Ingredients

3 in piece of fresh ginger peeled and coarsely chopped
3 tbsps peeled and coarsely chopped garlic
6-8 lamb chops from the ribs, remove all extra fat
8 fl oz grated or finely chopped tomatoes
2 medium sized onions very finely chopped
1 tbsp cayenne
12 fl oz Greek yoghurt beaten
1 1/2 tsps salt
1 tsp ground roasted cumin seeds
1-2 tsps Punjabi garam masala
3 tbsps lemon juice
2-3 tbsps chopped fresh green coriander

Method

Put the ginger and garlic into the container of an electric blender with 2-3 tablespoons of water and blend to a paste. Put the chops, tomatoes, onions, cayenne pepper, yoghurt, salt and ginger-garlic paste into a large wok or heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir and bring to the boil. Turn the heat to low, cover and simmer for 50 minutes or until the chops are almost cooked. Add the cumin seeds and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until the meat is tender and the sauce thick. Add the garam masala and lemon juice and stir. Sprinkle fresh coriander over the top and serve.

TIPS
In the Punjab, tomatoes are grated to make a puree. Don’t be tempted to use ready-prepared tomato puree instead of fresh. The spice combinations in garam masala vary in different parts of India. In the Punjab this one which you can try making yourself is common: 5 tbsps coriander seeds, 3 tbsps cumin seeds, 2 1/2 tbsps black peppercorns, 2 1/2 black cardamom seeds, 2 in cinnamon stick, 4-5 cloves, 1/6 nutmeg. Put the coriander and the cumin into a cast-iron frying-pan over a medium heat. Stir until lightly roasted. Allow to cool. Grind with the remaining ingredients in a clean coffee grinder and store in a tightly lidded jar.
Copyright of the British Broadcasting Corporation

Posted by RB on Friday, January 18, 2002
Comments (2)
Chicken Curry with Tomatoes (Murgha Kari)
This dish from the Punjab takes only 30 minutes to prepare. In India fresh tomatoes would be used in this dish.

Ingredients

4 medium onions, chopped
2 tablespoons curry powder
1/2 cup butter or cooking oil
1 cup or 1 can (8 ounces)tomato sauce
2 teaspoons salt
1 frying chicken (2 to 3 pounds)
3/4 cup hot water

Method

Use a casserole or large skillet with lid. Cook onions and curry powder in butter for 10 to 15 minutes. Add tomato sauce and salt. Disjoint and skin chicken, and place in sauce. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat, turning frequently until sauce becomes quite dry and chicken tests done with fork, about 15 minutes. Add hot water, cover pot, and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

Water 2 cups
Milk 1 cup
Sugar to taste
Tea leaves 3 tsp.
Black pepper 3-4
Cloves 2
Green cardamom powder 1/4 tsp.
Brown cardamom powder 1/4 tsp.
Ginger 1/2 inch
Aniseed 1/2 tsp.

Method:

1. Heat water in a pan.
2. Add sugar and tea masala (black pepper, cloves, green cardamom powder, brown cardamom powder, crushed ginger, aniseed) and bring it to boil.
3. Reduce the heat. Let it boil for another 5 minutes on low heat with pan partially covered.
4. When the bubbles start coming up, add tea leaves and milk.
5. Bring 3-4 boils and then switch off the gas.
6. Strain into the cups. Masala tea is ready to serve.

Okra (bhindi) 1/2 kg
Tomatoes 3 (medium)
Onions 2 (large)
Green chillies 3
Cinnamon 1 piece
Cloves 3
Bay leaf 1
Ginger-garlic paste 1 tsp.
Red chilli powder 1 tsp.
Oil 2 cups
Garam masala powder 1 tsp.
Coriander leaves for garnishing
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Cut the onions, tomatoes, okra & green chillies.
2. Heat the oil in pan and add the okra pieces. Deep fry.
3. Remove fried okra and place on kitchen tissue or table napkin so that excess oil is removed. Keep it aside.
4. Heat 3 spoons of oil in a pan. Fry the cinnamon, cloves and bay leaf for 30 seconds. Now add onions, green chilli pieces and fry them until onions turn light brown.
5. Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for one minute.
6. Add tomato pieces, red chilli powder and salt, cover the pan and cook for a few minutes until tomatoes become soft. Stir twice or thrice to prevent the mixture from sticking to the pan.

