Category: Food

Non-Spicy Cabbage Poriyal – Simple, light and vegetarian!

cabbage-2Ingredients

1 Medium Cabbage, chopped
3 tsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
2 tsp Urad Dal
8-10 Curry Leaves
2 tsp Turmeric powder (Haldi)
Salt, to taste
1/2 Grated coconut
Water

Procedure

  1. Heat the oil. Add the urad dal to this.
  2. When urad dal turns brownish add mustard seeds.
  3. When the mustard seeds begin to sputter add curry leaves and turmeric powder. Fry for 2-3 mins.
  4. Add the cabbage. Mix well.
  5. Add salt and approx 1/2 cup water. Cook without covering until cabbage is fully cooked.
  6. Add grated coconut. Fry for 1 minute. Serve hot.

So simple. That is what I love about this dish. Quick, attractive, delicious, light and great with hot phoolkas. You can sprinkle lemon juice on this before serving.

Since my mother is unable to tolerate spicy food my recipe does not include red chilli powder and coriander powder. You can add these along with turmeric powder. I still prefer the masale-free version.

Broken Wheat Upma

daliya-upmaIngredients

1 cup Broken Wheat (Daliya)
3 tsp Oil
2 Medium Onions, chopped
2 Medium Carrots, chopped
2 Medium Potatoes, chopped
2 Green Chillies, chopped
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
10-12 Curry leaves
2 tsp Chana Dal
2 tsp Urad Dal
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder (Haldi powder)
1/2 cup Yoghurt, beaten
3 cups Water
Salt, to taste

Procedure

  1. Soak and wash the broken wheat thoroughly. Boil around 5 cups of water. Blanche the broken wheat in the boiling water for approximately 5 mins. Drain and keep aside.
  2. Heat the oil in a pressure cooker. Fry the chana dal and urad dal until light brown.
  3. Add mustard seeds and curry leaves.
  4. When they begin to sputter add chopped onions. Cook until the onions turn translucent.
  5. Add the chopped green hillies,  potatoes and carrots. Fry for around 1-2 mins.
  6. Add turmeric powder. Fry for another 2-3 mins.
  7. Add salt. Stir.
  8. Add 3 cups of water. Mix.
  9. Reduce heat. Add the yoghurt and mix well. Add more water if required.
  10. Cover the pressure cooker with a lid. Cook under pressure for 2 whistles.
  11. Allow the steam to escape. Open lid. Adjust the salt. Cook for approx 2 minutes or until excess water dries up.
  12. Garnish with fresh, chopped coriander, nuts. Squeeze half a lemon. Serve hot!

My variation of a great, hearty breakfast. Healthy, tasty and wholesome. You can add green peas if desired. Adding a spoonful of fresh ghee is also yummy!

Rogan Josh – straight from the valley!

roganjosh

Ingredients

1 kg Mutton, cut into large pieces
1 tbsp Garlic, ground
2-3 large Onions ground into paste
5 tsp Turmeric powder (Haldi)
8 Green cardamoms (Chhoti Elaichi)
8 Cloves (Laung)
5 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder, mixed with 1 cup water
¾ cup Ghee
2.5 litres Water
a few strands of saffron, mixed in warm water
½ tsp Black Pepper powder (Kali Mirchi Powder)

Procedure

  1. Fry the onion paste in 3 tbsp Ghee/Oil until golden brown. Keep aside
  2. Boil the mutton in water. Keep removing all the scum with a ladle.
  3. Once the water is clean, add salt and ground garlic. Boil until mutton is half cooked.
  4. Remove the mutton pieces from the water and wash in running cold water. Keep aside.
  5. Strain the water through a fine sieve and pour into a fresh pan.
  6. Bring this water to a boil and add meat to it.
  7. Heat the ghee in another pan. Add cloves (laung) to the hot ghee.
  8. When the cloves begin to crackle, sprinkle around 1 tbsp water and immediately cover the pan. (This has to be done very carefully and quickly) . Keep the pan covered.
  9. Now add green cardamoms, clove flavored ghee, turmeric powder and fried onion paste (prepared in step 1) to the mutton.
  10. Mix and bring to a boil. Boil for approx 10-12 mins on high flame.
  11. Now add the kashmiri red chilli mixed in water to this. Mix well. Bring to a boil.
  12. Cover and cook on simmer until the mutton is totally cooked.
  13. Add the saffron and black pepper powder. Mix well. Cover and simmer for 10 mins.
  14. Keep the pan covered and let the mutton rest for approximately 20-30 minutes before serving.

