THE RECIPE LARDER

Matar Ka Nimona

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Green peas, warian from Amritsar, and gentle spices make this an amazing winter dish.

Hare Matar ka Nimona

We were in Amritsar recently, and the fresh vegetables caught my friends eyes and she really wished to take some back home.

Fresh Peas

Fresh Peas

Alas! We had all shopped so much (and hey! it was cold, we had heavy jackets as well!), that our bags were collectively over weight. My poor bereft friend had to let go of the farm fresh vegetables. But to make things a wee better we had true Punjabi Warian with us.

Warian made with lentils and spices and dried in the heat of Amritsar

Warian

Many years back I had Matar Ka Nimona at my cousins place. I remember eating bowl fulls much to her delight and finally to her dismay. She was worried I would get an upset stomach!!

Farm Fresh green peas, spiced Warian from Amritsar and gentle spices

Hare Matar Ka Nimona

This is actually a dish famous in Uttar Pradesh. It is mostly made during the winters when the peas are fresh and juicy. Wadi (Warian is Punjabi) in Uttar Pradesh, is made with fresh white pumpkin, urad dal, and garam masala. It’s dried in the heat of summer and remains intact for the year round.

I made this recipe many times last year. It’s very suitable to the Indian palate. Too alien for foreigners. It goes well with any kind of Indian Roti. Even tastes good with rice.

fresh green peas, spiced warian and a curry , just right for winters

Hare Matar Ka Nimona

You can easily avoid the onion and garlic and reduce the spice quotient. But some amount of spice is definitely needed, don’t do away with it totally. I prefer to make this without the onion and garlic.

There is something about this dish, which appeals to me greatly. The mouth feel of the pea paste and  a subtle hint of flavour left behind by the cooking  wadi, and then of course the wadi itself, along with a soft pillowy taste of potatoes cooked in the simmering gravy. The gravy tends to thicken as it goes, and thickens even more when it’s left till it is consumed. So, adding enough water is essential, and just before serving (if made a little ahead of time) add a little salted water and cook till boiling and serve immediately.

Try and get small fresh peas. That will lend to the dish an inherent sweetness, which when combined with the garam masala of the wadi makes it resonate in your mouth.

 

 

Matar Ka Nimona
Print Recipe
Farm fresh winter peas, potatoes, warian and gentle spices, make this a festive yet comforting winter dish.
Servings Prep Time
4 pax 10 minutes
Cook Time
15 - 20 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 pax 10 minutes
Cook Time
15 - 20 minutes
Matar Ka Nimona
Print Recipe
Farm fresh winter peas, potatoes, warian and gentle spices, make this a festive yet comforting winter dish.
Servings Prep Time
4 pax 10 minutes
Cook Time
15 - 20 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 pax 10 minutes
Cook Time
15 - 20 minutes
Ingredients
Servings: pax
Instructions
  1. Make a coarse paste of the peas, onion, garlic, green chilly, ginger and keep aside.
  2. Break the warian into small pieces. The warian should be broken into pieces which would fill appx half a tablespoon. We don't want powder here.
  3. Chop the potato into 10 large pieces and keep aside in water.
  4. On medium flame, add the ghee. When hot but not smoking, add the cumin and bay leaf and lastly the hing.
  5. Now add the warian and fry for appx 2 minutes.
  6. Then add the pea paste and fry till it becomes a bit dry.
  7. Now add the potatoes and fry again for a minute.
  8. Add the red chilly powder.
  9. Keep stirring as the pea paste will get caught at the bottom.
  10. Scrape all the brown parts stuck at the bottom and now add the water.
  11. Cover and let it simmer till the potato has cooked.
  12. As soon as the potatoes are done turn off the fire.
  13. Please make this dish as close to serving as possible, because the peas, potato and warian all soak up the water, and your dish will start drying out and becoming thick. Good gravy is the key to this dish.
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One Pot Chole Chawal

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one pot chole rice.

My grand mom made the best Chole in the world. It was a hand me down recipe from her mother who was according to me was an un hailed, un acclaimed legendary cook worth atleast a couple of Michelin Stars. Not only did she cook like her hands were blessed by the gods, but she also remembered amongst the dozens of grand and great grand children, who thronged at her home each summer, what each of us loved to eat. Our stomachs and souls were in heaven when at her home. Every morning, no matter how early we woke up, we would find her tinkering in the kitchen, singing bhajans to her beloved Krishna. I asked her one day if she has any recipes written down – and she looked at me like I was asking her if Krishna liked dance music. Every single recipe, and there were thousands in her repertoire, was stored in her head. And not once was there a variation in what we ate. Each and every time over the years the dishes tasted the same – tasty, heartwarming and soul stirring.

