INDIAN DISHES

                                    

                                                      CHICKPEA CURRY

This is a dish we often enjoyed when we lived in British India so many years ago. I prepare it for my beloved family especially my grandson Constantinos who is a vegetarian. 

 

500 g (1 lb) skinned chickpeas, soaked overnight then boiled in tasty

Vegetable stock with a

Slice of fresh ginger, peeled and

A hot green pepper, finely chopped.   Reserve the stock.

 

Sauce:

4 onions, peeled and grated

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 tsp olive oil

2 tsp hot curry powder

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tbsp tomato paste

500 ml (1 fl lb) tin tomato juice

Hot water

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cayenne pepper to taste

 

Sauté the onions and garlic in olive oil and a little water, until the onions are cooked and the liquid evaporates.  Add the five spices and stir fry until the kitchen is full of their aroma.  Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes. Pour in the tomato juice and a little hot water and cook until the sauce is thick. 

 

Spoon the strained chickpeas into the sauce.  Add a little stock that the chickpeas were boiled in, if necessary.  Taste and add, salt, pepper and Cayenne pepper to taste. Serve with papadums and chapatis.

 

 

                                                     PRAWN CURRY

This is a recipe for a delicious curry dish.

 

1 ½ kg (3 lb) prawns, shelled, deveined thoroughly washed and patted dry

A little salt mixed with

½ tsp ginger and

4 tbsp olive oil

 

3 onions, peeled and finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 pieces of ginger, peeled and sliced  

 

2 heaped medium-hot curry powder

½ tsp ground cardamom seeds

½ tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp Cayenne pepper

½ tsp freshly ground pepper

½ tsp grated nutmeg

1 bay leaf

 

1 kg (2 lb) apples or peaches, peeled, cored or stoned and finely sliced

500 ml (2 cups) tasty vegetable stock

 A little salt if necessary and sugar or honey to taste

 

1 packet desiccated coconut

Boiling water to cover

 

Sprinkle the prawns with the salt and ginger mixture and sauté in olive oil until they just change colour and transfer to a dish.

 

Remove all but 2 tbsp of the oil and add the onion and a  little water and cook gently, stirring occasionally until the onion is cooked and slightly coloured.  Then add the garlic and ginger and cook for a few minutes more.

 

Mix all the spices together and sprinkle over the onion mixture and stir for 3-5 minutes.  Then add the fruit, salt and sugar or honey, lower the heat and simmer gently, covered, stirring occasionally until the fruit resembles a thick puree. Add the stock and stir to prevent sticking.  Discard the ginger slices and blend the sauce until smooth, then taste and add sugar or honey and salt if necessary. 

 

Add the prawns to the sauce and simmer until the prawns are hot. Do not overcook.  Cover, cool and refrigerate the food until needed.  I usually prepare the curry the previous day because it improves with time.

 

The next day, place the desiccated coconut in a saucepan and pour boiling water over to  cover and leave for 1-3 hours to infuse. 

 

Heat the prawn curry, strain the coconut milk over and stir. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. It should be perfect.

 

 

                                               SHAHJEHANI BIRYANI

This is an elaborate dish traditionally prepared with lamb or chicken.  But it can be prepared as a vegetable dish which I often prepare for my beloved family,, especially for my precious grandson Constantinos who is a vegetarian.

 

½ tsp saffron filaments soaked in

250 ml (1 cup) boiling water

 

60 g (2 oz) unsalted cashew nuts

60 g (2 oz) almonds, blanched and cut into 3 slices

60 g (2 oz) unsalted pistachio nuts

60 g (2 oz) sultanas

(Place in piles in a slow oven and bake for 12 minutes and sprinkle with salt)

 

2 cups Basmati rice

1 ½ litre (4 cups) tasty vegetable stock

2 tbsp olive oil

 

1 tsp cloves

1 cinnamon stick

1 heaped tsp cardamom seeds

(Place in a piece of cheesecloth and tie into a pouch,)

 

Boil the rice and spice pouch in vegetable stock and the saffron infusion, according to the manufacturer’s instructions,

 

Then, drizzle with olive oil and discard the pouch. Pile a quarter of the amount of rice in a hot Pyrex dish and sprinkle with a quarter of  the roasted nuts and sultanas and repeat the procedure twice more.

 

 Serve the rice with chickpea and prawn curry and a chutney of your choice.

 

 

                                              SWEET MANGO CHUTNEY

500 g (2 lb) green mangos, peeled, stoned and sliced

1 heaped tbsp grated ginger mixed with

1 large clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped

125 ml ( ½ cup) vinegar

500 g (1 lb) sugar

Salt to taste

¼ tsp chilli powder or Cayenne pepper

1 cup sultanas

 

Mix the ginger and garlic with 1 tbsp of vinegar.  Then  prepare a syrup with half the sugar and the remaining vinegar and set aside.

 

Simmer the fruit with the remaining sugar to the consistency of a jam. Add the garlic and ginger mixture, salt, chilli powder and simmer for 5 minutes.  Finally, add the reserved syrup and sultanas and simmer for10 minutes more.

 

Fill sterilized jars up to the brim with the chutney, cover with baking parchment rounds and seal securely.   

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