Ingredients:

1 cauliflower,
2 potatoes
2 onions sliced
1 teaspoon whole cumin
1 teaspoon coriander powder
4 dried red chilies
2 tablespoon garlic-ginger paste
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
salt to taste
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 fresh green chilies (optional)
2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup of water

Procedure:

Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the cumin, dried red chilies, stirring to mix. Add the onions and stir occasionally, until golden brown. Add the garlic-ginger paste, chili powder, salt, turmeric and finely chopped green chilies (optional). Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the chopped potatoes and cut small florets cauliflower to the mixture, stirring to coat the vegetables in the spice mixture. Reduce the heat, add water. Cover the pan and let simmer for 10-15 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to warmed serving plates and serve immediately. Makes 3 to 4 servings.

Ingredients:

1 cup moong dal
2 fish heads
1 onion, chopped finely
1 tomato, chopped finely
1 tsp. garlic paste
1 tsp. ginger paste
2 green chillies, chopped finely
1 tbsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. cummin seeds powder
1 tsp. coriander seeds powder
3 dry red chillies
2 bay leaves
2 cardamoms
1/4″ cinnamon
4 cloves
3 black pepper
1 tsp. garam masala
1 tbsp. lemon juice
a pinch of hing
salt as per taste
oil for frying

Procedure:

Wash the dal and soak for half an hour. Pressure cook the dal with ½ tsp turmeric powder. Clean the fish heads and make into big pieces. Marinate the heads with ½ turmeric powder, salt and lemon juice. Keep aside for 45 mins. Heat oil for frying. Deep fry the fish heads till golden brown. Drain and keep aside. Remove the oil from pan keeping only approx 3 tbsp of it. Add hing, bay leaves, cloves, cardamoms, red chillies, and black pepper. Add onion and fry till transparent. Add ginger, garlic and green chillies. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes. Add cummin powder, coriander powder. Add fish heads and simmer till they crumble. Add dal and 1 cup water. Let it boil till the required consistency of curry. Sprinkle garam masala. Serve hot with rice.

Ingredients:

1-1.5 pound boneless chicken
2 tsp chilli powder
3 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoon curd
2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
salt to taste
a little food coloring
oil for deep frying

For garnish:
curry leaves
green chillies – finely chopped
red onions
lime slices

Procedure:

Take a bowl and mix all of the mentioned ingredients (except oil) and allow to marinate for 3-4 hours. Then, heat oil in a pan and deep fry the marinated chicken pieces till golden brown. Pat dry with paper towels (to remove excess oil). Garnish with slightly sauted sliced onions and green chillies, curry leaves and lime slices. An excellent appetizer/starter and side dish for biryanis/pulaos/other rice varieties.

Ingredients:

225 grams fresh spinach leaves
8 skinless chicken thighs pieces
1 onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
1 tbsp. finely grated ginger
1 green chili
4 tbsp. water
4-6 cardamom seeds
1/2 tsp. grated cinnamon stick
2 tsp. coriander powder
1 tsp. cumin powder
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. paprika powder
8 black peppercorns
1/2 cup chicken stock or water
1 tbsp. curry paste
1-2 bay leaves
4 tbsp. yogurt plus extra to garnish
1 cup canned tomatoes, drained
salt to taste
4 tbsp. oil

Procedure:

Clean the spinach and place the spinach in a large pan with just a little water, cover and cook for 4 minutes, or until wilted. Transfer to a food processor or blender and add the green chili, ginger, garlic and water. Process until smooth. Heat the oil in the pan. Add the peppercorns and bay leaf and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes. Add the onion and cook for 7 minutes or until gold. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes breaking them up with a wooden spoon. Add the chili powder, curry paste and salt to taste. Stir in the spinach leaves and chili puree with the stock and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the yogurt, 1 tbsp at a time, stirring well after, for and additional 5 minutes. Finally, add the chicken and stir well, then cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until tender and coked through. Serve immediately garnished with extra yogurt. Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

450 grams lean ground lamb
1 tsp. meat tenderizer
1 onion, finely chopped
2 green chilies, chopped
2 tbsp. plain yogurt
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh ginger root
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garam masala

To serve:
1 lemon, cut into wedges
cilantro to garnish

Procedure:

Place the lamb in a bowl, then add the meat tenderizer and mix in well. Reserve for 3 hours. Preheat the broiler to medium. Finely chop the cilantro. Mix the onion, green chilies, and cilantro together in the bowl. Mix the yogurt, ginger, garlic, ground cumin and coriander, salt and chili powder, garam masala in separate bowl. Blend with the onion mixture. Add the combined mixture to the lamb and mix together. Divide the mixture into 10-12 equal portions. Roll 2 portions around each metal skewer with your fingers, pressing all around. Broil the kebabs under the hot broiler for 8-10minutes, turning and basting occasionally with oil. Serve with lemon wedges and a raita of your choice. Serve in pita bread. The cooked meat can also be chopped into a salad. Makes 2 servings.

