MASALA DAL ( SPICED LENTIL )

This is a Parsi cuisine favorite. It is not as complicated to make as dhansak, but tastes just as great! It tastes great!

You can add chicken to it too. Just marinate chicken in ginger garlic paste and pressure cook along with the dal.

Serves 4-5

1 cup toor dal. ( yellow lentil. Arhar Dal) (Indian store )

1/2 cup channa dal ( Indian store)

1 big onion finely chopped

4 tbs mint leaves chopped

4 tbs coriander leaves chopped

Salt

3 tbs ghee

1/2 lemon juice

1 ts haldi ( turmeric powder )

2 tbs dhansak masala ( Indian store sells this now ) if not then 2 tbs dhanna jeera.

1 tbs parsi sambhar

or

1 ts red chili powder (1/2 if you want it less spicy )

1/4 tsp crushed mustard seeds. Rai.

1/2 tsp crushed fenugreek seeds. Methi.

A pinch of hing. Asafetida

1/2 ts ground cinnamon

1/4 ts garam masala.

METHOD

Pressure cook the Dals with half of the onion, mint and coriander leaves, haldi and salt  and enough water to cover the dal and then an inch more. (Up to the middle cut of the middle finger when your hand is dipped in the dal horizontally.) Pressure cook for 15 minutes. I use the cuisine art electric pressure cooker. If using a stove top cooker then two whistles and 15 minutes on simmer.

In the mean time, fry the rest of the onions in the ghee.

When brown, add all the rest of the spices and fry for a minute. Turn heat off.

When the dal is ready, add to onion paste. Use a hand blender and blend till it is a smooth texture.

Taste for salt.

Add lemon juice.

Serve with biriyani or pulao. Or then just plain white rice!

PANEER (COTTAGE CHEESE)

Tastes great on its own sprinkled with chat masala or use as a stuffing for mushrooms, in spinach, and in makhanwala sauce. My ten month old loves it just plain!

INGREDIENTS

1 gallon milk

1/4 cup lemon juice

20 tbs yogurt

METHOD

Bring the milk to a boil. Stir occasionally to prevent it from burning.

Once it boils, lower gas and add yogurt and lemon juice and stir.

Turn up heat and keep stirring.

The milk will curdle and separate.

Spread a cheese cloth over a strainer and strain the curdled milk.

Squeeze away excess whey.

Fold it in the cheese cloth and place a pot full of Water for weight over the cottage cheese. Leave for two hours or so.

This will make a nice compact brick of paneer.

Cut in one inch cubes.

You could just sprinkle chat masala over this, place some picks on the side and serve as starter or fry it for the palak paneer recipe.

To fry

Heat oil in a kadahi ( small wok)

When oil is hot, reduce heat to medium and fry the paneer cubes till they are golden brown on outside. They should be soft on the inside. Place on paper towel.

Let it cool.

Serve in palak paneer or paneer makhanwala.

You can store these fried cubes in a ziplock bag and keep in freezer till you need to make a paneer dish again!

PALAK OR SAG PANEER ( SPINACH WITH COTTAGE CHEESE )

This has to be one of my favorite vegetarian dishes! It tastes great with meat in it too. I shall post the recipe for that later. I made this dish for a party I had over the weekend. Everything from scratch, including the paneer. It was quick and surprisingly easy. Please try it and let me know if you liked it

INGREDIENTS

( For 5-6 people )

10 big fistfuls of spinach leaves roughly chopped.

1 bunch coriander leaves

6 green chilies chopped

1 big onion finely chopped

1 1/2 big tamato puréed

2 tbs ginger garlic paste

1/2 ts turmeric powder

1/2 ts red chili powder

1/2 ts cumin seeds

4 ts dhanna powder ( coriander )

1/2 ts garam masala

1 big cinnamon stick

4 black cardamom

Oil

1/2 cup heavy creme

METHOD

Bring a pot full of water to boil. Add spinach leaves in and simmer for five to seven minutes.

Remove and strain.

In another pan, fry the onions till brown. Add ginger garlic paste, crushed chilies, cinnamon stick, cardamom, all dry spices and fry for five minutes. Add tomato

 Purée. Simmer for ten minutes or till oil separates.

