Wednesday, December 29, 2004

Gajar Ka Halwa - without milk

Ingredients:
  • carrots
  • sugar
  • elaichi powder
  • raisins
  • chopped nuts
  • ghee
  • khoya

Method:
Grate carrots and cook in very little water till water dries up. Now add sugar - half in proportion to the carrots: eg: for every one cup grated carrot use 1/2 cup sugar.
Stir and cook till sugar dissolves and carrot becomes glassy and transluscent. Remove from fire. Add elaichi powder, raisins and chopped nuts and 2-3 teaspoons ghee for flavour. When cold add crushed khoya. Mix lightly and serve after heating it lightly. The khoya should not dissolve. Can be heated in microwave.

Monday, December 27, 2004

Garam Masala

Ingredients:
  • 250 gms whole dhaniya
  • 2 jaiphul (nutmeg)
  • 20 gms dalchini ( cinnamon)
  • 20 gms black pepper
  • 20 gms star anise (badiyan - optional)
  • 20 gm small elaichi (cardamum)
  • 10 gms javatri (mace)
  • 20 gms lavang (cloves)
  • 20 gms jeera
  • handful bay leaf (tez patta - optional)

Method:

Dry in sun or dry roast in kadhai putting dhaniya first and then other ingredients. Powder fine when cold. Store in air tight jar.

Sunday, December 19, 2004

Gujarati Batata 'pattice'

Ingredients:
Boiled potatoes
salt
corn flour or maida
fresh coconut
green chillies
ginger
hara dhaniya
sugar
kishmish
salt
For chutney: hara dhaniya, green chillies, adrak, green tomatoes/lime juice, salt, sugar
Method:
Mash well some boiled potatoes with salt. No pieces of potatoes should remain. Mix in some corn flour or some maida to bind it.
To make stuffing: Grate fresh coconut. Add chopped green chillies, chopped ginger, chopped hara dhaniya, sugar, kishmish and salt. The stuffing should be slightly sweetish.
Take a little potato and flatten it out on the palm of your hand. Oil your hands first so that the potato does not stick. Put some stuffing in the centre, close it. Roll it in your palm and flatten a little. Deep fry to a golden colour after rolling it in some cornflour. Serve with dhaniya chutney.
Chutney:Hara dhaniya, green chillies, adrak lasun (optional) and salt ground together with green unripe tomato. If green tomato not available squeeze in some lime juice. Sweeten it slightly with sugar if desired.

Friday, December 17, 2004

Gujarati Dal

Ingredients:
  • arhar dal (toovar dal)
  • hing
  • sugar
  • ginger
  • green chillies
  • tomatoes
  • cooking oil
  • rai seeds
  • methi seeds
  • dry red chillies
  • haldi
  • chilli powder
  • salt
  • corriander leaves

Method:
Boil the dal to a very soft consistency with hing and pinch of sugar. Grind ginger and green chillies to form a paste. Chop up a good amount of red tomatoes.
Heat oil. Put baghar (tadka) of rai, methi, hing and whole dry red chillies. Add the masala paste and tomatoes along with haldi, chilli powder, salt and sugar. Whisk the dal till it is very smooth - no grains should remain.Add this to the masala when it is well cooked. Add water to get desired consistency.Boil on low heat for 15-20 minutes. Check the sugar and salt. Add chopped corriander just before serving.
Variation: the taste can be changed by doing baghar differently.
1) baghar of rai, methi, hing, dry chillies whole, jeera and cloves. Add grated copra to the dal and boil.
2) Curry patta can be added in baghar.
3) Vegetables such as bhindi or karela can also be added.

Monday, December 6, 2004

Holi No Ladwo (Gujarati sweet))

Ingredients:
  • Atta 1 kg.
  • Sooji 300 grms
  • Desi ghee 100 grms + 250 grms
  • white til - 4 tablespoons
  • one copra (dry coconut)
  • 50 grms mungfali (peanuts)
  • Khuskhus seeds 4 tblspns
  • gur (Jaggery) 500 grms

Method:
Step 1: Mix the atta and sooji and rub in the ghee (100 gms), and make into a very stiff dough with a little warm water and keep aside ( in short the dough should be stiff enough to make "shakkarparas"). Roll out the dough into thick chapatis cut into squares and deep fry slowly till golden. Crush and when cold dry grind in mixie to resemble sooji or atta.Step 2: Roast 4 tblspns white til (sesame seeds) and one copra - dry coconut cut into very thin 1\2" slices. Fry 50 grms mungfali (peanuts) to a golden colour. Khuskhus seeds 4 tblspns ( no need to roast or fry)Step 3: Mix together Gur (Jaggery) 500 grms crushed\grated\broken up with 250 grms desi ghee. Mix together and beat till it is soft and creamy and no lumps remain. Alternatively the gur and ghee can be melted together till it is bubbly--coolStep 4: Now mix all the ingredients of step 1, 2 and 3 and shape them into 3"\4" balls which is the traditional size but you can make them to any desirable size. Will keep well up to 6 mths if stored well or in the fridge, but to be eaten at room temperature.

Thursday, November 11, 2004

Jeeru Marri Fish

Ingredients:
fish slices (pomfret, rohu, katla, mahaser - any)
whole jeera
whole pepper
garlic
green chillies
salt
haldi
degi / kashmiri chilli powder
Method:
Coarsely powder whole jeera and pepper(will powder better if soaked for few hours). Add garlic, green chillies, chilli powder, salt and haldi and grind to a coarse paste. Apply to fish and keep aside for at least 1/2 hour or more.
Put oil in pan. Arrange fish side by side. Put pan on high heat - then cover and cook on low heat till fish is done. Do not use spoon to stir. Shake the pan occasionally. If you wish to have gravy- add water and boil till oil floats. Garnish with hara dhaniya.
Hint: Can also be cooked dry by cooking on low heat and covered but with water in the lid which will form steam and cook the fish. This may need little more oil than above.

