Saturday 28 August 2010

Chaat/Chat

A Sour Dish, such as Chicken Chaat or Alu Chaat. A chaat dish; is a tangy, zesty dish, which can be served hot or cold. It has a certain sweet sour taste combined with some heat. There are two ways of making them. Papri Chaat is a cold dish, using a round Indian savoury snack made from semolina, fried and cooled down, mixed together with some cooked potatoes cubes and chick peas. Poured over with sweet yogurt, topped with a bit of tamarind chutney, sprinkled with chilli powder, crushed fresh green chillies and chopped coriander. For Chicken Chat use a chaat masala, coat the chicken and stir fry in some hot oil with some fresh garlic, until cooked, serve hot or cold. Chaat masalas can be purchased at good Indian groceries and is a powder consisting of Mango Powder, Cumin Powder, Pomegranate Powder, Nutmeg Powder, Chilli Powder, Salt, Black Salt & Mint.




MDH Chunky Chat Masala, can also be sprinkled onto salads and fruits.

Friday 27 August 2010

Vegetable Bhajia (Fried spicy vegetable dumplings)


Ingredients

200gms gram flour
200gms semolina coarse
1 ½ tsp salt
1tsp baking powder
1tsp coarse black pepper
1tsp chilli powder
1tsp turmeric powder
2tsp cumin seeds
1 med potato, grated
1 med carrot, grated
100gms fresh spinach leaves chopped
1 med onion, chopped or sliced
1tbsp garlic, chopped
1tbsp ginger, chopped
1tbsp green chillies, chopped, (optional)
300gms natural plain yogurt, whipped
Oil for deep frying


Preparation

In a large mixing bowl, add the gram flour, semolina, salt, coarse black pepper, chilli powder, cumin seeds, garlic, ginger, green chillies and mix well.

Pour in the whipped yogurt and mix in well, using a whisk or folk, to form a slightly thick batter. Add the onion, potato, carrots, spinach and mix well.

Finally add in the baking powder and give a final stir, before frying.

Heat up the oil in a frying pan, on a medium heat. Once the oil is hot, reduce the heat slightly.

Using two large tablespoons, scoop up some of the batter in one spoon and use the back of the other to scrap the batter off the spoon and into the oil.

Fry these vegetable balls for around 5-6 minutes in small batches, moving around gently using a perforated spoon. Once they turn golden brown remove on a plate of kitchen towels using a perforated spoon.

Serve Hot!

Tuesday 24 August 2010

The Worlds Most Popular Cooking Sauces


The Maggi range of cooking sauces, either used as a dip or added to dishes like Chilli Chicken & Chilli Paneer

Saturday 14 August 2010

Dopiaza/Dupiaza/Do Peeaza

A traditional Mogul dish, the term means any meats cooked with vegetables. The dish found in restaurants today in the west uses two kinds of onions or the same amount of onions as the meat. Hence coming from the name which sounds like two onions. Is this another recipe that has been created by our chefs in the Midlands or is it a true dish? Cooking with the same amounts of onions and meats can make a dish very sweet, so my opinion would be to use two onions in the different stages of cooking, i.e. adding fried brown onions on top, just before serving.

Thursday 12 August 2010

A Quick Chicken Curry With Okra

Ingredients

600 gms chicken breast cut into small cubes
2 medium red onions, chopped
5tbsp sunflower oil
1tsp cumin seeds
6 blackpepperorns
1tsp crushed garlic,
1tsp crushed ginger
1tsp fresh green chilli, finely chopped (optional)
250gm okra (ladies finger) cut into 1 ½ cm pieces
1tin chopped tomatoes
2tsp Bolst's Curry Powder (Hot)
1tsp ground black pepper
1 ½ tsp salt



Preparation

Heat up the oil in a wok or pan, preferably one with a lid on a medium heat. Once hot throw in the cumin seeds & black peppercorns and allow too fry for 30 seconds.

Add in the onions and allow to sauté until they soften and brown slightly. Next, add in the garlic, ginger, green chilly stir fry for a minute or two.

Sprinkle in the curry powder & ground black pepper and stir quickly for 10 seconds, making sure that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.

Add in the chicken, okra and stir fry for around 5 minutes. Pour in the chopped tomatoes, stir in, reduce heat, cover with a lid and allow too cook for a further 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Sprinkle in salt, stir and serve with either chappati bread or on a bed of basmati rice.



Bolsts have been making their curry powder since 1932

Saturday 7 August 2010

Karahi/Korai

Cast iron wok with two ring handles on either side, used to create dishes like Lamb Karahi which you will find in certain south Asian restaurants. Like Chinese woks, the method here is the same, quick cooking times due to the heat cast iron gives off, once hot, often stays hot, even after removing from the heat.

Karahi Egg Kheema