Potatoes & Cottage Cheese Simmered in Tomato Gravy (Aloo Paneer Tamatar Jhol) (Aloo Golbheda Jhol)

Indian Vegetarian Main Course Special

Bengali/Uttaranchali Cuisine

Potatoes & Cottage Cheese Simmered in Tomato Gravy
(Aloo Paneer Tamatar Jhol) (Aloo Golbheda Jhol)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Potatoes- 2 Medium, Peeled & Cubed

Fresh Cottage Cheese (Paneer)- 50 Grams, Cubed

For Marinade Rub:

Big Pinches of Turmeric Powder (Haldi), Salt, Red Chilli Powder, Extra Light Olive Oil/Olive Pomace Oil

Extra Light Olive Oil/Olive Pomace Oil- For Deep Frying

For Gravy:

Extra Light Olive Oil/Olive Pomace Oil- 2 Tbsp. (can reuse the same Oil used for Deep Frying as it retains the Flavours of Vegetables)

Cinnamon/Cassia Bark- 1 Inch

Cloves- 2 to 3

Fenugreek Seeds (Methi)- ¼ Tsp.

Green Cardamom- 2 to 3

Cumin Seeds (Jeera)- ½ Tsp.

Onion- 1 Finely Chopped

Baby Shallots/Madras Onions- 8 to9

Fresh Ginger- 1 Inch, Crushed & Finely Chopped

Garlic- 3 Cloves, Freshly Grated

Green Chillies- 2, Finely Chopped

Turmeric Powder (Haldi)- ½ Tsp.

Cumin Powder- ½ Tsp.

Coriander Powder- 1 Tsp.

Hing- ½ Tsp.

Tomatoes- 3 Medium, Finely Chopped

Milk- 1 Tbsp.

Butter- ½ Tbsp.

Fresh Mint Leaves- 2 Tbsp., Finely Chopped

Method:

Mix Potatoes & Paneer Separately Marinated in Haldi, Salt, Red Chilli Powder & Oil

Keep Aside for about 7-10 Minutes  

Heat Oil for Deep Frying

With a Frying Basket/Ladle, Dip the Potatoes & Paneer Separately for about 4-5 Minutes till Colour changes & Crisp

For Gravy:

In a Wide Non Stick Skillet, Heat Oil 

Add Cassia Bark, Cloves, Methi, Green Cardamoms, Jeera) & Sauté

Add Onion, Sauté & Cover till the Onions sweat/ release sugar

Add Ginger, Garlic, Green Chillies & Sauté

Mix all the Dry Spice Powders (Haldi Cumin Powder Coriander Powder Hing) in Water to make a Masala Mix

Add Masala Mix & Sauté

 

Add Tomatoes & use the Water released from the Tomatoes to deglaze the Masalas

Turn down the Flame, Add Water for a Jhol like Gravy 

Add Milk, Butter & Stir

 Add Potatoes, Paneer & Cook for 8 to 10 Minutes

Sprinkle Mint Finely Chopped

Serve with Tandoori Roti!

Tips:

Usage of Fresh Agricultural Produce & Organic Vegetables

Basic Techniques of making a Basic Curry, Caramelization, Steam Frying, Charring- all 4 of which lead to Depth of Flavours!

Marinating & Precooking Vegetables

Secret of getting a Crispy Crust on Food!

Traditionally Ghee is used

Optional is to just use ½ Tsp. each of Cumin Seeds & Fenugreek Seeds 

Dry Roast the Whole Garam Masala Cloves Pepper Green Cardamom Warm Aromatic Sweet Stringent Spice, Black Cardamom Coriander Seeds Cassia Bark Cumin Bay leaf

can be used specially for Vegetable Dishes or as a Multipurpose Masala!

Feel free to share your views & do let us know how this one turned out :)

Uttaranchali Cuisine

The distinct yet Similar Garhwali & Kumaoni Cuisine are from State of Uttaranchal

Among the Major Festive Foods from both Regions are the Roat, Rice Sweet (Arsa), Urad Dal Wada, Spicy Potato Snack (Aloo ke Gutke), Local Grains like the Barnyard Millet (Jhangora) are used for Sweet Dishes like the Barnyard Millet Pudding (Jhangora Kheer), Semolina Pudding (Singhal/Seeyal/Syali) etc.

