Anglo-Indian Food Festival - Cooking Demo

A collage of pictures of my Cooking Demonstration at the Anglo-Indian Food Festival on 20th and 21st August

 

A lunch plate with Coconut Rice, Grandma's Country Captain Cicken, Corn Bake etc

Yummy Caramel Custard  - Fish Fingers and Vegetable Croquettes

A View of the Salad Bar

DAK BUNGALOW MEAT CURRY

The Dak Bungalow Curry was another famous dish during colonial times. It was prepared with either meat or chicken and served with rice and vegetables or bread to the British Officers when they stayed at the various Dak Bungalows or Inspection Bungalows, while on official trips around the country. The recipe for preparing this dish varied with each cook at the Dak Bungalows depending on the availability of ingredients in a particular place during the war. Hence the name DAK BUNGALOW CURRY

Serves 6    

Preparation Time 45 minutes

½ kg mutton or lamb cut into medium size pieces

1 teaspoon spice powder or garam masala powder

3 teaspoons chopped garlic                     

1 teaspoon chilly powder

3 onions sliced                                           

salt to taste

3 green chillies                                         

½ teaspoon tumeric powder

½ teaspoon pepper powder                      

2 tablespoons oil

1 tablespoon lime juice                               

½ cup curds (optional)

Wash the meat well.  Add all the ingredients mentioned above to it and marinate for about 1 hour in a suitable pan. Place the pan on medium heat and cook closed for about 5 to 6 minutes. Lower the heat, add enough water and then simmer for about 40 to 45 minutes till the meat is cooked and the gravy is thick.

NOTE: The mutton or lamb can be substituted with beef, chicken or pork if desired.

GRANDMA’S COUNTRY CAPTAIN CHICKEN CURRY

Grandma’s Country Captain Chicken was a very popular dish during Colonial times Iin India. It was very easy to prepare and the igredients used in its preparation were easily available. In those days, the poultry used in its preparation were authentic well-fed, homegrown country chickens, which would take at least 2 hours to cook over a firewood oven, but the curry when done, was always rich and delicious.

Serves 6   Preparation Time 30 minutes

1 kg chicken cut into medium size pieces     

3 large onions sliced finely

2 teaspoons chilly powder                             

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

2 tablespoons oil                                            

salt to taste

2 tablespoons garlic paste                             

2 sticks cinnamon

4 cloves                                                           

2 cardamoms

6 or 8 whole pepper corns                              

2 Dry Red Chillies broken into bits

Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions lightly. Add the chicken and mix in the garlic paste. Saute for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Add the chillie powder, tumeric powder, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, red chillie, pepper corns and salt. Mix well and stir fry for a few minutes. Add ½ cup of water and cook till the chicken is tender and the gravy is quite thick.

Ps. This recipe can be adapted to meat as well. Left over Beef or Lamb Roast can be made into a delicious County Captain Fry or a cold meat curry if desired.

Calcutta Fish Kedgeree (an Anglicised version of Kichri)

Fish Kedgeree which was very popular in the olden days,  is an Anglicized version of the Indian Kitchri or Kitchidi, which was prepared with rice, lentils, raisins, etc along with the addition of Fried Fish Flakes and hard boiled eggs. It is said that Kedgeree was first introduced in India by the Scottish Soldiers. Fish, either steamed or fried was a regular item for breakfast during the Raj Era and the cooks tried to incorporate it with local dishes. Eventually the Fish Kedgeree became a hot cooked spicy dish, with the addition of various spices and was invariably included in the breakfast menu all over the Commonwealth.  Minced meat was also later added as a variation.

Serves 6

Preparation Time 45 minutes
Ingredients
½ kg good fleshy fish cut into thick slices
¼ kg raw rice or Basmati Rice
4 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon ghee or butter
3 onions sliced finely
3 green chillies sliced lengthwise
100 grams Moong dhal or Tur Dhal (Or any other lentils)
1 teaspoon spice powder or garam masala
1 teaspoon cumin powder
100 grams Sultanas or Raisins (Optional)
2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
2 Bay leaves
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon chillie powder

1 tablespoon lime juice / lemon juice

6 whole peppercorns
4 hard-boiled eggs cut into quarters.

Wash the fish and cook it in a little water along with the bay leaves and salt for about 5 minutes or till the pieces are firm. Strain and keep aside. Add sufficient water to the left over fish soup to get 6 cups of liquid. Remove the bones and skin from the boiled fish and break into small pieces. Wash the Rice and dhal and keep aside.

Heat the oil in a suitable vessel and sauté the onions lightly. Add the slit green chillies, whole peppercorns, spice powder, cumin powder and chillie powder and sauté for a few minutes. Add the rice and dhal and mix well. Now add 6 cups of the soup, salt, limejuice, sultanas, chopped coriander leaves and salt and cook on high heat till boiling. Reduce heat and simmer covered till the rice and dhal are cooked and slightly pasty. Gently mix in the cooked fish, butter / ghee and the hard-boiled eggs. Cover and let the rice draw in the fish for a few minutes. Serve hot or cold with Chutney or Lime Pickle.