Lamb Kofta Balls

Ingredients

• 450g minced lamb
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp fresh, green coriander, very finely chopped
• 3 tbsp natural yogurt

For the sauce

• 5 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2.5 cm cube ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 4 tbsp water, plus 300ml
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp bright red paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 5 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2.5 cm cinnamon sticks
• 6 cardamom pods
• 6 cloves
• 100g onions, peeled and finely chopped
• 100g tomatoes, peeled and chopped (a small can of tomatoes may be substituted)
• 4 tbsp natural yogurt
• 0.5 tsp salt

Method

1. To make the meatballs: Combine all the ingredients for the meatballs. Dip your hands in water whenever you need to and form about 30 meatballs. 

2. For the sauce, put the garlic and ginger into the container of a food processor or blender along with 4 tablespoons water. Blend until you have a paste. Put the paste in a bowl. Add the cumin, coriander, paprika and cayenne. Stir to mix. 

3. To make the sauce: Put the oil in a heavy, 23-25cm wide pan or frying-pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the cinnamon, cardamom pods and cloves. Stir them for 3-4 seconds. Now put in the onions and fry them, stirring all the time, until they are reddish-brown in colour. Turn the heat to medium and put in the paste from the bowl as well as the chopped tomatoes. Stir and fry this mixture until it turns a brownish colour. When it begins to catch, add 1 tablespoon of the yogurt. Stir and fry some more until the yogurt is incorporated into the sauce. Now add another tablespoon of yogurt. Incorporate that into the sauce as well. Keep doing this until you have put in all the yogurt. Now put in 300ml water and the salt. Stir and bring to a simmer. 

4. Put in all the meatballs in a single layer. Cover, leaving the lid very slightly ajar, turn heat to low and cook for 25 minutes. Stir very gently every 5 minutes or so, making sure not to break the meatballs. Towards the end of the cooking period, you should scrape the bottom of the pan just to make sure the sauce is not catching. If necessary, add a tablespoon or so of water. Remove the lid and turn the heat up to medium-low. Stir gently and cook until the meatballs have a browned look. All the sauce should now be clinging to the meatballs and there should be just a little fat left at the bottom of the pan. 

5. When you are ready to eat, heat the koftas gently. Lift them out of the fat and shake off any whole spices that may be clinging to them. Stick a toothpick into each kofta if serving with drinks. 

6. If you have these koftas for dinner, you could leave more of a sauce. 

(From Madhur Jaffrey)

Tandoori Chicken

4 skinned Chicken Quarters

2 tblsp Lemon Juice

1 Garlic Clove

1 inch piece peeled and coarsely chopped Fresh Ginger

1 Green chilli 1 tblsp Water

4 tblsp Natural Yogurt

1 tsp Ground Cumin 1 tsp Garam masala

1 tsp Paprika

1 tsp Salt 1 tsp powdered or 2cm of fresh Tumeric (or few drop of Yellow Food Colouring)

2 tblsp melted Ghee (or some vegetable oil)

For garnishing: Lemon Wedges and Onion rings

Make 3-4 cuts in each chicken quarter using a knife. Put the chicken in an ovenproof dish. Rub lemon juice into the incisions. Cover it. Let it marinate for about 30 minutes. Combine garlic, ginger, tumeric, green chilli and water in a blender. Grind to make a smooth paste like mixture. Combine the paste to yogurt, ground cumin, garam masala, paprika, salt, (powedered tumeric or food colouring if using) and the melted ghee. Mix all the ingredients well. Spread them over marinated chicken pieces. Coat the pieces with the yogurt marinade. Cover it. Let it marinate at room temperature for about 5 hours. Turn once or twice maximum. Place chicken in a oven at 325 F. Let it roast for 1 hour. Bast frequently and turn once. The chicken should be tender and most of the marinade should be evaporated. Then grill the chicken over hot charcoal. Garnish it with lemon wedges and onion rings.

