Arts

Food Carnival

This month we celebrate the exotic flavors of the varied regions of India.

By

PUNJAB

Badam Gosht

Ingredients

2
lbs. lambs mutton cut into serving pieces

1
lbs. onions sliced

1
tablespoon ginger and garlic paste

½
lbs. yogurt beaten

¼
lbs. blanched and ground almonds

½
oz. sliced coriander leaves

4
oz. ghee

1
tablespoon each of dhania jeera powder

and
garam masala

½
teaspoon turmeric powder

Salt
and chili powder to taste

Mix
yogurt with spices and salt. Add mutton and set aside for 3 hours. Heat 4 oz.
ghee and add ginger, garlic and onion till soft. Add almonds and mutton and
cook for ½ hour until dry. Mix in hot water and continue cooking for 15
additional minutes. Remove from fire put in a serving dish and decorate with
coriander leaves.

Spicy Egg and Cheese Paratha

Ingredients

1
lbs. flour

4
eggs

1
oz. onion sliced finely

½
oz. chopped coriander leaves

1
teaspoon grated ginger

1
teaspoon sliced mint leaves

1
teaspoon each of dhaniajeera powder

and
garam masala

½
teaspoon turmeric powder

1
oz. tomato chopped finely

4
oz. grated cheese

4
oz. ghee

Salt
and chili to taste

Add
enough water to the flour to form stiff dough. Heat 2 ozs. ghee and fry onion
and ginger until soft. Add tomatoes and spices. Cook until dry. Beat eggs, mix
with tomato mixture along with coriander leaves and cheese, and stir until the
mixture turns firm. Divide dough into lime sized balls. Roll out each ball into
a round circle. Stuff filling, fold edges and make into round balls. Flatten
ball and roll with dry flour into a thick round paratha. Shallow fry and serve
with hot green chili chutney and ketchup.

Pinjari

Ingredients

8
ozs. wheat flour

6
ozs. ghee

1
teaspoon cardamom seeds

6
ozs. castor sugar

4
ozs. blanched and sliced almonds, pistachios and cashew nuts

Heat
ghee and add cardamom seeds and wheat flour. Stir on a slow fire until the
flour turns golden brown and emits a nice aroma. Remove from fire and mix nuts
and sugar.

HYDERABAD

Shahjahani Egg Curry

Ingredients

12
hard boiled eggs

¼
lbs. of boiled green peas

¼
lbs. potatoes boiled, peeled and diced

1
oz. onion grated

½
oz. blanched almonds

¼
oz. green chilies

½
oz. of mixed whole spices like cardamoms, cloves, red chilies, cinnamon stick

4
oz. ghee

1
teaspoon poppy seeds

1
oz. mint leaves

1
teaspoon ginger

1
small tea cup coconut milk

2
medium tomatoes, blanched and sliced

1
tablespoon yogurt

Salt
and chili powder

For
Decoration

2
rings canned pineapple cut into small pieces

1
oz. finely sliced blanched almonds

Cut eggs into halves lengthwise. Remove yolks carefully so
as not to damage the outer shells of eggs. Mince the yolks. Fry whole almonds,
poppy seeds, onion and all the spices lightly, then grind to a smooth paste
along with the green chilies, mint and ginger. Heat 2 oz. of ghee and fry ¼ of
the ground mixture to a golden color. Stir in the yolks, peas and potatoes.
Keep stirring till thick. Remove from fire and cool. Stuff one half of the egg
shell with the mixture and cover with other half. Tie both halves with a thread
carefully together and fry in a little butter. Drain and set aside in a serving
dish. Heat remaining ghee and fry remaining ground paste to a golden color.
Stir in tomatoes and remaining spices. Cover and cook over a medium heat until
tomatoes turn soft. Add coconut milk and yogurt. Continue cooking until gravy
turns thick. Pour gravy over eggs and garnish with sliced almonds and
pineapple. Remove threads from the eggs.

Nutty Brinjals

Ingredients

1
lbs. small eggplants

4
tablespoons roasted peanuts

½
oz. cashew nuts

2
tblsps coriander powder

1
tablespoon poppy seeds

1
teaspoon each of turmeric powder

and
ground cumin seeds

Salt
and chili powder to taste

Grind
nuts and poppy seeds to a smooth paste and stir in all the seasonings. Wash and
wipe eggplants; slit each eggplant into four. Stuff the ground mixture
liberally into each eggplant. Melt 2 tablespoons of ghee and fry the eggplants
lightly on all sides. Sprinkle left-over paste on top. Cover pan tightly. Cook
over a very slow fire, stirring frequently until the eggplants are tender.
Serve hot.

