Alex's Recipie Menagerie

Beef Vindaloo a la Gautam's Mom

Marinate 1 lb. Beef stew pieces in a non-metal container with:

4 oz.	vinegar
1 tbs.	ground ginger
1 tsp.	cayenne pepper
1 tsp.	ground coriander
1/2 tsp.	ground cumin
1/2 tsp.	ground cardamon
1/2 tsp.	ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp.	ground cloves (maybe less)

Mix well and marinate for 16-24+ hours in the refrigerator, shaking once in a while. Heat some oil, toss in the marinated meat and spices. Add 12 peppercorns and 2-3 bay leaves. Simmer gently over low heat covered for 1 - 1 1/2 hours. Serve with rice.

Goong Musaman Karee (Thai Prawn Curry)

1 1/2 lb.	fresh prawns
2	shallots
2	cloves garlic
1 inch knob	fresh khaa (Siamese ginger)
1 inch stalk	lemon grass
2 tsp.	chopped coriander root
10	dried chillies
1/2 tsp.	ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp.	ground mace
1/2 tsp.	ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp.	ground cloves
2	large brown onions
	oil for frying
1 oz.	tamarind water
8 oz	thick coconut cream
1 oz.	sugar
	salt to taste
	freshly ground black pepper

Shell and de-vein the prawns. Finely chop the shallots, garlic, ginger and lemon grass and pound these together with the coriander root, dried chillies, lime peel, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cardomon seeds, nutmeg, mace, cinnamon and cloves. Add a small quantity of cold water to form a smooth paste. Slice the onions. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the prawns and saute until they turn a light pink, then remove and set aside also. Add the spice paste to the oil and stir-fry for 4-5 minutes, then add the coconut cream and bring to a boil. Add the tamarind water and sugar and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring back to a boil and replace the prawns and onion. Lower heat and allow to cook slowly for a further 10 minutes. Transfer to a large serving dish and garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Serve with steamed rice. Serves 4-6.

General Indian Vegetable Recipe

Cook vegetables in hot oil for about 10 min. (til soft), adding salt, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Add water and steam for about 10 minutes. If you want to add other spices you can.

Potatoes in a Tomato Curry Base

Heat oil, and 1 tsp. cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp. Asafoetida (Hing in Hindi, only available at Indian groceries, but can be left out of recipe), 1 tsp. mustard seeds, 2-3 whole cloves. When mustard seeds start popping (they explode!) add chopped green pepper (optional) and cook for 1-2 min. Add 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder, quartered tomatoes (2-3), and salt. Cover on low heat for 5-10 min. Crush tomatoes to make a gravy and add cut potatoes (3 large or so), cayenne pepper, 2 tsp. of ground coriander and a little water. Cover and cook on medium for about 15-20 min. Do not stir. If tomatoe gravy is in danger of drying up add a little water or turn down flame. Good luck.

Tollhouse Cookies

2 1/4 cups	all-purpose flour
1 tsp.	baking soda
1 tsp.	salt (optional)
1 cup	butter, softened
3/4 cup	sugar
3/4 cup	firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp.	vanilla extract
2	eggs
2 cups	chocolate chips (semi-sweet)
1 cup	chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°F. In large bowl combine butter, sugars, and vanilla extract; beat until creamy. Beat in eggs. Gradually add mixture of flour, soda and salt. Stir in chocolate and nuts. Drop by rounded measuring Tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 375°F for 9-11 min. Makes about 5 dozen. For pan cookies put in greased pan and bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup	margarine
1 cup	white sugar
1 tsp.	baking soda
1 1/2 cup	flour
3 cup	rolled oats
1 cup	brown sugar
2	eggs
1 tsp.	salt (optional)
1+ tsp.	vanilla
2 cups	chocolate chips

Soften margarine. Mix sugars, eggs and margarine until creamy. Add soda, salt and vanilla and mix. Add flour and mix. Add oats and chocolate chips and mix. Drop by rounded tsp. onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven at 350°F for 10-12 min.

Hillary Rodham Clinton's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/2 cups	unsifted all-pupose flour
1 tsp.	salt
1 tsp.	baking soda
1 cup	solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup	granulated sugar
1 cup	firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tsp.	vanilla extract
2	eggs
2 cups	old-fashioned rolled oats
12-oz. package	semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Beat together shortening, sugars, and vanilla until creamy. Add eggs, beating until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in flour mixture and rolled oats. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop batter by well-rounded teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are done. Cool cookies on sheets for two minutes before placing them on wire rack for further cooling. Yield: 7 1/2 dozen cookies.

Emacs Cookies

Cream together:	2 cups	butter
	2 cups	sugar
	2 cups	brown sugar
Add:	4	eggs
Add:	2 tsp.	vanilla
Mix in separate bowl:	4 cups	flour
	5 cups	oatmeal (put small amounts of oatmeal in blender until it turns to powder. Measure out 5 cups of oatmeal and only "powderize" that, NOT 5 cups "powderized" oatmeal)
	1 tsp	salt
	2 tsp	baking powder
	2 tsp	baking soda
Mix:	All of the above
Add:	24 oz. bag	chocolate chips
Add:	1	finely grated 8 oz Hershey bar (plain)
Add:	3 cups	chopped nuts (any kind)

Bake on greased cookie sheet (make golf ball sized balls) and bake about two inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Makes 112.

Belgian Waffles

3	eggs
1 3/4 cups	all purpose flour
4 tsp.	baking powder
2 tbs.	sugar
1 1/2 cups	milk
1/3 cup	oil

Preheat waffle iron. Separate egg yolks and whites. Combine dry ingredients. Combine milk, oil, and yolks. Add to dry ingredients. Mix briefly until wet and lumps are small. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks in a copper bowl. Fold into batter. Make waffles.