aloo palak (spinach potato dry curry)
Today as I was wondering what to cook, I opened the fridge. I saw that I had very few vegetables left and a bunch of palak was staring at my face. The palak was still in a good shape so I decided to cook aloo palak with phulkas. I used a very simple recipe but believe me aloo palak turned out very tasty.
Recipe of aloo palak
1 bunch palak (spinach) -stems removed and chopped
2 medium (aloo) potatoes- peeled and cubed
2 tomatoes
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 inch piece ginger
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne pepper)
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tbsp oil or ghee (clarified butter)
Palak
1. Grind tomatoes, onion, garlic and ginger together to form a smooth paste.
2. Heat oil or ghee in a kadhai (wok). Add cumin seeds and when they turn dark, add onion-tomato paste.
3. Add all the spices and salt. Cook till oil begins to separate from the masala.
4. Add spinach and potatoes. Mix well and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook covered, stirring occasionally.
5. Cook till potatoes turn tender. Then uncover and increase the heat so that all moisture evaporates, stirring in between.
6. When curry turns dry, turn off heat. Serve aloo palak hot with rotis.
gobhi ke danthal ki sabzi
Gobi ke danthal ki sabzi is mainly made in Punjabi households. It’s full of nutrition since it has high fiber content. It’s like putting vegetable waste to good use since most people throw away the stalks. I find it as a nice side with rotis.
Recipe of gobi ke danthal ki sabzi
Danthal of 1 or 2 gobi (stalks of 1 or 2 cauliflowers) - depends on how much stalk cauliflower has
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
A pinch of hing (asafoetida)
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp amchoor (dried mango powder)
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1 tbsp oil
danthal (stalks)
1. Peel the hard outer covering of gobi danthal. Wash and chop them into pieces.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. When they change color, add hing.
3. Add gobhi danthal, salt and all the spices except amchoor and garam masala. Mix well.
4. Cook covered on a low heat till danthal or stalk pieces turn tender. Add amchoor and garam masala and mix. Turn off the heat. Serve hot danthal ki sabzi garnished with coriander leaves. Serve with roti or paratha.
Mooli paratha
Today I made mooli paratha or mooli ke parathe for breakfast. Some people enjoy them with white butter on top but we had our mooli paratha with curd. They are best enjoyed hot and crisp straight from the tava (griddle).
Recipe of mooli paratha
3 mooli (white radish/ diakon) - peeled and grated
2 cups atta (whole wheat flour)
3 green chillies- chopped
1/2 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
Coriander leaves (cilantro) - chopped
Salt to taste
Oil to shallow fry
mooli (white radish)
1. Squeeze hard the grated mooli to remove excess liquid. Heat a tsp oil in a pan and sauté mooli till light brown. Purpose is to evaporate the water of mooli.
2. In a bowl, take atta and add 1/2 tsp salt to it. Add water and knead it into smooth, pliable dough. Set aside for 20 minutes.
3. Add rest of the ingredients except oil to the mooli and mix.
4. Take a small ball (peda) out of the dough and roll out into a 3 inch round putting more pressure on the outer side so that outer edges are thinner than the inner portion of the round.
5. Grease this round with an oiled spatula. Put 2 tsp stuffing in the centre. Gather the edges and reshape into a ball. Pat between your palms to flatten the ball.
6. Roll out, dusting with dry flour, into a 5-6 inch paratha.
7. Heat a tava (griddle) and place this parantha on it. Shallow fry paratha from both sides applying oil. Fry till golden brown. Similarly make rest of the mooli ke parathe. Serve hot mooli ka paratha with curd and pickle of your choice.
urad chane ki dal
Urad chane ki dal is also known as maa-chole ki dal in Punjabi. It’s a delicious combination and you can use either skinless, split urad dal or split urad dal with husk. Urad chana dal is also a dhaba special dal and they also serve it with the same Punjabi tadka (tempering).
