eCurry - The Recipe Blog

Kulfi, or unchurned Indian ice cream (without eggs), is a summer must have that you can whip up at home without an ice cream maker. It’s rich and creamy made with pure milk (traditionally & the milk is boiled down to reduce to half its amount), and it’s usually full of nuts in some form. The most common flavors are malai (plain), badam (almond), Elaichi(cardamom), jafrani(saffron) and pistachio. The nuts and the flavors are added to the reduced milk, boiled for some more time, cooled and put in moulds & frozen. Kulfi is traditionally sold on the street in India, in  terracotta molds (matkas) that impart their own beautiful flavor. The dish is of Pakistani or may be even Iranian origin brought to India during the Mughal rule.

(more…)

I remember the time when back in India many moons back we used to live in a joint family. My grandparents, uncles, aunts  & cousins all lived in a big house, ate all together in one long dining table. Sunday afternoon lunches were always beautiful times when everyone was home, relaxed & talking for hours over food. Even tho’ I might have been only about 6 or 7 years old, I still  remember that one of the dishes used to be mutton curry or chicken curry. The hot steaming curry, used to be placed at the  center of the table, & all us little kids eyed it with utmost enthusiasm, while waiting for our turns.

(more…)

Every evening as I make my cup of coffee, I have this craving for something sweet with it. A biscotti, a slice of cake… & often times I think of the white fruit cake with the colorful candied fruits in it that we would get from the local bakeries back at home. That was long long time back. But certain tastes & aroma stay with you irrespective of the years in between. When I read this recipe, I almost visualised the cake we would have, for the picture given for this was white and the recipe asked for red cherries.

(more…)

The “Saas Bahu” combination is supposed to give the creeps:-D However my mom-in-law is one of the most wonderful people I have ever come across and I could not ask for more. Getting married when I just stepped in to my twenties… I thought and moved with caution, but immediatley she helped me get absorbed in to the family and more than all, amazed me with her exceptional cooking skills. Over the years I have learned a lot of what she cooks, especially the ones which are loved and craved by my hubby.

(more…)

Potato and Cauliflower with Creme

  

Ingredients:

 

1. 1 Cauliflower - Florets broken into pieces
2. 2 Medium Potatoes - cubed
3. 1/2 Onion Sliced
4. 1 tablespoon Ginger Paste
5. 1 tablespoon Garlic paste
6. 1/2 cup Tomato Puree
7. 2 tablespoons oil (to fry the potato & cauliflower)
8. 2 tablespoons oil
9. 1 big black cardamom
10. 1″ cinnamon
11. 2 cloves
12. 2 red dry chilis
13. 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi)
14. 1 teaspoon kasuri methi (Available in Indian Groceries)
15. 2 teaspoons turmeric (To coat the Potato & Cauliflower)
16. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
17. Salt to taste
18. 1 teaspoon red Chili powder (optional)
19. 3 tablespoons heavy cream ( can substitute with 1/2 cup of whole milk)

Preparation:

turmeric coated

Coat the potatoes and cauliflower florets with 2 teaspoon of turmeric and a sprikle of salt and let it sit for about 15 minutes.

Fried Cauliflower & Potato

Heat oil and fry the potatoes and cauliflower in batches till they start to brown. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.

In a pan, dry roast the cardamom, cinnamon, and clove. Add oil add the red dry chili and the fenugreek seeds.  Once they start to sizzle add the sliced onions and fry till they just start to brown.

Add the ginger paste, the garlic paste and the tomato puree. Add salt, turmeric and red chili powder to it. Fry till you see the oil leaving the sides of the pan. Add the cauliflower and the potato. Stir gently to mix, so all the tomato gravy coats the vegetables. Add half cup of water,  cover and cook till the potatoes and cauliflowers are tender but not mushy. Add the creme, and simmer for about another 10 minutes. Sprinkle kasuri methi on the top and gently mix.

cauliflower& potato with roti

 

 

 

Serve hot with roti or paratha.

Jeera Rice

 Ingredients: 
1 cup of uncooked basmati rice
2 small green cardamoms
1″ stick of cinnamon
1 clove
1 tablespoon ghee
1.5 teaspoon cumin seeds
salt to taste

Preparation:
Wash the rice till the water runs clear. Soak the rice in cold water for 1/2 an hour and drain.

