Tehari

This recipe is quite odd, but fairly tasty and interesting. Be warned, black cumin is not at all like regular cumin. To substitute you might try a mix of cumin and black pepper, but the flavor would still be different.

Beef or Mutton Tehari

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 60 minutes

Serves: 46

Ingredients:

2 lb ground lamb (or beef)

1 onion, sliced

4 green Thai Chillies, split and seeded

3 tsp red chili powder

2 1/2 tbsp salt

1 tsp garam masala

2 tbsp garlic-ginger paste

4 tbsp yogurt

4 pods green cardamom

2 sticks cinnamon

1 tsp black cumin (shahi jeera)

5 cups water

4 cups rice

2 tbsp cilantro

Cooking:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.

Wash and soak the rice.

In a pressure cooker, add a little oil and fry chillies, onions, and ground meat. Once onions and translucent, add chilli powder, salt, and garm masala and cook for another minute.

Add a cup of water, and close the lid. Pressure cook for twenty minutes.

In a heavy saucepan, add the oil and fry garlic-ginger paste until golden brown. Add the yogurt, cardamom, cinnamon, and black cumin and fry for one minute. Add the water and rice, bring to a simmer, and cook for 8 minutes. Add the meat mixture, place the lid on the pot, and put into the oven for 12 minutes.

Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately.

Khichuri

Khichuri

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Coking Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

4 medium potatoes, cubed

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 1/4 cup moong dal (or split peas), dry roasted

1 cups cauliflower florets

6 cups water

salt to taste

6 green Thai chillies, split and seeded

1 1/4 cups basmati rice, washed and drained

2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 cups peas

Spices:

4 tbsp ghee

2 bay leaves

3 red Thai chillies, whole

4 pods green cardamom

6 cloves

2 inches cinnamon stick

Cooking:

Put water and potatoes into pot and boil for 8 minutes.

Add rice, cauliflower, moon dal, turmeric, sugar, red chilli powder, salt, green chillies, basmati, and cumin. Bring to a boil, cover with a tight-fitting lid and lower to low heat, and cook for 20 minutes.

In a small frying pan, heat ghee and fry with bay leaves, red Thai Chillies, green cardamom pods, cloves, and cinnamon.

When the rice mixture is done, pour the ghee mixture into it through a strainer. Mix in peas, and serve immediately.

Chapter 25 : Bangledesh

Exploring the food of Bangledesh is by no means easy. It is one of the many Mughal-influenced cuisines across India, and Bangledesh's complex history makes this venture by no means simple.

I must admit, a certain falseness to this. Bangledesh is a country immersed in rivers, yet few of those fish, or even equivalents, are available, or at least finding that information is by no means easy. So that focus on meat-based dishes, while perfectly Bangledeshi, doesn't entirely represent this complex country.

I also struggle with the identity of this country. In the last hundred years, Bangledesh has been part of British India, then Pakistan, and then its own nation. Despite once being part of Pakistan it shares a climate, and many dishes with the neighboring Indian state of West Bengal. (Previously Bangledesh was known as East Bengal or East Pakistan, further complicating the issue).

Of course, one need not go all that far into the past of many nations to find such intricacies, but Bangledesh is particularly forgotten, at least here in Midwestern America, where I suspect few people are very aware of this country, largely forgotten next to its more prominent cousins on the world stage.

Aash-e Sholeh Qalamkar

This delicious lamb recipe delivers a rich flavor, and a wonderful texture.

Aash-e Sholeh Qalamkar (based on this recipe)

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1 lb ground lamb

1/2 bunch parsley, chopped

1/2 bunch chives or scallions ends, finely chopped

1/2 bunch dill, finely chopped

1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

1 cup peas

1/2 cup rice, rinsed

1/2 cup chickpeas

1/2 cup lentils

3 large onions, chopped

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/ tsp salt

1 tbsp canola oil

Night Before (or morning before):

Soak beans and lentils for 4-5 hours, or overnight.

Cooking:
In a large pot, fry ground lamb until browned. Drain of excess greases and set aside in a bowl.

Now fry onions in the remaining lamb grease until golden brown. Add lamb, chickpeas, lentils, turmeric, salt, pepper, and water and bring to a simmer. Simmer for one hour.

Add rice and simmer another 20-30 minutes, adding more water if necessary.

Add peas, chives, dill, scallion ends/chives, cilantro, parsley, and peas. Return to a simmer and continue cooking for another 15 minutes.

Persian Rice Pilaf

Persian Rice Pilaf (based on this recipe)

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 tbsp butter or oil

1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1 1/2 basmati rice

1/2 cup golden raisins

1 1/2 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 cups chicken broth

Cooking:

Melt butter over medium heat and add the onions and almonds. Saute 7 minutes or until onions are translucent. Stir in rice, raisins, turmeric, and cinnamon. Add broth, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to a simmer, cover and simmer 20 minutes.

Chelo Kebab

This is trhe national dish of Iran, or something like that. It's uncomplicated, easy, and tasty.

Chelo Kebab (based on this recipe)

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 12 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:1 lb ground lamb

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 large onion, minced

salt to taste

Grill:

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Divide mixture into fourths, and form into elongated forms, and place on spears.

Place on a grill and cook 4-6 minutes, or until done.

Serve with white rice and pita bread.

Chapter 24 : Iran

Iran's history is rich and ancient, and while we often label it the "middle east", in culinary tradition it sits between the traditions of the middle east and India, two regions who seems nearly irreconcilable with each other.

It is a cuisine rich in dill, cilantro, turmeric, saffron, and eggplant. Unfortunately, as I was leaving for vacation as I began this, I hardly had time to explore it fully, but the recipes that follow will gie yoyu some food for though, or vice versa.