Classic Indian cuisine with a fresh twist

My jaw literally dropped when I found out these amazing recipes!! Good thing I stumbled upon this article from http://www.iol.co.za. Read the stuffs below and you can cook a very fine dish already!


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Celebrity chef Alexis Kriel shares some exotic recipes.

Kriel established her name as the fashion editor of The Star in 1979 at the age of 19. She was known for her edgy interpretations of what was in vogue - a fashion sense that came from watching trendsetters in the clubs and bars of Joburg.

At 25, the Jewish girl from a well-known South African family gave up everything to live the life of a mendicant in an Indian temple. Her work as a foodie comes as a result.

Today, Kriel imparts her knowledge with true inspiration, demystifying spices and presenting the flavours of a classic cuisine in a fresh style for a healthy, passionate life.

Butter lettuce with minted cucumbers and strawberries

(Serves 6)

2 long European-style cucumbers (about 230g each)

480ml strawberries, rinsed and drained

leaves of 1 butter lettuce, rinsed and dried

2 tbs (30ml) lemon juice

3 tbs (45ml) orange juice

1/4 cup (60ml) finely chopped fresh mint

pinch cayenne pepper or paprika

2 tbs (30ml) hazelnut oil or alternative oil

Lay the leaves of the butter lettuce on a large salad plate, as the base of this dish.

Peel the cucumbers and cut them crosswise into two or three pieces.

Cut each piece lengthwise into four sections. Arrange the wedges in a pattern on top of the lettuce leaves. Remove the leaves and core from the strawberries. Slice each one in half from cap to tip.

Arrange in a decorative pattern between the cucumber wedges.

Whisk together the lemon juice, orange juice, mint, cayenne or paprika and oil until emulsified. Pour over the salad just before serving.

Nimbu pani lemonade with cardamom and rose essence

(Serves 4)

11/2 cups (375ml) freshly-squeezed lemon juice

3/4 cup (185ml) sugar

4 cups (1 litre) iced water

2 tsp finely ground cardamom seeds

1 tsp rose essence

3-4 cups (750ml-1 litre) crushed ice

strips of lemon rind for garnish

Combine the lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan and, stirring to dissolve the sugar, bring to the boil over moderate heat. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Whisk together the cooled lemon syrup with the iced water and add the ground cardamom and the rose essence. Transfer into a large jug. Half-fill each chilled glass with crushed ice, and fill the glass with the lemonade, garnishing each with a strip of lemon rind.

Saffron and pistachio kulfi

4 cups full-cream milk

1¼ cups pouring cream

1¾ cups evaporated milk

1¾ cups sweetened condensed milk

seeds from 8 green cardamom pods, crushed

½ tsp saffron strands crushed and dissolved in 2 tbs hot milk

1½ tbs cornstarch (maizena)

1/3 cup chopped glacé ginger

1 tbs pure rose water (not essence)

¼ cup unsalted pistachio nuts, finely-chopped

Place the milk, cream, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, cardamom and saffron in a wide 3-litre saucepan over moderate heat.

Stir constantly until the milk boils, scraping the bottom of the saucepan to avoid scorching. When the liquid boils, reduce to a simmer.

Leave the pan uncovered and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes or until the milk reduces to about one-third its original volume.

Combine the maizena with 2 tbs cold water, and whisk it into the simmering reduced milk. Raise the heat slightly and allow the milk to thicken.

Remove the pan and set it aside, occasionally stirring in the skin that forms on the surface of the milk as it cools. When cool, stir in the glacé ginger, the rose water and pistachio nuts.

Stir the mixture well, and pour into moulds, ice-cube trays, or a shallow metal freezing container. Cover with foil and freeze for 6 tor 7 hours, or until set.

Dip the bottom of the freezing container into warm water for long enough to allow the kulfi to slip out easily. Serve immediately.

* The fresh fruit to go with the kulfi dessert is at the chef’s discretion. The pistachio praline for the dessert is also at the chef’s discretion.

Coconut and cashew nut rice with mustard seed and curry leaf tempering

(Serves 4)

1 cup long-grained rice

½ coconut, grated

2 tbs sesame seeds

3 tbs ghee or oil

3 tbs cashew nuts, halved

salt to taste

For the tempering:

2 tsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp black gram dhal

1 tsp bengal gram dhal

1 red chilli, halved

½ tsp asafoetida powder

a few curry leaves

Pressure-cook the rice and set aside.

