Tandoori Chicken

Ingredients:

12 pcs chicken tenderloins

1 tbsp finely chopped garlic

1 tbsp finely chopped ginger

1 tbsp finely chopped green chillie (seeds removed)

1 tbsp garam masala

2 - 3 tbsp plain yoghurt or sour cream

2 tbsp besan (chick pea flour)

1 tbsp Anato Seeds (filipino natural colouring)

juice of 1 lemon

Tools:

food processor

knife

BBQ or oven

12 pieces of BBQ stick

Procedure:

1)  Place chicken in a bowl

2)  Add all the other ingredients

3)  Mix thoroughly ensuring that the chicken are covered evenly

4)  Leave to marinate for at least 2 hours in the fridge

5)  Place on skewer

6)  Cook either on the BBQ or the Oven

7)  Serve

Fish Molly

Ingredients:

1 kilo fish (white meat fish but i prefer tuna or salmon)

1 tbsp finely chopped garlic

1 tbsp finely chopped ginger

2 tbsp tumeric

1 green chillie (sliced seeds removed)

1 large onion (chopped)

4 - 6 curry leaves

Coconut Milk

Lemon Juice

Tools:

food processor

knife

sauce pan/wok

wooden spoon

Procedure:

1)  Place oil in a hot sauce pan

2)  Add garlic and ginger

3)  Add onion

4)  Cook onion till onion is translucent

5)  Add green chillies and curry leaves

6)  Add Coconut Milk

7)  Allow to simmer

8)  Add Fish and lemon Juice

9)  Simmer till fishis cooked

10)  Serve

Chicken Kurma

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo chicken

1 tbsp finely chopped garlic

1 tbsp finely chopped ginger

3 large onions (finely chopped)

4 large tomatoes chopped

2 large potatoes sliced into strips

1 tbsp garam masala

2 tbsp tumeric

1 tbsp chilli powder

1 tbsp salt (basic rule 1tbsp per kilo of meat)

3 tbsp powdered almond or cashew

4 - 6 curry leaves

4 bay leaves

lemon

tomato paste

plain yoghurt or double cream

Tools:

food processor

knife

sauce pan/wok

wooden spoon

cooking technique:  

Sauteing (a technique of browning food over high heat in a small amount of fat)

Procedure:

Thickener:

1)  Place powdered cashew or almond in a container

2)  Add yoghurt or cream

3)  Make sure that the mixture consistency is a thick paste

Chicken Kurma

1)  Place oil in a hot sauce pan

2)  Add garlic and ginger

3)  Add onion

4)  Allow onion to caramelise (brown the onions)

5)  Add Tomatoes

6)  Allow Tomatoes to cook (till becomes saucy)

7)  Add Garam Masala

8)  Add Curry Leaves

9)  Simmer

10)  Add Tumeric and Tomato Paste 

11)  Simmer

12)  Add Potato

11)  Simmer till potato is half cooked

12)  Add Chicken and lemon juice

13)  Simmer till chicken is cooked

12)  Add Thickening mix

13)  Mix thoroughly

14)  Simmer

15)  Serve

Beef Vindaloo

Ingredients:

1 kilo beef

1 tbsp finely chopped garlic

1 tbsp finely chopped ginger

3 large onions (finely chopped)

4 large tomatoes chopped

1 tbsp garam masala

1 tbsp chilli powder

1 tbsp salt (basic rule 1tbsp per kilo of meat)

3 tbsp powdered almond or cashew

4 - 6 curry leaves

8 green cardamon pods

1 tsp cloves

4 bay leaves

2 tbsp vinegar

1 tbsp brown sugar

lemon

tomato paste

plain yoghurt or double cream

Tools:

food processor

knife

sauce pan/wok

wooden spoon

cooking technique:  

Sauteing (a technique of browning food over high heat in a small amount of fat)

Procedure:

Thickener:

1)  Place powdered cashew or almond in a container

2)  Add yoghurt or cream

3)  Make sure that the mixture consistency is a thick paste

Beef Vindaloo

1)  Place oil in a hot sauce pan

2)  Add garlic and ginger

3)  Add onion

4)  Allow onion to caramelise (brown the onions)

