Laccha paratha and Egg curry ... with Punjabi dhaba like flavours

I had made this meal quite a long time back. Maybe a few months. I did post on Instagram but wanted to make a post here too. 

Given that I do not cook rich food regularly, I had wanted to keep a track of this recipe. 

And more so because I cook as I go .... I never ever follow a recipe. I just can't. 

I cook as my heart guides me.

Whatever it calls out for, I add to the food.

And so, more often than not, I forget my own recipes.

I have trying to increase the protein content of B's food intake. He is a vegetarian but can eat eggs once in a while. That  too only omelettes. 

So I decided , for a change , to cook some Egg curry for him. 

And disguise the flavours of boiled egg in a rich, spicy gravy that would be fragrant with spices too. 

And since I have a decent variety of punjabi flavoured masalas and spices in my kitchen, I decided to make a punjabi styled gravy. 

Having said that, I must mention that dhaba food, for me , has always been the Dimer torka ( another recipe that I have always wanted to make a post on ) and country chicken curry with fresh, handmade rotis . 

On our travels all over Odisha, the highlight would be when Bapi would decide to stop for a meal. 

Once we pulled over at the selected dhaba beside the highway, we would sit on the charpais  / rope cots laid out under a huge, old tree .... sometimes the banyan, neem or at other times the peepal or mango. 

We never needed a menu. 

Bapi would ask for fresh chicken curry. And Dimer torka.

And I would always ask for an omelette. 

I loved tearing off a piece of the super hot roti, loaded with dry flour, dust it off and tear a piece of the omelette, dip it in the torka and eat it. 

There was something about the  heavy, afternoon breeze under the trees, the smoking hot fresh food in front of us and Bapi lying on the charpai, looking up at the sky, that makes it one of my best childhood memories. And it wasn't any wonder I never remembered the rest of our journey ever, after that kind of a meal. I would always fall asleep. ☺☺

Coming back to my meal and recipe, I made Laccha parathas to go with the egg curry. 

I have tried making Laccha parathas earlier too ... but this time the layers were better and so good enough for me to make a post. 

I have recently learnt a new technique and will be posting it soon. 


For the Laccha Parathas : 

Need : 

Maida / APF 
Oil - for kneading and frying 
Salt 
Curd 
Water 

How to : 

Mix everything together, except water. 
Use the water, a little at a time and knead a smooth dough. 
Cover and keep aside for at least an hour. 

Cut medium sized balls out of the  dough. 

Roll out a thin roti. 

Apply oil and some dry flour all over. 

Roll it up like a pipe. 

Roll it up again sideways to make a ball. 

Flatten it and roll out a roti again. Do not apply too much pressure. 

Fry on a hot tawa till brown and crisp on both sides. 

 
For the Egg curry 

I cooked the masala twice ... a technique I do not use much. But the gravy comes out very smooth and is perfect for occasional times.

Need : 

Boiled eggs  - 4, shelled and fried in a little oil with turmeric powder

Onions - sliced - 1 medium

Garlic cloves  -  6 to 8 

Black cardamom - 1 
Green cardamom - 1 

Onions chopped - 1 

Tomatoes - 3 medium 

Mustard oil - 2 tbsp 

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp 

Red chillies - 3 , broken 
Everest Kitchen King powder - 1 tsp 

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp 

Kasuri methi - a little 

Salt - to taste 

Sugar - to taste 

Ghee - 1 tbsp

How to : 

Heat mustard oil. 

Add  cumin seeds, red chilli, sliced onions, garlic cloves,  black cardamom and tomatoes with some salt.
Cover and cook till soft and done.

Cool and blend smooth in a mixie.

Heat oil in another kadahi.

Add green cardamom, jeera and chopped onions. 

Fry  till the onions turned soft and pink.

Add the blended paste, kitchen king powder, red chilli powder, a little sugar, salt and kasuri methi and a little water.

Simmer, add the eggs and cover.

Let it cook for some more time and the flavours to get together. 

Top with a spoonful of ghee before removing from heat. 

Done ✅ 

Enjoy!! 

Hope you have taken part in my giveaway of this fabulous book. 

Hurry!!

Aloo ki Launji / Sweet and sour Potato curry

In my childhood, I had seen Ma make a potato curry, usually for breakfasts, that would be a little sour, a little sweet and had the light spice of the fresh green chilli. She would serve it with either parathas or luchis.
But on most times we would eat it with the Chakuli pitha .... just like Odiyas did.
One of my Kakus / uncle, who was staying with us for a while due to office work loved this curry and asked  Ma to tell the recipe to Kakima.
A few months later, while we were visiting Dadu, Kaku asked for that potato curry again, mentioning how he missed it.
When Ma asked why didn't he ask Kakima to make it often, he said he had asked once.
The curry had turned out to be so sour that my paan eating Kaku's sensitive teeth had stayed painful for days. 😊

The next time I had a sweet and sour potato curry was at Kanha sweets in Amritsar.
It was more of a chutney and less of a curry.
And came on the side of their famous breakfast of Chole Bhatore.
The man serving us kindly explained that it was a must with Chole Bhatore and was made with tamarind and sugar and is called Aloo ki Launji.
And shared the recipe too.
I was much intrigued by this dish and the Bengali in me loved it too as it was slightly sweet.
And have always made it whenever I make Chole Bhatore or Chole Puri at home.

I finally managed to make a post on my Chole Bhatore and today on this beautiful Aloo ki launji.
The balance of the sweetness and the salt and the sourness has to be just right ... but I might say that it is upto you and your taste.
There are many recipes for the Aloo ki Launji on the internet but I follow the one that I got from that server in Amritsar.
It is light and simple and the real trick is to simmer the potatoes in the gravy for as long as you can for maximum flavour.


