1)Spicy Indian Vegetable Soup - Syn Free all plans page.1 2)Potato Cauliflower and Pea Curry (Aloo Gobi) page.1 3) Spicy Lamb Kebabs with yogurt Raita page.1 4)Spicy Mushroom Curry page.1 5) Chicken/Vegetable Jalfrezi page.1 6) Kofta Biryani page.1 7) Chicken Curry page.1
8) Korma page.1
9) Lentil and Meat Curry (Chana Dal Gosht) page.1
10) Chicken Tikka (dry bbq preparation on skewers) page.1
11) Chicken Tikka Masala (with sauce) page.1
12) Tandoori Chicken page.1
13) Do Piaza (meat in onion gravy) page.1
14) Mixed Vegetable Curry page.2
15) Fish Masala page.2
16) Raita - Yogurt Dip - 5 different varieties (cumin/garlic/mint/cucumber/courgette) page.2
17) Red Kidney Bean Curry (Rajma) page.2
18) Chickpea Curry (Chana Salan) page.2
19) Lamb Bhuna page.2
20) Bombay Potatoes page.2
21) Chicken Madras page.2
22) Balti page.2
23) Rogan Josh page.2
24) Vindaloo page.2
25) Lamb Chops page.3
26) Spicy Prawns page.3
27) Egg Masala page.3
28) Biryani page.3
29) Spicy Okra (Bhindi) page.4
30) Beef Tikka page.4
31) Spicy Corn Patties (Appetiser) page.4
32) Butter Chicken page.4
33) Keema Rice (Minced Beef with Rice) page.6
34) Spicy Nimbu Rice (Lemon Rice) page.6
35) Onion Bhaji page.9
36) Chicken Saag (Spinach) page.9
37) Exotic Mango Saffron Mousse page.9
38) Saag Aloo (Spinach and Potato Curry) page.10
39) Chicken Chaat (spicy chicken salad/yogurt dish) page.11
40) Chicken Passanda page.11
41) Lamb Buhari page.11
42) Chicken Pathia page.11
43) Mass Biran (Spicy Fried Fish) page.11
44) Lamb Karahi (Lamb in a Wok) page.11
45) Daal Bhaat (Lentils with rice) page.12
46) Makhini Sauce (Butter Sauce) page.12
47) Ceylon Curry page.13
48) Potato Mince Beef and Pea Curry (Aloo Keema Mattar Curry) page.13
49) Ready Made Poppadoms page.13
50) Ready Made Naan Breads page.13
51) Ready Made Chapattis page.13
52) Ready Made Samosas page.14
53) Raita Dip - Syn Free - 5 Different Varieties page.14
54) Ready Made Rice page.14
55) Green Chutney - 3 ways ! page.14
56) Mango Salsa with an Indian Twist ! page.16
57) Green Bell Pepper Masala page.16 HANDY COOKING TIPS page.16 58) Aubergine in Masala (Bengan Ka Bharta) page.19 59) Cabbage Kofta Curry page. 19
60) Turkey Biryani page. 20 61) Dhansak page 27
Introduction
Hi everyone . I have had many requests from friends to put up some authentic Indian recipes that I have been cooking for many years for my friends and family. Since joining slimming world I have adapted all of my recipes to a much more healthier way of preparing curries but still packed with all the flavour !
I do not want to overload you with info so I will keep it short and simple so its easy to remember. The following tips should help you in all your preparations:-
Tips
Spices – As you go over the recipes you will notice that there are some key spices which are used regularly in indian cuisine. If you are fond of making Indian food then it’s a good idea to stock up on some of these, from your local Indian Cash and Carry or local Supermarket in the World Food Section.
Oil - Majority of Indian Cooking is prepared in Oil or Ghee (clarified butter). Although some curries can be made syn free, I prefer to use 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in mine from my Healthy Extra b choice, or u can add 6 syns for 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. Also a good alternative to butter is Flora's Lighter than Light spread (1 tbsp = 1.5 syns), which I have used in some of my recipes where the curry requires a richer taste. When curries are cooked Syn Free without oil, in some cases the spices end up with an uncooked raw flavour. A tablespoon of oil makes a huge impact to the taste and quality of the curry. This is especially true for meat preparations.
