Pakoras
Ingredients
1/2 cup besan (dried chickpea flour)
5 oz. warm water
1/4 tsp. red pepper
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Garam Masala paprika (optional)
1 small onion
1 potato
a few spinach leaves
oil for deep frying
Instructions
In a bowl put the besan and half the water and stir until it becomes a thick batter. Beat hard for 5 minutes gradually add the rest of the water and leave to swell for 30 minutes Add salt and pepper and Garam Masala and beat again. Wash, peel and slice onion and
potatoes. Wash and pat dry spinach leaves. Heat oil till smoking hot and dip the vegetables in the batter and deep fry till golden brown. Serve hot.
Aloo Samosa
Ingredients
2cups flour
1/2teaspoon salt,
4tablespoons ghee or oil
4tablespoon water,
4-5 medium potatoes, boiled in their jacket
4tablespoon oil
1medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup peas, shelled
1tablespoon ginger, finely chopped
3 tablespoon coriander, fresh, chopped
3 tablespoon water
1.5teaspoon salt
1 - green chilies fine chopped
1teaspoon coriander seeds, ground
1teaspoon garam masala
1teaspoon cumin seeds roasted & ground
1 teaspoon chilli powder
2tablespoon lemon juice
- oil for deep frying
Instructions
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Add the 4 tablespoons on oil and rub it in with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Slowly add about 4 tablespoons water- or a tiny bit more -- and gather the dough into a stiff ball.
Empty the ball out on to clean work surface. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes or until it is smooth. Make a ball. Rub the ball with about 1/4 teaspoon oil and slip it into a plastic bag. Set aside for 30 minutes or longer.
Make the stuffing. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1/4 inch dice.
Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a large frying pan over a medium flame. When hot, add the onion. Stir and fry until soft but not brown. Add the peas, ginger, green chilli, fresh coriander (cilantro), and 3 tablespoons water. Cover, lower heat and simmer until peas are cooked. Stir and add a little more water if the frying pan seems to dry out.
Add the diced potatoes, salt, coriander seeds, garam masala, roasted cumin, chilli powder and lemon juice. Stir gently to mix. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool.
Knead the pastry dough again and divide it into six balls. Keep 5 covered while you work with the sixth.
Roll this ball out into a 7 inch (18 cm) round. Cut it into half with a sharp, pointed knife. Pick up one half and form a cone, making a 1/4 inch wide (5 mm), overlapping seam. Glue this seam together with a little water. Fill the cone with about 2 1/2 tablespoons of the potato mixture. Close the top of the cone by sticking the open edges together with a little water. Again, your seam should be about 1/4 inch (5 mm) wide. Press the top seam down with the prongs of a fork or flute it with your fingers. Make another samosa from other half. Make 12 more samosas.
Heat about 2 to 3 inches of oil in a karahi for deep frying over a medium-low flame. You may use a small, deep, frying pan for frying. When the oil is medium hot, put in as many samosas as the pan will hold in a single layer. Fry slowly, turning the samosas frequently until they are golden brown and crisp. Drain on paper towel and serve hot.
Note:
Ready made pastry wrap can be purchased from supermarket or oriental stores.
Spicy Fruit Chaat
Ingredients
2 apples
2 pears
2 oranges
3\4 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
1 cup white seedless grapes
1 cup red seedless grapes
1 big mango
3 bananas
2 tsp. salt
1\4 cup sugar
3\4 level tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. chaat masala
juice of 2 lemons
juice of 2 oranges
Instructions
Cut apple and pears into medium sized chunks. Peel the oranges and cut each segment into half. Cut grapes into half. Peel the mango and cut into small cubes. Peel bananas and slice into thick slices.
Place all the prepared fruits into a large bowl. Sprinkle on the salt, sugar, chili powder and chaat masala. Pour the lemon juice and orange juice over the ingredients and really mix it well with a spoon.
Cover and chill slightly before serving.
