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Showing posts with label Punjab Ki Mitti se. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Punjab Ki Mitti se. Show all posts

Saturday, May 9, 2015

Maa Ki Daal ( Mother's day Special )

Happy Mother's Day to everyone!! Well, actually I would like to wish all the mothers every single day throughout the year since it is a 24 X 7 job with no pay and no leaves. But since the second Sunday of May is the designated day, hence a special post that is dedicated to all the mothers who follow by blog :) !!

Read on -





Preparation Time - 1 hour

Ingredients -


  • 2/3 cup black lentils (urad dal)
  • 1 medium sized onion
  • 1 1/2 tsp GG paste
  • 2-3 medium sized tomatoes
  • 1/2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp red chili powder
  • 1/3 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp Garam masala
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp Kasuri Methi
  • 3 tsp oil
  • salt to taste
  • cilantro for garnishing


Preparation - Wash and soak the black lentils overnight.

Chop the onion into small pieces. Grind the tomato into a puree.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a pressure cooker. Add the cumin seeds an allow to splutter.

Add the chopped onions and fry till translucent.

Follow with the GG paste and fry for 2-3 mins.

Add the powdered spices and fry for 30 seconds before adding the fresh tomato puree. Cook till the oil starts to separate from the tomatoes.

Wash and drain the soaked lentils. Add them to the pressure cooker along with salt, 21/2 cups water and the Kasuri methi. Cook for 7-8 whistles. Remove from flame and allow steam to escape naturally.

Return it to the burner, this time with the lid open. Allow it to simmer for 10-12 mins( take a dal masher and lightly mash the lentils while it is still on the burner).

Finally add the cilantro just before removing from the flame.

Serve hot with roti or white rice.







Note - One can also cook the dals separately and then add to the onion tomato gravy. This method is advisable when the lentils are old or the tomatoes are too acidic/sour, both of which will increase the cooking time.

Monday, April 27, 2015

Amritsari Alu Gobi

Amritsari Alu Gobi is a simple yet flavorsome Punjabi curry with a hint of a tang. The cauliflower florets and the potatoes are cooked to a very tender stage and as a result one gets a curry that has an almost mashed kind of texture. It goes great with some piping hot rotis !!

While it does remind me of our 'Phulakobi Jholo' or Odia cauliflower curry, this one has more tang, garam masala and almost zero bite when compared to the former. Call it an Odia thing if you wish, but we Odias prefer to have a bite to our veggies / meat. Almost like al-dente. And hence I take care not to overcook the cauliflower when I make this curry as my husband refused to eat it the first time.

Read on for the recipe -






Preparation Time - 40 mins

Ingredients:


  • 250 gm Cauliflower
  • 1 large onion
  • 1 large potato 
  • 2-3 green chilis
  • 2-3 tsp ginger garlic paste
  • 1 large + 1 medium sized tomatao
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp red chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp garam masala
  • 1/3 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/3 tsp mustard seeds
  • 2 pinch asafoetida
  • 1/4 tsp amchur (or as per taste)
  • 2 tsp kasuri methi
  • 1-2 nos green cardamon 
  • 1 inch long cinnamon 
  • 1-2 nos cloves
  • 1 no bay leaf
  • 5 tsp oil
  • salt to taste
  • 1/2 tsp sugar (my addition)
  • cilantro for garnishing


Preparation: Cut the cauliflower into medium sized florets. Potato should be cut into cubes.

Cut the onion into small pieces. Make a paste out of it and keep aside

Make a puree out of the tomato or chop into very fine bits.

Cooking: Heat 3 tsp oil in a wok. Add turmeric followed by the cauliflower florets and stir fry for 7-8 mins. Add the potato cubes and fry for 3-4 mins more. Remove from pan and keep aside.

Heat remaining oil in the same wok. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and whole spices. Fry till fragrant. Add the asafoetida and the chopped green chilis and fry for 30 seconds.

Add the onion paste along with the GG paste and fry till raw smell goes away. Add all the powdered masala (except amchur) and fry for 1 minute.

Add the tomato pureed/finely chopped . Cook till oil starts to separate out.

Add the fried florets and potatoes along with the kasuri methi, salt and 2-3 cups of water.

Boil for 8-10 mins or till the gravy thickens to ones' preference. Finally stir in the amchur powder and sugar just before removing from the flame.

Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with rotis/paranthas.


