Mamta's Kitchen - A Family Cookbook
Recipes with mint
Hi folks,
I've got an abundance of mint in the garden and wanted to know if anyone can point me to any winning Indian recipes to utilise it?
Many thanks
James.
There is too much information being processed in my brain at the moment for me to answer properly, but I have a few good suggestions for using mint. Fresh peppermint (which nearly ended up as Fred and Freda) is my favourite variety, but not as abundant as other varieties. I'll let someone else answer this! :o)
Hello James
Mint leaves dry very well. Just clean/wash them and spread out on a few layers of newspaper in a hot place, like a conservatory, green house or a window sill. Leaves can then be used throughout the year.
A little dry mint in curry sauce and things like biryanies is nice. I often add a few leaves to my green salad, very refreshing.
Green Chutney. This can be made without coriander, if you don?t have any. You can freeze in small containers for use throughout the year. Will last in the fridge for a week or so.
Mint raita sounds intruiging. We have wild mint growing here on our land in the South of France, and it's one of several wild things I don't exploit enough, like wild fennel.
However, I'm harvesting wild blackberries right now and will pick a whole load of sloes in November for sloe gin, which worked a treat last year.
No idea what to do with all our figs: the tree is now well into its second crop. I hate to see things go to waste, but we don't really do jams, and I haven't even finished the dried figs from last summer.
Phil
My figs are ripening too, but they are just enough for us to eat and share a few out.
Fig yoghurt is lovely. I just slightly mash really ripe figs and add to fresh yoghurt, perhaps with a little honey.
Fig smoothie should be good, with yoghurt, but I have never had enough figs to make it. There are none left over after eating fresh!
Thanks for the fig suggestions, Mamta. Our kids might like the smoothie.
I've just picked some red peppers, which have ripened in the Mediterranean sun, so I'm going to have a go at a Spanish tapas dish tomorrow: red pepper stuffed with hake.
For the barbecue lunch by the pool today, I'm doing chicken in your Worcester Sauce, mustard, soy sauce and tomato pur?e marinade. This time, I've added tabasco, as you suggest. We'll be having this with my wife's delicious Greek melitsana salata (pur?ed aubergine flesh with garlic and tomato).We only have this in the summer: seasonal cookery is something we're really keen on.
Phil
You mean Devilled Chicken by Tim Elkington? Yes, chilli sauce in it will be a nice addition.
Your wife's Greek Aubergine Mash sounds delicious. I love aubergines.
No, it's called Barbecued Meats: it was good, though I rather over-cooked the chicken on the barbecue. I enjoy doing barbecues, but they can be fiddly, especially if you're cooking several different things and the kids don't come to table when they're called.
I'll have a look at that recipe you mentioned.
Stuffed peppers not a success. I'd try something Greek, but the only Greek cookbok we have is written in Greek, and I've forgotten how to read that language.
Phil
Hello all
Just wondering if you know of a recipe for mint chutney which also had fresh or dessicated coconut and I think green chillis?
Many thanks
Ju e
No I haven't got a recipe specifically, but I have added desiccated/fresh coconut to this
Green Chutney , it is quite nice. I actually have a jar in the freezer, must remember to use it one day soon!
Coconut based chutneys are often tempered with curry leaves and mustard seeds, in the south Indian style.
Do let us know how you get with that, June.
I've been meaning to have a go at that green chutney for a while. Coconut in chutney sounds odd to me, but perhaps worth a try.
Phil
South Indian chutneys are very often made with coconut Phil. There are a couple of recipes on this site too. They are quite nice. Coconuts grow in south India and old days, people tended to use what they grew locally.