Monday, December 11, 2017

CHRISTMAS CAKE



THE CHRISTMAS CAKE
Christmas time is that very special time of the year signifying happiness, caring and family togetherness. Preparation of the traditional cakes and sweets that are a part and parcel of Christmas starts a month in advance, filling the house and neighbourhood with enticing smells. For many people, one of their strongest childhood memories, is the enticing aroma of baking at Christmas. This is the time, when the whole house is in a festive mood, with the anticipation of Christmas, and everyone in the family chips in to help prepare those heavenly delights, such as  the traditional Christmas Cakes, kalkals and Rose Cookies, many other sweets and goodies that are prepared specially for Christmas. Christmas cakes are the best place to start if you want to get in the Christmas spirit nice and early. Christmas cakes are delicious if you make them in advance and feed it your chosen liquor gradually over the weeks leading up to Christmas. Most Anglo-Indian families have their own recipe for the Christmas Cake, that  is usually handed down through generations. Candied fruit, plums, currants, raisins, orange peel etc are dexterously cut and soaked in Rum or Brandy a few weeks in advance.  Nuts are peeled and chopped and the whole family comes together to make the cake. Jobs are allotted to everyone -  one to whip up the eggs, while another creams the butter and sugar, the flour is sieved, cake tins are lined, and a strong pair of arms are requisitioned to do the final mixing and stirring. After the cake batter is poured into the tins, the real fun starts with everyone fighting to lick the leftover batter in the mixing bowl and from the spoons and spatulas --  Here is a recipe for Christmas Cake that I’ve been using for many years. It may not look very dark but its rich and tasty.

Ingredients:

500 grams refined flour or plain flour              
300 grams dark brown sugar
500 grams unsalted butter
500 grams mixed dried fruits (equal quantities of black currants, raisins and sultanas) which have been chopped  finely and soaked in rum or brandy before hand
100 grams chopped orange / lemon peel          
1 tablespoon Zest of lemon or orange
¼ teaspoon salt                                          
½  teaspoon nutmeg powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
4 eggs beaten well                                             
4 tablespoons milk (optional)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla essence / extract
2 tablespoons Black Currant Jam or Orange Marmalade
2 tablespoons Black Treacle Syrup or Date Syrup  (optional)

Preparation:

Heat the oven to 150°C
Remove the chopped fruit from the rum, drain and keep aside.
Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder and salt together.
Dust the orange / lemon peel and the chopped soaked fruit with a little flour.
Cream the butter and sugar well. Add the beaten eggs, treacle / date syrup, vanilla essence, orange / lemon zest and mix well. Now add the Black Currant Jam / Marmalade, orange / lemon peel and chopped fruit. Slowly add the flour and mix gently till all the ingredients are combined well. If the mixture is too thick add a little milk.
Pour into a greased and papered baking tin or dish and bake in a slow oven (150°C ) for about one hour or more. (Check if cooked by inserting a tooth pick. If the tooth pick comes out clean, your cake is ready. Bake for some more time if still raw inside)
Remove from the oven when done and set aside to cool.


When the cake is completely cool, poke all over with tooth pick and drizzle brandy or rum all over the cake, (repeat once in every week or ten days). Wrap in foil paper, and store in an air tight container. This cake will last for months if stored in an air tight container. 

Saturday, December 9, 2017

ROSE COOKIES / ROSA COOKIES


. ROSE COOKIES / ROSA COOKIES / ROSETTE COOKIES

Rose Cookies are delicious fried Anglo-Indian Christmas Treats. Though named as Cookies, they are not cookies in the strict sense as they not baked but deep fried in hot oil. Rose Cookies are also known as Rosette Cookies, Rosa Cookies, etc and are prepared with a sweetened batter consisting of Flour, Eggs, Vanilla Extract and Coconut milk. Believed to be another culinary legacy left by the Portuguese in India, they are known as Rose de Coque or Rose de Cookies in Portugual. (They are also known as Rosettes in Sweden and Norway). The crisp cookies are made by plunging a special hand-held ‘Rose Cookie Mould’or ‘Rosette Iron’ lightly coated with a sweet batter into hot oil. The Rose Cookie Mould or Rosette Iron is a long handled gadget with intricately designed iron moulds of different flowers such as roses and daisies. The Mould or Iron is heated to a very high temperature in oil, dipped into the batter, then immediately re-immersed in the hot oil to create a crisp shell around the hot metal. The mould or iron is shaken slightly, till the Rose Cookie gets separated from it. The delicate golden brown, light and crispy cookie thus separated from the mould /iron floats to the top and is taken out from the hot oil with a flat porous spoon. Though a time consuming and laborious process, Rose Cookies are incredibly delicious. 