Thursday, April 23, 2015

Chicken Saagwala ( Chicken in a Spinach Gravy )

Most of us would have come across a green colored chicken curry being served at restaurants. While the green hue looks irresistible to some, others may be hesitant to give it a try. My husband belonged to the latter category. That is, until I introduced him to this wonderful dish. A very interesting thing about this dish is that the taste kind of changes from region to region. I have sampled this curry in Hyderabad, Pune and Bangalore whereas my husband also had a chance to taste it during a trip to Gurgaon.

The variation stems from the local greens that go into this recipe along with the staple palak or spinach. For example, they add fenugreek leaves in Hyderbad . In Pune, it is coriander whereas in the Northern regions they add mustard greens (sarson ka saag). I personally prefer going solo with baby spinach, though I do add a fistful of fresh methi leaves if I have some in stock.

Read on for my recipe -




















Preparation Time - 40-45 mins

Ingredients -


  • 400 gm Chicken legs ( one can use regular pieces too )
  • 2 cups shredded baby spinach leaves
  • 1 large onion (finely chopped)
  • 1 1/2 tsp GG paste
  • 3-4 garlic flakes ( chopped )
  • 2 medium sized tomatoes ( finely chopped )
  • 2 green chilis ( finely chopped )
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp red chili powder
  • 1/3 tsp turmeric
  • 1/5 tsp garam masala
  • 2 green cardamom
  • 2 inch long cinnamon stick
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3-4 peppercorns
  • 2-3 cloves
  • 1/2 tsp lemon juice
  • 3 tsp oil
  • 2-3 tsp butter
  • 1 tbsp kasoori methi
  • salt to taste
  • cilantro for garnishing


Preparation - Clean the chicken pieces. Add a pinch of turmeric, lemon juice and salt. Rub all over the pieces and keeps aside for 20 mins.

Blanch the spinach. Grind into a smooth paste and keep aside.

Cooking - Heat the oil and 1 tsp butter together. Add the whole spices and fry till fragrant. Then add the onion pieces and fry till light brown.

Add the GG paste, garlic slices and green chili. Fry for 2 mins before adding the powdered spices along with the tomatoes. Sprinkle a pinch of salt. Cook till the tomatoes are done and the oil starts to separate.

Add the marinated chicken and fry on a high flame for 2 mins. Then reduce the flame, cover with a lid and allow the chicken to cook till it is 3/4th done.

Add spinach paste/puree, mix together and cook for another 5 mins.

Finally add the kasuri methi ( rub it between your palms before adding ) and the butter just before removing from the flame.

Garnish with onion rings and cilantro. Serve hot.









Saturday, January 24, 2015

Shalgam Ki Subzi (Turnip Stir Fry)

It is difficult to find 'shalgam' or turnip in Odisha. Alteast ten to fifteen years back, I had never seen the vegetable being sold in the local markets. So, every time I came across this vegetable in Hyderabad or Bangalore, I would think about trying it out. But since I was not too sure about how it needs to be cooked, I kept postponing it till my vegetable lady egged me on to buy some. 'Didi, you can make it like Ol-kopi, they are similar in taste', she told me. And it turned out to be true. At first I had tried a spicier version just like I do it for Kholrabi  (Ol Kopi or Ganthi kobi). The leftover bits went into the 'Sarson ka saag'. The second time I bought the vegetable, I made a simpler version that works well for chapatis.

Read on for the recipe -






Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients - 

  • 2 medium sized turnips ( peeled and cut into 3-4 mm thick pieces )
  • 1/2 of a small onion
  • 1/2 tsp GG paste
  • 1 dry red chili
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/4 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 2 pinch garam masala
  • 1 large tomato (finely chopped)
  • 3 tsp oil
  • salt to taste
  • cilantro for garnishing (optional)

Cooking - Heat the oil in a wok. Add the broken red chili and cumin seeds. Once it gets spluttering, add the chopped onion and allow it to turn translucent.

Add the GG paste and fry for 2 mins. Add the tomatoes along with all the powdered spices. Stir fry for couple of minutes till the tomatoes turn mushy and the oil starts to leave.

Add the turnip pieces, mix in and turn up the flame for 2 mins. Add about 1/4 cup water along with the salt. Cook with lid covered for 5-6 mins or till the turnip becomes soft.

Remove from flame and garnish with cilantro.

Serve hot with rotis !!




















