RICH PLUM CAKE


 
 
RICH PLUM CAKE

Serves 6   preparation time 1 hour
Ingredients
300 grams Plain Flour / Maida
300 grams brown Sugar
100 grams powdered white sugar
3 Eggs beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
300 grams butter
1 teaspoon nutmeg powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
3 tablespoons date syrup
300 grams dried fruit
50 grams orange /lemon peel
250 ml Rum or Brandy

Soak the dried fruit and orange / lemon peel in Rum or Brandy for about 1month.
Just before using, strain and mix in 3 tablespoons of flour to it. Keep aside.
Cream the butter, sugar and brown sugar well. Add the beaten eggs, date syrup and vanilla essence and mix well. Add the orange / lemon peel and dried fruits, nutmeg powder and cinnamon powder and mix well Slowly add the flour and fold in well. If the mixture is too thick add a little milk. Pour into a greased and papered baking tin or dish and bake in a slow oven for about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven when done and set aside to cool.
Feed this cake with 2 or 3 tablespoons of rum or brandy every alternate day till just before Christmas. Then leave aside to let the cake absorb the liquor.

OXTAIL VINDALOO


Ox Tail Vindaloo

Serves 6   Preparation time 45 minutes
Ingredients
1 medium oxtail cut into medium pieces
3 onions chopped
3 big tomatoes pureed
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2teaspoons chillie powder
1 teaspoon pepper powder
1 piece cinnamon
2 teaspoons garlic paste
3 tablespoons vinegar
3 tablespoons oil
Salt to taste

Pressure cook the oxtail till tender with sufficient water.  Heat oil and fry the cinnamon and onions till golden brown.  Add the garlic paste and sauté for some time.  Add the chillie powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, pepper powder and fry well with a little water. Add the tomato puree and continue frying till the oil separates from the mixture. Add the vinegar and the cooked oxtail together with the remaining soup and cook till the gravy is thick. Serve hot with rice or bread or even hoppers.

AN ANGLO-INDIAN FESTIVE DINNER PLATTER - SAVOURY CHICKEN ROAST, MASH POTATOES, BUTTER FRIED CAULIFLOWER STEAMED GREEN PEAS AND GRILLED TOMATOES


AN ANGLO-INDIAN FESTIVE DINNER PLATTER  - SAVOURY CHICKEN ROAST, MASH POTATOES, BUTTER FRIED CAULIFLOWER, STEAMED GREEN PEAS AND GRILLED TOMATOES
I demonstrated and cooked this wonderful Anglo-Indian Festive Platter at  a Cooking Demonstration on EPIC TV recently. The Episode is part of a new History Channel depicting old Cuisines that are now slowly getting extinct due to the fast pace of present day life and the fad for Fast Foods and instant mixes.
1. SAVOURY CHICKEN ROAST
An old Anglo-Indian Favourite that is so easy and quick to prepare
Serves 6           Preparation Time 45 minutes
Ingredients
1 kg chicken jointed into fairly big pieces
2 teaspoons lime juice or vinegar
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
2 dry red chillies broken into bits
4 tablespoons Butter
Salt to taste
2 teaspoons whole pepper corns
2 onions chopped into big chunks
Heat the butter in a suitable pan and add the chicken pieces and all the other ingredients. Mix well and stir fry on high heat for a few minutes till the chicken changes colour. Add a little water and simmer on low heat till the chicken is tender and the water dries up. Keep roasting on low heat for a few more minutes till the chicken pieces are nicely browned. Serve with Mashed Potato and Bread. 

2. MASH POTATOES
finger licking Potato Mash that never goes out of fashion and can be eaten at any meal as an accompaniment to any dish
Serves 6   Preparation Time 45 minutes
Ingredients
4 large potatoes                     
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoon pepper powder    
Salt to taste
2 teaspoons Cream Cheese (optional)
Wash the potatoes and cook till soft. Remove the skins and mash well.  Add the butter, (Cream cheese) pepper and salt and mix well.
erve with toast and Roast Beef, Roast Chicken or any baked dish.

