Kofta Meatball Curry- known dish, unknown experience...

This is the second attempt to make this delicious Indian dish. If you enjoyed the recipe I posted in March, you should also try this one. It could be good opportunity to observe how spices can change the taste of the dish. Here is another recipe for Kofta Curry: same main ingredients, same preparation method, but totally different experience for your taste buds.  (Recipe by Chef Clary Wilson)

Ingredients for Koftas (meatballs)

300g lean minced beef/ lamb/ goat/ chicken

1 tsp kebab masala

1 egg

½ tsp salt

½ tsp ginger powder

½ tsp garlic powder

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp tandoori masala

½ tsp black pepper

¼ medium sized onion- chopped finely

1 Tbsp coriander- chopped finely

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl and marinade for a while. When the mixture absorbs the flavours, make walnut size meatballs and pre-bake them in the oven (at 180C) until light brown. It will help to preserve the shape of the koftas and prevent them from falling apart when dropped into the curry sauce.

Ingredients for the sauce:

50 ml canned tomatoes

150 ml onion sauce (or 1 medium sized onion- chopped finely)

½ green chilli chopped finely

1 tsp tandoori masala

½ tsp ginger powder

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp garam masala

½ tsp salt

1 Tbsp coriander- finely chopped

2 Tbsp natural yoghurt

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Ketchup- to taste

Put tomatoes, yoghurt, chilli, coriander and dry spices in a bowl and mix together to make a paste.

Heat up the oil in a large heavy-based pan. Fry the onion sauce and prepared paste, gradually adding a table spoon at a time and mixing together until the sauce turns lightly brown.  (If you are using chopped onion instead, fry it gently until soft and light brown before mixing the paste in).

Drop pre-baked meatballs into the sauce and shake the pan. Do not stir as it may break the koftas. Keep the lid on and simmer for 25-30 minutes on low heat. Few minutes before taking the dish off the heat add some ketchup to sweeten the sauce and garnish with fresh coriander. Serve with rice or Indian flat breads. Enjoy!

Chiken Tikka Masala- Britain's favourite curry

Chicken Tikka Masala- this beloved South-Asian dish with unclear origin is probably more popular around the world than in India. Proclaimed to be ‘Britain’s true national dish’, it is the most often ordered dish in restaurants and take-aways around the UK. So what is the secret behind this famous curry and where is it really coming from?

The word Tikka means pieces or bits. Masala stands for the spices contained in the curry. Chicken Tikka Masala is a delicious dish in which pre-marinated pieces of chicken are grilled and then cooked in thick, deliciously creamy gravy. The result is a lovely smokey flavour and characteristic orange-coloured sauce.    There is no standard recipe for chicken tikka masala; a survey found that of 48 different recipes, the only common ingredient was chicken; however classic onion, tomato and coriander base seems to be most popular. Also origin of this delicious dish is wrapped in mystery. Some people have drawn comparisons between chicken tikka masala and butter chicken, other creamy North Indian dish. Some people claim Tikka Masala is an accidental product of Punjabi cuisine which was subjected to numerous improvisations. Others argue it was rather invented in the UK, to suit the taste of British curry-lovers.

This recipe shows how to prepare it the classic way- marinating the chicken first and then cooking it in the curry sauce. (Recipe by Chef Clary Wilson)

Ingredients for Chicken Tikka Marinade:

250g chicken breast- diced 2.5 cm

2 Tbsp plain yoghurt

2 Tbsp double cream

2 Tbsp mustard or vegetable oil

25g onion- finely chopped

1 green chilli- finely chopped or ½ tsp chilli powder

½ tsp ginger puree or powder

½ tsp garlic puree or powder

½ tsp garam masala

½ tsp Kashmiri masala paste

½ tsp Tikka masala paste

Put all above ingredients in a bowl and mix well together. Cover with cling film and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

When the chicken is ready, place it on a lightly greased baking tray and bake at 180C (in preheated oven) for approx. 15 minutes. Turn it over once.

Alternatively place it on metal skewers and cook in Tandoor oven for 10-12 minutes.

