Sunday, December 15, 2013

STRAWBERRY SHAPED MARZIPAN SWEETS FOR CHRISTMAS

Mazipan sweets in Strawberry shapes

MARZIPAN SWEETS
Makes 30 pieces Preparation time 1 hour
Ingredients
250 grams almonds
250 grams sugar
300 grams icing sugar
2 egg whites
A little rose water for grinding
¼ teaspoon almond essence
250 grams cashew nuts
1/4 teaspoon pink food colour
      
Grind the almonds and cashew nuts with the egg whites and rose water to a smooth paste. Transfer the paste into a heavy bottomed pan and add the sugar and the pink food. Cook on low heat stirring all the time till the mixture forms a soft ball. Remove from heat and add the icing sugar. Knead till it forms a dry ball. Divide the mixture into even sized balls and mould into strawberry shapes.

Monday, November 11, 2013

DOLDOL ( BLACK HALWA) - AN ANGLO INDIAN CHRISTMAS DELICACY

Doldol is a rich Black Halwa like Christmas delicacy. It is made with Black Rice flour, roasted semolina, almonds, sugar and ghee simmered in thick coconut milk till a Halwa like consistency is reached. Christmas in KGF was never complete without Doldol.

Serves 6  Preparation time 1 ½ hours
Ingredients
1 kg sugar                                                                   
½ kg almonds 
2 cups roasted fine semolina or soogi or semolina            
 ½ kg ghee
5 cups thick cocoanut milk extracted from 3 coconuts      
1 kg Puttu Rice flour or Black /Red Rice flour

In a fairly big vessel, boil the sugar and cocoanut milk together till it forms thick syrup. Mix the rice flour and semolina together and add to the syrup a little at a time and mix well. Add the ghee and almonds. Stirring continuously cook till the mixture is thick and leaves the sides of the pan. Remove from the heat and pour onto a greased plate. Cut into squares when cold. (The Doldol will be black)

Saturday, October 19, 2013

CHILLIE BEEF FRY



ANGLO-INDIAN CHILLIE BEEF FRY
Serves 6   Preparation time 1 hour
Ingredients
1 kg good beef cut into medium size pieces
4 green chillies
2 capsicums / green peppers cut into strips
3 big onions sliced
1 teaspoon chopped ginger
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
½ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons vinegar
Salt to taste
½ teaspoon turmeric
3 tablespoons oil
Boil the meat in a little water till tender. Keep the remaining soup aside.
Grind the chillies, ginger, garlic, turmeric and pepper together and mix in the vinegar.
Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions till golden brown. Add the cooked meat, ground masala and the capsicum and mix well. Add the remaining soup and cook on slow heat till the meat is brown.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

AFTERNOON TEA - A TOUCH OF NOSTALGIA - TOASTED TEA CAKE / TEA BISCUIT


Here is an old recipe for ENGLISH TOASTED TEA CAKE. It was also known as ROGAN in the Northern parts of India and served at Tea time in the Boarding Schools in Darjeeling, Mussoorie, Ooty, etc. it was also known as BISCUIT BUN, TEA BISCUIT, BISCUIT ROTI, etc in the South. Try it out and bring back the Nostalgia.

The concept of the English High Tea in the afternoons which was a direct throw back of the Raj quickly became an Anglo-Indian custom in the early part of the century. One could conjure up images of the English and Anglo-Indian ‘Memsahibs’ enjoying afternoon tea laid out on tables covered with snowy white tablecloths, seated on white garden chairs on a velvet green lawn and being served tiny cucumber sandwiches, cakes, scones, butterfly cakes, and pastries by obsequious servants, and drinking tea from miniature fine Bone China teacups (all legacies of the British Raj), bringing to mind, scenes of an ordered, easy, leisurely life amid gentle Indian settings in those early times.
In the true British sense, Afternoon Tea is a light meal typically eaten between 3pm and 4 30pm. But sadly this wonderful tradition has all but died out. Everyone is  too busy these days and no one has time to sit down to share these innocent pleasures with friends.  I thought I’d stir up some nostalgia and talk about this now almost forgotten tradition where, our mum’s would make the perfect cup of tea by pouring boiling hot water over 2 tablespoons of Brooke Bond Red Label tea leaves in a beautiful China or porcelain Tea Pot. The tea was set to rest for about 10 minutes to allow the tea flavour to slowly seep in the hot water. It was kept suitably warm with a Tea Cosy (which we hardly see these days. The tea would then be poured slowly into cups through a tea strainer and sugar and milk added according to one’s preference. (These days, a teabag in a cup of water passes off as Tea)
This delightful cup was always accompanied with a few choice Anglo-Indian Snacks – Some of them were Cheese, Straws, tiny cucumber sandwiches, hot mince puffs, Marie Biscuits, Scones, Toasted Tea Cakes, Crumpets, etc. Why don’t we bring this practice back in our life and invite a few friends over for a leisurely Anglo-Indian Tea Afternoon.
An English Teacake is usually a light, sweet, yeast-based bun containing dried fruits such as currants, sultanas or orange peel. It is typically split, toasted, buttered, and served with tea. It is flat and circular, with a smooth brown upper surface and a somewhat lighter underside A Tea Cake is therefore a slightly hard bun or cake. The name is commonly used for whatever bread or cake is traditionally served for afternoon tea that can be applied loosely to any kind of cake that is sturdy enough to be picked up with the fingers.



