The Big Book of Curry Recipes (39 page)

1 large potato, julienned

2 large onions, halved and finely sliced

100g (3 1/2 oz) fresh spinach, shredded

handful of peas

2 green chillies, finely shredded

4 garlic cloves, grated

1 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp ajwain

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp turmeric

1 tsp
garam masala

1/4 tsp baking powder

water to form a batter

oil for deep frying

Method:

Sift the gram flour into a bowl then add the salt, chilli powder and ajwain. Slowly add water, stirring all the while, until you have a batter about the consistency of double cream. Beat it well with a whisk to aerate (this makes the bhajis lighter).

Add oil to a 5cm (2 in) depth in a wok (it’s hot enough when a little of the batter dropped in the wok sizzles and rises to the surface). Whisk the baking powder into the batter then add all the other ingredients to the batter, mixing well.

Drop a scant tablespoons of the batter mix into the oil and fry until evenly browned on all sides. Lift onto kitchen paper with a slotted spoon and serve immediately with an Indian chatni.

Pakoray

Pakoray is a traditional Pakistani recipe for a snack of deep-fried vegetables in a chickpea flour batter.

This is the Pakistani equivalent of the classic Indian pakora (see above). Vegetables in a besan (chickpea flour) batter that’s deep fried.

Ingredients:

140g (1 cup) besan (chickpea) flour

240ml (1 cup) water

1 onion, chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cumin seeds (jeera)

3 green chillies, finely chopped

1 small potato, finely chopped

80g (3 oz) spinach, washed, dried, and shredded

1 pinch baking soda

1/2 tsp coriander (dhaniya) seeds, crushed

oil for deep frying

Method:

Combine the chickpea flour and water in a bowl to form a thick batter. Add the salt and chillies and mix well. Now add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly to combine.

Heat oil for deep frying in a wok (you need at least a 3cm [1 in] depth) and when hot add heaped teaspoons of the batter into the oil. Fry the pakoray until golden then drain on kitchen paper and serve with chutney, chilli sauce, ketchup or a garlic sauce.

Kharbuze ki Kachri (Melon-skin Fries)

Kharbuze ki Kachri (Melon-skin Fries) is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic snack of melon skins that are dried and then cooked in deep fat before being seasoned and served.

Ingredients:

2 medium melons (any type with a rough outer skin)

oil for deep frying

Method:

Slice the melons and remove the seeds. Cut away the flesh, but leave a layer next to the skin.

Cut the skin into small pieces, arrange on baking trays and place in the sun to dry (otherwise use an oven heated to 50ºC [122ºF] or your airing cupboard).

When the melon skins are completely dry heat a deep fryer to 180ºC (360ºF) and cook until crisp and golden. Drain on kitchen paper and serve immediately, sprinkled with sea salt, black pepper and chilli flakes.

Panjeeri (Nuts, Seeds and Tree Sap Snack)

Panjeeri (Nuts, Seeds and Tree Sap Snack) is a traditional Pakistani recipe for a classic snack of mixed nuts, fruit and seeds lightly-bound with sugar.

Ingredients:

6 tbsp ata (whole wheat chapati) flour or suji (semolina) flour

2 tbsp ghee

2 tbsp grated coconut

2 tbsp ground pistachio nuts

2 tbsp ground almonds

100g (3 1/2 oz) palm sugar

50g (2 oz) Gond (this is a sugary tree sap particular to Indian and Pakistani cuisine. It can be bought in Indian stores and is thought to be particularly beneficial to nursing mothers. If not available substitute jaggery or palm sugar). To prepare fry in ghee until it puffs up then grate ready to use.

1 tbsp Char Maghaz (this is a classic mix of pumpkin, watermelon and cantaloupe seeds)

1/2 tsp dry dates, chopped

2 tbsp dry fig, chopped

2 tbsp cashew nuts, finely chopped

1/4 tsp freshly-grated nutmeg

6 green cardamom seeds, crushed

1/2 tsp powdered ginger

Method:

Heat the ghee in a pan and use to fry the ata, and gond until lightly browned. Add all the remaining ingredients and stir-fry for a few minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Make certain everything is combined then turn onto a lightly-greased baking tray. Flatten out to about 12 mm (1/2 in) thick and cut into squares. When cold, break the squares apart and store in an air-tight jar.