Wednesday, October 27, 2004

Kadhai Murg

Ingredients:

  • chicken
  • cooking oil
  • onions
  • jeera
  • garlic
  • ginger
  • degi/ kashmiri mirch powder
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • tomatoes
  • jeera powder
  • garam masala powder
  • boiled egg (optional for garnishing)
    Method:
    Cut 1\2 kg chicken into pieces. Heat oil in a kadhai and fry 3 sliced onions till golden and crisp. Remove. In the same oil add 1 tspn jeera; then add sliced cloves of garlic ( 2 tblspns) and fry till golden. Then add jullienne cut ginger (2tblespns) and fry for a further 5 mins. Now add the chicken pieces and fried onions, degi\ kashmiri mirch powder, salt to taste. and freshly crushed blck pepper. Stir well and add one large tomato jullienne cut after removing seeds. Cook on medium heat, stirring from time to time till chicken is well done. Add some jeera powder and 2 tblspn garam masala powder
    Mix well Will look attractive if served in a kadhai, garnished with chopped boiled egg. It's a dryish preparation.

Kadhai matar- panir

Ingredients:
  • Peas
  • hing
  • jeera
  • ginger
  • green chillies
  • tomatoes
  • panir
  • coriander leaves
    Method:

    Boil peas (1\2 kg) Heat oil in a kadhai (NOT iron kadhai) Add hing and jeera, and some adrak-green chillies coarsely ground. Stir and add fresh tomato puree of two large tomatoes obtained by blanching the tomatoes, removing skin and seeds and blending in mixie. Alternatively, ready tomato puree may be used about 2-3 tspns.. Stir. Add peas. Mix well and cook for 5 mins. Add panir (100 grms) cut into small cubes.

    Mix well and serve garnished with chopped hara dhania and decorated with a tomato rose.

km

Tuesday, October 26, 2004

Kashmiri Alu Dum

Ingredients:

  • Even sized medium potatoes
  • Cooking oil
  • degi / kashmiri mirch powder
  • haldi
  • curd
  • 2tspns saunf (roasted and powdered)
  • 1 tspns jeera (roasted and powdered)
  • 1/2 tspn saunth powder
  • little garam masala
  • salt to taste

Method:
Boil potatoes. Peel and prick them all over. Deep fry on slow fire till evenly browned. Remove and put them in water. This makes them spongy.
Heat oil. Turn off fire and quickly add degi / kashmiri chillies powder and haldi (taking care not to burn it)and immediately add water in which potatoes were soaked. When water boils, whip up the curd well and add to water, stirring at the same time to form grains. Add potatoes and cook till water becomes nearly half. Sprinkle saunf, jeera, saunth and garam masala powders. Add salt to taste. Mix well. Thickish gravy should remain.Serve with paratha, puri or nan.

Kashmiri Dry mutton

Ingredients:
  • mutton 1 kg.
  • milk 1\2 litre
  • curds 1\4 litre
  • Sm elaichi 3-4
  • ghee
  • Lime juice 1 tblespn
  • Few strands saffron
  • Salt to taste

Method:

Cut mutton into 1" pieces. Cook all ingredients except saffron and lime juice till meat is tender and all liquid is absorbed. Now add enough ghee to fry the mutton well. Sprinkle kesar soaked in lime juice over the mutton. Serve hot with nan\paratha or as snack with drinks.

Kathal curry

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 kg kathal, cut into medium sized cubes
  • 2 large potatoes, cut into 4 pieces each
  • 3 Red tomatoes. Blanche, remove skin and seed and mash
  • Ginger garlic paste
  • Dalchini
  • lavang
  • sm. elaichi
  • big elaich seeds
  • pinch hing
  • Haldi
  • kashmiri\degi mirch powder
  • salt to taste
  • Garam masala powder
  • Oil
  • 4 large onion
  • coriander leaves

Method:
Heat oil in a kadhai and lightly fry the kathal and remove. Blanche the potaoes in boiling water, then fry lightly and remove. Slice one onion and fry to a golden colour with 1/2 tspn sugar and remove. In a pressure cooker boil v. little water with the whole spices and hing and 3 onions cut into semi-circular slices. Cook on pressure for 5 mins. Dry up the water Add the mashed tomatoes and adrak lasun paste and oil from the kadhai and fry till oil separates. Add the haldi and chilly powder. salt and garam masala powder and little water and fry again till oil separates.
Now add the fried kathal, potatoes and onions. Mix well and add sufficient hot water and pressure cook for 5-7 mins. Check whether vegs are well cooked. Remove to serving dish sprinkle some garam masala powder. Garnish with corriander. It should have a thick gravy Goes well with plain rice also.

Monday, October 25, 2004

Khada Masala meat

Ingredients:

  • Boney meat cubes
  • diced ginger
  • whole garlic flakes
  • sliced onions ( semi circular slices)
  • whole dry red chillies
  • little badi elaichi
  • little small elaichi
  • little lawang
  • little dalchini
  • dhania
  • jeera
  • whole black pepper
  • haldi
  • salt

Method:
Mix all ingredients well with oil. Keep aside for half an hour. Add hot water and pressure cook. The gravy should be like soup - shorba.
Serve hot with steamed rice

Thursday, October 21, 2004

Kofta in dahi

Ingredients:

  • finely minced mutton
  • cooking oil
  • salt
  • chilli powder
  • curd
  • elaichi (big and small)
  • hing
  • saunf
  • garam masala (ready made or freshly ground)
  • saunth( dry ginger powder)

Method:
Knead finely minced mutton with salt, chilli powder, powdered small elaichi and big elaichi. Form into balls (koftas). Beat up some dahi with chilli powder. Heat oil. Lower heat and add hing and then dahi stirring constantly. When it boils add koftas slowly. Cook till koftas are done.
Make garam masala with elaichi, lowang, dalchini, dhania, jeera, jaiphal and javitri. When the liquid is nearly dry and koftas are cooked - sprinkle the garam masala, saunth (dry ginger powder) and saunf.
Dry gravy to the consistency of liking. Eaten with rice.