RECIPE FOR TOASTED TEA CAKE / TEA BISCUIT

Prep time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
4 cups plain flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
200 grams butter
2 tablespoons caster sugar / sugar
2 tablespoons raisins or sultanas
1 egg
½ cup water
½ cup milk
Preheat the oven to 150 degrees.
Sieve the salt, baking powder and flour together, Add the butter and mix until it is like breadcrumbs. Mix in the dried fruit, sugar, milk, and the egg and form a soft dough. (Add the water if the dough is too stiff otherwise omit the water) Split the dough into eight round balls and gently flatten them into the traditional teacake shape.
Place on a greased baking tray and bake for half an hour at 150 degrees. Remove from the oven, cool on a cooling rack.
Cut each tea cake in half and smear each  half with butter and jam or honey  while still warm accompanied by a hot cup of tea for a perfect afternoon tea treat

Thursday, August 15, 2013

DEVIL CHUTNEY


Devil Chutney is a fiery red chutney or sauce. Its bright red colour often misleads people to think that is a very pungent and spicy dish. It is actually a sweet and sour sauce and only slightly pungent. The vinegar and sugar react with the onion and red chillie to produce the bright red colour. Devil Chutney is also known as ‘Hell fire or Hell’s flame chutney or Fiery Mother-in-law’s Tongue Chutney” due to its vivid colour.

Ingredients
2 medium size onions chopped roughly
1 teaspoon red chillie powder
1 tablespoon raisins (optional)
2 teaspoons sugar
A pinch of salt
2 tablespoons vinegar
Grind all the above ingredients together till smooth. If chutney is too thick add a little more vinegar. Serve with Coconut Rice.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

PORK BHOONI / BHUNI (PORK WITH FRESH DILL LEAVES AND POTATOES)

Pork Bhooni / Bhuni (Pork cooked With Dill Leaves and Potatoes) is an old Anglo-Indian Dish that is  popular in Calcutta and West Bengal especially in the hills of Darjeeling. The term Bhooni,or Bhuni  means to Fry and comes from the Hindi Word  Bhuna a cooking process where spices are gently fried in plenty of oil to bring out their flavor, and meat is added to the spices and then cooked in its own juices which results in deep strong flavours but very little gravy or sauce. In this dish the Pork is cooked along with fresh Dil Leaves and Potatoes and then simmered till almost dry. The almost dry coating consistency of the gravy that remains on the pork together with the flavour of Fresh Dil leaves makes this Pork Dish unique. This Recipe is featured in my book ANGLO-INDIAN DELICACIES
Serves 6      Preparation Time 45 minutes
Ingredients
1 kg Pork from the Belly Portion, with less fat cut into medium size pieces
2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
½ teaspoon turmeric Powder
2 teaspoons chillie Powder
2 green chillies sliced lengthwise
3 onions sliced finely
1 cup chopped Dill leaves
Salt to taste
3 Potatoes peeled and cut into quarters
3 tablespoons oil
Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions till golden brown. Add the ginger and garlic paste and sauté for a few more minutes. Add the pork, chillie powder, turmeric powder, green chillies and Dill leaves and mix well. Stir fry for a few minutes till the pork pieces become firm and the leaves shrivel up. Add the potatoes, salt and sufficient water and simmer on low heat till the pork and potatoes are tender. Serve with steamed rice or bread