Shahi Bread Dessert

Ingredients

6
slices bread

1
litre whole milk

2
oz. mixed sliced nuts like walnuts, almonds, cashew nuts, pistachios

2
teaspoons rose water

Sugar
to taste

4
oz. ghee

Trim
and cut bread into quarters and deep fry to a golden color. Drain thoroughly.
Pour over each slice enough milk to moisten, but not soak bread. Heat milk and
sugar together until the mixture turns thick and separates from the side of the
pan. Arrange pieces of bread in a single layer on a serving plate, spread
thickened milk after mixing rose water on top and decorate with nuts.

Kashmir

Rogan Josh

Ingredients

2
lbs. lambs mutton cut into serving portions

1
lbs. finely sliced onions

1
tablespoon ginger and garlic paste

1
oz. mixed spices like cloves, cinnamons

and
cardamoms

4
oz. cashew nut paste

½
oz. coriander leaves

¼
oz. mint leaves

1
tablespoon each of dhania jeera powder

and
garam masala

¼
lbs. ghee

½
lbs. fresh yogurt

Salt
and chili powder to taste

Heat
ghee and add whole spices. When spices emanate aromatic smell add remaining
ingredients and cook over a very slow fire for 1 hour until the mutton is soft
and the ghee floats on top.

Walnut Chicken

Ingredients

1
lbs whole chicken steamed

4
ozs. walnut paste

2
small tea cups pomegranate juice

4
oz. grated onions

1
tablespoon ginger and garlic paste

1
tablespoon garam masala and dhania jeera powder

1
oz. coriander leaves

½
oz. mint leaves

4
oz. ghee

Salt
and chili powder to taste

Heat
the ghee and fry onion, ginger, garlic, mint and coriander until soft. Add
walnut paste, spices and salt and cook mixture for 2 minutes. Add chicken and
pomegranate juice and cook for 10 minutes on a slow fire. Serve on a bed of
green salad.

Chuare Ki Kheer

Ingredients

1
litre whole milk

4
ozs. dry dates

5
ozs. grated jaggery

½
teaspoon dry ginger powder

½
teaspoon cardamom seeds

2
ozs. Mixed nuts like almonds, pistachios

and
cashew nuts

1
oz. ghee

Soak
the dry dates in hot water overnight. Drain out water. Remove the seeds and run
in blender with one small tea cup of milk for 1 minute until smooth. Heat
remaining milk with jaggery, add dry date paste, ginger and cardamom seeds and
cook for ½ hour on a slow fire until thick. Fry nuts in ghee and serve hot.

MAHARASHTRA

Masala Bhakri

Ingredients

½
lbs. bajra (pearl millet) flour

2
green chilies sliced finely

2
tablespoons finely chopped coriander leaves

2
tblsps sesame seeds

Butter
as required

Salt
to taste

Mix all the above ingredients together to form hard
dough. Divide into big balls and roll out into round thick chapatti on a
floured board. Dry roast on both sides until done. Smear with butter and serve
with green garlic chutney.

Hot and Spicy Fish Curry

Ingredients

1
lbs. pomfret or butter fish cut into neat serving portions

4
oz. fresh coconut

¼
oz. whole red Kashmiri chilies

4
oz. onions finely sliced

½
teaspoon turmeric powder

1
teaspoon each of ginger and garlic paste

1
teaspoon each of garam masala and dhania jeera powder

1
oz. tamarind paste

1
teaspoon sliced garlic

½
tsp mustard seeds

1
tablespoon sliced coriander leaves

2
ozs. ghee

Salt
to taste

Grind
together coconut, onions and chilies. Heat half the ghee and fry the ground
paste to a light golden color. Add spices, salt, ginger and garlic paste and ¼
litre water. Bring to a boil and add the cleaned fish slices. Cook for 10
minutes. Place in a serving dish. Heat remaining ghee and fry mustard seeds and
sliced garlic. When the seeds stop tossing, pour over the curry. Garnish with
coriander leaves and serve.

Ginger Delight

Ingredients

4
oz. fresh ginger ground

4
oz. fresh coconut grated

¼
teaspoon ground cardamom and nutmeg powder

1
litre whole milk

¼
lbs sugar

4
oz. mixed sliced nuts like almonds, pistachios and walnuts

2
oz. ghee

Heat
ghee and fry ginger and coconut to a golden color. Mix together sugar and milk
and boil till the mixture is reduced to ¼ of its quantity. Add coconut and
ginger and half the nuts. Keep stirring till the mixture forms a ball and
separates from the sides of the pan. Put mixture on a greased plate, level the
surface and decorate with the remaining nuts. When cold cut into square pieces
and serve.

 

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