Zaiqa

Simple vegetable subzis are so good along with Roti and perfect for a light nutritious meal. Cauliflower is one such easily available, immensely nutritious vegetable that is usually ignored, disliked and not valued for its many benefits.

Phool Gobi ki Subzi – Cauliflower with Tomato and Onion

Did you know?
Cauliflower comes in 4 different colors, purple cauliflower, green cauliflower, orange cauliflower (also called as the ‘cheddar cauliflower’) and white cauliflower. The most common variety is the ‘White Cauliflower’. Cauliflower should be used within a day or two once they are brought home, as they begin to rapidly perish and loose their flavor. This ordinary veggie is abundant in vitamin-C, complex carbohydrates, folate, fibre and antioxidants. Hence it helps lower blood cholesterol and is good for your heart health. It also helps detoxify the body and reduces the risk of cancer as it contains several cancer-fighting and harmone regulating compounds.

Cauliflower can be incorporated into the diet in several different ways. In winters, I love to have a simple pureed cauliflower+asparagus bisque in the chilly winters. Cauliflower pakoda/fritters is great as a snack and I also prepare it for Iftaar during Ramadhan.

Chopped cauliflower florets and tender outer leaves

This subzi is one that I most usually prepare for meals at home. Do not discard the outer leaves of the cauliflower. Wash the cauliflower florets thoroughly in cold salted water and drain them in a colander. Discard the tough stems and chop the tender leaves and stems to add to the florets for the subzi.

Phool Gobi ki Subzi – Cauliflower with Tomato and Onion

Ingredients:

Canola Oil – 2 tsp
Yellow Onion – 1, large, finely sliced
Ginger-garlic paste – 2 tsp
White Cauliflower head – 1, medium sized, washed properly and cut into small florets along with its tender outer greens
Tomato – 3, large, washed properly and finely diced
Red chilli powder – 1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric – 1/4 tsp
Salt – to taste

Method:

1. In a saucepan at medium high heat, pour canola oil and as soon as it warms up, add the sliced onion and sauté them until they are soft. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry along for 30 secs.
2. Add the chopped tomatoes along with the red chilli powder and salt. Pour about 3o ml warm water and close the lid. After 1-2 minutes, add the cauliflower florets. Close the lid and let cook until the cauliflower is done. Sprinkle a little more water if needed. Serve along with Roti.

Tip: Any leftovers? Just finely chop the leftover subzi and use it as a stuffing for Parathas. Phool Gobi stuffed parathas are yummy and nourishing.

Luv,
Mona

Cool Caramel Custard Pudding in the summer weather is so satisfying and delightfully indulgent as a dessert for the epicurean. Below is my aunts recipe, which I have always savored and cherished.

Caramel Custard Pudding

The current recipe is a stove top preperation method for the pudding, so that people who do not have an oven also can prepare and enjoy this delicious dessert. I use an aluminium vessel (with a lid and the capacity of 500 ml) for this recipe that fits easily into the pressure cooker.

An Aluminium Vessel

The caramel custard pudding is cooked in the ‘double boiler’ method. The aluminium vessel with the caramel custard is placed into a larger saucepan with boiling water and allowed to cook until set.

Caramel Custard Pudding

Ingredients:

Sugar – 4 tbsp
Water – 1/4 cup
Milk – 500 ml
Sugar – 6 tbsp
Custard powder – 1 tbsp
Eggs – 4, large
Cardamom powder – a pinch

Method:

