STRAWBERRY BLANCMANGE

STRAWBERRY BLANCMANGE - An old Anglo-Indian Dessert 

This recipe is featured in my Cookery Book - A Collection of Simple Anglo-Indian Recipes

Ingredients

1 cup sugar 

3 tablespoons corn flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1 litre milk

1 teaspoon strawberry essence

1 cup fresh strawberries for topping (optional)

Mix the corn flour and salt in a little water. Boil the milk and sugar. When boiling mix in the corn flour paste. Cook till the mixture thickens stirring all the time. Simmer for a few more minutes.

Pour into dampened jelly moulds and set in a refrigerator.

When set, remove from the refrigerator, then dip the bottom of the mould in hot water and turn out on a plate.

Top with fresh cut strawberries and cream and serve

CHOCOLATE EASTER EGGS

CHOCOLATE EASTER EGGS - MOULDED 

Makes 4 Eggs

Ingredients

500 grams cooking chocolate

4 Egg-shaped chocolate molds with a separate top and bottom cavity, about 2" long

Method

Lightly brush the inside of the molds with a little oil or melted butter

Break the chocolate into rough chunks, then finely chop into small pieces

Take a suitable sauce pan and half fill it with water. Heat the water over a low flame.

Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl and using a pair of tongs place it in the hot water. Allow the chocolate to melt completely, stirring occasionally.

Leave aside to cool. When still warm, spoon the melted chocolate into the molds, one tablespoon at a time.

Tilt the mold gently so that the chocolate covers the entire surface of the mold. It should form a layer about ½ cm in thickness.

Tip any excess chocolate back into the bowl.

Allow the chocolate to cool slightly, then, using a butter knife, scrape around the rim of the mold to get a clean edge. Keep aside

Repeat the same for the other molds

Place all the molds in the fridge for about half an hour to allow the chocolate to set completely.

To remove your eggs from the molds, squeeze the casing gently, working your way around the edge till it leaves the mold.

Fill 4 halves with gems or small candies or sweets of your choice

Brush the remaining melted chocolate around the rim of each of the chocolate egg halves, then gently press them together so they stick in place.

Leave for a few minutes until the chocolate sets.

Your Chocolate Easter Eggs are ready

MUTTON PEPPER FRY

MUTTON PEPPER FRY
Meat pepper Fry is a favourite and popular meat dish that is prepared very often in Anglo-Indian Homes. It could be prepared with either beef, mutton, lamb or pork. It is often an accompaniment with Pepper Water and Rice or Dol Curry (Dhal) and Rice. Goes well with Bread or dinner rolls or a Chapattis as well. It is also the perfect dish when recovering from the flu. This recipe is featured in my cookery book 'Anglo-Indian Cuisine - A legacy of Flavours from the Past'

Ingredients

½ kg Meat either Beef, Mutton or lamb (I used Mutton)
3 teaspoons fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon chopped ginger
2 big onions sliced finely
3 tablespoons oil
3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
Salt to taste

Heat the Oil in a pan and sauté the onions and chopped ginger for a few minutes till the onions turn light brown.
Add the meat, salt, turmeric and pepper powder and mix well.
Fry for 5 minutes on low heat turning the meat well till the pieces get firm.
Add sufficient water and the potatoes and cook on medium heat till done.
Continue simmering on low heat till all the water is absorbed and the meat and potatoes are brown.
Serve hot with bread or rice.

Alternatively, the same dish could be prepared in a pressure cooker. Turn off the heat after 15 minutes and let the pressure die down before opening the pressure cooker. Dry up any excess gravy before serving.

LADY’S FINGERS / OKRA AND TOMATOES

LADY’S FINGERS / OKRA AND TOMATOES 

A simple and easy dish that could be served as a side dish with rice or chapattis. 

