Next week we celebrate the Muslim festival of Eid-ul-Fitr. Tradition dictates sweets are the spotlight for this celebration coupled with a delicious eastern-inspired meal.

Sawine is the choice of sweet and is served at breakfast and as a dessert after the meal. Toasted vermicelli noodles boiled and served in sweet, spiced milk, garnished with toasted chopped almonds and raisins, is hard to refuse. Other popular sweets are our sugar-crusted goolab jamon and rasgullas.

Authentic Indian foods, redolent with aromatic and exotic spices and sensuous curries that arrest your senses, are simply addictive and worthy of celebrations such as this.

So next week try a new menu, stir up some authentic Indian dishes in your kitchen and enjoy a feast for all of your senses. Eid Mubarak!

Rogan josh

2-inch piece of ginger

8 cloves garlic

½ cup water

10 tbs veg oil

2 lbs boneless lamb (shoulder ) in 1-inch cubes

10 cardamom pods

6 cloves

10 peppercorns

1-inch stick cinnamon

2 medium onions, chopped

1 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp ground cumin

4 tsp paprika

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1¼ tsp salt

6 tbs yoghurt, plain

½ tsp garam masala

[caption id="attachment_952235" align="alignnone" width="640"] Sawine - Wendy Rahamut[/caption]

Puree ginger and garlic with 2 tbs water to a smooth paste. Heat ½ the oil in a large heavy pot on medium heat and brown meat cubes, remove, add a little more oil and add cardamom, cloves, peppercorns, and cinnamon, when brown and fragrant add onions, cook until onions turn brown about 5 minutes.

Add the ginger garlic paste, cook for 30 seconds.

Add coriander, cumin, paprika, cayenne and salt. Stir well for about 30 seconds, then add the meat cubes with the juices.

Add 1 tbs yoghurt stir and fry until yoghurt is well blended, add the rest of the yoghurt this way. Cook for another 4 mins.

Add about ½ cup water, stir, cover and simmer for one hour adding more water if necessary. When tender, remove lid and cook until a thick gravy is formed.Spoon off fat if there is any, add garam masala and serve.

Serves 6

Ochro in Indian spices

12 large ochro, about 8 inches cut diagonally in ½

2 tbs vegetable oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbs chopped garlic

1 onion, chopped

1 tbs ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp curry powder

½ tsp chili powder

2 tomatoes, chopped or 2 tinned

1 tsp salt

Heat oil in a deep sauté pan, add cumin seeds cook until they sizzle and pop.

Add onion and garlic, cook until onions are slightly browned at the edges.

Stir in coriander, cumin, curry and chili powder, cook for a few minutes more.

Add the tomatoes and stir.

Now add the ochro, cook until tender, add about ¼ cup of water and cover.

Cook for about 10 minutes, remove lid, raise the heat and let any excess liquid evaporate.

Serve with roti or rice.

Serves 4

Naan

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp dried yeast

½ tsp salt

⅔ cup warm water (105-115F)

1 tbs vegetable oil

2 tbs plain yoghurt

2 tsp kalongi seed (black onion seed), optional