Chachi's Kitchen

Roast Beef with Mustard Crust

2011-12-11T18:28:00.001Z

My cousin, Karim Virjee introduced me to this recipe.

Ingredients

1.12 kg / 2lb 8oz rolled and tied sirloin joint

2 tablespoon ground mustard

1 tablespoon black pepper

1/2 lemon; juiced

5-6 cloves of garlic; minced

water

2 teaspoons corn flour

Method

Preheat the oven to 220 C, 425 F or gas mark 7.

1. Make a paste of mustard, pepper, garlic, salt and lemon juice; add a little water if necessary.

2. Wash the joint, and dry with kitchen paper.

3. Apply paste to the joint and place on a rack in a roasting tin with some water. So that the juices from the beef will fall into it (to be used to make gravy)

4. Place in the oven for 30 minutes, then reduced temperature to 160 C (325 F gas mark 3), and continue to roast for:

Rare: 20 minutes per Kg, Medium: 30 minutes per Kg and Well Done 40 minutes per Kg.

5. Remove from oven and rest for 30 minutes before carving.

6 Make gravy by bringing to boil the juices from the roasting tin, add corn flour mixed in 1 tablespoon of water and simmer for 1 minute.

We cooked to Medium and it was delicious.

Healthy Lamb and Vegetable Biryani

2011-10-02T17:47:00.002+01:00

Ingredients

8 oz or 250gm boneless lamb; well trimmed of all the fat, and cubed into 1.5 inch pieces
3 cloves garlic; crushed

2 inch piece of ginger; crushed

1 tablespoon yogurt

1/4 teaspoon saffron

1 tablespoon oil

whole garam masala comprising of:

(1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 3 peppercorns, 3 cloves, 1 cinnamon, 2 whole cardamom)

1 large onion; finely chopped

3 large tomatoes; peeled and crushed with
1-2 green chillies
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powders
1 1/2 teaspoon coriander and cumin powders
1/2 cup chopped methi / fenugreek leaves
3 cups mixed vegetables; cut into 2 inch chunks
(I used courgette, aubergine, potatoes and peas)
1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
1 cup basmati rice; washed and soaked in some water
3 cups of water
1/4 teaspoon saffron; soaked in 1 tablespoon of warm water

Method

Marinate the meat in the yogurt, saffron, garlic and ginger pastes leave for at least 2 hours
Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the whole garam masala, as soon as they start popping, add the onions and fry until brown.
Add the marinated lamb and stir until all the surfaces are sealed
Add the tomatoes and green chillies and bring to boil, simmer for 15 minutes
Add the turmeric, coriander and cumin powders, cook for a few minutes
Add all the vegetables and cook for a further 10 minutes.
Add the garam masala powder and mix well
In a separate saucepan, bring the rice to boil with 3 cups of water for 5 minutes.
Drain and place on top of the meat and vegetable mixture.
Sprinkle the saffron and water mixture
Place in the oven at 160 degrees centigrade for 40 minutes

serve with a tomato and cucumber salad
Serves 4

Badam Pak / Almond Fudge

2011-09-25T17:10:00.001+01:00

Ingredients
1 lb butter
1 lb semolina
1 lb Almonds; roughly ground
2 tins condensed milk (405gm each) (I used carnation nestle)
8 oz whole milk powder
8 oz desiccated coconut
1 teaspoon roughly ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 big pinch saffron
handful of Sliced almonds and pistachios nuts for garnishing

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the semolina and cardamom, fry until golden brown. It should a yummy aroma. Take it off the heat. (important else you will get burnt pak)
2. Add all almonds and condensed milk, saffron and nutmeg and mix well
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. It is quite hard to mix as there is a lot of it.
4 Put back on very low heat and keep stirring until everything gels together, about 8 minutes.
5. Place the mixture on a greased baking tray, flatten and smooth the surface.
6. Decorate with the sliced nuts.

7. Cut the pak into squares, and leave until completely cold, remove each piece gently. Place in an airtight container to store.

Crispy Bhajia - Maru Style

2011-09-04T14:11:00.003+01:00

The secret of crispy bhajia is not adding any water. That's right NO water. The trick is to add salt to the sliced potatoes or any other vegetable, this releases the water from the potatoes.

Ingredients
1 large potato; sliced finely
1 aubergine; sliced finely
1 courgette; sliced finely
1 romano pepper; sliced finely
1 onion; sliced finely
3-4 mild green chillies; sliced length way
2 teaspoons garlic / ginger paste
1-2 green chillies; minced
salt to taste (I used 1 teaspoon)
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
1 tablespoon chopped methi leaves
1 cup chickpea flour
1/4 teaspoon ajwain
1/4 teaspoon sodium bicarbonate
Oil for deep frying

1. Mix all the sliced vegetables, with garlic, ginger, chillies, coriander and methi.
2. Add salt, mix and leave for 1/2 hour to release the water.
3. Add the flour and sodium bicarbonate and ajwain seeds, mix well.
4. Fry the flour coated vegetables in hot oil
I served with groundnut chutney

Makai Paka / Corn on the cob in Coconut Sauce

2011-08-29T13:24:00.002+01:00

This is an East African dish. Makai = corn.

Ingredients
3 sweet corn on the cob; cut into 4 pieces each
salt to taste
1 400ml tin of coconut milk
1/2 tablespoon ground peanuts or almonds
2 cloves garlic; crushed
1-2 green chillies; minced
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
a little water is neccessary
juice of half a lemon
3 sprigs coriander; chopped fine

Method
1. Boil the corn in a water and salt, drain and place in a saucepan.
2. Add coconut milk, ground nuts, garlic, chillies and turmeric.
3. Bring to boil for 20 minutes, add the lemon juice
4. Garnish with coriander leaves

Sufro for Chandraat - 2

2011-08-29T13:06:00.002+01:00

Makai Paka

Date Halwa

Sufro for Chandraat - 1

2011-07-31T21:49:00.000+01:00

Bateta Champ / Mashed Potatoes stuff with spicy meat

Chikki / Peanut Brittle

Ghosh Pilau / Lamb Pilau

Vegan Carrot Halwa

2011-07-09T09:02:00.001+01:00

2 cups grated carrots

1 cup ground almonds

2 cups hot water

1 tablespoon raisins

½ teaspoon ground cardamom;

¼ teason grated nutmeg

¼ teaspoon saffron

½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons sliced almonds

1 tablespoon sliced pistachios

1. To make almond milk, mix the ground almonds with the hot water andleave for two hours.

2. Place the almond milk in a saucepan and bring to boil, add thecarrots, raisins, cardamom, nutmeg and saffron and simmer for 30 minutes oruntil almost all the liquid has been absorbed.

3. Add the sugar, almonds and pistachios (reserve some nuts forgarnishing), mix and cook for 5 minutes

4. Serve hot or cold. Great withice cream.

Murgh Makhani / Butter Chicken

2011-07-04T08:45:00.002+01:00

Butter Chicken apparently originated in a restaurant called Moti Mahal in Delhi in the 1950s. The chef had some leftover chicken tikka which was too dry to serve to the customers, so he made a tomato based buttery sauce and voila Butter Chicken was born!

4 chicken breasts; cut into 2-inch chunks)

Marinade

1 lime; juiced

½ cup yogurt

1-tablespoon oil

2-teaspoon paprika

2 inch piece of ginger; grated

4 garlic cloves; minced

1 or more green chilies; minced

1-teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

Salt to taste

Sauce

2 tablespoons butter

1 table spoon oil

2 medium onions; chopped fine

1 400g-can plum tomatoes; blended

1-teaspoon tomato puree

2-tablespoons cashew nuts; ground

3-4 cloves garlic; minced

2-inch piece ginger; grated

2 chilies; minced

2 teaspoons coriander powder

1-teaspoon cumin powder

½ cup cream

½ teaspoon garam masala

Method.

Mix the marinade ingredients

Marinade the chicken for at least two hours (overnight if possible)

Grease a large baking tray; place the chicken on the tray and cook in the oven at 220^oC for 15 minutes

Meanwhile fry the onion in the butter and oil mixture until translucent.

Add the tomatoes, tomato puree, garlic, ginger and green chilies; stir and cook until you can see the butter.

Add the cashew nuts, mix well

Add the cumin, coriander powders.

Add the chicken and cook for about 10 minutes; add the cream

Add garam masala

Serve with nan bread.

Menu for Rachel and Tal Lunch 2nd July 2011

2011-06-28T20:03:00.002+01:00

Starters (Vegan) Assorted Vegetable Bhajia (Indian style tempura made from Chickpea flour served with coconut coriander and chilli chutney, Dips and Puri (crispy Indian fried bread), Bhurto (smoked aubergine with fresh herbs), Avocado and mint with a hint of chillies

Main Course Chicken Makhani (Chicken tikka in a buttery tomato sauce), Butternut Squash Korma (Vegetables in a creamy coconut sauce) , Split Mung Beans with Spinach

Sides (Vegan) Herbed Pilau Rice, Nan Bread, Tomato Salad

Pickles (Vegan) Sprouted Fenugreek (with pomegranate molasses - sweet, sour and hot!) , Gunda and Mango (with mustard and fenugreek seeds)

Dessert: (Vegan) Nutty Carrot Halva (grated carrots steeped in almond milk flavoured with cardamom and saffron

Drinks: Salty Lassi (yogurt drink), Fruit Juice

Give Peas a Chance

2011-06-15T13:27:00.002+01:00

Peas are in season right now, some tasty recipes:

Click to View Recipe

Peas and Cauliflower Curry

Minced Beef and Peas Curry

Peas and Potato Curry

Peas and Spinach Burgers (Hara Bara Kebab)

Mutter Katchori

Peas, Aubergine and Potato Curry

Methi Peas and Mushroom Curry

Peas Pilau

Gujarati Khandvi - Microwave Method

2011-06-01T08:44:00.000+01:00

Ingredients

Batter

1 cup Chickpea / gram flour

1 cup yogurt

2 cups water

3 garlic cloves; minced

1 inch piece of ginger; grated

2 green chilies; minced

½ teaspoon turmeric

1/8 teaspoon asafetida / hing

Salt to taste

For Vaghar / Tempering

1 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds

1 teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

6 curry leaves

For garnish

1 tablespoon desiccated coconut

2 tablespoons coriander; finely chopped

Method

1. Place all the batter ingredients in a microwave bowl, mix well to make a smooth fairly thin batter. Beat well; I used a hand blender to make sure there were no lumps.

