PUNJAB
Basanti
Pulao
Serves
4
Time
required: 1 hour
1
cup Basmati rice
1/2
cup sugar (or according to taste)
3/4
cup water
pinch
of saffron
3-4
small cardamoms
1/4
cup pure ghee
1/4
cup mixed nuts (raisins, sliced; dry coconut and blanched and sliced almonds)
silver
foil (optional)
PARBOIL
the rice till a little underdone and drain the water. Mix the sugar with the
water, saffron and cardamoms, to make the sugar syrup. Heat the ghee and lightly
fry the rice. Add the sugar syrup and nuts to the rice. Cover and simmer on very
low flame till done. Serve hot garnished with silver foil (if using) and a few
almonds.
Jyoti
Bedi
Amritsari
Nutri Gravy
Serves:
Four
Time
required: 20 minutes plus soaking time
200
g soya chunks or granules
2
tbsp oil
8-10
cloves of garlic, finely chopped
20
g ginger, finely chopped
2
green chillies, finely chopped
3
big onions, grated
3
big tomatoes, pureed
1/2
tsp chaat masala
1
tsp each garam masala, red chilli, aamchur powders
1
tbsp tomato ketchup
1/2
cup water
salt
to taste
SOAK
the soya chunks (or granules) in water for about two to three hours. (You can
also pressure cook them). Squeeze the water out of the chunks. Grind the ginger,
garlic and green chillies to a fine paste. Heat the oil in a pan, add
ginger-garlic-chilli paste and sauté for two to three minutes. Add the
grated onions and cook till brown. Add the tomato puree and sauté for a
while. Add the chaat masala, garam masala, red chilli and amchoor powders,
tomato ketchup, and soya chunks and mix well. Add the water and salt to taste.
Cover and allow to simmer till the soya chunks are cooked. Garnish with lemon
wedges and serve with hot bread or kulcha.
Sanju
Gupta
SINDH
Mushki
Kebab Kheema
Serves:
Four
Time
required: 40 minutes
1
kg lamb kheema
50
g cashew nuts
50
g almonds
50
g poppy seeds
50
g pista
50
g desiccated coconut
1
cup oil
5
g whole garam masala
2
g kebab chini (allspice)
1/2
tsp garam masala powder
1/4
tsp elaichi powder
1/4
kg onion, chopped, fried and ground to a paste
1/2
kg hung curd
2
tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1
tsp red chilli paste
1
tsp green chilli paste
1/2
tsp turmeric powder
salt
to taste
2
tbsp pure ghee
1
big piece charcoal
few
sprigs of mint and coriander leaves, finely chopped
100
g butter
1
tsp lemon juice
ROAST
the cashew nuts, almonds, poppy seeds, pista and desiccated coconut and grind
them to a paste.
Clean,
wash and drain the kheema. Heat the oil in a pan and add the whole garam masala
and kebab chini. When it crackles, add the garam masala and elaichi powders and
the onion paste. Mix well and add the kheema, hung curd, ginger-garlic paste,
red and green chilli pastes, turmeric powder and salt. Add a glass of water and
pressure cook for 15 minutes.
Transfer
the cooked kheema to a round serving bowl and make a well in the centre. Put the
pure ghee in it. Now, keep the piece of charcoal on direct heat and place it in
the ghee. Cover immediately. Let stand for five minutes so that the kheema
absorbs the kebab aroma in it. Remove the charcoal piece. Garnish with the mint
and coriander leaves.
Heat
the butter in a pan and mix the lemon juice in it. Transfer the lemon butter
to a small serving bowl.
Serve
Mushki Kebab Kheema with lemon butter and parantha.
Dabba
Gosht
Serves:
Four to six
Time
required: 20 minutes plus marination
500
g boneless mutton
1
medium-sized raw papaya
100
g potatoes, finely chopped
5
g garlic, ground to a paste
5
g green chillies, ground to a paste
2
g red chilli powder
5
g garam masala powder
2
g coriander powder
1/2
tsp turmeric powder
100
g oil
10
ml vinegar
1
sheet gelatine paper
a
little oil for greasing
2
eggs, beaten
100
g tomatoes, sliced
EXTRACT
the milk from the raw papaya and keep aside. Mix the mutton with the papaya milk
extract. Add the potatoes, ground garlic, green and red chillies, garam masala,
coriander and turmeric powders, oil and vinegar. Marinate for an hour.
Take
two jelly moulds, and line them with the gelatine paper. Grease the paper with a
little oil. Set aside.
Add
a portion of the beaten eggs to the marinated meat and mix well. Divide the meat
equally between the two moulds. Place the tomato slices on top and pour the
remaining beaten eggs. Place the moulds in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes or for
as long as it takes for mutton in your oven to be cooked. Once the eggs on top
settles well, remove from the mould along with the gelatine paper and serve
piping hot.
Rehana
Khambatta
GUJARAT
Tricolour
Dhokla
Serves:
Four
Time
required: 30 minutes and resting time
250
g rice flour
250
g yoghurt
250
g besan (fine chana dal flour)
1
tbsp coriander chutney
2
tbsp oil
1
tsp soda
salt
to taste
1
sprig coriander leaves, finely chopped
1
tsp mustard seeds
1
tbsp sweet chutney
MIX
the flour and some of the yoghurt well and keep aside for about four to five
hours.
