PINEAPPLE RAITA

Prep Time: 10 mins    |  Cook time: N/A    |  Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Pineapple	1 small (diced into pieces)
Curd	750 ml
Sugar	8 - 10 tbsp
Black salt	As per taste
Black Pepper Powder	1 & ½ tsp

Method:

1. Take a small sized pineapple and dice it into pieces.
2. Take the curd in a mixing bowl and add sugar, black pepper powder and black salt as mentioned.
3. Mix it well till the sugar dissolves properly.
4. Add the pineapple pieces into the mixture and give it a mix.
5. Your Pineapple Raita is ready for serving!!! 

Note:

• Use a ripe pineapple as it would have some sweetness of it's own which would give your raita a great natural taste. 
• Add black salt just before serving the raita to maintain the thickness otherwise it will make the raita watery if it is added long before serving. 

Cottage Cheese & Peas (Paneer Matar)

Cottage Cheese & Peas (Paneer Matar)

Ingredients:

1 lb. shelled green peas

1 onion, pureed

1 tsp. ginger paste

1 tsp. garlic paste

1 tomato, pureed

1 tsp. turmeric

1 tsp. chilli powder

1 tsp. cumin powder

1 tsp. coriander powder

1 lb. cottage cheese

1 tsp. salt or to taste

Cilantro/coriander leaves

1 tbsp. oil

Method:

Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan (or skillet) and fry the onions, ginger and garlic, together with cumin and coriander powder for five minutes. Add tomato puree, cottage cheese, green peas, turmeric and chilli powders and salt together with half a cup of lukewarm water and cook on medium low heat for fifteen minutes. Garnish with cilantro/coriander leaves.

Green Beans & Potato Curry

Green Beans & Potato Curry

Ingredients:

1 lb. French style cut green beans

1 onion, pureed

1 tbsp. ginger paste

1 tbsp. garlic paste

2 tsp. turmeric powder

1 tsp. chilli powder

1 tsp. cumin powder

1 tsp. coriander powder

1 lb. potatoes, cooked and cubed

1 tsp. salt or to taste

Cilantro/coriander leaves

2 tbsp. oil

Method:

Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan (or skillet) and fry the onions, ginger and garlic, together with cumin and coriander powders for five minutes. Add potatoes, green beans, turmeric and chilli powders and salt together with half a cup of lukewarm water and cook on medium low heat for fifteen minutes. Garnish with cilantro/coriander leaves.

Peas & Potato Curry

Peas & Potato Curry

Popularly known as "Alu Matar", this one's a vegetarian veteran.

Ingredients:

1 lb. shelled green peas

1 onion, pureed

1 tsp. ginger paste

1 tsp. garlic paste

1 tsp. turmeric

1 tsp. chilli powder

1 tsp. cumin powder

1 tsp. coriander powder

1 large potato, cooked and cubed

1 tsp. salt or to taste

Cilantro/coriander leaves

1 tbsp. oil

Method:

Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan (or skillet) and fry the onions, ginger and garlic, together with cumin and coriander powders for five minutes. Add potato, green peas, turmeric and chilli powders and salt together with half a cup of lukewarm water and cook on medium low heat for fifteen minutes. Garnish with cilantro/coriander leaves.

Okra & Mustard: (Shorshe Dharosh)

Okra & Mustard: (Shorshe Dharosh)

Originally a Bengali dish, I have used ingredients easily available in the West. This is one of those recipes that can be ready in a few minutes and still taste great.

Ingredients:

1 lb. whole okra.

1 tbsp. mustard powder, made into a paste with equal amounts of water (this is the recommended amount, but feel free to use more paste if you're fond of mustard).

1 tsp. turmeric powder

1 tsp. chilli powder

1 tsp. mustard seeds

1 tsp. salt or to taste

2 tbsp. oil

Method:

Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan (or skillet) and fry the mustard seeds for half a minute, followed by the mustard paste for a minute on low heat. Add okra, turmeric and chilli powders and salt, and cook on medium low heat for ten to fifteen minutes.

Okra Curry (Masala Bhindi)

Okra Curry (Masala Bhindi)

Okra is one of the commoner vegetables used all over India; it has a place in most regional cuisine's.

Ingredients:

1 lb. okra, sliced lengthwise or chopped into small pieces.

2 onions, pureed

2 tsp. ginger paste

2 tsp. garlic paste

1 tsp. turmeric

1 tsp. chilli powder

1 tsp. cumin powder

1 tsp. coriander powder

1 potato, cubed

1 tsp. salt or to taste

1 large tomato, pureed

2 tbsp. oil

Method:

Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan (or skillet) and fry the onions, ginger and garlic, together with cumin and coriander powders and tomato for five minutes on medium low heat. Add potato, okra, turmeric and chilli powders and salt and cook on medium low heat for half an hour.

Mustard Greens (Sarson ka Saag)

Mustard Greens (Sarson ka Saag)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. oil

1 large onion, pureed

1 large tomato, pureed

1 tsp. ginger paste

1 tsp. garlic paste

1/2 tsp. each cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli powders.

1 tsp. salt or to taste

1 lb. chopped mustard greens

Method:

Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan (or skillet) and fry the onion and tomato, ginger and garlic pastes, cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli powders together for five minutes. Add the chopped mustard greens, and cook for twenty five minutes on medium low heat with a cup of lukewarm water.

Potato & Spinach Curry (Alu Saag)

Potato & Spinach Curry (Alu Saag)

Ingredients:

1 lb. chopped spinach

1 lb. potatoes, cooked and cubed

2 tbsp. oil

1 large onion, pureed

1 large tomato, pureed

1 tsp. ginger paste

1 tsp. garlic paste

1/2 tsp. each cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli powders.

