Indian Cookery - Singh, Balbir, Mrs - 1967 - London, Mills & Boon

The Book
This is, as will be seen from the table

of contents, a very comprehensive
book. Its range of recipes — curries,
kebabs, rice, breads, sweets,
savouries, ice creams, sharbats and
squashes, pickles, chutneys and
other preserves — includes dishes
from Pakistan as well as from India,
and there are some attractive
Chinese dishes which Chinese
immigrants have made popular and
even traditional in India. Those who
have to cater for vegetarians will find
that, as well as a special section on
vegetarian dishes, there are plenty of
interesting vegetarian recipes
scattered through the book.
Mrs Singh has sought to present
genuine Indian recipes in a form that
English readers can use, without at
the same time Westernising them
out ofall recognition. While she
occasionally recommends a sensible
substitute, she urges the use of the
proper Asiatic ingredients whenever
possible, and fortunately there are
nowadays in England plenty of
specialised shops and big stores
where these can be obtained either
personally or by post. English readers
will find particularly useful the first
section, where the methods and
ingredients of Indian cookery are
described in considerable detail.
However, the book is not intended
only for English readers, and thanks
to its careful attention to the Eastern
viewpoint, it has sold more copies in
India than in England and America.
A pleasant feature is the joy, pride
and enthusiasm with which Mrs
Singh writes of the fascinating
cuisine of her own country.
The book was awarded a silver medal
by the Gastronomische Akademie
Deutschlands in 1964 and has been
translated into German.
£1.25
net
Mills & Boon

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in 2022 with funding from
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MRS BALBIR SINGH’S
*
INDIAN COOKERY
MRS BALBIR SINGH’S
INDIAN
COOKERY
a
+*(©6)
NAL
MILLS & BOON LIMITED

17-19. FOLEY STREET,
LONDON WIA IDR
© Mrs Balbir Singh 1961
Second (revised) printing 1965
Third (revised) printing 1967
Fourth printing 1968
Fifth printing 1969
Sixth printing 1971
ISBN. 0. 263. 70019. 4
Printed in Great Britain by Fletcher & Son Ltd, Norwich

PREFACE
A LARGE number of books on the culinary art in India already exist,
and it might seem that to add another to the series would be monoto-
nous and burdensome to the reader unless there is something novel
and practical to present. Some of the books available in the market
were obviously written with a view to acquainting the European
sojourners in India with the methods of adapting western ways of
cooking to the articles of food available in India. It is a rather hotch-
potch attempt at both Indian and English cuisines. Then there are
other types of books written by Indian authors who have settled
down in England, France or the U.S.A. The purpose of such books
is to provide information regarding Indian cooking to the large
number of Indians who have permanently settled abroad and for the
benefit of the nationals of these countries who had been in India for
some time. The authors of most of these books also tried to combine
Indian and European dishes. Apparently the end in view was to
enable them to produce something of the prototype of the Indian
cuisines with the material available in those countries. The result was
that quite a number of the preparations described by some of them
were not really Indian in origin and the names given to such dishes
were imaginary.
The culinary art in India has passed from father to son or through
an apprentice working for the master for several years. They keep
secret their methods of preparation, as if they were practising
alchemy. This, however, is quite a natural reaction of these skilled
professionals. Professional skill is the only wealth they possess, and it
inspires a sense of pride and satisfaction in them. Therefore it is not
possible to extract from them even an iota of the knowledge they
possess.
Another consequence of the maintenance of this secrecy about the
recipes has been that most of the experts are specialists in a few
dishes only. It isa common experience with the citizens of Delhi that
if one specialises in kulfi (Indian ice cream) the other is an expert in
just seekh kabab (minced meat roasted on skewer) and parautha
(shallow fried wholemeal bread). Therefore a comprehensive book
dealing with all types of dainties and delicacies of Indian cuisines will
meet a good need.
As stated above it is not possible to produce an encyclopaedia on
Indian cuisines. Two considerations have however weighed in the
Vv
vi PREFACE
selection of the recipes for this book. Firstly that they should suit
the tastes of readers in any part of the globe, and secondly that their
preparation should be easily possible.
The length of the recipes at first glance may prove frightening.
There is however no cause to be frightened. It is not the Indian
cookery which is complicated but the recipes which are exhaustive.
Years of experience in teaching have enabled the author to under-
stand the difficulties of students and she has tried to make everything
as clear as possible. Each step has been carefully explained and by
following the recipes excellent results should be obtained.
Except where this is obviously inapplicable, the recipes are in-
tended to serve six people.
As this book is primarily intended for the English speaking public
the names of the ingredients are given in English. The Indian equiva-
lents have however been given in parenthesis for the benefit of the
Indian readers. Furthermore a comprehensive list of ingredients with
English and Hindustani equivalents has been provided. The pro-
nunciation of the Indian names of the ingredients is not standard
and varies from place to place. The author has in this book repro-
duced the words as spoken in Punjab.
The writer is greatly indebted to her teacher and guide Miss G. L.
Jones, Head of the Department of Cookery and Needlecrafts, the
Polytechnic, Regent Street, London, without whose inspiration this
work would not have been possible. She also owes thanks to many
‘friends for their constructive criticism and help.
MRS BALBIR SINGH

CONTENTS
Preface .
SECTION I
About Indian Cookery
General requirements 17
Utensils : : 14
Weights and Measures . 19
Fire : : 3 : : : 20
Approximate mraencce Avoirdupois Imperial, Metric
and Indian weights and volumes . 20
Indian culinary methods 21

Fats used for cooking 2
Powders used in cooking 23
Garam masala ; 2
Madras Rasam or sambhar Seice 24
Commercial curry powders 24
Curd (yoghurt) 25
Chenna (Indian soft cream ehece or panir indent cream
cheese) ws)
Khoa (dried fresh whole FATS : 26
Khoa, granulated (dried fresh whole milk) 26
Gravy . ; : : ? 2a
Dum (cooking in tcain): 28
Pressure cookery . 28
Ingredients for Indian cookery

(listed in alphabetical order) 30
Culinary terms
(listed in alphabetical order) . 39
Vii
Vili CONTENTS
SECTION II
Indian Meat and Fish Dishes
Roghan josh (mutton curry). 44

Roghan josh (mutton curry) Rate 45
Doh peeazah meat curry (mutton curry). 47
Doh peeazah nargisi meat (mutton curry with pinned one
eggs) 48
Shahi korma 49
Koftas (minced meat balls) ; 50

Koftas (Rishta) (minced meat ball curry) (any. 50
Malai kofta curry (minced meat balls cooked in cream) 51
Nargisi kofta (egg coated with minced meat and fried) a2
Chicken dishes
Tandoori murgha (tandoori chicken) recipe No. 1 54
recipe No. 2 55
Makhani murgh (tandoori chicken cooked in butter and
tomato sauce) 56
Murgh musallam Gnete chocen se (dey) 57
- Chilli chicken (diced chicken with capsicum) 58
Kababs (croquettes and roasted meats) 59

Seekh kabab (minced meat roasted on skewers) 60
Shammi kabab (mutton cutlet) : 61
Pasinda (parcha) kabab (meat roasted on Tea 62
Badam pasinda curry (almond kabab curry) 63
Hussaini seekh kabab curry (curry of fried pieces of miter
held on small wooden skewers) ‘ 65
Malai kabab (minced mutton cutlet cooked in cream) 66
Moglai hoosaini kabab. ‘ 66
Alu keema tikki (potato meat puff) 67
Kamargah (mutton chop) 68
Pork delicacies 70
Sweet and sour pork 70
Pork vindaloo curry (sour and hot Aatk Rican at
Ginger pork and pineapple 2
CONTENTS
Fish preparations
Tali machchi (fried fish) :
Tandoori machchi (fish baked in clay nen)
Khat mithi machchi (sweet and sour fish)
Tomato fish .
Stuffed fried pomfret
SECTION III
Indian Rice Cookery
General information about the technique for cooking rice 80

Chawal (plain boiled rice) 81
Chawal pullao (plain pullao) 82
Matar pullao (peas pullao) 83
Gobi pullao (cauliflower pullao) 84
Kathal pullao (jack fruit pullao) H 85
Panir and matar pullao (peas and Indian cream chee vile) 86
Navrattan pullao (multicoloured rice pullao with Indian cream
cheese, tomatoes, peas and nuts) 87
Panir channa biriani (Indian cream cheese, peas ond rate
coloured rice pullao) sgVv
Vegetable fried rice . 90
Yakhni pullao (mutton putlao ye 91
Korma pullao (mutton pullao). 92
Shahjehani pullao (rice pullao for the Emperor) . 94
Young chow fried rice 96
Machchi matar pullao (prawn ad peas pullee) 97
Fried crisp noodles . 98
SECTION IV
Indian Vegetarian Cookery
Vegetable curries 101

Dum Alu (fried potato caeeeerine Ne 1 101
recipe No. 2 102
Khat mithi gobi (sweet and sour cabbage) : 115
Khoa matar (dried fresh whole milk and peas curry) (ag) : M5
».¢ CONTENTS
Eggs and peas with sweet and sour sauce. : F 2 @K16

Sindhi besan curry (split pea flour curry) . ; : wae?
Dam arbi (yam curry) (dry) . ; : . ; 1 R123
Bhujia_.. : ? : : ‘ : : 103
Alu tamatar peeaz tarkari (potato, tomato and onion bhujia) 103
Adrak Simla-mirch tamatar tarkari (fresh ginger, capsicum
and tomato bhujia) . s 104
Baingan Simla-mirch tarkari (brinjal anc capsicum es 104
Baingan tamatar (tomato and brinjal curry) (dry) . i LOS
Stuffed and fried vegetables j : : ; , LOS

Karela masalewala (bitter-gourd, stuffed and fried) . ~ AOS
Baingan masalewala (brinjals, stuffed) . : : ALLOG
Tomatoes, stuffed—recipe No.1 : : ; : Ou
recipe: No, 2); : : i 3) 08
Cabbage, stuffed . : : : P : . 109
Sabzi tikki (vegetable eae A ; : , nodes Hy |
Gobi musallam (whole cauliflower) . 3 : . so al thet
‘Kofta (vegetable balls) curries. ; ; : : TO

Palak kofta (spina¢éh ball curry) . ; 2 5 LO
Kathal kofta (jack fruit ball curry) F F : Sse bY
Kela kofta (green banana ball curry) é ; ‘ eas AO?
Kanwal kakri kofta (lotus root ball curry) : : reel
Ghia kofta (marrow ball curry) ; ; : : : it4
Rolls of leafy vegetables. : : : : 4 es

Cabbage rolls, stuffed—trecipe No. 1 119
recipe No, 2 120
recipe No. 3 121
recipe No. 4 121
Pulses or lentils : 4 3 : : ; : eud2s

Urhad or maanh sabat (whole black beans) : . 124
Moong sabat (whole green beans) . : ‘ : 2125
Kabli channas (whole Bengal beans) : : : »s 126
CONTENTS xi
SECTION V
Panir (Indian Cream Cheese) Curries
Khat mitha panir (sweet and sour Indian cream cheese). 7,

Panir kofta (Indian cream cheese ball curry) : 128
Dehin or chach kofta (yoghurt (curd) or strained Parte
kofta curry). : : ‘ 129
Panir tikki (Indian cream theeee cutlet) 130
Panir matar bhujia (Indian cream cheese and pea orien) Gian Est
Methi chaman (Indian cream cheese, spinach and fresh fenu-
greek leaves curry) (dry) 132
Dehin tikki (yoghurt or curd cutlet) 133
SECTION VI
Indian Breads
Chapati or phulka (Indian wholemeal bread) 135

Parautha (shallow fried wholemeal bread) 136
Puri (Indian deep fried bread) 137,
Bhatura (plain flour leavened deep fara bread) 138
Khamiri puri (leavened deep fried bread) 138
Roghni nan (leavened baked bread of Punjab) 139
Sheer mal (plain flour baked bread) 140
Dosa (shallow fried pancake of ground rice aid gar Bier
beans). 141
Katluma (deep fried faky Bread) 142
Werki parautha (shallow fried flaky breeds 143
SECTION VII
Indian Sweets
Burfi (dried fresh whole milk or khoa toffee). 146

Burfi badam pista (dried fresh whole milk, almond wal Bie
chio nut toffee) ; ; 146
Burfi chocolate (dried fresh nore rail ehoeblate tole) 147
Burfi magaz (dried fresh whole milk, almond, Sra nut and
kernels of melon seeds toffee) 147
Burfi gajjar (dried fresh whole milk carrot toffee) 148
xii CONTENTS
Burfi petha (dried fresh whole milk and shredded white pump-
kin pulp toffee) . : . 149
Burfi coconut (dried fresh whore till and fooconut tomes
Tecipe NO. ta . 149
recipe. No.2 x; » 150
Burfi pista (pistachio nut toffee)—recipe No.1. 5 e k ou
woe Nord: |. : IRS)
Khoa cake . R : : 2 151
Rasgulla (Indian cream hese ale in fon) : : e 3!
Ras malai (Indian cream cheese balls in double cream) . <, alos
Chenna murki (Indian cream cheese cubes cooked in thickened
sugar syrup) : 7 4
Gulab Jaman (Indian cream roheese and hoa ballin Gi Sa es:
Gajjar halwa (grated carrot pudding). ; : : <= 106
Sewian zarda (vermicelli pudding) . ; : : Pema Ses)
Sewian kheer . : : + bos
Balu shahi (eggless and Manricodted dbtighauty. : als
Shahi tukri (toast for Kings) . : : : Pues eb,
Gajjac (dried nuts and melon seeds fofee) : : 7 aGO
Karachi halwa (cornflour sweet) : : : : . 160
Petha (white pumpkin sweet) . ‘ ; : , Or
Halwa suji (semolina halwa) ; : : : + 102
Phirni (blancmange) a M163
Halwa kaddu or sita-phal fags (Gallon panpky owen o S163
Khatai_ . . j ; : : ; ‘ . 164
Kheer (rice puddin, . : : ; , : . 164
Rabri (dried fresh milk sweet) . i ‘ : : > +69
Zarda pullao (sweet rice pullao) ‘ ; 5 : ey Oe)
Bundi. ‘ : ‘ ‘ : ‘ : : . 166
SECTION VIII
Kulfi and other ice-creams

Kulfi : ; : : : ; , » 168
Phaluda (cornflour Nermicell . : , : ; « «169
Syrup for the phaluda ‘ : : ; . ; a) 169
Pista ice-cream (pistachio ice-cream) . j ; ; e 170
Kela ice-cream (banana ice-cream) . . ‘ ’ » 2170
Lime or lemon ice-cream . A : : ; : rae |
Caramel ice-cream . : ; : : : , Al
CONTENTS Xili
SECTION IX
Savoury Dishes
Pakoras (plain savoury fritters). 173
Panir pakoras (Indian cream cheese fritters) 174
Matar alu samosa (pastry stuffed with peas and potatoes) 174
Keema samosa (pastry stuffed with mince). : 176
Satpura samosa (stuffed flaky pastry like sausage “Al 176
Khatta kabali channas (whole Bengal dried peas) Cae 178
Sambar (hot lentil soup) 179
Gol gappas (hollow and translucent wate af flour) 180
Yoghurt (Curd) for the pakauries 181
Sonth (sweet and sour dried mango and ginger sficey 181
Papries (crisp, salted and fried discs of flour) 181
Pakauries 182
Zeera pani hanatiad midecumin hoa Bre teeOyt 182
Gol gappas (hollow and translucent wafers of flour) 183
Note on poppadums 184
SECTION X
Sharbats and Squashes

Mango squash 185
Orange squash 186
Lime or lemon squash 187
Lichi squash 187
Phalsa squash Gbstiae Pease) 188
Pineapple squash 188
Sharbat badam (almond sharbat) 189
Sharbat sandal (sandalwood sharbat) . 190
Sharbat gulab (rose sharbat) 190
Sharbat Love-O 19)
Sharbat khas 191
SECTION XI
Pickles and Chutneys
Nimboo ka achar (lime pickle). 192
Navrattan achar (mango, gooseberry and onion Deki) 193
Navrattan chutney (spicy mango chutney). 194
XiV CONTENTS
Podina dhania ki chutney (mint and coriander chutney) 194
Alu bukhara chutney (dried oe ar 195
Tomato chutney 196
Dosai chutney . 196
SECTION XII
Murabbas (fruit preserves), Jams and Jellies
Am ka murabba (green mango preserve)—recipe No. 1 198

recipe No. 2 199
Gajjar ka murabba (carrot preserve)—recipe No. 1 200
recipe No. 2 200
Am ka luccha (green mango shred preserve)—recipe No. 1 201
recipe No. 2 202
Mango jam—recipe No. 1 202
recipe No. 2 203
Raspberry or gooseberry jam 203
Mango marmalade—recipe No. 1 204
recipe No. 2 204
Jaman jelly (Blackberry jelly) 205
. Guava jelly : 205
Karonda jelly (gooseberry feline 206
Mango jelly ; 207
SECTION I
ABOUT INDIAN COOKERY

INDIAN cookery really needs no introduction. It is famous the world
over and enjoys a reputation matched only by the French and the
Chinese. Indian food has an uncanny charm and those who once
taste Indian food find that all other food is insipid and tasteless in
comparison.
It is the spices, whose use dates to the pre-Aryan period, which
are responsible for these superb preparations. It was in fact the lure
of these spices which first brought the British and the French, the
Dutch and the Portuguese to the Indian coast, and the very spices
which were the pride of India were responsible for its subjugation.
The use of spices does not mean their use in bulk. It does not
indicate, as those uninitiated to the glories of Indian food are prone
to believe, that Indian food is necessarily acrid and searing. No
doubt in this vast subcontinent there will be found several people
who revel in taking highly spiced dishes, but there are others who
can stand nothing but a bland dish and contrary to popular belief
Indian food is just as tasty when it is bland as when it is hot. The
extent to which a dish need be spiced is not rigid. It is a matter of
personal taste and can be varied accordingly. The excessive use of
spices has probably been fostered by various restaurants and eating
houses both inside and outside India who camouflage with the help
of spices the flavour of a dish which they are unable to produce
properly. The art of Indian cookery lies not in high spicing but in
the delicacy of spicing. It is the use of selected spices in a particular
manner to bring out the dormant flavours of a dish or to drown the
undesirable ones which is the real art. The quantity of spices used
by the author in her recipes is‘moderate and should be suitable for
most individuals.
The author does not advocate the use of packaged curry powders
or gourmet powders which are practically unknown in India. Separ-
ate spices used whole or ground into a paste impart to each dish an
individual flavour and avoid the drabness and monotony produced
by the ready-made powders. Each dish has its own combination of
spices which no curry powder can ever hope to replace.
There is a popular belief rampant in the West that Indian cookery
requires the use of special herbs and ingredients and that the cooking
is done in special utensils by some complicated technique. This is a
fallacy which must be corrected. Indian food needs no special
15
16 MRS BALBIR SINGH’S INDIAN COOKERY
utensils and no magical rites for its preparation. All the utensils,
barring a few for which the author has recommended suitable alterna-
tives, are available in every home. The technique employed is simple
and the ingredients used, excepting the spices, should be available
everywhere. The spices can be obtained from the leading grocers in
all the principal cities. Another popular objection is the undesirable
odour of certain substances like onion and garlic. There need be no
fear on this point, as the cooked product is completely devoid of any
unpleasant odours whatsoever.
Indian cookery, unlike the Western, does not lay so great an
emphasis on the decorative aspects. One of the main reasons for
this, probably, is that Indian cookery has since time immemorial
been practised by unlettered people whose sole knowledge has been
derived from years of apprenticeship. Their concern (some people
might think very sensibly) has been with food as something to be
eaten, and they have simply not chosen to devote their skill to purely
visual effects.
Then, too, they have naturally concentrated on making the best
use of the produce of their own country and climate, in a way con-
genial to their own people. Thus the foreigners visiting India are
generally served with something most inappropriate to their par-
ticular tastes. The food is either too hot for them or as is mostly
the case it is too rich for them. They thus carry away a very poor
opinion of Indian cookery. Another great drawback to the popu-
larity of Indian cookery is a result of the hundreds of years of foreign
rule which India has undergone. This has made the well-to-do Indian
westernised in his habits and actions. He takes great pride in taking
or serving European food. Consequently any European visiting
India rarely tastes real Indian food. This unfortunate state of affairs
has prevented Indian cookery from occupying its right place in world
cooking.
India has long been the centre of vegetarianism. Therefore it is
not surprising to find in Indian cookery vegetable preparations which
can compete with any meat dish in the world. It is not however only
vegetables in which the Indians have excelled. The roast meat is
without doubt the best in the world and their sweet dishes are in-
comparable. To eat Indian food is to take a glimpse of heaven.
It is sublime and beautiful. Sampling of Indian food is an unforget-
table experience. The delicious kormas and the beautiful pullaos
will haunt one’s memory forever and the mere mention of ras malai
or rasgulla will make the mouth water.
ABOUT INDIAN COOKERY 17
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
Utensils
Conventional:—Utensils required are not of any special type. The
traditional degchi (pan) is not a necessary utensil. Its main feature is
the heavy or thick metal of which it is made and the lid which has a
slight concavity on its upper surface. The saucer-shaped lid is suit-
able for placing on it live charcoal or for keeping a little water. It is
desirable to have lids of this type for the pans which are to be used
as substitutes for the degchies.
The age-old karahi is deep and hemispherical in shape. It is made
of iron and has a handle on either side. It is used as a rule for deep
frying and has a little advantage over the ordinary oval pans because
it requires a lesser quantity of fat for deep frying. Furthermore a
large number of any single item can be fried in it at the same time.
Nevertheless, there is nothing essential about it. Any deep and oval
pan with a heavy bottom should serve fairly well. The long-handled
perforated disc called poni, which is used to lift deep fried bread, can
be done away with as a wire frying slice should serve the purpose
quite well.
The tawa is essential for making chapaties (Indian whole-meal
roasted bread). It is a slightly concave iron disc of 8 to 9” in diameter
and -4;” or so in thickness. Electric hot plate may be used but a
griddle is a more appropriate substitute. A tawa (griddle) heated on
a coal iire is in fact an ideal medium for cooking chapaties because
the tawa or the griddle can be removed from the fire and the chapati
transferred from it to the fire where it is subjected to direct heat.
This makes a chapati bloat into a shape similar to that of two
saucers inverted on each other. It is however possible with a little
practice to make the chapaties swell even on electric hot plate alone.
The gas fire has no advantage over an electric hot plate, as chapaties
burn when they are placed directly on it. Really good and puffed up
chapaties are produced by the same technique whether one is using
a gas or an electric cooking range.
A tawi, which is a very shallow and circular pan, is used for
shallow frying as is necessary in cooking some of the sweets. A broad
and heavy frying pan can be substituted for this.
There are a number of other utensils of conventional forms but it
will serve no useful purpose to describe them, as suitable substitutes
are available all over the world.
Stirrers: —Metallic spoons are ordinarily used in India. Wooden
spoons which are available in England for a similar purpose are in
fact much more suitable as there is no possibility of burning one’s
fingers.
B
Frying:—A heavy, broad and deep pan called “karahi” is used in
India. A deep frying pan and a frying net will serve the purpose, the
only disadvantage being that because of its depth, it needs more fat
for frying. The result however is equally good.
Baking
The Indian way of baking is really a combination of baking and
grilling. The oven used by the Indian chefs is made of clay and is
called a tandoor. It is about 4 to 5 ft deep and 1 to 14 ft broad. Its
upper half slopes inwards and thus presents an opening only half as
wide as is the base. It is embedded in the earth with its opening just
above the level of the ground. A small air-hole at the bottom opens
into a curving side. It is kept open during the process of heating but
is closed when the actual cooking commences. A tandoor is used
for the preparation of tandoori chicken, tandoori fish, seekh kabab,
tandoori roti, nan, sheermal etc.
It is rather difficult for housewives to handle such a tandoor be-
cause one has to squat on the ground in order to use it. Furthermore
its use is uneconomical as 30 to 40 lb of wood are consumed every
6 to 7 hours in heating it. Housewives are advised to use smaller
tandoors which are about 24 ft high and are built up into drums.
These can be easily moved. They are however not as effective as the
bigger ones because they are cylindrical rather than conical in shape
and consequently the heat of the fuel is not retained by the walls. As
they are not sufficiently deep, the chicken or fish is so near the
smouldering wood whilst grilling that it is likely to be scorched be-
fore it becomes tender. The same is true about the nans or other
breads that are baked as their edges tend to burn before being fully
baked.
A few hints about making use of a new tandoor obtained from the
market are as follows :—
See that the inside of the tandoor is quite smooth. Take one Ib
(about halfa kilo) of spinach or any other kind of green leaves, bruise
and rub all over the inside of the tandoor. Leave it to dry and then
coat with an emulsion of mustard oil, buttermilk and a little salt. It
is then ready for use. This emulsion may be used occasionally but
the greens are rubbed only once when a tandoor is new.
Ignite the fuel at the bottom of the tandoor. When its inner surface
turns red it is an indication that it has become sufficiently hot and
can bake the chapaties. Drop a little water over the embers and cover
the tandoor with a metallic tray for 3 to 4 minutes. A tandoor is
then finally ready for sticking the chapaties which are to be baked or
for grilling a chicken.
Seekh or skewer
This is an iron bar about 15 to 36” long, pointed at one end, flat
on its four sides and rectangular in cross-section (a rod-shaped
skewer is not suitable). It is used for grilling kabab, chicken and
fish.
Grater
This is required for grating onion, vegetables, etc. Any kind of
grater would do.
Grinding stone
The popular method for grinding spices in the Punjab (one of the
Northern States of India) is the use of a mortar and pestle. As this
is a prototype of the one used by the pharmaceutists it should be
possible to obtain the latter wherever the conventional type is not
available. In other parts of India a stone slab about 16” 12” and
a small conical stone roller about 6” x24” are used for the same
purpose. This latter method is however essential and popular all
over India for grinding pulses. The slab and the roller are used for
grinding spices also. These however can be ground equally well or
rather better with the help of a mortar and pestle. Pulses can be
easily ground in a modern liquidiser also and thus the conventional
stone slab for grinding can be given up in highly industrialised
countries of the West.
A coffee grinder or any electric grinder can be used for grinding dry
spices and an electric liquidiser may be used for grinding garlic,
onion, ginger and the dry spices together instead of a mortar and
pestle. The writer, however, does not advise the use of a liquidiser
for this purpose in place ofa mortar and pestle because it takes a lot
of time to clean a liquidiser after use. On the other hand a mortar
and pestle can be cleaned very easily and the whole process takes
much less time than by using a liquidiser.
Weights and measures

A weighing balance is not used by housewives for day to day
cooking in India. Experienced persons can do all right without a
balance, but beginners fail to reproduce every time the same quality
in a particular dish unless they weigh the ingredients. And in order
to impress upon students the importance of weighing the ingredients,
the author has made it a rule to weigh every ingredient in their pre-
sence during her cookery demonstrations. Both the metric system
and the imperial system of weights (avoirdupois) and capacity have
been used in describing the recipes in this book, and a table of the
approximate equivalences of these and of Indian weights and
measures is given below. In the recipes, following the practice of
French and Italian cookery books, numbers of grammes are usually
rounded off to the nearest 5, e.g. 34 ozs is shown as 100 g instead of
the 99 given in the table, 1 lb as 455 g instead of 453-6 and so on,
as this is easier both to memorise and to measure. An exception is
the 4+ oz which has been left as 7 g. The spoons mentioned in the
recipes are B.S.I. measuring spoons as spoons might vary in size
from place to place. All spoon measures are level unless expressly
stated otherwise.
Fire
Coal or coke is usually used for cooking. Electricity is not a very
popular means for cooking in India because of the initial expenditure
involved in buying an electric cooking range and the insufficient load
of current available for domestic purposes. Kerosene oil stoves with
blue flames are fast becoming popular with middle class people as
they can easily be lighted and regulated and furthermore do not
produce any smoke. It should however be noted that these stoves
can be used only where medium heat is required and are useless as
far as quick frying is concerned. Gas, otherwise ideal for cooking
purposes because of its easy regulation and control, is not very
’ popular in India because of its limited availability.
Approximate equivalent Avoirdupois,

Metric and Indian Weights and Volume
Weight
Ayvoirdupois Metric Indian
+ ounce 3:5 grammes —
4+ ounce 7:0 grammes _
4 ounce 14:0 grammes _
1 ounce 28-0 grammes 4 chatak
14 ounces 42:0 grammes —
2 ounces 57:0 grammes 1 chatak
24 ounces 71-0 grammes _
3 ounces 85-0 grammes —
4 ounces 114-0 grammes 4 pao
6 ounces 170-0 grammes fo
7 ounces 198-0 grammes —
8 ounces 227-0 grammes 1 pao
16 ozs (1 1b) 453-6 grammes 4 seer
35-2 ozs (2:2 Ib) 1 kilogramme 1 seer and 14 chatak
Volumes
1 fluid ounce 30 mils (or cc) 4, chatak
2 fluid ounces 60 mils __,, 1 chatak
4 fluid ounces 120; mi1Ser 4 pao
20 fluid ounces(1 pint) 600 mils _,, 10 chatak
30 fluid ounces 1000 mils (1 litre) 15 chatak
Approximate Equivalences Domestic Measures and Metric

Domestic measures Metric Fluid ozs
1 teaspoonful nearly 5 mils about + fluid oz
1 dessertspoonful nearly 8 mils about 4 fluid oz
1 tablespoonful nearly 15 mils about 4 fluid oz
1 tea-cupful 150 mils 5 ozs
1 pint 600 cc or mils 20 ozs
Note:
1000 milligrammes = 1 gramme
1000 grammes = | kilogramme
1 gramme = weight of 1 millilitre or mil which is 1 cubic centimetre
(abbreviation cc) of distilled water. Abbreviation,
often used, grm, gm or g.
Volumes have been expressed both in pints and mils. It may be noted that there
is a slight difference in the volume given in pints and its equivalent in mils. This
is because the pint measures have been taken to the nearest quarter-pint. Cooks
who have jugs marked in both pints and mils (c.cs) will probably prefer to use the
latter.
INDIAN CULINARY METHODS

The Indian chefs during the past centuries have naturally de-
veloped some special techniques which are different from those
practised in the Western countries. In fact some of the basic in-
gredients which are largely responsible for the delicious and exotic
Indian cookery preparations are completely unknown beyond the
shores of India. Panir (Indian cream cheese) and khoa (dried fresh
whole milk) which form the foundation of the Indian sweets, and
ghee (clarified butter) the base of ail Indian cookery, are typical
examples. They are all milk preparations and are exceedingly simple
to prepare, yet the food which is cooked with their help is simply
superb. The dahi (curd) popularly known in the West as yoghurt
is another example. The yoghurt first introduced to the West by
the Bulgarians is very much akin to our curd but not quite the
same.
The basic difference lies in the method of preparation and the
mode of serving. Yoghurt is prepared by the use of rennet and is
always flavoured and coloured. Curd on the other hand is made by
the addition of a seeding agent consisting of some lactobacilli and

is neither flavoured nor coloured.
The curry is another aspect of Indian cookery which enjoys an
enviable reputation throughout the world. Curry, contrary to
popular belief, does not have a single mode of preparation. It can be
prepared in many ways to produce a variety of flavours. No doubt
these different ways are mere variations of the same process, but yet
they are distinct and their mastery will be an unending source of joy.
As a correct knowledge of these culinary methods is essential for
the preparation of good food, the author has described below some
techniques which should prove helpful in the successful practice of
Indian cookery.
Fats used for cooking

Ghee (clarified butter) or vegetable ghee (clarified margarine) is
used as a rule for cooking the dishes described in this book. The use
of butter or margarine without clarification is not recommended for
the preparation of curries because both of them when heated result
in some deposit which settles down and sticks to the bottom. Hence
the food prepared by the addition of masala fried in butter or mar-
garine acquires an insipid flavour.
If however it is necessary to use butter in place of ghee, increase
the quantity stated in the recipes by 25%. Margarine also can be
_ used in the same way but it does not produce such good results as
are obtained with butter.
Clarification of butter or margarine

The writer’s method:—Heat the butter on medium fire, stirring
every now and then, till it is fully melted. The froth at the top of
the liquefied butter should be stirred till it is mixed up. Remove
from the fire and leave the pan in a refrigerator. In 3 to 4 hours a
thick layer of clarified butter sets on the top and the undesirable
protein residues sink to the bottom. In the absence of a refrigerator
place the pan over iced water contained in a basin. The time that
setting takes depends upon the temperature of the water surround-
ing the pan. During the cold weather in England it is sufficient to
leave the pan overnight near a window. The solidified butter is
transferred to another pan with the help of a knife and a spoon
without disturbing the residue at the bottom. Heat the butter again
till it boils for 1 to 2 minutes. The crystal clear fluid resulting from
this process is called ghee. Strain it through a muslin cloth and store
in a jar with a tight fitting lid. The ghee thus prepared from buffalo’s
milk is white in colour and that from cow’s milk is creamish yellow.
It can be kept for 2 to 3 months.
Commonly used method:—Butter or margarine is cooked on slow
fire and allowed to simmer till the water dries up and the partially
burnt-out protein residue sticks to the bottom of the pan. It is stirred
every now and then to prevent the residue from burning and impart-
ing to the ghee an undesirable flavour. It is also imperative that the
heating be done on a slow fire, as in the case of a quick fire there is
again a likelihood of the residue resulting in an undesirable flavour,
and a brownish colour in the ghee.
The use of lard in the preparation of curries

Animal fats are not ordinarily used for cooking in India, but
English housewives, who do not have the facility of obtaining ready-
made ghee, can make use of lard in the preparation of curries. Lard
is a suitable medium for frying but by itself does not give good
results in the preparation of curries; however, when used in conjunc-
tion with an equal quantity of butter, it gives passable results. Butter
as already mentioned is not suitable for frying and hence all frying
should be done in lard when ghee is not available. The combined
weight of equai quantities of lard and butter should in all cases be
equal to the weight of the ghee mentioned in the recipe. Rice pullao
can also be prepared by a similar use of lard but the results are not
very good, there being a peculiar effect which is produced on the
throat.
The use of lard for deep frying:—Lard is as good as ghee or
clarified margarine for the purpose of deep frying, as for example in
the preparation of cutlet, kabab (croquettes), puri (Indian deep-
fried bread), pakora (savoury bail or savoury fritter), samosa (small
stuffed pastries) and sweets like gulab jaman (Indian cream cheese
and dried fresh whole milk ball), balu shahi (sugar-coated dough
nut) and bundi.
Powders used in cooking

Garam masala (curry powder)
This is a mixture of cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms, black cumin
seeds, nutmeg and mace. Recipe for making 2 ozs (60 g) of garam
masala is as follows :—
3 oz (20 g) brown cardamom seeds 4 oz (7 g) black cumin seeds (kala
(illaichi) zeera)
3 oz (20 g) cinnamon (darchini) good-sized pinch mace (Javatri)
4 oz (7 g) cloves (laung) good-sized pinch nutmeg (jaiphal)
Grind the ingredients together with the help of a mortar and pestle
or in a coffee grinder. Pass through a fine sieve and store in an air-
tight bottle. It has better flavour than the commercial curry powders
and keeps well for a fortnight provided the bottle is capped imme-
diately after use.
Garam masala used by the Kashmiri chefs

1 oz (7 g) black cumin seeds (kala 4 oz (7 g) cinnamon (darchini)
zeera) 4 oz (7 g) cloves (laung)
1 oz (28 g) brown cardamoms (illaichi) | 3 blades of mace (javatri)
1 oz (7 g) black pepper (kali mirch) 4 of a nutmeg (jaiphal)
Grind these spices together, sieve and store in an air-tight bottle.
Madras Rasam or sambhar powder

2 ozs (60 g) split black beans (dal 2 ozs (60 g) white cumin seeds (sufaid
urdh) zeera)
2 ozs (60 g) coriander seeds (sukha 1 oz (30 g) black pepper (kali mirch)
dhania) 4 teaspoonful menthulu (methrai seeds)
Fry the ingredients separately, grind and mix.
Commercial curry powders

The ready-made curry powders contain a mixture of dried corian-
der seeds, red chillies, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, black
pepper, cumin seeds and poppy seeds. Dried methi (fenugreek leaves)
and garlic are also sometimes added to these. The ingredients are
‘broiled over a tawa (griddle) or in a frying pan, powdered and sieved.
This curry powder can be fairly satisfactory if it is fresh and properly
made. It however loses its flavour if kept stored for more than a few
weeks. That along with the fact that the manufacturers in order to
keep their cost low add a high proportion of cheap ingredients does
not make commercial curry powder a very useful preparation.
These powders are usually based on coriander seeds, poppy seeds and
the white cumin seeds, whereas nutmeg and mace, which are very
expensive but essential for bringing out a good flavour, are not
added at all, or only in very small amounts.
Furthermore, the main disadvantage in using commercial curry
powders, even if they are fresh, is that they impart the same flavour
or the same taste to every curry. The writer however makes use of
different combinations of spices for each curry so as to produce
varying flavours. Therefore ready-made curry powders have no
place in the recipes and the methods of preparation of Indian cuisines
described in this book. The growing popularity of Indian cookery
means that readers living in England should progressively have less
and less difficulty in obtaining the various spices and other ingredients.
The food departments of large stores and supermarkets are often
very heipful, and in London and other cities special Indian grocery
shops are an obvious source of supply.
Dahi or curd (yoghurt)

This is an important ingredient of curries and is also served as
such with the rice pullaos. Ready-made plain yoghurt (without any
added flavour) available in England is a suitable substitute for the
curd.
Method of preparation:—Heat one pint (600 mils) milk till it be-
comes warm but not very hot. Beat one dessertspoonful curd and
mix thoroughly with the milk. Pour this mixture 3 to 4 times from
one saucepan to the other as this ensures a thorough mixing and
hence an even setting. Keep it in a warm place or in a closed cup-
board for 3 to 4 hours during the hot weather (the temperature varies
from 70 to 105° F). During the winter in Delhi or throughout the
year as it is in England, wrap the bowl containing the milk and the
starter with an old blanket and leave it in a warm place for about
12 hours. In centrally heated houses in England curd (yoghurt) sets
in about 12 to 15 hours, whereas in the absence of this facility it takes
not less than 24 hours. The separation of the watery part from the
curd (yoghurt) after it is set indicates either that the milk was too
hot at the time when the starter was added or that the atmospheric
temperature around it at the later stage was higher than is desirable.
Adulterated milk yields very poor results, therefore it is essential
that the milk should be of good quality. Jersey milk marketed in
England or buffalo’s milk available in Northern India will be found
satisfactory for the preparation of the curd. If milk of this quality is
not available, thicken it by boiling for 4 to 5 minutes. Cool and add
the starter as described above. The plain yoghurt available in Lon-
don does not taste exactly like the curd prepared in Punjab. If how-
ever yoghurt is used as a starter in the initial preparation, and each
subsequent lot is prepared by using a starter from the previous one,
it results, in the 4th or Sth stage, in a product exactly similar to the
curd made in Punjab.
Chenna or panir
This is an important ingredient for some sweets and curries.
Method:—Heat 14 pints (900 mils) milk and stir continuously to
prevent skin forming on the top. When it comes up to the boil, re-
move from the fire and add gradually $ teaspoonful tartaric acid dis-
solved in 1 cupful hot water or 14 cupsful sour whey, the latter giving
better results, particularly for rasgullas and ras malai. Stir gently
till whole of the milk curdles. Leave it covered for about 15 minutes.
Strain through a muslin cloth and squeeze out all the whey. The
curds left in the muslin bag are called chenna. There is no exact
English equivalent for it, the nearest translation being Indian soft
cream cheese. It is used as such in the preparation of sweets.
If cubes of panir are required for making curries or for pullaos,
keep it in the same cloth and shape into a square or a rectangle.
Wrap it tightly and place it under a heavy weight (4 to 5 Ib or 2 kg)
for 14 to 2 hours so as to allow it to be compressed into a compact
slab. Panir like chenna does not possess an English equivalent, the
closest English translation for it being Indian cream cheese. The
writer usually places a flat lid of a saucepan on the chenna and a pan
full of cold water over that. Remove the weight and cut the panir
(Indian cream cheese) into the required shapes and use as desired.
The watery part (whey) that separates out after the milk curdles can
be used in place of water in the preparation of gravies or in preparing
the dough for puries and chapaties.
Khoa
Khoa is dried fresh whole milk. It has been suggested by some
writers that it can be prepared from tinned milk. The khoa thus
produced does not have the taste and flavour similar to that of the
one made from fresh milk. The writer does not advocate the use of
tinned milk to prepare khoa.
Method:—Boil 1 pint (600 mils) Jersey or buffalo’s milk in a heavy
pan over quick fire (or use the boiling ring of an electric range) and
stir gently with a wooden handled perforated spoon in the initial
stage of drying. When the milk thickens stir continuously and com-
paratively vigorously so that it does not stick to the bottom of the
pan. Remove from the fire when it dries up and is converted into a
single lump. It takes about 20 to 25 minutes to dry up 1 pint of milk.
Continue stirring till it stops sizzling. A pint (600 mils) each of the
Jersey and the buffalo’s milk produces 3 ozs (85 g) and 4 ozs (115 g)
of khoa respectively. Therefore 480 mils of buffalo’s milk will be
equivalent to one pint of Jersey milk.
Khoa, granulated (danedar)

This is used for preparing a type of sweet called kalakand or khoa
cake and for cooking with vegetables.
Method:—Heat 1 pint (600 mils) milk and stir as described above.
When it comes to the boil, add } teaspoonful powdered tartaric acid
and continue boiling and stirring. This is usually sufficient to curdle
the milk, though it does not result in big curds. If however the tar-
taric acid already added is not effective, add a pinch more and con-
tinue stirring briskly. Dry it up in the same way as described above
under the smooth khoa. Cool and use as required.
Gravy
Gravy, as already stated, can be made in a variety of ways, the
basic difference being in the nature of the spices added and the mode
or manner in which they are added. The gravy in a curry is prepared
by the use of certain thickening agents such as onion, ginger, garlic,
coconut, poppy seeds, coriander seeds, almonds, curd and tomatoes.
They serve not only as thickening but also as flavouring agents. In
order to make the curry into a homogeneous mixture it is necessary
during the process of cooking to reduce them into a puree. Therefore
onion is cut finely or passed through a grater, the ginger, garlic,
coconut, etc., are ground into a paste, while the curd is beaten and
the tomatoes mashed before use.
The flavours of poppy seeds, coriander seeds, coconut and almonds
can be enhanced by roasting lightly on a hot griddle before grinding
them into a paste, whilst the flavour of ginger and garlic becomes
stronger if the juice is extracted and separately added to a curry
rather than if it is ground along with the other ingredients.
The above mentioned are some of the basic principles which
explain the different steps in the preparation of a curry. As for
example in the preparation of a mutton curry, onion is passed
through a grater and fried till it is browned. Merely frying it lightly
will not be sufficient as the onion has to be reduced ultimately to a
puree. The red pepper is added to the frying onion after taking it
off the fire. If it is added whilst the pan is on the fire it is likely to
be burnt and imparts darker colour and undesirable flavour instead
of an appetising colour and flavour. The ground masala paste is then
added and the mixture fried till the ghee separates from the masala.
At this stage a tablespoonful of water is added, and the mixture fried
till it is reduced to a puree. Curd, previously beaten, or mashed
tomato is added, a little at a time till the whole of it is consumed.
Meat or vegetables of which the curry is to be made are then added.
The mixture is stirred and frying is continued. Ginger juice, a tea-
spoonful at a time, may be added to the meat as it prevents sticking
of the meat to the bottom of the pan.
The flavour of a curry is however largely dependent upon the art
of spicing. The spices for example can be added whole or ground
into a paste; they can be added immediately after the onion is fried
or at a later stage. The onion itself can be fried and added to the
gravy before the meat or after the meat; it can be added raw or it
can be added half-cooked. The quantity in which it is added is also
variable and the same applies to other thickening agents. Each step
has its effect and different combinations are employed to impart to
each curry an individual flavour.
Dum
This means cooking in steam. It is done by transferring the pan to
hot ashes and placing live charcoal on the saucer-shaped lid. Cook-
ing proceeds very slowly because heat is very gentle and the charcoal
on the lid does not allow the steam to condense.
The nearest English equivalent is very gentle casseroling in the
oven with a lid on the dish.
Dum is made use of when the meat has become sufficiently tender
and the curry is nearly ready. It brings the ghee to the top of the
gravy (previously the ghee and the gravy form a homogeneous mix-
ture) and thus improves its appearance. In addition to making the
meat tender it enhances the flavours and dries up the last traces of
water. This technique is used in the final stage of cooking dal (split
beans), meat or vegetable curry or a rice pullao.
Pressure cookery
This recent innovation in the art of cooking practised in the
Western countries has not yet been taken up by most professional
chefs in India. It is however bound to become very popular in due
course because of tne shorter time required for cooking some of the
Indian dishes. The writer uses a pressure cooker as a routine in her
cookery demonstrations for housewives. The following notes are
_ therefore appended for the benefit of readers.
The quantity of water, the pressure and the time required for
cooking different vegetables, lentils, soups, fleshy foods, etc., have
been worked out by the manufacturers of some well-known brands of
pressure cookers. Their data is however of little use in Indian
cookery. The writer has therefore worked out her own data with
regard to pressure cooking. All cooking, except where specifically
mentioned, is done at 15 1b pressure. The quantity of water required,
the time required for cooking after the pressure is attained and the
method of cooling before the pressure cooker is uncovered, are men-
tioned in the recipes. It may be stated that the data mentioned is with
regard to the Presto brand of pressure cookers; in the case of the
other types of pressure cookers the quantity of water will have to be
varied, the time remaining constant. The details as regards rice
cookery are however applicable to all brands of pressure cookers, as
no heating is done after a pressure of 15 lb is attained, the pressure
being allowed to drop by itself; there is thus no loss of water in the
form of escaping steam and hence the quantity of water need not be
varied.
Pressure cooking has been combined with the traditional method
of cooking in a pan in some recipes. That is, pressure cooking is done
in the initial stage in order to avoid prolonged cooking (as for
example, in meat dishes), and it is finally completed by frying and
the “dum” (see above) in a pan. Pressure cooking is not very suitable
for cooking vegetables in the Indian way as most vegetables have to
be cooked without the addition of water. Furthermore, the higher
temperatures reached in pressure cooking change the colour of green
vegetables. It is however quite suitable for cooking root vegetables
like carrots, potatoes, turnips and beetroot, etc.
Pressure-cooking is ideal for cooking meat curries, rice pullaos and
lentils. The time required for cooking any of these dishes is about a
quarter of that required by the conventional methods. Rice pullao
comes out beautifully well with each grain separate from the other.
Some of the pulses which ordinarily require 6 hours of slow cooking
and heating can be cooked equally well in a pressure cooker in about
an hour. Furthermore the manufacturers of these cookers claim that
destruction of vitamins is much less in cooking under pressure than
by the conventional methods because of the lesser time it takes.
The conservative people who are afraid of anything but orthodox
methods should note that the principle of pressure cookery is not new
to Indian cooks. They use the same principle as a routine practice in
a rather crude way when they seal a pan in which they cook meat
curry or rice pullao by applying dough all around the edge of the lid.
The pan is thus made airtight, the steam is retained inside and the
curry or rice which the pan contains is cooked much more thor-
oughly. One of the drawbacks to the popularity of pressure cooking
is the apprehension of some people as to its safety. It must be men-
tioned that accidents are most unlikely as the lid once closed is
locked. Furthermore safety valves are provided which open auto-
matically if there is any negligence in the removal of the cooker from
the fire at the proper time.
Pressure cookers available are of two types. The steam remains
almost locked in one of these two varieties, as is the case with the
Presto brand of pressure cookers, whereas it goes on escaping con-
tinuously through the safety valve in the other variety of which the
Prestige brand is a typical example. The writer prefers the former
type as this does not allow the water added to it to escape in the form
of steam and consequently the natural flavours of the ingredients are
retained much better than in the latter type. There is however one
disadvantage in the use of the Presto brand of pressure cookers. The
weight indicator is apt to go out of order if not handled properly.
Indian housewives who allow the servants to handle their pressure
cookers should keep with them at least one spare weight indicator.
INGREDIENTS FOR INDIAN COOKERY

Hindustani
Ingredients equivalents
for Indian for English
cookery names General Information
Almond Badam Kernel of the stone-fruit of the almond tree.
Alum Phatkari Used in preparing white pumpkin sweet (p. 161)

and preserving green mangoes (p. 198).
Arrowroot Arrowroot A starchy powder of vegetable nature used in

preparing sauces for dishes of Chinese origin,
e.g. sweet and sour pork (p. 70).
Asafoetida Hing A gum derived from a Persian plant. Some

varieties have a very nauseous smell. The
variety most suitable as a condiment is sold in
India under the trade name “Hira hing’’.
Used in preparing pickles (p. 192), minced
meat balls (koftas) in the Kashmiri way (p.
50) and the Sindhi besan curry (p. 122).
Bay leaf Tejpattar is Very aromatic when crushed. Dried whole; used
the nearest as flavouring in curries and pullaos (p. 91).
substitute
Bitter-gourd Karela A vegetable. Shallow fried after stuffing (p. 105).

