Kormas and nut based creamy sauces are the Persian influence in India. This one is a curry from Kashmir the Northern most part of India.

I Green Bell pepper cubed

1 Cup Onions Chopped

1 Jalapeno sliced

4 Cloves garlic peeled and minced

4 Cups Frozen mixed Vegetables, Peas, Carrots Beans and Corn

1 Cup Tomato Paste

½ Cup Whipping Cream

½ Cup Cilantro chopped

4 Tbs. Clarified Butter

1 Tbs. Fenugreek Seeds

1 Tbs. Ground Cumin Seeds

1 Tsp. Garam Masala

1 Tbs. Salt

Heat the clarified butter and add the fenugreek seeds till they sizzle. Fry the onions and bell pepper together till the flavor starts to come out. Add garlic , jalapenos, and fry some. Put in the mixed vegetables, salt and ground cumin. Then add the vegetables and cook on medium heat till everything is well mixed and cooked. Add the tomato paste, cream, cilantro and garam masala. The curry should be thick. Serve with Indian flatbread or over Basmati Rice.

Garam Masala. There are many different ways to make this mix.

Equal amounts of Cloves, Cardamom and Cinnamon ground together. This is your basic Garam Masala.

Daal Makhani is a favorite lentil delicacy from Punjab, North India. Any Indian full course dinner or lunch must have some type of lentil in the menu. Lentils are cooked into a spicy gravy and are used as a dipping for flatbreads or to spread over rice. Lentils can also be soaked and blended into a puree and fried as appetizers. In South India lentils are soaked, ground and mixed with rice powder to make crepes. These crepes are called Dosas or they may be filled with spicy potato filling and rolled into Masala Dosas or spicy crepes. Lentils are an excellent source of protein and each state in India and each village cooks them in their own special way. When you visit an Indian Grocery store you will see many different varieties of the lentil. These lentils are also available at Asian or Far East markets. Today’s lentil recipe will use three different types of lentils.

1 Cup Urad Daal whole or Kali Daal or Black Lentils whole and not split available at Indian Groceries

½ Cup Split Mung Bean Daal also available at Indian Grocery stores

½ Cup Chana Daal or split Chickpea Lentils available at Indian or Asian Grocery stores

1 Tsp. Turmeric Powder

½ Tsp. Cayenne Pepper Powder

1 Tsp. Whole Cumin Seeds

2 or 3 Whole dried Cayenne Peppers

1 Cup Onions chopped fine

1 Tbs. Fresh Ginger peeled and grated

2 or 3 Cloves of Garlic peeled and grated

1 Cup Tomato Paste or 1½ Cups fresh Tomatoes chopped

1 Tbs. Jalapenos or any hot Green Chilies like Serranos or Thai Hot chopped

1 Cup Cilantro chopped

1 Tbs. Garam Masala Punjab Style recipe included

1 Cup Whipping Cream for garnish

1 Tbs. Salt or to taste

1 Tsp. Sugar

5 Tbs. Ghee or clarified Butter. You can get this at Vitamin Cottage or Indian Groceries or make your own by simmering unsalted butter till the milk solids separate and then strain it out.

6 Cups Water (you may need more)

First take six cups of water in a big pot and bring it to a boil. Wash all the lentils together and put it to the boiling water. Add the turmeric and cayenne pepper powders in the pot. Let it simmer in medium or medium low heat for about forty five minutes to an hour until the lentils almost falls apart. You might need more water if the lentils are not cooked and the water is all gone. With a hand blender or egg beater blend the lentil to a smooth paste. Add salt and sugar and set it aside.

In a pot or frying pan heat four tablespoons of ghee and add the whole cumin seeds and whole cayenne peppers. When they start popping add the onions and start frying. After the onions are light brown, add the garlic and the ginger paste and after about one minute put in the tomato paste. Fry this for a little bit till the liquid goes away, then mix this spice mixture with the blended daal or lentil.

