Baisakhi Menu - Kangan , Westin

Baisahki - Punjabi New Year and the harvest festival celebrated in the land of 5 rivers is on April 14th, 2015 and the celebrations have already begun.

All over Punjab there are Melas (fairs) to bring in this joyous occasion .

No celebration in Punjab or in a Punjabi household where ever it may be on the globe is complete without food , drink and the generous spirit of sharing joy and love.

Kangan - the restaurant at Westin , Pune that serves delectable cuisine from the legendary North West Frontier province and Hyderabad , has put together a wonderful selection of authentic Punjabi favorites to celebrate Baisakhi.

I was absolutely delighted with the spread and here are a few pictures of what we enjoyed.

The Baisahki menu has wonderful Punjabi staples like Langar Walli Daal , Aloo Wadi , Dhabewalli Kukkad , pindi chole , slow cooked sarso ka saag , Fish Amritsari with a wonderful flavor of Ajwain that will take you back to little bylanes of Amritsar where this snack originated and other wonderful dishes

 Wonderful beverages to accompany your meal , we enjoyed some Lassi and Jal Jeera !

Ofcourse the desserts are wonderfully executed , we had crisp jalebi with rabri ....it was just right not overpoweringly sweet and the signature dessert at Kangan - Gulab ke patte ki kheer is something you should not miss!

Do checkout the Baisakhi special menu.

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Cashew Muhammara (Middle eastern roasted red pepper dip)

All good parties involve a lot of standing around gossiping and picking on finger food, and this is the kind of food you want table side to be picked from!

                            

This is a wonderful dip ....a velvety gunge of charred red pepper , onion and olive oil with mild undercurrents of garlic!

Serve this with Pita bread , lavash , cucumber/carrot batons and any crudites that you want to provide!

                                             

 I love serving dips & finger food at parties specially when my girlfriends are over! This is my new favorite dip and I hope you try it out!





























CashewMuhammara

1/4 cup of lightly toasted cashew nuts

1 red bell pepper (red capsicum)

6 cloves of garlic

1 onions chopped fine and cooked in 2 tsp olive oil

Red pepper flakes (to taste) or 1-2 dry red kashmiri chillies soaked in water

Sweet smoked paprika (optional)

1 bread slice

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

A dash of honey

Salt to taste

Procedure

Cant get any simpler! Just add to a blender and combine till smooth!

Will take about 5 minutes , serve in a bowl and garnish with some more extra virgin olive oil and some smoked paprika on top.

Serve with choice of bread / crudites

Gur Ki kheer

There is something so comforting about a rice pudding ....no wonder then that every country has its own version.

In India "Kheer" or rice pudding is such a versatile and popular dessert. Its fast , easy , creamy and comforting . Best of all it uses ingredients that are present in even the most humble kitchen pantry.

There are as many versions of this creamy cardamom scented dessert as there are families in India. This is my version , based on an age old family recipe !

I hope you try it and enjoy it. It uses gur (jaggery) and coconut. Incase you cannot find jaggery you may use brown /regular sugar.

Gur Coconut Kheer (Indian Rice Pudding)

1/3 cup basmati rice
1 Tablespoon Ghee
 2 green cardamoms (slightly bruised and opened)
1 Litre full fat milk
1/2 fresh grated coconut
80-100g Jaggery (gur) depending on how sweet you want it
A handful of raisins
Dry fruits to garnish


Start by soaking the basmati rice in warm water for 10-15 minutes. Then rub the rice grains gently between the palm of your hands to slightly break up the grains of rice.
Drain water from soaked rice and set aside.

Heat ghee in a thick bottomed pan , then add the rice and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the milk and let the rice cook in the milk on a low flame for about 25 minutes.

By this time the rice will be cooked and the kheer will appear thick , use the back of a spoon to gently mash some rice into the milk , this gives it a nice thick texture.

Next add the fresh grated coconut. Also add the raisins and green cardamom pods.

In the end add the jaggery , stir till the jaggery melts and is well incorporated into the rice kheer. Adjust the amount of jaggery according to how sweet you like your desserts!

Serve chilled . Garnish with dry fruits of choice.

Delhi Belly Food Festival at JW Marriott Pune

The food in Purani (old) Delhi is legendary.

Tucked away in the congested narrow alley ways of the capital you will find spectacular food....the best creamy kheer at Bade Mian in Lal Kuan, fantastic Dahi Bhallas at Natraj , crispy jalebis at Daribe ke Old and Famous Jalebiwalla .....mutton and chicken korma at Ashok & Ashok....the list is long!

Old Delhi has a marvelous legacy of food, everything is a treat to the taste buds. I love exploring the food of Pooranie Dillie ....

Flaky hot Nan-Khatai ( Biscuits) being sold on a street cart in Chandani Chowk, Old Delhi

I specially loved buying fresh , melt in your mouth , warm Nan Khatais from a street vendor in Old Delhi during my last visit there....

