Garlic roasted lamb and Orzo

I get these emails from "Autralian lamb" and they send some very good recipes with lamb. I don't eat beef so I am always on the search for new recipes with lamb. I love lamb and I think people who haven't tried it should try it. Anyway, I made the recipe I got from the "Australian lamb" which is called Garlic roasted lamb, which this email informs me is the national dish of Australia.
         I made Orzo pasta to go with it and also steamed brocolli and sugar snap peas

Garlic Roasted Lamb (Lamb roasted with garlic and Rosemary)

Garlic and rosemary roasted lamb

Ingredients:

1. 1-2 lb lamb cut into big chunks
2. 6-10 big garlic cloves peeled and cut into half
3. 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
4. 1 teaspoon each of salt, rosemary chopped
5. 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
6. Medium red onion cut into chunks (optional)

In a pan heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and lay the garlic in a single layer cut side down and roast covered on medium low heat for 20 minutes. After 10 minutes turn the garlic and let them roast. After 20 minutes cut the heat and let the garlic cool and mash it.
Marinate the lamb chunks with salt, pepper, rosemary and the mashed garlic and the oil and set it in the fridge for 1-2 hours. Leave it on the counter for 30 minutes. In a pressure cooker lay the meat cook with 2 tablespoons water and cook for 2 whistles. In a oven safe dish transfer the lamb and cover and cook for 25 minutes at 300 degrees. Remove cover stir and roast for 15 more minutes. Add the onion chunks if you are using it and roast for 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and serve

Orzo

Orzo

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups orzo cooked to package directions
2. 1 cup chicken stock

Cook the rozo 1 minute less than the package says. Add it to the stock and let it boil uncovered for 5 more minutes and serve

Steamed brocolli

Steamed brocolli and Sugarsnap Peas

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups brocolli florets
2. 1 cup sugar snap peas

I have the steamer I got from a Chinese store which can be used in the microwave. I steam the vegetables to my desered done-ness and garnish with a tablespoon of cheese

Overall a wonderful dinner

Egg with dried shrimp and okra khatta

I got these dried shrimp from the Chinese grocery store close by to my house. You can find these at any oriental store and they are amazing. You can make pretty much anything with these dried shrimp you make with fresh shrimp but before you cook them you just have to soak them in water for 10 minutes. Just to soften them a bit. And I made okra gravy to go along with this today. Here are the recipes.

And yes, I forgot. I also made fried dried shrimp. This can be eaten as a snack or can me had as a side dish.

Fried dried Shrimp (Shallow fried with salt and chilly powder)

Fried dried Shrimp

Ingredients:

1. 1/4 cup large dried shrimp (they are not more than an inch long)
2. 2 tablespoons oil
3. 1/4 or less teaspoon each of salt and chilly powder

Soak the shrimp in water for 10 minutes drain and set aside. Heat the oil in a pan and set it on medium heat, add the shrimp and fry them for 5-7 minutes. Add the salt and chilly powder and fry for 3-5 minutes. Drain and enjoy

Egg curry with dried shrimp

Egg curry with dried shrimp

Ingredients:

1. 6 eggs hard boiled and peeled
2. 1/6 cup dried shrimp soaked in water for 10 minutes
3. 1-11/2 cup chopped onions
4. 2 green chillies slits
5. 2 tablespoons oil
6. 1/2 teaspoon each of ginger-garlic paste, salt, chilly powder
7. 1/4 teaspoon turmeric

In a pan heat the oil and fry the eggs (make some slits on all sides of the eggs else they will burst in your face) for 4-5 minutes. Drain and set aside. Add the drained shrimp and fry for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. Add the chopped onions and fry till they become translucent. Add turmeric, salt and chilly powder and stir. Add 1/2 cup water cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add shrimp and eggs and add a little more water cover and simmer for 10 more minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve with hot rice and okra khatta

Bhindi Khatta (Okra in Tamarind juice)

Okra khatta

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 lb fresh okra cut into 1 inch pieces or frozen cut okra thawed
2. 2 cups of juice from a small lemon sized tamarind
3. 1/2 teaspoon salt, chilly powder, sugar
4. 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
5. 1/2 cup chopped onions
6. 1 tablespoon oil

In a pan heat the oil and fry the onions till they become tender. Add okra and fry for 5-8 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve

Burgers, soup and Rice Pudding

Its starting to rain again and its getting cold. Its not raining a lot like it did last year but still there is rain and you can't go out. And I want to eat something warm. I have been wanting to make burgers and I didn't want to eat a salad in the cold weather. So here's today's menu. Salmon burger and Crab burger with fire roasted pepper mayo and Carrot soup. And rice pudding with an Indian touch for dessert.

