GUAVA CHEESE


Guava Cheese is a typical Anglo-Indian Christmas Sweet dish. This chewy fudge-like sweet is a “Must Have” during the Christmas Season.
Guava Cheese should always be made with fresh guavas.

GUAVA CHEESE
Serves 6   Preparation time 1 hour

Ingredients
6 ripe guavas preferably the pink variety
¾ cup sugar
50 grams unsalted butter
 ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
A drop of cochineal colouring

Wash and cut the guavas into quarters and boil them well in a little water till nice and soft.  Mash well. Strain through a thin cloth and throw away the skin and seeds. Boil the strained thick juice with the sugar and keep on stirring till the mixture turns slightly thick. Add the butter, vanilla essence and cochineal. Simmer till nice and thick. Pour onto a buttered plate. Cut into squares when cold.

CHOCOLATE YULE LOG CAKE




CHOCOLATE YULE LOG CAKE
Serves 6  Preparation time 1 hour
Ingredients

200 grams flour / maida
200 grams butter
4 eggs beaten
250 grams sugar granules powdered
3 tablespoons Icing sugar
200 grams sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 teaspoon Nescafe
125 grams fresh cream
50 grams chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt.

Sift the cocoa powder, Nescafe, flour and baking powder together. Cream the butter and sugar together well. Add the eggs one by one and mix well. Add the vanilla essence. Now add the sifted flour with the other ingredients and fold in the mixture to form a smooth slightly thick consistency without lumps.
Pour into a greased and papered long cake tin and bake in a moderate oven (125 to 130 Degrees) for 40 to 45 minutes till the cake is done. (Insert a tooth pick or knitting needle in the cake and if it comes out clean then the cake is cooked inside)

Remove from the cake tin when cold and turn it out on a sheet of paper, which has been liberally sprinkled with icing sugar. Roll the cake tightly with this paper so as to form a log and keep aside.

Beat the fresh cream with 3 tablespoons of icing sugar and 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder till peaks form. Unroll the log cake from the paper and place on a suitable plate. Using a spatula, cover the cake with the icing.  Then with a wet fork make long lines across the surface of the icing to create a bark effect on the log. Store in the refrigerator until required for serving. Before serving, dust with icing sugar and decorate with some fresh small leaves.

ROSE COOKIES / ROSA COOKIES / ROSETTE COOKIES

. ROSE COOKIES / ROSA COOKIES / ROSETTE COOKIES

Rose Cookies are delicious fried Anglo-Indian Christmas Treats. Though named as Cookies, they are not cookies in the strict sense as they not baked but deep fried in hot oil. Rose Cookies are also known as Rosette Cookies, Rosa Cookies, etc and are prepared with a sweetened batter consisting of Flour, Eggs, Vanilla Extract and Coconut milk. Believed to be another culinary legacy left by the Portuguese in India, they are known as Rose de Coque or Rose de Cookies in Portugual. (They are also known as Rosettes in Sweden and Norway). The crisp cookies are made by plunging a special hand-held ‘Rose Cookie Mould’ or ‘Rosette Iron’ lightly coated with a sweet batter into hot oil. The Rose Cookie Mould or Rosette Iron is a long handled gadget with intricately designed iron moulds of different flowers such as roses and daisies. The Mould or Iron is heated to a very high temperature in oil, dipped into the batter, then immediately re-immersed in the hot oil to create a crisp shell around the hot metal. The mould or iron is shaken slightly, till the Rose Cookie gets separated from it. The delicate golden brown, light and crispy cookie thus separated from the mould /iron floats to the top and is taken out from the hot oil with a flat porous spoon. Though a time consuming and laborious process, Rose Cookies are incredibly delicious.



RECIPE FOR ROSE COOKIES
Serves 6   Preparation time 1 hour
Ingredients

½ kg refined flour
250 grams rice flour (optional)                              
1 cup coconut milk
200 grams sugar                               
6 eggs beaten well
½ teaspoon salt                        
1 litre oil for frying
1 teaspoon vanilla essence      
1 teaspoon baking powder

Mix all the ingredients together to form a smooth slightly thick batter.
Heat oil in a deep pan till it reaches boiling point. Now place the rose cookie mould into the oil to get hot. When the mould is hot enough dip it half way only into the batter and put it back immediately into the boiling oil. Shake the mould gently to separate the cookie from it. Heat the mould again and repeat the process. Fry rose cookies till brown. Continue in this way till the batter is finished.

