Peshawar-Style Lamb Curry

Recipe Ingredients:

4 tbsp olive oil

2.5 cm cinnamon stick

5 green cardamom pods, bruised

5 cloves

2 bay leaves

700 gm lamb, boiled

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp ginger puree

2 tbsp garlic puree

1 tbsp tomato puree

1 tbsp ground turmeric

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tbsp ground cumin

125 gm thick set natural yogurt

2 tbsp gram flour

150 ml warm water

2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves

1 tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves

salt (according to taste)

How to Prepare:

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over a low heat and add the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and bay leaves. Let them sizzle for 20-30 seconds, then add the lamb, increase the heat to medium-high and cook untill all the natural juices have evaporated.

Add the onion and ginger and garlic purees, cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring regularly, then add the tomato puree, turmeric, ground coriander and cumin. Continue to cook for 3-4 minutes.

Whisk together the yogurt, gram flour and chilli powder and add to the prawns. Reduce the heat to low, add the warm water, cover and simmer, stirring to ensure that the sauce does not stick to the base of the pan, for 40-45 minutes, or untill lamb is well cooked, if necessary, to thicken the sauce to a desired consistency.

Stir in the fresh mint and coriander, remove from the heat and serve.

Village-Style Chicken Biryani

Recipe Ingredients:

750 gm chicken

3 cups basmati rice

4 1/2 cups water

4 cardamom pods

4 cloves

4 star anise

2 cinnamon sticks 

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 onion, finely sliced

1 tomato, chopped 

4 green chillies, slit length wise

1/2 cup chopped mint

1/2 cup chopped coriander

2 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1 tbsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp red chilli powder

1 juice of lime

8 tbsp oil

2 tbsp salt

How to Prepare:

In a big vessel add oil, when hot add cumin seeds, cardamom pods, cloves, star anise, cinnamon sticks and cook for few seconds, now add chopped onions, green chillies, ginger garlic paste and tomato's, allow to sweat, add turmeric powder, salt, ginger garlic paste, chopped mint, chopped coriander, and chicken, mix well untill well combined. Cover and cook untill chickens turns slightly brown in color or cooked.

Wash rice in several changes of cold water untill the water runs clear. Add washed rice to the chicken mixture add water, lime juice, red chilli powder, mix well untill well combined and allow to cook on medium-high flame , once when the rice is cooked remove from heat and leave it for few minutes. Serve hot.

Flourless Purple Carrot Cake

Recipe Ingredients:

280 gm grated purple carrot

160 gm butter

6 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup almond meal

almonds to decorate

How to Prepare:

Preheat oven to 160º C or (140º C fan forced). Line tin with baking paper.

Melt butter in a heat proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir in grated purple carrot, egg yolks and half the sugar. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Using electric beater, beat egg whites and sugar untill soft peaks form. Gradually remaining sugar and beat on high speed untill thick and glossy.

Flod the almod meal into carrot mixture. Gently flod in egg whites. Pour into tin, bake for 55-60 min minutes untill firm to touch.  Top with almonds.

Spiced Basmati Rice

Recipe Ingredients: 

2 cups rice

1 tbsp cumin seeds 

5 cardamom pods   

3 bay leaves 

5 cloves 

1-2 cinnamon sticks 

2 cups water 

1 tbsp ghee 

salt (according to taste)

 

How to Prepare:

Wash rice in several changes of cold water untill the water runs clear. Leave to soak in fresh cold water for 20 minutes, then drain the water. Cook rice, cumin seeds, cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaves and ghee by adding water and salt for 20-30 minutes. Serve hot.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve with any gravy curry or raita.

Fenugreek Dal

Recipe Ingredients :

1 cup toor dal
2 cups fenugreek, washed
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
4 green chillies finely chopped
1 tbsp turmeric powder
1/2 tbsp red chilli powder
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
10 curry leaves
2 dry red chillies, broken into two
4 tbsp oil
salt (according to taste)

How to Prepare: 

Wash dal untill water runs clear and leave to soak for 30 minutes. Pressure cook toor dal, fenugreek leaves, 3/4 of the chopped onions (reserve the remaining chopped onions) turmeric, salt, red chilli powder and green chillies with 3 cups of water and cook for 40 minutes or untill 3 whistles. Mash toor dal into smooth paste with the laddel. 

Heat oil in a small saucepan over a medium heat, when hot add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. As as the mustard seeds pop add dry red chillies, reserved chopped onions, chopped garlic and curry leaves. Let the seasonings sizzle untill dry red chillies have lightly darken in colour. 

Pour the contents of seasoning over the fenugreek dal, scraping off every bit from the saucepan. Turn off the heat and keep the saucepan covered untill you are ready to serve. 

Serving Suggestions: 

Serve with hot rice and ghee.

Palak Panner

Recipe Ingredients :

1 bunch spinach

4-5 green chillies

1 medium onion

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

 1-2 cinnamon stick

 150-200grams paneer

 1 tbsp garam masala powder

 1 tbsp turmeric power

 1 tbsp red chili powder

 1 tbsp cumin seeds 

 2 tbsp oil/ghee

 salt (according to taste)

 1 cup yogurt 

 water-for boiling

How to prepare: 

Wash spinach with cold water and boil spinach in pressure cooker untill one-two whistles on medium flame. Drain the water and keep aside. Blend in a mixer along with green chillies into a thick paste. Do not add water. 

Meanwhile chop paneer into cubes. Boil paneer in water with little salt for about 10-15 minutes. In a medium sized pan add oil and fry paneer on both sides till golden brown in colour, drain paneer from oil and keep it aside untill needed. In the same oil add cumin seeds, cinamon stick and finely chopped onions. Saute till onions turn golden brown.

Add ginger garlic paste and stir for a minute. To this paste add garam masala, turmeric and red chili powder. Add spinach paste and stir for a minute or two. Pour some water to get  gravy consistency. Add salt and yogurt let the gravy boil by stirring from time to time and cover with lid. Add the paneer to palak gravy, remove from heat and serve hot. 

Serving Suggestions:

Serve with naan/chapati.

Zeera Rice

Recipe Ingredients:

2 cups rice

1 tbsp cumin seeds

2 cups water

1 tbsp ghee

salt (according to taste)

How to Prepare:

Wash rice in several changes of cold water untill the water runs clear. Leave to soak in fresh cold water for 20 minutes, then drain the water. Cook rice, cumin seeds, ghee by adding water and salt for 20-30 minutes. Serve hot.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve with any gravy curry or raita.