When the spinach leaves have cooked,put in blender along with coriander leaves.

Blend into smooth paste.

Add the paste to the onion tomato mix. Simmer for another ten minutes or so.

Taste for salt.

Add heavy creme.

Add paneer.

Mix carefully.

Simmer for five minutes.

Serve hot with tandoori nan.

(Recipe for Paneer posted separately)

CHICKEN MAKHANWALLA. ( BUTTER CHICKEN )

CHICKEN MAKHANWALLA ( Butter Chicken )

Such a simple, delicious dish to make and serve at a party. A sure hit amongst both the adults and the children. It is rich and creamy in taste and you can make it as mild or spicy as you want without loosing the flavor of the dish.

I had a party at my house this past weekend to celebrate my sons " Besna" ceremony. ( an occasion in which Parsi's celebrate  when a child sits up un propped for the first time. ) this was one of the dishes I served. It was the first to finish!

INGREDIENTS ( serves 5 )

2 pounds chicken boneless thighs cut in one inch pieces

2 tbs tandoori masala powder ( Shan ) (Indian store))

2 tbs chicken makhanwala powder ( Shan ) (Indian store)

1 tbs sugar

3 tbs lemon juice

1 cup plain yogurt

2 tbs ginger garlic paste

( marinate the chicken in all of the above ingredients and keep aside for at least two hours)

For sauce

1 cup heavy creme

2 tbs butter

50 grams cashew nuts crushed into a paste. ( 4-5 Tbs )

2 cups tomato purée

4 tbs tomato paste

1/2 cup water

2 tbs ginger garlic paste

1/2 ts garam masala ( Indian store)

2 tsp sugar

2 tbs kastoori methi ( Indian store )

Method

Heat the oven on broiler setting and broil the chicken pieces until evenly golden brown. About five minutes. Keep checking incase it burns.

In a pan, melt the butter and add the cashew paste and fry till golden  in color.

Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute.

 Add tomato purée and paste and water.

Add all dry spices.

Add sugar.

Cook the sauce till it thickens.

Add heavy creme.

Cook for five minutes.

Add the chicken with the drippings in the sauce.

Cook for five minutes till it all blends together.

Stir carefully so as to not break the chicken pieces.

Now rub the kastoori methi in your palms to crush it and let the powder of the leaves fall in the sauce.( This is done to prevent hard or big pieces of the leaves from falling in sauce.)

Stir it in.

Taste for salt.

Add more sugar if needed.

If too spicy, add more heavy creme.

Serve with hot tandoori Nan's.

MASOOR ( LENTILS )

One of the tastiest ways to cook lentils. Simple, quick and tasty.

Tastes great with a Tamota per edu (egg on tomatoes) on the side. My husband loves this dish. It tastes great even without the meat added in it! Eat with roti or bread.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup masoor dal ( whole  masoor )

1 big onion chopped up fine.

1/2 ts chicken powder or 1 chicken cube ( if you are using chicken or meat, no need for this) add salt to taste instead

1/2 ts haldi ( turmeric powder )

chicken legs or chicken pieces, bone in marinated with ginger garlic paste.

Or

Lamb pieces, bone in marinated with the same.

VAGAR (Tempering)

1 ts green masala ( 2 green chilies ground with 1/2 ts jeera seeds and 1 garlic clove

1 tbs dhanna jeera ( coriander and cumin powder )

1/2 ts red chili powder ( add more if you like it spicer)

1/2 ts curry powder

1/2 ts garam masala

2 tbs Ghee to fry onions ( clarified butter )

METHOD

Pressure cook the masoor dal with half of the chopped onion and haldi and chicken cube or powder.

 If using meat, add it in pressure cooker.

Add haldi powder.

Pressure cook 30 minutes for chicken or 40 minutes for meat.

If only lentils, then pressure cook for 15 minutes.

( I use the cuisine art electric pressure cooker)

Vagar

Heat the ghee in a pot. Add onions and brown.

Now add green masala and fry for two minutes.

Add rest of the spices and fry for two to three minutes.

Turn off stove.

When masoor is ready, remove from cooker.