You can imagine then how excited I was when I heard that JW Marriott in Pune is hosting a delighful food festival featuring the best of Old Delhi Food.

Beverages on offer - Cutting chai , Nimbu Shikanjvi, India Gate style Baraf ke Gole

Aptly called the Delhi Belly Food Festival its a treat for ever food loving Pune-ite....

Chef Ajmal Salim with Chef Halim from  Delhi

I loved the detailed planing for this food festival. The very talented Chef Ajmal along with Chef Halim (who specialises in Delhi & Lucknowi food) have made great efforts to keep the food very authentic and re-create old Delhi classics like

Patel Nagar ki Shikanjavi
Chankdni Chowk ka Banta Masala Soda
India Gate ke Baraf Gole
Tawa wallie Shakarkandi Chaat
Karol Bagh ke Chole Bhature
Jama Masjid ki Mashoor Biryani
Purani Dillie Ka Shahie Tukra 

Just writing about the charming street food of Old Delhi is enough to make my mouth start watering yet again!

Falky Mathie with aged Lemon and Mango Pickle

Each table was set with a platter of perfectly khasta (flaky & crispy) Mathie , Sonth (sweet Tamarind and Jaggery Chutney) , green chutney, Mango & Lemon Pickle!

Drool worthy Mathie

The Mathie/ Mathri  and pickle were both very authentic ....they tasted just like what my Dadijee would make.

Being bang in the middle of the summer months there are an array of India Gate special flavored ice golas along with very refreshing Patel Nagar ki Neembu Shikanjvi on offer....

For starters we had some very well made Rajinder Nagar Style Dahi ke Kebab and Channa ke Shammi...both very well done ...its always nice when the vegetarian starters are as good as the non-vegetarian starters.

Melt in your mouth vegetarian Dahi Ke Kebab

The show stopper of my meal was definatley the tandoori chicken...its was so perfectly succulent and well spiced....I enjoyed it with Moolchand ka ande ka paratha ....

Perfect Tandoorie Kukkad

Main course was creamy dal makhani and delicatley spiced Jama Masjid Murg biryani with  moist tender pieces of chicken....

Purani Dillie Ki Daal Makhani

Jama Masjid Ki Mashoor Murg Biryani

And best of all for dessert we had some Gol Market style  Kulfi milk shake complete with falooda and sabja seeds! I had never heard of a kulfi -falooda milk shake....and I do love a good kulfi....so this was the perfect end to a very good meal...

Kulfi Falooda Shake Gol Market Style 

The "Delhi Belly Food Festival" Buffet is currently underway at the JW Marriott, Senapati Bapat Road, Pune  from 16th May -31st May 2014.

This specially crafted buffet menu is available for dinner between 7:30 am - 11 pm at Spice Kitchen and also at Shakahari (For Vegetarian Diners).

Priced at INR 1000 AI for adults and INR 500 for children below the age of 12 years at the Spice Kitchen, JW Marriott.

I strongly recommend this excellent dining experience to savour the charming food of Puranie Dillie without having to get on a plane or brave the narrow crowded streets of Old Delhi.

Gulabjamun Recipe from scratch using Milk powder

Easily one of Indias most loved desserts gulabjamuns can be a little tricky to make ....either they are right and so good or they are just a mess!

There isnt anything in between...

Well I have been looking for the perfect Gulabjamuns-from-scratch-recipe for many years!

I have tried pure milk powder Gulabjamuns, 1:1 Milk powder Flour , all khoya, part kohya....the list is endless....

Some versions were good while some recipes yielded gulabjamuns as hard as stone.....

Hence after a lot of trial and error  I have combined several recipes and tips  and I can proudly announce this recipe is the ONE!

Its the perfect texture ....I even put it through my famed Gulabjamun test! The test is basically cutting a Gulabjamun into half ,it should be moist and danedaar right to its very centre, it should not be hard and it should not be falling apart either!

So here is the recipe, with a little care and attention to detail anyone can make  perfect gulabjamuns at home...


1 cup Nestle Everyday Dairy Whitener (Milk Powder)
1/2 cup Plain Flour (Maida)
1/4 tsp n a lil pinch more of baking soda
1-2 tablespoons thick curd
1.5 tsp ghee
1 tablespoon Sooji ( Semolina)

Sugar Syrup
1.5 cups sugar
3 cups water
A splash of rose water
2-3 bruised green cardamom pods

Start by mixing the milk powder, flour,Semolina and baking soda with your fingers in a large bowl.
Once all the dry ingredients are well combined add the ghee and use your fingers to mix everything well again.

