Indian food recipes

Dahi Wada

2009-02-23T06:18:00.000-08:00

For the wadas
Udad dal (Black gram dal) 1 cup
Mung dal (Green gram dal) 1/4 cup Salt to taste

Method for Wadas
Soak the two dals for 7-8 hours or overnight.
Grind it to a smooth paste.
Add salt to taste.
Heat oil for deep frying in a kadahi and add spoonfuls of dal batter and fry until the wadas are
golden brown.
Drop the hot wads in a bowl of cold water and leave for about 3-4 minutes.
Take each wada out from water, squeeze the water out and set aside.

For the Dahi (yogurt)
Dahi (yogurt) 5 cups
(You can use homemade yogurt or low-fat yogurt from the market)
Green chillies, chopped 1 tsp
Ginger grated 1/2 tsp
curry leaves 7-8
Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida pinch
Salt to taste
Sugar 4 tsps (yogurt should taste little sweet)

Method for making dahi
Blend the yogurt with little water until it is smooth.
Add sugar, salt, green chillies and ginger.
Make a tarka (seasoning) of mustard seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves and add to yogurt.
Keep the yogurt in refrigerator until it is chilled.

Arrange the squeezed wadas in a deep dish. Pour the yogurt on the wadas such that all the wads are
covered well by the yogurt. Sprinle red chiili powder, roasted jeera powder and black salt
(sanchal).Serve with sweet tamarind(imli) chutney.

Tandoori Masala Powder

2009-02-23T06:17:00.001-08:00

4 tsp ground coriander
3 tsp ground cummin
4 tsp garlic powder
4 tsp paprika
3 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp mango powder
1 tsp dried mint
3 tsp deep red coloring
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp yellow colouring)

Mix all together and store.
The coriander and cumin powders must be freshly ground.
Use as required.
This will keep for months if stored in an airtight
container.

Malai Kofta

2009-02-23T06:16:00.000-08:00

Kofta:
1 1/2 lb. potatoes
2 heaped tablespoons each of crumbled paneer,
khoya and thick malai(You can substitute this with
baked ricotta cheese and heavy cream)
4-5 cashewnuts chopped
1 tablespoon raisins
2-3 finely chopped green chillies
1/4 tsp sugar
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp red-chilli powder
1/2 tsp cardammom powder
Salt to Taste
3 tbsp cooking oil/ghee(clarified butter)
Oil for frying the koftas

Gravy:
2 medium onions,chopped
3 flakes garlic,crushed
1 inch ginger,crushed
3 large tomatoes,pureed
1 tsp red-chilli powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp dhania(corainder) powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp powdered poppy seeds
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp ground peanuts/cashewnuts

Boil the potatoes till tender.
Peel, mash and add salt to taste.
Keep aside.
Mix all the other ingredients for the
kofta into a paste.
Make rounds of the potato dough and place a
little of the prepared mixture in the center
of each round.
Seal the edges and shape into stuffed rounds.
Deep fry each kofta till golden brown.
Drain and keep aside.
Blend together the onions, ginger, garlic and the
poppy seeds and fry in 3 tbsp of oil till brown
and the oil begins to seperate.
Add the pureed tomatoes and the masala powders.
Add the sugar and the ground peanuts.
The gravy will begin to thicken.
You can also add some malai to thicken it some more.
Mix in some water if necessary.