Salmon Burger 

Salmon burger

Ingredients:

1. 1 canned pink salmon
2. 1 tablespoon each of mayo, mustard, relish, prepared horse-raddish, butter
3. 1 cup home made breadcrumbs
4. 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
5. 1/2 teaspoon red chilly flakes
6. 1 egg beaten

Pick the bones from the canned salmon and drain it. Mix all the ingredients together with a light hand and refrigerate till ready to use. Leave it on the counter for 15 minutes before use. Make 4 inch patties 1 inch thick and if desired pat with more bed crumbs. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Flip it mid way

Toast the burger bread, top with tomato, onion rings, Salmon patty topped with cream cheese topping. Close the burger and enjoy with carrot soup

Dill cream Cheese topping

Ingredients:

1. 1 tablespoon fresh dill weed finely chopped, fresh lemon juice
2. 1/2 cup plain cream cheese beaten
3. 1/4 teaspoon salt, fresh ground pepper

Mix all the ingredients together and refrigerate till ready to use

Crab Burger

Crab burger

 Toast the burger bun and top with lettuce, tomato and crab patty. Spread the fire roasted mayo on the top side of the bun, top the burger and serve 

Fire roasted pepper mayo

Fire roasted pepper Mayo

Ingredients

1. 1 big fire roasted pepper with some oil (the one in which it was packed)
2. 2 tablespoons plain mayo
3. 1 teaspoon each of Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce
4. 1/2 teaspoon salt, plain vinegar

Grind the roasted pepper to fine paste. Mix all the ingredients together and serve

Carrot Soup

Ingredients:

1. 3 big carrot or 5 small carrots peeled and cut into chunks
2. 1 big white onion peeled and cut into big chunks
3. 1 tablespoon each of olive oil, butter
4. 2 can or 4 cups chicken stock
5. 1/2 teaspoon salt, fresh ground pepper
6. 1 cup- 11/2 cups milk

In a heavy bottomed pan heat the oil and butter and fry the onions till they start changing color. Add the carrot chunks and fry for five minutes. Add the other ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes. Let it cool a bit and with an immersion blender, blend it to a smooth paste. Put the heat back on and add the milk and simmer further for 10 minutes. Serve

Rice Pudding

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup rice cooked or left over rice
2. 2-3 cups whole milk
3. 1/4 teaspoon sugar
4. 6-8 individual packets of splenda (or use 1/2 cup sugar total)
5. 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6. 1 teaspoon rose water (or use any essence you like)
7. a pinch of saffron
8. 1 tablespoon each of butter, raisins, chopped cashews and chopped almonds

In a heavy bottomed pan heat the butter and fry the raisins, cashews and almonds for a few minutes. Drain and set aside. Add the milk and bring it to boil. Add rice and sugar and simmer for 20 minutes. Add all the other ingredients and simmer for 10 more minutes. Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled

Cauliflower shrimp curry and Tomato Dal

I was searching for recipes with cauliflower and shrimp. My mom never cooked cauliflower with anything but all by itself. So I grew up thinking that nothing can be mixed with cauliflower. But I got so bored with the one dish she used to make with Cauliflower that I stopped eating cauliflower for some time. But after I started to cook on my own I started searching for new dishes and I make them. Here is one of them

Cauliflower shrimp curry ( Shrimp and Cauliflower cooked in spicy coconut milk)

Cauliflower Shrimp Curry

Ingredients:

1. 12-15 large shrimp shelled and deveined
2. 1 medium cauliflower cut into florets
3. 1 cup reduced sodium chicken stock
4. 1 teaspoon instant coconut milk powder or 1 cup cocnut milk and only 1/2 cup chicken broth
5. 1 teaspoon each of ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder
6. 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, chilly powder, cumin powder
7. 1 medium onion sliced thin
8. 2 tablespoons oil
9. 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
10. 1 tablespoons powdered roasted peanuts (optional)