Masala Sauce:

100g onion masala- curry base sauce

2 Tbsp mustard or vegetable oil

½ tsp ginger puree or powder

½ tsp garlic puree or powder

½ tsp tandoori masala

½ bell pepper (green)- diced finely

½ bell pepper (red) – diced finely

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp salt

2 tsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

½ tsp garam masala

2 tsp tomato puree

Place all the ingredients in a small bowl and blend together until smooth to make a paste.

 Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the masala sauce gradually a tablespoon at a time until the sauce turns light brown.

 Add cooked chicken, mix together and simmer on a low heat for about 20 minutes. If required add some Yakni stock (two tablespoons at a time).

Take off the heat and cool slightly. Mix in some plain yoghurt and single cream (ratio 1:1) to taste. Garnish with chopped fresh coriander. Serve with Indian flat breads or rice. Enjoy!

Mint raita yoghurt dip

Finally here comes the time to post famous Mint raita recipe. This rich and fresh yoghurt sauce is a staple in Indian homes as it can be served with almost every dish.  It is essential especially during the hot weather or as an accompaniment for hot and spicy curries as both mint and yoghurt are known for their cooling properties. It balances the richness of Indian dishes and tastes particularly good with stuffed Parathas (flatbread) and Biryanis and Pulaos (rice dishes), but also as a dip for popular starters, like samosas or onion bhajis.

Same as many other Indian recipes, there is no defined formula as such. Raitas are very flexible and depending on your needs adjust the ingredients below to create the taste that suits your personal preferences and various dishes.

(Recipe by Chef Clary Wilson, comments and tips by meJ )

Ingredients:

150g natural yoghurt

1 small piece of cucumber- chopped finely

1 sprig of fresh coriander- chopped finely

½ tsp dried or fresh mint- chopped finely

½ medium sized tomato- chopped finely

2 slices of onion- chopped finely

1 radish grated

½ tsp cumin seeds- dry roasted and grinded into powder

½ fresh chilli- chopped finely

¼ tsp black pepper

¼ tsp mango (amchoor) powder

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp sugar

Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Enjoy!

TIPS:

 Take the fresh yogurt and pass that through a sieve so there are no lumps in it. This should create a perfect consistency of your raita.

As I mentioned earlier you can experiment with ingredients ratio. You can also omit some ingredients. If you decide to use more vegetables your raita will gain a salad consistency. You can decide to reduce the components to make it more sauce like.

I find that cumin might be slightly overpowering, so don’t rush with adding too much of it, unless you really like its strong flavour.

Usually I also replace fresh chilli with hot chilli powder, which adds spiciness and works perfectly if raita is served as a dip for milder snacks in example: pakoras. But if you want to achieve opposite effect and tame the heat of curries with cool raita, you should rather be careful.

If you like strong minty flavour make sure you are using fresh mint leaves. Before mixing them with yoghurt, using mortar and pestle, grind them to a fine paste with a few drops of water.

Onion masala- curry base sauce

This is the foundation for most of tasty curries served in British Indian restaurants. . Indian gravies need to cook for some time in order to develop their flavour, so preparing a proper Indian dish can be really time-consuming. For that reason all restaurants and take-away businesses usually rely on this secret recipe.  Instead of preparing everything from the beginning they will use a ladle or two of “base sauce” and add extra ingredients to customise the dish. It allows the restaurant to produce curries in no time at all. This can be used with any meat, poultry or vegetables you want. The substance, flavour and texture of the sauce only rely upon fresh and natural ingredients: onions, ginger and garlic. There are many recipes for the curry gravy, but unlike its plain variants this sauce is also very tasty on its own. Onion masala can be prepared in greater amount and easily frozen to be used when you need it. (Recipe by Chef Clary Wilson)

Ingredients:

500g onions- peeled and sliced

100g canned tomatoes

½ bell pepper or chilli pepper- chopped

1 Tbsp fresh coriander- chopped

½ tsp turmeric

½ tsp garam masala

½ tsp tandoori masala

1 Tbsp Kasoori Methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

½ tsp ginger powder or 1” piece fresh root ginger- peeled and finely chopped

½ tsp garlic powder or 3 garlic cloves- finely chopped

600ml water

Salt to taste

Method:

Place all the ingredients in a heavy based pan and boil on medium heat for about 40 minutes, until onions soften and absorb flavours. Take off the heat and cool down to the room temperature. Place the mixture in a blender and blend until smooth. Your base sauce is ready. Now it can be portioned into airtight containers and stored in the freezer until needed. Otherwise you can place it back in the pan, adding more ingredients to prepare a delicious curry of your choice.

