Mothaan di khichdi, Sukke aloo and Paneer di kadhi

Three dishes, so different from each other :). And all three are pretty simply, yet delicious! The first one, a very simple khichdi. Now, this khichdi is the simplest ode to this whole genre of dishes-dal+chawal=khichdi! As simple as this sounds :). Moth/matki and rice cooked together to creamy perfection with just some salt and ghee! Its a lovely meal, and is my favorite since childhood. My Bibiji used to make it a lot.....daal and rice slowly blending together on angeethi (movable earthen stove) and the final taste and aroma would come from moth, ghee and the smoke! Yes, food cooked on slow fire on an earthern stove has that distinct touch.....and sometimes, simple food can be the most delicious :). Anyway, years later, when i was in the hostel, i once wrote a letter to my Mom telling her how much i craved this khichdi. and in her really cute response she wrote, "You've to learn to cook, to eat something delicious". If it were chat, you would see some wink symbols after this ;). So yes, i love this one. I don't have an angeethi or a chullah (fixed earther stove), so i can't get that real smokey flavor, but hey, its still delish :)).

The next one, the sukki aloo sabzi is another quick eat and is a Multani style recipe. Sliced potatoes cooked with dry spices. Yummy and tangy :). The last one, is one of those really old fashioned dishes, sounds quite odd, but is real easy to make and easier to fall in love with. The only pre-requisites: sour curds and freshest possible paneer :). I have had it a few times, long ago.....The memories of this dish were rekindled again during a casual conversation with an acquaintance, who fondly mentioned how his Mom makes the best paneer kadhi :).

So lets start:

Mothaan di khichdi:


We need:

• 1/2 cup moth/matki (soaked 1 hr. in warm water)
• 1/2 cup rice (non-basmati, i used brown rice)
• salt to taste
• a pinch of red chilli powder and garam masala
• 1-2 tsp. ghee

Pressure cook the moth daal in 1 and 1/2 to 2 cups water(4-5 whistles) till its really soft. Add the washed rice and add some more water. Add salt and chilli powders to taste, a tsp. ghee and stir. Pressure cook for another 2-3 whistles. The result should be a liquidy, creamy khichdi.

Bubbling with joy ;)

Blend in the remaining ghee and enjoy with mango pickles, dahi and papad. Occasionally also with raw onions (broken with your fist, pendu/rural style). The khichdi looks gorgeous with its reddish color and tastes great!

Sukke aloo:

We need:

• 2-3 potatoes (sliced into rounds)
• 1/4 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. coriander seed powder
• 1/4 tsp. ajwain (ground coarse)
• a pinch of strong heeng/asfoetida
• 1 tsp. sunddh/saunth/dry ginger powder
  
• 1 tsp. amchoor (traditionally its anardana/pomegranate seeds, i was out of it so i used amchoor)
  
• Salt and red chilli powder to taste
• Turmeric
• 1 tsp. oil
• Crushed, dried poodna/pudina/mint leaves or mint leaves powder (to taste)

This is a low-fat adaptation :). The original calls for deep frying potatoes. I usually either bake the slices or stir-fry and then cook with a lil' drizzle of water. So, heat some oil and splutter the cumin seeds, add the rest of the spice powders except amchoor. Add the potato slices and stir on medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Add amchoor, drizzle enough water, so that the slices do not stick to the pan. Lower the heat and cover to cook till the slices are tender. Don't forget to stir a bit in between. Finally, add the pudina powder or crushed dry leaves and serve hot as a side dish :).



One of the interesting recipes i found on the internet is a coriander take on this classic and involves baking. Its called Multani Aloo (the author says that this dish gets the name from Multani masala, but for some reason doesn't have the masalas like ajwain, heeng and sunddh, which are very popular in Multani food). Paging Rachna :).

Paneer di kadhi:

We need:

• 10-15 cubes of fresh paneer
• 1 and 1/2 cup buttermilk or beaten curd (sour preferred)
• 3 tbsp. besan
• 1/4 tsp. each Shah-jeera (black cumin), methi dana (fenugreek seeds) and kalonji (nigella seeds)
  
• a pinch of strong hing
• Turmeric and red chilli-powder (to taste)
• Kasuri methi
• 2 tsp. oil

Prepare the besan-curds mix by first beating the curd smooth and then slowly blending in the besan. Heat 1 tsp. oil and add methi dana and heeng. Add the cubed paneer and stir till the cubes are lightly toasted. If you are using fried paneer then just throw the cubes in and proceed to the next step. Add the turmeric and chilli powder and mix. Reduce the heat to very low and stir in the besan-curds mix slowly. Stir again and add some water and mix thoroughly. Bring this to a boil and cook on low heat till the kadhi thickens. Now with the remaining oil (or melted ghee, if you will) prepare another quick tadka of shah-jeera and kalonji and pour it over the kadhi. Stir in some kasuri methi and garnish with hari-mirch. Enjoy this kadhi hot with rice or pulaav (and if you are like me, even with a sourdough panini sandwich).



Indira posted a recipe with paneer and dahi some time back, and i find it to be a kinder, gentler version of a kadhi. That dish requires addition of beaten dahi in the end and has no besan. Do try that as well, because it is a lovely one :).


So folks, enjoy these yummy dishes :).

And, these dishes are my contribution to RCI: Punjab, an event hosted this month by Richa (As dear as salt) and originally envisaged by Lakshmi of Veggie Cuisine, to celebrate the regional cuisines of India.

