VEGETARIAN DELICACIES - Bridget White - NEW RECIPE BOOK

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, Rice dishes, Baked Dishes and popular Accompaniments. The easy-to-follow directions make cooking these dishes simple, enjoyable and problem-free.

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MARZIPAN EASTER EGGS

Makes 10 small eggs
Ingredients
250 grams almonds
150 grams sugar
300 grams icing sugar
2 egg whites
A little rose water for grinding
¼ teaspoon almond essence
Grind the almonds with the egg whites and rose water to a smooth paste. Transfer the paste into a heavy bottomed pan and add the sugar. Cook on low heat stirring all the time till the mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat and add the icing sugar and a few drops of colour of your choice. Knead till it forms a dry ball. Divide the mixture into 10 even sized balls and mould into egg shapes. Decorate with royal icing.

Simple Roasted Chicken

1 medium sized chicken jointed into 4 big pieces

2 teaspoons lime juice or vinegar
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
4 tablespoons Butter
Salt to taste
2 teaspoons whole pepper corns
2 onions chopped into big chunks
2 red dry chillies broken into bits

Heat the butter in a suitable pan and add the chicken pieces and all the other ingredients. Mix well and stir fry on high heat for a few minutes till the chicken changes colour. Add a little water and simmer on low heat till the chicken is tender and the water dries up. Keep frying on low heat for a few more minutes till the chicken pieces are nicely browned. Served with Mashed Potatoes and Bread.

STEAMROLLER CHICKEN

The Steamroller Chicken is also another Colonial Dish, which got its name only because the pieces of chicken used in its preparation would be cut lengthwise and then flattened with a cleaver or Rolling Pin. The Chicken eventually looked as if it was flattened with by a heavy object such as a “Steam Roller or Road Roller”.


INGREDIENTS
2 chickens each jointed into 4 pieces so as to get a total of 8 pieces

4 teaspoons pepper powder
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons oil
5 tablespoons lime juice or vinegar
3 tablespoons corn flour

Wash the chicken well. Beat each piece with a large knife or cleaver and then flatten with a rolling pin. Marinate the flattened chicken with the pepper powder, salt and lime juice / vinegar and keep aside for one hour.
Mix in the corn flour and one tablespoon butter. Heat a little oil in a nonstick pan and fry each chicken piece separately on medium heat till tender. When all the pieces are fried put them all back in the pan, add 2 tablespoons butter and sauté the chicken for about 5 minutes on low heat. Serve with rice or bread.

(Alternately the chicken can be baked in an oven using the same recipe)

MEAT PEPPER FRY

Serves 6 Preparation Time 45 minutes


½ kg Meat (Beef / Mutton / lamb)

3 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper

1 teaspoon chopped ginger

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

2 big onions sliced finely

2 tablespoons oil

3 large potatoes

Salt to taste




Wash the meat and keep aside. Wash the Potatoes, peal and cut into quarters.


Heat oil in a pan and sauté the onions and chopped ginger for a few minutes. Add the meat, salt, turmeric and pepper powder and mix well. Fry for 5 minutes on low heat turning the meat well till the pieces get firm. Add sufficient water and the potatoes and cook till done. Continue simmering on low heat till all the water is absorbed and the meat and potatoes are brown. Serve hot with bread or rice.

MULLIGATAWNY SOUP - CHICKEN MULLIGATAWNY

The original Mulligatawny Soup can be traced back to the early days of the East India Company in Madras to around the 18th century. It was originally a soup made with chicken or mutton/lamb stock. Mulligatawny Soup had no history in India before the British Raj. Supposedly, it was simply an invention to satisfy the Britishers, who demanded a soup course for dinner from a cuisine that had never produced one till then. The Tamil servants in those days concocted a stew like dish, that contained pepper and water on the lines of their local “Rasam” or “Melligu –Thanir. It was an interesting mix of East meets West, and was the nearest thing to soup in the cuisine of Colonial India. Mulligatawny Soup was actually the anglicized version of the Tamil “Melligu -Thani”. (“Melligu” meaning pepper and “Thanir” meaning water). As the name suggests it was originally just pepper in a watery soup.

