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Hi Guys !!!

As this is my first blogpost, I’ll try to keep it simple and introduce you to what is my blog or as I like to call it “My Journey”. So, hi my name is Pankhuri and I am a 20 year old Average Indian girl who is currently in college trying to complete her graduation degree. But apart from this I am also a big time foodie. I can devour Indian food at anytime, anywhere, with or without anyone, but the only problem with this is that being a college student I am always broke. Which means that I cannot most of the time afford those good and fancy meals that I see on Instagram food blogger pages. But obviously that doesn’t mean that I should devoid myself from the simple joys of life such as FOOD. Therefore this blog is my journey from learning the basics of Indian cooking to then start cooking those yummylicious Indian food items like Dal Makhani, Butter Chicken, Jalebi etc soon. (I HOPE…)

DISH 10: BESAN LADOO

This is the second sweet dish I am trying out, and let me tell you with the experience I had gained by making the last sweet dish, I was super ready for this one. Although honestly I am not at all a fan of sweets, but I think I am becoming a fan of making them. I have seen these ladoos being made by all the generations of women in my family, at any occasion or festival. The last time I tried my hands on them I ended up crumbling all the ladoos I held in my hands, but this time it was way way way better.

Here’s the recipe of Besan Ladoo for all the ladoos in the house.

Ingredients:

  • Besan 1 ½ cup
  • Rawa 3 tablespoon
  • Sugar 3/4 cup Powdered
  • Ghee ½ cup melted
  • Cashews 1/4 cup chopped
  • Cardamom Powder 1 tablespoon

How to make Besan Ladoo:

  • Take a heavy bottom pan. Add in besan, sooji, ghee and mix well.
  • Start roasting on a medium heat for 15 mins till they turn golden and smell so nutty and toasted.
  • Remove them to a bowl and leave them to cool down.
  • Once they have cooled and bit, Add in powdered sugar, cardamom, nuts and mix well.
  • Form them into balls and keep them aside.
  • Serve your guests the ladoos.

DISH 9: ALOO GOBHI

Another popular dish in Uttar Pradesh specifically during the summer season is Aloo gobhi. It is a side dish that pairs best with arhar dal and roti, but one can also have it with puri. This dish is also made in curry or dry variety, but I prefer the latter and therefore cooked that. This dish is really easy and gets made in the least time possible, therefore making it the best alternative for a meal outside.

The recipe of Aloo gobhi is here to rescue us broke college students.

Ingredients:

  • Cauliflower florets 300 gm
  • Boiled potatoes 200 gm
  • Green peas 100 gm
  • Coriander leaves 1 Cup
  • Oil 3 Tablespoons
  • Salt as taste
  • Shahi jeera  ½ Teaspoon
  • Fresh curd  2 Cups
  • Ginger paste  ½ Teaspoon
  • Garlic paste ½ Teaspoon
  • Black pepper powder – ½ Teaspoon
  • Clove 1
  • Green cardamom powder 1
  • Black salt  ½ Teaspoon
  • Kasoori methi 1 Teaspoon
  • Lemon juice 1 Tablespoon

How to make Aloo gobhi:

  • In a bowl, mix all the ingredients for the marinade.
  • Marinade the cauliflower, potatoes, and peas in the marinade for at least 30 minutes.
  • In a frying pan, add the shahi jeera, when it crackles add the marinated vegetables and toss them well.
  • Cook for 5-6 minutes uncovered.
  • Once it’s ready, remove it from the heat and garnish it with coriander leaves and serve hot with roti.

DISH 8: DAL MAKHNI

Yes finally, I felt ready to cook the “Dal o ki dal” Dal Makhni. This is the dal which tastes good in summers, winters, parties, weddings, anywhere to be precise. Dal makhani is not comfort food it is rich food. It is the food that helps you feel royal or Mughlai to be precise. I have had this dal almost at every function I have ever attended. But the best version I’ve ever had is my nani’s. Honestly. i was nowhere close to it, but still i was happy with what I could make. Also Dal makhni tastes the best with naan or garlic naan.

Here’s the recipe for Dal makhni to make you feel rich on the days when you are broke.

