Method: Peel the cucumbers, halve them lengthways. Cut the cucumbers into small pieces, sprinkle with salt and leave for 15 minutes. Drain well. Combine with mint, yogurt, lemon juice and taste to see if more salt is required. Serve chilled, garnished with mint. Serve with appetizers and entre.

 
Unbleached all purpose white flour (Maida)  3 cup 
Baking powder 1/2 tsp. 
Yogurt (Curd) 1/2 cup 
Milk 1/2 cup 
Oil 1 tbsp. 
Butter 2 tbsp. 
Egg 1 
Sugar 1/4 tsp. 
Salt to taste   
Sesame 1/4 cup 
  
1. Sieve maida and baking powder. (you can substitute the egg, baking powder with a package of yeast)
2. Add salt, sugar, yogurt, oil and butter and mix well (crumble with fingers). Add egg and mix well. 
3. Add milk and water (if required) a little at a time and knead the dough until it turns very smooth. 
4. Cover it with a wet cloth and set aside for at least 2 hour. 
5. Divide into medium size balls of equal portions.  
6. Roll the ball with a few sesame seeds, apply some flour and roll into thick circular shaped. 
7. Now place it in a preheated Tandoor or cook in a preheated oven (350 degrees) by placing it on a greased tray.  
8. Remove when it is light Golden brown on both sides. Cut it into two parts diagonally. 

Ingredients
1 long green chilies 
3 garlic cloves, chopped 
2 cm fresh ginger, grated 
3 tablespoons oil 
1 kg boneless lamb, cubed 
1/2 teaspoon cumin seed  
1 cinnamon stick 
6 cardamom pods 
2 onions, chopped 
2 teaspoons ground turmeric 
1 teaspoon ground cumin 
1 teaspoon chili powder 
1 teaspoon ground coriander 
2 bay leaves 
2 cups beef stock 
1 bunch english spinach, de-stalked and finely shredded 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1 tablespoon fresh coriander, chopped 
1/3 cup plain yogurt 

 
Ingredients:
 
Ingredients:
•2 tbsps vegetable oil or butter
•1 large onion chopped fine
•1 cup fresh green peas
•1 cup Basmati rice (a long grain Indian rice)
•3 cups water
•1/2 tsp turmeric powder
•Salt to taste
•1/2 cup warm water
 
Preparation:
•Wash the Basmati rice well in running water and keep aside to soak for 30 minutes. 
•Heat the oil in a deep heavy-bottomed pan. When it is hot add the onions and cook till soft. 
•Add the peas and stir well. 
•Add the rice and fry for 2 minutes. 
•Add the 3 cups of water, turmeric and salt to taste to the rice and set it up to boil on a medium flame. 
•Once the water comes to a boil, reduce the flame to a simmer and cover the pan. 
•Cook till the water seems to have almost disappeared 
 - tiny holes will form on the surface of the rice. 
•Add the 1/2 cup of warm water all over the top of the rice and cover the pan again. 
•Simmer for another 5-7 minutes and turn off the fire. 
•Allow the rice to sit for 10 minutes and serve.

A spicy and nutritious accompaniment to curries.

  8 oz (455 g) lentils
  4 -5 cups water or stock
  1/2 tsp. chili powder
  1/2 tsp. fenugreek, ground
  1/2 tsp. salt
  2-3 tbsp. olive oil
  1 onion
  1/2 tsp. cumin, ground
  1 garlic clove
  1 tsp. ginger, grated
  lemon wedges 

Add chili, fenugreek powder, salt and turmeric. Stir and simmer for 30-45 minutes until lentils are cooked and mushy, adding water or stock as necessary to obtain desired consistency.

Heat olive oil and fry onion, cumin, garlic and ginger for a few minutes. Pour oil and spices on to dhal on serving. Alternatively, cook the dhal in this for 5 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

Ingredients:
 1 kg fish cut into 1" thick slices (this curry tastes best with Rohu but you can use any fish with firm white flesh)
 4 tbsps cooking oil
 1 tbsp mustard seeds
 2 tbsps cumin seeds
 8 dry red chilies
 1 tsp paanch phoran seeds (see recipe below)
 10-12 curry leaves
 1 large onion ground to a paste
 1 tbsp ginger paste
 1 tbsp garlic paste
 2 large tomatoes cut into cubes
 1 tsp turmeric powder
 1 tsp garam masala powder
 3-4 tbsps coconut powder
 Walnut-sized ball of tamarind soaked in 1/2 cup of hot water
 2 cups hot water
 Salt to taste
 Chopped coriander to garnish

Grind the tomatoes, turmeric, garam masala powder, coconut and above powder into a smooth paste. Keep aside. Squeeze the soaked tamarind well to remove all the pulp.

Heat the oil in a wide heavy-bottomed pan and add the paanch phoran (see recipe below) and curry leaves. When they stop spluttering, add the onion paste and fry till light brown.

Add the ginger and garlic pastes and fry for 3-4 minutes. Add the tomato and spice paste and fry till the oil begins to separate from the masala. Add 2 cups of hot water and the tamarind pulp to this masala and stir to mix well.

