.....From My Palate

Rice Dishes

Paan Rasam- Betel Leaves Soup To Comfort On Frigid Day

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I like the whole scenery when its snowing outside. Everything wrapped up in white color, looks so calm and peaceful. I really enjoy looking at small cotton balls coming down while sitting cozily on a warm spot near a window with my favorite hot drink “ginger tea”. I prefer to use the biggest cup available to enjoy this incredible moment. Sometimes I do miss a little help like calling a name, (I rather request than order) and the thing is in your hand without moving a bit. Well, I don’t mind requesting some crunchy pakodas with my tea, to make the moment indelible while looking outside the serene view of everything turning white. Wow, I don’t want to come out of my dream moment but all of a sudden the pure, white heaven is covered with footprints.

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Yes!, small cute creatures wrapped up in thick jackets, gloves, hat and carrying their own snow sled invading my invisible territory and crushing my beautiful scenery. In a moment the whole place is in a mess but the noises of laughing, talking, chirping, screaming makes the place so lively and playful.
Well, the place was no more serene and calm but the laughter, fun and happiness makes it still worthy to enjoy with my tea. All of the sudden I realized, one of the small cute creature belongs to our home. He is playing with the snow like there’s no tomorrow.

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The recipe I am sharing today is kind of a home remedy to prevent common cold in the season. Served with rice and ghee, rasam is a comfort food in winter. I like the special ingredient “betel leaves” in the recipe. Its good for digestion too. I tweaked here and there, so this might not be the authentic recipe.

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Paan Rasam
Recipe Type: Soup/ Home Remedy
Cuisine: South Indian
Author: Bhawana
Ingredients
  • 2 Betel Leaves, (Paan )
  • 1 Tomato
  • 1/2 cup Tamarind Water, (adjust the quantity of tamarind according to the taste)
  • 1/2 cup Dal Water, (dal cooked and mashed in a thin consistency )
  • 1 tsp. Peppercorns
  • 2-3 cloves of Garlic
  • 1 tsp. Cumin Seeds
  • Bunch of Curry Leaves
  • 1/2 tsp. Mustard Seeds
  • 2 small pinch Asafetida Powder, ( Hing )
  • 1/2 tsp. Desi Ghee ( I prefer more on top too )
  • 2-3 dried Red Chilies
  • 1/2 tsp. Turmeric Powder
  • Salt to taste
  • Shredded coconut or coriander optional for garnishing
Instructions
  1. Grate the tomato and take out the pulp and juice out of it. You can simply grind the tomato too.
  2. Coarsely crush cumin seeds, peppercorn and garlic in mortar and pestle.
  3. Heat ghee in a pan and add some mustard seeds.
  4. When they start popping, add curry leaves and dried red chili.
  5. Now add crushed garlic mixture, tomato pulp, tamarind water and dal water.
  6. Also add turmeric powder and salt. Mix it well and cook on medium flame.
  7. Taste it and add salt or tamarind more as per your taste.
  8. Add 1 and 1/2 cups of water and cook for around 5 minutes.
  9. At the end add hing and finely chopped betel leaves.
  10. Cook 2 more minutes.
  11. Garnish and enjoy!

 

Chawal Ki Kheer – Synonym For Prosperity

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Om Shri Ganeshaya Namaha
Wishing you all a very happy and prosperous new year. May God bless you and your loved ones with all the happiness, good health and success in life.
New year brings hope, energy, motivation and much more… In a first few weeks the adrenaline rush is so intense that it feels like its new you! All resolutions are bound to fail but still there are few on list before every new year’s eve. My all time favorite is having a healthy, active life and organized home. The mission is to have a balanced lifestyle for my own sanity and less yelling and chaos at home. And I must admit first month is always like living in a heaven. My home is so clean and organized that you can eat in my bathrooms. Things are easier that way if it just home or work but we live in a society and should follow few rules. Going out with friends or going for shopping, partying late, vacations, guests, sitting and enjoying social media with a cup of tea, telephone conversations with friends or family, or just feeling lazy…these are my “few” sinful temptations that I cannot say no to them. Sometimes I do compromise on my beauty sleep to have more hours in my life so that I can balance home, family, friends, and my own time. But before spring things are always out of control, yelling and chaos at home, always cooking in the nick of time and cleaning of bathrooms are always required before any unexpected guests.