In
another vessel, mix the besan and the rest of the curds and keep aside for four
to five hours. This is the khaman batter.
Mix
one teaspoon chana flour into the coriander chutney. The chutney should not be
too thin. In a small cup, place two tablespoons of warm oil, add a little soda
and mix well. Add this equally to both the batters. Add a pinch of salt to both
the batters and mix each well.
Pour
the white dhokla batter (about 5 cm thickness) on a greased plate and steam.
When half done, spread the coriander chutney over the dhokla, pour the khaman
batter over it and cover with a lid. Steam it again.
When
done, remove from heat and cut into square shapes and season with the coriander
leaves and mustard seeds. Serve the dhoklas with sweet chutney.
Rumani
M N
Nariyal
Paan
Serves:
Four
Time
required: 30 minutes
For
the pancakes:
300
ml milk
1
egg
115
g flour
2
tbsp sugar
2
drops green colour
a
little ghee
For
the filling:
150
g grated coconut
100
g jaggery, crumbled
1/2
nutmeg, grated
75
g mixed dry fruits, chopped
1
tbsp honey
For
the sauce:
250
ml coconut milk
100
g jaggery, crumbled
1/2
nutmeg, grated
1
tbsp cornflour, dissolved in water
2
tsp honey
To
prepare the pancakes:
Beat
the egg and mix the milk into it. Add the flour, sugar and green colour to a
smooth paste of a pouring consistency.
Heat
the ghee in a pan and pour a little of the pancake batter to cover the base.
Fry
till done.
Use
the remaining batter to make the pancakes in the similar way.
To
make the filling:
Mix
together all the ingredients and set aside.
To
make the sauce:
Mix
all the ingredients in a pan, and cook on low heat, stirring till the sauce
thickens.
To
assemble the pancakes:
Spread
a portion of the filling on to each pancake and fold to give it a shape of a
paan. Serve with the sauce.
Natasha
Somani
MARATHA
Ambat
Varan
Serves:
Four
Time
required: 1 hour plus soaking time
1
cup toor dal
water
as required
1/2
tsp turmeric powder
4
tbsp oil
1
tsp minced garlic
a
pinch of asafoetida (hing)
1/2
tsp cumin seeds
1/2
tsp mustard seeds
1
tsp tamarind pulp
1
tsp sugar
salt
to taste
SOAK
the dal in water for an hour.
In
a deep pan, combine four cups of water, turmeric powder, two tablespoons oil and
bring it to a boil. Add the toor dal and stir.
Cook
on medium heat, uncovered, for about 40 minutes or until the dal become soft.
Mash
the dal with the back of a wooden spoon to get a smooth consistency. Remove
from heat and set aside.
Heat
the remaining oil in a pan, add the garlic and sauté.
In
quick succession, add the asafoetida, cumin and mustard seeds. When the mustard
seeds begin to sputter, remove from heat and pour over the toor dal. Over medium
heat, add the tamarind to the toor dal and mix well.
Add
the sugar and salt. Add 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil.
Remove
from heat and serve hot.
Sanja
Serves:
Four
Time
required: 30 minutes
2
slices white bread
2
tbsp oil
1/2
tsp mustard seeds
2.5
cm ginger, peeled and chopped
1
small onion, minced
1
green chilli, finely chopped
salt
to taste
1/2
tsp turmeric powder
1
dried red chilli, coarsely powdered
2
cups corn kernels, cooked
1/4
cup desiccated coconut
1
tbsp fresh lemon juice
2
tbsp chopped coriander leaves
Cut
the bread into small pieces and set aside. In a medium pan, heat the oil and add
the mustard seeds and ginger. When the mustard seeds crackle, add the onions,
green chilli, salt, turmeric and red chilli powders . Sauté until the
onions turn transparent. Add the bread and corn kernels to the pan. Mix well and
cook for about two to three minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a serving
plate. Sprinkle with the desiccated coconut, lemon juice and coriander leaves.
Serve warm.
Monica
Bhide (These Two Recipes Are Published In 'The Everything Indian Cookbook', By
Adams Media)
Hari
Pav Bhaji
Serves:
Four
Time
required: 45 minutes
175
g carrots
50
g Frenceh beans
75
g green peas
200
g potatoes
150
g tomatoes
80
g butter
10
g green chillies, finely chopped
50
g onion, finely chopped
25
g garlic, finely chopped
50
g capsicum, finely chopped
10
g chilli powder
salt
to taste
1
bunch spinach
50
g coriander leaves, finely chopped
Wash,
peel, dice and parboil the carrots, French beans and green peas. Set aside. Boil
the potatoes, mash roughly and set aside. Puree the tomatoes separately and set
aside.
Heat
the butter and add the green chillies. After a minute, add the chopped onion,
garlic and capsicum. Sauté for five minutes over medium heat. Add the
chilli powder, salt, all the parboiled vegetables, mashed potatoes and tomato
puree. Stir well.
Cook
till the mixture reaches a thick paste-like consistency. Clean, parboil and
puree the spinach. Add to the pan and stir well.
Top
it with a blob of butter and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Serve
with buttered pav (bread).