Hot Mango Chutney

2009-02-23T06:15:00.001-08:00

3 large sweet mangoes, slightly ripened
1 tsp lemon rind, minced finely
1 tsp lemon juice
10 green chillies
1/2" piece ginger, minced finely
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp saunf (fennel) seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/4 tsp methi (fenugreek) seeds
A pinch of hing (asoefetida)
Salt to taste
6 tsp cooking oil
Method
Peel the mango and cut it into small chunks.
Heat about 2 tsp oil in a pan and fry the chunks
till they turn mushy.
Drain, mash well and set aside.
Roast the methi, saunf, cumin and coriander
seeds and crush coarsely using a mortar and pestle.
This is how powders are traditionally made.
But if you are of the impatient kind, go ahead
and use the coffee grinder but make sure
that the powder is a little coarse.
Set aside.
Heat the remaining oil and add the hing and mustard.
When the mustard crackles, add the ginger and
green chillies and fry for about 1-2 minutes.
Add the mango, powdered masala, salt to
taste, lime rinds and lime juice.
Bring to a boil on a low flame.
Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
Store in an airtight container.
If boiled and cooled well, since no water is used in
making this dish, it should keep well for more than a
week.

Coriander Chutney

2009-02-23T06:14:00.002-08:00

1 bunch coriander leaves
2-3 tbsp coconut
2 green chillies
2-3 dry red chillies, roasted
A small piece ginger
2-3 garlic flakes
1 small onion
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Salt to taste

Blend all the above to a smooth paste
adding a little water.
Can be refrigerated for about 1-2 days

Coconut Chutney

2009-02-23T06:14:00.001-08:00

2 cups of fresh coconut, shredded
10 dry red chillies
1 sprig curry leaves
A large pinch of hing (asoefetida)
1/2 tsp methi(fenugreek) seeds
2 tsp udad dhal
2 tsp channa dhal
1 small tomato
Salt to taste

Heat some oil and add the dhals, curry leaves, hing, methi and red chillies.
Fry till done.
Add this to the coconut and tomato and blend into a smooth paste.
Add salt to taste.
Goes well with dosas, idli and plain rice

Tomato Chutney

2009-02-23T06:13:00.000-08:00

2 medium tomatoes, choppped
1/2 tsp hing(asoefetida)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp methi(fenugreek) seeds
1 tablespoon coconut, shredded
3 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp dhania (coriander) powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 very small ball of tamarind , de-seeded
1 small onion, minced finely
2 clovettes of garlic, minced finely
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons oil for frying

Heat 1/2 the amount of oil and add the methi.
Fry for a minute and then add the tomatoes.
Fry till the tomatoes turn soft.
Blend this into a smooth paste, along with the tamarind and the coconut.
Set aside.
Heat the rest of the oil and add the chopped garlic and onion.
Fry till the onion turns translucent and the garlic browns.
Now add the spices(red chilli, turmeric and dhania) and fry for half a minute.
Add the blended paste, salt and hing and heat through.
Goes very well with plain rice or chapati.

Palak Paneer

2009-02-23T06:12:00.000-08:00

Spinach - 500 gms
Onions - 5 medium sized
Garlic - 2-3 flakes
Cooking oil - 6-7 tbsps
Cummin seeds - 1 tbsp
Paneer - 150-200 gms
Salt to taste
Garam Masala, Geera Powder, Chilli Powder

1.Cook the spinach in water.
2.Drain the water and then make puree of the spinach leaves.
3.Cut 4 of the onions finely and saute them till transparent.
4.Grind the other onion and the garlic flakes to a fine paste.
5.Add this paste to the sauted onions. Also add the puree and the spice
powders. Add some water if necessary.
6.Let boil for a minute or two.
7.Cut the paneer to cubes of desired size (preferably not too small). Fry
this in oil till golden brown,
8.Add this paneer to the prepared palak.
9.Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Pav Bhaji

2009-02-23T06:11:00.000-08:00

8 soft buns

butter to shallow fry.

