Curried Mince

This recipe is so easy to prepare that it almost feels like a cheat method for no-hassle mince. With mince, there’s no worrying about whether the meat is cooked through, as you would have with chunks of meat. Mince doesn’t have to be checked for tenderness, and other ingredients can be added and subtracted as you please. There’s also no link between effort and scrumptiousness!

Ingredients:

7.5ml salt

7.5ml Red Freezer Masala

10ml turmeric

5ml grated ginger root

10ml vinegar

400g beef or lamb mince

30ml ghee

1 onion, finely chopped

2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces

7.5ml sunflower oil

375ml water

100g frozen peas

2 tomatoes, coarse chopped in a blender

Pan Spices:

2-3 cardamom pods

3-4 whole cloves

4-5 pieces Indian cinnamon

To Garnish:

5ml garam masala

30ml coriander, finely chopped

Method:

Prepare the marinade:

Mix the salt, Red Freezer Masala, turmeric, ginger and vinegar into a paste. Press this thoroughly through the mince with the back of a spoon.

Heat the ghee in a saucepan on medium-high. When hot, add the cardamom, cloves and cinnamon and sizzle for ½-1 minute. Add the onion and braise, stirring, for 3-5 minutes until translucent to golden brown.

Add the mince to the pot and mix well into the onion. Brown for 10-12 minutes, stirring regularly , breaking up the meat to prevent clumping until the mince juices have reduced considerably.

Reduce the heat, add the potatoes then add 7.5ml oil and about 60ml water and stir. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Mix in the peas and chopped tomatoes into the mince, add about 200ml water Stir gently and cover, returning the pan to a simmer for 15 minutes. The dish is done when the potatoes are cooked through. Adjust for the required amount of gravy by adding water in small amounts, heating between each addition.

Garnish with garam masala and fresh coriander. Serve rolled in roti or as a filling for bread rolls or Vetkoeks. 

Crumbed Chicken

This fried chicken is an explosion of flavour to the taste buds. The chicken is first simmered until cooked through before being pan fried in a minimal amount of oil.

The chicken pieces can be prepared skinless, or with skins on. I prefer to leave the skins on as they supply nutrients with benefits that outweigh the fats of the skin, and I, for one, am far from being afraid the fats are going to clog up my arteries. The culprit responsible for Low Density Lipids (LDL cholesterol, the bad guy) blocking the arteries is not saturated fats, but altered and damaged fats, like margarine and oils that have been produced or extracted with heat and chemicals. The moral of the story is: eat the chicken skin!

Ingredients:

1.5kg chicken drumsticks and thighs, skinned if you prefer

7.5ml salt

7.5ml Red Freezer Masala

5ml turmeric

5ml garam masala

2.5ml chilli powder

7.5ml sunflower oil

10ml lemon juice

30ml ghee

30ml sunflower oil for frying

2 large eggs

125ml dried breadcrumbs

Pan Spices:

2 cardamom pods

3-4 whole cloves

4-5 pieces Indian cinnamon

To Garnish:

30ml roughly chopped fresh coriander

Method:

Prepare the marinade for the chicken:

Mix 5ml salt, the Red Freezer Masala, turmeric, garam masala, chilli powder, 7.5ml oil and the lemon juice to a thick paste. Rub well into the chicken and set aside for 5 minutes or more.

Heat the ghee in a wide, deep pot on medium. When hot, add the cardamom, cloves and cinnamon, stir and allow to sizzle for about 30 seconds. Add the chicken pieces, stir, cover and simmer in their own juices for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the chicken from sticking to the bottom of the pot. When the juices have cooked away, remove from the pot and drain on absorbent kitchen paper.

While the chicken is cooking, beat the eggs, mixing in 2.5ml salt. Pour the breadcrumbs into a wide, shallow bowl.

Heat 30ml oil in a wide, non-stick pan on high. Dip the chicken in egg and roll in the breadcrumbs until completely coated. Place the pieces in the pan and fry for 1 minute per side, turning twice for a total cooking time of about 3 minutes per piece. Remove as soon as the chicken browns slightly.

Drain on absorbent kitchen paper, garnish with fresh coriander and serve with plain rice.

Spicy Braised Lamb Chops

This one of the best ‘dry’ meat curries. 

Prepared with succulent strips of cabbage, 

the lamb chops are served dressed in a rich array of spices. 

This is a dish you will be proud to serve your friends.

