Ten Cool Summer Cocktails

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Roasted Potatoes, South Indian Style

(Sources : Saffron Trail, Suvir Saran)

4-5 potatoes.
Boil unpeeled, covered with water, till soft (around 30 min)
Peel, cut into small cubes (not too big).

Marinate with
rice flour (or besan; I use besan)
Tumeric powder (1 pinch)
Salt
Chilli Powder (2 tsp)
Coriander Powder (2 tsp)

Refrigerate for 1/2 hr.

Meanwhile, heat oil. Add :
Mustard seeds (1/2 tsp)
Cumin Seeds (1 tsp) - fry till brown
Fennel seeds (1/2 tsp) - saunf, adds an unique taste.
Channa dal ( 1 tsp)
Urad dal (1 tsp)
Curry leaves (7-10)
Ginger, garlic - mashed into a paste (my addition ; 4 cloves, 1/2 inch respectively)
Asafoetida

After dals are cooked, add in the potatoes, and coat them with the spices. Do not turn the potatoes too much. Allow them to get a golden crust, and turn them every 10 minutes.

Add cilantro, lemon if required.

Key : Dont make the potatoes too big.

Lamb Chops (Suvir Saran)

2 pounds rib lamb chops, cut 1 to 1 ½ tsp thick. Cut three of four deep slashes in them.

Mix :

Paprika (1 tbsp)
Cayenne pepper (1/2 tsp)
Ground mace ( ¼ tsp)
Ground nutmeg (1/4 tsp)
Garam masala (1 tbsp)
Ground toasted cumin seeds (1 tbsp)
Garlic (8 cloves, minced)
Ginger (3 inch, mined)
Vinegar (malt, ¼ cup) ..
Lemon (1)
Salt (1tsp)
Yogurt (strained, ¾ cup)

In a bowl. Add the chops, toss to coat in the marinade. Refrigerate overnight.

Heat oven to high temperature. Add 2 tbsp oil to the chops, reseal and massage between the hands.

Keep for 20 min, Take it out, brush with butter, and turn, cook for 5 more min.

OR

Use broiler ; pre-heat ; 5 min on each side ; then 3-4 min

Dal (Suvir Saran)

1. With Ginger, Green Chillies and Cilantro


Put lentils (pink masoor) into saucepan with turmeric, salt and water (4:1 ratio)

Bring to boil. Cook for 20-30 min till lentils are soft. Ladle ½ cup of lentils, mash them and return to saucepan

Tadka

To oil (2 ½ tbsp), add

Cumin Seeds (1 ¼ tsp)

After cumin browns, add

Dried Red Chillies (2)
Ginger (1 tbsp minced)
Garlic (1 tsp minced)
Green Chili (1, minced)

Add cayenne pepper (1/2 tsp) after above is cooked. To stop cooking, you may add water,.

Stir in ½ of the oil, half of cilantro and lemon juice (1/2 ). Simmer for 5 min. Add in rest of oil, and the remaining cilantro.

2. With Cinnamon, Cardamom and Cloves

Heat oil (1 ½ tbsp)

Cinnamon Stick (1 inch) till it unfurls. Add

Cumin (1 tsp)
Cloves (3)
Cardamom (4 pods)

Fry till cumin seeds turn brown. Add the lentils (1 cup), turmeric (1/2 tsp), salt (1 tsp) and water. Bring to boil, skim well, simmer for 20-30 min. Taste for salt. Ladle ½ cup into a bowl, mash, and return. Remove the cinnamon stick
Tadka

To oil (1 tbsp), add

Onions (1 medium, finely chopped)
Cook till it browns. Add

Garlic ( 3 cloves, mashed into a paste)
Ginger ( 1 tbsp)
Green chile (1, minced)

Cook for about 10-15 seconds.

Add ½ of the oil, ½ of the cilantro and all of the lemon juice (1/2). Simmer for 5 min. Add in rest of oil, and remaining cilantro.

Kwality Chickpeas (Suvir Saran)

To oil (3 tbsp), put

Cumin Seeds (1 tsp)
Peppercorns (1/4 tsp)
Cloves (4)
Cardamom (4 pods)
Red Chillies (3)

Cook till cumin browns. Then, add

Ginger (1 ½ inch, minced)
Curry Leaves (4, torn)

Stir for 30 seconds. Then, add

Onions (2, finely chopped)
Green chillies (3, slit along the length of the chili)
Salt

Cook till onions turn brown. Add water if onions begin to stick, or spices start burning.

Add,
Amchur (2 tsp)
Pomegranate powder (2 tsp)
Ground toaster cumin (2 tsp)
Turmeric (1/2 tsp)
Garam masala (1/2 tsp)

Stir 30 seconds.

Add
Cayenne Pepper
Black Pepper (1/2 tsp each)

Add water, chickpeas. Take ½ cup of the chickpeas, mash in cup and add with ½ sp of garam masala.