Bhaji
1 capsicum chopped fine
2 onions chopped fine
2 tomatoes chopped fine
2 1/2 cups chopped mixed vegetables (beans, carrots, cauliflower, potota, beans, bottle gourds, etc.) 1/2 cup shelled
peas
2 tbsp. butter
2 tsp. pavbhaji masala
1 1/2 tsp. chilli powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. sugar
salt to taste
1 cup water (in which vegetables were boiled)
1/2 tsp. each ginger grated, garlic crushed
juice of 1/2 lemon.
To Garnish
1 tbsp. coriander chopped
1 onion chopped
small pieces of lemon

Pressure cook mixed vegetables and peas till well done.
Mash them coarsely after draining.
Heat butter in a pan.
Add ginger-garlice, capsicum, onion, tomatoes.
Fry for 2-3 minutes till very soft.
Add pavbhaji masala , chilli powder, turmeric, salt, sugar and fry further 2-3 minutes.
Bring to boil.
Simmer till gravy is thick, stirring and mashing pieces with masala, in between.
Add lemon juice, stir.
Garnish with chopped coriander and a block of butter.

Pavs
Slit pavs horizontally leaving one edge attached. (To open like a book).
Apply butter (as desired) and roast open on a griddle till hot and soft with the surface crisp on both sides.
Serve hot with bhaji, a piece of lemon and chopped onion.

Channa Bhatura

2009-02-23T06:09:00.002-08:00

1 cup kabuli channa soaked overnight
1 large tomato
2 large onions
1 1/2 tbsp. chopped coriander
1 tsp. ginger grated
1 tsp. garlic crushed
1 lemon (juice extracted)
2 tbsp. oil, 1 tbsp. ghee
1 tsp. tea leaves (tied into a pouch in a
small piece of clean muslin cloth)
4 green chillies slit
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1/2 tsp. each cinnamon - clove powder,
turmeric powder
1/4 tsp. each garam masala, pepper
powder
salt to taste

Bhatura
2 cups plain flour (maida) 2 tbsp. curds
2 tbsp. butter or oil
1/2 tsp. soda bicarb
salt to taste
Milk to knead dough
oil to deep fry

Sieve together flour, salt and soda.
Add and mix in curds and oil.
Add enough milk to knead into a soft pliable dough.
Cover with a wet cloth.
Keep aside for 5-6 hours. Make sure the cloth does not dry up, or wet again.
Knead dough again. Take fistful of dough. Roll into 1/4" thick 5" diameter round. Fry in hot oil.
Turning only once. Till very light golden in colour. Repeat for all. Serve hot with hot channa and
slices of onions and lemon.

Channa
Put the soaked, washed channa in a cooked with enough water, teapouch and bay leaves.
Pressure cook till done. (approx. 6-7 whistles).
Cool about 5 tbsp. channa for grinding.
In a mixie, blend together 1/2 tomato, 1 onion, cooled channa and 1/2 tbsp. coriander. Keep aside.
Chop remaining tomatoes and onions fine.
Heat oil in a large skillet.
Add cumin seeds to splutter.
Add ginger-garlic and fry for a minute.
Add chopped tomatoes, onion and fry till tender.
Add channa-paste, fry further 3-4 minutes.
Add all dry masala except cinnamon-clove powder.
Stir and fry till oil separates. Add drained channa and 2 cup water which was drained from channa.
Stir and bring to boil.
Simmer for 7-8 minutes till gravy thickens.
Take in serving dish.
Heat ghee in a small sauce pan.
Add the chillies and cinnamon-clove powder.
Add chopped coriander and pour hot over the channa.
Squeeze lemon over channa.
Stir in seasoning gentl

Masala Dosa

2009-02-23T06:09:00.001-08:00

1 cup plain rice.
1 cup parboiled rice.
1/4 cup white udad dal.
1/2 tsp. methi (fenugreek) seeds
1 /2 tsp soda bi carbonate
1/2 cup curds the batter.
10-12 tsps. ghee or oil as preferred
water for grinding

Wash the rices and dal together.
Add plenty of water and methi seeds.
Allow to soak for 7-8 hours or overnight.
Rewash the rice by draining the water 2-3 times.
Grind to a paste. Rawa -like grains should be felt in
Add soda bicarb and salt and mix well.
Keep aside in a warm place for 8-10 hours. Beat the curds well.
Add to the batter, add more water if required.
The consistency of the batter should be
enough to thickly coat on a spoon when dipped.
Heat the iron griddle or non-stick tawa well.
Pour a spoonful of batter in the centre, spread
with the back of the spoon to a thin round.
Pour a tsp. of ghee or oil over it.
Spread chutney spread over dosa.
Place a tbsp. masala in the centre.
Fold into triangle to cover masala.

