Okra (bhindi) 1/2 kg Tomatoes 3 (medium) Onions 2 (large) Green chillies 3 Cinnamon 1 piece Cloves 3 Bay leaf 1 Ginger-garlic paste 1 tsp. Red chilli powder 1 tsp. Groundnut refined oil 2 cups Garam masala powder 1 tsp. Coriander leaves for garnishing Salt to taste
Method:
1. Cut the onions, tomatoes, okra & green chillies. 2. Heat the oil in pan and add the okra pieces. Deep fry. 3. Remove fried okra and place on kitchen tissue or table napkin so that excess oil is removed. Keep it aside. 4. Heat 3 spoons of oil in a pan. Fry the cinnamon, cloves and bay leaf for 30 seconds. Now add onions, green chilli pieces and fry them until onions turn light brown. 5. Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for one minute. 6. Add tomato pieces, red chilli powder and salt, cover the pan and cook for a few minutes until tomatoes become soft. Stir twice or thrice to prevent the mixture from sticking to the pan.
7. Add fried okra and mix slowly. Keep on heat for two more minutes and then remove the pan.
2 lb Cat fish ( U can use any kind of fish) cut into medium size pieces. 2-3 medium size onions sliced. 1 Tomato sliced. 3 green chillies cut into strips. 2 spoons tamarind pulp. 2 spoons fresh coconut grated ( if not dry coconut). 1spoon(tspn) red chillies powder. ¾ teaspoon turmeric powder. 1 spoon salt. 1 spoon garam masala powder. Fresh Coriander leaves to garnish. 1-2 spoons groundnut refined oil. Curry leaves. Butter milk to wash the fish (optional).
METHOD:
Wash the fish pieces with some butter milk and turmeric powder, by washing with turmeric and butter milk their wont be the stinky smell while cooking fish .
Take a wide pan , add oil to it when the pan is hot , add curry leaves when the oil gets hot. Later add onion and sliced green chillies. When they are half cooked add tomato sliced and cook for a while. When the onion and tomato are cooked add the fresh coconut , tamarind pulp and cook it for 1 minute, later add red chillies powder, turmeric powder, and salt to the pan and cook it well. When oil starts leaving the pan add some water to the pan and same time add the fish pieces and cook till the fish is cooked . Later add the garam masala powder and cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the stove and add fresh coriander leaves and garnish. Cheppala pulusu is ready to eat.
1/2 kg fish fillets 1/2 tsp Chinese salt 1 egg, beaten 2 tbsp cornflour 2 tbsp lemon juice 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste 2 Tablespoon of tomato sauce 3 green chillies, chopped 4 tsp Soya sauce 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 4 tbsp flour Tincher of black pepper powder Salt to taste Groundnut refined Oil for frying Few sprigs of coriander leaves, chopped
Method:
* Clean and wash the fish fillets. Drain. * Apply salt, pepper powder, lemon juice to the fish pieces and marinate for 10 minutes. * Mix cornflour, flour, beaten egg, salt and ginger-garlic paste with little water and make a batter. * Apply this batter well to the fish pieces and fry in hot oil until golden brown. * Keep aside. * Heat oil in another pan and fry chopped garlic and green chillies. * Also add tomato sauce, Soya sauce and fried fish pieces. * Stir well to coat the pieces with the Soya sauce mixture. * Now add a cup of water and simmer until all the water is evaporated. * Sprinkle Chinese salt, chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.
Ingredients: 1 - carrot 6 - pearl onions 1 cup - curd/yoghurt 1 tsp - mustard 2 - green chillies Curry leaves, a small quantity Oil for frying Salt to taste
Method : Wash and cut/grate carrots. Chop onions and green chillies and keep aside. Mix carrot, onions and curd. Heat oil in a pan/kadai, splutter mustard seeds, green chillies and curry leaves and add to the carrot. Add some salt. Carrot onion pachadi is ready to be served. It can be served along with any rice items. Carrots can be chopped into small pieces or grated.
Raita (also spelled raitha) is a Pakistani and Indian condiment based on yoghurt (dahi) and used as a sauce or dip. The yoghurt is seasoned with coriander (cilantro), cumin, mint, cayenne pepper, and other herbs and spices. It is prepared by frying cumin (zeera) along with black mustard (raie) and these mixtures are mixed into the yoghurt. Vegetables such as cucumber and onions - and even fruits like pineapple and raw papaya - are used. Raw ginger and garlic paste, green chili paste and sometimes mustard paste are used to enrich flavour. A popular variety of raita of northern India is Boondi raitha: tiny balls of fried gramflour (chickpea flour), which may taste salty or teekha (spicy). The mixture is served chilled. Raita has a cooling effect on the palate that makes it a good foil for spicy Indian dishes. Raita is also eaten with kebabs.
Southern Indian cuisine, such as that found in the Bangalore region, often uses finely chopped or diced carrots mixed with yoghurt.
Ingredients Besan or kadalaimavu -2 cups Rice flour – 1 cup Salt – 1 Tsp
Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp Ginger Garlic paste – 1 tsp Sonuf (optional) – 1/2 tsp crushed Butter of Ghee – 2 tsp Chili powder – 1 tsp Green Chilies – 4 nos finely chopped Curry leaves – 10-15 Coriander – 1/2 cup finely chopped Baking Powder – 1 pinch (optional) groundnut refined Oil- for deep frying
The above mentioned are the basic ingredients of pakora. We can make different types of pakora by adding different types of vegetables and nuts to the above ingredients.
1. ONION PAKORA
- Take a large bowl. Mix the above mentioned ingredients first without adding water.
- Finely chop 2 big onion and add to the above mixture.
- Sprinkle some water and make it into a thick batter.
-Deep fry till it is golden brown. Thoroughly drain the oil with the help of a slit ladle. -Spread it on a thick tissue paper so that extra oil will be absorbed. Serve it hot with tomato Ketchup
5 to 6 eggs (preferrably organic) Tamarind or Chinthapandu equal to 2 lemons ( For more gravy..you need to soak more tamarind) 2 to 3 medium sized tomatoes 1 or 2 big onions (2 onions are preffered) 2 to 3 green chillis 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 stem curry leaves 1 tsp ginger pulp 1 tsp garlic pulp 1 tsp turmeric powder (pasupu) 2 tsp red chilli powder 1 to 1/2 tsp ground coriander powder Salt a/c to taste Oil for cooking 1/2 cup fresh cilantro or kothmeeru(optional)
METHOD OF PREPARATION
Boil eggs well, remove shell, make cuts in between the eggs with knife (as you can see in the picture above) and keep aside.
Wash once and soak tamarind or chinthapandu in warm water. Water level should be 1 or 2 inches more than tamarind level.
Cut onions into very thin slices. Make slits in the green chillies.Cut tomatoes into medium thick slices and keep all of them aside.
Now heat oil in a deep sauce pan, add green chillies, curry leaves, cumin seeds and fry for 1 minutes. Now add onions and fry on medium heat till they all turn into dark brown in color. For this curry it is necessary that onions should be fried well i.e., into dark brown color(so that curry stay fresh for 2 days and also for that dark color we want in the curry)
After that add ginger and garlic pulp and fry for 1 minute. Add turmeric powder and mix with other ingredients.