Arbi-bataun di sabzi-taro root and eggplants :)

This is just as simple as it sounds, friends. Arbi is taro and bataun is baingan, eggplants, aubergines, brinjals etc etc.....Now, isn't that combo interesting :). I know, i know.....y'all are thinking, hey, wasn't it meant to be aloo-baingan ;). The ever favorite of Punjus, the great spud, needs to take rest sometimes ;). Meanwhile, arbi/arvi or taro-root steps in and how! Aloo-bataun/aloo-baingan or "potatoes and eggplants", with or without wadis, is a classic Punju combo. Equally yummy, but a far less talked about variation is the use of taro with eggplants. Well, that statement is not completely true: it is a rather popular summer time combo in rural Punjab, but not much talked about elsewhere. So here's our chance to talk about it and enjoy it :). And its a very versatile combo too: enjoy it as a simple, mild, tari-wali (gravied) sabzi or a spicy, kicked-up sukki (dry) sabzi. It is usually made with Chinese eggplants (the long eggplants), but you can use any variety available and it would still taste good. So here are the two recipes: for all taro and eggplant lovers to enjoy.....and also as my contribution to RCI:Punjab :). My agenda is clear here :). That is, to blog about Punjabi recipes, that used to be common once upon a time and are fading away, or are not well known outside Punjabi community, or recipes that are only made in specific parts of Punjab, the regional specialities.....last post exemplified a recipe now sorta' extinct, and another one thats typically Punju, but not particularly famous outside Punjab. Why i am doing it? Just my attempt to preserve a bit of my own culinary heritage.....and share it with my friends.



Arbi-bataun sabzi (tari-wali):

We need:

• 1 big eggplant (round) or 4-5 Chinese eggplants or 6-7 small round eggplants
• 7-8 taro roots
• 1/2 onion (finely chopped)
• 1 tomato (chopped)
  
• 1/4 tsp. each cumin and coriander seeds
• Turmeric and red chilli powder (to taste)
• 1 heaped tsp. Amchoor (mango powder)
  
• 1-2 green chillies (chopped, optional)
• Salt to taste
• 2 tsp. melted Ghee/Oil
• Chopped cilantro
• A pinch of garam masala (from the red-lobia post)

Wash the eggplants and cut them into 2-inch long pieces (traditional way). Wash and scrape the taro-roots and cut them into 1-2 inch long pieces.

In 1 tsp. hot oil, splutter the cumin and coriander seeds and saute' the onions. Add the cut taro pieces and cook with the onions on high heat for 4-5 minutes to eliminate the stickiness. Alternatively you may bake/toast the taro lightly or microwave the chopped taro for 4-5 minutes. In a separate pan, add the remaining oil and then stir-fry the eggplant pieces for 4-5 minutes. Add these to the taro and stir. Add the copped tomatoes, stir and cook for a cpl. of minutes. Now add the turmeric and chilli powder, followed by salt. Stir again and add 1 and half cup of water. Bring to boil and then cook on low flame till the gravy thickens. Add the chopped green chillies, cilantro and garam masala.

Ready to be served with chapati/phulka, parantha or rice :).

Arbi-bataun sabzi (sukki):

We need:

• 1 big eggplant (round) or 4-5 Chinese eggplants or 6-7 small round eggplants
• 7-8 taro roots
• 1 onion (sliced thin)
• 2 inch piece of ginger and 4-5 garlic cloves (made into paste)
• 1/4 tsp. each cumin and coriander seeds
• Turmeric and red chilli powder (to taste)
• 1 heaped tsp. Amchoor (mango powder)
  
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp. Oil

Chop the vegetables as in the recipe above. Microwave the taro pieces for 5 minutes. In a pan, heat 1/2 tsp. oil and splutter the seeds. saute the sliced onion on low heat till tender and brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste and stir again. Add the taro pieces and stir. Now add the remaining oil, followed by the eggplant pieces. Stir and cook on high for 5 minutes. Add the turmeric, chilli powder, amchoor and salt. Stir and cook on low heat after covering the pan till done. To enjoy, inhale the spicy, yummy aroma, make some rotis or parathas and enjoy with this sabzi and some curds :).

Notes: The gravy sabzi is meant to be mild, if you have another dry sabzi to accompany. in that case you may omit the green chiliies. The dry sabzi is preferably enjoyed as a lip-smacking spicy dish with some chilled dahi/curds (with some salt and black pepper).Talking about dahi, many Punjus enjoy a small katori/vatki/cup of curds with sugar after lunch :)). i am not one of them.....i love my dahi with salt!! For variations, if you are using Chinese eggplants, cut them into rounds. Arbi can also be cut into rounds. Cutting the vegetables differently changes the taste and look of the dish! Makes a lot of difference! Also, you may like to try this recipe with arbi alone (just reduce the amount of onions, or omit them altogether and use hing and dry masala instead). I have tried to minimize the oil requirement here :). Patience is the key here, the eggplants do get cooked in due time, you don't need too much oil :). I mention this, because some households use deep-frying for the dry recipe. On an aside, I prefer using Olive Oil for my cooking. Try it :).

Oh! and the pictures for the dry sabzi have been taken with my camera phone! My camera is not working anymore.....he he, first the internet, now the camera! These pictures are doing no justice to how this dish actually looked!! Hmm, now that i am talking, lemme also tell you that the first recipe was meant to be posted for JFI eggplants as well.....but as i mentioned, internet wasn't helping :). So here it is finally :)).