3. BUTTER FRIED CAULIFLOWER
A simple vegetarian dish prepared with simple ingredients. The Bay Leaves, pepper and butter combine together to give this dish prepared with cauliflower a truly distinctive and royal taste.
Serves 6    Preparation and cooking Time 20 minutes
Ingredients
1 medium size cauliflower cut into medium size florets
1 teaspoon black pepper powder
2 dry red chillies broken into bits
2 tablespoons butter
2 Bay leaves
Salt to taste
Soak the cauliflower for 1 hour in warm salt water. Drain and rinse. Par boil the cauliflower in a little water for 5 minutes, then drain. 
Heat the butter in a pan. Fry the Bay leaves and red chillies for a few seconds. Add the cooked cauliflower, salt and pepper and mix well. Fry on low heat for a few seconds till the cauliflower soaks in the flavours, then turn off the heat.
Serve as a side dish with Chicken or Beef Roast

4. STEAMED GREEN PEAS
An old time favourite, the fresh green peas add a dash of colour to this Platter
Serves 6   Preparation time 15 minutes
Ingredients
200 grams fresh green peas or frozen peas
Salt and pepper to taste
Boil the green peas in sufficient water till just tender. Drain and season with a little pepper and salt to taste. Serve as a side dish  with Roast

5. GRILLED TOMATOES
Adding a dash of colour to the platter, these grilled tomatoes can be served with bacon and eggs and almost any roast dish
Serves 6  Preparation Time 15 minutes
Ingredients
4 medium size ripe tomatoes
2 teaspoons butter or oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Slice each tomato into 3 or 4 slices evenly. Heat the butter in a suitable pan. Add the tomato slices. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the slices. Fry the tomato slices for a few minutes on each side, then remove from the pan. Care should be taken not to over fry the tomato slices.

 

 

SIMPLE CABBAGE FOOGATH


The word ‘Foogath’ is the generic name for the vegetable dry side dishes served at lunch time. Vegetables such as beans, cabbage, cauliflower, greens, etc, are par boiled then tempered with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red or green chillies, fresh grated coconut and curry leaves. Here is an easy recipe for Cabbage Foogath



Serves 6   Preparation time 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 medium size fresh cabbage chopped finely
3 green chilies chopped
1 onion sliced
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
½ cup grated coconut (optional)
1 tablespoon oil
Salt to taste
Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard, garlic and curry leaves. When the mustard starts spluttering, add the chopped onion and green chilies and fry till the onions turn slightly brown .Add the Cabbage and salt and mix well. Cover and cook for about 6 to 7 minutes till the cabbage is soft. Add the grated coconut and mix well.

BRIDGET WHITE-KUMAR – AUTHOR AND FOOD CONSULTANT


















BRIDGET WHITE-KUMAR – AUTHOR AND FOOD CONSULTANT
Bridget White-Kumar is a Cookery Book Author, Food Consultant and Culinary Historian. She has authored 7 Recipe books on Anglo-Indian Cuisine. Her area of expertise is in Colonial Anglo-Indian Food and she has gone through a lot of effort in reviving the old forgotten dishes of the Colonial British Raj Era. Her 7 Recipe books are a means of preserving for posterity, the very authentic tastes and flavours of Colonial ‘Anglo’ India, besides recording for future generations, the unique heritage of the pioneers of Anglo-Indian Cuisine.  
Her Recipe book ANGLO-INDIAN CUISINE – A LEGACY OF FLAVOURS FROM THE PAST was recently selected as ‘Winner from India’ Under the Category: ‘BEST CULINARY HISTORY BOOK’ (COUNTRIES) by GOURMAND INTERNATIONAL SPAIN, GOURMAND WORLD COOK BOOKS AWARDS 2012
Bridget is also an Independent Freelance Consultant on Food Related matters. She has assisted many Restaurants, Hotels and Clubs in Bangalore and elsewhere with her knowledge of Colonial Anglo-Indian Food besides helping them to revamp and reinvent their Menus by introducing new dishes which are a combination of both Continental and Anglo-Indian. Many of them are now following the Recipes and guidance given by her and the dishes are enjoyed by both Indian and Foreign Guests.
Bridget also conducts Cooking Demonstrations and Workshops at various places across the country such as Clubs, Restaurants, Women’s Groups, Corporate Offices, etc.She is always ready to share and talk about Recipes and Food.
She can be contacted on +919845571254 or email bridgetkumar@yahoo.com
http://bridgetkumar.wordpress.com
http://anglo-indianfood.blogspot.com
http://anglo-indianrecipes.blogspot.com
http://bridgetrecipes.blogspot.com
http://angloindianfood.wordpress.com


JALFRAZIE CHICKEN

Jalfrazie is a sautéd dish, which can be prepared with meat, poultry, sea food etc.
The word “Jalfrazie” came from 2 words: “Jal” meaning “spicy or pungent” and “Frazie” meaning “Fried”. As in the case of almost all of our cuisine, which started out as insipid concoctions, in the days of the British Raj, the original “Jalfrazie” was bland and tasteless. The Colonial servants would fry up the leftover Christmas Turkey and Chicken Roasts with some pepper, chillies, etc., for Breakfast the next day. Over the years many more ingredients and spices were added to this dish to make it as spicy and delicious as it is today and it has become synonymous with the cuisine of West Bengal.

