Sindhi Kadhi

I saw this recipe on a TV show and loved it. So I made a few changes to the recipe according to my taste and here is the "improved" version.

Ingredients :

Oil : 4 Tbsp.

Gram Flour (बेसन) : 1/2 cup

Fenugreek Seeds : 1/2 tsp.

Mustard Seeds : 1 tsp.

Cumin Seeds : 1 tsp.

White Gourd (लौकी) : 250 gms.

Cauliflower Florettes : 250 gms.

Carrots : 200 gms.

Cluster (गवार) Beans : 150 gms.

Drumsticks : 8 nos.

Potatoes : 3 small

Brinjals : 200 gms.

Okra ( Ladies Fingers) : 200 gms.

Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp.

Red Chilli Powder : 2 Tbsp.

Tomato Puree : 3 Tbsp.

Tamarind Pulp : 1 Tbsp.

Jaggery : 1 Tbsp.

Curry Leaves : 8 nos.

Chopped Coriander Leaves : 2 Tbsp.


Method :

Cut the gourd, carrots, potatoes, brinjals into cubes. The cubes should be of the same size( 1 1/2" pieces). Snip off the ends of beans and cut into 2" pieces. Cut off the ends of the okra and give it a lengthwise slit. Then fry the okra till brown. Cut drumsticks into 2" pieces.
In a pot, heat 3 tbsp. of oil and add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds and saute till the mustard seeds crackle. Then add the gram flour and saute till it is nicely browned. Then add about 3 cups of water and let it come to a boil. Now add the gourd cubes, florettes, carrot cubes, beans, drumsticks and potato cubes. Add salt to taste and cover and cook till almost done( about 75%).
Now add the brinjals and cover and cook again for 5 minutes.
Now add the fried okra, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, tomato puree, tamarind pulp, jaggery and curry leaves . Add salt to taste and let this cook for a few minutes. garnish with chopped coriander.
Serve with white rice or a bread of your choice.

Sorpotel

This is another pork delicacy from Goa. This recipe uses both pork and pork liver. The main difference between this and the vindaloo recipe is that this one uses butter as a cooking fat instead of oil. There are two recipes that I have come across and I will provide both. The first one used East Indian bottle masala , whose recipe I will put up soon.
An Eat Indian wedding is incomplete without Sorpotel or Vindaloo on the menu.
The picture of Sarpotel is courtesy abcdz2000. You can check out his pictures on Flickr by clicking on this link here - abcdz2000


First Recipe :

Ingredients :

Pork : 1 Kg.

Pork Liver : 250 gm.

Dried Pork Blood : 1 Tbsp.

Garlic Pods : 2 no.

Ginger : 2" piece

Green chillies : 2-3 no.

Bottle Masala : 2 Tbsp.

Salt : to taste

Vinegar : 1-2 Tbsp.

Butter : 250 gm.

Oil : To fry the pork and liver

Method :

Cut the liver and pork into 1" pieces. Apply salt and fry in oil till brown. Then cool and cut into fine pieces. Chop ginger, garlic and green chillies.

In a handi/degchi, add butter and fry the chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies. Then add the bottle masala and fry well. Now add the meat and vinegar and adjust the seasoning. Then cook on slow fire ( simmer) till done.

Second Recipe :

Ingredients :

Pork : 1 Kg.

Pork Liver : 250 gm.

Turmeric Powder (Haldi) : 1/2 Tsp.

Salt : To taste

Oil : to fry the pork and pork liver.

Butter : 250 gm.

Sliced Onions : 2 large no.

Chopped Tomatoes : 1 large no.

Dried Pork blood : 1 Tbsp.

Vinegar : 2 Tbsp.

For Masala Paste :

Dried Red Chillies : 6-8 no.

Black Peppercorns : 1 Tsp.

Cumin Seeds : 1 Tsp.

Cloves : 2-3 no.

Green Cardamom : 2 no.

Garlic Cloves : 5-6 no.

Ginger : 2" piece.

Method :

Cut the Pork and Pork Liver into fine cubes and fry in oil till brown. You have to fry them separately. Make a fine paste of the masala paste ingredients using water.
In a hand/degchi, add butter and saute slices onions till golden brown. Then add the tomatoes and saute and then add the masala paste. Fry the masala paste till the fat leaves the masala. Then add the pork, water and salt to taste and cover and simmer till pork is almost cooked. Then add the fried liver and the dried blood and cook for further 10 minutes.

Pork Vindaloo - A Goan pork recipe

This recipe was given to me by my dear friend Richlyn so other gourmets like me can enjoy this delectable recipe. This is an authentic hot and sour dish from the scenic region of Goa on the Western coast of India. The cuisine of this region, due to the occupation of the Portuguese, was in part influenced by them. This is one of the many recipes that have become a steady staple of this beautiful land. I hope to introduce you to some of the many famous recipes from this land of beaches.

Pork Vindaloo
Originally uploaded by Andrew Dyer

Ingredients :

Pork (with a 1/2" layer of fat) : 2 kg
Kashmiri red chillies (seeds removed) : 25-30 nos.
Garlic Cloves : 25 nos.
Cumin seeds : 3Tbs
Turmeric powder : 1 1/2 Tsp
Fresh ginger (optional) : 2" piece
Cinnamon -: 2" piece
Black Peppercorns -: 10 nos.
White vinegar : as required
Salt -: as required

Method :

Cut the pork into 1 inch cubes,apply salt and keep aside overnight. Next morning wash and dry the pork cubes with a towel. Grind the above given ingredients with vinegar to a fine paste. Apply the masala paste to pork and let it marinate in an earthen dish or bowl for over 8 hrs or overnight. Next day put the pork in a thick bottomed vessel and 1/2 bottle of vinegar and cook on slow fire till tender.

P.S. : A Vindaloo tastes better if it is allowed to 'pickle' for a day after being prepared.

I would like to thank Andrew Dyer and Rafi's Spice Box for the use of this picture. You can find more beautiful pictures by visiting his profile on Flickr.

गरम मसाला (Garam Masala Powder)

Garam masala is one of the main ingredients in Indian cuisine. A meal, especially a North Indian meal, can never be complete without the sprinkling of garam masala at the end.
The first thing you notice about the masala is the aroma. It has a sort of hot pungent heady aroma which lingers in the air long after you have closed the container of the masala powder.
Garam masala is a blend of spices usually used in Indian cooking not only for flavour but for the aroma it lends to the dish as well. A simple biryani or pulao with whole garam masala added for its unique aroma is something to be experienced as it cannot be described. "Heavenly" comes close.
Here is a blend that can be used for everyday use. There are other, more aromatic blends, but those will be posted later.

Ingredients : -

Coriander seeds - 8 tablespoons
Cumin seeds - 4 tablespoons
cloves - 10
black peppercorns - 3 tablespoons
cinnamon - 3-4 inches
black cardamom - 3-4
turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
green cardamom - 4
dried red chillies - 6-8
bay leaves - 2-3

Method : -

Roast the ingredients separately on a griddle til they release their unique aroma. Then powder them together.