Pork Belly Stir-fry

 

Pork Belly Stir-fry

 Ingredients 

500 gms pork belly (washed, drained and wipe off excess water with kitchen paper towel) 

1 large spring onion chopped (reserve the green leaves for garnish) 

3 colour bell peppers chopped

2 tablespoon grated ginger-garlic 

1 green chilli sliced (optional) 

1 cup sliced button mushrooms 

2 tablespoons white vinegar 

1 teaspoon red chili flakes

1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder 

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds 

1/2 teaspoon msg (optional) 

2 tablespoon cooking oil

Make a slurry of: 1/2 cup water, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon corn flour and 2 teaspoons sugar. 

Directions: 

Cut the pork belly strips into pieces. In a pan heat oil and add pork pieces. Stir-fry till golden brown and remove in a plate. If there’s too much excess oil, remove some and keep aside. In the remaining oil add the 3 bell peppers and stir-fry for a few minutes. Add mushrooms and fry again. Remove vegetables in a bowl and set aside. Add spring onions and stir-fry for a few minutes. Add red chili flakes and mix. Add the fried pork back to the pan and mix. Next add the fried veggies. Add the corn flour slurry and mix well. Add, vinegar, pepper powder and msg. Mix and turn off the heat. Garnish with the green onion leaves and toasted sesame seeds. Serve hot with rice. 

Cachapas (Corn Pancakes)

 

Cachapas

 "Cachapas is a popular Venezuelan street food. They are corn pancakes stuffed with queso-de-mano meaning hand cheese. However, most people use mozzarella, I have used Edam slice cheese. You can use any cheese that is melty and stringy once heated. To make it more substantial, add any filling like avocado, ham slices or beans. I stuffed them with mortadella slices and cheese and served with a side of beans. For a vegetarian version, avoid the meat stuffing and add just cheese, serve with hot sauce".

Ingredients

3 cups canned corn, drained and washed

2 eggs

2-4 tablespoons masa harina, which is a type of coarse corn flour (P.A.N type), I have substituted it with all purpose flour 

1 tablespoon cornflour

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

4 teaspoons butter - divided. Half for the batter and half to fry the cachapas

salt to taste 

water, if needed 

For the stuffing: 

a few slices of Edam cheese

a few slices of mortadella or ham

Directions

In a food processer add corn and blend till it forms a paste. Add the eggs and blend further. Add milk and blend. Add salt to taste, 2 tablespoons masa Harina or all purpose flour and cornflour and blend. Add 2 teaspoons butter and sugar and blend. If the batter is too thick, add some water or milk.

Transfer to a bowl and add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. Mix well and keep aside for 1/2 an hour. 

Keep a non-stick pan on low heat and add some butter. When the butter melts, pour 2 ladle spoons of the batter onto the pan and spread with the back of the ladle. Add another spoon of batter and spread till it's a good size of pancake. Cover with a lid and let it cook on low heat for a few minutes. Open the lid and check to see if bubbles are forming and the underside is lightly brown. Drop 2 small knobs of butter on top of the pancake. Gently flip the pancake over and while it's cooking on the other side, start laying a couple of cheese slices and ham on to one side of the pancake. Flip the other side over it, the pancake should be golden brown. Once the cheese starts to melt, transfer to a plate and serve with hot sauce. You can also make a side dish of beans to make the dish more substantial. 

Watch this recipe video on Pinterest https://pin.it/6yKCI7WoX

Ham and Cheese Crown

Ham and Cheese Crown

“This is a recipe I have tried and liked from the show Nadiya’s Family Favourites. It makes a great breakfast dish or a quick lunch for a family of 4.”

Makes 10-12 slices.

Ingredients

2 x 320g packets of ready-rolled puff pastry

4 tbsp tomato ketchup

1 tsp paprika

12 cooked smoked turkey or ham slices

200g Gouda cheese, grated

1 egg, lightly beaten

rock salt

1 tsp black sesame or nigella seeds

Directions

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.