Hope you'll enjoy this eggplant-taro affair :).

W for Wadi-toriyaan di subzi and Wagocha :))

Hello everyone! Please allow me a few minutes to explain that title :). Am sure you all know about the first two words "W for" : they refer to dear Nupur's A-Z of Indian vegetables (an event that i am so excited to join again, after the hiatus). As for wadis, they are spice cakes made out of daal (urad or urad+moong) and petha (ash-gourd), with lots and lots of spice-sun dried to perfection and used as condiments in Punjabi cooking. Now, toriyaan is the plural for tori or turai (ridge-gourd). They are also referred to as ghiya toriyaan (to distinguish them from bhindiyaan toriyaan)! So wadi-toriyaan di sabzi would mean, a vegetable preparation made out of ridge-gourd and wadis. I confess to having used zucchinis in place of ridge-gourd here :).

Ah! now its the last word "Wagocha" that i have to do some real explaining for :)). The Punjus in the crowd sure must be thinking that Musical has gone crazy!! Who has heard of such a dish!! Wagocha is a Punjabi word, implying a hurried job, quick and dirty sorts :)). Like one would say, "eh ki wagocha poora kita e" (what a rushed up mess you've made). And, this, on a food-blog!! So, dahlings! there does (or used to) exist such a dish.....long long ago.....forgotten in the years that have gone by since.....quite contrary to its literal meaning, a wagocha implies a gravied dish made out of wadis and rice!! A dish thats quick and versatile, and can be had both as a spicy sabzi with rotis or if thickened a bit, as a lip-smacking rice dish. How do i know about this?? Well, i consider myself fortunate to have spent my formative years in the rural Punjab (or the Pind).....and even more fortunate, that courtesy my dear Bibiji (Grandma), i was able to relish this spicilicious dish :). Bibiji and i, we both loved spicy khana.....and she would treat me to this dish often. It probably got this name, because its quick, versatile and doesn't need much preparation.....this is a very Pendu (rural) name. Its one of those Punju dishes that are hardly made these days.....

So this Wagocha along with wadi-toriyaan di sabzi, a signature everyday summertime Punjabi dish, have been prepared for much love and affection for Nupur's great e-potluck and also as my humble first contribution for RCI-Punjab, hosted by my dear friend Richa. RCI is a fantastic event highlighting regional Indian cuisine, conceived by the very creative Lakshmi of Veggie Cuisine.

These two dishes will also appeal to another friend who recently craved wadis :).

Wadi-toriyaan di sabzi:

A very versatile sabzi. Can be prepared dry or with gravy. The former needs no potatoes and goes really well with simple daals like the trademark Punjabi moongi-masoor daal (Marathi speaking friends, this is not mungi (ant), its Moooongi (Punju word for Moong)) :-D. The latter can do well to have some potatoes and tastes good with any dry sabzi of your choice.



We need:

• 6-7 tender turais/ridgegourds or 4 zucchinis
• 1 onion, thinly sliced (for dry sabzi) or chopped fine (for sabzi with gravy/tari or rase wali sabzi)
  
• 1 roma tomato, chopped
• 1 big potato (cubed, only needed for gravied sabzi)
  
• 2-3 Punjabi wadis, crumbled (adjust amount depending on how much spicy you like it)
• A generous pinch of hing/asfoetida
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
  
• 1/2 tsp. amchoor for dry sabzi (or lime juice to taste for gravy sabzi)
  
• 1 tsp. oil

Wash, clean and cut the toriyaan or zucchinis into small pieces. Heat oil and add the hing. Fry the sliced/chopped onions. Now add the tomatoes and stir them in, followed by crushed wadis. Add the turmeric powder, stir and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the chopped toriyaan, salt and stir. If making the dry sabzi, add amchoor, cover and cook on low heat till the toriyaan are tender-ready to serve.

For making the gravied sabzi, add the potatoes, cook for 5 minutes and water to completely cover the vegetables. Simmer on low heat till done. Add the lime/lemon juice. Garnish with cilantro (only for gravied sabzi)-ready to serve :). Enjoy with rotis or rice.

Wagocha:

This dish calls for a non-basmati rice. Yes friends, Punjus do eat rice other than basmati :). We usually make it with Parmal/Parimal rice back home. Sona Masuri and Samba rice also are quite good, for that matter any rice that's not as aromatic as basmati.



We need:

• 1/2 cup rice (i used Samba rice)
• 2-3 Punjabi wadis (crumbled)
• 1/2 onion (chopped)
  
• 1 big tomato (chopped)
• 1-2 potatoes, cubed (optional, used if you want to have it as a khichri)
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• Red chilli powder (to make it spicier, optional)
• Salt to taste
  
• Cilantro (chopped)
• 1 tsp.melted ghee (or any oil)

In a pressure cooker, heat ghee/oil and saute' the onions, followed by tomatoes. Now add 1/2 of the crumbled wadis and stir. Cook for 2-3 minuted and add potatoes, if using. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt. Stir again and add water (2-3 cups). Add rice after washing it throroughly and stir. Bring to boil and pressure cook for 2 whistles. Release the pressure and add more water to make gravy, if you want to have this dish as a sabzi. Add the remaining wadis, bring to boil and simmer on low heat for 4-5 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve hot with chapatis.