Brinjal or Baingan Purple fruit of the egg-plant. Cooked in com-
aubergine bination with other vegetables (p. 104).
Stuffed and baked (p. 106).
Cabbage Bund gobi Used as a vegetable. The leaves are lightly folded
and form a large round head. They are made
into rolls and cooked in a variety of ways (p.
119-22).
Carrot Gajjar A vegetable cooked into a halwa or pudding (p.
156) or a burfi (dried fresh whole milk carrot
toffee (p. 148).
Cashew nut Kaju Kidney shaped nut. Used in a pullao (p. 87).
Cauliflower Gobi Is a vegetable with a white fleshy flower head.
Cooked whole or by baking in an oven (p. 117)
or the sprigs are made into a dry curry.
Cayenne The nearest Cayenne pepper is red pepper made from capsi-
pepper substitute cums grown mainly in Africa. Less pungent
available than red chillies. The “‘degi mirch” is a red
in India is pepper of Kashmir origin. Seeds are discarded
“degi and the pods are ground and sieved.
mirch”’
Charcoal Lakri ka Fuel obtained by burning wood. Charcoal fire

koela is used in preparing seekh kabab (minced meat
roasted on skewer, p. 61).
Hindustani
Chilli, red Lal mirch Dried fruit of capsicum. The small-sized varie-
ties are usually very hot. Red pepper is pre-
pared by powdering the dried berries. The
seeds are discarded if the pepper required
should not be very hot. As it is too hot for
most people the writer has used it in pickles
only.
Chilli, green Sabz mirch Used as a flavouring or an appetiser.
Citric acid Nimboo ka sat Used for curdling milk in the preparation of
panir (Indian cream cheese). Also used as a
souring agent in preparing sharbats, squashes,
jams and jellies (p. 199).
Coconut Naryal A large hard-shelled nut with a thick hard white

hollow kernel. Used fresh in the preparation
of burfi (dried fresh whole milk and coconut
toffee, p. 149) and as desiccated powder in
meat curries (p. 44).
Colouring- —_— Both these colours are very similar to that of

Vitoso and Vimto. Used in preparing a sharbat (p. 188).
Vino
Coriander Dhania sabz An herb with leaves which are aromatic when
leaves fresh crushed. Used as a flavouring or a garnish.
Parsley may be used as a substitute. Although
it is not habitually grown in England, if the
seeds are sown there during summer season
they sprout within a few days.
Cornflour The nearest Cornflour is a finely-ground powder, milled from

Indian sub- maize, rice etc. Used in the preparation of
stitute is cornflour pudding (phirni, p. 163) and as a
nishasta substitute for arrowroot in the sauces (pp. 70-
72) required for dishes of Chinese origin.
Nishasta is a starch extracted from wheat by
some complicated indigeneous method. Can
be used in place of cornflour in the preparation
of phaluda (p. 169).
Cream Cream This is a fatty substance which separates from

raw or pasteurised milk on churning. It is not
similar to what is called ‘‘malai’’ in Hindustani
(p. 151).
Cream, -- This is cream concentrated into double strength.
double Recommended as a suitable substitute for
malai (p. 151).
Hindustani
Cream, sour The use of sour cream in place of sour ‘“‘malai”’
(p. 66) is not recommended because it has a
peculiar smell of its own. Sour malai is pre-
pared by adding a little yoghurt (curd) as a
starter to the malai or cream and allowing it
to set as described under the preparation of
yoghurt (p. 25).
Cuttle bone Samundar Used in preparing rasgullas (p. 151). Can occa-
jhag sionally be obtained in England; baking pow-
der can be used as a substitute.
Date, dried Chawara Used in the preparation of chutneys (p. 194).
Fenugreek Methi A herb with aromatic leaves. The highly arom-
leaves atic variety is dried and is available in packets.
Used as a flavouring in tandoori chicken or
fish (pp. 54, 76). The fresh green leaves are
cooked as bhujia (p. 103).
Fenugreek Methai Used in preparing pickles (p. 193).
seeds
Flour Maida Used in making breads, sweetmeat, etc.
Garam Masala A mixture of spices (p. 23).
Garlic Lasan A root of a plant belonging to the bulbous lily
family. Cloves are separated, peeled and
ground with a mortar and pestle.
Ghee Ghee Fat for frying. Fully described on p. 22. Pure
ghee indicates clarified butter only. Mar-
garine, lard or vegetable ghee can be used in
lieu of this if not mentioned as pure.
Ginger Adrak The root of an aromatic tropical plant used as
seasoning. It should be peeled and ground
before use. If fresh ginger is not available
soak the dried ginger in water overnight.
Gram Channa Gram is a popular English expression used in
India for a cereal eaten in a variety of forms by
the people of Northern India. Also see besan
(p. 38).
Kewra Kewra, ruh A flavouring obtained from the flower of a plant
essence called kewra. The kewra essence that is mar-
keted in England is comparatively weaker
than its Indian counterpart the ruh kewra.
Itar kewra is a concentrated form of the same
flavouring. The ruh kewra or the essence is
used as flavouring in sweets which are kept
soaked in syrup, e.g., petha (white pumpkin
sweet, p. 161), ras malai (Indian cream cheese
cooked in double cream, p. 153) whereas the
itar kewra is used as a flavouring in dry sweets
like burfi (dried fresh whole milk toffee, p.
146) and gajjar halwa (grated carrot pudding).
Hindustani
Lime Chuna Used in the preparation of green mango preserve
(p. 198). This is ordinary slaked lime, not the
fruit.
Lime Nimboo A citrus fruit. Where lime juice is mentioned in
these recipes, the juice of fresh limes is always
meant. In England, limes are most plentiful
from spring to autumn, but some leading
stores stock them all the year round. Lemon
juice may sometimes be substituted, but it is
not really the same thing and readers who take
the trouble to find limes will get better results.
Milk Dudh In India buffalo’s milk is used in preparing
yoghurt (curd, p. 25), dried fresh whole milk
(khoa, p. 26) and Indian cream cheese
(chenna or panir, p. 25). Dried fresh whole
milk or chenna prepared from 480 mils of
buffalo’s milk is equivalent to what is obtained
from one pint Jersey milk marketed in Eng-
land. The use of cow’s milk is essential in the
preparation of rasgullas (Indian cream cheese
balls suspended in syrup, p. 151) and gulab
jaman (Indian cream cheese and dried fresh
whole milk or khoa bails soaked in syrup,
p. 155). Jersey milk is very suitable for the
preparation of both these sweets.
Mint Podina An aromatic herb belonging to the family
Labiatae. Fresh or dried leaves are used in the
preparation of chutneys. Dried leaves are
much less fragrant than the fresh ones.
Molasses Gur Unrefined cane sugar. Used in preparing some
chutneys.
Mushroom The black mushrooms marketed in India are ob-
black Guchian tained from Kashmir and Afghanistan.
white Dhingri Earthy matter sticking to their surface should
be removed by cleaning them thoroughly
under running water. They are cooked as a
curry.
Nigella Kalonji Black seeds similar to onion seeds. Used as a
spice in pickles (p. 193).
Oils:
Mustard Sarson ka tel Used as a preservative in pickles (p. 193); for
or kapwa tel frying of pakoras (savoury fritters, p. 173) or
fish (p. 74). It is an important ingredient for
making curries by the methods used by
Kashmiri chefs.
Hindustani
for Indian or English
Oils:
Olive Zetoon ka tel The oil extracted from flesh of ripe olives. Not
used for cooking inIndia. It is very suitable
for preparing Karachi ka halwa (cornflour
sweetmeat, p. 160) as unlike ghee or butter it
does not solidify during cold weather (50° to
70° F in Northern India).
Peanut Moongphali The oil extracted from peanuts. It is used in
ka tel Chinese cookery as it does not impart any
flavour of its own to the other ingredients.
Salad Salad oil Salad oil can be used as a substitute for peanut oil
in cooking dishes of Chinese origin.
Sesame Til oil Used in pork Vindaloo curry (p. 71).
Onion Peeaz Used as a flavouring and thickening agent for the
preparation of gravy (p. 27) in curries.
Papaya Papita It is an oblong pulpy fruit. Carries an enzyme
called papain which digests the proteins par-
tially. Ground raw fruit is rubbed all over a
chicken before it is cooked as this makes the
chicken tender.
Parsley A herb with aromatic leaves. Used for flavour-
ing and garnishing dishes. A suitable substi-
tute for fresh coriander leaves.
Peas Matar ka Often used in pullaos (Section III) and a sweet
dana and sour dish (p. 116).
Pistachio nut Pista A nut with a whitish shell and a green-coloured
kernel. Used in the preparation of burfi pista
(dried fresh whole milk pistachio toffee, p. 150)
and decoration of sweets (p. 156).
Plum Alu bukhara Used in preparing the tomato and alu bukhara
chutneys (p. 195-6).
Pomegranate Anar dana A flavouring agent. Used in the preparation of
seeds pakoras (savoury fritters, p. 173) and khatta
kabli channa (sour whole Bengal dried peas,
p. 178).
Poppy seeds Khaskhas This variety of poppy plant is not the same as
yields opium. Used as a thickening agent in
some curries (p. 45).
Potassium A chemical used as a preservative in squashes.
metabi-
sulphite
Pork Shikar
Prawns Jhinga Used in Chinese cookery (p. 96).
machchi
Hindustani
Pulses: Dal The edible seeds of leguminous plants.
Lentils Masur ki dal Cooked into a puree.
Split peas Matar ki dal Cooked into a puree. A substitute for dal
channa. Split-pea flour is a substitute for
besan (gram flour).
Split green Moong ki dal Soaked in water, skin removed. Can be cooked
beans like rice or ground and made into pakauries
(p. 182).
Split black Urhad ki dal Cooked like split green beans. Also used in the
beans preparation of dosa (p. 141).
Whole Urhad or Cooked into a puree (p. 124). Whole black
biack maanh beans flour is used in the preparation of gol
beans sabut gappas (hollow, translucent wafers of flour,
p. 183).
Raisins Munacca Dried grapes. Used in preparing a chutney (p.
194),
Rice Chawal Rice of good quality is marketed in England
under the trade name ‘“‘Patna rice’? whereas in
Northern India it is called basmati.
Rice flour Chawai ka It is milled rice. Used in preparing blancmange
atta (phirni, p. 163) and dosa (p. 141), a South
Indian cuisine.
Rose essence Ruh gulab Used as a flavouring in the preparation of gulab
jaman (p. 155) and the rose sharbat (p.
190).
Saffron Kesar Consists of stigmas of the flowers of a plant that
grows in Kashmir and Spain. It is aromatic
and yields yellow colouring. Used in the pre-
paration of rice pullao and curries (pp. 93, 49).
Sandalwood Sandal ka Used in preparing sandal sharbat (p. 190).

powder burada Sandalwood trees are commonly found in
Mysore, Southern India.
Sauces:
Soya-bean A sauce prepared from fermented soya-beans.
Used as a flavouring in dishes of Chinese
origin (p. 70).
Tomato Served with cutlets and pakoras (savoury fritters)

samosas (patty-like preparation, p. 174).
Used as a flavouring agent in the preparation
of kababs (croquettes, p. 62) and cabbage
rolls (p. 120).
Hindustani
Sodium Both these chemicals are used as preservatives in
Benzoate sharbats and squashes.
and
Sodium
metabi-
sulphite
Split-pea A substitute for gram flour (besan), when used
flour as a binding agent or in the preparation of
pakoras (savoury fritters, p. 173).
Spices Masala
Aniseed Sonf The seed of a plant called anise. Used as a
flavouring and a spice in pickles (p. 193).
The Kashmiri chefs use this in preparing meat
dishes (p. 69).
Black Kali mirch Pungent and aromatic condiment with hot taste.
pepper ground Made from peppercorns, which are dried ber-
ries of the pepper plant. Has hot and pungent
flavour. Used as a flavouring agent in curries.
It is one of the ingredients of garam masala
(p. 24).
Cardamoms _ Illaichi An aromatic fruit of a reed-like plant grown in
Ceylon, India, Jamaica and a number of
Zanzibarean islands. The pods of the large
variety have brown skins and the smaller ones
have green skins. Both the seeds and the skins
have flavouring property. Brown ones are
used in curries, vegetables and rice pullaos.
Green cardamoms are used in sweets and in
some curries. They are available from the
Indian grocers in London.
Carom Ajwain Resemble parsley seeds. Used in lemon pickles
seeds and in preparing batter for frying fish (p. 74)
or pakoras (savoury fritters, p. 173).
Caraway Seeds of a herb called caraway. Are similar to
seeds black cumin seeds in appearance but differ in
flavour, cannot be used in place of cumin
seeds (p. 37).
Cinnamon Darchini Obtained from the inner bark of a tree cultivated
chiefly in Ceylon and the East Indies. Used as
a flavouring. It is one of the ingredients of
garam masala (p. 23).
Cloves Laung A dried flower bud of a tree that grows in Indo-
nesia, Madagascar and Zanzibar. Available
whole or ground. It is one of the ingredients
of garam masala (p. 23).
Hindustani
Spices Masala
Coriander Dhania Aromatic seeds of a herb called coriander
seeds cultivated mostly in Iraq and India.
Cumin Zeera, kala Aromatic seeds of the cumin plant. Grown in
seeds, many European countries, Mexico and Kash-
black mir. Used whole as a flavouring agent in cur-
ries and rice pullaos. It is one of the in-
gredients of garam masala (p. 23).
Cumin Zeera The white variety of the cumin seeds is used in
seeds, sufaid zeera pani (cumin seeds and taramind juice
white water, p. 182)
Mace Javatri Hard shell around the seed called nutmeg. Used
as a spice and flavouring agent. Though the
aroma of mace is similar to that of nutmeg,
they are put to different uses. Mace is one of
the ingredients of garam masala (p. 23).
Mustard Rai Used in pickles (p. 192).
Nutmeg Jaiphal Kernel of fruit of the myristic tree. Used as a
flavouring.
Pepper- Kali mirch Whole dried berries of black pepper.
corns
Sultanas Kishmish Seedless raisins.
Tamarind Imli The brownish pulp of the pod of a tropical tree.
Used as a flavouring agent in pickles (p. 195),
vindaloo curry (p. 172) and zeera pani (p. 182).
Tartaric Imli ka sat Used in curdling milk for preparing Indian
acid cream cheese (p. 25). Can be used as a
savouring agent in preparing sharbats etc.
Turmeric Huldi Aromatic powdered root stock of a plant grown
in the West Indies and India. Used as a
flavouring and for colouring curries (p. 44)
and lentils (p. 125). It has been however
largely avoided in the recipes described in this
book as it makes red colour in the gravy and
produces stains on the napkins and table
covers that cannot be easily removed.
Ve-Tsin Chinese gourmet powder. Available ready-
made. Added to soup, rice and noodles pre-
pared after the Chinese way (p. 96). Im-
proves and increases natural flavours. This
substance is allied to monosodium glutamate.
Vinegar Used as a flavouring agent in marinades (p. 54).
White Cooked as a sweetmeat (p. 161).
pumpkin
Hindustani
Wholemeal Atta Chapaties or phulkas, which are a staple diet of
flour people living in Punjab (Northern India), are
made out of wholemeal (p. 135). Other Indian
breads like parautha (p. 136) and puri are also
made out of this.
Yam Arbi Cooked into a dry curry (p. 123).
Yoghurt Dahi The English expression used in India for a
(curd) preparation very similar to yoghurt is curd.
It is milk set firmly by the addition of a starter
containing a group of micro-organisms called
Lactobacilli. Yoghurt plain, i.e. yoghurt with-
out flavouring, can be used as a substitute for
the curd. It is used as a thickening agent in
curries. Also served with rice.
Other ingredients
= Amchur Dried green mango slice or powder. Used as a
flavouring agent (p. 76).
= Anardana Pomegranate seeds. Used as a flavouring agent
in the preparation of pakoras (savoury frit-
ters), and khatta kabli channa (sour whole
Bengal dried peas).
* Gram flour Besan Gram flour. Split-pea flour is a suitable substi-
tute. Used as a binding agent and for prepar-
ing batter (p. 69).
Gram flour — Flour prepared from roasted peeled ground
(parched) black grams. Use roasted gram flour or split-
pea flour as a substitute.
Curry leaves — These are leaves of a plant called mithi neem in
Northern India and kariwepillai in Southern
India. Used by the South Indians (as a
flavouring in cooking pulses (p. 179), and
chutneys (p. 196)).
— Garam A mixture of spices. Also see p. 23.
Masala
— Gur Unrefined cane sugar. The nearest substitute
available in England is molasses.
—_ Kachri A flavouring agent. Makes uncooked meat
tender. Used in preparing seekh kabab
(minced meat roasted on skewers, p. 60) and
tandoori fish (baked fish, p. 75).
== Karonda A variety of gooseberry (Carrisa carandas).
Grows wild in some parts of India. Pickled
whole (p. 193).
Hindustani
or Indian for English
Kharuir A leavened dough used by the Indian confec-
tioners in various preparations. Used by the
writer in the preparation of khamiri puri
(leavened deep fried bread) (p. 139).
Kukum Used as a seasoning agent in Sindhi besan curry
(ps22):
Magaz-4 Kernels of seeds of water melon, sweet melon
cucumber and pumpkin. Used in the prepara-
tion of burfi magaz (dried fresh whole milk,
almond, pistachio and kernels of melon seeds
toffee, p. 150). A drink made by grinding
them along with almonds is supposed to
counteract heat effects and strengthen the
mental faculties (p. 189).
Malai This is milk top produced by heating fresh whole
milk on slow fire for 14 hours and then allow-
ing it to cool till a thick layer of the malai sets
on the top. Double cream marketed in Eng-
land is comparatively thinner than malai but
this is the nearest substitute available over
there. Used in preparing ras malai (Indian
cream cheese balls cooked in double cream (p.
153)).
Malai, sour Malai or cream set by the addition of a little
yoghurt as starter.
Panir The nearest English translation for this Indian
preparation from milk is ‘Indian cream
cheese’’. It is prepared by curdling milk with
tartaric acid. Also see p. 25.
Sewian This is a type of vermicelli. Home-made sewian
or those prepared by mechanically operated
gadgets are marketed in India. The vermicelli
made in England is comparatively fine and
more uniform than the Indian-made product.
Cooked into a pudding (p. 157).
Silver leaf Prepared by beating pure silver into a very thin
leaf. It is edible and is used for decoration.
Sonth Dried ginger (p. 181).
CULINARY TERMS
Bake—To cook by dry heat, usually in a closed chamber or oven.
Baking has not been a very popular technique of cooking food
in most parts of India. The tandoor (clay oven) used in Punjab
for preparing whole-meal baked bread or roasting chicken or
fish is a sort of an oven and a griller combined together.
Whole lamb is sometimes cooked in an oven improvised by
burning fire in a covered pit.
Baste—To pour melted fat or gravy with a ladle, from time to time,
over meat or other food whilst roasting or during cooking; for
example, nargisi koftas are basted with the gravy when they are
simmering on slow fire.
Batter—A mixture of besan (gram flour) or split-pea flour, water,
salt, garam masala and red pepper. It is beaten, stirred and left
for some time to swell. In England, batter is prepared from
flour and not from besan.
Beat—To mix with a brisk horizontal or vertical rotary motion so
that the mixture is lifted again and again and becomes smooth
and light because of the air enclosed in it. For example, the
batter for the pakoras is prepared by beating with an ordinary
wooden spoon.
Blanch—Kernels of nuts like almonds and pistachios are put into
boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes. They are then transferred im-
mediately to cold water and their skins peeled. Soaking in cold
water prevents shrivelling.
Broil—To cook food by exposing it to direct heat on a hot griddle
(tawa). Used in broiling spices or split-pea flour or gram flour
(besan).
Caramel—Burnt sugar used for colouring and flavouring ice-cream.
Chop—To cut into small pieces; for example, onion is roughly or
finely chopped.
Chops—Small pieces of meat cut from the ribs, shallow or deep
fried, for example, kamargah.
Consistency—One-thread consistency of the cane-sugar syrup. Dip
the tip of the forefinger in the boiling syrup, remove quickly and
blow on it. Apply it to the thumb and draw the finger and the
thumb apart. If the syrup is drawn out into a long thread it is
- of one-thread consistency. This happens at 218 to 220° F. The
syrup made for the preparation of any sharbat is boiled till
it shows one-thread consistency. If the syrup used is not
of this consistency the sharbat is likely to develop fungi on
keeping.
Coating consistency—When a thin coating appears instantaneously
on the back of a spoon after it is dipped into a mixture and re-
moved quickly. This term is used to describe the consistency of
the phirni (blancmange).
Croquettes—Cooked or raw mince of meat or cooked mince of vege-
table bound together by egg. Shaped into balls or flat round
ABOUT INDIAN COOKERY 4]
cakes and deep-fried. Under the heading kababs, which are, in
fact, Indian counterparts of croquettes, are included roasted flat
pieces of meat though strictly speaking they fall under the
heading of cutlets.
Cutlets—Croquette—mixture made into the shape of a cutlet and
deep fried.
Custard—Cooked mixture of eggs, milk and sugar.
Dice--To cut into small cubes, as for example, of tomatoes, panir or
carrots.
Dissolve—To mix a dry substance like sugar into a concentrated
watery solution or an extract like cochineal colouring into
water.
Dot—To place small pieces, as of butter, over the surface. This is
often done over the surface of the food already three-quarters
cooked before placing it in an oven or under the grill to com-
plete the last stage of cooking.
Dough—A mixture of wholemeal and water kneaded till it is smooth
and not sticky as is the dough required for chapaties. For
chapaties, water and wholemeal flour are used in equal pro-
portions. Similar dough required for puris (Indian deep fried
bread), werki parautha (shallow fried flaky bread), bhatura
(leavened deep fried bread) and nan (leavened baked bread of
Punjab) is prepared by mixing varying proportions of water and
wheat flour.
Dredge—To sprinkle flour.
Fritter—Vegetables covered with batter, or chopped and mixed with
batter and deep fried.
Fry—To cook in smoking fat. The fat used should be crystal clear
and free from moisture. The presence of water causes the fat
to sputter and in such cases a pinch of salt should be added to
the pan. Frying is of two types, shallow and deep.
(a) Shaliow frying is not very popular in India. It is used for
making sweet flour pancakes, potato cutlets and parauthas etc.
The fat added is insufficient to cover the object being fried and
is there essentially to prevent the food from sticking to the
griddle or the pan. These dishes are first cooked from one side,
turned, and then cooked from the other.
(b) Deep frying is used in Indian cookery much more often
than shallow frying. It is generally employed to fry pakoras,
cutlets, samosas and many of the sweets. A karahi (a deep and
oval pan) is used for this purpose whereas in England an oval
frying pan (about 4” deep and 8” wide) made of some heavy
metal can be used. Sufficient fat is added to completely immerse
the object being fried. The fat should be heated to smoking
point, i.e. a blue haze should form above the surface of the fat,
before the object to be fried is dropped into it. The fat used for
frying should be carefully strained after use and stored in a
separate covered tin or a bottle. It can be used over again with
the addition of fresh fat as the quantity diminishes. The left-
over fat after frying sweets should be stored separately and used
for subsequent sweet preparations only. It should not be used
for frying salty dishes. The same applies to the left-over fat of
the salty dishes which should not be used subsequently for fry-
ing sweet preparations.
Garnish—To decorate savoury dishes, as for example with eggs,
cucumber, fried onion, almonds etc.
Grate—To reduce to small shreds or grains by rubbing against a
rough or indented and perforated plate of metal.
Grill—To cook by intense radiant or direct heat under an electric
grill or an oven or smokeless charcoal fire. Cooking is rapid.
Meat cooked by this method should be tender and in small and
thin pieces. Fish, mushrooms and tomatoes also can be grilled.
Infusion—Extracting flavours of leaves, petals of flowers or rind of
fruit by soaking them in hot water in a covered pan.
Knead—To work dough with both hands so as to stretch it by press-
ing with the knuckles and fold over with the fingers. This en-
closes air and makes the dough lighter.
. Leavening—Adding a leavening agent like fermented dough. Used
in preparing khamiri puri, sheermal and bakarkhani.
Marinade—A paste consisting of curd (yoghurt), onion, garlic and
spices which is rubbed on the meat so that it penetrates and
softens it. (This is not quite the same as the customary English
use of the word.)
Masala paste—Is a mixture of ground ginger, garlic, whole spices,
almonds, poppy seeds, desiccated coconut etc. Used as a
thickening agent in the preparation of a gravy in a curry. The
word masala or garam masala is also used for a dry mixture of
powdered spices.
Mash—To crush or to beat to a pulp any soft substance, as for
example, potatoes.
Melt—To heat a fat until it liquefies.
Mince—To cut or chop into very small and fine pieces.
Mix—To combine the ingredients so that they are evenly distributed.
Parboiled—Half-cooked vegetables. As for example, cabbage, cauli-
flower and potatoes are partially cooked by the process of boiling
before they are fried or baked.
Parch—-To brown or to roast lightly by means of dry heat; for ex-
ample, grains are cooked by parching.
Paste—Soft, thick and slightly moist compound produced by grind-
ing or mixing together a number of ingredients.
Pare or peel—To remove the outer skin, as for example, of potatoes,
apples or oranges.
Puree—Cooked fruit or vegetables reduced to pulp by pressing or
passing through a fine sieve.
Roasting—Cooking by exposure to an open fire or in a hot oven.
Sharbat—lIs a syrup into which is incorporated extract of herbs, nuts
or flowers etc. In India, sharbat means a soft drink. The
sherbet in U.S.A. however means a dessert which is made of
frozen fruit juice, sugar, egg white and milk or water.
Sift—-To separate the skins from seeds by crushing them lightly and
passing through a sieve or by putting them on a plate and giving
small but sharp upward jerks that bring the husk to the front
from where it can be easily removed.
Simmer—To cook in a liquid with heat sufficient to keep it just below
boiling point. Small bubbles are formed but they rise very
slowly and cause very little disturbance in the liquid.
Skewer—The word skewer used in this book means an iron rod em-
ployed to hold a kabab (p. 60) of minced meat or threaded flat
pieces of meat. Unlike its English counterpart, which is about
7’’ in length, 3 mm in diameter and 12 ozs in weight, the skewer
used in Indian cookery is about 15 to 18 inches in length (this
varies with the width of the charcoal fire or the depth of the
oven), a centimetre or so in thickness, a lb in weight, square in
cross section and pointed at one end. The skewers used for
cooking chicken in a clay oven (tandoor) may be round in cross
section and double or treble the length of the skewers described
above. Wooden skewers 5” long and as thin as knitting needles
are used for the preparation of hussaini curry.
Stock—-Extract of bones or vegetables in water produced by simmer-
ing for 2 to 3 hours or by pressure-cooking for 4 to ¢ hour.
Used in rice cookery.
SECTION II
INDIAN MEAT DISHES
Curry! This is a beautiful and exotic dish and is perhaps the most
famous preparation of the mysterious East. The curry known abroad
is however but a mere shadow of the genuine stuff; it is usually made
from curry powders and, as has already been stated, this is not a
very successful practice. Curry in India is not a dish; it is a class
of dishes. There are many curries and each one is better than the
other.
Indian meat cookery is however not merely composed of curries,
and the tandoori class of dishes is a keen competitor. In fact the
tandoori murgha can without doubt claim the top honours. Why
this beautiful preparation is not as famous abroad as the curries is a
matter of great surprise. But then, it is not everyone who can make
it. The preparation of the tandoori murgha has been a closely
guarded secret and it has been with the utmost difficulty that the
author has been able to wheedle it out. In India of course the tan-
doori murgha is on a pedestal by itself and every tourist considers it
his sacred duty to sample it.
In addition to the curries and the tandoori there are the kababs,
the koftas, and the chops, the last being somewhat of British descent.
They are by no means less worthy than the curries and the tandoories.
The kababs are a speciality of the Muslims and like most Muslim
specialities are superb. The kababs, specially shami kababs, are a
perfect cocktail choice. The koftas, round minced meat balls cooked
in gravy, look very attractive and will adorn even the most select of
tables.
Lastly a word about spices. As has already been stated in the
introduction, Indian cookery need not necessarily be hot. It is quite
erroneous to believe that a curry is delicious only when it is highly
spiced. The author herself prefers a bland dish and the recipes
described by her are moderately spiced.
ROGHAN JOSH
Mutton Curry
This is the most popular of the meat dishes. It is on the
every-day menu of most well-to-do non-vegetarians in Northern
India.
44
INDIAN MEAT DISHES 45
Ingredients
14 1b (680 g) mutton 2 brown cardamom (illaichi)
4 oz (115 g) onions 6 cloves (laung)
$ oz (15 g) ginger (adrak) 12 peppercorns (kali mirch)
4 ozs (115 g) ghee 4 oz (15 g) desiccated coconut (naryal
10 cloves of garlic (lasan) ka burada)
3 Kashmiri red chillies (without seeds) 4 oz (15 g) almonds (badam)
14 teaspoonfuls red pepper (degi 4 pt (120 g) curd (yoghurt)
mirch) 5 green cardamoms (illaichi)
4 teaspoonful turmeric (huldi) 2 teaspoonfuls salt
1 teaspoonful poppy seeds (khaskhas) A little nutmeg (jaiphal)
1 teaspoonful white cumin seeds A little mace (javatri)
(sufaid zeera) 4 ozs (115 g) tomatoes
1 tablespoonful coriander seeds (sukha + teaspoonful garam masala (p. 23).
dhania) Fresh coriander leaves (dhania) or
4 to 4 pt 450-240 mils) hot water parsley for garnishing
Method
Roast the coriander seeds, crush and sift the skins. Also roast to-
gether the poppy seeds, white cumin seeds, almonds, brown carda-
moms, peppercorns, cloves, nutmeg, mace and the coconut. Soak
the Kashmiri red chillies (kashmiri mirch) in half cup of hot water for
half an hour.
Grind ginger, garlic, the above roasted ingredients and the Kash-
miri red chillies into a fine paste by the addition of water in which
the chillies were previously soaked (in the absence of the chillies use
about 6 to 8 tablespoons (90 to 120 mils) plain water).
Heat the ghee, add crushed green cardamoms and grated onions
and fry till browned. Remove the pan from the fire, add } tea-
spoonful red pepper, 4 teaspoonful turmeric and the above-made
spice paste and fry on slow fire. Beat the yoghurt (curd) and add a
little at a time till the whole of it is consumed. Add 4 ozs (115 g) of
peeled, blanched and sliced tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes; add
the mutton and the salt and brown slightly on a medium fire.
Add 4 pt (240 mils) water, cover the pan with a saucer-shaped lid
and keep a little water on it. Simmer for about 1} hours or until
tender. An alternative is to add } pt (150 mils) water, pressure-cook
for 20 minutes at 15 lb pressure and then allow the pressure to drop
by itself.
Serve, sprinkled with finely-chopped fresh coriander leaves or
parsley and } teaspoonful garam masala.
KASHMIRI ROGHAN JOSH

Kashmir—God’s own Land! This is an exclamation which will
burst forth from the lips of most people who visit that remarkable
place. For Kashmir is a place where one sees nature at its height, a
soul-stirring spectacle which will linger in one’s mind forever.
Beauty in Kashmir is however not a one-sided affair. Everything in
Kashmir is beautiful—the land is beautiful, the people are beautiful,
the crafts are beautiful and last but not least the culinary art is
beautiful. Furthermore everything in Kashmir is in great profusion
and everything has a quality of its own, a quality which cannot be
found anywhere else.
The culinary art of Kashmir is a product of the Moghul age. The
mighty Moghul emperors, great lovers of beauty that they were,
made Kashmir their summer headquarters. The cooking in present-
day Kashmir is thus a blending, and what a magnificent blending, of
the culinary art of the Moghuls and the Kashmiris. Needless to say
the dishes have a quality of their own, and as has already been said,
a quality which is not likely to be found anywhere else. The Roghan
Josh described below is a semblance of the way of cookery of the
Kashmiris. An important factor in the culinary art of Kashmir is the
preparation of delicious curries without the use of thickening agents
like onion, ginger and garlic. This is a practice peculiar to Kashmiri
chefs and gives surprising results. The one drawback in their mode
of cooking roghan josh is the inability to adapt it to the modern
means of pressure-cooking. This is because the basic principle of
their cooking is to fry the meat till it becomes tender. Hence any
application of steam cooking is not possible.
Ingredients
14 1b (680 g) mutton 3 ozs (85 g) pure ghee
2 pt (230 g) yoghurt (curd) } teaspoonful dried ginger (sonth)
14 teaspoonfuls salt A small grain of asofoetida (hing)
2 pt (360 mils) water 14 teaspoonfuls red pepper + 4 pt (150
1 tablespoonful chopped fresh cori- mils) water
ander leaves (dhania patta) 4 teasponful Kashmiri garam masala
4 oz (14 g) shredded ginger (p. 24)
Method
Mix ghee, curd and the meat together; add crushed asafoetida, salt
and dried ginger (sonth). Cook whilst stirring occasionally till whole
of the liquid dries up and the masala sticks slightly to the bottom
of the pan (degchi). Add 4 tablespoons (60 mils) water; stir till
the scorched masala is dissolved and cook till it sticks to the bottom.
Repeat the addition of 4 tablespoons (60 mils) water and continue
cooking till it dries up again. Add the same quantity of water again
and continue cooking. Remove from the fire, add red pepper and
stir till the masala acquires the colour of the chillies. Add + pt (120
mils) more water, stir and cook till it dries. Repeat the addition of
water and continue cooking. Lastly add 4 pt (150 mils) water, reduce
the heat to very low and simmer till the meat becomes tender. Add
Kashmiri garam masala, shredded ginger and the chopped coriander
leaves. Transfer the pan (degchi) to the hot ashes with some live
charcoal on the lid, or casserole in the oven for half an hour.
Serve with boiled rice or chapati.
The overall time for this dish is about 2 hours; half an hour for
drying out the curd and water, an hour for the main cooking and
half an hour for the final casseroling.
DOH PEEAZAH MEAT CURRY

Mutton Curry
This is another of the famous Indian meat curries that are very
popular in Northern India. It is an interesting variation and may be
tried with great success.
A special feature of this curry is that the quantity of onion used in
its preparation is much more than is used in Roghan josh, an ordinary
mutton curry. Interpretation of some connoisseurs is that the onion
added to the curry should be double the weight of the meat. The
writer however does not advocate the use of such a large quantity of
onion. The proportion of mutton and onion that may be used is 1: 1
as shown in the recipe described below. The writer’s interpretation
of ‘doh peeazah” is that onion is incorporated in the curry in two
different ways, half of it being added in the fried state and the other
half in the raw.
Ingredients
1 lo (455 g) mutton 14 ozs (40 g) ginger (adrak)
5 ozs (140 g) ghee or
12 oz (340 g) to 1 Ib (455 g) onions 1 teaspoonful dried ground ginger
2 to 3 pt (360 to 450 g) yoghurt (curd) (sonth)
2 teaspoonfuls salt 3 oz (20 g) garlic (lasan) + 3 table-
1 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch) spoonfuls water
1 tablespoonful chopped fresh cori- +4 oz (15 g) coriander seeds (sukha
ander leaves (dhandia) or parsley dhania)
1 teaspoonful black cumin seeds (kala 6 green cardamom (illaichi)
zeera) 4 teaspoonful garam masala
12 button onions + pt (120 mils) water
Method
Heat the ghee to smoking point and fry 6 to 8 ozs (170 to 230 g)
finely-cut onions till golden brown in colour. Remove the onions
from the ghee, reheat and fry the mutton, a few pieces at a time, till
brown on both sides. Take out the mutton. Heat the ghee again,
remove from the fire and add a teaspoonful red pepper, the remain-
ing 6 to 8 ozs (170 to 235 g) of raw onions, browned meat and yog-
hurt (curd). Fry for a little while; add salt, ground ginger, ground
coriander seeds, and 5 tablespoonfuls hot water, cover and cook till
tender. An alternative is to pressure-cook for 10 minutes at 15 lb
pressure. Reduce pressure with cold water, uncover and dry the
liquid. Add button onions (optional).
Grind garlic, and make it into a paste by adding 3 tablespoonfuls
water. Fry the meat on slow fire and add a little of the garlic paste
at a time till the whole of it is finished. Add 4 tablespoonfuls hot
water, fried onions and crushed green cardamoms; cover and put
some live charcoal on the lid. Alternatively place the pan in a
moderately hot oven (350° F or 175° C) for 15 minutes.
DOH PEEAZAH NARGISI MEAT

Mutton Curry with Spinach and Eggs
Special feature of this curry is that the eggs, spinach and mutton
curry are so arranged on a plate that they present the appearance of
a flower called ‘“‘Nargis’’ (similar to Narcissus). This mutton curry
is also called ““Doh Peeazah”’ because of the high proportion of
onion used in its preparation.
Ingredients
6 ozs (170 g) ghee 14 1b (680 g) lean mutton
12 cloves (laung) 6 + 6 ozs (340 g) onions
* 6 green cardamoms (Illaichi) 12 ozs (340 g) cleaned spinach
1 teaspoonful salt 4 pt (180 g) yoghurt (curd)
1 to 14 teaspoonfuls red pepper (degi 6 whole eggs
mirch) 1 oz (30 g) butter
4 oz (15 g) coriander seeds (sukha 1 teaspoonful roasted ground black
dhania) cumin seeds (kala zeera)
4 tablespoonfuls hot water for frying 12 ground cloves of garlic (lasan)
1 oz (30 g) ground ginger (adrak) 4 pt (150 mils) water for cooking
Method
Heat the ghee; fry 6 ozs (170 g) finely-sliced onions. Remove the
onions. Add cloves and cardamom seeds, stir for a little while and
then add ground coriander seeds and ground ginger. Continue fry-
ing by the addition of a little water every now and then till the mixture
is cooked and the ghee separates from it. Add mutton, a few pieces
at a time, and fry on quick fire so that the juices dry up and then add
garlic water (crush the garlic and squeeze out the juice with 3 table-
spoons of water), a little at a time, till whole of it is utilised. Lastly
add 6 ozs (170 g) of the finely-chopped onions, and fry till the onion
juice dries up.
Then add salt and spinach puree made by passing it through a
food masher and adding 4 pt (150 mils) hot water. Simmer till the
meat is cooked. An alternative is to pressure-cook for 10 minutes at
15 Ib pressure. Reduce pressure by placing the cooker in cold water,
uncover and cook till the mixture dries up.
Add 6 ozs (170 g) each of the fried onions and the whipped yoghurt
or curd, a little at a time, and fry till the whole of it is consumed.
Pour this mixture into a round pyrex dish; sprinkle 1 teaspoonful
roasted ground black cumin seeds. Break whole eggs over it; dot the
centres of the yolks with a little butter or ghee, salt and the black
pepper, and place the dish under the grill till the eggs are set (10 to
15 minutes).
Serve hot.
Note: though the pressure-cooking takes only 10 minutes, the
initial frying of the masala and meat and drying off of the liquid takes
about 14 hours.
SHAHI KORMA
Mutton Curry
Ingredients
14 Ib (686 g) mutton 1 oz (30 g) almonds (badam)
6 ozs (170 g) onions 1 oz (30 g) coriander seeds (sukha
1 oz (30 g) garlic (lasan) dhania)
24 teaspoonfuls salt 1 teaspoonful red pepper
+ pt (50 mils) yoghurt (curd) 4 teaspoonful garam masala
A pinch of saffron (kesar) 6 drops kewra essence
§ pt (159 mils) cream or malai or
4 ozs (115 g) ghee 1 dessertspoonful ruh kewra
Method
Clean, wash and dry the mutton. Grind coriander seeds, 2 ozs
(60 g) of the onions, almonds and garlic. Mix this paste with the
mutton, add salt and leave it for 2 hours.
Heat the ghee, and fry 4 ozs (115 g) thinly-sliced onions. Remove
the onions. Add marinaded mutton and fry till the liquid dries up.
Mix 4 pt (150 mils) hot water and simmer on slow fire till the mutton
is three-quarters cooked. An alternative is to pressure-cook for
7 minutes at 15 lb pressure and reduce pressure with cold water.
Uncover and dry the liquid.
Beat the yoghurt (curd), add it to the mutton and continue frying
tili it completely dries up. Add the fried ground onions. Beat the
cream or malai, mix ground saffron (heat it a little in a spoon before
grinding) and add this to the cooked mutton. Lastly add garam
masala and the ruh kewra. Put live charcoal on the lid and leave
over hot ashes for half an hour. Or place the pan in a moderately
hot oven (250° F or 120° C) for half an hour.
Serve, sprinkled with chopped coriander leaves.
KOFTAS
Minced Meat Balls
Minced meat shaped into the form of balls and cooked in gravy is
known as kofta curry. This curry with its meat balls of uniform size
presents a delightful appearance and appeals both to the tongue and
the eye. The meat is minced and made into balls by incorporating
into it a binding agent like parched gram flour, roasted split-pea
flour, besan or whole egg. An egg coated with minced meat when
fried and cut into two halves presents an appearance similar to that
of the flower called nargis (narcissus); these koftas are therefore
called nargisi koftas. Another form of the kofta curry, which is very
popular, is known as the “‘malai kofta curry’. The koftas in this
curry are cooked in a gravy to which cream is added. This curry is
very rich and indeed a treat.
KOFTAS (Rishta)
Minced Meat Ball Curry (dry)
The recipe described below is after the method followed by the
chefs of the valley of Kashmir, the Switzerland of India. The koftas
are shaped more like sausages than like spheres. No binding agent
is used in their preparation and therefore they taste better than those
made by the method practised in the other parts of Northern India.
Ingredients
1 lb (455 g) finely-minced meat 4 tablespoonfuls hot water
1 oz (30 g) ground ginger (adrak) 1 teaspoonful black cumin seeds
1 teaspoonful salt (kala zeera)
One tiny grain of asafoetida (hing) + 4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch)
1 teaspoonful water 2 green chillies (sabz mirch)
Crushed seeds of 6 to 8 brown carda- 2 teaspoonfuls ground coriander seeds
moms (sukha dhania)
2 to 24 ozs (60-70 g) + 14 ozs (40 g) zs teaspoonful each of mace (javatri),
ghee nutmeg (jaiphal), cloves (laung) and
2 tablespoonfuls drained yoghurt cinnamon (darchini), powdered
(curd) separately
Method
Wash and dry the meat with a piece of cloth and mince finely.
Add yoghurt (curd), 14 ozs (40 g) ghee, and the ground paste con-
sisting of the green chillies, ginger, asafoetida dissolved in a tea-
spoonful of water, crushed brown cardamom seeds, coriander seeds,
black cumin seeds, salt, red pepper and powdered mace, nutmeg,
cloves and cinnamon. Mix thoroughly, and when the mixture is quite
pliable divide it into 16 equal parts. Roll each one into a sausage
shape about 24” (64 cm) in length and press the mince firmly into
INDIAN MEAT DISHES SI
shape, as otherwise it is liable to break during the process of cooking.
Add 2 ozs (60 g) ghee to a pan (karahi), place the koftas over and
cook on slow fire. Cover the pan and shake gently every now and
then, taking care that the koftas do not break. When they become
deep brown in colour, add 1 teaspoonful red pepper and cook for a
few seconds more as this imparts red colour to the ghee. Lastly add
about 4 tablespoonfuls of hot water, a little at a time, and simmer till
the koftas become tender, the water dries up and only ghee is left.
Serve sprinkled with 1 tablespoonful of chopped coriander leaves.
MALAI KOFTA CURRY

Minced Meat Balls Cooked in Cream
Cooking of the meat balls in cream makes the dish rich and
greatly enhances the taste.
Ingredients for cooking the mince
1 ib (455 g) minced meat 8 finely-chopped cloves of garlic
2 ozs (60 g) finely-chopped onions (Jasan)
1 oz shredded ginger (adrak) 2 finely-chopped green chillies (sabz
4 teaspoonful garam masala mirch)
4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch) 14 teaspoonfuls salt
2 ozs (60 g) ghee
Ingredients for binding

1 egg aiid 1 yolk
Ingredients of the filling for the kofta

32 pistachio nuts (pista) 2 full-boiled eggs +4 teaspoonful
16 sultanas (kishmish) salt + + teaspoonful red pepper +
Ghee for frying 4 teaspoonful white pepper
2 almonds (badam)
Ingredients for the gravy

2 ozs (60 g) ghee 4 oz (15 g) ground ginger (adrak)
14 dessertspoonfuls ground coriander 4 ozs (115 g) tomatoes
seeds (sukha dhania) 4 pt (150 mils) sour cream or 1 oz
4 ozs (115 g) grated onions curd + 4 oz cream
1 oz. (8 g) finely-chopped garlic (lasan) 4} pt (360 mils) water or stock
1 teaspoonful salt 1 tablespoonful finely-chopped fresh
4+4 teaspoonful garam masala coriander leaves (dhania)
4 teaspoonful red pepper (degimirch)
Method
Heat the ghee, fry the finely-chopped onions and garlic till golden
brown. Add minced meat, ginger, green chillies, red pepper and salt.
Cover the pan. Cook on slow fire till the juices dry up, and stir a
little. Remove from the fire. Cool.
In the meantime, prepare the gravy. Heat the ghee and fry the
onions and the garlic till golden brown. Add red pepper, ground
coriander seeds, ginger and the salt; stir for 5 minutes. Blanch, peel
and slice the tomatoes and add these to the fried onions and garlic.
Cook till the tomatoes are fully mixed with the onions. Add water
or stock and simmer on slow fire for about 30 minutes.
Grind the cooked mince and beat the eggs lightly. Mix them to-
gether and add } teasponful garam masala. Chop and season the
full-boiled eggs. Divide the mixture and the eggs separately into 16
equal parts. Flatten each part of the mince, put on its centre 7'¢ of
the chopped full-boiled eggs, 2 kernels of pistachios, 2 of the almonds
and one piece of sultanas. With the help of a little water shape it into
a round ball of the size of a walnut and fry in hot ghee till golden in
colour.
Add the fried koftas to the gravy after it has simmered for 15
minutes and is reduced to #. Allow them to simmer for 15 minutes
or till they are soft and swollen and the gravy is reduced to half.
Lastly beat the cream, add it to the kofta curry and sprinkle 4 tea-
spoonful garam masala. Keep the degchi or the pan on hot ashes and
put some live charcoal on the lid; or place it in a moderately hot oven
(250° F or 120° C) for about 15 minutes. Switch off and leave it there
till served.
Sprinkle finely-chopped coriander leaves and the remaining garam
- masala and serve with tandoori parautha (baked buttered wholemeal
bread).
NARGISI KOFTA
Egg Coated with Minced Meat and Fried
This dish comprises a hard-boiled egg coated with minced meat and
then sliced into two. The perfect symmetry and the vivid contrast of
colour which can be achieved in its preparation is not possible with the
other koftas. The yellow and white of the egg, the deep brown of the
meat and the green of the sprinkled coriander leaves present indeed a
beautiful sight. The taste however surpasses the highest expectations
and goes a long way in making this dish a very popular one.
Ingredients for cooking the mince
12 ozs (340g) finely-minced lean mutton 4 pt (150 mils) water for cooking in a
8 finely-chopped cloves of garlic pressure cooker
(lasan) or
4 oz (15 g) finely-chopped ginger 4 pt (300 mils) water for cooking in a
(adrak) pan
4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch) 14 ozs (45 g) grated onions
2 finely-chopped green chillies (sabz 1 teaspoonful salt
mirch) 4 teaspoonful turmeric (huldi)
Ingredients to be used after the mince is cooked
3 dessertspoonfuls besan (gram flour) 1 egg yolk for mixing
or parched gram flour or split-pea 1 egg for coating
flour 4 teaspoonful garam masala
1 tablespoonful yoghurt (curd) Ghee for deep frying
6 hard-boiled eggs
Ingredients for the curry

3 ozs (85 g) ghee 4 pt (150 mils) yoghurt (curd)
1 oz (30 g) finely-cut ginger (adrak) 1 medium-sized finely-chopped capsi-
Green stalks of 1 spring onion cum
4 teaspoonful turmeric (huldi) or
4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirchi) 2 finely-chopped green chillies (with
8 ozs (225 g) tomatoes seeds)
4 pt (300 mils) water or stock 4 teaspoonful garam masala
4 ozs (115 g) grated onions 1 tablespoonful chopped fresh cori-
8 cloves of garlic (grated) ander leaves (dhania) or parsley for
1 teaspoonful salt garnishing
Method
For cooking the mince:—Heat the water and add finely-minced
meat, finely-chopped onions, ginger, garlic and green chillies, salt,
red pepper and turmeric. Bring to the boil, and simmer for 20
minutes. An alternative is to pressure-cook for 10 minutes at 15 Ib
pressure and reduce pressure immediately. Uncover and dry half the
liquid. Add parched gram flour or besan or split-pea flour and cook
for another 10 minutes or till the mince is soft and dry. Knead or
grind till it becomes slightly sticky; mix egg yolk, 4 teaspoonful
garam masala and | tablespoonful yoghurt (curd) and knead for
another 10 minutes.
For the koftas:—Cool the hard-boiled eggs and remove shell.
Divide the minced meat into six equal parts. Place one part on the
palm of the left hand and flatten it out with the fingertips of the right.
Put a hard-boiled egg brushed all over with a little water over its
centre and gradually work the meat up till it fully encloses the egg.
Seal the top and brush with a little beaten egg white or water. Treat
the other 5 eggs also in the same way. Heat the ghee to smoking
point and deep fry till golden brown.
For the curry:—Heat the ghee, add onions and garlic; cook till
golden brown. Remove the onions, take the ghee off the fire and
add red pepper, turmeric and salt. Heat the ghee again, stir and cook
for a few seconds. Grind the fried onions and garlic, mix with the
beaten yoghurt (curd) and add to the ghee; cook for 10 minutes or
till the yoghurt (curd) dries up. Continue frying for another 10
minutes by adding a little water. Blanch, peel and roughly-cut the
tomatoes and add them to the gravy. Cook till they are dissolved in
the gravy and the masala separates from the ghee. Add the finely-cut
ginger, capsicum and green stalks of | spring onion and 4 pt (300
mils) water or stock and simmer on slow fire for about 10 minutes,
An alternative is to pressure-cook for 5 minutes at 15 Ib pressure.
Reduce pressure by covering the lid with a wet duster.
When the gravy is ready, pour it into a Pyrex dish. Cut the koftas
into two halves and arrange them on the gravy. Cover and leave the
dish in a slow oven for 1S to 20 minutes. Serve sprinkled, with
chopped coriander leaves and garam masala.
TANDOORI MURGHA
Tandoori Chicken
This is absolutely the last word in cookery. It is the show piece
of the Indian culinary art, and is a true demonstration of the height
of perfection to which an art can be raised. Superlatives can be used
in describing its taste. It is marvellous and is perhaps one of the
world’s most delicious preparations. A visit to India can never be
considered complete without the sampling of this great dish. The
use of specially prepared spices and colouring matter gives the
chicken an exquisite appearance and produces in the mouth a sensa-
tion which defies description.
The method of preparation is perhaps as ancient as civilisation it-
self. It has been handed over from father to son and has been im-
proved by each successive generation until it has mellowed with age.
The process can in fact be termed grilling and is carried out in a clay
oven known as a tandoor. It is 44 to 5 ft in depth and about 2 ft in
diameter at the base and about | ft at the top. It has a shape closely
resembling a bullet. The lower two-thirds is cylindrical in form; the
top however curves sharply inwards and presents a small opening.
TANDOORI MURGHA
Tandoori Chicken
Recipe No. 1
Ingredients for rubbing over
1 small chicken weighing 12 to 16 ozs 4 teaspoonful salt
(340 to 455 g) (after plucking) 1
Ingredients for the marinade

6 cloves of garlic (lasan) 4 oz (7 g) green papaya (papita)
+ oz (7 g) ginger (adrak) or
1 teaspoonful coriander seeds (sukha 3 small kachries (14 level teaspoonfuls)
dhania) 4 teaspoonful black cumin seeds (Kala
+ teaspoonful salt zeera)
1 dessertspoonful fresh lime juice teaspoonful red pepper
1 dessertspoonful vinegar (sirka) tablespoonfuls yoghurt (curd)
bare
1 dessertspoonful salad oil ca pinch of tomato colouring
INDIAN MEAT DISHES a
Ingredients for sprinkling over the chicken after it is baked

4 teaspoonful ground amchur (pow- 1 dessertspoonful fresh lime juice
dered dried green mango) 3 teaspoonful ground fenugreek leaves
3 teaspoonful roasted ground black (dried methi)
cumin seeds (kala zeera) 1 tablespoonful melted ghee
4 teaspoonful salt
Method
Clean, wash and dry the chicken with a piece of cloth. Make cuts
over the breast and legs. Rub 4 teaspoonful salt and 1 dessertspoon-
ful lime juice into the cuts, all over the surface and the cavity. Leave
for 30 minutes.
Grind all the ingredients of the marinade very fine with the lime
juice, vinegar and yoghurt (curd), and add salt and } teaspoonful red
pepper. Rub this paste into the chicken, insert into the cuts; sprinkle
the remaining 4 teaspoonful red pepper + a pinch of tomato colour-
ing mixed together; smooth and leave for 12 hours. Remove the
excess of the paste and pass a pointed skewer through the chicken.
The skewer used should be slightly longer than the depth of the
tandoor, pointed at one end and slightly curved at the other. It
should be pressed through a bony portion of the chicken so as to
hold it firmly at a point slightly lower than the middle of the rod.
The skewer is however only used if roasting is to be done in a tan-
door. In the case of an electric grill a baking tray with a trivet may
be used. Roast in the tandoor or grill in an electric oven for 15
minutes. Remove, rub with lime juice, sprinkle ground masala and
baste with the melted ghee. Cook by placing it in the tandoor or
under the grill for 5 to 10 minutes.
Remove from the skewer and serve immediately. Sliced onions,
green chillies, shredded ginger, mint leaves, a little lemon juice and
the seasoning mixed together may be served as a salad with it.
TANDOORI MURGHA
Tandoori Chicken
Recipe No. 2
This method for cooking tandoori chicken is one that can be easily
followed by most housewives. It is economical as compared with
the conventional method described above because a bigger chicken,
which can be served to 2 or even 3 persons, can be cooked. Further-
more, this tandoori chicken is more juicy and fleshy.
Ingredients for simmering the chicken
1 chicken with the skin intact (weigh- 1 oz (30 g) onion
ing 14 to 2 lb (680 to 906 g) 4 oz (15 g) ginger (adrak)
6 to 8 cloves of garlic (lasan) 1 teaspoonful salt
1 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch) 4 oz (15 g) papaya (papita), use if the
4 teaspoonful garam masala chicken is old—optional
4 pt (150 mils) water
Ingredients for roasting

1 tablespoonful lemon juice’ 2 ozs (60 g) ghee
4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi A pinch of saffron (kesar)
mirch) + a pinch of tomato colour- 4 teaspoonful salt
ing 4 teaspoonful garam masala
Ingredients for sprinkling on the chicken after it is baked

4 teaspoonful roasted and ground black 4 teaspoonful powdered dried green
cumin seeds (kala zeera) mango (amchur)
4 teaspoonful fenugreek leaves (methi) or
4 teaspoonful salt 2 teaspoonfuls lemon juice
Method
Clean and wash the chicken. Grind onions, garlic, ginger and
papaya (optional); add 1 teaspoonful salt, 4 teaspoonful red pepper
and + teaspoonful garam masala. Rub this paste into the chicken.
Place the chicken on the trivet, add 4 pt (150 mils) water and pressure-
cook for 8 to 10 minutes at 15 lb pressure. Allow the pressure to
_ drop by itself. While the chicken is cooling heat the saffron slightly,
grind and mix with the lemon juice, salt, red pepper, tomato colour-
ing and garam marsala.
Remove the skin of the chicken and make cuts in the breast and
the legs. Rub the saffron-masala paste over the surface and the
cavity and insert into the cuts. Bake in a tandoor or in a moderately
hot oven (400° F, 205° C) for 15 to 20 minutes. After baking for 7
minutes turn and baste the chicken 2 to 3 times with 1 to 2 ozs (30 to
60 g) ghee. Remove the chicken when it is tender.
Sprinkle a mixture of salt, roasted ground black cumin seeds,
ground fenugreek leaves and the powdered dried green mango
(amchur). If fenugreek leaves and powdered dried green mango
(amchur) are not available, sprinkle 2 teaspoonfuls lemon juice and
4 teaspoonful roasted ground black cumin seeds.
Serve immediately.
MAKHANI MURGH
Tandoori Chicken Cooked in Butter and Tomato Sauce
A tandoori murgha (prepared by one of the previous recipes)
when further cooked in butter and tomato sauce is known as makhani
murgh.
Ingredients for the sauce
2 ozs (60 g) butter or pure ghee 1 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch)
1 ib (455 g) tomatoes 4 teaspoonfuls sugar
14 to 2 level teaspoonfuls salt 4 tablespoonfuls thick cream or double
2 dessertspoonfuls lemon juice cream (malai)
Ingredients for makhani murgh

3 +- 1 ozs (115 g) butter or pure ghee Quarters of 4 ozs tomatoes
4 teaspoonful garam masala 4 teaspoonful roasted ground black
1 cooked tandoori chicken (14 lb (680 cumin seeds
g) in weight) 1 tablespoonful finely-chopped fresh
4 teaspoonful red pepper coriander leaves or parsley
2 to 3 green, finely cut chillies (sabz 4 oz shredded ginger
mirch)
Method
For the sauce:—Heat the butter or ghee. Remove from the fire,
add 1 teaspoonful red pepper, | lb (455 g) roughly-cut tomatoes, salt
and the sugar. Cook uncovered for about 15 minutes on quick fire.
Pass through a fine sieve. Beat the cream and mix it with the tomato
puree. Add lemon juice and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Re-
move from the fire and leave it covered till needed.
For the murgh:—Prepare a tandoori chicken and carve it into neat
pieces. Heat 3 ozs butter and fry lightly a few pieces of the chicken
at a time. When the whole of the chicken is done, remove the butter
from the fire, and add to it 4 teaspoonful red pepper. Stir, mix the
tomato sauce as prepared above and cook for about 5 minutes. Add
the fried chicken pieces, quarters of tomatoes, shredded ginger and
green chillies. Simmer for 10 minutes or till the flavour of the sauce
penetrates them. Remove from the heat and pour on | oz of melted
butter. Sprinkle roasted ground black cumin seeds, garam masala
and finely-chopped fresh coriander leaves or parsley. Serve
mmediately.
MURGH MUSALLAM
Whole Chicken Curry (dry)

