Sheermal

Ingredients

Plain Flour 500 gram
Salt - 10 gram
Butter - 65 gram

Castor Sugar - 25 gram
Milk Powder - 50 gram

Egg - 1
Cream - 20 gram
Kewra Water - 20 gram
Milk - 220 ml
Saffron (few strands in 2 tbsp Luke warm water)

Yeast - 1 tsp

Panasonic Bread maker Setting 22

Sheermal

Mutton Tikka

Kashmir style Mutton tikka (also called Seekh tuji) or Chicken barbecue

Ingredients

Mutton Boneless or Chicken quarter Legs - 1 KG

Mustard Oil
Red Chili Powder - 1 tbsp

Curd - 1 cup
Vinegar - 2 tbsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp

Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Black Pepper Powder -1/2 tsp
Meat Masala - 2 tbsp
Salt

Recipe

1. Heat mustard oil, fry red chili powder
2. Add all ingredients (preferably use whole coriander, cumin and black pepper seeds, roast it and then grind it for extra flavour)
3. Leave to marinate overnight
4. Grill

Bihari Kabab

Ingredients

Chicken / Lamb / Beef - 1 kg (long strips)
(If lamb or beef then papaya for marinating, beef will take more time to marinate)

Papaya

Onion - 2
Ginger and Garlic - 2 tbsp

Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Black Pepper - 1 tsp
Garam Masala (Green Cardamom, Black Cardamom, Clove, Nutmeg/Jayphal, Mace/Javitri, cinnamon stick) or use meat masala
Khas Khas - 1 tbsp
Red Chilli - 2

Yoghurt - 1/2 cup
Bhuna Besan - 1 tbsp
Mustard Oil
Salt


Recipe

1. Roast all Graram masala, cumin seed, black pepper in a pan for a minute and then grind
2. Grind onion, ginger, garlic, Khas Khas and Red Chilli
3. Marinate meat with the above mix, yoghurt, bhuna bean, salt and mustard oil.
4. Add papaya if it's lamb or beef.
5. Marination Time - Chicken - 1.5 hr, Lamb - 2hour, Beef - 2 hour
6. Fry on a pan, covered on one side, once done on the other side, repeat in batches or Grill in an oven or on a barbecue

Naan

Ingredients

Water (lukewarm) - 3/4 cup
Yeast (instant) - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp

Plain flour - 3 cup
Baking Soda - pinch

Yoghurt - 2 and 1/2 tbsp
Oil - 2 Tablespoon

(makes about 6 naans)

Naan with Nihari

Recipe

Dough

1. Add salt and sugar and yeast to lukewarm water.
2. Leave in a warm place for 5-15 minutes (depending on outside temperature), to rise.
3. Add baking powder to plain flour, mix.
4. Add oil.
5. Add Yoghurt.
6. Add water mix.
7. Mix the dough, not much.
8. Put in a big bowl, cover with a cling film,  to rise for 30 minutes to 2 hours (depending on temperature).

Baking

1. Turn oven on for 20 minutes, leave the tray in.
2. Make 6 balls from the dough.
3. Roll up, round or teardrop.
4. Add sesame seed (optional), press it in.
5. Bake in preheated oven for about 3-5 minutes or until done (turn around midway).
6. Once done, put butter on.

Mediterranean Chicken Casserole in Oven

It's a simple dish, but has got loads of flavour and straight forward to cook. There is something in the casserole for everyone. Mediterranean flavour add wonders, the apricot, the olives, Ras-el-hanout, Greek yogurt, its packed with oomph.

