Lurka Logs Indian Cardamom Cookies1964 Recipes

LURKA LOGS (INDIAN CARDAMOM COOKIES)(1964)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Sift flour and baking powder together and set aside.
• Combine cardamom, salt and butter.
• Gradually blend in sugar.
• Beat in eggs.
• Gradually stir in flour mixture.
• Drop by rounded teaspoons 2" apart onto ungreased baking sheets.
• Flatten tops by pressing with the bottom of a glass covered with a damp cloth.
• Sprinkle tops with sugar and coconut.
• Bake until edges are lightly browned, about 8-10 minutes.
• Cool on sheets 1 minute, then remove to a rack.
• Store in an airtight container.

ELAICHI CHAA (INDIAN CARDAMOM TEA)

Steps:

• Pour the water into a large saucepan.
• Lightly smash the green and black cardamoms in a pestle and mortar. Add to the water and bring to the boil.
• When boiling, add in the teabags and sugar.
• Add enough milk to turn the tea a pale beige colour.
• Bring to the boil again and just as it is rising to the top of the pan, switch off the heat. Strain and serve at once.

BALTI SAUCE - BASIC SAUCE FOR ANYTHING GOES CURRY

Steps:

• Measure out the 8 spices into a bowl (first 8 ingredients). If using fresh chilis then leave those out for now. Warm up a large skillet or pot (ideally cast iron) and bring to med-high heat. Gently roast the spices in the dry skillet -- watching the mixture doesn't burn, keep stirring. After about a minute it will become fragrant and begin to get dark - take it off the heat and pour back into the bowl - set aside.
• Put the skillet back on the heat, add in the oil and bring back to medium high heat. Add in the chopped onion and cook thru until translucent. Once the onion is cooked, add in the ginger and garlic and mix well - watching the garlic doesn't burn. Next add the spice mixture back in, followed by the tinned tomatoes.
• Mix in about 1 cup of water - you want a thick sauce, but not too paste-like. Add in the salt, bay leaves and cardamom seeds.
• Grate the zest off of the lemon, add to the pot, along with the juice from 1/2 of the lemon. Save the other half for later, you may want to add more. Let it all simmer on medium-low.
• For a nice smooth sauce, remove the bay leaves and blend until smooth (an immersion blender works well).

INDIAN SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream the lard and beat in sugar.
• Cream again.
• Beat in the egg and rose.
• Mix in 4 cups of the flour, adding more until dough is able to be rolled out.
• Cut in circles or shapes.
• Pat cinnamon sugar onto cookie tops.
• Bake on ungreased 325 oven until lightly browned.

IRAQI CARDAMOM COOKIES (HADGI BADAH)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare baking sheets with a light coating of cooking spray, oil or butter. (Looks like parchment paper would also work well with these cookies.).
• Sift together the flour, cardamom, salt, and baking powder.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar and eggs until light and creamy. Stir in the flour mixture, then the ground almonds.
• Pinch off a small piece of dough and hand form into 1-inch balls, moistening your hands with rose water or orange blossom water, if desired. Place on the prepared baking sheets and flatten slightly. Press a whole almond into the center of each cookie.
• Bake until lightly browned about 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

CAFE BRULOT

Steps:

• In the blazer pan of a chafing dish combine cinnamon, cloves, sugar cubes, orange peel, and lemon peel.
• In a small saucepan heat brandy until it almost simmers.
• Remove from heat and ignite.
• Pour over mixture in blazer pan.
• Place blazer pan over chafing dish burner. Spoon brandy over sugar until cubes melt. Stir in coffee. Makes 4 (4-ounce) servings.