ANGLO-INDIAN COOKERY BOOKS by Bridget White-Kumar

ANGLO-INDIAN RECIPE BOOKS by Bridget White-Kumar

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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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’.

A whole set of the above 4 books costs as under which includes the Postage and handling:

1) If posted anywhere In India only:

Rs. 1100.00   -  Payment through Cheque or Money order

2) If posted abroad, the price is as under: -  Payment through Western Union

or Pay Pal  only

Australia: A$80.00,, Canada C$80.00, UK: GBP 45.00, USA: $90.00,

New Zealand: NSW $90.00, UAE:  Rs 3000.00  

For copies contact:  Bridget Kumar

Tel: 080 25504137 / 98455 71254 / 98440 444236

Email: bidkumar@gmail.com / bridgetkumar@yahoo.com

ANGLO INDIAN RECIPES

Anglo-Indian Recipe Books by Bridget White-Kumar..
The List of Books along with prices for each country is given below.The cost of the books vary for each Country as the handling and Speed Post Charges are factored into the cost of each book. Payment in India through Money Order or Cheque. (No Cash on Delivery Basis )
Payment from abroad through Western Union or Paypal only. Contact me by email before making payment to confirm the order.
To order and buy copies of these books contact bridgetkumar@yahoo.com
1. ANGLO-INDIAN CUISINE – A LEGACY OF FLAVOURS FROM THE PAST
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
Price per book: India : Rs130.00, Australia: A$10.00, UAE: Rs 300.00, Canada C$10.00, UK: GBP 5.00, USA: $10.00

3.A COLLECTION OF ANGLO-INDIAN ROASTS, CASSEROLES AND BAKES
Price per book: India : Rs130.00, Australia: A$10.00, UAE: Rs 300.00, Canada C$10.00, UK: GBP 5.00, USA: $10.00
4.THE ANGLO-INDIAN FESTIVE HAMPER
Price per book: India : Rs130.00, Australia: A$10.00, UAE: Rs 300.00, Canada C$10.00, UK: GBP 5.00, USA: $10.00
5. THE ANGLO-INDIAN SNACK BOX
Price per book: India : Rs130.00, Australia: A$10.00, UAE: Rs 300.00, Canada C$10.00, UK: GBP 5.00, USA: $10.00
6. VEGETARIAN DELICACIES
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
7.SIMPLE EGG DELICACIES
Price per book: India : Rs130.00, Australia: A$10.00, UAE: Rs 300.00, Canada C$10.00, UK: GBP 5.00, USA: $10.00
A whole set of 7 books costs as under which includes the Postage and handling:
In India only Rs. 1100.00
Posting to: Australia: Aus. $80.00, Canada C$80.00, UK: GBP 45.00, USA: $80.00
UAE: Rs 3000.00
Payment in India through Money Order or Cheque. (No Cash on Delivery Basis )
Payment from abroad through Western Union or Paypal only. Contact me by email before making payment to confirm the order.

THE IDEAL CHRISTMAS GIFT - BRIDGET'S ANGLO-INDIAN RECIPE BOOKS

THE IDEAL CHRISTMAS GIFT - BRIDGET'S ANGLO-INDIAN RECIPE BOOKS 

ANGLO-INDIAN RECIPE BOOKS by BRIDGET WHITE

BRIDGET’S 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 5.00, 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 in  India : Rs130.00, Australia: A$10.00, UAE: Rs 300.00, Canada C$10.00, UK: GBP 5.00, 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 5.00, 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 in  India : Rs130.00, Australia: A$10.00, UAE: Rs 300.00, Canada C$10.00, UK: GBP 5.00, 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 in India : Rs150.00, Australia: A$15.00, UAE: Rs 350.00, Canada C$15.00, UK: GBP 8.00, USA: $15.00

7. 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 in India : Rs130.00, Australia: A$10.00, UAE: Rs 300.00, Canada C$10.00, UK: GBP 5.00, USA: $10.00

 

A whole set of 7 books costs as under which includes the Postage and handling: 