2. Cook uncovered in microwave for 3 minutes, mix well and cook for another two 3 minutes mixing well between cooking. I cooked the batter for a total of 9 minutes. (Microwave times differ according to different makes). The batter should be quite thick now

3. Test if it is done by place a drop on a flat surface, if it sets, it is ready.

4. Spread the batter as fast as possible with a palate knife on ungreased foil sheet. Make sure is spread quite thinly.

5. When cool and set, (a couple of minutes), cut the sheet of khandvi into 2 inches thick pieces. Roll each piece into khandvis (like Swiss roll), and place on a flat serving dish.

Vaghar/tempering

6. Heat the oil in a frying pan, and add the sesame, mustard and cumin seeds with the curry leaves cook for a 2-3 minutes and pour over the khandvi.

7. Garnish with the desiccated coconut and the chopped coriander.

Bhaji Gosht / Palak Gosht / Lamb with Spinach

2011-05-18T08:42:00.001+01:00

Ingredients

1 lb lamb; cut into bite size pieces

3 bunches of spinach; washed and chopped (3 cups when chopped)

2 tablespoons oil

Whole garam masala (3 cloves, 4 peppercorns, 2 whole cardamoms, 1 inch piece of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds)

1 onion; chopped fine

4 small new potatoes (optional); cut into halves

400g tin of plum tomatoes; liquidised

3-4 cloves of garlic; minced

2 inches piece of ginger; grated

2 green chillies; minced

2 teaspoons of coriander and cumin powders

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 cup water

1/4 teaspoon garam masala

salt to taste

1. Heat the oil in a a pan, add the whole garam masala (3 cloves, 4 peppercorns, 2 whole cardamoms, 1 inch piece of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds). Let them pop, and add the chopped onions and cook until transparent.

2. Add the potatoes (if using) and continue to cook until the onions are golden brown, add the lamb and cook until the meat is brown all over.

3. Add the tomatoes, garlic and ginger and simmer for 40 minutes.

4. Add the spinach, mix and add the water and simmer for a further 20 minutes or until the lamb is cooked.

5. Add the garam masala and salt.

Serve with hot chapatis

Guvar Dokhli nu Shaak / Cluster Beans with Dumplings

2011-05-13T20:02:00.001+01:00

This Gujarati recipe is delicious. It is unusual in that the vaghar / tempering spices include ajwain and hing and no mustard seeds or cumin seeds. Tastes amazing, the dokhli / dumplings make it a almost complete meal.

Ingredients

For Dokhli / Dumplings

1 tablespoon chickpea / besan flour

1 tablespoon whole wheat flour

¼ teaspoon red chili powder

½ teaspoon coriander and cumin powder

A pinch ajwain

A pinch hing / asafetida

A pinch Sodium bicarbonate or baking powder

2 teaspoon oil

Water

For Shaak

2 cups guvar / cluster beans; toped and tailed (replace with green beans)

1 tablespoon oil

2-3 Green chilies

1 pinch hing / asafetida

¼ teaspoon ajwain

1 cup water

½ teaspoon red chili powder

1 teaspoon coriander and cumin powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric

2 teaspoons gur / jaggery or brown sugar

Method

Dohkli / Dumplings

1. Mix all the dry ingredients, add the oil and mix until you get a breadcrumb like texture

2. Add enough water to make a firm dough

3. Make marble size balls and flatten into coin-like discs, place on a tray for later.

Shaak

1. Heat the oil in a wide pan, add the green chillies, ajwain and hing, as soon as they pop, add the water (carefully)

2. Add the red chili, cumin and coriander, and turmeric powders.

3. Add the guvar beans, gently place the dokhli / dumplings and cover the pan. Simmer for for about 20 minutes, add the gur / jaggery, mix and serve.

Mishkaki / East African Style BBQ Beef Shish Kebabs

2011-05-01T11:56:00.001+01:00

1 lemon; juiced

1 tablespoon oil

1 kiwi; peeled and quartered (Kiwi contains enzymes that tenderise meat)

1 tomato; blanched and peeled and quartered

2 inch piece of ginger; roughly chopped

4 cloves garlic

1/2 cup fresh coriander

2-3 green chillies

1 teaspoon freshly ground cumin

1 level tablespoon paprika

½ teaspoon turmeric

2 teaspoons coriander and cumin powders

salt to taste

2 lb beef; cut into 2 inch chunks

1. Place all the ingredients except for the beef in a liquidizer and blend

2. Add to the meat, mix and marinate overnight in the Fridge.

3. Cook on an outdoor BBQ

4. Serve with nan bread

Yesterday's BBQ

2011-04-30T09:15:00.000+01:00

Clockwise from top: Seekh Kebab, Mishkaki, Piripiri Chicken, Shish Kebab, Tabouleh, Roast Vegetables, Coriander Potato Salad, Shish Kebab, Raita, Green Salad.

Royal Wedding Lunch

2011-04-28T19:41:00.000+01:00

Everyone is coming round to celebrate. We are going to watch TV together and then we are having a barbecue what ever the weather! .
Menu
Mishkaki (beef)
Seekh Kebab (beef)
Shish Kebab (Lamb)
Piri Piri Chicken (Salima)
Nan Bread
Green Salad (Salima)
Tabbouleh
Coriander Potato Salad
Fruit Crumble (Muni)

Recipes and photos to follow.

Sprouted Urad ji Kadhi / Sprouted Black Bean Yogurt Soup

2011-04-28T09:41:00.000+01:00

Urad beans are also known as black beans look similar to mung beans. They are supposed to be very good for diabetes, but take a long time to cook and are difficult to digest. However sprouting them not only makes them more nutritious but also easier to cook and digest. Sprouting beans is very easy and supplies you with fresh vegetables.

Ingredients

1 cup sprouted urad beans

1 teaspoon whole cumin

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

3-4 curry leaves (limdo pan)

2-3 green chillies; split lengthwise into two

2-3 cloves garlic; minced

1 inch ginger; grated

2 tomatoes; blanched, peeled and liquidized

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

2 teaspoons coriander and cumin powders

1 cup yogurt
2 cups water
1 table spoon chickpea flour
salt to taste

Heat some oil in a pan, add the whole spices and the green chillies, as soon as the spices pop, add the urad beans. Mix and cook for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile whisk the yogurt, water and chickpea flour until you get a smooth mixture.
Add the garlic, ginger and tomatoes to the beans, mix, add the turmeric, coriander and cumin powders. Stir fry for about 5 minutes, add the yogurt mix, season with salt.
Bring to boil, turn the heat down when it gets frothy otherwise it will overflow. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Serve garnished with coriander.

Veal and Sweet Potato Tagine

2011-04-26T08:57:00.000+01:00

I have adapted this recipe from the BBC Food website. It was sooooo good, that I had to share it. It smelt like ghosh jo shaak.

Ingredients

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 onions , thinly sliced

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh root ginger

1 lb. veal

1tsp ground cumin

½ tsp. each paprika, red chilli powder and ground coriander

1 cinnamon stick

1 400gm can plum tomatoes; liquidized

1 large sweet potato (8oz / 200gm , cut into chunks

salt to taste

3 medjool dates

2 dried apricots

1-teaspoon raisins

1 oz. toasted blanched almonds

1 tablespoon chopped coriander

Method

Heat the oil in a pan, add the onions, stir, when until transparent, add the ginger.

Add the meat in batches, then fry on all sides until lightly coloured. Return all the meat to the pan, stir in the spices and cinnamon sticks, then cook for 1 min.

Add the tomatoes and 200ml water, then bring to the boil, stirring, add the salt and then cover and simmer for 1½ hrs., until the veal is tender.

Add the sweet potatoes, stir well, cover again, then cook for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are just tender. Stir in the dates and heat through for 5 minutes.

Garnish with the almonds and coriander.

Serve with couscous or rice.

Sprouted Methi / Fenugreek Pickle

2011-04-25T11:24:00.000+01:00

I just made an amazing pickle, it is so delicious and totally new to me; sprouted fenugreek (methi) pickle. I found the recipe in an article by Usha Prabhakaran.

The original recipe contains tamarind and jaggery (gur), but I had neither at hand, so I used pomegranate syrup as a substitute. This is tart and sweet so would be a good substitute for tamarind and jaggery. Pomegranate syrup is a made from pomegranate juice, lemon juice and sugar reduced to form a thick molasses.

I also referred to Priiya’s Blog, Indira’s Blog and Paajaka’s Recipes. Do have a look at these blogs, they are amazing.

Ingredients

1 cup sprouted methi

½ cup (125 mls) sesame oil

1 teasoppn mustard seeds

4-5 curry leaves (limra leaves)

3 tablespoons pomegranate syrup

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons red chilli powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

¼ teaspoon asafoetida

Method

Heat the 1 tablespoon of the oil in a pan, add the sprouted methi and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Pour the rest of the oil into the pan, add the add the mustard seeds and the curry leaves, as soon as the seeds pop, add the pomegranate syrup, red chilli powder and turmeric. Stir fry for about 30 seconds as the pomegranate syrup is already reduced, and add the sprouted methi. Cook for about 20 minutes or until all the water has evaporated.
Place in a clean jar, and store in fridge when cool.
According to Usha, this pickle should last upto 6 months. Mine has almost finished! It is so yummy, I even add it to salads.

Keri ne gajjar jo athano / Mango and Carrot Pickle

2011-04-20T14:33:00.001+01:00

There are 18 types of mangos in India, I have used green Rajapuri, the seed is small and not fibrous so was very easy to slice. Green Rajapuri mangoes are large and firm and often used for pickle. They are grow in the state of Gujarat. This mango is an excellent source of vitamins A and C.

Ingredients

2 large green mangoes; julienned sliced into long thin pieces

4 carrots; julienned sliced into long thin pieces

12 large mild green chillies, cut long ways into two pieces

1 tablespoon salt

4 tablespoon olive oil

8 garlic cloves; minced

1 cup tomato puree

2-3 teaspoon red chilli powder

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1. Place the sliced mangoes, carrots and chillies in a large glass bowl, add salt and leave for at least 2 hours or overnight.

2. Drain the above and spread on a tea cloth to dry in the sun if possible for 2-3 hours or overnight if dried at room temperature.