Ingredients

½ kg tender lady’s finger / okra

1 teaspoon mild chillie powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin powder 

2 medium size onions sliced finely

2 small tomatoes chopped finely 

A few curry leaves

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons oil,                               

Wash the lady’s finger and dry them well with a kitchen towel. (This is to avoid them becoming gooey when cutting them).

Cut the lady's fingers into medium size pieces. 

Heat oil in pan and fry the onions till light brown. Add the chopped tomatoes, chillie powder, cumin powder, curry leaves and turmeric powder and fry for a few minutes till the tomatoes turn to pulp. 

Add the cut lady’s finger and salt and mix well. 

Simmer on low heat till the lady’s finger / okra is cooked and the gravy is thick. 

Serve as a side dish with rice or chapattis

ANGLO-INDIAN CHICKEN STEW

ANGLO-INDIAN CHICKEN STEW
This hearty, healthy one-pot meal can be eaten by itself or served with bread or rice. Perfection. A Stew is not only filling, but also low in calories, the fat content is remarkably low, since by trimming the meat the fat is further reduced. It is also an ideal way to get children to eat vegetables, and no vitamins are lost by throwing away the water. The great thing about stews is that they can be tailored to suit your family's personal tastes and preferences. Don't like carrots? Leave them out. Have a passion for popatoes? Double up on it. Want to add some wine? Add a dash. More spicy? Add a little more pepper or green chillies. So get  adventurous with the flavours and spices. Coconut paste makes lamb stew even more delicious. Try the recipe below
Ingredients

1 kg chicken cut into medium pieces

2 tablespoons oil

2 potatoes peeled and cut into quarters

2 carrots peeled and cut into small pieces

1 teaspoon pepper corns or crushed pepper 

1 tomato chopped finely

1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste 

Salt to taste

2 green chillies slit lengthwise 

2 onions sliced

1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves          

2 tablespoons flour

Cook the Chicken along with the potatoes, carrots, peppercorns, green chilies, tomato, ginger, garlic, mint, salt, and sufficient water till tender. 

Make a thin paste of the flour with about ¼ cup of water. 

In another pan heat the oil and fry the onions till golden brown. 

Add the flour paste and fry along with the onions for some time. 

Add the cooked chicken stew and simmer for 5 minutes.  

Serve hot with bread or Hoppers.

ANGLO-INDIAN FISH CUTLETS

FISH CUTLETS

An easy recipe for simple Anglo-Indian Fish Cutlets. An excellent side dish with  rice and dhal or pepper water. These cutlets could also be served as starters at a party.

3 potatoes boiled. peeled and mashed well

½ Kg of any flesh fish without the bones

2 green chilies chopped finely

1 teaspoon pepper powder

2 teaspoons chopped coriander leaves

1 egg beaten well

3 tablespoons breadcrumbs

3 tablespoons oil

Salt to taste

Boil the fish in a little water and a little salt for about 5 minutes. 

Remove from heat and cool. 

Crumble the fish with a fork and mix it together with the potatoes, green chilies, pepper powder, salt and coriander leaves. 

Form into cutlets. 

Heat the oil in a flat pan. 

When hot dip each cutlet into the beaten egg, roll in breadcrumbs and shallow fry on low heat on both sides till brown. 

Serve with rice and dhal or pepper water. These cutlets could also be served as starters at a party.

FISH CURRY WITH COCONUT MILK

FISH CURRY WITH COCONUT MILK
(I used Sear Fish. You could use any fleshy fish such as King fish, Sea Mullet / Round head / Sea Mink etc)

Serves 6   Preparation Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 kg good fleshy Fish cut into fillets 

2 big onions chopped finely

2 teaspoons garlic ginger paste

1 cup thick coconut milk

2 teaspoons mild chillie powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

2 teaspoons coriander powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder 

A few Curry Leaves

Salt to taste

3 tablespoons oil (Sunflower or Groundnut oil)

2 green chillies slit

2 tablespoons chopped coriander for garnishing

Wash the fish. Keep aside.

Heat the oil in a suitable pan and fry the curry leaves and onions till golden brown. 