6 cloves of garlic (lasan) 4 oz (7 g) papaya or 1 teaspoonful
4 oz (18 g) ginger (adrak) kachri (optional, cooking takes a
2 green chillies (sabz mirch) little longer in its absence)
1 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch) 1 teaspoonful salt
4 teaspoonful garam masala 4 teaspoonful turmeric (huldi)
1 chicken (14 1b (680 g) in weight) 4 pt (150 mils) yoghurt (curd)
Ingredients for the masala for roasting
6 ozs (170 g) ghee 1” piece cinnamon (darchini)
12 ozs (340 g) onions 4 brown cardamoms (illaichi)
6 cloves garlic (lasan) 4 oz (15 g) desiccated coconut (naryal
4 oz (15 g) ginger (adrak) ka burada)
6 cloves (laung) 4 oz (15 g) almonds (badam)
6 peppercorns (kali mirch) 1 teaspoonful salt
4 teaspoonful white cumin seeds 4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch)
(sufaid zeera) Sry + of nutmeg (jaiphal)
A small blade mace (javatri) 4 oz (15 g) coriander seeds (sukha
3 to 4 drops kewra essence dhania)
or 1 tablespoonful chopped fresh cori-
1 teaspoonful ruh kewra ander leaves (dhania)
4 teaspoonful saffron (kesar) 4 pt (300 mils) water
1 dessertspoonful hot water 4 teaspoonful garam masala
Method
For the marinade:—Clean the chicken thoroughly and prick all
over with a fork; make cuts over the breast and the legs if it is a little
tough. Grind the above-mentioned ingredients for the marinade
into a fine paste and mix with 4 pt (120 mils) yoghurt (curd). Rub
the ground paste into the chicken, all over the surface and the cavity.
Leave in this marinade for about 2 hours.
For the masala:—Heat the ghee and fry the chopped onions and
garlic. Remove these when browned. Roast the coriander seeds,
_ crush and sift the skins. Also lightly roast the almonds, coconut and
the remaining spices, except the ginger. Grind all the roasted spices,
browned onions, garlic and the ginger into a fine paste.
For the chicken:—Heat the same ghee again, add 4 teaspoonful
red pepper and brown the marinaded chicken lightly. After it is
done, rub the ground masala paste (prepared above) ail over. Put
the chicken in the same pan, add 4 pt (300 mils) water and simmer
over medium heat till it becomes tender. Sprinkle a little hot water
over the chicken if the water dries whilst cooking. Heat and dissolve
saffron in 1 dessertspoonful hot water, mix it with the ruh kewra or
the essence and sprinkle over the chicken when it is nearly cooked.
Cook for about 5 minutes more or till the moisture completely dis-
appears.
Serve hot in an oval dish, sprinkle the finely-cut fresh coriander
leaves or parsley and powdered garam masala.
CHILLI CHICKEN
Diced Chicken with Capsicum
This is a chicken cooked after the Chinese method and illustrates
another way of serving chicken.
Ingredients for frying the chicken

i chicken (14 Ib (680 g) in weight; 4 pt (150 mils) salad oil
when diced it is about 12 ozs, or 2 egg whites
340 g) 4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch)
1 teaspoonful salt 4 oz (15 g) arrowroot
4 teaspoonful black pepper (kali or
mirch) 4 oz (15 g) flour or cornflour
Ingredients to be cooked with the chicken

1 oz (30 g) white mushrooms (khumb) _ 6 green chillies
6 to 8 ozs (170 to 230 g) cucumber or
(kheera) 4 ozs (115 g) capsicum
i spring onion or 1 oz onions 4 oz (15 g) ginger (adrak)
6 cloves of garlic (lasan) 1 teaspoonful salt

1 tablespoonful vinegar (sirka) 1 heaped teaspoonful arrowroot or
2 to 3 tablespoonfuls stock prepared cornflour
from the neck and the gizzard of the 4 teaspoonful salt
chicken 1 dessertspoonful soya-bean sauce
or 1 teaspoonful sugar
2 to 3 tablespoonfuls water 1 teaspoonful Ve-Tsin (Chinese
i dessertspoonful rum or sherry flavouring)
—optional 4 teaspoonful white pepper
Method
Clean the chicken, remove the skin and bones and wash. Cut it
into 1” pieces. Sprinkle 1 teaspoonful salt, 4 teaspoonful red pepper
and + teaspoonful black pepper and mix egg whites and the arrow-
root.
Heat the salad oil and fry, a few pieces of the chicken at a time, in
+ pt (150 mils) oil for 4 to 5 minutes or till all of them are done.
Remove from the oil and keep them aside. Soak the mushrooms over-
night; boil them in the same water for 15 to 20 minutes. Dice the
cucumber, add a little salt and leave it for 15 to 20 minutes. Squeeze
out the water. Heat the remaining oil, fry the finely-chopped onion,
garlic, ginger, mushrooms, chillies and the cucumber all separately,
adding a pinch of salt to each of them. Add the fried diced chicken
and all the ingredients for the sauce mixed together. Cook for about
5 minutes.
Serve hot with noodles and vegetables or boiled rice.
KABABS
Croquettes and Roasted Meats
Kababs are an important class of meat preparation. They are
prepared either from minced or small strips of tender meat by frying
and roasting over open charcoal fire. They are essentially a dry meat
preparation but are occasionally converted into a curry by the addi-
tion of some curd and masala. From amongst the kababs prepared
from minced meat the seekh kabab and the shammi kabab are the
most important. Seekh kabab is perhaps the most popular of the
kababs and is prepared by grilling or roasting, whereas shammi
kabab is cooked by deep frying. Pasinda kabab and Hussaini seekh
kabab curry are the popular form of kababs prepared from whole
meat. ‘
SEEKH KABAB
Minced Meat Roasted on Skewers
Seekh kababs are a very popular tea-time snack of the non-
vegetarians, particularly the Muslims. It is quite common to see
these kababs being roasted on open charcoal fires in the market
places of predominantly Muslim areas. The meat used for the
mince should preferably be fatty and free from tendons. A well-
cooked seekh kabab is soft and crisp. Cooking it too long however
makes it tough and leathery.
Ingredients
1 lb (455 g) mutton # oz (20 g) parched gram flour or
4 oz (15 g) suet (charbi) or ghee roasted besan or roasted split-pea
3 oz (20 g) ginger (adrak) flour (bhuna channa ka besan)
* 1 level teaspoonful ground kachri 1 teaspoonful poppy seeds (khaskhas)
or 4 teaspoonful nutmeg (jaiphal)
1 teaspoonful fresh lime juice or
1 level teaspoonful red pepper (degi 4 teaspoonful mace (javatri)
mirch) 4 oz (15 g) almonds (badam)
or 14 teaspoonfuls salt
1 teaspoonful powdered yellow chillies 2 teaspoonfuls cream or curd
4 teaspoonfuls roasted ground cori- 1 teaspoonful black cumin seeds
ander seeds (sukha dhania) 6 cloves (laung)
16 peppercorns (kali mirch) 4 teaspoonful garam masala
A pinch of saffron (kesar)—optional 1 tablespoonful finely-chopped fresh
1 oz (30 mils) water coriander leaves (dhania) or parsley
Ingredients for the salad to be served

4 ozs (115 g) finely-sliced onions 1 tablespoonful chopped fresh mint
1 oz (30 g) sliced ginger (adrak) leaves (podina)
4 teaspoonful salt 3 to 4 sliced green chillies (sabz mirch)
1 tablespoonful fresh lime juice
Method
Wash and dry the mutton and suet thoroughly. Grind on a stone
or pass twice through the mincing machine, using a fine plate. Add
salt and ground kachri or lime juice and leave for 2 hours or so to
allow the mince to become tender.
Roast poppy seeds, almonds, black cumin seeds, cloves, coriander
seeds and peppercorns on a hot griddle (tawa). Grind these with
ginger, parched gram flour or broiled split-pea flour, nutmeg or mace
and | to 2 teaspoonfuls of cream or curd. Mix with minced meat, and
add red pepper or yellow chilli powder and garam masala. Add 1 oz
waier and knead hard for a few minutes, as this makes the paste
sticky and suitable for holding on the skewers. Chop coriander
leaves or parsley finely and add to the ground paste. Divide into 24
equal parts and flatten them. Pass the skewer through the centre of
each part, and, using a moistened hand, fold the meat on to it.
Rotate the skewer slowly and press the meat gently with the fingers
moistened with a little water till it completely encircles the skewer for
a length of about 4” (10 cm). Leave it for 15 to 20 minutes and then
roast on charcoal fire or grill in an electric oven. Turn slowly when
one side is done. Do not turn the seekhs or skewers around too
quickly, as this causes the paste to come off the skewers and fall down
on to the fire. Three to four seekh kababs can be roasted at a time if
the charcoal fire is sufficiently wide.
While the kababs are being made, prepare salad for serving with
them. Mix sliced onions, ginger, green chillies, fresh mint leaves, a
little salt and the lime juice. If this salad is too hot serve tomato
sauce as a substitute. Also serve mint and coriander chutney.
Serve immediately.
Note
A simple seekh kabab can be prepared by mixing ground parched
grams or broiled split-pea flour, kachries or lime juice, coriander
seeds, dried green mango powder (amchur), black cumin seeds, salt,
yellow chilli powder, garam masala and the finely-minced meat.
Knead till the mixture becomes sticky and can hold on to the skewers.
Roast as described above.
SHAMMI KABAB
Mutton Cutlet
Ingredients for boiling the mince
1 Ib (455 g) minced meat 2 ozs (60 g) split peas (dal channa)
4 pt (150 mils) water 6 cloves of garlic (lasan)
2 ozs (60 g) onions 4 teaspoonful turmeric (huldi)
Ingredients to be added after the mince is cooked

1 oz (30 g) ginger (adrak) 1 tablespoonful chopped coriander
4 teaspoonful garam masala leaves Ms
1 teaspoonful fresh lime juice 2 green chillies (sabz mirch)
1 whole egg 1 tablespoonful tomato sauce or puree
Ingredients for stuffing

2 ozs (60 g) onions 1 oz (30 g) sultanas (kishmish)
1 oz (30 g) ghee 1 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch)
1 oz (30 g) blanched almonds 4 teaspoonful garam masala
4 teaspoonful salt 1 tablespoonful finely-chopped fresh
Ghee for frying coriander leaves or parsley
2 green chillies (sabz mirch)
Method
For the mince:—Clean, wash and mince the meat. Heat 4 pt
(150 mils) water and add minced meat, sliced onions, split peas (dal
channa), turmeric, garlic, red pepper and salt. Cook for half an hour
or till the mince is tender. Alternative is to pressure-cook for 10
minutes at 15 lb pressure and reduce pressure quickly by covering it
with a wet duster. Uncover and dry the liquid. Cool.
For the filling:—Heat the ghee lightly and fry finely-chopped
onions. Add the finely-sliced green chillies, sliced blanched almonds,
sultanas, salt, red pepper, garam masala and the finely-chopped
coriander leaves or parsley. Remove from the heat and cool.
For the cutlets:—Grind the mince, ginger, and the green chillies.
Add garam masala, tomato puree, lime juice, coriander leaves or
parsley and the whole egg. Mix, knead a little and divide into 18
equal parts. Flatten. Fill each cake of the mince with one part of the
stuffing. Shape them into balls, flatten again and shallow fry till
’ golden in colour.
Serve with mint chutney and a salad consisting of onions, ginger,
green chillies and mint sprinkled with fresh lime juice.
PASINDA (PARCHA) KABAB

Meat Roasted on Skewers
Ingredients
1 lb (455 g) lean mutton from the leg 1 teaspoonful black cumin seeds (kala
or shoulder, cut into parchas or zeera)
pasindas 1 tablespoonful desiccated coconut
5 oz (15 g) parched grams (channa) (naryal ka burada)
4 oz (15 g) ginger (adrak) 1 oz (30 g) onions
3 to 4 ground kachries (14 teaspoonfuls 8 to 10 cloves of garlic (lasan)
powder) 6 cloves (laung)
or 16 peppercorns (kali mirch)
4 0z (7 g) papaya (papita) 4 teaspoonful grated nutmeg
14 teaspoonfuls salt 14 teaspoonfuls poppy seeds (khas-
4 to 6 brown cardamoms (illaichi) khas)
1 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch) 4 pt (150 g) strained yoghurt (curd)
Method
Take a piece of meat 34” (10 cm) long, 14” (4 cm) wide and 3”
(2 cm) thick from the leg. Mark a piece 1” (4 cm) thick and cut a
strip 34” (84 cm) long, ieaving a join at the end between the 2 strips
thus obtained. Open them and it results in a single strip 6” (15 cm)
long. Place the knife on the thick strip near its junction with the
thin strip and cut a strip 4” thick along its length and as in the pre-
vious case leave a small join at the end. Cut the rest of the meat in
the same manner. Beat the joins with the back of a knife til! they
are flattened out.
Into the curd, grind the cloves, cardamoms, kachri or papaya,
garlic, onion, ginger, cumin seeds, coconut, nutmeg, peppercorns,
poppyseeds and parched grams; add red pepper and the salt. Coat
the pasindas with the ground masala and leave them in this marinade
for 3 hours. Mark 4 points, each 14” (4 cm) apart, on a strip of the
meat. Hold the meat at the first point and pierce it with a skewer.
Similarly pass the skewer through the second and the third point.
The meat will then resemble a wavy line through the centre of which
passes the skewer. Roast on open charcoal fire or grill; turn, when
one side is cooked, pour a little melted ghee (optional) over the
pasindas and keep on the fire again for a minute or so. It takes about
15 to 20 minutes to cook. Serve with a salad consisting of sliced
onions, green chillies, finely-cut ginger and mint leaves, seasoning
and the lemon juice.
BADAM PASINDA CURRY

Almond Kabab Curry
Ingredients
16 pasindas (cut out of 1 lb (455 g) meat from the loin or the shoulder)
Ingredients for stuffing the pasindas

i oz (30 g) ghee 4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch)
2 teaspoonful salt 4 teaspoonful garam masala
14 ozs (40 g) finely-chopped onions 3 oz (20 g) chopped blanched almonds
3 oz (20 g) pistachio nuts (pista) (badam)
2 finely-chopped green chillies (sabz 3 0z (20 g) cashew nuts (kaju)
mirch) 3 oz (20 g) finely cut ginger (adrak)
Ingredients for dusting

1 teaspoonful salt 4 teaspoonful red pepper
1 teaspoonful garam masala
Ingredients for coating the pasindas

4 teaspoonful salt 4 oz (15 g) flour (maida) As
4 teaspoonful garam masala 4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch)

8 green cardamoms (illaichi) 6 ozs (170 g) grated onions + 2 table-
3 teaspoonful turmeric (huldi) spoonfuls water
1 tablespoonful chopped coriander } teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch)
leaves 1 teaspoonful salt
2 pt (350 g) yoghurt (curd) 4 teaspoonful garam masala
12 cloves of garlic-+1 oz (30 g) 1 dessertspoonful ground coriander
ginger + 3 tablespoonfuls water seeds (sukha dhania)
4 pt (200 mils) water or stock 4 teaspoonful ground roasted black
4 ozs (115 g) ghee r cumin seeds
Method
For cutting the pasindas:—Clean, wash and wipe the meat, cut
into pieces 24” by 34” (64 by 9 cms) and 3” (1 cm) thick. If the meat
is short of the required dimensions, take a piece and placing a knife
lengthwise at an angle of 25° cut a thin strip leaving a junction at one
end. The flap thus formed on opening should give the required
length. Flatten the pieces first by beating with a cutlet bat or a rolling
pin and then with the back of a knife. Shape them into rectangles
24” by 34” (64 by 9 cms).
For the stuffing:—Heat the ghee and fry the finely-chopped onions
till golden in colour. Add the roughly-cut almonds, pistachios,
cashew nuts, green chillies, ginger, salt, red pepper and garam masala.
Stir a little and fry for about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the fire
and divide the mixture into as many parts as there are pasindas.
For the pasindas:—Dust the pasindas with the seasoning consist-
ing of salt, red pepper and garam masala. Place one part of the stuff-
ing over each one and rollit up. Tie with a piece of thread to prevent
the stuffing from coming out. Roll the pasindas in a mixture of
flour, red pepper, salt and garam masala. Heat 4 ozs (115 g) ghee
and fry the parsindas a few at a time till golden in colour.
For the gravy:—Reheat the ghee and fry the onions till they are
brown. Add a dessertspoonful water and fry till it dries up. Then
add red pepper, stir and add another tablespoonful of water. Fry till
the mixture is dried up. Mix turmeric, salt and ground coriander
seeds and the whipped curd a little at a time till the whole of it is
utilised and the mixture is dry. Add the fried pasindas and continue
frying by adding the garlic and ginger paste (grind these with 3 table-
spoonfuls water) a little at a time till the whole of it is used up.
Sprinkle garam masala and mix 4 pt (210 mils) water. Pressure-cook
for 12 minutes at 15 lb pressure and allow the pressure to drop by
itself. An alternative is to cook in a pan on slow fire, keeping a little
water on the lid, till the pasindas are tender.
Serve sprinkled with chopped coriander leaves and ground roasted
black cumin seeds.
HUSSAINI SEEKH KABAB CURRY

A Curry of Fried Pieces of Mutton held on Small Wooden Skewers
Ingredients
1 Ib (455 g) lean mutton cut up into 8 button onions
\” pieces 8 rounds of sliced ginger each 2’
8 wooden skewers 4” (10 cm) long (4 cm) thick and 1” (24 cm) in
(bamboo sticks or stainless steel diameter
needles as thick as knitting needles
can be used)
Ingredients for the marinade for kababs

3 ozs (85 g) finely-chopped or grated A pinch of grated nutmeg (jaiphal)
onions 6 to 8 finely-chopped cloves of garlic
1 dessertspoonful ground coriander (lasan)
seeds (sukha dhania) 1 teaspoonful ground turmeric (huldi)
1 teaspoonful ground poppy seeds teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch)
(khaskhas) teaspoonful garam masala
4 oz (1S g) ground ginger (adrak) pt (300 g) thick yoghurt (curd)
1 tablespoonful salad oil me teaspoonful salt
NE
Re
Ingredients for the curry

3 ozs (85 g) gliee 4 teaspoonful red pepper
2 ozs (60 g) grated onions 4 teaspoonful garam masala
6 cloves of finely-cut garlic + teaspoonful roasted black cumin
3 green cardamoms (illaichi) seeds (kala zeera)
2” piece of cinnamon (darchini) 4 cloves (laung)
4 pt (150 mils) hot water or stock + teaspoonful salt
Ingredients for garnishing

Shreds of 2 green chillies 1 tablespoonful finely-chopped cori-
ander leaves (dhania) or parsley
Method
Cut up one Ib (455 g) lean mutton into 1” (24 cm) squares and leave
them in the kabab marinade for 2 hours. Remove the meat pieces
from the marinade and pack them on wooden skewers alternately
with tiny button onions and thin slices of ginger, leaving the ends of
the skewers clear. Heat the ghee and fry the kababs on the skewers
3 to 4 at a time till they are lightly browned. Remove the kababs
from the ghee, add grated onions and garlic and fry till golden brown.
Add 4 teaspoonful red pepper, 4 teaspoonful salt, cardamoms,
cloves, cinnamon, and the left-over marinade masala and fry till the
ghee separates from the masala. Then add the fried stick kababs,
stir for a few minutes and add } pt or more (150 mils) hot water or
stock. Simmer till the meat is cooked. An alternative is to cook for
10 minutes at 15 lb pressure and allow the pressure to drop by itself.
Uncover, dry the liquid a little, and add 4 teaspoonful garam masala
and 4 teaspoonful roasted ground black cumin seeds.
Serve hot, sprinkled with the finely-chopped fresh coriander leaves
or parsley and shreds of 2 green chillies.
MALAI KABAB
Minced Mutton Cutlet Cooked in Cream
Cooking of cutlets in.cream makes them rich and improves their
taste.
Ingredients
8 ozs (230 g) finely-minced mutton 4 egg yolk
1 slice white bread (double roti) or
A little milk to soak the bread 4 whole egg
1 oz (30 g) finely-cut onions A little flour (maida) for coating (op-
2 green chillies without seeds (sabz tional)
mirch) 4 pt (150 mils) sour cream (khati
1 teaspoonful salt malai)
4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch) 1 tablespoonful chopped coriander
4 teaspoonful garam masala leaves
1 teaspoonful ground coriander seeds 4 oz (15 g) ginger
(sukha dhania)
Ingredients for sprinkling over

_ $ teaspoonful garam masala 1 tablespoonful chopped coriander
2 shredded green chillies leaves
Method
Mince the meat very fine. Soak the slice of bread in the milk.
Chop onions, ginger, green chillies and coriander leaves very fine
and mix these with the minced mutton, soaked bread (after squeezing
out the milk), salt, red pepper, ground coriander seeds, garam masala
and the egg yolk. Knead for 5 minutes. Divide the mixture into
8 equal parts, shape them into round and flat cakes about 14” in dia-
meter and rollin dry flour. Fry in a little hot ghee till browned from
all sides. Place in a Pyrex dish and pour sour cream over them;
sprinkle salt, red pepper, garam masala and coriander leaves. Cook
on slow fire and keep live charcoal on the lid or place in a moderately
hot over (350° F) till a crust is formed on the top.
Serve hot, sprinkled with chopped green chillies, coriander leaves
and a salad of carrots, radishes, green chillies, salt and lemon juice.
MOGLAI HOOSAINI KABAB

Moglai Hoosaini Kabab is similar to Shami Kabab except that in-
stead of the split peas (channa dal) an egg is used as a binding agent
and it is not stuffed. It is however equally hot because spices are
added to the minced meat.
Ingredients
1 lb (455 g) finely-minced lean mutton 10 peppercorns
4 green chillies (sabz mirch) A little mace (javatri)
12 cloves of garlic (lasan) A little nutmeg (jaiphal)
4 ozs (115 g) onions 1” (24 cm) piece of cinnamon (dar-
i oz (30 g) ginger (adrak) chini)
1 dessertspoonful desiccated coconut 1 dessertspoonful white sesame (su-
(naryal ka burada) faid til)—optional
12 almonds (badam) 4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch)
1 dessertspoonful coriander seeds 2 teaspoonfuls salt
(sukha dhania) 1 tablespoonful gram flour (basan) or
1 teaspoonful fresh lime juice split-pea flour
1 whole egg + 4 tablespoonfuls yo- A few fresh chopped coriander leaves
ghurt (curd) (dhania)
or A few fresh mint leaves (podina)
2 whole eggs 1 tablespoonful ghee
4 brown cardamom (illaichi) Ghee for frying
1 teaspoonful black cumin seeds
Method
Fry coriander seeds, peppercorns, cardamoms, mace, nutmeg,
cinnamon, white til (sesame), almonds, coconut, cumin seeds and the
split-pea flour (besan) for 3 minutes in one tablespoonful ghee. Add
minced meat, finely-minced onions, garlic, ginger and chillies, stir
and continue cooking on slow fire for 15 minutes; mix salt and red
pepper, and cook till the mixture dries up. Cool. Grind this mixture
into a fine paste and mix | teaspoonful lime juice, the coriander and
the mint leaves and the lightly beaten egg. Add yoghurt (curd) if the
mixture is dry, divide it into 16 equal parts and shape them into
sausage-like form, each about 2” in length. This should be done
immediately as otherwise the paste is likely to become soft. Shallow
fry till they are golden brown. An alternative procedure is to press
them on metal skewers and grill.
Serve with mint and coriander chutney and a salad of onion rings,
sliced green chillies, salt and lemon juice.
ALU KEEMA TIKKI

Potato Meat Puff
Alu keema tikki is a potato cutlet stuffed with minced meat. The
conventional method of preparation is by slow heating and shallow
frying. This process however takes a lot of time, but by incorporating
into the mixture a whole egg in addition to the flour, it can be cooked
in much less time.
Ingredients for the covering
1 lb (455 g) potatoes 4 teaspoonful black pepper or garam
2 ozs (60 g) flour masala °
1 oz (30 g) butter 1 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch)
1 egg 4 teaspoonfuls salt
Ingredients for the filling

8 ozs (230 g} cooked mince 4 teaspoonful black pepper
1 dessertspoonful tomato sauce 4 oz (15 g) ghee
2 ozs (60 g) onions oe 1 teaspoonful salt
2 green chillies (without seeds) Ghee for deep frying
Method
Wash and boil the potatoes in the salted water. Mash when cold,
and add butter, flour, red pepper, salt and the garam masala or black
pepper. Beat the egg, mix it with the mashed potatoes and make it
into a firm paste. Place it on a well-floured board, dredge with flour
and roll out. Cut 10 rounds or squares of equal size.
Cook the finely-chopped onions in 4 oz (15 g) ghee till lightly
browned. Add the finely-cut green chillies, salt and the mince.
Cover and simmer till the mince is cooked and the water dries up.
Season with black pepper, and mix in the tomato sauce. Cool.
Place a dessertspoonful of this filling on each of the potato pastries.
Damp the edges with a little egg-milk mixture obtained by stirring a
little milk in the bowl in which the egg has been beaten; fold over and
- seal the edge. Dust with the flour and deep fry each side until golden
brown
Serve hot with tomato sauce.
A variety of fillings can be used. Some of these are as follows.
Fillings for non-vegetarians
(1) chopped cooked fish seasoned with salt, red pepper, garam
masala, finely-cut green chillies and a little butter
(2) cold scrambled egg and bacon
(3) chopped cooked chicken seasoned with finely-chopped onion,
green chillies, salt, red pepper, garam masala and a little butter.
Filling for vegetarians
Mashed half-cooked green peas mixed with the finely-chopped
cooked onions, panir (Indian cream cheese), green chillies and the
seasoning.
KAMARGAH
Mutton Chop
This dish originates in the land of Kashmir. It has a special mode
of preparation, which greatly enhances its taste and lends to it an
individual character. The chops are first simmered in milk which
imparts to them a sweet and pleasant flavour. The full flavour can
however only be achieved if an exceedingly thin layer of batter is used
in the process of frying.
Ingredients for cooking chops

{ 1b (455 g) mutton (10 to 12 chops) 1” (24 cm) piece of cinnamon (dar-
8 green cardamoms (illaichi) chini)
1 level tablespoonful aniseeds (sonf) 1 teaspoonful salt
6 cloves (laung; 4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch)
6 bay leaves (tejpattar) 10 peppercorns (kali mirch)
$ pt (450 mils) milk + 4 to 4 pt (75 to
150 mils) cream
Ingredients for the batter

24 ozs (70 g) gram flour 1 teaspoonful ground coriander seeds
or (sukha dhania)
24 ozs (70 g) split-pea flour + ttotpt 4 teaspoonful salt
(90 to 120 mils) water 4 teaspoonful each of nutmeg (jaiphal),
} teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch) mace (javatri) cloves (laung) and
A pinch of saffron (kesar)—optional cinnamon (darchini) powdered
i dessertspoonful melted ghee separately.
Ghee for frying A pinch of baking powder—optional
Method
For the chops:—Simmer the chops in ? pt (450 mils) milk. Add
cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, aniseeds, skins of the green carda-
moms tied in a piece of muslin, salt, red pepper, crushed green
cardamom seeds and bay leaves. Allow them to simmer until the
meat is tender and the milk is dried up. An alternative is to add 4 pt
(150 mils) milk and the same quantities of the other ingredients and
pressure-cook for 10 minutes at 15 lb pressure. Reduce pressure
immediately by pouring tap water over the lid. Uncover and add the
remaining milk after thickening it to 4 its volume. Cook uncovered
until it is quite dry. Then add cream to the chops (whether cooked
in a pan or a pressure cooker) and cook till there is no liquid left in
the pan.
For the batter:—Make a paste with the gram flour (besan) or split-
pea flour and 2 to 3 oz water and beat thoroughly for about 15
minutes, so that it is even and light. Add the remaining water,
ground coriander seeds, nutmeg, mace, cinnamon, cloves, saffron,
salt and the red pepper. Leave the batter to swell for half an hour.
Mix the ghee thoroughly and lastly add baking powder.
For frying kamargah:—Divide the residual dried milk and spices
into as many parts as there are chops and make use of each one of
these to coat over the chops. Dip them one by one into the batter
and deep fry, a few pieces at a time, in hot ghee till golden in colour.
Remove from the ghee, cool a little and then fry again. Double
frying makes it more crisp. Garnish with silver leaves and serve
with tomato ketchup.
‘PORK DELICACIES
SWEET AND SOUR PORK
This is perhaps one of the most popular of the Chinese dishes
which have been readily accepted in India. It is a dish which has that
extra something that makes it stand head and shoulders above other
dishes, and gives it a universal acceptance. The pork pieces are
cooked in sweet and sour sauce composed mainly of tomatoes. It
makes them extremely tender and gives them an appetising fragrance
and flavour. Sweet and sour pork and Chinese fried rice make a per-
fect combination which can be served with great confidence on any
occasion.
Ingredients for marinading

8 to 10 ozs (230 to 284 g) lean pork 2 teaspoonfuls soya-bean sauce
(undercut) cut into 1” cubes 4 teaspoonful red pepper
. 4 teaspoonful salt 4+ teaspoonful white pepper
Ingredients for the sweet and sour sauce

4+ to $ pt (120 to 180 mils) tomato sauce +4 teaspoonful white pepper
or tomato ketchup 4 teaspoonful red pepper
2 ozs (60 g) carrots (gajjar) + tablespoonfuls soya-bean sauce
2 ozs (60 g) onions 1 teaspoonful salt
8 ozs tomatoes 4 tablespoonfuls vinegar
2 tablespoonfuls peanut oil (salad oil 3 dessertspoonfuls sugar
or clarified margarine or vegetable 1 dessertspoonful arrowroot or corn-
ghee may be used as substitutes) flour
4 pt (150 mils) stock or water + pt (120 mils) water or stock
Ingredients for sweet and sour pork

8 to 10 ozs marinaded pork cubes Batter as required
4 oz finely-cut green stalks of spring 2 tablespoonfuls salad oil + 4 tea-
onion spoonful red pepper
2 finely-cut green chillies Sweet and sour sauce

1 whole egg or 2 egg whites % teaspoonful red pepper
1 oz (30 g) flour 4 0z milk
4 teaspoonful white pepper Ghee for deep frying
4 teaspoonful salt
Method
For the sweet and sour sauce:—Fry the vegetables in 2 tablespoon-
fuls of peanut oil (salad oil is however preferred to this by most
Indian housewives) for 5 minutes. Add salt and cook for 10 minutes.
Mix the stock or water and simmer for 20 minutes. Alternative
procedure is to pressure-cook for 5 minutes at 15 lb pressure and
reduce it by pouring cold water over the cooker immediately after
this. Pass through a fine sieve or a strainer. Reheat. Add soya-bean
sauce, vinegar, white pepper, tomato ketchup and the arrowroot
dissolved in 4 ozs water. Bring to the boil and cook for 10 minutes.
For the batter:—Beat the egg. Mix flour, milk and the seasoning
and continue beating for 10 minutes or till it becomes light. Cut lean
pork from the leg (preferably undercut) into 25 to 30 one inch (2 cm)
cubes. Soak them in a mixture of 2 tablespoonfuls soya-bean sauce,
4 teasponful salt, 4 teaspoonful black pepper and 4 teaspoonful red
pepper for about half an hour. Dip each piece in the seasoned batter
and deep fry in hot peanut or salad oil over medium fire for about 5
to 7 minutes. You may find it convenient to fry the pork cubes an
hour or two before the dish is to be actually served.
Heat 2 tablespoonfuls ghee or oil, add a little salt and the finely-
chopped spring onion and green chillies and fry. Then add 4 tea-
spoonful red pepper and the fried pieces of pork and cook for about
10 minutes or till they are thoroughly hot. Pour hot sauce over them
and simmer for 10 minutes or until the tomato sauce has penetrated
into them.
Serve immediately in a hot dish, sprinkled with white pepper. It is
usually served with fried rice. Chilli sauce may also be served, if
desired.
PORK VINDALOO CURRY

Sour and Hot Pork Curry
Pork Vindaloo curry is a South Indian delicacy which is ordinarily
made very hot and sour. As red chillies have not been used in the
recipe described below the curry produced by this method is enjoyed
by everybody.
Ingredients
1 Ib (455 g) lean pork cut up into 1” 12 thinly-sliced cloves of garlic (lasany
(2 cm) pieces (shikar) 1 oz (30 g) thinly-sliced ginger (adrak
3 to 4 ozs (85 to 115 g) ghee, or mustard 2 sliced green chillies (sabz mirch)
oil (sarson ka tel) or sesame (til) oil 1 teaspoonful salt
6 ozs (170 g) thinly-sliced onions 4 pt (150 mils) water
4 to 1 teaspoonful fenugreek seeds 1 teaspoonful red pepper
(methi) 4 teaspoonful turmeric
Spices for Vindaloo

2 tablespoonfuls husked dried cori- 1” piece of cinnamon (darchini)
ander seeds (sukha dhania) 1 teaspoonful sugar
1 teaspoonful white cumin seeds All the above mentioned spices
(sufaid zeera) ground fine either dry or with 2
4 teaspoonful black cumin seeds (kala tablespoonfuls vinegar
zeera) 1 tablespoonful thick tamarind pulp
4 to 1 teaspoonful ground mustard (rai) (imli) prepared from 1 oz (30 g) of
4 cloves (laung) Yar tamarind soaked in 4 tablespoonfuls
4 brown cardamomis (illaichi) water for about half an hour
8 peppercorns (kali mirch)
Method
Heat the ghee, fry onions and garlic and keep aside. Fry a few
pieces of meat at a time in hot ghee to seal its juices. When all these
are fried, remove the ghee from the fire. Add red pepper and
turmeric, stir a little, and then add fenugreek seeds (methai), fried
meat and fried onions, garlic, ginger, green chillies and the salt.
Mix 4 pt (120 mils) water and cook on slow fire till the meat is tender.
An alternative procedure is to pressure-cook for 10 minutes at 15 |b
pressure and allow the pressure to drop by itself. Uncover and fry
till the water dries up. Add ground spices, vinegar and tamarind
pulp and cook on very slow fire with some live charcoal on the lid.
Or place the pan in a slow oven (350° F) for half an hour, so that
’ the spices, vinegar and tamarind pulp penetrate into the meat pieces.
Remove from the fire.
Serve hot.
Note:—Use mustard oil for frying, if vindaloo is to be served as a

pickle. The quantity of the oil and vinegar required is to be doubled.
GINGER PORK AND PINEAPPLE

This is another dish of Chinese origin which has become very
popular in India. It has the typical sweet and sour taste of the
Chinese dishes, but to a lesser degree. It is generally served with
plain boiled rice.
Ingredients for marinading the pork

12 ozs (344 g) preferably pork undercut 1 teaspoonful salt
2 teaspoonfuls soya-bean sauce 4 teaspoonful sugar
4 teaspoonful white pepper 4 teaspoonful red pepper
3 teaspoonfuls arrowroot or cornflour
INDIAN MEAT DISHES 18:
Ingredients for frying
3 ozs (90 mils) peanut oil or salad oil 2 diced medium-sized capsicums (Simla
12 ozs (344 g) pork undercut (shikar) mirch) about 8 ozs (230 g)
i Oz (30 8) roughly-cut onions or 1 oz (30 g) Chinese mushrooms
spring onion (khumb)
1 to 14 teaspoonfuls salt 8 ozs (230 g) pineapple (ananas)
4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch) 2 ozs (60 g) ginger slices (adrak)
1 dessertspoonful finely-cut garlic
4 teaspoonful white pepper (sufaid 2 dessertspoonfuls soya-bean sauce
miirch) 1 dessertspoonful vinegar
1 dessertspoonful sugar 3 teaspoonfuls arrowroot
4 teaspoonful Ve-Tsin 8 ozs (240 mils) water
Method
For the marinade:—Cut the pork into small pieces, $” « 4” x 14”
1”
and marinade in a mixture of soya-bean sauce, salt, sugar, white

pepper and red pepper. Leave it for half an hour. Then sprinkle 3
teaspoonfuls of cornflour or arrowroot over it and leave again for
half an hour.
Heat 2 dessertspoonfuls oil, add 4 teaspoonful salt and the marin-
aded pork. Fry on quick fire till it is three-quarters cooked. The
time taken depends upon the tenderness of the meat and is generally
about 5 minutes. Remove pork from the pan, wash and dry. Adda
dessertspoonful oil and 4 teaspoonful salt and quickly fry the
capsicums cut up into small pieces 1” x 4”. Remove from the pan,
wash and dry. Add a dessertspoonful oil and 4 teaspoonful salt and
fry the roughly-chopped mushrooms. Treat the pineapple, cut into
30 or 40 pieces (4” x 4” x 14"), and the slices of ginger in a similar
manner. Lastly fry the onion lightly.
Add all the fried ingredients to the pan and fry for 5 minutes.
Pour over them the sauce prepared by mixing vinegar, soya-bean
sauce, arrowroot, sugar, red pepper, white pepper, Ve-Tsin and 8 ozs
water. Cook for a few minutes till the sauce thickens.
Serve immediately with boiled rice.
FISHPREPARATIONS
Few persons can pass by a shop selling fried fish without looking
in. There is an aroma about these one-man establishments which is
irresistible and compels one to enter and sample the wares. The fish
generally served by them is sanghara (Mystis senegala) or mulli, the
former being the most suitable for this purpose. Pomfret, a sea-fish
(similar to plaice available in England) usually available on the fish

markets of the big cities in Northern India, can also be used. Its
taste however is not as good as that of the sanghara. Tandoori fish is
a fish-cookery counterpart of the tandoori chicken. Although the
fish is marinaded thoroughly before being roasted in a tandoor, it
manages to retain its natural flavour. Sweet and sour fish is a pro-
duct of Chinese cuisine. It is a fish-cookery equivalent of the sweet
and sour pork. A thin layer of brownish coloured sauce over a whole
pomfret with its head and eyes intact makes it an exquisite sight
when laid on the table. Stuffed fish is something similar to a stuffed
chicken. It may be fried or baked after filling in the stuffing. Lastly
it can be cooked with a very tender vegetable like tomato or can be
made into a curry. Pomfret is suitable for stuffing as well as for
cooking with tomatoes.
TALI MACHCHi
Fried Fish
Fish is ordinarily fried in England by coating with whole egg and
then rolling in breadcrumbs or dipping in egg-flour batter, whereas in
India sliced fish are first marinaded in a mixture of spices, yoghurt
(curd) and fresh lime juice and then dipped in gram flour (besan) or
" split-pea flour batter before they are fried. Most people prefer
mustard oil to ghee for frying fish. Sanghara (Mystic senegala) is
used in the recipe described below as it is easily available in Delhi.
Plaice and halibut are equally suitable.

1 lb sanghara fish (cleaned) cut up into 2 teaspoonfuls salt
8 pieces (3” < 2”) each (6 small fillets 1 tablespoonful lemon juice
of pomfret may be used as a sub-
stitute)

8 pieces of sanghara 8 small kachries ground (2 teaspoon-
8 crushed cloves of garlic fuls powder)
2 dessertspoonfuls vinegar or
4 teaspoonful garam masala 1 dessertspoonful fresh lime juice
14 teaspoonfuls red pepper (degi mirch) 4 teaspoonful crushed carom seeds
1 teaspoonful salt (ajwain)
Ingredients for the spiced flour

14 ozs (40 g) flour 4 teaspoonful salt
+ teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch) 4 teaspoonful garam masala
INDIAN MEAT DISHES US
Ingredients for the gram flour (besan) batter
4 ozs (115 g) gram flour (besan) or 3} pint (450 mils) mustard oil for deep
split pea flour frying (lard or clarified margarine
4 teaspoonful garam masala may be used as substitutes)
+ teaspoonful carom seeds (ajwain) 4 teaspoonful red pepper
A pinch of baking powder (optional) 4 pint (200 mils) water
4. teaspoonful salt 14 dessertspoonfuls oil
Method
Rub salt and lime juice on the slices of fish and leave for 15
minutes. Remove the bones, wash and dry. Place the fish in a deep
plate and rub crushed cloves of garlic, salt, garam masala, red
pepper, ground kachri or lime juice, ajwain (carom seeds) and
vinegar. Leave the fish in this marinade for half an hour.
In the meantime prepare the batter. Mix sieved gram flour
(besan) and warm water; beat for 15 minutes and leave it to swell for
half an hour. Add the seasoning mentioned under the ingredients
for the batter and 14 dessertspoonfuls oil and beat for 3 to 4 minutes.
Mix baking powder just before it is required for frying. Roll each
piece of fish in the dry spiced flour, dip into the batter and deep fry
in smoking hot oil till crisp and golden brown on both sides. Drain
the pieces well on a kitchen paper before arranging them on a dish.
Serve with onion rings, mint chutney and a salad consisting of
chopped mint leaves and sliced green chillies.
TANDOORI MACHCHI
Fish Baked in a Clay Oven or Grilled in an Electric Oven
This is another popular delicacy which is a speciality of the cooks
who migrated from Peshawar to India. The fish is cooked in a
tandoor (clay oven). It can be cooked equally well on an open fire
or under the grill. Proper selection of a fish weighing not more than
12 ozs (340 g) is essential for this mode of cooking.
3 whole sanghara fish weighing about 1 tablespoonful fresh lime juice plus 1
12 ozs (340 g) each (use medium- teaspoonful salt for rubbing over
sized haddock as substitute)

1 teaspoonful coriander seeds (sukha 6 small kachries (optional) plus } oz
dhania) (5 g) powdered dried green mango
1 dessertspoonful vinegar (sirka) (amchur)
14 teaspoonfuls red pepper (degi 4 oz (7 g) ginger (adrak)
mirch) 4 teaspoonful black cumin seeds (kala
A pinch of tomato colouring zeera)
6 cloves of garlic (lasan) 3 dessertspoonfuls fresh lime juice
4 teaspoonful salt 1 oz (30 g) ghee
Ingredients for sprinkling on the fish
1 oz (30 g) ghee 1 teaspoonful salt
4 teaspoonful roasted black cumin 1 dessertspoonful powdered dried
seeds (kala zeera) green mango (amchur)
4 teaspoonful fenugreek leaves (ground or
methi)—optional 1 teaspoonful fresh lime juice
Method
For rubbing over:—Wash, trim and clean the whole fish. Wipe
with a dry cloth and make cuts all over. Rub in | teaspoonful salt
and 1 tablespoonful lime juice. Leave for half an hour.
For the marinade:—Grind garlic, ginger, coriander seeds, black
cumin seeds, kachries and powdered dried green mango very fine.
Add ? teaspoonful red pepper, 3 dessertspoonfuls lime juice, and 1
dessertspoonful vinegar. Rub well over the surface and the cavities.
Sprinkle remaining half of red pepper ( teaspoonful) and tomato
colouring over the fish. Leave in the marinade for at least 2 hours.
For grilling:—Pass a pointed skewer lengthwise through the body
of the fish and bake in a tandoor (grill in an oven if tandoor is not
available) for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the tandoor, sprinkle
a little melted ghee and the spices over the grilled fish and dry it a
little by placing it again in the oven or the tandoor for 5 or 6 minutes.
Serve with a salad consisting of chopped onions, green chillies
and mint leaves, shredded ginger, seasoning and the lime juice.
KHAT MITHI MACHCHI

Sweet and Sour Fish
This is a dish of rare perfection. A dish which though Chinese in
origin has greatly captured the minds of the Delhiwalla. It has an
uncommon flavour and an even more uncommon method of presenta-
tion, that is, so far as India is concerned. The fish has got the famous
Chinese sweet and sour taste and is served whole complete with the
head. It is a treat which will be appreciated by one and all.
1 pomfret weighing 14 Ib (680 g) 4 teaspoonful salt
(plaice or halibut may be used as 4 teaspoonful red pepper
substitute)
Ingredients for frying the fish

4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch) 1 teaspoonful salt
2 tablespoonfuls arrowroot (arrow- 2 egg whites (anda ki sufaidi)
root) 4 tablespoonful water
4 teaspoonful white pepper (sufaid } pt (450 mils) peanut oil or salad oil
mirch) for frying
2 ozs (60 g) finely-chopped onions 8 ozs (240 mils) water
4 oz (15 g) finely-chopped ginger 6 cloves garlic (lasan)
3 to 4 tablespoonfuls vinegar (sirka) 2 green chillies (sabz mirch)
2 dessertspoonfuls arrowroot 3 to 4 tablespoonfuls sugar
4+ teaspoonful white pepper (sufaid 1 teaspoonful salt
mirch) 4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch)
4 teaspoonful black pepper (kali 1 dessertspoonful soya-bean sauce
mirch) 3 to 4 tablespoonfuls peanut oil or
4 tablespoonfuls water salad oil
Method
Clean, remove the fins and eyes of the pomfret, wash and dry.
Make some parallel cuts as deep as the bones (do not cut the bones).
Rub 4 teaspoonful salt, 4 teaspoonful red pepper and 4 teaspoonful
white pepper mixed together into the cuts and leave for half an hour.
Prepare a paste with two lightly beaten egg whites, 2 tablespoonfuls
arrowroct, | teaspoonful salt and 1 tablespoonful water. Heat the
oil for frying. Rub the paste all over the surface and the cavity and
insert into the cuts. Fry immediately after this as otherwise the paste
dries up, causing hardening of the skin during frying. Continue fry-
ing for 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from the oil, cool for 15 to 20
minutes and fry again till golden brown in colour.
Fry the finely-chopped onions and garlic in 4 tablespoonfuls oil till
light brown. Add finely-chopped ginger and green chillies and con-
tinue frying for a few minutes. Add vinegar, soya-bean sauce, arrow-
root, sugar, water, salt, red pepper and black pepper, all mixed to-
gether, and cook till it is as thick as cream. Pour hot over the fried
fish.
Serve immediately.
TOMATO FISH
Ingredients for tomato sauce
12 ozs (340 g) tomatoes 14 dessertspoonfuls arrowroot or corn-
4. teaspoonfuls salt flour and 4 ozs or 8 tablespoonfuls
1 oz (0 g) ghee water
4 cloves of garlic (lasan) 4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch)
3 to 4 teaspoonfuls sugar 2 to 3 drops cochineal (red) or a little
2 to 3 dessertspoonfuls vinegar (sirka) tomato colouring
14 ozs (40 g) onion
Ingredients for the tomato fish
1 Ib (455 g) cleaned pomfret or plaice 8 to 10 button onions
or halibut 1 to 14 teaspoonfuls salt
2 ozs (60 g) ghee 4 sliced green chillies
4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch) Potato fingers to serve with parsley
4 oz (15 g) sliced ginger (adrak) or mint for garnishing
3 small tomatoes cut into wedges
Method
For the sauce:—Simmer the sliced tomatoes, garlic and onions
with 14 teaspoonfuls salt for 15 to 20 minutes or till the onions are
cooked. Pass through a strainer. Heat 1 oz (30 g) ghee, add red
pepper, the tomato puree, arrowroot dissolved in 4 ozs water, sugar
and the vinegar. Simmer for a few minutes or till the sauce becomes
thick. Season to taste and add the tomato colouring.
For cooking the fish:—Wash, wipe and cut the fish into neat
pieces (3” x 4” or 8 x 10 cms). Steam the button onions and fry
lightly in 2 ozs (60 g) ghee. Remove the onions. Add red pepper,
slices of fish and the salt and simmer till it is three-quarters cooked.
Mix the tomato sauce, sliced ginger, green chillies and button onions.
Simmer till the fish is tender and the sauce penetrates into the fish.
Remove the fish from the sauce and keep it hot. Cook the remaining
sauce till it thickens. Add wedges of tomatoes, boil to heat through
and pour the sauce over the fish.
Serve hot, bordered with the potato fingers and garnished with the
parsley or mint sprigs.
STUFFED FRIED POMFRET

Ingredients
One Pomfret weighing 14 lb (680 g) Mustard oil for frying (clarified mar-
(plaice or halibut can be used as garine or lard may be used as
substitute) substitute)
Salt, fresh lime juice and red pepper
for rubbing over and inside the fish
Stuffing
1 oz (30 g) butter or ghee 1 dessertspoonful chopped fresh cori-
2 small or | large spring onion ander leaves (dhania)—optional
2 green chillies (sabz mirch) 4 0z (7 g) fried sultanas (kishmish)
2 ozs (60 g) shelled peas or mashed 1 dessertspoonful fresh lime juice
potatoes Rind of 1 whole lime (nimboo ka
1 teaspoonful salt chilka)
4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch) 1 whole egg
1 dessertspoonful chopped mint (po- 4 teaspoonful garam masala
dina) 1 teaspoonful ginger juice (adrak)
4 oz (7 g) fried almonds (badam)
Method
Clean the fish, remove the eyes, trim the tail and the fins, but leave
the head. Wash, dry and rub lime juice, salt and red pepper over the
surface and inside the cavity. Leave for some time.
In the meantime heat the ghee, fry the almonds and the sultanas
and keep them separate. Fry the onions lightly in the same ghee, add
peas or mashed potatoes, salt, red pepper and garam masala. Re-
move from the fire and cool; add lime juice, ginger juice, beaten
whole egg, fried almonds, sultanas, finely-cut green chillies and mint
and the chopped coriander leaves. Mix well.
Stuff this mixture inside the fish and tie lightly, using a few turns of
cotton thread. Fry in the smoking hot mustard oil till it becomes
crisp.
Serve whole.
SECTION II
INDIAN RICE COOKERY
INDIAN rice pullao is an object of exquisite beauty. It is the main
attraction on the table, spreading its fragrance all over the dining
room. Other dishes appear like satellites revolving round this mother
planet. It stimulates the appetite of one howsoever aloof he might
have been from the Indian cuisines. The Chinese are another people
well known for their rice preparations. Unlike the Indian chefs they
produce beautiful and delicious rice dishes without use of much fat
and spices. Some connoisseurs who do not like fats and spices in a
pullao consider Chinese fried rice as topping the list. This is how-
ever a matter of individual taste.
Rice cookery in England is of a comparatively poor standard. It
is perhaps one of the eccentricities of the British people for which
they are so well known. Rice served in British restaurants is a mere
apology for a pullao. One of the rice dishes that the British people
prepare is a rice pudding. Even the rice in the pudding is not pro-
perly cooked and it is a matter of great surprise as to how they are
able to relish it. On the other hand a sweet pullao, as prepared in
India, shows each grain separate, and as long as half an inch and
fully cooked. A variety of flavours produced by pistachios, shredded
almonds and sultanas which stand out like flowers on a landscape
blend to result in this ambrosial dish.
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE TECHNIQUE

