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.

                                                       --------------------

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

EGG AND DRUMSTICK CURRY

DRUMSTICK: A GOOD BLOOD PURIFIER  - Bridget White Kumar

The 'drumstick tree', is well known for its multi-purpose attributes, wide adaptability, and ease of establishment. It is mostly grown as a backyard tree in most South Indian homes. Its leaves, pods and flowers are packed with nutrients important to both humans and animals. It is valued mainly for its tender pod, which is antibacterial and a wonderful cleanser. Drumstick is rich in calcium, phosphorus and vitamin C. The leaves are especially beneficial in the treatment of many ailments due to their various medicinal properties and their rich iron content. Drumstick is also a good blood purifier.

EGG AND DRUMSTICK  CURRY - An easy Anglo-Indian Recipe

Serves 6

Preparation time 30 minutes

Ingredients

6 drumsticks, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces,

6 Hard Boiled eggs peeled

2 onions finely chopped,

1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
2 tomatoes finely chopped,

6 or 7 curry leaves,

2 tablespoons coriander leaves finely chopped,

2 teaspoons chillie powder,

1 teaspoon coriander powder,

1 teaspoon cumin powder, 
½ teaspoon turmeric powder,

1 teaspoon garam masala powder / spice powder,

2 green chillies chopped,

salt to taste,

2 tablespoons oil

Heat oil in a pan and sauté the onion and curry leaves for a little while. Add the tomatoes, ginger garlic paste, green chillies, chillie powder, turmeric, garam masala / spice powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and salt and stir fry till the oil separates from the mixture. Add the drumsticks and hard boiled Eggs and 2 cups of water and simmer on low heat till the drum sticks are cooked and the gravy thickens. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve this delicious curry with rice or chapattis

ANGLO-INDIAN FOOD - COOKING DEMONSTRATION AT THE TAJ WEST END BANGALORE

Here is another picture of Anglo-Indian Dishes demonstrated and prepared by me at the Food trials Lunch at the Taj West End Bangalore on 10th and 17th May 2012.
The dishes in the picture are pepper lamb chops, Mince Ball curry, Tangy fish Curry, Prawn fry, Beans foogath, Cabbage Foogath, lady fingers Pepper Fry, Fish Fingers, vegetable Croquettes, Rosemary flavoured potatoes, Tangy Bringal (Aubergine), Beef in Green Masala, Chicken and Potatoes, Liver and Onion Fry, Butter Rice, Cauliflower and Capsicum foogath, Coconut Rice garnished with browned onions, etc, etc. Seen also in the picture is me along with Executive Chef Sandip Narang and other Executives of the Taj West End enjoying the spread

The Kamla Bhatt Show Bangalore Special: Bridget White Kumar on Anglo-Indian Cuisine

This is the link to the Kamla Show

Bangalore Special: Bridget White Kumar on Anglo-Indian Cuisine http://kamlashow.com/blog/2012/05/10/bangalore-special-bridget-white-kumar-on-anglo-indian-cuisine/comment-page-1/#comment-325615

COLONIAL ANGLO-INDIAN DISHES SHOW CASED BY ME AT THE TAJ WEST END, BANGALORE

COLONIAL ANGLO-INDIAN DISHES SHOW CASED BY ME AT THE TAJ WEST END, BANGALORE

The Taj West End Bangalore is celebrating 125 years of the West End. I was invited by them to be part of the 125 years celebrations by demonstrating the old Colonial Anglo-Indian Dishes in their MYNT Kitchen from the 27th April to the 8th May.

The West End already has a Colonial Anglo-Indian Menu for Brunch on Week ends at the MYNT Coffee Shop. They are going to incorporate some of the dishes shown by me in the new Menu.

These are the dishes demonstrated by me. Along with me is Chef Abijith and Chef Susai. I had a lovely time demonstrating and showing off my Culinary Skills!!!