In case you plan to have this as a spicy khichdi, reduce the amount of salt and wadis (don't add the second half), use potatoes for sure and enjoy with dahi and achaar. Let the simple pictures not fool you. Try it once, you will enjoy it!

Lal lobia-aloo and a me-me :)

The ever charming and chirpy Sig, host of the fun blog "Live to Eat" tagged me for this meme :). My first time on this food blog, and i am supposed to share seven random facts about me. Sure Sig, i would love to have few mins. of fame ;). And then i was looking for a recipe to go with this meme. Having read Sig's recent experience with lobia,

Hey Musical, guess what, my dear husband went shopping and got me some black colored beans and huge kidney beans instead of black eyed beans from the Indian store. So I had to send him to the regular store again, and he bought white lobia instead of red... I made Olan and Erissery with the white beans, it looked very pretty and was yummy!!!

Sig speak in the comments section ;)

I felt i should share a simple, traditional recipe made with lal-lobia (red lobia),


as lal-lobia is what she craved for then :). So, here are the goodies: a meme and the lal lobia-aloo recipe :). Have fun!

Seven random facts about me.....

1. Me and cooking: lucky by chance ;). i hardly did any cooking before i came to the US. At home, there was always the best of khana lovingly prepared by Mom. In the graduate school, there was the mess (which was decent, i must say.....not at all a mess!). When i started cooking, surprisingly things turned out fine.....it was like, Mom's blessings.....oh, and btw, for some reason, i don't own a single cook-book, i have no idea why!! now call me lazy or crazy-your choice ;).

2. I love cats =^.^= i love dogs and other animals too :).

3. Fruits make my all time favorite dessert, followed by ice-creams (Kulfis rule, so do gelatos!). Frozen yogurt and home made smoothies are another favorite. But once in a while i enjoy other sweets too. The only requirement is that it should not be too sweet! My favorite foods: Upma and Rajma Chawal (and countless more).....and i am pickle FANatic :).

4. I have this habit of reading while eating!! anything is good: books, magazines, even catalogs!! and i usually pursue 2-3 books at a time.....just like one follows 2-3 TV programs ;).

5. I love flowers, in their natural habitat.

6. I am not too much into sports and games!! I watch cricket only when India plays and baseball only when Red Sox plays :)). Tennis is enjoyable too, only when my favorite players are playing (Like Sunday's Wimbledon Men's Finals).The only sportsy activity i do is excercise: mainly yoga and aerobics. I have played carrom and chess only once.....and am totally clueless about card games!

7.I believe that the taste of good food multiplies, when you share it with others.....your loved ones, friends.....and thats why i enjoy food blogging.

Who am i going to tag: anyone who considers themselves a friend and is willing to take it up :)

After having bored you thoroughly, lemme make y'all something good: the lal lobia aloo :)


Here goes:

We need:

• 1 cup red lobia
• 1/2 onion (finely chopped)
• 1 heaped tsp. ginger-garlic paste (more ginger, less garlic)
• 1 small tomato (preferrably Roma, chopped)
• 2 potatoes (peeled and cubed into big pieces)
• Some chopped sweet peppers (bell pepper or Holland pepper)
• 1/2 tsp. black cumin (shah-jeera)
• 1 tsp. amchoor/lime juice
• Turmeric and chilli powder (to taste)
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp. oil/melted ghee
  
• Chopped cilantro (for garnishing, be generous here!)
• Masala ( roast 4 cloves/lavang/laung, 1/4 cinnamon/dalchini stick and 1/4 tsp. mace/javitri-grind together and use 1/4 tsp.)

First thing is to soak the lobia in warm water for 1-2 hrs. Meanwhile, chop the vegetable and get ready ;). Add the cubed potatoes to the lobia and pressure cook for three whistles. Thats the reason the cubes should be really big, else the potatoes would get mushed up!

Red lobia takes a lil' longer to cook compared to the white lobia. While this stuff cools down, prepare the tadka. In hot oil, splutter shah-jeera and then saute' the onions. Now add the ginger-garlic paste (preferable make fresh with ginger to garlic in 3:1 proportion). Saute' and add the chopped peppers. Cook for 2-3 minutes, followed by the addition of tomatoes. Add turmeric (not more than 1/2 tsp.), chilli powder and the souring agent (amchoor or lime juice) and cook for 5 minutes. Add this to the cooked beans and potatoes. Add salt and stir. Bring it to a boil and then cook on low heat till the gravy thickens. Take care not to mush the potatoes. Once done, stir in the garam masala and chopped cilantro. Enjoy with rice or chapati :). Or if you are like me, with a crisp toast!!


Notes: Shah jeera is a good addition to the whole beans like lobia, Rajma, urad and masoor-it balances out the vayi/vayu element from these beans. I rarely use garlic in my cooking, but in this dish (besides paav bhaji, some chhole preparations and another few select dishes) i enjoy it a lot! I would prefer ghee to oil, as ghee adds its on aroma. Cilantro is a must.

Variations: Use white lobia for this dish. The two lobias taste quite different, so it does make a nice variation. Also you might like to try this with lal lobia :). During winters, Kasuri Methi can replace Cilantro to give a totally different flavor.

P for Pattagobhi-aloo and Peas-daal :).

