Recipes

Preparation Time: 20 mins
Cooking Time: 25 mins
Serves 4

These delicious spicy lamb koftas are cooked throughout northern India. Serve with Oil-dressed Dal and Bombay Potatoes for a filling supper.

INGREDIENTS

450 g/1 lb fresh lamb mince
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Garlic Paste
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
Salt
200 ml/7 fl oz vegetable oil
6 spring onions, chopped
1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped
175 g/6 oz broad beans, thawed if frozen
12 baby corn cobs, thawed if frozen
1 small cauliflower, cut into florets
3 fresh green chillies, deseeded and chopped
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp fresh mint leaves

cook’s tip

The lamb must be finely minced lor making koftas. If necessary, process in a tood processor for 1 minute before mixing with the other ingredients.

METHOD

1. Place the lamb, onion, cumin, ground coriander, chilli powder, Garam Masala, Garlic Paste and half the fresh coriander in a bowl and mix well with your hands, season with salt to taste. Cover with clingfilm and leave to chill in the refrigerator for a few minutes.

2. Heat 3 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a preheated wok or large frying pan. Add the spring onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. Add the green pepper, broad beans, corn cobs, cauliflower and chillies and cook over a high heat, stirring, for 3 minutes, or until crisp-tender, Reserve.

3. Heat the remaining vegetable oil in a separate preheated wok or large frying pan. Meanwhile, form the lamb mixture into small balls or ovals between the palms of your hands. Add the koftas, in batches, to the hot oil and fry, turning them frequently, until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. When they are all cooked, return the vegetables to the heat and stir in the koftas. Cook over a low heat and stir it frequently, for 5 minutes, or until heated through. Sprinkle with the lime juice and serve garnished with the remaining coriander and the mint leaves.

Variation

You can use any mixture of vegetables you have to hand, such as red pepper, broccoli, chopped green beans or mangetout.

Cooking Time: 1 hr
Preparation Time: 20 mins
Serves: 4

This dish originates from Hyderabad, in central southern India. Serve with poppadums and Pulao Rice.

INGREDIENTS

4 medium onions
300 ml/10 fl oz vegetable oil
1 tsp finely chopped fresh root ginger
1 tsp crushed fresh garlic
1 tsp chilli powder
1 pinch of ground turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 tomato, finely chopped
3 fresh green chillies, sliced
450 g/1 lb leg of lamb, cubed
600 ml/1 pint water
1 1/2 tsp aamchoor (dried mango powder)
2-3 tbsp fresh coriander leaves
Freshly cooked rice, to serve

COOK’S tip

Aamchoor {dried mango powder) is made from dried unripe mangoes, and has a sour taste; it can be bought in jars from Asian food shops.

METHOD

1. Use a sharp knife and chop 3 of the onions.

2. Heat half the vegetable oil in a frying pan, add the onions and fry until golden. Reduce the heat and add the ginger, garlic, chilli powder, turmeric and salt to the frying pan. Stir-fry the mixture for 5 minutes, and then add the tomato and 2 of the green chillies.

3. Add the meat to the frying pan and stir-fry the mixture for a further 7 minutes. Add the water, cover and cook over a low heat for 35-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Meanwhile, slice the remaining onion. Heat the remaining vegetable oil in a separate frying pan and fry the onion until golden. Reserve until required. Once the meat is tender, add the aamchoor (dried mango powder), the remaining green chilli and the fresh coriander leaves and stir-fry for 3-5 minutes.

5. Transfer the curry to warmed serving plates and then pour the fried onion slices and vegetable oil along the centre. Serve hot with freshly cooked rice.

VARIATION

You can substitute the chopped fresh root ginger with the same amount of grounded ginger.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hr 30 minutes
Serves : 6

Lamb goes particularly well with dried fruit, such as apricots, which cut through the richness, but complement the sweetness of the meat. Serve with plain boiled rice for a filling supper dish.

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
1 cinnamon stick
1 large onion, chopped
1 tbsp Curry Paste
200 g/7 oz ready-to-eat dried apricots
1 kg/2 lb 4 oz diced lamb
400 ml/14 fl oz chicken Basic Meat Stock
Salt
Chopped fresh coriander, to garnish

COOK’S TIP

If the curry seems a bit too runny, remove the lid for the last 15 minutes of the cooking time to allow some of the liquid to evaporate.