So here goes the recipe.

Need :

Potatoes - boiled
Saunf / Fennel seeds + Methi / Fenugreek seeds in equal amount
Haldi / Turmeric powder
Red chilli powder
Dhania / Coriander powder - a little
Tamarind paste - to taste
Hing / Asafeotida - a pinch
Sugar - to taste
Salt - to taste
Cooking oil - 1 tbsp.
Water - for gravy

How to :

Pound the methi and saunf in a mortar and pestle to make a coarse powder.
Mash the boiled potatoes well.

Heat oil.

Add the hing and the saunf + methi powder.

Add the potatoes and mix well.

Then add the masala powders and some water and mix well.

Now add salt + sugar + tamarind paste and water.

Do a taste check and adjust.

Cover and simmer till gravy reaches desired consistency.

I often add water two or three more times and set it on low heat to simmer.

Serve warm with Chole Bhatore.

Or you can enjoy this with parathas and puris too.

Enjoy!!










 

Chole Bhatore

When I posted a picture of our lunch plate of the Chole Bhatore, a couple of days back on Instagram, like I usually do, and wrote that I intend to make a post on it too sometime but if anybody wants to try it immediately, they can send me a DM, I had no idea that I would get so many messages almost immediately.
I had no good pictures except for the one that I clicked with my phone for insta and all the bhatores were over.
But I did have the chole. And the launji too.
And so decided to make a post after all.
Typing with my injured wrist is a problem now .... hence if I am typing at all, it is better that it is for a post here ... where everybody can refer to at one go.

I make chole very often at home. B is a big fan of chole.
And I make the chole both ways ... with onion and garlic and without too.
With readymade masalas and with homemade ones too.
There is no particular or single recipe for the chole. What is important is that the flavours should be good .... if possible rustic and with a good balance.
Never go overboard with a lot of masalas. Keep it simple and your chole will sing to you.

 

 



This particular recipe has onion garlic in it.

And is very simple to make. The flavours are rustic and when paired with the Bhatora, makes a wholesome meal.
In my house it is mostly eaten with chawal / rice but I do sometimes make the luchi to go with it.
The Bhatora is made less regularly.

If you are planning on making a meal of Chole Bhatore, I would suggest you make the Chole a day before.
The flavours soak up well when it is at least a day old.
You don't need much prep work if, like me, you tend to store soaked and boiled legumes in the fridge for quick use.
You can check this post for tips.

To cook the chole, soak them for at least 5 to 6 hours.
I soak them at night before going to bed. And boil them the next morning.
Also, you will need to know your Kabuli chana .... i.e. the way the Chickpeas that you are using behave.
Some variety cook quickly; some take time.
You will know in a couple of tries.
I never add cooking soda or baking powder to hasten cooking.
It is better if they take a little more  time in the pressure cooker ... I wait for at least 6 to 8 whistles on low heat ).

You can add a tea bag to the chola when pressure cooking it.
That will give it a rich, dark colour .... ( You can check the colour here . )
I sometimes do; most times don't. Makes no difference to the flavours.

 

 

To make the Chole :

Need :

Kabuli chana / Chickpeas - 2 big cups, soaked and cooked well with a little salt
Onions - 2 big , chopped in medium sizes
Ginger - sliced
Ginger + garlic + green chilli paste - 2 tbsp ( I used 2 cubes of my frozen ones )

Black cardamom / Elaichi - 2, crushed
Black peppercorns / Kali mirch - 1 tsp, crushed

Haldi / Turmeric powder - 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder / Mirchi powder - 1 tbsp

Chole masala - 1 tbsp or more if you like
Kitchen King masala - 1 tbsp (I use Everest )  - optional
Kasoori methi - 1 tsp, crushed well
Amchur / Dry mango powder - 1 tsp


Salt - to taste
Sugar - to taste
Cooking oil - 2 tbsp
Water - as needed for gravy


How to :

In a deep, heavy bottomed pan, heat oil.

Add the crushed pepper + cardamom.

Add the onions and fry on low heat till they are pink and soft ... not brown.

Add the ginger garlic paste and fry well.

Add the turmeric and red chilli powder and fry on high heat for a while .... keep adding a little water at a time so that the masala does not burn.

When masala is well cooked and soft, raise heat and add the boiled chickpeas and mix well.
Slowly add the water of the boiled chickpeas little by little, stirring continiously.

Lower heat and adjust salt + sugar.

Add the Chole masala powder , cover and simmer for 10 mins.

Remove cover and adjust water.

Add the amchur powder and sliced ginger and cover, simmer for 15 more minutes.
Remember to keep stirring once in a while.

Remove cover and lightly crush some chole with the back of your spatula.

Add the crushed Kasoori methi and simmer for some more time.

Remember to adjust water all the while.

The key to getting the real flavours is the simmering time.
The more it cooks in the masalas, the better the flavours soak up.

Chickpeas tend to soak up water ... so take care to adjust the consistency of the gravy.

 

Serve hot with hot rice, Luchi or Bhatore.

Here is the photo of our plate that I posted on Instagram that day. 
There is Aloo ki Launji , Mirchi ke tipore and onions in vinegar on the side.
The Aloo ki launji is in the next post.





 

 

I am giving the recipe for the Bhatore here.

Will update the post later when I get to click some good photographs.

To make the Bhatore :

Need :

Maida / All purpose flour - 2 cups
Sooji / Semolina flour - fine variety, 1 tbsp
Cooking soda - a pinch
Sour curd - enough to knead the flour
Salt - a little
Cooking oil - 1 tbsp  + enough to deep fry

How to :


Knead everything to make a smooth, tight dough.