Dry-roast the sesame seeds, powder fine, and set aside.

Heat 2 tbs ghee, fry the cashew nuts till golden and set aside.

Heat the remaining tbs ghee and fry the grated coconut till reddish brown.

Set aside.

Heat 2 tsp oil, and add all the ingredients for tempering. When the mustard seeds splutter, add the rice, salt and the fried coconut.

Mix well.

Sprinkle the powdered sesame seeds on top.

Garnish with the fried cashew nuts and serve hot.

Golden saffron sauce (to go with baked butternut, paneer cheese and chickpeas)

3 tbs oil

6 cloves

2 bay leaves

3 cinnamon sticks

6 green cardamoms

for the paste masala:

2½ tbs grated ginger

2½ tbs crushed garlic

2 tsp ground cashew nuts

2 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp ground coriander

the other ingredients:

¾ cup yoghurt

2 tsp sugar

2/3 cup cream

1½ tsp garam masala

1 tsp cardamom powder

1 tsp mace powder

few threads saffron dissolved in 1 tbs milk

salt

To make the masala paste: combine the grated ginger, crushed garlic and ground cashew nuts in a spice mill or small blender, with enough water to create a creamy consistency.

Add the red chilli powder, turmeric and ground coriander to this.

Set aside.

Heat oil in a pan; add cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks and green cardamoms.

Sauté over a medium heat until they begin to crackle.

Stir in the masala paste.

Add the yoghurt, warm water (1/2 cup) and sugar.

Bring to a slow boil and then simmer until the oil separates.

Allow the curry to cool.

Remove whole spices and blend to a smooth consistency (optional).

Gingered pumpkin soup with apple chutney garnish

(Serves 8)

1 tbs virgin olive oil

700g pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cubed

1 baking potato, peeled and cubed

1 carrot, coarsely chopped

1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored and sliced

3/4 cup cranberries

1/2 tbs ground coriander

1 tbs grated fresh ginger

5 cups vegetable stock or water

11/2 cups unsweetened cranberry-apple juice

11/2 tsp salt

freshly ground black pepper

freshly ground nutmeg

apple chutney/ cranberry chutney (recipe follows)

Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan over a low heat. Add the vegetables, fruit and spices and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.

Pour in the stock and juice. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until tender – 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool for 10 minutes.

Puree half the vegetable mixture in a food processor. With the machine running, gradually add half the liquid and process until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve set over another saucepan. Repeat the procedure with the remaining vegetable mixture and liquid.

Stir and add more juice if a thinner consistency is desired. Reheat gently and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Ladle into bowls and garnish with a spoonful of apple or cranberry chutney.

Apple chutney:

(makes about 1 cup)

1 cup cranberries

12/3 cup diced apple

juice and grated zest from 1 naartjie or orange

1/4 – 1/3 cup maple syrup, to taste

2 tsp chopped fresh dhania

Cook the cranberries, apple, zest, juice and maple syrup in a small saucepan over moderate heat until the apples become soft and chunky.

Cool and stir in the fresh dhania.

For cranberry chutney, use only 2/3 cup of diced apple and cook for 5 minutes only, or until the cranberries pop.

Matthi (Indian crackers)

2½ cups brown bread flour

2 tbs caraway or sesame seeds

1½ tsp rock salt

½ tsp baking powder

2 tbs butter

vegetable oil for deep-frying

175ml water

Combine the flour, caraway seeds, salt and baking powder in a large mixing bowl.

Rub the butter into the flour and add enough water to form a fairly firm dough.

Knead well for at least 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Then set it aside for a few minutes.

Fill a karhai (deep frying pan) to two-thirds with vegetable oil and put it over a medium heat.

While the oil is heating, roll out the dough into a large square, 1cm thick. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into diamonds, 5cm long.

Gently drop half of them into the hot oil. The heat should be adjusted so that the crackers become golden-brown on both sides in 4 or 5 minutes.

Remove with a slotted spoon and put in a colander to drain. Then cook the other half the same way.

Peach chutney

1 tbs vegetable oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

2 red chillies

1 tsp yellow asafoetida powder

1 medium red pepper, chopped into 3cm cubes

1 medium green pepper chopped into 3cm cubes

500g peaches, peeled and cut into halves or crescents .

500g mixed dried fruit (peaches, apricots, pears)

3/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 cup lightly packed brown sugar

Heat the oil in a 3-litre saucepan over moderate heat. Sauté the mustard seeds in the hot oil until they crackle, then add the chilli and asafoetida and, immediately, the peppers. Cook for one minute.

