Showing posts with label traditional food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label traditional food. Show all posts

Tuesday, 8 September 2020

Punjabi Kadhi

Punjabi Kadhi 

Kadhi Chawal and Punjabi taste go hand in hand. As someone who comes from a Punjabi family, Kadhi has always been one of the preferred dishes in our home's menu. The distaste for Lauki and Tori has been almost as blatantly obvious as the love for Kadhi and Rajma Chawal among the kids. During my entire life I have never witnessed a person getting bored of Kadhi Chawal and so, I thought of sharing the recipe of this luxurious dish. It's also a dish that reminds us of 'Maa ke Haath ka khaana'. As a recipe, it has been passed down by our ancestors and would forever hold their affection and love.

Our worries towards our health has grown during the past few decades and so the diminishing amount of Ghee is no surprise. However, once in a while consuming Kadhi with a tadka of Desi Ghee in an amount that reminds your taste buds what royalty tastes like won't hurt. My modern 'tadka' comes in the form of greens (my daughter still disproves it though). As someone who lives in a high rise apartment, kitchen garden is a luxury that I can't afford. Various planters, though a substitute, don't come that close to a kitchen garden. However the Palak and Methi from these planters add a beautiful colour, taste and nutrition to my dish. So, enjoy this recipe that has been passed down for ages now and relish the warmth that it provides.





Preparation Time : 30 Min

Resting Time : 30 min to 1 hour

Cooking time : 30 Min

Ingredients :  

Video : 



For Kadhi : 


  • Gramflour besan 2 Tablespoon
  • Sour Curd 2 Cup (or if you have a normal curd just add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and keep it on room temperature for 30 mins
  • Onion 1 sliced
  • Curry Leaves 8 to 10
  • Mustard seed 1 Teaspoon
  • Pinch of hing
  • Garlic finely chopped 1/2 Tablespoon
  • Green chilly chopped 1 Teaspoon
  • Salt according to taste
  • Red chilly powder according to taste
  • Fenugreek seeds 1 teaspoon 
  • Turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon
  • Oil 1 tablespoon
  • Water 3 - 4 cup
For Pakora : 

  • Gram-flour besan 1/2 cup
  • Onion 1 finely chopped
  • Potato 1 small finely chopped
  • Spinach 10 to 15 leaves finely chopped
  • Salt according to taste
  • Green chilly chopped 2
  • Red chilly powder according to taste
  • Oil for frying
  • Water as required
For Tarka Tempering : 
  • Ghee 1 Tablespoon
  • Curry leaves 5 to 6
  • Mustard seed1/2 teaspoon
  • Dry red chilly 2 to 3
  • Red chilly powder 1/2 teaspoon 

Procedure : 
  • For Kadi : 
  • In a bowl add gram flour, curd, salt, fenugreek seeds, red chilly powder, turmeric powder mix it well so that no lumps are formed, now add water to this slowly slowly till you get a smooth texture. Keep this aside for 30 to 40 minutes 





  • In a big heavy bottom pan add a tablespoon of oil heat it. Now add pinch of hing, mustard seed and fenugreek seeds. 

  • Now add curry leaves, chopped garlic and green chillies roast it for a minute 

  • Now add sliced onions cook it for 2 to three minutes once it is slightly cooked, add curd mixture. Stir continuously till it boils. Once kadhi starts boiling lower the heat and allow kadhi to cook for 20 to 25 minutes. 





  • In the mean time let's prepare the pakora. In a bowl add chopped onions, potato, spinach,green chilly, salt, chilly powder along with besan. Now add some water your pakora mixture is ready.





  • In a pan heat oil drop a spoonful of pakora mixture. Deep fry pakora on medium heat till it is nicely cooked and golden brown from all sides. 

  • Take out pakora on a tissue paper
  • Before serving add pakoras to the kadhi 


  • Transfer kadhi in a serving dish and top up with the tadka. For tadka heat ghee in a pan reduce the flame add mustard seeds, curry leaves, dry red chilly and chilly powder. Pour this tadka on hot kadhi . Serve with boiled rice and enjoy ... 