Note: The batter will stick to the rose cookie mould with a hissing sound only if it is sufficiently hot otherwise it will just slide off the mould

ANGLO-INDIAN CUISINE – A LEGACY OF FLAVOURS selected as Winner from India THE GOURMAND WORLD COOK BOOKS AWARDS 2012

I sincerely thank everyone for your congratulatory messages and good wishes on my  Recipe Book ANGLO-INDIAN CUISINE – A LEGACY OF FLAVOURS FROM THE PAST being selected as Winner from India under BEST CULINARY HISTORY BOOK Category for the BEST IN THE WORLD AWARD Finals at THE GOURMAND WORLD COOK BOOKS AWARDS 2012 at Paris on 23rd Feb 2013.








My journey started in 2002 when I started redoing all the old recipes from my mum’s and grand mum’s handwritten recipe Books . Through trial and error and much experimentation, I revamped the recipes giving accurate measurements for easily available ingredients and simplifying the cooking techniques so that most of the dishes could be cooked in a short time unlike in the olden days when cooking took the whole day. I then took photographs of all the dishes and recorded all the recipes in a manuscript running to more than 500 pages.
I sent this manuscript of 500 pages to many Publishers in Delhi, the heart of India’s Publishing Hub. However, sad to say many of them didn’t know much about our Community and were not aware that we had our own special cuisine. I then decided to bring out the Books myself. My first book came out in 2004 under the banner SYD-DOR PUBLICATIONS, which is the first 3 lettes of my parents names SYDNEY AND DORIS. After that I regularly brought out 7 more books under different categories of Anglo-Indian Food which were all culled from the original manuscript.  
The journey was quite tough and arduous. I wasn’t certain whether I would even recover my investment in getting the books printed but by the Grace of God, my books were very well received all over the world. Of course there were both Bouquets and Brickbats along the way. I’m now recognized as an Author, Food Consultant and Culinary Historian in Anglo-Indian Cuisine, as my area of expertise is in Colonial Anglo-Indian Food and I have gone through a lot of effort in reviving the old forgotten dishes of the Colonial British Raj Era. My 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.
The culmination of all my efforts is this Award of being declared ‘Winner’ from India under the Category “BEST CULINARY HISTORY BOOK “  and thereby competing for the BEST IN THE WORLD AWARD Finals at THE GOURMAND WORLD COOK BOOKS AWARDS 2012 at Paris on 23rd Feb 2013.
All this has been possible only because of the Love and encouragement that my family especially my late husband Ashok has given me. He gave me the freedom to pursue my passion and never stood in my way at any time. He was my official taster and critic and was very proud of my achievements. I dedicate this award to Ashok, Kusum, Jude and Lisa.
To know more about my work and to read about my 7 Anglo-Indian Recipe Books please visit my Blogs http://anglo-indianfood.blogspot.com
 

Anglo-Indian Cuisine - A legacy of Flavours from the Past - Gourmand World Cook books Awards 2012

ANGLO-INDIAN CUISINE - A LEGACY OF FLAVOURS FROM THE PAST - GOURMAND WORLD COOK BOOKS AWARDS 2012


Today I received an email from GOURMAND INTERNATIONAL informing me that I was selected as the ‘WINNER FROM INDIA’ at the GOURMAND WORLD COOK BOOKS AWARDS 2012 . under the Category ‘BEST CULINARY HISTORY BOOK’ for my recipe book ANGLO-INDIAN CUISINE - A LEGACY OF FLAVOURS FROM THE PAST and that I now qualify for the next GOURMAND BEST IN THE WORLD COMPETITION at the Awards Night to be held in Paris on 23rd Feb 2013. They have also  invited me to be a part of this Awards Night. 
This prestigious Award is ‘THE OSCARS’  for Cook book writers. Awards are given every year for various categories and genres ie for Cook Book Authors, Cook Books, Chefs, Wine makers, etc.
I submitted my recipe Book ANGLO-INDIAN CUISINE - A LEGACY OF FLAVOURS FROM THE PAST to the GOUMAND INTERNATIONAL based in Spain as an entry for the GOURMAND WORLD COOK BOOKS AWARDS 2012 about a month ago barely making it before the closing date.  In the preliminary round one must be selected from out of the entries submitted by each country. The winner will then qualify to compete for the World Award ‘FOR BEST IN THE WORLD’at the awards night to be held in Paris on 23rd Feb 2013.
I now qualify for the finals for the ‘FOR BEST IN THE WORLD’  AWARD  under the category BEST CULINARY HISTORY BOOK
Here is the email I received from them


They will be sending me my certificate shortly for having won ‘WINNER IN INDIA’
This is the link to the GOURMAND website www.cookbookfair.com
 

