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Mom’s Kitchen
A culinary compilation from an Indian mother’s kitchen
Published by Satyabrata Dam at Shakespir
Copyright © 2014 Sabita Dam
All Rights Reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form
By any electronic or mechanical means, including
Information storage or retrieval systems,
Without permission in writing from the copyright
Owner of this book
Table of Contents
About the Author
Foreword
Acknowledgement
Vegetarian Delights
Non Vegetarian Indulgences
Rice and Shine
Snacks to Savor
Dessert Dreams
Chutney and Raita
Sabita is 73 with a zest of someone half her age. Despite her severe ill health and age related ailments she simply refuses to say ‘no’ to life. With a globetrotting adventurer for a son, Sabita spends most of the year by herself in her house in the suburbs of Delhi. Rather than seeking help or the company of others, she keeps herself busy with several pursuits, Braille literature being one of her major activities. She has been translating books in Braille for many years and has also been working with blind children; all her books are donated to blind libraries. She does social service and counseling for children and adults alike. She is also the author of several novels and a compilation of poems in Bengali and has also written and composed many songs in Bengali. Sabita practiced classical Hindustani Vocal music past her 70th year, till a throat infection put a hold to her lifelong pursuit for music. Sabita has always been a nature lover and gardener, and has an enviable collection of botanical samples of rare leaves and roots that her son gathers from around the world. This collection has been lauded by the Botanical Survey of India. Sabita also has a blog where she showcases many of her pursuits including collage collections, poems and puzzle games like Rebus.
Sabita cooks whenever she can, and whenever her son’s friends pile into her house from around the world. Her cooking is an extension of her motto in life – live simply, do good and share what you have.
Please visit Sabita’s Blog to know more about her.
No matter who we are, where we go, or what we eat, no one cooks like mom. And we always long to get back to mom’s kitchen, to the fragrances and memories of our childhood and the love that only a mother can pour into her cooking. Like every mother, mine too has been churning out mouth watering delicacies as far back as I can remember. I was always drawn to her kitchen to learn the secrets of her ingredients, the source of the aromas and the delectable cuisines. My friends from around the world would visit and she would cook for each with the same love and care that she bestowed upon me. Everyone praised her cooking and wanted more. To take her cooking to the distant shores of our planet I learned my mom’s recipes, and discovered that at the very heart of good and wholesome cooking lies the same ingredients to living a good and wholesome life – keep it simple, keep it creative and keep it full of love.
As I traveled around the world so did my mom’s recipes. I cooked in the cities and also in the mountains, using my mom’s secret – simplicity, creativity and filled with love. Not only did people want more of her recipes but her approach also helped redefine Indian cooking for many abroad – from the Indian stereotype of spicy oily rich food; while here I was making lip smacking food with barely any oil or spices. Nearly everywhere people asked me for the recipes so they could replicate the dishes I prepared. And that is the genesis of ‘Mom’s Kitchen’.
My mother’s recipes run into more than a thousand. Selecting just 105 was as much a challenge for me as it was for her. I selected those with international appeal, most of which I had prepared for friends and had been appreciated. And of course, they had to be easy and simple to prepare but equally, gentle on the stomach and heart – and full of a mother’s love. It was a herculean effort for my mother to write the recipes in longhand on paper despite her failing eyesight, and to write it authentically in terms of culinary and cookery terminologies and phrases that would be easily understood by an international audience. In her era, recipes were taught by mother to mother, and then passed on through word of mouth. So writing this was an entirely new way of sharing her cooking. Yet she persevered day and night, ending up with several hundred recipes. Then it was left to me to transcribe.
The book is divided into sections that sum up the gamut of Indian cooking; you’ll find sections for the main course, non-vegetarian and vegetarian, sections for snacks and savories, for rice dishes and for desserts – no Indian meal is complete without dessert! Plus those famous chutneys and raitas, which are everyday accompaniments.
Open the book anywhere and indulge your taste buds, my friends. Be creative while cooking and eating! As my mother says, ‘never forget to add love in ample quantity for the ones you cook’, and you will never go wrong. My mother would be delighted to hear back from you on your culinary adventures and any suggestions or ideas that you may like to share with her on her first book in a series of her kitchen offerings. Please write to her at [email protected] and she will be happy to reply.
With that I can only add that I have been extremely fortunate to have the mother that I do; not only is she a great cook, but also a human being with great love for everyone. No one has ever been turned away from her kitchen.
Satyabrata Dam
New Delhi
March 2014
Since simplicity is at the core of mom’s kitchen, the recipe book has been kept simple for ease of reference. This book is a labor of love not only of my mom but also every friend who asked for it. To all of them my mom and I express our heartfelt gratitude that you are keen to learn what an old ailing lady has been cooking in her kitchen in India for her children. My mother’s joy is boundless knowing that her cooking will literally cross the oceans and reach where she never would physically.
We also thank a very dear friend and a highly talented designer who designed this book in every aspect for digital accessibility. She prefers to remain anonymous and for her act of generosity, we both are grateful.
Finally, we thank our readers, each one of you, who enter ‘Mom’s Kitchen’ cook something for your loved ones and share that joy and happiness with us. This book is nothing without our dear readers and fellow culinary adventurers, to whom we acknowledge our gratitude and dedicate this labor of love. May you all have a wonderful experience cooking and eating and sharing the bonds therein!
Sabita Dam
Satyabrata Dam
New Delhi, India
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1. Cauliflower with Coriander Sauce
Ingredients –
Cauliflower – 400 gm
Green chili – 3
Mustard seed – 2 teaspoon
Sugar – 1 teaspoon
Coriander leaves fresh – 250 gm
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Mustard oil – 50 ml (to fry)
Method –
1. Cut cauliflower into flowerets and wash
2. Grind mustard seed and green chili together into a fine paste. Keep aside covered (else the flavor will go)
3. Wash coriander leaves and grind into fine paste
4. Heat oil. When smoking, add cauliflower, salt, turmeric. Stir well, fry till light brown
5. Add ground mustard seed and green chili, and keep on stirring on low flame
6. Add sugar and sprinkle water while stirring
7. Add coriander leave paste, keep on stirring
8. When done and dried, remove from fire. Serve with rice or roti or poori
2. Doi Begun (Eggplant in Curd)
Ingredients -
Eggplant – 500 gm
Onion – 4 in number
Ginger – 1 inch piece
Garlic – 4 flakes
Curd – 400 gm
Coriander seed – 1tspn
Cardamom big – 2
Cumin seed – 1 tspn (for tempering)
Sugar – 2 tspn
Salt to taste
Turmeric – a pinch
Red chilli powder – a pinch
Coriander leaves fresh – 100 gm
Cooking oil – 40 ml
Method –
1. Wash and cut eggplant into roundels and rub turmeric and salt; keep aside
2. Grate onion
3. Grind together garlic, ginger, and coriander seed to fine paste
4. Beat curd well adding salt and half of the sugar to it, keep aside
5. Heat oil, add eggplant, fry till light brown and remove from fire
6. In the remaining oil add cumin seed and crushed big cardamom
7. Add grated onion and stir. When onion starts to turn light brown in colour add turmeric, red chilli powder and paste of garlic, ginger and coriander. Stir well on medium flame, sprinkling water from time to time
8. Add remaining sugar and fried eggplant
9. Add salt and little water. Cover with a lid and bring it to only one boil. Immediately remove from fire.
10. In a deep serving bowl spread half of the beaten curd and on that layer keep one layer of prepared eggplant. Pour the rest of curd to cover the eggplants
11. Finely chop the fresh green coriander leaves and spread over the curd. Serve with rice or chapatti.
3. Eggplant with Coconut
Ingredients –
Eggplant (long ones) – 500 gm
Mustard seed – 2 tsp
Coconut grated – 1 cup
Green chili – 2
Turmeric – a pinch
Salt to taste
Mustard seed for tempering – ½ tsp
Mustard oil – 40 ml
Method –
1) Wash and cut eggplants into two halves lengthwise. Rub with turmeric and salt and keep aside
2) Grind mustard seed and green chili into fine paste
3) Mix ground mustard, green chili paste, turmeric, salt and two tbsp of grated coconut in half cup of water. Keep aside
4) Heat mustard oil. When smoke comes out add eggplants and fry on slow fire and remove
5) In remaining oil add mustard seed for tempering. When mustard seeds crackle add the spice mix at 3 and bring it to boil
6) When the curry is thick add fried eggplants and remaining grated coconut
7) Cook for a minute and remove. Serve hot
4. Spicy Aubergine
Ingredients –
Round (small) aubergine – 500 gm
Roasted peanuts – half cup
Grated coconut – 1 cup
Poppy seed – 20 gm
Onion – 4
Garlic – 4 flakes
Green chili – 4
Sugar a pinch
Turmeric powder a pinch
Mustard oil – 40 ml
Method –
1) Wash aubergine, split partially into 4 strips keeping whole with stem. Apply turmeric and salt. Keep aside
2) Heat oil, add aubergine and deep fry and keep aside
3) Grind roasted peanuts to fine powder
4) Finely chop onion and garlic separately
5) Heat oil; add onion fry till light brown. Add garlic and stir for a minute and remove
6) Grind poppy seed, green chili, grated coconut, fried onion and garlic all together to fine paste
7) In hot oil add ground spices at 6 add peanut powder, turmeric, sugar and salt, keep on stirring
8) After two minutes add fried aubergine and stir again
9) When spices are well fried, add little water, cook till done and gravy is thick. Remove and serve hot
5. Cauliflower Roast
Ingredients –
Cauliflower big – 400 gm
Potato – 200 gm (small round ones, each of same size)
Onion – 200 gm (small round ones, each of same size)
Bay leaves – 5
Black pepper powder – 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Refined oil – 80 ml
Method –
1) Cut cauliflower into pieces similar to size of potato and onions
2) Peel potatoes and keep them whole
3) Peel onion and keep them whole
4) Heat oil, add bay leaves
5) Add cauliflower, potato, onion and salt. Keep on stirring. Cook on low flame with lid on
6) Occasionally stir to prevent vegetables from burning or sticking to the pan
7) Cook till the vegetables are tender and light brown in color
8) When done add black pepper powder, remove from fire and serve hot
6. Cauliflower in red sauce
Ingredients
Cauliflower whole – 500 gm
Onion – 300 gm
Tomato – 300 gm
Ginger – 2 inch
Red chili powder a pinch
Green chili – 2
Cardamom – 4
Cinnamon – 2
Clove – 4
Bay leaves – 2
Coriander leaves – 200 gm
Sugar a pinch
Big cardamom – 3
Peanuts – 100 gm
Cashew nuts – 10
Raisins – 15
Turmeric – 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Refined flour – 2 tbsp
Refined oil – 3 tbsp
Ghee – 1 tbsp
Method
1) Clean cauliflower and wash, keep it whole
2) Dip cauliflower in hot salted water for 20 minutes. Drain and wash with cold water. The cauliflower should be bit hard. Keep aside
3) Finely chop onion, ginger, tomato, green chili, each of them separately
4) Make garam masala by grinding together cinnamon, cardamom and clove into fine powder. Keep aside in a covered bowl
5) Wash coriander leaves and chop finely
6) To make white sauce – in a dry pan roast refined flour till color changes to light brown. Remove, when cool, add water. Stir well with a spoon, keep aside
7) Heat oil, fry separately peanuts and cashew nuts and keep aside
8) In remaining oil add ghee. Add crushed big cardamom and bay leaves
9) Add finely chopped onion, stir till light brown
10) Add chopped tomato; keep on stirring for 5 minutes
11) Add chopped ginger, red chili powder, turmeric, salt, and sugar and keep on stirring on low flame sprinkling water intermittently
12) Add fried peanuts, cashew nuts, raisin, chopped green chili and stir
13) Add white sauce, stir well and cook on low flame till the sauce turns reddish brown
14) Add garam masala powder and finely chopped coriander. Stir well, remove from fire
15) Take a flat bottom serving bowl, spread a layer of sauce in the dish, place the cauliflower on the sauce, and cover the cauliflower completely with more sauce. This should be done at least 2 hrs before serving. Keep aside. While serving use knife and fork to cut the cauliflower pieces
7. Cauliflower Dalna
Ingredients –
Cauliflower – 400 gm
Potato – 3
Green peas shelled – 100 gm
Ginger – 1 inch
Cumin seed – 2 tsp
Red chili powder to taste
Turmeric a pinch
Tomato – 2
Cumin seed for tempering – 1 tsp
Big cardamom for tempering – 2
Bay leaves – 2
Salt to taste
Cardamom – 3
Cinnamon – 2
Cloves – 4
Ghee – 1 tsp
Cooking oil – 40 ml
Prepare garam masala – grind cardamom, cinnamon and cloves together into fine powder
Method
1) Cut cauliflower into pieces, rub salt and turmeric and keep aside
2) Peel potatoes and cut into cubes
3) Grind ginger and cumin seeds together into fine paste
4) Heat oil, add cauliflower, shallow fry and keep aside
5) Fry potatoes and keep aside