Rava Dosa

2009-02-23T06:08:00.002-08:00

1 cup fine soji (semolina)
1/2 cup rice flour or plain flour
1 tbsp. oil
1/8 tsp. soda bicarb
2-2 ½ cups buttermilk
1 tsp. coriander chopped fine
2 green chillies chopped fine

Blend all the ingredients together.
Add more buttermilk if necessary.
ginger grated Roll the dosa in a three-fold cylinder.
oil to shallow fry Serve hot with onion and/or coconut chutneys.
The batter should be relatively thin. salt to taste Keep aside for 20 - 30 minutes.
Heat griddle and pour 1 large spoon of batter on it.
Spread by gently rotating the griddle.
Put some oil (1/2 tsp.) over dosa.
Lift with a spatula as for basic dosa.

Plain Dosa

2009-02-23T06:08:00.001-08:00

cup plain rice
1 cup parboiled rice
1/4 cup white udad dal
1/2 tsp. methi (fenugreek) seeds
1 /2 tsp soda bi carbonate
1/2 cup curds
10-12 tsps. ghee or oil as preferred
water for grinding

Wash the rices and dal together.
Add plenty of water and methi seeds

Allow to soak for 7-8 hours or overnight.
Rewash the rice by draining the water 2-3 times.
Grind to a paste. Rawa -like grains should be felt in the batter. Add soda bicarb and salt and mix well.
Keep aside in a warm place for 8-10 hours.
Beat the curds well.
Add to the batter, add more water if required.
The consistency of the batter should be thick enough to thickly coat on a spoon when dipped.
Heat the iron griddle or non-stick tawa well.
Pour a spoonful of batter in the centre, spread with the back of the spoon to a thin round.
Pour a tsp. of ghee or oil over it.
Remove with spatula when crisp.

Puranpoli

2009-02-23T06:06:00.000-08:00

300gms. channa (yellowgram) dal
300 gms. jaggery (molasses)
1 tsp. cardamom powder
150 gms. plain flour
1 tbsp. ghee
warm water to knead dough
ghee

Boil dal in plenty of water till soft but not broken.
Drain in a colander for 10-15 minutes.
Pass through an almond grater little by little till all dal is grated.
Mash jaggery till lumps break. Mix well into dal.
Put mixture in a heavy saucepan and cook till a soft lump is formed
Take care to stir continuously, so as not to charr. Keep aside.
Mix ghee, flour, add enough water to make a soft pliable dough.
Take a morsel sized ball of dough, roll into a 4" round.
Place same sized ball of filling in centre, life all round and seal.
Reroll carefully to a 6" diameter round.
Roast on warm griddle till golden brown.
Repeat other side.
Take on serving plate. Apply a tsp. of ghee all over top.

Malai Kofta

2009-02-23T06:04:00.000-08:00

Gravy
125 gms. cream
75 gms. khoya or paneer
150 ml. milk
50 gms. cashewnuts
3 tsp. white pepper powder.
2 1/2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. grated ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg powder
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. garlic crushed
1" cinnamon
6 cloves
6 cardamoms
salt to taste
3 tbsp. ghee

Kofta
50 gms. khoya

50 gms. paneer
5 medium potatoes
20 gms. cashewnuts
20 gms. raisins
4-5 green chillies chopped fine
1/2 tsp. ginger grated
1 tsp. coriander chopped
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
salt to taste

Koftas
Boil the potatoes, peel and smash them.
Mix together all the ingredients except raisins and cashews.
Take a ping-pong ball sized dough in hand.
Flatten. Place 2-3 cashews and raisins in the centre and shape into a ball.
Repeat for remaining dough. Keep aside.