Make a paste of the ginger and garlic paste, chillie powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and a little water and add it to the onions. Fry well for some time.  

Add the Coconut Milk, salt, and a little more water and bring to boil. 

Add the fish and cook for about 6 to 7 minutes till the fish is firm. 

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and slit green chilies 

Serve with Rice or Bread 

RAILWAY MUTTON CURRY

https://youtu.be/PJP01uf677U

RAILWAY MUTTON CURRY

RAILWAY LAMB / MUTTON CURRY 

There is a certain glamour about Anglo-Indian cuisine with its quaint names like Railway Lamb Curry, Dak Bungalow Curry, Grandma’s Country Captain Chicken, etc. The names of these dishes, especially the ‘Railway Lamb Curry conjures up scenes of leisurely travel by train in the early 1900s  -  of tables covered with snow white table cloths laid with gleaming china and cutlery, of turbaned waiters and bearers serving this tasty slightly tangy Curry dish with Rolls and Crusty White Bread to the Aristocratic British and Indian Travelers in Railway Dining and Refreshment Rooms and in First Class Cabin Cars on long distance trains. 

This recipe is featured in my Cookery Books and on my website. 

RAILWAY 

RAILWAY LAMB / MUTTON CURRY- As its very name suggests, this very popular and tasty dish was prepared and served in Railway Refreshment Rooms and only in First Class Cabins on long distance trains, with Bread or Dinner Rolls. The curry was not too spicy keeping in mind the delicate palates of the British. It was prepared with tender pieces of lamb or mutton, potatoes and other Indian condiments along with the addition of either vinegar, tamarind juice. The dish was left to simmer on low heat for more than an hour, so as to absorb all the flavours making it truly a dish fit for a connoisseur! It was also popular with the Anglo-Indian Railway staff who had to be on duty for long periods at a stretch. The vinegar or Tamarind juice used in its preparation ensured that the curry would last for quite a few days and was an ideal accompaniment with rice as well.

RECIPE FOR RAILWAY MUTTON CURRY 

Serves 6

1 kg mutton or lamb cut into medium size pieces

2 potatoes boiled, peeled and quartered

2 big onions sliced

6 to 8 peppercorns

2 pieces of cinnamon bark about 1 inch each

2 or 3 cloves

4 dry red chilies broken into bits

2 teaspoons mild chillie powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

2 teaspoons ginger and garlic paste

Salt to taste

2 or 3 tablespoons oil

2 tablespoons vinegar or ½ cup of tamarind juice (extracted from a marble size ball of tamarind and water )

3 tablespoons coconut milk

Parboil the Mutton or lamb with a pinch of turmeric and salt in a little water till tender.

Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions, red chillies, pepper corns and spices till golden brown.

Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a few minutes to take away the raw taste. 

Add the chopped tomatoes and fry well. 

Meanwhile make a paste of the chillie powder, coriander powder and cumin powder with a little water. Add this paste and fry well till the oil separates from the mixture 

Add the precooked meat and mix well.  Fry for a few minutes.

Add a cup or so of water and cook on medium heat for a few minutes. 

Now add the vinegar / Tamarind juice and potatoes and mix well.

Keep frying till the gravy is thick and dark brown. Pour the coconut milk and simmer for a few more minutes then remove from heat. 

Serve with Bread or Dinner rolls, mash potatoes or steamed vegetables

TANGY FISH CURRY - TAMARIND BASED FISH CURRY

TANGY FISH CURRY  - TAMARIND BASED FISH CURRY 

Ingredients

½ kg King Fish / Seer Fish or any other fish of your choice cut into fillets 

2 medium size onions chopped finely

2 tomatoes chopped or pureed 

2 teaspoons mild chillie powder (use less if desired)

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 cup tamarind juice extracted from a lime sized ball of tamarind 

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

2 teaspoons chopped garlic

1 teaspoon chopped ginger

2 green chillies slit lengthwise

3 tablespoons Oil

Salt to taste

Wash the fish and marinate it with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 15 minutes. 