SEMOLINA, COCONUT AND RAISIN CAKE another version of BOLE CAKE

Serves 6   Preparation time 30 minutes
Ingredients

200 grams semolina or soogi                        
1 cup milk
200 grams butter or Margarine                                         
200 grams sugar powdered
4 eggs beaten well                                             
½ teaspoon baking powder
200 grams desiccated coconut
1teaspoon vanilla essence
½ teaspoon salt
100 grams raisins

Roast the semolina with a little ghee or butter for about 8 to 10 minutes on low heat till it gives out a nice aroma. Cream the butter / margarine and sugar well. Add the eggs, desiccated coconut, salt and vanilla essence and mix well. Slowly add the roasted semolina, and fold in the mixture to form a smooth slightly thick consistency without lumps. Mix in the raisins. Add a little milk if the mixture is too thick. Pour into a greased and papered baking dish or cake tin and bake in a moderate oven for about one hour or till the cake is done. Cool and remove from the tin.

 

This Recipe is from my book THE ANGLO-INDIAN FESTIVE HAMPER

 

A PASSAGE TO COLONIAL INDIA - FLAVOURS FROM THE PAST


June 2, 2011

A passage to colonial India – Flavours from the Past

MINI ANTHIKAD-CHHIBBER

Bridget White-Kumar takes Mini Anthikad-Chhibber through the delicately spiced pages of history into a world of memsahibs, cucumber sandwiches, kedgeree and khansamas.

Stepping into Bridget White-Kumar's house just off the busy Koramangala Ring Road is to step into another world altogether. There are the flowering trees, plants, shrubs, lovebirds all flourishing in a riotous symmetry. The old world charm of the house with its glass showcases, the colourful aquarium with its plump, brilliantly-hued fish is an echo of Bridget's life-long project of preserving the Anglo-Indian legacy through its cuisine.
Having written seven recipe books including the latest, “Vegetarian Delicacies” and a book on Kolar Gold Fields, where she was born — “Kolar Gold Fields – Down Memory Lane – Paeans to lost Glory,” Bridget is doing her bit to see that a way of life does not pass off into the dusty pages of history.

“It all started when my daughter  was going to England to study,” says Bridget with a smile. “I wrote her a small recipe book. The original little black book! There were recipes for regular cooking like rice, curries and snacks. When Kusum returned, she said all her friends had enjoyed the food. That Easter, while we were eating the traditional Easter lunch, my daughter said these recipes would die out unless they were recorded.
That got me thinking and I set about collecting recipes.”

Collating recipes handed down from her mother and grandmother, Bridget soon had a wealth of information about Anglo-Indian recipes. “I sent the manuscript around and Roli Books showed interest. But it was all taking too much time. I decided to pick out the most famous Anglo-Indian dishes and publish it myself.”

And that is how “The Best of Anglo-Indian Cuisine – A Legacy” was born. “I tempted readers with the picture of classic Anglo Indian dishes — coconut rice, devil chutney and ball curry, on the cover,” Bridget says with a laugh. The book was a super success. The other books followed including “Flavours of the Past” with colonial favourites such as Railway mutton curry, Dak Bungalow Curry, etc

After her graduation in Kolar, Bridget came to Bangalore to do her B.Ed, which is where she met her husband. “He was my first cooking instructor! He taught me to strain rice. I asked my mother and mother-in-law for recipes. “Since my husband is from Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, known for its fiery cooking, and I am Anglo-Indian, my cooking was a fusion of the two. I started off with simple dishes and then graduated to more complicated recipes. My first big success was the biryani, which was not too bland nor was it too spicy or too rich. I realised ethnic cooking is dying out and needs to be preserved.”

About the legacy of Anglo-Indian food, Bridget says: “Roasts, stews, bakes, sandwiches and white bread, fish and chips, cutlets, croquettes, sausages, bacon, ham, egg variants, puddings, custards, became part of the Anglo-Indian culinary repertoire. The Sunday English breakfast of eggs, bacon and kippers, toast, cheese, butter, jams, and English roast dinners complete with steamed vegetables, roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding and gravy, English sausages, colloquially known as bangers with mash, became very common in Anglo-Indian homes.”

Anglo-Indian cuisine has a strong Scottish influence too. “The bread pudding, treacle pudding, mince and tatties, steak and kidney pie and of course kedgeree (kichdi) are a result of the cross pollination between cultures.”
Anglo-Indian food should not be looked at as a homogenous entity, Bridget says. “The recipes are an amalgamation of the tastes and spices of the region. So the Anglo-Indian cuisine from Bengal will have more sea food and mustard oil while the cuisine from landlocked Kolar would feature more meat.”

Bridget took VRS from Canara Bank after working for 23 years. She says she is busier than before. She started a blog on KGF “four to five years ago. Every time I visited, I saw the deterioration. I felt the nostalgia and the need to preserve the story of KGF for coming generations”. That is how “Kolar Gold Fields – Down Memory Lane – Paeans to lost Glory” was born. An easy read, the book effortlessly brings to life the world of dances, food and hard work.