( if you have younger children at home, take some of the lentils out with the chicken or meat at this stage for them. It tastes great and is not spicy!)

Add the masoor and meat in the pot with vagar. Mix well and bring to boil. Simmer for five to seven minutes.
Taste for salt.

Serve hot with roti or bread and at tamota per edu. ( recipe for that will follow )

KHARI MARGI NA RUS CHAWAL ( TASTY, MILDLY SPICED CHICKEN IN GRAVY AND RICE)

True comfort food! So fast and easy to make, and still so tasty.

My Granu made this for me whenever I felt a little under the weather. I can still close my eyes and remember the yummy smells as she cooked it for me. And the amazing thing is that it was ready in half an hour, start to finish!

I just put my skills to the test when my masi and masa ( aunt and uncle) dropped by for a surprise visit. Lunch was ready from scratch in half and hour and they loved it!

Please try it out. Whenever you are in a hurry or just want a simple yet tasty dish to eat. The flavors are so tasty and subtle that even my kids ate it for dinner.

INGREDIENTS

4-5 chicken drumsticks or boneless chicken thigh meat cut in cubes

3 TBS ginger garlic paste

3 TBS maida ( all purpose flour)

3 TBS ghee ( clarified butter)

1/2 TBS knorr chicken powder or 1 chicken cube

1 1/2 sticks cinnamon 

5-6 pods of cardamom

5-6 cloves

2 bay leaves

5-6 whole peppercorns

1 1/2 big onions chopped fine

2 cups water

METHOD

Marinate the chicken with the ginger garlic paste and maida.

Heat the ghee and fry the onions till golden brown.

Add the whole spices and fry for 5 minutes more or till fragrance releases.

Now add the marinated chicken in and fry till chicken outsides brown a little.

Add water.

Add chicken powder or cube.

Stir well.

Transfer in a pressure cooker and cook for 2 10-12 minutes.

Or if you don't have a pressure cooker, just continue to simmer on medium to low heat, storing occasionally till chicken is cooked  ( about twenty minutes)

If the gravy is too watery, mix some all purpose flour in cold water, make a paste and add in gravy. Heat, stirring occasionally )

Serve with steamed rice and papads.

RAVO ( PARSI SWEET DISH MADE WITH SEMOLINA)

This is a sweet dish that is served on auspicious occasions. A birthday celebration in any Parsi household is considered incomplete without RAVO.

There are many different ways to make this dish. I have tried several, but liked this one the most.

My Zenobia masi taught me this one. Now it has become a favorite in my family. My three year old twins ask for it every weekend and my ten month loves it too! 

Please try it and let me know if you like it .....or if you have a different version i could try!

INGREDIENTS

3 TBS butter.

8 TBS rava (semolina)

5 cups whole milk

1/2 can condensed milk(or more according to taste)

5 tbs raisins

5 tbs sliced almonds

METHOD

Heat the milk. It should be hot, not boiling.

Heat the butter add rava in. Keep stirring until it becomes brownish golden.

Start pouring in the hot milk little at a time and keep stirring till all the rava has blended in.

Now add the condensed milk in.

Stir and taste. If you like it sweeter, add more condensed milk.

Bring to boil. Stir it occasionally.

Simmer till it thickens.

Remove from heat after it reaches the desires consistency.

If you want it thicker, or if it is still too thin then heat some more butter and brown 2 TBS rava in it. Add to the milk rava.

Keep stirring. Now simmer till it reaches desired consistency.

If it becomes too thick, add moreover milk.

Remove and pour in the serving dish to set.

Fry the raisins in butter till they turn soft and pinkish.

Fry the almonds till golden.

Mix some in the rava while it is cooking.

Place the rest on top of rava .

Put in fridge for at least 4-5 hours or longer.

Some people like to eat the rava warm. That tastes great too!

ALASKAN KING CRAB LEGS WITH GARLIC AND SPICED BUTTER

I always love to eat crab legs at seafood restaraunts. But it does tend to get messy and you can't really enjoy it like you can at home. Besides, I like a lot more garlic in my butter and a little spice. So, I came up with this recipe.
The family sits around the table with wine and laughter! And everyone is allowed to be as messy as they like!! Do try it, I'm sure it will become a holiday favorite.

