Potol Kheer er Jugalbandi(Dessert of Pointed gourd)

Ingredients:

Potol/Parwal/Pointed gourd: 6
Khawa:1/4 cup
Ghee:1 tsp
Kewra water:2 tsp
Large sugar crystals:1 tsp
Broken cashew:1 tsp
Chopped raisins:1 tsp
Thick sugar syrup:: 1/2 cups
Thin sugar syrup:1 cup

Method:

Cut potol into halves,remove skin pulp & seeds thoroughly.
Boil potol in water first.
Then boil it in thin sugar syrup for 10 mins.
Drain the syrup.
Fry potol(both sides) in ghee for few seconds so that its rawness goes & colour does not changed.
Add 1 tsp of kewra water to thick syrup.
Soak Potol in thick sugar syrup for 10 mins.
For stuffing:
Mix Khawa,cashew,raisins & sugar crystals.
Heat ghee in a pan & add the mixture.
Cook for 2-3 mins.
Remove from pan.
Add kewra jol in the mixture.
Stuff the potol with 1 tsp of mixture.
Refrigerate it.
Serve it cool

Til Begun(Eggplants cooked in sesame gravy)

Ingredients:
                                                    
Brinjals/eggplants (cut into semicircular shapes):2,large 
Yogurt, beaten:2 heaped tbsp
Tomatoes (chopped):2
Green chillies (chopped):4-5
Sesame seeds:2 tsp
Hing or asafetida powder:1/2 tsp
Bay leaf:1
Turmeric powder:1 tsp plus extra for coating the brinjals
kashmiri red mirch:1 pinch1 tsp
Cumin powder:1 tsp
Coriander powder:1 tsp
Ginger paste:1 tsp
Sugar:1 & 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
White oil for cooking

Method:

Toss the eggplants in a pinch of turmeric powder and salt.

Fry them in hot oil till they are brown in color.

Set aside.

Dry roast the sesame seeds and then grind them into powder.

Keep aside.

Into the same oil that has been used for frying the eggplants, add hing or asafetida powder and bay leaf.

When they begin to sizzle, add tomatoes and fry till tomatoes soften.

Add ginger paste, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, kashmiri red mirch, green chillies, salt and sugar.
 
Add 2 tbsp of water and sauté the mixture for 2 minutes.

Add yogurt and roasted sesame powder. Sauté again till yogurt blends into the spice.

Add 1/4 cup of water.
 
Simmer the gravy for 2 minutes.

Toss the fried eggplants in.

Cook on low heat for 1 minute and turn the heat off.

Serve hot with roti or rice.
 

Shahi Ilish

Ingredients:

Hilsa:2
Ghee:4 tbsp
Cloves:2
Cinnamon:2(each 1 inch)
Green cardamom:1
Bay leaf:2
Kashmiri whole chilli:2
Onion paste:1,large
Ginger-garlic paste:1 tbsp
Cashew paste:2 tbsp (in 2 tbsp milk)
Raisin paste:2 tbsp
Poppy seed paste:1 tsp
Red chilli powder:1 tsp
Milk:1 cup
Curd:1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Sugar:1 tsp
Shahi garam masala powder:1 tsp
Rose petals:4-5

Method:
Heat ghee & temper whole garam masala & bay leaf..
Rub salt to hilsa pieces & fry in ghee.
Add all ingredients except milk & Shahi garam masala powder & cook till ghee removes from sides.
Add hilsa pieces & cook for 5 mins.
Add milk & cook for 5 mins.
Temper Shahi garam masala powder in 1 tsp of ghee & add it to hilsa.
Top with rose petals & cover & cook for 2 mins.
Remove from heat & keep for half an hour so that the flavour of the gravy mixes with hilsa.
Serve hot with rice.