As I look through Bridget's collection of recipes, written by her mum and grandmother on little pieces of paper and also flip through this rare, old book, “Original Madras Cookery” published in 1874 written by an anonymous British Resident's wife I am transported to a world of khansamas, mulligatawny soup, bone china tea services and delicately-sliced cucumber and chutney sandwiches. At my back I can hear the insistent hum of Koramangala traffic as it speeds down our very own information highway. It is however nice to sometimes take a break and indulge in some heavy duty Raj nostalgia.

Bridget can be contacted by email bridgetkumar@yahoo.com

FISH MOLEY - A very light fish stew


Fish Moley is a very light fish stew, subtlety flavored with pepper, green chillies, ginger and coconut milk. This dish is a variation of the Portuguese Fish Stew ‘Caldeirada’. It is said that the word  'Molee' comes  from the Spanish word "Mole" which means Stew.

In olden times the Malabar Coast / Kerala had a flourishing spice trade with the Portugese, Spanish and other European Nations so cultural exchanges in the form of food and amalgamation of local ingredients in their fish stews have resulted in this dish.

Fish Moley or Fish Stew gets its characteristic and subtle taste from the freshness of the fish, coconut milk, ginger, green chillies and black pepper. Any compromise on any one of these ingredients and it becomes a tasteless fish curry.
T
he recipe for Fish Moley varies with each family. Here is an easy recipe for Delicious Fish Moley that I have perfected.

FISH MOLEY (FISH COOKED WITH GREEN CHILIES AND COCONUT MILK)


Serves 8  
Preparation Time 45 minutes






1 kg good fleshy fish of your choice sliced thickly     
3 big onions sliced finely
3 green chilies sliced lengthwise             
1 teaspoon chopped ginger
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon black pepper powder
1 cup thick coconut milk                                     
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
3 tablespoons oil                                              
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon lime / lemon juice ( or vinegar)
3 tablespoons oil
1 medium size tomato chopped into 8 pieces
8 to 10 curry leaves

Wash the fish well and rub all over with the turmeric powder and a little salt. Heat oil in a flat pan and lightly fry the fish till the pieces are firm. Keep aside.
In the same pan add a little more oil and sauté the sliced onions, garlic, ginger and curry leaves. Add the coriander powder and fry for a minute. Add the, lime juice salt, coconut milk and 1 cup of water and mix well. Now add the fish. Shake the pan so that the fish is covered with the mixture. Cook on low heat for about 5 or 6 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and pepper and turn off the heat. Shake the dish so that the tomatoes and pepper get mixed with the stew.

Note: The tomatoes should not get cooked. They are added to give some colour to the dish. The pepper added in the end gives it an irresistible aroma.

Serve with Hoppers, Bread or steamed rice

The 3 Most Important Ingredients used in Anglo-Indian Cooking – Vinegar, Ginger and Garlic Paste and Oil

The 3 Most Important Ingredients used in Anglo-Indian Cooking – Vinegar, Ginger and Garlic Paste and Oil

1. As far as possible use White Non-Fruit Vinegar in Vindaloo and other dishes calling for Vinegar. Fruit Vinegars such Apple cider Vinegar, coconut vinegar, etc would give our Anglo-Indian Vindaloo a completely different taste.

2. To get the authentic Anglo-Indian Curry taste while using the recipes in my books, use ginger and garlic paste that is ground at home in a blender using fresh root ginger and garlic. The ready made ginger and garlic paste available in stores around the world contain preservatives and other ingredients that detract from the original taste of the Curry giving it a completely different flavour.  

If fresh home made ginger and garlic paste is not available, then Garlic Powder can be used instead of fresh garlic. 1 teaspoon of garlic powder is equal to a whole garlic, so half a teaspoon would suffice. Ginger powder too can be substituted for fresh ginger. 1 teaspoon of dry ginger powder mixed with ¼ cup of water is equal to 2 teaspoons of fresh ginger paste, so half a teaspoon of ginger powder would be equal to 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger paste.

3. Any good cooking oil could be used in the preparation of these dishes such as Sun flower Oil, groundnut Oil or even Olive Oil depending on one’s preference.

All the Recipes in my Books are for 6 generous servings. If cooking for a smaller or larger number, the quantities should be adjusted accordingly. Likewise, the pungency of the dishes could be reduced by reducing the amount of chillie powder and other seasonings according to individual tastes.

