Indian is truly blessed to have so many preparation attributed to lentil. Even all regions of India do boast of several of the lentil preparations on its own or as in part with other ingredients. Also known as “Dal” or “Dahl”in Hindi, it is a bushy annual plant of the legume family and grows from a foot to a small tree and grows in pod. They stand up very well to dry conditions and after harvesting also keeps up well for a very long time without significant loss of nutrients or taste. India is the largest producer and consumer of all varieties of lentil just because of the simple reason of its availability and low price.
Lentil has been the excellent source of vegetarian protein since time immemorial and plays an important dietary role. It is not only easy to digest but also can be very interesting in taste and texture when prepared variedly and correctly. Used both with and without skin, they legume family boast of so many varieties from red to green, white to black, yellow to pink. There are also the split varieties which find their way into traditional recipes especially in India.

Some of the popular lentils found in Indian cuisine are as follows:
Urad Dal (Black lentil)- without skin whole and split (white colour) whole with skin
Chana Dal (Bengal Gram)- comes from black gram which is skinned and split to obtain yellow grain.
Moong Dal (Moong lentil)- whole comes in green, without skin in yellow colour. Essential ingredient for kichdi, a food for the invalids.
Arhar dal (Yellow lentil) also known as tur dal in the western part of India and very popular menu items in Indian restaurants.
Masoor dal (Red  lentil), the whole lentil with skin is similar to beluga or puy lentil, the skinned is known as masoor dal which is the inspiration of so many lentil preparation.
These are the traditional lentil and the other being choole (chickpea), kala chana (black/horse gram) etc and I am sure that there are so many across the world along with their recipes.

The skinned grains have short cooking time when compared to the whole one and are generally boiled into stew and tempered as per the choice. They can wither be boiled in a suitably large vessel or pressure cooked to save on time. The grain bursts open during the cooking process and thickens the preparation, but if required they can be thinned with hot water.

Apart from being a very good source of protein, they also contain carbohydrate, dietary fiber and also a good source of iron and vitamin B1. The blogs to follow will be dedicated to some of the lentil which we have listed above and their recipes.

Tags: gosht, sambhar, chettinad, handi, balti, chana, tikka masala, lentil, karahi, curries

Sesame seed:  Also known as til are available in black and white form. They also provide oil by cold processing process. It is used in Hyderabadi cuisine most notably in Baghare Baigan, Muslim cooking of Mumbai. They are also used in sweet making like til laddo, a favorite for Makar Sankranti festival which marks the beginning winter solistice.

Til ki Chutney
This chutney is one of the most famous recipes from the land of mountain, Uttarakhand. It also provides some heat in the coldness of night when it is enjoyed with either rice or local bread.
½ cup black sesame seed
2-3 Green chilies (amount can vary to contain the spice level)
1 big handful Coriander leaves, cleaned and chopped
5 Garlic cloves
2 lime, juiced
Salt to taste
Sugar 1/2 tsp (optional)

Method:
Dry Roast Til seeds in a pan on a moderate flame for 4-5 minutes. Remove from the pan and put in a plate to cool down.  In a blender grind together sesame seeds, green chilies, chopped coriander leaves, garlic cloves with little water until smooth. Remove from blender and add lemon juice, salt and sugar.
Serve with either rice or kuttu roti (buckwheat flour flatbread).

Chaar Magaz: It is not a very popular terminology in common parlance but most of the professional Indian cook will vouch for their prominent role for their exotic gravies reserved for special occasions. Char literally translated means four and char magaz consists of pumpkin seed, melon seed, water melon seed and cucumber seed. Some of the mix also uses sunflower seeds known as Charoli. They are used in paste form in many preparations with white gravy and and in desserts and Thandai.

Pine nuts: Also known as chilgoja in Hindi which is almost becoming extinct due to shrinkage in its cultivation area in North Indian mountain region. It is one of the most important ingredients for Italian Pesto sauce and to certain extent for India desserts and curries.