When Phullgobhi is here, can pattagobhi be far behind ;). Pattagobhi (leafy gobhi, literal), as we refer to cabbage in Punjabi, is another favorite! And a big time comfort food. Mom used to make this often and i would ahve it not just with chapati or parantha, but even with Maggi noodles ;). And then there's daal, always yummy, as soup or as an accompaniment to your chawal or chapati. Add your favorite condiments, daals accept them all with open arms :). So easy to customize :)). And yes, they do symbolize comfort. It is all about comfort foods :).

Today, i'll share a simple Pattagobhi-aloo recipe, made using Purple potatoes (Nupur, thanks for reminding me about them!) and an equally humble, yet delicious daal with peas, adorned with rosemary and cloves :). The pattagobhi recipe is similar to how Mom used to make it, except that tomato and green chilli lover in me added those to the sabzi. Purple potatoes are similar to the regular potatoes in taste and look gorgeous, thus providing a lovely fest of colors. So here's Pattagobhi aloo and Peas daal, for Nupur's A-Z get together, featuring the letter P :).

Pattagobhi-aloo:



We need:

• 1 small cabbage (chopped)
• 2 purple potatoes (peeled and cubed)
• 1/4 tsp. mustard seeds (sarson)
• Ginger (chopped, to taste-i use about 1 tbsp.)
• 1 small tomato (chopped, optional)
• Turmeric and red chilli powder (to taste)
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp. melted ghee or oil
• 2-3 green chillies (chopped, optional)
• Garam masala (a pinch)
• 1 tsp. lime/lemon juice (optional)

Wash the cabbage, remove the base and a cpl. of outer leaves. Cut the cabbage into halves and chop. Wash and peel the potatoes and cube them. You can use regular potatoes also :). In a pan, heat oil or ghee (i prefer ghee, because ghee and ginger give a wonderful aroma) and add mustard seeds. Once the seeds start popping, add the chopped ginger and saute' for 2-3 minutes. Now add the tomatoes (if using) and stir beriefly. Add the turmeric and red chilli powder. Stir again and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the cabbage and potatoes and stir. Cook on high heat for 4-5 minutes. The cabbage will reduce in volume and get a lil' tender. Now add salt and cover to cook on low heat with occasional stirring. If you want to use green chillies, chop or slit them and add halfway through, while the potatoes still are firm. When its done, the potatoes in the sabzi should hold shape and yet be soft. Sprinkle with a pinch of garam masala and its ready to go :).



Cabbage has a lot of water, which is good as it helps cook the potatoes :). To avoid mushy sabzi (especially if you are using tomatoes),check often and cook on high for the last 4-5 minutes to dry the water. Don't use too much garam masala, a pinch is enough. The major flavor here comes from mustard seeds and ginger. Green chillies enhance the flavor :).

Peas -daal:


We need:

• 1 cup Toor/Tuvar/Arhar daal
• 1/4 cup green peas
• 1/4 onion (optional)
• Ginger (chopped, to taste)
• 1 Roma tomato (chopped)
  
• 1/4 tsp. mustard seeds
• Hing (a pinch)
• Turmerci and red chilli powder (to taste)
• Salt to taste
  
• 4-5 cloves
• 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary leaves
• 1 tsp. oil

Wash and pressure cook the daal (3-4 whistles). Let the pressure cooker cool down. Stir the cooked daal, it should be completely cooked and smooth. Add some water if its too thick. For the tadka, heat the oil and pop the mustard seeds. Now add the onion (if using) and saute'. Follow this with chopped ginger and saute'. Now add hing and mix. Add tomatoes, turmeric and chilli powder. Stir and add the green peas. Mix and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add this tadka to the daal and mix. You may now add the dried rosemary leaves and cloves and then allow the daal to simmer on low for about 10 minutes.


Enjoy the delicious daal with rice and dahi/curd or chapati and sabzi.


I once had moong daal that had matar at a party hosted by Mrs. A. I liked the idea and thought may be toor daal would go with matar quite well too. Toor daal has its own aroma and i felt that rosemary and cloves/laung would enhance the flavor. and ofcourse a subtle hint of hing does wonders to arhar/toor daal. But if you are using moong daal or masoor daal ( or a Punju style moong-masoor combo), use jeera instead of mustard seeds. You may also like to use corn instead of peas. Enjoy pattagobhi aloo te Peas daal :).

Aloo-Gobhi :)

Aka, an all time comfort food, atleast for me :). This dish reflects comfort in multiple ways for me: Mom made the most delicious aloo-gobhi ever, and as a kid even though i wouldn't have this sabzi as such, i would eagerly have it after she mashed it up for me or stuffed it in paranthas.....and then this dish has potatoes, enhancing the comfort factor. I just love it :).

There are multiple ways of making aloo-gobhi, even when you are talking about just Punju cuisine. There is the Amritsari gobhi, where the gobhi is deep fried (and if you use potatoes, you deep fry them too), another type where you marinate gobhi in curds and masala and then deep fry it or cook it etc etc. Then there are uber-stylish and healthy baked varieties of the same. And a delightful simple gobhi fry from my Boston kitchen, courtesy my dear friend Ms. Moon. But today, i am sharing a simple, home-style aloo-gobhi, my take on how Mom used to make it. The only additions to her recipe are tomatoes and green chillies (for color and mirchi ka swaad/flavor or green chillies).