3. Heat the oil in a pan, add the garlic, saute for a few minutes.

4. Add the tomato puree and cook until the paste is dehydrated.

5. Add the turmeric and chilli powders

6. When cool, add the carrots, mangoes and chillies mix.

Store in the fridge for upto a month provided the vegetables were dried sufficiently.

Sprouted Mung jo shaak / Sprouted Mung Bean Curry

2011-04-19T12:10:00.003+01:00

Sprouted mung beans as with all sprouted seeds contain far more nutrients than the original beans. Details can be seen on this wiki link. They are very easy to sprout, do have a go. You can also buy this in Indian grocers, note; these are not as long as Chinese bean sprouts.

Ingredients

2 cups sprouted mung beans washed

1 tablespoon oil

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 medium onion; finely chopped

2 cloves garlic; minced

2 inch piece of ginger; grated

2 large tomatoes or 200gm can of tomatoes; peeled and minced

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

2 teaspoons coriander and cumin powder

salt to taste

Method

1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the mustard and cumin seeds, as soon as they start to pop add the onion.

2. Cook until golden brown, add the garlic and ginger, saute for a few minutes

3. Add the tomatoes; cook for 5 minutes or until the mixture is well blended, add turmeric, coriander and cumin powders, mix.

4. Add the sprout beans; cook for 10 minutes and serve. The bean sprouts should be a little crunchy

Arvi ja pan ja bhajia / Patra / Stuffed Colocasia Leaves

2011-04-16T09:21:00.001+01:00

Arvi ja pan are huge heart-shaped leaves also known as Elephant's Ears. The colocasia plant also has edible corms that is also called taro.

These bhajias comprise of stuffed and rolled leaves, which are steamed, sliced and either deep fried or pan fried. They are also known as patra and can be bought in a can or frozen from Indian grocery stores.

8 large arvi / elephant ear leaves

Batter

1 cup gram / chickpea flour

3-4 cloves garlic; minced

2 inch ginger; grated

3 spring onions; finely chopped

2 tablespoons chopped coriander

1 tablespoon oil

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

2 teaspoons coriander and cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon ajwain bishops weed seeds

1/4 teaspoon sodium bicarbonate

Vaghar / Tempering Spices

2 tablespoons oil

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2-3 green chillies; split lengthways

6-7 limra / curry leaves

1. Lay each leave flat with vein side up, and cut off the central thick vein of the leave, cutting the leaves into two halves. Slice of any other thick veins with a sharp knife (see above picture). Roll each leaf with a rolling pin and set the leaves aside.

2. Make the batter by mixing all the ingredients and adding enough water to make a thick paste.

3. Take one leaf, and spread with the batter, lay another leaf on top and repeat, than roll it it and place aside until all off them have been rolled.

4. Inside a steamer or pressure cooker and steam (without pressure) for 20 minutes.

5 Slice in 1/2 inch slices using a sharp knife

Vaghar/tempering

6. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, and add the sesame, mustard and cumin seeds with the chillies and the curry leaves, place the sliced stuffed leaves on top, and cover for 3-4 minutes, turn the bhajia over, cover and cook for a further 3-4 minutes.

Enjoy

Limoo jo athano / Lime and Ginger Pickle

2011-04-15T17:41:00.002+01:00

This is made from yellow limes, and is a typical Gujarati Pickle

Ingredients
15 limes; almost quartered; see picture
1/2 lb ginger; peeled and sliced into 3mm slices
2 tablespoons red chilli powder
1 tablespoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon salt
juice of 10 limes

Take a clean jar big enough for all your ingredients
Rinse with boiling water
Place the ginger at the bottom of the jar
Mix the spices and salt
Stuff the half cut limes with this mixture and place in the jar
When all the limes are in, top up with lime juice, to about 3/4 full
The salt will release water from the limes and ginger
Top up with more lime juice until full- 10 limes may not be enough, depends on how juicy your fruit is
Place in the sun for about 3-4 days, otherwise leave at room temperature for 2 weeks.
After 2 weeks add green chillies and or cluster beans (guvar beans)

When ready it can last upto 6months to a year

We are pickled out at Chachi's Kitchen

2011-04-13T08:27:00.008+01:00

Left to right

4 bottles of mango and carrot pickle, gunda and mango, fresh turmeric, amba haldi and garmar (tuberous roots of Coleus forskhohlii) pickle, lime and ginger pickles.

In preparation are sprouted methi pickle and green almond pickle

Watch this space for the recipes

Mung jo soup; Mung Bean Soup

2011-04-12T09:21:00.002+01:00

Mung beans are nutritious and easy to digest they are a good source of protein, thiamine, niacin, vitamin B6, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium, and a very good source of dietary Fibre, vitamin C, vitamin K, riboflavin, folate, copper and manganese.

Ingredients
1/2 cup mung beans; soaked overnight.
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock or water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion; chopped fine
1 tablespoon plain flour
1 400gm can of plum tomatoes; liquidised

Method

Boil the beans in 3 cups of water or stock foe 20 minutes
While the beans are cooking, heat the oil in a pan large enough for the soup.
Add the chopped onion and fry until slightly brown, add the flour and fry for 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, and cook for a further 10 minutes.
Add the beans and the stock / water
Cook for a further 10 minutes.
Serve with garlic bread

Gujarati Muthia / Spicy Steamed Dumplings from Leftover Rice

2011-04-05T10:42:00.003+01:00

What to do with leftover rice? Traditionally, it is used to make chapatis, vagarala rice, bhajia and muthia. Dolubai our neighbour made some muthia for us recently. They were so delish, I asked her for the recipe and here they are. Thank you Dolubai

Recipe
1 cup cooked rice,
1/4 cup methi / fenugreek finely chopped
1/4 cup coriander; finely chopped
1/4 cup onions; finely chopped
1/2 cup courgette / zucchini; finely grated
2 cloves garlic; minced
2 inch ginger; grated
2 green chillies; finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 cup millet flour
1/4 cup chapati flour
1/4 cup semolina / soji
1/4 cup chickpea flour
1/2 teaspoon Sodium Bicarbonate
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup yogurt
for tempering / vaghar
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
a few curry leaves
salt to taste

Put all the ingredients except for the vaghar/tempering spices with the salt in a bowl and mix. Let it stand for 10 minutes, as water will be released from the courgette.
If it is too dry add a few drops of water until you get a fairly firm dough, it should be a little sticky.
Take a small lime size ball of dough in your palm and shape with your fingers to form sausage shaped muthia
Place in a steamer for 15 minutes.
When cool, cut into bite size pieces and place in a serving dish
Heat the oil, add the cumin, mustard and sesame seeds with the curry leaves, let the brown and pour over the muthia.
Garnish with coriander if desired.
Put it in your lunch box for tomorrow!

The taste is similar to dhokra

Paya / Lamb Trotters in a spicy sauce

2011-04-01T09:56:00.004+01:00

I have had lots of people asking me for this recipe. It is usually eaten for breakfast and is supposed to be full of nourishing goodness.

Ingredients

8 lamb trotters; ask the butcher to cut them into 2 pieces

juice of 1 lemon

4-5 cloves of garlic; minced

2-3 inch piece of ginger; grated

2-3 green chillies; very finely chopped

2 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 large onion; finely chopped

1 400g can of tomatoes; liquidised

2 teaspoons coriander and cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon tumeric

salt to taste

1/4 teaspoon garam masala

Method
1. Clean the trotters throughly, make sure you remove all the short hairs. Marinate in lemon juice, garlic, ginger and chillies for 30 minutes
2. Place them in pressure cooker with 2 cups of water and bring to boil, cook for at least an hour.
3. Heat the oil in a saucepan large enough to fit the paya / trotters and fry the onions until dark brown.
4. Add the tomatoes, stir and cook at low heat for about 10 minutes
5. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric powders and salt, mix well and cook for 5 minutes.
6. Add the trotter and enough of the liquid to cover the bones, bring to boil and simmer for a further 30 minutes. Add the garam masala and mix.
7. Serve with paratha or nan bread

Navroz Menu

2011-03-21T17:31:00.000Z

Biryani

Bateta champ

and
Lapsi

Nyama Choma / Grilled or BBQ Chops

2011-03-13T20:04:00.004Z

I have had a lot of requests for this recipe. I finally managed to find a good recipe from my cousin; Gulzar in Canada. The special ingredient is kiwi, which contains meat tenderizing enzymes.

Nyama means meat and choma roast, it is usually made from beef short ribs. I was not able to get any so I have used frenched lamb chops. This would make it kondoo choma, just as goat meat would be mbuzi choma, or beef - ng'ombe choma

1 lemon; juiced

1 kiwi; peeled and sliced

2 inch piece of ginger; roughly chopped

4 cloves garlic

1/2 cup fresh coriander

2-3 green chillies

1 teaspoon freshly ground cumin

1 level tablespoon tandoori masala

1 lb lamb chops; washed

salt to taste

Method

Place all the ingredients (except for the lamb) into a food processor and liquidize.

Marinate the meat in this for minimum of 1 hour maximum of 3 hours, otherwise it will become too soft.

Broil in a hot grill for 10 minutes and turnover and cook for a further 8-10 minutes

I served it with roast vegetables and salad.

In retrospect the tandoori masala was too overpowering, next time I would half or omit it altogether.

Mitha Chowka / Meetha Chawal / Sweet Nutty Rice Dessert

2011-03-06T18:41:00.000Z

I had a request for mitha chowka today, this sweet rice dish, flavoured with cardamom & saffron and full of nuts and raisins is a real treat.

In Kampala we used to get this only on Fridays. Once a month Chachi and Malek would make a huge pan of it for the local masjid. To get this beautiful orange colour, we have used food colouring. Saffron colours it yellow.

2 tablespoon butter or ghee
2-3 cloves
1 stick cinnamon
2-3 pods cardamom
2 cups water
7-8 strands saffron

few drops of orange food colouring (optional)

1 cup basmati rice; washed and soaked for at least 30 minutes
3 tablespoon sliced nuts (almonds, pistachios, walnuts)
1 tablespoon raisins
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Method
1 Heat the butter, add the whole cardamom, cinnamon and cloves, cook for a few minutes and add the water.
2. Add the saffron and food colouring to the water with the drained rice. Bring to boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for about 7-10 minutes until almost cooked, it should be watery.
3. Add the nuts, raisins and sugar, mix and cook for a further 7-10 minutes.
4. Sprinkle the ground cardamom and nutmeg before serving.