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But as the months passes by, there are so many memories that we create between this chaos with my family and friends. The stranger becomes the part of the family at the end of the year, there are more happy pictures and funny interesting stories to share with the world. Celebrating good times and festivals together, and most importantly I have people around who care for me and I can count on them.
Life has ups and downs, bad times passes by but what we cherished and remains in our memories are the good times we spent with our loved ones. I am still looking for a balance in my life but will not compromise on adding these cherished memories in my life.
Moving on to the first recipe of 2017. This is the evergreen classic dessert.

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In our tradition ‘Rice” is a symbol of auspiciousness and prosperity. We use rice in all the pujas, havans, different ceremonies and rituals. During weddings the use of rice to bless the couple or the family with the prosperous life signifies its importance in our life. Rice is the first grain that we give our child as a first solid food. Rice is a staple diet in India. During month of Shravan and on Poornima cooking and sharing chawal ki kheer is very sacred and favorable. I know they sound more like the old delights and its hard to charm our new generation with these talks but I believe sharing and caring is never old.

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To celebrate the festivity on new year I am sharing the recipe of the classic dessert “Chawal Ki Kheer” as a symbol to start the new year with the auspiciousness and prosperity. This is the one of the holy dessert that is served and represent festivity.

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Chawal Ki Kheer –
Recipe Type: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian
Author: Bhawana
Ingredients
  • 2 L Milk (Whole milk preferably)
  • 1/2 cup Rice, washed and soaked
  • 3/4 cup Sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. Cardamom Powder
  • 2 tbsp. warm Milk with crushed saffron
  • 1 tbsp. Ghee
  • 1/2 tsp. Rose water
  • 2 tbsp. shredded Coconut
  • 2 tbsp. Raisins
  • Sliced Almonds and Pistachios
  • Chandi ka varak and dried rose petals optional
Instructions
  1. Boil the milk in a heavy bottom pan.
  2. Add rice and cook until the rice is soft and the milk is reduced and creamy on low flame.
  3. Keep on stirring regularly to ensure no burning and sticking rice at the bottom of the pan.
  4. When the rice are floating on top and soft add sugar, saffron infused milk, coconut, raisins and half of almonds and pistachios.
  5. Now add ghee and mix the kheer vigorously to emulsify the milk, ghee and rice.
  6. Cook it until your desired consistency. I prefer creamy and partially thicker.
  7. At the end add cardamom powder and rose water.
  8. Mix it and keep it aside to cool down.
  9. Serve hot or chilled with garnishing.

Sindhi Kadhi

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Pakoda kadhi is the kadhi I grew up relishing all my life until I got married and came to US. Kadhi is a synonym of yogurt and dumplings in North Indian recipe book. Kadhi chawal is the most common meal served in all Indian homes and restaurants. Recipe for dumplings might differ in many households but stew is made of purely yogurt and besan with few spices. But today our kadhi recipe is little different. It is made of roasted besan in tomato gravy. Instead of dumplings we will add lots of different vegetables that gives nice texture and taste to the dish.

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Sindhi kadhi or as they call it ‘kadhi chaawaran’ is the Sunday special dish in the most of Sindhi homes. With the little preparation, it is easy to make and it goes very well with plain rice. Sindhi’s like to serve it with aloo tuk and my favorite sweet Boondi. The sweetness of boondi, spicy tanginess of kadhi and different vegetables complements each other really well. It is nutritious delight to the eye and the stomach.

