Achari Chicken

Chicken in Pickle spices

 

 

 

I cook chicken almost every week. After a while it does get boring eating the same style of chicken. I am always looking for new and tasty recipes to cook chicken and I tried Achari chicken last week. Its chicken cooked in same spices you use to make punjabi mango achaar/pickle. Punjabi achaar is very simple yet very tasty and is made using very few spices. These spices give an achaari or tangy  taste and aroma to any meat or vegetable you cook using them. Here is the achaari chicken recipe. You can use this recipe to make achaari gosht, vegetables or simple achaari aloo or potatoes.   

 

Ingredients:-

Half a pound chicken washed and cut. (You can use boneless or with bones)

1/2 cup- yogurt

1 tbsp- ginger garlic paste

5 -red chillies (You can use less if you don't want too spicy)

1 tsp- cumin seeds

1 tbsp- fennel seeds

1 tsp-fenugreek seeds 

1 1/2 tsp-nigella seeds

1 tsp-mustard seeds

3 small sticks of cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp-kashmiri red chilli powder

1 large onion sliced

1 large tomato sliced

1 1/2 tsp-turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Juice of half a lemon

Mustard oil for cooking

Chopped cilantro for garnishing

1. Marinate the chicken with turmeric and yogurt and keep aside for an hour.
2. Heat about 4 tbsp mustard oil in a pan and add the sliced onions. Let it cook on a low heat until they are slightly brown in color.
3. Meanwhile dry roast all the seeds (cumin, mustard, fenugreek, fennel and nigella) along with the cinnamon and red chillies. Make sure you do this on a very low flame stirring it continuously. Then grind them coarsely using a dry grinder. You can also pound these spices if you like using a pestle.
4. Once the onions are nice and brown add ginger garlic paste and tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are tender. Add the marinated chicken and cook on a high flame stirring it continuously until the oil separates.
5. Now add the ground spices, salt and kashmiri red chilli powder. Add little water and cook until the chicken is done and oil floats on top.
6. Garnish with fresh cilantro, lime juice and serve hot with rice or rotis.
    

 

 



 

 

Sarson ka Saag with Makki ki Roti

Mustard greens with corn flat bread

 

 

A very traditional and most loved dish of every Punjabi. Sarson ka Saag with Makki ki roti. Its a must dish during winters in every house in Punjab. Saag is made with mustard leaves (its slightly bitter in taste) along with a bunch of other green leaves like, Bathua (lamb's-quarter) , Methi (Fenugreek leaves) and Palak (Spinach) simmered with spices. This dish is cooked with lots of patience. Starting from the first step of picking, washing and cutting the best leaves till the point of slowly simmering the saag on a flame with the right amount of spices, everything has to be done with utter care and patience. Ask any Punjabi and he or she would say "my mom makes the best saag" or "my naani/daadi makes the best saag". And of course I will say the same thing, my mom makes the best saag. I never liked saag anywhere else. After I got married and came to the US, I missed having my mom's saag the most. I never tried the recipe on my own knowing that it won't be even close to what she makes. However when my neighbour got a bunch of mustard leaves from his friend's farm I was tempted to make saag. I had a bunch of "Mooli" or radish at home and fresh maize (cornmeal) flour. I did not have bathua that gives a very distinct flavor to the saag, I put broccoli instead. (I know, its American version of the authentic saag). But if you can manage bathua leaves here in the US, it would be perfect.

