HARA CHANA/ CHHOLIYA KI CHAAT(GREEN GARBANZO BEANS SALAD IN GINGER DRESSING)

Shopping for the weekly stock of vegetables has its own advantages. The biggest being that you have plenty of choice to decide what to cook and plan your menu well. Apart from the fact that you can entertain your kid’s whims with an ease J

But on the flip side, one tends to miss out on fresh stock of vegetables and certain veggies (that keep lying in the fridge) never see the light of the day and are bound to find their way to the bin! But then every cloud has a silver lining... When favourites are all done with and one is left with veggies that either hubby or kids don’t want to eat, it’s time to dish out something new and tweak and experiment in the kitchen J

Green garbanzo beans are always given a step motherly treatment by my hubby and daughter. So much so, that by the time it’s their turn to be served up on the dinner table, they already have reached the germination stage...in the refrigerator!! 

This time around I decided to bring in a change in the style of preparation. Instead of a gravy dish, that I usually prepare, I decided to make a salad. Not with onions and tomatoes for sure, I decided...

At the end of it, it was satisfying to see my daughter dig her fork into it and polishing off the whole stuff on her plate (though it required a lot of coaxing to make her taste it initially!!).

Here is what all you will need for this quick salad with simple and rustic flavours:

1 ½ cup green garbanzo beans

1 tsp finely grated ginger

½ tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro

2 tsp oil

1 - 2 green chillies, finely chopped

Salt to taste

A dash of black pepper

2 tsp lemon juice

Boil or steam the green grams till they are just tender.

Heat a thick bottomed pan or wok and add 2 tsp oil.

Add cumin seeds and once they start to splutter, add grated ginger and chopped green chilli and give everything a quick stir.

Once the ginger starts to turn golden, (the ginger won't take long to turn golden, so keep stirring it continuously) add the green garbanzo beans and stir fry them for a minute or so and season them with salt and pepper.

Turn off the heat and add chopped cilantro. 

To perk up all the flavours and bring them together, add lemon juice and stir them well. 

Remove the contents to a serving bowl. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note: To get rid of the raw taste of the green garbanzos (which no one likes at my home) and also to retain their food value I prefer to steam them instead of boiling.

  

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OREGANO CHICKEN (Oregano flavoured Marinated Chicken)

This recipe was handed over to me by my bhabhi (sister-in-law). She cooked it for me during one of my trips to Delhi from my university. It also happened to be my first tryst with a 'firang' herb ;-) She is a fabulous cook and this delicious and healthy recipe is from her kitty. In fact I feel in my family, we all can dish out a pretty decent meal to serve on the table. J

Since food cooked by our mom is the food that we all have had ever since we popped-out in the world; so it always seems to be the best. But my dad and my brother are fantastic cooks as well! I remember that when I was a child and even during my teens, if my Mom was unwell, they both would dish out yummy food on the table. My help was sought only to set the table! Later when I started working at Delhi, my brother would make breakfast for me and he would  ensure that I finished ever single crumb of food on the plate. Yeah, I was a pampered kid sister J Lovely memories...

Later, my bhabhi carried on the tradition of pampering me J She would keep telling me that once I would get married, I would have to work in the kitchen anyway and that I should simply enjoy my time till then. I think she was quite right ;-)

This delicately flavoured chicken is loved by everyone in my house and yes! I have one more reason to love it even more - there is no hard work involved in making it J

This chicken can be served as a side dish or as a starter with drinks.

You will need:

1 chicken (800 gm approximately) cut in medium size

1½ tbsp yoghurt

1½ tsp ginger garlic paste

1 large onion (grated) - (u can reduce or increase the amount)

2 tsp oil

½ tsp cumin seeds

½ tsp red chilli powder (or as much heat that you desire)

½ tsp coriander powder

½ tsp dry oregano, crushed
½ tsp garam masala powder (optional) 

Salt to taste

Clean and wash the chicken and pat dry.