Shami Kabab
Ingredients
500 g. lean ground beef
100 g. Chana dal
1 onion, skinned and roughly chopped
7-8 garlic cloves, skinned
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
4 black cardamoms
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 inch cinnamon stick
1 tsp. whole black pepper
6 Whole cloves
2 tsp. Chili powder
1 tsp. salt
300 ml. water
1 egg beaten
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
3-4 green chilies, finely chopped
oil for shallow frying
Instructions
Wash dal thoroughly and soak in plenty of water for 3-4 hours. Drain and wash in few changes of water.
Place dal in a large saucepan. Add the mince, onions, ginger, garlic, black cardamoms, cumin seeds, chilli powder, cinnamon stick, black pepper, cloves, salt and water to it.
Cook over medium heat for 40-45 minutes until the meat and dal are tender and the water has been completely absorbed. This is very important otherwise kabab will split on frying. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Put the mince in a food processor or chopper and grind to a smooth thick paste which holds its shape.
Add coriander leaves and green chilies to the paste and mix well.
Break off 2 tablespoons of the mince paste. Wet your palms and place it in the center of your palm. Shape it into a smooth ball and then press it into a smooth flat shape.
Heat a heavy based frying pan and add enough oil to just cover the surface. (if there is too much oil, the kebabs will split.
Dip the kababs in beaten egg and fry 3-4 kababs at a time to a rich brown color, turning them once. Remove from pan and put them on absorbent kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
Serve hot with Pullao, Nan, and Podinay ki Chutney.
You can make special Shami Burgers for evening tea.
Dahi Baray
Ingredients
250 g. dhuli mash dal (white), washed and soaked overnight.
Pinch of baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
600 ml natural yogurt
1\2 tsp. red chili powder
1\2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tsp. salt
1 clove garlic crushed
Instructions
Wash soaked dal with few changes of water. Place dal, baking powder and salt in a food processor or blender and grind to a smooth thick paste. Add a little water at a time if it is difficult to grind, continue grinding, this will incorporate air and make the paste lighter in texture. Leave it to rest for 15 -20 minutes.
Heat oil in a deep fryer or karahi. Test the temperature by dropping a small piece of paste into the hot oil. It should rise to the top at once.
Drop carefully a tablespoon full of paste into the hot fat. Fry to a golden colour, turning once or twice. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and place on absorbent kitchen paper. Fry 4-5 baray at a time.
Ten minutes before serving soak the dumplings in warm water. Press the dumplings between the palms carefully to squeeze out the water.
Whisk yogurt with 1\4 cup water, chili powder, salt, garam masala and garlic to make a smooth paste.
Arrange the dumplings in a serving dish. Pour the seasoned yogurt over it.
Garnish with Chat Masala and Sweet Imli Chutney.
Tomato,Onion and Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
5 medium plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, seeded and thinly sliced
1/4 red onion, peeled, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 Kirby cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
2 splashes red wine vinegar
Coarse salt and black pepper
Instructions
Dress the tomatoes, onions and cucumber with EVOO (a generous drizzle), red wine vinegar, salt and pepper.
Let stand while you prepare dinner, about 20 minutes. Toss again and serve salad with crusty bread for mopping up juices and EVOO.
Chicken Pakoras
Ingredients
450g boneless chicken breast
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. garlic paste
1 tsp. ginger paste
2 green chili, ground
1\2 level tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp. Red chili powder
1 level tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground Coriander
Basic batter
200 g. gram flour, sieved (besan)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. coriander seeds, crushed
1 tsp. garam masala
1level tsp. bicarbonate of soda
2 tbs. Coriander leave
2-3 drops of Yellow food color
about 300 ml water
Instructions
Cut chicken into bite sized pieces. Rub the chicken with lemon juice and put aside. Mix the garlic, ginger paste with salt, chili powder, turmeric, green chilies and ground coriander. Smear the chicken pieces with spice paste and set aside for at least 2 hours.
Place the gram flour and the remaining dry ingredients and food color in a bowl. Pour in the water gradually and beat to a smooth paste. The consistency should be like thick pancake batter. Leave aside to rest for 20 minutes.
Heat oil in a deep fryer or a karahi to smoking point, then reduce the heat to medium.
Dip a few pieces of chicken into the batter to thoroughly coat them, then using your fingers lift them out of the batter and at once drop them into the hot oil. Be careful not to splash yourself with hot oil. Donot try to fry too many at a time. Fry for a few minutes, then carefully turn them over. Fry the pakoras for 5-8 minutes to a crisp golden color, drain thoroughly with a perforated slice. Then place them on absorbent kitchen paper.
