Kheer: Indian Rice Pudding

At the Indian buffet there is a dessert that I love. It is called Kheer and consists of rice, milk, butter, nuts, raisins, and cardamom (it is spelled cardamon in the UK). This creamy dessert is light and delicious. I made it for the first time a couple of weeks ago and made it again this weekend a little differently.  The great thing is that the recipe is easy and doesn't take forever to make. 

Ingredients:

1\2 cup of Basmati rice
1 TBS ghee (clarified butter) or plain butter
4 cups of milk (whole milk, not low fat)
1 tsp cardamom
1\2 cup of sugar
a pinch of saffron
a pinch of nutmeg (optional)
1 TBS golden raisins, Sultana  
1\4 cup of cashews, crushed
1\4 cup of sliced almonds, slivered will work too
1\4 cup of pistachios, crushed

Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes.  Drain and then break the rice up in smaller pieces by rubbing between your fingers.  Place a medium sized pot on medium\high heat. Once the pot is warm add the ghee. When the ghee is melted add the sugar and stir for a couple of minutes, then add the milk. Bring to a boil. Stir frequently because you don't want the milk to scorch. Add the rice and simmer until the rice is cooked, usually 20-25 minutes. Stir frequently throughout the cooking process. Once the rice is tender add the raisins, nuts and spices. Turn the heat up a bit and simmer until it is somewhat thick. Sprinkle with nuts. Serve either hot or cold. Enjoy!

Spiced Naan

Have you ever been to an Indian restaurant?  The air is filled with the most wonderful spices.  I have a soft spot for bread and curry.  Naan is a soft flat bread that is great for sopping up the sauce.  I found a recipe in the book, 500 Curries, by Mridula Baljekar, that is very good.  When I started making Moroccan bread, I would add anise seeds, which gave the bread a wonderful flavor. I liked it so much that I never make the bread without it.  The recipe calls for three different kinds of seeds: cumin, fennel, and onion.  I used anise seeds in my version.   Feel free to experiment.  

 

 Ingredients:

4 cups of all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp yeast, rapid rise

1 tsp salt 

1 tsp sugar

1-2 tsp fennel seeds,onion seeds, anise seeds, or cumin seeds or use one that is your favorite

2/3 cup  - 1 cup of milk, hot

2 tbs vegetable oil

2/3 cup of plain yogurt (Greek style is best) 

1 egg, beaten 

In a mixing bowl,add the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Stir in the yeast, sugar, and seeds.  Mix well. Make a well in the middle and stir in the milk, then add the oil, yogurt and egg.  Mix well and form into a ball.  If the dough is too dry, add a bit more milk.  If too wet, then add a little more flour, about a tablespoon at a time.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.  Oil a large bowl and place the dough in the middle.  Make sure that you oil the dough as well.  Cover with plastic wrap and put in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size. 

Put a heavy baking sheet in the oven and preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Knead the dough lightly and divide into 6 pieces. Take out one piece and leave the other pieces covered.  Quickly roll the piece of dough out into a teardrop shape.  Brush lightly with oil and put the naan onto the hot baking pan.  Repeat for the remaining five pieces.  Bake in the oven until the naan is a light golden brown.  Then place under the broiler until the bread is golden.  Serve hot or warm.  Enjoy!

Paneer Balti with Shrimp

I love curry. I found a wonderful recipe using shrimp and paneer (recipe here). Recently, I learned how to make paneer, which is a cheese curd.  It is very much like cottage cheese.  The best thing about it is that paneer is very easy to make.  It consists of two ingredients: milk and lemon juice.  Make the paneer the day before you plan to use it in a recipe and the curry will be done in no time. This curry is very smooth and you can adjust the heat to your taste. I think that this recipe is going to be one of my favorites.

