Gajar Ki Kheer

4 cups milk
2 tablespoons long.grain rice
2 cups firmly packed peeled and grated carrots 1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons slivered blanched almonds
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon rose water (optional)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped pistachios

Combine the milk and rice in a large, heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat and cook uncovered
at a slow boil for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the carrots and continue cooking uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the sugar and almonds and cook an additional 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture begins to stick to the bottom of the pan.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in the cardamom, optional rose water, and cream. Chill thoroughly. When chilled, the pudding should have a consistency slightly thinner than rice pudding, but it should not be runny. Add a little milk if it is too thick. Serve garnished with chopped pistachios. 

Butter Chicken

3 lbs. chicken drumsticks/ thighs/ sliced breast pieces 1 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. ginger paste
1 tsp. garlic paste
3 tsp. chilli powder (optional) 1 cup yogurt or buttermilk
1 cup sour cream
1/2 tomato puree
4 oz. butter
6 cardamoms
6 cloves
2 sticks cinnamon
3 tsp. salt or to taste




 Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Fry the ginger, garlic, cardamoms, cinnamon and cloves on medium low heat for a minute, and add the chicken with the yogurt or buttermilk, tomato puree, sour cream, chilli powder and salt. Cook on medium low heat, stirring occasionally, for half an hour, keeping the saucepan covered with a lid. Add butter before serving.

 

Bhindi Dopeaza

1 lb. okra
2 medium onions, chopped
1/4 teaspoon garlic paste or powder 1/4 teaspoon coriander paste or powder 1/8 teaspoon cumin
3 large tomatoes
2 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup chopped cilantro


Cut the tip and the very bottom from the okra just to clean it, but do not slice. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes. Add all ingredients except okra, tomato and cilantro. Cook for 3 minutes. Add okra, then cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Garnish with tomato and cilantro. Serve with rice, naan or pita bread. 

Bhel Puri

2 cups puffed rice
1 cup cooked chickpeas
2 medium potatoes, cooked, peeled and cubed 1 small onion, finely chopped
2 oz. crushed potato chips
2 oz. salted peanuts
1 tbsp. tomato sauce
1/2 tsp. salt or to taste


Mix the puffed rice, chickpeas, potatoes, onions and peanuts. Add tomato sauce, mix well and then sprinkle salt and the sev/potato chips. The mixture must be made immediately before serving, or the puffed rice will turn soggy. 

Bhakari

2 cups whole.wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water




Combine the flour, salt, oil, milk, and half the water in a bowl. Mix using a wooden spoon or fingers. Add more water, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) at a time until the dough forms a ball. Knead the dough with lightly oiled hands for 10 minutes. The dough should be fairly firm. Allow the dough to rest, covered with a dish cloth, for 15 minutes.
Divide the dough into 4 to 6 pieces. Roll each piece into a round 1/4 inch thick. Heat a flat griddle or large skillet over moderate heat. Cook the dough, one piece at a time, pressing it down occasionally with a spatula, until cooked and lightly browned on the bottom. Turn the dough and repeat. The dough may balloon slightly during cooking. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough.

Makes 4 to 6 pieces. 

Alu Began

1 lb. potatoes (alu)
1 lb. eggplant (began)
2 medium onions, chopped
1/4 tablespoon ginger paste or powder 1/4 teaspoon garlic paste or powder
2 medium tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon coriander powder
Salt to taste
3 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup chopped cilantro




Cut potatoes, eggplant and tomatoes in small cubes. Heat the oil in a pan. Fry the onion for 1 minute. Add garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric and coriander; mix together for 2 minutes. Add potato and eggplant, and cook for 13 to 15 minutes. Add tomato, and cook for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serve hot with nan, pita bread or rice. 