In course of time a lot of other ingredients such meat, chicken, coconut, turmeric and other spices were added to give it a completely different flavour. A variety of “Mulligatawnies”, then came into existence which quickly became popular throughout the Common Wealth. Recipes for mulligatawny were quickly brought back to England by the British and its popularity spread through out the country. It has made a lasting impression on British cuisine right down to the present day, though it has undergone many changes. It is still an excellent “Comfort” dish on a cold rainy day and will surely lift the spirits when one is down in the dumps.
Mulligatawny Soup is now firmly entrenched not just in cookbooks but history books as well as a thick, spicy meat soup which is a wholesome meal in itself served with bread or rice. It has remained popular in the United Kingdom and is now available even in cans in some stores. The Mulligatawny Soup of today bears little resemblance to the original “MELLIGU -THANI”. And despite the name, pepper itself is not an important ingredient in the dish.
Though purported to be a classic Anglo-Indian dish since it came into existence during the Colonial Era, and was very popular then, Mulligatawny is not a typical Anglo-Indian dish. The real dish we Anglo-Indians call "Pepper water" is actually closer to the Tamil Rasam than Mulligatawny. Mulligatawny ultimately culminated into our very own Breast Bone pepperwater and various other variations such Shrimp Pepperwater, Dal Pepperwater, Horsegram pepperwater, etc.

Here’s a recipe for Chicken Mulligatwany Soup. Enjoy!!!!!!!
CHICKEN MULLIGATAWNY SOUP
Serves 6 Preparation time 45 minutes
½ kg chicken chopped into medium size pieces
1-teaspoon chilly powder 2-teaspoons pepper powder
1-teaspoon cumin powder 1-teaspoon coriander powder
1-teaspoon crushed garlic 2 big onions sliced
1 cup coconut paste or coconut milk Salt to taste
2 cloves 2 small pieces cinnamon
2 cardamoms 1 tablespoon oil or butter
Cook the chicken 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.
(Mutton or Lamb could be substituted for chicken)

SIMPLE PANCAKES FOR SHROVE TUESDAY

Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day

Shrove Tuesday is celebrated the day before Ash Wednesday, i.e. the day before the commencement of the season of Lent leading up to Easter Sunday. Shrove Tuesday always falls 47 days before Easter Sunday, so the date varies from year to year. The name Shrove comes from the old English word "shrive" which means “to confess”. In the Middle Ages, people used to go to confession and confess their sins on Shrove Tuesday, so that they were forgiven before the season of Lent began on Ash Wednesday.
Lent is a time of fast and abstinence and of making sacrifices and giving things up. The Church liturgy laid much emphasis on eating very plain food and refraining from food that would give pleasure during the period of lent. In many cultures, this meant no meat, dairy, or eggs. So in earlier times, Shrove Tuesday became the last chance for people to indulge themselves in good food on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday and to make use of the items of foods that were not allowed during Lent.
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, Shrove Tuesday is more commonly known as Pancake Tuesday or Pancake Day, as it is customary to eat PANCAKES on this day. Pancakes thus became associated with the day preceding Lent, because it was a way to use up all the rich foodstuffs in the house such as eggs, milk, and sugar, before the fasting season of the 40 days of Lent began.
SIMPLE PAN CAKES
Serves 2 Preparation time 30 minutes
1cup flour (maida)
2 eggs beaten well
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
1 tablespoon butter or ghee
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1cup milk
Mix all the ingredients together to get a thin smooth batter without lumps. Heat a non- stick frying pan. When hot wipe all over with a piece of cloth dipped in a little oil. Pour a ladle of batter in the pan with a swirling motion and then shake the pan so that the entire pan is covered. Cook on both sides and remove. Serve hot with Jam or honey.
For Pan Rolls make the pancakes as above. Place a spoon of cooked mince, sweetened grated coconut or any vegetable side dish in the middle then roll them up. Serve hot.
For Fruit Pan cakes, add finely chopped fruit such as pineapple, banana, apple, etc., to the batter and make the pancakes as above.

Household Tips – The Kitchen

The Kitchen is the most important room of your household as it is the most used room and remains busy all the time with the mess of cooking, eating, storing and serving food etc. The cleanliness of this very busy place is that more important as it is directly linked to the health of people in your house.


When the kitchen is not cleaned for a long time or bacteria and germs take centre stage in it. These germs enter human being through cooking and eating in the dirty kitchen. It is always better to clean the cooking range, the slabs, utensils and wash basin after cooking every meal. If you cannot clean your entire kitchen every day for some reason, try to clean it atleast every alternate day. If the cooking range or gas stove and slabs are wiped clean with a wet cloth after cooking everyday, the less chances of bacteria and germs in your kitchen. Wash your kitchen floor regularly with soap and water to which a little disinfectant is added. This way you will have a neat and clean kitchen every time you come in to cook some food.

Apart from the cooking range, gas stove and sink that need to be kept clean, the other appliances in your kitchen such as the refrigerator, microwave oven, the mixie etc also need to be cleaned on a regular basis. Kitchen cupboards, cabinets and shelves need to be cleaned and dusted on a monthly basis. Containers containing the various ingredients also need to cleaned regularly and old powders and condiments that have passed their expiry should be disposed off. Wash the cutting Board and Knife as soon as the cutting is done.

