Rabbit leg cooked in pickling spices
This is the type of dish that would be cooked on a 'shikaar' or a hunting expedition when the Rajput princes would go out hunting with their entourage. It would originally be done using hare but works just as well with rabbit
Serves 4
4-6 Rabbit legs / 2 lb, cleaned and cut in to 2 pieces, or alternatively left whole
1 ½ tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp salt
1.5 l water
For sauce
50 ml mustard oil
75 ml ghee or clarified butter
4 whole dried red chillies
1tbsp pickling spice mix (equal quantities of fennel seeds, onion seeds, carom seeds, cumin seeds mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds)
8 coves garlic, finely chopped
2 onions /150 g onions, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
1 inch piece of ginger, cut in to julienne
300g/ 1 1/3 cup yoghurt, whisked
2 tsp chickpea flour
25 g jaggery or molasses
Juice of 1 lemon
Method
Place the rabbit legs in a pan and bring to a boil with water, 1 tsp of salt and turmeric. Once it comes to a boil, reduce heat, cover with a lid and simmer for 45 minutes or until tender. Remove from the liquid, drain and reserve the cooking liquid.
In another heavy bottomed pan, heat mustard oil to smoking point, then add ghee and as it melts, add red chillies and let them crackle for a few seconds, now add the pickling spices and as they begin to crackle and change colour, add the garlic. Sauté garlic for a minute or so and as it changes its colour to golden brown, add onions and sauté until they turn light golden in colour. Now add the remaining salt and turmeric powder and the cooked rabbit legs. Add ginger and molasses and stir for a few minutes until legs start to acquire a light brown colour, now add the reserved cooking stock and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
In a separate bowl whisk yoghurt with the chickpea flour and mix well. Add the yoghurt mix to the pan slowly with continuous stirring to prevent the yoghurt from getting split. When all the yoghurt has been incorporated simmer for a couple of minutes, check seasoning and finish with a lemon juice. Serve with either rice or bread of your choice.
Chickpea bread/ Missi roti
A rustic, spiced bread from Rajasthan, it actually uses two different flours along with spices and seasoning. Use of spices and upfront seasoning makes this bread unique. It's a favourite for travellers who would simply carry some of this bread and have it with small quantities of very spicy garlic chutney. Chickpea flour increases water retention in the body which is particularly useful when travelling in the desert.
Makes 8 breads
300 g Chickpea flour
200g refined flour
225 ml water
25 g salt
1 tsp chopped ginger
2 no green chilli finely chopped
1 tbsp finely chopped green coriander
1 tsp carom seeds
2 tbsp vegetable oil
½ tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 medium red onion finely chopped
1 no spring onion finely chopped
3 tbsp ghee for brushing and basting
Method
Mix the chickpea flour and refined flour well together. Remove 3-4 tbsp of the flour mix and keep aside for dusting etc. at a later stage. Add the salt, ginger, green chillies, carom seeds, red chilli powder, ground turmeric and mix well.
Add the oil and the water and knead to obtain a stiff dough. If the dough feels slightly soft add more flour and knead further till you get stiff dough.
Cover with a damp kitchen cloth and keep aside for 15-20 minutes. Divide the dough into 8 parts and shape them into balls. Top each of the balls with chopped red onion on top. Roll out using a rolling pin into a circular shape approx 6-8 inches diameter.
Heat a large pan, spread the dough on top and cook on dry heat for 3-4 minutes on a slow to medium heat until the dough starts to dry out and starts getting some colour. Turn on the other side and repeat the same. When both the sides are done brush with some ghee and turn over, repeat the same on other side and the bread is ready to be served.
It can be served either as an accompaniment to any Rajasthani recipe mentioned in the book or even as a snack with a chutney or pickle of your choice.
Dry spice crusted sea bream wrapped in banana leaf
This method of coating fish with intense spice mixes and cooking in banana leaf is a traditional method of cooking is Kerala. The leaf protects the spices from getting burnt and seals the flavours inside keeping the fish moist. The charred leaf is then discarded before serving.
Serves 4
4 fillets sea bream, medium sized, scaled and pin-boned
½ teaspoon red chilli powder
½ teaspoon salt
Juice of ½ a lime
4 nos. banana leaf cut into 10-12 inch squares
1 tablespoon vegetable or corn oil
For the spice crust
4 shallots, peeled
4 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
10 peppercorns
20 curry leaves, finely shredded
2 tablespoons vegetable or corn oil
1 ½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoon white vinegar
For the chutney
3 green mangoes, peeled, deseeded and cut into dices
1 cup fresh grated coconut
1 shallot, sliced
1 garlic clove
2 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 tablespoon vegetable or corn oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ tsp sugar
3 tablespoon water
Marinate the sea bream with red chilli powder, salt and lime juice and set aside for 30 minutes.
For the spice crust, pound the shallots, garlic and peppercorns together to a coarse paste. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
Heat the banana leaves on a hot pan or in the microwave until they are soft and pliable. Cover the bream fillets with the spice crust and wrap them one by one with the banana leaves and keep aside.
For the chutney, put the all the ingredients in a food processor and blend to a smooth paste, adding a little water if required.
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a heavy bottomed frying pan. Place the bream fillets wrapped in banana leaves. Cover and cook on both sides on low heat for about 3-5 minutes each side. Remove the leaf and serve with the green mango and coconut chutney.
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