Baby Shark Amot Tik

Baby Shark Amot Tik (Hot & sour Goan fish curry)

You can use this same recipe for squid/sardines/mackerel.

Pictures below are from general internet images

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2 medium sized baby sharks (skinned and cut into pieces)

Apply a liberal amount of salt to the fish and keep aside.  

In a bowl, soak a walnut sized ball of tamarind using one cup water.

(room temp. water is better than hot water as it brings out the flavour)

Instead of tamarind we use kokum.  This crimson-purple, tart fruit is used to add a sour twist to curry.  It is actually the outer portion of the kokum fruit which is sun dried to get aamsul or kokam.  We store it in earthen jars.  

If using kokum, take only 3 or 4 pieces.

Pics of the fruit fresh and dried are below:

Grind the following with a little water:

6 Kashmiri chillies (pre soaked in hot water)

Deseed them or keep the seeds if you like a fiery curry. I deseed them.

½  tsp peppercorns

¼ tsp cumin seeds

6 flakes of garlic

One 1” piece ginger (peeled)

This makes a coarse paste so I add 2 small chopped tomatoes to it and grind again.  This gives a rich red, paste and makes a smooth gravy.

Fry one finely chopped red onion in sunflower oil (about 2 tbspn)

When it’s golden brown, add the tomato and spice paste.

Put in ½ tsp. turmeric powder and fry till it gives off an aroma.

Add one cup water - enough water to make curry for two.

Now add the watery tamarind pulp (not all of it) about 2 tablespoons.

Check consistency of curry mixture.  If too thick, add a little more water.

Boil and simmer for 5 mns.  Add a pinch of salt and sugar.

Wash the shark pieces thoroughly.  Bring the curry to a boil and drop the fish into it. Simmer for 6 mns. 

Check if more salt is required.

Garnish with curry leaves.

Serve with steamed rice.

Note: This curry should not be of thick consistency.

PC: Aromatic Essence

Pork Assad

Ti Eduardine’s PORK ASSAD (Goan)

My husband's Aunt Eduardine was a wonderful cook.  Many years ago, whilst we were holidaying in  our village in Goa, she showed me how to make this mouth watering dish.   She prepared it in a clay pot over a woodfire.   This gave it a slightly smoky flavour.  However, it tastes as good made in any cooking utensil over a gas or electric stove. 

1 kilo pork (cut into large pieces)

3 medium red onions - sliced

juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon brown vinegar

1 tsp haldi (turmeric) powder

6 Kashmiri chillies broken into 2 pieces (seeds and all)

one walnut size ball of tamarind soaked in 1 cup water.

Oil

salt

Grind to paste: (masala)

3 pieces tikki (cinnamon)

2 full pods of lasoon (garlic)

2 pieces of 1” ginger

1 tablespoon peppercorns

8 cloves

Prick the pork with a knife.  Rub in salt, lime, vinegar, turmeric powder and the above ground masala.  Marinate for a few hours or keep it overnight in the 'fridge.

Sear the pork pieces in hot oil - enough to brown the sides.  Then put in the  sliced onion and any residue marinade.  Add the broken kashmiri chillies and a cup of warm water.  Cover and cook on low flame. Turn the pork pieces over after about half an hour.  Finally add the pulp of tamarind.   Cook till tender. 

Best eaten with steamed rice.

Tip: Use a heavy bottomed cooking vessel to make this Assad.

Beef or Lamb Curry

My late Mum's most popular dish.

 

Meat Curry (Beef/lamb)

 

Half kilo meat - Cut into bite size pieces.

2 medium red onions chopped very fine

2 or 3 tablespoons red or white vinegar

Salt and sugar to taste.

 

Grind to paste:
9 Kashmiri Chillies – soaked in hot water & deseeded
1/4 tsp cummin seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

5 cloves

4 or 5 small sticks of cinnamon (each about 1" long)

1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste

1/2 teaspoon peppercorns

 

Fry the onions in a good amount of oil.   I use sunflower oil. When the onions have browned, add the ground masala (spice mix) and fry for a minute.  It will give off a wonderful aroma. Add the meat, vinegar, pinch of sugar, salt and enough water to make a gravy.  Mix well and cook till meat is tender. 

 

Garnish with coriander leaves.

For more gravy add 2 tablespoons tomato puree after frying the onion. Be sure to add 2 or 3 extra chillies to the spice mix.

