Mandua ki Roti, Phansu and Til ki Chutney~Indian State: Uttarakhand

Mandua ki Roti, Phansu and Til ki Chutney~Indian State: Uttarakhand

 Today we eat Utranchal cuisine. Actually, what I said at home it was “today we eat Uttaranchal. “My younger daughter who is hooked to Percy Jackson, a book based on Greek mythology kept asking me what  kind of monsters are we.

Uttarakhand formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the "Land of the Gods" due to the many holy Hindu temples  and pilgrimage centres found throughout the state.

Uttarakhand's name is derived from the Sanskrit words Uttara meaning north, and  Khaṇḍ  meaning country or part of a country. The name finds mention in early Hindu scriptures as the combined region of Kedarkhand (present day Garhwal) and Manaskhand (present day Kumaon). Uttarakhand was also the ancient Puranic  term for the central stretch of the Indian Himalayas.

Uttarakhand is known for its natural beauty of the Himalayas, the Bhabhar and the Terai.

The state is divided into two divisions, Garhwal and Kumaon. The provisional capital of Uttarakhand is Dehradun, the largest city in the region.The natives of the state are generally called either Garhwali or Kumaoni depending on their place of origin.

Garhwali and Kumaoni along with other hilly dialects and sub-dialects are the main regional languages, whereas Hindi is the most widely spoken language. Uttarakhand is the only state in India with Sanskrit as one of its official languages.

Two of the most important rivers originate in the region, the  Ganga  at  Gangotri  and the Yamuna at Yamunotri. These two along with Badrinath  and  Kedarnath form the Chota Char Dham, a holy pilgrimage for the Hindus. The state hosts the Bengal tiger in Jim Corbett National Park, the oldest national park of the Indian subcontinent. The Valley of Flowers, a Unesco World Heritage Site located in the upper expanses of Bhyundar Ganga near Joshimath   in Gharwal region, is known for the variety and rarity of its flowers and plants.

Butter Cholay

Birthday are celebrated in a big way in our Office. The birthday boy or girl is expected to throw a treat big or small and we all wait for the treat. Greedy gluts that we all are J . Generally we have something that is quite filling. Like bhaji pav (not pav bhaji mind you but bhaji pav--the Goan style), or chaat, idli vada etc.

The wishing done bouquet handed over and the food devoured at our worktables we are all back to work. 

We discuss what have just eaten and the ingredients and how I make it and …. You get the general idea.

This time around when we were served bhaji pav, I was a bit busy so I just looked at the red bhaji and wondered what the stuff was and continued with what was at hand.  After I finished my call my neighbour told me to just taste the bhaji and see.  Fearing the worst I tasted just the bhaji and was transported to those carefree days when weight was not a problem. Tucking food in was not tucking in sugars, cholesterol and it was sheer pleasure.

 The gravy was butter chicken gravy and cholay buried under the gravy!! Something that I had forgotten about!! How can I not make it at home? Then not share it here, my wonderfully supportive family in the Blog World, especially since I can still hear the compliments that came my way.

Well taking into consideration that hubby and FIL need to take care of cholesterol I avoided khoya or mava. I felt that the dish was not exactly butter chicken gravy but came close to it but like I said I had no complaints.

Do not let the long ingredients list put you off. It’s all there in your pantry.

Ingredients:

·       250 grams Cholay, soaked overnight and boiled

·       4 onions, peeled and cut in coarse pieces

·       3 big tomatoes, blanched

·       1 bulb garlic

·       1 inch piece of ginger

·       ½ tsp coriander seed

·       1/8 tsp jeera

·       1 inch piece of cinnamon

·       1  Clove

·       2-3 pepper corns

·       1 green cardamom

·       1 tsp red chilli powder

·       ¼ tsp pav bhaji masala

·       1 Badi elichi (optional)

·       ¼ cup magza seed or melon seeds (substitute with cashew nut say 2 tblsp or 8 -10 seeds) 

·       1 cup thick milk ( I used left over milk that had become quite thick  with repeated heating)

·       1 tbspn  kasuri methi

·       Oil

·       butter

·       Salt

·       Sugar to taste

Method:

1.     Boil the onions in a little water. Drain and transfer to the mixer jar.

2.     In the chutney pot of the mixer grind the magza seeds (toast them first).

3.     Grind the onion, garlic, ginger, coriander seeds, jeera, clove, cinnamon, pepper corns, cardamom to a fine paste.

4.     In a thick kadhai/wok add the oil and then the butter. Add the badi elichi if using and fry.

5.     Add the ground paste to the oil butter mix and stir fry on low flame till the oil separates.

6.     As this is frying add the blanched and peeled tomatoes to the mixer jar and puree the tomatoes.

7.     Add the pureed tomatoes to the kadhai/wok and fry till oil separates.

8.     Add the toasted magza seeds and stir.

9.     Add the boiled cholay, kasuri methi, salt and let it boil for a few minutes. When the gravy thickens a bit add the milk and bring to boil again.

