Rasedar Lamb Chops (Lamb Chops Curry)

It is very simple recipe to follow. Lamb Chops are cooked with only spices and yogurt.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Lamb chops
• 3-4 tbsp Oil
• 2 pinches of Asafetida or Hing
• 1 Bay leaves
• 1 Brown Cardamom
• 2 Green Cardamoms
• 2-3 Cloves
• ½” Cinnamon stick
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp Turmeric powder
• ½ tsp Ginger powder
• ½ tsp Fennel powder
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• ½ tsp Garam masala
• ½ cup fresh Yogurt
• Salt to taste.

Method:

• Wash the lamb chops and keep aside to drain.
• Heat oil in a pressure cooker on medium flame.
• Add hing, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon stick and cardamoms.
• Add first red chili powder and then all the spices, stirring it a little (be careful not to burn the spices).
• Add the yogurt to the spices and keep stirring till all the spices separate from the oil.
• Now add the lamb chops. Fry it a little until it is no longer pink.
• Add salt and 2 cups of water.
• Pressure cook it till the meat is tender.
• When ready, serve in a serving bowl, sprinkle the garam masala on it and serve hot with rice or roti, Sabji, Raita, Salad.

Do You Know?

In North India, dishes are classified as ‘sukhi’ (dry) and ‘tari wali’ (with liquid). The word ‘tari’ is derived from Persian word ‘tar’ meaning ‘wet’ and has no implications for the presence or absence of spice, or whether the dish is Indian or not (e.g. any stew, spicy or not, would be considered a ‘curry dish’, simply because it is wet).

In Urdu, ‘curry’ is usually referred to as ‘saalan’. The equivalent word for a spiced dish in Hindi, is ‘masaledar’ (i.e. with masala).

Imli Pakori (Pakoris in Sweetened Tamarind Sauce)

My mother used to make Imli Pakori during hot summer days. Remembrance of its tangy taste still tinkles my taste buds. It is served with main course of meal.

Small besan (gram flour) pakoris are added to the sauce of tamarind.

Ingredients:

For Imli Sauce:

• ¼ cup tamarind without seeds
• ¼ cup granulated sugar (modify according to taste)
• 3 cups water
• ¼ tsp fennel powder
• ¼ tsp roasted cumin powder
• Salt Mix to taste
• ¼ tsp red chili powder
• ¼ tsp dry ginger powder
• 1 tsp finely chopped mint leaves
• 1 tsp lemon juice

For Pakodis:

• ½ cup bengal gram flour (besan)
• ½ tsp red chili powder (optional)
• Pinch of asafetida powder
• Salt to taste
• ¼ tsp ENO or baking powder

Method:

• Soak tamarind in 3 cups of water.
• Use a food processor or hand blender to blend this into a smooth mixture. Strain it.
• Now add all ingredients for sauce and mix well.
• Prepare pakodis: Mix all the pakodi ingredients together to form a thick batter (as for fritters). Heat the oil for deep frying, on a medium flame. Use a tablespoon (or your hand if you are more comfortable with that) to drop small portions of batter into the hot oil. Fry till golden, drain, remove from the oil and keep aside till they come down to normal room temperature.
• Dip in tamarind sauce.
• Refrigerate it only after an hour.
• Garnish with chopped mint leaves and serve chilled with main course of meal.

Kayree Ka Panna (Raw Mango Drink)

It is one of the favorite Indian drinks in hot summer days. It is very refreshing drink and has got heat resistant properties. It is made from fresh green mangoes which are abundant in the summer months.

It is a sweet-sour-spicy drink.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium-sized raw green mangoes
• ½ cup sugar (modify according to taste)
• 1 tsp salt mix (modify according to taste)
• 1 tsp fresh ginger extract
• ½ tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1 tsp fennel seeds ground coarsely
• 1 tsp roasted ground cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp lemon juice or ¼ cup lemonade
• Crushed ice
• Sprigs of mint to garnish

Method:

• Wash, peel and slice the raw mangoes.
• In a deep saucepan boil the mango slices in two cups of water, till they are soft.
• Take off from the fire and allow to cool completely.
• Put the mango slices (along with the water in which slices are boiled), sugar and salt mixture into a food processor and blend till smooth.
• Add the remaining ingredients (except mint to garnish) and mix well.
• Dilute with 3-4 cups of chilled water.
• Pour into glasses, and add few finely chopped mint leaves and crushed ice.
• Garnish with a sprig of mint and serve.