Heat Ghee, and add cardamom, cinnamon and clove. When they start to sizzle and splutter add the rice. Stir for sometime till the ghee coats the rice.

Now add the Cumin seeds. Make sure not to add the Cumin seeds directly in the ghee, as this will darken the cumin and give a different flavor. Add salt and fry for some more time, about 5 more minutes.

Increase the heat. Add 2 cups of water and let the water boil. When you see no water over the surface of the rice, cover it and immediately switch off the heat. Be very careful during this time as more heat or delay may burn the rice at the bottom of the pan. Let it stay covered for another 10-15 minutes.

Serve hot.

Saffron Almond Milkshake

This is a refreshing drink as good as a dessert. Try it as a healthy & nutritious breakfast drink too.

 

Ingredients:

1. 8 Almonds soaked overnight and peeled.
   

   Almonds

2. 4/5 strands of saffron
3. 1 teaspoon honey & 1 teaspoon sugar ( can be substituted for all honey OR all sugar)
4. 5 oz fat free milk
5. Seeds of one small green cardamom (crack the cardamom open and take out the seeds from inside)
6. 1/2 cup ice

Preparation:

Soak the saffron threads in the milk for about 15 minutes to release the color and flavor.

Add all ingredients including the milk and saffron in the blender and blend till frothy.

Enjoy!!

Garam means Hot, and Masala means Spice.

Garam Masala(Whole Spices)

Garam Masala is referred to a combination of different spices. They may be used whole or ground into to a powder. If its used whole they are usually added in the beginning of the recipe, and if used in the powder form, its sprinkled on the dish after its done cooking.

The hot in garam masala is not the same kind of hot as in hot green peppers. It actually are the spices which raises the body temperature. Therefore garam masala is used in very little quantity. I usually use about only 1/3 teaspoon of garam masala in a recipe for a serving of 4-5.

The following is the recipe for Punjabi Garam Masala. The spices may or may not be roasted prior to grinding. For this particular recipe, I do not roast the spices.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons whole Coriander seeds
1 tablespoon Cumin
2 tablespoons small green cardamom
2 tablesoons cloves
2 tablespoons peppercorns
4 sticks of cinnamon, approx. 2″ each
3 Bay Leaves
3 Red Dried Peppers
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg

Preparation:
Grind all ingredients dry in a spice or coffee grinder.

May be stored in air tight containers for many months.

Chingri  Maacher Malaikari is an old Bengali Classics. I have grown up in this East Indian State (West Bengal), having to eat (and loving every bite and moment of it) this simply marvelous dish in every special occasions, be it be a birthday, or a houseful evening guests. My dad would have to go to the Sunderbans for work, and we all waited till late night knowing that he would get the fresh jumbo prawns/shrimps and next day would be the grandiose Chingri  maacher malaikari.

This is cooked with coconut milk, which is very easily available here in cans making the process much more easy and faster.

Here I am sharing with you the way my mom always cooked chingri maacher malaikari.

Ingredients:

1. 1 lb uncooked deveined Prawn/Shrimp
2. 1.5 tablespoons of ginger paste
3. 2 Small Green Cardamoms
4. 2” stick of Cinnamon
5. 2 Bay Leaves
6. 3/4 can Coconut milk
7. Salt to taste
8. ½ teaspoon of sugar
9. 1 teaspoon of turmeric
10. 1 teaspoon of red chili powder
11. 2 slit Hot Green Peppers.
12. 2 tablespoons Ghee (Clarified Butter)
13. 1 teaspoon oil
14. 1 tablespoon of shredded coconut(optional)
15. 1/2 teaspoon Jeera/Cumin seeds

Preparation:

Shell the Shrimps and baste with   ¾ spoon of turmeric, little bit of salt and  half the amount of red chili powder. Let it sit for about 20 minutes.

Heat about the oil and lightly sauté the shrimps till they are almost done.

Heat the Ghee.  Add the cracked cardamoms, bay leaves and cinnamon sticks. Once they start sizzling, add Cumin, the green hot peppers and the ginger paste.

Fry for sometimes till the ghee leaves the sides of the pan. Be careful and see that the paste does not burn and turn dark brown.

Add the sautéed Shrimps, sugar, salt, and the rest of the chili powder and turmeric and the coconut milk & the shredded coconut. Boil this till the coconut milk start getting creamy. You will see little bubbles coming up.

