Erica's Veg Cutlets

INGREDIENTS

4 large potatoes [boil & mash]
3-4 carrots [boil & mash]
 1 cup shelled peas [boil & mash]
2 med onions [chop]

¼ coconut [grind]
3 sprigs curry leaves [grind]
3 green chillies [grind]
Oil, salt

METHOD

Mix all the ingredients, add salt to taste. Form into cutlets and shallow fry. Could be coated in breadcrumbs before frying.

NB. If the mixture is too wet to form, add flour or breadcrumbs.

Coconut Cauliflower

INGREDIENTS

1 large cauliflower
1 coconut [extract milk]
2 medium onions [chop fine]
2 tbsp oil
2 green chillies [chop fine]
1” piece ginger [chop fine]
5 flakes garlic [chop fine]
Salt to taste

METHOD

Break cauliflower into large sprigs and wash well. Steam for ½ minute in a pressure cooker. Heat oil in a dekshi, add chopped ingredients and fry for a few minutes. Add cauliflower and fry for a minute. Add coconut milk.

OPTIONAL: Sprinkle a little jeera powder on top.

Cauliflower and Potato (Genny’s)

INGREDIENTS

1 med cauliflower [Slice]
2 large potatoes [Slice]
1 large onion [Chop]
1 large tomato [Chop]
¼ tsp methi seeds
¼ tsp jeera seeds
½ tsp haldi
¼ tsp chilli pdr
Pinch hing
Salt, oil

METHOD

Heat oil, add hing, methi, jeera and onions. Fry till golden. Add masala powder, cauliflower & potatoes. Cook for a while, add tomato& salt. Cover and cook till done – no water to be added.

Cauliflower Dum Masala

INGREDIENTS

1 kg cauliflower [break into pieces]

2 large onions
1” ginger
½ pod garlic
2 cardamoms
½ tsp haldi
1 tsp chilli powder
4 tomatoes [chop]
½ bunch coriander leaves [chop]
½ cup curd
2 eggs [hard boil & slice]
Oil, 1 lime, salt, sugar

METHOD

Grind onions, ginger, garlic and cardamom. Plunge cauliflower sprigs in boiling water, remove pan from heat and drain after a minute. Fry masalas well. Add tomato and then cauliflower. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from fire. Mix with curd [Seasoned with salt and sugar]. Garnish with chopped coriander, tomato and egg slices. Squeeze limejuice over.

Cauliflower & Peas

INGREDIENTS

1 kg cauliflower [break into sprigs]
1 cup shelled peas
3 large tomatoes [Chop]
½ tsp chilli pdr
½ tsp haldi
 ¼ tsp hing
1’’ ginger
1 sm garlic
1 ½ tbsp oil

METHOD

Heat oil, add hing, ginger, garlic and then cauliflower and peas. Toss a bit then lower fire and cover till cooked. Add masalas and then tomato . Cover again till tender.

Cabbage (Drupadi)

INGREDIENTS

½ kg cabbage [chop fine]
1 onion [chop]
1 tomato [chop]
1 ½ tsp besan
1 gr chillies [chop]
½ tsp haldi
Pinch hing
2 tbsp oil
¼ tsp jeera

METHOD

Heat oil. Add hing & jeera,then chillies and onion. Fry till golden. Add haldi and salt . Mix and then add besan. Fry well, mix in tomato, lower fire and cover- cook till besan loses raw taste.

N.B. Can be used to stuff parathas.

Sweet-Sour Cabbage

INGREDIENTS

½ kg cabbage [ shred]
1 med onion [ chop fine]
1 green chilli [slit]
Ball of tamarind [juice]
¼ tsp mustard seed
¼ tsp jeera seed
¼ tsp methi seed
¼ tsp haldi pdr
Few curry leaves
2 tsp sugar
Oil
Salt

METHOD: Heat oil, add mustard seed. When it bursts, add remaining seeds, then onion and chilli, curry leaves and finally cabbage. Cook lightly and add salt, tamarind juice and sugar.