Ingredients:

500g lamb chops

2,5ml salt

5ml Red Freezer Masala

5ml turmeric

5ml oil

45ml oil

½ onion finely chopped

2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped into large chunks

300ml water

½ tomato finely chopped

1/8 head of cabbage, shredded (100g)

Pan Spices:

2 cardamom pods

3-4 whole cloves

5-6 pieces Indian cinnamon

To Garnish:

2.5ml garam masala

30ml finely chopped fresh coriander

Method:

Put the chops in a bowl, sprinkle with 2.5ml salt and add sufficient water to cover them; soak for 2-3 minutes. Drin, rinse and drain again. Open each chop by slicing from one bone end into the main part of the meat, creating a flap. Score the meat in several places.

Make a paste of 2.5ml salt, Red Freezer Masala, turmeric and 5ml oil. Rub this paste thoroughly into the meat. Heat 45ml oil in a wide pot on medium heat. When hot, add the cardamom, cloves and cinnamon; stir and allow to sizzle for about 30 seconds. Add the onion and braise for 3-5 minutes until golden brown, stirring occasionally.

Reduce the heat and add the lamb chops. Brown the chops on all sides for about 5 minutes, then cover and braise for about 20 minutes, allowing the meat juices to reduce to a thick brown gravy, turning the chops once during cooking.

Add the potatoes and 250ml water, stir and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring carefully every 5 minutes. Add water, about 50ml at a time, if necessary to prevent scorching.

Sprinkle the tomato over the lamb, followed by the shredded cabbage. Add about 50ml water, cover and simmer for 5 minutes until the tomatoes melt into the dish and the cabbage wilts.

Turn the chops and potatoes. Garnish with garam masala and coriander and continue to cook undisturbed until all the excess water has steamed off. The dish should be very moist, but with very little or no gravy.

Serve warm with rice.

Serves 4

Basic Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

1.5kg chicken pieces (skinned – optional)

10ml salt

10ml Red Freezer Masala

10ml turmeric

5ml white vinegar

30ml sunflower oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks

½ - 1 cup finely diced carrots, courgettes, butternut, or gem squash

125ml water

2 tomatoes, finely chopped or a tin of chopped tomatoes

Pan Spices:

8-10 Indian cinnamon pieces

3-4 whole cloves

3-4 cardamom pods

To Garnish:

2.5ml garam masala

30-45ml fresh chopped coriander

Method:

Remove the skin from the chicken if you prefer.  Cut the large chicken pieces into smaller chunks, cutting through the bone. Place the chicken in a medium sized bowl. Make a paste of the salt, Red Freezer Masala and turmeric and 5ml of white vinegar. Rub the paste thoroughly into the chicken pieces.

Heat the oil in a wide pot on medium-high. When very hot, add the cinnamon, cloves and cardamom; stir and allow to sizzle for about 30 seconds. Reduce the heat, add the onion and stir well; cover and braise for 3-5 minutes until golden brown.

Add the chicken to the pot, cover and cook for 7-10 minutes until the chicken begins to yield its juices. Add the potatoes and diced vegetable of choice with about 60ml water. Stir, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes with another 60ml of water and stir in gently. Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes or so until the chicken and potatoes are cooked through.

Sprinkle with garam masala and coriander and serve warm with rice.

Red Freezer Masala

The secret to preparing Indian dishes that delight the palate, without a lot of fuss, lies in the masala, or masalas, you use. Any dish may use one, or two, or even three masalas.

The term, masala, is often thought to only refer to combinations of powdered spices, but this is far from the truth.

The science of making a good masala is not exact, but is governed by a few rules:

·         Ensure your spices are clean, free of sticks, leaves and dirt.

·         Never use pre-ground spices; fresh ingredients like garlic and ginger should be super-fresh, smooth and firm with crisp but tender flesh.

·         Test your masala soon after making it. Every batch of masala will be slightly different from the last, depending on your ingredients. The first dish you make will tell you if your masala is strong and hot or weak and too bland.

Prized for its bright colour and vivid aroma, Red Freezer Masala provides important ingredients and flavour required to make an excellent curry in a teaspoon or less. It is the “Master Masala” sometimes used in combination with other masalas. The secret to this masala lies in the quality of the chillies used to make it. I use the ubiquitous mature, red bird’s eye chilli, which provides ample heat and flavour, plus red chillies that have been dried from last season’s crop of red chillies.

