I shudder when I see Dum Aloo on the menu of a Mughlai or Punjabi restaurant. It often comes as softened full potatoes, stuffed with dry fruit, in a thick creamy gravy, sometimes garnished with cashews and pomegranate seeds. It tastes slightly sweet like Shahi Kofta. Unfortunately, that's not what Kashmiri Dum Aloo is meant to be. Two Kashmiri Pandits in particular need to be mentioned here: Rajni Vanchu, a housewife who fed me a huge meal in Srinagar, and Chef Suman Kaul of ITC hotels. This recipe is Chef Kaul's version of Dum Aloo. Pandit food tends to be really spicy, often eaten with white rice to balance the flavours. Similarly, Kashmiri Dum Aloo is spicy, dry and leaves behind oil or rogan, which in Persian means clarified butter or fat.
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
500 gm medium-sized potatoes
3-4 green cardamom pods
2 large back cardamom pods
1 tbsp cumin seeds (jeera)
4-5 cloves
2 two-inch cinnamon sticks
2-3 bay leaves
1 tbsp black pepper powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tbsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp dry ginger powder
1 tbsp fennel powder
1 tbsp ghee
4 tbsp mustard oil (plus 1 cup more for frying)
Salt to taste
31/2 cups water
1 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
Hint: 45 mins; Serves 4; steamed rice or partha
METHOD
Boil potatoes, peel and pick them with a tooth pick. In a deep pan, pour mustard oil. Heat the oil and fry the potatoes.
In another pan, heat four tbsp of oil.
Temper with cumin seeds, pepper powder, cloves, green and black cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. When the cumin seeds start popping, add chilli powder and half a cup of water and stir. Now add in the dry ginger powder, fennel powder and coriander powder. Stir for another two minutes. Mix in the ghee and continue to stir gently.
Allow the ghee to rise to the top an then pour three cups of water. When the water begins to boil, add in the fried potatoes. Sprinkle salt over the dish, cover the pan and cook for 20 minutes on low heat, or until the gravy is reduced to a quarter of its original quantity.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.
MADRAS ONION SAMBAR
It is well-known that onions can bring tears to your eyes. In India, they can also bring governments down. Even a small rise in its price opens a floodgate of tears. The Madras onion is a miniature onion, and is commonly used in southern Indian cooking. Legend has it that the Sambar as a dish, originated from a blunder in the kitchens of the Tanjore Maratha ruler Shahu, where the cook was trying to make a Maharashtrian Amit Dal. Moong beans were used instead of the usual pigeon peas, and tamarind pulp instead of kokum as the souring agent. The result was relished and named after the guest that day, the second emperor of the Maratha empire, Sambhaji, Hence, Sambar.
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup yellow split pigeon peas (tur dal)
10-12 Madras onions (small shallots), peeled
1/4 cup tomato, chopped
2 tbsp fresh coconut
A small ball of tamarind
2 green chillies
3 red chillies
2 tbsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp asafoetida
15-20 curry leaves
1/2 cup coriander leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp jaggery/sugar (optional)
2 tsp oil
Salt to taste
Water as required
Hint: 20-25 mins; Serves 4; steamed rice dosa or idli
METHOD
Soak tamarind in 1/4 cup of warm water. Keep aside. Add tomato, turmeric and turdal with 11/2 cups of water in a pressure cooker. Cook for three whistles. Dry roast, coconut in a pan till golden-brown. Dry roast red chillies, fenugreek seeds and coriander seeds separately. Heat one tsp of oil in a pan. Finely chop one of the Madras shallots and fry with the green chillies and half the curry leaves till transcluent.
Grind all dry-roasted ingredients with shallot mixture in a mixer. Turn it into a smooth paste with two tbsp of water. Heat oil in a pan and add fenugreek and mustard seeds. When they splutter, stir in asafoetida and remaining curry leaves. Add peeled shallots an cook for 3-4 minutes. Squeeze the pulp out of the soaked tamarind and pour it in. Add salt and the ground paste and cook for a couple of minutes. Mix in the cooked dal and bring it to a boil. Cook till shallots are done. Add jaggery for a bolder flavour. Garnish with chopped coriander.
DOUBLE BEAN SUKKA
I'm not sure what double bean actually is. At home, where this recipe comes from, and in Marathi, we just call it, "double bee". I've never known an Indian name for this bean, though in English it is known as broad bean, lima bean or fava bean. The beans, once shelled (or you can buy the dehydrated version), are flat, plump and pretty to look at. However, once cooked, they lose their colour, but taste superb. They turn soft and buttery and absorb masalas really well. Like most beans, they are packed with minerals and full of protein and dietary fibre. Even now, in our genetically-modified-foods generation, these beans are available mainly during the winter.
