Zaiqa

My father is not a very good cook, but he prepares a few dishes perfectly well, like Pyaz ka Anda, Ande ka Meetha, Khichdi, Nimrish Anda, etc. Among these dishes, Besan ka Salan is his favorite, which he very lovingly used to prepare while my Ammi fixed a few Parathas to go along with it for us all as the Sunday breakfasts during my childhood. 

Besan Ka Salan – Gram Flour Curry

Today I present you all with one of my beloved father’s favorite curry, which I enjoyed along with store brought Afghani Roti as my weekend breakfast today. Hope you enjoy it as well. 

Besan Ka Salan – Gram Flour Curry

Ingredients:

Chickpea flour/Besan – 1 cup
Canola oil – 2 tsp
Sliced Onions – 1/2 cup
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Salt – to taste
Small green chillies – 4, finely chopped
Warm Water – 2 cups
Chopped Cilantro – for garnish

Method:
-In a non-stick frying pan at medium heat, pour in canola oil and as soon as it warms up add the onions and fry them until they are golden brown in color. Add the besan and mix throughly. Roast the flour along with the onions for a minute or two, stirring it continuously until you achieve a rich orange-yellow color, similar to the color of turmeric, and a beautiful aroma. Be careful so that you do not burn it into brown and also that the flour does not form into lumps.
-Pour in warm water, add red chilli powder, salt and chopped green chillies and stir it all well and breaking any lumps of flour if present into a smooth paste with the back of a wooden spoon. Let it cook for 2-5 minutes until you achieve the desired pasty consistency. Taste for salt and chilli, add more if you wish. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve warm immediately.

Note:
1. Serve Besan Ka Salan immediately as soon as it is prepared, or else it will absorb the liquid and form a cake. If due to any reasons it has dried up, simply pour in a little more water so that it forms a paste and reheat it stirring it well. Serve right away.
2. Enjoy this curry along with Roti/Paratha/Phulka. Rice is a not good accompaniment to it.

Suggested Accompaniments: Serve Besan Ka Salan warm along with warm Roti or Parathas for a delicious breakfast.

Luv,
Mona

Todays post features a simple yet delicious subzi-roti combination which I enjoy as a breakfast or lunch or a dinner meal.

Bottle Gourd curry/Kaddu ka Salan with Layered Flat Bread/Varqi Roti

Today I prepared Varqi Roti and simple Bottle gourd curry for our lunch. The procedure for Varqi Roti is simple and I have explained it using the pictorial tutorial below:

This is the procedure how my Grandmother/Nani used to prepare Varqi Roti for her husband, my beloved late Grandfather/Nana, who was a Tehsildaar, from the state of Lucknow, a great foodie and food enthusiast.

Varqi Roti – Flaky Flat Bread

Makes : 7 Rotis

Ingredients:

Durum Wheat flour – 2 1/2 cups
Water – 2/3 cup
Salt – 1 1/2 tsp
Canola oil – for cooking the Roti

Method:

The materials used to prepare any flat bread/roti are a Girda and a Belan. Girda is a flat wooden board on which the flat bread/roti are rolled using the belan, which is the rolling pin.  If you did not happen to buy a girda from your trip to India, use any flat wooden board available or a any clean flat surface like your kitchen countertop or a wooden cutting board. Keep a kitchen towel below the board to keep it steady while rolling the roti with the rolling pin.

Girda & Belan (Image Source – Internet)

1. In a bowl, add the flour and salt and mix well. Gently pour in water, a little at a time, to form soft dough.
2. Make golf sized balls out of the dough and roll it using flour into circles using a rolling pin on the flat wooden board.

3. Sprinkle flour on the rolled out roti and fold it as shown in the picture. Keep sprinkling flour after every fold. Follow these steps until it is folded into a rectangle.

4. Once it is folded into a rectangle, roll it out into a roti again.
5. Heat a cast iron flat griddle/tawa on medium high heat. Once it is hot, put the rolled over prepared roti on the heated griddle. Let it cook for a few seconds. You will notice small bubbles on the roti. Flip it with a rubber spatula or a flat spoon which you have and cook it on the other side again for a few seconds.
6. Now quickly brush the roti with oil with a silicone basting brush or usian a teaspoon all over, and flip it over. Again, working quickly, spead the oil over the other side too and flip it to cook that side. Line a platter with a papertowel and remove the roti onto the lined platter. Cover the roti with a kitchen towel until all are done to keep warm. Alternately you can also use a ‘Milton casserole/hot-pot‘ to keep the rotis warm.

Milton Products – An Indian brand for household items that is my personal favorite

Opo Squash, Tomatoes, Onion

Bottle gourd is an another favorite subzi which we all enjoy a lot along with Roti for meals. The plants of bottle gourd produce vigorous climbing vines and tendrils with fragrant white flowers. Ammi had a large bottle gourd plant during my childhood. Bottle gourd are a good source of choline and various minerals. It is a commonly used vegetable in India. They have a spongy white flash with white seeds in a fibrous center pith. This easily digestable vegetable has a kind of bland but delicious taste, so it is used to prepare both sweet and savory preparations.

Kaddu Ka Salan – Bottle Gourd in Tomato-Onion gravy

Ingredients:

Bottle Gourd/Opo Squash/Kaddu – 1, small sized (it came to around 770 gms of chopped bottle gourd after peeling)
Canola Oil – 2 tsp
Yellow Onion – 1, large, finely sliced
Tomato – 2, medium sized, finely chopped
Salt – 1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric – 1/4 tsp
Red Chilli powder – 2 tsp

Method:

1. Wash, peel and chop the bottle gourd into small pieces. (You can either discard the peels or store them to prepare this delicious curry) (Discard if the seeds are hard, but if the seeds are tender, use them in the curry)
2. Pour oil into a pressure cooker at medium heat and as soon as it warms up, add the sliced onion. Let it cook till it is light brown in colour. Keep stirring occasionally. Once the onion is soft and browned, add the chopped tomatoes and cover the lid ajar for 2 minutes.
3. Add the bottle gourd, red chilli powder, turmeric, salt and 1/2 cup water. Mix well and cover the lid and pressure cook for about 8-10 minutes or until the bottle gourd is completely cooked. Serve the curry warm.

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Voting for the Lok Sabha Elections in India ends and Congress wins with Dr.Manmohan Singh returning to power as the Prime Minister of India for the second consecutive time.
Congratulations India!

Luv,
Mona

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

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