My nani, handed me this recipe of Chole, very casually over dinner one day. I scrambled up and wrote it down. Over the years, I have also perfected this recipe with trials and error. And while it still does not taste like how she or her mom made it, it stills holds good on it’s own….

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Tawa Ka Tikla

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Tawa ka Tikla

This is a classic dish made by Marwaris. It’s healthy, wholesome and extremely satisfying. As a kid, I took it for school lunch almost three times a week. It’s made with whole wheat flour, so – healthy!! Ghee – good fats! Ajwain – great digestive. Whats not to like. And it’s yummylicious to boot!

The name Tawa ka Tikla is derived from the fact that it is made on a tawa (girdle) and there is no roasting on direct fire – like the normal roti’s and chapattis. The other Tikla we make is fried in ghee. Lethally tasty – that one too!

When we were growing up, we had no gas stoves at home. We were as organic as it could get. The food was cooked on a mud stove, and charcoal was used to light the fire. Of course, the kitchen got as black as well -soot, but Oh My! the food that we ate had an aroma which no smoke machine can impart. All fresh, earthy and hearty!

The stove was large and there was additional place around to keep the ready food. All the dal, rice and veggies were kept in that area. It would be hot and therefore kept the food also piping hot. No reheating, no microwave. The chapati was made directly on coal – no smell of gas and no artificial flavours. The cook would dust off the soot, liberally dribble homemade ghee and serve it to us. And nowadays, we crave “wood-fired” pizza!!

My grand mom’s man Friday would clean the stove after every meal with water, washing away all remnants of food, leaving the place clean and shiny. We needed no pest control. The hot stove would allow no cockroaches to roost. The burnt coal was converted to ash, and that was used to wash the vessels. We had to recycle before it became a fancy word.

Once every few months the man Friday, would lovingly renew the stove with fresh mud and fill up the cracks and crevices.

The simple grub was nourishing and rich and healthy. I still maintain that I hated the veggies because it was insipid at it’s best. But that was the fault of the cook and not the system. I have still not eaten that kind of dal and chapati ever again.

My sister still makes this dish – Tawa ka Tikla. I had forgotten all about it until one day I got a longing and craving to eat this ghee laden yummy snack. I could eat only one, but back in school it was a staple and I could polish off a whole lot with pickle, in the name of lunch.

It’s very simple to make. It can be cooled and kept in an airtight container for a week plus.

SOME NOTES:

Enough ghee should be put into the dry ingredients so that the flour when closed into a fist stays intact and does not fall down and disintegrate like powder.

Warm water should be used to make the dough. Add it slowly, making the consistency a bit rubbery. Each flour quality reacts its own way, so a little more or less water might have to use, than specified in the recipe.

Please don’t try to go easy on the ghee. It’s a very indispensable ingredient and if you are following the latest health trends, – then – ghee is a vital and important fat and should be consumed in restrained quantities.

The holes are made, so that the Tikla does not puff up, and gets firm and semi-crisp, as you keep pressing and cooking it.

While rolling the dough, if it’s too sticky and is cracking and breaking up, it means that the dough needs more flour and a dribble of water. Add little at a time according to consistency.

Here is the video

 

It’s an excellent and nutritive dish for kids tiffins, to keep as a quick snack. Top it with hummus, a mix of cucumber tomato kachumber, serve it with hot garlic chutney, with dry potato veggie – Just go for it. Dig in!!

I hope you make it and enjoy it. Cheers!