Now is the tricky bit, start adding the curd into the dry mix but start by adding only a teaspoon of curd at a time.
Milk powder tends to get all gooey very quickly so watch out . You dont want to add more curd than necessary. After each teaspoon addition of curd mix very well and knead. You should need only about 1-1.5 tablespoons of curd to have a homogeneous mixture.

Dont over work the dough it does not need to be all smooth and perfect you just need to bring everything together , look at the picture.

 Once the dough is ready leave it aside for 5-10 minutes.


Get started with the sugar syrup. Add the sugar to the water along with crushed
gren cardamom seeds and some rose water. Boil the syrup for about 15-20 minutes.

Now start making little tiny rounds of your dough first take a little dough and flatten it between your palms, then make it into a small ball this ensures minimum cracks on the surface of the dough. Little because on frying they will increase in size and swell up once again when you soak them in the sugar syrup.

Heat enough oil to be able to deep fry the dough balls. Heat oil and then reduce the heat for 5 minutes. Now gently add about 7 gulabjamuns to fry. You dont want to add too many.

You need to fry the dough balls evenly and on a low flame. To ensure even cooking make sure you keep swirling them around in the oil. Once they acquire a nice brown even color add them to the hot sugar syrup.

Let them soak for a minimum of 10-15 minutes before you serve them!

I hope you try this recipe soon......:)

Tomato and garlic chutney recipe

      

Hello! I thought of sharing this very simple recipe......I love garlic in all its glorious forms .
This chutney is very potent and only for garlic and chilli lovers!

A small amount goes a long way ....its awesome with yellow daal and chawaal !

I hope you try it!

Tamatar and Lassan Chutney

2 red juicy tomatoes cut into 4's
10-12 cloves of garlic
a pinch of cumin seeds
2 teaspoons refined oil
1/4 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder
Salt to taste

Grind the tomatoes and garlic to a fine puree without using any water.

Heat oil in a Kadhai/wok and add cumin seeds. Once they splutter add the kashmiri red chilli powder, now very quickly tip in the tomato + garlic puree.

Watch out it may make you cough and sneeze :))

Cook the chutney for another 5 minutes till oil separates and raw flavor of garlic n tomato goes away.

You can double the recipe and store in the refrigerator !

Punes best Pani Puri

I love street food and I especially love Gol gappe / Pani Puri / Puchka so it comes as no surprise then that I am a little fussy about my favourite street food!

I like the outer shell of the pani puri to be perfectly "khasta" (crisp)....I only like suji ke gol gappe and not the atta ke gol gappe!

 I like the water to be at the perfect temperature , not too cold but still a little cold. The paani must also be  the right blend of minty freshness and tangy khattapan (sourness) from the Imli .

 And Om Jai Shankar hits all the right notes ! After eating pani puri at so many places in Pune over the last 22 years this is just the best! Its not a recent discovery I have been eating here for the last 20 years almost.

 It remians consistent and excellent what I also love is despite the popularity of this place you will very often find the owner behind the counter mixing his magical mix!

What started as a humble Chaat thela or handcart opposite the Pune Railway station by a sindhi gentleman by the name of Mr Motiram Devnani is today Om Jai Shankar Pani Puri in BabaJaan Chowk , MG road!

Mr Devnani sold his chaat business to Sanjay Yande and he has been running the business for the last 40 years with the help of his son Sachin!

They do catering as well and the whos who of Pune have eaten their Paani Puri. Ofcourse they have other things on the menu which are nice as well but ofcourse its the Paani Puri that is phenomenal and pulls in the crowds!

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 Do visit if you are in the area . Open everyday 12 noon onwards up until 10.30 PM.

Gajjar Ka Halwa

 Gajjar ka halwa is an iconic part of winters in North India.

 Come the winter months and the market is flooded with bright red, sweet and juicy carrots....Delhi and Gajjar ka Halwa are synonomus .....to such an extent that in all other parts of India the juicy red carrots of the winter months are sold as "Dillie ki Gajjar"

Winter in India also happens to coincide with the festive and wedding season. Growing up I have such fond memories of greedily eating bowl after bowl of Shaadi walla Gajjar ka Halwa at every single wedding.

No winter wedding up North is complete without Gajjar Ka halwa, Moong dal Halwa , Garam (hot) Jalebi and Kadhai walla Doodh ( Milk painstakingly cooked till it thickens in a cast iron wok)

The fact that this Halwa is seasonal because of the seasonal nature of the carrots (only available for 3-4 months of the year in the winter) makes me lust after it more so....

Ofcourse any carrots can be used but the winter carrots with their earthy sweetness and deep color result in the best halwa! Hence this fudgy sweet dessert with hints of cardamom and the creamy sweetness of milk/khoya can be best enjoyed in the winters!

Nothing and I mean nothing can warm your soul better on a winter night than a bowl of Gajjar ka Halwa!