Ingredients:

  • 3⁄4cup Urad Dal
  • 1⁄4cup Rajma
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 8 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 inches gingerroot, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
  • 1⁄2 cup fresh cream
  • 1 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • Salt

How to make Dal Makhni:

  • Soak whole black urad and rajma overnight in 3-4 cups of water.
  • Cook the soaked dal and rajma in the same water with salt, red chili powder and half the chopped ginger till dal and rajma are cooked and soft.
  • Peel and chop the onion, ginger and garlic finely. Also chop the tomatoes.
  • Heat oil and butter in a pan. Add cumin seeds, when it crackles add chopped onions and fry till golden brown.
  • Add chopped ginger, garlic and chopped tomatoes. Saute till tomatoes are well mashed and fat starts to leave the masala. Add boiled dal and rajma to this. Do not add the liquid at first. Crush the dals with the back of the ladle while stirring continuously, this gives that creamy texture to the dal .
  • Add the liquid and some water if required and simmer on very low heat for 15 minutes.
  • Add fresh cream and garam masala powder let it simmer for another 5 minutes. Finish off with a couple of pinch of Kasoori methi powdered.
  • Serve hot with Naan or Parantha.

DISH 7: RAJMA

This is one of those dishes that I actually did not grow up eating and therefore was never really fond of it. But then once I shifted from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi I got to taste Rajma over here, and my god should I say this that we did not know how to make delicious Rajma in Uttar Pradesh, because now Rajma is bae and obviously who can beat the combination of piping hot rajma and rice.

Below you’ll find the recipe for Rajma just like the one you’ll find in Delhi.

Ingredients:

  • 500 Gram Rajma
  • Salt to taste
  • 1/2 Litre Water
  • 2 Tbsp Refined oil
  • 1/2 Tbsp Cumin seeds
  • 1/2 Tbsp Cloves
  • 2 Brown cardamom
  • 1 Onion, chopped
  • 5 cloves Garlic, chopped
  • 1 tsp Ginger, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp Red chilli powder
  • 1 tsp Coriander powder
  • 1 tsp Cumin powder
  • 2 Tomatoes, chopped
  • A pinch of Sugar
  • Few Coriander leaves
  • 1 Green chilly, finely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp Butter
  • 3 Tbsp Curd
  • 1/2 Lime juice

How to make Rajma:

  • Soak the rajma overnight and pressure cook it. While the rajma is boiling, heat some oil in another pan.
  • Add to this cumin seeds, cloves and brown cardamom. Saute, crackle and fry these spices to release their flavors. Add the chopped onion. Saute till the onions turn brownish.
  • Add to this the chopped ginger and chopped garlic. Saute them all together. Now add the  turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and little salt for taste.
  • Turn up the heat and dry roast all the powdered spices. Mix them all well. Add a little bit of water to this onion-spice mix the spices.
  • Let the pan dry up of all the water you added. When the pan screams out for more moisture that’s when you add the tomatoes.
  • Mix the onions, tomatoes and spices well. Add some water to prevent the mix from drying out. Now add the green chillies and some coriander leaves, mix well for a minute or two.
  • Now remove the pan from the heat and add this spice mix to the pan in which the rajma was boiling.
  • Turn up the heat and add butter and curd. Mix them well with the rajma. Squeeze half a lemon into the rajma.
  • Cover it, lower the heat and let the rajma simmer for about 10 – 15 minutes.
  • Stir it a bit and then serve the rajma hot with rice.

DISH 6: SHAHI PANEER

Since now I have gotten the knack of cooking just a little, I decided it is now time to start cooking something that is fit for the queen that I am. Hence I decided to cook Shahi paneer. A dish which always reminds me of all the times I have ever visited an Indian or Mughlai restaurant with my family for dinner. What a dish it is, especially when you have a naan or butter roti to accompany it.

Here’s the recipe of Shahi paneer that’ll cater to all the kings and queens out there.

Ingredients:

  • Paneer
  • Cashews
  • Onion,tomato, ginger, garlic, green chili
  • Green cardamoms,cloves, cinnamon sticks
  • Red chili powder, coriander powder, black pepper powder, garam masala, green cardamom seeds powder & dried fenugreek leaves
  • Saffron
  • Heavy whipping cream
  • Cilantro

How to make Shahi Paneer:

  • Soak the cashew nuts in warm water for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile prep rest of the ingredients, after soaking them grind them into smooth paste and keep it aside.
  • Take onion, ginger, garlic, green chili, green cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon sticks in a pan. Add water and turn the heat on high.Bring it to a boil. Once it starts boiling lover the heat to medium.
  • Let it simmer for 8-10 minutes or till onions get soft and translucent. Turn off the stove heat and let it cool slightly. Then grind into a smooth paste using grinder or blender and remove the paste to a bowl.In the same jar, puree the tomatoes and keep it aside.
  • Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add prepared onion paste and stir. Cook till all the moisture evaporates, for about 4-5 minutes, then add the tomato puree. Mix and continue cooking.
  • Again cook till all the moisture evaporates and oil starts to ooze out from the sides. Do stir occasionally to make sure that it is not sticking to the bottom of the pan.
  • Add salt, red chili powder, coriander powder and black pepper powder. Mix and cook for a minute.
  • Add the cashew paste and stir well, immediately add water otherwise it will start to stick to the pan. Mix well and let it simmer for 4-5 minutes.
  • Then add garam masala and kasoori methi. Mix well.
  • Now add saffron strands and mix.
  • Add paneer pieces. Mix and let it simmer for 2 minutes. Adjust the gravy consistency at this time if needed.
  • Add heavy cream.
  • Add cardamom powder.
  • Stir and curry is ready to serve.

