Menu for Rachel and Tal Lunch 2nd July 2011

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

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

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

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

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

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

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