7. Add fried okra and mix slowly. Keep on heat for two more minutes and then remove the pan.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Cauliflower 1/2 kg.
Potato ( medium size) 2
Onions finely chopped 1
Tomato finely chopped 1
Green peas 1/2 cup
Ginger paste 1/2 tsp.
Garlic paste 1/2 tsp.
Thinly sliced Green Chilli 2
Roasted Cumin powder 1 tsp.
Red chilli powder 1 tsp.
Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp.
Garam masala powder 1 tsp.
Coriander powder 1/2 tsp.
Vegetable oil 3 tbsp.
Salt to taste
Chopped green coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:

1. Cut cauliflower and potato into medium sized cubes and thoroughly wash it.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan / kadai. Add green chilli, ginger garlic and stir for few seconds.
3. Add chopped onions and fry over medium heat until light golden brown. Add chopped tomato and green peas. Cook until tender.
4. Add red chilli powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, dry coriander powder, garam masala and salt. Mix well.
5. Add cauliflower and potato and stir. Saute for 5 minutes. Cover the pan / kadhai and cook over medium heat until tender. Ocassionally stir it to prevent sticking to the bottom.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Plain Yogurt 250 ml.
Lemon 1/2 (squeezed to get juice)
Ginger root 1 inch. (chopped)
Onions 2 (chopped)
Garlic cloves 3 (chopped)
Turmeric Powder 1-1/2 tsp.
Cinnamon powder 1 tsp.
Red chilli powder 1 tsp.
Coriander powder 2 tsp.
Butter or clarified butter (ghee) 2 tbsp.
Fresh Vegetables (Suggested: Mushrooms, peas, carrots, cauliflower, potato. Can use other vegetables too) 2 cups
Cardomom 20 pods
Coriander leaves 1/2 cup
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Combine the yoghurt and chopped ginger, garlic and onions into a blender. Blend until smooth.
2. Add the lemon juice, salt and Pepper. Lightly mix
3. Add the spices but stopping before you get to the cardomom pods. Blend all the spices until nicely mixed
4. Add a few of the fresh coriander leaves and again mix until lightly blended. (At this stage this will smell fantastic)
5. Add the butter or clarified butter to a pre-heated slow cooker or large pot. Melt until the butter or clarified butter starts slightly bubbling. Add blended ingredients.
6. Take the cardomom pods and add to the sauce. Cardomom pods have a sharp taste and could surprise you with a sudden zingy flavor during the meal. To avoid that, powder these pods before adding them to the sauce.

7. Add the two cups of vegetables and mix lightly.

8. Add the rest of the Coriander leaves.

9. If cooking in a slow cooker, set to “low” and leave for about 6 hours. If using the pot to cook, keep on low heat until the mixture bubbles and the vegetables are to your liking.

Serve hot with rice and naan bread

Paneer 1/2 kg (cut in cubes)
Capsicum 2 (chopped in big pieces)
Onion 2 (chopped in big pieces)
Garlic Flakes 3-4 crushed for to get 1/2 tsp. juice
Curd 2 tsp.
Cream 2 tsp.
Turmeric Powder 1/2 tsp.
Carom (“ajwain”) one pinch
Salt according to taste

Method:

1. Mix all ingredients. Leave aside for 20 minutes.
2. Cook in microwave for 3 minutes.

Garnish with onion rings and serve hot.

Chick peas (kabuli chana) 1 cup
Onion 1
Tomato 1
Green chilli 1
Garlic 4-5
Ginger an inch
Bay leaves 2-3
Red chilli powder 1 tsp.
Turmeric Powder 1/2 tsp.
Coriander powder 1 tsp.
Garam Masala Powder 1 tsp.
Tea 1 tsp.
Vegetable oil 3 tbsp.
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:

1. Soak chick peas in water for overnight.
2. Take a small piece of white cloth. Place some tea leaves in the centre, gather the cloth and seal its mouth so that tea leaves don’t fall out. Keep this in the pressure cooker along with chick peas. Pressure cook until tender. Tea adds brown color to the chick peas
3. Cut onion, tomato and green chilli. Grind it in mixie along with ginger and garlic and make paste.
4. Heat oil in a pan and fry bay leaves for 30 secs. Add the paste and fry on medium heat until golden brown (The oil starts separating from the mixture).
5. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt. Mix well. Fry for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add water enough to make thick gravy. Bring the gravy to boil.

7. Add cooked chick peas (along with the water in which it was cooked, remove tea cloth). Stir well and cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes.

Garnish with chopped green coriander leaves and serve hot.