In India only   Rs. 1100.00   -  Payment through Cheque or Money order

Australia: A$80.00, UAE:  Rs 3000.00, Canada C$80.00, UK: GBP 45.00, USA: $80.00

Payment through Western Union or Pay Pal  only

For copies contact:  Bridget Kumar

Tel: 080 25504137 / 98455 71254 / 98440 444236

Email: bidkumar@gmail.com / bridgetkumar@yahoo.com

EASTER TREATS - BRIDGET WHITE

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

ANGLO-INDIAN CUISINE - A LEGACY OF FLAVOURS FROM THE PAST

News feature on my new book ANGLO-INDIAN CUISINE - A LEGACY OF FLAVOURS FROM THE PAST in THE HINDU NEWSPAPER on 21st NOVEMBER 2012

This is the link http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/Food/colonial-cooking/article4115559.ece

THE GRINDING STONE – AN INDESPENSIBLE PART OF LIFE IN THE OLDEN DAYS

THE GRINDING STONE – AN INDESPENSIBLE PART OF LIFE IN THE OLDEN DAYS

In the olden days, cooking would take up practically the whole day since everything had to be prepared from scratch. The masalas had to be ground manually on a grinding stone and the food cooked over firewood.

The grinding stone was an indispensable appendage in every home in the olden days. It was used on a regular basis to grind the masalas or curry stuff required for the daily cooking, The grinding stone consisted of a flat granite stone about two feet in length and one foot breadth. The wet or dry ingredients were placed on this stone and another stone about 10 inches in length that was shaped like a roller or cylinder was used to grind the masalas in an up and down direction. This grinding stone was known as “Ammi Kal” in Tamil.

The top of the grinding stone had to be rough and coarse so that the masalas could be ground easily to a smooth texture. However, due to continuous grinding, the grinding stone would become smooth, and it would take longer to grind the ingredients to the required consistency. This was when the ‘Grinding Stone Tapper’ was called in to tap the grinding stone to make it rough again.

The grinding stone tapper would use a small chisel and hammer to first make small pits in a star design in the centre of the grinding stone and then continue tapping the stone with his chisel and hammer around this design till the whole surface of the grinding stone was covered with small pits very close together. He repeated the same procedure with the top stone as well. The Grinding Stone Man had his own peculiar way of calling out ‘Ammi Kalu. Ammi Kalu’  to let people know that he was coming around. 

Some houses had yet another type of grinding stone which was used to grind wet masalas and  batter for Idlis and Dosas, or rice pancakes. This grinding stone was shaped like a small barrel with a hole in the centre. The dry masalas or the soaked rice and dhal with a little water, was put into this hole and was ground to a smooth batter with another cylindrical shaped stone in a rotary movement. When these grinding stones became smooth, the Ammi Kallu man would tap this stone as well to make it coarse again.

This type of grinding stone was known as ‘Rubbu Kal’ in Tamil which meant ‘to rotate’.

Using this type of grinding stone was actually a sort of exercise and it ensured a daily work out for the grinder as the hands and upper body of the person doing the grinding was fully exercised!

This old concept of the ‘Rubbu Kal’ is used in the modern day electric grinders.

Every house also had its own pestle and mortar of undressed granite which was used for pounding small quantities of dry spices. The action of pounding the spices and making them into a smooth powder was quite therapeutic and exciting at the same time.

Man has come a long way from the Stone Age. But its so amazing to think that we have come to adapt and innovate the most primitive of man’s tools for survival and use them to make our lives easier today amongst modern inventions and technology.  

Now with all the ready-made masalas and mixes available in the market and the modern and time saving gadgets, cooking has become so much easier and faster. The old grinding stones have now been replaced by Mixers / Blenders and Grinders

CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE HOTCH POTCH

CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE HOTCH POTCH is a legacy from the Scots to Anglo-Indian Cuisine. It was very popular in the olden days and was invariably prepared at least once a week in Anglo-Indian Homes long ago. It was rather like a stew and was a meal in itself.