Ingredients:

1 lb of raw shrimp, peeked and deveined

6 ounces of paneer

2 TBS tomato paste

4 TBS Greek yogurt

½ to 1 tsp hot chili powder

1 tsp garlic paste

Salt to taste

2 tsp mango powder

1 tsp ground coriander

1 stick of butter

1 tbs vegetable oil

1-3 fresh green chillies, seeded and chopped

3 TBS cilantro, chopped

1 cup of light or heavy cream

Peel the shrimp and cube the paneer, set aside.

In a mixing bowl, add the tomato paste, yogurt, garam masala, chilli powder, garlic, salt, mango powder, and coriander, mix well. Set aside.

Melt the butter and oil in a large wok or deep pan.  Lower the heat and fry the paneer for a couple of minutes.  Drain on a paper towel.  Set aside.

Pour the spice mixture into the wok and mix well. Cook for a minute. Add the paneer and the shrimp.  Cook on medium heat for about 5-7 minutes or until the shrimp is cooked through. Add the fresh chillies, cilantro, and cream.  Mix well and leave on the heat until it is heated through.  Serve with plain rice and a salad. Enjoy!

Spiced Beef & Mashed Potato Puffs

I came across this recipe in the book 500 Curries by Mridula Baljekar and wanted to try it.  It is simple and makes good use of left over mashed potatoes. These small meat pies are made with puff pastry, but you could just as easily use egg roll wrappers or filo dough.  When I saw the cost of the puff pastry, I thought it was a bit expensive.  Since I had never used it before, I thought that I would give it a try.  The best part is that the pastry is very crispy.  I like this recipe very much and compare it to a vegetable samosa.  I baked it instead of frying as the recipe suggested.  Adjust the heat to your taste. Personally, I don't like food that is so hot that you cannot taste the flavor because of the heat.

Ingredients:

2 TBS butter
1/2 small onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ginger
1 tbs hot curry powder, I have the mild and used it instead
1/2 pound ground beef, chicken, or turkey
salt/pepper to taste
1 red chilli, seed and chopped or 1/4 to 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 1/2 cups of mashed potatoes
3-4 tbs cilantro, chopped
2 sheets ready made puff pastry
1 egg, lightly beaten or 2 tbs melted butter
1- 3 inch (or larger) cookie cutter

Heat the butter in a pot over medium heat, then add the onion and saute until it is golden brown. Next add the garlic and chopped cilantro.  Saute for a couple of minutes.  Then add the beef and spices, salt and pepper.  Cook the beef until it is brown.  Take off the heat and pour into a bowl. Add the mashed potatoes to the meat and mix well.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lay the pastry sheets on a clean, lightly floured dry suface and cut out eight rounds using a 3 inch cookie cutter. Place a large spoonful of the meat mixture in the middle. Brush the edges with beaten egg and fold over.  Pressing the edges together with the tines of a fork to seal.  I, also, used two rounds and made a round pie by putting a large spoonful of the meat mixture in the middle and placed another round on top. 

Brush the pies with melted butter. Place the meat pies on a greased cookie sheet and bake for about 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Turning over half way through to brown the other side.  I fried the first two pies and it was a mess.  Baking them produces a much better version and healthier too.  Serve with a salad or as a snack.  Enjoy!

Green Onion Paratha Flat Bread

Paratha (pronounced pa rat ha) is a flat bread from India that is very thin and crispy.  It is good for breakfast with eggs or in the evening with soup or curry.  I really like this bread and eat it a lot.  The key to this recipe is that it needs to be thin so that it will be flaky and crispy. 

Ingredients:

2 cups of bread flour or all purpose flour
2 tbs butter, melted
about 1 cup of warm water, enough to knead the dough
1 tsp salt

Filling:
1 bunch of green onions, chopped
melted butter

In a medium bowl combine the flour, salt,  and melted butter.  The flour will be like biscuit dough when you cut in the butter or shortening.  Pour in enough water to moisten the dough and knead until it is smooth and elastic.  About 5 minutes will be enough.  Put the dough in a bowl and cover with a moist cloth so that it doesn't dry out.  Let the dough rest for about 20 minutes.

In the meantime, chop the green onions and melt about 2-3 tbs of butter. 