Tomatoes – The base of most curries is done using onions and tomatoes. Good quality tomatoes will make all the difference to the quality and taste of your curry. Any type of plum tomato is always good for flavour. I always prefer to use fresh ingredients as opposed to canned or tomato juices or passata which is more for Italian cooking and sometimes contains basil which is not used in Indian cooking much. A lot of these have a high level of concentrate and are very acidic and some contain sugar which makes the curry sweeter.
Quantities - Most of my recipes are for serving a whole family, 4-6 people, so the quantities are large. If you are cooking for yourself, the good news is curries keep very well in the freezer, so you can freeze the rest to microwave and eat later in the week .
1) Spicy Indian Vegetable Soup
Syn Free
(click on pic to enlarge)
Serves 4
EasyExtra - syn free per serving Green – syn free per serving Original –syn free per serving (substitute the chick peas for butternut squash or swede)
Ingredients
Fry Light orPam Spray Half inch ginger shredded 2 cloves garlic crushed X 1 red onion chopped finely (can use regular onion) 1 x flat tsp cumin seeds 1 x small green chilli deseeded and finely diced (make sure you remove the seeds) 1 x small cinnamon stick 1 x flat tsp fennel seeds 2 to 3 wholeblack peppercorns 2 to 3 cloves Prepare 1 litre of vegetable stock 1 x can boiled chick peas drained X 2 tomatoes chopped into small cubes X 1 green pepper chopped into small cubes X 2 celery chopped into small cubes Fresh Corriander finely chopped to garnish Salt and Pepper to season Lemon juice to taste
Method
Spray a large saucepan over a medium heat with Frylight or Pam spray and add the onions garlic ginger, green chilli and cumin seeds. Cook for 3 to 4 mins until slightly softened. Now add the vegetable stock, cinnamon stick, fennel seeds, whole black peppercorns and cloves and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to medium low, add the chickpeas, tomatoes, green pepper, celery, cover lid and simmer for 10 minutes. Switch off heat and season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with fresh coriander and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Tips
1)If you prefer your soup less spicy then u can omit the whole peppercorns and cloves and green chilli.
2) Feel free to remove the whole spices with a spoon once they are cooked to avoid them coming in your mouth when eating, they are just there to flavour the broth.
3) Once the broth is made, feel free to add any free vegetables of your choice that you think will go well with this soup. This is a clear soup with wholesome chunky vegetables that are diced into cubes to give you that extra bite and fill you up. Do not over cook them as they are ment to stay crunchy.
4)To bulk this soup up on G day and EE u can add half mug boiled rice. Also free on all days u can add Quorn style chicken pieces that makes it extra yummy !
2) Potato and Cauliflower and Pea Curry
(Aloo Gobi)
(click on pic to enlarge)
Serves 4
Syn Free on Green and EE
Ingredients
Frylight 1 cauliflower cut into florets ½ cup water half bunch of chopped coriander leaves ½ tsp corriander powder 1 tsp cumin seeds ½ tsp garam masala 1 tsp gingergarlic paste 2 tbsp green peas 1 green chilli diced 1 onion finely diced 4 potatoes cubed ¼ tsp red chilli powder Salt to taste 3 tomatoes chopped ¾ tsp turmeric powder a squeeze of lemon/lime juice
Method
Start with a medium flame. Spray the pan with frylight, sauté cumin seeds, ginger garlic paste for a minute and crushed tomato, onion and green chilli and add turmeric, cook for a few minutes then add the rest of the spices and mix in ½ cup of water. Mix everything well together. Now add the potatoes and cauliflower and salt and fry for a few minutes. Now lower the heat , cover and simmer forabout 10 minutes. Now add the green peas, replace the lid and cook for a further 5 minutes until all the vegetables are cooked. Turn off the heat. To garnish add coriander leaves, a squeeze of lemon or lime and final sprinkle of garam masala.
