Recipes

To start with I have presented the dishes that can be served with sooji ka halwa,the way my grandmother would have a lunch ready for us. Over the next few weeks, I will add more authentic kashmiri and punjabi recipes to start with ....my grandmothers being some of them.

Chole

chickpeas in a masala gravy, punjabi style

Ingredients

1 cup white chickpeas (channa)

A pinch of baking soda

1 tea bag

Whole garam masala:

1 tsp cumin seeds

3 black cardamoms

3 green cardamoms

A few cloves

½ inch stick cinnamon

2 bay leaves

2 tsp ginger paste

2 tsp garlic paste

2 cups tomato puree

½ cup onion paste

11/2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

1 tsp dried pomegranate seeds (anardaana)

2 tsp channa masala powder

2 tablespoons oil/ ghee

Salt to taste

Fresh coriander for garnish

To prepare:

Soak the chickpeas in water and a pinch of baking soda and keep overnight.
Boil the chickpeas till tender and keep a tea bag in the water so that it imparts the color to the chickpeas.(channa)
Take2-3 red onions and puree in a food processor . Keep in mind there is no water.If there is water in the puree, then fry it in oil till it dries up .
Take a kadai, heat ghee or oil and add the whole garam masalas .
When they start crackling , add the ginger and garlic pastes and the onion puree.
When the onion starts to brown ,add the tomato puree .
Sauté for a while and add the powdered masalas and the anardana and cook.
When the mixture becomes a bit dark add the boiled chickpeas to this and cook.
Add the channa masala powder and keep cooking.
Season with salt.
Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Savour and Eat…with puris , luchi or just as it is…

Puris

Deep fried fluffed bread

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (atta)

Oil for frying

½ tsp asafetida(optional)

Water

1/2 tsp Salt

To prepare:

Sift the whole wheat flour with salt and asafetida in it.
Make a well in the centre of the flour in a broad basin.Pour water and knead slowly.The dough shouldnt be sticky.
Take a moist cloth and keep on top of the dough.
After half an hour , make small balls with the dough.
Heat oil in the kadai.
Roll the balls of dough into flat shapes and slide into the oil.
As soon as they fluff up and start to become gloden, turn them and let it turn golden on the other side too.
Remove onto a dish which is lined with absorbent paper to drain the excess oil.

Serve hot with chole, halwa and rassa aloo.

Rassa Aloo

Spicy potato curry -North Indian Style

Serves 6

Ingredients:

3-4 medium sized potatoes

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 chopped onions

1 inch chopped ginger

¼ tsp asafetida,(hing)

1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder(Deghi Mirch)

1 tsp dry mango powder(Amchur)

1 tsp garam masala powder

½ tsp turmeric powder

2 chopped green chillies(optional)

2 tablespoons oil/ ghee

3 cups of water

Salt to taste

Fresh coriander for garnish

To Prepare:

Boil the potatoes and cut into small cubes. Keep aside.
Heat oil/ghee in a pan .Add cumin seeds and when they begin to crackle add chopped ginger and sauté for a few minutes till the raw aroma of ginger goes away.
Add the chopped onions and sauté.Add the green chillies.
When the onions begin to become translucent add the turmeric, red chilli ,garam masala and asafetida powders and mix the potatoes and cook .
Add the dry mango powder and season with salt.Add the potatoes .
Add 3 cups of water and season. Cover and keep on simmer for around 10 minutes.
Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Enjoy …with puris , luchi, chole and halwa.

Slow Cooked Scrambled Eggs in Croissants

Classic Style

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1 medium sized chopped red tomato

1 medium sized chopped onions

3 tblsps milk

1-2 slices of lean turkey ham

2 tblsp of shredded cheddar cheese

Coriander leaves

3 tblsps Oil , can use olive oil

salt and pepper to season

To prepare:

1. Heat oil in a pan . Add finely onions and tomatoes .

2. Whisk all the eggs in a bowl and add it to the pan.

3. Add milk to make it creamy an put it on slow flame .The eggs should cook very slowly.

4. Add shredded cheddar cheese. For the non vegetarian option, add chopped turkey ham in the egg while cooking.

5. Season , garnish with chopped fresh coriander .

6. Take fresh , warm croissants , make slits so as to make it into a pocket and fill them with the egg mixture.

Enjoy with your morning cup of hot coffee or tea..

Tip: Always keep the eggs a bit creamy and runny. If you want to add more milk, you may do so.

My Grandmother's Mutton Shorba

Thick Mutton Soup

Serves 5-6 ; Preperation time : 15 minutes Cooking time: 45 -50 minutes

Ingredients

1 kg Indian Mutton (shoulder pieces)

5-7medium sized chopped red tomato/ 2 ½ cups tomato puree

5 medium sized chopped red onions

2 tsps ginger paste

2 tsps garlic paste

1 ½ tsp coriander powder(dhaniya)

1 ½ tsp cumin powder(jeera)

1 ½ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)

1 tsp garam masala powder

Whole garam Masala:

½ tsp whole cumin

4-5 Cloves

3-4 Black cardamom

3-4 Green cardamom

2 Bay leaves (Tej Patta)

½ inch Cinnamon stick(daal chini)

1 kg Red Kidney beans (Rajma)

3 medium sized potatoes

200 gms carrots

5 tblsps Oil , can use olive oil/ ghee

Salt to season

3 cups of water

Coriander leaves

To prepare:

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker . Add the whole garam masala. When they begin to crackle add the ginger and garlic paste and sauté.