FOR COOKING RICE
Rice used should be as old as possible. The basmati of Dehra

Doon and Eastern Punjab is very suitable for making a pullao. Rice
of a similar quality is marketed in England under the name ‘“‘Patna
Rice=,
Soak the rice in double its weight of water for cooking in a pan and
one and a half times its weight for pressure-cooking. Drain water
from the rice but do not throw it away. Fry the rice in ghee for five
minutes before adding to it the water which has been previously
separated from it and heated. Frying of the rice seals the starch in
the grains, prevents it from becoming soggy and separates each
grain. All the other ingredients are also fried before hot water is
80
INDIAN RICE COOKERY 81
added. The water used for cooking is the same in which the rice is
previously soaked.
Cooking in a pan:—Cook on medium heat till half of the water
dries up. Reduce the heat to low and dry the remaining water.
Leave the pan on hot ashes and place some live charcoal on the
saucer-shaped lid. This technique of cooking is called “DUM”. The
rice is thus cooked in steam. Its grains become separate.
Cooking in a pressure cooker:—The quantity of water required
for pressure-cooking of rice as mentioned above would be suitable
for a cooker of any brand. Put the lid on after the water is added
and bring it to a pressure of 15 1b. Remove the pressure cooker from
the fire; leave it in a warm place and allow the pressure to drop by
itself. Leave the pressure cooker for 10 to 15 minutes after the
pressure comes down to zero as the rice grain softens during this
period of cooking.
Always serve rice tastefully garnished, either with a preparation of
yoghurt (curd) or some gravy.
The sweet pullao should be made as colourful as possible by
the addition of pistachios, almonds and sultanas. Colour the rice
grain by adding a little saffron. Add ruh kewra or the essence and
crushed green cardamoms as flavourings, and decorate with silver
leaves.
Birianies are very rich pullaos. In fact the ghee used in their pre-
paration by some experts is half the weight of the rice, whilst the
meat is 2 to 3 times the weight; this of course being in addition to the
cream or the curd. The writer however does not advocate the use of
ghee and meat in such proportions.
CHAWAL
Plain Boiled Rice
Ingredients
9 ozs (250 g) Patna rice or basmati ozs (60 g) ghee
% or $ pt (400 or 525 mils) hot water
Method
Clean, wash and soak the rice for half an hour in 4 pt (400 mils)
water for cooking in a pressure cooker or % pt (525 mils) water if
cooking is to be done in an ordinary pan (degchi). Separate the rice
from the water. Heat the ghee. When it sizzles add the rice and fry
for 5to 7 minutes. Heat the water saved from the rice and add to the
frying rice. Stir and cover.
Pressure-cook by bringing the pressure to 15 lb: remove from the
fire and allow the pressure to drop by itself. If however cooking is to
be done in a pan, stir, and cook on medium heat till the water dries
up. Reduce the heat to low, cover the top of the pan with a double-
folded cloth and place the lid over that till the grain becomes soft.
Remove the cloth, put some live charcoal on the lid and leave till
the rice is served. An alternative procedure is, when three-quarters
of the water has dried up, to put the pan into a moderately hot oven
(350° F) and cook till the grains soften and separate from each other.
Serve with meat curries or lentils.
CHAWAL PULLAO
Plain Pullao
Ingredients
9 ozs (250 g) Patna rice or basmati 1 tablespoonful finely-chopped fresh
4 or $ pt (400 or 525 mils) hot water coriander leaves (dhania) or parsley
3 ozs (85 g) ghee for garnishing
1 oz (30 g) shredded ginger (adrak) 4 teaspoonful garam masala
4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch) 4 ozs (115 g) finely-sliced onions
8 finely-chopped cloves of garlic(lasan) 4 teaspoonful black cumin seeds
1 teaspoonful salt (kala zeera)
Method
water for cooking in a pressure cooker or ¢ pt (525 mils) water for
cooking in a pan (degchi). Heat the ghee, fry 2 ozs (60 g) finely-
sliced onions and leave them aside for garnishing. Fry the remaining
2 ozs (60 g) finely-sliced onions and the garlic. Mix salt, red pepper,
garam masala, cumin seeds, shredded ginger and the rice and con-
tinue frying for 5minutes. Add water in which the rice was previously
soaked.
Pressure-cook by bringing the pressure to 15 lb. Remove from
the fire and allow the pressure to drop by itself. An alternative pro-
cedure is to stir and cook in a pan on medium fire till half the water
dries up. Reduce the heat to low and cook till the whole of the
water dries up. Remove the pan to the hot ashes and put some live
charcoal on the lid. Leave it for at least 20 minutes.
Serve garnished with fried onion and coriander leaves or parsley.
MATAR PULLAO
Peas Pullao
Ingredients
9 ozs (250 g) Patna rice or basmati 6 ozs (170 g) shelled peas
3 ozs (85 g) ghee 2 ozs (60 g) finely-sliced onions
14 teaspoonfuls salt 12 finely-chopped cloyes of garlic
4 oz CS g) ginger (adrak) (lasan)
6 cloves (laung) 2 brown cardamom pods (illaichi)
12 peppercorns (kali mirch)—optional 1” piece of cinnamon (darchini)
2 to 3 green chillies 1 teaspoonful black cumin seeds (kala
1 teaspoonful garam masala zeera)
% or $ pt (400 or 525 mils) hot water 3 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch)

1 dessertspoonful chopped fresh cori- 2 ozs (60 g) thinly-sliced fried onions
ander leaves (dhania) or parsley Sliced tomatoes and cucumber
Slices of one hard-boiled egg—op- 4 oz (15 g) roasted almonds (badam)
tional
Method
water for pressure cooking or in $ pt (525 mils) water if cooking is to
be done in a pan (degchi). Heat the ghee and fry without stirring
2 ozs (60.g) thinly-sliced onions. Shake the frying pan to prevent the
onions from burning. When crisp and golden brown remove from
the ghee. Fry the almonds till they are crisp but not burnt. Keep
both the onions and the almonds in a warm place for subsequent
garnishing.
Heat the ghee again, fry 2 ozs (60 g) finely-sliced onions and the
garlic. When the. onions are golden brown in colour, add carda-
moms, cinnamon, cloves and peppercorns and stir for 2 to 3 minutes.
(These are added whole and are not removed before the pullao is
served. They are, however, not eaten.) Add peas and continue frying
for 5 minutes. Then add rice, salt, red pepper, black cumin seeds and
the garam masala and fry the mixture for another 5 minutes. Add
water in which the rice was previously soaked, the thinly-sliced ginger
and green chillies and pressure-cook by bringing it to a pressure of
15 lb. Remove from the fire and allow the pressure to drop by itself.
Alternatively cook in a pan over medium fire till half the water in
the rice dries up. Then reduce the heat to low; cover the top of the
pan with a double-folded cloth, place the lid over that and cook on
slow fire till the grains become soft. Remove the cloth, keep some
live charcoal on the lid and leave till the rice is served.
Serve in an oval dish. Cover the centre of the rice with fried onions
and almonds and arrange alternate slices of cucumber, eggs and
tomatoes on the sides. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves or parsley
all over. Whipped yoghurt (curd) or mutton curry can be served
with it.
GOBI PULLAO
* Cauliflower Pullao
Ingredients
9 ozs (250 g) Patna rice or basmati 8 ozs (230 g) cauliflower sprigs
3 ozs (85 g) ghee 5 tablespoonfuls sour cream (khat
2 teaspoonfuls salt malai)
2 ozs (60 g) onions 4 oz (15 g) ginger (adrak)
12 finely-chopped cloves of garlic 2 to 3 green chillies (sabz mirch)
(lasan) 6 cloves (laung)
2 crushed brown cardamoms (illaichi) 1 teaspoonful black cumin seeds (kala
1” piece of cinnamon (darchini) zeera)
4 or $ pt (400 or 525 mils) hot water

2 ozs (60 g) thinly-sliced fried onions 4 ozs (115 g) fried potato vermicelli
. Finely-chopped fresh coriander leaves (sewian)
(dhania) or parsley Sliced tomatoes and cucumber
4 oz (15 g) roasted almonds (badam)
Method
Clean and wash the rice. Soak for half an hour in 4 pt (400 mils)
water for pressure cooking or $ pt (525 mils) water if cooking is to
be done in a pan (degchi).
Heat the ghee, fry the garnishes (except the tomatoes and cucum-
ber) and keep them aside. Fry the cauliflower sprigs with a little
salt and pepper sprinkled over them, till they are half-cooked. Re-
move from the ghee and fry the onions and garlic. Add brown
cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves and the rice, fry for a few minutes
more and then add the fried sprigs, sliced ginger, green chillies, red
pepper, salt, black cumin seeds and garam masala. Continue frying
the mixture for about 5 minutes, add water in which the rice was
previously soaked and lastly add the cream. Cover and cook in a
pressure cooker or in a pan as described under peas pullao (p. 81).
Garnish and serve with yoghurt (curd) or a curry.
KATHAL PULLAO
Jack Fruit Pullao
Ingredients for marinading the jack fruit

9 ozs (250 g) jack fruit cut into 1” 10 ground almonds (badam)
pieces 1 teaspoonful salt
4 ozs (115 g) ghee 1 blade ground mace (javatri)
4 tablespoonfuls yoghurt (curd) 4 cloves (laung)
1 small finely-chopped onion 1” piece of cinnamon (darchini)
i dessertspoonful ground coriander 4 teaspoonful black cumin seeds (kala
seeds (sukha dhania) zeera)
6 finely-chopped cloves of garlic 2 brown cardamom pods ground with
(lasan) their skins (illaichi)
1 teaspoonful ground poppy seeds 4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch)
(khaskhas)
Ingredients for the pullao

S ozs (250 g) Patna rice or basmati 3 or $ pt (400 or 525 mils) hot water
2 ozs (60 g) sliced onions 10 peppercorns (kali mirch)
1 oz (30 g) ginger (adrak) 6 finely-chopped cloves of garlic (lasan)
4 cloves (laung) 14” piece of cinnamon (darchini)
4 green cardamom (illaichi) 4 teaspoonful garam masala
1 teaspoonful salt 2 bay leaves or tejpattars

15 almonds (badam) Slices of tomatoes and hard-boiled
2 shredded green chillies (sabz mirch) eggs
2 ozs (60 g) thinly-sliced onion
Method
For frying and marinading the jack fruit:—Apply a little oil to
the hands and the knife. Peel and cut the jack fruit into pieces of
required size. Fry them in 4 ozs (115 g) ghee on slow fire till they are
cooked and crisp. Chop the onions finely. Grind garlic, coriander
seeds, poppy seeds, almonds, mace, cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon
and the black cumin seeds; add yoghurt (curd), finely-chopped
onions, salt and the red pepper and leave the jack fruit in this
marinade for half an hour.
For the pullao:—Clean, wash and soak the rice in 3 pt (400 mils)
water for pressure-cooking or ¢ pt (525 mils) water if cooking is to
be done in a pan. Heat the left-over of the ghee again, fry the
almonds and the sliced onions and keep them aside for garnishing.
Fry the other 2 ozs (60 g) of sliced onions and the garlic till golden
brown and add cloves, cardamoms, peppercorns and bay leaves. Stir
for 2 to 3 minutes and add the marinaded jack fruit and fry till the
liquid dries up. Add the rice, previously soaked in water for half an
hour, fry for 5°to 7 minutes and lastly add salt, garam masala,
shredded ginger and the water separated from the rice. Pressure-
cook by bringing it to a pressure of 15 lb. Remove it from the fire
and allow the pressure to drop by itself. An alternative is to cook in
a pan over medium heat till half the water dries up; then reduce the
heat to low and completely dry the remaining water. Remove the
pan over to hot ashes, put some live charcoal on the lid and leave till
served.
Serve garnished with the fried onions and almonds, shredded green
chillies and the slices of tomatoes and eggs. Sprinkle chopped
coriander leaves or parsley all over.
PANIR AND MATAR PULLAO

Peas and Indian Cream Cheese Pullao
9 ozs (250 g) Patna rice or basmati + teaspoonful garam masala
3 pt water $ pt (525 mils) whey
4 ozs (115 g) shelled peas (matar ka 4 ozs (115 g) panir (Indian cream
dana) cheese cubes)
3 ozs (85 g) ghee 2 teaspoonfuls salt
2 ozs (60 g) onions 4 oz (1S g) finely-cut ginger (adrak)
12 cloves garlic (lasan) 2 to 3 finely-cut. green chillies (sabz
2 brown cardamom pods (illaichi) mirch)
- 1 teaspoonful black cumin seeds (kala 12 peppercorns (kali mirch)
zeera) 4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch)
Ingredients for the garnish

15 almonds (badam) or cashew nuts 2 shredded green chillies
2 ozs (60 g) thinly-sliced onions Slices of cucumber and tomato
Method
Clean, wash and soak the rice for half an hour in ? pt (450 mils)
water.
Heat the ghee and fry the garnishes except green chillies, cucumber
and tomatoes. Remove them from the ghee and keep in a warm
place till required. Fry the panir cubes, a few at a time, till they are
golden in colour. Remove them from the ghee and fry the onions
and garlic till golden brown; add cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms,
rice, ginger and green chillies; stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Mix salt, red
pepper, black cumin seeds and the garam masala. Add the heated
whey, peas and the fried panir cubes.
Cook further in a pressure cooker or a pan as described under the
recipe for the peas pullao. When the rice is cooked, uncover and mix
the fried panir. Cover and leave it near the fire for 15 to 20 minutes
before serving. It is preferable to put some live charcoal on the lid
and leave till the rice is served. An alternative is to put it in a
moderately hot oven (350° F) for 15 to 20 minutes.
Serve in an oval dish. Cover the centre of the rice with the fried
onions and almonds and arrange alternate slices of cucumber and
tomatoes all around. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves or parsley
all over and serve with some meat or vegetable curry or some pre-
paration of yoghurt (curd).
NAVRATTAN PULLAO
Multicoloured Rice Pullao with Panir (Indian Cream Cheese)
Tomatoes, Peas and Nuts
Navrattan! The nine courtiers or the nine gems of the Emperor
Akbar, the mightiest of the Moghuls. This pullao is a pullao amongst
pullaos and a jewel amongst jewels. A heritage from the Moghuls,
it has been passed from generation to generation and is successfully
reproduced. It is a vivid and colourful pullao containing almonds,
cashew nuts, sultanas, pistachios, panir, tomatoes and nuts.
Ingredients to be cooked with the rice
9 ozs (250 g) Patna rice or basmati 6 cloves (laung)
% or ¢ pt (400 or 525 mils) water 4 whole green cardamoms (illaichi)
2 ozs (60 g) ghee 1” piece of cinnamon (darchini)
2 ozs (60 g) onions (finely cut) 2 finely-cut green chillies (sabz mirch)
6 cloves of garlic (lasan) 4 teaspoonfuls salt
12 peppercorns (kali mirch) 4 teaspoonful black cumin seeds (kala
4 oz (15 g) shredded ginger zeera)
Ingredients to be mixed after the rice is cooked

2 ozs (60 g) shelled boiled peas + 4 spoonful salt + 4 teaspoonful garam
teaspoonful salt +4 teaspoonful masala. A pinch of tomato colour-
white pepper.. A few drops green ing + a dessertspoonful of cold water
colouring -+ a dessertspoonful 2 ozs (60 g) fried cream cheese cubes
water + 40z ghee for frying the peas (panir) + + teaspoonful salt + 4
2 ozs (60 g) diced seeded tomatoes + 4 teaspoonful white pepper
teaspoonful red pepper + 4 tea-
Ingredients for the core of the pullao

4 ozs (115 g) thinly-sliced onions 2 ozs (60 g) ghee
1 oz (30 g) almonds (badam) 1 oz (30 g) cashew nuts (kaju)
14 oz (40 g) sultanas (kishmish) 4 oz (15 g) pistachio nuts (pista)
1 oz (30 g) thinly-sliced ginger (adrak) 2 to 3 finely-cut green chillies (sabz
2 chopped full-boiled eggs. mirch)
Method
Wash and soak the rice for half an hour in 4 pt (400 mils) water for
pressure cooking or 4 pt (525 g) water for cooking in a pan (degchi).
Heat the ghee and fry the finely-cut onions and garlic. Add whole
spices, rice, salt, green chillies, black cumin seeds, shredded ginger
and the water in which the rice was soaked. Proceed further as
described under peas pullao (p. 83).
Divide the rice into 3 parts. Colour one part green by sprinkling
over it 6 drops of the green colouring dissolved in a dessertspoonful
water. Mix thoroughly. Add boiled and lightly fried peas, salt and
white pepper. Colour the second part of the rice red, using 4 drops
of the colouring dissolved in 1 dessertspoonful water, and add to this
the tomato cubes, red pepper and garam masala. Leave the 3rd part
white and in this mix the fried panir cubes, salt and white pepper.
Mix each part thoroughly and leave each one of them separately on
a very slow fire for 10 minutes, or put live charcoal on the lids, so
that the colours penetrate the rice. They can be heated in the same
pan (degchi) also if the rice of different colours is kept in separate
heaps.
In the meantime fry 4 ozs (115 g) onions till they are crisp. Re-
move from the ghee; fry the almonds, cashew nuts, pistachios,
sultanas, ginger and the chillies. Chop the eggs and sprinkle salt,
red pepper and garam masala over them. Leave in a warm place till
needed.
When serving place the fried nuts and onions, chopped eggs, sul-
tanas and pistachios, ginger and chillies in the centre of the dish and
‘spread over them layers of the green, red and white coloured rice
respectively. Sprinkle a little chopped fresh coriander leaves or
parsley and green chillies and serve with mutton curry.
PANIR CHANNA BIRIANI

Indian Cream Cheese, Green Grams or Peas and
Triple Coloured Rice Pullao
This is a colourful pullao with rice grains of three different colours
namely, yellow, green and white. The yellowish tinged cream cheese
combined with the rice in the pullao gives an impression of the pre-
sence of eggs to a casual observer. It is a suitable vegetarian alterna-
tive for the prawn or fish pullao. Lastly as it contains green grams or
peas and cream cheese in addition to the rice, it is a complete food in
itself. It can be served with the yoghurt (curd) which further supple-
ments the protein content and gives it an increased food value.
Ingredients for cooking the rice
9 ozs (250 g) Patna rice or basmati 1 teaspoonful ghee
1 teaspoonful salt Green and yellow colouring matter
$ pt (525 mils) whey
Ingredients for frying the panir
4 ozs (115 g) diced panir (Indiancream 4 oz (15 g) flour
cheese) 4 teaspoonful salt
3 dessertspoonfuls water for making } teaspoonful red pepper
batter 3 ozs (85 g) ghee for frying
Ingredients for soaking the panir

4 tablespoonfuls yoghurt (curd) A pinch of saffron (kesar) + a pinch
‘2 green cardamoms (seeds only) of yellow colouring
ingredients for cooking the green channas or peas

4 ozs (115 g) green channas or peas 2 ozs (60 g) thinly-sliced onions
1 oz (30 g) ghee 12 finely-cut cloves of garlic (lasan)
4 oz (15 g) thinly-sliced ginger (adrak) 3 teaspoonful salt
2 green chillies (sabz mirch) 4 pt (150 mils) hot water
Ingredients for garnishing and for the layers of the biriani

4 ozs (115 g) onions 1 teaspoonful black cumin seeds,
1 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch) ground (kala zeera)
1 teaspoonful garam masala 1 sliced cucumber
1 sliced hard-boiled egg 1 dessertspoonful finely-chopped fresh
4 oz (iS g) ginger (adrak) coriander leaves (dhania)
Method
Boil the rice as stated under the recipe for plain boiled rice. Add
1 teaspoonful salt before boiling. Cool and divide the rice into
2 parts. Sprinkle 4 drops of the yellow colouring dissolved in a table-
spoonful of water over one part and mix thoroughly. Similarly,
colour the other half of the rice light green by using 6 drops of green
colouring dissolved in a tablespoonful of water.
Cut the panir into neat cubes. Prepare batter with the flour, salt
and water; dip the panir cubes in the batter and fry in 3 ozs (85 g)
ghee till they are golden brown. Fry 4 oz (15 g) thinly-sliced ginger
lightly and 4 ozs (115 g) thinly-sliced onion till they are crisp. Dis-
solve saffron in a little water and grind it with the green cardamom
seeds. Add whipped yoghurt (curd) and yellow colouring to the
saffron paste and then soak in it the fried panir cubes.
In the meantime fry onions, ginger and garlic in 1 oz. (30 g) ghee.
When they are light brown add hot water and the channas or peas
and cook till tender. Uncover and dry out the liquid if there is any.
Put a layer of yellow rice at the bottom of a generously greased
pan (degchi); sprinkle over it a little garam masala, red pepper
and black cumin seeds. Layer over it respectively the soaked fried
panir, half each of the fried onions and ginger, half of the green
coloured rice, cooked channas or peas and the remaining half of the
green rice. Sprinkle garam masala, red pepper and black cumin
seeds over every layer before putting on the next. Press the layers
firmly and pour’the remaining ghee over them. Cover and bake in a
slow oven (350° F) for half an hour, or keep it on very slow heat and
put some live charcoal over the lid.
Invert on a serving dish and garnish with the slices of cucumber
and hard-boiled egg or of cucumber and beetroot. Sprinkle chopped
fresh coriander leaves and the remaining browned onions and ginger.
Serve with a curry or a yoghurt (curd) preparation.
VEGETABLE FRIED RICE

This is the vegetarian counterpart of the Chinese young chow fried
rice. Black mushrooms are used in place of pork, white mushrooms
instead of prawns and the panir (Indian cream cheese) replaces the
eggs. Other ingredients are the same as those used in the preparation
of young chow fried rice and the method of cooking is also similar.
The recipe described below is the one for which the writer was
awarded First Prize in the Cereal Section of the Exhibition held
under the auspices of the All World Vegetarian Conference, 1957,
New Delhi.
Ingredients
9 ozs (250 g) Patna rice or basmati 4 ozs (115 g) shelled peas (matar ka
(boiled in 12 to 16 ozs water) dana)
1 oz (30 g) white mushrooms (dhingri Green stalks of 2 spring onions
may be used as a substitute) 2 finely-chopped green chillies (sabz
* 4 oz (15 g) black mushrooms (guchian mirch)
may be used as a substitute) 2 teaspoonfuls salt
4 ozs (115 g) panir (Indian cream 4 teaspoonful white pepper
cheese) 4 ozs (115 g) ghee or salad oil
4 ozs (115 g) carrots 1 teaspoonful Ve-Tsin or Aji-no-moto
Method
Wash, soak and boil the rice (p. 80), preferably a day or at least
a few hours before it is required, and keep it in a colander overnight.
This dries the rice and causes the grains to separate from each other.
If however the rice is to be cooked within a few hours, fry in a
dessertspoonful melted ghee or butter for 3 to 4 minutes as this pre-
liminary frying keeps the rice grains separate. Then add the neces-
sary quantity of water (p. 81) and cook in a pressure cooker or a
pan as described under the plain boiled rice. Cool the rice by keeping
it in a colander.
Soak the white mushrooms in hot water for about 3 to 4 hours and
then clean them very thoroughly under running water. Boil them for
about half an hour or till they are tender. Pour boiling hot water
over the black mushrooms and boil for 2 minutes. Chop both types
of mushrooms separately.
Set the panir by keeping it under some weight, chop it very fine
INDIAN RICE COOKERY 9]
and give it a yellowish tinge similar to that of an egg yolk by the
addition of a wee bit of yellow colouring. Chop the spring onions.
Boil the whole carrots till half-cooked and dice them into cubes of
the size of peas. Shell the peas and chop the chillies finely.
Heat 2 teaspoonfuls ghee or salad oil and a pinch of salt. Add
white mushrooms and fry on quick fire for 5 minutes. Take them
out, add a little more ghee and the salt and fry the black mushrooms.
Similarly fry the panir, peas, carrots, spring onions and green chillies
separately. Wash and dry the pan every time. Heat the remaining
ghee, add 1 teasponful salt and lightly fry the rice. Then add all the
fried ingredients and 4 teaspoonful white pepper and Ve-Tsin or
Aji-no-moto. Continue stirring for 10 minutes. Add a little more
salt if necessary. Mix thoroughly.
Serve in a hot china dish immediately after preparation. Do
not cover as condensed steam makes the rice soggy. Provide chilli
sauce separately. Before serving sprinkle on 4 teaspoonful black
pepper.
Properly cocked fried rice is always dry and is not messy. It is
essential that the preparation of the fried rice should be completed
only a few minutes before serving. If brown rice is preferred mix
one dessertspoonful of soya-bean sauce whilst frying the rice.
YAKHNI PULLAC
Mutton Pullao
Ingredients for the yakhni (stock)
12 ozs (340 g) mutton (breast) 2 or } pt (360 or 480 mils) water
1 teaspoonful salt 10 peppercorns (kali mirch)
2 bay leaves or tejpattars 1 oz (15 g) onions

9 ozs (250 g) Patna rice or basmati 4 pt (400 mils) yakhni (stock) for
3 to 4 ozs (85 to 115 g) ghee pressure cooking
4 ozs (115 g) onions or
4 cloves (laung) $ pt (600 mils) yakhni for cooking in a
4 crushed green cardamoms (illaichi) pan (degchi)
4 ozs (115 g) tomatoes 1 blade of mace (javatri)
1 teaspoonful poppy seeds (khaskhas) 14 ozs (40 g) ginger (adrak)
1 teaspoonful black cumin seeds (kala 1 teaspoonful salt
zeera) 4 teaspoonful garam masala
4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch) 15 almonds
4 ozs (115 g) yoghurt or curd 6 finely-chopped cloves of garlic
2 green chillies (sabz mirch) 1 hard-boiled egg (anda)
4 oz (15 g) garlic (lasan) A few fresh coriander leaves (dhania)
14” piece of cinnamon (darchini) and the mint (podina) or parsley
10 peppercorns (kali mirch)
Method
Clean and wash the mutton, add salt, water, chopped onions, bay
leaves (tejpattars) and peppercorns. Pressure-cook for 15 minutes at
15 lb pressure. Reduce pressure immediately by putting a wet duster
over the lid. Alternatively cook in a pan over a slow fire for about an
hour or till the meat is three-quarters cooked. Separate the meat
from the stock.
Heat the ghee, fry the almonds and 2 ozs (60 g) of the sliced onions
and keep them aside for garnishing. Brown the boiled mutton in the
ghee and take it out. Fry 2 ozs (60 g) finely-cut onions and 6 cloves
of garlic and the green cardamoms. Add finely-ground mace, poppy
seeds, cinnamon, peppercorns, 4 cloves, sliced ginger and the rice and
fry for 5 minutes. Then add meat, black cumin seeds, yoghurt (curd),
garam masala and % pt (400 mils) hot stock. Pressure-cook till it
reaches 15 1b. Remove from the heat and allow the pressure to drop
by itself. An alternative procedure is to cook in a pan (degchi) on
medium heat till half of the water dries up. Reduce the heat to low
and dry the remaining half of the liquid. Remove the pan from the
fire. Keep it on hot ashes and put live charcoal on the lid till the rice
is required. Or place the pan in a moderately hot oven (350° F) for
20 minutes.
Slice the egg, tomatoes and cucumber thinly and keep them along
with the fried almonds and onions. Garnish the centre of the rice
’ with alternate layers of the slices of tomatoes, egg and cucumber
and sprinkle fried onions and almonds, finely-chopped coriander
leaves and the sprigs of mint all around. Yoghurt or a curd prepara-
tion may be served with the pullao.
KORMA PULLAO
Mutton Pullao
12 ozs (340 g) mutton 4 teaspoonful black cumin seeds
2 ozs (60 g) finely-chopped onions (kala zeera)
(peeaz) 2 brown cardamoms (illaichi)
10 finely-chopped cloves of garlic 4 ozs (115 g) curd (yoghurt)
(lasan) 10 almonds (badam)
1 tablespoonful dried coriander seeds 1 teaspoonful poppy seeds (khaskhas)
(sukha dhania) 1 blade of mace (javatri)
14 teaspoonfuls salt 1” (3 cm) piece of cinnamon (darchini)
4 cloves (Jaung) 4 teaspoonful red pepper
Ingredients for the stock

9 ozs (250 g) mutton bones % to $ pt (400 or 525 mils) water
1 teaspoonful salt
Ingredients for the korma
34 ozs (100 g) ghee 4 teaspoonful red pepper
6 finely-cut cloves of garlic 12 ozs (340 g) marinaded mutton
2 ozs (60 g) thinly-sliced onions 4 oz (15 g) shredded ginger
Ingredients for cooking the rice

4oz (15 g) ghee 6 cloves
14” (4 cm) piece of cinnamon (dar- 4 crushed green cardamom (illaichi)
chini) $ or $ pt (400 or 525 mils) stock
10 peppercorns (kali mirch) 4 teaspoonful black cumin seeds
8 ozs (230 g) Patna rice or basmat (kala zeera)
3 bay leaves or tejpattars
Ingredients for the korma pullao

9 ozs (250 g)-cooked rice 12 ozs (340 g) cooked korma
% teaspoonful saffron 1 teaspoonful ruh kewra

2 ozs (60 g) sliced onions 15 almonds
Slices of tomatoes Slices of cucumber (kheera)
Slices of 2 hard-boiled eggs Shreds of 2 green chillies (sabz mirch)
1 tablespoonful chopped coriander
leaves (dhania)
Method
For the marinade:—Cut the mutton into neat pieces. Wash and
dry. Grind coriander seeds, poppy seeds, almonds, mace, cinnamon,
cloves and brown cardamoms. Mix this ground paste with the curd,
salt, onions, garlic, cumin seeds and red pepper. Add mutton and
leave in this marinade for 14 to 2 hours.
For the stock:—Pressure-cook 9 ozs (250 g) mutton bones with
2 pt (400 mils) water and 1 teaspoonful salt for half an hour at 15 lb
pressure. Or use $ pt (525 mils) water and simmer in a pan for 14
hours.
For the korma:—Heat 34 ozs (100 g) ghee and fry crisp 2 ozs
(60 g) thinly-sliced onions and 15 almonds and keep them aside in a
warm place for garnishing. Then fry 2 ozs (60 g) finely-cut onions
and garlic till golden brown in colour. Remove from the heat, add
red pepper, the marinaded mutton and the sliced ginger. Mix well,
cook in a pan without the addition of any water at simmering point
for about 30 to 40 minutes or till it is fully cooked. Alternatively
pressure-cook for: 15 minutes at 15 lb pressure. Reduce pressure
quickly by keeping a wet cloth on the lid. Uncover and dry the
liquid.
"For cooking the rice:—Soak 9 ozs (250 g) rice in 4 pt (400 mils)
water for half an hour and then discard the water. Heat 4 oz (15 g)
ghee and lightly fry the cinnamon, cumin seeds, green cardamoms,
peppercorns, bay leaves (tejpattar) and the rice for about 5 minutes.
Add % pt (400 mils) hot stock and pressure-cook by raising the
pressure to 15 lb. Remove from the fire and allow the pressure to
drop by itself. Alternatively add % pt (525 mils) hot stock and cook
ina pan. Keep it at medium heat till half of the liquid dries up; then
reduce the heat to low and allow the remaining water also to dry up.
Remove the pan from the fire, keep it on hot ashes, place live char-
coal on the lid and leave it for 15 minutes.
For the korma pullao:—Mix the cooked rice and the korma and
sprinkle over it saffron dissolved in the kewra; place the pan over
hot ashes, keep live charcoal on the lid and leave it for 15 minutes.
Or place in a cool oven at 300° F for half an hour.
Garnish the rice by arranging alternate slices of cucumber, eggs
and tomatoes all around and serve sprinkled with the fried onions,
almonds, a few shreds of green chillies and finely-chopped fresh
coriander leaves.
SHAHJEHANI PULLAO
No menu is complete without a rice dish and no rice dish can be
said to compare with the Shahjehani Pullao. The vivid colour, the
. exotic fragrance and the delicious taste are but three of the many
things which help to make it a veritable storehouse of delight. This
lavish preparation is a fitting gastronomic tribute to the great Em-
peror Shahjehan, the builder of the Taj, a magnificent monument to
immortal love, reminding one of the splendour and might of the
famous Moghul Empire.
Ingredients for the stock

Bones from 14 lb (680 g) mutton 8 cloves (laung)
2 ozs (60 g) roughly-chopped onions 4” piece of cinnamon (darchini)
16 peppercorns (kali mirch) A little nutmeg or mace (jaiphal or
14 teaspoonfuls salt javatri)

1 Ib (680 g) lean mutton 4 teaspoonful red pepper
12 ozs (340 g) Patna rice of basmati + 3 teaspoonfuls salt
1 pt (600 mils) water to soak A little nutmeg (jaiphal)
14 pt (750 mils) meat stock (yakhni) A little mace (javatri)
4 to $ pt (150 to 200 mils) strained 4 ozs finely-chopped onions
yoghurt (curd-cheese) + 4 to 4 pt 3 oz (20 g) ginger (adrak)
(150 to 200 mils) cream (malai) + 4 3 oz (20 g) garlic (lasan)
teaspoonful salt 4 ozs (115 g) ghee
1 teaspoonful red pepper 1 teaspoonful black cumin seeds (kala
1 teaspoonful garam masaia zeera)
ingredients for garnishing

4 ozs (i15 g) thinly-sliced onions Shreds of 2 to 3 green chillies
z oz (15 g) sultanas (kishmish) 4 oz (15 g) almonds (badam)
i tablespconful finely-chopped fresh or
coriander leaves (dhania)—-optional 1 oz (30 g) cashew nuts
Method
For the stock:—Wash and cut the meat from the bones. Prepare
stock from the bones by adding onions, cloves, peppercorns, cinna-
mon, salt, nutmeg or mace and 14 pt (750 mils) of water. Pressure-
cook for 25 minutes at 15 Ib pressure. Allow the pressure to drop by
itself. An alternative procedure is to use 14 pt (900 mils) of water
and simmer in a pan or slow fire for 2 hours. Strain.
For the garnishes and the pullao:—While the stock is being cooked,
heat 4 ozs (115 g) ghee and fry the sultanas very lightly. Also
fry the almonds or cashew nuts and the thinly-sliced onions till they
are crisp and golden brown. Remove from the ghee and keep aside
for garnishing.
Fry 4 ozs (115 g) finely-chopped onions till golden brown, remove
the onions and add meat a few pieces at a time to the same ghee and
fry till its juices dry up. Mix browned onions, 14 teaspoonfuls salt
and 4 teaspoonful red pepper and dry for 10 minutes. When the
mixture sticks to the bottom of the pan add to it, a little at a time,
the paste made by grinding ginger and garlic with 2 ozs (60 g) of
water. On the complete utilisation of the paste add 4 pt (150 mils)
of water and pressure-cook for 10 minutes at 15 lb. pressure; allow
the pressure to drop by itself. An alternative procedure is to cook
in a pan on slow fire till the meat is tender (this takes about 45
minutes). Dry up any moisture which may be left and remove the
meat from the pan, leaving the ghee in it for cooking the rice.
Clean the rice and soak in | pt (600 mils) water for half an hour;
strain and discard the water. Fry the rice for 2 to 3 minutes in the
left-over ghee in the pan and add | pt (750 mils) of warm stock.
Pressure-cook by bringing the pressure to 15 lb and then allowing it
to drop by itself. If however cooking is to be done in a pan (degchi),
add 14 pt (750 mils) stock and cook on slow fire till the gravy dries
up and the grains become soft. Cover the mouth of pan with a wet
cloth and place the lid over it, if/when the rice sticks to the bottom
of the pan. Remove from the fire when the rice is cooked.
Take another small pan or a Pyrex dish, grease it and place in it
from the bottom upward layers of rice, alternating with layers of
cream, meat, and curd respectively. Sprinkle every layer with a little
red pepper, garam masala and black cumin seeds before covering it
with the next one. Finish with a layer of rice and press gently. Cover
the pan, put live charcoal on the lid and place it over hot ashes for
about an hour. An alternative procedure is to put it in a moderately
hot oven (350° F or 175° C) for 15 minutes.
When ready, invert gently on a serving dish, being careful not to
break the layers. ~~
Serve sprinkled with. the fried onions, almonds, sultanas, fresh
coriander leaves or parsley, and shreds of green chillies.
YOUNG CHOW FRIED RICE

This is a Chinese way of cooking rice, and the writer has included
it in this book on Indian cookery as it is a dish which is in great de-
mand in the restaurants of Delhi. It is another way of cooking rice,
which gives results as good as those given by the traditional Indian
methods. Furthermore, it makes the information on rice cookery
in this book more comprehensive. The most outstanding character-
istic of the Chinese culinary methods for cooking rice, meat and
vegetables together is to prevent blending of the natural flavours and
the taste of the ingredients. This they achieve by frying all the in-
gredients separately and only mixing them in the final stage. Another
. important point to note is that the rice must not be covered after
cooking as the steam which condenses on the lid makes the rice
soggy. Properly cooked fried rice is dry, and presents a delightful
appearance.
Ingredients
9 ozs (250 g) cooked Patna rice or 2 green chillies (sabz mirch)
basmati or
4 ozs shrimps or prawns (jhinga) 4 capsicum (Simla mirch)
cleaned and roughly chopped 4 teaspoonful rum
4 ozs (115 g) roughly-chopped pork 2 teaspoonfuls salt
4 ozs (115 g) shelled peas (matar ka 4 teaspoonful Ve-Tsin or gourmet
dana) powder
Green stalks of 4 spring onions, 4 teaspoonful white pepper powder
roughly cut (sufaid mirch)
2 eggs, lightly beaten 4 ozs (115 g) ghee or salad oil
Method
Wash, soak and boil the rice, preferably a day before the dish is
needed. If however, it is not possible to boil the rice beforehand,
i.e. a day earlier, fry the rice for 5 minutes in 1 dessertspoonful melted
ghee. Add 4 pt (400 mils) water and pressure-cook as described under
plain boiled rice. Alternatively add % pt (600 mils) water and cook in
a pan. Remove from the fire, invert into a colander and allow it to
cool. The rice should be quite dry and each grain should be separate
from the others.
Clean and shred the shrimps; cut the pork roughly. Cut the green
stalks of the spring onions into 4” (14 cm) bits. Shell the peas and
beat the eggs. Heat | tablespoonful fat, add 4 teaspoonful salt and
the peas and fry for about 5 minutes. Keep them aside. Wash and
dry the pan, add 1 tablespoonful fat and 4 teaspoonful salt. When
hot, add pork and fry for 7 to 9 minutes. Keep it separate. Wash and
dry the pan, add 1 tablespoonful fat and 4 teaspoonful salt and fry
the shrimps for 5 minutes. When done, add 4 to $ teaspoonful rum.
Keep the shrimps aside. Wash, dry the pan, add 1 dessertspoonful
fat and 4 teaspoonful salt and fry the lightly beaten eggs. Clean,
dry the pan and fry the spring onions for about 2 minutes in the same
way. Remove the onions. Heat 2 tablespoonfuls fat, add 1 tea-
spoonful salt and the rice (break up the lumpy pieces if any). Fry
until the rice is slightly brown. Add the finely-cut green chillies, all
the fried ingredients, the Ve-Tsin and the white pepper and stir with a
fork for 5 minutes. Add salt if necessary.
Serve immediately in hot china dish. Do not cover as condensation
of steam makes the rice soggy.
MACHCHI MATAR PULLAO

(Prawn and Peas Pullao)
6 crushed cloves of gariic (lasan) 4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch
4 teaspoonful garam masala 1 teaspoonful tomato sauce

9 ozs (250 g) Patna rice or basmati 3 or } pt (400 or 525 mils) hot water
6 ozs (170 g) shelled prawns (jhinga) 6 ozs (170 g) shelled peas (matar ka
4 ozs (115 g) ghee dana)
Z ozs (60 g) onions 2 level teaspoonfuls salt
12 cloves of garlic (lasan) 4 oz (15 g) ginger (adrak)
2 brown cardamom pods (illaichi) 2 to 3 green chillies (sabz mirch)
1 teaspoonful black cumin seeds 12 peppercorns (kali mirch)
(kala zeera) 4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch)

2 ozs (60 g) thinly-sliced fried onions Sliced beetroot and cucumber (chuk-
Finely-chopped fresh coriander leaves under and kheera)
(dhania) or parsley 1 oz (30 g) roasted almonds (badam)
Method
Shell and clean the prawns; remove the black threads and wash
them in 3 to 4 changes of water. Dry and leave in the marinade con-
sisting of the crushed garlic cloves, red pepper, garam masala and
tomato sauce for half an hour. Clean, wash and soak the rice for
half an hour in 2 pt (400 mils) water for cooking in a pressure cooker
or } pt (525 mils) water if cooking is to be done in an ordinary pan
(degchi). Heat 4 ozs (115 g) ghee, fry 2 ozs (60 g) finely-sliced onions
and almonds and keep them aside in a warm place for garnishing.
Roll the marinaded prawns in 4 oz (15 g) dry flour. Heat the ghee
and fry till they are golden in colour. Take them out and fry the
onions, garlic, cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns, peas,
green chillies, finely-shredded ginger and the rice. Then add the
fried prawns, salt, red pepper, garam masala, black cumin seeds and
the water in which the rice was soaked. Cook in a pan or pressure-
cook as described under the recipe for the peas pullao (p. 83).
Garnish along the edge with alternate slices of beetroot and
cucumber and sprinkle over the centre the fried onions, roasted
almonds and chopped coriander leaves.
Serve with any curry or a yoghurt (curd) preparation.
FRIED CRISP NOODLES

Noodles are a popular Chinese delicacy. They are very expensive
if purchased in ready-made packets and are spoiled on keeping for
more than a month during the hot weather (70 to 105° F), therefore
it is desirable that one should know how to prepare them.
Ingredients for noodles
3 ozs (85 g) flour (maida) A pinch of salt
1 whole egg (2 ozs/60 g)
Method
Add a pinch of salt to the flour and sieve. Beat the egg. Make a
well in the middle of the flour and mix the beaten egg till it is a stiff
but pliable dough. Roll out the dough into a rectangular sheet as
thin as possible (5” to 6” x 16” or 12 to 15 x 42 cm). Sprinkle a
little flour and double-fold it breadth-wise. Start from one end of
the rectangle and fold a strip 2” (5 cm) wide under it; fold this
double-folded strip over the rectangle. Repeat this process of fold-
ing till the rectangle is reduced to a series of folds. Cut out strips
about ;';" (2 mm) broad with a sharp knife, taking care that all the
folds are properly cut. Thus about 25 to 30 strips each 16” (42 cm)
long are formed. Keep them covered with a damp cloth. Open them
out and leave for about 10 to 15 minutes. Separate them and then
boil in the boiling salted water for about 5 minutes. Remove from
the fire, pour on to a colander and cool by pouring cold water over
them. Drain off the water and mix in lightly 1 dessertspoonful of
salad oil so that the noodles do not stick to each other. Before serv-
ing, deep fry in salad oil and serve fried vegetables over them.
Vegetables to be served with the noodles

A few fancy-cut potato slices 6 ozs (170 g) shredded cabbage
A few fancy-cut carrot slices 2 ozs (60 g) spring onions or 2 ozs
6 ozs (170 g) carrots capsicum
3 0z (85 g) shelled peas 1 oz (30 g) shredded fresh ginger
2 to 3 green chillies 1 dessertspoonful arrowroot or corn-
Salt and black pepper to taste flour
+ pt (120 mils) water 1 tablespoonful vinegar
1 dessertspoonful sugar 1 tablespoonful soya-bean sauce
? teaspoonful salt 4 teaspoonful white pepper
6 ozs (170 g) slivered French beans
Method
Cut the carrots and the potatoes in different shapes for garnishing.
Shred the remaining vegetables except the peas. Boil sufficient water
to cover the vegetables, add the vegetables along with a teaspoonful
of salt and cook till they are half done. Drain off, and wash with cold
water as this preserves the colour. Heat 2 tablespoonfuls of salad oil,
add a little salt, fry the spring onions and ginger lightly and then add
the shredded half-boiled vegetables (do not add the fancy-shaped
vegetables). Stir well. Add a mixture of arrowroot, vinegar, soya-
bean sauce, sugar, + pt (120 mils) of water, salt and the black pepper
and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the fire and dish over the
fried noodles. Garnish with the fancy-cut vegetables.
SECTION IV
INDIAN VEGETARIAN COOKERY
INDIA has since time immemorial been the cradle of vegetarianism.
Therefore it is not surprising to find in India some of the choicest
and most delicious vegetable dishes. Furthermore India grows a
profusion of vegetables which provide an ample incentive.
The Indian chefs, unlike their Western counterparts, have mastered
the art of vegetarian cookery. Here we find the same vegetable cooked
in many different ways to produce a variety of different flavours.
Each dish is separate in texture, form and appearance and can truly be
said to be individual. Even the humblest of vegetables can be coaxed
into a presentable form and can take its place at the dinner table.
This achievement is by no means remarkable, it is a result of the
development of techniques which are applicable to most vegetables.
In India there is no haphazard cooking of vegetables. The vegetables
are either in the form of a curry or a bhujia. They can be converted
with advantage to a bhartha, raita or even a kofta. And some vege-
tables when sweetened achieve a delicious flavour and can be served
as puddings.
A vegetable curry is the elemental form and when cooked properly
is just as delicious as a meat curry. Vegetable curries are prepared
from single or a combination of two or more vegetables cooked in a
‘gravy similar to that of the meat curries. In the absence of the gravy
the dish is known as a bhujia. Bhujia can be prepared from the
cheapest varieties of vegetables or greens and is often the only food
of the poor man. They are usually highly spiced, but that need not
be a reason for fear, as a bland bhujia is equally delicious.
A bhartha is another form of a vegetable preparation which gives
equally good results. A bhartha is made by first roasting the vege-
table on an open charcoal fire and then mashing it. Bharthas are
generally made from brinjals, marrow and tinda.
The vegetable kofta consists of a mashed vegetable formed into
balls and converted into a curry. It is similar to the meat koftas and
in fact the two preparations can be differentiated only on tasting.
They are thus a popular choice for parties where both vegetarians
and non-vegetarians are to be catered for. A riata is prepared by
grating vegetables and serving them in curd (yoghurt). The riata has
a high protein content and is thus very helpful with a vegetarian meal
which is often lacking in food value.
Saags or cooked tops of leafy vegetables are another class of dishes
100
INDIAN VEGETARIAN COOKERY 101
which are cheap and popular. The process of preparing the saag,
though appearing to be quite simple, is just the opposite. That how-
ever does not mean that it is too complicated, and a properly pre-
pared saag is a delight. Sarson ka saag (cooked mustard tops) is by
far the best of the saags and forms a delightful combination with the
maize flour bread commonly known as ‘“‘makki ki roti’. The two
served along with butter are very popular in the rural Punjab,
specially before the Basant season (January and February) when the
mustard fields are ripe and appear to be a sea of yellow.
Lentils or pulses, known as dals, are a class by themselves. They
are very cheap and yet extremely delicious. A properly prepared dal
has a delicious taste and is sure to prove a hit. The conventional
method of preparing dals takes as much as six hours of slow cooking.
The advent of the pressure cooker has however done away with this
cumbersome and tedious process and the delightful dals can now be
prepared in a much shorter time.
It is however possible to describe only a few of the many vegetable
preparations in this book, and the writer, in exercising the selection,
has been guided either by the popularity of the recipes amongst her
students or by the idea of emphasising the conversion of common
vegetables into tasty dishes.
VEGETABLE CURRIES
DUM ALU
Fried Potato Curry
Recipe No. 1
This is a potato preparation of distinction in which whole potatoes
are cooked in masala. The masala which adheres to the potatoes not
only gives them a very good taste but also makes them exceedingly
presentable in appearance.
Ingredients
13 1b (680 g) potatoes 1 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch)
4 ozs (115 g) grated onions 1 teaspoonful poppy seeds (khaskhas)
10 cloves of garlic (lasan) 6 cloves (laung)
4 teaspoonful turmeric (huldi) 2 brown cardamonns (illaichi)
1 teaspoonful white cumin seeds 4 oz (15 g) desiccated coconut (naryal
(sufaid zeera) ka burada)
1 tablespoonful coriander seeds (sukha 5 green cardamomss (illaichi)
dhania) A little nutmeg (jaiphal)
12 peppercorns (kali mirch) or
4 oz (15 g) almonds. (badam) A little mace (javatri)
2 teaspoonfuls salt 4 pt (150 mils) water
4 pt (240 g) yoghurt (curd) 1 tablespoonful chopped fresh cori-
4 teaspoonful garam masala ander leaves or parsley
1 lb (455 g) ghee for frying the potatoes 2 finely-cut green chillies
4 oz (15 g) fresh ginger (adrak)
Method
Select potatoes of the size of walnuts. Peel and prick all over with
a fork and soak in 1} pt (720 mils) water and 1 dessertspoonful salt
for about half an hour. Dry the potatoes in a clean dry cloth.
Heat 1 lb (455 g) ghee and fry the potatoes on medium heat till
browned on all sides. While the potatoes are frying roast coriander
seeds on a hot griddle (tawa) and sift the skins. Also roast poppy
seeds, coconut, almonds, cumin seeds, cloves, peppercorns, brown
cardamoms and the mace or nutmeg. Grind these along with the
ginger, garlic and a little water till they are converted into a fine
paste.
Heat 4 ozs (115 g) ghee and brown the grated onions. Remove the
pan from the fire, add red pepper, turmeric, crushed green carda-
moms, salt and the ground paste to the browned onions. Then cook
on slow fire. Beat 4 pt (150 g) curd (yoghurt) lightly and add a
little of it at a time to the mixture until about half is used up. Add
fried potatoes and cook for another five minutes. Then add the re-
maining curd (yoghurt) and 4 pt (150 mils) hot water. Keep it in the
oven or cook on slow fire for about 20 minutes.
DUM ALU
Fried Potato Curry
-Recipe No. 2
The fried potato curry produced by this recipe has a taste and
flavour slightly different from the one prepared according to the pre-
vious recipe. The method used is after the culinary art practised by
the Hindu chefs of Kashmir. Unlike their Punjabi counterparts they
are able to prepare some delicious curries without the use of onion
as a thickening agent. The basic difference in their method however
is that the vegetables are first fried in mustard oil and then cooked in
ghee. On the other hand in Punjab, leaving aside a few exceptions,
frying or cooking is done in ghee only.
The curries prepared by the Kashmiri techniques are very rich
because the gravy consists mostly of the ghee.
Ingredients
1 lb (455 g) potatoes 4 pt (150 mils) water
% pt (360 mils) mustard oil (karwa tel) 4 oz (1S g) finely-cut ginger (adrak)
for frying 4 teaspoonful kashmiri garam masala
2 ozs (60 g) ghee (p. 24)
$ teaspoonful red pepper 1 dessertspoonful finely-chopped fresh
3 teaspoonful ground coriander seeds coriander leaves (dhania)
(sukha dhania) 1 teaspoonful salt
2 finely-cut green chillies
Method
Boil the potatoes till they are nearly cooked. Cool, peel and prick
them with a pointed knife or a fork. Heat mustard oil sufficient to
cover the potatoes. When it is smoking hot, fry the potatoes till they
are golden in colour. Remove from the oil.
Heat 2 ozs (60 g) ghee to smoking point. Remove from the fire,
add red pepper, ground coriander seeds and the water. Boil for 2 to
3 minutes, add the potatoes and cook on slow fire until they are
tender all through. When about 2 tablespoonfuls of the water are
left, remove the pan from the fire and add garam masala, the finely-
cut ginger and the fresh coriander leaves or parsley. Cover, place live
charcoal on the lid and leave on hot ashes for about half an hour or
alternatively keep the pan in a slow oven (320° to 325° F or 175° C)
for half an hour.
Serve with khamiri puri.
BHUJIA
A single green or leafy vegetable or a combination of two or more
vegetables cooked without the addition of water, is called a bhujia.
It is essentially a dry dish. Onion and ginger used in its preparation
are sliced and not ground or grated. Single vegetables usually
cooked as bhujias are: fenugreek leaves (methi), turnip tops (shalgam
ka saag), sarson (mustard green), chulai (green/red), a variety of
beans and potatoes of the size of a marble. Combinations of two or
more vegetables can also be cooked as bhujias. A bhujia made of
cheap varieties of greens and a good helping of red chillies fried in
mustard oil is very often the only vegetable that some poor people
can afford. Although it is very hot, it has a flavour and taste which
would stimulate anybody’s appetite.
ALU TAMATAR PEEAZ TARKARI

Potato, Tomato and Onion
Ingredients
1 lb (455 g) small potatoes (marble 2 to 3 ozs (60 to 85 g) ghee
sized) 8 ozs (230 g) small-sized whole onions
1 1b (455 g) tomatoes 4 teaspoonful garam masala
2 teaspoonfuls salt 3 green chillies
4 teaspoonful red pepper 1 oz (30 g) finely-cut ginger (adrak)
4 teaspoonful turmeric (huldi) 1 teaspoonful sugar
Method
Heat the ghee. Skin the onions and, keeping them whole, cook on
medium fire for half an hour. Add small-sized whole potatoes or
roughly-cut large ones, salt, red pepper and turmeric and cook on
slow fire. Do not add any liquid but cover the pan with a saucer-
shaped lid and keep some water on it. When the potatoes are nearly
cooked, add wedges of the tomatoes, sliced green chillies and ginger
and the sugar. Raise the heat from medium to high and continue cook-
ing. The potatoes and tomatoes, though cooked, should remain firm.
Serve sprinkled with garam masala and chopped fresh coriander
leaves or parsley.
ADRAK SIMLA-MIRCH TAMATAR TARKARI

Fresh Ginger, Capsicum and Tomato
Ingredients
8 ozs (230 g) capsicum (Simla mirch) Chopped fresh coriander leaves
2 ozs (60 g) sliced fresh ginger (adrak) (dhania)
4 teaspoonful white pepper (sufaid 2 teaspoonfuls sugar
mirch) 2 teaspoonfuls salt
1 Ib (455 g) tomatoes 4 ozs (115 g) ghee or butter
Method
Heat the ghee. Add finely-sliced capsicum, 1 teaspoonful salt and
4 teaspoonful white pepper and stir for a few minutes or until the
capsicum is half-cooked. Add wedges of the tomatoes, sliced ginger,
the remaining salt, white pepper and two teaspoonfuls sugar. Cook
_ on quick fire, stirring occasionally and carefully, so that the pieces of
tomato remain firm and do not turn into a puree.
Serve immediately, sprinkled with chopped coriander leaves or
parsley.
BAINGAN SIMLA-MIRCH TARKARI

Brinjal and Capsicum
Ingredients
2 ozs (60 g) ghee 4 teaspoonful garam masala
12 ozs (340 g) brinjals, long variety 12 ozs (340 g) capsicum
(baingan) 4 ozs (115 g) tomatoes
4 ozs (115 g) onions 4 teaspoonful red pepper
2 teaspoonfuls salt Chopped fresh coriander leaves
Method
Heat the ghee. Add roughly-cut onions and cook for a few
minutes. Then add sliced brinjals and the capsicum. Stir for a few
minutes; add salt and the red pepper and cook on slow fire until
three-quarters cooked. Lastly add slices of skinned tomatoes and
cook till tender.
Serve sprinkled with garam masala and chopped coriander leaves
or parsley.
BAINGAN TAMATAR
Tomato and Brinjal Curry (dry)
Ingredients
1 Ib (455 g) brinjals 3 to 4 ozs (85 to 115 g) thinly-slice
2 ozs (60 g) butter or pure ghee onions
12 ozs (340 g) tomatoes 24 teaspoonfuls salt
4 teaspoonful white pepper 2 to 3 shredded green chillies—op-
4 teaspoonful red pepper tional
Method
Peel and cut the brinjals into wedges. Rub on 14 teaspoonfuls salt
and leave them in a colander for half an hour to allow the moisture
to drip. Wipe each piece carefully but do not wash.
Heat the butter or ghee; sprinkle 4 teaspoonful red pepper, stir
for a second and add sliced onions. Cook on slow fire so that it does
not brown. Then add the brinjals; cover and cook on slow fire until
they are half done. Lastly add slices of peeled seeded tomatoes,
green chillies, the remaining sa!t and the white pepper. Cover and
cook on slow fire until done. Shake the pan every now and then
whilst cooking in order to avoid sticking of the brinjals or the masala
to the bottom of the pan.
STUFFED AND FRIED VEGETABLES

Cooked vegetables can be made much more palatable if they are
stuffed with spices, ground ginger and onion. Stuffing in the case of
vegetables like karela (bitter-gourd), root of lotus plant (kanwal
kakri) and bhindi (lady’s finger) is done by making a slit in their
sides. Vegetables like brinjal, tomato, capsicum and the whole cab-
bage are however stuffed by scooping out a hollow.
KARELA MASALEWALA
Bitter-gourd, Stuffed and Fried
6 medium-sized (500 g) karelas (bitter- 2 teaspoonfuls salt
gourd)
Ingredients for the stuffing
4 ozs (115 g) chopped onions 1 teaspoonful white cumin seeds
1 oz (30 g) garlic (lasan) (sufaid zeera)
4 ozs (115 g) cooked mashed potatoes 1 teaspoonful salt
or 1 oz (30 g) finely-cut ginger (adrak)
4 ozs (115 g) crumbled panir (optional) 4 finely-cut green chillies (sabz mirch)
4 teaspoonful red pepper 1 oz (7 g) aniseed (sonf)
4 ozs (115 g) ghee for frying 14 ozs (40 g) ghee
1 oz (30 g) tamarind (imli) soaked in 4 1 teaspoonful fresh lime juice (nimboo)
tablespoonfuls water 4 teaspoonful turmeric (huldi)
1 oz (7g) coriander seeds (sukha dhania) 4 teaspoonful garam masala
Method
Scrape, wash and make a slit lengthwise in the bitter-gourds. Rub 2
teaspoonfuls of salt over their surface and inside the slits and leave for
5to 6 hours. Wash them well under running tap water and squeeze
out the bitter juice. Alternatively, boil them in salted water with a
little tamarind until half-cooked. Scoop out the pulp and the seeds.
Heat 14 ozs ghee and fry half of the onions till golden brown.
Remove from the ghee and keep them aside. Fry the remaining
onions, scooped-out pulp and the seeds until Bie in colour. Then
add a ground mixture of 4 teaspoonful turmeric, $ oz (15 g) garlic,
4 oz (15 g) ginger, 4 oz (3 i coriander seeds and ifoz (3 g) aniseeds
and fry till the masala is golden in colour. Add tamarind juice and
lime juice and cook till the water dries up. Lastly add 1 teaspoonful
salt, the fried onions, the remaining ginger, coriander seeds, aniseeds,
green chillies, cumin seeds and garam masala. Fry for a few minutes.
Remove from the fire, divide the mixture into 6 equal parts and stuff
the bitter-gourds. 4 ozs (115 g) mashed potatoes or crumbled panir
may be added to the masala whilst frying, and the mixture can be
used as a stuffing. Tie a piece of thread around each bitter-gourd to
prevent the stuffing from running out. Alternatively, coat the slit
with a thick paste of flour (1 0z/30 g flour).
Heat 4 ozs (115 g) ghee to smoking point. Add to it the bitter-
gourds one by one, so that the temperature of the ghee is not lowered,
.and fry for about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat, cover and cook on slow
heat for about | hour or until they are tender and golden in colour.
Serve hot or cold.
Cold karelas (bitter-gourds), cold chapati (wholemeal Indian
bread) and buttermilk are a popular breakfast menu of the farmers in
the rural areas of the Punjab.
BAINGAN MASALEWALA
Stuffed Brinjal
Although it should be possible to cook a stuffed brinjal by frying,
baking is made use of in the recipe described below, as this helps to
retain the natural flavour better than frying.