After 20 minutes, take the dough out of the bowl and knead for a minute or two and divide into 6-8 balls.  Roll one at a time out with a rolling pin. Make sure that the dough is thin.  It should be about 6-8 inches in diameter.  Once it is rolled out, brush some butter on the dough and then sprinkle some chopped onion on top.  Roll it up like you would a carpet.  Then roll it up like a cinnamon roll. Finish rolling up the rest of the dough.

Flatten the paratha again with the rolling pin.  Heat up a griddle or non stick pan.  Brush the pan with some oil or melted butter.  Place the disk in the pan and fry until golden brown on both sides. 

Serve warm with soup or curry.  Enjoy!

Spicy Indian Cabbage

I have grown to appreciate Indian food. The aroma of the spices fill the house and I love it. I am really a wimp when it comes to hot food.  Not long ago, I went to a Thai restaurant and ordered Pad Thai. I really like this dish. When I got home and took a couple of bites I felt like my mouth was on fire. I couldn't even taste the food because of the heat.  After drinking a glass of water and then some milk, I threw the food out. What is the point of eating if the food is so hot that your lips and mouth burn?  So, whenever I make a dish, I tone down the hot spices a little. It is the flavor not the heat that I look for when cooking.

Cabbage is one of my favorite things to eat.  Growing up we would fry it with bacon grease, salt, pepper, and a little water.  That is the southern way of making it.  I have since stopped cooking with bacon grease, well, not a lot.  This Indian recipe is very good.  It has carrots, onions, cumin and ghee or butter.  Stir fry for a few minutes and you have a wonderful accompaniment to your meal.  I served mine with kefta meatballs and Pulao.  The recipe is adapted from the book, The Complete Book of Indian Cooking by Shehzad Husain and Rafi Fernandez.

Ingredients:

4 TBS butter or margarine
1 tsp of cumin powder or 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
3-8 dried chillies or to taste
1 small onion, sliced
4 cups cabbage, shredded
1-2 medium carrots, grated
salt/pepper to taste
2 TBS lemon juice (or lime if you like it better)

In a medium pot, over medium to high heat, add butter or margarine.  Add the sliced onion and saute until translucent. Next, add the chillies and cumin and saute for an additional minute or two.  Then add the cabbage and the carrots.  Saute until the carrots and cabbage are soft.  Last of all, add the lemon juice, and salt/pepper to taste.  Enjoy!

Black-Eyed Peas and Potato Curry

I have been working so much overtime that I haven't had time to do one of the things that I love best, cook. Today, I came home at my usual time and out came the pot and spices.  This is an Indian dish that I really like.  It has a little heat to it but you can control it by adding in as little or as much as you like.  This recipe is adapted from the book The Complete Book of Indian Cooking by Shehzad Husain & Rafi Fernandez with a little touch of my own.

1 lb of frozen black-eyed peas
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp five-spice powder
1/4 ts asafoetida
1 large onion finely chopped
1 tbs ghee
1 tbs vegetable or olive oil
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp red chili powder
5 tbs tamarind juice or 1 tsp of concentrate
2 potatoes, cut into cubes
1 large tomato, skinned and chopped
4 fresh green chilies, chopped
2 tbs chopped cilantro
1 chicken bouillon cube (optional)
2-3 cups of water
salt to taste
a few mint leaves

In the bottom of a soup pot add the ghee and vegetable oil and place on medium heat.  Next, add the onion and all of the spices, bouillon cube, chopped tomatoes, and cilantro.  Simmer for a couple of minutes.  Then add the black-eyed peas and mix well with the other ingredients. Add the water and simmer for 40 mintues to an hour, until the beans are tender.  Remember this is not a soup, add about 2 cups of water first and it if needs more add a little at a time. The water should be about 1 inch over the beans. Once the beans are tender, add the potatoes and simmer until they are tender.  You don't want a lot of sauce with this recipe.  Simmer until the sauce is nearly gone. I served this with fish, and it would be good with chicken.  Enjoy!