RECIPE FOR ROSE COOKIES
Serves 6   Preparation time 1 hour
Ingredients

½ kg refined flour 
250 grams rice flour (optional)                               
1 cup coconut milk
200 grams sugar                               
6 eggs beaten well
½ teaspoon salt                         
1 litre oil for frying
1 teaspoon vanilla essence       
1 teaspoon baking powder

Mix all the ingredients together to form a smooth slightly thick batter. 
Heat oil in a deep pan till it reaches boiling point. Now place the rose cookie mould into the oil to get hot. When the mould is hot enough dip it half way only into the batter and put it back immediately into the boiling oil. Shake the mould gently to separate the cookie from it. Heat the mould again and repeat the process. Fry rose cookies till brown. Continue in this way till the batter is finished. 

Note: The batter will stick to the rose cookie mould with a hissing sound only if it is sufficiently hot otherwise it will just slide off the mouldhi 

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

CHICKEN PEPPER FRY




CHICKEN PEPPER FRY
This is one of the easiest chicken recipes with minimum ingredient and with almost no effort you get a tasty chicken dish in no time at all. Garlic and Pepper combine to give this Chicken dish an out of the world taste.
This recipe is featured in my Cookery Book ANGLO-INDIAN CUISINE - A LEGACY OF FLAVOURS FROM THE PAST 
Serves 6   Preparation Time 20 minutes

Ingredients
1 kg chicken cut into medium size pieces     
3 large onions sliced finely
2 teaspoons pepper powder                           
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons oil                                             
Salt to taste

Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions and chopped garlic lightly.
Add the chicken and mix in the pepper powder, turmeric powder and salt. Fry for a few minutes till the oil leaves the sides of the pan.
Add ½ cup of water and cook on low heat till the chicken is tender and semi dry.
Alternately, the chicken can be par boiled with a little water and then added to the sautéed onions and pepper

You could add boiled potatoes towards the end and mix it with the chicken.

Serve with Bread or as a side dish. This is a good starter for Parties as well.


Wednesday, November 8, 2017

RUM BALLS / CHOCOLATE RUM BALLS



CHRISTMAS RUM BALLS
Rum balls are a truffle-like confection of sweet, dense cake or biscuit material flavoured with chocolate and rum. They are roughly the size of a golf ball and often coated in chocolate sprinkles, desiccated coconut, or cocoa. Rum Balls are rich in flavor and have a fudgy texture. Rum balls are one of the Christmas season's easiest and most delicious treats. Fruit cakes are normally used as they are already packed with fruits, nuts and spices. However chocolate cake or vanilla cake could also be used. The Rum balls can also be made with digestive biscuits instead of cake

RECIPE FOR CAKE BASED RUM BALLS
Ingredients

300 grams Fruitcake (or chocolate or vanilla cake)
100 grams cooking chocolate broken into small bits
100 grams Icing sugar for binding and rolling
3 tablespoons butter
½ cup dark rum
100 grams glaze cherries or any nuts such as almonds or walnuts chopped
Cocoa powder for dusting
Chocolate sprinkles or desiccated coconut for decoration (optional)

Crumble the cake into smooth crumbs without lumps.
Heat the butter and chocolate in a pan. Cook on very low flame stirring all the time, till the chocolate is melted
Remove from heat and cool for a little while. Add the cake crumbs, glaze cherries / nuts  and Rum and mix well. Refrigerate for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until just firm enough to handle.
Take small portions of the mixture and roll into balls using the icing sugar to bind them. (use more icing sugar if required to make the balls firm).
Now roll the balls in the cocoa powder to coat them well.
You can serve the rum balls like this or coat them with Chocolate sprinkles or desiccated coconut for decoration (optional)

Refrigerate till required to serve. 

