Category: North Indian Cuisine

This recipe is a really old one , dating back to the times of undivided India. People from Punjab (Lahore, Karachi which is now in Pakistan) used to relish this dish, and even though it is still loved, it’s kind of forgotten as it has been replaced by the more popular Chole Bature. I thank my friend dear Rama Ananth for sharing this traditional recipe with me.

Ingredients:

2 cups Chickpeas/ Kabuli chana

3 tbsps of Yellow Split peas

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1 bunch Spinach

2 tsp of Lemon juice

2 Onions chopped fine

3 Green chillies chopped fine

12 cloves of Garlic, chopped fine

1 inch piece of Ginger chopped fine

1/2 tsp of Turmeric powder

Salt

1/4 tsp sugar

1 tsp Garam Masala

Ginger jullienes for garnish.

For tempering:

3 tsps oil

1 tsp of Cumin seeds

1 small Bay leaf

1/2 inch piece of Cinnamon

3 Green Cardamom crushed

Method:

Pressure cook the Kabuli chana and the split peas with turmeric and salt to four whistles or till they are done.

Boil sufficient water in a pan and add the spinach. Blanch it for just half a minute. Drain and transfer it in a bowl filled with cold water or running water (this helps to retain the green color of the spinach)

Drain water and drop the blanched spinach in a blender along with salt, sugar, 1 teaspoon of lime juice and grind it to a fine puree.

Heat oil in a pan. Drop in the cumin seeds and whole spices. Toss. Add the ginger, garlic and green chillies. Toss. Drop in the onions and roast till translucent. Add the spinach puree and the remaining lemon juice. Drop in the cooked chickpeas and the garam masala.

Mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Switch off and keep aside for about ten minutes for the flavours to infuse before serving.

It goes well with Parathas, Roti and any Bread.

Serves six.

Copyright © 2021 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

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This recipe of Shahi Tamatar was shared by a friend Bharti Ahuja Dar and it is right royal as it’s name suggests. She had used the regular tomatoes and snipped off the upper end for the juices to sink in. I had cherry tomatoes with me, so just pricked them with a toothpick and used them. This preparation goes well with both Roti and Basmati rice.

Ingredients:

4 Medium sized Tomatoes or 25 cherry tomatoes

2 tbsps Peanuts

2 tsps White sesame


2 tbsps grated fresh coconut

2 Green chillies chopped fine

1/4 tsp Hing / asafoetida


1 tsp Kashmiri lal chilly powder

1 tsp Cumin seeds

3 tbsp oil

1 large onion sliced

1 inch piece of ginger grated

5 cloves of garlic grated

2 dry red chillies, each broken into 2

1 cup beaten Curd

1 cup water or as desired

Salt

1 tsp Garam masala powder

10 Curry leaves

A large pinch of Haldi/ turmeric

3 tbsps oil

Method:

Dry roast coconut, Peanuts and sesame seeds to a golden yellow.
Grind them with chopped green chillies and a little water to make a smooth paste.
Pour in rest of the water in the mixer jar, to make a thin paste of the remnants and keep it aside.
Cut the head of the Tomatoes, and prise the top from 3-4 places. Keep aside.
In a pan, heat oil and add cumin seeds, Hing and the dry red chillies.
Once the cumin stops crackling, add the sliced onion, grated ginger and garlic and saute till the onions turn brown.
Add salt, garam masala, Kashmiri lal chilly powder and the turmeric.
Drop in the curry leaves ,toss and then add the ground paste.
Bring to a boil, keep on low flame and cook till the gravy thickens.
Add little more water if required. You can use the thin water kept aside at this point.
Add the beaten curd and mix well.
Bring to a boil, add tomatoes, cover and cook on low flame till the tomatoes are soft, but still retain their shape.
Turn off heat, and transfer to a bowl.
Serve hot with paratha or boiled /steamed rice.

Serves four.

