Mutton Rogan Josh

Rogan josh (or roghan josh) is one of the signature recipes of Kashmiri cuisine.It was brought to Kashmir by the Mughals, whose cuisine was in turn influenced by Persian cuisine.This slow cooked mutton with a rich aromatic gravy,is well worth the effort.

Traditional Kashmiri Rogan Josh has thin gravy and a thick layer of oil on top. This dish is best enjoyed with steaming hot boiled rice.

Ingredients:
•Mutton, 800 grams
•Oil, 4 tablespoons
•Asafoetida, 1 1/4 teaspoons
•Cinnamon, 2 one-inch sticks
•Cloves, 6-8
•Black peppercorns, 5-6
•Black cardamoms, 4
•Kashmiri red chilli powder, 1 tablespoon
•Fennel seed (saunf) powder, 2 teaspoons
•Dry ginger powder (soonth), 1 tablespoon
•Coriander powder, 1 tablespoon
•Salt to taste
•Yoghurt,whisked, 1 cup

Method:

• Heat oil in a thick-bottomed pan. Add asafoetida, cinnamon, cloves, black peppercorns and black cardamoms. Sauté till fragrant.
• Add lamb pieces and cook on medium heat, stirring constantly till lamb pieces turn a nice reddish brown colour. This may take twelve to fifteen minutes.
• Sprinkle a little water and continue cooking for twelve to fifteen minutes more on low heat. Make sure to stir constantly and scrape all the sediments from the bottom of the pan. Add Kashmiri red chilli powder, fennel powder, dry ginger powder, coriander powder and salt.
• Add yogurt and two cups of water. Cook, covered, till lamb is tender, stirring occasionally.

 Serve hot with rice. 

Spinach Fritters/Palak pakora

It was raining hard .The nature was somehow creating a perfect chilly,rainy weather to have a plateful of pakora. 

So, I didn't give a second thought and made this spinach pakora for us to enjoy with a really hot cup of tea.It is super easy and quick to make.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups fresh chopped spinach leaves/palak
• 1 1/2 cups besan/chick pea flour
• 2 1/2 tbsps rice flour
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder
• 2-3 finely chopped green chilies
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tbsps finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
• 2 tbsps hot oil
• Cooking soda/ Sodium bi carb 2 – 3 pinches
• water as required to make a thick batter
• salt to taste
• oil for frying

Somehow managed to click in LED lamp :)

Method:

• Mix all the above ingredients adding salt as required and 2 tablespoons hot oil.
• Add very little water and mix. The batter should just coat the palak leaves and it should not be a flowing batter but a stiff batter.(start with few tbsps of water and keep adding till the batter just coats the spinach leaves)
• Heat oil in a deep frying or heavy bottomed vessel. Once the oil is hot, reduce flame to medium and drop a little mixture of the batter to form fritters.
• Deep the pakodas to a golden brown color.

Serve Palak Pakoda with chutney or ketchup.

Baked Samosa

Samosa-the India’s popular most snack probably travelled to India along ancient trade routes from Central Asia.It has a crisp coating and a savory potato stuffing that goes very well with a hot cup of chai(tea) especially on a cold day or a rainy day. 

With time people are becoming more calorie concious.Often we restrict ourselves from having   junk foods or oily foods and ultimately ends up compromising with our taste buds.

Baked samosas are a healthier alternative to the fried version not only for the health conscious people for the aged person too.So, try this recipe to make your evening chai time more tasty, more crispy.

For the outer cover/Samosa wrapper:
Ingredients:

• 1 cup all purpose flour/whole wheat flour(for a healthy option)
• 1/2 tbsp melted ghee/vegetable oil and extra 1/4 tsp oil for kneading
• Baking Powder - 1/3 tsp
• Water (room temprature) - 1/2 cup
• Carom seeds/ Ajwain seeds - 2 tsp
• pinch of salt

Method :

For the dough:

• Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl and add enough water to make a firm dough. Keep aside covered for 15 minutes.
• Knead again using oil til smooth. Keep aside covered with a wet muslin cloth.
• Divide the dough into small balls and flatten each of them with a rolling pin .