Thursday, October 26, 2017

SOOJI COCONUT SWEET




SOOJI COCONUT SWEET
This is an old Anglo-Indian favourite. Made mostly at Christmas time and even at other times as well. The roasted sooji (Semolina) gives a nice robust taste to the Coconut Sweet.
Makes 30 pieces    
Ingredients
2 cups grated coconut                           
1 cup roasted fine soogi / semolina
3 cups sugar                                         
1 cup milk
½ cup condensed milk                           
1 teaspoon ghee
½ teaspoon vanilla essence                  
½ teaspoon food colour either pink or green


Roast the semolina with one teaspoon ghee till it gives out a nice aroma. Remove from heat and keep aside.
Melt the sugar with the milk and condensed milk in a thick bottomed vessel. 
Add the grated coconut and mix well. Cook till the coconut is soft. 
Add the semolina, essence, food colour and ghee and mix well. 
Simmer on low heat till the mixture becomes thick and leaves the sides of the vessel. 
Pour on to a greased plate and cut into squares.

Saturday, October 21, 2017

ANGLO-INDIAN MINCE BALL CURRY OR BAD WORD CURRY



ANGLO-INDIAN MINCE BALL CURRY (KOFTA CURRY)
This is a typical Anglo-Indian Favourite.  It can be prepared with either ground beef, mutton or lamb. It took its origins from the early Dutch settlers who were the first to introduce Forced Meat in India which eventually evolved into the forced meat balls being cooked in a gravy sauce which  is our very own Anglo-Indian Ball Curry today. Ball Curry is also known as Bad Word Curry as word ‘Ball’ was considered a slang word or bad word in the olden days. Hence the name Bad Word Curry

Serves 6        Time required: 1 hour
Ingredients; For the Curry
3 large onions chopped                  
1 sprig curry leaves
3 teaspoons chillie powder              
1 ½ teaspoons coriander powder
3 teaspoons ginger garlic paste     
3 big tomatoes pureed
½ cup ground coconut paste           
1 teaspoon spice powder or garam masala
Salt to taste                                    
3 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon coriander leaves chopped finely for garnishing
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
 
Ingredients for the Meat Balls (Koftas)
½ kg fine beef mince or lamb / mutton mince   
½ teaspoon spice powder
3 green chilies chopped               
A small bunch of coriander leaves chopped finely
Salt to taste                                  
½ teaspoon turmeric powder

Heat oil in a large pan and fry the onions till golden brown. Add the ginger garlic paste and the curry leaves and fry for some time.  Now add the chillie powder, coriander powder, spice powder or garam masala powder, turmeric powder and coconut and fry for a few minutes till the oil separates from the mixture. Now add the tomato juice and salt and simmer for some time.  Add sufficient water and bring to boil.


Meanwhile get the meat balls ready. Mix the spice powder, salt, chopped green chilies, turmeric powder and coriander leaves with the mince and form into small balls. When the curry is boiling slowly drop in the mince balls carefully one by one. Simmer on slow heat for 20 minutes till the balls are cooked and the gravy is not too thick.  Serve hot with Coconut Rice and Devil Chutney.

Thursday, October 5, 2017

FRIKKADELS (DUTCH FORCED MEAT BALLS OR PATTIES)



FRIKKADELS (DUTCH FORCED MEAT BALLS OR PATTIES)
Frikkadels or Frikadellers are pan fried or braised meat balls (or patties ) made with spiced ground meat or meat mince of either beef, lamb or chicken.
Ingredients
500 grams minced beef opr lamb
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup soft breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
½ teaspoon mild chillie powder or paprika
2 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped mint
Salt to taste
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 eggs, beaten
4 or 5 tablespoons oil for frying

Combine all ingredients together and mix well.
Form the meatballs by rolling portions into balls and pressing down slightly to flatten them.
Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and brown the meatballs on both sides.
Reduce heat and cook until the meat is no longer pink.

Serve on top of creamy garlic mashed potatoes.

Sunday, September 24, 2017

BEEF POT ROAST WITH MASHED POTATOES



BEEF POT ROAST WITH MASHED POTATOES 

Serves 6  
Ingredients

1 kg Beef from the “Round Portion” or “Top Rump part” (Full piece not chopped)
1large onions cut into quarters
1 teaspoon pepper powder
½ teaspoon mild chillie powder (For colour)  
2 tablespoons vinegar  
Salt to taste
3 or 4 tablespoons oil
3 large potatoes pealed (Whole potatoes)

Wash the meat and rub it well with the vinegar, salt, chillie powder and pepper. Leave aside for 1 hour.

