Indian Vegetable Pakoras

Indian Vegetable Pakoras

Serves: 6 

• 1 cup chickpea (gram) flour
  
  
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3/4 cup (190ml) water
• oil for deep frying
• 1/2 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 2 onions, sliced into rings

(You can use various other vegetables like cabbage, Paneer, eggplant)

Directions

Preparation: 15min  ›  Cook:10min  ›  Ready in:25min 

• Sift the chickpea flour into a medium bowl. Mix in the coriander, salt, turmeric, chilli powder, garam masala and garlic.
• Make a well in the center of the flour. Gradually pour the water into the well and mix to form a thick, smooth batter.
• Over medium high heat in a large, heavy saucepan, heat the oil
• Coat the cauliflower and onions in the batter and fry them in small batches until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain on kitchen roll before serving

Indian Masala Chai Tea

Chai Tea 

Chai Masala is usually made in batched and stored for a period of time. You can also purchase this from the shops here.

Makes 8 cups

Ingredients

6 cups of water

2 cups of milk

2 tsp of chai masala

6 tsp of tea leaves

1 tsp grated ginger

6-8 Mint leaves

Method

Bring the water to a boil and add the ginger, mint leaves and tea leaves. Boil for a minute of 2 and once there is a nice strong colour and fragrance add the milk. Let it come to a boil 2-3 times. Strain out in cups and serve immediately.

Lamb Saag

Serves 4

Ingredients

•	500 gm. good cut of lamb, cut into cubes. Lean meat like leg or shoulder is better
•	250-300 gm. spinach leaves
•	A bunch of methi or fenugreek leaves. 2 tbsp. dry, kasoori methi can be used instead.
•	2 medium onions (about 300 gm.), peeled
•	1 inch piece of ginger, peeled
•	2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled
•	2 green chillies
•	3 tbsp. oil or ghee
•	1 tsp. turmeric powder
•	1 1/2 tsp. coriander powder
•	Salt to taste
•	2 heaped tbsp. tomato purée or 1 1/2 cup of chopped/tinned tomatoes
•	1 level tsp. Garam Masala
•	Water, as required Instructions 1. Wash and drain meat. 2. Wash the spinach and fenugreek leaves well, remove any thick stalks. Chop and keep aside. 3. Finely chop or coarsely grind onions ginger and garlic in a food processor. 4. Heat the oil in a pan, add the onions*, ginger, garlic, and fry until onions are nicely browned. 5. Add lamb and stir fry for 4-5 minutes on high, until meat is browned and sealed. 6. Add the spices and salt and stir fry for a minute. 7. Add tomatoes and green chillies, fry again until nicely mixed. 8. Add a cup of water and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes, until meat is tender, stirring from time to time. At this stage, meat can be left in a slow cooker to cook over a few hours. This gives a very tender lamb at the end. 9. Add the spinach and fenugreek leaves to the lamb halfway through the cooking and cook over a medium heat until meat is tender, stirring a few times. Saag should be clinging around the meat pieces. 10. Adjust seasoning. 11. Most of the liquid should be evaporated. 12. Serve hot with Chapatti or Tandoori Roti 1 or Tandoori Roti 2 or Nan. 13. Cooking in a Slow Cooker or Crock pot; Place everything except spinach and methi leaves in a bowl, mix, leave to marinate for a couple of hours. Cook as per instructions in your slow cooker book for meat casserole. I cook on high for 3-4 hours and then leave it on slow for a couple of hours. Add spinach and methi leaves, stir them in and cook for another hour or so. As published at http://www.mamtaskitchen.com/recipe_display.php?id=10479

Rogan Josh

Ingredients

2 1/2 cm fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped

8 garlic cloves, peeled4 tablespoons water275 -425 ml water10 tablespoons vegetable oil1 kg boneless lamb shoulder or 1 kg stewing beef or 1 kg diced chicken10 whole cardamom pods2 bay leaves6 whole cloves10 whole peppercorns2 1/2 cm cinnamon sticks4 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped1 teaspoon ground coriander2 teaspoons cumin seeds4 teaspoons paprika1 teaspoon cayenne pepper1 teaspoon salt6 tablespoons plain yogurt1/4 teaspoon garam masalafresh ground pepper

Directions:

Put the ginger, garlic, and 4 tablespoons of water into the blender. Blend well until you have a smooth paste.
Heat oil in a wide heavy pot over a medium heat.
Put the cardamom, bay leaves, cloves, peppercons and cinnamon into the same hot oil. stir once and wait until the cloves swell and the bay leaves begin to take on colour.
Now put in the onions. Stir and fry for 5 minutes until they turn a medium brown colour.
Put in the ginger garlic paste and stir for 30 seconds.
Add the coriander, cumin, paprika-cayenne, and salt. Stir and fry for 30 seconds.
Add the meat cubes and juices.
Stir for 30 seconds, now add 1 tablespoon of yoghurt, stir until well blended .Add the remaining yoghurt, a tablespoon at a time in the same way. Stir and fry for another 3 minutes.Now add 275ml of water if your cooking lamb or chicken and 425ml of water if your cooking beef. Bring to the boil, scraping all the browned spices off the sides and bottom of the pot. Cover and cook on low for an hour if your cooking chicken or lamb and 2 hours if cooking beef, (or until meat is tender.).Every 10 minutes give the meat a good stir. When the meat is tender take off the lid, turn the heat up to medium, and boil away some of the liquid.All the fat that collects in the pot may be spooned off the top.Sprinkle the garam masala and black pepper over the meat before you serve and mix them inches.