Indian Pea Soup

Ingredients :
1 cup green peas
3 shallots
2 green chilies
3 tbs chopped potato
1 chopped tomato
5-6 mint strips
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
4 whole peppercorns
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1/2 tsp minced garlic
Salt to taste
1 tsp olive oil
2 tbs yogurt
1 tsp gram flour

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil. On low flame fry 1 tsp gram flour and black peppercorns for few seconds. Sauté shallots,garlic ,ginger and green chilies untill softened. Add salt, cinnamon powder and cumin powder while stirring. Now, add tomato, potatoes and mint leaves and let them boil for 4-5 minutes.
Mix little water to the yogurt, whisk so that no lumps are formed making a thin paste. Pour it into the boiling mixture. Keep stirring.Adding yogurt and tomato gives a little tang to balance out the sweetness of peas. And also, yogurt and gram flour make a good broth for the soup. Reduce the heat, cover with a lid and let simmer for 10-15 minutes until potatoes are tender. Add peas and cook for another 5 minutes.
Carefully blend the above mixture until smooth. Reheat the puree, stirring from time to time and adding a little more water if necessary to prevent the soup becoming too thick or sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cook for another 7-8 minutes.Garnish with mint leaves and serve steamingly hot.

Rogan Josh

This one is so simple

* Around 600-700 grams of leg of lamb - chopped into bite-sized chunks.
* 2 tablespoons each of Grated Ginger and Garlic (maybe some more if you want)
* 2 teaspoons salt.
* 1 teaspoon turmeric
* 3 teaspoons garam masala
* 2 teaspoons ground coriander
* 2 teaspoons ground cumin
* 2 dessert spoons of plain natural yoghurt
* 1 teaspoon of red chillie powder
* 2 medium onions - finely chopped
* A tin of tomatoes

Fry the onions in some vegetable oil until translucent, then add the garlic and ginger.

Add all the quantities of ground spices and keep frying - the mixture should be dryish. Fry for a few minutes then add the chunks of fresh leg of lamb.

You should stir-fry for around 5 mins on high-ish heat until the meat has fully browned. Then throw in the tinned tomato. Mash or chop it before you put it in.

Stir it all about and let it cook for a few mins before adding a couple of large dollops of plain natural yoghurt. Stir it all in and then put the flame on high to bring it to a boil.

Then put the lid on and immediately transfer to the lowest possible flame burner. After half hour - take the lid off and give it a stir - and then put lid back on and let it simmer for another half hour. Repeat this for around one and half hours - and you will notice that the consistency of the mixture is a bit thicker - and the colour is bit redder/browner.

Then put the lid on and immediately transfer to the lowest possible flame burner and then go off and do something else for half and hour. Come back after half hour - take the lid off and give it a stir - and then put lid back on and let it simmer for another half hour. Repeat this for around one and half hours - and you will notice that the consistency of the mixture is a bit thicker - and the colour is bit redder/browner.

Sprinkle on a generous handful of freshly chopped coriander leaf and stir it in. Let it rest with the lid on for 5 minutes.

Dhansak

You can make this with Chicken, Lamb, Beef or even Vegetables. I chose chicken as that was all we had in the freezer.

Sauce

1 small eggplant/aubergine

1 small butternut squash/pumkin

200 grams of mixed lentils

Tonight we are using some red lentils, mung dal and green lentils. I think you can use many types as it is the variety in texture that is good. Dice the vegetables and boil with the lentils until everything is soft. Transfer to a blender and puree. Leave aside.

You can also add to the sauce fresh Fenugreek Leaves, Mustard Greens, Spinach or Rocket. A very healthy addition.

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp star anise

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp peppercorns

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Fry the spices in a pan for a minute and then remove from heat. If you are using whole spices then grind with a mortar and pestle.

1 Brown Onion

2cm length of ginger

2 cloves of garlic

2 green chillies

300 gms lamb (or chicken or beef)

Cook the chopped onion in the pan until soft. Add the meat and brown on all sides. Add the finely chopped or paste of garlic and ginger. Cook for another minute. Add the spices and cook until fragrant. Now add enough water to cover half the meat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Then add your sauce to the meat and simmer until meat is tender

Finishing

100ml Tamarind Water

1 tsp palm sugar

Coriander and or Mint

Just before serving add the tamring water and palm sugar. This will give it a very sweet and sour flavour.

Serve with white rice and garnish with the coriander or mint.