Gond Panjiri (Nuts, Seeds and Tree Sap Fudge)

Gond Panjiri (Nuts, Seeds and Tree Sap Fudge) is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic snack of mixed nuts, fruit and seeds bound into a fudge or toffee with sugar.

Panjiri is a classic Punjabi dish made with gond, from of dried tree sap. This is often given to nursing mothers as a tonic as it’s believed to aid in the production of breast milk. Gond can be bought in many Indian stores but you can substitute Jaggery or palm sugar if you absolutely cannot get it.

Ingredients:

50g (2 oz) Gond

60ml (1/4 cup) ghee

400g (4 cups) mixed nuts, blanched and chopped (almonds, pistachios, walnuts, coconut and chironji are typical [substitute toasted hazelnuts for the chironji])

100g (1 cup) mixed seeds (pumpkin, watermelon, cantaloupe)

275g (9 1/2 oz) sugar

420ml (1 2/3 cups) water

2 tbsp golden syrup (or corn syrup)

1 1/2 tbsp ghee

1/2 tsp ground ginger

Method:

Begin by deep-frying the gond. When it puffs up remove with a slotted spoon, allow to cool then either grate or grind in a food processor.

Add 45ml of the ghee to a pan and use to toast the nuts until lightly browned. Take off the heat and set aside. Add the water and sugar to a pan, bring to a boil then turn the heat to low before adding the golden syrup and the remaining ghee. Stir well to combine then take off the heat and add the powdered gond, roasted nuts, seeds and the powdered ginger.

Allow to cool until you can handle then turn the fudge onto a lightly greased surface and pull until it forms a smooth dough. Set in a greased baking tray and flatten to about 12mm (1/2 in) thick. Smooth the top with a greased spatula then cut into squares and set aside to cool. When cold break into squares and store in an air-tight jar.

Magaj

Magaj is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic sweetmeat made from a blend of chickpea, flour and ghee with khoya (milk boiled until solid) and sugar that’s cooked until setting, poured onto plates, decorated with almonds and pistachio nuts and cut into diamond shapes before serving as a sweet snack.

This is a classic Indian sweetmeat that is often served at holy festivals.

Ingredients:

50g (2 oz)
Khoya
, grated

10 blanched almonds

500g (1 lb) chickpea flour

250g (1/2 lb) ghee

2 tsp ground green cardamom pods

10 blanched pistachio nuts

250g (1/2 lb) sugar

Method:

Melt the ghee, allow to cool then add half to the chickpea flour and mix thoroughly to combine. Press this mixture through a fine-meshed sieve and set aside (this is known as ‘besan’).

Warm the remaining ghee in a wok then stir in the chickpea flour mix. Fry gently until the besan is golden brown then add the grated khoya and continue cooking gently.

In the meantime, combine the sugar with 100ml (2/5 cup) water. Heat until the sugar has dissolved then bring to a boil and cook until the syrup reaches the thread stage.

Take the besan mix off the heat then stir in the cardamom powder, followed by the sugar syrup. Mix thoroughly to combine then pour onto a greased plate or a greased baking tray. Spread out then decorate with the blanched almonds and blanched pistachio nuts.

Cut the mixture into diamond patterns then set aside to cool. Once set, break into pieces and store in an air-tight container.

Dahi (Sour Milk)

Dahi (Sour Milk) is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic curds and whey blend made by souring milk with lime juice that can be served as a snack in its own right, but which is more typically used as the base for other dishes.

Ingredients:

600ml (2 1/2 cups) whole milk

juice of 1 lime (or 3 tbsp tamarind juice)

Method:

Heat the milk until lukewarm. Take off the heat and add the lime juice. Mix thoroughly then turn into a pitcher. Surround this with cloth or towels and put in a warm place (an airing cupboard or a sunny window). In about 14 hours the dahi will be made.

It can be eaten alone or mixed with honey and fruit or used as a side dish with curries and rice.

Mince Puffs (Goojias)

Goojias (Mince Puffs) is a traditional Anglo-Indian recipe (from the 1900s) for a classic snack of mini Cornish pasties filled with a spiced mixture of left-over meat.

