2014 ~ Meals of Joy!

Make 3 deep cuts on top

Cover chicken completely with marinade

Seasonings used

TIKKA
Prep Time: 2 hours, plus 24 hours marination Cook Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
12 chicken leg quarters
1-2 tablespoon salt

Marinade (can be used for any kind of tikka flavor)
2 cups greek yogurt
3 tablespoons garlic-ginger paste
1/3 cup canola oil
2 packets of Shan Masala - Tandoori Flavor
1 packet of Shan Masala - Tikka Flavor
3 tablespoons sugar
1-2 tablespoons dried kasoori methi (fenugreek), powdered
1 teaspoon orange food color (optional)

Directions

Take chicken leg quarters and take the skin fat off them.
Make 3 deep cuts on top of each leg quarter. The cuts should be to the bone.
Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of salt over the leg quarters. Let it sit for 1 to 2 hours.
Take all marinade ingredients and mix in a bowl.
Cover the chicken completely with tikka marinade and leave in refrigerator overnight.
On the next day when you want to cook the tikka, heat up the grill between 300F to 350F.
Place the tikkas on the grill for 10 to 12 minutes on each side. Constantly check the tikkas.
Serve.

Tikkas

Make 3 deep cuts on top

Cover chicken completely with marinade

Seasonings used

Take chicken leg quarters and take the skin fat off them.
Make 3 deep cuts on top of each leg quarter. The cuts should be to the bone.
Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of salt over the leg quarters. Let it sit for 1 to 2 hours.
Take all marinade ingredients and mix in a bowl.
Cover the chicken completely with tikka marinade and leave in refrigerator overnight.
On the next day when you want to cook the tikka, heat up the grill between 300F to 350F.
Place the tikkas on the grill for 10 to 12 minutes on each side. Constantly check the tikkas.
Serve.

The dough will be sticky and look similar to this.

Left: Chasni/Sugar Syrup. Right: Frying Oil

Roll 1 inch sized balls

Put a batch into the oil, they will go to the bottom

After a minute, they will come up. If they don't then just bring them up with your spatula. Roll spatula over gulab jamun like this for even frying.

GULAB JAMUN
Prep Time: 30 minutes, plus 2 hours wait time for dough Cook Time: 1 to 2 hours
Ingredients
Dough
1 cup Pioneer Brand Baking Mix
2 cups instant non-fat dry milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon fresh green cardamom, grounded

Chasni/Sugar Syrup
4 cups sugar
3 cups water

For Frying
3 quarts oil or enough oil to fry

For Remaining Chasni/Sugar Syrup
Remaining chasni/sugar syrup
1/4 teaspoon fresh green cardamom, grounded
1/4 teaspoon rose essence

Directions

Sift Pioneer Brand Baking Mix and instant non-fat dry milk into a bowl. For the instant non-fat dry milk, you can crush it in your hands so it becomes powdery.
Mix in heavy cream to dry mixture until the dry ingredients absorb the heavy cream.
Mix in fresh cardamom. Cover bowl and set aside for 2 hours. The dough will be sticky.
After 2 hours, the dough will be sticky. Mix everything up really well. The dough is now ready. If the dough is too sticky, you can add some instant non-fat dry milk. If dough is too dry, add another 1/2 to 1 cup heavy cream.
Heat up oil. It should be warm enough to cook the dough but should not be boiling. Drop a small amount of dough to see if the dough rises to the top
Heat up sugar and water and bring it to a boil. After it comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium-high and cook for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, reduce heat to low.
While the oil and sugar are heating up, you can begin to roll up 1 inch sized balls of the dough. Apply a dab of oil to your palms, so the dough does not stick to your hands. Try to get as close as you can to a spherical shape, to avoid weird shaped gulab jamuns.
For Frying:

For each new batch, lower heat of oil all the way low
Put a batch of 10-15 dough balls into oil. They will all go straight to the bottom.
After a minute, the balls will rise to the top. At this point, raise the heat to medium and cook the balls for 10-12 minutes.
Every couple minutes, take spatula and roll it over the balls so the top of the balls flip over into the oil for even frying.
After the balls turn a medium-dark brown color, take them out of the oil and put them straight into the sugar syrup for 5 minutes.
Take them out of sugar syrup and put it in a separate tray.
Repeat frying steps for the rest of the dough balls.