Syn Free on Red and EE (and Green if you use Quorn mince)
Ingredients
1 small red onion peeled 1 red chilli Pinch of ground gloves ½ tsp fennel seeds ¼ tsp black peppercorns 1 tsp turmeric powder medium sized bunch of mint salt 1 tbsp ex v olive oil (HE b choice) 350g Lamb Mince (you can use Quorn Mince also) 1 egg yolk 200g fat free yogurt 1 lime zest and juice
Method :-
Kebabs In a food processor place the onion (cut into quarters), deseed and add the chilli, ground cloves, fennel seeds, peppercorns, turmeric and half the mint. Season with a little salt and blend together. Place the lamb mince in a large bowl and add the blended onion and spice mix. Add the egg yolk and mix well to combine. Now divide the mixture into 8 equal portionsand shape into patties / kebabs. Now heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a nonstick frying pan on low/medium heat. Fry the kebabs for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until nicely coloured and cooked through.
Yogurt Raita Dip
Chop the remaining mint and add to the yogurt along with the lime zest .
Your kebabs are ready ! Serve on a hot plate with a squeeze of lime juice on top along with your fresh mint yogurt raita.
¼ tsp corriander powder ¼ tsp cumin powder ¼ tsp red chilli powder ¼ tsp black pepper powder ½ tsp cumin seeds ¼ tsp turmeric powder ½ cup of water 1 green chilli diced 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste corriander leaves 6 curry leaves 250g mushrooms 1 tbsp ex v olive oil (HE b choice) 1 onion finely diced Salt to taste 3 tomatoes finely chopped
Method
Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat and add the cumin seeds, curry leaves, ¼ tsp salt and the chopped onion and sauté until light brown. Now add ¼ tsp turmeric and 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste and 1 chopped green chilli, keep stiring. Now add the chopped tomatoes. Allow the tomatoes to cook a few minutes along with the onions until they combine together. Now add and stir in the mushrooms. Add corriander powder,cumin powder, black pepper,chilli powder, along with ½ cup water, stir and mix well together. Now stir fry until mushrooms are nicely cooked. Season with salt to taste and freshly chopped corriander.
For Vegetable Jalfrezi you can omit the chicken and substitute with Quorn style chicken pieces or add more vegetables to the dish of your choice.
(click on pic to enlarge)
Serves 4
Syn Free on Red and EE (Veg Jalfrezi free on all plans)
Ingredients
1 kg Boneless Chicken 4 medium sized onions chopped 4 tomatoes chopped 2 onions cut into thick slices 2 tomatoes cut into broad slices 1 green bellpepper cut into slices (can use yellow pepper instead) 1 tsp garlic paste 1 tsp ginger paste ¼ tsp garam masala ¼ tsp turmeric powder ½ tsp corriander powder 1 tsp salt(according to taste) 1 tbsp ex v olive oil (HE b choice) Frylight
Method
Saute the chopped onions with the olive oil in a pan till transparent. Add the garlic and ginger paste, turmeric,corriander powder and chopped tomatoes. Cover and simmer to allow the tomatoes to soften. Now add the chicken and cook for another 10 minutes or until the chicken is slightly tender. Add the salt. In a separate frying pan, spray with frylight, add the sliced onions, bell pepper, sliced tomatoes and garam masala powder. Saute this for a while until the vegetables soften slightly. Now add the vegetables to the cooked chicken. Mix and allow cooking for another 2-3minutes. Turn off the heat. Your Jalfrezi is ready !
1/2 kg basmati rice 50-75g FatFree Yogurt 1 small onion 1 tsp salt(according to taste) 6 green cardamoms 2 tbsp garlic paste 6 cloves 1 tbsp ex v olive oil (HE b choice) ½ tsp yellow food colour 1 pinch saffron ½ tbs lemon juice
For Meatballs
250g finely minced mutton or beef 1 tsp ginger paste 1-2 green chillies coarsely chopped 1 medium onion coarsely chopped Handful of fresh coriander leaves ½ tsp garam masala powder 1 slice of bread soaked and squeezed to remove water (add syns) 1 tsp salt
Method
To make the meatballs :-
Put the mince meat and all its spices in a food processor and blend until all the ingredients are mixed well. Form into small meatballs and keep aside. In a pot heat the olive oil and sauté the onions until they start to turn brown. Add all the spices along with a little water to prevent them from burning. Mix well. When the water has dried add ½ cup of water and add the meatballs carefully into it. Cover and allow to cook for about 10 minutes on medium flame until the meatballs are cooked through.