Serves 6 Preparation Time 1 hour
Ingredients

1 kg Boneless Chicken cut into cubes
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 dry red chillies broken into bits
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon ginger paste
3 tomatoes chopped
2 onions sliced finely
1 teaspoon spice powder or garam masala powder
1 teaspoon peppercorns
3 tablespoons oil
Salt to taste

Heat oil in a suitable pan and add the cumin seeds. When they begin to splutter add the dry red chillies, onions and pepper corns and fry till golden brown. Add the chicken and sauté for a few minutes till it changes colour. Now add all the other ingredients and stir well. Simmer on low heat till the chicken is tender and the gravy dries up. Serve with rice and pepper water or even chapattis or bread.

GRANDMA'S COUNTRY CAPTAIN CHICKEN

Grandma’s Country Captain Chicken was a very popular dish during Colonial times. In those days, the poultry used in its preparation were authentic well-fed, homegrown country chickens, which would take at least 2 hours to cook over a firewood oven, but the curry when done, would be rich and delicious. Legend has it, that this wonderful curry dish was first prepared by the grandmother of a British Army Captain especially for her favourite Grandson using her own home grown Country Fowls. Hence the name Grandma’s Country Captain Chicken
However, there's another version which says that this particular dish was cooked by the Moghs making use of the water fowls and ducks on the Country River steamers playing between Bengal and Chittagong and other parts of Burma. It was purported to be served as a special dish at the Captain's table for his special guests which could have been the British Officers at the time.

Grandma’s Country Captain Chicken
Serves 6 Preparation Time 30 minutes

1 kg chicken cut into medium size pieces
3 large onions sliced finely
2 teaspoons chilly powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 tablespoons oil
salt to taste
2 tablespoons garlic paste
2 sticks cinnamon
4 cloves
2 cardamoms
6 or 8 whole pepper corns
1 Dry Red Chillie broken into bits
2 teaspoons chopped garlic

Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions and chopped garlic lightly. Add the chicken and mix in the garlic paste. Saute for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Add the chilly powder, turmeric powder, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, red chillie, pepper corns and salt. Add ½ cup of water and cook till the chicken is tender and the gravy is quite thick.

Ps. This recipe can be adapted to meat as well. Left over Beef or Lamb Roast can be made into a delicious County Captain Fry or a cold meat curry if desired.

DAK BUNGALOW DRY CHICKEN FRY
















1 kg chicken cut into medium size pieces
2 onions sliced finely
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon chilly powder
Salt to taste
½ teaspoon spice powder or garam masala powder

Wash the chicken and marinate it with the salt, chilly powder, turmeric powder and spice powder for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile heat oil in a pan and sauté the onions to golden brown. Toss in the marinated chicken pieces and mix well. Close the pan with a lid and cook on slow heat for about 15 minutes till the chicken is cooked.

Heat a tablespoon of ghee or butter and add a few curry leaves and 3 broken dry chillies and fry for a few minuts. Add this to the chicken and fry till all the gravy dries up and the chicken is dry. Serve with bread or pepper water and rice.

TANGY MEAT FRY OR MEAT PULI FRY (Meat cooked with Tamarind)



TANGY MEAT FRY OR MEAT PULI FRY (Meat cooked with Tamarind)
An easy and quick dish to prepare and is an old Anglo-Indian favourite. Cooked in a tamarind base, the curry / fry tastes even more delicious the next day if eaten with Hoppers or Dosas

Serves 6     Preparation Time 45 minutes
Ingredients:
½ kg mutton or beef cut into medium size pieces     
2 big onions sliced
½ teaspoon coriander powder
2 teaspoons chillie powder
1teaspoon ginger garlic paste
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons oil
½ cup thick tamarind juice

Wash the meat and mix it with the ginger garlic paste, salt, coriander powder and the chillie powder. Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions till golden brown.  Add the meat and mix well.  Fry for a few minutes. Add sufficient water and cook on medium heat till the meat is tender. Add the thick tamarind juice and mix well. Keep frying till the gravy is very thick and dark brown.
Serve with steamed white rice or Hoppers

