Pakistan

Recipe By : Somesh Rao

1. Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl and add enough water to make a paste. Mix well.
2. Take spoonful at a time from the bowl of paste and deep fry it in hot oil til golden brown.
3. Serve with dipping sauces
   

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   Pumpkin Fugadh

   Yield: 4 servings

   Ingredients

   • 1/2 kg Diced butternut Pumpkin/squash (1.1 lb)
   • 1 Finely chopped onion
   • 1 Finely chopped tomato
   • 1/2 ts Mustard seeds
   • 1/4 ts Turmeric
   • 4 tb Oil
   • 400 ml Coconut cream (About 1 1/2 cup)
   • 200 ml Water (about 1 cup)
   • Salt to taste
   • Coriander leaves For garnish

   Directions

   Mild sweet curry ideal as compliment to a really hot curry.

   Heat oil and cook mustard seeds until they burst. Add chopped onion and fry until tender. Add chopped tomato and tumeric, cook briefly approximately 2 minutes). Put in the diced pumpkin, salt and water. Stir well to coat the pumpkin. Add coconut cream. Cover and cook until pumpkin is soft--this depends on how small/large you dice. Garnish with chopped coriander.
   

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   Pumpkin Soup

   Serving Size : 9

   Ingredients

   • 1 Small Pumpkin -- seeded, unpeeled
   • 2 Tablespoons Oil
   • 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Seed
   • 1 Each Cardamon
   • 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Powder
   • 1/2 Teaspoon Coriander -- ground
   • 1/4 Teaspoon Ginger -- ground
   • 1/4 Teaspoon Chili Powder
   • 1 Teaspoon Garlic -- minced, heaping
   • 2 Cups Onion -- chopped
   • 1 Cup Cauliflower Flowerets
   • 1/2 Cup Carrot -- sliced
   • 11 Ounces Corn -- can,undrained
   • Salt And Pepper -- to taste
   • 1/2 Teaspoon Tumeric

   Directions

   Put oil in large pot or kettle. Heat til quite warm. Add cardamon, and cumin seeds. Cook until seeds crackle. Add Onions, garlic and powders. Saute until onions are browned. Add cut up pumpkin and water til not quite covered. Cover and simmer until pumpkin is tender. Mash or puree. Return to pot and add your choice of vegetables. Cook until desired tenderness. You can add powered broth if desired. You can also add greens and can substitute acorn or butternut squash.
   

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   Rice With Potatoes, Cilantro And Mint

   Serving Size : 6

   Ingredients

   • 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
   • 1 1/2 cups boiling water
   • 2 cups basmati rice -- or other long-grain rice -- dry measure
   • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
   • 4 cloves
   • 1 stick cinnamon
   • 2 potatoes -- 1/2" cubes (about 8 oz/250g)
   • 2 tablespoons chopped mint
   • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger -- minced
   • 1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
   • 1/4 teaspoon salt
   • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
   • 1 onion -- thinly sliced

   Directions

   (2O minutes)
   Soak the saffron in a small bowl in 1 tablespoon of the boiling water for= at least 10 minutes. Wash the rice under cold running water until the water runs clear. Drain,= then place it in a medium-sized bowl, cover with water and soak for 30= minutes.
   Preheat the oven to 350=B0F (180=B0C) COOKING (25 minutes)
   Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the rice, stir well, and= boil rapidly for 5 minutes. Drain.
   While the rice is cooking, heat the oil in a large, flameproof casserole= dish over medium heat. Add the cloves and cinnamon and stir for 30 seconds.= Add the potatoes and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 5= minutes. Remove from the heat. Sprinkle the mint and half of the ginger= over the potato mixture.
   Spread half of the rice over the potato mixture. Place the yogurt, salt, saffron and saffron liquid in a small bowl.= Combine well. Pour half of the yogurt mixture over the rice in the= casserole dish.
   <> Sprinkle the remaining ginger, the cilantro and onion on top and cover= wiht the remaining rice. Pour the remaining yogurt mixture over the rice. <> Pour the remaining boiling water down the side of the mixture. Cover and= bake in the oven until the rice is tender and all of the liquid is= absorbed, about 15 minutes.
   <> Loosen the edges of the cake from the casserole dish. Warm the serving= plate. Put plater on top of casserole and turn the rice onto the plate.
   

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   Uppama

   Serving Size : 4

   Ingredients

   • 6 tb Vegetable oil
   • 1 pn Asafetida
   • 1/2 ts Whole black mustard seeds
   • 1 Whole dried hot red pepper
   • 1 t Chana dal
   • 2 ts Urad dal
   • 1/2 md Onion -- peeled and minced
   • 1 c Finely shredded cabbage -- firmly packed
   • 1 sm Potato -- peeled -- cut into 1/4-inch dice
   • 2 tb Shelled peas
   • 1 Fresh hot green chili -- minced
   • 1/2 ts Finely grated fresh ginger
   • 3/4 ts Salt
   • 1 c Cream of wheat -- (15 minute variety)
   • 1 1/4 c Boiling water
   • 1 tb Finely minced cilantro

   Directions

   Pour the oil into a medium or large skillet set over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the asafetida, mustard seeds, red pepper, chana dal, and urad dal. When dals turn reddish in color, add to the pan the onion, cabbage, potato, peas, green chili, and ginger. Increase heat to medium-high and cook the mixture, stirring all the while, for about 2 minutes. Cover skillet, reduce heat to low, and simmer until vegetables done, about 5-6 minutes. Uncover and mix in salt. Increase heat to medium and add cream of wheat. Cook 5 minutes, stirring the mixture and being careful not to let the cream of wheat brown. Decrease heat to low.