When buying fresh chillies, select chillies that are as bright in colour as possible. To test for freshness, break the skin of the chilli lightly with your thumbnail, touch the fluid that seeps out with a finger and lick your finger. This should tell you the firmness and crispness of the chilli and if it has a punch of flavour required to make a good masala. A chilli that packs a good punch should also ‘smell’ hot.

Dried chillies, however, as very potent, provided, of course, they have been made from select, hot chillies. Select dried chillies that are whole, full of seeds and still hold a good colour.

Red Freezer Masala, a homemade masala, is one of the moist pastes that are frequently used. Homemade masalas are always superior to any found in a bottle in the store as you are able to choose your own quality ingredients. A little of this masala goes a long way. Although we now have wonderful machines like food processors and blenders that make producing masalas simple, these masalas have been made for donkey's years. In the past, before electronic technology, housewives made them the hard way using an ancient implement, the pestle and mortar.

Red Freezer Masala should be an even glistening, slightly dark red paste with a strong chilli aroma. This masala can be stored in an airtight container in the deep freeze for up to a year. Because of the masala’s salt and oil content, it never freezes completely solid and may be scooped straight from its container.

Ingredients:

30g garlic

60g root ginger

Water for soaking

50g dried red chillies

25g fresh red chillies

40g fresh green chillies

7.5ml lemon juice

30ml salt

30-45ml sunflower oil

Method:

Soak the garlic and ginger in water for 10 minutes to make the peeling easier. Take the stalks off the dried red chillies and place the chillies into a medium sized bowl filled with lukewarm water, immersing about three quarters of the chillies. Stir to wet them all. Soak for 15 minutes until soft. Remove the stalks from the fresh red and green chillies and soak in a separate bowl for 10 minutes.

Drain the garlic and ginger. Peel the garlic and scrape the ginger clean with a teaspoon. Rinse the ginger and remove any dark spots.

Drain the soaked dried chillies through a colander resting in a bowl to collect any spilled seeds. Return the seeds to the chillies. Drain the fresh chillies and slice into quarters. Mince all the chillies in a food processor to a coarse paste, first pulsing, then on high speed. Add the ginger and garlic and mice to a smooth paste, stirring once or twice to ensure everything gets minced.

Transfer the paste into a mixing bowl, pour in the lemon juice and stir well. Mix in the salt until dissolved and then add the oil, mixing well.

Store the paste in an airtight container in the freezer.

Thai Red Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

1 onion

15ml sunflower oil

400ml coconut milk

30ml Thai Red Curry Paste - find HERE

30ml Thai fish sauce

15ml soft light brown sugar

225g new potatoes

450g chicken breast fillets, skinned and cut into chunks

15ml lime juice

30ml chopped fresh mint

15ml chopped fresh basil

2 kaffir lime leaves, shredded

1-2 fresh red chillies, seeded and finely chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Cut the onion into wedges. Heat a wok until hot, and add the oil, swirling it around. Add the onion and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes.

Pour in the coconut milk, and bring to the boil, stirring. Stir in the curry paste, fish sauce and sugar. Add the potatoes and seasoning. Simmer gently, covered, for about 20 minutes.

Add the chicken chunks and cook, covered, over a low heat for 5-10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and the potatoes are tender.

Stir in the lime juice, chopped mint and basil. Serve immediately garnished with shredded kaffir lime leaves and red chillies.

Serves 4

Green Chicken Curry with Coconut Rice

In the combination of coconut rice, a cloud that almost melts in your mouth, with this chicken curry, the mild aromatic flavour of the rice offsets the explosion of spice from the curry.

Use one or two fresh green chillies in this dish, depending on how hot you like your curry. Most cooks remove the seeds and membranes to reduce the chilli burn, but I like to leave them in. Perhaps I’m lazy, but I like the enlivening pizazz from the extra heat.

When using coconut milk, rather than buying it in a 400ml can, a 75g piece of creamed coconut can be dissolved in 400ml boiling water. Again I am too idle and take the easy road by using a can, perhaps because creamed coconut is not always available unless I want to make a journey to the Indian store near the beach front, Spice Emporium.

Although lemon grass is not frequently used in Indian cooking, its use here gives a more Thai or Bangladeshi touch to this curry. Lemon grass is a perfect partner for coconut, especially when used with chicken.

For an explanation of how to prepare lemon grass, visit: Taste Lemon Grass Preparation.

