Mutton Curry

Description : It is hot curry good with rice and roti.

Ingredients
Lamb - 1 kg
Whole red chilli - 30
Whole corriander - handful
Cloves - 8
cinnamon - 1 piece
black pepper - 15
cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
cardamom - 3
turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Ginger, finely sliced- 1 piece
curry leaves - 10 leaves
Onion - 2
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste

Preparation Cut the lamb into small pieces and clean well. Fry ingredients 2-8 with out oil until brown. Grind the browned ingredients. Add turmeric powder. Mix the masala powder, lamb, ginger, curry leaves and salt with hand. Add needed water and cook. The masala must be well coated with the lamb. Slice onion thinly. Heat oil in a pan, add sliced onion and stir fry until golden brown. Add the cooked lamb masala to this and stir well for 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Tips: If the masala is spicy, add more onion. Can add garlic too.

Vegetable Manchurian

VEGETABLE MANCHURIAN

INGREDIENTS FOR MANCHURIAN BALLS
Carrot (grated) 250 gms
Small Cabbage (grated) 250 gms
Cauliflower (grated) 250 gms
Ajinomoto ¼ tsp.
Maida
Black pepper and Salt ½ tsp. each
Corn flour 2 tsp.
Green chilly (finely chopped) 2
Oil for deep frying

INGREDIENTS FOR MANCHURIAN SAUCE
Oil 2 tbsp.
Worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp.
Ginger (paste) 1 tsp.
Tomato sauce 1 tbsp.
Garlic (paste) 1 tsp.
Vinegar 2-3 tsp.
Green chilly (finely chopped) 3-4
Salt 1 tsp.
Onion (finely chopped) 1
Black pepper ¼ tsp.
Soya sauce 2 tbsp.
Corn flour 1½ tbsp.

METHOD FOR MAKING BALLS
Put 1 tsp. salt in grated cabbage and leave it for 15 minutes. After that squeeze it. Mix all the ingredients for Manchurian balls. If the mixture is too soft, add more maida. Make balls of oval shape. Roll the balls in dry maida. Heat oil in a kadahi. Fry the balls to a golden brown color. Keep Aside.

METHOD FOR THE GRAVY
For preparing Manchurian sauce, heat 2 tbsp. of oil in a kadahi. Add ginger and garlic paste and fry it for one minute. Add the sauces, vinegar, salt and black pepper and cook for 1 minute. Add 1½ cup of water. Boil it and simmer for 2 minutes. Mix 1/2 cup of water in corn flour and add while continuously stirring it. Cook till it becomes slightly thick. Remove from flame and keep aside. While serving boil it again and put the balls in it. Cook for one minute and serve hot with noodles or fried rice.

Toad in the Hole

This was prepared by Sabrina my 9year old. Don't know where she thought of this idea. Although we have heard about it she just woke up on the holiday and said she would make breakfast for us. She made a hole in the bread and put it on the pan with oil and dropped an egg into it. Fried it and served it to us. It was interesting and instead of having a normal fried eggg this was a good change.

Tuna Fish Cutlets

Tuna fish – 2 cans
Tomato(medium) - 1 no (chopped)
Onion(medium) - 1 no (chopped)
Green chillies - 2 nos (chopped)
Ginger - 1/2" piece (chopped)
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves - A few (chopped)
Salt - As reqd
Fresh Bread Crumbs 1 cup (Fresh bread crushed)
Garam Masala Powder 1 tsp.
Egg (well beaten) - 1 no
Dry Bread crumbs
Oil for frying

Mix all ingredients except for the egg mixture and dry bread crumbs. Mix well and form into patty shapes. Roll in egg and bread crumbs and fry in oil until done.

Sweet & Sour Prawns

We got the opportunity to sample this wonderful dish prepared by Rena the previous weekend where we celebrated the birthday of their son Joshua and also their wedding anniversary with her husband Clary who is a very close and dear friend of mine. There were lots of other dishes which ofcourse I will put up here once I get the receipes from Rena.

Well its 4th March and No recipe from Rena so I will post my own recipe until I get one from her.

Ingredients:
15 large prawn
2 capsicums cubed
1 cup spring onions chopped
½ inch piece ginger chopped
5 to 6 cloves garlic chopped
3 green chillies chopped
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp vinegar
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp ketchup
1 ½ cup chicken stock or water.
2 tbsp Cornflour mixed with water
Oil for frying

Batter:
Eggwhite from one egg
3 tbsps cornflour
½ tsp pepper
pinch salt

Directions:
Shell and devein the prawns. Combine in a bowl the batter ingredients and mix. Coat prawns and deep fry until nice and brown. Keep aside.
Fry Ginger garlic and chillies. Add soya sauce, vinegar, ketchup, sugar. Add spring onions. The put chicken stock or water and let it simmer. Add cornlfour mixed with water slowly and let the sauce thicken. Add the prawns and capsicum and shut out the fire or the capsicum will get limp. Serve with rice or noodles.