Chicken Curry

Ingredients
x 1 lb Chicken-drumsticks, thighs, breast pieces x 1 small carton Plain yogurt
x 2 medium Onions very finely chopped
x 4 tbl Vegetable oil
x 2 Cloves
x 1/2 tsp Mustard powder
x 2 pods Cardamom
x 1/2 tsp Cumin powder
x 1 tsp garam masala
x 1 tsp Chili Powder
x 1/2" piece Ginger
x 4 cloves Garlic
x 1/3 tsp Coriander Seeds
x to taste Salt
x 1/2 tsp Freshly ground pepper
Directions
Remove fat from the chicken and then salt and pepper it. Sprinkle with chili powder. Add yogurt and mix well until the chicken is covered liberally with yogurt. Use your hands. Set aside for 1 hour before cooking. If kept in the refrigerator, set aside for at least 4 hours.
Heat oil in a large heavy pan. When oil is hot, add mustard seeds, if you are using them. Add cloves, cardamom, and coriander seeds and fry for 30 seconds. Add the onion and fry for two minutes until the onion beings to turn brown. Lower heat to medium. Add the ginger and garlic paste and fry for 4-6 minutes. Add mustard powder, if using it, add garam masala, and add cumin powder.
Brush excess yogurt off the chicken and put it in a large pot. Add ingredients from the frying pan. Cook uncovered over high heat for 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 25 minutes or until the chicken is tender, stirring every 5 minutes.
Important note:
When chicken is cooked with a cover on the pot, it releases water that becomes a part of the sauce. If after 10
minutes, there isn't enough sauce in the pot, add 1/4 cup water. Conversely, if there is too much liquid in the pot, cook uncovered until the liquid evaporates. Variations:
There are several variations to the above recipe:
1.) Leave out the yogurt. Add 1/4 cup of water just before turning the heat to low and covering the pot.
2.) Boil two potatoes for 10 minutes before slicing them thinly. Add sliced potatoes to the pot when you start cooking the chicken.
3.) This variation is usually called "Malai Chicken" or literally "creamy" chicken. Leave out the yogurt. When the chicken is 3/4 done, add one small can of tomato paste. Just before removing add a small carton of whipping cream, and cook for a few minutes. 

Fish Korma

Ingredients
x Fish 1 kg
x Yogurt 1/2 cup
x Onion paste 1/2 cup
x Ginger paste 2 tsp
x Garlic paste 1 tsp
x Coriander paste 1 tbsp x Cardamom 6
x Cinnamon, 1" 2 pieces x Salt 2 tsp
x Ghee (oil) 3/4 cup
x Green chillie 6
x Kewra (Eng?) 2 tbsp
x Sugar 1 tbsp
x Lemon juice 1 tbsp
Directions
Use large fish for korma. Do not cut the fish into too small pieces.
Except for the green chilies and kewra, add all the rest of stuff into the cooking dish. Mix well. Heat covered in
low heat. Turn over the fish once (be careful). When the water has almost dried up, add the green chili and the kewra heat for another half hour in very low heat.
When the oil begins to float on top, you are done. 

Stir-fried Wide Rice Noodles with Chicken [Thai]

Ingredients
300 g. chicken meat
3 eggs
1 package fresh wide rice noodles (680 g.) 2 Tbsp preserve radish
3 cloves fresh garlic
2 tsp thin soy sauce
1 Tbsp seasoning soy sauce
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 sprigs green onion
3-4 leaves green lettuce
Ingredients for marinated chicken 1 Tbsp thin soy sauce
2 tsp seasoning soy sauce
2 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp ground black pepper 2 tsp sugar
1 tsp sesame soil
Preparation

1. Clean chicken and cut into small pieces
   
2. Put cut chicken in a mixing bowl, add marinated ingredients, mix thoroughly and marinate for 2-3
   hours
   
3. Peel garlic, cut green onion roots, wash dirt and pat dry. Mince garlic, chop preserved radish and slice
   green onion, then set aside
   
4. Place wide rice noodles on a plate, heat in microwave about 3 minutes, and separate clumped noodles
   into single strips
   
