Make it Sizzle!

The Steak Sizzler was developed in 1958 by two California-based restaurateurs, Helen and Del Johnson. The name was derived from the sizzling sound that the steak made when it was placed on a hot plate.

Inspired by the American steak sizzler, a Parsi chef named Firoz Erani in Mumbai created an Indian version with local spices and ingredients.

We always think of the sizzler as a non-vegetarian dish – but some innovative chefs have created a Vegetable Steak Sizzler that uses a potato cutlet as a replacement for meat. Does this represent a compromise? The answer is “No” and you need to experience this vegetarian version of the sizzler to know what we mean.

So that’s the dish we will be preparing today – the Vegetable Steak Sizzler. Here are the ingredients that you will require.

Ingredients:

• Potatoes: 4
• Mix of Vegetables (Peas, Capsicum, Carrots and Beans): 50 grams each
• Indian Cottage Cheese (Paneer): 100 grams
• Green Chillies: 4
• Breadcrumbs: 6 tablespoons
• Mustard Oil: 100 millilitres
• Butter: 4 tablespoons
• Jaggery: 4 tablespoons
• Tomato Ketchup: 4 tablespoons
• Soya Sauce: 1 teaspoon
• Vinegar: 2 tablespoons
• Tamarind (Imli) Juice: 2 tablespoons
• Cloves (Laung): 4
• Garlic (Lasun): 4 cloves
• Bay Leaf (Tej Patta): 1
• Coriander (Dhania) Leaves: 1 tablespoons
• Red Chilli Powder: 3 teaspoon
• Cumin (Jeera) Powder: 1 teaspoon
• Black Pepper Powder: to taste
• Salt: to taste

The quantities mentioned above are for preparing a single plated serving. Adjust the quantities proportionately to suit the number of servings that you require.

Preparation:

Peel, wash and boil the potatoes till they become soft. Then mash them.

Chop the capsicum, carrots and beans into small pieces and mix them together in a bowl.

Cut the Indian cottage cheese in small pieces. Boil it and then crumble it.

Finely chop the green chillies. Divide them into two parts: three chillies for the cutlets and one chilli for the barbecue sauce.

Pell, wash and finely chop the garlic cloves.

Coarsely chop the coriander leaves.

Method:

We are going to begin by preparing the vegetable cutlets for this dish. In a mixing bowl, take the mashed potatoes, peas, capsicum, carrots and beans along with the Indian cottage cheese. Add the three green chillies, coriander leaves, a teaspoon of red chilli powder and half a teaspoon of cumin powder. Also add black pepper powder and salt to taste. Mix well and use your hands to shape the mixture into two large round or oval cutlets.

Spread the breadcrumbs out on a tray. Coat each cutlet in breadcrumbs. Ensure that each cutlet is evenly coated.

Heat the Mustard Oil in a pan on a High flame. When the oil reaches its smoking point and begins to emit streams of aromatic white smoke, reduce the flame to Medium.

Deep-fry the cutlets till they turn golden brown in colour.

Next, let’s make the barbecue sauce that gives this dish its authentic and characteristic flavour. In another pan, heat the butter on a Low flame. To the hot butter add the bay leaf, cloves and the remaining half-teaspoon of cumin powder. Also add the garlic and sauté for around half a minute or so.

Now add the jaggery; tomato ketchup; soya sauce; vinegar; and tamarind juice. Also add the remaining two teaspoons of red chilli powder along with black pepper powder and salt to taste. Then add around 100 millilitres of water. Cook on a low flame, stirring gently till the sauce takes on the desired consistency.

Your Vegetable Steak Sizzler is now ready – but a large part of the attraction of this dish lies in the way in which it is presented. Here’s how it’s usually done. Heat an iron tava (griddle) and arrange some cabbage leaves and vegetables on it. Then put the two cutlets on top. Finally, pour the barbecue sauce over the top of the dish. As soon as you do this, the dish will begin to sizzle – which means it is time to serve it. Place the tava on a wooden base (ideally one that has a handle) and serve your Vegetable Steak Sizzler.

You can find more recipes at : https://www.purioilmills.com/recipes-in-english/

Uniquely Uttaranchali!

Today our meandering culinary journey takes us back to a destination that we have visited several times in the past – the breathtakingly beautiful foothills of the Himalayas… the picturesque state of Uttarakhand, also known as Uttaranchal.

