VEGETABLE KURMA

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Ingredients:
------------
2 cups Vegetables
2 Onions cut length-wise
2 Green chilies cut length-wise
1 tsp Coriander powder
1 1/4 tsp Salt
one pinch Turmeric powder
1/2" Cinnamon stick
2 Cloves
2 Cardamom
2 tblsp Coconut powder
1 tsp Khus-Khus (poppy seeds)
1/4 tsp (3 cloves) Garlic
1/4 tsp powder (or 1/2" fresh) Ginger

Method:
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Put a reasonable sized vessel on the range and heat oil. Add cinnamon,
cloves and cardamom and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add onions and green
chilies and fry till onions turn brown. Add garlic + ginger paste and
fry for a minute or so. Add vegetables and fry for about 3 minutes.
Add Water (about a cup or two). Let the vegetables + turmeric powder
cook.

If you are using canned or frozen vegetables skip the above step.

Add coconut paste, khus-khus, salt and wait until cooked.
(Note: Cook on low heat.)

GOBI ALOO (CAULIFLOWER AND POTATOES)

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This recipe livens up ordinary cauliflower and potatoes into something
quite different. The recipe shown here has spices that are not
necessary (like cloves and cardamom) or at least that's not how mom made
it at home, however it adds a nice touch.

Ingredients:
------------
1 Large cauliflower
3 Medium sized potatoes
1/2 large Onion sliced thinly in long slices
1 tsp Mustard seeds
2 or 3 pods Cardamom
1 tsp Coriander
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1 Bayleaf
3 Cloves
3 tblsp Vegetable Oil

Method:
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Start boiling the potatoes in a saucepan. Let them boil for at least 15
minutes. After they are done, turn off the heat and let them stand in
the water.

Cut the cauliflower into small bite sized pieces (roughly 1" cubes),
throwing away most of the stem pieces. Wash and drain in a collander.

While the potatoes are cooking, heat the oil in a wide skillet until it
is very hot. Add the mustard seeds and wait until they start popping.
Add bay leaves, cardamom and cloves.

Mix around for a while and then add onions. Wait until the onion starts
to turn before adding the rest of the spices (except for turmeric).

Put the cauliflower in the skillet and fry in the oil and spices for 2
minutes. While the cauliflower is frying, cut up the potatoes into bite
sized pieces and add to the skillet. Add turmeric and stir.

Continue stirring the vegetables under medium heat for another couple of
minutes. Add 1/2 cup of water and reduce heat to low. Cover skillet
and let cook for 5 minutes.

Check tenderness of vegetables. If they are still too hard, add another
1/4 cup of water and cover again for 5 minutes.

DAHI VADA (SAVORY BALLS IN YOGURT)

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Ingredients:
------------
1/2 c Urad dal
1/2 Moong dal
1 c Yogurt
Spice to taste (cumin and paprika)
Oil for frying
1/4 c Milk

Method:
-------
Clean dal, wash and soak in water for 4 hours. Blend in blender at
medium speed using the minimum amount of water required to keep paste
moving freely. Add salt and start heating oil.

Drop spoonfuls of batter in the hot oil using a large tablespoon. Fry
until golden brown. Drop in water. Let it soak till ready to serve.

Beat yogurt with milk. Add spice according to taste. Squeeze out water
from the vada and add yogurt. Serve.

PAKORAS (SAVORY FRITTERS)

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Ingredients:
------------

Batter:
-------
1/2 c Besan
5 oz Warm water
1/4 t Red pepper
3/4 t Salt
1/2 t Garam Masala
paprika (optional)

Vegetables:
-----------
1 Small onion
1 Potato
A few spinach leaves
Oil for deep frying

Method:
-------
In a bowl put the besan and half the water, and stir until it becomes a
thick batter. Beat hard for 5 minutes. gradually add the rest of the
water, and leave to swell for 30 minutes. Add salt, pepper and Garam
Masala and beat again.

Wash peel and slice the onion and potatoes. Wash and pat dry the
spinach leaves.

Heat oil until smoking hot, dip the vegetables in the batter and deep
fry until golden brown.

Serve hot.

PARATHA

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Ingredients:
------------
1 c Whole wheat flour
Ghee
Water

Method:
-------
Make chappati dough. Divide into 6 parts and make balls. Flatten and
roll each.

Spread ghee over them and fold. Roll again.

Heat the paratha on a griddle like you would a chappati, but spread some
ghee over the top side. Turn and spread ghee on the other side. Fry
until the bottom is crisp and golden, then turn and fry the remaining
side.

Repeat with all six.

Serve at once, since they lose crispness if stored.


STUFFED PARATHAS
================

Make dough for regular chappati's.

Fillings:
---------
Potato - Boil potatoes, mash, add salt and chili to taste. Add Garam
Masala and mango powder.

Radish - Grate one large Diakon Radish, add salt and leave for 1/2 hour.
Squeeze out all the water, add grated ginger, chili, and pomegranate
seeds.

Cauliflower - Grate cauliflower, add salt, pepper, garlic, and Garam
Masala.

Method:
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Roll out 2 small chappati's. Place filling on one, cover with the
second, seal edges and cook as for parathas.

CHAPATI (PHULKA)

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for 4, serving 1 or 2)

Ingredients:
------------
1 c Whole wheat flour (or 1/3 white + 2/3 whole wheat)
1/2 c Water

Method:
-------
Put flour in a large bowl with half the water. Blend the two together
until it holds. Beat and knead well until it forms a compact ball.
Knead dough until it is smooth and elastic. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Knead and divide dough into 4 to 6 parts. Roll each ball into a
tortilla like flat, about \frac{1{8" thick. Heat an ungreased
skillet.