 

ANGLO-INDIAN HOT MASALA CHOPS

ANGLO-INDIAN HOT MASALA CHOPS

Serves 6    preparation Time 1 hour

Ingredients

½ kg good chops either mutton, beef or veal

2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste

2 tablespoons vinegar

2 large onions sliced fine

2 or 3 green chilies sliced lengthwise

3 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon mustard

4 cardamoms

4 cloves

2 pieces of cinnamon

1 teaspoon pepper powder

1 teaspoon chillie powder

 Salt to taste

1 teaspoon cumin powder                  

1 teaspoon coriander powder

Roast and dry grind  the mustard, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Wash the chops and marinate them with this ground masala powder, ginger garlic paste, pepper powder, chillie powder, vinegar, cumin powder, coriander powder and salt for about 30 minutes. Heat oil in a large pan and sauté the onions and green chilies till slightly brown. Add the marinated chops and mix well.  Simmer for a few minutes.  Add sufficient water and cook till the chops are done and the gravy dries up.  Garnish with onion rings.       

DUCK MOILEE

DUCK MOILEE

(Succulent Duck cooked with green chillies and coconut milk)

Serves 6   Preparation Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 tender duck jointed and cut into medium size pieces

3 big onions sliced finely

8 to 10 green chilies sliced lengthwise

2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste

1cup thick coconut milk

1 tomato chopped into 8 pieces

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

3 tablespoons oil

Salt to taste

Rub the duck all over with the turmeric powder.  Heat oil in a pressure cooker or a suitable pan and lightly fry the pieces of duck. When the pieces turn light brown add all the other ingredients to it. Mix well so that all the pieces get covered.  Add sufficient water and cook on medium heat till the duck is cooked and the gravy thickens. If cooking in a pressure cooker turn off the heat after 8 or 9 whistles.

SALT FISH PICKLE

Ingredients:

½ kg good salt fish cut into small bits         

3 tablespoons chilly powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder                       

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder                           

1 tablespoon sliced ginger pieces              

1 tablespoon sliced garlic pieces

2 tablespoons salt                                      

1 cup Sesame oil (Til oil)

1 cup vinegar                                             

1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

Wash the salt fish well and leave to dry for some time. Smear the turmeric powder on the salt fish. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan and fry the salt fish till golden brown. Keep aside. In another pan heat the remaining oil till smoky, then turn off the heat. Add all the other ingredients and the fried salt fish and mix well. Store in bottles when cold. This pickle will last for about 3 months if stored in the fridge as no preservatives are added.

ROSE COOKIES / ROSETTE COOKIES / ROSA COOKIES

Rose Cookies are delicious fried 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.

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

PORK BHOONI

PORK BHUNI

This is an old Anglo-Indian Recipe of Pork cooked with Fresh Dil Leaves and Potatoes. It 's very popular in Calcutta and West Bengal and not so well known in the South of India. The dish gets its name 'Bhuni / Bhoonie' because of the frying involved in preparing this dish.

Ingredients

1 kg Pork with less fat cut into medium pieces

1 teaspoon ginger paste

1 teaspoon garlic paste

½ teaspoon turmeric Powder

2 teaspoon chillie Powder

2 green chillies sliced lengthwise

3 onions sliced finely

1 cup finely chopped Dil leaves

Salt to taste

3 Potatoes peeled and cut into quarters

3 tablespoons oil

Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions till golden brown. Remove and set aside. In the same pan, fry the potatoes till golden brown. Remove and keep aside. To the same oil, dd the ginger and garlic paste and sauté for a few more minutes. Add the pork, chillie powder, turmeric powder, green chillies, and mix well. Stir fry for a few minutes till the meat become firm. Add sufficient water and cook till the pork is tender. Now add the Dil leaves and cook gently till the leaves shrivel up. Now add the fried onions and potatoes and stir gently.

Note: If desired, the pork could be substituted with lamb or beef.

Serves 6      Preparation Time 45 minutes

PUMPKIN PIE

Serves 6  Preparation Time 1 hour

Ingredients:

2 cups pumpkin puree

1 cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

2 eggs lightly beaten

1 cup evaporated milk / condensed milk

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

A 9-inch pie crust, unbaked

In mixing bowl, combine pumpkin puree, sugar, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and flour. Add the eggs and mix well. Add evaporated milk / condensed milk, water and vanilla and mix well. Pour this mixture into a 9-inch pastry lined pie pan. Preheat oven to 425°. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° and bake pumpkin pie for about 25 minutes longer, until pumpkin pie is set. Serve with Ice Cream