Garhwali Cuisine uses a lot of Whole & Split Black Gram (Urad) & Gehat/Kulad Dal (Horsegram)

Some Greens used are the Indigenous Spinach (Pahadi Palak), Rare Fern of the Hills (Lingure), Poison Ivy (Bicchu Ghaas/Kandalee) etc.

Some other Lesser Known Dishes from the Garhwal Region are Fannah, Finger Millet FlatBread (Mandwa/Mandua Ki Roti), Gauhat Ka Parantha, Stuffed FlatBread (Bhari Roti), Black & White Roti, Whole Urad Puree Preparation (Chainsoo/Chaishu), Jholi, Ground Urad Dal Preparation (Phaanu), Sesame Seeds (Til) Chutney, Garlic (Lehsun) Chutney, Thechwani, Mandua Flour Dumplings (Baadi), Palau, Puris (Swala), Poison Ivy Prepration (Kandalee), Deep Fried Wheat Flour Sweet (Gulgula) etc.

Khichoni Tomatoes Onion Soup

Kumaoni People use a lot of  Whole Black Soyabean (Bhatt) in their Cuisine

Kumaoni Specials include Manira, Til Laddoos, Dubukas, Cholia Roti, Kumaoni Raita, Sisunak Saag, Kappa, Soaked Muli Nimbu, Baante, Palak Kappa, Karaal, Moong Dal Dubka, Rote, Palyoo, Churkani, Bhangak Khatai etc.

Lentil Items like Ras & Badil are Typical Kumaoni Dishes Cooked very interestingly in an Iron Wok and Served with Hemp Seed (Bhang) Chutney

CornMeal FlatBread (Makke Ki Roti)

Indian Vegetarian Main Course Special 

Traditional Punjabi Cuisine

CornMeal FlatBread (Makke Ki Roti)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Cornmeal (Makke ka Atta)- ¾ Cup

Whole Wheat Flour (Gehun ka Atta)- 2 Tbsp.

Fresh White Unsalted Butter- 1 Tbsp.

Salt- To Taste

Warm Water- To Knead the Dough

Method:

In a Mixing Bowl, Mix Cornmeal, Whole Wheat Flour & Salt

Add Warm Water & Knead into a Medium Soft Dough

Divide into 4 Balls & Keep Aside for about 15-20 Minutes Covered with a Damp Cloth

Roll out each Ball with Hands or a Rolling Pin into a Medium-Thick Flat Bread (Roti)

Heat the Hard Anodized Griddle (Tawa) on Medium Flame

Place the Roti on the Tawa, Cook on Medium Heat till One Side turns Golden Brown (in about 30 Seconds) & Spread Butter on this Side

Turn to the Other Side & Cook for about a Minute

Turn again& Cook till Both Sides are Cooked & Golden Brown

Serve Hot with Fresh Mustard Leaves Preparation (Sarson ka Saag) or Assorted Fresh Greens Preparation (Kafli)!

Tips:

Makke ki Roti is a Famous Winter Dish prepared in Different States of Northern India like Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Delhi, Uttaranchal etc.

Within Punjab & the Sikh Community across the Globe, the Harvest Festival (Baisakhi) celebrated mid of April yearly includes the Preparation of Makke ki Roti & Sarson ka Saag in Homes as part of the Festive Meal

Whole Wheat Flour adds the Binding effect in the Cornmeal

Can add about 1 Tbsp. Of Chopped Fenugreek (Methi) Leaves in the Prepared Dough

Refer to my Recipe of Assorted Fresh Greens Preparation (Kafli) in the link below:

http://globaldhaba.blogspot.com/2012/01/assorted-green-leafy-vegetables-cooked.html

Feel free to share your views & do let us know how this one turned out :)

CornMeal & Black Gram Lentil Fritters (Makke Ke Atte ki Kachori)

Indian Vegetarian Main Course Special
Uttaranchali Garhwali Cuisine 
CornMeal & Black Gram Lentil Fritters (Makke Ke Atte ki Kachori)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

CornMeal (Makke Ka Atta)- 2 Cup

Skinned or Skinless Black Gram Lentil (Chilkewali Urad Dal/Urad Dal)- ¼ Cup

Semolina (Sooji)- 1 Cup

Green Chillies- 3 No’s, Finely Chopped  

Fresh Coriander Leaves- ½ Cup, Finely Chopped  

Salt- To Taste

Oil- For Deep Frying

Method:

Grind the Dry Urad Dal till it Powder

In a Bowl, Add CornMeal, Green Chillies, Coriander Leaves, Salt, Sooji & Mix Well with hands

Add Urad Dal Paste & Mix to get a Dough Consistency. Keep Aside for about 15 Minutes

Heat Oil in a Non Stick Pan (Kadhai) for Deep Frying

Divide the Dough into Balls

Dust it with some CornMeal & Roll the Dough with a Rolling Pin just as is done for a Puri

Gently Deep Fry the Kachori by Pressing with the Ladle to help it Puff

Serve Hot with Tariwale Aloo or just like that at Snack Time!