RAILWAY VEGETABLE CUTLETS

                

RAILWAY VEGETABLE CUTLETS

Serves 6             
Preparation time 45 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup of chopped boiled vegetables such as peas, carrots, French beans etc,
3 potatoes boiled and mashed,
2 onions chopped finely,
2 green chillies chopped,
1 teaspoon chopped mint,
1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger,
½  teaspoon pepper powder,
salt to taste,
3 tablespoons oil,
2 tablespoons flour,
3 tablespoons breadcrumbs

Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions and ginger till golden brown. Add the chopped green chillies and sauté for a few minutes. Now add the cooked vegetables, and salt and mix well. Cook on low heat for about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool for some time. Mix in the mashed potato and mint. Make even sized balls with the mixture and form into round flat cutlets. Mix the flour with a little water to make a paste. Heat oil in a flat pan. Dip each cutlet / pattie in the flour paste, roll in powdered breadcrumbs and shallow fry till golden brown on both sides. Serve hot with tomato sauce or chutney.

ANGLO-INDIAN DINNER WITH MR.VIR SHAGHVI AT THE TAJ WEST END BANGALORE

ANGLO-INDIAN DINNER WITH MR.VIR SHAGHVI AT THE TAJ WEST END BANGALORE


Mr. Vir Sanghvi, the noted Editor and Television Celebrity is in Bangalore in connection with the historic event of The Taj West End Bangalore celebrating 125 years of the West End this year.

He and Mrs. Sanghvi are presently guests of The Taj West End Bangalore. The Taj West End as part of the celebration is showing Colonial Anglo-Indian Food and Mr. and Mrs. Sanghvi were treated to a special Anglo-Indian Dinner on the 20th September 2012 at THE TAJ WEST END (MYNT RESTAURANT).

I was requested by Executive Chef Sandip Narang of the Taj West End to formulate a special Menu of popular and tasty Colonial Anglo-Indian Dishes and personally supervise the preparation of these dishes that were served to Mr. and Mrs. Sanghvi at Dinner last night.

Needless to say that both of them thoroughly enjoyed the delicious spread of Anglo-Indian Coconut Rice, Mince Ball Curry, Colonial Pepper Chicken, Railway meat curry, Bengal lancer’s Shrimp Curry, Prawn Fry, Liver and Onions, Pan fried Pepper Fish, Fish Kedgeree, Seer Fish in a Tangy Gravy, Pork devil Fry, Potato Chops, etc, together with a selection of Anglo-Indian pickles, relishes and chutneys. Dessert was a selection of old Anglo-Indian favourites such as Bread Pudding, open Pineapple tarts and miniature Apple Crumble together with Custard sauce.

They were truly appreciative of the wonderful taste of Anglo-Indian Food and the rich culinary history behind each dish that I explained and talked about. I also presented them with a few of my Anglo-Indian Recipe Books which was graciously received.

My sincere, grateful and special thanks to Executive Chef Sandip Narang and the Taj West End Bangalore for giving me this wonderful opportunity of sharing my expertise in Anglo-Indian Cuisine and being part of the team on this occasion. 

All credit for the wonderful Anglo-Indian Meal should be given to all the team at the MYNT Kitchen in particular Chefs Bharat Kapoor, Abhijit Mallick, Sukesh, Phillip, Parimal, Pranav, Susainathan, keshav Rao, Srinivas, Manoj, Niranjan, Manju, Santosh, Nanda, Melvin, Jose, Devandra, Ramachandra, Milton and all the other staff who supported me and helped to make this a success. Thank you and God bless you all.

ANGLO-INDIAN CUISINE – A LEGACY OF FLAVOURS FROM THE PAST - My New Anglo-Indian Recipe Book


ANGLO-INDIAN CUISINE – A LEGACY OF FLAVOURS FROM THE PAST is a revised version in a new format of Bridget White’s two earlier books “The Best of Anglo-Indian Cuisine - A Legacy” and “Flavours of the Past”. Lots of new recipes of popular Anglo-Indian dishes have been added in this edition













ANGLO-INDIAN CUISINE – A LEGACY OF FLAVOURS FROM THE PAST is a comprehensive and unique collection of easy- to- follow Recipes of popular and well loved Anglo-Indian dishes. The repertoire is rich and vast, ranging from the outright European Cutlets, Croquettes, pasties, roasts, etc, to mouth watering Curries, Side dishes, Spicy Fries, Foogaths, Biryani and Palaus, Pickles, Chutneys etc, picking up plenty of hybrids along the way. The very names of old time favorite dishes such as Yellow Coconut Rice and Mince Ball (Kofta) Curry, Pepper water, Mulligatawny Soup, Grandma’s Country Captain Chicken, Railway Mutton Curry, Dak Bungalow Curry, Crumb Chops, Ding Ding, Stews, Duck Buffat, Almorth, etc, which were so popular during the Raj Era are sure to bring back nostalgic and happy memories. These popular Anglo-Indian dishes will take you on an exotic nostalgic journey to Culinary Paradise.
It is a practical and easy guide to delectable cooking. The book with its clear step-by-step instructions, describes the preparation of a variety of Anglo-Indian Dishes. The easy-to-follow directions make cooking simple and problem- free.
 