Copyright © 2021 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

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I have tasted Chole prepared by quite a few of my Punjabi friends and each one was different from the other. Though each one was extremely tasty, yet it lacked that ‘something’ which makes the Chole found in the dhabas in the North a class apart. I always wondered if it was the vegetable oil that they used that gave it it’s distinct taste and flavour. It was by chance that I got to know from my dear friend Simran Kaul that it is Anardana ( dried pomegranate seeds) which takes Chole to the next level. The other is a tadka / seasoning of garlic, green chillies, chilly powder and garam masala which adds flavour to the Chole.

Ingredients:

1 cup Chickpeas soaked overnight.

Potli:
2 tsps tea leaves
2 dry red chillies
2 cinnamon sticks of an inch each
6 cloves
6 cardamom
2 Bay leaves
Tie all the above mentioned spices in a muslin cloth. This is referred to as a Potli.

Choley Masala:

To be ground together to a fine powder.

1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Anardana
1 tsp Kasoori methi
1/2 tsp Black salt
1 tsp Coriander seeds
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Chilly powder
1/4 tsp Dry Mango powder
1/2 tsp Garam masala

For Chole Gravy

To be ground to a paste:

3 onions
3 tomatoes
1 inch piece of ginger
6 cloves of garlic

Seasoning:

4 tsps of Ghee
4 cloves of garlic
1/2 tsp Garam masala
1 tsp Chilly powder
4 green chillies

Other ingredients required:

4 tsps Ghee
3 tsps oil
Salt
Coriander leaves for garnishing.

Method:

Pressure cook the Chickpeas with a little salt and the Potli in enough water for six whistles on a medium flame or for ten minutes in the Instant pot with natural pressure release.
Once cooked discard the Potli. Reserve the stock or water in which the Chickpeas have been boiled.
Heat a mixture of four spoons of Ghee and three spoons of oil . Drop in the ground paste of the gravy to make Chole and roast it till the oil separates. Drop in the Chole masala, and roast for a couple of minutes. Add the Chickpeas and the reserved stock or water in which the Chickpeas have been boiled.Simmer on a very gentle flame for half an hour. This releases the flavours . Mash a tablespoon of chickpeas for thickness. Finally heat the Ghee for seasoning in a pan. Drop in the garlic cloves and roast to a golden brown. Drop in the green chillies, garam masala and chilly powder. Immediately pour the seasoning into the chole to avoid burning of the spices. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with Basmati rice, Kulcha, papad, lime pickle and a bowl of salad.

Copyright © 2021 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

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Dig into this heavenly Palak and baby corn masala and savour the fragrance of the mildly aromatic spices. Best served with either hot Basmati rice or Roti, slices of cucumber and onions, a dash of lime and a Boondi raita, this is my idea of a soul soothing meal on a cold afternoon.

Ingredients :

1 medium sized bunch of Palak

9 baby corns

2 medium sized onions

1 large tomato

2 inch piece of ginger

5 green chillies

5 cloves of garlic

1/ 4 tsp of Garam masala

A pinch of Haldi/ turmeric

Salt

A few sprigs of coriander leaves along with their tender stems.

Seasoning:

1 tbsp of Ghee/ clarified butter

2 tbsps of oil

1 tsp Jeera/ cumin seeds

Garnish:

1 heaped tbsp fresh cream.

Method:

Wash and blanch the Palak. Immediately dip it into ice cold water. Remove and keep aside. Cut the baby corn into bite sized pieces and boil them with a little salt till they are done. Slice the onions, ginger, garlic , green chillies and tomatoes roughly. Heat the ghee and oil mixture in a pan. Add the cumin seeds. Once it crackles, drop in the sliced onions, ginger, garlic and green chillies. Roast till translucent. Add the tomatoes, garam masala, salt and turmeric. Saute for a couple of minutes. Remove from flame and allow to cool thoroughly. Tip in the Palak, the roasted onion tomato mixture and coriander leaves into a blender and blend to a smooth paste. Tip it into a pan. Add the boiled baby corn and bring to a boil. Simmer for a minute and finally tip in the cream. Switch off and serve hot.

