Ingredients:

1 (1.5kg) chicken, cut chicken into 4 pieces, wash and drain

grind to a smooth paste:
4 slices (1cm) ginger
4 cloves garlic

1 red chilli, slit halfway
1 green chilli, slit halfway
4 small tomatoes, slice
3 tbsp meat curry powder
2 small bunches big coriander leaves, chop coarsely
a small bunch mint leaves
4 tbsp plain yoghurt
1 tsp pepper
salt to taste
1½ cups water
10 tbsp ghee

for frying:
1 big onion, slice thinly
1 stick (4cm) cinnamon
4 cloves
4 cardamoms

6 almonds, scald and remove skin, grind fine
6 cashew nuts, grind fine
1½ tbsp tomato paste
2 medium sized onions, slice thinly and fry till golden brown
2 tsp briani spices
120g cashew nuts, fry till golden brown and set aside for garnishing
1 bunch of small coriander leaves for garnishing

For rice:
600g Basmati rice
1 small tin evaporated milk
2 tsp yellow food colouring
3 tsp rose water

Method of preparing chicken:

• Combine chicken with garlic-ginger paste, chillies, tomatoes, meat curry powder, big coriander leaves, mint leaves, yoghurt, pepper, salt and ½ cup water from allowance.
• Heat ghee in a pot then add ingredients for frying and fry till golden brown. Add chicken and fry for a little while, turning it over a few times. Add 1 cup water and bring to the boil.
• When boiling, lower heat, add ground almond and cashew nuts, tomato paste, fried onion slices and briani spices. Turn over the chicken pieces, then leave to simmer till almost dry. Remove chicken from the pot and set aside. Pour left-over ghee into a bowl and leave to cool. This pot will be used for cooking the rice.

Method of preparing rice:

• Bring ¾ of a large saucepan of slightly salted water to boil.
• Wash and drain rice.
• When water is boiling, put in the rice and boil till it is almost cooked.
• When rice is almost cooked, remove from heat and drain off water. Mix evaporated milk with the ghee left over from cooking chicken.
• Into the pot used to cook chicken, put a layer of rice then a layer of chicken. Repeat till chicken and rice are used up, making sure that rice forms the last layer. Pour the oil-milk mixture over the rice.
• Mix rose water with yellow colouring and sprinkle over rice. Scatter a few mint leaves over rice.
• Cook over low heat making sure the pot is well covered till steam emits from pot. Do not uncover pot while rice is cooking.
• When serving, garnish rice with fried cashew nuts and small coriander leaves.

Ingredients:

450g mutton ribs, cut into medium sized pieces
1 cup yellow lentils (dhal), soak in water for 2-3 hours

grind to a smooth paste:
3 slices (1cm thick) ginger
4 cloves garlic

½ big onion, slice thick
2 green chillies, slit half way
1 red chilli, slit half way
1½ level tsp turmeric powder
1 sprig curry leaves
1 stick (3cm long) cinnamon
2 cardamoms
3 cloves
salt to taste
8 cups water
300g small potatoes, peel and cut into half
2 bananas, split in half and cut each half into 3-4 pieces
3 carrots, cut into 4cm lengths
3 purple eggplants, split in half then cut each half into 3-4 pieces
1 green mango, cut into 3 pieces
2 tbsp meat curry powder, add 8 tbsp water to make watery mixture
1 cup grated coconut, add ¾ cup water and extract equal amount of thick coconut milk
1½ tbsp tamarind, mix with coconut milk and strain
300g tomatoes, cut into half
6 tsp oil
1 bunch small coriander leaves for garnishing

for frying:
1 big onion, slice thinly
1 tbsp chilli powder
1 sprig curry leaves


Method:

• Put mutton in a deep pot together with dhal, ginger-garlic paste, thickly sliced onion, green and red chillies, turmeric powder, curry leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves and salt. Add water and boil until meat and dhal are cooked.
• Add potatoes, bananas, carrots, eggplants, mango and curry powder mixture, cover pot and boil. Do not uncover until it has boiled for 5 minutes.
• Add coconut milk which has been mixed with tamarind and cover pot again. Do not uncover until curry is boiling and the vegetables are cooked.
• Add tomatoes and leave for 1-2 seconds only, then remove from heat.
• Heat oil in frying pan and cook ingredients for frying till golden brown. Pour contents of pan (including oil) into the pot of Dalcha and cover immediately. When serving, garnish the Dalcha with a few small coriander leaves.