Chicken Casserole in Oven

Ingredients

Chicken - 1 medium or 8 leg pcs

Lemon - 1

Olive Oil 

Ginger paste - 1 teaspoon

Onion - 2 medium

Greek Yoghurt - 1 cup

Olive -5-7 pitted

Garlic Cloves - 5

Potatoes (small) -4

Cherry Tomato - 5

Dried Apricot - 5

Almonds - 7-8

Cinnamon stick - 1

Ras-el-Hanout - 3 teaspoon

Paprika - 1 teaspoon
Salt (to taste)

Chicken Casserole in Oven

Recipe

1. Marinate chicken in lemon juice for 5-7 hours
2. Microwave dried apricot in half a cup of water
3. Fry chicken in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, with whole spices and ginger garlic paste
4. Rub olive oil on sides of the oven dish
5. Add chicken to the oven dish
6. Fry onion in oil, add to chicken
7. Add greek yoghurt,  garlic cloves, potatoes, cherry tomato, apricot, almond, cinnamon stick, ras el hanout, paprika and salt
8. Cover with silver foil and bake for an hour
9. Remove from oven, check if cooked else oven for another 15 minutes
10. Remove the silver foil and grill for 5-7 minutes to get the crispy look

Pumpkin Casserole

When you grow pumpkins on your allotment and get too many of those you start searching for ideas. After I've given few to friends and another few left in hen run for chickens to feed on, I was still left with a good number.

Pumpkin Casserole

I realised that pumpkin could be used as a casserole, bake inside the pumpkin itself, stuff with meat. Voilla !!!

It's a hollowed-out pumpkin stuffed with meat, and since pumpkins come in unpredictable sizes baking times depend on how long it takes for the pumpkin to get soft enough to pierce with a knife, being precise is impossible. I choose a small one from the allotment.

Empty Pumpkin

Add meat

Add meat

Meat in pumpkin

Lid the pumpkin

Pumpkin in oven after a while

Pumpkin Casser

Ingredients

1 medium size pumpkin

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2-3 garlic cloves

1/2 kg boneless lamb or beef

Onion - 2

Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 tablespoon

Whole Spices (Black Pepper, Green and Black Cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon) and chili flakes - to taste

Salt

Recipe

1. Heat oil in a cooker
2. Add whole spices
3. Add onion
4. Add Meat, salt and ginger garlic paste
5. Fry
6. Remove 
7. Close the lid of Pressure cook, and leave it on medium for a while till meat is slightly cooked
8. Heat oven to 180C. Cut the top off the pumpkin and use a metal spoon to scoop out the seeds. Get rid of any pithy bits. 
9. Put the pumpkin on a baking tray, rub with 2 tbsp of the oil inside and out, and season well.
10. Fill pumpkin with meat, cloves and chili flakes.
11. Close the lid
12. Leave in Oven for an hour and a half (check after an hour)
13. Check again and leave for another 30 minutes if the meat is not done.

Bihari Kabab

Bihari Kabab

Ingredients

Lamb, beef or Chicken (boneless, cut into strips) - 2 KG

Onion - 7(minced) + 1(sliced) large

Garlic Paste - 2 table spoon (3 for beef)

Mustard Oil - 10 table spoon

Red Chilli powder - 2 table spoon

Black Pepper (crushed) - 1 tea spoon

Poppy Seeds - 3 table spoon

Paprika Powder - 2 table spoon

Salt - 3 or 4  tea spoon

Tenderiser (Papaya) - None for chicke, 1 for lamb and 2 table spoon for beef

Curd - 2 table spoon (use only for beef)

Shan Bihari Masala - 1 table spoon

Bihari Kabab

Recipe

1. Mince onion in a mixer.
2. Add minced onion to meat.
3. Add ginger garlic paste, red chilli, black pepper powder, poppy seeds, paprika powder.
4. Add salt.
5. For Beef add tenderiser, optionally for lamb.
6. Add 7 table spoon of mustard oil.
7. Add little bit of curd (with no water in it, only for beef).
8. Mixed them all with meat/chicken.
9. Leave to marinate overnight (2-3 hours for chicken)
10. Fry 1 large sliced onion in mustard oil, add to mix with mustard oil.
11. Add 1 table spoon mustard oil, 1 table spoon paprika, 1 table spoon Shaan Bihari Masala.
12. Grill / Barbecue on skewers