BANGDA (MACKEREL) CURRY WITH GREEN MANGO

This dish was prepared by my wife Sari on the weekend. We used frozen Mackerels.
Fresh Mackerels are not always available in Kuwait and even if they are available they are mostly salted before hand which spoils the taste of the fish. If you can get fresh mackerels without them being salted then this dish will be even tastier. To be eaten with freshly cooked rice.

Ingredients
5 BIG BANGDAS - Clean and wash it well then cut it into 2 pcs each and keep it aside.
2 Small Size Green Mangoes - Remove the skin and cut it into 4 pcs each.

For Grinding Masala
12 Red Kashmiri Chilies (if you it want less spicy you can reduce the chillies)
1 Small Onion
1 Clove Garlic
1 tsp Jeera (cumin)
2 Heaped tsp of Coriander Powder
½ tsp of Whole Black Pepper
5 Tbsp of Maggie Coconut Milk Powder
1 Small ball of Tamarind

For Tempering
3 Green Chillies
1 Small Sliced Onion
Oil
1 ½ Tsp Salt
2 Tsp of White Vinegar

Method
Take 3 Tsp of oil pour it in a Pot (vessel) and once the oil is hot add the sliced onion, chillies and fry for 2 minutes then add the above ground Masala and fry for 3 -4 minutes on slow fire then add 1 ½ glass of water, add 1 ½ tsp of salt, 2 tsp of white vinegar, cut mango pieces and let it boil for 5 minutes. (If you need thinner gravy you may add little more water). Once the mango pieces get a little transparent add the cut bangda pieces and let the fish simmer for 5 minutes. Check for salt and sourness, you may adjust it the way you desire. Serve it with White Rice. YUM YUM.

Spicy Baked Chicken

I was so fed up of cleaning the squids that I decided to make a quick marinade with whatever I had and could think of. So basically I didn’t do any cutting or chopping of ingredients. Just added whatever I thought would taste good. The Chilli Garlic Tomato Ketchup did come handy as I was not in the mood to cut anything at that time.

Ingredients
1 whole Chicken around 1200 gms
3 tbsp Soya sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
5 tbsp Chilli Garlic Tomato Ketchup (I used Kimbals)
2 tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder
½ tsp Pepper
1 tbsp vinegar

Just cut up the chicken into four quarters. I didn’t remove the skin. I usually remove the skin only if I do it for a Barbecue or if I am using the revolving grill of the oven. Since I was baking it I left the skin on. It really tastes fantastic. Those who are health conscious can remove the skin and try it. Remove any visible fat under the skin.

Mix all other ingredients and toss the chicken in it. Marinade the chicken in this mixture for an hour and bake in a hot oven at 210 degrees for about 20 minutes and then 180 degrees for the next 45 minutes. In between keep on opening the oven and pour the sauce over the chicken at regular intervals. The end result was an absolutely sublime delicious juicy chicken. Do let me know if you try it and if you do any changes to the recipe.

Squids in Oyster Sauce with Broccoli and Mushrooms

Was wondering what to prepare since it was Valentine's Day. Went to the market saw some fresh squids and had an idea to do some squids Chinese style. Cleaning was a headache and had to do it myself since the wife was not around. The idea of including Broccoli came up at home when I saw some in the freezer. I thought it was pretty good. My daughter loved it but Sari may have preferred it a bit spicier and said that the Broccoli should have been cooked a bit more. I thought that the broccoli tasted better since it was crisp and would have gone limp had I left it for some more time. What do you think??

Ingredients
500 gms squids cleaned and sliced into rings (see tip at the bottom on how to clean squid)
250 gms Broccoli floret (frozen) left our for an hour to thaw
6to 8 mushrooms - quartered
2 tbsp Garlic chopped fine
1 tbsp Ginger chopped fine
3 Green chilies chopped fine
3 tbsp Oyster Sauce
2 tbsp Soya Sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
pinch of Aji No Moto (MSG)
1/4 tsp pepper powder
1 tbsp vinegar
½ cup water
1 tbsp cornflour dissolved with water
Oil for frying

Heat Oil in a Wok. Add Garlic and ginger, fry well and add green chilies. Let the garlic brown a bit then add the Oyster sauce and Soya Sauce and let if cook a bit more. Add brown sugar, Aji No Moto, pepper powder, vinegar and let it simmer. Add Squids and let it cook. The squids are cooked once the colour changes to an opaque white. Add the mushrooms. Add water and let it simmer. Once it comes to a boil add the cornflour mixture in a gradual stream to let the sauce thicken. Microwave the broccoli until done. Around 3 to 4 minutes. Toss the broccoli into the wok and just toss around for a few seconds until sauce has nicely coated . Serve Hot with Fried Rice or Noodles.

