The Perfect Parsi Prawn/Fish Curry-Chawal

Ingredients:
500 gms Prawns or 2 medium sized Pomfrets, cut into slices; 1 whole tin – Coconut milk; Oil; Salt to taste; Fresh Coriander leaves for garnish; Grind/blend together the following: Half – Fresh Coconut; Sprig of Curry leaves; 1 tsp. – Coriander seeds; ½ tsp. – Mustard seeds; ½ tsp. – Jeera; ½ tsp. – Tal; 5 Methi seeds; 6-8 Kashmiri Chillies; 1 tsp. – Ginger-garlic paste; 1 Tomato; 1 Onion; 1 tbsp. – Peanuts; ½ tsp. – Turmeric powder; ½ tsp. – Garam Masala powder.

Method:

Grind all the above mentioned ingredients with little water and get it to paste consistency. Fry this paste in oil on a slow flame. Add adequate quantity of oil so that the masala doesn’t stick. Slowly stir in water and bring it to boil till it reaches the consistency of a curry. Add your choice of fish and let it cook on a slow flame – if using fresh prawns, cooking time will be approx. 15 mts. Add coriander and salt to taste by the time the fish is cooked. Just before the fish is almost done, add the coconut milk and cook for 5 more minutes.  Serve with boiled Rice.

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Sesame Seeds Laddo (Til Na Laddo)

Ingredients:
1/2kg – Sesame or Til; 3/4kg – Jaggery;  ¼kg – Peanuts; 4-5 Cardamom; 3 tbsp. Ghee.

Method:
Take a rounded vessel and roast the sesame seeds and peanuts separately on a low flame. De-skin the peanuts and grind into small pieces (not very fine). Crush the cardamoms and cut jaggery into small pieces. In a kadai, add the ghee and jaggery and heat together over a low flame for a few minutes until jaggery melts. Add the sesame seeds, ground peanuts and cardamom and mix well. Remove from flame. Grease your hands with ghee and water and shape the hot mixture into small balls, after it has sufficiently cooled to ensure you don’t burn your hands. You can re-heat the mixture to melt the jaggery if it turns cold and stiff. Pack it in a box at room temperature till it solidifies.

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The Revolver

Ingredients:
60 ml Bourbon (a rye-heavy Bourbon like Bulleit, Buffalo Trace or Basil Hayden is recommended); 15ml Coffee Liqueur; 2 dashes Orange Bitters; Orange zest strip for Garnish.

Method:
Combine Bourbon, Coffee Liqueur and Orange Bitters in a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir well for at least 45 seconds until chilled. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. Twist orange peel to express oils over drink and use as garnish.