How to Make Paneer: India's Famous Cheese

 

My brother's girlfriend is a very good cook. She makes things that are considered outside of the box, which I love. Ashley loves Indian food, especially paneer.  She tried a curry dish with paneer at one of our local restaurants and was hooked. The addiction was so bad that she spent all of her extra money (even some of her bill money too!) going to this restaurant.  Eventually, she found a recipe to duplicate what she had at the restaurant.  But first we need to make the paneer.  It is a cheese that looks similar to cottage cheese.  Once it is pressed then it looks like normal cheese.  It is mild tasting and is so easy to make.  The key to making paneer is using whole milk or half and half.  The more fat that is in the milk the better.  You can make it with 2% but the taste is better with whole milk.  

Ingredients:

6-8 cups of whole milk or half and half or use equal amounts of milk and cream

1/4 cup of lemon juice

1/2 cup water

Cheese cloth or muslin for straining

salt to taste

Place a large pot on medium heat.  Add the milk. Bring to a boil. Stir occasionally so that it doesn't burn.

  

Once it comes to a boil add the lemon juice in 1\2 cup of water.  Immediately the milk will curdle and curds will come to the top.  If at any time there isn't enough curds add more lemon juice in water and add while stirring.  Stir gently so that the curds come together.

Use cheesecloth or muslin and line a colander (strainer) with it.  Pour the milk and curds mixture into the colander and rinse with cold water.

 

Then squeeze the excess water out of the paneer while it is still in the muslin or cheesecloth. Remove the cheese from the cheesecloth and knead for a couple of minutes so that it will stick together and is not crumbly. At this point you can add salt and any spices that you think would be good in it. I added some chives, but you can put in roasted cumin seeds, black pepper, chopped cilantro, chopped green chilies, or whatever you like in your cheese.  Put the cheese back in the cloth and put it on a plate.  You will want to press it with a heavy pan or use two plates and put cans of vegetables on top.  Put in the fridge for about two hours. The final product will be a nice disk of cheese.  Enjoy!

Angela Malik's Goan Salmon Curry

I have recipes delivered to my email address on a regular basis.  I saw a recipe for Indian Salmon curry but after looking at the ingredients I realized that it wasn't authentic.  As I was looking around on line I came across a recipe by Angela Malik who is a chef in England. She is a Scottish born Indian.  Just recently, she opened The Angela Malik School of Food and Wine in London on Churchfield Road. She says that food is a sensory experience that encompasses all of our five senses touch, taste smell, sight and hearing. The perfect dishes are a delicate balancing of the five tastes; slightly fiery, a touch of sour tang, with perfectly balanced salt and a touch of sweet, underlying it all the power of bitter or umami.

She has a video on Youtube showing how to make Salmon curry, which I was thrilled with.  It was easy to prepare and quick to make.  Most of all it was delicious.  This is what I love about Indian cooking, you are not in the kitchen for hours. 

Ingredients:

1 tsp tamarind paste

1- 1\2 cups water

2 lbs of salmon

salt to taste

2-3 tbs vegetable oil

1 small onion, chopped

8-10 curry leaves

1 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 green chili, Serrano, chopped

1 tsp garlic paste

2 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp coriander

6-7 oz of coconut milk

2 tbs cilantro for garnish

In a medium bowl add the tamarind paste, water and a pinch of salt.  Mix well until it looks like Pepsi. Add the salmon and marinate. Place a wok on medium heat, add the oil and onion.  Saute until the onion is caramelized.  Then add the mustard seeds, and curry leaves and saute for about 3 minutes.  Next, add the green chili, garlic paste and ginger paste and the rest of the spices.  Saute for a couple of minutes.  Add the coconut milk and stir well.  Finally, add the fish and some of the marinade.  You will want the sauce to be somewhat thick, like a thin gravy.  Cover and cook until the fish is done, about 2-5 minutes.  Serve over plain rice with a leafy salad on the side. Garnish with cilantro.  Enjoy!