Unroll both pieces of pastry and join two of the short ends to make one long piece, pressing the two edges together. Place your long piece of pastry on a work surface, making sure to keep the pastry on the pieces of paper it comes wrapped in, as this will make manoeuvring much easier later on.

Mix the ketchup and paprika together in a small bowl and spread all over one side of the pastry, leaving just 1cm free round the edges. Lay the slices of turkey or ham on top, followed by the cheese.

Roll up the pastry like a Swiss roll, starting from the long edge. Try to roll it as tightly as possible. Once it’s rolled, bring the two ends together to create a ring and join by squashing the pastry together.

Place the pastry ring on the prepared baking tray.

Using a sharp knife, cut 2cm-width slits around the edges, making sure not to go all the way through. Gently pull and twist each section of pastry and lay the slices on their side, so the swirly bits are slightly exposed.

Brush the top of the pastry with beaten egg and sprinkle with the salt and sesame seeds. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

Once out of the oven, leave to cool slightly on the tray.

Gyros

Gyros

“Gyros is a popular Greek street food and is available almost everywhere in Athens. I tasted my first Gyros during my trip to Greece in Athens and simply loved it. The flat bread is crispy and soft in every bite. It can be made with a pork or chicken filling. In this recipe I used a roast pork filling which you can make a day before”.

Makes 10 Gyros (to make a smaller quantity, simply halve the ingredients)

Ingredients

For the flatbread:

6 levelled cups for the dough, plus more for bailing the dough later

2 teaspoons salt

2 cup water, lukewarm

2 tablespoons sugar

4 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 cup milk, lukewarm

1 cup plain yogurt

6 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil

Some butter for basting the breads

For the filling:

1 full rotisserie or grilled chicken shredded in big pieces or roast pork slices.

2 tomatoes sliced in rounds

1 large onion sliced in rings

Some chopped parsley

Tzatziki sauce (please see here how to make Tzatziki)

Directions:

To make the dough: In a small bowl heat ½ cup of water in the microwave for 35 seconds, remove, add sugar and mx. Add the dry instant yeast, mix and leave to foam up. You will know the yeast is activated when it’s all bubbly and frothy on top. In the bowl of your stand mixer add the flour and salt and mix. Add the yeast mixture, yoghurt and with the dough attachment of your mixer start mixing. As the dough is mixing, add the lukewarm milk gradually as required till the dough is smooth but not sticky. Remove the dough onto your cleaned counter and knead into a ball using some oil. Place dough in the bowl of your mixer and cover with a cling wrap. Keep in a warm place for the dough to rise. If it’s cold where you live, pre-heat your oven for few minutes and then turn it off. Then place your dough inside the oven (remember the oven should be off!). After around 90 minutes, the dough will be more than double in size. Punch the dough lightly to release the air.

Divide the dough into 10 equal parts using a pastry cutter or knife (do not pull the dough as it will break the gluten strands). If the dough is sticky, oil your hands while dividing the dough. Cover the dough balls with a kitchen towel. Take a ball and roll it a bit, using some dry flour, bail the dough into a large flatbread, about 9-10 inches. Repeat the process until you’ve bailed all the flatbread.

In a flat non-stick pan, place one flatbread, on low heat. When you see small bubbles, turn the flatbread and brush with some butter on top. Turn the flatbread again and brush with butter. They should be golden brown on both sides. Repeat until all the flat breads are done. In a plate arrange one Gyro flatbread. Top it with shredded chicken or pork slices. Place a couple of tomato roundels, some onion rings, drizzle with some Tzatziki and some chopped parsley. You can cover each Gyro with butter paper, however here I used a toothpick to hold it together.