6) In remaining oil add cumin seeds and crushed big cardamom and bay leaves for tempering
7) Add ginger-cumin paste; keep on stirring on low flame, sprinkling water intermittently
8) Add chopped tomato, shelled peas, fried cauliflower and potato and salt and turmeric. Stir for few minutes more
9) When flavor comes out, add water up to the level of the vegetables, cook with lid on till done
10) Add ghee and garam masala powder
8. Cabbage Kofta Curry
Ingredients –
Cabbage – 500 gm
Curd – 50 gm
Bengal gram flour – 3 tbsp
Ginger – 2 inch
Red chili powder to taste
Sugar to taste
Turmeric a pinch
Cumin seed for tempering – 1 tsp
Red chili (without seeds) for tempering – 2
Salt to taste
Garam masala – grind together into fine powder cardamom 4, cinnamon 2, cloves 4
Cooking oil to fry
Method –
1) Grind ginger to fine paste
2) Wash and cut cabbage, steam and drain
3) Squeeze moisture from cabbage and mash well adding red chili powder, pinch of sugar, salt, Bengal gram flour and a pinch of ground ginger. Make small balls to make cabbage koftas
4) Heat oil, add kofta balls and deep fry, remove and keep aside
5) In remaining oil add cumin seeds and red chili for tempering; add ginger paste, red chili powder, turmeric, curd, salt, pinch of sugar. Keep stirring till spices are light brown
6) When flavor comes out add half cup of hot water
7) Bring to boil add garam masala powder. Mix well and remove. This is the curry sauce
8) Arrange the kofta balls on a serving dish and pour the curry sauce from top. Stand at least 6 minutes before serving
9. Green Potato
Ingredients –
New potatoes (small round ones) – 500 gm
Coriander leaves – 200 gm
Green chili – 3
Salt to taste
Sugar a pinch
Mustard oil – 2 tbsp
Method –
1) Boil potatoes in jacket and peel
2) Grind coriander and green chili together to fine paste
3) Heat oil when smoke comes out add potatoes, salt and sugar, keep stirring
4) Add one cup of water, reduce fire and cook on low flame with lid on
5) When almost dry, add coriander green chili paste, stir for few minutes and remove from fire
10. Aloo Posto Charchari (potato poppy seed)
Ingredients –
Potato – 250 gm
Poppy seed – 2 tbsp
Turmeric a pinch
Salt to taste
Green chili – 2
Black cumin seeds – 1 tsp for tempering
Sugar a pinch
Mustard oil – 30 ml
Method –
1) Peel potatoes, cut into small cubes and dip in water
2) Grind poppy seeds and green chili into fine paste
3) Heat oil, when smoke comes out, add black cumin, potato, turmeric and salt, stir well
4) Stir on medium flame till the potatoes are light brown
5) Add water, poppy seed and green chili paste and sugar
6) When potatoes are done and gravy is thick, remove from fire
11. Coconut Curd Mix Veggie
Ingredients –
Coconut grated – 2 cups
Curd – 150 gm
Potato – 100 gm
French beans – 100 gm
Pumpkin – 100 gm
Cucumber – 50 gm
Drumstick – 50 gm
Green chili – 3
Cumin seed – 2 tsp
Carrot – 100 gm
Mustard seed – 1 tsp for tempering
Red chili (seedless) – 2 for tempering
Curry leaves – 6
Salt to taste
Cooking oil – 40 ml
Method –
1) Grind cumin seed, green chili and coconut together to fine paste and mix with curd. Keep aside
2) Cut all the vegetables into 1 inch long pieces
3) Steam all the vegetables with little water for 5 minutes. Keep aside
4) Heat oil, when smoke comes out; add mustard seed and red chili for tempering. Add four curry leaves
5) Add steamed vegetables, stir and cook on low flame
6) Add spices and curd mix and stir well
7) Bring to boil, add two finely chopped curry leaves and remove from fire
12. Okra Sour
Ingredients –
Okra – 750 gm
Tomato – 200 gm
Onion – 3
Red chili powder to taste
Turmeric a pinch
Tamarind pulp – 30 ml
Salt to taste
Cooking oil – 30 ml
Method –
1) Wash and wipe dry okra 30 min before cooking
2) Slant cut each okra into 3 pieces
3) Wash and cut tomatoes into thin long pieces
4) Cut onion into fine long strips
5) Heat oil, when smoke comes out, reduce flame to low. Add okra. Stir well for two minutes and add onion
6) Cook with lid on, stir from time to time without damaging the vegetables
7) After 5 minutes add tomato, turmeric, red chili and salt. Keep stirring
8) Now cook on medium flame, if vegetables starts sticking to the pan, reduce flame to low, cook till done
9) Add tamarind pulp, stir for a minute, and remove from fire
13. Okra Coconut
Ingredients –
Okra – 500 gm
Coconut grated – 1 cup
Green chili – 3
Mustard seed – 1 tsp for tempering
Red chili seedless – 1 (broken into two pieces) for tempering
Turmeric a pinch
Salt to taste
Cooking oil – 30 ml
Method –
1) Wash and wipe dry okra 30 min before cooking
2) Cut okra into round pieces
3) Chop green chilies
4) Heat oil, when smoke comes out add red chili and mustard seeds for tempering
5) When mustard seeds crackle add okra and turmeric
6) Stir for five minutes; add chopped green chili and half cup of coconut. Cook on low flame
7) Keep stirring, when almost done add salt
8) When okra is well fried and done, add rest of the coconut, stir well and remove from fire
14) Potato Pumpkin Chakka
Ingredients
Small Bengal Gram – 150 gm
Potato – 300 gm
Pumpkin – 250 gm
Ginger – 50 gm
Red chili powder a pinch
Turmeric a pinch
Red chili (seedless) – 1 (broken into two halves) for tempering
Panch Phoron – 1 tsp for tempering (to make Panch Phoron mix mustard seed, fenugreek, fennel, cumin seed, black cumin in equal quantity)
Bay leaf – 1
Mustard oil – 30 ml
Method –
1) Soak Bengal gram overnight
2) Peel and cut potatoes into cubes
3) Peel and cut pumpkin into cubes
4) Grind ginger to fine paste
5) Heat oil, when smoke comes out; add red chili, panch phoron and bay leaf for tempering
6) Add ginger paste. Stir well
7) Add potato and pumpkin. Stir well
8) Drain Bengal gram and add and keep stirring on low flame
9) Add salt, turmeric, stir well and cook with lid on
10) Cook till done, remove from fire
15) Cauliflower in Curd
Ingredients
Cauliflower – 750 gm
Green peas shelled – 250 gm
Onion – 4
Garlic – 4 flakes
Ginger – 30 gm
Grated coconut – 2 tbsp
Poppy seed – 2 tbsp
Curd – 3 tbsp
Black pepper – 6
Red chili powder a pinch
Turmeric a pinch
Coriander leaves – 30 gm
Cardamom – 3
Cinnamon – 2
Cloves – 4
Salt to taste
Sugar a pinch
Oil – 50 ml
Method
1) Steam green peas and drain
2) Cut cauliflower into big pieces, dip in salt water for 10 min, drain and wipe dry, rub turmeric and salt and keep aside
3) Finely chop 2 onions and grind the other 2 into fine paste
4) Grind ginger, garlic, poppy seed and coconut together to fine paste
5) Finely chop coriander leaves
6) Heat oil, add cauliflower, fry till light brown and remove. Keep aside
7) In remaining oil add chopped onion, fry till golden brown and remove. Keep aside
8) In hot oil add crushed cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and ground spices at step 4, onion paste, red chili powder, black pepper and turmeric. Stir well, sprinkling water from time to time on low flame
9) Add cauliflower, salt, and sugar. Stir again and just add enough water to cook properly. Cook with lid on
10) When done, pour cauliflower in the serving bowl
11) Make a ring of peas around the cauliflower pieces along the edge of the bowl
12) Beat curd with a pinch of salt and pour on cauliflower to cover it fully
13) Finally garnish with fried onion and chopped coriander
16. Stuffed Capsicum
Ingredients -
Capsicum – 500 gm
Potato – 500 gm
Onion – 4
Peanut – 50 gm
Grated cheese – 1 cup
Red chili powder a pinch
Lime juice – 2 tsp
Turmeric a pinch
Salt to taste
Garam masala – grind together 1 cinnamon, 2 cardamom, 2 cloves into fine powder
Cooking oil – 40 ml
Method –
1) For this dish, the capsicum is to be kept whole. Slit the top from the stem side and remove seeds and wash well from inside and outside
2) Rub salt and turmeric from inside and outside and keep capsicum upside down. Keep aside
3) Boil potatoes with jacket, when done, peel and mash
4) Chop onion finely
5) Heat oil, add peanuts, fry and remove. Keep aside
6) In remaining oil add onion, fry till light brown. Add mashed potato, peanuts, red chili powder, garam masala powder and salt
7) Stir well, add lime juice and mix well. Remove from fire. The stuffing is ready
8) Heat oil, fry capsicums on low flame and remove
9) Stuff the capsicums with the prepared stuffing and garnish each capsicum with grated cheese
17. Paneer Stuffed Capsicum
Ingredients –
Capsicum – 500 gm
Paneer – 500 gm
Onion – 3
Ginger – 1 inch
Potato – 1
Raisins – 10
Tomato – 150 gm
Sugar a pinch
Salt to taste
Spice mix – roast together and grind to fine powder – cumin 1 tsp, coriander seeds 1 tsp, cinnamon 1, cardamom 2, cloves 3
Cooking oil – 50 ml
Method –
1) For this dish, the capsicum is to be kept whole. Slit the top from the stem side and remove seeds and wash well from inside and outside
2) Rub salt and turmeric from inside and outside and keep capsicum upside down. Keep aside
3) Boil potato with jackets, peel and mash with salt
4) Knead paneer to make it free of lumps with even smooth texture
5) Finely chop onion
6) Grate ginger
7) Chop tomatoes
8) Heat oil add onion fry till light brown
9) Add ginger, tomato, spice mix, sugar and stir well
10) Keep stirring sprinkling water from time to time. When flavor comes out add paneer, raisin and salt
11) Cook on low flame. Sprinkle water in between
12) Add mashed potato, mix well, stir for few minutes. When well fried, remove from fire. The stuffing is ready
13) Stuff capsicum with the stuffing. Heat oil in a frying pan and cook capsicum on low flame till done. Remove and serve hot
18. Mattar Paneer Curry
Ingredients –
Paneer – 250 gm
Green peas shelled – 250 gm
Onion – 3
Ginger – 1 inch
Garlic – 4 flakes
Tomato – 250 gm
Cumin powder – 2 tsp
Bay leaf – 1
Red chili a pinch
Salt to taste
Turmeric a pinch
Garam masala – grind together to fine powder – cardamom 2, cinnamon 1, cloves 3
Cooking oil – 30 ml
Method –
1) Finely chop onion and garlic separately
2) Grind ginger to fine paste. Chop tomatoes finely keep aside
3) Cut paneer into cubes
4) Heat oil, add paneer cubes and fry till light brown. Remove and keep aside
5) In the remaining oil add bay leaf and onion, stir till light brown
6) Add garlic and stir well
7) Add ginger paste, cumin powder, turmeric, red chili powder and stir well on low flame sprinkling water from time to time
8) When spices are well fried add green peas, stir well
9) Add tomato and salt and stir till tomatoes are well cooked
10) Add water and cook with lid on till the peas are soft and desired curry remains
11) Add fried paneer cubes and simmer for few minutes
12) Add garam masala powder, mix well, remove from fire
19. Malai Kofta Curry
Ingredients –
Paneer – 450 gm
Refined flour – 2 tbsp
Cumin powder – 2 tsp
Ginger paste – 2 tsp
Red chili powder a pinch
Curd – 2 tbsp
Tomato puree – 1 cup
Green chili – 2
Baking powder a pinch
Fresh cream – 100 gm
Bay leaf – 2
Sugar a pinch
Turmeric a pinch
Tempering spice mix – cumin seed 1 tsp, cardamom 2, cinnamon 1, cloves 3
Garam masala – grind together to fine powder – cardamom 3, cinnamon 2, cloves 4
Salt to taste
Ghee – 1 tsp
Cooking oil to fry as required
Method –
1) Knead paneer to make it free of lumps with even smooth texture. Add salt, refined flour, baking powder, sugar, 1 tsp ginger paste, half cumin powder, chopped green chili, and a pinch of garam masala powder with paneer. Knead well to make smooth dough
2) Make small ball of koftas from this dough
3) Heat oil and deep fry koftas and keep aside
4) In the remaining oil add bay leaf, tempering spice mix, turmeric powder, remaining ginger paste and cumin powder, red chili powder, and stir well
5) Add tomato puree and keep stirring, sprinkling water in between
6) When flavor comes out add beaten curd, cook for two minutes
7) Add koftas, bring to only one boil
8) Add cream and ghee, mix well and remove. Serve hot
20. Spinach Paneer
Ingredients –
Paneer – 500 gm
Spinach – 400 gm
Onion – 5
Garlic – 4 flakes
Ginger – 2 inch
Tempering spice mix – big cardamom crushed 4, bay leaves 2, cardamom 4, cinnamon 2, cloves 5
Green chili – 2
Salt to taste
Red chili powder a pinch
Cooking oil – 40 ml
Method –
1) Cut paneer into small cubes. Rub salt
2) Heat oil, shallow fry paneer cubes, remove and keep aside
3) Clean, wash and chop spinach
4) Grate two onions and half of ginger
5) Add grated onion, ginger, red chili powder, salt and 1/4th cup of water to the spinach
6) Cook for few minutes till spinach is well boiled. Remove from fire
7) Meanwhile finely chop the rest of the onion, garlic, green chili and remaining ginger
8) When spinach cools down, mash well in a mixer
9) Heat oil, add tempering spice mix
10) Add finely chopped onion and garlic, stir well till light brown
11) Add ginger, green chili, keep on stirring
12) When flavor comes out add mashed spinach and keep on stirring for few minutes
13) Add paneer cubes, stir and cook till spinach comes to one boil. Stir well for few more minutes to bring to another boil and remove
21. Paneer Devil
Ingredients –
Paneer grated – 400 gm
Lentil – 200 gm
Potato – 125 gm
Coconut grated – 2 tbsp
Onion – 3
Garlic – 2 flakes
Ginger – 1 inch
Cumin powder – 2 tsp
Tomato – 2
Red chili powder a pinch
Turmeric a pinch
Sugar a pinch
Salt to taste
Tempering spice mix – bay leaves 2, big cardamom crushed 3, black pepper 5
Garam masala – grind together to fine powder – cardamom 4, cinnamon 2, cloves 4
Cooking oil as required
Method –
1) Soak lentil overnight. Drain and grind to fine paste
2) To grated paneer add salt, a pinch of red chili powder and knead well to make very smooth dough. Keep aside
3) Peel and cut potatoes into cubes
4) Chop tomatoes
5) Grind ginger to fine paste
6) Grate one onion and garlic
7) Add grated coconut, pinch of sugar, red chili powder, turmeric, grated onion and garlic and salt to ground lentil and mix well
8) Heat little oil, add lentil and stir till moisture is dried up. Remove from fire. Once it cools down, make small balls
9) Add half cumin powder and ginger paste to paneer dough and mix well
10) Make paneer balls (little bigger than the lentil balls), and stuff the lentil balls inside the paneer balls and make oval shape like egg shape. This is called Paneer Devil.