3 brinjals of the round variety (bain- 4 teaspoonful white pepper or garam
gan) masala
2 finely-chopped spring onions Mint or parsley sprigs for garnishing
2 ozs (60 g) diced carrots (gajjar) 1} ozs (40 g) ghee
3 ozs (85 g) shelled peas (matar kadana) 6 ozs (170 g) tomatoes
2 ozs (60 g) panir 4 0Z (7 g) finely-cut ginger (adrak)
? teaspoonful salt 4 teaspoonful red pepper
Ingredients for sprinkling in the brinjal cases
4, teaspoonful salt 4 teaspoonful red pepper
4 teaspoonful white pepper 4 oz (7 g) dried breadcrumbs
Method
Do not peel the brinjals, but wipe them and boil for about 10
minutes or until they are half cooked. Cut them lengthwise into two
halves and scoop out the pulp. Season the cases with salt, red and
white pepper or garam masala.
Heat the ghee and lightly fry the onions. Add shelled peas, diced
carrots and the chopped brinjal pulp and cook until the vegetables
are nearly done. Lastly add the salt, red pepper, panir (Indian cream
cheese) and the ginger. Stir for a minute or so.
Stuff the brinjal cases with the fried pulp. Sprinkle with the dry
bread-crumbs, dot with a little melted ghee and grill till golden brown
on the top, or fry after dipping into the spiced batter.
Serve garnished with the sprigs of mint or parsley.
STUFFED TOMATOES
Recipe No. 1
Tomatoes are stuffed with a mixture consisting of vegetables and
panir (Indian cream cheese) and are fried after dipping into batter.

6 tomatoes 4 oz (7 g) ginger (adrak)
3 ozs (85 g) shelled cooked peas (matar 2 green chillies (sabz mirch)
ka dana) 1 teaspoonful salt
3 ozs (85 g) diced cooked carrots 1 teaspoonful sugar
(gajjar) 4 teaspoonful garam masala
3 ozs (85 g) diced fried panir (Indian 4 teaspoonful red pepper
cream cheese) or potatoes 1 dessertspoonful fresh coriander
1 oz (30 g) ghee leaves
1 oz (30 g) finely-chopped spring 1 dessertspoonful mint leaves with the
onions stems (podina)

14 ozs (40 g) flour 4 teaspoonful salt
4 teaspoonful red pepper A pinch of black pepper
5 tablespoonfuls water 1 Ib (455 g) ghee for deep frying
Method
Cut off a slice from the top of each tomato and keep it aside.
Scoop out the pulp and drain off the tomatoes by laying them upside
down. Chop the onions finely.
Heat the ghee, and fry the onions lightly. Add sieved tomato pulp
and cook until dry. Then add the sugar, cooked peas, diced cooked
carrots, fried panir or potatoes, salt, red pepper, garam masala,
finely-chopped coriander and mint leaves and the finely-cut ginger
and green chillies. Cook until the spices penetrate into the vegetables.
Remove from the fire. Fill this mixture into the tomato shells and
use the slices previously cut as lids for the shells.
Prepare the batter with 14 ozs (40 g) flour, salt, red pepper, black
pepper and the water. Dip the whole tomatoes in the batter care-
fully, keeping the lids upward, and deep fry on quick heat for a
minute or so.
Serve immediately, garnished with a sprig of the fried mint or
parsley.
STUFFED TOMATOES
Recipe No. 2
Tomatoes are stuffed with a filling consisting of vegetables, coated
with mashed potatoes, dipped.in the batter and fried.
Ingredients for sprinkling in the tomato cases

4 teaspoonful garam masala 1 teaspoonful sugar

6 tomatoes 2 green chillies (sabz mirch)
1 oz (30 g) butter or ghee A few chopped fresh coriander leaves
1 spring onion, chopped 4 crushed cloves of garlic (lasan)
3 ozs (85 g) shelled peas (matar ka- 3 ozs (85 g) diced carrots
dana) 4 teaspoonful garam masala
1 teaspoonful salt 3 ozs (85 g) diced panir (Indian cream
4 teaspoonful red pepper cheese)
4 oz (15 g) ginger (adrak)
Ingredients for the covering

1 lb (455 g) mashed potatoes 4 oz (15 g) butter or ghee

14 oz (40 g) gram flour (besan) or 1 tablespoonful ghee or oil
split-pea flour 4 teaspoonful red pepper
4 teaspoonful salt A little of carom seeds (ajwain)—
4 teaspoonful garam masala optional
5 tablespoonfuls water to make the Ghee for deep frying
batter
Method
Wash and dry the tomatoes. Cut a thin slice from the top of each,
scoop out pulp and season with salt, pepper, garam masala and sugar.
For the stuffing:—Heat 1 oz (30 g) butter. Add garlic, diced
carrots, Onion, peas, 1 teaspoonful salt, } teaspoonful red pepper,
t teaspoonful garam masala, fresh coriander leaves and the finely-cut
ginger and green chillies. Cook until the vegetables are nearly done.
Add panir. Mix well. Fill the fried mixture into the tomato shells
and close by using the sliced tops as lids.
For the batter:—Prepare the batter by mixing gram flour (besan)
or split-pea flour and the water. Beat for 10 minutes and leave it to
swell for half an hour.
For the covering:—Boil the potatoes, mash them to a smooth paste
and add melted butter, salt, red pepper and garam masala. Divide
the mixture into 6 equal parts and flatten each potato pellet into a
round shape by placing it on the greased palm of the left hand and
pressing with the finger tips of the right hand. Place a tomato on the
centre of the flattened pellet (with the cut surface downwards) and
work its edge up till it completely encloses the tomato.
For the frying: —Mix salt, red pepper, garam masala, and oil into
the batter and beat for 10 minutes. Dip the tomatoes carefully into
the batter and fry in the smoking hot ghee. Turn once or twice and
remove when they are brown all over.
STUFFED CABBAGE
It is not possible to cook a cabbage by frying and therefore baking
was made use of in the recipe described below. Cooking on slow fire
may be effective if sufficiently prolonged. The vegetarians can omit
bacon and meat and use panir (Indian cream cheese) instead.
Ingredients
One medium-sized cabbage (bund 4 teaspoonful black pepper
gobi) 1 tablespoonful tomato ketchup
2 ozs (60 g) onions 1 teaspoonful Worcestershire sauce
2 ozs (60 g) bacon—optional or vinegar or lime juice—optional
1 teaspoonful ghee 4 teaspoonful red pepper
4 ozs (115 g) minced meat 2 green chillies
4 teaspoonful salt 1 teaspoonful ghee
Method
Cover the cabbage with boiling salted water and simmer until
three-quarters cooked. Drain off and cool. Remove the hard core
of the stalk in a conical shape and make a hollow by scooping out the
interior of the cabbage.
Mince the onions, dice 1 oz (30 g) bacon and cook together till
light brown. Add 1 teaspoonful ghee and 4 ozs (115 g) minced meat
and cook till the liquid dries up. Then add salt, black pepper,
tomato ketchup and the Worcestershire sauce. Remove from the
fire. Stuff this mixture into the cabbage and close the opening by
inserting the conical stem. Place it in a greased baking dish, cover
and bake in moderate oven (350° F) for about 35 to 40 minutes. Fry
the remaining bacon and use for garnishing.
KOFTAS
Vegetable Balls
These are vegetable counterparts of minced meat balls. Some
vegetables as for example spinach, jack fruit, lotus flower root, cab-
bage, cauliflower, potato and raw banana are mashed, mixed with
some binding agent and shaped into balls. These are fried and made
into a curry.
PALAK KOFTA
Spinach Ball Curry
4 oz (15 g) ghee 14 oz (40 g) finely-chopped spring
2 ozs (60 g) panir (Indian cream cheese) onions
4 oz (1S g) finely-cut ginger (adrak) 1 green chilli (sabz mirch)
" 1 teaspoonful red pepper 4 teaspoonful salt
Ingredients for the spinach balls
14 lb (680 g) spinach (palak) 4 oz (15 g) ginger (adrak)
2 green chillies (sabz mirch) teaspoonful salt
4 cloves of garlic (lasan) 1 oz (30 g) gram flour (besan) or split-
4 teaspoonful garam masala pea flour or parched gram flour

4 ozs (115 g) ghee 1 dessertspoonful ground coriander
4 teaspoonful red pepper seeds
1 teaspoonful sugar 4 ozs (115 g) grated onions
2 chopped green chillies (sabz mirch) 8 ozs (230 g) tomatoes
4 teaspoonful garam masala 14 teaspoonfuls salt
4 0z (15 g) ginger (adrak) + 8clovesof + pt (300 mils) water or whey
garlic (lasan) 1 tablespoonful chopped fresh cori-
4 ozs (115 g) chopped onions ander leaves
Method
For the filling:—Heat the ghee, fry the onions lightly. Add
crumbled panir (Indian cream cheese), the finely-cut ginger and green
chilli, salt, red pepper and garam masala. Stir a little, cool, and
divide into 12 to 16 equal parts.
For the spinach puree:—Wash the spinach and cook without the
addition of any water. Add ginger, green chillies, garlic and the salt.
When tender, dry the liquid and finally grind the cooked spinach fine
on the grinding stone (or use pharmaceutical mortar and a pestle or
an electric liquidiser). Add gram flour (besan) or split-pea flour or
parched gram flour and garam masala. Mix thoroughly and divide
the mixture into 10 to 12 equal parts.
For the spinach balls:—Flatten them, place a teaspoonful of the
filling on each one and roll into a round ball. Fry on medium fire
till golden brown. Remove from the ghee, drain off and leave them
till required.
For the gravy:—Heat the ghee, add onions and fry until light
brown. Remove from the fire, add red pepper and stir till the colour
of the red pepper comes into the ghee. Add salt, ground ginger,
garlic, ground coriander seeds and sliced tomatoes; cook until the
masala is fried and the ghee separates from it. Then add green chillies,
sugar and the water, and simmer until the raw flavour of the garlic
disappears. Lastly add the spinach balls and heat through.
Serve immediately, sprinkled with chopped fresh coriander leaves
and garam masala.
KATHAL KOFTA
Jack Fruit Ball Curry
Ingredients for boiling jack fruit (kathal)
1 teaspoonful salt 4 pt (150 mils) water
4 oz (15 g) chopped ginger (adrak) 2 crushed brown cardamomss (illaichi)
2 chopped green chillies (sabz mirch) 8 crushed cloves of garlic (lasan)
Ingredients for the jilling

4 oz (15 g) ghee 1 oz (15 g) finely-chopped onion
1 Ib (455 g) boiled jack fruit (katha!) 24 almonds
24 pistachio nuts (pista) 2 finely-cut green chillies
12 sultanas (kishmish) 4 teaspoonful red pepper
4 teaspoonful salt

2 ozs (60 g) ghee 1 tablespoonful chopped fresh cori-
2 ozs (60 g) onions ander leaves (dhania) or parsley
4 oz (15 g) ginger (adrak) 4 teaspoonful red pepper
4 teaspoonful salt 4 ozs (115 g) tomatoes (reduced to a
i dessertspoonful dry coriander seeds puree)
(sukha dhania) 4 tablespoonfuls cream (malai)
4 teaspoonful garam masala 4 teaspoonful white cumin seeds
8 cloves of garlic (lasan) (sufaid zeera)
Method
For boiling the jack fruit:—Wash, dry and peel the skin of the jack
fruit, with greased hands; cut slices with a greased knife. Add green
chillies, salt, cardamoms, ginger, garlic and } pt (150 mils) of water
and pressure-cook for 5 minutes at 10 1b pressure. Allow the pressure
to drop by itself. An alternative is to cook in a pan (degchi) for half
an hour or till the jack fruit is tender. Pass the mixture through a
mincing machine using the fine plate, or grind on a stone slab.
Divide into 12 equal parts, shape these into balls by using a little dry
gram flour (besan) or split-pea flour and make a depression in the
centre.
For the filling:—Heat 4 oz (15 g) ghee, fry lightly the finely-
chopped onion, green chillies, almonds, sultanas and pistachios.
Add salt and red pepper. Remove from the fire, cool, and divide into
12 equal parts. Use these as filling for the depressions made in the
balls already prepared; round off the balls and deep fry.
For the gravy:—Grind garlic, ginger, coriander seeds and cumin
seeds into a paste. Heat the ghee and fry the grated onions till golden
in colour. Remove the pan from the fire and add red pepper. Re-
place it on the fire and continue frying with the addition of 2 table-
spoonfuls of water two to three times. Add the ground paste of
spices and fry for another 5 to 7 minutes. Then add the tomato
puree and continue frying till the ghee separates. Mix 4 pt (240 mils)
water and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the fire and leave
till required.
When the koftas are ready add them to the gravy and heat. Beat
the cream and mix it into the gravy. Add garam masala. Leave the
pan over hot ashes and place live charcoal on the lid. Alternatively
keep it in a cool oven (320° to 350° F) for 15 minutes. Pour carefully
into a serving dish so that the koftas do not break.
Serve immediately, sprinkled with chopped coriander leaves or
parsley.
KELA KOFTA
Green Banana Ball Curry
Ingredients for the kofta mixture
6 boiled green bananas (kela) 3 tablespoonfuls milk
4 oz (15 g) ghee or
1 teaspoonful salt 1 whole egg
4 oz (15 g) finely-sliced ginger (adrak) 2 finely-cut green chillies (sabz mirch)
1 oz (30 g) finely-chopped onion 1 dessertspoonful finely-cut coriander
8 finely-cut cloves of garlic (lasan) leaves or parsley
crushed seeds of 2 brown cardamoms _} teaspoonful garam masala
(illaichi)
Ingredients for boiling the bananas
6 green bananas 3 pt (480 mils) water
1 teaspoonful salt

1 oz (30 g) finely-chopped onion 12 sultanas (kishmish)
24 almonds (badam) 1 dessertspoonful fresh coriander
4 teaspoonful red pepper leaves or parsley, finely chopped
24 pistachio nuts (pista)
Ingredients for the gravy:—The same as described under kathal

koftas (p. 112).
Method
For boiling the bananas for the preparation of the kofta mixture:—
Boil the green bananas with their skins intact in the boiling salted
water for 10 minutes or till tender. Remove from the fire and cool.
Remove the skin, pass the bananas through a mincing machine,
using the fine plate, or mash them thoroughly. Heat the ghee and
fry lightly the onion, garlic and ginger. Add the banana pulp, salt,
red pepper, chillies, cardamom seeds, garam masala and the finely-
chopped coriander leaves or parsley. Stir for a few seconds and cool.
Mix 3 tablespoonfuls milk or one whole egg till it is like a pliable
dough.
For the filling:—Heat the ghee and fry the onions lightly; add
chopped nuts, sultanas, seasoning and the coriander leaves.
For the koftas:—Shape the kofta mixture into small round balls
with the help of a little dry flour; flatten; put a little filling over each
of them and round off again. Proceed further for the preparation
of the gravy and cooking the koftas as described under kathal
koftas.
KANWAL KAKRI KOFTA

(Lotus Root Ball Curry)
Ingredients for boiling the kanwal kakri
1 lb (455 g) kanwal kakri (lotus flower 4 or 4 pt (240 or 150 mils) water
root) 1 teaspoonful salt
8 cloves of roughly-chopped garlic 4 oz (15 g) roughly-chopped ginger
2 roughly-chopped green chillies 4+ teaspoonful garam masala
Ingredients for the koftas and the filling are the same as described
under kathal kofta (p. 111).
Ingredients for the gravy are the same as described under the kathal
kofta.
Method
Scrape, wash and cut the kanwal kakri into smail pieces. Add
these to 4 pt (240 mils) water containing the other ingredients men-
tioned above and simmer till tender. Alternatively add only 4 pt
(150 mils) water, pressure-cook for 5 minutes at 15 Ib pressure and
reduce it quickly by placing a wet cloth over the pressure cooker.
Cook further in an open pan and dry the liquid. Cool, pass through
a mincing machine using the fine plate (or grind on a stone slab) and
mix whole egg or curd ‘thoroughly till it becomes a pliable dough.
Divide the mixture into 12 equal parts with the help of a little fiour.
Shape these into round balls. Proceed further for the preparation of
the filling and the gravy as described under kathal kofta.
GHIA KOFTA
Marrow Ball Curry
Ingredients for boiling the ghia (marrow)
14 Ib (680 g) grated marrow (ghia) 4 pt (120 mils) water
Other ingredients are the same as described under kathal kofta

(p. 111).
’ Ingredients for the kofta

12 oz (340 g) boiled and squeezed out marrow
Other ingredients are the same as described under kathal kofta.
Ingredients for the filling and the gravy

The same as described under kathal kofta.
Method
Peel, wash and grate the marrow. Add green chillies, salt, ginger,
cardamoms, garlic and + pt (120 mils) of water; simmer till tender.
Cool and squeeze out the liquid; keep it aside for making the gravy.
Pass the marrow pulp through a mincing machine using the fine
plate or grind it on a stone slab. Divide into 12 equal parts.
Proceed further for the preparation of the filling, the gravy and the
koftas as described under kathal kofta.
Serve in the same way.
KHAT MITHI GOBI

Sweet and Sour Cabbage
Ingredients
1 Ib (455 g) cabbage (bund gobi) 1 oz (30 g) arrowroot or cornflour
8 ozs (230 g) tomatoes 4 pt (180 mils) water
1 carrot (gajjar) 2 tablespoonfuls vinegar (sirka)
3 teaspoonfuls salad oil or vegetable 1 tablespoonful sugar
ghee 1 tablespoonful soya-bean sauce
14 tablespoonful sherry—optional 1 + 4 teaspoonful salt
Method
Shred the carrot, slice the tomatoes and fry in 14 teaspoonfuls of
ghee or oil for about 5 minutes or till the shreds become tender.
Pass through a sieve. Add vinegar, sugar, soya-bean sauce, salt and
1 oz (30 g) of cornflour dissolved in 4+ pt (180 mils) of water. Bring
to the boil and stir until the mixture is translucent. Leave the sweet
and sour sauce till required.
Cut the cabbage leaves into 1” (24 cm) squares. Heat the remain-
ing ghee, add salt and fry one-third of the cabbage at a time over
brisk fire for 3 to 4 minutes. Pour the sauce over the fried cabbage
and cook for 2 minutes.
Serve immediately.
KHOA MATAR
Dried Fresh Whole Milk and Peas Curry (dry)
This is a vegetable counterpart of the minced meat and the peas
curry (dry).
Ingredients
6 ozs (170 g) granulated khoa (pre- 1 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch)
pared from 14 pts (900 mils) buffalo 2 teaspoonfuls ground coriander seeds
milk or 2 pts (1200 mils) Jersey milk (sukha dania)
12 ozs (240 g) shelled peas (matar ka 4 to ¢ pt (300 to 450 mils) whey
dana) 1 teaspoonful Kashmiri garam masala
8 ozs (230 g) tomatoes (p. 24)
4 oz (i5 g) long shreds of ginger 1 tablespoonful finely-chopped cori-
(adrak) ander leaves
2 level teaspoonfuls turmeric (huldi)
Method
Heat the ghee, add khoa (dried fresh whole milk) and fry till it is
golden in colour. Remove from the fire and add red pepper and the
turmeric (otherwise it may burn before imparting its colour). Re-
place the pan on the fire, add salt and ground coriander seeds. Stir
a little. Add whey and the peas and cook till tender. As the gravy
is to be of the ghee only the liquid should be dried. Lastly add the
peeled and chopped tomatoes and shredded ginger. Place some
burning charcoal on the lid or keep the pan in a slow oven (300° F)
for 20 minutes. Sprinkle chopped fresh coriander leaves or parsley
and Kashmiri garam masala before serving. In Kashmir the dish is
usually served with boiled rice.
EGGS AND PEAS WITH SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE

8 ozs (230 g) tomatoes 14 dessertspoonfuls vinegar (sirka)
2 ozs (60 g) carrots (gajjar) 14 to 2 dessertspoonfuls sugar
2 ozs (60 g) onions 1 level teaspoonful arrowroot
2 to 3 green chillies (sabz mirch) 4 pt (210 mils) water
1 dessertspoonful soya-bean sauce
Ingredients for cooking the peas

2 ozs (60 g) ghee Fresh coriander leaves or parsley for
6 ozs (170 g) shelled peas (matar ka garnishing
dana) Green stalks of 1 spring onion
3 whole eggs (for poaching in the 4 teaspoonful garam masala
tomato puree) 4 teaspoonful black pepper
1 teaspoonful salt
. Method
Slice the tomatoes and grate the carrots and the onions. Add
rather more than half the water and 1 teaspoonful salt. Cook on
slow fire for about 20 minutes or pressure-cook for 15 minutes at
10 Ib pressure and allow the pressure to drop by itself. Pass through
a wire sieve. Add soya-bean sauce, sugar, vinegar, finely-chopped
green chillies and arrowroot (dissolved in 4 tablespoonfuls water),
and simmer for another 5 to 7 minutes.
Heat 1 oz (30 g) ghee, fry the finely-chopped spring onion and
cook lightly. Add 6 ozs (170 g) shelled peas, 1 teaspoonful salt,
4 teaspoonful red pepper and the remaining water and cook on very
slow fire till the peas are tender.
Heat the remaining 1 oz (30 g) ghee and add the sauce prepared
above. When it starts simmering gently, break the eggs into it and
put a pinch of black pepper on the yolks. Reduce the heat and keep
live charcoal on the lid; alternatively place the saucepan in a slow
oven (320° F) and bake till the eggs are set. Add the cooked peas
and leave on slow fire or in the oven for a few minutes so as to allow
the peas to absorb the flavour of the spices.
Serve sprinkled with chopped fresh coriander leaves or parsley and
garam masala.
INDIAN VEGETARIAN COOKERY i7/
SABZI TIKKI
Vegetable Cutlet
Ingredients for cooking the vegetables
4 ozs (115 g) peas (matar ka dana) 1 tablespoonful chopped fresh cori-
4 ozs (115 g) French beans ander leaves or parsley
2 ozs (60 g) onions 4 to 6 ozs (115 to 170 g) potatoes
3 to 4 green chillies (sabz mirch) 4 oz (iS g) ginger (adrak)
$ teaspoonful red pepper 14 teaspoonfuls salt
4 ozs (115 g) cauliflower (gobi) 4 teaspoonful garam masala
Ingredients for the binding sauce

1 oz (30 g) ghee 1 oz (30 g) flour
4 pt (150 mils) milk
Ingredients for the batter for frying

14 ozs (40 g) flour 4 tablespoonfuls water
Method
For cooking the vegetables:—Boil the vegetables with the onions,
salt and the red pepper in sufficient water till tender. Drain off the
water and finally dry on the fire whilst stirring continuously. Cool,
mash or pass through a mincing machine and add chopped coriander
leaves, garam masala, shredded chillies and the ginger.
For the binding sauce:—Melt the ghee, add flour and stir for
5 minutes. Add milk and cook till a thick sauce is formed. Cool.
For the batter:—Make a thin batter with the flour and water. Add
water, red pepper and garam masala.
For the cutlets:—Mix the mashed vegetables with the binding
sauce and divide into 12 equal parts. Shape the cutlets into any
desired form and leave for a little while. Dip them in the batter, roll
in breadcrumbs and fry in the smoking hot ghee or lard. Drain ona
kitchen paper and keep them hot till required.
Serve with tomato sauce or mint chutney.
GOBI MUSALLAM
Whole Cauliflower
Ingredients for seaming

One medium-sized cauliflower (gobi) 4 oz (15 g) ginger (adrak)
6 cloves of garlic (lasan) 3 teaspoonful salt
2 green chillies (sabz mirch) 4 teaspoonful garam masala
4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch) 1 dessertspoonful lemon juice
Ingredients for masala paste
3 to 4 ozs (85 to 115 g) ghee 4 oz (15 g) ginger (adrak)
5 crushed cloves of garlic (lasan) 6 cloves (laung)
4 oz (15 g) coriander seeds, sifted, 8 peppercorns
(dhania sukha) 4 green cardamom (illaichi)
4 ozs (115 g) tomatoes 4 oz (15 g) almonds (badam)
4 oz (15 g) dry coconut 3 teaspoonful salt
4, teaspoonful white cumin seeds A pinch of nutmeg (jaiphal)
(sufaid zeera) ry, 4 teaspoonful garam masala
4 tablespoonfuls yoghurt (curd) 1” (24 cm) piece of cinnamon
4 ozs (115 g) onions
Method
For steaming the cauliflower:—Wash. and dry the cauliflower.
Grind garlic, ginger and green chillies, add salt, red pepper and
garam masala. Mix lemon juice with the ground paste. Insert as
much as possible of the paste in between the flowerets. Place the
cauliflower with the stem downward in a finger-bowl-like heat-proof
dish (katori) which can hold it in a vertical position. Transfer this
bowl to the trivet in a pressure-cooker; add } pt (150 mils) water
and steam for 3 minutes at 10 lb pressure. Bring down the pressure
immediately by putting a wet duster over the lid. In the absence of a
pressure-cooker, place it in a degchi, add 4 pt (300 mils) water and
steam or 15 to 20 minutes or till it is half-cooked.
For the masala paste:—Heat the ghee and fry thinly-sliced onions
and garlic. Grind ginger, coriander seeds, cloves, peppercorns,
cinnamon, cardamoms, coconut, almonds and the cumin seeds. Add
the ground masala, the salt and the nutmeg to the frying onions and
continue cooking along with the addition of small quantities of curd
till it is completely utilised. Lastly add the pulp of 4 ozs (115 g)
tomatoes.
Cover the top of the cauliflower with half of the masala paste.
Coat with the ghee and bake in a moderate oven (350° F) for 15
minutes or till the masala is browned and the cauliflower evenly
cooked. Remove from the oven, pour the remaining masala around
it and bake for another 5 minutes.
Serve, sprinkled with chopped coriander leaves or parsley, green
chillies and garam masala.
ROLLS OF LEAFY VEGETABLES

The technique of stuffing vegetables with a seasoned filling has
been made use of in preparing rolls out of some leafy vegetables.
This is done in a variety of ways and demonstrates the varying tastes
or flavours which can be obtained by altering the nature of the stuff-
ing. In recipe No. 1 the stuffing consists of mashed potatoes and the
rolls are deep fried, whereas in recipe No. 2 the stuffing consists of
minced meat or panir and the rolls are cooked in tomato puree after
they are shallow fried. The third method makes use of a stuffing
made of mixed vegetables and the rolls are cooked in cream on slow
heat. Lastly in the fourth method the stuffing consists of a mixture
of grated vegetables and an apple and the rolls are finally cooked by
baking. They are served with roasted chopped ground nuts as this
imparts a distinct taste.
STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS

Recipe No, 1
6 large or 12 small cabbage leaves 4 teaspoonful red pepper
(bund gobi ka patta) 8 ozs (230 g) cooked mashed potatoes
1 oz (30 g) ghee 1 spring onion or 1 oz (30 g) onion
1 oz (30 g) ginger (adrak) 4 cloves of garlic (lasan)
2 green chillies (sabz mirch) 1. dessertspoonful fresh coriander
1 dessertspoonful mint leaves without leaves (dhania)
stems (podina) 4 teaspoonful garam masala
i dessertspoonful lemon juice 4 teaspoonful salt

11 ozs (40 g) flour 4 tablespoonfuls water
4 teaspoonful black pepper or garam _ } teaspoonful salt
masala 4 teaspoonful red pepper
Ingredients for coating and frying

Dry breadcrumbs 1 lb (150 g) ghee
Method
Blanch whole cabbage leaves, two at a time, in boiling salted water
sufficient to cover them for about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and cool on
a sieve.
Heat 1 oz (30 g) ghee, lightly fry the finely-chopped onion and
garlic. Add cooked and mashed potatoes, the finely-chopped ginger
and green chillies, the finely-chopped coriander and mint leaves,
4 teaspoonful salt, } teaspoonful red pepper and 4 teaspoonful garam
masala and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the fire,
cool, add lemon juice and divide into 6 equal parts.
Remove hard stems of the blanched cabbage leaves and spread
them on the table; place two of them with one edge overlapping if
they are small in size. Put one part of the cooked potato mixture on
one edge of each leaf or a pair of leaves, turn the sides gently in and
roll up each one of them.
Prepare the batter with 14 ozs. flour, salt, red pepper, black
pepper and the water. Beat till thoroughly mixed. Dip each cabbage
roll in the batter, roll in breadcrumbs and deep fry.
Serve hot, garnished with a fried sprig of parsley or mint.

Recipe No. 2
Ingredients
24 small or 12 large-sized cabbage 12 ozs (340 g) lean mutton
leaves or
2 ozs (60 g) onions 12 ozs (340 g) panir (Indian cream
1 oz (30 g) ginger (adrak) cheese)
4 teaspoonful garam masala 1 tablespoonful flour (maida)
8 to 12 ozs (230 to 340 g) tomato puree 4 ozs (115 g) ghee
6 cloves of garlic (lasan) Little lime juice (nimboo)
6 green chillies (sabz mirch) 4 teaspoonful white pepper
Method
Wash the cabbage, separate the leaves carefully and simmer in the
’ boiling salted water till they are half-cooked. Remove from the
water and drain. Mince the raw meat or the panir.
Heat a little ghee and fry lightly the 1 oz (30 g) of the finely-
chopped onions, 6 cloves of garlic, 4 oz (15 g) ginger and 3 green
chillies. Add minced meat or panir, salt, red pepper and the garam
masala and cook till tender. Remove from the fire, cool and divide
into 12 equal parts.
Remove the hard stems of the cabbage leaves and spread them on
the table. If the leaves are small in size, place two of them with one
edge overlapping. Put one part of the minced meat mixture on one
edge of each leaf (or an overlapping pair of leaves); roll and turn the
sides gently in. Sprinkle over them a little fresh lime juice, salt, white
pepper and red pepper, roll in the dry flour and brown in hot butter
or ghee. Remove from the ghee and lightly brown the remaining
onions, ginger and green chillies. Add the rolls along with 1 or 2
tablespoonfuls of water. Cook covered till tender. When nearly
done add the tomato puree and cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Add
salt and pepper to taste.
Serve hot.
INDIAN VEGETARIAN COOKERY JPA

Recipe No. 3
24 small or 12 large leaves of fresh 1 dessertspoonful tomato sauce
and young cabbage or
4 ozs (115 g) French beans (frans beans) 1 teaspoonful vinegar (sirka)
4 ozs (115 g) carrots (gajjar) 2 ozs (60 g) shelled peas (matar ka
2 ozs (60 g) chopped onions dana)
1 dessertspoonful flour (maida) 4 to 6 green chillies (sabz mirch)
4-4 teaspoonful salt 2 ozs (60 g) ghee
4 teaspoonful garam masala 4 teaspoonful red pepper
4 azs (115 g) potatoes 1 tomato (about 2 ozs or 60 g)
2 ozs (60 g) tomatoes 4 pt (150 mils) sour cream
Method
Simmer the cabbage leaves in boiling salted water until half-
cooked. Remove them and boil the potatoes, carrots and French
beans in the same water till they are cooked. Cool and mash them.
Heat 1 oz (30 g) ghee and fry lightly 1 oz (30 g) onions and the
crushed garlic. Add ginger, mashed vegetables, peeled tomato, flour,
salt, red pepper, garam masala and cook till the mixture is dry. Then
add 2 or 3 green chillies and the tomato sauce or vinegar. Cool and
divide the mixture into 12 equal parts.
Remove the hard ribs of the cabbage leaves and spread 12 large
leaves singly or 12 pairs of small leaves with their edges overlapping.
Place one part of the filling over each of these and fold them into
rolls.
Fry lightly the remaining 1 oz (30 g) onions in 1 oz (30 g) of the
ghee. Add the remaining green chillies and diced skinned tomato.
Put this mixture into a baking tray and the rolls on top and coat with
the cream. Sprinkle 4 teaspoonful salt and a pinch each of the red
pepper and the garam masala. Bake covered in a moderate oven
(350° F) for 30 minutes until cooked. Uncover during the last 5
minutes of baking in order to dry the liquid. Serve hot.

Recipe No. 4
Ingredients
24 small or 12 large cabbage leaves (the ribs trimmed)

14 ozs (40 g) ghee 4 ozs (115 g) shelled peas (matar ka
8 ozs (230 g) grated sour apple (seb) dana)
3 small spring onions 3 finely-chopped green chillies (sabz
1 teaspoonful salt mirch)
4 teaspoonful black pepper 4 teaspoonful red pepper
8 ozs (230 g) grated carrots (gajjar)
Ingredients for sprinkling over the cabbage leaves

Juice of one fresh lime (nimboo) + teaspoonful salt
4 teaspoonful red pepper 14 ozs (40 g) ghee
4 teaspoonful black pepper or garam 2 ozs (60 g) roasted chopped ground-
masala nuts
Method
Wash and parboil the cabbage leaves in boiling salted water, suffi-
cient to cover them. Remove from the water and drain.
Heat the ghee, add the grated carrots, peas, salt, and one dessert-
spoonful warm water. Half-cook on slow heat. Add the finely-cut
spring onions and green chillies, grated apple, salt, black and red
pepper. Stir for a minute. Remove from the fire, cool and divide
into 12 equal parts.
Spread the cabbage leaves on a board. Sprinkle with lime juice,
salt, red pepper and garam masala. Place one part of the stuffing on
each cabbage leaf, roll up lightly and place in a greased baking dish.
* Dot the rolls with a little ghee, cover and bake in a moderate oven
(350° F) for 20 minutes or till they are cooked. Serve sprinkled with
roasted chopped groundnuts.
SINDHI BESAN CURRY

Split Pea Flour Curry
Ingredients for cooking the curry
3 ozs (85 g) ghee 1 teaspoonful white cumin seeds
1 teaspoonful fenugreek seeds (meth- (sufaid zeera)
rai) 3 finely-cut green chillies (sabz mirch)
14 ozs (40 g) besan or split-pea flour 31 pts (2 litres) water
4 teaspoonful turmeric (huldi) 3 teaspoonfuls salt
1 teaspoonful red chillies
Ingredients to be added when the curry is half-cooked

4 oz (7 g) kukum 2 ozs (60 g) raw mango (kaccha am)
4 ozs (115 g) potato bits 2 ozs (60 g) marrow bits (ghia)
1 oz (30 g) lady’s fingers (bhindi) 2 ozs (60 g) tinda bits—optional
2 ozs (60 g) brinjal bits (baingan) ’ 2 ozs (60 g) carrot bits (gajjar)
2 ozs (60 g French beans (frans bean) A bunch (12 stems) of curry leaves
1 oz (30 g) tamarind (imli) (mithi neem)
4 ozs (115 g) tomato 1 oz (30 g) molasses (gur)
Method
Wash the kukum and the tamarind. Take molasses (gur), kukum
and tamarind and soak each one of them separately for half an hour
in double its weight of water. Heat the ghee and lightly fry the white
cumin seeds and the fenugreek seeds (methrai). Add the finely-cut
green chillies. Strain into it 14 ozs (40 g) besan (split-pea flour)
mixed in 34 pts (2 litres) of water, through a piece of muslin or a fine
strainer. Add turmeric, salt and the red chillies and cook for 30 to
45 minutes or till half the liquid dries up. Add the soaked kukum,
bits of the vegetables and the curry leaves and simmer till the vege-
tables become tender. Then add the tomatoes, cut into pieces,
molasses (gur) dissolved in water and 2 tablespoonfuls of the tama-
rind pulp. Simmer for a few minutes. Remove the stems of curry
leaves. Serve hot with boiled rice.
DAM ARBI
Yam Curry—Dry
Ingredients
14 1b (680 g) yam (arbi), small sized 14 dessertspoonfuls dried green mango
and tender powder (amchur)
4 ozs (115 g) thinly-sliced onions 1 tablespoonful finely-chopped fresh
i+ ozs (40 g) shredded ginger (adrak) coriander leaves (dhania)
3 teaspoonful red pepper 3 to 4 green chillies (sabz mirch)
14 teaspoonfuls coriander seeds, 14 teaspoonfuls salt
crushed (sukha dhania) 4 teaspoonful carom seeds (ajwain)
4 teaspoonful garam masala Salted water sufficient to cover the
2 ozs (60 g) ghee yam
Method
Wash, peel, prick and soak the yam (arbi) for half an hour in
salted water. Wash thoroughly again to remove the glutinous sub-
stance from their surface. Dry. Deep fry in three lots till soft.
Heat the ghee, and fry the onions till light brown. Add ajwain,
stir a little and then add the fried yam (arbi), ginger, green chillies,
salt, red pepper, ground coriander, dried green mango powder
(amchur) and the garam masala. Put some live charcoal on the lid
and leave it on hot ashes for half an hour.
Serve, sprinkled with chopped fresh coriander leaves (dhania).
PULSES OR LENTILS
Lentils, popularly known as dals, are perhaps the cheapest, the
commonest and the most popular of Indian foods. They are relished
by the rich and the poor alike and are almost an integral part of every
Indian meal, formal or informal. Their wide appeal in spite of the
arduous method of preparation (some of them take as long as six
hours of slow cooking) demonstrates the fact that they must be
delicious, and that is exactly what they are. In fact a well-cooked
maanh sabat (whole black beans), a delicacy of Punjab, is perhaps
without parallel in the world. Its exquisite flavour, superb taste and
beautiful colouring deserve special mention. This however is not a
solitary example and nearly all the dals will prove worthy of tribute.
Another popularly known item is the kabli channas (whole Bengal
beans). Puri (Indian deep fried bread) and channas form a very de-
lightful combination which is usually relished by everyone. Another
popular way of serving channas is along with samosas.
The cooking of dal by the conventional methods is long, no doubt,
but by no means very laborious. The dals are commonly cooked in a
squat circular utensil made of clay called a “‘handia’’. The cleaned
and washed lentils along with the requisite amount of water are put
in the handia and covered with a saucer-shaped lid in which is kept a
little water. The vessel is kept on slow fire and the cooking of the dal
may continue up to five or six hours. On the completion of the cook-
ing the dal is removed from the fire and a tadka or a baghar, which
consists of browned onion, smoking hot ghee and the masala is
added to it.
The advent of modern pressure-cookery has however eliminated
the time factor and all the dals can now be cooked in less than one
hour. The handia and other conventional utensils have also been
dispensed with. The cooking of the dal has hence become a very
quick and an easy job. The writer has therefore in her recipes de-
scribed methods for pressure-cooking the dals.
Dals or lentils are available in every big city. A particular variety
of lentil known as split peas is specially common and can be obtained
from any grocer in London. Split peas when cooked in the Indian
fashion give very good results and should be enjoyed by everyone.
URHAD OR MAANH SABAT
Whole Black Beans
Ingredients for cooking the beans

8 ozs (230 g) whole black beans(maanh 4 dried red chillies (lal mirch sabat)
sabat) 2 pts (1:2 litres) water
24 to 3 teaspoonfuls salt 12 finely-cut cloves of garlic
1 oz (30 g) finely-cut ginger (adrak) 4 oz (15 g) clarified butter or ghee
Ingredients for baghar
2 ozs (60 g) clarified butter or ghee 4 teaspoonful garam masala
3 finely-cut green chillies (seeds re- 1 oz (30 g) finely-cut ginger
moved) 4 teaspoonful red pepper
Method
For cooking the beans:—Remove the grit from the beans and wash
them 3 to 4 times. Boil the water and add salt, beans, garlic, ginger,
red chillies and ghee. Cover with a saucer-shaped lid containing a
little water. When it comes to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer
for 3 to 4 hours. Alternatively pressure-cook at 15 Ib pressure for
half an hour and allow the pressure to drop by itself; uncover, cook
the beans further in the same pan or another open pan on slow fire
for half an hour; stir and mash them every now and then till they are
reduced to a creamy consistency.
For the baghar or tadka:—Heat the ghee, add ginger, stir for a
second and then add green chillies, red pepper and the garam masala.
Mix half of it into the cooked urhad and keep the remaining half for
adding to it just before serving.
Urhad is a North Indian dish and is taken with chapaties or plain
boiled rice.
MOONG SABAT
Whole Green Beans
Ingredients for cooking the beans

8 ozs (230 g) whole green beans 2 pts (1:2 litres) water
24 to 3 teaspoonfuls salt 12 finely-cut cloves of garlic
1 oz (30 g) finely-cut ginger 4 oz (15 g) clarified butter or ghee
4 dried red chillies 1 teaspoonful turmeric
Ingredients for the baghar or tadka

The same as described under the dal urhad except for the addition
of 2 ozs (60 g) finely-cut browned onions.
Method
For cooking:—The procedure is the same as described under
urhad (whole black beans).
For bagkar or tadka:—Heat the ghee, fry the onions till golden
brown and add ginger and the green chillies. Stir and add red pepper
and the garam masala. Mix half of it into the dal and keep the re-
maining half for addition to it just before serving.
KABLI CHANNAS
Whole Bengal Beans
Ingredients
8 ozs (230 g) kabli channas (whole 12 cloves of garlic (lasan)
Bengal beans) 4 teaspoonful white cumin seeds
14 teaspoonful of salt (sufaid zeera)
3 ozs (85 g) ghee ‘ 2 brown cardamoms (seeds only)
4 oz (15 g) ginger (adraii : 1” (24 cm) piece of cinnamon (dar-
4 cloves (laung) chini)
24 ozs (70 g) grated onions 4 teaspoonful red pepper
4 ozs (115 g) tomatoes 1 dessertspoonful dry coriander seeds
1 or 2 green chillies (sukha dhania)
4 teaspoonful garam masala 1 tablespoonful chopped fresh cori-
14 pt (720 mils) water ander leaves (dhania sabz)
Method
Pick, wash and soak the channas (whole Bengal beans) overnight
in 14 pt (720 mils) of water. Add 1 teaspoonful of salt and 1 or 2
green chillies and simmer till tender. Alternatively pressure-cook at
15 lb pressure for 10 minutes and allow the pressure to drop by itself.
Heat the ghee, and fry the finely-shredded onions. Remove from
the fire when golden brown, add 4 teaspoonful red pepper, stir and
keep it on the fire again. Continue frying the onions, adding a little
- water at a time till 2 tablespoonfuls are consumed. Then add the re-
maining spices, ginger and the garlic ground together. Fry for
5 minutes or till the ghee separates from the masala. Add the
roughly-cut tomatoes and stir till they form a homogeneous mixture
with the masala. Then add the boiled channas and fry on slow fire
for 10 minutes whilst adding the channa stock, a little ata time. After
adding the last of the stock, simmer on slow fire for 20 minutes.
Serve, sprinkled with garam masala and chopped fresh coriander
leaves (dhania sabz) or parsley.
SECTION V
PANIR (INDIAN CREAM CHEESE) CURRIES

THE production of curds by the addition of acid substances to milk
is perhaps one of the most useful practices in culinary art of this
ancient country. These curds (chenna or the Indian soft cream
cheese) separated from the whey are made use of in preparing some
of the best Indian sweetmeats. If however the curds are pressed into
a slab (panir or Indian cream cheese) by keeping under a weight, cut
into pieces and fried, they can be incorporated into a variety of
curries. Some of the best vegetarian dishes are made by combining
the vegetables with the panir (Indian cream cheese). The cheese
marketed in England cannot be used for the preparation of curries as
it liquefies on heating.
KHAT MITHA PANIR

Sweet and Sour Indian Cream Cheese
Sweet and sour Indian cream cheese is a vegetarian counterpart of
sweet and sour pork or prawns.
10 ozs (280 g) tomatoes 2 red or green chillies
2 ozs (60 g) onions 14 dessertspoonfuls soya-bean sauce
24 teaspoonfuls salt 3 dessertspoonfuls sugar
3 dessertspoonfuls vinegar (sirka) 5 tablespoonfuls water
2 teaspoonfuls arrowroot 1 teaspoonful red pepper + a pinch of
4 teaspconful white pepper tomato colouring
2 ozs (60 g) ghee 2 spring onions (only the green stalk)
2 green chillies 1 tablespoonful finely-chopped cori-
4 ozs (115 g) carrots ander leaves
Ingredients for the seasoned batter

3 oz (20 g) flour 14 tablespoonfuls water
4 teaspoonful white pepper
Ingredients for frying the panir (Indian cream cheese)
4 ozs (115 g) evenly diced panir (?” Coriander leaves for garnish
(2 cm) squares) Seasoned batter as above
Ghee for frying
Method
For the sauce:—-Chop the vegetables finely (reserving the spring
onions and 2 chillies), add 2 teaspoonfuls salt and simmer for 20
minutes till they are tender. Or add 5 ozs water and pressure-cook
127
at 15 lb pressute for 5 minutes and allow the pressure to drop by

itself. Pass through a fine sieve or a strainer. Heat the puree, add
soya-bean sauce, vinegar and sugar and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Heat the ghee, and fry lightly the finely-chopped spring onions.
Add red pepper, stir for a second and then add the sauce along with
2 teaspoonfuls of arrowroot dissolved in 5 tablespoonfuls of cold
water. Cook for another five minutes and add the finely-cut green
chillies, the white pepper and tomato colouring.
For the sweet and sour panir:—Prepare the batter by mixing the
ingredients mentioned above; dip each piece of the panir (Indian
cream cheese) into it and deep fry. Add slightly heated sauce to the
fried panir and simmer for 10 minutes or till it penetrates into the
panir. Then add 1 tablespoonful finely-chopped fresh coriander
leaves or parsley and 4 teaspoonful white pepper.
Serve hot, with the vegetable fried rice.
PANIR KOFTA
Indian Cream Cheese Ball Curry
Panir koftas are a vegetarian counterpart of the minced meat ball
curry.
Ingredients for the panir balls
6 ozs (170 g) panir (Indian cream + teaspoonful garam masala
cheese) prepared from 2 pints Jersey 1 oz (30 g) semolina (suji) or flour or
milk or 960 mils buffalo’s milk cornflour or one egg
4 teaspoonful salt 4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch)

4 oz (15 g) ghee 1 oz (30 g) finely-grated onions
1 oz (30 g) panir 4 oz (7 g) finely-cut ginger (adrak)
1 finely-cut green chilli (sabz mirch) 4 teaspoonful salt
4 teaspoonful red pepper 4 teaspoonful garam masala
1 tablespoonful finely-chopped fresh 10 finely-shredded almonds (badam)
coriander leaves or
10 finely-shredded pistachio nuts 6 finely-shredded cashew nuts (kaju)
4 ozs (115 g) finely-grated onions 4 teaspoonful red pepper
3 ozs (85 g) ghee 1 teaspoonful poppy seeds (khaskhas)
4 oz (15 g) ginger (adrak) 1 dessertspoonful coriander seeds
6 cloves of garlic (lasan) (sukha dhania)
6 almonds (badam) 4 ozs (115 g) tomatoes
1 dessertspoonful desiccated coconut 1 tablespoonful finely-chopped fresh
(naryal ka burada) coriander leaves
2 finely-cut green chillies (sabz mirch) 3 teaspoonful white cumin seeds
4 teaspoonful garam masala (sufaid zeera)
4 teaspoonful sugar % pt (360 mils) whey (from the panir)
14 teaspoonful salt
PANIR CURRIES 129
Method
For the filling: Prepare panir (Indian cream cheese); drain off the
liquid and save it for making the gravy. Heat the ghee and fry lightly
the finely-grated onions. Add 1 oz (30 g) crumbled panir, salt, red
pepper, garam masala, almonds, pistachios and finely-cut ginger,
green chilli and coriander leaves. Stir, remove from the fire and leave
it to cool. Divide into 16 equal parts.
For the balls:—Knead the remaining panir with the palm of the
hand till the grains disappear. Add semolina (suji) or flour or corn-
flour or an egg, salt, red pepper and the garam masala. Knead a
littie. Divide into 16 equal parts and flatten; put a part of the
filling on each and with the help of a little whey shape into round
bails. Fry in the ghee on medium heat till golden brown. Remove
from the ghee, drain off and leave them till required.
For the gravy:—Heat the ghee and fry the onions lightly. Add red
pepper, ground ginger, garlic, almonds, coconut, cumin seeds, poppy
seeds, chopped tomatoes, sugar and salt, and continue stirring and
adding a dessertspoonful of whey at a time (i.e. 3 or 4 times) till the
garlic is cooked and the masala separates from the ghee. Then add
the remaining whey and simmer on slow fire till it is reduced to %.
Add the panir (Indian cream cheese) balls just before serving and
heat through. Sprinkle fresh coriander leaves, green chillies and
garam masala.
Serve immediately.
DEHIN OR CHACH KOFTA

Yoghurt (Curd) or Strained Buttermilk Kofta
Ingredients for the curd balls
8 ozs (230 g) set yoghurt (curd) 4 teaspoonful garam masala
or or
An equal amount of strained butter- 4 teaspoonful black pepper
milk (lassi) 4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch)
1 oz (30 g) flour or 1 whole egg + teaspoonful salt

The same as described under panir kofta opposite.
The same as described under panir kofta.
Method
Hang the yoghurt (curd) or buttermilk in a muslin bag to drain
away the whey. Knead the contents of the muslin bag with the palm
of the right hand till the grains disappear. Add the flour or a whole
egg, salt, red pepper and the black pepper or garam masala. Knead a
little and divide into 12 equal parts. Proceed further for the prepara-
tion of the filling, frying of the curd balls and the preparation of the
gravy as described under panir kofta (p. 129).
PANIR TIKKI
Indian Cream Cheese Cutlet
Panir (Indian cream.cheese) cutlet is a vegetarian counterpart of
fried fish. As panir, carrots, peas, ghee, and nuts are combined to-
gether to make this cutlet, it contains most of the required food
values.
Ingredients for the vegetable puree
8 ozs (230 g) carrots (gajjar) 4, oz (15 g) finely-chopped ginger
2 ozs (60 g) finely-chopped onions (adrak)
8 ozs (230 g) shelled peas (matar ka 2 finely-cut green chillies (sabz mirch)
dana) 1 teaspoonful salt
8 ozs (230 g) potatoes 4 teaspoonful garam masala
1 oz (30 g) ghee 4 teaspoonful red pepper
1 oz (30 g) flour (maida) 1 tablespoonful each of finely-chopped
+ pt (150 mils) milk fresh coriander and mint leaves

