Showing posts with label Mike Gorman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mike Gorman. Show all posts

Thursday, 25 September 2008

Mushroom Dhal - Mike Gorman

Ingredients:
250 grams red lentils
1 large onion
4 Cloves garlic chopped
1 piece thumb sized ginger chopped
1 long dried red chilli
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 large vine tomato
10 chesnut mushrooms (or 3 portabello mushrooms)
Boiling Water
1 tsp salt

Method:

1. Chop half the onion, and place in a pan with the lentils, ginger, garlic, tumeric, red chilli and salt. Cover with boiling water and bring down to a simmer. Cover the pan.

2. When the lentils are cooked, chop the tomato and add to the lentils. Simmer for 5 more mins then remove from the heat.

3. Pour 1 tbls of vegetable or sunflower oil into a frying pan and turn the heat up.

4. Slice the remaining half of the onion, and slice the mushrooms into thin slices.

5. Put the mustard seeds and cumin seeds into the hot oil. They should spit and splutter.

6. After about 30secs add the sliced onion, and fry until browned well. Then add the mushrooms.

7. Fry until the mushroom is soft then pore the whole contents of the frying pan into the dhal, stir, and serve.

Leftover Chicken Biryani - Mike Gorman

This is my own modification of the traditional Anglo Indian Biryani recipe, that works especially well with leftover roast chicken. I've actually tried it with guinea fowl, after making the pot roast recipe below, and it came out great.
These amount are based on a 4lb chicken that has already fed 2 people.
This recipe will easily feed 4 more from the same chicken.

The basic premise here, is to first, make a broth with the bones and whole spices.
Then make the Green Masala, and fry the leftover cooked chicken in that.
Then fry the rice, in the chicken / green masala.
Then add the broth, and cook till ready.

Ingredients:

Broth:
1 onion roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
1 piece of thumb sized ginger roughly chopped
1 stick of celery roughly chopped
1 carrot roughly chopped
2 sticks of cassia bark (cinammon)
6 cloves
5 green cardomon pods
10 black peppercorns
2 pints of water

Green Masala / Rice:
10 curry leaves
1 onion finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 piece of thumb sized ginger finely chopped or grated
1 small bunch fresh green coriander (about the amount you get for 79p in a supermarket) - finely chopped.
1 tablespoon dried mint
2-4 green chillies
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/4 black pepper
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
leftover chicken
380g rice
2 tablespoons natural yoghurt
1-2 tsp salt (to taste)
1/2 lime (optional)


2 large pots....1 for the broth, one oven proof pot for the biryani.

Method:
1. First remove all the leftover chicken from the bones, and break the bones down into small single pieces.

2. Place all the broth ingredients into a large pot and bring to the boil. Turn down to a simmer and cover the pot.

3. Next, heat 1tbls of sunflower or vegetable oil in the oven proof pot or casserole. Add the curry leaves and fry for about 1 min until they are slightly browned at the edges.

4. Add the onions, garlic and ginger and fry on medium heat until soft.

5. Add the green coriander, mint and green chillies, and continue to fry on a medium heat for about 3-4 minutes.

6. Add the tumeric, ground coriander, cumin, mustard powder and black pepper. Fry for about 1-2 mins, then add the vinegar.

7. When the vinegar has evaporated, add the chicken and fry for 2-3 mins until well coated.

8. Add the rice and fry for another 2-3 mins and stir in the yoghurt. Take the pan off the heat. Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees C.

9. When the broth has had about 45 mins, remove from the heat and pass through a colander to remove the bones / veg etc from the liquid.

10. Pour the liquid into the rice pot, enough so that it covers the rice with about 1/2 inch to spare. If there's not enough liquid, add some hot water. Add the salt, and bring to a simmer.

11. Cover the pot and place in the oven. After 15 mins check to see if all the water has been absorbed. If not place back until this is the case. When all the water has been absorbed, turn off the heat and leave in the oven for a further 15-30 mins. This gives a chance for the rice to absorb all the steam and improves the flavour even more.

12. Before serving, squeeze the lime into the biryani and mix. This goes especially well with Mushroom Dhal (see next recipe)..















Really easy Buttered Parsley Rice - Mike Gorman

This is so simple, it doesn't really warrent being called a recipe, but it's a nice way to serve boiled rice. It goes very well with the Guinea Fowl recipe below, as well as with Indian dishes.

First rule is always use good quality Basmati rice.

Soak the rice in water for 1/2 hour minimum. The reason for this is that it rids the rice of a lot of starch, after washing it, and helps it to cook quicker and fluffier. Rinse well in a sieve.

Then place the rice in a pan, and cover with boiling water. The trick here is to use twice the amount of water than rice, (eg 1/2 cup of rice need 1 cup of water).

Add salt, and bring down to a gentle simmer.

Cover the pan.

After about 10 mins, the rice should be cooked. Have a look. If it looks like there's still water floating on the top, then leave for another couple of mins.

