VEGETABLE RISSOLES

MIXED VEGETABLE RISSOLES

Anglo-Indian Finger Food - Steamed garden-fresh veggies are mashed and seasoned with herbs, then formed into small cigar shaped rolls and crumb fried to a golden brown. A delightful tea time snack or a starter at a Party. 

Ingredients

2 cups of any mixed vegetables such as carrots, peas, beans, potatoes, etc.

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1 teaspoon chopped ginger

1 green chillie chopped finely

1 teaspoon red chillie powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons chopped coriander leaves

1 teaspoon chopped mint

1 egg beaten

2 tablespoons flour

3 slices of bread

Salt to taste

4 tablespoons oil or butter for frying

Cook the mixed vegetables with a little water and salt till well cooked. Drain and mash well.

Mix in the chopped garlic, ginger, green chillie, red chillie powder, cumin powder, coriander leaves, mint and salt. Remove from heat and keep aside.

Soak the bread in water then squeeze dry. Mix it with the mashed vegetables.

Form small oval shaped rissoles with the mixed vegetable mixture.

Make a batter with the egg and flour.

Heat the oil in a shallow pan. Dip the Rissoles in the flour and egg mixture and fry the croquettes, a few at a time till golden brown.  Serve hot with onion rings and tomato sauce or tartar sauce

LAMB HUSSAINY CURRY - MEAT ON SKEWERS IN A CURRY

LAMB /MUTTON HUSSAINY CURRY ALSO KNOWN AS THE STICK CURRY

Hussainy Curry is also known as the Stick curry or Kebab Curry. This particular dish was quite popular in the olden days with the Anglo-Indian families living in Calcutta and Eastern India. 

LAMB / MUTTON HUSSAINY CURRY ALSO KNOWN AS THE STICK CURRY

Serves 6           Preparation Time 1 hour

Ingredients

1 kg lamb or mutton cut into small cubes

1 cup curds / yogurt

1 teaspoon ginger and garlic paste

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

2 teaspoons chillie powder

1 teaspoon garam masala powder or all spice powder 

2 onions sliced

2 tablespoons tomato paste or tomato puree 

2 tablespoons chopped corriander leaves 

10 or 12 thick broom sticks / bamboo sticks or thin skewers 4” in length 

3 tablespoons oil

Salt to taste

Marinate the meat with a little turmeric powder, salt and a little curds / yogurt for one hour.

Heat oil in a suitable vessel and sauté the onions for a few minutes. Add the ginger and garlic paste and fry for a few minutes. Add the chillie powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder / all spice powder, chopped corriander leaves, tomato paste / tomato puree, remaining curds and salt and stir fry for a few minutes. Add 1 cup of water and bring to boil. Meanwhile pass the broom sticks / bamboo sticks / skewers through the marinated meat. About 5 pieces should fit on each stick. Place the sticks of meat in the curry that is boiling. Close the vessel and simmer on low heat till the meat is cooked. Serve without removing the sticks with white steamed rice and a corriander or mint chutney. 

This dish got its name because it was an inovation of a Muslim Cook nameLAMB HUSSAINY CURRY 

CARROT AND BEANS FOOGATH

CARROT AND BEANS FOOGATH

Ingredients
1/4 kg medium size fresh carrots chopped into small bits

1/4 kg tender green beans cut into small pieces 

3 green chilies chopped
1 onion sliced
1 tablespoon chopped garlic 
¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
½ cup grated coconut (optional)
1 tablespoon oil
Salt to taste

Parboil the beans and carrots separately till just tender. 
Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard, garlic and curry leaves. When the mustard starts spluttering, add the chopped onion and green chilies and fry till the onions turn slightly brown .

Add the boiled carrots and beans and salt to taste and mix well. Stir fry for about 2 or 3 minutes. Add the grated coconut and mix well.

Serve as a side dish with rice and curry I 

TRIFLE PUDDING

CLASSIC ENGLISH TRIFLE PUDDING

A Trifle is a dessert dish invariably made from thick custard, fruit, sponge cake, fruit juice or jelly and whipped cream.  These ingredients are usually arranged in layers in a beautiful glass dish with the sponge cake forming the bottom layer. The earliest known recipe for “Trifle” was published in a book called "The good housewife's Jewell" by Thomas Dawson. in 1596 in England. The ingredients for this first Trifle Recipe was thick cream flavoured with sugar, ginger and rosewater pored over slices of Sponge Cake. Sixty years later, milk custard was added to the list of ingredients and the custard was poured over alcohol-soaked bread.