4 ozs (115 g) panir (Indian cream 2 ozs (60 g) finely-chopped spring
cheese) onions
12 finely-cut almonds (badam) 4 oz CIS g) finely-cut ginger (adrak)
12 finely-cut pistachio nuts 2 finely-cut green chillies (sabz mirch)
4 teaspoonful salt 1 tablespoonful each of chopped fresh
4 teaspoonful garam masala coriander and mint leaves
1 oz (30 g) ghee 4 teaspoonful red pepper

3 ozs flour 4 teaspoonful salt
4 teaspoonful red pepper 4 teaspoonful garam masala
Ingredients for the cutlets

14 lb (680 g) cooked, well-seasoned Mint sprigs for garnish
and mashed vegetables A little salt, red pepper and black
4 ozs (115 g) well-seasoned Indian pepper
cream cheese (panir) for the filling Breadcrumbs for coating
2 ozs (60 g) flour for the batter Ghee for deep frying
Chutney or tomato sauce Green salad
Method
For the puree:—Scrape, wash and chop the carrots, peas and
potatoes roughly. Boil sufficient salted water, add the vegetables
and cook till they are tender. Alternatively, pressure cook at 15 lb
pressure for 3 to 5 minutes and reduce the pressure immediately by
_ PANIR CURRIES 131
putting a wet duster over the lid. Drain, cool and pass through a
coarse sieve.
Heat the ghee, fry the onions lightly, add flour and cook for 3 to 4
minutes. Mix in the milk and cook till the mixture is of binding con-
sistency. Add the vegetable puree, ginger, green chillies, garam
masala, red pepper, salt and coriander and mint leaves. Cook till
dry, stirring continuously so as to prevent the mixture from sticking
to the bottom of the pan. When the mixture becomes firm enough to
be shaped into a flat cake, remove from the fire and cool.
For the filling :—-Heat the ghee, fry the onions lightly and then add
crumbled panir (cream cheese), ginger, green chillies, salt, red pepper,
garam masala, the nuts and the fresh coriander and mint leaves.
Cook for about 3 minutes. Remove from the fire and cool.
For the cutlets:—Divide both the vegetable puree and the panir
filling respectively into 12 equal rounds. Flatten the rounds of the
vegetable puree, place one part of the panir filling over each one of
them and shape into cutlets.
Prepare the batter with flour and cold water, add salt, red pepper
and garam masala. Dip each cutlet into the batter, roll it in bread-
crumbs, deep fry and drain on white paper. Garnish with fried mint
sprigs. Serve either with tomato sauce or mint chutney or finely-
shredded carrot and radish seasoned with a little salt, red pepper and
fresh lime juice. A few bits of green chillies added to the salad make
it more appetising.
PANIR MATAR BHUJIA

Indian Cream Cheese and Pea Curry (Dry)
Panir matar bhujia is a popular vegetarian dish. It is a suitable
alternative to minced meat and pea curry.
Ingredients
8 ozs (230 g) shelled peas 1 tablespoonful finely-cut spring onion
4 ozs (115 g) panir cubes (Indian. cream (green part only)
cheese) 1 tablespoonful finely-chopped fresh
2 ozs (60 g) finely-cut onions coriander leaves (dhania)—optional
1 oz (30 g) finely-cut ginger (adrak) 4 teaspoonful red pepper
2 to 3 finely-cut green chillies 4 teaspoonful garam masala
5 tablespoonfuls boiling water 4 teaspoonful sugar
Ingredients for soaking the fried panir cubes
4 ozs whey + 1 teaspoonful salt
Method
Prepare the panir (Indian cream cheese), shape into a rectangle 3"
thick and set by placing some weight over it. Cut out cubes, the size
of peas, and fry in 2 ozs (60 g) ghee on medium fire till lightly
coloured. Remove from the ghee and soak in the whey and salt.
Heat the same ghee and fry the onions lightly. Remove the onions
and keep aside. Add hot water and salt to the ghee and simmer for a
minute. Then add peas and the sugar, cook covered 7 to 10 minutes
or till the peas are three-quarters cooked and the liquid is dried up.
Mix in fried onions, panir cubes, ginger, green chillies and the spring
onion. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Add garam masala and coriander
leaves.
Serve immediately.
METHI CHAMAN
Panir (Indian Cream Cheese), Spinach and Fresh
Fenugreek Leaves Curry (Dry)
Methi chaman is a Kashmiri dish which is a counterpart of what
is called panir palak (cream cheese and spinach curry—dry) in Punjab.
It however differs from the latter in that the panir (Indian cream
cheese) used in it is cut into 14” (4 cm) long and 3” (4 cm) thick D-
shaped pieces. They are fried in oil and look like small pieces of
fried fish. The combination of spinach and fenugreek leaves tastes
better than the spinach alone.
Ingredients
3 ozs (85 g) spinach (palak) 4 pt (00 mils) whey
14 ozs (40 g) fenugreek leaves (methi) 14 teaspoonfuls turmeric (huldi)
4 ozs (115 g) fried potato fingers 14 teaspoonfuls salt
6 ozs (170 g) panir (Indian cream 1 teaspoonful ground dry coriander
cheese) seeds (sukha dhania)
2 ozs (60 g) ghee } teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch)
4 oz (7 g) shredded ginger (adrak) 4 teaspoonful Kashmiri garam masala
Mustard oil for frying (sarson ka tel)
Method
Put the panir in a muslin bag; pour some cold water over it and
shape it into a round ball. Tie a knot round the muslin bag and hang
it on a peg till the whey drains off. Cut the sphere into 2 halves and
then divide each of these again into 2 halves. This time however the
cutting should be done slantwise and not vertically. Then cut slices
about 3” (4 cm) thick; fry in the oil, and soak them in the whey till
required. Cut the potatoes into long fingers and deep fry in the same
oil. (The English reader should cut as for chips.)
Grind fenugreek leaves and the spinach together. Heat the ghee,
add the ground mixture and fry till it separates from the ghee. Add
PANIR CURRIES Sis
about 4 tablespoonfuls whey, salt, turmeric, ground coriander seeds
and red pepper during frying. When the mixture is fried, add the
fried potato fingers, the fried panir and the remaining whey. Simmer
on slow fire till the potato fingers are cooked and the ghee separates
from the curry.
Sprinkle Kashmiri garam masala (p. 24) and shredded ginger.
Put some live charcoal on the lid and keep the pan on hot ashes for
haif an hour; alternatively place it in a slow oven (300° F).
This dish is usually served with plain boiled rice.
DEHIN TIKKI
Yoghurt (Curd) Cutlet
4 oz (15 g) ghee 4 teaspoonful salt
1 oz (30 g) finely-chopped onions 4+ teaspoonful garam masala
4 0z (7 g) finely-chopped ginger (adrak) 4 teaspoonful red pepper
1 oz (30 g) shelled peas (matarkadana) 2 finely-cut green chillies
12 finely-shredded pistachio nuts 1 tablespoonful chopped fresh cori-
12 finely-shredded aimonds (badam) ander and mint leaves—optional
36 pieces sultanas (kishmish)
Ingredients for the tikkies (cutlet)
8 ozs (230 g) drained out yoghurt 2 zs (60g) parched gram flour, broiled
(curd) split-pea flour or broiled besan
1 teaspocnful salt 4 teaspoonful garam masala
4 teaspoonful red pepper
Method
For the filling:—Heat the ghee and fry the onions lightly. Add
shelled peas, ginger, green chillies, salt, red pepper, garam masala,
fresh coriander and mint leaves and cook till the peas are tender.
Remove from the fire, cook and add finely-shredded pistachios and
almonds and the sultanas.
For the cutlets:—Strain the yoghurt (curd) or buttermilk by hang-
ing it in a bag improvised from a piece of coarse cloth and allow the
watery part to drip through. When all the whey has dripped out,
remove the contents of the bag and mix the parched gram flour (or
the alternative ingredients), salt, red pepper and garam masala.
Knead well. Divide into 8 equal rounds, flatten and put 4 of the
filling in the centre of each one of these. Shape into round and flat
cakes, using a little water, and shallow fry in the ghee on slow fire till
golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper. .
Serve with tomato sauce or sweet chutney at tea-time. If however
a full meal is required serve with boiled peas and carrots, grilled
tomatoes and fried potato fingers.
SECTION VI
INDIAN BREADS
INDIAN breads are unique in themselves. They have no counterpart
in English or continental cookery. Unlike the breads of Western
origin, Indian breads are not all leavened.
The most popular of the breads in Northern India is a chapati. It
is a flat disc of wholemeal baked on a hot griddle (tawa). Its size
varies from that of a saucer to a full plate. The former variety,
known as “phulka”’, is thin and puffed up. It is ordinarily to be
found in the homes of well-to-do people, whereas the latter is com-
paratively a thick compact, solid mass usually consumed by the
poorer class.
A parautha is a shallow fried wholemeal bread; the butter or ghee
is applied to a rolled-out piece of dough which is folded and re-
rolled. Large-sized parauthas consisting of several thin layers are
produced by a complicated technique of folding and rolling.
Puri is a form of bread very popular for festive occasions. It is
deep-fried and is of the same size as a saucer. It can be made out of
flour, wholemeal or a mixture of both. The paste made by grinding
. black grams is sometimes used as a stuffing. Bhatura is a form of
leavened puri. A similar puri prepared by the Kashmiris is thick,
fluffy and sweet and is smaller in size than the puri prepared in
Punjab. Puri is usually served with channas (whole Bengal dried
peas).
Tandoori roti, that is the bread baked in a tandoor (p. 18), how-
ever, is most popular in the eating houses of Punjab. This is partly
due to the fact that a tandoori roti is much more delicious than the
one baked on a griddle (in fact it is so tasty that anyone is likely to
overeat) and partly because commercial establishments find it very
economical. They can turn out large quantities of bread with the
minimum of fuel. A few tandoori chapaties that may be sufficient
for a small family can however be made with the help of an electric
or a gas cooking range. One side of a chapati is first baked on a
griddle and the other side is grilled later on.
The other tandoori preparations ordinarily prepared are nans,
bakarkhaui and sheer-mals. Nan is a heart-shaped form of leavened
bread very popular with meat dishes. It is a rich bread containing
egg, milk, curd and butter. Sheer-mal is perhaps the richest of all the
breads prepared in Northern India. It is popular with the Muslims
and is not leavened. Like the “‘nan”’ it also contains milk, butter and
134
INDIAN BREADS 185
eggs. Sheer-mal cannot be cooked without a tandoor whereas a
“nan” may be prepared by the above-mentioned use of a direct fire or
grill, though the results are not equally good.
CHAPATI OR PHULKA
Indian Wholemeal Bread
Ingredients for the dough

8 ozs (230 g) wholemeal or whole- 4 to # pt (180 to 240 mils) water
wheat flour (atta)
Ingredients for rolling

2 ozs (60 g) wholemeal or wholewheat flour (atta)
Method
For the dough:—Sieve 8 ozs (230 g) wholemeal or wholewheat
fiour (atta) into a flat basin (thali). Make a depression in the centre
of the heap thus formed, pour in it } pt or just under (120 to 150 mils)
water (excess of water makes the dough sticky), and mix it into a soft
dough.
The cheap variety of wholemeal or wholewheat flour (atta) from
which white flour or semolina has been extracted by the miller before
marketing absorbs proportionately less water than the genuine
wholewheat flour.
Knead for 15 minutes, gradually adding the remaining water and
alternately pressing and folding the dough. Sprinkle 1 to 2 table-
spoonfuls water on the kneaded dough, cover with a wet cloth and
leave it to swell for about half an hour. Knead the dough again for
10 minutes, moistening the fingers if it is sticky. Good results can
only be obtained if the dough is kneaded sufficiently and properly.
For the chapati or phulka:—Divide the dough into 10 to 12 pieces
and using a little dry wholemeal or wholewheat flour (atta) shape
them into round spheres. Flatten each part by placing it on the left
palm and pressing it with the fingers of the right hand. Place it on a
floured board (chakla) and roll out with a rolling pin (belan) into a
thin pancake-like form about 5” (12 cm) in diameter. Heat the
griddle (tawa), rub a little grease over it to prevent the chapati from
sticking and transfer the rolled chapati (pancake) on to it. Cook on
medium heat. When one side dries up and tiny bubbles begin to
appear, turn it over and cook till brown spots form on the under sur-
face. Remove the griddle (tawa) from the fire, place the pancake on
the cinders and turn till it swells up into a shape similar to that of two
saucers inverted over each other. In the case of a gas or an electric
cooking range turn the chapati over as soon as brown spots appear
on the under surface and press lightly around the edge with a folded
cloth till it swells up into the shape described above.
Remove from the hot griddle, or the cinders, and apply a little ghee
or butter over one side. Serve immediately. If the chapaties are made
in advance they should be placed one above the other, wrapped in a
napkin, and stored in a container. It is however preferable to serve
the chapaties immediately after preparation as they become flat and
soggy on keeping.
PARAUTHA
Shallow Fried Wholemeal Bread
Ingredients
8+2 ozs (230+ 60 g) wholemeal 4 to } pt (180 to 240 mils)
or wholewheat fiour (atta) 2 to 3 ozs (60 to 85 g) ghee, solidified
A pinch of salt
Method
For the preparation of the dough:—The same as described under
the chapati.
For the parautha:—Divide the dough into 6 equal parts and shape
them into round balls. Flatten and roll out each of the rounds into a
flat cake about 5” (12 cm) in diameter. Coat the upper surface with a
teaspoonful of the set ghee and fold it over into a semi-circle. Spread
. a little more ghee over the upper surface and double-fold it length-
wise. Press it gently with the fingers, stretch a little and make it into
a cone-shaped spiral, keeping the folds on the outer side. Press it
down so as to form a flattened ball and roll out into a parautha,
about 5” in diameter. Heat the tawa (griddle) on a slow fire, apply
a little ghee and transfer the parautha on to it. Turn it over when the
under surface is lightly cooked and crisp; coat with a little ghee and
fry till it is crisp and golden brown on both sides.
Serve immediately as it tends to lose crispness if stored.
PARAUTHA ALUWALA
Parautha Stuffed with Mashed Potato
8 ozs (230 g) boiled potatoes 1 teaspoonful salt
1 oz (30 g) finely-cut onion 4 teaspoonful garam masala
1 tablespoonful finely-chopped cori- 1 teaspoonful pomegranate seeds
ander leaves 1 dessertspoonful lime or lemon juice
4, teaspoonful red pepper or
1 teaspoonful dried coriander seeds 1 dessertspoonful ground dried green
1 oz (30 g) ghee mango
2 finely-cut green chillies
INDIAN BREADS Rv
Ingredients for the parautha
8 + 2 ozs (230 + 60 g) wholemeal or $ to 4 pt (150 to 210 mils) water
wholewheat fiour (atta) 2 to 3 ozs (60 to 85 g) ghee
4 teaspoonful salt
Method
For the stuffing:—Boil the potatoes, cool, peel and mash them.
Heat the ghee and lightly fry the onion; add mashed potatoes, green
chillies, coriander seeds, fresh coriander leaves, salt, red pepper,
garam masala, dried pomegranate seeds, and the lemon juice or
powdered dried green mango. Stir for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from
the heat and cool; divide into 6 equal parts. Prepare the dough as for
the plain parautha and divide this also into the same number of parts.
Shape each part of the dough into a round ball, flatten and place on
it one part of the stuffing. Round off, roll and fry as described under
the plain parautha.
PURI
Indian Deep Fried Bread
4 ozs (115 g) flour (maida) + 4 ozs_ A pinch of salt
(115 g) wholemeal or wholewheat 1 dessertspoonful salad oil
flour (atta) or
Abcut 4 pt (120 to 150 mils) water 1 dessertspoonful gingly oil
1 teaspoonful melted ghee
Ingredients for the frying

1 Ib (450 g) ghee
Method
Sieve the flour, the wholemeal or wholewheat flour (atta) and the
salt together. Make a depression in the centre of the heap thus
formed and pour in the water. Mix into a stiff but pliable dough and
using a little melted ghee knead for about 10 to 15 minutes. Leave it
covered with a wet cloth for 20 to 30 minutes. Divide the dough into
16 equal pieces and, using a little salad oil or gingly oil, shape them
into round spheres. Grease lightly the rolling pin and the board with
salad oil or gingly oil and roll out each sphere into a thin pancake
about 34” (9 cm) in diameter. Heat the ghee to smoking point and
drop the rolled pancakes gently into it. Turn over immediately and
press with a perforated wire frying slice (poni) till it swells up and
acquires a light brown colour. Remove from the ghee and drain on a
paper.
Serve hot with potato bhujia (alu bhaji) or panir (Indian cream
cheese) and pea curry and a pickle (achar).
BHATURA
Plain Flour Leavyened Deep Fried Bread
Bhatura is a fried bread popular for breakfast or as a snack at tea-
time. It is served as a rule with the khatta kabli channas (sour whole
Bengal dried peas) or'sour potato curry and a chutney.
Ingredients
8 ozs (230 g) flour (maida) 4 pt (120 mils) yoghurt (curd)
A pinch of salt or
1 teaspoonful sugar 4 tablespoonfuls yoghurt (curd) + 1
4 teaspoonful bicarbonate of soda egg
1 teaspoonful melted ghee 5 to 6 tablespoonfuls warm water
Method
Warm the flour and mix bicarbonate of soda and the salt. Sieve
into a bowl. Add egg, sugar, warmed yoghurt (curd) and enough
warm water to make it into a soft dough. Continue kneading the
dough till it does not stick to the fingers or to the sides of the plate
or bowl. Apply | teaspoonful of melted ghee to the hand and con-
tinue kneading till the dough becomes pliable. Cover it with a wet
cloth and leave it to swell in a warm place or over a pan of warm
. water for 34 to 4 hours. Divide it into 10 to 12 equal parts, shape into
balls and roll out into rounds about 4” (10 cm) in diameter; keep
them covered inatray. Fry them, one at a time, in smoking hot ghee
till light brown and puffed up. Serve either with the khata kabli
channa or any meat preparation or sour potato curry and chutney.
KHAMIRI PURI
Leavened Deep Fried Bread
This is a deep fried leavened bread prepared after the method fol-
lowed by the Kashmiri chefs. It has a taste very different from the
one produced in Punjab because sugar, aniseed and a well-developed
‘leavening agent are used in addition to the flour to make the dough.
Ingredients
6 ozs (170 g) wholemeal or whole- 1 dessertspoonful jellebi khamir
wheat flour (atta) or
+ teaspoonful baking powder 1 dessertspoonful baker’s yeast + 1
4 teaspoonful salt teaspoonful sugar
4 pt (120 mils) warm milk 1 oz (30 g) sugar
2 ozs (60 g) flour (maida) 2 to 3 ozs warm water
1 dessertspoonful melted ghee 4 oz (3 g) aniseed (sonf), half-crushed
14 lb (680 g) ghee for frying
INDIAN BREADS 139
Ingredients for the leavened dough
1 dessertspoonful flour 2 dessertspoonfuls yoghurt (curd)
4 teaspoonful sugar
Method
For the leavened dough:—Mix the ingredients and leave in a warm
place overnight.
For the Khamiri puri:—Sieve the flour, the wholemeal or whole-
wheat flour (atta) and the baking powder together. Add ghee, sugar,
salt and the khamir. Mix into a dough by the gradual addition of
warm milk and water and knead for 15 minutes. Then add crushed
aniseed and knead for another 5 minutes. The dough should be soft
but not of a sticky consistency. Cover and leave it in a warm place
to swell. A few hours may be sufficient during the hot weather (80 to
105° F) whereas it might be necessary to keep it overnight during
cold weather (50 to 70°F). The dough should rise to double its
original size. Divide the mixture into 16 to 18 equal parts and shape
them round with the help of a little mustard oil. Flatten each one of
these into a round puri (about 2 to 24” (5S to 7 cm) in diameter) by
placing it against the back of a flat plate and pressing with the fingers
or roll it out with a rolling pin. Fry on medium heat till they swell
up and become golden brown in colour.
Serve with bhujia or any vegetable curry.
ROGHNI NAN
Leayened Baked Bread of Punjab
Ingredients for the dough for nans
8 ozs (230 g) flour (maida) 4 teaspoonful salt
| teaspoonful sugar 4 teaspoonful bicarbonate of soda
3 teaspoonful ground sieved samundar 1 whole egg + 2 0zs (60g) curd or 4 ozs
jhag (use baking powder as a sub- (115 g) curd alone
stitute) 4 tablespoonfuls milk (2 ozs)
1 oz (30 g) ghee 1 oz (30 g) leavening agent (khamir)
4 tablespoonfuls yoghurt (curd) (p. 38)
Ingredients for pasting over the nans

1 oz (30.g) melted ghee 1 teaspoonful nigella (kalonji)
1 teaspoonful poppy seeds (khaskhas)
Method
Heat the milk and yoghurt slightly over hot water and stir till they
are mixed; add whole egg + curd or curd alone, samundar jhag, bi-
carbonate of soda and the melted ghee. Sieve the flour together with
the salt and sugar. Make a depression in the centre of the flour and
pour in the prepared mixture, a little at a time, until it is all used.
Add the leavening agent and knead hard for 15 to 18 minutes
(sprinkle a little dry flour if the dough is sticky) or till it becomes
smooth and elastic. Cover and leave in a warm place till it swells to
14 times its original volume. This takes about 3 to 4 hours in cold
weather (50 to 70° F) and 14 to 2 hours in the hot weather (80 to
105° F). Divide into 6 equal parts and shape them into balls with the
help of dry flour. Cover and leave in a warm place for 15 minutes.
Sprinkle a little flour and flatten each ball into a pancake (chapati)
by tossing it from one hand to the other. When the pancake is ready,
apply a little mixture of the melted ghee, poppy seeds and the nigella
on one side and a little warm water on the other. Stick the moistened
surface of the chapati to the hot wall of the clay oven (tandoor). Re-
move when it is cooked.
If a clay oven (tandoor) is not available stick the nan on a hot
griddle (tawa). When its lower surface is baked invert the griddie
(tawa) along with the nan over direct heat or place it under the grill
and allow the upper surface to cook. The bread however is much
better baked in a clay oven than over a griddle.
Serve with meat curries, tandoori chicken or tandoori fish.
SHEER MAL
Plain Flour Baked Bread
Sheer mal is a special bread usually made by the Muslim bakers.
Unlike the ordinary breads it can be stored during cold weather up
to 5 days. It is taken with korma meat, rice pudding or rabri.
Ingredients
1 Ib (455 g) flour (maida) 4 drops kewra essence
6 to 8 ozs (170 to 230 g) ghee or
1 teaspoonful samundar jhag (use 1 teaspoonful ruh kewra
baking powder as a substitute) 1 whole egg
14 ozs (40 g) castor sugar 14 green cardamom (illaichi)
2 pt (360 to 390 mils) milk 2 ozs (60 g) leavened dough (khamir)
4 teaspoonful salt (p. 139)
Method
Sieve the flour, mix sugar, powdered cardamom seeds, powdered
samundar jhag or baking powder, } pt (300 mils) warm milk, 1 egg,
2 ozs (60 g) leavened dough (khamir) and the essence of kewra and
knead till it becomes a soft dough. Add half of the ghee and knead
till it becomes very smooth. Leave in a warm place for about 15 to
20 minutes.
Divide the dough into six equal parts. Make them into round
balls, and roll out with the help of dry flour into round and thick
INDIAN BREADS 141
pancakes of the size of a quarter plate. Prick all over with a fork,
leaving a peripheral margin of $” (1 cm). Bake in a moderately hot
clay oven (tandoor). Sprinkle a little milk over them when they are
half-done; remove from the clay oven when they become golden
brown. Sprinkle a little cold milk over both sides as this makes the
sheer mal soft. When all of them are done coat with the remaining
ghee and leave them together wrapped in 2 or 3 layers of greaseproof
paper. Do not use a piece of cloth for wrapping as this makes them
soggy.
Serve hot with korma, freshly prepared thickened milk (rabri) or
rice pudding (kheer).
DOSA
(Shallow Fried Pancake of Ground Rice and Split Black Beans)
Dosa is a South Indian counterpart of pancakes, made from batter
the basic ingredients of which are ground rice and husked split black
beans.
Ingredients for the stuffing for the dosas

12 ozs (340 g) potatoes 4 pt (120 mils) water
14, teaspoonfuls split black beans 14 ozs (40 g) ghee or til oil or coconut
(urhad dal) oil
A small grain of asafoetida (hing) 4 teaspoonful white cumin seeds
4 ozs (115 g) roughly-cut onions 2 to 3 curry stems—optional
2 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch) 3 teaspoonful turmeric (huldi)
1 level dessertspoonful ground cori- 6 roughly-cut green chillies (sabz
ander seeds mirch)
4 oz (15 g) thinly-sliced ginger (adrak) 2 oz (20 g) grated coconut (naryal)
14 teaspoonfuls split peas (channa 14 to 2 teaspoonfuls salt
dal) 14 teaspoonfuls mustard seeds (rai)
Ingredients for the dosa batter

9 ozs (250 g) ground rice 3 ozs (85 g) husked split black beans
1 teaspoonful salt (urhad dal) or 2 ozs (60 g) husked
4 teaspoonful sugar split black beans + 1 oz (30 g) split
4 oz (7 g) wheat flour (atta) or 4 0z peas or chana dal + 1 teaspoonful
(7 g) semolina (suji) fenugreek seeds
3 to 4 green chillies (sabz mirch) A pinch of bicarbonate of soda
Ghee for frying
Method
For the dosa batter:—Wash and soak the rice in } pt water and
the urhad dal + chana dal + fenugreek seeds in 4 pt water separately
for about 8 hours; grind them separately to a smooth and fine paste
by using the same water. Mix. Add the juice squeezed out of ground
green chillies, sugar and the salt. Stir well, cover and leave over-
night in a warm place.
For the stuffing:—Boil, peel and cool the potatoes. Crush half of
them and cut the remaining ones into small bits. Grind the coconut,
green chillies, ginger and 1 to 2 curry leaves into a soft paste. Adda
little water if necessary.
Heat the ghee or oil, fry husked split beans (urhad dal), split peas
(channa dal), mustard seeds, white cumin seeds, asafoetida and the
remaining curry leaves. Add seasoning and onions and fry till they
are cooked. Lastly add potato bits and the ground masala paste and
simmer on slow fire. .When the potatoes are cooked and blended with
the masala, add 4 pt (120 mils) of water and simmer on slow fire for
another 10 minutes. Keep warm.
For the masala dosa:—Beat the dosa mixture well and add wheat
flour or semolina and the bicarbonate of soda. If it is thick add a
little water and beat again—the mixture should be of pouring
consistency. Keep a heavy frying pan on moderate heat. Smear
lightly with a little ghee or oil and when quite hot pour on it a
ladleful of the mixture. Spread out and cover. Remove the cover
after 2 minutes, pour a little ghee or oil around and overturn the
dosa. Cook uncovered for another 2 to 3 minutes and remove from
the fire. Place on the centre of each of the dosa a tablespoonful of
prepared potato mixture and fold over.
Serve immediately with curd chutney.
KATLUMA
Deep Fried Flaky Bread
11 ozs (310 g) flour (maida) 4 teaspoonful salt
% pt (240 mils) tepid water 1 dessertspoonful melted ghee
Ingredients for the paste

2 ozs (60 g) melted ghee 1 oz (30 g) flour (maida)

Ghee for deep frying
Method
Sieve flour and salt together; add water and mix to a soft and
smooth dough. Knead hard for 15 minutes and then leave to swell
for about half an hour. Add | dessertspoonful of melted ghee a little
at a time and continue kneading till whole of the ghee is utilised.
Divide the dough into 5 or 6 equal parts and roll out into round discs
each about 6 to 8” (15 to 20 cm) in diameter.
Make a paste with 2 ozs (60 g) ghee and | oz (30 g) flour. Brush
INDIAN BREADS 143
or spread a little of it over the rolled chapati. Fold it over, spread a
little of the paste over the upper surface and fold it again so that the
dough assumes the shape of a strip 6 to 8” (15 to 20 cm) long and
about 14” (4 cm) in width. Make this into a cone-shaped spiral,
keeping the folds towards the outer side. Press it down so as to form
a flattened ball.
Heat the ghee in a tawi (a shallow and circular pan with a heavy
base). Make the parautha (about 6” (15 cm) in diameter) by tossing
the flattened ball of dough between the left palm and the fingers of
the right hand, and fry in smoking hot ghee.
Serve with khatta channas (sour whole Bengal peas) potato
bhujia or suji halwa.
WERKI PARAUTHA
Shallow Fried Flaky Bread
Ingredients
14 1b (680 g) flour (maida) Rather less than a pint (510 to 540
2 teaspoonfuls salt mils) tepid water or milk (or half of
6 to 8 ozs (170 to 230 g) ghee each)
Method
Sieve the flour and the salt together. Add water and mix well till
it becomes a stiff but pliable dough. Knead hard with the knuckles
for about 15 to 20 minutes (do not add water while kneading). When
the dough becomes smooth and elastic add 1 dessertspoonful melted
ghee and knead for another 3 to 4 minutes. Brush the dough all
over with melted ghee and leave it to swell in a warm place for about
30 minutes. Divide into 4 equal parts and shape each of them into a
round with the help of a little melted ghee. Leave them for about
10 minutes.
Place these balls on a greased marble top of a table or on the back
ef a thali and flatten each of them by pressing with the hand till they
are about 9” (22 cm) in diameter. Spread a little melted ghee over
them and triple-fold. The top of the strip thus formed is smeared
with a little ghee and triple folded lengthwise. Brush again with a
little melted ghee and bring two of the opposite corners together.
Press them down and then pull the other two corners together. Turn
it upside down and lightly round the corners. Leave it for 10 minutes.
Place the folded surface downwards, press and shape it round with
greased hands till it is about 7” (16 cm) in diameter. Place the tawi
(a heavy frying pan, circular, flat and having a small rim) on medium
fire and sprinkle 1 tablespoonful ghee over it. When the ghee starts
sizzling, reduce the heat and transfer the parautha on to the tawi
keeping the surface with the folds downwards. Turn the parautha
when the under-surface is slightly set and make a hole in the centre
and five or six along the middle line with the help of a skewer. Pour
some ghee into these holes and move the parautha around. Lift
every now and then to see that it is cooking evenly. If it is scorching
anywhere, raise it slightly with the help of the same rod or skewer till
all the under-surface acquires an even colour. If dry and browning
too soon, pour a little ghee into the holes. When the under-surface is
crisp and golden in colour, turn. Pour more ghee into the holes and
cook till the other surface is also crisp and coloured. Remove from
the fire.
Serve with any kind of roast meat, e.g. seekh kabab (minced meat
roasted on skewer) or pasinda kabab (meat roasted on skewer).
SECTION VII
INDIAN SWEETS
INDIAN sweetmeats like Indian meat dishes are in a class by them-
selves, There is no parallel to them in English cookery. Unlike
sweet preparations of other countries, Indian sweetmeats can be
served as puddings, as well as teatime snacks. The best of the Indian
sweetmeats are mostly prepared from milk with the addition of sub-
stantial quantities of sugar. The milk used is either in the form of
khoa (dried fresh whole milk) or chenna (Indian soft cream cheese).
Khoa is prepared by boiling fresh milk until a semi-solid mass is ob-
tained, while chenna is prepared by curdling the milk with tartaric
acid, separating the curds and suspending them in a muslin bag until
ali the whey drips out. Varying proportions of one or both of these
substances, when mixed with ingredients like nuts or coconut, result
in some very delicious sweets.
Burfi, one of the khoa preparations, is perhaps the simplest of the
Indian sweets. Plain burfi that is practically nothing else but khoa is
quite tasty. Its taste is however further improved by combining khoa
with coconut, carrots, pistachios or white pumpkin pulp. Rasgullaand
ras malai, two of the most popular Indian sweetmeats, are a prepara-
tion of chenna alone, and gulab jaman, another outstanding Indian
sweetmeat, is a combination of both khoa and chenna.
Not all Indian sweetmeats are milk preparations, however, and
there are some quite delicious ones which are prepared with in-
gredients other than milk. The Karachi halwa, a jelly-like sweetmeat
prepared from cornflour; gajjac, an Indian version of fudge; and
balushahi, an eggless sugar-coated doughnut, the recipes of which
are desctibed in this book, are typical examples of these.
In addition to the sweetmeats mentioned above, there are a few
which are served as puddings. They are generally associated with
religious occasions, as for example, halwa suji (semolina) served by
the Sikhs on all religious gatherings, kheer (rice pudding) served by
the Hindus to the Brahmins on religious occasions and the sewian
(vermicelli pudding) distributed by the Muslims amongst friends on
festive occasions. These puddings are very rich and hence are not
suitable for the caily menu.
145
BURFI
Dried Fresh Whole Milk or Khoa Toffee
Many varieties of burfi are prepared with khoa (dried fresh whole
milk) as the basic ingredient. A combination of sugar and khoa in a
proportion of 1: 4 is called plain burfi. The proportion of sugar can
be increased in order to lower the cost, but it lowers the quality also.
Varying proportions of the other ingredients, namely, almonds,
pistachios, kernels of melon seeds, white melon pumpkin, cocoa,
grated carrot or coconut respectively, are incorporated into the khoa
in order to produce almond burfi, pistachio burfi, magz burfi, petha
burfi, chocolate burfi, carrot burfi and coconut burfi. Two or more
of these ingredients combined together are also made use of in pre-
paring burfi. If nuts are added the proportion of the sugar plus the
nuts to the total weight of khoa is the same as in the plain burfi; in
the case of the coconut burfi however the ratios of the sugar, khoa
and coconut are 1: 2:1. The ratio of the sugar to the pistachios or
almonds that can be incorporated into burfi is 1:2. Khoa is not
used in the preparation of pistachio or almond burfi except if the
cost is to be lowered as is done by some commercial establishments.
BURFI BADAM PISTA

Dried Fresh Whole Milk, Almond and Pistachio Nut Toffee
Plain burfi prepared from dried fresh whole milk alone has not
been described as the addition of a small proportion of almonds and
pistachios to the dried fresh whole milk improves the taste consider-
ably. If however it is required, omit the almonds and pistachios and
decrease sugar by 4 oz (15 g) in the recipe given below.
Ingredients
9 ozs (256 g) khoa (dried fresh whole 2 drops kewra essence
milk) or
3 ozs (86 g) castor sugar (sugar with 1 drop itar kewra
very fine granules) 4 silver leaves medium-sized—optional
1 oz (30 g) almonds 4 oz (1S g) pistachio nuts
Method
Prepare khoa (dried fresh whole milk) by boiling 2 pints Jersey milk
or 960 mils buffalo’s milk briskly in a heavy pan (karahi). Stir all the
time until it dries up (takes about half an hour) and see that the fire
burns well, as slow heating turns the khoa creamy in colour. The
finished product should be white if properly prepared. Keep aside
and allow it to cool; add castor sugar and mix thoroughly. Then
cook for 10 minutes, taking care not to let the mixture stick to the
INDIAN SWEETS 147
bottom. Mix minced almonds and pistachios; stir for 2 to 3 seconds,
remove from the heat and allow it to cool; add kewra essence or the
itar. Invert a thali or a tray and grease its back; put the mixture over
it and roll out as neat and as straight as possible. Decorate with
silver leaves. When it cools down and becomes firm, cut into
diamond pieces. Keep in an air-tight tin.
BURFI CHOCOLATE
Dried Fresh Whole Milk Chocolate Toffee
Ingredients
8 ozs (230 g} khoa (dried fresh whole 24 ozs (70 g) castor sugar (cane sugar
miJk) with very fine granules)
4 oz C5 g) cocoa 4 oz (15 g) butter (use this only if the
Silver leaves—optional khoa is dry)
Method
Divide the khoa (dried fresh whole milk) into 2 parts. Heat one
part over slow fire, mash and add 1 oz (30 g) fine sugar. Stir well-and
heat until it dries up. Remove from the fire, cool slightly and spread
over a greased thali (tray) or greaseproof paper. Heat the remaining
half of the khoa over slow fire, mash and add cocoa powder, and 14
ozs (40 g) of sugar. Add 4 oz (15 g) butter if the khoa is not suffi-
ciently greasy. Stir till all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
Remove the mixture from the fire, cool a little, and spread it over
khoa-sugar (dried fresh whole milk-sugar mixture) previously layered
in a greased tray (thali). Decorate with silver leaf (optional) and
leave it to set. Cut into diamond pieces after it becomes firm. Keep
in an airtight tin.
BURFI MAGAZ (Magaz Launge)

Dried Fresh Whole Milk, Almond, Pistachio Nut and Kernels
of Melon Seeds Toffee
Ingredients
12 ozs (340 g) khoa (dried fresh whole 2 ozs (60 g) kernels of melon seeds
milk) (magaz kharbuza)
2 ozs (60 g) almonds 2 ozs (60 g) pistachio nuts
6 ozs (170 g) castor sugar 4 drops kewra essence
2 silver leaves—optional or
2 drops itar kawra
Method
Clean the kernels of melon seeds (if these are not available reduce
the sugar by 4 oz or 15 g) and chop the almonds and pistachios finely.
Stir the melon seeds on a griddle (tawa) over very slow fire until their
raw flavour disappears, add almonds and pistachios and stir for
another five minutes.
Prepare khoa (dried fresh whole milk) from 4 pints Jersey milk or
2:2 litres buffalo’s milk. When dry, remove from the fire and add
sugar. Mix it thoroughly and cook on very slow fire till the liquid
in the khoa-sugar mixture dries up. Add the chopped almonds and
pistachios and kernels of the melon seeds. Cook for another few
minutes or till it is completely dried. Remove from the fire, cool,
add 4 drops of kewra essence or 2 drops of the itar and spread on a
greased plate. Roll it out and shape into a square. Decorate with
silver leaves and allow it to set. Cut into neat pieces.
BURFI GAJJAR
Dried Fresh Whole Milk Carrot Toffee
Ingredients
2 Ib (910 g) carrots (gajjar) 6 ozs (170 g) khoa (dried fresh whole
3 to 4 ozs (85 to 115 g) ghee milk)
8 green cardamoms (illaichi) 2 ozs (60 g) castor sugar
4 pt (120 mils) water 4 drops kewra essence
8 ozs (230 g) castor sugar (cane sugar or
with very fine granules) 2 drops itar kewra
4 silver leaves—optional
Method
Wash, scrape and shred the carrots finely. Heat the ghee, add
bruised cardamom seeds and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the
grated carrots and fry for 5 minutes. Then add water and cover;
when it comes to the boil, reduce the heat and allow it to simmer till
the carrot shreds become tender. An alternative is to pressure-cook
for 3 minutes at 10 lb pressure and then reduce pressure by putting a
wet duster over the lid. Uncover, dry the water and fry in the ghee
for about 5 minutes. Lastly add sugar and continue stirring till it is
completely mixed up and the carrots become dry. Remove from the
fire and add kewra essence or the itar. While the carrots are cooling,
heat the khoa (dried fresh whole milk) a little; add powdered sugar
and stir over the fire till it is mixed up thoroughly. Remove from the
fire, cool slightly, add kewra essence or the itar and divide it into two
portions. Grease a thali or a plate, spread half of the khoa evenly
over it and smooth with a rolling pin or a spoon. Spread a layer of
the carrot halwa over the rolled sheet of the khoa-sugar mixture and
make it even with a spoon. Spread over the top the remaining half
of the khoa sugar mixture and shape it into a square or a rectangle.
Decorate with silver leaves (optional), allow it to set and cut into neat
squares.
INDIAN SWEETS 149
BURFI PETHA
Dried Fresh Whole Milk and Shredded White Pumpkin
Pulp Toffee
Ingredients
6 ozs (170 g) khoa (dried fresh whole 4 silver leaves—optional
milk) 3 to 4 drops kewra essence
3 ozs (85 g) castor sugar or
6 ozs (170 g) cooked left-over pieces j drop itar kewra
of the petha (white pumpkin, p. 161) Green colouring
Method
Shred the cocked white pumpkin (petha) pieces, dry the syrup if
there is any, and add khoa (dried fresh whole milk). Mix well and
cook on medium heat till the mixture dries up. Remove from the fire
and add colouring and the kewra essence or itar. Grease a plate,
spread the mixture over it and shape into a square. Decorate with
silver leaves and allow it to set. Cut into diamond pieces after it
becomes firm.
BURFI COCONUT
Dried Fresh Whole Milk and Coconut Toffee
Recipe No |
Ingredients
8 green cardamoms (illaichi) 3 to 4 drops kewra essence
4 silver leaves—optional or
6 ozs (170 g) khoa (dried fresh whole 2 drops itar kewra
milk) 3 ozs (85 g) grated fresh coconut
3 ozs (85 g) castor sugar A few drops cochineal colouring
Method
Peel the dark skin of a coconut if a special grater is not available
and grate the coconut finely. Desiccated coconut can also be used,
but a fresh one gives a better flavour.
Heat the khoa (dried fresh whole milk), add grated coconut, mix
thoroughly and stir briskly so as to prevent it from sticking to the
bottom of the pan. When dry, add sugar and cook till the mixture
leaves the sides of the pan and forms a compact mass. Remove from
the fire; add colouring, kewra essence or the itar and crushed seeds
of green cardamoms. Grease the back of a plate or a tray and put
the mixture over it. Smooth with a knife, or roll out with a rolling
pin and shape into a square. Decorate with silver leaves. When it is
set, cut into diamond pieces. Serve, arranged in a hexagonal design
on a plate.
BURFI COCONUT
Dried Fresh Whole Milk and Coconut Toffee
Recipe No. 2
Ingredients
2 pts (1-2 litres Jersey or 960 mils 3 to 4 drops kewra essence or
buffalo) milk thickened to half that 2 drops itar kewra
amount by boiling 8 green cardamoms (illaichi)
3 ozs (85 g) castor sugar* ° 2 ozs (60 g) water
1 oz (30 g) butter or ghee ~ A few drops of yellow colouring
3 to 4 ozs (85 to 115 g) grated coconut 4 silver leaves (optional)
Method
Heat the butter or ghee in pan (degchi) and fry the grated coconut
for 10 minutes. Mix water and cook until it dries up. Add thickened
milk and continue cooking and stirring on medium fire till all the
moisture evaporates and the mixture is reduced to a lump. Lastly
add crushed cardamoms, flavouring and colouring and mix thor-
oughly. Cool slightly, pour the mixture over a greased plate, shape it
into a square, decorate with silver leaves (optional) and allow it to
cool. Cut into neat pieces and arrange before serving.
BURFI PISTA
Recipe No. 1 Pistachio Nut Toffee
Ingredients
6 ozs (170 g) pistachio nuts (pista) 2 to 3 silver leaves—optional
3 to 4 tablespoonfuls water 4 oz (15 g) butter
3 to 4 ozs (85 to 114 g) castor sugar
Method
Soak, peel and grate the pistachios finely. Prepare syrup with
sugar and water and boil till it is of one-thread consistency. Add
grated pistachios and stir till they are thoroughly mixed up and dried.
Spread the pistachio-sugar mixture over a greased plate, and shape
into a rectangle. Decorate with a silver leaf (optional). Cool, cut
into neat shapes and arrange before serving.
BURFI PISTA
Recipe No. 2 Pistachio Nut Toffee
Ingredients
6 ozs (170 g) khoa 2 to 3 silver leaves
3 to 4 ozs (85 to 114 g) sugar + 3 to 4 pt (120 mils) hot water
4 teaspoonfuls juice of spinach leaves A few drops of green colouring +
3 ozs (85 g) blanched and roughly few drops of red colouring
minced pista
INDIAN SWEETS 1S
Method
Bianch and peel the pistachios. Grate them coarsely. Make
syrup with sugar, water and juice of spinach leaves, till it is of two
to three-thread consistency. Add khoa and stir till thoroughly mixed
up. Then add the grated pistachios and cook till dry. Remove from
the fire. Add colouring and set; cut and arrange in the same way as
stated under recipe No. 1.
KHOA CAKE
Ingredients
4 pt Jersey or 2:2 litres buffalo milk 1 oz (30 g) blanched shredded almonds
8 ozs (230 g) castor sugar (cane sugar 1 oz (30 g) shredded blanched pista-
with very fine granules) chio nuts
1 or 2 silver leaves (optional) 1 oz (30 g) pink coloured almond
4 teaspoonful citric or tartaric acid paste for making roses for decoration
Method
Grease a pan (degchi) measuring about 5” (12 cm) in diameter.
Sprinkle shredded almonds and pistachios at the bottom. Heat 4 pts
jersey or 2-2 litres buffalo’s milk; boil till reduced to half, add a few
grains of citric or tartaric acid at a time (about 4 teaspoonful is
required) and stir till it shows the formation of small granules. It
should not curdle completely. Continue heating and stirring as is
done in the preparation of ordinary khoa. When it thickens, add
sugar and stir briskly till the liquid in the khoa dries up. Pour boiling
hot in the degchi prepared as above and cover immediately. Leave it
overnight. Next day, ease off from the sides lightly with a knife and
heat the bottom a little. Invert on to a serving plate. Decorate the
sides with silver leaves and place a pink rose of almond paste in the
centre of the cake. Tiny pink petals may be placed all round at the
base of the cake.
RASGULLA
Indian Cream Cheese Balls in Syrup
Rasgulla is a delicious Bengali sweet. The land of Bengal has long
been famous for the preparation of exquisite sweets and in making
rasgullas they have excelled themselves. Rasgullas are white, spongy
balls the size of walnuts prepared from chenna (Indian soft cream
cheese) and floating in syrup flavoured with ruh kewra. Rasgulla,
though in the same category as ras malai, so far as taste is concerned,
scores over the latter in having a lower fat content because of the
absence of cream; and is more suitable for consumption at tea-time.
Ingredients for the chenna (Indian soft cream cheese)

12 pt (1-1 litres) Jersey or cow’s milk or '
(buffalo’s milk does not give equally 4 teaspoonful tartaric acid mixed in
good results) 1 cupful of hot water (whey is pre-
14 cupfuls heated whey (made sour by ferable here as the curds produced
keeping over-night in a warm place) are softer and lighter)
Ingredients for the syrup

2 lb (900 g) sugar + 24 pts (1440 mils) 4 to 6 drops kewra essence
water : or
Few drops of gulab or rose essence 1 to 14 teaspoonfuls ruh kewra
Ingredients for binding and raising

1 teaspoonful flour (maida) Very tiny pinch bicarbonate of soda
or baking powder
Method
Heat the milk, and stir continuously to prevent the formation of a
skin on the top. As it comes to the boil, remove from the fire and
add the hot sour whey (or the tartaric acid dissolved in water), a
tablespoonful at a time, till the whole of it is finished. When the
milk curdles, leave it covered for about 15 minutes and then strain
through a muslin bag. Gently squeeze out the liquid (whey). Do not
dry it completely. Place the chenna on a clean plate (thali) and knead
with the heel of the hand till the grains disappear and the chenna
_ becomes soft and creamy. Leave it to cool for half an hour. Sieve
together flour and bicarbonate of soda or baking powder; add to the
chenna and knead for another 10 minutes. Divide the mixture into
10 to 15 equal parts and shape them into round balls.
Prepare syrup from the sugar and water. Boil for half an hour,
adding a cupful of water after every 10 minutes. Add a dessert-
spoonful of milk to the boiling syrup, if it is not clear, and remove
the scum. Divide the syrup into 2 parts (4 and 4) leave 4 to cool.
Heat 4 to simmering point and drop in the chenna balls. After they
have simmered for 5 minutes bring to the boil, cover and increase
the heat. (Some confectioners add a little watery extract of soap-
berry, instead of covering; this, however, is not recommended, as it
imparts a slightly bitter taste to the syrup.) Continue boiling for
about 15 minutes. When the syrup thickens, sprinkle 1 tablespoonful
cold water over the boiling rasgullas. This thins down the syrup,
makes the rasgullas porous, spongy and whitish. When the rasgullas
are ready, they swell up to double their original size, their surface
becomes granular and they sink below the surface of the syrup whilst
boiling. Boil for another 5 minutes after that. Remove from the
heat, add a cupful of cold water to the boiling syrup, transfer the
rasgullas to the 4 of the syrup which is kept cold and leave them to
INDIAN SWEETS 1393!
soak overnight. Add ruh kewra or the essence and also ruh gulab or
the essence and serve chilled with a little syrup either as a pudding or
tea-time sweet.
RAS MALAI
Indian Cream Cheese Balls in Double Cream
This can truly be said to be the choicest of the Indian dishes. It is
very delicious and is a treat for every tongue and every age. The ras
malai are flat cakes made of chenna and soaked in rabri and are
extremely soft, granular and sweet. The rabri, which is a mixture of
thickened fresh milk and double cream, is a pudding by itself and is
often served in the rural Punjab as such. The chenna balls when
immersed in rabri, though retaining their individual entity, appear to
form a homogeneous mass. They take in some of the flavour of the
rabri which in texture resembles the cakes so closely that it is difficult
to separate them visually. This delightful preparation can be served
at any time and will do honour to any occasion.
Ingredients for the chenna

14 pt (900 mils) Jersey or cow’s milk 4 teaspoonfui tartaric acid mixed in a
(buffalo’s milk does not give equally cup of hot water
good results) or
14 cupfuls of heated whey
Ingredients for the binding
1 teaspoonful cornflour or flour A small pinch of bicarbonate of soda
(maida) or baking powder

16 ozs (454 g) sugar 14 pts (750 mils) water
Ingredients for filling the balls

1 dessertspoonful thick malai (double 1 teaspoonful grated almonds
cream) or chenna (cream cheese) 1 dessertspoonful fine sugar
1 teaspoonful grated pistachio nuts
Ingredients for the rabri

2 pts Jersey milk + 4 tablespoonfuls 1 teaspoonful shredded almonds
double cream 4 ozs (115 g) sugar
or 5 to 6 drops kewra essence
960 mils buffalo’s milk+ 4 table- or
spoonfuls malai 1 teaspoonful ruh kewra
or 3 to 4 drops almond essence
1 pint Jersey milk +4 pt double 1 teaspoonful shredded pistachio nuts
cream
or
480 mils buffalo’s milk + 120 mils
malai
Method
Heat the milk, stirring continuously to prevent the formation of a
skin on the top. As it comes to the boil remove from the fire and add
hot whey or tartaric acid dissolved in a cupful of hot water. When
the milk curdles, cover and allow it to set for about 15 minutes.
Strain through a muslin bag and gently squeeze out the liquid.
Place the chenna on a clean thali (metal tray) and knead with the
heel of the hand till the grains disappear and it becomes soft and
creamy. Add bicarbonate of soda or baking powder and flour
(maida) or cornflour sieved together and knead for another 10
minutes. Divide the mixture into 12 equal parts and shape them into
round balls. Make a depression in the centre of each ball and fill it
with 51; of the mixture of double cream (malai) or chenna, almonds,
pistachios and the sugar; round them again.
Mix 16 ozs (454 g) sugar and 14 pts (750 mils) water and boil for
5 minutes. If the syrup is not clear, add a dessertspoonful of milk
and remove the scum. Boil for half an hour, adding a cupful of
water every 10 minutes. Place the chenna balls prepared above in
the simmering syrup and cook for 5 minutes. Bring quickly to the
boil by increasing the heat, cover and continue cooking by boiling.
When the syrup thickens, sprinkle a tablespoonful of cold water over
the rasgullas, as this makes them porous, spongy and whitish in
colour. Ordinarily cooking of the chenna balls takes about 15 to 20
* minutes, but boiling should be continued if necessary until they
swell up and become spongy. (Some confectioners add a little
watery extract of soap-berry, instead of covering; this however is
not recommended as it imparts a slightly bitter taste to the syrup.)
Remove from the fire, add a cupful of cold water or syrup and then
drop the rasgullas into previously cooled 14 pts (900 mils) Jersey
milk (or use buffalo’s milk) meant for the preparation of rabri.
Leave them to soak for at least 3 hours. Separate the rasgullas from
the milk and prepare rabri (p. 165) from the same milk. When half
of the milk is dried up, cool slightly, add the sugar and the double
cream or thick malai, bring to the boil and pour it hot over the
rasgullas. Add ruh kewra or the kewra essence, almond essence,
shredded almonds and pistachios. Chill and serve. During the hot
weather (80 to 105° F) of the Punjab it must be served within a few
hours, but can be kept for a day or two if a refrigerator is available.
CHENNA MURKI
Indian Cream Cheese Cubes Cooked in Thickened Sugar Syrup
The name of this sweet suggests that it is made from chenna (Indian
soft cream cheese); in fact however it is prepared from panir (Indian
INDIAN SWEETS 155
cream cheese). It is a dry sugar-coated sweet and is a popular selec-
tion for presentation on festive occasions. It becomes soggy on
keeping, and hence should be taken fresh.
Ingredients
8 ozs (230 g) panir (Indian cream 4 ozs (i15 g) sugar
cheese) 2 to 3 drops kewra essence
2 tablespoonfuls hot water or
4 silver leaves—optional 1 drop itar kewra
Method
Curdle 2 pints Jersey or 1-2 litres buffalo’s milk by adding whey,
curd or tartaric acid. When curds are formed, leave it covered for
about 15 minutes. Separate the whey by pouring through muslin.
Shape the cheese into a square or a rectangle whilst keeping it in the
same muslin cloth. Fold the cloth over and allow it to set under a
weight for about half an hour.
Mix sugar and the water and cook over slow fire till it is of one-
thread consistency. Cut the panir into neat cubes, add them to the
syrup and cook until they are coated with syrup. Remove from the
fire, add essence, and roll the pan (karahi) until the cubes are thickly
coated with sugar and are separate from each other. Put them on a
plate, decorate with silver leaves and keep in a closed cupboard as
they become moist on exposure to the atmosphere.
GULAB JAMAN
Indian Cream Cheese and Khoa Ball in Syrup
This is one of the outstanding Indian sweets and is likely to prove
extremely popular with Europeans because of its remarkable re-
semblance to preserved plums. The lustrous brown coloured gulab
jamans float on a thick transparent syrup and stand out from it as the
stars do from the sky.
They are in fact spherical balls made from a mixture of khoa (dried
fresh whole milk) and chenna (Indian soft cream cheese) cooked in
syrup. The rose-flavoured preparation spreads its aroma throughout
the room and proves a delight to every taste.
18 ozs (510 g) granulated sugar Just under | pt (540 mils) water
4 to 5 drops rose essence or 1 tablespoonful milk for cleaning the
4 teaspoonful ruh gulab syrup
Ingredients for tne balls
3 ozs (85 g) khoa (dried fresh whole 6 ozs (170 g) chenna (Indian soft
milk) cream cheese)
24 ozs (70 g) flour + 4 teaspoonful 24 ozs (70 g) castor sugar (cane sugar
baking powder with very fine granules)
Ingredients for filling in the balls
4 oz (15 g) castor sugar 4 oz (15 g) pistachios
Ingredient for frying the balls