Note: For a hot Dalcha, add more chilli powder when you fry the sliced onions and curry leaves.

Ingredients:

2 limes (commercially bottled Indian Lime Pickle), chop
1 large onion, cut in half and slice fine
1 red chilli, slice fine, remove seeds for mild flavour
2 green chillies, slice fine, remove seeds for mild flavour


Method:

Combine all the above ingredients in a bowl, mix well and put in serving dish.

Ingredients:

600g Basmati rice, wash thoroughly and drain
2 tsp alba, soak, wash, drain and combine with clean rice
4 tbsp ghee
½ onion, slice thinly
1 stick (4cm) cinnamon
2 cardamoms
3 cloves
2 fragrant screwpine leaves, tie into a bundle
450g grated coconut, add 3 cups water and extract 3½ cups coconut milk
salt to taste


Method:

• Heat ghee in a large pot for cooking rice. Add onion, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves and pandan leaves. Fry till onions are brown, then add coconut milk, rice and salt, stir. Cover pot and bring to the boil; when boiling, stir rice.
• When rice is beginning to dry, lower heat and continue to cook. Keep the pot covered till the steam escapes, then uncover, turn rice over with a fork and cook for another 5-8 minutes.

Note: Indian Nasi Lemak, which is popular among South Indian Muslims, should be served with Chicken Curry, Cucumber Salad and Crispy Long Beans.

Ingredients:

1 (1.75kg) chicken, wash and cut into medium sized pieces
4 level tbsp meat curry powder
salt to taste
½ tsp black pepper powder
1 sprig curry leaves
4 level tbsp grated coconut, pound till fine
6 tbsp oil
2 cups water
6 small potatoes, cut each in half


Method:

• Combine chicken with curry powder, salt, black pepper, curry leaves and coconut in a large bowl. Add ½ cup water from allowance, then leave to marinate for about 10 minutes.
• Heat oil, add chicken and stir fry till fragrant. Add the rest of the water and potatoes, cover and boil, stirring now and then. When potatoes are half cooked, reduce heat and let curry simmer. Remove from heat when potatoes are cooked and gravy a little thick.

Ingredients:

1 (1.75kg) chicken, cut into fairly large pieces and remove skin
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp plain yoghurt
1¾ cups water
salt to taste
3 onions, grate
8 tbsp oil

Roast in dry pan till lightly brown:
4 level tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
18 dried chillies, break each into 3 pieces


Method:

• Grind roasted ingredients. In a bowl, combine chicken with ground spices, turmeric powder, salt, yoghurt and ¼ cup water from allowance.
• Heat oil, add chicken, fry till fragrant, then add onion.
• Stir fry for a while then add 1½ cups water, cover and cook over low heat.
• When chicken is tender and gravy a little thick, remove from heat.

Ingredients:

450g mutton, cut into small squares
2 tsp white pepper
4 tbsp coriander powder
1 fresh green chilli, slash
salt to taste

Grind to a smooth paste:
2 slices (1cm thick) ginger
3-4 cloves garlic
2 tsp white poppy seeds
1 tsp cumin
4-5 tbsp oil

For frying:
1 stick cinnamon
3-4 cloves
2-3 cardamoms
1 medium sized onion, slice thinly
7-8 cups water

For garnishing:
4-5 spring onions, chop coarsely
8-10 shallots, peel, slice thinly and fry till golden brown; set aside


Method:

• Combine mutton with ground ingredients, pepper, coriander, green chilli and salt in a bowl and mix evenly.
• Heat oil, then add ingredients for frying. Fry till golden brown, add meat and fry till fragrant then leave to cook for 5-8 minutes. Add water and boil till meat is tender.
• Garnish with fried shallots and chopped spring onion.
• Serve with French loaf or toast.