Cover tightly and keep aside for around 3 to 4 hours.

Make big sized balls and roll into thick luchis / pooris.

Deep fry in hot oil.

Serve immediately.

Enjoy!!

Doi Paneer / Dahi Paneer / Cottage cheese cubes cooked with curd and spices

I made this curry a few weeks back when I got some good Paneer ... store bought.
Once upon a time, I used to make Paneer at home ... yes, the whole process of curdling the milk, straining the cheese and then setting it before I cut it into cubes.
B loved those fresh blocks of paneer lightly stir fried and sprinkled with a little salt.
I do cook paneer often as a protein source for vegetarian B. I use the nutritious whey in a lot of dishes too.
But not as often as I would want to ... recently.
I mean ... make paneer at home.
Somehow making dahi / curd has taken over and the bulk of milk at home goes into it. And more often than not, I find myself trying to balance between the making of curd or paneer.
Curd wins, as always.
And only because it is easier to make.

And I am not at all in favour of store bought paneer. But a few months back, I read about Punjab Sind dairy products on one of the groups on facebook and how their products are good and fresh.
And promptly forgot about it.
But on our trip to Goa last November, I had wanted to pick up some local Kokum and other stuff ... which is why we had been to a super market. And there, as we were parking the car, I noticed a Punjab Sind shop.
Which made me make a serious mental note to try their stuff once I am back home.

Which I did.
I bought some fresh Paneer and curd and loved them.
Especially the Paneer ... which is made fresh and they give you a small piece to taste ... with a sprinkle of some masala.
Reminded me of our paneer tasting experience on our Amritsar trip. 
Coming home, I used the paneer for three dishes and one of them was this Dahi paneer.
I was making some chicken for myself for dinner and as usual resorted to quick fix cooking .... marinating the chicken with everything and slow cooking it on the stove top or in the oven.
So I did the same for the paneer too.
While they were cooking by themselves, all I made was some rotis.
And my quick dinner was sorted.

B loves Paneer cooked with Punjabi flavours, which is why I add kasuri methi and Punjabi garam masala usually.
But you can try this curry with other flavours too.

Need :

Paneer - 6 medium sized cubes
Onion - 1 medium, chopped
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp. ( I used 1 frozen cube of my homemade version )
Green chilli paste - 1 tsp
Curd - 1 cupful , beaten till smooth
Cumin seeds / Jeera - a pinch
Black cardamom - 1, crushed
Cinnamon / Dalchini - 2 small pieces
Turmeric / Haldi powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Coriander / Dhania powder - 1 tbsp.
Kitchen King masala powder - tbsp. ( I used it since I had run out of kasuri methi )
Salt - to taste
Sugar - to taste
Oil - 1 tsp
Water - for gravy .... if needed

How to :

Marinate the paneer cubes with the ginger garlic paste + curd + haldi + red chilli powder + dhania powder + salt + sugar and keep aside for 10 minutes.

Heat oil in a pan.

Add the jeera + dalchini + crushed black cardamom.

Then add the chopped onions and fry on low heat till it slowly starts to brown.

Add the marinated paneer, cover and cook till the raw smell of masalas is gone and oil starts to leave the sides of the masala.
Do remember to adjust with a little water if needed.

Stir carefully around and mix everything well.

Once you get the desired consistency of the gravy, sprinkle the Kitchen king masala powder, raise heat till the sides start to sizzle ( it gives a good smoky flavor ) and then switch off heat.

Keep covered for 5 minutes before serving.

You can add a spoonful of ghee ... or butter in the end and keep it covered.

Goes best with hot rotis, especially roomali rotis.

Enjoy!!


PS: This is not a review for Punjab Sind.

Rinku's Sunday Yoghurt Chicken Curry

 I had been planning to make a post on this recipe that I have so fallen in love with. It so happened that Rinku, whose recipe this is, had once posted this on FB. I asked for the recipe and she promptly shared it.
Rinku is behind the wonderful blog The Spice Chronicles and the author of several cookbooks too.


It is one lovely recipe.
The only change I made was use only around 250 gms of chicken as I was cooking just for myself.
And I loved that idea of searing the chicken.
I added a pinch of sugar because the yogurt that I had was a little sour. So the sugar was to balance the taste.
Since there was no mention of turmeric in the recipe, I did not add any. The gravy had a beautiful colour and that fragrance is to die for!

While I do make a Doi morich chicken, Rinku's version is completely different. This has Punjabi flavours will go very well with parathas or thick rotis or naans too.
I had a batch of the Punjabi garam masala that I had picked up in Amritsar ... so used that.
This is a great dinner dish during the monsoons or in winter.

 My whole house was redolent with the aroma of this chicken curry.
A beautiful chicken curry as this deserved an equally beautiful companion. So I went ahead and made myself some fragrant mishti polau too.
My Sunday was made!!

You can check out her recipe for this curry here. 

I may not be able to make regular posts but will try to be back once in a while.
Till then ...

Enjoy!!