 

Ingredients:-

4 bunches of fresh mustard leaves

1 bunch of fresh palak or spinach

1 bunch of bathua

1/4 cup Ginger and garlic sliced

5 green chillies - chopped

Salt to taste

Maize flour/cornmeal - 1/2 cup

 

Tadka/ Tempering:
5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1″ piece of ginger, finely chopped
1 cup chopped onion
3 tbsp Desi ghee
2 green chillies finely chopped
1 tomato finely chopped

1. Thoroughly wash and cut all the greens. Take a big pot of boiling water and add salt and put all the leaves along with 2 tbsp ginger garlic and green chillies. Let this simmer on a slow heat for almost an hour till the greens are tender. Turn off the heat and let it cool down a bit. Then mash the cooked greens.
2. Now, traditionally in Punjab saag is pressed or mashed using a "Madhani" ( wooden hand blender), but you can use an electric hand blender to mash up all the greens. Just make sure you do not overdo it and make a paste. It has to be coarse. Turn on the heat.
3. Add the maize flour slowly one spoon at a time to the greens and keep on stirring and mashing it continuously so that there are no lumps. Maize flour is used to thicken the saag. Cook this mixture for almost 10 minutes on a very slow flame.
4. Meanwhile in a small pan heat oil/ butter or ghee. Add chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies along with the onions and cook till it starts to brown. Add the chopped tomatoes until they are tender.  
5. Add the tadka to the cooked saag and adjust the salt as per your taste. Serve hot with a dollop of butter, Makki ki roti, radish and whole green chillies.

Makki ki roti

1 cup maize flour
1/2 cup hot water to knead.  
 
The traditional way of making makki ki roti is to flatten and shape the roti using little water on the center of your palms of both the hands, the roti becomes round and it keeps on expanding as it goes to and fro between both the palms and then its cooked on a hot tava. I could never make it this way. My mom makes it so fast and it seems so easy when she makes it. I use a plastic sheet to spread and make the rotis.
 
1. Boil the water and slowly add to the flour. Keep mixing it enough to form a firm dough. You will have to use your own judgement about the amount of water required.
2. Because maize flour has no gluten in it, its very hard to bind it. So its important to use hot boiling water to bind the flour together. This helps the flour to settle down and makes smoother rotis.
3.  Let it cool down for sometime. Then make small balls. Place it on a lightly greased plastic sheet and keep on pressing/flattening the dough using your palms to make a round roti. You can use water or little oil to grease your palms. Don't worry, it does not have to be a perfect round roti.
4. Transfer on a hot griddle/tava and cook till both the sides are brown and fully cooked.
5. Spread ghee or butter on the rotis and serve hot with the saag.
    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Butter Chicken with Naan

 

 

 

Butter chicken or Murg Makhani is one of the most popular Punjabi dishes all over the world. This rich creamy chicken dish needs no introduction, I am sure its one of the most ordered dishes at the restaurants all over the world. The recipe is said to have originated in Moti Mahal restaurant in Delhi, India. There are different tales about how butter chicken originated. One of the tales says that Moti Mahal was famous for their tandoori chicken and after selling tandoori chicken the whole day the chefs would have a tough time getting rid of the extra tandoori chicken leftovers. One day they thought why not incorporate these chicken tandoori pieces in a gravy and sell it as a whole new dish. They made a buttery and creamy tomato gravy and threw the leftover chicken tandoori pieces in it and thus butter chicken was born. I don't know whether this tale is true, but who cares. Kudos to those chefs who invented the world's most loved dish. And why did I make butter chicken? Because my dear friend Raashi, requested this recipe and asked me to publish it on my blog. How could I say no to her and plus I had to learn to make this dish at home, so raashi.. here is my version of butter chicken for you. I don't know whether it is as good as you get in the restaurants. I tried my best and it did turn out pretty delicious. Try it out and I hope you like it.

 

Ingredients

For the butter chicken:-

A pound of  chicken - roasted and cut in pieces

Tandoori chicken masala either use homemade (recipe given below) or use Shaan's tandoori chicken masala

 20 ripe medium sized tomatoes chopped

1 tblsp - oil

6 tblsp- butter

1 mace - Its the outer covering of a nutmeg spice (red in color) if you don't have mace put 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder.

