SAMPLE RECIPES FROM "From the Raj to the Taj" by Doreen Jonas

SWEET TOMATO CHUTNEY

(For Bottling – 2)

  

  • 1 Kg tomatoes (rich red colour)
  • ½ tsp. black pepper powder
  • 1 ¾ cups sugar
  • ¼ tsp. cinnamon powder
  • 1 small onion (finely chopped)
  • a pinch clove powder
  • 8 cloves garlic  (finely chopped)
  • 1 ½ tsp. acetic acid
  • 5 cm ginger (finely ground)
  • 1/3 tsp. sodium benzoate
  • 2 tsp. chilli powder (or to taste)
  • 1 tsp. cumin powder
  • red food colouring
  • 3 tsp. salt or to taste

  

Put tomatoes in boiling water for 3 minutes.  Remove and immediately immerse them in cold water for 3 minutes.  Peel and chop fine.

Mix together tomatoes, sugar, onion, ginger and garlic.  Cook on a slow heat, stirring constantly till it thickens.  Add salt and powdered ingredients. Cook till the consistency is a littler thinner than jam.  Remove from heat.  Add acetic acid, sodium benzoate and food colouring .  Bottle, when cool. 

This chutney should keep for at least 6 months.

  

 

TOMATO SAUCE

(For Bottling)

 

  • 1 Kg fleshy tomatoes (diced)
  • 1 dessertspoon sultanas
  • 1 ½ cup vinegar
  • 10 red chillies (seeds removed)
  • 1 ½ cup sugar
  • 7 cloves
  • 1 dessertspoon ginger (sliced)
  • 2.5 cm cinnamon stick (broken)
  • 1 dessertspoon garlic (sliced)
  • salt to taste

  

 Put tomatoes in a pan, add ½ cup vinegar, salt, cloves and cinnamon and boil till soft.  Pass tomatoes through a sieve to remove skins and seeds. 

Grind to a paste, chillies, sultanas, garlic and ginger in ½ cup vinegar.  Keep aside.  Boil the remaining vinegar and sugar till the sugar dissolves.  To this syrup add the ground paste and tomato pulp.  Mix well.  Cook till it reaches a thick consistency.  Bottle, when cool.

 

SPICY DHAL- (Lentils)

 

 

·       2 cup red lentils

·       1 Tbs. coriander leaves

·       5-6 cups water

·       2 Tbs. ghee/butter

·       1 tsp. turmeric powder

·       4 cloves of garlic

·       1 tsp. cumin powder

·       2 onions (finely sliced)

·       2 tomatoes (chopped)

·       1 tsp. chilli powder

·       3-4 green chillies (slit lengthwise)

·       salt

·       sprig curry leaves

 

  

Wash the dhal and soak in water for an hour or more.  Drain and boil in 5 –6 cups of water.  Add the turmeric, cumin and tomatoes; mix well.

Reduce heat, partially cover and simmer for about 30-40 minutes or until soft. Add salt, green chillies, chilli powder and coriander leaves.  Stir well. Cook for 5 minutes; remove from heat.  Heat ghee in a smaller pan.  Add the garlic; curry leaves and onions and fry till golden brown.  Add this to the lentils.

 

DHAL MASH

(My Way)

 

·       1 cup red lentils (dhal)

·       ½ tsp. mustard seed

·       3 cups water

·       ½ tsp. turmeric

·       2-3 red chillies (broken in pieces)

·       2 onions (finely sliced)

·       salt to taste

·       1 Tbs. coconut milk  (optional)

·       ghee

 

  

Wash, soak and boil lentils with turmeric and salt till soft and almost dry. Remove from heat.  Heat ghee.  Put in mustard and when it stops popping, add the chillies and half the onions; fry till golden brown. Add the cooked dhal and coconut milk; stirring till almost dry.

In another small pan, fry the remaining onions in a little ghee till golden brown. Sprinkle on top of the dhal mash. Remove from heat.

Dhal Mash goes well with pepper water and cutlets,

 

 

GO BACK