Ridge Gourd Curry / Turai / Ghisora Shaak

Ingredients
2 ridge gourds; ridges peeled and slices thinly into half moons.
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
6-7 curry leaves
3 tomatoes; blanched, peeled and crushed
3 cloves garlic; minced
2 inch piece ginger; peeled and grated
2 green chillies; minced
2 table spoons fresh grated coconut (desiccated ok too)

Method

1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the curry leaves, mustard and sesame seeds.
2. Add the onions when the seeds have popped, and fry until translucent.
3. Add at the tomatoes, garlic, ginger and chillies.  Cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add the sliced ridge gourds, and mix so that all the vegetables are coated with the tomato /onion mixture.
5. It may appear dry but, do NOT add any water, cover and cook on a low flame for 30 minutes or until cooked.
6. Add the coconut and coriander and mix well.  Serve with Chapattis.

Split Mung Bean Samosas

Ingredients
Pastry
Samosa pastry is available at Indian / Asian stores, Chinese eggroll pastry or Greek filo pastry can also be used.
2 tablespoon flour for sticking paste
Filling
½ cup Split Moong Dal
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
5-6 Curry Leaves
1 Green Chilli chopped fine
2 inch Ginger paste; grated
2 garlic cloves; minced
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon Fennel seeds;  ground
½ teaspoon Garam Masala
1 medium onion; finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
½  lime juiced
 Salt to taste

Oil for brushing or frying

Method

1. Wash the dal three times and soak for at least 1 hour.
2. Drain the water, and grind the dal coarsely.
3. Heat oil in a pan, add the cumin seeds and curry leaves, as soon as they splutter, add the dal. 
4. Keep stirring for 5 minutes, lower the heat and cover and cook for 10 minutes. 
5. Add green chilli, ginger, garlic, fennel seeds, turmeric and garam masala, mix. 
6. Cook for a further five minutes or until soft.
7. Add salt and the lime juice and mix. 
8. Remove from heat, add the onions and chopped coriander and keep aside to cool.
9. Heat the oven at 220C, if baking.
10. Mix the flour with a little water to make a thick paste
11. Fold left side of the pastry diagonally, see photo, smear with flour paste, and fold the right side of pastry.  
12. Fill the cone with the filling and seal on the top with the paste.
13. Deep fry or Place on a greased tray, brush tops with oil and bake for 20 minutes.

Makai Paka / Corn on the cob in Coconut Sauce

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

Vegan Carrot Halwa

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 and leave for two hours.

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

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

4.     Serve hot or cold.  Great with ice cream.

Guvar Dokhli nu Shaak / Cluster Beans with Dumplings

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.

Sprouted Mung jo shaak / Sprouted Mung Bean Curry

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

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

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

Mutter jo shak / Peas and Potato Curry

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

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

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

OR

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

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

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

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

Kerala ne dungri jo shaak / Spicy Bitter Gourd with Onions

5 bitter gourds / kerala - should be firm to the touch

4 medium onions; sliced fine

2 tblspn vegetable oil

4 garlic cloves; minced

2 inch ginger; grated

2 green chillies; minced

3 medium tomatoes; blanched, peeled and liquidised

1/4 tspn tumeric

1 tspn coriander / cumin powders

Method

1. Scrap the kerala / bitter gourds, and slice into 1/4 inch slices. Discard the ripe ones (with red seeds). Or remove the seeds. The seed in unripe kerala are tender.

2. Soak in salty water for at least 30 minutes

3. Heat the oil, a add the onion, fry until golden brown.

4. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli paste, mix and fry for about 30 secs.

5. Add the bitter gourd and stir for about 5 minutes

6. Add the tomatoes, stir and cook for 5 minutes, add the tumeric, coriander and cumin powders, mix, reduce the heat and cook for about 20 minutes or until the bitter gourd is cooked.

The sweetness of the onions counteracts the bitterness of the kerala, delicious!

We had it served with methi rotlo

Szechuan Green Beans

We had this dish at a Szechuan Restaurant on Leigh Street . Zayn and I discussed that it would go well with Lamb Pilau so we cooked it on Chachi's birthday.

