Indian Sweet Recipes - Beetroot Halwa

Ingredients :

1 kg beetroot
1 1/2 litre milk
400-500 gm sugar
elaichi powder (cardomon)
saffron few flakes
1 tbsp ghee

Method :

1. Peel and grate beetroot.
2. Put milk and beetroot in a heavy saucepan.
3. Boil till thick, stirring occassionally. Once it starts thickening, stircontinuously.
4. Add sugar and cook further till thickens.
5. Add ghee, elaichi, saffron and colour.
6. Stir on low heat till the mixture collects in a soft ball or the ghee oozes out.
7. Serve hot, decorated with a chopped almond or pista.

Indian Sweet Recipes - Badam ka Seera

Ingredients :

1 1/2 cup almonds soaked overnight
3 cups hot milk
250 gm ghee
1/2 to 1/3 cup sugar

Method :

1. Peel the almonds, wash and grind to fine paste.
2. Heat ghee in a heavy pan.
3. Add paste and cook on first high then slow flame, stirring continuosly.
4. After a while it should turn a light brown and aromatic.
5. Carefully pour hot milk and stir.
6. Use a long-handled spatula as the mixture tends to splatter.
7. When thickens, add the sugar and cook, stirring continously and gently till ghee begins to separate.
8. Decorate with chopped nuts and serve hot.

Indian Breakfast Recipes - Mixed Dal Dosas

Makes: 8-10 medium sized dosas

Ingredients:

1 cup rice
1/3 cup each yellow moong, channa, udad dal
2 tbsp. curds
1/2 tsp. soda bicsarb
2 tbsp. oil
salt to taste
oil to shallow fry

Method:

1. Wash rice separately and dals toghether.
2. Soak in plenty of water and keep aside for 5-6 hours.
3. Wet grind the rice till semolina type grain can be felt.
4. Wet grind rice till fine.Mix both batters.
5. Add the curds, salt, soda and oil.
6. Mix well till fluffy and light.
7. Keep aside for 3-4 hours before making dosas.
8. Heat griddle, pour batter and make as for plain dosas.
9. Serve hot with chutney.
10. Make thin or thick as desired.

Indian Breakfast Recipes - Simple Potato Cake

Making time: 40 minutes

Ingredients :

3 large potatoes
1 capsicum
1/2 cup grated cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup milk
1red chilli crushed
2 tsp butter
1 tbsp. plain flour

Method :

1. The potatoes will turn out best if boiled and refrigerated overnight before using.
2. Do not peel potatoes. Slice into thin rounds or grate coarsely.
3. Deseed capsicum and slice into thin rounds
4. Heat a thick nonstick pan about 5" diameter.
5. Meanwhile mix cheese, milk, crumbs, flour and chilli.
6. If mixture feels thin, add some more bread crumbs.
7. Add salt to taste. Apply 1 tsp. on bottom of pan.
8. Arrange potatoes to cover the pan. Top with capsicum.
9. Pour the mixture all over evenly. Level to cover all the potatoes.
10. Sprinkle fresh ground pepper, salt and simmer on low till bottom is golden brown.
11. Flip over very carefully with a wide sharp spatula, and roast the other side.
12. Let in the remaining butter around the edges to seep down.
13. Let other side become golden brown too.
14. Flip on serving plate and make sections with a knife.
15. Serve hot and crisp.

Variation: Bake the same if desired, instead if roasting.

Indian Non-Vegetarian Rice Recipes - Fish Biryani

Cooking Time : 1 jour 15 minutes
Serves : 4-6

Ingredients :

For the Fish :

500 gm any firm white fish, cut into 5 cm cubes
2 medium Onions, thinly sliced
4-6 garlic cloves, ground into paste
3 Tomatoes, finely sliced
2 Cup Fenugreek Leaves, chopped
1 tsp Coriander Powder
½ tsp Red Chilli Powder
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
½ tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Salt
1 ½ tbsp Lemon Juice
4 tbsp Oil

For the Rice :

2 Cups Rice
5-6 cloves
2 Bay Leaves (tej patta)
2.5 cm Cinnamon piece
8-10 Black Peppercorns
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 tsp Salt
3 tbsp Oil

To Assemble the Biryani :

¼ cup Milk
1 tbsp Oil

Method :

For the Fish :

1. Heat the oil in a pan, Add Onions and Garlic paste. Fry until well browned.
2. Add the tomatoes and fry until the oil separates.
3. Add all the dry spices and fenugreek leaves, frying until the leaves are cooked. Do not allow the masala to become dry, adding a little water if necessary.
4. Add the fish and 1 cup of water, Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the fish is cooked.
5. Stir in the lemon juice and keep aside.

For the Rice :

1. Wash and then soak rice in 4 cups of water for 20 minutes. Drain the rice, reserving the water used for soaking.
2. Heat the oil in a pan, Add all the spices and stir well.
3. Add the rice and fry for 2-3 minutes
4. Add the water in which the rice was soaked, Cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes, or, until the rice becomes tender.
5. Remove from the heat and keep tightly covered until required.

To Assemble the Biryani :

1. Put the cooked fish in an ovenproof dish, Add half the cooked rice and gently mix in with the fish taking care not to break the rice grains.
2. Spread the remaining rice on top and pour in ¼ cup of milk and 1tbsp of oil.
3. Cover and put in pre-heated oven for 10-15 minutes at 160 C / 325 F
4. Serve with Cucumber Salad.

Indian Non-Vegetarian Curry Recipes - Lamb Pasanda

The lamb for this dish will need to be prepared in advance as it requires marinating. Will serve three or four.

Preparation and cooking time: 35-40 minutes.

Ingredients :

1 lb (450g) lean lamb
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain yoghurt
4 tablespoon vegetable oil
3/4 pint (425ml or three cups) curry sauce (page 20)
1 teaspoon each, salt and paprika
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ground cummin
1 tablespoon roughly chopped cashew nuts (optional)
4 tablespoon double cream
1 tablespoon finely chopped green coriander

Preparation Method :

1. Wash the meat and cut into slices about a ¼ inch (0.5cm) thick and three inches (7.5cm) by two inches (5cm). Boil in salted water for 15 minutes until the meat is tender.

2. Mix the yoghurt and the salt in a bowl and put in the meat slices whilst still hot. Stir, coating the meat well and marinate for at least two hours or up to 24 hours.

3. Heat the oil in a large deep frying pan, pour in the sauce and bring it to the boil. Stir in the salt and paprika and cook on high heat for five minutes stirring frequently.

4. Now turn down the heat and stir in the garam masala, cummin, and nuts. Also add the meat, shaking off as much of the yoghurt as you can. Stir and simmer for five minutes or so.

5. Spoon off any oil and stir in the cream and half the coriander. Simmer for a minute.

6. Sprinkle the remaining coriander on top just before serving.