Naan being cooked in a Tandoor oven

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pkg active dry yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 4 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 1 lightly beaten egg
• 5 tbsp melted ghee
• 2 tbsp poppy or sesame seeds (optional)

Steps

1. Put yeast, sugar and 5 tbsp water in small bowl. Stir. Let stand about 5 minutes until foamy.
2. Sift flour and salt into large bowl. Make a well in center.
3. Add egg and yogurt to yeast mixture. Add 5 tbsp warm water. Stir and pour into the well in the flour. Stir from center until mixed to a smooth batter.
4. Stir in ghee.
5. Knead on board 15-20 minutes or about 2 minutes in food processor. Dough should be elastic but not sticky.
6. Put in covered bowl and allow to rise until double (about one hour).
7. Divide ball into eight pieces. Knead each lightly, flatten ball, pull into an oval forming a sort of pear shape.
8. Put on baking sheet(s), cover with damp cloth, allow to rise about 15 minutes.
9. Brush with ghee and sprinkle with seeds. (Optional)
10. Bake in pre-heated 450F degree oven for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 dry red chilli
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
• 4 medium potatoes, diced
• 1 tablespoon yogurt
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground red chilli
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Procedure

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan
2. Add the whole dried chili and fry for about 2 minutes
3. Add the cumin and mustard sees until they start to sputter (about 2 minutes)
4. Add the potatoes, salt, chili powder, turmeric, yogurt,  and salt
5. Stir and cook over low heat until potatoes are done (about 15 minutes)

You can use mustard oil for added flavor. You can also add chopped green chilies for the extra bite and fragrance.

Ingredients

2 tbsp cooking oil
2 pounds beef, cubed to size 1/2 inch per side
2 medium shallots, finely sliced (onions would do too)
1 or 2 fresh chilies ( or your choice for heat)
2 tsps of crushed garlic (or powder)
2 tsps of crushed ginger (or powder)
1 tbsp of cumin powder
1 tbsp of coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of black pepper
1 cup of a red wine
1/2 cup milk
1 large carrot, cut into large chunks

Steps

Preheat the oven to around 200 degrees Celsius
Heat the oil in a cooking point over medium heat
When hot, add in the sliced shallots and stir fry until they are almost caramelized
Add in the cubed beef and stir fry until the beef starts to get browned.
Add in the ginger and garlic and stir fry for 2-3 minutes
Add in the turmeric, cumin and coriander and stir fry an additional 2-3 minutes
Pour in the wine, making sure you use the liquid to deglaze the bottom of the pot
Cook, stirring, occassionally for 4-5 minutes
Pour in the milk and cook another 4-5 minutes
Stir in the salt, pepper and carrot chunks
Cover the pot with a lid and bake covered in the oven for 1 to 1.5 hours. Preferably keep the lid sealed with foil but do check on it every 1/2 hour to make sure the liquid has not evaporated completely. Add 1/2 cup water if it looks too dry.

• 1/2 of the tandoori spice mix
• 2 lbs chicken
• 1 cup yogurt
• juice from one lemon

Steps

1. Marinate chicken pieces in spice mixture from 4 to 24 hours
2. Arrange on baking sheet
3. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes
4. Then broil for 5-10 minutes until pieces are browned

• 1o cloves
• seeds from 3 cardamoms
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp coriander seeds
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tbsp dehydrated onions
• 1 tsp granulated garlic powder
• 1 tsp ginger powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp peppercorn
• pinch of red food color

Steps

1. Grind the above mix in a spice grinder
2. Store in an air-tight container away from light

Ilish Polau

Ingredients

• 6-8 ilish (hilsa) pieces
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp ginger paste
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tsp sea salt
• 2 cups Basmati rice
• 1 large bay leaf
• 4 cloves
• 4 cardamoms
• 1 tsp kalojieera (nigella)
• 3 tbsp ghee
• ¼ cup cooking oil
• 3 dried red chillies
• 3 green chillies

Steps

1. Marinade the fish with 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp salt, and all the turmeric and lemon juice for 30 minutes
2. Meanwhile cook the rice and let cool for 30 minutes
3. In a large pan, heat the cooking oil and lightly sauté the fish steaks and set aside
4. In the same oil add the chillies, cardamom, clove, bay leaf and stir fry over medium heat for 5 minutes
5. Add the previously cooked rice to the pan and stir fry until the rice coated with the spices.
6. Turn off the heat and remove the rice from the pan.
7. Coat the bottom of the pan with 1/3 of the remaining ghee and add ½ the fish in a flat layer.
8. Layer ½ the cooked rice over the fish, and drizzle ½ of the remaining ghee and ½ of the remaining salt on top of the rice.
9. Repeat with the process with the remaining fish, rice and spices.
10. Pour ½ cup of water over the rice.
11. Cover tightly and simmer over low heat for 15 – 20 minutes.

Fried Bottle Gourd Peel

Ingredients

1 cup peels from bottlegourd1/4 tsp nigella1 tbsp mustard paste1-2 dry red chilli peppers1/2  tsp turmeric powder/paste1 tbsp mustard pastesalt to taste

Steps

• Add the peels, salt and 1/4 of the turmeric into a pot of boling water
• Boil for 10-15 minutes
• Drain and set aside
• Heat the oil over high heat in a pan
• Add the nigella and dr chilis and let splutter for a few minutes
• Add in the boiled peels and fry for 3-4 minutes
• Add the remaining turmeric and cook additional 10 minutes, stirring occassionally
• Add mustard paste and salt to taste
• Stir and cook until the peels are tender

Ingredients

• 1 lb medium/large shrimp, cleaned and deveined
• 2 tsp brown mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp Water
• 1/4 cup tbsp finely chopped onion
• 2 green chili (thai), finely chopped (do not discard seeds)
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 3 tbsp mustard coil (can substitute Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
• 1/2 cup and an additional 1/4 tsp salt

Steps

1. Rub the shrimp with the 1/4 cup of salt and set aside for 5-10 minutes.
2. Gently wash away the salt over cold water and pat dry
3. Coarsely ground the mustard seeds and transfer to a stainless steel bowl
4. Add a tablespoon of water and mix thoroughly with the onion, green chili, turmeric, salt, chili powder and oil.
5. Cover the bowl and set the seasoned shrimp aside for 10 minutes.
6. In a large pan (which can hold the stainless bowl) put enough water so that it will come 1/3 up the way of the bowl and bring to boil
7. Put the bowl in the pan and steam covered for about 10 minutes or until the shrimp is translucent.
8. Stir the shrimp once half way through