There is a very good reason for which we keep coming back to the hills of Uttarakhand: the amazing food! The simple hill folk who dwell here know how to use cold-pressed Mustard Oil in incredibly creative ways.

The dish we will be making today is a traditional Uttaranchali preparation called Bhatwani. It gets its name from the main ingredient: Pahadi Bhatt Dal (black beans) that grows in abundance in these lush foothills.

Here are the ingredients that you will require. 

Ingredients:

• Black Beans (Bhatt Ki Dal): 200 grams
• Garlic (Lasun): 5 cloves
• Red Chillies, whole: 5
• Mustard Oil: 100 millilitres
• Cumin (Jeera) Seeds: 1 teaspoon
• Coriander (Dhania) Leaves: 1 tablespoon
• Coriander (Dhania) Powder: Half a teaspoon
• Red Chilli Powder: Half a teaspoon
• Turmeric (Haldi) Powder: Just a pinch
• Asafoetida (Heeng): Just a pinch
• Garam Masala: Half a teaspoon
• Ghee: 1 tablespoon
• Black Peppercorns: 4
• Salt: to taste

The quantities mentioned above are for preparing four servings. Adjust the quantities proportionately to suit the number of servings that you require.

Preparation:

Heat a tava (griddle) on a Medium flame. Place the black beans on the hot tava and roast for around three minutes or so. When you smell the rich aroma of the roasted beans, turn the flame off. Then coarsely grind the beans and keep aside.

Coarsely chop the coriander leaves.

Method:

Heat the Mustard Oil in a pan on a High flame. Wait until the oil reaches its smoking point. When this happens, you will notice streams of white smoke rising from the surface of the hot oil. This is perfectly natural – in fact, it indicates that the Mustard Oil you are using is pure and of good quality. Once the oil reaches its smoking point, turn the flame down to Medium. You are now ready to start cooking.

To the hot oil add the garlic cloves. When the garlic turns light brown in colour add the red chillies; cumin seeds; asafoetida; and black peppercorns. Fry for around 30 seconds.

Next, add the roasted and ground black beans and continue to cook for another two minutes.

Add the coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt to taste. Then add around 750 millilitres of water. Turn the flame up to High and bring the contents of the pan to a boil.

Reduce the flame to Medium. Cover the pan and cook till the ground black beans become soft and create a rich, thick texture with the other ingredients. Then reduce the heat to Low and let the contents of the pan simmer for around 20 minutes.

Sprinkle the garam masala over the top of the pan and give the contents a final stir. Then turn the flame off.

Transfer the contents of the pan to a serving dish. Sprinkle ghee over the top of the dish. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Your traditional Uttaranchali Bhatwani is now ready. Serve it hot. This dish is usually eaten with steaming hot rice.

You can find more recipes at : https://www.purioilmills.com/recipes-in-english/

Potato Fusion

In today’s post we will explore another one of those crossover recipes that this blog has written about on various occasions. In the past, we have looked at exciting fusion dishes that have been adapted from British, French, Persian and other European culinary styles and items.

Today we will be making an Indian adaptation of Mustard-Roasted Potatoes, a recipe made famous by Ina Garten, an American food writer who is well-known as the host of the television programme Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network channel – this is a highly popular show that ran for 14 years and it made Ina Garten a household name across the United States.

So let’s get started on our Indian fusion version of Mustard-Roasted Potatoes. Here are the ingredients that you will require. 

Ingredients:

• Potatoes: 1 kilogram (small-sized potatoes)
• Onions: 2, medium-sized
• Mustard Oil: 3 tablespoons
• Mustard Seeds (Rai): 2 tablespoons
• Coriander (Dhania) Leaves: 2 tablespoons
• Black Pepper Powder: 1 teaspoon
• Salt: to taste

Ina Garten prefers to use small Yukon Gold potatoes for making this dish. You can use any small-sized potatoes – for example, the kind that you would use for making baby potato dishes.

For the black pepper powder, Ina Garten says it is important to use freshly ground black peppercorns for this preparation. The freshly ground pepper has a more effusive taste that heightens the effect this recipe has on your taste buds.

The quantities mentioned above are for preparing six servings. Adjust the quantities proportionately to suit the number of servings that you require.

Preparation:

Peel and wash the potatoes. Cut them into quarters (the smaller ones can be cut into halves).

Peel and wash the onions. Cut the ends of the onions off and discard them. Cut the onions into slices, and then cut each circular slice into quarters.

