The Paleo Recipe Book

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Indian Bread Recipes - Yeast Recipe Nans

Preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes, plus an hour to prove the dough.


Ingredients :

¼ pt (150ml) milk (hand hot)
2 tablespoon castor sugar
2 tablespoon dried active yeast
1 lb (450g) plain flour plus extra for dusting
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
¼ pt plain yoghurt, beaten
1 large egg, beaten
A little melted vegetable ghee

Method :

1. Pour the milk into a bowl and stir in the sugar and the yeast. Set aside for 15 minutes until the mixture is frothy.

2. Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder into another bowl. Add to it the yeast mixture and all the remaining ingredients (except the ghee), and mix into a dough.

3. Place the dough onto a clean surface and kneed it for ten minutes or so, until it is smooth.

4. Put the dough in a greased bowl, cover with greased cling film, and set aside in a warm place for about an hour. The dough will double in size.

5. Kneed the dough again lightly before proceeding to make the nans as described in the previous recipe.

Friday, May 30, 2008

Indian Bread Recipes - Quick Recipe Nan

For six nans.

Preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes approx.

Ingredients :

1 lb (450g) SR flour plus extra for dusting
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon Baking powder
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 tablespoon plain yoghurt beaten
2 Eggs (beaten)
¼ pt (150ml) water approx.
A little melted vegetable ghee

Directions :

1. Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder into a bowl. Add the oil, yoghurt, and eggs and mix in with a fork.

2. Now add the water little by little, and using your hands, bring the flour together to make a soft dough.

3. Need the dough with damp hands for a minute or two until it is smooth; cover it and leave to rest for at least 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to the highest temperature. Put a heavy baking tray to heat in the oven, and pre-heat your grill.

5. Divide the dough into six equal portions. Dust your hands and taking one portion, roll it into a ball in the palms of your hands.

6. Roll the ball out into a tear shape, or a round if you prefer.

7. Carefully take the hot baking tray out of the oven, slap the nan onto it and immediately return to the oven for about three minutes.

8. Remove the baking tray and the nans from the oven and place then under a hot grill for 30 seconds to brown lightly and crisp the top.

9. Brush the top with the melted ghee and wrap in a clean napkin or tea towel and keep warm.

10. Repeat the process with all of the remaining dough. Make nans two at a time if the size of your baking tray and grill will permit.

11. Serve immediately.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Indian Starter Recipes - Tandoori King Prawns

We always buy frozen uncooked prawns still in their shells for this mouth-watering starter. Ready cooked prawns are not suitable.

Preparation and cooking time: 15 minutes.
Serves four.

Ingredients :

16 king prawns
1 cup tandoori marinade

Tandoori marinade ingredients:

2 cups plain yoghurt
2 green chillies
2 teaspoon grated green ginger
3 cloves garlic
1½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon black cummin
1½ teaspoon garam masala
2 teaspoon vinegar
2 tablespoon cooking oil
½ teaspoon red food colouring
½ teaspoon yellow food colouring

Method for Tandoori Marinade :

1. Combine the yoghurt, green chillies, ginger, and garlic in a blender until smooth.
2. Empty into a bowl and add all the remaining ingredients. Beat the mixture until glossy.


Method for Tandoori King Prawn :

1. Remove shells and beards from the prawns, wash and drain.

2. In a bowl, mix together the prawns and the marinade making sure that the prawns are well coated. (There is no need to marinate these for long and in fact they should not be left for longer than a few minutes.)

3. Preheat your oven to the maximum temperate.

4. Remove prawns from the marinade shaking off excess, and place on a rack in a shallow baking tray.

5. Bake near the top of the oven for 7-8 minutes.

6. Serve, sizzling on a sizzler dish if liked, with green salad, lemon slices, and yoghurt mint sauce).

Note. : Instead of baking, the prawns may be grilled under a very hot grill for about five minutes, turning once. Allow appropriately increased quantities if you wish to serve tandoori prawns as a main course dish.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Indian Starter Recipes - Seekh Kebabs

These are made from lean minced that is put through the mincer twice. The meat must be lean to give the correct flavour and texture. Mincing twice enhances the binding together of the meat.
Preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes.

Serves four.

Ingredients :

1 egg
1 tablespoon chopped onion
1 tablespoon chipped green capsicum
2 green chillies
2 teaspoon fresh ginger grated
3 cloves garlic
½ lb lean minced lamb, minced twice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garam masala
pinch red chilli powder
1 tablespoon finely chopped green coriander
1 teaspoon red food colouring

Method :

1. Blend the egg, onion, capsicum, chillies, ginger, and garlic in an electric blender until smooth.

2. Pour into a bowl and add all the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.

3. Preheat oven to maximum temperature.

4. Divide mixture into eight equal parts, and using floured hands, form into sausage shapes about four inches in length.

5. Place these on a rack in shallow baking tray and cook near the top of the oven for about 10-12 minutes.

6. Serve sizzling if liked, with a green salad, lemon wedges, and yoghurt mint sauce.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Indian Dal Recipes - Madras Rasam

Ingredients:

200g tomatoes
20g tamarind, soaked in hot water
20g garlic
4 glasses of any dal stock
4 green chilies
1 bunch of cilantro and curry leaves
1/4 tsp turmeric
Salt to taste

For rasam powder:

20g coriander seeds
10g pepper corns
5g cumin seeds
2 red chilies

Method:

1. Mix the tamarind water with crushed tomatoes and garlic, dal stock, green chilies, turmeric, salt and mix well. Keep aside.

2. Roast the ingredients of rasam powder without any oil and blend to a fine powder.

3. Add this powder to the above tamarind water and mix well.

4. Also add curry leaves, cilantro leaves and boil on heat until bubbles form in the mixture.

5. Remove from heat and serve.

Monday, May 26, 2008

Indian Dal Recipes - Khatta Chana Dal

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

250 gms chana dal (garbanzos)
1/2 cup tamarind pulp or juice
2 medium sized onions, chopped
4 tomatoes, sliced
3-4 green chilies, chopped
1" piece ginger, chopped
1 tbsp fine chana masala
Salt to taste
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp roasted black cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander powder
2 tbsp oil
Fresh coriander, chopped
Khatta Chana Dal

Method:

1. Wash chana dal and soak it overnight. Boil the soaked chana dal in a cooker for 15 minutes. Leave the chana dal aside and allow it to cool.

2. Heat a pan or karahi with 2 tbsp oil and add roasted black cumin seeds, coriander powder, chana masala, red chili powder, salt and fry for 1-2 minutes.

3. Also add ginger, chopped onions, green chilies, tomatoes and continue frying.

4. Now, add tamarind juice to the above mixture and mix them well.

5. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add chana dal to the mixture and cook for another 5-6 minutes.

6. Garnish with onion slices, tomato slices, and fresh coriander.

7. Serve with parathas, bread, or bhaturas.