Recipes

• 250 g (5) Indian eggplant
• 200 g (2) New potatoes
• 1 tbsp Jaswant's Kitchen Tadka Masala
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tsp mango powder - amchur (optional)
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 hot banana pepper cut into ½ inch rings (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F on bake setting.

Wash potatoes and eggplant thoroughly and wipe dry with paper towel. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and then slice into thin wedges that are about ½ inch wide. Set aside.

Cut eggplants by making a cross at the bottom of them that goes about ¾ of the way, making sure not to cut the stems. Sprinkle salt into the cuts of the eggplant. Then sprinkle 1/2 of the Jaswant's Kitchen Tadka Masala into the cuts of eggplant.

Heat a skillet or pot on medium high heat. Add oil and cook the potatoes until lightly browned on all sides (about 15 minutes). Add the eggplants and banana peppers (if using) and the rest of Jaswant's Kitchen Tadka Masala. Stir until masala coats all the potatoes. Add water. Cover with a tight fitting lid and place in oven. Set timer for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, check for doneness and sprinkle with mango powder (if using). Serve with naan or chapatti.

Makes 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 35 min

• 1 Sicilian eggplant
• 1 onion (chopped into large chunks)
• 1 tbsp ginger (minced)
• 3 tomatoes (coarsely chopped)
• 1 tsp Jaswant’s Kitchen Tadka Masala
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1 green hot chili (chopped)
• ½ tsp Jaswant’s Kitchen Garam Masala
• salt (to taste)

Directions:

1. Preheat BBQ or oven broiler to 350°F.

2. Rub oil on eggplant and roast for about 10-15 minutes or until the skin is bruised. Turn the eggplant to cook other side for another 10-15 minutes. Check for doneness with knife or skewer. Pulp should be quite soft.

3. Remove from oven/BBQ and let cool. Remove the skin by peeling, keeping the pulp and juices aside in a bowl. Coarsely mash up the pulp.

4. Heat heavy frying pan on medium heat. Add oil and fry onions until translucent.

5. Add Jaswant’s Kitchen Tadka Masala. Fry for 1 minute and then add tomatoes, chilies and ginger. Cook for 2-3 minutes until tomatoes become soft.

6. Add eggplant pulp and juices. Mix well, cover and lower heat to medium-low. Cook for another 5-8 minutes.

7. Remove lid and continue to cook on low heat until water dries up if there is any present. Add salt to taste.

Sprinkle with Jaswant’s Kitchen Garam Masala and serve with naan or chapatti and raita.

• 4 cups Cooked chickpeas (2 -19oz cans)
• 3 tbsp Jaswant’s Kitchen Tadka Masala
• 1 tsp Jaswant’s Kitchen Garam Masala
• 1 tbsp Ginger minced
• 1 tsp Garlic minced
• 2 tbsp Oil or Ghee
• 1 large Tomato (chopped)
• 1 tbsp Tomato paste
• 1 tsp Lemon juice
• 2½ cups Water (hot)
• ¾ tsp Salt or to taste
• ¼ cup Cilantro, chopped

Biryani is an exotic dish from the Royal Kitchens of India. It is a beautifully complex dish that layers fragrant rice with moist meat curry (in this case chicken) topped with caramelized onions and toasted nuts. Traditionally the layered dish is sealed with dough to keep it moist while baking. Then the baked dough cover is opened at the table for a theatrical finish.  In this recipe we use aluminum foil as the cover which is a little less time consuming.

It is a recipe that looks complicated but keep in mind that it is essentially 2 dishes in one (rice and meat) and the finished product is well worth the effort. The whole recipe can easily be prepped the day before and baked just before serving.