Ingredients:

1 kg. jumbo shrimps
1 cup canned coconut milk
2 tbsp. desiccated coconut
2 onions
1 tsp. garam masala
2 tsp. garlic-ginger paste
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. cumin powder
1 tsp. coriander powder
2 dried red chilies (optional)
½ tsp. chili powder
1 cinnamon stick
2 cardamom
2 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
4 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. sugar
black pepper, salt, to taste
fresh cilantro leaves to garnish

Procedure:

Shell and devein the shrimps, then set aside until required. Chop 1 onion and grate the other one.
Heat the oil in large pan. Add garam masala and cook over low heat, stirring constantly for 1 minute or until it gives of its aroma. Add the chopped onions and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until gold. Stir in the grated onion, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamoms, chili powder, cloves, and bay leaves and cook stirring constantly for few minutes. Stir in half coconut milk, desiccated coconut and sugar and season with salt to taste. Add the shrimps and cook, stirring frequently for 7 minutes or until they change color. Stir the remaining coconut milk and bring to a boil. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve immediately with rice, garnished with cilantro. Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

1 kg. fish
oil for frying

To marinate:
½ cup lemon juice
1 tsp. grated ginger
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt

Batter:
¾ cup besan/chick pea flour
3 tsp. garlic-ginger paste
2 tsp. ajwain
1 tsp. chili powder
4 pieces red chilies (snipped)
1 tsp baking powder
½ cup iced water
salt to taste

Procedure:

Combine all the marinated ingredients. Pour over the fish and set aside for 1 hour. Remove the fish from the marinade and pat dry. Combine all ingredients for the batter. Coat the fish in the batter and set aside for 15 minutes. Fry in hot oil until golden brown. Serve hot.

 
Ingredients:

Papri:
½ cup wheat flour
2 cups white flour
½ tsp. ajwain seeds
½ tsp. cumin
2 tbsp. oil
water
oil to deep fry
salt to taste

Chaat:
1 cup chickpeas
1 potato boiled and peeled
1 tomato
½ onion
2 tbsp. sliced paneer (optional)
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tbsp. chaat masala (optional)
2 tbsp. yogurt
red chili powder, salt, pepper to taste
2 tbsp. coriander chutney
2 tbsp. tamarind chutney
coriander leaves to garnish

Procedure:

Sift flour, ajwain, salt in a bowl. Add 2 tbsp of oil. Using both hands, rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Add a little water at a time and bind the flour into a soft, pliable dough. Knead it really well for about 5-7 minutes. Cover with a damp cloth and leave to rest for 15 minutes. Divide the dough into two equal halves. Roll each half into large thin rounds. Prick all over with fork. Cut out 2 inch rounds from it with a round cookie cutter. Heat oil in deep frying pan and fry a few at a time over medium heat to a crisp golden color. Place ready papris on the serving plate. Mix chopped potato, tomato, onion, chickpeas and paneer (optional). Add the spices: cumin seeds, chaat masala and salt and paper to the taste. Place the mix on top of the papris. Top with yogurt and chutneys and garnish with fresh coriander leaves

Ingredients:

1½ lb. boneless chicken chunks, skin removed
1 lemon, juice only
½ tsp. red chili powder

For the marination:
1 tsp. cumin powder
3 tbsp. garlic-ginger paste
1 cup yogurt
1 tsp. garam masala
½ tsp. coriander powder
½ tsp .salt

For the sauce:
3 tsp. tomato puree
1 onion
½ cup cream or yogurt
1 tbsp. coriander powder
1tbs ginger garlic paste
1 tsp. cumin
½ tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. lemon juice
¼ cup butter

Procedure:

For marinating the chicken:
Make few cut across each chicken chunk with a knife. This helps the ingredients seep into the meat. Mix the lemon juice and red chili powder and spoon over the chicken. Add to the yogurt garam masala, ginger-garlic paste, coriander, cumin, salt. Pour this marinade over the chicken. Marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours (ideally for 24 hours). Bake the chicken at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes.

The sauce:
Cook the tomato puree and onion in butter till the onion is brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste, cumin, sugar, lemon juice and coriander powder to the sauce. Cook the sauce for 3 minutes on medium heat. Add the chicken chunks and cream to the sauce and cook for 7-10 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve as a main dish with rice or bread.

Ingredients:

Pie Dough:

1 cup self-rising flour
½ tsp. salt
1½ oz/40grams butter
4 tbsp. water

Filling:
3 potatoes
½ cup green peas (optional)
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh ginger root
1 tsp. crushed fresh garlic
½ tsp. white cumin seeds
½ tsp. mixed onion and mustard seeds
1 tsp. salt
2 dried red chilies (optional)
2 tbsp. lemon juice
2 small fresh green chilies, finely chopped (optional)
vegetable oil for deep-frying
lemon wedges, to serve

Procedure:

Sift the flour and salt into large bowl. Add the butter and rub it into the flour until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Pour in the water and mix with a fork to form a dough. Pat the dough into a ball and knead for 5 min or until smooth. Add a little flour if the dough is sticky. Cover and let stand for 1 hour. Meanwhile, cook the potatoes (20-25 min) and separately peas (5-10 min) in lightly salted water. Drain and gently mash the potatoes, then add the ginger, garlic, white cumin seeds, onion and mustard seeds, salt, crushed red chilies, green chilies, green peas, lemon juice and stir well to mix. Break small balls of the dough and roll each out very thinly to form a circle. Cut in half, dampen the edges and form into cones. Fill the cones with a little of the filling, dampen the open edges and pinch together to seal. Set aside. Fill a deep-fat fryer or large, heavy-bottom pan one-third full with vegetable oil and heat to 350-375 °F/180-190 °C. Carefully lower the samosas into the hot oil, in batches, and deep-fry for 2-3 min, or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain thoroughly on paper towel. Serve hot or cold with lemon wedges.