If you run out of the sugar syrup, heat some more up.
For remaining chasni/sugar syrup, take 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom and put it in the chasni/sugar syrup. Take remaining cardamom and sprinkle it over the gulab jamun. Add rose essence to the chasni/sugar syrup and mix it all up.
Pour the remaining chasni/sugar syrup into the tray with gulab jamun.
Serve hot or cold. You can heat them up in the microwave if you like them a little warm.

Gulab Jamun

The dough will be sticky and look similar to this.

Left: Chasni/Sugar Syrup. Right: Frying Oil

Roll 1 inch sized balls

Put a batch into the oil, they will go to the bottom

After a minute, they will come up. If they don't then just bring them up with your spatula. Roll spatula over gulab jamun like this for even frying.

Sift Pioneer Brand Baking Mix and instant non-fat dry milk into a bowl. For the instant non-fat dry milk, you can crush it in your hands so it becomes powdery.
Mix in heavy cream to dry mixture until the dry ingredients absorb the heavy cream.
Mix in fresh cardamom. Cover bowl and set aside for 2 hours. The dough will be sticky.
After 2 hours, the dough will be sticky. Mix everything up really well. The dough is now ready. If the dough is too sticky, you can add some instant non-fat dry milk. If dough is too dry, add another 1/2 to 1 cup heavy cream.
Heat up oil. It should be warm enough to cook the dough but should not be boiling. Drop a small amount of dough to see if the dough rises to the top
Heat up sugar and water and bring it to a boil. After it comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium-high and cook for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, reduce heat to low.
While the oil and sugar are heating up, you can begin to roll up 1 inch sized balls of the dough. Apply a dab of oil to your palms, so the dough does not stick to your hands. Try to get as close as you can to a spherical shape, to avoid weird shaped gulab jamuns.
For Frying:

For each new batch, lower heat of oil all the way low
Put a batch of 10-15 dough balls into oil. They will all go straight to the bottom.
After a minute, the balls will rise to the top. At this point, raise the heat to medium and cook the balls for 10-12 minutes.
Every couple minutes, take spatula and roll it over the balls so the top of the balls flip over into the oil for even frying.
After the balls turn a medium-dark brown color, take them out of the oil and put them straight into the sugar syrup for 5 minutes.
Take them out of sugar syrup and put it in a separate tray.
Repeat frying steps for the rest of the dough balls.

If you run out of the sugar syrup, heat some more up.
For remaining chasni/sugar syrup, take 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom and put it in the chasni/sugar syrup. Take remaining cardamom and sprinkle it over the gulab jamun. Add rose essence to the chasni/sugar syrup and mix it all up.
Pour the remaining chasni/sugar syrup into the tray with gulab jamun.
Serve hot or cold. You can heat them up in the microwave if you like them a little warm.

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 2 hours
Ingredients
1/2 gallon whole milk
4-5 pounds carrots, peeled and shredded
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup almonds, chopped
1/2 cup cashews, chopped
15-20 pieces fresh green cardamom, grounded
1/2 teaspoon kewra essence
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup mava

Directions

Boil milk over high heat in 5 quart saute pan, until it starts to come to a boil
Reduce heat to medium, and add shredded carrots to the milk.
Cook uncovered on medium-high heat for a hour to a hour and a half. Be sure to constantly mix the carrots/milk to prevent burning. The milk should reduce down completely. To check, take your cooking spoon and push the carrots together to see if any milk comes out. There should be a small amount of milk left, but very little. It should NOT be completely dry.
Add in sugar and taste. If it is not sweet enough for you, you can add more or less. Cook on medium for 15 minutes.
Add butter and continue to stir until the butter oils are slightly visible.
Add cashews, almonds, cardamom, and kewra essence.
Sprinkle mava over carrot mixture. There should be chunks of mava.
Serve for dessert. Refrigerate leftovers, and you can microwave when you want to eat this later.