6-8 king crab legs (cooked and frozen)
Water to steam
1 stick butter. (8 oz stick)
8 cloves of garlic chopped
1/2 ts Cajun spice

METHOD

Boil the water.
Thaw the crab legs.
Slit the crab legs with a pair of kitchen scissors. Just a slit, not completely.
Steam the crab legs for 9-10  minutes.
Remove from steamer.

Heat a tablespoon of the butter and fry the garlic in it till golden.
Add rest of butter.
Add Cajun spice.
Heat for one minute.

Serve the crab legs with the butter garlic.

EGGS ON WAFERS ( wafer per edu)

Oh what memories are associated with this simple, easy dish. My nieces and nephews hankering for me to make them this in the middle of the night.....or then after school. How we enjoyed just talking about anything and everything over " wafer per edu!" God bless the PARSI'S for breaking an egg over anything and everything and making an awesome dish out of it! Try this one, I'm sure it will be a hit with your family.

INGREDIENTS

Wafers( enough to cover the base of your pan)
Eggs ( 2 or 3 depending on your pan)
1 or 2 green chilies chopped up
2 tbs chopped tomatoes( remove the pulp)
2 tbs chopped onions
Coriander
Water( to sprinkle)
Oil( a dash)
Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

Put a dash of oil in pan.
Layer the wafers in pan.
Sprinkle water on wafers.
Gas on medium.
Sprinkle the onions, chilies and tomatoes on the wafers.
Break the eggs on top.
Add salt and pepper.
Sprinkle coriander.
Cover the pan with lid and cook till the whites set or till the yolk cooks.
If you want the yoke more firm, then toss the full thing over! Like a pancake.

Eat immediately with bread or roti's.

SRIKHAND ( SWEET YOGURT)

This is a sweet-dish I grew up with. Every Sunday, the family would eat together. There were 14 of us cousins together. I can still hear the laughter and conversations as we ate a scrumptious meal.
We ate the SRIKHAND with Puri ( fried bread that is light and fluffy)
Lachko ( a kind of Gujarati dal)
Osaman ( the watery part of the dal that you remove to make the Lachko)
Potato vegetable
Corn vegetable
Rice
( The recipes for the rest will follow!)


INGREDIENTS

40 OZ or 1 kg yogurt. ( full fat whole milk yogurt or full fat Greek yogurt)
( if you use fat free or low fat yogurt, the consistency of the SRIKHAND will not be thick. It will be a little watery. I prefer to use the Greek yogurt as it is thick and if in a hurry does not need to hand that long)
800 grams powdered or finely ground sugar or a little more according to your taste.
( do not use icing sugar as that has other fillers that won't taste as good in the SRIKHAND)
A generous pinch of saffron ( kesar) mixed in a little hot milk.
1 drop of yellow food coloring
3 OZ pistachio nuts
Cheese cloth to hand yogurt

METHOD

Hand the yogurt in the cheese cloth to remove the whey and make it thick for at least two hours. ( you can hang it over the kitchen sink to avoid a mess)
Fold the sugar in the yogurt gently. Use a spatula or spoon. Do not use a hand blender or whisker.
Add the milk and saffron and mix in well.
Add the food color and mix in.
Grind 3/4 of the pistachio nuts in a grinder and mix in the yogurt.
Now place SRIKHAND in the bowl you want to serve it in.
Roughly crush the left pistachio nuts and sprinkle on top of yogurt.
Put in refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.

This is sinfully Devine!


Tip
If you don't like the taste of saffron, you can make this SRIKHAND with
Green elaichi and jaifal. ( cardamom and grated nutmeg)
You can also add crushed and sliced almonds)

STUFFED MUSHROOMS"

This appetizer is so delicious that it is sure to be the first to finish.
My three year old LOVE it. My guests always are amazed as to how simple it is to make. Try it. It's easy and tasty.

Ingredients

12 medium sized mushrooms, stalks removed and stored for anyone recipe.
1/2 cup creme cheese.
3 tbs mayo
2 tbs chopped onions
2 tbs very small diced pieces of red and yellow bell peppers. ( optional)
4 strips of crisp bacon crumbled ( optional)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese.

