Rice Idli

Rice Idli & Sambhar

A light, healthy and delicious dish that can be eaten any time of the day, originated from south India, traditionally Idli is made from rice flour, black gram flour, water and salt. Steam cooked in a special Idli tray and served with a Sambhar (an Indian style soup) & Coconut Chutney.

Various variations of Idli's can be made from the use of semolina instead of rice, added fenugreek and spices as the above picture to small mini ones. We have a range of Instant Idli Mixes, all you would need is to buy yourself an Idli Tray which can be purchased at Asian cookwares. 

Dopiaza/Dupiaza/Do Peeaza

A traditional Mogul dish, the term means any meats cooked with vegetables. The dish found in restaurants today in the west uses two kinds of onions or the same amount of onions as the meat. Hence coming from the name which sounds like two onions. Is this another recipe that has been created by our chefs in the Midlands or is it a true dish? Cooking with the same amounts of onions and meats can make a dish very sweet, so my opinion would be to use two onions in the different stages of cooking, i.e. adding fried brown onions on top, just before serving.

Karahi/Korai

Cast iron wok with two ring handles on either side, used to create dishes like Lamb Karahi which you will find in certain south Asian restaurants. Like Chinese woks, the method here is the same, quick cooking times due to the heat cast iron gives off, once hot, often stays hot, even after removing from the heat.

Karahi Egg Kheema

Korma/Kurma/Qorma

Is a mild curry dish, such as Vegetable Korma or Lamb Korma. This is a slow process of cooking, where ghee or oil is the base of the curry and through the cooking process, all water, juices from the yogurt, tomatoes and meats have evaporated to leave only the ghee, oil and a rich thick sauce. Korma dishes found in many of the restaurants in the west today are mild, consisting of either vegetables or meats, spices, yogurt or a cream base with almonds, cashew nuts and cardamoms to flavour.

The different types of south Asian Kebabs you may find on menus

Sheekh - marinated mincemeat cooked on skewers.

Tikka or Botti - cubed meats, marinated, skewered and barbequed.

Chapli - finely ground mincemeat, marinated in herbs, spices, egg and then shallow fried.

Shami - mincemeat patties made from spices and yellow gram, shallow fried.

The name Jalfrezi

The name has known to have been introduced during the British Raj of India as a style of cooking rather than a dish, when left over roast meats and vegetables were stir fried in oil, dry spices and chillies, by colonial chefs. Later a little water, yogurt or tomatoes was added, to make a semi dry sauce.

The Jalfrezi, Jhal Frezi or Jalfrazi was born and like the different pronunciations and cooking styles coming from the different parts of India, there is still some confusion to what it actually means from hot fry to dry fry and even Jhal meaning spicy food in Bengali and Parhezi suitable for a diet in Urdu. Though whatever the real meaning, the cooking style remains the same, meats or vegetables stir fried in spices and chillies.

In the west Chicken Jalfrezi has undoubtedly become a popular dish and is classed as the second hottest dish on the menu after Vindaloo, with various chefs and restaurants having their own unique recipe for cooking it. It’s mostly identified with chunks of chicken, onions, bell peppers, and green chillies in a semi dried sauce. Commonly made by stir frying chunks of chicken in a very hot wok of oil, spices and herbs, a little water, yogurt or tomato juice is added to stop the chicken sticking to the bottom of the pan, while producing a little sauce. Finally large cubed onions, green bell peppers, tomatoes and sliced green chillies are added for the last 10-15 minutes to soften, before serving hot.

Tandoori

Tandoori is a traditional cooking style, which has been around for many hundreds of years in various parts of the world. Similar to barbecuing the difference here is that the cooking takes place in a Tandoor which is a cylindrical oven made of special clay, heated by either charcoal, wood, gas or electricity.

The cylindrical clay shape allows temperatures in a tandoor to reach up to 480°C (900°F), making cooking times quicker and meats cooked to perfection.

The cooking style involves marinating, meats, fish or vegetables, in either yogurt, herbs, spices and lemon juice, for up to 12 hours and then placing them in the tandoor with special long skewers, where they become Tandoori.

Tandoori Chicken is far the most popular dish that is cooked in a tandoor and is identified by its deep red colour, often caused by the use of a mild and colourful chilli powder or red food colouring in the west. Other dishes you may find are Tandoori Prawns & Tandoori Lobsters.

Tandoori Naan & Rotis (breads) are also made in this device, rolled out and slapped on to the inside of the clay moulds, ready in minutes.

Who Created Chicken Tikka Masala?

“Chicken Tikka Masala is now a true British national dish, not only because it is the most popular, but because it is a perfect illustration of the way Britain absorbs and adapts external influences. Chicken Tikka is an Indian dish. The masala sauce was added to satisfy the desire of the British people to have their meat served in gravy”Extract from a speech by former British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook (2001)

Today you will find various types of Chicken Tikka Masala’s served in our restaurants; the Chicken Tikkas (marinated chicken chunks char-grilled in a clay oven) are most likely to be the same. The Masala (sauce), well that depends on the chef, sauces can vary from the spices used to the base of the sauce which may either be made from tomatoes, yogurt or cream. Most chefs add almond powder to thicken the sauce, before the cooked chicken tikkas are stir fried in the sauce for a few minutes before being served.

Who created Chicken Tikka Masala?

It was never seen on restaurant menus throughout India and the first suggestion is that it was created in England in the earlier 70's, when a customer at an Indian restaurant demanded some sauce with his Chicken Tikka as he believed the dish to be dry. While for years various restaurants and regions in the United Kingdom have claimed of creating the dish, others say, it was originally created by mogul chefs during the Mogul Empire, between 15th and 19th century.

Last week another revelation came out in the headlines, claiming that it was created in Glasgow:

Glasgow Invented Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka Masala Row Grows 

There are many theories of who may have invented such a dish, though no real evidence to suggest the truth. Will we ever find out?

Vindaloo

For all of you who visit Indian restaurants, know the dish Vindaloo, but do you know where the dish and the word originates from?


Originally introduced by the Portuguese as a pork casserole kind of dish to Goa in the 15 century during their settlement, consisting of wine (vino) and garlic (aloo).

Through the years the Goan people have redefined it to suit there own tastes, using spices, chillies, vinegar and sometimes even Feni, a local liquor made from cashew nuts, though still cooked with pork. Renaming it Pork Vindaloo.

The dish today found in the west is the hottest fiery dish on the menu with a smooth curry sauce, tablespoons of extra hot chilli powder added, though not cooked with pork and replaced with either chicken or lamb. This is because most chefs are Hindu or Muslim and do not cook with pork due to customs and religion.
So now you know!


The above picture is of Arambol Beach in North Goa, one of the many popular beaches in the region. For those who have never visited India or Goa, I highly recommend visiting this paradise region to unwind and take in the culture and cuisine of India's most popular tourist destination. From chilling in the beach shacks, shopping in the flee markets or dancing the night away at a full moon party, their is plenty ways to enjoy your stay. Now let's not forget the food, Goa has hundreds of mouth watering restaurants and eateries along the coast, ranging from traditional Goan to Chinese.

So if you are thinking of visiting Goa in the near future, a must is the Souza Lobo Restaurant, established in 1932 located on Calangute Beach which captures the true essence of Goa and its cuisine. Popular traditional Goan dishes to try: Pork Vindaloo, Prawn Balchao (spicy prawn curry cooked in a vinegar sauce), Xacuti (lamb or chicken curry), Sorpotel (pork or lamb cooked in a spicy vinegar sauce), Spicy Goan Sausages and not forgetting a shot of the local brew Feni.