Enjoy!

Gajar Ka Halwa (Carrot Halwa)

Boil milk over high heat in 5 quart saute pan, until it starts to come to a boil
Reduce heat to medium, and add shredded carrots to the milk.
Cook uncovered on medium-high heat for a hour to a hour and a half. Be sure to constantly mix the carrots/milk to prevent burning. The milk should reduce down completely. To check, take your cooking spoon and push the carrots together to see if any milk comes out. There should be a small amount of milk left, but very little. It should NOT be completely dry.
Add in sugar and taste. If it is not sweet enough for you, you can add more or less. Cook on medium for 15 minutes.
Add butter and continue to stir until the butter oils are slightly visible.
Add cashews, almonds, cardamom, and kewra essence.
Sprinkle mava over carrot mixture. There should be chunks of mava.
Serve for dessert. Refrigerate leftovers, and you can microwave when you want to eat this later.

Enjoy!

PALAK (SPINACH) PANEER
Ingredients
2 packs of 9 ounce bags of spinach
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 tablespoon oil
1 medium sized onion, minced
1 tablespoon garlic-ginger paste
3 medium tomatoes, diced small
1/2 of a fresh jalapeño or more based on how spicy you want it, minced
2 teaspoon ground cumin or fresh roasted ground cumin
2 teaspoon garam masala
2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder or 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoon salt, more if needed
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup half and half

For Paneer:
24 ounces of paneer (1 gallon of milk makes 24 ounces)
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 tablespoon oil

For Kasoori Methi:
1 tablespoon butter/ghee
1/4 teaspoon oil
2 tablespoons kasoori methi (heaping)
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

Boil 6-8 cups of water. After water has boiled, pour vinegar into water. Blanch spinach in boiling water for 3 minutes. Take off heat and drain the spinach into ice cold water.
Melt butter and oil in a 5 quart skillet. Saute chopped onions on low-medium heat until they have completely browned. Be sure to not burn the onions.
Create the garlic-ginger paste. Here is the LINK to the garlic-ginger paste.
Put garlic ginger paste into cooked onions and saute for 1 minute.
Cook diced tomatoes and minced jalapeños with the cooked onion mixture covered on medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until excess tomatoes water is drained slightly.
Add ground cumin, garam masala, red chili powder, curry powder, and salt. Cook for 1 minute and reduce heat to low.
Take blanched spinach and drain the water completely. Add it to a food processor/mini chopper. Pulse until chopped. Spinach should be stringy and chopped. Be careful to not create a spinach puree. It's not baby food!
Add spinach and cilantro to onion mixture and cook on a medium heat covered for 5 minutes.
Add heavy cream and half and half and cook on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
In a separate pan, saute paneer in butter and oil until lightly browned. Take out of pan so it doesn't dry.
Add paneer to spinach. Here is the LINK to how to make homemade paneer.
Take the same pan you used to brown the paneer. Heat up the butter and oil and saute the kasoori methi, garam masala, and ground nutmeg for 1 minute. Keep butter/ghee on low heat until you add methi, etc. Add to spinach. Mix everything really well. Serve.

Palak (Spinach) Paneer

Boil 6-8 cups of water. After water has boiled, pour vinegar into water. Blanch spinach in boiling water for 3 minutes. Take off heat and drain the spinach into ice cold water.
Melt butter and oil in a 5 quart skillet. Saute chopped onions on low-medium heat until they have completely browned. Be sure to not burn the onions.
Create the garlic-ginger paste. Here is the LINK to the garlic-ginger paste.
Put garlic ginger paste into cooked onions and saute for 1 minute.
Cook diced tomatoes and minced jalapeños with the cooked onion mixture covered on medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until excess tomatoes water is drained slightly.
Add ground cumin, garam masala, red chili powder, curry powder, and salt. Cook for 1 minute and reduce heat to low.
Take blanched spinach and drain the water completely. Add it to a food processor/mini chopper. Pulse until chopped. Spinach should be stringy and chopped. Be careful to not create a spinach puree. It's not baby food!
Add spinach and cilantro to onion mixture and cook on a medium heat covered for 5 minutes.
Add heavy cream and half and half and cook on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
In a separate pan, saute paneer in butter and oil until lightly browned. Take out of pan so it doesn't dry.
Add paneer to spinach. Here is the LINK to how to make homemade paneer.
Take the same pan you used to brown the paneer. Heat up the butter and oil and saute the kasoori methi, garam masala, and ground nutmeg for 1 minute. Keep butter/ghee on low heat until you add methi, etc. Add to spinach. Mix everything really well. Serve.