5. Heat oil in a wok on medium heat. When oil is hot, add minced garlic and chopped preserved radish,
   fry until fragrant, then add marinated chicken
   
6. Stir-fry until the chicken is getting cook, make room for eggs in the middle, scramble with spatula, and
   spread eggs in a thin layer
   
7. Season with thin soy sauce. When the eggs are cooked, turn to another side, and then add separated
   wide rice noodles
   
8. Stir-fry thoroughly, season with seasoning soy sauce and sugar
   
9. Stir-fry until all ingredients mix well, taste for your own flavor, then add sliced green onion, stir-fry
   quickly and remove from heat
   
10. Arrangegreenlettuceleavesonaplate,putstir-friedwidericenoodleswithchickenonthem,sprinkle
    with sliced green onion and ground pepper. Serve immediately 
    

BBQ Pork on a Skewer – Mu Ping [Thai]

Ingredients
600 g. pork collar
5-6 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp whole peppercorn
3 Tbsp thin soy sauce (or fish sauce) 2 Tbsp seasoning soy sauce
3 Tbsp palm sugar
1/3 cup coconut cream
Preparation

1. Wash pork collar, pat dry and cut into 2 inches width, 3 mm. thick.
   
2. Peel garlic, wash dirt, cut into small pieces and well pound with whole peppercorn
   
3. In a mixing bowl, mix cut pork with pounded garlic and pepper. Then, season with thin soy sauce (or
   fish sauce), seasoning soy sauce, palm sugar, and 3 Tbsp coconut cream. Mix all ingredients thoroughly,
   refrigerate, and allow marinating for 3 hours or overnight
   
4. After marinated time, thread 3-4 pieces of pork onto a bamboo skewer. (Place 8 inches long bamboo
   skewers in enough water to cover for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning.) Meanwhile, turn on
   oven at 350° F
   
5. Place the skewers on grill rack, brush remaining coconut cream all over each pork skewer and put in a
   oven
   
6. Grill in the oven for 15 minutes, turn the skewers over, brush coconut cream again and continue
   grilling about 15 minutes. Turn the skewers over, brush with coconut cream and continue grilling about 5 minutes or until the pork is browned on all sides, remove from oven 
   

Vegetarian Fried Tofu with Garlic and Pepper – [Thai]

Ingredients
3 cloves garlic, smash gently with the side of a knife or cleaver to peel
2-3 shallots, peeled
1 tsp whole white or black peppercorns
2 tbls Thai soy sauce or Golden Mt. Seasoning Sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
4 tblsp vegetable oil (not olive oil)
8 oz firm tofu, cut in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 4 triangles (8 altogether) Garnish: thinly sliced shallots, cucumber slices, coriander leaves, tomatoes 

Preparation
1. In a mortar and pestle or electric coffee grinder (used only for spices, etc) pound or grind together garlic, shallots, and peppercorns to make a paste.
2. Remove to a small bowl. Add soy sauce and sugar and stir to combine.
3. Spread the tofu out on a flat dish, cover with the mixture and allow to marinate 30 minutes or overnight.
4. Heat the oil in a skillet or wok, over medium heat, until hot, but do not allow to burn. Fry the tofu until golden brown. Turn on each side to brown evenly (including the cut edges). Drain and place on a serving dish. Garnish if desired with thinly sliced shallots, cucumber, coriander and tomato slices. 

Green Curry with Pork – [Thai]

Ingredients

1. Peanut oil
   
2. 1/4 cup Shallots chopped fine
   
3. 1 tbsp Garlic chopped fine
   
4. 1 tbsp Galangal chopped fine
   
5. 1 tbsp Lemon Grass chopped fine
   
6. 1/4 cup Coriander leaves chop fine
   
7. 1-1/2 lb Pork cut into 1" cubes
   
8. 1-1/2 cup Coconut milk
   

x 2 tbsp Curry paste (Thai Green) x 1 tbsp Lime zest
x 1 tbsp Lime leaves shredded
x 2 tbsp Thai basil shredded
x Fish sauce to taste
x 1 tsp Chili paste (green) x 2 cups Peas