Cook 15 min. Add

Lemon juice
Cilantro (my addition). Serve with sliced red onions. (finely chopped)

Notes
Amchur is key.
Add more green chillies if you want it spicier.
Mashing chickpeas helps
Heat oil before adding cumin seeds to get toasty smell

Cucumber Salad

(Kosumbari)

Fry:
Mustard Seeds
Asafoetida (ing)
Red chillies (or add green chillies directly to salad)
Curry leaves

If required channa dal (sm sp)

Add to yogurt, cucumbers, salt.

Add coriander leaves (chopped)

Notes : Use Greek Yogurt, to get the taste of cacik. Use garlic if required

Spicy Puffed Rice Salad

Spicy Puffed rice salad (My recipe)

Mix
Puffed Rice
Onions – finely chopped ( ½ )
Tomatoes – chopped, firm (1 ½ )
Chickpeas
Aloo bhujiya
Green chillies
Coriander Leaves – finely chopped
Chaat Powder ( ½ sp)
Lime
Salt
Pinch of chilli powder (not required)

Garnish with coriander leaves, aloo bhujiya

(Add in tamarind paste, jaggery or sugar)

Vegetable Gravy (Amma's)

Prepare Masala (D) (see Chicken Gravy)

We don’t put regular masala (C) for vegetable gravy, as it will taste raw.

Put
Onions
Mustard Seeds
Curry Leaves
Vegetables (carrot, beans, cauliflower, peas)
Tomatoes

Fry. Add in masala. Add little water if required

Chilli Chicken (Amma's)

Onions – cut long (1 big)
Chillies (6-7)
Ginger (1 inch, chopped)
Garlic (4-5 cut long)\
Cloves – chakke (4-5 small)
Cinnamon (4-5)
Coriander leaves (chopped)

Use bony chicken.

Heat a pan. Add 3 sp oil.
Add butter/ghee – 3 sp
Add chillies first.
Add the rest after the chillies.

Add regular masala (C) (See Chicken Gravy)

Add ginger / coriander leaves at end. Don’t add ginger initially, as it will become bitter.

Add pepper ( ¼ sp)
another sp of ghee
salt (2 sp)

Add the boiled chicken to the masala. Add 1 sp lemon

Chicken Biryani (Amma's)

Add Chicken Gravy recipe to basmati rice.
Add 2 sp ghee / butter.
Add saffron – kesari)

Chicken Gravy (Amma's)

Original Recipe

Masala (A)

Fry:
Onion – cut long (1)
Garlic (7-8 cloves)
Green chilli (6-7)
Red Chilli (6-7)
Cinnamon – chakke (5-6 small pieces)
Cloves – lavanga (4-5 small)
Pepper ( ½ sp)
Coriander seeds (3 sp) or powder (2 sp)
Poppy seeds – white – gasgase (1 sp)

My addition : Cardamom (3-4 pods)

Masala (B)

Grind:

Tomato (1)
Ginger (1 inch)
Coconut (3 tbsp)
Coriander leaves (2 sp, chopped)

Mix (A) with (B) and grind with little water. That’s Masala (D)


Masala (C) regular masala

Grind :

Onion (1 small)
Garlic (3-4)
Ginger (1 sm piece)
Cloves (3)
Cinnamon (3)
Coriander Leaves (2 tbsp, chopped)



Cut chicken. Add turmeric powder (1 sp), salt (1 tbsp)

Heat oil. Add
Onions (1/2 or lesser)
Regular masala (C)
Add little butter or 2 sp ghee
Fry for 2 min.

Add chicken slowly. Mix.

Let it simmer for 10 min in a closed pan. The chicken smell should go away.

In the meantime, boil 2 cups of water, depending on gravy level. NEVER ADD COLD WATER TO CHICKEN. It will become leathery.

Add a little watter to the chicken. Let it boil for a while (let it sweat)

Finally, add Masala (D) to the boiled chicken (More for chicken curry, ½ for chicken gravy).
Add salt.
Add lemon ( ¼ sp)

Notes

1. Always add pepper to chicken
2. Adding ghee to chicken helps.
3. Instead of preparing masala (C), here is a shortcut : Add chopped onions, Minced Garlic. Ginger, Cloves , Cinnamon and a tomato directly onto chicken. (my variation – leads to a milder, tangier chicken curry)
4. Works best with boned chicken

Lemon Rice

Original Recipe

Same as red rice except :

1. Add onions
2. Green chillies instead of red chillies
3. When mixing, add lime juice instead of chilli powder and tamarind paste
4. Add coriander leaves for sure.

Adding Peas / Peanuts is optional

Tamarind RIce

1) Original Recipe (Amma's)

Prepare Rice. Heat oil. Add the following :

Urad dal – uddin bale (1 sp)
Channa dal – kadle bale (1 sp)
Red chilli ( 2 )
Curry Leaves (4-5)
Turmeric

No onions. Add to rice. Add
tamarind paste,
1 sp sugar,
2 sp sambhar powder,
Salt

Add coriander leaves if required.