1 tblsp- chopped garlic 

4 green chilies ( chopped and deseeded)

8 green cardamoms

1 tsp- green cardamom powder

1 tblsp- ginger juliennes (very fine thin long strips)

1/2 tblsp- Kashmiri chilli powder

Salt to taste

1 tblsp- honey

2 tblsp - kasoori methi

 

Marinate the chicken overnight with the tandoori masala. If you using Shaan readymade powder follow the recipe on the box. Next morning roast the chicken at 350 deg for about 40 mins or until the skin is nice and brown and chicken is cooked. Before roasting sprinkle a little cornflour using a sieve all over the chicken. This makes the chicken nice and crispy.

 

 If you want to use a homemade masala here are the ingredients.

For the homemade tandoori chicken masala

2 tblsp- vinegar or lemon juice

1 tblsp - oil

2 tsp- turmeric

2 tsp- kashmiri chilli powder

1 tsp- salt

1 tsp - garam masala

1 tsp- green cardamom powder

1 tblsp- ginger garlic paste

3/4 cup yogurt (hung in a muslin cloth for an hour to drain all the water and make it really thick)

 

1. Heat 1 tblsp oil and 3 tblsp butter in a pan. Add cardamoms, mace/nutmeg and chopped garlic. Saute for a minute and then add the chopped tomatoes. Cook the tomatoes till they are tender.
2. Take it off the heat and let it cool down. Then puree the tomatoes in a blender.
3. Add 3 tblsp butter in a pan and add the ginger juliennes and green chillies.
4. Sieve the tomato puree and add it to the ginger and green chillies. Cook on a low flame until the tomato puree is completely cooked and oil floats on the top.
5. Add  1/2 tblsp kashmiri chilli powder and salt.
6. Add the chopped chicken pieces and cook for about 5 mins. Finally add 1 tsp green cardamom powder, 1 cup of fresh cream, 1 tblsp honey and kasoori methi.

Serve hot with Naan. (This butter chicken gravy can also be used to make paneer makhanwala and veg makhanwala)

 

Here is the recipe for Naan.

Ingredients:

2 cups- All Purpose Flour (plus more for rolling)
1 tsp- Salt
4 tsp - oil
1/2 cup - warm water
1- tsp Rapid Rise Yeast
1 tsp- Sugar
1- egg well beaten
2 tblsp- yogurt

1. Add Yeast and Sugar to warm Water and mix well. Cover and keep it aside for 5-7 minutes (until foamy).
2.   In a large bowl, mix Flour and Salt. Add Oil and mix.
3.  Once Yeast and Water mixture becomes foamy, add Yogurt and Egg to it and mix well.
4. Add the mixture to the Flour little at a time and knead for about 5 mins. If its sticky use a bit of oil on your palms to knead the dough.
5. Cover and keep in a warm place for 1 hour or until its risen and almost double in size.
6.  Preheat Oven to approx 550 degrees F. Once dough has risen, lightly oil hands and punch down the dough and knead for 2 mins.  
7.  Divide dough into small portions and roll it out either square or oblong, the way you want your naan's shape to be. 
8.  Place 3-4 rolled naans onto a baking sheet and bake for 3-5 minutes until the naans are light golden brown. Remove from oven and smear some butter and serve hot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 



Aloo Gajar Matar Subzi with Methi leaves

A spicy mix of potatoes, peas, carrots and fenugreek leaves

 

 

A very simple wholesome yet very tasty dish, aloo gajar and matar subzi is a must during cold winter days in Punjab. Main reason being fresh carrots and peas are easily available during winters. Whenever I cook aloo gajar and mutter I always add fresh fenugreek or methi leaves. This sabzi has a slight sweet taste because of juicy, sweet carrots and peas. The fenugreek leaves are subtly bitter but offers a very strong unique and distinctive flavor that cuts down on the sweetness of peas and carrots. Here is the recipe.