Price per book : India : Rs150.00, Australia: A$15.00, UAE: Rs.350.00, Canada C$15.00, UK: GBP 8.00, USA: $15.00

DEVILLED EGGS

Deviled Eggs are also known as Eggs Mimosa, Picnic Eggs or Dressed Eggs. Devilled eggs are hard-boiled eggs that are shelled, cut in half and filled with the hard-boiled egg's yolk that is mixed with other foodstuffs such as mayonnaise,  mustard  many other ingredients depending on one’s choice. Deviled eggs are usually served cold. They can be served as a side dish or with a main course. However, Devilled Eggs are popular appetizers or starters at a party or picnic



Devilled Eggs
Serves 6   Preparation Time 20 minutes
Ingredients

6 Hard boiled Eggs
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
½ teaspoon chilly powder
½ teaspoon pepper powder
¼ teaspoon mustard powder or paste
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons lime juice

Slice the hard boiled eggs lengthwise. Scoop out the yolks with a teaspoon and then mix them with the mayonnaise, chillie powder, pepper powder, salt, mustard and lime juice. Mix well to a smooth consistency. Spoon this mixture into the egg halves and arrange on a plate. Garnish with chopped coriander or mint leaves, tiny tomato and pineapple wedges, Rosemary or slivers of olives. Serve as a starter at parties.

HIDE AND SEEK BANANA TRIFLE PUDDING

A Trifle is a Dessert dish made from thick (or often solidified) custard, fruit, sponge cake, fruit juice and whipped cream. These ingredients are usually arranged in layers in a pretty glass bowl. The earliest known recipe for “Trifle” was published in a book called "The good housewife's Jewell" by Thomas Dawson. in 1596 in England. The ingredients for this first Trifle Recipe was thick cream flavoured with sugar, ginger and rosewater pored over slices of Sponge Cake. Sixty years later, milk custard was added to the list of ingredients and the custard was poured over alcohol soaked bread.
A Trifle Pudding is often used for decoration as well as taste, incorporating the bright, layered colours of the fruit, jelly, egg custard, and the contrast of the cream. Some trifles contain a small amount of alcohol such as port, or, most commonly, sweet sherry or madeira wine. Non-alcoholic versions may use fruit juices or soft drinks such as ginger ale, lemonade etc instead, as the liquid is necessary to moisten the cake layers.
Trifle Puddings are often served at in Anglo-Indian Homes at Christmas time, sometimes as a lighter alternative to the much denser Christmas pudding. No specific recipe need be followed for preparing a Trifle. It all depends on the availability of the ingredients. One can mix and match in a Trifle and just innovate.

 Here is an easy recipe for HIDE AND SEEK BANANA TRIFLE PUDDING
Serves 6
Ingredients

500 grams sponge cake
20 Hide and Seek Chocolate Biscuits or any other Chocolate Biscuits or Cookies
3 tablespoons sugar
2 cups fresh Cream
½ teaspoon Vanilla essence
2 ripe bananas sliced
8 cherries chopped
Some chopped nuts for garnishing

1  Mix the cream, sugar, and vanilla essence together in a large bowl, and beat till smooth

2. Take a flat bottomed dish and spread a small amount of cream mixture on the bottom of it.  Slice the cake thinly into small pieces and lay them as the bottom layer in the glass dish

3. Spread cream mixture on top of the layer of cake

4. Now arrange the biscuits in rows so that cream layer is covered with biscuits.

5. Spread a layer of the cream mixture on top of Biscuit layer

6. Now spread a layer of the sliced bananas on the Cream Mixture layer

6. Continue layering the cake, biscuit, banana and cream mixture until finished.

6. The last layer should be cream. Smoothen out the top layer of cream using a spatula. Garnish with chopped cherries and nuts. Chill and serve when required

SIMPLE MEAT CURRY

A simple recipe for a tasty Meat Curry is given below. You can use the same recipe for Beef, Mutton, Chicken or Pork Curry.