Sunday, July 28, 2013

DAK BUNGALOW CHICKEN




For those who do not know what a ‘Dak Bungalow’ is, it was simply a ‘Traveller’s Rest House in the Indian subcontinent, during the days of the British Raj, originally on a Dak Route. Dak was a system of mail delivery or passenger movement, transported by relays of bearers or horses stationed at intervals along a particular route and these Rest Houses were established or built at various places along the route. These Traveller’s Bungalows or Dak Bungalows later became the Inspection Bungalows for British Officers. The Dak Bungalow Menu in the early days usually consisted of  meat or chicken (country fowls), either roasted or grilled or made into a curry, invariably served with baked potatoes, grilled tomatoes, rice kedgeree, or boiled eggs or omlettes and steamed vegetables. Since these Bungalows were situated on the main Trunk Roads with no markets or grocery shops in the vicinity, the cooks stationed at these Bungalows had to be innovative and use whatever ingredients were locally available.
Serves 6      Preparation Time 45 minutes
Ingredients:
1 Kg chicken cut into medium size pieces
1 teaspoon all spice powder or garam masala powder
3 teaspoons chopped garlic                     
2 teaspoons chillie powder
3 onions sliced
Salt to taste
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon coriander powder
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
½ cup curds / yogurt (optional)
3 or 4 red chillies broken into bits
8 to 10 curry leaves
½ teaspoon whole pepper corns

To Prepare the Dak Bungalow Chicken
Wash the chicken and marinate it for about 1 hour with the Chillie Powder, Garam Masala Powder / all spice powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt, lime juice and curds / yogurt.
Heat oil in a pan and add the onions, pepper corns, curry leaves and broken red chillies and fry till the onions are golden brown. Remove from the pan and keep aside.
In the same pan, add the marinated chicken and cook closed for about 5 to 6 minutes on high heat. Lower the heat, add enough water and then simmer on low heat till the chicken is cooked and the gravy thickens and almost dries up. Now add the fried onions, pepper corns, red chilies and curry leaves and mix lightly. Remove from heat and serve with rice or bread.


Wednesday, July 24, 2013

ANGLO-INDIAN DELICACIES - VINTAGE AND CONTEMPORY CUISINE FROM COLONIAL INDIA - REVISED EDITION


EBOOK VERSION CAN BE ORDERED FROM AMAZON.COM
 
It gives me great pleasure to bring out this revised version of ANGLO-INDIAN DELICACIES. The immense support and encouragement that I received from people all over the world has encouraged me to bring out these Recipe Books of  typical authentic Anglo-Indian Dishes.
ANGLO-INDIAN DELICACIES' is an interesting assortment of easy- to- follow Recipes of popular vintage and contemporary Cuisine of Colonial Anglo India. It covers a wide spectrum, ranging from typical English Roasts and Pasties to mouth watering Gravies and Curries, Pepper Water, Fries, Pulaos, Savouries, Sweets, Christmas treats, etc. picking up plenty of hybrids along the way. A few home brewed wines are also included to round off the extensive flavours and tastes.
 
In this book I’ve endeavoured to cover some of the old typical dishes that were popular in Calcutta, and other parts of Bengal besides Central and Eastern India. Dishes such as Pork Bhooni, Chicken / Meat Jal Frezie, Devil Pork Curry, Calcutta Cutlets (Kobhiraji Cutlet), Fish Kedegeree, Double Onions Meat Curry (Do Piaza), Meat  Glassey (Glazzie ) or Fruity meat Curry, Meat and Spinach Curry, Duck Dumpoke, etc, are some of the old favourites featured here. I’ve also included some recipes for dishes that were popular during World War II and were served in the Army camps and Officer’s Mess, such as the Army Camp Soup, Brown Windsor Soup, The Bengal Lancers Shrimp Curry, Veal Country Captain (Cold Meat Curry), Bubble and Squeak, One Eyed Jack, Colonel Sandhurst’s Beef Curry, Salted Tongue, Salted Beef, Corned Beef, Kalkals, Rose Cookies, Dhol Dhol, Beef Panthras, Potato Chops etc have been given a new lease of life, besides a host of other assorted dishes and preparations.
This Recipe Book ANGLO-INDIAN DELICACIES is an easy and unpretentious guide to delectable Anglo-Indian Cuisine. The easy-to-follow directions make cooking these delicacies, simple, enjoyable and problem-free. Anyone who follows these recipes will turn out dishes that will truly be a gastronomic delight besides having a rendezvous with History.  As with my earlier books, this Recipe Book will make a useful addition to a personal Anglo-Indian Recipe Collection
The recipes in this book are simple and easy to follow and only easily available ingredients have been suggested. The easy-to-follow directions for preparing these old, popular, sumptuous dishes make cooking simple, enjoyable and problem-free. The pungency of the dishes can be reduced according to individual taste by reducing the amount of chillie powder, spices or pepper powder suggested in each recipe. 
All the recipes in this Book are for 6 generous servings. If cooking for a smaller or larger number, the quantities should be adjusted accordingly.
The word “Everlasting” means ‘something, that once created, endures through time and never ceases to exist’. Anglo-Indian Cuisine is “EVERLASTING” and will endure forever and ever.

