Indian Bread Recipes - Tandoori Roti (without Tandoor)

Ingredients :

2 cups slightly coarse wheat flour
1/4 cups maida
2 tbsp ghee
2 tbsp curd
salt to taste.

Directions :

1. Knead slightly stiff dough cover and keep for 2 hours.
2. Take naan sized dough and make a ball.
3. Roll to a thickish roti (4-5 mm thick).
4. Heat griddle (tawa) place on tawa and dry one side.
5. Wet upper side with water and invert.
6. Invert griddle and roast over gas flame (or if available a barb- que coalfire). It will fall off when done.
7. Serve hot with desired vegetables.

Indian Bread Recipes - Spicy Roti

Ingredients :

1 1/2 cups wheat flour
1/2 cups gram flour
1 1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp oil
salt to taste
1/2 turmeric powder
2-3 pinches asafaetida
1/2 tsp each cummin / oregano seeds
finely chopped coriander
1 tbsp water

Method :

1. Knead a slightly stiff dough, adding all above ingredients, cover with wet cloth.
2. Break off bits and make small potato sized balls. Roll to 3-4mm thickness.
3. Roast on griddle (tawa) as for phulka. Or after brown spots appear place direct on gas flame and puff,with help of tongs.
4. Phulka also may be done similarly if puffing with cloth, feels difficult.
5. Apply ghee or butter and serve hot with sweetened mango preserve (chunda) or curds or jam.

Indian Non-Vegetarian Recipes - Mutton-Do-Piaza

Preparation Time : 15 minutes + marination time
Cooking Time : 42 minutes
Serves : 6

Ingredients :

500 gm mutton pieces
4 tbsp oil
2 medium onions
2.5 cm ginger piece
10 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 cup yoghurt
1 medium onion thinly sliced
15 almonds, blanched and ground to a paste
4 green cardamoms
A pinch of saffron diluted in 1 tbsp of water

1 onion, thinly sliced and deep-fried, for garnishing

Method :

1. Finely grind the onions, ginger and garlic to a paste.
2. Marinate the mutton with the paste together with the salt, red chilli powder, garam masala and yoghurt. Leave aside for at least 1 hour.
3. Heat the oil in a pressure-cooker; add the sliced onion and fry until golden brown.
4. Add the marinated mutton with the marinade and fry for 5 minutes.
5. Add the almond paste and choti elaichi; fry doe 20-25 minutes until the gravy becomes dark brown in colour.
6. Add 2 cups of water, cover and pressure-cook for 10 minutes.
7. Add saffron and serve garnished with the fried onion.

Indian Non-Vegetarian Recipes - Palak Chicken ( Spinach Chicken)

Preparation Time : 10 minutes + marination time
Cooking Time : 40 minutes
Serves : 3-4

Ingredients :

For the Marinade :
250 gm boneless chicken, cut into 2.5 cm cubes
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp garam masala

For the Gravy :
4 tbsp oil
A pinch of Asafoetida
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
2 tsp coriander powder
3/4 tsp salt
200 gm palak (spinach leaves), chopped roughly
100 gm methi (fenugreek leaves), chopped roughly
1 tbsp tomato puree

Method :

1. Marinate the chicken in the lemon juice and garam masala for at least half an hour.
2. Heat the oil in a pan; remove the pan from heat, add all dry spices, stirring continuosly and return the pan to a medium heat.
3. Add the palak & Methi; cook for about 15 minutes or until the oil separates & the palak is well browned.
4. Add 1 cup of water and simmer until all the liquid dries up.
5. Add the tomato puree and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
6. Add the chicken pieces & cook for about 8-10 minutes, until the chicken is tender.
7. Serve garnished with sliced green chillies.

Indian Breakfast Recipes - Poha

Making time: 15 mins (excluding soaking time)
Serves: 3

Ingredients :

1 cup beaten rice (poha)
1/4 cup crushed groundnuts
1/4 cup grated or scraped coconut
1/4 cup coriander leaves
1 stalk curryleaves chopped
1/4 tsp sugar
salt to taste
5-6 green chillies
1 tsp lime juice
1 1/2 tbsp oil
2 onions chopped
1 small potato chopped
1/2 tsp each cumin & mustard seeds.

Directions :

1. Wash poha till clean. Drain water sprinkle a handful of clear water and keep aside.
2. After 15 minutes loosen the poha gently, and break lumps with fingers.
3. In a heavy saucepan, heat oil, add seeds and then potatoes.
4. Stir for 2-3 minutes. Add onion, chillies and curry leaves. Stir and fry onions till tender. Take off fire.
5. Add poha and all other ingredients. Save some coconut and coriander leaves for garnishing. Mix very well. Adjust salt and lime as per taste.
6. Return to low flame till hot. Stir gently every now and then.
7. Transfer to serving dish and garnish with coriander and coconut.
8. Serve hot with freshly brewed coffee.