Friday, 31 July 2020

Mithe Chawal (Zarda Pulao)

Mithe Chawal (Zarda Pulao)

August brings the opportunity of growing closer and letting go off all inhibitions. With Eid and Rakhi around the corner, the feeling of brotherhood is more prevalent. One such metaphor is the dish Mithe Chawal (Zarda Pulao) . While it is used in The Hindu culture to celebrate Rakshabandhan, the Muslims have it as a traditional dish to celebrate Eid. Even though the name and people differ, the recipe and the sentiment remains constant.

This recipe is also really close to my heart. Being from a Punjabi family, Mithe Chawal and happiness have always had a direct relationship for me. From declaration of great results to commencing a religious event, Mithe Chawal have always been there for me. I hope this recipe brings out the same sentiment for you and the sweetness in this dish brings out the sweetness in your relationships.




Preparation Time : 30 Min

CookingTime : 30 Min

Recipe Video :  


Ingredients : 


  • Basmati rice 1 Cup soaked in water for 30 min
  • Desi Ghee 2 Tablespoon
  • Some whole spices (2 bay leaves, 3 Blakeys cardamom, 4 to 5 green cardamom, Cinnamon stick 1 inch, 3 cloves) 
  • Sugar 3/4 up
  • Almonds soaked and sliced 2 Tablespoon 
  • Rasins 15 -20
  • Cashew nut 15 - 20
  • Pistachio nut sliced 2 tablespoon for garnishing
  • Saffron 10 -15 strands soaked in 1 tablespoon water
  • Pinch of salt
Procedure :
  • In a pan boil 4 - 5 cups of water, add 2 green cardamom and cloves and a pinch of salt

  • Once water starts boiling add rice to this. Cook rice till it is 80 to 85 present cooked

  • With the help of strainer remove the excess water. Now keep this rice aside for 20 to 30 min
  • Now in a pan add desi ghee, once it is hot add all whole spices

  • Now add Almonds to this and roast it for a minute or two. Add cashew nut or raisins 
  • Let's add cooked rice to this. Toast it. Now add Saffron to it. Again toast it slowly so that the rice is not broken
  • Now add sugar to this and cover it with lid. Leave the rice covered for 2 to 3 minutes

  • Open the lid, just slowly toss the rice. You can the see that the rice is nicely cooked. Again cover the rice and cook it for 2 minutes. Now close the gas and leave the rice in pan for 10 minutes with lid
  • Serve it hot. Before serving garnish it with Pistachio .. enjoy 



Tips ;  
  • To give it a more rich look you can add khoya along with sugar
  • You can change the quantity of sugar according to your taste 

Sunday, 22 January 2017

Sabudana Khichdi

Sabudana Khichdi 

I have been eating this dish through out the year during my childhood. However, during winters my mom used to make a variant that we used to enjoy in breakfast with hot cup of tea. Giving below recipe of this variant where I have added green peas, potatoes, peanuts and other spices.

Do try this winter and share your feedback






Preparation Time : 10 Min

Resting Time : Overnight

Cooking Time : 15 Min

Ingredients :


  • 1 Bowl Sabudana (Sago) washed and soaked for 15 Minutes and then take it out into the strainer so that all the water gets removed and allow this to rest overnight covered with wet cloth
  • 1 Boiled potato cut into pieces 
  • 1/2 cup green peas
  • 1 Tablespoon peanuts
  • 1 Teaspoon jeera
  • Pinch of Hing
  • 1/2 Tea spoon haldi powder 
  • 2 Green chillies chopped
  • Red chilly powder according to taste
  • Salt according to taste
  • 2 Table spoon coriander chopped
  • 1 Tea spoon sugar
  • 1 Table spoon lemon juice 
  • 2 Table spoon oil
Procedure : 
  • Take a pan add oil heat it then add zeera and hing to this

  • Now add Peanuts and cook for minute or two

  • Then add green peas saute it for 3 to 4 minutes, now put boiled potatoes to this and cook for 3 to 4 minutes




  • Once green peas and potatoes are cooked, add haldi, red chilly, green chilly and salt



  • Now add sabudana to this, mix it well, cover with lid and cook for 3 to 4 minutes




  • Add sugar, lemon juice and coriander leaves and enjoy 






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