SIMPLE MEAT CURRYServes 6  Preparation Time 1 hour
Ingredients
1 kg tender Meat, (either mutton, beef, chicken or pork) cut into medium pieces
2 tomatoes chopped finely
3 tablespoons oil
2 large onions chopped finely
2 green chilies slit lengthwise
2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoons chillie powder
2 teaspoons cumin powder
2 teaspoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon spice powder / garam masala powder
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chopped corriander leaves

Boil the meat a little water, a pinch of turmeric and a little salt in a pressure cooker till tender.  Heat oil in a suitable pan and sauté the onions, green chilies and the ginger garlic paste for some time.  Add the chopped tomatoes, chillie powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, spice powder / garam masala powder and fry for some time till the tomatoes trun pulpy. Add a little water if required while frying.  Now add the cooked meat along with the soup, chopped garlic and salt and simmer till the gravy is thick. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve with white steamed rice or chappatis or bread

FISH AND BOILED EGGS KEDGEREE

Kedgeree is an Anglicised version of the Indian Kitchri or Kitchidi, which was prepared with rice, lentils, raisins, etc along with the addition of either boiled or Fried Fish Flakes and hard boiled eggs. Fish, either steamed or fried was a regular item for breakfast during the Raj and the cooks tried to incorporate it with local dishes. Eventually the Fish Kedegeree became a hot cooked spicy dish, with the addition of various spices and was invariably included in the breakfast menu all over the Commonwealth.  Minced meat was also later added as a variation. It is believed that Kedgeree which is originally a Scottish Dish, was first brought into India by the Scottish Soldiers during the British Raj.

Preparation Time 45 minutes
Ingredients
½ kg good fleshy fish cut into thick slices
¼  kg raw rice or Basmati Rice
4 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon ghee or butter
3 onions sliced finely
3 green chillies sliced lengthwise
100 grams Moong dhal or Tur Dhal (Or any other lentils)
1 teaspoon spice powder or garam masala
1 teaspoon cumin powder
100 grams Sultanas or Raisins (Optional)
2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
2 Bay leaves
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon chillie powder
1 tablespoon lime juice / lemon juice / vinegar
6 whole peppercorns
4 hard-boiled eggs cut into quarters.

Wash the fish and cook it in a little water along with the bay leaves and salt for about 5 minutes or till the pieces are firm. Strain and keep aside.  Add sufficient water to the left over fish soup to get 6 cups of liquid.  Remove the bones and skin from the boiled fish and break into small pieces. Wash the Rice and dhal and keep aside.

Heat the oil in a suitable vessel and sauté the onions lightly. Add the slit green chillies, whole peppercorns, spice powder, cumin powder and chillie powder and sauté for a few minutes. Add the rice and dhal and mix well. Now add 6 cups of the soup, salt, limejuice / vinegar, sultanas, chopped coriander leaves and salt and cook on high heat till boiling. Reduce heat and simmer covered till the rice and dhal are cooked and slightly pasty. Gently mix in the cooked fish, butter / ghee and the hard-boiled eggs. Cover and let the rice draw in the fish for a few minutes. Serve hot or cold with Chutney or Lime Pickle.

RAILWAY LAMB / MUTTON CURRY - BBC GOOD FOOD MAGAZINE JULY 2012

My Recipe for RAILWAY MUTTON / LAMB CURRY was selected as the READER RECIPE OF THE MONTH in the July issue of the BBC GOOD FOOD MAGAZINE. As a result I won a special gift Hamper woth Rs 6000.00 from Debenhams. The Hamper contained a 5 piece Spoon Set and a Jamie Oliver Grater Gift set which has both the fine and coarse graters. Wanted to share this lovely bit of news with all the readers and followers of ALL MY BLOGS as well as my Page PRESERVING ANGLO-INDIAN CUISINE on FACE BOOK . Thanks for all your love and support. God bless you all. Bridget

RAILWAY LAMB / MUTTON CURRY
Serves 6     Preparation Time 45 minutes
Ingredients
½ kg mutton or lamb cut into medium size pieces     
6 peppercorns
2 big onions sliced                
2 pieces cinnamon
2 cloves
2 cardamoms
8 to 10 curry leaves
4 red chilies broken into bits
1teaspoon chillie powder
1teaspoon ginger garlic paste
Salt to taste         
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons vinegar or ½ cup of tamarind juice

Wash the meat and mix it with the ginger garlic paste, salt and the chilly powder. Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions, curry leaves, red chillies and spices till golden brown.  Add the meat and mix well.  Fry for a few minutes. Add the vinegar / Tamarind juice and sufficient water and cook on medium heat till the meat is done. Keep frying till the gravy is thick and dark brown.
Note: Substitute beef for lamb / mutton if desired.
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GREEN MASALA LAMB / MUTTON CHOPS