Whole spices for Chicken (available for purchase in our online store)
1             2” Cinnamon stick
2             Black Cardamom pods
2 tsp      Cumin seeds (whole)
4             Green cardamom pods
3             Bay leaves small or 1 large
1             Star anise flower
10           Black peppercorns
5             Cloves
 

Ingredients for Rice
2½ cups Basmati rice (no substitution)
5 cups    Water (for soaking)
2 small    Bay leaves or 1 large
1 tsp       Cumin seeds (whole)
1             2” Cinnamon stick
3 tbsp     Oil or Ghee (divided)
1 tsp       Salt
 
Toppings
1 large     Onion halved and then sliced thin
½ cup      Slivered almonds
2 tbsp.     Oil or Ghee
¼ cup      Mint (finely chopped & divided in half)
½ cup      Cilantro (finely chopped)
1 tsp        Saffron strands
4 tbsp      Milk
2 tbsp      Lemon juice
1/8 cup    Plain yogurt
Raita Salt or plain salt and pepper (to taste) 

Method:

Chicken: Marinate the pieces of chicken with Jaswant’s Kitchen Tadka Masala, 2 Tbsp oil and ginger for at least 2 hrs (overnight if you have time for best results).

Heat pot on medium high heat and add the remaining 2 tbsp oil or ghee and fry the whole spices until fragrant (1 minute or less). Add garlic and fry another minute before adding the onion. Cook for 2 minutes until onions become translucent. Add the marinated chicken and brown on all sides for 4-5 minutes. Add yogurt, tomato paste, mace, salt and nutmeg. Stir to mix and add ¾ cup hot water. When the mixture starts to simmer, cover and let cook for 15 minutes on med low. Cool and keep aside.

Rice: Wash the rice in cold water and drain. Soak the rice in 5 cups of water for 30 minutes. Then strain and reserve the soaking water.

Heat pot on medium high heat, add oil and fry whole spices until fragrant.  Add rice and stir for 2 minutes to coat with oil then add reserved water and salt. When it starts to boil, lower the heat to med-low, cover with a tight fitting lid and cook for 8 min or until water is absorbed. Note: We are cooking the rice for a shorter period of time than normally required because it will be cooked again at the end once layered. Cool the rice quickly by spreading it in a large shallow dish and tossing gently.

 Preparing the toppings

• Chop cilantro and mint finely
• Heat a pan on low heat, add oil and fry the onion slices until golden and caramelized about 20 minutes then keep aside
• In the same pan, fry the slivered almonds in the remaining oil until golden
• Heat the milk until hot to touch and add crushed saffron strands
• Mix and let stand until the color turns yellow. Cool and keep aside
• Add Jaswant’s Kitchen Raita Salt or salt/pepper (to taste), along with ½ of the chopped mint to the plain yogurt

Assembly of Biryani

Preheat oven to 350F if serving the same day (otherwise you can do the final baking the following day.  Once chicken and rice has cooled, choose a casserole dish or any ovenproof dish that has a tight fitting lid. Alternately, aluminum foil can be used to seal the contents after assembly.

Spread most of the sauce from the chicken curry as the base. Layer half of the rice on top of the sauce. Sprinkle half of the following toppings -mint, cilantro, almonds & onions. Sprinkle the yogurt mixture all over with spoon in different spots. Next, layer all the chicken pieces with any remaining gravy. Top with the remainder of the rice and sprinkle the rest of the almonds, onions and chopped coriander. Drizzle the saffron milk in some spots and lemon juice all over the top layer. Cover tightly with aluminum foil making sure that the ends are sealed well to keep the moisture in and bake for 30 minutes. Serve with Raita and your favourite salad.

Cooking Tip:

For a stress free meal, make all the components (chicken, rice and toppings) and also assemble Biryani the day before and refrigerate. Bake just before serving.

Serves: 8

How to Make Chicken Curry - Jaswant's Kitchen from Jaswant's Kitchen on Vimeo.