TIP: How To Clean Squid? Use your Kitchen sink. Hold body of squid firmly in one hand; grasp head firmly with other hand; pull head, twisting gently from side to side. Head and contents of body should come away in one piece. Cut tentacles off head; reserve. Discard head and contents of body. Grasp tip of pointed, thin clear cartilage protruding from body; pull out and discard. Rinse squid under cold running water. Peel off and discard spotted outer membrane. Pull off side fins; reserve. Rinse inside of squid bodies thoroughly under running water. Drain. Ready to use.

Mackerel Para or Dry Fish pickle

Para is prepared prior to the onset of the monsoon in Goa, when fresh fish may not always be available. Fish is now available in plenty especially if you are staying in countries like Kuwait and where fish is available throughout the year. Anyway thanks to the monsoons in India this wonderful dish was invented and it’s a real delight. The fish has to be stored for 4 to 5 weeks and can keep for years in a refrigerator. It’s a very strong dish so may be difficult for some to consume one full fish. But then others can have more than one.

Ingredients
25 small dry mackerel
1 tsp ground turmeric
75 dried kashmiri chillies
2 inch piece fresh ginger
3 heads of garlic
1 tbls cummin seeds
1/2 tsp peppercorns
3 off 1 inch pieces turmeric (3 tsp ground)
3 bottles vinegar (like I said, Its a very strong dish)

Clean and de-scale the fish. Wash in a little vinegar - DO NOT wash in water. Rub the fish with a little turmeric and dry in the sun for a day. Grind all the spices etc. with some of the vinegar. Place the fish in sterilized glass jars. Pour over the masala and vinegar until fish is covered. Seal the jars well. Can be consumed after 4 to 5 weeks. The longer it is kept the better it gets. Remove the required amount from the jar and fry in a little oil.

Para is usually served as an accompaniment to other dishes. It goes very well with drinks too. Para can be boned and dded with onions as a side dish also.

Roast Beef

Ingredients :
2 kgs. beef
8 cloves garlic and 1" piece ginger ground to a fine paste
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tsp pepper powder
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons oil
1 cup water
10 peppercorns
2" piece cinnamon
8 cloves
6 red dried chillies/peppers
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 dessertspoon corn flour
4 potatoes, boiled

Method : Wash and pat dry the meat. Prick with a fork and rub in the salt, and garlic-ginger paste, pepper powder and lemon juice. Keep aside under a weight for 6 hours, turning occasionally. Heat oil in a pan on medium heat and brown the meat in the oil. Then Pressure-cook with 1 cup water, peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves, chillies/peppers. Meat may take different times depending on the cut. If its tenderloin it will take lesser time then for a chuck round.

Once the meat is ready remove and slice it nicely and place over serving dish. Slice boiled potatoes and arrange with the meat.

Strain the leftover liquid from the pressure cooker and add the Worcestershire sauce mixed with the corn flour and 2 tablespoons water. Cook on low flame until sauce thickens. Pour over sliced meat and potatoes and serve hot.

Tip: Boiled potatoes may be fried to give it a crispy taste. Sliced beef when fried in a pan with little oil tastes much better. Cheers and do let me know how it turned out.

Chocolate Mousse Cake

This is one my best recipes and it has taken me quite a few tries to get it right. This is not a mousse but a firm cake, which is creamy and much more enjoyable than a mousse. It’s very easy to make and does not involve any cooking. You can feel the chocolate in every bite and then thank me for this recipe.

Fresh Custard

Make custard with approximately 500 ml of milk as per directions given by the manufacturer. Do not let the custard get too hard. What I usually do is heat the milk and as soon as it boils I add the custard powder which is usually diluted in a little milk. This avoids lumps from forming. Shut down the flame as soon as you mix the custard into the milk. Keep aside.

