Tag Archives: Recipes

Recipes: Mixed Veg Jodhpuri Sabzi

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The second largest city in the western state of Rajasthan, is well known as a tourist spot with tourists flocking to the city during it’s peak tourist season to see its forts and palaces. The food of the city is also quite famous with this dish a fixture in most restaurant menus. I tried recreating this menu after having it at my local restaurant. This may not be the most authentic recipe, but was very tasty and the pot was finished with no leftovers. Do try my version and let me know how you liked it.

Mixed Vegetable Jodhpuri Sabzi

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups chopped mixed vegetables (I used a mixture of carrots, sweet potatoes, peas and cauliflower, but you can also use other vegetables like potatoes, cabbage, broccoli, sweet corn etc)
  • 2 medium sized onions, finely chopped
  • 5-6 pods of garlic
  • 1 inch piece of ginger
  • 5 green chillies
  • 4 medium-sized tomatoes
  • 1 large green capsicum, finely chopped
  • 2-3 tbsp ghee or oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp whole coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 3-4 cardamom pods
  • 1/2 inch piece of cinnamon
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3-4 whole red chillies
  • 1/2 tsp asafoetida powder
  • 10 -15 cashew nuts
  • 1 small can of tomato paste or puree
  • 2-3 tbsp milk
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 to 1 tsp red chilli powder
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp chat masala powder
  • 1 tsp cumin seed powder
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tbsp kasoori methi ( dry fenugreek leaves)
  • 2-3 tbsp whipped yoghurt
  • Coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

  • Soak the cashew nuts in hot water for 20-30 minutes till it becomes soft, then blend it to a fine paste with the milk and two of the tomatoes. Keep aside.
  • Blend together the garlic, ginger and 3 of the green chillies into a fine paste and keep aside.
  • Finely chop the remaining tomatoes and keep aside.
  • Heat 1 tbsp ghee or oil in a large pan and fry the mixed vegetables you have chosen for this recipe. Cook covered till they are about 80% cooked.
  • Remove the vegetables and in the same pan heat the balance oil or ghee and when the ghee warms up, add the whole spices (coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, cardamom, cinnamon, red chillies and the bay leaf). Once the spices crackle, add the asafoetida powder and stir.
  • Slit the balance green chillies and add it to the pan. Then add the ginger-garlic-chilli paste and stir well for a few minutes.
  • Now add the chopped onions and stir until the onions become translucent. Once translucent, add the chopped tomatoes and capsicum and cook for a few minutes till the tomatoes are mushy and cooked. You can add a pinch of salt to this to help the process.
  • Sprinkle little water if the masala starts to get dry and burn. Now add the cashew-tomato paste and stir it into the gravy. Add the tomato paste or puree and stir. Add enough water to make the gravy as thick as you like and let it come to a rolling boil and cook for another 5-7 minutes.
  • Add the balance spices – salt, sugar, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, chat masala, cumin powder, coriander powder, kasoori methi and stir it into the gravy. Add the butter into the gravy and let it cook.
  • Stir in the semi-cooked vegetables into the gravy and let it simmer for another 5-7 minutes. If you are adding cream to the recipe, remove the gravy from the flame before adding the cream. If you are using whipped yoghurt, add it in, stir well and remove the gravy from the flame.
  • Serve garnished with coriander leaves. Serve hot with any Indian flatbread or jeera rice or even plain basmati rice.

Recipes: Kalyana Gotsu

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Earlier in the week, we celebrated the harvest festival of Pongal and on that day I made Venn Pongal for dinner. I wanted to make something to go with this but was not in the mood for Coconut chutney, so decided to search for something else to make to go with Pongal.

I came across Gotsu, which is also a traditional accompaniment to Pongal, but this is usually made with Brinjals or Aubergines. S is allergic to this vegetable, so I decided to substitute it with other vegetables. This is also a one-pot recipe and I made it from start to end in my pressure cooker. It can also be made in a large pan or dutch oven but will take longer than if you use a pressure cooker. It was so yummy and tasty and everyone gobbled it up.

This Gotsu is also served in weddings, especially for breakfast with Idlis, Vadai and Pongal.