We need:

• One Cauliflower (cleaned and cut into big florets)
  
• 2 Russet/Idaho Potatoes (peeled and cubed)
• 1/4 Onion (chopped fine)
• Ginger (julienned or chopped) to taste
• 1 big tomato (chopped)
  
• 1/2 tsp. jeera
• 1-2 tsp. melted ghee
• 1/2 tsp. Turmeric and red chilli powder (to taste)
• Salt to taste
• Garam masala (a pinch)
• Green chillies 9chopped or slit, to your taste)
  
• Cilantro (chopped)

Lets first cut the cauliflower/phoolgobhi/phullgobhi (Punjabi) into big florets and the potatoes into big cubes. While cutting the cauliflower, remove the base/stalk. Punjus use them for making dandhal/danthal (stalk) stir fry. Will post that recipe sometime. In a pan, lets heat the ghee (feel free to use any other cooking oil, but ghee adds to the flavor and aroma), add the jeera and let it splutter. Now add the onions and saute, followed by half of the chopped ginger (i use about 1/2 tbsp at this step, i love ginger, and that is the key spice in this dish) and saute. Add the chopped tomatoes (Mom hardly used tomatoes and it would still be good, really good! i just use it for color and tangy taste). Stir and add turmeric and red chilli powder (as per your taste). Cook for 4-5 minutes. Now add the cut vegetables (cauliflower and potatoes) and stir to coat the vegetables with this mixture. Sprinkle 1-2 tbsp. water and mix. Reduce the flame, cover the pan and cook on low with occassional stirring. Half way through (when the vegetables look a bit cooked and tender) add the rest of ginger and green chillies.


Once done, the dish should should look firm and yet not crunchy (you should be able to mash a floret easily). Add a pinch of garam masala (not more, just enough to complement the ginger) and cilantro/coriander leaves.



Serve hot with chapatis and dahi or paranthas. For those who enjoy tangier stuff, some amchoor or lemon juice is completely a welcome addition :).


Notes: The second addition of ginger is completely optional. You shouldn't add too much water, else it would result in a mushy preparation. The key is to stir gently, so the florets would remain intact. Cook on low heat for best results. Did i say that this sabzi also makes the best stuffing for paranthas ever! It does :). For me gobhi parantha actually means parantha with left over aloo-gobhi! and it goes well in sandwiches. I also mash it up, add some chopped raw onions and squirt some lemon/lime juice and enjoy it with toasted bread or paav!! Enjoy :).

M for Mooli-wadi sabzi :)

Once again, its time to join for Nupur's A-Z potluck and this week she features the letter M. and i decided to make M for mooli-wadi di sabzi! Mooli or radish is a fantastic vegetable, spicy and pungent in taste, its available in different sizes and colors. This vegetable is rich in sulphur, which also is the reason behind the typical mooli smell. Mooli is very versatile too, featuring in parathas, floating happily in sambhar, relishes and raitas! and i use and love mooli in each of these forms. While we many of us are familiar with mooli parathas and to an extent mooli sambhar, a lot of people are shocked when they hear the words mooli-raita (a traditional Kashmiri dish muj chetin). Mooli and dahi, nahin-nahin, is what some utter-but one spoon full in their mouth and they go wow! its heavenly indeed, so folks, do try it! Anita tells you how :). We Punjabis love our moolis too, and our use of mooli is not limited to parathas. We make simple but delicious sabzis with this lovely vegetable.


One of the most popular mooli sabzis in Punjab is grated mooli sauted and cooked with masala wadis. and the other one is the mooli bhurji, made out of chopped mooli and mooli leaves :). None of these preparations use any onion, garlic and tomato. We'll prepare the mooli-wadi sabzi today. Usually this dish is made with coarse grated mooli, but many a time i grate my moolis fine. Try both, they both taste different! and i also add the chopped mooli leaves, which usually are used only in mooli bhurji. it gives a nice colorful touch to the sabzi. You can also use red mooli (small red bunch radishes) for this preparation too-looks very pretty and equally tasty!

So, lets start :).


We need:

• Two moolis with leaves
• 2-3 Punjabi masala wadis
• 1/4 tsp. jeera
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric and red chilli powder to taste
• Salt to taste
• 1-2 tsp. oil

Remove the leaves from the moolis. Wash and chop the leaves and keep aside. Scrape the moolis and grate them (fine or coarse-your choice). Squeeze the water out of the grated moolis (save this water and use it soon for making dough for phulkas, or daal etc.). In a pan, heat oil and splutter the jeera. Add turmeric and red chilli powder, followed by the graped moolis. Mix well and add the chopped leaves. Add salt and stir well. Now crush the wadis into small pieces. Cover the pan and cook on low heat with occassional stirring, till done. The wadis should become softer (softer than they are, but still gritty) and we are ready to go!


Serve hot with chapati or parantha. Simple goodness!




Note: Good Punjabi wadis have a lil' hing and when cooked they get a slightly tangy flavor. i have occasionally found good wadis here, but nothing to beat the Amritsari wadis! The wadis have a whole bunch of other spices, so no need to add garam masala. You may try other spice wadis as well. Addition of a lil' amchoor is welcome, if you love tangy taste. and those who run away from the mooli smell, keep the exhaust on-and cooking also helps turn the raw mooli smell into a spicy aroma. Also, as i stressed before, the mooli water should be used quickly.