It was also known as the Harvest Broth in Scotland as all the fresh vegetables and freshly slaughtered meat at summer's end were packed into a light broth for a wonderfully fresh stew.

This dish is quite tasty and attractive, with white, bright orange, and green vegetable chunks, redolent with chicken,  fresh herbs and a few spices all cooked together to a 'hotch-potch consistency'

Ingredients

½ kg chicken with the bones

2 onions chopped finely

4 carrots, peeled and chopped

3 tablespoons chopped spring onions

1 cup chopped beans

1 cup fresh green peas

1 medium cauliflower cut into florets

2 teaspoons mint chopped

1 teaspoon sugar  

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 pieces cinnamon

4 cloves

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

2 bay leaves

Oil for frying

2 teaspoons chopped corriander or parsley (optional)

Heat oil in a suitable vessel and add the onions, cinnamon, cloves, Bay leaves and chopped garlic. Fry till the onions turn golden brown. Add the chicken together with all the other ingredients and mix well. Add sufficient water and cook till the chicken and vegetables are soft and the gravy is thick. Serve with crusty bread.

FRENCH TOAST - BOMBAY TOAST

FRENCH TOAST or BOMBAY TOAST is also known as 'Eggy Bread' in Anglo-Indian parlance. It is a very popular breakfast item in most Anglo-Indian Homes, and is often served as an accompaniment to the traditional breakfast of Fried Eggs, Bacon, Sausages etc. - A perfect breakfast for a lazy saturday!

Ingredients:

8 slices sandwich bread

2 eggs

2 tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla essence

Butter or Ghee for frying

½ cup milk

Break the eggs in a bowl and beat well with the sugar. Add the vanilla essence and milk and mix well.

Heat a flat pan and add a tablespoon of butter or ghee and smear all over. When hot dip one slice of bread at a time in the egg and milk mixture and shallow fry each slice on both sides till golden brown. 2 or 3 slices can be fried at a time. Serve hot with either Condensed Milk, Jam, honey or powdered sugar.

To make a savoury french Toast, omit the sugar and vanilla essnce and instead add a dash of pepper and salt. Chopped green chillies, chopped onions and chopped corriander leaves (Cilantro leaves) could also be added for a spicy French - Bombay Toast.

RAILWAY MUTTON / LAMB CURRY IN BBC GOOD FOOD MAGAZINE JULY 2012

My Recipe for RAILWAY MUTTON / LAMB CURRY was selected as the READER RECIPE OF THE MONTH in the July issue of the BBC GOOD FOOD MAGAZINE. As a result I won a special gift Hamper woth Rs 6000.00 from Debenhams. The Hamper contained a 5 piece Spoon Set and a Jamie Oliver Grater Gift set which has both the fine and coarse graters. Wanted to share this lovely bit of news with all the readers and followers of ALL MY BLOGS as well as my Page PRESERVING ANGLO-INDIAN CUISINE on FACE BOOK . Thanks for all your love and support. God bless you all. Bridget

RAILWAY LAMB / MUTTON CURRY

Serves 6     Preparation Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

½ kg mutton or lamb cut into medium size pieces     

6 peppercorns

2 big onions sliced                

2 pieces cinnamon

2 cloves

2 cardamoms

8 to 10 curry leaves

4 red chilies broken into bits

1teaspoon chillie powder

1teaspoon ginger garlic paste

Salt to taste         

2 tablespoons oil

2 tablespoons vinegar or ½ cup of tamarind juice

Wash the meat and mix it with the ginger garlic paste, salt and the chilly powder. Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions, curry leaves, red chillies and spices till golden brown.  Add the meat and mix well.  Fry for a few minutes. Add the vinegar / Tamarind juice and sufficient water and cook on medium heat till the meat is done. Keep frying till the gravy is thick and dark brown.

Note: Substitute beef for lamb / mutton if desired.