TIPS:

If you want your sauce to have more flavour and aroma use fresh ginger and garlic instead of the powder.

Capsicum present in bell peppers or chillies is responsible for spiciness of your sauce, so you can adjust it to your own preference. Bell peppers won’t be as hot as red or large green chillies, while finger chillies will add the extra kick to the basic recipe.

Obviously you can prepare more sauce by simply multiplying the ingredients, but there are some special considerations. Salt and any of the stronger spices (such as black pepper, chilli and garam masala) need to be added judiciously or else they may dominate the base sauce. It’s best to tread carefully with these items and adjust the flavours before serving the finished dish.

Samosa- the king of Indian snacks

While trying delicatessen from Indian cuisine you cannot forget about the king of South Asian snacks- Samosa. These fragrant golden pastries with savoury filling are a ‘must have’ on every party and celebration menu. They are also widely sold on street chaat stalls. Samosa can be a perfect bite when you are hungry and in a hurry or want to surprise your guests with both tasty and easy appetiser. Filling, preparation method, size and shape of samosas may vary slightly, but usually they are known for their characteristic triangular shape. They are usually accompanied by chutney, onion salad or raita yoghurt dip.

 The samosa has been one of India’s beloved food for centuries. It is believed to have originated in Central Asia prior to the 10th century. It was introduced to the subcontinent in the 13th or 14th century by traders from the region. Nowadays they are popular all over the world and many regional variations can be found. Most famous types are Arfican sambusa (eaten in Somalia, Ethiopia and Djibouti), Israeli sambusak- milder version of its Indian equivalent, or Chamuças famous in Portuguese-speaking countries and Goa. In recent years samosa also became very popular in English-speaking countries like United Kingdom, South Africa, Kenya, Canada, and the United States. However Westerners often prefer its baked version, instead of deep fired original.

But no matter what your preferences are, if you love Indian food you should try this original Samosa recipe. Despite of being quite time consuming, preparation is relatively easy and you patience will definitely be rewarded with delicious flavour of the dish. You can also experiment and add your own flavours to this time honoured basic samosa recipe. (Recipe by Chef Clary Wilson)

Samosa Dough

Ingredients:

300g plain flour

25g margarine or oil

1 tsp salt

1tsp onion seeds (optional)

75ml warm water

• Mix the flour and margarine, using the rub in method, until flour looks like breadcrumbs.
• Add salt and onion seeds. Mix together
• Gradually add water (a little at a time). Bring together and knead for 5 min. Allow to stand for 30 minutes. Meanwhile prepare samosa filling.
• Roll dough out to form a 6 to 8" circle no thicker than the thickness of a coin. The diameter of the dough cookie determines the size of Samosa. 8" will make a large Samosa. Cook one side on the preheated tava pan for 10 seconds. Place the cooked side to bottom and keep warm in kitchen foil or tea towel.
•  With a sharp knife cut the dough circle u into half. We will use one half to make one Samosa.
• Damp edges with flour paste or egg and fold. To fold  lift one corner of half circle  (where the arch meets the straight cut), towards center. Left the other edge of half cookie and lay over the previous. Press to seal. Now, you have formed a dough cone.
• Hold the cone in your hand and stuff with prepared filling.
• After the cone is stuffed, Press and seal seal the open edge.You may flute this edge by hand or using a fork.
• Deep fry the samosa at 200C until light brown.