Beef Chili Fry

Beef Chili Fry

Ingredients

½ kg beef cut into small cubes

2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes

2 large red onions sliced thinly

2-3 tomatoes chopped

some coriander leaves chopped finely

1 green chili chopped finely

1 tsp grated ginger

1 tsp grated garlic

1 tsp crushed black pepper

1 tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp red chili powder

1 tsp garam masala powder (I use Mother’s recipe brand)

salt to taste

4 tbsp oil

Directions

Cook beef in pressure cooker with a little salt and water till done. If there is any stock left, cook the beef further in it till it has evaporated. In a large frying pan heat oil and saute onions till translucent. Add the potatoes and fry. Add ginger, garlic and green chili and saute for a few minutes. Add the spices: garam masala, turmeric, chili powder and pepper powder. Add tomatoes and cook till soft. Add the cooked beef and saute for a few minutes. Check seasoning and add salt if needed. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander. Serve with any Indian or Arabic flat bread.

Pork Stir Fry with Bok Choy

Pork Stir Fry with Bok Choy

Ingredients
1 kg pork tenderloin slices
2 bunches Bok Choy, washed and chopped roughly
2 green chillies, sliced lengthwise
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tbsp grated/crushed garlic
2 bunches spring onions, chopped finely
2-4 tbsp dark soy sauce
2-3 tsp cornflour
1 tsp crushed black pepper powder
1/4 tsp ajinomoto/msg (optional)
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
some sesame seed oil
cooking oil

Directions

Slice the pork tenderloin slices in thin strips. Cook them in some water till the pork is well done and water has dried up. Keep aside. In a large wok add 2 tbsp cooking oil and stir fry the bok choy quickly for 2 minutes. Remove in a bowl and keep aside. Add some more cooking oil and a tsp of sesame seed oil to the wok. Add ginger and garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add green chillies and spring onion and saute - then add the cooked pork slices and stir fry. Add about a tbsp of corn flour and mix well. Continue to fry for a few minutes.  Add some soya sauce and vinegar and stir fry. Now add the stir fried bok choy, crushed black pepper and ajinomoto. Quickly make a slurry of the remaining corn flour (in 1/2 cup water add the remaining cornflour and mix) and pour the slurry into the wok. Mix gently and cook for a few minutes. Check seasoning and add more soy sauce if needed. Serve with fried rice.

Lamb Stew

Lamb Stew

Ingredients

1 kg lamb cubes

2-3 medium sized onions

2-3 tomatoes, chopped

2” piece ginger

6 flakes garlic

1 green chillie

2 carrots, cut lengthwise

1 cup green peas

2 medium potatoes, cubed

1 tsp black pepper powder

1 tsp cinnamon powder

2 bay leaves

4-6 tbsp cooking oil

2 tbsp flour

salt to taste

Directions

In a food processor, chop onions, garlic, ginger and green chillie till minced. Heat oil in a pan and add bay leaves. Add the chopped onion mixture and sauté till golden brown. Add flour and brown well. Add the meat and brown well. Add chopped tomatoes and sauté for 5-7 minutes. Then add 2 cups of water and salt to taste. Stir and reduce heat and let the gravy simmer till the meat is almost tender (adding more water if necessary). Throw in the veggies: potatoes, carrots and green peas (potatoes may take longer to cook, add them first and cook for 10 minutes, then add the other veggies). When the stew has thickened, turn off the heat and sprinkle cinnamon and pepper powder. Stir and check seasoning. Serve hot with some sliced baguette bread. 

Lamb Korma

Lamb Korma

Ingredients

1 Kg Lamb or mutton

4 red onions, sliced finely

1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste

¼ tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 cup thick yogurt

¼ cup Ghee or oil

2 tbsp cream

a pinch of saffron

1 tbsp coriander seeds

10 black peppercorns

4 cloves

4 green cardamoms

1 mace

¼ tsp nutmeg powder

Salt to taste

2 – 2 ½ cups warm water

chopped coriander for garnishing

Directions

Add a pinch of saffron in 2 tbsp of water and leave it to infuse. Grind all the whole spices in a spice grinder and keep aside. In a pan add the sliced onions and fry them in ¼ cup of oil or ghee until it is completely brown and crisp. Tilt the pan to drain out the oil to one side and then take out the fried onions in a bowl. When the onions have cooled down, crush it with your fingers.