Walnut: while most of the people are not familiar with the culinary usage of walnut because it is eaten in India mostly on its own. Even oil derived from walnut is very popular in India either. They are also a popular snack item on its own where they can be spiced with the mixture of chili powder, cumin powder, curry powder, salt and egg white (for binding) and roasted in a moderately hot oven.

Makhana: It is a roasted and popped kernel of lotus seed and is very popular as a fasting food item and also considered pure enough to be offered to God during the fasting period. It is easily digestible and has positive nutritional aspect and is also a very famous and light pass time snacks. Please find below the most famous recipe of Makhane ki kheer and enjoy

Makhane ki kheer
3 cup tightly packed Makhane
5 cup full fat milk
½ cup Condensed milk (optional)
½ cup Sugar
Cardamom Powder
For garnish
Almonds sliver
Cashews, sliced thinly
Pistachios sliver
Golden raisin

Method:
Roast the makhane in a pan/ oven until dry and crispy but not colored. Remove from pan and allow cooling. Pulse them coarsely in food processor or alternatively chop them roughly.

Bring the milk to boil in a large deep bottom pan and add the coarsely chopped Makhane. Cook on low heat, stirring from time to time to prevent sticking to bottom.
When makhane has mixed completely in and the mixture has turned creamy, almost 60-90minutes.

Now add condensed milk, sugar and stir to dissolve completely.  Add raisin and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and garnish with almond, cashewnut and pistachio.

Tags: indian curry, bhatura, dosa, palak, chana, sambhar, chicken, indian food, desi, roti

Most of us are fortunate to have snacked on nuts like cashews, almonds, pistachios, peanuts either plain or toasted and know the taste and flavor. Their culinary usage does not bring vivid memories except, perhaps for peanut chutney. The diverse range of seeds also intrigues the conventional cooks and challenges their expertise to successfully incorporate them in their day to day cooking. It is not that the challenge is not there for the Chef but what comes to their aid is their continual exposure to variety of them including imported.

One might have come across kormas dishes and the one described as being in white gravy, which traces its root from Mughal kitchen, uses a blend of nuts and seeds paste and impart their own rich character to the finished dishes.

Some of the notable dishes where one may come across their application, even though they are becoming expensive with each passing day & also witness their less favored substitute, are kormas- both vegetarian and meat, chutneys like sesame and peanut, desserts mainly as garnish like slivered almond and pistachio.

Here we list some of the most famous nuts and seeds as follows:
Almond: While most of the original Lucknowi recipes which has been using almonds for centuries, they are being replaced by easily available and less costly cashew nut as India is a major processing centre of imported kernels. They are also used extensively for garnishing a variety of Indian dishes in slivered form.

Cashew nut: Grown extensively in South India (Kerala) and Goa, they hardly find their way into local cuisine. They come into three different varieties like broken, half and full.

Peanut: Grown in most part of India they are used extensively in west coast cuisine and in the most famous peanut chutney from South India. It is also the most famous time pass snacks, as it is called in common parlance, for common people travelling by train or bus.

White poppy seed: Primarily used a thickening agent in the form of a paste in Mughlai and Hyderabadi cuisine. Some of the people also make Halwa (Indian pudding). It comes from the same plant which produces opium but in no way used for their narcotic values as it loses most of its sedative properties when it ripens.

Mustard seeds: Mustard seeds as a paste are almost exclusively used in Bengali cuisine and seeds as a tempering are used in South India cuisine. Mustard and fish are natural companions and western cuisine are replete with recipes of the same but confined to just Sarson Maach and some other vegetable preparation in West Bengal.

Pista: known as pistachio in English, it is a popular snack item with drinks when salted in their own shell. They are also used as a garnish on Indian sweets like kheer (Indian milk pudding) and the most famous of all the pista Kulfi (Milk and pista ice cream) and pista burfi (Indian milk cake).
While the reading on nuts and seeds and their application are always very interesting particularly on the backdrop of their vast culinary usage, rest of the information will be carried on in the second blog of nuts and seeds.