A Trifle Pudding is often used for decoration as well as taste, incorporating the bright, layered colours of the fruit, jelly, jam, and the contrast of the creamy yellow custard and white cream. Some trifles contain a small amount of alcohol such as port, or, most commonly, sweet sherry or madeira wine. These Trifles are known as ‘TIPSY TRIFLES” The Non-alcoholic versions may, instead use fruit juices or soft drinks such as ginger ale, lemonade etc as the liquid is necessary to moisten the cake layers.

Trifle Puddings are often served in Anglo-Indian Homes at Christmas time, sometimes as a lighter alternative to the much denser Christmas pudding. No specific recipe need be followed for preparing a Trifle. It all depends on the availability of the ingredients. One can mix and match in a Trifle and just innovate. The contents of a trifle can be varied according to one’s choice. Here is a step by step Recipe for a simple Trifle that I made for my Granddaughter’s First Holy Communion Lunch. The recipe is also featured in my Recipe Book  A COLLECTION OF SIMPLE ANGLO-INDIAN RECIPES

Ingredients

300 grams sponge cake

4 tablespoons mixed fruit jam

1 large tin of canned mixed fruit or 2 cups of chopped fresh fruit of your choice

1 cup prepared jelly

500 ml fresh cream

500 ml whipped cream

1 cup prepared custard

1. Whip the fresh cream and whipped cream separately to soft peaks consistency

2. Drain the excess syrup from the canned fruits. Mix 2 tablespoons of jam to this fruit syrup and mix well. (If using Fresh Fruit then use a cup of apple juice or any other fruit juice). Divide the fruit into 3 portions

3. Using a sharp knife, slice the cake horizontally into a layer so that it fits the bottom of the bowl in which the pudding is to be set.

4. Spread the layer of cake liberally with jam.

5. Place the cake layer in the glass bowl and soak with the fruit syrup Press down firmly down.

6. Now spread a layer of the fruit over the soaked sponge cake layer.

7.Top this layer with one portion of the fresh Cream. 

8. Repeat a second layer of the fruit.

9. Top this fruit layer with the custard

10. Repeat a third layer of fruit

10. Now spread a layer of whipped cream using a spatula.

11. Garnish with cubes of jelly, cut fresh fruit, cherries, walnuts etc.

Chill and serve when required.

PEPPER MINCE AND POTATOES WITH KEDGEREE

PEPPER MINCE AND POTATOES WITH KEDGEREE

Recipe for Pepper Mince and Potatoes
Ingredients

½ kg Mince (Beef or Mutton)

2 big Onions chopped

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

2 green chilies chopped finely

2 tablespoons oil

Salt to taste

2 teaspoons pepper powder

2 Potatoes boiled and chopped into small pieces

Heat oil in a pan and fry the chopped garlic and onions till golden brown. 

Add the green chilies, turmeric powder, pepper powder and sauté for 3 minutes.  

Add the mince and salt and mix well. 

Cook on low heat for about ½ an hour till the mince is cooked and all the water evaporates. Add the Potatoes and mix well. 

Simmer on low heat for 3 more minutes.  

Recipe for Fish and Boiled Eggs Kedgeree

½ kg good fleshy fish cut into thick fillets

2 cups raw rice or Basmati Rice

4 tablespoons oil

1 tablespoon ghee or butter

3 onions sliced finely

3 green chillies sliced lengthwise

4 tablespoons Moong dhal or Tur Dhal (Or any other lentils)

3 cloves

2 small sticks of cinnamon

1 teaspoon cumin powder

100 grams Sultanas or Raisins (Optional)

3 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves

2 Bay leaves

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon chillie powder

1 tablespoon lime juice / lemon juice / vinegar

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, cloves and cinnamon lightly. Add the slit green chillies, whole peppercorns, 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, limejuice / vinegar, 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.

ANGLO-INDIAN FISH CUTLETS

ANGLO-INDIAN FISH CUTLETS
An easy recipe for simple Anglo-Indian Fish Cutlets. The Pepper and mint give it a very subtle flavour without overpowering it 

Ingredients

3 potatoes boiled, peeled and  mashed well

½ Kg of any fleshy fish without the bones

2 green chilies chopped finely

1 teaspoon pepper powder

2 teaspoons chopped mint leaves or 1 teaspoon dry mint 

1 egg beaten well

3 or 4 tablespoons breadcrumbs

4 or 5 tablespoons oil

Salt to taste

Boil the fish in a little water and a little salt for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Crumble the fish with a fork and mix it together with the potatoes, green chilies, pepper powder, salt and mint. Form into cutlets. 

Heat the oil in a flat pan. When hot dip each cutlet into the beaten egg, roll in breadcrumbs and shallow fry on low heat on both sides till brown. 

Serve as a side dish with rice and dhal or pepper water. Goes well with bread or dinner rolls too. These cutlets could also be served as starters at a party.