Potatoes and carrots go well with this dish.  If you love potatoes like me, peel and quarter 2 large potatoes and add to the meat when it is half cooked.  Same with the carrots. 

As we all know, meat dishes cooked on low flame taste best.  However beef or lamb tends to be tougher where I live hence it takes about an hour of slow cooking. So if you are using a pressure cooker (like we do in India to save on fuel and time) bring the cooker to full pressure and then cook on low flame for 20 or 25 mns.  Don't add the potatoes or carrots to the cooker as they will get overcooked.

Note: I like to marinate the meat in a little vinegar, salt and turmeric powder.  I keep this in the fridge overnight or at least for 4 hours.  It tastes a lot better.  If you're doing this, then ofcourse the vinegar you add later will be less than mentioned in the list of ingredients.  Taste the cooked gravy before adding more salt. 

 

Chicken Xacuti

CHICKEN XACUTI (Goan Chicken Curry)

1 kg. whole chicken cut into pieces.  Rub some salt into them and keep aside.

8 Kashmiri chillies or any not-too-hot dry, red chillies.

3 tsp dry daniya seeds (coriander)

½ tsp whole jeera (cumin)

1 tsp methi seeds (fenugreek)

5 peppercorns

2 tsp. peanuts (optional)

½ cup desiccated or freshly grated coconut.

½ tsp turmeric powder

4 small elaichi (cardamoms) peeled

6 cloves

1" piece cinnamon

1/2 tsp khus khus (poppy seeds)

one medium sized red onion - finely chopped

A walnut sized ball of tamarind. Soak in a little water to make a thick paste.

If you don't have tamarind, use 2 tablespoons red vinegar 

Salt to taste

Pinch of sugar

Roast the cumin, coriander, chillies, fenugreek, pepper, peanuts, cinnamon and cloves. on a tava or dry pan.  Take care not to burn any of the ingredients.

Separately dry roast the coconut.  It should be lightly browned. 

Put this all in a grinder. 

Add the turmeric, poppy seeds & cardamoms, to the grinder. 

Grind to a fine paste with a little water.

Heat oil and fry onion till golden brown.

Add the ground spices.  Fry till the mixture begins to stick to bottom of pan and gives off a wonderful aroma.  Add the chicken pieces and coat them well.  Then add the tamarind paste (or vinegar) and a cup of warm water.  Put in a pinch of sugar.  This enhances the flavour.  Stir well and add more water if gravy appears too thick.

Cook on low flame till chicken is tender.  Usually takes half an hour.

Add more salt if needed.  

The gravy should not be too thick.

Serve with steamed rice or rotis.

Mushroom Curry

More than 10 years ago, this recipe of mine was featured on Joe Barkson's World Wide Recipes.   It brought me in contact with other food cultures and some of the people I met online, are email friends till date.  Two of them visited Mumbai so we could meet personally.

I'd like to share this recipe, and many more, with those of you who love Indian food.
  

Mushroom Curry  

 

200 gms. fresh white button mushrooms - cleaned and halved

1 medium sized onion (chopped very fine)

1 tbspn. Oil.  I use sunflower oil.

1 cup unflavoured yogurt (beat it till no lumps can be seen)

half cup tomato puree.  I use fresh tomatoes. 

( chop 2 tomatoes and grind them to a smooth paste in your mixie)

1 teaspoon heaped, Indian garam masala.

One cup chicken stock or vegetable stock (I use one small Maggie cube)*

half tsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste (if using a Maggie cube,  go easy on the salt)

Fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves to garnish. 

Heat oil and fry onions to a golden brown colour. Add tomato puree and fry till juice evaporates.

Add the garam masala Keep stirring for 5 min.

Put in the yogurt and stir for 4 minutes. Add  chilli powder and salt if necessary. Stir for a minute.

Throw in the mushrooms and stir till coated with mixture.

Finally add the stock and simmer for 10 min.

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice or parathas (Indian flat bread). 

If you want a smoother curry and with a little more volume -

Slice the onion fine and after it is fried to a golden brown, let it cool a bit. Use a slotted spoon, take it out from the oil and put it in the mixie.  Add the fresh, chopped tomatoes and blend this to a smooth paste. Takes only half a minute. Put this back into the cooking pan and proceed further with recipe.

*Check that your Maggie cube does not contain MSG (ajinomoto) i.e. if you have diet restrictions.