1 Whole chicken about 1-1/2 Kg
Thinly sliced onions 4 ( medium size)
Finely chopped tomatoes 5 (medium size)
Garlic paste 1 tsp.
Ginger paste 2 tsp.
Finely chopped green chilli 1 tbsp.
Yogurt (curd) 1/2 cup
Bay leaves 2-3
Black pepper 6-7
Cloves 3-4
Brown cardamom 2
Red chilli powder 1 tsp.
Coriander powder 1 tsp.
Turmeric Powder 1 tsp.
Roasted cumin powder 1 tsp.
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil 7 tbsp.
Green coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:

1. Thoroughly clean the chicken and cut into pieces.
2. Heat 4 tbsp. oil in a big frying pan. Add chicken pieces and saute them until brown on all sides.
3. Remove the chicken pieces. Add the remaining oil and heat.
4. Add bay leaves, black pepper, cloves and brown cardamom and fry for few seconds. Add sliced onion, ginger, garlic and green chilli and fry over medium heat until they turn light brown.
5. Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, roasted cumin powder and salt. Stir well. Add tomatoes and cook until tender.
6. Add churned yogurt and water (3 cups). Stir and bring it to boil on high. Reduce the heat to medium and add chicken pieces.
7. Cover the pan and cook until the chicken is tender and the gravy is thick.

Garnish with chopped green coriander leaves and serve hot.

CHICKEN MARINATION:
Boneless chicken (small pieces) 900 grams
Yogurt 1/4 cup
Ginger (minced) 3 tsp.
Garlic (crushed) 3 tsp.
White pepper 1/4 tsp.
Cumin powder 1/4 tsp.
Mace 1/4 tsp.
Nutmeg 1/4 tsp.
Green cardamom powder 1/4 tsp.
Chilli powder 1/4 tsp.
Turmeric 1/4 tsp.
Lemon Juice 3 tbsp.
Oil 4 tbsp.

SAUCE (GRAVY) :
Tomato Paste 1.5 kgs
Ginger-Garlic paste 4 tsp.
Green chillies (small size. Finely chopped) 5-6
Red chilli powder 1 tbsp.
Cloves 5-6
Green cardamom 8
Butter 3 tbsp.
Cream 2/3 cup
Fenugreek 1 tsp.
Ginger (thin strands) 2 tsp.
Coriander leaves for garnishing
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Mix all ingredients given “Chicken Marination”. Add chicken pieces. For best results marinate overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake chicken for 4 mins. Baste with little oil (or butter). Bake for another 4 mins. Again baste with little oil (or butter). Bake for final 3 mins.
3. While the chicken is baking, prepare the sauce. Add tomatoes, tomato paste and tomato puree in a pan. Add 4 cups of water. Add ginger-garlic paste, green chillies, red chilli powder, cloves, cardamom and salt.
4. Cook for a few minutes, lightly stirring in between till the sauce becomes thick. Strain sauce.
5. Now add butter and cream. Mix. Add fenugreek and ginger strands. Mix and bring to a boil.
6. Add chicken and let it cook for a couple of minutes.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

500 grams (about 20 oz.) turnips peeled chopped and washed
2 large onion(s) chopped
2 tomato(es) chopped
1 teaspoon(s) each of grated garlic and ginger
2 green chilli(es) chopped
1 teaspoon(s) each of sugar, cumin powder and coriander powder
½ teaspoon(s) turmeric powder
1 cup(s) water
2 tablespoons butter / oil
salt to taste
finely chopped coriander leaves to garnish.

Heat the butter / oil in a pressure cooker till it is medium hot. Add the chopped green chilli(es), grated ginger and garlic. Fry briefly. Add the chopped onion(s) and saute on medium heat for 3 minute(s) or till the onions are lightly browned.
Now, add the chopped tomato(es), salt, and the turmeric, cumin and coriander powders. Stir fry on medium / low heat for 3 minutes or till the fat leaves the sides of the cooker.
Add the chopped turnips and mix. Add the water and stir well. Close the cooker and bring to maximum pressure on high heat. Now, reduce the heat and cook on low level for about 15 minutes. Open the cooker after all the steam has escaped. Add the sugar and very lightly mash the cooked turnips. Keep on the flame for a few minutes to dry out excess water if any.
Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.
NOTE: A heavy bottomed vessel could be used in place of the pressure cooker. The quantity of water may be more than doubled and accordingly, the entire cooking process would take a longer time.

Serve immediately with: hot white rice, Indian bread (Roti) or sliced fresh white bread.