Directions
First, prepare the curry paste and coconut milk
separately. Add the paste with some of the 'cream'
form the coconut milk and heat until the oil starts
to separate. Then, in a separate pan, heat peanut oil, shallots, garlic, galangal and lemon grass. Stir fry 1 minute until oil is aromatic.
Add pork, stir fry 3 minutes until browned and add the curry paste/coconut milk mixture.
Add the rest of the coconut milk, coriander leaves, lime zest, lime leaves, basil, fish sauce and chili paste, bring to a boil, and reduce heat. Simmer 20 minutes until pork is tender.
Add peas, simmer 5 minutes until tender.
Yield - 4 cups 

Chicken in Coconut Milk – [Thai]

Ingredients
x 2 Tablespoons Siamese ginger, sliced
x 1 stalk lemon grass, cut into, 1" pieces
x 1 1/2 Tablespoons hot pepper, chopped
x 1/3 cup mint leaves
x 4 cups coconut milk
x 3 - 4 Kaffir lime leaves
x 1 1/2 cups chicken breast, slices x 3 1/2 Tablespoons fish sauce
x 2 Tablespoons lime juice
x 2 green onions, cut into 1" pieces


Directions
Using a medium - sized pot, add coconut milk and place over medium heat. Add Siamese ginger, lemon grass Kaffir lime leaves. Cook 1 - 2 minutes.
Add the chicken meat and bamboo shoots. Bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes.
Pour in fish sauce and green onions. Remove from heat. Stir in chopped hot peppers, lime juice, and mint leaves. 

Red Curry

This curry can be made with any meat or seafood Ingredients


x 2 T red curry paste (use a little more for hotter curry; Mae Ploy brand is excellent x 3 T vegetable oil
x 3/4 lb boneless chicken meat, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
x 2 cans (unsweetened) coconut milk (approx. 3 cups in all)
x 1 c water or chicken broth
x 1/2 c baby corns
x 1/2 c straw mushrooms (or substitute other mushroom of your choice) x 1/2 c sliced bamboo shoots
5 kaffir lime leaves (dried are fine; these are available in packages on the bottom -- usually dusty --
shelf of the Asian market; they look like dried, curled-up leaves) x 1/2 t salt (more or less to taste) or Fish sauce
x 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into matchstick-size strips


Directions
Fry curry paste with the cream off the top of the coconut milk in oil in saucepan until oil separates. Add chicken (if using) and sauté for about 1 minute over medium high heat. Add remaining ingredients except basil leaves or red bell pepper. Bring just barely to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 20-30 minutes. Just before serving, stir in basil leaves or red bell pepper. Serve with cooked Thai Jasmine rice. 

Chicken in Peanut Sauce

  
Ingredients
x 1 lb Chicken breasts 1/2" x
1/2" strips
x 1/4 cup Green onions chop
coarse
x 2 tbsp Curry powder/paste
(Thai Red)
x 1 tbsp Garlic chop fine
x 1 tbsp Ginger chop fine
x 1 tbsp Lemon grass chop fine
x 1 tbsp Galangal chop fine
x 1 tsp Chili paste
x Peanut oil
x 1 tbsp Fish sauce
x 1 cup Coconut milk
x 2 tbsp Peanut butter
x 2 tbsp Roasted peanuts crushed
x 1/2 tbsp Palm sugar
x 2 cups Snow peas or Broccoli florets


Directions
Cut chicken into strips
Mix green onions, garlic, ginger, lemon grass, galangal, curry powder and chili paste. Add chicken and toss to coat. Set aside for 20 minutes. If using broccoli, blanch 2 minutes.
Heat wok. Add peanut oil, chicken mixture. Stir fry 3 minutes until chicken loses pink color.
Add coconut milk, peanut butter, crushed peanuts, fish sauce and palm sugar. Cook 3 minutes until sauce begins to thicken. If using snow peas, add and simmer until color changes.
If using broccoli, add and simmer until heated through.
Serve over rice. 

