Indian Pea Soup

INGREDIENTS:

4 oz. potatoes, peeled or diced
3 oz. onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 pt. chicken stock
3/4 inch cube, fresh ginger, peeled
1/2 tsp. ground coriander seeds
2 tsp. ground cumin seeds
5 tbsp. chopped fresh coriander
10 oz. shelled peas
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground roasted cumin seeds
1/4 pt. heavy cream
1 tbsp. lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

Combine the potato, onion, chicken stock, ginger, ground coriander and ground cumin in a pot and bring to the boil. Cover, turn heat low and simmer for 30 minutes. Fish out ginger and discard. Add fresh coriander, peas, salt, lemon juice and roasted cumin. Bring to boil and simmer 2 to 3 minutes until peas are tender. Pour into blender and blend until smooth. Put soup into a clean pot. Add cream and bring to a simmer and heat through. Serve 5 or 6.

INDIAN CHICKEN CURRY

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
2 lb. onions
1 lb. tomatoes
1 sq. inch ginger
4 cloves garlic
2 tsp. tumeric
2 tsp. coriander
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. crushed red pepper (more or less to taste)
Salt to taste
4 tsp. cooking oil


Directions:

Saute finely diced onions, ginger and garlic on high heat, stirring constantly until light brown. Reduce heat to low, add finely diced tomatoes. Stir well, cook for 5-10 minutes. Add and stir in all spices in order above one at a time. Add 1 inch cubes of chicken. Cook 30-45 minutes on low/medium heat, stirring periodically.

CHICKEN CURRY INDIAN STYLE

ingredients:

3 1/2 lb. chicken
6 tbsp. natural yogurt
2 med. onions, grated
1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tbsp. cooking oil
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
2 1/2 tsp. salt to taste
2 med. potatoes, peeled and halved (depend how many pieces you want to serve per person)


Directions:

Take off skin and cut chicken into pieces. Wash pieces. Now in the glass bowl, mix chicken with yogurt, onions, ginger, turmeric, cayenne pepper, and oil. Marinate for 1/2 hour at least.

Heat oil in the saucepan. Fry potatoes until they are golden brown. Keep them aside. Fry cumin seed in the same oil for a minute or so. Pour chicken with the marinade in the pan. Fry for 3 or 4 minutes.

Pour contents of saucepan into the casserole. Place potatoes over the meat, cover it and put it in a preheated oven set at 300 degrees and cook for 50 to 60 minutes. Check whether chicken and potatoes are tender.

NOTE: You can omit potatoes, continue cooking chicken. Just add 1 cup of water and cook over medium heat until chicken is tender.

ASHA'S INDIAN CURRIED TURKEY

Ingredients:

3 c. cooked turkey, cubed
1/4 c. chopped onions
1 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 c. water
2 tbsp. Indian/Jamaican curry seasoning
1 lg. cast iron fry pan


Directions:

Heat fry pan until hot. Add sugar and heat until melted and brown. Caution: This process will create a great deal of smoke.

When sugar turns brown liquid add onions and meat and toss continuously. Turn heat to very low. Add water and curry. Stir completely. Cook medium low 20 to 30 minutes. Serve over white rice. If meat sauce is thin, add more curry seasoning. If too thick, add more water.

CHICKEN CURRY (INDIAN OR MALAY)

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (3 lbs.)
2 med. yellow onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2" piece of ginger, minced
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp. yellow mustard seeds
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. turmeric
3" stick cinnamon
2 c. chicken stock
2 tbsp. curry powder
1 tsp. gharum masala
1 c. coconut milk (opt.)


Directions:

Cut the chicken into pieces and brown in oil. Remove and add chopped onion. Saute until tender. Add garlic and ginger, make sure there is enough oil so that nothing sticks. Add cumin and mustard seed. Fry until the mustard seeds begin to "pop". Add the turmeric and curry powder and stir constantly to prevent any sticking. Stir the "paste" until the curry powder becomes fragrant; this usually takes 1 to 2 minutes (be careful not to burn the curry powder). Add the chopped tomatoes and stir until they form a sauce (3-4 minutes). Add the chicken broth, cinnamon stick and chicken. Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked (approximately 45 minutes). Stir in the gharaum masala and serve with white rice.

If you want a smoother, Malay style curry, add the coconut milk with the chicken broth.

For a more authentic curry, either make your own curry powders and marsala or use some Sheerwood, Madras, or some other Indian or British brands.

INDIAN STYLE LAMB CURRY

Ingredients:

4-5 lbs lamb cut into 1" square cubes
6 tbsp oil
1 med onion chopped coarsely
1 whole bulb garlic (approx 15 cloves) minced
3 tsp salt (more if desired, but start with this)
3 tsp tumeric powder (yellow curry powder)
6 tsp Masala powder (allspice)
1 bunch cilantro
fresh chilies (start with little bit, add to desired heat)
3 med potatoes, peeled and quartered
the leaves from 1 stem of curry leaves (optional)
4 cups water


Directions:

You may have to find an East Indian store and show them this recipe for them to know what you need.

In a large cooking pot on medium/high heat, add the oil, and heat until oil is hot, add onions, and fry until light brown.

Stir in tumeric powder, and 30 secs later add the garlic and chilies. Mix for about 1 min, add the curry leaves (make sure no stems), and stir in the lamb.

Add the Masala powder and salt and mix. Cook covered for about 5 mins.

Add the water, then cover and cook for 20 minutes. Add the potatoes, and cook another 20 minutes covered.

Check to see if meat is cooked, potatoes are softened, and taste for salt, and chilies, and sauce has thickened.

If needed, cook longer until the desired result.

Garnish with cilantro, serve over rice (basmati is best) and that's it.

This is the basic recipe, and measurements are also approximate, if the sauce thickens too fast during cooking then add water till the desired result.

The sauce, when it's finished should be the same thickness as pancake batter, or clam chowder.

Lamb Curry

INGREDIENTS:

150g of butter
1lb diced lamb (chicken or vegetables are good but not as good as lamb)
1 onion finely chopped
1 whole medium sized bulb of garlic (i.e. all the cloves)sliced very thinly
6 fresh green chillies (seeds in)sliced
1tsp coriander seeds
1tsp cummin seeds
6tsp turmeric
1tsp salt
one 240g tin of chopped tomatoes
garam masala

DIRECTIONS:

Roast the coriander and cummin seeds in a dry skillet or heavy bottomed pan until aromatic then grind to a powder.

Melt the butter in a deep wide pan.
Fry the onion slowly for a minute or two.
Add the garlic, Chillies and salt and fry for a while longer until the onion and garlic just start to brown.
Turn the heat up slightly and add the meat, stir until sealed and begining to brown.
Add the turmeric, coriander and cummin mix and stir for a minute then add the tomatoes and stir.
When boiling put a lid on the pan and reduce heat to a slow simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every now and then. If it begins to stick to the pan add a dash of water and stir.

While the main dish is simmering make The Garam Masala. You could use bought garam masala but this recipe does wonderful things inside your nostrils
Take
1 inch cinnamon stick
3 Cloves
3 Black Pepper corns
The seeds of 2 black cardamon pods
2tsp Black cummin seeds.
Roast all the ingredients in a dry skillet or heavy bottomed pan until aromatic then grind to a powder

After 30 minutes of simmering the sauce should have thickened slightly.
Remove from the heat and add 1Tsp of garam masala and stir well.

Serve garnished with chopped fresh coriander