Guchhi te Paneer di sabzi :)

Fashion-holics, i am not talking about Gucci here :)). This "Guchhi" is something totally different-something for the mushroom fan in you. Yup, Guchhis or Dhingris are dried mushrooms./morels. Drying vegetables imparts a different flavor to them. Punjabis are also into drying vegetables and produce.....like i said in one of my earlier posts, it was a common practice till recently, to dry turnips, radishes, cauliflower, carrots, spinach and fenugreek (the veggies dried strung as garlands). Mushrooms/morels on the other hand aren't dried at home, but bought from the Pansari/Kiryana/Kirana (masale wallah and grocer) instead. They are usually quite expensive back home and used only on special occassions.



However, i haven't seen them often in Indian stores here. You do see dried mushrooms occassionally in regular grocery stores, but they are no good, because one pack hardly has anything. I resorted to making my own :). And you don't need much sun for this. Just get baby bella or crimini musrooms from the store, slice them, put them in a bowl and keep them in the fridge for more than a week without covering the bowl. Make sure that the fridge is set for the lowest temperatures. The mushrooms would dehydrate in a week or so.....after this, just shade dry them for a day or two and we are good to go. Don't have dried mushrooms, no worries, this tastes just as good with fresh mushrooms :).

This recipe, co-starring paneer and cashew/almond paste and ginger as the chief magic-maker, is one great ode to the Guchhi :)


We need:

• Guchhis (dried morels/mushrooms)
• Cubed Paneer (fresh/frozen)
• 1/4 tsp. each Shah-jeera (black cumin) and dhania (coriander)
• 2 tsp. Ginger paste
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
  
• 2 big, ripe tomatoes (cubed)
• 10-15 cashwes/blanched almonds as paste
  
• 1/4 tsp. or less turmeric
• Red chilli powder (to taste)
  
• 1 tsp. melted ghee
• 1 stick dalchini (cinnamon) and two badi elaichi (black cardamoms), cracked open
• 1/4 tsp. Kasuri methi

Lets soak the guchhis in warm water and set aside. Also deep fry/toast/saute'/bake the paneer cubes till lightly brown and set aside. In hot ghee, splutter the shah-jeera and dhania, saute the chopped onion and then saute' the ginger paste/grated ginger. You may add garlic too, but not more than one clove (crushed). Next, lets add the cubed tomatoes, turmeric and red chilli powder and cook till we get a smooth gravy. Now lets stir the cashew/almond paste in. Cashew paste would impart a certain mellow flavor to the whole dish and balances the ginger. Once in a while, i replace this with 2 tbsp. of beaten yogurt to get some tangy taste. Add some water and the soaked guchhis. If using fresh mushrooms, saute' after onions and ginger and cook for 5-10 mins. Bring to boil and add the paneer cubes. Now add the cinnamon and cardamoms. Cover the pot and cook on low heat till the gravy thickens.

Garnish with kasoori methi and serve hot with bread or rice of your choice.



Notes: If you plan to store and re-heat this dish again, remove the cinnamon and cardamom-as boiling these spice again and again would change the flavor of the dish.

This dish gets the spice factor from ginger (the major aromatic ingredient) and the body from tomatoes and cashew paste. Enjoy the flavors and have fun :)

Tamatar soya-wadi di kadhi : JFI tomato

Food blogsopshere is always abuzz with interesting events that serve as a platform to share not just recipes but ideas and conecpts related to food. One such great event is "Jivha for Ingredients", which features one ingredient every month. Conceptualized and brought to the blogosphere by Indira (of the wonderful Mahanandi blog), the event is being hosted this month by RP of My Workshop (another great blog) and features TOMATOES.



Today I'll share a simple, yet very delicious recipe featuring tomatoes. Its a fusion of the classic kadhi with some relatively newer ingredients of Indian cooking. We've all heard about and relished the kadhi classics like "Pakore wali kadhi", "Majjige huli", "Mor Kozhambu" and many many more delicious variations of dahi/curd based gravies from across the different subcultures in India. Punjabis traditionally make two basic varieties of kadhis, the stylish and hearty pakore wali kadhi, which is also the more popular one; and the very sublime kadhi with vegetables.....the latter graced by the presence of a whole variety of veggies and greens. The simplest of these is tamatar wali kadhi :). This curd based delight with tangy tomatoes now takes an interesting turn by including the soya-wadi, popularly known as nutrella/nutri nuggets. These are dried chunks of soy and are quite popular in some cuisines from Northern India. Where did i get this idea from! Well, quite some time ago, while travelling, my Dad sampled soya wadi di kadhi at a Railway Station dhaba! So all thanks to the bhaiya ji at the dhaba :). Anyways, with or without soya wadis, tamatar di kadhi is quick to make and a delish relish :). Here's my recipe for Tamatar soya-wadi di kadhi.