GREEN MASALA LAMB / MUTTON CHOPS
Serves 6           Preparation Time 45 minutes
Ingredients
½ kg lamb / mutton chops (Flatten slightly with the handle of the knife)
2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
4 green chilies
3 tablespoons coriander leaves
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 cloves
2 cardamom
2 pieces of cinnamon
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons oil                                
3 potatoes pealed washed and cut into quarters
2 onions sliced finely
½ cup coconut paste

Grind the green chilies, coriander leaves, coconut, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and cumin seeds to a smooth paste in a blender. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and fry the onions till golden brown. Add the meat, ginger garlic paste and turmeric powder and fry for some time. Now add the ground paste and salt and mix well with the meat. Keep frying on low heat till the oil separates from the mixture. Add the potatoes and sufficient water and pressure cook for 15 minutes.   Serve hot.  This curry is good with ghee rice or Palau rice.

FEATURE ON ME IN TIME OUT BEGALURU MAGAZINE (June 2012)

ANGLO-INDIAN CUISINE: A JOURNEY THROUGH HISTORY

>This blog has been written by my Guest Blogger Gavin Harvey. Gavin Harvey is a travel addict and fusion-food fanatic who writes for KDCUK KITCHENS a Kitchen Installation Company based in the United kingdom

It’s pretty commonplace to interpret ‘Anglo-Indian food’ quite simply as either Indian food
that’s weaker than it would usually be or just ‘spiced up’ traditional English food. But there’s a whole lot more richness to the world of Anglo-Indian cuisine than provided here.To understand it fully, you have to bear witness to an evolving background of cultural exchange, economy and various moments of contact between different groups of people. Anglo-Indian cuisine is far more interesting than simple swapsies - The Spice Trade alone is dubbed one of the main contributors towards Europe’s age of enlightenment and global discovery. As such Anglo-Indian food is the delicious result of loads of historic foreign invasions and contact points throughout India, and it has taken centuries to evolve!

The concept of ‘Anglo-Indian’ food dates from the early 16th Century – right from the entrance of the first Europeans into India. There were many - the Portuguese, the Dutch, the Spanish...and of course the British.Towards the 19th Century, the East India Company was formed: More English settled in India and a multi-racial community emerged. It’s often documented how this community adopted the styles of the European counterparts– but food was different. Anglo-Indian cuisine was one of the first truly ‘fusion’ foods of the world. But it wasn’t just Indian and British; it was a mish-mash of the various influences whose presences had been felt in India.

The well known ‘Vindaloo’ dish is a prime example– a dish so widely accepted in British culture, that English band Blur wrote a song about it! But the name and the dish come from the Portuguese: ‘Vinha De Alhos’: ‘Vinho’ for wine/ wine vinegar and ‘Alhos’ for Garlic. It started as a vinegar and garlic based stew made with pork or other meat but when introduced to India it got revamped with various spices and chillies. Potatoes were also added to the dish and ‘alhos’ became ‘aloo’ (Hindi word for ‘potatoes) – so soon people assumed potatoes were a necessary ingredient of this dish. Anglo-Indian food has always differed from typical Indian food – it represents a more tentative and judicious choices of spices, whereas conventional Indian food would utilize all the ingredients in the kitchen. Common ingredients include a mixture of English spices such as pepper, bay leaves, cloves and nutmeg with Indian additions of chilli, cumin, coriander, turmeric, ginger and garlic. Sweeter ingredients are also present to counter pungent tastes i.e. Yoghurt, milk, coconut and almonds. Many of the meat ingredients now found in Anglo-Indian dishes also probably represent the European influences on the cuisine given the popularity of Indian vegetarianism.

The story and journey of Anglo-Indian food is certainly not over; we’ve got increased communication and contact between societies all over the world, so that fusion- everything seems a natural course.Western born Indian chefs are continuing to innovate, combining new ingredients and methods of cooking into their food all the time. Take British born Manju Malhi, risen to prominence through her uniquely self-fashionedBrit-Indi food.But could it be that whilst Indian-influenced cuisine has continued to penetrate all echelonsof British society, India has been less tempted by traditional British tastes in recent history?This is why a few years back Delhi-based NDTV got Malhi in for a TV series to woo over the Indian public through her re-jigged versions of perceived ‘bland’ British food.
Recipes included various Indianised versions of mango crumble, shepherd’s pie, bangers and mash and bread and butter pudding.But India covers a much vaster geographic area than the UK does, and local cuisines are far more likely to vary from state to state, region to region and even community to community. It’s always hard to quantify these things but it would be nice to hear your thoughts
regarding the future of Anglo-Indian cuisine in India.

Gavin Harvey is a travel addict and fusion-food fanatic who writes for KDCUK Kitchens, a
kitchen fitting company based in London.Kitchen Installation and Fitting "> Company based in the United kingdom