DISH 5: SHAHI TUKDA

I decided since I usually tend to not make myself useful to my mum during the festivals, this Dussehra I’ll surprise her a little by making myself useful. So I took up the humungous task of cooking up a sweet dish for my family. I used to have Shahi tukda when I was younger and was living in Uttar Pradesh. There was a very famous confectioner at the corner of the street where I was living, my father used to treat me to those Shahi tukdas anytime I achieved something in my life. Who would have had thought that bread could be this delicious?

Here’s the recipe that’ll make two things, one Shahi tukda and second your mum happy.

Ingredients:

  • Oil for deep frying
  •  8 slices white bread, crusts removed and cut into 4 squares
  •  1/4 cup cashews
  •  1/4 cup sliced almonds
  •  2 tablespoons pistachio nuts
  •  1 1/4 cups whole milk
  •  5 tablespoons evaporated milk
  •  3/4 cup white sugar
  •  1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  •  1 pinch saffron

How to make Shahi Tukda:

  1. Heat oil in a large saucepan. Fry the bread slices in the hot oil until deep, golden brown; drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Fry the cashews, almonds, and pistachio nuts in the hot oil until golden brown; remove from oil and set aside to cool. Chop roughly.
  2. Bring the milk to a gentle boil in a pan over medium-low heat; continue boiling until the volume of milk reduces by about half. Pour the evaporated milk into the pan and add the sugar, cardamom, and saffron; simmer together 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
  3. Arrange the fried bread pieces in a shallow dish large enough to allow them to be laid in a single layer. Evenly pour the milk mixture over the bread. Scatter the chopped nuts over the bread. Chill in refrigerator until completely cold, 1 to 2 hours.
  4. Bring them out from the refrigerator after an hour or two and then plate them up.

DISH 4: ALOO MATAR

So, guess what today I was lying down on my bed trying to decide what should I try making today, when my mum shouted at me and called me a “couch potato”. So yeah, then I decided to cook a potato dish that is close to my heart and stomach. Aloo matar can be a curry or a dry vegetable dish. I like the curry version of aloo matar, so I tried my hands on that. Also guess who cooked some rice with it? Me…Although it can be eaten with roti, parantha, puri or rice.

Here’s how you can have a bowl of heartwarming curry aloo matar.

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup Green peas
  • 2 medium Potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 1 large Tomato, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons Oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon Mustard Seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
  • 2 teaspoons Cumin-Coriander Powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
  • 2 tablespoons Coriander Leaves, finely chopped
  • Salt to taste
  • 3/4 cup Water

How to make Aloo Matar:

  • Peel and wash the potatoes. Cut them into small cubes.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pressure cooker over medium flame. Add mustard seeds; when they begin to crackle, add cumin seeds.
  • When cumin seeds turn light golden, add finely chopped tomato.
  • Stir and cook until tomato pieces turn soft. Add 2 teaspoons cumin-coriander powder, 3/4 teaspoon red chilli powder and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder.
  • Stir and cook for a minute.
  • Add chopped potatoes, green peas and salt.
  • Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add 3/4 cup water and mix well.
  • Close the lid of pressure cooker and cook for 2-whistles over medium flame.
  • Turn off the flame and let the pressure inside the cooker comes down naturally. Remove the lid. Mix well and taste the curry. If required, add more salt and mix well.
  • Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves. Aloo matar curry is ready, serve it with hot roti, parantha, puri or rice.

DISH 3: VEGETABLE PULAO

Rice is so nice. Sorry for this, but I love rice. I am obsessed with all and everything that has rice in any form. The reason behind me liking sushi, idli etc. Anyway since I love rice I decided to take up a little difficult dish because I thought matar pulao or steamed rice will be too easy for me, also because I craved for vegetable pulao. I usually eat vegetable pulao with boondi raita and a papad. A plate of hot vegetable pulao with a cold boondi raita and chit-chat with my family, a beautiful lunch it is.