Kalyana Gotsu

Ingredients:

  • 2 carrots, chopped finely
  • 2 potatoes, chopped finely
  • 1 large tomato, chopped finely
  • 1 lemon sized ball of tamarind or 3 tbsp tamarind paste
  • 1/4 cup moong dal
  • 3 tbsp chana dal
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 2 green chillies, slit lengthwise
  • 5-6 curry leaves
  • 2 tbsp sambhar powder
  • 1 tbsp jaggery (can omit this or even substitute with sugar)
  • 1/4 tsp asafoetida
  • Salt to taste

Method:

  • Soak the tamarind in hot water for 30 minutes, then squeeze the pulp out and strain the water. Keep aside.
  • Soak the dals together in warm water for 30 minutes, strain and keep aside.
  • Heat the oil in the pressure cooker and add the mustard seeds. When the seeds pop, add the curry leaves, asafoetida and green chillies and stir for a few seconds.
  • Now add the finely chopped tomatoes and stir for a few minutes.
  • Then add the finely chopped potatoes and carrots and stir well.
  • Then add the soaked dals and give it a good stir.
  • Now add the tamarind water, sambhar powder and salt to taste and stir everything well.
  • Cover the pressure cooker and cook for 3-4 whistles.
  • If you are using a pan or dutch oven to cook, cover and cook, stirring occasionally. Periodically check and add water if needed. You need the vegetables to be fully cooked and the dals to be soft and mushy.
  • When the pressure reduces in the cooker, open and lightly mash the gotsu with a potato masher. Don’t mash it completely like we do for Pav Bhaji, but just a bit to make the gotsu thicker.
  • Add the jaggery and check for seasoning. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with Idli, Dosai, Vadai or Pongal.

Notes:

  • I made this without onions or shallots because I made it on a festival day. If you want, you can add onions or shallots and the place to add it is just after popping the mustard seeds.
  • You can use any vegetables you like though it’s usually made with Brinjals or Aubergines.

 

Recipes: Tomato Onion Chutney

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The other day while making dinner, I realised I needed to make some kind of chutney to go with dosa or adai. I didn’t want to make one with coconut which is what is traditionally made for these dishes since I didn’t have enough coconut on hand to make it, so came up with this tomato onion chutney which was super yummy!

Tomato Onion Chutney

Ingredients:

  • 2 medium-sized onions, chopped
  • 2 large tomatoes, chopped
  • 7-8 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp broken urad dal
  • 1 tsp roasted Bengal gram
  • 1 tsp seedless tamarind (If using tamarind paste, you can use about 1/2 tsp)
  • 6-8 dried red chillies (more or less depending on spice tolerance)
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 2 tsp oil
  • 1/2 tsp grated jaggery (can omit or substitute with brown sugar)
  • Salt to taste

Method:

  • Heat the oil in a pan and when warm add the mustard seeds and let it pop.
  • Next, add the urad dal and Bengal gram dal and stir for a couple of seconds.
  • Now add the dried red chillies and stir for a few seconds. Then add the sesame seeds and give it a good stir.
  • Then add the tamarind and stir for a few seconds.
  • Now add the garlic and let it saute for a minute and then add the onions. Let the onions become translucent.
  • Once the onions are translucent, add the tomatoes and stir until the tomatoes become mushy and cooked. You can also add in a pinch of salt to help this process. At the point add the jaggery if using.
  • Switch off the gas and let the mixture cool completely before grinding it to a fine paste. Add salt while blending and adjust as per your taste. You can add a bit of water while blending if you feel the need.

Recipes: Pineapple Rasam

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A special variety of Rasam, this one is made usually during weddings and is something we don’t usually make during a normal lunch. I have made this many aeons ago and so this week when I opened a tin of pineapple, I decided to keep aside some to make this yummy rasam.

Rasam is a spicy soup made in south India using tamarind juice, pepper, tomato, cumin and other spices and each household has their own unique recipe which they make on a daily or regular basis. Rasam has a distinct sour, peppery and chilly taste that makes it a true repository of flavours. Rasam is either eaten along with rice or savoured after a meal. The British also adapted this rasam and what is Mulligatawny Soup is nothing more than rasam. In Tamil, this word translates to “Pepper Water”

Rasam prevents constipation, is a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals, facilitates digestion, is rich in antioxidents, helps in weight loss, is an excellent food for patients recovering from illness and the best food when introding babies to solids.