Monday, July 22, 2013

BRIDGET WHITE-KUMAR - FEATURE IN THE LUCKNOW TRIBUNE 17TH JULY 2013

Her Most yummy mummy! 17 Jul 2013
The Lucknow Tribune Team















Bridget White-Kumar was born and brought up in a well known Anglo-Indian family in Kolar Gold Fields, a small mining town in the erstwhile Mysore State now known as Karnataka in South India.Kolar Gold Fields or K.GF as everyone knows, had a large and predominant British and Anglo-Indian population. Her life too was influenced to a great extent by British colonial culture.
In her own words Bridget tells The Lucknow Tribune that her food habits are typical Anglo-Indian.Breakfast was normally a bowl of oats porridge, toast with butter, jam and eggs. Sundays saw sausages, bacon or ham on the breakfast table. Lunch was a typical Anglo-Indian meal and consisted of steamed rice, beef curry with vegetables, pepper water or dhal curry, and a vegetable foogath or side dish. Dinner was always bread or dinner rolls with a dry meat dish. It was an unwritten rule that no one ate rice for dinner. We normally had either beef or mutton every day, fish invariably on Wednesdays and Fridays and Pork or Chicken or Fowl on Sundays.
My mum was en exceptional cook and even the most ordinary dishes cooked by her tasted delicious. She was very versatile and imaginative when it came to cooking. She would improvise and turn out the most delicious curries and side dishes with whatever ingredients were on hand. Every dish she prepared was delicious even if it was just basic rice and meat curry that was cooked every day. Mummy had a procedure for everything. The onions had to be thinly sliced and the green chillies and coriander leaves chopped finely. Even the tomatoes for the curry were scalded first and the skin removed, then chopped into bits and strained through a sieve so that only the pulp was used and the seeds and skin thrown away!
While everyday lunch was considered simple, lunch on Saturdays and Sundays was special. Saturday lunch was invariably yellow coconut rice, mince ball curry or bad word curry as the word ‘ball’ was considered rude or a slang and was served with Devil Chutney. My mind still recalls and relishes the taste of the mince ball curry and coconut rice that my mum prepared on Saturdays for us. On Saturdays we had only half-day school so we were home by 12.30 pm, ravenously hungry and assailed by the delicious aroma of coconut rice and the tasty mince ball curry even before we reached our gate.The mince for the ball curry, had to be just right, so the meat either beef or mutton was brought home fresh from the butcher shop. It was cut into pieces, washed and then minced at home and formed into even sized balls. Then it was dropped into the boiling curry, simmered till the mince balls were cooked and the gravy reached the right consistency.
The yellow coconut rice was always prepared with freshly squeezed coconut milk, a few whole spices, bay leaf and butter. This delightful rice preparation formed the perfect mild subtle base of our Saturday Special Anglo-Indian Meal.
As a child I would always try and help my mum to chop vegetables and onions, mince the meat or help her stir the delicious curries that she cooked for us. I would be the first person to help my mum churn the batter and cut the fruit for the Christmas cakes and puddings and help to roll out and form the Kul Kuls and other delicacies at Christmas time.In a way, my mum greatly influenced my passion for cooking and encouraged me to do things myself. My favourite past time was to cut out recipes from old magazines and paste them in my scrap book. My hobby was to try out the old recipes from my mum’s handwritten recipe books.
Some of the old colonial dishes with their quaint names such as the Railway Meat Curry, Meat Glassey, Devil Curry and the Dak Bungalow Roast had at special fascination for me and I was keen to keep these dishes alive.Hundred of yearsAnglo-Indian cuisine evolved over many hundred years as a result of reinventing and reinterpreting the quintessentially western cuisine by assimilating and amalgamating ingredients and cooking techniques from all over the Indian sub-continent. Thus a completely new contemporary cuisine came into existence making it truly “Anglo” and “Indian” in nature, which was neither too bland nor too spicy, but with a distinct flavour of its own. It became a direct reflection of the multi-cultural and hybrid heritage of the new colonial population.
However over a period of time, Anglo-Indian cooking became more Indian than British and more regional based. Local ingredients and flavours of a particular region were incorporated in the dishes while the basic ingredients remained the same through out the country. Coconut based curries were popular in Anglo-Indian dishes in the south while mustard oil and fresh water fish were popular ingredients in Anglo-Indian dishes of Calcutta and West Bengal.A strong Muslim or Mughalai influence seeped into Anglo-Indian dishes cooked in Lucknow and parts of North of India.It is the extremely unusual blend of tastes that makes this cuisine so unique. Many of the dishes have rhyming alliterative names like Doldol, kalkal, Ding- Ding and Posthole. The very nomenclature of the dishes is unique and original, and synonymous only to the Anglo-Indian community. It is a true reflection of both worlds where the Indian oriented curry is given as much importance as the English roasts and bakes.
Gourmet's delight!
However, I'm sad to say that due to the influence of various factors, colonial Anglo-Indian cuisine, which is a gourmet's delight, is slowly getting extinct. In these days of fast food and instant mixes, many people do not find the time to cook even a simple meal everyday leave alone the old traditional dishes of our forefathers. Many of the old traditional colonial dishes are not prepared in Anglo-Indian homes these days as the recipes for many of them have died with the older generation who cooked with intuition and memory rather than from a written recipe.
In a world fast turning into a Global Village, with many Anglo-Indians migrating out of India and the younger generation not showing interest in traditional food, I felt it had become imperative for me to preserve for posterity those very authentic tastes and flavours and record for future generations the unique heritage of the pioneers of this cuisine.
With this in mind I have published six recipe books exclusively on Anglo-Indian cuisine.This personal collection of recipes is compiled with the intention of reviving the old tastes of the colonial era, and thereby preserving the old Anglo-Indian flavours and tastes.This is my small way of helping to preserve the culinary culture and heritage of the Anglo-Indian Community.Moreover these old traditional recipes are not found in any other typical Indian cookery book, except for those books published by me which are .
Anglo-Indian Cuisine - A Legacy of Flavours from the Past
A Collection of Anglo-Indian Roasts, Casseroles and Bakes
Vegetarian Delicacies
Anglo-Indian Delicacies
The Anglo-Indian Festive Hamper.
The Anglo-Indian Snack Box
For more information about our delicious Anglo-Indian food, and more about my Anglo-Indian Recipe Books at:
http://anglo-indianfood.blogspot.com
http://anglo-indiarecipes.blogspot.com
- See more at: http://www.thelucknowtribune.org/news.php?cat=913#sthash.e7IBBa7p.dpuf

