HOME COOKING: ONION BHAJI & CORIANDER, CHILLI DIPPING SAUCE

Sorry if I have been a little quiet recently, but let me shout out a huge thanks to Hermano Primero for his stalwart efforts to keep everyone entertained.

I have been swamped with work in the last few weeks.  I am working on the proposal for a new book, talking TV with lots of different people and, not least concentrating on my regular gig of providing a weekly recipe for www.askmen.com.

I promise to pay more attention to the blog over the next few weeks and can also tell you that there will be lots of posts, in April, as I head out on a ten state US road trip through Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas and Missouri.

In the meantime, I hope sharing one of my favourite and most well received recipes will keep you occupied

Speak soon

ONION BHAJJI WITH CORIANDER CHILLI DIPPING SAUCE

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4)

FOR THE BHAJJI

2 Large White Onion

2 Cups of Gram flour (also called Chickpea or Gabanzo Flour, which is available at any good market)

1 Tsp Chilli Powder

¼ Tsp Turmeric

¼ Tsp Salt

¼ Tsp Sugar

¾ Cup Water

Vegetable Oil For Deep Frying.

FOR THE DIP

2 x Large Bunches of fresh corriander(stalks and leaves)

5 x Green Chillies

2 x Limes (Juice and Zest)

4 Cloves Garlic

2 Inches Fresh Ginger

5 Tbs Yoghurt (Low Fat is Fine)

¼ Tsp Salt

¼ Tsp Sugar

 METHOD

Cut the onions into half inch chunks.

Sift the flour into a mixing bowl.

Add the dry spices, salt and sugar to the flour and combine well.

Add the water gradually, stirring to make a thick batter similar to heavy cream in consistency.  If the batter is too thick add more water, if it is too thin, sift in a little more flour until you get the desired result.

Add the onion chunks to the batter, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for one hour.

While the batter is chilling, place all the ingredients for the dip in a large blender and blitz to a smooth puree. 

Heat vegetable oil in a deep sided pan.  To check the temperature is correct for deep frying, drizzle a little of the batter into the oil.  If it sizzles and rises to the surface, it is ready for cooking.

Take one of two chunks of the batter covered onion and drop them into the oil, taking care as they will begin to spit as they cook.

Do not add too many onions to the batter at one time as this will reduce the temperature of the oil and make the end result soggy.

Cook each bhaji until it is golden brown, then remove and drain on kitchen towel.

Sprinkle with salt and serve with the delicious hot, sour coriander sauce.

PORK VINDALOO: THAT RECIPE ONE MORE TIME

This is not the first time I have posted a recipe for Vindaloo on DH.

However, as we have a lot of new readers recently and this is one of the recipes I am most requested to send when I receive e-mails, I thought it was worth posting once more. I am also developing the dish each time I prepare it, so it may have altered from the last time I shared it, two years ago.

Although Vindaloo is associated with the Indian state of Goa. It has its origins in Portugal. It was first mentioned in England in 1888, when one W. H. Dawe explained it in The Wife's Help to Indian Cookery,

"Vindaloo or Bindaloo--A Portuguese Karhi.... The best Vindaloo is prepared in mustard-oil.... Beef and pork, or duck can be made into this excellent curry."

Traditionally Goan Vindaloo is a mixture of roasted spices and vinegar and, unlike much of the rest of India, the locals were able to use pork because they were predominantly christian and had no dietary laws forbid it.

It has its roots in a dish still found in parts of Portugal today, "Carne Vinha-d'Alhos" a delicious, thin stew of pork, garlic and white wine vinegar. On arrival in India, it was transformed into the spicy dish we are more familiar with today, although I hope you will find the recipe below a suitable alternative to the British curry house version, which seems to want to replicate as much as possible, the act of eating a plate of broken glass.

Give it a go and let me know how you get on.

INGREDIENTS (feeds 4-6 people)

2lbs of Pork (preferably pork butt/shoulder)

For the Marinade
1/2 Cup palm vinegar (or white vinegar if you can't find palm)
2 inches ginger, peeled
4 Fresh chillies finely minced
6 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 black cardamom (optional)


SPICES (If you don't have whole spices, use pre ground, just make sure they are fresh)
5 Cloves
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Ground Cumin seeds
1 tsp Ground Coriander seeds
1 tsp Ground Fenugreek seeds
2 tsp Hot chilli powder
1 tsp Ground ginger
1 tsp Ground cinnamon or a cinnamon stick
1 tsp Sugar
½ tsp Salt

1/2 Large white onion (sliced)

Oil for frying

METHOD

Trim the pork of excess fat, cut into 1in cubes and place in a bowl.

Blend the ginger, chilli and garlic to a fine paste with a little water and salt and pour over the pork, massaging well into the meat.

Add the palm vinegar to the bowl and massage into the meat.

Roast the whole spices in a pan and toast until they begin to release their scent.

Grind them and add all the other ingredients except the onion.

Pour over the pork and massage well into the meat.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to marinate for at least two hours. This allows the spices to penetrate and the vinegar to help tenderise the tougher cut of meat.

When ready to cook, heat a little oil in a deep sided pan and fry the onions until gloden.

Pour the entire contents of the bowl into the pan (watch out for the waft of vinegar steam that will shoot up.

Add 1/2 pint of water, stir well and reduce the heat.