Pineapple Rasam

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup Toor Dal
  • 6 rings of pineapple
  • 1 tsp rasam powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 2 large tomatoes
  • 1 tsp peppercorn
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 4-6 dried red chillies
  • 1 tbsp ghee
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1/4 tsp asafoetida
  • Coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

  • Pressure cook the toor dal with 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and enough water till it is soft and mushy. Keep aside.
  • Chop 2 of the pineapple rings into small pieces and keep aside.
  • Chop one tomato into small pieces and keep aside.
  • Powder the cumin seeds, peppercorns and 2 dried chillies into a coarse powder and keep aside.
  • Blend together the balance pineapple slices into a smooth paste and keep aside.
  • Blend the remaining tomato into a smooth paste and keep aside.
  • In a largish pan, mix together the tomato puree, 1 cup water, the remaining turmeric powder and half the quantity of the blended peppercorn, cumin and dried chilli powder and let it start boiling.
  • When it comes to a boil, add the pineapple paste and rasam powder and let it continue to boil. Allow the pineapple paste and tomato puree to cook well.
  • In a separate pan, add the ghee and when the ghee warms up, add the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start to pop, add in the red chillies, after breaking them into halves, the asafoetida, rest of the ground pepper-cumin-chilli powder and saute it for 20 seconds
  • Add the chopped pineapple and tomato pieces and saute it for 2 minutes in a medium flame
  • Add the ingredients in the pan to the rasam which has been boiling all along.
  • At this point, add the mushed dal and mix well.
  • Then add 1.5 – 2 cups of water and keep the flame in a medium level until the rasam starts to froth. Finally, garnish with coriander leaves and remove from flame.
  • The delicious and spicy pineapple rasam is ready to serve. Serve with rice and an Indian dry vegetable stir fry.

Notes:

  • If you don’t have access to rasam powder, just omit it, the taste should be just as good.
  • You can also blend together some garlic pods along with the cumin seeds, peppercorns and red chillies for a different taste.
  • This is wonderful as a slightly spicy and tangy soup during the winters.

Recipes: Kashmiri Potato Yakhni

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“Gar Firdaus bar-rue zamin ast, hami asto, hamin asto, hamin ast.”

This quote, attributed to the Mughal Emperor Jahangir in the 17th century when he first visited Kashmir can be translated as, “If there is a heaven on Earth, it is here, it is here, it is here”. The Mughal Emperor was so impressed by the beauty in Kashmir that he would often say, if one has not visited this beautiful paradise, they are missing out on something worthwhile.

When I made my Kashmiri Pulao, I wanted it to be accompanied by a gravy dish from the same region. But as I discovered, since vegetables are scarce in the region, it is difficult to find vegetarian dishes here. So I adapted a mutton dish which I found online and created a potato yakhni. This may not be absolutely 100% authentic, but I was impressed with the taste.

Yakhni essentially means a gravy based dish and is a light curry or broth which has to include two main ingredients other than the meat – yoghurt and saffron. Yakhni came to be known in Kashmir during the Mughal emperor Akbar’s rule. Yoghurt-based meat curries were part of Persian cuisine, and the Emperor introduced this style of cooking to his new state when he annexed it in 1586. Yakhni dishes are also seen in Greek and Turkish cuisines, but what sets the Kashmiri Yakhni apart is the absence of tomatoes. Certain recipes also avoid onions and garlic since the Kashmiri pundits didn’t use those ingredients in their cooking.

So after this short lesson on the Kashmiri cuisine, let’s go on to the dish!

Potato Yakhni

Ingredients:

  • 1 kg potatoes, boiled, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • 5 green cardamoms
  • 1-inch cinnamon stick
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 cloves
  • 1 tsp red chilli powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 2 tsp warm milk
  • 1 tsp dried ginger powder (saunth)
  • 2 tsp fennel powder
  • 2 dried red chillies
  • 1 cup yoghurt
  • 2 tbsp ghee
  • 2 pinches saffron
  • Salt to taste

Method:

  • Chop the potatoes into bite-sized pieces and keep aside.
  • Dissolve the saffron in the warm milk and stir a bit. Keep aside till needed.
  • Heat ghee in a deep bottomed pan. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, clove, whole red chilli and cook on low flame till the spices begin to crackle.
  • Now add the chopped potatoes, turmeric powder, salt and saute for about five minutes on a medium flame.
  • Whisk the yoghurt well and add it to the potatoes. Make sure your flame is on low so that the yoghurt does not curdle.
  • Mix together the fennel and ginger powders and add it to the gravy.
  • Then add the red chilli powder and cook till the mixture thickens slightly.
  • Next, add the dissolved saffron along with the milk and stir for a couple of minutes. Check for seasoning and remove from the gas.
  • Serve hot with Kashmiri Pulao.

Notes:

  • If you want to make this with mutton, wash the mutton well and just replace the potatoes with the mutton.
  • To make fennel powder, simply grind 2 tbsp of fennel seeds into a fine powder. You can also find this readymade in Indian grocery stores. The same store will also have dried ginger powder available.