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. Wet grind rice till fine. Mix both batters.
4. Add the curds, salt, soda and oil. Mix well till fluffy and light.
5. Keep aside for 3-4 hours before making dosas.
6. Heat griddle, pour batter and make as for plain dosas.
7. Serve hot with chutney.
8. Make thin or thick as desired.

Indian Fish Curry Recipes - Prawn And Mushroom

As with the other prawn dishes in this chapter, use either king prawns or small prawns. Cook uncooked king prawns in boiling salted water for five minutes and cut into two pieces before using.

Serves four.
Preparation and cooking time: 15-20 minutes.

Ingredients :

4 oz (110g) button mushrooms
6 tablespoon vegetable oil
¾ pint (425ml or three cups) curry sauce (page 20)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon chilli powder
½ teaspoon ground coriander
12 oz (350g) peeled prawns defrosted as necessary
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon finely chopped green coriander

Directions :

1. Rinse and halve, quarter, or thickly slice the mushrooms according to size.

2. Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan and fry the mushrooms on medium heat for four minutes.

3. Add the curry sauce, salt, chilli powder, and ground coriander.

4. Bring the sauce to the boil on high heat and cook for around five minutes until thickened.

5. Now add the prawns and garam masala and simmer for three minutes.

6. Drain off excess oil and serve sprinkled with green coriander.

Indian Fish Curry Recipes - Prawn Curry

Use king prawns or the smaller variety as you prefer. If using uncooked king prawns, cook them in boiling salted water for five minutes and cut each prawn in half. Remember, you can produce a prawn madras or vindaloo simply by increasing the amount of chilli powder.

Serves 3-4.

Preparation and cooking time: 10-15 minutes.

Ingredients :

4 tablespoon vegetable oil
¾ pint (425ml or three cups) curry sauce
½ teaspoon salt
Pinch of chilli powder or to taste
½ teaspoon ground coriander
12 oz (350g) peeled prawns defrosted as necessary
½ teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon finely chopped green coriander

Method :

1. Heat the oil in a large deep frying pan and pour in the curry sauce.

2. Bring to the boil and cook on a medium/high heat for about five minutes until you have a thick sauce.

3. Stir in all the remaining ingredients except for the green coriander and simmer, stirring frequently, for four or five minutes.

4. Sprinkle the green coriander over just before serving.

Curry Sauce

For approximately eight main course dishes.

Preparation and cooking time: 1 hr 30 minutes approx.

Ingredients :

2 lb (900g) cooking onions
2 oz (50g) green ginger
2 oz (50g) garlic
2¾ pint (I litre 570ml) water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tin (8oz/225g) tomatoes
8 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon tomato puree
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon paprika


Preparation Method :

Stage One :

1. Peel and rinse the onions, ginger, and garlic. Slice the onions and roughly chop the ginger and garlic.
2. Put the ginger and garlic into a blender with about ½ pint of the water and blend until smooth.
3. Take a large saucepan and put into it the onions, the blended garlic and ginger, and the remainder of the water.
4. Add the salt and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat to very low and simmer, with the lid on, for 40-45 minutes.
5. Leave to cool.

Stage Two :

1. Once cooled, pour half the boiled onion mixture into a blender and blend until perfectly smooth. Absolute smoothness is essential. To be certain, blend for at least two minutes.
2. Pour the blended onion mixture into a clean pan or bowl and repeat with the other half of the boiled onion mixture.
3. Wash and dry the saucepan. Reserve about four tablespoons of the sauce at this stage to use in cooking the chicken and lamb Freezing. Freezing is best done at this stage.

Stage Three :

1. Open the can of tomatoes, put into the rinsed blender jug, and blend. Again, it is important that they are blended perfectly smooth, so blend for two minutes.
2. Into the clean saucepan, pour the oil, tomato puree, turmeric, and paprika.
3. Add the blended tomatoes and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for ten minutes.
4. Now add the onion mixture to the saucepan and bring to the boil again. Turn down the heat enough to keep the sauce at a simmer.
5. You will notice at this stage that a froth rises to the surface of the sauce. This needs to be skimmed off.
6. Keep simmering for 20-25 minutes. Stirring now and again to prevent the sauce sticking to the bottom of the saucepan.
7. Use immediately or cool and refrigerate for up to four days.

