Panch Phodoner Kaddu

(Pumpkin with five spices)

Serves: Four
Time required: 25 minutes
600 g red pumpkin, cubed with the skin
2 tbsp mustard oil
½ tsp cummin seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
½ tsp black mustard seeds
½ tsp black onion seeds
salt to taste
1 tsp sugar
HEAT the oil in a large frying pan and add the cummin, fennel, fenugreek, black mustard and black onion seeds. As the seeds pop and darken, add the pumpkin, salt and sugar. Stir and cook on high heat until the pumpkin softens. Serve hot. You could chop some red chilli over the pumpkin if you want it spicy.

Tisrya Sukke

(Clams with dry coconut)

Serves: Four
Time required: 20 minutes
300 g cooked clams (the shelled ones sold in tins or jars are suitable)
3 tbsp oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 green chillies, slit lengthwise
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 tsp garam masala powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
150 g desiccated coconut
salt to taste
HEAT the oil in a saucepan and fry the onions until golden. Add chillies, ginger-garlic paste and tomato and stir until mushy. Sprinkle the garam masala, turmeric and coconut and mix thoroughly. Gently stir in the clams, add the salt and serve hot with rotis.

Kali Mirch Murg

(Chicken curry with black pepper)

Serves: Four
Time required: 25 minutes
600 g boneless chicken, cubed
2 tbsp oil
1 bay leaf
4 cloves
1 tsp black peppercorns, roughly crushed
2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp chilli powder
salt to taste
300 ml natural yoghurt, beaten
HEAT the oil in a wok. Drop in the bay leaf, cloves and peppercorns. Stir and add the ginger-garlic paste. After about 30 seconds, add the chicken and mix it into the spices. Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt and allow the chicken to cook in its juices until done. Finish by stirring in the yoghurt. Blend well. Serve.

Besan Amlate
(Vegetarian omelette)

Serves: Four
Time required: 30 minutes
1 small onion, grated (reserve juice)
1 tsp tomato puree
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
½ tsp cummin powder
200 g gramflour
salt to taste
oil for dotting the pan
MIX the onion, tomato puree, coriander leaves, cummin, gram flour and salt well in a pan. Add the onion juice and enough water to make a batter of dropping consistency. Heat a frying pan and dot with oil. Ladle in a spoonful of batter and flatten with the back of the spoon into a 12 cm diameter disc. After about two - three minutes flip over and cook on the other side with some more oil. Both sides should be golden. Continue to make omelettes until all the batter is used up.

Fish Amritsari

(Punjabi fried fish with lemon)

Serves: Four
Time required: 20 minutes plus 20 minutes marinating
4 fillets of fish (cod or similar firm white fish)
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp gramflour
rock salt to taste
a pinch of ajwain (bishop’s seeds)
1 egg, beaten
½ tsp red chilli powder
oil for deep frying
lemon wedges for garnishing
MIX the ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice and rock salt and marinate the fish in the mixture. In another bowl, combine the gramflour, ajwain, egg and chilli powder with water to make a thick batter. After 20 minutes, lift the fish out of the marinating mixture and coat each fillet with the batter. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based frying pan and fry the fillets until crisp.
Serve hot with lemon wedges.

Fish Amritsari

(Punjabi fried fish with lemon)

Serves: Four
Time required: 20 minutes plus 20 minutes marinating
4 fillets of fish (cod or similar firm white fish)
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp gramflour
rock salt to taste
a pinch of ajwain (bishop’s seeds)
1 egg, beaten
½ tsp red chilli powder
oil for deep frying
lemon wedges for garnishing
MIX the ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice and rock salt and marinate the fish in the mixture. In another bowl, combine the gramflour, ajwain, egg and chilli powder with water to make a thick batter. After 20 minutes, lift the fish out of the marinating mixture and coat each fillet with the batter. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based frying pan and fry the fillets until crisp.
Serve hot with lemon wedges.

Tamater Mahal

(Tomato castles)

Serves: Four
Time required: 10 minutes
300 g large, red tomatoes, thickly sliced
150 g Mozzarella cheese or similar, such as mild cheddar, sliced
1 ripe, firm avocado
1 medium red onion, sliced
For the dressing:
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp honey
¼ tsp black pepper, coarsely ground
¼ tsp dry ginger powder
salt to taste
1 tsp coriander leaves, finely chopped
PLACE eight thick slices of tomatoes on a serving plate. Top each one with a slice of cheese, then a couple of slices of avocado and red onion, and build up the layers until all the ingredients are used, to make the castle effect.
Combine all the ingredients for the dressing and mix well.
Sprinkle the dressing over the tomato, and serve with warm, crusty garlic bread as a starter.

Aloo Chaat

(Sweet and sour potatoes tossed in spices)

Serves: Four
Time required: 15 minutes
2 tbsp tamarind paste or pulp, dissolved in 150 ml water
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
300 g potatoes, boiled and cubed
¼ tsp chilli powder
rock salt to taste
¼ tsp roasted cummin powder
3 tbsp crisp Bombay mix (popularly known as farsan)
Combine the dissolved tamarind and sugar in a pan over moderate heat, stirring until well blended and slightly thick. Cool and set aside. Arrange the cooked potatoes in a serving dish. Sprinkle the tamarind mixture over. Sprinkle with chilli powder, rock salt and cumin powder. Serve at room temperature topped with the Bombay mix.