Bengali Butternut Squash and Garbanzo Bean Curry

Here is a recipe that is great if you want to eat healthy and you are short on time.  This is a savory\sweet dish with a hint of heat that can either be served with plain rice or without.  I love this dish and will be making it often.  The smell of the spices filled the air as I sauteed them in the pan. My mouth began to water. I could hardly wait to take the first bite. I was not disappointed either.

Ingredients:

3 TBS vegetable oil

a large pinch of ground asafoetida (can be found at Asian or Indian markets)

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp of panch phoran (also known as Bengali five-spice)

1-2 mild dried red chilies or canned green chilies (about a tsp of canned)

1 small - medium onion, chopped

1/2 tsp turmeric

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander powder, heaped

1 tsp ground fennel seeds

1 tsp garam masala

salt to taste

1/2 tsp sugar

2 tsp ginger paste

2 cups of butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes

1 cup of boiling water

1- 8 oz can of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed.

1 tbs Ghee, optional

Heat the oil and ghee in a large pan over medium heat.  Add the onions and saute until translucent/golden brown.  Next, add all of the spices and saute for about 2-3 minutes.  If it becomes dry add a bit of water to make a sauce.  Next add the boiling water, squash and garbanzo beans.  Simmer until the squash is tender.  Adjust the salt/sugar to your taste.  Serve Immediately.  Enjoy!

Indian Pilau (Rice)

I have finally found a rice recipe that I just love.  It has a little spice but not enough to overpower the curry that you will eat with it.  It reminds me of the rice that my friend Sabrina makes all of the time.  It has saffron and cardamom.

2 cups of basmati rice
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tbs butter
4 cardamom pods or 1 tsp cardamom powder
8 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
pinch of saffron treads
2 bay leaves
3 cups of chicken stock or vegetable stock or water with salt

Cook the onion in the butter for about 5 minutes until softened.  Add the spices, saffron and bay leaves and saute for a couple of minutes. Next, add the rice and stir until the grains are coated in the butter, then add the chicken stock.  Bring to a boil and then cover with a tight fitting lid.  Turn the heat down to simmer/low and cook for about 10-20 minutes.  Once the water has been aborbed turn off the heat. Add additional butter and fluff.  Enjoy!

Indian Cabbage Salad

Just recently, I have been expanding my cuisine to include Indian dishes.  As I have said before, I really like curry. However, this is not a curry dish.  I saw this recipe on a PBS program called Grannies on Safari.  It looked simple and delicious. So, why not try it? There are a couple of ingredients that may be hard to find but well worth the effort of obtaining.  I have not used curry leaves before and didn't know what to expect. They have a strong odor and shiny leaves.  I am lucky to live in a medium sized city with a few ethnic stores.  Unfortunately, curry powder and curry leaves are not the same thing.  You can use basil leaves, kaffir lime leaves or bay leaves instead, but the taste is not the same. 

Ingredients:

4 cups Green or purple cabbage, finely shredded

1/2 cup Red onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped

1/2 cup raw peanuts, minus the skin

1/2 tsp cayenne powder

10-12 curry leaves, finely chopped

2 TBS cilantro, finely chopped

1/4 tsp asafoetida powder, optional

1 tsp mustard seeds

salt to taste

1 tsp lemon juice

3-4 TBS vegetable oil

Mix the cabbage, onions, cilantro and bell pepper in a mixing bowl. Heat the oil and add the black mustard seeds and peanuts. Fry until the peanuts change color. Take off the heat and add the curry leaves, asafoetida and cayenne. Pour over the cabbage mixture. Add salt and the lemon juice and mix well. Serve after 15 minutes. Enjoy! 

Beef Kefta Curry

I love curry dishes.  This one can be flaming hot or very mild.  Unlike Moroccan food, which can take hours to prepare, Indian dishes are usually quick and easy to make with just as much flavor.  This recipe is wonderful and you will feel like you are eating in India once the first bite is taken.  