Murgh Makhani Kurma

Ingredients:

Chicken on the bone:6-7 pieces
Lotus seeds,fried:1/2 cup
Refined oil: 1/4 cup
Ghee:2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Ginger-garlic paste:4 tsp
Coriander powder:2 tsp
Red chilli powder: 1 tsp
Cumin powder:1 tsp
Garam masala powder:1 tsp
Cashew nut paste:1/2 cup
Fried onion paste:1/2 cup
Yogurt:1/2 cup
Screw pine (kewda) water:1/4 tsp
Charoli/chironjia : few for garnish (optional)
Cashew nuts: 2-4 for garnish
Makhane :8-10,for garnish

Method:

Heat refined oil and ghee in a deep non stick pan, add chicken and sauté for 3-4 minutes.
Add salt, ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder, cashewnut paste and
fried onion paste and mix well.
Saute till fragrant.
Add yogurt, 2 cups water and mix well. Reduce heat, cover and cook till chicken is almost done.
Add fried makhane and mix.
Add screw pine water and mix well.
Cover and cook till done.
Transfer into serving dish, garnish with charoli, cashewnuts and makhane and serve hot.

Aloo Phulkopir Rezala

Bhatri-Dwitiya Special Aloo Phulkopir Rezala:

Ingredients:
Potato:3,large(each cut into 4 pieces)
Cauliflower:1,large(cut into large florets)
Curd:300gm(diluted in 1 cup of water)
Garlic Paste:2 tsp
Ginger paste:2 tsp
Onion Paste:1/2 cup
Cashew paste(in milk):1 tsp
Poppy seed paste:1 tsp
Kashmiri Red Chilis:2
White Pepper Powder:2 tsp
Kewra water:2 tsp
Star anise(Badam phool):1
Jayitri:1
Nutmeg powder:1/4 tsp
Milk:2-3 tbsp
Bay Leaves:2
Cinnamon Sticks:1 inch
Black cardamon:1-2
Ghee:3 tbsp
Oil:1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Lotus seeds(Makhane):1/2 cup(optional)

Method:
 
Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan at low flame.
Fry lotus  seeds till they turn golden & remove.
Add bay leaves, cinnamon,cardamom, red chilies,jayitri,star anise.
Remove red chillies when the colour starts to change otherwise the oil will impart its red colour which interferes with  Rezala's colour.
Add 1 tbsp of ghee.
Fry potatoes & cauliflower florets till they turn light brown & remove them
Add 1 tbspghee,onion,ginger- garlic paste to the oil. 
Sauté the ingredients till oil removes from sides. 
Add curd,pepper powder & cook for 2-3 mins.
Add potatoes,cauliflour & milk & cook till they become tender.
Dont add water,you can add milk if requires. 
Add kewra water,nutmeg powder & remaining ghee & cook for another 2-3 mins.
Remove from flame & cover with a lead.
Serve hot with roti or paratha.

Achari Mirchi Murgh

Achari Mirchi Murgh is a spicy Punjabi main dish where Bhavnagari achari chillies have been used...

Ingredients:

Chicken,cut into 8 pieces on bone 750 grams

Bhavnagari green chillies  250 grams 
 
Dry red chilies  4-5
 
Fenugreek seeds (methi dana)  1/4 teaspoon
 
Mustard seeds  1 teaspoon
 
Fennel seeds (saunf)  1 teaspoon
 
Onion seeds (kalonji)  1/2 teaspoon
 
Salt  to taste
 
Turmeric powder  1/2 teaspoon
 
Yogurt  1/2 cup
 
Oil  3 tablespoons
 
Onion  3 medium
 
Ginger-garlic paste  1 tablespoon
 
Red chilli powder  1/2 teaspoon
 
Coriander powder  1 tablespoon

Method:

Grind red chillies, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, fennel seeds and onion seeds coarsely.
 Slit the Bhavnagari chillies, keeping the stems intact, and add to the chicken and mix.

Set this aside in a refrigerator to marinate for 1 hour.

Heat oil in a deep non-stick pan.

Cut onions into small cubes and add. Sauté lightly.

Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté till lightly browned.

Add red chilli powder and coriander powder and sauté for ½ minute.