Tawa Ka Tikla
Print Recipe
Made with whole wheat flour, this traditional Marwari dish can take the place of a quick lunch, or a satisfying snack.
Servings Prep Time
12 - 15` pieces 10 minutes
Cook Time
15- 20 minutes
Servings Prep Time
12 - 15` pieces 10 minutes
Cook Time
15- 20 minutes
Tawa Ka Tikla
Print Recipe
Made with whole wheat flour, this traditional Marwari dish can take the place of a quick lunch, or a satisfying snack.
Servings Prep Time
12 - 15` pieces 10 minutes
Cook Time
15- 20 minutes
Servings Prep Time
12 - 15` pieces 10 minutes
Cook Time
15- 20 minutes
Ingredients
Servings: pieces
Instructions
  1. Mix all the dry ingredients and give it a good whisk
  2. Heat the ghee mildly. You should be able to dip your finger into it.
  3. Add the ghee, and mix it well
  4. When the dough is held in your fist, it should not disintegrate and should hold for a few seconds.
  5. Once its mixed well, slowly add the water.
  6. Do not add it all at once
  7. Keep adding the water and keep kneading.
  8. The dough should be such that it's easily rollable, and not break when its being rolled.
  9. So if it breaks while rolling add a tspn or so of whole wheat flour and a dribble of water.
  10. This happens because the flour is not consistent in quality. Your flour could be different from mine. It could soak more water or less.
  11. Once the dough is ready, knead it on the counter.
  12. Make small balls and keep aside
  13. Roll each ball, on the counter into a small roti.
  14. Do not make it very thin. The video gives you an estimation.
  15. Once all the rotis are rolled, set the girdle on medium heat.
  16. Keep the ghee ready.
  17. Keep a ladle ready, which can help you press and flip the tikla.
  18. Once the girdle is warm, put the roti on it. You can put as many rotis as you like, as long as there is place for them to be flipped and not bang into each other and break.
  19. Once the girdle down side is semi cooked (see video), flip it.
  20. Add ghee to the top and to the sides (see video)
  21. Poke holes with the same spoon. Do so gently. It just needs some air perforation and does not need to go all the way through totally.
  22. Keep pressing and flipping.
  23. Do so till both sides are caramel brown.
  24. At this point it will be soft. It will harden a little more when it cools down.
  25. Blot on a kitchen towel.
  26. Keep cleaning your girdle intermittently, before cooking another lot, otherwise the left over oil will smoke and char your tikla.
  27. Serve hot, with mirchi (green chilly) ka or nimbu (lemon) ka achaar (pickle)
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Sailani Dal

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Being Indian, and bought up on typical desi meals, Dal has been a staple dish served over lunch and dinner. After years and years of eating dal – Dal tadka, Gujarati Dal, Dal Langarwale, Kaali dal, etc etc, all felt so mundane – so overrated and so damned boring. At some point, I just lost faith in Dal!!

At a wedding recently, I saw the tag read Sailani Dal. Now that sounded completely new and something I had never heard of, let alone eat. I timidly tried a spoon, hoping my boredom towards dal would not bias my taste. My eyes sprang open, and my mouth instantly watered for more. I quickly filled up a soup bowl and made a meal of the dal.

The taste, the different flavours stayed in my mind for the longest time. It’s like one of those right moments when you read, smell or taste something, your senses just inhale it and push it deep into your conscious mind, keeping that memory forever fresh. And at any time when you bring it to your mind, it feels like it happened only a few moments ago.

Completely besotted, I went online for a hunt for the word “Sailani”. What was it? Turns out, it was the Maharaja of Sailana who invented this recipe. The Sailana’s hail from the Indian, Princely State of Madhya Pradesh. They were avid foodies and revamped recipes not only from their hometown but from all over India. In the 1980’s a book of their recipes was published but is no longer available easily.

The dal itself is super easy to make. Even the ingredients are minimal. The recipe calls for Toor (Arhar – Split pigeon peas). I urge you to use the best quality spices while making the Sailani Dal. Eat it with rice, or roti – it’s up to you. But eat it you must-

 

PS_ dedicating this recipe to my baby girl Kanak, who sits far away in the USA. She had loved this dal when I made it for her. HEY! Kanak – do try this out and send me pictures. KISS KISS!!

Sailani Dal
Print Recipe
Flavourful and by far the tastiest and easiest dal you could make.
Servings Prep Time
4 people 30 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 people 30 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Sailani Dal
Print Recipe
Flavourful and by far the tastiest and easiest dal you could make.
Servings Prep Time
4 people 30 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 people 30 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Ingredients
Servings: people
Instructions
  1. Soak the dal for 30 minutes. Wash well and drain the water.
  2. Add haldi and hing, along with 1 Cup of water and add to pressure cooker.
  3. Boil the remaining water, and keep it very hot. Set aside for use later.
  4. The cooked dal should be thick, not thin and watery.
  5. When completely cooked, place a heavy bottomed pan on medium fire.
  6. Add the oil and ghee.
  7. When hot, but not smoking, add the cloves and garlic.
  8. Sauté for a few minutes.
  9. Add the dal. Add the balance hot water.
  10. Add the salt and let it cook till it starts to boil.
  11. Add the kasuri methi and cook for a few minutes more.
  12. Serve hot.
Recipe Notes

The dal tastes better if cooked atleast 2 hours before it is consumed.

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Puran Poli

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Aloha! From Maui – Hawaii!

It’s been a busy happy week for us. Our daughter graduated with double majors in History and Anthropology! What a ceremony and what a delightful time for us proud parents. A huge bunch of us attended her graduation – her grandparents, brother, parents and her many many loyal friends. We hooted and cheered, and of course, her dad n me wept quite openly.