5)  Add Tomatoes

6)  Allow Tomatoes to cook (till becomes saucy)

7)  Add Garam Masala

8)  Add Curry Leaves

9)  Simmer

10)  Add cardamon pods and cloves 

11)  Simmer

12)  Add Beef, vinegar, sugar and salt

11)  Simmer till beef is cooked

12)  Add Thickening mix

13)  Mix thoroughly

14)  Simmer

15)  Serve

Curry Base

From my experiences with cooking for different cuisines, I have identified that the foundation technique and ingredients in a set of dishes are the same/similar.  In preparing for my Indian Affair Dinner.  I have prepared both the vindaloo beef and the chicken kurma with the same sauce base using the same technique.  After I had the sauce base I split them and specialised them by adding more spices and flavours that makes the curry unique.


Base Curry sauce:



Ingredients:
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
1/2 kg - 1kg finely chopped onion
4 - 6 large tomatoes chopped
1tbsp garam masala
4 - 6 curry leaves
3 tbsp oil






Tools:
food processor
knife
sauce pan/wok
wooden spoon


cooking technique:  
Sauteing (a technique of browning food over high heat in a small amount of fat)

Procedure:
1)  Place oil in a hot sauce pan
2)  Add garlic and ginger
3)  Add onion
4)  Allow onion to caramelise (brown the onions)
5)  Add Tomatoes
6)  Allow Tomatoes to cook (till becomes saucy)
7)  Add Garam Masala
8)  Add Curry Leaves
9)  Simmer

Gulab Jamun

Ingredients:


Milk balls

1 cup Milk Powder
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tablespoons butter -melted 
1/4 - 1/2 cup of Evaporated Milk









Sugar Syrup
2 cups Sugar
1 cup water
5 cardamon pods (crushed)
saffron


Oil for frying

Tools
measuring cup
measuring spoon
food processor
tray
saucepan
deep fryer
serving plate
tea towel

Procedure:

Milk balls dough
1)  Place 4 ingredients into food processor (use kneading implement)
2)  knead slowly add the evaporated milk to create a dough
3)  continue kneading, adding more milk if necessary, till dough becomes medium- hard consistency
3)  Split into equal portions
4)  Cover with damp tea towel
5)  Roll into balls
6)  Set aside on a tray
7)  Cover with damp tea towel

Sugar Syrup
1)  Place sugar and water in a saucepan
2)  let the sugar melt
3)  add cardamon pods
4)  add saffron
5)  set aside
6)  keep warm




Frying Milk ball dough
1)  in a pan (deep fryer) heat oil
2)  adjust heat to medium
3)  slip milk balls into the oil
4)  gently shake to ensure even browning
5)  remove milk balls
6)  drain

Dishing out Gulab Jamum

1)  in a serving pan place milk balls

2)  cover with sugar syrup

Mint and Coconut Chutney

Ingredients

1 c dessicated coconut

3tsp cashews (dry roasted and coarsely chopped)

1/4 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 c plain yoghurt

1 cup fresh mint leaves

Tools

Food processor

Knife

Measuring spoon

Measuring cups

Procedure

Place all ingredients in the food processor

Blitz till blended properly

Tamarind Chutney

Ingredients:

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tsp sweet paprika

1/2 tsp coriander seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

1/4 tsp chilli powder

125g pieces of tamarind pulp

125g chopped dates

250g brown sugar

2 1/2 cup water

Tools:

Saucepan

Measuring spoon

Knife

Wooden spoon

Sieve

Mortar and Pestle

Procedure:

Spice seeds

1) Dry roast coriander, cumin and fennel seeds

2) Ground finely

3) Set aside

Tamarind

1) Place tamarind in a container

2) Add 1/2 cup water to tamarind

3) Create a paste

4) Set aside

Tamarind chutney

1) Heat up the oil in a saucepan

2) Add spices (coriander, cumin, fennel chilli powder)

3) Let the spices crackle

4) Add the rest of the ingredients

5) Simmer for 20 minutes

6) Add 2 cups of water

7) Cook till consistency is the same as pouring cream

8) Run trough Sieve to remove solids

9) Set aside

10) will keep for 2 weeks refrigerated

An Indian Affair

My affair with the Indian Cuisine had a rocky start. It is due to a combination of bad experiences in various take aways in Melbourne. This venture into the Indian Cuisine usually results in a lot of tummy aches and elevated stomach acids.