Mix in the ginger garlic paste, grated onion and chillies to the curd. Incorporate them all well. Marinate the chicken with this marinade.

Keep the chicken covered with cling film in the refrigerator for at least half an hour and for maximum two and a half hours.
Heat the oil in a wok or thick bottom pan and swirl it around to grease the wok.

Add the cumin seeds. Once they splutter, add the marinated chicken with its marinade

Sauté on high heat for 1 minutes

Lower the heat and cover the chicken. The chicken will release water due to presence of yoghurt

Let it cook for 20-25 minutes (depending on the size of the chicken pieces)

Increase the heat to maximum and reduce the juices of chicken. 

Half way through, add oregano, salt, garam masala powder and coriander powder. 

Keep stirring it till the marinade coats the chicken well. 

Remove from the fire and transfer to the serving bowl.

Note: In case you intend to keep the chicken dry, do it only if you intend to serve it right away, or else it will be too dry to eat. I would advise semi-dry since that way you can enjoy the flavours of the marinade much more and chicken will remain moist.

Note: I have used all cuts of chicken since each one us in the family has his/her our own favourites. You can use laps or drumsticks or even boneless chicken.

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SARSON MASALA BHINDI (OKRA COOKED IN MUSTARD PASTE)

India is an amazing country with such varied cultures – each having their own language, their own dialect and their own unique attires and not to forget their own special ways of cooking food. Though the spices and herbs used across the country are more or less the same and so are many other ingredients, yet the food is unique and different in each state and its cuisine.

I have had okra (bhindi or lady finger, as it is commonly called in our country) cooked in a variety of ways – with dry masala, with stuffed masala of onion and ginger-garlic, or it being sautéed with chopped onions, etc, etc. But when I ate okra cooked in sarson masala (mustard paste) I found this recipe very unique, interesting and very delectable especially when it is served with Sattu ka Parantha.

Actually it is typically made in this manner in the state of Bihar. It was only when I gradually got introduced to the culinary delights of Bihar, after my marriage, that I realised how neglected this cuisine is. It is so full of flavours, delicious, balanced and healthy; yet for some reason never got the dues it deserves. (Though it is somewhat influenced by the Bengali cuisine.)

A previous recipe, which has the distinctive flavours of Bihar, happens to be the most viewed recipe on this blog which proves my point that Bihari cuisine has so many interesting flavours but it is yet to be explored by the world and the Indians themselves!!

This is what all I needed:

350 grams okra

1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds (powdered and mixed with 2-3 tbsp of water to make a paste)

1 tsp garlic paste

1 tsp ginger paste

¼ tsp cumin seeds

1 pinch fenugreek seeds

1 medium tomato (grated)

1 tbsp mustard oil

1 tbsp vegetable oil (you may even use sunflower oil or even olive oil)

1 generous pinch of asafoetida

½ tsp chilli powder

½ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp garam masala

Salt to taste

Wash and pat dry the okra and chop it in 1 inch pieces.

Pour 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a hot wok and add asafoetida to it. When it turns golden brown add the okra and fry for 2-3 minutes on high flame. Once done, remove from the wok.

Pour 1 tbsp of mustard oil and let it smoke.

Remove it from heat and add cumin and fenugreek seeds. Let them splutter.

Add mustard paste along with the ginger and garlic paste.

Fry this paste till it starts becoming dry and changes to brownish colour. (This paste is delicate and you need to constantly keep stirring it to prevent it from getting burnt)

Add 3 tbsp water and fry it till it becomes dry and brownish coloured again.

Add the puréed tomato along with the dry masala – chilli, salt, turmeric and garam masala.

Saute for half a minute and add the okra. Cook on low flame till the okra is done.

Serve with Sattu ka Parantha.