Chickpeas Fried Rice / Chole Pulao - a spicy plateful to warm your heart when it is pouring outside

No, I did not speak all too soon.
The weather has indeed taken a turn and for the good too.
While the temperatures have continued to dip, the breeze has been steady and is only growing stronger.
I had a bout of sneezing and sniffling yesterday, a result of my carelessness ... I had the window open, the fan on and the ac on too ... yeah, kill me for that ... one of these days, and was punished accordingly.
And promptly too.
The whole of yesterday was spent at trying to sneeze with the lowest possible noise ... yet the more the day wore on, the more the volume increased.
Not to mention my groans.
Cold and flu make me cranky. And if there is someone, anyone, in the vicinity, I become very restless.
Tried to lie down and watch the telly but to no good. The choicest of idiotic movies were on. Listening to music was another pain ... my sneezes would not allow me to listen in peace.
Spent a whole miserable morning before I gulped an antihistamine.
That took care of me and I was in dreamland for the rest of the afternoon and the better part of the evening.
B made a hot dinner of Aloo baingan ki sabzi   , with a little gravy to help my sore throat, along with  plain parathas.
And then I slept again.

Woke up early to a dark, cloudy sky and rain.
That quiet, silent but non stop drizzle that Pune is so loved for.
Looked out and saw the droplets dripping down the leaves and the railings of my balcony.
Snuggled back into the razai again.
But sleep eluded and thoughts turned to breakfast.
And what would a good Bong have for breakfast on a beautiful, rainy morning?
Luchi!, of course.
So while B took his morning call, I quickly  set the shaada aloor chorchori on one burner and kneaded the maida.
Soon we were sitting at the table, looking out of the windows and watching the trees sway, enjoying our breakfast of luchi torkari.
I did post a photo of my plate on the blog's page on facebook.
There is a video too, on my personal page.
Someday I will do a post on how to make that perfect phulko luchi, for sure.

But today, while I am still drowsy ... thanks to Avil, I thought I will give my weekly grocery shopping a miss and just watch the clouds.
And make this post.

I had made this Chana pulao just last week. It was a hurried day and I had some leftover rice as well as boiled chickpeas in the fridge.
Decided to throw in them together and come up with a one pot meal.
A plain raita and some salad on the side and a quick lunch was ready within 15 minutes.

Here is the recipe.

Need :

Chickpeas - big cup, 1 pressure cooked with a little salt
Rice - 1 big cup, cooked
Onions - 2, medium, chopped
Garlic - 6, chopped
Green chillies - chopped
Turmeric / Haldi powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Dry mango / Amchur powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Sugar - to taste
Cooking oil - 1 tbsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp (you can skip it if you are vegan)
Lemon juice - 2 tbsp

How to :

Heat oil in a kadahi / wok.

Add the chopped garlic and fry till they turn light brown.

Add the onions and fry till they turn pink.

Now add the green chillies + the boiled and drained chickpeas (make sure you do not add any water ), haldi powder, red chilli powder and garam masala powder, amchur powder, salt and sugar.

Mix everything well and fry for a while.

Now add the rice and adjust salt.

Add a little more garam masala ( or a pinch of biryani masala will also work fine. I used the Punjabi garam masala that I got from Amritsar ) and mix well.

Add ghee and lemon juice, give a good mix and cover.

Let it stand for around 2 minutes before you switch off heat.

Serve hot with raita and salad on the side.

The raita is just fresh home made curd beaten well with a pinch of black salt and sprinkled with roasted jeera/cumin powder + red chilli powder.

This turns out to be a wonderful one pot meal, especially if you have dryish leftover rice.
Mine was slightly mushy as my rice was a little well cooked.
No change in the flavours though.
And personally I feel well cooked rice soaks up flavours better than just done rice, especially for pulaos like this .... won't work with a biryani though.


Enjoy!!!

Chicken pakoda

 When I was young, we used to spend our summer vacations at my Ma's home.
The sprawling house used to be full of Mamas, Mashis, Meshos and their brood.
Our Mamimas would get busy not only in the kitchen but also in planning numerous trips for shopping and eating out with their visitng Nanadinis (elder sisters in law).
Our Meshos would have a great time getting all the attentions and having their favourite dishes on their  plates at every mealtime. 
Sons in law, after all, are born to be pampered.

Bapi, the quiet but adventurous one, would get hold of Boro Mama and arrange for the jaal fyala
(throwing fish nets into the pond in the mornings to get fresh fish ).
That was one huge event.
A few farm hands from any one of our villages, usually the nearest one, would be notified a few days before the vacations.
The fish nets would be checked. Discussions on what fish would be kept for the meals and what would be released back would be discussed.
We children ... not less than 12 or 13 in number ... would jump up and down on the grassy banks of the pond ... running after the fish thrown on to the banks by the fishermen.
We would then pick up the huge, slithery, jumping fish, shrieking when they slipped out of our hands with full energy, struggle with them and put them back in a bucket.

Sometimes a tortoise or two would get caught and be handed over to us.
We would feed them and play with them all through our holidays. And promptly forget about them after returning back home.
They were released back into the pond by the elders after we left .... I would come to know later.

Evenings would be filled with adda, singing, everyone gathering around, munching on tidbits ... mostly gorom tele bhaja like  the Beguni , shingara and  chops  brought in from the local shop in the corner, along with jhaal muri.
And the game of taash / cards.

Their would be much hollering and arguing, bets, winning , losing and sulking.
Mostly by the poor Mamimas, who lost to the sons in law of the family.
The Meshos would be jubilant. It meant adding to the growing list of dishes to be cooked by the losing team. 
But it is not always that the men won.
Boro Mami was an expert. As was Mejo Mashi.These two, nobody wanted as opponents.
Especially because when the men lost, they had to cook something for everybody. 
Anything.
That thought of spending time in the hot, old fashioned kitchen in the humid heat was enough to make them desperate to win ... by hook or by crook.
And by crook was the way that was usually taken.

But it was still not very easy for them and they often lost game after game.

After a point, the kitchen helps, who had to bear the brunt of the babus' presence in the kitchen, keeping up with their orders of cutting, mixing, grinding .... and at times cook too, protested.