Heat oil in suitable pan and sauté the onions, ginger and garlic for about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, chillie powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt and fry on low heat till the tomatoes are pulpy. 

Add the tamarind juice and half cup of water and bring to boil. Add the sliced King Fish / Seer and green chillies and mix gently. Simmer on low heat for about 7 minutes till the fish is cooked. 

Serve with white steamed Rice or bread 

MADELEINES - TEA TIME TREATS

ENGLISH MADELEINES

Madeleines are very small sponge cakes made in a shell shaped mould. They make an excellent combination with a cup of tea. The madeleines could be eaten plain or coated with jam and desiccated coconut.   

Makes 15

Ingredients

100 butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

100 grams desiccated coconut

100 grams sugar

200 grams plain flour

2 eggs beaten

100 grams yogurt

50 grams glacé cherry, finely chopped

3 tablespoons cherry jam or any other jam or your choice

Preheat the oven to 160C.

Grease the madeleine moulds or ramkins and keep aside.

Blend the sugar and half the quantity of the desiccated coconut in a food processor till fine.

Remove into a mixing bowl and add the butter, flour, egg and yogurt.

Beat with an electric whisk until smooth.

Stir in the cherries.

Divide the mixture between the madeleine or ramkin moulds.

Place the moulds on a baking tray and bake for 35-45 mins until a skewer poked in comes out clean.

Cool for 10 mins, then turn out from the moulds to cool completely.

 The Madeleines could be eaten plain or coated with jam as below:

Heat the jam in a pan or microwave till melted. Tip the remaining coconut onto a plate.

 Brush a thin coating of jam over each madeleine and roll in the coconut to cover each one fully.

 Serve with Tea

KALKALS / KULKULS - KALKALS FOR CHRISTMAS

KALKALS or KULKULS are prepared all over India at Christmas time. A variant of ‘Filhoses Enroladas’ a Portuguese Christmas Sweet, Kalkals, (always referred to in the plural) are crunchy inch-long curled or shell shaped sweetened fried dough Sweets. Sugar and flour are combined with eggs, milk and butter to a soft dough and then small marble sized balls of this dough are rolled on the tines of a fork or a comb to form a shell or a scroll, then deep fried in hot oil. The dough is sometimes rolled out and cut into different shapes such as hearts, spades, diamonds etc with cutters or a knife and then deep fried in hot oil. The Kalkals / Kulkuls are later frosted or coated in hot melted sugar syrup. Since the preparation of  Kalkals is a time consuming process and requires many hands to help in its preparation, a separate day is designated as ‘Kalkal Day’ a few days before Christmas, when every member of the family spends a few hours rolling out his/her portion of the kalkal dough. While one doesn’t know how the name ‘Kalkals / Kulkuls’ got its nomenclature it is probably because of the “curls” of this particular Christmas Sweet.

RECIPE FOR KALKALS  (Fried sweetened balls of dough)

Serves 6  Preparation time 1 hour

Ingredients

I kg refined flour 

6 eggs beaten well

2 cups milk or thick coconut milk                

1 teaspoon salt                             

300 grams sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla essence

1 teaspoon baking powder             

Oil for deep frying

Mix the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder together. 

Add the coconut milk and eggs and knead to a soft dough. 

Keep aside for an hour. 

Form the kalkals by taking small lumps of the dough and roll on the back of a fork or a wooden kalkal mould, to form a scroll. 

Alternately, roll out the dough and cut into fancy shapes with kalkal or cookie cutters. Heat oil in a deep pan and fry as many kalkals as possible at a time. Keep aside.

To frost the kalkals, melt 1 cup of sugar with ½ cup of water and when the sugar syrup crystallizes pour over the kalkals and mix well. Store in air-tight boxes when cold.  