In the same oil, add ginger garlic paste and saute for few minutes in medium heat. Add the mutton pieces and fry for 2 to 3 minutes on high heat until all the moisture has dried up. Add half the fried onions and whisked yogurt and mix well. Put the lid on and let it cook on medium to high heat for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and stir fry the mutton till you see oil separating on the sides. Lower the heat and red chilli, nutmeg and turmeric powder. Add the ground spice powder and stir for a few seconds. Add ¼ cup of water and stir fry the masala with the mutton on medium heat for few minutes. Add 2 cups of warm water and salt to taste. Once the gravy comes to a boil, cover with a lid and reduce heat. Cook for 30 minutes. Check at intervals if water is needed and cook till the meat is tender. Add the remaining crushed browned onions and saffron water. Stir and check seasoning. Add cream and simmer for a few minutes till gravy has thickened. Turn off the heat and garnish with chopped coriander. Serve with parathas, naan or basmati rice.

Pork Vindaloo

Pork Vindaloo

“Vindaloo is derived from the Portuguese word “Vinha de Alhos” in which “Vinho” means vinegar and “Alhos” means garlic. It was originally a Portuguese preserve made with vinegar and garlic. However, after the Portuguese introduced it to India in the 15^th century, it was completely revamped with spices. Over the years the dish has evolved and has become one of the spiciest and the most popular dishes all over the world. Vindaloo is a tongue-searing curry and can be prepared with pork, meat, chicken and even certain vegetables.”

Ingredients

2 kgs Pork, cut into large chunks (about 3 inches each)

25 Kashmir dry red chilies (de-seeded)

4 large pods garlic

1 tbsp turmeric powder

3 tbsp cumin seeds

1 cup white vinegar

salt to taste

Directions

Apply turmeric and some salt and keep it overnight in the refrigerator. Next day, wash the pork pieces and wipe dry with a clean kitchen towel. Soak red chilies in some warm water. When the chilies have hydrated, grind them in a blender along with garlic, turmeric and cumin seed to a fine paste, using vinegar. Apply the ground masala paste to the pork and marinate for 8 hours in the refrigerator. Next day cook the pork with masala in a deep dish on a slow fire till pork is tender. Check seasoning and add some more salt and vinegar if required. 

Beef Green Masala Curry

Beef Green Masala Curry

Ingredients

1 kg beef or mutton, cut into cubes

1 medium red onion, chopped finely

2-3 medium tomatoes, chopped

2 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered

1 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp garam masala powder

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

2 bay leaves

¼ cup vegetable oil           

juice of ½ lemon

salt to taste

For the green masala:

6-7 green chilies

2 big bunches of coriander leaves, cleaned and washed

2” piece ginger

6 flakes garlic

1 medium red onion, quartered

Directions

Cook beef/mutton with a little salt and water in a pressure cooker for 8-10 minutes. Keep the meat aside and retain the stock. In a blender grind all the ingredients with a little water to a fine paste. In a pan heat oil and add bay leaves. Add the chopped onion and saute until translucent. Add turmeric, coriander, cumin and garam masala powder and saute for 2-3 seconds. Add the ground masala paste and saute until the oil separates from masala and it releases a pungent aroma. Throw in the chopped tomatoes and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add a cup of water and the potatoes. Stir and let it simmer on low heat till potatoes are almost done. Add beef and the stock to the pot, stir and add salt to taste. Add juice of lemon and simmer for 2 minutes. Serve with white rice. 

Meatball Sliders

Meatball Sliders

Ingredients

2 packets small slider buns, split

1 kg low fat beef mince

1 pack strained tomatoes (Pomi Strained tomatoes)

2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

1 white onion, chopped finely

3-4 flakes garlic, crushed using a garlic crusher

¼ tsp paprika

½ tsp black pepper powder

½ cup breadcrumbs

½ cup milk

4 tbsp olive oil

salt to taste

Directions

In a bowl combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, black pepper powder, half of the crushed garlic, milk and salt to taste. Make tablespoon size meatballs and set aside. In a non-stick pan heat 2 tbsp olive oil and add the meatballs and cook, turning, until browned all over, about 1 minute. Remove and set aside. In the same pan add the onions and saute till translucent. Add the garlic and saute for 2-3 seconds. Add paprika and stir. Pour in the strained tomatoes and stir. Place the meatballs gently in the sauce. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Season with salt if needed. The sauce will have thickened after 20 minutes. Open the lid and place a generous amount of grated mozzarella cheese on top of each meatball. Cover and simmer for 2-3 minutes until the cheese has melted. Turn off the heat and let it cool slightly. Split open the buns and spread some of the sauce on each bun. Place a cheesy meatball in each bun.  

