Fish Cakes

Goan fish and shellfish are skilfully prepared with spices to make cakes of all shapes and sizes, whereas the rest of India makes fish kababs. Although haddock is used in this recipe, you can use other less expensive white fish, such as coley or whiting.

Makes: 15-20

Ingredients:

450 g skinned haddock or cod
2 potatoes, peeled, boiled and coarsely mashed
4 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped
4 fresh green chillies, finely chopped
5 cm /2 in piece of fresh root ginger, crushed
a few fresh coriander (cilantro) and mint sprigs, chopped
2 eggs
dry breadcrumbs, for coating
vegetable oil, for shallow-frying
salt and ground black pepper
lemon wedges and chilli sauce, to serve

Method:

1. Place the skinned fish in a lightly greased steamer and steam gently until cooked. Remove the steamer from the heat but leave the fish on the steaming tray until cool.

2. When the fish is cool, crumble it coarsely into a large bowl, using a fork. Mix in the mashed potatoes.

3. Add the spring onions, chillies, crushed ginger, chopped coriander and mint, and one of the eggs. Mix well and season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Shape into cakes. Beat the remaining egg and dip the cakes in it, then coat with breadcrumbs. Heat the oil and fry the cakes until brown on all sides. Serve as an appetizer or side dish, with the lemon wedges and chilli sauce.

Drömtårta

Ugnstemperatur: 250 °C, varmluft 200 °C

Ingredienser:

3 ägg
1½ dl socker
¾ dl potatismjöl
2 msk kakao
1 tsk bakpulver

Fyllning:

100 g smör
2 dl florsocker
2 tsk vaniljsocker
1 äggula

Arbetsbeskrivning:

1. Vispa ägg och socker pösigt.

2. Blanda mjöl, siktad kakao och bakpulver.

3. Vänd ned blandningen i smeten.

4. Bred ut smeten på ett bakplåtspapper i en långpanna, 30x40 cm.

5. Grädda mitt i ugnen ca 5 min.

6. Stjälp upp kakan på sockrat papper. Dra bort papperet som kakan gräddats på. Låt den kallna.

7. Rör matfett och florsocker poröst till fyllningen.

8. Tillsätt vaniljsocker.

9. Rör ner äggulan

10. Bred fyllningen på kakan och rulla ihop den. Låt drömtårtan ligga kallt en stund innan den skall skäras.

Balti Chicken in Saffron Sauce

This is a beautifully aromatic chicken dish that is partly cooked in oven.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

50 g butter
2 tbsp corn oil
1.2-1.3 kg chicken, skinned and cut into 8 pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp crushed garlic
½ tsp crushed black peppercorns
½ tsp crushed cardamom pods
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1½ tsp chilli powder
150 ml natural plain yogurt
50 g ground almonds
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp saffron strands
150 ml water
150 ml single (light) cream
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C/350 °C/ Gas 4. Melt the butter with the oil in a karahi, wok or deep pan. Add the chicken pieces and fry until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken using a slotted spoon, leaving behind the fat.

2. Add the onion to the same pan, and fry over a medium heat. Meanwhile, mix together the next 10 ingredients in a bowl. When the onions are lightly browned, pour the spice mixture into the pan and stir-fry for about 1 minute.

3.Add the chicken pieces, and continue to fry for a further 2 minutes stirring constantly. Pour in the water and bring to a simmer.Transfer the contents of the pan to a casserole and cover with a lid, or if using a karahi with heatproof handles, cover with foil. Transfer to the oven and cook for 30-35 minutes.

4. Once you are sure that the chicken is cooked right through, remove it from the oven. Transfer the mixture to a frying pan or place karahi on the stove and stir in the cream.

5. Reheat gently for about 2 minutes. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with a fruity pilau or plain boiled rice.

Shrikhand (flavoured hung yogurt)

This is a wonderful sweet or sour yogurt dessert and is so easy to make. It is served on auspicious occasions in Maharashtra.

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1 litre yogurt

1 tbsp milk (lukewarm)
a few saffron strands, enough to give a little taste and colour.
130 g caster sugar ( to taste, depending on the acidity of the yogurt)
¼ tsp cardamom powder
1 tbsp sliced almonds
1 tbsp sliced pistachios

Method:

1.Drain the yogurt – Put a muslin or cheese cloth over a strainer. Now pour the yogurt over muslin cloth to drain. Place a bowl underneath the strainer to collect the excess water.

 2.Next gently squeeze the excess water from yogurt. Make sure not to squeeze out the yogurt.

 3.Move the yogurt with strainer and bowl into the refrigerator for at least six hours to drain excess water.

 4.Yogurt will become thick in consistency.

 5.Dissolve the saffron in warm milk. Milk will take on the saffron color, yellowish orange.

 6. Add sugar, cardamom powder, and saffron milk to yogurt and beat well till sugar dissolves. You may use a mixer.

 7.Mix in most of the almonds and pistachios to the yogurt mix and the remaining nuts will be used for garnish.

 8. Chill the shrikhand before serving.

 9.Traditionally shrikhand is served with puri (fried flat bread).