The totally authentic Kashmiri preparation includes the very Kashmiri ingredient mawal (dried cockscomb flower) heated with around 1 cup water. I was unable to find this in the market and hence omitted this. The recipe was a huge success last night. We had our friends Mukul and Shalini over from Delhi. Lots of the excellent Sula Dindori Shiraz and then sumptuous Rogan Josh with simple steamed rice. Wonderful meal that was completed by some amazing gazak that my father-in-law had ‘procured’ from Lucknow. Mazaa aa gaya – kasam se!

Chana Dal Gosht – A great recipe from Pakistan!

chana dal gosht-1

INGREDIENTS

For the Bhuna Gosht

1 kg Mutton/Lamb (with bone)
4 Medium Onion, peeled, finely chopped
4 tsp Garlic paste
3 tsp Red Chilli powder
Salt
3 tsp Coriander powder
2 tsp Cumin powder
½ tsp Turrmeric powder (haldi)
5 Medium Tomatoes, pureed or finely chopped
4 tsp Ginger paste
1-½ cups Water
¼ cup Oil / Ghee

For the Chana Dal Gosht

1 cup Chana Dal (split chick peas)
2 tsp Red Chilli powder
2 tsp Garam Masala powder
4-5 tbs Fresh Cream
1 Onion, sliced, fried until brown and kept aside
2 Green chillies, lightly fried
A handful of mint leaves
Lemon juice

PROCEDURE

  1. Put mutton, onions, garlic, salt, chili powder, ground coriander, turmeric and water in a heavy based saucepan or pressure cooker. Cook for 20 minutes on high flame, stirring continuously (bhunaoing) or until all the water including the water from the chopped onions has dried up.
  2. Add tomatoes and ginger paste. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring all the time.
  3. Add oil and cook for 10 minutes, again stirring all the time. Add one or two tablespoons of water to prevent gravy from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
  4. Shut the flame when oil separates from the gravy.
  5. Add the chana dal and red chilli powder to the bhuna gosht prepared above.
  6. Add water to this. Make sure that the water covers around 1 inch above the level of the dal and meat.
  7. Simmer under pressure for 3 whistles. Alternatively cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes until the dal and meat are fully cooked.
  8. Open the lid. Sprinkle garam masala powder, adjust the salt and mix thoroughly. Cook on medium flame for around 10 minutes, stirring continuously. Turn off the flame.
  9. Add fresh cream and mix into the Dal Gosht. Cover and let it rest for around 10 minutes.
  10. Serve with lemon juice, fresh mint and brown onions.

This is a wonderful recipe that I have got from the great singer/composer and my brother from Pakistan, Shafqat Ali. The dish is attractive, delicious and a massive hit with everybody. The trick is to ensure that Bhuna Gosht is made correctly with a lot of stirring to ensure that gravy does not get stuck to the bottom of the pan.

You can make a lot of variations to this dish. Change the dal – try red lentils, kidney beans or soaked Bengal gram or a mixture of all the dals. Instead of dal you can also add vegetables like okra, cauliflower, potatoes, yam or turnips to the Bhuna Gosht to get delightful dishes! Cooking times of course will vary. You can also replace the tomatoes with yoghurt. Keep trying and serving. That is what passion is all about. Happy cooking!

Mutton Kolhapuri – nothing subtle about this one!

mutton kolhapuri -3INGREDIENTS

1 kg Mutton, medium sized pieces
3 large Potatoes, cut into large pieces
1 ½ tsp Turmeric powder
2 tbs Ginger-Garlic paste
5 large Tomatoes, chopped
3 large Onions, chopped
½ Coconut, grated
10 pcs Cloves (Laung)
8-10 pcs Whole Red chillies
2 tsp Poppy seeds
2 tsp Fennel seeds (saunf)
2 tsp Coriander seeds
2 tsp Peppercorns
½ cup Oil
Salt, to taste

PROCEDURE

  1. Thoroughly mix salt, turmeric powder and ginger-garlic paste into the meat. Keep aside for at least  45 mins.
  2. Heat 3-4 tbs of oil in a pan. Add the poppy seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds and red chillies. Fry until the poppy seeds just begin to turn brown.
  3. Add the chopped onions. Fry until light brown.
  4. Add the grated coconut and fry for about 1 minute.
  5. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry (bhunno continuously) until the oil begins to separate from the masala.
  6. Cool the masala. Blend to a fine paste. Kolhapuri Masala is now ready.
  7. Heat the remaining oil in a pressure cooker. Add the marinated mutton pieces and potatoes. Fry until they turn brownish.
  8. Add the Kolhapuri Masala prepared above. Mix well. Add approximately 2-3 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Cover.
  9. Cook the mutton under pressure on low heat for around 4-5 whistles (depending on the tenderness of the meat).
  10. Wait for all the pressure to be released, then open the lid.
  11. Add chopped fresh coriander and mix.