2. Add the finely chopped onions and tomatoes or tomato puree and add all the powdered spices. Sauté till the oil comes on top of the mixture.

3. Add the mutton pieces and cook very well till they become brown. This is called “Bhuno”.

4. When the mutton gets brown, add 3 cups of water till the mutton is submerged in the water and add the kidney beans .Close the lid of the pressure cooker and put the whistle on.

5. Let it cook for at least 30 -40 minutes. Check if the mutton is fully cooked and tender.

6. The potatoes should be cut into halves and the green beans into ½ inch pieces. Put them into the pressure cooker and let it cook for 2 whistles.

7. Check if tender. The Shorba should have thick soup consistency.

8. Season, garnish with chopped fresh coriander and enjoy with buttered bread.

Kabargah

Batter fried Mutton Chops..Kashmiri style

Makes 10-12 chops

Ingredients:

1 kg full fat Indian Mutton chops ( chest pieces only)

750 ml full fat milk

2 cups water

1 tsp of salt

Masala Bouquet Garni

3 tblsps half crushed fennel (saunf)

4 Bay leaves(tejpatta)

2 nos. powdered Nutmeg (jaiphal)

4 nos. crushed Black cardamom

3 nos. Mace(javitri-optional)

2 crushed cinamom ½ inch sticks (daalchini)

1 ½ tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder

2 cloves(long)

For the Batter

4 tblsp Gramflour , enough to make a thin batter for the chops

Optional –

1 tsp Turmeric(haldi)

1 tsp powdered fennel (saunf)

1 tsp powdered cumin (jeera)

¼ tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder

Oil / ghee for frying

To Prepare:

1. Cut the chops into 4 finger long and 2 finger wide pieces. They should be full of fat.

2. Place the chops with the mixture of milk and water.Add the Masala bouquet garni (place all the above mentioned masalas in a muslin cloth and tie it tightly)in the heavy bottomed closed vessel.

3. Cover and cook on a slow fire. When the milk is cooked completely add 4 tsps of salt. Do not add salt before this step, other the milk would separate.Stir the mutton very gently.

4. Keep cooking till the chops are very tender. Add more water if needed.

5. When completely cooked, place them on a plate and squeeze the bouquet garni on it.

6. For the batter , one can use gramflour mixture in water or mix the optional ingredients in the gramflour batter.The batter should be very smooth so that it coats the chops evenly.

7. Heat Ghee/oil in a kadai( a heavy bottomed wok type vessel). Dip the gram flour coated chops in the hot oil/ ghee and fry till it becomes nice and crisp.

Serve hot and Enjoy. Usually it is garnished with silver paper(vark)

Tandoori Chicken

From Moti Mahal

Ingredients:

750 gms chicken cut into 4 pieces, washed pat dried ,

1 tbsp whisked yoghurt

For the First Marinade

1 ½ tbsps Lemon (nimbu ) Juice

1 tsp Red Chilli powder

Salt to taste

For the Second Marinade

½ cup Yoghurt

1 tbsp Garlic paste

1 tbsp Ginger paste

½ teaspoon rock salt

1 tsp Garam Masala

Few drops- Food red colour

Salt to taste

½ tsp Dry Fenugreek leaves, powdered

2 Onions, cut into rings

1 Lemon, cut into wedges

To prepare:

1. Make deep incisions(cuts) on the breasts, thighs and drumsticks.

2. For the first marinade, mix all the ingredients and rub over the chicken pieces and inside the incisions. Keep aside for 1 hour.

3. For the second marinade, mix all the ingredients and rub over and into the chicken pieces, keep aside for 3-4 hours to marinate. I usually keep the marinated chicken overnight in the fridge.

4. Preheat the oven at 180 deg C/ 350 deg F. Place the chicken on a grill rack or wire rack (place a tray underneath to collect the drippings) and grill for 8-10 minutes.

5. Brush the pieces with oil and turn them around and grill for another 8-10 minutes till the chicken is dry and cooked.

6. Remove from the oven, sprinkle dry fenugreek powder and serve with onion rings and lemon wedges.

My tip: If you add, chaat masala to the onion rings and sauté it with the dry fenugreek leaves for a minute…it becomes even tastier!

Murgh Makhani

Ingredients:

Tandoori Chicken as above

2 cups Tomatoes or puree, can be organic

1 ½ tsp Ginger paste

1 ½ tsp Garlic paste

½ tblsp ginger, finely chopped

4 green chillies

2 1/2 tsp Cashewnut paste, soak cashews in hot water, grind and make a paste.