Ingredients:

For the Green Masala Paste:

4 spring onions, trimmed and roughly chopped

1-2 fresh green chillies, seeded and roughly chopped

2cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled

2 garlic cloves

5ml Thai fish sauce

A large bunch fresh coriander

A small handful of fresh parsley leaves

30-45ml water

For the chicken:

30ml sunflower oil

4 chicken breast fillets, skinned and cubed

1 sweet green pepper, seeded and finely sliced

400ml coconut milk

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Rice:

250ml Thai fragrant rice or jasmine rice

400ml coconut milk

1 lemon grass stalk, quartered and bruised

Method:

To make the green masala paste, put the spring onions, chillies, ginger, garlic, Thai fish sauce and fresh herbs in a food processor or blender. Pour in the water and process to a smooth paste.

For the chicken, heat half of the oil in a large frying pan. Fry the chicken cubes until evenly browned. Transfer them to a plate and set aside.

Heat the remaining oil in the pan and stir-fry the green pepper for 3-4 minutes, then add the green masala paste. Fry, for 3-4 minutes, stirring all the while until the mixture becomes fairly thick.

Return the chicken to the pan and add the coconut milk. Season to taste and bring to the boil; lower the heat and with a lid half on the pan, simmer for 8-10 minutes.

When the chicken is cooked, transfer it with the peppers to a plate. Boil the remaining liquid left in the pan for 10-12 minutes, or until it is well reduced and fairly thick.

Meanwhile, cook the rice. After rinsing the rice, put it in a large pan and add the coconut milk and lemon grass. Stir in a little salt and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer very gently for 10 minutes with a lid on the pot. Continue to cook the rice uncovered until it is tender. discard the pieces of lemon grass and fork the rice onto a warmed serving plate.

Return the chicken and peppers to the sauce, stir well and cook gently for a few minutes to heat through. Spoon the curry over the rice and serve immediately.

Serves 3-4

Fragrant Chicken Curry

In this curry, instead of starting with onions fried in ghee, 
which thicken the gravy, lentils are used as thickening. 

This fragrant curry can be served with basmati rice or with Indian flat bread.

Ingredients:

125ml red lentils

30ml mild curry powder

10ml ground coriander

5ml cumin seeds

500ml chicken stock

8 chicken thighs, skinned

225g fresh or frozen shredded spinach, thawed and well drained

15ml chopped fresh coriander

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fresh coriander sprigs to garnish

Method:

Rinse the lentils under cold running water. Put into a large pan with the curry powder, ground coriander, cumin seeds and stock. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat, cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

Add the chicken and spinach. Cover and simmer gently for 40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked. Stir in the chopped coriander and season to taste.

Serve garnished with coriander sprigs and accompanied by rice or Indian flat bread.

Serves 4

Red Chicken Curry with Bamboo Shoots

This curry is made with a Curry or Masala Paste, which makes a thick gravy or sauce. The bamboo shoots have a lovely crunch, even if you use the tinned ones, which are crisper and of better quality than sliced shoots.

Ingredients:

1 L coconut milk

450g chicken breast fillets, skinned and cut into bite-size pieces

30ml Thai fish sauce (or soy sauce)

15ml sugar

225g drained canned bamboo shoots, rinsed and sliced

5 kaffir lime leaves, torn

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chopped fresh red chillies and kaffir lime leaves to garnish

Red Curry Paste:

5ml coriander seeds

2.5ml cumin seeds

12-15 red chillies, roughly chopped (seeded if you prefer less heat)

4 shallots, thinly sliced

5ml crushed garlic

15ml chopped galangal (if unobtainable, use ginger root)

2 lemon grass stalks, chopped

3 kaffir lime leaves, chopped

4 fresh coriander roots

10 black peppercorns

2.5ml ground cinnamon

5ml ground turmeric

2.5ml shrimp paste (optional)

5ml salt

30ml vegetable oil

Method:

Make the curry paste. Dry-fry the coriander and cumin seeds for 1-2 minutes, then put them in a mortar or food processor with the remaining ingredients except the oil. Process or grind to a paste. Add the oil, a little at a time, mixing or processing well after each addition. Transfer to a sterilised jar and chill until ready to use. This paste can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 months.

Pour half of the coconut milk into a large, heavy pan. Bring the milk to the boil, stirring constantly until it has separated. Stir in 30ml of the red curry paste and cook the mixture for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the chicken pieces, Thai fish sauce or soy sauce and sugar to the pan. Stir well, then cook for 5-6 minutes, or until the chicken changes colour and is cooked through, stirring constantly to prevent the mixture from sticking to the base of the pan.