Now add tomatoes and mix with other ingredients. Add salt from above and cover the sauce pan. Allow tomatoes to become soft. Then mix salt and add chilli powder and coriander powder with tomatoes and mix well. Add little water and allow to cook for 1 to 2 minutes more.
Meanwhile, take juice outof tamarind in the same container it is soaked. Remove tamarind and add juice to the saucepan. Also add eggs with slits to this curry.
The overall curry should be thick..see and add little more water if you want.
Now cover the saucepan and allow to cook for abt 10 to 15 minutes or untill the eggs change its color from white to light brown. this is beacuse the pulusu or gravy should go into the eggs through cuts made on them. The real secret for this curry lies here. The taste of eggs changes ..ofcourse very yummy:-)
Finally add fresh cilantro , mix and sim heat with cover on saucepan for 1 minute more and turn off the heat.
Serve hot with chapathis or plain rice or biryani. It taste great with all of them. I like eggs in this gravy as much as they become dark.
2 cups boneless small chicken pieces 1 onion, chopped 2-3 green chillies 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste 1 tblsp lemon juice Salt as per taste Groundnut refined Oil for deep frying
Make thick paste of 1 cup gram flour (besan) 2 tsp rice flour ½ tsp oil Salt as per taste 1 green chillies, chopped finely 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves 1 tbsp red chilli powder ¼ tsp turmeric powder Water as required
Preparation : Make paste of all the ingredients of marination except chicken pieces Marinate the chicken with the paste Keep aside for 35-40 minutes Dip marinated chicken pieces in the paste (the pieces should be completely covered with the paste) Deep fry till golden brown Serve hot with hot cup of tea/wine
INGREDIENTS Marinate: ½ kg chicken, washed and cut into medium sized pieces 3 tbsp curds 1 tsp red chilli powder (adjust to suit your spice level) ¼ tsp turmeric pwd salt to taste
Make a paste: 6-7 cashewnuts 4-5 tbsps milk Dry roast and make a fine powder: 1” cinnamon 10-12 curry leaves 3 cloves
Rest of the ingredients: 3-4 tbsps Groundnut refined oil 2 big onions finely chopped 1 large tomato finely chopped 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste 1 tsp coriander powder 3/4 tsp black pepper powder (adjust to suit your spice level) ¼ tsp cumin powder coriander leaves for garnish
1 Marinate chicken pieces in chilli powder, turmeric powder, curds and salt for 20 mts.
2 While the chicken pieces are marinating, make a paste of cashewnuts and milk. Keep aside.
3 Dry roast cinnamon, cloves and curry leaves for 1 mt and make a powder of them. Keep aside.
4 Heat 1 1/2 tbsps of oil in a cooking vessel. Add the onions and saute till pink. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute further for another 3-4 minutes on medium heat.
5 Add coriander pwd, cumin pwd, pepper pwd and combine well and fry for another minute.
6 Add the tomatoes and let it cook for 3-4 minutes. Combine well and cook till oil separates.Turn off heat. Cool and grind the cooked masala. Keep aside this masala paste.
7 Heat 1 1/2 tbsps oil in a cooking vessel and add the marinated chicken and cook on high flame for 4-5 minutes, reduce heat and cook covered for another 4-5 minutes.
8 Add the ground masala paste, cashewnut paste and ground powder of cinnamon, cloves and curry leaves and combine well. (Add a cup of water for more gravy consistency). Cook till chicken pieces are soft and you get the desired curry consistency. Adjust salt.
9 Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
Adjust the spices according to your choice. Dont over fry the masala too much or burn it as its the masala paste which gives the chicken its flavor. If you dont have curry leaves on hand, don’t worry. Do add more water for a gravy consistency. One variation is add a tbsp of coconut paste and juice of half a lemon to the above curry for added flavor.
INGREDIENTS: 4 Eggs (hard boiled) 1 onion 1/2 tomato (pureed) 3-4 flakes of garlic 1/2-inch piece of ginger 1-2 green chilies 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves Salt To Taste Red chili powder to taste 3/4th tsp turmeric powder 1/2 tsp coriander powder 3/4 tsp garam masala 2-3 tbsp vegetable oil / ghee 1 cup green peas or 250 gms paneer
Preparation: Remove the shell of boiled eggs & keep aside. If using Paneer cut into cubes and fry till golden & set aside for later use. Make a paste of onion, garlic, ginger and green chilies in a mixer or chopper. Heat oil in a kadhi or wok and add onion-garlic paste and fry till golden brown. Add all the spices (salt, turmeric, coriander & chili powder) except garam masala and fry for a minute and add tomato puree. Fry till it starts leaving oil. Add a cup of water and cook till it dry's. Now add the fried paneer cubes or green peas (which ever using) and boiled eggs. Add 1 cup of water and bring to boil and reduce the flame. Simmer for 10 minutes. Garnish egg curry with garam masala and coriander leaves and serve hot with paratha, roti or rice.
Chili Chicken is a popular chicken dish enjoyed by people all over. Chili chicken is one of the most popular Chinese dishes all over the world. To prepare chili chicken all you need is patience and carefulness. Here is an easy recipe to help you prepare the delicious boneless Chinese chilli chicken.
Ingredients for cooking chili chicken:
• 500-600gms. boneless chicken (cut into1-inch cubes) • 2 tbsp Soya sauce • 1 egg • 2 tbsp corn flour / corn starch • 5-6 green chilies (finely chopped) • 2 green onion tops (finely chopped), if available • 1 tsp garlic paste • Salt To Taste • 1/2 tsp white pepper powder or to taste • 1 tsp sugar • A pinch of ajinomoto (optional) • 2 cups chicken broth / water • 1 tbsp groudnut refined oil • Oil to fry
How to prepare chili chicken: • Prepare a mixture by adding 1tbsp. Soya sauce, 1tbsp. corn flour, salt, egg in a bowl and marinate chicken pieces in the for about 10-15 minutes in it. • Deep fry the marinated boneless chicken pieces in heated oil till they become golden brown. • Heat 1 tbsp. oil and add garlic paste and green chilies in a seprate wok/kadhai and sauté for few seconds. • Now put 2 cups of chicken broth or water. Boil it and add sugar, pepper powder, salt , ajinomoto and remaining Soya sauce. • Add fried chicken pieces to it and cook for few minutes. • Take ½ cup water and dissolve the remaining cornflour in it and add to the curry. Stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Cook for 2-3 minutes. • Garnish chilli chicken with chopped green onion tops. Serve hot with steamed/boiled rice
Mughlai Recipes are the ones which were prepared when the Mughals ruled India. These recipes transferred from hand to hand are today known as Mughlai dishes. Mughlai Dishes and Recipes have a special way of preparing them - often lengthy than the usual ones. It takes a lot of gourmand and garnishing to prepare the delicacy. In earlier days all the ingredients were hand picked, grounded and then stemmed at low temperatures to get the best of the taste.