11) Heat oil, fry potatoes and remove. Fry paneer devils and remove. Keep aside
12) In remaining oil add tempering spice mix. Add remaining ginger paste, cumin powder, red chili powder, turmeric and stir well
13) Add chopped tomatoes, sugar and stir for few more minutes
14) Add potato and salt; keep stirring, sprinkling water in between
15) When flavor comes out add water and bring to boil
16) Cut paneer devils into halves lengthwise
17) When potatoes are well cooked add paneer devils
18) When gravy is thick remove from fire and add garam masala powder, cover for few minutes. Then serve hot
22. Spinach mix Vegetables
Ingredients –
Spinach – 500 gm
Potato – 2
Sweet potato – 2
Brinjal – 2
Radish – 1
Pumpkin – 100 gm
Turmeric – a pinch
Cumin powder – 1 tsp
Red chili powder a pinch
Tempering spices – bay leaf 2, cumin seed 1 tsp, red chili seedless 1 broken into two halves
Garam masala – grind together to fine powder cardamom 2, cinnamon 1, cloves 3
Salt to taste
Cooking oil – 40 ml
Method –
1) Peel potato, sweet potato and cut into cubes and wash
2) Cut all other vegetables into cubes
3) Wash well and chop the spinach
4) Heat oil, when smoke comes out add tempering spices then add all the vegetables except spinach. Fry for 3 – 4 minutes, add cumin powder, turmeric, salt and stir for another 3 minutes
5) Add spinach and cover with a lid. Cook in medium flame
6) Spinach will produce lot of water. Stir in between
7) When water is dried and the vegetables are tender add garam masala powder. Remove and serve hot
23. Raw Banana Kofta curry
Ingredients –
Raw banana – 500 gm
Potato – 250 gm
Onion – 4
Garlic – 4 flakes
Ginger – 1 inch
Curd – 2 tbsp
Red chili powder a pinch
Raisin – 10
Sugar – 1 tsp
Besan (split Bengal gram flour) – 2 tbsp
Cumin powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric a pinch
Tempering mix – bay leaf 2, crushed big cardamom 2, cumin seed 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Garam masala spices – grind together to fine powder cardamom 3, cinnamon 2, cloves 4
Cooking oil – as required
Method –
1) Boil banana with jacket, cool and peel
2) Peel potato and cut into cubes
3) Finely chop one onion, two garlic flakes and keep aside
4) Grind remaining onions and ginger to fine paste
5) Mash boiled banana, add chopped onion and garlic, red chili powder, pinch of sugar, besan, raisin and salt. Mix well. Make small round koftas
6) Heat oil, when smoke comes out add potato cubes, fry and keep aside
7) In hot oil fry the koftas and remove. Keep aside
8) Heat oil, when smoke comes out, add tempering mix. Add ground ginger and onion paste, cumin powder, red chili powder, turmeric. Stir well
9) Add curd, pinch of sugar and keep stirring
10) When flavor comes out add fried potatoes, salt and water (just enough water adequate for the koftas)
11) When potatoes are tender add koftas and bring to one boil
12) Add garam masala powder and remove from fire
24. Spicy Potato
Ingredients –
Potato – 500 gm
Coconut grated 1 cup
Onion – 250 gm
Ginger – 1 inch
Lime juice – 2 tsp
Green chili – 2
Red chili powder a pinch
Sugar a pinch
Salt to taste
Tempering mix – bay leaf 1, cumin seed 1 tsp, red chili seedless 1 broken into two halves
Cooking oil – 30 ml
Method –
1) Wash, boil, peel potatoes, cut into cubes
2) Chop onion and green chilies
3) Grind ginger to fine paste
4) Heat oil, when smoke comes out, add tempering mix
5) Add onion, fry till light brown
6) Add ginger paste, potato cubes, salt and stir for one minute
7) Add grated coconut, chopped green chilies, red chili powder, sugar, and stir with little water
8) Cook on low flame till gravy is dry
9) Add lime juice, mix well and remove
25. Green Papaya Dalna
Ingredients –
Green papaya – 500 gm
Potato – 250 gm
Tomato – 1
Cumin powder – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Ginger – 1 inch
Green chili – 2
Turmeric a pinch
Red chili powder a pinch
Peanuts – 100 gm
Salt to taste
Tempering mix – bay leaf 2, cumin seed 1 tsp, red chili seedless 1 broken into two halves
Garam masala powder – grind together to fine powder cardamom 4, cinnamon 2, cloves 4
Cooking oil – 40 ml
Method –
1) Peel and remove seeds of papaya. Peel potatoes and cut both papaya and potatoes separately into cubes
2) Steam papaya, when half tender remove and drain
3) Grind green chili and ginger into fine paste
4) Heat oil, when smoke comes out, add peanuts, fry and remove. Keep aside
5) In the remaining oil, add potato, fry and remove. Keep aside
6) In the remaining oil add tempering mix; add ground spices, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder and turmeric. Stir on low flame for few minutes
7) Add chopped tomato and stir for another 2 minutes
8) When flavor comes out add papaya, potato, peanuts and salt. Keep on stirring, sprinkling water from time to time
9) Add little water and cook with lid on
10) When gravy is thick add garam masala powder, mix well and remove
26. Green Papaya Bhurta
Ingredients –
Green papaya – 400 gm
Coconut grated – 1 cup
Green chili – 3
Salt to taste
Mustard oil – 40 ml
Method –
1) Peel green papaya, remove seeds, cut into long big pieces and boil
2) When cool, drain and mash well
3) Mix papaya, grated coconut, chopped green chili, salt and mustard oil and mix together well
4) Serve hot with rice
27. Cabbage Paturi
Ingredients -
Cabbage – 500 gm
Poppy seed – 100 gm
Yellow mustard seed – 50 gm
Green chili – 4
Turmeric a pinch
Sugar – 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Mustard oil – 50 ml
Method –
1) Wash and finely chop cabbage
2) Boil the cabbage, when tender remove from fire and drain. Keep aside
3) Grind poppy seed, mustard seed and green chili together to fine paste
4) Squeeze steamed cabbage to extract all water. Marinate with ground spices of poppy seed, mustard seed and green chili paste and turmeric, salt, sugar and half the oil for 30 min
5) Heat the remaining oil, when smoke comes out, reduce to low flame add marinated cabbage and cook on low flame. Turn the cabbage upside down every five minutes
6) Keep stirring all the time turning the sides once in a while. Keep stirring till the cabbage mix becomes golden brown
7) When flavor comes out, remove from fire and serve hot
28. Doi Potato
Ingredients –
New potato (small round shaped) – 500 gm
Curd – half cup
Green chili – 3
Ginger 1 inch
Chopped coriander leaves – half cup
Ghee – 1 tbsp
Roasted cumin powder – 2 tsp
Red chili powder a pinch
Turmeric powder a pinch
Salt to taste
Black pepper powder a pinch
Black cumin – 1 tsp for tempering
Cooking oil – 30 ml
Method –
1) Boil potatoes with jacket
2) Peel and mash 4 potatoes separately and cut the rest of the potatoes into halves
3) Grind ginger into paste
4) Beat curd, keep aside
5) Heat oil and ghee together, when smoke comes out reduce flame and temper with black cumin, ginger paste, chopped green chili, red chili powder and stir well
6) Add cut potatoes, salt and stir for 1 minute
7) Add mashed potatoes and one and half cup of water. Stir and cook with lid on
8) Add curd and mix well and cook for another 2 minutes
9) Add roasted cumin powder, black pepper powder and finely chopped coriander leaves, stir well and remove from fire
29. Green Jackfruit Dalna
Ingredients –
Green jackfruit – 250 gm
Potato – 200 gm
Roasted cumin powder – 2 tsp
Roasted coriander powder – 2 tsp
Red chili powder to taste
Ginger – 1 inch
Tomato – 125 gm
Salt to taste
Turmeric a pinch
Tempering mix – bay leaf 1, cumin seed 1 tsp, crushed big cardamom 2
Garam masala powder – grind together to fine powder cardamom 4, cinnamon 2, cloves 5
Ghee – 2 tbsp
Cooking oil – 50 ml
Method –
1) Peel jackfruit, remove seed and cut into cubes. Boil, remove and drain
2) Peel potatoes and cut into cubes, grind ginger to fine paste, chop tomatoes
3) Heat oil, when smoke comes out; add tempering mix, turmeric and red chili powder. Stir well for few minutes on low flame
4) Add chopped tomatoes, stir well for sometime till tomatoes are well cooked and mixed with spices. Sprinkle water while stirring
5) Add roasted coriander and cumin powder, stir, add potatoes, jackfruit and salt. Stir well
6) When flavor comes out, add little water, cook with lid on low flame till water is dried up and vegetables are done
7) Add garam masala powder and ghee, mix well and remove from fire
30. Flat Beans Paturi
Ingredients –
Flat beans – 500 gm
Green peas shelled – 100 gm
Tomato – 3
Poppy seeds paste – 2 tbsp
Yellow mustard seed – 2 tbsp
Green chili – 4
Chopped coriander leaves – ½ cup
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder a pinch
Sugar – 1 tsp
Panch Phoron – 1 tsp for tempering (to make Panch Phoron mix mustard seed, fenugreek, fennel, cumin seed, black cumin in equal quantity)
Mustard oil – 50 ml
Method –
1) Clean flat beans. Keeping the beans whole, cut the tips of either ends
2) Wash tomatoes and cut lengthwise each tomato into 6 pieces
3) Grind together yellow mustard seed and green chili into fine paste
4) Heat oil, when smoke comes out, add panch phoron, reduce to low flame
5) Add flat beans and green peas, stir well for few minutes
6) Add tomato pieces, keep stirring
7) Add turmeric, keep stirring well
8) When tomato is mixed, add ground yellow mustard green chili paste. Stir well sprinkling water in between
9. After few minutes add little water and cook with lid on low flame
10. When water is dry add salt, sugar and poppy seed paste. Stir well, slowly flavor will come out
11. Add 2 tsp mustard oil and 2 green chili whole and stir well for half a minute and remove
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1. Stuffed Chicken
Ingredients –
Chicken – 1 whole
Eggs – 4 (hard boiled)
Almonds – 12
Cashew nuts – 10
Raisins – 20
Poppy seed – 1 teaspoon
Dry coconut (grated) – 3 tablespoon
Cardamom – 4
Cinnamon – 2
Cloves – 4
Sugar – a pinch to taste
Cheese (grated) – 2 tablespoon
Cumin powder – half teaspoon
Coriander powder – half teaspoon
Curd – 1 cup
Onion – 3
Garlic flakes – 8
Chili powder – a pinch
Pepper powder – a pinch
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Butter – 3 tablespoon
Salt – to taste
Few pieces of pineapple and cherries for garnishing
Method –
1) Clean and wash chicken keeping it whole
2) Wash insides of chicken with lukewarm water and wipe out the moisture with a clean dry napkin
3) Finely chop one onion and fry till golden brown, remove and keep aside
4) Add to this fried onion chopped hard boiled eggs, raisins, chopped cashew nuts, almonds, sugar, salt, pepper powder and grated cheese. Mix well. The stuffing is ready
5) Stuff the chicken with this stuffing and stitch up carefully
6) Grind poppy seed and grated coconut to fine paste
7) Grind cardamom, cinnamon and cloves to powder
8) Whip curd well
9) Finely chop remaining onion and garlic
10) Heat butter in a thick bottomed broad pan, add onion and garlic. Stir well till golden brown
11) Add all ground and powdered spices and two table spoon curd and stir well
12) When flavor comes out add remaining curd and bring to boil
13) Add the chicken in the pan and cook on slow flame with a tight lid on till the chicken is done
14) To cook the chicken properly, turn all the sides occasionally
15) Remove from fire and remove the stitches
16) Place the chicken on serving dish, garnish with thin roundels of pineapple and cherries
2. Savory Chicken
Ingredients –
Chicken – 1 kg
Grated cheese – 8 teaspoon
Eggs – 4
Raisin – 4 tablespoon
Soya sauce – 4 teaspoon
Onion (medium) – 4
Tomato – 4
Ginger – 2 inch piece
Garlic – 12 flakes
Red chili powder – to taste
Green chili – 4
Milk whole – 4 cups
Mint leaf (chopped) – 1 tablespoon
Coriander leaves – 1 tablespoon
Cinnamon – 2
Cloves – 6
Salt – to taste
Refined oil – 50 ml
Method –
1) Clean and wash chicken
2) Finely chop onion and garlic
3) Grind ginger to paste and chop green chili
4) Chop tomatoes
5) Wash and finely chop mint and coriander leaves
6) Beat the eggs
7) Heat oil; add onion, garlic and ginger. Stir till brown
8) Add soya sauce, chili powder, raisin, chopped tomato, coarsely ground cloves and cinnamon, green chili and grated cheese. Stir on slow flame for five minutes
9) When all the spices are mixed well add beaten egg and stir well
10) Add chicken, mint and coriander leaves and keep on stirring
11) When well fried and flavor comes out, add milk and cook on slow flame till the chicken is tender and milk is dried up
12) If chicken is still hard add some water and little more milk and cook on slow flame till done
13) Serve hot with rice or bread
Note – in the above recipe, chicken can be replaced with mutton or lamb
3. Almond Chicken
Ingredients –
Chicken – 1 kg
Almonds – 18
Fresh cream – 1 cup
Saffron – 4 (soaked in milk)
Onion – 400 gm
Ginger – 30 gm
Coriander powder – 2 tablespoon
Red chili powder – a pinch to taste
Cardamom – 4
Cinnamon – 1
Cloves – 5
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Salt – to taste
Refined oil – 60 ml
Method –
1) Clean and wash chicken pieces
2) Grind 10 almond pieces
3) Fry the remaining almonds and keep aside
4) Marinate chicken pieces with ground almonds, cream, soaked saffron and little salt for 2 hours
5) Grate onions, grind ginger to fine paste
6) Grind cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves together to fine powder
7) Heat oil, add onion and ginger, stir till brown
8) Add other spices and stir well
9) When spices are well fried and oil separates from the spices add marinated chicken
10) Keep on stirring till brown and flavor comes out
11) Add just enough water to cook the chicken tender with thick gravy
12) Remove from fire
13) Before serving, garnish chicken with fried almonds
4. Chicken Korma
Ingredients –
Chicken – 1 kg
Cashew nuts – 50 gm
Almonds – 50 gm
Raisins – 25 gm
Red chili powder – a pinch to taste
Fresh cream – 1 cup
Fresh coconut (grated) – 1
Vinegar – 2 tablespoon
Yellow mustard seed – 50 gm
Onion (medium) – 5
Garlic – 6 flakes
Ginger – 50 gm
Salt – to taste
Cardamom – 2
Cinnamon – 2
Cloves – 4
Refined oil – 50 ml
Method –
1) Finely chop onion
2) Grind garlic and ginger to fine paste
3) Grind yellow mustard seeds with vinegar and keep it covered
4) Grind cashew nuts, almonds, raisins and grated coconut to fine paste
5) Wash chicken pieces and marinate with ground cashew nut-almond-raisin-coconut paste and fresh cream. Keep aside for 1 hour
6) Coarsely grind cardamom, cinnamon and cloves together
7) Heat oil and add coarsely ground cardamom, cinnamon and cloves, and chopped onions. Stir well till light brown
8) Add garlic and ginger paste, red chili powder and stir well
9) Add ground yellow mustard paste and stir well
10) Add marinated chicken and stir well
11) When flavor comes out add just enough water to cook properly to have little gravy
12) Cook over slow flame till done
5. Mughlai Roast
Ingredients –
Chicken – 500 gm
Fresh coconut – half
Onion (medium) – 4
Garlic – 8 flakes
Ginger – 25 gm
Red chili powder – a pinch to taste
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Fresh Coriander leaves – 2 tablespoon
Sugar – a pinch to taste
Cinnamon – 1
Cardamom – 2
Cloves – 3
Salt – to taste
Lemon juice (fresh) – 2 teaspoon
Refined oil – 30 ml
Method –
1) Clean and wash chicken pieces
2) Grate coconut
3) Grind together coconut, onion, garlic and ginger to fine paste
4) Marinate chicken with this ground spices, turmeric powder, red chili powder, sugar and salt for 1 hour
5) Chop coriander leaves
6) Grind cardamom, cinnamon and cloves to fine powder
7) Heat oil, add marinated chicken and cook on slow flame with lid on
8) Keep stirring from time to time, the chicken should be cooked with its own water
9) When chicken is well cooked, tender and almost dry add cardamom, cinnamon and clove powder and chopped coriander leaves and lemon juice
10) You can decorate the dish with fried or boiled potato roundels
Note – in this recipe, chicken can be replaced with mutton or lamb
6. Chingri Bhate (Prawns cooked inside rice) –
Ingredients -
Prawns – 500 gm Turmeric – a pinch
Coconut – 1 (grated) Salt to taste
Green chilli – 3 Sugar – 1 tsp
Mustard Seed – 1 tbsp Mustard oil – 40 ml
Banana leaf – 12 inch long
Rice – as required for the members
Method
1) Shell, clean and wash prawns
2) Grind coconut, green chilies, mustard seeds to fine paste
3) Clean the banana leaf and wipe it with a wet cloth. Hold the leaf on the flame for few minutes till the color of the leaf changes. Keep aside
4) In a bowl marinate prawns with ground spices, sugar, turmeric, salt and mustard oil for fifteen minutes
5) Keep the marinated prawns in the center of the banana leaf and cover it by folding all the sides and bind the leaf with white thread
6) Prepare rice, when done remove from flame. And then remove half the rice. Place the stuffed banana leaf on the surface of the remaining rice and cover it with the previously removed rice ensuring that the leaf is covered with hot rice from all sides. Keep a lid on the rice
7) After 40 minutes remove the banana leaf, open it and serve it on a serving bowl with plain steamed rice.
