Aloo Gobi-Curried Cauliflower and potatoes

This is a traditional north Indian dish. It turns a simple cauliflower into something special. Of course eating more cruciferous vegetables are beneficial to our health. Best eaten with rotis or parathas, but still delicious as a sandwich filling!

I used a deep saute pan.
In 2 T of hot rapeseed oil, add 1 t crushed coriander seeds and 1 t of cumin.
On popping add 1 medium diced onion.
Add 3 cloves of garlic.
1.5 T finely chopped fresh ginger.
Add 2-3 slashed green chillies, 1 t salt, 1 t turmeric and 3/4 t garam masala.
When browning, add 2T chopped tinned tomatoes. Cook for 2-4 minutes.
Add florets from head of a small cauliflower. Chop the central core in as well if fresh.
Stir to incorporate spices into cauliflower.
Add 3-4 potatoes cubed(1.5cm).
Add 1 diced fresh tomato.
Cover and cook on lowest heat ; checking to see if veg are done(to softness); after 7-8 minute intervals.
Add chopped green coriander and serve with plain natural yogurt.

Pav baji

instead of onion, make turka with diced green pepper in jeera!

Chai

Boil freshly grated ginger and cinnamon with
black tea
add milk and sugar to taste

Warming and soothing

Kithcherie-vegetarian chicken Soup

We have been suffering with the boomerang flu and when I finally managed to clamber into the Kitchen-my best ever kitcherie was borne. Its quick and nutritious and does claim to have the life rejuvenating properties of chicken soup.

In a heavy based saucepan add

• a knob of butter(good for sore throat)
• a teaspoon of cumin seeds
• inch of freshly grated ginger
• 1 t salt and pepper
• 0.5 t of turmeric(antibacterial)
• 0.5 cup each of masoor(washed orange/red lentils) and basmati rice
• fill saucepan 3/4 full with filtered water

Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring from time to time.

Raita : yogurt and cucumber dip

Raita

Raita is a healthy spiced yogurt and cucumber companion to cool hot curries but works equally well as a dip. My secret ingredient is dry roasted sesame and cumin seeds-now you all know it;).

Ingredients:

• 1 pot of organic yogurt
• 5-6 inches or half of an organic cucumber grated coarsely (non organic may have a waxy coating on the nutritious skin)
  
• 1/4 to 1/2 t sea salt to your taste
• 1/2 to 3/4 t freshly ground black pepper to your taste
• 1/2 to 3/4 garam masala
• 1/4 to 1/2 t smoked paprika
  
• 1/2 to 3/4 t each sesame and cumin seeds
• 1 T chopped green herb of your choice: for authentic raita add coriander, for a Greek edge add mint, chives or just add parsley( a clove of crushed garlic and 2 T parsley turn it into a good sauce to go with fritters)
• for decoration a sprinkle of red chili powder or smoked paprika or cayenne, garam masala, black pepper, sesame and cumin seeds and 2-3 coriander leaves.

Method:

1. Place a dry frying pan on gas and let it get hot.
2. Add the cumin seeds and sesame seeds into the hot pan and toss the pan around to brown the seeds without burning. They will start to pop.
3. Empty the seeds into a clean dry plate and allow to cool, while you prepare the yogurt.
4. Grate the cumber
   
5. Empty yogurt into a bowl and whisk
   
6. Add the cumber and mix
7. Add the salt, pepper, garam masala, paprika, cumin and sesame seeds(reserve a few for decorating the top).
   
8. Add the chopped coriander
9. Transfer to your serving dish and decorate the top with a sprinkling of

• garam masala
• black pepper
• paprika
• sesame seeds
• cumin seeds
• a sprig of coriander

Serve with roti, pitta, tortillas, poppadoms, carrot sticks, celery sticks, broccoli trees .............

Further variations:
The cucumber can be diced instead of grated. Also you can try adding cubed avocado, cubed tomatoes and spring onions. This trio is a great combination when served with curries!

Rasmalai

Simple recipe

MMMMMmmmmm Tastes as good as it looks.

I found this recipe on the www first but something about it was not working for me. I called my aunt for her recipe which I heard also uses ricotta cheese. It sounded the same but I asked her to send me the recipe. One simple stage made all the difference-Mix together by hand! Previously I had unwittingly used a whisk and the results were a close texture rather than a more crumbly open texture achieved by hand mixing. My addition to the recipe is the vanilla flavoured milk syrup and the ground cardamon.

You need:

• ricotta cheese 2 cartons
• sugar 1/4 to 1/2 cup, depending on how sweet toothed you are!
• ground cardamon 1 t
• 1 pint whole milk
• 1/2-1 large can evaporated milk (or use 2 pints of milk instead)
• vanilla dusting sugar
• flaked almonds or pistachios and rose petals to decorate

1. Mix the first 3 ingredients together by hand
2. Divide the mixture into a lined 12 cup muffin pan
3. Cook in oven for 40 mins fan oven 160 degrees C (lower if using more sugar)
4. Reduce the pint of milk to half by bringing to the boil and then simmering on a low heat.
5. Add the evaporated milk and a good dusting of the vanilla icing sugar(1t)
6. Place the cooked patties into the prepared milk syrup and chill.
7. Decorate-especially good with crushed pistachios!

Making Paneer aka Curd cheese

Curds and Whey

Bring full-fat milk to the boil and add 2-3 T of vinegar or lemon juice
Wash and strain
Use muslin and sieve for best results

I just sieved and added a weight to push down on curds.

Lentils and Rice

A quick healthy lunch:

Served with orange juice to help with the absorption of iron.

Easy tasty Burtha-Mashed Spiced Aubergine

Is it a dip? Is it a pate? Is it a North Indian curry? Is it a sandwich filling?

Whatever you want it to be, it tastes 100 times better than it looks!

Method:

• Bake a washed and pricked (with a fork) aubergine on a piece of foil in a hot oven for 40-60mins.
• When cooked and cooled(for handling purpose), cut in half and scoop out flesh using a tablespoon and scarping the skin to capture the smokey flavour.
  

In a pan, add:

• 1 T oil-olive oil and rapeseed combo
• 1 diced onion
• Fry on med heat for 5 min
• Add 1 slashed green chili
• Add 1-2 diced fresh tomatoes
• Fry on med heat for 5 min
• Add aubergine pulp
• Cover and cook for 8 min
• Add 1 small finely diced red onion
• Cover and cook for a further 7-8 min
• Turn of the heat and serve anywhich way you please.

For first timers, I recommend eating in a sandwich or with indian breads. This is a low labour intensive dish with a high rating taste!