Aloo Tikki

Is something like your fried potato cake or croquette though much spicy.

Taste's delicious!

Ingredients

1.5kg boiled potatoes, just cooked, skin removed

4 stalks of spring onions

5-6 Indian green chillies, finely chopped

1 large teaspoon finely grated ginger

2tsp salt

1 ½ tsp sugar

1tsp chilli powder

½ tsp ground white pepper

1tsp mango powder

3tbsp plain flour

3tbsp cornflour

1tsp ground black pepper

oil for shallow frying, at least 1½cm

Preparation

Sieve through the plain flour, cornflour and ground black pepper into a bowl and leave aside.

Place the cooked potatoes in a large bowl and sprinkle in all the herbs and spices.

Using a fork break into the potatoes and mix all the ingredients together. You don't want a mash though the potatoes broken into little pieces.

Make little patties around 4cm in diameter and 2½cm thick, leave to one side.

Place the patties into the plain flour mixture and coat well. Shake a little to get rid of any excess flour and place back on a plate.

Heat up the oil in a frying pan on a medium heat, once hot try one to begin with. They should fry very easily, around 3-4 minutes on each side and should brown slightly. Remove to a plate of kitchen towels to drain excess oil.If you are happy then fry the Aloo Tikki in batches of 5-6, otherwise reduce or increase heat slightly.

Serve Hot! 

Stir Fried Pak Choi in Garlic, Ginger & Chillies

Went next door to the Asian fresh vegetable shop and found pak choi, it's amazing the availability of variety of Asian vegetables in our local and large supermarkets. It just makes us want to try out new recipes, that we may only find in restaurants.

So here is my take on one of my favourite vegetables, pak choi, baby Chinese cabbage, stir fried in garlic, ginger and red chillies. Though a Chinese dish, this vegetable dish can go with any cuisine.

Ingredients

Serves 2

250gm Baby Pak Choi, separate stalks and leaves

3 cloves garlic, finely sliced into strips

1 small piece of ginger, finely sliced into strips

2-3 fresh red chillies, finely sliced

200ml vegetable stock

1tsp sugar

1tsp salt

1tbsp dark soy sauce

1tsp fresh lemon juice

1tbsp sesame oil

4tbsp olive oil

Cooking

In a small bowl, pour in the sesame oil, soya sauce, lemon juice, salt, sugar, stir and leave a side.

Heat the olive oil on a high heat in a wok or deep frying pan.

Once hot, throw in the garlic, ginger, chillies and stir fry for a minute.

Add the stalks of the pak choi and stir fry for 2 minutes.

Add the leaves and stir fry for a further 2 minutes.

 Pour in the vegetable stock and soya sauce mixture, stir and allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes, before serving.

Garlic Chicken Curry

Murgh Lasuni in other words, what you might see on a menu in any top Indian restaurant, chicken curry with loads of garlic.

I myself just love garlic and tend to throw loads of the stuff in many of my dishes. This particular recipe is quick and simple to make, which is as authentic and absolutely delicious for garlic lovers.

Ingredients

750gm small boneless chicken cubes

6tbsp olive oil

2 small white onions, finely chopped

8-10 black peppercorns

1 ½ tbsp crushed garlic

2-4 fresh green chillies, finely crushed

6 medium ripe tomatoes, liquidised

2tbsp natural plain yogurt (Bio Pot), whipped

1tsp garam masala

1tsp turmeric powder

1tsp chilli powder

1tsp ground coriander

1 ½ tsp salt

Preparation

In a large frying pan, preferably one with a lid, heat up the olive oil on a medium heat. Once the oil is hot, throw in the peppercorns and allow to crackle for 20 seconds. Add the onions, garlic, chillies and allow too sauté until dark brown.

Add the chicken and stir fry until all the pieces of chicken turn white.

Mix the blended tomatoes and yogurt well and pour in, stir, lower heat and cook for 30 minutes with a lid on, stirring occasionally.

Sprinkle in all the dry spices, stir and cook for a further 15 minutes.

I garnish this dish with fried flakes of garlic for that extra feel.

Serve Hot with Naan bread & rice.

Sweet Corn Curry

A Gujarati favourite sweetcorn in a spicy rich tomato creamy sauce.

Serves 6

Ingredients

750gm sweetcorn

500gm tinned chopped tomatoes, blended in a liquidiser

1 medium white onion, finely chopped

1tbsp crushed garlic

1tbsp crushed ginger

2-3 fresh green chillies, finely chopped

3tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped

6tbsp red peanuts, coarsely grounded

1tsp chilli powder

1tsp turmeric powder

1tsp ground coriander

1tsp garam masala

1tsp pomegranate powder

2tsp salt

100ml single cream

8tbsp sunflower oil

Preparation

In a fairly large pot, heat up the oil on a medium heat, once hot sprinkle in the cumin seeds and allow to crackle for 20 seconds. Add the onions, garlic, ginger, crushed chillies and saute until light brown.

Sprinkle in the coarsely grounded red peanuts and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.

Pour in the blended tomatoes, sweetcorn and the also the dried spices, stir well and allow to simmer for 30 minutes with a lid on, stirring occasionally.