Wednesday, October 13, 2004

Kofta - Naniji style

Ingredients:

  • 250 gms finely minced mutton
  • ginger
  • garlic
  • green chillies
  • hara dhaniya
  • methi leaves OR kasuri methi
  • 1 large onion
  • haldi
  • salt
  • cooking oil
  • potato (optional)
  • chilli powder (degi or kashmiri)
  • garam masala

Method:
Mince onion finely. Squeeze out the juice and keep aside. Grind together equal proportions of ginger and garlic with green chillies (chillies to taste). Chop the hara dhaniya and methi leaves finely.
Mix the mince, ginger-garlic-chillies paste(3/4th of the entire amount), chopped hara dhaniya, chopped methi leaveshaldi, salt, one teaspoon oil and the minced onion ( leave the onion juice aside). Knead like atta for 5-7 minutes till you can form balls easily. Shape into koftas (balls) - makes about 30.
Heat oil - about 2 tablespoons in a wide bottomed pan. If you like - cut a potato or two into wedges and add to the oil. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Lower heat and add the koftas. Be careful the koftas are not overlapping. Increase heat and roll the pan from side to side till the koftas change colour. In the onion juice add a haldi, salt and chilli powder and the left over ground masala paste and water. Slowly add to the koftas and cook on low heat till potatoes are done and oil floats on top.
Add garam masala powder. Garnish with hara dhaniya. If you wish to serve koftas as snack - do not add water - cook dry. Do not stir with spoon. Roll pan from side to side till koftas are done.

Lauki ka halwa

Ingredients:

  • lauki
  • sugar
  • elaichi powder
  • raisins
  • chopped nuts
  • ghee
  • rose essence
  • khoya

Method:Grate lauki and cook in very little water till water dries up. Now add sugar - half in proportion to the lauki: eg: for every one cup grated lauki use 1/2 cup sugar.
Stir and cook till sugar dissolves and lauki becomes glassy and transluscent. Remove from fire. Add elaichi powder, raisins, rose essence and chopped nuts and 2-3 teaspoons ghee for flavour. When cold add crushed khoya. Mix lightly and serve after heating it lightly. The khoya should not dissolve. Can be heated in microwave

Tuesday, October 12, 2004

Lauki ki Icecream

Ingredients:
  • One small lauki(500grms)
  • 500 ml full cream milk
  • sugar
  • 500 ml cream
  • elaichi powder
  • rose essence
  • almonds
  • pista

Method:
Grate the lauki and put in boiling water. Cook till it changes colour i.e. becomes a dark green-- about 3-4 mins. Strainwell and blend to a smooth puree in a blender. Boil 500 ml full cream milk with sugar. Add the blended lauki and cook till it is slightly thick. Check for sugar then cool.Beat 500 ml cream\malai till thick and fold it in well into the milk mixture. Add powdered cardamum powder 1-2 tspns, a few drops rose essence and some chopped badam-pista. Put in kulfi moulds and freeze OR put in a bowl and put in freezer. When nearly set beat with electric hand egg-beater (NOT in the mixie) till it is well blended Freeze and serve.

Tuesday, October 5, 2004

Madra (Himachali)


Ingredients:

  • rajma/ chana - 2 cups
  • cooking soda
  • ghee
  • elaichi
  • full cream curd
  • chilli powder
  • cashew nuts
  • salt to taste
  • kishmish


Method:This dish can be made with either rajma or kabuli chana. Soak2 cups rajma \ chana overnight with pinch soda. Next morning discard this water, add some fresh water and pressure cook till done. Only desi ghee should be used as this gives the main flavour to the dish. Heat 1\2 to 3\4 cups ghee to just below smoking point. Add 4 -6 small elaich pods crushed to bring out the flavour. Then add 1 1\2 cups well beaten full cream curd. Keep cooking and stirring till ghee separates Then add chilli powder and rajma with the water in which it was boiled. Keep cooking in medium heat till ghee floats Add salt to taste and some cashew nuts and kishmish. If you are using chana add little haldi also. Serve either with rice or chapatis

Sunday, October 3, 2004

Makai-na-Puda(chilla)--Corn Pancakes

1 cup chana dal, soaked for a couple of hours, then ground very fine with minimum water in a mixie1 cup coarsely ground fresh corn kernels(should be very tender)Mix the two then add,1/4 cup sooji1/4 cup rice flour1 tspn oil2 tspns green chilli paste or to taste1 tspn jeera4 -5 tspns dahiSome chopped hara dhaniaSalt to tasteMix all ingredients well and keep aside for atleast 1/2 hour. Before frying the pancakes check for consistencey--- it should be a thick but spreadable batter. Add water if needed.. Then mix in 1 med onion finely chopped. On a non-stick tawa put a few drops of oil and spread batter to make a 3" pancake ,1/4" thick. Cover and cook on slow heat. Sprinkle a few drops of oil on the pancake, , turnover and cook till golden brown on both sides.Serve hot with green chutney/tomato sauce,As a variation a vareity of vegs. ,preboiled, may be added to the batter, e.g. peas, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower all finely chopped. Tomatoes, capsicums should not be preboiled. Either one or mixed vegs. can be addedAnother suggested flavour----omit jeera& onion, and add ajwain & finely chopped garlic.In another variation,, if the batter is kept thick as for vadas. it can be deep fried as pakodas.

Makai -ni Khees (Gujarati)


Ingredients:

  • 12 tender corn cobs
  • Ghee
  • Cloves
  • Cinnamon Sticks
  • Full Cream Milk
  • Ginger
  • Green Chillies
  • Grated Coconut
  • Cinnamon powder
  • Clove Powder
  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • Lemon Juice
  • Kishmish
  • Hara Dhania

Method:
Grate and remove the kernels from the corn cob or coarsely grind in mixie. Heat 2 tblspn ghee and add 5-6 cloves and 3-4 1' pieces of cinnamon sticks. Then add the corn and fry till it is pink\gold in colour. Add 500-750ml full cream milk, 2 tspns of adrak-green chillies ground together, 1\2 fresh grated coconut, and 2 tblspns of cinnamon and cloves powdered together, and 1 tblspn of sugar. Cook till ghee seperates (more ghee may be added if necessary). Remove from fire. Add salt to taste and some lemon juice. Add some kishmish. Garnish with chopped hara dhania and fresh rated coconut. Serve hot. Can be made in oil but tastes best in ghee.