Though the way the manner the Mughlai dishes have changed dramatically, still the taste remains the same. A lot of pain is taken to prepare the delicacy, which takes hours to prepare the dishes. Not all the dishes take a long time to prepare - Mughlai Chicken is one such dish.
Mughlai Chicken
Ingredients :
1 Chicken 4 Bay leaf 3 medium sized onion 4 Green Chillies 4 Browm or Large Cardamom 4 tsp sugar 4- 5 Cinnamon as per taste 8 - 9 pods garlic 1/2 kg tomatoes 4 lightly beaten eggs Salt to taste/ Tincher of china salt Flaked Almonds for Garnishing
To be ground : Grind the cloves, chillies and tomatoes in a grinder. Grind them till they make a fine paste
Preparation Method
In one bowl mix the eggs, sugar, ground almonds. Mix them well to make a paste. Now, heat with groundnut refined oil cooking oil in a deep frying pan. Add cardamom, cinnamon sticks to the heated oil. Add the chopped onions to it and fry till the onions turn golden brown. Add the paste of tomato and stir it. Then pour the chicken chunks to this gravy. Let it fry for five minutes. Then add the paste of eggs and ground almonds to the Gravy. Lower down the heat and let it simmer for 5- 10 minutes till the chicken hunks are soft or cooked properly to eat. Garnish with flaked almonds and serve with Roti, fried rice or Naan.
1) 1 tblsp Coriander Seed 2) 1 tblsp Fennel Seed 3) 2 lb Chicken Breasts (boneless and skinless) 4) 1/2 lb Shallots (cut to 1/4â€) 5) 1/2 cup Groundnut refined Oil 6) 1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar 7) 1 tblsp Juniper Berries 8) 2 tsp Black Peppercorns 9) 1 tblsp Dijon Mustard 10) 1/4 tsp Red Pepper (crushed) 11) 1 lb Portobello Mushroom Caps 12) 1 large Red Pepper (roasted and cut into thin strips) 13) 2 lb Spinach Leaves (clean) 14) Salt according to taste/ with tincher of china salt
How to make spinach salad with grilled spiced chicken: 1) Grind coriander, juniper, peppercorns and fennel seed in a grinder to make slightly coarse. 2) Spread spices all over the chicken and let it chill for minimum 1 hour and maximum overnight. 3) Fry shallots in a pan over high heat in hot oil till it gets crispy and browned. 4) Drain reserving shallots and oil both. 5) Drain shallots on paper towels and set aside. 6) Combine cooking oil, mustard, vinegar, pepper flakes and salt. 7) Grill chicken and let it cool. 8) Reduce into small size strips. 9) Grill mushroom caps after brushing it with dressing. 10) Let it cool slightly. 11) Cut into 1†strips. 12) Toss spinach with vinaigrette. 13) Top it with strips of mushroom, chicken and pepper. 14) Garnish with crispy shallots. Ready to serve
•2 cups Minute Rice uncooked •1 ¾ cup of water •½ pound of chicken breast chopped up. Hint: (use slightly frozen chicken as it is easier to chop up) •1 small onion chopped up. (About ¼ cup) •Chopped celery (about ½ cup) •Chicken flavouring (break up a bouillon cube) •2 tbsp of groungnut refined oil •¼ cup of soya sauce
METHOD OF PREPARATION 1.In a pot boil 1¾ cup of water 2.Add Minute Rice, stir, cover and remove from heat 3.With a bit of olive oil in a frying pan fry up chicken cubes 4.Cover and set aside 5.With a bit of olive oil in frying pan fry up celery and onions until tender 6.Add meat and rice to vegetable mixture and stir over low heat 7.Break up bouillon cube and sprinkle over mixture then stir 8.Add cooked rice to mixture and mix well 9.Add desired amount of soya sauce 10.Stir over medium heat until mixed well
There are other variations to this recipe. Instead of chicken breast use up leftover roast meats such as roast beef; turkey; chicken. Smoked ham can also be substituted. Ground beef tastes good as well. Using leftover roast meats or smoked ham •Chop up meat into small cubes and pan fry lightly in a bit of groundnut oil (1 or 2 teaspoons) and add to mixture just before adding Soya sauce
Ingredients 1)onion -2 nos . 2)Tomotoes -2 nos . 3)green chilli -2 nos . 4)Coriander -1 bunch . 5)coriander seeds -2 tsp . 6)mint bunch -1 . 7)garlic pods -10 . 8)lemon -1no.(big) . 9)Bajra (flour) - 1 cup. . 10)salt to taste . 11)ground nut refined oil PREPARATION METOD
1Cut onions,tomotoes,green chillies and garlic pods finely into small pices as a usual manner. 2You have to Wash minced meat,drain water and keep aside . 3Also Wash coriander and mint leaves.Drain water and keep aside . 4Squeeze lemon.Keep aside lemon juice .
Steps for making Mutton Kebab 1 Do these steps currectly ,Mix minced mutton,onion,tomotoes,green chilli,garlic pods,corinder and mint leaves,lemon juice,salt and refrigerate for 1/2 hour to 1 hour . 2 Just before frying add bajra flour and mix well . 3 Heat oil for frying kebabs . 4 Make the mixed mixture into round shaped balls (Lemon size) and slowly drop in the oil . 5 Keep Fry in low flame . 6 You have to Wait for the Kebabs to turn light brown . 7 Now it is ready to Serve hot with tomato sause or mint chutney or you can use this as a side dish for biriyani.fried rice
Ingredients Mutton 1/2 kg Ginger n garlic paste 2 Teaspoon Coriander(Dhania) powder 1.5 Teaspoon Chili powder 1.5 Teaspoon Turmeric powder 1/4 Teaspoon Patta(Cinnamon stick) 1 inch Cloves 1 Tomato 1 Small Onion (Shallots) 4 to 6 Green chili 3 to 4 Coconut paste 2 Tablespoon Sombu (Fennel seed) powder 1 Teaspoon Coriander leaves a handful (Optional) Curry leaves little (Optional) Salt / Tincher of china salt 3 to 4 table spoon's groundnut refined oil
Method
1)Wash mutton with turmeric powder or lemon juice. 2)Add ginger n garlic paste to mutton in cooker and add chopped tomato, patta, cloves, turmeric powder, dhania powder and salt. 3)All water and close the cooker and cook the mutton, leave it aside. 4)Add oil to a pan and add sombu powder, chopped green chili and onions. 5)When onions turn golden brown colour and coconut paste and fry for 3 minutes. 6)Add little water and the cooked mutton. 7)Make the gravy thick. 8)Add curry leaves and chopped coriander leaves.
Ingredients 1/2 kg large shelled prawn 2 1/2 medium onions 4 garlic cloves, make to paste 1 inch ginger, make to paste 2 teaspoons chili powder salt / Tincher of china salt 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds 2 tablespoons coriander, chopped 4 tablespoons groundnut refined oil 1/2 cup water Directions 1Deshell, devein, wash and drain prawns thoroughly.