Roasted Chicken

Paste
Dahi (without water) - 1KG
Black Pepper - 1 tea spoon
Chilli Powder - 1 tea spoon
Ginger Garlic - 2 table spoon
Red Colour - 1/4 tea spoon
Mustard Oil - 150 ml
Methi Powder - 1 tea spoon
Yellow Colour

Tangri Kebab

Marinade same as Afghani, may add colour to marinade

Stuffing for 4 pieces -
Egg - 1
Chicken Keema - 100 gram
Black Pepper
Salt
Khoya
Green Chilli - small pieces


Lightly fry above ingredients like a bujia
Cut chicken leg from center and fill the stuffing
Barbecue

Afghani Chicken (Barbecue)

Ingredients

(Quantity approximately for 3 chicken to make 1 KG Paste)

Marinade:
Ginger Garlic - 1 tablespoon
Black Pepper - 1 teaspoon
White Vinegar - 3 tablespoon
Salt (to taste)


Paste:
Magaz - 150 gram
Kaaju - 100 gram
Khaskhas - 50 gram
Khoya - 70 gram
Cream - 50 gram
Milk - 1/2 cup
Methi - 1 tablespoon
White / Black Pepper - 1 teaspoon
Salt (to taste)


Recipe

1. Apply marinade to chicken and leave overnight
2. Mix ingredients of paste in a mixer.
3. Apply 30 minutes before barbecue
4. Barbecue

Barbecue Chutneys

Spring Green Chutney

Ingredients

Spring Green leaves - 10 (finely chopped)
Mustard Oil - 1 table spoon
Salt - 1 teaspoon

Recipe

1. Mix all the ingredients.

Roasted tomato and garlic Chutney

Ingredients

Tomatoes - 5
Garlic - 5 cloves
Green Chilli - 2 (finely chopped)
Coriander leaves - 5 (finely chopped)
Mustard Oil - 1 table spoon
Salt - 1 teaspoon

Recipe

1. Drop the tomatoes and garlic in between the coal while barbecue is lit, leave for 10 minutes.
2. Using a tong take the tomatoes and garlic out.
3. In a bowl crush tomatoes.
4. Squeeze the garlic from the peel in the bowl.
5. Add green chilli, coriander leaves, mustard oil and salt, mix well.

Seekh Kebab Barbecue

Ingredients

Lamb mince - 1 kg

Onion - 1 (finely sliced)

Green Chilli - 3 (finely sliced)

Coriander leaf - 7 (roughly chopped)

Ginger - 1 table spoon (peeled and finely grated)
Garlic cloves - 5 (peeled and finely grated)

Coriander Seeds - 1 table spoon
Cumin Seeds - 1 table spoon
Black Pepper - 1 table spoon

Mustard Oil - 1 table spoon
Salt - 1 and 1/2 table spoon (or to taste)

Lemon - 1

Recipe

1. 2 hours before barbecue, lightly toast coriander, cumin and black pepper in a pan, crush the 3 ingredients in a mortar and pestle.
2. Add onion, green chilli, coriander leaf, ginger, garlic, crushed spices (coriander, cumin and black pepper), salt and mustard oil to the lamb mince, mix well.
3. Now leave the marinade for 2 hours.
4. Get the barbecue ready.
5. Make round balls of mince, insert in skewer and flatten it around the skewer in the shape of seekh kebab, barbecue.
6. Remove from skewer once done, and squeeze 3-5 drops of lemon on each kebab (absorbs lemon more easily when it has just come off barbecue).

Note: 1 kg lamb will make approximately 18-20 seekh kebabs.