In a pan heat the oil to hot and fry the shrimp for 1 minutes on each side. Drain and set aside. Microwave the cauliflower in a microwave safe bowl covered for 4 minutes (this step speeds up the cooking. thats all)
In the same pan place the onions and fry till they start changing color. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for a couple pf minutes. Drain the cauliflower and fry it for 5 minutes. A add all the other ingredients except shrimp, stir to combine and simmer for 8 minutes. Add shrimp and simmer further 5 for minutes. If using peanut powder add it now and stir well to combine. Garnish with cilantro and lemon juice and serve with Tomato dal and white rice

Tomato Dal (Lentils with tomato and tamarind juice)

Tomato Dal

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup toor dal (dry roasted)
2. 2 large or 3 medium tomatoes sliced
3. 2 cups juice from one lime sized tamarind
4. 1 tablespoon oil
5. 1 garlic clove chopped
6. 1/2 teaspoon cumin, mustard seeds
7. 2 red chillies broken, few curry leaves
8. 1/2 teaspoon salt, turmeric, chilly powder

In a pressure cooker cook the dal along with 2 cups of water and turmeric and the sliced tomatoes for 4 whistles. Let all the steam escape, open the cooker and mash the dal. Add the tamarind juice and bring it to a boil and boil for 5-7 minutes. In a pan heat the oil and fry the garlic for a minute. Now add cumin and mustard seeds and fry till they start to splutter. Add the dried chillies and curry leaves and fory for a couple of minutes. Add this to the dal and all the other ingredients and boil for 5 more minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot

Mushroom Anda Phugina and Dahi Kadai

Dahi kadai is one of my favourite items but very very tricky to make. It took me quite a number of tries to get it right. But boy I messed it up so many times and I didn't have anybody to tell me the tricks of making it right. And I am serving it with Mushroom curry with egg mixed in like how you make egg drop soup.

Mushroom Anda Phugina (Mushroom curry with egg stir fry)

Mushroom egg stirfry

Ingredients:

1. 1 pacage mushrooms sliced into 3 or 4 pieces each
2. 1/2 cup each of finely chopped onions, tomatoes
3. 1/2 teaspoon cumin, chilly powder, turmeric, coriander powder, ginger-garlic paste
4. 1 large or 2 small eggs beaten well with a little salt
5. 2 tablespoons oil

In a pan heat the oil and fry the cumin till they splutter. Add onions and fry till they become tender. Add tomatoes and mushrooms and fry for 5 minutes. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for a couple of more minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. Add the beaten egg to the curry and stir well to scramble the egg. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy with rice or roti

Dahi Kadai (Hot Yogurt gravy)

Dahi kadai

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup plain yogurt beaten or stirred
2. 2 cup water
3. 1 tablespoon finely chopped red onions
4. 1/2 teaspoon each of finely chopped ginger, cumin, mustard seeds, turmeric
5. 1 tablespoon oil
6. 1 green chilly finely chopped
7. 1 dried red chilly broken into pieces, few curry leaves

Mix the yogurt with water and turmeric and add onions and ginger and green chilly pieces to it. Heat it over very low heat like 3 setting on your stove. It takes about 15-20 minutes. make sure you don't boil it or increase the heat else the yogurt will break abd cuddle up.  In a pan heat the oil and fry the cumin and mustard seeds for a couple of minutes. Now add dried chilly and curry leaves and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add this to the yogurt mix and heat it again on low heat for 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and let it come to room temparature. Then add salt. Enjoy with hot rice

Add salt only when it cools down a bit else yogurt will cuddle

Kheema fry and Masoor masala dal

It seems like its been a long time that I made dal. But not any regular dal. The dal I am making today is called Masoor Dal . My mom used to make it seldom. She used to say that this dal or Legume is not good for you. For some reason she used to say that masoor dal will make your knees painful. Donno how far it is true but I make it a little bit more often than her

            And I had this ground lamb which I wanted to make. So I made kheema fry. And I am serving these with Basmati rice and these will be great with plain roti also

Masoor Masala Dal (Red lentils with Indian Spices)

Masoor Masala Dal

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup masoor dal
2. 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric, cumin, mustard seeds, citric acid (or 2 tablespoons of lemon juice)
3. 2 green chillies
4. 1 medium tomato chopped fine
5. 1 tablespoon oil