HOT AND SPICY TRIPE CURRY / BOTY CURRY

Hot & Spicy Tripe (Boty Curry)

Spicy Tripe or Boty Curry was a very popular dish with the Anglo-Indian community. In the olden days it was prepared with freshly roasted and pounded ingredients. The Boty or the tripe would be washed well and cut into long thin strips then cooked in sufficient water for hours till tender over a firewood oven. Now with a pressure cooker the same dish can be prepared in just 45 minutes. It was served with bread or rice and sometimes as an accompaniment with drinks. Tripe tastes delicious with coconut rice.

Ingredients  

1 kg Tripe either beef or mutton sliced thinly

2 large onions chopped

2 teaspoons chillie powder

1 teaspoon pepper powder

½  teaspoon turmeric powder 

3 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger

2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic 

Salt to taste

2 green chillies slit lengthwise

1 teaspoon cumin powder

½  teaspoon coriander powder

½  cup cudla dhal (Bengal gram dhal) Optional 

2 potatoes boiled and peeled and cut into halves  

Wash the tripe well turning it inside and out. 

Cook it in sufficient water with the channa dhal (cudla dhal) / Bengal gram dhal and a little salt in a pressure cooker till soft. 

Drain and keep the soup aside. 

Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onions, ginger and garlic lightly. 

Add the sliced cooked tripe tripe, salt, turmeric powder, chillie powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and pepper powder and mix well. 

Add the soup.

Cover and simmer on low heat till the gravy thickens. Add the boiled potatoes and mix once so that the gravy covers the potatoes.

Serve hot with rice or bread. Tripe goes really well with Coconut Rice

BEEF MINCE PANTHRAS OR CRUMB FRIED MINCE PAN ROLLS

BEEF MINCE PANTHRAS OR CRUMB FRIED MINCE PAN ROLLS  

Ingredients for the Pan Rolls

2 cups flour  

2  eggs beaten

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons melted butter

A pinch salt

Ingredients for the Mince

500 grams Beef Mince (or you could substitute with lamb, mutton or chicken)

1 medium onion chopped finely

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1 teaspoon chopped ginger

2 medium size potatoes peeled and cut into very small pieces 

Salt to taste

2 teaspoons chillie powder

1 teaspoon garam masala powder or all spice powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

2 teaspoons chopped coriander leaves

1 egg lightly beaten

Oil for deep frying

1 cup dry bread crumbs

Cook the mince along with the chopped onion, garlic, ginger, potatoes, chillie powder, garam masala / all spice powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and salt with half cup of water on low heat,  till the potatoes are soft and the mince is cooked. Cool and keep aside.

Mix the flour, 3 eggs, milk, butter and salt with a little water to make a thin batter.  Make thin pancakes / crepes on a flat pan cooking them on one side only.

Place each pan cake / crepe on a plate, add a tablespoon of the cooked  mince on one end and roll up tucking in the sides as you would a spring roll. Follow the same procedure till all the mince and pancakes are exhausted.

Heat the oil in a pan. Dip each Panthras / Pan Roll in the beaten egg then roll in bread crumbs. Shallow fry a few Pathras at a time, until golden. Serve with tomato or chillie sauce

BONE PEPPER WATER / BREAST BONE PEPPER WATER

BONE PEPPER WATER / BREAST BONE PEPPER WATER
Ingredients

½ kg soup bones and pieces of meat preferably from the breast portion either beef or lamb or mutton

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon chillie powder

1 teaspoon pepper powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1/4  teaspoon turmeric powder

2 large onions chopped

2 large tomatoes chopped

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

½ cup tamarind juice

 ½ cup coconut paste or coconut milk (optional)

2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

Cook all the above ingredients with about 6 cups of water in a pressure cooker first on high heat then on low for ½ an hour till the meat and bones are soft and the pepper water is quite thick. 

Temper the Bone Pepper water with mustard seeds, curry leaves and chopped onion. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with plain rice and any foogath or chutney.