This garlic-ginger paste is used in many pakistani/indian dishes. You can usually make extra and keep in the refrigerator for whenever you need it.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
1 bulb of garlic
3 inches of ginger root

Directions

Combine garlic and ginger root in food processor. Add small amounts of water to help with the blending, until it makes a smooth paste. Refrigerate or freeze.
If you are refrigerating, the paste will last up to 2 weeks.

Ginger-Garlic Paste

Combine garlic and ginger root in food processor. Add small amounts of water to help with the blending, until it makes a smooth paste. Refrigerate or freeze.
If you are refrigerating, the paste will last up to 2 weeks.

Cook Time: 3 to 4 hours
Ingredients
16 oz frozen sweet corn
5-6 ounces of cream cheese, cut into small squares
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup half and half
4 tbsp butter
2-3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low for 4 hours.

Rudy's Creamed Corn

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low for 4 hours.

After adding citric acid, cheese will begin to curdle

Water will separate from cheese

Pour cheese into a colander covered with a cheese cloth

Twist cheese cloth to squeeze out excess water

Fold cheese cloth over cheese

Flip cheese over in colander

Place a plate over the cheese

Place gallon of water on top of plate

Cheese is all done!

Cut cheese into cubes

PANEER

Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
1 gallon whole milk
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoon citric acid

Special Items Needed
Cheese Cloth
Colander with holes in the bottom

Directions

Pour milk in a large pot. Do not throw away milk carton.
Cook over high heat until it nears to boiling. Small bubbles will start forming and the milk will start to come up to the top. Once this happens, lower the heat all the way.
Take 1/2 a teaspoon of the citric acid and sprinkle it evenly over the milk. Begin mixing the citric acid with the milk. Milk will begin to start curdling.
The water and cheese will start to separate. At this point you can slowly bring the heat up to a medium heat. If the water and cheese are not separating, add another 1/2 teaspoon of the citric acid. Remove from heat once the water and cheese have separated. NOTE: Depending on the milk, you may need to add more or less citric acid for the water and cheese to separate. Add citric add in only 1/2 teaspoon increments.
Place a colander in the sink and place the cheese cloth over it. Slowly pour cheese into the colander with the cheese cloth.
Lift the colander to remove any excess water.
Twist the cheese cloth to squeeze excess water out of the paneer. This will be really hot so you can sprinkle some cool water over the paneer.
Untwist the cheese cloth and loosely fold the cloth over the paneer. Flip the paneer wrapped with the cheese cloth upside down in the colander.
Place a glass plate on top of the paneer. Fill the empty milk carton with water and place it on top of the paneer for 40 minutes. This will allow any excess water to drip out of the paneer. If kept any longer, the paneer will turn out really dry.
Once the 40 minutes are complete, unwrap the paneer from the cheese cloth and cut it into cubes. The paneer is ready to eat!

Place the paneer into refrigerator or you can put it into the freezer to cook with later.

Enjoy!

Paneer

After adding citric acid, cheese will begin to curdle

Water will separate from cheese

Pour cheese into a colander covered with a cheese cloth

Twist cheese cloth to squeeze out excess water

Fold cheese cloth over cheese

Flip cheese over in colander

Place a plate over the cheese

Place gallon of water on top of plate

Cheese is all done!