Friday, October 1, 2004

Makai Tareko (Nepali)

Ingredients:

  • 4 very tender corn cobs-- remove the kernels
  • 2 tblspns adrak-lasun paste (may use whole dry chillies in the paste)
  • 2 green chillies cut into slanting slices
  • 2 tblspns mustard oil (preferably)
  • Haldi
  • salt to taste


Method:Heat oil and throw in the methi. When it turns black add the corn kernels. Stir and when the corn is nearly cooked (barely 5 mins.) push it aside, and add the masala paste in the oil with haldi and salt. Stir it and then mix it up with corn. Cook a further 2-5 mins. Add the green chillies and serve. Good as a tea time snack.

Thursday, September 30, 2004

Malpoa

Ingredients:

wheat flour
saunf
sugar
black pepper
cooking oil
Method:

Make a thick pourable batter with atta and sugar, Add saunf and freshly crushed blck pepper Let it stand for 1\2 to 1 hour. Heat oil in a FLAT frying pan The oil should be just about 1\2 to 3\4 inch deep. Heat the oil and then lower the flame. Pour the batter in ladlefuls one at a time. The trick is to start pour in from about an inch above the oil and take the hand up to about 6 to 8 inches high. the poa will become round. Turn it once and take it out on a paper towel when it is nice and brown.

Best eaten hot but may be reheated in an oven-- NOT in microwave.

Mango Puris

Ingredients:
1 cup atta
1 cup sooji
salt
4 tablespoons castor sugar
white til
mango pulp
cooking oil
Method:Rub in enough oil into atta and sooji to represent bread crumbs. Add a pinch of salt and 4 tblespns. castor sugar. Some white till (sesame ) seeds. Mix well and knead to a stiff dough with ripe mango pulp. Roll out into 2" puris and deep fry till golden brown.Sprinkle some chat masala on the puris and serve as a tea-time snack, if preferred with green chutney. or khatta achaar. Can also be eaten with whipped dahi.

Wednesday, September 29, 2004

Marshmallow

Ingredients:
2 level tblspns gelatine
2 egg whites stiffly whipped
10 ozs. sugar
1 tblspn glucose
essence
colouring
Method:
Dissolve sugar in water and boil till a drop hardens in cold water. (To test - drop a little syrup in a saucer of water. If it does not spread, it is ready) Add glucose. Then gradually add the egg white and well dissolved gelatine. Continue beating this mixture to which desired colour and essence is added, till it is stiff. Turn out on a greased plate. Cut into pieces and when it sets well roll the pieces in a little icing sugar.

Mawa stuffed Karela

Ingredients:
Mawa (residue from malai after making ghee)
Karela, Kothmir, onion, adrak, green chillies, dhana-jeera powder, haldi,
chilli powder, garam masala, little sugar, lime juice and salt to taste
Method:
Peel and roll Karela with your palm to loosen the seeds. Then boil in salted water till it changes color and is partially cooked. Cool. slit on one side and remove the seeds.In the Mawa mix, kothmir, onion, adrak, green chillies all finely chopped. Add dhana-jeera powder, haldi, chilli powder, garam masala, little sugar, lime juice and salt to taste. Mix well addling a little of the karela seeds/pulp. Stuff this mixture into the karela.Now prepare a thick paste/batter with atta and water and seal the slit side of the karelas with this, instead of using thread.Heat oil and slip in the karelas, slit side downwards and fry till golden brown. Serve with parathas or puris. Since these karelas keep well for two/three days and taste good even cold they can be taken while travelling.

Friday, September 24, 2004

Minty Mutton Rassawala

(Naniji style)Ingredients:
1\2 kg mutton with bones2 onions sliced semi circular wise2 tblespns of adrak-lasun-green chilli ground together in equal proportion
salt
Hand ful of mint leaves
2 tblespns of oil
Haldi
chopped corriander for garnish
2 whole potatoes may be added (optional)
Naniji sometimes also added brinjals cut into fours lengthwise just before it finished cooking. In this case potatoes may be avoided.
Method:Heat oil. Saute onions till glassy. Add mutton and saute till it changes colour. Then add the potatoes, if used, the masala paste, haldi and salt. Mix well. Add water and cook on pressure. Just before it is ready add the brinjals, if used, and put on pressure for one more minute. Add the mint leaves and mix them in well. Garnish with chopped corriander. Should have a good amount of "rassa"\soup\shorba. Tastes well with rice or Satpadi Rotlis or thick chapatis

Tuesday, September 21, 2004

Moola ko achar (Nepali)

NOTE: Kakro ko achar (cucumber) can also be made in the same way.Ingredients:
Mooli/ cucumber
dry red chillies
ginger
timur (schezuan pepper)
haldi
lime juice
salt
cooking oil ( preferably mustard oil)
methi
jhimmu (Nepali herb)
green chilliesMethod:Cut mooli into cubes. Crush the cubes lightly. Roast some dry red chillies. Grind to a paste with ginger and timur. Apply haldi, lime juice, salt and ground paste to the mooli.Heat oil and give tadka of either methi dana or jhimmu and slit green chillies. Mix well and serve. Do not heat - served at room temperature.
NOTE: In Nepalese cooking - achars do not have preservatives like pickles. They are accompaniments to a main dish and cannot be preserved.

Sunday, September 19, 2004

Mughlai Coconut Sauce/ Gravy

Ingredients:
Coconut milk
Ghee
Onion
Jeera
Chilli Powder
Garlic
Salt
Sugar
Saffron
Method:
Extract thin and thick milk from one coconut OR use coconut milk in packet. Dice one small onion very fine and fry to an even light golden colour in ghee. Grind to a very fine paste 1\2 tspn jeera, 1 tspn chilli powder., 2-3 flakes garlic and add to the onion and fry well Add the thin milk and bring to a boil. Add thick milk just before removing from fire. Add salt to taste, pinch of sugar and some saffron. Serve with rice, pulao. khichrie.