1. In an aluminium vessel, add the first two ingredients and stir to dissolve the sugar. Keep the vessel on medium high heat on the stove and let it cook until you see brown colored bubbles. Let it darken just a little bit. Remove the aluminium vessel from heat immediately using tongs and tilt the pan to spread the caramel evenly all around at the bottom of the pan. Let it cool, keep aside. This is the prepared Caramel, it sets quite quickly.
2. Now, in a different saucepan, boil milk once. Remove from heat and let it cool down. Once lukewarm, add the remaining ingredients and using a hand blender, blend it smooth. Or you could also whisk it for a minute using a whisk or an egg beater. Make sure the mixture is smooth. Using wire mesh strainer, strain it into the aluminium pan with the cooled caramel layer and cover with the lid. If you do not have a cover use an aluminium foil.
3. Take a large saucepan and put the covered aluminium vessel into it. Pour water carefully into the large saucepan, so that the aluminium pan is half way submerged into it. Cover the large saucepan with a lid and let it cook on medium high for 15-18 minutes. Later, remove from heat and let it cool down. Carefully remove the aluminium pan from the large saucepan and refrigerate it for about 2-3 hours. Serve it the same day. Just when you want to serve it, run a knife along the sides and carefully invert the aluminium pan onto a serving platter. Cut the pudding into wedges and serve immediately.

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With increasing number of H1N1 influenza (swine flu) cases worldwide, as well in my city of Toronto, I advise everyone to keep safe and take the necessary precautions. Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth unnecessarily. Take care!

Luv,
Mona

Dry dal with phulka or paratha are my favorite breakfast options. This usual combination is what I have been having since my childhood for breakfasts~simple, healthy, quick to prepare and comforting.

Saadi Dhulli Mash ki dal ~ Gingery black gram dhal with caramelized onions

Split husked black gram, also called as Dhulli Mash ki dal or Mash ki Dal in Urdu, are a kind of creamy white pulses, a good source of iron, protein and fibre and low in fats.

The fried onions added to the warm dal as a garnish impart a delicious rich sweet taste to the salted soft gingery dal adding a depth of flavors. A perfect accompaniment with Roti for a light delicious meal.

Saadi Dhulli Mash ki dal ~ Gingery black gram dhal with caramelized onions

Ingredients:

Yellow Onion – 1, large, finely sliced
Canola oil – 3 tbsp
Split husked black gram/Maash ki dal/Urad dal – 250 gms
Ginger – 1/4 tsp, finely grated
Salt – to taste
Small green chillies – 3, finely sliced, for garnish
Cilantro and Mint leaves – 1 tsp each, finely chopped, for garnish

Dhuli Mash ki Dal ~ Split husked Black gram, in a tea-cup

Method:
1. Wash and soak the dal for about 20 minutes in surplus fresh cool water.
2. Drain the soaking dal and add it to a pressure cooker. Pour in about 1 1/2 cups of fresh water and add ginger and salt. Pressure cook dal until soft but not mushy, probably for around 3-5 minutes on high heat. (Make sure that the dal retains its shape and is not overdone and pastelike)
3. Meanwhile pour oil in a frying pan and as soon as it warms up, add the sliced onion and fry them stirring continously until nicely browned. Make sure you do not burn them. Remove the fried onion using a slotted spoon onto a platter, draining as much oil as possible from the fried onions. Reserve the remaining oil in the pan.
4. Once the dal is done, remove it to a serving bowl. Garnish with sliced green chillies, cilantro and mint and the fried onion. Pour about 1 tbsp of the oil in which the onions were fried onto the dal. Serve immediately with Phulka or Paratha.

Suggested Accompaniments: Enjoy this delicious dal along with Phulka or Paratha and Tala huwa Adrak Lahsun (recipe below) on the side. My late Grandfather used to enjoy the dal along with ‘Dhoop-Numbu‘.

This delicious dal is my entry to the event ‘Delicious Dals from India’ being hosted by Suma at her blog Veggie Platter.

Tala huwa Adrak Lahsun – Ginger-Garlic paste Masala

Ingredients:

Ginger paste – 2 tbsp
Garlic paste – 2 tbsp
Red chilli powder – 2 tsp
Salt – to taste
Canola oil – 1 tbsp

Tala huwa Adrak-Lahsun – Fried Ginger-Garlic paste Masala

Method:

In a small non-stick frying pan with a heavy bottom at medium heat, pour oil and as soon as it warms up add the ginger and garlic pastes. Cover the pan with a splatter screen and stir fry it, stirring continously and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon around for 8-10 minutes. Add salt and red chilli powder and mix well. Remove from heat and enjoy it along with dal and roti as a side-dish.