Put phulka on it, and let it cook for about 1 minute (The top should
just start to look dry and small bubbles should just start to form).

Turn and cook the second side for 2/3 minutes until small bubbles form.

Turn again and cook the first side pressed lightly with a towel. It
should puff. Serve warm (maybe slightly buttered).

Note:
-----
Since the rolled out chappati's will dry out if they are left to stand
while cooking the others, it is advantageous to roll them out
individually before cooking them.

MINT AND CORIANDER CHUTNEY

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Ingredients:
------------
1 bunch Coriander leaves
1 bunch Mint leaves
1 Green chili
1 oz Seedless tamarind
1 tsp Salt
4 T Water
1 medium Onion

Method:
-------
Wash and soak tamarind in water for 1/2 hour. Clean, pick and wash the
coriander and mint. Separate pulp from the tamarind and squeeze out the
pulp. Grind coriander, mint, green chili and onion into a fine paste.
Add the tamarind pulp and salt. Blend well. In an airtight jar this
can be refrigerated for up to one week.

ONION AND TOMATO RAITA

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(4-6 Servings)

Ingredients:
------------
8 oz. Yogurt (plain)
1 small Onion
1/2 t Salt
1 small Tomato
1/2 t Chat Masala (optional)
1/2 t Black pepper (ground)
1/4 c Milk

Method:
-------
Beat yogurt and milk until smooth. Chop onion and tomatoes and add to
yogurt. Add salt and pepper and sprinkle the Chat Masala over, and
serve.

Tandoori Chicken

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(Serves 4)
TANDOORI in INDIAN stands for an earthern oven which is sort
of cylindrical and uses coal as the fuel.
This recipe will need a bar-b-que grill as a substitute. It
can be also cooked in a gas or electric oven, but it will lose
most of its flavour. Also, the chicken has to be marinaded for
atleast 6 hours, ideally 12 hours overnight.


You will need the following:
1. 12 Chicken drumsticks and/or breast pieces (skin removed)
2. 1 cup plain yoghurt (pref.) or 2 cups Buttermilk
3. 1 1/2 tbsp red chilli powder
4. 2 tbsp coriander powder
5. 1 tbsp garlic powder } FRESHLY GROUND IS
6. 1 tbsp ginger powder } MUCH BETTER
7. 1 tbsp cumin powder
8. 1/2 tbsp. GARAM MASALA powder (available at any/all Indian grocery
stores)
You can prepare #8 at home by dry grinding to a powder the following:
(20 black pepper corns 0r equivalnet black pepper powder, 5 cloves,
1 inch cinnamon stick, 4-5 cardamoms, 1 tsp. cumin powder, 2 bay
leaves plus some more stuff I dont know, although this should be
fine )
9. Meat tenderizer (optional)
10. 2 tbsp. salt (use less if tenderizer contains salt)
IF YOU LIKE IT HOT AND SPICY , ADD 1 TBSP. EXTRA OF ALL SPICES FROM NOS.
3-8.
Method:
Prick the chicken pieces with a fork all over. apply the
tenderizer to the chicken pieces and let it stand for an hour or so.

The marinade : Take a wide and deep bowl about 12 2 inches wide and deep
enough to hold all the chicken pieces. Add the yoghurt plus one cup
water or the buttermilk with no water into the bowl. Add all the spices
from nos. 3 thru 8 into the bowl and stir to form a
homogeneous mixture.Now add the chicken pieces into the mixture, so
that they are all covered with the paste/mixture. Cover the bowl with a
lid and let it stand for 6 hours. If you plan to marinade for 12-15
hours, put it in the refrigerator. The more time it is marinated, the
better it will absorb the spices and the tastier it will be.

When you are ready to grill the chicken, apply melted butter to the
the chicken pieces with a brush or spoon all over and you are ready to
grill the chicken on the barbeque in the normal fashion. turn over the
chicken pieces when they look brownish red in color or darker if you
prefer it well done.

Slice finely onion into rings, add some salt and lemon juice to it, to
be served as a salad with the tandoori chicken. lemon juice sprinkled
on the cooked pieces also adds to the flavor , if you wish.

Good luck and I hope you enjoy this recipe, a favourite of the Moghul
emperors of INDIA!

Indian Lamb with Spinach

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Serve 6

1 lb of lamb cut into 1-inch cubes
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 tsp ground coriander
1 Tbsp mustard seeds
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder (or less if you want)
1 tsp turmeric
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1-inch finely chopped fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 lb of fresh spinach, trimmed, washed and torn in small pieces
1/4 tp salt
1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil
----------------------------

Heat the oil in a casserole and cook the onion over medium-high heat,
stirring constantly, until soft. Stir lamb, coriander, mustard seeds,
cumin, chili powder and turmeric. Mix all the ingredients well.
Add 1 Tbsp of yogurt and cook over high heat, stirring the meat
until all the yogurt is absorbed - 3 to 5 minutes. Repeat with a
second Tbsp of yogurt, third, etc...

When the yogurt is used up, stir in the ginger and garlic, add just
enough water to cover the meat and bring to boil. Cover the casserole,
lower the heat and simmer for one hour.

When the meat is cooked, increase the heat to medium and add the
spinach in batches, stirring each batch until it is wilted. When all
the spinach is incorporated, cook the stew, uncovered, over high heat to
evaporate any excess liquid - about five minutes. Add the salt just
before serving.

Serve with rice and pappadoms.