                                                       --------------------

OKRA / LADY FINGERS PEPPER FRY

LADY FINGERS / OKRA PEPPER FRY

 (Also known in Anglo-Indian Parlance as BANDY COY FRY - a spin off of the Hindi word 'Bhendi' )

Serves 6    Preparation Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

½ kg okra / lady fingers,

2 onions chopped finely,

a few curry leaves,           

1 teaspoon ginger and garlic paste,

2 teaspoons black pepper powder,

½ teaspoon turmeric powder,

2 tablespoons oil, salt to taste

Cut the okra / ladyfingers on a slant into medium size pieces. Deep fry in hot oil for a few minutes. The okra should be cooked but still crunchy

 Heat oil in a pan and add the curry leaves and onions and fry till golden brown. Add the black pepper powder, salt, turmeric powder, and ginger garlic paste and sauté for a few minutes. Now add the mushrooms and mix well. Cook on low heat for a few minutes till the mushrooms are cooked. Garnish with browned onions.

ROAST TURKEY WITH STUFFING

                                                                                                     Serves 6   

Preparation Time 1 hour

1 Whole small dressed Turkey

¼ cup vinegar

3 teaspoons pepper powder

2 cups bread crumbs

2 teaspoons dried mint powder

2 eggs beaten

1 cup of boiled peas and carrot  

 ½ teaspoon grated lemon rind

½ cup oil   Salt to taste

Wash the turkey and rinse the insides well and keep aside.  Wash the liver, heart, gizzards and other edible internal parts of the turkey well.  Cook all these parts with a little water, salt and pepper powder till soft. Remove and chop into very tiny bits. This is known as the Turkey Giblets mince. Mix the cooked giblet mince with the eggs, bread crumbs, vinegar, mint powder lemon rind, salt and the boiled carrots and peas.

Now slit the turkey near the neck just above the chest and fill it well with the giblet mince mixture packing it firmly and tightly. When the turkey is stuffed well, close the opening Rub oil well all over the turkey. Place the stuffed turkey in a large vessel or pressure cooker and add sufficient water.  Cook till the turkey is tender. Keep simmering till all the water dries up and the turkey turns a lovely golden brown all over. (The stuffed turkey can also be roasted in an oven if desired).  Serve hot or cold with boiled vegetables and mash potatoes and Bread.

Passing on the legacy of Anglo-Indian cuisine

Passing on the legacy of Anglo-Indian cuisine

By Theresa Varghese

23 Dec 2009, Citizen Matters

, Bangalore

People like Koramangala-based Bridget White-Kumar prove that you do not have to be an academician or historian to bring the past alive. Instead of simply retiring, she has become a food ambassador.
The recently released Julie and Julia enthralled cinema lovers and foodies equally. The film, in part, shows the determination of an otherwise laidback Julia Child’s (played by Meryl Streep) endeavours to become a Cordon Bleu cook, her resolve to teach American women the art of French cuisine and the difficulties in getting her first recipe book published.
Author of six cookbooks and a blog on Anglo Indian cuisine, Bridget White-Kumar is Karnataka’s very own food ambassador. For Bridget White-Kumar this story could be termed familiar territory. Author of six cookbooks and a blog on Anglo Indian cuisine, she is Karnataka’s very own food ambassador. And, like Julia, the road to getting published was a rocky one for Bridget.

A former bank employee, Bridget’s professional life took a 180 degree turn when, after opting for voluntary retirement, she began to document Anglo Indian cuisine. Always interested in food, it was only when her daughter left for higher education to a foreign country that Bridget realised the value of the knowledge she held.
“I wrote out some recipes for my daughter,” recalls Bridget. “This became so popular with her friends that we dubbed it the black book. As she kept calling me to clear doubts, I realised that many of these recipes would probably die out if they were not recorded.” It provided the impetus for Bridget’s first book – The Best of Anglo Indian Cuisine – a Legacy, which came out in 2004.

With publisher after publisher rejecting her manuscript, by the time a publishing house finally agreed to the book, Bridget was weary of the entire procedure. So she decided to bring it out herself. Despite the high expense that self publishing entails, Bridget has not regretted the decision.