Meat Samosa Filling

Ingredients:

250g minced beef/ lamb/ finely diced chicken

½ medium size onion finely chopped

½ fresh green chilli finely chopped

1 Tbsp fresh coriander finely chopped

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp ginger powder

½ tsp tandoori masala

½ tsp garam masala

1 tsp kebab masala

½ tsp salt

50g frozen peas

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Method:

• In a frying pan heat the oil and fry the onions  until golden and aromatic.
• Add minced meat and stir fry until light brown
• Add the chilli and dry spices and mix well together. Add peas and stir fry until peas are tender.
• Cool before filling the samosas.

Vegetable Samosa Filling

Ingredients:

200g potatoes washed and diced small

50g frozen peas

50g sweetcorn (tinned or fresh)

50g carrots- peeled and diced small

½ medium size onion chopped small

1 dried red chilli de-seeded

½ tsp cumin seeds

½ tsp turmeric

½ tsp garam masala

½ tsp chaat masala

½ tsp ginger powder

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp  salt

Method:

• In a saucepan boil the diced potatoes and carrots until they soften slightly. Then add peas and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Drain and mix in the sweetcorn.
• In a frying pan heat the oil and fry the onions, cumin seeds and chopped red chilli until the onions are golden brown.
• With 2 Tbsp of water make the paste of salt, turmeric, garam masala, chaat masala, ginger and garlic and add to the onions, cumin and chilli mix. Fry for 2-3 minutes until the flavour absorbed. Mix in the vegetables.
• Cool before filling the samosas.

TIPS:

You can change the flavour of samosa dough by using different spices than onion seeds. Most popular equivalents are cumin seeds or ajwain (bishop seeds), but opportunities are almost countless and you can make it to your preference.

While putting your dough away to rest, rub some oil on the dough ball to prevent from creating hard shell and wrap it in a cling film.

You may choose to bake your samosas instead of frying them, as many people find it more convenient and healthier. To bake them put the samosas on lightly greased baking tray and lightly brush beaten egg over each samosa to give it a nice glaze. 

Chicken Kofta & Egg Curry

Today’s recipe is really appreciated by most South Asian families, however it still rather unknown in the West. Kofta curry, though delicious and relatively easy to prepare, is quite difficult to find in local take-away shops and on restaurant menus. Probably that’s why this appetizing dish is not as popular as well-known chicken or lamb. Also at the mention of curried egg most Westerners seem to frown for no reason. But whatever your fears are, I would highly recommend trying this dish at least once. I can guarantee most of you will fall in love with these lightly spiced meatballs in rich, mouth-watering sauce.

Ingredients:

FOR MEATBALLS (Koftas):

500g minced chicken

Breadcrumbs

2 Tbsp tomato puree

½ tsp garam masala

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp madras curry powder

½ tsp black pepper

Bunch of fresh coriander- finely chopped

Salt to taste

Base curry sauce:

2 medium sized onions- peeled and sliced

3 medium sized carrots- cut into chunks

½ tsp tumeric

1 tsp chilli powder

Salt + pepper- to taste

5-6 eggs- hard boiled

1 medium sized onion

3 cloves of garlic- finely chopped

1” piece of fresh root ginger- peeled and finely chopped

2- 3 fresh beef tomatoes –peeled and chopped or 200 ml canned tomatoes

2 Tbsp tomato puree

½ tsp garam masala

½ tsp curry powder

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp chilli powder

½ tsp turmeric powder

¼ tsp cardamom powder

Fresh coriander – to garnish

Oil + butter for frying

• Put all the ingredients for the Koftas in a large bowl and mix well together using your hands. Cover with cling film and put to marinade in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile prepare base sauce for the curry. Slice your onions and cut carrots into chunks, add spices and enough water to cover the ingredients. Simmer on medium heat until the carrots soften. Take the pan off the heat and put aside to cool down. Then using hand blender blend the mixture to a soup-like base sauce. Put aside.  
• Take out the kofta mixture from the fridge and stir it together once more.Always remember to dip you hands in water before making kofta balls, otherwise it will stick to the hands and will become shapeless. Start making small Kofta balls by taking the mixture little by little (smaller than a golf ball).