Onita's Brinjal Slices

INGREDIENTS

½ kg large brinjals [slice thickly]
1 med onion [grind]
½ pod garlic [grind]
½ tsp haldi pdr
¼ tsp chilli pdr
1 cup curd [beat with salt & a tsp sugar]
Salt, oil

METHOD

Marinade brinjal with salt and haldi for ½ hour. Fry lightly in a flat pan till done. Remove from pan. Fry masalas well. Apply to brinjal pieces. Place them in a flattish dish. Pour curd over and serve.

Stuffed Brinjal

INGREDIENTS

¾ kg small black brinjals
2 med onion (chop and fry till golden)
1 tsp amchur/ lime-sized ball tamarind
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp oil
½ tsp haldi
1/8 coconut
2 tbsp nuts
1 dsp poppy seed
1 dsp dhania seed
1 small garlic pod

METHOD

Wash the brinjals and slit into quarters without completely separating from stalk. Rub with salt and haldi. Roast coconut, nuts, garlic dhania and poppy seeds on a thava. Grind with onion and tamarind. Add salt and fill into brinjals. Heat oil in a large pan. Place brinjals in the pan and cover till cooked.

Brinjal Bharta

INGREDIENTS

½ kg large brinjals
2 medium tomatoes
2 medium onions
1 green chilli (chop fine)
Small bunch green coriander (wash & chop)
Oil
Salt

METHOD

Cut tomatoes and onions into large piece. Roast whole brinjals on fire. Keep turning till it is charred completely. Peel and mash or chop finely. Heat oil and fry mashed brinjal and chilli with salt for about 5 minutes. Add onion & tomato and cook till they are fairly soft. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Brinjal (Pickle Modified)

INGREDIENTS

½ kg brinjal (pref black) [cube]
2 tsp ginger –garlic paste
1 tsp jeera pdr
1 tsp mustard seed
½ tsp haldi
½ tsp chilli pdr
1 tbsp vinegar
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp oil

METHOD

Heat oil- add mustard seed. When it pops, add remaining masalas with a little vinegar. Fry. Add brinjal cubes and salt. Cover dekshi and lower fire. Cook till done. Add sugar, mix and remove.

Vindaloo

INGREDIENTS 

1 kg pork /tongue (cube)
2 tsp ginger- garlic paste
450g onions
1 tbsp oil
Curry leaves
½ tsp haldi

A (grind with vinegar)

4-5 K chillies
3 tsp rai
2 tsp jeera
4 cloves
1 inch cinnamon
5 peppercorns

METHOD

Chop onions and fry till brown. Add ginger-garlic and ground masala (A) and fry well. Add cubed pork and fry again. Pressure cook for 15 minutes. For tongue, pressure cook the raw tongue for 1hr, then skin and chop.

Sorpotel

INGREDIENTS

2 kg pork (fairly fatty)
50 g Kashmiri chillies
2 tsp haldi
2 tsp mustard seed
3 tsp jeera
1 tsp pepper corn
1 ball tamarind
2 pods garlic
½ kg liver (pork/beef)
1 tsp sugar
Salt
 ½ kg onion sliced
1 dsp bottle masala [opt]
1 ½ cups Goa vinegar (OR add 2 dsp fenny to ordinary vinegar.)

METHOD

Cut meat into large pieces & pressure cook for one minutes. Cut into small cubes. Keep broth. Grind masalas in vinegar. Marinade meat in half the masala. Fry onions till brown. Add masala and fry for about ½ hr. When cooked, add meat- fry. Add remaining ingredients including broth. Simmer for ½ hr. (Add water if necessary.)

Olive's Jeera Meera

INGREDIENTS

1 kg pork- (slice with skin)
2 large onions (quarter)
3 Kashmiri chilies
1 tbsp vinegar
Ball tamarind (extract juice)

A (grind)
1” ginger
½ garlic
½ dsp jeera
½ dsp peppercorn
½ tsp haldi
1” cinnamon
3 cloves

METHOD

Marinade pork in vinegar and all masalas (A) for an hour. Put all ingredients into a thick-bottomed pan and cook on a slow-med fire till meat is tender.