Thursday, July 18, 2013

MULLIGATAWNY SOUP - LAMB / MUTTON

 
Mulligatawny Soup was actually the anglicized version of the Tamil “Melligu -Thani”. (“Melligu” meaning pepper and “Thani” meaning water). As the name suggests it was originally Pepper Water. However in course of time a lot of other ingredients such coconut, meat and other spices were added to give it a completely different flavour. The dish quickly became popular throughout the colonies of the Common Wealth. The Mulligatawny Soup of today bears little resemblance to the original ‘MELLIGU –THANI’


Recipe for Mulligatawny Soup - Lamb / Mutton
Serves 6   Preparation time 45 minutes
Ingredients
½ kg lamb /mutton (with the bones) chopped into medium size pieces
3 tablespoons Red Lentils / Masur Dhal
1 teaspoon chillie powder
2 teaspoons pepper powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1teaspoon crushed garlic
2 big onions sliced
1 cup coconut paste or coconut milk
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 Bay leaves
2 pieces cinnamon bark (about one inch in size)
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint for garnishing

Cook the lamb / mutton and all the ingredients with 6 to 8 cups of water in a large vessel on high heat till it reaches boiling point. Lower the heat and simmer for at least one hour till the soup is nice and thick.  Garnish with mint leaves. Serve with bread or rice.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

OLD LUNCH MENU OF FIRPO CATERERS, CALCUTTA

Some Nostalgia -
An old Menu dated Friday the 30th March 1945 of A FIRPO LTD CATERERS, CALCUTTA.

A 3 Course Luncheon Spread with Coffee costed just 2 Rupees and 12 Annas only. The Diner was

also given a choice of soups and starters while ...the Main Course featured Seafood, Meat and

 Poultry. The Luncheon was rounded off with a Dessert, Some Fruit and a Cup of Coffee!! Truly a

feast for a King.

  The old dishes mentioned on the Menu are not served in any Resturant today.