 

Ingredients:-

2 large carrots peeled and chopped in cubes

2 large potatoes peeled and chopped in cubes

1 cup- fresh peas

Half a bunch of fresh methi leaves (you can also use frozen ones)

One large onion finely chopped

1 tblsp- ginger garlic paste

3 green chillies finely chopped

1 tblsp-cumin seeds

1 large tomato finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp- turmeric powder

1 1/2 tsp- red chilli powder

1 tblsp-punjabi garam masala

Salt to taste

4 tblsp oil

1. Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds, let it splutter and then add the onions.
2. After the onions turn nice and brown add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they are tender.
3. Add the methi leaves, ginger garlic paste and green chillies and let it cook for about 10 mins.
4. Now add salt, turmeric, garam masala and chili powder and cook until the oil seperates.
5. In then end add carrots, potatoes and peas and cook on a high heat for about 7 mins without cvering the pan. Keep stirring often as you don't want it to get burnt at the bottom.
6. Cover the pan with a lid and cook on a low flame until the potatoes and carrots are tender. Do not add water at all. This keeps the vegetables firm and crispy.

 

 

 

 



 

Malaysian Egg Curry with Eggplant

 

 This is my neighbour's recipe. She is from malaysia and just like me she loves to try out new recipes. Once she made malaysian fish curry and she gave us to taste. I absolutely loved it. The curry had a very different taste than most of the Indian fish curries I have tasted. The difference was in the curry powder. Its a very famous brand from malaysia called "Baba's" curry powder and is available in select stores in Asia and Europe. Here in the US you have to order the curry powder online as its not available in stores here. Too bad this brand is not popular or easily available in the US. Their marketing team should step up their marketing efforts. The curry powder makes the curry very tasty and flavorful. Here is an egg curry recipe using Baba's curry powder.

 

Ingredients:-

1 eggplant diced into 1/2 inch discs (grill and set aside)

6 hardboiled eggs. Make small slits on 4 sides.

1 large ripe tomato, skin removed

4 scallions-finely chopped

1 tblsp-coconut flakes

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 large red onion-finely sliced

1/2 tsp-cumin seeds

1 whole garlic peeled and crushed

A small piece of ginger grated

1/2 green pepper sliced fine

Few curry leaves (if available)

1 tblsp-Baba's fish or chicken curry powder

1 tblsp- tamarind pulp

1/2 tsp-turmeric powder

1 tsp-sugar

1 tblsp-coriander powder

1 boiled potato cut in 4 pieces

4 tblsp-oil

Salt to taste

Cilantro leaves chopped

 

1. Heat oil in a pan and add curry leaves, cumin seeds and onions. Keep stirring and cook until the onions turn brown.
2. Add tomatoes, turmeric, ginger, garlic and cook till tomatoes are tender and mashed
3. Add the scallions and pepper, cook until pepper is soft.
4. Add coriander powder and baba's curry powder and cook until the oil seperates and its aromatic.
5. Add coconut flakes, tamarind pulp and salt.
6. Add 1 cup of water, stir and cook on a low flame.
7. Add lemon juice and sugar and stir. Now add the grilled eggplant, eggs and potato.
8. Stir gently and cook until you get the desired consistency.
9. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Serve hot with rice.

 

 

 

 

Maa di daal

Whole black gram lentils cooked with spices



When I think of Maa di dal also known as kaali dal in north India I always think of the gurudwara. Although we punjabis make Maa di dal at home all the time, honestly the gurudwara dal is the best. I love the langar ka khaana - I don't know what's the secret ingredient in their kaali dal, maybe it's faith, maybe it's love or the gurudwara has some special recipe, they serve the best kaali dal in the world. After the gurudwara its the Dhabas in Punjab that serve the most mouthwatering maa di dal. I remember whenever we went to visit our relatives in Punjab, we ate at the roadside dhabas, they served hot Maa di dal with dollops of fresh homemade white butter( No amul butter here), tandoori roti or paranthas along with aam kaa achaar. And to wash down all the mouthwatering food, they would always serve a huge glass of lassi (buttermilk) topped with fresh cream, Guess what ,the bill was always below 100 rupees for a group of 4 people. You will never get such amazing food in that price anywhere in the world. Also Maa di daal doesn't mean dal makhni. Dal makhni is maa di daal  cooked with loads and loads of butter and tomato puree and is served in the restaurants. Dal makhni is not made in Punjabi homes all the time, its the Maa di dal that is our all time favourite dal and made during auspicious occasions or festivals.