Lamb Korma Recipe

Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS

• 8 cloves
• 1 Tbsp black peppercorns
• 5 green cardamom pods
• 1 Tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 heaping teaspoon cumin seeds
• 5 Tbsp of light sesame oil or canola oil
• 3 medium yellow onions, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 heaping Tbsp grated ginger
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 heaping teaspoon paprika
• 1 stick of cinnamon, ground, or 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 4 very big, very ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks OR 1 28-ounce can whole, peeled tomatoes, cut in quarters
• 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder or leg, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/3 cups full fat plain yogurt (can use Greek style)
• Salt

METHOD

1 Using a mortar and pestle, grind the cloves until fine. Add the peppercorns and grind them roughly. Add the cardamom pods and crush them with the cloves and peppercorns.

 

2 Heat the oil over medium-low heat in a large, thick-bottomed pot with a lid. Add the chopped onions and cook, stirring often, until golden, about 10 minutes. Add the turmeric to the onions, and stir to coat. Add the cumin, coriander, paprika and cinnamon. Stir in the ground cloves, cardamom, and peppercorns. Add the crushed garlic and the grated ginger. Cook for 2 minutes.

 

3 Add the tomatoes (with their juices) to the pot and bring to a simmer.  Cook for 4 minutes.

4 Add the lamb pieces to the pot, stir to coat with the spices, onions and tomatoes, and let cook for 4 minutes.

 

5 Stir in the water and yogurt and mix well. Add salt to taste. Cover the pot, bring to a simmer and reduce heat to a very low simmer. Cook very gently for 2 hours or more, stirring every 15 minutes or so. The stew should cook at a bare simmer until the lamb is very tender. Serve with basmati rice and/or flatbread.

as published at http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/lamb_korma/

Butter Chicken

Servings: 4 

Ingredients

•	Boneless chicken ,cut into 1½ inch pieces	400 grams
•	Lemon juice	1 tablespoon
•	Kashmiri red chilli powder	1 teaspoon
•	Salt	to taste
•	Butter	2 tablespoons
•	For marinade
•	Yogurt	1/2 cup
•	Ginger paste	2 teaspoons
•	Garlic paste	2 teaspoons
•	Kashmiri red chilli powder	1/2 teaspoon
•	Garam masala powder	1/2 teaspoon
•	Salt	to taste
•	Mustard oil	2 teaspoons
•	FOR MAKHNI GRAVY
•	Butter	2 tablespoons
•	Green cardamom	2
•	Clove	2
•	Black peppercorns	2-3
•	Cinnamon	1 inch piece
•	Ginger paste	1 teaspoon
•	Garlic paste	1 teaspoon
•	Tomato puree	1/2 cup
•	Red chilli powder	1/2 teaspoon
•	Salt	to taste
•	Sugar	2 tablespoons
•	Kasoori methi	1/2 teaspoon
•	Fresh cream	1/2 cup

Method
Apply a mixture of red chilli powder, lemon juice and salt to the chicken pieces and set aside for half an hour in the refrigerator. Hang the yogurt in a muslin cloth for fifteen to twenty minutes to remove extra water. Add the ginger and garlic pastes, red chilli and garam masala powders, salt and mustard oil. Apply this marinade to the chicken pieces and place them in the refrigerator for three to four hours. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. String the chicken pieces onto skewers and cook in the preheated oven or a moderately hot tandoor for ten to twelve minutes or until almost done. Baste with the butter and cook for another two minutes. Remove and set aside. 

To make the makhni gravy, heat the butter in a non-stick pan. Add the green cardamoms, cloves, peppercorns and cinnamon. Sauté for two minutes, add the ginger and garlic pastes and sauté for two minutes. Add the tomato puree, red chilli powder, salt and half cup of water. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for ten minutes. Add the sugar or honey and powdered kasoori methi. Add the cooked tandoori chicken pieces. Simmer for five minutes and add the fresh cream.

Serve hot with naan or parantha. 

Chicken in a Spicy Red Sauce

This dish of chicken and potatoes in a delicious red tomato sauce spiced up with cumin, cardamom, may be served with plain rice or with any Indian or Middle Eastern bread. I use canned chopped tomatoes.

Ingredients

2 kg chicken pieces

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

7 good-sized cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped

2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Generous pinch ground asafoetida

Optional 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2-inch stick cinnamon

6 cardamom pods

5 whole cloves

3 dried, hot red chiles or Green chillies

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 can diced / chopped tomatoes

3 – 4 potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch chunks

Instructions

• Sprinkle the chicken pieces lightly with salt black pepper and set aside.

• Put the garlic and ginger into the container o- a with 3 tablespoons water, and blend to a paste

• Put the oil in a wide, non-stick pan and set over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, put in the asafoetida 10 seconds later, put in the cumin seeds. Wait for 10 seconds and put in the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves and chillies. Stir for a few seconds until the large spices begin to turn darker. Now put in the garlic and ginger. Stir and fry it for about 2 minutes. Put in the chicken, turmeric and fry for another minute. Now put in tomatoes, potatoes, 1 ¼ cups water, and salt. Bring to a boil. Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer till cooked. Approximately 25 minutes.

Come and try this recipe and more in out cooking classes