Copyright © 2021 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

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This is a delicious curry which I learnt from my friend Sandhya N Kamath. Pieces of sweet corn swimming in a pool of a flavourful gravy. This curry goes well with Roti or even with Basmathi rice. The corn which absorbs all the flavours tastes absolutely delicious!

Ingredients :

2 Corn cobs

4 medium sized tomatoes

5 medium sized onions

2 inch piece of ginger

7 cloves of garlic

2 green chillies

1 heaped tsp Chilly powder

1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilly powder

A big pinch of Turmeric powder

1 tbsp Coriander powder

2 tbsps Ghee/Clarified butter

3 tbsps Oil

1 Bay leaf

1 heaped tsp Cumin seeds

7 pepper corns

2 inch piece of Cinnamon

2 Cardamom

3 Cloves

Salt

4 tbsps finely chopped coriander leaves

Method:

Chop the corn into 10 pieces. Pressure cook with a little salt till tender. Make a paste of the onions. Grind the ginger, green chillies and garlic to a smooth paste. Puree the tomatoes. Powder the pepper corns, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Heat the Ghee and oil mixture. Drop in the cumin seeds and Bay leaf. Immediately lower heat and drop in the onion paste. Saute for a couple of minutes. Add the ginger, green chilly and garlic paste. Keep sautéing for a couple of minutes. Drop in the powdered spices, coriander, chilly and turmeric powders. Toss well and add the tomato puree. Keep roasting till the puree changes colour. Add the water in which the corn was boiled. Bring to a boil. Add salt as required. Drop in the pieces of corn and simmer for about five minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Copyright © 2020 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

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This healthy sprouted Moong subzi goes well with both rice and roti. Sprouting increases the nutritive value of lentils and most Indian homes consume sprouts atleast once a week. Lentils like Green gram, Black chickpeas, moth bean are sprouted and used to make a variety of salads and subzi.

Ingredients :

125 gms Moong sprouts

2 large onions sliced

1 potato peeled and grated

2 large tomatoes chopped fine

7 cloves of garlic

2 inch piece of ginger

2 green chillies

1 heaped tsp chilly powder

A large pinch of Haldi /Turmeric powder

1 heaped tsp Everest Kitchen King Masala

3 tbsps oil

1 tsp Jeera /Cumin seeds

Salt

4 tbsps finely chopped coriander leaves for garnishing.

Method:

Remove the peel of the Moong sprouts and boil them in enough water till half done. Blitz the garlic, ginger and green chillies to a coarse paste in the mixer. Heat oil in a pan. Drop in the Jeera and after it crackles add the onions and the ginger, garlic, green chilly paste. Add salt and roast till the onions are translucent and the raw flavour of the ginger garlic is gone. Add the tomatoes, Everest Kitchen King Masala, chilly powder and Turmeric powder. Roast till the tomatoes are slightly mushy. Drop in the sprouted moong and grated potato. Add two glasses of water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook till the sprouted moong is done but firm to touch. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with a wedge of lime.

Copyright © 2020 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

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This mixed vegetable subzi goes well with almost everything be it Roti, Naan or even bread. The addition of yoghurt lends the texture to the dish. The mild aroma of the spices and the fragrance of coriander leaves make it absolutely delicious!

Ingredients :

2 large potatoes

250 gms shelled peas

1 carrot

2 large onions

1 large tomato

3 tbsps oil

1/2 glass thick curds /yoghurt

1 tbsp Everest Kitchen King Masala

2 tbsps coriander powder

1 tbsp chilly powder

A pinch of haldi /turmeric powder

Salt

Coriander leaves for garnish

Method :

Chop the carrot and potatoes into tiny cubes. Boil the carrot, peas and potatoes with salt till done. Slice the onions fine. Chop the tomatoes fine. Churn the curds and keep aside. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the onions. Roast till translucent. Drop in the coriander powder, Kitchen king Masala, chilly powder and Haldi. Toss on a gentle flame for a couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes. Roast for a couple of moments till they wilt. Add the cooked peas, carrot and potato mixture. Adjust the consistency of the gravy by adding as much water as required. It should be neither too thick nor thin. Boil well for a few minutes on gentle heat so that the flavours infuse and leave behind a thick gravy. Add the curd and give one boil. Garnish with coriander leaves. Mix well and serve hot with rotis, rice or bread.