Cover the pan and allow to simmer on a low heat for about three hours, checking to see when the meat is cooked and that it does not catch at the bottom of the pan. If it does, add a little more water.

After two hours, remove the lid to allow the sauce to reduce. The end result should be quite a dry curry, perfect to serve over plain white rice

LIFE SAVING DAHL: THAT RECIPE ONE MORE TIME

Of all the recipes I have ever posted on DH, this simple one for a family recipe of red lentils cooked with spices and lemons is by far the most requested.

I can understand why. LSD is one of the most comforting dishes you can ever imagine. Like a Bengali version of chicken soup, a dish that nourishes both body and soul. It is the dish I turn to when I am in ill health and it was the dish I turned to when I returned home from work one day and decided to set out on the journey that became Eat My Globe.

I caution people, however, that this is not a quick dish to bring to the table. It is a dish that demands to be prepared with patience and love. But, it is oh so worth the effort. The smell of the lentils toasting in the pan as you stir them with your hands. The aroma of onions, chilli, garlic and spices as you let them fry gently to release their flavours and the subtle note of citrus of the end result as you spoon the dahl over a couple of hard boiled eggs.

This is a perfect dish served on its own or with a simple yoghurt chicken curry, some plain boiled rice and a raita of mint, cucumber and toasted nigella seeds.

It is, I can say without hesitation, the food I love the most and I hope at least some of you will give it a try and let me know what you think.


INGREDIENTS

1 cup of red lentils (toasted first in a dry pan. I use my fingers to stir and when it is too hot to touch, it is done)
1 unwaxed lemon chopped in quarters
1 onion sliced
2 cardamom pods
2 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves garlic
3 fresh green chillies
2 inches of fresh ginger
1 tsp each of ground turmeric/ginger/cumin/coriander seed/hot chilli powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 Pints of water, chicken or vegetable stock
1 Bag of spinach ( washed )

METHOD

Make a paste by blending the ginger/garlic/fresh chilli with a little salt and water.

Put 2 tablespoons of oil into a hot pan and when it comes to heat, add the cardamom, cloves and cinnamon stick. Cook for 1 minute on a low heat until they release their flavour.

Add the onion and cook on a low heat until it begins to soften and turn golden. Don't rush this, you want the natural sweetness of the onions to be released.

Add the ginger/chilli/garlic paste and cook for two to four minutes until it loses its rawness.

Add the ground spices, sugar and salt and mix well with the onions and cook out
for 4 mins until the spices lose their rawness. If the mixture begins
to stick add a little water.

Add the lentils and mix well so all the pulses are covered with the mixture.

Add 1 1/2 pints of water/stock and the quartered lemons and simmer for 30 mins until the lentils have broken down. Add more water if it sticks. Some lentils may take a little longer

Add the spinach, cover and allow to wilt into the lentis

The end result is quite a watery Dahl which is great served over a hard boiled egg

BRAISED BEEF SHORT RIBS

It’s been a while since I last posted a recipe and, while I am but an infant in such matters compared to others in the UK blogging community, I do get a decent response when I bother to write about the things I cook at home.

Today, I was at a bit of a loose end. Sybil was out for the day and I had just about finished all the work I had planned. So, I pottered up to the local market where I noticed they had a special offer on these rather meaty beef short ribs. It is not a cut you see terribly regularly in the U.K. However, it is a great favourite of mine and perfect when braised with red wine or a dark beer.

Pushing aside the ultra hoppy IPA’s that seem to be all the rage here right now, I grabbed some bottles of Newcastle Brown Ale and stuck them in my basket alongside a handful of vegetables and headed home eager to start preparing my supper.

The smells in the flat as I began cooking were a good indication that I was doing something right and the end result was everything I had been hoping for. The meat fell off the bones as I pulled at it with a fork and the sauce was deeply savoury, dark and rich, glistening as it coated the ribs.

I am sure most people reading this know how to braise a bit of meat, but just in case anyone is interested, here’s my recipe

Let me know if you try it


BRAISED SHORT RIBS (Serves Four People)
INGREDIENTS
8 Beef Short Ribs
1 Large White Onion (diced)
3 Large Carrots (diced)
2 Sticks Celery (diced)
2 Cloves Garlic (peeled & sliced)
3 Stalks Fresh Rosemary
1 12oz Bottle Newcastle Brown Ale
1 Pint Water/Beef Stock
Salt & Pepper to taste.

METHOD
Sear the short ribs in a hot pan until all sides are completely browned.
Remove and drain of excess fat.
Add the diced onion, carrot, celery and garlic to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook for around five minutes until they begin to soften.
Add the Newcastle Brown Ale and use to deglaze the bottom of the pan.
Add the rosemary stalks and return the short ribs to the pan.
Add the beef stock or water.
Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat until the liquid is at a gentle simmer.
Cover the pan and cook gently for 1 ½ hours until the meat is beginning to fall from the bones.
Remove the short ribs and keep warm.
Strain the remaining contents of the pan discarding the vegetables and retaining the cooking liquid.
Remove as much of the excess fat from the liquid as possible (with a spoon, a strainer or by dragging a piece of kitchen towel over the surface of the liquid)
Return the cooking liquid to the pan, bring to the boil and cook until reduced to a thick, rich sauce.
Season to taste.
Plate the short ribs (two per person) and spoon a little sauce over each to give a glaze, retaining the rest to serve at the table.
Serve with mashed potatoes and green vegetables like broccoli.