INDIAN TAMARIND CHUTNEY

Serving Size : 1 Preparation :

Indian Condiments

2 ml Tamarind cake 
3/4 c Boiling water 
1/3 c Raisins 
1 tb Sugar 
1 t Roasted, ground cumin seeds 
1 t Lemon juice 
1/4 To 1/2 teaspoon powdered -hot red chile pepper or -cayenne Salt to taste

Combine tamarind and boiling water; let soak for at least 1 hour. Soak the raisins in 1/3 cup hot water for 1 hour. Puree the raisins in a blender and set aside. Squeeze the tamarind with fingers to break it up; push through a sieve held over a bowl, rubbing as much of the pulp through as possible. Scrape the back of the sieve to collect all the pulp remaining there. Stir in the pureed raisins and all the remaining ingredients. Blend the mixture well, cover and let stand at room temperature for several hours. Serve with fried foods and savory pastries. It will keep in the refrigerator several days. Variation: Add thin slices of 1 banana and serve as a relish.

Indian Samosas

1 Pack Large Egg Roll Wrappers -----Filling-----
6 Oz Lean Beef Or Lamb -- finely ground 
1 Medium Cooked Potato -- diced 
1/4 Cup Green Peas -- cooked 
1 Medium Onion -- grated 
1 Clove Garlic -- crushed 
1/2 Inch Piece Fresh Ginger -- grated 
2 Teaspoons Curry Powder 
1/2 Tsp Chilli Powder 
1/4 Tsp Turmeric 
1 Tsp Salt 
1/4 Tsp Black Pepper 
2 Tbsp Butter 
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice 
1 Tbsp Fresh Coriander, Chopped -- or mint

Cover the egg roll wrappers with a damp cloth until needed. Mix the filling ingredients except the butter, lemon juice and chopped herbs and fry in the butter until just cooked through. Sprinkle on approximately 2 tablespoons of water and increase the heat until the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice and herbs. Stir well and leave to cool. Cut the egg roll wrappers into 1 3/4 inch strips. To prepare the samosas using egg roll wrapper strips, turn one end over to make a triangular shaped pocket, then turn again in the opposite direction. Fill the cavity with a spoonful of the cooked filling and continue folding until the whole strip has been used and a triangular shaped pastry results. Seal the end with water or a paste made from flour and water. Heat oil for deep frying to fairly hot and fry the samosas, several at a time, until golden and crisp. Serve hot with a fresh mint chutney. 
Makes 36 samosas.

Kashmiri Rogan Josh

Categories: Beef, Lamb, India 
Yield: 6 servings 
1 tb whole fennel seeds 
3 lb cubed lamb 
3 1/4 c plain yoghurt 
4 ts paprika 
6 tb vegetable oil 
1/2 ts cayenne pepper 
1 ea 3/4" stick of cinnamon 
1 1/2 ts dried ginger 
1/2 ts whole cloves 
3 2/3 c water or beef broth 
2 1/2 ts salt 
1/4 ts garam masala 
1 pn asafetida

Grind the fennel seeds until find. Put the yoghurt in a bowl and beat it with a fork until smooth and creamy. Heat the oil in a large pot over a high flame. When hot, put in the cinnamon and cloves. A second later, put in the ground asafetida. A second after that, put in all the meat and the salt. Stir the meat an cook, still on a high flame for about 5 minutes. Now put in the paprika and cayenne and give the meat a good stir. Slowly add the yoghurt, a small amount at a time, stirring the meat vigorously as you do so. Add all the yoghurt this way. Keep cooking on high heat until all liquid has boiled away and the meat pieces have browned slightly. Add the fennel and ginger. Give the meat some more good stirs. Now put in the water or broth, cover so as to leave the lid very slightly ajar, and cook on medium heat for 30 minutes. Cover completely and cook on low heat for another 45 minutes or until meat is tinder. Stir a few times as the meat cooks, making sure that there is always some liquid in the pot. Remove the lid and add the garam masala. You should have a thick, reddish brown sauce. If it is too thin, boil away some of the liquid.

INDIAN CHEESE - PANEER & CHANNA

Serving Size : 6

Categories : Indian Amount Measure Ingredient

1 1/2 qt Whole milk 
1 1/2 c Cultured buttermilk

Pour milk into a heavy 4-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium and stir in buttermilk. When the curds form a mass (you'll see a clear, pale-yellow whey surrounding the curds), remove pan from heat, Let stand, partially covered, for 10 minutes. Line a colander with a double layer of dampened cheesecloth. Set the colander in the sink or in a bowl if you wish to save the whey (see note). Gently pour the curds and whey into the cheesecloth. Gather together the corners of the cloth, give one or two twists, and tie with a kitchen twine. Hang the cheesecloth bag over the faucet and let the cheese drain for 1 hour, or until it is as thick as yogurt (this is channa). If the weather is warm, leave the cheesecloth bag in the colander, set the colander on a plate to catch the drippings, and refrigerate until the cheese has thickened. Unwrap the channa and use immediately, or cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Yields approximately 10 ounces. Note: Save the whey for making your next batch of paneer, use it for cooking lentils or pilafs, or add it to soups. Paneer cheese: Snugly wrap cheesecloth around the channa to form a "cake." Place on a cookie sheet, place another cookie sheet on top and add weights (for example, 2 or 3 large cans of tomatoes, 2 or 3 bricks, a large pitcher of water). Let the cheese sit for 2 to 4 hours. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days.