Suggested Accompaniments: Tala huwa Adrak-Lahsun tastes delicious along with Saadi Mash Ki Dal or Moong Ki Dal.

An Update: I am sending my Hara Dhaniya aur Pudine Ki Chutney – Coriander and Mint Chutney over to Jhiva for Ingredients/JFI event, initiated by Indira originally. This month the theme is the most used asian herb ‘Cilantro’, known for its very aromatic and refreshing flavors, being hosted by Cilantro herself at her blog.

Luv,
Mona

This is one my family’s most loved dishes. Kofte ka Qorma is a tasteful dish in which the melt in mouth shallow-fried kofte/meatballs prepared from Shaami meat mixture are simmered in qorma, a spicy and fragrant yogurt masala gravy.

Kofte ka Qorma – Melt-in-mouth meatballs in a spicy fragrant sauce

There are usually two kinds of kofte/meatballs prepared. One type is that which is prepare from raw meat called as Kacche gosht ke kofte, in which raw meat marinated in spices and herbs are shaped into meatballs and later cooked to perfection in gravy; the other is the one which I am writing about today, when precooked delicate meatballs are simmered in gravy just before serving.

I prepare and store Shaami meat mixture in large amounts in zip lock sandwich bags and it lasts easily for around 3 months, but you store it for about an year frozen. I had earlier posted the method to prepare the shaami meat mixture here.

Round and small walnut size balls are prepared out of the cooked shaami meat mixture and shallow fried on all sides in a little oil. These are then left to simmer in the gravy. Be sure to add the meatballs just before you plan to serve them. If kept in the gravy to cook for a longer time before you serve, they may turn very soft and mushy as they already are delicate and velvety when shallow fried.

Kofte ka Qorma – Melt-in-mouth meatballs in a spicy fragrant sauce

For the Kofte:

Ingredients:

Makes 22 Kofte

Shaami meat mixture – 280 gms (the procedure to prepare Shaami meat mixture is given here)
Canola oil – to shallow fry

Right-Shallow fried Meat balls Left-Meatballs made from shaami meat
Behind – shaami meat in a zip lock sandwich bag

Method:
1. Take a small amount of the shaami meat and roll small walnut size balls out of it, gently between your palms. Continue until the entire mixture is finished. Arrange them all on a tray.
2. Shallow fry them in small batches in a small frying pan using a little amount of Canola oil until browned on all sides.

For Qorma (the masala gravy):

Ingredients:

Canola oil – 5 tbsp
Onions – 4, finely sliced
Yogurt – 400 ml, lightly whipped
Red chilli powder – 1 tbsp
Salt – to taste
Turmeric – 1/4 tsp
Ginger garlic paste – 1 1/2 tsp
Roasted Groundnut paste – 2 tbsp
Roasted Coconut paste/Coconut cream – 2 tbsp
Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
Chopped cilantro – 2 tbsp
Lemon juice – 1 tsp (optional)

Method:
1. Take a heavy bottomed non stick frying pan on medium heat and throw in the thickly sliced onion rings with no oil. Give them a stir and cover with a lid. Open the lid, and stir them again, add a few splaches of water and cover the lid again. Continue doing this until the onions are are caramelized and cooked. Transfer them into a blender container. Add the yogurt, roasted groundnut paste and roasted coconut paste/coconut cream and blend till it is a smooth puree.
2. Pour oil into the same pan, and add ginger garlic paste. Fry for a minute and add the pureed paste. Throw in red chilli powder, salt and turmeric and mix well. Cover and let cook for around 15-30 minutes on low heat until oil separates and floats on top while stirring occasionally in between. Add garam masala, chopped cilantro and pour in a about 1 1/2 glass of water and mix well (you can add more water if you prefer a thin consistency.) Half-Cover and let simmer for 8-10 minutes. Pour lemon juice and remove from heat. Serve immediately along with Naan or parathas or along with a Pulao or plain rice.