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Sindhi Kadhi
Author: Bhawana
Ingredients
  • 10-12 Cluster Beans (Gawar Phali)
  • 9-10 Ladyfinger (Bhindi)
  • 5-6 small Eggplant, cut in to halves
  • 2 Potatoes, cut into big cubes
  • 2 Drumsticks, cut into 1½ inch pieces
  • 1 cup crushed Tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup Besan (Gram Flour)
  • 2 Green Chillies, finely chopped
  • Small piece Ginger, grated
  • Few Curry Leaves
  • 2 tbsp. Tamarind Pulp
  • 1/2 tsp. Turmeric Powder
  • 1/2 tsp. Red Chilli Powder
  • 1/4 tsp. Fenugreek Seeds (Methi Dana)
  • 1/2 tsp. Mustard Seeds
  • Pinch of Asafoetida
  • 1/2 tsp. Cumin Seeds
  • 2 whole Red Chillies
  • 5 tbsp Oil
Instructions
  1. Shallow fry Bhindi, Gawar phalli and eggplant.
  2. Heat 2 tbsps of oil in a deep heavy base pan.
  3. Add asafoetida, whole red chilli, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves to the pan.
  4. Add gram flour and sauté until fragrant and golden in color.
  5. Add tomatoes and 2-3 cups of water and mix till smooth.
  6. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, ginger, green chilies and salt.
  7. Simmer it for 7-8 minutes and add drumstick and potatoes in the pan and let them cook.
  8. Now add eggplant, bhindi and gawar phali and cook for 5 minutes.
  9. When the vegetables are cooked, add tamarind pulp and stir it well.
  10. Cook for another 1-2 minutes.
  11. Serve hot with steamed rice and sweet boondi.

Rajma Masala

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I never thought of sharing this recipe until my son mentioned me, “You didn’t take pictures of my favorite dish?” Taking pictures of food means “something special has cooked today” for him. That made me realized, he is right! Rajma Chawal is the most popular recipe in north India. Both children and adults likes it with same intensity, even the most picky eater is happy to see it served for lunch or dinner. It is the most easily cooked dish for parties or potlucks. Serve it with Jeera Rice, Chapatis or Naan, it goes well with everything and for everybody.
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Rajma Masala
Author: Bhawana
Ingredients
  • 2 cups Rajma (Kidney beans) soaked overnight, boiled
  • 2 medium Onions, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp. Ginger-Garlic paste
  • 4 tbsp. Tomato puree
  • few Green chilies, slited
  • 2 nos Tejpatta (Bay Leaf)
  • 2 tsp. Coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp. Turmeric Powder
  • 1/2 tsp. Cumin Seeds
  • 1/4 tsp. Asafietida
  • Red Chili Powder To taste
  • 3/4 tsp. Garam Masala
  • Fried Green Chilies and Coriander Leaves for garnishing
  • Salt to taste
  • 3 tbsp. oil
Instructions
  1. Heat oil in a heavy-bottom pan.
  2. Add bay leaves, cumin seeds and asatefida powder.
  3. When seeds start to splutter, add onions and saute till light brown.
  4. Add ginger-garlic paste and cook for a minute.
  5. Add tomato puree and turmeric powder mix it well and cook for 3-4 minutes till oil separates on the side of the pan.
  6. Add coriander powder, red chili powder and salt. Mix it well.
  7. Add boiled rajma along with water according to consistency needed.
  8. Cook for 10-15 minutes on low heat.
  9. Mash the beans with the back of the ladle, add garam masala powder and mix it well.
  10. Add more water and salt if required.
  11. Garnish with fried green chilies and coriander leaves.
  12. Serve hot with rice or chapatis.
  13. Add 1/4 cup cream for more richer and creamy taste.
  14. tsp of desi ghee enhance its taste.