Quick Marcha jo Athano / Sliced chillies Pickle

2011-02-17T17:56:00.000Z

Ingredients

15-20 long chillies (not too hot)

1 level teaspoon salt

1/3 cup (80ml) oil

1/3 cup (80 ml) lemon juice

1 heaped tablespoon split mustard

1/2 teaspoon fenugrek

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Method

Wash and dry the chillies and slice into rounds about 1/2 inch.
Add salt, and spread on a tea towel, leave for at least 2 hours or overnight
Place the oil, lemon juice, mustard, fenugrek and turmeric in a clean screw top jar (large enough to fit the chillies), close the lid and give it a good shake.
Add the chillies into the jar, mix well.
This is ready to eat in 24 hours.

I usually can't wait and it tastes fine!

Quick Gajjar jo Athano / Carrot Relish / Pickle

2011-02-16T18:13:00.002Z

Ingredients

2 lb of carrots (about 8 medium carrots); julienned into thin strips

20 green chillies; split into two

8 cloves of garlic; minced

1/2 cup (125mls) oil

3 table spoons tomato puree

3 teaspoons ground red chillies

1/2 teaspoon tumeric

salt

Method

1. Add half the salt to the carrot strips, and spread the carrots on a tea towel, leave for a couple of hours or overnight.

2. Add the other half of salt to the green chillies, spread on a tea towel, and leave for a couple of hours or overnight.

3. Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the garlic, saute until light brown.

4. Add the tomato puree, stir for about 5 minutes

5. Add the tumeric and powdered red chillies and cook for a few minutes.

6. Cool, add the carrots and the green chillies and mix well.

Serve as a side, Enjoy.

Will keep for at least 2 weeks in the Fridge.

Ours usually is gone within 3 days!!

Healthy Supper

2011-02-05T21:04:00.002Z

Spicy Beetroot Soup and Baked Salmon Cakes
click to view recipes

Feedback

2011-01-28T17:16:00.001Z

Last Saturday, I was in Kent Khane, where a lady ran up to me to say she wanted to meet me as she uses Chachi's recipes. She said she had made Kebab jo Shaak for sufro that evening. Turns out I had bought the kebab jo shaak from nandi! It tasted just like Chachi's cooking!

She also she made muthiya for the first time from the blog and it was good too.

Kebab jo shaak

Lamb Muthiya

Ful-cobi ne mutter jo shaak / Cauliflower and Peas curry

2010-12-08T18:35:00.000Z

Ingredients

1 medium cauliflower; cut in small florets

3/4 cup green peas

1 tbsp oil

4-6 dried curry leaves; crumbled roughly

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

3 medium tomatoes; blanched, peeled and crushed

1 teaspoon tomato purée

2-3 garlic cloves; minced fine

1 inch ginger; grated

2-3 green chillies; minced fine

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

2 teaspoon coriander and cumin powder

salt to taste

2 springs coriander; finely chopped

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the mustard seeds and curry leaves. As soon as they splutter; add the tomatoes and tomato puree; stir , turn down the heat and cook for about 5 minutes.

2. Add the garlic, ginger and chilles, mix and cook for a few minutes.

3. Add the tumeric, coriander and cumin powders, mix, cook for about a minute

4. Add the cauliflower and peas and salt, mix well, cover and cook at low heat for about 15 minutes or until cooked. The cauliflower should be al dente, firm but cooked.

Garnish with coriander and serve with chapatis

Machi Bhat / Spicy Coconutty Salmon with Rice

2010-12-06T21:29:00.006Z

Ingredients

STEP 1
1 lb salmon; cut in 2 inch chunks

Marinade

Juice of 1/2 a lemon
4-5 garlic cloves; minced

2 inch ginger; grated

2-3 green chillies; minced

STEP 2

2 tablespoons oil

whole garam masala; 1 inch cinnamon, 3 cloves, 4 peppercorns, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 2 pods cardomom

3 medium onion chopped fine

4 small potatoes; peeled and cut into halves

4 large tomatoes; blanched, peeled and liquidised,
1 teaspoon tomato puree

1 tablespoon of fresh grated coconuts (frozen available in most Indian Grocery Stores

1/3 packet of creamed coconut (half cup coconut milk)
1 tbspn yogurt

2 teaspoon coriander and cumin powder

1/2 tspn tumeric

1/4 tspn garam masala

STEP 3
1 1/2 cup rice; washed and soaked for 30 minutes
lots of water

STEP 4
pinch of saffron; soaked in a tablespoon of hot water

1/2 table spoon oil

1 tspn cumin seeds

Step 1: Marinate the salmon in the lemon juice, garlic, ginger and green chilli mince and salt for at least 30 minutes; set aside.

Step 2. Heat half of the oil in a large saucepan, fry the whole masala; cumin, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns, and cardomom, fry until they pop and splutter, add the chopped onions and fry until golden brown, add the potatoes, fry until the onions are dark brown

Add the tomotoes mix and fry for a few minutes; add the cumin and coriander powders and tumeric powder and add the grated coconut and the coconut cream, simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the garlic, ginger and chilli, mix and fry for a few minutes. Add the yogurt, mix and cook for a few minutes

Meanwhile, heat the other half of the oil in a frying pan and fry the fish until slightly brown. Add the fish add the garam masala, stir carefully and set aside.

Step 3: Wash the rice and soak in some water for at least 30 minutes.

Switch on the oven at 150 degrees Centigrade. Boil the rice in lots of salted water for 15 minutes, drain.

Layer half the rice in a pan add the fish sauce cover with rest of the rice,

Step 4: Add the water / saffron mix on top. Fry the cumin in a little oil, pour over the rice, place in the oven for 15 minutes and serve.

Dish of the Day: Tikkha Chilla

2010-09-30T19:11:00.002+01:00

Recipe HERE

Bharela Marcha / Stuffed Peppers

2010-08-22T05:15:00.000+01:00

We made these for Zayn's Birthday Picnic a few weeks ago

Recipe

This Month's Hit Parade

2010-08-19T14:54:00.008+01:00

Top 5 out of 56,005

Chana Palak / Spinach with Chickpeas	841 Hits
Chicken Samosa	601 Hits
Vitumbua	560 Hits
Mandazi - Coconut Bread (Mamri)	537 Hits
Makate Mimina (coconutty rice pancake)	242 Hits

Chachi's Bakala jo soup . Mixed Vegetable Soup

2010-08-17T20:12:00.001+01:00

Ingredients
1 table spoon butter
1 medium onion; finely choped
1 table spoon plain flour
1 400 gm tin plum tomatoes; liquidised
4 cups finely choped cabbage
1 cup peas
1 cup chopped carrots
3 cups water ( you can add more or less water according to how thick you want the soup to be)
salt to taste
f1 tspn reshly ground black pepper or to taste

Method
Add butter to the heated saucepan
Add the onions; fry until transparent
Add the flour, fry until light brown, it should smell delicious
Add the tomatoes
Cook for 10 minutes at low heat
Add the vegetables and the water.
Add the salt and pepper
Simmer for 20 minutes, serve with garlic bread or plain rice.

Khajur ne Akrot jo Cake / Date and Walnut Cake

2010-08-16T19:34:00.002+01:00

The is a healthy cake, containing rolled oats (lower your cholesterol), wholemeal flour (fibre), gur / jaggery (unrefined cane or palm sugar containing minerals and vitamins), dates ( a source of B complexed vitamins, potassium, copper, magnesium, and iron) .walnuts. (omega 3 and minerals such as zinc).

Ingredients
2 cups medium chapatti flour (or 1 cup wholemeal flour, 1 cup plain flour)
2 cups rolled (porridge) oats
2 level tspn baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup roughly chopped walnuts
1 cup gur / jaggery; grated (or brown sugar)
2 cups milk
2 eggs
5 table spoon vegetable oil

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade.
2. Mix all the dry ingredients
3. Beat the milk, eggs and oil
4. Mix all together.
5. Pour in a 9 inch greased tin
6 Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour

kheema na mutter jo shaak / mince meat and peas curry

2010-08-15T19:20:00.000+01:00

Served here with lime and chilli pickle and chapati

Ingredients
whole garam masala: 1 cinamon stick, 4-5 pepporcorns, 2 cloves, 2 cardomom and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 table spoon oil
1 medium onion; chopped fine
1 lb minced beef (or lamb)
3-4 cloves garlic; minced
2 inch ginger; grated
2-3 green chillies; minced
1/2 tspn tumeric powder
1 400gm can peeled tomatoes; liquidised
2 tspn cumin/coriander powder
2 tablespoon yogurt
1 cup peas
1/2 tspn garam masala
salt to taste.
1 tablespoon chopped coriander for garnish

1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the whole garam masala
2. when they start to crackle and splutter add the onion, and fry until golden brown
3. Add the minced meat, garlic, ginger and chillies and fry until the meat is brown, break down any lumps that form
4. Add tumeric, coriander and cumin powdereds, stir, add the tomatoes.
5. Bring to boil and add the yogurt, mix and add the peas.
6. Simmer for 20 minute suntil the peas are cooked.
7. Add the salt and garam masala powder, mix and garnish with coriander leaves
Serve with rice or chapati

Machi ja Bhajia / Coriander Salmon Cakes (Baked)

2010-08-06T18:02:00.002+01:00

Machi ja bhajia is an East African Ismail dish.

Ingredients
1 lb Salmon fillet; skinned
12 oz (3 medium) potatoes; peeled and halved
3 cloves garlic; minced
1 1/2 inch ginger; grated
2 green chillies; minced
2 tablespoon chopped coriander
1/2 lemon; juiced
salt to taste
Oil Spray or a litte oil and brush
1 egg
1 cup bread crumbs

Method
1. Steam or poach the salmon, place in a large bowl and flake
2. Boil the potatoes, mash and add to the salmon
3. put aside
3. Pre-heat the oven at 200 Centigrade
4. Add the garlic, ginger, chillies, coriander, lemon juice and salt to the fish / potato mix
5. Mix everything, let the mixture cool a little.
6. Make a lemon size ball with the fish mixture, flatten and place on a ungreased tray, make them all
7. Grease another tray with oil spray or oil and brush.
8. Beat the eggs, and place the bread crumbs in a saucer or small plate
9. Dip the fish cake in the egg, and then into the bread crumbs so that they are completely coated, place on the greased tray
10. Repeat until all are done. (I made 10)
11. Place in the oven and bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until brown.