Method

Sauté the mushrooms in a pan, tops down till they sweat a little. Caps should be a little brown.
Mix all the ingredients together.
Preheat oven to broiler setting.
(About 450- 500 degrees.)
Place the mushrooms caps down on a baking tray
Fill them with the cream cheese mixture.
Put in oven till cheese is bubbling and a little golden brown.( about 3-4 minutes or less depending on the heat of the oven)
Remove and serve immediately.

If you like a little zing to it, then sprinkle a little Tabasco on the top before serving.

PRAWN KOLIWADA.

PRAWN KOLIWADA.

This shrimp appetizer is bound to be a party favorite. It is generally spicy, but you can tone it down by reducing the amount of chili powder.
I have tried and tested several versions of this dish before coming up with the following recipe. Hope you like it!

40 to 50 medium sized shrimp. ( about 2 pounds)
7 tbs gram flour ( channa atta)
3 tbs yogurt
2 tbs ginger garlic paste
4 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs Kashmiri chili powder
1 tbs red chili powder.( reduce to 1/2 tbs for a milder version)
1 tbs tandoori powder
A pinch of red food coloring powder
3 tsp ajawain powder ( better if you grind it fresh)
2 tsp fennel powder. ( sauf)
1 tbs coriander powder ( dhanna)
1 tbs aamchur powder ( dried mango powder)
1/2 cup water.
Salt to taste
1 tbs chaat masala to sprinkle on top.
Oil to deep fry shrimp.

Method
Mix all the ingredients with the shrimp and make a thick paste. Keep in marinade for at least half an hour.
Heat oil. Maintain temperature of oil at medium heat or the outside of the shrimp ( batter) will cook faster and shrimp will remain raw.
At first fry only one shrimp to check the temperature of oil. Fry for 30 seconds and turn. Turn again. The outside should turn a nice golden orange color.
Now you can put up to 4 shrimp at a time. Do not over cloud the wok as the shrimp will stick to each other or the bottom of wok.

Remove shrimp on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
Sprinkle chaat masala and a little lemon juice before serving.
This dish tastes really good with sliced onions on the side.

ROGAN JOSH

ROGAN JOSH

Ingredients:

Servings:
4-6

4 tbs ginger garlic paste
3 pounds boneless lamb cut in small bite size pieces
10 whole cardamom pods slit open and crushed
3 -4 bay leaves
8 whole cloves
10 whole peppercorns
2 cinnamon sticks
2 large onions, peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
4 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tbs shan meat masala
1 cup water
5 tbs Ghee ( clarified butter)
Salt to taste
1 cup plain yogurt
1 ts garam masala



Directions:

1
Marinate the meat with ginger garlic paste, ground cumin, ground coriander, red chili, Kashmiri chili and Shan meat masala.
2
Heat ghee in a wide heavy pot over a medium heat, brown the onions.
3
Put the cardamom, bay leaves, cloves, peppercons and cinnamon in. Fry for 2-3 minutes.
4
Now put in the meat. Stir and fry for 8 -10 minutes.
5
Put in the meat in a pressure cooker with one cup water and cook for thirty minutes or till almost cooked.
6
Remove meat from cooker and put in pan. Simmer. Add yogurt and continue to simmer till most of the liquid has gone. Thick gravy should remain. Stir every five minutes or so to avoid the meat from sticking to base of pot.
7
Taste for salt. Add more Shan meat masala if needed.
8
Now add 1 ts garam masala and stir. Shut off stove.
9
Serve hot with roti or rice.




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KHEEMA ( Minced Meat)

KHEEMA ( Minced Meat)

What's not to like about Kheema? It's tasty, quick and can be used In a number of ways. I use the left overs, if any the next morning as a stuffing in an omelette. It tastes great! Or then just toss it in pasta, and you have an Indian version of a meat pasta! Usually, I add peas and even boiled potato pieces in, but since the darling husband likes it just straight, without the " fillers" as he calls them.... Here goes.