Bring the gravy to a boil and then simmer. Gently add the fish to this gravy and cook till done. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with plain boiled rice.

Serve fish curry hot.

This uniquely Bengali (east Indian) spice mix is used to season many dishes. It is a blend of five (paanch) spices and lends a lovely aroma when added to a dish.

Ingredients:
 Cumin seeds
 Fennel seeds
 Nigella seeds
 Fenugreek seeds
 Mustard seeds

Gulab Jamon or gulab jamun (pronounced gul-aab jaa-mun) is a popular sweet dessert in the Indian/Pakistani sub-continent. Gulab jamons are fried milk balls of dough made from flour and milk served with sugar syrup with rosewater, saffron, or cardamon.

Ingredients (Jamon):
 
2 cups powdered milk
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups (or less) heavy cream
 
Ingredients (Syrup):
 
3 cups sugar
7 cups water
2 teaspoons cardamon powder (optional)
1/4 teaspoon saffron (optional)
Rose Water essence or extract
(optional and according to taste)

Make the dough: In a bowl, mix by hand milk, flour, and baking soda. Gradually mix in heavy cream to form slightly sticky, soft dough. Form dough into small sized balls about ¾ of an inch diameter. Set aside and cover with a damp cloth.

Fry the jamons (balls): In a deep frying pan or wok, heat 4 cups of oil. Fry balls a few at a time to an even golden brown anywhere from 5 to 7 minutes. When browned, drain the oil off the milk balls in a paper-lined platter or tray.

Dip the balls into the syrup then transfer onto a serving dish.

After all the balls have been prepared and dipped into the syrup, boil the syrup again for about 15 minutes, or until syrup becomes thicker. Pour over the balls and let the syrup soak in for a few hours before serving.

To serve: Gulab jamon may be served hot or cold: topped with whipped cream or a la mode with vanilla ice cream. In India and the Middle East though, locals eat the jamons warm as is. The jamons may be kept refrigerated (or frozen) for as long as 5 days and may be reheated by pouring hot syrup over the defrosted balls.

This is a very flavorful Indian rice pudding.

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
2 cups coconut milk 
2 cups milk 
3 tablespoons white sugar 
1/2 cup Basmati rice 
1/4 cup raisins 
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom 
1/2 teaspoon rose water (optional) 
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted 
1/4 cup chopped pistachio nuts 

Stir in the raisins, cardamom and rose water, and cook for a few more minutes. Ladle into serving bowls, and garnish with almonds and pistachios.

also known as gajrala is a traditional Punjabi dessert made with carrots and milk. Gajar Halwa is delicious warm or cold.

Recipe serves 4. Ingredients:

 2 cups shredded carrots
 2 cups milk
 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
 1/4 cup sugar
 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
 6 chopped roasted cashew nuts (To garnish)

1.Roast the cashew nuts and set aside for the garnish.
2.Boil the milk on medium-high heat in a non-stick pan until it is reduced to about to 1 cup. Stir often to ensure the milk does not burn in the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
3.Melt the butter in a frying pan on medium heat.
4.Add the shredded carrots and stir-fry for about seven to eight minutes.
5.Carrots should be tender and slightly changed in color.
6.Add the milk and cook until milk dries. Takes about eight to ten minutes. 7. Add the sugar and stir until the halwa starts to leave the sides of the pan (about 4 minutes). 8. Garnish with nuts.

Gajar Halwa can be refrigerated for up to one week and kept in the freezer for up to two months. When ready to serve just warm.
Suggestion: Cook the halwa a little more and pour on a greased plate. Spread the halwa until it is flat and 3/4 inch thick. After the halwa cools, cut in squares. Garnish with cashew nuts or sliced almonds.

A traditional drink of India, masala chai has become a popular beverage worldwide. While you may certainly purchase teabags at your local grocery store, you will achieve a more authentic flavor if you make it yourself, bouquet garni style, using the following.

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons fresh ginger root; grated 
1 whole star anise; broken up 
1 teaspoon orange peel; grated 
4 pieces cinnamon bark (canela); 1 1/2 inch 
1 teaspoon cardamom seeds 
10 whole cloves 
5 whole peppercorns 
5 cups water 
1/4 cup black tea leaves; (like Assam or Darjeeling) 
1 teaspoon vanilla 
1/4 cup honey 
3 cups milk 

Bundle up the first seven ingredients in a length of cheese cloth and tie it together with a string. This is called a bouquet garni (pronounced "boo-KAY gar-NEE"). Place the bouquet garni in a pot of water. The string should be tied to the handle for easy removal later on.

Bring the water to a very low boil, then reduce the heat and simmer. Boiling water may extract too much bitterness from the tea leaves. Add tea leaves and continue simmering for 15 minutes. Remove the bouquet garni.

Strain the remaining liquid through a sieve to remove tea leaves. Add honey, vanilla, and milk. Serve. Pour the mixture over crushed ice if you're serving it cold. This makes eight servings.