Ingredients:

1 onion
1 clove garlic
16 dried chillies, break each into 3-4 pieces and soak
4 tbsp oil
2 hard beancurd, cut into small squares
salt to taste
2 tbsp tomato sauce
½ tbsp dark soy sauce
4 medium tomatoes, thickly sliced
2 red chillies, sliced
2 green chillies, sliced
2-3 eggs, lightly beaten
300g spring greens, cut into 3-cm lengths
300g bean sprouts, tails removed
3 medium potatoes, boil and cut into slices 0.5-cm lengths
230g rice vermicelli (bee hoon), soak for 15-20 mins then cut into shorter strands


Method:

1. Grind onion, garlic and dried chillies to a fine paste.
2. Heat oil, add ground ingredients and fry till fragrant. Add beancurd, salt, tomato sauce and dark soy sauce and stir. Add tomatoes and sliced chillies, stir, then push ingredients to the side of the pan.
3. Pour the eggs into the middle and let eggs cook. Mix with other ingredients in the pan, then add spring greens, bean sprouts and boiled potatoes, stirring after each addition. Finally, add vermicelli, stir, mixing it with all the other ingredients.
4. Serve with sliced cucumber, tomato sauce and cut lime.

Ingredients:

450g rice vermicelli (bee hoon), soak in water till soft
2 tsp yellow food colouring, sprinkle over bee hoon and mix evenly
2 tsp white peppercorns, grind fine
1 (1.5kg) chicken, cut into pieces and season with ground pepper; leave for 10-15 mins and deep fry till golden brown
3 tbsp cooking oil

Grind to a smooth paste:
2 slices (1cm thick) ginger
3 cloves garlic
6 dried chillies, soak

salt to taste
4 tomatoes, half and slice thinly
1 red chilli, slit into two
1 green chilli, slit into two
1 tbsp meat curry powder
1 bunch big coriander leaves
1 scant cup (230ml) water

For garnishing:
10 shallots, slice thinly and deep fry till golden brown
mint leaves
small can of green peas, drain


Method:

1. Heat oil in a frying pan and fry ground ingredients until fragrant. Add salt, tomatoes, chillies, curry powder and coriander leaves. Fry for 2-3 minutes then add water.
2. When boiling, add fried chicken and mix thoroughly, making sure chicken is well coated with fried ingredients. Remove chicken, leaving the spices in the pan. Add coloured bee hoon to pan, stir fry and mix well, adding salt if necessary. Put chicken back in pan and mix.
3. Serve on a bed of lettuce and garnish with green peas, fried shallots and mint leaves.
4. Serve with pineapple and cucumber salad if desired.

Ingredients:

230g rice flour
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp water
1½ cup grated coconut, remove skin


Method:

1. Dissolve salt in water and sprinkle over rice flour. Mix to get a crumbly texture. Add 1 cup coconut and mix well.
2. Put 1 tbsp coconut into funnel. Add 3 heaped tbsp of rice flour-coconut mixture.
3. Repeat steps 2 till rice flour-coconut mixture is used up. Make sure the last layer is of coconut. Fill pot with water and boil. Fit funnel into pot of boiling water and cook till steam appears.
4. When cooked, remove putu from funnel by pushing the disc at the base using the thick round handle of a wooden spoon or any similar object. Serve with bananas and brown sugar.

Note: Aluminium Putu Bamboo steamers are available in Indian General Stores. The steamer is made up of three parts, the pot of water, the funnel with a disc inside and a lid. Wrap a strip of cotton or towel around the base of the funnel so that it fits snugly into the pot and seals the container. Originally, thick bamboos were used as they were easily available. The bamboos were fitted snugly into a mug or kettle of water. Hence the name Putu Bamboo.