Simultaneously soak the rice in water for half an hour. Boil the rice with 1 tbsp salt and ½ tbsp. of lemon juice till its ¾ cooked. Drain the water and keep the rice aside. Transfer a little rice to a pot and on top of that add some of the meatballs combo so as to make layers of rice and masala. Make a couple oflayers and then sprinkle some yellow food colour to decorate along with a pinch of saffron (saffron should be soaked in 1 tbsp of water for a few minutes before adding to the rice). Now cover the rice on a low flame for about 10 minutes keeping the pot tightly closed to steam cook. When the rice is done the Biryani is ready.
Syn Free on Red and EE (Green using Quorn style chicken pieces)
Ingredients
½ kg chicken 100 ml onion paste 50ml fat free yogurt 1 tsp coriander powder ¼ tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp chilli powder 1 tsp garlic paste 1 tsp ginger paste 1 tbsp ex v olive oil (HE b choice) 1 tsp salt(to taste) 100 ml tomato ground 1-2 greenchillies – chopped 1 tsp garam masala 2 green cardamoms 1 small stick of cinnamon 6 wholeblack peppercorns 6 cloves ¼ tsp cumin seeds
GARNISH
2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves and green chillies chopped
Method
Fry onion paste in olive oil until light bown. Add ginger and garlic paste, yogurt,coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric, salt and tomatoes. Mix and fry briefly. Now add the chicken. Mix it and let it cook for 10-15 minutes till the chicken becomes tender and the desired consistency of curry is achieved. ( addwater only to have the required consistency). Garnish with green chillies , green coriander leaves and garam masala.
Syn Free on Red and EE (Green using Quorn style chicken pieces)
Ingredients
500 g mutton or chicken 2 black cardamom seeds 9 green cardamom 10 cloves 10 whole black peppercorns 4 tsp coriander powder 250g onion 1 tsp salt(to taste) 1 tsp garlic paste 1 tsp ginger paste 250g fat free yogurt 1 tsp red chilli powder 1 pinch of nutmeg and mace powder 1 tbsp kewra 1 tsp sweetner 1 cup of water 1 tbsp ex volive oil (HE b choice) frylight
Method
Slice the onion finely and and fry in the olive oil on a very low flame till they are crispy and golden brown. Remove the fried onions from then pan and set aside. In the same pan spray some frylight, add all the ingredients (except the nutmeg, sweetner and kewra) add ½ cup of water to prevent burning. Now add the meat and mix well with the spices. When the water of the meat has dried , add another 2 cups of water ( 1 is enough for chicken). Add the fried onions you prepared earlier to the pot , cover and cook on low flame until the meat is tender. When the meat has softened and the gravy has acquired the desired consistency, add a nutmeg and mace, kewra and sweetner. Leave on very low heat for 2 minutes.
Syn Free on EE (Green using Quorn style chicken pieces)
Ingredients
500g mutton or chicken 1 tsp salt(to taste) 1 tsp turmeric powder ½ tsp red chilli powder 1 medium onion chopped 1 cup Chana Dal (lentils pre-soaked) ¼ tsp ginger paste ¼ tsp garam masala 1 tbsp ex v olive oil (HE b choice) Frylight Garnish 2 green chillies Fresh coriander Lemon juice
Method
Fry the onions in the olive oil until they start to brown. Add the spices and meat and let the water dry. Add the pre-soaked Dal / lentils, and 2 glasses of water. Cover and leave on low heat to tenderize. When both the meat and Dal have softened add ginger and garam masala. In a frypan spray frylight add some sliced onions and fry until crispy and brown. Add the fried onions to the dish. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and green chilli. Serve with lemon.