Will post pictures soon……! It’s all in the camera right now, and we are vacationing in Hawaii!

 

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puran poli

puran poli

It’s a recipe from Rekha once more. Rekha of the serene nature and yummy cooking!

The recipe is really tedious for the first time. But once you make it (and you will – again and again, I promise you), it will become easier and easier.

puran poli - cooked to perfection

puran poli – cooked to perfection

The trick is in the dough. Once you have got that right, everything falls into place as easily as a beer in a glass.

She made it on a plastic surface, but she said using a banana leaf gives amazing results. “The flavour of the leaf seeps in”, she said.

I have given the measurement for the water, but each flour behaves differently from the other. Some soak up too much water, while others use less. Use the water little at a time, till you get the right consistency. I have put up images and videos for the same.

Stack Of Puran Poli

Stack Of Puran Poli

Without further ado – here is the recipe.

the filling of the poli

the filling in the poli


Puran Poli
Print Recipe
A little work, but the final dish will have you dancing.
Servings Prep Time
15 pieces 30 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Servings Prep Time
15 pieces 30 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Puran Poli
Print Recipe
A little work, but the final dish will have you dancing.
Servings Prep Time
15 pieces 30 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Servings Prep Time
15 pieces 30 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Ingredients
For the filling
For the dough
For making the poli
Optional
For cooking
Servings: pieces
Instructions
The filling.
  1. Wash and boil the channa dal, till it is well cooked. It should not be over cooked. The grains should look whole, and when pressed with a spoon should smash.
  2. Once cooked, leave it to drain completely. No water should be left in the dal.
  3. Deseed the cardamom pods and smash the seeds in a mortar.
  4. In a heavy bottomed pan, add the drained dal, jaggery, cardamom pods and desiccated coconut. Stir and cook for 5 minutes, till the jaggery just melts.
  5. Scrape out on a plate and let it cool.
  6. Once cool, blend it in a heavy duty blender. Blend little at a time. The mixture will be very dense and you might think of adding a little water. DO NOT DO IT. Be patient.
  7. Make 35 gm oblong balls.
For the dough.
  1. Make a sticky dough using a little water at a time. Keep your hands oiled, using the oil mentioned in the ingredient list. Do not pour the oil in the dough mixture. PLEASE SEE THE VIDEO AT THE BOTTOM OF THE RECIPE FOR THE DOUGH TEXTURE.
  2. Once the dough is kneaded, let it rest for 15 minutes.
  3. Make 25 gram balls.
Filling
  1. Take the dough balls and flatten them into a 2 inch diameter circle.
  2. Take the balls made with the filling, and roll in into an oblong shape. It should look way larger than the dough ball.
    Take the balls made with the filling, and roll in into an oblong shape. It should look way larger than the dough ball.
  3. Put the filling into the ball and start pushing the filling into the ball, gently but firmly. At the same time keep pushing the dough over towards the top of the filling. Basically the dough has to engulf the filling. PLEASE SEE VIDEO NO 2 AT THE BOTTOM OF THE RECIPE FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO FILL THE FILLING INTO THE DOUGH.
  4. Once the filling has gone into the dough, cover the top with a twist of the dough and pat it into a 3 inch circle. KEEP YOUR PALMS AND FINGERS OILED. (I'm glaring at you when I say that!!)
How to roll the poli
  1. Oil the banana leaf. If you are not using a banana leaf, you will need a 15 inch square of food grade plastic.
  2. Keep spreading the poli till it is really thin and you think now it will break. PLEASE SEE VIDEO NO 3 AT THE BOTTOM OF THE RECIPES FOR INSTRUCTIONS.
Cooking
  1. Heat the non stick pan. Keep the flame / intensity to medium high.
  2. Ladle a teaspoon of ghee into the non stick pan.
  3. Gently lift the poli off the banana leaf and put into the non stick pan.
  4. Spread another spoon of ghee all around the poli
  5. After a few minutes lift and turn the poli. The non cooked side will now be touching the non stick pan.
  6. Add another spoon of ghee and take off the fire, after 3 odd minutes.
  7. The filling is dry and the flour used for the dough is greedy for ghee. You may add as much as you require or as less. But remember, that hot poli eaten with a small spoon of hot ghee spread on it tastes the best.
  8. Serve warm with ghee and red chilli chutney. (See previous blog!)
    Serve warm with ghee and red chilli chutney. (See previous blog!)
Recipe Notes

 

 

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Mango Curry – Fajeto

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While growing up, we lived in this huge rambling and wild compound. The coconut trees far outnumbered the humans. Everyone was equally immersed in the neighbours’ life, as much as their own. Without exception, every evening we kids met up at 4 pm and were dragged home at 8 pm, by parents who had to spell out dire consequences if we delayed leaving our playmates to come home. We cycled, played hide and seek – a complete torture for the person who was the “den”! The game went on forever because someone or the other always got the better of him. Our compound was massive, with many many hiding places. And new ones were found every day.

