Lamb Burgers

2 lbs lamb seasoned with 1 tsp each parsley and dill, salt, pepper, 1/4c breadcrumbs, oregano. Sprinkle cumin, cinnamon, and coriander. Top with tzaziki, grilled onions, and crumbled feta.

Dobos Torte

This was a hit.  

Indian Dinner

Indian dinner, recipes from a few different sites

Chicken Tikka Masala recipe:

• 1 cup yogurt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 4 long skewers
• *Buy cucumber and yogurt for raita 
• 
  
• In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and 4 teaspoons salt. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Preheat a grill for high heat.
• Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken onto skewers, and discard marinade. Grill until juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side.
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• MASALA SAUCE
•  
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 3 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 
  
• Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with 2 teaspoons cumin, paprika, and 3 teaspoons salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken, and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with fresh cilantro.

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DAL

Ingredients

2 cups red lentils 
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
1 yellow onion, finely chopped 
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds 
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom 
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 
2 tablespoons finely chopped ginger 
4 cups vegetable broth 
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes, with their juice 
1/3 cup chopped cilantro 
1 teaspoon ground turmeric 
Salt to taste 
1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped

Method

Spread lentils out on a sheet tray and pick through to remove any stones or debris. Rinse lentils and drain well. 

Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add cumin, cardamom, garlic and ginger and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add lentils, broth, tomatoes, cilantro, turmeric, salt and jalapeno and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer, stirring often, until lentils are soft, about 15 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve.

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Aromatic Rice

Ingredients

2 cup long-grain rice; (or basmati) 
5 cups water 
1 1/4 teaspoon salt 
3/4 teaspoon turmeric 
4 whole cloves 
1 1-inch cinnamon stick 
3 bay leaves 


Combine 2 cups rice, 5 cups water, salt, and spices in a heavy pot and bring to a boil. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, turn heat to very low, and let simmer for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let the pot rest, covered, for 10 minutes.

Remove the whole spices and fluff the rice with a fork before serving.


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RAITA

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup chopped seeded English hothouse cucumber

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 teaspoons chopped green onions

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

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ROTI

Ingredients

• 2 cups bread flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup water

Directions

1. In a large bowl, sift together flour and salt. Add oil and mix in with a fork until flour is crumbly. Mix in water until the dough pulls together. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Cover and set aside for 45 minutes.
2. Knead dough again until smooth; divide into six equal parts. Form each part into a round. Roll out each round as thinly as possible; dust with flour to keep from sticking.
3. Invert a heavy cast iron pan over burner and heat. Spread roti over pan and cook. Roti will cook in 40 to 50 seconds. Tiny black spots will appear when it is finished. Fold Roti and serve hot.

Basic Frosting

2 large egg whites

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Start beating egg whites in heat-safe bowl with hand mixer until frothy.  Place over pan of simmering water on stove, keep heat low.  Continue beating while adding other ingredients, touch bowl to make sure that temperature stays just warm.  After 5 minutes frosting should begin to come together and get fluffy.  Or, in my case, this will happen on the fourth try.  

Sugar Cookies

• 
  
• 
  
• 4 cups sifted all-purpose flour, plus more for surface and more if needed
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3-4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Icing:

2 egg whites

2 tsp lemon juice

3 cups powdered sugar

OR 

1 c powder sugar
2 tsp milk
2 tsp light corn syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla
- first stir sugar and milk until smooth, then add corn syrup until smooth and glossy

Directions

1. Make the cookies: Sift flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a bowl. Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Gradually mix in flour mixture. Divide dough in half. Flatten each half into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. Let dough stand at room temperature just until soft enough to roll, about 10 minutes. Roll out each disk on a lightly floured surface to a 1/4-inch thickness, adding more flour as needed to keep dough from sticking. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Cut out cookies, transferring to parchment-lined baking sheets as you work. Roll out scraps, and repeat once. Freeze cookies until very firm, about 15 minutes.
3. Bake cookies at 325, switching positions of sheets and rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are golden, 17 to 19 minutes. Let cookies cool completely on sheets on wire racks.

Best Chocolate Cake

One Bowl Chocolate Cake

• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (ideally, sift to remove clumps)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two nine inch round pans.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, mix for 2 minutes on medium speed of mixer. Stir in the boiling water last. Batter will be thin. Pour evenly into the prepared pans.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the cake tests done with a toothpick. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.  Makes 36+ cupcakes, bake for about 20 minutes then check.

Buttercream Frosting 

3.5c powdered sugar

2 sticks butter

1 tbsp vanilla

3 tbsp milk

Set butter out until just under room temp. Whip butter well with whisk (stand mixer is best). Add other ingredients, whip until fluffy and freakin delicious. Add some cocoa powder to taste if desired. Or if you can't decide do half and half. 

Lemon Poppyseed Buttermilk Pancakes

These are unreal!  Planning to make these for James' birthday brunch on Sunday.

2 cups unbleached ap (all-purpose) flour

1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1/3 cup poppy seeds
zest of 4 lemons
tbsp or so of lemon juice
2 cups buttermilk (substitute - fill 1c with 1tbsp white vinegar, then fill with milk to 1c line, repeat)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter, melted
serve with butter and syrup

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt in a large bowl. In another bowl the buttermilk, eggs, butter, lemon zest and poppy seeds. Add the wet to the dry. Stir all the ingredients until they are just combined. Don't worry if the batter is a bit lumpy, you don't want to over mix.  Grill on medium-high heat in lightly oiled pan. 

(stolen from pickycook.com)