Recipe of urad chane ki dal
3/4 cup dhuli urad dal (split black gram)
1/2 cup chana dal (split Bengal gram)
2 tomatoes- chopped
1 medium onion- chopped
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
A pinch of hing (asafoetida)
2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp garam masala
1. Wash and soak urad dal and chana dal for 1 hour. Drain. Place both dal along with enough water, salt and red chilli and turmeric powders in a pressure cooker. Pressure cook till tender.
2. Mash dal with the back of a ladle (karchhi).
3. Heat ghee in a pan and add cumin seeds. When they change color, add hing.
4. Add onion and fry till light brown. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for 1 minute.
5. Add tomatoes and cook till oil begins to separate.
6. Add this tempering or tadka to the boiled dal and mix. Add garam masala and give 1 boil to dal, then let it simmer it on low heat for 5 minutes, covered. Serve hot urad chane ki dal garnished with coriander leaves.
shalgam ka bharta
This recipe of shalgam ka bharta or sabzi was told by a friend of mine who is also a neighbor. She is a good cook and told me many recipes which I will be sharing with you. My husband adores this sabzi and so do I.
Recipe of shalgam ka bharta/ bhurta
3-4 shalgam (turnip)
1 medium onion- chopped
2 tomatoes- chopped
3-4 cloves garlic- chopped
1 inch piece ginger- chopped
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
A pinch of hing (asafoetida)
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 tbsp oil
1. Wash and peel shalgam. Chop them into thick cubes.
2. Place shalgam in a pressure cooker along with 1/2 cup of water. Cook to 2 whistles.
3. Strain and discard the liquid. Mash shalgam roughly.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. When they change color, add hing.
5. Add onion and sauté till light brown. Add ginger and garlic. Fry for 1 minute.
6. Add tomatoes and salt and all the spices. Cook till tomatoes become soft and pulpy.
7. Add shalgam and mix well. Cook covered on a low heat for 5-7 minutes stirring occasionally. Serve hot shalgam ka bharta with rotis.
shalgam (turnip)
cubed shalgam
sarson ka saag
Sarson ka saag along with makki ki roti makes an ideal Punjabi meal. Sarson and makki ka atta comes in winter so this is the time to relish this delicious fare. Serve with a small piece of gur (jaggery).
Recipe of sarson ka saag
1 kg sarson (mustard greens)
250 gm palak (spinach)
2 tbsp makki atta (maize flour/ cornmeal)
4-5 green chillies- washed and caps removed
3 tomatoes- chopped
2 onions- chopped
1 inch piece ginger- chopped
2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
Salt to taste
1. Clean and wash sarson and palak. Chop leaves of palak and sarson. Chop soft parts of sarson stems and peel and chop lower parts of stems. Discard the lowest parts of sarson stems.
2. Place sarson and palak alog with 2 cups of water, salt and green chillies in a pressure cooker. Cook to 4 whistles. Grind the saag in a blender to a coarse paste. It should not be too fine.
3. Add makki ka atta and cook uncovered on medium heat for 15-20 minutes stirring occasionally.
4. Heat ghee in a pan and add cumin seeds. When they change color, add onion and sauté till light brown.
5. Add ginger and fry for 1 minute.
6. Add tomatoes and cook till tomatoes turn mushy and ghee begins to separate.
7. Pour this tadka (tempering) over sarson da saag and mix well. Serve hot sarson ka saag with makki ki roti.
Gond Panjiri
Gond ki panjiri is a popular Indian sweet which people eat during winters. It is given to lactating women. Gond panjiri is believed to improve lactation. Gond which is tree sap is available in Indian stores in packets.
Recipe of gond panjiri
2 cups atta (whole wheat flour)
¼ cup gond (tree sap)
1 1/2 cup ghee (clarified butter)
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp magaz seeds (melon seeds)
1/4 tsp saunth (dried ginger powder)
1/2 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder
2 tbsp raisins
2 tbsp almonds- chopped
1/2 cup grated dry coconut
1. Heat ghee in a kadhai/ wok. Fry gond. Grind it in a grinder. Fry one by one, magaz and almonds. Drain and set aside.
2. Add atta to the ghee and turn the heat to medium. Roast flour till golden brown stirring constantly. Take atta out of the kadhai.
