Palak panir...(panir in spinach gravy)....

 

Panneer butter masala:....

 Paneer

Buffallo roast...

INGREDIENTS:

2 lb buffallo meat pieces.
1 tsp coriander seeds.
2 inch ginger piece.
1/2 tsp turmeric powder.
10 to 12 red chilies (seeded if desired).
1/2 medium sized onion (about half cup).
3 to 4 sprigs of cilantro leaves.
1/2 tsp cumin seeds.
2 inch cinnamon stick.
4 cloves.
1/2 tsp fennel seeds.
2 tbsp vinegar.
Salt to taste.
2 tbsp ghee or oil.
2 sprigs curry leaves.
2 tbsp desiccated coconut.
2 to 3 scotch bonnet pepper or green chilies.

PREPARATION:
Grind the ingredients from coriander seeds to vinegar, fine. 
Apply on the meat pieces, add salt and cook till its soft.
Heat ghee, add curry leaves, coconut, green chilies and saute.
Add the cooked meat and roast on high heat till all the liquid is absorbed and fairly dry.

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Goan fish fry...

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb Cod fish fillet, Sardines or any fish.
1/2 onion (about 1/2 cup).
1/4 tsp turmeric powder.
4-5 red chilies.
1/2 tsp mustard seeds.
1/4 tsp cumin seeds.
3 garlic cloves.
Salt to taste.
Mustard oil or Olive oil to shallow fry.

METHOD:
Grind all the ingredients from onion to salt to a fine paste and smear on the fish. 
Heat oil, fry the fish on both sides and serve.

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Oats idli... (Steamed cake)

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup oats. (heaped)

1/2 cup almonds.

1/2 cup cream of wheat.(roasted)

1/2 cup yogurt.

1/4 tsp salt.

Enough water or vegetable stock to mix.

1/2 tsp baking soda. (little less than 1/2 tsp)

METHOD:
Grind together, the first two ingredients, fine. (Do not powder).
In a bowl, mix all the ingredients except baking soda. Add enough water and make in to a thick batter. Let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the baking soda.
Mix well and pour in greased idli trays and steam for 5 to 7 minutes.
Serve with sweet or hot chutney.

VARIATIONS:
To add chopped veggies, place them on idli trays and then pour the batter or mix with the batter and make.

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Bagara Baingan.....

INGREDIENTS:

5 small brinjals.
5 to 6 red chilies.
2 tbsp grated coconut.
1/2 tsp coriander seeds.
3 garlic cloves.
1 tsp sesame seeds.
1/4 cup diced onion or 5 pearl onions.
2 to 3 tbsp gingelly oil.
1/4 tsp turmeric powder.
1 sprig curry leaves.
2 tbsp tamarind juice.
1 tsp jaggery or brown sugar.

METHOD:
Roast the ingredients from chilies to onions.
Cut the brinjals, lengthwise in quarters.
Heat oil, fry the brinjals with little turmeric powder, curry leaves, till the skin gets a brownish color.
Remove the fried pieces and keep aside.
Grind the roasted ingredients and saute in the same oil.
Add turmeric powder, salt, fried brinjals, tamarind juice and cook stirring constantly on medium fire.
Stir in jaggery and cook till the gravy thickens, and remove from fire.

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Oats idli (Oats steam cake)

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup oats (heaped).
1/2 cup cream of wheat.
1/2 cup almonds (optional).
1/2 cup yogurt.

1/2 cup grated carrot.
1/2 tsp baking soda.
Salt to taste.
Enough water or vegetable stock to mix.

To temper:
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil.
1 sprig curry leaves.
2 dried red chilies, (seeded).
1/2 tsp mustard seeds.
1 tsp split green  gram.
1 tsp split black gram.

METHOD:

Roast the cream of wheat.
Grind the oats and almonds coarsely.  

Soak the above ingredients with yogurt and enough water for 15 minutes. 

Heat oil, add mustard seeds, when it sputter add the chilies, grams, curry leaves and fry.

Pour over the soaked mixture,  add  carrot, salt, enough water and mix well.
Stir in the baking soda.  Pour in the greased idli plates and steam for 7 to 10 minutes.
Serve with spicey chutney or sweet chutney.