10.  Adjust the seasoning add the pav bhaji masala and the red chilli powder and let the gravy thicken.

11.  Serve hot with rotis, puri or even steamed rice.

Linking to
 WTML Hosted by Nithu's Kitchen.
EP Series Hosted by Vidya
My Legume Love Affair Hosted by Saffron Streaks
Make it Pretty Monday All rights reserved on photographs and written content are copy-written @The Mad Scientist’s Kitchen!! unless mentioned. Please Ask First
 

Tinda Stuffed with Paneer and Mint~ Dedicated to Mom

 I decided to make tinda and started to make Tinda Do piyaza that I had seen here.

However as I started long lost memories of how we, that is we siblings, hated this vegetable as kids swamped me. We always fought with my mother when we saw this vegetable. But in the sweltering heat of Nagpur and Akola where we spent our childhood in the summer very few vegetables were available. One was Gola Bhaji and other dhemsa or tinda. Poor mom had nothing to make, she must have been so frustrated…

Cauliflower Curry

These days I am not blogging too much or even visiting my friends a lot.

Not because I don’t want to but because  I have to go for an evening walk (Doctors orders) and by the time I come back the kids are on the net and unless there is something urgent I don’t want to chase them away.


Also since I am a “two finger typer”  and I use the same to fingers for the mouse handling  both home and at work the fingers  have started protesting and I have been warned by our programmer that I am heading towards  Carpal Tunnel Syndrome  and to take care, I am scared.  I take breaks and give up computers in the evening.

Raw Banana/Plantain Curry

This month I have two events running both close to my heart.
Back to roots where you can repost your own recipe with new pictures and send it to me and the other is Priya’s Veggie/Fruit of the month-Raw Bananas hosted by me.

Raw Bananas or plantains as they are called are high in starch content. So they can replace potatoes in most cases. Get the hint?

Black & White Wednesday & Mattar Paneer~Blog Hop# 5

For today's blog hop I am paired with Radhika of Tickling Palates and the brain behind the wonderful Blog Hop.

Radhika has a number of exiting recipes and I have bookmarked quite a few recipes. In fact I made this delicious Mattar Paneer (click here for the link) last Wednesday when it was "Avidhwa Navami".

Alsande Usal

I am thrilled my post Corn Dhokla has given me maximum hits of 1072 in one single day! This I thought was the end of the story but yesterday  I read   Umm Mymoonah post and   she has selected mine. My cup of joy is overflowing!!

Thanks dear !

  

 Now coming to today’s post…

Alsande or I believe they are called Cow Chick Peas are cooked regularly in Goa. In the month of May they are purchased in bulk, sunned and stored for consumption during the year.

The most common dish made out of these highly nutritious beans is Alsande che tonak. A beautiful blend of spices, coconut and beans tastes great with pao or une.

 But I am repeating myself. Why? Because I love this quintessential dish which makes its appearance in every Goan marriage or munj.

But today I have made this as a simple Usal. The ingredients are very few and the taste is normal everyday comfort food.

 I am sorry I did not think of clicking a picture of the alsande before boiling them or soaking them I have tried to click them after boiling but they were not easy to handle.

Ingredients:

1 cup alsande

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

1 green chilli

 A few springs of coriander

½ tsp red chilli powder (adjust as per taste)

½ tsp turmeric

1 tsp goda masala

A small ball of tamarind

A small piece of jaggery (optional)

For Tempering:

Oil

 Mustard

Method:

1.      Soak the alsande after washing them in sufficient water overnight.

2.    Soak the tamarind in water and extract thick juice.

3.        In the morning add a little salt and pressure cook for 3 whistles. Let the pressure come down by itself.

4.         In the meanwhile coarse grind the onion, coconut, garlic and the dry masala & coriander in the mixer.

5.        In a separate kadhai/wok heat oil. Splutter mustard.

6.      Add the ground masala and stir fry till the onion is translucent.

7.    Add the boiled alsande.

8.     Add the tamarind paste and jaggery if using. Adjust the seasonings & bring to a boil.

9.    Serve hot with Jowari roti or chapatti. I love it with plain white rice.

   

 Sending this to my legume love  affair 39   which is Susan's brain child

Archana

Black & white Wednesday with Cauliflower in Tomato Gravy

Cauliflower one veggie we make often!  The versatility of the veggie is such that it can   be made into a quick stir fry for chapatti& rice, or fried for a snack or make into a pickle with a slight shift in ingredients. Each has its own charm, Own following!!