Serve with home made tomato chutney (recipe soon)

Mango Salsa with Ginger and Coriander

2010-08-02T16:27:00.001+01:00

This goes well with spicy meat or fish such as tandoori salmon, mackeral or chicken

Ingredients
1 large mango; cubed
1 red pepper; diced
3 spring onions; choped fine
1 inch ginger grated
1 tablespoon chopped coriander

Mix all, and set aside for 2 hours at room temperature. This lets the flavours develope.

Mayai jo Pudlo / Onion, Chilli and Coriander Omelette (Ismaili Style)

2010-08-01T19:38:00.002+01:00

Mayai is eggs in Swahili.

4 Eggs
1/4 cup milk
6 spring onions; finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped coriander
1-2 green chillies; finely chopped
Oil Spray

1. Beat the eggs and milk
2. Add the spring onion, coriander and chillies.
3. Add the salt and pepper
4. Mix well.
5. Heat up a frying pan, spray oil on it, pour the egg and cook covered at very low heat.
6. Flip it, if you can, or elso place under a grill and broil for a few minutes.

We had it for breakfast today with Chachi's Puri

Karanga wari Kasori / Kasooli in Groundnut sauce (Binyebwa) / Sweet Corn in Peanut Sauce

2010-07-31T06:44:00.007+01:00

4 corn on the cob; husk and cornsilk removed, and cut into 4 pieces
1/2 cup peanuts (roasted, skinned and ground; I used a coffee grinder);
1 tbspoon of vegetable oil
1 stem of coriander; chopped finely
1 medium onion; chopped finely

2 cloves garlic; minced
1 inch ginger; grated
3-4 chilies; minced
4 tomatoes; blanched, peeled and chopped finely
1/2 tspn tumeric powder
2 tspn coriander/cumin powder

1 cup water

salt to taste

Method
1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the onions, fry until golden brown.

2. Add the tomatoes, garlic, ginger and chillies, fry for about 5 minutes, add the tumeric, coriander and cumin powders, cook for a further 5 minutes.

3. Add the peanuts

4. Add the corn, mix, until all the corn are coated by the peanut/tomato sauce. Cook for a few minutes. Add the water, cover and simmer until the corn is cooked (10 to 15 minutes).

5. Garnish with coriander, just before serving. Enjoy

Jugu Cake / Twice Baked Peanut Bars

2010-07-29T19:27:00.005+01:00

Jugu or njugu is peanut or groundnuts in Swahili. As a child I remember them as karanga which is also swahili. My best memory of these is when we used to get them fresh. Local farmers would sell them house to house shouting:
'karaaaaaaaaaaaaanga karaaaaaaaaaanga!!' Ma would buy them and we would get them boiled for our tea. So yummy. We used to eat them hot, just pop them in our mouths and pop them so all the juices and the nut is squirted into our mouths. They were sooo sweet and tender.

Jugu cake is a Tanzanian special; twice baked, like biscotti according to Aly Khan of Treat a Week Recipes, a fellow Ismaili blogger with a great site.
This recipe makes two plates for khana and spare.

Ingredients
3 Cups peanuts; grind roughly (reserve 1/2 cup)
5 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tspn baking powder
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used corn oil)
2 eggs
2 cups milk

Method
1. Heat the oven to 175 Centrigrade.
2. Beat the eggs and milk in a large bowl and keep aside
3. Mix all the dry ingredients including the whole peanuts
4. Add the oil and mix with finger tips to make a bread crumbs like mixture
5. Add the egg and milk mixture slowly, mix, this will be quite sticky
6. Pour into a 12 inch by 12 inch tray
7. Bake for 30 minutes
8. Cut into diamond shapes and place on a oven tray
9. Heat the oven to 220 Centigrade
10 Bake again for 15 minutes

Makate Mimina / Mkate Wa Kumimina

2010-07-29T00:52:00.004+01:00

This cardomom spiced rice and coconut bread originates in Tanzania. Mkate means bread, and kumimina means to grind. This one was made yesterday.

Recipe can be found here

Piri Piri Chicken

2010-07-27T18:18:00.005+01:00

The word piri piri originates in Mozambique, it means fiery hot chilli peppers! In Kampala we used to call these pili pili ho ho. My mouth is twinging just at the thought of these.
This recipe was prepared by Joanne, my sister-in-law in Toronto.

Marinade

1 large red pepper, diced

4 cloves garlic

2 tbsp paprika

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp chili flakes

1/4 cup white vinegar

2tbsp lemon juice

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp salt.

4 Chicken breasts or pieces from one chicken

Mix all the ingredients above in a food processor to make a smooth paste.

Marinade your chicken over night or at least 1 hour.

The more time you marinade the better.

Make sure the meat is room temperature before you start to BBQ.

Heat BBQ to a very high temperature.

Sear the chicken on both sides then reduce heat to medium-high until chicken is cooked.

Tandoori Salmon

2010-07-25T19:52:00.003+01:00

1 skinned fillet of salmon (1lb); cut into 2inch cubes
2 tablespoons yogurt
1 dessert spoon oil
2 level tspn tandoori masala
2 inches ginger; grated
3-4 cloves garlic; minced
2-3 green chillies; minced
salt to taste

1. Mix the yogurt with the oil, tandoori masala, ginger garlic, chillies and salt
2. Mix with the fish
3. Marinate for at least 1 hour; place on pre-soaked wooden sticks.
4. Grill / broil or barbeque 5/6 minutes
5. Or bake in oven (220 C) for 15 minutes.

I served it with mango and ginger salsa and tandoori mohogo.

Machi Bateta jo Shaak / Spicy Cod and Potato curry

2010-07-23T21:50:00.000+01:00

We had this for our dinner tonight. Recipe can be found here

Bhinda jo shaak / Curried Okra / Ladies Fingers

2010-07-22T11:02:00.001+01:00

Recipe

Coconut and Mint Chutney

2010-07-20T16:14:00.000+01:00

2 cups freshly grated coconut (frozen available in Indian Grocery stores)
1 cup mint (I got them from the garden)
6-7 green chilies
1 lemon; juiced
salt to taste
1 tblespoon oil
1 tspn mustard seeds
2 tspn sesame seeds
6-7 curry leaves

Place the mint leaves, green chillies and lemon juice in a liquidiser, and grind
Add the coconut and liquidise until semi-smooth
Place in a bowl and set aside
Heat the oil, add the mustard and sesame seeds and the curry leaves, cook until the sesame seed are brown and pour the mixture over the chutney.

Mutter jo shak / Peas and Potato Curry

2010-07-19T19:34:00.004+01:00

Peas are full of nutrients, they contain vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B1, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B2. Apart from the vitamins they contain manganese and phosporus and the all important dietary fibre, protein and carbs
They are available fresh at the moment, so get cooking!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of oil
2 medium onions; chopped fine
4-5 cloves garlic; minced
3 inch ginger; grated
4-5 green chillies; minced
4 large tomatoes; blanched, peeled and liquidised.
2 medium potatoes; cubed

2 cup fresh peas
2 heaped teaspns cumin/coriander powder
1/2 tspn turmeric
Salt to taste

Method
1. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion, fry until translucent.
2. Add the tomatoes, garlic, ginger and chillies, decrease the heat and cook for 7-8 minutes, until it is like a thick sauce, then add the cumin, coriander and tumeric powders, and mix and cook for a few minutes.
3. Add the potatoes, mix so the potatoes are coated with the tomato sauce, cover and cook about 7-8 minutes. Then the peas
4. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes until the peas and potatoes are cooked.

Serve with bajra rotla, puris, or chapati

Hara Bhara Kebab / Peas and Spinach Burger

2010-07-19T00:26:00.003+01:00

Another pea dish. I first had this at Sakoni in Wembley, it is a North Indian recipe. Talking to my friends and searching the net I managed to find this recipe. Delicious. We had this today for a light lunch with Beetroot Soup (also in season). I baked these, so very healthy.

Ingredients
1 cup peas; boiled
230g spinach; steamed / 1 cup / you can use frozen spinach
3 medium potatoes; boiled
2 inch ginger; grated
2 green chillies minced
1/2 lime; juiced
salt to taste
oil for greasing the tray and brushing the kebabs / burgers

Method

1. Heat the oven at 220 degree centigrade
2. Combine the peas, spinach and potatoes, mix
3. Add the ginger, chillies, lime juice, garam masala and lime juice mix
4. Let it cool for a while.
5. Make lemon sized balls, flatten and place on a greased tray
6. Brush with oil, and bake for 20 mins

Serve with a green salad. Or in a burger roll with salad.

Peas / Mutter kachori / gughra / Spicy Pea Pastry

2010-07-17T15:51:00.007+01:00

Served with mint and coconut chutney. These are baked in the oven so healthy. Fresh peas are in season right now, they are so yummy, I simply could not resist them.

Ingredients
Filling
2 cups freshly shelled peas;
1 tablespoon oil
1 tspn cumin seeds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
3 - 4garlic cloves; minced
2 inch ginger; grated
3-4 green chillies; minced
1 tablespoon freshly grated coconut ( I used frozen, you can use descicated coconut if you wish)
1 tspn sugar
salt to taste
2 tablespoon chopped coriander

Method

1. Roughly grind the peas and keep aside.

2. Heat the oil in a pan, add the cumin and sesame seeds.

3. Add the garlic, ginger and chillies, stir quickly and add the peas, mix.

4. Stir and cook for about 15 minutes, turn down the heat so that the peas do not burn.

5. Remove from heat and place in a large bowl, add the coconut, sugar, salt and coriander. Mix well. Make the kachori / pastry when cool.

Pastry
2 cups plain flour
salt to taste
2 tablespoons oil
2/3 cups water

1. Add the salt to the flour and mix
2. Rub the flour and oil till you get a bread crumb like appearance.
3. Slowly add the water to get a fairly firm pastry, knead well and leave until the filling has cooled down.