Chicken Tikka Barbecue

Ingredients

Chicken - 1 kg (boneless or leg pieces)
Lemon - 2

Ginger - 1 table spoon (peeled and finely grated)
Garlic cloves - 5 (peeled and finely grated)

Coriander Seeds - 1 table spoon
Cumin Seeds - 1 table spoon
Black Pepper - 1 table spoon

Yoghurt/Cream - 2 table spoon
Paprika / food colour - 1 table spoon (optional)
Olive Oil - 1 table spoon
Salt - 1 table spoon (or to taste)

Recipe

1. Make 2 deep cuts in each of the chicken piece.
2. Squeeze 1 lemon on Chicken, mix well and leave overnight to marinade.
3. 2 hours before barbecue, lightly toast coriander, cumin and black pepper in a pan, crush the 3 ingredients in a mortar and pestle.
4. Add ginger, garlic, crushed spices (coriander, cumin and black pepper), salt and olive oil to the chicken marinade, mix well.
5. Add yoghurt or cream.
6. Add Paprika or colour (optional).
7. Now leave the marinade for 2 hours.
8. Get the barbecue ready.
9. Slice in 3 to 4 pieces on skewer, and barbecue on coal (brush with oil if chicken looks dry during barbecue).
10. Remove from skewer once done, and squeeze 3-5 drops of lemon on each chicken piece, chicken absorbs lemon more easily when it has just come off barbecue.

Spiced Roast Leg of Lamb (Tandoori Raan)

A lamb leg roast is extremely divine taste, it is rich with flavours. This marinated leg of lamb cooked in a deliciously spicy masala has that touch of royalty. First time I had 'tandoori raan'  was at Karim's when I took my family and friends for a dinner to celebrate the day I got my first salary. 

My only concern when cooking was about the inside of leg not getting cooked, but it went as I wanted it to, finely done inside out. It is important to make enough deep pricks with fork so that marinate gets inside and spreads the flavour. I used lamb shoulder for my first attempt.

Spiced Shoulder of Lamb

Ingredients

Leg of lamb (or Shoulder) - 1 and ½ kg

Onions - 1 large
Garlic cloves - 6 (crushed)
Ginger - 3 table spoon (crushed)
Green Chilly - 4

Yoghurt (plain) - 500 gram

Cumin Seeds (Dhaniya) - 2 table spoon
Coriander seeds (Zeera) - 1 table spoon
Cloves (Laung) - 6
Green Cardamom Pods (Choti elaychi) - 6
Cinnamon Stick (Daal-chini)- 1 and ½
Peppercorns (Kali mirch) - 10
Red Chilly (dried) - 2 (finely cut with scissor)
Garam Masala - ½ tea spoon
Salt - 1 teaspoon (or according to taste)

Lemon juice - 2 table spoon, or more, according to taste
Olive Oil - 2 table spoon (or use vegetable oil)
Vegetable Oil - 3 table spoon
Paprika - 1 tea spoon (optional, or use Kashmiri mirch)
Rosemary twigs - 2 (optional)

Recipe

1. Trim any skin off the lamb leg
2. Place it in a in a large dish
3. Blend onions, garlic,  ginger and green chilli's
4. Add yoghurt and blend together
5. Crush Whole Spices (cumin Seeds, coriander seeds, 4 cloves, 4 cardamom Pods, 1 cinnamon Stick, 6 peppercorns and red chilly)
6. Add to the blend mix along with garam masala and salt, olive oil and lemon juice
7. Blend for another 30 seconds
8. Prick the lamb leg with fork, so that marinate gets inside.
9. Rub over the paste

   

   Marinated

   
   
10. Refrigerate for 24 hours
11. Remove from the fridge and let the meat come to room temperature.
12. Preheat the oven to 200 degree C
13. Place a silver foil on baking tray, place the marinated leg on silver foil
14. Heat vegetable oil and fry remaining whole spices (2 Cloves, 2 Cardamom pods, ½ Cinnamon stick and 4 Peppercorns) for a few seconds
15. Pour the hot spiced oil over the lamb

    

    Oil over lamb

    
    
16. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 1.5 hours
17. Then remove the foil
18. Sprinkle Paprika
19. Place Rosemary twigs on side in the baking tray
20. Bake for a further 45 minutes
21. Serve sliced with plain yoghurt and mint sauce