Gravy
Roast the cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and cloves together.
Dry grind and keep aside. Wet grind all the other ingredients, except ghee, to a paste.
Heat ghee in a skillet, add powdered spices and fry for 2-3 seconds.
Add paste and fry further for 5-7 minutes stirring well.
Add 2 cups water and simmer on low for 15 minutes.
Warm the koftas either in the oven or on the tava.
Optional: You can deep fry the koftas also.
To serve place warm koftas in a casserole.
Either pour boiling hot gravy on the koftas or pour and bake in hot oven of 5 minutes.
Garnish with grated cheese and chopped coriander.
Serve hot with naan or parathas.

Kachori

2009-02-23T06:02:00.000-08:00

Coating
1 1/2 cup plain flour
3 tbsp. oil
salt to taste
cold water to knead dough

Filling:
1 cup yellow moong dal washed and soaked for 1/2 hour
1 tsp. garam masala
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1/2 tsp. dhania (coriander) powder
1/2 tsp. coriander seeds crushed coarsely
1/2 tsp. fennel (saunf) seeds crushed coarsely
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tbsp. coriander leaves finely chopped
salt to taste
2-3 pinches asafoetida
1 tbsp. oil
oil to deep fry
1 tbsp. plain flour for patching

Coating:
Mix flour, salt and oil, knead into soft pliable dough.
Keep aside for 30 minutes.

Filling:
Put plenty of water to boil. Add dal.
Boil dal for 5 minutes, drain.
Cool a little. Heat oil in a heavy pan.
Add all seeds whole and crushed allow to splutter.
Add asafoetida, mix. Add all other ingredients.
Mix well. Do not smash the dal fully.
But enough to make the mixture hold well.
Remove from fire, cool.
Divide into 15 portions.
16
Shape into balls with greased palms.
Keep aside.
To proceed:
Make a paste with water, of flour for patching.
Keep aside.
Take a pingpong ball sized portion of dough.
Knead into round. Roll into 4" diam. round.
Place one ball of filling at centre.
Pick up round and wrap ball into it like a pouch.
Break off excess dough carefully.
Do not allow cover to tear.
Press the ball with palm, making it flattish and round.
Repeat for 4-5 kachories.
Deep fry in hot oil, on low flame only.
If the kachori get a hole anywhere, apply some paste.
Return to oil and finish frying.
Turn and repeat for other side.
Fry till golden and crisp. Small bubbles must appear over kachori.
Drain and serve hot with green and tamarind chutneys.

Masala Vada

2009-02-23T06:01:00.000-08:00

1 cup yellow gram (chana) dak
1/2 cup onion finely chopped
1/2 cup coriander finely chopped
1/2 cup dill leaves finely chopped
3-4 green chillies finely chopped
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
oil o deep fry

Wash and soak dal for 3-4 hours.
Keep 2 tbsp. dal aside, grind the rest,coarsely.
Mix all other ingredients, including whole dal.
Add 2-3 tbsp. hot oil to the mixture.
Heat oil, make pattie shaped rounds with moist palm.
Let carefully into the hot oil.
Fry first one side then the other till golden brown.
Serve hot with green chutney, tamarind chutney, or ketchup

Samosa

2009-02-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
For cover:
1 cup plain flour (maida)
2 tbsp. warm oil
water to knead dough
For filling:
2 potatoes large boiled, peeled, mashed
1 onion finely chopped
14
2 green chillies crushed
1/2 tsp. ginger crushed
1/2 tsp. garlic crushed
1 tbsp. coriander finely chopped
1/2 lemon juice extracted
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tsp. coriander seeds cru shed
1 tsp. red chilli powder
salt to taste
oil to deep fry

Dough:
Make well in the flour.
Add oil, salt and little water.Mix well till crumbly.
Add more water little by little, kneading into soft pliable dough.
Cover with moist cloth, keep aside for 15-20 minutes.
Beat dough on worksurface and knead again. Re-cover.