   Add boiling water, a couple of tablespoons at a time, stirring after each addition and allowing water to be absorbed before adding more. (More water may be used if a moister uppama is desired.)

   Continue stirring and cooking over low heat for 10 more minutes. Garnish with minced cilantro for serving.
   

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   Alu Carrot Pickle

   Serving Size : 1

   Ingredients

   • 3 medium carrots peeled
   • 1 medium caulifower stalks removed
   • 1/2 cup salt
   • 3/4 cup red chilli powder
   • 1 tablespoon turmeric
   • 1 cup vinegar
   • 1 cup jaggery (Indian palm sugar) -- grated

   Directions

   Cut carrots lengthwise into four, or six, if very thick. Cut lengths into 1 1/2 inch stubs. Keep aside.

   Separate cauliflower florets. Break to halves if very big. They should match size of carrot pieces.

   Add chilli, salt, turmeric. Toss well. Transfer to a clean dry bowl, Keep in sun for 4 days.

   Heat vinegar till warm. Add jaggery, stir. Heat further till vinegar is very hot, and jaggery has melted. Cool to room temperature. Add to sunned vegetables.

   Transfer to a clean dry pickle jar, close lid tightly. Marinate in a warm dark place for 5-6 days. Turn well with a spoon;

   Serve with chappatis, rices or just about anything.
   Making time: 1 hour (marinating 4 + 5 days)
   Makes: 1 kg pickle (approx.)
   Shelflife: 3-4 months refrigerated
   

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   Spicy Eggplant In Ginger-Tamarind Sauce

   (Masala Vangi)

   Yield: 6 Servings

   Ingredients

   • 1.00 1/2-inch-round ball tamarind
   • 0.25 c -Boiling water
   • 1.00 lb Thin, long eggplant
   • 3.00 tb Light vegetable oil
   • 1.50 ts Minced garlic
   • 2.00 ts Ground coriander
   • 0.25 ts Ground cinnamon
   • 0.13 ts Ground cloves
   • 0.50 c Packed flaked coconut -- fresh or canned, -- unsweetened
   • 1.00 ts Cayenne pepper (or more)
   • 0.50 ts Coarse salt; or to taste
   • 2.00 tb Unsulphured molasses -OR- Brown sugar
   • 0.50 ts Black mustard seeds --GINGER-TAMARIND SAUCE---
   • -Tamarind residue from above
   • 0.50 c -Boiling water
   • 0.50 ts Cornstarch
   • 1.00 tb Shredded fresh ginger

   Directions

   Put the tamarind in a nonmetallic bowl. Add 1/4 cup boiling water and let it soak for 30 minutes. Mash the pulp and extract as much juice from it as possible. Pour all liquid into a bowl, and save the fibrous residue for making the sauce.

   Slit the eggplants lengthwise to within 3/4 inch of the stem end so that each eggplant remains in one piece.

   Measure out the spices and place them right next to the stove in separate piles. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds. Add the coriander, cinnamon, and cloves; fry for 15 more seconds. Stir in the coconut and cayenne pepper; continue frying, stirring, until lightly toasted (about 2 minutes). Turn off the heat and stir in the salt, tamarind liquid, and molasses, and mix well.

   Stuff the eggplants with the spicy coconut mixture. Secure them by wrapping thread around them.

   Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add mustard seeds. Keep a pot lid handy, as the seeds may spatter and fly all over. When the seeds stop spattering, add the eggplants in one layer. Fry the eggplants, turning them often, for 3 or 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium or medium low and cook them, covered, for 10 to 12 minutes or until they are soft and cooked through. Turn off heat. Transfer them to a serving platter, pour Ginger-Tamarind sauce over them, and serve immediately.

   Ginger-Tamarind Sauce:

   Put tamarind residue in a nonmetallic bowl, add 1/2 cup boiling water, and let soak for 30 minutes. Mash the residue and extract as much tamarind essence as possible, squeezing it hard, into a bowl. Discard the fibrous residue.

   Put tamarind water in a nonmetallic pan along with cornstarch, mix well and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in ginger shreds.

   Note: For a hotter flavor, stir 4 chopped hot green chilies into sauce.
   

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   Vegetables in a Yoghurt and Coconut Sauce

   Yield: 4 servings

   Ingredients

   • 100 g Green beans, cut into 1cm Pieces
   • 50 g Carrots, diced into 5mm Cubes
   • 50 g Peas
   • 3/4 t Chilli powder
   • 1/2 t Ground turmeric
   • 3/4 t Salt
   • 350 -ml water
   • 250 -ml unsweetened yoghurt
   • 2 Green chillies
   • 1 t Ground coriander
   • 2 T Dessicated coconut
   • 1 T Oil
   • 1/2 t Mustard seeds
   • 8 Curry leaves

   Directions

   Place the vegetables, chilli powder, turmeric, salt and water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Remove from heat.

   Whisk the yoghurt, green chillies, coriander and coconut together and set aside.

   In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the mustard seeds and curry leaves, and after 5-6 seconds add the vegetables with the liquid. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Lower the heat and add the yoghurt mixture and stirring occasionally, cook for a further 4-5 minutes. Serve with rice.
   

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