Beef and Chickpeas Curry

Beef and Chickpeas Curry

Ingredients

½ kg beef cubes

1 can chickpeas, washed and drained

1 can coconut milk

1 large onion, chopped finely

3-4 flakes garlic, crushed with a garlic crusher

2” piece ginger, grated

2 green chilies, sliced lengthwise

½ tsp turmeric powder

2 tablespoon curry powder

salt to taste

4 tablespoon oil

Directions

Cook beef cubes in a pressure cooker with a glass of water and ½ tsp salt. Keep aside. In a pan heat oil and add the chopped onions and sauté till brown. Add ginger and garlic and sauté for a few minutes. Then add the turmeric and curry powder and stir for 2-3 minutes. Add the beef along with the stock and stir. Throw in the chickpeas and add the coconut milk. Stir and check seasoning. Simmer for a few minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with hot white rice.

Chapli Kebab

Chapli Kebab

Ingredients

250 gm Beef mince

3 tbsp chick pea flour, roasted

1 tbsp whole coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin powder

¼ tsp red chilie powder

4 dry red chilies

Salt to taste

1 tbsp pomegranate seeds

1 tbsp fresh coriander

2 green chilies chopped (use one if you prefer it let spicy)

Some mint leaves chopped

1 onion, chopped finely

1 tomato, chopped finely

1 Egg

Directions

De-seed some of the red chilies and soak in water for 15 minutes. Then crush them in a mortar and pestle. Add the roasted chick pea flour, crushed chilies, salt, coriander and cumin to the beef and mix well. Then add pomegranate seeds, chopped coriander and mint leaves and green chilies. Then add chopped onion and an egg and mix them all well. Leave the mixture in the refrigerator for an hour. Add chopped tomatoes. Shape them into round balls and flatten a bit. Then make round shape kababs and shallow fry them in pre-heated oil in a frying pan. Drain on to a paper towel. Serve with yogurt and mint chutney.

Beef Frithad Curry

Beef Frithad Curry

“Frithad Curry is a typical East Indian dish. East Indians are the original inhabitants of Bombay. East Indian cuisine is the outcome of many influences – Indian, Portuguese and British. East Indians are generally reluctant to part with their recipes and their recipes are often kept secret for generations, fortunately I'm a blabber mouth! This curry can be made with or without the use of coconut. It is usually enjoyed with flat breads made of rice flour and can be made with chicken or mutton too”.

Ingredients

1 kg beef, cut into cubes

8 dry red Kashmir chilies (de-seed some chilies if you like it less spicy)

1 cup shredded fresh coconut

3 red onions, sliced

12 flakes garlic

2 tsps coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

3” piece cinnamon

1 tsp poppy seeds

½ tsp black pepper corns

6 cloves

½ tsp sesame seeds

1 tsp turmeric powder

4 cardamoms

2 large potatoes, cut into large cubes

some tamarind soaked in some warm water (or you can use 2 tbsp tamarind paste)

4 tbsp oil

salt to taste

Directions

Cook beef in a pressure cooker with a little salt and water. Retain the stock and keep aside. Soak dry red chilies in some water till hydrated. Meanwhile, in a pan dry roast the shredded coconut till light brown. Remove and keep aside. In a blender, grind roasted coconut garlic, red chilies and all the other spices to a fine paste. In a pan heat oil and add sliced onions. Saute till the onions have turned completely brown. Add the ground masala paste and fry the masala for 3-4 minutes. Add the beef stock and potatoes. Cook till the potatoes are almost done. Add some water if necessary. Now add the cooked beef pieces and some tamarind water. Stir and check seasoning. Serve with rice or flat breads. 