2Add half the chilli powder and 1/2 tsp of salt to the prawns, mix well and set aside for 15 minutes.
3In a wok (or any round based utensil) on medium flame add oil and heat a little.
4Add mustard seeds and let it spatter.
5Add onions, ginger and garlic paste, turmeric powder and fry till onions are golden brown.
6Add the marinated prawns and stir.
7Add the remaining chilli powder and salt, stir and place the lid on utensil.
8Reduce flame to the minimum and let it cook, approximately 15 minutes.
9Open lid and stir the prawns add the water and coriander leaves and stir again. Check salt content.
10Let it simmer for another 10 minutes.
11Open lid and check if prawns is cooked thoroughly. If yes, then increase flame to medium and stir till all the water is gone. Serve with
Ingredients • To pressure cook • 1lb Mutton (washed) • 2 tbsp Chilli powder • 1/2 tbsp Ginger- garlic Paste • 1tsp Turmeric powder • 1 inch Cinnamon • 1 Cardamom • 1 Clove • Salt to taste/ Tincer of china salt • Water as required
Other Ingredients • 1/2 tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste • 3 Green Chillies • 1 tbsp Garam Masala Powder • 1 stem Curry leaves • 1 cup Onion (chopped) • Cilantro Leaves to garnish • 3 tbsp of groundnut trefined Oil
How to make Mutton Fry • Take a pressure cooker and put it on flame. • Add all the ingredients to pressure cook. • Close cooker & pressure-cook mutton. • Heat oil in a kadai and add curry leaves, slit green chillies and then add chopped onions. • Fry till lightly brown and then add ginger garlic paste and fry. • Add cooked meat, garam masala powder to it and mix well. • Stir and fry well till the water evaporates and mutton turns brown. • Garnish with cilantro leaves.
Ingredients Mutton, cubed 500 grams Salt to taste / Tincher of china salt Turmeric powder ¼ teaspoon Poppy seeds (khuskhus) 1 teaspoon Fennel seeds (saunf) ½ teaspoon Black peppercorns 4 Coriander seeds 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon Cinnamon 1 inch stick Cloves 2 Green cardamoms 2 Groundnut refined oil 4 tablespoons Curry leaves 10 Onions, chopped 3 medium Ginger-garlic paste 1 teaspoon Red chilli powder ½ teaspoon Black pepper powder 2 teaspoons Tomato, chopped 1 large Fresh coriander leaves, chopped 2 tablespoons
Method
1.Pressure cook mutton pieces with two cups of water, salt and turmeric powder for six whistles. Open the lid when the pressure reduces, drain and reserve the cooking liquor.
2.Dry roast poppy seeds, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves and green cardamoms. Cool and grind to a fine powder.
3.Heat olive oil in kadai. Add curry leaves and onions. Sauté till the onions are brown.
4.Add ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder and half the black pepper powder and sauté for a minute.
5.Add tomato and mutton pieces, cook on high heat till the tomato is soft.
6.Add salt and the spice powder and simmer for five minutes. Add the reserved cooking liquor and one cup of water and bring to a boil. Simmer till all the mutton pieces get well coated with thick gravy.
7.Add the remaining black pepper powder and stir well.
Ingredients: ■Marinade ■2 lbs Goat meat cut into pieces ■¾ – 1 cup yogurt ■2 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste ■2 tsp Chili Powder ■14 small Chilies split into two (adjust to your taste) ■1 cup chopped Mint Leaves ■1 cup chopped Cilantro ■Salt to Taste (sufficient for the meat) ■Garam Masala Powder ■10 Pepper Corns ■10 Coves ■½ tsp Cardamom Seeds ■½ tsp Sahajeera or Black Cumin ■1” Cinnamon Stick ■1 Large Onion sliced ■1 Lime ■1 cup groundnut refined oil(can use half oil and half ghee) ■½ tsp of saffron strands ■½ cup milk ■4 cups Basmati Rice soaked for 30 minutes (rice cooker measuring cup) ■Spices for boiling rice ■6 Cardamoms ■3 Cloves ■2 Bay Leaves ■1 Bay Flower or Biryani Flower ■1 tsp Sahajeera ■½ tsp Ginger Garlic Paste ■1 tbsp groundnut refined Oil ■First Full of Salt /Tincher of china salt
Method:
■Clean and cut the goat meat. ■Grind all the ingredients listed under garam masala to a fine powder. ■Mix all the ingredients of the marinade and marinate for at least 2 hour , preferably overnight in the fridge. ■Cook the meat with ½ the oil in a pressure cooker. Don’t add any water when cooking. In my cooker it takes 6-7 whistles and 5 minutes on low flame to cook. Once the pressure in the cooker goes away, open it and cook it until all the water evaporates. OR ■Can cook the meat on the stove top until tender. This will take about an hour. I prefer the pressure cooker to avoid all the cooking odor when cooking on stove top. ■Squeeze the lime juice on the meat and mix well. ■In a pan, heat oil and fry the onions until light golden brown. ■Soak saffron in hot milk. ■In a big pot bring water to a boil, add all the spices required for boiling rice and mix well. ■Add rice and continue to cook until the rice is almost done. It takes about 7-8 minutes on my stove. Drain the rice and keep aside. ■Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. ■Now its time to arrange rice and meat in layers. Grease large baking tray with oil, layer half the rice at the bottom. Sprinkle some oil, fried onions and ½ the saffron milk. Layer the rice with meat followed by a layer of remaining rice. We should have 2 layers of rice and one layer of meat. Top it off the remaining oil, fried onions and saffron milk. Cover the tray with aluminum foil. ■Bake the biryani for 10 minutes on 400 degrees F and 20 minutes on 350 degrees F. ■Mix the rice and serve it hot with raita or chicken shorva /mutton shorva
Method of preparation Clean and cut chicken to desired size. Let it drain. Marinade the chicken with Curds, Ginger garlic paste, turmeric and Salt. Keep it aside for 2 hrs.
Chop onions and tomatoes to fine pieces.
Dry roast all the spices and let it cool. Once its cool, grind to a fine powder.
Heat a pressure cooker with oil, sauté onions till they are light brown.
Then add the chicken marinade to the pan. Let it cook on high flame. The chicken will start leaving moisture. After 5 mins, add chilli, coriander, garam masala. Add the chopped tomatoes. Adjust the salt and add about half a glass of water. Cover with cooker lid and put it for 2 -3 whistles. Once the pressure is off, check if the chicken is cooked.
Remove lid, add the roasted masala. Stir again and cook on high flame for 5 mins, keep stirring so that it doesn't get burnt. The gravy should be really thick and coat the chicken pieces.
Preparation Time: 15 mins Cooking Time 15 mins Cuisine: Andhra
Method of preparation
Wash and pressure cook Mutton pieces with 2 cups of water, salt and turmeric. Drain the cooked mutton from water and keep the water aside. Chop Onions, Tomatoes. Keep aside Take a Kadai, dry roast all the masala. Once cool, grind to a fine powder.
