with a slotted spoon.
Serve hot with dipping sauce or chutney.
To make dipping sauce:
Add ¼ cup soya sauce to a bowl and add ½ the quantity of lemon or chilli sauce in vinegar. Mix and use to dip the momos or drizzle over the momos in individual bowls and serve.
Sprouts are a powerhouse of nutrition that contain essential vitamins and minerals and at the same time are easy to digest and excellent sources of protein. Although sprouts give the maximum benefit when eaten raw, cooking them makes them more palatable and easier on the digestive process. This is an excellent one pot meal using sprouts. Just accompany the pulao with raita, yogurt, pickle, etc. for a complete meal.
For a non veg version substitute the sprouts with shredded chicken or shrimp. Super delicious!
Sprouted Moong Spicy Pulao
Ingredients
2 cups basmati rice
2 cups sprouted moong
4 cups hot water
2 soup cubes
2 medium onions, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp. ghee or oil
Salt, if required
Grind to a paste
1 Onion
6 green chillies
1 bunch coriander leaves
½ tsp. turmeric
1” pc. Ginger
5 flakes garlic
½ tsp. mustard seeds
½ tsp. cumin seeds
½ tsp. pepper corns
3 cloves
1” pc. Cinnamon
Method
Wash rice and soak for atleast 15 minutes.
Wash the sprouts and set aside.
Heat ghee in a pan, add the chopped onion and fry till translucent and soft.
Add the chopped tomatoes and fry till soft.
Add the soup cubes and let them soften and dissolve.
Add the ground masala paste and the masala water and saute 2 minutes.
Add the sprouts and stir and cover and cook 5 minutes.
Add the soaked rice and toss lightly so each grain is coated with the masala.
Add the hot water, stir to mix, check salt and add if required.
Cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low, stir well to mix lightly.
Cover and cook till all the moisture is absorbed.
Switch off flame and leave to rest.
Serve hot as a one pot meal with raita, yogurt, pickle, etc.
Indian cooking is synonymous with Butter Chicken & Tandoori chicken. This recipe gives you both. I use full chicken or chicken whole legs when making only tandoori chicken but I prefer to use boneless chicken breasts for butter chicken. Don’t be alarmed by the amount of butter used in the recipe…you are not going to eat the whole pot, are you? If you are then I’d be alarmed! Anyway, for the health conscious, you may adjust the butter and cream as per your requirements. Actually I don’t use butter for tandoori chicken on most occasions, if I do may be just a tablespoon if the chicken turns out too dry. But I do use butter for butter chicken…..for what is butter chicken without butter?!
2 medium tandoori chickens (Murgh Tandoori) or 2 lbs. boneless tandoori chicken breasts
The Gravy
250g butter , or as required
3 tbsp. ginger paste
3 tbsp. garlic paste
4 cups tomatoes, chopped or 3 cups passata
Salt
1 tbsp ginger chopped
8 green chillies chopped
5 tsp. cashewnut paste
1/2 tsp. paprika or chillie powder
150 ml or 2/3 cup cream
1/4 cup coriander leaves chopped
The Tandoori Chicken – 1st marinade
2 medium chickens or 2 lbs. boneless chicken breasts (for butter chicken)
Salt
2 tsp red chillie powder or to taste
4 tbs. lemon juice
Butter for basting (optional)
2nd Marinade
100g/6 tbsp. yoghurt
100g/7 tbsp. cream
2 1/2 tsp ginger paste
2 1/2 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp. cumin powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp. saffrom
1 drop orange color
Marinate the chicken with salt, chillie powder and lemon juice. Keep aside for 15 minutes.
Whisk yoghurt in a large bowl, add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Rub the chicken with this mixture. Keep aside for four hours or overnight if desired.
Preheat oven to 350deg F. Skewer the chicken from tail to head, leaving a gap of at least 2 inches between the birds. Keep a tray underneath to collect the drippings. Roast in a hot tandoor or pre-heated oven till the moisture evaporates and it starts leaving oil. Baste with butter, if required.
Your tandoori chicken is now ready!
Cut the tandoori chicken into desired sized pieces or the breasts into strips.
Melt half the butter in a pot, add the ginger and garlic pastes and stir over medium heat until the liquid evaporates. (To save the effort of sieving the tomato gravy, use tomato Passata (readymade tomato puree) instead. Please don’t make the puree with tomato paste, does not give the same results. I have used passata in this recipe.
Melt the remaining butter in a vessel, add chopped ginger and green chillies, saute over medium heat for a minute.
Add cashewnut paste and saute until light brown, add paprika or chillie powder and stir.
Than add the tomato gravy, bring to a boil, add the tandoori chicken and simmer for 10 minutes or till fat surfaces. Stir-in cream and adjust seasoning.
Remove to a bowl, garnish with coriander leaves and serve with naan or any bread of your choice.
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