Ingredients:

For the meatballs

1 lb ground beef or lamb

3 TBS onion, chopped

1 TBS chopped cilantro 

1 TBS plain yogurt

4 TBS flour

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp ground coriander

1 fresh green chili, seeded and finely chopped or you can use canned

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp black mustard seeds

salt/pepper to taste

1 egg

Mix all of the above ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.  Shape into balls and set aside.

For the curry sauce

2 TBS butter or vegetable oil or a combination of both

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 TBS curry powder

1 tsp cardamom powder or 4 green cardamom pods

2 1/2 cups of  chicken stock

1 TBS tomato puree

2 TBS plain yogurt

1 TBS cilantro, chopped

Heat the butter in a pan over medium heat.  Add the onion,garlic and cilantro and saute for about 10 minutes until the onion is soft.  Reduce the heat and then add the spices, stirring well. Then add the rest of the ingredients and stir well.  Simmer for about 10-20 minutes.  You want the sauce to be somewhat thick when finished.  Slowly add the meatballs.  If you stir them too much they will break apart. Simmer for another 20 minutes.  If it becomes too dry add more water.  Serve with naan or over plain rice.  Enjoy!

Egg Curry

I just love egg curry.  It is so delicious.  This is a great vegetarian dish.  Serve with a salad and you have a complete meal. The key to any dish is the sauce, in Morocco, it is all about the sauce, it is the same way for India too.  The smell of the spices fills the air and can be intoxicating.

Ingredients:

10-12 hard boiled eggs, don't cook longer than 10 minutes

4 TBS oil

2 bay leaves

6 whole cloves

1 inch stick cinnamon

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1\2 tsp turmeric

2 tsp coriander powder

chili powder to taste

1 can of tomato puree

2 onions, chopped

salt\pepper to taste

1 1\2 - 2 cans of coconut milk 

Cilantro, for garnish

Boil the eggs until the middle is firm.  Peel and set aside.  Heat a large pan on medium heat, add oil and then add the spices. Simmer for about 2 minutes until you can smell the spices mingling together.  Then add the onions and cook until the onions are translucent.  Next add the coconut milk, tomato puree and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the sauce is thick.  Lastly, cut the eggs in half and place yolk side down in the pan or you may leave them whole.  Simmer until the eggs are warm through. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve with Polao.  Enjoy!

Roasted Chicken Curry

Yesterday, I had my first attempt at cooking Indian food.  It was good, but not nearly as good as what I had at my friend Sabrina's house.  At least I tried and will continue making it until it is perfected.  My biggest mistake was putting too much oil in the pan. I cooked this for my brother, his girlfriend and a friend to all of us.  We ate until our belly's were full and we talked and laughed and laughed. This is Sabrina's recipe, so, please try it and let me know what you think. Cooking is like anything else, practice makes perfect.

 

Marinade:

2 chickens, skinned and cut into about 6 pieces for each chicken.

salt\pepper to taste

1 TBS ginger paste

1/2 TBS garlic paste

3 onions, finely chopped.

Place all of the above ingredients in a bowl and let it marinate for about 1 hour or overnight.  

Ingredients for the Curry:

1-2 tbs ginger paste

1-2 tbs garlic paste

1-2 tbs tomato paste

3 tsp coriander

3 tsp cumin

1 tsp red pepper powder, optional or to taste

salt/pepper to taste

1 - 1 1/2  cups of plain yogurt

6 cloves, whole

2 3-inch sticks of cinnamon

1 tsp allspice

1/3 - 1/2 cup of oil for frying chicken

Use a large pan or even a wok when cooking this.  Warm the pan on medium to high heat until the oil is hot.  Place the chicken in the pain and cook lightly on each side.  Then remove the chicken from the pan.  Add the spices and simmer for about a minute then add the onion marinade and let it simmer for about 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent.  Next, add the yogurt and place the chicken back in the pan.  Cook on medium heat until the chicken is tender.  Serve with Polao (Indian Rice).  Enjoy!