Lentils   Rice Pilaf   Spring Rolls  Spinach  Tomatoes  Chicken Curry   Tandoori Chicken   Malai Chicken  Prawn Curry   Potatoes   Cucumbers   Chicken   Pineapple Chutney   Pudding

Khichdi

Rice: 1 cup
Lentils:: ½ cup
Pure ghee: 2 tbsp
Cloves: 2
Cinnamon: 1 whole stick
Turmeric Powder: 1 tsp
Water: 4 cups
Salt: to taste

Wash rice and dal together and drain in a colander. Heat the ghee in a vessel and add cloves, cinnamon and turmeric. Add rice, dal and stir for a few minutes. Add water and salt to taste. Cook on low heat till done and serve with pure ghee.

Samoosa's

Source: http://www.tastycooking.com/india.html

2 T Vegetable oil
1 ¼ t Whole Cumin seeds
½ t Whole coriander seeds
1 Hot Green Chili, minced
1 piece fresh Ginger, about 1/2-inch cube, minced
1 medium Onion, diced
4 medium Red Potatoes, cooked, diced
¾ c Peas
½ t Salt
1/3 c chopped fresh Cilantro
8-10 Egg Roll Wrappers
Oil for deep-frying

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cumin and coriander; cook until they are fragrant, 2 minutes. Add the chili and ginger; cook 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium and add onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Add potatoes, peas and salt; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and add cilantro. Filling can be made a day ahead and refrigerated; bring to room temperature before using. Spoon filling onto bottom half of egg roll wrappers, using about 1/3 cup filling for each. Fold over and trim into half-moons. Moisten fingers with water; pinch closed. Heat several inches of oil to 375 degrees in a deep saucepan. Fry turnovers, several at a time, until they are crisp and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve at once.

 

 

Pilaf

Chopped Onions -- 1/2 Cup
Chopped Tomatoes -- 1/2 Cup
Cauliflower (Flowerettes) -- 1/2 Cup
Carrot Chunks, Cut Beans, Shelled Peas -- 1/3 Cup
Grated Coconut -- 1/2 Cup
Mint Leaves -- 1/4 Cup
Ginger, Garlic -- 1 tsp (Chopped Finely)
Green Chili -- 3 to 4
Cilantro -- 1/4 Cup
Garam Masala, Red Chili Powder -- 1/2 tsp
Uncooked Rice -- 2 Cups ( For each cup of rice add 1 1/4 cup of water)
Bay leaves -- 6
Cinnamon Sticks -- Two 1 inch sticks
Cardamom -- 4

Grind Coconut, Mint, Garlic, Ginger, Green Chili, Cilantro, Garam Masala & Red Chili Powder  together with little water.. Soak rice in water for 10 minutes and drain.Take a tbsp of oil in a pan and add a tsp of Cumin Seeds. When the oil is hot, add rice and fry for a while. (It is not necessary to fry the rice if the rice is basmati.) Now, Add two tbsp of oil to the cooker and heat it. Add little Cumin seeds, Cinnamon, Cardamom and Bay leaves. Stir and add the chopped onions. Fry until the onions start turning brown. Mix in the tomatoes and the ground paste. Fry for a minute and add the vegetables. Now add the rice and water. Cook in the cooker and allow it to whistle once or twice (It can also be cooked directly in a covered pan).

Note: You may have to experiment with the quantity of some of the ingredients. I have just given a rough measurement of the ingredients.

Palak paneer

Spinach -- 1 1/2 cups ( chopped in big)
Paneer (Indian cottage cheese) -- 10 cubes
Onion -- 1 ( if big) or 1 1/2 (if small)
Ginger & Garlic -- 1/2 tsp (chopped)
Cashew nuts -- 9
Poppy Seeds -- 1 tsp
Green Chili -- 2 to 3
Garam Masala -- 1/2 tsp

Soak poppy seeds and cashew in little water for half 20 minutes. Grind onion, palak, ginger and garlic with little water until it becomes a fine paste. Heat a tbsp of oil in a pan and add turmeric powder to it. Add the ground paste to the pan and allow it to boil on low flame until the excess water drains. Grind cashew, poppy seed and green chili into a paste and add to the pan. Add salt and garam masala and cook for a while. Mix in the paneer pieces towards the end. Garnish with milk cream.

