STARTERS

Strictly speaking there are no starters in Indian cuisine. The dishes which have been adapted to fill that role are snack dishes, served to the menfolk as they slug down their whisky after a hard day in the fields.

Pakora

Pakora is fairly specifically from the Punjab. Punjabis who emigrated to the UK tended to end up in Glasgow and the west of Scotland where the dish became very popular. The rest of the UK had to make do with onion bhajis. This is not the traditional method as I mash my potatoes before making a paste. I find that this avoids the problems of undercooked vegetables which can be quite off-putting. Never had any complaints.

Ingredients – 4 medium sized potatoes, 1 large onion chopped, 2 medium carrots chopped. (You can add other veg. to your taste once you’ve mastered this. Try shredded cabbage, cauliflower, mushrooms or whatever) 300g gram flour, salt to taste, 5g red chilli powder, 5g ground cumin, 200 ml water, vegetable oil for frying.

Method – Peel the potatoes and cook the and mash them. Put the potatoes, other veg and chopped onions into a large bowl. Add the gram flour, salt, chilli powder and ground cumin and mix well until the flour is distributed evenly and a rough paste is formed.
Now add water and mix until the mixture just holds its consistency when dripping off the back of a spoon.
Heat the vegetable oil. To judge whether the oil is hot enough, drop some of the mix into it and, if it rises to the surface immediately, the oil is ready. Cook the pakoras in batches by dropping one tablespoon at a time into the hot oil. Old hands do this with their hands, thus saving on washing up a spoon. When the pakoras bob up to the surface, push them down gently with a slotted spoon.
Cook the pakoras until they turn a dark brown. Remove the pakoras from the oil, gently shaking off any excess before serving.
For chicken or fish pakora make up a thick batter with the gram flour, the spices and the water. Dip small pieces of chicken or fish and deep fry.
Serve with -

Pakora Sauce

Ingredients – 250 ml natural yoghurt, salt to taste, 5g red chilli powder, 15 g ready-made mint sauce, 100 g tomato ketchup, tablespoon lemon juice.

Method – Pour the yoghurt into a large bowl, add the salt and mix. Add the chilli powder, mint sauce, lemon juice and ketchup and mix everything together thoroughly.
Refrigerate and serve chilled as a dip for the pakora.

A quick and easy alternative is to mix some tomato ketchup with mayonnaise and chilli powder. This isn’t authentic but it tastes okay.

Samosas

This is for mince samosas. They can also be made with vegetables or fish. Leftovers of curries, if dry enough, are ideal for this recycling process.
Ingredients-8oz plain flour, pinch of salt, 1/4 teaspoonful baking powder,5 tablespoons corn oil, 1 onion, finely chopped, 4oz minced lamb, 11/2 oz long grain rice, 4 tablespoons stock, 1/4 teaspoon chilli powder, 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 tablespoon flour mixed with water, Oil for deep frying

Method-Sift flour, salt and baking powder, stir in 4 tablespoons oil and 4 tablespoons water to make a dough, cover and set aside.
Heat remaining oil and fry onion, add meat cook till it browns, stir in rice, stock and seasonings. Bring to the boil, lower heat and simmer for 15 mins or until rice is cooked.
Knead the dough well and divide in to 16 balls. Using a little flour roll in to 8 inch rounds.
Cut each in half and brush the straight edge with the flour mixture and make in to a cone. Fill a little rice mixture, and seal well. They should resemble a Cornish pasty or a Scottish bridie. Heat oil for frying and fry the samosas until golden brown.
Drain and serve with chutney.

Shami Kebabs

Ingredients – 1 lb of minced lamb, 1 medium onion, pinch salt, ½ tsp chilli powder, ½ teaspoon ginger, ½ teaspoon garlic, ½ cup gram (chick pea) flour.

Method – Mix together all the ingredients. With dampened hands take pinches of the mix and form into small bite-sized patties. Cook for 3 minutes each side under a pre-heated grill. Serve with pakora sauce (see recipe) or raita (see recipe).
If you form the patties into full hamburger sized patties you can serve shami kebabs as a main course. Serve with boiled rice, salad and some curry sauce on the side.