Note:

• One raw mango is enough to make two tall glasses of panna.
• Strain the panna just before adding crushed ice to get the clear drink.

Do You Know?

• Kayree Ka panna is an effective remedy for heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
• It is considered beneficial in the treatment of gastro -intestinal disorders.
• Since it is an excellent source of vitamin C, it is considered as a curative for blood disorders. It increases the elasticity of the blood vessels and helps in the formation of new blood cells.
• This drink is also a good source of vitamin B₁ and B₂ and contains sufficient quantity of niacin.

Dana Methi Ki sabji (Fenugreek Seeds Curry)

Fenugreek seeds are one of the healthiest Indian spices. These are bitter in taste but if you soak them overnight, some of the bitterness is reduced and they swell up to a soft plump, which makes it possible to cook them like a vegetable.

My mother used to make this Garlic and Fenugreek Curry in winter.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup fenugreek seeds (Dana Methi seeds)
• 10 cloves of garlic chopped finely
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 tsp amchur powder
• 1 tbsp sugar

Method:

• Soak Fenugreek seeds in water overnight. Wash them thoroughly and strain out the water and keep aside.
• Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan over medium flame.
• When hot, add garlic. Sauté till light brown. Add soaked fenugreek seeds and fry for a minute.
• Now put in red chili powder, turmeric powder and salt. Stir and add about ¼ cup of water. Cover and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, till water is evaporated.
• Add amchur powder and sugar. Cook for a minute more.
• Take out in a dish, and serve with hot paratha.

Do You Know?

Fenugreek seeds contain a high percentage of mucilage - a natural gummy substance present in the coatings of many seeds. Although it does not dissolve in water, mucilage forms a thick, gooey mass when exposed to fluids.

Like other mucilage-containing substances, fenugreek seeds swell up and become slick when they are exposed to fluids. The resulting soft mass is not absorbed by the body, but instead passes through the intestines and also triggers intestinal muscle contractions.

Both actions promote the emptying of intestinal contents. Therefore, fenugreek is a mild but effective laxative.

Chavla dal ki Dahi Pakori

Chavla dal is split skinned black eyed beans. In summer you can have these dahi pakoris as a filler between two meals.

For Pakoris:

• 1 cup chavla (split skinned black eyed bean) dal
• oil to deep fry
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 2 tbsp finely chopped green chilies
• Pinch of asafetida
• Salt to taste

For Dahi:

• 2 cups fresh curd
• 2 cups milk
• 2 tbsp mint leaves finely chopped
• Salt mix to taste
• ½ tsp roasted Jeera powder
• ½ tsp red chili powder

For Seasoning:

• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 whole dry red chili
• 6-7 curry leaves
• 2-3 pinches of asafetida
• 2 tbsp oil

Method:

• Wash and soak dal for 6-7 hours.
• Grind it to a fine thick batter with minimum water. It should form a smooth soft paste of dropping consistency.
• Add pinch of hing and churn the dal paste with hand for 5-7 minutes till it incorporates enough air to become fluffy.
• Now add salt, grated ginger, chopped green chilies.
• Heat oil in a large frying pan.
• Drop in small round lumps of batter with the help of moist hands. You can use moist spoon also to do the same.
• Deep fry pakoris till golden brown. Drain and keep them aside.
• Once all pakoris are fried, dip them in plenty of salted water (about one litre of water with 1 tsp of salt). Soak for about an hour.
• Prepare curd mix. In a bowl beat curd and milk together till smooth. Add salt mix, cumin powder, red chili powder.
• Now take out pakoris from water. Gently press out each pakori between palms and place in dahi mix.
• Add seasoning to this.
• For Seasoning: Heat oil in a small pan. Add cumin seeds and curry leaves. When spluttering stops add dry red chili and asafetida.
• Add this seasoning to curd mix and immediately cover the bowl so that the aroma of the seasoning is absorbed completely by curd. Leave it covered for about 10 minutes.
• Garnish with chopped mint leaves.
• Keep in fridge covered till required.