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
1 cup double beans (broad beans)
1 cup grated account
1 tsp garlic, crushed
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp split white lentils (urad dal)
1 spring curry leaves
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp salt to taste
2 cups water
Hint: 60 mins; Serves 4; steamed rice chapati or dosa
METHOD
Soak the double beans in two cups of water overnight or at least for six hours.
Pressure cook the soaked beans with salt for two whistles. After the second whistle, cook for ten minutes on a medium flame. Then take the cooker off the flame and let the beans cool.
In the meantime, mix together thoroughly the grated coconut, garlic, red chilli powder and turmeric powder and set aside.
In a wide pan, heat oil and add the mustard seeds. When they begin to crackle, add cumin seeds and split white lentils. Fry for a minute or two. Throw in the curry leaves and stir for another two minutes.
Now add the boiled double beans and coconut mixture. Cook with a closed lid on medium heat for 10-12 minutes. Allow the dish to cook well, till the water completely dries up.
CHANE KA PULAO
As a vegetarian, how often have you been short-changed when it comes to biryani or pulao? This is one recipe that will help you avenge the times your options were limited to a vegetable pulao. Chane Ka Pulao is a great option. You can make it either with chickpeas (kabuli chana) or black chana, it's up to you. Personally, I like it with the latter, but I've given the kabuli chana variation, because most people treat black chana as poor man's food. Instead of relying on this preconceived notion, let us trust the judgement of our taste buds!
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
3 cups Basmati rice,
soaked for 30 mins
400 gm chickpeas, soaked overnight
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 black cardamom pods
2 one-inch cinnamon sticks
5-6 cloves
3 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
11/2 cup thick plain yoghurt
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
3 tsp aniseed powder
2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
4 tbsp oil
3 tsp salt
31/2 cups water
Hint: 30 mins; Serves 4-5; onion rings lemon juice and raita
METHOD
In a pan, heat oil. Add onion and fry till golden-brown. Add cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon sticks and cumin seeds and and stir-fry for about ten seconds. Now mix in the ginger-garlic paste, two tsp salt and red chilli powder. Saute on medium heat for five minutes.
Once the dry spices are combined, pour in the curd and chickpeas. Mix well and cook on a medium-high flame till all the excess water evaporates. Add garam masala and aniseed powder to the dish. Cover with lid and cook on medium heat till the chickpeas are soft.
Finally, add salt, rice and enough water for the rice to cook. Cook on high flame for seven minutes till the excess water dries up.
Now cover the pan. The lid should be tightly closed making sure no steam is let out. Cook on low heat for 15 minutes or till the rice is done.
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
500 gm medium-sized potatoes
3-4 green cardamom pods
2 large back cardamom pods
1 tbsp cumin seeds (jeera)
4-5 cloves
2 two-inch cinnamon sticks
2-3 bay leaves
1 tbsp black pepper powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tbsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp dry ginger powder
1 tbsp fennel powder
1 tbsp ghee
4 tbsp mustard oil (plus 1 cup more for frying)
Salt to taste
31/2 cups water
1 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
Hint: 45 mins; Serves 4; steamed rice or partha
METHOD
Boil potatoes, peel and pick them with a tooth pick. In a deep pan, pour mustard oil. Heat the oil and fry the potatoes.
In another pan, heat four tbsp of oil.
Temper with cumin seeds, pepper powder, cloves, green and black cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. When the cumin seeds start popping, add chilli powder and half a cup of water and stir. Now add in the dry ginger powder, fennel powder and coriander powder. Stir for another two minutes. Mix in the ghee and continue to stir gently.
Allow the ghee to rise to the top an then pour three cups of water. When the water begins to boil, add in the fried potatoes. Sprinkle salt over the dish, cover the pan and cook for 20 minutes on low heat, or until the gravy is reduced to a quarter of its original quantity.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.
MADRAS ONION SAMBAR
It is well-known that onions can bring tears to your eyes. In India, they can also bring governments down. Even a small rise in its price opens a floodgate of tears. The Madras onion is a miniature onion, and is commonly used in southern Indian cooking. Legend has it that the Sambar as a dish, originated from a blunder in the kitchens of the Tanjore Maratha ruler Shahu, where the cook was trying to make a Maharashtrian Amit Dal. Moong beans were used instead of the usual pigeon peas, and tamarind pulp instead of kokum as the souring agent. The result was relished and named after the guest that day, the second emperor of the Maratha empire, Sambhaji, Hence, Sambar.