1 tsp. salt or to taste

Method:

Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan (or skillet) and fry the onion and tomato, ginger and garlic pastes, cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli powders together for five minutes. Add the chopped spinach and the potatoes, and cook for twenty five minutes on medium low heat with a cup of lukewarm water. Stir well to let the spinach blend with the spices and cover with a lid during cooking.

Paneer (Cottage Cheese curry)

Paneer (Cottage Cheese curry)

Ingredients:

1 lb. cottage cheese

1 tbsp. oil

1 large onion, pureed

1 large tomato, pureed

1 tsp. ginger paste

1 tsp. garlic paste

1/2 tsp. each cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli powders.

1 tsp. green chilli, chopped fine

1 tsp. salt or to taste

Cilantro/coriander leaves

Method:

Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan (or skillet) and fry the onion and tomato, ginger and garlic pastes, cilantro/coriander leaves, cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli powders together for five minutes. The cottage cheese is added, and the curry allowed to simmer for five minutes, before serving.

Eggplant (Baigan Bharta)

Eggplant (Baigan Bharta)

Ingredients:

1 lb. eggplant, cooked in the microwave or the oven, peeled and mashed

1 tbsp. oil

1 large onion, chopped fine

1 large tomato, chopped fine

1 tsp. green chilli, chopped fine

1 tsp. salt or to taste

Cilantro/coriander leaves

Method:

Cook the eggplant in the microwave after piercing with a fork (or roast in the oven) until done. Peel off the skin and mash well. Add the oil, chopped onions and tomatoes, green chilli and cilantro/coriander. Season with salt and serve hot.

Chickpea Curry (Chole Masale)

Chickpea Curry (Chole Masale)

Curried chickpeas have been going strong for years.

Ingredients:

1 lb. canned chickpeas

1 large potato, cooked and cubed

1 tbsp. oil

1 large onion, pureed

1 large tomato, pureed

1 tsp. ginger paste

1 tsp. garlic paste

1/2 tsp. each cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli powders.

1 tsp. salt or to taste

Cilantro/coriander leaves

Method:

Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan (or skillet) and fry the onion and tomato, ginger and garlic pastes, cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli powders together for a couple of minutes. Add the potatoes and chickpeas and 1/2 cup of lukewarm water and cook until done. Garnish with cilantro/coriander leaves.

Mushroom Curry

Mushroom Curry

I've noticed that fresh whole button mushrooms are a better option than the sliced ones sold in the supermarkets.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. mushrooms

1 small onion, chopped

1 tomato, sliced

1 tsp. ginger paste

1 tsp. garlic paste

1/4 tsp. cumin powder

1/4 tsp. coriander powder

1/4 tsp. turmeric powder

1 tsp. chilli powder

1 large potato, cooked peeled and cubed

1 tsp. salt or to taste

1 tbsp. oil

Method:

Heat the oil in a small non-stick frying pan (or skillet), and fry the onion and tomato, ginger and garlic pastes together with cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli powders five minutes. Add the mushrooms and potatoes, season with salt and cook for another five minutes until done.

Mixed Vegetable Curry

Mixed Vegetable Curry

Ingredients:

6 small onions, quartered

6 small tomatoes, quartered

6 cauliflower florets

6 baby potatoes

1/2 lb. chickpeas

1 tsp. ginger paste

1 tsp. garlic paste

1 tbsp. oil

1 tsp. salt or to taste

Method:

Heat oil in a non stick frying pan (or skillet) and fry the onions, ginger and garlic, tomatoes and potatoes for five minutes. Next, add the cauliflower florets, chickpeas and salt. Cook till done.

Cabbage, Carrots & Potatoes

Cabbage, Carrots & Potatoes

Strictly speaking, this is not a curry, but can be served as the main course nevertheless.

Ingredients:

1 lb. cabbage, shredded

1/2 lb. cooked potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/2 lb. carrots, shredded

1 tsp. mustard seeds

1 tsp. ground mustard

1 tsp. chilli powder

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. salt or to taste

2 tbsp. oil

Cilantro/coriander leaves

Method:

Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan (or skillet), and fry the mustard seeds and ground mustard for half a minute, then add the carrots, cilantro/coriander leaves and the shredded cabbage. After 15 minutes, add the cooked potatoes with lemon juice, chilli powder and salt. Serve.

Cauliflower & Mashed Potato Curry

Cauliflower & Mashed Potato Curry

The cauliflower curry has several variations in the regional cuisine's, but this one's a very simple

recipe.

Ingredients:

1 lb. cauliflower florets

1 tsp. ginger paste

1 tsp. turmeric

1 tsp. chilli powder

1 tsp. cumin seeds

1 potato, cooked and mashed

1 tsp. salt or to taste

1 tbsp. oil

Method:

Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan (or skillet) and fry the cumin seeds together with the ginger, for a couple of minutes on low heat. Add potato, cauliflower florets, turmeric and chilli powders and salt together with half a cup of lukewarm water and cook on medium low heat for fifteen minutes.

Almond Soup

Almond Soup

Serves 4


Ingredients:

225g/8oz blanched almonds, minced

3 egg yolks, hard-boiled

1.2 litres/2pt chicken stock

25g/1oz butter, softened

25g/1oz plain flour

125ml/4fl oz single cream

salt and freshly ground black pepper



Preparation Method:

Using a mortar and pestle, reduce the almonds to a paste with the egg yolks and 1 tablespoon of the stock. Set aside.

Make a beurre manié by working the butter and flour together into a smooth paste using a fork. Bring the remaining stock to a simmer in a heavy saucepan. Add the beurre manié in small knobs, whisking vigorously after each addition until completely dissolved. Whisk in the almond paste until smooth, then cook gently for 30 minutes.

Strain the soup through a sieve into a clean pan. Add the cream, and season with salt and pepper. Reheat gently and serve.