Cantonese Roast Pork

1 ½ kg pork [chops/fillet]

A
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 ½ tsp sugar
¼ tsp ginger powder
2 cloves garlic (chop fine)
2 tbsp sherry

B
2 tbsp soy sauce 2 tsp sugar 1 tbsp tomato puree ½ chicken stock cube 2 tbsp red wine

METHOD

Cut pork along the grain into long strips, about 8-10 in x 2 in thickness. Mix A until well blended. Marinade pork in this for about 2 hours. Preheat oven to 400 F. Lay strips of pork across a metal oven rack with a drip pan beneath [containing a cup of water]. Roast/grill for 12 minutes. Mix marinade B and brush each strip heavily with it. Return to oven for a further 12 minutes. Serve by slicing across the grain into thin strips, and arranging on a flat dish in ‘fish scale’ pattern.

OPTIONAL: Make a gravy with the drippings from drip pan by adding remaining marinade, some chicken broth, sherry and corn flour. Heat and pour over pork. Can be served cold.

Bacon

INGREDIENTS

4 kg pork
50 g salt petre
300g salt
200 g jaggery
2 limes
1 glass vinegar

METHOD

Marinade for a week. Smoke, slice and refrigerate.

'Tinned’ Fish

INGREDIENTS 

1 kg mackerel (clean)
¼ cup oil
¼ cup vinegar
½ pod garlic [chop]
1 green chilli
250 g tomatoes [puree]
3 large onions [chop]
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp sugar

METHOD

Put salt and pepper on fish and place in colander on trivet in pressure cooker. Put 1 cup of water in the cooker. Pour vinegar and oil over fish. Pressure cook for 1 hour. Fry onion, garlic and add tomato puree. Add liquid from cooker. Add chilli. Allow to thicken and then gently place fish in sauce and serve.

Stuffed Fish

INGREDIENTS
1 large pomfret [1kg]
½ tsp salt
Juice of 1 lime
6-8 pepper- corns
1 tsp butter

A

¼ grated coconut
4 green chillies
1"ginger
6 fl garlic
Sm bunch coriander
½ tsp salt
Pinch Sugar

METHOD

Clean fish and slit from the underside to centre bone, and again from the top on the other side of the bone. Apply ½ tsp salt and half the lime juice to outside and inside of fish. Keep for 15-20 mins. Grind (A) into a fine paste (thick). Mix 1 tsp lime juice into paste and stuff fish. Place under a hot grill and cook for 7-8 mins. Remove, smear with butter and grill the other side for 4-5mins. (Adjust timing acc to distance from element.) Remove, and apply pepper and 1 tsp lime juice.

NB. Instead of grilling the fish may be baked for about 20 mins on each side in a moderate oven.

Reena Tandon's Fish

INGREDIENTS 

1 kg large fish
3 tsp salt
oil
1 pod garlic
2"ginger
1 large onion
1/2 cup vinegar
2 tsp sugar

A (dry grind)
4 cardamom
5 cloves
2 p cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp jeera
1/4 tsp peppercorns

B
1/2 tsp chilli pdr
1/4 tsp nutmeg pdr
Pinch haldi

METHOD:

Cut fish into pieces, add salt and keep aside for 30 mins. Heat sufficient oil. Fry fish till hard. Remove. In same oil add ginger and garlic and fry till brown. Add fish, all the masala powders (A and B), vinegar and sugar. Raise flame and cook for 2-3 mins.

Masala Fried Fish in Batter

INGREDIENTS

½ kg large surmai [fillet]
2 eggs
4 dsp maida
Breadcrumbs

1 large onion
2 green chillies
Ball tamarind
6-7 flakes garlic
2 cardamoms
4 cloves
1” cinnamon
 ½” ginger

METHOD:

Grind onions, chillies, tamarind, and all spices well and fry till dry and cooked. Mix masala with salt and apply to fish in a bowl. Mix eggs and maida into a batter with salt) Add batter to bowl and mix. Heat oil in a shallow pan. Coat slices with breadcrumbs, pat and fry till golden. Serve with finger chips and tomato sauce.