1 lb (455 g) ghee for frying
Method
Make syrup with 18 ozs (510 g) sugar and the water. Add 1 table-
spoonful milk to the boiling syrup and remove the scum which col-
lects on the top. Strain through a piece of muslin and cool.
Prepare khoa from 1 pint Jersey or 480 mils buffalo’s milk and
chenna (Indian soft cream cheese) from 2 pints Jersey or 960 mils
buffalo’s milk. Knead them separately till their granular character
disappears and they become a smooth dough. Mix them together
and knead for about 10 minutes. Add sieved flour and sugar each
equal to + of the combined weights of the khoa and the chenna; knead
till they blend. Leave the dough to swell for a little while and then
divide into small balls each the size of a walnut. Press each of them in
the centre with the thumb and fill the depression thus formed with a
pinch of sugar and 1 or 2 pistachios. Round them again and fry in
hot ghee on medium fire till evenly browned. Drain, cool and soak in
the cold syrup for at least 2 to 3 hours; it is however preferable to
soak them overnight. Boil till the balls become soft. Add the
flavouring and serve with the syrup.
If some of the gulab jamans are left over, give them 2 to 3 boils
before serving on the next day. A little water may be added to the
syrup before boiling if it is thick.
GAJJAR HALWA
Grated Carrot Pudding
This sweet dish is very popular in Northern India. Orange-
coloured carrots of indigenous origin, which are tender, are suitable
for this purpose. A similar variety of carrot is available in London
also. What is called a “foreign” variety of carrot in India, however,
is not satisfactory. Proper shredding is also an important part of the
technique. The shreds should be fine and as long as possible.
Ingredients
4 to 5 ozs (115 to 140 g) pure ghee 8 ozs (230 g) granulated khoa (p. 26) +
2 |b (910 g) finely-shredded carrots 14 ozs (45 g) sugar
(gajjar) 4 drops kewra essence or
8 crushed green cardamoms (illaichi) 2 drops itar kewra
10 ozs (280 g) sugar and 4 pt (120 1 oz (30 g) blanched pistachio nuts
mils) hot water (pista)
1 oz (30 g) blanched almonds (badam) 4 silver leaves—optional
[NDIAN SWEETS 157
Method
Heat the ghee, add cardamom seeds and stir for 2 to 3 minutes over
a slow fire; add the neatly shredded carrots and cook uncovered over
medium heat for 5 minutes. Cover the pan, reduce the heat and
simmer till they are nearly cooked and dry (it takes 10 to 15 minutes).
in the meantime prepare the syrup with 10 ozs (280 g) sugar, carda-
mom skins and } pt (120 mils) hot water till it is of one-thread con-
sistency. Remove the cardamom skins, add the syrup to the dried
carrots and cook till the mixture is dry. Add } of the khoa (dried
fresh whole milk) prepared from 3 pints Jersey or 1-4 litres buffalo’s
milk and three-quarters of the shredded blanched almonds and
pistachios, leaving one-quarter of them to be sprinkled on the top
of the silver leaves. Stir a little, remove from the fire and add itar
kewra or essence. Decorate with silver leaves, the remaining almonds,
pistachios and khoa. Serve hot.
SEWIAN ZARDA
Vermicelli Pudding
Sewian zarda is a sweet dish very popular with the Muslims. They
distribute it amongst friends on the occasion of the Id festival.
Ingredients
3 ozs (85 g) ghee 3 ozs (85 g) khoa (dried fresh whole
6 green cardamoms (illaichi) milk)
6 cloves (laung) 4 teaspoonful saffron (kesar)
6 ozs (170 g) vermicelli (sewian) 4 drops kewra essence
# pt (450 mils) hot milk or
2 to 3 silver leaves—optional 1 dessertspoonful ruh kewra
12 ozs (340 g) sugar 1 oz (30 g) chopped almonds
1 oz (30 g) chopped pistachios
Method
Heat the ghee on medium fire, add crushed cardamoms and cloves
and stir for a minute or two. Add sewian and fry until they are rich
brown in colour. Pour hot milk, mix thoroughly and cover the pan.
Cook on medium fire for about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring every now
and then, to avoid sticking. Remove from the fire when the milk dries
up, add sugar and the khoa (dried fresh whole milk) prepared from
1 pint Jersey or 480 mils buffalo’s milk and stir. Either bake in a
medium oven (350° F) or place the pan on a very slow fire and put
some live charccal on its lid. Cook until dry. Dissolve the saffron in
the ruh kewra or the essence mixed with 1 dessertspoonful water,
and sprinkle this over the sewian when cooked. Stir with a fork.
Decorate with silver leaves, chopped almonds and pistachios. Serve
either plain or with cream.
SEWIAN KHEER
Ingredients
14 pt Jersey or 900 mils buffalo milk 2 ozs (60 g) almonds + 4 pt (120 mils)
6 ozs (170 g) sugar milk
4 to 1 teaspoonful ruh kewra 1 oz (30 g) sewian
or 4 to 1 oz (15 to 30 g) shredded almonds
2 to 3 drops kewra essence and 4 to 1 oz (15 to 30 g) pistachios
6 small silver leaves
Method
Blanch the almonds, remove skins and grind almonds to a fine
paste with 4 pt (120 mils) milk. Boil the milk for 15 minutes. Add
almond paste and boil for another 10 minutes; then add the sewian
and cook on slow fire till they become tender and the mixture
thickens to an even consistency. Add sugar, cook for another 5
minutes and stir continuously as the sewian tends to become lumpy
and stick to the bottom of the pan. Remove from the fire, cool and
add ruh kewra or the essence.
Pour into small plates, decorate with silver leaves and sprinkle
finely-shredded almonds and pistachios over them.
Serve hot or cold.
BALU SHAHI
Eggless and Sugar-Coated Doughnuts
The dough for the preparation of a balu shahi is similar to that
required for short crust pastry. It however differs from the latter in
that it is fried and not baked.
Ingredients
8 ozs (230 g) flour (maida) 1 oz (30 g) khoa (dried fresh whole
5 tablespoonfuls yoghurt (curd) milk) for decoration
1 tablespoonful warm water 3 ozs (85 g) ghee, melted
2 to 3 drops kewra essence 4 teaspoonful bicarbonate of soda
or 4 pt (300 mils) sugar + water syrup
1 drop itar kewra 1 lb (455 g) ghee for frying
4 oz (15 g) finely-shredded almonds 4 oz (15 g) finely-shredded pistachio
(badam) nuts (pista)
4 silver leaves—optional
Method
Sieve the flour and bicarbonate of soda together and rub thor-
oughly into the melted ghee with the tips of the fingers. Add slightly
heated curd and the water and knead until it becomes a soft dough.
Divide the dough into 16 equal parts and shape them into round
balls. Make a depression in the centre of each one and flatten.
Heat the ghee in a heavy pan (karahi) and remove from the fire
when quite hot. Place the flattened balls in it and cook them as long
INDIAN SWEETS 159
as the ghee simmers around them. When it stops simmering, put the
pan on slow fire and cook until the balu shahies swell and become
light brown in colour.
Prepare the syrup with the sugar and the water and cook till it
becomes quite sticky, i.e. of three-thread consistency. Add itar kewra
oressence. Arrange the cooked flattened balls in a deep tray ora plate
and pour the syrup over them. Decorate immediately with shredded
almonds and pistachios and khoa (dried fresh whole milk).
Serve decorated with silver leaves.
SHAHI TUKRI
Toast for Kings
Shahi tukri is a toast cooked in milk, ghee and khoa (dried fresh
whole milk). It becomes so delicious that it is hardly possible to dis-
cover its basis.
Ingredients
6 slices of bread, 4” thick each froma ___A pinch of saffron (kesar)
1 Ib loaf 3 ozs (85 g) khoa (dried fresh whole
2 ozs (60 g) ghee milk)
8 tablespoonfuls milk 5 tablespoonfuls double cream or
4 ozs (115 g) sugar malai
3 to 4 drops kewra essence 6 green cardamoms (illaichi)
or 4 silver leaves—optional
1 dessertspoonful ruh kewra 4to 1 oz (15 to 30 g) shredded pistachio
4 to 1 oz (15 to 30 g) shredded almonds nuts (pista)
{badam)
Method
Cut rectangular pieces of bread and discard the hard crust. Fry a
few pieces at a time in the hot ghee till golden brown. Remove from
the ghee. Heat the milk and dissolve in it the saffron and sugar.
Pour it hot over the browned slices of bread and allow them to soak
for 15 minutes.
In the meantime brown the khoa (dried fresh whole milk) lightly
in the remaining ghee. Separate the milk from the toast, mix it with
the double cream or malai and the khoa and thicken slightly by heat-
ing for a few minutes. Pour this over the fried toast and simmer
slowly till it thickens further. Turn the toast once or twice with a flat
palette knife whilst simmering. Remove from the fire, cool and add
ruh kewra or essence.
Serve, sprinkled with ground cardamom seeds and decorated with
silver leaves, shredded almonds and pistachios.
GAJJAC
Dried Nuts and Melon Seeds Toffee
Gajjacis an Indian version of nut toffee and is very attractive because
of the large quantity of nuts it contains. Its advantage over the toffee
prepared in the West is that it is crisp.
Ingredients 3
4 oz (15 g) almonds (badam) 6 ozs (170 g) castor sugar (cane sugar
4 oz (15 g) cashew nuts (kaju) with very fine granules)
4 oz (15 g) ground nuts (moong phali) 4 oz (15 g) butter or ghee
4 oz (15 g) walnuts (akhrot ki giri) 6 green cardamoms (illaichi)
4 oz (15 g) kernels of melon seeds (giri 1 teaspoonful fresh lime juice
kharbuza)— optional 3 to 4 drops kewra essence
1 oz (30 g) pistachio nuts or
1 drop itar kewra
Method
Remove the raw flavour from the nuts and kernels by roasting
them lightly on a hot. griddle (tawa). Pass them through a grinder
or chop them finely with a sharp knife. Boil the sugar with 1 dessert-
spoonful water and $ oz (15 g) butter in a heavy pan on medium fire.
Initially the water is absorbed in the sugar and the mixture becomes
dry. Further stirring, however, converts it into a thick syrup. Add
lime juice, stir briskly and add minced nuts and kernels, crushed
cardamom seeds and the itar kewra or essence. Pour immediately
(any delay makes it granular and prevents setting) on to a greased
thali (a shallow metallic tray) and roll it out quickly with a greased
rolling pin. Cut into strips 1” x 2” (24 x 5 cm) immediately after
rolling. If there is any delay heat both the tray and the blade of the
knife before cutting. Store in a screw-capped wide-mouthed bottle.
If the bottle is not airtight the gajjac looses its crispness.
KARACHI HALWA
Cornflour Sweet
Karachi halwa is one of the famous Sindhi sweetmeats. It is a
coloured jelly-like sweet and is extremely popular with children. It
is an Indian counterpart of Turkish Delight. Karachi halwa is how-
ever richer than Turkish Delight because of the presence of nuts and
ghee or oil.
INDIAN SWEETS 161
Ingredients
4 ozs (115 g) plain cornflour 2 pt (250 mils) cold water
or 1 pt (600 mils) water
4 ozs (115 g) nishasta or arrowroot 4 to 2 ozs (40 to 60 g) almonds
20 ozs (560 g) sugar + 1 pt (600 mils) (badam)
water 1 oz (30 g) pistachio nuts (pista)
2 teaspoonfuls lemon or lime juice 12 green cardamom (illaichi)
Yellow or red colouring 4 pt (120 mils) olive oil or 4 ozs
1 teaspoonful vanilla essence—op- (115 g) ghee
tional
Method
Dissolve the sugar in the water and boil for 5 minutes. Remove
from the fire and strain through muslin. Mix cornflour (nishasta) or
arrowroot with double its weight of cold water and add to the syrup.
Then add colouring and cook over medium heat, stirring continu-
ously, until the mixture turns into a lump. Mix lime juice and
continue stirring. When the mixture sticks to the bottom of the pan
(karahi), add a dessertspoonful of slightly heated olive oil or ghee
and continue cooking. Repeat the addition of the olive oil or ghee
till the mixture stops sticking to the sides of the pan and becomes
one lump (it takes about 30 to 45 minutes). Add dried blanched
almonds and pistachios, crushed cardamom seeds and flavouring.
Have a greased square or rectangular vegetable serving dish and a
greased ladle ready. Pour the halwa into the greased dish, and
smooth out by applying pressure with the greased under-surface of a
ladle (a small katori). Sprinkle more almonds on the top (optional).
When set, cut into diamond pieces. If the halwa is firm and does not
cut with a knife, heat the blade a little as this facilitates the matter.
PETHA SWEETS
White Pumpkin Sweet
Ingredients for soaking and boiling
2 Ib (910 g) petha (white pumpkin) 14 pt (720 mils) water to mix with the
4 oz (15 g) slaked lime (chuna) lime
4 oz (17 g) alum (phatkari)
2 Ib (910 g) sugar + 1 pt (600 mils) Desiccated coconut for coating
water Banana, cherry and mango flavourings
Green, red and orarge colouring
Method
Peel, wash and cut the petha (white pumpkin) into strips about }”
(1 cm) thick. Prick all over with a fork and cut into small rectangles,
cubes or fancy-shaped designs. Shape the scrapings into small balls
the size of a marble. Soak these pieces as well as the left-over scrap-
ings overnight in lime water. Wash in three or four changes of water.
Cover with fresh water, add alum and boil for about half an hour or
till nearly cooked. Take it off the fire and wash with 3 to 4 changes of
hot water in order to drain off the traces of alum.
Prepare syrup with 2 lb (910 g) sugar and 1 pt (600 mils) water.
Strain and cook for 5 minutes or till it is of one-thread consistency
(temperature required -225° F). Add the cooked pieces of petha, in-
cluding the scrapings and the marble-sized balls, to the syrup and
cook for half an hour or till they become translucent. Remove from
the fire, separate pieces of the different shapes and earmark them for
different colours. Add the required colouring to a part of the syrup
and boil the pieces of white pumpkin set aside for that colour in it
for about 10 minutes or till the syrup is of one-thread consistency.
The small pieces, both rectangles and cubes, after they are coloured,
are rolled in desiccated coconut before serving. Heart-shaped pieces
coloured green or red and flavoured with vanilla or cherry essence
and decorated with a teaspoonful of khoa (dried fresh whole milk)
are served as a sweetmeat.
Green and red coloured scrapings can be used for decoration of
puddings and cakes if angelica and red cherries are not available.
HALWA SUJI
Semolina Halwa
Ingredients
4 ozs (115 g) semolina (suji) 4 ozs (115 g) ghee
4 ozs (115 g) sugar ~ pt (360 mils) water
4 teaspoonful saffron (kesar) 1 oz (30 g) shredded blanched almonds
1 oz (30 g) shredded blanched pista- (badam)
chio nuts (pista) 8 green cardamoms (illaichi)
Method
Mix sugar and water and add the cardamom skins. Simmer till
the sugar is fully dissolved. Boil rapidly for 5 minutes, remove from
the fire and strain through muslin. Heat the saffron lightly in a
spoon, grind with a teaspoonful of water in a small mortar and
pestle and mix into the strained syrup. Then heat the ghee, add
semolina and stir on slow fire till the mixture becomes light creamy in
colour and the ghee leaves the side of the pan. Add the syrup and stir
briskly till it is absorbed in the semolina. Mix in the crushed
cardamom seeds, shredded almonds and pistachios.
Serve hot, decorated with silver leaves if liked.
INDIAN SWEETS 163
PHIRNI
Blancmange
Ingredients
1% pt (1-1 litres) milk 6 small silver leaves—optional
6 ozs (170 g) sugar 14 ozs (40 g) rice or rice flour
1 oz (30 g) shredded blanched almonds 6 to 8 drops kewra essence
(badam) or
4 oz (15 g) shredded blanched pista- 3 teaspoonfuls ruh kewra
chio nuts (pista)
Method
Soak rice of good quality for about an hour and then grind very
fine with 4 to 5 tablespoonfuls of cold water (rice flour may be used
as a substitute). Mix the rice paste with the milk, cook on medium
heat and stir till the mixture is of creamy consistency. Remove from
the fire, add sugar and stir. Simmer till it is fully dissolved and then
boil 1 minute. Cool, add ruh kewra or the essence and half of the
shredded blanched almonds and pistachios. Pour the mixture into
6 glass dishes. Chill. Decorate each dish with a silver leaf and a few
shredded nuts just before serving.
Alternative method for preparing phirni
Use 2 pints (1-2 litres) of milk and 14 ozs (40 g) cornflour (a sub-
stitute for the rice flour). Dissolve the cornflour first in a little cold
milk and then add the rest of it. Proceed further in the same way as
described above. The taste and the texture of the phirni resulting
with cornflour are slightly different from the one made with the rice
fiour.
HALWA KADDU OR SITA-PHAL HALWA

Yellow Pumpkin Sweet
Ingredients
2 Ib (910 g) yellow pumpkin (halwa 2 ozs (60 g) almonds (badam), diced
kaddu) 4 ozs (115 g) ghee
12 green cardamom (illaichi) 8 ozs (230 g) sugar
3 pt (210 mils) water Silver leaves for decoration—optional
Method
Mix 8 ozs. (230 g) sugar, } pt (210 mils) water and the skins of 12
green cardamoms. Simmer till the sugar is dissolved, boil 1 minute.
Select a ripe pumpkin of deep yellow colour. Peel and discard the
spongy and seeded part. Wash and cut into small pieces. Heat the
ghee, add the crushed cardamom seeds and fry for a few seconds.
Add the pumpkin pieces, stir for 5 minutes and reduce the heat.
Cover with a saucer-shaped lid and keep on it a little water. Simmer
for 10 to 15 minutes or till tender. Remove the lid, dry the liquid and
fry till it becomes golden in colour. Add the syrup prepared above
and stir occasionally; cook till it dries up. Remove from the fire.
Serve hot. Decorate with silver leaves and sprinkle over it shredded
almonds and chopped pistachios.
KHATAI
Ingredients
3 ozs (85 g) ghee 4 ozs (115 g) powdered sugar
3 teaspoonful baking powder 2 to 3 tablespoonfuls curd (yoghurt)
A pinch of salt 4 ozs (115 g) flour (maida)
4 oz (1S g) grated almonds A few drops of almond essence
4 oz (15 g) grated pistachios (pista)
Method
Beat the ghee with a wooden spoon till white and fluffy. Add sugar
and beat over cold water till light and creamy. Mix baking powder
and beat a little more. Then add salt and the curd and continue beat-
ing till quite fluffy.
Remove the wooden spoon and using a metal spoon fold in sieved
flour, baking powder, almond essence and half of the grated almonds
and pistachios. Shape the dough into a long roll and divide into one-
- inch pieces. Coat the upper surface with the remaining grated nuts
and bake in a moderately hot oven at 325° F for 15 to 20 minutes or
till well risen, lightly coloured and set. Remove from the oven and
leave them to cool on the same tray.
Store in an airtight tin.
KHEER
Rice Pudding
Ingredients
2 pts Jersey milk Silver leaves—optional
or 1 teaspoonful crushed green carda-
960 mils buffalo’s milk mom seeds (illaichi)
7 to 8 ozs (200 to 230 g) sugar 2 ozs (60 g) rice (chawal)
1 oz (30 g) shredded blanched almonds 3 to 4 drops kewra essence
(badam) or
4 oz (15 g) sultanas (kishmish)— 1 dessertspoonful ruh kewra
optional 4 pt (120 mils) water
Method
Soak the rice in 4 pt (120 mils) water for half an hour. Boil the rice
in the same water till it is cooked and the water dries up. Heat the
INDIAN SWEETS 165
milk, add rice and simmer on slow fire for about 14 hours. Scrape
out the mixture sticking to the sides and the bottom of the pan and
mash the rice whilst stirring frequently. When it is of creamy con-
sistency, add sugar and stir till this is dissolved. Cook so that the
mixture becomes creamy again. Remove from the fire, add crushed
green cardamom seeds, ruh kewra or essence and the shredded al-
monds. Serve hot or cold decorated with silver leaves.
RABRI
Dried Fresh Milk Sweet
Ingredients
3 ozs (85 g) castor sugar (cane sugar 4 drops kewra essence
with very fine granules) or
4 oz (15 g) finely-shredded pistachio 1 teaspoonful ruh kewra
nuts (pista) 2 pints Jersey milk
3 oz (iS g) finely-shredded almonds or
(badam) 960 mils buffalo’s milk
Method
Boil the milk in a deep and heavy saucepan over quick fire. Stir
continuously, keeping the cream and the skin of the milk towards
the sides of the pan. Boil till three-quarters of the milk dries up; add
castor sugar and stir till it is fully dissolved. Remove from the fire,
cool, and scrape the cream from the sides. Add ruh kewra or essence.
Pour the rabri into a glass dish, spread the skin scraped from the
sides over its top and sprinkle shredded almonds and pistachios
over it.
Serve chilled.
ZARDA PULLAO
Sweet Rice Pullao
Ingredients
9 ozs (250 g) rice 1 dessertspoonful ruh kewra
4 ozs (115 g) ghee or
6 cloves (laung) 5 to 6 drops kewra essence
1 oz (30 g) sultanas (kishmish) 8 ozs (230 g) sugar
1 oz (36 g) pistachio nuts (pista) 1 oz (30 g) almonds (badam)
% or } pt (400 or 525 mils) water 4 teaspoonful saffron (kesar)
8 green cardamom (illaichi) 3 to 4 silver leaves—optional
Method
Wash and soak the rice for half an hour in 4 pt (400 mils) water if
pressure-cooking is to be done, or soak in % pt (525 mils) water for
cooking ina pan. Also wash and soak the sultanas in sufficient water
adding a teaspoonful of sugar.
Heat the ghee, add cloves, cardamom seeds and the skins and stir
for 2 to 3 minutes. Add rice and fry for 5 minutes. Add the water
in which it was originally soaked. Pressure-cook till the pressure
reaches 15 lb; remove from the fire and allow the pressure to drop
by itself. An alternative is to cook in a pan (degchi) till the rice be-
comes soft. Add sugar and ground saffron and cook till they are fully
dissolved. Add half of the shredded blanched almonds and pista-
chios, the soaked sultanas and the ruh kewra or essence. Cover and
put some live charcoal on the lid. Or keep it in a moderately hot
oven (350° F) for 10 to 15 minutes. _
Decorate with silver leaves and sprinkle the remaining shredded
almonds and pistachios over it. Serve hot.
BUNDI
6 ozs (170 g) sugar 4 pt (120 mils) water
A pinch or a few drops of yellow 2 teaspoonfuls ruh kewra
colouring
Ingredients for the bundi

5 ozs (142 g) gram flour (besan) or 4 pt (240 mils) water
split-pea flour 1 teaspoonful melted ghee
A pinch or a few drops of yellow
colouring
Ingredients to be added to the bundi

1 oz (30 g) almonds 4 oz (15 g) pistachio nuts
4 oz (15 g) kernels of sweet melon (giri Seeds of 8 green cardamoms
kharbuza)

1 lb (455 g) ghee
Ingredients for decoration

4 silver leaves
Method
Mix sugar and water and simmer till dissolved. Cook to one-
thread consistency. Remove from the fire, add colouring and flavour-
ing. Sieve the gram flour (besan), add water, a little at a time, and
continue beating till the whole of the water is used up and the batter
becomes light and smooth. Mix in the melted ghee.
Heat the ghee. Stir the besan batter, pour 2 tablespoons of it
over a poni (circular disc 4” to 6” in diameter of steel or brass with
several fine perforations about 1 mm in diameter, attached at the end
INDIAN SWEETS 167
of a long handle) and tap the handle over a brick or any similar thing
kept near the edge of the pan (karahi) so that the batter falls in very
fine drops into the hot ghee and sets into bundi, which are tiny balls
—like caviar, but smaller, and golden in colour. Stir with another
poni and then transfer the bundi on to a fine colander. After the
ghee has drained off, transfer the bundi to the syrup. Prepare bundi
with the remaining batter in the same way and add it to the syrup.
Stir the bundi in the syrup, add finely-shredded almonds and pista-
chios, the melon kernels and the crushed cardamom seeds. Leave
covered in a warm place for half an hour. Serve hot decorated with
silver leaves.
SECTION VIII
KULFI AND OTHER ICE-CREAMS
KuLFI is an indigenous iced preparation of India which has retained
its popularity in spite of the advent of ice cream. It is extremely rich
due to the presence of large quantities of milk, almonds and pista-
chios and is hence very delicious. The taste is however much im-
proved by serving kulfi along with phaluda (a macaroni-type corn-
flour preparation—see next recipe) and a little syrup. The kulfi is
prepared in a conical shaped tin or aluminium mould 4 to 5” (10 to
12 cms) in length, slightly flattened at the narrow end and having a
tight fitting screw-cap at the other. The conventional method of
freezing the kulfi consists of immersing a large number of moulds in
pounded ice, the temperature of which is lowered by the addition of
a freezing mixture consisting of common salt and nitre. The vessel is
then gently shaken with a rotary motion till the kulfi mixture freezes.
This cumbersome and laborious process is however no longer neces-
sary as the kulfi can be conveniently frozen in a refrigerator. The
frozen kulfi is taken out of its mould by rolling it between the palms
of the hands till the kulfi slightly melts. The mould is then given a
. Jerk over a plate. The kulfi though harder than ordinary ice-cream
has a comparatively faster rate of melting because of the absence of
gelatine or any other setting agent and hence should be consumed
immediately.
Ingredients
2 pints Jersey milk 2 heaped dessertspoonfuls arrowroot
or or cornflour
960 mils buffalo’s milk 3 to 4 ozs (85 to 115 g) khoa (dried fresh
6 ozs (170 g) sugar whole milk) + 2 oz (60 mils) malai
3 to 4 drops of kewra essence 4 oz C15 g) shredded blanched pista-
or chios
14 teaspoonfuls ruh kewra 4 oz (15 g) shredded blanched almonds
Method
Clean the kulfi moulds with soap and boiling water. Boil the milk
for 5 minutes. Add arrowroot or cornflour dissolved in a little
cooled milk or water and cook till the mixture is of pouring sauce
consistency (a little less than the coating consistency). Mix sugar
and stir till it is thoroughly dissolved. Remove from the fire, cool,
add khoa (dried fresh whole milk) and malai, the finely-shredded
almonds and pistachios and the ruh kewra or essence.
168
ICE-CREAMS 169
Fill the kulfi moulds with this mixture, screw on the tops carefully
and freeze till set. This may be done by the conventional method de-
scribed above or by keeping them in the freezing chamber of a
refrigerator. It takes about half to three-quarters of an hour by the
first method and 3 to 4 hours in a refrigerator. Lay them side by side
in the freezing chamber. Do not keep them upright, nor should one
be placed over the other. Before serving unscrew the top and roll the
mould by holding it between the palms; then hold it upside down and
give a sharp Jerk so that the kulfi slips on to a plate. Serve with
phaluda and i4 teaspoonfuls syrup.
PHALUDA
Cornflour Vermicelli
Ingredients
4 ozs (115 g) cornflour or nishasta or 14 pt (720 mils) water
arrowroot
Method
Dissolve cornflour in + pt (120 mils) water; add the remaining
quantity of the water and cook on medium fire, stirring constantly,
for 12 to 15 minutes. The cornflour first becomes thick, then de-
velops a slightly bluish tinge and finally becomes a little thin and
translucent. Remove from the fire. Pour the paste into the machine
(a cylinder-piston-screw attachment with a perforated disc of several
holes about 0-1” (2 mm) in diameter at one end) which is kept over a
basin of cold water. Turn the handle of the piston so that the paste
is pressed down through the sieve. Long threads of the paste drop
into the cold water and set into soft semi-solid vermicelli called
phaluda. This is served with a little syrup and kulfi or chilled rabri
or condensed milk. Keep phaluda suspended in cold water till
required.
SYRUP
Ingredients
6 ozs (170 g) castor sugar 1 to 2 drops kewra essence
5 tablespoonfuls water or
1 teaspoonful ruh kewra
Method
Dissolve sugar in the water; strain through a muslin cloth. Heat
and stir till it is of one-thread consistency. Remove from the fire;
pour immediately into a hot bottle, cover and cool. Add ruh kewra
or the essence. One dessertspoonful of syrup or of almond sharbatis
enough for one plate of phaluda.
PISTA ICE-CREAM
Pistachio Ice-cream
Ingredients
3 pt (480 mils) milk 1 oz (30 g) chopped pistachio nuts
2 egg yolks (andon ki zardi) (pista)
1 teaspoonful gelatine +1 table- 34 ozs (100 g) castor sugar
spoonful hot water—optional A few drops of green colouring
A few drops almond essence 2 egg whites (andon ki sufaidi) + 4 oz
2 heaped teaspoonfuls cornflour + 4 (15 g) castor sugar
ozs cold milk 4 pt (120 mils) whipped cream
Method
Dissolve the cornflour in 4 ozs cold milk. Heat the remaining milk
and pour into it the milk in which cornflour has been dissolved.
Cook for 5 minutes; remove from the fire.
Beat the egg yolks with the sugar, mix with the cornflour-milk
mixture and cook on slow fire till it is of coating consistency. Re-
move from the fire and cool a little. Add the gelatine dissolved in hot
water (optional) and whip till it comes down to room temperature.
Whip the egg whites till stiff, beat in 4 oz sugar and fold into the
cooled mixture. Add half of the finely-chopped pistachios, colouring
and the flavouring. Pour into the freezing tray. Leave in the re-
frigerator till it is three-quarters set. Beat with a fork and fold in
whipped cream. Freeze again till it is firm. Serve in a chilled bowl
sprinkled with the remaining chopped pistachios.
KELA ICE-CREAM
Banana Ice-cream
Ingredients
3 pt (480 mils) milk A few drops banana essence
2 whole eggs 4 pt (180 mils) cream for the milk-
1 oz (30 g) caramel sugar custard
2 heaped teaspoonfuls custard powder 1 oz (30 g) toasted nuts
4 ozs (114 g) sugar A few drops fresh lime juice
Method
Blend custard powder with the milk and cook over slow heat till
the mixture is of coating consistency. Add sugar and cook for a few
minutes. Cool.
Mash the bananas with 4 to 5 drops lime juice and mix with the
cooled custard. Add banana essence, whisk till light and fluffy and
fold in whipped cream. Pour the mixture into the freezing tray.
When it is three-quarters set beat the mixture with a fork. Freeze
ICE-CREAMS 171
again until firm. Serve in a chilled bowl, sprinkled with chopped
caramel sugar and toasted almonds.
LIME OR LEMON ICE-CREAM

Ingredients
2 pt (480 mils) milk 1 teaspoonful rind of a fresh lime
1 teaspoonful custard powder + 4 ozs (nimbu ka chilka)
milk 2 egg yolks
4 ozs (115 g) sugar 1 teaspoonful gelatine + 1 dessert-
14 ozs (40 g) fresh lime juice spoonful hot water
2 egg whites A few drops of lemon essence
4 pt (150 mils) cream
Method
Peel the lime rind very thinly. Heat the milk and pour it hot over
the rind, cover and infuse for 15 minutes. Strain. Add custard
powder dissolved in milk and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the
fire; cool a little.
Beat the egg yolks with the sugar and pour this into the custard.
Cook over hot water or on slow heat and stir constantly until the
mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the
heat, cool a little and add the gelatine dissolved in hot water. Whisk
till it cools down to the room temperature. Beat the egg whites till
stiff and fluffy and fold into the cooled custard. Mix in the lime
juice and the essence. Pour into the freezing tray and keep in the
refrigerator till it is three-quarters set. Beat with a wooden spoon or
a fork and fold in the whipped cream. Freeze again till it is firm.
Serve cut up in blocks.
This may also be made with lemon, used in the same way as the
lime.
CARAMEL ICE-CREAM
ingredients for the custard
3 pt (480 mils) milk 2 ozs (60 g) sugar
2 egg yolks + 2 egg whites 1 level teaspoonful gelatine + 1 table-
1 oz (30 g) butter spoonful hot water
4 pt (150 mils) cream
Ingredients for caramel

2 ozs (60 g) sugar 2 tablespoonfuls hot water
Ingredients for decoration

Caramel sugar 1 oz (15 g) toasted almonds
Method
Beat the egg yolks with 2 ozs (60 g) sugar. Mix this with 4 pt (240
mils) hot milk and cook over slow fire until it is of coating con-
sistency. Cool.
Cook 2 ozs (60 g) sugar with 2 tablespoonfuls of water on slow fire
till it is of rich golden brown colour. Add the remaining milk and
simmer till the caramel is completely dissolved. Remove from the
fire. Add butter, and the gelatine dissolved in 1 tablespoonful hot
water, into the previously cooled custard. Beat the egg whites till
stiff and fluffy and fold into the caramel-custard mixture. Pour into
the freezing tray and keep in the refrigerator until it is three-quarters
set. Remove from the refrigerator, beat with a fork and fold in
whipped cream. Freeze until it is set. It takes about 3 hours to be
ready. Serve, sprinkled with chopped caramel sugar and toasted
almonds.
SECTION Ix
SAVOURY DISHES
PAKORAS
Plain Savoury Fritters
4 ozs (115 g) gram flour (besan) 4 pt (150 mils) water
or 2 teaspoonful salt
4 ozs (115 g) split-pea flour 4 teaspoonful garam masala
4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch) 1 lb (455 g) fat for frying
Ingredients for the minced vegetable pakoras

4 ozs (115 g) onions 1 dessertspoonful chopped coriander
2 green chillies (sabz mirch) leaves (dhania) or parsley
or 4 oz (15 g) ginger (adrak)
4+ capsicum (Simla mirch) A pinch of carom seeds (ajwain)
4 teaspoonful crushed coriander seeds 1 teaspoonful dried pomegranate
(sukha dhania)—optional seeds (anar-dana)
A pinch of baking powder 1 tablespoonful melted ghee or oil
Method
For the batter:—Sieve gram flour into a bowl and make a de-
pression in its centre. Pour in half of the water after heating a little
bit and continue stirring the flour till it becomes a thick batter. Beat
hard for 15 minutes and gradually add the remaining warm water.
Leave it to swell for half an hour. Add salt, red pepper and garam
masala and beat for another 5 minutes.
For the vegetables:—Wash, peel and chop the onions, ginger and
green chillies or capsicum finely. Mix these into the batter. Add
carom seeds (ajwain), half-crushed coriander seeds, pomegranate
seeds, green coriander leaves, melted ghee or oil and the baking
powder. 4 oz (15 g) each of spinach, fenugreek leaves, finely-
shredded cabbage, finely-cut cauliflower or diced parboiled potatoes
along with 2 to 3 green chillies can be used in place of the minced
onions, ginger and the capsicum in the preparation of pakoras.
For frying:—Heat the ghee or oil in a deep frying pan to smoking
point. Stir the mixture and drop a dessertspoonful at a time into the
fat. A number may be cooked at a time. Fry on medium heat and
turn frequently till golden brown in colour. If the savoury balls
(pakoras) are taken out of the pan when they are only three-quarters
fried, cooled, and fried a second time they become more crisp than
173
those fried only once. This double frying is however only possible
if the pakoras.are removed from the pan before they are golden
brown and are finally browned when they are fried the second time.
The writer prefers a single frying because the double-fried ones
absorb more fat and become tougher and darker in colour.
Pakoras are a tea-time snack served at parties. Mint chutney or
tomato sauce are the usual accompaniments of the pakoras.
-. PANIR PAKORAS
Indian Cream Cheese Fritters

The same described as under the recipe for the savoury fritters
(page 173).
Ingredients for the panir (Indian cream cheese) fritters (pakoras)

20 slices of panir each 2” by 2” (5 by 5 cm) and }” (1 cm) thick

2 teaspoonful salt 1 teaspoonful powdered dried green
} teaspoonful garam masala mango (amchur)
+ teaspoonful red pepper
Method
For the batter:—The same as described under the recipe for the
savoury fritters.
For the panir (Indian cream cheese):—Cut the panir slab into 20
slices, about 2” x 2” (5 x 5 cm) and 4” (1 cm) thick each. Make a slit
at one edge of each slice, and insert a little salt, red pepper, garam
masala and the ground dried green mango mixed together. Rub the
remaining seasoning over their surface. Dip each piece into the
batter and deep fry a few of them at a time. Fry the panir pakoras
only once as frying a second time makes them tough.
Serve hot with tomato sauce or sweet chutney.
MATAR ALU SAMOSA

Pastry Stuffed with Peas and Potatoes
A samosa is an Indian version of a patty. Unlike the latter how-
ever it is fried and not baked. Samosa is a popular tea-time snack.
SAVOURY DISHES Ey
Ingredients for the pastry
8 ozs (230 g) flour (maida) 2 ozs (60 g) ghee
5 tablespoonfuls water A pinch of salt

1 oz (30 g) ghee 6 ozs (170 g) shelled peas (matar ka
1 oz (30 g) ginger (adrak) dana)
8 ozs (230 g) potatoes 3 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch
1 teaspoonful salt 1 teaspoonful pomegranate seeds
2 teaspoonful garam masala (anardana)
1 tablespoonful chopped coriander 1 dessertspoonful powdered dried
leaves (dhania) or parsley green mango (amchur)
i teaspoonful crushed coriander seeds or
2 ozs (60 g) onions 1 dessertspoonful lemon juice
2 green chillies (sabz mirch)
Ingredient for frying

Ghee or lard
Methed
For the pasiry:—Sieve together the flour and salt. Rub the ghee
into it till the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add water and
mix it to a smooth dough. Knead for 10 minutes and leave it covered
with a wet cloth in a cool place until needed.
For the stuffing:—Boil the potatoes, dip them in cold water, peel
and cut into very small and neat cubes. Chop finely the onions,
ginger, green chillies and coriander leaves. Heat the ghee and fry the
onions. Add ginger, green chillies, peas, salt, and red pepper and fry
for 2 to 3 minutes; mix 4 tablespoonfuls water and cook on slow heat
for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the peas are soft. Then add the
cooked potatoes, chopped coriander leaves, garam masala, powdered
dried green mango, coriander seeds, pomegranate seeds and the
lemon juice. Stir for 4 to 5 minutes, remove from the fire and cool.
For the samosas:—Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces. Shape
them into balls, dredge with the dry flour and roll them out into
rounds as thin as possible. Cut each one of these into 2 halves.
Moisten the edges of the semi-circles formed. Hold one of these from
its two extremes, keeping the arc of the circle downwards, and fold it
over so that they meet each other and form a join opposite the centre
of the arc. Seal the edges with a little paste made from flour and
water. Fill the cone thus formed with a tablespoonful of the stuffing.
Seal the top with the same flour paste, pinch the edge thus formed
and decorate with very small scallops.
Fry in hot ghee till crisp and golden in colour. Serve with mint and
coriander chutney (p. 194).
KEEMA SAMOSA
Pastry Stuffed with Mince

8 ozs (230 g) flour (maida) 2 ozs (60 g) ghee
5 tablespoonfuls water A pinch of salt

1 lb (455 g) minced lean mutton 14 teaspoonfuls salt
1 oz (30 g) ghee 2 ozs (60 g) onions
3 green chillies (sabz mirch) 4 teaspoonful turmeric (huldi)
4 teaspoonful grated nutmeg (jaiphal) 1 dessertspoonful ground dried green
1 tablespoonful chopped fresh cori- mango (amchur)
ander leaves (dhania) or
1 dessertspoonful fresh lime juice
Method
For the pastry:—As described under the samosa stuffed with peas
and potato (p. 174).
For the stuffing:—Wash, clean, dry and mince the meat. Chop
finely the onions, garlic and green chillies. Heat the ghee, and fry the
onions. Add ginger, green chillies, mince, turmeric, red pepper, salt
and nutmeg and fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Cover, put some water on
’ the lid and simmer on slow heat till the mince is cooked. Uncover
and dry the liquid. Remove from the heat, cool and add garam
masala, coriander leaves and the ground dried green mango or lime
juice.
For the samosa:—The same as described under the samosa stuffed
with peas and potatoes. Fry in hot ghee.
Serve with tomato sauce.
SATPURA SAMOSA
Stuffed Flaky Pastry like Sausage Rolls
This is a tea-time snack.
8 ozs (230 g) flour (maida) About } pt (120 to 150 mils) cold water
+ teaspoonful salt to bind
4 ozs (115 g) set ghee
SAVOURY DISHES Lid
3 ozs (85 zg) boiled potatoes 4 teasnoonful salt
1 finely-chopped green chilli (sabz 3 oz (20 g) finely chopped onion
mirch) 1 teaspoonful powdered dried green
4 teaspoonful garam masala mango (amchur)
1 teaspoonful fresh lime juice 4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch)
1 tablespoonful finely-chopped fresh 1 to 14 Ib (450 to 680 g) ghee for
coriander leaves (dhania) frying
Method
For the pastry:—Melt 4 ozs (115 g) ghee and leave to set in a-cool
place. Add a pinch of salt to the flour and sieve. Mix into it thor-
oughly 1 oz (30 g) of the set ghee with the tips of fingers till the mix-
ture is like fine breadcrumbs. Add cold water and mix it to a soft
dough; knead till it is quite pliable, ceases to be sticky and is not
cracking. If necessary use a teaspoonful of the ghee whilst kneading.
Leave it covered over ice in the summer (80 to 105° F) or in a cool
place in the winter (50 to 70° F) for about half an hour.
For the filling:—Boil the potatoes, cut them finely and mix the
finely-chopped onions, green chilli, coriander leaves, garam masala,
salt, red pepper and powdered dried green mango or fresh lime juice.
Use this mixture as a filling.
For the samosas:—Sprinkle dry flour over the pastry dough, knead
and roll it out thinly into a square 12” x 12” (30 x 30 cm). Cut this
into 2 rectangles and roll out each of these separately tiil both these
are 12” x 12” (30 x 30 cm). Cut out 4 rectangular strips of equal
size from each square of the pastry. Spread 4 of the remaining set
ghee over one strip, sprinkle with dry flour and lay another strip over
it. Press it gently with the fingers in order to increase the length of
the strips. Grease the upper surface of the sandwiched strips, sprinkle
a little dry flour and lay another strip over it as before. Treat the
remaining strips in the same way, using the set ghee and the dry flour
every time. Lastly press the pile of strips carefully so that the edges
of the strips do not project. Roll it out into a rectangular strip 3”
(74 cm) wide and 15” (37 cm) long. Cut into 2 halves and roll out
each one of these again into 34” (8 cm) wide, 4” (4 cm) thick and 15’
(37 cm) long strips. Cut each strip into 6 parts. Trim the edge, as
this shows the flakes well after cooking. Roll out each part again till
it is 34” x 24” (8 x6 cm). Place -}; of the filling over the centre of
each piece. Wet the pastry with a little cold water along the line 4”
(1 cm) inside the edge, fold the pastry over and seal by pressing
lightly along the iine previously wetted, i.e. about 4” (1 cm) inside the
edges.
Heat sufficient ghee to cover the samosas in a pan (karahi). When
it is quite hot, place in it the samosas side by side, taking care that
they remain upright with the filling towards the bottom. Fry on very
slow heat, basting every now and then with the hot ghee from the
pan. Remove from the ghee when they are golden brown and keep
in a colander over a plate or a pan so that the extra ghee trickles
down.
When quite dry serve with khatta kabli channas (sour whole Ben-
gal dried peas) or chutney.
KHATTA KABALI CHANNAS

Whole Bengal Dried Peas (Sour)
Ingredients for soaking
8 ozs (230 g) channas (whole Bengal 1 pt (600 mils) water
dried peas) 4 teaspoonful bicarbonate of soda
Ingredients for boiling

8 ozs (230 g) soaked channas +- the 2 ozs (60 g) onions (peaz)
water in which they are soaked 4 oz (15 g) chopped ginger (adrak)
1 chopped green chilli 4 cardamom (illaichi) 1” piece cinna-
4 cloves of garlic (lasan) mon (darchini)
12 peppercorns (kali mirch) 1 teaspoonful salt
6 cloves (laung)
Ingredients for khatta kabali channas

4 ozs (115 g) ghee 4 ozs (115 g) sliced onions (peaz)
8 cloves of garlic (lasan) 1 teaspoonful red pepper (lal mirch)
Channa stock (water separated from Cooked channas
channas) 4 to ? oz (15 to 20 g) dried pome-
4 to 2 oz (15 to 20 g) powdered dried granate seeds (anardana)
green mango (amchur) 3 to 4 sliced green chillies (sabz mirch)
14 ozs sliced ginger (adrak) 4 teaspoonful salt

1 teaspoonful ground roasted black 1 teaspoonful garam masala
cumin seeds (kala zeera) 1 tablespoonful finely-chopped cori-
1 to 2 ozs (30 to 60 g) sizzling hot ghee ander seeds (sukha dhania)

Wedges of tomatoes Cooked small potatoes
A few onion rings A few green chillies
Method
Wash and soak the channas overnight in 1 pt (600 mils) water
containing 4 teaspoonful bicarbonate of soda. Boil them in the same
water and add 1 teaspoonful salt, 2 ozs (60 g) finely-chopped onions,
1 chopped green chilli, 4 oz (15 g) chopped ginger, 4 cloves of garlic,
SAVOURY DISHES 179
4 cardamoms, 2 peppercorns, 1” (24 cm) piece of cinnamon and 6
cloves. Simmer in a pan for about | hour or until tender. An
alternative is to pressure-coofork 7 minutes at 15 lb pressure. Re-
duce pressure immediately by putting a wet duster over the lid. The
channas should remain whole after they are cooked. Separate the
channas from the stock and discard whole spices, ginger, garlic and
onions.
Heat 4 ozs (115 g) ghee. Add 4 ozs thinly-sliced onions and 8
thinly-sliced cloves of garlic. Brown. Remove from the fire, add i
teaspoonful red pepper and then 4 of the stock of the channas.
Cook till the mixture browns, the stock dries up and the onions
become a thick puree. Add the channas and 3 ozs of the channa
stock, stir and simmer on slow fire for 10 minutes, stirring very
carefully, so that they do not break. Mix powdered dried green
mango (amchur), ground roasted pomegranate seeds (anar-dana),
14 ozs (40 g) sliced ginger, 3 sliced green chillies and salt. Leave on
very slow fire for about 15 to 20 minutes so that the flavour of the
spices penetrates the channas. Pour | to 2 ozs (30 to 60 g) sizzling
ghee over the channas.
Serve hot, sprinkled with roasted powdered black cumin seeds
{kala zeera), garam masala and chopped coriander leaves. Garnish
with wedges of tomatoes, cooked potato bits, a few onion rings and
whoie green chillies.
SAMBAR
Hot Lentil Soup
Ingredients for cooking the dal and the vegetables
4 ozs (115 g) split peas (dal harhar) 2 brinjals of long variety (baingan) (4
1 carrot (gajjar) (2 to 3 ozs (60 to 85 g)) ozs (115 g))
1 teaspoonful turmeric (huidi) 14 teaspoonfuls salt
2 pt (480 mils) water 1 teaspoonful ghee
1 potato (2 ozs (60 g))
Ingredients to be added after the dal is cooked

1 oz (30 g) tamarind pulp (imli) A grain of asafoetida (hing) of the
1 teaspoonful coriander seeds (sukha size of a peppercorn (kali mirch)
dhania) 4 teaspoonful white cumin seeds
4 oz (7 g) coconut (zeera sufaid)
Ingredients for seasoning the dal

1 to 2 ozs ghee, cocenut oil or til oil 4 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch)
A few bits of red chillies (lal mirch) 1 teaspoonful mustard seeds (sarson)
8 to 10 small curry leaves (mithi 2 finely-cut green chillies (sabz mirch)
neem) 1 teaspoonful sambar powder
Method
Wash and soak the split peas (dal harhar) in ¢ pt water for half an
hour, boil in the same water with carrot, potato, salt and turmeric
till the split peas become tender. Alternatively pressure-cook at 15
lb pressure for 3 minutes and then allow the pressure to drop by
itself. Discard the carrot and the potato. Cut the brinjal into dice
and put it back into the pan. If other vegetables like marrow or
lady’s finger are used in place of the brinjals cut them also into dice.
Squeeze out the tamarind pulp and add to the boiled dal. Simmer
for 10 minutes. Heat the ghee and fry cumin seeds, coriander seeds,
asafoetida and the coconut. Remove these from the ghee and grind
into a fine paste. In the remaining ghee fry mustard seeds, finely-cut
green chillies and curry leaves or 2 bay leaves and bits of red chillies.
Add the ground paste and cook for 5 minutes. Before serving,
season the dal prepared above with the fried masala and the sambar
powder. If it is thick add a little boiling water and salt if required
and reheat all to boiling point.
Serve hot with dosa or boiled rice.
GOL GAPPAS
Hollow and Translucent Wafers of Flour
Gol gappas are a savoury very popular amongst the people of
India. There is no counterpart of these in British cookery. They are
hollow, translucent and thin like paper. Their shape varies from that
of a convex lens to a sphere of 1” (24 cm) diameter. (Recipe on
p. 183.)
They are never taken alone. In fact the word gol gappa conjures
in one’s mind a number of other accompaniments that go as a rule
withit. The first in this series is the zeera pani (cumin-seeds/tamarind-
juice water). It is made hot by red chillies. The commercial people
add very little of tamarind and use powdered dried green mango (am-
chur) instead as a substitute, in order to reduce the cost. They make
it very hot so that the absence of the tamarind is hardly noticed.
Cooked whole Bengal dried peas (channas), small round fried balls
(pakauries) of ground green beans (dal mung) and potato cubes in
whipped curd are three others in this series. Lastly papries are also
taken with the gol gappas. They are crisp discs of the size of salted
biscuits. In fact these are wafers which do not swell up into gol
gappas.
All these counteract the burning effect of the red chillies in the
praegsates eatve then water on the tongue and have a soothing
effect.
SAVOURY DISHES 181
YOGHURT (CURD) FOR THE PAKAURIES

Ingredients
1} pt (720 mils) yoghurt or curd (dahi) 1 teaspoonful roasted ground white
1 teaspoonful salt cumin seeds (sufaid zeera)
1 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch) 1 teaspoonful garam masala
1 dessertspoonful chopped mint
Method
Whip the curd. Add the spices mentioned above only when it is
about to be served. If the yoghurt or curd is kept long after adding
spices it turns sour quicker than if they are not mixed.
SONTH
Sweet and Sour Dried Mango and Ginger Sauce
Ingredients
4 ozs (i115 g) dried whole green mango 4 pt (300 mils) molasses (gur) or
(amchur) treacle + 1 to 2 ozs (30 to 60 g) sugar
1 pt (600 mils) water + 4 pt (150 mils) 2 Kashmir chillies (without the seeds)
3 teaspoonfuls salt or
i teaspoonful dried ginger (sonth) 3 to 1 teaspoonful red pepper (degi
A little red colouring mirch)
4 teaspoonful garam masala 4 teaspoonful ground roasted white
cumin seeds (sufaid zeera)
Methed
Boil the dried whole green mango (amchur), Kashmiri chillies or
the red pepper and the molasses (gur) in 1 pt (600 mils) water until
the dried mango slices become soft. Alternatively pressure-cook
(15 Ibs) for half an hour and allow the pressure to drop by itself. Pass
through a fine sieve or grind the thick pulp on a stone slab (or use a
mortar and pestle) whilst adding a little water every now and then
till it is finely ground. Add salt, garam masala, ground dried ginger,
white cumin seeds and the colouring. Mix thoroughly. Dilute with
4 pt (150 mils) plain water if the sonth is too thick and add a little
more colouring to make it brick red. Serve with papries (see next
recipe).
PAPRIES
Crisp, Salted and Fried Discs of Flour
Ingredients for 50 papries
4 ozs (115 g) flour (maida) Ghee for frying (lard or clarified
4 teaspoonful melted ghee margarine may be used as sub-
3 tablespoonfuls cold water (14 ozs) stitutes)
Method
For frying the papries:—Make the dough with the flour and cold
water. Grease the knuckles with the melted ghee and knead for
about 10 minutes. Roll out the dough and cut out rounds about
1 to 14” (24 to 3 cm) in diameter. Prick each round with a fork and
fry in hot ghee. Serve with the sonth and whipped curd.
For serving the papries:—Dip 2 or 3 papries in curd (yoghurt) and
another 2 or 3 in sonth (sweet and sour dried mango and ginger
sauce) and place them side by side in a plate. Put a tablespoonful
each of the cooked grams (channas) and cooked diced potatoes over
the papries. Pour a little sonth over the papries already covered with
the yoghurt (curd) and similarly a little yoghurt (curd) over the
papries previously dipped in the sonth. Sprinkle on a little salt, red
pepper, garam masala and roasted powdered white cumin seeds.
Serve immediately.
PAKAURIES
Ingredients
4 ozs finely-ground split green beans Ghee for deep frying (lard or mar-
(dal moong) garine may be used as substitutes)
Salt, red pepper and garam masala to Roasted black cumin seeds (kala
taste zeera) for garnish
Method
Wash and soak the split green beans (the chilka moong dal) over-
_ night in ? pt (480 mils) water containing a pinch of bicarbonate of
soda. Clean and separate the skins from the beans next morning and
grind over a stone slab (or use a mortar and pestle or an electric liquid-
iser). Add a pinch of baking powder (optional) and beat thoroughly
until light. Shape into small balls and deep fry over medium heat
till light brown. When all are done, soak them in the boiling salted
water for 5 to 7 minutes so as to make the pakauries soft. Press
them gently to remove the superfluous fat and the water. Whisk the
curd, add salt, red pepper and the garam masala and keep it in a dish.
Serve the pakauries separately and mix them with curd (yoghurt)
only a few minutes before they are going to be served. If mixed
earlier they absorb moisture from the curd (yoghurt) and look messy.
Sprinkle on a little roasted powdered black cumin seeds, garam
masala and red pepper.
ZEERA PANI
Tamarind and Cumin Seeds Appetiser
Zeera pani is an appetiser which is popular in India from ancient
times. It is supposed to possess some digestive properties and
SAVOURY DISHES 183
therefore it is customary to serve it with meals on festive occa-
sions.
Ingredients for 33 Ib (1-68 kilos) of the zeera pani

