Spicy Indian Cucumber Salad With Coconut

Ingredients 
4 Persian cucumbers or 1 large English seedless cucumber, sliced into 1/2-inch chunks
1 tablespoon finely chopped green chilli
4 tablespoons shredded coconut
2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice (or a mixture of both)
2 teaspoons sugar
Fine sea salt
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
Chopped fresh coriander

Method

1. Put the cucumber, green pepper, 2 tablespoons of the coconut, lime juice, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Toss gently.
2. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds. When they start to sizzle and pop, stir in the cumin and remaining 2 tablespoons coconut. Turn off the heat.
3. Pour the mustard seed mixture over the cucumbers and mix everything together. Taste to make sure the salad has a good balance of salty-sweet-hot adding more salt, sugar, chili or citrus to taste.
4. Serve sprinkled with the remaining coriander.

Palak Chana Masala / Spicy Chickpeas with Spinach

Ingredients
3 tbsp oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 inchginger, peeled and grated
1 x 200g tin chopped plum tomatoes
1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained
2 tsp ground cumin and coriander
1 tsp chilli powder
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt
300g baby spinach, washed

Method
Heat the oil in a pan, when hot, add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Stir for a minute, or until they pop, then add the onions.

Fry for 10 to 12 minutes, until the onions are translucent and start to caramelise, then add the garlic and ginger. Stir-fry for around 3 minutes, then add the tinned tomatoes, pouring them in with one hand and crushing them with the other. Fill the empty tin a third of the way up with water and add that to the pan too.

Cook for 10 minutes, until quite dry and paste-like, then add the chickpeas and ½  cup water. Warm them for a couple of minutes, then add the cumin and coriander, chilli powder, turmeric and salt. Mix well, and bring to boil for 20 minutes

Add the spinach. Cover and let the spinach wilt

Cook for around 5 minutes, until the spinach is soft and tender, and serve.

Chicken Jalfrezi

Ingredients
500g boneless chicken, cut into 1.5 inch cubes
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 400g can chopped tomatoes
3 green chillies, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic; chopped finely
2 inch ginger; chopped finely 
2 tsp cumin and coriander powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
½   tsp garam masala
1 tbsp oil

for the jalfrezi
3 red peppers; sliced into strips
1 inch ginger; julienned
1 onion; sliced thinly
1 green chilli sliced finely
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp oil
Salt to taste

Method

1. Heat oil in a large wok or pan set over a medium heat until hot, then add the finely sliced onions, cook until onion becomes light brown (at least 10 minutes). 
2. Add the chicken pieces and stir well on a high flame to seal the chicken. (10 minutes)
3. Add the green chilli, ginger and garlic and saute for 2 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook the tomatoes are soft and oil separates.
5. Then reduce the flame and add coriander and cumin powder, followed by turmeric powder, stir well. Cook for 20 minutes
6. Add garam masala and stir well.
7. Heat oil in a pan or wok, then add the cumin seeds, add the chopped pepper and onion and cook for 3-5 minutes,
8. Add this to the cooked chicken, mix well.  Check salt, serve.

 

Punjabi style Vegetable Samosa using Tortilla Wraps

Ingredients
1  medium sweet potatoes
1 carrots
1 400g tin Chickpeas; drained and washed
1 cloves garlic
1 inch piece ginger
1 green chillies
1/2 bunch spring onions, finely chopped
6 stalks coriander, finely chopped.
1 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds 
10 curry leaves 
½ teaspoon  garam masala
1 medium sized (8in. diameter) pack soft tortillas (6)
50g plain flour; mixed with water to make a thick paste to use as glue
Extra oil and turmeric to brush over the samosa

Method

1. Boil the peeled sweet potatoes, and dice into small pieces and grate the carrots.
2. Chop spring onions and coriander and set aside.
3. Mince the garlic, grate the ginger and mince the chillies and set aside.
4. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the curry leaves, cumin and mustard seeds.
5. Add the turmeric, garlic and ginger, stir for a minute and add the carrots, mix, turn the heat down and cover. Leave for 5 minutes.
6. Add the chickpeas cook 5 minutes and add sweet potatoes, mix well. Remove from heat and add the spring onion.
7. Let it cool and add the coriander and garam masala.
8. Cut a tortilla wrap down the centre. Fold one side over and add a little paste then fold the opposite side over on top of the paste. This acts as a glue.
9. Fill the samosa and seal the top with more paste.
10. Place onto an oiled baking tray brush with oil with a little turmeric and bake at 180 for 20 minutes.

Makes 12

Sweet and Sour Okra (Khata Mitha Bhinda)

Ingredients

1 kg Okra
3 onions; sliced
4 tablespoons Mustard Oil 
Salt to taste
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon chilli powder
Tamarind pulp – ½ cup
50g brown sugar or Jaggery (Gur)
Chopped Coriander for garnish


Method

1. Wash and dry the Okra, then top and tail them, leave whole. 
2. In a frying pan add 2 table spoon of mustard oil, sauté okra for 5-8 minutes and set aside
3. Heat rest of mustard oil in another pan and add the onions, fry until golden brown, add to the okra and add the spices.
4. Add a sprinkle of water and cook for 10-15 min with frequent stirring, till okra become soft and tender. Taste, and adjust salt or chilli.
5. Add tamarind pulp and jaggery to it to give a nice sweet and sour flavour.
6. Cook for 2-3 min and serve hot garnished with coriander.

Beetroot and Coconut Samosas

The filling for this recipe is adapted from the Keralan Beetroot Thoran.  This is a dry stir fried vegetable with coconut.

Ingredients
500g beetroot
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp hing - asafoetida
10-12 curry leaves, finely sliced
2 green chillies, finely sliced
200g fresh grated coconut or
100 desiccated coconut
1 tsp salt or to taste
1 pack of filo pastry (6-8 sheets)
Olive oil for brushing

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C
2. Peel and grate the beetroots, set aside 
3. Heat 2 tbsp of oil and add the mustard seeds. Allow them to splutter then reduce the heat and add the cumin seeds and curry leaves.
4. Stir together and cook for a minute before adding the asafoetida.
5. Stir in the grated coconut and saute with the spices. Coconut can stick to the bottom of the pan so keep stirring. 
6. Once the coconut has toasted add the beetroot and cook until the beetroot is dry.  Place in a glass bowl to cool.
7. To make samosa:  Spread one sheet of the filo pastry brush with olive oil. Place another sheet on top and spread with olive oil.
8. Cut the phyllo sheets in 3 strips.  At the end of each strip add one tablespoon of the filling. Fold one corner to form a triangle and continue folding the triangle upon itself, until the entire piece of filo is used. Continue with the rest filo sheets and filling.
9. Oil the bottom of a large baking tray, place the samosas and brush them with some olive oil on top. Bake in for 25-30 minutes, until golden and crispy.

Makes 18-24

Recipes from my Age UK Cookery Class - 1

Clockwise from top:
Pomegranate Raita
Kachumber Salad
Basmati Rice
Naan Bread
Beetroot and Coconut Samosa
Lamb Kofte Curry
Cauliflower and Peas Curry