AN ANGLO-INDIAN FESTIVE LUNCH OR DINNER PLATTER - Chicken Buffarth, Anglo-Indian Chicken Roast with Braised Vegetables, Pepper Mince and Potato Cutlets / Chops, Pork Vindaloo, Pork Roast, Chiocken Pilaf / Palau, Steamed Ginger Pudding

AN ANGLO-INDIAN FESTIVE LUNCH OR DINNER PLATTER - Chicken Buffarth, Anglo-Indian Chicken Roast with Braised Vegetables, Pepper Mince and Potato Cutlets / Chops, Pork Vindaloo, Pork Roast, Chiocken Pilaf / Palau, Steamed Ginger Pudding 

1. CHICKEN BUFFARTH  (Breakfast Stew on Easter Morning )

This wholesome stew was a ‘must have’ in Anglo-Indian homes for Breakfast on Easter Sunday in the earlier days. It goes well with bread or buns.

Serves 6      Preparation Time 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 kg chicken

1 large cabbage cut into 4          

3 carrots cut into medium pieces

2 potatoes peeled and chopped

     1 teaspoon turmeric powder       

2 teaspoons salt

4 large onions sliced                    

6 green chilies slit lengthwise

1 teaspoon crushed garlic           

1 teaspoon chopped ginger

½ cup vinegar                             

½ cup oil or ghee

1 teaspoon spice powder            

2 teaspoons chillie powder

1 teaspoon pepper powder          

2 Bay leaves

1 teaspoon cumin powder            

Cut the chicken into about 8 big pieces. Wash well and add all the above ingredients to it.  Mix well. Heat the oil in a large pan. Cover the bottom of the pan with the cabbage, potatoes and carrots. Add the chicken mixed with all the ingredients.  Add 3 cups of water. Cover the pan and cook first on high heat then simmer on low heat for 30 minutes till the chicken pieces are well cooked and the buffad gives out a nice aroma. Serve hot.

 2.. ANGLO-INDIAN CHICKEN ROAST WITH BRAISED VEGETABLES

This simple and delicious Chicken Roast makes a perfect meal either for lunch or dinner on Easter Sunday. The left overs make good sandwiches the next day.

Serves 6   Preparation Time 1 hour

Ingredients

1 whole chicken cleaned and washed well. Chop into 8 big pieces

Salt to taste

2 teaspoons ground black pepper powder

1 teaspoon Chillie powder

2 tablespoons oil or ghee

2 or 3 dry red chillies

A few whole pepper corns

3 carrots peeled and cut lengthwise

8 or 10 runner beans broken into halves

Marinate the chicken with the salt, pepper and chillie powder for about half an hour.

Heat oil or ghee in a thick -bottomed pan and add the chicken together with the broken red chillies and pepper corns. Turn the chicken from side to side and fry for about for about 5 minutes or till the pieces becomes firm. Add about 2 cups of water and mix well. Cover the pan with a tight lid and cook first on high heat then over low heat turning the chicken occasionally till the chicken is cooked and all the water / soup  is absorbed.

Add the carrots and beans and cook till just tender. Continue to cook till the chicken is roasted to a lovely golden brown.

3. PEPPER MINCE AND POTATO CUTLETS /CHOPS 

Serves 6  Preparation Time 1 hour

Ingredients

½ kg finely minced meat

1 medium sized onion chopped finely    

2 teaspoons pepper powder

Salt to taste

3 tablespoons oil

1 egg beaten

2 tablespoons breadcrumbs

3 large potatoes

Boil the potatoes, remove the skin and mash well. Keep aside. In a pan add the mince, onions, pepper powder and salt with a little oil and cook till the mince is dry.  Remove from heat and cool for some time. Form the mashed potatoes into even sized balls. Make a depression in the center and fill with the pepper mince. Flatten each ball to form a round cutlet. Dip in the beaten egg then roll in the breadcrumbs. Heat oil in a flat pan and shallow fry the cutlets on low heat till golden  brown on both sides.

