VEGETABLE KORMA VEGETABLE KORMA (Seasonal fresh vegetables in a mild, creamy sauce) Serves : 6 Ingredients Onions (chopped roughly)

1 no. Peeled Garlic 5 Cloves Ginger root (chopped) 1/2 piece Jalapeno Pepper 1 no. Oil 1 tablespoon Salt a pinch Cashew nuts (optional) 1 tablespoon Put all above in a heavy bottom pan and cook on simmer for 1/2 hour. Cool, puree in a blender and set aside. Oil 2 Tablespoons Cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon Carrots (diced) 1/4 Cup Potatoes (diced) 1/4 Cup Cauliflower (cut into tiny florets) 1/4 Cup Zucchini (diced) 1/4 Cup Mushrooms (diced) 1/4 Cup Bell Peppers (red & green dice) 1/4 Cup Beans (diced) 1/4 Cup Green peas 2 tablespoon Turmeric powder 1/4 tablespoon Canned tomato puree 1/4 Cup Salt to taste Sugar 1/2 tablespoon Mace& green Cardamom powder 1/4 tablespoon Cream 1/4 Cup Method Heat Oil and temper with cumin, saute till it crackles. Add carrots and potatoes, saute till translucent. Add all the vegetables and the turmeric, saute for 3-4 minutes. Add tomato puree, onion puree, salt and sugarsaute for 2 minutes and add 1/2 cup water. Bring to boil and simmer till vegetables are tender. Add the spice mix and the cream, check seasoning and serve

KONKAN FISH CURRY KONKAN FISH CURRY: This dish is made with many variations all along the western coastline, from Maharashtra, Goa to southern Karnatak with different proportions of the ingredients. This is the one that I liked the most but I have reduced the chili pepper here to a third of what it is. Serves : 4 Ingredients Vegetable oil 2 tablespoons Garlic (crushed) 6 cloves Whole dry red pepper 1 no. Onion (diced) 1 large Curry leaves - Helichrysum angustifolium 20 (2 sprigs) Tomatoes (chopped) 2 nos. Jalapeno (chopped) 2 nos. Turmeric powder 1 Teaspoon Coriander seeds (pounded) 1 ounce Cumin seeds (pounded) 0.5 ounce Salt 1/4 teaspoon Water 1/2 cup Kokum - Garcinia indica (soaked in water) 6 petals Coconut milk 8 oz. Grouper fillet (1.5" cubes) 2 lbs. Method Sauce: Heat oil in a pan and saut the garlic for 2 minutes. Add the red pepper, onions, and half the curry leaves and saut till onion edges are a light brown. Add tomatoes, turmeric, salt, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, jalapeno and mix well. Add the water, bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Cool the mixture and then grind to a fine paste. Finishing: Bring the gravy to a boil with the coconut milk, curry leaves and kokum. Correct seasoning and consistency (you may have to add a little water) and gently ease the fish pieces into the gravy. Lower to simmer, cover and cook till done (approximately 10 minutes).

Crab Masala

CRAB MASALA Yield: 6 portions INGREDIENTS: Jumbo Lump Crab meat 1 lb. (fresh or pasteurized) Soybean oil 2 tablespoons Fenugreek seeds teaspoon Onions (finely minced) 2 medium size Ginger (finely minced) teaspoon Garlic (finely minced) teaspoon Curry Leaves (chopped finely) 10 nos. Turmeric teaspoon Chili powder teaspoon Salt teaspoon Cilantro (chopped fine) 1 tablespoon Tomatoes (small dices) 2 tablespoons Lemon Juice teaspoon METHOD: 1. Clean crab for any shells without breaking the lumps. 2. Heat oil in a fry pan. 3. Temper with the fenugreek seeds and add the onions before the seeds turn dark brown. 4. Saut till onions turn translucent, then add the garlic, ginger and curry leaf. 5. Continue to saut over low heat for 5 minutes. Sprinkle little water if too dry. 6. Add the turmeric, chili powder and salt, cook on low heat for 5 minutes. 7. Add the crab meat and gently toss till spices and masala coats the pieces, taking care not to break the pieces too much. 8. Add tomatoes, cilantro and lemon juice. Add 1 tablespoon water and toss gently to mix well and serve.