Then take

Chocolate (broken into pieces) 400 gms

Melt Chocolate in double boiler (place the broken pieces if chocolate in a glass dish which is to be placed over a utensil of boiling water which melts the chocolate) as the chocolate is melting prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Whipping Cream 1 ltr

Prior to whipping; the cream and equipment for whipping should be chilled in refrigerator. Whip cream (in different batches if required). Once whipped keep chilled in refrigerator.

Gelatin 2 to 3 Tbsp

Do this last. Mix with as little water as possible and put it on the fire. As soon as the gelatin is dissolved remove from fire.

Mix chocolate and custard mixture then add gelatin and mix well. Add whipped cream and (before pouring make sure you have mixed the ingredients well as sometimes the bottom of your dish has some chocolate or custard left) POUR into well oiled moulds. Chill for 4 to 5 hours or overnight. Serve Chilled.

To remove cake from the moulds always heat the sides with a burner or just leave it out for a couple of hours and tap the dish lightly so that your cake comes out smoothly.

SAUSAGE MEAT MASALA

This recipe was given to me by one of my close friend's Rena. She did this at home here in Kuwait and the result was fantastic. Its an easy way to make Goa sausages provided you can get the pork to do it. Fo rthose who are not aware Pork and Pork products are banned in Kuwait. But most of the people seem to have it.

50 GMS KASHMIRI CHILLIES
50 GMS BEDKI CHILLIES
3 TSP JEERA
3 TSP LAVANG
6 PCS TIKKI
3 TSP MEERI
150 GMS GARLIC
50 GMS GINGER

GRIND ABOVE INGREDIENTS IN VINEGAR BUT NOT VERY FINE. NO WATER TO BE ADDED AT ALL.

DO NOT WASH THE MEAT. MAKE BIG PCS OF THE MEAT SLIT IT AND ADD SALT PROPERLY.

THEN TIE THE MEAT IN A CLOTH & LET THE WATER DRAIN FOR 1 OR 2 DAYS. IT MIGHT START GIVING A FOUL SMELL AFTER A DAY OR TWO. ON THIRD DAY UNTIE THE MEAT & WASH IT THOROUGHLY WITH LOTS OF WATER. THEN CUT INTO SMALL CUBES. ADD MASALA TO THE MEAT & MIX WELL AND LEAVE ASIDE FOR 3 DAYS. THIS CAN BE FILLED IN THE GUTS OR STORED IN A CONTAINER FOR FUTURE USE. IF FILLED WITH GUTS LEAVE TO DRY HANGING IT ON A STICK.

A picture of the sausages can be seen in this blog in the very beginning.

CHOLE BHATURE/ CURRIED CHICK PEAS.

Its been quite some time since I made Channa Masala in this manner. Which also prompted me to put up this recipe. What many of us don’t do is blend or mash the boiled chick peas. When the chick peas are mashed in the blender with left over water in which the chicks were boiled the mushiness and creaminess of the peas stands out and makes the dish really tasty. So do try and it and let me know what you think.

Ingredients:
250 gms big chick peas soaked overnight. Boil these till extremely soft. Keep the liquid left from the boiled chick peas.
1/2 tsp. cardamom seeds,
1/2 tsp cloves,
1/2 tsp pepper corns,
1/2 tsp cinnamon,
1 tsp cumin seeds,
2 1/2 tbs. oil,
1 tsp chopped green chilies,
1 tbs. chopped ginger,
1 tsp cayenne pepper or red chilli powder.

Method
* 1/2 tsp cardamom seeds, cloves, pepper, cinnamon, 1 tsp. cumin seeds. Mix in a grinder till well powdered.
* Blend a little chick peas in a blender. Mix with the left over liquid till it is pureed. Keep aside.
* Take a wok, heat it and add oil and add to it green chilies, chopped ginger, cayenne pepper, asafetida, turmeric, paprika, coriander powder. Turn off the flame to avoid burning and to it add the ground powder. Add salt.
* Start the flame again and add the boiled chick peas and lime juice. Saute for 6 to 8 min.
* add any leftover liquid and the pureed chick peas. Stir well.
* Add coriander leaves and stir for one minute.
* Serve with Bature or puris.

Chicken Moghlai

Ingredients
1 CHICKEN
5 cm GINGER
8/9 FLAKES GARLIC
1 TSP CHILI POWDER
2 CUPS CURDS
SALT
3 TBS. GHEE

Grind ginger garlic to a paste and marinate the chicken along with the paste and the curds and chili powder.