Serves 3-4

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SATTU KA PARATHA (TANGY BLACK GRAM POWDER STUFFED FLAT BREAD)

Sattu is synonymous to Bihar. Though it is considered by many as a poor man’s diet but I really fail to understand the reason!! Sattu is basically roasted black grams powder although the process of making sattu is very different. Black gram is first boiled, then dried and finally roasted. They are then ground along with their skin and sieved before being packed. Don't worry, this does not need to be done at home since packed sattu is available in most major cities of India. 

The sattu is a rich source of protein. It can be enjoyed as breakfast with chutney/ pickle and a hot cup of tea. Or it can be consumed along with vegetable or even lentils. Lip smackingly good, I find these parathas as great saviours during long distance travels since they are filling and taste great even when eaten cold. I guess these are reasons enough for them to be packed for kid's school lunch too! 

They are also used in a traditional dish called litti. Littis are small balls of whole wheat dough stuffed with sattu and baked in an open oven or over dry cow dung cakes. Once cooked, holes are poked in them using fingers and a generous amount of clarified butter is added to them. They are then consumed with a variety of chokhas. Chokha is made from an assortment of roasted and mashed vegetables such potato, aubergine, tomato, pointed gourd (parval) which are seasoned with salt and green chillies along with onion, ginger, garlic and fresh coriander. Since mustard oil is the soul of every dish cooked in Bihar, so a dash of mustard oil is a must in chokha.

Here are the ingredients which go into making this yummy filling:
(Please don't forget to read the notes at the end of the recipe)

For the filling:

2 ½ tbsp sattu

1 medium onion (chopped finely)

1 tsp garlic (chopped finely)

1 tsp ginger (chopped finely)

1 tbsp fresh coriander (chopped)

½ tbsp masala of stuffed whole red chilli

1 tbsp mustard oil

Juice of one lemon

1 tsp green chillies (finely chopped)

½ tsp carom seeds

½ tsp nigella seeds

Salt to taste

Take a mixing bowl and add sattu, carom seeds, nigella seeds and salt. Mix them well.

Mix in the onion, garli, ginger, green chillies and coriander.

To this mixture gradually add the chilli masala, mustard oil and lemon juice.

Using your hands keep mixing all the ingredients together. You will notice that the mixture will start gaining a grainy sort of texture.

At this stage, I recommend that you taste the mixture so that you can adjust the flavours.

For the dough:

250 grams whole wheat flour

Water to knead the dough

1 tbsp clarified butter (optional)

Oil for frying

Take a small amount (approx. the size of a ping pong ball) of dough and roll it using a rolling pin and some dry flour.

Roll the dough to the size of your palm (approximate)

Transfer this rolled dough on to your palm and to the centre of the rolled dough, add a tsp and a half of the mixture.

Bring the sides of the dough together like a cone and twist it slightly. Push this to the base to seal the top.

Roll both sides in dry flour so that the dough does not stick to the rolling pin. 
Gently roll it into a parantha. Ensure that you do it gently otherwise the mixture may split the dough.

Cook the parantha on a medium hot skillet.

Turn it over and add a tsp of oil.

Fry the parantha till it becomes brownish and crisp. Serve it with the Sarson Masala Bhindi or Tomato Chutney.  

Note: Please do NOT get intimidated by an ingredient and omit any of them. In the beginning I had reservations about using raw mustard oil for the stuffing but after having eaten this paratha, I would strongly recommend that you follow the recipe to the ‘T’. The mustard oil flavour will NOT be pronounced in the stuffed parantha.

Note: Some people add some water to make the mixture come together. But somehow I do not like the texture of that mixture. But you can try that if it suits your taste.

Note: You can adjust the amount of ingredients to suit your taste.


Note: Try to ensure that you do not roll out very thick paratha since thin paratha is much more crisp and the filling is evenly spread.

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POTATO & BEETROOT SALAD

I was a very picky eater as a child (though surprisingly – even for myself J – now I love trying out new cuisines and foods) and as a matter of fact I gave my mom a tough time at lunch and dinner hours. Beetroot was one of those vegetables which never touched my lips. Well, actually it did touch my lips once...I had it raw, in a salad, and I was immediately repulsed by its unpleasant, uncooked spinach-like taste. Since this recipe calls for boiled beet root, perhaps for this reason I immensely enjoyed its taste in the salad. 