7. Alimo Roast
Ingredients –
Group A
Mutton / Lamb Leg – 1 kg
Potato (medium) – 3
Carrot (medium) – 3
Onion (medium) – 3
Green papaya (small) – 1
Vinegar – 3 teaspoon
Sugar – 2 teaspoon
Salt – to taste
Turmeric powder – 1 teaspoon
Cooking oil – 3 tablespoon
Group B (grind each of the following ingredients separately)
Cumin seed – 2 teaspoon
Red chili – 5
Cloves – 2
Garlic – 10 flakes
Ginger – 50 gm
Coriander leaves – 100 gm
Onion – 2
Method
1) Cut leg into three big pieces. Clean and wash
2) Wipe out the moisture with a clean napkin, prick the skin with fork
3) Skin and grate the green papaya, keep aside
4) Peel potato, onion and carrot (from Group A), and keep them whole and wash
5) Marinate leg pieces with salt, grated papaya, onion paste and ginger paste (from Group B) for one hour
6) Heat oil in a cooker / deep pot with lid, add all ground spices (from Group B) and turmeric powder, stir well
7) Add marinated leg pieces and keep on stirring till fried well
8) Add salt and two cups of water, cover and cook for 15 minutes
9) Remove from fire and after few minutes open the lid and add the skinned whole potatoes, carrots and onions
10) Again keep the pot on fire with lid
11) After 5 minutes cook on low flame for another 5 minutes
12) Remove from fire, after few minutes open the lid and add sugar and vinegar
13) Again keep the pot on fire without the lid till the meat is done
14) Remove from fire and serve hot
8. Chicken Spinach
Ingredients
Chicken (breast and leg portions only) – 500 gm
Spinach – 300 gm
Curd – 150 gm
Onion – 100 gm
Ginger – 50 gm
Tomato puree – 100 gm
Salted butter – 100 gm
Tamarind pulp – 1 teaspoon
Red chili powder – 1 teaspoon
Pepper powder – a pinch
Sugar – 1 teaspoon
Salt – to taste
Cooking oil – 50 ml
Method –
1) Cut and wash chicken pieces
2) Whip curd and keep aside
3) Prepare a paste of tamarind pulp and sugar and keep aside
4) Grind ginger and onion to fine paste
5) Steam spinach and grind to paste
6) Heat oil add ginger and onion paste, stir well
7) When ginger and onion paste is well fried add pepper powder and red chili powder
8) When flavor starts coming out add the whipped curd
9) Stir well and add the tomato puree
10) Now add the tamarind-sugar paste and cook for sometime
11) Add the chicken pieces, cover with a lid (add little water if required), stir occasionally
12) When chicken is done add butter and let the butter melt
13) Finally add spinach and salt to the chicken and mix well and then bring to one boil and remove from fire
14) Serve hot
9. Chicken Malaikari
Ingredients
Chicken – 500 gm
Coconut – half
Onion – 3
Cloves whole – 7
Coriander leaves – 1 tablespoon
Garlic – 4 flakes
Ginger – 30 gm
Salt – to taste
Black pepper whole – 5
Sugar – a pinch
Turmeric – a pinch
Cinnamon – 1
Cardamom – 2
Poppy seed – a pinch
Cumin seeds – a pinch
Coriander seeds – a pinch
Chili powder – a pinch
Cooking oil – 30 ml
Method –
1) Clean and wash chicken pieces, boil chicken with grated ginger and one chopped onion in two cups of water for few minutes
2) When boiled chicken is cool, pass through a sieve and keep the stock for later use
3) Roast cinnamon, cardamom, two cloves, poppy seed, cumin seed, coriander seed and grind to fine powder; keep aside
4) Chop garlic and one onion and fry in little oil till light brown; keep aside
5) Grate coconut
6) Grind together grated coconut and fried onion-garlic to fine paste
7) Finely chop the remaining one onion and fry till golden brown and keep aside
8) Heat oil and add black pepper whole and 5 cloves whole, add ground coconut and onion-garlic paste and stir on medium flame
9) Add roasted powder spices (step 3 above), turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt. Stir well; when flavor comes out add sugar and chicken pieces.
10) Stir well and cook on low flame
11) Add finely chopped coriander leaves and stir well
12) Add chicken stock, cook with lid on low flame
13) Cook till chicken is very tender and the gravy is thick and remove from fire
14) Finally garnish with fried golden brown onion and serve hot with rice
10. Doi Chingri
Ingredients –
Prawns (medium) – 500 gm
Curd – 100 gm
Onion – 2
Ginger – 50 gm
Sugar – 1 teaspoon
Bay leaves – 2
Red chili powder – a pinch
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Big cardamom – 2
Salt – to taste
Cloves – 3
Cinnamon – 2
Cardamom – 2
Ghee – 3 tablespoon
Method
1) Shell prawns, clean and wash well
2) Grind ginger and onion to fine paste
3) Marinate prawns with onion-ginger paste, red chili powder, salt, sugar, curd and turmeric powder for 30 minutes
4) Grind big cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom to fine powder. This is the ‘garam masala’ powder
5) Heat ghee, add bay leaves and garam masala powder, add marinated prawns and stir
6) Bring to boil and simmer till prawns are done; serve hot
11. Prawns with Okra
Ingredients –
Prawns (medium) – 750 gm
Okra – 750 gm
Onion – 4
Green chili – 2
Red chili powder – a pinch
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Salt – to taste
Cooking oil – 30 ml
Method –
1) Wash okra and wipe dry with a clean napkin; keep aside till okra completely dry
2) Chop okra in 1 inch long pieces
3) Shell prawns, clean and wash very well
4) Grind onion and green chili to fine paste
5) Heat oil, add onion paste and stir well
6) When onion is golden brown add okra, prawns, turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt
7) Cook on low flame with lid on
8) Sprinkle little water occasionally to prevent burning from bottom
9) Mix well carefully without breaking the okra
10) Cook till the prawns and okra is done well
12. Tomato Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken – 1.5 kg
Tomato – 1 kg
Fresh cream – 8 tablespoon
Garlic – 6 flakes
Refined flour – 2 tablespoon
Red chili powder – a pinch to taste
Salt – to taste
Cardamom – 4
Cinnamon – 2
Cloves – 5
Cooking oil – 70 ml
Method –
1) Clean and wash chicken pieces
2) Steam tomato and take out the juice, keep aside (throw the skin away)
3) Grind to fine paste – cardamom, cinnamon and cloves with little water, and keep aside with lid on (to preserve the fragrance)
4) Grind garlic to fine paste
5) Make a batter of refined flour, pinch of salt and water
6) Dip chicken pieces in the batter and fry in hot oil, and keep aside
7) Heat oil and add garlic paste, red chili powder and tomato juice
8) Bring it to boil and add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves paste; salt and fried chicken pieces. Stir well for 5 – 6 minutes
9) When well fried and flavor comes out add little water. Cook till chicken is tender and remove from fire
10) Add cream and mix well
13. Nargis Kofta
Ingredients –
For Kofta –
Minced meat (mutton / lamb / beef) – 500 gm
Onion – 2
Ginger – 30 gm
Hard boiled eggs – 8
Raw egg – 1
Raw papaya grated – 1 tablespoon
Cashew nuts – 4
Poppy seed – 2 teaspoon
Green chili – 2
Salt – to taste
Cardamom – 3
Cinnamon – 1
Cloves – 2
Flour – to coat the boiled eggs
Oil – to fry
For Gravy –
Tomato puree – 2 cups
Onion – 3
Garlic – 4 flakes
Salt – to taste
Red chili powder – a pinch
Green chili (chopped) – 1
Coriander leaves – 2 tablespoon
Cinnamon – 1
Cardamom – 4
Cloves – 3
Cooking oil – 20 ml
Method –
1) Grind cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves into fine powder
2) Crush cashew nuts
3) Grind poppy seeds to fine paste
4) Grind together minced meat, finely chopped green chili, cinnamon-cardamom-cloves powder, grated raw papaya, poppy seed paste, cashew nuts and salt
5) Beat the raw egg and mix well to the above. Keep the mixture in fridge for one hour
6) Make a thick batter of flour, salt and black pepper powder
7) Coat the hard boiled eggs with the mince meat mix
8) Heat oil and dip the prepared eggs in the flour batter and deep fry
9) Remove from fire on paper to soak excess oil. The koftas are now ready
For Gravy –
1) Finely chop onion, garlic and green chili
2) Heat oil, add finely chopped onion and stir till light brown
3) Add finely chopped garlic, green chili, turmeric powder and red chili powder. Stir till light brown
4) Add tomato puree and salt. Stir for a minute
5) Grind cinnamon, cardamom and cloves to fine powder and add to the above. Stir well
6) Now add little water and bring to boil
7) Add fried koftas one by one into the gravy. Simmer on low flame for 25 minutes
8) Before serving garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves
14. Paneer Chicken
Ingredients –
Chicken – 1 kg
Paneer (cottage cheese) – 200 gm
Green peas (shelled) – 100 gm
Tomato – 2
Onion – 3
Garlic – 3 flakes
Ginger – 50 gm
Red chili powder – a pinch to taste
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Salt – to taste
Bay leaves – 2
Sugar – 1 teaspoon
Coriander leaves – 50 gm
Whole spices – black pepper 6, cardamom 2, big cardamom 1, cinnamon 1, cloves 2
For grinding – cardamom 2, cinnamon 1, cloves 4
Cooking oil – 60 ml
Method –
1) Clean and wash chicken pieces
2) Cut paneer into cubes
3) Finely chop onion and garlic and tomatoes (keeping them separate)
4) Grind ginger to fine paste
5) Heat oil, add bay leaves, all the whole spices and sugar
6) Add chopped onion, garlic and ginger paste
7) Stir well till onion is light brown
8) Add chicken, stir for 5 minutes
9) Add peas and ground spices. Stir well
10) Add tomato and stir on low flame till flavor comes out and tomatoes are well cooked
11) Add paneer and stir on low flame, sprinkling water occasionally
12) Add little water and cook with lid on low flame
13) When chicken is well cooked and gravy is thick, remove from fire
14) Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves
15. Fried Meat with Potato Fingers
Ingredients –
Meat (mutton or lamb) – 500 gm
Hard boiled egg – 3
Potato – 250 gm
Onion – 300 gm
Garlic – 6 flakes
Ginger – 1 inch
Bay leaf – 1
Tomato – 2
Red chili powder – a pinch to taste
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Salt – to taste
Cardamom – 3
Cinnamon – 1
Cloves – 4
Coriander leaves – to garnish
Mint leaves – to garnish
Cooking oil – to fry
Method –
1) Cut meat into even cube pieces, clean and wash, squeeze dry
2) Peel and cut potatoes into long fingers. Rub salt and turmeric to the fingers and keep for 15 min. Water will come out
3) Drain out the water and deep fry fingers on slow flame till crisp. Remove from fire to drip extra oil
4) Finely chop onion and garlic
5) Grind ginger to fine paste
6) Grind cardamom, cinnamon and cloves to fine powder
7) Chop tomatoes
8) Heat oil, add onion and fry till golden brown
9) Add garlic and bay leaves, stir for two more minutes
10) Add tomatoes, stir till tomatoes are tender and well mixed
11) Add ground ginger paste and cardamom-cinnamon-cloves powder and turmeric powder and salt. Stir well. Add meat and stir on medium flame
12) When meat is well fried add water and cook till meat is tender and the gravy is totally dried up
13) Shell hard boiled eggs and cut into halves
14) Serve meat on a flat round bowl, place egg pieces on the round edges of the bowl and garnish the meat with fried potato fingers and chopped coriander and mint leaves
16. Lobster Kalia
Ingredients –
Lobster – 750 gm
Cauliflower – 200 gm
Potato – 100 gm
Onion – 3
Garlic – 4 flakes
Ginger – 30 gm
Coriander – 1 teaspoon
Red chili powder – 1 teaspoon
Sugar – 2 teaspoon
Cardamom – 3
Cinnamon – 2
Cloves – 4
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Salt – to taste
Cooking oil – 1 cup
Method –
1) Shell lobster and remove intestine and wash well with water
2) Rub salt and turmeric to lobster, keep aside
3) Peel potatoes and cut into cubes
4) Cut cauliflower and wash
5) Grind ginger, garlic and onion to fine paste
6) Heat oil, when smoke comes out add lobster, fry and remove; keep aside
7) In remaining oil add potato, fry and remove
