Almond Pistachio Saffron Curry Sauce Restaurant Style Recipe
Ingredients:
1/2 cup raw unblanched almonds
1/2 cup shelled, unsalted raw pistachio nuts
2 Tbsp ghee
1 large onion, peeled and grated
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp mace
1/2 tsp freshly ground white pepper
2 green cardamom pods, husked, and ground
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 pinch nutmeg
1/2 tsp saffron threads, soaked in 2 tablespoons hot water
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 tsp salt and black pepper, or to taste
Method :
Combine almonds and pistachios in a 10-inch frying pan and dry-roast over medium heat for
8 to 10 minutes. Place in a blender or a food processor and reduce to a powder. Set aside.
Heat ghee in a heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until
lightly browned. Stir in spices and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in saffron,
cream, salt and powdered nuts. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and
simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 12
to 15 minutes.
Use this smooth sauce to steam meat or chicken breasts. One recipe will be enough for
about 1-1/2 pounds of cooked meat or 1 lb. mixed vegetables.
Badam (Almond) Paneer Curry - Restaurant style
Serves: 4 Prep. time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 lb. paneer cut into small pieces
2 pieces onions
1/2 inch ginger
1 tsp roasted jeera (cumin seeds)
1 tbsp khus-khus (poppy seeds)
1 tbsp broken cashewnuts
1/2 tsp chilli powder
salt to taste
1 tsp garam masala (mixed spices)
1 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp curd
3 tbsp cream
4 tbsp ghee
10 pieces badam (almonds)
Method :
1. Cut paneer into 1/4 inch square pieces.
2. Grind onion and ginger to a paste.
3. Grind cashewnuts and poppy seeds together.
4. Blanch and coarsely pound almonds
5. Heat ghee, fry almonds to a golden brown colour, remove from ghee, keep aside.
6. Add onion paste to ghee. Cook till golden brown in colour.
7. Add cashewnut paste. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
8. Add chilli powder, jeera.
9. Add curd and cook till ghee separates.
10. Add coconut milk, almonds and salt. Cook for 5-7 minutes.
11. Add garam masala, paneer and cream.
12. Remove from fire.
Almond or Badami Seera or Pudding (Serves 5)
Ingredients:
Blanch 20 Almonds by soaking them in warm water
1 cup: sooji or semolina
1 tsp: cardamom Powder
1/4 tsp: saffron Strands - crushed
10 blanched almonds chopped into slivers or halved
1 tbsp warm milk
1 cup ghee
3/4 cup: sugar
3 cup: water
Method :
1. Rub and dissolve saffron in milk. Keep aside.
2. Dry and powder blanched almonds. Saving 10 for garnishing.
3. Melt ghee in a large heavy pan.
4. Add semolina Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.
5. Add almond slivers. Stir-fry till golden
6. Take care to stir continuously.
7. Add water. Stir and cook.
8. Add sugar and cook further. Stirring gently.
9. When ghee starts to separate from the dish. Add cardamom and saffron.
10. Stir. Place into serving dish.
11. Garnish with chopped almonds.
Chicken Pasanda
Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts boned and skinned
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic
50 g (2 oz) almonds
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon green cardamoms
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Marinade
150 g (5 oz) natural yoghurt
1 teaspoon ginger puree
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground aniseed
Garnish
toasted slivered almonds
chopped fresh coriander leaves
Method :
Combine the marinade ingredients. Brush the marinade onto the chicken, cover and
refrigerate for several hours.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and set the latter aside for later use.
Fry the chicken over medium heat in the oil for about four minutes each side or until
golden brown. Remove and set aside.
Stir-fry the onion, crushed garlic and almonds in the same pan for about two minutes. Take
the pan off the heat and place the contents into a blender.
Add the cloves, cardamom, turmeric, pepper and 50 ml (2 fl oz) water to the blender. Puree
into a paste.
Return the paste to the frying pan and simmer over a medium heat for five minutes,
stirring occasionally. Add 175-250 ml (6-8) fl oz water and the chicken with the reserved
marinade, and continue to stir-fry for a further 15-20 minutes.
Sprinkle with toasted almonds and coriander leaves before serving.
Serves 4.
Pasanda Lamb Curry
Ingredients:
2 lb Boned leg of lamb
1 x 1 inch cube root ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
4 Cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped, up to 6
2 Fresh green chillies, seeded and coarsely chopped
4 tbl Natural yoghurt
2 oz Ghee or unsalted butter
3 med Sized onions, finely sliced
1/2 tsp Ground turmeric
1 tsp Ground cumin
2 tsp Ground coriander
1/2 tsp Ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp Chilli powder
8 fl oz warm water
1 1/4 tsp Salt or to taste
5 fl oz single cream
1 oz Ground almonds
1 tsp Garam masala
2 tbl Rosewater
1/2 tsp Paprika
Method :
Beat the meat with a meat mallet to flatten it to 1/4 inch thickness, then cut into thin
slices (about 1 1/2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide).
Put the ginger, garlic, green chillies and yoghurt into an electric liquidizer or food
processor and blend until smooth.
Melt the ghee or butter over medium heat and fry the onions until they are lightly
browned, 6-8 minutes.
Add the turmeric, cumin, coriander, nutmeg and chilli powder. Adjust heat to low, stir and
fry for 2-3 minutes.
Add the meat and fry it over high heat for 3-4 minutes or until it changes colour.
Add about 2tbsp of the liquidized ingredients and cook for 1-2 minutes stirring
frequently. Repeat this process until all the yoghurt mixture is used up.
Now fry the meat over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently.