Check out a spicer version ( Masaledar Shalgam ) here !! ( Prepared it in the same way as I cooked the Kholrabi but did not post a separate recipe )

Monday, August 25, 2014

Sarson da Saag ( Mustard Greens)

Punjabi food conjures up images of sweet succulent chicken pieces dumped in a sea of red. Or even fiery char-grilled chicken legs/thighs oozing/dripping fat. For the vegetarians, it would be luscious Paneer pieces simmering in a creamy gravy accompanied by Tandoori Rotis dripping butter. Not to forget the smooth as velvet Dal Makhani. While these restaurant style recipes have a hell lot of mass appeal, the recipes that I hold close to my heart are the ones closer to home and hearth. Recipes that a loving mother/aunt or even a grandmother would have prepared by investing hours ( and patience ) to get it to the right texture and consistency. These are recipes that have the proverbial 'miiti ki kushboo' associated with them.

Today I am sharing one such recipe which is very close to my heart. The 'Sarson da saag' which never fails to transport me to the lush yellow-green mustard fields of Punjab. Doesn't it remind you of  DDLJ and SRK-Kajol singing 'Tujhe dekha to yeh jaana sanam'. That song remains a favorite till date. Read on for the very earthy recipe -






Preparation Time - 25-30 mins

Ingredients -

  • 1 bunch mustard leaves
  • 1 bunch spinach (palak) leaves
  • 1 large tomato
  • 2 medium onion
  • 1 inch ginger
  • 6-7 garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2-3 dry red chilis
  • 1/3 tsp turmeric
  • salt to taste
  • 2 tbsp ghee
  • extra butter for final garnish



Preparation - Wash and clean the greens by immersing them in warm salt water for 1-2 hours. Drain the water and replace with fresh water. Repeat 2-3 times. This will remove all the insects, mud and sand.

Chop up the greens into small pieces. Peel and dice one of the onions. Roughly chop up the tomato ginger and garlic flakes. Transfer everything to a pressure cooker along with 1/4 cup water. Add turmeric and salt to taste.

Finely chop up the remaining onion.

Cooking - Cook for 3-4 whistles. Keep aside till steam escapes.

Use a hand blender to grind the cooked greens into a coarse paste.

Heat the ghee in a wok. Add the broken chilis and cumin seeds. Once the seeds start to pop, add the chopped onions. Fry till they start to brown at the edges.

Add the coarse paste and bring to a boil. Then turn down flame and simmer for 3-4 mins before removing from the flame.

Serve hot with makki ki roti or just normal rotis.


















Note - One can also add some methi/fenugreek greens to this recipe. It adds a different flavour and makes it still healthier. 

Monday, June 9, 2014

Malai Kofta

I am not much of a kofta person as our menu is predominantly non-vegetarian . And paneer dishes are made very rarely, mostly reserved for occasions when we have any of our vegetarian friends coming over. With koftas being quite messy and rich, I usually avoided it in favour of dishes like Paneer Schezhuan or Paneer Tikka. But when a reader requested for a kofta recipe, I had to think hard before coming up with this. I have cut short the time (and also the amount of oil/butter) spent on making the gravy by cooking most of the ingredients beforehand. The tikkis can also be baked in a oven for further reducing the calories. (I tried doing this for 2 of the tikkis and they tasted good)

Read on for the recipe - 


















Preparation Time - 25-30 mins

Ingredients - 

For the koftas -
200 gm paneer
1 medium sized potato
1 tsp cornflour
a pinch of garam masala
1/3 tsp chilli powder
salt to taste
oil for shallw frying

To be boiled -
2 medium sized onion
1 medium sized tomato
3-4 garlic flakes
1 inch long ginger
1 dry Kashmiri red chilli
10-12 almonds (blanched)
1/3 tsp cumin
1 inch cinnamon stick
1-2 green cardamoms
2-3 cloves
salt to taste

Others -

1 tsp oil
1 tsp butter
1 tsp honey
1 tbsp kasuri methi
salt to taste

Cooking - Cook the potato with 1 cup water in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles. Keep aside till steam escapes.

While the potato is cooking, chop the onions, peel the garlic and ginger. Take all the ingredients listed under "to be boiled" in another pressure cooker with 1 cup water. Cook on medium high flame for 7-8 minutes or 2-3 whistles. Keep aside for steam to escape.(let the tomato remain intact/whole while cooking)

Heat oil in a wok for shallow frying.