 

THE RATION BOX / PROVISION CHEST IN THE OLDEN DAYS



 
Another kitchen appendage that has also disappeared with the older generation is the ‘Wooden Provision or Ration Box / Chest which occupied pride of place in the passage just outside the kitchen door. This Provision Chest / Box  was about 5 feet in height and 4 feet in breadth and housed tins of the various provisions and condiments that were required for Anglo-Indian cooking.  It was divided into many compartments for rice, and dry provisions such as Dhal / Lentils, Red Chillies, Cumin seeds, coriander seeds, spices, jaggery, etc. While these ingredients / provisions, gave out their own unique smells, a combination of all of them together was just heavenly. The smell from my Nana’s Provision Box still lingers in my mind even after all these years!!
In the old days, kitchens were warm and cozy places, with a pot of stew or soup always on the hob so that a meal was always ready to be served to anyone who dropped in. Most Anglo-Indian ladies were excellent cooks and were adept in baking a variety of cakes and pastries. The enticing aromas of food cooking on the hobs and cakes baking in the ovens were always part of an Anglo-Indian Home.
Sadly all these old appendages such as the Ration Box / Provision Chest, Meat Safes, Meat Mincers, Coconut Scrapers, Wood and coal fired ovens, etc are slowly fading into oblivion.

THE MEAT SAFE / FOOD SAFE - A COMPULSORY PIECE OF FURNITURE IN ANGLO-INDIAN HOMES IN THE OLDEN DAYS




A meat safe was a compulsory piece of furniture in Anglo-Indian homes in the olden days and every family a couple of them. The Meat Safes were wooden storage cupboards with wire mesh on all four sides. The cooked food and milk and vegetables was usually stored in them to keep fresh over night  as there were no refrigerators at that time. The ‘Meat Safe or Food Safe’ was also quite necessary to protect the food from cats, mice, and insects as well. In order to deter ants from crawling up and attaching the food, The four legs of the Meat Safe was placed in four small containers of water or ant powder. It was as if the Food was protected by a moat.
The Meat Safe or Dooley is now a part of history as it is rarely seen in homes these days.

BRIDGET WHITE-KUMAR -FEATURE IN THE LUCKNOW TRIBUNE 17TH JULY 2013

Her Most yummy mummy! 17 Jul 2013

The Lucknow Tribune Team
Bridget White-Kumar was born and brought up in a well known Anglo-Indian family in Kolar Gold Fields, a small mining town in the erstwhile Mysore State now known as Karnataka in South India.Kolar Gold Fields or K.GF as everyone knows, had a large and predominant British and Anglo-Indian population. Her life too was influenced to a great extent by British colonial culture.