Then heat Oil, add curry leaves. Then add onions. Sauté till the onions are brown. then add ginger garlic paste. cook well. Then add tomatoes and mutton pieces, cook on high flame till the tomatoes are soft.
Then add the ground masala and sim for 5 mins, then add the water and bring to boil. Cook on high flame until the water evaporates leaving a nice thick gravy. Now fry the pieces until oil comes out. Once the water is completely gone, each piece gets a nice coating around it. In the end, add the remaining pepper powder over the pieces and stir it well.
Finally garnish with finally chopped coriander leaves and with lemon, onions.
Ingredients: 2 1/2 lb Chicken wings 6 oz Hot sauce or Tabasco 1 x Oil for frying (optional) 1/2 c Melted butter Instructions: Cut the chicken wings in two at the joints. In a large frying pan or skillet; heat to 360F enough oil (or shortening) to cover the chicken wings. Add the wings and fry until crisp, about 12-15 minutes. To bake, preheat the oven to 450F. Spread the chicken wings out on a baking sheet in one layer and bake 45 minutes. To make the sauce, combine the Hot Sauce or Tabasco and melted butter and blend thoroughly. As soon as the chicken wings are cooked, douse with the sauce, and serve immediately. Serves 2-6 Nathalie Dupree's "New Southern Cooking" Nathalie says, "These little wings make a good meal for two or are a great appetizer. Up North, they are called Buffalo wings and are served with celery and blue-cheese dressing. The little wing tips should be trimmed off to make neater pieces. But I cook them along with the wings and save them for myself. I call them the "cook's treat." You may fry or bake the wings, depending on dietary considerations.
Like all fresh meats, chicken is perishable and should be handled with care. Proper handling and cooking of chicken completely eliminates the risk of bacterial infection.
BEFORE COOKING Refrigerate raw chicken promptly. Never leave it on countertop at room temperature.
· Packaged fresh chicken may be refrigerated in original wrappings in the coldest part of the refrigerator.
· Freeze uncooked chicken if it is not to be used within 2 days.
· If properly packaged, frozen chicken will maintain top quality in a home freezer for up to 1 year.
· Thaw chicken in the refrigerator — not on the countertop — or in cold water. It takes about 24 hours to thaw a 4-pound chicken in the refrigerator. Cut-up parts, 3 to 9 hours.
· Chicken may be safely thawed in cold water. Place chicken in its original wrap or water-tight plastic bag in cold water. Change water often. It takes about 2 hours to thaw a whole chicken.
· For quick thawing of raw or cooked chicken use the microwave. Thawing time will vary.
· Always wash hands, countertops, cutting boards, knives and other utensils used in preparing raw chicken with soapy water before they come in contact with other raw or cooked foods.
· When shopping, buy groceries last. Never leave chicken in a hot car. Refrigerate immediately on reaching home.
WHILE YOU ARE COOKING · If chicken is stuffed, remove stuffing to a separate container before refrigerating.
· When barbecuing chicken outdoors, keep refrigerated until ready to cook. Do not place cooked chicken on same plate used to transport raw chicken to grill.
· Always cook chicken well done, not medium or rare. If using a meat thermometer, the internal temperature should reach 180°F for whole chicken, 170°F for bone-in parts and 160°F for boneless parts.
· To check visually for doneness, pierce chicken with fork; juices should run clear — not pink — when fork is inserted with ease.
· Never leave cooked chicken at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If not eaten immediately, cooked chicken should be kept either hot or refrigerated.
· Marinade in which raw chicken has been soaking should never be used on cooked chicken
AFTER YOU COOK · Cooked, cut-up chicken is at its best refrigerated for no longer than 2 days — whole cooked chicken, an additional day.
· If leftovers are to be reheated, cover to retain moisture and to ensure that chicken is heated all the way through. Bring gravies to a rolling boil before serving.
· If you're transporting cooked chicken, put it in an insulated container or ice chest until ready to eat. Keep below 40°F or above 140°F.
•Clean wash and cut the chicken into 25gm pieces. •Add red chilly paste, red chilly powder, and salt and shahi jeera. •Add lemon juice. Ginger garlic paste, egg and flour. •Deep-fry the pieces of the chicken. •Heat the pan; add ghee, green chilly, ginger, jeera, and the fried chicken and little water. •Cook a while add the yellow gravy, jeera powder, chat masala and methi powder, let it cook a while. •Add pickled onions and finish with some lemon juice and fresh coriander
1. Deep Fry (Almost brown) 7 onions and set it aside.
2. Prepare a mix of Cauliflower, carrots, beans, Mint(finely cut), Coriander(finely cut), Curds, Elaichi(10), Cinnamon(4 pieces), redchilli powder (2 spoons), salt (5 spoons), turmeric(half spoon), Lemon Juice (2 big lemons), Onions 2 (sliced), and green chillies.
3. Leave the mix to marinate in the dee-freezer for approximately 15-0 minutes.
4. In the mean time, take a big container, Put 4 spoons of oil and fry elaichi and cinnamon. Once you can smell the flavour add 5 glasses of rice to fry along with it. after 5-7 minutes add water (10 glasses) to half-boil rice.
5. Once rice is half cooked( strictly no more water left), leave the rice to dry for a while (may b dry them in large plates if you are too hungry and want to eat biryani soon)... i cant wait to eat it!!!!
6. Now, take the mix out of the fridge. Use the same big container for a bigger mix now. First put all the marinated mix in the bowl (bowl suitable to go on the cooker), then put five spoons of oil on it..(can use the same oil in which you fried onions).
7. Put a layer of the dried half boiled rice on top of it.(Dont put all the rice. Just a layer).
8. Now, put a layer of the fried onions leaving another half for another layer on top.
9. Then another layer of rice.
10. The final layer of onions on top.
11. You can now add some biryani colour on top!!
Now the biryani is ready to cook. Cook it on a low flame with a perfect fitting lid (some weights on top ..not to let the Dum go off).
Leave this for atleast an hour and a half. Then check if the rice is cooked, if yes thats it is ready to searve.
