Spinach Tahiri: A One Pot Dish

Serves 8

Procedure

1. Place the cilantro, spinach and 1 cup of cold water in a blender and blend until very smooth. Place the puree in a fine sieve and squeeze as much water out of it as you can. Keep in the sieve over a bowl in the refrigerator until needed.

2. Melt butter in a sauce pan. Add the onions and saute' for 6 minutes or until transparent.

3. Add the ginger and garlic and saute' for 1 minute. Add the curry, star anise and the cinnamon. Saute' for 1 minute.

4. Add the rice and saute' for 2 more minutes. Add the water, salt, pepper and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Cover and lower heat to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Let the pan rest for 5 minutes. Remove cover and fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the puree, the peas and the garam masala and Serve.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
12 ounce fresh baby spinach, washed
12 ounces frozen petite peas, cooked in boiling salted water for 5 minutes
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup diced onions
2 teaspoons garlic
2 teaspoons ginger
1 tablespoon Keralan Curry
2 pieces star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
2 cups white basmati rice
½ cup diced fresh tomatoes
3 ½ cups water
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon Kashmiri Garam Masala

Curried Deviled Eggs

Serves 6 - 8

Procedure

1. Pour cold water into a pot and bring it up to a boil.
2. Once boiling, add the eggs and cook for 12 minutes.
3. Remove eggs from the pot and shock under cold water.
4. Peel the eggs and cut lengthwise.
5. Remove the yolks and place into a bowl.
6. Combine the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Tabasco, salt, and curry powder with the egg yolks and mix well.

Ingredients

6 or 8 Eggs
¼ cup Mayonnaise
1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
¼ tsp. Tabasco Sauce
¼ tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Keralan Curry

Naan Khatai

Culinary History:

The word “Nankhatai” is derived from the Persian word “Naan” which means bread, while
“Khatai” comes from the Afghan word meaning biscuit. Nankhatai is a traditional dessert made
for Christian and Jewish holidays. Introduced by Dutch spice traders in the sixteenth century, it
originated in the City of Surat, in the Indian State of Gujarat. The original Dutch recipe was a
shortbread, but over centuries the Indian version turned into a biscuit.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour

2/3 cup confectionery sugar

1/2 cup cold organic unsalted butter

1/8 tsp fine sea salt

Orange water (optional)

5 pods of cardamom

Dried Rose Petals (optional)

Procedure:

1. In a large bowl, rub the butter and the flour with your fingers to form a bread crumb consistency.

2. Crush three cardamom pods and remove the seeds. Using a motor and pesto, crush the seeds and keep them aside.

3. Add the rose water, cardamom, icing sugar, and rose petals to the flour mixture. Mix together to form a firm dough.

4. Take a clean surface and roll out the dough to a thickness of 3/4 inches. Using a fluted circular cookie cutter, cut the cookies and place them on a lined baking tray with parchment paper.

5. Chill the cookies for 20 minutes in the refrigerator till its firm.

6. Preheat the oven to 340 degrees and bake the cookies for about 20 minutes.

7. Remove from oven and decorate with two cardamom pods and dried rose petals.

Farro Tahiri

Culinary History:

Farro, is a group of ancient whole grains comprised of 3 ancient wheat types. This ancient grain is sourced from Italy and is known for its complex nutty taste and it's similar appearance to brown rice grains. Because farro is so easily digested and so low in gluten, farro can often be eaten by people who are gluten intolerant. 

SERVES: 6 - SERVING: 3 oz 

Ingredients:

2 cup farro, rinsed and drained
2 cups vegetable broth, low-sodium
2 cups warm water
1 tsp salt

(Veggies for the Tahiri)
2 pounds sweet potato (about 2), peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
½  tsp salt
1 tsp sunflower oil
1 head of cauliflower, 2 cups chopped cauliflower florets into pea size
2 medium carrots,  ½ cup chopped diced ¼ inch cubes
12 french beans, ⅓ cup chopped into ½ inch sized
½ cup green peas, fresh or frozen

(Whole Spice masala)
3 cloves
3 whole green cardamoms
1 small cinnamon stick

(For the Masala)
1 tbsp sunflower oil
2 red onions, sliced thin, about 1 cup
1 tsp salt
2 medium sized tomatoes, diced, about ½ cup
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 green chili, seeds removed slit into half
 2 tsp Keralan Curry Spice Blend

(For Garnish)
1 tbsp finely chopped mint leaves
3 tbsp finely chopped cilantro leaves
½ tbsp lemon juice