In her own words Bridget tells The Lucknow Tribune that her food habits are typical Anglo-Indian.Breakfast was normally a bowl of oats porridge, toast with butter, jam and eggs. Sundays saw sausages, bacon or ham on the breakfast table. Lunch was a typical Anglo-Indian meal and consisted of steamed rice, beef curry with vegetables, pepper water or dhal curry, and a vegetable foogath or side dish. Dinner was always bread or dinner rolls with a dry meat dish. It was an unwritten rule that no one ate rice for dinner. We normally had either beef or mutton every day, fish invariably on Wednesdays and Fridays and Pork or Chicken or Fowl on Sundays.
My mum was en exceptional cook and even the most ordinary dishes cooked by her tasted delicious. She was very versatile and imaginative when it came to cooking. She would improvise and turn out the most delicious curries and side dishes with whatever ingredients were on hand. Every dish she prepared was delicious even if it was just basic rice and meat curry that was cooked every day. Mummy had a procedure for everything. The onions had to be thinly sliced and the green chillies and coriander leaves chopped finely. Even the tomatoes for the curry were scalded first and the skin removed, then chopped into bits and strained through a sieve so that only the pulp was used and the seeds and skin thrown away!
While everyday lunch was considered simple, lunch on Saturdays and Sundays was special. Saturday lunch was invariably yellow coconut rice, mince ball curry or bad word curry as the word ‘ball’ was considered rude or a slang and was served with Devil Chutney. My mind still recalls and relishes the taste of the mince ball curry and coconut rice that my mum prepared on Saturdays for us. On Saturdays we had only half-day school so we were home by 12.30 pm, ravenously hungry and assailed by the delicious aroma of coconut rice and the tasty mince ball curry even before we reached our gate.The mince for the ball curry, had to be just right, so the meat either beef or mutton was brought home fresh from the butcher shop. It was cut into pieces, washed and then minced at home and formed into even sized balls. Then it was dropped into the boiling curry, simmered till the mince balls were cooked and the gravy reached the right consistency.
The yellow coconut rice was always prepared with freshly squeezed coconut milk, a few whole spices, bay leaf and butter. This delightful rice preparation formed the perfect mild subtle base of our Saturday Special Anglo-Indian Meal.
As a child I would always try and help my mum to chop vegetables and onions, mince the meat or help her stir the delicious curries that she cooked for us. I would be the first person to help my mum churn the batter and cut the fruit for the Christmas cakes and puddings and help to roll out and form the Kul Kuls and other delicacies at Christmas time.In a way, my mum greatly influenced my passion for cooking and encouraged me to do things myself. My favourite past time was to cut out recipes from old magazines and paste them in my scrap book. My hobby was to try out the old recipes from my mum̢۪s handwritten recipe books.
Some of the old colonial dishes with their quaint names such as the Railway Meat Curry, Meat Glassey, Devil Curry and the Dak Bungalow Roast had at special fascination for me and I was keen to keep these dishes alive.Hundred of yearsAnglo-Indian cuisine evolved over many hundred years as a result of reinventing and reinterpreting the quintessentially western cuisine by assimilating and amalgamating ingredients and cooking techniques from all over the Indian sub-continent. Thus a completely new contemporary cuisine came into existence making it truly â€Å“Anglo” and â€Å“Indian” in nature, which was neither too bland nor too spicy, but with a distinct flavour of its own. It became a direct reflection of the multi-cultural and hybrid heritage of the new colonial population.
However over a period of time, Anglo-Indian cooking became more Indian than British and more regional based. Local ingredients and flavours of a particular region were incorporated in the dishes while the basic ingredients remained the same through out the country. Coconut based curries were popular in Anglo-Indian dishes in the south while mustard oil and fresh water fish were popular ingredients in Anglo-Indian dishes of Calcutta and West Bengal.A strong Muslim or Mughalai influence seeped into Anglo-Indian dishes cooked in Lucknow and parts of North of India.It is the extremely unusual blend of tastes that makes this cuisine so unique. Many of the dishes have rhyming alliterative names like Doldol, kalkal, Ding- Ding and Posthole. The very nomenclature of the dishes is unique and original, and synonymous only to the Anglo-Indian community. It is a true reflection of both worlds where the Indian oriented curry is given as much importance as the English roasts and bakes.
Gourmet's delight!
However, I'm sad to say that due to the influence of various factors, colonial Anglo-Indian cuisine, which is a gourmet's delight, is slowly getting extinct. In these days of fast food and instant mixes, many people do not find the time to cook even a simple meal everyday leave alone the old traditional dishes of our forefathers. Many of the old traditional colonial dishes are not prepared in Anglo-Indian homes these days as the recipes for many of them have died with the older generation who cooked with intuition and memory rather than from a written recipe.
In a world fast turning into a Global Village, with many Anglo-Indians migrating out of India and the younger generation not showing interest in traditional food, I felt it had become imperative for me to preserve for posterity those very authentic tastes and flavours and record for future generations the unique heritage of the pioneers of this cuisine.
With this in mind I have published six recipe books exclusively on Anglo-Indian cuisine.This personal collection of recipes is compiled with the intention of reviving the old tastes of the colonial era, and thereby preserving the old Anglo-Indian flavours and tastes.This is my small way of helping to preserve the culinary culture and heritage of the Anglo-Indian Community.Moreover these old traditional recipes are not found in any other typical Indian cookery book, except for those books published by me which are .
Anglo-Indian Cuisine - A Legacy of Flavours from the Past
A Collection of Anglo-Indian Roasts, Casseroles and Bakes
Vegetarian Delicacies
Anglo-Indian Delicacies
The Anglo-Indian Festive Hamper.
The Anglo-Indian Snack Box
For more information about our delicious Anglo-Indian food, and more about my Anglo-Indian Recipe Books at:
http://anglo-indianfood.blogspot.com
http://anglo-indiarecipes.blogspot.com
- See more at: http://www.thelucknowtribune.org/news.php?cat=913#sthash.e7IBBa7p.dpuf

OLD LUNCHEON MENU OF FIRPO CATERERS

Some Nostalgia -
An old Menu dated Friday the 30th March 1945 of A FIRPO LTD CATERERS, CALCUTTA.
A 3 Course Luncheon Spread with Coffee costed just 2 Rupees and 12 Annas only. The Diner was also given a choice of soups and starters while ...the Main Course featured Seafood, Meat and Poultry. The Luncheon was rounded off with a Dessert, Fruit and a Cup of Coffee!! Truly a feast for a King.
The old dishes mentioned on the Menu are not served in any Resturant today.