Fish Molee

INGREDIENTS

½ kg surmai (slice & salt)
2 onions (slice)
1 coconut (extract milk)
½ tsp E.I. masala [optional]
1 ½ inch ginger (cut into thin strips)
2 green chillies (cut into thin strips)
½ tsp haldi [turmeric]
1 tbsp vinegar

METHOD:

Fry onions in a large pot, add haldi, ginger, chillies (without seeds) and masala powder. Then add coconut milk. Lightly fry fish in a pan and add to curry. Thicken with rice flour/maida if desired. Add vinegar after removing.

Murg Masala

INGREDIENTS

1 kg chicken (cut into pieces)
Curd/ ½ coconut milk

A (grind)
2 med onions
1 ½ “ ginger
1 pod garlic
6 Kashmiri chilies
6 cloves
3 cardamoms
3” cinnamon
1 ½ tsp jeera

 ½ tsp haldi powder [turmeric]
1 large tomato (chop)
1 ½ tbsp oil

METHOD:

Fry A and haldi on a low-medium flame in a non-stick pan for 10-15 minutes. Add chicken pieces with salt. Fry on high flame, then add tomato and curd/ coconut milk. Lower flame and cover till tender.

Koli Curry

INGREDIENTS

1 chicken (small pieces)

2 onions (chop)
1 ½ coconut (extract milk)
2 green chillies (slit) [OPTIONAL]
1 tsp jeera seed
1 tbsp dhania seed
¼ tsp methi seed
1 tsp pepper
3 red chillies

METHOD:

Roast each spice separately & powder. Fry onions, add chicken pieces and fry well. Add powdered masala and then thin milk with green chillies. Add thick milk and cook for 2 minutes. (Do not cover pot). Serve with curd dosas.

Crisp Fried Chicken

 INGREDIENTS

1 chicken- skinned and jointed
2 limes
2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 egg Bread crumbs
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp chili pdr
Oil

METHOD: 

Wash chicken. Mix all masalas with lemon juice and salt and rub well into chicken. Keep for 2 hours in fridge. Cook chicken in a non-stick pan till dry. Dip in beaten egg and breadcrumbs and deep-fry for 2-3 minutes.

Chilli Chicken

INGREDIENTS

1 kg chicken- ( remove bones & cut into 2” pieces)

A
4 tsp flour
½ tsp chili pdr
½ tsp pepper pdr
1 tsp salt

B (Cut into strips)
10 garlic flakes
4 spring onions
2 capsicums
3 green chilies
1” ginger
100 g mushroom (opt)

C 
2 tbsp vinegar
4 tsp corn flour
1 dsp rum
2 tbsp soya sauce
 2 tsp sugar
½ tsp pepper

METHOD

Coat chicken pieces with A and shallow-fry till golden. Keep aside. Fry each item under B lightly with a little salt. Make sauce by mixing C together and simmering for a few minutes. Put A, B and C together in a dish and allow to simmer for 2 minutes.

Chicken Rolls

INGREDIENTS

1 chicken [approx. 1.2kg]
2 tsp tandoori masala
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp salt
¼ kg cabbage [shred]
2 dozen hotdog rolls
1 lime

MAYONNAISE:
4 eggs
2 limes
½ litre oil
2 tsp mustard
8 tsp sugar
1tsp pepper

METHOD: Wash and dry chicken and cut into 4-5 large pieces. Marinade with lime, salt, ginger-garlic and salt for 1 or 2 hours. Cook in a thick-bottomed pot till dry. Cool, remove bones and organs. Shred meat. Cut skin fine. Add shredded cabbage. Make mayonnaise by blending all ingredients in mixer for 2 minutes. [Do 2 eggs at a time] Spread on halved rolls, put a generous portion of chicken mixture between.