Ingredients:

500g (1 lb) cold, cooked, beef or mutton, minced

1 tsp salt

3cm (2 in) length of fresh ginger, thinly sliced

2 onions, finely shredded

350g (2/3 lb) self-raising flour

1 green chilli, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

180g (6 oz) butter or ghee

Method:

Place the minced meat in a heavy-based pan, along with the salt, ginger, onions, chilli, garlic and 60g (2 oz) of the butter or ghee. Heat until the fats melt then bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, adding a little water, as needed, and stirring frequently to prevent burning.

In the meantime, dice the remaining butter and rub into the flour in a bowl. Keep rubbing the mixture between your fingertips until it resembles coarse crumbs then add just enough water to bring the mixture together as a dough (a few tablespoons should be enough).

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and roll out to about 3mm thick. Cut into 10cm squares then place a teaspoon of the mince mixture on each square. Fold each corner of the dough over the filling so that the meat mixture is completely enclosed in the pastry. Press down to seal the edges then arrange on a lightly-greased baking tray and transfer to an oven pre-heated to 180ºC (360ºF) and bake for about 20 minutes, or until piping hot and golden brown.

Serve immediately.

Potato Fritters

This is an excellent way of using-up left-over cooked and mashed potatoes. But it works with just about any carbohydrate staple. Sweet potatoes work just as well as potatoes and in West Africa I have used yams and plantains as well. This is even better if you have left-over roast potatoes. Simply peel and then mash them before use. Essentially any starchy vegetable that you can boil or steam and then mash until smooth can be used as a base.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp mashed potatoes

2 tbsp left-over meat or fish, minced

1 tbsp butter

2 tsp
panch pharon

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp green chillies, finely chopped

1 desert spoon onion (or spring onion), finely sliced

3 eggs

1 tbsp milk

salt, freshly-ground black pepper and freshly-grated nutmeg, to taste

oil for frying

Method:

Beat the eggs in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mash together the potatoes, left-over meat and butter until smooth.

Work the milk into the eggs then add the baking powder and panch phoron and beat together. Work in the potato mixture until smooth then mix in the chillies and onion.

Season to taste with salt, black pepper and nutmeg.

Heat oil to a depth of about 1cm in a deep frying pan or skillet. When the oil is hot, drop in the batter by the dessertspoonful and fry until golden brown. Flip over and fry on the other side. When cooked through and golden brown all over remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper then fry the next batch.

Serve hot, accompanied by chutneys and dips. You should have enough batter for about 16 fritters. Personally, I really like these made with mashed plantains and served with a chilli-based salsa.

Baked Tomatoes with Curried Filling

This is a classic Anglo-Indian dish that has become part of Indian cuisine, but somehow has not survived in the UK. It makes a very tasty snack or accompaniment and can also be made with small bell peppers.

Ingredients:

6 beef tomatoes (or any other very large tomato)

2 eggs

1 tsp fresh tarragon, finely minced

4 garlic cloves, very finely chopped

100g (1/2 cup) ghee, butter or oil

2 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs, finely chopped

1 medium onion

1 tsp
panch pharon

1 tsp ground turmeric

Method:

Carefully slice the tops off the tomatoes (set these aside for later) then use a small teaspoon to scoop out the insides into a bowl.

In another bowl, mix together the garlic, onion, tarragon, breadcrumbs, panch pharon and turmeric with the tomato insides. Beat the eggs until frothy then mix with the onion and spice mixture. Use this to stuff into the tomatoes.

Arrange the tomatoes in a baking dish, put on the reserved tops then scatter any of the remaining stuffing mix over the top. Drizzle over the ghee or oil then transfer to an oven pre-heated to 160ºC (320ºF) and bake for about 60 minutes, or until the stuffing is piping hot and the tomatoes are soft.

Serve hot.

Brinjal Sambal (Aubergine Sambal)

Brinjal Sambal (Aubergine Sambal) is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic fresh snack or accompaniment made by mashing together onion, tomato flesh, aubergine flesh and chillies in a mustard oil and tamarind juice base.

Ingredients:

1 dessertspoon onion, finely minced

1 dessertspoon thick
tamarind paste

1 dessertspoon tomato flesh (after blanching, peeling and removing the seeds), finely chopped

2 dessertspoons aubergine flesh (after roasting, skinning and mashing)

1 green chilli, minced

1/2 tsp salt