MULLIGATAWNY SOUP - LAMB / MUTTON MULLIGATAWNY


Mulligatawny Soup was actually the anglicized version of the Tamil “Melligu -Thani”. (“Melligu” meaning pepper and “Thani” meaning water). As the name suggests it was originally Pepper Water.
The original Mulligatawny Soup can be traced back to the early days of the East India Company in Madras to around the 18th century. It was originally a soup made with chicken or mutton/lamb stock. Mulligatawny Soup had no history in India before the British Raj. Supposedly, it was simply an invention to satisfy the Britishers, who demanded a soup course for dinner from a cuisine that had never produced one till then. The Tamil servants in those days concocted a stew like dish, that contained pepper and  water on the lines of their local “Rasam” or  “Melligu –Thanir.  It was an interesting mix of East meets West, and was the nearest thing to soup in the cuisine of Colonial India.
In course of time a lot of other ingredients such meat, chicken, coconut, turmeric and other spices were added to give it a completely different flavour. A variety of  “Mulligatawnies”, then came into existence which quickly became popular throughout the Common Wealth. Recipes for mulligatawny were quickly brought back to England by the British and its popularity spread through out the country. It has made a lasting impression on British cuisine right down to the present day, though it has undergone many changes. It is still an excellent “Comfort” dish on a cold rainy day and will surely lift the spirits when one is down in the dumps.
The Mulligatawny Soup of today bears little resemblance to the original “MELLIGU -THANI”. And despite the name, pepper itself is not an important ingredient in the dish.
Though purported to be a classic Anglo-Indian dish since it came into existence during the Colonial Era, and was very popular then, Mulligatawny is not a typical Anglo-Indian dish. The real dish we Anglo-Indians call "Pepper water" is actually closer to the Tamil  Rasam than Mulligatawny.  Mulligatawny ultimately culminated into our very own Breast Bone Pepperwater.

An easy recipe for Lamb / Mutton Mulligatwany Soup is given below. You can substitute the lamb /mutton with beef, chicken, veal, etc if desired.

Lamb / Mutton Mulligatawny Soup
Serves 6       Preparation time 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 kg lamb or mutton with bones preferably from the breast portion
1 handful Masoor dhal (Red Gram Dhal)
2 cups coconut milk
2 tablespoons oil
3 green chilies
2 teaspoons red chillie powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
1 tablespoon lime juice
Salt to taste
8 to 10 curry leaves
2 medium size onions sliced
2 tablespoons chopped mint for garnishing
 
Cook the meat and dhal with sufficient water till tender. Whisk till the dhal is smooth. Heat oil in a big pan and fry the curry leaves, green chilies and onions till slightly brown. Add the ginger garlic paste and sauté for a few minutes. Now add the chillie powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and turmeric and fry for a few minutes till the oil separates from the mixture. Mix in the cooked mutton and dhal and mix well. Slowly add the coconut milk and salt to taste.  Add 2 more cups of water and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and add the lime juice. Garnish with mint leaves. Serve as a soup or with bread or rice.

ANGLO-INDIAN PEPPER WATER


Pepper water (Similar to Rasam) invariably forms part of the afternoon meal on some days of the week in Anglo-Indian Homes in the South of India.  It is usually had with plain white rice and accompanied by either a meat, poultry, or a seafood dish that is generally a dry fry. Pepper water should always be of a watery consistency. Many people like to drink a cup of pepper water after a meal since it aids in digestion. Anglo-Indian Pepper Water in the South of India is slightly different from the Tamil Rasam and our Pepper Water morphed from it. The Anglos in the North and East of India use a different method to prepare Pepper Water. This version is the recipe that was prepared by my mother and grandmother in Kolar Gold Fields. 