125 gms of butter

½ tsp Kashmiri red chillies or paprika

75 ml cream

Salt to taste

Finely chopped coriander to garnish

To prepare:

1. Melt half the butter in a heavy bottomed vessel, add the ginger and garlic paste and stir over medium heat until the liquid evaporates. Add the tomato puree and salt and cook for a few minutes (I use puree for this recipe for ease of cooking).

2. Melt the remaining butter in a Kadhai, add chopped ginger and green chillies and sauté over medium heat for a minute. Add the cashewnut paste , bhunno(cook very well) until light brown , add the Kashmiri chillies or paprika, and stir.

3. Add the gravy as made in Step 1 and bring to a boil.

4. Add the Tandoori Chicken pieces and simmer for 7- 8 minutes.

5. Stir in cream and adjust seasoning.

Serve hot with Naan or rice.

Khamiri Poori

Ingredients

The Dough

115 gms Jalebi Khamir

230 gms whole wheat flour

½ tsp salt

½ tsp sugar

½ tsp fennel seeds(saunf)

115 gms semolina( rava)

230 gms whole wheat flour

230 gms flour

Pinch of fennel

½ pinch of salt

3 pinches of sugar

115 gms ghee

230 ml of milk

10 gms of crushed cardamom

10 gms of crushed cloves

3 masha saffron

Oil / ghee for frying

To prepare:

1. Prepare a dough with whole wheat flour , jalebi Khamir , salt , sugar and fennel seeds.

2. Cover with a warm cloth and keep in a pan overnight . This is how the khamir is prepared.

3. In the morning , you will see that it has expanded. Take half of it from the upper portion ,add the semolina (rava), whole wheat flour

4. Keep cooking till the chops are very tender. Add more water if needed.

5. When completely cooked, place them on a plate and squeeze the bouquet garni on it.

6. For the batter , one can use gramflour mixture in water or mix the optional ingredients in the gramflour batter.The batter should be very smooth so that it coats the chops evenly.

7. Heat Ghee/oil in a kadai( a heavy bottomed wok type vessel). Dip the gram flour coated chops in the hot oil/ ghee and fry till it becomes nice and crisp.

Serve hot and Enjoy..

Taiji's Honey Chicken

Ingredients

1 full chicken cut into 8 pieces

2 tbsps tomato ketchup

1 tbsp honey

1 tsp ginger and garlic paste

1 tsp soya sauce

Pinch of red chilli powder

1 tsp of oil or butter

Salt to taste

To prepare:

1. Wash the chicken pieces, preferably the drumsticks , thighs , breast pieces and pierce them with a fork, so the marinade seeps into the flesh .

2. Marinate for at least 30 minutes with tomato ketchup, honey, soya sauce, garlic and ginger paste, salt to taste, a pinch of chilli powder and oil or butter.

3. Transfer all into a "Kadhai" (wok shaped utensil), stir a bit & cover. Let the chicken cook on slow fire so that it cooks in its juices. Once tender, leave on the flame just long enough to dry any excess water.

4. Serve and garnish with sprigs of fresh parsley or coriander.

Quick Low fat Chicken

Ingredients

1 full chicken cut into 8 pieces

1 tbsp whisked Yoghurt

1 tsp ginger and garlic paste

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

Garam Masala to taste

1 small onion, cut into rings

1 small capsicum, cut into rings

1 tbsp of oil

Salt to taste

To prepare

Wash the chicken pieces , preferably the drumsticks , thighs , breast pieces and pierce them with a fork, so the marinade seeps into the flesh.

2. Marinate for 30 minutes with yoghurt , garlic & ginger paste , salt , coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala to taste.

3. Heat the oil. Stir fry the chicken pieces in a " kadhai" till the pieces brown a bit, adding the marinating juices leftover from time to time. Continue till tender.

4. While still hot, add some onion & capsicum rings, cover the kadhai and let it cook for a while on a slow flame.

5. Before serving make sure that the chicken is dry.

6. Garnish with fresh chopped coriander.

Mom's Jewelled Paneer

Ingredients

1 kilo fresh paneer (cottage cheese-you can get this from any Indian sweet shop)*

½ cup green capsicum

½ cup red onions

1 ½ tsp coriander powder

1 ½ cumin powder

1 tsp garlic paste

½ tsp red chili powder

½ tsp garam masala powder

Pinch of red color

Salt to taste

Oil ,of your choice, for the griddle

To prepare

1. Cut the paneer into cubes, the onions and capsicum into 1 inch squares. Keep them aside

2. In a platter marinate the above an d all the pastes and spices using your hands untill all the spices and pastes are evenly spread onto the paneer. Season. And keep aside for at least an hour.

3. Heat oil on the griddle.

4. Add the marinated paneer mixture on to the griddle and cook on a medium flame. When it starts to cook, sprinkle a little water so that it doesn’t burn.

5. When fully cooked, take it out on a platter.

6. Serve hot with Naan or Roti.