METHOD

1. Heat the ghee in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Add the cardamoms and cinnamon stick and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, or until they give off their aroma. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, until light golden.

2. Add the Curry Paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the apricots, lamb and Stock and season with salt to taste. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 1 % hours, or until the lamb is tender.

3. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Ladle the curry into a  immediately.

Although small, the district of Goa on the south-west coast of India has its own, quite distinctive style of cooking, which frequently features various different types of fish and seafood.

Cooking Time: 40 mins
Preparation Time: 15 mins
Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

225 ml/8 fl oz Basic Vegetable Stock
2 carrots, diced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander, plus extra to garnish
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1-cm/ 1/2-inch piece fresh root ginger, chopped
1 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
1 Onion, chopped
1 fresh green chilli, deseeded and chopped
1 potato, diced
2 tsp ground coriander
200 g/7 oz cooked prawns, peeled and deveined
75 ml/ 2 1/2 fl oz natural yogurt 150 ml/5 fl oz milk
3 tbsp dry white wine 8 scallops, shelled salt and pepper

cook’s tip

If you are buying shelled scallops, check whether they are fresh or previously frozen. Fresh ones are a translucent, creamy color and have a better texture; frozen scallops are white and opaque.

METHOD

1. Pour the stock into a large saucepan and add the carrots, 2 of the garlic cloves, the chopped coriander, cumin seeds, peppercorns and ginger. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes Sieve the Stock into a measuring jug and make up to 700 ml/ 1 1/4 pints with water, if necessary.

2. Heat the ghee in a separate saucepan. Add the onion, chilli and remaining garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Add the potato and ground coriander and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the reserved Stock, bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the potato is tender.

3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and leave to cool slightly. Ladle the contents into a food processor, add half the prawns and process until smooth. Return the soup to the saucepan and add the remaining prawns with the yogurt and milk. Reheat gently. Stir in the wine and scallops, season to taste with salt and pepper and simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until the scallops are just cooked Ladle into warmed bowls, garnish with chopped fresh coriander and serve.

Variation

You could substitute 16 freshly cooked, shelled mussels for the scallops or, if you are feeling extravagant, 8 shucked oysters.

Lightly spiced, rather than searingly hot, these tasty, sophisticated little nibbles go extremely well with pre-dinner drinks, and also make a very speedy lunchtime snack.

INGREDIENTS

280 g/10 oz cooked prawns, peeled, deveined and chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 fresh green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1-cm/7.-inch piece fresh root ginger, finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
2 tbsp fresh white breadcrumbs X tsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp lime juice
1 egg, lightly beaten
85 g/3 oz dried breadcrumbs
3 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil fresh coriander sprigs, to garnish

Cook’s tip

If possible, use natural dried breadcrumbs for coating the patties rattier than colored breadcrumbs. You may need to press the breadcrumbs on to the patties to coat

METHOD

1. Mix the prawns, onion, chilli, ginger, coriander, fresh breadcrumbs, turmeric, lime juice and beaten egg in a large bowl, kneading well with your hands until thoroughly blended.

2. Divide the mixture into 8 equal-sized portions, then form each portion into a ball between the palms of your hands and flatten into patties. Place the dried breadcrumbs on a large plate and dip each patty, in turn, into the breadcrumbs to coat evenly.

3. Heat the ghee in a large, heavy-based frying pan. Add the patties, in 2 batches if necessary, and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Remove with a spatula and drain on kitchen paper. Keep each batch warm while you cook the remainder. Garnish with fresh coriander sprigs and serve immediately.

Variation

To make chicken patties, substitute the same quantity of minced cooked chicken for the prawns.

These spicy snacks are served throughout India and are immensely popular. They make terrific party food and can be prepared in advance and frozen either half-fried or uncooked.

INGREDIENTS

1 quantity Samosa Pastry (Refer previous post)
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying Fresh coriander sprigs, to garnish

FILLING

2 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
450 g/1 lb fresh lamb minces
1 tsp Garlic Paste
1 tsp Ginger Paste
Salt and pepper

COOK’S TIP

Frozen samosas do not need to be thawed before deep-frying. However, if you prefer to thaw them, this will not adversely affect them.