Coarsely grind the mustard seeds using a mortar and pestle.

Coarsely chop the coriander leaves.

Method:

Preheat your oven to 220^o C (425^o F).

Take the potato pieces in a large pan with a handle (like a frying pan for instance). Add half the Mustard Oil, half the ground mustard seeds, half the black pepper powder and salt to taste. Toss them to mix all the ingredients well. Put the tossed potato pieces on a plate and then use the same pan to toss the onion pieces with the remaining Mustard Oil, ground mustard seeds, black pepper powder and salt to taste (keep in mind that you have already added salt to the potatoes). Put the tossed onion pieces on a separate plate.

Put the tossed potato pieces on an oven tray and carefully place the tray in the preheated oven. Bake for around 45 minutes till the potatoes turn light brown in colour and become soft on the inside (use a fork to check). Use a spatula to turn the potato pieces over at regular intervals to ensure even browning.

During the last 15 minutes of the baking process, add the tossed onion pieces to the oven tray. This will ensure that the onion pieces do not burnt in case the potatoes take too long to become soft. Use a spatula to mix the onion pieces with the potato pieces.

When the potato pieces are done, transfer the contents of the oven tray to a serving dish. Sprinkle a little salt over the top, if required. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Your Indian-style fusion version of Mustard-Roasted Potatoes is now ready. Serve it hot. You can have this as a delicious snack or serve it as an exciting side dish with a touch of pizzazz. Enjoy!

You can find more recipes at : https://www.purioilmills.com/recipes-in-english/

Cabbage – with a Zing

Many people disdainfully think of cabbage as a bunch of bland tasting leaves that are used to make an equally bland tasting salad – but it doesn’t always have to be that way. Up in the northern regions of India there is a traditional preparation of cabbage with potatoes cooked in Mustard Oil along with an exciting array of spices… a preparation that adds a hot tingling warmly enticing zing to the otherwise subdued flavour of cabbage.

In today’s post, we will be making a dish called Patta Gobi Aloo Ki Sabzi – a recipe that will dramatically alter your opinion of the humble cabbage. The soft succulence of the potatoes and the crunchiness of the cabbage combine to create a delicious experience for your taste buds.

Here are the ingredients that you will require. 

Ingredients:

• Cabbage (Patta Gobi): 250 grams
• Potatoes (Aloo): 250 grams
• Mustard Oil: 2 tablespoons
• Green Chillies: 2
• Cumin (Jeera) Seeds: Half a teaspoon
• Ginger (Adrak): One half-inch piece
• Asafoetida (Heeng): Just a pinch
• Turmeric (Haldi) Powder: Half a teaspoon
• Coriander (Dhania) Powder: Half a teaspoon
• Coriander (Dhania) Leaves: 1 tablespoon
• Red Chilli Powder: Half a teaspoon
• Mango Powder (Amchur): Just a pinch
• Garam Masala: Just a pinch
• Salt: to taste

The quantities mentioned above are for preparing two servings. Adjust the quantities proportionately to suit the number of servings that you require.

Preparation:

Wash the cabbage and cut the leaves into small pieces.

Peel and wash the potatoes and cut them into small cubes..

Finely chop the green chillies.

Peel, wash and grate the ginger.

Coarsely chop the coriander leaves.

Method:

Heat the Mustard Oil in a pan on a High flame till the oil reaches its smoking point. When this point is reached streams of aromatic white smoke will rise gently from the surface of the hot oil. Reduce the flame to Medium.

Add the cumin seeds and asafoetida to the hot oil and sauté till the cumin seeds start to splutter.

Next, add the chopped green chillies, the grated ginger, turmeric powder and coriander powder. Stir to mix all the ingredients well. Continue to sauté.

Now add the cabbage, potato, red chilli powder, garam masala and salt to taste. Stir to ensure that the cabbage and potato pieces are well-coated in the spices. Then add a couple of tablespoons of water. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for around seven minutes.

After seven minutes remove the lid and check whether the potato pieces are done (use a fork to see if the potato pieces are soft). In case you find that the potatoes are not done, cover the pan again, reduce the flame to Low and cook for another five minutes or so.

Now add the mango powder and stir to mix well – then turn the flame off.

Transfer the contents of the pan to a serving dish and garnish with the chopped coriander leaves.