Finally pour in the single cream, sprinkle in the coriander, stir and cook for a further 10 minutes before serving hot, goes well with naan bread.

Spicy Butter Mushrooms

Very very naughty, though taste's divine.

Ingredients

600gms open cap mushrooms

4tbsp natural plain yogurt, whipped

2tbsp fresh lemon juice

6tbsp olive oil

75gm butter

1tsp turmeric powder

1tsp ground cumin

1tsp ground coriander

½tsp ground black pepper

1tsp chilli powder

1tsp salt

2tbsp crushed garlic

3-4 red chillies, finely chopped

3tbsp fresh coriander finely chopped

Preparation

In a fairly large bowl pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil, sprinkle in the dry spices and stir well.

Pour in the yogurt, lemon juice and whisk in well.

Throw in the mushrooms, stir in well, coating all the pieces with the marinade, allow to marinate for a few hours or use straight away.

In a medium frying pan or wok, add the rest of the olive oil and butter, allow to heat over a medium heat, once hot, add garlic, red chillies, fresh coriander and saute for a minute.

Add the mushrooms and stir fry for 15-17 minutes, until cooked.

Serve hot with warm bread of you're choice.

Coastal Fish Curry

Fish and rice is a stable diet through many parts of the world, specially throughout Asia, in particular coastal areas. In India such regions like Kerala and the areas around the Bay of Bengal are popular with fish and rice dishes, though the style's of dishes vary when it comes to fish and the sauce. Below is my version of a coastal fish curry, hope you like it.

Ingredients

400gms Fish Fillets (Cod or Tilipia)

2 medium red onions

1tbsp ginger paste

5 medium ripe tomatoes, de-skinned and blended

400ml coconut milk

1tsp mustard seeds

50gm cashew nuts, coarsely grounded

1tsp ground coriander

1tsp garam masala

1tsp ground turmeric

1tsp chilli powder

½ tsp ground black pepper

1tsp mango powder

10-12 fresh curry leaves

2-3 fresh green chillies

Preparation

In a fairly large frying pan, preferably one with a lid, heat up the oil on a medium heat, once hot throw in the mustard and allow to crackle for 30 seconds. 

Add the onions and saute until light brown, throw in the grounded cashew nuts, ginger paste and stir fry for 2-3 minutes stirring constantly.

Pour in the blended tomatoes, lower heat and sauté for a further 10 minutes, stirring.

Sprinkle in the dry spices, stir in well, pour in the coconut milk, add the curry leaves, green chillies and stir again. Cover and allow to simmer for 20 minutes on a low heat.

  Place the fish fillets in and allow to cook for a further 15 minutes until fish is cooked. 

Serve hot with rice.

Masala Chicken Wings

Ingredients

1kg baby chicken wings

1tbsp crushed garlic

1tbsp crushed ginger

1tsp fresh green chillies finely chopped

1tsp turmeric powder

1tsp ground black pepper

2tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground star aniseed

1tsp pomegranate powder

2tbsp whipped natural plain yogurt

½ juice of a fresh lemon juice

1tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander

2tsp salt

4tbsp olive oil

 Preparation

In a large mixing bowl add the whipped yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil and whip well. Add all the other ingredients including the salt and whisk again. Add the baby chicken wings and stir in well, marinate for at least 3 hours. Place in an oiled roasting tray in the middle of a pre-heated oven at 200°C degrees, for an hour rotating the pieces half way.  

Cassava Soup

Ingredients

700gm  semi cooked cassava , cut into small chunks   

1 ½  litre  cold water

1tsp freshly ground black peppercorns

1 inch piece of ginger, finely grated

2-4 fresh green chillies, finely chopped

 ½ juice of a fresh yellow lemon

1 ½  tsp salt to taste

2tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped to garnish

Preparation

 

Place the semi cooked cassava in a fairly large pot , pour in the water . Place on the hob and bring to a boil on a medium heat, lower heat and simmer for 40 minutes with a lid on.  Remove lid and using the back of a wooden spoon smash around 10 pieces, sprinkle in all the ingredients, stir and cook for a further 10 minutes. Place in a bowl, garnish with coriander and serve hot.

   

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. 

Quick & Easy Hot Bean Salad

Hot Soyabean Salad

INGREDIENTS (serves 4-6)

500gms Cooked Soybeans (Boil dry soyabeans for 3 hours or use Tinned)

1tbsp crushed ginger

1tbsp fresh green chillies finely sliced

2tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped

5tbsp olive oil

1pcs green bell pepper, finely chopped

2medium ripe tomatoes, finely chopped

½tsp turmeric powder

1tsp pomegranate powder

1tsp mango powder

2tsp salt

1tsp ground cumin

1tsp chilli powder

3 medium red onions, finely chopped

COOKING

Heat the olive oil on a medium heat in a fairly large non-stick pot. Once the oil is fairly hot, throw in the onions, ginger, chillies and saute for 5 minutes, stirring.

Add in all the spices, beans, tomatoes, peppers, salt and stir in well. Cook for 10 minutes and serve hot, sprinkle a little lemon over if you wish.