“The Internet has been a huge blessing,” she says with a smile. Thanks to technology and the blog, Bridget has been able to market her books so well that she has recovered all costs incurred. Considering that she did not know how to even work a computer before she embarked on her cookbooks, this is no mean feat. There have been no book launches or media blitzes either, but word of mouth did the rounds and the resultant press write-ups propelled Bridget into the limelight. Publishers also took note. Bridget’s seventh book, currently with a major publishing house, will soon be out. And her eighth – a nostalgic look at life in Kolar Gold Fields (KGF), has been published by Author House UK.

The Best of Anglo Indian Cuisine - Bridget White-Kumar.

Bridget, who grew up in the close knit mining community of KGF where a large percentage of the population were Anglo Indians, believes that Anglo Indian cuisine is the first instance of fusion food in India. “It is a confluence of various cultures, not just Indian and British,” she says. “Even within Anglo Indian communities in different parts of India, the ingredients for the same dish can vary. In Cochin the use of coconut will be more, while in Calcutta the oil used would be mustard. But whichever the region, the use of spices remains constant. The judicious use of spices is the defining trait of our food. Not spicy and not bland,” she adds.

Bridget’s favourite meal is yellow coconut rice, mince ball curry and pepper chicken. It is a reminder of her childhood. And of a past that she remembers with clarity. With four generations of Whites in the mining sector and a family home in Robertsonpet in KGF, Christmases especially were a great time for merriment and feasting.

To read Bridget-White Kumar’s blog, click here. For copies of her books, contact her on 9845571254 or at bidkumar[at]gmail[dot]com or bridgetkumar[at]yahoo[dot]com
“My father was a mining engineer and we lived in huge rambling quarters in KGF. There were four mines and each mine would have their Christmas function; with a tree, games for children, Santa distributing goodies, a funfair with food stalls where coconut puffs and marshmallows were favourites and the Christmas dance which began at 9 in the night and wound up by 5 in the morning! The dance was a big event; people would come from Chennai and Bangalore to hear the groups playing,” she says.

It is recollections like these that you will find in her yet to be published book. People like Bridget White-Kumar prove that you do not have to be an academician or historian to bring the past alive. She could have led an ordinary retired life but, with her perseverance in documenting the food of a dwindling community and her resolve to pen memories of a world that has disappeared, she has chosen to tread a different path.

Plum cake
Serves 6
Preparation time 1 hour

Ingredients
300 grams flour or maida
250 grams butter
250 grams powdered sugar
3 eggs (whites beaten well separately)
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon chopped orange or lemon peel
100 grams black currant chopped
2 tablespoon date syrup (for colour)
2 cloves and two small pieces of chinnamon powdered
1 table spoon vanilla essence

Shift the flour, baking powder and salt together. Dust the orange/ lemon peel and chopped black currants with a little flour. Cream the butter and sugar well. Add the egg yolks, date syrup, cinnamon and clove powder and vanilla essence and mix well. Add the orange/ lemon peel and black currants. Slowly add the egg whites and flour and fold it 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 sow oven for about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven when done and set aside to cool.

(Taken from The Anglo-Indian Festive Hamper, one of the books Bridget White authored.)
⊕
Theresa Varghese
23 Dec 2009
Independent writer and ardent baker who loves all things to do with food

FEATURE ARTICLE IN THE HINDU (NEIGHBOURHOOD) 13TH MAY 2010

BREAD PUDDING

8 slices of bread
2 cups milk
50 grams butter
3 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
½ cup chopped cashew nuts or walnuts
2 eggs beaten well.