FOR THE GRAVY

Ingredients
10/12 ALMONDS
2 TSP. POPPY SEEDS
2 TBS. COCONUT
10/12 CASHEW NUTS
2 TBS. CHOPPED ONIONS FRIED
1 BLACK CARDAMOM
4 CLOVES
2 TSP. CORIANDER SEEDS

METHOD
Roast all ingredients for the gravy on a tawa and grind them to a fine paste. Heat ghee in a vessel and fry the ground masala paste for 5 minutes. Add marinated chicken and fry well. Simmer till done.

Serve with hot Nans or Rotis

Garlic Sauce

Cut garlic into fine pieces & fry. Add pepper powder, little sugar and salt to taste. Brown well. Add little Soya sauce. Add chilies finely chopped. Add onions finely chopped. Add tomato sauce or chili garlic sauce and let it simmer till it thickens. If required add a little cornflour with water to thicken the sauce. You can add chicken or prawns or whatever required. To make spicy add chili sauce.

Crepes

Ingredients

1/2 cup flour,
2 eggs beaten
3/4 cup milk,
2 tsp. oil

BLEND well in food processor. Leave for 30 minutes. Grease pan before frying each crepe on both sides. For pancakes add butter, sugar, (and lemon for a lemon flavour)

Sweet and Sour Pork, Chicken, Prawns.

Ingredients
1 to 2 tbs Soya sauce
¼ tsp pepper powder
1 tsp vinegar
1 egg yolk,
2 to 3 tbsp cornflour
oil for deep frying,
500 gms pork, or chicken, or prawns,

For the sauce
2 cloves garlic chopped fine
1 red pepper (capsicum)cubed
1 green pepper (capsicum) cubed
a few pineapple pieces ,
2 tbsp Soya Sauce
2 tbsp white vinegar,
pinch of Aji No Moto (MSG)
¼ tsp pepper powder
1 tbsp sugar,
3 tbsp tomato sauce,
1 Cup chicken Stock
½ tsp salt ,
1 ½ tsp cornflour mixed with water

Method

Mix Soya sauce, pepper, vinegar, egg yolk in a bowl, add meat and mix well. Leave for an hour. Add corn flour to mixture so that meat is well coated. Deep fry till meat is well cooked about 7 minutes. Drain well.

Take 1 tablespoon of oil and heat in a pan, add crushed garlic, then add Soya Sauce, Vinegar Aji No Moto, Tomato sauce, Sugar, pepper, salt and let it simmer for 5 minutes then add the meat, add cornflour mixed with water. Stir until sauce boils and thickens. Then add red and green peppers cubed, and pineapples cubed and let it cook for just around a minute. Serve immediately.

If preparing ahead of time the green and red peppers can be added just before serving or else they go limp.

Onion Rings

Ingredients
2 White Onions
1 cup Milk
1 Egg
Plain flour – Maida (as required to make a thick batter)
Salt
Oil for Deep frying

Method: Slice onion rounds and separate into rings. Put into a bowl, add milk and let it stand for an hour. Drain milk. Beat egg in a bowl then add little milk, salt and required flour for a thick batter and mix well. Add more milk if required. Batter should be of a dipping consistency. Dip each onion ring into batter and drop into hot oil and fry till golden brown, drain well, sprinkle with salt and serve. Ketchup if required.

You will have to try the recipe a few times to get the batter right depending on the type of flour being used.

Some herbs like Coriander and Thyme may be added with pepper to spice up the flavour.

Barbeque Chicken

I don't like most of the BBQ sauces available in the market therefore decided to make my own which would suit my taste and the others too would like it. This recipe is a bit spicy and tastes fantastic too. If you add a couple of tbsp of Peanut butter it makes a wonderful recipe for satay chicken, beef or pork. Have been doing this for many of our BBQ's and everyone has always appreciated it.

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
6 flakes garlic chopped fine or into paste
Small bunch Spring Onions chopped fine
3 tbs Ketchup
1 tsp Black Pepper powder
1 to 2 tbs Vinegar
1 tsp Brown Sugar
1 tbs Soya Sauce
1 tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder (paprika)
1 tbs Oil
Salt

Mix all ingredients except chicken until all the ingredients are mixed well and sugar has dissolved. Then marinate chicken with this mixture for 4 to 5 hours or over night. If marinating overnight leave in refrigerator and remove 3 to 4 hours prior to preparation. BBQ over hot coals. Give each side 4 to 5 minutes or until topside of chicken turns pale. Then turn. Brush with left over BBQ sauce and let it grill well. Serve Hot.





Tips : You can use Full chicken legs (Marylands) or Full breasts including bone. Just slit the chicken at different places so that the chicken marinates well. The same marinade can be used for Pork, Beef and Shrimps.