Ingredients:-
2 cups black Urad daal (whole)
1/4 cup Rajma (kidney beans) soaked for 2 hours
1/4 cup chana dal
2 onions -finely chopped
1 large tomato-finely chopped
2 tblsp- ginger garlic paste
3 green chillies finely chopped
1 tblsp - punjabi garam masala
1 1/2 tsp- chilli powder or as per your taste
1 1/2 tsp- turmeric powder
1 tblsp-ghee or clarified butter
1tblsp-fresh cream
Salt to taste
Few bunches of Cilantro leaves chopped

1. Pressure cook the dal along with rajma, chana dal, salt and turmeric in a pressure cooker using 3 times the water. If you do not have pressure cooker you can slow cook the dal in a pot. Cook till the dal is tender. The time varies depending upon the pressure cooker but it will take approx 45 mins on a medium heat.
2. Meanwhile in a small wok heat ghee, add the chopped onions and cook until they turn golden brown. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for about 5 mins, now add the chopped tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are very tender and almost mushy.
3. Add the green chillies in this mixture. Add the red chilli powder, garam masala and cook until the ghee seperates.
4. Add this masala to the cooked dal and let it boil until its nice and thick. You can add water if you want a thinner consistency.
5. Garnish with fresh cream and chopped cilantro leaves.

Serve hot with a tsp of ghee and fresh hot phulkas/rotis.

Punjabi Pindiyaan! 

 (Okra, ladyfinger/Bhindi masala)

 

 

A very simple yet very tasty Punjabi dish that can be made in minutes. Okra is my all time favourite. I always stock it up in my refrigerator just in case I have unexpected guests and I need to cook something quick. You can make bhindi in minutes along with daal, rice, salad and rotis and you have a complete meal in few minutes with ingredients easily available at home. I know a lot of people who don't like okra because they think its slimy. Okra never turns out slimy if cooked right. It has to be crunchy, green and crisp in-corporated with all the right flavors. You don't need too many spices, just the regular basic spices you have at home for this recipe. Here is how we Punjabi's make okra at home all the time. Its crispy, spicy, flavorful, green and very tasty.

 

Ingredients:-

Okra (bhindi)- 1/2 pound

3 large onions - chopped lengthwise

3 green chillies - finely chopped

1 tblsp- Punjabi garam masala powder

1 tsp-chilli powder

1 1/2 tsp-turmeric

1 tblsp-amchur powder (dried mango powder) available in indian store

1 tblsp-cumin seeds

1/2 cup oil

Salt to taste

Cilantro for garnishing

 

1. Wash and dry the okra completely with a kitchen cloth. Very important if you do not want mushy okra. There should be no water on them at all.
2. Slice okra in thin round discs.
3. Add oil in a wok, add cumin seeds let it splutter, add the chopped onions and fry until golden brown and crisp.
4. Add chopped green chillies, turmeric, salt, garam masala powder,chilli powder, amchur powder and mix well with the onions.
5. Now add the sliced okra and cook on a medium heat for about 10 minutes. Do not cover the okra while cooking.
6. Garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve with hot rotis.

Tips/notes:-

Never cover okra while cooking that leads to steam build up and okra turns out mushy.

Never overcook the okra, it looses color turns brown and mushy. Fresh okra gets done in 5-7 minutes.

I never use tomatoes for the same reason as tomatoes give out water too. plus if you add amchur powder you don't need to add tomatoes.