 While I enjoy subtle flavors and aromatic cuisines, this Mutton Kolhapuri was a welcome change. There is nothing subtle or gentle about it but it is simply delicious. You can use the Kolhapuri masala for chicken, vegetables  or paneer but I think the robust flavors come out best with red meat. Eat this with the traditional Maharashtrian bread bhakri or the sinful, deep fried wada. As usual I prefer it with my staid, slightly crisp phoolka.

Jowar Bhakri
Jowar Bhakri

Cooked this mutton kolhapuri for my wife last night. I  was showered with a lot of rekindled  love, affection and a much needed foot massage. Maybe it was the poppy seeds! Or the excellent new wine from the Dindori region of Nashik. This region produces some excellent grapes and the wines from here are excellent. Sula Dindori Reserve and Chateau d’Ori are two brands that use grapes from this region. While the Sula Reserve is truly the pick of Indian wines, this new one is also quite good. Cheers!

Roghni Roti – A royal treat!

roghninaanINGREDIENTS

1 cup Milk
1 cup Wholewheat flour (Atta)
¼ cup Ghee
¼ tsp Saffron (Kesar)
1 tsp Green Cardamom powder (Chhoti Elaichi powder)
Salt, to taste

PROCEDURE

  1. Boil the milk. Reduce to half.
  2. Sieve the flour with salt. Add ghee, saffron, green cardamom powder and milk. Knead thoroughly to make a soft, elastic dough.
  3. Divide the dough into 6 portions. Roll each portion out into a disc.
  4. Heat an iron griddle (tawa). Cook the discs on low heat. Pierce with a knife in the centre. Press with a cloth all round while cooking.
  5. Remove when both sides of the roti have brown spots.

Great roti that my father-in-law makes very well. You can add a little bit of powdered sugar, cinnamon powder and ajwain to make this roti even more aromatic and flavorful. Great with potatoes sauteed in oil with cumin seeds, sliced onions, whole red chillies, green peas and salt. Maybe a recipe for simple potato subzi will follow soon! Have a brilliant day.

Sinful Chocolate Mousse

chocolate-mousse

INGREDIENTS

250g Milk Chocolate/ Semi-bitter Chocolate (Take your pick!), broken into pieces
75g Butter, cut into pieces
1-1/2 cup Fresh Cream
2 Large Eggs
2 tbs Irish Cream (any liqueur you prefer!)
1 tbs Honey

PROCEDURE

  1. Put the chocolate and butter in a bowl. Place the bowl over some boiled water that is kept on a gentle simmer.
  2. Let the chocolate and butter melt. Remove from the heat.
  3. In another bowl whip the cream until it gets soft and frothy
  4. Whisk the eggs and honey in a bowl until light.
  5. Gently fold in the irish cream, melted chocolate mixture and cream. Mix all this very gently.
  6. Pour the mixture into small wine glasses or serving dishes.
  7. Leave to chill for a few hours (At least 1-1/2 hour before serving).
  8. Sprinkle grated chocolate over the mousse before serving.

Chocolate Mousse is so simple to make and so delightfully sinful! Try different varieties of chocolate and liqueur. I also like to add a dash of whisky to make this even more sinful. Delicious.

Chicken Breast in a Bag!

chicken in a bag

INGREDIENTS

2-3 Chicken Breasts
2-3 Baby Potatoes
2 Lemons
4 tbs Olive Oil
1 tbs Ginger Paste
1 tsp Fennel seeds, hand pounded (saunf)
2 cloves Garlic
2 tbs Dried Oregano
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Salt

PROCEDURE

  1. Pre-heat the oven to approx. 220°C.
  2. Make a bag placing 2 pieces of tin foil (large enough) on top of each other. Fold three sides and keep one side open.
  3. Flatten the chicken breasts with a mallet.
  4. Pierce the baby potatoes with a fork.
  5. Squeeze the lemon juice and reserve the lemon. Put these in a bowl.
  6. Add olive oil, crushed dried oregano, ginger paste, pounded fennel seeds, garlic, and black pepper to this.
  7. Put the chicken breasts and potatoes. Mix.
  8. Keep this mixture aside for around 45 minutes. (Longer the better!)
  9. Place this mixture in your foil bag. Seal the bag and place carefully on a roasting tray.
  10. Heat in the pre-heated oven for approximately 30-35 minutes.
  11. Remove from the oven. Break open the foil on the table.