Making the Kachori / pastry / gughra

Oil spray or oil for brush

1. Heat the oven to 220 degrees centigrade

2. Grease a oven tray

3. Divide the dough into 20 pieces.

3 ways

a. roll, place a tablespoon of mixture in the middle, wet half the edge with water and fold.

b Mark the edge with a fork and place on a greased oven tray.
c.Repeat until you have made 20. brush or spray with oil

d. Place in the oven bake for 20 minutes

a. roll, place a tablespoon of mixture in the middle, bring the edges together and make a ball.
b. Repeat until you have made 20. Place on greased tin, brush or spray with oil
c. Place in the oven bake for 20 minutes
OR
a. roll, place a tablespoon of mixture in the middle, place in the kachori mould / dabbi, wet half the edge with water and fold, close the mould, remove place on greased tray.
b.Repeat until you have made 20. brush or spray with oil
c. Place in the oven bake for 20 minutes
I used the third method. These moulds can be bought in Indian shops (at Popats, Ealing Rd, Wembley

Phool Cobi jo Shaak / Alu Gobi / Cauliflower and Potato Curry

2010-07-15T20:00:00.002+01:00

1 tablespoon oil
1 onion; finely chopped
2 medium potatoes; cubed
3 -4 large tomatoes; blanched, peeled and liquidised
2-3 cloves garlic; minced
2 inch ginger; grated
2-3 green chillies; minced
1/2 tsp tumeric
2 tsp coriander / cumin powder mix
1 cauliflower; cut in 2 inch chunks
1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves.

Method
1. Heat the oil in a pan, fry the onion and potaoes for 10 minutes until the potatoes are partly cooked.
2. Add the tomatoes stir and cook until the potatoes and onion are well coated, and the mixture is simmering.
3. Add the garlic, ginger and green chillies, stir and cook for a few minutes.
4. Add the tumeric, coriander and cumin powders, stir and cook for a few minutes.
5. Add the cauliflower, stir, cover and cook for 15 -20 minutesor until cooked at low heat.
6. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves
7. Serve with chapati or puri

Dinner Party

2010-07-03T01:41:00.000+01:00

Carrot Pickle
Raita
Green Salad
Tomato Salad
Prawns and Aubergines
Tandoori Chicken
Vegetable Biryani
Orange Juice
Afghan Bread

Mitha Thepla - Ismaili style

2010-06-30T18:11:00.000+01:00

2 cups whole wheat flour (chapatti flour)
½ cup gur / gor / jaggery
1/2 cup milk
2 table spoon oil
1 tspn fennel seeds
½ ground Cardamom
½ tspn ground Nutmeg
Vegetable oil for frying
1/2 table spoon sliced almonds
1 table spoon poppy seeds

Flour Paste
1 tablespoon flour
enough water to make a thick paste (3/4 of tablespoon)

1. Mix the flour, fennel seeds, cardamom and nutmeg.
2. Rub in the oil, so that the mixture looks like fine bread crumbs
3. Melt the gur in the microwave (2 minutes or so) and mix with the milk
5. Add it to the flour and make a soft dough
6. Roll into ¾ inch and cut into circles using a biscuit cutter.
7. Sprinke the poppy seeds, and stick the almond slice in the centre using the flour paste
7. Fry

Reshmi Bhajia / Spicy chickpea flour pancakes

2010-06-20T19:28:00.001+01:00

Ingredients
1 cup chickflour
1 tablespoon chopped spring onion
1 tablespoon chopped methi /fenugrek leaves
1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
2 cloves garlic; minced
1 inch ginger; grated
1 green chilli; chopped fine or minced with the garlic
1/4 tspn ajma or 1 tspn chopped thyme
salt to taste
1 cup warm water
oil spray

makes 10 (31/2 inch diameter); enough for 2 people. If you want to make 2 plates for khana triple the recipe.

1. Mix the onions, coriander, fenugrek garlic, ginger chilli and flour.
2. Add salt and ajma, mix
3. Add water slowly to get a runny mixture, leave for 1/2 hour.
4. Heat a frying pan, spray with oil and put a small ladle of batter
5. Turn over when bubbles appear on the surface. Cook for a minute or so and place on kitchen paper to drain, repeat until all the batter is used up.

Serve with coconut chutney. I served with carrot pickle.

Lapsi / Nutty Cracked Wheat Dessert / Pudding

2010-06-20T12:39:00.001+01:00

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup cracked wheat
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 cup milk
2 cups water
1/2 cup gur / jaggery / brown sugar
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 tablespoon raisons
1/2 teaspoon cardomom; roughly ground
1/4 teaspoon jaifer / nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon saffron

1 tablespoon grated coconut ; dessicated is fine

1. Heat the butter in a saucepan, add the cracked wheat and the fennel seeds. Fry until golden brown with a nutty aroma.
2. Add the milk and the water, bring to boil, simmer for 5 minutes
3. Add the gur / jaggery / sugar, cook for further 5 minutes
4. Add the cardomom, almonds, raisons, nutmeg, saffron and coconut, cook for a further 5 minutes.
Serve hot. It is lovely with vanilla icecream

Coconut Chutney-2

2010-06-19T09:14:00.002+01:00

Ingredients
1 cup fresh coriander
2 cloves of garlic
10 green chillies
2 limes; juiced
1/2 cup grated coconut (desiccated will do)
salt to taste

Method
Place everything in a blender, until smooth.

In Kampala Chachi used to make chutneys using a flat stone and a roller. A bit like this; only ours was black and very smooth. Chachi was the expert in make chutneys with this.

Image from http://hearstmuseum.berkeley.edu

Crispy Potato Bhajias

2010-06-12T22:41:00.002+01:00

Ingredients
3 spring onions; chopped fine
1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
1/2 tablespoon methi / Fenugreek leaves
1 cups chickpea flour
1/2 tea spoon ajma / bishop weed seeds
(1 tspn chopped thyme is a good substitute)
2-3 cloves of garlic; crushed
1 inch ginger; grated
2 green chillis; chopped fine
salt to taste
1/2 cup water;
1/2 tea spoon Sodium Bicarbonate
2 potatoes; sliced thinly into rounds
Oil for frying

Method
1. Placed the chopped spring onions, coriander leaves and methi / fenugreek in a bowl.
2. Add the flour, ajma, garlic, ginger, chillies and salt. Mix well.
3. Add the water and mix to form a thick paste, aside for half an hour
4 . The flour paste should be smooth not too thick / or too runny; if neccessary add 1 to 2 tablespoon of water/ or flour.
5. Heat the oil in a karai / wok / frying pan
5. Add 1 table spoon of hot oil to the batter and mix, add the sodium bicarbornate and mix.
6. Add the potatoes and mix
7. Using your fingers or small tongs and a spoon add the single slice of potato coated with flour paste into the hot oil, until the pan is full.
8. Fry for 2/3 minutes until cooked. Flip over when brown. Place on kitchen paper to drain repeat until all the batter is finished.
9. Serve with coconut chutney.

Mung ji kadhi / Mung Bean Yogurt Soup

2010-06-08T18:49:00.002+01:00

Ingredients
1 cup mung beans; soaked for at least 2 hours
1 cup yogurt
3 cups water
2 tablespoons chickpea flour
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 tspn mustard seeds
1 tspn cumin seeds
6/7 curry leaves (limra /limda pan)
1 onion; finely chopped
2/3 green chillies; lengthways into two
1 large tomato; blanched and finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic; minced
2 inch ginger; grated

1/2 tspn tumeric
1/2 lemon ; juiced
coriander for garnish

1. Boil the mung beans in 1 cup water for 25 minutes or cooked, and set aside.
2. Place the yogurt, 2 cups water and the chickpea flour in a bowl and whisk until smooth and set aside
3. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the mustards seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves.
4. As soon as they start spluttering, add the onions, fry until transparent.
6. Add the green chillies, fry for a couple of minutes, and add the tomatoes, ginger and garlic, stir and fry until the mixture looks fairly homogenous. Add the tumeric powder, mix.
7. Add the mung beans, bring to boil.
8. Add the yogurt mixture and lemon juice, bring to boil, simmers for about 15 minutes, and serve in a deep bowl garnished with coriander.

I love this kadhi by itself, with crusty bread or rice. I also served it with chore ja bhajia / blackeye beans falafel.

Anyone for pickles?

2010-06-06T18:33:00.003+01:00

Sun dried carrots, Chachi made full use of the sunshine last week. She made gur gajar jo athano

Hot and Sweet Carrot Pickle
This is a 2 litre jar! So anyone for pickles?

Kokothende / Kokotende

2010-06-05T20:09:00.009+01:00

Kokotende (Kokothende) are originally from Zanzibar, these were smaller in size and were called "KOKWA ZA TENDE" (date'seeds), however Zanzibaris of Indian origin (Wahindi) used to pronounced it "KOKOTENDE". This information is from one of my anonymous readers (thank you)

Koeksisters (cake sisters) are similar Afrikaan version of them (any relationship?), the Anglo-Indian version are called kul kul or gul gul. All three have coconut in them, koeksisters on the outside, kul kuls have coconut milk in them and kokothende have grated or desicated coconut.

Ingredients
cup size = 250mls
2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup semolina
1/2 cup desicated coconut
1/2 tspn baking powder
1 tspn roughly ground cardomom seeds
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup warm water
oil for frying

Frosting
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 tspn cardomon powder

1. Shift the flour into a large bowl, add the semolina, coconut, baking powder and cardomom; mix well.
2. Add the butter, mix so that it looks like bread crumbs.
3. Add the warm water slowly to make a soft dough. You may in slightly more water.
4. Take a walnut size lump of dough and squeeze with fingers and palm of hand; make a fist (muthia), place on a tray. Makes about 30.
5. Heat the oil and fry the kokothende at medium heat, so that they cook through and are crispy.

Frosting
Place the sugar in a sauce pan with the water, bring to boil until the mixture becomes sticky. (20 minutes.) Dip the kokothende in the syrup and place on a tray.
The frosting will set when cool.

Strawberry Trifle

2010-06-02T05:19:00.003+01:00

Ingredients

6 Trifle sponges (or 1 small swiss roll) ; bought from Waitrose

500g 1 lb strawberries; sliced; save a couple for garnish

500 ml summer berries juice

1 tspn of agar agar (china grass, falooda) powder; available in Indian grocery store

250 ml custard (bought ready made from Waitrose)

200 ml whipping cream

a couple of mint leaves

Method

Place the sponge / swiss roll on the bottom of a glass bowl

Pile the sliced strawberries on top (save a couple for decoration)

Soften the agar agar in boiling hot water, microwave a couple of times for 1 minute, until melted.