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup yellow split pigeon peas (tur dal)
10-12 Madras onions (small shallots), peeled
1/4 cup tomato, chopped
2 tbsp fresh coconut
A small ball of tamarind
2 green chillies
3 red chillies
2 tbsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp asafoetida
15-20 curry leaves
1/2 cup coriander leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp jaggery/sugar (optional)
2 tsp oil
Salt to taste
Water as required
Hint: 20-25 mins; Serves 4; steamed rice dosa or idli
METHOD
Soak tamarind in 1/4 cup of warm water. Keep aside. Add tomato, turmeric and turdal with 11/2 cups of water in a pressure cooker. Cook for three whistles. Dry roast, coconut in a pan till golden-brown. Dry roast red chillies, fenugreek seeds and coriander seeds separately. Heat one tsp of oil in a pan. Finely chop one of the Madras shallots and fry with the green chillies and half the curry leaves till transcluent.
Grind all dry-roasted ingredients with shallot mixture in a mixer. Turn it into a smooth paste with two tbsp of water. Heat oil in a pan and add fenugreek and mustard seeds. When they splutter, stir in asafoetida and remaining curry leaves. Add peeled shallots an cook for 3-4 minutes. Squeeze the pulp out of the soaked tamarind and pour it in. Add salt and the ground paste and cook for a couple of minutes. Mix in the cooked dal and bring it to a boil. Cook till shallots are done. Add jaggery for a bolder flavour. Garnish with chopped coriander.
DOUBLE BEAN SUKKA
I'm not sure what double bean actually is. At home, where this recipe comes from, and in Marathi, we just call it, "double bee". I've never known an Indian name for this bean, though in English it is known as broad bean, lima bean or fava bean. The beans, once shelled (or you can buy the dehydrated version), are flat, plump and pretty to look at. However, once cooked, they lose their colour, but taste superb. They turn soft and buttery and absorb masalas really well. Like most beans, they are packed with minerals and full of protein and dietary fibre. Even now, in our genetically-modified-foods generation, these beans are available mainly during the winter.
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
1 cup double beans (broad beans)
1 cup grated account
1 tsp garlic, crushed
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp split white lentils (urad dal)
1 spring curry leaves
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp salt to taste
2 cups water
Hint: 60 mins; Serves 4; steamed rice chapati or dosa
METHOD
Soak the double beans in two cups of water overnight or at least for six hours.
Pressure cook the soaked beans with salt for two whistles. After the second whistle, cook for ten minutes on a medium flame. Then take the cooker off the flame and let the beans cool.
In the meantime, mix together thoroughly the grated coconut, garlic, red chilli powder and turmeric powder and set aside.
In a wide pan, heat oil and add the mustard seeds. When they begin to crackle, add cumin seeds and split white lentils. Fry for a minute or two. Throw in the curry leaves and stir for another two minutes.
Now add the boiled double beans and coconut mixture. Cook with a closed lid on medium heat for 10-12 minutes. Allow the dish to cook well, till the water completely dries up.
CHANE KA PULAO
As a vegetarian, how often have you been short-changed when it comes to biryani or pulao? This is one recipe that will help you avenge the times your options were limited to a vegetable pulao. Chane Ka Pulao is a great option. You can make it either with chickpeas (kabuli chana) or black chana, it's up to you. Personally, I like it with the latter, but I've given the kabuli chana variation, because most people treat black chana as poor man's food. Instead of relying on this preconceived notion, let us trust the judgement of our taste buds!
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
3 cups Basmati rice,
soaked for 30 mins
400 gm chickpeas, soaked overnight
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 black cardamom pods
2 one-inch cinnamon sticks
5-6 cloves
3 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
11/2 cup thick plain yoghurt
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
3 tsp aniseed powder
2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
4 tbsp oil
3 tsp salt
31/2 cups water
Hint: 30 mins; Serves 4-5; onion rings lemon juice and raita
METHOD
In a pan, heat oil. Add onion and fry till golden-brown. Add cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon sticks and cumin seeds and and stir-fry for about ten seconds. Now mix in the ginger-garlic paste, two tsp salt and red chilli powder. Saute on medium heat for five minutes.
Once the dry spices are combined, pour in the curd and chickpeas. Mix well and cook on a medium-high flame till all the excess water evaporates. Add garam masala and aniseed powder to the dish. Cover with lid and cook on medium heat till the chickpeas are soft.
Finally, add salt, rice and enough water for the rice to cook. Cook on high flame for seven minutes till the excess water dries up.
Now cover the pan. The lid should be tightly closed making sure no steam is let out. Cook on low heat for 15 minutes or till the rice is done.
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