3. Mix all the ingredients together. Your panjiri is ready to be eaten. Store rest in an airtight container.
besan ki barfi
Besan ki barfi or besan burfi is chickpea flour sweet which originated from Punjab. It is a popular dessert which is not only sold on sweet shops but also made in many Indian households. This is my maternal aunt’s (mausi) recipe who makes heavenly besan ki barfi. Enjoy!
Recipe of besan ki barfi
1 cup besan (gram flour/ chickpea flour)
1/2 cup ghee (clarified butter)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder
Chopped nuts like almonds, cashew nuts
1. Sieve besan so that there are no lumps. Heat ghee in a kadhai/ heavy bottomed pan. Add besan and roast on a low heat stirring constantly. Roast till besan turns deep golden brown. Keep breaking any lumps if they get formed. Turn off the heat.
2. Add cardamom powder and nuts to besan and mix.
3. Heat water in a pan and add sugar. Cook till sugar dissolves and syrup (chashni) thickens.
4. Add this syrup to roasted besan and mix well.
5. Pour this mixture on a greased tray. Let it cool down. Allow it to set and harden.
6. Cut squares or diamonds. This is now called besan burfi.
Meethe chawal
I have come across many recipes of meethe chawal but this is by far the simplest one (my mom’s recipe). This recipe is so simple that even a beginner can try his or her hands at it. I simply love it and make it in a jiffy whenever craving sets in.
Recipe of meethe chawal/ sweet rice
1 cup basmati rice (chawal)
1/2 cup sugar (vary according to taste)
1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
2 cups of water
1/4 tsp elaichi (green cardamom) powder
1 1/2 tbsp chopped nuts like cashew nuts, raisins
Few strands of saffron or 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1. Wash and soak rice for 20 minutes. Drain.
2. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker and roast cashews and raisins. Drain and keep aside.
3. If you don’t have saffron to give yellow color to the chawal, roast turmeric powder in ghee for 2 seconds.
4. Add rice, sugar, 2 cups of water, cardamom powder and saffron (if you are using it) to the pressure cooker. Let 1 whistle come. Turn off the heat. Take out on a serving platter and garnish with toasted nuts. Serve meethe chawal warm.
Bhatura
This recipe of bhatura is made without yeast. Those of you, who are making the bhatura for the first time, may find it difficult to roll out the bhatura as the dough sticks. So, an easy way out is to roll out between greased plastic sheets or a polythene bag teared into 2 halves and oiled. Keep one part on the rolling platform, place the dough ball on it and cover with the second half. Roll out and remove from the plastic sheet and fry. Bhatura tastes best with chole or chana masala.
Recipe of bhatura/ bhature
2 cups maida (all purpose flour)
3/4 cup curd (yogurt/ dahi)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
Oil to deep fry
dough after rising
1. Sieve flour (maida). Mix salt and baking powder to maida.
2. Mix yogurt and sugar in another bowl. Add this to maida.
3. Add lukewarm warm water to knead the flour into smooth, soft dough.
4. Keep the dough in a warm place for 3 hours so that the dough rises.
5. Heat oil in a kadhai/ wok. While the oil is heating, take a ball from the dough and flatten between your oiled palms. Roll out this ball on an oiled surface using rolling pin (belan) into a 5 inch round.
6. Place the bhatura in the hot oil. Press with a slotted spoon (pauni/ chhari), it will puff up. Turn over and fry form other side also. Deep fry this round or bhatura in the hot oil till golden brown from both sides. Drain on an absorbent paper using the same slotted spoon. Similarly make other bhature from rest of the dough.
7. You can also roll out the bhatura in an oval shape. Serve hot bhature with chole and sliced onion sprinkled with salt and lemon juice.
chole bhature