Your traditional north Indian Patta Gobi Aloo Ki Sabzi is now ready. Serve it hot. This dish is usually eaten with hot butter-coated Chapatti.

You can find more recipes at : https://www.purioilmills.com/recipes-in-english/

Colocasia Calling

The Colocasia root is a crunchy yam that is known as Arbi in India. In addition to being delicious (if prepared properly), Arbi also offers a wide range of important health benefits like protection from heart disease, reduced risk of cancer and control of blood sugar levels.

The dish that we will be preparing today is called Arbi Sarson – a preparation of Colocasia in a rich mustard paste. Here are the ingredients that you will require. 

Ingredients:

• Colocasia (Arbi): 500 grams
• Onion: 1, medium-sized
• Tomatoes: 2
• Ladies Finger (Bhindi): 4
• Ginger (Adrak): One half-inch piece
• Garlic (Lasun): 12 cloves
• Mustard Seeds (Rai): 2 teaspoons
• Mustard Oil: 3 tablespoons
• Turmeric (Haldi) Powder: Just a pinch
• Red Chilli Powder: 1 teaspoon
• Salt: to taste

The quantities mentioned above are for preparing four servings. Adjust the quantities proportionately to suit the number of servings that you require.

Preparation:

Wash and boil the Arbi. Cut it into bite-sized cubes.

Wash, peel and chop the onion.

Chop the tomatoes into small pieces.

Chop the ladies finger into small half-inch pieces.

Peel, wash and grate the ginger.

Peel and wash the garlic cloves.

In a blender, take the mustard seeds and garlic cloves and make a thick paste.

Method:

Heat the Mustard Oil in a pan on a High flame till the oil reaches its smoking point and starts emitting streams of aromatic white smoke. Reduce the flame to Medium. Take a tablespoon of this Mustard Oil in a frying pan.

To the hot oil in the frying pan add the Arbi and ladies finger pieces, and sauté for around three minutes on a Medium flame till the Arbi turns golden brown in colour. Turn the flame off. Keep the frying pan aside.

To the earlier pan, add the onion pieces along with the grated ginger, and sauté for around three minutes. Add the fried Arbi and ladies finger, and continue to sauté.

Next, add the chopped tomatoes, the mustard-garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt to taste. Stir to mix well and continue cooking for around five minutes. Then turn the flame off.

Your traditional north Indian Arbi Sarson is now ready. Serve it hot. This dish is usually eaten with hot Chapatti fresh off the tava.

You can find more recipes at : https://www.purioilmills.com/recipes-in-english/

Tomato Time!

Almost every kind of vegetable acquires an added dimension of taste when cold-pressed Mustard Oil is used in the preparation. In earlier posts we have already demonstrated this by using potatoes, cauliflower and various other vegetables. In today’s post, we are going to add a touch of tingle and sizzle to the simple, everyday tomato. You are going to love this flavour!

This is a preparation of Tomatoes in Mustard Gravy. Here are the ingredients that you will require. 

Ingredients:

• Tomatoes: 2, large
• Onion: 1, medium-sized
• Coriander (Dhania) Leaves: 1 tablespoon
• Ginger (Adrak) Paste: Half a teaspoon
• Garlic (Lasun) Paste: Half a teaspoon
• Mustard Paste: 2 tablespoons
• Mustard Oil: 3 tablespoons
• Cumin (Jeera) Powder: Just a pinch
• Red Chilli Powder: 2 teaspoons
• Sugar: 1 teaspoon
• Salt: to taste

The quantities mentioned above are for preparing two servings. Adjust the quantities proportionately to suit the number of servings that you require.

Preparation:

Cut the tomatoes into quarters.

Wash, peel and chop the onion.

Coarsely chop the coriander leaves.

Method:

Heat the Mustard Oil in a pan on a High flame till the oil reaches its smoking point and starts emitting streams of aromatic white smoke. Reduce the flame to Medium.

Add the onion pieces and fry till they turn light brown in colour.

Next, add the ginger paste and garlic paste. Continue to fry for a couple of minutes.

Now add the cumin powder and red chilli powder, and continue to fry for half a minute or so. Add salt to taste and stir well.

Add the tomato pieces and fry till they become soft.

Now add the mustard paste along with the sugar. Keep stirring. At this point, you can add a little water if you want the gravy to be less thick in consistency. Continue to cook for another two to three minutes. Then turn the flame off. 