So, it was decided that instead of cooking , the meshos would have to take us out for dinner or snacks, when  they lost a game.
Which was a fearful proposition, to them.
Taking that huge family out for dinner and managing them was not only a risk to reputation, but also there would hardly be a restaurant that would take in that huge, boisterous crowd, readily.
And god knows how big the bill would run to.

So, they would often call and get the food delivered.
And it was one such evening that Mejo Mesho had called in for Chicken pakoras.

And that was how I came to taste the chicken pakora for the first time.

I don't remember eating this pakora anytime again, at the time. But after leaving home, I have eaten the Chicken tikka a number of times.
And have made them too.
These pakoras of mine are more Punjabi in flavours, that tempt me to call them the Chicken tikka.
But I will call them pakodas due to that beautifully crisp coating.

Since I do not like the breast pieces of the chicken ... I find them too fleshy .... I keep wondering what to do with them and sometimes come up with the strangest and quickest of recipes.

And one monsoon evening, I came up with this. 
And instantly fell in love with it.
I had just bought a packet of Kitchen King masala powder by MDH and had added a spoonful to the
marinade.
And it made all the difference.
Succulent pieces of chicken with a crisp coating, some hint of spice and the beautiful flavours of the kasuri methi and Punjabi garam masala was what I got in the end.

Vegetarians can easily make this with the paneer, or boiled potatoes or cauliflower florets.

Need :

Breast pieces of the chicken - 150 gms, cut into small pieces
Buttermilk - 1 big cup
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp (preferably made at home )
Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Maida / Apf - 2 tbsp
Rice flour - 1 tsp
Kitchen King powder - 1 tbsp
(if you do not have this, just add some crushed kasuri methi leaves + garam masala)
Salt - to taste
Oil - to shallow fry
Lemon juice - 2 tsp, use only if the buttermilk is not sour enough

How to :

Marinate the chicken pieces with buttermilk  + ginger garlic paste + salt + a little oil + red chilli powder + maida + rice flour + Kitchen King powder. 

Cover and keep in the fridge for at least 5 to 6 hours.
I marinated at night and cooked for brunch, at around 11, in the morning.
Do remember to take it out at least half an hour before cooking.

Heat oil in a well seasoned, open pan.
You can use a flat non stick tawa or pan too.
Add the chicken pieces, cover and cook on medium heat.

Turn over only when one side has browned.
Do not over cook or the chicken will turn chewy.

Serve hot off the pan with a salad or any dip of your choice.

I had made these for some thoughtful friends, who had come over to give the paranoid me company, last week. 

Chopped up some cucumber, onions, green chillies and carrots, gave them a squirt of lemon and a dash of freshly ground black pepper powder and salt.
Finally squeezed half a pomegranate all over and a lovely salad was ready.

I had also made some plain parathas ... it was great fun to arrange the chicken pieces in them, heap some spoonfuls of salad , douse with a dip or ketchup, roll it up and munch on them as we chatted and laughed together.

These make for great finger food for parties, as well as to munch on with tea on a monsoon evening or a winter dusk.

Enjoy!!

Toor Dal Palak / Spinach leaves cooked with split pigeon peas

 

Winter is the only time when Pune sees beautiful, fresh vegetables.
The beans so green, the carrots so juicy you can break them with a snap, the green peas so sweet and the leaves ... methi, dhaniya and palak ever so fresh.
The cauliflowers look healthy and creamy white ... just the way they should be.
And the cabbages resonate with that hollow sound perfectly, when you tap them, that tells you they are well done inside and will be crisp and make that squeaky sound as you cut into it.
I am loving cooking them these days ... there is no satisfaction greater than cutting into fresh vegetables and dunking them into a kadahi and hear that loud sizzle as the moisture touches the hot oil.
That is how vegetables should be. That is exactly how home cooking should sound like.


I have already made Gobhi parathas twice for dinner and once for breakfast. There is something about grating a fresh cauliflower .... also I do not cook the stuffing ... they are too fresh to spoil the taste by cooking and adding too many masalas.
Even Mooli parathas have been enjoyed. As well as Aloo parathas.
Methi parathas have been done just once.
Right now, there are the Palak and the Bathua in my fridge. And also some Sarson(mustard).
Will be making the Sarson ka saag and Makke di roti this weekend for lunch.


And as for fresh green peas ... I love them so much that I add them to everything that I am cooking.
Like the Rui macher jhol that I made for lunch yesterday, the Jhalmuri that I munch on as an evening snack with my tea and also to the scrambled eggs or Egg bhurji that I made for dinner tonight.

This is basically what dominates our winter meals.
The same goes for dessert too.
Ma in law tells us to eat a little gur / jaggery everyday. And some ghee too.
So I usually make my instant Moong dal halwa on some nights and the Lapsi on others.
Both are healthy and hence guilt free.

With the Palak, I often make this Dal Palak.
But this time, when I made it for our lunch, I used the Toor dal instead of the Cholar dal.
And the flavour was so distinctly different that I promptly decided to make a post. It is already very late into the night right now ( gosh! it is already 4:07 in the morning!!) ... could not sleep hence decided to make this post.
So, I will go to the recipe now.

This dal is full of the flavour of garlic as well as the palak.
The addition of ghee also boosts the flavours.
Light, healthy and simple, this dal can be a meal by itself or when paired with just rotis or rice.
A little achar on the side and you are good to go.