Dry Preparation(without sauce, nice for bbq's or with salads)
(click on pic to enlarge)
Serves 4
Syn Free on Red and EE (Green using Quorn style chicken pieces)
Ingredients
500g Boneless Chicken (cut into cube pieces) ½ tsp chilli powder ¼ tsp cardamom powder ½ tsp fenugreek leaves ¼ tsp garam masala ½ tsp coriander powder 1 tsp salt(to taste) Lemon juice ½ tbsp. gingergarlic paste ¾ cup fatfree yogurt 1 pinch orange food colour 1 bellpepper cut into cubes 1 tomato cut into cubes 1 red onion cut into cubes Frylight
Method
Wash and cut the chicken into cube size pieces and set aside. Mix the remaining ingredients together and make a paste. Coat the chicken pieces along with the bellpepper, tomato and red onion with the paste and leave to marinade for 2 hours in the fridge. Soak some wooden skewers for around 30 mins in water so they do not burn when ready to use. Arrange the chicken tikka cubes on the skewers with the red onion, bell pepper and tomatoes, alternating. Arrange the skewers in an oven proof dish, spray with frylight. Preheat your oven to maximum heat setting, cook for 15 minutes on one side. Now turn the skewers over , spray with frylight and cook the other side for a further 15 minutes. Take out from the oven once cooked on both sides and squeeze some lemon juice on top. Serve with a cool Raita or Salad.
Enjoy !!
Syn Free on EE and (Green using Quorn Chicken) / Red 1.5 syns per serving)
Ingredients
500g boneless chicken (cut into cubes) 1 tomato cubed 1 onion cubed 1 red bell pepper cubed 1 green chilli diced 2 tomatoes chopped 1 cup fatfree yogurt Chopped coriander leaves 1 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp cumin powder 1 tsp. gingergarlic paste 1 tsp red chilli powder 1 tsp cumin seeds 1/4 tsp turmeric 1 tsp fenugreek leaves 1 stick cinnamom 3-4 cloves 3-4 green cardamoms Pinch of mace 3-4 bayleaves 12 chopped cashew nuts (EE, heb choice / Green heb choice / Red 5 syns) 1 tsp salt(to taste) Lime juice 1 large finely chopped onion 1 tbsp ex v olive oil (HE b choice)
frylight
Method
Wash the chicken and cut into cube size pieces and set aside. In a blender add the 2 large chopped tomatoes, 12 chopped cashew nuts and blend together.
Marination Now in a bowl add turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder, 1 tsp ginger garlic paste, ½ tsp fenugreek leaves, 1 cup fat free yogurt, squeeze half lime, ½ tsp salt, mix all the ingredients together. Take half the marination and in a separate bowl coat the vegetables (cubed onion, tomato, bellpeppers). Use the other half of the marination to coat the chicken.
Soak some wooden skewers for 30 mins to avoid burning when ready for use. Prepare your chicken skewers using the chicken and vegetables, alternating. Now spray a griddle pan (you can use a normal frying pan) with frylight, cook the skewers rotating to cook both sides. Any extra vegetables can be placed on top of the skewers to cook alongside.
TikkaSauce
In a fry pan add 1 tbsp olive oil, add cinnamom stick, green cadamoms, cloves, bayleaves, add cumin seeds and 1 large onion very finely chopped, add a pinch of salt, pinch of mace, . Fry the onions until nice golden brown . Add turmeric, 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste , 1 tbsp cumin powder,1 tbsp coriander powder, ½ tsp chilli powder. Make sure the flame is low when adding the spices or they may burn. Add ½ cup of water mix well. Once the masala has turned brown and cooked, add your tomato and cashew paste from the blender ,add ¼ cup water to this, cover the lid and let it simmer on low flame for 5-10minutes to allow all the flavours to combine together. Now lift the lid and add a ½ tsp of fenugreek powder into the sauce. Now remove your chicken tikka pieces from the skewers and add to the sauce with all the vegetables. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
Pat yourself on the back, your fab chicken tikka masala is ready to eat !