Filling:
Heat 3 tbsp. oil, add ginger, green chilli, garlic, coriander seeds.
Stir fry for a minute, add onion, saute till light brown.
Add coriander, lemon, turmeric, salt, red chilli, garam masala.
Stir fry for 2 minutes, add potatoes. Stir further 2 minutes.
Cool. Keep aside.

Make a thin 5" diam. round with some dough.
Cut into two halves. Run a moist finger along diameter.
Join and press together to make a cone.
Place a tbsp. of filling in the cone and seal third side as above.
Make five to six. Put in hot oil, deep fry on low to medium till light brown.
Do not fry on high, or the samosas will turn out oily and soggy.
Drain on rack or kitchen paper.
Serve hot with green and tamarind chutneys (refer chutneys), or tomato sauce.

Aloo Paratha

2009-02-23T05:57:00.000-08:00

250 gm whole wheat flour
salt water
50 ml oil

Filling
500 gm potatoes
20 gm coriander leaves
20 gm ginger garlic paste
75 gm onions
05 gm green chillies
05 gm turmeric
05 gm chilli powder and salt
10 ml lime juice
oil for frying

Make a soft dough with the specified ingredients. Divide the dough into balls, as per the required size. Chop the onions, green chillies and the coriander leaves. Boil the potatoes; remove the skin and mash. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Take each portion of the dough, flatten it on palm. Stuff the filling in the dough and roll into balls. With a rolling pin, flatten the balls into 1/2" thick round parathas. Grease a pan with a little oil and heat on a medium flame. Cook the parathas until both sides are golden and cooked through.

Rassam

2009-02-23T05:55:00.001-08:00

100 gm toor dal

100 gm tomatoes

500 ml water

25 gm tamarind

10 gm peppercorns

10 gm cumin seeds

10 gm coriander seeds

03 gm red chillies

30 ml oil

03 gm mustard seeds

02 gm curry leaves

03 garlic cloves

10 gm sprigs of coriander leaves

salt

Crush garlic and chop tomatoes. Soak the tamarind and extract the pulp. Roast the ingredients for the powder and grind until fine. Boil the dal with tomatoes till the lentils are mashed and set aside. Heat oil and add mustard seeds, leave until it crackles. Add the crushed garlic, curry leaves and the coriander leaves. Mix the dal and water to get the required rassam consistency. Mix in the tamarind pulp. Add the rassam powder. Boil for 5 minutes on a low flame.

Masala Rava Idli

2009-02-23T05:54:00.000-08:00

3 cup semolina
2 tbsp oil
2 dry red peppers-broken into pieces
6-7 curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds-for seasoning
salt to taste
1 cup sour yogurt
1 tsp Soda bi Carbonet / Eno

Heat the oil and add the peppers, curry leaves, mustard seeds and when they splutter, add the semolina and sauté over low heat, till an aroma emanates. Take it off the heat and let it cool. When cool, mix the semolina and yogurt to a smooth batter add the salt. Keep aside in a warm place for about an hour. Add the eno’s and steam immediately in an idli steamer for 6-9 minutes (cocktail sized) and 15-20 minutes if the bigger size. You will have to judge the time after trying a few first.

Kerala Mutton Stew

2009-02-23T05:52:00.000-08:00

500 gm cubed mutton

100 gm sliced onion

5 gm slit green chillies

10 gm ginger strips

1 tsp pepper corns

10 curry pattas

1 grated coconut

salt to taste

100 gm oil

1 cinnamon

4 cardamoms

4 cloves

150 gm cubed potatoes

50 gm diced carrots

Boil mutton along with ginger. Set aside. Boil potatoes and carrots. Set aside. Extract coconut milk twice. Heat oil and sauté sabut garam masala, onion, green chillies, ginger, curry patta, peppercorns. Add boiled mutton, potatoes and carrot along with second extract of coconut milk and cook. Stir first extract of coconut milk just before serving.