Peel and grate the boiled potato into a mixing bowl. Also grate the paneer into the same bowl. Add salt, cornflour, chili powder and garam masala. Mix thouroughly and divide into 6-7 portions. Shape each portion into a flattened circle about 2/3 cm thick.

Put the koftas into the hot oil. Fry on both sides till brown. Press slightly against the side of the vessel to drain off excess oil before removing. Keep on a tissue paper to absorb still more oil.

Strain the contents of the pressure cooker. Do not throw away this water. Transfer to a grinder and make a smooth paste.

Heat 1 tsp oil in another wok. Add butter to it followed by the onion masala paste. Cook for 3 minutes before adding some of the strained water. Add honey. Rub the kasuri methi between your palms before adding it to the gravy. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the koftas to the gravy and switch off the flame (only if the curry is to be served immediately else heat the gravy and add the koftas just before serving).

Tastes best with naan/rotis but also goes well with white rice/pulao.


















Note - When making this recipe for special ocasions, chop up some dry fruits ( raisins, cashews, almonds ), lightly fry them in some ghee and stuff them inside the koftas.

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Pindi Choley

There is a certain level of comfort associated with cooking from a cookbook. After all, these are recipes that have been tried, tested and honed to perfection by experts who have spent years mastering their art. No air of confusion/indecision, mad scrambling at the last moment to find some ingredient to balance the flavors or nail-biting anticipation about how the dish will finally will turn out. I know it can be quite exhilarating at times but it is not something you want to experience every time you walk into the kitchen.

So, when I am in a mood to relax I look no further then my  favorite cookbook author Tarla Dalal. Her recipes are crisp and precise, with useful notes added wherever necessary. This is one such recipe that I had in mind for quite sometime. Read on:


















Preparation Time - 45 mins

Ingredients - 1 cup kabuli chana (garbanzo beans), 1 tbsp chana dal, 1 big cardamon, 1 inch long cinnamon, a pinch of baking soda, 1 tsp tea leaves, 1/2 cup grated onions, 1/4 cup chopped tomatoes, 1 tsp pomegranate powder, 1 tsp grated ginger, 1 green chilli (chopped), 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp chilli powder, 3/4 cup tomato puree, 2 tsp chole masala, 5 tsp oil, salt to taste.

Preparation - Soak the kabuli chana and chana dal overnight.

Cooking - Wash and transfer the pulses into a pressure cooker. Add cinnamon, cardamom, baking powder, salt and tea leaves along with 2 1/2 cups water. Cook for 2-3 whistles.

Allow steam to escape before opening lid. Drain the water and it keep aside (do not throw way). Remove and discard the big cardamom and cinnamon stick.

Heat the oil in a kadai. Add grated onion and fry to a light brown.

Add chopped tomatoes and cook till they soften. Add the grated ginger, green chilli, pomegranate powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala. Fry for 1 minute.

Add pureed tomatoes and cook till oil starts to separate from the gravy.

Add the boiled pulses and choley masala. Fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add the drained water and adjust the salt. Cook till semi-dry or as you prefer it.

Garnish with onions and coriander leaves. Serve hot with rotis/parathas or bhatura/puris.




     














Note - This is a semi-dry dish unlike the gravy laden Punjabi Choley.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Palak Paneer ( Cheese in Spinach gravy )

Palak or spinach is one of the most nutrient dense foods available to us in abundance and at an economical rate. Along with a high water content and soluble fibre content, it is loaded with vitamin K, vitamin A, magnesium, folate, manganese, iron, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin B2, potassium, and vitamin B6. It’s a very good source of protein, phosphorus, vitamin E, zinc and copper. Also it’s a good source of selenium, niacin, and Omega-3 fatty acids.

But since it is loaded with pesticides and fertilizers ( common problem with most leafy vegetables as they grow so near to the soil ), one should prefer the organic version whenever possible. I myself buy the 'Gopalan' brand that is stocked by Bigbasket.com.

I try to keep on incorporating it my diet and often come up with new combinations. But today i am sharing a popular and all time favorite recipe 'Palak Paneer'. Read on :



















Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients - 350 gm paneer, 1 bunch of spinach ( 2 1/2 - 3 cups ), 2 medium sized onion, 1 1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste, 1-2 green chillli, 1/2 teaspoon jeera-lanka powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala, 2 tsp Fortune Rice Bran oil, butter, salt to taste, turmeric.