Need :

Toor dal / Spilt pigeon peas - 1 cup , washed
Palak / Spinach leaves - 2 cups, washed and chopped roughly
Jeera / Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Garlic - around 10 to 12 cloves, chopped
Ginger - 1", chopped
Green chillies - chopped
Turmeric powder - 2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp ( I use the one I make at home )
Roasted jeera powder - 1 tsp
Ghee - 2 tbsp (skip if you are vegan)
Salt - to taste
Sugar - to taste
Water - 2 cups and a little more
Fresh coriander leaves - chopped

How to :

Pressure cook the dal with salt+haldi and 2 cups of water till two whistles on low flame.
Remove from heat, cool and keep aside.

Heat oil in a kadahi or wok.
Add jeera + chopped garlic + chopped ginger + chopped green chillies.
Fry for a minute on low heat.
Do not brown.

Add the chopped palak + a pinch of sugar.
Cover and cook till the palak is done.

Remove cover and add the dal + salt + dal's water and bring to a boil.
Cover and cook on low heat till everything comes together.

Add roasted jeera powder + home made red chilli powder + ghee.

Cover and simmer for a minute.

Sprinkle fresh coriander leaves and a little of the roasted jeera powder and red chilli powder.
Serve hot.

Here is a look of our lunch table today.
I had also made a spicy Aloo matar ki sukhi sabzi ... recipe in the next post.

Till then ... enjoy winter and its bounty of vegetables as well as fruits!!

Maah Chole ki dal or Langarwali dal

 We are into the sixth day of Ganeshotsav in Maharashtra.
Ganesh puja officially means the start of the festive season in India and also the countdown to Durga Puja for Bengalis.
It is celebrated with much fervour in Maharashtra ... for ten whole days.
And for us, the common citizens, it means staying shut in the house, not being able to venture into the old city side for chores or errands, erratic traffic on the roads due to pandals dug up everywhere ... that stretch into the middle of the road and worse of all .... having to put up with loud speakers blaring out the most inane songs of Bollywood.

I dread these few days like the plague and mentally will them to move farther and farther away.
But that does not work.
On the first day we woke early, to an ear splitting "Main nagin to sapera ...." and " dushman ki jo vaat lauli ...." from the slum nearby.
Combined with the dhol beating.
Nothing cultural or rythmic about it .... just a few kids beating the dhol right and left to create a noise that is meant to go beyond the loud songs playing.

The torture has started.

I immediately had a vision of what was happening in Kailash at that moment.
A tearful little Ganeshji hiding behind Parvati, bawling " I don't want to go; please don't make me go ...." while a very worried Shiva and Parvati wonder how to save him from the forthcoming ten days.

The following days see us in different levels of discomfort.
From trying to play the tv to drown the noise from outside .... very very bad idea ...., to looking up places outside the city to go and spend the rest of the week .... not at all feasible.
So all we can do is to soothe ourselves by counting the number of days left to Anant chaturdashi ... the bidding of goodbye to Ganesha and immersion.
And wait when the clock will strike 10:00 in the night .... the permissible time limit for the blaring loudspeakers.

But that is not to be.
Saw the papers this morning .... the pandals have got an extension to the permissible time .... it will be 12:30 in the night before they turn off the music / noise.

I wait with hope that there will be a miracle.

Meanwhile let me share with you this very rustic dal from the land of Punjab.
I did not eat it in Punjab the first time, but much before that ... in Rajasthan. We have enjoyed this with some rustic open air baked batis  during our extensive trips all over Rajasthan.
It is also made regularly at my in laws' place.
Since Mum in law does not eat garlic, she often makes it with onions and ginger ... I am yet to try that version.

Thick, heavy and packed with flavours, this Maah ki dal is very different from the Punjabi Dal makhni.
While both are slow cooked dals, this Maah chole di dal is made from split Urid dal and is paired with the Bengal gram or the Chana dal.
This dal is served regularly in langars or sit down meals in Gurudwaras and hence has got the name of Langarwali dal.
I remember the flavour of this dal at the langar in the Golden temple in Amritsar ... very basic  tempering and has that beautiful flavour of slow cooked dal.

I do not add tomatoes .... if you are a long follower of this blog, you will know how little I use them .... or any garam masala powder.
The garlic and ginger give it that punch that is so typical of Punjabi dals.
For best results, do soak the dals overnight and cook in an open, deep pan.
You can use a pressure cooker too ... but you have to be careful not to cook them to a mush.

 Here is how I make it. 

 Need :

Split Urid dal - 1 cup
Chana dal or Bengal gram dal - ½ cup
Garlic - 10 fat cloves, chopped
Ginger - size of a thumb, sliced thinly
Fresh green chillies - 3 to 4, chopped 
Turmeric / Haldi powder - a pinch ... not too much
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Jeera / Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Ghee - 1 tsp ( you can use cooking oil too )
Salt - to taste
Water - around 3 cups

How to :

Wash both dals separately and soak for around 4 hours.
For convenience, I soak them overnight.

Cook in a pressure cooker with a little haldi powder + salt for 1 whistle on low heat.
If the dals are not soaked, then cook them for 2 whistles on low heat.
Wait till pressure releases on its own.

Remove cover and stir the dal around a little with a spatula.
Set aside.

Heat a heavy pan or a kadahi.

Add the jeera.
When it starts to sizzle, add the chopped garlic + ginger + green chillies.

Fry on low heat till the raw smell goes away and the garlic starts to brown.

Add the cooked dal, red chilli powder + salt + water.
Adjust salt if needed.

Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and let it simmer for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and cover. 

Serve hot with rotis.
This goes very well with steaming hot rice with an extra dollop of ghee on it too.
Takes the meaning of 'dal chawal' to another level completely.

I had paired this with rotis along with some tindaa and kale chane ki sabzi for a vegetarian lunch that day.

Enjoy!! 