Grams with spinach...

INGREDIENTS:

Split red gram - 1/4 cup.
Split bengal gram  - 1/4 cup.
Split green gram - 1/4 cup.
Split black gram  - 1/4 cup.
Garlic cloves  - 2 to 3.
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp.
Spinach - 7 oz.
Curry powder - 1 tsp. (recipe given below)
Extra virgin olive oil or ghee - 2 to 3 tbsp.
Red chilies - 5 to 6.
Curry leaves - 1 sprig.
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Salt to taste.

METHOD:
Cook the first 6 ingredients with adequate water and salt.
Grind the spinach fine, in blender.
Heat oil, add mustard seeds, red chilies, curry leaves.  When it splutter, stir in the curry powder, ground spinach, salt and bring to boil.
Mash the cooked gram , add to the spinach mixture and add more salt, water if needed. 
Stir well, bring to boil and serve with boiled rice.

CURRY POWDER:
2 to 3 red chilies.
1 tsp split red gram.
1 tsp bengal gram.
1 tsp split green gram.
1 tsp split black gram.
1 tsp black pepper.
1 tsp cumin seeds.
Roast the above ingredients and pound fine.

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Cashew butter blossoms...

INGREDIENTS:

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour.
3/4 tsp baking soda.
1 cup light brown sugar.
1/2 cup butter.
1/2 cup cashew butter.
1 egg.
Dash salt.
1/2 tsp vanilla extract.
Chocolate kisses.
Granulated sugar.

PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, F.
Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and keep aside.
Beat butter, add cashew butter and sugar.  Beat till fluffy.
Add egg and vanilla.  Beat well.
Stir in the flour mixture and mix well.  Shape dough in to  1 inch balls.  Roll in granulated sugar.
Place 2 inch apart on baking sheet.  Bake 7 to 8 minutes. 
Remove cookies from oven, immediately press a chocolate kiss in each.
Transfer to wire rack and cool.

Fruits and nuts cake.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup whole wheat flour.
1/2 cup butter.
1 cup sugar.
1 1/2 tsp baking powder.
1/4 tsp allspice powder.
3 eggs.
1 tsp vanilla extract.
1 cup dried fruits (dried apricots, dried pineapple, dried papaya)
1/4 tsp salt.
3/4 cup nuts (brazil nuts and walnuts).
1/3 cup caramel sugar.

Soak the fruits in sweet wine for 2 weeks.

PREPARATION OF CARAMEL SUGAR:
Cook 1/4 cup sugar with 1/4 cup water until it turns brownish reddish color. Let it cool.

METHOD:
Heat oven to 350 degrees, F.
Grease and flour the baking pan.
Cream butter and sugar till light.
Add eggs one at a time and beat well at high speed.
Add prepared caramel sugar.
Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, nuts, allspice powder and fold in to that.
Strain the fruits and dredge with 1/4 cup flour and fold in to the cake mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes.

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Mutton vindaloo....

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb mutton pieces.
7 to 8 red chilies.
1/4 tsp cumin seeds.
1/4 tsp fennel seeds.
1/4 tsp mustard seeds.
1 1/2  inch cinnamon stick.
3 cloves.
6 garlic cloves.
1 1/2 inch ginger.
1 medium sized onion, diced.
3 to 4 tbsp vinegar.
Salt to taste.
3 to 4 tbsp butter or oil.
1/2 cup feni or cooking wine.
1 tsp sugar.
3 tbsp cream.

METHOD:
Grind the spices with vinegar, from chilies to onion.
Smear the ground mixture on mutton pieces and keep aside for 2 to 3 hours.
Heat butter and fry the marinated pieces.  
Add cooking wine, cover, cook on medium heat.
Add more water if needed and cook, till its tender and soft.
Stir in sugar, cream and cook some more time till oil floats on top.
Serve hot with plain rice or appam.


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Appam with almonds....

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups extra long grain rice.
One handful  almonds. 

1 tsp yeast.
1/8 tsp baking soda.
Salt to taste.