4 ozs (115 g) tamarind without seeds 24 to 3 pts (1-6 to 2 litres) water (use
(Gimli) or powdered dried green the smaller quantity if ice is to be
mango (amchur) added for chilling)
4 oz (1S g) fresh mint (podina) or use 3% to 1 teaspoonful red pepper (degi
dried mint as a substitute mirch)
1 tablespoonful ground white cumin 4 teaspoonful garam masala
seeds (sufaid zeera) 24 to 3 teaspoonfuls salt (increase the
4 teaspoonfuls black salt or beet laban quantity by 1 teaspoonful or more if
(kala nimak) the black salt (kala nimak) is not
1 oz (30 g) ground fresh ginger available)
3 to 4 tablespoonfuls fresh lime juice 2 to 24 dessertspoonfuls sugar
A few sprigs of fresh mint 1 Ib (455 g) ice to chill
2 to 3 slices of lemon
Method
Rinse and soak the tamarind in 14 pts (900 mils) water, preferably
overnight. Soaking for a few hours only may be sufficient in a case
of emergency. Separate the pulp from the stones by rubbing with
the fingers; add the remaining water, mix and pass through a fine
strainer. Discard the stones and the fibres. Grind the remaining in-
gredients finely and add to the tamarind juice. Mix well and leave
for at least 2 hours. Strain through muslin or a fine sieve; add lemon
juice and the ice for chilling. Mix in a little more sugar if the zeera
pani tastes too sour.
Serve undisturbed as an appetiser, except if very hot zeera pani is
required. Stir for serving with the gol gappas.
If served as an appetiser garnish with mint sprigs and lemon slices.
GOL GAPPAS
Hollow and Translucent Wafers of Flour
Ingredients
3 ozs (85 g) semolina (suji) 3 ozs (85 g) plain flour (maida)
4 oz (7 g) sieved split-black-bean flour Just under + pt (90 to 150 mils) warm
(urhad dal atta) (1 teaspoonful) water for binding
A little dry flour for dredging Ghee for deep frying
Method
Sieve the flour, semolina and the split-black-bean flour together.
Make a soft dough with three-quarters of the mixed flour and the
warm water; knead hard for 15 to 20 minutes and add the remaining
flour a little at a time till all is used. Leave it covered with a wet
cloth for about 20 minutes. Knead for 5 minutes. Divide the dough
into 3 to 4 parts. Roll one part as thinly as possible with the help of
a little dry flour; cut out small rounds with a plain biscuit cutter and
roll out again each small round separately (this makes the edge even).
If however the dough is divided into small pieces of the size of an
almond, sprinkled with a little oil and each one rolled out separately
the gol gappas swell better than with the first method. Though this
technique gives better results than the other, it requires more time
and skill in rolling.
Spread 2 pieces (3 x 2 ft. or 1 x 4 m) of wet cloth, one over the
other on the kitchen table and place the rolled discs in between the
2 layers of the cloth so that they do not become dry. Roll out all the
discs first, spray a little water over them and leave for about 15
minutes. Deep fry in hot ghee 3 to 4 at a time, taking care to keep
the moistened side downwards. Fried gol gappas are puffed up,
translucent and golden in colour. Drain off the ghee by placing them
on the sieve kept over a plate or on kitchen paper. Do not place
them for cooling directly on a plate or a tray as this makes them
soggy.
To serve:—The gol gappas are served cold. Make a hole by press-
ing at the top gently with the tip of a finger; fill the hollow with 3 to 4
whole Bengal dried peas (cooked channas), 3 to 4 small cubes of
cooked potatoes, $ teaspoonful sonth and a teaspoonful of zeera
pani. They should be taken whole immediately after they are filled.
They lose their crispness and break if they are kept after filling.
NOTE ON POPPADUMS
It has been suggested to me that this book should include a recipe
for poppadums, those paper-thin wafers which are such a pleasant
accompaniment to curry. I feel, however, that the technique is too
laborious for a housewife. In fact good poppadums can be made
only by families who have followed this trade for a couple of gener-
tions, and the work requires great accuracy in rolling out the dough,
dry weather and plenty of sunshine. Ready-made poppadums can be
bought in England in stores that have a good selection of Indian
spices and sundries (see p. 24).
SECTION X
SHARBATS AND SQUASHES
TROPICAL countries are the greatest consumers of soft drinks because
of their climate. Ice-cold drinks are a necessity rather than a luxury
during the hot weather. There are 2 main types of soft drinks avail-
able in India, namely, the sharbats and the squashes. The sharbats
(extracts of herbs, petals of some flowers, bark of some trees, nuts or
fruits incorporated into syrup) are age-old Indian preparations and
are used not only as cooling drinks but also household remedies for
minor ailments. These sharbats should not be confused with what
the Americans call ‘“‘sherbets” which are something similar to ice-
creams. The squash, which is fresh fruit juice preserved in syrup, is
a more recent introduction to the list of soft drinks used in India.
The products ordinarily marketed probably contain very little fresh
fruit juice and are quite expensive. Nevertheless squashes are exceed-
ingly popular with well-to-do people. Home-made squash however
brings the product within the reach of people of moderate means and
at the same time ensures genuine ingredients.
MANGO SQUASH (1} bottles)

Mango is one of the most irresistible fruits. Its juice is so delicious
that for many people it is a favourite beverage with meals. Mango
parties are quite common and many people travel long distances to
reach the mango orchards and enjoy the fresh fruit right from the
trees. There is however one drawback and that is the shortness of the
mango season. This can be overcome by making mango squash
which in spite of the process of bottling retains its original flavour
and has a taste exactly similar to that of fresh mango. The recipe
given below is one for which the writer was awarded First Prize in
the Housewives’/Amateurs Section in the First and the Second All-
India Mango Show (Northern Zone) held in 1955 and 1959 respec-
tively.
Ingredients
1 Ib (455 g) mango pulp 3 pt (480 mils) water
14 Ib (S60 g) castor sugar 4 oz (15 g) citric acid (nimboo ka sat)
3 to 4 small granules or a pinch of (2 teaspoonfuls)
potassium metabisulphite (do not Yellow colouring
use in excess)
185
Method
Mix water, sugar and citric acid and simmer till the sugar is fully
dissolved. Cool. Squeeze the juice out of the mangoes, mix with
the syrup and strain through muslin. Add potassium metabisulphite
dissolved in a littie mango juice and sufficient colouring to give a
deep yellow tinge to the squash. Pour it into sterilised bottles. Cork
with cleaned and sterilised tops and seal with paraffin wax. Store in
a cool dry place.
ORANGE SQUASH (1 bottle)

Orange squash is the most popular of the soft drinks, and is manu-
factured in bulk by several concerns. All the same, it is useful to be
able to bottle a home-made squash and know its contents. The recipe
given below is the one for which the writer was awarded Second Prize
in the Housewives’/Amateurs Section, All-India Citrus Fruit
Exhibition, 1956.
Ingredients
1 pt (600 mils) strained juice 3 small granules of potassium meta-
14 teaspoonfuls citric acid (nimboo ka bisulphite (do not use in excess)
sat) 4 teaspoonful orange flavouring.
4 teaspoonful orange colouring (orange crush)
14 ozs (400 g) castor sugar
Method
Take fully ripe oranges, wash thoroughly and remove the rinds.
Strip the white fibres from the oranges, cut them into halves and
remove the pips. Extract the juice from the cut fruit with a juice
extractor, strain through a thick cloth and collect in a stainless steel
pan. Mix the juice, sugar, and the citric acid; stir till thoroughly dis-
solved and add potassium metabisulphite dissolved in a small
quantity of the juice (to ensure uniform mixing). One oz (30 g) potas-
sium metabisulphite would be sufficient for 100 lbs (45-3 kilos) of the
mixture just to stress the importance of not using too much.
Soak 4 of the golden-coloured peel of one orange in water for half
an hour. Scrape the white pith and wash the peel in 2 to 3 changes
of water. Grind it thoroughly, strain through a thick cloth and mix
into the squash. Add a small quantity of the freshly extracted juice
sacks or cells, 4 teaspoonful orange colouring and } teaspoonful
orange flavouring. Pour the squash into sterilised bottles. Cork with
cleaned and sterilised tops and seal with paraffin wax. Store in a
cool and dry place.
SHARBATS AND SQUASHES 187
LIME OR LEMON SQUASH (15 bottles)

Nimboo pani or fresh lime juice and a little sugar dissolved in
water is a very popular drink in India during the hot weather. Lime
squash prepared according to the undermentioned recipe does away
with the necessity to look for fresh fruit every time one needs a cool
and refreshing drink. It has a much better flavour than the nimboo
pani and the vitamins are not destroyed because the juice is never
heated during preparation of the squash. The recipe given below is
one for which the writer was awarded First Prize in the House-
wives’/Amateurs Section, All-India Citrus Fruit Exhibition, 1956.
The same recipe may be followed substituting lemons for limes.
Ingredients
14 ibs (680 g) sugar 4 small granules of potassium meta-
+ oz (3 g) citric acid (nimboo ka sat) bisulphite (do not use in excess)
(4 teaspoonful) Juice of about 8 to 10 limes (nimboo)
Rind of 8 limes 4 teaspoonful lemon essence
Method
Remove the thin yellow rind from the fruit and put that into a
stainless steel pan. Mix sugar, water and citric acid and boil till they
are fully dissolved. Pour the boiling syrup over the rind in the pan,
cover closely and infuse for 30 minutes. Strain and cool. Add the
juice and strain through a muslin cloth. Mix potassium meta-
bisulphite dissolved in a little syrup and the essence. Pour into
sterilised bottles. Cork with cleaned and sterilised tops and seal with
paraffin wax.
LICHI SQUASH (13 bottles)

Ingredients
3 pt (450 mils) lichi juice (about 2 1b 14 1b (680 g) castor sugar
(i kilo) of lichies are required) 4 oz (15'g) citric acid (nimboo ka sat)
4 pt (300 mils) water (2 teaspoonfuls)
A pinch of potassium metabisulphite
(do not use in excess)
Method
Wash and peel the lichies. Remove the stones. Pass the pulp
through a fine sieve and strain through a muslin cloth.
Add 4 pt (300 mils) water to the leftover pulp and cook over
simmering water for 10 minutes. Strain through a muslin cloth. Add
sugar and citric acid and dissolve over hot water. When fully dis-
solved, place it over direct heat; boil 1 minute and then add the first
lot of the strained juice. Bring it to the boil, remove the scum and
simmer for 10 minutes. Cool, add potassium metabisulphite dis-
solved in a small quantity of the juice. Pour into sterilised bottles.
Cork with cleaned and sterilised tops and seal with paraffin wax.
PHALSA SQUASH (13 bottles)

Blackberry Squash
Ingredients
2 Ib (1 kilo) phalsas (the juice ex- + pt (120 mils) + 4 pt (360 mils) water
tracted is # pt (480 mils)) 14 1b (680 g) sugar
1 teaspoonful citric acid (nimboo ka A few drops of Vitoso or Vino colour-
sat) ing (optional)
A pinch of sodium benzoate (do not
use in excess)
Method
Wash the phalsas in 3 to 4 changes of water and drain. Add + pt
(120 mils) water and place them over hot water for 10 minutes.
Crush the fruit with a wooden spoon and strain the juice through a
muslin cloth.
Add 4% pt (360 mils) water to the leftover pulp; simmer over hot
water for 10 minutes. Strain, and mix the sugar and citric acid and
simmer over slow fire till it is fully dissolved and then boil the syrup
to one-thread consistency. Add the phalsa juice and boil 1 minute.
Remove all the scum over the top of the boiling syrup, strain, cool
and add sodium benzoate and a few drops of Vitoso colouring if
required. Pour into sterilised bottles, cork with cleaned and boiled
stoppers and seal with paraffin wax.
PINEAPPLE SQUASH (14 bottles)

Pineapple (ananas) has a delightful taste and is a very suitable
soft drink for serving in parties.
Ingredients
} pt (480 mils) pineapple juice (pine- 4 oz (7 g) citric acid (nimboo ka sat)
‘apple 2 lb (1 kilo) in weight) 13 pt (480 mils) water
3 to 4 granules of potassium meta- 14 lb (680 g) sugar
bisulphite (do not use in excess) 1 teaspoonful pineapple essence
Method
Wash and peel the pineapple, remove the eyes and keep all the
scrapings together. Slice and cut the pulp into small pieces and pass
them through a food masher or a juice extractor to take out the
SHARBATS AND SQUASHES 189
juice. Collect all the squeezed-out pulp, the eyes and the skin scrap-
ings, add } pt (480 mils) water and simmer on slow fire till the juice
is extracted from them. An alternative method is to pressure-cook
for 15 to 20 minutes at 5 Ib pressure and allow the pressure to drop
by itself. Strain the juice and make up to 3 pt (480 mils) by adding
water. Mix 14 Ibs (680 g) sugar and } oz (7 g) citric acid and simmer
till they are dissolved. Boil the syrup rapidly to one-thread con-
sistency. Mix the pineapple juice and boil the syrup for 2 to 3
minutes. Remove from the fire, strain and cool. Add pineapple
essence and the potassium metabisulphite dissolved in a small
quantity of syrup. Pour the squash into sterilised bottles and cork
with cleaned and boiled tops and seal with paraffin wax.
SHARBAT BADAM (1 bottle)

Almond Sharbat
Almonds mixed with kernels of melon seeds is an age-old Indian
drink. In addition to being a refreshing drink it is considered highly
useful in improving intellectual capacity. The conventional method
consists in grinding the ingredients and preparing the sharbat, which
has to be made fresh every day just before it is to be served. The
method described below however eliminates this tiresome procedure
and enables one to prepare and store the sharbat.
Ingredients
4 ozs (115 g) almonds 14 lb (680 g) sugar
or + + 3 (300 + 480 mils) water
2 ozs (60 g) almonds + 2 ozs (60 g) 14 dessertspoonful ruh kewra
4-magaz (kernels of sweet melon, or
water melon, cucumber and pump- 4 drops of kewra essence
kin) 3 to 4 small granules of potassium
8 green cardamom (illaichi) metabisulphite (do not use in
4 teaspoonful almond essence excess)
Method
Soak the almonds overnight in cold water sufficient to cover them,
peel the skins and grind (use a stone slab or a mortar and pestle that
does not smell of spices) into a smooth paste whilst adding 4 ozs
water every now and then. Strain the almond paste through muslin.
Grind the leftover paste with 3 oz water, strain and repeat this
process a second time. Then grind the left-over almond pulp using
3 pt (450 mils) water. Strain; mix sugar, stir and cook on slow fire
till the syrup thickens to one-thread consistency, add 4 pt ground
almond juice and the extract of the cardamoms prepared by grinding
them along with their skins and a little water. Simmer and remove
the scum over the boiling syrup. Boil for a minute or two; remove
from the fire. Strain through muslin and cool. Add ruh kewra or
essence, the almond essence and potassium metabisulphite dissolved
in a small quantity of syrup. Pour into sterilised bottles and cork
SHARBAT SANDAL (1 bottle)

Sandalwood Sharbat
Sandalwood sharbat is supposed to be very effective in counter-
acting heat effects during hot weather.
Ingredients
1 oz (30 g) sandalwood powder + 4pt 14 dessertspoonfuls ruh kewra
(300 mils) water or
14 1b (680 g) sugar + # pt (450 mils) 4 drops kewra essence
water
Method
Soak the sandalwood powder overnight in 4 pt (300 mils) water.
Extract the flavour by simmering in a pan with a tight-fitting lid for
about one hour. Or pressure-cook for 10 minutes at 15 lb pressure
and allow the pressure to drop by itself. Strain twice through 3 to 4
layers of muslin. Mix 14 lb sugar in ? pt water and cook till the
syrup thickens to one-thread consistency. Add the extract of sandal-
wood powder and cook again to one-thread consistency. Remove
from the fire, cool and add ruh kewra or essence. Pour the sharbat
into sterilised bottles and cork with cleaned and boiled tops and seal
with paraffin wax. Store in a cool and dry place.
SHARBAT GULAB (1 bottle)

Rose Sharbat
Rose sharbat is prepared by incorporating the watery extract of
the rose petals into syrup. It is supposed to counteract heat effects.
Ingredients
1 oz (30 g) dried rose petals + 4 pt 4 ozs (115 g) ruh gulab No. 500
(300 mils) water or 2 ozs (60 g) rose water
14 Ib (680 sugar + } pt (480 mils) A pinch of potassium metabisulphite
water (do not use in excess)
A few drops raspberry colouring
Method
Soak cleaned petals overnight in 4 pt (300 mils) water. Strain.
Simmer the left-over petals in } pt (450 mils) water on slow fire for
15 to 20 minutes. Strain. Make up the extract to 3 pt by adding
SHARBATS AND SQUASHES 19]
water. Mix sugar and cook till the syrup is of one-thread consistency.
Remove the scum, strain, cool and add ruh gulab colouring and
potassium metabisuiphite dissolved in a small quantity of the
extract. Pour into sterilised bottles, cork with cleaned and boiled
stoppers and seal with paraffin wax.
SHARBAT LOVE-O (1 bottle)

Love-O and the khas sharbat, unlike the preceding ones, are made
from essences. Love-O has a flavour similar to that of Vimto. It is
easily made and is a useful soft drink for day to day use. It is very
much liked by children because of its deep purple colour. It is very
suitable for large gatherings as it can be easily prepared and stored in
advance.
Ingredients
14 Ibs (680 g) sugar 24 teaspoonfuls Vitoso colouring
4 oz (7 g) tartaric acid (Clayton & Jowett) or
2 teaspconfuls Love-O essence (Atlas 1 teaspoonful Vino + 14 teaspoonfuls
Co.) of raspberry colouring (W. J. Bush
2 pt (480 mils) water & Co.)
Method
Mix sugar, water and tartaric acid and simmer till they are fully
dissolved. Boil the syrup rapidly to one-thread consistency. Cool.
Add colouring and the essence. Pour into sterilised bottles and cork
SHARBAT KHAS (1 bottle)

Ingredients
13 lb (680 g) sugar 1 teaspoonful khas essence (Atlas Co.)
pt (480 mils) water 1 teaspoonful green colouring
Method
Prepare syrup with 14 lbs (680 g) sugar and } pt (480 mils) water.
Boil it to one-thread consistency. Remove from the fire; cool. Add
essence and colouring. Pour into sterilised bottles and cork with
cleaned and boiled stoppers and seal with paraffin wax.
SECTION XI
PICKLES AND CHUTNEYS
PICKLES and chutneys are a necessary accompaniment of the cooked
pulses (dals) which are a part of most Indian meals whether of the
rich or the poor. They enhance the taste of the dals. Their use is
almost essential in thé tropics during the hot weather when human
physical activity comes down to a low level and consequently flow of
the digestive juices is inhibited. The pickles and chutneys stimulate
the appetite and promote digestion. As these are taken more often
than not with the dals which are rather bland it is necessary to make
them hot and pungent by using mustard as a pickling agent. In
England, however, pickled vegetables are taken with snacks and cold
lunch and therefore it is desirable that they are neither very hot nor
pungent. Hence they use vinegar in place of mustard as a pickling
agent.
NIMBOO KA ACHAR
Lime Pickle
This is the most popular of the pickles. It is a household remedy
for counteracting indigestion. The recipe described below is one for
which the writer was awarded First Prize in the House-
wives’/Amateurs Section of the All-India Citrus Fruit Exhibition,
1957.
Lime Pickle
Ingredients
8 ozs (230 g) fresh limes 4 oz (7 g) brown mustard seeds
2 ozs (60 g) salt (sarson)
4 pt (240 mils) mustard oil (sarson ka 4 oz (15 g) whole red chillies
teil) 4 oz (15 g) sliced green chillies (sabz
A grain of asafoetida (hing) of the mirch)
size of a peppercorn 4 oz (7 g) ground fenugreek seeds
1 heaped teaspoonful of chilli powder (methrai seeds)
(lal mirch) Juice of 6 limes
4 ozs (115 g) sliced ginger (adrak) 14 ozs (40 g) salt
Method
Wash and dry the limes with a clean dry cloth. Make 4 cuts in
each lime, rub the salt all over and insert into the cuts. Keep in a jar
for about 2 to 3 weeks and shake every alternate day.
192
PICKLES AND CHUTNEYS 193
Heat the oil till blue haze appears. Remove from the fire, add
asafoetida (hing) and crush with the back of a spoon when it swells
up. Add chilli powder and heat till the red colour comes out but it
is not burnt. Take the pan off the fire, add brown mustard seeds
(sarson) and stir till it is cooked. Add ginger (adrak), green chillies
and the limes cut into 4 pieces. Simmer till the ginger and the limes
are a little tender. In the meantime broil the fenugreek seeds on a hot
griddie (tawa) and then grind. Also take out the juice of six limes.
Add both these to the cooked pickle, stir and simmer for 2 to 3
minutes. Remove from the fire, cool and pour into a sterilised screw-
capped glass jar. Cover and tie a piece of muslin around the neck of
the bottle. The Indian housewives can store it in a glazed clay
(biyam) jar.
NAVRATTAN ACHAR
Mango, Gooseberry and Onion Pickle
Ingredients
1 to 14 pts (600 to 720 mils) mustard oil 4 ozs (115 g) salt
14 teaspoonfuls red pepper 12 ozs (340 g) mango cut into slices or
4 ozs (115 g) karondas (gooseberry) fancy shapes
4 ozs (115 g) ginger cut into slices and
or Small strips of mango skin folded into
Thin strips folded into fancy shapes fancy shapes
2 ozs (60 g) aniseeds (sonf) 1 oz (30 g) fenugreek seeds (methai
4 oz (15 g) nigella (kalonji) seeds)
4. oz (15 g) dried whole red chillies 1 teaspoonful ground brown carda-
A small grain of asafoetida (hing) of moms
the size of 3 peppercorns 14 teaspoonfuls turmeric (huldi)
4 ozs (115 g) button onions (small 4 oz (7 g) crushed black peppercorns
onions)
Method
Wash, pare and dry the mangoes. Scrape the ginger. Peel, wash
and dry the button onions; wash, dry and wipe the karondas. Cut
ginger and the mangoes into thin slices 3” x 2” (1 x 5 cm), or into
fancy shapes. The mango skins can be cut into strips 3" x 33”
(2 x 9 cm) and folded into triangular fancy shapes (samosa-like or
as betel leaf is folded). Sift and clean the aniseeds, nigella (kalonji)
and the fenugreek seeds and crush them. Heat the oil to smoking
point. Remove from the fire, add asafoetida and when it swells,
crush with a spoon. Add red pepper and turmeric and stir for 2 to
3 minutes; then add crushed aniseeds, kalonji and the fenugreek
seeds. Stir and add mango slices, ginger slices, whole karondas
N
(gooseberry), button onions, green chillies, red chillies, crushed black

peppercorns and the salt.
Stir and pour into sterilised jars.
NAVRATTAN CHUTNEY
Spicy Mango Chutney
Mango chutney is the most popular of the sweet and sour chutneys.
Ingredients
1 lb (455 g) grated mangoes + teaspoonful crushed peppercorns
4 pt (120 mils) water 5 teaspoonfuls salt
4 teaspoonful ground cloves (laung) 1 teaspoonful ground cinnamon (dar-
4 bay leaves (tejpattars) chini)
2 ozs (60 g) dried dates (chawara) 4+ teaspoonful ground nutmeg or mace
2 ozs (60 g) raisins (seeds removed) (jaiphal or javatri)
(munacca) 2 ozs (60 g) toasted almonds (badam)
1 teaspoonful red pepper (degi mirch) 1 lb (455 g) sugar
1 oz (30 g) pistachio nuts (pista) 1 teaspoonful black cumin seeds
Just under 4 pt (90 to 120 mils) vinegar (kala zeera)
1 tablespoonful fresh lime (nimboo) 1 teaspoonful ground ginger (sonth)
juice 4+ teaspoonful crushed brown carda-
mom
Selection of fruits
As described under the mango murabba (p. 198).
Method
Wash and peel the mangoes; pass the pulp through a fine shredder,
using a fine plate. Put the shreds in a stainless steel pan; add 4 ozs
water, the tejpattars and the salt. Cover and simmer on slow fire till
they become a little soft. Stir every now and then to prevent sticking
of the shreds to the bottom of the pan. While the shreds are cooking,
wipe the dry dates and simmer them in 5 ozs vinegar till soft. Or
pressure-cook at 15 lb pressure for 2 minutes and then allow the
pressure to drop by itself. Remove the dates from the vinegar, cool
and shred. Make syrup with sugar and the remaining vinegar, add
cooked mango-shreds, thinly-sliced dried dates, red pepper and
black cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and cardamoms.
Cook till it becomes a thick puree. Add the sliced toasted almonds,
raisins, pistachios and lime juice. Simmer gently until thick. Re-
move from the heat. Cool, and pour into sterilised jars.
PODINA DHANIA KI CHUTNEY

Mint and Coriander Chutney
This is the least expensive and the most easily made of the chut-
neys.
Ingredients
1 oz (30 g) fresh coriander leaves 1 oz (30 g) green mint (sabz podina)
(dhania) 1 oz (30 g) seedless tamarind (imli)
1 green chilli (sabz mirch) 4 teaspoonfuls sugar
i teaspoonful salt 4 tablespoonfuls water .
Method
Wash and soak the tamarind for half an hour in 4 tablespoonfuls
water. Pick and wash the coriander and the mint. Discard the hard
stems but use the tender ones as they are very good for flavouring.
Separate the stones and the fibres from the tamarind and squeeze
out the pulp. Grind the coriander leaves, the stems of the mint and
the green chillies to a fine paste; add tamarind pulp, salt and the
sugar. Mix thoroughly.
ALU BUKHARA CHUTNEY

Dried Plum Chutney
This is a comparatively expensive chutney usually served with
vegetarian meals arranged on formal occasions.
Ingredients
8 ozs (230 g) dried plums (alu bukhara) 4 teaspoonful garam masala
4 teaspoonfuls salt 4 ozs (115 g) gur (molasses)
1 oz (30 g) almonds 1 oz (30 g) dried dates (chawara)
1 oz (36 g) sultanas (kishmish) 1 oz (30 g) pistachio nuts (pista)
1 teaspoonful powdered dried ginger 4 teaspoonfuls vinegar
(sonth) 4 teaspoonful black salt (kala nimak)
1 teaspoonful roasted ground white A few drops of tomato colouring
cumin seeds (sufaid zeera) 14 pt (750 mils) water
Method
Soak the dried plums and the dates overnight in 14 pts (720 mils)
water. Boil them in the same water for 15 minutes. Take off the
fire, cool and separate the dates. Remove the stones from the plums,
mash and pass the pulp through a fine sieve. Add gur (molasses) and
colouring and cook till it is of creamy consistency.
In the meantime blanch the nuts and the sultanas; peel the skins
of the nuts and shred them fine. Remove the stones from the boiled
dates and chop them fine. Mix the shredded nuts, sultanas, cumin
seeds, garam masala, ginger, vinegar, black salt and the chopped
dates into the plum puree. Bring to the boil, add colouring, cool and
pour into sterilised bottles. This chutney, like the coriander and mint
chutney, should be used within 1 or 2 days of its preparation. It can
be stored in a refrigerator for 4 days.
TOMATO CHUTNEY
Ingredients
2 lb (1 kilo) ripe tomatoes A pinch of sodium benzoate
6 cloves of garlic (lasan) 14 ozs (40 g) onions
1 oz (30 g) sugar 2 to 24 teaspoonfuls salt
1 oz (30 g) stoneless dried plums (alu- 1 oz (30 g) sultanas (kishmish)
bukhara) (optional) 2 to 3 tablespoonfuls vinegar (sirka)
1 teaspoonful dried ground ginger 4 teaspoonful red pepper
(sonth) A pinch of tomato colouring
4 teaspoonful nutmeg (jaiphal)
Method
Wash, dry and cut up the tomatoes. Peel and slice the onions and
the garlic. Clean and wash the sultanas and the plums. Put all these
into a stainless steel pan; add salt and the dried ground ginger and
simmer for about half an hour whilst stirring every now and then.
An alternative is to pressure-cook for 10 minutes at 10 lb pressure
and allow the pressure to drop by itself. Pass the mixture through a
fine sieve. Add sugar, vinegar, nutmeg and the red pepper; stir and
cook on medium heat till it is of creamy consistency.
Remove from the heat, cool slightly and add colouring and sodium
benzoate. Pour the sauce into hot sterilised bottles and close them
immediately with corks sterilised in boiling water. Sterilise the
bottled chutney by placing the bottles in a pan containing water
coming up to their necks and simmer the water for about half an
hour. Cool and seal by dipping the neck in melted paraffin wax or
use metal screw-caps with cork washers.
DOSAI CHUTNEY
Yoghurt or Curd Chutney
This is a chutney prepared in the South Indian manner. It is
usually served with dosais.
Ingredients
2 ozs (60 g) coconut (preferably fresh) 2 teaspoonfuls coconut oil or ghee
8 green chillies (sabz mirch) 1 tablespoonful split black beans
2 teaspoonfuls split peas (channa dal) (urhad dal)
1 teaspoonful split black beans (urhad 1 tablespoonful channa dal (split peas)
dal) + 1 teaspoonful channa dal 4 oz (15 g) ginger (adrak)
(split peas) 1 teaspoonful mustard seeds (sarson)
12 to 15 small curry leaves (mithi 14 teaspoonfuls salt
neem) 4 or 5 tablespoonfuls water
8 dessertspoonfuls yoghurt (curd) 1 dessertspoonful fresh lime juice
+ teaspoonful sambar powder (nimboo)
Method
Heat the coconut oil, fry 1 tablespoonful of split black beans

(urhad dal) and | tablespoonful of split peas (channa dal). Remove
them from the oil. Grind the coconut, green chillies, ginger, curry
leaves, fried split black beans (urhad dal) and split peas (channa dal)
and add a little water to make them into a thin paste.
Heat the remaining oil or ghee, fry 1 teaspoonful each of split
black beans (urhad dal), split peas (channa dal) and mustard seeds
lightly and add the ground coconut paste. Stir. Remove it from the
fire, cool and add the beaten yoghurt (curd), lime juice, water, salt
and the sambar masala.
Serve with dosais.
SECTION XII
MURABBAS (FRUIT PRESERVES),

JAMS AND JELLIES
FRUIT preserves (murabbas) of mango and carrot are popular des-

serts, particularly in villages or small towns in India as there are no
facilities for purchasing ready-made sweets. Apple and Varanasi
Amla are some of the other fruits preserved. They are used not only
as desserts but also have the reputation of household remedies for
strengthening the heart muscle.
Anything sugared is very much welcomed in India. Jams and
jellies which in fact were introduced into this country by the British
have become progressively popular because they are comparatively
less sweet and have a slightly sour taste. ‘
AM KA MURABBA
Green Mango Preserve
Recipe No. 1
Ingredients
2 lb (1 kilo) green mangoes 6 drops kewra essence
4 oz (15 g) slaked lime (chuna) or
3 to 4 lb (14 to 2 kilos) sugar 1 tablespoonful ruh kewra
1 teaspoonful tartaric acid (imli ka +4 0z (7 g) alum (phatkari)
sat) 2 ozs (60 g) blanched toasted almonds
+ to 14 pts (480 to 720 mils) water 12 green cardamoms (seeds only)
Method
Obtain large-sized mangoes with the following qualities:—They
should be raw, the cut surfaces of two halves should be whitish and
not yellowish and their pulp should be free from threads. Langra,
sufaida or gola are some of the suitable varieties available in Delhi.
Pare, quarter and prick them all over with a fork. Soak in water
sufficient to cover them, add lime and leave for 6 to 8 hours. Drain
off the lime water and wash in 2 to 3 changes of fresh water. Add
alum and boil the slices till they soften. Drain off the alum water;
wash in 2 to 3 changes of hot water, dry and leave ona piece of cloth
till the syrup is ready.
Mix sugar, water and tartaric acid and boil to one-thread con-
sistency. Remove the scum from the surface of the syrup. Add
198
MURABBAS, JAMS AND JELLIES 199
mango slices and simmer till the syrup thickens and the slices soften
and become slightly translucent. Remove from the fire and leave the
pan covered overnight. Boil it again if the syrup turns thin.
Add toasted halves of peeled blanched almonds, ruh kewra or the
essence and the green cardamom seeds. Pour into dry glass jars, pre-
viously cleaned with boiling hot water. Fill just short of overflowing,
put a disc of 2 to 3 layers of greaseproof or waxed paper over the
mouth of the jar and cover with a screw-cap.
AM KA MURABBA
Green Mango Preserve
Recipe No. 2
The murabba prepared by this method is not as translucent as the
one produced by the previous method. It is however more delicious.
Firstly because the water in which the mango slices are soaked is not
discarded, secondly the water in which they are boiled is not thrown
away and thirdly they are not washed in water after boiling. There-
fore the slices treated in this way retain their natural flavour better
than those prepared with the method adopted in the previous recipe.
The method described below is one for which the writer was awarded
First Prize in the Housewives’/Amateurs Section, Second All-India
Mango Show (Northern Zone) held at New Delhi in July, 1959.
Ingredients
2 lb (1 kilo) mangoes 6 drops kewra essence
14 pt (720 mils) water or
2 ozs (60 g) toasted blanched almonds 1 tablespoonful ruh kewra
1 teaspoonful citric acid (nimboo ka 3 Ib (14 kilos) sugar
sat) 8 green cardamoms (seeds only)
Method
Wash, peel, cut the mangoes into large slices and prick all over
with a fork. Or cut them into fancy shapes and do not prick. Tie the
slices loosely in a piece of muslin, and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes in
14 pt (720 mils) of boiling water. Remove and dry them on a piece
of cloth. Add sugar and citric acid to the water in which mango slices
were boiled. Cook to one-thread consistency (remove the scum from
the surface of the syrup). Add mango slices, simmer till the syrup
thickens and the slices become tender and slightly translucent. Leave
for 12 hours. Remove the slices from the syrup if they are suffi-
ciently tender. Tie the crushed cardamom seeds in a piece of muslin
and add this to the syrup. Boil till it again acquires one-thread
consistency. Remove the muslin containing the cardamom seeds,
squeeze out the juice and discard the seeds. Add mango slices and
peeled halves of blanched almonds and cook for a few minutes more.
Remove from the heat and cool. Add ruh kewra or essence and put
into hot clean glass jars as described in recipe No. 1.
GAJJAR KA MURABBA
Carrot Preserve
Recipe No. 1
Ingredients
1 lb (455 g) carrots (gajjar) + teaspoonful citric acid (nimboo ka
1 lb (455 g) sugar sat)
Method
Select medium-sized carrots of orange colour. Scrape the skin, cut
the carrots into halves if they are large in size and prick them all over.
Boil in } pt (150 mils) water till they become soft. Spread on a clean
cloth.
Dissolve 1 lb (455 g) sugar in the water (make it up to the original
quantity) in which the carrots were cooked, add citric acid and stir.
Cook till the syrup is of one-thread consistency. Add carrots to the
boiling syrup and boil till it is of one-thread consistency again. Re-
move from the fire and leave for 24 hours. Boil so that it regains one-
thread consistency. Pour into dry glass jar as described under green
mango preserve (am ka murabba).
GAJJAR KA MURABBA
Carrot Preserve
Recipe No. 2
Ingredients
1 Ib (455 g) carrots (gajjar) 4 drops kewra essence
4 teaspoonful citric acid (nimboo ka or
sat) 1 teaspoonful ruh kewra
1 lb (455 g) sugar
Method
Select medium-sized carrots of orange colour. Scrape off the skin,
cut into halves and prick all over. Mix sugar and the carrots in a
stainless steel pan and leave them overnight. Next day, heat gently
and cook till the carrots become soft and the syrup thickens to one-
thread consistency. Remove them from the heat, cool, add kewra
essence or ruh kewra. Pour into a hot clean dry glass jar as described
under green mango preserve (am ka murabba).
AM KA LUCCHA
Green Mango Shred Preserve
Recipe No. 1
Ingredients
2 Ib C1 kilo) mango shreds 4 oz (15 g) alum (phatkari) to prepare
+ pt (480 mils) water alum water sufficient to cover the
4oz (15 g) slaked lime (chuna) to pre- mango shreds
pare lime water sufficient to cover 10 to 12 green cardamoms (crushed
tne shreds seeds only)
4 97s (115 g) blanched toasted almonds _1 tablespoonful ruh kewra
A pinch of ground saffron or
2 lo C1 kilo) sugar 6 drops kewra essence
i teaspoonful citric acid (nimboo ka sat)
Method
Select mangoes as described under green mango preserve (p. 199).
Pare and pass through a shredder, using the medium disc (use a
grater in the absence of a shredder). Soak for 2 to 3 hours in lime
water sufficient to cover them. Wash and boil in the alum water till
tender. Remove from the alum water and wash in 2 to 3 changes of
hot water in order to eliminate the traces of alum. Spread over a
clean dry cloth.
Mix sugar, water and citric acid and prepare syrup of one-thread
consistency. Remove from the fire. Add mango shreds and leave
for a few hours. The syrup turns thin; take out the shreds with a
perforated spoon and boil the syrup till it is of two-thread consis-
tency again. Add the shreds, slices of toasted blanched almonds, the
cardamom seeds and the saffron and cook for a few minutes more or
till it is again of two-thread consistency. Remove from the fire, cool,
add rub kewra or the essence. Pour into dry glass jars as described,
under green mango preserve (am ka murabba).
AM KA LUCCHA
Green Mango Shred Preserve
Recipe No. 2
Ingredients
2 lb (1 kilo) mango shreds 1 tablespoonful tartaric acid (nimboo
+ pts (720 mils) water ka sat)
4 ozs (115 g) shredded toasted blanched 12 half-crushed green cardamoms
almonds Th (seeds only)
A pinch of ground saffron . 2 drops kewra essence
3 Ib (14 kilos) sugar or
1 tablespoonful ruh kewra
Method
Select large-sized raw mangoes as described under green mango
preserve. Pare, grate with the help of a shredder using the medium
disc (in the absence of a shredder, see that the shreds are long). Tie
the shreds loosely in a piece of muslin and place this in a pan con-
taining boiling water. Boil for 5 minutes, remove from the water and
spread over a dry cloth. Add sugar and citric acid to the same boiling
water; remove the scum from the surface of the syrup. When it is of
one-thread consistency, add the shreds and continue cooking till the
syrup is of two-thread consistency. Add almonds, cardamoms and
saffron and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes or till it is of three-thread
consistency. Remove from the heat, add ruh kewra or the essence
and pour into dry glass jars before it cools down as described under
green mango preserve. The shreds (luccha) produced by this recipe
taste better than those that result from the previous one because the
syrup is prepared in the water in which the mangoes are previously
boiled.
MANGO JAM
Recipe No. 1
Selection of fruit:—Select mangoes as described under the green
mango preserve (p. 199).
Ingredients
1 lb (455 g) mango pulp 2 tablespoonfuls (nimboo) fresh lime
4 drops of yellow colouring juice
14 to 14 Ib (570 to 680 g) sugar
Method
Pare and slice the green fruit; boil them in water just sufficient to
cover, until they soften. Pass through a coarse sieve and add to the
pulp 13 times its weight of the sugar. If however the mangoes are
very scur, add sugar 14 times the weight of the pulp. Boil the mixture,
stirring constantly till it thickens (222° F). Remove from the fire,
add lime juice and the colouring. Cook again until the temperature
reaches 222° F.
Bottling:—Sterilise wide-mouthed screw-capped bottles and keep
them warm as the jam is poured hot into them. Line the inside of
the tops with wax-paper.
Note:—Jam can be made from other fruits, namely raspberries,
plurns, apricots, peaches, blackberries (jaman) and phalsa. It can be
made from tomatoes also. The procedure is the same as described
above except that the quantity of the sugar has to be varied accord-
ing to the sourness of the fruits.
MANGO JAM
Recipe No, 2
Ingredients
8 ozs (230 g) pulp of fully ripe 2 tablespoonfuls fresh lime (nimboo)
mangoes juice
8 ozs (230 g) pulp of half-ripe mangoes +4 teaspoonful citric acid
12 to 16 ozs (340 to 455 g) sugar 2 to 3 drops of yellow colouring
Method
In selecting fully ripe mangoes do not include the over-ripe ones.
Mix the pulp of the fully ripe and the half-ripe ones. Cook over very
slow fire for 10 minutes. Add sugar and then cook over brisk fire,
stirring constantly, until a teaspoonful of the mixture poured on to a
cold plate jellies quickly or until the temperature reaches 222° F.
Mix in lime juice, citric acid and the colouring and cook for another
5 minutes. Pour it hot into bottles previously sterilised and kept
warm.
RASPBERRY OR GOOSEBERRY JAM

Raspberries grow almost wild in some parts of India.
Selection of fruits: —The fruit used should be ripe and free from
fungus disease. Gooseberries should be golden in colour.
Ingredients
8 ozs (230 g) raspberries (gooseberries) 8 ozs (230 g) sugar
1 tablespoonful fresh lime juice 2 tablespoonfuls water
A few drops orange colouring
Method
Clean and wash the fruit; add water and simmer on slow fire till
tender. Crush the raspberries with a wooden spoon, add sugar and
simmer till it is dissolved. Mix lime juice, add colouring and cook
on quick fire until the temperature reaches 222° F or a teaspoonful
of the mixture poured on to a plate jellies quickly. Remove the pan
from the fire and pour hot into a jar previously sterilised and kept
warm. Cap immediately and cool. Store in a cool and dry place.
MANGO MARMALADE
Recipe No. 1
Ingredients
1 lb (455 g) mango shreds 1 to 14 1b (455 to 680 g) sugar
2 tablespoonfuls lemon juice A few drops yellow colouring
Method
The criteria for the selection of the mangoes required for the
marmalade are the same as described under the green mango pre-
serve (p. 199) except that their pulp should be firm. Raurkela (gola)
available in Delhi is the most suitable for this purpose.
Pare green mangoes, remove the stones and grate the pulp. Peel
the rind of the lemons thinly, cut into shreds and add to the pulp.
Squeeze the lime juice also into the grated mangoes. Add sugar | to
14 times the weight of the mango shreds, and the shredded rind. Boil
gently and stir till it is 222° F or till a teaspoonful of the mixture
poured on to a cold plate jellies quickly. Take the mixture off the
fire while testing, as otherwise it may be overcooked and become too
hard. Remove from the fire, add colouring and stir. Bottle as de-
scribed under the mango jam.
MANGO MARMALADE
Recipe No. 2
Ingredients
8 ozs (230 g) mango shreds 4 pt (240 mils) mango juice
16 to 24 ozs (455 to 680 g) sugar % pt (360 mils) water
2 tablespoonfuls fresh lime juice 4 to 5 drops of yellow colouring
Method
Pare green mangoes, remove the stones and grate the pulp into
fine and long shreds. Take out the juice from the remaining scrap-
ings by passing through a food masher or squeezing in a coarsely
woven khaddar cloth. Add this to the shreds and cook over simmer-
ing water for 20 minutes or till the shreds become a little soft.
Mix sugar and water and make syrup of one-thread consistency.
Add cooked mango shreds, mango juice and the lime juice and cook
the mixture rapidly over medium fire, stirring constantly, till it
reaches a temperature of 222° F. In the absence of a thermometer,
test as described above under recipe No. 1. Remove from the fire,
cool slightly, and bottle as described under the mango jam.
JAMAN JELLY
Blackberry Jelly
Jaman is a kind of blackberry and it grows in plenty in some parts
of India. It cannot be preserved like some other fruits but can be
made use of in preparing jelly.
Ingredients
1 Ib (455 g) jamans (blackberries) 14 tablespoonfuls fresh lime juice
7 to 9 ozs (200 to 255 g) sugar or
4 + 4 pt (150 + 150 mils) water } teaspoonful citric acid
Method
Choose juicy but firm jamans and wash them in 2 to 3 changes of
water. Put them ina stainless steel pan, add 4 pt (150 mils) water and
steam over a pan of boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes or till they
become soft. Crush and cool; strain through 2 to 3 layers of muslin
by using the remaining 4 pt warm water. Determine the weight of
the jaman pulp dissolved in the water by determining the weight of
the stones and the skins left in the muslin cloth and deducting this
from the total weight of the jamans. Add sugar equivalent to the
weight of the pulp and keep on slow fire till it is fully dissolved. Mix
in lime juice and boil rapidly till the temperature reaches 222° F or
a teaspoonful of the mixture poured on to a cold plate jellies quickly.
Pour hot into jars previously cleaned, sterilised and kept warm. Cap
immediately and cool. Store in a cool and dry place.
GUAVA JELLY
Guava grows in plenty in certain parts of India. Its slices can be
preserved but they taste well only if they are freshly gathered. A jelly
prepared from guavas however can be kept for some time without
deterioration.
Ingredients
14 lbs (680 g) guavas (amrud) + pts (720 mils) water
8 ozs (230 g) sugar 2 tablespoonfuls fresh lime juice
Method
Wash, wipe and slice the ripe guavas. Simmer in 1} pt (720 mils)
water until soft and of light pink colour (takes about 3 hours). Strain
as described below.
Invert a stool or a chair without arms on a table and tie a corner
of a square cloth to each of the legs so as to form a shallow depression
or a bay. Keep two bowls ready. Pour the jelly very gently into the
improvised jelly bag without shaking or squeezing (otherwise it be-
comes cloudy) and let it run through. Remove the basin from be-
neath the cloth and replace it carefully by another one.
Return the jelly, which will still be cloudy, to the bag and allow it
to run through again. Repeat the above procedure until the jelly is
clear and sparkling. Cover the jelly and the chair or the stool with
another cloth in order to protect it from dirt and flies. Leave it until
all the liquid has passed through; measure, and for every 4 pt (360
mils) add 8 ozs (230 g) sugar and 2 tablespoonfuls lime juice. Return
this to the pan and boil until a little of the syrup poured on to a cold
plate jellies quickly or cook until the temperature reaches 222° F.
Remove from the fire. Bottle as described under green mango pre-
serve.
KARONDA JELLY
(Gooseberry Jelly)
Ingredients
1 lb (455 g) karondas (gooseberries) % pt (360 mils) water
10 to 11 ozs (280 to 310 g) sugar 1 tablespoonful fresh lime juice
Method
Choose fully developed karondas with reddish skin. Wash in 3 to
4 changes of water; put them in a stainless steel pan, add 4 pt (360
mils) water and steam over a pan of boiling water for 25 to 30
minutes or till they become soft. Mash with a wooden spoon and
cool. Strain through 2 to 3 layers of muslin. Determine the weight
of the pulp of the karondas dissolved in the water by weighing the
pips and the skins left in the muslin bag and deducting this from the
total weight of the karondas. Add sugar equal to the weight of the
pulp and heat on slow fire till it is fully dissolved. Add lime juice and
boil rapidly until the temperature reaches 222° F or a teaspoonful of
the mixture poured on to a cold plate jellies quickly. Remove from
the fire. Bottle as described under green mango preserve (am ka
murabba).
MANGO JELLY
Ingredients
1 Ib (455 g) mango slices 2 tablespoonfuls fresh lime (nimboo)
13 ozs to 1 lb (325 to 455 g) sugar juice
A few drops of green colouring or
3 + 4 pt (450 + 300 mils) water 1 teaspoonful citric acid
Method
Wash, pare and cut the mangoes into slices. Put them in a stain-
less steel pan, add ? pt cold water and simmer for 4 to ? hour or till
they become soft. Cool slightly and strain twice through 2 to 3
layers of a muslin bag by using the remaining } pt water. Determine
the weight of the remnants in the bag and deduct it from that of the
slices. Add sugar equal to 14 to 14 times the remaining weight.
Keep the pan on slow fire till the sugar is dissolved. Add lime juice,
increase the heat and boil rapidly until it reaches a temperature of
220° F. In the absence of a thermometer, test as described above.
Remove from the fire. Bottle as described under the green mango
preserve (am ka murabba).
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The Author
Mrs Balbir Singh was born in the
Punjab, and was fortunate in having
a mother who was an exceptionally
good cook. She (Mrs Singh)
graduated at Punjab University,
Lahore, and it was here that she met
her husband, who is a doctor. They
have a son who ts now studying
electrical engineering.
The family came to England asa
result of aresearch fellowship’s being
offered to Dr Singh, leading to his
taking his Ph.D. at London
University. Mrs Singh decided to
take the opportunity of studying
English Domestic Science methods,
and joined the Polytechnic, Regent
Street, duly obtaining a first-class
pass for the City and Guilds
Diploma in Theory and Practice of
Plain Cookery. She also found time
to attend afternoon or evening
classes in a variety of handicrafts —
leather-work, basket-making,
quilting and others — and to learn
typewriting.
On returning to India she decided
to teach cookery privately at her
own house, and having started with a
nucleus ofsix students she now has
as many as she can cope with,
divided into two groups. She has
won numerous medals and prizes in
All-India cookery competitions.
While she has two domestic helpers,
she still does her own housekeeping.
ISBN 0 263:70019°4
Mills
& Boon Ltd
17-19 Foley Street,
London wiIA IDR
OSC
Cait
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The Book

This is, as will be seen from the table

Mills & Boon

MILLS & BOON LIMITED

ISBN. 0. 263. 70019. 4

Printed in Great Britain by Fletcher & Son Ltd, Norwich

MRS BALBIR SINGH

About Indian Cookery

Indian culinary methods 21

Ingredients for Indian cookery

Roghan josh (mutton curry). 44

Koftas (minced meat balls) ; 50

Kababs (croquettes and roasted meats) 59

Indian Rice Cookery

General information about the technique for cooking rice 80

Indian Vegetarian Cookery

Vegetable curries 101

Eggs and peas with sweet and sour sauce. : F 2 @K16

Stuffed and fried vegetables j : : ; , LOS

‘Kofta (vegetable balls) curries. ; ; : : TO

Rolls of leafy vegetables. : : : : 4 es

Pulses or lentils : 4 3 : : ; : eud2s

Panir (Indian Cream Cheese) Curries

Khat mitha panir (sweet and sour Indian cream cheese). 7,

Chapati or phulka (Indian wholemeal bread) 135

Burfi (dried fresh whole milk or khoa toffee). 146

Kulfi and other ice-creams

Sharbats and Squashes

Murabbas (fruit preserves), Jams and Jellies

Am ka murabba (green mango preserve)—recipe No. 1 198

ABOUT INDIAN COOKERY

Weights and measures

Approximate equivalent Avoirdupois,

Approximate Equivalences Domestic Measures and Metric

INDIAN CULINARY METHODS

the addition of a seeding agent consisting of some lactobacilli and

Fats used for cooking

Clarification of butter or margarine

The use of lard in the preparation of curries

Powders used in cooking

Garam masala used by the Kashmiri chefs

Grind these spices together, sieve and store in an air-tight bottle.

Madras Rasam or sambhar powder

Fry the ingredients separately, grind and mix.

Commercial curry powders

Dahi or curd (yoghurt)

Khoa, granulated (danedar)

INGREDIENTS FOR INDIAN COOKERY

Alum Phatkari Used in preparing white pumpkin sweet (p. 161)

Arrowroot Arrowroot A starchy powder of vegetable nature used in

Asafoetida Hing A gum derived from a Persian plant. Some

Bitter-gourd Karela A vegetable. Shallow fried after stuffing (p. 105).

Charcoal Lakri ka Fuel obtained by burning wood. Charcoal fire

Chilli, green Sabz mirch Used as a flavouring or an appetiser.

Coconut Naryal A large hard-shelled nut with a thick hard white

Colouring- —_— Both these colours are very similar to that of

Cornflour The nearest Cornflour is a finely-ground powder, milled from