Saibhaji – A Sindhi Delicacy

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If you are looking for a recipe that is guilt-free to eat, healthy, full of protein and nutrients, you are at right place. Saibhaji, one of the most loved dish from Sindhi Cuisine. It literally means green vegetable. (Sai-green Bhaji-vegetable) It tastes so good with rice that my picky eater son ate the leftover next day too. Nimisha, my very first friend in this country, who happened to be Sindhi introduced Saibhaji to me. She is a good cook and makes the best Sindhi Kadhi and Kandha Poha. Oh! I miss those carefree days when we used to talk a lot about food, friends, life and other things. Being new to this country, she helped me a lot in adjusting and making me comfortable in this new lifestyle. Though we both are busy now and miles apart, she still hold a special place in my heart.

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Sindhis are famous for their love for food. Saibhaji is a one pot meal that goes well with brown rice but when served you can see different accompaniments like aaloo tuk, sindhi papad, chutneys and pickles served on table. The most interesting and delicious one is with sindhi kadhi. Yes! sindhi kadhi is served with white rice, aloo tuk or fried eggplant and sweet boondi. And the whole think on plate tastes heavenly delicious and a full meal.

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Saibhaji
Author: Bhawana
A Sindhi Delicacy
Ingredients
  • 1 bunch Spinach
  • 1/2 bunch Fenugreek Leaves
  • Handful of Sua (Dill Leaves)
  • 1/2 cup Channa Dal (soaked in water)
  • 3 nos. Tomatoes
  • 1 small Brinjal
  • 1 medium Potato
  • 1 big Onion
  • Green Chillies to taste, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp. Garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp, Ginger, grated
  • 1 1/2 tsp. Coriander Powder
  • 1/2 tsp. Turmeric Powder
  • 1/2 tsp. Red Chilli Powder
  • 1/4 tsp. Cumin Seeds
  • Pinch of Hing (Asatedfida)
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 tbsp. Oil
Instructions
  1. Wash all the greens thoroughly and chop them roughly.
  2. Peel and chop all the vegetables.
  3. Heat oil in pressure cooker. Add cumin seeds and hing.
  4. When splutter, add ginger, garlic, onion and green chillies.
  5. Mix it well, now add channa dal and vegetables.
  6. Cook for a minute and add all greens and spices.
  7. Mix it, add salt and water as it needed.
  8. Cook it on medium flame until 5-6 whistles.
  9. Mesh it well to the consistency required.
  10. Serve it with table spoon of desi ghee on top.
  11. It goes well with brown rice or onion rice.

Kathal Biryani

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You can find inspiration anywhere, anytime if you keep your eyes open and have a hunger to learn and create. Best inspiration comes from your mother and the people around you. Sometimes, something just clicks in your mind and you know that very moment this is it!. The dish I am sharing today has an interesting story and an inspiration from a friend.

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Well, truly the guiding light for this amazing dish was an invitation from a friend. Today I am so happy that even with a pain in my neck (well, seriously it was bad!) still I was able to join her for a lunch get together. She served Jackfruit Biryani with spinach raita.   With  one spoon in my mouth I knew that this dish is going to be a part of my cooking excursion. Thank you Nidhi, and please let me know if you think my recipe is missing any important ingredients from what you have created that day. It was delicious. (Thank You for that pain relief cream :-))

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Biryani always gives an impression of lot of work and patience but if we do the prep work its easy and exotic dish to impress your friends and family. Its a one pot meal that can have a impact of array of dishes.

