Mahi Tikka Ajwaini

Ingredients	Quantity
Pomfert fillet	8
Lemon juice	1 tbsp
Ginger-garlic paste	25gms
Ajwain – powdered	2 tsp
Salt and white pepper powder	to taste

Clean and dry the pomfret fillet. Mix lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, ajwain, salt and pepper. Apply the paste to the fillet. Keep aside to marinate for two hours.

Put them on skewers (sheekh) and cook in a clay oven for eight minutes or until light brown. Check the seasoning and serve hot.

NOTES:     Grilled pomfret fillet

Machchi Ka Khalia

Ingredients	Quantity
Sole – cleaned, deboned and cut into fillets mustard oil for deep frying	1 kg
For the marinade:
Ginger paste – strained	30gms
Garlic paste – strained	20gms
Lemon juice	2 tbsp (30 ml)
Chilli powder	1 tsp
Salt	to taste
For the gravy:
Oil	3 tbsp
Cumin seeds	1 tsp
Curry leaves	24
Ginger paste – strained	30gms
Garlic paste – strained	15gms
Turmeric powder	1 ½ tsp
Chilli powder	1 ½  tsp
Tamarind pulp	60ml
Fish stock	1 liter
Salt	to taste
Coriander leaves – chopped fine	2gms
Green chillies – slit lengthwise and quartered	4
Patthar ka phool – powdered	½ tsp
Bay leaves – powdered	½ tsp
For the khaliya paste:
Ground nuts – roasted	75gms
Grated coconut	¾ cup
Sesame seeds	45gms
Onions – chopped fine	250gms
Coriander powder	12gms
Cumin powder	1 tsp

To marinate the fish:      Mix all the ingredients for the marinade and evenly rub it into the fish fillets. Keep aside for 10 minutes.

To prepare the khaliya paste:     Heat a tawa or a non stick frying pan, and separately roast the coconut and sesame seeds over very low heat until each emits its unique aroma (for about three minutes each). Grind the coconut, sesame seeds, groundnuts and onion with ¾ cup water to a fine paste. Remove from the mixer. Add coriander powder and cumin powder. Mix well and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan. Season with cumin seeds and curry leaves. Stir over medium heat until the cumin seeds begin to pop. Add ginger paste and garlic paste and stir-fry until the moisture evaporates. Add turmeric powder and chilli powder (dissolved in two tbsp water), and stir until the liquid has evaporated. Add the khaliya paste and stir-fry until the oil floats on top. Add tamarind pulp and stir-fry until the oil floats on top. Add the fish stock, stir well and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, sprinkle patthar phool powder and bay leaf powder. Stir and simmer until reduced to half its quantity. Add fish and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the fish is cooked. Add coriander leaves and green chilli pieces. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and adjust the seasoning Serve with steamed rice or roomali roti.

Jhinga Phuljharhi

Ingredients	Quantity
Large prawns – cleaned, shelled and deveined (but retain tail)	8
Oil	for deep frying
For the marinade:
Lemon juice	1 tbsp
Cornstarch	1 ½ tsp
Yellow chilli powder	¼ tsp
Salt	to taste
For the batter:
Flour	400gms
Rice flour	100gms
Egg yolks	5
Cheese – grated	75gms
Coarse black pepper powder	½ tsp
Fennel powder	¼ tsp
Green cardamom powder	¼ tsp
Cinnamon powder	1pinch
Saffron strands	a few
Mix for the second topping and refrigerate:
Egg yolks – whisked	2
Tomatoes – chopped fine	2
Onion greens – chopped fine	2 springs
Green chilli – chopped fine	1
Green coriander leaves – chopped	5gms

Skewer the prawns from tail to head on wooden skewers. Mix all the ingredients for the marinade and evenly rub the skewered prawns with this marinade. Keep aside for 30 minutes. Sieve flour and rice flour separately into a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients for the batter and one liter ice cold water. Whisk to obtain a lumpy batter.

Refrigerate until required. Heat oil in a kadai over medium heat. Add a few drops of batter and, as soon as the batter droplets come to the surface, dip skewered prawns in the batter, and deep fry for three minutes. Drain and evenly brush with the first topping Then liberally sprinkle the second topping on the prawns. Finally glaze it in the broiler (or under the salamander) for a minute. Remove skewers and keep aside. Arrange prawns on a platter and serve with warm sautéed juliennes of carrot, potato, pumpkin and beans.

NOTES: Indians prepare prawn pakoras in a hundred different ways. We decided to substitute the besan batter with a tempura-style batter and then coated the whole thing with onions, tomatoes, etc.