Spaghetti Bolognese

Spaghetti Bolognese

Serves 4

Ingredients

500 gms Spaghetti

600 gms Beef mince

2 tins of chopped or plum tomatoes (I prefer Pomi Strained Crushed tomatoes)

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 medium red onions chopped finely

2 tbsp crushed garlic, using a garlic crusher

1 tsp dried Oregano

2 beef Oxo Beef cubes

1 glass of red wine (optional)

½ tsp paprika

1-2 bay leaves

salt to taste

½ cup chopped parsley or basil for garnishing

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until golden brown. Add bay leaves and stir. Add the minced beef and fry it until it has browned, breaking down any chunks of meat with a wooden spoon. Sprinkle the oxo cubes over the mince and stir so the colour and flavour spreads throughout the mince. Reduce the temperature and stir in the tomato paste. Add the tin of tomatoes (if you are using plum tomatoes then squish them when soft). Add the glass of red wine and season well with salt and pepper and add the Oregano. Cover with a lid and simmer the Bolognese sauce over a gentle heat for 1-1½ hours until the flavors develop into a wonderfully rich tomato sauce, stirring occasionally. At the end of the cooking time, add any extra seasoning if necessary. After tasting your sauce, you may wish to add a little sugar to reduce any acidity from the tomatoes. Turn off the heat. In the meantime, cook the spaghetti in plenty of boiling water with some salt until al dente. Drain and toss the spaghetti with some olive oil and chopped parsley. To serve spread some spaghetti on to a plate with a tong, turning the spaghetti slightly. Pour some of the Bolognese sauce over it and garnish with chopped parsley or basil.

Penne Pasta with Bacon

Penne Pasta with Bacon

Ingredients

4 slices bacon, chopped

4 cups Penne pasta, cooked till al dente

6 tbsp cooking cream
1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a pan fry the bacon until brown and crispy. Add the cooked pasta, olive oil and mix well. Add cooking cream and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Bacon and Corn Breakfast Puffs

Bacon and Corn Breakfast Puffs

Ingredients

4 slices of bacon, chopped into bits

1 package frozen puff pastry squares (preferable Sunbullah Puff Pastry), thawed according to package instructions

1 cup whole milk

½ cup grated cheddar cheese

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup tinned corn kernels

1 tsp black pepper powder

salt to taste

cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F and position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven.

In a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until brown and crispy, 6-8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.

In a large bowl, combine milk, beaten eggs, salt, pepper in a medium-size bowl. Spray the muffin tray with cooking spray or lightly brush with oil. Place each square into each muffin round gently, so that the dough extends slightly over the top of the muffin tin. Divide the bacon and corn between each of the cups and fill them with the egg custard just to the top of the cup line. Fold each overlapping corner of each square over top of the filling to enclose it. You can bake the quiches immediately or freeze and bake them later.

Pop the quiches into the oven and bake about 20 minutes, switching the position of the tins halfway through baking, until the filling is puffed and the crust is golden brown.

Lamb Shanks

Lamb Shanks

"Lamb shanks are expensive cuts of meat and I needed a dish on the menu that would tantalize our taste buds this Easter. The meat on the lamb shanks is so tender that it just falls off the bone. It takes time since its slow cooked, but definitely worth the wait". 