Bring the whole thing to a boil and simmer for about fifteen minutes for all the flavors to develop and mix together. Add Garam Masala, the rest of the ghee and the hot green chilies. Serve hot in bowls with some cilantro and a scoop of whipping cream as garnish on top. Enjoy! The lentil mixture in this dish varies from chef to chef.

This is a very simple and tasty vegetable. This can be served with Basmati rice or with Indian flatbreads.

2 Cups Potatoes peeled and cubed

2 Cups Cauliflower Florets

1Cup Peas

4 Tbs. Cooking Oil

1 Tbs Whole Cumin Seeds

1 tbs. Jalapenos chopped

1 Tbs. Turmeric Powder

1 Tbs Paprika Powder

1 Tbs. Salt

1 Tbs Sugar

1 Cup Water

1 Tbs. Clarified Butter

1 Tsp. Garam Masala

Heat the oil in a pot and add the cumin seeds and jalapenos. After frying them for sometime add the potatoes. After the potatoes are fried for sometime add the cauliflower florets and all the ground spices, salt, sugar and peas. Add one cup of water and when everything is heated cover and simmer on low heat for about twenty minutes, stirring in between. After everything is cooked add the garam masala and ghee and serve.

The State of Maharashtra in India with its capital city Mumbai faces the Arabian sea and is famous for seafood dishes. Coconut is an essential ingredient in Maharashtrian cooking. The food is mostly cooked in peanut oil and most of the curries are spicy and tart from chilies and tamarind. The thing that makes Maharashtrian food different from food cooked in other states is the use of dry roasted and ground nuts, like peanuts and cashews and sesame seeds. This is fresh chutney that can be served with dinner as a condiment.

2 Cups Green Mango peeled seeded and chopped. This is a tart variety of mango available in Indian and Thai groceries in spring and summer. If unavailable, you can substitute with any hard mango from grocery stores.

4 Cloves Garlic peeled

5 or 6 Hot Green Chilies

10 or12 Curry leaves available dried or fresh in Asian or Indian grocery stores.

1 Cup Chopped Coriander Leaves

1 Cup Fresh grated Coconut or unsweetened, dried and powdered coconut.

½ Cup Tamarind extract. This can be obtained by soaking a golf ball sized lump of tamarind pulp in half a cup of hot water for about half an hour and straining it out. Tamarind pulp is available at Thai or Indian groceries.

1 Tbs. White sesame seeds

½ Cup Raw, skinned and unsalted peanuts

2 Dried hot chilies

1 Tsp. Whole Cumin seeds

1 Tsp. Salt

1 Tbs. Sugar

In a dry pan first roast the peanuts, sesame seeds, cumin and chilies on medium heat and powder them in a dry grinder. In a food processor put the mangoes, garlic, chilies, curry leaves, coriander leaves, coconut, tamarind extract, salt, sugar and the roasted mixture and process until fine. Serve with dinner as a condiment.

The vast land area and the differences in climate in the State of Gujarat have contributed to the different variety of food and cuisine. Gujarat is one of the few states in India where many different and flavorful vegetarian dishes can be found. Gujarat cuisine has a number of desserts which are different from the desserts of other states, but since rice is more or less the staple food of India, each state has it’s own method of preparing rice pudding. “Doodh Pak” is rice pudding from Gujarat. I got this recipe in course of my travels to Porbandar and Bhavnagar in Gujarat.

4 Cups Whole Milk

1 Cup Basmati Rice Available at Indian or Thai groceries.

11/2 Cup Sugar

¼ Tsp. Saffron strands soaked in two tablespoons of hot milk

1 Cup Mixed nuts, almonds, cashews and pistachios slivered, soaked in hot water for about half hour and drained.

¼ Tsp. Ground Cardamom

Boil the milk in a pot and add the rice after washing it. The rice should simmer in the milk for about 45 minutes and when it gets soft add the sugar and the nuts. Let the whole dish simmer some more and add the saffron and the cardamom powder. After the liquid gets thicker and has the consistency of tapioca pudding it is done and can be served hot or cold or even at room temperature.