Transfer the contents of the pan to a serving dish and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Your delicious preparation of Tomatoes in Mustard Gravy is now ready. Serve it hot. This dish can be eaten with either Rice or Roti.

You can find more recipes at : https://www.purioilmills.com/recipes-in-english/

Simply Kashmiri!

On several occasions in the past, this blog has dwelt on the legendary Wazwan cuisine of Kashmir – a culinary style involving long lists of ingredients, elaborate preparations and multiple stages of cooking. It needs a lot of time and plenty of effort. But not all Kashmiri food is this complicated. In today’s post, we will explore a dish that exudes simplicity – a dish made using two ingredients that Kashmir is famous for: elegant, long-grained Basmati rice and golden-yellow cold-pressed Mustard Oil.

This is a dish from the culinary repertoire of the Kashmiri Pandits. It is typically prepared for festivals and celebratory occasions. Like most other Kashmiri Pandit dishes, this one too doesn’t use onions, garlic or tomatoes – but that doesn’t make it any less delicious.

This traditional dish from Kashmir is called Tahar. Let’s begin by gathering the ingredients that we will be using. 

Ingredients:

• Basmati Rice: 400 grams
• Mustard Oil: 2 tablespoons
• Turmeric (Haldi), ground: Half a teaspoon
• Salt: to taste

That’s it! All you need are four simple ingredients for making this amazing dish.

The quantities mentioned above are for preparing four servings. Adjust the quantities proportionately to suit the number of servings that you require.

Preparation:

Rinse the Basmati rice grains well and then soak them in around one litre of warm water for 20 minutes or so. Then drain the water.

Method:

Add the drained Basmati Rice to a pan. Add around 600 millilitres of water. Also add the ground turmeric and salt to taste. Stir to mix well.

Now turn the flame on and set it to Medium heat. Cover the pan and cook for around five minutes. Then reduce the flame to Low and let the contents of the pan simmer till all the water has evaporated and the rice is done. Use a fork to fluff the rice, separating the grains gently.

Next, heat the Mustard Oil in a pan on a High flame till the oil reaches its smoking point and emits streams of deliciously aromatic white smoke. Turn the flame off.

Transfer the bright yellow rice to a serving dish. Pour the smoked Mustard Oil over the top of the rice.

Your traditional Kashmiri Tahar is now ready. Serve it hot. This dish is usually eaten as a side dish. Some food lovers like to add a dollop of ghee to accentuate the flavour. Try it – you won’t be disappointed, that’s one thing you can be sure of!

You can find more recipes at : https://www.purioilmills.com/recipes-in-english/

Magic Beans!

Punjab is one of the favourite haunts of food lovers, mainly because of the sheer variety of delicacies offered by this joyous, high-spirited region that believes in making food a central part of every celebration, every gathering and every occasion. The dish that we will be preparing today comes from this region of fun-loving foodies and serious gourmets. This is a delightful curry of black-eyed peas cooked in the golden warmth of Mustard Oil with a tantalizing array of spices and herbs.    

Black-eyed peas are called Lobia in Punjab and other parts of north India. Even though they are referred to as “peas”, they are actually beans – very healthy beans, in fact. They are rich in protein and dietary fibre. They are also known to control cholesterol and blood sugar levels. The dish we are preparing is, therefore, not just delicious but nutritious as well.

Today’s recipe is Lobia Masala. Here are the ingredients that you will require.

Ingredients:

• Black-eyed Peas (Lobia): 150 grams
• Mustard Oil: 5 tablespoons
• Tomatoes: 100 grams
• Onions: 100 grams
• Green Chillies: 2
• Ginger-Garlic Paste: 2 teaspoons
• Dried Fenugreek Leaves (Kasuri Methi): 2 tablespoons
• Cumin (Jeera) Seeds: 1 teaspoon
• Cumin (Jeera) Powder: 1 teaspoon
• Cloves (Laung): 3
• Cinnamon (Dalchini): 1 one-inch piece
• Coriander (Dhania) Powder: 1 tablespoon
• Coriander (Dhania) Leaves: 2 tablespoons
• Turmeric (Haldi) Powder: 1 teaspoon
• Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder: 2 teaspoons
• Garam Masala: Half a teaspoon
• Lime Juice: 2 teaspoons
• Black Peppercorns: 4
• Salt: to taste

The quantities mentioned above are for preparing four servings. Adjust the quantities proportionately to suit the number of servings that you require.