 

Serves 6 Preparation Time 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS FOR THE PEPPER WATER

2 large tomatoes chopped
1 teaspoon pepper powder  
1 teaspoon chillie powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon coriander powder
Salt to taste
½ cup tamarind juice extracted from a small ball of tamarind or 2 teaspoons tamarind paste   

Cook all the above with 4 or 5 cups of water in a vessel on high heat till it boils. Reduce the heat and cook on low heat for about 5 or 6 minutes.
Temper or Season the Pepper Water as follows with the under mentioned ingredients which should be used whenever a dish is to be seasoned/ tempered.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE SEASONING / TEMPERING THE PEPPER WATER
I small onion sliced
2 red chilies broken into bits
1 teaspoon chopped garlic crushed roughly
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
A few curry leaves
2 teaspoons oil

Heat the oil in a sutiable vessel and add the mustard seeds. When they begin to splutter, add the curry leaves, onion, crushed garlic and red chilies and sauté for a few minutes.  Pour the cooked pepper water into this and simmer for 2 minutes.  Turn off the heat.  Serve hot with rice and any meat side dish.

Note: The pepper water can be prepared by using fresh red chilies, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and peppercorns ground in a mixer or blender instead of the powders.

 

FEATURE ON ANGLO-INDIAN FOOD AND ON ME IN TIME OUT DELHI , JUNE 7TH 2013 ISSUE

FEATURE ON ME IN TIME OUT DELHI , JUNE 7TH 2013 ISSUE


MANGO AND BANANA TRIFLE PUDDING




MANGO AND BANANA TRIFLE PUDDING
A Trifle is a dessert dish invariably made from thick custard, fruit, sponge cake, fruit juice or jelly and whipped cream.  These ingredients are usually arranged in layers in a beauitful glass dish with the sponge cake forming the bottom layer.
Some trifles contain a small amount of alcohol such as port or Madeira wine or sweet sherry. The Non-alcoholic versions use sweet juices instead, as the liquid is necessary to moisten the sponge cake layer.
However, one could mix and match and make a trifle using ingredients that are readily available at home. A trifle is often used for decoration as well as taste, incorporating the brightly layered colours of the fruit, jelly, jam, and the contrast of the creamy yellow custard and white cream.

With the Mango Season in Full Swing in India at the moment, I’ve decided to share the recipe for this easy and scrumptious Mango and Banana Trifle Pudding. I’ve used just 6 easily available Ingredients namely Sponge cake, Mangoes, Bananas, Fresh Cream, Mango Juice and Sugar to make this mouth watering Dessert.  

RECIPE FOR MANGO AND BANANA TRIFLE PUDDING
Serves 6    
Ingredients

500 grams Sponge Cake (available at any bakery)
2 cups of chopped ripe Mango pieces (if fresh mangoes are not available use Tinned mangoes)
2 ripe bananas cut into slices
4 tablespoons sugar
250 grams Cream
1 cup of either fresh or canned Mango juice

Whip the fresh cream to soft peaks consistency.
Slice the cake horizontally into 2 layers. Using a sharp knife, cut the cake to fit the bowl in which the pudding is to be set.
Place a layer of cake in the glass bowl. Sprinkle the mango juice on the cake layer. Next arrange a layer of sliced bananas over this and top it with a layer of fresh cream. Top this layer with a layer of chopped mangoes and then top this Mango layer with a layer of Fresh cream.  Repeat as before with the remaining cake, fruit and cream. Chill and serve when required.

FRIED MACKERELS


Mackerels are firm fleshed fish consumed in a number of ways around the world. They are torpedo shaped with silvery blue skin. Mackerels are high in Omega-3 oil  which is good for the heart.  Here is a simple and easy recipe for Fried Mackerels




FRIED  MACKERELS

Serves 6           Preparation Time 45 minutes
Ingredients                         
6 mackerels
3 tablespoons oil
3 teaspoons chillie powder
2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
1 teaspoon cumin powder
½ teaspoon coriander powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoons lime juice or vinegar
1 teaspoon salt

Clean and remove the scales, fins and insides of the fish. Wash well. Mix all the above ingredients together with a little water to form a paste. Slit each mackerel lengthwise on either side keeping the center bone intact. Stuff the paste into each mackerel evenly on either side of the center bone. Rub some of the paste on the outsides as well. Keep aside for about 30 minutes. Heat oil in a flat pan and shallow fry the fish on both sides till evenly brown. Serve with White Steamed rice and Pepper Water.