Tips:

This is a Uttaranchali Snack very famous in Garhwal Region especially Haridwar!
Simple Seasoning along with a Healthy Option of Flour & Lentil is used here

Semolina is used to give the Crunchiness here
Urad Dal Paste helps bind the Dough

Variations:

Soak Urad Dal Flour for about 2 Hours

Drain & Grind along with Ginger & Green Chillies

The Urad Dal should get Dough like consistency 

Feel free to share your views & do let us know how this one turned out :)

Assorted Green Leafy Vegetables Cooked in Simple Spices (Kafli)

North Indian Vegetarian Main Course Special

Garhwali Cuisine
Uttaranchali Cuisine

Assorted Green Leafy Vegetables Cooked in Simple Spices (Kafli)

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

Spinach Leaves- 1 Big Bunch, Roughly Chopped

Lamb's Quarter Leaves (Bathua/Mathua/Cheel Bhaji)- 1 Big Bunch, Roughly Chopped

Bengal Gram Leaves (Chane Ka Saag)- 1 Big Bunch, Roughly Chopped

Fenugreek Leaves (Methi)- 1 Big Bunch, Roughly Chopped

Water- 1/2 Cup

Salt- 2 Tsp.

Extra Light Olive Oil/Olive Pomace Oil- 1.5 to 2 Tbsp.

Roasted Cumin Seeds (Jeera)- 1.5 Tsp.

Ginger- 1 Inch Crushed & Finely Chopped

Garlic- 5-6 Cloves, Roughly Chopped Optional

Green Chillies- 3, Finely Chopped

Turmeric Powder (Haldi)- 1.5 Tsp.

Coriander Powder (Dhaniya)- 1.5 Tsp.

Red Chilli Powder (Lal Mirch)- 1 Tsp.

Asafoetida (Hing)- a Pinch

Rice Flour- 2 Tbsp., Roasted & Ground in Mortar

Curd/Yoghurt- 5 Tsp.

Butter- 2 Tsp.

Method:

Wash & Roughly all the Green Leafy Vegetables (Spinach Leaves, Bathua Leaves, Bengal Gram Leaves & Fenugreek Leaves)

Add Greens in a Deep Braising Pot with Salt &Water to Boil

Cover & Let it Cook till they are Done

Drain & Keep Aside to Cool

To Prepare the Gravy Base:

Heat Oil, Add Cumin Seeds, Ginger, Garlic, Green Chillies & Sauté

Add Turmeric Powder, Coriander Powder, Red Chilli Powder, Asafoetida & Sauté

Chop the Greens Roughly Once Again, Add in the Pan & Mix Well

Add the Rice Flour & Mix Well

Let the Greens Cook for 3-4 Minutes; Check to see if the Greens turn into a Thick Gravy Consistency and are Well Coated

Add the Water from the Boiled Greens (if required) and Mix Well till the Water dries out again

Whisk the Curd, Add to the Gravy & Mix Well

Garnished with Butter

Serve Hot with Traditional Indian CornMeal FlatBread (Makke Ki Roti) or Steamed Rice on a Cold Winter Day!

Tips:

Kafli is traditionally prepared in the State of Uttaranchal in the Northern Hilly Region of Garhwal

Kafli is one of the Healthy Dishes for winters; Thick gravy prepared mainly with Spinach & Fenugreek Leaves   

Add just enough Water to cover the Greens so that they are Tender but aren’t overcooked

Traditionally Greens are Roughly Crushed with hands but Knife or Blender can be used as per Convenience

Roast the Rice & Roughly Ground into Powder in a Mortar Vessel and add as a Thickening Agent for an Authentic Taste

Can add Roasted Rice Paste as well

Also can use Bengal Gram Flour (Besan) Paste 

Feel free to share your views & do let us know how this one turned out :)