Place the fruit juice in a bowl and add the melted agar agar, mix briskly and add to the fruit

Place in the fridge, should set in 30 minutes

Pour the custard on topped

whip the cream and place on top of the custard.

Garnish with strawberries and mint leaves

Chill and enjoy

Nayaral wari Matoke - Matoke in Spicy Coconut Sauces

2010-06-01T19:46:00.001+01:00

Ingredients
1 table spn vegetable oil
1 small onion; chopped fine
1 peeled tomatoes; chopped finely
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 inch ginger - grated
2 chillis - minced
1/2 tspn tumeric
1 200g can coconut milk
1/2 cup water
4 - 5 matoke (green bananas from Uganda); peeled and cut in 2 inch chunks
salt to taste
fresh coriander for garnish

Method
Heat the oil in a pan, add the onions and fry until golden brown
Add the tomatoes, garlic, ginger and chillies, stir until for a few minutes until it looks smooth
Add the tumeric and the coconut milk and the water, bring to boil and add the bananas
Simmer for 30 minutes or until the bananas are cooked

I served with lamb pilau and sambharo (cabbage and carrot salad)

It's Gunda time again

2010-05-27T19:50:00.003+01:00

Recipe at this page Gunda and Mango Pickle

Guwar / Guvar / Guar Jo Shaak / Spicy Cluster Beans

2010-05-25T21:08:00.002+01:00

Ingredients
2 tablespoons oil
2 medium onions; chopped fine
4-5 cloves garlic; minced
3 inch ginger; grated
4-5 green chillies; minced
4 medium tomatoes; blanched, peeled and chopped fine
1 lb guwar beens; topped and tailed
4 small potatoes; quarted
1 teaspn cumin seeds
2 heaped teaspns cumin/coriander powder
1/2 tspn turmeric
Salt to taste

Method
1. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the cumin and the onion and fry until golden brown.
2. Add the tomatoes, garlic, ginger and chillies, decrease the heat and cook for 7-8 minutes, until it is like a thick sauce, then add the cumin, coriander and tumeric powders, and mix and cook for a few minutes.
3. Add the potatoes, mix so the potatoes are coated with the tomato sauce, cover and cook about 7-8 minutes. Then add the guwar beans s mix.
4. Cover and cook for about 15-20 minutes until the potatoes and the guwar beans are cooked.

Serve with bajra rotla, puris, or chapati

Coriander Potato Salad

2010-05-24T21:32:00.002+01:00

Ingredients
8 medium-sized new potatoes; choped into bite-sized chunks
2 spring onions; chopped fine
1 green chilli; chopped fine
2 stems of coriander; chopped fine
2 tablespoons yogurt
1/2 tspn black pepper
salt to taste

Method
1. Boil the potatoes for 15 minutes or until cooked
2. Drain the potatoes, mix all the ingredients and serve.

I served it warm with bbq tuna and bbq vegetables

Thursday Evening Meal

2010-05-20T20:42:00.000+01:00

Mayai Dungri jo Shak / Spicy Scrambled Eggs

We served it with a tomato salad and chapati

Monday Evening Meal: Kadhi

2010-05-17T21:12:00.001+01:00

Ingredients
1 250ml pack yogurt
500 ml water
2 tbspn gram / chickpea flour
1/2 tspn tumeric
3 garlic cloves; crushed
2-3 green chillies; crushed
1 inch ginger; grated
salt to taste
1/2 tblspn oil
1/2 tspn mustard seeds
a few curry leaves

Method
1. whisk together the yogurt, water, gram flour, tumeric, garlic, green chillies, ginger and salt
2. Heat oil in a pan large enough the the yogurt/water mixture
3. Add the mustard seeds and curry leaves; as soon as they splutter, add the liquid
4. Bring to boil and simmer for15 minutes
5. Serve with chapatti, chuti kitchri and aubergine and potato curry

Meat Pie Ismaili Style (Spicy Beef Pasty)

2010-05-16T17:12:00.001+01:00

I have had loads of requests for meat pies, this is my Canadian cousin Firoz's recipe. We usually make this with puff pastry, see curry puffs

Ingredients

Short Crust Pastry
500 gm plain flour; sieved into a large bowl
1/2 tspn tumeric
salt to taste
250 gm butter; cut into cubes
125 mls (half cup) chilled water

Filling
500 gm minced lean beef
4-6 cloves garlic; minced
2 inch ginger; grated
2-3 chillies; minced fine
1 tspn tomato puree
1 tspn Lea and Perrin's Worchester sauce
1 tspn HP sauce
1 tspn Dijon mustard
salt to taste
1/2 tspn garam masala
2 medium onions
3 spring onions
2 tblspn chopped coriander
1 tbspn chopped mint

1 beaten egg for glazing

Method
Pastry
1.Place the flour, tumeric salt and butter in large bowl.
2. Use your finger tips to rub the butter into flour so that you get a fine breadcrumb like mixture
3. Add the cold water slowly mix to bind into dough-like consistancy
4. Wrap in cling-film and place in the fridge for at least 20 minutes

Filling
1. Dry cook the minced beef with garlic, ginger, chillies and salt, until all the liquid evaporates, break the lumps if they form.
2. Add Worcestershire, HP and tomato sauce, together with mustard and tomato puree. Stir and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and add garam masala, onions. When cool add the mint and coriander.

Pies
Preheat the oven at 220
1. Remove pastry from the fridge, and divide into 20 pieces.
2. Roll into a 3 inch circle, place the filling in the centre, wet half the edge with water and fold.
3 Mark the edge with a fork and place on a greased oven tray.
4.Repeat until you have made 20. Prick each pastry with a fork and brush with beaten egg
5. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes

Roasted aubergine and goat's cheese pasta

2010-05-16T16:24:00.003+01:00

This recipe is from Waitrose Recipes of the Month for May 2010
It was very tasty and easy to make. Next time I would probably use Feta cheese instead of goat's cheese

Ingredients
1 medium aubergine, cut into wedges
1 Red Onion, cut into wedges
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
8 leaves fresh basil, shredded, plus a few whole leaves for garnishing
150g essential Waitrose
Fusilli dried pasta
100g pack goat’s cheese
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 220°C, gas mark 7.
2. Arrange the aubergine and onion in a small roasting tin. Scatter over the chopped garlic, olive oil and shredded basil leaves. Season. Roast for 20–25 minutes, stirring once or twice until tender and charred.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook the pasta for 10 minutes until tender.
4. Drain and toss with the cooked vegetables, goat’s cheese, pine nuts and seasoning. Garnish with basil leaves and serve with a green salad.

Suffro for Zayn's Majlis

2010-05-09T15:56:00.002+01:00

We have been busy cooking in Chachi's kitchen

Masala Machi Bateta / Tilapia in a Spicy Tomato Sauce (click on title for recipe)

Bundi ja ladu / Indian Sweet made from Chickpea Flour Click on title for recipe

Paratha (recipe to come)

Jeera Chicken (Cumin)

2010-05-04T06:53:00.002+01:00

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons jeera / cumin; roughly ground
1 large onion; chopped finely
4 boneless chicken breasts; cut into cubes
4 - 6 cloves garlic; minced
2 inch fresh ginger; grated
2-3 green chilles; finely chopped
1 lemon; juiced
2 tablespoons yogurt
fresh corinander for garnish

1. Marinate the chicken in lemon juice, garlic, ginger and chillies for at least 2 hours
2. Heat the oil in a pan, add the cumin, fry for a few minutes and add the onions.
3. When the onions are golden brown, add the chicken and mix until the chicken is coated with the onion/cumin sauce
4. When the chicken is brown, add the yogurt, cover and cook for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked.
5. Garnish with coriander and serve.
I served it with chapati and a tomato, spring onion and coriander salsa.

Chicken Panang Curry

2010-04-28T01:46:00.003+01:00

I finally got back from Australia yesterday, and can't sleep, so I thought I would blog this. I made this curry for Mother's Day lunch last month. Everyone loved it.

Ingredients
1 chicken; skinned and cut into 10-12 pieces
2 medium sized potatoes; peeled and quartered (optional; we love potatoes)
1 tin coconut milk
2 tablespoons panang curry paste (less if you want a milder curry; make paste from scratch)
1 tablespoons fish sauce
8 fresh kaffir lime leaves; shredded (dried ok too, can be substituted by lime zest)
1/2 cup thai basil leaves (I used ordinary sweet basil leaves)

Method
1. Warm half of the coconut milk in a pan
2. Add the chicken and potatoes and fry until the chicken is white
3. Add the panang curry paste and stir until all the chicken and potatoes are coated
4. Add rest of the coconut milk, kafir lime leaves and the fish sauce, bring to boil and simmer until the chichen is cooked (15 minutes)
5. Garnish with the basil leaves
Serve with fragrant jasmine rice

Yam Nua - Thai Beef Salad

2010-03-14T17:55:00.001Z

This Recipe is from BBC Food website, link at the bottom. It turned out really well.

Ingredients

For the beef
3 X 6oz sirloin steaks
vegetable oil, for brushing
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the salad
1 head Chinese leaf
5 ripe tomatoes
4 banana shallots
1 cucumber
4 spring onions
handful fresh basil leaves
handful fresh coriander
For the dressing
2 tsp brown sugar
2 limes, juiced
2 table spoon fish sauce
1 large red chilli

Method
1. Brush the steaks with oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat a ridged griddle pan until smoking, then add the steaks and griddle for 3-6 minutes on each side, or until cooked to your liking. Remove from the heat and leave to rest in a warm place for five minutes.
2. For the salad, finely slice the Chinese leaf and place into a large bowl. Cut the tomatoes into wedges and add to the bowl. Finely slice the shallots and add to the bowl.
3. Slice the cucumber in half down the middle. Remove the seeds with a teaspoon and slice the cucumber flesh on the diagonal. Discard the seeds and add the cucumber to the bowl. Slice the spring onions on the diagonal and add to the bowl.
4. Tear the basil leaves and add to the bowl. Tear the coriander leaves and stalks and add to the bowl. Mix together to combine well.
5. For the dressing, add two teaspoons of the brown sugar into a small clean bowl, add the lim juice, stir until the sugar is dissolved.
6. Add the fish sauce to the dressing. Finely chop the chillies and add to the dressing.
7. Cut the cooked steak into thin slices on the diagonal. Just before serving add the sliced steak to the salad ingredients, drizzle over the dressing and mix together well. Add to the bowl the juices from the plate the meat was resting on.
8. Serve the salad on a large plate.
Adapted from http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/get_cooking/recipes/048.shtml

Mother's Day Lunch

2010-03-14T17:42:00.002Z

Tod Man Pla - Thai Fish Cakes - made by Ben and Emma
Spicy Thai Green Beans - made by Cliff and Pari
Yam Nua - Thai Beef Salad - rest made by Saju
Thai Chicken Penang Currry
Fragrant Jasmine Rice

Chachi's New Kitchen - Before and Ater

2010-03-14T17:34:00.000Z

Kitchen is done

2010-03-13T13:11:00.007Z

And we started using it yesterday. The first dish Chachi cooked was sufro for Zayn's Majlis - Muthia.
We are celebrating the kitchen and Mother's day tomorrow. Pari, Muni and I are going to make a Thai inspired meal.