 4. ANGLO-INDIAN PORK VINDALOO

A typical Anglo-Indian Favourite on festive days. This dish is a Portuguese legacy to Anglo-Indian Cuisine.

Serves 6        Preparation Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 kg pork cut into medium pieces

3 big onions sliced finely

1 tablespoon cumin powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon mustard powder

3 teaspoons chillie powder

2 teaspoons pepper powder

3 teaspoons garlic paste

1 cup vinegar

3 tablespoons oil

1 sprig curry leaves

Salt to taste

Marinate the pork for about one hour with the salt, vinegar, chillie powder, cumin powder pepper powder, mustard powder, turmeric powder and garlic paste. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and fry the curry leaves and onions till golden brown. Add the marinated pork and keep frying for some time. Now add more water and pressure cook till the meat is well cooked. Serve hot with rice or bread.

5. SIMPLE PORK ROAST

Serves 6   Preparation time 1 hour

Ingredients

1 chunk of pork weighing around 2 kgs with fat and lard

3 potatoes peeled

3 whole red chillies 

1 teaspoon pepper corns

3 cloves

3 cardamoms,

1 Bay leaf

Salt to taste

Wash the pork and rub well with the salt and a pinch of pepper. Place in a pressure cooker together with the red chillies, peppercorns, spices, bay leaf and a little water and pressure -cook for 15 minutes. Open the pressure cooker and add the whole potatoes. Simmer on low heat turning the meat around till nicely browned on all sides.

Alternately, the meat can be roasted with all the above ingredients in an   oven for 2 hours or till the meat is soft and brown.

 6. CHICKEN PALAU

Serves 8   Time Required 1 hour

Ingredients

1 kg Basmati Rice or any other Good Rice. (wash and soak for about 1 hour)

2 kgs chicken cut into fairly big pieces

3 bay leaves

2 teaspoons spice powder or garam masala

½ kg tomatoes chopped

3 small sticks of cinnamon, 4 cloves, 5 cardamoms

1 nutmeg flower / Star Anise

2 cups oil or ghee

Salt to taste

6 green chilies ground

3 tablespoons ginger garlic paste

2 teaspoons chillie powder

 ½ kg onions sliced finely           

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

½ cup fresh mint leaves

1 cup curds / yogurt

Wash the chicken and marinate with the spice powder, green chillie paste, curds / yogurt, half the quantity of ginger garlic paste and turmeric powder for half an hour.

Heat the oil or ghee in a large vessel and add the cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg flower / star Anise, remaining ginger garlic paste and onions and sauté for some time. Add the chopped tomatoes, mint leaves and chillie powder and simmer till the oil separates from the mixture and the tomatoes are reduced to pulp. Add the marinated chicken and salt and cook for 10 minutes till the chicken is done. Remove the chicken pieces and keep aside. Now add sufficient water to the gravy in the vessel so as to get about 7 glasses of liquid. Add the rice and cook till half done. Now add the cooked chicken and mix well. Cover and cook on low heat till all the liquid is absorbed and the Biryani is almost dry. Serve hot with Curd Chutney.

 7. STEAMED GINGER PUDDING

 Ingredients 

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened,

2 tablespoons flour 

1 cup soft bread crumbs

1/2 teaspoon baking powder 

1/4 teaspoon dry ginger powder

½ cup plus sugar 

1 large egg 

1/3 cup coarsely chopped candied ginger (optional)

1 tablespoon honey 

1 tablespoon whole milk 

4 tablespoons apricot jam 

Butter an oven proof pudding basin or mixing bowl.

Stir together flour, baking powder, and ground ginger in a small bowl. Add the butter, bread crumbs and sugar into the bowl and mix well, Mix in the egg. Add flour mixture, chopped ginger, honey, and milk and mix until just combined. Spoon the jam into the bottom of the buttered Pudding bowl. Pour the batter on top, then smooth with a spatula. Cover the bowl with a lid and steam the pudding for 30 to 35 minutes till done.

Leave aside to cool for 10 minutes. Run a small knife around edge of bowl then invert the pudding onto a plate. Serve warm either with more Jam on top or with fresh cream