Kashmiri Mutton Biryani

2009-02-23T05:51:00.000-08:00

1/2 kg mutton-cubed
1/2 kg cooked rice
1/2 cup curd
2 bay leaf
2 black cardamoms
2 green cardamoms
2 cinnamon sticks
4 cloves
2 tsp shahi jeera
1 tbsp cashew nuts
2 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 nutmeg-ground
1/2 tsp saffron mixed with 1 tbsp milk
4 tbsp pure ghee
salt to taste
1 cup chopped mint and coriander leaves

Mix meat with curd, chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt and allow to marinate for one hour. Cook basmati rice in more than enough water with little salt, till just half done. Drain and keep aside. Heat ghee in a pan, add cloves, black cardamoms, green cardamoms, cinnamon, bay leaf, shahi jeera, coriander powder, ground nutmeg and garam masala. Add marinated meat stir and fry well till browned and the curd is absorbed. Add enough water to cook meat, cook till the meat is tender. Keep aside. Divide the rice into two portions. To one portion add saffron milk, half meat, half coriander and mint leaves, mix. Cover with white rice and remaining meat. Sprinkle the remaining coriander and mint leaves and cashew nuts. Shut the pot tightly. Cook on a low fire for a 30-45 minutes. Serve with shahi shorba and aam ka achaar. For semi boiled rice, bring water to boil, add rice cook till rice is almost done. Drain and use.

Dum Biryani (Spiced Mutton with Rice)

2009-02-23T05:48:00.000-08:00

500 gm mutton knuckles

500 gm basmati rice

Marinade

100 gm ginger garlic paste

50 gm red chilli paste

150 gm yoghurt

20 ml lemon juice

salt

15 gm turmeric

50 ml milk

0.5 gm saffron

dough for sealing

Masala

100 gm vegetable fat

05 gm cardamom

05 gm cinnamon

05 gm cloves

02 gm bayleaves

250 gm sliced onion

75 gm tomato paste

50 gm mint leaves

25 gm coriander leaves

25 gm green chillies

20 gm garam masala

Mix the mutton with the ingredients for the marinade. Fry half of the onions until golden, drain and keep aside. Soak the saffron in hot milk. Heat fat in a heavy bottomed pan and add first 5 masala ingredients, then add the sliced onions and sauté till slightly golden. Add the mutton and stir for 10 minutes. Mix in the rest of the ingredients and simmer on a slow flame for 30 minutes.
Boil the rice till 3/4 cooked, arrange the rice on top of the mutton preparation, layering it with the fried onions and mint leaves. Pour the saffron milk on top and cover with a well fitting lid. Seal the pot with the dough and cook for 5 minutes on a medium flame and simmer or place in a medium hot oven for 20 minutes.

Herb Stuffed Chicken

2009-02-23T05:47:00.001-08:00

4 de-boned chicken legs with skin

2 tbsp lime juice

2 tsp chopped garlic

1 tbsp chopped spring onion

salt and pepper

50 gm butter

pared rind juice

2 limes 125 ml chicken stock

1 ½ tsp corn flour

1 tbsp water

1 tbsp chopped garden herbs

½ tsp sugar

¼ tsp mild chilli powder

1 tbsp melted butter

Place chicken skin-side down on a board. Sprinkle on 2 tbsp limejuice, garlic, spring onion and seasoning. Heat butter in a pan, add chicken to pan with rind and juice of 2 limes. Season. Sauté until cooked.
Strain juices from pan. Add stock, return to the flame and thicken with corn flour. Season and add herbs. Sprinkle remaining ingredients over chicken and grill until crisp.