8) Apply salt and turmeric powder to cauliflower, fry and remove; keep aside
9) Again heat oil, add ginger-garlic-onion paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, salt and keep on stirring till spices are brown in color. When flavor comes out add fried potatoes and cauliflower
10) Add sugar, stir for one minute, and add water and lobster
11) When done and desired quantity of gravy remains, remove from fire
12) Add cardamom-cinnamon-cloves powder, cover with lid. Serve after 15 minutes
17. Meat Paturi
Ingredients –
Meat – 1 kg
Curd – 225 gm
Sugar – 1 teaspoon
Onion – 150 gm
Garlic – 6 flakes
Red chili powder – a pinch
Black pepper powder – 2 teaspoon
Poppy seed – 50 gm
Mustard seed yellow – 25 gm
Salt – to taste
Mustard oil – 50 ml
Method –
1) Clean and wash meat pieces
2) Finely chop onion and garlic
3) Grind mustard seed and poppy seed to fine paste
4) Heat little oil, when smoke comes out add chopped onion and garlic and stir till light brown
5) Marinate meat with fried onion-garlic, curd, sugar, salt, mustard and poppy seed paste, black pepper powder, red chili powder and raw (not heated) mustard oil for 1 hr
6) Cook marinated meat with lid on slow flame for 25 min, stirring occasionally
7) When done, remove from fire and mix well and serve hot
18. Chicken Dumphukt
Ingredients –
Chicken – 1 kg
Curd – 500 gm
Butter – 50 gm
Almond – 10
Raisin – 10
Onion – 3
Ginger – 30 gm
Bay leaves – 3
Sugar – 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Red chili powder – to taste
Cardamom – 6
Cinnamon – 4
Cloves – 4
Method
1) Clean and wash chicken pieces
2) Grind together cardamom, cinnamon and cloves to fine powder
3) Grind ginger to paste
4) Soak almonds for one hour, scale and slice
5) Grate onion
6) Beat curd till without lump and add cardamom-cinnamon-cloves powder and red chili powder, mix well
7) Marinate chicken with the above mix for 30 min
8) Heat butter and add sugar. When sugar starts burning and caramel color comes out, add bay leaves, grated onion and ginger paste
9) Stir well till the spices are brown in color
10) Add marinated meat, raisins, chopped almonds; mix well and cover with lid
11) Cook on slow flame for 45 min. When chicken is tender and gravy is thick, remove from fire
19. Sweet and Sour Mango Chicken
Ingredients –
Chicken boneless – 250 gm
Ripe mango – 500 gm
Tomato (medium) – 1
Soya sauce – 2 tablespoon
Cornflour – 3 teaspoon
Garlic – 2 flakes
Salt to taste
Cooking oil – for frying
Method
1) Cut chicken into cubes, boil with little salt till done, remove from fire
2) Cut tomatoes into thin roundels
3) Make fine paste of garlic
4) Wash and peel mangoes and cut into cubes; keep aside
5) Heat oil in a pan and fry chicken pieces on low flame till light brown. Remove from fire and keep on a flat platter and cover
6) Heat one tablespoon oil and add garlic paste; fry on slow flame till garlic paste turns black (almost burnt), remove the garlic paste from oil. Add soya sauce and salt to the remaining oil in the pan
7) In two tablespoon water add cornflour and make smooth paste
8) Add the cornflour paste to the pan
9) Now add two more cups of water into the pan, stir well and bring the mixture to boil stirring continuously so that no lumps are formed
10) In a serving dish arrange fried chicken pieces, mango pieces, tomato roundels
11) Pour the hot gravy sauce over them. Serve hot with rice or noodles
20. Chicken Coriander Curry
Ingredients
Chicken – 1 kg
Onion – 500 gm
Garlic – 12 flakes
Ginger – 50 gm
Potato medium – 6
Curd – two tablespoon
Black pepper whole – 6
Bay leaves – 2
Coriander leaves chopped – 2 tablespoon
Tomato – 250 gm
Red chili powder to taste
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Salt to taste
Big cardamom – 3
Cardamom – 3
Cinnamon – 1
Cloves – 4
Cooking oil – 50 ml
Method
1) Clean and wash chicken pieces
2) Finely chop onion, garlic, ginger and tomato separately
3) Peel potatoes, cut into halves and wash
4) Heat oil; add whole pepper, crushed big cardamom and bay leaves
5) Add chopped garlic and stir for few seconds
6) Add chopped onion, stir till light brown
7) Add chopped ginger, tomato, red chili powder and turmeric powder; stir well
8) Stir till tomato turns to sauce
9) Add chicken, sugar and salt. Keep on stirring sprinkling water in between
10) Add curd and keep on stirring
11) Add potatoes and continue to stir
12) When meat is brown in color and flavor comes out, add water and cover with a lid
13) Cook on slow flame till the meat is done. Remove from fire
14) Grind cardamom, cinnamon cloves into fine powder
15) Add the above powder and chopped coriander leaves to the meat and mix well
16) Serve hot
21. Curd Egg
Ingredients –
Egg – 6 (hardboiled)
Curd – 100 gm
Onion – 1
Ginger – 1 inch
Garlic – 1 flake
Red chili powder – a pinch to taste
Cashew nut – 1 tsp
Raisin – 1 tsp
Sugar – to taste a pinch
Bay leaves – 2
Salt – to taste
Green chili – 2
Cardamom – 2
Cinnamon – 1
Cloves – 3
Ghee – 2 tbsp
Method –
1) Hard boil eggs, cool, shell and cut into halves lengthwise
2) Grind together ginger and garlic to fine paste
3) Finely chop green chilies and onion
4) Beat the curd
5) Heat half the ghee and sauté egg halves and keep aside
6) Heat the remaining ghee; add bay leaves, crushed cardamom, cinnamon, cloves
7) Add finely chopped onion; stir till onion turns light brown
8) Add ginger garlic paste, chopped green chili, red chili powder and sugar. Stir for few minutes
9) Add beaten curds, raisin, cashew nut and eggs. Simmer for 5 minutes
10) Remove from fire
22. Egg Paturi
Ingredients –
Eggs – 8
Poppy seed – 2 tbsp
Yellow mustard seed – 2 tbsp
Green chili – 2
Red chili powder – a pinch to taste
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Salt – to taste
Coconut – 1 cup freshly grated
Mustard oil – 3 tbsp
Method –
1) Hard boil eggs, cool and shell
2) Grind together poppy seed, mustard seed and green chili to fine paste
3) Grind coconut to fine paste
4) Cut boiled eggs into halves lengthwise
5) Marinate the egg halves with ground paste of poppy seed, mustard seed, green chili, and grated coconut, turmeric, red chili powder, salt and mustard oil. Mix well
6) Place the marinated eggs along with all spices into a Tiffin box with lid and steam for 15 minutes
7) Remove from fire, serve with rice
23. Mutton Kofta Curry
Ingredients –
For Kofta
Minced meat – 1 kg
Onion – 3
Egg – 1
Ginger – 50 gm
Red chili powder – to taste
Salt – to taste
Oil – to fry
For curry
Tomato puree – 2 cups
Onion – 3
Garlic – 5 flakes
Ginger – 30 gm
Turmeric – a pinch
Red chili powder – to taste
Salt – to taste
Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp
Cardamom – 3
Cinnamon – 1
Cloves – 4
Oil – 40 ml
Method –
For Kofta
1) Grind together minced meat and all other ingredients expect egg and oil
2) Beat the egg and mix well with above
3) Make medium sized balls out of the above mixture
4) Heat oil, deep fry the kofta balls till golden brown, remove and drain on paper
For Curry
1) Finely chop onion, garlic and ginger
2) Heat oil, add the above
3) Stir till brown; add turmeric powder, red chili powder, tomato puree and salt. Let it simmer
4) Grind cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves to fine powder and add to the above
5) Stir; add little water to make the gravy and bring to boil
6) Add kofta balls one by one to the gravy and simmer for 20 minutes
7) Remove from fire and garnish with chopped coriander leaves
24. Chili Chicken
Ingredients –
Chicken – 1 kg
Egg – 3
Soya sauce – 4 tsp
Onion – 8
Garlic – 10 flakes
Refined flour – 2 tbsp
Vinegar – 2 tbsp
Green chili – 15
Capsicum – 6
Tomato ketchup – 3 tbsp
Salt – to taste
Sugar – 2 tsp
Oil – to fry
Method –
1) Clean and wash chicken pieces
2) Chop green chilies finely
3) Beat eggs
4) Marinate chicken with vinegar, soya sauce, beaten egg, salt and chopped green chilies for 1 hr
5) Cut onion in big pieces and separate layers
6) Cut capsicum in big square pieces
7) Finely chop garlic
8) Heat oil, fry marinated chicken pieces two at a time to light brown. Keep aside
9) In remaining oil add onion, garlic and capsicum, stir and fry lightly
10) Add fried chicken pieces, leftover marinated spices, vinegar, and soya sauce and tomato ketchup. Stir; add sugar and optimum water to cook
11) Roast refined flour, dissolve flour in half cup of water, mix well and add to chicken. When gravy thickens, remove from fire, serve hot
25. Liver Curry
Ingredients –
Liver – 200 gm
Potato – 200 gm
Onion – 3
Ginger – 1 inch
Garlic – 6 flakes
Bay leaves – 2
Tomato – 1
Salt – to taste
Red chili powder – to taste
Black pepper – 6
Green chili – 1
Turmeric – a pinch
Vinegar – 2 tbsp
Cardamom – 3
Cinnamon – 1
Cloves – 5
Refined oil – 30 ml
Method
1) Clean and wash liver, cut into cubes
2) Peel potato and cut into cubes. Fry in hot oil and keep aside
3) Finely chop onion, garlic, ginger, green chili and tomato separately
4) Heat oil, when smoke comes out add black pepper and bay leaves
5) Add chopped onion and garlic, stir till golden brown
6) Add ginger, green chili, tomato and turmeric, stir well
7) Add red chili and lever pieces, stir on slow flame
8) Add salt and keep stirring with lid on
9) Add water and cover
10) When liver is well cooked, add vinegar and fried potato cubes, stir well
11) Grind cinnamon, cardamom and cloves into fine powder
11) When gravy is thick and liver and potatoes are done add the above spice powder, mix well, remove from fire. Serve hot
26. Mutton Vindaloo
Ingredients -
Mutton – 500 gm
Onion – 3
Cumin seed – 1 tsp
Ginger – 1 inch
Garlic – 4 flakes
Tomato – 2
Mustard seed – 1 tsp
Vinegar – 2 tbsp
Cinnamon – 1
Cardamom – 2
Cloves – 2
Salt – to taste
Red chili powder – to taste
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Ghee – 1 tsp
Refined oil – 30 ml
Method –
1) Clean and wash mutton pieces. Wipe out the moisture with a napkin
2) Chop one onion and two tomatoes
3) Grind together remaining two onions, cumin seeds, mustard seed, ginger, garlic, red chili powder, turmeric powder, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves with vinegar (do not add any water) into fine paste
4) Smear ground spices and salt on meat and keep in fridge for 3 hrs
5) Heat oil add chopped onion
6) Stir well, when onion is golden brown, add meat and keep on stirring
7) Add chopped tomato
8) Cook on low flame with lid on
9) Remove the lid occasionally to see the meat is not sticking and stir. Again cover with lid and cook
10) If needed add little vinegar but no water. The meat should get tender with its own juice
11) When meat is tender, add ghee, stir and remove from fire, serve hot
Note – No water is used in this preparation at any stage. If needed, you may add vinegar
27. Chicken Lazawab
Ingredients –
Boneless chicken – 500 gm
Grated coconut – 1 cup
Yellow mustard seed – 3 tbsp
Garlic – 8 flakes
Ginger paste – 2 tsp
Green chilies – 5
Curd – 125 gm
Lime juice – 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Sugar – 1 tsp
Mustard oil – 50 ml
Method
1) Wash boneless chicken
2) Grind garlic to fine paste, grind green chilies to fine paste, grind grated coconut to fine paste, grind yellow mustard seed into fine paste (all separately)
3) Place chicken in deep glass bowl, marinate with half of ginger paste, half of lime juice and 2 tbsp mustard oil
4) Marinate in fridge for 30 minutes
5) Take another glass bowl and beat the curd the in it, add ground coconut, yellow mustard seed, remaining ground ginger and garlic paste, remaining lime juice, ground green chili, salt, sugar and rest of the mustard oil. Mix well
6) Take out the marinated chicken from the fridge and mix into the above mix properly
7) Now put the above with lid on in microwave in medium heat. Microwave for 10 minutes