Steps for making the wrapper:

1. Divide each chapati into 2 halves(semi circles), make a cone from each half.
2. Stuff each cone with a portion of the stuffing.
3. Seal the edges carefully using a little water. Keep aside.
4. Repeat with the remaining chapati halves and stuffing to make 7 more samosas.
5. Arrange on a greased baking tray and bake in a pre-heated oven at 200ºc (400ºf)for 20 to 25 minutes.

For The Stuffing:

   Mushroom stuffing(a healthy option):
        Ingredients:

• 1 chopped onion
• Spring onion-finely chopped
• 2 cups of diced mushrooms
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 2 chopped green chillies
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin seeds
• 2 Tbsp chopped coriander
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• Oil for frying
• Salt to taste

       
 Method:

• Heat oil in a pan and saute onions. Add the rest of the filling ingredients and cook until the mushrooms are tender.
• Sharpen with lemon juice. Add chopped coriander and seasoning. 
• Cool completely and divide the stuffing.

Potato stuffing:
      Ingredients:

• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 2 cups boiled , peeled and mashed potatoes
• 1 tsp ginger-green chilli paste
• salt to taste
• 1 1/2 tsp dried mango powder (amchur)
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1/2 cup boiled green peas
• 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)
• kasoori methi(optional)

       Method:

• Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. When the seeds crackle, add the potatoes and sauté for 2 minutes.
• Add the ginger-green chilli paste, salt, dry mango powder, chilli powder, green peas coriander, mix well and sauté for another 2 minutes.
• Cool completely and divide the stuffing.

Serve hot with home made tomato chutney and Masala tea.

Note:
Make sure that the samosa wrapper is thin so that the warp gets well baked and easy to eat too

Baby Eggplant Korma

Ingredients:

• Eggplants – 10-12, small size
• Mustard oil/Vegetable Oil-4 tbsp
• Bay leaf-2
• Black Cumin/Shajheera-½  tsp
• Mace/Javitri- ¼ tsp
• Garam Masala powder-2 tsp
• Ground coriander – 1 tbsp
• Asafoetida-a pinch
• Turmeric – ¼ tsp
• Red chili powder – 2tsp (or to taste) 
• Ginger  – 1tsp
• Tomato(to make a smooth paste) -1bg size
• Salt  and sugar– to taste
• Yoghurt – ½ cup
• Cashew paste-2 tbsp
• Coriander leaves(optional)-for garnishing
• Milk-1 tbsp

Method:

• With the crown portion of the eggplant still intact, slit them into 4 pieces or if you are like chop the crown out and cut eggplant into 4 separate wedges.
• Heat 2tbsp oil in a  skillet and fry the eggplants  till they turn brown and soft. Use a lid to cover the skillet which helps in faster cooking of the eggplants. Set them aside.
• Heat again 2 tbsp of oil and add bay leaf then the tomato paste and stir fry for 5 minutes.
• Add the ginger paste and again fry for few more minutes.
• Now add the powdered spices/masala mentioned above along with the curd. 
• Now add the cashew nut paste (if using) and stir fry for 5 minutes on medium heat till dry and oil separates. 
• Add two cups of water and bring the mixture to a boil.
• Add the fried 3/4 cooked eggplants and simmer for 7-8 minutes till they are fully done and the gravy looks thick.
•  Stir in 1 tbsps of milk and let simmer for two more minutes.
• At the end add the roasted mace and black cumin powder to the gravy.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice or Indian flat bread(roti).

Nimbu Dhania Murg/Lemon Coriander Chicken

 A delicious lemon and fresh coriander flavoured chicken dish from Punjab. This semi dry chicken dish makes a perfect pair with Indian flat bread (chapati).

  

  Servings: 4

  Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes
  Preparation Time: 10-15 minutes

  Level Of Cooking: Medium

Ingredients

• Chicken-750 grams
• Lemon juice, 1 tablespoon
• Lemon, 1
• Fresh coriander leaves paste 4 tablespoons
• Salt to taste
• Oil, 1 tablespoon
• Green cardamoms,2
• Cloves, 5-6
• Fresh Black peppercorn (5-6) powder
• Ginger-garlic paste, 2 tablespoons
• Green chilli paste, 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder, 1/4 teaspoon
• Onion, sliced 1 medium
• Yoghurt , 2 tablespoons

Method:

• Put chicken in a bowl, add salt, lemon juice, and coriander leaf paste and mix well. Marinate for ½ hour. 
• Heat oil in a non stick pan, add green cardamoms, cloves, and saute till fragrant.
• Add ginger-garlic paste, green chilli paste, turmeric powder, fresh black peppercorn powder  and mix well. 
• Add onion and saute till it turns golden. Add yoghurt to the chicken and mix.
• Add coriander powder to the onion, mix and saute for 1 minute. Add the chicken with the marinade.
• Rinse the bowl with ½ cup water and add to the pan. Mix everything well, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
• Halve the lemon and quarter each half and add the pieces to the pan. Mix, cover and cook on medium heat for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
• Switch off the heat and keep the pan covered for further 10 minutes. 

Serve hot and enjoy with chapatis.

Dal Moghlai

Here is the recipe of  flavourful and low calorie wholesome meal.

Recipe courtesy-Tarla Dalal

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup toovar (arhar) dal
• 1/4 cup chana dal (split bengal gram)
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 2 cups bottle gourd (doodhi / lauki) , cut into big pieces
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1/2 tsp chopped garlic (lehsun)
• 1 tsp chopped green chillies
• 1 tsp grated ginger (adrak)
• 3/4 cup sliced onions
• 2 tsp oil
• salt to taste

For The Garnish

• 2 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)

Method

• Clean, wash and soak the dals for about 30 minutes. Drain.
• Add the tomatoes, bottle gourd, turmeric powder, salt and 3 cups of water and pressure cook till the dals are tender.
• Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan and add the cumin seeds.
• When the seeds crackle, add the garlic, green chillies, ginger and onions and sauté till the onions turn golden brown in colour. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of water over it to prevent the onions from burning.
• Add the cooked dal mixture and 1 cup of water and bring to boil.

Serve hot garnished with coriander.

You can have this with steaming hot rice or with Jeera rice.I opted the second option,now the choice is yours :)

Garlic Knot

Ingredients:

• Bread flour - 2 cups ( If bread flour is not available, you can make these knots with only All Purpose Flour i.e., Maida )
• Active dry yeast - 1 and 1\2 tsp
• Warm water - 1\2 cup
• Warm milk - 1\4 cup
• Sugar - 2 tbsp
• Salt - 1 and 1\2 tsp
• Olive oil - 2 tbsp
• Egg white  - 1 ( If you are a vegetarian, brush your knots with milk )
• Butter - 30 gm
• Olive oil - 30 ml
• Garlic - 8-10 cloves ( finely chopped )
• Fresh parsley(If you don't have parsley you can use coriander as an alternative) - 2-3 tbsp ( chopped )

Method of preparation:

• First Mix warm water, warm milk, sugar and yeast in a bowl.
• Keep aside for 5-8 minutes.
• Mix bread flour, salt and olive oil in a bowl.
• Add the yeast mixture to the bowl and mix together to make a dough.
• Take out the dough on a lightly floured surface and keep kneading with the heel of your hands for 10-12 minutes. ( Kneading is the key for a perfect soft bread. So do not compromise on this step )
• Lightly oil a bowl and transfer the dough in the bowl.
• Cover the bowl with a moist cloth and keep it in a warm place for 2 hours, till the dough doubles in size.
• Lightly punch the dough.
• Divide the dough into 15 equal pieces.
• Lightly oil your work surface and roll each piece into a ball on it.
• Roll each ball into a 7-8 inch long cylinder and then bring the ends together to make a knot.
• Grease a baking sheet and line the knots on the sheet keeping a distance of 1 and 1\2 inch between each knot.
• Cover   it.
• Keep in a warm place for an hour.
• Pre heat the oven to 200 degrees C.
• Mix egg white with a tbsp of water.
• Lightly brush the egg wash on the knots.
• Bake for 15- 20 minutes, till slightly browned form the top.

Mean while  heat butter and olive oil in a pan.

• Add garlic when it is hot.
• Cook till garlic is slightly browned.
• Add parsley and switch off the heat.

When the knots are done, pour the butter mixture over them.

These are best served straight from the oven. It can be stored in an airtight container for a day. 

If you are wondering how to shape this garlic knots click on the below link and watch the  video of shaping Garlic knots:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KRgdq66i6Y