We had a fish pond, which was religiously cleaned one Sunday a month, and in summer vacations. We lived by the sea, so horse riding, football, cricket were our favourite pass times.

Well – now that I have drowned myself in serious nostalgia, I might as well get to the point, before I sit down to write childhood memoirs of Appu!!

Mango Curry

Mango Curry

Our neighbours were 2 boys and their parents. Sweetest most friendly people alive. Of course, the boys had to torture us time and again, which they did with glee and wild abandon. We are all grown up now and treat each other with respect, but I loose all semblance of maturity when I eat anything at their home. Aunty (the sainted mom, who handled two, very naughty boys) still cooks. We very unabashedly invite ourselves to their dining table every once in a while. Right down from the chapati to the pickles have hitherto unknown flavours and fragrances.

mango curry

mango curry

Yesterday I passed by their home, and the redolent aromas emitting from their kitchen window made my stomach growl. I had to stop by for a quick chat, and had a taste of the mango curry  –  or as the Gujrati’s call, it _ Fajeto. I think I must have gone into a trance for a bit! Mango exploding with a bit of ghee and a high taste of asafoetida! This was made by the wife of one of the boys (ah! alright Men now!) – Smita. And … well, I think the staircase to food heaven starts right there!

I made it today for lunch, it turned out amazing. I took her permission and am now publishing it in the blog.

mango curry

mango curry

Don’t wait up too long. The mangoes are perfect right now. Use ALPHONSO only. As far as I am concerned all other mangoes are not mangoes. They are frauds! Duplicates! Imposters!

Very easy, very quick and very tasty! You will make it again and again!

Mango Curry - Fajeto
Print Recipe
Made very quickly, eaten up as fast! Will leave you salivating for more!
Servings Prep Time
3 - 4 people 10 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Servings Prep Time
3 - 4 people 10 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Mango Curry - Fajeto
Print Recipe
Made very quickly, eaten up as fast! Will leave you salivating for more!
Servings Prep Time
3 - 4 people 10 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Servings Prep Time
3 - 4 people 10 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Ingredients
To blend together.
For the tempering
Add while cooking.
  • 1 Tspn heaped Sonth (Dried powdered ginger)
Servings: people
Instructions
To make the mixture for blending.
  1. Squeeze out the pulp of both the mangoes. Using your hands, squeeze and rub the pulp from the seed also.
  2. In a bowl, add the pulp, curds, besan and water, and blend well using a hand blender.
Tempering
  1. To a heavy bottomed pan, add the ghee.
  2. When the ghee heats up (don't let it smoke), temper the cumin seeds.
  3. When you get the fragrance of the tempering seeds (see that the seeds dont burn), add the ginger chilly paste and fry for a few seconds.
  4. Add the curry leaves (be careful, it might splatter).
  5. Add the hing, and quickly pour the blended mixture into the pan.
  6. PLEASE NOTE CAREFULLY - from now onwards till the curry boils, keep stirring the curry continuously. It doesn't have to be vigorous. The curry might split and / or stick to the bottom and give it a burnt taste. PS - It's actually quite easy. Just be a pro and keep stirring it.
  7. After a few minutes add the salt. Keep stirring.
  8. After another few minutes, add the sonth.
  9. Keep stirring till you see big bubbles rise to the top.
  10. Still keep stirring. At this point I thought my curry had split, but not so. So don't get worried if you see small little pieces of now mango coloured curd floating around.
  11. Keep stirring till it boils vigorously.
  12. After one big large boil, take it off the heat and serve hot.
Recipe Notes

Smita said it goes best with Chapati and vegetables, as a side dish. I had it with rice. For my husband's birthday today, I plan to serve it as a small shot of soup. So many versatile ways to use it.

I was thinking of adding a little extra besan, to thicken it. Or maybe I could thicken it with corn flour - and then roll some baked sweet potatoes in it and serve it. how about with fried tofu?

To jazz it up a little, you could increase the spice quotient in the ginger chilly paste, or add a few dashes of red chilli flakes.

I think it will taste amazing with sticky rice too, in a hot bowl with some sesame seeds and crushed roasted peanuts.

mango curry shots

mango curry shots

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mango curry

mango curry