Add the oil in a pressure cooker, and add the whole portion of meat.

 Sear the meat by turning the meat on all sides till it changes colour.

Add the onions, potatoes and sufficient water and cook till the meat is tender.

Open the cooker and continue to simmer on low heat till all the soup dries up and the meat is nicely brown all over and the potatoes too are nicely roasted. 

Serve hot or cold with bread and Vichy Carrots

Note: The same recipe can be used for making Mutton or Lamb Roast as well.


Sunday, September 10, 2017

BRIDGET WHITE - ANGLO-INDIAN COOKERY BOOKS



BRIDGET WHITE - ANGLO-INDIAN COOKERY BOOKS

1. ANGLO-INDIAN CUISINE – A LEGACY OF FLAVOURS FROM THE PAST
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.
Price per book : India : Rs 200.00, Australia: A$20.00, Canada C$25.00, UK: GBP 10.00, USA: 25.00

2. A COLLECTION OF SIMPLE ANGLO-INDIAN RECIPES   
A Collection of Simple Anglo-Indian Recipes is a revised, consolidated version of four earlier Recipe Books of Bridget White, namely Bridget’s Anglo-Indian Delicacies, A Collection of   Anglo-Indian Roasts, Casseroles and Bakes, The Anglo-Indian Snack Box &The Anglo-Indian Festive Hamper.
More than 350 Recipes of traditional, popular and well loved, Anglo-Indian Dishes have been specially selected from these earlier Cook Books and featured in this Omni-bus Edition. This single Consolidated Imprint of easy- to- follow Recipes features Soups, Pepper Water &  Vindaloo, Curries & Fries, Roasts & Stews, Chops and Cutlets, Croquettes & Rissoles, Foogaths and Vegetarian Delights, Rice Dishes & Pilafs, Pickles & Relishes, Casseroles and Baked Dishes, Snacks & Short Eats, Nibbles & Finger food, Sweets & Desserts, Custards & Puddings, Christmas Cakes & Festive Treats, Curry Powders, etc.
The huge selection of Anglo-Indian dishes featured in this Cookery book will surely take one on a sentimental and nostalgic journey down  memory lane of old forgotten Anglo-Indian Culinary Delights. All the old dishes cooked during the time of the Raj have now revived to suit present day tastes and palates. This Cookery Book would also serve as a ‘Ready Reckoner’ and a useful guide for teaming up dishes for everyday Anglo-Indian Meals as well as for festive and special occasions.
Price per book : India : Rs. 430.00, Australia: A$ 25. 00, Canada C$25.00, UK: GBP 15.00, USA: $25.00

3. VEGETARIAN DELICACIES
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 : Rs 200.00, Australia: A$20.00, Canada C$ 20.00, UK: GBP 10.00, USA: $20.00

4. SIMPLE EGG DELICACIES
Simple Egg Delicacies is a collection of simple and easy recipes of delectable Egg Dishes for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner and for all other times as well.  The repertoire ranges from simple Breakfast Egg Dishes and Egg Salads, to mouth watering Curries, Tea Time treats, Sandwiches, Casseroles and Baked Dishes. The recipes are extremely easy to follow and only easily available ingredients have been suggested. - A real treat for ‘Eggetarians’.
Price per book: India : Rs150.00, Australia: A$15.00, Canada C$15.00, UK: GBP 8.00, USA: $15.00

5. ANGLO-INDIAN DELICACIES
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, of recipes ranging from  mouth watering Gravies and Curries, Mulligatawny and  Pepper Water, Meat Fries, Roasts and Steaks to tasty Pulaos and Pickles, Savouries, Sweets and Christmas treats including a few home brewed wines to round off the extensive flavours and tastes.  Some of the old typical dishes that were popular in Calcutta, and other parts of Bengal besides Central and Eastern India, 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 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, BeefPanthras, Potato Chops etc. All these dishes have been given a new lease of life, besides a host of other assorted dishes and preparations.
Price per book: India : Rs. 450.00, Australia: A$30.00, Canada C$35.00, UK: GBP 15.00, USA: $35.00