Add the remaining ground spices and stir.

Add marinated chicken along with the marinade and stir well.

Add 1 cup water and mix well.

When it comes to a boil, cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes or till the chicken is completely done.

Let it stand for 10 minutes and then serve.
 

Ilish Machher Kalia (Hilsa Fish Kalia)

Enjoy your Festive Special Lunch with Red,Hot & Spicy

Ilish Machher Kalia  (Hilsa Fish Kalia):

I didnt fry Ilish to enjoy its unique aroma......
If you want,you can saute for few minutes..

Ingredients:

Ilish:2 pieces
Onion-chopped/paste:1,large (I used chopped)
Ginger-garlic paste:1 tbsp
Tomato-chopped/paste:1,large(I used chopped)
Turmeric powder:1 tsp
Kashmiri red chilli powder:1 tsp
Kashmiri red chilli(whole):2
Sugar:2 tsp
Green cardamom:1
Cinnamon:1(1 inch)
Cloves:2
Garam masala powder:1/2 tsp
Bay leaves:2
Coconut milk:2 tbsp(dont use more than 2 tbsp,otherwise the typical red colour will change!!)
Ghee:1 tsp
Mustard oil:1/2 cup

 Method:

Rub the fish pieces with a pinch of salt,turmeric,chilli powder & ginger-garlic paste & keep aside.

Heat ghee & fry chopped onion with a tsp of sugar.

Remove from ghee when they turn golden & crispy.

Drain the extra ghee.

Heat mustard oil & temper bay leaves & Whole garam masala.

If you want,you can saute the fish for few mins.

Add ginger-garlic paste,fried onion, kashmiri chilli powder,turmeric powder,garam masala powder,sugar,salt,& fish pieces & cook till the rawness of masala goes.

Add half cup of water & cover with a lid & cook for 5 mins.

Add coconut milk & remove from flame & cover with a lid.

Serve with rice.

Jalebi Pudding

Ingredients:

Jalebi:5-6,large
Sugar:1/2 cup
Eggs:4
Milk:3 cups
Saffron:1 pinch

Method:

Cut jalebis into half.
Arrange them at the base of a greased pudding dish.
Beat together sugar and eggs, then gradually add milk.
You can use a blender also.
Add saffron. 
Pour the milk mixture over jalebis.
Cover and place the pudding dish in a pan with enough water to come halfway up the sides of the jalebi dish.
Bake in preheated (180C) oven until the custard is set.
Remove cover and continue baking until a golden crust is formed on the surface of the pudding.
Remove from the oven.
Refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
Serve it.

For pressure cooker:
Grease a steel container.
Pour the mix.
Keep a stand on pressure cooker.
Place the tightly closed container.
Pour water in the cooker below the level of the lid of the container(approx.2 cups)
Close the lid of the cooker without the whistle.
Cook for 40-45 minutes in medium flame.
Check it,cook for another 4-5 minutes,if requires.
Remove from the container.
Refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

 

Ladakhi Chicken Curry

June this year we had been to Ladakh  by road trip from Kashmir.
After reaching Leh,we stayed in Oriental Guest house where the cook served us local Ladakhi Chicken which is a very light preparation-
No garam masala,cumin/corriender or turmeric powder.

Ingredients:
Onion paste:2,large
Garlic paste:8 cloves of garlic
Ginger paste(freshly paste):1 tsp 
Tomato paste:3,medium:1 tsp
Kashmiri chilli powder
Kashmiri chilli(whole):2
Mustard seeds:1/2 tsp 
Vegetable oil:2 tbsp
Chicken:1kg
Salt to taste
Chopped coriander leaves:2 tbsp

Method:


Heat the oil in a frying pan and temper whole chillies & mustard seeds.
Add the chicken when mustard seeds start to splutter

Fry over a medium heat for few minutes then remove from the pan before the colour changes and set aside.
Add onion,ginger-garlic and tomato paste,chilli powder into the same pan and fry over a medium heat until softened.
Add little water if it appears too dry.
Add the chicken & salt and stir till the masala is well coated.
Cook till the chicken is tender.
Remove from the heat.
Add fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed rice.
 

