Peel and seed tomatoes. Cut into large chunks. Add to saucepan with remaining ingredients. Stir well. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes. Cool in refrigerator for at least 3 hours before serving.
Basmati Spinach Pilaf
Ingredients
4 tbsp unsalted butter
3 bunches spinach, stems trimmed
2 tsp salt
1 large onion, diced
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 cup basmatic rice, cooked
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
1/4 cup golden raisins (optional)
Directions
Melt 2 tbsp butter in large sauté pan over med/high heat. Add spinach and salt and saut'e until leaves wilt, about 2-4 minutes. Remove spinach and set aside. Melt remaining butter and sauté onions until lightly browned. Reduce heat, add ground spices and stir briefly. Add cooked rice, tomatoes, spinach and optional raisins. Cook just enough to heat rice, stirring well to combine. Serve warm.
Baked Eggplant
Ingredients
2 lb eggplant, sliced thin
2 tsp cumin
3/4 cup prepared tomato sauce
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp butter
salt and pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F. Bake eggplant on a lightly oiled cookie sheet until cooked through, about 7 -10 minutes. In a skillet, fry onion in butter until translucent. Add the tomato sauce and cumin. Simmer for 20 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper, and add the eggplant. Simmer for another 5 minutes and serve warm.
Tandoori Baked Whole Fish
-Serves 4
Ingredients
Tandoori Glaze
1 cup diced onion
1 tablespoon peeled and grated ginger
1/2 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 cup blended oil (canola and vegetable)
1/4 cup diced coriander
1-1/4 tablespoons ground cumin
1-1/4 tablespoons turmeric
1-1/4 tablespoons Garam Masala (recipe follows)
1 teaspoon ground mace
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground clove
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 quart plain yogurt
1/3 cup lemon juice
Garam Masala
1/2 cinnamon stick
6 or 8 black peppercorns
2 or 3 whole cloves
2 or 3 cardamom pods
2 or 3 coriander seeds
Fish
4 whole fish, approximately 1-1/2 to 2 pounds each before cleaning (remove scales, organs and gills)
4 small to medium Idaho potatoes
2 large white onions
2 large red tomatoes
1 large lemon
Directions
Tandoori Glaze
Blend onion, ginger, garlic and oil in an Oster® food processor.
Add pureed mixture to spices, lemon juice and yogurt in a bowl and mix by hand. Set aside.
Garam Masala
Combine all ingredients in a coffee mill and grind.
Fish
Preheat oven to 425°.
Peel potatoes and cut into rounds 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick.
Peel onion and cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick rounds.
Lightly oil bottom of a large baking dish and distribute potatoes and onions evenly.
Make cross slices in flesh of fish on both sides.
Place fish on top of vegetables and place 2 slices of tomato, 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick, on top of fish.
Slice lemon 1/4-inch thick and place lemon slices on top of tomato slices.
Cover fish and vegetables with tandoori glaze.
Place baking dish in a larger pan and pour 2 cups of water around sides of baking dish. This prevents glaze from drying out.
Bake in oven for 30 to 45 minutes, or until fish is done. To test, use a knife to pull aside meat in center of fish, behind head, to see if meat is raw. Another option is to lift belly flap: if red blood is still coming from stomach cavity, cook a little longer until juices run clear.
To Serve
Remove each fish to a plate and evenly distribute onion and potato.
Drizzle any sauce left in baking dish on top of fish.
Stewed Lamb with Chickpeas and Spinach
Ingredients
1 lb of lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tbsp canola or all-purpose vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp mustard seeds
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp turmeric
1/4 cup plain yogurt
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 lb of fresh spinach, trimmed, washed and torn in small pieces
1/2 cup chickpeas, pre-cooked
1/4 tsp salt
Directions
In a large skill or dutch oven, heat oil and cook the chopped onion over medium-high heat until translucent. Add lamb and next five spices, mixing ingredients thoroughly. Add 1 tablespoon of yogurt and cook over high heat, stirring the lamb until all the yogurt is absorbed, about 3-5 minutes. Repeat with a second tbsp of yogurt and repeat as necessary.
When the yogurt is used up, stir in the ginger and garlic, add just enough water to cover the meat and bring to boil. Cover the casserole, lower the heat and simmer for one hour.
When the meat is cooked, increase the heat to medium and add the spinach in batches, stirring each batch until it is wilted. When all the spinach is incorporated, cook the stew, uncovered, over high heat to evaporate any excess liquid, about 5 minutes. Add the salt just before serving.
Spiced Chai
Ingredients
1 tsp whole cloves
2 tsp cardamom seeds
1 inch cinnamon stick, crushed
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
2 slices ginger
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
3 teabags
6 cups water
2 cups milk
1/4 cup honey
Directions
Simmer the water with all of the spices for about 15-20 minutes. Add the tea bags and let steep 5 min. Strain the spices and tea bags out. Rinse the pot out and put the milk and the liquid back in the pot. Add the honey and warm the tea. Taste and add more honey, if needed.