Tags: bhatura, chana, curries, paneer, karahi, kebab, gosht, lentil, balti, roti

Even though the first nine days of Navratri celebration will essentially be vegetarian cuisine for most of the household celebrating the festival, it will keep the housewives, accomplished as well as the amateur cooks busy in honing their skill to prepare a lavish spread. The cost of vegetables are proving to be a dampener this time in this part of world due to unprecedented rains in most part of Maharashtra and flood at Nasik which is main source of supply to Mumbai and adjoining regions. Nevertheless, once in a year event will prevail and curries and kormas will again demand the limelight.

If one carefully browses through the menus available during the feast, most of the dishes would be similar to certain extent but the taste and flavor would be unique to each household.  Today we will take a look at the various menu options available which will help you to plan your menu for the occasion if you are looking for more than the usual festival foods.

Sweet Dishes:
Malpua (pancake in sugar syryp), Misti Doi (sweetened and thickened yogurt), Cheenar Payesh (Milk and nuts pudding), Rasgulla and rasmalai(sweetened cottage cheese dumpling), Kesar kheer (saffron flavoured rice pudiing), sabudana ki kheer (sago and milk pudding), makhane ki kheer (lotus root and nut pudding), Mingi paak (melon seed and reduced milk pudding) etc.

The appetizer may include:
Traditional aloo chaat, kurkure aloo (stuffed crispy potato), crispy colocassia (kurkuri arbi), Baingan bhaja (Aubergine fritter), sabudana vada (sago fritter), Dahi –papdi chaat (yogurt and semolina crisp appetizer), ghughni (spicy black gram preparation), exotic kachouri with chutneys etc.

The mention of main courses will sound like the never ending fable consisting of pleasant surprises such as
Gatte ki subji, matar paneer, dal panchratan, gul gobhi etc from Rajsthan to Tooriya posto charchari, aloo potol, cholar dal with coconut slivers, Luchi (Bengali pooris), sukhto (mix vegetable with bitter gourd). The western region may boast of preparations like kacche kele ke kofte (plaintain dumpling), aloo khus khus, kuttu ki poori and parathe (variety of buckwheat bread), cumin tempered rice, sabudana khichdi (sago and vegetable gruel), etc.

And the peripherals like pumpkin chutney, peanut chutney, aubergine pickle, moong sprout salad, tandoori fruit salad etc. Some of the very exotic recipes are also contained in the Indian Curry Manual available with us, so go ahead and try. Happy Navratri and Dusshera.

- Kuntal

Tags: chana, indian curry, tandoor, sambhar, karahi, vindaloo, kebab, desi, tandoori, handi

It is a happy co-incidence that last few days of Ramazan which culminated with Eid overlapped with the beginning of the days of Navratri which will culminate with Dusshera, the biggest festivals of Hindu. This assumes significance and encourages people to celebrate the festivals with each other, share the festive cuisine and develop the understanding for each other’s religion. It should also help bridge the gap of opinions and opinion-makers who should take pride in the long standing tradition of mutual trust and respect.

The celebration of Navratri is an opportunity to showcase the multitude of cuisine on offer across the whole of India and also re-emphasize the complexity and vastness of regional Indian cuisine. Some of the people who observe a fast during the day eat only one meal after the sunset without any intake of cereals or cereal based products. Even the salt used for the preparation of simple food is not so commonly used (Sendha namak), otherwise known as Rock salt. The food for the entire nine days of fasting is simple vegetarian and some of the houses do not even use onion and garlic to ensure “Saatvik (aesthetic) meal experience for the entire family.

In the parts of Maharashtra and Gujrat, the festival provides a unique opportunity to flex the dance skill popularly known as Dandiya/Garba which is played with two sticks. It does require some skill to play the sticks in tandem with each other and people do practice a lot to appear good in the company of other skilled players.

The feast in the east involves the best of fish dishes with generous amount of sweet dishes like payas (rice, milk and nuts pudding), and sandesh (range of reduced milk based sweets). It also brings the rich version of Indian cuisine which otherwise remains subdued for most part of the year barring few such occasions. One of the very popular recipes found during the occasion is “kachori” which can either be sweet or savoury with or vary from place to place as far as stuffinf is concerned.