Tod Man Pla - Thai Fish Cakes
Spicy Thai Green Beans
Yam Nua - Thai Beef Salad
Gaeng Kieow Wann - Thai Green Curry with Chicken
Fragrant Jasmine Rice

Fresh Fruit

Progress Report

2010-03-04T08:50:00.007Z

Chachi’s Kitchen will be up and running this weekend.

I have had so many requests in the last two weeks; I really don’t know where to start.

Badaam pak; almond fudge squares
Dhanksak
Gor Papri / Papdi; sweet crunchy squares
Guwar jo Shak
Jam Tarts (Tanzanian Style)
Jeera Chicken
Jugu cake: Peanut slices
Kabalagala: Ugandan pancakes made from bananas and cassava flour
Kokotende; sweet pastries
Masala wara Lamb Chops
Meat Pies (Ismaili style)
Mitha chowka: Sweet Saffron Rice
Mung ji kadhi / Khata mug
Nairal wara Gonja: East African dish of sweet plantains in a coconut sauce
Pera /Peda; fudge

Thank you everyone for visiting Chachi’s Kitchen, in the last 2 months we had have almost 50,000 unique visitors from over 25 different countries.

Namak Para / Indian Salt Crackers

2010-03-02T19:34:00.001Z

Ingredients
2 cups plain flour
2 tblspns vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ajwain
1 heaped tspn coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 tspn salt
Oil for frying

Method

Sieve the flour, mix in the cumin seeds, salt and pepper
Add the oil, rub it in so it is like bread crumbs
Add enough water to make a firm doughl, rest it for 30 minutes
Divide into lemon sized portions
Roll into 3/4 inch thickness
Cut into diamond shaped peices with a sharp a knife
Fry in medium hot oil

Will keep in an air tight box for a couple of weeks

Kitchri ja Bhajia / Leftover Kitchri (lentils/rice) Patties

2010-02-20T19:16:00.005Z

Our kitchen is being renovated. So we have not cooked since last Wednesday - it is going to be 2 weeks of eating out and takeaways.

Ingredients

1 cup letfover kitchri

1 tablespoon chickpea flour

1 tablespoon chopped coriander

2-3 garlic cloves; minced

1 inch stem ginger; grated

1-2 green chilies; minced

1/2 cup water

salt to taste

Oil for frying

1. Mix all the ingredients and make a lemon size ball, then flatten like a burger

2. Fry in hot oil

I served them with cauliflower cheese.

Tandoori Mackerel

2010-02-13T17:40:00.010Z

Mackerel is a much underrated fish, and it is sustainable and cheap. It is also a very good source of omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, and vitamin B12. Mackerel is an ideal fish to barbeque as it is meaty and does not fall apart, and is firm and moist when cooked. It has got enough flavour to taste really good in tandoori masala. This recipe works very well for the whole fish, but I could not get any so I have used fillets.

Omega-3 fatty acids are good for your brain and your joints.

Ingredients

4 Mackerel Fillets; washed

3 cloves of garlic; minced

1 ½ inch ginger; grated

2-3 green chillies

½ lemon; juiced

2 tablespoons yougurt

2 level tspn of tandoori masala; available in most Indian or South Asian stores; I used Rajah

Salt to taste

Method

1. Place the fish fillets in a glass dish, add all the ingredients and mix.

2. Marinate for at least 2 hours.

3. Grill or Broil for 5-6 minutes on each side.

I served mine with boiled new potatoes and steamed broccoli.

Cardomom Cake - Ismaili Style

2010-02-07T19:53:00.001Z

This is an all in one cake. Very easy and quick to prepare.

6 oz sugar,
6 oz soft butter
3 Eggs
6 oz self raising flour
2 1/2 tspn baking powder
1/2 tspn roughly ground cardomom seeds
1/4 cup sliced almonds and pistachios
Cup Recipe
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup + 2 Tbs sugar
3 eggs
1 2/3 cup self raising flour
2 1/2 tspn baking powder
1/2 tspn roughly ground cardomom seeds
1/4 cup sliced almonds and pistachios

Method
Pre heat the oven at 180 degree centigrade
Grease and line a 8 inch cake tin
Sieve the baking powder and flour into a bowl
Add the sugar, butter, eggs and cardomom and beat well, pour into the prepared cake tin.
Sprinkle the sliced nuts
Bake in oven for 45 minutes

Garam Masala (Ismaili Recipe)

2010-02-06T17:13:00.008Z

One of my readers recently asked me for the recipe of garam masala. This recipe has been handed down in our family for generations. I googled garam masala recipes and found 101 different combinations. Some have have cumin , some coriander seeds, dry ginger, some all three!

Garam means hot, but in this case it is nothing to do with temperature, food is divided into hot and cold (Ayurvedic), dependent on the effect the particular food has on you and your health.

Chachi makes about half a cup which last for ages as apparently the secret is to use it very sparingly, about a quarter of a teaspoon per litre. We mainly add it to meat dishes.

1 cup cinnamon sticks
1/4 cup cardamom pods
1 tablespoon whole cloves
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1/2 grated nutmeg

Grind the above in a coffee grinder, used solely for this purpose.

Vaghareli Kitchri

2010-01-31T18:38:00.001Z

Ingredients

1 table spoon oil
1 leek; finely chopped
2 green chilies; split horizontally in two
1/2 tspn mustard seeds
4-5 curry leaves
2 tomatoes; skinned and chopped fine
2 cloves garlic; minced
1 inch ginger; grated
1/2 tspn tumeric
2 tspn coriander and cumin powder
2 cups leftover kitchri
1 cup water

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the mustard seeds, chillies and curry leaves, as soon as they splutter, add the chopped leeks (or onion).
2. Fry the leeks until golden brown, add the tomatoes and the garlic and ginger, cook for about 5 minutes.
3. Add the tumeric and the coriander/cumin powders, cook for a further 5 minutes.
4. Add the kitchri and the water, mix well, turn down the heat, and let it cook for about 10 minutes.
5. Serve with papad (papadoms)

Leftovers Cuisine

2010-01-31T18:10:00.006Z

We always cook more than we need; it is probably a habit from when we had more people in the house. However we never throw food away, if we can’t use it, we give it to the birds (or to Muni’s chickens these days).

Here are some examples of re-cooked food, almost always tastier than the original

Rice	Vagarela chowka / Rice Egg Fried Rice

Kitchri	Kitchri Bhajia
	Vagharela kitchri

Roast meat	Stuffed Paratha

Vegetables /Roast potatoes	Spanish Omelette

Chapatis / mani	Vaghareli mani

Kuku Paka / Chicken in Coconut Sauce

2010-01-24T09:52:00.011Z

I recently had a request for Kuku Paka, it definately remains a favourite with the East African Asians.

Ingredients

1 chicken; skinned cut in quarters
3-4 Garlic cloves; minced
2 inch Ginger; minced
3-4 Green chillies; crushed
1 tablespoon Lemon juice
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon oil
Medium onion; chopped fine
6 medium potatoes; peeled, and cut into quarters
2 Tomatoes; blanched; peeled and chopped fine
½ tspn turmeric
400 mls of warm water
1 400 gm tin of Coconut
Chopped Coriander for garnish

Method

Cut the chicken quarters into small pieces; (breast into 4, leg into 3) and place in a bowl.
Add the garlic, ginger, chillies, salt and lemon juice, mix and marinate overnight or for at least 2 hours.
Heat the oil, and fry the onions until golden, add the chicken and mix and cook for 10 minutes so that the chicken is sealed and then add the tomatoes, and mix.
Add the potatoes and mix cook for another 5 minutes. add turmeric, cook for a few minutes.
Add the water and cook for 15 minutes.
Add the coconut mix and let it simmer for 10 minutes
Garnish with the coriander

Serve with rice or makate mimina

Traditionally boiled eggs are also included in this dish, if you want to you can include 4-6 boiled, shelled eggs, to be added at point 6. (when you add coconut). Makai Paka is similar, with sweetcorn instead of chicken and potatoes

Ringra, mutter ne bateta jo shaak / Spicy Aubergine, peas and potatoes

2010-01-17T16:18:00.003Z

Served here with bajra rotlo / millet bread

2 medium onions; chopped fine
4-5 cloves garlic; minced
3 inch ginger; grated
4-5 green chillies; minced
1 400g tin peeled tomatoes; liquidised
2 large aubergines; cubed
2 large potatoes; cubed

1 cup peas
1 teaspn cumin seeds
1/2 tspn mustard seeds
2 heaped teaspns cumin/coriander powder
1/2 tspn turmeric
2 tablespoons oil
Salt to taste

Method
1. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the cumin and mustard seeds. After they have popped add the onion and fry until golden brown.
2. Add the tomatoes, garlic, ginger and chillies, decrease the heat and cook for 7-8 minutes, until it is like a thick sauce, then add the cumin, coriander and tumeric powders, and mix and cook for a few minutes.
3. Add the potatoes, mix so the potatoes are coated with the tomato sauce, cover and cook about 7-8 minutes. Then add the aubergines and peas mix.
4. Cover and cook for about 15-20 minutes until the potatoes and the aubergine is cooked.
Serve with bajra rotla, puris, or chapati