I learned this recipe during one of my visits to Pune, Maharashtra.

1 Cup Dried Garbanzo beans soaked overnight in warm water and drained.

1 Cup Carrots sliced thin

1 Cup Tomatoes chopped

1 Cup Red Onions thinly sliced

3 or 4 Hot green chilies sliced thin

1 Cucumber sliced thin

1 Cup Diakon or White radish thinly sliced

1 Cup Cilantro chopped

½ Cup Mint leaves chopped fine

1 Lime juiced

1 Cup Green onions chopped

1 tsp. Salt

1 Tbs. Sugar

1 Tsp. Ground Cumin

1 Fresh coconut cut into thin strips

Toss and mix all the ingredients except the coconut together in a bowl just before you serve dinner. Serve individually in small plates or bowls with dinner and add some pieces of coconut on top of the salad as a garnish.

4 Cups Overcooked Rice (Cooked until it is soggy)

1 Cup Plain Yogurt

1 Tsp. Mustard Seed

2 Cayenne Peppers, dried (or 1 Tsp. Crushed red pepper)

1 Tsp. Black Gram Lentils (available in Indian and Thai grocery stores, goes by the name of Urad Daal)

1 Jalapeno, chopped fine

10-12 Curry leaves, fresh or dried

1 Tbs. Cooking Oil

1 Tsp. Salt (or to taste)

Beat the Rice with a spoon, and set it aside. Whip the yogurt with salt, and set it aside. Heat the oil; add the mustard seed, lentils, and cayenne peppers. When these start to change color and splatter, add the curry leaves and the green chilies. Fry for one minute and then take it off the heat and mix in the yogurt. Mix in the rice and then let it sit for about one hour before serving.

This is a tasty rice dish from south India. It goes very well with spicy hot and dry curries and meat preparations. This dish will also help cool you off on bone melting hot days. Curry Leaves are available fresh or dry at Asian and Indian grocery stores.

The Indian Independence Act was passed by the British Parliament in July of 1947. This act ended the British rule of India and provided for the partition India on August 15th 1947. On August 15th two independent countries were created, India and Pakistan. The state of Punjab was divided in half, West Punjab going to Pakistan and East Punjab joining India. Almost six million Hindu and Sikh refugees streamed out of West Punjab and into India carrying they personal belongings, their famous Clay Ovens called Tandoors and their extra ordinary cuisine. Tandoori cooking was like a hurricane that swept through New Delhi and spread over all of India.

The secret is to marinate the chicken in the spices overnight or for at least four hours. Then the chicken is cooked very hot, very fast.

5 pieces Chicken legs

5 pieces Chicken thighs

2 Tbs. Lime Juice

The Marinade

1 Cup Onions chopped fine

1 Tbs. Fresh Ginger grated fine

8 cloves Garlic, grated fine

2 Cups Plain Yogurt

2 Tbs. Ghee or clarified butter or cooking oil

2 Tbs. White Vinegar

1 Cup Cilantro chopped fine

1 Cup Fresh Mint, chopped fine

3 Jalapenos, chopped fine

1 Tsp. Turmeric

1 Tsp. Cayenne powder

1 Tsp. Ground Fenugreek seed

1 Tsp. Ground Cumin seed

1 Tsp. Ground Coriander seed

1 Tsp. Garam Masala

1 Tsp. Ground Black Pepper

1 Tsp. Ground Nutmeg

1 Tsp. Ground Mace

1 Tbs. Paprika

1/2 Tsp. Saffron Powder, or break up the saffron real fine

(It is better to soak the saffron for one half hour in two tbs. milk)

1 Tbs. Salt

1 Tbs. Beet Root powder, or 1/2 cup fresh beet juice, or 5 to 10 drops red food coloring

(This coloring agent is optional; the traditional Tandoor recipe does not call for any food coloring)

