The Kingly Kafuli

      By

Prema Kuriyal 

Kafuli is a thick green gravy dish. Traditionally, it is prepared with "Pahadi Palak" or "Rai". Eaten mainly with steamed rice, it is a perfect dish for Sunday lunch. This iron-supplementing dish is undoubtedly one of the yummiest, simplest and humblest gharwali dishes. 

  

Ingredients : 

 Desi Palak - 1 Bunch

Sarson - 1 Bunch

Garlic - 6-7 Cloves

Ginger  - 1/2 inch

Green Chilli - 1/2

Salt - as per taste

Turmeric pd - 1 tsp

Coriander pd - 1tsp

Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp

For Thickening (optional)

Atta / besan / chawal ka atta paste (Wheat/Rice flour) - 1 tbsp + 2tbsp water 

For Tempering :

Mustard oil - 1 tbsp

Dry Red chillies - 2-3

Jhakiya - 1 tsp

Heeng - a pinch

Method : Clean and wash Palak/ Rai/ mixture of both. Pressure cook it along with ginger, garlic and chillies. Let it cool for a while and then grind it into coarse paste with hand blender/mixer. 

In an iron-kadai , heat mustard oil and add Red chillies. Once the chillies turn brown, remove them and keep aside. Heeng and Jhakiya goes in next. Add palak-paste and required amount of water. Next add spices. Mix in the thickening paste and bring it to the boil. Cook for 5-7 minutes on slow flames. Flames can be turned off now. To get the authentic irony-smoky flavour, let kafuli sit in iron-kadai for a while.Crush one of the tempered red chilli between fingers. Sprinkle these flakes for garnishing the plate.  Relish it with  steamed rice.

Enjoy !

Chana Kabaab

By Swati Nautiyal

Want to make a quick yet scrumptious starter for your next get together? Here is a recipe of a very healthy vegetarian Chana Kabab which not only is one of my instant-hit party appetizers but is fairly easy to prepare as well . 

Ingredients:

Kala Chana (Black Chickpea) - 1 cup

Onion (chopped) - 1

GingerGarlic Paste - 1/2 tsp

Meat masala - 1 tsp

Garam Masala - 1tsp

Green chillies (Chopped) - 1

Chopped Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp

Soup Cubes - 1

Cornflour- 2 tbsp (for binding)

Oil - for frying.

Method : Soak Chana dal  in water overnight. Drain the water, wash thoroughly and pressure cook with some water and salt till it's done. Mixie the dal into a fine paste. Add all the ingredients and mix well. Now make it into small round flat patties and shallow/deep fry them. 

Serving suggestions: Serve with green chutney/ mint-yogurt chutney/ onion ring salad or tomato sauce. 

Relish the Kebabs!

Mini 

Photo courtesy : Sanjeev kapoor

Jhangore ki Kheer

Jhangora (Barnyard millet ) kheer is a traditional and a very 

delicious, nutritious and yummiest gharwali dessert . This healthy 

and finger-licking dessert can be prepared in a jiffy to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Washed and soaked Jhagora

Ingredients :

 Jhangora - 2 tbsp

Milk - 1 kg

Sugar - as per taste

Cardamon (Eliachi) powder  - a pinch

Dry fruits - (optional) /as per taste

cinnamon powder - (optional)/ a pinch/1 tsp

Saffron strings - (optional) / few

Method:

 Wash and soak Jhangora for 1/2 an hour.

Add it to the boiling milk and  keep stirring it. 

Let it cook for 15-20 min in low flames.

Sugar can be added once the consistency becomes thick.

Mix in optional ingredients to give it a richness.

Relish the dessert hot or cold as per the preference. 

P.S  For the cooks :-Transfer the kheer in a bowl. Garnish it with nuts and keep it aside. To taste the authentic part of the kheer, take the empty pot in which the kheer was cooked. Sit down comfortably. Now devour scrapings of the dessert stuck in the pot. Grab a spoon and scrape through the residue ! :-)

Lazeez Lauki

After days of gorging party or heavy oily food, simple light veggie with few ingredients sounds divine. Lazeez lauki gives much required respite to overworked and overloaded tummy.

Ingredients:  peeled and cubed lauki ( bottle gourd) - 1

Ghee - 1/2 tbsp

Jakheeya seeds - 1 spoon

Green chillies - 2

Red chilli flakes- 1 spoon

Salt and turmeric powder

Bunch of Coriander leaves

Kari patty- optional

Method:  In a kadai put jakheeya in ghee and let it splutter.

Add all other ingredients one by one and let it cook for 15 minutes.

Deliciously simple lauki is ready .

Enjoy with roti !