Procedure:

To roast the sweet potato:

1. Preheat an oven to 375 degrees and position an oven rack in the center.

2. In a large bowl, combine 1 tsp oil, and salt with sweet potato, toss until well combined.

3. Transfer the mixture onto a rimmed baking sheet, spreading evenly.

4. Place the baking sheet into the oven to roast, stirring every 15 minutes, until fork tender, about 30 minutes.

To Make the Tahiri:

1. Preheat heat a dutch oven, medium high heat, add 1tbsp of oil

2. Add the whole masala and sauté till the spices are fragrant for about 2 minutes

3. Now add the sliced onions, and add the 1 tbsp of salt and sauté until the onion become golden

4. Reduce the heat to medium

5. Now add the ginger garlic paste and sauté for about 2 minutes

6. Now add the chopped tomatoes and and sauté for another 3 minutes

7. Now add the spices and the chili and sauté for another minute

8. Now add the rinsed farro and the salt and sauté for another minute.

9. Now add the water + vegetable stalk cook on medium high and once the liquid boil close the lid and seal it with an aluminum foil and cook on low heat for another 30 minutes

10. Take the lid off and add the roasted sweet potato, cilantro and mint and the lemon juice and fluff the faro

Cooks notes:

If the farro is not cooked, close the lid and turn off the heat and keep it for another two minute.

Classic Dal Made Easy

Serves 8 - 10

Ingredients:

1 cup of masoor dal (orange colored lentils)
1 lb butternut squash, cleaned, peeled and cut into one inch cubes
1 tsp turmeric
2 medium onions, cut half inch cubes 3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 tsp Keralan Curry
2 tbs + 1tsp sunflower oil 1 green chili (optional)
 ½ lime juiced
1 ½ tsp kosher salt (For the Garnish)
1 tbs,cilantro leaves chopped

Procedure:

1. Wash and drain the lentils. Keep aside.
   

2. Take a pressure cooker, set to sauté and sauté the onions for 2 minutes on medium heat, then add the garlic cloves and the spices, sauté for another 2 minutes.
   

3. Add the butternut squash and stir well for 1 minute.
   

4. Add 4 cups of water to the cooker and add the salt. Cover and cook on pressure for about 6 minutes.
   

5. Release the pressure, mix and add the lime juice.
   

6. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve.

Peppery Kerala Shrimp with Curried Mayo

Ingredients:

1 lb. raw shrimp, cleaned and deveined
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 lemon cut into wedges

Marinade:
1 tbsp Keralan Curry
1 tsp garlic paste
1 sprig curry leaves
½ tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper

Curried Mayo Dip:
¼ cup sunflower oil
1 tsp Keralan Curry
½ lemon ¼ tsp salt
1 tsp Dijon mustard

Procedure:

1. In a medium bowl, combine marinade ingredients. Add shrimp, mix well, and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.Discard curry leaf sprig after marinating.

2. Heat oil in a large cast iron frying pan over medium heat.

3. Add shrimp and fry for 2 minutes. Turn shrimp and cook another minute.

4. Serve shrimp with lemon wedges so juice can be squeezed over top.

One Pot Dum Biryani in a French Cocotte

Ingredients:

2 lbs skinless, boneless Chicken thighs cut into medium size pieces
2 cups of long grain basmati rice
3 red onions sliced thin
¼ cup cold press sunflower oil
2 tbsp Ghee

Chicken Marinade
1 cup of Greek yogurt
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tbsp. Keralan Curry
½ tsp Kashmiri garam masala powder
1 tsp sea salt
½ lemon juiced
1/4 cup water

Biriyani Aromatics
2 Green chilies
5 cloves of garlic
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 bunch Cilantro leaves
1 bunch mint leaves minced fine
5 strands Saffron soaked in warm water

Whole Spices
1 bay leaf
3 green cardamom pods
3 cloves
1 small cinnamon stick
1 star anise (optional)

Garnish
10 Cashew nuts
2 tbsp raisins
2 medium onions thinly sliced, fried golden brown
1 tbsp Cilantro minced fine
1 tbsp Mint

Dough for Sealing
1 cup water
2 cup flour

Procedure:

1. Soak the brown basmati rice for ½hr – 1 hour. Wash and clean the basmati rice, till the water is clear and drain the water in a colander.

2. In a large bowl combine the marinade for the chicken and thechicken pieces and marinate for 2-3 hours or overnight.

3. Prepare the Biriyani Aromatics by chopping up the ingredients. Set aside.

4. Heat the ¼ cup oil in a Dutch oven on medium heat and sauté the cashew nuts, raisins and for about 2 minutes till the cashews get golden brown, and keep it aside for garnish.

5. Now add the 2 onions for the garnish to oil on medium high heat till crispy and golden brown, set aside.

6. Now add the whole spices sauté for 1 minute, ginger garlic paste,and the remaining onions, sauté for 2 minutes.

7. Add the marinated chicken, sauté for 2 – 3 minutes and add the Biriyani Aromatics.

8. Reduce heat to medium. Mix everything well. Cook for 2 minutes, add 1/4 cup water, close the lid, and set heat to medium low for about 20 minutes.

9. Open the lid, make sure sauce is thickened and chicken is cooked.Turn off the heat and set aside.

10. In a pot add 5 cups of water,once it boils add the basmati rice, cook until half done,about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, strain the rice, and keep aside.

11. To assemble the individual biriyani, add a dot of ghee,layer the rice, chicken, and minced herbs alternatively to each croquette dotting layers with ghee.

12. In the top, garnish each croquette with the garnish mix and drizzle of the saffron water.

13. Seal with dough and place in oven at pre-heated to 350F degrees for about 10 minutes. Take it out, open it up, garnish and serve.

Gobi Musallam (Baked Spiced Cauliflower)

Culinary History:

The diverse background of this dish is evident in its name; gopi is Hindi for ‘cauliflower’, while musallam is from Urdu, the language associated with the Muslims of Hindustan, abd means 'whole' or 'complete'. It is not a coincidence that the word musallam comes from the same root as ‘Islam’ or ‘Muslim’, which has similar connotations. The Islamic Mughal dynasty of the northern part of India introduced this dish, which has now become a dish enjoyed throughout the state.

Serves 8 - 10

Ingredients:

(For the Gopi Mussalam)
1 whole cauliflower, leaves removed and roots left
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp sunflower oil

(For the spice masala)
1 onions peeled and roughly chopped
2 green chilies
12 cashew nuts
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 inch piece ginger, peeled
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cloves
½ tsp nutmeg
6 green cardamom pods, husks removed
4 tbsp low fat Greek yogurt
1 tsp salt

1 tsp ghee
1 tbsp sunflower oil

2/3 cup fresh tomatoes, pureed
1 tbsp concentrated tomato paste
1 cup of low fat milk
1 cup frozen peas

(For the garnish)
1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro leaves
1 tsp nigella seed (optional)
 

Procedure:

1.    Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 

2. Rub the cauliflower with salt, turmeric and oil. Place the spiced cauliflower on an ovenproof tray and roast for 25 minutes or until tender. Remove the tray from the oven and set aside.  

3. Grind all the ingredients for the spice masala into a smooth paste. 

4.  In a large, heavy bottom pan on medium-high heat, add the ghee, oil, and the spice paste. Cook, stirring constantly, until the paste turns lightly golden brown.    

5. Stir in the pureed tomatoes, tomato paste and milk until well mixed. Allow the spices and vegetables to simmer on a low heat for 8 minutes. Add the peas and stir well.   

6.  Gently lay the whole cauliflower into the pan and baste with the prepared sauce. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 5 minutes. 

7.  Remove the lid and baste again, cooking for 10 more minutes with the lid off. Serve in a large bowl or platter, garnished with coriander leaves and nigella seeds.

   Cooks notes:

   Gobi Musallam makes a stunning centerpiece for the dinner table and is perfect for sharing. Give everyone a large spoon and dig in, being sure to break the tender morsels of cauliflower off its stem.  This dish is best accompanied with either a flaky paratha or a cucumber raita. 

   Substitutions: 
   You may substitute the cauliflower for a whole head of broccoli and cook it in the same way. 
   You could substitute the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom spices with 1 teaspoon of Kashmiri Garam Masala.