 









 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Saturday, July 13, 2013

PLAIN PULAO AND MUTTON / LAMB VINDALOO




PLAIN PULAO AND MUTTON / LAMB CURRY
 
PLAIN PULAO / PILAF
Serves 6    Preparation time 45 minutes
Ingredients
2 cups Basmati Rice or any other rice
2 Bay leaves
4 Cardamoms
3 Cloves
1 small stick cinnamon 
2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
1/2 teaspoon turmeric or a few strands of saffaron
2 teaspoons chopped mint
100 grams cashew nuts  
Salt to taste
½ cup ghee

Heat the ghee in a pan or rice cooker and fry the Cashew nuts, bay leaves, and spices for some time. Remove the cashewnuts and keep aside. Add the ginger garlic paste and mint to the ghee and sauté for a few minutes. Add the washed rice, mint and turmeric / saffaron and stir fry for 3 or 4 minutes. Add the salt and 4 cups of water and cook till the rice is done.
Garnish with fried Cashewnuts and browned onions
Serve with mutton or Lamb Vindaloo and salad.

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MUTTON / LAMB VINDALOO
Serves 6   Preparation Time 45 minutes
Ingredients
½ kg mutton /lamb  cut into medium pieces
3 big tomatoes pureed or chopped
2 big onions chopped
3 medium potatoes pealed and cut into quarters
3 tablespoons oil
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon mustard powder     
2teaspoons chillie powder
1teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon pepper powder
3 teaspoons garlic paste
3 tablespoons vinegar
½ teaspoon turmeric powder

Wash the meat and keep aside.
Heat oil in a suitable pan or pressure cooker and fry the onions till golden brown.  Add the garlic paste and fry well. Add the chillie powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, mustard powder, pepper powder and a little water and fry well till the oil separates from the mixture. Add the tomato puree and salt and fry for some more time. Now add the meat, potatoes and vinegar and mix well.  Keep frying on low heat for about 3 minutes. Add 2 cups of water (add more water depending on how much gravy is required) and cook till the mutton /lamb is tender and the gravy thickens
(If cooking in a pressure cooker, turn off the heat after 15 minutes).


Friday, July 5, 2013

FISH CROQUETTES – CIGAR SHAPED CUTLETS


 
 
FISH CROQUETTES – CIGAR SHAPED CUTLETS
A croquette is a small (bread) crumbed fried Roll, usually containing these main ingredients, i.e. mashed potatoes and filling of one’s choice such as minced meat, (veal, beef, chicken, or turkey), fish, vegetables, boiled eggs, etc, flavoured with herbs and spices.
The croquette is usually cigar shaped or cylindrical. It is then dipped in beaten egg, rolled in bread crumbs and then deep fried in hot oil.
The term Croquette is derived from the French term ‘Croquer’ which means "to crunch". Croquettes were therefore first invented by the French but gained popularity  the world over and is relished as a dinner delicacy and also as fast food
Croquettes were introduced into India during the Colonial Period. The early Khansamas and cooks turned the leftovers especially Turkey and Chicken Roast leftovers into Croquettes. Initially the Croquettes were bland and insipid but over a period of time were given an Anglo-Indian touch with the addition of cumin, green chillies and turmeric in those early times.
Croquette can be served as a finger-food or as an entrée accompanied by a dipping sauce. While the croquettes are usually fried they can also be baked. Either way, the crispy exterior of the croquette should perfectly compliment the moist and tasty filling inside.

 RECIPE FOR FISH CROQUETTES
Serves 6     Preparation Time 45 minutes
Ingredients
300 grams good fleshy fish fillets
1 cup boiled and mashed potatoes
2 teaspoons chopped mint
1 teaspoon pepper powder
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
1 teaspoon butter
1 egg beaten
Yolk of one egg
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons bread crumbs

Wash the fish and cook in a little water with some salt for about 5 minutes or till the fish is just cooked. Remove from the heat and cool. When cold mash the fish with a fork. Mix in the mashed potatoes, mint, pepper, salt, tomato sauce, butter and the egg yolk. Form into croquettes (cigar shape).
Heat the oil in a flat pan. Dip each croquette in the beaten egg, roll in bread crumbs then shallow fry on all sides till brown. Drain and serve with tartar sauce.
Note: 1 tin of Tuna Fish can be used instead of the fresh fish to make Tuna Fish Croquettes.