Pour the remaining coconut milk into the pan and add the sliced bamboo shoots and kaffir lime leaves. Bring back to the boil over a medium heat, stirring continually to prevent the mixture sticking. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary.

To serve, spoon the curry into a warmed serving dish and garnish with chopped chillies and kaffir lime leaves.

Serves 4-6:

Brinjal and Courgette Chilli Bites

These chilli bites, also known as Bhajias or Pakoras, are simple to make and simply delicious as a snack or served as a vegetable dish with a curry. The aroma when cooking the vegetables in the oven is enough to draw crowds and it’s hard to wait for the little morsels to be fried in their batter. Golden and crispy, they crunch with every bite and everyone comes back for more.

Ingredients:

500g baby finger brinjals, stems removed and cut lengthways.

500g baby courgettes, topped and tailed and cut in half lengthways

*** If the brinjals or courgettes are longer than 3 inches, cut them into 2-3 inch lengths.

45-60ml olive oil (or sunflower oil)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Hanneica’s Steak and Chops seasoning

Cayenne pepper or red chilli powder

1 packet Chilli Bite Mix

Oil for frying

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180˚C.

Soak the brinjal in salted water for 20-30 minutes to remove any bitterness. Rinse and dry on absorbent kitchen paper or on a clean tea towel.

Place the brinjal with the prepared courgettes in a large mixing bowl and pour over the oil. Mix them around to ensure all the pieces are covered with oil. Spread the vegetables over a baking tray and season with sea salt and black pepper. Sprinkle over steak and chops seasoning and cayenne pepper or red chilli powder. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes; the vegetables will be just cooked, but not too golden. Allow to cool.

Meanwhile make up your chilli bite mix by adding sufficient water to create a batter of the consistency of pancake batter, whisking to ensure the batter is not lumpy. When the vegetables have cooled, add them to the batter and mix through gently so as not to break up the pieces. With a spoon, select pieces one by one and drop them in hot oil to fry. This will need to be done in batches; don’t be tempted to add to many at once as this will drop the temperature of the oil and the bhajias will sauté, rather than fry crispy. Once the chilli bites are golden and crispy, remove them from the oil to a plate lined with absorbent kitchen paper to drain. Repeat the frying with consecutive batches in the oil until all the vegetable pieces have been made into chilli bites.

Serve hot and crispy as a snack with a dipping sauce or chutney, or as a side dish to a curry.

Punjabi Chana Masala Powder

This delicate masala is used for chickpea curry or for spicing up other dhal or lentil dishes.

Ingredients:
30ml Cumin Seeds
15ml Caraway Seeds
5 Dry Red Chilli
5ml Turmeric powder
15ml Coriander Seeds
7.5ml Ground Black Pepper
5ml Ground Cloves
15ml White Sesame Seeds
10 Green Cardamom

4 Black Cardamom
7.5ml Dry ground Ginger
15ml Dry Mango Powder - Amchur

10ml Ground Cinnamon
2 Bay Leaves
1 Star Anise
2.5ml Ground Nutmeg
15ml Rock Salt


Method:
Dry roast all the whole spices one by one and allow to cool.

Cool all the ingredients and grind into smooth powder using spice mill. Cool powdered masala, and store in air tight container.

Chick Pea Curry or Chana Masala

Chana Masala is a really easy to make Indian Curry. Channa, or chickpeas, are a good source of protein , zinc, folate, vitamin E, potassium , dietary fibre & iron. Most of their fibre is soluble fibre, which helps in lowering cholesterol and stabilizing blood sugar.

In this recipe I use tinned chickpeas, which are already cooked. These are added to freshly ground spices, onion and tomato to make a tangy and pleasantly spicy curry, which makes a great side dish for chapatis, rotis, or to accompany a main course.

Ingredients:

2 onions, chopped

1-2 firm, ripe tomatoes, skinned and deseeded

1-2 green chillies, deseeded

10ml garlic and ginger paste

30ml ghee

2.5ml cumin seeds

3-4 bay leaves

5ml ground coriander powder

2.5ml turmeric

2.5ml dry mango powder

2.5ml chilli powder

2.5ml salt

5ml garam masala powder

5ml chana masala powder

1 x 400g can of chickpeas, washed and drained

chopped fresh dhania leaves to garnish (coriander or cilantro)

Method:

Place the onion, tomato, green chillies and ginger garlic paste into a food processor or blender and blend to a paste. 