METHOD

1. To make the filling, heat the ghee in a large, heavy-based frying pan. Add the onion and cook over a low heat, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, or until golden. Add the lamb, Garlic Paste and Ginger Paste and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, for 10 minutes, or until the mixture is fairly dry. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon and leave to cool.

2. Break small balls off the dough and roll each out very thinly to form a round Cut in half, dampen the edges and form into cones. Fill the cones with a little of the filling, then dampen the top and bottom edges and pinch together to seal, Reserve.

3. Fill a deep-fat fryer or large, heavy-based saucepan one-third full with vegetable oil and heat to 180-190°C/35O-375°F, or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Carefully lower the samosas into the hot oil, in batches, and deep-fry for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Keep warm while you cook the remaining samosas. Serve hot or cold, garnished with fresh coriander sprigs.

VARIATION

If you don’t want to go to the bother of making the samosa pastry yourself, you can use spring roll wrappers instead.

Cooking Time: 10 – 15 minutes
Preparation Time: 20 minutes, plus 30 minutes resting
Makes: 8

INGREDIENTS

1 onion, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
2.5-cm/1-inch piece fresh root ginger, roughly chopped
550 g/1 lb 4 oz fresh lamb mince
40 g/1 1/2 oz gram flour
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 egg, lightly beaten salt and pepper
8 hard-boiled eggs, shelled ghee or vegetable oil, for deep-frying, plus extra for greasing

Method: 

1. Place the onion, garlic and ginger in a food processor and process to make a paste. Place the lamb in a bowl and add the onion paste. Add the flour, cumin, ground coriander, chilli and beaten egg and season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix with your hands until thoroughly blended.

2. Divide the mixture into 8 equal-sized portions and form each portion into a ball by rolling between the palms of your hands. Flatten into patties and place a hard-boiled egg in the centre of each. Shape the meat mixture to enclose the eggs completely. Place the balls in a single layer in a lightly greased dish, cover with cling film and leave to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

3. Heat the ghee in a deep-fat fryer or large, heavy-based saucepan to 180-190°C/350-375°F, or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Cook the meatballs, in batches, for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. If serving hot, keep warm while you deep-fry the remaining batches.

Variation:

 Instead  of using hard boiled eggs, you could use 500g/1 lb 2 oz ricotta cheese, or the same amount of paneer cut into 8 cubes.

Indian meat stock

Makes: 1.7 litres/3 pints
Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus 1 hour cooling/chilling
Cooking time: 2 hours 45 minutes

1 kg/2 lb 4 oz chicken, duck or lamb
1-cm/ 1/2-inch piece fresh root ginger, thinly sliced
5-cm/2-inch cinnamon sticks
1 fresh green chilli, chopped
Pinch of ground mace
Pared rind of 1 lemon

• Place all the ingredients in a large, heavy-based saucepan and pour in enough water to cover generously. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat, cover and leave to simmer for 40 minutes.

• Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken, duck or lamb and cut the meat off the bone. Reserve it for use later. Return all the bones to the saucepan and return to the boil and then leave to simmer for a further 2 hours.

• Remove the saucepan from the heat and sieve the stock into a bowl. Leave it to cool, then chill in the refrigerator. When chilled, carefully remove and discard the layer of fat that has set on the surface. Use it immediately.

Basic meat stock

Makes: 2.5 litres/4 1/2 pints
Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus 1 hour cooling/chilling
Cooking time: 3 hours 30 minutes

1-3 kg/3 lb chicken or duck wings and necks, or lamb on the bone
2 onions cut into wedges
4 litres/7 pints water
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
10 fresh parsley sprigs
4 fresh thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
10 black peppercorns

• Place the chicken, duck or lamb and the onions in a large, heavy-based saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring frequently, until lightly browned.

• Add the water and stir thoroughly to scrape off any sediment on the base of the saucepan. Bring to the boil and skim off the scum that rises to the surface. Add the carrots, celery, parsley, thyme, bay leaves and peppercorns, partially cover and leave to simmer gently for 3 hours.

• Remove the saucepan from the heat and sieve the stock into a bowl. Leave it to cool, then chill in the refrigerator. When chilled, carefully remove and discard the layer of fat that has set on the surface Use immediately or freeze in portions for up to 6 months.