Kaju Kheer

Ingredients:

1.5 cups - cashew, soaked in water over night
1 lit - whole milk
 2 cups - sugar
 5 to 6 - cashews for garnishing
 4 to 5 - saffron strands

Method:
1.Drain the water from the soaked cashew and grind it with some milk to a smooth paste and keep aside.
2.Let the paste be as smooth as possible.
3.Take the saffron strands in a small bowl and add 3-4 spoons of warm milk to it; keep aside for a while.
4.Take the rest of the milk in a heavy bottomed pan and boil on stove.
5.Stir continuously until the quantity is reduced to about 3/4 the original quantity.
6.Add sugar and the cashew paste.
7.Stir continuously while adding the paste so that no lumps are formed.
8.You can add more sugar if needed as per your taste.
9.Boil on low heat until the required consistency is obtained.
10.Note: Let the consistency be a little thinner than what you actually desire. The kheer will thicken as it cools down.
11.Pour into individual serving bowls.
12.Pour the saffron milk and strands over it.
13.Garnish with chopped cashew pieces and serve hot.

Chhanar Paturi(Steamed Paneer cooked with mango mustard in Pumpkin leaves)

Ingredients:

Chhana(freshly made): 1 cup
Kasundi:2 tbsp
Mustard paste:1/2 tsp
Coconut paste:2 tbsp
Green chilly paste:1 tbsp
Mustard oil:3 tsp
Pumpkin leaves:2(large)
Salt to taste
Sugar: 1/4 tsp

 Method:

Mix & knead all the ingredients with 1 tsp of mustard oil & transfer it in a closely tight container.
Take a nonstick pan full of water.
Put the container In the pan & cook in steam in medium flame for 5 mins.
Take it out of flame.
Rub mustard oil in 2 large pumpkin leaves.
Transfer the chhana mix in the pumpkin leaf & close with another leaf.
Tie the both leaves with thread to make parcel.
Rub 1 tsp of mustard oil in a pan.
Heat the pan & transfer the parcel in the pan & grill for another 5-6 mins till the colour of leaf darkens.
Serve it with plain rice.

Kheer kamala

Ingredients:

Milk: 4 cups
Condensed milk: 1 cup
Oranges (sweet): 2
Green cardamom powder: ½ tsp
Orange segments: 3-4

Method:

Boil the milk and reduce it to 1/4 th measure till it become thick and creamy.

When the milk reduced to half,add the condensed milk and boil for another 10 minutes.
Sprinkle the cardamom powder, give it a stir and let it cool at room temperature.
Once it is cooled to room temperature, refrigerate it for 3-4 hours.
Meanwhile, extract the juice of two oranges and strain it.
Keep some of the orange segments for garnishing.
Take out the chilled milk from the fridge, add the orange juice, check for the tartness, if needed add more or less depends upon the tartness you prefers.
Garnish with the sliced orange segments.
Serve the chilled kheer kamala.
I served it with Kamala Bhog sweets. :)
 

Nawabi Murgh

Ingredients:


Chicken:500gm
Onion paste:2,large
Ginger-garlic paste:1tsp
Garam masala powder:1 tsp
Bay leaf:1
Ghee:1 tbsp
Refined oil:1 tsp
Green chilli paste:1 tbsp
Kashmiri whole chilli:1
Cashew paste:1 tsp(in milk)
Poppy seed paste:1 tbsp
Coconut milk:1/2 cup
Milk:4 tbsp
Fresh cream:1 tbsp
Saffron:1 pinch(soaked in milk)
Kewra water:1 tbsp
Sugar:1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

Heat oil& ghee& temper bay leaf,kashmiri chilli,garam masala.
Add onion,ginger-garlic & chilly paste.
Add Cashew paste,poppy paste when oil removes from sides.
Add chicken & cook till rawness of chicken is gone.
Add coconut milk, milk, kewra water & saffron with a half cup of water.
Cook till the chicken becomes tender.
Add cream & serve with rice or paratha.
 