I have tried making Gajjar ka Halwa on several occasions and made a mess of it.....I used to wonder what do I need to do differently for my halwa to have that perfect color and consistency .....so this winter I decided to call all my Buajis and aunts and after putting together every single tip and trick they were generous enough to give me.....I am happy to say this recipe is now perfect!

Please watch my youtube video so you dont miss any of the little top secret steps :))






Its got the same  taste that only patient , loving  slow cooking roasting can impart.....and a beautiful color just like the Shaadi walla Gajjar ka Halwa  I have enjoyed growing up....

I hope you try this :)


Authentic Gajjar ka Halwa recipe that results in a deep red color halwa .


Carrots - 2 kgs washed, peeled and grated

Sugar 160-180 grams ( Regular Sugar)

Ghee 1 tablespoon

Dry fruits

Elaichi Powder - Optional

Khoya 120-150 grams


Add grated carrots to a dry heavy bottom Kadhai or wok. Cook covered with a plate for 20-25 minutes on very low flame.

Keep checking and stirring the carrot mixture at regular intervals even during these 20-25 minutes to make sure nothing burns.

Once the carrots have lost a lot of their moisture add the sugar. Once you add the sugar the carrots will leave still more moisture.

Cook covered for another 20- 25 minutes on low flame .Do not leave halwa unattended at this stage it needs constant care and stirring.

Once the carrot sugar mixture looks a little dried out add the ghee and dry fruits. Mix well to incorporate everything.

Next add the crumbled khoya. Once you add the khoya the halwa needs about 20 minutes of dry roasting .

When the halwa changes to a deep red color with no more white specks of the khoya showing , its ready.

Garnish with some more dry fruits and reward yourself for all the hard work with a bowl of halwa straight off the flame!

Phirni

I love my desserts....not too sweet and not very fattening :) but creamy and comforting nonetheless

Phirni fits the bill perfectly

Its  a rosewater scented rice pudding with a lot of texture and depth of flavor...cool  and creamy phirni set in shallow earthen bowls.....shakoras.....it gets magically infused with the earthy sweetness and aroma of the terracotta bowls in which it is set.

Phirni 

Serves : 4

Basmati Rice - 50g
Milk 500ml
Sugar 50g
Water 2 tablespoons
Few saffron strands dissolved in 1-2 tablespoons hot milk
Rosewater 1 tablespoon
Kewra (Screwpine Essence ) 4 drops ( Optional)

To Garnish:
Silver Foil / Chaandi ka Vark
Dried Rose Petals
Slivered Pistachios & Almonds


1.Start by soaking rice in water for 30 minutes. Drain waiter and grind to a coarse grainy paste.

2.Boil milk, then lower flame and add prepared rice paste from step 1. Once you add the rice paste keep whisking and dont leave the milk unattended! :)

3.After 3-4 minutes of constant whisking add the saffron dissolved in milk. Next add the sugar and keep whisking for another 5-7 minutes or until the mixture is thick .

4. Turn off flame and add the rosewater and kewra essence.

5.While the phirni mixture is hot pour into terracotta bowls that have been soaked in water and dried / in any serving bowl of your choice. Garnish with silver foil , rose petals, slivers of pistachios and almonds.

6. Let the phirni come to room temperature and then refrigerate for 2 hours or until serving time .

Sirke Wale Pyaaz - Indian restaurant style pickled onions

Sirke Wale Pyaaz - Indian restaurant style pickled onions

Ruby red , crunchy , sweet and sour all at once these pickled onions were a standard accompaniment to all Indian /Punjabi  meals that you ate in  restaurants in the 90s .

For some reason I dont see them so much these days but I love them so I decided to make them . A little bit of trial and error this recipe worked the best just like the sirke walle pyaaz at Kumar Sweets in Dehradoon.

The first time I tried making these I just put onions in vinegar but that resulted in only a very slight pink color and not such a great taste! I guess thats how American pickled onions are made ......since thats all I could find on the internet .



 But this recipe is perfect....the secret to getting a nice full bodied color is the beetroot! :)

INGREDIENTS
Onions (the tiny kind ) : 200 grams cleaned 
Regular White Vinegar : 1 cup
Peppercorn : 7
Bay leaf : 2
Sugar : 4 teaspoons
Salt: to taste
Beetroot : 1 small beetroot chopped

DIRECTIONS

Boil vinegar along with peppercorns , bay leaf , sugar and salt for around 5 minutes .

Add thinly sliced beetroot.

As soon as you add the beetroot vinegar will change color to a ruby red .

Boil for another 2-3 minutes.

Put clean dry onions in a clean dry clean glass bottle .

Strain the red vinegar solution into the glass bottle .

Add a few pieces of the beetroot that you strained out into the bottle as well.

Keep in the fridge .

Eat after 24 hours , gets better with time as onions loose their sharpness 

.Keeps well for 2-3 weeks as long as it dosent come in contact with water!