Phirni (Traditional Rice Pudding)

Ingredients:

Milk - 30 fl. oz. (1 litre)
Coarsely ground rice - 4 oz. (100 grams)
Sugar - 4 oz. (100 grams)
Saffron - 0.02 oz. (0.5 grams)
Almonds - 4 or 5 (coarsely chopped)
Pistachio nuts - 5 or 6 (slivered)

Preparation:

1. Boil the milk over medium-high heat.Lower the heat to medium low and allow milk to
simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Add the coarsely ground rice to the milk and let it cook for another 6 minutes.
3. Now add sugar, saffron and sliced almonds to the milk-rice mixture.
4. Keep stirring constantly until the mixture thickens.
5. Take the pan off the fire and allow to cool.
6. Pour into a serving dish, decorate with slivered pistachio nuts and refrigerate unhtil chilled.
2.

Mint Sauce

Ingredients:

Coriander - 1 cup (cleaned, washed and drained)
Mint leaves - 1/4 cup (cleaned, washed and drained)
Green chillies - 3 (stemmed)
Lemon - 1/2
Salt - to taste
Water - 2 to 3 tbsps

Preparation:

1. Chop the coriander and mint leaves coarsely.
2. Put all the ingredients in a small blender.
3. Blend till smooth, adding very little water if required.
4. Remove with a rubber spatula.
5. Store in an airtight container until required for use.

Rogan Josh (Kashmiri Mutton Curry)

Ingredients:

Mutton - 2.2lbs (1 kg)
Clarified butter / oil -2 tbsps
Onion - 1 large (finely chopped)
Ginger - 1" piece
Garlic -3 cloves
Red chillies -4 (chopped)
Green cardamoms - 4
Cloves -4
Coriander seeds - 2 tsps
Cumin seeds -2 tsps
Paprika /peppercorns - 1 tsp
Bay /Cassia leaf -1
Yoghurt -1/4 cup
Cinnamon - 1" piece
Garam masala - 1/4 teaspoon
Salt - to taste
Pepper powder - to taste
Water - as required
Cinnamon -1" piece
Garam masala -1/4 tsp
Pepper powder - to taste
Salt - to taste
Water - as required

Preparation:

1. Slice mutton into bite size cubes.
2. Grind together garlic,ginger,red chillies,cardamom, cloves, coriander, cumin, paprika and salt and keep aside.
3. Heat oil/clarified butter and saute onion until light brown.
4. Add ground paste and bay leaf and stir until fragrant.
5. Now add the cubed meat to this paste mixture and simmer for a few minutes.
6. Add yoghurt gradually and mix well.
7. Stir in the cinammon,hot water and pepper to taste. Cover and cook over low heat
until the mutton is very tender and the gravy thickens.
8. Keep stirring from time to time, to prevent burning.
9. When done, remove the cinnamon stick and stir in the garam masala powder.
10.Cover and cook for a few minutes more.
11.Remove from fire, empty into serving dish and serve hot with rice.

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Chicken Reshmi Kabab

Ingredients:

(For the kabab):
Chicken keema - 2 cups
Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Ginger paste - 1/2 tsp
Vinegar - 1 tbsp
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
Powdered black pepper - 1/4 tsp
Fenugreek - 2 tbsps (chopped leaves)or 2 tsp (dried)
Salt - 1 1/2 tsp
Green chillies - 1 tsp (finely chopped)
Some oil for brushing

(For the garnish):
Lemon wedges - 4.
Onions - rings of two small onions.
Mint sauce - a small bowl (previously prepared).

Preparation:
1. Mix all the ingredients of the meat mixture (kababs) listed above, except for the oil.
2. Cover the mixture and allow to marinate for another 2 hours in the refrigerator.
3. Approximately half an hour before serving, take the mixture out of the refrigerator and shape into long 'tubes' around the skewers; now place these kababs onto a grill over a drip tray, or into the pre-heated oven (also on a drip tray).
4. If cooking them over a charcoal grill, you will have to keep rotating them frequently so that they brown and cook evenly. They should take 10 to 15 minutes to cook. Brush them with oil and cook another 2 minutes.
5. Garnish with onion rings, lemon wedges and mint sauce (previously prepared).

(Skewers are required around which the kabab mixture will be shaped before cooking) .

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Sweet Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Ingredients:

Shrimp - 4 lbs (peeled and deveined)
Brown sugar - 1 cup
Lemon juice - 1tbsp
Jaggery - 1 cup
Basil (fresh) - 1 tbsp
Vegetable oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard - 1 tbsp
Honey - 3tbsp
Cloves (ground) - 1 tsp
Salad dressing - 1 tbsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Garlic (freshly minced) - 1 tbsp
Wooden skewers - a few


Preparation:

1. Combine the brown sugar, lemon juice, molasses, basil, vegetable oil, mustard, honey,
clove, salad d essing, chili powder, and garlic in a large bowl.
2. Put the shrimps into this mixture and toss until they are well coated with the marinade.
3. Cover the marinated shrimps and refrigerate for 2 hours.
4. In the meanwhile, soak the wooden skewers in hot water to prevent burning on the grill.
5. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil grate.
6. Thread the marinated shrimps tightly on to skewers.
7. Cook on the top of the grill for approximately 4 minutes, or until the shrimp turns pink on
one side.
8. Now flip the shrimps and cook for an additional 2 to 4 minutes, or until there are no signs of
grey to be seen.
9. Use a fork to remove shrimp from the skewers.