Add the peaches, lemon juice and brown sugar, stir to dissolve the sugar.

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered, without stirring, for 45 minutes or until the relish is thick. Towards the end it might require minimal stirring to avoid sticking.

Note: If fresh peaches are not available, substitute with an extra 500g dried fruit.

Coriander and coconut fish parcels

(Serves 2 )

1 lemon

Two 150g firm white fish fillets, rinsed and patted dry

salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp vegetable oil

2 banana leaves, softened in a little water, or 2 large squares of aluminium foil

Paste:

3 fat garlic cloves, roughly chopped

½ tsp ginger paste

½ small onion, roughly chopped

4 tbs chopped fresh coriander (leaves and stalks)

2 rounded tbs coconut milk powder

1 green chilli, seeded and chopped

1 tsp coriander powder

½ tsp each roasted cumin powder and garam masala

2 pinches each of cardamom and fenugreek seeds, pounded in a pestle and mortar

Cut the lemon in half. Thinly slice one half of the lemon and put aside. Squeeze the juice from the other half. Marinate the fish in 2 teaspoons of the juice, together with a good sprinkling of salt, at room temperature, for 30 minutes.

Blend, process or use a pestle and mortar to pound together the ingredients for the paste into a coarse purée.

If cooking in the oven, preheat to 180°C.

Rinse the fillets and pat dry. Season on both sides and spread a thick coating of the paste on only one side. Lay a couple of lemon slices on each leaf or piece of foil and place the fish on top, paste side up. Grind a little black pepper over them and drizzle with the oil.

Enclose in the leaf, securing with a toothpick or string, or seal in the foil by bringing up the edges and crimping together so that the parcel is airtight but loose.

Lay the parcels in a steamer above a large pan of boiling water, cover with a tight-fitting lid and steam for 15 minutes or until cooked.

Alternatively, bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, depending on the size of the fillets.

Trickle over a little of the remaining lemon juice and serve hot.

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Recipe for reduced-fat Thai green curry

Although curry has A LOT of benefits in our health, just like any other cuisines there are still "excesses" for the body. The good news is there's this "reduced-fat" curry recipe that would keep us from those excesses but at the same time satisfies our curry love. Check this article out by Emily Shardlow from http://www.thenational.ae

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An average serving of Thai green curry has

431 calories
28.2g fat
32.2g carbohydrates
4g protein

Compared with many Chinese and Indian takeaway offerings, Thai food does seem like the healthy option - what with the abundance of vegetables, chilli and fish.

Green Thai curry, however - one of the most popular of the takeaway dishes - is often high in saturated fat and calories. This is primarily because the sauce is made from coconut milk or even coconut cream. The website caloriecountabout.com estimates that a cup of coconut milk (240g) contains 552 calories and 50.7g of saturated fat - a staggering amount.

By preparing this favourite curry at home, you can easily reduce calories, fat and salt content. A sauce made from a mix of low-fat coconut milk and stock won't be as creamy as the original, but it will have a more delicate flavour and is much healthier. This recipe is filled with vegetables, but you could easily add a few pieces of skinless chicken breast or prawns (both low-fat proteins) to the sauce - just make sure they are simmered until cooked through.

Reduced fat Thai green curry

Serves 2

For the curry paste:

1 small bunch coriander, roughly chopped

2cm by 4cm (approx) piece of ginger or galangal, peeled and roughly chopped

2-4 green bird eye chillies

1 lemongrass stalk, chopped

teaspoon ground roasted coriander

teaspoon ground roasted cumin

2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

4 Thai shallots (or 1 normal shallot), peeled and roughly chopped

2 tablespoons groundnut oil



For the curry:

1 teaspoon groundnut oil

3-4 tablespoons green curry paste

150ml low fat coconut milk
150ml chicken or vegetable stock

1 courgette, chopped

75g green beans, trimmed

75g mangetout

75g baby sweetcorn

juice of lime

2 teaspoons Thai fish sauce

zest of 1 lime/4 kaffir lime leaves, shredded

handful Thai basil/basil leaves, shredded



To make the curry paste put the coriander into a blender and whiz. Add the remaining ingredients and blend again - you should end up with a course paste. Add a splash of water if it seems too thick.

Heat the oil in a large pan or wok, add the curry paste and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Mix the coconut milk and stock together, pour into the pan, stir well and bring to a simmer.

