Steamed Pork Balls: Recipes by Mridula Baljekar

Steamed Pork Balls

Preparation Time: 25 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 6-8

Each serving contains: 174 Kcals, 5 gm Fat, and 1.8 gm Saturated Fat

This is a traditional Tibetan recipe with ravishing flavours. Only, the pastry that the Tibetans use to wrap the spiced pork before steaming is not used.

Ingredients:

• 450g lean minced pork (laal
• maans/ suar ka maans)
• 5cm cube of fresh ginger root,
• peeled and coarsely chopped
• (bareek kata hua adrak)
• 1-2 green chillies, seeded and
• coarsely chopped (hari mirch
• bina beej ke aur bareek kate hue)
• 1 teaspoon salt to taste (namak)
• 1 large egg (anda)
• 4 spring onions, white part only, finely chopped (Vasant Pyaaz/ Hara Pyaaz jiska safed ansh kata hua)

Process: . Put the fork in a food processor and switch it on for a few seconds. Then add the remaining ingredients, except for the spring onions, and process until you have a smooth paste. . Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add the spring onions. Mix well.

Have a bowl of water ready. Dip the fingers of both your hands in the water (this will prevent the meat paste sticking to your fingers) and make small balls (25-27 No.s), which should be slightly smaller than walnuts. Prepare a steamer over a saucepan of boiling water. Put the meat balls in the steamer and cook for 20 minutes. If you don't have a steamer, put a rack in a saucepan and pour in water to come slightly below the rack. Bring it just to boil. Put the meatballs on a plate and place it on the rack. Cover the pan and steam for 20 minutes. Check that the water does not evaporate completely and top up with the boiling water if necessary.

Serve hot or cold (not chilled)

Karnataka Potato Curry (Batata Sukkhe)

Preparation Time: 15 - 20 minutes

Cooking time: 10 – 20 minutes

Serves 4 - 6

Each serving contains:

Kcals: 200, g fat: 5.3, g saturated fat: 4

Ingredients:

675g potatoes, cut into 2.5 cm cubes

1 teaspoon salt to taste

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon channa dal or yellow split peas

1-3 dried red chillies, broken up

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

(Saabut Dhaniya)

¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (Methi

ke Daane)

30g coconut milk powder

150ml skimmed or semi-skimmed

milk, heated

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Method:

1. Put the potatoes in a large saucepan, about 30 cm in diameter, and add 450ml of water, turmeric, and salt to taste. Bring the mixture to the boiling point and reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Cook for 6-7 minutes
2. Meanwhile, preheat a small pan over medium heat. Add the channa dal, chillies, coriander seeds and fenugreek seeds. Reduce the heat to low and stir the mixture for 30-60 seconds or until the spices begin to release their aroma. Transfer the mixture to a plate and allow to cool slightly, then grind to a fine powder in a coffee or spice mill
3. Stir the coconut milk powder into the hot milk and add the ground ingredients. Stir until well blended, then add to the potatoes. Simmer uncovered, until the potatoes are tender and all the liquid has been absorbed
4. Add the lemon juice and stir gently to mix into the potatoes without beaking them up. Serve with any bread or as an accompaniement to grilled or baked fish, poultry, or meat dishes.