INGREDIENTS: •1 kg chicken preferably in 16 pieces and a couple of drumsticks •1 kg Basmati rice •1 cup finely chopped onions •2 tsp ginger and garlic paste •3 tsp chilli powder •½ tsp turmeric •100 g cashew nuts •4 or 5 bay leaves •4 or 5 cloves •2 cm long cinnamon sticks •6 to 10 green chiles ground to paste •3 or 4 cardamom pods •1 or 2 tsp cumin •2 cups mint leaves •1 cup coriander leaves (cilantro) •2 tsp coriander powder •½ tsp garam masala powder •1 cup coconut milk •1 lemon •1½ tsp salt (according to taste) •1 cup ghee (clarified butter)
*Tincher of china salt •½ cup yogurt •1 cup of groundnut refined oil, •2 tsp dried coconut powder, •few strands of saffron, •2 cups finely sliced onions,
Procedure 1.Make deep incisions on the chicken flesh - deep enough for spices to get absorbed but making them too deep could render the pieces smaller. Mix turmeric, chilli powder, salt, garlic paste, yogurt, and half-lemon's juice. Thoroughly apply this paste onto the meat flesh and let marinate for an hour. 2.Heat about 100 ml of oil. Roast cumin, cloves, cinnamon, depodded cardamom, bay leaves, ½ spoon cumin, 1 spoon coriander powder, and finally add onions(2). Wait a couple of minutes to add mint leaves. When onions turn slight brown, add marinated chicken and cook for about 20-30 min. It should NOT be fully cooked at this stage; add garam masala and coconut powder and turn off flame when about ¾ cooked. Gravy should not be much, chicken pieces should look roasted. 3.Meanwhile, while the chicken is still cooking, prepare the biryani rice. Slightly rinse 3 cups of basmati, and add water little less than the volume of the rice itself so that its only half cooked preferably in an electric cooker. Amount of water actually depends on kind of rice at hand and your experience helps to judge it. Also add 1-2 teaspoons of salt to it. Take a few semi-cooked grains of rice and colour them with diluted saffron for garnishing. 4.You will need a utensil of about 12" (300 mm) base. Place about half of semi-cooked rice in it. Next, layer half of chicken on it again topped by a layer of rice (half of the remaining). One more layer of remaining chicken, finally with layer of rest of the rice on top ends the rice-chicken layering stage. 5.Heat oil and deep fry half the sliced onions to golden brown. Similarly fry cashew. Garnish the top layer with these two along with 100 ml ghee, coconut milk, saffron rice grains and coriander. Lid the vessel and try making it airtight (but no pressure should build up). Put on high flame for 5 min before reducing it to low flame. The flame should NOT be at the vessel's centre, but on one side of it. Wait for 2-3 min and turn the vessel to heat other next part on its circumference. This way, keep rotating the vessel every 2-3 min for about 20 min. Every time you turn it, carefully disturb the contents by a shake/jerk so as to avoid settling of ghee at the bottom. 6.Put off the flame and wait for about 10 min before opening. Before serving, mix the medley from the bottom. Serve with boiled egg halves. Enjoy. Rightly and carefully made, its an epicure's paradise
INGREDIENTS 1/2 kg chicken, washed and cut into medium sized pieces
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, quartered
2 capsicums, cut into big pieces
1 1/2 tbsps tomato sauce
garam masala pwd (1″ dalchini, 1 elaichi and 2 cloves finely ground)
fresh coriander leaves for garnish
salt to taste
1 1/2 tbsps of groundnut refined oil
MIX UP CHICKEN WITH INGREDIENTS AND TAKE 2-3 HOURS TO SOAK
1 tbsp curd/yogurt
1/2 tsp cumin pwd
1 1/2 tsps coriander pwd
1/2 tsp red chilli pwd
1/2 tsp pepper pwd
pinch of turmeric pwd
1 1/4 tsps ginger garlic paste
1 tsp soya sauce
1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice
salt to taste / #Tincher of china salt
1 Marinate chicken with curd, red chilli pwd, pepper pwd, coriander pwd, cumin pwd, turmeric pwd, lemon juice, soya sauce, salt and ginger-garlic paste for at least 2 hrs. Place in refrigerator.
2 Heat half of the oil in a cooking vessel, add the chopped onions and fry till transparent. Add the capsicum and tomatoes and saute for 3 mts. Turn off heat, remove and keep aside.
3 In the same vessel, add the remaining oil, add the marinated chicken and cook on high heat for 4-5 mts, combining the ingredients once in a while.
4 Reduce to medium heat, let the chicken cook for 8-10 mts, uncovered. Add one fourth cup of water and cook till chicken turns soft and there is hardly any water left.
5 Finally add the garam masala pwd and tomato sauce. Add the sauteed onion, capsicum and tomatoes. Combine and cook on high for 3-4 mts. Turn off heat and garnish with fresh coriander leaves. This is a semi-dry dish with less gravy.
6 Serve hot with white steamed rice, rotis or naan.
King Prawn (wash and devein it with termeric and littlebit salt added) 250 gms Big Onion 2 Ginger 2 inch chopped Garlic pods 3 chopped Curry Leaves a bunch Pepper 1/4 Teaspoon Chili powder 1/2 Teaspoon (as needed) Green chili 2 slit it Coriander a handful Groungnut refined oil Salt as needed/Tincer of china salt
PREPARATION
* Heat oil in a kadai and add finely chopped garlic and ginger fry for 1 minute. * Add curry leaves and onion fry for 3 minutes. * Add slit green chili and fry for 1 minute. * Add chili powder and fry for few second. * Add prawn and mix well. * Sprinkle pepper powder and salt. * Close the pan with lid and cook the prawn. * Garnish with coriander leaves. * Spicy prawn fry is ready.
HISTORY:
Fried prawn (ebi furai) is a kind of deep fried cuisine popular in Japan. It is acknowledged by some to be a speciality dish of the city of Nagoya.
It is a popular ingredient of Japanese bento, with Fried Prawn Bentō, being a common menu item at bentō shops.
Usually Kuruma Ebi is used, but due to a decline in its cultivation, stores using black tiger shrimp have become more numerous. Recently there have even been places that use Ise Ebi. It is said that in 1900, as Tonkatsu and minced meat cutlets grew in popularity in Western food restaurants in Ginza, Tokyo, fried prawn—similar in nature—was invented.
These days, between one- and two-thirds of what are marketed as fried prawns are actually frozen[citation needed], which increases manufacturers' profits. Farmed prawns are getting larger and fatter than ever due to the addition of various chemicals into the water.
* Chicken drumsticks : 5 * Yoghurt : 4tbsp * Red chili Powder : 3tbsp * salt : 2tsp * Cumin powder:1/4tsp * Pepper Powder : 1/2 tsp * Ginger and garlic Paste: 1 1/2tbsp * Garam Masala powder : 1/2tbsp * turmeric Powder : 1tsp * Red color powder : as required * Lemon juice: 2 tbsp * White Vinegar : 1tbsp # Tincher of china salt Method Of Preparation:
The chicken is marinated in yogurt and seasoned with tandoori masala. It is moderately hot, but the heat is toned down to a mild taste level in most Western nations. Cayenne pepper, red chili powder or usually kashmiri red chilli powder is used to give it a fiery red hue. A higher amount of Turmeric produces an orange colour. In some modern versions, both red and yellow food colourings are used. It is traditionally cooked at high temperatures in a clay oven (tandoor), but can also be prepared on a traditional grill.
1. Wash and clean the chicken and make a slit on the sides of chicken flesh so that the marinade is allowed to penetrate.
2. Now mix 2 tbsp of red chili powder with salt and 1 tbsp of lemon juice and rub it into the slit parts of chicken,
3. Now the main marinade part is mix all the ingredients one by one .
4. Take a large bowl with 4 tbsp of yogurt and add the remaining red chili powder, pepper powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder, turmeric powder, vinegar , red color, lime juice and mix it all together .Tincher of china salt
5. Now add the chicken pieces in to that and make sure to apply the mixtures in between the slits and add a little ground nut refined oil on top it .