In a heavy bottomed pan add the masoor dal with 4 cups of water along with turmeric and slit green chillies and boil for 20 minutes. In a pan heat the oil and fry the cumin and muatrd seeds till they start spluttering. Add the tomatoes and fry till they become pulpy. Add all the other ingredients and fry for a couple of more minutes and add it back to the boiled dal and simmer for 5-7 minutes. Enjoy with roti or plain rice

Kheema Fry (Ground lamb fried with spices)

Kheema Fry

Ingredients:

1. 1 lb ground lamb
2. 1 small onion chopped fine
3. 1 teaspoon each of salt, cumin powder, coriander powder, ginger-garlic paste
4. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
5. 2 cloves, 1/2 inch cinnamon, 1 elaichi
6. 2 tablespoons oil

In a pressure cooker heat the oil and fry the onions till they become light brown. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for a couple of minutes. Add all the other ingredients and fry for 5-7 minutes. Close the cooker and cook for 2 whistles along with 1/2 cup water. After the steam escapes open the cooker and simmer till all the water escapes. Fry till all the water escapes and it starts to smell really nice. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy

Mutter Paneer and Dal Makhani

This is another of those dishes that my brother likes. So I made it and I also made Dal makhani which is my favourite and it may be a little different version from the original...hmmm to be frank with so many websites out there with the recipes for dishes you want, what can you call original? I donno!!!

Anyway, I made the above two dishes and I made cabbage roti with that. This particular roti is not a paratha i.e cabbage stuffed in between the dough but cabbage mixed in with the flour to make dough for the roti. So here comes...

Patta Gobi Roti (Indian bread with cabbage)

Cabbage roti

Ingredients:

1. 3 cups wheat flour
2. 1 cup finely shredded cabbage
3. 1/2-3/4 teaspoon salt
4. water for makeing dough
5. oil for frying roti

In a microwave safe bowl microwave the cabbage covered for 3 minutes with a little bit of water. Set aside to cool.
            When the cabbage gets to room temperature add it to the flor and salt and mix the dough with  little water at a time. Form the dough into a ball, apply a tablespoon of oil to your palm and roll the dough. Cover and set aside for 20-30 minutes.
            Make about 8-9 equals parts of the dough and roll it into roti 1/6 inch thick. Heat the griddle and fry the roti till it gets dark brown spots. Apply canola oil or ghee (clarified butter) and fry for 1 more minute on each side. Enjoy hot with Dal makhani and Matter Paneer

Matter Paneer (Peas and cottage cheese curry)

Matter Paneer (Peas with cottage cheese)

Ingredients:

1. 2 cup of paneer ( 1 cm cubes)
2. 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas thawed
3. 1/2 cup fienly chopped onions
4. 1/2 cup finely chopped tomatoes or 2 tablespoons tomato paste
5. 3 tablespoons oil
6. 2 small or 1 big green chilly chopped
7. 1/2 teaspoon salt, turmeric, red chilly powder
8. cilantro for garnishing

Here is How to make fresh Paneer
In a pan heat 2 tablespoons of oil and fry the paneer pieces till they start changing color. Drain and set aside. Add the rest of the oil and fry the onions till they become translucent. Add the green chillies and tomatoes (if using fresh) and cook till they become pulpy. Add the rest of the ingredients (if using tomato paste add it here) , add 1/2 cup of water, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add cilantro and simmer it for 5 more minutes. Serve with roti or rice

Dal Makhani (Lentils in buttery gravy)



Dal Makhani

 Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup whole Urad dal with skins (Black gram) soaked in water over night
2. 1/2 cup kidney or pinto beans soaked over night
3. 1/2 cup chopped onions
4. 1/2 cup finey chopped tomatoes
5. 1/2 cup milk
6. 1 big or 2 small green chillies chopped
7. 1/2 teaspoon cumin, salt, chilly powder, turmeric, finely chopped ginger
8. 1 teaspoon coriander powder, mango powder (optional), butter, plain yougurt
9. 2 tablespoons oil

In a pressure cooker, cook the drained black gram and beans with turmeric and 1/2 cup of water for 2 whistles. In a pan heat the oil fry the cumin for a couple of minutes. Add onions and fry the onions till tender. Add green chillie and ginger a fry for a couple of minutes more. Add tomatoes and fry till they become pulpy. Add the beans and lentil mixture from the cooker and mash them a little. Add the rest of the ingredients stir to combine and simmer for 10 minutes covered, stirring occasionally. Top it with butter if using, garnish with cilantro and enjoy hot Dal makhani with roti