Ingredients

( for 4 people)

1 pound ground meat. (Beef, lamb ,chicken or turkey) I use beef.
1 1/2 big onions chopped finely
1 big tomato puréed
4-5 green chilies ground
2 TS sambar powder ( available at Indian grocery)
3 TS dhannajeera powder( ground coriander and cumin)
1/2 TS garam masala( avoid if you don't want it too spicy)
2 Tbs ginger garlic paste
2 Tbs red chili paste. ( dry red chilies ground with garlic)
  (If you don't have this, it's ok to avoid) use 1 Ts red chili powder
3 Tbs sharan Kheema curry masala. ( Indian store) ( cut down if you don't like it spicy. You can always stir in more later if you want)
2-3 Tbs tomato catsup
Oil

Method
Marinate meat in ginger garlic paste and red chili paste.
Heat oil and fry onions and green chilis till onion is golden brown.
Add all the dry masalas and fry for two minutes, add minced meat. Stir and cook till meat is almost cooked. About 8-10 minutes, stir so it does not stick to pan.
Add tomato purée and catsup. Add a little water. Not too much unless you want a little gravy. At this stage add the pre boiled potatoes and peas.
Cover and simmer on low for ten minutes.
Check for salt and add more catsup according to your taste.
Serve with pav. ( I use the Cuban sandwich bread)
You can also eat this with the khichri. Just needs more gravy for that.

Next morning or lunch, just heat kheema and fold in an omelette! Tastes great!

MOONG PALAK DAL ( Lentil with spinach)


 A great and tasty way to get spinach into your diet. Tasty and healthy and quick to make.
My kids love this dal with rice and fried fish.

Ingredients ( for four people)

150 grams of spinach
150 grams of moong dal
1 TBS ginger garlic paste
2 green chilies split
1/2 TS haldi
1/2 TBS aamchur powder
Juice from half a lemon or lime
Fresh coriander to sprinkle on top
Salt to taste.

Vagar or tadka
1 TBS ghee( clarified butter, or use oil)
3 dry red Kashmiri chilies
1/2 Ts rai seeds(mustard)
1/2 ts jeera seeds(cumin)
5 curry leaves
3 cloves of garlic chopped.

Method
Boil or pressure cook the moong dal with haldi and salt.
In a pot, heat some oil or ghee and fry the ginger garlic paste and slit green chilies.
Chop the spinach leaves, wash and add them in. Fry till a little wilted. Turn off stove.
In another pan, heat the ghee, add the rai and jeers seeds. When they crackle, add garlic, red chilies and curry pattas. Fry for a minute and then pour the vagar in the spinach.
When the dal is ready, pour it in the spinach. Add a little water if needed. Add the aamchur. Simmer for ten minutes. Taste for salt. Add lemon juice and sprinkle coriander.
Eat with roti or rice.

PARSI KHICHRI.

Parsi khichri

Ingredients

1 cup rice
1/3 cup yellow moong dal
1 tsp haldi
1 piece cinnamon stick
5 cloves
1 star anis
Salt.

Method

Put all ingredients in rice cooker. Add 2 cups water or according to rice cooker instructions and then half a cup more for lentils. When you open cooker, sprinkle a little water on khichri to make it a little moist.
Alternatively, you could cook this on a stove. Just add a little more water and keep checking for readiness. The lentils will cook fast. If there is excess water, strain it out. Fluff rice and serve.
Eat with kheema or saas.

MACCHI NU SAAS or LAGAN NU SAAS ( Fish Sauce)

My grandmother made this saas so well. I still remember the smells and sounds in the kitchen as she cooked this dish. It was my favorite and anytime she would ask me what I'd like to eat, the answer was obvious.
Each time I make this recipe I think of her.
How I miss my Grannu!

Ingredients
1 pound pomfret or any firm white flesh fish. (I have made this sauce with salmon too and I liked the taste. But it tastes best with tilapia or flounder.)
2 medium onions finely sliced
5 tbs fresh chopped coriander
6 green chilies chopped
1/2 tbs full jeera seeds
8 cloves garlic.
2 tbs rice flour
Salt to taste
3 cups water
10 cherry tomatoes or cut the flesh of a tomato, remove seeds in small pieces.
Beat together with hand blender.
4 tbs vinegar
3 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tbs sugar
2 eggs
Ghee or oil to fry onions.