Tomato dolmas

Ingredients

* 8 vine-ripened tomatoes

* 1 tbs olive oil

* 1 brown onion, halved, thinly sliced

* 2 tbs pine nuts

* 150g (3/4 cup) long-grain rice

* 310ml (1 1/4) cup water

* 1 tsp ground cumin

* 1/2 tsp ground allspice

* Salt & freshly ground black pepper

* 500ml (2 cups) chicken stock

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Use a sharp knife to slice the top off each tomato. Reserve tops. Use a teaspoon to scoop out seeds and flesh, leaving a 1cm border. Place tomato shells in a shallow roasting pan. Strain tomato pulp through a fine sieve and discard the juice. Coarsely chop tomato pulp and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and pine nuts and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes or until onion softens and pine nuts are golden brown. Add the rice and water, and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for 12 minutes or until rice is tender.
3. Add the cumin, allspice and reserved tomato pulp, and stir until combined. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Spoon the rice mixture among tomato shells and top with the reserved tops. Pour over stock and cover tightly with foil. Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until tomato is tender and filling is hot. Remove from oven.
5. Transfer to a platter to serve.

GARLIC CRAB

Deep fried crabs in a lip-smacking and spicy chilli garlic sauce Preparation Time : 30 minutes Cooking Time : 20 minutes

Ingredients

Crabs 3 large Red chilli paste 2 tablespoons Garlic, chopped 14-16 cloves Oil 2 tablespoons + to deep fry Tomato ketchup 2 tablespoons Fish stock 1 1/2 cups Salt to taste MSG 1/4 teaspoon Cornflour/ corn starch 2 tablespoons Sugar 1 teaspoon Vinegar 1 tablespoon Spring onion greens, chopped 2 stalks Egg, whisked 1

Method

Heat sufficient oil in a wok and deep fry the whole crab along with the claws. Drain and set aside on absorbent paper.Heat two tablespoons of oil in another wok. Add garlic and sauté for a minute. Add tomato ketchup, red chilli paste and stock. When the mixture comes to a boil, add salt and MSG. Dissolve cornflour in half a cup of water and add to the sauce. Add sugar and cook till it thickens slightly. Add vinegar to the sauce along with spring onion greens and mix. Add the egg in a thin trickle and cook till the egg strands rise to the top. Place the fried crab in a serving dish, pour the sauce over it and serve immediately.

BAKED FISH WITH CHILLI COCONUT SAUCE

Preparation Time : 15 minutes Cooking Time : 30 minutes

Ingredients

King fish (surmai) fillets 4 Sea salt to taste Fresh red chillies, chopped 2 Lemon juice 2 tablespoons Olive oil + to grease 4 tablespoons Dry parsley 2-3 sprigs Crushed red chillies 1 teaspoon Coconut milk 1 cup Butter 2 tablespoons Onion , chopped 1 small Garlic, chopped 4 cloves Ginger, chopped 2 inch piece Tomato puree 1 cup Salt to taste Fish stock 1 1/2 cups Refined flour (maida) 2 tablespoons

Method

Preheat the oven to 220C. If the fish fillets are too long cut them into six inch pieces. Make criss-cross slits on top. Apply sea salt, chopped fresh red chillies and lemon juice. Grease a baking tray. Place the fish pieces on it and dribble two talespoons olive oil on top. Bake in the preheated oven at 220C for twenty minutes. Heat butter and one tablespoon of olive oil in a pan. Add onion, garlic, ginger and sauté. Add fresh tomato puree, salt, fish stock, crushed red chillies and cook for about ten minutes. Strain the mixture pressing nicely. Heat the remaining olive oil in another pan. Add refined flour and sauté for two minutes on low heat. Add the prepared sauce and cook. When it thickens add coconut milk and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Place the fish on a serving dish. Pour the sauce on the sides. Garnish with a parsley sprig and serve hot.

Soup

Carrot Soup

Ingredient

3 Cups Carrots (peeled and sliced)

5 tbsp Milk

2 Tomatoes

2 tsp Butter

½ tsp Garam Masala

2 tsp Garlic (peeled)

A pinch Black Pepper Powder

Salt to taste

Method

	Keep the carrots for cooking until their raw smell goes.
	Boil tomatoes in the water to remove the skin. Remove the seeds also.
	Blend together the tomatoes, carrots and garlic.
	Melt the butter in a heavy based vessel and add the above mixture.
	Allow it to cook for few minutes.
	Now add milk and again cook the mixture for sometime.
	Remove from the flame. Add a pinch of pepper powder, salt and garam masala to the soup.
	Carrot soup is ready to savor. Serve hot.