Ginger garlic is optional, some people like to add it, I don't. A delicate vegetable like okra doesn't need too many spices.



 

Baigan da bharta

Spicy Eggplant mash

 

 

I generally dont like eggplants unless I eat "bharleli vangi" (stuffed eggplants) a typical maharastrian dish or bharta. Just simple aloo baigan is not my cup of tea. My husband loves bharta and yesterday he got a big eggplant and asked me to make it. Traditionally if you make bharta you have to roast eggplants directly on fire allowing the skin to get charred, blackened and you have to keep turning them so all sides are done. Then place it in water, let the skin come off , mash it and then start the process of making the masala. It is easy if you have a have a cook top that runs on gas. But if you have a glass cooktop that runs on electricity, you have to slow roast the eggplants in the oven and it could take anything between 45 mins to an hour for the whole process. This is the reason I would always avoid making bharta until my mother-in-law showed me this easy and simple recipe. Now I make bharta almost every two weeks and it tastes just as delicious as the roasted one.

 

Ingredients:-

1 big fat eggplant not small round or slender ones. - Peeled and grated

1 big onion-thinly sliced

2 potatoes - cut in cubes (optional)

1 tblsp- Ginger garlic paste

1 tblsp -cumin seeds

2 Green chilies finely sliced

1 large tomato - finely chopped

Chilli powder - as per your taste

1 tsp-Turmeric Powder

1 tsp - garam masala powder

1/2 cup frozen or fresh green peas

4 tblsp oil

Cilantro leaves finely chopped

 

1. Wash, peel and grate the whole eggplant using a big grater. Keep it aside.
2. In a wide pan heat oil, add cumin seeds and let it splutter. Add chopped onions and cook until translucent.
3. Add ginger garlic paste and cook for about 5 mins, add in the green chillies.
4. Now add the diced tomatoes and potatoes together. You can omit the potatoes, I have to add them since my hubby loves potatoes A LOT :)
5. Add all the spices and let it cook for about 5 mins, then add the grated eggplant and peas.
6. Cook on a low heat, it would take about 35 mins or until the eggplants are completely mashed and the oil seperates.
7. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Serve with flat breads like parathas, naan or simple plain roti.




 

Achari Aloo Chana with Puri

 

 

 

Another regular in every punjabi household is "Chole" also known as chana, chickpeas. A must dish  twice a month atleast if not more. But after years and years of eating chole you want to look for more innovative or tasty ways of making the same good old chole. You can make it in sooo many ways like chana masala- simple and all time favourite, chana ghosht- chana masala simmered with goat meat, chana palak- palak and chana simmered together with various spices, chana rajma - rajma and chana cooked together, dahi waale chole- liberal use of yogurt in this recipe to make a tangy gravy. So here is another way of making chole that I tried last night. Its a tangy spicy achaari chole gravy made with "Achaar" pickle masala.

 

Ingredients :-

2 cups Chole - soaked overnight (you can also use canned)

1 medium onion - finely sliced

2 medium potatoes - optional

Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tbls

Mango achaar masala - 1 tsp (available in any indian grocery store)

A piece of mango achaar - any mango pickle available in your home

Salt - to taste

Turmeric - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Kalonji (onion seeds) - 1 tsp

Chilli powder - as per your taste

Fresh Cilantro - for garnishing

 

1. Pressure cook the chole using double the amount of water. Cook for 2 whistles. Check if the chole are done but not too done or mushy.
2. In a pot heat about 4 tbls oil, add the chopped onions and cook until brown.
3. Add the ginger garlic paste and cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Add turmeric, salt, chilli powder, coriander powder and cook for about a minute. Add in the potatoes ( its optional my husband loves potatoes so I have to add it almost everything I cook but you can omit potatoes if you dont like it) 
5. Add the cooked chole. If there is too much water cook until the water evaporates and you get the desired consistency for the gravy.
6. Now add the achaar masala, kalonji and a piece of a mango pickle.
7. Cook until the gravy is thick.
8. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve with rice, roti or puri .