Sprinkle with chat masala.
Serve with Nan, Podinay Ki Chutney and Sweet tamarind chutney
Chicken Pulao
Ingredients
Chicken cut into 8 pcs.
5 cloves
1 tsp black pepper
1 cinnamon stick 1"
coriander seeds 1 tsp.
large cardamom 4-5
Caraway seeds 1 tsp.
salt 2 tsp.
small onion cut into pieces
water 4 cups.
ginger 2 inch cut into pieces
Pakistani basmati rice 450gm
Masala
1/2 cup ghee or cooking oil
1 large onion skinned and finely chopped.
1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped.
garlic clove, skinned and chopped
Instructions
This is an easy way to make rice more exciting. Typically, Pakistani Basmati rice would be the best, the aroma is unbeatable, but use whatever white rice is available.
Wash chicken thoroughly under cold water tap. Place the meat, spice, salt, water, onion and ginger in a large heavy based sauce pan.
Bring to boil and skim off any scum that rises to the top. Reduce the heat, cover and allow to boil gently for 10 minutes until the meat is tender.
Meanwhile, put the rice in a sieve and wash it thoroughly under running cold tap until the water runs clear. Soak in plenty of water for 30 minutes. Drain in a sieve and let it stand for a minute or two.
Strain the meat and the spices. Reserve the stock. Discard the spices by taking out the meat pieces from it.
MASALA
Heat the ghee or oil in the heavy base pan and add the onion, stir frequently.
Fry to a pale golden color. Add the drained meat, ginger and garlic. Stirring frequently, fry this over medium heat for 5 to ten minutes until the meat turns a rich golden color.
While the meat is cooking, measure the stock, it should be 3 1/2 cups. If it is less add more water to make it to required. Boil the stock and place the drain rice in it and parboil for 4 minutes.
Carefully add the browned meat mixture into the rice and stir gently to mix all the ingredients. Cover with a tight fitting lid, reduce the heat and allow to cook for another 7 - 10 minutes until rice is tender.
Fluff up the rice with a fork, then transfer it into to a heated serving dish.
Serve with Raita.
Chicken Jalfrezi
Ingredients
2 cloves garlic chopped
750g skinless chicken thigh fillets, cut in half
3 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 onion finely grated.
1teaspoon red chilli powder
1teaspoon salt
500gcan chopped tomatoes
30g ghee or 2 tablespoons oil
3teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
30g fresh coriander laves roughly chopped
oil for cooking
Instructions
Heat about 2 tablespoons oil in a deep frying pan and fry the onion and garlic for 2 minutes over high heat.
Add the chicken, turmeric, chili powder and salt. Fry gently for 5-10 minutes or until golden
brown scraping the base of the pan frequently and turning the chicken.
Add the tomato, cover and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes. Uncover and simmer for 10 minutes to let all the excess liquid evaporate and the sauce thicken.
Add the ghee or oil, cumin, ground coriander, ginger and fresh coriander and simmer for 5-7 minutes or until the fat separates out from the thick sauce.
Sever the chicken pieces with the sauce spooned on top.
This dish could be served with Pulaoo rice, chapattis or naan bread.
Kalay Chanay
Ingredients
500g. kalay channay- black chickpeas
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
1/2 cup oil
2 sliced medium onions
1 tsp. garlic paste
1 and 1/2 tsp ginger paste
1 and 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 and 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 small chopped onion
2 tbsp. fresh coriander
4 chopped green chilis
Instructions
Put the chick peas and bicarbonate of soda in a large pot and soak in plenty of water for several hours or preferably overnight.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add onions and sauté, until onions are soft but not brown, about 3 minutes
Add garlic, ginger paste and sauté for 1 minute then add chilli powder, salt, turmeric and 3 tablespoons water (To prevent the mixture from burning.) Stirring frequently, fry the mixture for 5 -8 minutes. ( During stir frying add little water if the mixture sticks to the bottom of the pan).