6. THE ANGLO-INDIAN FESTIVE HAMPER
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 : Rs150.00, Australia: A$15.00, Canada C$15.00, UK: GBP 8.00, USA: $15.0


For copies contact:  Bridget Kumar
Tel: +9198455 71254

A whole set of the 6 books mentioned above costs as under: (includes the Postage and handling)
India Rs. 1800.00
Australia: A$ 125.00, Canada C$ 130.00, UK: GBP 75.00, USA: $130.00

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.IN & FLIPKART

1. ANGLO-INDIAN CUISINE – A LEGACY OF FLAVOURS FROM THE PAST


2.  A COLLECTION OF SIMPLE ANGLO-INDIAN RECIPES

3. ANGLO-INDIAN DELICACIES

4. VEGETARIAN DELICACIES


Friday, September 8, 2017

PRAWN CURRY WITH POTATOES



PRAWN CURRY WITH POTATOES
A simple and easy to cook Prawn Curry. It goes well with Rice, Bread, Chapatis or any Indian Bread. 
Serves 6     
Ingredients
½ kg medium sized prawns, deveined and washed
2 big onions sliced finely
2 tomatoes chopped finely or made into puree
2 teaspoons coriander powder
2  teaspoons chillie  powder 
 2 teaspoons ginger and garlic paste
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
Salt to taste
2 Potatoes boiled, peeled and cut into quarters
 3 tablespoons oil

Mix the prawns with a pinch of turmeric and salt and keep aside.
Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onions for some time till translucent.  
Add the ginger garlic paste, chillie powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, salt and tomato and fry till the mixture separates from the oil. 

Now add the prawns and mix well.  Add a little water and the potatoes and mix well. Cover and cook on low heat for about 10 minutes till the gravy is very thick and the prawns are cooked.
Garnish with a few chopped coriander leaves.
 Serve with bread or rice

Sunday, August 27, 2017

BREAD AND CUSTARD PUDDING



BREAD AND CUSTARD PUDDING
This is a very simple Pudding that requires just 7 ingredients and could be done in just 10 minutes. Have it while its still warm or chill it in the fridge for later.
1 litre full cream milk
4 or 5 tablespoons condensed milk
2 tablespoons Custard Powder (Vanilla Flavour) 
4 or 5 Slices of White Bread
1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence
3 teaspoons Jam of your choice (I used Blackberry Jam)
Remove the crusts from the bread and apply the jam liberally on them. Cut each slice into quarters, then lay them in a flat glass dish.
Boil the milk and condensed milk together. Mix the Custard Powder with some cold milk in a cup, then add it to the boiling milk. Add the vanilla essence. Simmer on low heat for a few minutes till the mixture starts thickening.
Remove from heat and pour over the bread. Sprinkle chopped nuts or raisins on top.
Let the Pudding rest for some time then chill in the fridge

Friday, August 18, 2017

COLONIAL ANGLO-INDIAN CUISINE FOOD PROMOTION EVENT AT K 3, J W MARRIOTT HOTEL NEW DELHI AEROCITY - THE MEMSAHIB'S KITCHEN



COLONIAL ANGLO-INDIAN CUISINE FOOD PROMOTION EVENT AT K 3, J W MARRIOTT HOTEL NEW DELHI AEROCITY - THE MEMSAHIB'S KITCHEN

It's been an awesome and amazing experience being part of the Colonial Anglo-Indian Food Promotion Event #thememsahibskitchen at K3, J W Marriott Hotel New Delhi Aerocity. 
Thank you so much J W Marriott Hotel for giving me the privilege of recreating and bringing back to life old forgotten foods and simple dishes of yore that were innovated and invented by the khansamas and cooks in those early days of the Colonial period. 
The rustic and robust flavours of dishes that were served by the cooks at the Dak Bungalows and Inspection Bungalows to the British Officers while on their official tours across the country such as the Dak Bungalow Chicken Curry and fry. 


The delicious Railway Lamb and Vegetable Curries that were first served on the Great Indian Peninsular Railway also known as The Blue Train that began its three day journey from Bombay’s Victoria Rail Terminus to Calcutta via Allahabad for the first time on 7th March 1870 covering a total distance of almost 4000 miles. 
Then the East India Company legacies of lamb chops, Bread and Butter pudding, Roly Poly Jam Pudding and steamed ginger pudding, besides other dishes associated with British colonial cooking such as Kedegeree (the anglicised version of kichidi, a rice dish cooked with pulses then mixed with quartered hard boiled eggs), Rissoles, Potato Chops and Pantras, Cutlets and Croquettes.