• Meanwhile heat up the oil and butter on the heavy-based pan and fry onions until light golden. Once the Onions get dehydrated and start to change colour. Add garlic and ginger and fry for another 2 minutes, until aromatic.
• Add all dry spices and stir together, until onions absorb colour and flavour.  
• Now it’s time for kofta balls to go in.  Gently drop the meatballs into the pan and fry on a low heat until lightly browned.
• Add tomato puree and tomatoes. Stir gently, so as not to break the meatballs. Fry for a few minutes, until tomatoes soften and sauce starts to thicken

• Pour prepared earlier base sauce over the meatballs and add boiled eggs.
• Increase the  flame to medium and simmer for about 40 minutes  until the koftas are fully cooked. If you want to make sure Koftas are cooked or not then , prick on the Koftas and if  a watery juice comes out, its cooked. The gravy can be as thick as you like so add or dry up the water as required. However, at this point, your curry should have smooth and creamy consistency.  
• Few minutes before taking the dish off the heat garnish with fresh coriander. Serve warm with rice or Indian flat breads and Kachumbar salad. Enjoy!!! J

Tips:

·         Use any ground meat of your choice – turkey, beef or lamb. Some people also make vegetarian koftas.

·          Make smaller Koftas for faster cooking.

·         Instead of browning the koftas with onions, you can create the gravy first and drop the balls into boiling curry together with eggs. But please note the simmering time then may be slightly longer.

·         Increase the amount of Garam Masala and Red Chili Powder to make it a spicier dish. Also can use a chopped fresh chilli- add it to your curry at the same time as garlic and ginger.

Tandoori Lamb Chops

Tandoori lamb chops are easy to prepare and delicious to eat. Even though they are not seen as often on Indian menu as Tandoori chicken it’s definitely worth to dedicate this post to them. Lamb chops are usually served as a starter, but they’ll also make a perfect light lunch. The name ‘tandoori’ simply means cooked in a ‘tandoor’- a very hot cylindrical clay oven, using charcoal, typical for South Asian cuisine. It does not dictate the exact spices used or the colour of the finished product. Spices are of one’s own choice. The dish cooks just as well in any type of hot oven. I’ve also have good news for barbecue lovers. As BBQ season has just started, you can grill your marinated lamb chops as a healthy halal alternative to traditional pork dishes and accompanying other delicacies.

Ingredients:

1kg lamb shanks or chops

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp garam masala

½ tsp turmeric

½ tsp saffron

2 Tbsp oil

1 medium sized onion – peeled and chopped into quarters

Bunch of fresh mint leaves- to garnish

Few dried apricots & prunes- to garnish

Salt & pepper to taste

Any lamb pieces will do for this dish but good quality, fresh lean lamb cutlets seem just ideal. This particular dish is best to be left to marinate for at least 4-6 hours or over night before cooking.

1. Prick each lamb chops a few times with a fork (It helps to absorb flavours) and place them in a bowl.

2. Add paprika, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, saffron, oil, salt and pepper. Mix well together with your hands to make sure the lamb chops are covered with spice mixture and oil.

3. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave for a few hours or overnight in the fridge.

4. Preheat oven to 200º C (tandoor is supposed to be very hot).

5. Place the lamb chops on the skewers, adding onion chunks in between. Bake in the centre of the hot oven, until nicely browned and dry.

If baking in normal oven you may want to place your lamb chops on baking tray. Remember to turn the pieces over half way through cooking. You may also need to drain off the excess liquid from the cooking tray so that the end result is not soggy. The lamb chops should look crispy and charred in places, as if you have cooked them on a BBQ. Cooking time varies in different ovens but it usually 30 minutes in a preheated oven.

6. Serve hot, garnished with fresh mint leaves, dried apricots and prunes. For spicier alternative- garnish with onion rings and green chillies instead. Tandoori lamb chops go perfect with other curries, daals and Indian flat breads. They also taste well as a starter served on its own, with mint yoghurt or salad.

Enjoy!

Alternative for everyone who hasn’t got access to tandoor- Lamb chops baked in the oven.