BHUNA

Ingredients
chicken breasts, skinned and cut into strips
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garam masala

For the marinade:
6 tbsp natural yoghurt
1 lemon, juiced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
? tsp turmeric
1 tbsp paprika
3 cardamoms, crushed with husk removed
? tbsp salt
1 tbsp ground chilli
1 tbsp cumin
a handful of fresh coriander
For the rice:
2 cups basmati rice, washed well
1 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped
? cinnamon stick
2 cardamom pods
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Method
1. Mix the marinade ingredients together and marinade the chicken for 2 hours.
2. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a pan and fry the onion in a pan.
3. Add the rice, garlic, cinnamon, cardamom and fennel seeds.
4. Add cold water to 1in above the level of the rice and bring to the boil.
5. Boil for 5 minutes and cover with a lid.
6. Turn off the heat and leave for 20 minutes.
7. In a non-stick pan heat the oils and fry the chicken until tender and cooked through.
8. When the chicken is cooked, add the garam masala and chopped coriander and serve with the rice and a warm naan bread.

                                                      BIRYANI

1 lb boneless meat (chicken/lamb), cut in 1 inch strips
2 cups rice, washed and drained
5 cloves garlic
1 inch piece of ginger
5 dried red chillies
2 medium onions, sliced into rings
2 medium tomatoes, diced
5 mint leaves
pinch of saffron (optional)
3 large potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
3 tablespoon butter
3 pods cardamoms
3 cloves
2 inch stick of cinnamon
salt to taste

Make a paste of the garlic, ginger and chillies in a food processor.

Saute the onions in the butter until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the onions, and put them aside. Put the ginger-garlic-chili paste into the same pan used above and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add the meat and saute. Lamb should be sauted for about 7-8 minutes, while the chicken will take about 4-5 minutes. The meat should be about half cooked at the end of this step Add chopped tomatoes, cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms, turmeric, mint leaves and salt and saute for 2 minutes. Add a little water and cook until the meat is almost cooked. Now add the rice and potatoes. Add the rest of the water and simmer covered, on a very low flame for 15-20 minutes, until the rice is cooked. Serve hot, garnished with the fried onions.

Roasted Chickpeas

Chickpeas are easy to roast.  Simply cook them as usual, spice them
and dry them.

Dry them in the oven on a very low setting on a non-stick cookie sheet.


Spices

1. Chili Chickpeas - sprinkle them with chili powder, fresh ground cumin
aand a little salt.

2. Curry Chickpeas - sprinkle with your favorite curry mix and salt.

3. Buffalo Chickpeas - Mix tabasco sauce (or another similar pepper
sauce with some lemon juice (about equal proportions) or a few
crystals of citric acid (that is the acid in lemon juice).  You need
the citric acid or the citric acid from the lemon juice because you
want a tart flavor to the final product.  The vinegar in the tabasco
will evaporate during the drying process.

4. Taco Chickpeas - You guess it - roll them in taco seasoning then dry

5.  Teriyaki - cover with soysauce a little sugar, lots of garlic and
lots of fresh back pepper and dry.

6.  Cajun - Season with your favorite cajun spice mix and dry

Follow this link....it has a few good prawn recipes as well as others -

John

http://www.lankalink.net/cgi-bin/recipes/srilankan/book.cgi?

Naan Bread -  Original recipe yield: 6 good-sized pieces.

INGREDIENTS:
?   2/3 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
?   1 teaspoon active dry yeast
?   1 teaspoon white sugar
?   2 cups all-purpose flour
?   1 teaspoon salt
?   1/4 cup ghee
?   2 tablespoons plain yogurt
?   2 teaspoons kalonji (onion seed)
DIRECTIONS:
1.   Whisk the warm water with the yeast and sugar until the yeast is dissolved. Cover and let stand in a warm place for 10 minutes.
2.   Sift flour and salt three times into a large bowl add the yeast mixture, half of the ghee and all the yogurt. Mix into a soft dough then knead on a floured surface for about 5 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a large greased bowl, cover and let stand in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours or until the dough is doubled in size .
3.   Punch down dough then knead for 5 minutes. Divide dough into 6 pieces. Roll each piece out into 8 inch round naans.
4.   Cover an oven tray with foil and grease the foil. Brush the naan with a little of the remaining ghee and sprinkle with some of the kalonji. Cook naan one at a time under a very hot grill for about 2 minutes on each side or until puffed and just browned.

Recipe: Pakora Dipping Sauce Tamarind
Pakora Dipping Sauce - Tamarind

1/4 pound tamarind pulp
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup water

Soak Tamarind in hot water for about one hour. Drain the tamarind and grind it in a mortar and pestle.

If its already ground, then just mash it and mix other ingredients.

Does anyone have an authentic recipe for restaurant style chicken dhansak ? Most of the recipes that I have tried to date don't even come close .