Whole wheat Stuffed(Paneer) Baby Butter Kulcha

Ingredients:
...


Whole wheat flour(Atta):2 cups
Salt 1/2 teaspoon
Yogurt 1 tablespoon
Soda bicarbonate 1/4 teaspoon
Sugar 1 teaspoon
Milk 1/2 cup
White sesame seeds:1 tsp
Chopped corriender leaves:1 tsp

Stuffing:
Paneer (cottage cheese),grated200 grams
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon
Cumin powder:1/2 tsp
Fennel powder:1/4 tsp
Sugar powder:1 tsp

 Method:

Take atta in a wide bowl.

Add salt, sugar, baking soda,milk and combine.


Add yoghurd and knead well.

Add little oil and make soft & smooth dough.

Take paneer in a bowl, add all masalas mentioned for stuffing and mix well.

Roll each dough peda to a small puri, place a portion of the paneer mixture and roll into a ball again.


Rest the stuffed balls for five minutes.

Flatten it to round shape, by dusting with atta. ( just like roti or chapatti )

Sprinkle sesame seeds & corriender leaves on top.

Put them in a skillet that is very hot.

Cook it on medium high.

Cook till both sides are nicely golden brown.

When its done, dash some butter to it.

Ilish er Malai curry (Hilsa fish malai curry)

Ingredients:
Hilsa:2 pieces
Turmeric powder:1/2 tsp
Onion paste:1 tbsp
Chopped garkic:1/2 tsp
Ginger paste:1/4 tsp
Curd:1 tsp
Coconut milk(thick):1/2 cup
Grated coconut:1 tsp
Milk:2 tbsp
Coconut water:1/4 cup
Kashmiri red chilli(whole):2
Kashmiri red chilli powder:1/2 tsp
Cinnamon:1(1 inch)
Cloves:2
Green cardamom:1
Bay leaf:1
Ghee:2 tbsp
Cream:1 tbsp
Sugar:1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:
Heat ghee in a pan.
Rub hilsa pieces with salt & turmeric powder & fry in ghee till they turn golden.
Remove fish.
Temper whole garam masala,whole chillies & bay leaf in same ghee.
Add chopped garlic & fry till they turn brown.
Remove chopped garlic so that only flavour mixes with ghee.
Add onion & ginger paste with a tsp of sugar. & fry till ghee removes from sides.
Add curd,coconut milk,coconut water,salt & cook.
Add fish when gravy starts thickening.
Cook for 5 mins & add cream & cook for a minute.
Remove from flame.
Garnish with grated coconut & serve with rice or pulao.
 

Orange Delight

Ingredients:

Fanta(or Mirinda):1.5 cup [I used Fanta]
Lemon juice:3-4 drops
Rose syrup:1.5 tbsp
Vanilla ice cream:1 cup

Method:
Blend all the ingredients in a blender.
Serve cool with vanilla ice cream on top.
 

Daniwal Korma

It's a delicacy from Kashmiri cuisine...Unique flavours of fennel powder & corriender leaves make this dish special...
Ingredients:

Mutton: 1kg(with bone),medium pieces
Ghee:6 tbsp
Curd:500gm
Chopped onion:5,medium
Dried ginger powder:2 tsp,or,ginger paste:1 tbsp
Fennel powder:2 tsp
Corriender powder:3 tsp
Freshly ground black pepper powder:1 tsp
Chopped corriender leaves:3-4 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:

Heat ghee in a thick-bottomed kadai.
Add curd,onion & cook till the mixture becomes soft & pulpy.
Add the mutton,ginger powder/paste,fennel powder,corriender powder,pepper powder & salt.
Mix well & cook till ghee removes from sides.
Add half of the corriender leaves & 3 cups of water & bring it to boil.
Simmer till the mutton is tender.
Garnish with the remaining corriender leaves & serve.