The dust bin / garbage pail should be kept under the kitchen sink and closed with the lid to discourage flies. All vessels containing food should be kept closed to avoid dust, flies, insects or even lizards falling into it. Spray the kitchen regularly especially near the sink and other outlets to discourage cockroaches. All exposed leftovers and stale foods should be disposed off.

Keeping your kitchen safe is also just as important as keeping it clean. Ensure that the gas cylinder value closed after cooking is done. Matchsticks used for lighting the gas should be completely put out before throwing them in the dustbin. A small metal ashtray or a tin could be kept in the kitchen for this purpose. Avoid shelves containing kitchen ingredients and condiments above the gas range so as to prevent any untoward accident while stretching over the gas flame to reach them. Most of all avoid keeping the gas oven on the floor especially when there are children in the house.

SAUSAGES… Appetizer or a Quick-and-easy Meal? - BANGALORE PEPPER SAUSAGES

The meaning of the word “Sausage” in the dictionary means “Chopped or ground meat that has been blended with spices and other seasonings and usually stuffed in natural or manufactured casings”.

The origin of meat processing is lost in antiquity but probably began when mankind learned that salt is an effective preservative. Sausage making evolved as an effort to economize and preserve meat that could not be consumed fresh at slaughter. Sausage makers use almost all parts of the animal carcass that cannot be used in other ways. The less tender cuts and organ meats are ground, spiced and made into delicious sausages.
There are lots of innovative ways that you could use sausages besides having them with your Toast and Eggs at Breakfast. You could slice / dice fried sausages and serve them on crackers with cheese as an appetizer. Dice them and add in salads, soups, curries, etc. Grill the sausages and eat with a creamy garlic dip. Use them in Casseroles and Bakes with other vegetables and meats or you could just make a very delicious curry dish with them as under.

RECIPE FOR BANGALORE PEPPER SAUSAGES
Ingredients
1 kg Ground pork (add a sufficient amount of small finely cut pieces of Fat to the mince)
2 pieces cinnamon about 1 inch each
4 cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg powder
Salt to taste
2 teaspoons pepper corns
1 teaspoon garlic paste
2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves (optional)
Sufficient quantity of casing for stuffing the sausages

Roughly powder the cinnamon, cloves and pepper. Mix all the ingredients together well and stuff into the casing. Grill or Fry when required. These sausages should be kept in the refrigerator and used up within 2 weeks as no preservatives have been used.

BRINJAL AND TOMATO SIDE DISH

Serves 6 Preparation Time 45 minutes


Ingredients
¼ kg long brinjals (either green or purple) cut into big pieces (soak in water),
2 onions chopped,
2 tomatoes chopped,
2 green chillies chopped,
1 teaspoon garlic and ginger paste,
2 teaspoons chillie powder,
½ teaspoon turmeric powder,
1 teaspoon coriander powder,
1 teaspoon garam masala powder / all spice powder,
2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves,
2 tablespoons oil, salt to taste

Heat oil in a pan and sauté the onions and green chillies for a little while. Add the tomatoes, garlic paste and ginger paste, chillie powder, turmeric, garam masala / spice powder, coriander powder, a little of the chopped coriander leaves and salt and stir fry till the oil separates from the mixture. Add the cut brinjals and 1 cup water and simmer on low heat till the gravy thickens. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve with rice or chapattis

BEANS FOOGATH

Green Beans or String Beans are low in fat and are an excellent source of fibre, protein, folic acid, iron, phosphorus, magnesium and carbohydrates. The rich fibre content found   in beans help in lowering cholesterol and blood sugar. They are highly recommended for diabetic patients. Green beans are also a very good source of vitamin K, which plays an important role in bone health and the prevention of osteoporosis.

BEANS FOOGATH

Serves 6 Preparation time 35 minutes
Ingredients:
300 grams chopped string beans, 1 onion chopped finely, 1teaspoon mustard seeds, 3 green chillies chopped finely, 1 teaspoon chopped ginger, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 2 tablespoon cooking oil, 2 table-spoons grated coconut, 4 or 5 curry leaves, Salt to taste

Heat oil in a suitable pan and add the mustard seeds. When they begin to splutter add the curry leaves, chopped onions, chopped green chillies and ginger. Fry lightly for a few minutes. Add the chopped beans and salt and mix well. Add ½ cup of water and cook covered on low heat till the beans are tender but firm and the water evaporates. Mix in the grated coconut. Serve as a side dish.