Kachori
1 Cup refined flour
2tbsp ghee
½ cup split moong lentil(soaked)
¼ tsp Fennel seeds powder
¼ ajwain seeds
½ tsp Cumin  powder
¼ tsp Garam masala
½ tsp Red chilli powder
Pinch  Baking powder
Vegetable Oil for frying
Salt to taste

Method:
Sieve flour with baking powder, add salt and stir well. Add enough water to make a smooth but semi hard dough. Rest for 30 minutes to improve the gluten.

Grind the soaked moong lentil coarsely. Heat ghee in a frying pan, crackle ajwain seeds followed by ground lentil and cook on medium heat to remove extra moisture. Add all the powders and stir to mix well. When the moong lentil paste will be almost semi-dry, remove from heat and allow cooling.

Divide the dough into equal balls, roll the dough a little, encase a small amount of stuffing and roll the dough ball round. Flatten a little using the palm of one hand and fingers of another. Heat the vegetable oil in a kadhai/ wok and deep fry the kachoris/ patties until nice golden brown. Drain on a kitchen towel to remove excess oil and serve with either chutney or pickle of your choice.

- Kuntal

Tags: tikka masala, indian food, karahi, paneer, chicken, indian curry, balti, bhatura, chana, kulfi

Celebrations of festivals have assumed significant proportions in the wake of religious unrest and much could have been contained by understanding the true values behind the festivals.

Sharing the food with neighbours and relatives has always been at the forefront of the culmination of these festivities which fostered brotherhood, understanding and empathy. While tracing the history of communal dining, one comes across the real purpose and noble motive behind such occasion.

Eid markes the end of fasting during the months of Ramazan or Ramadan and is celebrated starting on the first day of the lunar month of Shawwal. I also recount some of the occasions of lavish dining along with some of my friends celebrating Eid . How can I forget the aroma which used to permeate the entire room with exotic spices and curries. Zarda pulao, meat curries, biryanis, sewai (sevaiyan) laden with nuts,  evoke some fond memories of those evening experiences in the company of friends.

Recipe : Zarda Pulao
1 cups Basmati rice  (Long grain rice as a substitute)
1 ½ cups milk
½  cup water
½  cups sugar
½  cup ghee
½ cup mixed dried fruits
6 whole cloves
3 sticks cinnamon
few strands of saffron diluted with warm water
Pinch of salt

Method:
Wash the rice with soft hand twice or thrice until the water runs clear and then, soak for 15 minutes.
Melt ghee in a cooking pan and add cloves and cinnamon, fry for a minute until fragrant. Add rice and continue frying until all the grains are well coated with ghee. Pour milk and water over the rice and raise the heat to medium high. Add sugar and diluted saffron and cook for another 10minutes until the rice is cooked and fluffy.

Note: Some of houses also use canned pineapple which is diced and added to the pulao during the last minute of the cooking of rice. If using fresh pineapple, simmer on low heat in sugar syrup before adding to the rice.

Tags: roti, vindaloo, tikka masala, paneer, desi, tandoori, curries, sambhar, bhatura, murgh

Mughlai food is known for its richness. It is famous for the exotic use of spices, dried fruit and nuts. The Mughals did everything in style and splendor. Since they ate very rich food they reduced the number of intake during the day. Mughlai dishes as they are called have lots of milk and cream with spices to make rich and spicy meal that is the reason why Mughlai recipes are rich in fat, carbohydrates and proteins.
With the advent of the Muslims, India witnessed a definite and indelible mark in its cuisine. The Muslims ruler did everything with panache and extravagance which also got translated into the culinary nuances. The idea of community dining with lavish and extravagant banquets was introduced to India and formed a part of the courtier’s life. Dishes were served in jade, silver and Chinese porcelain.  The splendor of the Mughal/Muslim cuisine is reflected in the Muglai Cuisine of India which is the richest and the most lavish in the country. The mutton kebabs were accented with spices, the rice preparation of India were cooked with meat and turned into wonderful biryanis, and mutton roasts were now flavored with Indian herbs, spices and seasonings.  Also, Indian dishes were garnished with not so common almonds, pistachios, cashews and raisins.