Remove the crusts from the bread slices and break into small pieces. Take a baking dish and grease it. Spread the pieces of bread in it. Mix the milk, beaten eggs, sugar, vanilla essence and butter together and pour this mixture over the pieces of bread soaking them completely. Sprinkle the nuts on the top. Bake in a hot oven for 20 to 30 minutes.
Note: This pudding can also be steamed for 30 minutes instead of baking if desired

SPICY ANGLO-INDIAN PORK ROAST AND MUSTARD SAUCE

2kg pork (1 whole piece) from the shoulder portion
2 teaspoons pepper powder
4 dried red chillies broken into bits
3 pieces of cinnamon about ½ inch each
1 teaspoon chilly powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
2 or 3 onions sliced 1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon oil
Salt to taste
Wash the pork and rub it well all over with the salt, pepper, chilly powder and turmeric powder. Spread the sliced onions evenly in a fairly large greased baking dish. Lay the chunk of pork on the layer of onions. Sprinkle the broken red chillies and cinnamon over it. Drizzle the oil all over the meat. Shake the dish so that it spreads evenly. Cook in a moderate oven (355 0 ) for about one and a half hours till the meat is soft and brown. (Turn the meat over every half hour so that it browns all over evenly).
Cut the pork into slices and arrange on a platter. Serve with mash potato, steamed vegetables, dinner rolls and Anglo-indian Mustard Sauce.
The Pork Roast could be prepared using a Pressure cooker instead of baking in an oven.

ANGLO-INDIAN MUSTARD SAUCE. 
This sauce can be used as a spread for sandwiches by mixing it with shredded meat, vegetables, mayonnaise etc. It can also be eaten as a side relish with any type of Roasted Meat, Chicken Turkey, Duck etc.
This sauce was an integral sauce on every Anglo-Indian table during the Christmas Season

50 grams ordinary black or brown mustard
10 grams white mustard
1 teaspoon chillie powder
2 teaspoons garlic paste
2 tablespoons sugar
Salt to taste
A small piece of Drumstick Bark
1 cup white vinegar
Grind all the above to a smooth paste. Add a little more vinegar to make the paste into a sauce like consistency. Refrigerate and use when required.
Note: In case the drumstick bark is not available substitute with a stick of cinnamon.

PORK / LAMB TROTTERS IN GRAVY

8-Trotters (mutton or pork) preferably the front ones
1teaspoon ginger paste
1 teaspoon garlic paste
2-teaspoons spice powder
2-large tomatoes chopped
3-teaspoons chillie powder
2-large onions chopped
1-teaspoon coriander powder
3-tablespoons oil
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons coriander leaves chopped.

Heat oil in a pressure cooker and lightly sauté the onions. Add the trotters, spice powder, chillie powder, tomato, coriander powder and salt and mix well. Add sufficient water and pressure cook first on high heat then on low heat for half an hour till the trotters are well cooked. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice or bread or even dosas or hoppers.

ANGLO-INDIAN OX TONGUE ROAST

Serves 6
Preparation Time 45 minutes
1Large Ox tongue
1 big onion sliced
4 red chilies broken into bits
1 teaspoon whole pepper corns
2 cloves
2 pieces of cinnamon
2 tablespoons oil
Salt to taste

Wash the tongue well and then pressure cook it with 2 cups of water and a little salt till tender letting some soup remain. Open the pressure cooker and remove the boiled tongue. Let it cool for some time. When it is a little cold remove the white skin from the tongue and put it back into the open cooker and add the oil, onion, red chilies pepper corns, cloves and cinnamon and a little more salt. Mix well. Simmer on low heat till all the soup dries up and the tongue is nicely brown all over .Cut into slices and arrange on a plate along with the residue. Serve hot or cold with mash potatoes and bread. You can make very delicious sandwiches with tongue roast as filling.

JELEBI CARAMEL CUSTARD

6 Jelebis (available in any Indian Sweet stall)
3 eggs beaten
½ tsp vanilla essence
½ litre milk
6 tablespoons sugar
A pinch of salt
4 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon butter

Take a flat bottomed baking dish and grease it well with butter. Boil the milk and keep aside. Pre heat the oven till slightly warm. When the milk is slightly cold add the eggs, vanilla essence, flour and sugar and beat well till there are no lumps. Pour a thin layer of this mixture into the baking dish and let it set in the warm oven till it forms a base. Take out the dish and arrange the Jelebis in it. Pour the rest of the mixture over the Jelebis and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes till the custard sets and is golden brown on top. The custard should be moist and not dry. Garnish with sliced cashewnuts or pistachios.