This salad is inspired by a recipe I read in a cook book named 'POTATO' – the most humble of all vegetables; yet so versatile. Initially, when I was flipping through the pages of the cook book, I didn’t give much of a look to this salad but then I thought of giving beetroot a second chance J

The things that impressed me about this salad are the ease with which it can be assembled and its appearance; plus, of course, it is packed with the goodness of potatoes and beet root (rich in antioxidants). This salad will certainly catch the eyes of your guests since it will sit pretty pink amongst your other dishes. It actually looks gorgeous!! (Though I wonder how much justice I was able to do through my lensJ) Please don’t forget to read the NOTES at the end of the recipe.

3-4 medium sized potatoes (boiled and diced)

1-2 beetroot (boiled and diced)

1 medium red onion (chopped finely)

1 tbsp thick curd/ yoghurt or hung curd

1 tbsp low fat mayonnaise

1 tbsp fresh coriander (chopped)
2 celery sticks (optional)
A dash of lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and serve! What more can you ask for!! Simple and Easy!!

Note: Let this salad sit in the container in which you assemble it for half an hour. After half an hour mix together the salad and transfer it to the serving bowl. This way the beet will lend more of its pink hues to the dressing. (it is evident from the pics that I did NOT give the salad much sitting time!!)

Note: Whenever a recipe calls for using mayonnaise, as a rule I either use a low fat version of mayonnaise or I substitute half the quantity with yoghurt/ hung curd. This not only reduces the amount calories but also enriches the dish with the goodness of yoghurt. You can omit mayonnaise and use only yoghurt to make it even healthier.

Note: Adjust the amount of curd and mayonnaise to make the dressing to your taste

Note: Be careful while handling the beet root since it can stain your hands and clothes (if not handled carefully). Immediately wash hands after peeling or wear gloves while peeing.

Note: I prefer crushed pepper corns to pepper powder since the beet root, upon being boiled, tends to adapt a sweet taste and the crushed pepper corns help to cut through that sweetness.

Serves 3-4 (while being served with other salads/ side dishes)

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KESARI KHEER AUR POODA (SAFFRON INFUSED RICE PUDDING WITH SWEETENED WHOLE WHEAT PANCAKES)

As my next entry I wanted to post a salad dish. In fact I had kept one ready to post today. But I realized that monsoon was half way through in ‘amchi mumbai’ and I had yet to post a hard core true-blue monsoon recipe. I must admit that I have no idea how monsoon is typically welcomed in Mumbai (perhaps with a vada-pav or may be pooran polis) but I certainly know how monsoon is welcomed in the state of Punjab – with Kheer i.e. milk and rice pudding.

There goes a saying in Punjabi “Je saawan kheer na khaadi aa, kyon jeena ae apradhiya” which translates to – “one who hasn’t eaten kheer during the monsoon is a sinner and has no reason to be alive!!” So much is the importance of this luxurious and creamy dessert in Punjab J

Traditionally, during the monsoon, this queen of desserts is served with the ‘Pooda’ which is a sweetened pancake made with whole wheat flour. Whenever I make this dish, my mind transports me back to my childhood. Mom used to get up early in the morning, keep the kheer ready before we all woke up, cooled it and by the time we got up she would be ready to make the poodas. Aah! those good ol’days… Personally, I prefer having a piping hot pooda with chilled kheer. I think the contrasting temperature and textures of these two dishes (kheer being creamy and cold; pooda being soft centered with crispy edges and hot) is the ultimate way to enjoy the monsoon!