600 gm french long beans; topped and tailed and cut into two

10 cloves garlic; crushed

4 inch ginger; grated
1 onion; chopped finely

1 tablespoon oil

Mix the following ingredients

1 tsp red chilli flakes

1 tablespoon soya sauce

1 tables sesame oil

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1. Steam the beans for 4 min

2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan / wok, add the onions and fry for 1 minute

3. Fry the garlic / ginger,

4 Add the beans and stir fry for a 2 minutes;

5. Add the mixture of chilli flakes, soya sauce, sesame oil and vinegar, mix, and cook for a 30 secs, the beans will be spotted with brown but still crunchy

4 Serve.

I served them with lamb pilau

Dudhi na Muthiya

I am starting a new series; cooking or other blogs.

Kajal, Bee from Jugalbandi and Coffee from the the Spice Cafe have inspired me to make these.

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup semolina

1/2 cup millet flour

1/2 cup chickpea flour

1tspn sodium bicarbonate

1 large dudhi / bottle gourd or 2-3 courgettes / zucchini; grated

1/2 cup chopped fenugrek

2-3 cloves garlic; minced

2 inch piece of ginger; grated

3-4 green chillies; mince

1/2 tspn tumeric

2 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup Chopped coriander for garnish

For vaghar or tempering

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1 tablespoon melon seeds

1 tspn mustard seeds

1 tspn cumin seeds

Method

1. Mix the 4 flours and sodium bicarbonate

2. Add the garlic, ginger chilli pastes

3. Add the chopped fenugrek and grated dudhi

4. Add half the oil, salt and water

5. Mix to form a fairly firm dough

6 Wet your hands and form log shaped muthia (see picture above)

7. Place in a slightly oiled steamer and steam for 20 minutes.

8. Let them cool

9 Slice into 1/2 - 3/4 inch slices, and pan fry in the remaining oil, place in a large dish

10. To prepare the tempering; heat the oil in a frying pan, add all the seeds, as soon as they start popping, pour over the muthia slices.

11. Garnish with chopped coriander

Serve with a minty yogurt raita

Hummus Bi Tahini - Syrian Chickpea Dip

Hummus was also part of all the meals we had in Syria. I loved it, since I have come back it is my lunch on Saturdays. Hummus and pitta bread....... yummmmmm! This recipe is part of the Golden Jubilee Series.


2 tins (500g / 16 oz) of chickpeas; drained and washed in cold water

1/2 cup Tahini
1 tsp cumin powder
1 lemon; juiced
6-8 cloves garlic
¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp Salt

1 cup Water
2 sprigs of coriander; chopped fine
1 tbspn extra virgin olive oil



Method

1. Place the lemon juice and the garlic in a food processor and liquidise
2. add the chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, cumin, salt and water, liquidlise

3. At this stage you can add more water / oil  or tahini to make it to the desired creaminess if you want.
3. Place in a serving dish, garnish with coriander and the extra virgin olive oil
Serve with warm pitta bread. Should keep in the fridge for 7 days (or in my case, in 3 days it is gone!)

Afghani Gormeh Sabzi (Vegetarian) / Green Herb Stew

This dish is usually cooked with lamb, but as I wanted to serve it with lamb chops, it is vegetarian. It is usually served with rice, Gormeh Sabzi is part of the Golden Jubilee Series..
It may look like chana palak, but it tastes completely different, really yummy, do try it.


1 large leek; finely chopped
4 cups spinach; finely chopped,
1 cup flat parsley; finely chopped
1/2 cup dill; finely chopped
1/4 cup fenugreek leaves; finely chopped
1/4 cup chives; finely chopped
1/4 cup coriander; finely chopped

4 small potatoes; peeled and cut into two
1/2 tsp. turmeric
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 500gm tin beans (kidney or blackeye beans)




Method
1. Heat the oil in a pan, add leeks, fry until transluscent, add the potatoes, and cook for a further 10 minutes, add the tumeric.
2 . Add the chopped green herbs, stir and cook for 15-20 minutes, making sure they are not burnt!
3. Add the lemon juice, (you can add a cup of water at this point to make it more runny; I did not) cook for about 5 minutes, add beans and cook for a further 20 minutes.