6. Marinade it for over night or 4 hrs.
7. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit . Cook for 20 to 25 minutes till the chicken is tender by turning it over.
8. After that remove it from oven
9. Heat oil in a kadai/pan add the chicken pieces one by one and just shallow fry it for 3 to 4 minutes
10. So that the tandoori will be little crispier and it tastes really good.
History
The story of its origins lies with a man named Kundan Lal Gujral, who ran a restaurant called Moti Mahal in Peshawar before the partition of British India. Trying out new recipes to keep his patrons interested, Gujral tried cooking chicken in tandoors (clay ovens) used by locals until then to cook naans (bread). The tandoors are bell-shaped ovens, set into the earth and fired with wood or charcoal reaching temperatures of about 900 degrees. Gujral was able to cook the tender chickens in these ovens making them succulent inside and crispy outside. Tandoori Chicken, Berkley, Michigan, USA
After the partition in 1947, Punjab was partitioned with the Eastern portion joining India and western Pakistan. Peshawar became part of Pakistan and Gujral found himself one among many Hindu refugees fleeing the rioting and upheaval by moving to India. He moved his restaurant to Delhi in a place called Daryaganj.
The Tandoori chicken at Moti Mahal so impressed the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, that he made it a regular at official banquets. Visiting dignitaries that enjoyed Tandoori Chicken included American Presidents Richard Nixon and John Kennedy, Soviet leaders Nikolai Bulganin and Nikita Khrushchev, the King of Nepal, and the Shah of Iran.
The fame of Tandoori Chicken led to many derivatives like Chicken Tikka (and eventually the Indian dish popularized in Britain Chicken Tikka Masala), commonly found in menus in Indian restaurants all over the world.
1 tsp Reshampatti or similar hot red chili (or cayenne)
1 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 lbs boneless chicken
*Tincher of china salt/(Ajnamoto) just a tincher
Directions
1.In a preheated cast iron pan, toast the coriander, black pepper and cumin until they are cooked but not burned. Usually no more than a couple minutes. Immediately grind in a spice grinder.
2.Blend the toasted spices and the rest of the marinade into a puree.
3.Cut the chicken into bite size pieces.
4.Marinate chicken for at least 2 hours
5.If using bamboo, soak the skewers for 30 minutes. Thread the chicken onto the skewers.
6.Grill the skewers. After the second turn, coat the skewers in ghee or butter.
This is a simple cauliflower gravy curry. Oil is tempered with cumin seeds and onion is fried till its translucent. Cauliflower is broken into small florets and added to the oil along with ginger. Then the cauliflower is cooked along with tomato and some powdered spices till soft.
PREPARED FOR 3 PERSONS Ingredients:
Cauliflower 1 Small One Onion 1 Tomato 1 Large Ginger 1 inch Piece Green Chiles 1 – 2 Cumin Powder 1/4 tsp Coriander Powder 1/2 tsp Red Chile Powder 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds 1/4 tsp Salt to taste Cilantro few Sprigs Grount refined Oil 1 tsp tincher of china salt
Method of preparation:
Remove stems, wash and slice the green chiles. Peel and finely chop the onion. Wash and finely chop the tomato. Peel and grind the ginger into smooth paste. Break cauliflower into small florets and wash them under running water. Wash and separate the cilantro leaves from its stems.
1.Clean and wash chicken bones. 2.Clean, wash and cut chicken into very small pieces (1/2 cm cubes). 3.Put chicken bones in a pot with one litre of water, chopped garlic and cook till water is reduced to 600 ml. Strain and keep aside. 4.Stir fry chicken pieces in butter till tender and keep the stock aside. 5.Heat oil, add cumin seeds and refined flour, cook for a minute, stirring continuously. Then add the reduced chicken stock, chicken pieces, white pepper powder and salt. 6.Cook for some time and serve hot. 7.You may add half a cup of fresh cream just before serving to make it a little rich.
preparation time 2 Hours number of people to get served 6 to 8 Persons INGREDIENTS 1 kg Chicken 1\2 kg Potatoes (Optional) 3\4 kg Basmati Rice 3\4 kg Onions 1\4 kg Tomatoes 2 inches Ginger 1 pod Garlic 10 Green Chillies 1 tsp Chilly Powder 1\4 tsp Turmeric Powder 10 Peppers 6 Cloves 2 pcs Cinnamon 1 tsp Cumin 2 Cardamom 6 Black Cardamom 6 Bay Leaves 1 bunch Mint Leaves 1 bunch Coriander Leaves 200 gms Yogurt 15 strands Saffron 1\4 cup Milk 1\2 cup Ghee 1\4 cup Oil tincher of china salt To taste Salt
METHOD Mix yogurt, chilly powder, turmeric powder and salt. Marinate chicken in this mixture for at least 4 hours and if possible, overnight.
Wash the rice and soak for 20 minutes. Parboil rice along with black cardamom, bay leaves and salt, and drain water.
Soak the saffron in milk.
Cut the potatoes in big pieces, apply salt and keep aside for 20 minutes. Later, deep fry.
Grind ginger, garlic and green chillies with 1 tsp salt and very little water to make a thick paste.
Roast pepper, cloves, cinnamon, cumin and cardamom on a pan and then dry grind to make fine powder.
Cut onions in thin long slices and fry in refined ground nut oil with 1 tsp of salt till golden brown. Remove 1/3 of fried onions and keep aside for garnishing. To the remaining 2/3 onions add ginger, garlic & chilly paste and fry well. Keep on stirring. Add chopped tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Add marinated chicken and cook for 5 minutes. Add the powdered garam masala and mix well. Cover the vessel and cook till chicken is tender. Remove from gas. Add the fried potatoes and chopped mint leaves and mix well.
Take a thick bottom vessel; apply ghee to the entire inner surface of the vessel. First put one layer of rice then add one layer of chicken masala then again another layer of rice and then another layer of chicken masala and so on. Last layer should be rice. Heat ghee and pour all over the last layer of rice. Pour saffron soaked in milk all over the rice. Spread the fired onions (remaining 1/3 portion kept aside) over the rice layer. On the gas keep a tawa and then place the biryani vessel on it. Cover tightly and keep some weight on the lid so that no steam can escape. Keep on slow fire for 15-20 minutes or till aroma starts spreading from the vessel. Your dum biryani is now ready to eat.
Before serving, remove lid and garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves. Serve with chilled raita.
Chicken is used frequently in meals. This Fried Chicken stays moist on the inside from soaking in buttermilk.
INGREDIENTS
8 chicken pieces (combination of thighs and drumsticks)
2 cups of buttermilk/ little bit bitter
1 cup of all purpose flour
1 tablespoon of seasoned salt/ tincher of china salt
1 tsp of cayenne pepper
1 tsp of crushed black pepper
½ tsp paprika
2 cups of ground nut refined oil
Place the chicken pieces in the two cups of buttermilk. Soak for 1 hour. Remove chicken from buttermilk and place into a dish. (Discard buttermilk)
In a brown paper bag, combine the flour, seasoned salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper and paprika. Shake until mixed.