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Kathal Biryani
Author: Bhawana
Ingredients
  • 2 cups cubed Jackfruit (boiled with salt and turmeric)
  • 1 1/2 cups fried Onions
  • 1 1/2 cups Yogurt
  • 2 tbsp. Biryani Masala
  • 2 tbsp. Ginger/Garlic Paste
  • Green Chillies slit, to taste
  • Salt to taste
  • 1/2 cup Milk
  • Few Saffron Threads
  • 1 tsp. Rose Water
  • Few drop of Kewra Essence
  • 2 tbsp. Desi Ghee
  • Pinch of saffron color
  • 1 cup Mint Leaves (fresh and chopped)
  • 1/2 cup fried Cashewnuts and Resins
  • 1/2 tsp. Shah Jeera
  • Whole Garam Masala (small amount)
  • 2 tbsp. oil
  • 2 cups Basmati Rice (soaked in water for an hour)
  • 2 small Bay leaves
  • 1 small stick Cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 tsp. Salt
  • 1 tbsp. Desi Ghee
Instructions
  1. Mix yogurt, biryani masala, 3/4 cup fried onion, Green chillies, ginger/garlic paste, 1/2 cup mint leaves.
  2. Mix boiled kathal (jackfruit) and let it marinate for 1/2 an hour.
  3. Mix saffron, rose water and milk.
  4. Mix 1 tbsp of Desi ghee with saffron color.
  5. Boil rice with bay leaves, cinnamon, salt and ghee until 80% done.
  6. Heat oil in a deep heavy-bottom pan. Add shah jeera and whole garam masala.
  7. Add marinated kathal, mix it well and cook it for 2 minutes on medium flame.
  8. Now add salt, half of desi ghee, cashewnuts and resins. Mix it well.
  9. Layer the cooked rice over the jackfruit mixture.
  10. Sprinkle fried onion, mint leaves, cashew and resins.
  11. Add all around saffron milk mixture and desi ghee with color.
  12. Sprinkle few drops of kewra essence
  13. Cover and cook it on dum for 12-15 minutes on low flame.
  14. Let it rest for a while.
  15. Serve with chilled raita and salad of your choice.

Tadka Rice Noodles with Coconut Gravy

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Who doesn’t like noodles?
Noodles are comforting food that breaks the monotony of everyday food. There are so many varieties and different recipes to make noodles. With lots of vegetables or with meat, and the best part is, you don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen to impress your friends or family. This noodles recipe is little different and full of Indian flavors. Instead of adding vegetable with noodles I served vegetable coconut curry with it. The inspiration of this recipe is Kerala or Tamilnadu’s famous breakfast recipe Idiyappam / Sevai. They serve fresh idiyappam with spicy curry that looks really tempting and different. We mostly eat curry with rice or chapatis, so this recipe gives a interesting twist to the regular food.

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Vegetable Coconut Gravy
Author: Bhawana
Ingredients
  • 2 cups Mixed Vegetables
  • 2 tbsp. Oil
  • 1 Onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp. Ginger-Garlic Paste
  • 1 1/2 tsp. Dhaniya Powder (Coriander Powder)
  • 1 tsp. Cumin Seeds
  • 3/4 tsp. Haldi Powder (Turmeric Powder)
  • 1/2 tsp. Red Chilli Powder
  • 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
  • 1 1/2 cups Vegetable Broth
  • 1 1/2 cups Coconut Milk
  • 1/4 tsp. Black Pepper Powder
  • 2 tbsp fresh lime Juice
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh Coriander Leaves
  • Salt to taste
Instructions
  1. Heat the oil in a pan and add cumin seeds.
  2. When they start to splutter add ginger-garlic paste and onion.
  3. Cook onion on medium flame until little brown in color.
  4. Add all the dry spices and tomato paste. Mix it well and cook for few minutes.
  5. Add mixed vegetables and cook them on high heat. Add vegetable broth if needed.
  6. Now add coconut milk, salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper and bring to a boil.
  7. Add vegetable broth, mix it well.
  8. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for almost 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the gravy is to the consistency of your taste.
  9. Add lemon juice and garnished with chopped coriander leaves.

 

Tadka Rice Noodles
Author: Bhawana
Ingredients
  • 1 packet of Rice noodles
  • 3 tsp Oil
  • 1 tsp Rai (Mustard Seeds)
  • 2 nos dry Red Chillies, break in to half
  • 5-6 Green chillies
  • 8-9 curry leaves
  • 1 tsp. Channa Dal
  • 1 tsp. Urad Dal
  • 1/2 tsp. Turmeric Powder
  • 1/4 cup broken Cashewnut
  • 2 tsp. Lemon Juice
  • Coriander Leaves finely chopped for garnishing
Instructions
  1. Cook noodles according to cooking directions.
  2. Drain and mix some oil in the noodles
  3. Heat oil in a broad pan. Add mustard seeds, urad dal and chaana dal.
  4. When seeds crackles, add dry chillies, green chillies, and curry leaves.
  5. Fry for 30 seconds and add turmeric powder and cashews.
  6. Cook until cashews are light brown in color.
  7. Next add the cooked noodles and salt.
  8. Mix it well and cook for another 2 minutes
  9. Finally, add the chopped coriander leaves and lemon juice.
  10. Serve hot with the curry.