Simple Rasam

Source: http://www.indiaexpress.com/cooking//simple_rasam.html

Serves  4
250 gms Tomatoes, quartered
1 Onion, chopped
4 cloves Garlic, crushed
4 green chilies, chopped
1 Lemon-sized ball of Tamarind
1 T Jaggery
1 t Mustard Seeds
10 Curry Leaves
1 Red Chili, broken into two
1 t coriander seeds, roasted & powdered
1 t Cumin seeds, roasted & powdered
2 t Peppercorns, roasted & powdered
½ T Oil

Extract the pulp of tamarind by soaking it in a cup of hot water. Boil the tomatoes, chilies and garlic in 4 cups of water. Add the ground spices, jaggery and tamarind pulp and simmer for 15 minutes. Heat the oil. Splutter the mustard seeds. Add the curry leaves, red chili, asafoetida powder and onion and fry for a minute. Pour it over the tomatoes. Serve hot.

 

Chicken Curry

½ chicken breast
3 garlic, cloves, crushed
1/4 tsp ginger
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 onion, chopped finely
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup water
1/2 tsp cumin seeds powder
1 tsp coriander seeds powder
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 green chili, finely chopped
2 tbsp coconut milk
3 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves

Make pieces of chicken breasts. Heat oil in a pan. Sauté chicken pieces until golden from both sides. Remove and drain. Add onion and ginger-garlic and fry till golden brown. Add all the powders, and sauté for a minute. Add chicken broth and water. Let it boil for 2 minutes. Add chicken pieces. Cover the pan and let it cook for approx 30 mins. Then add coconut milk. Cook for another 1 min. Serve with rice.

Tandoori chicken

12 Chicken drumsticks
2 tsp chili powder
Juice extracted from 1 lemon
1/2 tsp amchur powder
1 cup Plain Yogurt
4 tsp tandoori masala powder
Salt to taste
Cooking oil spray
For garnish -- lemon wedges and onion

Clean and remove the skin of the chicken drumsticks. Cut 2 or 3 long slits on each piece. Apply salt, chili powder and lime juice on the chicken pieces and keep aside for 30 minutes. Mix together the amchoor powder, yogurt and the tandoori masala powder. Put the chicken pieces in the marinade. Marinate for at least 4 hrs. For best results leave overnight. Arrange the chicken pieces in a tray, spray oil. Preheat your oven to 425 degree Fahrenheit. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes till the chicken is tender. Remove from oven, change sides. Return the chicken pieces to the oven and cook for another 5-10 minutes. Remove from oven and serve hot, garnished with sliced onions and lime wedges.

Malai Chicken

Source: http://asiarecipe.com/indmain.html#north

1 Tray Chicken
1 Chopped Onion
1 small can Tomato Paste
1 Red Chili
2 Cloves
2 Cardamom
1/2" Cinnamon stick
1 Bay Leaf
1 carton Light Whipping Cream
1 t Dhania Powder
½ t Cumin Powder
1 t Garam Masala
1-1 1/4 t Chili Powder
1/2" piece Ginger, made into a paste
6 cloves Garlic, made into paste
Fresh Coriander
Salt
Turmeric

Heat oil. Add red chili, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf, and cook until the bay leaf turns golden brown. Add the onion and fry for two minutes. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for 4 - 6 minute. Add the chicken and fry for 5 minutes. Sprinkle in chili, dhania powder, cumin powder and turmeric. Cover chicken + salt (add water if needed) and cook for around 15 minutes until 3/4 cooked. Add can of tomato paste and cook on low heat. Just before removing, add the whipping cream and cook for a few minutes. Add garam masala and coriander leaves Remove after a couple of minutes.

 

Prawn curry with coconut

450 g (1 lb) peeled prawns
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 tomatoes, skinned and diced
100g (4 oz) frozen peas
2 small whole red challis (optional)
400 ml (14 fl oz) water
50 g (2 oz) desiccated (dry) coconut
25 g (1 oz) creamed coconut
2 teaspoon ground coriander or coriander seeds
25 g (1 oz) tamarind pods
4-5 curry leaves
1 green chili, seeded and cut in half
40 g (1.5 oz) fresh ginger root, peeled & finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
25 g (1 oz) ghee or 2 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
salt to taste

Soak the tamarind pods in a teacup of hot water for 10-15 minutes and extract the pulp. Meanwhile rinse the prawns and drain well. Put the desiccated coconut in a bowl with 300 ml/0.5 pint of the water and leave for 10 minutes. Blend the desiccated coconut with the soaking liquid and strain to get a creamy milk. Set the leftover pulp on one side. Place the creamy milk in a saucepan, add the creamed coconut, peas, curry leaves, green chili, ginger, tomatoes and tamarind pulp, cover and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Heat 1 teaspoon of the ghee or oil in a separate pan and gently fry the fenugreek seeds, coriander and red chili until the fenugreek turns light brown. Do not let the mixture burn and darken. Remove from the heat, allow to cool, then blend this mixture with the reserved coconut pulp and the remaining water to make a fine paste.

Simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes. Before serving fry the onion in the remaining ghee or oil then spoon it over the prawn curry.

If preferred remove the chili halves, and serve with boiled rice.

Aloo Masala

Potato: 1 kg
Whole Coriander: 1 cup
Cumin seeds: 1 cup
Whole red chilies: 15 to 20
Tamarind: 1/2 cup (as per taste)
Vegetable oil: 3 tbsp
Salt to taste  

For Garnish:  
Finely chopped Green Chilies
Finely chopped Coriander leaves

.Boil potatoes. Peel and cut each potato into 4 to 6 pieces as per the size. Keep aside. Roast slightly coriander, red chilies and cumin seed in a griddle and grind it thickly in a little water. .Soak tamarind in little water. Heat oil in the pan and put the grounded spices in it. Add salt and stir for a while..Add cut potatoes to it and stir. .Add tamarind water and put in slow fire for a while. Garnish it with finely cut green chilies & coriander leaves.

Raita

2 cups plain yogurt
2 teaspoon lemon or lime juice
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon chili powder (adjust according to taste)
½ teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ginger paste (optional)
salt to taste

Garnish:
2 tablespoon chopped cilantro (coriander)
2 hot chili chopped (adjust according to taste)
¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Specific Raita Ingredients:
Use any of these ingredients to make specific raitas. You can mix all of them together in any combination to suit your taste as well.

Mint Raita :
1 teaspoon finely chopped mint
Vegetarian Raita:
Cucumber, Onion, Tomato
finely chopped white button mushrooms
Garlic Raita:
2 teaspoon garlic paste

Beat yogurt until smooth. (use blender for fast results) Add all the spices including salt. Add any special ingredients to make a specific Raita. Chill. Garnish with fresh Cilantro, nutmeg and chili prior to serving.

 Chicken Korma

Chicken breast boned approx 2.2046 pound [lb]
Yogurt 1 1/2 cup
Poppy seed paste 2 tbsp
Onions 1 1/2 cup chopped
Garlic paste 1 tsp
Milk around 1/2 cup
Ginger paste 1 tsp
Garam masala powder 1 tsp
Chili powder 1 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Cardamom powder 1 tsp
Oil as required

Cut the chicken breasts into bite-size pieces and marinate the chicken with one cup of yogurt for at least an hour or two. In a big fry pan heat oil, then fry the onions until they turn golden brown. Now add the garlic paste and ginger paste. After a few minutes add the cardamom powder, stir and then add the cumin powder, red chili powder, the rest of the yogurt, garam masala powder, salt and the coriander powder. After a few minutes,add the poppy seed paste. When the last of the yogurt dries up, add the chicken pieces and brown them. Add the milk, reduce heat, cover and simmer until the meat is tender.

Pineapple Chutney

1 Large Pine Apple
0.5 Cup Raisins
1/2 lime juiced
1 ginger piece 2" chopped
1 Cup Sugar
salt
Mustard seeds 2 tsp
Oil 1 tbsp

Cut pine apple to small pieces or you can use tinned pine apple. Heat a tbsp of oil and season with mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter- add the pineapple cubes, salt, ginger, sugar and raisins. Cook until the pineapple cubes are soft. Add lime juice when cooked. Stir well.

Kheer (Vermicelli Pudding)

Source: http://asiarecipe.com/inddesserts.html#kheer

1 stick Butter
2 handfuls Very fine vermicelli
4 c Milk
1 pt Whipping cream
1 handful Raisins
3 T Sugar
4 Almonds (optional) peeled and thinly sliced

Melt butter in a 4 qt pot. Break vermicelli into 3" pieces. Over low heat stir vermicelli into butter until it turns light brown. Pour in the milk and stir over medium heat until it boils. Put in the raisins, almonds and sugar. Continue to cook under low heat for 10 minutes. Add whipping cream and continue to cook for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat and, when cool, chill in the refrigerator before serving