Shakarkand aur Mung wadi ki sabzi

I was standing at the chemist's, waiting for the man to hand me my medicines and the bill. The store was empty and I was the only one on this side of the counter. The salesman was busy on the computer, punching in my long list, when I saw a man walk in.
Lanky, unkempt hair and maybe in his early thirties.
He was wearing an uniform belonging to a security guard agency .... must still be on duty. Or just leaving.
He gave me a look that plainly disapproved of my presence. I looked away.
He waited, restlessness speaking out. Shifted from one leg to another, drummed his fingers on the counter top, looked all over the store, looked back outside.
I wondered at his nervousness.
Just then the salesman came up and handed me my paper pouch of medicines and the bill too.

Looking up at the man, he asked "Haan, kya chahiye?"
Counting out the money, I saw from the corner of my eye that he was still fidgeting.
The hesitation in replying struck me.
The salesman nodded his head in askance again. This time the guy said ... "Do na. Wahi."
Oh god! I thought ... waiting for that cringe moment.
And prayed that the salesman at least has the sense to wait for me to leave.
But no.
He promptly reaches out and brings down something and plonks it on the counter.

I slammed down the notes and the change and was about to rush out when my eyes caught the small box on the counter top.
It was a Fair and Handsome cream for men!!

Now to today's recipe ... one that has won my heart and makes me wonder every now and then as to why have I not used sweet potatoes more in my dishes , other than in the occasional Chorchori or the Ranga Alur Pantua. 

I had brought along a big bagful of wadis from our trip to Amritsar. Huge in size, spicy, they are a delight to add to any dish .... especially light flavoured ones.
They are so packed with punch  ... the flavours of whole dhania, saunf, red chilli,etc. are so evident that the Bengali me often just fries them lightly and enjoys them on the side of some plain rice and dal.
I have made Aloo mungaudi ki sabzi with them. And have also added them crushed and fried to my very favourite Aloo bhate.

But last night, I wanted to make a quick sabzi to go with some light moong ki dal and rotis.
Was thinking in the lines of the Aloo mung wadi ki sabzi when some sweet potatoes or Shakarkand caught my eye.
Fresh, red and of good size ... I had bought them with the hope of roasting them for a snack; which obviously I did not.
Picked up two medium sized ones and knew what I would be making for dinner.

The sweetness of the Shakarkand was the perfect complement to the robust spiciness of the Punjabi wadis.
And thus came out a beautifully, spicy side dish that went great with thick, hot rotis ... a perfect winter dinner.
I added some onions after much deliberation ... and was glad I did.
The wadis are very hard and tend to soak up a lot of water. I wanted my sabzi to be soft and slightly mushy kind.
Hence the onions helped to retain moisture.

You can call this a Aloo Borir tarkari too. :-)

Need :

Wadis / Dry Lentil dumplings -
( if you do not have Punjabi vadis, you can use the regular ones, home  made or oven made or store bought )
Sweet potatoes / Shakarkand - cut into cubes
Onion - chopped
Jeera / Cumin seeds - ½ tsp
 Hing / Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Haldi / Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Red chilli powder - ½ tsp
Amchur powder - 1 tsp
Dhania / Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Cooking oil - 3 tbsp
Water

How to :

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a kadahi.
Fry the vadis / wadis / boris lightly.
If they are big sized, then crush them a little.
Remove and keep aside.

Add 1 tbsp more oil to the kadahi.
Add the jeera + hing.
Add the onions and fry till translucent.

Now add the cubed sweet potatoes + salt.
Fry well on high heat.

Lower heat, add haldi powder + red chilli powder.
Stir well.
Raise heat and add water to cook the potatoes.
Cover and cook till the potatoes are done.

Remove cover, add the wadis + dhania powder + amchur powder.
Add a little more water.
Cover and cook till the wadis are soft and the whole thing turns dryish.

Serve hot.
Goes great with hot rotis or parathas.

It was a dear friend and a wonderful person Aparna who had suggested that I do buy these vadis when in Amritsar. And I am so happy I listened to her. Got three big sized packs of different kinds of vadis, ignoring B's skeptical looks.
Thanks Aparna! I owe you one for this.

Enjoy all!!

Sarson ka Saag & Makke ki Roti

It surprises me that I have never made a post of this favourite meal of ours inspite of
blogging food
for so long!

Sarson ka saag means Mustard greens/leaves.
Makke di roti means flatbread made from maize flour or corn meal.

Every winter, this is one dish that becomes a regular on my table.
While this city is pathetic when it comes to
the availability of fresh greens,
winter is one time when we do get some fresh bunches of methi, palak
and sometimes the sarson.

Last year, when I had cooked this, I had clicked some snaps.
But never got 'round to making a post.
So this time, instead of making this for dinner, I made it our lunch.
So could click ... and hence this post.


I never try to make this dish ... a complete meal ... at one go.
Becomes quite overwhelming that way.
What I do is ...
work with sarson ka saag one day ...
I clean, wash, boil in water, puree it ..
and freeze it.

Work on the palak next, when I get some time.
Exactly the same way ... and freeze it.
So, on the day I decide to make this dish, all I need to do is get the purees and cook!
Easy and quick again !!

I love the coarseness in the mustard greens' paste ...
so usually add the stems along with the leaves.
If you feel that will add to the sharpness
of the sarson,
just add a little more of the palak paste.

And I never use chopped onion or garlic in this.

And the fried garlic gives it a wonderful rustic flavour.
Pair it up with butter, and this dish is something that you will want to make again and again.

If you cannot make the makke ki rotis, you can still enjoy this with plain rotis.
But then, of course, it won't be the same.