Roasted Curry Powder

1 cup Coriander seeds 1/2 cup Cumin seeds 1 tbs Fennel seeds
1 Cinnamon stick
1 tsp whole Cloves
1 tsp Cardamom seeds
10-15 dried curry leaves
5-6 dried red Chillies (optional) 5-6 dried Rampe pieces
1 tbs black pepper seeds
2 tbs raw rice
Method:
In a dry pan, over low heat, roast each ingredient separately. Stir constantly (Coriander, Cumin, Fennel
and rice must be fairly brown but do not let them burn). Mix all the roasted ingredients, put into a grinder and grind to a fine powder. Store in an air-tight jar. 

Raw Curry Powder

Ingredients:
2 tsps Coriander seeds 1 tsp. Cumin
1/4 tsp. Fennel
Method:
Crush all ingredients separately to a fine powder and thoroughly mix them together. 

Crab Curry

Ingredients:

Crabs 4 large

Onions 2 large

Green chillies 4

Roasted curry powder 3 tablespoons

Curry leaves 10

Fennel seeds 1 teaspoon

Coconut milk or milk 3 cups

Lemon juice 2 tablespoons

Salt to taste

Oil 2 tablespoons

Ginger 1 inch slice

Water 2 cups

Method:
Dice onions, cut green chillies into
small pieces and cut ginger into very
small pieces.
Clean and divide the crabs into four pieces each. Keep the claws on.
In a large pan dry roast the fennel seeds until they turn golden, add oil and add the diced onions and fry until onions turn golden and now add the curry leaves and fry for a minute.
Now add the crab pieces, curry powder, salt and the water and cover and let it cook for 5 to 8 minutes. Stir and add the milk and simmer in low fire until the liquid is reduced to half.
Add the lime juice and remove from fire.
The gravy should have reduced to a thick consistency.
This dish can be done with fresh raw crabs or cooked whole crabs. Cooking with fresh raw crabs gives a
much tastier dish. Frozen uncooked crabs are available in the West in Indian and Sri Lankan shops. This dish requires a large wide mouthed pan to cook and a lid to suit it. 

Uppuma

Ingredients:

Semolina 1 cup

Water 2 cups

Onions 1 medium

Dry chillies 2

Mustard 1⁄2 tsp

Salt to taste

Method:

This dish requires two measures of

water for each measure of

semolina as a rule.

Dry roast semolina in a pan and

remove and set aside.

Dice the onion, and cut dry chillies

into small pieces.

In little oil in a pan, fry mustard seeds until they start to pop, add diced onions and dry chillies pieces and

fry until onions are golden brown. Reduce the heat and add roasted semolina, water and salt and stir until

all the mixture gets cooked well.

Keep stirring to avoid lumps.

Variation:

With vegetables -

Can add vegetables if preferred - carrots, beans cauliflower. Clean, Wash and cut into small pieces and

steam these before and add to the fried onions etc and stir before adding semoli 

Prawn Varai – Jaffna Style

Ingredients:

Raw prawns 500 Gms

Onions 1 large

Coconut scarped 150 Gms

Turmeric powder 1⁄2 teaspoons

Jaffna Chilli powder 2 teaspoons

Curry leaves 6

Dried chillies 2

Oil

Salt to tate

Method:

Shell, clean and wash prawns.

Then mix the prawns with turmeric powder and salt and boil them in little water until soft and firm.

Drain if there is excess water and let prawns to cool. When cool, grind in a grinder coarsely.

In a dish, transfer the ground prawns, add chilli powder, coconut scrapings, add curry leaves and mix by hand well.

Taste and add salt if necessary. In a frying pan, fry some diced onions until soft, add cut dried chillies and fry further.

Add the prawn coconut mixture and keep stirring until the mixture is dry.

Do not over roast this.