 
This recipe is from my Recipe Book ANGLO-INDIAN CUISINE - A LEGACY OF FLAVOURS FROM THE PAST

Thursday, June 6, 2013

DRUMSTICK AND DHAL CURRY

The 'drumstick tree', is well known for its multi-purpose attributes, wide adaptability, and is very easy to grow. It is mostly grown as a backyard tree in most Indian homes. Its leaves, pods and flowers are packed with nutrients important to both humans and animals. It is valued mainly for its tender pod, which is antibacterial and a wonderful cleanser. Drumstick is rich in calcium, phosphorus and vitamin C. The leaves are especially beneficial in the treatment of many ailments due to their various medicinal properties and their rich iron content. Drumstick is also a good blood purifier.
Here is an easy recipe for a simple Drumstick and Dhal Curry



DRUMSTICK AND DHAL CURRY
Serves 6  Preparation Time 1 hour
Ingredients

1 cup Tur dhal,
4 drumsticks peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces,
2 teaspoons chillie powder,
1 teaspoon coriander powder,                     
½ teaspoon turmeric powder,
1 teaspoon cumin powder,
2 tomatoes chopped,
1 teaspoon crushed garlic,
Salt to taste,
1 teaspoon mustard,
2 red chilies broken into bits,
A few curry leaves,
1 tablespoon oil

 Wash the dhal and cook it along with the tomato, chillie powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder and drumsticks with sufficient water in a pressure cooker.  When done open the cooker, add salt and some more water and mix well.

In another vessel, heat oil and add the mustard, broken red chilies and smashed garlic and fry for some time. When the mustard starts  spluttering pour in the cooked dhal. Serve with steamed rice.

Monday, May 20, 2013

JUNGLEE CHICKEN PULAO














The term ‘Junglee’ means wild or crazy in Hindi and it also refers to someone or something that is rough round the edges and has no finesse! This rice dish is just that -  a mish-mash of ingredients and Spices that are readily available in the kitchen such as onions, tomatoes, chillies, whole spices etc. The recipe varies from person to person. Many choose to incorporate leftover vegetable and meat dishes into it. Each family has their own version of this crazy rice dish or Junglee Palau. This is my version of Junglee Chicken Palau

Serves 6   Preparation and Cooking Time 1 hour
Ingredients
2 cups Basmati rice or any other long grained rice
1 Kg chicken chopped into medium size bits
1 cup oil or ghee
2 teaspoons chillie powder
3 big onions sliced finely
3 or 4 green chilies sliced lengthwise
2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste
3 big tomatoes chopped
1 pack coconut milk
½ cup fresh mint leaves
½ cup coriander leaves
1 cup curds (yogurt)
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
2 bay leaves
4 cloves, 3 small sticks of cinnamon, 4 cardamoms
Salt to taste

 

Wash the rice and soak it in a little water for about 20 minutes.
Heat the ghee in a suitable vessel or rice cooker and add the spices and bay leaves and fry for a few minutes. Now add the onions and ginger garlic paste and sauté for some time. Add the turmeric, mint leaves, coriander leaves and chillie powder and fry for a while. Next add the chopped tomatoes and chicken keep on frying till the oil separates from the mixture. Add the curds, slit green chilies, coconut and salt and 1 cup of water and simmer for a few minutes till the chicken is tender. Now add the rice and 3 cups of water and cook on low heat till done mixing once or twice. Serve with curd chutney and chicken or meat curry.




Sunday, May 5, 2013

ANGLO-INDIAN RECIPE BOOKS - BRIDGET WHITE




BRIDGET WHITE ANGLO-INDIAN RECIPE BOOKS

 1. ANGLO-INDIAN CUISINE – A LEGACY OF FLAVOURS FROM THE PAST is a comprehensive and unique collection of easy- to- follow Recipes of popular and well loved Anglo-Indian dishes. The repertoire is rich and vast, ranging from the outright European Cutlets, Croquettes, pasties, roasts, etc, to mouth watering Curries, Side dishes, Spicy Fries, Foogaths, Biryani and Palaus, Pickles, Chutneys etc, picking up plenty of hybrids along the way. The very names of old time favorite dishes such as Yellow Coconut Rice and Mince Ball (Kofta) Curry, Pepper water, Mulligatawny Soup, Grandma’s Country Captain Chicken, Railway Mutton Curry, Dak Bungalow Curry, Crumb Chops, Ding Ding, Stews, Duck Buffat, Almorth, etc, which were so popular during the Raj Era are sure to bring back nostalgic and happy memories. These popular Anglo-Indian dishes will take you on an exotic nostalgic journey to Culinary Paradise.

