I belong to a family known as the Navayath. Having migrated to India in 752 Hijra, the community comprised migrants from Arabia and Iraq and have been very prominent with roots entrenched in south of India — namely Madras, Mysore and Hyderabad Deccan.

It has a rich history going back 1,000 years. From the very early period of migration, the community adopted the dress code and customs of local Hindu womenfolk, yet we have diverse sounding names and different tastes in our cuisine that have been passed down generations.

So here we are with an entrée, a main dish and a divine dessert from my book A Rhapsody of Cuisine.

AALO BONDAY

INGREDIENTS

1/2 kg potatoes, washed, boiled and mashed
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 green chillies, finely chopped
1 tbs gram (chana) lentils, soaked for an hour
1 1/2 cups gram flour (besan)
1 tbsp fresh coriander
1/2 tsp chilli powder
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

METHOD

In a glass bowl, mix mashed potatoes, onion, green chillies, gram lentils, coriander, chilli powder and salt. With slightly wet hands, shape into round balls — the size of ping pong ball.

Add 1/4 tsp of salt and pinch of chilli powder to the gram flour and, adding water, make a thick batter. Heat oil in a deep pan. Dip the balls in the gram flour batter and deep fry to a golden brown.

Remove on to a plate on kitchen paper to absorb excess oil and serve hot.

SUTHRIYAN

The name is derived from Suthri which means nikhree huwi (fair-coloured), as these dumplings remain white even after being cooked.

INGREDIENTS

1 kg mutton, with bones
2 large onions, ground to paste
1 small onion, thinly sliced
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon cumin-fenugreek powder (to make this, take two teaspoons each of white cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds (Methi) and grind to a fine powder and keep in an airtight container)
2 tablespoons desiccated coconut
1/2 cup tamarind pulp
1 cup oil
Salt to taste
For dumplings
2 cups rice flour
2 tablespoons desiccated coconut
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon oil
Warm water (as much as it takes to knead all this into soft dough)

METHOD

Heat oil in a deep pan, and fry the onion and onion paste till golden. Add ginger-garlic paste, saute and add the spices. Fry some more, taking care not to over fry.

Add tomatoes, and when they are cooked add the mutton. Fry till oil separates. Add enough water and cook till meat is tender.

Since a lot of gravy will be needed to cook the dumplings, the quantity of water should be more than what is used in normal curries.

When the mutton is tender add tamarind pulp and cook for five more minutes, till the raw taste of tamarind is gone.

Meanwhile make dumplings. Mix all ingredients for dumplings to make soft dough. Take half a tablespoon of dough in hand, roll between palms and slightly press in the middle with your right finger. Arrange in a platter. Use up all the dough in the same way. When the curry is ready, add the dumplings with a light hand and spread around the pan. Reduce heat and avoid stirring with spoon. Hold the pan with both hands and give it a shake.

The spatula is to be used to check that the curry is not sticking to the pan.

Take out a dumpling to check if it is done. Turn off the heat. The curry should have the consistency of a thick sauce.

Serve in a deep serving bowl while still hot.

It is a wholesome meal in itself.

Note: Remember to add tamarind once the meat is tender. Cumin and fenugreek is used in all tamarind based dishes.

ZAFRANI LAUZ

Lauz in Arabic means almonds.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 litres milk
4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon semolina
200 gm ghee or unsalted butter
A pinch of saffron
For almond paste
1/4 kg almonds
1/4 cup milk
For garnish
6 almonds, peeled and cut into slivers (what we call Havayian)

METHOD

Soak the almonds in boiling water, and while still warm, peel them. Put the peeled almonds in a food processor, add milk and blend the peeled almonds to a fine paste.

Heat milk in a deep pan with sugar. When the sugar dissolves add the almond paste and semolina. Stir with a wooden spoon. Keep stirring. Add saffron half way through.

Now start adding ghee/butter one tablespoon at a time, till all the ghee is used up. Keeping the flame low, keep stirring so that the mixture does not stick to the pan.

When the mixture is dry and starts leaving the sides of the pan, remove from heat and spread on to a greased platter.

Sprinkle almond slivers and cut into diagonal shapes.

Note: Saffron threads do not dissolve easily so I grind them into fine powder and keep in an airtight container. Grind just a tablespoon of threads at a time to save the aroma.

Published in Dawn, EOS, December 31st, 2017