Friday, September 17, 2004

Mutton Curry ( different style)

Ingredients:
mutton
onion
ginger
garlic
methi (fenugreek)
ajwain
hing
mustard oil (preferable)
haldi
chilly powder
salt
tomatoes
Method:
Grind onion, ginger and garlic. Powder a little roasted methi, ajwain and hing. Heat oil. Fry masala paste till brown. Add haldi, chillies powder and salt. Add mutton cubes. Fry till oil separates. Add chopped tomatoes and powdered masala. Mix well and pressure cook. Necessary amount of water may be added.

Thursday, September 16, 2004

Mutton Korma Jhal Fareizee

Ingredients:
1/2 kg mutton
2 large onions
1" stick cinnamon
4 small elaichi
4 cloves
bay leaf
salt
cochineal colour (optional)
curd
khoa / cream
Method:
Fry two large sliced onions with mutton pieces. Add cinnamon, small elaichi, cloves and bay leaf. Add salt to taste. Cook on slow heat till mutton is cooked. Add a little cochineal colour, hung curd whipped smooth and a little khoa or cream. Serve with nan or paratha.

Mutton Pickle

Ingredients:
Mutton 1kg boneless cut in small pieces
Onion 250 grms grind coarsely
Garlic 250 grms " "
Garam masala 3 tblspns( cloves, big elaichi, dalchini, black pepper, jeera roasted and powdered)
Mustard oil 750ml
vinegar
chilli powder 3 tblespn
salt
Method:Apply half the ground masala to the meat with salt and leave aside for 1 hour. Pressure cook till half cooked. Heat oil, and fry the meat till brown. Remove. Then fry rest of the ground masala in the same oil till golden. Then add the meat and cook till oil floats on top. When cool, add the garam masala, chilli powder and vinegar. Taste for sourness and adjust quantity of vinegar. Bottle.
N.B. Sometimes I add 250grms of coarsely ground adrak also.

Mutton Potato Chops

Mutton potato chops
Ingredients:
mutton chops
ginger paste
garlic paste
green chillies
haldi
salt
cooking oil
onions - sliced
chilli powder
vinegar
sugar
garam masala
potatoes - boiled and mashed
maida
cornflour
milk
bread crumbs
Method:
Marinate meaty mutton chops in paste of adrak lasun, green chillies, haldi and salt for atleast one hour. Heat little oil. Fry sliced onions till golden. Add the chops with marinade, chilli powder, little vinegar, sugar and garam masala powder. Cook till water dries up and mutton is cooked well.
Prepare some mashed potatoes. Add little maida / cornflour to bind it. Cover chops when cold with this potato to resemble lollipops. Dip in maida, then milk and then fresh bread crumbs. Bread the chops and keep in fridge for sometime before frying. Deep fry till golden.
Serve with tomato sauce and green chutney.

Sunday, September 12, 2004

Nepali Fish Masala

Ingredients:
fish slices
lemon juice
Salt
Haldi
Ginger
Garlic
Red Chillies
Dhaniya
Jeera
Cooking oil (mustard oil preferable)
Green chillies
Method:Marinate fish slices in lemon juice, salt and haldi for at least one hour. Remove from marinade and deep fry to a nice golden colour.In the lemon juice marinade add pastes of adrak lasun, red chillies, dhaniya, jeera. Mix well. Remove excess oil from karai and fry this masala in the remaining oil, sprinkling little water from time to time, till masala is well cooked and oil separates. Now add the fried fish slices and coat them well with the masala. Little water may be sprinkled. Add some slit green chillies. Cover and cook on dum on slow fire till fish becomes little soft to touch.Alternate method: Boil fish slices in very little water with haldi, lemon juice and salt.Drain and separate bones from fish carefully, taking care to keep the slices as intact as possible. Now deep fry these pieces to a golden colour and till crisp. Use the same masala as above with lemon juice and proceed in same manner. Use any left over water from boiled fish to moisten the masala.

Nepali Pulao

Rich and heavy. Made generally in winter time.Ingredients:
4 cups Basmati rice
750 gms. mutton
ghee
dalchini
cloves
small elaichi
big elaichi
sliced onions
salt
250 gms ginger
200 gms flake of garlic
cashewnuts (optional)
almonds (optional)
Bouquet garni: chopped ginger, chopped garlic, chopped onion, dhaniya seeds, jeera seeds, big elaichi, whole red dry chillies, dalchini, tej patta and cloves tied in a muslin cloth.
Method:
Soak rice for 1/2 an hour. Boil mutton with bouquet garni and salt. Strain, squeeze out all liquid from bouquet garni. Should make about 7 cups of stock. Separate meat from bones.
Heat ghee. Add dalchini, cloves, small and big elaichi. Then fry sliced onions till golden brown. Add soaked rice. Saute till it starts sticking. Add the stock - check for salt and cook till done.
In a separate frying pan, fry 2 sliced onions till brown. Cut 200 gms of ginger into thin round slices and fry till brown. Fry 200 gms of garlic flakes till brown. Fry the meat as well. Each item has to be fried separately. If desired also fry some cashewnuts and blanched sliced almonds.
Now gently mix all the fried ingredients into the rice and serve.

Sunday, August 15, 2004

Panir Makhani

Ingredients:
100 gms butter
ginger
garlic
green chillies
600 gms panir
500 gms tomato puree
200 gms cream
corriander leaves
salt to taste
Method:
Melt 100 gms butter. Add chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies. Add 600 gms panir cubes and saute, and then add 500 gms. tomato puree. Cook for 3-4 mins. Add 200 gms cream. Simmer for 2 mins. Garnish with chopped hara dhaniya. Add salt to taste.