The Portuguese legacies of Vindaloo and Tangy Curries and Sweets, the Dutch Fish and lamb Mince Friccadels and not forgetting the other old dishes such as Grandma's Country Captain Chicken, lamb Mince Ball (Kofta) Curry, Saffron Coconut Rice, Anglo-Indian Tomato Pilaf, etc. 
Thank you  J W Marriot Hotel New Delhi Aerocity, Executive Chef Vikram Bhatt, Executive Sous Chef Ishika, Mr Rohit Sharma and Mr Nikhil Nair for this wonderful opportunity. 

My special thanks to the wonderful team of Chef Kamal Sen, Hardik Narang, Akanksha Dean, Hitesh and others who were so eager to learn this new cuisine and recreate these old dishes for the festival. God bless you all. 
#memsahibskitchen #K3 #JWMarriotHotelNewDelhiAerocity



Monday, July 3, 2017

TANGY MUTTON CURRY OR TAMARIND MEAT CURRY

















TANGY MUTTON CURRY OR TAMARIND MEAT CURRY
(A tangy slightly spicy dish. Tender pieces of Mutton cooked with selected spices in a tamarind sauce).

Serves 6     Time required: 45 minutes
Ingredients:

1kg mutton cut into medium size pieces      
2 big onions chopped finely
1 teaspoon coriander powder
½ teaspoon cumin powder
2 teaspoons chillie powder
1teaspoon ginger garlic paste
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons oil
½ cup thick tamarind juice
3 green chillies slit lengthwise.

Boil the meat in a little water, salt and a pinch of turmeric till tender.
Remove the boiled meat and keep the remaining soup aside.
Make a paste with the ginger garlic paste, salt, coriander powder, cumin powder and the chillie powder with a little water.
Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions till golden brown. Add the paste and the green chillies and fry well till the oil separates from the mixture.
Add the boiled mutton and along with the left over soup and the thick tamarind juice and mix well. Cook on medium heat till the mutton is tender and the gravy is thick and dark brown.
Garnish with slit green chillies.
Let the curry stand for half an hour before serving to draw in all the flavours.

Serve with steamed rice or chappatis. 

Thursday, May 25, 2017

CHICKEN COUNTRY CAPTAIN



CHICKEN COUNTRY CAPTAIN 
This is an old Colonial Recipe that originated during the British Raj. It was served at all the Clubs and Army Messes in the middle 1900s. It goes well with any Rice such as Coriander Pilaf, Coconut Rice, Steamed White Rice, etc or with any Indian Bread or just Dinner Rolls. 
Serves 6   Time required: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 kg chicken cut into medium size pieces     
3 large onions sliced finely
2 teaspoons chillie powder                             
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 tablespoons oil                                            
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons garlic paste                              
2 sticks cinnamon
4 cloves                                                          
2 cardamoms
6 or 8 whole pepper corns                              
2 Dry Red Chillies broken into bits

Boil the chicken with sufficient water till almost cooked. Drain the stock and keep aside
Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, dry red chillie and pepper corns lightly. Add the chicken, mix in the garlic paste and sauté for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Add the chillie powder, turmeric powder, and salt. Mix well and stir fry for a few minutes.
Add ½ cup of the chicken stock  and cook till the chicken is tender and the gravy is quite thick.
Serve as a curry with a simple corriander pilaf or cococnut Rice 

Ps. his recipe can be adapted to meat as well. Left over Beef or Lamb Roast can be made into a delicious County Captain Fry or a cold meat curry if desired.

Monday, May 8, 2017

HOME MADE CURRY POWDERS USED IN ANGLO-INDIAN COOKING



HOME MADE CURRY POWDERS USED IN ANGLO-INDIAN COOKING
 Here are a few recipes to make your own Homemade Curry Powders at home. Homemade powders always give a better taste to curries than store bought curry powders. Make small quantities and store in air tight bottles or jars for future use. These Curry Powders will save you a lot of time while cooking and your Curry, Pepper Water and Vindaloo will taste so different. 