It is a practical and easy guide to delectable cooking. The book with its clear step-by-step instructions, describes the preparation of a variety of Anglo-Indian Dishes. The easy-to-follow directions make cooking simple and problem- free.

ANGLO-INDIAN CUISINE – A LEGACY OF FLAVOURS FROM THE PAST has been selected as WINNER FROM INDIA under the category BEST CULINARY HISTORY BOOK by GOURMAND INTERNATIONAL COOK BOOK AWARDS 2012

 Price per book : India : Rs175..00, Australia: A$15.00, UAE: Rs.350.00, Canada C$15.00, UK: GBP 8.00, USA: $15.00
 
 2. ANGLO-INDIAN DELICACIES is a collection of Recipes of popular vintage and contemporary Cuisine of Colonial India. Old favourites such as Pork Bhooni, Devil Pork Curry, Calcutta Cutlets, Fish Kedegeree, Double Onions Meat Curry, Camp Soup, Bengal Lancers Shrimp Curry, Boiled Mutton chops, etc have been given a new lease of life. The recipes are simple and extremely easy to follow. The very names of the dishes will surely bring back nostalgic memories of by gone days to many. As with the earlier books, it will make a useful addition to a personal Anglo-Indian Recipe Collection.
Price per book: India : Rs130.00, Australia: A$10.00, UAE: Rs 300.00, Canada C$10.00, UK: GBP 6.00, USA: $10.00

3. A COLLECTION OF ANGLO-INDIAN ROASTS, CASSEROLES AND BAKES is a practical and easy guide to delectable cooking. The clear step-by-step instructions describe the preparation of a variety of easy to prepare Anglo-Indian Roasts, Casseroles and Bakes such as Shepherd’s Pie, Washerman’s Pie, Roast Chicken, Macaroni and Mince, etc. A few Vegetarian Bakes and casserole dishes are also featured.
Price per book: India : Rs130.00, Australia: A$10.00, UAE: Rs 300.00, Canada C$10.00, UK: GBP 6.00, USA: $10.00

4.THE ANGLO-INDIAN FESTIVE HAMPER is a collection of popular Anglo-Indian festive treats, such as Cakes, Sweets, Christmas goodies, Puddings, Sandwiches, Preserves, Home-made Wines, etc, etc. The repertoire is rich and quite vast and takes you on a sentimental and nostalgic trip of old forgotten delicacies. These mouth watering concoctions are a mix of both ‘European’ and ‘Indian’, thus making it a veritable “Anglo-Indian” Festive Hamper. The easy-to-follow directions make the preparation of these old, popular, mouth watering goodies, simple, enjoyable and problem-free.
Price per book: India : Rs130.00, Australia: A$10.00, UAE: Rs 300.00, Canada C$10.00, UK: GBP 6.00, USA: $10.00

 5. THE ANGLO-INDIAN SNACK BOX is a collection of simple and easy to follow recipes of tasty snacks, short eats, nibbles and finger food. The repertoire covers a variety of vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian snacks which includes savouries, sandwiches, wraps, rolls, pastries, sweets etc and can easily be prepared from ingredients commonly available at home.
Price per book: India : Rs130.00, Australia: A$10.00, UAE: Rs 300.00, Canada C$10.00, UK: GBP 6.00, USA: $10.00

6. VEGETARIAN DELICACIES is a collection of simple and easy recipes of delectable Vegetarian Dishes. The repertoire is rich and vast, ranging from simple Soups and Salads, to mouth watering Curries, Stir fries, Rice dishes, Casseroles and Baked Dishes and popular Accompaniments. The easy-to-follow directions, using easily available ingredients, make cooking these dishes simple, enjoyable and problem-free. The book also highlights the goodness of each vegetable and their nutritive and curative properties in preventing and curing many health disorders.
Price per book : India : Rs150.00, Australia: A$15.00, UAE: Rs 350.00, Canada C$15.00, UK: GBP 8.00, USA: $15.00

A whole set of 6 books costs as under which includes the Postage and handling
In India only Rs. 980.00
Australia: A$75.00, UAE: Rs 2800.00, Canada C$75.00, UK: GBP 40.00, USA: $75.00

 For copies contact:  Bridget Kumar
Tel: 080 25504137 / 98455 71254 / 98440 444236
Email: bidkumar@gmail.com / bridgetkumar@yahoo.com

 

 

ANGLO-INDIAN LIVER AND ONIONS FRY

  ONION AND LIVER FRY Ingredients  ½   kg lamb liver sliced thinly        4 large onions chopped 1teaspoon chillie powder                   ...