Pantra / Patod (Gujarati)

(Colocasia or Arvi leaves Roll)
Ingredients:
Arvi leaves
Besan
Oil
Ginger
Green chillies
Hing
Powcered Cloves
Haldi
Chilli Powder
Gur/ Jaggery
Imli Paste
Salt to taste
Lime juice
Mustard Seeds (optional)
Sesame seeds (optional)
Dry whole chillies (optional)
Method:Make batter with besan to which add little oil, adrak-green chillies paste, hing, powdered cloves, haldi. chilli powder, little gur, imli paste, salt to taste. Beat well to make a batter which is neither too thin nor too thick. Keep aside for atleast 1/2 an hour.Cut off stems from the leaves and wash them well. Keep away from you as they stain badly. Spread out and flatten them by running a rolling pin over them to break the veins. Lay the leaves with the dark side down. Now evenly spread the batter over it. If the leaves are big a couple will suffice other wise use more spreading batter over each leaf. The topmost leaf must have the batter on it. Now fold over from both sides and spread some more batter over it and roll it up into a tight roll. Steam it at pressure for 15 mins. When cold cut into fingerwide slices Best if cut after keeping it overnight in the fridge.
The slices may be deepfried after dippng in the same batter very lightly or use mix of water and cornflour OR it can be given a tadka of dry whole chillies, mustard seeds and sesame seeds. Squeeze some lime juice over them.
Variation: To the batter add lasun paste or dhania-jeera powder or whole dhania or ajwain

Papaya platters

Papaya is a very healthy fruit eaten either ripe or green. The grenn or raw fruit can be cooked like any lauki dish, but is also delicious served as an accompaniment or relish.1, Peel ,remove seeds and pith and grate a raw papaya. Apply haldi, salt, hing powder. Add slivers of ginger and green chillies. Heat a little oil. Put a tadka of black rai, whole red dry chillies and curry patta and pour over the papaya. Mix well and serve.2. Peel a papaya. Remove seeds and pith and cut into paper thin slices, 21\2 "-3" long. Apply haldi, salt lemon juice, and mustard paste ( optional), and keep aside for 1\2 hour or more Mix in some slivers of green chillies. Heat oil-preferably mustard- and give tadka of either meti dana or jimmu. Mix well and serve.3. Peel and cut green papaya into 1" slices not too thin. Mix with haldi, salt lemon juice. Add clices of green chillies cut on a slant. Keep aside for some time. Roast some sesame seeds ( til seeds ) with dry red chillies. Grind to a paste with garlic, ginger and timur ( seschswan pepper ) Mix this paste nicely into the papaya. Heat oil- pref. mustard- and give tadka of methi dana or jimmu Mix well and serve.4. Peel and cut a ripe papaya into 1" cubes. and semi mash. Add sugar to taste. Add sliced grapes, both green and black, some chopped walnuts. Mix well and fold in dairy cream or malai. Decorate with anardana, cherries etc. Serve cold.

Papri-ma-meat

Ingredients:
250 gms bony meat
500 gma papri (sem) – preferably the very small variety
Ginger paste
Garlic paste
Green chilli paste
Coriander leaves
Fresh green garlic (optional)
Salt
Turmeric
AjvainMethod:Apply masala paste, haldi, salt to meat and cook on slow fire in its own juice till dry and nearly done. Apply masala paste, etc to papri and keep aside.Heat oil. Throw in ajwain and then papri. Saute a little and then add meat. Cook covered on slow fire. Water can be put on the lid. Stir from time to time. When the papri is slightly soft toss instead of stirring so as not to break the papri. No water is to be added to the papri meat. Check to see if papri and meat are cooked. Chop coriander and green garlic (with leaves).Turn out on serving dish. Sprinkle plenty of chopped hara dhania and chopped green garlicNote: If fresh green garlic is not available – finely chopped dry garlic can be used.

Saturday, August 14, 2004

Parwal-ki-Mithai

1/2 kg parwalFor the stuffing:250 grms khoa50 grms badam-pista -chironji together.(chop the badam & pista)20 grms misri1 tspn elaichi powder300 grms sugar for the syrupFew drops rose essence/gulabjalSilver warqRoll the parwal in the palm of the hand to loosen the seeds, and peel. Boil in water till cooked. Take care not to over cook.Drain well and when cool. slit from end to end and remove the seeds carefully.Now prepare the sugar syrup to one thread consistency. Flavour with Rose essence/gulabjal. Add the parwal and cook till the parwal take on a glassy, shining look. Cool. This can be kept in the fridge till needed.Prepare the stuffing by crumbling the khoa. Mix all the ingredients lightly.Shape like parwal.Remove parwals from syrup and drain well, then stuff with this filling. Coover with warq on slit side. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

Parwal stuffed with keema

Ingredients:
keema
onions
ginger - ground to a paste
garlic - ground to a paste
green chillies - ground to a paste
garam masala powder
tomatoes chopped
chilli powder
haldi
salt
vinegar
sugar
methi seeds
cooking oil
corriander leaves
Scrape parwal and peel in stripes. Keep whole. Boil some water with salt and put in the parwal. Cook for ten minutes or so till parwal changes colour. Drain and run under cold water. When cold - cut from one end and remove the seeds and pulp (making the parwal look like an empty barrel). Some of the tender seeds and pulp should be kept aside and added to the keema while it is cooking.
Stuffing:
Heat oil in karai. Throw in methi seeds and then keema, chopped onions, ginger-garlic - green chillies paste, garam masala powder, chilli powder, haldi, salt, little vinegar and pinch of sugar. Cook on slow fire stirring constantly till water dries up and keema is cooked.
When the stuffing is cold fill it into the parwal.Now heat oil in a pan. Add sliced onions and saute till translucent. Then add ginger garlic green chilli paste, haldi, chilli powder, salt, garam masala and little chopped tomato. Stir till oil separates. Then add some hot water and arrange parwal in the gravy. Spread any left over stuffing over the parwals and cook till parwals are well done. In pressure cooker it should take 2-3 mins. Garnish with chopped corriander leaves.

Peppery Panir Parwal

Parwal 250grms
Panir 100grms
Desi Ghee 1tbleson --a must as it gives it the flavour which oil will not
Salt ti taste
Black Pepper coarsely crushed fresh
Method
Peel parwal and cut lengthwise in half and then in semi circular slices.Heat ghee to warm- not smoking- add parwal and saute. Then add salt and sprinkle very little water and cover and cook till done. Before removing from fire add crumbled panir and pepper. Stir and serve hot.