India was also introduced to leavened breads by the Muslims.  At this time the tandoor, the clay oven was created by the royal chefs.  The Indian rotis and the leavened breads were merged into Tandoori breads like roti and naan. Meats were now marinated in yogurt and spices and also cooked in tandoors.  Both pork and beef were avoided to respect the traditions of both cultures.  The idea of concluding a meal with sweet-meats was introduced as the Persian rulers loved sweets. As one of the foremost authority on Mughal cuisine has recently remarked “The Mughlai cuisine has casted the most permanent influence on the similar other regional cuisine like that of Awadh and Hyderabad”.

Until the second decade of 19th century, the city of Awadh was under the Mughal rule put under the charge of a Nawab. Awadhi cuisine is from the city of Lucknow which is the state capital of Uttar Pradesh and the cooking pattern has drawn a considerable amount of influence from Mughal cooking style and bears resemblance to those of Hyderabad and Kashmir. The cuisine consists of both vegetarian and meat dishes which employs the dum style of cooking or cooking over slow fire which has become synonymous with Lucknow.

As opposed to conventional thought, Awadhi food does not make use of hundred-odd spices to produce each dish but a blend of handful but not so common spices. The truth lies in the manner in which the food is cooked on a slow fire. This process allows the juices to be absorbed well into the solid parts. All nutrients are retained in the food through this process.  In addition to the major process of cooking food in Awadhi style, there are also other important processes such as marinating meats in order to produce a delightful taste. This is especially the case with barbecued food that might be cooked in a clay oven of over an open fire.

Fish, red meats, vegetables and cottage cheese may be marinated in curd and spices. This helps to soften the taste and texture of them as well as remove any undesired odors from the fleshy materials. They were often cooked on tawa, the flat iron griddle, as opposed to Mughlai influence and bear a testimony to the local influence and convenience. Some of the tawa preparations are, in fact, equally, if not more, famous like tandoori kebabs and tikkas.

- Kuntal

Tags: handi, indian curry, gosht, dhokla, kebab, tandoori, chicken, karahi, lentil, desi

Herbaceous perennial plant is used worldwide in powder form and revered for its colouring and flavouring qualities. Fresh turmeric is generally available in the cold months from December to late March and is superior in many ways to dried form. Even though it is the essential component of curries, they also find their way into chutneys, pickles, commercial mustard, sauces, biscuits, pop corn etc.

The history of turmeric dates back to the pre-historic era and duly recognized in Ayurveda for their medicinal properties like antiseptic qualities for cuts, burns and bruises. The most commonly recognized brand which you have seen frequently on TV is ”Vicco Turmeric”. Some of the sunscreen cream also uses the turmeric in their formulation. The brides in India are also smeared with turmeric before their marriage to impart glow to their skin and make it impeccable. In the recent past 256 research papers were produced in US alone and trials are underway to establish their beneficial effects for Alzheimer’s disease, Liver disorder and pancreatic cancer.

Fresh Turmeric pickle
2 medium size fresh turmeric, peeled and sliced thinly
1 medium knob ginger, peeled and sliced thinly
1+1tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
A pinch asafetida
1 tbsp yellow mustard powder
1/2 cup lime juice
few green chilies, slit halfway
salt to taste

Method:
Heat 1 tbsp of sunflower oil in a pan, crackle mustard seeds until fragrant, remove from pan and add asafetida. Transfer to a manual mortar and pestle and allow to cool. When cold crush them with pestle until coarsely ground. Add mustard powder to fenugreek mixture and stir well.

In a glass bowl, place turmeric and ginger and smear with the mustard mixture until all the pieces are well coated. Add lime juice, green chili and salt. Heat another tbsp of oil until smoking and pour it onto the pickle, mix well and allow to cool. Store in a dry glass jar and occasionally put into the sun for about 30 minutes. Serve it after a week.