28. Prawn Paneer Korma Curry
Ingredients –
Prawns – 500 gm
Paneer – 200 gm
Tomato – 3
Poppy seeds – 2 tbsp
Cashew nuts – 50 gm
Red chili powder to taste
Salt to taste
Ginger – 30 gm
Sugar a pinch
Raisin – 10
Cardamom – 3
Cinnamon – 1
Cloves – 3
Corn flour – 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds (for tempering) – 1 tsp
Mustard oil – 50 ml
Method –
1) Clean and wash prawns, add salt and rub well, keep aside
2) Cut paneer into equal cubes, dip for few minutes in a bowl of warm water
3) Grind poppy seeds, cashew nut, and ginger separately into fine paste
4) Grind tomato to fine paste. Grind cardamom, cinnamon, clove to fine powder (garam masala)
5) Take out paneer pieces from warm water and sprinkle corn flour and salt
6) Heat oil, when smoke comes out, add prawns, sauté and keep aside
7) In remaining oil, fry paneer and keep aside
8) Heat oil add cumin seed (for tempering)
9) Add tomato paste, ginger paste, garam masala powder and red chili powder and stir well sprinkling water intermittently
10) Add ground poppy seed, ground cashew nut, sugar and salt, stir well sprinkling water as needed to prevent burning
11) Add prawns, stir for two minutes, add water and cook with cover
12) When water starts to boil, add paneer and raisin
13) When curry is thick, remove from fire and serve hot
29. Fish Kalia
Ingredients –
Rohu Fish (Common Carp Fish) – 1 kg
Onion – 3
Garlic – 4 flakes
Ginger – 50 gm
Curd – 2 tbsp
Sugar – 1 tsp
Raisin – 20
Red chili powder to taste
Turmeric powder as required
Salt to taste
Bay leaves – 2
For tempering – big cardamom – 2, cardamom – 2, cinnamon – 2, cloves – 4
Ghee – 2 tsp
Mustard oil – 75 ml
For Garam Masala – grind to fine powder Cardamom – 3, cinnamon – 2, cloves – 4
Method –
1) Clean, cut and wash fish into pieces. Rub salt, turmeric to fish pieces and keep aside
2) Finely chop one onion
3) Grind the other 2 onions with garlic and ginger
4) Heat half of oil, when smoke comes out, add 4 to 5 fishes at a time. Fry till light brown all fish pieces and remove
5) In remaining oil add ghee and rest of the oil
6) When oil is hot, add cashew nuts fry till light brown and remove
7) Add bay leaves and all ingredients (crushed) for tempering
8) Add chopped onion and stir till light brown
9) Add ground ginger, garlic and onion, stir well sprinkling water in between
10) Add turmeric powder, red chili, sugar, salt and curd. Stir well. Keep stirring till spices are brown and flavor comes out, sprinkling water from time to time
11) Add water, cashew nuts, raisins, and fish
12) Bring to boil and cook till the gravy is thick
13) Add garam masala powder, remove from fire and serve hot
30. Dilbahari Gosht (meat)
Ingredients –
Meat (Chicken or Lamb or Mutton) boneless – 500 gm
Poppy seeds – 2 tbsp
Cashew nuts – 20
Sesame seed – 2 tsp
Onion – 3
Garlic – 5 flakes
Ginger – 30 gm
Curd – 2 tbsp
Grated coconut – half cup
Bay leaves – 2
Red chili powder to taste
Salt to taste
For Garam Masala grind to fine powder – cinnamon 1, cardamom 2, cloves 2
Refined oil – 40 ml
Method –
1) Steam meat with little salt
2) Grind separately poppy seeds, cashew nuts, sesame seed, grated coconut, ginger, garlic, onion keep aside
3) Marinate steamed meat with ground poppy seed and sesame seed and cashew nut, coconut and curd, salt and keep aside for 1 hr
4) Heat oil, add bay leaves, add onion, ginger, garlic paste and stir well
5) Add marinated meat and red chili powder and adequate water to make a thick gravy
6) Add garam masala powder. Mix well and remove from fire. Serve hot
1. Paneer Pulao
Ingredients
Basmati Rice – 500 gm
Paneer – 250 gm
Green peas – 200 gm
Salt to taste
Cumin seed – 1 tsp for tempering
Bay leaves – 2
Green chili – 2
Cardamom – 2
Cinnamon – 1
Cloves – 4
Sugar – 1 tsp
Ghee – 2 tsp
Refined oil – 50 ml
Method
1) Wash rice and drain. Spread out the rice to dry
2) Shell green peas
3) Chop green chilies
4) Cut paneer into small cubes
5) Heat oil, when smoke comes out, add paneer cubes. Fry and remove when light brown
6) In the remaining oil add ghee. Add bay leaf, cumin seeds, crushed cloves and cardamom and cinnamon
7) Add rice and keep stirring on medium flame
8) Add green peas and stir on low flame
9) When rice is well fried, add salt, sugar, chopped green chilies and water a little less than twice the amount of rice. Stir well
10) Add paneer cubes and cook till the rice is done
2. Veg Pulao
Ingredients
Basmati rice – 500 gm
Green peas – 100 gm
Beans – 100 gm
Carrot – 200 gm
Cauliflower – 100 gm
Onion – 2
Turmeric powder a pinch
Salt to taste
Sugar – 1 tsp
Bay leaf – 2
Cumin seed – 2 tsp to temper
Cloves – 4
Cinnamon – 1
Cardamom – 3
Method
1) Wash rice well and drain. Spread out the rice to dry
2) Shell green peas
3) Cut cauliflower into floweret’s
4) Peel and cut carrot into thin long shapes. String and cut beans into long slices
5) Heat oil, fry vegetables with salt and little turmeric and remove
6) Fry onion till light brown and remove. Keep aside
7) In remaining oil add cumin seed, bay leaf and crushed cinnamon, cardamom and cloves
8) Add rice and stir
9) Add salt, sugar and turmeric powder to the rice and keep on stirring
10) When rice is well fried, add all vegetables and water double the amount of rice
11) When the rice is cooked, remove from fire
12) Add fried onions and mix well
3. Fish Pulao
Ingredients
Fish boneless – 750 gm
Basmati rice – 500 gm
Onion – 5
Ginger – 50 gm
Red chili powder – 2 tsp
Roasted Cumin powder – 2 tsp
Raisins – 10
Cashew nuts – 25
Ghee – 4 tbsp
Bay leaves – 4
For tempering – big cardamom – 3, cloves – 4, cinnamon – 1
Turmeric powder as required
Salt to taste
Garam masala powder – cardamom 5, cinnamon 2, cloves 5, grind all together into fine powder
Oil (mustard oil preferable for fish) – 80 ml
Method
1) Cut fish into 1 inch square pieces. Wash thoroughly and smear with turmeric and salt. Keep aside for 30 min
2) Wash rice well and drain. Spread out the rice to dry
3) Finely chop onion and ginger separately
4) Heat oil and fry cashew nuts and remove
5) In the remaining oil deep fry fish and keep aside
6) In the remaining oil add bay leaves 2, crushed big cardamom 1, and crushed cloves 2. Fry and add onion and stir till light brown. Add ginger, turmeric powder, red chili powder and cumin powder, and salt. Stir well on low flame, sprinkling water intermittently to prevent sticking to the pan.
7) Add fish and raisin, stir and mix well and remove from fire. Keep aside
8) Heat 2 tbsp of ghee; add bay leaves 2, crushed big cardamom 2, crushed cinnamon and cloves 2
9) Add rice and turmeric powder, salt and sugar. Stir well on medium flame. When rice is well fried, add water (double the quantity of rice) and cook till done and remove
10) Take a flat serving dish with high wall, keep one bay leaf and spread half the rice, then spread the entire fish and cover it with the remaining rice, add fried cashew nuts. Add the garam masala powder and the remaining ghee. Mix well and serve hot
4. Green peas Pulao
Ingredients
Basmati rice – 500 gm
Green peas shelled – 200 gm
Big cardamom – 2
Cardamom – 2
Cloves – 2
Cinnamon – 1
Ghee – 2 tsp
Bay leaves – 2
Salt to taste
Sugar – 1 tsp
Red chili powder – 2 tsp
Turmeric powder a pinch
Refined oil – 60 ml
Method
1) Wash rice well and drain. Spread out the rice to dry
2) Heat oil; add bay leaves, crushed big cardamom, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Stir well
3) Add rice, turmeric, salt, sugar, green peas and stir well
4) When rice is well fried add water little less than double the quantity of rice. Cook, when rice is done, remove from fire. Add ghee to the rice. Mix well and serve hot
5. Bhuni Khichuri
Ingredients
Basmati rice – 500 gm
Split green gram – 400 gm
Ginger – 2 inch
Cumin seed – 3 tsp
Green chili – 4
Turmeric as required
For tempering – cumin seed 1 tsp, black cumin seed – 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Bay leaves – 2
Sugar – 2 tsp
Garam masala powder – cardamom 3, cinnamon 1, cloves 4. Grind all together to fine powder
Ghee – 2 tbsp
Oil – 3 tbsp
Method
1) Wash rice well and drain. Spread out the rice to dry
2) Clean split green gram
3) Grind ginger, cumin seeds, and green chili together into fine paste
4) Heat 1 tbsp of oil, add split green gram and stir on low flame. When flavor comes out, add rice, turmeric powder and salt and keep on stirring
5) Add sugar and stir again. When well fried, add sufficient water and cook till done. Remove from fire
6) Heat remaining oil, add bay leaves, cumin, black cumin and stir
7) Add ginger, cumin, green chili paste and stir well while sprinkling water
8) When flavor comes out, add cooked rice and gram. Add garam masala powder, ghee and stir well and cook for few minutes. Serve hot
1. Fried Chicken
Ingredients –
Chicken – 500 gm
Onion – 3
Ginger – 1 inch
Garlic – 6 flakes
Cumin powder – teaspoon
Black pepper powder – a pinch
Vinegar – 1 teaspoon
Egg – 2
Refined flour – 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Red chili powder – a pinch to taste
Salt – to taste
Cardamom – 2
Cinnamon – 1
Cloves – 3
Cooking oil – to fry
Method –
1) Clean and wash chicken pieces and prick with fork
2) Grind ginger, garlic and onion together into fine paste
3) Grind cinnamon, cardamom and cloves together into fine powder
4) Beat eggs
5) Mix well ginger-garlic-onion paste with cinnamon-cardamom-cloves powder with turmeric powder, red chili powder, refined flour, beaten eggs, salt
6) Marinate the chicken pieces with the above and keep in the fridge for 2 hours
7) Heat oil and fry chicken pieces till golden brown. Remove from fire, let the extra oil drip, serve with potato wafers
2. Egg Devil
Ingredients –
Eggs – 6 (hard boiled)
Potato – 300 gm
Onion – 3
Ginger – 1 inch
Bread crumb – 200 gm
Green chili – 3
Eggs – 2 (beaten)
Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp (finely chopped)
Red chili powder – to taste
Salt – to taste
Refined oil – to fry
Method –
1) Boil potato with jackets. Peel and mash while hot with salt and red chili powder
2) Hard boil 6 eggs, cool and shell
3) Cut each egg into halves lengthwise and take out the egg yolk and keep aside
4) Heat oil, add mashed potato and stir well for 2 – 3 minutes. Remove from fire, make 6 balls and keep aside
5) Grind onion, ginger and green chili to fine paste
6) Heat oil, add this ground paste and salt and stir well. When spices are light brown and flavor comes out, add finely chopped coriander leaves and mashed egg yolks. Mix well and remove from fire
7) When cool, fill this egg yolk stuffing into the empty boiled egg white halves, cover with the other white halves
8) Shape one mashed potato ball and stuff with the above egg. The egg devils are now ready
9) Dip the egg devils into beaten egg, rub on bread crumbs
10) Heat oil, when smoke comes out, deep fry the devils. Remove on a paper to soak the extra oil
11) Serve with onion ring, with tea or coffee
3. Coconut Loochi
Ingredients –
Refined flour – 200gm
Whole wheat flour – 50 gm
Coconut grated – 250 gm
Salt a pinch
Ghee to rub – 2 tbsp
Refined oil to fry
Method –
1) Grind grated coconut to fine paste
2) Sift both the flours. Rub in ghee, add salt, coconut paste and a little water to prepare stiff dough
3) Knead well and divide into even sized balls
4) Roll each ball into a thin round shaped loochi
5) Heat refined oil in a deep pan. Fry loochi gently pressing down with a flat wooden spoon
6) When puffed up, turn over and fry till light brown. Drain on paper and serve hot
4. Green Loochi
Ingredients –
Refined flour – 250gm
Whole wheat flour – 50 gm
Spinach – 250 gm
Salt a pinch
Ghee to rub – 30 gm
Refined oil to fry
Method –
1) Wash and chop spinach. Grind to fine paste
2) Sift both the flours together. Rub well in ghee.