Thursday, August 5, 2004

Prawn chops

Ingredients:
Prawn(small shrimp variety)
jeera
black pepper
chopped tomatoes
chopped onions
haldi
chilli powder
salt
little sugar
vinegar
maida (flour)
mashed potatoes
milk
bread crumbs
Method:Soak jeera and pepper for a few hours and grind to a paste.Heat oil add onions and saute till glassy. Add all other masalas and cook till tomatoes are soft and oil separates a little. Then add prawns and stir and cook on high heat for 5-7 minutes. Cook till no gravy is left. Add little vinegar. Stuff inside mashed potato patties - roll in maida. Then roll in milk follwed by crumbs and deep fry till golden.
NOTE: Same stuffing can be used instead of keema in stuffed parwals.

Wednesday, August 4, 2004

Prawn curry

Ingredients:
Prawn
jeera
black pepper
chopped tomatoes
chopped onions
curry patta (optional)
haldi
chilli powder
salt
sugar
coconut milk (optional)
coriander leaves
Method:
Soak jeera and pepper for a few hours and grind to a paste.Heat oil add onions and saute till glassy. Add all other masalas and cook till tomatoes are soft and oil separates a little. Then add prawns and stir and cook on high heat for 5-7 minutes. Just before removing from fire add coconut milk which is optional. Use curry patta if you are using coconut milk. Garnish with chopped hara dhaniya.

Sunday, August 1, 2004

Punjabi / Feni (Nepali)

Ingrdients:
200 grams Ghee
500 grams Maida
Rice flour
Cornflour
Castor Sugar
Method:
Rub in 200 grms ghee into 500 grms maida to resemble bread crumbs. Knead to a slightly stiff dough with cold water. There should be enough ghee in it to shine on the palms when you roll the dough in your hands. Divide the dough into 2-3 and roll out each into a 1\4' thick chapatiBeat rice flour with little corn flour and ghee together. Apply this mixture on the chapati and roll it up tightly. Cut int 1" thick slices. Cool in the fridge for 1\2 hour or so. This makes the rolling out easier. Now flatten each slice and roll into thin puris. Put 3-4 long cuts in the puri. Heat oil\ghee then lower heat and slowly fry the puris to a light pink colour Remove and immediately sprinkle castor sugar liberally on each puri\feni\punjabi. Can be stored for sometime

Wednesday, July 14, 2004

Raspberry Walnut Slice

Ingredients:
2 ozs margarine/ butter
2 ozs sugar
1 egg
3 ozs flour
raspberry jam / strawberry jam
3 ozs castor sugar
2 ozs chopped walnuts
Method:
Cream together 2 ozs margarine / butter and 2 ozs sugar. Add the yolk of one egg and 3 ozs flour, making a stiff dough. Roll this out on a floured board to fit a greased 10" X 8" tray. Bake in hot oven for ten minutes.
Remove from oven and when slightly cool spread a thin layer of raspberry jam / strawberry jam. Whisk the egg white stiffly with 3 ozs castor sugar. Spread over the jam and top with 2 ozs. of chopped walnuts.
Bake in moderate oven for 15 mins. Serve when cold cut into slices / pieces.

Friday, July 2, 2004

Sabudana stuffed Parathas

cup maida1/2 cup atta1 tblspn oil/gheesalt to tasteKnead into dough as for parathasSTUFFING1 cup sabudana(sago)--soak for 30 to 45 mins. Then drain well till almost dry.1' piece adrak chopped fine2-3 green chillies(or to taste) chopped fine1/2 cup chopped hara dhania1 tspn ajwain2 tspn jeera powder1 tspn lime juice1 tspn sugarSalt to tasteMix all the above ingredients well. Roll out chapatis and putting some of the stuffing in the middle, fold from all sides and press to resemble a patty. Roll out again then fry on a tawa on med heat as for any stuffed paratha. Serve hot with green chutney/dahi/raita.For the stuffing you can use any masala of your choice with the sabudana----will taste just as good.

Wednesday, June 30, 2004

Sada Bhindi Jhol

Ingredients:
whole small bhindid slit
some green chillies slit
onion sliced in semi circles
methi seeds
lime juice
haldi
salt
cooking oil
ajinomoto (optional)
Method: Heat little oil in a pressure cooker. Add methi. Let it splutter till light brown. Add onion slices, haldi, salt and cook till onion is transparent. Add the bhindi and chillies, lime juice and water. Should be a little sour. Stir. Close cooker and remove from fire at the first whistle. Open when pressure is down. Add a little ajinomoto (optional but tastes good with it).

Monday, June 28, 2004

Sel Roti (Nepali Doughnut)

Ingredients:
1 cup Basmati rice
1 tblspn ghee
1\4 cup sugar
2\3 cups water
Ghee\oil for frying
Method:Soak rice for at least 2 hours. Drain and dry grind fine in mixie. Rub in the sugar and ghee well and mix in the water to make a thick batter. Beat it well for 15 to 30 mins. Keep aside for at least 4 hours (May keep overnite in fridge) Heat oil\ghee in a flat frying pan. Lower heat. Make little circles with the batter straight into the oil and fry till brown, turning it once. Can be stored for sometime. Tastes well with alu-ko-achar or Masu Tandruk or meat bhutwa or any dry mutton praparationHint: to make the circles round put a katori upside down in the oil and pour the batter round it.

Sunday, June 20, 2004

Spring Onions sabzi

Ingrdients:
spring onions
oil
rai
hing
dry red chillies
haldi
salt
ginger
green chillies
besan
grated coconut
Method:Chop up some spring onions including green leaves. Heat oil in karahi. Put baghar of rai, hing and Dry red chillies. Throw inthe onions and coarsely ground ginger-green chillies masalas, haldi, salt to taste. Saute till onions are soft-- about 5 mins.-- Sprinkle besan(good amount) on top and mix it up well Cook further 4-5 mins stirring constantly, Garnish with grated coconut.Alternatively-- use jeera for baghar and masala of ginger-garlic- green chillies. Proceed in the same manner.