Garam Masala

-the Indian all-spice

One of my regular guests at Passage to India had a strange request-wanted to buy Garam Masala from us. Given the recent popularity of Indian food & realizing that a lot of people would want to know the ingredients (as we make it) here is our downscaled recipe for domestic use-Cumin seeds 2 oz. Coriander seeds 2 oz. Green Cardamom 2 oz. Black Cardamom 2 oz. Cloves 2 oz. Peppercorn 2 oz. Mace 1 oz. (Myristica fragrans) Nutmeg 1 no. Bayleaf 1 oz. Cinnamon 2 oz. Lightly dry roast all spices on slow heat to remove moisture (from husks and shells especially). The spices can be left overnight in an oven with the pilot flame on for the desired results. Let cool and then grind finely. Store in an air-tight container.In different parts of India other ingredients are also added to the garam masala. Dried rose petals in the Mughlai cuisine of NorthStar anise in the West.Kabab Chini (Fructus Cubebae) and Patthar ka Phool (Parmelia Perlata) in the Hyderabadi cuisine of South

ALOO TAMATER RASMISSA (Potatoes in a tomato gravy)

Potatoes (boiled, peeled, dices 1") 3 nos. Tomatoes (chopped) 4 nos. Ghee/ Oil 2 tablespoons Cumin Seed 1 teaspoon Asafetida teaspoon Turmeric powder teaspoon Chili powder teaspoon Coriander seed powder 1 teaspoon Cilantro chopped cupSalt to taste Water 1 pint Heat ghee/oil in a heavy bottom pan. Add cumin seeds, stir as they crackle. Add asafetida. Add chopped tomatoes, turmeric, salt, chili & coriander powders . Stir and cook on slow heat till tomatoes are mushy. Add water and bring to boil. Add potatoes and cook on slow heat for 15 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve. If tomatoes not sour enough you may add a dash of lemon juice.

KADDU KI SUBZI (Tempered red Pumpkin)

Pumpkin with Green skin 2 lbs. (insides discarded and cut in 1 dices) Mustard Oil 3 tablespoons Fenugreek seeds teaspoon Green chilies (slit) 5 nos. Turmeric powder teaspoon Jaggery powder teaspoon

Raw mango powder (Amchoor) teaspoon Salt to tasteHeat mustard oil in a heavy bottom pan till clear. Remove from fire, cool a little and add fenugreek seeds, stirring till they brown slightly. Add slit chilis and pumpkin, stirring so that the pieces get oil coated. Cover with tight lid and simmer for 10 mins. Add turmeric powder and salt , mix well and cook on slow heat, covered for 20 mins. Add jaggery and mango powder mix and cook for another 5 mins. Posted by Chef Sudhir Seth - www.passagetoindia.info Washington DC Metro at 4:09 PM 0 comments Aloo Gobhi

An East Indian rendition of

"potatoes & cauliflower"

PANCHPHORNER CHORCHORI (Five seed tempered vegetables)A unique combination of flavors derived from the tempering five seeds, hence the name. Various substitutions of seasonal vegetables can be made from just potatoes to a mix of eggplants, broad beans, red pumpkin, radishes, cauliflower, spinach and bell peppers. Serves 4 Mustard oil 3 Tablespoons Cumin seeds Teaspoon Mustard seeds Teaspoon Fennel seeds Teaspoon Wild onion seeds (Nigella) Teaspoon Fenugreek seeds Teaspoon Potatoes (3/4 diced) 2 med. size Cauliflower (cut in 1florets) 1 flower Bell pepper (cut in 1 dices) 1 no (optional) Turmeric powder 1 Teaspoon Red chilli powder Teaspoon Salt Teaspoon Sugar Teaspoon Ghee Teaspoon 1) In a heavy bottom pan heat mustard oil till it lightens in color. 2) Remove pan away from stove and add all the five seeds. 3) Place pan on stove and stir gently till seeds splutter and crackle. 4) Add potatoes and saut for 3 minutes on med heat. 5) Add cauliflower and bell peppers, and continue to saut for another 5 minutes. 6) Sprinkle turmeric and chilli powders continue to saut for a minute. 7) Cover and cook for 5 minutes then add salt, mix, cover and let cook till done. 8) Correct seasoning, add sugar, ghee, mix and saut on high heat for 2 minutes.

CHICKEN KABAB (Char-grilled morsels of chicken): Serves 4

Chicken Breasts (cut in 2dices) 2 lbs. Low fat yogurt cup Soybean oil 2 Tablespoons Ginger paste 1 Tablespoon Garlic paste 1.5 Tablespoons Mace } Green cardamom } All three powdered- 2 Teaspoons Nutmeg } Turmeric powder Teaspoon Gramflour (roasted) 1 Tablespoons White pepper powder Teaspoon Lemon juice 2 Tablespoons Salt To taste 1) Whisk yogurt till smooth. 2) Add all ingredients except chicken and mix to a smooth mixture with no lumps. 3) Add chicken and mix gently in the marinade. Leave aside covered in fridge for 4 hrs. 4) Remove from fridge and skewer pieces evenly. 5) Grill on medium heat for 10 min. (12 min. at 325`F in an oven)