Makes 2-3 servings
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 40 min

• 3 cups carrots (peeled and chopped into ½ inch cubes)
• 1 tsp ginger (minced)
• 1 cup sweet peas (frozen or fresh shelled peas)
• ¼ cup coriander (chopped)
• 1 tbsp oil
• 2 tsp Jaswant’s Kitchen Tadka Masala
• ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
• ¼ tsp Jaswant’s Kitchen Garam Masala

Heat a heavy based pan over medium heat. Add the oil and stir fry carrots for 3-4 minutes. Add Jaswant's Kitchen Tadka Masala and salt, followed immediately by 2 tablespoons of water (to avoid burning the masala). Mix to coat well with the spices and cook for another 2 minutes while stirring. Add peas and ginger and mix well.  Lower heat to medium low. Cook covered for about 6-8 minutes until carrots are cooked through. Remove lid and dry any remaining liquid if present. Add chopped coriander and Jaswant's Kitchen Garam Masala.

This dish tastes great as a side to a daal or meat dish. Serve with chapatti and yogourt or raita to complete the meal.

Tip: Diced potatoes or small cauliflower florets can be added for variety. 

Nutritional benefits: Carrots are rich sources of beta-carotene and also contain phytonutrients that are cell protective. Different varieties have different types of phytonutrients.  Green peas are great source of high quality protein, fibre and micronutrients. 

Makes 5-6 servings
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 15-20 min

• 900g    Ground lamb (triple ground works best) – beef works well too
• 2 tsp    Jaswant’s Kitchen Tadka Masala
• 2 tbsp  Jaswant’s Kitchen Tandoori Masala
• ½ tsp   Jaswant’s kitchen Garam Masala
• 2 tbsp  Ginger (minced)
• 2 tbsp  Garlic (minced)
• 1 cup   Onion (minced)
• 1 tsp    Salt (or to taste)
• 1 tsp    Green chili (minced) - optional for extra heat

Preheat oven to 400 degrees on bake convection setting or preheat BBQ on high heat.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix until all in ingredients are well incorporated. Make a small ball and cook in the microwave for 30 seconds to check if it has enough salt/seasoning and adjust by adding more if desired.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Form small balls (1-1.5” size) with the lamb mixture and place on baking sheet. If using the BBQ reduce heat to medium and use aluminum foil to ensure the kebabs don’t fall through the grates. You can also do longer kebabs on skewers or patties (like burger patties) to suit the occasion.

Cook until lightly brown about 15 mins, turning halfway through. Ensure internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Remove from the oven or BBQ and transfer to a paper towel plate to soak up any extra fat.

Serve with Mango Salsa or Mint Chutney.

Serving Tips:

1. Serve the meatballs with toothpicks as an appetizer.
2. As a wrap - heat a pita/naan on a griddle, and top with greens of your choice, chopped onions, tomatoes, cucumber and kebabs. Drizzle with Raita, fold and serve as a sandwich wrap.
3. Add these meatballs to butter chicken sauce.
4. This recipe works well with ground beef or a mixture of beef and lamb.

Serves: 8 as a main meal

Any festive or religious occasion calls for this lentil dish on the menu. It was popularized by road-side eateries called dhabas in India where the daal was served with a dollop of freshly churned butter. Jaswant’s Kitchen Tadka Masala makes it very easy to make. This dish is also referred to as urad daal or daal makhani.

*NOTE: For BEST results, use the slow cooker method mentioned at the bottom of the recipe. Cooking time for the oven method can vary greatly depending on the strength of the oven and the particular batch of beans used.

• 1 cup Mahn Di Daal (Black Lentils)
• 4 ½ cups water
• 1  tsp salt (or to taste)
• 1 tbsp Jaswant’s Kitchen Tadka Masala
• ½ tsp  Jaswant’s Kitchen Garam Masala
• 1 tsp butter (optional)
• ¼ cup cilantro (chopped for garnish)

Makes 4-5 servings
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 1h 30 min to 8 hours

How to Make Butter Chicken - Jaswant's Kitchen from Jaswant's Kitchen on Vimeo.