This creamy dessert is a favourite with children and grown-ups alike. Milk is slowly simmered along with rice till it is reduced to half and achieves a creamy consistency. I would want to categorise this dessert under 'comfort food'. Since it is loaded with calories (pooda being sugary and shallow fried) perhaps for this reason, it is earmarked to be eaten during the monsoon; though I don’t mind eating it on a cold wintery morning too!! J

It is simple dessert with very basic ingredients and is made richer with the addition of dry fruits. I prefer it the royal way, i.e. by infusing it with saffron. Its other variant is the Elaichi Wali Kheer i.e. Cardamom flavoured Rice Pudding.

You will need the following for the Kesari Kheer:

2 litre whole milk

50 grams rice

2 tbsp sugar (you can adjust it to suit your taste)

½ tsp saffron

½ tbsp almonds slivered (soaked over-night in water)

½ tbsp pistachio (chopped)

½ tbsp raisin

½ tbsp cashew nuts (roasted) chopped

(using dry fruits is optional)

Wash the rice well.

Boil the milk (on high flame) in a thick bottomed wide-mouthed container stirring it continuously so that it does not burn at the bottom.

Once it is boiled, lower the heat. Remove 2 tbsp of milk in a small cup and add saffron to it. Let it soak at least for 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, add washed rice to the boiled milk. Increase the heat again and keep stirring it till the milk starts to boil again. 
Lower the heat and after 15 minutes add the soaked saffron milk. 

Let the milk simmer (stirring it occasionally) till it reduced to half the quantity. 

Turn off the heat and add sugar, cashews, almonds, pistachio and raisins.

Serve hot or chill it before serving.

Note: Keep aside a tsp of each of the dry fruits to garnish on the top while serving.
(The kheer will take approximately 45 - 50 minutes to cook)

For Pooda

You need:

1 cup whole wheat flour

¾ cup sugar

1 tsp anise seeds/ fennel seeds

Water (for the batter)

Oil for shallow frying

Mix all the ingredients, except water. Bring them all together by gradually mixing in the water. The consistency should not be thin but of a pouring consistency.

Heat a tawa (skillet) and pour 2 tsp oil. Pour a 2 tbsp of batter over the heated oil. Spread it to a round shape but do not make it very thin. Cook it on medium-low heat. Once the top is done, flip it to cook the other side. If the oil seems less, pour a little bit around the edges.

This batter should yield almost 8 poodas (the size shown in the pic)

Serve with the Kheer!! ENJOY!!

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COCONUT CHUTNEY

I flicked this recipe from one of my maternal aunts. I have tasted coconut chutney at so many restaurants, hotels and at my south Indian friends homes, but her version of the  chutney stands out distinctly amongst them all.

In fact, when she gave me this recipe, I was somewhat intrigued by its contents but the end result was finger licking good. I do not know what a south Indian would say about this recipe but I can gorge on this chutney and lick my fingers till the last morsel of it.

Note the ingredients:

For Chutney

¾ cup grated fresh coconut (I remove the outer brownish skin)

1 tbsp roasted Bengal grams (black gram), skin removed

2 green chillies (if not very hot)

2-3 flakes garlic

2 tbsp yoghurt

1/3^rd  cup fresh coriander leaves (washed and chopped), optional

Salt to taste

For tempering

1 tsp oil

½ tsp mustard seeds

½ tsp gram lentil

7-8 curry leaves

2 whole red chillies (split)

Put all the ingredients mentioned under the heading 'for chutney', except for the yoghurt, in a grinder.

To incorporate all the ingredients together, gradually add the curd till the ingredients are ground to a paste like consistency. Remove in the serving bowl.        

For tempering, heat oil in a small frying pan and add whole red chillies and then the mustard seeds.

Once they start to splutter, remove the pan from the fire and add the lentil.

Place the pan again on fire but over low heat and fry the lentil till it turns golden brownish.

Add curry leaves and pour the contents over the chutney. Mix well and serve.

Note: You can increase or decrease the amount of curd to suit the consistency that you would like to have.


Note: Ensure that the curd is not sour

Makes 1 medium bowl

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