                                      

Anglo-Indian Cuisine - A legacy of Flavours from the Past - GOURMAND COOK BOOK AWARDS 2012


And now sharing with all of you the Certificate I received from GOURMAND INTERNATIONAL SPAIN declaring my Cookery Book ANGLO-INDIAN CUISINE - A LEGACY OF FLAVOURS FROM THE PAST as BEST CULINARY HISTORY BOOK FROM INDIA at the GOURMAND WORLD COOK BOOK AWARDS 2012


 

Bridget White - Anglo-Indian Cuisine - Upper Crust Magazine

Feature on me and on Anglo-Indian Cuisine in the Jan - March Issue of the UPPERCRUST MAGAZINE - Pages 42 to 45
 

PEPPER LADY FINGERS / OKRA FRY





LADY’S FINGER /OKRA:
Ladies Finger / Okra contains vitamins A and C and is a good source of iron and calcium. It also contains starch, fat, ash, thiamine and riboflavin. The superior fiber found in okra helps to stabilize the blood sugar by curbing the rate at which sugar is absorbed from the intestinal tract. It also helps lubricate the large intestines due to its bulk laxative qualities. Its anti-inflammatory properties help in treating lung inflammation, sore throats, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers, etc. Being very alkaline, it helps to neutralize acids and provides a temporary protective coating for the digestive tract. Okra / ladies finger is also good in normalizing the blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

Here is an easy recipe for LADY FINGERS / OKRA PEPPER FRY.
Serves 6           Preparation Time 30 minutes
Ingredients

½ kg tender lady’s finger,
2 teaspoons Black pepper powder / fresh ground pepper
½ teaspoon turmeric powder,
Salt to taste,
2 tablespoons oil,
2 onions sliced finely and crisply fried

 Wash the whole lady’s fingers and dry them well with a soft towel. Cut into them rings discarding the ends. Mix the cut okras / lady fingers with the black pepper powder / ground pepper, turmeric powder, and salt. Heat oil in a pan and fry on low heat till the lady’s fingers turn golden brown and crisp.
Granish with the fried onions

Serve with Steamed White Rice and Pepper water, or just have it with Chapattis or Bread. Either way you'll enjoy it.

 

SPICY BOILED EGGS CURRY


 
 
Spicy Boiled Eggs Curry

Serves 6   Preparation Time 1 hour
Ingredients
6 hard-boiled Eggs shelled and cut into halves
3 onions chopped finely
2 tomatoes chopped
1 capsicum deseeded and chopped (optional)
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chillie powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon all spice powder or garam masala powder
½ teaspoon cumin powder
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons oil
1 sprig curry leaves (optional)

Heat oil in a pan and sauté the curry leaves, onions and chopped garlic till the onions turn golden brown. Add the tomatoes and capsicum and fry till the tomatoes are reduced to pulp. Add the chillie powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder and garam masala powder / all spice powder and mix well. Add salt and ½ cup of water and bring to boil. Lower heat and gently drop in the hard boiled eggs with the yolk side up. Simmer for a few minutes till the gravy becomes thick. Serve with Rice, bread or chapattis.

COOKING DEMONSTRATION AT THE CATHOLIC CLUB, BANGALORE

I conducted a Cooking Demonstration on Anglo-Indian Dishes at the Catholic Club on 18th December 2012. The Dishes that i demonstrated were Colonial Pepper Chicken, Shepherd's Pie, Devilled Eggs and Strawberry Hide and Seek Trifle Pudding.

The Demonstration in Progress



A View of the Audience



They enjoyed the food and all the dishes were empty in minutes

HOME MADE SALTED BEEF


 Salted Beef is usually prepared from a cut of beef,  from the round section and is soaked in brine solution for a period of time.In addition to Brine and Saltpetre, a little sugar is also added to the Brine solution. The sugar, prevents the meat from becoming hard while soaking in the brine solution. 
Before using the prepared Salted Beef, you may need to soak it in water because the brine solution may be particularly salty.
(If Salt Petre is not available, it can be substituted with either lime salt or black salt)

 Ingredients

1 chunk of Beef from the “Round” portion weighing about 3 kgs
1 teaspoon saltpetre or lime salt
8 tablespoons table salt or powdered salt
3 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar

Wash the beef well. Mix the saltpeter (black salt  / lime salt), table salt, sugar and vinegar together. Rub this mixture on the Meat and prick all over with a fork. Keep in the fridge for 4 or 5 days turning it over and rubbing it well several times a day. On the 6th day boil in a suitable vessel with all the residue and a little water for one hour or pressure cook for 45 minutes on low heat. Cool and store along with the residue and use whenever required.