While selecting the black-eyed peas make sure they are fresh. It is best to buy large or medium-sized beans for making this dish.

Preparation:

First wash the black-eyed peas. Then take around one litre of water in a pan and soak the black-eyed peas overnight. In the morning, drain the water and keep the black-eyed peas aside.

Chop the tomatoes into small pieces.

Peel, wash and finely chop the onions.

Slit the green chillies lengthwise.

Coarsely chop the coriander leaves.

Method:

Heat the Mustard Oil in a pressure cooker (with the lid off) on a High flame. Once the oil reaches its smoking point and emits streams of aromatic white smoke, reduce the flame to Medium.

To the hot oil, add the cloves, cinnamon and black peppercorns, and fry for half a minute or so. Then add the cumin seeds and fry for another 30 seconds or till the seeds begin to splutter.

Next, add the onions and green chillies, and continue to fry till the onion pieces turn translucent.

Add the ginger-garlic paste and continue frying till the onions turn golden brown in colour.

Now add the tomatoes and cook for another minute or so. Use a ladle or the back of a large spoon to mash the tomato pieces as you fry them.

Next, add the cumin powder; coriander powder; turmeric powder; Kashmiri red chilli powder; and garam masala. Stir to mix all the ingredients well and then cook for around four minutes.

Now add the soaked black-eyed peas along with salt to taste. Then add around 750 millilitres of water to the pressure cooker. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and increase the heat to High. Cook for one whistle. Then reduce the heat to Low and cook for around 10 minutes. Turn the flame off and allow the pressure to release slowly.

Remove the lid of the pressure cooker. Add the dried fenugreek leaves and the lime juice. Stir to mix well.

Transfer the contents of the pressure cooker to a serving dish and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Your traditional Punjabi Lobia Masala is now ready. Serve it hot with Chapatti or Paratha. It is equally enjoyable with steaming hot Rice or Pulao.

You can find more recipes at : https://www.purioilmills.com/recipes-in-english/

Happily Himachali!

Himachal Pradesh isn’t just a happy state with happy people – it also offers some really happy cuisine that delights the taste-buds and satiates the senses. Today’s post explores one such traditional Himachali dish – a preparation of chickpeas in rich yogurt gravy.   

The Himachali people really know how to use Mustard Oil, making the most of its flavour, aroma and gentle sharpness. The dish we will be making today balances the warmth of Mustard Oil and simple spices with the sour tang of curds and the subtle sweetness of raisins to tantalize your taste-buds and leave you yearning for more.

This dish also offers high nutritional value. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, protein and dietary fibre which make it excellent for promoting digestion and preventing constipation. These health benefits are significantly reinforced by the use of cold-pressed Mustard Oil which is healthy for the heart, blood pressure and blood lipids.

This dish is called Channa Madra. Let’s begin by gathering the ingredients that we will be using. 

Ingredients:

• Chickpeas (Kabuli Chana): 250 grams
• Curd (Dahi): 500 grams
• Mustard Oil: 100 millilitres
• Raisins (Kishmish): 3 teaspoons
• Cardamoms (Elaichi): 4
• Cloves (Laung): 5
• Black Cardamom (Elaichi) Powder: Just a pinch
• Turmeric (Haldi) Powder: Half a teaspoon
• Cumin (Jeera) Powder: Half a teaspoon
• Salt: to taste

The quantities mentioned above are for preparing four servings. Adjust the quantities proportionately to suit the number of servings that you require.

Preparation:

Boil the chickpeas. When this is done, drain the water and keep the boiled chickpeas aside.

Method:

Heat the Mustard Oil in a pan on a High flame till the oil reaches its smoking point and emits puffs of deliciously aromatic white smoke. Then reduce the flame to Medium.

Add the cardamoms, cloves, black cardamom powder, turmeric powder and cumin powder to the hot oil and sauté for a minute or so.

Next, add the boiled chickpeas and stir to mix the chickpeas with all the spices. Continue to sauté for a couple of minutes.

Now add the curd, raisins and salt to taste. Stir to mix all the contents of the pan well. Then reduce the flame to Low and cook for around 20 minutes. Stir the contents gently at regular intervals. Then turn the flame off.

Your traditional Himachali Channa Madra is now ready. Serve it hot. This dish is usually eaten with hot Roti.