American Chop Suey

INGREDIENTS

1 kg pork / chicken

4 pkts noodles (cook one packet in stock and add to sauce)
3 carrots
1 sm cabbage
2 capsicums
5 spring onions
1 sm cauliflower
3 gr chillies (chop fine)
1 gr ginger (chop fine)

Sauce
2 tbsp cornflour
5 ripe tomatoes – (puree)
1 tbsp vinegar
1 dsp sugar
Pepper, salt, soup cube
Stock of pork / chicken

METHOD

Cut vegetables into strips, stir fry with salt. Cut pork into large pieces, with salt and pepper, add water to cover, pressure cook for 3 mins. Reserve stock. When cool, cut pork into strips. (For chicken follow same procedure, but shred.) Fry chillies and ginger, add vegetables and sauce materials and simmer for a while.

CRISP NOODLES: Put noodles (3 packets) into boiling salted water and cook for 1 minute. Pour off water. When dry, deep fry till golden.

Recipes Index

To make Mama's recipes easily available to the jet-setting younger generation of our family plus all family far and wide, and to forestall desperate phone/Skype calls, here are all her recipes. Thanks for all the years put into the famous recipe book, Mama!

 MEALS

1. Chicken

American Chop Suey
Chicken Rolls 
Chilli Chicken
Crisp Fried Chicken
Koli Curry
Murg Masala

2. Fish

Fish Molee
Masala Fried Fish in Batter
Reena Tandon’s Fish
Stuffed Fish
‘Tinned’ Fish

3. Pork

Bacon
Cantonese Roast Pork
Olive’s Jeera Meera
Sorpotel
Vindaloo

4. Vegetables

Brinjal [Pickle modified]
Brinjal Bharta
Stuffed Brinjal
Onita’s Brinjal Slices
Sweet Sour Cabbage
Cabbage 
Cauliflower & Peas
Cauliflower Dum Masala
Cauliflower & Potato
Coconut Cauliflower
Erica’s Veg Cutlets
Gowar Beans
Lal Bhoplachi Bhaji
Mattar Paneer
Pao Bhaji
Palak Paneer

5. Dals & Egg

Egg Curry
Egg Cutlets
Egg Sandwich Spread
Kadhi
Masur Dal
Rasam

6. Rice & Rotis

Bhaturas
Biryani
Cheese & Salami Quiche
Curd Dosa
Idlis
Mixed Fried Rice
Naans
Panrolls
Pizza
Puris
Rawa Dosas
Sannas
Spring Rolls
Uppama

 EXTRAS

7. Snacks

Besan Nuts
Cheese Straws
Doughnuts
Liver Pâté
Shankar Palis

8. Soups & Drinks

Chinese Meat & Veg Soup
Fruit Punch
Mulligatawny
Mushroom Soup
Orange Squash
Potato & Onion Soup
Spinach Soup
Spring Onion Soup
Tomato Soup

9. Pickles & Sauces 

Bitter Gourd Pickle
Chilli Pickle Cough
Chinese Sweet & Sour Sauce
Chunda
Coconut Chutney 1
Coconut Chutney 2
Fresh Kyrie Chutney
Hummus
Jamie’s Mango Kasaundi
Lime Pickle
Mango Miscut
Mayonnaise
Mustard Sauce
Prawn & Tomato Balichow
Sweet Mango Chutney
Tamarind Chutney
Tomato Sauce
Turai Skin Chutney

10. Meat

Ball Curry
Breast Pepper Water
Fried Liver
Green Masala Curry
Mint Steak
Matthew's Meat
Meat Loaf
Palak Ghosh
Rishtas
Shahi Korma
Shami Kebabs
Spaghetti Bolognaise
Tony's Cutlets

THE SWEET STUFF

11. Sweets

A. Gwen’s Fudge
Carrot Halwa
Kulkuls
Lemon Curd
Milk Toffee
Marzipan
Rose Cookies

12. Desserts

Apple Crumble
Apple Pie
Bread Pudding
Butterscotch Soufflé
Caramel Custard
Chocolate Soufflé
Lemon Delight
Lemon Soufflé
Mango Icecream
Nina’s Recess Sponge
Rice Kheer
Sago Cream

13. Cakes 

Banana Loaf
Batika
Deep Dark Chocolate Cake
Fudge Icing
Lemon Cake