Khaman Dhokla - Indian Chickpea Bread

Khaman Dhokla

Like rossagollas, this dish has taken me some time to master, this recipe from a Divya Mehta worked for me.

Khaman Dhokala
Ingredients: 1 cup channa dal 1 tbs. chili ginger paste Salt to taste 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder 1/2 cup yogurt 2 tsp. sugar Apinch of asafetida 1/2 tsp. baking soda 3 tbs. oil At the time to prepare Dhokala 3 tbs. lemon juice or 3 tsp. citric acid
To temper -- 2 tablespoons oil 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, coriander leaves and coconut to garnish

Method:
Soak the dal for five hours. Grind it to paste with the yogurt.
Mix with salt, chilli-ginger paste, turmeric and sugar.
Beat mixture with hands to make it light and fluffy. Then cover with a tight lid and keep aside in a warm place for about five hours to ferment.
Now combine oil, lemon juice or citric acid in a small vessel. Add half-tsp. baking soda. It will bubble.
Stir with a spoon and pour it in the fermented batter. Mix well.
Take a vessel, big enough to hold an a deep plate.
Put about four cups of water in it and a metal ring in the center to put the plate on. Cover with a tight lid and boil water. Meanwhile grease the plate with oil and pour the batter in. Put it inside on the ring. Cover and steam for 15 to 20 minutes. The batter will rise and make spongy dhoklas. Remove carefully from inside and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Cut into square pieces and transfer to a serving plate. Prepare tempering by heating oil and mustard seeds until seeds pop up. Add sesame seeds and Switch off gas. Pour over dhoklas evenly. Sprinkle coriander leaves. Serve khaman dhoklas hot or cold with green coriander chutney.

Matarshutir Kachori - Puffed bread with pea filling

Kachori with green peas

Ingredients:

1/2 cup self raising flour
1 1/2 cup Indian whole wheat flour ( atta), if unavailable substitute with regular flour.
1 tsp nigella seeds.
4 small green chillies
Salt to taste
1 tbsps fennel seeds (powdered)
3 tbsps ghee,
¼ tsp asafetida
1 cup frozen peas
1-inch piece ginger
Oil for deep frying
Method of Preparation
1. Mix the flours with 2 tsp ghee salt and nigella seeds.
2.Add enough water a little at a time and knead to a soft dough.
3. Cover and set aside.
4. Grind the peas, ginger, chillies and fennel seeds to a fine paste.
5. Heat oil .Fry the asafetida till light brown.Add the peas paste and salt.
6.Fry well till the paste is cooked. Remove from the fire and let it cool.
7. Divide the dough into 8 balls.
8. Roll into thin discs, put 2 tsp pea filling in one disc. Cover with the other disc like round empanadas.
9. Roll out to flatten and seal.
10. Deep fry in hot oil on slow fire till golden brown.
11. Drain excess oil and remove from oil . Serve hot with Cholar Dal.

Chicken Tikka Masala - Chicken in a creamy tomato sauce

Chicken Tikka Masala (Serves 6)

INGREDIENTS:
For the Chicken Tikka

Ingredients
1 cup yogurt
Juice of one lime
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tbs tandoori masala
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
Salt to taste
2 lbs cut into bite-size pieces

Preparation
Mix the yogurt and spices to form a smooth paste.
Marinade the chicken in the above ingredients for 8-10 hrs.
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Put the chicken on a baking tray sprinkle with oil.
Bake the chicken for 15 min and broil till lightly brown (5-7min)

Sauce.
Ingredients
Remaining marinade (very important)
½ cup yogurt
3-4 tbs butter
2-3 tbs oil
1 onion finely chopped
2 tbs dried fenugreek
2 tsp garlic, minced
2 green chilies finely chopped
½ green pepper finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
3 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 tsp Garam Masala
3 tomatoes finely chopped
½ cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Heat oil in a pan and add onion and garlic.
2. Add the cumin, paprika, fenugreek and salt.
3. Cook for 5 minutes and add the tomatoes. Cook till the tomatoes soften to a pulp.
4. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
5. Blend the sauce with the cream.
6. Return to heat and add the chicken. Cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes.
7. Add the butter and cook till melted
8. Transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with fresh cilantro and garam masala.

Masala - Basic Indian Spice Mixtures

Basic Indian Spice Mixtures

Garam Massala (Punjabi Style)

½ cup cumin seeds
½ cup ground coriander
½ cup whole black peppercorns
5 teaspoons seeds of black cardamom pods
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cloves
3-4 bay leaves
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

Method of preparaton

Clean and prepare all of the spices.

In a frying pan, dry-roast half of the mixed spices over low heat until the spices are lightly browned and fragrant.

Grind the mixture in a mortar or electric grinder to a very fine texture.

Remove the coarse residue with a sieve or strainer and store airtight in a glass jar.