SOUR VEGETABLE SOUP

Preparation Time : 5 minutes Cooking Time : 15 minutes

Ingredients

Carrot, chopped 1/2 medium Cabbage, chopped 1/4 small French beans, chopped 4-6 Green capsicum, chopped 1/2 medium Bamboo shoots, sliced 1 medium Cornflour/ corn starch 2 tablespoons Oil 2 tablespoons Garlic, chopped 2-3 cloves Onion , chopped 1 medium Ginger, chopped 1 inch piece Mushrooms, chopped 2 Celery, chopped 2 inch stalks Soy sauce 2 tablespoons Sugar 1/2 teaspoon MSG 1/2 teaspoon Vegetable stock 4-5 cups Green chilli sauce 2 tablespoons Salt to taste Vinegar 2 tablespoons White pepper powder 1/2 teaspoon Spring onion greens, chopped 1 stalk

Method

Boil bamboo shoot slice in one cup of water for two to three minutes. Drain and chop finely. Dissolve cornflour in quarter cup of water and set aside.Heat oil in wok on high heat. Add garlic, onion and ginger and stir-fry briefly. Add chopped French beans, carrot, mushrooms, bamboo shoot, celery and stir fry. Add soy sauce, sugar, MSG and mix. Add vegetable stock and mix. Add green chilli sauce, cabbage and green capsicum and continue to cook. Add the cornflour mix and let the soup thicken. Add salt to taste, vinegar and white pepper powder. Sprinkle finely chopped spring onion greens and take off the heat. Serve hot.

Vegetable soup

Carrot and bottle gourd soup thickened with potatoes. Preparation Time : 1 minutes Cooking Time : 20 minutes

Ingredients

Carrots, diced 2 medium Potato, diced 1 medium Bottle gourd (lauki/doodhi), diced 100 grams Tomatoes, quartered 4 medium Oil 1 tablespoon Cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon Black peppercorns 7-8 Onion , sliced 1 medium Salt to taste Sugar 1/2 teaspoon

Method

Heat one tablespoon oil in a pan.Add cumin seeds and black peppercorns. When the cumin seeds begin to change colour add onion and sauté for two minutes. Add carrots, potato, bottle gourd and stir. Add salt and mix. Add two cups of water, cover and cook till nearly done. Add tomatoes and continue to cook, covered, till all the vegetables are completely cooked. Strain and reserve the liquid. Cool the vegetables and then puree in a blender. Transfer into a deep pan, add the reserved liquid and adjust consistency. It should be quite thick. Bring the soup to a boil. Adjust salt, add sugar and stir. Serve hot.

APPLE AND PEAS SOUP

Roasted green apples make a delicious soup along with potatoes, onions and green peas Preparation Time : 20 minutes Cooking Time : 30 minutes

Ingredients

Green apples 2 medium Green peas 1/2 cup Onions 2 small Potatoes 2 small Green chillies 1-2 Butter 1 teaspoon Basil leaves 6-8 + a sprig Salt to taste Milk 1 cup Lemon juice 1 tablespoon

Method

Roast green apples, onions, potatoes, green chillies and lemon on the barbecue.Heat butter in a pan, add green peas and saute. Halve the roasted apples and remove the pips. Halve the onions and potatoes. Put onion, green apples, potatoes, green chillies and green peas in a blender and blend. Add the sauteed green peas and continue to blend adding water as required. Add basil leaves and blend some more. Transfer into a pan. Add salt and mix. Add milk and mix. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add lemon juice and mix. Serve hot garnished with a sprig of basil.

Chicken Sandwich

Ingredient

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/2 tbs salt

1/2 tbs pepper

1 1/14 cup mayonnaise

1 1/4 cup sour cream

6 cups celery (usually 4 stocks-just unit it looks like enough)

3-4 cups green onion (about 1 small bunch)

Cooked chicken (6 half skinless/boneless breasts. Bake, shredded)

Method:

*Mix vinegar, salt, pepper, mayonnaise and sour cream together.

*Mix celery, green onion and chicken in separate bowl. Mix all ingredients together and taste. Let set overnight for best flavor

Stuffed Eggs

Ingredent

6 hard-boiled eggs

1 teaspoon sherry

6 oz. cooked spinach

1/2 pint herb dressing

1 tablespoon yoghurt

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon French mustard

Salt and pepper

Methord


Cut a slice from pointed end of each egg and remove the yolks, taking care not to break the whites.

Sieve the yolks and put in bowl with the yoghurt, sherry, olive oil, mustard and seasoning. Mix well together, then fill the whites with mixture. Stand eggs upright on a bed of spinach and add herb dressing. Chill for 1 hour before serving.

Egg Kabab

Ingredent

8 hard-cooked eggs, shelled

1/4 cup butter

1/3 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon paprika

3/4 teaspoon white pepper

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Methord

PRICK whites of eggs all over so they won't split as they are heated through.

SAUTE eggs in butter over low heat, turning, until light brown.

MIX seasonings. Sprinkle over eggs.

YIELD 4 to 8 servings.

Bread Halwa (Sweet dish)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup - 1 cup ghee (clarified butter)

1 loaf bread

6-8 cardamoms (elachi)

2 tbsps almonds (badam)

2 tbsps cashewnuts

1 lt milk (low fat)

1 ¼ cup sugar (increase or decrease as per your taste)

Methord:

Tear the bread into bit sized pieces. Heat three fourth cup of ghee in a cooking vessel and add the bread pieces and fry them till they turn a golden brown.Grind elachi, almonds and cashewnuts (leave a few toasted almonds and cashewnuts aside for garnish) to a fine paste.Meanwhile boil the milk, add sugar and keep stirring it till it blends into the milk. Add the fried bread pieces and the remaining ghee to this mixture.Let it simmer till the bread pieces turn soft and cook in the milk mixture. Combine the nuts paste. Garnish with the toasted almonds and cashewnuts.

Serve warm or refrigerate until chilled and serve. It tastes good both warm and cold.