Here’s the recipe of vegetable pulao for all the rice lovers like me out there.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup Basmati Rice
  • 1 medium Onion, finely chopped
  • 1 small Tomato, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup Green Peas
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped Carrot
  • 1 small piece of Bay Leaf
  • 1-inch piece of Cinnamon
  • 2 Cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped Coriander Leaves
  • 2 tablespoons Oil
  • 1 teaspoon Ghee
  • 1 cup Water
  • Salt to taste

How to make Vegetable Pulao:

  • Wash rice and soak it in water for 15-20 minutes. Drain and keep aside until needed.
  • Heat ghee and oil together in a pressure cooker on low flame. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, clove, and sauté for 30 seconds.
  • Add onion and saute until it turns light brown or for approx. 2 minutes.
  • Add chopped tomato, green peas and carrot, stir-fry them for approx. 2 minutes.
  • Add the soaked and drained rice, garam masala powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt into the cooker.
  • Add 1 cup water and mix well.
  • Close the lid and cook over medium flame for 2 whistles. When 1st whistle is completed, reduce the flame to low and cook until another whistle. Turn off flame.
  • Let it cool at room temperature until pressure inside cooker comes down naturally. Open the lid carefully and transfer it to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

DISH 2: ALOO JEERA

I am back at it again, this time with a very simple yet lip-smacking Aloo jeera. I have had aloo jeera my entire life. It can be consumed with parantha, roti or puri. Personally I love puri and aloo jeera, especially when I am not in the mood to have rice. Did I tell you that I love rice? None the less, let’s stick on aloo jeera for now. Rice will be the next dish though.

Here’s the recipe of aloo jeera that has been handed me down by my mum.

Ingredients:

  • 3 medium potatoes, 600 grams, boiled and cubed
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 1.5 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
  • Generous pinch of asafoetida
  • 2 green chilies, chopped
  • 1 inch ginger, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder, or adjust to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 2 teaspoons chopped cilantro
  • Juice of half a lemon

How to make Aloo Jeera:

  1. Boil the potatoes until done.
  2. Once boiled, peel the potatoes and chop them into cubes. Set it aside.
  3. Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Once the oil is hot add the cumin seeds, let them sizzle. Immediately lower the heat so that cumin seeds don’t burn.
  4. Then add the crushed coriander seeds and asafoetida and saute for few seconds. 
  5. Add the green chili and ginger and saute for a minute until the ginger starts changing color.
  6. Add in the boiled, cubed potatoes to the pan and toss with the spices.
  7. Add turmeric, red chili powder and salt. Toss to combine potatoes with all the spices.
  8. Let the potatoes cook for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat, then add the chopped cilantro.
  9. Squeeze in fresh lemon juice to finish it off.
  10. Garnish with more cilantro and serve jeera aloo with paratha, roti or puri.

DISH 1: ARHAR DAL

Welcome back guys. So as I belong from Uttar Pradesh one of the staples in our diet right from the time we begin eating is Arhar dal. Arhar is a kind of lentil that can be eaten with rice or roti. I absolutely love indulging in a plate of hot rice with arhar dal and a little ghee mixed with it. It is like comfort food for me, it tends to remind me of how my grandmother used to make this for me and my brother on a cold winter day while we would soak up sun sitting her in veranda.

So here’s the recipe of arhar dal for all those who would like to try to make this, just like I did.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup arhar dal
  • 2 tbsp ghee
  • A pinch of asafetida
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seed
  • 1 dried red chili (broken)
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/4 tsp red chili powder
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 green chilies
  • 1 tsp ginger chopped
  • 1 tomato (finely chopped)
  • 1 onion (finely chopped)
  • 1/2 tsp minced garlic
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp coriander leaves (finely chopped)

How to make Arhar dal:

  1. Wash and soak the arhar dal in 2 cups of water for 1/2 hour. Soaking the dal reduces the cooking time.
  2. Drain out the water and put dal with 3 cups of water, salt and turmeric in a pressure cooker. Close the lid and cook the dal. After the first whistle turn the heat down and cook on medium flame for 3 – 4 minutes. Turn off the flame. Once the pressure ends open the lid and check if the dal is cooked or not and if it requires some more water. If the dal is thick in consistency then add some water for the desired flow.
  3. Now move the dal to a serving bowl and begin tempering.
  4. Take ghee or clarified butter in a pan, heat it; add cumin seed. When the cumin seeds begin to sputter add hing, dried red chilli, stir it and then add green chilli, ginger, garlic and fry till golden brown.
  5. After few seconds add onions to it when it’s translucent add tomatoes to it.
  6. When the oil begins to separate add pinch of salt and red chili powder to it. Quickly stir with a spoon and pour it over the dal and close the lid. Ensure that the red chilly powder does not get burnt.
  7. Before serving garnish it with the coriander leaves and add lemon juice to it, stir it properly.
  8. Serve hot with steamed rice or roti.
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