Garam Massala (Bengali Style)

5 teaspoons seeds of black cardamom pods
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cloves
6-7 bay leaves
2-3 pieces mace
1 tablespoon allspice
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

1. Lightly roast the spices on a pan.
2. Blend the spices in a spice mill for 10 minutes.
3. Store in a jar in a cool place.

Note: This mixture is more fragrant that the pubjabi style mixture and is better suited for biriyanis and rice dishes.



Curry Powder Recipe

Ingredients:

• 6 dried red chilies
• 1 ounce coriander seeds
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 10 fresh curry leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon ground turmeric

Directions:

This medium-hot curry blend can be used in any dish that calls for curry powder.

Remove the seeds from the chilies. Dry roast the whole spices over a medium heat until they darken, stirring or shaking the pan frequently to prevent burning. Leave to cool, then grind to a powder. Dry roast the curry leaves in the pan for a few minutes, then grind and add them to the mixture with the ginger and turmeric, blending well.

* To make Aromatic Curry Powder, add 1 tsp ground cinnamon and 1/4 tsp ground cloves with the ginger and turmeric, and use only 2 or 3 chilies.

This recipe for Basic Curry Powder serves/makes 1.

Ghee ( Indian Clarified Butter)

1/2 lb. white unsalted butter
a pinch of salt

1. Put the butter along with the salt into a heavy bottomed vessel and keep on a medium flame.
2. Reduce the heat to very low the melted butter starts bubbling.
   
3. Keep on very low heat, stirring frequently, for about 25 minutes till the residue is brown in color and the mixture is fragrant.
4. Let it stand for 10 minutes. Strain and bottle the ghee.
   

Gajrella - Indian Carrot Pudding

Gajrella (Indian Carrot Pudding)

Unfortunately, we do not get the truly red carrots as found in India. You can cheat on the color by adding ¼ of a beet. Although, this might make the color a little too red at times.


Ingredients

1 can evaporated milk
1 cup half and half
5 lbs of carrots
1 cup sugar
½ stick butter
1 tsp cardamom seeds powdered.
¼ cup sliced almonds
¼ cup golden Indian raisins.

Directions

In a heavy based pan, combine the milk with the half and half and boil till reduced by ¼. This needs to be done on low heat.
In the meantime peel and grate the carrots. It is very efficient to use a food processor for this.
Add the carrots to the milk mixture. Cook on low heat till the milk evaporates.
Add the sugar, cardamom, nuts and raisins and cooks till dry.
Finally, add the butter and cook till the mixture is smooth and browning.Serve warm or at room temperature.

Gulab Jamuns - Milk munchkins in syrup

Gulab Jamuns (Indian Munchkins soaked in syrup)

Ingredients

1 Cup carnation milk powder
¾ cup bisquick mix
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tbs melted butter
2 tsp ghee
oil for frying

For the sugar syrup

2 cups sugar
1 cup water
Rose essence for flavoring.
3-4 cardamom pods

Directions

In a heavy-bottom pan add the water and sugar and stir till the sugar is dissolved.
Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the cardamom pods.
Remove from heat, mix the rose water and set aside.
Mix the milk powder, bisquick, melted butter and cream to make a moderately pliable dough.
Shape into 18-20 balls. Cover with a moist cloth and set aside.
Heat the oil in a karahi, and add the ghee.
Cook the balls, slowly on medium heat. The balls will sink and then rise to the surface. Gently nudge the balls till they are uniformly browned.
Remove from the heat and add to the syrup. They should be soaked for at least a half and hour prior to serving.
For a really special treat, serve a-la mode with Ice cream.

Vegetable Pakoras - Veg Fritters with chick pea flour

Vegetable Pakoras (Vegetable Fritters in Chick Pea batter) with Coriander Chutney

Recipe by Rinku Bhattacharya

Ingredients

11/2 cup chick pea flour (Besan)
½ cup rice flour
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ajwain (carom) seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp salt
¾ cup cauliflower florettes
1 pepper cut into long slices
2 tbs chopped coriander leaves
Oil for frying (About 1.5 cups)

Method of Preparation

1. Mix the besan, rice flour, cumin, ajwain, and salt with water to form a medium batter

2. Add the vegetable, into the batter. We start with the pepper strips and when this is done, we add the cauliflower.

3. Heat the oil in a wok, you can test for heat with a breadcrumb.

4. Keep the oil on medium heat, add small amounts of the vegetables with the batter.

5. Fry till crisp, serve hot with chutney or ketchup.

Alternate vegetables for this preparation can be onions, tomatoes or spinach leaves.

Cilantro Chutney for Pakoras or Other Side Dishes.

1 bunch Cilantro leaves
Juice of 1.5 lemons
2 green chilies
1tbs cumin seeds toasted and ground
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp sugar

Method of Preparation

Add all the ingredients into a blender and blend till smooth.
Stir and serve.

BTW, mix a tsp of this chutney with mayonaise for a nice sandwich spread with zing.