Roasted Cumin Seeds

Roasted Cumin Seeds

Roasted cumin seeds are used in many Indian dishes especially Raitas and Panna.

Prepapation:

• Put 1-2 tbsp of whole cumin seeds into a heavy frying pan (you can use tawa also) and place the pan over a medium flame.
• No fat is required.
• Stir the seeds and keep roasting them until they turn a few shades darker. Seeds start emitting wonderful roasted aroma when they are ready.
• When cool store in airtight container.

Ground Roasted Cumin Seeds

• Put the roasted seeds into an electric coffee grinder or other spice grinder and grind them finely.
• You can also use a pestle and mortar for this.
• Simpler way is to crush them with a rolling pin.
• Store in a tightly lidded jar.

Salt Mix

Salt Mix is prepared my mixing three types of salts in equal proportion.

Ingredients:

· 1 tsp Plain salt (namak)
· 1 tsp Black salt (kaala namak)
· 1 tsp Rock salt (sendha namak)

Method:

Mix together all the three types of salts and store in a container.

Plain Dosa (Crepe )

Dosa is a crepe made from rice and black lentil. It is a typical dish in South Indian cousine. Though sometimes considered a breakfast dish, dosas are also eaten at other times of day. Dosas are typically served with sambhar and /or chutney.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Rice (preferably parboiled)
• ½ cup urad dal (split skinned Black Gram)
• ½ tsp fenugreek Seeds
• Oil to smear the pan for cooking the dosas
• Salt to taste

Method

• Soak rice, urad dal and fenugreek seeds together for 5-6 hours. Grind dal mixture together to a very smooth consistency. Add salt and enough water to make into a dropping consistency. Leave to ferment for about 5-6 hours, till a little spongy.
• Adjust the consistency of batter by adding little water if it is thickened too much.
• Heat tawa or griddle, and brush oil over it.
• When really hot, splash a little water over it, and immediately pour batter onto it, spreading it thin, with a circular motion. You can use flat base katori or ladle to spread batter swiftly. Initially you may face a little problem in spreading batter but with a little practice you can do it efficiently.
• After spreading the batter, lower the heat and dribble a little oil around the edges so that it seeps under the dosa. When edges start browning a bit, pass a flat spoon under it to ease the dosa off the pan.
• Fold it and serve hot with sambhar and chutney.

Do You Know?

A crêpe is a type of very thin pancake, usually made from wheat flour. The word is of French origin, deriving from the Latin crispa, meaning "curled." Crêpes are served with a variety of fillings, from the most simple with only sugar to elaborate savory fillings.

Mathri & Namakpare (Flaky Biscuits)

Mathri and Namakpare are very popular in Panjab and Uttar Pradesh. They are made from all purpose flour dough. These can be stored for 2 -3 weeks in air tight containers. Unsalted Mathris are also made which are eaten with pickle.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups maida (all purpose flour)
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp ajwain
• ¼ cup melted ghee or oil
• 2 tbsp plain yogurt
• Warm water
• Oil for deep frying

Method:

• Mix the flour, salt, ajwain in a bowl.
• Add the ghee and rub between your palms until it takes the form of bread crumbs.
• Combine with yogurt and with help of warm water form pliable but firm dough.
• Cover with the damp cloth and set aside for 30 minutes.
• Divide the dough into small balls and roll out the balls.
• Heat the oil in a kadhai or deep frying pan.
• Fry the rolled matharis in a batch of few over low heat . Do not allow matharis to become brown; they should remain golden in color.
• Drain out the excess oil and place them to cool on tissue paper.
• Store them in sealed container when completely cooled. Well sealed can be kept for 2-3 weeks.

For Namakpare :

• Make balls of the dough and roll them into a ¼ thick flat bread of the size of a medium pizza.
• Now with the help of a knife cut vertically and then into horizontally to get diamond shaped pieces.
• Fry over low heat. Drain out the excess oil and place them to cool on tissue paper.

Note:

Frying is the most important part in making matharis. To get crispy matharis fry them over low heat.