Chicken with Apricots and Potato Straws

1 (3 pound) skinless chicken, cut into small pieces
4 whole dried hot red chiles
1 (2-inch) piece cinnamon stick, broken
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
7 cardamom pods
10 cloves
2 teaspoons grated ginger
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
4 ounces pitted dried apricots
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 pound onions, cut in very fine half rings
2 tablespoons tomato purée mixed with 8 ounce hot
water
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons white malt vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon salt
7 ounces potato, peeled
Oil for deep frying

Put red chiles, cinnamon, cumin, cardamom and cloves in a
grinder and grind finely.

Put chicken in a large bowl.
Put 1 teaspoon grated ginger, 1/2
teaspoon garlic and half the dry spice mix on the chicken.
Mix
well, rubbing seasoning into the chicken.
Set aside for one
hour.

Put the apricots into a pan with 3/4 pint water.
Boil, reduce
the heat and simmer until tender but not mushy.
Turn off the heat
and leave apricots in juice.

When the chicken has marinated, heat 6 tablespoons oil in a pan
over medium heat.
Add onions and stir and fry until they are a rich
reddish-brown.
Set heat to medium and add remaining garlic, ginger
and dry spice mix.
Stir, then add chicken.
Stir and brown for 5
minutes.

Add the tomato purée mix and salt.
Boil, cover,
reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add vinegar and sugar; cover
and simmer for 10 minutes.
Turn off the heat and spoon off as much
fat as possible from the surface.

Put the apricots and 3 tablespoons of their juice into the pan
with the chicken and let set for at least 30 minutes.

Make potato straws.
Fill a large bowl with 3 pints water.
Add
salt and mix.
Grate potato coarsely, put into the bowl of water and
stir.
Remove the potato, squeezing out as much liquid as possible.
Drain and dry on paper towels.

Heat the oil slowly.
When hot, add the potato straws.
Stir and
fry until crisp and pale golden.
Remove and drain on paper towels.
Heat the chicken through gently and serve with potato straws.

Coconut Rice

2 tablespoons oil or margarine
3/4 cup chopped onion
4 to 5 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
5 cardamom buds, crushed (optional)
3 whole bay leaves
1/8 teaspoon ground fresh or powdered ginger
2 cloves garlic, mashed
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
3 cups water
2 cup rice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cashews (optional)

Heat oil or margarine in a heavy saucepan.
Add onions and fry
for 1 minute.
Add cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaves, ginger
and garlic.
Fry until light brown.
Add rice, coconut milk, salt and
water.
Bring to boil; reduce heat, cover and cook for 30 minutes or
until rice is done.
If desired, cashews can be added.

Serve with chicken or beef curry or with yogurt chutney.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Ekoori

3 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon peeled and finely grated ginger
1 fresh hot green chile, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander
1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 small tomato, peeled and chopped
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a medium size nonstick frying pan over a medium
heat.
Add the onion and sauté until soft.
Add ginger,
chile, fresh coriander, turmeric, cumin and tomato.
Stir and cook
for 3 to 4 minutes until tomatoes are soft.

Put in the beaten eggs and season lightly.
Stir the eggs gently
until they form thick curds.
Cook the scrambled eggs to desired
consistency.

Serve with toast or Indian bread.

Fragrant Rice

8 ounces long grain rice
2 tablespoons groundnut oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 stick cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon green cardamom pods, crushed
2 kaffir lime leaves
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Wash the rice, then drain in a colander.
Heat the oil in a
heavy-based deep pan and fry the shallot for about 2 minutes until
golden.
Add the cinnamon, turmeric and crushed cardamom pods and
fry for 2 minutes.
Add the lime leaves, rice and stock.

Bring to the boil then reduce heat to moderate.
Simmer for 15
minutes, covered with a lid.
After 15 minutes lift the lid and
check.
The grains should be tender with virtually no liquid left.
Stir with a fork to fluff up.
Serve.

Gobhi ki Biriyani (Rice with Cauliflower)

4 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter or vegetable oil)
1 1/2 teaspoons white cumin seeds
Pinch of asafoetida powder (Hing powder)
2 bay leaves
4 green cardamom pods
2 1/4 cups cauliflower florets and/or broccoli
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups cooked long grain brown rice
1/3 cup plain yogurt
Chopped fresh cilantro
Coriander to garnish

Heat the ghee in a heavy saucepan and sauté cumin
and asafoetida for 2 minutes.
Add bay leaves and cardamom; stir
well.
Toss in cauliflower and sauté for 5 minutes over
medium heat.
Stir in turmeric and seasoning and cook another 10
minutes.

Add rice and yogurt; stir carefully, lower heat, cover pan and
cook another 10 to 15 minutes.
Sprinkle with coriander and serve
hot.

Gujerati (Green Beans)

1 pound fresh green beans
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon black mustard seed
4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 hot red dried chile, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
Black pepper to taste

Trim the beans and cut into 1-inch lengths.
Blanch by dropping
them into a pot of boiling water and boiling rapidly for 3 to 4
minutes.
Drain in a collander, rinse under cold running water and
set aside.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
When hot,
add mustard seeds.
As soon as they begin to pop, add garlic and
stir until lightly brown.

Add crushed red chile and stir for a few seconds.
Add green
beans, salt and sugar.
Stir to mix.

Turn heat to medium/low.
Stir and cook the beans for 7 to 8
minutes until they have absorbed the spiced flavors.
Add black
pepper, mix and serve.