Syn Free on Red and EE (Green using x6 Quorn chicken fillets)
Ingredients
6 large chicken thigh/breast pieces Salt to taste 6 tbsp Fat free yogurt Ginger/garlicpaste Lemon juice Pepper powder Red chilli powder Fenugreek leaves Garam masala powder Cumin powder Coriander powder Turmeric powder Red food colour 1 tbsp ex volive oil (HE b choice)
Method
Wash the chicken. Take a knife and make a few small slits in all of the chicken pieces.
Small Marination
In a small bowl, take 1 tbsp chilli powder 1 tsp salt, and squeeze half a lemon mix together. Take this marination and rub into the slits that you made on all the chicken pieces.
MainMarination
To make themain marination for the tandoori chicken, in a large bowl take 6 tbsp of fat free yogurt, (average works out to 1tbsp of yogurt per chicken piece). Add 1tsp chilli powder, ½ tbsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper powder, ½ tsp fenugreekleaves, ¼ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp garam masala, 1 tbsp cumin powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, half a lemon juice, mix all the ingredients together. Now add the red food colour, be careful not to add too much just a few drops is required. It’s best to add a drop at a time and see that you get that rich tandoori colour. Now add the chicken pieces one at a time and coat well with the marinade. When all the chicken pieces are covered add 1tbsp olive oil and coat the pieces again, this will give them a nice coating and colour.
Oven Preparation
Take an ovenproof dish and to avoid the chicken marinade rubbing off to the bottom of the pan and burning, make a bed of vegetables at the bottom of the tray, diced carrots and celery will work. Nowc arefully place your chicken pieces ontop of the bed of vegetables. Preheat your oven to 230c, place the chicken in the oven to cook for 30 minutes. After 25 mins, keep an eye on the chicken to check if it has cooked. Take a tastetest with your fork to see if its cooked through. Once you are happy, take out the chicken, arrange on a plate with some fried onions (slice some onions in a pan, fry with frylight until golden brown) a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of chaat masala or garam masala. Serve hot.
500g mutton(can also be cooked with beef) 6-7 onions finely chopped a few cups of water 3-4 whole dried red chillies 2 tsp crushed garlic 2 tsp crushed ginger 1 tsp garam masala 3 tbs fat free yogurt 1 tbsp ex v olive oil (HE b choice) ½ tsp salt(to taste)
Method
Add olive oil to a sauce pan and sauté 1 sliced onion until light brown. Now add ginger,garlic, salt and the meat with ½ cup water. Cook the meat on medium heat stirring constantly until the water dries. Now add the red chillies and the rest of the onions. Add about 2-3 cups of water.Cover and leave to soften on low heat until the onions have turned into a nice gravy. When the meat is tender and the water has dried (otherwise dry the water with the lid open on high heat) add the yogurt (make sure it’s well whipped) and cook until the oil is to be seen separating out. Now add the garam masala at the end, remove from heat. Your Mutton Do Piaza is ready !
1 tsp fenugreek leaves 1 tomato chopped 1 medium onion chopped 1 tsp cumin seeds ½ tsp salt to taste ¼ tsp turmeric 2-3 green chillies de-seeded and diced 1 tbsp ex v olive oil (HE b choice) ½ cup cauliflower chopped 4 taro root(also known as arbi in indian stores) chopped 2 potatoes chopped 1 green bellpepper chopped 1 radish chopped ½ tin mixed pulses (cooked) 1 turnip chopped 1 beetroot ½ cup cabbage chopped ½ cup peas 1 egg plant chopped 1 carrot chopped Fresh coriander
Method
This dish is made with as many vegetables as you like. Their quantity should be adjustedaccording to your needs and the size of the vegetables available. The list above contains vegetables that makea great dish, but you can adjust it according to your own personal taste.
In a pan heat the oil, add the onions, cumin seeds, salt, turmeric. Once the onions are slightly brown add the tomatoes and green chillies, cook for a few minutes until the onions and tomatoes combine. Now add all the chopped vegetables and the pulses , ¼ cup of water, cover and cook on very low heat until water has dried and the vegetables become soft. It is better if they are a little bit crunchy. Now add the fenugreek leaves to the curry. Do not add extra water in the pan, allow the vegetables to cook in their own juices. Turn off heat. Dress with fresh coriander.