 1. BASIC CHILLIE  POWDER
½ kg Red Chilies (long or round variety for pungency)
½ kg Kashmiri Chilies or any other non spicy chillies (for adding colour)

 Roast the two types of chilies in a pan or in a microwave oven for a few minutes. Powder them at home in the dry blender or get it done at the mill.
A teaspoon or two of this chillie powder could be used for any type of dish that calls for chillie powder. It can be stored for more than a year.

2. ANGLO-INDIAN CURRY POWDER
250 grams Red Chillies for pungency    
200 grams Kashmiri Chillies or any other chillies for colour
100 coriander seeds
100 grams cumin seeds

Roast all the above ingredients separately then mix altogether and grind to a fine powder either in a blender or mixer at home or get it ground in a mill.

A teaspoon or two of this powder can be used for almost all curries both vegetarian and non- vegetarian. It can be stored and used for more than a year.

3. PEPPER WATER POWDER
250 grams Red Chilies
50 grams pepper corns
50 grams cumin seeds
50  grams coriander seeds
20 grams turmeric powder

Roast all the above ingredients and then grind together to a powder.
2 teaspoons of this powder should be added to 2 cups of water, juice of 2 tomatoes, a lump of tamarind and a little salt and cooked for 5 minutes to make instant pepper water. This pepper water should be seasoned with mustard, garlic and curry leaves.

4.  VINDALOO CURRY POWDER / PASTE
25 grams mustard seeds
250 grams red chilies for pungency                                           
50 grams cumin seeds
10 grams pepper corns

Roast all the above ingredients together for a few minutes then powder in a mill or dry grind in a blender.

Use 2 teaspoons of this powder for every ½ kg of meat when cooking Vindaloo along with the other ingredients as per the recipe. If this powder is stored in an airtight bottle it will stay fresh for more than a year. The same mixture can also be made into a paste if ground in vinegar but it should be stored in the fridge. 

Monday, May 1, 2017

ANGLO-INDIAN RUMBLE TUMBLE or SCRAMBLED EGGS



ANGLO-INDIAN RUMBLE TUMBLE or SCRAMBLED EGGS
Rumble-Tumble is another name given for Eggs that are scrambled.
Scrambled eggs is a dish made from the whites and yolks of eggs that are stirred or beaten together,  then cooked gently in a pan that has been heated with a little butter or oil, with salt and  other ingredients. The beaten eggs are stirred frequently as they coagulate till just small bits are obtained. For savoury Rumble Tumble Eggs or Scrambled Eggs, chopped onions, green peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, bits of bacon or sausage, etc are first fried in the oil or butter then added to the beaten eggs, poured into the pan and scrambled. Here is a simple recipe for Scrambled / Rumble Tumble Eggs with Tomatoes. This recipe is also featured in my Cookery Book  SIMPLE EGG DELICACIES 

SCRAMBLED EGGS / RUMBLE TUMBLE EGGS WITH TOMATOES
Serves 4   Preparation Time 20 minutes
Ingredients

4 eggs beaten well
2 onions chopped finely
1 medium size tomato chopped finely
2 green chillies chopped
1 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves
100 grams butter or 3 tablespoons oil
Salt to taste


Heat the butter or oil in a pan and sauté the onions and green chillies till brown. Add the beaten eggs and salt and fry well mixing all the time so that the mixture does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Mix in the tomatoes and continue cooking on low heat till the eggs are well scrambled. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves or chopped sprung onions  

Saturday, April 15, 2017

PORK CHILLIE FRY



PORK CHILLIE FRY
Serves 6        Time required: 45 minutes
Ingredients:

1 kg Pork (any cut) without the lard cut into small pieces
3 large onions sliced finely
2 medium size capsicums / green peppers sliced thinly (optional)
8 peppercorns
1 teaspoon chopped ginger
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
6 green chillies sliced lengthwise
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons oil

Boil the Pork in 1 cup of water with a little salt and the peppercorns till tender

Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions ginger and garlic till golden brown. Add the slit green chillies and sliced capsicum and sauté for a few minutes.  Add the boiled pork and a little more salt if necessary and simmer till semi dry. Serve with rice or bread or as a starter at a party. 

ANGLO-INDIAN LIVER AND ONIONS FRY

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