3) Add salt and ground spinach, mix and knead well to prepare stiff dough
4) Divide into even size balls
5) Roll the balls one by one into thin round shaped loochi
6) Heat refined oil in a deep pan, fry loochi till light brown by gently pressing with a flat wooden spoon. Turn over and fry the other side
7) When done, drain on a paper. Green loochi is ready
5. Green Peas Cutlet
Ingredients –
Green peas shelled – 300 gm
Potato – 500 gm
Green chili – 2
Red chili powder a pinch
Black pepper powder – 2 tsp
Egg – 2
Raisins – 15
Peanut – 15
Salt to taste
Bread crumb – 100 gm
Cumin seed – 1 tsp
Cardamom – 3
Cinnamon – 1
Sugar a pinch
Refined oil to fry
Method
1) Boil, peel and mash potatoes
2) Boil shelled green peas and grind coarsely
3) Roast peanuts and remove the skin
4) Roast together cardamom, cinnamon, cumin seed, and red chili powder. Grind to get fine powder spices
5) Chop green chillies
6) Heat little oil on a pan; add ground green peas, salt, chopped green chilies and sugar. Stir well on medium flame.
7) Add powdered spices. Stir well
8) Add roasted peanut, raisins and mix well. Stir and remove from fire. The stuffing is ready
9) Add salt and pepper powder to mashed potato. Mix well and make even sized small balls
10) Stuff each ball with the prepared stuffing. Close and give any desired shape (round or oval). These are the cutlets
11) Beat eggs well, add a pinch of salt
12) Dip the cutlets in the beaten egg and coat with bread crumbs
13) Heat oil in a deep pan; deep fry the cutlets, remove and drain
14) Serve hot with chutneys
6. Stuffed bread with minced meat
Ingredients
Minced mutton – 200 gm
Hardboiled egg – 2
Onion – 3
Garlic – 6 flakes
Ginger – 50 gm
Green chili – 4
Raw egg – 1
Coriander leaves chopped – 1 tbsp
Cashew nuts – 12
Raisins – 20
Coriander powder – 2 tsp
Sandwich bread loaf – 1
Turmeric powder a pinch
Salt to taste
Garam masala – cardamom 3, cinnamon 1, cloves 3
Refined oil – 2 tbsp
Method
1) Clean and wash minced meat
2) In a pressure cooker put minced meat, turmeric powder, salt, coriander powder and 1 cup of water. Cook for ten minutes
3) Heat oil, add coarsely broken garam masala, finely chopped onion, green chili and garlic and grated ginger. Stir well till brown
4) Add boiled meat, stir till dry
5) Add raisins, chopped cashew nuts and chopped coriander leaves. Mix well and remove
6) Cut a thin slice from one edge of the bread loaf. Make a hole through the loaf without breaking the other edge; and mix the extracted bread pieces with prepared meat and mix well
7) Mash the hardboiled eggs and mix with meat. The stuffing is ready
8) Stuff the hollow loaf with this prepared meat stuffing
9) Beat the raw egg. Dip the thin slice of bread into the beaten egg and close the opening. Now bind the loaf with a white thread.
10) Brush the entire loaf with the beaten egg
11) Heat oil on a non stick frying pan and on low flame, fry till all the sides of the loaf is light brown
12) Remove from fire and take the thread off. Slice the loaf and serve hot with onion rings and tomato sauce
7. Prawn Pakora
Ingredients
Prawns – 500 gm
Garlic – 15 flakes
Ginger – 50 gm
Mustard powder – 2 tsp
Refined flour – 100 gm
Pepper powder – 2 tsp
Red chili powder – 2 tsp
Egg – 5
Chopped celery leaves – 1 cup
Salt to taste
Oil to fry
Method
1) Shell and wash prawns. Coarsely grind prawns, keep aside
2) Grind ginger and garlic to fine paste
3) Beat all the eggs thoroughly till the white and yellow mix well
4) Add garlic-ginger paste, pepper powder, mustard powder, red chili powder, refined flour, chopped celery, and ground prawns to the beaten eggs. Add salt and mix well
5) Make small even sized balls with the prawns mix
6) Heat oil, deep fry. Remove from fire and serve hot
8. Fish Kachuri
Ingredients
Boneless fish – 500 gm
Onion – 3
Ginger – 50 gm
Red chili powder – 2 tsp
Garam masala – freshly grind cinnamon 1, cardamom 3, cloves 5 into fine powder
Refined flour – 2 cups
Salt to taste
Ghee – 2 tbsp
Refined oil to fry
Method
1) Clean and cut and wash fish
2) Boil fish for ten minutes and remove. Mash well
3) Grind ginger to fine paste
4) Finely chop onion. Heat 2 tbsp of oil, when smoke comes out add chopped onion. Stir till light brown. Add ginger paste, red chili powder and stir well
5) Add mashed fish, salt, garam masala powder and stir well. Stuffing is ready
6) Cook for ten minutes on medium heat and remove
7) Mix together refined flour, ghee and salt. Add water and prepare medium-stiff dough, knead well and keep aside for 20 min
8) Make even sized balls from the dough
9) Stuff each ball with fish stuffing
10) Dust each ball with refined flour and roll out into a round shape
11) Heat oil and deep fry. Serve hot
9. Bread Pulao
Ingredients
Sandwich bread – 12 slices
Onion – 2
Green chili – 3
Red chili powder a pinch
Turmeric powder a pinch
Eggs – 4
Sugar – 1 tsp
Raw peanuts – 50 gm
Black mustard seed (for tempering) – 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Chopped coriander leaves – 2 tbsp
Refined oil – 40 ml
Method
1) Cut bread slices into small square pieces
2) Finely chop onion and green chili separately
3) Hard boil eggs, when cool, shell and cut into small pieces
4) Fry groundnut in little oil and grind coarsely
5) Heat oil, add mustard seed, when seeds crackle add onion, green chili, red chili powder, turmeric and stir till onion is light brown
6) Add bread pieces and keep stirring on low flame
7) Add salt, sugar, boiled egg pieces and groundnut. Mix well, stir for few minutes and remove. Garnish with chopped coriander. Serve hot with tomato ketchup
10. Chivda Upma
Ingredients
Pressed rice – 200 gm
Potato – 3
Onion – 2
Grated coconut – 100 gm
Green chili – 3
Turmeric a pinch
Cashew nuts – 6
Chopped green coriander leaves – 2 tbsp
Black mustard seed for tempering – 1 tsp
Curry leaves – 5
Sugar – 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Cooking oil – 40 ml
Method
1) Clean pressed rice and place in a colander. Dip in cold water and take out immediately and drain all water
2) Peel potatoes and cut into thin small cubes
3) Finely chop onion and green chili separately
4) Cut cashew nuts into halves
5) Heat oil, add potatoes, and fry on low flame. When done, remove
6) In remaining oil add mustard seeds and curry leaves. When seeds crackle add onion. Fry till light brown
7) Add cashew nuts, turmeric, green chili, stir well
8) Add potato, pressed rice, sugar, salt and stir well. Keep on stirring for few minutes. Add grated coconut, coriander leaves and mix well. Cook for a minute. Remove and serve hot
11. Sabudana (Tapioca Sago pearls) Cutlet
Ingredients
Sabudana – 200 gm
Potato – 400 gm
Green chili – 3
Sandwich bread slices – 2 (cut into small pieces)
Ginger – 1 inch
Red chili powder a pinch
Sugar a pinch
Peanuts – 50 gm
Curd – 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds – 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Chopped coriander leaves – 1 cup
Garam masala – cardamom 3, cinnamon 1, cloves 4
Oil to fry
Method
1) Boil potatoes with jacket, when cool, peel and mash
2) Clean, wash and soak sabudana in level water for 2 hour
3) Chop green chilies
4) Roast cumin seed and grind to powder
5) Roast peanuts, remove skin and grind to powder
6) Roast garam masala and grind to fine powder
7) Grind ginger to fine paste
8) Mix together mashed potato, soaked sabudana and bread pieces and coriander leaves and mash well. Add all the other ingredients into this and mix well
9) Divide into even sized balls and make round flat shape cutlets
10) Heat oil and deep fry cutlets till golden brown. Remove and serve hot
12. Spinach Pakora
Ingredients
Spinach – 500 gm
Onion – 3
Garlic – 6 flakes
Green chili – 3
Red chili powder a pinch
Besan (Bengal gram or chick pea flour) – 200 gm
Poppy seeds – 4 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil to fry
Method
1) Clean and wash spinach, chop finely
2) Finely chop onion, garlic and green chilies
3) Add all the above and all other ingredients into the besan, add little water, mix well to make fairly soft thick dough
4) Make even sized balls and deep fry. Serve hot with tomato ketchup
13. Red Lentil Pakora
Ingredients
Red Lentil – 200 gm
Onion – 4
Green chili – 4
Salt to taste
Turmeric a pinch
Black cumin seed – 2 tsp
Ground ginger paste – 1 tsp
Sugar – 1 tsp
Chopped green coriander leaves – 1 tbsp
Mustard oil to fry
Method
1) Soak red lentil for 4 hours. Drain and grind to fine paste
2) Finely chop onion, green chilies and coriander
3) Mix together black cumin, salt, sugar, turmeric powder, ground ginger and all other chopped ingredients with lentil paste
4) Make small even sized round balls
5) Heat mustard oil, when smoke comes out, put flame to low add the balls and fry till golden brown. Remove and drain. Serve hot
14. Vegetable Cutlet
Ingredients
Potato – 500 gm
Carrot – 100 gm
Beetroot – 50 gm
Green peas – 100 gm
Sweet potato – 50 gm
Ginger – 50 gm
Garam masala powder – cardamom 3, cinnamon 1, cloves 5 grind together to fine powder
Corn flour – 3 tbsp
Green chili – 3
Red chili powder to taste
Salt to taste
Pepper powder a pinch
Raisins – 15
Bread crumbs – 100 gm
Oil to fry
Method
1) Boil potatoes in jacket, cool, peel and mash
2) Boil carrot, beetroot, and sweet potato and green peas with little salt. Drain and mash. Add to the mashed vegetables ginger paste, chopped green chili, pepper powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder, raisins and salt. Mix well. Divide into equal portions of even sized balls
3) Add salt and pepper powder to mashed potatoes and make even sized balls. Stuff potato balls with vegetable balls and make cylindrical shape cutlets
4) Mix corn flour and salt to water to make medium thick batter
5) Dip cutlets in the batter and coat with bread crumbs
6) Heat oil and deep fry cutlets. Remove on paper and drain
7) Serve hot on lettuce leaves with curd and tomato sauce or tamarind chutney
15. Malai Paratha
Ingredients
Whole wheat flour – 500 gm
Fresh cream – 150 gm
Milk – 150 ml
Cumin seed a pinch
Baking powder a pinch
Salt to taste
Ghee to fry
Method
1) Sift flour; add cumin seeds, baking powder and salt. Mix well
2) Add fresh cream and rub well
3) Add warm milk to make smooth dough. Keep aside for two hours covering the dough with a damp cloth
4) After two hours, knead well and divide into even sized balls
5) Roll out each ball into 1/4th inch thick flat rounds and coat with melted ghee, and then fold into two. Sprinkle little flour on the rolling board and roll out the round flat portions into triangle shape paratha
6) Heat a flat pan on low flame, dry roast the paratha on the pan, when light brown on each side, keep adding ghee around the paratha and on top of it on either sides. Serve hot
16) Cabbage Paratha
Ingredients
Whole wheat flour – 250 gm
Cabbage – 200 gm
Red chili powder to taste
Oregano (ajwain) – 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Ghee – 40 gm
Method
1) Wash cabbage well and grate
2) Sift flour, rub in 3 tsp of ghee, add salt, red chili powder, oregano and grated cabbage to flour. Mix well, add water to make a smooth dough
3) Knead well and divide into even sized balls
4) Roll out each ball into 1/4th inch thick flat rounds and coat with melted ghee, and then fold into two. Sprinkle little flour on the rolling board and roll out the round flat portions into triangle shape paratha
5) Heat a flat pan on low flame, dry roast the paratha on the pan, when light brown on each side, keep adding ghee around the paratha and on top of it on either sides. Serve hot with butter or mango pickle
17. Green Peas Kachuri
Ingredients
Green peas shelled – 400 gm
Refined flour – 450 gm
Whole wheat flour – 150 gm
Cumin seeds – 2 tsp
Ghee – 30 gm
Red chili powder a pinch
Asafetida (hing) powder a pinch
Garam masala powder – cardamom 3, cinnamon 1, cloves 3, grind all together to fine powder
Salt to taste
Sugar a pinch
Refined oil to fry
Method
1) Steam peas, drain and grind to fine paste
2) Roast cumin seed and grind to fine powder
3) Heat little oil; add asafetida powder, ground peas, cumin seed powder, garam masala powder, red chili powder, sugar and salt. Stir fry till dry and light brown. Remove from fire. Stuffing is ready
4) Sift both the flours together, rub in ghee, and add salt and water to make fairly stiff dough. Keep aside for at least one hour. After an hour knead well and divide into even sized balls
5) Stuff each ball with the stuffing and close
6) Roll out each ball into round shape. This is the kachuri
7) Deep fry kachuris in hot oil, gently pressing down with a flat spatula. When kachuri puffs up, turn over. Make both the sides light brown. Dry on paper and serve hot
18. Crispy Prawn
Ingredients
Prawns shelled (medium size) – 10 pieces
Potato – 750 gm
Besan (gram flour) – 150 gm
Refined flour – 150 gm
Onion – 5
Garlic – 12 flakes
Ginger – 50 gm
Cumin seed – 2 tsp
Turmeric powder a pinch
Green chili – 4
Red chili powder to taste
Egg – 2
Salt to taste
Pepper powder – 1 tsp
Semolina – 2 tbsp
Bread crumbs – 3 cups
Refined oil to fry
Method
1) Wash prawns and rub turmeric powder, pinch of red chili powder and salt. Keep aside
2) Boil potatoes in jacket, when cool, peel and mash well
3) Finely chop onion, garlic, and green chili separately
4) Grind ginger to fine paste
5) Roast cumin seeds and grind to fine powder
6) Heat two tbsp oil, when smoke comes out add chopped onion and stir well.