Gently stir for some more time and when the gravy coats the spoon you will know that its done.

Serve with white basmati rice.

Asafoetida

Asafoetida (Hing): This is sap from stem and root of a plant, dried into a hard resin. It has a very very strong aroma.
I personally use it in preparation of Lentils and Dry Fries.

Bay Leaves

Bay Leaves (Tej Patta): Dried bay leaves. They are browned in oil first increase the aroma.

Carom Seeds

Carom Seeds (Ajwain): These are pungent ( like Thyme), but looks like celery seeds. Very strong flavored. It also has good digestive properties.
I mostly use it when I make Parathas.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon (Darchini) This is actually dried bark of a tree. It’s an ingredient of Garam Masala.

Clove

Cloves (Laung): Cloves are dried up flower buds. Used as a part of Garam Masala in the ground form, or in the stick form in meats and vegetables.

Coriander Seeds

Coriander Seeds (Dhania): These seeds are actually dry seeds of the regularly used fresh cilantro. These seeds are usually used in the ground form to be a part of various spice mixes, like Garam Masala, Sambar Powder. 

Cumin Seeds

Cumin Seeds (Jeera): Very commonly used and in various dishes. Its used both whole and dry roasted and ground.

Fenugreek seeds

Fenugreek Seeds (Methi) : Angular buff colored seeds having a slightly bitter taste. One of the mixtures of Panch Foron. The unripe, raw seeds are cooked as side dishes in certain parts of India and they are not bitter!!
I use these seeds quite frequently, especially in the Makhani masala.

Fennel Seeds

Fennel Seeds (Saunf or Mouri): These look like Cumin Seeds, but when looked closely they are actually greener and wider. Fennel is another ingredient of the Panch Foron.These are also dry roasted and used with tiny sugar candies to make mouth freshnersafter meals. Fennel is known for its digestive qualities.

Green Cardamom

Green Cardamon (Choti Elaichi) : These pods holds tiny little balck seeds inside. The seeds are taken out and used whole in cooking or in the from of powder. Its used in a LOT of Indian cooking whether it be vegetables, meat, rice or even desserts. Cardamom is also an important part of Garam Masala.

Cardamon Black(Badi Elaichi) : These are bigger than the small green cardamoms and black in color. Has a much stronger aroma.

Mustard Seeds

Mustard Seeds (Sarso or Rai): These are usually added to hot oil to season vegetables, lentils, rice and pickles. Mustard is also ground and used in cooking fish and vegetables in the Eastern part of India.

Nigella/Kalonji

Nigella (Kalonji/Kalo Jeera) : These are tiny black seeds mostly forming a part of the Panch Foron. They are also used in breads (tandoori rotis), parathas, and to season some vegetables. In the Eastern India this is extensively used to season fish.These are tiny black seeds mostly forming a part of the Panch Foron. They are also used in breads (tandoori rotis), parathas, and to season some vegetables. In the Eastern India this is extensively used to season fish.

Nutmeg

Nutmeg (Jaiphal): These are seeds of a fruit. The part that is actually used is the inner part of this seed. Its used in ground form, mostly in biriyanis. Unlike in western countries, its almost never used in desserts in Indian cooking.

Panch Foron

Panch Foron: This is a five mix spice. “Panch” means “five”. The following are used in equal amounts:
Cumin Seeds
Mustard Seeds
Nigella Seeds
Fenugreek Seeds
Fennel Seeds
This is extensively used in East Indian cooking.

Red Chilli Powder

Red Chilli Powder: This is ground up red chili powder.

Red Dry Chilli

Red Dry Chilli: This is the hot peppers dried up, esp. the cayenne pepper type. They have different flavor then the green hot peppers are are usually sizzled in oil and cooked up with the vegetables or meat.

Saffron

Saffron (Kesar): This is probably the most expensive spice. Looks like tiny orange threads, these are actually the stigmas of a flower called crocus.
Adds beautiful flavor and color to rice dishes, gravies and desserts.

Turmeric

Turmeric: Turmeric is actually a ginger like rhizome in the raw state. The inside is orangish yelllow in color. The rhizome is dried and ground for the purpose of cooking. It gives the food a yellowish color. Turmeric is also known for its antiseptic qualities. Raw turmeric is often times ground into a paste and used to improve skin and complexion.