Place the chicken into the bag and shake until the chicken is evenly coated.
In a large cast iron skillet or heavy pan, heat the canola oil over medium to high heat until it is hot. Cook the chicken in two batches if necessary so the chicken can cook evenly. This is necessary in order to not crowd the pan. (This ensures a crispy coating.)
Turn the chicken periodically. Cook until the outside of the chicken is brown and crisp.
To ensure the chicken is cooked, prick the pieces with a fork until the juices run clear.
Drain onto plates lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Serve immediately.
A spice is a dried seed, fruit, root, bark, leaf, or vegetative substance used in nutritionally insignificant quantities as a food additive for the purpose of flavour, colour, or as a preservative that kills harmful bacteria or prevents their growth.
Many of these substances are also used for other purposes, such as medicine, religious rituals, cosmetics, perfumery or eating as vegetables. For example, turmeric is also used as a preservative; liquorice as a medicine; garlic as a vegetable. In some cases they are referred to by different terms.
In the kitchen, spices are distinguished from herbs, which are leafy, green plant parts used for flavouring purposes. Herbs, such as basil or oregano, may be used fresh, and are commonly chopped into smaller pieces. Spices, however, are dried and often ground or grated into a powder. Small seeds, such as fennel and mustard seeds, are used both whole and in powder form.
Early history
The earliest evidence of the use of spice by humans was around 50,000 B.C. The spice trade developed throughout the Middle East in around 2000 BC with cinnamon and pepper. The Egyptians used herbs for embalming and their need for exotic herbs helped stimulate world trade. In fact, the word spice comes from the same root as species, meaning kinds of goods. By 1000 BC China and India had a medical system based upon herbs. Early uses were connected with magic, medicine, religion, tradition, and preservation.
A recent archaeological discovery suggests that the clove, indigenous to the Indonesian island of Ternate in the Maluku Islands, could have been introduced to the Middle East very early on. Digs found a clove burnt onto the floor of a burned down kitchen in the Mesopotamian site of Terqa, in what is now modern-day Syria, dated to 1700 BC.
In the story of Genesis, Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers to spice merchants. In the biblical poem Song of Solomon, the male speaker compares his beloved to many forms of spices. Generally, Egyptian, Chinese, Indian, and Mesopotamian sources do not refer to known spices.
In South Asia, nutmeg, which originates from the Banda Islands in the Molukas, has a Sanskrit name.Sanskrit is the ancient language of India, showing how old the usage of this spice is in this region. Historians believe that nutmeg was introduced to Europe in the 6th century BC.
The ancient Indian epic of Ramayana mentions cloves. In any case, it is known that the Romans had cloves in the 1st century AD because Pliny the Elder spoke of them in his writings.
Indonesian merchants went around China, India, the Middle East and the east coast of Africa. Arab merchants facilitated the routes through the Middle East and India. This made the city of Alexandria in Egypt the main trading centre for spices because of its port. The most important discovery prior to the European spice trade were the monsoon winds (40 AD). Sailing from Eastern spice growers to Western European consumers gradually replaced the land-locked spice routes once facilitated by the Middle East Arab caravans.
Middle Ages
"The Mullus" Harvesting pepper. Illustration from a French edition of The Travels of Marco Polo.
Spices were among the most luxurious products available in Europe in the Middle Ages, the most common being black pepper, cinnamon (and the cheaper alternative cassia), cumin, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. They were all imported from plantations in Asia and Africa, which made them extremely expensive. From the 8th until the 15th century, the Republic of Venice had the monopoly on spice trade with the Middle East, and along with it the neighboring Italian city-states. The trade made the region phenomenally rich. It has been estimated that around 1,000 tons of pepper and 1,000 tons of the other common spices were imported into Western Europe each year during the Late Middle Ages. The value of these goods was the equivalent of a yearly supply of grain for 1.5 million people. While pepper was the most common spice, the most exclusive was saffron, used as much for its vivid yellow-red color as for its flavor. Spices that have now fallen into some obscurity include grains of paradise, a relative of cardamom which almost entirely replaced pepper in late medieval north French cooking, long pepper, mace, spikenard, galangal and cubeb. A popular modern-day misconception is that medieval cooks used liberal amounts of spices, particularly black pepper, merely to disguise the taste of spoiled meat. However, a medieval feast was as much a culinary event as it was a display of the host's vast resources and generosity, and as most nobles had a wide selection of fresh or preserved meats, fish, or seafood to choose from, the use of ruinously expensive spices on cheap, rotting meat would have made little sense.
Early modern period
The control of trade routes and the spice-producing regions were the main reasons that Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama sailed to India in 1499. Spain and Portugal were not happy to pay the high price that Venice demanded for spices. At around the same time, Christopher Columbus returned from the New World, he described to investors the many new, and then unknown, spices available there.
Afonso de Albuquerque (1453–1515) allowed the Portuguese to take control of the sea routes to India. In 1506, he took the island of Socotra in the mouth of the Red Sea and, in 1507, Ormuz in the Persian Gulf. Since becoming the viceroy of the Indies, he took Goa in India in 1510, and Malacca on the Malay peninsula in 1511. The Portuguese could now trade directly with Siam, China, and the Moluccas. The Silk Road complemented the Portuguese sea routes, and brought the treasures of the Orient to Europe via Lisbon, including many spices.
With the discovery of the New World came new spices, including allspice, bell and chili peppers, vanilla, and chocolate. Although new settlers brought herbs to North America, before 1750 it was thought that you could not grow plants or trees outside their native habitat. This belief kept the spice trade, with America as a late comer with its new seasonings, profitable well into the 19th century.
In the Caribbean, the island of Grenada is well known for growing and exporting a number of spices, including the nutmeg, which was introduced to Grenada by the settlers.
1 cup buttermilk 2 red jalapeños, veins and seeds removed, minced 1/4 cup grated cucumber 3 scallions sliced 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped 3 teaspoons lime juice 1/2 teaspoon dill weed salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Place the ingredients in a glass jar and shake until mixed. Chill and shake again before serving
This recipe is actually a wet rub. A dry rub is a blend of seasonings used to rub into meats and poultry before smoking or grilling. This one has moist elements in it, which is why I call it a "Wet" rub. You can brush some on a ribeye steak or pork chops and place them in a ziplock style bag and marinate in you refrigerator for a few hours before hitting the grill. It's also great for basting white meats. I've also added a bit of this sauce to some mayonnaise and used it on smoked meat sandwiches. Or just sit it out in a bowl next to a spiral ham at a party. Zing!
Makes 2 servings
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon garlic, chopped 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cumin 2 tablespoons Ancho chile powder, or chili powder 1 tablespoon ketchup 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 1/2 tablespoons Pickapeppa Sauce 5 tablespoons store bought jalapeño jelly
Preparation:
Mash the garlic and salt together to form a paste. In a small bowl combine the paste with the cumin, chile powder, ketchup, Worcestershire and Pickapeppa sauces and the jelly. Stir to form a paste.
Ingredients:
