Spices and Recipes

Ingredients:

• 50-100 button mushrooms
• 1 coconut, grated
• 2 onions, roughly chopped
• 2-3 onions, finely chopped
• A little turmeric powder
• Tamarind

Masala for roasting in oil:

• 4 tbsp coriander seeds
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp aniseed
• 2 tbsp poppy seeds
• 1 dagadful
• 1 piece mace
• 8-10 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 8-10 peppercorns
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 10-15 red chillies
• 2 big cardamom
• 1 tsp shahijeera
• ½ inch nutmeg

Method:

1. Roast above masala in oil in a frying pan for minute or two. Remove and keep aside.
2. In the same frying pan, dry roast grated coconut and chopped onions till light golden in color.
3. Grind to a fine paste the roasted masala, coconut, roughly chopped onions along with turmeric powder and a little tamarind.
4. Remove masala water separately.
5. Wash and clean mushrooms. Cut into quarters.
6. Fry mushrooms and finely chopped onions in a little oil for 2-3 minutes.
7. Add masala water and masala paste.
8. Cook till one boil. (Do not overcook mushrooms).
9. Add salt.
10. Serve hot with chapatis or rice.

Ingredients:

• 2 segments or red pumpkin
• 2 onions
• ½ tbsp Goan sambhar
• Handful dried prawns
• 1 tsp sugar
• ½ coconut, grated

Method:

1. Chop the pumpkin, salt and keep aside.
2. Grind the dried prawns and grated coconut coarsely.
3. Heat the oil in the frying pan.
4. Add onions and sautee till golden brown in color.
5. Add the ground mixture, sugar and pumpkin.
6. Add very little water (about half cup) and cook over very slow fire.
7. Serve hot with chapati or rice.

Ingredients:

• 20 kumro phool
• 1 cup besan or chick-pea flour
• 1 tsp oil
• water to make besan paste
• 1/2 tsp posto (poppy seeds)
• 1/4 tsp kalojeere (kalonji)
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• salt to taste
• oil for deep frying
• a pinch of baking soda (optional)

Method:

1. Pour besan in a large bowl and add 1 tsp oil
2. Mix thoroughly. Add water and make batter with a relatively thick consistency
3. Add the posto, kalojeere and chili powder and salt and whip batter well
4. Set aside for 1/2 hour
5. Wash the flowers well and remove the stigma from the center and drain off the water
6. Dip the flowers in the batter and deep fry them
7. Remove them until rich brown and drain extra oil on absorbed paper and serve

Ingredients:

• 8 medium crabs
• 8 tbsp grated coconut
• 10 kashmiri chillies
• 2 tbsp coriander seeds
• 10 peppercorns
• 4 cloves
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 onions (sliced)
• ½ tsp ginger-garlic paste
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ¼ tsp tamarind juice
• 2 green chillies (chopped)

Method:

1. Clean the crabs.
2. Roast the coconut lightly and clear the pan.
3. Roast the chillies and then the spices.
4. Grind the roasted ingredients to a fine paste using a little water.
5. Heat oil, brown the onion, stir the ginger-garlic paste and turmeric powder.
6. Fry for a few seconds, add the crabs, mix well and sprinkle tamarind juice.
7. Add half a cup of water, cover the pan and after 10 minutes stir in the roasted spice paste, salt and green chillies.
8. Cook till preparation is thick.

Serve hot.

Ingredients:

• 1 lbs fish preferably skate, shark or catfish
• 10 dry red chillies
• ¼ tsp cumin seeds
• 4 peppercorns
• ¼ inch piece turmeric
• 4 flakes garlic
• ½ inch piece ginger
• a small (marble size) tamarind
• 1 onion (sliced fine)
• 2 tbsp oil

Method:

1. Clean and wash the fish. Cut into desired pieces, apply salt and keep aside.
2. Grind the above ingredients in a little water.
3. Fry the onion in oil till it turns brown.
4. Add the masala and fry a bit.
5. Add a cup of water, allow to boil and then add the fish pieces.
6. Cook till tender on slow fire.
7. Add salt and vinegar if necessary.