METHOD:
Soak the first two ingredients together for at least 4 hours.
Grind finely with adequate water.  Stir in the yeast and let it ferment 8 hours.
Add salt, baking soda, little water or milk, mix well and keep for 5 to 10 minutes.
Pour a ladle full of batter in hot appam griddle.
Tilt the pan with both hands and give it a circular twist about 2 inch more.
Cover and cook until the center is puffed and forms a crisp border. 
1/2 cup sugar can be added to make sweet appam, if desired.

SUBSTITUTE FOR YEAST OR TODDY:

1.  Add one tablespoon full of sugar to half cup of coconut water, mix well and let it ferment for 4 to 8 hours, can be used as a substitute for yeast or toddy.

          OR
2.  Keep 2 to 3 tbsp fulls of leftover batter, in the refrigerator and use for future use,  as a substitute for yeast or toddy.

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Mughlai biriyani....

INGREDIENTS:

2 lb chicken or mutton.
2 inch ginger piece.
5 to 6 garlic cloves.
5 to 6 red chilies.
10 almonds.
1/2 cup butter.
3 bay leaves.
1 onion, sliced.
4 cardamons.
4 cloves.
2 inch cinnamon stick.
1 to 2 green chilies.
1/2 tsp fennels seeds.
1/4 tsp cumin seeds.
1 pinch saffron.
1 cup milk.
1/2 cup yogurt.
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves.
1/2 cup chopped mint leaves.

METHOD:
Clean the mutton pieces.
Grind ginger, red chilies, garlic cloves, almonds in to a fine paste.
Heat half the butter, fry onions and remove. 
Add bay leaves, ground mixture and fry.  Add meat and fry.
Add little water, salt and cook, covered till the meat is tender.
Boil rice with little salt, till half cooked.
Stir in half the cloves, cinnamon, cardamons, fennels seeds, cumin seeds, green chilies, coriander leaves, mint leaves in yogurt and mix with mutton.
In a heavy skillet, spread layers of rice, fried onion and mutton.  Repeat till all the ingredients are layered.
Mix all the remaining spices and saffron in milk, pour over.  Spread  the remaining butter on top.
Sprinkle lemon juice.
Cover and place in a oven at 300 degree, F for one hour.  OR  place on a stove top on low flame for 20 to 30 minutes. 
Serve hot with eggplant raita and egg curry.

Fruits and nuts christmas cookies...

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups whole wheat flour.
1/2 cup Brazil nuts.
1/2 cup walnuts.
1/4 cup chopped dates.
1/4 cup raisins.
1/2 cup shortening.
1 cup light brown sugar.
2 eggs.
1 tsp baking soda.
1/4 tsp salt.
1 tsp vanilla extract.

METHOD:
Heat oven to 375 degrees, F.
Combine flour, baking soda and salt.
In the large bowl, beat shortening, brown sugar, and vanilla with electric mixer until creamy.
Add eggs beating well.
Gradually add flour mixture and mix well.
Stir in the fruits and nuts.
Drop spoon full of dough on to Christmas shaped baking tray or baking tray.
Bake 8 to 9 minutes.  Cool slightly. 
Remove cookies from cookie tray to wire rack, to cool completely.

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Lemon chicken

INGREDIENTS:


5 chicken drumsticks and 5 thighs, skinned.

1/4 cup olive oil.

1 inch ginger root, grated.

4-6 garlic cloves, crushed.

1 green chillie, seeded and finely chopped.

1/2 tsp turmeric powder.

1/2 tsp ground cumin seeds.

1 tsp coriander powder.

1/2 tsp chillie powder.

1-1 1/2 cups water.

1/2 tsp Grated lemon peel.

Juice of 2 lemon.

4-5 sprigs of cilantro leaves, chopped.


Method:
Pat dry the chicken pieces with paper towel.

Heat oil on a skillet, add chicken pieces and fry turning frequently, until browned all over. Remove the chicken pieces and set aside. Add the grated ginger, crushed garlic and fry. Stir in all the dry ingredients and fry for a minute. Return chicken to pan add water, lemon peel and juice. Bring to a boil, cover, cook over medium heat for 25-30 minutes, stirring ocassionally until the chicken is tender. Stir in chopped cilantro leaves and mix well. Serve hot. Garnish with lemon slices.


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