I served it with lamb chops and basmati rice. The chops were cooked Syrian style, coated with pomegranite molasses. The recipe will be on the blog soon.

Dhebra with Courgette / zuchini

Recently one of my readers asked me for a recipe for dhebra.  We usually make these with dudhi, but I had to improvise and use courgette!

Ingredients

1 cup bajra / millet flour

1 cup whole wheat flour 

2 tablespoon oil

1/4 tspn sodium bicarbonate

1 cup chopped methi / fenugrek 

1/2 cup chopped coriander

1 courgette; finely grated

3 cloves garlic; grated

1 -2 inch stem ginger; grated

2-3 green chillies; finely chopped

1 cup sour yoghurt (if not include 1 tblspn lemon juice

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

oil for frying

1. mix the two flours and sodium bicarbonate, add the oil, mix.

2. add the herbs, courgette garlic, ginger, chillies and youghurt.

3. mix, add the water carefully so that you have a stiff dough, leave for at least half an hour

4. make about 16-20 patties and place on wax or grease proof paper

5. heat the oil, meanwhile take some cling film / saran wrap and place some sesame seeds on it, place a patty on this, sprinkle some sesame seeds on this, and using another piece of film / wrap, flatten the dhebra.

6. fry slowly at low heat or the centre will not cook

7. Serve warm with yogurt.

Aleppo Muhammara / Roasted Pepper and Walnut dip

Chachi and I went to Aleppo in August this year, here is a picture of Aleppo Citadel. It was here that we saw MHI twice! And it was also here, in a restaurant across the road from the Citadel where I had the best muhammara ever! No wonder, muhammarra originates in Aleppo, who knew that! I thought it was Turkish!! ;)

If you look at the pictureof the citadel carefully at the top of the arches, you can see the dancers / performers practicing prior to Mowlana Hazar Imam's visit. It was an amazing sight.

This recipe is part of my Golden Jubilee Series.

4 red peppers
2/3 cups breadcrumbs (I used the Japenese panko)
1 cup walnuts
6 cloves garlic
1/2 tspn salt
2 tspn cumin, 1 tspn Aleppo chilli powder (available in Middle Eastern Shops, you can use ordinary Chili powder to taste.
Juice from 1 lemon
1 tablespoons pomegranate syrup or molasses; you can get it in Turkish or Middle Eastern Shops
2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Grill or broil the pepper until they are black, peel the burnt skin, should come of easily if placed in a polythene bag while still hot. Or else you can buy roasted pepper in olive oil (NOT vinager)

2. Place the peppers, breadcrumbs, walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, pomegranate syrup, cumin and salt in a food processor. Grind until you get a fairly smooth paste, add oilive oil and mix.

3. Garnish with parsley, mint or corianderServe with warm pitta bread.

Dal / Dar Ismaili Style / Toor Dal Soup

This is my entry for Jhiva for Toor Dal hosted by Linda of Out of the Garden We call toor; tuvar, this dal is split pigeon peas or bharazi or mbaazi as we called them in East Africa.

Ingredients
1 cup tuvar / toor dal
1/3 cup masoor dal, channa dal and mung dal
4 teaspoons Vegetable Oil
4 Cloves
1 Cinnamon Stick (flat)
2 Cardamoms
8 peppercorns
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 large onions (chopped fine)
3-4 medium tomatoes (blanched, and chopped finely)
6 cloves garlic minced
1 inch ginger grated
4 green chillies chopped finely
2 heaped tspn Coriander/cumin powder
½ teaspn turmeric
1 lemon; juiced
salt to taste
3 cups water

Method

Boil the lentils with 3 cups of water. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large pan; add cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and peppercorns for a 1 minute or so.
Add the onions, turn down the heat, fry until brown, that should take at least 10 minutes, Keep stir or the onion will be burnt.
Add tomatoes, garlic, ginger and chillies cook until tender the oil floats out; add coriander/cumin powder and turmeric.
Add the boiled lentils and the water, lemon juice and salt.
Bring to boil; add more water if necessary; consistency should be like a thick soup.
In this recipe you can add lamb and potatoes as well, and then it becomes ghosh wari dar.