Heat the ghee in a frying pan and add the cumin seeds. Fry the seeds until the begin to jump and give off a delicate aroma. Add the bay leaves and fry gently for about 30 seconds, then add the tomato and onion paste. Fry gently until the mixture begins to go golden brown.

Add the ground coriander, turmeric, dried mango powder, chilli powder and salt and mix into the vegetables, frying for a minute or two to blend the flavours.

Add the garam masala and chana masala, mixing into the gravy and frying for about 5 minutes, stirring all the time. It may be necessary to add a little water if the mixture becomes dry or sticks to the pan. A thick gravy should now be formed.

Add the washed and drained chickpeas and simmer these in the gravy for 5-10 minutes to cook in the spicy flavours, stirring from time to time.

Transfer the chana masala to a serving dish and garnish with fresh chopped dhania (coriander or cilantro).

Mutton Curry with Mangoes

This is one of those recipes passed down from mother to daughter. I have been lucky enough to find a friend who was prepared to share it with me.

When cooking this curry, peel and keep the mangoes whole. Select the best mangoes and take care that they have not become overripe inside. Ripe mangoes tend to be quite sweet, which is why the quantity of chilli powder seems exorbitant. Feel free to reduce it if you prefer a milder flavour. It might seem a lot of onions, but use the quantity of onions specified as the onions will contribute to making gravy. 

Ingredients:

500g mutton, cleaned and cut into chunks
4-5 large onions, finely sliced
5 ripe mangoes, peeled
4 cardamoms
1 inch cinnamon
4-6 black pepper corns
2 cloves
2.5ml cumin seeds
2.5m ginger-garlic paste
2.5m turmeric powder
10-15ml red chili powder
2.5m Parsee Sambhar masala
Salt, to taste
5ml sugar
60-75ml sunflower oil

Method:

Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add the cumin seeds, cardamoms, cinnamon, black peppercorns, cloves and allow to splutter.

Add the onions and fry till golden.


Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté till it gets aromatic.


Add the turmeric powder, red chili powder, Parsee Sambhar masala and sauté.


Add the mutton pieces and sauté till well roasted and mixed with the masala.


Add salt and sugar and sauté till well blended.


Add the whole, peeled mangoes and gently sauté them for a while. Ensure they don’t break.


Add ¾ to 1 cup of water and pressure cook the meat and mangoes. If you own a cooker that whistles, then cook for two whistles and then lower the heat and cook for 7-9 minutes more. Allow the cooker to cool down and release the pressure on its own.


Open the cooker when all the pressure is released. If there is too much water simmer till the gravy is semi-thick and sufficient enough to ‘sop-up- with bread.

Enjoy!

Parsi Sambhar Masala

Parsi Sambhar Masala

When I was taught to make curry many years ago by Ramola Makan, she taught me that before you can make a curry, you need to have a masala. Most Indian cooks have their own recipe for a masala, which in English terminology is a curry powder. Masalas can vary widely, but this is the mix I found for Parsi Sambar Masala. 

When making up a spice mix like this, wear rubber gloves if you have sensitive skin.

When looking for sesame oil, make sure it is the untoasted variety, which is light in colour. Don't use the toasted variety as this will give the wrong flavour to the mix. If you are not able to find untoasted sesame oil, substitute a teaspoon of white sesame seeds, which can be ground with the whole spices, then add a little sunflower or peanut oil at the end of the mix.

Ingredients:
Makes about 2 cups

200ml red chilli powder
30ml salt
15ml ground turmeric
10ml ground Asafoetida
125ml fenugreek seeds
30ml brown mustard seeds
5ml black peppercorns
5ml broken pieces of star anise
5ml cloves
1 stick of cinnamon
15ml untoasted sesame oil


Method:

Mix the chilli, salt, turmeric and asafoetida together in a bowl.

In your spice grinder, grind the rest of the whole spices together. Mix the ground since with the chilli-salt mixture.

In a small pan, heat the sesame oil until it shimmers.

Take the oil off the heat and pour into the center of the ground spices. Mix together with a fork until the oil is swirled in thoroughly and the spice mix loses its powdery look.




Original recipe as per Niloufer Ichaporia King’s My Bombay Kitchen