Indian Starter Recipes - Spinach Vadai

Ingredients :

Moong dhall 2 cups
Channa dhall 1 cup
Rice 1/2 cup
Spinach 1 bunch finely chopped
Ginger a small piece
grated Green Chilles 3-4
Hing a small pinch
Salt 1 t.spoon
Cooking Oil for frying

Method :

1. Soak the dhalls for 1 hour in water.
2. Grind ginger, green chilles, hing, salt and the soaked dhall coarsely.
3. Add chopped spinach and makes small balls and deep fry in oil.

Indian Starter Recipes - Gobi Manchurian

Ingredients :

1 small Cauliflower, cut into flowerets
2 tbsp garlic paste
2 tbsp ginger paste
2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp green chilli paste
1/2 bunch coriander leaves, chopped finely
A pinch of saffron (or red coloring), dissolved in milk
2-3 green onions (scallions), chopped finely (If you cannot find green onions, you can substitute with white, ordinary onions)
1 1/2 teaspoon of garlic, chopped
2 tsp soya sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon of cornflour , dissolved in water
1 tablespoon chapati atta (wheat flour)
1/2 cup rice flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup of cornflour
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying the cauliflower
2 tablespoon oil for sauce

Method :

1. In a large bowl,combine the chapati atta , rice flour, 1/2 cup cornflour,baking powder, salt, soy sauce, 1 tablespoon garlic/ginger paste, 1 tsp chilli powder, turmeric powder and 1 tablespoon green chilli paste. Mix well with water, till you get the consistency of thin batter.

2. Dip the cauliflower flowerets in this batter and deep fry in oil, drain and set aside.

3. In a open pan, add some oil and when it smokes add the remaining garlic and ginger paste. The minute it starts turning brown, add the chopped onions and fry only till they start becoming translucent.

4. Now add the chopped garlic and green chilli paste and fry for a minute.

5. Add the soy souce and stir for a minute.

6. Bring down the heat and then add the cornflour-water paste and the red coloring. The mixture will start to thicken......keep on stirring on low heat and when the mixture turns thick enough, add the chopped corainder leaves and stir for 20 seconds. The leaves should not lose thier color.

7. Take this mixture from the heat and pour it onto the fried caulilower. If you desire, you can add the cauliflower when the mixture is in the pan itself in the last stage. But this will turn the cauliflower soggy..It all depends on how you like to eat the Cauliflower manchurian...soft or crispy...

Indian Curry Recipes - Mix Veg Curry

Making time: 20 minutes.
Makes: 2 servings

Ingredients :

1 cup mixed vegetables sliced, boiled
(use carrot, cauliflower, beans, peas, potato, etc.)
1 tomato sliced
1/2 coconut grated
1/2 tsp. ginger grated
1/2 tsp. garlic crushed
3 green chillies
1 tbsp. sesame seeds
1/2 tsp. each cumin, mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
salt to taste
1 tsp.lemon juice
2 cloves
1" piece cinnamon
2 tbsp. butter

Method :

1. Drain the boiled vegetables, keep stock aside.
2. Blend together, coconut, chillies, sesame seeds, cinnamon, cloves in mixie.
3. Heat butter, add seeds, allow to splutter.
4. Add ginger, garlic and paste.
5. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes.
6. Add vegetables except tomatoes.
7. Add 1/2 cup stock. Cover, simmer for 5 minutes.
8. Add salt, chilli powder,tomatoes and cook till gravy is thick.
9. Serve hot with parathas or chappatis.

Indian Curry Recipe - Cauliflower Curry

(serves 6)

Ingredients :

Cauliflower - 3 cups (in flowerets) Peeled
cubed potatoes
2 cups Oil
4 tablespoons Coriander leaves
1 tablespoon Rasam powder
2 teaspoon Cummin seeds
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Sugar
1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Hing powder
1/4 teaspoon Onion
2 Green chillies
2 Capsicum
1 Ginger

Method:

1. Chop all vegetables.

2. Heat three tablespoons oil in a kadai, add the cummin seeds and hing powder.

3. When the cummin seeds splutter add the onions, capsicum, green chillies and ginger into the hot oil and fry till the onion turns golden.

4. Add tomatoes and fry till it becomes mushy.

5. Add cauliflower, potatoes and turmeric powder, fry a bit, add salt, sugar and quarter cup of water.

6. Cover and cook till the vegetables are cooked and the curry is dry.

7. Add the rasam powder, coriander leaves and the remaining one tablespoon of oil-fry till you get a lovely aroma.

8. Remove and serve piping hot with rotis or rice. (Plain potato curry can also be made the same way).

Indian Yogurt Dishes - Yoghurt Flavoured with Garlic and Cummin

The combination of garlic and cummin flavours is quite unusual in a yoghurt dish, but the wonderful taste of this preparation only serves to illustrate the wide variety of ingredients that can be successfully added to yoghurt.

Serves four.
Preparation time: 4-5 minutes.

