A taste of India

A tasty vegetarian cheese and pea curry from India. You can substitute the tinned tomatoes for peeled and diced fresh ones if you prefer and tofu can be used instead of paneer but the texture won't be as firm.

MATAR PANEER

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
8 oz (250g) paneer
2-3 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
12 oz (375g) fresh or frozen peas
4 fl.oz natural yogurt
14 oz (200g) tin chopped tomatoes
½ lb (250g) onions, diced
2 green chillies, seeded and finely chopped
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp garam masala
pinch asafoetida powder (opt)
salt to taste
chopped coriander leaves to garnish

METHOD:
Cut the paneer into 1 (2.5cm) inch cubes.
Heat the ghee or vegetable oil in a large, non-stick pan and fry the paneer until lightly golden. Drain and set aside.
Add the onions to the pan and fry until lightly golden. Add the ginger and garlic pastes and the chopped chillies and fry for one minute.
Stir in the garam masala, asafoetida and salt and fry for one minute more.
Tip the tomatoes into the pan and bring to simmering point. Stir in the yogurt and continue to simmer for two minutes.
Add the peas, paneer and 4 fl.oz of water, bring back to a simmer and cook for 8 minutes, until the sauce is slightly reduced and the peas are cooked.
Turn into a warm serving dish and garnish with plenty of chopped coriander leaves. Serve.

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A lovely dish from India. It takes 3 days to prepare and cook but it's well worth the wait!

RAAN
(Spiced leg of lamb)
Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:
4-5 lb (1.8-2.2kg) leg of lamb, trimmed of fat
4 oz (112g) root ginger, peeled and chopped
12 large garlic cloves, peeled
thinly pared rind of 1 lemon
5 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp cardamom seeds
8 whole cloves
1 tsp turmeric
1½ tsp hot chilli powder
1 tbsp salt
5 oz (142g) unblanched almonds
4 tbsp soft brown sugar
10 fl.oz (295ml) natural yogurt

METHOD:
Prick the lamb all over. Make several deep gashes in the flesh and transfer to a large, deep roasting pan. Set aside.
Put the ginger, garlic, lemon rind and juice, cumin seeds, cardamom seeds, cloves, turmeric, chilli powder and salt into a blender and blend to a smooth puree. Spread the puree all over the lamb and leave for 1 hour.
Put the almonds, 2 tbsp. of the sugar and half of the yogurt into the blender and blend to a puree. Stir in the remaining yogurt and spread the mixture over the lamb, on top of the spice puree. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 48 hours.
Pre-heat the oven to 220C / 425F / GMk 7. Allow the meat to warm to room temperature. Sprinkle over the remaining sugar and roast for 20 minutes.
Reduce the heat of the oven to 180C / 350F / GMk 4 and roast for 1 hour. Reduce the heat again to 170C / 325F / GMk 3. Cover the pan and roast, basting occasionally, for a 4 hours.
Remove the meat to a large piece of foil, cover completely and return to the oven. Remove any excess fat from the pan and boil to a thick sauce, adding a little water if necessary.
Arrange the lamb on a warmed serving dish, spoon the sauce over and serve.

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Okra isn't everybody’s favourite vegetable due to it's glutinous texture when cooked. The cooking tips I have included in this recipe are courtesy of Indira from nandyala.org. The curry serves 3-4 people as a side dish.

BHENDI KARI
(Okra curry)
Serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS:
½ lb (250g) fresh okra
1 tbsp ghee or oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 fresh green chillies, slit and seeded
1 clove garlic, finely sliced
½ tsp finely grated fresh ginger
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cumin
12 fl.oz (355ml) coconut milk
salt or to taste

METHOD:
Wash the okra thoroughly, then rub in a clean cloth, to remove all the moisture. This helps to
reduce some of the glutinous texture. After making sure they are clean and dry, slice each one,
crosswise into ½ cm thick pieces.
Heat the ghee or oil in a saucepan and fry the onion and chillies over medium low heat, stirring
occasionally, until onions are golden.
Add garlic, ginger and turmeric and fry, stirring for a minute longer, then add okra and fry for 3-4 minutes.
Add the coriander and cumin, coconut milk or buttermilk and salt.
Simmer uncovered until okra is tender, about 10-12 minutes, do not stir as this will make the okra more glutinous. Serve.

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