Wednesday, June 2, 2004

Sweet n Chilli Drumsticks (Gujarati)

Ingredients:
drumsticks - 250 gms
wheat flour
haldi
chilli powder
hing powder
cooking oil
sugar
ginger paste
green chillies paste
tomato
coriander leaves
Method
Peel and cut drumsticks into 2 1/2 inch pieces. In a katori take about 3 tblspn atta. Add haldi chillies powder and hing powder (1 teaspoon) to it. Heat a little oil. Take it off the fire - when it is slightly cooler, add the above to it and stir quickly. Add about 2 1/2 - 3 katoris water and stir - no lumps should remain.
Put it back on fire. Add salt and sugar to taste, about 1 tablespoon adrak - green chillies paste, and one medium sized red tomato chopped. When it comes to a boil add the drumsticks and close the cooker. Put off heat when it comes to pressure and gives one whistle. Do not open immediately - let it cool down. Check whether drumsticks are cooked - otherwise boil a little more till the vegetable is well cooked but not broken. Garnish with chopped hara dhaniya.

Tamatar ko achar (Nepali)

Ingredients:
tomatoes
cooking oil (preferably mustard oil)
red chillies
ginger
timur (schezuan pepper)
haldi
salt
methi
jhimmu (Nepali herb - optional)
green chillies
Method:Roast tomato over fire or in onen till skin turns black and water has dried up. Remove skin and wash up the pulp. Roast some dry red chillies. Grind to a paste with ginger, garlic and timur. The garlic flavour is quite prominent. Mix this paste with tomato pulp and blend well.Heat oil and give tadka of either methi dana or jhimmu and slit green chillies. Mix into tomato mixture. Do not heat - served at room temperature.
NOTE: In Nepalese cooking - achars do not have preservatives like pickles. They are accompaniments to a main dish and cannot be preserved.

Thandai

Thandai
Ingrients
saunf,250grms
2 tblspns black pepper,
2 tblspns khuskhus,
50 gms badam
50 gms kaju
kesar
rose essence
sugar,
water
milk(full Cream)
some cream,
coarsely powdered badam, kaju for garnish
Method
Dry grind saunf and blck pepper to fine powder and soek in water overnight. Next day wet grind with more water, strain and grind the remains again and repeat this process 3-4 times till the strained fluid comes out watery. Prepare chasni with sugar and water and add the saunf mixture to it. Now grind the nuts to a very fine paste. No grains should remain. Add to the above along with dissolved kesar and rose essence and chill. Mix with cold milk in individual glasses. Garnish with cream and nuts.

Tori Meat

Tori Meat
Ingredients:
1 kg tori (ridge gourd)
1/2 kg mutton
2 large onions
garlic
ginger
jeera
black pepper
green chillies
haldi
salt
sugar
Method:
Scrape the gourd first to remove the thick skin and then wash and cut in to cubes. Grind ginger, garlic, jeera, black pepper and green chillies to a paste. Chop the onions.
Apply haldi and salt to mutton and cook on slow fire in it's own juice till it is dry. Heat oil. Saute onions till translucent. Add tori, above masala and pinch of sugar. Stir for 2-3 mins. Add meat and cook covered till meat is tender and all liquid dries up.
Note: If ridge gourd not available then plain gourd (gilki) or snake gourd can be used

Undhyun

Undhiyun (Gujarati winter speciality)
Ingredients:
Papri – preferably small variety
Potato – cut in four cubes
Yam – small piece cubed
Sweet Potato – cut in cubes
Peas – handful
French beans – few cut into large bits
Small round brinjals – slit into 4
Ripe banana
Cooking oil
Ajwain
Ginger
Garlic
Green Chillies
Hara Dhaniya
Coconut (optional)
Salt
Sugar
Haldi
For Muthia - besan, atta, methi leaves
Garnish - corriander leaves and fresh green garlicMethod:Papri is in major proportion. Keep whole – remove vein from sides. Make paste of adrak lasun and green chillies, hara dhaniya and coconut (dessicated coconut can be used), salt and pinch of sugar. Coconut is optional.Mix all the vegetables except brinjals and banana. Apply the masala paste, some ajwain, haldi, salt and oil in good amount. This can be done directly in the pan in which undhiyun is to be cooked. Cover pan tightly and place on fire. Lower the heat once the vegetables get heated up. Add muthia. Do not stir the vegetables but toss from time to time. Stuff the brinjals with the masala paste and add to the vegetables when they are half done.To make muthia: take besan, little atta (1/4 in proportion to the besan). Add oil and rub in to resemble bread crumbs. To this add some chopped methi leaves – kasuri dry methi may be used if fresh methi is not available – salt, ajwain, adrak green chiliies paste and pinch of sugar. Knead with very little water into tight dough. Then shape into either little balls or elongated shaped muthiyas. Deep fry in oil till brown in colour.When all the vegetables are cooked, cut the ripe banana into 1” slices with the skin and place on top of the vegetables about 5 minutes before removing pan from fire.Sprinkle some dhaniya-jeera powder and red chillies powder and toss (this is optional)Sprinkle plenty of chopped hara dhaniya and finely chopped hara lasun before serving.Some people like to pour oil – preferably ground nut or til oil – unheated individually on the vegetables. Serve with rotis – preferably ‘saat padi’.

Vegetable Pickle Punjabi

Vegetable Pickle (Punjabi)
Punjabi gajar - gobi - shalgam acharIngredients:
2 1/2 kg cauliflower if using just cauliflower
OR
1/2 kg carrot
1 kg cauliflower
1 kg shalgam
1/2 kg gur
1/2 kg sarson oil
1 cup vinegar
chillies powder
haldi powder
1/2 kg salt
Coarsely powder:
2 tblspns dalchini
2 teaspns cloves
8 tblspns rai (black)
8 tblspns pepper
Grind coarsely in vinegar:
125 gms garlic
125 gms ginger
125 gms onion
Put cauliflower florets / vegetables in boiling water for few minutes (blanche) then remove. Spread on cloth and dry well. Cook jaggery in 1 cup vinegar. Heat oil and fry ground masala. Remove from fire and add powdered masala and salt. Add jaggery mixture. When cool add the vegetables. Mix well and bottle. Ready to eat in 3-4 days time.