Meethe Chawal – Saffron Rice

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Meethe Chawal

Basant Panchami (as we call it), is predominantly the day love for kites. Sky full of colorful kites, small and big and my favorite with a tail. Oh! How much I loved that tailed kite flying carelessly with a long tail made out of paper streamers. This is the only day when everybody are on rooftops before sunrise with all the energy and zest. The significance of the day lies in the worship of Goddess Saraswati, symbol of wisdom, knowledge and also the onset of spring season.
The color yellow plays an important role in Vasant Panchami as it is related to the bloom of mustard flowers during this period. Sweet saffron rice and yellow sweets are
more popular and relished on this day.

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup Basmati Rice
  • 3 tbsp Ghee
  • 1/2 cup Sugar (little more or less, suitable to your taste buds)
  • 1″ piece of Dalchini (Cinnamon Stick )
  • 2 tbsp Milk
  • 1/4 tsp Kesar (Saffron )
  • 4 whole Laung (Cloves)
  • 1/2 tsp Coarsely Crushed Elaichi (Cardamom Seeds)
  • Pinch of Salt
  • 3 tbsp sliced Pistachios and Almonds
  • 2 tbsp Grated Coconut
  • 1 Badi Elaichi (Black Cardamom)

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Method

  • Fry almonds, pistachios and coconut in a little bit of ghee on medium heat until nuts slightly change color. Set aside.
  • Put the rice, water, cinnamom stick, cloves, badi elaichi and salt in a sauce pan over medium low heat.
  • Let the rice cook for about 15 minutes, or until the water has evaporated and the rice is almost done.
  • While rice is cooking, in a separate pan combine milk, ghee, sugar, saffron, cardamom pd and bring to boil on medium heat, stir until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  • Add the nuts mixture and sugar syrup over the rice. Fold gently into the rice with a spoon (I simply use my hands) gently to avoid mashing the rice.
  • Let the rice simmer for more 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the heat off and leave it covered for another few minutes.
  • Garnished with dry fruits of your choice.

Mera Lucknowi Andaz………

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Ever since I heard about RCI-Lucknow, I wanted to participate in this event. I wanted to represent my state with my fellow blogger. Lucknow cuisine is all about variety, but living in this part of world (U.S) where 2 people is a family, it is not at all motivating to cook this much of food for one time meal. But I totally believe in- If there is a will, there will be a way. So I cooked, I clicked and happily waited for my husband for a big surprise. I lit some candles and ate food in totally Nawabi Style.So here I present My Lucknowi Andaz….-:-)