 

It tastes yummy with puris so if you are not weight conscious try serving it with puris  and plus once in a while it doesnt hurt to have delicious hot puffed puris. Here is the recipe.

 

Recipe for Puri ((Indian fried bread)



 

Ingredients:-

3 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

2 tblsp oil

1 tsp ajwain ( also known as carom seeds or bishop's weed)

2 cups water

oil for frying

 

1. Take the whole wheat flour in a big bowl, add salt, ajwain and oil.
2. Rub the flour and oil mixture together in between your palms so that the whole flour is coated with oil. This makes the puris really soft and fluffy.
3. After a minute add in enough water to make a soft dough. The quantity of water may differ depending on the quality of the flour. So add it little by little while kneading. You dont want a very wet or a very hard dough so use your own judgement.
4. Meanwhile heat oil in a big wok, make small balls and roll out the puris about 6 inchs in diameter. Check the temperature of the oil, should not be too hot or cold. To test just throw in a tiny piece of the dough and it should rise immediately. This means the oil is hot enough.
5.  Now slide in a puri and keep the ladle on top of the puri, make sure that it is completely submerged in the oil. Let it cooks on one side and it will rise or puff up.
6. Now turn it over so that it cooks on the other side as well. Dont over cook the puri, it has to have slight brown color. Puris get cooked inside the moment they puff up.
7. Place it on a paper towel to drain the excess oil. These puris are so soft and delicious you dont need anything to eat with it.
8. Enjoy with the chole masala.

 

Tips/notes:-

The reason we add ajwain to the dough is because it is a very good digestive. It helps in digesting oily foods and relieves any colicky pain due to flatulence (gas).

Try and not roll the puris too thin as they tend to turn dry up the next day. If the puris are a little thick they tend to remain soft.

 

 

 





 

RAJMA MASALA

 

People always ask me what is your favourite dish? Your comfort food and I instantly tell them Rajma Chawal. This simple dish has so many memories. Every punjabi household has this dish atleast once a week. Ask any north indian and they will drool when you mention Rajma Chawal. Its simple, its tasty and its satisfying. Who wouldn't want a steaming hot plateful of Rajma chawal. I start this blog with my favourite dish- Rajma Masala I made last night.

Ingredients:-

2 Cups Rajma - Kidney beans (soaked overnight)

1 large onion - finely  chopped

1 large tomato- finely chopped
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 tbls

Cumin seeds - 1 tbs

Punjabi Garam Masala- 1 tbs

Salt- as per your taste

Red chilli powder - 2 tsps (or as per your taste)

Turmeric - 2 tsps

Cilantro- handful - finely chopped

Oil - 3 tbls

1. Soak the rajma overnight.
2. Pressure cook the rajma with double the amount of water. Cook for atleast 2 whistles or until slightly tender. Since they were soaked overnight they dont need to be cooked long.
3.  In a pan add oil, once it gets hot add the cumin seeds, let it splutter.
4. Add the onions until they are light brown. Keep stirring the onions and make sure they do not burn.
5. Add ginger garlic paste and saute it for 5 mins, throw in the tomatoes and cook till they are tender.
6.  Add turmeric, chilli powder, salt, garam masala and cook until the oil seperates and the masala is completely done.
7. Add this masala to the Rajma, pressure cook for 1 whistle and shut off the flame. Do not take the steam out, let the pressure cooker cool completely.
8. Once cooled check if the rajma is fully cooked.
9. Garnish with cilantro.

Enjoy this soul satisfying comforting dish with jeera or plain rice.

Tips/notes :-
Rajma tastes much better if you use punjabi garam masala powder. I use homemade one sent by my mom. Among the various brands I think Badshah punjabi garam masala powder is the closest to the real masala.