Make deep several deep cuts in each chicken piece. It is important to get the marinade below the skin, and into the flesh of the chicken. Rub the chicken with the lime juice and set aside for one half-hour. Blend well all the ingredients of the marinade. Add the chicken and rub the marinade into the cuts in the chicken. Make sure the chicken is completely covered with the marinade. It is best to marinate the chicken for 24 hours in the refrigerator. If this is not possible marinate the chicken for as long as possible. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Put the chicken on a pre-greased broiler pan separating the pieces so that the heat can get to all sides of each piece. Put the chicken into the oven and turn the preheated oven to broil. Check the chicken frequently, turning the pieces as they brown, about every ten minutes. When done the chicken should have some burnt spots. Garnish with lemon slices and slightly broiled onion rings. You may substitute chunks of Lamb or young Goat for the chicken in this recipe.

The Tandoor is a clay oven that is about a three to four feet high and about a foot in diameter. A charcoal fire is built in the bottom of the Tandoor and the pieces of meat are placed on skewers and inserted into the Tandoor from the top. Meat cooks very fast in a Tandoor because of the high heat levels and because the heat gets to all sides of the meat. We may use a Grill, a Rotisserie, a Barbecue, or even the Broiler in the oven on its hottest setting as a substitute for the Tandoor.

In 1509 the Portuguese explorer, Alfonso de Albuquerque came to India. He captured Goa a tiny state on the West Coast of India, from the Sultan of Bijapur and made it the headquarters of the Portuguese Empire in India. The Portuguese controlled the whole of India’s export trade to Europe for more than a century. The Portuguese introduced chili peppers, potatoes, coffee, tobacco and Christianity to India. Goa became a Portuguese colony and is about one third Christian to this day.

Vindaloo is a very hot and sour dish developed by the descendants of the Portuguese. Goa is known for its fiery Pork Vindaloo. Goa is one of the few states in India where pork is commonly consumed. This dish use to be taken on sea voyages hence there is no water used in it, and the vinegar acts as a preservative. The word Vindaloo comes from the Portuguese word Vin, meaning vinegar and Alho meaning garlic.

Vindaloo Masala

8 Dried Red Cayenne peppers

20 Black Pepper Corns

4 – 6 Cardamom Pods, peeled

2 inch Cinnamon stick

8 – 10 Cloves

1 Tbs. Cumin Seed

1 Tbs. Fenugreek seed

1 Tbs. Mustard seed

1 Cup White Vinegar

Roast the dry spices in a hot dry pan, until it starts to give off its aroma, about 5 to 7 minutes. Cool the spices and then grind them to a fine powder. Add the vinegar and mix completely.

Pork Vindaloo

8 – 10 Lbs. Pork cut in one and half-inch cubes

1 Tbs. Brown sugar

1 Tbs. Salt

1 Tbs. Turmeric powder

1 Tbs. Cayenne pepper powder

2 Tbs. Tamarind extract

2 Tbs. Ginger, grated

12 Garlic, pods

2 Jalapenos (or 6 Serranos)

2 Sprigs Curry leaves, (about 12 – 15 leaves)

2 Cups Red Onion, sliced finely

1 Cup Cooking Oil

Mix the Pork with the Vindaloo Masala, rubbing the Masala into the meat. Let the meat marinate for 1 hour. Heat the cooking oil in a pot. Add the Curry leaves to the hot oil and fry them for 2 minutes. Add the red onions and fry them until they are a light brown color. Add the garlic and cook for three minutes. Add the ginger, turmeric, Cayenne, brown sugar, and salt and cook for twenty minutes. Add the marinated Pork and cook on medium low, just a low simmer, for one hour.

When the pork is cooked, add the tamarind and the chopped Jalapenos. Keep it cooking slowly until the sauce thickens and is almost dry.