- Kuntal

Tags: vindaloo, dosa, karahi, dal, handi, chana, naan, idli, indian food, bhatura

Sometimes erroneously called as lemon in India, lime is the most commonly used souring agent in India. India is the original home to both lime and lemon and to a large extent quite replaceable in the recipe. Thus a so called lemon recipe will actually be based on lime. In Hindi the lemon and lime would be respectively called “galgal” and “nimbu”. The juice of either of them would be added towards the end of the cooking process as acid interferes with the protein of the food and prolong the cooking time.
Generally green to yellow they are valued highly for their culinary usage like lemon drink, lemonade, cocktail, cocktail garnishes and in food like lime based desserts, lime butter sauce for fish, pickling etc. It is also one of the versatile ingredients found on the kitchen shelves as most part of it can be used like leaves, fruit, juice, peel and oil.

Medicinal uses
Internally, with leaves infused as an herbal tea, it is helpful for bilious headaches. The fresh juice is also used to counter diarrhea. The lemon pickle, as such, is also used to cure the mild case of dyspepsia and served with congee/ over-boiled sticky rice.  Those who wish to forgo the bad habit of bed tea which is one of the causes of gastroenteritis can start their day with lemon-ginger –honey concoction. A few drops of lemon juice added for the final rinse of hair with water can also do wonder with the lackluster hair. Essential oil distilled from lime also energizes the otherwise tired mind and relieves anxiety.

Plain white pickle
20+10 lime
½ cup sea salt

Method:
Cut 10 limes into half and press the halves to extract the juice. Lightly rub the rest of the lime against a rough surface to just remove the top skin. In a medium glass jar put all the rubbed lime, add lime juice and salt and cover with the lid. The salt will drain out the water from lime and will form brine for the pickle. Put the jar in sun everyday for 2 two hours which mellows the pickle and make it ready for consumption. Allow to age for 2 weeks before eating.

Note: For the spicy lime pickle, quarter the lime and add chili powder, sliced ginger, turmeric, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, mustard oil, salt and sugar. Allow to mature for 4 days before eating.

Tags: chana, desi, murgh, kulfi, curries, dosa, tandoori, lentil, idli, chettinad

Even though tamarind is referred to as indigenous to India, but it travelled all the way from Africa or most precisely Sudanese and adjoining region. It was also known a long back in Egypt and Greece.  The husk looks vaguely like a withered and dried feves (fava beans). When the husk is removed, it reveals the sticky brown pulp with the seed. The pulp is revered for its souring quality and is one of the most staple ingredients of South Indian cuisine.

Even though extracting the pulp from the seeds can be a little tough but it is worth all the effort as using the fresh has definitive benefit against the readymade paste but to confess tamarind concentrates have become very popular over the years. Even though exclusively used for its souring properties, it also exhibits some medicinal properties like a potent fighter against digestive disorders, the leaves also is said to have anti malarial properties when taken as an herbal infusion.

The recipe which we have included here is one of the most famous tangy chutney eaten during all festivals where it enhances so many of the culinary delights.

Tamarind chutney

1 cup tamarind
1/2 cup dates deseeded
1 cup jaggery
2 cups water
2 nos. red chili whole
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp salt

METHOD:
Soak the tamarind in equal amount of warm water to release the pulp. Work slowly until all the seeds are removed.  Place the tamarind, dates, jaggery and water in a deep boiling pan. Slowly bring to boil, add red chili, fennel seeds and salt, reduce to simmer for 10-12 minutes until chutney starts to come together. One of the tricks to know whether the chutney is ready is to coat the back of the spoon thinly; if it does it is ready. Cool to room temperature, then store in clean airtight container and refrigerate.
Use with chat, aloo tikki, dahi bhalla etc.

Regards, Kuntal

Tags: naan, karahi, idli, indian food, kulfi, tikka masala, chettinad, gosht, bhatura, palak