Cut cheese into cubes

PANEER

Pour milk in a large pot. Do not throw away milk carton.
Cook over high heat until it nears to boiling. Small bubbles will start forming and the milk will start to come up to the top. Once this happens, lower the heat all the way.
Take 1/2 a teaspoon of the citric acid and sprinkle it evenly over the milk. Begin mixing the citric acid with the milk. Milk will begin to start curdling.
The water and cheese will start to separate. At this point you can slowly bring the heat up to a medium heat. If the water and cheese are not separating, add another 1/2 teaspoon of the citric acid. Remove from heat once the water and cheese have separated. NOTE: Depending on the milk, you may need to add more or less citric acid for the water and cheese to separate. Add citric add in only 1/2 teaspoon increments.
Place a colander in the sink and place the cheese cloth over it. Slowly pour cheese into the colander with the cheese cloth.
Lift the colander to remove any excess water.
Twist the cheese cloth to squeeze excess water out of the paneer. This will be really hot so you can sprinkle some cool water over the paneer.
Untwist the cheese cloth and loosely fold the cloth over the paneer. Flip the paneer wrapped with the cheese cloth upside down in the colander.
Place a glass plate on top of the paneer. Fill the empty milk carton with water and place it on top of the paneer for 40 minutes. This will allow any excess water to drip out of the paneer. If kept any longer, the paneer will turn out really dry.
Once the 40 minutes are complete, unwrap the paneer from the cheese cloth and cut it into cubes. The paneer is ready to eat!

Place the paneer into refrigerator or you can put it into the freezer to cook with later.

Enjoy!

Isn't this a beautiful looking bird?

TURKEY

Ingredients
1 Turkey (12-14 lbs)

Turkey Brine (depends on size of turkey)

1 gallon of cold water

1 cup kosher salt

1/2 cup brown sugar or sugar

2-3 rosemary sticks

1/4 cup peppercorns

3 bay leaves

3 cloves garlic

2-3 sticks of thyme

1 granny smith apple

2 stalks of celery

1/2 cup parsley

1/2 onion

Butter Paste (amount of paste depends on size of turkey)

1-2 sticks of butter, softened

Italian Seasoning/Herb mixture seasoning

5 cloves fresh garlic, minced

3/4 tbs cracked pepper

Directions:

Brine - To be made 24 hours before you want to cook turkey

To create the brine, combine all ingredients in a large container. When creating the brine, be sure to use kosher salt. If you use table salt, it will cause the brine to become too salty. If you do decide to use table salt, be sure to adjust the measurement ratio from kosher salt to table salt.
Place the turkey (breast down) in the larger container.
Be sure the turkey is completely submerged in the brine. If turkey is not completely submerged, be sure to add some more water, salt, and sugar. If you only add water to the brine mixture, it will dilute the salt content and prevent the turkey from being moist.
Place the turkey in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

On the day of making turkey:

Fire up the smoker to 325°F.
Take turkey out of brine and pat completely dry. Be sure to completely dry the turkey, this will allow you to get a nice crisp to your turkey.
Fill 2 ziplock bags with ice and place they over each turkey breast for 20 minutes. This will allow your turkey breast to stay moist while it cooks in the smoker.
While the breasts cool, create the butter paste.
Remove the bags of ice and pat the turkey dry. Apply the butter paste to the turkey. Be sure to cover the top and sides with the butter paste.
Place a cooling rack on the bottom of the roasting pan. Do not let the turkey sit on the bottom of the pan. Place turkey in the roasting pan.
Pour 1 to 1 1/2 cups of water in the roasting pan to keep the turkey moist throughout the smoking process.
Smoke turkey over indirect heat. The turkey will be cooked 1 hour per every 5 pounds. Example: If you have a 15 pound turkey, you will cook it for 3 hours. If you continuously open the smoker, it will take longer to cook.
The turkey is ready to be taken off the smoker when the temperature of the turkey breast is at 160°F and the turkey thigh is at 180°F.
Take turkey out of smoker and cover with foil so it stays warm. Let it rest for 20 minutes.

Turkey - Made in a Smoker