Cranberry and Apple Chutney

Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh cranberries
2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into small dice
3 cups water
½ cup lime juice
1 cup onion cut into small dice
2 cups dried cranberries
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup light brown sugar
¼ cup grated fresh ginger
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon salt
1½ cups white vinegar
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional, for extra kick)
1 tablespoon Keralan Curry Spice Blend

Procedure:

1. Place all ingredients in a heavy bottomed pot.

2. Place pot on the stove on high flame.

3. Bring it to a boil.

4. Reduce to a high simmer and simmer until the apples are cooked and the chutney is reduced, stirring occasionally.

Grilled Masala Eggplant

Process:

1. Cut the eggplant into 3/4 inch round slices.

2. Drain the liquid in a colander and dry the slices.

3. Marinate the eggplant slices with the spices, vinegar, and remaining 1 tsp of salt for about an hour.

4. Combine the ghee and the oil together and brush the slices and grill on high heat. Serve as a side dish to any meal.

Ingredients:

2 medium eggplants
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp hot paprika
3 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp black better powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp white vinegar
2 tbsp grape seed oil
1 tbsp ghee (optional)

Tahiri: A One Pot Dish

Serves 8

Procedure

1. Place the cilantro, spinach and 1 cup of cold water in a blender and blend until very smooth. Place the puree in a fine sieve and squeeze as much water out of it as you can. Keep in the sieve over a bowl in the refrigerator until needed.

2. Melt butter in a sauce pan. Add the onions and saute' for 6 minutes or until transparent.

3. Add the ginger and garlic and saute' for 1 minute. Add the curry, star anise and the cinnamon. Saute' for 1 minute.

4. Add the rice and saute' for 2 more minutes. Add the water, salt, pepper and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Cover and lower heat to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Let the pan rest for 5 minutes. Remove cover and fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the puree, the peas and the garam masala and Serve.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
12 ounce fresh baby spinach, washed
12 ounces frozen petite peas, cooked in boiling salted water for 5 minutes
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup diced onions
2 teaspoons garlic
2 teaspoons ginger
1 tablespoon Keralan Curry
2 pieces star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
2 cups white basmati rice
½ cup diced fresh tomatoes
3 ½ cups water
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon Kashmiri Garam Masala

Peach Chutney

Ingredients

2 jars of sliced Peaches, drained and diced reserving the liquid
½ cup lime juice
1 cup diced onions
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup dried currants
1 tablespoon ground fresh ginger
1 tablespoon ground fresh garlic
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 ½ cups white distilled vinegae

Procedure

1. Place all the ingredients in a large thick bottomed pot and bring to a boil.
2. Lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer until the chutney is thick. Stir often during the cooking period.

Tandoori Style Cornish Game Hen

Serves 6 - 8

Procedure:

1. Transfer the chicken to a large rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and rub to coat thoroughly.

2. Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of tandoori paprika and the black pepper over the chicken and rub the seasonings into the slashes. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

3. Make the Tandoori masala by mixing all the remaining spices together with the yogurt. Then marinate the chicken in the masla and keep it for another 6 - 8 hours or overnight.

4. Combine the Ghee and the oil together and brush the chicken. Grill the chicken pieces in a barbecue or roast the chicken breast in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes and reduce to 350 degrees and bake it for another 10-15 minutes.

Ingredients:

2 Cornish hens, 2 lbs each
3 teaspoon Keralan Curry
1 teaspoon ginger paste
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves (Optional)
½ cup low fat organic yogurt
¼ cup low fat sour cream

For Brushing:

1 tablespoon Ghee (optional)
1 tablespoon sunflower oil

 Note: Ginger-garlic paste can be made with equal amount of fresh ginger and garlic ground to a fine paste in a food process. This will keep for a week in the refrigerator.

Mint and Pea Pilaf

Procedure

1. Soak the rice in cold water for about two hours.

2. Boil water in medium pot with one teaspoon of salt and cook the rice for about 10 minutes. Drain the rice, and mix the lemon juice and keep it aside.

3. Combine the Ghee and the oil together and fry cashew nuts and keep it aside.

4. Add the onions to the oil and ghee mixture and fry them crisp. Then add the whole spices in the remaining oil on medium heat and as the aroma comes grate the ginger into the oil and sauté for about two more minutes.

5. Add the vegetables and the remaining teaspoon of salt and sauté for about 3 minutes.

6. Spread the rice on the serving platter and top it with the crispy onions and cashew nuts. You can serve this with grilled chicken or grilled vegetables.

Ingredients

2 cups Basmati rice
1 teaspoon grated ginger
2 cups frozen/fresh peas
1 medium red onions sliced thin
3 whole cardamoms
3 whole cloves
1 bunch fresh mint
5 whole black peppercorns
4 oz whole cashew nuts (optional)
2 teaspoon kosher salt
½ lemon
4 cups water/vegetable stock or Chicken stock
3 tablespoon Ghee
3 tablespoon Canola oil