Ingredients

4 medium lamb shanks

1 large white onion sliced

2 large tomatoes, cut in 4 pieces

1 carrot diced roughly

4 garlic cloves peeled and diced

2 bay leaves

8-10 whole black peppercorns

5-6 whole cardamoms

4 whole cloves

2 whole dry red chilies

4 dried apricots

4 prunes

2 tsp black pepper powder

2 cups vegetable stock

salt to taste

2 tbsp olive oil

Directions

Rub some salt and pepper to the lamb shanks. Heat oil in a skillet and fry the lamb shanks for 5 minutes until it’s browned on all sides. Place them in a Dutch oven or slow cooker. If you don’t have one (as in my case), place it in a roasting oven proof pan. Combine all the vegetables and spices in the roasting pan and pour the stock over the shanks and vegetables. Cover with a foil and roast in a 180 deg C oven for 2 – 2 ½ hours or until the meat starts to fall off the bone. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, remove foil and let the meat roast on open flame till it gets a brown coating on top. The vegetables will have softened completely. Remove from oven and let the shanks rest for 10 minutes. To serve: place lamb shanks on a serving plate and pour the gravy on top accompanied with some mash or roasted vegetables of your choice or along with slices of baguette bread. 

Sorpotel

Sorpotel

"This is traditional East Indian recipe and is prepared a day or two before Christmas, Easter or weddings. It is spicy and tangy and can be stored in the refrigerator for days as the vinegar content kind of pickles the meat. It is served as an accompaniment with other dishes or can be simply eaten along with a glass of wine or beer, It may be a bit tedious to prepare but worth every bite".

Ingredients

1 kg Pork

¼ kg pork liver

2 ears of pork (optional)

4 tbsp East Indian Bottle Masala*

2 tbsp vinegar

salt to taste

To be cut in juliennes:

2 pods garlic

2” ginger

5 green chilies

Directions

Wash pork, liver and ears. Boil them separately with a little salt (as each will cook at a different speed). When the water has dried up, set them aside to cool. Cut the meat into small cubes, about an inch thick. In a pan heat oil and fry the finely julienned ginger, garlic and green chillies. Remove and keep aside. Add the cubed meat along with bottle masala and fry the meat in batches. Add vinegar and salt to taste. Finally add the ginger garlic mixture and mix well. simmer on low heat for a few minutes.

*If you don’t have East Indian Bottle Masala, you can substitute it with, 2 tsp garam masala, 2 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp turmeric powder and 2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder.

Stuffed Cabbage

Stuffed Cabbage

Ingredients

1 head Green Cabbage

2 quarts Water

1 large onion, chopped finely

2 cloves garlic, crushed in a garlic crusher

½ tsp red chili powder

1 tsp black pepper powder

2 tbsp soft brown sugar

1 pack (500 gms) strained crushed tomatoes (I prefer Pomi Strained Crushed tomatoes)

4 tbsp tomato paste

¼ cup olive oil

1 beef bouillon cube

1 tbsp white vinegar

Salt to taste

¼ cup chopped parsley to garnish

For the filling

1 pound minced Beef

1 cup cooked Rice

1 small onion chopped finely

¼ tsp black pepper powder

2 eggs, beaten

salt to taste

Directions

Using a paring knife, remove the center core of the cabbage. In a large stockpot, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add cabbage and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until outer leaves are bright green and tender. You can either pull the leaves off as they cook or you can take the whole cabbage head out. Count the leaves. I got about 14 leaves. Reserve 1 cup of cabbage cooking water. Separate all of the leaves from the head and trim the thick center vein from bottom of each leaf. Don’t cut it out, just shave it so it’s thin like the rest of the leaf.

In a large bowl, combine raw ground beef, 1 chopped onion, cooked rice, eggs, salt, pepper, and about a tbsp of chopped parsley. Mix gently to combine. Make 14 portions or divide according to how many leaves you have. Add a portion of the rice filling to one cabbage leaf. Fold the sides of the cabbage over the filling, and, starting with the stem end, roll the cabbage up. Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling.

In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and sauté. When the onion is translucent add red chili powder and stir. Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste and stir the sauce for 3-4 minutes. Add black pepper powder, salt, brown sugar and beef bouillon cube to the sauce and mix gently. Add some of the reserved cabbage water to the sauce, vinegar and some parsley. Place each cabbage roll gently into the sauce, immersing them. Cover the pan and cook on low heat for 30-40 minutes until the cabbage is tender, beef is cooked and sauce has thickened. Check seasoning. To serve, place cabbage rolls in a serving dish and pour sauce over them. Garnish with remaining parsley.