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Mango Magic

The mouthwatering Mango, easily the most consumed fresh fruit in the world, is a link to exotic, tropical places where yhe sun creates a pure magical delicacy. The mango tree, Magifera Indica, was first recorded in Asia around 2,ooo B.C. The mango was considered native to southern Asia, especially Burma and eastern India.

India considers the mango as its national fruit and a divine one at that! They use mangoes in rituals, riddles and proverbs, in medicine and even religion.In ancient times, sages prescribed planting the mango for the salvation of souls! Be that as it may, we give below some important tips to illustrate what a vital role this golden fruit plays in health maintenance and prevention of disease:

*Mangoes are used as blood builders. Because of their high iron content, they are suggested for treatment of anaemia and are beneficial during pregnancy and a woman's monthly cycle.

*People who suffer from muscle cramps, stress and heart problems, as well as acidosis, can benefit from the high potassium and magnesium content contained in this delicious fruit.

*US Natural Health Research claims that a mango contains one to three times your recommended daily intake of Vitamin C and beta-carotene - a cancer fighting atioxidant.

*Mangoes contain a water-soluble fibre which helps prevent cancer of the digestive tract , alongwith all the important B complex (anti-stress) vitamins and essential minerals such as Iron, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Phosphorous, Zinc, Folic acid and Selenium.

Having said so much about this luscious fruit - the Mango - it's time to give you two delicious recipes which use this fruit in an innovative manner:



Mango Passion Sorbet
Serves 8.

Ingredients:
Mango juice - 40 fl ozs.
Blended orange passion juice - 20 fl ozs.
Lemon extract - 2 1/2 tbsps.
Almond extract - 1 tsp .
A pinch of freshly ground nutmeg.
Trimmed fresh mango - 10 zs
(sliced to 1/8" pieces - optional).
Trimmed fresh pineapple - 6 ozs
(sliced to 1/8" pieces - optional).
Trimmed fresh kiwi - 5 ozs
(sliced to 1/8" pieces - optional).


Preparation:


1. Combine juices, almond extract and nutmeg in a saucepan over medium-high heat for about 30 - 45 minutes, or until themixture reduces by 1/3 ( to approximately40 ozs.). Cool and chill well.
2. When partially frozen, scrape into a chilled metal bowl and freeze for several hours.
3. Scoop into chilled dishes and garnish with fruit and nutmeg, if desired. Serve immediately.


Chilli Salmon with Mango Salsa
(It can be served either hot or cold)
Serves 4.

Ingredients:
(For the Salmon and Marinade)

Salmon fillets - 4 (skinned and boned).
Olive oil with some chilli - 2 tbsps.
Juice and zest of 2 limes.
Salt and freshly ground pepper - to taste.


For the Salsa


Mango - 1 (small) peeled and chopped.
Coriander - 3 tbsps, finely chopped.
Red onion - 1, finely chopped.
Red chilli - 1 (small) deseeded and finely chopped.
Extra virgin olive oil - 3 tbsps.
Juice and zest of one lime.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste.


For the Couscous
Couscous - 250 grams.
Hot vegetable stock - 500ml.
Lime - 1 (cut into wedges for garnishing).
Salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste.


Preparation:
1. Heat the grill to its highest setting.
2.Place the salmon in an ovenproof dish.
3. Combine the oil, chilli and lime juice together and pour the marinade over the salmon.
4. Now season this marinated salmon with salt and freshly ground black pepper and place under the grill for approximately seven minutes (this will vary according to the thickness of the fish).
5. To make the salsa, combine all the ingredients together. This can be made three hours in advance and set aside or refrigerated until required for use.
6. Pour hot vegetable stock over couscous in a large bowl. Cover with cling film. After five toten minutes, remove the cling film and fluff up with a fork. You can make this in advance and reheat in the microwave just prior to serving.

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Kalmi Kabab (Marinated Chicken Drumsticks)

Utensils : 2 mixing bowls

Consumption: preferably same dayServes 4

Ingredients
(All ingredients are easily available at anyIndian grocery store in the U.S.)

Chicken drumsticks – 2.65 lbs (1.2 kg)
Salt – 0.8oz. (20 grams)
Ginger garlic paste – 1.2oz. (30 grams)
Lemon Juice – 0.75 fl. oz (25 ml)
Plain yoghurt – 4 oz.(100 grams)
Yellow chilli powder – 0.6 oz. (15 grams)
Mustard oil – 0.89 fl. oz. (30 ml)
Roasted chana (garbanzo) powder – 0.8 oz. (20 grams)
Green cardamom powder – 0.4 oz. (10 grams)
Javitri (mace) powder – 0.2 oz. (5 grams)
Garam masala powder – 0.4 oz. (10 grams)
Saffron – 0.02 oz. (0.5 grams)

Preparation:
1. About 2 hours before you begin preparing the kalmi kababs, put yoghurt in thin muslin cloth; tie on the back of faucet and leave to drain.
2. Mix salt, lemon juice and the ginger garlic paste together to a smooth consistency for marination.
3. Place the chicken in a bowl and coat with the marinade prepared above. Set aside for one hour.
4. Transfer the (drained) yoghurt from the muslin cloth into a bowl and mix it thoroughly with the yellow chilli powder, roasted garbanzo powder, green cardamom powder, saffron, mace powder and garam masala powder.
5. Now coat the chicken with the yoghurt marinade and leave aside for another one hour.
6. Heat grill to medium-low, lightly oil grates and put chicken drumsticks on skewers.
7. Grill chicken drumsticks, turning as necessary, until fully done.
8. Serve with sliced onions (optional) and mint sauce.


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