Recipes

Saffron Rice

Ingredients:

·                     4 Cloves

·                     2 tsp Salt

·                     4 Bay leaves

·                     2 cups Rice

·                     6 tsp Ghee/ Butter

·                     4 cups Water

·                     2 tbsp Hot water

·                     1 Cinnamon stick

·                     1 tsp Cumin seed

·                     1 tsp Saffron (Kesar) threads

·                     4 Black Cardamom 

Method:
  1. Soak saffron in hot water.
  2. Wash and soak rice in 3 cups water.
  3. Heat ghee and fry cinnamon, cloves, cumin, cardamoms and salt. After sometime, 1 minute, add the bay leaves
  4. Drain the rice and reserve the water.
  5. Add the rice grains and stir for 4-5 minutes until all the water evaporates. Add the water and bring to a boil. Add saffron and its water and pressure cook.
  6. Remove from the heat and allow the pressure to drop by itself.

Cucumber and Lentil Salad

Ingredients:

·                     1 cup Mung (green lentils) Dal

·                     1 inch piece minced Ginger

·                     1 tsp Salt

·                     1 Lemon

·                     1 Green Chilli

·                     Coriander leaves

·                     ¼ tsp Black Pepper

·                     ½ Fresh grated Coconut (or use soaked desiccated coconut)

·                     1 Cucumber, finely chopped

Method:
  1. Wash & soak Mung beans for one and a half hour.
  2. Rinse and place in a saucepan. Cover with water and boil until tender.
  3. Rinse cooked beans and put them in a large bowl. Add chopped cucumber, chopped coriander, green chilli, ginger, lemon, coconut, salt and black pepper.
  4. Chill for 1 hour and serve.

Cheese cookies

Ingredients:

·                     1 tsp Salt

·                     1 cup Flour

·                     ½ Pound Butter

·                     Pecan halves

·                     1 cup Cheese

·                     ½ tsp Chilli powder

Method:
  1. Preheat oven to 350° degrees.
  2. Cream butter in a medium-sized bowl. Add cheese, followed by salt, pepper and flour.
  3. Roll dough into small balls. Press a half-pecan on each ball to flatten.

Place on cookie sheet and bake 15 minutes in oven.

Makes 40-45 biscuits

Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

·                     ¼ cup Mung Beans

·                     2 cups Water

·                     ¼ tsp Cumin seeds

·                     1 tsp Butter or Ghee

·                     A pinch of Asafoetida

·                     A pinch of Turmeric powder

·                     Lime juice according to taste

·                     Salt, Black Pepper powder as per taste

·                     Pinch of Chilli powder

Method:
  1. Pressure cook washed gram till very soft.
  2. Keep aside 1 tbsp boiled Mung. Blend the rest, after cooling.
  3. In a pan, heat butter and add cumin seeds. When they splutter add the asafoetida and Mung soup.
  4. Add salt, turmeric, lime, chilli powder and pepper.
  5. Boil for 10 minutes. Add left over 1 tbsp whole Mung; boil until thick enough for soup.
  6. Serve hot.

Chick Pea Flour Pancakes

This is a delicious savoury pancake recipe served with Indian meals as a bread alternative.

 

 

Ingredients
 
140g/5oz/ chickpea flour, sifted
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cayenne pepper OR chilli powder
2 fresh hot green chillies, very finely chopped (optional)
1 tsp minced ginger

2 tbsp very finely chopped, fresh green coriander
Vegetable oil

Method

1.      Put the chick pea flour into a large mixing bowl.

2.      Slowly add 250ml/9fl oz water, mixing with a wooden spoon to make a smooth batter.

3.      Add the salt, cayenne pepper or chilli powder, ginger & coriander. Stir and set aside for 15 minutes.

4.      Smear a large, wide, non-stick frying-pan with 1 tsp of the oil and set over a low heat. When very hot, stir the batter and pour about 55ml/2fl oz on to the centre of the pan. Quickly tilt the pan in all directions as you would for a crêpe, spreading the batter to make an 18-19cm/7-7½in pancake.

5.      Cover and cook for 3 minutes or until the pancake is reddish-brown at the bottom. Dribble another tsp of oil around the edges of the pancake. Turn the pancake over and cook, uncovered, for a further minute or until golden.

6.      Remove from the heat and keep covered between 2 plates.

7.      Repeat with the remaining batter. Always remember to stir the batter before you use it. (Any leftover batter may be covered, refrigerated and re-used).

Spicy Cornflakes

Ingredients:

·                     1 tbsp Oil

·                     Salt to taste

·                     ½ tsp Sugar

·                     ½ cup Peanuts

·                     1 tsp Lime juice

·                     ¼ cup Almonds

·                     ½ cup Sultanas

·                     4 cups Cornflakes

·                     1 tsp Cumin seeds

·                     ¼ cup Cashew nuts

·                     ½ tsp Chilli powder

·                     ¼ tsp Turmeric powder

Method:
  1. Heat oil in a large pan. Add cumin seeds and wait until they sizzle.
  2. Add the Sultanas and Nuts. Stir well. Lower the heat and mix in the chilli powder, turmeric powder, lime juice, sugar and salt.
  3. Immediately add the cornflakes and stir well for 3-4 minutes.

Cool completely before storing in an air tight container.

Rice and Cheese balls

Ingredients

3 teacups cooked rice, cold
3 tablespoons plain flour
2 green chillies, chopped
2 pinches soda-bicarbonate
4 tablespoons grated cheese
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
salt to taste
oil for deep frying

 

Method

1. Mash the rice thoroughly.

2. Add all the remaining ingredients and mix.

3. Shape into round balls ( 30 )

4. Deep fry in oil until light golden. Serve hot.

Eggless Sponge Cake  

Ingredients
1/2 can (400 grams for full can) condensed milk
140 grams (5 oz.) self-raising flour
1 level teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon soda bi-carbonate
60 ml. (2 fl. oz.) melted butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

 

Method

1. Sieve the flour, baking powder and soda bi-carbonate together.

2. Mix the flour mixture, condensed milk, melted butter, essence and 75 ml; (2 1/2 fl. oz.) water and beat well.

3. Pour the mixture into a greased and dusted 150 mm. (6") diameter tin.

4.  Bake in a hot oven at 200 degree C (400 degree F) for 10 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 150 degree C (300 degree F) and bake for a further 10 minutes.

5. The cake is ready when it leaves the sides of the tin and is springy to touch. When ready, take out from the oven and leave for 1 minute. Invert the tin over a rack and tap sharply to remove.

6. Cool the cake.