Tag: Indian cuisine

  • Shashlik

    photo of shashlik kebab skewers being barbequed
    Shashlik kebabs on a grill

    Shashlik (sometimes also called shashlyk or shish kebab) is a term given to skewered meat in some parts of the world, particularly in Eastern Europe and in Middle Eastern countries. Traditionally the meat used would be lamb or goat, especially in Islamic countries.  But these days it can be found with a variety of meat, eg pork, chicken, beef or fish, depending on local preferences and religious beliefs.

    Sometimes the skewers are threaded with meat only and sometimes the meat is alternated with pieces of fat – good for keeping the meat moist when grilling – or vegetable pieces, eg onion, bell pepper, tomato, mushrooms, etc.

    A favourite in Pakistan and Afghanistan is to serve several skewers of lamb or goat meat on a naan bread and accompany it with sliced red onions, sliced tomatoes, green chillies, a bunch of coriander, and lime wedges.

    Greece has a very similar type of kebab called souvlaki, and traditionally this is made with pork meat.

     

     

  • Ginger

    whole ginger and powdered ginger

    Ginger is a flowering plant whose rhizome, or root, is highly prized as a spice. It originated in Southern Asia and was exported to Europe as early as the Roman times. These days it’s mainly grown in India, Jamaica, Africa, China and Australia.

    It’s widely used as a flavouring for many Asian and Caribbean dishes – most curries have a garlic and ginger base to which other spices are added. In Western culture, however, it’s more often used in baking, particularly in its powdered form (see above photo).

  • Achaar

    three bowls of Indian pickles

    Aachar is the name for pickles of the Indian subcontinent. They are usually made by finely chopping fruit or vegetables and marinating them in brine or edible oil, and seasoning with spices. Some regions use the same technique for meat and fish.

    The most common pickles of this style are made from mango and lime, but others are made from a wide variety of ingredients, eg cauliflower, garlic, radish.

    These can be homemade or bought commercially.

    Recipe

    The Tarla Dalal website has lots of achaar recipes.

  • Bhaji

    http://www.notdelia.co.uk/images/recipes/indian/onion-bhajis.jpg

    A bhaji, sometimes called ‘bhajia’, is an Indian snack. It’s a vegetable fritter. For example, you could have cauliflower bhajis, aubergine bhajis or, the most common in British Indian cuisine, onion bhajis.

    The word ‘bhaji’ is Hindi for ‘vegetable’.

    It’s easy to make by slicing the vegetables and coating them in a batter of gram flour and spices, then deep frying.

    Bhajis are usually served with a dip as part of an Indian meal or a starter.

    More information

    Not Delia: How to make onion bhajis