You can find more recipes at : https://www.purioilmills.com/recipes-in-english/

A Groovy Gravy Dish

The wonder of traditional Indian cooking is that it uses the simplest of ingredients and pretty standard spices to create amazing flavours. The trick lies in choosing the right blend of spices and also in introducing them during specific phases of the cooking process. Another ingredient that contributes enormously to the overall flavour is the use of rich, golden cold-pressed Mustard Oil. Unlike many other tasteless oils that merely serve to cook the food, Mustard Oil has a characteristic warmth, pungency and flavour that add a completely different dimension to the flavour and the aroma of the food being prepared.    

The dish we are making today is a preparation of potatoes, Indian cottage cheese and tomatoes in rich, spicy gravy brought to life by the zing of Mustard Oil. The dish is a traditional north Indian recipe called Aloo Paneer Tamatar Ka Jhol.

Let’s put together the ingredients that you will require.

Ingredients:

• Potatoes (Aloo): 2, large
• Indian Cottage Cheese (Paneer): 250 grams
• Tomatoes (Tamatar): 3
• Onion: 1
• Ginger (Adrak), grated: 2 teaspoons
• Garlic (Lasun): 4 cloves
• Mustard Oil: 100 millilitres
• Black Cardamom (Elaichi): 1
• Green Cardamoms (Elaichi): 3
• Cinnamon (Dalchini): 1 one-inch stick
• Cloves (Laung): 3
• Green Chilli: 1
• Turmeric (Haldi) Powder: 3 teaspoons
• Cumin (Jeera) Powder: 1 teaspoon
• Cumin (Jeera) Seeds: 1 teaspoon
• Coriander (Dhania) Powder: 1 teaspoon
• Coriander (Dhania) Leaves: 1 tablespoon
• Asafoetida (Heeng): Just a pinch
• Red Chilli Powder: 2 teaspoons
• Milk: 3 tablespoons
• Butter: 1 tablespoon
• Salt: to taste

The quantities mentioned above are for preparing four servings. Adjust the quantities proportionately to suit the number of servings that you require.

Preparation:

Peel, wash and boil the potatoes till they are partially done. Drain the water and let the potatoes cool down. Then cut them into small cubes and keep aside.

Cut the Paneer into small cubes.

Chop the tomatoes into small pieces.

Peel, wash and finely chop the onion.

Peel, wash and crush the garlic cloves into a coarse paste.

Finely chop the green chilli.

Coarsely chop the coriander leaves.

Place the potato pieces in a mixing bowl and add a teaspoon of turmeric powder, a teaspoon of red chilli powder, a teaspoon of Mustard Oil and salt. Mix well. Let the potato pieces marinate for around 20 minutes.

In another mixing bowl, take the Paneer pieces and add a teaspoon of turmeric powder, a teaspoon of red chilli powder, a teaspoon of Mustard Oil and salt. Mix well. Let the Paneer marinate for around 20 minutes.

Method:

Let’s begin by making the gravy for your dish.

Heat the Mustard Oil in a pan on a High flame. After heating for a while, the oil will reach its Smoking Point. Streams of white mustard-scented smoke will rise from the surface of the hot oil. When this happens, reduce the flame to Medium.

Add the marinated potato pieces to the hot oil and fry till the pieces take on a golden brown colour. When this is done, remove all the potato pieces from the oil and keep aside.

To the same oil add the marinated Paneer pieces and fry for around three minutes. Then remove the Paneer pieces from the oil and keep aside.

Add the black cardamom, green cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves and cumin seeds to the hot oil and sauté.

When the cumin seeds start to splutter, add the onion and sauté till the onion pieces turn golden brown in colour.

Next, add the grated ginger, garlic paste and green chilli, and continue to sauté.

Add the remaining teaspoon of turmeric powder along with the cumin powder, coriander powder and asafoetida. Stir to mix all the spices well.

Now add the tomatoes along with a little water. Reduce the flame to Low and let the contents of the pan simmer for around four minutes.

Next, add the milk and the butter. Cook for around three minutes stirring gently. Then add the fried potato pieces and the fried Paneer cubes. Allow the contents to simmer for another three minutes or so. Then turn the flame off.

Transfer the contents of the pan to a serving dish and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Your traditional Aloo Paneer Tamatar Ka Jhol is now ready to be served. This dish is usually eaten with steaming hot rice or Jeera Rice – and also with Pulao on special occasions. Simple vegetables – grand feast!

You can find more recipes at : https://www.purioilmills.com/recipes-in-english/