Vindaloo is a special curry that is distinguished by its vinegar content. The Pork should be cut into fairly large pieces and should have some fat content. After cutting and cleaning the meat put it aside to dry. The meat should marinate in the Vindaloo Masala for at least one hour. It is better if you marinate it overnight in the refrigerator. This curry after it is cooked is a nice brown color to differentiate it from other Indian curries and can be compared in color to a Mexican Molé sauce. There should not be any water added to a Vindaloo curry at all. The meat should simmer in its own juices. Due to the high acid content in this recipe, it is better to cook this in pots made of stainless steel, enamel, or earthenware. The trick of making a Vindaloo is starting with a curry and ending with something that looks like barbecued meat fresh from the grill dripping with barbecue sauce. Serve over plain fluffy rice.

Greek desserts are typically very sweet with a lot of fat content. One of the most popular one is Baklava, a dessert made with phyllo pastry, nuts and sweets. Another variation of the Baklava is Sourota, which is a Baklava Roll. When I was in a Loreto School in Calcutta India, one of my classmates was called Athena and was originally from Greece. Her grandmother used to come from Greece every summer to visit her. I took a few notes while watching her make this dessert and I have worked on refining this recipe ever since. This is the sweet result.

Ingredients:

2 Cups Shelled unsalted Pecans

2 Cups Shelled unsalted Walnuts

2 Cups Shelled unsalted Pistachios

2 Cups Almonds without skin

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Cup Corn Syrup

1 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon

½ Tsp. Ground Cloves

½ Tsp. Ground Nutmeg

1 Tbs. Grated Orange Zest

2 Tbs. Brandy (Optional)

1 Lb. Phyllo pastry

16 oz. Unsalted Butter melted

Pre Heat oven to 325 degrees

In a food processor or grinder, first grind the nuts finely. Take a bowl and mix well the ground nuts, brown sugar, corn syrup, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, about quarter cup of the melted butter, orange zest and the brandy. This is the filling for the phyllo pastry.

Take about 2 Tbs. of the butter and grease the bottom of a 14 by 18 by 2 inches deep pan or casserole. If you have a smaller pan cut the phyllo pastry to fit the pan. Frozen phyllo pastry should be defrosted in the refrigerator and not over the counter because at room temperature the pastry sheets will stick to each other. Work with one sheet at a time and keep the rest covered with a damp cloth or plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out. Try to be fast while working with phyllo sheets and always pre heat your oven before you put your Baklava in.

Take eight sheets of phyllo one by one and brush both sides liberally with butter. Place them one on top of another in the pan. Put one thin layer of the nut mixture evenly on top of the eighth layer and press it down very lightly. Take three more phyllo sheets, butter each one on both sides and layer them on top of the nut mixture. Put another thin layer of nut mixture on the phyllo and continue layering about three sheets between each thin layer of nut mixture until you have used up the nuts. After you layer the last nut mixture put eight phyllo sheets buttered on both sides as a covering for the Baklava.

You may spread out and overlap sheets so that you cover the entire pan. If you have leftover nut mixture you can freeze it for future use. You can freeze unbaked Baklava and then thaw and bake it some other time.

With a very sharp knife score the top of the Baklava diagonally from upper left to lower right and from upper right to lower left to make little diamond shapes. This is the traditional shape for Baklava but any other shape is fine. Do not cut all the way through. Leave the bottom quarter inches of the Baklava uncut. Pour about three tablespoons of butter over the top of your Baklava and bake at 325 degrees for about 30 minutes or until golden but not brown in color.

The Syrup

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Honey

1 Tbs. Grated Lemon Zest

2 Tbs. Lemon Juice

1 Stick Cinnamon

1 Cup Water

Boil the syrup ingredients for about 20 minutes or until it thickens up like syrup.

After you take the Baklava out of the oven, pour the hot syrup carefully over the top and let it sit for at least five hours or overnight. It will be very easy to separate the Baklava into the diamond shapes before you serve. Enjoy!