While working in the UK in 2002ish I had the pleasure of meeting people from different countries. We were our own little united nations. There were greeks, south africans, turkish, etc. etc. This was the first turning point with my new found love for Indian Cuisine. PD and Amit has been trying to re-introduce me to indian food. I have been declining politely due to my bad experiences. PD explained that these food sold in the take aways are not "real" indian food and that they may have been prepared poorly. He then proceeded to offer to cook for me and our friends an authentic indian dinner.

Man I still remember doing the shopping for PD. Here I was leaving Tesco lugging a backpack filled with groceries and 4 litres of milk uphill Quayside (Newcastle upon Tyne). Man I was buggered. The curious thing for me was the amount of onions PD wanted me to buy. I was going WTF? Never seen that much onion in one shopping expedition.

As I was watching PD mix, cut, grind, cook etc. I realised how labour intensive indian food was. I as a foodie admire and love the intricacies and the amount of effort placed in a single dish which can be devoured in less that an hour. Being brought up in my gran's kitchen I was always told that you have to be happy when you are cooking. You should put love and care in the food as this is one of the hidden essential ingredients that goes into the food. My gran believe that food has to be prepared with love and honesty.

That day PD showed me his love and passion for cooking. He also showed me that you can drink while you cook. Boy that red wine was good. Hahahhah! That day I learnt how to make Biryani, paneer (from scratch) and other indian dishes. It was the most fun I had sharing my kitchen with someone. We had music, wine, etc. The food was to die for. DELICIOUS! At the end of that experience I learnt

1) There is not such thing as curry

2) Curry is not just yellow

3) Curry powder is not "proper" Indian

4) Garam Masala is a mixture of fragrant spices and it varies between region and families

5) Chick pea can be made into flour

6) Onion is sweet once caramelised

7) I love Indian food

When I got back to Australia I took out my mortar and pestle given to me. Ask Lal for his masala recipe and proceeded to roast, manually grind the spices. It took me 5 days to get the spices to the consistency you get in the shops. It was the most therapeutic experience I every had. Sometimes when I get stressed out i take my spices, roast it and grind it with a mortar and pestle.

Sunday 18/02/2010 will mark the most ambitious dinner parties that I will have. I have decided to do a 3 course Indian Meal. Menu for Sunday 1/8/2010 is as follows:

Entree: Rice Pakora

Tandoori Chicken Pieces
Tamarind Chutney

Coconut and Mint Chutney

Main: 

  Beef Vindaloo
 Chicken Kurma

Fish Molly

Coconut Rice

Dessert: Gulab Jamun

While I was massaging a client on saturday, the day before the dinner party, the magnitude of my undertaking sunk in. Oh my god! I realise that the key to success is being organised. Make each dishes one at a time. Simplify and try to identify the commonality of the dishes. Where possible employ a process that allow you to make a base item. Split it and make 2 or 3 dishes out of it. For example the beef vindaloo and the chicken kurma, I plan to cook contains several spices that are the same to make the base sauce.

Make the easier items first. This will allow you to gain confidence in hitting your target goal. Plan of attack is as goes:

1) create chutneys

2) marinate chicken for the chicken tandoori

3) create base curry sauce (garlic, ginger, onion, tomato, curry leaves and garam masala)

4) split base curry sauce and continue adding the other different spices that makes vindaloo and chicken kurma unique

5) set curries aside and finish off cooking just before dinner

6) make gulab jamun

7) make fish molly and the rest

8) make rice

Wish me luck!!!