I am posting the recipe the way I make it.
I do not claim this to be the traditional way it is cooked
in the North or the Punjab.
And so I do not want any rude comments on how this is not the authentic way, etc.etc.

Makke ki Roti


Need :

Makke ka atta / Maize flour - 1½ cups
Atta / Wheat flour - ½ cup
Cooking oil - 2 tbsp
Ajwain / Carrom seeds - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Lukewarm water - to knead
Maida / apf - to roll the rotis

How to :

Knead all the above ingredients together into a soft but firm dough.
Keep aside, covered, for around 15 minutes.

Divide the dough into medium sized balls.
Roll out slightly thickish rotis ... use dry maida to roll them.

Heat a tawa.
Cook the rotis, flipping occasionally.
Use the spatulla or a thick, folded cloth to apply slight pressure on the rotis
so that they puff up slightly.
When done, remove and apply butter on them.

Serve hot.

The Sarson ka Saag / Mustard Greens

Need :

Sarson ka saag / Mustard leaves (boiled and pureed ) - 1 big sized cupful
Palak / Spinach leaves - ( boiled and pureed ) - ½ cup
Garlic - around 10 - 12 cloves
Ginger - 1" piece
Green chillies - 2
Kasuri methi / Dried Fenigreek leaves - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Sugar - to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp
Corn meal - 1 to 2 tbsp


How to :

Crush the garlic, ginger and the green chillies into a rough paste ... seperately.
( Use a mortar and pestle for this).

Heat oil in a deep kadahi.

Add the garlic and on slow flame let them turn brown.
( Do not raise the heat ... let them cook slowly. )

Add the ginger and the chillies and fry well.

Now add the pureed palak and sarson.

Add salt and sugar.
Fry well for a while.

When it starts to boil,
add the corn meal and keep stirring so that no lumps are formed.

Add the crushed kasuri methi and cook till it turns thickish.

Remove from heat.Serve hot with a dollop of butter.

Keep this dish low on salt and
add the sugar to keep it very subtly sweet.

We enjoyed this rustic meal with a few green chillies crushed with sea salt.
And raw onions.

A perfect winter meal!

Another look !

Enjoy!!

Lahsooni Kadhi / Garlic flavoured curd gravy

Kadhi is a yoghurt or curd based preparation that can be enjoyed as is or used as a base for things like vegetables or pakodas to be cooked in. This dish is common in Gujarati, Rajasthani and Punjabi cuisine ... each having a different flavour due to the different seasonings and temperings.
Bengalis too make a kadhi of their own ... that is entirely different from the above three in taste and flavour.

The Lahsooni / Lahsuni Kadhi is a part of the thali ( full plate ) meals ... mostly Gujarati or Rajasthani ... in restaraunts. But ... yes, there is a but ... it is never served along with the other dishes in the plate.
The reason for this is many pure vegetarians do not eat onion and garlic ... hence this avoids any mixup.

The kadhi usually served in a thali is the white coloured and sweetish Gujarati kadhi. To get the Lahsuni kadhi, you will have to ask for it. Ask for 'Peeli ( yellow) kadhi' or 'Lahsuni kadhi' and you will get it.
I came to know about this because I have seen my husband do that. And insist for it to be served very hot ... tastes best that way.

(Updated : The shiny fat is from the curd .... after cooking ... not oil.)

I make this kadhi whenever I have run out of vegetables or dals ... i.e. whenmy pantry is empty. Or ... more importantly ... whenever I do not feel like being in the kitchen at all. And yet have to have some homemade food.

A comfort food at its best, this kadhi takes very little time to cook ... and the best part is you don't have to stand and keep watch ... does not demand any attention at all.

So if you are in the mood to be lazy, or are very tired, or desparately want to catch up with that book .... just set this on the stove and some rice in the MW or the cooker.
And go put your feet up. Your steaming hot dinner will be ready in a few minutes ... without any extra effort.

And the best part is it is healthy ... no masalas, almost no oil. :-)

This kadhi is different from the one I make for Kadhi Pakoda ... will post the recipe for that soon.



Need :

Curd / Yoghurt - 2 cups ( better if it is a couple of days old for the tang )
Besan / Gram flour - 1 tbsp
Garlic / Lahsoon cloves - 5 - 6 ( half crush in a pestle ... just one blow for each )
Hing / Asafoetida - 1 pinch ( you may add a little more if you love the flavour ) Haldi / Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
Red chilli powder - to taste
Water - around 4 - 5 cups ( you may want more )
Salt - to taste
Cooking oil - 1 tsp

How to :

Take the curd in a big sized bowl and whisk well till smooth. Add the besan, the masalas and water.

Add just a little salt ... we will add more later after the kadhi is done ( else it will become to osalty once the kadhi has thickened).

Heat oil in a deep wok / kadahi or pan (better if it is non stick). Do not make it too hot.

Add the hing and then the curd mixture. Throw in the garlic and set to boil.

Stir once in a while. Do not be impatient ... keep the heat on low all the while. If you are using a non stick vessel, you are safe ... there's no fear of it sticking to the bottom.

After it has cooked well ( the garlic should be well cooked and soft & the kadhi will be infused with its flavour ) and reached the desired consistency ( if you are having it on the side with rotis you can thicken it more ), adjust salt.

Remove and serve hot.

I love to sip the spicy hot kadhi like a soup. :-)



Goes best with steamed rice.



Go on ... enjoy a bowlful today!! :-)

In the past few months a lot of my blog friends have passed on some awards and tags to me. Since I was on a short break, I find it a little difficult to check out each and everyone for a mention here. But do let thank you all sincerely for having thought of me. Much appreciate it. :-)

Take care all !!