Add the courgette and cook for 5-6 minutes. Stir in the green beans, mangetout, baby sweetcorn, lime juice, fish sauce and lime zest or kaffir lime leaves if using. Simmer for 3-4 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Just before you are ready to serve, add the basil leaves to the pan and stir well. Serve with boiled rice.


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Recipe: Spicy Shrimp Curry

Talk about being creative by recycling stuffs in your fridge! With this awesome recipe which is a perfect match of a bottle of champagne, it will blow your taste buds away! If it weren't for http://seattletimes.nwsource.com by Carol Mighton Haddix then I wouldn't be able to make this.

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A bag of frozen, peeled raw shrimp tucked away in the freezer provides almost instant weekday meals. Lately, I've been preparing the shrimp in a number of curries, from a Thai version (using another handy convenience product, curry paste) to this spicy curry from the south of India.

Run the shrimp under cold water, or soak it just until thawed — about 10 minutes — then cook with seasonings or a sauce just until it turns pink, about 3 minutes.

Tips:

Use a bottled Indian curry sauce instead of this one; look for them in the ethnic aisle of the supermarket.

The curry leaves, found at Indian markets, lend a nutty flavor. Serve with cooked basmati rice.

Spicy Shrimp Curry

Makes 6 servings

1 pound frozen, peeled raw shrimp, thawed

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Sauce:

3 tablespoons canola oil

20 curry leaves, optional

4 small dried red chilies

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 piece (3 inches long) ginger root, peeled, minced

1 red onion, chopped

2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon turmeric,

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes,

1 can (15 ounce) coconut milk

1 cup chopped cilantro

1. Mix shrimp, salt, pepper, red pepper and lemon juice in a food-grade storage bag; toss to coat. Refrigerate.

2. For sauce, heat oil, curry leaves and chilies in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat until sizzling, 1 minute. Add pepper, ginger, onion and salt; cook, stirring and sprinkling with a little water to keep from sticking if necessary, until onion is golden, 5 minutes.

3. Add garlic, coriander, turmeric and curry powder; cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium; add tomatoes. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high; cook 5 minutes, stirring. Add coconut milk; heat to a boil. Add shrimp and its juices. Heat until shrimp are cooked through and pink, about 2 minutes. Stir in cilantro.

Adapted from a recipe for a curry from Goa in the south of India in "American Masala," by Suvir Saran.

Nutrition information: Per serving: 322 calories, 64 percent of calories from fat, 24 g fat, 14 g saturated fat, 112 mg cholesterol, 15 g carbohydrates, 16 g protein, 1,103 mg sodium, 4 g fiber

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Curry queen Shanta Gaury Pathak dies

I am devastated. One of the pillars of the ART OF CURRY just said goodbye to us curry patrons.. I wish I could be the Curry King. I read this from thetelegraph.co.uk.

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The "curry queen" Shanta Gaury Pathak, the founder of the Patak's food empire, has died aged 83.

Mrs Pathak was a pioneer of the food revolution that made Indian cuisine one of Britain's most popular dishes.
She and her late husband Laxmishanker began by making Indian snacks in a tiny kitchen, went on to found the Pataks brand which became famous around the world with a £55 million turnover.
The company now employs about 500 people making the sauces and chutneys and supplies three quarters of Britains 8,000 Indian restaurants with curry pastes, chutneys, pickles and pappadums.
Her son, Kirit, lives in Victoria Road, Heaton, Bolton, Greater Manchester, and with his wife, Meena a TV regular and author of Indian cookbooks - and daughter, Anjali, took over the business when his father died.
He paid tribute to his mother, who died last month.

Mr Pathak said: "My mother was a huge inspiration and will be deeply missed by all those who knew her.
"She oozed charisma and spirit and was a very special and precious individual who, alongside my father, will be remembered for jointly planting the seeds of the Pataks business.
"My mother was at her happiest in the kitchen and the fact her secret family recipes have remained largely unchanged speaks for itself.
"Together with my wife, Meena, and my daughter, Anjali Pathak, we will continue to keep her legacy alive, inspiring the nation to share my mothers love for Indian cuisine."
Laxmishanker and Shanta Gaury Pathak arrived in London in 1950 from Kenya with just £5.
Mrs Pathak started making Indian snacks, sweets and pickles in the familys kitchen to help make ends meet.
From those humble origins grew the Patak's company, which put a range of curry sauces, pickles, pastes and pappadums in supermarkets around the country.

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