Copyright © 2020 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

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This is an extremely simple mixed vegetable Kurma which can be made in just fifteen to twenty minutes. You can use vegetables of your choice, though I have used what I had on hand. Goes well with Roti, Naan or bread.

Ingredients :

100 gms shelled peas

100 gms carrots

One large potato

A small head of Cauliflower

Half of a green Capsicum

10 French Beans

1 large tomato

6 green chillies

6 cloves of garlic

2 inch piece of ginger

2 tbsps Curds

2 medium sized onions

5 cloves

1 heaped tbsp coriander seeds

1 inch piece of Cinnamon

2 cardamoms

5 pepper corns

1/4 tsp Cumin seeds

7 Cashewnuts

2 tbsps milk cream

A large pinch of Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp of Kashmiri Chilly powder

5 tbsps of grated coconut

3 tbsps Ghee/Clarified Butter

3 tbsps Oil

Salt

Coriander leaves for garnishing.

Method:

Peel the potatoes and carrots. String the French Beans. Wash and chop the potato, carrot,beans, capsicum and Cauliflower into bite sized pieces. Par boil the vegetables except the capsicum and keep aside.

Roughly chop the onions and tomatoes. Finely chop the coriander leaves. Keep aside.

Grind the Cashewnuts, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and pepper to a fine powder. Tip in the green chillies, ginger, garlic, coconut, tomato, onion and curds and grind together to a smooth paste.

Heat the ghee and oil mixture in a pan. Drop in the ground masala and roast it on a low flame till the raw smell of the spices is gone. Add the turmeric and chilly powder. Toss and add the chopped capsicum. Saute for a minute. Drop in the cooked vegetables, salt and enough water to form a gravy. The consistency should neither be too thick nor thin. Bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and cook for five minutes. Tip in the milk cream and finely chopped coriander leaves. Mix thoroughly and switch off the gas. Serve hot.

Copyright © 2020 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

Succulent Paneer cooked in a variety of spices will tickle your taste buds and leave you asking for more. Enjoy it with hot Tandoori Roti or Naan. It goes equally well with Chapati and Rice as well. I have checked out a number of recipes before I could get this the way I wanted.

Ingredients :

2 bay leaves
1 dry red chilli (broken in half)
2 green cardamoms crushed
1 black cardamom
2 cloves
3-4 black peppercorns
1 inch cinnamon stick (cut into pieces)

200 gms Cottage cheese (paneer)
1 cup capsicum diced
2 tbsp fresh curd (yogurt)
2 small onions cut into slices
4 tomatoes chopped
2-3 green chillies chopped
1 inch ginger minced
4-5 cloves garlic chopped
1/8 tsp saffron soaked in 1/2 cup of warm milk
1 tbsp fresh cream
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala powder

A large pinch of turmeric powder
1/2 tsp kitchen king masala or Garam masala
1 tsp butter or vegetable oil
coriander leaves chopped
Salt to taste

Method:

Cut the paneer into bite sized cubes.
Tip the cubes of paneer, diced capsicum, yogurt, fresh cream and salt into a bowl and mix them well. Keep aside.
Heat a pan, add oil or butter and add whole garam masala.
Saute well for a minute and then add green chillies, minced ginger and chopped garlic.
Saute for few seconds.
Add slices of onion and cook until onion turns light pink in colour.
Add chopped tomatoes, salt, red chilli powder and turmeric powder.
Cook until tomatoes become tender and flavored.
Add saffron mixture and 1/2 cup of water and cook until gravy becomes thick.
Cook on low flame, add marinated paneer along with capsicum and mix in the kitchen king masala .
Cook for 3-4 minutes and garnish with coriander leaves.

Copyright © 2020 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.