Achari Tahiri (Mridula Baljekar)

Ingredients (Serves 4):

500g Basmati rice
60ml groundnut oil
30ml perfumed mustard oil
30g mango pickle, chopped

Spices:
5g cumin seeds
10 peppercorns
pinch of saffron
2tsp salt

Vegetables:
100g potatoes, diced
100g carrots, thickly sliced
100g cauliflower florets
100g green peas
100g onions, sliced
15g green chillies, chopped
10g garlic paste

Garnish:
2 green chillies, split
8 fresh coriander sprigs
15g red pepper
15g green pepper

Method:

Wash and soak rice for 30 minutes and drain. Boil water (1.2l) with saffron and salt and keep on simmering.

Heat groundnut oil and mustard oil in a kadai or wok.  Add cumin seeds, peppercorns and garlic paste and stir over a medium heat for 30 seconds.  Add the onions and saute until golden brown.

Add the vegetables, stir, add the mango pickle and saute over a high heat for 2-3 minutes.

Add the boiled saffron water and cook the vegetables for 2 minutes.

Add the soaked rice, bring to the boil and cook for 3-4 minutes.  Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove the lid, arrange the garnish, cover again and steam for a further 5 minutes.

Remove, present the rice in the same kadai, then fork through rice to fluff it up and finally serve with raita.

GALAVAT KE KABAB

Ingredients:

1tbsp sunflower or corn oil
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
500g minced lamb or mutton
1tbsp ginger puree
1tbsp garlic puree
1tbsp coriander leaves and stalks, roughly chopped
1-2 green chillies, chopped
2tbsp natural yoghurt
50g pineapple, roughly chopped
1tsp garam masala
1tsp salt or to taste

Method:

Heat the oil over a medium heat and fry the onions until browned (6-7 minutes), stirring frequently.

Put all the ingredients together in a food processor and blend until smooth.  The Indian way of smoking can be done by arranging the kabab mix in a large metal bowl or saucepan such that you have a small depression in the centre to hold a small bowl with a little oil or ghee in it.  Place a live coal in the bowl and cover the large bowl (which has the kabab mix and the small bowl in it) with a lid.

Keep it covered for 15 minutes. The smoky flavour will permeate the meat beautifully.  You can, of course, make the kababs without smoking the mix or cook them on the barbecue for the smoky flavour.

Mould the kabab mix into small cakes and shallow fry them until browned on both sides (3-4 minutes each side).

I used mustard oil way back almost 30 years ago when I bought my first curry book (Harvey Day) and as I recall it had quite a strong flavour. This is not something I associate with BIR. I imagine there's little likelihood that BIRs use mustard oil not least to keep costs down.

Have never used jaggery but sometimes have used some jiggery pokery  :

Thanks for keeping us up to date Panpot, and I look forward to hearing how you get on next month.

Quote from: nderfel on January 20, 2010, 08:53 AM

Quote from: Stephen Lindsay on January 19, 2010, 10:07 PM
What about making exotic coloured curries - purple or green versions anyone?

Now the question has to be did the Hairy Bikers purple rice pudding prompt the qustion

Funnily enough now that you mention the Hairy Bikers

No they didn't prompt the question ha ha

that looks forking good pforkes!

Put us out of our misery Panpot - did you get to your curry house yesterday?

I have watched this guy's series on UK TV - "Rude Boy Food" and this recipe looks quite tidy.

What about making exotic coloured curries - purple or green versions anyone?