When cooked, take the rice off the heat and throw in about 2 tsp of good quality dried parsley (freeze dried is good) and a generous knob of butter, cut into small pieces. Make sure you distribute the butter pieces evenly. Don't stir the rice yet. Replace the lid and leave on the stove (but not on the heat) for 5 mins.

Immediately before serving, gently stir the parsley and melted butter into the rice.

Pot Roast Guinea Fowl (or Chicken) with Chickpeas - Mike Gorman

This recipe works equally as well with a good free range chicken.

Ingredients:
1 Guinea Fowl (about 4lbs or 1.8kg)
1 onion (chopped)
4 shallots (chopped)
1 stick of celery (chopped)
6 cloves garlic (chopped)
2 carrots (chopped)
1 tin of chick peas
1 tsp smoked paprika
3 anchovy fillets (chopped)
2 bay leaves
250 ml white wine
250 ml water (boiling)
olive oil
a small knob of butter

You will need
a large pot or casserole with a tight fitting lid, and a large frying pan.

Method:
1. In the large pot, fry the anchovy fillets in olive oil and the butter, for about 30 secs - 1 min, until they've more or less disintigrated into a paste.
2. Add the onion, shallots and garlic, and fry them until softened.
3. Add the celery and carrots, and fry for 5 mins on medium (careful not to burn)
4. Add the smoked paprika, and stir into the mixture for about 1 min.
5. Add the wine, bring to the boil and then add the boiling water and bay leaves, and bring down to a gentle simmer. Add the chickpeas and cover the pan.
6. Pour about 1tbls of olive oil into the large frying pan, and heat up. Brown the guinea fowl on all sides. It will spit and splatter quite a lot, but you can turn it by using a cloth to protect your hands, and manipulating it by the legs and wings.
7. When browned, carefully place the bird into the casserole or pot, sitting in the broth. Cover with a double layer of foil, shiny side down, and place the lid firmly on top of this.
8. Cook in a 200 degree oven for 1 hour, then remove the lid for 15 mins, to crisp up the skin.
9. Remove the bird to a warmed plate, and let rest for 10 mins. Meanwhile, place the Casserole on the stove, and bring the broth to a simmer. Mashing a few chick peas and carrots with a fork at this stage will help thicken it a litte.
10. Serve with boiled rice or mashed potatoes.



Monday, 22 September 2008

Restaurant Recommendation - Geeta, London

Geeta, 57 Willesden Lane, London.
By Mike Gorman

Having grown up eating South Indian food, I'm always looking for a restaurant that reminds me of this type of home cooking.
There are a few of these in the Tooting area, since there's a South Indian community there, but the only place I've come across in the rest of London that really fits the bill for me, is Geeta.

The food is unpretentious, with sensible sized portions, incredibly reasonably priced, and very very good indeed.
Some favorites for me are Kerala Fried Lamb, Potato Vadas (sometimes known as bondas), Rasam (a spicy tamarind based soup, which is also known as pepperwater), Kerala Fish Curry, Special Chicken Curry (on the bone, which is a rarity in many indian restaurants), Prawn Madras, Dhal with spinach (an amazing combo), Lemon Rice and Coconut Rice, to name a few.
Also, virtually all of their veg dishes are stunning, and the Masala Dosai is a showpiece of the restaurant, with an incredibly light crisp pancake rolled around some sumptuous potato curry.

One thing that separates Geeta from many of the regular Indian restaurants around (many of which use a North Indian Bangladeshi style of cooking), is that all the dishes are prepared to an individual recipe, rather than the standard practice of having a single base sauce for everything and then adding precooked chicken or lamb to various spice powders and tomato puree in a big wok, which inevitably results in many dishes tasting very similar.
Some of the characteristic ingredients of South Indian food are curry leaves, mustard seeds and coconut, which are used to great effect in many of the dishes at this establishment.

Another thing worth a mention is the discretion of the staff, who are always extremely polite and helpful, but never intrusive or inappropriately over familiar.

By the way, the nearby South Indian restaurant VJ's, is also very good indeed, but in my opinion, Geeta has a more homecooked feel, and is much better value.

Mike Gorman.

Saturday, 20 September 2008

Pepper Mince - Mike Gorman

Ingredients:
1lb of beef mince
2 medium potatoes (preferably maris piper) diced
1 large onion
6 cloves of garlic
1 1.5 inch piece of fresh ginger
4 green chillis
5 curry leaves
6 cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp natural yohurt
¾ tbsp vinegar
½ tsp haldi (tumeric) or saffron
1 tsp crushed black pepper
1tsp salt
1 cup water

Method:
Chop the onion, ginger, garlic and green chillis and fry with the curry leaves until soft. Add the beef mince and fry. When mince is brown, add pepper, salt and haldi or saffron. Fry for a few minutes. Next add the vinegar. After about 1 minute add the water. Simmer for 20 minutes. Then add tomatoes and potatoes and simmer for a further 20 minutes. Stir in the yoghurt and cook for a further 10 minutes. Serve with rice.