So when Priyaof Mharo Rajasthan's Recipes, announced the veggie of the month as cauliflower to be hosted by Tiffincarriersantiques.blogspot.com I knew I would be sending my entry here.

I would like to send this entry that my SIL &  I had long long ago copied from somewhere.

Ingredients:

 1 medium sized Cauliflower cut in bite size florets

Oil for frying

 For the Gravy:

2 big or 3 medium sized onions

3-4 tomatoes

6 flakes garlic

1”piece of ginger

½ tsp Coriander powder

½ tsp cumin powder

½ tsp amchur powder

½ tsp turmeric

1 tsp chilli powder

½ tsp garam masala

½ tsp pav bhaji masala

½ cup milk(for low fat version else use fresh  cream)

 A few springs of coriander

Method:

1.    Soak the cauliflower in water and salt for about 10 minutes.

2.   Drain it and with a little water and salt cover with a lid and par boil the cauliflower. Say about 5 minutes or till you get the aroma of boiled cauliflower. (2 minutes in the microwave).

3.   Drain the cauliflower, reserve the water and dry the florets on kitchen napkin.

4.   Heat the oil and deep fry the florets till golden brown, drain. Keep aside.

5.   As you are frying grind the onion pieces in the mixer with garlic, ginger and the coriander leaves.

6.   In a separate kadhai/wok with a little oil fry the ground onion till the raw smell goes. Now add the crushed tomatoes. Stir fry till the water evaporates and the oil starts coming out.

7.   Add all the dry masala and fry till you get a nice aroma.

8.   Now add the cauliflower, stir. Add the milk. Adjust the seasonings use some of the reserved water for adjusting the thickness of the gravy.

9.    Bring to a boil. Garnish with chopped coriander.

10.  Serve with chapatti, naan.

   

Linking this to Black & White Wednesday too!

Archana
Do check out my event and send me your entries..

Drumsticks/ Shevgya che Shenga /Nuggekai/ Shango Curry

Just imagine your friend asks for something and since it is not readily available you decide to give it later and then you forget…!!

Unforgivable!!

This is exactly what I have done but I hope my friend Mythreyi does forgive me!!

She had posted some drumstick recipes and wanted some more of curry recipes with them. Drumsticks/ Shevga che shenga  /Nuggekai/ Shango as they are know in English/ Marathi/ Kannada/ Konkani  are a rich source of calcium and potassium. Read about it here.

I was quite surprised that I had not posted this curry that I make often. In my mom’s place it is used only in sambhar, my mother-in-law used in kadhi, I have not made the kadhi yet but will try it out soon. 

This recipe is what my friends’ mom used to make and since the kids loved it I copied it.  You can as in the original recipe add prawns which taste yummy but I am clueless about cooking them.  You are the expert if you are using prawns but I will guarantee the taste!

The Ingredients are simple:

5 drumsticks, chopped the size about 2 knuckles

½ a coconut, freshly grated

1 tsp rasam powder or sambhar powder (adjust as per taste)

A small ball of tamarind

½ tsp turmeric

½ tsp chilli powder

3 cloves garlic (optional)

1 small ball of jaggery

1 tsp oil

Mustard

Hing/asafoetida

Salt

Coriander

Method:

1.       Place the drumsticks in a wide vessel use just enough water to cover all the drumsticks mix salt. Cover and par boil.

2.       Meanwhile grind the coconut, the masala powder, tamarind, turmeric, chilli powder, garlic (if used) and jaggery to a very fine paste using little water. Many times I grind the masala only after I have boiled the drumsticks and I use the water from the drumsticks only.

3.       Pour over the masala over the drumstick and bring to a boil. Adjust the seasonings.

4.       In a small pan heat the oil, splutter mustard, then hing/asafoetida.

5.       Pour over the drumstick curry. Cook till the drumsticks are done.

6.       Serve with steaming hot rice.

  

Drumsticks Curry

Archana