Grilled Chicken

• 1 kg chicken breasts or thighs
• ¾ cup plain yoghurt
• 4 tsp Jaswant’s Kitchen Tandoori Masala
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp white vinegar 
• 1 tbsp garlic (minced)
• 1 tbsp ginger (minced)
• 2  tsp salt
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 1 tsp mango powder (or substitute with 1 tbsp lemon juice)
• ½ tsp Jaswant’s Kitchen Garam Masala

 
Sauce

• 1 kg ripe tomatoes (or 1-28oz can of good quality canned tomatoes)
• ¾ cup whipping cream
• 120 g unsalted butter
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 green chili (minced)
• 1 tsp black pepper (freshly ground)
• ¼ cup cilantro (chopped for garnish) 

Grilled Chicken
Remove skin and wash chicken with cold running water and pat dry with paper towel.  Make deep cuts in chicken. Rub salt and lemon juice all over and into the cuts.

In a bowl combine yoghurt, Jaswant’s Kitchen Tandoori Masala, vinegar, ginger, garlic and 1 tbsp oil. Add chicken to bowl making sure all pieces are covered with mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours to help the flavours penetrate the chicken.

Bake on middle rack of oven at 450°F on a greased broil pan or grill on BBQ. Cook for 15 minutes basting the chicken occasionally with the marinade (keep extra marinade). Turn pieces and cook for another 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle Jaswant’s Kitchen Garam Masala and mango powder (or lemon juice) on all pieces. Brush with 1 tbsp oil and broil/grill for 3-4 minutes until golden. Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes. Cut into smaller pieces. Add any pan juices to the remaining marinade and cook on the stovetop until it thickens and add to the tomato sauce (below) for more flavour.

Butter Chicken Sauce
Sauce can be made a day in advance. Remove seeds from tomatoes and chop coarsely. Cook tomatoes on medium heat for 5 minutes in a heavy pot.  Cover and lower heat to simmer. When tomatoes are soft use a hand blender to puree.  Add butter, salt, pepper and green chili. When butter has melted add the cream and mix.

Heat sauce and combine with chicken pieces and the cooked marinade. Simmer for 5-6 minutes. Add ½ of the chopped cilantro. Add more salt and green chili to taste.  Garnish with rest of the cilantro. Serve with basmati rice and naan.

Makes 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 15 min (marinate chicken overnight for best results)
Cook Time: 40 min

Pumpkins are a rich source of many vitamins, minerals and disease fighting phytonutrients including beta carotene. For this dish we recommend using Jamaican pumpkin (shown in the second picture). This particular variety is not as starchy as the North American pumpkin. 

• 1 ½ lbs petha aka Jamaican pumpkin (washed, peeled with seeds removed and cut into 1 inch cubes)
• 1 tbsp Jaswant’s Kitchen Tadka Masala
• 1 tbsp wadhi (optional - see note below)
• 1 tsp  fenugreek seeds
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• ½ tsp Jaswant’s Kitchen Garam Masala
• 1 tsp red chili pepper flakes (optional if you like extra heat)
• ¼ cup water

Pre-heat oven to 350°F degrees on bake setting (use convection option if your oven has it).

On the stove, heat oil on medium heat in an oven safe pan (that has a lid) and fry fenugreek seeds, crushed wadhi (if using) and red chili flakes (if using). When the color of the wadhi and fenugreek seeds starts to change and you can start to smell their fragrance, add the washed and cut up pumpkin. Stir for one minute and add Jaswant’s Kitchen Tadka Masala, salt, tomato paste and water. Mix well and raise heat to high. When the water boils and the mixture is hot and steamy, turn stove off. Cover with a tight fitting lid and place in the middle rack of preheated oven. Cook for 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and stir.  If any water remains, cook on the stove top on medium high heat to evaporate the water. It may turn mushy but that is normal. Add Jaswant's Kitchen Garam Masala and stir.

Serve hot with a small amount of butter (optional) along with naan or fresh whole wheat chapatti. Serve with vegetable raita to offset the heat in this dish.

This recipe is usually served along with a daal or meat dish to make it a complete meal.  

Note: A wadhi is small ball of spiced lentil and vegetable paste which is fermented and sundried.  It is traditionally used in Punjabi cuisine to enhance the flavour of certain dishes. You can buy this item in most Indian grocery stores.