Anglo Indian Lamb Fry - Mike Gorman

Ingredients:
Paste:
4 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
1-2 tbs vinegar
For the fry:
500g cubed lamb (shoulder or leg)
2 pints water
1 tbs groundnut, sunflower or vegetable oil (not olive oil)
1tsp black mustard seeds
4 cardamon seeds
2 pieces cassia bark or cinnamon (about 1 inch long each)
5-6 cloves
8-10 curry leaves
2 medium onions
4-5 garlic cloves
1 piece of ginger (1-2 inches)
2 green chillies (or more if required)
1-2 tsp salt (to taste)
some chopped fresh green coriander
1/2 lime (optional)

Method:
First place the lamb in a pan with the water, bring to the boil and simmer for 1/2 hour on low.

Meanwhile, chop the onions, garlic, ginger and green chillies.

Then, place the spices for the paste in a large bowl, and blend with the vinegar until a smooth paste is achieved (using more or less vinegar as necessary).

When the lamb has simmered for 1/2 hour, remove from the pan with a slotted spoon (reserving the water) and place in the spice paste.
Mix well.

(You can do all this in advance, since the longer the lamb sits in the paste the better, but it'll still be nice if cooked straight away.)

When you are ready, heat the oil in a pan until hot.
Add the whole spices (mustard seeds, cardamon, cinnamon, cloves) and the curry leaves.
The pan will splutter and spit.
When the curry leaves are slightly brown (probably 1/2 minute) add the onions, garlic, ginger and green chillies.
Fry until the onion is soft, brown and translucent.
Add the Lamb to the pan with and remaining spice paste from the bowl.
Fry until the lamb is brown.
Add the salt.
Add 1-2 ladles of the water that the lamb was boiled in and simmer gently (open not covered), until all the water has evaporated.
(You can add more of the water if you require the lamb to be tenderer and simmer again until dry.)
Before serving, add the green coriander and lime juice if required.
Serve with rice or chappatis

Mussels in tomato and saffron sauce with Catalan tomato bread - Mike Gorman

Ingredients:
For main dish:
500g live mussels
250g white fish (eg cod, haddock, black halibut, plaice) with skin on
1 onion
1 shallot
2 large cloves of garlic
1 small red chilli
1/2 tsp saffron
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 green pepper
1/2 glass red wine (preferably rioja)
3/4 pint of fish stock
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 bunch flat leaf parsley
1 small slice of butter
3 tblsp olive oil

For Tomato Bread:
1 fresh french stick or similar bread
4-5 fresh vine tomatoes
extra virgin olive oil
2-3 large cloves of garlic

Method:
For main dish:
Heat olive oil and butter in a heavy lidded pot. Chop onion, shallot, garlic and red chilli, and fry in oil and butter until soft. Add saffron, salt and pepper and fry for 2 more minutes. Add the green pepper and the red wine, cook for 5 minutes. Add fish stock and tomatoes, place lid on pot and simmer for 30-40 mins. Prepare mussels by washing and removing beards. Discard any that do not shut when tapped sharply on the kitchen sink. After sauce has simmered for 30-40 mins add white fish, replace lid, and simmer for a further 20 mins. The fish will disintegrate and add flavour and body to the sauce. Add mussels and parsley, chopped, replace lid and cook for a further 5-10 mins. The mussels will open when cooked.
Discard any mussels that have not opened after about 5 mins. Serve with Catalan tomato bread (below).

For Tomato Bread:
First slice the tomatoes in half, and cut the garlic cloves in half, across the grain (no need to peel them).
Then (and in this order), rub a slice of the bread with the exposed surface of the garlic, followed by one of the tomato halves, and drizzle with olive oil. Simple as that!

Chicken Biryani (My Mother's recipe) - Mike Gorman

Ingredients:
For The Broth:
2 lbs chicken on the bone
2 pints water
2 or 3 bay leaves
1 onion
1/4-1/2 tsp haldi (tumeric)
1 inch piece of ginger
2 cloves garlic
3-4 cinnamon sticks
1/4-1/2 tsp ground black pepper
4-6 cloves
1tsp salt
1 stock cube (optional)

For The Rice:
1 1/2 lbs rice
6 tblsps oil
natural yoghurt
2-3 onions
1 1/2 ozs garlic
1 1/2 ozs ginger
3-6 green chillies
1 tspn dried mint
1/2 bunch fresh green coriander
1 oz coconut
1/4 tsp haldi
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp pepper
8 cloves
2 black cardamons

Method:
Make the broth by boiling water with broth ingredients for 30-40 mins.
Make the "Green Masala" by frying the chopped onions, ginger, garlic, haldi, cinnamon, pepper, cloves, cardamons, coriander, chillies and mint together in the oil. Remove the meat from the broth and fry in the "Green Masala".
Add the rice (which should have been soaked in cold water for half an hour previously) and fry in the "Green Masala" with the meat.
Add enouph broth to 1/2 cook the rice.
Add rest of broth and place in 180 degrees C oven, to dry off and finish cooking.
10 mins before rice is fully dried off, stir in 2-4 tablespoons of natural yoghurt.
Squeeze 1/2 lemon in before serving (optional).
Can be served with dhal, or on its own, or even with another curry.