For the final curry preperation:

1. Just when you want to serve the curry, gently drop the shallow fried Kofte into the Qorma and bring to a boil. Simmer and let cook for 3 minutes.
2. Serve warm with Roti.

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I would like to ask the readers of my blog before I sign off for today ..
a) Are there any magazines, published in Hyderabad, showcasing local Hyderabadi food and recipes in English, Hindi or Urdu languages? If yes, please let me know which ones are your favorite?
b) Or in a larger picture, any good food and recipe magazines about authentic Indian food published in India?

My current favorite food magazine is ‘Everyday Food’ by Martha. Just loving it! It is not about Indian food though.

Luv,
Mona

Snacks at the evening time after a small afternoon siesta were always so looked forward to by us all kids during my childhood in Hyderabad. Mirchi ke bhajiye, Palak ki pakodi, Aloo ke bhajiye, Pyaz ki pakodi, Bhelpuri, Aloo cutlets with chutneys, Samosa, or a variety of Fruit-chaat etc are the usual typical Indian tea time snacks.

Black Chickpeas-Kala Chana     ~     White Chickpeas-Kabuli Chana
Top-Pressure cooked Chana; Middle-Soaked Chana; Bottom-Dried Chana

There are two types of Chickpeas found in the market, black chickpeas called as Kala Chana in Urdu, and white chickpeas called as Kabuli Chana in Urdu. The black chickpeas are also sprouted and consumed in salads or lightly stir fried for a nutritious snack.

Note: Fresh chickpeas are green in color, in fuzzy pods, and are called as Hara Chana or Hari Boot. Have a look at them here. Fresh green chickpeas are sweetish in taste and taste awesome when dry roasted in pods in pans on stovetop until lightly charred, then shelled and eaten warm. When these green fresh chickpeas are dried in sun, they get dark in color with brown skin and rock like, called as the Kala Chana or Black Chickpeas. When these black chickpeas are skinned and split, we get Chana Dal or Bengal Gram. Instead when the black chickpeas are roasted and then skinned, we get Phula Chana, also referred to as Dalia or Bhuna Chana or Roasted Chana.

Spicy Black Chickpeas – Chatpate Kale Chane

During a recent visit to one of the grocery stores here, I spotted a bag of Kala chana which I quickly bought home and decided to enjoy them the way one of my aunt used to prepare during my childhood which I had always loved.

Spicy Black Chickpeas – Chatpate Kale Chane

Ingredients:

Dried Black Chickpeas/Kala Chana – 200 grams
Salt – 2 tsp
Canola oil – 1 tsp
Kalonji – 1 tsp
Dried red chilli – 1, whole
Cumin seeds/Zeera – 1 tsp
Red Ripe Tomato – 2, medium sized
Amchur powder – 1 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1 1/2 tsp
Onion – finely chopped, for garnish
Cilantro – finely chopped, for garnish
Green chillies – finely chopped, for garnish

Method:

1. Wash and soak the dried kala chana covered overnight in cool fresh water.
2. The next day, drain the water and wash the kala chana in cool water. Drain and put them in a pressure cooker. Pour 1 glass of cool water and add salt into the cooker and pressure cook the chana until tender, around 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a pan at medium heat, pour oil and add the kalonji and zeera. As they splutter, add the tomatoes, stir and cover the pan for 2-3 minutes. Add the red chilli powder and amchur powder and stir them again. Add the pressure cooked kala chana with the water and stir gently to mix well, half cover the pan and let cook until it is mostly dry. Add a few more splashes of water if needed. Once done, the chana should be fairly dry.
4. Serve them into individual plates. Garnish with chopped onion, green chilli and cilantro. Enjoy with a cup of warm evening tea as a snack.

Luv,
Mona