Add chickpeas to the onion mixture, stir to mix and add enough water to cover the chickpeas by about 3 inch. Reduce the heat, cover the pan and cook the chick peas for about 2 hours until they are tender but still retain their shape. (This process can be speeded up in a pressure cooker. Use half the quantity of water. (Follow the manufacturer's instructions for timing.)
Once the chick peas have become tender and little gravy has left, turn off the heat.
Transfer the chick peas to a serving dish, Add lemon juice, stir once and decorate with chopped onion, coriander leaves and green chillies and serve warm.
Tahini Salad
Ingredients
2 pickle-size Persian cucumbers, diced
1 large tomato, diced
3 radishes, diced (optional)
1 green onion, sliced
10 mint leaves, sliced
1/3 bunch parsley, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt, to taste
Instructions
Combine the cucumber, tomato, and radish in a bowl with the green onion, mint, and parsley. In a small bowl, stir together the garlic, tahini, lemon juice, and olive oil until smooth; season to taste with salt.
Toss the vegetables with the dressing until combined. Cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.
Badami Gosht
Ingredients
5 tblsp vegetable oil (vanaspati tel)
2 cinnamon (tuj/dalchini) sticks
6 garlic (lasan) cloves
1 tblsp cardamom seeds
1 large onion (pyaj) chopped
2 garlic (lasan) cloves,crushed
1 1/2" fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 lb lean lamb, cubed
1 1/4 cup yogurt
1 tsp saffron (kesar) threads, soaked in 2 tblsp boiling water
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 cup ground almond
1 tsp salt (namak)
1 1/2 cup coconu (narial) milk
2 dried red chillies
Instructions
Heat up oil in a heavy saucepan.
Mix in cinnamon, cloves and cardamom and fry for 1 minute.
Add onion and stir fry till soft
Stirring occasionally.
Mix in garlic and ginger and fry for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Mix in lamb cubes and fry until brown for about 5 minutes.
Whip yogurt, saffron mixture, salt and chili powder and mix in to lamb cubes.
Stir fry for 5 minutes.
Grind almonds with enough water to form a thick paste.
Add paste and whole chilies to lamb cubes, stir well to mix paste with gravy.
Simmer (boil slowly at low temperature) for 5 minutes over low heat.
Mix in coconut milk, lower the flame, cover and simmer (boil slowly at low temperature) for 35-40 minutes or until lamb is cooked throughly.
Uncover the pot for the last 10 minutes of cooking.
transfer to a slightly heated up dish and serve hot.
Achari Gosht
Ingredients
1 kg mutton
1 kg yogur
2 tbsp kalvanji
4 - 5 onions
4-5 tbsp ghee/oil (tel)
a pinch of haldi
1 tsp white zeera
salt (namak) to taste
red chilli (lal mirch) powder to taste
fresh dhania for garnish
Instructions
Cut onion in slices.
Fry onion in oil till light brown.
Put in yogurt and meat and let it simmer till meat become tender.
Put in salt, kalwanji, chili, and haldi.
Cook for sometime on high heat
Sprinkle Fresh dhania.
Serve with hot.
Moroccan Lamb Kabobs
Ingredients
2 pounds ground lamb 1 cup raisins
5 ounces goat cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
3/4 tablespoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
salt to taste
coarsely ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil grate.
In a medium bowl, mix together ground lamb, raisins, goat cheese, mayonnaise, red onion, garlic, cilantro, cayenne pepper, cumin, ground coriander, salt and black pepper. Divide the mixture into approximately 6 even portions, and press around skewers.
Place skewers on the grill. Cook approximately 4 minutes per side, or until the cheese has melted, the raisins are tender and lamb has reached desired doneness.
Moroccan Cooked Pepper Salad
Ingredients
2 green bell peppers
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
ground black pepper to taste
1 (2.25 ounce) can sliced green olives
Instructions
Preheat the oven broiler.
Place the green bell peppers on a baking sheet, and broil, turning occasionally, 5 minutes, or until tender and scorched on all sides. Remove from heat, peel, and chop.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet, and mix in the peppers and tomatoes. Stir in sugar. Season with paprika, parsley, cumin, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Continue cooking until tomatoes are heated through. Serve topped with olives.