500g white fish fillets 2-3 green chillies 1 cup fresh coriander 1 tsp garlic paste ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp turmeric powder 2 tbs tamarind sauce (add syns) 2 tbs fatfree yogurt 1 large tomato 1 medium sized chopped onion 1 tsp fenugreek leaves ½ cup ofwater 1 tbsp ex v olive oil (HE b choice)
Method
Grind all the spices and the all the ingredients together in a blender - (except the onion, fish, oil, fenugreek leaves and water). In a saucepan fry the onion until brown in olive oil. Now add the spice mix from the blender and fenugreek leaves with ½ cup of water . Stir and mix well. Now add the fishpieces and leave to simmer on low heat. Cover and cook till soft. Add a littlewater if necessary. Do not cook the fish for too long otherwise it will become hard. Remove from heat when cooked through. Your Fish Masala is ready !
Raita is the perfect accompaniment with any Indian Curry. It has the cooling factor against all the spices. There are many different variations of Raita Dip. Below I have shared the most popular ones :-
1)Cumin Raita
½ cup fat free yogurt Salt to taste ¼ tsp ground black pepper ½ tsp toasted cumin seeds (toast in a pan without oil until they turn slightly brown,add to yogurt) ¼ tsp cumin powder handful of freshly chopped coriander
2)Garlic Raita
½ cup fatfree yogurt ½ tsp garlic paste ¼ tsp cumin seeds salt to taste 1 green chilli de-seeded and diced handful of freshly chopped coriander
3)Mint Raita
½ cup fatfree yogurt 1 green chilli de-seeded and diced handful of fresh mint finely chopped ¼ tsp cumin powder zest of ½ lime salt to taste
4)Cucumber Raita – My Favorite !
Follow the same procedure for the Mint Raita plus add ½ shredded cucumber (remove the skin before shredding the cucumber).
5)Courgette Raita
Follow the same procedure for the Mint Raita plus add ½ shredded courgette (remove the skin before shredding the courgette).
2 tins red kidney beans cooked 1 tsp red chilli powder 1 tsp cumin powder ½ tsp garam masala ½ tbsp ginger garlic paste 1 greenchilli de-seeded, diced ½ tsp fenugreek leaves 1 tbsp ex v olive oil (HE b choice) 1 onion finely chopped Salt to taste 2 tomatoes finely chopped Freshly chopped coriander
Method
Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the onion and salt and garam masala and cook for 5mins. Cook until onions are slightly translucent . Now add the ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, and cook again for 3 minutes. Add the chopped tomato and green chilli to this mixture and cook until well done. Now add the kidney beans to the mixture. Add the other spices and salt to taste. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Allow all the flavours to mix together. Check now to see if the kidney beans have cooked with a taste test. If not leave for another 2-3 minutes until cooked. Turn off the heat and add freshly chopped coriander.
2 tins boiled chickpeas (drained) fresh coriander leaves chopped 1 tsp garam masala 1 tsp cumin seeds ½ tsp cumin powder 1 green chilli de-seeded, diced ½ tbsp. ginger garlic paste 1 tbsp ex v olive oil (HE b choice) salt to taste 1 onion finely diced 2 tomatoes finely chopped ¼ tsp turmeric lemon juice
Method
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan , add cumin seeds, garam masala and onions. Saute onions until brown. Add the ginger garlic paste , sauté for a couple more minutes. Add all the tomatoes, till they are soft and mashed up. Add the cumin powder and green chillies to the sauce. Now add the chickpeas to the mixture gently and coat with the sauce. Add a little water depending on the consistency you would like for your curry. Check and adjust the seasoning. Simmer and cook on low heat for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat. Garnish with fresh coriander and a squeeze of lemon juice.
. I have had many requests from friends to put up some authentic Indian recipes that I have been cooking for many years for my friends and family. Since joining slimming world I have adapted all of my recipes to a much more healthier way of preparing curries but still packed with all the flavour !
(click on pic to enlarge)