Preparation - Cut the paneer into cubes.

Remove the stems from the spinach and chop roughly. Cut the onions into large pieces.


Cooking - Heat water in a pan. Add salt and turmeric and bring to a boil.

Add paneer cubes and boil for 5-6 minutes. Drain water and keep aside.


















































Boil fresh water in another pan. Add the spinach leaves and boil for 1-2 minutes. Drain the water and wash in cold water. Keep aside to drain off all the water.

Heat oil in a wok. Add half of the chopped onions and fry to translucent. Add ginger garlic paste and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the green chilli and spinach leaves with salt to taste. Fry for 3-4 minutes.

Transfer to a blender cup, allow to cool down a bit and grind into a smooth paste.


Add some butter to the same wok. Add the remaining onions and fry till translucent. Add the green paste prepared earlier with jeera-lanka powder and cook for 2-3 minutes.















Add paneer cubes and cook for 2-3 minutes.


















Serve hot with pulao rice/basmati rice/rotis.



Sunday, May 29, 2011

Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken is perhaps one of the most popular dishes to be ordered at any Punjabi restaurant. Chicken pieces simmered in a rich gravy, this is one curry which is low on the heat index. As one moves towards the Northern reaches of India, it even gets progressively sweeter and richer. However at the same time, it has a calorie count that is guaranteed to send you scurrying for the nearest gym on the very next day. At least some health freaks like me would be feel the same way !!

But it is my personal opinion that this is one dish that is enjoyed best at the roadside dhabas where it acquires a whole new flavor !! This is my own recipe which is relatively lower in calories and equally tasty. The trick lies in marinating the chicken for a longer duration and then cooking it on a low flame.

Read for the recipe -


















Cooking Time Required: 35 mins

Ingredients:

For marination -
  • 300 gm chicken pieces
  • 2 tbsp thick yogurt
  • 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 7-8 almonds ( 7-8 nos )
  • 2 green cardamon
  • 3 cloves
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 2 bay leaf
  • 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
  • 2 medium sized tomatoes
  • 2 pinch turmeric ( a pinch )
  • salt to taste

For cooking Butter Chicken :
  • 4-5 crushed garlic cloves
  • 1 large onion (finely chopped)
  • 1/2 tsp chilli powder
  • 1 inch cube cooking butter
  • 2 tsp oil ( 1 tsp )
  • 1/5 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp kasuri methi 
  • 2 tsp honey 
  • salt
Preparation: Rub salt and turmeric on the chicken pieces and keep aside for 10 mins.

Grind the whole spices, almonds and tomatoes into a sooth paste. Add yogurt &
ginger-garlic paste and blend for 30 secs.

Transfer the chicken pieces to a large bowl. Pour the paste into the bowl and mix well. Keep aside for 1 hour.


Cooking: Heat the oil and cooking butter in a wok. Add the chopped onions and crushed garlic .Fry for 3-4 mins till the sides start turning brown.

Add the contents of the marination bowl. Stir fry for 10 mins. Add 1 tsp coriander
leaves along with 1 cup water and simmer for 2 mins.

Remove from the stove and add the cream. Stir continuously for 2-3 mins. Allow to simmer for 5-6 mins or till the chicken is done.

Sprinkle garam masala and coriander leaves, and remove from the stove. Serve hot with rotis.





Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Mango Lassi


















Cost of Preparation: 30-35 Rupees
Preparation Time: 10-15 mins
Makes : 3-4 glasses


Ingredients: Thick Curd ( 3 scoops ), milkmaid ( condensed milk, 1-2 tsp ), ripened Badami/Bainganpalli Mango ( 3 scoops ), sliced almonds ( 3-4 tsp, optional ), mango ice-cream ( 1-2 scoops), cold water ( 1 cup ), powdered sugar ( 2 tsp or equivalent sugar-free), cardamon ( 1-2 nos), ice cubes.

Preparation: Churn the curd, mango, milkmaid, sugar and 1 cup of water in a blender till they are mixed well.

Powder the cardamon. Add to the blender along with the ice-cubes.

Pour into glasses till 3/4 th full. Top up the mango icecream over it to make it full. Sprinkle the sliced almonds over the glasses.

Serve immediately.

Note: I ground a few almonds into a paste and added to the lassi instead of using it for garnishing. Gives a nice flavour. Skipped the ice-cream to reduce the calories.

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