We need:

• 1 and 1/2 cup buttermilk or beaten curd (sour preferred)
• 2 and 1/2 tbsp. besan
• 1/4 onion (chopped chunky)
• 2 big, ripe TOMATOES (chopped chunky)
  
• 10-15 soya chunks (soaked in warm water to soften)
  
• Ginger (chopped, to taste)
• 1/2 bell pepper (chopped)
• 1/2 tsp. each of jeera and dhaniya (cumin and coriander) seeds
• 1/4 tsp. each of methi-dana (Fenugreek seeds) and kalonji (Nigella seeds)
• 1 tbsp. oil
• Turmeric and chilli powder
  
• 1/4 tsp. Garam masala
  
• Kasuri Methi (dried methi leaves) and Cilantro (both for garnishing)

Heat oil and splutter jeera, dhaniya, methi-dana and kalonji (in that order). Add onions and saute, followed by ginger and bell-peppers. (While its being saute'd-we must also keep ready the besan-curd mix. For that, beat the curd smooth and slowly add besan, preventing any clumps. We can use buttermilk instead). Now add 1/2 of the chopped tomatoes, stir and cook. Add turmeric and chilli powder (add only 1/4 tsp.turmeric-the color gets darker as we cook). Stir to make the base and add rest of the tomatoes. Reduce the flame and slowly add the curd-besan mix while stirring to prevent curdling. Squeeze out excess water from soaked soya-wadis and add to the kadhi. Add more water and bring to boil. Cook on low heat to allow the kadhi to thicken a bit. Add the kasuri methi and garam masala, cover the pot and let sit for 5 mins. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with rice.


I served this with matar pulaav. This kadhi looks a lil' orange because of the tomatoes and quite a riot of colors, what with the bell peppers etc added. Methi and cilantro add a distinct aroma.....and no, they don't clash: rather they complement each other very nicely. It works well even if the curd is not that sour because tomatoes provide tangy taste. Also, instead of adding soya-wadis to the kadhi, you might like to add them to the pulaav (Mom often used to make soya-wadi matar pulaav).


Next: Paronthe te achhar :)

Ghiya kaddu vali chholyaan di daal and a lil' surprise :)

Its all about getting to enjoy the wonderful gifts the nature has to offer :). Besides turnips, all sorts of squashes and gourds made to my "no-no" list, when i was a child. Bottle gourd/doodhi/lauki/ghiya kaddu in all its green splendour was real fun to look at and play dumbells with, but i always kept it at an arms length when it came to edifying the same! Even the super-cute sounding names "Kaddu" and "Ghiya" didn't come to my rescue.....But real goodness is like magnet, it pulls you and hugs you :). So started my love-affair with the squashes.....and now i am a fan :).


Today, i'll make a very delectable and subtly flavored daal for all of us. This is a traditional Punjabi combination of Chana daal and ghiya kaddu. We Punjabis love Chana daal, though elsewhere, friends joke, it makes horse feed ;). Its called Chholiyaan di daal-daal made out of kaale chhole/Bengal gram. Punjabis also have a proclivity for gourds, especially the ghiya kaddu. This simple dish brings together the two widely loved flavors.

So, lets get going :).

We need:

• One cup Chana Daal (Chholiyaan di daal-Punjabi)
• One medium sized ghiya kaddu
• 1/4 onion-finely chopped
  
• 1 tomato-chopped
• 1/4 tsp. Dhaniya seeds/coriander seeds
• 1/2 tsp. Jeera/Cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. oil/ghee
• salt and red chilli powder to taste
• A pinch of garam masala (not more)

Wash the chana daal thoroughly, soak in warm water and set aside. Wash the ghiya, scrape off the peel and cut into 1/2 inch pieces. SAVE THE GHIYA PEEL SCRAPES :). Add the ghiya pieces to the daal and pressure cook (5-6 whistles) with lil' salt. The daal and ghiya should be thoroughly cooked resulting in a creamy texture with the ghiya pieces not sticking out too prominently. Take a deep breath and enjoy the warm and sweet aroma of ghiya and daal blend :). While the pressure cooker cools down-lets prepare a tadka. Splutter jeera and dhaniya in hot oil/ghee, saute onions, add tomatoes and cook. Add turmeric and chilli powder to taste (preferably very lil'). Add this tadka to the daal. Let the daal-ghiya mix cook slowly for the flavors to blend in. Add just a pinch of garam masala to enhance the flavor of daal. Thats it-a simple classic is ready :). No cilantro, no green chillies. Serve hot with rice or chapati.



Ghiya provides a subtle sweet flavor to the already mellow chana daal, while dhaniya and jeera enhance the aroma of daal-ghiya combo. The final product should have the aroma of jeera-dhaniya top note, ghiya as the middle note and daal as the base (you'll actually relish each layer when you take a spoon-full). You can see that i'm smitten. Hey, i have reason to be! Try this and you'll know what i mean. No frills, this is an all time favorite. I preferably make it with ghee in tadka. You can also top it with ghee for extra aroma. (Thanks Anita, for the lil' nudge). Served here with hot chapatis and home made nimboo-mirchi-adrak achaar (in oil-Manisha has two great posts on achaar without oil).


And now the lil' surprise :)

Whatever happened to those chhilkas/peels we saved ;). This is the other wonderful part of preparing a ghiya kaddu dish. Lets see: do you love chutneys! YES-i hear you all :)). Here's the lil' surprise of ghiya-moongphali chutney :). Golden Girl once treated to me to a Marathi recipe of ghia/doodhi cooked with ground moongphali and lots of cilantro (will post the recipe sometime)-which got me to make this chutney-sort of an instant version :)).

• Ghiya kaddu peels/scrapes-1 cup
• Roasted peanuts-a fistful
• One green chilli
• Chopped Cilantro/Coriander
• Salt to taste
• A spoonful lime/lemon juice

Grind these together for a really delish, subtle chutney/sandwich spread. It goes great with Middle-eastern style food too :).

Richa tells you here about another delicious recipe from Ghiya, the ghia ke kofte :)


More Squash-a-thon :Methi-Zucchini sabzi :)