Notes :

1. Key is to fry the dal the right amount – shouldn’t be undercooked, shouldn’t be burnt.
2. Add chilli powder directly to rice
3. Make sure to cool the rice on a big place to avoid it from becoming sticky

2) Variation with Onions, Cumin and peanuts (This is better )

Heat oil. Add peanuts (1/2 cup, unsalted, chopped) and mustard seeds (1 tbsp). Add :

Cumin Seeds (1 tsp). Toast it

Urad dal – uddin bale (1 tsp)
Channa dal – kadle bale (1tsp)
Red chilli ( 2 )
Curry Leaves (4-5)
Turmeric

Cook till peanuts are golden ( 1 ½ min). Then add
Onions (1 large, chopped).
Sambhar powder (2 sp)
Salt,
Sugar.

Cook till onions brown. Add tamarind water.

Stir in the rice. Add cilantro,.

This should be ok for about three cups of rice.

Notes :

1. Should experiment adding grated coconut

3) Puliyogare (Complex version) : www.pachakam.com

Create puliyogare powder.

Roast : Ideally one by one, but can do it together to save time.

Coriander seeds (2 tsp)
Peppercorns (1 tsp)
Asafoetida (pinch)
Red Chillies (6-8)
Cumin Seeds (1 tsp)
Curry Leaves
Sesame seeds - ellu - 2tsp
Bengal Gram - Channa Dal - 2 tsp
Black Gram - Urad Dal - 1 tsp

Grind. Add

Dessicated Coconut (1 cup)

And grind once more.

Heat oil (put more than usual for tamarind rice). Add :
Mustard Seeds (1 tsp)
Peanuts
Urad Dal ( 1 tsp)
Channa Dal (1 tsp)
Curry Leaves (5-6)

Add tamarind juice ; sugar ; salt ; allow it to boil

Add ground masala. Add Sambhar Powder (My variation). Boil for a few minutes, till it becomes thick.

Add to rice. Mix well.

Saagu (Amma's)

Original Recipe

Boiled Potatoes (8 – peeled and cut)

Grind the following to prepare masala (A)
Cut onions (3)
Grated coconut (1 cup)
Green chillies (8-9)
Poppy Seeds – gasgase (1 sp)
Garam Masala (1 sp)
Ginger (1 piece)
Pepper ( ¼ sp)
Turmeric ( ¼ sp)
Garlic ( 8-9 cloves)
Coriander leaves (small bunch)

Add 4 sp oil. Add
Mustard seeds (1 sp)
Onions
Curry Leaves (7-8)
Turmeric

Fry till onions are brown. Add the masala (A). Add salt. Stir for 1-2 min. Add ½ cup water. Add the potatoes. Add more water

Notes :

1. Need the coconut for consistency, but do not add too much .. 1 cup seems too much.
2. Add lime at the end for taste

Bale Saaru (Amma's)

Original Recipe

Boil 2 cups of water
Soak 1 cup of tur dal for 5-10 min. Put dal in boiling water
Add ½ tsp oil, 1 pinch turmeric powder.
Put 1 large tomato (or two medium sized ones), cut or uncut into pressure cooker

2 high whistles, 1 low whistle for pressure cooker

1 Big Onion (cut),
Garlic (3-4 cloves)
Mustard ( ½ sp)
Turmeric powder (1 pinch)
Curry leaves (4-5)

Put 2 sp of oil. Add the mustard, onions, turmeric and curry leaves. Fry till brown.
Add the
Tomato
Tamarind paste (2 sp)
Sambhar powder (2 sp)
Sugar ( ¾ sp)
Salt (2 sp)

Pour boiled dal, and boil for 15 min. Add Coriander leaves at the end.

Additions : Add boiled vegetables, grated coconut if required

Notes :

1. Do not cook the coriander leaves as they’ll become tasteless. Add at end
2. You can add a few onions (cut long )

Bajji (Amma's)

Original Recipe

2 cups onions (slice long)
1 cup besan (kadale hittu)
½ - ¾ cup water
1sp salt
1 sp chili powder

Mix till semi solid. Put 4 cups oil. Fry

Bhindi Fry (Amma's)

Original Recipe (for three people)

Cut bhindi into small pieces. Put into frying pan . Put 2 sp oil. Fry till sticky substances are removed. Remove from vessel and keep it outside. If vessel has become sticky then take another

Put

oil,

mustard seeds,

red chili (1),

Tur dal (1sp),

kadale bale,

uddina bale,

1 onion (medium, cut),

curry leaves,

turmeric (1 sp).

Add bhindi. Mix.

Add salt,

chili powder (2 sp),

1 sp sugar.

Add 3-4 sp grated coconut.

Add coriander leaves,

½ cup water.

Add ½ sp tamarind paste.

Boil till dry.

My Notes

1. Wash the bhindi before cutting – otherwise they’ll become soggy. Preferably dry them
2. Need to fry them till sticky substance is removed. Do not deep fry
3. The dal adds a nutty flavor. Do not burn them, but at the same time do not undercook.
4. Make it dry
5. Do not cook coriander leaves as they’ll lose the taste. Add it at the end.