Kashmiri Dum Aloo (Potato)

INGREDIENTS
500gms small potatoes
oil for frying
1½ cup : Dahi (yogurt)
½ tbsp : Besan (gramflour)
1 ½ tsp : Chilli Powder or cayenne
4 : Chhoti Elaichi (green cardamom)
½ tsp : Soonth (dry ginger powder)
¾ tsp : Saunf (fennel seed) powder
5 : Laung (cloves)
2 : Daalchini (cinnamon sticks)

METHOD
Grind together, the bari elaichi, laung and daalchini. Put aside until further use. Boil potatoes until half cooked. Peel while still warm. Pierce each potato 2-3 time with thin wooden toothpick. Heat oil in a kadhai, fry potatoes on medium heat until floating on top and golden brown in color. Drain excess oil and keep aside. To the dahi, add salt, besan and 1 cup water. Whisk well, until smooth and lump-free. Reheat 4tbsp of the same oil in another pan. Add red chillies and chhoti elaichi and fry for a minute. Remove from flame, allow to cool slightly and then pour into the dahi, stirred continuously. Return to flame and bring to a boil, again stirring continuously. Add potatoes along with soonth, saunf and ground masala. Cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes or until the curry thickens. Serve hot.

Kashmiri Ghost Biryani

Ingredients
400 gms mutton cubed.
2 cloves..
2 big black cardamoms..
2 small cardamoms..
1 stick cinnamon..
1 bay leaf..
2 tsps shahjeera..
2 tsps coriander powder..
1 tsp turmeric powder..
Salt to taste. .
2 tsps chilli powder..
1/4 nutmeg, ground..
2 tsps garam masala powder..
2 tbsps curd..
1/2 kg cooked basmati rice..
1/2 tsp saffron mixed with 1 tbsp milk..
1 cup chopped mint and coriander leaves..
4 tbsps pure ghee.
.
Method: .
Heat ghee. Fry cloves, black cardamoms, small cardamoms, cinnamon, bay leaf, shahjeera, coriander powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder, ground nutmeg and garam masala. Add curds and stir fry for a minute. Add meat to the masala. Cook meat till it is well browned and the curd is absorbed by the meat. Sprinkle in salt to taste. Add water so that mutton is immersed in the gravy. Cook till done. Keep aside. Divide the rice into two portions. Mix saffron with one portion of rice. Add half the meat to it. Add mint and coriander leaves. Cover with white rice and remaining meat. Shut the pot tightly. Cook on a low fire for a few minutes. Turn out upside down in a large serving dish.

Kashmiri Spinach with Garam Masala

INGREDIENTS

5 tb Oil
1/8 ts Asafetida (hing), ground
2 1/2 lb Spinach, washed, chopped
1/2 ts Turmeric, ground
1/2 ts Cayenne pepper
1 1/4 ts Salt
1/4 ts Garam masala (see below)
GARAM MASALA
1 ts Black cumin seeds
1 ts Cloves, whole
1 tb Cardamom seeds, shelled
1/3 Nutmeg, whole
Cinnamon stick, 2", broken

METHOD

Grind the spices very fine in a coffee grinder or spice grinder.
Heat the oil in a very large pan over a high flame. Put in the asafetida and then all the spinach. Stir the spinach around. Add the turmeric, cayenne pepper, salt, and baking soda. Continue to cook and stir until the spinach has wilted. Add 2 cups of water. Cook, uncovered, over a medium-high flame for about 25 minutes or until just a little liquid is left. Stir a few times during this period. Turn the heat to low and mash the spinach with the back of a spoon. Continue to cook, uncovered, for another 10 minutes. Sprinkle the garam masala over the top and mix.

Khoobani Kee Chutney (Apricot Chutney)

INGREDIENTS

3 cups dried apricots, finely diced
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp fennel seeds, toasted
1-1/4 cups soft light brown sugar
1/8 cup malt vinegar
3 tsp ginger, finely chopped
juice of half a lemon
zest of one whole lemon
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup sultanas (golden raisins)
2 1/2 cups water

METHOD

Put all the ingredients into a medium saucepan and mix together thoroughly. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat to a low simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the chutney has thickened to a fairly stiff consistency, transfer into a jelly jar and cool. Can be stored in the refrigerator, tightly sealed and kept for several weeks. Note: You could easily substitute the dried apricots for plums in this recipe.

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