Enjoy this simple recipe with pao, garlic bread or lemon rice. Experiment with different herbs like thyme, rosemary and vegetables like spinach, beans, mushrooms. You can also add fresh cream or white wine to the marinade to get delightful variations. Serve with a glass of good white wine.

Kadhai Paneer – A gujju favorite!

For the Kadhai Paste

INGREDIENTS7 tbs Coriander seeds
10 Dried Red chillies
3 tbs Garlic Paste
¼ cup Ginger, chopped
5 Tomatoes, chopped
4 tbs Ghee
1 tbs Dried fenugreek (Kasoori Methi)
1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
Salt

PROCEDURE

  1. Dry- grind the coriander seeds and red chillies
  2. Heat the ghee in a kadhai (wok). Fry the garlic pasteon medium flame  till it turns golden brown.
  3. Fry the chopped ginger and coriander seeds- red chillies powder in this for around 45 seconds.
  4. Add the chopped tomatoes and salt. Mix and fry this on medium flame while stirring continuously.
  5. Fry till the ghee separates from the masala.
  6. Add the dried fenugreek (kasoori methi) and garam masala powder. Mix.
  7. Keep aside.

For the Kadhai Paneer

INGREDIENTS

500gms Fresh Cottage Cheese (Paneer), cut into medium size cubes
3 tbs Ghee
1 large Capsicum, deseeded and julienned
3 tsp Coriander seeds
5 Dried Red Chillies
Kadhai Paste (above)
A pinch of dried fenugreek (Kasoori Methi)
1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
¼ cup Fresh coriander, chopped

PROCEDURE

  1. Dry grind the coriander seeds and dried red chillies to a fine powder.
  2. Heat the ghee in a kadhai (wok). Stir fry the capsicum on high flame for 30 seconds.
  3.  Add the chopped ginger and coriander-red chillies powder to this and fry on medium flame for around 1 minute.
  4. Add the Kadhai Paste prepared above. Fry till the oil separates from the masala. This should take around 4-5 minutes at the most.
  5. Add the paneer to this and mix gently. Cook while stirring gently for 2-3 minutes.
  6. Sprinkle the dried fenugreek (kasoori methi) and garam masala powder. Adjust the seasoning if required. Mix.
  7. Serve hot garnished with fresh chopped coriander.

This is quite a hit with my gujju guests!  Tastes just like the kadhai paneer you get in restaurants (better if I can be immodest!) and despite the gujju preference for this dish I must admit that it is truly delectable. Experiment with other vegetables for kadhai vegetable and also with chicken to get kadhai chicken. Just try it! It goes brilliantly with any hot, fresh bread.kadhai paneer

Dal Chicken (Chicken in a Red Lentil Sauce)

 dal chickenINGREDIENTS

1 kg Chicken, medium pieces, cleaned and washed
¼ cup Yoghurt
1 tbs Oil
2 tbs lemon juice
1-1/2 cup Water
Salt
1 tsp Turmeric powder (Haldi powder)
2 tsp Coriander powder (Dhania powder)
1 tsp Red Chilli powder
½ tsp Cumin seed powder (jeera powder)
½ tsp Cumin seeds (jeera)
2 Medium Onions, chopped
2 Medium Potatoes, diced
½ cup Red Lentil (Masoor dal)
2 Medium Tomatoes, chopped
1 tbs Ginger, julienned

  1. Mix the chicken thoroughly with yoghurt, 1 tbs lemon juice, salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder and cumin powder. Marinate for approximately 45 minutes.
  2. In a pressure cooker heat the oil
  3. Fry the cumin seeds for a minute. Add the onions and sauté until golden brown.
  4. Add the marinated chicken and diced potatoes. Mix thoroughly.
  5. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes.
  6. Now add the red lentils and chopped tomatoes. Cook on medium flame for a 2-3 minutes.
  7. Add water, bring to a boil. Cover the pressure cooker and lower the flame to low.
  8. Simmer under pressure for 2 whistles. Turn off the burner and let the steam release slowly on its own from the cooker.
  9. After all the steam has been released, open the lid and cook until the chicken is tender and the sauce is completely done. Adjust the salt. Stir continuously while cooking.
  10. Add the remaining lemon juice and mix. Sprinkle julienned ginger before serving.

This is again a light and unique recipe and tastes delightful.  I enjoy this with steamed kolam rice or any unpolished rice.  I am not very fond of the excessively refined basmati rice available in stores.  I also enjoy this mildly spiced dish with a good crisp paratha. Great recipe for those who are on diet and particularly for all those on high protein diets! You could also try this with lamb. Of course cooking times will vary. A tempering (tadka) of ghee, garlic, whole red chillies and a pinch of asafoetida (heeng) can be an interesting addition.

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