Meat Cooked with Cardamom

The Hindu Sindhis migrated from Sindh to India in 1947 (Sindh is now part of Pakistan) and the largest number of them settled in Bombay, now known as Mumbai. Sindhi food is not found outside Sindhi homes. This is my mother’s recipe and is extremely simple to make, involving just a few ingredients.

A very delicate mutton dish with a thin gravy full of the flavor of cardamom (elachi) and black pepper, this is a favourite  of the Sindhis. Dishes with pepper seem to be a standard prescription in many parts of India for women after childbirth, and in the region around Hyderabad town in Sindh this dish was given every day to new mothers. It is traditionally eaten with chapatis though it is equally good with rice.

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1 kg lamb, on or off the bone

100 ml full-fat yogurt

35 green cardamoms

100 ml oil

2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon chilli powder

2 teaspoons coriander powder

3 medium tomatoes ( sourish variety), finely chopped

Salt

Method:

1. If the lamb is on the bone, wash it in warm water. Whisk the yogurt with a fork in a bowl.

2. Grind the whole green cardamoms in a blender with a little water, or in a coffee grinder without water and then mix with a little water to make a paste.

3. Heat the oil in a cooking pot. Add the cardamom paste and the pepper and fry over a low heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the meat and the turmeric, chilli and coriander powders and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring all the time to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pot, adding water if necessary.

4. Lower the heat and add yogurt, tomatoes and salt to taste and continue to sate for a further 5 minutes. Add about 800 ml of water, cover the pot and leave to simmer over a low heat until the meat is tender.

The secret of success with this dish lies in making sure that the meat and spices are fried for a full 10 minutes (step 3) without allowing the spices to burn. Therefore it is essential to keep the heat low and use the recommended amount of oil.

Minced Lamb with Curry Leaves and Chilli

The whole chillies pack quiet a punch, but can be removed from the dish before serving.

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

2 tsp oil

2 medium onions, chopped
10 curry leaves
6 fresh green or red chillies
350 g lean minced (ground) lamb
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 tsp grated fresh root ginger
1 tsp chilli powder
¼ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt
2 tomatoes, peeled and quartered
1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a karahi, wok or heavy pan and fry the onions with the curry leaves and 3 of the whole chillies.

2. Put the lamb into a bowl. Mix with the garlic, ginger and spices.

3. Add the lamb and salt to the onions and stir-fry for about 7-10 minutes.

4. Add the tomatoes, coriander and remaining chillies and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Serve hot.

Muslingechowder a la Nèw York

Antal: 3-4 personer.

Ingredienser:

1 kg muslinger

½ løg
1 fed hvidløg
2 spsk palmeolie
6 tomater
2 store gulerødder
1 -2 forårsløg
1 kvist timian
4 dl fiske- eller grøntsagsbouillon
1 spsk tabasco
2 stængler bladselleri
Salt & peber efter smag

Metode:

1. Rens muslingerne og kog dem i vand, til de åbner sig. Tag dem derefter ud af skallen.

2. Hak løg og hvidløg og svits det i palmeolie i en dyb gryde. Hak tomaterne groft, riv gulerødderne og svits begge dele med. Lad det hele stege i ca 10 minuter.

3. Skær forårsløgen i små stykker. Hak timian og tilsæt den sammen med bouillon, tabasco, salt og peber samt trefjerdedele af forårsløget (gem den sidste fjerdedel til pynt). Skær bladsellerien i fine stykker og kom også dem i gryden. Kog suppen op og lad den simre i ca. ½ time.

4. Kom suppen i en blender og blend. Hæld suppen tilbage i gryden, kom muslingerne i og lad dem simre med i ca. 10 minutter.

5. Drys det sidste forårsløg over suppen ved servering.

TIP:

Kasser de muslinger, der ikke lukker sig, når du banker på dem. Kasser også muslinger, der ikke har åbnet sig under tilberedningen.

Sweetcorn and Pea Curry

Tender sweetcorn cooked in a spicy tomato sauce makes a flavoursome curry.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

6 frozen corn cobs, thawed

1 tbsp oil
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 fresh green chilli, finely chopped
1 tbsp curry paste
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp salt
½ tsp granulated sugar
400 g chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato purée (paste)
150 ml water
115 g frozen peas, thawed
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
Chapatis or rice to serve, optional

Method:

1. Using a sharp knife, cut each piece of corn in half crossways to make 12 equal pieces in total.

2. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook the corn cob pieces for 10-12 minutes. Drain well.

3. Heat the oil in a large heavy pan and fry the cumin seeds for 2 minutes or until they begin to splutter. Add the onion, garlic and chilli and fry for about 5-6 minutes until the onion is golden.

4.  Add the curry paste and fry for 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining spices, salt and sugar and fry for a further 2-3 minutes, adding some water if the mixture is too dry.

5. Add the chopped tomatoes and tomato purée together with the water and simmer for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Add the peas and cook for a further 5 minutes.

6. Stir in the pieces of corn and the fresh coriander and cook for 6-8 minutes more, until the corn and peas are tender.