7) After few minutes add garlic and stir
8) Add ginger paste, turmeric, red chili powder, chopped green chili and stir on low flame
9) When light brown in color, add mashed potato and salt and mix thoroughly. Remove from fire. When cool, make even size ten balls
10) Make a batter of refined flour, besan, pepper powder, salt, pinch of red chili powder and water to get a semi-liquid consistency
11) Stuff each ball with one prawn and cover
12) Beat eggs well in a bowl
13) Dip each ball in beaten egg and then into the batter
14) Coat each prawn-ball with bread crumb and semolina
15) Heat oil and deep fry prawn balls. Remove and serve hot with onion rings and tomato ketchup
19. Fish Fry
Ingredients
Fish – 750 gm
Cumin seed – 2 tsp
Black pepper – 4
Mustard seed – ½ tsp
Onion – 3
Garlic – 10 flakes
Ginger – 50 gm
Red chili powder a pinch
Turmeric powder a pinch
Cinnamon – 2
Clove – 3
Big cardamom – 2
Salt to taste
Lemon juice – 2 tsp
Oil – 70 ml (mustard oil preferable)
Method
1) Clean and cut fish into 2 inch long pieces, make slashes on surface and wash well
2) Roast cumin, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, big cardamom seeds, mustard seed and grind to fine powder
3) Grind together onion, garlic, ginger to fine paste
4) Mix together all paste and powdered spices, red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt and lemon juice
5) Smear the fish pieces with this spicy paste. Keep aside for 30 min
6) Heat oil, when smoke comes out, deep fry fish pieces. Serve hot with tomato sauce or mint chutney
20. Paneer Cutlet
Ingredients
Paneer – 200 gm
Ginger paste – 1 tsp
Chopped green chili – 2
Salt to taste
Chopped green coriander – 2 tbsp
Roasted cumin powder – 2 tsp
Refined flour – 1 cup
Besan – ½ cup
Red chili powder a pinch
Bread crumbs – 1 cup
Lime juice – 1 tsp
Refined oil to fry
Method
1) Mash paneer, add 2 tbsp of refined flour, one tbsp refined oil, salt, ginger paste, roasted cumin powder, green chili, red chili powder, coriander leaves, lime juice and mix well
2) Mix besan with balance refined flour, salt, red chili powder and water to make a semi fluid batter
3) Make even size cutlets from paneer dough
4) Dip cutlets in batter and rub in bread crumb
5) Heat oil, when smoke comes out, deep fry cutlets. Remove and serve hot
1. Bread Pantua
Ingredients
Bread unsliced – 450 gm
Milk – 2 litre
Big cardamom – 10 in no
Rose water – few drops
Refined oil – for frying
For syrup – sugar 500 gm and water 250 ml
Method –
1) Boil milk and reduce to 750 ml. Remove from fire
2) Cut 40 thick square pieces from the bread
3) Remove the skin of big cardamom and separate the seeds
4) Insert two seeds into each bread piece
5) Prepare sugar syrup of two thread consistency. Remove from fire, cool and add few drops of rose water to the syrup
6) Heat refined oil, dip each bread square into the reduced milk and fry till brown
7) Remove from fire and dip them in sugar syrup. The bread pantuas are ready to eat
2. Malpoa
Ingredients
Refined flour – 500 gm
Sugar – 300 gm
Coconut grated – 250 gm
Milk – 200 ml
Cashew nuts – 30 gm
Raisins – 20 gm
Fennel – 15 gm
Refined oil to fry
Method
1) Finely chop cashew nuts
2) Add together refined flour, sugar, coconut, milk, chopped cashew nuts, raisin and fennel. Mix well to make a thin batter. If required add more milk to get a thin consistency. Keep aside for two hours
3) Heat oil in a deep frying pan; pour a big spoonful of batter and fry. When malpoa is light brown on one side, turn it over and fry till both sides are light brown. While frying, flame should be medium. Remove from fire, serve hot or cold
3) Potato Peetha
Ingredients
Potato – 300 gm
Eggs – 2
Sugar – 200 gm
Butter – 2 tbsp
Lime juice – 2 tsp
Refined flour – 2 tbsp
Ghee – to fry
Method
1) Boil potato with jacket, peel and mash well into smooth texture
2) Beat eggs well, add lime juice and sugar to the eggs. Beat again and add butter
3) Add mashed potato and refined flour to the egg batter and make smooth dough
4) Divide dough into even sized portions, shape like ball and press with palm to flatten
5) Heat ghee, fry till both sides light brown. Drain on paper and serve hot
4. Papaya Mohanbhog
Ingredients
Papaya ripe – 1 medium size
Milk – 1 ltr
Sugar – 150 gm
Ghee – 50 gm
Method
1) Wash papaya, peel, remove seeds and cut into small pieces. Mash well and press through a strainer to get a fine smooth paste
2) Boil milk till reduced to 200 ml, almost thick and remove from fire. Keep aside
3) Heat ghee, add papaya paste, and stir well for few minutes
4) Add milk and sugar. Cook stirring all the time till totally dry. Remove from fire and serve cool
5. Green Peas Barfi
Ingredients
Shelled green peas – 500 gm
Milk – 1 ltr
Sugar – 400 gm
Cardamom – 5
Cashew nuts – 30 gm
Pistachio – 30 gm
Ghee – 60 gm
Method
1) Grind peas to fine paste
2) Boil milk and remove when reduced to 200 ml and thick
3) Heat ghee, add green peas paste and fry, stirring well
4) When well fried, add sugar and milk, stir till dry. Remove
5) Grind cardamom to powder. Finely chop cashew nuts and pistachio. Add all of this to the above and mix well
6) Pour out on a greased plate and smooth the surface with palm
7) Cut in diamond shape with a knife and serve
6. Sesame Chikki
Ingredients
Sesame seeds – 250 gm
Jaggery – 125 gm
Water a little
Method
1) Prepare jaggery syrup – break jaggery into small pieces in a deep pan, add water, cook on low flame. When jaggery bubbles and the color changes to light brown, check for one string consistency
2) Add sesame seed and mix well
3) Immediately remove from fire and pour out on a greased plate. Flatten the surface by pressing with wet palm. Cut pieces into diamond shapes while it is hot and soft, as this will harden once cool.
7. Peanut Takti
Ingredients
Peanuts – 250 gm
Jaggery – 150 gm
Water a little
Method
1) Roast peanuts, remove skin, grind coarsely
2) Prepare jaggery syrup – break jaggery into small pieces in a deep pan, add water, cook on low flame. When jaggery bubbles and the color changes to light brown, check for one string consistency
3) Remove jaggery syrup from fire and immediately add peanuts and mix well
4) Immediately remove from fire and pour out on a greased plate. Flatten the surface by pressing with wet palm. Cut pieces into diamond shapes while it is hot and soft, as this will harden once cool.
8. Pineapple Paayesh
Ingredients
Fresh pineapple pieces – 2 cup
Milk – 2 ltrs
Raisins – 15
Sugar – 300 gm
Cardamom – 4
Rose water – few drops
Method
1) Cook together pineapple and 100 gm sugar on low flame till pineapple is soft smooth. Remove from fire and let it cool
2) Boil milk and reduce to half the quantity
3) Add raisins, balance sugar to the reduced milk. Keep on boiling till the milk is again reduced to half (little thick and pink in color). Stir continuously while boiling to prevent sticking to the bottom
4) Remove from fire, add cardamom powder, mix well and let it cool
5) In a deep serving bowl pour cold sweet pineapple and then cold milk, mix well. Add few drops of rose water before serving
9. Sweet Khasta Bara
Ingredients
Rice flour – 200 gm
Whole wheat flour – 200 gm
Semolina – 75 gm
Coconut grated – 500 gm
Sugar – 500 gm
Poppy seed – 2 tbsp
Milk – half cup
Oil to fry
Method
1) Sieve together rice flour and whole wheat flour. Mix well all ingredients except milk into the flour
2) Add milk and if required little water to make a stiff dough
3) Divide dough into even sized balls, press with palm to flatten
4) Heat oil and fry on low flame till golden brown and crisp. Remove and serve hot
10. Sweet Potato Paayesh
Ingredients
Sweet potato – 200 gm
Milk – 1.5 ltr
Sugar – 200 gm
Raisin – 15
Cashew nuts – 40 gm
Cardamom – 5
Rose water few drops
Method
1) Barbeque sweet potatoes with jacket, when cool peel and mash
2) Boil milk, when reduced to 1 ltr add sugar, mashed potatoes and finely chopped cashew nuts. Keep on stirring
3) When milk thickens further add raisins, cardamom powder and rose water. Remove from fire, serve when cool
1. Tomato Chutney
Ingredients
Tomato – 750 gm
Green mango – 1 medium size (if mango is out of season, use lime juice)
Raisin – 10
Dates – 10
Ginger – half inch
Green chili – 1
Salt to taste
Sugar – 100 gm
Chopped coriander leaves – half cup for garnishing only
Method
1) Wash and cut tomato into very small pieces
2) Peel mango, remove seed and cut into small thin pieces
3) Grate ginger, chop green chili in a pan and mix all the ingredients and cook on a low flame with lid on
4) Stir occasionally. When the gravy is thick, remove and garnish with coriander leaves and serve
2. Green Mango Chutney
Ingredients
Green raw mango – 500 gm
Sugar – 100 gm
Turmeric a pinch
Mustard seed – 1 tsp (for tempering)
Cumin seed – 2 tsp
Corn flour – 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil – 30 ml
Method
1) Peel mango, remove seed, cut into thin small pieces
2) Roast cumin seed and grind to powder, keep it covered to preserve flavor
3) Heat oil, add mustard seeds, when seeds crackle, add mango, turmeric powder, salt and stir for few minutes
4) Add water and sugar, cook till mango is tender
5) Mix corn flour to two tbsp of water, mix well and add to the above, and then bring to boil
6) Add roasted cumin powder and mix well. Remove and serve
3. Coconut Chutney
Ingredients
Grated coconut – 2 cup
Roasted peanut – 1 tbsp
Ginger – 1 inch
Green chili – 2
Garlic – 2 flakes
Lemon juice to taste
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste
Black Mustard seed – 1 tsp
Curry leaves – 6
Mustard oil – 1 tbsp
Method
1) Grind together coconut, roasted peanut, ginger, green chili and garlic to fine paste
2) Add salt, sugar and lemon juice. Mix well
3) Heat oil, when smoke comes out, add black mustard seed. When mustard seeds crackle add curry leaves and remove from fire and pour in the coconut paste and mix well. The chutney is ready
4. Green Chutney
Ingredients
Coriander leaves chopped – 3 cup
Mint leaves chopped – 2 cup
Green chili – 4
Sugar a pinch
Salt to taste
Lemon juice – 1 tsp
Method
1) Grind together all the ingredients except lemon juice, adding little water if needed, into a fine paste
2) Add lemon juice, mix well and serve
5. Peanut Chutney
Ingredients
Peanut – 200 gm
Sugar – 30 gm
Red chili powder a pinch
Salt to taste
Lime juice – 1 tbsp
Refined oil – 1 and ½ tbsp
Method
1) Roast peanuts and remove the skin
2) Grind peanuts, salt, sugar and red chili powder to fine paste, adding water as required
3) Heat oil and remove from fire. Add peanut paste, lime juice, and mix well
4) Keep chutney in fridge for 2 hours before serving
6. Apple Raita
Ingredients
Apple – 3
Curd – 300 gm
Pepper powder a pinch
Sugar a pinch
Salt to taste
Roasted Cumin seed – 2 tsp
Method
1) Wash well, peel and grate apple, removing seeds
2) Beat curd well, add all ingredients and mix well
3) Garnish with roasted cumin seed powder and serve
7. Spinach Raita
Ingredients
Spinach – 250 gm
Curd – 250 gm
Green chili – 2
Sugar a pinch
Salt to taste
Roasted cumin seed – 2 tsp
Method
1) Wash spinach, steam and drain; grind with green chili and salt
2) Grind roasted cumin seed to powder
3) Beat curd well with sugar and salt
4) Add spinach to beaten curd, mix well, garnish with cumin powder and serve
8. Cucumber Raita
Ingredients
Cucumber – 2
Curd – 250 gm
Green chili – 1
Mustard powder a pinch
Pepper powder a pinch
Sugar a pinch
Roasted cumin powder – 2 tsp
Method
1) Remove skin and seeds of cucumber and grate
2) Whisk curd well. Add salt, sugar, pepper powder, whisk till all mixes well
3) Add chopped green chili, grated cucumber and mustard powder. Mix well, garnish with roasted cumin powder and serve
9. Tomato Raita
Ingredients
Tomato – 3
Curd – 250 gm
Onion – 2
Green chili – 1
Coriander leaves – ½ cup
Red Chili powder a pinch
Sugar a pinch
Roasted cumin seed – 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Method
1) Finely chop onion, tomato, green chili, and coriander leaves separately
2) Grind roasted cumin seeds to fine powder and keep aside
3) Add salt and sugar to the curd and beat well. Add tomato, onion, red chili powder, and green chili and mix well
4) Finally garnish with cumin powder and coriander leaves
10. Potato Raita
Ingredients
Curd – 250 gm
Potato – 3
Onion – 1
Cumin seed – 2 tsp
Green chili – 2
Red chili powder a pinch
Sugar a pinch
Salt to taste
Chopped coriander leaves – ½ cup
Method
1) Boil potatoes in jacket, peel and chop into small thin pieces
2) Roast cumin seeds and grind to powder
3) Finely chop onion and green chilies
4) Beat curd with salt, sugar and red chili powder. Add potatoes, onion and green chilies and salt. Mix well
5) Finally garnish with cumin powder and coriander leaves and serve
Mouth watering traditional and authentic recipes from an Indian mother's kitchen. Most of the Indian food that has been introduced in the west are not the real home made Indian food. This book offers genuine home made Indian food recipes that Indian's eat at home using little spice or oil and includes many original recipes from the author's own kitchen.