Ingredients :

1 pint (570ml) plain yoghurt
1 teaspoon salt
1 small clove garlic
½-1 green chilli finely chopped
1 teaspoon whole cummin
2 teaspoons finely chopped onion
Pinch turmeric

Method :

1. Put the yoghurt and salt into a bowl and beat with a fork until smooth and creamy.
2. Crush the garlic using a garlic press or chop very finely.
3. Add yoghurt together with the remaining ingredients and mix.
4. Serve immediately or keep in the refrigerator until required.

Indian Chutney Recipes - Mint Chutney

Ingredients :

1 bunch mint leaves, washed and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small piece ginger, sliced
4-5 green chillies, chopped
1 tsp coconut(optional), shredded
2-3 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp cumin seeds or powder
1 tsp urad dhal
1 tsp channa dal
Salt to taste

Method :

1. Fry all these in a little oil, one by one.
2. Blend to a smooth paste using a little water.

Indian Chutney Recipes - Tomato Chutney

Ingredients :

2 medium tomatoes, choppped
1/2 tsp hing(asoefetida)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp methi(fenugreek) seeds
1 tablespoon coconut, shredded
3 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp dhania (coriander) powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 very small ball of tamarind , de-seeded
1 small onion, minced finely
2 clovettes of garlic, minced finely
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons oil for frying

Method :

1. Heat 1/2 the amount of oil and add the methi.
2. Fry for a minute and then add the tomatoes.
3. Fry till the tomatoes turn soft.
4. Blend this into a smooth paste, along with the tamarind and the coconut.
5. Set aside.
6. Heat the rest of the oil and add the chopped garlic and onion.
7. Fry till the onion turns translucent and the garlic browns.
8. Now add the spices(red chilli, turmeric and dhania) and fry for half a minute.
9. Add the blended paste, salt and hing and heat through.
10. Goes very well with plain rice or chapati.

Indian Pickle Recipes - Tamarind Pickle (Pulikkachal)

Ingredients :

Coriander Seeds (Dhaniya),
Ffenugreek Seeds,
Sesame Seeds - each 1 spoon
Asafoetida - 1/4 spoon

Method :

1. Slightly roast the above without oil and grind into fine powder.

2. Pour 3 spoons of oil in a fry pan and add some gram dal and whole red peppers and fry slightly.

3. Add tamarind juice to this and bring it to boil.

4. Add salt and heat with constant stirring until the mixture becomes thick.

5. Now add the ground powder and stir constantly with heating until it becomes a non-sticky paste.

6. Store in refrigerator.

Indian Pickle Recipes - Lime Pickle

Ingredients :

Fresh lime(large size, thin skin, ripe) - 6
Chilli Powder - 4 spoons
Asafoetida - 1/2 spoon
Sesame Oil - 1/4 cup
Fenugreek Seeds
Salt- 4 spoons

Method :

1. Fresh lime, cut into medium pieces.(Preseve the juice while cutting).

2. Add salt- 4 spoons, red chilli powder - 4 spoons, asafoetida - 1/2 spoon and mix well.

3. Next day add 1/4 cup of sesame oil and leave it aside.

4. Next day, add mustard seeds to 4 spoons of oil and when it splatters add fenugreek seeds and asafoetida.

5. Add this to the pickle and mix.

6. Store in refrigerator.

Indian Sweet Recipes - Khajur Burfi or Rolls

Ingredients :

1 tin condensed milk
1 kg khajur deseeded (dates)
250 gm mixed dryfruits (badam, cashew, pista)
1/2 cup dessicated dry coconut

Method :

1. Break up khajur coarsely
2. Add milkmaid and dryfruit all in a heavy, non-stick pan.
3. Cook on slow flame, stirring continuously.
4. Do not allow to stick to bottom.
5. It takes a while to cook
6. Stir gently till a soft lump forms.
7. Spread some of the coconut on a butter paper sheet.
8. Grease hands and take a chunk of the mixture and roll into a thick roll, on the sheet, all the coconut to cover it.
9. Chill the rolls in the fridge
10. Cut into slices
11. Or set in a tray and cut into squares.

Indian Sweet Recipes - Chickoo Halwa

Ingredients :

6 chickoos
1/2 tea cup milk
1/4 - 1/3 cup sugar
150 gms khoya or milk powder made paste.
2 - 3 drops cochineal (essence)
1 tbsp ghee

Method :

1. Peel and mash chickoos or blend.
2. Add milk and boil in heavy saucepan.
3. When slightly thick add khoya and cook, stirring continuously.
4. Add sugar and ghee. Cook on low turning continuously till ghee oozes.
5. Garnish with almond or walnut in centre of the halwa.