I made – Bathue Ka Raita, Aloo Wadi, Shahi Paneer, Muglai Chawal, Hari Pyaz Aloo ki Sabji, Ajwain ka Tikona Paratha with Mirchi ka Achar, Aam ka Mitha Achar and Papad.
Lucknowi food is no food without Mango. Dusshari thats the variety very popular in U.P. Last but not least no meal is complete with out Mukhwas (Mouth-Freshener) and most popularly Paan in lucknow.
Let’s start with Bathue Ka Raita and Aloo Wadi –
Bathua in hindi, I searched on net and these are the other names for it.
Common name: Fat Hen, Lamb’s-quarters, Pigweed, Bathua बथुआ (Hindi), Paruppukkirai (Tamil), Chandanbethu (Bengali), Vastukah (Sanskrit), Bathua (Oriya), Kaduoma (Kannada), Pappukura (Telugu), Vastuccira (Malayalam), Chakvit (Konkani)
Bathue Ka Raita
  • 1/2 cup Bathua Blanched and grinded
  • 1 cup Yogurt
  • Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Hing (Asafetida)
  • 1/2tsp Roasted Jeera Pd  (Cumin Seeds)
  • Chat Masala (optional)
  • Red Chili Pd To taste
Method
  • Whisk yogurt until smooth (add water if needed)
  • Mix salt and Bathua.
  • Heat few drops of oil in a very small pan, add cumin seeds.
  • When they start to crackle add hing. Add this in to the yogurt.
  • Serve cold.
Aloo Wadi here I posted it earlier in my post.
Shahi Paneer and Mughlai Chawal
Shahi Paneer
  • 2 cups cubed Paneer
  • 1 big onion Chopped
  • 4 cloves Garlic (Garlic in US is quite big add more in India)
  • 1 green Chili
  • 4 tbsp Crushed Tomatoes or 2 chopped Tomatoes
  • 15 Cashewnuts soaked in 1 cup of milk
  • 1/2tsp Haldi  (turmeric)
  • 1/2tsp Garam masala pd
  • 1/2tsp Kitchen king Masala
  • 1/2tsp Jeera (Cumin seeds)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • salt to taste
  • 3tsp  Oil
Method
  • Heat 2 tsp of oil, add cumin seeds, onions, garlic, chilies and fry until onions are light brown in color.
  • Once it cool down grind it in to smooth paste with tomatoes, cashew nuts and milk.
  • Heat 1 tsp of oil in the same pan, add bay leaves and the tomato paste in the pan.
  • Fry it for some time (add little water if needed) until you can see some oil on the surface.
  • Add all masalas and 1 cup of water.
  • Give it a boil and cook for 8 minutes.
  • Add paneer cubes in it.
  • Cover it and cook it for 2 minutes on low flame.(Keep stirring in between and add more water if the gravy is thicker for your taste)
  • Serve Hot with a garnishing of your choice.
Mughlai Chawal
  • 1 cup Basmati Rice
  • 3/4 cup Sugar
  • Saffron soaked in warm milk
  • Fried Cashewnuts
  • Raisins
  • Dried Cranberries
  • 1/4 cup Coconut Pd
  • 4-5 cloves
  • 2 star aniseeds
  • 1/2 tsp Elachi Pd
  • 1 tbsp Ghee
  • Method
  • Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan.
  • Add cloves, star aniseeds, cardamom pd and rice in it.
  • Mix it well and add water and cook until rice is half done.
  • Now add sugar, raisins, cranberries, coconut pd cashew nuts and saffron milk in it.
  • Cover and cook it until rice is fully done.
Hari Pyaaz Aloo Ki Sabji

Hari Pyaaz Aloo Ki Sabji

  • 1 cup Chopped Hari Pyaaz/Scallion
  • 2 Potatoes Cubed
  • 2 tsp oil
  • 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
  • 1 1/2 tsp Coriandar Pd
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric Pd
  • 1/2 tsp Chili Pd, Salt
Method
  • Heat oil In a pan and add cumin seeds.
  • When they start to crackle add all the masalas excluding amchoor pd.
  • Stir it for 20 seconds and add pyaaz and aloo.
  • Mix well, add salt little bit of water, cover and cook until it is done.
  • Serve hot sprinkled with amchoor pd.
Lastly its Mango and Mukhwas.
Mukhwas – Khatta Mittha Dried Aam, Silvered Fennel Seeds, Khatta Khajoor, Coloured Mukhwas and my favourite Aam Papad.

Well its one long post – and it is for RCI-Lucknow Cuisine Event hosted by Dear Lavanya’s Home Cook Recipes and brain child of Lakshmi’s Veggie Cuisine.

Thank You Lavanya, Thank You Lakshmi.

Devi Navratris are starting from tomorrow, So no non-veg, eggs, onion, garlic for 9 days. Happy Navratis to all of you.